                       I AM THINE, THOU ART NOT MINE
        ------------------------------------------------------------
     From the Ocean's bubble this sound arose,
     That you and I are not different;
     Do not think I am separate from you,
     You and I are not different.
     When the mirror was placed before the face,
     At once the reflection spoke,
     "Friend, why are you wonderstruck?
     You and I are not different."
     The wheat seed said to the ear,
     "Keep silent, do not wonder why or what,
     That reflection of Unity was seen diversely,
     You and I are not different."
     Why did you think that I was alien ?
     Hide not the fairness of your face from me,
     Yes, remove the veil and come,
     You and I are not different.

A fakir once went to a jeweler and told him, "Put the ring on." The jeweler
said, "On whose finger?" The fakir replied, "On God's," and held out his
finger. The jeweler was amazed and said, "Brother, what do you mean? You
have held out your own finger!" But the fakir asked him, "Who made this
finger? In the womb of the mother, who made it? It was God; and does it not
belong to Whoever made it?"

This was a simple way of making someone understand that we all belong to
God. We are all conscious entities--not the body, mind, or senses. We are
the keeper of these faculties, but being surrounded by them we have become
as their image, so much so that we have forgotten our true self. God, the
Lord, is All-Consciousness--All-Awakened--the Truth. He is Ever-Existent,
All-Wisdom, Eternal Bliss.

Try to understand with full attentiveness that the soul is the very form of
Consciousness. Kabir Sahib says, This (the soul) is a part of God, just as
the rays that come from the sun are of the sun. The rays are the sun's
expression in the world--but they are not the sun itself. So God is
All-Consciousness, the Subsistent Entity, the Sustaining Existence; and our
soul is a drop of that Ocean of All-Consciousness. If the soul becomes free
from the environment of mind and matter in which it is imprisoned, it will
see that--He is in me, I am in Him. I and my Father are one. When that true
awakening comes, His reflection is clearly seen in everyone. Every small
child thinks he is wiser than others because he has the reflection of God
(Who is All-Wisdom) in him. Even the most idiotic person will say, "No one
can know as much as I." It is due to the reflection of God within. You can
see this confidence of knowledge in all men, although they are not self- or
God-realized. Each is an entity--a spark of the All-Light, a part of the
whole, like a ray of the sun.

We frequently see the lifeless physical forms being taken to the cremation
ground, and have perhaps on occasion lit the flame with our own hands; but
it has never occurred to us that we will also die one day. This can also be
attributed to the fact that being the reflection of the Truth, we consider
we are eternal and all happiness. God is All-Bliss. We also want all
happiness, and for this reason, we are constantly searching for it. How
long does our earthly joy last? For as long as our attention, which is
happiness, is attached to the source of it. It may be a good thing or a bad
thing; but by putting our attention there, we get some joy out of it
because essentially we are all-bliss ourselves.

Why are we not fully aware of this innate nature? Because we have forgotten
who we are. The start of all this forgetfulness was the birth into the
physical form. This body is the origin of illusion. We are not the body--we
are the indweller. The body is attractive because we (the soul) are
enlivening it. We are surrounded by the senses, and with the aid of the
intellect, we attempt to think of a solution--but if only we would awaken
within ourselves...The whole world is asleep, through attachment and
forgetfulness; all is illusion. Being identified with the body, the soul
loses itself in attachment more and more, creating a new world for
itself--a world of delusion, derived by seeing things in different
appearance than they actually are. We think that the body and all its
surroundings are part of the Truth--and this is a delusion. Can we not
observe that the body and its conditions are never consistent?

How can we get out of this imprisoning environment when we have become its
very image? Whatever practices we are doing to realize God and self are of
little use, for we do them at the level of mind, or the intellect, or
senses. All outer practices--repetition, austerities, renunciation,
devotional actions, holy scriptures, rites and rituals, pilgrimages,
donating alms, singing and playing instruments--all outer things are done
at this level. How can one who has become an image of the body and is
indulging in outer practices expect to rise above the body? There is only
one solution, and that is to search out One Who has Himself escaped from
the illusion; it is an impossibility for us to free ourselves for reasons
which I have already given.

Is there any Saint Who is the giver of happiness to reveal this Path to me?
It does not matter of what caste or nationality He is. Ravidas was a
cobbler, Kabir Sahib was a weaver, Tulsi Sahib was a man of learning
(Brahmin), and Jesus was the son of a carpenter. Castes and trades were
made by man--only man himself was made by God. Man in essence is
everlasting; he has got a body, intellect, but he himself is the image of
the All-Consciousness, called the soul. So all Masters have said, Know
thyself.

