The Light of Kirpal
 
 

Privacy
December 11, 1970


    Don't throw pearls before swine. To those who really want, there may be two, two hundred, three hundred, the theory is explained, openly. What you have learned in the secret we're speaking from the housetops or from the stages. But for the purpose of getting that experience, only those should come up who really want it. Not everyone wants it. Some only come for curiosity sake. Now when they come here for Sunday Satsang there are two, three, four, five thousand and then at three special occasions there are twenty-five, thirty, forty thousand people. [February 6, Master Kirpal Singh's birthday; April 2, Baba Sawan Singh's death anniversary; July 27, Baba Sawan Singh birth anniversary.] I give them a sitting for one hour, all of them, whether new or old, without exception. That will do. But in that way we cannot ask each man individually about his experiences and guide him. You can tell only a few out of a large group what's wrong, what to do, but everyone does get experience. Even the new ones get experience.

Master, is it all right to sit on a bus...

While hearing?

Yes.

    I think the same question has been put before. Did you hear it? In the world if you have got love with somebody, how can you have it without bringing it to the notice of others? This is something like that--your love for God. Why do you make it public? Christ said, go into the closet. For a while you can go in, then outward things won't affect you. As I was saying yesterday, solitude, loneliness, that is necessary. Let the wildflower grow in darkness. Let nobody have notice of it. When it is in full bloom then let everybody see. When the tree is laden with fruit let everybody eat it. But when it is beginning, it has not as yet sprouted forth fruit, go on doing your spiritual practices without bringing it to the notice of anybody. They say three things should be done in solitude. One--bhajan. Two--when taking food, eat all alone to your own self, that's always best. If you're with others of the same mind like on a picnic, that's another thing. But when you eat give thanks to God for the food He has given you. And the third one is when you have the worldly connection. These three want secrecy. Most everything else does not require secrecy. Deeds of darkness are committed in the dark, you see. When you have found some seclusion for the sake of some going down, then that is a sin. Don't have that further.

The three things are bhajan, taking food and... ?

    Third, worldly connections for matrimonial purpose, when needed. Married life is no bar to spirituality, if it is conducted according to the scriptures. Even the Saints had children. When They took up this role, They gave up these things--controlled it. But there are some things which should not be done in secret in addition to these three. Two things. When you want to do something all alone, and you think there is something wrong there. Or when you have done something and somebody asks you, you have to tell a lie. These are some tips. If you are on guard you'll be saved many troubles, many things. So deeds of darkness are committed in the dark. When you do a thing, let us cover up, "Oh no, I didn't do it." You have to tell a lie. Just note these two questions, and you'll save many failures in life. You want to guard against these things for making your life pure. All our children copy us. They watch closely, what we are doing. If you want your children quite chaste and spiritual you must observe celibacy. Don't you think that children are watching you? They copy your way of living. You may say, "No, no," but they see. Those who want to make their children quite chaste and everything must set them an example. This is no spirituality but it will save you from many failures. So we are responsible for the coming generations. If we want the coming generation to be up to the mark then we should set an example. They will copy--you need not tell them anything--they will copy. So wanted: reformers, not of others but of themselves. If you reform your own self all others will follow you. What will you get? Godhead! That's the remuneration or the compensation you'll have.

If you're sitting for seeing and Sound comes in?

    I explained to you yesterday, I hope you remember. Do one practice at a time. Fully, wholly, solely. When the other intervenes don't pay any attention. Inside you may have both together when you go up. If you're sitting for Seeing practice, then Sound comes in when you go up. If you put in the attention you won't progress in Seeing practice.

It was after I was listening to music from a record player, loud music.

    Well, avoid that thing to the best you can, I say, Outer music is only to bring in together, to gather people together. Nothing more. And outer music will lead you to the end of matter, not transcend it. You may have concentration for a while, but no further way up. So this inner music starts when you rise above matter. There is a vast difference between the two. Don't be given up to outer music. Make the best use of it. But generally people who are involved in outer music require very chaste life. Outer music will lead to matter. Mind will take you outward. Mind is material. What is the difference between East and West? The East takes it that mind is material and takes life from the soul. In the West, they say mind is conscious. This is the difference. So mind will drag you to the material side always. Like a clod of earth thrown into the air. However strongly you throw it up, it will come down to the earth because the Mother Earth is there. If you light a candle the flame will go up. The source, the sun, is above. If you upturn it--even then the flame goes up. So soul is of God. Whenever it is cut off, it will go up to God; that is the natural tendency within. In outer things, material things lead you to the material. The Power is there; it will give you some concentration but won't let you transcend matter. This is a very delicate point. People very rarely watch it. That is why Saints have used music, but only to bring men together. Now in all religions they have forgotten the inner music and are given up to the outer. They dance like anything in ecstasy and emotion. That does not lead you above body consciousness. For a while you may be soothed by ecstasy but it doesn't let you transcend it. Guru Nanak, whenever He sat anywhere, "Well all right, here it is, music, musicians, all right, play on." Then when the people came He began to preach. That's only a good source for calling people together. If I have a musical, I think all people will come up here and to the detriment of others who are really after It [the real Music]. Music is in all the churches. They have put music in churches from the very beginning, but now they don't know the purpose of it. Outer music leads you to the outer things, that's all. You may use it as I told you to bring people together, that's all right, but we are generally given up to this. We have to be very cautious. You can have the outer music for one hour, two hours. Even paid music you can have for one day, two days, how many days? Hafiz says, "When I sit here I think my Musician comes and plays without any payment to him." Again He says, "A thief comes in the darkness with a lamp in his hand." So every moment some guidance is necessary. (These are references to within.) Mind is prone to material things, you see.
    An hour with a Saint gives you more than all the books for years of studies and everything. He gives something very straight, which books cannot give in detail. If He wrote it all down then how long a yarn it would be! These are practical things.

