MISSION
Created in April 2023, the aim of the UR website is to offer the readers—for their own discernment—a selection of contents of high philosophical-spiritual value about the unchanging, infinite and unique Ultimate Reality behind all existence, that is, in relation to the universe (cosmos) and the human beings; and about the transit of the latter through the ephemeral earthly life.
It takes as its basis the knowledge expounded in the vast and profound literary work bequeathed by the 20th century English writer and philosopher Paul Brunton (PB), and especially from the writings of the last phase of his life, published posthumously in 16 volumes as The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, and which he himself referred to as his “most mature” work.
“There is a single source of Life which envelops the universe and pervades man. By its presence in himself he is able to exist physically and function mentally.”
“Outwardly all differ but in the deepest root of consciousness all are the same. This is the Reality that is hidden in me and you, in the whole universe itself. It acts everywhere and exists eternally.”
“You will know REALITY, and know it too as your own ultimate being, indestructible and ever-existent. Amid the most prosaic surroundings, deep in the core of your own heart there will be perfect calm for yourself and goodwill for all others.”
Paul Brunton
BASIS
While UR is based on Brunton’s work, it also incorporates some notable texts or quotes from other authors who, although their philosophies may have certain differential or even discordant aspects with respect to PB, nevertheless provide a variety of specific texts where there is a convergence of ideas regarding the knowledge of the Everlasting Universal Life. Thus, any text that contains meaningful value for such knowledge is welcome on this website, without prejudice as to its provenance. Paul Brunton says:
“These truths belong to every mortal even though their discovery has remained in a select and enquiring group. They belong to no particular people, no special time. They are as ageless as they are universal.”
Our idea of using as a main source the discernment and analytical approach of the “deep spiritual truths” developed by Brunton, in addition to some of the author’s own terminology, arises from the need to unify concepts that give consistency to the knowledge that we want to present. Certainly, PB’s writings represent—at least in our view—the most comprehensive, impartial (free of prejudices), inspiring and significant contemporary philosophical work that we have been able to find to date, at least in the Western world of our days.
And to this it should be added two aspects of utmost importance: the erudition and literary talent of the author, both of which are internationally recognized. With his erudition PB offers us a wide range of knowledge in diverse sciences, cultures and disciplines, as well as facts, works or quotations from countless outstanding authors and relevant historical and contemporary figures; with his literary talent, his captivating narrative style provides us with a fresh and eloquent, lucid and powerful exposition, full of excellent descriptions, and in a clear, direct and precise language, free of jargon or abstruse terms.
“There is no Truth. There is only the truth within each moment.”
Ramana Maharshi
“As his conception of the truth becomes clearer, his aspiration to realize it in his life becomes stronger. This is so and must be so.”
Paul Brunton
PURPOSE
To highlight, revitalize—when necessary—and analyze ancient and modern messages of the highest inspiration from philosophers, thinkers, teachers or guides of yesterday and today, which tell us of a higher plane of existence: an Ultimate Reality of the Universe—which PB calls Mind (or Mind in Itself), and this, in its active function, World-Mind (God)—in contrast to a passing phenomenal manifestation revealed through space-time; and an Ultimate Reality of the human being—his Higher Self (or Overself), as an emanation of the World-Mind—in contrast to a fleeting and relative immediate appearance, i.e., his physical self and personal ego. In Brunton’s own words:
“There is but ONE Reality and various forms under which it appears. Therefore, the man who perceives this naturally, perceives the Ultimate Reality everywhere. He does not need to meditate or to go into a trance to find it.”
To which can be added Ramana’s saying:
“Be as you are. Do not meditate, be! Do not think that you are, be! Don’t think about being, you are!”
To seek, find and finally become fully aware of, or to become one with, the Overself—our immortal, fundamental, absolute inner reality—thus becomes the Highest Purpose of human life and the only means of “attaining” the true permanent happiness and the smiling, unshakeable inner peace resulting from the Impersonal Love (and its authentic compassion) that flows from this Overself, the divine Soul, our “pristine state”, our true timeless Self…
“What is the truest highest purpose of man's life? It is to be taken possession of by his higher self. His dissatisfactions are incurable by any other remedy.”
“The happiness which everyone wants can be found only in the eternal, not in the temporal. But everyone continues to try this or that, with the same endlessly repeated result. Nobody listens to the prophets who tell this, or listens with more than his ears, until time teaches him its truth. Then only do his heart and will begin to apply it.”
“Happiness cannot be found by those who seek it as a goal in itself. It can be found only by those who know it is a result and not a goal.”