When will you actually experience the fact that you and He are not separate
and not different?--when you separate yourself from matter by
self-analysis. You can try by feelings, or through inferences, but both are
subject to error--seeing is above all. When can one see oneself or the soul
in its native clarity? To control the senses, to still the mind and
intellect; Then the soul is seen in all its glory. He Who knows Himself and
knows He is the mouthpiece of God--that God is working through Him--He is
free from illusion. Great power arises from such a condition.

Our soul is the same essence as that of God. If God, when He expressed
Himself and said, "From one I shall be many," created millions of Brahmands
(universes), then why, if we realize ourselves, can we not make one small
town? We cannot because we are in deep forgetfulness. We give strength to
the mind, intellect, and senses--they are all working because of us, yet we
are their servant. It is an upside-down situation, for we should be the
master of our being. In various ways, Masters try to expose the true state
of affairs: that the body is like a cart, with the soul sitting in it.
Intellect is the driver, the senses are the reins, and the mind is the
horse which takes us from place to place. Blindly absorbed in the
enjoyments, the senses are helpless; the mind, following the instructions
from the senses, has overpowered our wisdom and is running wild. What a
deteriorated condition!

If we could only find a True Master Who is in control of His attention and
Who can withdraw the attention of any number of souls by a single glance
through raising our attention above the body consciousness, He would show
us without any doubt that the body is merely clay and we are giving
strength to mind and outgoing faculties. The Controlling Power which is in
each being and is vibrating throughout creation has two aspects: Light and
Sound. These become apparent and audible to us when the attention is
withdrawn above body consciousness.

Those Who have realized the Truth say I and my Father are one. In Bhanwar
Gupha (the fourth inner plane) there is no difference between the soul and
the Lord. You will never hear such people say, "I am the doer." They see
that He is doing everything, and They speak as inspired by Him. As the
words come from the Beloved, He brings them into outer knowledge. He might
say the same things as ordinary people, but there is a great difference,
for others are the doers, and He is not. He is doing everything and yet He
is doing nothing. A bubble in water may give it a different appearance, but
when the air comes out, only water remains. Fire and its sparks are not two
different things--the sun and its rays are not different. So we are not
different from the Lord. He is in us, we are in Him; but while we think we
are the doer, we shall continue on the cycle of action and reaction. When
we see that He alone is the Doer, our coming and going will finish.

The words of a Master are expressed on that level which will help the
forgetful ones to understand. He explains that we are conscious entities
called soul, and that between God and us there is no difference--that we
also have His attributes, but on a smaller scale. The sun is in one place,
but its attribute is shining everywhere; similarly, God is One, but yet He
is everywhere. Those who wrote the Shastras (ancient Hindu scriptures) gave
a very simple explanation: that you may assemble many pitchers filled with
water, and the reflection of the sun will be seen in each one. However,
true satisfaction of knowledge cannot be had by explanations, but only
comes when a God-realized Person brings you above body-consciousness, so
that you withdraw from the body for a while and see for yourself. Our
attention gives strength to our whole being, and His single glance of
attention makes our mind and intellect inactive for a time. The
individual's background has some bearing, of course, but the more time a
person can devote to withdrawing from outer things in a receptive mood, the
more experience he will get. All genuine Masters have proven that One Who
can give this experience is a True Mahatma, Saint, or Guru. When God is
awakened in a man-body, He is called a Saint.

Outer modes of dress and manner do not make a Saint. Though God is
everywhere, a Saint is truly One in Whom He is manifested. My Beloved is
everywhere, there is no place where He is not; But I glorify that form
wherein He is manifested. You will notice that the body is attractive only
as long as we, the soul, are in it. As long as the companion is there, this
body is alive; When the companion leaves, it goes to ashes. Normally the
eyes, ears, nostrils, etc., are open, but we cannot run out of the
body--some power is controlling and keeping us there. Two of the same kind,
living in the same house, but not meeting and talking to each other. It is
like two brothers in the same company--the soul and God--but sadly, they do
not associate. Living in the water, yet thirsty; Seeing this, I laugh.
Here, the situation is likened to a fish who is thirsty while living in
water itself. It is all due to forgetfulness; and knowing this, all Rishis,
Munis, Mahatmas, and enlightened men have said that man should know
himself. Guru Nanak says, Without knowing yourself, this forgetfulness will
not be set aside. It is a simple statement.

