Part 2
darshana
Some say that desire is the root cause of all pain and sorrow. According to this philosophy, salvation con sists in eliminating all desire, including any desire for
eternal bliss or communion with God. But when someone is thirsty, do we tell him to kill his thirst in stead of giving him water to drink? To drive out thirst without quenching it with life-sustaining water is to drive out life itself. The result is death, not salvation. Thirst is an expression of our need for water and a sign of hope that somewhere there is water that can satisfy our thirst. Similarly, the deep longing in our soul is a clear sign of hope that spiritual peace exists. Something can satisfy our thirsty souls. When the soul finds God, the author of that spiritual thirst, it receives far greater satisfaction than any thirsty man who receives water. When the soul's desire is satis- fied, we have found heaven.
darshana
The water of a river that has its source in one coun try may flow through many different countries before it reaches the sea. It passes within the domain of many chiefs, rajahs, and princes. Yet no country has the right to stop it and keep it within its territory. It is the common property of all, and wherever it goes, it quenches the thirst of all. In the same way, the stream of life comes forth from the ocean of God's love, streaming to earth again as rain and then flowing as a river through the channels of the prophets and holy ones to irrigate the world. In this way, it quenches
thirsty souls, enriching and restoring the lives of people and nations everywhere. Whoever desires it can freely take of this gift of life.
Seeker: If this life is freely given, then does God ex pect nothing from us? Don't we owe him some kind of worship?
Sadhu: People are foolish to believe that they confer some favor on God by their worship. Those who ap proach worship with such an attitude know nothing of the true nature of God. If we love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and if we love our neighbor as ourselves, then we will experience God's presence. This is worship. Eternal life will spring forth in our hearts; the fire of love will melt and forge us anew into the image of our creator.
darshana
The Master has said, "Love your neighbor as your self." It is not hard to live for a few days in peace with someone – even one who is unfriendly. But if some one lives near us and annoys us day in and day out, then it becomes a difficult task even to endure – much less to love – that person. Yet if we can win through this great struggle, then we will find it all the easier to love others.
God is love, and the ability to love is inborn in ev ery living creature, most especially in human beings. It is only right therefore that the Lover who has given us life and love itself should also receive love from us. God's love is creative and selfless, giving itself for the joy and benefit of creation. If we do not love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength and if we do not love others freely and selflessly, then the love within us loses its divine character and turns to selfishness. Love then becomes a curse. Ironically, those who are selfish end up destroying themselves.
darshana
avatara
incarnation
Seeker: Sadhu-ji, I see that you live in deep inner peace, and I, too, long to find this peace. Can we imperfect mortals ever hope to experience true oneness with God?
Sadhu: We all have a natural, inborn desire to see God. But God is infinite and incomprehensible. No one can see God without being of the same infinite nature as God. We are finite, and so we cannot see God. But God is love. He is also the source of our craving to know and love him. Out of this love God took on a form that is comprehensible to us mortal be ings. Through this act of love we can now share in the joy of the angels by seeing and knowing God directly. This is why the Master said: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."
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God knows well the inner state of every human be ing and reveals himself to each heart in accordance with its needs. There is no better way for a person to enter true spiritual life than by encountering God di
rectly. God became man and dwelt among us so that we might not fear him as something terrible and for eign, but instead see that God is love.
Seeker: I can understand that the infinite God is in comprehensible to us mortals. I can also understand that the power, or spirit of God, is at work around us. But how can this God be a man as well? This seems impossible.
Sadhu: The Almighty God and God Incarnate and God the Spirit are one. In the sun, there is heat and
light and they are all one. But the heat is not the light and the light is not the heat. So it is with God. The Master and the Spirit both proceed from the Father to bring light and heat to the world. God the Spirit is fire that burns away all evil, making our hearts pure and holy. The Master is the true light that drives out all darkness and leads us to bliss along the path of truth. Yet all three are one, just as the sun is one.
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Seeker: Tell me more about this Master of yours. Did he write down instructions for us to follow like other religious teachers?
Sadhu: The Master never wrote anything down, nor did he ask his followers to record his teachings. His words are spirit and life. Spirit can only infuse spirit. Life can only infuse life. The Master's teaching cannot be contained on the pages of a book. Other great teachers left behind books to replace the living voice, to guide and help their bereft followers. But the Mas ter did not do this, because he has not left us. He is al ways with us, and his living voice guides and counsels us. His followers recorded his teachings after his as cension as a help to those who cannot yet perceive his living presence. In the end, however, when people ask me, "What made you a follower of the Master?" I can only answer: the Master.
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Seeker: But don't your scriptures reveal the truth about God?
Sadhu: They reveal much to us about the life and teachings of the Master and about the nature of God's love. God the Spirit is the true author of the Bible, but this does not mean that every word, taken on its own, is holy or inspired. It is not the words in themselves, but rather the meaning that is inspired. The language
used by those who wrote the books of the Bible was the language of everyday, not the language of spirit. Only when we make direct contact with the author, that is, with God the Spirit, can the meaning become clear. Just as many do not understand the Master, so too, they can not understand his words.
Seeker: I want to believe the truth of what you say, for I see its fruits in the peace you experience, but it is difficult for me to understand or accept.
Sadhu: God has created us with spiritual faculties and
powers, but these must be used or else they will decay and be lost. Faith must be fixed on the living God or else irreverence and sin will rule; they will lead to doubt and ultimately destroy all faith.
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Sometimes people say that they are ready to believe in God if only this or that doubt is removed or satis fied. Can one go to a doctor and ask that the pain of a broken arm be removed before the bone is set? This would be ridiculous because the pain is the result of the break. Once the limb has been set, the pain will pass away by itself. Doubts are spiritual pains that arise from our sin. Irreverence has broken our spiritual
oneness with God. We must first restore spiritual union with God; then doubts with regard to the exist ence of God or the divinity of the Master will disap pear on their own. Only then will the pain fade. Only then will we experience the wonderful spiritual peace that the world can neither give nor take away. The Master reveals God to us so that the union between God and us sinful humans might be restored. He has opened the way for us to enter his heavenly realm. Whoever sincerely seeks truth with an open heart will find it revealed in the Master.
