                            ON KEEPING THE DIARY
             published in the October 1974 issue of Sat Sandesh
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QUESTION: Master, could you clarify something for me, please? It is my
understanding thar the group leaders, when they go over the diaries with
the members of their Satsang, are not to discuss the inner experiences with
them at any time.

THE MASTER: No, no, no. The orders are very clear. Most of the diaries
received here were incomplete. Either they did not put in any time for
meditation, or their columns were incomplete or wrongly entered. The group
leaders should see that the diaries are completed correctly, and that is
all. No spiritual guidance is required to be given to anyone. The group
leader should see what the initiates write in the diaries. They may say
"You don't put in enough timeput in more time, please"; or "Your columns
are all right, quite clear; even then you don't see anything?" So about
seventy percent of the diaries received were incomplete. We had to return
them: "Please complete this part; please complete that part." All that can
now be done by group leaders over there. That is not spiritual guidance. In
event of your putting in regular time, you see the results yourself. If
there is advance, that's all right. If you don't get any better your
diaries should be shown to the group leaders. They should see that they are
correct, point out that this column is complete or incomplete.

QUESTION: Many initiates seem to have a misunderstanding about the chastity
column in deed. Many put down failure in deed when they overeat.

THE MASTER: I think they should read Seven Paths. It's very clear. They
should read the literature, then take care that each entry is complete,
clarified, and passed through with care.

QUESTION: in Seven Paths it says that overindulgences in eating is similar
to lack of chastity.

THE MASTER: That is not part of chastity. The part on chastity means only
sex, nothing more. That should be clariified if you are a group leader.

QUESTION: Master, I brought my diary sheets for the last four months with
me and I haven't given them to You yet because You are always so busy. May
I give them to You tonight?

THE MASTER: Look here! Diaries are meant to find out if you're progressing
or not. If not, why not. Guidance is found there. Forget the past, have the
present. Are you improvnng in your meditation? Or having any difficulty?
Tell me and finish off.

QUESTION: So I don't have to give them to You? You don't want to see them?

THE MASTER: They are for your benefit. Keep them for yourself, for your own
guidance, that's all.... Anyone else? Yes, please?

QUESTION: Master, in my diary under chastity in deed, I put in anotherI
have two columnsone under sexual. and one for being affected in other
ways, my attention affected, my overall chastity affected, or even purity
affected. Is that all right, to have two colurnns?

THE MASTER: That column is meant only for sex in thought, word, and deed;
that's all. Overeating and these things have nothing to do with that. These
things you are keepinggroup leaders should train you, tell you your very
ABCs, how to complete the diary. You have been there for years and years,
for so long, and you do not know how to complete the diary? If you do not
know, let the group leaders teach you. If you put in full time and keep
your diaries, you will progress. Twice when I sent out questionnaires, I
asked each group leader questions: "Have you read all my books and
circulars?" They said, "Yes." "Are you improving?" They said, "Yes." And
still I find in some diaries they don't see anything. Some of them who said
"Yes" to everything and don't see anythingthen? Are they true? This is
what I mean. It is very necessary to complete your diaries very literally,
you see. Weed out all faults; you will have progress; you will have
transvision.

QUESTION: I find it difficult, with some of them, to make them keep a diary
at all.

THE MASTER: Keeping the diary means: if you criticize yourself as you
criticize others, you will become a saint.

QUESTION: Yes, Master, I explain that to them and then they always say,
'Oh, I have so many faults I can't write them in" and then they don't do
anything.

THE MASTER: I tell you, they're not sincere. Suppose I say, "I am sinful, I
am sinful" all the time. I then become sinful. As you think so you become.
Take note, then weed out. Saying, "I am sinful" alone won't do. When you
have sinned, do no morethis is what is required. Excuse me, are you not
being childish? Sins stand in the way of your meditations. How many columns
are there in the diary? Even if you take one columnconcentrate for one
week on one columnin a month you'll be all right. Make it a point this
month that you won't think ill of anybody. Go on like that, watch
everything, weed out. Take the second columnno lies, no untruthfulness,
nothing of this sort. Take one week, four, even five weeks. We simply say,
"I have done this, I have done that, I am very sinful." Well, that alone
won't do. Once there was a lady who liked to live with somebody other than
her husband. They brought her to Christ. They said, "She has committed
adultery." "What is the punishment for that?" He asked. They answered,
"Moses said to be stoned to death." "All right, let her stand there. That
man should throw a stone who has not committed that sin himself." Nobody
dared. Then He said, "All right, go, but do no more."

That is what is meant by the diary. In this way you would save gone up to
the fourth or fifth plane. How many columns are here? All right, you told
lies today. Don't tell lies tomorrow, that's all. It's very simpleit is
you people who have made it so hard to understand....Yes? Come up.

QUESTION: Master, I think there is one question which is still sometimes
unclear. Some of the satsangis, on their own, come to the group leaders and
show their diaries. Others will never do that.

THE MASTER: They should be shown for completion, not for guidance.

QUESTlON: Yes, for completion. But some others will not do it. Now...

THE MASTER: They've not progressed.