Paul Brunton
PUBLICATIONS
They range from simple articles of a few paragraphs to more elaborate works of different lengths. The texts should provide a genuine Universal Knowledge that invites to a healthy reflection on the meaning of life and our current evolutionary state (of prevailing selfishness), that gives an answer to our concerns and uncertainties and to the pressing need to be aware of the reason for this unstable and troubled outer world, so often struck by tragedies and appalling atrocities throughout its history, as unfortunately also today in many parts of the present world. And thus explain the real origin of the inescapable suffering (and violent deaths) to which humanity is subject, whether caused by humans themselves (and inflicted on each other), or the unpredictable caused by Nature itself; and the real reason for the “unjust” and painful inequalities that prevail in a broken society mired in permanent conflicts.
And that it, in essence, points out that at the root of it all lies the unerring universal law of consequences (law of Karma)—as a silent instruction of the eternal law of Evolution—at work through our successive lives on Earth. Paul Brunton says:
“Is one of the oldest ideas to be found in human culture, this idea that man’s life is subject to a higher power, that he is personally responsible to a higher law for his actions and that he cannot escape its retribution for wrong-doing or its reward for righteousness. The Stoics of ancient Rome had this idea and called it Fate. The Platonists of ancient Greece had it and called it Destiny. And the Indians, mostly Buddhists and Hindus, had it and have it and call it Karma.”
“An ethically blinded world may not perceive the actuality and factuality of karma. There is no other God pulling historic strings than the karmic laws of retribution and re-adjustment. The sufferings it brings to peoples are really the reactions of their own near or remote deeds. They are visited by the consequences of their own making. Karma works in its own time to set straight all crooked things, not in ours. Nevertheless we can sometimes see it move quickly enough to teach a vivid lesson both to those who suffer its consequences and those who observe that suffering.”
“The mystery of evil is perhaps the profoundest of all but it cannot be understood through surface views. Evil is closely connected with suffering and the latter in its turn with karma, which again is itself an expression of the fundamental self. It is all an educative process from which nobody can escape—not even Satan himself were there such a personal devil, which philosophy does not admit, although there are evil spirits, evil beings, and evil men. All will be saved because when seen from the timeless viewpoint they are already saved.”
“We are all really on trial. Life itself is our judge with the working of karma, the ignorance or wisdom of our fellows, the voice of our conscience, and the capacities or incapacities of our personality.”
“Each of us lives at a certain time in history and occupies a certain place (or certain places) during that period. Why now and here? Look to the law of consequences for an answer, the law which connects one earthly lifetime with earlier ones.”
“We must use our combined reason and intuition, that is, intelligence, to discern the handiwork of karma in the pattern of some of the external events of our own life.”
And let it be a complete universal knowledge, which in the final accounting helps us to understand our own destiny, and, at the same time, is a practical and useful guide on how to face with understanding, equanimity and humility, the multiple challenges presented—or rather, proposed—to us by everyday life, in all its spheres, aspects and consequences.
“Are all the varied joys and sufferings undergone only to come to a complete end in death? Is all the vast intelligence of this universe which gave birth to our own minute fragment to be forever separated from us? No! We shall live again, die again, and return again unless and until we have fulfilled the divine purpose which brought us here.”
“We come to this quest seeking something beyond the misery, wretchedness, and cruelty of this chaotic world, something of light, warmth, kindness, and peace.”
“There is a deep joy in this growing perception of life's larger meaning, a profound comfort in the ever increasing knowledge of its beneficent purpose.”
Paul Brunton
EDITING & LAYOUT
Material selected and edited by: JD Arimathea et al. (Please note: The quotations interspersed in the introductory texts of the various sections of the website where no specific authorship is indicated are all by Paul Brunton)
Main source: Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation (USA) & Paul Brunton Daily Note (Sweden) View ‘our special thanks’ here
Other sources: are mentioned individually in each article or published work.
Languages: For now, web-ur.com is available in English and Spanish. Other languages may be added at a later date.
Translations: Of the writings of PB into Spanish: translated by JD Arimathea except for those in the ByStudyGuide division which have been translated by the Paul Brunton Daily Note. For the rest of the texts on the website, from Spanish into English and vice versa, by JD Arimathea et al.
On the gendered language in the PB literature: Paul Brunton often uses the masculine reference because it was the literary custom at the time he wrote (that is, in the middle decades of the 20th century). Needless to say, his writings were certainly intended for everyone—regardless of gender—who were interested in reading them.
About the selected works: We at web-ur.com do not in any way promote, nor do we necessarily endorse, the whole philosophy or the doctrines, disciplines and practices developed by the entities—or single individuals—that serve as the source of many of the publications (including the main source). Often there is only partial recognition of their content. Therefore, it is naturally—but not exclusively—the individual texts selected here that project, in some form and in their faithful interpretation, the Ideal of this website.