1. Standard memberrvsakhadeo
    rvsakhadeo
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    27 Sep '11 17:471 edit
    Omar Khayyam wrote some extraordinarily beautiful poetry way back in the 12th century. His Rubaiyat can be said to be Philosophy structured in a song.What were the themes in the Rubaiyat-Hedonism? or Agnosticism ? or Theism ? Some examples will indicate what I mean. Two first stanzas apply particularly to RHP Spirituality Forum.
    Firstly:
    Myself when young did eagerly frequent
    Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument
    About it and About: but evermore
    came out by the same door wherein I went.

    And the second one:
    With them the seed of Wisdom did I sow
    and with mine own hand wrought to make it grow
    And this was all the harvest that I reaped
    " I came like water and like wind I go"
    And a particularly moving one but involving God also:
    Ah Love ! Could you and I with Him conspire
    To grasp this sorry scheme of things entire
    Would we not shatter it to bits--and then
    remould it nearer to the heart's desire
    Or an agnostic thought:
    There was the door to which I found no key
    There was the veil through which I might not see
    Some little talk awhile of me and thee
    there was --- and then no more of thee and me
    Comments please.
  2. Joined
    29 Dec '08
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    6788
    27 Sep '11 18:552 edits
    Originally posted by rvsakhadeo
    Omar Khayyam wrote some extraordinarily beautiful poetry way back in the 12th century. His Rubaiyat can be said to be Philosophy structured in a song.What were the themes in the Rubaiyat-Hedonism? or Agnosticism ? or Theism ? Some examples will indicate what I mean. Two first stanzas apply particularly to RHP Spirituality Forum.
    Firstly:
    Myself when yo e talk awhile of me and thee
    there was --- and then no more of thee and me
    Comments please.
    One of the first and most accessible philosophically-themed works (if not philosophy per se) that I discovered.

    The following is relevant:

    #49

    But helpless pieces in the game He plays
    Upon this chequer-board of Nights and Days
    He hither and thither moves, and checks ... and slays
    Then one by one, back in the Closet lays

    A different edition has it:

    'Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days
    Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays:
    Hither and thither moves, and mates, and slays,
    And one by one back in the Closet lays.

    Here is a nice illustrated first version with a preface on Khayyam:

    http://www.archive.org/stream/TheRubaiyatOfOmarKhayyam-FirstVersion-Illustrated#page/n0/mode/2up

    Of course the Edward Fitzgerald versions and most likely all others, are not literal translations.
  3. Standard memberrvsakhadeo
    rvsakhadeo
    India
    Joined
    19 Feb '09
    Moves
    38047
    28 Sep '11 05:35
    Originally posted by JS357
    One of the first and most accessible philosophically-themed works (if not philosophy per se) that I discovered.

    The following is relevant:

    #49

    But helpless pieces in the game He plays
    Upon this chequer-board of Nights and Days
    He hither and thither moves, and checks ... and slays
    Then one by one, back in the Closet lays

    A different edition has ...[text shortened]... course the Edward Fitzgerald versions and most likely all others, are not literal translations.
    Accessible philosophy can form a thread by itself.
    I want to quote Walt Whitman here. An agnostic and pessimistic quote.
    " Logic and sermons never convince; The damp of the night drives deeper into my soul...Now I re-examine philosophies and religions. They may prove well in lecture rooms,
    yet not prove at all under the spacious clouds, and along the landscape and flowing currents. " Omar's disenchantment with philosophies is appearing to me as more robust. More of that later.

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