When will man realize that he is something other than the body? When,
through a Perfect Master's grace, he rises above body-consciousness for a
while. Through the Guru's blessing, your true self will be revealed. A
realized soul can give a demonstration of this for a while--that is the
guiding criterion in finding a True Guru. The true meaning of the word Guru
is "dispeller of darkness." What kind of Guru does your heart desire? Kabir
Sahib put this question to Himself and answered it by saying, That kind of
Satguru I like, Who removes the veil from my eyes and shows me the Lord.
Commonly, when a person closes his eyes, he sees darkness within. So
Whoever is competent to remove that veil of darkness and reveal the Light
and Sound Principle within--the two aspects of God-in-expression--can truly
be known as a Guru.

There are those who teach outer practices, and one may be thankful to them;
but in this way the attitude of doership will never leave the heart. And
remember, While he thinks he is the doer, he will continue to reap the
reactions. As you sow, so shall you reap. Good actions will bear good
fruit, and bad actions will have unpleasant reactions. So, the coming and
going continues, for both are equally binding for the soul, something like
gold and iron chains. The cycle of births and deaths goes round and round
until one becomes the conscious co-worker of the Divine Plan and knows that
God Himself is the Doer. The disease of ego and possessiveness must be
cured and finished before one is free from action and reaction.

There is a remedy. Ego and attachment were both burned through the Shabd; a
Gurumukh gets the Everlasting Light. This disease is destroyed only by the
Shabd--contact with the God-into-Expression Power. And who gets this
realization? He who becomes a Gurumukh. Who is a Gurumukh? He who is close
to the Guru. God Absolute -- Nameless, Formless, Soundless God -- this, no
one can see. It is something one must become absorbed into. But when God
expressed Himself, this resulted in Light and Sound. When a person sees
that God's Light is working within him, and the whole intricate network of
creation runs by its strength, the I-hood goes. So how can the coming and
going continue to apply? If he is not doing anything any more, he remains
unaffected by action, and the karmas will finish. This is the ultimate
goal.

Lord Shiva once said, O Lord, I know there is no difference between Thee
and me; but I am Thine, Thou art not mine. Just as a wave is of the
ocean--the ocean cannot be of the wave--so, if you experience a ray of
Light, you have experienced the Lord. But remember, a ray is a ray, and the
sun is the sun. Lord Rama asked His great devotee, Hanuman, "Who are you?"
He replied, "Maharaj, when I am in this physical body, I am Your slave;
when I rise above the body, You and I are one." Such instances are written
in the holy books, and there is definite meaning behind them. We could all
give this same reply, but seeing and saying is different from reading and
saying. The Masters first see, and then talk about what They have seen;
whereas we talk on the level of mind and intellect of what we have not
seen; that is the difference. A king with his army, treasury, and retinue
declares himself emperor, but how much weight will be carried by the empty
words of a man without empire and subjects?

The idea that "I am in everything because God is everywhere" is very wrong
if we have not got the actual realization of it and have not become one
with God. It is true we are all miniature Gods -- all God-in-man and
man-in-God -- but we have forgotten the fact, just as in a dream where we
are someone different than when we are awake. The experience of Truth can
be obtained only in the human form. The whole world has forgotten the true
teaching; No one can go beyond without the Guru. It follows also that, The
orders from the Beloved of the Beyond cannot be understood without the
Satguru. It is a fundamental law. How can he who has not realized himself
help others? Through the intellect, at the level of the senses, one can
discover many things; but to know oneself is an entirely different matter.

The very first thing to learn is to keep the company of He Who has the
realization. It is natural that any subject we wish to learn -- even on the
physical level -- must be taught to us by One Who has mastered it Himself.
Even if we start with a good background, even then further guidance is very
necessary. But the Guru should be a real Guru, not one merely so-called,
from the class that has defamed the name of "gurudom." These days, if you
pick up a stone you will find a guru, sadhu, or sant beneath. How many men
can you find who are true to their declarations? Be circumspect in your
search. It is also said, While I do not see with my own eyes, I cannot
believe even my Master's words.

If we do not have the third eye opened to see the inner visions -- with
perhaps more or slightly less experience -- and be fully convinced that
something exists within, then how can we have full faith in the Guru's
words? Go and search for Someone Who is authentic and competent. You will
find many to give you one practice or another, telling you to carry on
doing it and eventually enlightenment will come. Such actions are good, but
your I-hood will not be eradicated until, with an actual connection within,
you start to see.

     A True Guru is He Who connects you with the Shabd;
     Shabd is second to none,
     Available only from a Perfect Master,
     At Whose feet you will get the realization.

Someone once asked Kabir Sahib what kind of respect He had for sadhus and
sants, there being so many in the world. He replied, All sadhus are great
in their own way; but I place my head at the feet of He Who is the knower
of the Shabd. He hears It, is one with It, and can connect others to It.
And when does one get such a Guru? Through good karmas a Satguru is met.
When God showers His mercy, He brings the fortunate recipient to that human
form wherein He is manifested.

