From jamesjs@unixg.ubc.ca Thu Apr 02 01:14:33 1998
Newsgroups: alt.meditation.shabda
Subject: The Thing Love Knows
From: jamesjs@unixg.ubc.ca (James Shannon)
Date: 2 Apr 1998 09:14:33 GMT

   
   
   
  
                      
                           THE THING LOVE KNOWS 
                      
                                    by 

                           Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
      
                               (1894 - 1974)                           
   
                 
                       This Q & A talk was given on 
                       Jan. 7, 1964 in Miami, Florida 
                       and was published in the May 
                         1976 issue of Sat Sandesh. 
                       ------------------------------
   

QUESTION: Master, I have a question for the future in dealing with others 
ready to come on the Path. In all kindness I say this, because I am 
confused about it for future actions. You tell the groups that when the 
people come and they are initiated, they do not have to leave their faith, 
their religion. When we become initiated, we become satsangis; but not all 
want to remain always. They may come perhaps for the satsang; but are they
permitted to go and remain in their religions, that they may draw others 
unto them? Because even I have been told many times, "Well, you are now a 
satsangi; you must forget all this and put it aside." How can we help 
someone else, unless they want to ask us a few of these questions, and we 
want to witness for You so as to draw them when the fruit is ripe? They're 
going to say this to me: "Well, we have the Sound Current, too, and it's 
the same thing." I have to be able to tell them, "Well, Om is not the same 
as our Master Power; and perhaps your soul is not ready. If you're ready, 
your soul will be hungry to come." I must go, maybe; I can't drop all 
those acquaintances, can I, Master; must I? I must help them with love and 
draw them, if they're willing to come and willing to listen and want to 
know. I can't close the door completely. Also, I think, in my initiation 
papers, it was stated, you must not be in other faiths any longer.If you 
want to become an initiate, you must remain in satsang. I'm a little 
confused about this, because other people are going to want to know the
same from me. How can I bring them?

THE MASTER: Bring me that application form, please.

COMMENT (from another initiate): It doesn't say that.
That's what we were told
      
QUESTION: It doesn't say that, no. This is verbally said to us.

THE MASTER: All right. I will reply to you. Anything more? That's all 
right.

I hope you have heard my talks. If you have followed them, you will know 
that I clearly say that there are two aspects of religion: one is the 
outer, the other is the inner. We have taken steps as an outer aspect of 
religion: the reading of scriptures, saying of prayers, and performance 
of certain rites and rituals. Their scope and what they are meant for 
have been explained to you. The reading of scriptures, if rightly 
understood, with someone who knows the Way, creates an interest to know 
God. And it ends there. The saying of prayers and the performance of 
rites and rituals are meant for developing love and devotion in us for God.
These are good actions, and they have their own reactions as good results.  
They are meant for the preparation of the ground for the other way, which 
is higher: the way which is to be taken up when you rise above body-
consciousness. All these actions pertain to the body. They are meant for 
the preparation of the ground. Remain in some religion. But if you remain 
in any religion and only take the preliminary steps and not the higher 
ones, you will not derive the full benefit from following that religion.

   A true Christian is one who sees the Light of God. And all others have 
been defined in the same way. So, what you have been given is not religion,  
but Spirituality. Do you follow me? Spirituality is not religion. Religion 
is a social body, or school, which we have joined to attain Spirituality. 
What is Spirituality? It is the self analysis of the soul from the mind 
and the outgoing faculties, knowing oneself, and being in tune with God.  
This is what is, strictly speaking, Spirituality. It is no spiritualism, 
no spiritism, no mesmerism, no hypnotism. So why do you follow the first 
step, when you have been given the higher step?
      
   Some man came up to me yesterday and told me that he is putting in three 
hours a day for Hatha Yoga. He asked me what he should do. I said, "Well, 
go on doing Hatha Yoga; that will lead you to having a good body. Why not 
give some time to make your body fit? But not three hours: say, half an 
hour - something to make your body fit. And give the remaining two and 
one-half hours for this higher purpose."

   Do you follow my point?  You have been given something within to be a 
true Christian. You have been given a contact with "the Word which is a 
Lamp unto my feet, and a Light on my path." When God manifests in any 
human pole, He is the Light of the world. They are children of Light: 
when They come to the world, They give the Light to all and everyone. Do 
you follow my point?

   So you are not to leave any religion, as a social body. But you have 
got something higher. Now, if you get something higher and still spend all 
your time - 24 hours - on that and not on this, what have you got?  What's 
the use of having this? I'm not changing your religion. If I change it, I 
will have to form a new one and create new rules, new regulations, and new 
rites. Why waste time on that? Remain in some religion. But to think that 
only because you are a Christian or a Hindu or a Mohammedan, you will be 
accepted at the Court of God is one hundred percent wrong. Unless you 
become true to God - unless you come in contact with the Light of God and 
follow the universal religion of the Masters Who came in the past - you 
cannot be accepted at the Court of God. Do you follow me now?

