                          No New Faith, Mind That
 A talk given in Tustin, Ca. December 18, 1963 & published in December '76
                                Sat Sandesh
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

QUESTION: What is the relationship between the Sikh religion and our faith?

THE MASTER: What is your faith? I am teaching no faith.

Q: Well we do not have Sikhism, and we do not have

M: The basic principles of all religions are the same. I am teaching you no
"ism," mind that. Remain in your own faiths. But, there you have taken the
first stepthe elementary step. It is meant for the preparation of the
ground. Now you have to take the other step which is referred to in your
scriptures, but which we have forgotten. This is no new faith, no new
religionnor am I going to advocate any religion whatsoever. There are
already so many faiths existing. Do you follow me? This gathering here is a
purely spiritual gathering, a common ground for all to sit together,
irrespective of whether they belong to one religion or the other. As a man
we are one; as a soul we are one; and also the one whom we worship Godis
also the same. There is no ism here, no ritual, no rites, no special form
of prayers.

Q: This very question was answered by a man I asked it of. I said, "What is
the relation between the Sikh religion and the Radha Soami faith?" And he
said, "It is the same, with the addition of the Master." That's the way he
answered this question.

M: No, no, no.

Q: So I'm glad to hear this said this way.

M: These are the facts. Sikhism also preaches the same thing. I think if
all the other scriptures of the world were put together and the purely
spiritual part were taken out, they wouldn't form even one-twentieth of the
Sikh scriptures; it is a voluminous treasure. But they all referred to the
Light and Sound Principle and to the need of a Guru or a Master. Even the
Sikh scripture enjoins that. It says, nobody can see God except through the
Master. It not only says that, but it says, nobody has ever been, nor is,
nor ever will be able to know God without a Master. So, Sikhism does
provide for a Master, and very emphatically so. But the general point is
that when Masters leave, there are formations. So long as the practical
Masters are there, they go on all right. But for want of practical Masters,
formations become stagnations; then stagnation results in deterioration;
and there are fights between religion and religion.

So this is the Truth. We forget it, and Masters come to revive that Truth,
again and agam. Don't you see that when Christ entered the synagogue, He
said, "You have made the house of my Father a business home." Is it not so?
And He drove them out. The teachings are the same. To err is human. For
want of practical people, we dwindle down into error.

Sometimes the disciples say, "We are proud of the Masters to Whom we
belong." The question arises whether the Masters to Whom we belong are
proud of us. They can be proud of us only if we live up to what They say.
They said you must be reborn. All Masters say the same thing. But we don't
know what the meaning of being reborn is. Christ said, "Marvel not if I
say, you must be reborn. " Now people have forgotten. They simply interpret
it as having certain forms and rites and rituals and believing in some
Master; and that is to be reborn. Well, that is not so. If you go to it
without any prejudice, you will find the same Truth. We, in our own
zealousness, consider that perhaps we have the only truth and nobody else.
Well, the Truth is there; Masters came to give out the Truth. Of course,
They gave out whatever was necessary at the time. But They all referred to
that: you must be reborn. By a parallel study of religions, which I have
done since I was a child, and by sitting at the feet of my Master, I have
come to that very one hundred percent Truth. I have met heads of various
religions. They all give in there; they cannot deny it. Fact remains fact;
Truth is Truth. So, I have regard for all Masters.

This question was already put to my Master: "Why don't You raise a new
religion?" What did He say? He said, "There are already so many wells
existing. What is the use of digging up a new well? Why not take the water
out from the wells that already exist?" Truth is there. You perhaps have
read the book, Naam or Word. What is in there? It gives references
quotations from all religions What more is wanted? The pity is that we
have forgotten. We worship the same Godcall Him by one Name or the other;
that makes no difference. We are concerned with that Reality which is
spoken of by so many names. Whether you say water in English or aqua in
Latin or many other names in other languages, all the same we are concerned
with the liquid called by those names. Unless we have the liquid, there is
no use simply repeating one name or the other. That only directs our
attention towards that thing that is liquid, by drinking which your thirst
is quenched.

This is the truth. Who can deny it, tell me, when all men are born the same
way? Is there any man who denies that? Brahmins are people, I would say
now, who claim, "We are born with special privileges from Godwe are
superior to all men." Once Kabir, the great Saint, simply put to them a
very blunt question: "If you are superior, why were you not born some other
way?" Do you see?

All men are alike. Their outer construction is the same-they all have two
eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet. They are born the same way, and all
other outer things are the same. It is we who make differences. It is we
who make divisions. When Masters come, They look from a universal point of
view. They consider all humanity to be Their family.

