Eknath Easwaran

Eknath Easwaran – Life, Work, and Spiritual Wisdom

Explore the life and teachings of Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999), Indian spiritual teacher and author. Learn about his method of Passage Meditation, his translations of the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Dhammapada, and his lasting spiritual legacy.

Introduction

Eknath Easwaran (born December 17, 1910 – died October 26, 1999) was an Indian-born spiritual teacher, author, translator, and interpreter of classical Indian spiritual texts, who brought contemplative practices and meditation into the lives of many Western students.

Though rooted in Hindu traditions, Easwaran taught a nonsectarian path of inner spiritual growth, emphasizing universal values such as love, compassion, self-discipline, and wisdom. He developed a practical method known as Passage Meditation, founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, and published many works—commentaries, translations, and books on spiritual living—that continue to inspire seekers around the world.

Because of his integrative approach—bridging East and West, scripture and lived practice—Easwaran stands as an important figure in modern spirituality. This article explores his life, teachings, and influence, enriched with selected quotations and lessons.

Early Life and Family

Eknath Easwaran was born on December 17, 1910, in a village in Kerala, in the southern region of India (then under British colonial rule).

His upbringing was strongly influenced by his maternal grandmother, whom he later recognized as a key spiritual figure in his life. As a child, she was his primary companion and, over time, his first spiritual teacher.

Easwaran grew up in a society in which matrilineal customs existed (in parts of Kerala), giving women certain legal rights and standing. Thus, the matrilineal context shaped familial and social norms in his early life.

He was educated initially in his village until about age sixteen, after which he went to a Catholic college—St. Thomas College, Thrissur—about fifty miles from home.

During his youth, Easwaran developed an early love for English literature, which later shaped his academic and translation work.

Youth, Education & Academic Career

After his college education, Easwaran went on to study English literature and law. He later accepted a post in academia, becoming a Professor of English Literature at the University of Nagpur in India.

While working as a professor, he engaged deeply with spiritual texts—especially the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Dhammapada—and strove to understand how their wisdom could be applied in everyday life.

In 1959, under a Fulbright scholarship, Easwaran moved to the United States to teach at the University of Minnesota.

Eventually, he relocated to California, where he found a receptive audience for spiritual teachings among Western students. In 1961, he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation (BMCM) in northern California.

Over time, he began offering courses, retreats, talks, and also began publishing his works via Nilgiri Press, the publishing arm he started.

Key Contributions & Teachings

Passage Meditation & the Eight-Point Program

One of Easwaran’s most enduring contributions is his Passage Meditation method, which he developed to make meditation accessible and effective for everyday people.

The method centers on silently repeating a memorized inspiring passage (from scripture, poetry, or spiritual literature) to steady the mind. Over time, this practice fosters deeper concentration, insight, and inner calm.

To support holistic transformation, Easwaran articulated an Eight-Point Program that complements meditation with lifestyle and ethical disciplines. The eight points are:

1. Meditation on a Passage

2. The Mantram (silent repetition of a sacred name or phrase)

3. Slowing Down (simplifying pace of life)

4. One-Pointed Attention (focusing fully on whatever task is before you)

5. Training the Senses (moderating sense desires)

6. Putting Others First (serving and caring beyond selfishness)

7. Spiritual Companionship (support from fellow seekers)

8. Reading the Mystics (drawing inspiration from spiritual literature)

These eight points work together: meditation anchors inner life, while the others help transform action, ethics, and community.

Translations, Commentaries & Writings

Easwaran’s output as a translator and interpreter is substantial. Among his notable works:

• The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living – a multi-volume verse-by-verse commentary that makes the Gita’s spiritual teachings accessible and practical.

• Essence of the Upanishads (originally Dialogue With Death) – a commentary on the Katha Upanishad, framing its ideas in a way relevant to modern seekers.

• The Dhammapada (translation and introduction) – bringing the sayings of the Buddha to a broader audience in translation.

• Seeing with the Eyes of Love – commentary on The Imitation of Christ, showing how Christian devotional literature can be integrated into universal spiritual practice.

• Nonviolent Soldier of Islam: Badshah Khan – a biographical and spiritual portrait of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, an ally of Gandhi who championed nonviolence in the Muslim context.

