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Sri Chinmoy
Born(1931-08-27)August 27, 1931
Shakpura Village, Chittagong District, East Bengal, British India (now Bangladesh)
DiedOctober 11, 2007(2007-10-11) (aged 76)
New York City
Resting placeQueens, New York
NationalityIndian

Sri Chinmoy (August 27, 1931 – October 11, 2007), born Chinmoy Kumar Ghose,[1] was an Indian spiritual Master who began teaching meditation in the West when he moved to New York City in 1964.[2] A prolific author, artist, poet, athlete and musician, he is perhaps best known for holding public events on the theme of inner peace (such as concerts, meditations, and races)[3][4] and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.[5][6][7] He taught meditation on the spiritual heart as a core spiritual practice, as well as encouraging prayer and performing dedicated selfless-service as a way to personal enlightenment, or God-realisation as described by Eastern philosophies.

Early years (1931-1964)

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Chinmoy was born in Shakpura village in the Chittagong District of East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Orphaned in 1944 at the age of 12, he was taken to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, South India where he spent the next twenty years in spiritual practice.[8][9]

In 1964 Chinmoy immigrated to New York City[10][11] where he opened the first of what later became over 100 meditation centers around the world that teach meditation and philosophy[12][13]

United Nations

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In April 1970, Sri Chinmoy was invited by UN Secretary-General U Thant to give twice-weekly meditations for UN delegates, staff and representatives of NGOs as the director of the meditation group called “Sri Chinmoy: Peace Meditations at the United Nations” in New York.[14][15][16] [17][18][19] Chinmoy believed the UN offered the best hope of international peace and reconciliation.[20]

Art and Music

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In 1974 Chinmoy began painting colorful acrylics on abstract themes - which he called "Jharna-Kala" or "fountain-art".[21] His artwork has been displayed in the Louvre in Paris, the UNESCO offices in Paris, the Mall Gallery in London, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and the United Nations Headquarters.[22][23][24]

In 1984, he began a series of free musical performances that he named "peace concerts" where he would play various instruments and offer silent meditation between each instrument. He gave over 700 free peace concerts in venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan, the Louvre in Paris, and the Sydney Opera House.[4][25] Composers and musicians who were spiritually inspired by Chinmoy include Leonard Bernstein, Roberta Flack, Narada Michael Walden, Clarence Clemons, Boris Grebenshikov, Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin.[26][27][28][29][11][30] Leonard Bernstein described Chinmoy as "the very model of abundance in the creative life."[31]

Athletics

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Chinmoy encouraged physical activity to play a vital role in the search for enlightenment.[32] In 1977 the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team was founded, which holds running, swimming, and cycling events worldwide, from fun runs to ultramarathons.[33] In 1987 he created the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run (also known as the World Harmony Run),[34] a torch relay for peace held every two years. Olympic gold-medalist Carl Lewis, who was also advised by Sri Chinmoy throughout his Olympic career, is the spokesman for the torch relay.[35][36][37] [38][39] The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team has sponsored ultra-distance events including the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, described by the New York Times as the "Mount Everest of ultramarathons".[40]

A lifelong athlete, he took up weightlifting in his fifties and accomplished feats of strength to inspire others to go beyond their limits.[41] [42] [43] In a program created in 1988 known as 'Lifting Up the World With a Oneness-Heart', Sri Chinmoy lifted people of inspiration while they stood on a platform overhead. Chinmoy described his motivation: 'I lift them up to show my appreciation for their achievements.'[44] Among some of the 7000 people he lifted include: Nelson Mandela,[45] Desmond Tutu[46] Muhammad Ali, Sting, Dr. Jane Goodall, Eddie Murphy, Susan Sarandon, Roberta Flack, Yoko Ono, Jesse Jackson, Jeff Goldblum, Sid Caesar, Richard Gere and Helen Hunt.[47][11][48] In April 2011, a documentary film about Sri Chinmoy's feats of strength titled Challenging Impossibility premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.[49]

