SEVEN PATHS TO PERFECTION Dear Ones: I received much appreciative encouragement from many a dear one
when Circular No. 17 was issued and released in August 1961. This helped a lot
in some ways and many aspirants benefitted therefrom. A similar communication
is being released now for your guidance and assimilation. A tiny seed contains a mighty oak in its heart which can blossom
into fullness by proper nourishment and protection. All young and tender
saplings do need hand-watering, periodical weeding, fertilising and protective
hedging against the stray wayside cattle so that the saplings are not harmed.
In due course of time the tree grows into full maturity, providing shade and
shelter to the wayside travellers and becoming a source of help and inspiration
to others. Exactly in the same manner, the Holy Seed of Initiation thrives best
in a rich and fertile soil formed of high ethical values and loving compassion.
A divine stir by the Living Master of the soul in man is a happy start for the
long spiritual journey ahead. You have been therefore invariably advised to do
self-introspection which helps in developing fertility and in germinating the
divinity to full bloom. The five cardinal virtues enumerated in the prescribed
self-introspective diary aid immeasurably in covering the entire field of
ethics, and help a lot to invoke the Divine Mercy. All these are discussed
briefly under their headings. CARDINAL VIRTUES 1. AHIMSA (NON
VIOLENCE): It is an ennobling virtue that brings each one to par with his or
her fellow beings, and ultimately leads to the principle of the brotherhood of
man and the Fatherhood of God. The cultivation of this virtue demands a broad
development of toleration towards all, irrespective of their shortcomings and
failures. To radiate the grand principle of the Family of Man on the divine
ground of loving and compassionate desire for the well-being of all, costs very
little but counts very much. A heart full of divine compassion is the abode of
all virtues. A close review of the problem would show that ordinarily we are
neither worried nor irritated when everything goes in accordance with our
wishes. No sooner do we fancy that our interests are thwarted or feelings are
injured, than a chain of reactions starts, resulting in violence in thought,
word and deed, according to one's physical, mental or moral make-up. Many of us
consider it our legitimate duty to repay the real or supposed insult in the
same coin, and very few would consider it a virtue to forego, forgive and
forget. Jesus always preached the two cardinal virtues: (1) "Love Thy
Neighbor as Thyself" and (2) "Love Thine Enemies." Does that
mean that it is out of timidity or weakness that one should love and forbear
one's enemies? No, there is something moral and divine that lies at the root of
such an attitude. The place where fire burns becomes heated first and then transmits
its heat to the atmosphere around. So is the case with the fire of anger. An
imagined or supposed wrong keeps rankling in the mind like a thorn. When one cannot bear its intensity, one bursts forth into flames
of hatred and contempt (begins abusing right and left), loses his balance of
mind, and like a canker keeps emitting a malign odor that virtually goes on
polluting the atmosphere around. Most of our injuries and wrongs are the
outcome of our own process of thinking, and such thoughts breed countless
others, multiplying in geometrical proportion. We can get out of this vicious
cycle only by changing our attitude towards life. Why sacrifice our natural
equanimity for mere trifles, for passing bubbles and vapory nothings that are
things of no consequence? Instead of brooding over these supposed and imagined
wrongs, it would be better by far to contemplate on the higher aspects of life,
the divinity within and the divinity without, for this world is verily of the
Divine and Divinity resides therein. If we really wish for God and aspire to
attain to the Godhead, we must learn to love His creation, for God is nothing
but Love. St. John has emphatically proclaimed, "He that Loveth not,
knoweth not God, for God is Love." Saith Kabir, "The soul in man is
of the same Essence as of God." This being the case, we must try to live
in our natural habitat of love and all that is and belongs to love, for love
beautifies everything within and without. We live because of the Love of God
which is but a life-Principle. Love, Life and Light are synonymous. The whole
creation is the manifestation of His Love and God verily dwelleth in it. Again,
it is said that the entire creation has sprung from Light and none need
therefore be dubbed as "Good" or "Bad". Intrinsically, all
of us have our roots deeply embedded in the Light and Love of God though we may
not be aware of it because we seldom get an opportunity to peep inward, for we
are all the time wholly engrossed in outer environments and have not the least
idea of what lies within the real essence of essences, the source of all life,
which is the Love and Light of God. If we only knew this and practiced it in
our workaday life, we could not but live within the Love of Him by whose Love
we live and all life exists. AHIMSA (Non-violence) then is the practical aspect
of the Divine Life, and a Fruit that grows on the Tree of Life. 2. TRUTHFULNESS: God is Truth and Truth is God. A truthful person always works in
the Light of God. He has nothing to fear in the world. Ever clothed in the
Divine Light, he works and bears himself in Godly simplicity, for God is his
sheet-anchor and a haven of refuge. Don't tell lies. If you do so, you deceive
yourself first and then others; moreover, you have to tell many more lies to
cover your one lie. One should therefore follow the motto: "Be true to
your own self--don't deceive yourself." If one is true to his own self, he
is to fear none, "for he is true to God in him, Who is in all
hearts." He would, therefore, speak truth, think truth, and deal in truth,
for he is aware of the divine help at every step. Adversity cannot deter him,
misfortune cannot betray him, and opposition cannot waylay him, because the
gracious God Power is his shield and help and comes to his aid anywhere and
everywhere. Such a heart becomes an abode of all other virtues which follow of
