diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 10740-0.txt | 1841 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/10740-8.txt | 2259 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/10740-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 44809 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/10740.txt | 2259 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/10740.zip | bin | 0 -> 44795 bytes |
8 files changed, 6375 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10740-0.txt b/10740-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..82ffba8 --- /dev/null +++ b/10740-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1841 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10740 *** + +THE WAY OF PEACE + + +BY JAMES ALLEN + + +AUTHOR OF "AS A MAN THINKETH," "OUT FROM THE HEART" + + + + +CONTENTS + + +THE POWER OF MEDITATION + +THE TWO MASTERS, SELF AND TRUTH + +THE ACQUIREMENT OF SPIRITUAL POWER + +THE REALIZATION OF SELFLESS LOVE + +ENTERING INTO THE INFINITE + +SAINTS, SAGES, AND SAVIORS; THE LAW OF SERVICE + +THE REALIZATION OF PERFECT PEACE + + + + +THE POWER OF MEDITATION + + +Spiritual meditation is the pathway to Divinity. It is the mystic ladder +which reaches from earth to heaven, from error to Truth, from pain to +peace. Every saint has climbed it; every sinner must sooner or later come +to it, and every weary pilgrim that turns his back upon self and the world, +and sets his face resolutely toward the Father's Home, must plant his feet +upon its golden rounds. Without its aid you cannot grow into the divine +state, the divine likeness, the divine peace, and the fadeless glories and +unpolluting joys of Truth will remain hidden from you. + +Meditation is the intense dwelling, in thought, upon an idea or theme, with +the object of thoroughly comprehending it, and whatsoever you constantly +meditate upon you will not only come to understand, but will grow more and +more into its likeness, for it will become incorporated into your very +being, will become, in fact, your very self. If, therefore, you constantly +dwell upon that which is selfish and debasing, you will ultimately become +selfish and debased; if you ceaselessly think upon that which is pure and +unselfish you will surely become pure and unselfish. + +Tell me what that is upon which you most frequently and intensely think, +that to which, in your silent hours, your soul most naturally turns, and I +will tell you to what place of pain or peace you are traveling, and whether +you are growing into the likeness of the divine or the bestial. + +There is an unavoidable tendency to become literally the embodiment of that +quality upon which one most constantly thinks. Let, therefore, the object +of your meditation be above and not below, so that every time you revert to +it in thought you will be lifted up; let it be pure and unmixed with any +selfish element; so shall your heart become purified and drawn nearer to +Truth, and not defiled and dragged more hopelessly into error. + +Meditation, in the spiritual sense in which I am now using it, is the +secret of all growth in spiritual life and knowledge. Every prophet, sage, +and savior became such by the power of meditation. Buddha meditated upon +the Truth until he could say, "I am the Truth." Jesus brooded upon the +Divine immanence until at last he could declare, "I and my Father are One." + +Meditation centered upon divine realities is the very essence and soul of +prayer. It is the silent reaching of the soul toward the Eternal. Mere +petitionary prayer without meditation is a body without a soul, and is +powerless to lift the mind and heart above sin and affliction. If you are +daily praying for wisdom, for peace, for loftier purity and a fuller +realization of Truth, and that for which you pray is still far from you, it +means that you are praying for one thing while living out in thought and +act another. If you will cease from such waywardness, taking your mind off +those things the selfish clinging to which debars you from the possession +of the stainless realities for which you pray: if you will no longer ask +God to grant you that which you do not deserve, or to bestow upon you that +love and compassion which you refuse to bestow upon others, but will +commence to think and act in the spirit of Truth, you will day by day be +growing into those realities, so that ultimately you will become one with +them. + +He who would secure any worldly advantage must be willing to work +vigorously for it, and he would be foolish indeed who, waiting with folded +hands, expected it to come to him for the mere asking. Do not then vainly +imagine that you can obtain the heavenly possessions without making an +effort. Only when you commence to work earnestly in the Kingdom of Truth +will you be allowed to partake of the Bread of Life, and when you have, by +patient and uncomplaining effort, earned the spiritual wages for which you +ask, they will not be withheld from you. + +If you really seek Truth, and not merely your own gratification; if you +love it above all worldly pleasures and gains; more, even, than happiness +itself, you will be willing to make the effort necessary for its +achievement. + +If you would be freed from sin and sorrow; if you would taste of that +spotless purity for which you sigh and pray; if you would realize wisdom +and knowledge, and would enter into the possession of profound and abiding +peace, come now and enter the path of meditation, and let the supreme +object of your meditation be Truth. + +At the outset, meditation must be distinguished from _idle reverie_. There +is nothing dreamy and unpractical about it. It is _a process of searching +and uncompromising thought which allows nothing to remain but the simple +and naked truth_. Thus meditating you will no longer strive to build +yourself up in your prejudices, but, forgetting self, you will remember +only that you are seeking the Truth. And so you will remove, one by one, +the errors which you have built around yourself in the past, and will +patiently wait for the revelation of Truth which will come when your errors +have been sufficiently removed. In the silent humility of your heart you +will realize that + + "There is an inmost centre in us all + Where Truth abides in fulness; and around, + Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in; + This perfect, clear perception, which is Truth, + A baffling and perverting carnal mesh + Blinds it, and makes all error; and to know, + Rather consists in opening out a way + Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape, + Than in effecting entry for a light + Supposed to be without." + +Select some portion of the day in which to meditate, and keep that period +sacred to your purpose. The best time is the very early morning when the +spirit of repose is upon everything. All natural conditions will then be in +your favor; the passions, after the long bodily fast of the night, will be +subdued, the excitements and worries of the previous day will have died +away, and the mind, strong and yet restful, will be receptive to spiritual +instruction. Indeed, one of the first efforts you will be called upon to +make will be to shake off lethargy and indulgence, and if you refuse you +will be unable to advance, for the demands of the spirit are imperative. + +To be spiritually awakened is also to be mentally and physically awakened. +The sluggard and the self-indulgent can have no knowledge of Truth. He who, +possessed of health and strength, wastes the calm, precious hours of the +silent morning in drowsy indulgence is totally unfit to climb the heavenly +heights. + +He whose awakening consciousness has become alive to its lofty +possibilities, who is beginning to shake off the darkness of ignorance in +which the world is enveloped, rises before the stars have ceased their +vigil, and, grappling with the darkness within his soul, strives, by holy +aspiration, to perceive the light of Truth while the unawakened world +dreams on. + + "The heights by great men reached and kept, + Were not attained by sudden flight, + But they, while their companions slept, + Were toiling upward in the night." + +No saint, no holy man, no teacher of Truth ever lived who did not rise +early in the morning. Jesus habitually rose early, and climbed the solitary +mountains to engage in holy communion. Buddha always rose an hour before +sunrise and engaged in meditation, and all his disciples were enjoined to +do the same. + +If you have to commence your daily duties at a very early hour, and are +thus debarred from giving the early morning to systematic meditation, try +to give an hour at night, and should this, by the length and laboriousness +of your daily task be denied you, you need not despair, for you may turn +your thoughts upward in holy meditation in the intervals of your work, or +in those few idle minutes which you now waste in aimlessness; and should +your work be of that kind which becomes by practice automatic, you may +meditate while engaged upon it. That eminent Christian saint and +philosopher, Jacob Boehme, realized his vast knowledge of divine things +whilst working long hours as a shoemaker. In every life there is time to +think, and the busiest, the most laborious is not shut out from aspiration +and meditation. + +Spiritual meditation and self-discipline are inseparable; you will, +therefore, commence to meditate upon yourself so as to try and understand +yourself, for, remember, the great object you will have in view will be the +complete removal of all your errors in order that you may realize Truth. +You will begin to question your motives, thoughts, and acts, comparing them +with your ideal, and endeavoring to look upon them with a calm and +impartial eye. In this manner you will be continually gaining more of that +mental and spiritual equilibrium without which men are but helpless straws +upon the ocean of life. If you are given to hatred or anger you will +meditate upon gentleness and forgiveness, so as to become acutely alive to +a sense of your harsh and foolish conduct. You will then begin to dwell in +thoughts of love, of gentleness, of abounding forgiveness; and as you +overcome the lower by the higher, there will gradually, silently steal into +your heart a knowledge of the divine Law of Love with an understanding of +its bearing upon all the intricacies of life and conduct. And in applying +this knowledge to your every thought, word, and act, you will grow more and +more gentle, more and more loving, more and more divine. And thus with +every error, every selfish desire, every human weakness; by the power of +meditation is it overcome, and as each sin, each error is thrust out, a +fuller and clearer measure of the Light of Truth illumines the pilgrim +soul. + +Thus meditating, you will be ceaselessly fortifying yourself against your +only _real_ enemy, your selfish, perishable self, and will be establishing +yourself more and more firmly in the divine and imperishable self that is +inseparable from Truth. The direct outcome of your meditations will be a +calm, spiritual strength which will be your stay and resting-place in the +struggle of life. Great is the overcoming power of holy thought, and the +strength and knowledge gained in the hour of silent meditation will enrich +the soul with saving remembrance in the hour of strife, of sorrow, or of +temptation. + +As, by the power of meditation, you grow in wisdom, you will relinquish, +more and more, your selfish desires which are fickle, impermanent, and +productive of sorrow and pain; and will take your stand, with increasing +steadfastness and trust, upon unchangeable principles, and will realize +heavenly rest. + +The use of meditation is the acquirement of a knowledge of eternal +principles, and the power which results from meditation is the ability to +rest upon and trust those principles, and so become one with the Eternal. +The end of meditation is, therefore, direct knowledge of Truth, God, and +the realization of divine and profound peace. + +Let your meditations take their rise from the ethical ground which you now +occupy. Remember that you are to _grow_ into Truth by steady perseverance. +If you are an orthodox Christian, meditate ceaselessly upon the spotless +purity and divine excellence of the character of Jesus, and apply his every +precept to your inner life and outward conduct, so as to approximate more +and more toward his perfection. Do not be as those religious ones, who, +refusing to meditate upon the Law of Truth, and to put into practice the +precepts given to them by their Master, are content to formally worship, to +cling to their particular creeds, and to continue in the ceaseless round of +sin and suffering. Strive to rise, by the power of meditation, above all +selfish clinging to partial gods or party creeds; above dead formalities +and lifeless ignorance. Thus walking the high way of wisdom, with mind +fixed upon the spotless Truth, you shall know no halting-place short of the +realization of Truth. + +He who earnestly meditates first perceives a truth, as it were, afar off, +and then realizes it by daily practice. It is only the doer of the Word of +Truth that can know of the doctrine of Truth, for though by pure thought +the Truth is perceived, it is only actualized by practice. + +Said the divine Gautama, the Buddha, "He who gives himself up to vanity, +and does not give himself up to meditation, forgetting the real aim of life +and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in +meditation," and he instructed his disciples in the following "Five Great +Meditations":-- + +"The first meditation is the meditation of love, in which you so adjust +your heart that you long for the weal and welfare of all beings, including +the happiness of your enemies. + +"The second meditation is the meditation of pity, in which you think of all +beings in distress, vividly representing in your imagination their sorrows +and anxieties so as to arouse a deep compassion for them in your soul. + +"The third meditation is the meditation of joy, in which you think of the +prosperity of others, and rejoice with their rejoicings. + +"The fourth meditation is the meditation of impurity, in which you consider +the evil consequences of corruption, the effects of sin and diseases. How +trivial often the pleasure of the moment, and how fatal its consequences. + +"The fifth meditation is the meditation on serenity, in which you rise +above love and hate, tyranny and oppression, wealth and want, and regard +your own fate with impartial calmness and perfect tranquillity." + +By engaging in these meditations the disciples of the Buddha arrived at a +knowledge of the Truth. But whether you engage in these particular +meditations or not matters little so long as your object is Truth, so long +as you hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is a holy heart and a +blameless life. In your meditations, therefore, let your heart grow and +expand with ever-broadening love, until, freed from all hatred, and +passion, and condemnation, it embraces the whole universe with thoughtful +tenderness. As the flower opens its petals to receive the morning light, so +open your soul more and more to the glorious light of Truth. Soar upward +upon the wings of aspiration; be fearless, and believe in the loftiest +possibilities. Believe that a life of absolute meekness is possible; +believe that a life of stainless purity is possible; believe that a life of +perfect holiness is possible; believe that the realization of the highest +truth is possible. He who so believes, climbs rapidly the heavenly hills, +whilst the unbelievers continue to grope darkly and painfully in the +fog-bound valleys. + +So believing, so aspiring, so meditating, divinely sweet and beautiful will +be your spiritual experiences, and glorious the revelations that will +enrapture your inward vision. As you realize the divine Love, the divine +Justice, the divine Purity, the Perfect Law of Good, or God, great will be +your bliss and deep your peace. Old things will pass away, and all things +will become new. The veil of the material universe, so dense and +impenetrable to the eye of error, so thin and gauzy to the eye of Truth, +will be lifted and the spiritual universe will be revealed. Time will +cease, and you will live only in Eternity. Change and mortality will no +more cause you anxiety and sorrow, for you will become established in the +unchangeable, and will dwell in the very heart of immortality. + + + + +STAR OF WISDOM + + Star that of the birth of Vishnu, + Birth of Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, + Told the wise ones, Heavenward looking, + Waiting, watching for thy gleaming + In the darkness of the night-time, + In the starless gloom of midnight; + Shining Herald of the coming + Of the kingdom of the righteous; + Teller of the Mystic story + Of the lowly birth of Godhead + In the stable of the passions, + In the manger of the mind-soul; + Silent singer of the secret + Of compassion deep and holy + To the heart with sorrow burdened, + To the soul with waiting weary:-- + Star of all-surpassing brightness, + Thou again dost deck the midnight; + Thou again dost cheer the wise ones + Watching in the creedal darkness, + Weary of the endless battle + With the grinding blades of error; + Tired of lifeless, useless idols, + Of the dead forms of religions; + Spent with watching for thy shining; + Thou hast ended their despairing; + Thou hast lighted up their pathway; + Thou hast brought again the old Truths + To the hearts of all thy Watchers; + To the souls of them that love thee + Thou dost speak of Joy and Gladness, + Of the peace that comes of Sorrow. + Blessed are they that can see thee, + Weary wanderers in the Night-time; + Blessed they who feel the throbbing, + In their bosoms feel the pulsing + Of a deep Love stirred within them + By the great power of thy shining. + Let us learn thy lesson truly; + Learn it faithfully and humbly; + Learn it meekly, wisely, gladly, + Ancient Star of holy Vishnu, + Light of Krishna, Buddha, Jesus. + + + + +THE TWO MASTERS, SELF AND TRUTH + + +Upon the battlefield of the human soul two masters are ever contending for +the crown of supremacy, for the kingship and dominion of the heart; the +master of self, called also the "Prince of this world," and the master of +Truth, called also the Father God. The master self is that rebellious one +whose weapons are passion, pride, avarice, vanity, self-will, implements of +darkness; the master Truth is that meek and lowly one whose weapons are +gentleness, patience, purity, sacrifice, humility, love, instruments of +Light. + +In every soul the battle is waged, and as a soldier cannot engage at once +in two opposing armies, so every heart is enlisted either in the ranks of +self or of Truth. There is no half-and-half course; "There is self and +there is Truth; where self is, Truth is not, where Truth is, self is not." +Thus spake Buddha, the teacher of Truth, and Jesus, the manifested Christ, +declared that "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the +one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the +other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." + +Truth is so simple, so absolutely undeviating and uncompromising that it +admits of no complexity, no turning, no qualification. Self is ingenious, +crooked, and, governed by subtle and snaky desire, admits of endless +turnings and qualifications, and the deluded worshipers of self vainly +imagine that they can gratify every worldly desire, and at the same time +possess the Truth. But the lovers of Truth worship Truth with the sacrifice +of self, and ceaselessly guard themselves against worldliness and +self-seeking. + +Do you seek to know and to realize Truth? Then you must be prepared to +sacrifice, to renounce to the uttermost, for Truth in all its glory can +only be perceived and known when the last vestige of self has disappeared. + +The eternal Christ declared that he who would be His disciple must "deny +himself daily." Are you willing to deny yourself, to give up your lusts, +your prejudices, your opinions? If so, you may enter the narrow way of +Truth, and find that peace from which the world is shut out. The absolute +denial, the utter extinction, of self is the perfect state of Truth, and +all religions and philosophies are but so many aids to this supreme +attainment. + +Self is the denial of Truth. Truth is the denial of self. As you let self +die, you will be reborn in Truth. As you cling to self, Truth will be +hidden from you. + +Whilst you cling to self, your path will be beset with difficulties, and +repeated pains, sorrows, and disappointments will be your lot. There are no +difficulties in Truth, and coming to Truth, you will be freed from all +sorrow and disappointment. + +Truth in itself is not hidden and dark. It is always revealed and is +perfectly transparent. But the blind and wayward self cannot perceive it. +The light of day is not hidden except to the blind, and the Light of Truth +is not hidden except to those who are blinded by self. + +Truth is the one Reality in the universe, the inward Harmony, the perfect +Justice, the eternal Love. Nothing can be added to it, nor taken from it. +It does not depend upon any man, but all men depend upon it. You cannot +perceive the beauty of Truth while you are looking out through the eyes of +self. If you are vain, you will color everything with your own vanities. If +lustful, your heart and mind will be so clouded with the smoke and flames +of passion, that everything will appear distorted through them. If proud +and opinionative, you will see nothing in the whole universe except the +magnitude and importance of your own opinions. + +There is one quality which pre-eminently distinguishes the man of Truth +from the man of self, and that is _humility_. To be not only free from +vanity, stubbornness and egotism, but to regard one's own opinions as of no +value, this indeed is true humility. + +He who is immersed in self regards his own opinions as Truth, and the +opinions of other men as error. But that humble Truth-lover who has learned +to distinguish between opinion and Truth, regards all men with the eye of +charity, and does not seek to defend his opinions against theirs, but +sacrifices those opinions that he may love the more, that he may manifest +the spirit of Truth, for Truth in its very nature is ineffable and can only +be lived. He who has most of charity has most of Truth. + +Men engage in heated controversies, and foolishly imagine they are +defending the Truth, when in reality they are merely defending their own +petty interests and perishable opinions. The follower of self takes up arms +against others. The follower of Truth takes up arms against himself. Truth, +being unchangeable and eternal, is independent of your opinion and of mine. +We may enter into it, or we may stay outside; but both our defense and our +attack are superfluous, and are hurled back upon ourselves. + +Men, enslaved by self, passionate, proud, and condemnatory, believe their +particular creed or religion to be the Truth, and all other religions to be +error; and they proselytize with passionate ardor. There is but one +religion, the religion of Truth. There is but one error, the error of self. +Truth is not a formal belief; it is an unselfish, holy, and aspiring heart, +and he who has Truth is at peace with all, and cherishes all with thoughts +of love. + +You may easily know whether you are a child of Truth or a worshiper of +self, if you will silently examine your mind, heart, and conduct. Do you +harbor thoughts of suspicion, enmity, envy, lust, pride, or do you +strenuously fight against these? If the former, you are chained to self, no +matter what religion you may profess; if the latter, you are a candidate +for Truth, even though outwardly you may profess no religion. Are you +passionate, self-willed, ever seeking to gain your own ends, +self-indulgent, and self-centered; or are you gentle, mild, unselfish, quit +of every form of self-indulgence, and are ever ready to give up your own? +If the former, self is your master; if the latter, Truth is the object of +your affection. Do you strive for riches? Do you fight, with passion, for +your party? Do you lust for power and leadership? Are you given to +ostentation and self-praise? Or have you given up the love of riches? Have +you relinquished all strife? Are you content to take the lowest place, and +to be passed by unnoticed? And have you ceased to talk about yourself and +to regard yourself with self-complacent pride? If the former, even though +you may imagine you worship God, the god of your heart is self. If the +latter, even though you may withhold your lips from worship, you are +dwelling with the Most High. + +The signs by which the Truth-lover is known are unmistakable. Hear the Holy +Krishna declare them, in Sir Edwin Arnold's beautiful rendering of