   Remain where you are. Remain there, and let your relations continue.  
Go to church; you will get the first step there, with due deference to it.  
But when they are taking the first step, you can utilize that time for a 
higher purpose. You have got the Way. You are not to hate them, you see. 
Love them. And since you have got something higher, tell them in a friendly 
way, "This is something further on the way up, as given in our own 
scriptures." You must make the point clear that this is the comparative 
value, with due deference to the religion. If not, you will have to create 
another religion. What for? Why not remain in those religions which have
stood the test of time? Changing outer forms does not bring you closer to 
God, mind that - unless you follow the teachings of the Masters. Christ 
said, "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." 
Did He not say that? He said, "I am the light of the world." That Christ 
lived before Jesus and after Him, too. Christ Power was the God Power that 
manifested at the human pole of the son of man. We have great respect for 
the son of man at whose pole that God Power worked. But it continues 
forever.

   I gave a talk in a Unity Temple. I asked them, "What are your 
principles?" Then the minister gave me a book about who Christ was, and 
there it said, "Christ lived before Jesus." Do you follow the difference 
between the two? God Power, God-into- Expression Power, is "Word was made 
flesh and dwelt amongst us." That God Power or Guru Power or Master Power 
or Christ Power is the same. It lives forever, before and after Its
manifestation. The Masters' teachings have been universal.

   So you have something diamond-like. If you go on as if you have 
business in silver, you may do so if you like. But diamonds are more 
valuable. Go on with it, wherever you are. You may have a contact there; 
there is no hard-and-fast, rigid rule. If anyone has told you not to go -
to leave off all that - I think they have not been able to explain fully 
what is meant.

QUESTION: Master, You just answered my question before I asked it.

THE MASTER: No, the facts remain. They will appeal to everybody. If you 
have something very valuable and you still go on  with iron work, it is 
because of your values. That work has its value. They are good actions, 
and I'm not underrating them. But they are meant for the preparation of 
the ground. Use your good fortune in your search after God. God has given 
you a step further. It is God Who has given it. As I always say, it is God 
manifested in man Who can give you a contact with Him.

   So you have to love all. Tell your friends that you have found something 
else that was hidden before in our scriptures. They will come around. If 
you have to learn to hate them, then where is the love? You say, "Love God 
and love everybody."

   But don't be led away, mind that. You have something higher; don't leave 
it for the sake of something of comparatively less value. What do we do?  
We stick to the outer casing of the walnut and ignore the kernel. Well, 
don't do that. Do you follow my point?

   I've made no religion - definitely not; nor am I going to make any 
religion, so long as I am alive. If, after me, anyone does, he will be 
going astray of the point, I tell you. This is a Truth which is One. It 
has been experienced by one and all, ever since the world was created. 
Those who knew the Truth gave out in that way.

   I am saying something very important that has already been explained to 
you so many times, and perhaps you know it already; but this is the 
question here: that we should not ignore the kernel by sticking to the 
outer covering of the walnut. Make the best use of the outer form. You are 
not to hate anyone, especially those in the school of thought where you 
have been. You have got something higher in that very school, which even 
the ministers generally do not know. Surely, I'm not exaggerating. I've 
come in contact with the ministers of all religions: the majority of them 
are ignorant of these higher things, and that is why they never mention
them. For that reason, you can tell them, "Here is something more that is 
in our own scriptures." In that case, they will also come around. They 
should not change their religion or outer forms - not in the least. But 
they may take a further step in their own religion, as given in their own 
scriptures.

   So have love for all: for all those who are going on the higher Way; 
and for others: for God is also in them. When you've found a candle of 
light, "do not put it under a bushel, but place it where it can attract
the attention of others seekers." You are in some church; I am in some 
church. If my brothers in the church are ignorant, I must say, "Here it 
is in our own scriptures." So you have to love: there should be no hatred 
for anyone. But don't ignore the diamond work and replace it by the copper 
or the iron or the silver. This is what I mean to say. I think that point 
is clear to you?

QUESTION: Yes. We can visit there, and then they'll say, "Where have you
been?" Then we say, "I have found something better." If they're hungry, 
they will come.

THE MASTER: Tell them "Here it is, in our own scriptures." I tell you 
honestly, even the bishops do not know what is what. It is so in the 
majority of all religions; I'm not speaking only of the Christian but of 
other religions, too. Now men of other religions direct people to me: "For 
the inner, go him." They are supposed to be knowing God. If they know God, 
they must give it out. They simply tell you "Go on with the first step; 
that will do. That is wrong, I tell you honestly. You have only a 
preliminary form and you go on believing that it will lead you to God 
after death. Well, "a bird in hand is better than two in the bush."

   Have love for them. If you don't love them, how will they listen to you?  
By love you can make anyone understand. With hatred, no one will come near 
you. You will be defaming the work of your own movement - not movement, but 
revival, I would say, of the old truth that we have forgotten. I think this 
point is very clear?