We do not need knowledge of Hebrew or Greek, but we do need to be united with the Spirit. This Spirit guided the prophets and followers who recorded his words, and this spirit alone can reveal their true mean ing to us. The language of the Master is spiritual, and we can only understand its meaning if we are awake in spirit. We do not need to know or understand any thing about theological questions or criticisms. In deed, a child can most readily grasp the Master's teaching, for the child is still united with the spiritual world from which it came. But those who possess wis dom that is only of this world can never understand, for the Master's spirit is not in them.
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Seeker: If sin and irreverence have broken our rela tionship with God, then can't we restore it simply by leading a righteous life?
Sadhu: A cobra remains a cobra, no matter how many times it sheds its skin. There was once a village girl who daily dusted the cobwebs from her house. Once as she was doing this, she also prayed, "O God, as I am cleaning this room, please also cleanse my heart." Then she heard a voice saying: "Daughter, you will have to cleanse the room again and again as long as the spiders remain. It is better that you drive the spiders from your house." But she was not able to
drive them out because they were hidden from her and too clever to be caught. Likewise, we see the signs of sin in our lives and struggle against them, but only God can remove the roots of sin from our souls.
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Some moral teachers and many religious leaders say, "Do good works and you will become good people." It is absurd to suggest that a bitter tree will become sweet by constantly bringing forth fruit. A bitter tree can only become sweet by being grafted onto a sweet tree. The life and qualities of the sweet tree can then flow with its sap into the bitter tree, driving out all its inherent bitterness. In this way the tree becomes a new creation, capable of bearing sweet fruit.
We may well have the longing to do what is right, but everything we do is corrupted, tainted by our own selfishness and sin. Only if we recognize our sinful ness, as well as our inability to do what is right, and turn to the Master who grafts us onto himself, do we become new creations. Only then are we capable of doing good works. So I say, "First become good, and then you can perform good deeds."
Once a young man fell over a cliff. By the time he was rescued he had lost so much blood that he was al most dead. His father rushed him to a doctor, but the doctor said: "He will certainly die, unless someone can be found who is willing to provide enough blood for a massive transfusion." Now the father's heart overflowed with such love for his son that he offered his own blood, though he knew it would cost him his own life. So by the sacrificial love of his father, the young man was given new life. We, too, have fallen headlong from the mountain of righteousness and lie broken and wounded by sin, with our life fast ebbing away. But if we turn to the Master, he freely gives us his spiritual blood so that we might be saved from death and regain life. Indeed, he came to us for this very purpose.
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P A R A B L E
the lovers
God is love. In love, God created human be-
ings in his own image, to love their creator with heart and soul,
the lovers
to rejoice in his endless love and to love one another. But be
cause of sin, we love created things. We have forgotten God's
original love, the only genuine love. But sometimes it happens
that our distorted human love leads us back to divine love.
It is told that there was once a young man who belonged
to a respectable family and who, after finishing his studies and
other duties, used to go out for a walk in the jungle each eve
ning. His parents loved him dearly because of his good charac
ter, amiable disposition, orderly habits, and obedience. He was
the pride of the family. One day he went farther than usual
into the jungle. In fear that darkness might overtake him, he
frantically tried to find his way. Just as he reached the road, a
wild beast attacked and wounded him. With his last strength,
he drove off the beast, cried out for help and then collapsed
from shock and exhaustion.
Some distance away a beautiful girl was gathering fire
wood. When this horrible cry reached her ears, she was at first
frightened, but she took courage and went to see who had
cried out so desperately. She found the handsome young man
lying half-conscious with no one nearby to help him. He was
badly wounded and bleeding heavily. She pitied him and led
him by the hand to the nearby river. She washed his wounds,
and tearing her own dress, she bandaged them. Then she
struggled to help him reach his own village.
Finally, they reached the house of the young man. His
the lovers
parents and relatives were shocked to see him in such a fright
ful state. They were also distressed to see him in the company
of the girl who was obviously poor and, in their eyes, quite be
neath his social position. When the young man and the girl
told their story, the lad's parents thanked the girl for her help
and invited her to stay with them for the night, but they were
actually eager to see her on her way. Early in the morning, the
young man sent for her to express his deep gratitude. As soon
as he saw her bright and beautiful face glowing in the morn
ing light he was overwhelmed by her innocence, tenderness,
and beauty. He fell in love with her in that instant and made up
his mind to marry her at all costs. But the girl belonged to a
very poor and low caste, and he knew this would be a great
obstacle to overcome.
After hearing the young man's words of gratitude, the
girl headed home. On her way through the jungle, she picked
up the bundle of firewood she had left behind the day before
and reached her village about midday. About the same time,
her parents and relatives returned exhausted and desperate
from their fruitless search through the night. Needless to say,
they were greatly astonished to find the girl at home. The girl
told the whole story in all simplicity and honesty, but nobody
believed her. Her elder brother doubted her character and
chastity and thought that she had run away and disgraced the
name of the whole family. Her father beat the innocent girl
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black and blue and forbade her to step out of the house.
In time, the young man heard about how she had been
treated, and so he decided to visit her. He went to her village
and told her parents the whole story, but they did not believe him
either, for there was no witness to verify it. The girl, who was
listening eagerly to the young man, remained silent. The sweet
ness of his words and the brightness of his face mesmerized her.
When he had left, she told her parents, "If you doubt my chas
tity, then please let me marry this young man." But her parents
were very angry and refused. On his return home, the young
man told his parents that he loved the girl who had rescued him
and wanted to marry her. They became red with rage, punished
him severely, and said: "Can't you find any better girl than this
one of low and poor caste? Why do you want to disgrace our
respectable family?"
Eventually, the young man slipped away unobserved, and
went to the village of his beloved. By chance, she was alone in
the house that day. So they talked together freely and frankly.
They were able to meet a number of times in this way and their
love grew ever deeper. But their parents were angry and bitterly
spoke against their children's wishes. It thus became increas
ingly difficult for them to see each other. So they arranged to
meet late at night when others were asleep. Sometimes the
young man waited outside the girl's village and sometimes the
girl waited near her lover's room.
the lovers
One night there was an accident. The girl fell down a
steep bank behind the boy's house and injured her leg. The
young man heard the noise and came out at once. He discov
ered that her leg was broken, took her to the hospital, and
made all the necessary arrangements for her care. He went
daily to see her. After some days she felt much better. When
her parents finally found out where she was, they took her
away from the hospital and hid her with some relatives in a dis
tant village.