the +"Bhagavad Gita":-- + + "Fearlessness, singleness of soul, the will + Always to strive for wisdom; opened hand + And governed appetites; and piety, + And love of lonely study; humbleness, + Uprightness, heed to injure nought which lives + Truthfulness, slowness unto wrath, a mind + That lightly letteth go what others prize; + And equanimity, and charity + Which spieth no man's faults; and tenderness + Towards all that suffer; a contented heart, + Fluttered by no desires; a bearing mild, + Modest and grave, with manhood nobly mixed, + With patience, fortitude and purity; + An unrevengeful spirit, never given + To rate itself too high--such be the signs, + O Indian Prince! of him whose feet are set + On that fair path which leads to heavenly birth!" + +When men, lost in the devious ways of error and self, have forgotten the +"heavenly birth," the state of holiness and Truth, they set up artificial +standards by which to judge one another, and make acceptance of, and +adherence to, their own particular theology, the test of Truth; and so men +are divided one against another, and there is ceaseless enmity and strife, +and unending sorrow and suffering. + +Reader, do you seek to realize the birth into Truth? There is only one way: +_Let self die_. All those lusts, appetites, desires, opinions, limited +conceptions and prejudices to which you have hitherto so tenaciously clung, +let them fall from you. Let them no longer hold you in bondage, and Truth +will be yours. Cease to look upon your own religion as superior to all +others, and strive humbly to learn the supreme lesson of charity. No longer +cling to the idea, so productive of strife and sorrow, that the Savior whom +you worship is the only Savior, and that the Savior whom your brother +worships with equal sincerity and ardor, is an impostor; but seek +diligently the path of holiness, and then you will realize that every holy +man is a savior of mankind. + +The giving up of self is not merely the renunciation of outward things. It +consists of the renunciation of the inward sin, the inward error. Not by +giving up vain clothing; not by relinquishing riches; not by abstaining +from certain foods; not by speaking smooth words; not by merely doing these +things is the Truth found; but by giving up the spirit of vanity; by +relinquishing the desire for riches; by abstaining from the lust of +self-indulgence; by giving up all hatred, strife, condemnation, and +self-seeking, and becoming gentle and pure at heart; by doing these things +is the Truth found. To do the former, and not to do the latter, is +pharisaism and hypocrisy, whereas the latter includes the former. You may +renounce the outward world, and isolate yourself in a cave or in the depths +of a forest, but you will take all your selfishness with you, and unless +you renounce that, great indeed will be your wretchedness and deep your +delusion. You may remain just where you are, performing all your duties, +and yet renounce the world, the inward enemy. To be in the world and yet +not of the world is the highest perfection, the most blessed peace, is to +achieve the greatest victory. The renunciation of self is the way of Truth, +therefore, + + "Enter the Path; there is no grief like hate, + No pain like passion, no deceit like sense; + Enter the Path; far hath he gone whose foot + Treads down one fond offense." + +As you succeed in overcoming self you will begin to see things in their +right relations. He who is swayed by any passion, prejudice, like or +dislike, adjusts everything to that particular bias, and sees only his own +delusions. He who is absolutely free from all passion, prejudice, +preference, and partiality, sees himself as he is; sees others as they are; +sees all things in their proper proportions and right relations. Having +nothing to attack, nothing to defend, nothing to conceal, and no interests +to guard, he is at peace. He has realized the profound simplicity of Truth, +for this unbiased, tranquil, blessed state of mind and heart is the state +of Truth. He who attains to it dwells with the angels, and sits at the +footstool of the Supreme. Knowing the Great Law; knowing the origin of +sorrow; knowing the secret of suffering; knowing the way of emancipation in +Truth, how can such a one engage in strife or condemnation; for though he +knows that the blind, self-seeking world, surrounded with the clouds of its +own illusions, and enveloped in the darkness of error and self, cannot +perceive the steadfast Light of Truth, and is utterly incapable of +comprehending the profound simplicity of the heart that has died, or is +dying, to self, yet he also knows that when the suffering ages have piled +up mountains of sorrow, the crushed and burdened soul of the world will fly +to its final refuge, and that when the ages are completed, every prodigal +will come back to the fold of Truth. And so he dwells in goodwill toward +all, and regards all with that tender compassion which a father bestows +upon his wayward children. + +Men cannot understand Truth because they cling to self, because they +believe in and love self, because they believe self to be the only reality, +whereas it is the one delusion. + +When you cease to believe in and love self you will desert it, and will fly +to Truth, and will find the eternal Reality. + +When men are intoxicated with the wines of luxury, and pleasure, and +vanity, the thirst of life grows and deepens within them, and they delude +themselves with dreams of fleshly immortality, but when they come to reap +the harvest of their own sowing, and pain and sorrow supervene, then, +crushed and humiliated, relinquishing self and all the intoxications of +self, they come, with aching hearts to the one immortality, the immortality +that destroys all delusions, the spiritual immortality in Truth. + +Men pass from evil to good, from self to Truth, through the dark gate of +sorrow, for sorrow and self are inseparable. Only in the peace and bliss of +Truth is all sorrow vanquished. If you suffer disappointment because your +cherished plans have been thwarted, or because someone has not come up to +your anticipations, it is because you are clinging to self. If you suffer +remorse for your conduct, it is because you have given way to self. If you +are overwhelmed with chagrin and regret because of the attitude of someone +else toward you, it is because you have been cherishing self. If you are +wounded on account of what has been done to you or said of you, it is +because you are walking in the painful way of self. All suffering is of +self. All suffering ends in Truth. When you have entered into and realized +Truth, you will no longer suffer disappointment, remorse, and regret, and +sorrow will flee from you. + + "Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul; + Truth is the only angel that can bid the gates unroll; + And when he comes to call thee, arise and follow fast; + His way may lie through darkness, but it leads to light at last." + +The woe of the world is of its own making. Sorrow purifies and deepens the +soul, and the extremity of sorrow is the prelude to Truth. + +Have you suffered much? Have you sorrowed deeply? Have you pondered +seriously upon the problem of life? If so, you are prepared to wage war +against self, and to become a disciple of Truth. + +The intellectual who do not see the necessity for giving up self, frame +endless theories about the universe, and call them Truth; but do thou +pursue that direct line of conduct which is the practice of righteousness, +and thou wilt realize the Truth which has no place in theory, and which +never changes. Cultivate your heart. Water it continually with unselfish +love and deep-felt pity, and strive to shut out from it all thoughts and +feelings which are not in accordance with Love. Return good for evil, love +for hatred, gentleness for ill-treatment, and remain silent when attacked. +So shall you transmute all your selfish desires into the pure gold of Love, +and self will disappear in Truth. So will you walk blamelessly among men, +yoked with the easy yoke of lowliness, and clothed with the divine garment +of humility. + + O come, weary brother! thy struggling and striving + End thou in the heart of the Master of ruth; + Across self's drear desert why wilt thou be driving, + Athirst for the quickening waters of Truth + + When here, by the path of thy searching and sinning, + Flows Life's gladsome stream, lies Love's oasis green? + Come, turn thou and rest; know the end and beginning, + The sought and the searcher, the seer and seen. + + Thy Master sits not in the unapproached mountains, + Nor dwells in the mirage which floats on the air, + Nor shalt thou discover His magical fountains + In pathways of sand that encircle despair. + + In selfhood's dark desert cease wearily seeking + The odorous tracks of the feet of thy King; + And if thou wouldst hear the sweet sound of His speaking, + Be deaf to all voices that emptily sing. + + Flee the vanishing places; renounce all thou hast; + Leave all that thou lovest, and, naked and bare, + Thyself at the shrine of the _Innermost_ cast; + The Highest, the Holiest, the Changeless is there. + + Within, in the heart of the Silence He dwelleth; + Leave sorrow and sin, leave thy wanderings sore; + Come bathe in His Joy, whilst He, whispering, telleth + Thy soul what it seeketh, and wander no more. + + Then cease, weary brother, thy struggling and striving; + Find peace in the heart of the Master of ruth. + Across self's dark desert cease wearily driving; + Come; drink at the beautiful waters of Truth. + + + + +THE ACQUIREMENT OF SPIRITUAL POWER + + +The world is filled with men and women seeking pleasure, excitement, +novelty; seeking ever to be moved to laughter or tears; not seeking +strength, stability, and power; but courting weakness, and eagerly engaged +in dispersing what power they have. + +Men and women of real power and influence are few, because few are prepared +to make the sacrifice necessary to the acquirement of power, and fewer +still are ready to patiently build up character. + +To be swayed by your fluctuating thoughts and impulses is to be weak and +powerless; to rightly control and direct those forces is to be strong and +powerful. Men of strong animal passions have much of the ferocity of the +beast, but this is not power. The elements of power are there; but it is +only when this ferocity is tamed and subdued by the higher intelligence +that real power begins; and men can only grow in power by awakening +themselves to higher and ever higher states of intelligence and +consciousness. + +The difference between a man of weakness and one of power lies not in the +strength of the personal will (for the stubborn man is usually weak and +foolish), but in that focus of consciousness which represents their states +of knowledge. + +The pleasure-seekers, the lovers of excitement, the hunters after novelty, +and the victims of impulse and hysterical emotion lack that knowledge of +principles which gives balance, stability, and influence. + +A man commences to develop power when, checking his impulses and selfish +inclinations, he falls back upon the higher and calmer consciousness within +him, and begins to steady himself upon a principle. The realization of +unchanging principles in consciousness is at once the source and secret of +the highest power. + +When, after much searching, and suffering, and sacrificing, the light of an +eternal principle dawns upon the soul, a divine calm ensues and joy +unspeakable gladdens the heart. + +He who has realized such a principle ceases to wander, and remains poised +and self-possessed. He ceases to be "passion's slave," and becomes a +master-builder in the Temple of Destiny. + +The man that is governed by self, and not by a principle, changes his front +when his selfish comforts are threatened. Deeply intent upon defending and +guarding his own interests, he regards all means as lawful that will +subserve that end. He is continually scheming as to how he may protect +himself against his enemies, being too self-centered to perceive that he is +his own enemy. Such a man's work crumbles away, for it is divorced from +Truth and power. All effort that is grounded upon self, perishes; only that +work endures that is built upon an indestructible principle. + +The man that stands upon a principle is the same calm, dauntless, +self-possessed man under all circumstances. When the hour of trial comes, +and he has to decide between his personal comforts and Truth, he gives up +his comforts and remains firm. Even the prospect of torture and death +cannot alter or deter him. The man of self regards the loss of his wealth, +his comforts, or his life as the greatest calamities which can befall him. +The man of principle looks upon these incidents as comparatively +insignificant, and not to be weighed with loss of character, loss of Truth. +To desert Truth is, to him, the only happening which can really be called a +calamity. + +It is the hour of crisis which decides who are the minions of darkness, and +who the children of Light. It is the epoch of threatening disaster, ruin, +and persecution which divides the sheep from the goats, and reveals to the +reverential gaze of succeeding ages the men and women of power. + +It is easy for a man, so long as he is left in the enjoyment of his +possessions, to persuade himself that he believes in and adheres to the +principles of Peace, Brotherhood, and Universal Love; but if, when his +enjoyments are threatened, or he imagines they are threatened, he begins to +clamor loudly for war, he shows that he believes in and stands upon, not +Peace, Brotherhood, and Love, but strife, selfishness, and hatred. + +He who does not desert his principles when threatened with the loss of +every earthly thing, even to the loss of reputation and life, is the man of +power; is the man whose every word and work endures; is the man whom the +afterworld honors, reveres, and worships. Rather than desert that principle +of Divine Love on which he rested, and in which all his trust was placed, +Jesus endured the utmost extremity of agony and deprivation; and today the +world prostrates itself at his pierced feet in rapt adoration. + +There is no way to the acquirement of spiritual power except by that inward +illumination and enlightenment which is the realization of spiritual +principles; and those principles can only be realized by constant practice +and application. + +Take the principle of divine Love, and quietly and diligently meditate upon +it with the object of arriving at a thorough understanding of it. Bring its +searching light to bear upon all your habits, your actions, your speech and +intercourse with others, your every secret thought and desire. As you +persevere in this course, the divine Love will become more and more +perfectly revealed to you, and your own shortcomings will stand out in more +and more vivid contrast, spurring you on to renewed endeavor; and having +once caught a glimpse of the incomparable majesty of that imperishable +principle, you will never again rest in your weakness, your selfishness, +your imperfection, but will pursue that Love until you have relinquished +every discordant element, and have brought yourself into perfect harmony +with it. And that state of inward harmony is spiritual power. Take also +other spiritual principles, such as Purity and Compassion, and apply them +in the same way, and, so exacting is Truth, you will be able to make no +stay, no resting-place until the inmost garment of your soul is bereft of +every stain, and your heart has become incapable of any hard, condemnatory, +and pitiless impulse. + +Only in so far as you understand, realize, and rely upon, these principles, +will you acquire spiritual power, and that power will be manifested in and +through you in the form of increasing dispassion, patience and equanimity. + +Dispassion argues superior self-control; sublime patience is the very +hall-mark of divine knowledge, and to retain an unbroken calm amid all the +duties and distractions of life, marks off the man of power. "It is easy in +the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live +after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps +with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." + +Some mystics hold that perfection in dispassion is the source of that power +by which miracles (so-called) are performed, and truly he who has gained +such perfect control of all his interior forces that no shock, however +great, can for one moment unbalance him, must be capable of guiding and +directing those forces with a master-hand. + +To grow in self-control, in patience, in equanimity, is to grow in strength +and power; and you can only thus grow by focusing your consciousness upon a +principle. As a child, after making many and vigorous attempts to walk +unaided, at last succeeds, after numerous falls, in accomplishing this, so +you must enter the way of power by first attempting to stand alone. Break +away from the tyranny of custom, tradition, conventionality, and the +opinions of others, until you succeed in walking lonely and erect among +men. Rely upon your own judgment; be true to your own conscience; follow +the Light that is within you; all outward lights are so many +will-o'-the-wisps. There will be those who will tell you that you are +foolish; that your judgment is faulty; that your conscience is all awry, +and that the Light within you is darkness; but heed them not. If what they +say is true the sooner you, as a searcher for wisdom, find it out the +better, and you can only make the discovery by bringing your powers to the +test. Therefore, pursue your course bravely. Your conscience is at least +your own, and to follow it is to be a man; to follow the conscience of +another is to be a slave. You will have many falls, will suffer many +wounds, will endure many buffetings for a time, but press on in faith, +believing that sure and certain victory lies ahead. Search for a rock, a +principle, and having found it cling to it; get it under your feet and +stand erect upon it, until at last, immovably fixed upon it, you succeed in +defying the fury of the waves and storms of selfishness. + +For selfishness in any and every form is dissipation, weakness, death; +unselfishness in its spiritual aspect is conservation, power, life. As you +grow in spiritual life, and become established upon principles, you will +become as beautiful and as unchangeable as those principles, will taste of +the sweetness of their immortal essence, and will realize the eternal and +indestructible nature of the God within. + + No harmful shaft can reach the righteous man, + Standing erect amid the storms of hate, + Defying hurt and injury and ban, + Surrounded by the trembling slaves of Fate. + + Majestic in the strength of silent power, + Serene he stands, nor changes not nor turns; + Patient and firm in suffering's darkest hour, + Time bends to him, and death and doom he spurns. + + Wrath's lurid lightnings round about him play, + And hell's deep thunders roll about his head; + Yet heeds he not, for him they cannot slay + Who stands whence earth and time and space are fled. + + Sheltered by deathless love, what fear hath he? + Armored in changeless Truth, what can he know + Of loss and gain? Knowing eternity, + He moves not whilst the shadows come and go. + + Call him immortal, call him Truth and Light + And splendor of prophetic majesty + Who bideth thus amid the powers of night, + Clothed with the glory of divinity. + + + + +THE REALIZATION OF SELFLESS LOVE + + +It is said that Michael Angelo saw in every rough block of stone a thing of +beauty awaiting the master-hand to bring it into reality. Even so, within +each there reposes the Divine Image awaiting the master-hand of Faith and +the chisel of Patience to bring it into manifestation. And that Divine +Image is revealed and realized as stainless, selfless Love. + +Hidden deep in every human heart, though frequently covered up with a mass +of hard and almost impenetrable accretions, is the spirit of Divine Love, +whose holy and spotless essence is undying and eternal. It is the Truth in +man; it is that which belongs to the Supreme: that which is real and +immortal. All else changes and passes away; this alone is permanent and +imperishable; and to realize this Love by ceaseless diligence in the +practice of the highest righteousness, to live in it and to become fully +conscious in it, is to enter into immortality here and now, is to become +one with Truth, one with God, one with the central Heart of all things, and +to know our own divine and eternal nature. + +To reach this Love, to understand and experience it, one must work with +great persistency and diligence upon his heart and mind, must ever renew +his patience and keep strong his faith, for there will be much to remove, +much to accomplish before the Divine Image is revealed in all its glorious +beauty. + +He who strives to reach and to accomplish the divine will be tried to the +very uttermost; and this is absolutely necessary, for how else could one +acquire that sublime patience without which there is no real wisdom, no +divinity? Ever and anon, as he proceeds, all his work will seem to be +futile, and his efforts appear to be thrown away. Now and then a hasty +touch will mar his image, and perhaps when he imagines his work is almost +completed he will find what he imagined to be the beautiful form of Divine +Love utterly destroyed, and he must begin again with his past bitter +experience to guide and help him. But he who has resolutely set himself to +realize the Highest recognizes no such thing as defeat. All failures are +apparent, not real. Every slip, every fall, every return to selfishness is +a lesson learned, an experience gained, from which a golden grain of wisdom +is extracted, helping the striver toward the accomplishment of his lofty +object. To recognize + + "That of our vices we can frame + A ladder if we will but tread + Beneath our feet each deed of shame," + +is to enter the way that leads unmistakably toward the Divine, and the +failings of one who thus recognizes are so many dead selves, upon which he +rises, as upon stepping-stones, to higher things. + +Once come to regard your failings, your sorrows and sufferings as so many +voices telling you plainly where you are weak and faulty, where you fall +below the true and the divine, you will then begin to ceaselessly watch +yourself, and every slip, every pang of pain will show you where you are to +set to work, and what you have to remove out of your heart in order to +bring it nearer to the likeness of the Divine, nearer to the Perfect Love. +And as you proceed, day by day detaching yourself more and more from the +inward selfishness the Love that is selfless will gradually become revealed +to you. And when you are growing patient and calm, when your petulances, +tempers, and irritabilities are passing away from you, and the more +powerful lusts and prejudices cease to dominate and enslave you, then you +will know that the divine is awakening within you, that you are drawing +near to the eternal Heart, that you are not far from that selfless Love, +the possession of which is peace and immortality. + +Divine Love is distinguished from human loves in this supremely important +particular, _it is free from partiality_. Human loves cling to a particular +object to the exclusion of all else, and when that object is removed, great +and deep is the resultant suffering to the one who loves. Divine Love +embraces the whole universe, and, without clinging to any part, yet +contains within itself the whole, and he who comes to it by gradually +purifying and broadening his human loves until all the selfish and impure +elements are burnt out of them, ceases from suffering. It is because human +loves are narrow and confined and mingled with selfishness that they cause +suffering. No suffering can result from that Love which is so absolutely +pure that it seeks nothing for itself. Nevertheless, human loves are +absolutely necessary as steps toward the Divine, and no soul is prepared to +partake of Divine Love until it has become capable of the deepest and most +intense human love. It is only by passing through human loves and human +sufferings that Divine Love is reached and realized. + +All human loves are perishable like the forms to which they cling; but +there is a Love that is imperishable, and that does not cling to +appearances. + +All human loves are counterbalanced by human hates; but there is a Love +that admits of no opposite or reaction; divine and free from all taint of +self, that sheds its fragrance on all alike. + +Human loves are reflections of the Divine Love, and draw the soul nearer to +the reality, the Love that knows neither sorrow nor change. + +It is well that the mother, clinging with passionate tenderness to the +little helpless form of flesh that lies on her bosom, should be overwhelmed +with the dark waters of sorrow when she sees it laid in the cold earth. It +is well that her tears should flow and her heart ache, for only thus can +she be reminded of the evanescent nature of the joys and objects of sense, +and be drawn nearer to the eternal and imperishable Reality. + +It is well that lover, brother, sister, husband, wife should suffer deep +anguish, and be enveloped in gloom when the visible object of their +affections is torn from them, so that they may learn to turn their +affections toward the invisible Source of all, where alone abiding +satisfaction is to be found. + +It is well that the proud, the ambitious, the self-seeking, should suffer +defeat, humiliation, and misfortune; that they should pass through the +scorching fires of affliction; for only thus can the wayward soul be +brought to reflect upon the enigma of life; only thus can the heart be +softened and purified, and prepared to receive the Truth. + +When the sting of anguish penetrates the heart of human love; when gloom +and loneliness and desertion cloud the soul of friendship and trust, then +it is that the heart turns toward the sheltering love of the Eternal, and +finds rest in its silent peace. And whosoever comes to this Love is not +turned away comfortless, is not pierced with anguish nor surrounded with +gloom; and is never deserted in the dark hour of trial. + +The glory of Divine Love can only be revealed in the heart that is +chastened by sorrow, and the image of the heavenly state can only be +perceived and realized when the lifeless, formless accretions of ignorance +and self are hewn away. + +Only that Love that seeks no personal gratification or reward, that does +not make distinctions, and that leaves behind no heartaches, can be called +divine. + +Men, clinging to self and to the comfortless shadows of evil, are in the +habit of thinking of divine Love as something belonging to a God who is out +of reach; as something outside themselves, and that must for ever remain +outside. Truly, the Love of God is ever beyond the reach of self, but when +the heart and mind are emptied of self then the selfless Love, the supreme +Love, the Love that is of God or Good becomes an inward and abiding +reality. + +And this inward realization of holy Love is none other than the Love of +Christ that is so much talked about and so little comprehended. The Love +that not only saves the soul from sin, but lifts it also above the power of +temptation. + +But how may one attain to this sublime realization? The answer which Truth +has always given, and will ever give to this question is,--"Empty thyself, +and I will fill thee." Divine Love cannot be known until self is dead, for +self is the denial of Love, and how can that which is known be also denied? +Not until the stone of self is rolled away from the sepulcher of the soul +does the immortal Christ, the pure Spirit of Love, hitherto crucified, dead +and buried, cast off the bands of ignorance, and come forth in all the +majesty of His resurrection. + +You believe that the Christ of Nazareth was put to death and rose again. I +do not say you err in that belief; but if you refuse to believe that the +gentle spirit of Love is crucified daily upon the dark cross of your +selfish desires, then, I say, you err in this unbelief, and have not yet +perceived, even afar off, the Love of Christ. + +You say that you have tasted of salvation in the Love of Christ. Are you +saved from your temper, your irritability, your vanity, your personal +dislikes, your judgment and condemnation of others? If not, from what are +you saved, and wherein have you realized the transforming Love of Christ? + +He who has realized the Love that is divine has become a new man, and has +ceased to be swayed and dominated by the old elements of self. He is known +for his patience, his purity, his self-control, his deep charity of heart, +and his unalterable sweetness. + +Divine or selfless Love is not a mere sentiment or emotion; it is a state +of knowledge which destroys the dominion of evil and the belief in evil, +and lifts the soul into the joyful realization of the supreme Good. To the +divinely wise, knowledge and Love are one and inseparable. + +It is toward the complete realization of this divine Love that the whole +world is moving; it was for this purpose that the universe came into +existence, and every grasping at happiness, every reaching out of the soul +toward objects, ideas and ideals, is an effort to realize it. But the world +does not realize this Love at present because it is grasping at the +fleeting shadow and ignoring, in its blindness, the substance. And so +suffering and sorrow continue, and must continue until the world, taught by +its self-inflicted pains, discovers the Love that is selfless, the wisdom +that is calm and full of peace. + +And this Love, this Wisdom, this Peace, this tranquil state of mind and +heart may be attained to, may be realized by all who are willing and ready +to yield up self, and who are prepared to humbly enter into a comprehension +of all that the giving up of self involves. There is no arbitrary power in +the universe, and the strongest chains of fate by which men are bound are +self-forged. Men are chained to that which causes suffering because they +desire to be so, because they love their chains, because they think their +little dark prison of self is sweet and beautiful, and they are afraid that +if they desert that prison they will lose all that is real and worth +having. + + "Ye suffer from yourselves, none else compels, + None other holds ye that ye live and die." + +And the indwelling power which forged the chains and built around itself +the dark and narrow prison, can break away when it desires and wills to do +so, and the soul does will to do so when it has discovered the +worthlessness of its prison, when long suffering has prepared it for the +reception of the boundless Light and Love. + +As the shadow follows the form, and as smoke comes after fire, so effect +follows cause, and suffering and bliss follow the thoughts and deeds of +men. There is no effect in the world around us but has its hidden or +revealed cause, and that cause is in accordance with absolute justice. Men +reap a harvest of suffering because in the near or distant past they have +sown the seeds of evil; they reap a harvest of bliss also as a result of +their own sowing of the seeds of good. Let a man meditate upon this, let +him strive to understand it, and he will then begin to sow only seeds of +good, and will burn up the tares and weeds which he has formerly grown in +the garden of his heart. + +The world does not understand the Love that is selfless because it is +engrossed in the pursuit of its own pleasures, and cramped within the +narrow limits of perishable interests mistaking, in its ignorance, those +pleasures and interests for real and abiding things. Caught in the flames +of fleshly lusts, and burning with anguish, it sees not the pure and +peaceful beauty of Truth. Feeding upon the swinish husks of error and +self-delusion, it is shut out from the mansion of all-seeing Love. + +Not having this Love, not understanding it, men institute innumerable +reforms which involve no inward sacrifice, and each imagines that his +reform is going to right the world for ever, while he himself continues to +propagate evil by engaging it in his own heart. That only can be called +reform which tends to reform the human heart, for all evil has its rise +there, and not until the world, ceasing from selfishness and party strife, +has learned the lesson of divine Love, will it realize the Golden Age of +universal blessedness. + +Let the rich cease to despise the poor, and the poor to condemn the rich; +let the greedy learn how to give, and the lustful how to grow pure; let the +partisan cease from strife, and the uncharitable begin to forgive; let the +envious endeavor to rejoice with others, and the slanderers grow ashamed of +their conduct. Let men and women take this course, and, lo! the Golden Age +is at hand. He, therefore, who purifies his own heart is the world's +greatest benefactor. + +Yet, though the world is, and will be for many ages to come, shut out from +that Age of Gold, which is the realization of selfless Love, you, if you +are willing, may enter it now, by rising above your selfish self; if you +will pass from prejudice, hatred, and condemnation, to gentle and forgiving +love. + +Where hatred, dislike, and condemnation are, selfless Love does not abide. +It resides only in the heart that has ceased from all condemnation. + +You say, "How can I love the drunkard, the hypocrite, the sneak, the +murderer? I am compelled to dislike and condemn such men." It is true you +cannot love such men _emotionally_, but when you say that you must perforce +dislike and condemn them you show that you are not acquainted with the +Great over-ruling Love; for it is possible to attain to such a state of +interior enlightenment as will enable you to perceive the train of causes +by which these men have become as they are, to enter into their intense +sufferings, and to know the certainty of their ultimate purification. +Possessed of such knowledge it will be utterly impossible for you any +longer to dislike or condemn them, and you will always think of them with +perfect calmness and deep compassion. + +If you love people and speak of them with praise until they in some way +thwart you, or do something of which you disapprove, and then you dislike +them and speak of them with dispraise, you are not governed by the Love +which is of God. If, in your heart, you are continually arraigning and +condemning others, selfless Love is hidden from you. + +He who knows that Love is at the heart of all things, and has realized the +all-sufficing power of that Love, has no room in his heart for +condemnation. + +Men, not knowing this Love, constitute themselves judge and executioner of +their fellows, forgetting that there is the Eternal Judge and Executioner, +and in so far as men deviate from them in their own views, their particular +reforms and methods, they brand them as fanatical, unbalanced, lacking +judgment, sincerity, and honesty; in so far as others approximate to their +own standard do they look upon them as being everything that is admirable. +Such are the men who are centered in self. But he whose heart is centered +in the supreme Love does not so brand and classify men; does not seek to +convert men to his own views, not to convince them of the superiority of +his methods. Knowing the Law of Love, he lives it, and maintains the same +calm attitude of mind and sweetness of heart toward all. The debased and +the virtuous, the foolish and the wise, the learned and the unlearned, the +selfish and the unselfish receive alike the benediction of his tranquil +thought. + +You can only attain to this supreme knowledge, this divine Love by +unremitting endeavor in self-discipline, and by gaining victory after +victory over yourself. Only the pure in heart see God, and when your heart +is sufficiently purified you will enter into the New Birth, and the Love +that does not die, nor change, nor end in pain and sorrow will be awakened +within you, and you will be at peace. + +He who strives for the attainment of divine Love is ever seeking to +overcome the spirit of condemnation, for where there is pure spiritual +knowledge, condemnation cannot exist, and only in the heart that has become +incapable of condemnation is Love perfected and fully realized. + +The Christian condemns the Atheist; the Atheist satirizes the Christian; +the Catholic and Protestant are ceaselessly engaged in wordy warfare, and +the spirit of strife and hatred rules where peace and love should be. + +"He that hateth his brother is a murderer," a crucifier of the divine +Spirit of Love; and until you can regard men of all religions and of no +religion with the same impartial spirit, with all freedom from dislike, and +with perfect equanimity, you have yet to strive for that Love which bestows +upon its possessor freedom and salvation. + +The realization of divine knowledge, selfless Love, utterly destroys the +spirit of condemnation, disperses all evil, and lifts the consciousness to +that height of pure vision where Love, Goodness, Justice are seen to be +universal, supreme, all-conquering, indestructible. + +Train your mind in strong, impartial, and gentle thought; train your heart +in purity and compassion; train your tongue to silence and to true and +stainless speech; so shall you enter the way of holiness and peace, and +shall ultimately realize the immortal Love. So living, without seeking to +convert, you will convince; without arguing, you will teach; not cherishing +ambition, the wise will find you out; and without striving to gain men's +opinions, you will subdue their hearts. For Love is all-conquering, +all-powerful; and the thoughts, and deeds, and words of Love can never +perish. + +To know that Love is universal, supreme, all-sufficing; to be freed from +the trammels of evil; to be quit of the inward unrest; to know that all men +are striving to realize the Truth each in his own way; to be satisfied, +sorrowless, serene; this is peace; this is gladness; this is immortality; +this is Divinity; this is the realization of selfless Love. + + I stood upon the shore, and saw the rocks + Resist the onslaught of the mighty sea, + And when I thought how all the countless shocks + They had withstood through an eternity, + I said, "To wear away this solid main + The ceaseless efforts of the waves are vain." + + But when I thought how they the rocks had rent, + And saw the sand and shingles at my feet + (Poor passive remnants of resistance spent) + Tumbled and tossed where they the waters meet, + Then saw I ancient landmarks 'neath the waves, + And knew the waters held the stones their slaves. + + I saw the mighty work the waters wrought + By patient softness and unceasing flow; + How they the proudest promontory brought + Unto their feet, and massy hills laid low; + How the soft drops the adamantine wall + Conquered at last, and brought it to its fall. + + And then I knew that hard, resisting sin + Should yield at last to Love's soft ceaseless roll + Coming and going, ever flowing in + Upon the proud rocks of the human soul; + That all resistance should be spent and past, + And every heart yield unto it at last. + + + + +ENTERING INTO THE INFINITE + + +From the beginning of time, man, in spite of his bodily appetites and +desires, in the midst of all his clinging to earthly and impermanent +things, has ever been intuitively conscious of the limited, transient, and +illusionary nature of his material existence, and in his sane and silent +moments has tried to reach out into a comprehension of the Infinite, and +has turned with tearful aspiration toward the restful Reality of the +Eternal Heart. + +While vainly imagining that the pleasures of earth are real and satisfying, +pain and sorrow continually remind him of their unreal and unsatisfying +nature. Ever striving to believe that complete satisfaction is to be found +in material things, he is conscious of an inward and persistent revolt +against this belief, which revolt is at once a refutation of his essential +mortality, and an inherent and imperishable proof that only in the +immortal, the eternal, the infinite can he find abiding satisfaction and +unbroken peace. + +And here is the common ground of faith; here the root and spring of all +religion; here the soul of Brotherhood and the heart of Love,--that man is +essentially and spiritually divine and eternal, and that, immersed in +mortality and troubled with unrest, he is ever striving to enter into a +consciousness of his real nature. + +The spirit of man is inseparable from the Infinite, and can be satisfied +with nothing short of the Infinite, and the burden of pain will continue to +weigh upon man's heart, and the shadows of sorrow to darken his pathway +until, ceasing from his wanderings in the dream-world of matter, he comes +back to his home in the reality of the Eternal. + +As the smallest drop of water detached from the ocean contains all the +qualities of the ocean, so man, detached in consciousness from the +Infinite, contains within him its likeness; and as the drop of water must, +by the law of its nature, ultimately find its way back to the ocean and +lose itself in its silent depths, so must man, by the unfailing law of his +nature, at last return to his source, and lose himself in the great ocean +of the Infinite. + +To re-become one with the Infinite is the goal of man. To enter into +perfect harmony with the Eternal Law is Wisdom, Love and Peace. But this +divine state is, and must ever be, incomprehensible to the merely personal. +Personality, separateness, selfishness are one and the same, and are the +antithesis of wisdom and divinity. By the unqualified surrender of the +personality, separateness and selfishness cease, and man enters into the +possession of his divine heritage of immortality and infinity. + +Such surrender of the personality is regarded by the worldly and selfish +mind as the most grievous of all calamities, the most irreparable loss, yet +it is the one supreme and incomparable blessing, the only real and lasting +gain. The mind unenlightened upon the inner laws of being, and upon the +nature and destiny of its own life, clings to transient appearances, things +which have in them no enduring substantiality, and so clinging, perishes, +for the time being, amid the shattered wreckage of its own illusions. + +Men cling to and gratify the flesh as though it were going to last for +ever, and though they try to forget the nearness and inevitability of its +dissolution, the dread of death and of the loss of all that they cling to +clouds their happiest hours, and the chilling shadow of their own +selfishness follows them like a remorseless specter. + +And with the accumulation of temporal comforts and luxuries, the divinity +within men is drugged, and they sink deeper and deeper into materiality, +into the perishable life of the senses, and where there is sufficient +intellect, theories concerning the immortality of the flesh come to be +regarded as infallible truths. When a man's soul is clouded with +selfishness in any or every form, he loses the power of spiritual +discrimination, and confuses the temporal with the eternal, the perishable +with the permanent, mortality with immortality, and error with Truth. It is +thus that the world has come to be filled with theories and speculations +having no foundation in human experience. Every body of flesh contains +within itself, from the hour of birth, the elements of its own destruction, +and by the unalterable law of its own nature must it pass away. + +The perishable in the universe can never become permanent; the permanent +can never pass away; the mortal can never become immortal; the immortal can +never die; the temporal cannot become eternal nor the eternal become +temporal; appearance can never become reality, nor reality fade into +appearance; error can never become Truth, nor can Truth become error. Man +cannot immortalize the flesh, but, by overcoming the flesh, by +relinquishing all its inclinations, he can enter the region of immortality. +"God alone hath immortality," and only by realizing the God state of +consciousness does man enter into immortality. + +All nature in its myriad forms of life is changeable, impermanent, +unenduring. Only the informing Principle of nature endures. Nature is many, +and is marked by separation. The informing Principle is One, and is marked +by unity. By overcoming the senses and the selfishness within, which is the +overcoming of nature, man emerges from the chrysalis of the personal and +illusory, and wings himself into the glorious light of the impersonal, the +region of universal Truth, out of which all perishable forms come. + +Let men, therefore, practice self-denial; let them conquer their animal +inclinations; let them refuse to be enslaved by luxury and pleasure; let +them practice virtue, and grow daily into high and ever higher virtue, +until at last they grow into the Divine, and enter into both the practice +and the comprehension of humility, meekness, forgiveness, compassion, and +love, which practice and comprehension constitute Divinity. + +"Good-will gives insight," and only he who has so conquered his personality +that he has but one attitude of mind, that of good-will, toward all +creatures, is possessed of divine insight, and is capable of distinguishing +the true from the false. The supremely good man is, therefore, the wise +man, the divine man, the enlightened seer, the knower of the Eternal. Where +you find unbroken gentleness, enduring patience, sublime lowliness, +graciousness of speech, self-control, self-forgetfulness, and deep and +abounding sympathy, look there for the highest wisdom, seek the company of +such a one, for he has realized the Divine, he lives with the Eternal, he +has become one with the Infinite. Believe not him that is impatient, given +to anger, boastful, who clings to pleasure and refuses to renounce his +selfish gratifications, and who practices not good-will and far-reaching +compassion, for such a one hath not wisdom, vain is all his knowledge, and +his works and words will perish, for they are grounded on that which passes +away. + +Let a man abandon self, let him overcome the world, let him deny the +personal; by this pathway only can he enter into the heart of the Infinite. + +The world, the body, the personality are mirages upon the desert of time; +transitory dreams in the dark night of spiritual slumber, and those who +have crossed the desert, those who are spiritually awakened, have alone +comprehended the Universal Reality where all appearances are dispersed and +dreaming and delusion are destroyed. + +There is one Great Law which exacts unconditional obedience, one unifying +principle which is the basis of all diversity, one eternal Truth wherein +all the problems of earth pass away like shadows. To realize this Law, this +Unity, this Truth, is to enter into the Infinite, is to become one with the +Eternal. + +To center one's life in the Great Law of Love is to enter into rest, +harmony, peace. To refrain from all participation in evil and discord; to +cease from all resistance to evil, and from the omission of that which is +good, and to fall back upon unswerving obedience to the holy calm within, +is to enter into the inmost heart of things, is to attain to a living, +conscious experience of that eternal and infinite principle which must ever +remain a hidden mystery to the merely perceptive intellect. Until this +principle is realized, the soul is not established in peace, and he who so +realizes is truly wise; not wise with the wisdom of the learned, but with +the simplicity of a blameless heart and of a divine manhood. + +To enter into a realization of the Infinite and Eternal is to rise superior +to time, and the world, and the body, which comprise the kingdom of +darkness; and is to become established in immortality, Heaven, and the +Spirit, which make up the Empire of Light. + +Entering into the Infinite is not a mere theory or sentiment. It is a vital +experience which is the result of assiduous practice in inward +purification. When the body is no longer believed to be, even remotely, the +real man; when all appetites and desires are thoroughly subdued and +purified; when the emotions are rested and calm, and when the oscillation +of the intellect ceases and perfect poise is secured, then, and not till +then, does consciousness become one with the Infinite; not until then is +childlike wisdom and profound peace secured. + +Men grow weary and gray over the dark problems of life, and finally pass +away and leave them unsolved because they cannot see their way out of the +darkness of the personality, being too much engrossed in its limitations. +Seeking to save his personal life, man forfeits the greater impersonal Life +in Truth; clinging to the perishable, he is shut out from a knowledge of +the Eternal. + +By the surrender of self all difficulties are overcome, and there is no +error in the universe but the fire of inward sacrifice will burn it up like +chaff; no problem, however great, but will disappear like a shadow under +the searching light of self-abnegation. Problems exist only in our own +self-created illusions, and they vanish away when self is yielded up. Self +and error are synonymous. Error is involved in the darkness of unfathomable +complexity, but eternal simplicity is the glory of Truth. + +Love of self shuts men out from Truth, and seeking their own personal +happiness they lose the deeper, purer, and more abiding bliss. Says +Carlyle--"There is in man a higher than love of happiness. He can do +without happiness, and instead thereof find blessedness. + +... Love not pleasure, love God. This is the Everlasting Yea, wherein all +contradiction is solved; wherein