What is True Living

III

On Spiritual Health depends the life of mind and body, both – the health of body and mind, both. You have been given something for Spiritual Health; that is, the Bread of Life. And that Bread of Life and Water of Life is the Light and the Sound Principle of God. That is the True Food for bread.

You have to give your body something to eat. But we are not born to eat; eating is made for us. It is said, by way of a parable, that the things we eat and drink complained to the god of nourishment that people eat us too much – very relentlessly. And the god of nourishment said, All right; those that eat more than is required for them – you eat them up! Do you see? If you eat what is digested, it will give you strength. If you eat too much, it is not digested; and it flares up diseases in us. If you have pure lives, normal lives, as required by scriptures, and live on hard-earned money, then you’ll find that your body will also be all right.

Nature has a curative power. Our soul has a curative power. Doctors simply help us to clear the way, that’s all. When you leave it to nature, the soul has the curative power that cures all diseases of itself.

So these are the three instructions that were given by the mother of Gopi Chand on how to live his life.

You’ll find:

Never step out of the commandments of what the Masters say.

If you just carry this out and live within the four walls of the teachings of the Masters, you’ll develop from day to day.

What do the Masters say further? They say,

Silence is golden. Speak as little as possible.

Silence is golden. Speak as little as possible. When you speak, speak in the most kind and gentle manner. Don’t lose your temper over anything. Always keep your tongue under control.

This is one thing. The wound given by a sword will be healed in a month or so, but the wound given by the tongue is not healed. All through life, whenever you remember again, it becomes fresh.

So these are the things that we have to look after. Masters tell us,

Just fill one-half of your stomach with food, one fourth with water, and leave one-fourth vacant – empty.

The more you keep the stomach empty, the more therein you will find the Light of God developed. We eat more than what is required generally. We eat too much. We die of too much eating rather than of hunger. (Audience reacts.) Yes, just consider; that is why Masters tell us this. I circulated in one of my circulars:

simplify, simplify and simplify!

Live in a simple way. You won’t need to earn more money. You’ll not have to cut the throats of others. Even from our hard-earned money, after you have spent what is legitimate, you can share with others.

Generally you say,

We cannot live within our earnings.

Where do they go?

They are spent only on things which are not really required by us.

So, man becomes an angel by eating less, by not eating too much, and a beast by eating too much. Too much eating and sleeping clouds the Inner Vision, and over-eating always makes one feel sleepy and sluggish. The less we sleep, the more Spiritual Progress we make.

One man came to a Master in India, named Shivbrat Lal. He came to America, too, some time back – I think about sixty years or fifty years ago. One man came to him and complained,

I’ve got a headache.

He said,

Look to your stomach.

Another man came up and said,

When I sit in meditation, I feel drowsy and sluggish.

He said,

Take care of your belly.

A third man came and said,

My mind is not under control.

Then he said,

Look to your belly.

So eating is made for us; and we are not made for eating. These are little, little things which, if you act up to them, you’ll find of much help.

Daily find some period of silence; and night is the best portion of the day for that. The tenth Guru of the Sikhs tells us,

The night is your lonely place.

Those who have utilised their nights have become Saints; they have become gods. And students have become scholars with the best use of the night, the right use of what it is: those who have spoiled their nights have spoiled their lives. If we go to shows and have company and other engagements at night up to eleven, twelve, one or two o’clock, how can we progress in any way? A student who has burned the midnight oil becomes a scholar. A lover of God who has put in his nights in the best remembrance of God, taking in that all-solitude, becomes a Saint.

So, silence is best. Then we also have to take up solitude. Try to live alone as much as possible.

Cease from men; look above thee.

Just mix with others as required. Sometimes we simply, for enjoyment’s sake, waste time, kill time. And we complain that we’ve got no time. Out of twenty-four hours, you’ll find that the amount of time you put into your daily earnings is, say, eight hours, ten hours or twelve hours; not more in any case.

You’ve got then, twelve hours at your disposal. Give to sleep, say, five hours or six hours - six hours is due it; give two more hours to your eating, drinking and this thing and that; even then you’ve got four hours at your disposal.

When people say,

We’ve got no time,

they have to adjust themselves. Time has not to come from anywhere else; it is already there. We have to just adjust ourselves to it.

You’ll find, the fewer wants we have, the happier we are. So cut down your wants, cut down your desires. Whatever subject you take up, put in more time towards it. You’ll become a good scholar, a good scientist, a good lover of God, or good in any line you take up.