Teachings

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Chinmoy advocated "self-transcendence" by expanding one's consciousness to conquer the mind's perceived limitations.[50] He authored hundreds of books, wrote thousands of poems and aphorisms, to which he put thousands to music in his own original compositions.[51][52]

He never charged any fees for his spiritual guidance or music performances, and also encouraged his students to offer free music performances and meditation classes to the public.[53]

Sri Chinmoy’s efforts to promote inter-faith harmony resulted in him being invited to open the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago (1993) and Barcelona (2004) with a silent meditation.[54][55]

Over the years Sri Chinmoy had ongoing friendships with Mikhail Gorbachev[56][57], Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa[58] Desmond Tutu[59][60] and US Congressman Gary Ackerman.[61]

Chinmoy passed away in his home in Jamaica, Queens, New York on October 11, 2007. [3][62]

Awards

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A summary of award highlights includes:

Year Award Description
1990 Visva Sama Duta "Ambassador of Universal Peace", title conferred by the Asgiriya Order of Buddhist Monks. The first non-Buddhist in Sri Lankan history to receive such an honorary degree.[63]
1994 Mahatma Gandhi Universal Harmony Award Received jointly with Martin Luther King’s wife Coretta Scott King, from the American branch of the Indian cultural institute Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.[64]
1996 Fred Lebow Award Presented by NYC Marathon Director Allan Steinfeld and Umberto Silvestri, President of the Rome Marathon. [65]
1997 Hindu of the Year / Hindu Renaissance Award Presented by the international magazine ‘Hinduism Today’ in 1997, honouring him for teaching a yoga which combines aspects of ancient Hinduism in a modern setting.[66]
1998 Pilgrim of Peace prize From the ‘International Center of Assisi for Peace among Peoples’.[67]
2001 Mother Teresa Award Presented by President of the Republic of Macedonia Boris Trajkovski.[68][69]
2004 Medal of Honor For the Cause of Peace and Friendship Among Nations Presented by Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Nations Le Luong Minh. [70][71]
2005 Honorary Doctorate of Humanities in Peace Studies Presented by the Science Council committee of Cambodia's International University in a unanimous decision.[72]
2012 Class of Honorees International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, including honoring the the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team with swimming the English Channel 38 times. [73]
  • 1978 Distinguished Service Award Presented by Runner's World magazine "for dedicated service to humanity through the promotion of running" in 1978.[74]
  • 1993 Honorary Doctorate of Humanities and Peace Studies University of Southern Philippines in Cebu City, the Philippines in 1993.[75]
  • Sri Chinmoy Tulip named for an orange Triumph tulip edged with yellow by the International Cultivar Registration Authority for the Tulip in 2005. The Tulip was cultivated by Jan Ligthart of Breezand, the Netherlands.

Bibliography

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Sri Chinmoy wrote numerous works. Below are some of Sri Chinmoy's most popular book titles encompassing a wide variety of spiritual topics. He also wrote short stories, essays, plays, poems questions and answers. His first book was published in 1970.

  • (1974) Yoga and the Spiritual Life - Aum Publications
  • (1974) The Inner Promise: Paths to Self Perfection - Wildwood House
  • (1975) Astrology, the Supernatural and the Beyond - Aum Publications
  • (1977) Everest Aspiration - Aum Publications
  • (1984) The Summits of God-Life: Samadhi and Siddhi - Aum Publications
  • (1986) A Child's Heart and a Child's Dreams - Aum Publications
  • (1989) Meditation: Man-Perfection in God-Satisfaction - Aum Publications
  • (1990) On Wings of Silver Dreams - Aum Publications
  • (1992) Kundalini: The Mother-Power - Aum Publications
  • (1994) Garden of the Soul - Health Communications Inc.
  • (1994) My Life's Soul-Journey - Aum Publications
  • (1997) God Is... - Aum Publications
  • (1997) Wings of Joy - Simon and Schuster
  • (2007) Power Within: Secrets of Spirituality and Ocultism - Guru Noka Publications
  • (2007) Heart-Garden - New Holland Publishing

