
Subject:      Enter at the Strait Gate
From:         jamesjs@unixg.ubc.ca (James Shannon)
Date:         1998/02/16
Message-ID:   <6c8t53$cb2$1@nntp.ucs.ubc.ca>
Newsgroups:   alt.meditation.shabda


                         ENTER AT THE STRAIT GATE

                                   by

                          Sant Kirpal Singh Ji

                              (1894 - 1974)


                     This satsang talk was published
                      in the July 1974 Sat Sandesh.
                     ("Strait," as given in the King
                     James Version of the Bible, has
                     the same meaning as "narrow" in
                            modern English.)
                     --------------------------------


   The world is a panorama before us; and we, on the sense-level from the
day of our birth, are absorbing impressions from it, perpetually increasing
our subconscious reservoir. Approximately 80 percent of these impressions
come in through the eyes, and through the ears about 14 percent. The rest
enter via the other senses; by taste when eating rich foods and getting
engrossed in their enjoyment, by the smell of various fragrances and odors,
etc. The life we live, therefore, is a superficial one; and we have become
the superficial image of it. Forgotten is the existence of an inner life;
forgotten is the Inner Way to it.

   In this panoramic world, all knowledge which is taught is directly
connected with the mind, intellect, and senses - including the scientific
degrees. The Spiritual Masters also come to the world, but They teach us:
"O man, within you is another life, another world, a new world, which you
can seek and find in this human form." These Masters explain the difference
between the two types of knowledge - called apra vidya and para vidya,
exoteric and esoteric knowledge. The former is gained via the senses, the
outgoing faculties, the mind and the intellect. The latter can be realized
only by going above all these - an experience gained only within the human
physical form.

   There is a story which tells of a certain mendicant who announced to
the people that the following day a special breeze would come, which would
cause an insanity in everyone whom it touched, and that the wise ones
should hide themselves from this breeze.  A few, perhaps ten or twenty
people, believed in the integrity of the holy man, and obediently hid
themselves indoors on the following day. When the breeze had passed by,
they came out of their houses and found that all the other people had gone
mad.

   The mad people looked at them, and seeing some difference, accused the
sane people of being mad. Similarly, whenever Masters come, the worldly
people accuse Them of all kinds of things, including a non-functioning of
the intellect. People have no appreciation for the Master's worth, for
they are deeply involved in all the superficial worldly knowledge, unaware
that another life exists. When He saw this condition, Guru Nanak said: "If
I utter a word, they say I am babbling; and if I do not speak, they say I
 am dumb; if I sit peacefully, they say I am mourning the dead; and when I
leave, they mutter against me; In this world one cannot win; 0 God protect
us!" It describes the whole world's condition. The majority who are mad,
are accusing the few who are sane.

   This madness can be more aptly termed a forgetfulness, to which all
Masters refer. Guru Arjan says: "Eyes are sleeping, but absorbing all
illusory sights; Ears are sleeping, but absorbing the gossip of low
thoughts."  Since birth we have been busily absorbing all the outer
impressions, with the result that we actually lead a superficial life;
for man, having forgotten his true Self, has become the very image of the
impressions he has absorbed. All the worldly sounds, gossip, backbiting,
idle chatter, enter his being through his ears, joining the impressions
from the other worldly pleasures; and he enmeshes himself more and more
into this web. With the mind so occupied and intoxicated with this
changing panorama of worldly life, who can awaken him from this deep
sleep, this illusion, this forgetfulness?

   "Awake, 0 beloved, why are you sleeping? The night has gone, but why
lose the day also?" The Vedas say, "Awake, arise, and stop not until the
goal is reached." Do not even take a breath until you have reached your
goal! In the Gospel of Matthew it says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate...."
 That gate, through which we enter the Beyond, is very narrow, but: ..."wide
is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

   Those who do not find that gate remain in darkness. Through all the
nine doors of the body - eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, and two below - we
are going into dispersion, disseminating our attention in all directions
instead of centralizing it. There is but one road, and it is very, very
narrow; and that way is the tenth way which is apart from all nine doors:
a gate which is situated behind the eyes. Upon entering this gate, the soul
is awakened into a new world. This is the meaning of the strait gate.

   The Path of the Masters is a narrow Inner Path, which many may try to
approach, but few actually enter therein. Scriptures say the same thing in
slightly different phrasing. St. Luke entreated, "Strive to enter in at the
strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not
be able." Guru Nanak said, "Man is blind; he cannot find the way up." He
also said, "Close the nine doors, for in the tenth the true abode is
realized; There the Unstruck Sound rings day and night, and the words of
the Guru's teaching are heard."

   How can we withdraw our attention from all the nine open doors? He says
that we should close them; so if, for instance, you close your eyes, you
will shut out the entry of outer impressions. All senses remain below the
eye-level; so center your attention there, and "Enter into the foxhole of
the brain," from whence the soul rises after withdrawing from all other
parts of the body and centering at that point. If you have ever witnessed
anyone's death, you will remember that the dying person does not hear if
he is spoken to - his eyes may be open, but he does not see anyone. This is
because his attention is withdrawn. There is a rattling sound, and the eyes
turn upward as the final withdrawal takes place. The Path of which the
Masters speak starts at this very point. "Knock, and it shall be opened
unto you." The Masters give hints and indications.

