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69 Keep My Commandments February 27,
1971 Food. All
right, go on. The people who
are interested in your teaching are very often asking why we should not eat
eggs, because the eggs these days have no living germs in them and cannot be
developed into chickens. First of all,
where is the surety that every egg does not have that element in it? are they
sure? There are so many eggs mixed together. When they sell eggs in the shops,
you see, there is no differentiation. You cannot earmark definitely what is fertile or fertile –first thing. The
other reason –eggs are not be used because they flare up passions is not for
three moths and never used any eggs. I never felt the necessity for it. if you
stomach is all right –Eat less than you actually want –no disease will overtake
you. so that is the reason for that. What else? Yes? Oftentimes you
are invited by non initiates and they offer you certain foods which we are
expected to take; if you do not take that food they will be offended, she
thinks. If anybody
offers you poison are you going to accept? Politely refuse; especially poison.
One man came to me. “There is something in the Bible which says whatever is
offered should be accepted.” He quoted something like that and said, “if anybody
will offer any food, I will accept.” And because of that condition he was not
initiated. I did not give to see to what you are know that it does not suit
you. If a friend offers you something, and he knows fully well that does not
suit you –will he press you to take it? no. common sense. These are only lame
excuses, I would say. Those who reason in this way want some excuse to have
that food, that’s all. So far it has
never happened that I was invited anywhere and they pressed me to eat meat.
Sometimes even the other people did to have it. if they ate it themselves, they
never invited me. But even if they would invite me, if that flesh food was
there I should not take it, that’s all. Only take what is necessary. In America
we were invited by - - - to a banquet
hall so sumptuous that even the kings could not offer so many kinds of fishes,
so many kinds of meat. Plates were passed out to us. I took one cup of tea!
Others who were with me did not partake. They were also passing on the dishes.
More than fifty, seventy, eighty kinds of plates were passed on. And - - - was
wise enough , as he also did not take things. He did not know that I was wise
enough, as he also did not take things. He did not know that I was not taking
meat or fish. With all that, he did his best to prepare a very sumptuous
banquet the likes of which even the kings gave a spread that way. With all of
that, I took only a cup of tea. He also did not take any. It happens many
times, but it is for you to decide lovingly; you are not to antagonize anybody. Sometimes I'm
invited not by friends, but by some colleagues, or by your chief in some place
where you are working. And if you will not accept the invitation, will you hurt
them? If they invite
me, I will go. I will take only what is required of me. they cannot force the
food in your mouth. We also go
sometimes to cocktail parties; it's very important. We take only ginger ale, or
some nuts or something. Yes, take
what suit you. generally if they know,
they don’t prepare dishes you cannot eat. If they're ignorant then that’s
another reason. Even then you need not show your distaste; take only what you
want. These are very little daily dyings, you see. We must use our common
sense. As I told you, if somebody gives you poison, would you accept it, even
from a friend? So politely send off, politely refuse. “Well, it does not suit;
thank you so much anyhow.” When once they come in contact with you and know,
they don’t force. If out of ignorant they prepare something, well, don’t hurt
them. Send it off in a polite way. What else? Master if you
suddenly have to start cooking meat in your job, or sometimes they ask you to
do things which you're not accustomed to do . . . . . . . Look here, if
it is part of your duty, do it, but don’t take it yourself. Baba jaimal Singh,
the Master of our Master, was a military man. he was given the duty of
disturbing the meat to the solders. All right, he kept his own food. If your
duty binds you to cook, you are not to partake, you see. In due course, avoid such
duty. Somebody wrote to me, “Well, it is my duty to taste.” [Master chuckles]
they're paid for that, you see. Sometimes hundreds of , thousands of rupees are
paid for that, only for tasting food. Then what to do? Well, if you taste it,
certainly you ingest it, and have the effect of it. yes? Someone here in
India, a Sikh gentleman, asked me if would mind sitting at the same table with
others who were taking meat, and I said, but not on my plate. What do you do
in the planes? In the airplanes you can have vegetarian food if you tell them
you want it. one time there were no arrangements provide for vegetarians and every few hours they kept running up
with biscuits, with fruit, with this and that. “We are sorry, we did not know.” These are lame
excuses given, that’s all. When they come to know, they never press you. this
is our weak point, you see. At heart of hearts we want it and want some excuse,
“How could I hurt his feelings? He may not be able to take it . . . .” be a man
of principle! Well, being a
man of principle, we also need to know how to speak. Last night I was telling
you about this. There are ways and ways and ways to refuse a thing without
hurting anybody. Kabir said, if a man knows how to speak, it is of such great
value which cannot be comprehended. This is a man who simply knows how to
speak. Remember I told you there are two different in effect. One is crowing
over, “Oh, blind man!” and the other, “Well, dear friend, when did you lose
your eyesight?” is it not same thing? The difference lies in the mode of
expression. One phrase makes our friends enemies. The other phrase makes
enemies our friends. These are
common sense things not laid in books. How many things can you write in books?