   As regards the reading of scriptures: in what I have written, to the 
best I know how, I have given a digest of the cream of the inner way up, 
as given in all scriptures - theoretically, by a parallel study of 
religions, and practically. So the cream is with you. You may read it 
first. I've given references to other scriptures, too; and you can quote 
them: "Here such and such also says that." What I have written is the 
basic principle that guides you directly. And then you can quote from 
other sources: "Lord Krishna says so; Christ says so; Buddha says so." But 
don't make those the basis, because they also form part of other things, 
too, such as their own religious rituals. On account of ignorance, they 
sometimes lay too much importance on the preparatory step and do not 
mention the inner one. So, what you have been given is the digest of the 
cream; and that is why it is given preference.
     
   As regards "The Path of the Masters": let there be no misunderstanding 
about it. Dr. Johnson was a missionary. He first went to India to find 
somebody and could not and went to preach. He came back. The second time 
he went, he had the good fortune to meet our Master (Baba Sawan Singh Ji). 
He sat at His feet and learned something for six or seven years. I was 
there, too. He wrote this Path in the manuscript form. His spirit was the 
same - as a missionary: "Muslims don't know anything; Sikhs don't know
anything; Hindus are wrong; such and such men are wrong." This is a very 
drastic way of putting it. He had made three copies of the manuscript.  
One was given to me; one was given to Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh; the 
third was given to Professor Jag Mohan Lal. Professor Jag Mohan Lal never 
returned the manuscript. Sardar Bahadur returned it with too many 
strictures, and Dr. Johnson would not listen to him. (If you say to any 
man, "You are blind," he won't listen. But if you simply ask him, "Well, 
dear friend, when did you lose your eyesight?" perhaps he will listen to
you.) Now the whole thing devolved on my shoulders. I told my Master, 
"He has written it in a missionary way." Missionaries, you know, say, 
"That is wrong; ours is the only way, and all others are wrong."

   He said, "You may point it out to him."

   "All right." I went to him. I told him, "Well, look here, dear Dr. 
Johnson, you've done a splendid work in bringing out this manuscript; but 
it appears that here and there, you were not in the full know of things.  
That is why you have not been able to do full justice to the work."

   "I would like to know."

   Then I gave him quotations from the Hindu, Mohammedan, and all other 
literature. He revised it on those lines. There are some flaws there, but 
many things were set right. The manuscript never came to me after revision.  
But he revised the portion on Eastern religions, so that they are, I think, 
quite palatable. About the portion on Christianity, I told him, "Dr. 
Johnson, you must polish it down. It is put in a very drastic way." What 
did he say? He said, "My brothers in the West won't wake up unless I say it
that way." That missionary spirit was there. So, he did not revise it. I 
have found that the Christians do not relish that part. It is given in a 
very drastic way. Now they have revised it; a further revised copy has 
been issued.

   So this is the true state of affairs. Now it is up to you to do what you 
like. Have something that you've got very directly; then you may refer to 
others and utilize them.

   So, other parts of Dr. Johnson's manuscript were rewritten but people 
still don't like the Christianity part. I saw one man who was going to be 
initiated and who read that, throw away the book and say, "I don't want to 
be initiated." Was it the fault of the initiation or the Science? So you 
may read other books, if they are on the point. In what I have written you 
have something cut-and-dried as a basis. You may refer to others; there's 
no harm.

   Yes? What do you want to say?

QUESTION: I was going to say in regard to our diet, Master. Would You 
kindly explain, where do we stand on serums and shots and all that sort 
of thing?

THE MASTER: Serums?

QUESTION: From injections, hormones.

THE MASTER: Look here, there are ways of treatment. If there is something 
directly in it that is not permissible, avoid it, that's all. What can be 
done? Life cannot be prolonged by any man, by any doctor: it is already 
fixed. But you can help it in the other way.

   Moreover, you'll find that's a very minimal quantity. Because its 
remedies are prepared in alcohol, you might say, in that case, that all 
of homeopathy should be avoided. The question is about the intoxication 
that it gives. That's very minimal; one drop; it cannot give you 
intoxication. But as a treatment, it does much good. So don't take it for 
the purpose of relishing it or anything like that. An injection is also 
based on the principle of homeopathy: a little thing flares up all the 
blood.

   Avoid as much as you possibly can by having recourse to other things.  
If there is no other alternative, that's another thing. Yes?
      
QUESTION: Master, I know this really shouldn't happen to people who are 
seriously dedicated to You; but I would like You to explain how best to 
deal with, and avert, personality clashes which periodically occur. I 
think most of us realize that if we follow the directives, we're not going 
to fight one another; but I would like a little elaboration on that, 
because it does occur.

