This fascinating and deep document of spiritual quest will undoubtedly be read in one breath not only by those who are interested in Eastern spirituality, but also by the widest range of readers.

The reader discovers the amazing atmosphere of the Himalayan region, about the spiritual tradition of which modern Westerners still know very little. The book reveals the secrets, as well as describes the practical methods and techniques of Himalayan yoga - a special science that helps a person achieve enlightenment and gain the immortality of the spirit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi. philanthropist and spiritual guide for many people.

The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

FOREWORD

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi, philanthropist and spiritual guide to many professionals and other students. Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. Before I chose this path, the most attractive thing about him for me was his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. Finally, I made the decision to follow the path of the sages and became his disciple. My training took place at the foot of the Himalayas, in Rishikesh, and there, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, I received initiation from him.

I also had the opportunity to travel with him to some of his favorite places in the Himalayas, where he sought relief from his busy teaching and writing schedule. One such place where I lived with Swamiji and a group of American disciples for several days is described in this book in a story entitled "Saving Hands". This is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. We lived there in a clay hut near a small temple and meditated under the fir trees during the day.

Many times I have witnessed the philanthropic activities of Swami Rama. During our travels together, I met many students who received college scholarships from a charitable foundation approved by him. In Hardwar I visited an eye clinic that he supported financially. I also visited the college he built near the Himalayas. Swamiji's youth

wandered in this mountainous region. locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage." Whenever we went to the mountains, we were met by crowds of people and local drummers who used to lead our processions. The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

While visiting Kanpur, I visited Dr. Sunanda Bai, a leading gynecologist and surgeon in India and a follower of Swamiji. A conversation with this wonderful woman enlightened me in many ways. She had known him for many years, and the events she related to me confirmed some of the facts described in this book. Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he recounts various incidents from his life, are so amazing that I personally did not understand them until I traveled with him in India. In Delhi, Kanpur and Rishikesh, I happened to meet several people who knew him for more than thirty years and were participants in some of the events he described.

During our travels in India, Swamiji often talked about his mission in the West. He told me that we should establish an institute in the United States in order to scientifically test, document, publish, and transmit the experience of our tradition. He said: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

Sri Swami Rama

LIFE AMONG THE HIMALAYAN YOGI

Spiritual experience of Swami Rama

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi. philanthropist and spiritual guide for many people.

The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he talks about various incidents from his life, seem amazing to us. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word, means all those paths of philosophy and which the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism.

The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

FOREWORD

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi, philanthropist and spiritual guide to many professionals and other students. Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. Before I chose this path, the most attractive thing about him for me was his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. Finally, I made the decision to follow the path of the sages and became his disciple. My training took place at the foot of the Himalayas, in Rishikesh, and there, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, I received initiation from him.

I also had the opportunity to travel with him to some of his favorite places in the Himalayas, where he sought relief from his busy teaching and writing schedule. One such place where I lived with Swamiji and a group of American disciples for several days is described in this book in a story entitled "Saving Hands". This is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. We lived there in a clay hut near a small temple and meditated under the fir trees during the day.

Many times I have witnessed the philanthropic activities of Swami Rama. During our travels together, I met many students who received college scholarships from a charitable foundation approved by him. In Hardwar I visited an eye clinic that he supported financially. I also visited the college he built near the Himalayas. In his youth, Swamiji wandered in this mountainous region. The locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage." Whenever we went to the mountains, we were met by crowds of people and local drummers who used to lead our processions. The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

While visiting Kanpur, I visited Dr. Sunanda Bai, a leading gynecologist and surgeon in India and a follower of Swamiji. A conversation with this wonderful woman enlightened me in many ways. She had known him for many years, and the events she related to me confirmed some of the facts described in this book. Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he recounts various incidents from his life, are so amazing that I personally did not understand them until I traveled with him in India. In Delhi, Kanpur and Rishikesh, I happened to meet several people who knew him for more than thirty years and were participants in some of the events he described.