whoso walks and works, it is well with +him." + +He who has yielded up that self, that personality that men most love, and +to which they cling with such fierce tenacity, has left behind him all +perplexity, and has entered into a simplicity so profoundly simple as to be +looked upon by the world, involved as it is in a network of error, as +foolishness. Yet such a one has realized the highest wisdom, and is at rest +in the Infinite. He "accomplishes without striving," and all problems melt +before him, for he has entered the region of reality, and deals, not with +changing effects, but with the unchanging principles of things. He is +enlightened with a wisdom which is as superior to ratiocination, as reason +is to animality. Having yielded up his lusts, his errors, his opinions and +prejudices, he has entered into possession of the knowledge of God, having +slain the selfish desire for heaven, and along with it the ignorant fear of +hell; having relinquished even the love of life itself, he has gained +supreme bliss and Life Eternal, the Life which bridges life and death, and +knows its own immortality. Having yielded up all without reservation, he +has gained all, and rests in peace on the bosom of the Infinite. + +Only he who has become so free from self as to be equally content to be +annihilated as to live, or to live as to be annihilated, is fit to enter +into the Infinite. Only he who, ceasing to trust his perishable self, has +learned to trust in boundless measure the Great Law, the Supreme Good, is +prepared to partake of undying bliss. + +For such a one there is no more regret, nor disappointment, nor remorse, +for where all selfishness has ceased these sufferings cannot be; and +whatever happens to him he knows that it is for his own good, and he is +content, being no longer the servant of self, but the servant of the +Supreme. He is no longer affected by the changes of earth, and when he +hears of wars and rumors of wars his peace is not disturbed, and where men +grow angry and cynical and quarrelsome, he bestows compassion and love. +Though appearances may contradict it, he knows that the world is +progressing, and that + + "Through its laughing and its weeping, + Through its living and its keeping, + Through its follies and its labors, weaving in and out of sight, + To the end from the beginning, + Through all virtue and all sinning, + Reeled from God's great spool of Progress, runs the golden + thread of light." + +When a fierce storm is raging none are angered about it, because they know +it will quickly pass away, and when the storms of contention are +devastating the world, the wise man, looking with the eye of Truth and +pity, knows that it will pass away, and that out of the wreckage of broken +hearts which it leaves behind the immortal Temple of Wisdom will be built. + +Sublimely patient; infinitely compassionate; deep, silent, and pure, his +very presence is a benediction; and when he speaks men ponder his words in +their hearts, and by them rise to higher levels of attainment. Such is he +who has entered into the Infinite, who by the power of utmost sacrifice has +solved the sacred mystery of life. + + Questioning Life and Destiny and Truth, + I sought the dark and labyrinthine Sphinx, + Who spake to me this strange and wondrous thing:-- + "Concealment only lies in blinded eyes, + And God alone can see the Form of God." + + I sought to solve this hidden mystery + Vainly by paths of blindness and of pain, + But when I found the Way of Love and Peace, + Concealment ceased, and I was blind no more: + Then saw I God e'en with the eyes of God. + + + + +SAINTS, SAGES, AND SAVIORS: THE LAW OF SERVICE + + +The spirit of Love which is manifested as a perfect and rounded life, is +the crown of being and the supreme end of knowledge upon this earth. + +The measure of a man's truth is the measure of his love, and Truth is far +removed from him whose life is not governed by Love. The intolerant and +condemnatory, even though they profess the highest religion, have the +smallest measure of Truth; while those who exercise patience, and who +listen calmly and dispassionately to all sides, and both arrive themselves +at, and incline others to, thoughtful and unbiased conclusions upon all +problems and issues, have Truth in fullest measure. The final test of +wisdom is this,--how does a man live? What spirit does he manifest? How +does he act under trial and temptation? Many men boast of being in +possession of Truth who are continually swayed by grief, disappointment, +and passion, and who sink under the first little trial that comes along. +Truth is nothing if not unchangeable, and in so far as a man takes his +stand upon Truth does he become steadfast in virtue, does he rise superior +to his passions and emotions and changeable personality. + +Men formulate perishable dogmas, and call them Truth. Truth cannot be +formulated; it is ineffable, and ever beyond the reach of intellect. It can +only be experienced by practice; it can only be manifested as a stainless +heart and a perfect life. + +Who, then, in the midst of the ceaseless pandemonium of schools and creeds +and parties, has the Truth? He who lives it. He who practices it. He who, +having risen above that pandemonium by overcoming himself, no longer +engages in it, but sits apart, quiet, subdued, calm, and self-possessed, +freed from all strife, all bias, all condemnation, and bestows upon all the +glad and unselfish love of the divinity within him. + +He who is patient, calm, gentle, and forgiving under all circumstances, +manifests the Truth. Truth will never be proved by wordy arguments and +learned treatises, for if men do not perceive the Truth in infinite +patience, undying forgiveness, and all-embracing compassion, no words can +ever prove it to them. + +It is an easy matter for the passionate to be calm and patient when they +are alone, or are in the midst of calmness. It is equally easy for the +uncharitable to be gentle and kind when they are dealt kindly with, but he +who retains his patience and calmness under all trial, who remains +sublimely meek and gentle under the most trying circumstances, he, and he +alone, is possessed of the spotless Truth. And this is so because such +lofty virtues belong to the Divine, and can only be manifested by one who +has attained to the highest wisdom, who has relinquished his passionate and +self-seeking nature, who has realized the supreme and unchangeable Law, and +has brought himself into harmony with it. + +Let men, therefore, cease from vain and passionate arguments about Truth, +and let them think and say and do those things which make for harmony, +peace, love, and good-will. Let them practice heart-virtue, and search +humbly and diligently for the Truth which frees the soul from all error and +sin, from all that blights the human heart, and that darkens, as with +unending night, the pathway of the wandering souls of earth. + +There is one great all-embracing Law which is the foundation and cause of +the universe, the Law of Love. It has been called by many names in various +countries and at various times, but behind all its names the same +unalterable Law may be discovered by the eye of Truth. Names, religions, +personalities pass away, but the Law of Love remains. To become possessed +of a knowledge of this Law, to enter into conscious harmony with it, is to +become immortal, invincible, indestructible. + +It is because of the effort of the soul to realize this Law that men come +again and again to live, to suffer, and to die; and when realized, +suffering ceases, personality is dispersed, and the fleshly life and death +are destroyed, for consciousness becomes one with the Eternal. + +The Law is absolutely impersonal, and its highest manifested expression is +that of Service. When the purified heart has realized Truth it is then +called upon to make the last, the greatest and holiest sacrifice, the +sacrifice of the well-earned enjoyment of Truth. It is by virtue of this +sacrifice that the divinely-emancipated soul comes to dwell among men, +clothed with a body of flesh, content to dwell among the lowliest and +least, and to be esteemed the servant of all mankind. That sublime humility +which is manifested by the world's saviors is the seal of Godhead, and he +who has annihilated the personality, and has become a living, visible +manifestation of the impersonal, eternal, boundless Spirit of Love, is +alone singled out as worthy to receive the unstinted worship of posterity. +He only who succeeds in humbling himself with that divine humility which is +not only the extinction of self, but is also the pouring out upon all the +spirit of unselfish love, is exalted above measure, and given spiritual +dominion in the hearts of mankind. + +All the great spiritual teachers have denied themselves personal luxuries, +comforts, and rewards, have abjured temporal power, and have lived and +taught the limitless and impersonal Truth. Compare their lives and +teachings, and you will find the same simplicity, the same self-sacrifice, +the same humility, love, and peace both lived and preached by them. They +taught the same eternal Principles, the realization of which destroys all +evil. Those who have been hailed and worshiped as the saviors of mankind +are manifestations of the Great impersonal Law, and being such, were free +from passion and prejudice, and having no opinions, and no special letter +of doctrine to preach and defend, they never sought to convert and to +proselytize. Living in the highest Goodness, the supreme Perfection, their +sole object was to uplift mankind by manifesting that Goodness in thought, +word, and deed. They stand between man the personal and God the impersonal, +and serve as exemplary types for the salvation of self-enslaved mankind. + +Men who are immersed in self, and who cannot comprehend the Goodness that +is absolutely impersonal, deny divinity to all saviors except their own, +and thus introduce personal hatred and doctrinal controversy, and, while +defending their own particular views with passion, look upon each other as +being heathens or infidels, and so render null and void, as far as their +lives are concerned, the unselfish beauty and holy grandeur of the lives +and teachings of their own Masters. Truth cannot be limited; it can never +be the special prerogative of any man, school, or nation, and when +personality steps in, Truth is lost. + +The glory alike of the saint, the sage, and the savior is this,--that he +has realized the most profound lowliness, the most sublime unselfishness; +having given up all, even his own personality, all his works are holy and +enduring, for they are freed from every taint of self. He gives, yet never +thinks of receiving; he works without regretting the past or anticipating +the future, and never looks for reward. + +When the farmer has tilled and dressed his land and put in the seed, he +knows that he has done all that he can possibly do, and that now he must +trust to the elements, and wait patiently for the course of time to bring +about the harvest, and that no amount of expectancy on his part will affect +the result. Even so, he who has realized Truth goes forth as a sower of the +seeds of goodness, purity, love and peace, without expectancy, and never +looking for results, knowing that there is the Great Over-ruling Law which +brings about its own harvest in due time, and which is alike the source of +preservation and destruction. + +Men, not understanding the divine simplicity of a profoundly unselfish +heart, look upon their particular savior as the manifestation of a special +miracle, as being something entirely apart and distinct from the nature of +things, and as being, in his ethical excellence, eternally unapproachable +by the whole of mankind. This attitude of unbelief (for such it is) in the +divine perfectibility of man, paralyzes effort, and binds the souls of men +as with strong ropes to sin and suffering. Jesus "grew in wisdom" and was +"perfected by suffering." What Jesus was, he became such; what Buddha was, +he became such; and every holy man became such by unremitting perseverance +in self-sacrifice. Once recognize this, once realize that by watchful +effort and hopeful perseverance you can rise above your lower nature, and +great and glorious will be the vistas of attainment that will open out +before you. Buddha vowed that he would not relax his efforts until he +arrived at the state of perfection, and he accomplished his purpose. + +What the saints, sages, and saviors have accomplished, you likewise may +accomplish if you will only tread the way which they trod and pointed out, +the way of self-sacrifice, of self-denying service. + +Truth is very simple. It says, "Give up self," "Come unto Me" (away from +all that defiles) "and I will give you rest." All the mountains of +commentary that have been piled upon it cannot hide it from the heart that +is earnestly seeking for Righteousness. It does not require learning; it +can be known in spite of learning. Disguised under many forms by erring +self-seeking man, the beautiful simplicity and clear transparency of Truth +remains unaltered and undimmed, and the unselfish heart enters into and +partakes of its shining radiance. Not by weaving complex theories, not by +building up speculative philosophies is Truth realized; but by weaving the +web of inward purity, by building up the Temple of a stainless life is +Truth realized. + +He who enters upon this holy way begins by restraining his passions. This +is virtue, and is the beginning of saintship, and saintship is the +beginning of holiness. The entirely worldly man gratifies all his desires, +and practices no more restraint than the law of the land in which he lives +demands; the virtuous man restrains his passions; the saint attacks the +enemy of Truth in its stronghold within his own heart, and restrains all +selfish and impure thoughts; while the holy man is he who is free from +passion and all impure thought, and to whom goodness and purity have become +as natural as scent and color are to the flower. The holy man is divinely +wise; he alone knows Truth in its fullness, and has entered into abiding +rest and peace. For him evil has ceased; it has disappeared in the +universal light of the All-Good. Holiness is the badge of wisdom. Said +Krishna to the Prince Arjuna-- + + "Humbleness, truthfulness, and harmlessness, + Patience and honor, reverence for the wise, + Purity, constancy, control of self, + Contempt of sense-delights, self-sacrifice, + Perception of the certitude of ill + In birth, death, age, disease, suffering and sin; + An ever tranquil heart in fortunes good + And fortunes evil, ... + ... Endeavors resolute + To reach perception of the utmost soul, + And grace to understand what gain it were + So to attain--this is true wisdom, Prince! + And what is otherwise is ignorance!" + +Whoever fights ceaselessly against his own selfishness, and strives to +supplant it with all-embracing love, is a saint, whether he live in a +cottage or in the midst of riches and influence; or whether he preaches or +remains obscure. + +To the worldling, who is beginning to aspire towards higher things, the +saint, such as a sweet St. Francis of Assisi, or a conquering St. Anthony, +is a glorious and inspiring spectacle; to the saint, an equally enrapturing +sight is that of the sage, sitting serene and holy, the conqueror of sin +and sorrow, no more tormented by regret and remorse, and whom even +temptation can never reach; and yet even the sage is drawn on by a still +more glorious vision, that of the savior actively manifesting his knowledge +in selfless works, and rendering his divinity more potent for good by +sinking himself in the throbbing, sorrowing, aspiring heart of mankind. + +And this only is true service--to forget oneself in love towards all, to +lose oneself in working for the whole. O thou vain and foolish man, who +thinkest that thy many works can save thee; who, chained to all error, +talkest loudly of thyself, thy work, and thy many sacrifices, and +magnifiest thine own importance; know this, that though thy fame fill the +whole earth, all thy work shall come to dust, and thou thyself be reckoned +lower than the least in the Kingdom of Truth! + +Only the work that is impersonal can live; the works of self are both +powerless and perishable. Where duties, howsoever humble, are done without +self-interest, and with joyful sacrifice, there is true service and +enduring work. Where deeds, however brilliant and apparently successful, +are done from love of self, there is ignorance of the Law of Service, and +the work perishes. + +It is given to the world to learn one great and divine lesson, the lesson +of absolute unselfishness. The saints, sages, and saviors of all time are +they who have submitted themselves to this task, and have learned and lived +it. All the Scriptures of the world are framed to teach this one lesson; +all the great teachers reiterate it. It is too simple for the world which, +scorning it, stumbles along in the complex ways of selfishness. + +A pure heart is the end of all religion and the beginning of divinity. To +search for this Righteousness is to walk the Way of Truth and Peace, and he +who enters this Way will soon perceive that Immortality which is +independent of birth and death, and will realize that in the Divine economy +of the universe the humblest effort is not lost. + +The divinity of a Krishna, a Gautama, or a Jesus is the crowning glory of +self-abnegation, the end of the soul's pilgrimage in matter and mortality, +and the world will not have finished its long journey until every soul has +become as these, and has entered into the blissful realization of its own +divinity. + + Great glory crowns the heights of hope by arduous struggle won; + Bright honor rounds the hoary head that mighty works hath done; + Fair riches come to him who strives in ways of golden gain. + And fame enshrines his name who works with genius-glowing brain; + But greater glory waits for him who, in the bloodless strife + 'Gainst self and wrong, adopts, in love, the sacrificial life; + And brighter honor rounds the brow of him who, 'mid the scorns + Of blind idolaters of self, accepts the crown of thorns; + And fairer purer riches come to him who greatly strives + To walk in ways of love and truth to sweeten human lives; + And he who serveth well mankind exchanges fleeting fame + For Light eternal, Joy and Peace, and robes of heavenly flame. + + + + +THE REALIZATION OF PERFECT PEACE + + +In the external universe there is ceaseless turmoil, change, and unrest; at +the heart of all things there is undisturbed repose; in this deep silence +dwelleth the Eternal. + +Man partakes of this duality, and both the surface change and disquietude, +and the deep-seated eternal abode of Peace, are contained within him. + +As there are silent depths in the ocean which the fiercest storm cannot +reach, so there are silent, holy depths in the heart of man which the +storms of sin and sorrow can never disturb. To reach this silence and to +live consciously in it is peace. + +Discord is rife in the outward world, but unbroken harmony holds sway at +the heart of the universe. The human soul, torn by discordant passion and +grief, reaches blindly toward the harmony of the sinless state, and to +reach this state and to live consciously in it is peace. + +Hatred severs human lives, fosters persecution, and hurls nations into +ruthless war, yet men, though they do not understand why, retain some +measure of faith in the overshadowing of a Perfect Love; and to reach this +Love and to live consciously in it is peace. + +And this inward peace, this silence, this harmony, this Love, is the +Kingdom of Heaven, which is so difficult to reach because few are willing +to give up themselves and to become as little children. + + "Heaven's gate is very narrow and minute, + It cannot be perceived by foolish men + Blinded by vain illusions of the world; + E'en the clear-sighted who discern the way, + And seek to enter, find the portal barred, + And hard to be unlocked. Its massive bolts + Are pride and passion, avarice and lust." + +Men cry peace! peace! where there is no peace, but on the contrary, +discord, disquietude and strife. Apart from that Wisdom which is +inseparable from self-renunciation, there can be no real and abiding peace. + +The peace which results from social comfort, passing gratification, or +worldly victory is transitory in its nature, and is burnt up in the heat of +fiery trial. Only the Peace of Heaven endures through all trial, and only +the selfless heart can know the Peace of Heaven. + +Holiness alone is undying peace. Self-control leads to it, and the +ever-increasing Light of Wisdom guides the pilgrim on his way. It is +partaken of in a measure as soon as the path of virtue is entered upon, but +it is only realized in its fullness when self disappears in the +consummation of a stainless life. + + "This is peace, + To conquer love of self and lust of life, + To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart + To still the inward strife." + +If, O reader! you would realize the Light that never fades, the Joy that +never ends, and the tranquillity that cannot be disturbed; if you would +leave behind for ever your sins, your sorrows, your anxieties and +perplexities; if, I say, you would partake of this salvation, this +supremely glorious Life, then conquer yourself. Bring every thought, every +impulse, every desire into perfect obedience to the divine power resident +within you. There is no other way to peace but this, and if you refuse to +walk it, your much praying and your strict adherence to ritual will be +fruitless and unavailing, and neither gods nor angels can help you. Only to +him that overcometh is given the white stone of the regenerate life, on +which is written the New and Ineffable Name. + +Come away, for awhile, from external things, from the pleasures of the +senses, from the arguments of the intellect, from the noise and the +excitements of the world, and withdraw yourself into the inmost chamber of +your heart, and there, free from the sacrilegious intrusion of all selfish +desires, you will find a deep silence, a holy calm, a blissful repose, and +if you will rest awhile in that holy place, and will meditate there, the +faultless eye of Truth will open within you, and you will see things as +they really are. This holy place within you is your real and eternal self; +it is the divine within you; and only when you identify yourself with it +can you be said to be "clothed and in your right mind." It is the abode of +peace, the temple of wisdom, the dwelling-place of immortality. Apart from +this inward resting-place, this Mount of Vision, there can be no true +peace, no knowledge of the Divine, and if you can remain there for one +minute, one hour, or one day, it is possible for you to remain there +always. All your sins and sorrows, your fears and anxieties are your own, +and you can cling to them or you can give them up. Of your own accord you +cling to your unrest; of your own accord you can come to abiding peace. No +one else can give up sin for you; you must give it up yourself. The +greatest teacher can do no more than walk the way of Truth for himself, and +point it out to you; you yourself must walk it for yourself. You can obtain +freedom and peace alone by your own efforts, by yielding up that which +binds the soul, and which is destructive of peace. + +The angels of divine peace and joy are always at hand, and if you do not +see them, and hear them, and dwell with them, it is because you shut +yourself out from them, and prefer the company of the spirits of evil +within you. You are what you will to be, what you wish to be, what you +prefer to be. You can commence to purify yourself, and by so doing can +arrive at peace, or you can refuse to purify yourself, and so remain with +suffering. + +Step aside, then; come out of the fret and the fever of life; away from the +scorching heat of self, and enter the inward resting-place where the +cooling airs of peace will calm, renew, and restore you. + +Come out of the storms of sin and anguish. Why be troubled and +tempest-tossed when the haven of Peace of God is yours! + +Give up all self-seeking; give up self, and lo! the Peace of God is yours! + +Subdue the animal within you; conquer every selfish uprising, every +discordant voice; transmute the base metals of your selfish nature into the +unalloyed gold of Love, and you shall realize the Life of Perfect Peace. +Thus subduing, thus conquering, thus transmuting, you will, O reader! while +living in the flesh, cross the dark waters of mortality, and will reach +that Shore upon which the storms of sorrow never beat, and where sin and +suffering and dark uncertainty cannot come. Standing upon that Shore, holy, +compassionate, awakened, and self-possessed and glad with unending +gladness, you will realize that + + "Never the