QUESTION: But, you see, the thing that sometimes perplexes, that puzzles
the group leaders is, is it or is it not the group leader's business to go
up to satsangis who do not show their diaries and tell them, "Show me the
diary"? Most feel that this is not our business to do so.

THE MASTER: Group leaders are now charged with the duty of seeing that
these things are completed correctly. I have now charged them to do this.

QUESTION: So we should go after those who do not show the diaries and ask
them... ?

THE MASTER: Tell them, "All right, if you are filling in your diaries, are
they complete? If not, you may consult us for completion." That way you
reach and really meet whoever comes. You can do that.

QUESTION: Master, in Vancouver we have a Wednesday night meditation and
diary class; because there are so many satsangis in Vancouver, it's
difficult to meet every single one all the time.

THE MASTER: What is the diary? One talk will do. Explain Seven Paths. They
have to do it themselves. For example, "don't tell lies"then don't tell
lies! What is there to understand? "Don't deceive anybody"well, don't
deceive anybody! Are there any more meanings to that? There is the example
of Yuddhisthra, one of the five Pandava brothers. Their guru told them,
"Take truthfulness; go; rememberbe truthful." Next day only four came
back; the fifth did not come. They explained, "He's still learning,
memorizing the lesson." Two days, three days, four days, five days went by;
he did not turn up. After a week he came. He said to the Master, "I have
now learned how to be truthful." And he never told a lie throughout this
life. The other four brothers were sent to Hell.

This is what is meant by learning to keep the diaries. Be thankful you have
been given something to start with. You have all been given something to
start with, but you must practice. If you put in more time in your
meditations, all virtues will come; they will replace all vices. Have you
read the literature? Why have I written all that? In Jap Ji it is given,
"If you hear the Sound Current, all virtues will find abode in you and
replace all vices." Only by hearing! When you sit by fire, you don't need
warm clothing or a blanket or anything. By only saying "fire," what good is
that?

This diary is very sacred. What is more simple? Non-violence: no evil for
anybody in thought, word, or deed. Thoughts are very potent. If you think
evil of anybody, then that poisons you and reacts on the other man. That's
the law of nature. If you don't think evil of anybody, how calm you are!
First thoughts come, then they find their way to the mouth. It's given,
"Out of the abundance of heart a man speaks." So be truthful, then all
other things will go. With the truth you will get other virtues. Don't tell
lies. Always speak the truth. If you're a liar, you must have a good
memory. Surely! You tell one story to one man, then another to another man,
and so on. A liar must have a very good, strong memory, you see. If you
only stick to the diary, you'll have transvision. I started a diary as a
student.

So take one column, stick to it. If for a week or for a month, you don't
put down any failure under that column, it will become a good habit. You
won't be able to do otherwise, and it will not stand in the way of your
meditation.

QUESTION: if we quickly turn to our Master after we have a thought which we
don't really want, but it comes through just the same, then if we come to
You inside and ask You to forgive us, You will forgive us and then we will
do Simran and it will disappear. Is that right?

THE MASTER: ALL THINGS ARE FORGOTTEN WHEN THEY ARE DONE NO MORE. Then what
is left? Now rake up any other questions you've got....

QUESTION: I still don't understand about overindulgence, Master.

THE MASTER: Overindulgence in what? Eating? Or you mean in sex? In the
diary, this is for sex: loss of semen, whether by self-abuse, by night
pollution, or any way.

QUESTION: is night pollution a deed?

THE MASTER: Yes, surely. That is a result of a desire. It is the result of
your own action of thought, reaction of thought. Thoughts come because we
see something; we dream of it. It is you who have sown the seed. A man can
become very honest, really righteous, if he only sticks to the diary. You
have been keeping the diary for months, yearsstill the same thing recurs
day by day, day by day. Why? There are only five outgoing facultiesone is
seeing, one is hearing, one is smelling, one is tasting, and one is
touching. Take them one by one and weed out all faults. All sins come
through these five senses. All these dacoits attack you through deeds. And
why do they affect you? Because your attention is there. If you rise above
them, you cannot be affected. So Spirituality is not difficult.

Keep your diaries complete and fifty percent of your burdens are over. If
cloth is very clean, a little color will beautify it. If it is already
black with filth, how to color it? Change it.Yes?

QUESTION: Sir, in which column should we put attachment in thoughtidle
deeds, dreaming, idle thoughts, thinking of the past, thinking . . . ?

THE MASTER: Decide your aim in life, what is your aim, finish off. Then
everything will be all right. If you are aimlessly adrift, you simply waste
your time, most of the time. If your mind is all calm, no ripples, very
steady, very limpid, you can see your face. You can see the future and the
past. Spirituality is a matter of self-analysis, rising above
body-consciousness. That will help you, by rising above, because then you
will have no attachments, no bad thoughts. You will have love for all.

QUESTION: Master, thoughts are potent; when we feel or think we feel them
coming from someone else, whether positive or negative, how to
differentiate whether they're our own or whether they're someone else's? Is
there a difference, and what to do?