Poetry

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  • (1979–1983) Ten Thousand Flower-Flames - Agni Press (100 volumes)
  • (1983–1998) Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants - Agni Press (270 volumes)
  • (1998–2007) Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees - Agni Press (50 volumes... unfinished)
  • (1973) The Dance of Life
  • (1974) The Wings of Light
  • (2000–2007) My Christmas-New Year-Vacation-Aspiration-Prayers (51 volumes)

Spiritual Plays

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  • (1973) Sri Ramachandra - My Rama is My All - A play on the life of Sri Ramachandra
  • (1973) The Singer Of The Eternal Beyond - A play on the life of Sri Krishna
  • (1973) Siddhartha Becomes The Buddha - A Play on the life of Lord Buddha
  • (1973) The Son - A play on the life of Jesus Christ
  • (1973) Lord Gauranga: Love Incarnate - A Play on the life of Sri Chaitanya
  • (1973) Drink, Drink, My Mother's Nectar - A play on the life of Sri Ramakrishna
  • (1973) The Heart Of A Holy Man - various plays on spiritual figures
  • (1973) Supreme Sacrifice - a book of spiritual plays
  • (1974) The Descent of the Blue - A play about the life of Sri Aurobindo

Books of Sri Chinmoy in Library of Congress

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Books and True Stories of Sri Chinmoy on Hindu Guru Nigamananda

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Sri Chinmoy had written a great deal on Hindu spiritual Guru Nigamananda of India.

Books

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(English)
  • Sri Chinmoy (1 March 2003). Wisdom of Sri Chinmoy. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 82–. ISBN 978-81-208-1943-6. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
(Spain)

Stories

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(English)
(German)
(Serbian)
(Hungarian)