Spirit was born, the Spirit will cease to be never; + Never was time it was not, end and beginning are dreams; + Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the Spirit for ever; + Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it seems." + +You will then know the meaning of Sin, of Sorrow, of Suffering, and that +the end thereof is Wisdom; will know the cause and the issue of existence. + +And with this realization you will enter into rest, for this is the bliss +of immortality, this the unchangeable gladness, this the untrammeled +knowledge, undefiled Wisdom, and undying Love; this, and this only, is the +realization of Perfect Peace. + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Truth! + Hast thou passed through the desert of doubt? + Art thou purged by the fires of sorrow? hath ruth + The fiends of opinion cast out + Of thy human heart? Is thy soul so fair + That no false thought can ever harbor there? + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Love! + Hast thou passed through the place of despair? + Hast thou wept through the dark night of grief? + does it move + (Now freed from its sorrow and care) + Thy human heart to pitying gentleness, + Looking on wrong, and hate, and ceaseless stress? + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Peace! + Hast thou crossed the wide ocean of strife? + Hast thou found on the Shores of the Silence, + Release from all the wild unrest of life? + From thy human heart hath all striving gone, + Leaving but Truth, and Love, and Peace alone? + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way of Peace, by James Allen + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10740 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b4ee01a --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10740 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10740) diff --git a/old/10740-8.txt b/old/10740-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce1dc15 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10740-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2259 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way of Peace, by James Allen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Way of Peace + +Author: James Allen + +Release Date: January 18, 2004 [EBook #10740] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY OF PEACE *** + + + + +Produced by Kevin Handy and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +THE WAY OF PEACE + + +BY JAMES ALLEN + + +AUTHOR OF "AS A MAN THINKETH," "OUT FROM THE HEART" + + + + +CONTENTS + + +THE POWER OF MEDITATION + +THE TWO MASTERS, SELF AND TRUTH + +THE ACQUIREMENT OF SPIRITUAL POWER + +THE REALIZATION OF SELFLESS LOVE + +ENTERING INTO THE INFINITE + +SAINTS, SAGES, AND SAVIORS; THE LAW OF SERVICE + +THE REALIZATION OF PERFECT PEACE + + + + +THE POWER OF MEDITATION + + +Spiritual meditation is the pathway to Divinity. It is the mystic ladder +which reaches from earth to heaven, from error to Truth, from pain to +peace. Every saint has climbed it; every sinner must sooner or later come +to it, and every weary pilgrim that turns his back upon self and the world, +and sets his face resolutely toward the Father's Home, must plant his feet +upon its golden rounds. Without its aid you cannot grow into the divine +state, the divine likeness, the divine peace, and the fadeless glories and +unpolluting joys of Truth will remain hidden from you. + +Meditation is the intense dwelling, in thought, upon an idea or theme, with +the object of thoroughly comprehending it, and whatsoever you constantly +meditate upon you will not only come to understand, but will grow more and +more into its likeness, for it will become incorporated into your very +being, will become, in fact, your very self. If, therefore, you constantly +dwell upon that which is selfish and debasing, you will ultimately become +selfish and debased; if you ceaselessly think upon that which is pure and +unselfish you will surely become pure and unselfish. + +Tell me what that is upon which you most frequently and intensely think, +that to which, in your silent hours, your soul most naturally turns, and I +will tell you to what place of pain or peace you are traveling, and whether +you are growing into the likeness of the divine or the bestial. + +There is an unavoidable tendency to become literally the embodiment of that +quality upon which one most constantly thinks. Let, therefore, the object +of your meditation be above and not below, so that every time you revert to +it in thought you will be lifted up; let it be pure and unmixed with any +selfish element; so shall your heart become purified and drawn nearer to +Truth, and not defiled and dragged more hopelessly into error. + +Meditation, in the spiritual sense in which I am now using it, is the +secret of all growth in spiritual life and knowledge. Every prophet, sage, +and savior became such by the power of meditation. Buddha meditated upon +the Truth until he could say, "I am the Truth." Jesus brooded upon the +Divine immanence until at last he could declare, "I and my Father are One." + +Meditation centered upon divine realities is the very essence and soul of +prayer. It is the silent reaching of the soul toward the Eternal. Mere +petitionary prayer without meditation is a body without a soul, and is +powerless to lift the mind and heart above sin and affliction. If you are +daily praying for wisdom, for peace, for loftier purity and a fuller +realization of Truth, and that for which you pray is still far from you, it +means that you are praying for one thing while living out in thought and +act another. If you will cease from such waywardness, taking your mind off +those things the selfish clinging to which debars you from the possession +of the stainless realities for which you pray: if you will no longer ask +God to grant you that which you do not deserve, or to bestow upon you that +love and compassion which you refuse to bestow upon others, but will +commence to think and act in the spirit of Truth, you will day by day be +growing into those realities, so that ultimately you will become one with +them. + +He who would secure any worldly advantage must be willing to work +vigorously for it, and he would be foolish indeed who, waiting with folded +hands, expected it to come to him for the mere asking. Do not then vainly +imagine that you can obtain the heavenly possessions without making an +effort. Only when you commence to work earnestly in the Kingdom of Truth +will you be allowed to partake of the Bread of Life, and when you have, by +patient and uncomplaining effort, earned the spiritual wages for which you +ask, they will not be withheld from you. + +If you really seek Truth, and not merely your own gratification; if you +love it above all worldly pleasures and gains; more, even, than happiness +itself, you will be willing to make the effort necessary for its +achievement. + +If you would be freed from sin and sorrow; if you would taste of that +spotless purity for which you sigh and pray; if you would realize wisdom +and knowledge, and would enter into the possession of profound and abiding +peace, come now and enter the path of meditation, and let the supreme +object of your meditation be Truth. + +At the outset, meditation must be distinguished from _idle reverie_. There +is nothing dreamy and unpractical about it. It is _a process of searching +and uncompromising thought which allows nothing to remain but the simple +and naked truth_. Thus meditating you will no longer strive to build +yourself up in your prejudices, but, forgetting self, you will remember +only that you are seeking the Truth. And so you will remove, one by one, +the errors which you have built around yourself in the past, and will +patiently wait for the revelation of Truth which will come when your errors +have been sufficiently removed. In the silent humility of your heart you +will realize that + + "There is an inmost centre in us all + Where Truth abides in fulness; and around, + Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in; + This perfect, clear perception, which is Truth, + A baffling and perverting carnal mesh + Blinds it, and makes all error; and to know, + Rather consists in opening out a way + Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape, + Than in effecting entry for a light + Supposed to be without." + +Select some portion of the day in which to meditate, and keep that period +sacred to your purpose. The best time is the very early morning when the +spirit of repose is upon everything. All natural conditions will then be in +your favor; the passions, after the long bodily fast of the night, will be +subdued, the excitements and worries of the previous day will have died +away, and the mind, strong and yet restful, will be receptive to spiritual +instruction. Indeed, one of the first efforts you will be called upon to +make will be to shake off lethargy and indulgence, and if you refuse you +will be unable to advance, for the demands of the spirit are imperative. + +To be spiritually awakened is also to be mentally and physically awakened. +The sluggard and the self-indulgent can have no knowledge of Truth. He who, +possessed of health and strength, wastes the calm, precious hours of the +silent morning in drowsy indulgence is totally unfit to climb the heavenly +heights. + +He whose awakening consciousness has become alive to its lofty +possibilities, who is beginning to shake off the darkness of ignorance in +which the world is enveloped, rises before the stars have ceased their +vigil, and, grappling with the darkness within his soul, strives, by holy +aspiration, to perceive the light of Truth while the unawakened world +dreams on. + + "The heights by great men reached and kept, + Were not attained by sudden flight, + But they, while their companions slept, + Were toiling upward in the night." + +No saint, no holy man, no teacher of Truth ever lived who did not rise +early in the morning. Jesus habitually rose early, and climbed the solitary +mountains to engage in holy communion. Buddha always rose an hour before +sunrise and engaged in meditation, and all his disciples were enjoined to +do the same. + +If you have to commence your daily duties at a very early hour, and are +thus debarred from giving the early morning to systematic meditation, try +to give an hour at night, and should this, by the length and laboriousness +of your daily task be denied you, you need not despair, for you may turn +your thoughts upward in holy meditation in the intervals of your work, or +in those few idle minutes which you now waste in aimlessness; and should +your work be of that kind which becomes by practice automatic, you may +meditate while engaged upon it. That eminent Christian saint and +philosopher, Jacob Boehme, realized his vast knowledge of divine things +whilst working long hours as a shoemaker. In every life there is time to +think, and the busiest, the most laborious is not shut out from aspiration +and meditation. + +Spiritual meditation and self-discipline are inseparable; you will, +therefore, commence to meditate upon yourself so as to try and understand +yourself, for, remember, the great object you will have in view will be the +complete removal of all your errors in order that you may realize Truth. +You will begin to question your motives, thoughts, and acts, comparing them +with your ideal, and endeavoring to look upon them with a calm and +impartial eye. In this manner you will be continually gaining more of that +mental and spiritual equilibrium without which men are but helpless straws +upon the ocean of life. If you are given to hatred or anger you will +meditate upon gentleness and forgiveness, so as to become acutely alive to +a sense of your harsh and foolish conduct. You will then begin to dwell in +thoughts of love, of gentleness, of abounding forgiveness; and as you +overcome the lower by the higher, there will gradually, silently steal into +your heart a knowledge of the divine Law of Love with an understanding of +its bearing upon all the intricacies of life and conduct. And in applying +this knowledge to your every thought, word, and act, you will grow more and +more gentle, more and more loving, more and more divine. And thus with +every error, every selfish desire, every human weakness; by the power of +meditation is it overcome, and as each sin, each error is thrust out, a +fuller and clearer measure of the Light of Truth illumines the pilgrim +soul. + +Thus meditating, you will be ceaselessly fortifying yourself against your +only _real_ enemy, your selfish, perishable self, and will be establishing +yourself more and more firmly in the divine and imperishable self that is +inseparable from Truth. The direct outcome of your meditations will be a +calm, spiritual strength which will be your stay and resting-place in the +struggle of life. Great is the overcoming power of holy thought, and the +strength and knowledge gained in the hour of silent meditation will enrich +the soul with saving remembrance in the hour of strife, of sorrow, or of +temptation. + +As, by the power of meditation, you grow in wisdom, you will relinquish, +more and more, your selfish desires which are fickle, impermanent, and +productive of sorrow and pain; and will take your stand, with increasing +steadfastness and trust, upon unchangeable principles, and will realize +heavenly rest. + +The use of meditation is the acquirement of a knowledge of eternal +principles, and the power which results from meditation is the ability to +rest upon and trust those principles, and so become one with the Eternal. +The end of meditation is, therefore, direct knowledge of Truth, God, and +the realization of divine and profound peace. + +Let your meditations take their rise from the ethical ground which you now +occupy. Remember that you are to _grow_ into Truth by steady perseverance. +If you are an orthodox Christian, meditate ceaselessly upon the spotless +purity and divine excellence of the character of Jesus, and apply his every +precept to your inner life and outward conduct, so as to approximate more +and more toward his perfection. Do not be as those religious ones, who, +refusing to meditate upon the Law of Truth, and to put into practice the +precepts given to them by their Master, are content to formally worship, to +cling to their particular creeds, and to continue in the ceaseless round of +sin and suffering. Strive to rise, by the power of meditation, above all +selfish clinging to partial gods or party creeds; above dead formalities +and lifeless ignorance. Thus walking the high way of wisdom, with mind +fixed upon the spotless Truth, you shall know no halting-place short of the +realization of Truth. + +He who earnestly meditates first perceives a truth, as it were, afar off, +and then realizes it by daily practice. It is only the doer of the Word of +Truth that can know of the doctrine of Truth, for though by pure thought +the Truth is perceived, it is only actualized by practice. + +Said the divine Gautama, the Buddha, "He who gives himself up to vanity, +and does not give himself up to meditation, forgetting the real aim of life +and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in +meditation," and he instructed his disciples in the following "Five Great +Meditations":-- + +"The first meditation is the meditation of love, in which you so adjust +your heart that you long for the weal and welfare of all beings, including +the happiness of your enemies. + +"The second meditation is the meditation of pity, in which you think of all +beings in distress, vividly representing in your imagination their sorrows +and anxieties so as to arouse a deep compassion for them in your soul. + +"The third meditation is the meditation of joy, in which you think of the +prosperity of others, and rejoice with their rejoicings. + +"The fourth meditation is the meditation of impurity, in which you consider +the evil consequences of corruption, the effects of sin and diseases. How +trivial often the pleasure of the moment, and how fatal its consequences. + +"The fifth meditation is the meditation on serenity, in which you rise +above love and hate, tyranny and oppression, wealth and want, and regard +your own fate with impartial calmness and perfect tranquillity." + +By engaging in these meditations the disciples of the Buddha arrived at a +knowledge of the Truth. But whether you engage in these particular +meditations or not matters little so long as your object is Truth, so long +as you hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is a holy heart and a +blameless life. In your meditations, therefore, let your heart grow and +expand with ever-broadening love, until, freed from all hatred, and +passion, and condemnation, it embraces the whole universe with thoughtful +tenderness. As the flower opens its petals to receive the morning light, so +open your soul more and more to the glorious light of Truth. Soar upward +upon the wings of aspiration; be fearless, and believe in the loftiest +possibilities. Believe that a life of absolute meekness is possible; +believe that a life of stainless purity is possible; believe that a life of +perfect holiness is possible; believe that the realization of the highest +truth is possible. He who so believes, climbs rapidly the heavenly hills, +whilst the unbelievers continue to grope darkly and painfully in the +fog-bound valleys. + +So believing, so aspiring, so meditating, divinely sweet and beautiful will +be your spiritual experiences, and glorious the revelations that will +enrapture your inward vision. As you realize the divine Love, the divine +Justice, the divine Purity, the Perfect Law of Good, or God, great will be +your bliss and deep your peace. Old things will pass away, and all things +will become new. The veil of the material universe, so dense and +impenetrable to the eye of error, so thin and gauzy to the eye of Truth, +will be lifted and the spiritual universe will be revealed. Time will +cease, and you will live only in Eternity. Change and mortality will no +more cause you anxiety and sorrow, for you will become established in the +unchangeable, and will dwell in the very heart of immortality. + + + + +STAR OF WISDOM + + Star that of the birth of Vishnu, + Birth of Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, + Told the wise ones, Heavenward looking, + Waiting, watching for thy gleaming + In the darkness of the night-time, + In the starless gloom of midnight; + Shining Herald of the coming + Of the kingdom of the righteous; + Teller of the Mystic story + Of the lowly birth of Godhead + In the stable of the passions, + In the manger of the mind-soul; + Silent singer of the secret + Of compassion deep and holy + To the heart with sorrow burdened, + To the soul with waiting weary:-- + Star of all-surpassing brightness, + Thou again dost deck the midnight; + Thou again dost cheer the wise ones + Watching in the creedal darkness, + Weary of the endless battle + With the grinding blades of error; + Tired of lifeless, useless idols, + Of the dead forms of religions; + Spent with watching for thy shining; + Thou hast ended their despairing; + Thou hast lighted up their pathway; + Thou hast brought again the old Truths + To the hearts of all thy Watchers; + To the souls of them that love thee + Thou dost speak of Joy and Gladness, + Of the peace that comes of Sorrow. + Blessed are they that can see thee, + Weary wanderers in the Night-time; + Blessed they who feel the throbbing, + In their bosoms feel the pulsing + Of a deep Love stirred within them + By the great power of thy shining. + Let us learn thy lesson truly; + Learn it faithfully and humbly; + Learn it meekly, wisely, gladly, + Ancient Star of holy Vishnu, + Light of Krishna, Buddha, Jesus. + + + + +THE TWO MASTERS, SELF AND TRUTH + + +Upon the battlefield of the human soul two masters are ever contending for +the crown of supremacy, for the kingship and dominion of the heart; the +master of self, called also the "Prince of this world," and the master of +Truth, called also the Father God. The master self is that rebellious one +whose weapons are passion, pride, avarice, vanity, self-will, implements of +darkness; the master Truth is that meek and lowly one whose weapons are +gentleness, patience, purity, sacrifice, humility, love, instruments of +Light. + +In every soul the battle is waged, and as a soldier cannot engage at once +in two opposing armies, so every heart is enlisted either in the ranks of +self or of Truth. There is no half-and-half course; "There is self and +there is Truth; where self is, Truth is not, where Truth is, self is not." +Thus spake Buddha, the teacher of Truth, and Jesus, the manifested Christ, +declared that "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the +one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the +other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." + +Truth is so simple, so absolutely undeviating and uncompromising that it +admits of no complexity, no turning, no qualification. Self is ingenious, +crooked, and, governed by subtle and snaky desire, admits of endless +turnings and qualifications, and the deluded worshipers of self vainly +imagine that they can gratify every worldly desire, and at the same time +possess the Truth. But the lovers of Truth worship Truth with the sacrifice +of self, and ceaselessly guard themselves against worldliness and +self-seeking. + +Do you seek to know and to realize Truth? Then you must be prepared to +sacrifice, to renounce to the uttermost, for Truth in all its glory can +only be perceived and known when the last vestige of self has disappeared. + +The eternal Christ declared that he who would be His disciple must "deny +himself daily." Are you willing to deny yourself, to give up your lusts, +your prejudices, your opinions? If so, you may enter the narrow way of +Truth, and find that peace from which the world is shut out. The absolute +denial, the utter extinction, of self is the perfect state of Truth, and +all religions and philosophies are but so many aids to this supreme +attainment. + +Self is the denial of Truth. Truth is the denial of self. As you let self +die, you will be reborn in Truth. As you cling to self, Truth will be +hidden from you. + +Whilst you cling to self, your path will be beset with difficulties, and +repeated pains, sorrows, and disappointments will be your lot. There are no +difficulties in Truth, and coming to Truth, you will be freed from all +sorrow and disappointment. + +Truth in itself is not hidden and dark. It is always revealed and is +perfectly transparent. But the blind and wayward self cannot perceive it. +The light of day is not hidden except to the blind, and the Light of Truth +is not hidden except to those who are blinded by self. + +Truth is the one Reality in the universe, the inward Harmony, the perfect +Justice, the eternal Love. Nothing can be added to it, nor taken from it. +It does not depend upon any man, but all men depend upon it. You cannot +perceive the beauty of Truth while you are looking out through the eyes of +self. If you are vain, you will color everything with your own vanities. If +lustful, your heart and mind will be so clouded with the smoke and flames +of passion, that everything will appear distorted through them. If proud +and opinionative, you will see nothing in the whole universe except the +magnitude and importance of your own opinions. + +There is one quality which pre-eminently distinguishes the man of Truth +from the man of self, and that is _humility_. To be not only free from +vanity, stubbornness and egotism, but to regard one's own opinions as of no +value, this indeed is true humility. + +He who is immersed in self regards his own opinions as Truth, and the +opinions of other men as error. But that humble Truth-lover who has learned +to distinguish between opinion and Truth, regards all men with the eye of +charity, and does not seek to defend his opinions against theirs, but +sacrifices those opinions that he may love the more, that he may manifest +the spirit of Truth, for Truth in its very nature is ineffable and can only +be lived. He who has most of charity has most of Truth. + +Men engage in heated controversies, and foolishly imagine they are +defending the Truth, when in reality they are merely defending their own +petty interests and perishable opinions. The follower of self takes up arms +against others. The follower of Truth takes up arms against himself. Truth, +being unchangeable and eternal, is independent of your opinion and of mine. +We may enter into it, or we may stay outside; but both our defense and our +attack are superfluous, and are hurled back upon ourselves. + +Men, enslaved by self, passionate, proud, and condemnatory, believe their +particular creed or religion to be the Truth, and all other religions to be +error; and they proselytize with passionate ardor. There is but one +religion, the