The fourth one was holding on 10 minutes more. He would not let them talk but I won’t but then finally he also fell through and he said in a very grave voices “look here fellows, you three are the only ones who have talked. I am the only one who has not talked.” And the guru was just in the next room, he walked in and he said “all the four of you have talked i know but why do you do this kind of thing?
Does it help spiritual progress you think? No, not a bit. All this whole day you have been sitting. How many times did you sincerely think of the Lord? How long, how often?” and they had to admit they were constantly waiting for a probation that some people would come and look at them and then admire their silence.
No. If they had repeated the name of the Lord and these qualities would have come, the quality of love, extreme love, unselfishness, perfect mastery on the senses, sense control and inspire confidence in the others. These qualities which we see in the Guru will develop in any spiritual aspirant if he is serious and that is what attracts people. That is what makes people come to a spiritual aspirant and admire him. Not silence, not austerity put up like this. So the Buddhist monks have wonderful ways of teaching.
And this is one not to practice what the guru has not said but stick to it. Have self-confidence. The initial troubles will be there to everyone. Do you give up because of that? Are you so fragile, so breakable, you know like glass that a little trouble “No I can’t do it”? A little strength must be there, that initial strength and what does the Guru do? He takes not all your Karma but a little. He helps to take a little of each disciple. So you will still have many things to face in your own life so don’t expect the poor Guru to take all the Karmas. He does help each disciple to the extent possible so he takes a little but a large part is left to you.
And you know in the message of Christ, the Vedanta will read the same message that the disciple has to face with strength and confidence his spiritual life. It is yours and you face it. And the message is, he says, “each one carries the cross to the Calvary.” What is the message of that? It’s all symbolic – you carry your cross, your Karma whatever is left over and you are actually heading to a Calvary.
It may be so gloomy, you know, in front but what does that mean? A resurrection. You see, a being born into a new life faced with initial troubles. You get this new life, eternal life called manifestation of the Divine in man. That is the new life. You are here, I am here, everybody is here but you have manifested more of the Divinity than so many others through sheer spiritual practice and the progress not in quality, not in quantity but in obeying the Guru. Do just what he says and keep it
[Prayer]
Filled with Brahman are the things that we see
filled with Brahman are the things that we see not
from out of Brahman floyeth all that is from Brahman
Peace Peace Peace