THE MASTER: All right. You know that I always enjoin one and all - 
including group leaders - to keep diaries for self introspection. If we 
live up to that, there can be no conflict. The first thing is, don't 
think evil of others: nonviolence. By your harsh words, you harm others.  
That is the main cause of the creation of hatred. I was just describing 
how you can say to a blind person, "Oh, blind man," or you can ask him, 
"Well, dear friend, when did you lose your sight?" There is a difference 
between the two. Is it not so? One is harming; the other is not. Similarly, 
if you find anything wrong in someone, tell him about it privately: "Dear
friend, this does not appear to be right." Don't broadcast it; don't make 
parties. Don't go by the ears and the eyes of others. What do we do?  
First we do something; and those who are attached to us form a party, and 
they carry tales to others. Just as diseases arise by infection, that 
infection goes around, and there are parties.

   Don't think evil; don't hear evil of others; don't see evil of others; 
don't speak evil of others. Then naturally, if there's anything wrong in 
others, point it out in a friendly way.

   I think this is the main cause of conflict. We simply say, "We are in
authority"; we say, "I will turn you out." Well, who are you to turn 
anybody out? This is the satsang of the Master. All are attending for the 
sake of the Master. If anybody says this, he is not following the 
instructions of the Master. Those who have been placed in charge as group 
leaders are given the children for their custody and help. Do you see?
     
   Also, love one another. If you love one another, errors may creep up; 
but love knows forgiveness and forgetfulness. I think if you follow this 
very principle, there can be nothing conflicting. Our words should be kind.  
Kind words don't cost anything, but kind words must be imbued with humility.  
Sometimes, in our own zealousness, we say, "I can do, or undo, these 
things."  These are the things that create all the trouble. Show 
appreciation for another's efforts - for whatever effort he has made, great 
or little. If you show appreciation, the other man will be encouraged to 
help you. He may have flaws. Those flaws may be pointed out separately,  
privately - not broadcasted because that will make parties.

   That is the cause of all the friction that has arisen for the sake of 
the Master. The group leaders in charge should treat you like mothers, I 
would say. They are not Masters, but they have been selected to help you.  
They may also have some flaws. But the way is not to go away. You can 
request to see them privately and tell them, "This appears not to be 
right." I hope they will listen to it.

   What is done cannot be undone. That is your own mistake. That has 
nothing to do with the teachings of the Masters. It is only because you 
don't follow them that.there is all this friction. If you follow them, you 
will love Master and all those who go to Him and love Him. Love knows 
service and sacrifice. If anything happens, love will beautify it, for 
love beautifies everything. Love knows forgiveness and forgetfulness. Is 
it not so? So, if you follow even this principle, there can be no conflict 
such as that.

   Yes, you were saying something?

QUESTION: Yes, Master. I would like to pay tribute to (a group leader).
     
THE MASTER: Yes, yes.

QUESTION: And the reason why is because I was, even myself, very guilty 
at the beginning, and even sometimes afterward, of misunderstanding her.

THE MASTER: Yes; that is, if you sit together, any misunderstanding -

QUESTION: Then eventually, I got light. Many things were said, you know, 
but _____ did not mean it the way it was taken.

THE MASTER: Yes, that's true.

QUESTION: Because I have seen no other representative that has more love 
for the Master Power than ______. Because, as I said, I was guilty of that 
myself. This is the way I feel. And she has been doing a wonderful job.

THE MASTER: I know, I know.

QUESTION: And it's through misunderstanding that we see things. But it's 
through her great love for the Master Power, that at times she does get 
overzealous, and it's misunderstood. And at no time did she say that you 
couldn't go to any other religion.

THE MASTER: But that is what I told you. Didn't I explain it further?

QUESTION: Yes, but I would like to get this clear. But she did say that 
if any of you have problems, go to the Master.

THE MASTER: That's right.

QUESTION:  She did say this. And I myself think that she is wonderful.

THE MASTER: Surely.

QUESTION: As You said, we are all co-workers in the Divine Plan.

THE MASTER: Yes?

QUESTION: And where there is no understanding there is no love, and where 
there is love there is understanding. Thank you.

THE MASTER: As I told you, if you find anything wrong, go to the person 
privately and clarify it. Don't broadcast it. That makes parties; that is 
wrong. Don't hear through the ears of others; don't see through the eyes 
of others. Group leaders are there to help. They have great responsibility. 
All the same, they are helping you. They make arrangements; they sacrifice 
their time, sometimes their money and also their labor. They don't want 
anything in return. But, with it all, I tell you, they clearly give you to
understand that Master is Master; they are not Masters. Don't mistake that. 
This they must clarify, if there is any question of it. If God has given 
someone eyes to see that the God-in-the-Master is everything, her eyes or 
his eyes have been opened. He sees that way; then he says, "Why don't you 
see like that?" As I explained to you, everything has its value. Some 
things are of higher value, some of lower. The fact remains that it is 
like that.

   So I would appreciate it if all of you who are group leaders - and 
others - would think that way. For what do you sacrifice your time and 
labor? For the higher purpose of knowing God. Suppose there is resentment 
between the two. He leaves the place and goes away. Then? This is not the 
fault of the Science; it is because we are all not perfect as yet; we are 
on the Way. Some have progressed more, and others, less; but we make an 
allowance for that.