Four children of the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs were killed. His wife came and
asked Him, "Where are my children?" He said, "Never mind: four have died,
but so many are alive."

This is the angle of vision of the Masters. They look from the angle of the
man-body, or the soul the embodied soul. As man we are all one. Of course,
I'm carrying this badge, you' re carrying those badges: all the same, we
are men first. The same difficulties reside in us: Our souls are under the
control of mind; mind is under the control of the Outgoing faculties; we
are given up to outward enjoyments, all of us. They say the body is the
temple of God. We are in the body; there is some Power which is keeping us
in the body, otherwise, we would have run away out of this man-body; but we
cannot. So unless we withdraw from the outsideour attention is withdrawn
from outsidewe can have no awareness of our own. Unless we know ourselves,
we cannot know about the Power that is controlling us m the body.

Then where is the difference? God is Lightall Masters say so: God is
Light. Of course, They use Their own words. Some say it is Jyoti; some say
it is Noor some say it is Truth clothed in Light. Where is the difference?
Even when Zoroaster came, what did He say? He advised His followers to keep
a fire burning constantly in their homes. And what sort of fire? It should
be unstruck fire: Sraosha. My point is, I am not giving out something
newsome new religion, some new concept. This Is the, old, old Truth which
has been the same all along. We have been forgetting it; Masters have been
coming to revive it. Again the time has arrived.

We have so many religions. Why are there so many religions when the Truth
is one? The difference is due to this fact: among those who have realized
the Truth, there is no difference; among those who have not realized it,
there are parties and separate sects, subsects, and so onand they are
increasing daily. This is apparently due to the fact that we have not
realizedseenthe Truth, that's all.

So, when Masters come, They don't start any new religion. They say there
are already so many social bodies of religions. Remain in whichever one you
are; you have taken the first step. Now take the other step, which is given
in our own scriptures, but which we have forgotten.

What do They do now? I went to the king of the army of Templars. He had
invited me. They were going to make new Templars. Generally they don't
allow anyone else to be there, but in Germany they especially invited me. I
went there. What did they do? Those who were to be made Templars were made
to stand up. A candle was lit outside and they put it in front of them.
Then each one was given that which they customarily give him. Then another
man put a sword on his head. Well, what does that show? We must crucify
ourselves to reach that Light. But they have forgotten the inside, and they
don't know how to crucify themselves to take up the cross daily. What is
the cross? Have you ever considered it? A cross is that. [Master opens His
arms wide, so that His body makes a cross.] Is it not a cross? Take the
cross daily; rise above body-consciousness, and see the Light within. That
is becoming a true Templar. In any religion you'll find the same thing. In
all places of worship you have the same symbols: Light and Sound. Unless we
rise above the body take up the cross dailywe cannot have that Light; we
cannot hear the Voice of God.

So, I assure you I'm giving you no new faith, mind that. Don' t be misled .
Remain in your own religion, but try to understand more. The pity is that
our ministers are also not in the full know of things.

I had a long talk at the Vatican in Romeabout two or three hours longwith
the bishop in charge of the non-Christian religions. When we talked over
the whole thing he said, "What You say is right."

"All right, now that you see this is the true teaching of Christ, why don't
you change the whole thing?" I quoted the example of Pope John. When he
started something, he never consulted his committeehe ordered: "Do that!"
If John could order it, why can't it be done now? He said, "If we do it
now, half of the bishops will revolt. We will bring them around in time. "

So Truth is Truth. Any awakened man does realize that. That's another
thing: one man thinks, in the zealousness of his own system, we have got
the only truth. Mohammedans say they are the only ones born that way. And
the Christians, too, perhaps say that nobody else at all has come into the
world with the Truth. Well, Truth is Truth.

The other day I went to a Unity Church. I asked the minister, "What are
your teachings?" He gave me a pamphlet. I read it; it said there, ''Christ
lived before Jesus"that very wording is there: "Christ lived before
Jesus." And what is Christ? One man came up to me when I was here the last
time in 1955 and put the question to me, "When is Christ returning?" I told
him, "Has He ever left you?" That is the point. Christ said, "I shall never
leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world." If He has not left
us, where is the question of returning?