their own, to find sympathetic cooperation. Truth does not mean simply speaking
truth and thinking truth, but it is a righteous mode of life. Truth is above
all, but higher still is true living. Our actions should be exemplary so that
they show and denote that we belong to a noble school of thought, based on
Truth, Piety and Love. A tree is known by the fruit it bears. The divine tree
of spirituality needs to be nourished with the waters of Ahimsa and
Truthfulness. "Truth," says Kabir, "is the highest of all
virtues, while falsehood is the vilest of vices." The Truth of Truths
resides in the innermost recesses of the human soul and needs to be dug out,
unearthed and freely practiced in all our dealings. The True Sound-Principle is the source of all life, and it is only
by contacting It on the Divine Ground that we become truly truthful and our
life can be molded on the pattern of Truth. By practicing Truth and living in
Truth, one gets clothed in the Love of the Lord and freely extends love to all
and sundry. In all the four ages, because He incarnated in all four ages, Kabir
preached of the true Sound-Principle. It is through day to day contact with
This that one purifies one's life and makes one's self a fit receptacle for the
Divine Grace. 3. CHASTITY: Chastity is life and indulgence is death. Continence is a virtue
to be observed for success in all the spheres of life, be they mundane or
spiritual. A clean and chaste life is a fertile soil wherein the Holy Seed of
Spirituality thrives the best. It consists of restraint in thought, word and
deed, as in each case the poison is injected into the depths of the mind and
multiplies with accumulated impurities of countless ages. To cultivate chastity
is an uphill task that requires a long-drawn struggle through life -- something
very strenuous indeed. Fortunate are those who practice celibacy because they
are in a far better position to follow the Path Godwards than those who are
wallowing in the miserable mire of self-indulgence. A normal temperate married
life as enjoined by the scriptures is, however, no bar to spirituality. An analysis of the facts of life will show that normally much
depends upon our environment and mode of living. Diet plays an important part
in the build-up of our mental thinking. The food we take when assimilated in
the system, colors our life impulses in its own color. The very bones and blood
get dyed in the color of the food we take. Adulterated or dead foods cannot be
the source of Life. This is why the Masters on the Path of Spirituality always
insist on complete abstinence from all meats, fish, fowl and eggs (both fertile
and infertile), and from all alcoholic beverages or intoxicants and other
opiates and stimulants, as one dulls the thinking faculty and the other flares
up animal passions within and renders one insensate to the higher impulses in
life. "As you think, so you become," is an age-old aphorism, and to
it may be added, "As is the food, so is the mind." A natural diet, comprising vegetables, fruits, nuts, butter, bread
and cheese, in moderate quantities, is highly nutritious for the health and
strength necessary for carrying on the obligations of life, either earthly or
spiritual. An eminent physician says, "We dig our graves in the kitchen,
and more deeply with our teeth." Moreover, closely connected with this
problem is the far-reaching inexorable Law of Karma -- the Law of Cause and
Effect, or of Action and Reaction. "As you sow, so shall you reap,"
is an adage too well known to need any comments. You cannot have roses out of
tares. Everything in the world, or of the world, has to be paid for. Even our
so-called joys and pleasures require a price. You cannot take away life without
paying the penalty thereof. "The wages of sin," said Christ, "is
death" and you can well decide for yourself if you are prepared to pay for
it. By the observance of Brahmcharya (celibacy), we not only preserve
the vital fluid of life (which is rather an invaluable asset in the physical
body and can in no way be underrated) but it positively helps one in attuning
to the Divinity, already woven into the very pattern of our life but lost in
the mighty swirl of the world. The lost strands of the life- giving threads - the Holy Light and
the Audible Life Stream - as manifested by the Master, cannot be held for any
length of time, unless we are firmly embedded in the life of chastity. A vacant
mind is the devil's workshop, and hence constant repetition of the Charged
Words and Remembrance of the Master are counselled. These act as powerful aids
and help in anchoring the mind and keeping it steadfast in the otherwise
tumultuous sea of life. It should be clearly understood that no amount of
intellectual attainments or sophisticated reasoning can stand by you in an hour
of tortuous agony, only the gracious protection of the Master. Again, ripe
fruits retain their freshness so long as they remain on the branches, but when
once plucked can only be preserved either in honey or in some high grade
refrigerators. The personal Aura of the Gracious Master is the Embalming Honey
and His Loving Protection, the invaluable Cold Storage, where one may find hope
for liberation from this ancient malady. The lives dedicated to the Holy Cause
of God have left behind records of their precious experiences which show in
abundance that there is hope for everybody, provided one is earnest in his or
her endeavors, and provided above all there is proper guidance and help from a
truly competent Master-soul. As every Saint has a past so has every sinner a
future, but nothing can be accomplished without the Grace of the Master Power
overhead. The child-disciple has, of course, to keep himself busy and occupied
in something useful, or at least in repeating the Sacred Charged Names
mentally, shunning bad company and uncongenial environment -- like the study of
obscene literature and art -- and by avoiding looking into the eyes of others,
particularly of the opposite sex, and in strictly taking a vegetarian diet,
conservatively cooked and in strict moderation. These are some of the helping
factors which if pursued steadfastly can bring in sure results in due course of
time with the grace of the Master Power Overhead. Here it may be necessary to say a few words about Brahmcharya.
