Leo Tolstoy
Circle of Reading
Translated by Dmitry Fadeyev

June 18

The consciousness of duty makes us conscious of the divinity of our soul and, vice versa, the consciousness of the divinity of our soul makes us conscious of duty.

1

There is something in our souls that, if we pay proper attention to it, we will always observe with great wonder (and whenever a feeling of wonder is rightful, it also acts to elevate our souls)—this something is the original moral inclinations embedded in us.

— Kant

2

A human being’s dignity lies in that spiritual source which is sometimes called reason, sometimes conscience. This source rises above what is local and transient, it contains unquestionable, eternal truth. In the midst of the imperfect it sees perfection. It is universal, impartial and always opposed to all that is partial and selfish in human nature. This source tells each of us with authority that our neighbor is just as worthy as us, and that his rights are just as sacred as ours. It commands us to accept the truth, however much our pride finds it repulsive, and to be just, however unprofitable it may be for us. This source calls towards that which is sublime, sacred and happy, in whomever we find these qualities. This source is the ray of divinity in the human being.

— Channing

3

People attain heavenly joy, attain bliss in corporeal life. Such people are pure because their only desire is to lead good lives. When the mind and the heart are pure, divinity is revealed to them.

— Vishnu Purana

4

A new, secret, joyful and supernatural beauty presents itself to a human being when his heart opens to virtue. It is then that he perceives that which is above him. It is then that he understands that his being is boundless, he learns that, however lowly he may be now, he was born for goodness, for perfection. That which he reveres already belongs to him, though he does not yet feel it. He must—he now knows the meaning of this great word.

— Emerson


The voice of conscience is the voice of God.