So, I read that pamphlet the other day. I've got it with me. It says,
"Christ lived before Jesus." Christ is the God Power or the Guru Power
which continues to come from time to time for the guidance of the child
Humanity. It came even before Christ Jesus, before Buddha or Guru Nanak or
anybody. We are all His children. How can He disregard His children? Those
who were born before Christ Jesus or Guru Nanak or anybodywhat about their
fate? And what about those who came after them? Let us assume for one
moment that those who believe in Them will be saved. Then what about those
who came before Them? Will they all be doomed? This is seen from a
common-sense point of view. The fact remains a fact. Any awakened man
realizes that.

My point is, we are all children of God: we are all men firstembodied
souls. The soul is of the same essence as that of God, and the same
Controlling Power is keeping us in the body. The man-body is a golden
opportunity we have in which we can realize God. But to realize God we must
know ourselves first; because it is only the soul, the conscious entity,
that can know Him: like alone can know the like. He cannot be known by the
outgoing faculties, or by the intellect, or by the vital airs. These are
the facts.

So that God Power continues - the Sonship continues. Only for want of
practical people we zealously stick to one thing or the other; and what is
the result?religious wars, in which thousands of people are killed

I am giving you a broader view. Does not the Bible say that God does not
reside in temples made by the hand of rnan? What should we say now? We have
respect for the holy places of worship because people sit together there in
sweet remembrance of God. "Where more than one man sits," Christ said, "I
am there."

Who is Christ? Christ is God Power. Call it Christ Power or Guru Nanak
Power or Kabir Powerthat is God Power which manifested at human poles to
guide the child Humanity. So we have regard for them all.

So, this is no new faith, please, mind that- there are no labels so far. So
long as I remain, I won't permit it. If the people after me do it, then
that is their own fate. But remember, this is no new faith. It is only a
common ground, called a spiritual gathering, where men of all religions sit
togetherhere, sometimes in the hundreds; in India, in the thousandsof all
faiths, of all religions. They're given only the teachings of an ethnical
life, of purity of life, and of a contact with God, that's all. You may say
a prayer this way or that way, or perform a certain ritual this way or that
way. Of course, they are meant to develop love and devotion in us. That is
the first stepthat's all right. The second is to understand the true
import of the scriptures that we haveto understand them. But to understand
them we need Somebody Who has had those experiences, Who has been on the
Way. That is why all are dear to me.

Hindus ask me to come; I go over there and give them something from their
scriptures: "Your scriptures say that." I go to the Sikh temples; I went
here in Vancouver: "Here are your scriptures." Do you know what I mean to
say? They consider that their religions probably have something new. Well,
I say, although the outer social bodies of all religions are different, of
course, the inner Truth is the same. I go to all different kinds of
churches: I met the Orthodox Christians; I met the Coptics, the Byzantines,
the Protestants, the Roman Catholics; I met the Jews. Among all, the basic
principle is the same. I gave a talk in a Jewish temple. Do you remember
how they appreciated it? Moses heard these commandments through Light and
strong thunder. They referred to it. The pity is that we have forgotten the
Truth, that's all. For want of practical people we consider that we know
better. Well, the Truth is one. You join a school in order to get a degree
in your education. You must be educated. And when you come out of any
school or college you have your degree. Do you write on the degree, "I have
an MA from a Christian college or a Hindu college?" You never write that.
Similarly, this is a degree in Spirituality, already referred to in our
scriptures, but which we have forgotten. We need Someone Who knows the Way,
that's all. He knows the Way; He can give us that experience.

Past Masters are also needed; had They not come, Their scriptures would not
have been with us. Now, they testify to what we say. Yet, I tell you, a
Master Who has known the Way is not dependent upon the scriptures. Even
without past scriptures, He knows the Way; He can give the Way. He simply
quotes from scriptural references in order to give satisfaction to people
who then realize "Really, these are our own teachings." That's all. It's a
practical thing.

Thank you, this is no new faith, mind that, dear friend.

Q: What effect does suicide have on the soul's development, Maharaj Ji?

M: Well, the blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch. They are
expecting heaven after death. If, while alive, a man is not in heaven, how
can he be after death? A man who is learned while alive remains learned
after death. If I go out of this room, I will be the same as I am here; I
cannot change by my going out; I remain the same. So similarly, you see
what by my going out; I remain the same. So similarly, you see, what we are
when we leave the body, we cannot change by leaving the body; we cannot
become, I mean, angels. Those who are given up like anything to the outward
enjoyments, they are the earth-bound souls. Those who are better, who have
gone a little higherand that is what is proved nowadays by the
Spiritualists - they contact souls. And those who have become divine or
spiritually pure, they go to the lap of the Father.

Q: Is there a particular karmic punishment because of the act of suicide or
are the problems that caused the suicide doubled ?