   Don't forget to attend your group meetings, mind that. If you leave that 
off, then you'll be led away. There this lesson is revived, mind that. Go 
to your churches; I don't mind.

   I will tell you one thing more: if you find Truth anywhere else, tell 
me; I will also follow you. That's all. Yes, please? 
     
QUESTION: Master, something very unusual happened to me last night at 
one o'clock while I was sleeping. I woke up and heard Your voice calling 
my name very, very strong.

THE MASTER: Yes. That's right.

QUESTION: Is that bad or good? I never heard anything like it in my life 
before, except knocking on doors or things like that; but Your voice was 
so clear, calling, that the whole room was like thunder.
      
THE MASTER: I tell you now. As I explained many times, the son of man is 
not the Master. The son of man is the human pole at which God as the 
Master works. And it is that God Power that goes around and awakens all 
those who are initiated. He even appears to those who have some background, 
although they do not know who is who. Do you see? This is God Power. When 
a man is initiated, that Master Power or God Power resides with him - call
it Christ Power or Guru Power - and is ever guiding him to bring him up.  
If you turn your face to Him, He will be guiding you and speaking to you, 
by manifesting Himself and in other ways. If He does so once, twice, or 
four times, and you don't care, you lose your chance. But still He's 
there: whenever you turn your face to Him, He's there.

QUESTION: But Master, Your voice was very clear; and after that, since I 
couldn't sleep all night, I had very funny and different things in the 
room.

THE MASTER: Then the best thing to do was to sit in meditation, that's all.  
Sometimes it happens that those who have not seen the outer form of the 
Master and have never heard about Him have had the manifestation of that 
form years before meeting Him. And they are wondering what it is. They say 
when they meet me, "Oh, I saw you three years ago." It is God Power that 
appears. We are all in the make. That's all. Yes, please?

QUESTION: Master, when I go back now, I'll have certain questions to 
answer. Would You say that man was spiritually dead originally, and this 
whole thing is a return to becoming spiritually alive? And that after, 
according to the Christian scriptures, it shows that the covenant God 
people went up - they were led but this deadness was there - the spiritual 
deadness -- and now the great secret is, the mist is taken out of the 
mystery. It's no more in a form; it's being given the grace; it is a 
universal thing and therefore it is now acceptable, as the sun shines on 
every flower. So any form, anything, would that be the approach that You 
mean?

THE MASTER: I tell you. In the scriptures we sometimes find the words 
"the soul is dead." We find it in the Christian literature and in others, 
too. What do they mean?  Guru Nanak said, "Only he is alive, O Nanak, who 
is conscious; who has become conscious of the Divine Plan; who knows, who 
sees, God. All others are dead." Do you follow me? Those whose attention 
is identified with all of the outside things, their attention is 
considered to be as dead; but it is really not dead. Do you see? This is 
what is meant by this in all scriptures. The soul is never dead; but when 
its whole attention is absorbed in outer things, in material things, it is
defined as dead. It is already there; but it awakens if you withdraw it 
from the outside, that's all.

   Anything else? Yes, please?

QUESTION: Are we to attempt to record the number of thought failures that 
we have in our diaries - the actual numbers for each one?

THE MASTER: Yes. Just as I explained it to you. What can you put in the 
columns? You can give the number of failures only. Just the number of 
failures will guide you. If you are falling down in that respect, try to 
weed it out the following day, that's all.

QUESTION: We know that we can still build karma if we're not very careful 
in this life. And there are many things that we still don't have clear in 
our minds. Among them is the question regarding animals.

   We all love animals dearly; but there are those among us, throughout  
the country or the world, for that matter, who sometimes feel such 
compassion and sympathy for animals that have been neglected, that they 
take it upon themselves to try to feed and house these little creatures.  
Consequently, there are those who, in some cases, have many creatures that 
they house and feed. Then there is a complaint, perhaps in the 
neighborhood, regarding the party that takes on these little creatures.  
Now the question is, when a person takes these animals for love and care,
or perhaps finds another home for them - when they have these many 
creatures - are they, by chance, taking on a karma that is the animals' 
karma? Are they taking that karma on themselves?

THE MASTER: Look here. Scriptures are very clear about it. We simply 
ruminate over them. Soul is in everybody; it is in animals, too. Love them 
for the God in them, for the soul in them, not as body. If you love man, 
why not love creatures - I mean, animals? If you love even serpents, they 
won't harm you. They have the soul in them. The pity it is that we love 
animals, but do not love our fellow brothers. Do you see?