• Love Never Faileth – reflections on Christ, Saint Francis, Saint Paul, Mother Teresa, and Christian themes, showing Easwaran’s openness to cross-tradition insight.

• Many other works on meditation, spiritual living, inner transformation, timeless wisdom selections, and short daily readings.

His translations and commentaries are praised for combining literary sensitivity (from his English literature background) with deep spiritual insight.

Establishing Spiritual Community & Publishing

• Easwaran founded Nilgiri Press, named after the “Blue Mountains” (Nilgiris) in India, as a publishing house to propagate his teachings and related spiritual works.

• He also oversaw the development of Ramagiri Ashram in Marin County, California (from about 1969 onward), a residential spiritual community for dedicated practitioners.

• Over the decades, he gave thousands of talks, retreats, and interviews, and his recorded talks (audio, video) continue to be distributed by BMCM and Nilgiri Press.

Spiritual Principles & Themes

Eknath Easwaran’s teachings rest on several recurring principles:

1. Inner transformation precedes outer action
   He believed lasting change in the world begins with change in individuals—through discipline, meditation, and ethical cultivation.

2. Unity of spiritual traditions
   Even though rooted in Hindu texts, Easwaran’s teachings draw from Christian, Buddhist, and mystical traditions, highlighting universal truths across faiths.

3. Practical spirituality in daily life
   He emphasized that spiritual practices must align with everyday life—family, work, relationships—not merely as retreats or escapism.

4. Service, compassion, and altruism
   One of the points of his program is “Putting Others First,” reflecting the belief that spiritual maturity expresses itself through service and love.

5. Patience, humility, and perseverance
   He taught that spiritual growth is gradual and requires steady effort, inner patience, and humility toward one’s own limitations.

6. Reading and reflection as nourishment
   Easwaran encouraged reading spiritual classics (the mystics) and reflecting on their teachings as companions in one’s internal journey.

Famous Quotes by Eknath Easwaran

Easwaran left behind many aphorisms and reflections. Here are a few notable ones:

• “It does not require my physical presence; it requires your open heart.”

• “The time to meditate is when you don’t have the time.” (often quoted in meditation circles)

• “The classic paths, taken seriously, show us not how isolated contemplation is divorced from life, but how contemplation transforms life.”

• “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” (a phrase commonly attributed in spiritual traditions and sometimes used by his followers)

• “Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous.”

• “Love is not what you do, but what you are. It is the frame of your being.”

These expressions reflect his emphasis on internal attitude and being (rather than external action alone).

Lessons from Eknath Easwaran

1. Integrate contemplation and action
   Easwaran shows that meditation is not separate from life but its foundation. True spiritual practice infuses daily work, relationships, and service.

2. Practice consistency, not intensity alone
   His Eight-Point Program rewards sustained, steady attention rather than sporadic bursts of enthusiasm.

3. Cross traditions with humility
   Respect the diversity of spiritual paths while seeking the essential truths beneath them.

4. Teach through life, not just words
   Easwaran’s life in community, discipline, simplicity, service, and devotion provided a living model of his teachings.

5. Value inner growth as an act of service
   By working on your own mind and heart, you contribute to the upliftment of others and the world.

Legacy & Influence

Easwaran’s legacy continues in multiple domains:

• Spiritual communities and centers
  The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation remains active, offering books, retreats, courses, and resources aligned with Easwaran’s teachings.

• Published works and translations
  His translations of Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Dhammapada continue to be widely read and used in spiritual scholarship and practice.

• Global disciples and influence
  His students and communities across the world carry forward the practice of Passage Meditation, and his books have been translated into many languages.

• Academic and scientific interest
  Easwaran’s meditation methods and psychological effects have been studied, with research exploring how his practices contribute to mental well-being, stress reduction, and inner growth.

• Interfaith and contemplative dialogue
  Because he drew from multiple traditions, Easwaran has been referenced in interfaith circles as a model for integrating wisdom across religions.

Though he passed away in 1999, his wisdom continues to resonate with seekers who wish to combine spiritual depth with everyday life.

Conclusion

Eknath Easwaran was not simply a spiritual teacher in the traditional sense, but a bridge between scriptural insight and everyday practice, between East and West, and between contemplative depth and compassionate action. His passages, his meditative method, and his life continue to invite us inward—to steady the mind, illumine the heart, and live with greater coherence, love, and purpose.