M: By suicide what do you mean? He meant something else.

COMMENT: No, taking your life.

M: Yes. You see, our life is more valuable than our body; our body is more
valuable than outward things. If we enter into a state of mind that we even
hate our life, that we are going to kill ourselves this is a very strong
action and that reaction will come. The Theosophical Society says that a
man who commits suicide will commit suicide for at least one hundred births
afterward. Each time that reaction will come again. Some people commit
suicide for no reason.

COMMENT: Because the urge of killing is there.

M: Yes, yes, it is a reaction. That's a heinous crime, to kill oneself. How
can you ever dream of killing your own life? It's a very strong reaction.
If some Controlling Power, some higher Power or God Power or Christ Power,
you might say, is there, that reaction might be softened down; that's
another thing.

Q: You say a hundred times thereafter?

M: This, theosophical literature tells us. That reaction comes up. We
generally never want to sacrifice our life; with how much difficulty we do!
We wouldn't like to die; we would rather sacrifice everything, all our
outer possessions and even have the body cut open, to save it. Nobody wants
to die. But if a man wants to die, it means it is a verv strong action;
that must react. Yes, please?

Q: You say that God is Love and love will take one to the heart center:
that's in the heartin the heart center, and yet the Science of the Soul
begins at the sixth ganglion, and there's still a center in between. How
can that be reconciled ?

M: I tell you, these are the words that sometimes mislead us. Soul is love
personified. God is Love and soul is also love, being of the same essence
as God. The heart of the physical body lies here [Master points to the
heart]. The heart of the Saints lies here [He points to the forehead
between the eyes]. Do you see? When they say it is a question of heart and
not of head, they make a difference here. The head means the intellect; not
this head, but this intellect. And the heart means our own Self. Love is
ingrained in our own soul, not in any particular part of the body. What is
the machinery of the heart? It is only some little growth of flesh. It is
left behind when we die. If it is love, even when it is left behind, it
should emit love. Does it? When a man is dead and the soul leaves the body,
is there any love left in the heart? So, love is in our souls. And the seat
of the soul is at the back of the eyes; from there it enlivens the whole
body.

There are six ganglions m the body, but Masters don't touch them. They give
you a lift to come up to the seat of the soul all at once, and they start
from there. How great a concession it is! Yes, please?

Q: Masters speak of wrong yoga practices leading the forces downward on the
spine into the area of the kundalini. Could You expand on that a little
bit, please?

M: I tell you, there are ways and ways: there are man-made ways, and there
are God-made ways. The times have changed. There are so many systems of
yoga. These yoga systems were introduced in the olden ages. There are four
ages: the golden age, the silver age, the copper age, and the iron age.
They say these systems were introduced in the golden age. Then people lived
up to one million years. It is said so in the Hindu scriptures. One sage,
Singhi rishi, put in 88 thousand years in yoga practices; and excuse me, I
need not point out that, as told in the scriptures, he was led away by
desire and had a son. Even after doing 88 thousand years of penances that
way, he could not control lust. Do you see?

Then, in the second age, the life-span was cut down to ten thousand years.
Even then we could not put in some one, two, or three thousand years in the
practices. In the copper age their length of life was cut down to one
thousand years. Even then we could not put in two or three hundred years
that way. Nowadays, nobody lives beyond sixty or seventy years, on the
average. How can we today do those systems that were introduced in the
olden ages? We are hereditarily not fit for them. Those are longer ways,
time-consuming and hazardous. So, Masters cut out the prana system
altogether to befit the times. This is the natural yoga that you have been
given: it requires only that you be still physically and intellectually;
and a little lift is given; you know your soul.

You are of the same essence as that of God. Th s concession is given
according to the times; Masters introduced it.

With due deference to all those waysthey are difficult and we are not fit
for them. You referred to the kundalinli question. The kundalini arises
from the rectum, and thus passes through the spinal cord, and comes out at
the head. That is a very much longer way. And from its practice, the whole
body appears to be burning like fire from head down to foot. There is no
remedy for it. Only a very strong man could suffer and withstand it.

One man met me in India about three years ago. He was doing kundalini and
he was all-burning from head down to foot: that kundalini power had
awakened. And he came to me and said, "I am in very much trouble; I cannot
do anything about it. I've been to hundreds of people, but nobody can help
me." I told him, "Please put that aside. Your purpose is to come up here
[to the seat of the soul]. Why not come up by the straight way, the natural
way?" So, I gave him a sitting. He was initiated, and all the trouble was
gone.