religion of Truth. There is but one error, the error of self. +Truth is not a formal belief; it is an unselfish, holy, and aspiring heart, +and he who has Truth is at peace with all, and cherishes all with thoughts +of love. + +You may easily know whether you are a child of Truth or a worshiper of +self, if you will silently examine your mind, heart, and conduct. Do you +harbor thoughts of suspicion, enmity, envy, lust, pride, or do you +strenuously fight against these? If the former, you are chained to self, no +matter what religion you may profess; if the latter, you are a candidate +for Truth, even though outwardly you may profess no religion. Are you +passionate, self-willed, ever seeking to gain your own ends, +self-indulgent, and self-centered; or are you gentle, mild, unselfish, quit +of every form of self-indulgence, and are ever ready to give up your own? +If the former, self is your master; if the latter, Truth is the object of +your affection. Do you strive for riches? Do you fight, with passion, for +your party? Do you lust for power and leadership? Are you given to +ostentation and self-praise? Or have you given up the love of riches? Have +you relinquished all strife? Are you content to take the lowest place, and +to be passed by unnoticed? And have you ceased to talk about yourself and +to regard yourself with self-complacent pride? If the former, even though +you may imagine you worship God, the god of your heart is self. If the +latter, even though you may withhold your lips from worship, you are +dwelling with the Most High. + +The signs by which the Truth-lover is known are unmistakable. Hear the Holy +Krishna declare them, in Sir Edwin Arnold's beautiful rendering of the +"Bhagavad Gita":-- + + "Fearlessness, singleness of soul, the will + Always to strive for wisdom; opened hand + And governed appetites; and piety, + And love of lonely study; humbleness, + Uprightness, heed to injure nought which lives + Truthfulness, slowness unto wrath, a mind + That lightly letteth go what others prize; + And equanimity, and charity + Which spieth no man's faults; and tenderness + Towards all that suffer; a contented heart, + Fluttered by no desires; a bearing mild, + Modest and grave, with manhood nobly mixed, + With patience, fortitude and purity; + An unrevengeful spirit, never given + To rate itself too high--such be the signs, + O Indian Prince! of him whose feet are set + On that fair path which leads to heavenly birth!" + +When men, lost in the devious ways of error and self, have forgotten the +"heavenly birth," the state of holiness and Truth, they set up artificial +standards by which to judge one another, and make acceptance of, and +adherence to, their own particular theology, the test of Truth; and so men +are divided one against another, and there is ceaseless enmity and strife, +and unending sorrow and suffering. + +Reader, do you seek to realize the birth into Truth? There is only one way: +_Let self die_. All those lusts, appetites, desires, opinions, limited +conceptions and prejudices to which you have hitherto so tenaciously clung, +let them fall from you. Let them no longer hold you in bondage, and Truth +will be yours. Cease to look upon your own religion as superior to all +others, and strive humbly to learn the supreme lesson of charity. No longer +cling to the idea, so productive of strife and sorrow, that the Savior whom +you worship is the only Savior, and that the Savior whom your brother +worships with equal sincerity and ardor, is an impostor; but seek +diligently the path of holiness, and then you will realize that every holy +man is a savior of mankind. + +The giving up of self is not merely the renunciation of outward things. It +consists of the renunciation of the inward sin, the inward error. Not by +giving up vain clothing; not by relinquishing riches; not by abstaining +from certain foods; not by speaking smooth words; not by merely doing these +things is the Truth found; but by giving up the spirit of vanity; by +relinquishing the desire for riches; by abstaining from the lust of +self-indulgence; by giving up all hatred, strife, condemnation, and +self-seeking, and becoming gentle and pure at heart; by doing these things +is the Truth found. To do the former, and not to do the latter, is +pharisaism and hypocrisy, whereas the latter includes the former. You may +renounce the outward world, and isolate yourself in a cave or in the depths +of a forest, but you will take all your selfishness with you, and unless +you renounce that, great indeed will be your wretchedness and deep your +delusion. You may remain just where you are, performing all your duties, +and yet renounce the world, the inward enemy. To be in the world and yet +not of the world is the highest perfection, the most blessed peace, is to +achieve the greatest victory. The renunciation of self is the way of Truth, +therefore, + + "Enter the Path; there is no grief like hate, + No pain like passion, no deceit like sense; + Enter the Path; far hath he gone whose foot + Treads down one fond offense." + +As you succeed in overcoming self you will begin to see things in their +right relations. He who is swayed by any passion, prejudice, like or +dislike, adjusts everything to that particular bias, and sees only his own +delusions. He who is absolutely free from all passion, prejudice, +preference, and partiality, sees himself as he is; sees others as they are; +sees all things in their proper proportions and right relations. Having +nothing to attack, nothing to defend, nothing to conceal, and no interests +to guard, he is at peace. He has realized the profound simplicity of Truth, +for this unbiased, tranquil, blessed state of mind and heart is the state +of Truth. He who attains to it dwells with the angels, and sits at the +footstool of the Supreme. Knowing the Great Law; knowing the origin of +sorrow; knowing the secret of suffering; knowing the way of emancipation in +Truth, how can such a one engage in strife or condemnation; for though he +knows that the blind, self-seeking world, surrounded with the clouds of its +own illusions, and enveloped in the darkness of error and self, cannot +perceive the steadfast Light of Truth, and is utterly incapable of +comprehending the profound simplicity of the heart that has died, or is +dying, to self, yet he also knows that when the suffering ages have piled +up mountains of sorrow, the crushed and burdened soul of the world will fly +to its final refuge, and that when the ages are completed, every prodigal +will come back to the fold of Truth. And so he dwells in goodwill toward +all, and regards all with that tender compassion which a father bestows +upon his wayward children. + +Men cannot understand Truth because they cling to self, because they +believe in and love self, because they believe self to be the only reality, +whereas it is the one delusion. + +When you cease to believe in and love self you will desert it, and will fly +to Truth, and will find the eternal Reality. + +When men are intoxicated with the wines of luxury, and pleasure, and +vanity, the thirst of life grows and deepens within them, and they delude +themselves with dreams of fleshly immortality, but when they come to reap +the harvest of their own sowing, and pain and sorrow supervene, then, +crushed and humiliated, relinquishing self and all the intoxications of +self, they come, with aching hearts to the one immortality, the immortality +that destroys all delusions, the spiritual immortality in Truth. + +Men pass from evil to good, from self to Truth, through the dark gate of +sorrow, for sorrow and self are inseparable. Only in the peace and bliss of +Truth is all sorrow vanquished. If you suffer disappointment because your +cherished plans have been thwarted, or because someone has not come up to +your anticipations, it is because you are clinging to self. If you suffer +remorse for your conduct, it is because you have given way to self. If you +are overwhelmed with chagrin and regret because of the attitude of someone +else toward you, it is because you have been cherishing self. If you are +wounded on account of what has been done to you or said of you, it is +because you are walking in the painful way of self. All suffering is of +self. All suffering ends in Truth. When you have entered into and realized +Truth, you will no longer suffer disappointment, remorse, and regret, and +sorrow will flee from you. + + "Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul; + Truth is the only angel that can bid the gates unroll; + And when he comes to call thee, arise and follow fast; + His way may lie through darkness, but it leads to light at last." + +The woe of the world is of its own making. Sorrow purifies and deepens the +soul, and the extremity of sorrow is the prelude to Truth. + +Have you suffered much? Have you sorrowed deeply? Have you pondered +seriously upon the problem of life? If so, you are prepared to wage war +against self, and to become a disciple of Truth. + +The intellectual who do not see the necessity for giving up self, frame +endless theories about the universe, and call them Truth; but do thou +pursue that direct line of conduct which is the practice of righteousness, +and thou wilt realize the Truth which has no place in theory, and which +never changes. Cultivate your heart. Water it continually with unselfish +love and deep-felt pity, and strive to shut out from it all thoughts and +feelings which are not in accordance with Love. Return good for evil, love +for hatred, gentleness for ill-treatment, and remain silent when attacked. +So shall you transmute all your selfish desires into the pure gold of Love, +and self will disappear in Truth. So will you walk blamelessly among men, +yoked with the easy yoke of lowliness, and clothed with the divine garment +of humility. + + O come, weary brother! thy struggling and striving + End thou in the heart of the Master of ruth; + Across self's drear desert why wilt thou be driving, + Athirst for the quickening waters of Truth + + When here, by the path of thy searching and sinning, + Flows Life's gladsome stream, lies Love's oasis green? + Come, turn thou and rest; know the end and beginning, + The sought and the searcher, the seer and seen. + + Thy Master sits not in the unapproached mountains, + Nor dwells in the mirage which floats on the air, + Nor shalt thou discover His magical fountains + In pathways of sand that encircle despair. + + In selfhood's dark desert cease wearily seeking + The odorous tracks of the feet of thy King; + And if thou wouldst hear the sweet sound of His speaking, + Be deaf to all voices that emptily sing. + + Flee the vanishing places; renounce all thou hast; + Leave all that thou lovest, and, naked and bare, + Thyself at the shrine of the _Innermost_ cast; + The Highest, the Holiest, the Changeless is there. + + Within, in the heart of the Silence He dwelleth; + Leave sorrow and sin, leave thy wanderings sore; + Come bathe in His Joy, whilst He, whispering, telleth + Thy soul what it seeketh, and wander no more. + + Then cease, weary brother, thy struggling and striving; + Find peace in the heart of the Master of ruth. + Across self's dark desert cease wearily driving; + Come; drink at the beautiful waters of Truth. + + + + +THE ACQUIREMENT OF SPIRITUAL POWER + + +The world is filled with men and women seeking pleasure, excitement, +novelty; seeking ever to be moved to laughter or tears; not seeking +strength, stability, and power; but courting weakness, and eagerly engaged +in dispersing what power they have. + +Men and women of real power and influence are few, because few are prepared +to make the sacrifice necessary to the acquirement of power, and fewer +still are ready to patiently build up character. + +To be swayed by your fluctuating thoughts and impulses is to be weak and +powerless; to rightly control and direct those forces is to be strong and +powerful. Men of strong animal passions have much of the ferocity of the +beast, but this is not power. The elements of power are there; but it is +only when this ferocity is tamed and subdued by the higher intelligence +that real power begins; and men can only grow in power by awakening +themselves to higher and ever higher states of intelligence and +consciousness. + +The difference between a man of weakness and one of power lies not in the +strength of the personal will (for the stubborn man is usually weak and +foolish), but in that focus of consciousness which represents their states +of knowledge. + +The pleasure-seekers, the lovers of excitement, the hunters after novelty, +and the victims of impulse and hysterical emotion lack that knowledge of +principles which gives balance, stability, and influence. + +A man commences to develop power when, checking his impulses and selfish +inclinations, he falls back upon the higher and calmer consciousness within +him, and begins to steady himself upon a principle. The realization of +unchanging principles in consciousness is at once the source and secret of +the highest power. + +When, after much searching, and suffering, and sacrificing, the light of an +eternal principle dawns upon the soul, a divine calm ensues and joy +unspeakable gladdens the heart. + +He who has realized such a principle ceases to wander, and remains poised +and self-possessed. He ceases to be "passion's slave," and becomes a +master-builder in the Temple of Destiny. + +The man that is governed by self, and not by a principle, changes his front +when his selfish comforts are threatened. Deeply intent upon defending and +guarding his own interests, he regards all means as lawful that will +subserve that end. He is continually scheming as to how he may protect +himself against his enemies, being too self-centered to perceive that he is +his own enemy. Such a man's work crumbles away, for it is divorced from +Truth and power. All effort that is grounded upon self, perishes; only that +work endures that is built upon an indestructible principle. + +The man that stands upon a principle is the same calm, dauntless, +self-possessed man under all circumstances. When the hour of trial comes, +and he has to decide between his personal comforts and Truth, he gives up +his comforts and remains firm. Even the prospect of torture and death +cannot alter or deter him. The man of self regards the loss of his wealth, +his comforts, or his life as the greatest calamities which can befall him. +The man of principle looks upon these incidents as comparatively +insignificant, and not to be weighed with loss of character, loss of Truth. +To desert Truth is, to him, the only happening which can really be called a +calamity. + +It is the hour of crisis which decides who are the minions of darkness, and +who the children of Light. It is the epoch of threatening disaster, ruin, +and persecution which divides the sheep from the goats, and reveals to the +reverential gaze of succeeding ages the men and women of power. + +It is easy for a man, so long as he is left in the enjoyment of his +possessions, to persuade himself that he believes in and adheres to the +principles of Peace, Brotherhood, and Universal Love; but if, when his +enjoyments are threatened, or he imagines they are threatened, he begins to +clamor loudly for war, he shows that he believes in and stands upon, not +Peace, Brotherhood, and Love, but strife, selfishness, and hatred. + +He who does not desert his principles when threatened with the loss of +every earthly thing, even to the loss of reputation and life, is the man of +power; is the man whose every word and work endures; is the man whom the +afterworld honors, reveres, and worships. Rather than desert that principle +of Divine Love on which he rested, and in which all his trust was placed, +Jesus endured the utmost extremity of agony and deprivation; and today the +world prostrates itself at his pierced feet in rapt adoration. + +There is no way to the acquirement of spiritual power except by that inward +illumination and enlightenment which is the realization of spiritual +principles; and those principles can only be realized by constant practice +and application. + +Take the principle of divine Love, and quietly and diligently meditate upon +it with the object of arriving at a thorough understanding of it. Bring its +searching light to bear upon all your habits, your actions, your speech and +intercourse with others, your every secret thought and desire. As you +persevere in this course, the divine Love will become more and more +perfectly revealed to you, and your own shortcomings will stand out in more +and more vivid contrast, spurring you on to renewed endeavor; and having +once caught a glimpse of the incomparable majesty of that imperishable +principle, you will never again rest in your weakness, your selfishness, +your imperfection, but will pursue that Love until you have relinquished +every discordant element, and have brought yourself into perfect harmony +with it. And that state of inward harmony is spiritual power. Take also +other spiritual principles, such as Purity and Compassion, and apply them +in the same way, and, so exacting is Truth, you will be able to make no +stay, no resting-place until the inmost garment of your soul is bereft of +every stain, and your heart has become incapable of any hard, condemnatory, +and pitiless impulse. + +Only in so far as you understand, realize, and rely upon, these principles, +will you acquire spiritual power, and that power will be manifested in and +through you in the form of increasing dispassion, patience and equanimity. + +Dispassion argues superior self-control; sublime patience is the very +hall-mark of divine knowledge, and to retain an unbroken calm amid all the +duties and distractions of life, marks off the man of power. "It is easy in +the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live +after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps +with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." + +Some mystics hold that perfection in dispassion is the source of that power +by which miracles (so-called) are performed, and truly he who has gained +such perfect control of all his interior forces that no shock, however +great, can for one moment unbalance him, must be capable of guiding and +directing those forces with a master-hand. + +To grow in self-control, in patience, in equanimity, is to grow in strength +and power; and you can only thus grow by focusing your consciousness upon a +principle. As a child, after making many and vigorous attempts to walk +unaided, at last succeeds, after numerous falls, in accomplishing this, so +you must enter the way of power by first attempting to stand alone. Break +away from the tyranny of custom, tradition, conventionality, and the +opinions of others, until you succeed in walking lonely and erect among +men. Rely upon your own judgment; be true to your own conscience; follow +the Light that is within you; all outward lights are so many +will-o'-the-wisps. There will be those who will tell you that you are +foolish; that your judgment is faulty; that your conscience is all awry, +and that the Light within you is darkness; but heed them not. If what they +say is true the sooner you, as a searcher for wisdom, find it out the +better, and you can only make the discovery by bringing your powers to the +test. Therefore, pursue your course bravely. Your conscience is at least +your own, and to follow it is to be a man; to follow the conscience of +another is to be a slave. You will have many falls, will suffer many +wounds, will endure many buffetings for a time, but press on in faith, +believing that sure and certain victory lies ahead. Search for a rock, a +principle, and having found it cling to it; get it under your feet and +stand erect upon it, until at last, immovably fixed upon it, you succeed in +defying the fury of the waves and storms of selfishness. + +For selfishness in any and every form is dissipation, weakness, death; +unselfishness in its spiritual aspect is conservation, power, life. As you +grow in spiritual life, and become established upon principles, you will +become as beautiful and as unchangeable as those principles, will taste of +the sweetness of their immortal essence, and will realize the eternal and +indestructible nature of the God within. + + No harmful shaft can reach the righteous man, + Standing erect amid the storms of hate, + Defying hurt and injury and ban, + Surrounded by the trembling slaves of Fate. + + Majestic in the strength of silent power, + Serene he stands, nor changes not nor turns; + Patient and firm in suffering's darkest hour, + Time bends to him, and death and doom he spurns. + + Wrath's lurid lightnings round about him play, + And hell's deep thunders roll about his head; + Yet heeds he not, for him they cannot slay + Who stands whence earth and time and space are fled. + + Sheltered by deathless love, what fear hath he? + Armored in changeless Truth, what can he know + Of loss and gain? Knowing eternity, + He moves not whilst the shadows come and go. + + Call him immortal, call him Truth and Light + And splendor of prophetic majesty + Who bideth thus amid the powers of night, + Clothed with the glory of divinity. + + + + +THE REALIZATION OF SELFLESS LOVE + + +It is said that Michael Angelo saw in every rough block of stone a thing of +beauty awaiting the master-hand to bring it into reality. Even so, within +each there reposes the Divine Image awaiting the master-hand of Faith and +the chisel of Patience to bring it into manifestation. And that Divine +Image is revealed and realized as stainless, selfless Love. + +Hidden deep in every human heart, though frequently covered up with a mass +of hard and almost impenetrable accretions, is the spirit of Divine Love, +whose holy and spotless essence is undying and eternal. It is the Truth in +man; it is that which belongs to the Supreme: that which is real and +immortal. All else changes and passes away; this alone is permanent and +imperishable; and to realize this Love by ceaseless diligence in the +practice of the highest righteousness, to live in it and to become fully +conscious in it, is to enter into immortality here and now, is to become +one with Truth, one with God, one with the central Heart of all things, and +to know our own divine and eternal nature. + +To reach this Love, to understand and experience it, one must work with +great persistency and diligence upon his heart and mind, must ever renew +his patience and keep strong his faith, for there will be much to remove, +much to accomplish before the Divine Image is revealed in all its glorious +beauty. + +He who strives to reach and to accomplish the divine will be tried to the +very uttermost; and this is absolutely necessary, for how else could one +acquire that sublime patience without which there is no real wisdom, no +divinity? Ever and anon, as he proceeds, all his work will seem to be +futile, and his efforts appear to be thrown away. Now and then a hasty +touch will mar his image, and perhaps when he imagines his work is almost +completed he will find what he imagined to be the beautiful form of Divine +Love utterly destroyed, and he must begin again with his past bitter +experience to guide and help him. But he who has resolutely set himself to +realize the Highest recognizes no such thing as defeat. All failures are +apparent, not real. Every slip, every fall, every return to selfishness is +a lesson learned, an experience gained, from which a golden grain of wisdom +is extracted, helping the striver toward the accomplishment of his lofty +object. To recognize + + "That of our vices we can frame + A ladder if we will but tread + Beneath our feet each deed of shame," + +is to enter the way that leads unmistakably toward the Divine, and the +failings of one who thus recognizes are so many dead selves, upon which he +rises, as upon stepping-stones, to higher things. + +Once come to regard your failings, your sorrows and sufferings as so many +voices telling you plainly where you are weak and faulty, where you fall +below the true and the divine, you will then begin to ceaselessly watch +yourself, and every slip, every pang of pain will show you where you are to +set to work, and what you have to remove out of your heart in order to +bring it nearer to the likeness of the Divine, nearer to the Perfect Love. +And as you proceed, day by day detaching yourself more and more from the +inward selfishness the Love that is selfless will gradually become revealed +to you. And when you are growing patient and calm, when your petulances, +tempers, and irritabilities are passing away from you, and the more +powerful lusts and prejudices cease to dominate and enslave you, then you +will know that the divine is awakening within you, that you are drawing +near to the eternal Heart, that you are not far from that selfless Love, +the possession of which is peace and immortality. + +Divine Love