The next day the young man went to the hospital as
usual, but was confused when he did not find her there. The
doctor in charge of the ward told him that she had recovered
and that her parents had taken her home. The young man ran
at once to her village, but she was not there. He feared that
she had deceived him and had run away with some other man.
Nevertheless, he missed her terribly and worried constantly. He
could not find any clue where she might be. The girl also wor
ried and wept bitterly day and night. Days passed but she
heard nothing from her lover, so she also thought that perhaps
he had forgotten her and had fallen in love with some other
girl. In addition, her parents were arranging for her to marry
another man.
One day, when her family was asleep, the girl slipped out
and ran to her lover's house. Calling at his window, she discov-
ered that he was not there. She wept bitterly, saying: "Alas! My
the lovers
parents and relatives are now my enemies. The man to whom I
gave my heart has also left me. I cannot live another day in this
world that is now hell to me." Thinking thus, she turned her
steps toward the very river where she had once washed her
lover's wounds. There, she jumped into the water, intending to
end her life.
Nearby, her lover sat behind a large rock, absorbed in his
thoughts and entirely unaware of the presence of his beloved.
Hearing the sound of someone falling in the water, he leapt in
and rescued the girl. It was all like a dream. He held the uncon
scious form of his beloved on his lap. After a few minutes, she
revived and looked up into the dear face of her lover. All the
bitterness of her life vanished in the twinkling of an eye. They
embraced and kissed each other. At first, they were so over
come by joy that neither could speak. For half an hour they
embraced each other with the deepest affection. Then they
began to converse:
Lover: My beloved, how did you fall into the water? If I
had not been here, your life would have ended.
Beloved: My darling, I waited so long for you and you
didn't come. Then I went to your house to see you. When
I did not find you there, I came here in despair and
jumped into the river. There was no other way to put out
the fire of separation and end the bitterness of my life.
Without you my life appeared to me like hell. But tell me,
the lovers
why did you come here?
Lover: I came here with a similar determination. When
you disappeared from the hospital I wandered about,
searching long for you, but you were nowhere to be found.
In my despair, I became weary of my life and wanted to
die rather than face another day without you. I was on the
point of committing suicide when I heard you leap into
the water. Had you delayed even a few minutes, we both
would have lost our lives in the same river, this river where
you once washed my wounds. What a marvelous thing!
Here you once saved my life and now it is I who have
saved yours. Today we have both received a new life. Let
us therefore lead it in a new way.
Surely, it was not we ourselves, but God who has given
us this new life and united us again. As a sign of our
gratitude we should now worship him and walk accord
ing to his will, because he alone is the source of life. Let
us go to the man of prayer who once came to me and
comforted me when I was lonely and heartbroken. His
words of sympathy applied a wonderful and soothing
balm to my aching wounds. It was he who told me that
without the love of the Creator, the love of the creature is
incomplete and can only breed restlessness and grief. I
learned that God is always with us and that real happi
ness is found only in his presence. So, let us go to that
man of prayer and he will marry us.
the lovers
Beloved: My only longing is to follow you wherever you
go and to serve you with all my heart and soul. Yes, I am
ready to give my life to God and to you. A Hindu widow
willingly gives herself to be burnt alive with the dead
body of her husband. Would it not be shameful, if I am
not ready to give my life in service to the living God and
to his servant, my dear husband? But what will become
of us? I am of a very poor and low caste. Our parents are
already very angry and will never accept our marriage.
Lover: My beloved, had I taken pride in caste or social
standing, I would never have loved you in the first place.
The class system is a curse that the proud and selfish use
to separate people from one another. We are all children
of the one God. If my parents will not welcome you, then
we will move somewhere else and make our own way.
No one should separate what God has joined together.
Let us simply trust in him.
So they went to the man of prayer and explained the whole
situation to him. He gladly married them and sent them on
their way with his blessing. They returned to the city, rented a
small house and worked hard to earn their living. Even the
richest people, with their palaces and worldly comforts, would
envy the life of peace, love, and happiness that those young
lovers enjoyed in their poverty. Along with their love for each
other, they were also filled with the bliss of divine love. They
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gave themselves heart and soul in the service of God and he
blessed them in every way.
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bondage
Seeker: Sadhu-ji, you say that it is our sinfulness that has broken our spiritual oneness with God. Why did God allow such evil to enter the world?
Sadhu: Apart from God nothing can be created, for God is the author of all that is. God is good and has created nothing harmful or detrimental, for that would be against his nature. Evil does not create, but only corrupts and perverts what God has created. Sin is not a part of God's creation. It has no independent existence. Sin is the delusive and destructive state of those who abandon truth and who, in irreverence, seek to satisfy their own selfish desires. We may think that we can obtain happiness by abandoning God's will and following our own whims and passions, but the result is not true happiness.
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Think of light and darkness. Darkness is the ab sence of light. It is the same with sin: sin is the absence of what is good and true. Evil is terrible because
people drive themselves to utter destruction – ship wrecked on the rocks for lack of a guiding light. For this reason, the Master who is light became God In carnate. All who see his guiding light and follow the way it leads will safely pass through to the blessed haven where darkness is no more.
Seeker: But if God is almighty, why did he not create human beings so that they could not fall into the dark state of sin?
Sadhu: Sin arises because people deliberately violate
God's order. Of course, God could prevent this by creating human beings differently. But then we would be like obedient puppets or machines, incapable of ex periencing the bliss that can only be reached by freely choosing the good. Adam and Eve lived in sinless bliss, but they were free to choose God's will and direction or to follow their own appetites. Even Lucifer knew nothing of pride, a state that had never existed before he held himself to be God's equal. So through the choice of angels and human beings, sin arose. But God is almighty and can even transform evil into an open ing for new and glorious ends. Firstly, God became
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incarnate to release us from the cycle of sin and death, thus revealing God's boundless, self-giving love in a way that would otherwise have remained unknown. Secondly, since we have tasted the bitterness and in evitable consequences of sin, we delight all the more in our release from its clutches – just as the sweetness of honey gives greater pleasure after the taste of bit terness. In unending unity with God, we are free to serve him with reverence and obedience.
Seeker: Modern philosophy, however, teaches that moral values are relative. They are products of his- tory and culture. How then can one say that people are sinful?