Why take up the longer ways? If you have airplanes nowadays, why do you go
on plodding on foot? Times have changed. There are various ways, of course,
but we are not fit for them, honestlywithout any exaggeration. Today,
three children sat: they saw light, and they heard the sound of bell and
thunder and drum-beat. The other way you cannot prove it; this way you do
prove it. And the yogis, I tell you, cannot prove Spirituality all at once
as you do in this way. They say, "Go on, do it! It will come in due
course." But this way, everybody can prove itsee for his own selfwithin
half an hour or so. So, this is the latest, I mean, concession of God for
those who are really seeking after Him, to befit the age; that's all. Yes?

Q: Is the life span of an individual determined at birth ?

M: Yes.

Q: Nothing one can do about it to either shorten it or lengthen it?

M: Yes. He can shorten it; he can prolong it . But it is definitely
ordainedall Masters say so. Even Christ sad, "Thy days are numbered." Our
age is fixed, not according to the number of years or months or days, mind
that; it is fixed according to the number of breaths we take. Do you see?
The right use of breaths can prolong our life, and the wrong use of breaths
can shorten our life. Normally we take eight to ten breaths a minute. When
we are passionate, we take eighteen to twenty breaths a minute. Is it not
shortened? If you have a rhythmic life, you take three to four breaths a
minutethat prolongs it. And if you do kumbhak, you learn to control the
breathing inside. I have met people who could even control their breath for
two hours; I have met people who were put underground for seven days; then,
your life is prolonged. But Masters don't advise us to take up that way
because we have to develop spiritually; by following that way you do not.
It can show miracles to others; but, really, your inner life should change.
You must come in contact with the Light and Sound Principle. Your life can
be prolonged and shortened, but not beyond the number of breaths you have
to take. Yes?

Q: In leaving the bodyfor instance, when the spirit leaves the bodywhat
might be considered the escape hatch, you might say? At what point would
the spirit leave the body ?

M: At what place? Have you seen a man dying? What happens then? The life is
withdrawn from underneath; it goes up slowly and then comes to the back of
the eyes; the eyes are upturned; then the drop scene (a term used for drop
or act-drop; also for the final scene of a play or drama in real life, that
on which the curtain drops) comes. So, the seat of the soul is at the back
of the eyes; there the drop-scene comes. That is why Masters say, "Learn to
die so that you may begin to live"; that is, to whatever point in the body
you go at the time of death, you are to go while you are alive. When the
meditation is given, you come up here, is it not so? And here the soul
leaves the body. Yes?

Q: When you leave the body does the heart stop and everything?

M: No, no. The heart stops only when you control the prana, the vital airs.
In this, the heart continues working; nothing is disturbed. The heart stops
only in the cases of those who are put underground, who control the pranas.
No, the heart does not stop; not in the least. The breathing becomes
rhythmic, of course. Yes?

Q: Is it not actually the diaphragm that is the last thing to stop beating?

M: Yes, surely, surely.

Q: The heart goes first and the diaphragm is last.

M: Slowly, the breathing goes out, stops, becomes long breaths. Even when
machinery stopsthe engine is stoppedthe lower portion goes on slowly.

Q: Would You please give us some lesson on how we might be more loving ?
How we might practice the valueshow we might practice love more ?

M: Love? I think there is no need of giving any lecture. Everybody knows
how to love. But we have not understood the right way to love. That is
misused, I would say. Love is ingraind in our own selves. God is Love; and
love is also ingrained in us, because we are of the same essence as that of
God. Love knows attachment; that is but natural. We must have somebody to
be attached toit may be right; it may be wrong.

We are spirit. The love of the spirit or the conscious being should be love
with the All-Spirit, All-Consciousness. That natural love which is within
us is attached to the outward things: to the body, to the passions, to the
enjoyments. Those are not conscious. But the more you are attached to those
things, you feel drawn from inside; that is but natural. But that love has
been misplaced. When that very love is attached to the body and outward
enjoyments, it is called attachment. And when that very love comes in
contact with God, it is called charity. It is the same thing - misdirected.
Misdirected love is called attachrnent, and rightly directed love is called
charity.

This question was put to Maulana Rumi; a Moharnmedan Saint. He said, "Don't
think that that is love which is developed by our eating and drinking. That
is called lust." Love is the quality of the soul. The soul overflows with
love if it is withdrawn from Outside. The outward expression of soul is
what? Attention. In the many ways our attention is diffused, so also is our
love distributed. If that is withdrawn from outside that will overflow. And
if it comes in contact with All-Consciousness, the lover will be the
mouthpiece of God. They say a Saint is defined as One Who is overflowing
with love for God and for all of humanity.

