"A
human being is a part of the whole, called by us
'Universe,' a part limited in time and space. He
experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as
something separated from the rest - a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is
a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal
desires and to affection for a few persons nearest
to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace
all living creatures and the whole of nature in
its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely,
but the striving for such achievement is in itself
a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner
security."
Albert Einstein, quoted in H Eves Mathematical
Circles Adieu (Boston 1977)
