Miracles

Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.

for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.

They performed His miraculous signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself and to make a name for Himself? You performed great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt.

God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,

Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

Rabbi Aḥa the son of Rava questioned this and said to Rav Ashi: Don’t we say during the Passover seder: To He Who performed all of these miracles for our ancestors and for us, using the expression: To He Who? Rav Ashi said to him: There, in the case of miracles performed for our ancestors and for us, it is self-evident that the blessing refers to God. Who performs miracles? The Holy One, blessed be He. In the case of food, however, it is not self-evident, as the host of the meal also provided the food that was eaten.

The Gemara continues with an episode associated with a verse in Isaiah. The Attribute of Justice said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, how are these, referring to the Jewish people, different from those, the other nations of the world, such that God performs miracles only on behalf of the Jewish people? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to it: The Jewish people occupied themselves with Torah, whereas the other nations of the world did not occupy themselves with Torah.

The Gemara asks: For a miracle that occurs for the multitudes we recite a blessing, but for a miracle that befalls an individual person we do not recite a blessing? Wasn’t there an incident where a certain man was walking along the right side of the Euphrates River when a lion attacked him, a miracle was performed for him, and he was rescued? He came before Rava, who said to him: Every time that you arrive there, to the site of the miracle, recite the blessing, “Blessed…Who performed a miracle for me in this place.” And once when Mar, son of Ravina, was walking in a valley of willows and was thirsty for water, a miracle was performed for him and a spring of water was created for him, and he drank. Furthermore, once when Mar, son of Ravina, was walking in the marketplace [risteka] of Meḥoza and a wild camel [gamla peritza] attacked him. The wall cracked open, he went inside it, and he was rescued. Ever since, when he came to the willows he recited: Blessed…Who performed a miracle for me in the willows and with the camel. And, when he came to the marketplace of Meḥoza he recited: Blessed…Who performed a miracle for me with the camel and in the willows, indicating that one recites a blessing even for a miracle that occurs to an individual. The Sages say: On a miracle performed on behalf of the multitudes, everyone is obligated to recite a blessing; on a miracle performed on behalf of an individual, only the individual is obligated to recite a blessing.

Who would be seen (at worship)

Then, as for those who believed and did good works, their Lord will bring them in unto His mercy. That is the evident triumph

Wealth and children are an ornament of the life of the world. But the good deeds which endure are better in thy Lord's sight for reward, and better in respect of hope

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Every Prophet was given miracles because of which people believed, but what I have been given, is Divine Inspiration which Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will outnumber the followers of the other Prophets on the Day of Resurrection

Narrated ʿAbdullah: We used to consider miracles as Allah's Blessings, but you people consider them to be a warning. Once we were with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on a journey, and we ran short of water. He said, "Bring the water remaining with you." The people brought a utensil containing a little water. He placed his hand in it and said, "Come to the blessed water, and the Blessing is from Allah." I saw the water flowing from among the fingers of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , and no doubt, we heard the meal glorifying Allah, when it was being eaten (by him)

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There was no prophet among the prophets but was given miracles because of which people had security or had belief, but what I was given was the Divine Inspiration which Allah revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more than those of any other prophet on the Day of Resurrection

O Arjuna! The righteous who worship Me are grouped in stages: first, those who suffer, next those who desire knowledge, then those who thirst after truth, and lastly those who attain wisdom.

The vital forces, major stars, fire, earth, air, sky, sun, heaven, moon, and planets; the angels, guardians of the universe, divine healers, winds, fathers, heavenly singers, and hosts of mammon-worshippers, demons, and saints are all amazed.

Those who are versed in the scriptures, who drink the mystic Soma-juice and are purified from sin, and who, while worshipping Me with sacrifices, pray that I will lead them to heaven; they reach the holy world where the Controller of the Powers of Nature resides, and they enjoy the feasts of Paradise.