So, it is not lust, mind that that love is attached to the body and the
outgoing faculties, and it stands in the way of realization, mind that. If
love starts from the physical body and becomes absorbed in the soul, that
is right; you can go up. But if it is just attached to the body and the
outward attachments, it is standing in the way. That very thing is called
lust.

So, if you want to develop love, just withdraw your attention from outside.
Come within your own self; you'll be overflowing with love. If you come
within your own self, then you'll see the Controlling Power which is
All-Love; and you'll be overflowing with love. This love cannot be
purchased in shops; it is not grown in fields. It is already within you.
There is one way to have an impetus to have it; that is, by being in the
company of Saints, of Those Who have a life of love not of lust, mind that,
but of love. In Their company, our love is awakenedit is flared up.

This question was put to Guru Amar Das. He said, "Thousands of curses be on
the man who has the man-body and has not developed love for God. And
thousands of curses be on the man who is attached to the outward side, to
the world, and has forgotten himself and God." Then He said, "What are we
to do? Where are we to get this love?" All Masters say, Love God with all
thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. So, we have to love God.
But He said, "How are we to have it?" The first thing is by withdrawing
from outside and coming in the company of Someone Who is Love Personified,
Who is overflowing with love for God and for all of humanityfor the sake
of God, not for the sake of the physical bodies that we are carrying,
whether they are black or white: for the sake of the soul in us. That love
will be flared up when you come across the company of Someone in Whom that
love is overflowing. They are called Saints. They have that love fired up.
What happens? When that love is there, all your attention is withdrawn from
outside and is attracted there. The glow of God, or the beauty of God, is
centered there. That attracts every soul. When the soul has been withdrawn
and the attention has also been withdrawn from outside, you get a flaring
up. The principle works the same way, by withdrawing your attention from
outside. First you have to make an effort. In this way you are drawn in of
itself. When you come within you, love is there. Yes?

Q: Do You have in India, in Delhi, India, a protege under Your tutorship to
carry on when You leave the Physical plane?

COMMENT: Do You have a successor that You are schooling now?

M: Yes, I am schooling so many; let us see whom the God selects. Truly
speaking, mind that, even in the Master, it is the God working in Him. That
will come of itself when God wishes it, you see. I wish each one of you
would be selected. But you must come up to the mark. I wish each one of you
would be ambassadors. Yes.

I told you what happened last time when I came in 1955. Two children came
to me. I generally make children sit; and they got some light, etc. Then, I
asked them, "What do you want?" They said, "We want to become Masters."
"All right, you have been put on the Way. Go on with ityou may be selected
as a Master." It is not a selection from the people below as you select a
president or a minister, or this and that thing. It is a selection from
God, you see. Yes?

Q: Master, in one of the mimeographed releases through the years, it was
said that Guru Nanak prophesied there would be fourteen Gurus of the Sikhs
and then seventy lesser Gurus after that.

M: What have you to do with it? Mind your own business. The same thing
comes up: "When is Christ returning?" It is God's Will. He cannot leave His
children, who are seeking, alone. There is food for the hungry and water
for the thirsty. Yes?

Q: I wondered what system of breathing we should all use that would help
us?

THE MASTER: Natural. Very plain. When a child is born, what sort of
breathing has he? We distort our breathing, I tell you honestly Children
take a deep breath; their belly is first full and then the lungs. And our
lungs are filled first and then the belly That's the wrong way. You watch
any child, any little child, when he is breathing: first the stomach is
blown up, and then the upper portion, and then the stomachlike that.

COMMENT: Abdomen.

M: Abdomen. Now what do we do? Our lungs are first swollen, then the belly.
And the breathing does not go into the bellyabdomen. That's the natural
way. Yes, please?

Q: Can we send the circulars that are released to people who we think might
be interested but know nothing of the Path?

M: Oh yes, send them to anybody; it is all a gift of God. I have no
reserved rights (no copyright); even in my books I have not given any
reserved rights. People write a little pamphlet and they say: "All rights
are reserved " I have given out books and there you'll find: "No rights are
reserved"as it is a gift from God for all of hurnanity. You'll find this
seems very unnatural in the eyes of some people, because they want to
earnusurpsome rights. Well, this is a gift from God. If I have anything,
that is from God, and God's gift should be given to all. We must learn to
stand on our own earnings. And to sell the gifts of God?! Is it not like
that? Guru Narlak says it is a heinous crime to sell the gifts of God. They
must be given free.