   Christ advised that one should take up the cross and die daily. This is
the cross (the body with arms spread wide); and to die daily means to go
up, rise above the body, ascend daily. There are two definite paths, outer
and inner; but we have no knowledge of the inner one. The Masters come
specially to give us that knowledge, but They are accused and derided.
Christ said: "It is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with
one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire." What does this
mean? It means that there is another eye situated behind the two physical
eyes, and at this point lies the practical way into the Beyond.

   If you continue seeing with two physical eyes alone all through life,
you will go further and further into dispersion, and further into attachment
therefore. "As you sow, so shall you reap." You are unhappy here, and after
death there will be unhappiness, too.  That is why Christ said that the
single eye is better. And what is the single eye? "If thine eye be single,
thy whole body shall be full of Light." That single eye must be opened, and
then the whole being fills with Light.

   You have a choice of two paths: to enter the Inner Way through the strait
gate, which leads you to the Kingdom of God, the Father's home, step by
step; or to pass through the two eyes, ears, and outgoing faculties
perpetually, which take you further away from your true home, for you are
pulled more and more into the world.

   We were once in the Lord's lap and have not returned there up to now.
Had we done so, we would have been of a vastly different color. Instead, we
became learned, intellectual, filled with all kinds of bookish knowledge,
expert at exploring, and so on; but we, in fact, remained ignorant of and
far from the Truth. You can get this outer knowledge anywhere; but as for
the Inner Way, forgive me, man does not even grasp the reference to it,
which is given in all the scriptures.

   Tulsi Sahib said: "In the iris is a black spot which is filled with the
secret of creation; Perceive beyond this dark curtain." Behind the iris of
the eye there is darkness, and you have to go beyond this darkness to gain
entry onto the Inner Path. Some people sit in this darkness for years on
end and declare they are in samadhi; but the door does not open, and the
darkness does not disperse. The name "Guru" is justly given to He Who
breaks open the darkness so that one can see the Light revealed within,
whereupon one can testify that there is Light.

   If a lamp has many covers over it, naturally it would seem that there
is no light at all. To remove our outer covers is a difficult task, and
to rise above is even more difficult. Many yogis in the past have spent
hundreds of years in attempting to rise above the body, but the truly
enlightened Person can teach one the ABC of the science on the very first
day, and thereby the Light is seen within. With the same method, in due
course of time, each cover is removed until all four are gone; and the
Effulgent Light is experienced.

   Light a small candle in a very big hall and it will seem very dim, but
by placing a shade over it that small amount of light can be concentrated.
We have scattered our attention far and wide, and it cannot see anything of
the Truth; but the Master withdraws that attention and centralizes it,
focuses it, with a little of His attention. The Masters have Their
attention in full control, and can do anything with it. When Christ said:
"Take heed therefore that the Light which is in thee be not darkness," He
spoke of the Inner Light and the Inner Way, the meaning of which I think
you can now understand a little.

   The knowledge taught by Masters cannot be learned through reading,
writing, or thinking, because the God-into-Expression Power Itself is that
knowledge, which is also known as Naam, "Word," and Shabd. When the Lord
wished to become from one to many, there emitted a tremendous vibration,
and that resulted in Light and Sound; and that Power sustains the whole of
creation. To see that Light and hear that Sound is to experience the true
knowledge. You will find many references from various religious scriptures
in the book "Naam or Word."

   You are standing on the fringe of a new horizon, and all glory and
beauty lie before you - within. And you start to experience that when you
rise above the body-consciousness and the senses. Those who can bring their
soul above the cage of the body at will can be termed Rishi, Muni, Valli,
Pegumber, or Master, or Maha Purush, which means a great man (spiritually).
All those who are imprisoned in this body, be they highly intellectual or
not, are, in the eyes of the Masters, illiterate and untutored.

   Many intellectuals, however, will not consider the possibility of higher
knowledge existing, and brush the subject aside as a fable. But the Avatars
themselves have a deep respect for the Saints, for they also followed a
Guru; they also traveled the one Path.

   God has given the beauty of the outer world, which may be appreciated;
but the beauty of the inner sun of Maha Brahmand, in which that perpetual
Sound is vibrating, surpasses all description. The secret teaching of this
was given by Ingris Rishi to Krishna, the son of Devki. You will find
reference to this teaching, and to whom it was given, in the "Ramayana" in
the chapter called "Bal Kand." References and inferences you will find, but
without the help of a practical Master you cannot have the practical
knowledge of what is written.

   During the time of our Hazur there was a very well known philosopher by
the name of Kartar Singh Nabina, who attended Hazur's Satsang one day.
After hearing the Master's talk he said, "Maharaj, I am a person who is
not easily won over during discussions; and very few people can stand up
to me. However, today I feel like a small child sitting before You to
learn his alphabet."