What kind of yoga does the Satguru teach? He gives us the desirable service
by connecting our attention with the Shabd. He does not give any practice
at the level of mind, intellect, or senses, but connects the attention
directly to the Shabd, which is the God-into-Expression Power. Philosophy
deals with theory, but mysticism deals with contact with Reality, because
philosophy works on the intellectual level, whereas mysticism works on the
level of the soul. This is why Kabir Sahib said that all sadhus are
respected, but a God-realized Person is worthy of worship. A God-realized
man will give you realization. A king would never wish his son to serve as
a minister, and a True Master desires that His children should reach the
stage of Mastership.

You may read all the books written by and about the self-realized people,
but the right understanding of them will only enter the heart when they are
explained by a Self-Realized Person: Those Who see have one understanding.
You will find that intellectuals have different understanding, because on
the level of the intellect, naturally each will reason in his own way; so
some say one thing and others say something else. All statements given out
by past Masters on the subject of Truth have been one and the same. Of
course, They used whatever language and mode of expression that were
suitable at the time; otherwise, the facts are the same. Although it is
written in those very scriptures that you cannot realize God through books,
yet many people spend their whole lives searching among them. One should
read and tully understand.

All Masters have indicated that God does not reside in temples made with
stone. We have ourselves made these buildings--in our own image. Church
steeples are nose-shaped, the merabh of the mosque is forehead-shaped, and
the Hindu temple's dome is head-shaped. Within these holy places are kept
the two symbols--the light is lit and the bell or other sound is heard.
But, He Who made this house (human body) gave the key to the Guru. When
this house was made in the womb of the mother, there was no machinery in
there to form it; it was formed by the hand of God, and He took up
residence within. So, in this temple of God--the human body--the Light of
Truth is shimmering. Though we have respect for outer temples where the
people should gather to sing the praises of the Lord, yet we should light
the Light within ourselves.

Many Muslim fakirs have frankly stated that for those people whose eye is
not open, the mosque is that which is made of bricks and mortar. For
realized souls, who are in full control of their faculties, this physical
form is the true mosque. They have also said that no one should say the
Kaaba is better than a temple. Within the Kaaba, Hazrat Ibrahim's
Hajar-ul-Asvad is kept as a monument, which is kissed in reverence--but
suchlike images and memorials are kept in holy places in remembrance of
God. The fakirs say also that where God is manifest is the best place for
worshiping Him.

Now listen attentively to the hymn of Guru Amar Das Ji Sahib:

     Within this house lies everything--nothing is outside;
     The inner door is opened, with the Guru's blessing.

We live in this body; it is the soul's house. On top of this, we have made
houses for this house. He says, Within this house lies everything--nothing
is outside. The whole creation resides therein. Whatever Brahmand is, so is
this body; he who searches will find it. Macrocosm is in the microcosm, and
he who searches outside the body will never find it. The thing is in one
place, you search in another; how will it come to hand? Kabir Sahib says,
You will realize it only if you take the One Who knows. Keep the company of
one who has mastered whatever subject you want to learn. So, if you meet
Someone Who truly knows Spirituality, then:

     By taking the Knower, He daily shows the treasure;
     It was work for millions of births, but He accomplished it in one
second.

With a little attention from a competent Master, you will withdraw from
outer conditions and the Light will appear within, however little
experience it may be. I remember once, Jawaharlal Nehru was discussing this
science with me, and he asked the question, "How can you realize this
thing?" I replied, "By giving a sitting." He said, "How much time will it
take?" I said, "Half an hour." The thing itself is within, but the one to
see it is wandering around outside, dancing to the tune of mind and senses.
The soul sustains the latter, but he is himself being dragged here and
there. Because we have erred, this is our condition--when instead we could
have made the senses work to our will, for they cannot operate without our
attention.

With the Guru's blessing, the door which lies between us and God is opened.
In Guru Nanak's Jap Ji, He tells us:

     There is One Reality, the Unmanifest-Manifested;
     Ever-Existent, He is Naam, the Creator, pervading all;
     Without fear, without enmity, the Timeless, the Unborn, Self-existent,
     complete within Itself.
     Through the favor of His true servant, the Guru, He may be realized.

That which we call the One is something. He is not one and He is not
two--this is merely a way of remembering Him, for we are finite and require
finite terms. There is no way of praising Him, but there are words which
attempt to describe that He is the Truth; He is the Naam; He is the Doer;
He is the Supreme Being beyond birth and death. He was not created, but
born of Himself. And that God is the blessing from the Guru--Satguru shows
the One. An experience of that One which we also call the Truth is given by
the Guru, for that One responds to the wish of the Guru. Guru Amar Das
achieved this after more than seventy years of searching, and from what He
has written, it seems that He left no practice unexplored. When at last He
reached His goal, He said that doing all those karmas He had become
extremely tired--and then the gift of the Satguru came so easily. Without
good karma, you cannot meet a Guru; and then it happens only with God's
grace. He is waiting at the door, which He Himself will open.