Literally speaking, it means the Path (the practical path of one's conduct)
leading to Brahman or God. It consists in controlling all the senses and
channelling them in the right direction. In other words, it makes a life of
continence, temperance and self restraint, including total abstinence from all
kinds of unwholesome foods and drinks. A life like this is a sine qua non or a necessity for the
Path Godwards or Brahmanwards, and aspirants are well advised to follow it
scrupulously. 4. LOVING
HUMILITY: Humility is an ornament of the Saints. It exalts them in the eyes
of both man and God. A genuine Master Saint sees the Light of God in every
living being, and hence no wonder He meets the child-disciple on a level of
equality and treats him or her as His very own. As a fruitful branch hangs low
with the weight of its own fruit, so does the Master, with the weight of the
divine treasures within Him, lovingly meet all and sundry, irrespective of any
social and religious considerations who come to Him to partake of His riches
and to tread the Path to the eternal Home of the Father. "Service before
Self" is a rare gift. When the same "Self" operates in every
living creature, one ought to delight in service for its own sake.
"Self" and "Service" are but two aspects of the divinity. This understanding of the shared nature of the universe, despite
its apparently multi-colored designs and patterns, brings about an attitude of
equipoise which in turn gradually leads to serenity and sublimity, and one gets
engaged in the service of all and begins to see the corresponding self- same
enlivening principle working in all creation. Just as a smallest cog is indispensable in a vast mechanism and
serves a useful purpose, similarly, all is beautiful and full of divine
manifestation, serving a purpose under His Will. Such an idea strengthens the
silken bonds of loving brotherhood, and wins the pleasure of the Lord and the Master.
"Sweet
tongue imbued with humility, O Nanak! is the essence of all virtues." St. Augustine laid great emphasis on the virtue of humility.
Humility first, Humility last, and Humility throughout, was the supreme theme
that he had to give to his audience when he rose to deliver his convocation
address to students. Beyond this, he said, he had nothing more to give them.