During our travels in India, Swamiji often talked about his mission in the West. He told me that we should establish an institute in the United States in order to scientifically test, document, publish, and transmit the experience of our tradition. He said: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

We follow a path based on the information given to us by our teachers in the Himalayas, whose presence we constantly feel. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word - means all those paths of philosophy and practice that the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism. The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

Swamiji says, “We are all thirsty, but instead of just getting drunk, we are just chewing seaweed floating on the surface of the lake of life. Algae contain little water and are unable to quench our thirst. If we want to fully quench our thirst, we must dive deep, beyond all external conventions, in order to discover the truths of life that lie there.”

Some of the stories and teachings published in this book are taken from my personal experience communication with Swamiji. Sometimes we sat up with him until four o'clock in the morning, discussing the problems of life and his meetings with the sages. Later, I wrote down the content of these conversations. Another source of these stories was Swamiji's diaries, which he faithfully kept before becoming an adult. During my stay in Rishikesh, I had the opportunity to review these diaries. The third source for the material in this book was the lectures given by Swamiji in the USA.

From these sources I was able to compile a huge manuscript. One day, when I had this manuscript with me, Swamiji asked, “What is this burden that you are carrying with you today?”

I replied: “These are stories that I have collected from your lectures, diaries and instructions addressed to me. Please help me select some of them for the book. He ignored my request and put the manuscript aside for two years. After all, my colleagues Brandt Dayton, Dr. Burke, Dr. Arya and Dr. O'Brien urged me to parse and edit these stories. I did the job, but I did my best to leave Swamiji's own words unchanged wherever possible.

These spiritual stories are not a biographical account of Swamiji's life, but merely an attempt to outline some features of the environment in which he lived, to give an idea of ​​the sages of the Himalayas and their ways of learning. The stories are not collected in chronological order, but are grouped into separate topics, within each of which I tried to adhere to the chronological order of placing the stories. Each story is instructive in some way and contains valuable lessons. The unique events told in the stories will help us to understand ourselves at all levels from within and without.

I am very happy to present these stories to the reader. Perhaps you, as well as me, will be inspired by the life of this wonderful person. Perhaps you will enter the path of light and life.

Swami Ajaya

I. SPIRITUAL EDUCATION IN THE HIMALAYAS

Childhood is the cornerstone on which all future life. From seeds sown in childhood, the tree of life grows. The education received in childhood is superior in importance to that given in colleges and universities. In the process of growing up a person, proper guidance, along with the study of the world around him, plays an important role.

sacred himalayas

The chain of Himalayan mountains stretches for almost 1500 miles. Mount Everest, at 29,000 feet, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, is the highest peak in the world. Persians, Hindus, Tibetans and Chinese - they all wrote about the beauty and grandeur of these mountains. The word "Himalayas" comes from the Sanskrit words "hima" - "snow" and "alai" - "abode", thus meaning "abode of snows". However, you should know that the Himalayas are not only the abode of snow, but also the stronghold of yogic wisdom and spirituality for millions of people, regardless of their religious beliefs. This ancient and rich tradition still exists today as these unique mountains still whisper their spiritual beauty to all who have ears to hear.

I was born and raised in the valleys of the Himalayan mountains. I wandered through them for four and a half decades and was educated by their sages. I met with the masters who lived and traveled there, studied and learned spiritual wisdom at their feet. In my travels from the Himalayas of the Punjab to the Himalayas of Kumaon and Garhwal, from Nepal to Assam and from Sikkim to Bhutan and Tibet, I reached cherished places that are actually inaccessible to tourists. Without an oxygen apparatus and modern equipment, I reached heights of 19,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level. Many times I went without food and passed out, tired and sometimes injured, but always in one way or another I received help during such incidents.

LIFE AMONG THE HIMALAYAN YOGI

Spiritual experience of Swami Rama

Translation from English

Himalayan International Institute

scientific and philosophical study of yoga

Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA

M.: Publisher Ch.P. "Mikhailova", 2002. - 320 p.

