In its second edition in 1996, as part of a 3-book series entitled Classics of Christian Inspiration[6] the book was subtitled Eknath Easwaran on the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount.

"[18]: 7 Easwaran claims that "if we could grasp the mystery of Eckhart's 'uncreated light in the soul' - surely no more abstruse than nuclear physics - the transformation in our thinking would set our world right side up.

After further elaborating on shifts in perspective that accompany this realization, the chapter goes on to argue that "there comes a time in the growth of civilizations, as with individuals, when the life-and-death questions of material existence have been answered, yet the soul still thirsts and physical challenges cease to satisfy.

[18]: 24 Dhammapada Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads Gandhi the Man Nonviolent Soldier of Islam Essence of the Upanishads Essence of the Dhammapada Essence of the Bhagavad Gita Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living Original Goodness Love Never Faileth Seeing with the Eyes of Love Passage Meditation Mantram Handbook Conquest of Mind Strength in the Storm, others God Makes the Rivers to Flow Timeless Wisdom Words to Live By Easwaran then argues that whatever one's religious beliefs - "or even if formalized religion is anathema"[18]: 26  - it is possible to uncover one's core of goodness through meditation, by which he means "a specific interior discipline which is found in every major religion, though called by different names.

He explains that by meditation, he means the systematic training of one's attention "to turn inward and dwell continuously on a single focus within consciousness, until, after many years, we become so absorbed in the object of our contemplation that... we forget ourselves completely.

[18]: 30 The task of making space for the realization of God is challenging, however, and Easwaran quotes Eckhart as stating that "There is no greater valor nor no sterner fight" because "he who would be what he ought to be must stop being what he is.

The most recurring focus is the perspectives of mystics, including William Law, Baruch Spinoza, Bernard of Clairveaux, Catherine of Genoa, Hans Denck, Brother Lawrence, Teresa of Avila, Margery Kemp, the Cloud of Unknowing, Patanjali, and Mahatma Gandhi.

Still, Original Goodness is a modern-day gift for all seeking a method of meditation to fit in comfortably with daily routine... it is practical, simple and a delight to read.

"[8] In the Bulletin of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, James Conner wrote that Original Goodness is the phrase Easwaran uses to signify the spark of divinity hidden in everyone of us.

[11] He stated that the book "traces our current environmental problems to a single source: our mistaken understanding of who we are and what the universe is like,"[11] and that it draws heavily on the Christian mystics and on the Gospel.

How to deal with pain and disappointment, bereavement and depression, stress and emotional crises are all explained persuasively as feasible by following "the way that leads you most frequently to awareness of God," as Meister Eckhart would say.

"[12] Fellowship in Prayer stated "While Easwaran relies heavily on the Christian mystics of the West, his learning in Eastern wisdom shines on every page as he makes a persuasive case that compassion, hope, meaning, and freedom from fear reside in every heart.