   There is no harm; you may join a movement to help animals; you may have 
pity on the animal kingdom. After all, they have no court to go to to 
complain about the atrocities that are extended to them by man. That's all 
right. But should you, for that reason, hate all other men?  Love all, but 
for the life, for the soul and God in them. If you do it for that sake, 
then naturally, "As you think, so you become." If you forget God, then 
wherever you are attached, you will go; is it not so? So love all, please: 
love God, love man, love animals, love birds. Experience shows that if you 
love snakes, even they won't harm you; they will come to sit by you. This
happened so many times in the life histories of many Masters. It happened 
in my case, too. During a satsang in Delhi, a cobra came up and stood on 
his tail in the presence of about two thousand people. They cried, "A 
cobra is here!"

   "Oh, never mind," I said. He was looking at me throughout the one hour 
or so the talk lasted. When the talk was over, he sneaked away. And the 
people said, "Let us kill him."

   "But why?" I said.

   Do you see? They also have sense; they have got souls. So, love 
everybody.  No one will harm you; even snakes won't harm you.

   Loving animals is good; love even snakes; love your enemies: love the 
God in them, for the soul in them - for that reason. Then there's no 
binding effect. If you love them for their own sake, you are bound.

   Yes, you were saying something?

QUESTION: I have a policy of my own: I see many people today take animals 
into their homes and take them to bed with them.

THE MASTER: This is what I'm telling you. For the God and the soul in them, 
do what you can. But to love them more than men?

QUESTION: No. That's it. So, in other words, then, I'm doing the right 
thing when I don't want them in my bedroom or in my house, even.

THE MASTER: No, no, you see; give them facilities, that's all; bring them 
up.

QUESTION: Take care of them.

THE MASTER: This is what I say: we go too far. I tell you, there's a story 
in the Koran, the Mohammedan scriptures. There was a lover of God who 
always devoted all his time to his prayers. There was a bird in a tree 
close by, and the bird's voice was very sweet. What did the man do? He 
left his place and sat under the tree where he heard that voice. He would 
say his prayers, but his whole love was for the bird. And God told him, 
"Look here, you have loved the bird more than Me. I am leaving you."

   Love all for the sake of God. Love one another for the sake of God in 
man. Then there's no harm. If anything goes wrong, go straight to the 
person privately. Meet him and clarify it before going to bed, because the 
next day something else about it might creep up. Forgive and forget, and 
go with a clean heart into the lap of God; that's the best thing. When we 
forget these things, trouble arises.

QUESTION: In other words, you love them in their place?

THE MASTER: Yes, surely.

COMMENT: Certain people attach too much importance to animals and forget 
their meditation. They don't know how to take care of people in the world.

THE MASTER: Oh, love them; as I told you, love the God and soul in them.  
But it is the highest duty to love God. Now, I told you that that bhakta 
spent all his life in prayer; but he became attached to the sweet voice of 
the bird and left his place and lived there. And God said, "Well, you have 
more love for that bird - not for Me." If you love him for His sake, then 
you are saved; otherwise, you are bound, that's all.

QUESTION: Master, a little further on that question. Now, if we love these 
animals for the love of God that is within them, too, since they are living 
souls also, is it possible for us in any way, in this great love that we 
have for those animals, to help them to go through their lives a little 
faster and perhaps go through their evolution?

THE MASTER: Look here, I tell you, your intellect is going too far into 
the thing now. I have told you, love all. Do your best for their love; 
bring them up; but don't forget your connection with God. In their service, 
if for the sake of the bird's voice, you leave God, that is not a wise 
thing to do. Mind your own business first. Charity begins at home. Develop 
love in yourself. Don't be wanting there. Then extend your love to 
everybody.
     
QUESTION: Yes, but Master, today they are taking animals and experimenting 
upon them, giving them cancer and all kinds of diseases. Has man got a 
right to do that?

THE MASTER: What do you mean by that? Well, help them. That's all you can 
do, to the best you know how.

QUESTION: Yes, but You know what the experimental laboratories are doing.

THE MASTER: That is done, you see, for the sake of saving man's life. That 
is higher life. A sin is done. A sin is done even by eating, by breathing.  
If doctors are not trained by giving animals those things, how can you be 
saved? For a higher thing you have to do it. But you cannot be absolved 
from the sin unless you become a conscious co-worker of the Divine Plan.

(There is a comment that the time is short, food is ready and the people 
are hungry.)

THE MASTER: No, before hunger, I have to tell them something very definite:  
Never mind. Perhaps I may meet you again physically or not; but now I will 
give you a few parting words. First of all, I wish that you would develop, 
from day to day, what you have got by the Grace of God. That would please 
me most and please the God in me and the God overhead. Don't miss that.  
Leave all things and attend to God, every day, first. Be devoted; 
surrender to God in all your actions.

   For that, two things are very important - I would say, three. First, 
love. God is Love and we are love personified, and the way back to God is 
love. Whatever goes to develop your love for God, do it. Whatever goes to 
develop love for your own self, at the cost of the love for God, then 
leave it. Do you see?
     