   The Path of the Masters then is something very different from philosophy.
"In listening to the message by word, 0 friend, do not forget yourself; the
Master's teaching is something different, and those who seek it will
receive." The Masters Who give knowledge of the Inner Way have been
successful in the past, and still are today. The world is not without Them.

   When Pythagoras spoke of "Truth clothed in Light," it was an indication
that the Truth is greater than the Light; but its expression is found within
the Light. Socrates spoke of the "Music of All Harmonies," adding, "I heard
a Sound which dragged me into a new world."  Plato called It the "Music of
the Spheres," and Zoroaster described It as an "Unstruck Fire." In those
days fire was started by striking two flint stones together, so he described
the Inner Fire as one which burns without being struck. He then named It
"Sarosha," and in that Sarosha or Light is the Sound Principle.

   The Saints and the true devotees of God have all told of the Light and
Sound. Whatever references I have found, by parallel study of religions, I
have incorporated into the book "Naam or Word;" so if you are interested
in the references you will find them there.

   Masters want to take us into an entirely different world; and when you
ascend above the body, you will yourself experience that audible Sound. A
certain Saint says that the Sound, which is the God Power, the Christ
Power, the Guru Power, is telling us to "Come children; He is awaiting us
above." It is there, awaiting us, and is apparent in the form of Light,
audible in the form of Sound, and leads the soul to its Source, where all
is a wordless state.

   Those who have succeeded in rising out of the cage of the body tell us
that there are no other means of achieving this. So what steps must be
taken? They tell us, furthermore, that to meet the Lord, the mind must
come under control. Put one foot on your mind, and the next step will
reach to the Lord's door. If anything lies between the soul and the Lord,
it is the mind. All nine doors are tasteless; the Nectar is at the tenth.
The Nectar, which can sweeten the mind, exists only at the tenth door -
the strait gate - so enter therein; there is no other way.

   Guru Amardas searched for this secret way for more than seventy years
of His life, until He finally received the gift at the feet of Guru Angad.
Then He said: "When mind is dirty, everything is dirty; washing the body
will not clean the mind; the world is an illusionary forgetfulness; few will
unravel its enigma." These few words are pregnant with meaning. The world
is racing along in forgetfulness, busily engaged in cleaning the body, etc.,
but without a single thought for cleaning the mind.

   All this dirt has entered the mind via the senses; and for as long as
man remains at the sense-level, the mind will absorb more and more
impressions, and will, therefore, become dirtier. "Thrust into a room
filled with mascara, no matter how careful, you WILL get spotted." It
means that you are imprisoned at sense-level, and you cannot stop these
impressions from entering your being. One Saint entreated the Lord, "0 God,
You have placed us on a narrow plank and pushed it into the ocean; how can
one keep dry under such circumstances?"

   The Masters come to air-condition us so that we are affected by neither
heat nor cold of the worldly influences. References are given out in
relation to those points upon which people desire information. They want
to know what the Masters teach, and what They give. If the inner knowledge
is explained outwardly it can be understood intellectually; and that is a
stepping-stone. However, that kind of understanding goes up to a certain
point only, and not beyond that point. To go further: "The Guru puts the
true Surma (medicine) of Knowledge into the eyes." This is a simple way of
describing the science of the Masters - but - you cannot get this knowledge
until the attention withdraws above the senses.  Plutarch says: "Those who
are initiated into the mysteries of the beyond, their souls have the same
experience as the soul has when it leaves the body at death."

   If you want to meet the Lord, then learn to control your mind. "Repeat, 0
my mind, only one Naam; the Satguru has given me this wealth." The mind can
be cleansed only by ascending above the nine doors and entering in through
the tenth, where there is a reunion with the God-into-Expression Power,
the two aspects of which are Light and Sound. No matter how many practices
you may attempt, nor how much you may be able to control the body by force,
nor how long you may learn to sit within: "The dirt of the mind will not go,
nor the dirt of the ego."

   Many years ago in Kanpur, I met a yogi who, through doing "kumbhak," used
to lie down on the ground and allow a road roller to stand on his chest. He
would give a full talk in this position. He used to wind a thick rope around
his neck and allow fifty people to pull on either side, tug-o-war style, but
they could not make him move an inch. He could be buried for six days and
nights on end underground, but remained unaffected by it. One day, I asked
him, "Tell me, what is the condition of your mind?" He replied, "For as long
as I remain in kumbhak, it is all right; but when I come out of that state
it goes back to its usual condition again."

   Why am I making all these comparisons? Because intellectual people have
their own interpretations of everything. The samadhi which the Masters
teach is not jar-samadhi nor kumbhak. It is a connection with the Naam
within, with the God-in-Expression Power, the Light and Sound, tasting the
Nectar of which renders all other tastes insipid. "Renounce, 0 friend, this
barren place of passion; drink the Nectar of Naam." The world is full of
passion and low morality, which to the discerning man is a tasteless fruit;
whereas there is a delicious Nectar in the Naam, and that is food for the
soul - it is the Bread and Water of Life itself. By tasting this, a true
and lasting satisfaction is enjoyed; by tasting this, the mind comes under
control.