Similarly, Kabir once declared that He lived in low humility just as a fish
lived in water, for this exalted man to the status of the Devas or gods. This
is the only virtue that allows a person to enter the Court of Saints. For the
advent of the Beloved, one has to empty out his very own self from within and
then live in Him all the time. Once, Kabir said, he went out in search of a wicked
person, but could find no one in the wide, wide world, and at last when he
peeped within himself, he saw that he was the wickedest of the wicked. This is
the acme of humility. Kabir also said, "I am the lowest as compared with
all others, and all are better than myself -- those who see that way are my
friends." Nanak always spoke of Himself as "Lowly Nanak,"
"Poor Nanak," "Nanak the slave or bondsman." Guru Amardas always prayed to God that He should make Him
"the slave of His slaves." My Master once said that He would like to
make shoes out of His skin for the feet of His devotees. False pride of worldly possession or pelf, assumed superiority
because of spiritual knowledge or intellectual attainments, vanity of earthly
things and status may turn astray the mind of the spiritual aspirant, yet in
course of time all these vanish into thin air. On the other hand, a heart full
of reverential humility is a fit receptacle for His grace, a receptacle which
when filled to overflowing runneth over on its own to others. For a humble
person no sacrifice is too great in the large interests of spiritual
development; whereas a proud person would endlessly await and even miss the
chance when offered. Time and tide wait for no man. Human birth is a priceless
asset granted by Providence in the ascending scale of evolution and its highest
object is spiritual perfection, for which all of us are here. Fortunate are those who are spotted, singled out and Initiated
into the Mysteries of the Beyond, and are linked with the divine attributes of
Holy Light and Celestial Sound. It is now up to us to "make hay while the
sun shines." If we take but one step forward, He will come a million steps
to receive and to greet us. The very idea of attaining spiritual perfection is
a happy augury and a happy prelude to the greatest venture in one's life. It is
the Divine Mercy which when stirred, brings about such a sublime thought. This
grand Mystery of Life cannot be resolved by intellectual attainments or by
sophisticated reasoning which may bring in knowledge but not wisdom, and which
also may induce that pride of learning and leadership making it all the more
difficult to enter the Kingdom of God. The crown of all understanding is to
realize our present state of self-complacency and the abject misery in which we
are unwillingly caught and feel helpless to escape. A closer view of things
will reveal that the soul is enshrouded with thick veils of ignorance and is
being driven hopelessly in endless gyres up and down on the Giant Wheel of Creation. 5. DIET: As already discussed under the caption of CHASTITY, diet plays an
important and integral part in the life of a spiritual aspirant and as such
should be given its due importance. All prohibited foods and drinks should be
scrupulously eschewed even in the face of medical advice, as none of these can
lengthen the scheduled life-span nor are, in fact, conducive to nourishment. It
is certainly, a wrong notion that flesh or eggs give extra vigor or strength;
on the contrary, these things flare up the carnal appetites which in the long
run result in gross dissipation of energy. It is gratifying to learn that the people, all the world over, are
gradually coming to realize the benefits of the vegetarian diet, and the
leaders of this thought have taken upon themselves the duty of propagating its
importance among the masses. So far, the world has witnessed no less than
fourteen Conferences held in different parts. India, too, had the good fortune
to hold one in the year 1957 when representatives from different countries of
the world gathered together to exchange their views in the time-honored and
historic capital - Delhi. An advanced section of public opinion has, of late, begun to lay
greater stress on what they call "vegetable-ism" as distinct from
"vegetarianism". If we, for instance, look at goats, horses, bulls
and elephants, we find how healthy and strong they are, so much that in all
mechanical terminology, we calculate the load-capacity in terms of
"horsepower." St. Paul in his Epistles to the Corinthians said "Meats for
the belly, and the belly for meats; but God shall destroy both it and
them." "Again, it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine,
nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth." And God said, “ I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is
upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a
tree-yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.'" (Genesis 1:29) "The Gospel of the Holy Twelve:" "Therefore ye shall eat no flesh, nor drink strong drink; for
the child shall be consecrated to God from his mother's womb, and neither flesh
nor strong drink shall be taken, nor shall razor touch his head." Now Mary and Joseph, His parents, went up to Jerusalem every year
at the Feast of the Passover, and observed the feast after the manner of their
brethren, who abstained from bloodshed and the eating of flesh and from strong
drink. "... and eat not that which is set before you. That which is
gotten by the taking of life, touch not for it is not lawful to you. ... The
son of Man is not come to destroy but to save; not to take life, but to give
Life to body and soul." MERITS 6. SELFLESS SERVICE Man is a three-fold entity, comprising body, mind and soul and it
behooves one to be of service to his fellow beings in all of the three spheres.