   Love knows service and sacrifice. Love beautifies everything. Love knows 
no burdens. Love knows giving, not taking. I'm saying these words to all, 
whether they are initiates, group leaders in charge, or representatives. 
They are there to give, not to take anything. What do you give? What you 
know. Physically, also, do what you can to serve others; also give
financially to the best you can; and all should share. First stand on
your own legs by honest means. Then maintain your families and try to help 
others who are needy, hungry and naked; and do it for the Cause of God.  
Share something: there is no taxation, no imposition - it may be one cent.

   This is one thing: love for all. If you have love for all, why is there 
not love between the brothers? You have been connected in a relationship 
which can never break, even after death: because you are all on the Way, 
the same Way - in direct contact with God. This is the first thing. When 
you know love, you cannot hate anybody. You will never think evil of 
others, never speak evil of others. You will never suffer to hear evil of 
others; you will never see evil in others. Love knows all these things.  
For want of this, there is all this trouble. You come to the satsang for 
the sake of Master, not for the sake of A, B, C or D. All are there for 
the sake of God's work. Do you see? Stand on your own legs. Don't try to
make further karmas by grabbing, by receiving, by exacting from others.  
Those who are needy have their rights: give them. Those who are naked, 
help them. Where there is a good cause, give to it. This is the first 
thing for love.

   Then comes sinlessness: purity of thought, chastity. This is what is 
mostly needed. A married life has been defined in the scriptures; try to 
come up to that standard. When you are married to one, remain married to 
one, not everybody. I am sorry to say these words, because I find this 
almost everywhere. Women and gold: these two things are the greatest 
impediments on our way. Stick to what the scriptures say. Live on your 
earnings; don't depend on others. Help in the Cause; share with others 
who are needy; and have chaste lives.

   And have kind words. If there is love, there are kind words - there is 
no harshness. If anything crops up, reconcile it before you go to sleep.  
Rest assured, this is what Masters have always enjoined. If any two 
brothers have not agreed, and there is still something wrong before they 
go to bed, they should not go to bed unless they have been reconciled.  
That is why the Bible says, "If you do not love your brothers whom you 
see, how can you love God Whom you do not see?" Christ said, "I give you 
a new commandment, That you love one another."

   Try to promote this Cause of God: this is no man's work; this is God's 
work. You know you are convinced of the truth of it: perhaps you have had 
just a little experience of it, but it goes on further. That is the basic 
principle of all religions. Help, if you can, for the Cause of God. Help 
others, the needy, the hungry, the naked. That you can do only if you 
simplify your lives, mind that. If you have too much to do and you cannot 
stand on your own legs, how can you help others? That is why I said in 
one of my circulars, "Simplify, simplify, and simplify." Share with 
others. So long as you have this body, always give. Don't be like that -
taking. Give. Such a man will command respect from everyone: a man who is
chaste, who is not greedy, who has love for all, who has kind words
imbued with humility. I think this is all I want of you. Adhere to this 
very thing, because man's life is meant for knowing God.

   Help will come to you unasked for. If the child is asleep, the mother 
has to take care of him. If any snake comes, the mother will kill herself 
rather than allow the snake to go near the child. So, that God Power, or 
the Christ Power, is with you upon initiation. That is the Guru Power or 
the Master Power. That will look after you. A child has full faith in his 
mother. Even if a lion comes, the child will run to the mother. That lion 
may eat up the mother, too; but the child has full faith in her. So if you 
have full faith, you can move mountains. Faith is the root cause of all 
religion.

   And practically, you have seen: you have got something that is referred 
to in the scriptures. Develop it from day to day. I wish each one of you 
to be ambassadors of Truth. The harvest is much; laborers are wanted. But 
the laborers should be ideal ones. Try to be ideal. Everyone should be 
ideal. "An example is better than precept." Saying things and not living 
up to them sets a bad example for others. Others won't be guided; they 
won't accept you. They will think, "Oh, he is doing everything. Women and 
gold affect him as much as they do me. Then why should I respect him?"

   Not everyone can command respect. These are only two ways in which you 
can command respect from everybody, even from those whom you do not know: 
because your words will be charged with that life. In some cases, simple 
words you say affect others; and in other cases, you may give long yarns, 
and they do not affect anybody. What is the reason why? The life is not 
behind it. So be practical. If we try to reform ourselves, all the world 
over will be reformed. We reform others and don't reform ourselves: that's 
the reason why there is all this trouble. And this is all, I think, I 
can tell you. And my best wishes will be with you - the God in me, and my 
Master's Grace. You have, each one of you, been put on the Way. Develop 
it. That's all I wish.

MR. KHANNA: And here I would like to express my gratitude to the Great 
Master.

THE MASTER: There is no need of an expression of love. It is my duty - the 
God in me. Thank you for that. But I will be thankful to you, grateful to 
you, if each one of you will live up to what I've told you. I'll be 
thankful. That's all I can say.

MR. KHANNA: I'm also grateful to all the devotees here. They have been 
very kind and have shown that the group will flourish here. But I don't 
agree with the Master on one point.