I was thinking about people that live in places where it's impossible to get vegetarian food, like Eskimos.

    I have not followed.

Suppose you take Eskimos.

    What Eskimos? Are you paid for them?

I was just wondering about the karma, that they can't in wintertime get vegetarian food?

    Well, look here: Animals, what do they take in the wintertime? Do they take almonds? Well, I think that is a complete food in all vegetarian natural diets. Eskimos and others, even if they do not get anything other to eat, let them eat [almonds]. When you go there, you may mind your own business. I think you are not a--what do you say--advocate to plead for all the world over. Plead for your own self. What Eskimos eat, do, or what others do, let them do. If you set your own house right, that's all right. If you reform yourself, the whole world is reformed. We work like unpaid apprentices of the C.I.D. of God. Mind your own business. You'll develop. Everything will be done. An example is better than a precept. We know so many things, we don't do. We are only asking, "Why this?" and "Why that?" A tree is growing, "Why is it not bearing fruit?" Well, when they grow--for what reason--you cannot know. Man cannot know everything. God makes the arrangement. Whatever is your sphere of life, you have to just make the best use of that and go up. That's the ultimate goal. The main principle lying behind is to be harmless, that's all. Harmlessness will come where you love. Where there's love, you're harmless, that's all. And love knows service and sacrifice. Not to sacrifice others for your own self. Here in 1957 the World Fellowship of Religions Conference was held; I was there as President. One representative came from Pakistan and the question was going on about harmlessness, about giving sacrifice. Mohammedans believe in sacrifice. In India they sacrifice goats and sheep and different things. When that rule for harmlessness was passed, one Mohammedan came up, "Oh well, we don't believe in this sacrifice." Others said, "We will offer sacrifice." They were giving trouble to representatives from all countries. East and West were there, more than one hundred people. They could not come to any conclusion, so I came up, "Well look here, sacrifice for others, that's good. But don't sacrifice others for your interest. That's all. Sacrifice is all right, but the difference lies in the way you do it. If you sacrifice others for your own personal interests, this is a selfish motive. Don't harm others for your own personal self, but you may sacrifice yourself for the good of others."
    In another conference at Calcutta, there were Buddhist delegates--there are two classes of Buddhists, one believes in God, the other does not. The resolution had the word "God" in it and those Buddhists said, "No, we don't agree, the word 'God' is there." "Again, a very big row. I was there. "Well, look here, do you believe in the sayings of Buddha?" I called their leader in charge there. "All right, would you interpret what Buddha says?" Then I quoted from the Buddhist sayings, you see: "He says you must rise into your Overself. Our self finds refuge in the Overself. What other refuge can there be? But it is hard to gain. The Overself is God." Then the resolution was passed. These things do rise up. Very delicate points. They don't know what their teachings are at home. We are only ruminating over scriptures, not going deep down into what they are. This is what Buddha said. People said Buddha was not a believer in God, but he was a believer in God. So perhaps you have read that book, Naam or Word? There I have quoted twenty-five pages from Buddhist literature. So, at the end of His life He called for all His disciples, Ananda and others, and asked them how they get to Golden Samadhi. All spoke about the Light. Last of all, Buddha said, "Intrinsic hearing is the only way back to Golden Samadhi." We don't know what our own scriptures say, that's the pity. We have only superficial knowledge. We must go to the heart of it. They had some truth. Why do people follow in thousands? There's some attraction, some reality. How far they have gone--that's another question. But they're on the way. The basic teachings have been seen by all. If there appears to be some difference, this is for want of going into the depths, to the bottom.
    So, sacrifice for others is good. Suppose some people come to harm you here. I would go sacrifice myself to save you, is it not right? You see? If you simply sneak away, here, there, all will be killed. That's the law of sacrifice. Law of sacrifice is for the safeguard of others. After all, we have to leave the body some day. Why not in the service of others? The main purpose is to be harmless. Ahimsa, nonviolence in thought, word, and deed, you feel a sort of blessing. Especially those who are after that. Sometimes, out of the air, they kiss their own body. Blessed is the body in which that Water of Life runs through. All this comes when you apply yourself wholly, solely in the contacts you have been given.



Next chapter  Contents