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Sadhu: It is said that a person suffering from jaundice sees everything with a yellow tint. People whose lives are colored by sin or guided only by the understand ing of their minds also see reality colored by their own infirmity. When we shape and fashion spiritual truths according to our own ideas, it is not surprising if, in the end, we reject not only moral values, but also the reality of God. But the Master's work is to release seeking hearts from sin and death. He continues this
work in the hearts of those who seek his help without regard to the opinion of others.
The blindness that sin brings about can be illus trated in many ways. Leprosy makes one's limbs numb and insensitive to pain and injury. People af fected with this disease unwittingly receive wounds and allow the injuries to fester until the body is no longer able to survive. In the same way, sin deadens the heart and clouds the mind until people no longer have any sense of shame or disgust. Eventually, how ever, their eyes will be opened and they will see how sin has damaged and ravaged their souls; then there will be great sorrow and pain. Many people are immersed in sin and don't even notice its great weight – just like a diver may be cov ered by tons of water without feeling its load. But if when the diver emerges from the water he tries to carry even a small bucket full, he will feel how heavy it is. The Master came to seek and save those who struggle with the burden of sin. He freely gives us rest and release from sin, but first we must feel the weight of it and turn to him for help.
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People may not even be aware of their mortal dan ger. They are like the hunter who caught sight of a honeycomb on the branch of a tree overhanging a
river. Catching sight of the honey, he forgot every thing else and quickly climbed up. The honey was sweet and he was so enchanted by its flavor that he did not notice the alligators waiting in the stream below. Nor did he see that around the foot of the tree, wolves had gathered. Worst of all, he didn't notice that the tree itself was infested with termites and was not strong enough to bear his weight. While he was still enjoying the honey, the tree fell and the hunter fell prey to the alligators. So too, the human spirit enjoys for a time the pleasant but fleeting delights of the senses, forgetting that the world is like a jungle fraught with dangers of every kind. Sin gnaws at the very foundation of our lives, threatening to fling us to our spiritual deaths.
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The evil of this world lures us with clever words and beguiling enticements like certain snakes that fas cinate small birds with their glittering eyes until they can devour them. Or think of the moth that gives no thought to the burning, destructive power of the fire. Fascinated by the flashing brilliance of the flame, it rushes to its own death. Likewise we often see only the allurements of the material world, seeking quick gratification of our own urges, and so rush headlong into spiritual death.
Once in the depth of winter, a bird of prey was busy feasting on a corpse that was floating toward a water fall. When the bird came near the falls he wanted to leave the corpse and escape. But his claws were frozen to it and he could not fly away. He fell into the roaring waters and died a miserable death. Likewise, if we al low sin to numb our consciences, we become power less to escape death and danger ahead, no matter how we struggle to escape.
By turning to the Master, however, and building our lives on him, we are saved from certain death and granted spiritual life that no one can take away. The Master frees us completely from the life-destroying seductions of this world. He sets our souls free from ev ery bondage. Overcoming the attractions of the world, we mount on wings of prayer into the spiritual realms where our souls find peace in God's unfailing love.
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Seeker: Has not Confucius said that those who re spect the main principles of human conduct need not worry about their faults and lapses in smaller issues? They are excused. Why then do you say that all sin is dangerous, even dangerous enough to destroy our souls?
Sadhu: Not every organ in the body fails before the body dies. If the heart or brain fails, then life ends even if the other organs are healthy and strong. In the same way, the poisonous effect of one sin may destroy the spiritual life not only of a single soul, but also of a whole family or nation, even of the whole human race. Such was the sin of Adam. But remember, just as one word from the Master was enough to call the dead back to life, so one word is enough to restore spiritual life to those who have lost it.
If a wild animal or bird is tamed and then returns to the wild, its own kind may reject or even kill it, rather than accepting it as one of their own. They sense that long association with humans has affected its habits and manners. In the same way, the holy ones of the spiritual world cannot tolerate those who associate with evil and who have thereby corrupted their spiri tual nature. Such people are alien intruders in the spiritual realm and they will not be at home there. Even in this world, sinful people despise and avoid the company of spiritual people. How then will they find joy in the eternal world of spirit? For them, heavenly bliss will be a living hell.
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In this world, a traitor against king and country may escape punishment by seeking refuge in another
country. But where shall we flee if we rebel against God? Wherever we go – in the physical or in the spiritual world – God is ever present. Our only ref uge is to seek forgiveness and release from God.
Seeker: So is it true that, if we do not plead for mercy, God will send us to hell and punish us eternally for our sins? How is this perfect love?
Sadhu: Do not suppose that God casts sinners into hell. God is love and has no desire for anyone to suffer spiritual torment. But our own corrupt and sinful life
deprives us of spiritual bliss. Heaven or hell is estab lished in our souls and by our own choosing, long be fore our lives in this world come to an end. Sin is not an illusion or a fantasy. It is a real spiritual state. In this state, the human will separates itself from the divine and thus introduces the seeds of its own destruction.
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God condemns no one to hell. No, it is we sinners who do the condemning. We condemn ourselves. Too many hearts are in a condition that they can only feel at home in hell – that is, outside the peace of the Mas ter. God allows everyone to come to his kingdom. In deed, he invites everyone most earnestly to come in,
but if we prefer a life of sin, it is torture for us to stay there.
Pain and disease are not products of the imagina tion. They are all too real and we see how some dis eases, like smallpox, can in a short time destroy the beauty of human skin, turning it into repulsive ugli ness. Whoever longs to escape spiritual torment and death should therefore turn to the Master. He offers us release from sin and its consequences. His presence in our hearts and the influence of his Spirit rescue us from hell and lead us to eternal bliss as God's spiritual children.
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moksa
release
Seeker: Sadhu-ji, you say that our sinfulness has separated us from God and yet our des tiny is to live in oneness with him. How can we over come the separation?
Sadhu: First, we must see that we have become un clean through our own sinfulness. We may try to cover this sinfulness with good works, but our good works are like dirty rags unless our hearts are cleansed first. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and were ashamed at their own nakedness, they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. But fig leaves were too scanty a covering, so God gave them coats of skins to clothe themselves. Our attempts at good deeds are not enough to overcome our sinful inclina tions. Nothing will protect us except the robes of righteousness the Master freely gives us.