   And how can you get it?  You cannot get this by arrogance, force, or
command, but only through devotion to the Master - neither will you get it
by the weight of your worldly learning. The Master will give a spark of His
burning fire - on the very first day He will start you on the Path, and
make you see.

   On my first tour of the United States, I was in Los Angeles for a few
days; and there a blind doctor came for a meditation sitting. The blind
people also have Light; it is but a matter of inversion. After the sitting,
he admitted, "Yes, I see Light." So that Light is within all men. This is
what Christ meant when He said, "Take heed that the Light which is within
thee be not darkness."  Another Master said, "He is an Emperor, who
concentrates his attention behind the eyes."

   The machinery of the body works because you are in the body, just
as a factory functions through the power from the powerhouse. It may
have numerous departments, all of which are connected to the powerhouse
independently, and which can be switched off separately at any time.
However, when the main switch is thrown, all the machinery in the whole
factory stops. Like a powerhouse, we are the controller of the body's
machinery - although we are imprisoned in it, and cannot run out of any
of its open doors of eyes, ears, nostrils, etc. If the attention is not
with the ears, they do not work, and similarly with the eyes, and so on.

  He is an Emperor whose eye is open - the inner eye. Guru Ramdas says,
"The Guru has taught me to control the house, and I am now queen over it.
Furthermore, Ten maidservants were put in my control." Those ten
maidservants are the five physical senses and the five senses of knowledge.
As our condition stands, we are dictated to by all ten servants - what a
grave difference! It is impossible to compare a Master with an ordinary
man.

   The eye is small, the iris smaller, and the pupil even more minute; but
what a mighty secret lies hidden therein! The reason why very few people
tread this Path is that their attention is scattered everywhere along that
broad, open, consuming path that leads to destruction. The inner secret
Path is through the strait gate that leads to Light. How can a man who has
fallen into a deep well get out of it by himself? No one can rise above
body-consciousness until he is pulled above it. Guru Arjan says that one
needs such a Master Who will open the Path here and now and will also show
one the pathway in the Beyond, not one who promises all kinds of things
after death. If you found one so recommended, would that person not
capture your heart? "Open your eye, that you may see the Lord's radiance."

   That eye is closed, even though the physical eyes are open. Kabir Sahib
made the tragic remark that the whole world was blind; had there been at
least one or two, He could have made them understand. "The blind are not
those who have no eyesight; Blind are they, 0 Nanak, who cannot see the
Beloved." In the opinion of the Masters, the blind people are those who
cannot see through their inner eye. Another Master tells us to close the
eyes and ears, and withdraw the attention from all outer things, and lo
and behold the inner door will open.

   You do want to see the Lord, do you not? "Everything is in this house,
nothing is outside; Those who seek outwardly go into illusionary
forgetfulness." He also says, "The Beloved is within you, but you roam
aimlessly from door to door." That requires another eye, with which one can
see His beauty - not the eyes of the flesh, which when closed in death are
finished forever. When that inner knowledge opens up, one can see the glory
of the Lord. The Masters describe the same subject in many different ways.

   The Koran says that God has sealed our eyes and ears, but comes Himself
in the human form to break those seals. That same Godman then makes us see
and hear inwardly, and one bears witness to one's own experience. What a
vast difference there is between esoteric and exoteric teaching. Many
teachers can be found for the latter; but for the former, very few,
although the world is not without Them. It is a truly wonderful thing when
the Master comes and turns the face of the child inward - toward God. If
one stops chattering outwardly, one will start talking inside.

   If you do not believe all this, why not try, and see if it is true? The
seekers who came to Hazur also got the experience. It is not a new thing,
but is the very ABC of Spirituality taught through the ages. All other
practices are merely preparation of the ground for this one; and you will
be able to see for yourself the difference between the true Master and the
others, and to which points They can take you.

   "Sit in the closet of the physical body." Shut your eyes and go beyond.
He Who has already mastered the science can give another person a
demonstration. "Make both eyes into one." Concentrate at the focal point
of the two pupils, and the inner eye will open.  Kabir says, "Put your
attention on that imperceptible place upon which Lord Shiva is meditating."
That is also called the Shiv Netra, which lies behind the forehead, behind
the point where the two optic nerves join. The practical demonstration is
given at this location.

   How can anyone at the sense-level, who has become the very image of the
senses, rise above them? The true Masters want to show us the true Path,
but man starts analyzing and opposing Their words with his limited
knowledge and understanding. Can the soul leave the body at will? It is
an imposing question. But the Masters tell us that it can; and if you do
not believe this, then close your eyes and see. Tulsi Sahib says, "Just
look beyond the curtain of darkness." But people go on sitting in "samadhi"
for years without breaking through this darkness, when following other
methods.