"By Love serve one another" is the exhortation of St. Paul. A Persian
text says, "Service exalteth the server." "Selfless Service" is said to be a great virtue and a
reward in itself. It is the central theme of the sacred teachings of the
Masters. The Living Master is an embodiment of Selfless Service. He always
rushes to the aid of His Loving Children all the world over, caring little for
His physical comfort. It is the Divine Law which He reveals and fulfills in His
own person. Out of sheer compassion for His brethren He serves all to redeem
them from the "Great Wheel" by inverting their attention within and
by linking them with the saving life-lines. The more one serves, the more one's
self expands and in course of time goes out to embrace the entire creation. We
must, therefore, take upon us the task of bringing the Master's message to
every nook and corner so that people may know of the wonderful opportunity that
is theirs and avail themselves of it as best as they can. Again, selfless
service may assume different forms according to one's means and capacity. Some
may like to attend the needy, the poor, the downtrodden people or the sick and
the disabled, by lending a helping hand in their distress. If you attend a sick person or stand by an afflicted one, you
serve the Divine Cause. Certainly you do not and cannot take away the sickness
or affliction but surely you can help in assuaging the sufferings by your
kindly words and deeds. Every sweet word uttered or helping hand extended to
those in distress goes a long way in purifying the mind and the body. A loving
heart is a fit receptacle for the Divine grace, for God is Love. "He who
knows not love cannot know God, for God is Love," says St. John. Love knows
no barriers and no class distinctions. Love flows equally and freely towards
all, transcending all impediments. Again, a rich person with a loving heart would wish to share his
riches with the indigent or the needy and spend his money in charitable and
philanthropic purposes. The system of Tithe has been prevalent in practically
all of the established religions of the world, and it has a deep significance
because tithe-paying shows how honest a man is and his offerings show how
liberal he is. From the old records it appears that all of the countries in the
East from Egypt to Afghanistan, and all the Christian world were following the
system of paying one-tenth of their earnings for the good of the people at
large. Among the Muslims, there is an institution of "Zakat" which
requires every person to set apart every year one-fortieth of his possessions
for charity. Among the Sikhs and Hindus, this system goes by the name of
"Daswand" which is an equivalent for tithe. The Master, however, has
extended it further (apart from one's monetary earnings) to the dedication of
time for meditation, as well -- viz., about two and one-half hours out of 24
hours. The Masters further enjoin, "Be in tune with God, and share your
earnings with all the others in need." Kabir said, "By giving away
money, it will not be lessened. If you are not satisfied, you may try for your
own self." But offerings should be free and voluntary and should not be
inspired by any thought of reward or be the outcome of impositions from
without, for then, instead of being a source of liberation, they become the
source of bondage. Again, charity should not be misplaced but it should be given to
alleviate the sufferings of the distressed in the world. In fact, the
all-knowing Master is the best judge for He knows how best to utilize the
subscriptions coming from His disciples and puts them to a really useful
purpose. One must be extra discriminative and vigilant enough, lest by the
misuse of his hard-earned money one may be contracting more Karmic debts, instead
of liquidating the existing ones, for every action howsoever good has a
reaction and leads to bondage. This may be bondage with golden fetters, as Lord
Krishna pointed out to the warrior Prince Arjuna, when he said that all deeds
whether good or bad have an equally binding efficacy and chains forged by them
may be of gold or iron. St. Ignatius of Loyola tells us -- "The seeds of
sanctity and sin are already within us." It all depends upon which of
these we choose to cultivate in the garden of our soul. 7. SPIRITUAL
PRACTICES Spiritual practices form an essential part in the spiritual
aspirant's life and should, therefore, be a daily "must." The
repetition of the Five Sacred Charged Names conveyed at the time of Holy
Initiation, orally or mentally, is not a difficult task, and carries a deep
meaning. Although it looks so simple and easy at the outset to obtain
proficiency in it, one needs extra love and fortitude. You will appreciate that
the Holy Names carry the Life Impulse of the Master, which works wonders in
withdrawing the sensory currents from the body level up to the eye- focus, thus
preparing the soul for the eventual inner Journey on to the regions of bliss
and harmony. Certain hours for meditation should, therefore, be fixed, set
apart, and pursued regularly and earnestly for each such repast brings in
nourishment to the soul, and one is led within to the Divine Light which
dispels the Darkness of Ignorance. It is like purifying the receptive vessel
every day for receiving the Divine Grace. Daily meditations clear the gross
dross that one gets at the sensuous level. The second important part of
meditation is listening to the Holy Sound Current, the Audible Life-Stream,
coming from the right side. It is equally an important aspect of the spiritual practices
and should not be ignored or lost sight of. After Initiation, it is the
disciple's duty to enrich his spiritual experiences from day to day and he can
certainly extend his field with the grace of the Master to any length he may
like, opening up new vistas of sublime glory and beatitude. In short, self introspection helps in cutting the branches and
pruning all that is undesirable, while meditation (spiritual practices) strikes
at the very stem of the tree of worldly life. Before closing this paper, it may be worthwhile to say something
about the tremendous amount of correspondence with which the Master has to deal
from day to day and this work, as you will appreciate, is expanding limitlessly
with the passage of time. All the dear ones are, therefore, to be careful in
this behalf. It however does not mean that you should not write letters to the
Master. You are, on the contrary, most welcome to do so and particularly in all
matters of vital importance when you really feel that the local representatives
are unable to offer a satisfactory solution to your problems, or you wish to
have instructions covering inner mystical experiences on which the Master alone
is competent to give advice. But in all matters of a routine nature and guidance in daily life,
it may be easier and speedier to discuss matters of local interest directly
with the Master's representatives and they, too, have His instructions to refer
to Him all matters about which they may feel any hesitation to deal with
satisfactorily. With lots of love and deep affection for you all. Yours affectionately, Kirpal Singh
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