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Many of us have learned by bitter experience that our own efforts at goodness can give us neither peace of heart nor certainty of eternal happiness. When a
rich young man approached the Master and asked how he might gain eternal life, he said, "Good Master!" and the Master rebuked him saying: "Why do you call me good? There is no one good except One." This young man had lived a devout life in accordance with religious law, but he lacked true peace of heart. The Master could see that he wanted to be good and up right, but he failed to recognize that the Master him self was the source of life. When the Master offered no rules or commandments and instead offered him the chance to give away all his possessions to the poor, to abandon his inner uncertainty and to enter into the Master's company, the man went away sad and unfulfilled.
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If good works and religious observance had given the young man spiritual peace, he would not have sought out the Master in the first place. Not only did his moral efforts fail to give him peace, they hindered him from accepting the Master's offer. Not long after ward, an equally zealous man named Saul encoun tered the Master. Unlike the rich young man, Saul immediately left everything, gave up all he had and followed him. Everyone who ceases to trust in human goodness, and turns to the Master for release, shall re ceive true peace and spiritual life.
Seeker: Does God really forgive us for what we have done wrong? Is this what you mean by salvation or release?
Sadhu: God is love and forgives us freely. But God does even more than this. Forgiveness alone is not enough to release us from our sins. Complete release only comes when we are free from the urge to sin. It is completely possible for us to receive forgiveness and still die from the consequences of our sin. The Master came not only to announce our forgiveness, but also to deliver us from the disease of our sin, from its con sequences and from death – to break the relentless
cycle of sin and death.
moksa
Consider the man who suffered from a debilitating disease of the brain. At times it would cause him to act irrationally and unpredictably. Under the influence of one such attack, he unwittingly struck out and killed another man. At trial, he was sentenced to death. But when his relatives appealed for mercy and explained the medical reasons for his temporary insanity, the governor granted clemency and pardoned him. But before his friends and relatives reached the prison to share this good news, the man had died as a result of his illness. So he gained nothing from the governor's
pardon. Quite apart from the pardon, he needed treat ment for his disease. Only then might he have lived to enjoy his release.
It is treatment we need, not just forgiveness. In ancient times, religious law forbade people to drink the blood of animals or to eat certain foods. These customs undoubtedly arose from the belief that such foods caused certain illnesses or, perhaps, that they would foster some savage animal behaviour. The Master has said, "My flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed," for they provide spiritual health and life.
moksa
Seeker: This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?
Sadhu: After the children of Israel fled slavery in Egypt, they lost faith in God and grumbled about all they had to endure. Things became much worse when they came to a place infested with poisonous snakes, where many were bitten and died. Then the people were sorry for their grumbling, and they asked Moses to pray to God for relief from the snakes. Moses prayed and was directed in a vision to make a snake of bronze and set it high on a pole. Anyone who was bitten had
only to look upon the bronze snake, and the poison of the snakebite was made harmless.
Now, there were some who still grumbled and mur mured, "If Moses would provide an antidote or some medicine against the poison, that we could believe, but what effect can a bronze snake have on real snake bites?" So in their unbelief, they refused to turn to the bronze snake, and they died. In the same way, the Master provides release from the deadly poison of sin if we turn to him in faith. Those who refuse to believe because they cannot understand the work of the Mas ter with their minds will perish. But they will perish from the poison of their own unbelief. Remember that the heart, not the head, is the temple of God. Spiritual and religious ideas are mat ters of the heart – not the head. If our hearts are filled with the presence of God, then our minds will also find enlightenment. Our physical eyes are useless, un less the light of day illuminates the world around us. Similarly, our minds and the eyes of our understand ing are useless without the spiritual light of truth. The wisdom and understanding of the mind can easily be turned to clever instruments of evil if they are not subjected to the light of spiritual truth.
moksa
The Wise Men followed the star to Bethlehem. But when they reached Bethlehem, they no longer needed the star, for they had found the Master, the sun of righteousness. When the sun rises, stars lose their ra diance. In India we have many genuine truth seekers who faithfully follow their star, but it is only starlight that guides them. In the Master we have the glory of the sun.
moksa
P A R A B L E
the prince and the thief
There was once a king who had a son. The
prince was just and good, like his father. However, he knew
the prince and the thief
nothing whatsoever of the condition of his people – how they
lived and what they needed – because he lived in the palace
and rarely saw any of the common people. So one day, he de
cided to live among them for a time and study their life so that
he could help them when he became king. With his father's
permission, he left the royal palace and lived among the people
as an ordinary merchant. No one, except some of his courtiers,
knew that he was the prince in disguise. Thus he lived and
grew to know the lives of his people. He came to understand
the ins and outs of their private and social lives and made plans
and arrangements to serve them better.
As a merchant, he had to deal with all kinds of people,
and he encountered all sorts and shades of characters. He was
especially distressed to see how many people resorted to lies
and frauds, selfishness and cruelty, theft and wickedness in
order to make money for themselves. With his father's help, he
often secretly aided the innocent victims of such unscrupulous
characters. Nevertheless, he loved even those who had fallen
into evil ways, and never injured those who deceived and
maltreated him. He always forgave them and tried to help
them change their ways. Many were reformed and became
law-abiding citizens of his father's kingdom, although some
did not.
Now, there was a thief who had so often injured inno-
cent people and robbed them of their earnings, that the prince
the prince and the thief
saw no option but to have him imprisoned. When the thief got
out of jail, he wanted revenge against the prince whom he
supposed to be an ordinary merchant. He entered the prince's
hut to steal everything of value, but the prince overpowered
him and admonished him for his shameful behavior: "You
should work hard and earn your living in a respectable way,"
he told the thief. "If you needed anything, you should have
spoken to me and I would not have refused your request. You
disgrace yourself when you injure innocent people and steal
their things. This is not right at all. You think that you are hurt
ing others, but you are actually harming yourself. If you do not
change your ways, you will surely come to grief on the judg
ment day. In hopes that you will see the folly of your ways, I
forgive you this one last time. Do not mention this matter to
anyone else, but use this chance that is given to you. You will
not escape punishment the next time."