   Tulsi Sahib then says, "To penetrate through this darkness, meet a
Master of the Science." With the Master's attention, the darkness will be
torn apart and the Light revealed. The company of such a Master is called
Satsang. But in the profusion of public talks given by various speakers,
these facts are not mentioned. Why? Because a certain seeker may demand,
"Give me that of which you speak!"

   For this reason silence is kept about this great Science. "The full force
of attention from the Beyond only a certain Master possesses; 0 Tulsi, the
world knows nothing of this, for the Beloved's Path is highly elevated." It
is a long and narrow way, which only the pure can travel.

   "A Gurumukh sees with His eye, for His eye is open." Do not believe until
your eye is opened, and you can see for yourself. "I cannot believe even
the Guru's words, unless I see with my own eye." Up to the present day,
this is the teaching which has been given by all Masters, for the science
of the Inner Way is one. Mira Bai said, "I heard about the soul leaving the
body and traversing the heavens; but since I came to the feet of Ravidas,
I now know it is true."

   It is the true Path - a dealing in diamonds and jewels, and whoever
practices it becomes a spiritual millionaire. Namdev Ji said once that his
value was not more than four sea shells, but that he had become a
millionaire. Masters are known as the true Emperors.

                      Within you is a mine of Amrit.

   Understand the science, and then practice it. If you continue with
outer practices, your coming and going in creation will continue. Remember,
since many aeons past, when we first left the Lord's lap, we have not up
to now returned to that sublime state. Due to ignorance of the Truth, we
have spent all our time indulging in cunning, vanity, pride of knowledge,
etc. In this respect, Christ said, "It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."
Why so difficult for the rich man? Because his attention is more scattered,
more dispersed into the worldly things.

   The body comes with us into this worldly life, but does not accompany us
when we leave, and neither does the accumulation of goods and chattels that
we call our possessions. It is a very sad fact that man spends all his
thoughts throughout his life in dwelling on his own name and fame.

   There is an incident which happened one day during the time of Guru
Nanak, Who gave one day a needle to a certain rich businessman by the name
of Dhuni Chand, telling him, "Keep this needle for me, and give it to me in
the next life." Naturally, Dhuni Chand was amazed, and replied, "But how
can I take this needle into the next world?" With a smile Guru Nanak
retorted, "True, and likewise then, how can you take your business and all
possessions?"

   If one gave really serious thought to these facts, all one's concern for
personal name and fame would leave at once. "For what purpose did you come,
and what are you doing?" It is a direct question - to bring you to the point.
"Within you is a mine of Amrit." The Nectar which gives you everlasting
life is within your own being, and it is limitless. "In this cave [body] is
a limitless treasure." And what is that unending abundance? "In that resides
God, the Imperceptible Infinite Lord." The Koran says, "I, that invisible
treasure, am hidden within you - seek Me out."

   How do we seek Him? If you remember Him, He will remember you. God is
ever aware of His children; but we, enraptured with the world, have long
forgotten Him. What wisdom is there in this? We should bear in mind always
that the only chance of realizing Him is during our life in the human form.
Man is great; there are great possibilities in him. Even when one wishes to
protect some article of worldly value, one hides it somewhere in the house,
or even deep in the earth. So turn not your face outwards, but sit down
and search within yourself, to find your true Self.

   Swami Ram Tirath's grandson came to see me recently. His grandfather and
the poet Iqbal were good friends. Iqbal taught the Persian language to Ram
Tirath, while Ram Tirath taught Iqbal Sanskrit. When Ram Tirath's son
passed his engineer's course for mining, Iqbal told him, "Your father
died digging and digging the heavens - now you have started digging the
earth!" Those who have some awakening give small hints - the words uttered
to that young man held some meaning - after all, what else is mankind doing
but digging the earth? But the real treasure is within us. If you spent a
night alone in a house, beneath which you knew a large amount of treasure
was buried, would you sleep that night? I think you would not be able to
sleep, but must dig it out. There is no one watching you now, so why not
dig out the real treasure of life?

   "You call back those whom You sent, to return home joyfully, with ease."
Go home, children - why remain unhappy? But who heeds the advice of Masters?
That worldly breeze has touched the whole of mankind, which is in a state
of "madness." Guru Nanak said similarly, "The Water for which you came
here, that Amrit, can be gotten from the Guru." He also said, "Leave
off assumed appearance, deceit, doubt, for these will not bear fruit."

   Remain in your religion by all means; that is a blessing, for without
such bodies there would be corruption - but to die in the chains of
hypocrisy and doubt means to die without realizing the true wealth. That
wealth can only be had by the Guru's Grace. Remain in your religion, but
seek a Master Who transcends - Who traverses Creation - from within. He
will push you within; and when you see, even a little, a true belief will
be secured in you. Upon seeing a little of the Truth, one does get some
intoxication; but even then one has no desire to leave this world - so
seek even deeper: tap inside.

                Ignorant man knows not the secret;
                Only the Master has the knowledge.