I once met a man of some spiritual repute, but he did not believe that
there is Light within the human being; he considered it good enough to see
the sun outside and that there is merely flesh, bones, blood, and dirt
within the body. And yet all great Masters have firmly declared that by
repetition of the Holy Naam, a Light the strength of millions of suns will
be seen within the human form. It is said also that the Guru makes us owner
of the house, like a queen, and gives us ten servants (the five gross and
five subtle senses) at our call. The servants obey implicitly when the
owner is in full control. The outcome is revealed within, when the sun
appears in all its glory. Guru Nanak says, The midnight sun has risen.
Maulana Rumi says, Only those who see the midnight sun should come and talk
to me; otherwise, do not waste my time. When do we see it? When we withdraw
from outer environments we realize it in this very temple of God, the human
body. By repeating the Naam, the light of millions of suns is apparent.

A Guru is not just a literary man but a Realized Soul; Someone Who does not
live in darkness, and Who can remove the dark veil from the eyes of others.
It is the principal criterion for judging a Guru. A man may be learned--a
great intellectual or propagandist--but living in darkness. How can one who
sees not the Light show it to others? Though the Light burns in each being,
yet it is rather likened to a lamp upon which are many coverings and from
which not a single ray of light shines forth. The soul has many coverings;
so if you remove the first, a glimmer of Light will be seen. If the second
covering is removed, even more Light will shine, and so on. He Who has
removed all coverings will radiate forth the Light of God in full
effulgence, and He is a True Disciple. He is then a true Hindu, true Sikh,
true Christian, true Muslim, etc.

Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib gave the example that if some floral design is
engraved on a wall, it will remain there, come rain or shine. We, the soul,
have become so much attached and a part of the world that we cannot
withdraw from it. However, One Who is in control of His attention can help
us to withdraw by His single glance. The Saint has given me the wealth.
That wealth must be increased. A fine lecturer may instruct in the
principles of running a business and becoming wealthy, but unless he also
gives some capital to start with, the information is useless to a poor man.
A True Saint never merely says, "Go on doing this and you will eventually
get something." A True Saint is the One Who gives some capital to start
with. And Who is that Saint? He in Whom God has manifested Himself. God is
the Giver--not the human form. Through the Satguru, you will realize God,
brother. It is also said, Without a Satguru, no one has realized Him.
Hundreds of moons and thousands of suns are inside, but you have not the
strength to see them.

     With so much brilliant Light, there is dense darkness,
     Without the Guru, only darkness--this is incomprehensible,
     Without the Guru, attention is uncontrolled;
     salvation cannot be achieved.

The Guru is a great power; He is God-in-man or man-in-God. He is Word made
flesh: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Also, In the Guru, He
has manifested Himself, and distributes the Shabd. When you get the Shabd,
you will get God. The God-into-Expression Power is called the Shabd, and
the Shabd which is manifested in a human pole is called the Guru. Ice,
steam, and water are all basically the same substance. Satguru is complete
in Himself. The Satguru is that Power which is complete in its own
strength. The same Power working on higher planes is called Gurudev. On the
physical level it is also called Guru, Sant, Mahatma, Sadhu, etc. Who is
competent to tell of God? The stories and anecdotes of God can only be told
by the Guru. Information about the Lord must be factual, and only the Guru
can give it, for He Himself is the Truth; He tells what He sees. Neither
knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will
reveal Him. He does not add anything from outside, but shows what is
already within; it is a subject of self-analysis. When you meet a Satguru,
the inversion starts. At present all expression is outward, but through the
Guru's power the senses begin to invert within. When Guru Amar Das Ji was
asked how the senses can invert, He replied:

     When you meet a Satguru, the inversion starts,
     but it cannot be explained.

The subject cannot be expressed in words; one must sit down and experience
it. He was also asked what one gets through inversion, and He replied, "Die
while living, and you will unravel it." At the time of death, the attention
withdraws by leaving the senses and focusing at the point behind and
between the eyes. While living here in the world you can learn to die at
will, and can be the one who sees the mysteries of the Beyond. Iearn to die
so that you may begin to live. As Christ said, You must be reborn. Also,
The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.., the kingdom of God is
within you.