LIVING WITH THE HIMALAYAN MASTERS

Spiritual Experiences of Swami Rama

Edited by Swami Ajaya

(c) 1978, 1980 by Himalayan International Institute

of Yoga Science & Philosophy of the U.S.A.

Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

(c) OOO Profit Style, 2002

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi. philanthropist and spiritual guide for many people.

The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he talks about various incidents from his life, seem amazing to us. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word, means all those paths of philosophy and which the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism.

The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

FOREWORD

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi, philanthropist and spiritual guide to many professionals and other students. Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. Before I chose this path, the most attractive thing about him for me was his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. Finally, I made the decision to follow the path of the sages and became his disciple. My training took place at the foot of the Himalayas, in Rishikesh, and there, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, I received initiation from him.

I also had the opportunity to travel with him to some of his favorite places in the Himalayas, where he sought relief from his busy teaching and writing schedule. One such place where I lived with Swamiji and a group of American disciples for several days is described in this book in a story entitled "Saving Hands". This is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. We lived there in a clay hut near a small temple and meditated under the fir trees during the day.

Many times I have witnessed the philanthropic activities of Swami Rama. During our trips together, I met many students who received college scholarships from a charitable foundation approved by him. In Hardwar I visited an eye clinic that he supported financially. I also visited the college he built near the Himalayas. In his youth, Swamiji* wandered in this mountainous region. The locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage." Whenever we went to the mountains, we were met by crowds of people and local drummers who used to lead our processions. A circle of people who deeply revere

* Swamiji is an affectionate and respectful form of address usually used for swamis.

<Ряд санскритских терминов, встречающихся в тексте, поясняются в словаре, находящемся в конце книги. – Прим. сканера.>

Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those in leading positions in Indian society.

While visiting Kanpur, I visited Dr. Sunanda Bai, a leading gynecologist and surgeon in India and a follower of Swamiji. A conversation with this wonderful woman enlightened me in many ways. She had known him for many years, and the events she related to me confirmed some of the facts described in this book. Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he recounts various incidents from his life, are so amazing that I personally did not understand them until I traveled with him in India. In Delhi, Kanpur and Rishikesh, I happened to meet several people who knew him for more than thirty years and were participants in some of the events he described.

During our travels in India, Swamiji often talked about his mission in the West. He told me that we should establish an institute in the United States in order to scientifically test, document, publish, and transmit the experience of our tradition. He said: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

Sri Swami Rama

LIFE AMONG THE HIMALAYAN YOGI

Spiritual experience of Swami Rama

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi. philanthropist and spiritual guide for many people.

The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he talks about various incidents from his life, seem amazing to us. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word, means all those paths of philosophy and which the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism.

The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

FOREWORD

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi, philanthropist and spiritual guide to many professionals and other students. Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. Before I chose this path, the most attractive thing about him for me was his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. Finally, I made the decision to follow the path of the sages and became his disciple. My training took place at the foot of the Himalayas, in Rishikesh, and there, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, I received initiation from him.

I also had the opportunity to travel with him to some of his favorite places in the Himalayas, where he sought relief from his busy teaching and writing schedule. One such place where I lived with Swamiji and a group of American disciples for several days is described in this book in a story entitled "Saving Hands". This is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. We lived there in a clay hut near a small temple and meditated under the fir trees during the day.

Many times I have witnessed the philanthropic activities of Swami Rama. During our travels together, I met many students who received college scholarships from a charitable foundation approved by him. In Hardwar I visited an eye clinic that he supported financially. I also visited the college he built near the Himalayas. In his youth, Swamiji wandered in this mountainous region. The locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage." Whenever we went to the mountains, we were met by crowds of people and local drummers who used to lead our processions. The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

While visiting Kanpur, I visited Dr. Sunanda Bai, a leading gynecologist and surgeon in India and a follower of Swamiji. A conversation with this wonderful woman enlightened me in many ways. She had known him for many years, and the events she related to me confirmed some of the facts described in this book. Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he recounts various incidents from his life, are so amazing that I personally did not understand them until I traveled with him in India. In Delhi, Kanpur and Rishikesh, I happened to meet several people who knew him for more than thirty years and were participants in some of the events he described.