For some time, the thief kept himself in line. But after a
few months, his old nature reared its ugly head again. One
day, he set out to rob people in a distant village. Now in that
village, there was a poor widow whose husband had died a
year after their marriage. After his death she gave birth to a
son. The sudden death of her dear husband was really a great
shock to her and, sadly, she had no relatives or friends to aid
her. But as she was a devout and God-fearing woman, she
found peace and happiness in the worship and presence of her
the prince and the thief
God, even in the midst of all her hardships.
Her son cheered her and helped her to forget the woes
of the past. She raised him in the faith, fear, and love of God.
She patiently endured all hardships and troubles, working very
hard to make a living and to educate her son properly. In her
need, she faced many trials and temptations and bravely over
came them all. At one point, when she was so poor that she
could not provide milk for her son, some wicked young men
tried to take advantage of her situation and lure her into im
morality. But she watched and prayed, and through God's
help, she remained faithful to what she knew was right.
In time, the widow's son grew to manhood and secured
a good post in the city. He had to leave his dear mother behind
in the village, but he faithfully sent her money every month. At
the time of this story, the son had just returned to visit his
mother after two years' absence. Embracing each other, their
hearts overflowed with joy, and tears flowed from their eyes. It
was a wonderful and moving scene. The son bowed in respect
and honor at his mother's feet and put before her all the
money he had saved for her to live out her days in comfort and
security. The mother had also put aside some money every
month from her small earnings for the day when her son
would marry. Rejoicing in their long-awaited reunion, they
placed these tokens of their mutual love in a purse, then ate
and talked together for a long time.
the prince and the thief
Afterwards, they went to bed expecting to rise and see
the next morning with joy and gratitude. But alas! No one
knew that before the sun flashed in the eastern skies their
tears of joy would turn into tears of sorrow and grief. For while
the widow and her son were fast asleep the same thief, whom
the prince had forgiven, broke into the hut searching for valu
ables. Just as he discovered the money in the purse, the widow
and son awoke and discovered him. Thinking only of escaping
with the purse, the thief attacked them with a sharp knife.
What a tragic scene! The son lay dead on the floor in a pool of
blood. The poor widow hardly noticed her own wounds. She
screamed helplessly, fainted, and fell down on her son's dead
body. Neighbors rushed to help, but they were bewildered and
stunned to find the son dead and the mother lying senseless
on top of him.
In the morning, the widow recovered a little from her
swoon and three or four women helped her in the funeral pro
cession, while the neighbors carried her son's coffin to the vil
lage cemetery. But as the coffin was laid in the grave, the
mother fainted again. As the people tried to rouse her, they
discovered that she had breathed her last. Killed by grief, she
was buried with her son in the same grave. The entire kingdom
was enraged at the news of this tragedy. A large reward was
offered for the capture of the culprit. Some people suspected
the thief, but no one had any evidence. Months passed with
the prince and the thief
out any progress in the case.
About this same time, the king became very ill and the
prince returned to the palace to nurse his father. After some
days, the old king died, and when news of his death reached
the people, they lamented greatly. After the days of public
mourning, the prince succeeded his father and was crowned
king. On his coronation day, crowds of people had gathered
from the four corners of his kingdom. Many of them were as
tonished to recognize the prince as the man who had lived
among them as a merchant. During the reign of this new king,
all the people prospered and the country progressed, because
he knew his people well. He knew from his own experience
how to deal with them and how to improve their condition.
Finally, the time came when wickedness should reap its
evil harvest. One day, the thief was drinking and enjoying him
self in a wine merchant's shop. That day he drank so much that
he became senselessly drunk. He began to talk stupidly, and
without realizing what he was saying, he confessed his guilt: "I
killed the widow's son. With his money I enjoyed life. Now I
defy any man who dares to catch me." He had hardly finished
speaking when he was arrested and put in jail. After he came
to his senses, he regretted his stupidity and unsuccessfully tried
many tricks to escape his fate.
The next day he appeared in the court of a magistrate,
but because of the seriousness of the offence, the magistrate
the prince and the thief
sent his case to the king. As soon as the thief saw the king he
turned white as a ghost. He knew it would be useless for him
to try and talk his way out of anything, for he at once recog
nized the king as the merchant who had taken pity on him.
The king asked him, "Do you recognize me?" "Yes, Your Maj
esty," the thief replied. Then the king asked further, "Do you
wish to defend yourself?" "No, Your Majesty," he said. The
king added: "Look here. I admonished you repeatedly, years
ago, and had forgiven you. I gave you ample time to reform
and become a good and law-abiding citizen. But you did not
listen. You wasted all your precious opportunities and now
your sin has found you out. Not only has your sin revealed you,
but it also cries out against you and convicts you. Through your
crime, you have determined your own fate." The thief was
taken from the king's presence and executed.
In the same way, we will all be judged on the last day
when God judges the living and the dead. The Master lived on
earth as the son of man. He knows every one of us well. He
cries out to us: "Now is the hour of pardon! Now is the day of
salvation." If we are indifferent to a salvation as great as that
now offered to us, our sins will surely convict us and lead us to
death.
the prince and the thief
dyva vileenam oneness with god
Seeker: Sadhu-ji, your teaching pro mises release from attachment to this world. Please tell me more about this spiritual freedom.
Sadhu: So many people are impressed by human in genuity and our ability to tap the power of lightning, wind, light, and all the other myriad forces of nature. Yet, to overcome the passions and seductions of this world and to gain mastery over oneself is truly a much greater achievement. By leading a life of prayer, we receive from God the gift to dwell in the spiritual realm even while we remain in the material world. If we live in prayer, no force of evil or temptation can overcome us; we remain in safe communion with God without any fear. If we abandon the gift of prayer, we become like well-trained animals and no longer rec ognize our own imperfection, our relationship with God, or our responsibility for our neighbors.
dyva vileenam
Once the Master took three of his followers with him onto a mountain. There they experienced spiritual real
ity so intensely, that for a short time they saw something of the Master's divine glory. They were so captivated by that glimpse of the divine, they wanted to conse crate that place and remain there. How much more wonderful will it be when we enter fully into the spiri tual realm and behold the unfading majesty of God.
Seeker: But isn't God everywhere? Can't we experi ence God by communing with nature and the world around us?