What are we doing? Any Master Who comes up will look at it from that very
angle. Nowhere in my books will you find rights reserved. You will find, of
course, that the rights of the books are not reserved; for they are given
to all of humanity. You can make hundreds of copies and send them out to
people at large. That is what I mean.

Are there any rights reserved on the Bible? I think they have got it now.
Sirnilarly, for the other scriptures, too, they have reserved rights now;
but it was not so before. Yes?

Q: Master, would You kindly explain the principle and the importance of
Simran?

M: Well, it is very clear. Whom do you remember? The one whom you love,
don't you remember him? What is remembrance? It is a symbol of having love
for somebody. If you have love for somebody, all the time you are
remembering him, perhaps not with your mouth, but with your heart. And
whomever you want to love, remember him constantly, and that will develop
love, that's all.

Why do we do Simran or remembrance, the first step, in this way? Because,
you know, through the various outgoing faculties, the impressions of the
outside world have been heaped up within us to overflowing capacity. Our
subconscious resevoir of the mind is overflowing with worldly impressions.
These impressions came by the remembrance of outward things. We want to
deplete that and then fill it with the sweet remembance of Godso much so
that even in dreams we will have the same thing; so much so that even if we
go into a very deep state of sleep these words may reverberate through our
mouth. Suchlike remembrance is the first step: to deplete the subconscious
reservoir of the mind which is already overflowing with the impressions or
the remembrances of the world. Then the next step is, truly speaking,
purity of heart: when nothing else is there other than love of God or
remembrance of God. That is truly a pure heart. And such a heart is
required for someone to come up to Him.

So Simran is the first step, done for the sake of taking up the spiritual
way. They say love God, is it not so? How? With all thy heart, with all thy
soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength. And loving God is what? You
remember Him. The one whom you love, naturally his remembrance is there.
Whomever you want to love, just keep him in your mind and that will react
in his mird. This is but natural. That is what Christ meant when He said,
"Let my words abide in you, and you abide in me." The first part is very
clear, but how can you abide in Him? When you remember someone that
naturally causes a reaction there. That's a reaction, you see. If you want
to abide in Him, you must only develop remembrance, sweetly. When you
remember Him, you think of Him; as you think of Him, you become what He is.
"As you think, so you become." So this is how you can abide in me. And He
says then, "Whatever ye shall ask, you will have it. "

This is the first step. This is the principle on which this Simran, or
repetition, or the sweet remembrancecall it by any name you likeis based:
"As you think so you become." Yes?

Q: Master, we seem to have difficulty in learning to love our enemies or
those with whom we do not agree. That seems my biggest problem.

M: Well, that is everybody's biggest problem. But the point is, if we know
that he has the same soul which has been misdirected by mind under some
impressions he has the same soul; it's simply misdirectedif we have
realized that, only then can we love our enemies. For the time being,
sometimes you have to say something to somebody.

In the life of the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs, there was some aggression on
another's part. He had to take a stand to save innocent people. At that
tirne, a battle was fought with arrows. So, what did He do? In the front of
each arrow He put some gold, so that if anybody was hurt, he could remedy
it. A man is not killed by an arrow all at oncehe only becomes wounded. So
he put some gold in the front of the arrow which would go into someone and
inflict a wound; so that if he were wounded he would have some money to
help himself get cured. This is what is called love your enemies.

Q: Master, in the meeting there are times when people come to tell us that
they have taken an oath of poverty, and they feel that it is wrong to have
a lot of things. And we were going to ask You about ithow to handle that
situation.

COMMENT: She said at the meetings many people come and say they have taken
an oath of povertythey don't want to have a lot of money.

M: Yes.

COMMENT: And so that's the question that comes up  how much poverty should
one have ?

M: That is a good question. The world is full of hypocrites. You have to
guard against that. Do you see? The point is, we are only to live on two
loaves of bread or one loaf bread. Our own expenditure is not more than a
dollar or two a day, if we live a simple life. All the rest of what we earn
is for the children or friends or other people. If we hold on to millions,
they are left behind. We simply use what we spend for clothing or what we
eat. So all Masters say you should earn your living by sweat of your brow,
by the dint of hard labor honest earnings. Live on it your own self and
share with others.