So in the physical presence of the Master, you learn many things which are not
given in books, in detail, because he has passed through life like you as a
man; he has not been a recluse. He knows all these difficulties, he has met
with them, and he can tell you how to meet with them. How can a man who has no
experience of the world advice you? we need somebody to guide us who experience
of the world advice you? we need somebody to guide us who has been like us,
passed through the world, and knows the instruction and outs of the world. yes?
Come on up. I learn many things from you people, too. Sweet words
imbued with humility is the panacea for all ills. Sweet words imbued with
humility washes away so many difficulties. Once a man came
to satsang in Delhi and approached me. I was just doing my best; I was a man
like you. he said, “When is the satsang going to be held?” I told him, “I think
it will be between 8:30 and 9.” “What is the exact time? You do not know when
the satsang is going to be held.” It may be so, “ I told him, “but that’s all I
can tell you.” when he came I was giving a talk. “Oh!” he was surprised. I told
him it was between 8:30 and 9 because I did not know that exact time. how could
I ensure that it would be exactly between 8:45 and 8:40? He was right, too. I
told Him “it may be so, “That’s all. He exclaimed, “You are Him –you are a
man!” of course I am a man, you see. I cannot be excommunicated from the
category of man. sainthood does not lie in outer dress, but in simple living
and high thinking. So learn the circular I wrote about humility. I meant
something. That is a very long circular –five, six pages. Yes? (Translated
from German) is it right that satsang is more important than anything else? She
had broken her arm, and so she went to her place, and in doing this she missed
satsang two times. Look here, that
depends on the pain she has. Is she cannot bear that pain, so strong it is,
unbearable, naturally, if she goes home, no harm. But tell you, there are two
friends. one wanted to go to the church, the other wanted to go to the football
match. The man who was in the church was thinking, “My friend is now kicking a
football in the field.” Mentally he was in the field. And the man in the field
was thinking, “my friend is praying.” Who is better of the two? The man who
cannot bear pain, he has gone home, but all the same he is in the church,
satsang, his thoughts are in the satsang. But on thing, if you have control of
your attention, the pain is less. Master, she
says her boss broke her arm she had to work in her place, and that was why she
missed. She is duty
bound. That’s all right. Duty is duty. Once I was to conduct satsang at Lahore.
It was Sunday. Just as it was to start, I sat down. I got information that my
Master has come to Lahore to attend to a surgeon. I was thinking –what to so
now. Should I run to see the Master, or do this duty? I attend the satsang
duty. The satsang was over in two hours. Then I ran up to the place where
Master was to come. When I reached there he had left and went back to beas.
Then I ran up to beas on the evening train, reached there, Amar Das sat by Him.
“Master, I do not know whether I've done right or wrong. I was duty bound to
give a talk, at the very moment I got that information you have come. I could
not decide but I stuck to the duty. After satsang, I went to Lahore but you
were not there, so I've come here.” he said, “ I am pleased you have done your
duty.” You see? Sometimes,
usually twice a week or so, I went to see Him in the evening. I reached there
at about nine, ten in the night, but I has the privilege to be with Him at any
time, day or night. one Saturday –the next day was Sunday –I had a mind to stay
there with the Master, and arrange for somebody else to give a talk. I reached
there are about nine in the night. I went in and sat by Him. So I was thinking
at heart of hearts, I wanted to arrange for tomorrow is satsang?” “Yes.” “Then
you should go.” So duty is duty, you see. I had already made up my mind to pass
the whole day there at least once, but I had to go. Twelve thirty, one morning.