   The secret of that deep mine of Amrit is known only by the Master, while
the ignorant people who sit at the sense-level are lost on their erring
path. But, as the refreshing water of the river flows in a bed of mud, so
the holy water of Amrit flows within this physical form of clay. Bathe in
that holy water of life - do so by the Grace of the Guru, which will make
that Light radiate within you - the Light of God's Word, the Naam. The
outer dust of the Master's feet is also holy, and wherever He sits that
place becomes pure. But the goal does not end there. The seeker's aim is
to contact that which flows in his own body of clay - and that Light is
the Guru. When you reach Him within, your head will automatically bow itself
in humility and respect.

   I again remember that famous philosopher who had triumphed everywhere
with his philosophical arguments, and yet felt like a small child in front
of Hazur.

        O ignorant man, why search outside - meditate within.

   Why drift around in this labyrinth? For how long will you wander? Go
within - invert - tap inside. Maulana Rumi referred to the world as a
prison, and we are the prisoners occupying it. It is an inducement to
take action, to get out - but how can we escape? Metaphorically, we must
escape through the roof. The way up is above - above the senses. Rise above.
In the labyrinth of the outer world, there is nothing but wave upon wave of
diffusion, dispersion of the attention - where will you go? The Master comes
to expose this life of illusion, and to guide us out of it.

        Why criticize others? You should try to know who you are.

   We keep up vigilant scrutiny of others and criticize them; but we should
study our own lives, our own selves - who we are, and what we are. Maulana
Rumi prayed: "O God, send a merciful person, to take us out of this bodily
cage." Swami Ji Maharaj advised: "Again and again pray to your Guru, to
take you out of this cage." You will be able to see the way out only when
the Guru opens your eye.

   He Who disperses the darkness is the Guru, for it is a work requiring
competency, not force. He Who has the Light can give It to others. "By
His life impulse, He gives devotion." What is His life impulse? That is
the Shabd, the Word - He is the Word made flesh. "Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us." Christ told His disciples to eat Him and drink Him, and
how is that possible? The Master is the Word within you - that is the
Bread and Water of Life which you must eat and drink for spiritual
sustenance.

   Guru Nanak once indicated a dead body to a group of His disciples,
saying: "This is a dead body - eat it." It was enough to shock them all
- all but Lehna, who calmly asked, "From which end should we start,
Maharaj?" Masters give strange tests, which are usually beyond the
world's understanding.

   God is sitting within you, awaiting your arrival. "Everything is in the
house, nothing is outside; those who seek outwardly go into illusionary
forgetfulness." If you put your attention more and more into anything
outside yourself, you will travel further and further from the Truth.
In Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize winning book "Gitanjali" there is a
prayer which soliloquizes, "O Lord, we are going further away from You."
One Master says: "O seekers of the Lord, you have lost Him in the folds of
the mind."

   All the learning connected with the mind is outer knowledge. To see Him
is the inner knowledge, achieved by rising above the mind and intellect.
"He merges into the Guru, and distributes the Shabd." The Guru's very body
becomes the Shabd, and this is the meaning of giving His life impulse.

   "Why wander aimlessly in forgetfulness, O naive man!" But man, if
acquainted with the correct information, protests that he has no time, and
then wastes his whole life trying to preserve time! Brothers, this work
can be done only while in the human form - do it now! Remember, wherever
your attention is, there you are. I always advise that one should leave one
hundred different jobs to attend Satsang, and leave one thousand other
kinds of work to do your meditation. Where there is more than one person
gathered in Satsang, in His remembrance, the radiation is present there
through which one's yearning increases. Even a tiny ray of radiation can
give a great deal of help, so work hard for whatever you are given.

                Roaming on pilgrimage increases the doubt,
                and the entire truth is lost.

   All holy places have become holy places because at some time or other
some holy person stayed there. That which is in the holy man is also in
you, so why not go within where He is waiting? When Archimedes discovered
that there existed a center of gravity, he was really in search of the
center of the world and declared that he would shake the whole world if he
found it. The center of gravity or center of the world is within man
himself - become strong within and you will be able to shake the world!

   When Masters come, a flood of Spirituality comes with Them. While others
die simply shouting and lecturing, a single word from a true Master has a
wealth of potent impact. Kabir asks: "O Rani, settle one argument; is the
holy place greater or the devotee of God?" You have got the power of
differentiation, so judge the Truth from the untruth. Hazrat Mohammed
meditated upon the Light and Sound in Mecca, and it is said that one must
make the pilgrimage to that city if one wishes to enter the Kingdom of God.
Survey the question with a little awareness, and you will realize that the
enlightenment you seek is within you - why not invert?

   I read once, in the Puranas, that two men agreed to journey all around
the world. One man got his ticket and went; the other drew a circle - the
shape of the world - and ran around it. If we board an airplane it would
take several days to travel around the world, whereas within our own form we
have the means of doing it in less than a second. The speed of the soul is
much faster than the speed of the mind, and the speed of the mind is
faster than electricity - so just consider it.

                Within the human form there is no past
                or future, but only God Himself.