Sadhu: Both water and oil come from the earth. And
though they are similar in many ways, they are oppo sites in their nature and their purpose. One extin guishes fire, the other gives fuel to the fire. Similarly, the world and its treasures are creations of God along with the soul and its thirst for spiritual truth. But if we try to quench the thirst of our soul with the wealth and pride and honors of this world, then it is like trying to extinguish fire with oil. The soul will only find peace and contentment in the One who created it along with its longing. When we turn to the living Master, we re ceive water that satisfies our soul. This water is a well of spiritual life that springs up deep within us.
dyva vileenam
It is pointless to seek peace in the things of this world. Peace and satisfaction are not to be found there. It is like the boy who found an onion and peeled away layer after layer, hoping to find something in side. When he had peeled away the innermost skin, he found nothing else. So this physical existence and all that it contains is empty and hollow until we discover the true source of peace. The water of life cannot be contained in earthen tanks, but those who approach the Risen One with a pure heart will find the answer.
Seeker: Are you saying that this material world is completely evil?
dyva vileenam
Sadhu: We must live in this world, and we can do so without losing our true spiritual nature. The things of this world need not harm us. Indeed, they can help us to grow spiritually. But this is only possible if we con tinually turn our hearts to the sun of righteousness.
Sometimes we come to a filthy, polluted place and find flowers blooming and giving off a sweet fra grance that overcomes even the stench around them. The plants are turned to the sun and receive its life
sustaining light. The filth does not harm them, but ac tually nourishes and mulches them so that they grow all the more richly. It is similar when we pray and turn our hearts to the sun of wholeness. We receive lifegiving light and warmth so that our blossoming spiri tual lives give off a gentle fragrance. Out of these gentle blossoms grow undying fruits.
When we neglect our spiritual life, then the same material things that are provided for our support be come a poisonous curse. The sun provides light and warmth so that plants can grow and bloom, but the same sun withers and destroys the plant if its roots no longer draw in water. In the same way, air is a source of life and strength, but it is also the catalyst for rot ting and decay. So watch and pray that you are rooted in life and not in death.
dyva vileenam
We all know that we cannot live without water. But while we need and use water, we must also watch that we do not slip beneath the surface. In the same way, we need the things of this material world, but we must exercise caution. God created earthly things for people to use. But we must not immerse ourselves in them or we will drown the breath of prayer and die.
Seeker: I cannot grasp what this means, to live in the world without immersing ourselves in it. Can you make this clearer?
Sadhu: Think of the ship; it belongs in the water, but water must not come into the ship – that would be di sastrous. Similarly, it is right and fitting that we live in this world, and if we stay above the surface, then we can reach the safe harbor of life – and help others to do so. But it would be our demise if the world pen etrated into our hearts. The spiritual person holds the heart free for the One who created it.
Waterfowl swim on the water, in constant contact
with it, but when they fly, their feathers are free of water. So it is with those who pray: we live in constant contact with this material world, but when we rise in prayer, our spirits ascend into bliss without fault or blemish.
dyva vileenam
The creatures of the sea live their entire lives in salt water. Yet, when we taste their flesh, we find that it is not salty. It is the same with us. If we maintain an active prayer life, if we turn constantly to the source of life, we remain free of the world's corrupting influence.
Just as the bee gathers the sweet juice of the flowers and turns it into honey without harming their color or
fragrance, so we gather in prayer the joys and benefits from all of creation. As the bees gather honey from various flowers and various places into the honey comb, so we gather precious thoughts and experiences from every part of creation and, in communion with God, store them as honey of truth in our hearts. Then with boundless peace of spirit, we taste the honey wherever we are.
Seeker: As long as our souls are confined within ma terial bodies, how can we ever really escape the cor rupting influence of the material world?
dyva vileenam
Sadhu: The saltwater of the sea evaporates under the heat of the sun and rises into the sky. There it gathers into clouds and in time falls again to the earth, but now as sweet, refreshing rain. In rising from the sea, the water leaves behind all salt and impurity. So it is with our thoughts and desires in prayer. The sun of righteousness illuminates our souls and enables our thoughts and desires to rise up into the spiritual realm free from impurity. Then they return to us bringing refreshment and blessings to many.
Some plants close their leaves and flowers at sunset, opening up again with the gentle morning sunlight. They use the hours of daylight to take in the warmth and light, and this sustains them through the cold and dark of night. In the same way, if we open our hearts to the sun of righteousness, we are preserved even through the dangers and hardships of darkness, and we grow into the fullness and stature of the Master.
Some sea creatures have such a delicate structure that even the splash of a wave will tear them to shreds. They are so sensitive to the atmosphere around them, that if there is any hint of a change in the weather, they sink into the ocean depths beyond the reach of storms and waves. We, too, must be sensitive to the atmosphere around us. When the storm of evil and suffering threatens to tear us apart, we must dive at once into the ocean of God's love where there is eter nal calm.
dyva vileenam
Seeker: Is it true then, beloved Sadhu, that one can experience miraculous protection through prayer?
Sadhu: I have experienced many dangers in my trav els, often because intolerant people wished to see me
come to harm. Once near Kailas, I asked directions to the nearest village. Out of spite, the villagers deliber ately sent me down a dangerous jungle path. As night came on, I came to a river that blocked my path and there was still no village to be seen. Already in the dusk, I could hear the sounds of wild animals nearby. With no way to cross the river, I sat down and prayed, thinking that the end of my life was at hand. When I looked up, I saw a man on the other side of the river beside a fire. He called to me: "Do not be afraid! I am coming to help you." I was astonished to see him wade purposefully across the swift river. Coming up to me, he said, "Sit on my shoulders and have no fear." As easily as before, he walked straight across the current with me on his back. He set me down on the far bank, and as I walked beside him, both he and the fire disappeared.
dyva vileenam
Another evening, I was driven out of a village by an angry crowd, wielding clubs. They drove me into the forest until I came to a rock face and could go no further. There I huddled among the stones waiting for them to attack me and batter me to death. But nothing happened. After it was quiet for a time, I looked around and there was no sign of my tormentors. I built a fire, tended my wounds and slept at that same
place. In the morning, I awoke to the sight of several men staring at me fearfully from a distance. Cau tiously, they approached and offered me food and drink, asking, "Sadhu-ji, who were those men in shin ing robes who stood around you last night?"
