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(詳細はesoteric philosophy movements active in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and especially India. These movements assert that Sant Mat shares a lineage with Sikhism and contains elements of thought found in Hinduism, such as karma and reincarnation. They further assert that Sant Mat also contains elements found in Sufism and has inspired and influenced a number of religious groups and organizations. They refer to this spiritual path as the "Science of the Soul" or ‘Sant Mat’, meaning ‘teachings of the saints’. More recently it has been described as "The Way of Life" or "Living the Life of Soul." It incorporates a practical yoga system known as Surat Shabd Yoga. Contemporary Sant Mat movements claim to incorporate a personal and private path of spiritual development in the common tradition of mystics past and present. They discuss the irrelevance of rituals, priestly class, mandatory contributions, or compulsory gatherings. ==Introduction== The basic teaching of contemporary Sant Mat, as described by its Masters, is that everything lies inside us and that God is within. The outside world is only an image or a reflection of the inner reality.〔Singh, Thakar (1989). Newspaper interview, Lagos Nigeria. Reprinted in Heart Of Compassion, Kirpal Light Satsang, 1991 ISBN 0-917019-11-3〕 So self-knowledge or knowledge of the higher self and God-knowledge (taken as a practical project rather than a theoretical inquiry) are the topics of Sant Mat.〔Singh, Kirpal (1955). Night Is A Jungle, Ruhani Satsang Books. (Online_version ).〕 Kirpal Singh describes Sant Mat as a synonym for ''Surat Shabd Yoga'', the yoga of the Sound Current, or more simply ''Shabd yoga'', a meditation technique he asserts was taught and practiced originally in northern India.〔Singh, Kirpal. (1999). ''(Naam or Word )''. Blaine, WA: Ruhani Satsang Books. ISBN 0-942735-94-3〕 Singh writes that practitioners of Shabd yoga position the path as not requiring the physical torture of penance and austerities that marked many of the yogas and spiritual paths throughout the ages. Thus it is sometimes called "Sehaj" (easy) yoga.〔Singh, Kirpal. Man Know Thyself. Ruhani Satsang Books. (Online_version )〕 Widely accepted translations of the Indian term "Sant Mat" are "Teachings of the Saints" and "Path of the Masters." These are both incidentally the titles of prominent works on the subject.〔Singh, Kirpal (1976). The Way of the Saints: Sant Mat. Sant Bani ashram. ISBN 0-89142-026-6.〕〔Johnson, Julian (1985). The Path of the Masters: The Science of Surat Shabd Yoga : The Yoga of the audible Life Stream. Radha Soami Satsang Beas. ISBN 1-199-61327-4 (Originally published much earlier, perhaps in the 1950s.)〕 Another commonly accepted definition of the term is found in (Man Know Thyself ) by Sant Kirpal Singh: :Man is constantly changing or introducing new names and terminologies to describe this Science. The Masters were called Sants, and the nature of knowledge Mat, thus giving us the term 'Sant-Mat', which is at present mostly used to name the Path of the Masters. Other terms, such as Shabd Yoga, Surat Shabd Yoga, Sehaj Yoga, are also used to describe the same Science. In the Sanskrit language, the word 'Sant' means Master of the highest Order, and 'Mat' is a confirmed opinion or statement made by an adept after personal experience. The foundation of this Science, therefore, is the result of a critical study, minute investigation, and the lifelong personal verification of facts based on practical experience of the Self in man. This experience of the Self is something that a competent Master is prepared to give to each individual who approaches him. Sant Mat, therefore, is the teaching, system and path of the Saints.〔 However, terminology, names, and groups are not considered to be of any importance in Sant Mat: :The Masters do not attach any importance to names, designations, or the fact that many religious sects, groups and circles, have claimed this Science as their own and named it after their leaders or founders. They look upon these groups as schools where man — the noblest being in Creation — can study with other men as children of one and the same Almighty Father.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Contemporary Sant Mat movements」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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