   He is there, awaiting you within; and here you are busily playing
instruments and singing, outside. Why not be able to talk to Him within,
while you continue your outer life? Of what use is it to sing and play
and start some enthusiasm to meet Him if it remains at that?

   To sing His praise after seeing Him and talking to Him is a different
matter. Guru Amardas put a price on His seventy long years of searching
when He said, "To sing praise without seeing is a blind man's song; to see
and then sing, bears forth fruit." Blind faith crumbles before adversity,
for true faith comes only when one can see and hear for oneself. When the
trials and tribulations of making the new country of Pakistan were suffered,
many well - known devotees started cursing God - "Where is He? Has He gone
to sleep?" etc. It was blind faith speaking, through a lack of seeing the
Lord. Those who have seen Him say, "I praise Thee now, and whatever the
future brings, even then will I praise Thee."

                If you desire to realize Him, then
                discard attachment and pride.

   Attachment and pride keep us chained to the outer environments. Pride and
the love of praise - "I am learned, I am great, I am powerful, there is no
one like me!" And attachment stops you from going ahead. Real progress
starts when you break all attachment and ego. Sit for a while at the feet
of a Realized Soul, where the influence of His radiation will withdraw
your thoughts. "Until the shadow of the Pir (Saint) falls upon you, the
attention cannot be controlled. Also, In the company of a Saint the
attention is stilled; the mind finds wisdom in that stillness." And the
soul comes forth in that stillness. This is a strong indication that you
are in the presence of a true Master - it is a sign of His Mastership.
There is a pin-drop silence, and the attention is controlled - the mind
can then do nothing, for it takes its strength from the attention.

                All the holy scriptures are within
                you, so why are you ignorant?

   What is the origin of all the scriptures? When the Masters traversed
inside, They expressed Their experiences; and these were recorded into
our holy scriptures. You can observe from all these scriptures that
the Masters have parallel thoughts. The language may be different, but the
meaning is the same. I have just mentioned a reference from the Upanishads
which states that this teaching was given to Lord Krishna, and that within
is the sun of Maha Brahmand. Guru Nanak says: "Within is the Light and
Perpetual Sound, contact with which develops the love for the True One."

   Paltu Sahib says: "There is an inverted well in the void behind the
eyes, in which the lamp is aflame without wick or oil; from that flame a
voice emits." True knowledge does not change, but outer knowledge can
change by the minute. Matter, for instance, has been analyzed and described
differently all through history.

   If you go within you will find the source of all that is written in the
scriptures, and that which puzzles you now will become clarified. When I
went to Rishikesh in 1948, I met a yogi who used to leave his body by
Patanjali Yoga. He was about one hundred years old, and welcomed me with
all respect and told me, "I have spent all my life in learning this Yoga,
and only after many, many years was I able to leave the body. How did you
get it?" I told him I learned at the Guru's feet, and explained how a
demonstration is given, an inner experience which is increased daily.

   Dadu Sahib says: "Dadu sees and speaks, but others speak from hearsay."
Another Saint says that for those whose eye is not open, the outer temples
and mosques are real. In these buildings you will find symbols of the
Light and Sound, which serve to remind us of what exists within man.

   Those who are academically knowledgeable can be completely ignorant of
the inner knowledge, however. When I was in Lahore, there was a Christian
superintendent under me in my office, and I suggested that he ask the
Bishop of Lahore why the bells are rung in the church. He did so, and the
reply was, "They are only for the purpose of calling people together." That
being so, what about the Hindu, who himself rings the bell as he enters the
temple? This lacking in real knowledge comes from reading the subject only,
and not seeing for one's own self.

   Outer knowledge can indeed be like a garland of flowers adorning a
spiritual Master, and He will use it to explain the subject in a variety
of ways. If the Master is not educated in the worldly way, He will explain
the same facts within His own vocabulary and education. For example,
Bulleh Shah went to His Master, Shah Inayat, Who was a farmer; and on
this certain occasion the Master was transplanting some plants. Bulleh Shah
asked Him how one can realize the Lord, and Shah Inayat replied: "What is
there to realizing the Beloved? Just uproot it from here, and plant it
there." He was referring to the attention, for everything is a play of the
attention. I am looking ahead at this moment, and so cannot see what is
behind me; but if I turn and direct my attention behind, I will see quite
easily.

   They say that God helps those who help themselves, and it is true also
that God helps those who do not help themselves. It is a new motto. It
means to give your whole being over to Him in surrender - body, soul, mind
and intellect. And in meditation, just look into the pitch darkness and
leave everything else to Him - in surrender - without making any effort
yourself. The Light will be there. Without making any effort, you will
withdraw from the world, the outgoing faculties, body, mind, intellect;
and He will be there.

                Without love no one has achieved realization,
                so drench your mind in love.

   Which is the easiest of all the easy ways to realize God? The Lord
Himself has designed that natural gift into our being. God is Love, and
the soul is His entity. Kabir Sahib says: "It is a part of God." Soul is
a drop of the Ocean of All-Consciousness and, therefore, has love already
innate in it. Love's natural habit is to attach itself to something, and
the soul should have loved God, but instead became attached to the world.
That love became an attachment, and that was a misfit. The Master, however,
will teach you how to withdraw from the worldly environments and invert,
and will connect you to the Lord within.