THE MASTER: Because you're greater than Master. (laughter) Well, don't 
give a misunderstanding, please.

MR. KHANNA: Because Master said that it might be His last coming.

THE MASTER: I have told you the correct thing. It is all up to God; don't 
overrule it.

MR. KHANNA: Yes, Sir.

THE MASTER: Yes, that's all. Sometimes in our zealousness, we say so many 
things. Well, it is in the hands of God: no promise, please.

MR. KHANNA: Master will have much pity on us and will pay us more visits, 
because we need the Master very much more in America than in India.

THE MASTER: I have come only under the guidance of God. If He wills it, 
I will come a hundred times. This is His work that He will carry on. Of 
course, your wishes are appreciable; I quite appreciate them. But it is 
all in the hands of God. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, or during 
the day or night?

MR. KHANNA: Master is still young, and He can pay us visits enough.

THE MASTER: Well, the soul is always young. There is no question of that.  
The question is about God - about His Grace. If He wants it, I will 
come. If your wishes are there, God may agree.

MR. KHANNA: He will be paying us a visit soon. So we will all unite 
together and help His cause, financially, physically, morally and in 
every way; and that will bring great peace all over the world.

THE MASTER: My greatest pleasure will go to you who live up to what you 
are told to do, that's all: poor and rich alike, higher and lower, group 
leaders, initiates, and everybody. We are all equal; we are all brothers 
and sisters in God. It is the Grace of God that helps you. That will also 
continue helping you, unasked for, without any compensation.

MR. KHANNA: ______ wants to say something.

THE MASTER: Yes, please. What have you to say now, like a madman?

GROUP LEADER: Thank you, Master, for calling me mad, because I'm madly in 
love with You.. And the only way I can express myself is crazy, as I 
always do. And I want to thank You for glorifying our souls and diffusing 
Your tremendous Light into all of these vessels. And that we should 
constantly see, by Your Grace and by Your Power, that Your work should 
be glorified through us: because You said that all creation comes to 
glorify the works of God, and that we should all come with a sweet and 
tender heart to each.

THE MASTER: And God will appreciate all that. He wishes that His Name 
should be glorified.

   It is God's Grace. He gives as one is deserving. He can contain that 
much: and that is for all, not for one. But He is waiting for anyone who 
will turn his face up to Him, that's all. The Father wishes every one of 
his children to stand on his own legs - to be more than himself.    

MR. KHANNA: We are celebrating Master's birth anniversary on January 25, 
1964, in Washington. (This particular time was arranged so it could be 
celebrated in the West before Master returned to India.)

THE MASTER: The question of South America is decided? That's the point.

MR. KHANNA: But still, we have to the 25th; so that leaves us -

THE MASTER: No, no, I tell you; if that is on, then it's all right on the 
25th. If that is eliminated, then the date will be earlier. That should 
be decided on. You can inform me later on.

   Look here, I tell you - about the birthday question: I think initiates 
should celebrate the pleasure of meeting Somebody in Whom the God is 
manifested, every morning, with every breath. This is only historically 
that you will gather together to revive that lesson. The true celebration 
of the birthday is when you live up to what He says, that's all. These 
generally become ceremonies. I think the greatest celebration of the birth 
lies in the fact that it is by my Master`s Grace I was able to communicate 
these things to you. So, in the celebration of the day of birth, 
everything comes in. But celebrate it every day: remember Him, that's all. 
Live up to it: that is, I think, the highest form of celebration of any 
Master's birthday. And that is all I want.

MR. KHANNA: So we have fixed it on January 25th. In case of change we 
shall let you know.
      
THE MASTER: Yes.

MR. KHANNA: That will be the first time in history that a living Master's 
birthday will be celebrated in America. So all those who would like to 
come are welcome..

THE MASTER: And bring all your friends, if you have any. (laughter) (This 
is a joking imitation of the phrase used repeatedly throughout Master's 
tour by Mr. Khanna when he extended invitations. The reference was 
easily understood by the people gathered there, and was the reason why 
they were laughing. This explains what Master says next.) He has good 
wishes, you see. He even has good wishes for your friends.

COMMENT: If you have any.

THE MASTER: That's all right. For the true friend, a man has good wishes, 
is it not so? Yes?  Mr. Perrin, do you have anything to say? We are 
grateful to you.

ANOTHER GROUP LEADER: No, I was going to say what ______ said. I'm so 
grateful to _______  because it does take a big man to get up and say what 
he did.

THE MASTER: Love knows no outer things. Heart speaks better to heart. I 
have regard - love - for both Mr. Perrin and his wife and for all others 
who are doing their best, selflessly, without letting anyone know. What 
did Christ say? "If your right hand does something, let the left hand not 
know of it." And Mr. Perrin is one of that kind. He does his service, I 
know, late at night; at one or two, he is washing the vessels of all of 
you. He does not say so to anybody. I have appreciation for all that. I 
have love for all.

   All right. Now give them food.

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