During our travels in India, Swamiji often talked about his mission in the West. He told me that we should establish an institute in the United States in order to scientifically test, document, publish, and transmit the experience of our tradition. He said: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

We follow a path based on the information given to us by our teachers in the Himalayas, whose presence we constantly feel. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word - means all those paths of philosophy and practice that the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism. The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

Swamiji says, “We are all thirsty, but instead of just getting drunk, we are just chewing seaweed floating on the surface of the lake of life. Algae contain little water and are unable to quench our thirst. If we want to fully quench our thirst, we must dive deep, beyond all external conventions, in order to discover the truths of life that lie there.”

Some of the stories and teachings published in this book are from my personal experience with Swamiji. Sometimes we sat up with him until four o'clock in the morning, discussing the problems of life and his meetings with the sages. Later, I wrote down the content of these conversations. Another source of these stories was Swamiji's diaries, which he faithfully kept before becoming an adult. During my stay in Rishikesh, I had the opportunity to review these diaries. The third source for the material in this book was the lectures given by Swamiji in the USA.

From these sources I was able to compile a huge manuscript. One day, when I had this manuscript with me, Swamiji asked, “What is this burden that you are carrying with you today?”

I replied: “These are stories that I have collected from your lectures, diaries and instructions addressed to me. Please help me select some of them for the book. He ignored my request and put the manuscript aside for two years. In the end, my colleagues Brandt Dayton, Dr. Burke, Dr. Arya, and Dr. O'Bryan convinced me to disassemble and edit these stories. I did this work, while trying, however, to leave my own wherever possible Swamiji's words are unchanged.

These spiritual stories are not a biographical account of Swamiji's life, but merely an attempt to outline some features of the environment in which he lived, to give an idea of ​​the sages of the Himalayas and their ways of learning. The stories are not collected in chronological order, but are grouped into separate topics, within each of which I tried to adhere to the chronological order of placing the stories. Each story is instructive in some way and contains valuable lessons. The unique events told in the stories will help us to understand ourselves at all levels from within and without.

blends 111

LIFE AMONG THE HIMALAYAN YOGI

Spiritual experience of Swami Rama

Translation from English

Himalayan International Institute

scientific and philosophical study of yoga

Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA

M.: Publisher Ch.P. "Mikhailova", 2002. - 320 p.

LIVING WITH THE HIMALAYAN MASTERS

Spiritual Experiences of Swami Rama

Edited by Swami Ajaya

(c) 1978, 1980 by Himalayan International Institute

of Yoga Science & Philosophy of the U.S.A.

Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

(c) OOO Profit Style, 2002

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi. philanthropist and spiritual guide for many people.

The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he talks about various incidents from his life, seem amazing to us. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word, means all those paths of philosophy and which the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism.

The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

FOREWORD

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi, philanthropist and spiritual guide to many professionals and other students. Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. Before I chose this path, the most attractive thing about him for me was his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. Finally, I made the decision to follow the path of the sages and became his disciple. My training took place at the foot of the Himalayas, in Rishikesh, and there, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, I received initiation from him.

I also had the opportunity to travel with him to some of his favorite places in the Himalayas, where he sought relief from his busy teaching and writing schedule. One such place where I lived with Swamiji and a group of American disciples for several days is described in this book in a story entitled "Saving Hands". This is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. We lived there in a clay hut near a small temple and meditated under the fir trees during the day.

Many times I have witnessed the philanthropic activities of Swami Rama. During our trips together, I met many students who received college scholarships from a charitable foundation approved by him. In Hardwar I visited an eye clinic that he supported financially. I also visited the college he built near the Himalayas. In his youth, Swamiji* wandered in this mountainous region. The locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage." Whenever we went to the mountains, we were met by crowds of people and local drummers who used to lead our processions. A circle of people who deeply revere

* Swamiji is an affectionate and respectful form of address usually used for swamis.