is distinguished from human loves in this supremely important +particular, _it is free from partiality_. Human loves cling to a particular +object to the exclusion of all else, and when that object is removed, great +and deep is the resultant suffering to the one who loves. Divine Love +embraces the whole universe, and, without clinging to any part, yet +contains within itself the whole, and he who comes to it by gradually +purifying and broadening his human loves until all the selfish and impure +elements are burnt out of them, ceases from suffering. It is because human +loves are narrow and confined and mingled with selfishness that they cause +suffering. No suffering can result from that Love which is so absolutely +pure that it seeks nothing for itself. Nevertheless, human loves are +absolutely necessary as steps toward the Divine, and no soul is prepared to +partake of Divine Love until it has become capable of the deepest and most +intense human love. It is only by passing through human loves and human +sufferings that Divine Love is reached and realized. + +All human loves are perishable like the forms to which they cling; but +there is a Love that is imperishable, and that does not cling to +appearances. + +All human loves are counterbalanced by human hates; but there is a Love +that admits of no opposite or reaction; divine and free from all taint of +self, that sheds its fragrance on all alike. + +Human loves are reflections of the Divine Love, and draw the soul nearer to +the reality, the Love that knows neither sorrow nor change. + +It is well that the mother, clinging with passionate tenderness to the +little helpless form of flesh that lies on her bosom, should be overwhelmed +with the dark waters of sorrow when she sees it laid in the cold earth. It +is well that her tears should flow and her heart ache, for only thus can +she be reminded of the evanescent nature of the joys and objects of sense, +and be drawn nearer to the eternal and imperishable Reality. + +It is well that lover, brother, sister, husband, wife should suffer deep +anguish, and be enveloped in gloom when the visible object of their +affections is torn from them, so that they may learn to turn their +affections toward the invisible Source of all, where alone abiding +satisfaction is to be found. + +It is well that the proud, the ambitious, the self-seeking, should suffer +defeat, humiliation, and misfortune; that they should pass through the +scorching fires of affliction; for only thus can the wayward soul be +brought to reflect upon the enigma of life; only thus can the heart be +softened and purified, and prepared to receive the Truth. + +When the sting of anguish penetrates the heart of human love; when gloom +and loneliness and desertion cloud the soul of friendship and trust, then +it is that the heart turns toward the sheltering love of the Eternal, and +finds rest in its silent peace. And whosoever comes to this Love is not +turned away comfortless, is not pierced with anguish nor surrounded with +gloom; and is never deserted in the dark hour of trial. + +The glory of Divine Love can only be revealed in the heart that is +chastened by sorrow, and the image of the heavenly state can only be +perceived and realized when the lifeless, formless accretions of ignorance +and self are hewn away. + +Only that Love that seeks no personal gratification or reward, that does +not make distinctions, and that leaves behind no heartaches, can be called +divine. + +Men, clinging to self and to the comfortless shadows of evil, are in the +habit of thinking of divine Love as something belonging to a God who is out +of reach; as something outside themselves, and that must for ever remain +outside. Truly, the Love of God is ever beyond the reach of self, but when +the heart and mind are emptied of self then the selfless Love, the supreme +Love, the Love that is of God or Good becomes an inward and abiding +reality. + +And this inward realization of holy Love is none other than the Love of +Christ that is so much talked about and so little comprehended. The Love +that not only saves the soul from sin, but lifts it also above the power of +temptation. + +But how may one attain to this sublime realization? The answer which Truth +has always given, and will ever give to this question is,--"Empty thyself, +and I will fill thee." Divine Love cannot be known until self is dead, for +self is the denial of Love, and how can that which is known be also denied? +Not until the stone of self is rolled away from the sepulcher of the soul +does the immortal Christ, the pure Spirit of Love, hitherto crucified, dead +and buried, cast off the bands of ignorance, and come forth in all the +majesty of His resurrection. + +You believe that the Christ of Nazareth was put to death and rose again. I +do not say you err in that belief; but if you refuse to believe that the +gentle spirit of Love is crucified daily upon the dark cross of your +selfish desires, then, I say, you err in this unbelief, and have not yet +perceived, even afar off, the Love of Christ. + +You say that you have tasted of salvation in the Love of Christ. Are you +saved from your temper, your irritability, your vanity, your personal +dislikes, your judgment and condemnation of others? If not, from what are +you saved, and wherein have you realized the transforming Love of Christ? + +He who has realized the Love that is divine has become a new man, and has +ceased to be swayed and dominated by the old elements of self. He is known +for his patience, his purity, his self-control, his deep charity of heart, +and his unalterable sweetness. + +Divine or selfless Love is not a mere sentiment or emotion; it is a state +of knowledge which destroys the dominion of evil and the belief in evil, +and lifts the soul into the joyful realization of the supreme Good. To the +divinely wise, knowledge and Love are one and inseparable. + +It is toward the complete realization of this divine Love that the whole +world is moving; it was for this purpose that the universe came into +existence, and every grasping at happiness, every reaching out of the soul +toward objects, ideas and ideals, is an effort to realize it. But the world +does not realize this Love at present because it is grasping at the +fleeting shadow and ignoring, in its blindness, the substance. And so +suffering and sorrow continue, and must continue until the world, taught by +its self-inflicted pains, discovers the Love that is selfless, the wisdom +that is calm and full of peace. + +And this Love, this Wisdom, this Peace, this tranquil state of mind and +heart may be attained to, may be realized by all who are willing and ready +to yield up self, and who are prepared to humbly enter into a comprehension +of all that the giving up of self involves. There is no arbitrary power in +the universe, and the strongest chains of fate by which men are bound are +self-forged. Men are chained to that which causes suffering because they +desire to be so, because they love their chains, because they think their +little dark prison of self is sweet and beautiful, and they are afraid that +if they desert that prison they will lose all that is real and worth +having. + + "Ye suffer from yourselves, none else compels, + None other holds ye that ye live and die." + +And the indwelling power which forged the chains and built around itself +the dark and narrow prison, can break away when it desires and wills to do +so, and the soul does will to do so when it has discovered the +worthlessness of its prison, when long suffering has prepared it for the +reception of the boundless Light and Love. + +As the shadow follows the form, and as smoke comes after fire, so effect +follows cause, and suffering and bliss follow the thoughts and deeds of +men. There is no effect in the world around us but has its hidden or +revealed cause, and that cause is in accordance with absolute justice. Men +reap a harvest of suffering because in the near or distant past they have +sown the seeds of evil; they reap a harvest of bliss also as a result of +their own sowing of the seeds of good. Let a man meditate upon this, let +him strive to understand it, and he will then begin to sow only seeds of +good, and will burn up the tares and weeds which he has formerly grown in +the garden of his heart. + +The world does not understand the Love that is selfless because it is +engrossed in the pursuit of its own pleasures, and cramped within the +narrow limits of perishable interests mistaking, in its ignorance, those +pleasures and interests for real and abiding things. Caught in the flames +of fleshly lusts, and burning with anguish, it sees not the pure and +peaceful beauty of Truth. Feeding upon the swinish husks of error and +self-delusion, it is shut out from the mansion of all-seeing Love. + +Not having this Love, not understanding it, men institute innumerable +reforms which involve no inward sacrifice, and each imagines that his +reform is going to right the world for ever, while he himself continues to +propagate evil by engaging it in his own heart. That only can be called +reform which tends to reform the human heart, for all evil has its rise +there, and not until the world, ceasing from selfishness and party strife, +has learned the lesson of divine Love, will it realize the Golden Age of +universal blessedness. + +Let the rich cease to despise the poor, and the poor to condemn the rich; +let the greedy learn how to give, and the lustful how to grow pure; let the +partisan cease from strife, and the uncharitable begin to forgive; let the +envious endeavor to rejoice with others, and the slanderers grow ashamed of +their conduct. Let men and women take this course, and, lo! the Golden Age +is at hand. He, therefore, who purifies his own heart is the world's +greatest benefactor. + +Yet, though the world is, and will be for many ages to come, shut out from +that Age of Gold, which is the realization of selfless Love, you, if you +are willing, may enter it now, by rising above your selfish self; if you +will pass from prejudice, hatred, and condemnation, to gentle and forgiving +love. + +Where hatred, dislike, and condemnation are, selfless Love does not abide. +It resides only in the heart that has ceased from all condemnation. + +You say, "How can I love the drunkard, the hypocrite, the sneak, the +murderer? I am compelled to dislike and condemn such men." It is true you +cannot love such men _emotionally_, but when you say that you must perforce +dislike and condemn them you show that you are not acquainted with the +Great over-ruling Love; for it is possible to attain to such a state of +interior enlightenment as will enable you to perceive the train of causes +by which these men have become as they are, to enter into their intense +sufferings, and to know the certainty of their ultimate purification. +Possessed of such knowledge it will be utterly impossible for you any +longer to dislike or condemn them, and you will always think of them with +perfect calmness and deep compassion. + +If you love people and speak of them with praise until they in some way +thwart you, or do something of which you disapprove, and then you dislike +them and speak of them with dispraise, you are not governed by the Love +which is of God. If, in your heart, you are continually arraigning and +condemning others, selfless Love is hidden from you. + +He who knows that Love is at the heart of all things, and has realized the +all-sufficing power of that Love, has no room in his heart for +condemnation. + +Men, not knowing this Love, constitute themselves judge and executioner of +their fellows, forgetting that there is the Eternal Judge and Executioner, +and in so far as men deviate from them in their own views, their particular +reforms and methods, they brand them as fanatical, unbalanced, lacking +judgment, sincerity, and honesty; in so far as others approximate to their +own standard do they look upon them as being everything that is admirable. +Such are the men who are centered in self. But he whose heart is centered +in the supreme Love does not so brand and classify men; does not seek to +convert men to his own views, not to convince them of the superiority of +his methods. Knowing the Law of Love, he lives it, and maintains the same +calm attitude of mind and sweetness of heart toward all. The debased and +the virtuous, the foolish and the wise, the learned and the unlearned, the +selfish and the unselfish receive alike the benediction of his tranquil +thought. + +You can only attain to this supreme knowledge, this divine Love by +unremitting endeavor in self-discipline, and by gaining victory after +victory over yourself. Only the pure in heart see God, and when your heart +is sufficiently purified you will enter into the New Birth, and the Love +that does not die, nor change, nor end in pain and sorrow will be awakened +within you, and you will be at peace. + +He who strives for the attainment of divine Love is ever seeking to +overcome the spirit of condemnation, for where there is pure spiritual +knowledge, condemnation cannot exist, and only in the heart that has become +incapable of condemnation is Love perfected and fully realized. + +The Christian condemns the Atheist; the Atheist satirizes the Christian; +the Catholic and Protestant are ceaselessly engaged in wordy warfare, and +the spirit of strife and hatred rules where peace and love should be. + +"He that hateth his brother is a murderer," a crucifier of the divine +Spirit of Love; and until you can regard men of all religions and of no +religion with the same impartial spirit, with all freedom from dislike, and +with perfect equanimity, you have yet to strive for that Love which bestows +upon its possessor freedom and salvation. + +The realization of divine knowledge, selfless Love, utterly destroys the +spirit of condemnation, disperses all evil, and lifts the consciousness to +that height of pure vision where Love, Goodness, Justice are seen to be +universal, supreme, all-conquering, indestructible. + +Train your mind in strong, impartial, and gentle thought; train your heart +in purity and compassion; train your tongue to silence and to true and +stainless speech; so shall you enter the way of holiness and peace, and +shall ultimately realize the immortal Love. So living, without seeking to +convert, you will convince; without arguing, you will teach; not cherishing +ambition, the wise will find you out; and without striving to gain men's +opinions, you will subdue their hearts. For Love is all-conquering, +all-powerful; and the thoughts, and deeds, and words of Love can never +perish. + +To know that Love is universal, supreme, all-sufficing; to be freed from +the trammels of evil; to be quit of the inward unrest; to know that all men +are striving to realize the Truth each in his own way; to be satisfied, +sorrowless, serene; this is peace; this is gladness; this is immortality; +this is Divinity; this is the realization of selfless Love. + + I stood upon the shore, and saw the rocks + Resist the onslaught of the mighty sea, + And when I thought how all the countless shocks + They had withstood through an eternity, + I said, "To wear away this solid main + The ceaseless efforts of the waves are vain." + + But when I thought how they the rocks had rent, + And saw the sand and shingles at my feet + (Poor passive remnants of resistance spent) + Tumbled and tossed where they the waters meet, + Then saw I ancient landmarks 'neath the waves, + And knew the waters held the stones their slaves. + + I saw the mighty work the waters wrought + By patient softness and unceasing flow; + How they the proudest promontory brought + Unto their feet, and massy hills laid low; + How the soft drops the adamantine wall + Conquered at last, and brought it to its fall. + + And then I knew that hard, resisting sin + Should yield at last to Love's soft ceaseless roll + Coming and going, ever flowing in + Upon the proud rocks of the human soul; + That all resistance should be spent and past, + And every heart yield unto it at last. + + + + +ENTERING INTO THE INFINITE + + +From the beginning of time, man, in spite of his bodily appetites and +desires, in the midst of all his clinging to earthly and impermanent +things, has ever been intuitively conscious of the limited, transient, and +illusionary nature of his material existence, and in his sane and silent +moments has tried to reach out into a comprehension of the Infinite, and +has turned with tearful aspiration toward the restful Reality of the +Eternal Heart. + +While vainly imagining that the pleasures of earth are real and satisfying, +pain and sorrow continually remind him of their unreal and unsatisfying +nature. Ever striving to believe that complete satisfaction is to be found +in material things, he is conscious of an inward and persistent revolt +against this belief, which revolt is at once a refutation of his essential +mortality, and an inherent and imperishable proof that only in the +immortal, the eternal, the infinite can he find abiding satisfaction and +unbroken peace. + +And here is the common ground of faith; here the root and spring of all +religion; here the soul of Brotherhood and the heart of Love,--that man is +essentially and spiritually divine and eternal, and that, immersed in +mortality and troubled with unrest, he is ever striving to enter into a +consciousness of his real nature. + +The spirit of man is inseparable from the Infinite, and can be satisfied +with nothing short of the Infinite, and the burden of pain will continue to +weigh upon man's heart, and the shadows of sorrow to darken his pathway +until, ceasing from his wanderings in the dream-world of matter, he comes +back to his home in the reality of the Eternal. + +As the smallest drop of water detached from the ocean contains all the +qualities of the ocean, so man, detached in consciousness from the +Infinite, contains within him its likeness; and as the drop of water must, +by the law of its nature, ultimately find its way back to the ocean and +lose itself in its silent depths, so must man, by the unfailing law of his +nature, at last return to his source, and lose himself in the great ocean +of the Infinite. + +To re-become one with the Infinite is the goal of man. To enter into +perfect harmony with the Eternal Law is Wisdom, Love and Peace. But this +divine state is, and must ever be, incomprehensible to the merely personal. +Personality, separateness, selfishness are one and the same, and are the +antithesis of wisdom and divinity. By the unqualified surrender of the +personality, separateness and selfishness cease, and man enters into the +possession of his divine heritage of immortality and infinity. + +Such surrender of the personality is regarded by the worldly and selfish +mind as the most grievous of all calamities, the most irreparable loss, yet +it is the one supreme and incomparable blessing, the only real and lasting +gain. The mind unenlightened upon the inner laws of being, and upon the +nature and destiny of its own life, clings to transient appearances, things +which have in them no enduring substantiality, and so clinging, perishes, +for the time being, amid the shattered wreckage of its own illusions. + +Men cling to and gratify the flesh as though it were going to last for +ever, and though they try to forget the nearness and inevitability of its +dissolution, the dread of death and of the loss of all that they cling to +clouds their happiest hours, and the chilling shadow of their own +selfishness follows them like a remorseless specter. + +And with the accumulation of temporal comforts and luxuries, the divinity +within men is drugged, and they sink deeper and deeper into materiality, +into the perishable life of the senses, and where there is sufficient +intellect, theories concerning the immortality of the flesh come to be +regarded as infallible truths. When a man's soul is clouded with +selfishness in any or every form, he loses the power of spiritual +discrimination, and confuses the temporal with the eternal, the perishable +with the permanent, mortality with immortality, and error with Truth. It is +thus that the world has come to be filled with theories and speculations +having no foundation in human experience. Every body of flesh contains +within itself, from the hour of birth, the elements of its own destruction, +and by the unalterable law of its own nature must it pass away. + +The perishable in the universe can never become permanent; the permanent +can never pass away; the mortal can never become immortal; the immortal can +never die; the temporal cannot become eternal nor the eternal become +temporal; appearance can never become reality, nor reality fade into +appearance; error can never become Truth, nor can Truth become error. Man +cannot immortalize the flesh, but, by overcoming the flesh, by +relinquishing all its inclinations, he can enter the region of immortality. +"God alone hath immortality," and only by realizing the God state of +consciousness does man enter into immortality. + +All nature in its myriad forms of life is changeable, impermanent, +unenduring. Only the informing Principle of nature endures. Nature is many, +and is marked by separation. The informing Principle is One, and is marked +by unity. By overcoming the senses and the selfishness within, which is the +overcoming of nature, man emerges from the chrysalis of the personal and +illusory, and wings himself into the glorious light of the impersonal, the +region of universal Truth, out of which all perishable forms come. + +Let men, therefore, practice self-denial; let them conquer their animal +inclinations; let them refuse to be enslaved by luxury and pleasure; let +them practice virtue, and grow daily into high and ever higher virtue, +until at last they grow into the Divine, and enter into both the practice +and the comprehension of humility, meekness, forgiveness, compassion, and +love, which practice and comprehension constitute Divinity. + +"Good-will gives insight," and only he who has so conquered his personality +that he has but one attitude of mind, that of good-will, toward all +creatures, is possessed of divine insight, and is capable of distinguishing +the true from the false. The supremely good man is, therefore, the wise +man, the divine man, the enlightened seer, the knower of the Eternal. Where +you find unbroken gentleness, enduring patience, sublime lowliness, +graciousness of speech, self-control, self-forgetfulness, and deep and +abounding sympathy, look there for the highest wisdom, seek the company of +such a one, for he has realized the Divine, he lives with the Eternal, he +has become one with the Infinite. Believe not him that is impatient, given +to anger, boastful, who clings to pleasure and refuses to renounce his +selfish gratifications, and who practices not good-will and far-reaching +compassion, for such a one hath not wisdom, vain is all his knowledge, and +his works and words will perish, for they are grounded on that which passes +away. + +Let a man abandon self, let him overcome the world, let him deny the +personal; by this pathway only can he enter into the heart of the Infinite. + +The world, the body, the personality are mirages upon the desert of time; +transitory dreams in the dark night of spiritual slumber, and those who +have crossed the desert, those who are spiritually awakened, have alone +comprehended the Universal Reality where all appearances are dispersed and +dreaming and delusion are destroyed. + +There is one Great Law which exacts unconditional obedience, one unifying +principle which is the basis of all diversity, one eternal Truth wherein +all the problems of earth pass away like shadows. To realize this Law, this +Unity, this Truth, is to enter into the Infinite, is to become one with the +Eternal. + +To center one's life in the Great Law of Love is to enter into rest, +harmony, peace. To refrain from all participation in evil and discord; to +cease from all resistance to evil, and from the omission of that which is +good, and to fall back upon unswerving obedience to the holy calm within, +is to enter into the inmost heart of things, is to attain to a living, +conscious experience of that eternal and infinite principle which must ever +remain a hidden mystery to the merely perceptive intellect. Until this +principle is realized, the soul is not established in peace, and he who so +realizes is truly wise; not wise with the wisdom of the learned, but with +the simplicity of a blameless heart and of a divine manhood. + +To enter into a realization of the Infinite and Eternal is to rise superior +to time, and the world, and the body, which comprise the kingdom of +darkness; and is to become established in immortality, Heaven, and the +Spirit, which make up the Empire of Light. + +Entering into the Infinite is not a mere theory or sentiment. It is a vital +experience which is the result of