   If love for the Lord is developed, everything, even the world, will be
like a swelling ocean of love. Outer love will only trap you and bring you
back again and again to the world. Contrary to this, love for the Lord
will free you from all shackles.

                The Lord of Love is not recognized,
                but ghosts and spirits are respected.

   True Love is not worshiped, but everyone runs around after ghosts and
spirits. The greatest God is Love, and that Love will join you back to the
Lord. Christ said that one should "Love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy
mind." And, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Kabir says: "Love the Lord, O
mind, love the Lord." And, "Without love, a man finds no place." The tenth
Guru, after exhorting everyone to open their ears and listen carefully,
declared: "Hear ye all, I tell ye the truth; God is realized by one who
loves."

   Ravidas Ji was a cobbler, and under the caste system existent in those
days, a cobbler was considered very low. Some people rudely accosted Him
one day, demanding, "How can you worship the Lord?" Ravidas calmly replied:
"That Father is not the reserved right of anyone, only with devotion can
you win Him." One with sincere devotion and respect will realize the
Lord - He is not owned by anyone.

   Aware of the fact or not, the whole world is gambling; and if they win
they are happy; if they lose they are miserable. One Master declares that
He is gambling with God, with His life at stake. "If I win, He becomes
mine; if I lose, I become His." Which is a better bargain? In the gamble
with God, one wins either way. Increase your love for Him - and, as He is
in every form, love all others. Anyone who can love a father should have
love for his children also; and so "if a man say, I love God, and hateth
his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he
hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen?"

                The Nectar of Amrit is abandoned, and
                dog-like he constantly seeks the gore.

   Man does not choose to seek the Water of Life - he would rather steep
himself in the filth of immorality. The sweetest Nectar is within him, but
he prefers the lowest tastes just like a dog licking every place he
passes. "Forsakes the treasure-house, the Knowledge of Amrit, for an
illusion." He has exchanged the priceless jewel for a worthless sea shell,
wandering aimlessly around the external world. Jesus Christ was sold for a
few paltry coins - thirty pieces of silver. This sort of thing is thrashing
empty husks to gain a nonexistent grain. So Masters try to make us go
within - withdraw from all outer things. For this They give a "starter" -
a little experience; and if after getting this one still ignores this work,
it is indeed a sorrowful state.

                Indubitably, at the last breath,
                there is only regret;
                But when the Emperor sits within,
                ignorance and doubt vanish.

   The man who practices the daily habit of withdrawing and going into the
inner realms will meet his last day on earth with joy. Others must leave
struggling. And those who have wasted the precious gift will, at that
time, remember the Guru and realize with regret what valuable wealth they
have thrown away. Tulsi Sahib says: "There is but four days' play of this
false world; he who gave no thought to the Beloved was swept away in the
current."

   What value can anyone place on the body which is constantly changing?
The soul, however, is ever-existent, all-wisdom, and perfect-bliss, due to
which the body is kept alive and functioning. Unfortunately, the ignorance
of man prevents him from giving serious thought to the subject of the
soul, which is a very deep subject. So Masters are necessary to bring the
teaching of it to man, and to start him on the ABC of it; and that is when
he rises above body-consciousness. There he is re-born or twice born; and
if he can do this for himself, I am very happy for him. If he cannot, then
he requires a stronger attention than his own to drag him up; and this is
God's special Mercy and Grace working in the Master. What a great blessing!
You may know a little of the difference between outer and inner knowledge,
but what are you doing about it? The Truth exists in everyone, and it is
each person's hereditary right to experience It.

            Come friend, having met the Satguru let us go across;
            If you want to cross, meet the Boatman,
            why waste time in thinking?
            When you Cross over, you are released from the world;
            Otherwise you will drown midst this
            frightful torrent of perpetual sins.

   Guru Nanak was once walking alongside a flowing river, which at one point
forked into two streams. The Masters usually use outer examples to express
some profound fact; and seeing this fork in the river He said, "The river
has separated here - when is it destined to rejoin itself?" It is a direct
reference to man who is separated from God. We are going further and
further from Him - when will we meet Him? His simple words convey the
pathetic state we are in.

   Whoever has not met the Boatman will drown in poison - what else can
happen? "Come, those who want to cross, for the Satguru has made a ship."
The Satguru's ship is within you. Today's Satsang has described the Inner
Way, the Inner Path, the Strait Gate; and that Inner Way is one - for all.
Those who travel that Path will gain salvation - emancipation from karmic
cause and effect. Become pure, chaste, and full of good living.

   To travel the Inner Path, sit at the feet of a Master. There is, no need
to change your religion, nationality, customs, etc., for He will take you
beyond all these - they will be left far behind. Those who have already
received the wealth should respect and appreciate it, and should benefit
from it. Do your work before that last change called death comes, for
those who gain knowledge while in the world will also be wise after death.