THE MASTER: How to save yourself from the effect of others' thoughts coming
to youthis is the problem you mean? Very easy. There is water flowing, and
a wave of that water strikes the shore. Where there is only mud or sand,
the water will thrust into it. If there is a rock, that will strike it and
go back with double force. You follow? If you have no ill will for anybody
else, if any evil thought comes from someone else, then it will go back.
That's the only way You remain in your closet, you see. Love is first. You
are spiritual, I'd say. You are spiritual, are you not? Then why be smeared
with all this filth?

QUESTION: I've experienced that with someone who is not initiated and is
not on the spiritual path, that these bad thoughts have gone back and that
person has suffered for it. I see that more and more things go wrong with
her as she does this. I've tried to send prayers. Sometimes I 'm strong
enough to pray for her and sometimes I'm not. What to do when thoughts
come?

THE MASTER: Mind your own business.

QUESTION: I try to but she doesn't let me.

THE MASTER: Pray for her at the most if you like, all right; but mind your
own business. Don't be the contractor for all the world over, you see.
You're responsible for your own actions. Sometimes some people used to
bring me their diaries all clean for two, three, or four months. I told
them, "My dear friend, with this diary, you should have gone to the third
plane." This is the very mirror of your life. But it should be filled in
truly. We spare ourselves always. We are not true. Criticize yourself as
you criticize others, and weed out. Many people are deceived; they say,
"Sins are harmlesswhy must we write all these things down?"

So do you now follow what the diary is? Do you? All of you? Start from
today, please. In this week how many columns will you clear?

Now how to save yourself from these things, that's the main thing, if the
diary is not kept up? All these things strike you when your attention is
there. Reserve your whole attention for such a goal. Your ears work when
you hearyour attention is there. Your eyes work when you seeyour
attention is there. If somebody comes and talks to you, you hear only when
your attention is there. When you sit by your sister, there is nothing
wrongno lusty thoughts develop. Why do you feel otherwise for anybody
else?

What is a sin? It requires secretiveness. "Deeds of darkness are committed
in the dark." When anybody wants you to do anything, and somebody else asks
what is it, and you tell a lie, that's also a sin. These are criteria. You
must be able to complete the diary, if you only tackle one column a month!
Even then, it won't take more than a few months. How many months will that
take? One month, one column, that's all.

There's too much of a load on your attention. Reduce it, then all your
meditations will become easier. I think it's the Master Who makes you the
master of your house. You're not the owner of your house now. He makes you
the master of your own house only when He tells you how to stay in there
continuously. All these outgoing faculties should serve you; now you are
led away by them. Try to understand something and live up to it.

These things are given in the books, you see, right there, written very
plainly . But we only have a "bird's-eye view. " Stop! We can clear all
this up.

QUESTION: I'm sorry, Master, Istill don't understand about overindulgence
in eating.

THE MASTER: That is not part of the diary. A temperate life, a life of
self-control, is wanted. If you eat too much, you'll feel drowsy, you will
not be active, you will be slothful. Naturally, you will affect everybody.
Eat a little less than you have eaten before. You'll still feel hungry;
leave the table a little hungry, that's all. Eat to live, not live to eat.
But we think otherwise"Eat, drink, and be merry!" I hope you will become
very wise from today. I've explained all these things before, but you have
not taken them to heart.

QUESTION: If one could cut off any fantasies of thought by just quickly
saying Simran until it's all gone, that would be wonderful.

THE MASTER: For that, keep your attention occupied with something. No
foreign thoughts will invade you.

QUESTION: Love for the self  selfishness  should we mark that as a
failure under love for all, because we're not loving others, we are loving
ourselves?

THE MASTER: Love for all means hatred for none. Sometimes we hate others
because we are rich, we belong to a high family. Sometimes we think we are
very much learned. Some have achieved a high position in life: this man is
standing by the chair serving, the other is sitting in the chair being
served. All have got equal privileges from God. Why is it? No hatred for
anybody means love.

QUESTION So, things like vanity would be a failure ? Vanity would be a
failure because we are thinking proudly of ourselves and do not love all.

THE MASTER: What does vanity mean? You're thinking yourself superior. That
comes up when you think you are more learned, more wise, more wealthy than
others: vanity of arrogance, vanity of money, vanity of possessions, vanity
of knowledge.

QUESTION: I understand, thank you.

THE MASTER: I have submitted these five columns in the diaries and you
people do not realize the value of them. Diaries mean, find out failures
within you. Like a hard taskmaster, don't spare yourselfand then weed out.
What is the difference between a Saint and an average man? The Saint never
thinks ill of others; He sees things in the right perspective. Even with
all thatseeing the true state of everyoneHe has love for all. So keep
your attention occupied, here or there or anywheredon't be given up to the
senses of the body. Sweet love of God should be permeating you, all around
you, above you, underneath you. I don't think you really want to weed out
your faults. If you're really strong and you want to do it, where there's a
will there's a way. If you don't want to do it, that's another thing. That
is why I say you must decide your aimwhat you want. Don't forget what I
told you. From this moment on, keep your attention occupied. Not on others.
If you are thinking about eating, then you'll enjoy eating. If you talk to
somebody, then you'll enjoy his company. But if the company is God, then
you'll enjoy Him.

All right. God bless you.

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Sample diary form
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