There are two who enjoy the fruits of their good deeds in the world, having entered into the cave of the heart, seated (there) on the highest summit. The knowers of Brahman call them shadow and light. So also (they are called) by householders who perform five fire- sacrifices or three Nachiketa fire-sacrifices.

If one should desire to live in this world a hundred years, one should live performing Karma (righteous deeds). Thus thou mayest live; there is no other way. By doing this, Karma (the fruits of thy actions) will not defile thee.

O Nachiketas, this is thy fire that leads to heaven, which thou hast chosen as thy second boon. People will call this fire after thy name. Ask the third boon, Nachiketas.

Maghavā became chief of the gods by means of diligence. People praise diligence, while negligence is always deplored.

Blind is the world, few are those who clearly see. Only a handful go to heaven, like a bird freed from a net.

If a mendicant is poor in offerings, the well-to-do ought not look down on them. For the gods indeed praise them, who are tireless and pure of livelihood.

like a king on the day of his coronation. Seeing the joy of those gods, the divinity Sanaṅkumāra celebrated with these verses: ‘The gods rejoice— the thirty-three with their Lord— revering the Realized One, and the clear rightness of the teaching; and seeing the new gods, so beautiful and glorious, who have come here after leading the spiritual life under the Buddha! They outshine the others in beauty, glory, and lifespan. Here are the distinguished disciples of he whose wisdom is vast. Seeing this, they delight— the thirty-three with their Lord— revering the Realized One, and the clear rightness of the teaching!’

Even so, an astute person accomplished in vision, a disciple of the fully awakened Buddha, surpasses a stingy person in five respects: long life and fame, beauty and happiness. Lavished with riches, they depart to rejoice in heaven.”

“Mendicants, with the appearance of a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, four incredible and amazing things appear. What four? When the being intent on awakening passes away from the host of joyful gods, he’s conceived in his mother’s womb, mindful and aware. And then—in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—an immeasurable, magnificent light appears, surpassing the glory of the gods. Even in the boundless gloom of interstellar space—so utterly dark that even the luminosity of the moon and the sun, so mighty and powerful, makes no impression—an immeasurable, magnificent light appears, surpassing the glory of the gods. And the sentient beings reborn there recognize each other by that light: ‘So, it seems other sentient beings have been reborn here!’ This is the first incredible and amazing thing that appears with the appearance of a Realized One.

The glory of the Holy people is not known to the Vedas. They can describe only what they have heard. The greatness of the Holy people is beyond the three qualities. The greatness of the Holy people is all-pervading. The glory of the Holy people has no limit. The glory of the Holy people is infinite and eternal. The glory of the Holy people is the highest of the high. The glory of the Holy people is the greatest of the great. The glory of the Holy people is theirs alone; O Nanak, there is no difference between the Holy people and God. ||8||7||

When the Saints became kind and compassionate, they told me this. Understand, that whoever sings the Kirtan of God's Praises, has performed all religious rituals. ||2|| One who enshrines the Lord's Name in his heart night and day - even for an instant - has his fear of Death eradicated. O Nanak, his life is approved and fulfilled. ||3||2||

Gazing upon His wondrous wonder, I am wonder-struck and amazed! One who realizes this, comes to taste this state of joy. God's humble servants remain absorbed in His Love. Following the Guru's Teachings, they receive the four cardinal blessings. They are the givers, the dispellers of pain. In their company, the world is saved. The slave of the Lord's servant is so very blessed. In the company of His servant, one becomes attached to the Love of the One. His humble servant sings the Kirtan, the songs of the glory of God. By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, he receives the fruits of his rewards. ||8||16||

In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised them. In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them. Thus it was that when faith (in the Tao) was deficient (in the rulers) a want of faith in them ensued (in the people). How irresolute did those (earliest rulers) appear, showing (by their reticence) the importance which they set upon their words! Their work was done and their undertakings were successful, while the people all said, “We are as we are, of ourselves!”

May not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency. It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance. Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Tao! Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:—he does not wish to display his superiority.

Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with. May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows? ’Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power; / ’Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more. / Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; / Your inner being guard, and keep it free.