For that, as I told you, a pure moral life is required. As I told you, Truth above all; and True Life is still above Truth. A man is known only by how others find him. If you are true, you are helping, you are good, and you set a good example, others will follow you. They will not even give you credit; but they will give the credit to the school to which you belong – to the Master with Whom you are connected.

For this, there is one principle to be followed. That principle is: perform no action in secret, except prayers. If any thing requires secrecy, abandon it at once. Deeds of darkness are always committed in the dark. Do nothing which, after being done, leads you to tell lies. And don’t desire evil for anyone, irrespective of his creed or colour, even in thought, word, and deed; because thoughts are more potent. Help some poor person, as He is in all; and do not hurt anyone by word and deed. These are the things which go to help us.

Always think that the God-Power is residing within you and watching your every action. This is the first thing. And the second is: don’t transcend the commandments given by Him for you to live up to. If you do that, Kabir says,

You are not to be afraid in the three worlds, here and hereafter.

With all these things, devote regular time mornings and evenings to your practices, and do it fully, just like a child who has no wisdom: simply out of Love, go to the lap of the Father or the Mother. Leave off all your wisdom and leave everything aside; go lovingly. In the evening, remove your evil daily life; and like a strict judge, try to weed out all the imperfections that you have, from day to day. Even robbers have become Saints, I tell you. I met with suchlike robbers who were the heads of the dacoits. They took initiation, and now they are putting in six hours a day meditation. They even brought other bandits and recommended them for initiation. So man can change. There’s hope for everybody. Every Saint has His past and every sinner a future.

Mind that,

see no evil, hear no evil, talk no evil, and think no evil.

If you follow these things, you will progress from day to day. And especially those people who are made group leaders: they should set an example for others who are coming on the way. They have not yet become Masters, I tell you. We are on the way. We may be selected as a Master; it is for God, I mean, to worry about whom He should give to continue the work. It is not our job, you see.

We may be selected as a Master. But we should live up to what the Masters say. Those who live, they are selected as one. And the diaries are meant for a very noble purpose – if you live up to them, as I told you. Send me blank diaries; I will accept them: blank diaries I will accept. But how long will you continue sending me blank diaries? You would not dare to send them blank every month. You’ll feel morally that you’re not doing right. You’ll come round. I tell you, the diaries are not to be sent to the police station or broadcasted. They are meant for your own purpose, so that you may know what the shortcomings in you are; and further, to weed them out one by one. They are sent to me only for the purpose of guidance wherever necessary; because Rome was not built in a day. A time factor is necessary.

As I told you, these are a few of the words which come out of my heart to you all whom I hold dear the most. You are all more dear to me than my sons, my own family. I wish you progress, spiritually. You have the human body by the Grace of God, and by the Grace of God, you have been given a contact with God. That you have to develop with due regard to the self-introspection which will come up by keeping regular diaries sent to me at regular intervals, say quarterly. If you live up to it, everything will be cleared, I tell you honestly.

If you sit by fire, all cold will go; if you sit by ice, all heat will go. If your soul comes into contact with the Light and Sound Principle, all doubts will go. Doubts and other things arise because we don’t live up to what we say.

These are the few words I’m telling you at the time I am with you physically. I may not be able to see you or you may not be able to see me physically, but the God-Power, Which is the True Master, now resides with you and shall never leave you till the end of the world. It will take you to the True Father, and the True Father will take you to the Wordless State of God. My best wishes are with each one of you.

I wish you progress. This is the highest thing that I had in my life, with the Grace of God; and through the Grace of God working through my Master, I have passed it on to you, with His Grace.

Live up to them and derive the full benefit of this golden opportunity which God has given you.

So, with best wishes to you all, I’ll be leaving tomorrow for Tustin. Those people who would like to come, I’ll be too glad. And about the twentieth, I will have to leave for Dallas and to other parts of the U.S.; then go to Panama and South America. And after that, God willing, I may go back to India. But my heart: you are always on my mind. Keep regularly in touch with me through your diaries. If anything comes up that is very urgent – a life-and-death problem – you can write to me even before. But my real pleasure will go to you when you live up to this. You may be proud of me, but I will be proud of you, if only – you become what I want.

I want each one of you to become like myself, or more than me, I would say. This is the Truth that has been given to you. Well, live up to it. Don’t be misguided. All scriptures tell us about that which has been given to you – an experience thereof – with the Grace of God. If you find anything puzzling to you, please write to me.

If I find that that truth is more than what has been given to you, I will also follow you. This is what my Master used to say. He said,

The Truth has been given to you. If you find any more Truth, take it up and tell me; I will also go there.

We are after Truth, you see.

So, I thank you all. You can meet me tomorrow or today when leaving. And my best wishes will always remain with you.