Once, at a town called Rasar in Tibet, I was taken before the head Lama and accused of heresy because I shared freely about the Master's work in freeing us from our sin. An angry mob dragged me to the edge of town, stripped me of all my clothes and cast me into a dry well that was then locked shut with a lid. My arm was injured in the fall, but worse than the pain was the smell. Many others had suffered the same fate and wherever I reached in the darkness I could feel bones and rotting flesh. The smell was vile. It was like hell. There I was tempted to doubt: "Where is the Master now? Why has he allowed this to happen?" But I also remember a sense of peace, a certainty that the Master was there with me.
dyva vileenam
I do not know how long I had been in the well, per haps two or three days, when I heard a grating sound overhead. Someone was opening the lock and drag ging away the lid. A rope came down and a voice commanded me to take hold of the rope. I grasped it with all my remaining strength and was dragged up
into the night air. As I lay on the ground, breathing in the fresh air, I could hear the well being closed and locked again. When I looked around, I couldn't see anyone. I do not know who rescued me, but in my heart, I know that it was the Master.
The next day, I went again into the village and started to teach those who would listen. Some people dragged me again before the Lama, and I told him the whole story of my rescue. He was very angry and or dered that a search be made for the man who had taken the key to the lid. But when he discovered that the key still hung on his own belt, he was speechless. He ordered me to leave the village at once, lest my Master should punish him and the village.
dyva vileenam
Seeker: I find it difficult to believe that such amazing things are possible. Can we really move God through prayer to alter the natural course of events?
Sadhu: The scientific mind does not grasp how the author of life holds in his hands the created laws of nature. It is God who establishes the laws of nature. Thus, it is foolish to suggest that miracles violate the laws of nature. There are actually higher laws about
which we know little or nothing. In prayer, we can come to gradually recognize these higher laws. Then, we understand that miracles are not only possible but even natural.
In very cold places, it is quite common for the sur face of a river to freeze over while the water still flows beneath. I have crossed many such rivers safely and easily. But if I travel in tropical regions and tell people that there are bridges of solid water across flowing rivers and that I myself have walked across such bridges, then they shake their heads in complete be wilderment and argue that such a thing is impossible. Likewise, those who live only by the senses and by reason are utterly ignorant of the spiritual life and what things are possible through prayer.
dyva vileenam
God is spirit and God's ways are spiritual. Spiritual things cannot be grasped by human reason; they can only be seen with spiritual eyes. The greatest miracle is to be born in the spirit, to experience true peace. Once we personally experience the Master and how he has shattered the relentless cycle of sin and death and released us from our own sinful nature, we know that all things are possible with God. Once we have expe rienced this greatest of miracles, all other miracles
seem small by comparison. That a poor, restless, im pure, fallen soul can receive God's forgiveness and taste the Master's peace – this is the miracle of miracles. Whoever believes in this miracle believes in all miracles.
In great fear or anger or madness, a person can do extraordinary feats that seem far beyond human strength – like breaking iron chains. Clearly, this strength is latent within the human body and only comes to expression when the entire energy and con centration of mind and body is directed toward a single purpose. In meditation, our spiritual strength is similarly focused. Divine power flows through us, overcoming the chains of sin and spurring us to mar vellous spiritual feats. But beware! Consider the power of guns and bombs that wreak destruction and devas tation. Spiritual power can also be used for evil ends.
dyva vileenam
Seeker: God will truly grant whatever we pray for?
Sadhu: Some people think that we alter God's will and plans through prayer, but it is actually our hearts that are changed. The unfulfilled potential of our soul is ever striving to reach beyond the limitations of this
imperfect life. When a bird first lays her eggs and be gins to brood and warm them, there is only formless liquid inside. But as the mother continues to cover them with her own body, the liquid inside is trans formed. It becomes solid and takes on the form of the mother. Similarly, our prayer does not change God. Rather, it is we who are transformed into the glory and image of God.
We do not pray to inform God of our needs. We pray in order to open our hearts to the giver of all blessings. When the Master departed from his dis ciples he did not pour the Spirit out onto them the same day. They needed a period of special inner preparation before they were ready for this gift. If we receive God's blessing without expecting it and with out being inwardly prepared for it, we will appreciate neither the gift nor will we hold onto it for long. It was the same with Saul, the first king of Israel. He was not seeking to serve God, he was only concerned about lost donkeys. So when he received the spirit of God and was anointed as king, he was not inwardly pre pared. Because of this, he soon lost both.
dyva vileenam
Seeker: What, then, is true prayer?
Sadhu: When we see a crane or heron standing mo tionless on the shore of a lake or pond, we might think it is meditating on the beauty of the water. But this is not so! The bird stands there for hours without mov ing, but as soon as it sees a frog or small fish, it darts forward and greedily snatches it. Many people have the same approach to prayer and meditation. Seated on the shore of the boundless ocean of God's love, they actually give no thought to his majesty or to the divine grace that cleanses us from sin and satisfies the hun gry soul. Instead, they are consumed by the thought of receiving something for themselves, some morsel to gratify their self-indulgence. Having visited the very source of true peace and bliss, they fail to appreciate it and instead give themselves to fleeting pleasures.
dyva vileenam
The essence of prayer does not consist in asking for things, but in opening one's heart to God. Prayer is continual abandonment to God. It is the desire for God himself, the giver of life. Prayer is communion with God, receiving him who is the giver of all good gifts, living a life of fellowship with him. It is breath ing and living in God.
A little child will run to his mother exclaiming: "Mother! Mother!" The child does not necessarily want anything in particular. He only wants to be near
his mother, to sit on her lap, or to follow her about the house. The child longs for the sheer pleasure of being near her, talking to her, hearing her voice. This is what makes him happy. It is just the same with those who are truly God's children. They do not trouble themselves with asking for spiritual blessings. They only want to sit at the Master's feet, to be in living touch with him; then they are supremely content.
Climate affects the form, color, and growth pat terns of plants and flowers. In the jungle we often see insects that have taken on the form and color of the grass and green leaves on which they feed. In the snow of the North, the polar bear's fur has the same snowy whiteness. The Bengal tiger wears stripes on its skin like the reeds where it lives. Our spiritual envi ronment similarly affects us. If we remain in com munion with God, our habits and disposition – even our appearance – are all changed. To pray means to be on speaking terms with God, to be in communion with him and to be transformed into his likeness. We begin to take on a glorious and incorruptible spiritual nature.