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Sands 2001, According to legal papers signed in November 2006, his name is Chinmoy Kumar Ghose aka Sri Chinmoy. Sri Chinmoy is the name under which the guru has taught, published, composed and performed since approximately 1972. (See front and back matter of referenced works.) He was previously known as Chinmoy Kumar Ghose (e.g. “Many at U.N.” New York Times 8 November 1971: 42). He signed most of his paintings and drawings C.K.G. (“C.K.G.” Jharna-Kala Magazine 1.1 (April –June 1977): 1).
  2. ^ Hinduism Today December 1997, pp.34-35
  3. ^ a b Kilgannon, Corey (2007-10-13). "Sri Chinmoy, Athletic Spiritual Leader, Dies at 76". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  4. ^ a b Dua 2005, p.66
  5. ^ "Sri Chinmoy, Peace campaigner and spiritual teacher who advocated running". The Scotsman, 15 October 2007.
  6. ^ Rouen, Ethan and Standora, Leo, (2007-10-12). "Sri Chinmoy, spiritual leader, dies in Queens". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2013-8-5.
  7. ^ "Sri Chinmoy Nominated to Receive the Nobel Peace Prize 51 Icelandic MPs sign a nomination to the Nobel Committee", "Sri Chinmoy nominated for the Nobel Prize 2007 by Canadian Professor", "Charles University of Prague: Sri Chinmoy Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Czech Professors", newspaper articles from CCNMatthews Newswire, highbeam.com, accessed 2013-7-31
  8. ^ Cornwell, Rupert (2007-11-17). "Sri Chinmoy, Spiritual leader and peace activist (Obituary)", The Independent, retrieved 2013-8-8.
  9. ^ Dua 2005, pp. 18, 22 and Chinmoy, My Brother Chitta 1998, p. 58.
  10. ^ Chinmoy, Sri Chinmoy Answers, Part 23 2000, p. 28.
  11. ^ a b c Kilgannon, Corey (2004-07-01). "They're Not Heavy; They're His People; 72-Year-Old Sri Chinmoy Offers An Uplift Beyond the Spiritual". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  12. ^ Dua 2005, p. 90 and Hinnells 1991, p. 80.
  13. ^ "Peace Institute Honors Chinmoy". Hinduism Today. Feb 1994.
  14. ^ "Hindu of the Year Sri Chinmoy clinches 1997 "Hindu Renaissance Award"". Hinduism Today. Dec 1997.
  15. ^ 'The Spiritual History of the United Nations', accessed May 2011
  16. ^ "Many at U.N." New York Times 8 Nov. 1971: 42; "Peace Institute Honors Chinmoy". Hinduism Today. Feb 1994.
  17. ^ "The United Nations as a Spiritual Institution". Interreligious Insight. April 2005.
  18. ^ "Peace Institute Honors Chinmoy". Hinduism Today. Feb 1994.
  19. ^ Among the Great 1978, p. 210 (letter from U Thant). See also Chinmoy, U Thant 1977, especially "Interview Between U Thant And Sri Chinmoy" and "On The Evening Of 25 May 1973".
  20. ^ Cornwell, Rupert (2007-11-17). "Sri Chinmoy, Spiritual leader and peace activist (Obituary)", The Independent, retrieved 2013-8-8.
  21. ^ Dua 2005, pp. 70–73.
  22. ^ Barker, Kate (2008-08-30). "Out Of The Chaos Of Difference, Harmony". Newsweek. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
  23. ^ Alexandra Shaw: 70,000 Soul-Bird-Flights by Sri Chinmoy. US- Magazine Manhattan Arts, September -October 1993, S.25.
  24. ^ Goldman, Ari L. (1994-04-09). "RELIGION NOTES - Messengers of Peace". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  25. ^ Rouen, Ethan and Standora, Leo, (2007-10-12). "Sri Chinmoy, spiritual leader, dies in Queens". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2013-8-5.
  26. ^ Stump, Paul. Go Ahead John: The Music of John McLaughlin, SAF, London, 2000 p. 92. ISBN 0-946719-24-1, ISBN 978-0-946719-24-2
  27. ^ Stump, Paul. Go ahead John: The music of John McLaughlin, SAF, London, 2000 pp. 56-90. ISBN 0-946719-24-1, ISBN 978-0-946719-24-2
  28. ^ "Music is like a Christmas tree: Santana" Daily News & Analysis, Oct 18, 2012
  29. ^ Weinstein, Norman. Carlos Santana: A Biography, Greenwood, California, 2009, pp.51
  30. ^ McG. Thomas Jr., Robert (1987-04-22). "SCOUTING; One More Time: A Torch Relay". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  31. ^ Spence, Alan (2013-07-27). "The write stuff: Giving peace a chance". The Scotsman.
  32. ^ Cornwell, Rupert (2007-11-17). "Sri Chinmoy, Spiritual leader and peace activist (Obituary)", The Independent, retrieved 2013-8-8.
  33. ^ Bennett, Ultrarunning April 1987: 23–25.
  34. ^ Greene, "Runners Span Globe" Salisbury Post 2005.
  35. ^ Lewis, Carl (1999-02-14). "'The Athletes Are The Games'". Newsweek. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
  36. ^ [1]
  37. ^ Callahan, Tom (1984-07-30). "Olympics: No Limit to What He Can Do". TIME Magazine. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