Man is an upside-down tree, with the roots at the top. A tree's roots are
in the earth, and the branches stretch upward; but man's roots go up, and
the branches down. Christ told the people to take up the cross daily, which
means every day one should rise above body consciousness. St. Paul said, I
die daily. The whole world leaves at death, but it is a natural science to
leave at will, the art of which we have forgotten. The Gurumukh comes and
goes at will. The Gurumukh, not the manmukh.

     Naam is already residing within,
     The complete Satguru shows It.

Each one has the wealth of Naam within him; and that Naam is what? God is
Nameless -- Namustung Anamung -- which means I bow to He Who has no name.
When God Absolute, that which is not in expression, came into expression,
that was called Naam. Naam sustains all Khand and Brahmand (i.e., the whole
universe). Also, Through Naam all Creation came into being. So He says that
within us is the wealth of Naam, which is the controlling power. 0 Nanak,
everything is under the control of Naam; with great destiny it is received.

How can one recognize the Naam? When the Absolute God-power was expressed,
there was vibration, and that vibration has two aspects: Light and Sound
Principle. By repetition of Naam, the Light of millions of suns can be
seen. Also, God keeps the jeweled song of His Name with the Sadhu. In that
song is the Light and the Sound; you have only to withdraw from outside and
you will see and hear, with the help of a Perfect Master. Until you see and
hear for yourself, you cannot truly believe. How many Mahatmas can you find
who will give this experience by giving a sitting? A learned man will give
you scholarly knowledge; a doctor will teach through anatomy and
dissection; a God-realized Person will give you a demonstration of the
soul's awakening, by self-analysis. After more than seventy years of hard
searching, Guru Amar Das got this realization at the feet of Guru Angad
Sahib.

The Elixir of lmmortality is the Name of the Lord; It resides in this body.
Naam is the giver of all kinds of happiness, but one must withdraw the
attention and rise above the body-consciousness. That Naam which is then
contacted inside is delectably sweet; there is great intoxication there.
The intoxication of Naam, 0 Nanak, inebriates day and night. There may be a
variety of words to signify, but the Power is the same. Repeat, oh my mind,
that one Naam which the Satguru has given. The different names given to the
Lord are merely the means of remembering Him. I pay homage to all Thy
Names. But He is the Form of All Light and is called Guru, Sant, Sadhu,
Mahatma, etc.

     The thoughts of He Who has received the Lord are like precious jewels.

Because He speaks of what He has seen, the Guru's thoughts are invaluable.
The seeker who really wants the Lord will receive, for He Himself will make
the arrangements for meeting that Personage in Whom He is manifested.

     He opens the eye and shows the soul
     That feast which lies beyond bondage.

There is a feast of all feasts within: a feast of jewels. Those who are
familiar with the Jap Ji will remember the words, Within is the jewel of
jewels; Listen to the Guru's teaching. The Master's way of describing the
Truth is very clear and open. There is food for the hungry and water for
the thirsty. Whoever has a sincere yearning for the Lord will most
definitely get Him. Many will say, "I want God," but they should analyze
their desire and see why they are wanting God. It will be discovered that
they really want the health of their children, wealth, name and fame, the
removal of their unhappiness, or peace in the hereafter, and many other
things. Everyone seeks solicited favors; no one really wants God and God
alone. All cry out for worldly satisfaction, and God goes on granting their
wishes. And he who truly desires the Lord and the Lord alone--most
definitely he will get his heart's desire. Such single-pointed devotion is
the ideal condition for realizing the Lord. I do not want Swarg (Heaven) or
Vakunt (higher heaven); I only want to repose in the lotus feet of my Guru.
How can one reach God if he desires the fruits of this world or the next?
Comb your heart and find out if you truly want the Lord. True desire does
exist, but it is very rare.

In no other expression but the human form can a soul realize God. Who will
succeed in this? The Gurumukh. And who is the Gurumukh? He who is close to
the Guru -- he whose eyes meet the Guru's and become one -- he whose soul
is one with the Guru. How can a person who does not even know how to sit in
his Master's presence be called a Gurumukh? The eyes are the windows of the
soul, and the inner wealth is the property of the Gurumukh, not the manmukh
(the mouthpiece of the mind). He who obeys the Guru's every word will
realize the Lord. But we choose to modify His commandments to our own way
of thinking. We forget that when the Guru Power initiates, It remains with
the disciple watching his every move -- and does not leave him until he has
arrived in the Lord's lap. Christ said, Lo, I am with you always, even unto
the end of the world.