In Punjabi, this man-body is called day. Day means two things: one, "body";
the other, "give." Kabir says, "So long as you have this 'day' or body,
always learn to give, give, give and give." So, whatever we earn, it is not
for our own selves. That is why I issued a circular: simplify, simplify,
simplify, and simply We should cut down our desires, demands, to what we
want. Then we will have money to help others. Now people say we do not have
enough money to live on our own selves. Why? Because our desires are
greater than what is really wanted. You cannot help others unless you cut
down on your own living: not cut it down to your death, I don't mean that.
Maintain yourself, maintain your family, and try to share with others,
however little it may be  it may be one cent. In that way the self
expands. Give, give and give. And love knows service and sacrifice. If you
love God and love all of humanity, naturally you'll know to serve others
who are naked, the hungry, the thirsty, others who are in want, who are
sick. So man is one who lives for others, mind that. Even animals live for
their own selves. What then is the difference between the two? Yes, please?

Q: Do I understand You to say that, in other words, in another way

M: Yes

Q: that a person can be a millionaire or a multi-millionaire

M: Yes

Q: and live verv simply with the minimum of comfort

M: Yes

Q: and yet have his money work to help others, to employ others ?

M: What did Christ say? He clearly said, "Those of you who want Him who
want to enter the Kingdom of Goddistribute all your wealth and come to
me." Then He said, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a
needle than for a wealthy man to enter into the Kingdom of God." That
refers to the man who has expanded out into the worldwho is very much
given up to the outward enjoyments, in an expanded way. Instead of that,
you can live in a simple way which is best suited to maintain your health.
Maintain your health; the body is the true temple of God. The longer you
can keep it, the better, because in the man-body only you can know God.
But, we can live on whatever is required. With whatever you can save, you
can help others, otherwise, you cannot help others. That's the natural law,
you see. Yes?

Q: Master, was there ever such a thing as a Pope, I mean, Saint Peter?

COMMENT: He wants to know whether there was ever a Saint Peter, the founder
of the Catholic Church.

M: Well, I don't know. I've read about Him in scriptures. The scriptures
tell us there was. Excuse me, now people are even going to doubt whether
the Christ, Jesus, lived or not. Then what are we to do? We are concerned
with the teachings, pleasethat's all. The teachings are the same as given
by the Masterswith due deference to all. History is generally written
later on, when nobody any longer knows.

I tell you, I was going to write about Tulsi, a great Saint from the East.
I wanted to find out His lineage, in connection with the life of Baba
Jaimal Singh I wrote. I could not find it. He was the eldest brother Who
was to succeed to the throne of the Hulkar family. He left the scene,
became a recluse, and later on turned out to be a Saint. And the second
brother sat on the throne. I tried to find out whether his name was Sham
Rao Hulkar, but his name was also not given in history. What was I to do? I
know that when a man leaves a place, the people there say that he was
nobody. I am nobody in my home there, at the feet of the Masters. This
generally happens.

So history is history. Whether He existed or not, the important thing is
what we learn from His teachingswhether we get anything. If we are going
to doubt, then everything is doubtful. Well, Masters always say, only
believe what you see. Don't believe in the sayings of scriptures, either,
or in the sayings of the past Masters, unless you have the same experience
your own self. You can take it up as an experimental measure. But we cannot
be convinced unless we have the same experience our own selveswhether it
is a little or more; we can develop it. Yes?

Q: Coming back to simplifying the life: those of us who have housesthey
all need upkeepthe garden, and so forth. Would it not be better then, to
sell the house and just move into a small little cabin or a room and have
more money then, or time on hand?

M: All rightwhy spoil the show? Continue with that. And then save further
if you can, that's all

Q: I didn't understand it.

COMMENT: Why spoil the show? Continue on like you've been doing.

M: And? Save your money for the future, and help others.

Q: But it doesn't give enough time.

M: Well, I tell you: if need be, you may sell your thingsif need be. If
thousands of people are dying and hungrywell, sell your everything for
them. Out of love you have to do that. But that is not a general rule, you
see. That's giving up everything for the sake of others. That requires a
very great development. If you sell all that, then where are you to live?
If you can afford to have another place, that's all right. Now we can
change our life for the future, at least. And if you have anythingenough
to spareyou may share it with others. There's no hard and fast rule
against it. That love knows service and sacrifice. Yes? _

COMMENT: You've been here an hour and a half now.

THE MASTER: Well, we're talking, time flies away. That's all right. Anyhow,
in talking we get so many things cleared up that you don't find clear while
reading through scriptures although references are given there. Yes, what
do you want, please?

Q: Just a little continuation of the Sound Current. What do you do when you
hear two sounds?

M: Well, take up the higher sound.

All right.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Return to: Elixir  [Image]