  38. ^ Lewis, Carl with Marx, Jeffrey. Inside Track: My professional life in amateur track and field, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1990, pp.56-61
  39. ^ World Harmony Run Media
  40. ^ New York Times
  41. ^ Cater, "Heavy Hearted" American Fitness 1991; Bosgang, "Lifting Up the World" School of Metaphysics 2002; Chinmoy, Aspiration Body, Part 3 2004, p. 4.
  42. ^ Baker & Du Moulin, "Highlights" Civil Air Patrol News 36.1 (Jan. 2004): 30.
  43. ^ Bennett, GYM 2000: 62.
  44. ^ Lifting up the World at Sri Chinmoy.org
  45. ^ Video footage of Sri Chinmoy lifting Nelson Mandela in South Africa
  46. ^ [2] Video footage of Sri Chinmoy lifting Desmond Tutu]
  47. ^ "Helen Hunt on The Late Show with David Letterman". CBS. 2013-02-15.
  48. ^ "Who needs doctors when you can conceive courtesy Indian guru, Helen Hunt finds out". Financial Express. 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  49. ^ Kilgannon, Corey (2011-04-25). "A Monument to Strength as a Path to Enlightenment". New York Times accessdate=2011-05-28. {{cite news}}: Missing pipe in: |publisher= (help)
  50. ^ Chinmoy, “Limitation”, university lecture in The Oneness of the Eastern Heart and the Western Mind, Part 1, Agni 2003
  51. ^ > Sri Chinmoy Bibliography
  52. ^ > The Prose and Poetry of Sri Chinmoy
  53. ^ Harley, Gail M., Hindu and Sikh faiths in America, Facts on File, New York, 2003, p.90
  54. ^ The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, Interfaith Reborn: Sri Chinmoy’s Opening Meditation of the 1993 Parliament accessed July 2013
  55. ^ Sri Chinmoy Opens the Parliament of World’s Religions accessed July 2013
  56. ^ Gray, Paul (1990-06-18). "Grapevine: Jun. 18, 1990". TIME Magazine. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
  57. ^ Ellis, David (1991-07-29). "Spiritual Aid Is Easier to Obtain". TIME Magazine. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
  58. ^ Kononenko, Igor & Irena Roglic, Teachers of Wisdom, RoseDog Books, Pittsburgh, 2010, p. 358
  59. ^ Ellis, David (1991-07-29). "Spiritual Aid Is Easier to Obtain". TIME Magazine. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  60. ^ Sri Chinmoy, foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, The Jewels of Happiness 2010, Watkins Publishing, ISBN 1906787972
  61. ^ Spence, Alan (2013-07-27). "The write stuff: Giving peace a chance". The Scotsman.
  62. ^ Rouen, Ethan and Standora, Leo, (2007-10-12). "Sri Chinmoy, spiritual leader, dies in Queens". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2013-8-5.
  63. ^ Daily News, Sri Lanka. 10 January 1990.
  64. ^ The Philadelphia Inqirer. 31 October 1994.
  65. ^ "Northwest Runner". December 1996
  66. ^ "Hindu of the Year". Hinduism Today. December 1997. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  67. ^ "Peace Pilgrim Award". Retrieved 2013-05-24.
  68. ^ Nova Makedonija. 9 July 2001.
  69. ^ Macedonia Denes. 10 July 2001.
  70. ^ Voice of Vietnam News. 16 November 2004.
  71. ^ Vietnam News Agency. 15 November 2004.
  72. ^ "Sri Chinmoy Honored" News Release. International University [Cambodia] 7 Sept. 2005.
  73. ^ "Class of 2012 Announced". December 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  74. ^ Among the Great 1978, p. 192 (photo of plaque).
  75. ^ Chinmoy, Sri. Meetings With Luminaries In The Philippines. New York: Agni, 1993.
  76. ^ Bennett, "Nepal's Monarch Dedicates" Hinduism Today 1995.

References

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  • Bennett, Vidagdha. "What is the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team?" Ultrarunning Magazine April 1987: 23–25.
  • Dua, Shyam, ed. The Luminous Life of Sri Chinmoy. Delhi, India: Tiny Tot, 2005.
  • Hinnells, John R., ed. Who's Who of World Religions. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 1991. ISBN 0-13-952946-2
  • Sands, Nancy Elizabeth (Madhuri). The Life of Sri Chinmoy. 5 vols. New York: Agni, 2001.
  • Radinović, Sanja. "Musical opus of Sri Chinmoy: Biography of a soul" (Auto)biography as a Musicological Discourse, ed. by Tatjana Marković and Vesna Mikić. Beograd: Fakultet muzičke umetnosti, 2010: 275-291. ISBN 978-86-605-1027-5.
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Wikiquote has quotations related to Sri Chinmoy.


Category:1931 births Category:2007 deaths Category:Bengali poets Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:Hindu gurus Category:Indian poets Category:Indian spiritual teachers Category:Indian spiritual writers

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