How would one recognize a Gurumukh? They keep the Guru overhead and live
upon His wishes. The Guru is constantly apparent to the Gurumukh, who knows
that all his actions are observed by his Guru. He who is always aware of
that ever-existent presence will never disobey. Kabir Sahib says, This kind
of disciple has no fear in all three regions. It is also said, The servant
in the Guru's house has implicit obedience in his mind; He has no
self-value and his heart ever repeats God's Name. You are fortunate to come
to the Guru's door. But most people consider themselves above others and
will push themselves to the fore; even among themselves they start
fighting. One should be grateful if one's smallest service is accepted in
His vineyard. All work will be successful from that servant who sells his
mind to the Satguru.

     A manmukh will never know what a Guru is--he thinks He is like
himself;
     Like a field of sesame, with the seeds already harvested.

A plant from a sesame seed sprouts and then dies. He who attempts to
realize God through mind and senses, and not through a Guru's power, falls
down in his efforts and never reaches his goal. However, he who obeys the
Guru's word will succeed. Christ told His disciples to keep my
commandments. Even if you obey the Master's words blindly, you will
benefit. Kabir Sahib says, In the court of the Lord, there is nothing
lacking. If any failing is found, it will be in the manner of our service.
Think deeply on these points--where do you stand? If you live by
surrendering yourself completely to His will, you will reach the highest
goal. While you do not surrender, you will find failings.

     There are many palaces within, where the Lord resides.

The macrocosm is in the microcosm--there are worlds within worlds inside
the physical form. Whatever the Brahmand is, so is the Pind (body), and he
who searches will receive. Beyond the body is the And (astral), then
Brahmand (causal), Par-Brahm (beyond causal), and Sat Lok or Sach Khand
(true place or region). All these planes are within you. The experience of
them starts when you leave Pind--when you rise above body-consciousness.
What does everlasting mean? That which never dies. What shall it profit a
man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Of what value
are all worldly things if you do not realize who you are and Who the
Sustainer is? What will you have to your credit? In the Jap Ji, Guru Nanak
has explained this beautifully:

     If one could extend one's life to four ages, nay make it ten times
longer;
     If one were known throughout the nine planes of creation,
     And everyone therein followed him with respect;
     If every creature praised him to the skies;
     All this and more has no value if God's eye looked not kindly upon
thee.

We can gain the greatest blessing in this human form, but we choose the
world which is much loved by us. We tend to wave aside our higher
aspirations and comment vaguely, This world is sweet--who has seen beyond
it? The famous Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, had great insight in
summing up this very situation when he prayed, O Lord, I know that in You
is limitless wealth, but I cannot empty this house of mine of its rubbish.
All glory and beauty lie within this form, but it can be experienced only
by rising above the body. You can say that one dies while living, or you
can say that one is twice born. Having tasted such Nectar, why return to
the world with its insipid display of wines? We are ever engaged in trying
to improve our worldly conditions and surroundings, never giving a single
thought to the subject of Spirituality, but, In the end, everything will
go.

How did Valmiki, Who was previously a famous robber, become a Saint? He
used to rob people and live on the loot. But one day, unknowingly, He tried
to rob a Saint, and the Saint said to Him, "Look here, this that you do is
not good. Your mind makes you do it, but tell me frankly, is it a good
thing?" Valmiki agreed that it was very bad, but when the Saint asked Him
why He continued doing it, He said, "It is my living--I have a wife and
children to support." The Saint said, "All right, you know that you are
committing sins, but go and ask your wife and family if they will share the
responsibility of those sins with you." Valmiki laughed and accused the
Saint of intending to run away, but the Saint said, "You may tie me to this
tree, but you should go home and get the answer to this question." Valmiki
had become quite intrigued with the subject and agreed. When He reached His
home, He explained the situation to His wife and children, fully confident
of their love for Him and fully expectant that they would support Him. But
they all said, "Why should we share your sins? We want food, and we don't
care where or how you get it--that is your affair. How can we share the
responsibility for what you are doing?" Shaken to the core, Valmiki went to
the Saint and begged His forgiveness. That dacoit became Maharishi
Valmiki--a great Saint Who went into such deep and long samadhi that the
bees made their hives in His hair. He wrote the Ramayana (story of Lord
Rama) in verse, many thousands of years before Lord Rama came to the earth.

So you see, a man can change--he but requires some worthy aim in life. For
those who love the world, the Beyond does not exist; but for those who long
for the Beyond, this world and heaven and even above heaven has no meaning
in their lives. A devoted soul desires only the Beloved's love. He wants to
see Him. The very last words of the Guru Granth Sahib are, O God, give me
Thy darshan (glance). He who sees the Lord in everything is the beloved of
the Lord. Maulana Rumi says that compared to the vastness of the worlds
within, this world is not even the extent of an atom. What a magnificent
abundance of Life there is within us! Those who have tasted the joys of the
Beyond find no satisfaction in the world. They live by the orders of the
Most High.