<Ряд санскритских терминов, встречающихся в тексте, поясняются в словаре, находящемся в конце книги. – Прим. сканера.>

Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those in leading positions in Indian society.

While visiting Kanpur, I visited Dr. Sunanda Bai, a leading gynecologist and surgeon in India and a follower of Swamiji. A conversation with this wonderful woman enlightened me in many ways. She had known him for many years, and the events she related to me confirmed some of the facts described in this book. Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he recounts various incidents from his life, are so amazing that I personally did not understand them until I traveled with him in India. In Delhi, Kanpur and Rishikesh, I happened to meet several people who knew him for more than thirty years and were participants in some of the events he described.

During our travels in India, Swamiji often talked about his mission in the West. He told me that we should establish an institute in the United States in order to scientifically test, document, publish, and transmit the experience of our tradition. He said: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

We follow a path based on the information given to us by our teachers in the Himalayas, whose presence we constantly feel. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word - means all those paths of philosophy and practice that the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism. The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

Swamiji says, “We are all thirsty, but instead of just getting drunk, we are just chewing seaweed floating on the surface of the lake of life. Algae contain little water and are unable to quench our thirst. If we want to fully quench our thirst, we must dive deep, beyond all external conventions, in order to discover the truths of life that lie there.”

Some of the stories and teachings published in this book are from my personal experience with Swamiji. Sometimes we sat up with him until four o'clock in the morning, discussing the problems of life and his meetings with the sages. Later, I wrote down the content of these conversations. Another source of these stories was Swamiji's diaries, which he faithfully kept before becoming an adult. During my stay in Rishikesh, I had the opportunity to review these diaries. The third source for the material in this book was the lectures given by Swamiji in the USA.

From these sources I was able to compile a huge manuscript. One day, when I had this manuscript with me, Swamiji asked, “What is this burden that you are carrying with you today?”

I replied: “These are stories that I have collected from your lectures, diaries and instructions addressed to me. Please help me select some of them for the book. He ignored my request and put the manuscript aside for two years. In the end, my colleagues Brandt Dayton, Dr. Burke, Dr. Arya, and Dr. O'Bryan convinced me to disassemble and edit these stories. I did this work, while trying, however, to leave my own wherever possible Swamiji's words are unchanged.

These spiritual stories are not a biographical account of Swamiji's life, but merely an attempt to outline some features of the environment in which he lived, to give an idea of ​​the sages of the Himalayas and their ways of learning. The stories are not collected in chronological order, but are grouped into separate topics, within each of which I tried to adhere to the chronological order of placing the stories. Each story is instructive in some way and contains valuable lessons. The unique events told in the stories will help us to understand ourselves at all levels from within and without.

I am very happy to present these stories to the reader. Perhaps you, as well as me, will be inspired by the life of this wonderful person. Perhaps you will enter the path of light and life.

Swami Ajaya

SPIRITUAL EDUCATION IN THE HIMALAYAS

Childhood is the cornerstone on which all future life is built. From seeds sown in childhood, the tree of life grows. The education received in childhood is superior in importance to that given in colleges and universities. In the process of growing up a person, proper guidance, along with the study of the world around him, plays an important role.

sacred himalayas

The chain of Himalayan mountains stretches for almost 1500 miles. Mount Everest, at 29,000 feet, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, is the highest peak in the world. Persians, Hindus, Tibetans and Chinese - they all wrote about the beauty and grandeur of these mountains. The word "Himalayas" comes from the Sanskrit words "hima" - "snow" and "alai" - "abode", thus meaning "abode of snows". However, you should know that the Himalayas are not only the abode of snow, but also the stronghold of yogic wisdom and spirituality for millions of people, regardless of their religious beliefs. This ancient and rich tradition still exists today as these unique mountains still whisper their spiritual beauty to all who have ears to hear.

I was born and raised in the valleys of the Himalayan mountains. I wandered through them for four and a half decades and was educated by their sages. I met the masters who lived and