So duty is duty, you see. I've left the dead bodies of my children at home and
gone to perform my duty; he never allowed anybody else to take charge. Well
duty is duty. He never allowed anybody else to take my place. “it's your duty
–go.” Yes.? But with other
duties. . . . . . . Duty is duty.
You must be sincere. Don’t deceive your own self. Why do some men run dan and
night spreading the Master's teaching? What for? Do they get any remuneration?
All the same you are doing duty, you are there. How can a man who is not honest
to himself be honest to anybody else? We must be honest in detail. So duty is
duty you see. In my thirty
six years long service, I never stayed away my office except if I could not
move from the bed. Master also gave me instructions about attending satsang. I
asked one day, “Well, what if a man is sick and he cannot attend the satsant?”
he replied, “so long as he can move, he should attend the satsang.” Once it so
happened it was Sunday, satsang time. I was really sick, but I could move in
the bed. I remember Master's words. “Well, I can move.” I think it was hardly a
furlong away. On the way I sat down three or four times in order to reach that
place; sat down to take rest. When I arrived I sat down, very tired, so weak,
and started satsang. That day satsang extended for three hours. When I came
back I came running! So duty is duty. You are revived. These are lame excuse
me, I tell you. mind stands in the way to deter you from the right way. He’ll
come like a very good gantleman. “Well, you are sick, you cannot go, what can
you do?” we don’t really value the worth of Master's words. I remember the
story of one ayaz, the private sevant of king humayun. The king had great
respect for that private servant. So once his ministers complained, “king, you
care ore for your private servant than you do about us.” “That is because he
takes me as a king.” “Well, naturally, do we not take you as king?” he said,
“no, strangely enough.” Two days later while all ministers were sitting, his
private servant was also there. He sent for one cup from the treasury, studded
with jewels, a very costly cup. He put it on a table and orders his ministers,
“All right, break this cup.” Well, this is very valuable thing, a wonder of the
world.” Next minister also said the same thing. All ministers said, “That is
very valuable; it should not be broken.” “Well look here –ayaz, break it. “He
did not hesitate. He took if and broke it. then the king said, “Oh ayaz, don’t
you know how valuable this cup is that jewels cup.” We don’t take Master as
God. we may say, but how many are there who really know? How valuable this cup
is that jeweled cup.” We don’t take Master as God. we may say, but how many are
there who really know? They mouth is according to their own intellect. The king
said, “I respect Him more it according to their own intellect. The king said, “
I respect Him more; he takes me as a king.” You see? And the servant said,
“Your words are more valuable than this valuable cup.” If you live by
his words, what is left between you and the Master? The servant becomes the
Master. Sevar becomes swami. Gurumukh becomes a Guru, what is there? We don’t keep the commandments. “ he has given the
order stay –stay. Why do you enter your mind into it? I tell you, mind is
a very, (what do you say), very cleaver
, all around. He will come on very gentlemanlike. “You see your son is sick; he
is going to die. What does it matter if you do not attend a satsang? And the
doctor advice you, you go there, or takes care of your child?” this is what is
meant by, if you love me keep to others; we don’t live what we read our own
self. Again I would
say, if we keep up the commandments of the Master, who all this dissension? Why
is all this disrespect, fighting going on? We don’t take Master as God. taken
in that way, as I just explained to you, whatever is in the Master will be
transferred to you. you know what is meant by “keep the commandments”? how many
are really keeping his commandments? We fill our diaries and we keep hard
taskmaster. Don’t spare yourself. You make confession to your ministers, weekly
or monthly, why not make a confession to your minister, to the God in Him ,
every time? live in that way for even a month, then you'll change like
anything. mind stands in the way always. Like a very good gentleman, he says,
“Well look here, it is your duty. Your son is sick, he is going to die.” Guru Nanak had
one disciple by the name of ajita. He told him once, “Look here, I see that the
worldly man does not need anything. they are not after spirituality. There are
some who have som einkling and they scarifies everything for teaching moment,
and they don’t live up to that. The others are like those who are sitting under
the tree of spirituality, laden with fruits. And third are like those who have
eaten the fruits.” |