     To realize through the mind will bear a fruit
     From which you will never return.

At present, the mind desires those things it cannot get. When it realizes
the Truth, the whole of Nature will be at its beck and call. Underlying,
its desire is for permanent happiness, and when it gets this, all coming
and going in the world will cease. While it remains within the scope of the
three regions, it will continue to return to the earthly sojourn; and not
until it gains access beyond Brahmand will the soul be truly free. Heaven,
hell--again and again, birth. The ABC of Spirituality starts where the mind
and senses are not! Maulana Rumi Sahib says, While we do not rise above, we
are ignorant of that Invisible's picture. All practices concerning outer
knowledge are connected with body, mind, intellect, and senses; and
whenever they cease to function, Spirituality starts from there.

He who is qualified, protects the wealth the Guru gave him;
The rare invaluable Naam, only some Gurumukhs receive.

The majority of those who listen do not absorb; they merely hear. Gold is a
rare and valuable metal, but without purchasers it will remain in the shop.
The spiritually qualified are called atheists by the unqualified. Guru
Nanak was so-called. Some realized men were skinned alive, some were hanged
or crucified. Some were burned alive or made to sit on a red-hot plate.
Practically every conceivable indignity has been perpetrated upon Them. So
only Those Who truly know can have respect for this precious gift. Body
should be the Guru's, mind should be the Guru's. Then He says, You get the
Par-Brahm. One can understand why He says, He who is qualified protects the
wealth. And he who becomes a Gurumukh will get it.

     What will you get by searching outside,
     when it is within you?

Some spend their whole lives searching among outer things. But those who
are fortunate will find, like Guru Amar Das Ji, that the treasure they seek
lies within themselves.

     In the illusion, the whole world forgets itself;
     As manmukh, your self-respect has gone.

As long as we remain in illusion, we will wander aimlessly, without roots.
The manmukh spends his whole life in forgetfulness and then dies in it.
Then where does he go? Wherever your thoughts are will be your abode. But
true seekers are the fortunate ones to grasp the facts. When Guru Amar Das
Ji received the treasure, He explained the facts so minutely that there can
be no more doubt.

     After leaving your own true home, you made this lie your abode;
     Caught like a thief, without the Naam you got the punishment.

This body is like a huge Granth (Sikh holy scripture)--or a big Bible,
Koran, or Veda. Whatever the Masters discovered within Their books, They
clearly gave out to mankind. He who goes within will realize the Truth.
They have told of the real values of life, but without going within one
will never benefit from Their words. Merely following the letter of the
word will not give you experience. Even if you read and fully understand
what is written, you will not experience the same. Understand what I am
saying, and then go and search for it. A great part of your life has faded
away; make the best use of what is left. If we really want God, we will
definitely get Him. Use your awareness wisely, for only in this human life
can you receive the abundance of wealth, and in no other. We may have
succeeded in every phase of life--intellectually, physically--but what have
we done for our true self? Just think, where are you going and what are you
doing?

     He who returns to his true home will get all happiness;
     For within he will recognize the Brahma (God) and acknowledge his
Guru's greatness.

He who "taps inside" and enters his own home gets food for the soul and
eternal bliss. His aimless wandering will cease. Guru Amar Das Ji has
described all actions at the level of senses as beating the husk to try to
gather the non-existent grain. He says also that it is like a man who
worked from morn till night but received no payment and returned home tired
and unhappy. All karmas and dharmas (actions and righteous actions) come
under this category. Only by the Guru's grace can you realize the Brahma
within. The Guru's greatness is thus demonstrated. This is not through ego
that He says so, but is just a statement of fact. They do not speak through
pride, but merely state, "Yes, we have seen it." When They are asked if
They have got anything, They say, "Yes, we have received God's gift." He
who becomes a Gurumukh will also receive. When the Lord so wishes, He
Himself will show the way.

By repeating the Naam, the soul becomes glorified at the Court of the Lord.
By repeating the Naam, they return to their true home; 0 Nanak, their faces
are radiant with freedom. It matters not to which religion, caste, or
country one belongs; he who gets the connection with the Lord will gain
salvation. He will become what the books describe through that very Power
of which they speak. Oh my mind, repeat the Naam, this wealth which the
Satguru has given.

For whom is this teaching? All Masters' words are uttered for one and all.
Why is this? Because all teachings of the Masters are alike. So remain in
your own religion, keep your own customs, but do the real work ahead of
you. Millionaires will leave their millions behind, those who have mud huts
will leave them; this body did not come with you and will not accompany you
when you return. Yes, you will take your actions with you.

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