assiduous practice in inward +purification. When the body is no longer believed to be, even remotely, the +real man; when all appetites and desires are thoroughly subdued and +purified; when the emotions are rested and calm, and when the oscillation +of the intellect ceases and perfect poise is secured, then, and not till +then, does consciousness become one with the Infinite; not until then is +childlike wisdom and profound peace secured. + +Men grow weary and gray over the dark problems of life, and finally pass +away and leave them unsolved because they cannot see their way out of the +darkness of the personality, being too much engrossed in its limitations. +Seeking to save his personal life, man forfeits the greater impersonal Life +in Truth; clinging to the perishable, he is shut out from a knowledge of +the Eternal. + +By the surrender of self all difficulties are overcome, and there is no +error in the universe but the fire of inward sacrifice will burn it up like +chaff; no problem, however great, but will disappear like a shadow under +the searching light of self-abnegation. Problems exist only in our own +self-created illusions, and they vanish away when self is yielded up. Self +and error are synonymous. Error is involved in the darkness of unfathomable +complexity, but eternal simplicity is the glory of Truth. + +Love of self shuts men out from Truth, and seeking their own personal +happiness they lose the deeper, purer, and more abiding bliss. Says +Carlyle--"There is in man a higher than love of happiness. He can do +without happiness, and instead thereof find blessedness. + +... Love not pleasure, love God. This is the Everlasting Yea, wherein all +contradiction is solved; wherein whoso walks and works, it is well with +him." + +He who has yielded up that self, that personality that men most love, and +to which they cling with such fierce tenacity, has left behind him all +perplexity, and has entered into a simplicity so profoundly simple as to be +looked upon by the world, involved as it is in a network of error, as +foolishness. Yet such a one has realized the highest wisdom, and is at rest +in the Infinite. He "accomplishes without striving," and all problems melt +before him, for he has entered the region of reality, and deals, not with +changing effects, but with the unchanging principles of things. He is +enlightened with a wisdom which is as superior to ratiocination, as reason +is to animality. Having yielded up his lusts, his errors, his opinions and +prejudices, he has entered into possession of the knowledge of God, having +slain the selfish desire for heaven, and along with it the ignorant fear of +hell; having relinquished even the love of life itself, he has gained +supreme bliss and Life Eternal, the Life which bridges life and death, and +knows its own immortality. Having yielded up all without reservation, he +has gained all, and rests in peace on the bosom of the Infinite. + +Only he who has become so free from self as to be equally content to be +annihilated as to live, or to live as to be annihilated, is fit to enter +into the Infinite. Only he who, ceasing to trust his perishable self, has +learned to trust in boundless measure the Great Law, the Supreme Good, is +prepared to partake of undying bliss. + +For such a one there is no more regret, nor disappointment, nor remorse, +for where all selfishness has ceased these sufferings cannot be; and +whatever happens to him he knows that it is for his own good, and he is +content, being no longer the servant of self, but the servant of the +Supreme. He is no longer affected by the changes of earth, and when he +hears of wars and rumors of wars his peace is not disturbed, and where men +grow angry and cynical and quarrelsome, he bestows compassion and love. +Though appearances may contradict it, he knows that the world is +progressing, and that + + "Through its laughing and its weeping, + Through its living and its keeping, + Through its follies and its labors, weaving in and out of sight, + To the end from the beginning, + Through all virtue and all sinning, + Reeled from God's great spool of Progress, runs the golden + thread of light." + +When a fierce storm is raging none are angered about it, because they know +it will quickly pass away, and when the storms of contention are +devastating the world, the wise man, looking with the eye of Truth and +pity, knows that it will pass away, and that out of the wreckage of broken +hearts which it leaves behind the immortal Temple of Wisdom will be built. + +Sublimely patient; infinitely compassionate; deep, silent, and pure, his +very presence is a benediction; and when he speaks men ponder his words in +their hearts, and by them rise to higher levels of attainment. Such is he +who has entered into the Infinite, who by the power of utmost sacrifice has +solved the sacred mystery of life. + + Questioning Life and Destiny and Truth, + I sought the dark and labyrinthine Sphinx, + Who spake to me this strange and wondrous thing:-- + "Concealment only lies in blinded eyes, + And God alone can see the Form of God." + + I sought to solve this hidden mystery + Vainly by paths of blindness and of pain, + But when I found the Way of Love and Peace, + Concealment ceased, and I was blind no more: + Then saw I God e'en with the eyes of God. + + + + +SAINTS, SAGES, AND SAVIORS: THE LAW OF SERVICE + + +The spirit of Love which is manifested as a perfect and rounded life, is +the crown of being and the supreme end of knowledge upon this earth. + +The measure of a man's truth is the measure of his love, and Truth is far +removed from him whose life is not governed by Love. The intolerant and +condemnatory, even though they profess the highest religion, have the +smallest measure of Truth; while those who exercise patience, and who +listen calmly and dispassionately to all sides, and both arrive themselves +at, and incline others to, thoughtful and unbiased conclusions upon all +problems and issues, have Truth in fullest measure. The final test of +wisdom is this,--how does a man live? What spirit does he manifest? How +does he act under trial and temptation? Many men boast of being in +possession of Truth who are continually swayed by grief, disappointment, +and passion, and who sink under the first little trial that comes along. +Truth is nothing if not unchangeable, and in so far as a man takes his +stand upon Truth does he become steadfast in virtue, does he rise superior +to his passions and emotions and changeable personality. + +Men formulate perishable dogmas, and call them Truth. Truth cannot be +formulated; it is ineffable, and ever beyond the reach of intellect. It can +only be experienced by practice; it can only be manifested as a stainless +heart and a perfect life. + +Who, then, in the midst of the ceaseless pandemonium of schools and creeds +and parties, has the Truth? He who lives it. He who practices it. He who, +having risen above that pandemonium by overcoming himself, no longer +engages in it, but sits apart, quiet, subdued, calm, and self-possessed, +freed from all strife, all bias, all condemnation, and bestows upon all the +glad and unselfish love of the divinity within him. + +He who is patient, calm, gentle, and forgiving under all circumstances, +manifests the Truth. Truth will never be proved by wordy arguments and +learned treatises, for if men do not perceive the Truth in infinite +patience, undying forgiveness, and all-embracing compassion, no words can +ever prove it to them. + +It is an easy matter for the passionate to be calm and patient when they +are alone, or are in the midst of calmness. It is equally easy for the +uncharitable to be gentle and kind when they are dealt kindly with, but he +who retains his patience and calmness under all trial, who remains +sublimely meek and gentle under the most trying circumstances, he, and he +alone, is possessed of the spotless Truth. And this is so because such +lofty virtues belong to the Divine, and can only be manifested by one who +has attained to the highest wisdom, who has relinquished his passionate and +self-seeking nature, who has realized the supreme and unchangeable Law, and +has brought himself into harmony with it. + +Let men, therefore, cease from vain and passionate arguments about Truth, +and let them think and say and do those things which make for harmony, +peace, love, and good-will. Let them practice heart-virtue, and search +humbly and diligently for the Truth which frees the soul from all error and +sin, from all that blights the human heart, and that darkens, as with +unending night, the pathway of the wandering souls of earth. + +There is one great all-embracing Law which is the foundation and cause of +the universe, the Law of Love. It has been called by many names in various +countries and at various times, but behind all its names the same +unalterable Law may be discovered by the eye of Truth. Names, religions, +personalities pass away, but the Law of Love remains. To become possessed +of a knowledge of this Law, to enter into conscious harmony with it, is to +become immortal, invincible, indestructible. + +It is because of the effort of the soul to realize this Law that men come +again and again to live, to suffer, and to die; and when realized, +suffering ceases, personality is dispersed, and the fleshly life and death +are destroyed, for consciousness becomes one with the Eternal. + +The Law is absolutely impersonal, and its highest manifested expression is +that of Service. When the purified heart has realized Truth it is then +called upon to make the last, the greatest and holiest sacrifice, the +sacrifice of the well-earned enjoyment of Truth. It is by virtue of this +sacrifice that the divinely-emancipated soul comes to dwell among men, +clothed with a body of flesh, content to dwell among the lowliest and +least, and to be esteemed the servant of all mankind. That sublime humility +which is manifested by the world's saviors is the seal of Godhead, and he +who has annihilated the personality, and has become a living, visible +manifestation of the impersonal, eternal, boundless Spirit of Love, is +alone singled out as worthy to receive the unstinted worship of posterity. +He only who succeeds in humbling himself with that divine humility which is +not only the extinction of self, but is also the pouring out upon all the +spirit of unselfish love, is exalted above measure, and given spiritual +dominion in the hearts of mankind. + +All the great spiritual teachers have denied themselves personal luxuries, +comforts, and rewards, have abjured temporal power, and have lived and +taught the limitless and impersonal Truth. Compare their lives and +teachings, and you will find the same simplicity, the same self-sacrifice, +the same humility, love, and peace both lived and preached by them. They +taught the same eternal Principles, the realization of which destroys all +evil. Those who have been hailed and worshiped as the saviors of mankind +are manifestations of the Great impersonal Law, and being such, were free +from passion and prejudice, and having no opinions, and no special letter +of doctrine to preach and defend, they never sought to convert and to +proselytize. Living in the highest Goodness, the supreme Perfection, their +sole object was to uplift mankind by manifesting that Goodness in thought, +word, and deed. They stand between man the personal and God the impersonal, +and serve as exemplary types for the salvation of self-enslaved mankind. + +Men who are immersed in self, and who cannot comprehend the Goodness that +is absolutely impersonal, deny divinity to all saviors except their own, +and thus introduce personal hatred and doctrinal controversy, and, while +defending their own particular views with passion, look upon each other as +being heathens or infidels, and so render null and void, as far as their +lives are concerned, the unselfish beauty and holy grandeur of the lives +and teachings of their own Masters. Truth cannot be limited; it can never +be the special prerogative of any man, school, or nation, and when +personality steps in, Truth is lost. + +The glory alike of the saint, the sage, and the savior is this,--that he +has realized the most profound lowliness, the most sublime unselfishness; +having given up all, even his own personality, all his works are holy and +enduring, for they are freed from every taint of self. He gives, yet never +thinks of receiving; he works without regretting the past or anticipating +the future, and never looks for reward. + +When the farmer has tilled and dressed his land and put in the seed, he +knows that he has done all that he can possibly do, and that now he must +trust to the elements, and wait patiently for the course of time to bring +about the harvest, and that no amount of expectancy on his part will affect +the result. Even so, he who has realized Truth goes forth as a sower of the +seeds of goodness, purity, love and peace, without expectancy, and never +looking for results, knowing that there is the Great Over-ruling Law which +brings about its own harvest in due time, and which is alike the source of +preservation and destruction. + +Men, not understanding the divine simplicity of a profoundly unselfish +heart, look upon their particular savior as the manifestation of a special +miracle, as being something entirely apart and distinct from the nature of +things, and as being, in his ethical excellence, eternally unapproachable +by the whole of mankind. This attitude of unbelief (for such it is) in the +divine perfectibility of man, paralyzes effort, and binds the souls of men +as with strong ropes to sin and suffering. Jesus "grew in wisdom" and was +"perfected by suffering." What Jesus was, he became such; what Buddha was, +he became such; and every holy man became such by unremitting perseverance +in self-sacrifice. Once recognize this, once realize that by watchful +effort and hopeful perseverance you can rise above your lower nature, and +great and glorious will be the vistas of attainment that will open out +before you. Buddha vowed that he would not relax his efforts until he +arrived at the state of perfection, and he accomplished his purpose. + +What the saints, sages, and saviors have accomplished, you likewise may +accomplish if you will only tread the way which they trod and pointed out, +the way of self-sacrifice, of self-denying service. + +Truth is very simple. It says, "Give up self," "Come unto Me" (away from +all that defiles) "and I will give you rest." All the mountains of +commentary that have been piled upon it cannot hide it from the heart that +is earnestly seeking for Righteousness. It does not require learning; it +can be known in spite of learning. Disguised under many forms by erring +self-seeking man, the beautiful simplicity and clear transparency of Truth +remains unaltered and undimmed, and the unselfish heart enters into and +partakes of its shining radiance. Not by weaving complex theories, not by +building up speculative philosophies is Truth realized; but by weaving the +web of inward purity, by building up the Temple of a stainless life is +Truth realized. + +He who enters upon this holy way begins by restraining his passions. This +is virtue, and is the beginning of saintship, and saintship is the +beginning of holiness. The entirely worldly man gratifies all his desires, +and practices no more restraint than the law of the land in which he lives +demands; the virtuous man restrains his passions; the saint attacks the +enemy of Truth in its stronghold within his own heart, and restrains all +selfish and impure thoughts; while the holy man is he who is free from +passion and all impure thought, and to whom goodness and purity have become +as natural as scent and color are to the flower. The holy man is divinely +wise; he alone knows Truth in its fullness, and has entered into abiding +rest and peace. For him evil has ceased; it has disappeared in the +universal light of the All-Good. Holiness is the badge of wisdom. Said +Krishna to the Prince Arjuna-- + + "Humbleness, truthfulness, and harmlessness, + Patience and honor, reverence for the wise, + Purity, constancy, control of self, + Contempt of sense-delights, self-sacrifice, + Perception of the certitude of ill + In birth, death, age, disease, suffering and sin; + An ever tranquil heart in fortunes good + And fortunes evil, ... + ... Endeavors resolute + To reach perception of the utmost soul, + And grace to understand what gain it were + So to attain--this is true wisdom, Prince! + And what is otherwise is ignorance!" + +Whoever fights ceaselessly against his own selfishness, and strives to +supplant it with all-embracing love, is a saint, whether he live in a +cottage or in the midst of riches and influence; or whether he preaches or +remains obscure. + +To the worldling, who is beginning to aspire towards higher things, the +saint, such as a sweet St. Francis of Assisi, or a conquering St. Anthony, +is a glorious and inspiring spectacle; to the saint, an equally enrapturing +sight is that of the sage, sitting serene and holy, the conqueror of sin +and sorrow, no more tormented by regret and remorse, and whom even +temptation can never reach; and yet even the sage is drawn on by a still +more glorious vision, that of the savior actively manifesting his knowledge +in selfless works, and rendering his divinity more potent for good by +sinking himself in the throbbing, sorrowing, aspiring heart of mankind. + +And this only is true service--to forget oneself in love towards all, to +lose oneself in working for the whole. O thou vain and foolish man, who +thinkest that thy many works can save thee; who, chained to all error, +talkest loudly of thyself, thy work, and thy many sacrifices, and +magnifiest thine own importance; know this, that though thy fame fill the +whole earth, all thy work shall come to dust, and thou thyself be reckoned +lower than the least in the Kingdom of Truth! + +Only the work that is impersonal can live; the works of self are both +powerless and perishable. Where duties, howsoever humble, are done without +self-interest, and with joyful sacrifice, there is true service and +enduring work. Where deeds, however brilliant and apparently successful, +are done from love of self, there is ignorance of the Law of Service, and +the work perishes. + +It is given to the world to learn one great and divine lesson, the lesson +of absolute unselfishness. The saints, sages, and saviors of all time are +they who have submitted themselves to this task, and have learned and lived +it. All the Scriptures of the world are framed to teach this one lesson; +all the great teachers reiterate it. It is too simple for the world which, +scorning it, stumbles along in the complex ways of selfishness. + +A pure heart is the end of all religion and the beginning of divinity. To +search for this Righteousness is to walk the Way of Truth and Peace, and he +who enters this Way will soon perceive that Immortality which is +independent of birth and death, and will realize that in the Divine economy +of the universe the humblest effort is not lost. + +The divinity of a Krishna, a Gautama, or a Jesus is the crowning glory of +self-abnegation, the end of the soul's pilgrimage in matter and mortality, +and the world will not have finished its long journey until every soul has +become as these, and has entered into the blissful realization of its own +divinity. + + Great glory crowns the heights of hope by arduous struggle won; + Bright honor rounds the hoary head that mighty works hath done; + Fair riches come to him who strives in ways of golden gain. + And fame enshrines his name who works with genius-glowing brain; + But greater glory waits for him who, in the bloodless strife + 'Gainst self and wrong, adopts, in love, the sacrificial life; + And brighter honor rounds the brow of him who, 'mid the scorns + Of blind idolaters of self, accepts the crown of thorns; + And fairer purer riches come to him who greatly strives + To walk in ways of love and truth to sweeten human lives; + And he who serveth well mankind exchanges fleeting fame + For Light eternal, Joy and Peace, and robes of heavenly flame. + + + + +THE REALIZATION OF PERFECT PEACE + + +In the external universe there is ceaseless turmoil, change, and unrest; at +the heart of all things there is undisturbed repose; in this deep silence +dwelleth the Eternal. + +Man partakes of this duality, and both the surface change and disquietude, +and the deep-seated eternal abode of Peace, are contained within him. + +As there are silent depths in the ocean which the fiercest storm cannot +reach, so there are silent, holy depths in the heart of man which the +storms of sin and sorrow can never disturb. To reach this silence and to +live consciously in it is peace. + +Discord is rife in the outward world, but unbroken harmony holds sway at +the heart of the universe. The human soul, torn by discordant passion and +grief, reaches blindly toward the harmony of the sinless state, and to +reach this state and to live consciously in it is peace. + +Hatred severs human lives, fosters persecution, and hurls nations into +ruthless war, yet men, though they do not understand why, retain some +measure of faith in the overshadowing of a Perfect Love; and to reach this +Love and to live consciously in it is peace. + +And this inward peace, this silence, this harmony, this Love, is the +Kingdom of Heaven, which is so difficult to reach because few are willing +to give up themselves and to become as little children. + + "Heaven's gate is very narrow and minute, + It cannot be perceived by foolish men + Blinded by vain illusions of the world; + E'en the clear-sighted who discern the way, + And seek to enter, find the portal barred, + And hard to be unlocked. Its massive bolts + Are pride and passion, avarice and lust." + +Men cry peace! peace! where there is no peace, but on the contrary, +discord, disquietude and strife. Apart from that Wisdom which is +inseparable from self-renunciation, there can be no real and abiding peace. + +The peace which results from social comfort, passing gratification, or +worldly victory is transitory in its nature, and is burnt up in the heat of +fiery trial. Only the Peace of Heaven endures through all trial, and only +the selfless heart can know the Peace of Heaven. + +Holiness alone is undying peace. Self-control leads to it, and the +ever-increasing Light of Wisdom guides the pilgrim on his way. It is +partaken of in a measure as soon as the path of virtue is entered upon, but +it is only realized in its fullness when self disappears in the +consummation of a stainless life. + + "This is peace, + To conquer love of self and lust of life, + To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart + To still the inward strife." + +If, O reader! you would realize the Light that never fades, the Joy that +never ends, and the tranquillity that cannot be disturbed; if you would +leave behind for ever your sins, your sorrows, your anxieties and +perplexities; if, I say, you would partake of this salvation, this +supremely glorious Life, then conquer yourself. Bring every thought, every +impulse, every desire into perfect obedience to the divine power resident +within you. There is no other way to peace but this, and if you refuse to +walk it, your much praying and your strict adherence to ritual will be +fruitless and unavailing, and neither gods nor angels can help you. Only to +him that overcometh is given the white stone of the regenerate life, on +which is written the New and Ineffable Name. + +Come away, for awhile, from external things, from the pleasures of the +senses, from the arguments of the intellect, from the noise and the +excitements of the world, and withdraw yourself into the inmost chamber of +your heart, and there, free from the sacrilegious intrusion of all selfish +desires, you will find a deep silence, a holy calm, a blissful repose, and +if you will rest awhile in that holy place, and will meditate there, the +faultless eye of Truth will open within you, and you will see things as +they really are. This holy place within you is your real and eternal self; +it is the divine within you; and only when you identify yourself with it +can you be said to be "clothed and in your right mind." It is the abode of +peace, the temple of wisdom, the dwelling-place of immortality. Apart from +this inward resting-place, this Mount of Vision, there can be no true +peace, no knowledge of the Divine, and if you can remain there for one +minute, one hour, or one day, it is possible for you to remain there +always. All your sins and sorrows, your fears and anxieties are your own, +and you can cling to them or you can give them up. Of your own accord you +cling to your unrest; of your own accord you can come to abiding peace. No +one else can give up sin for you; you must give it up yourself. The +greatest teacher can do no more than walk the way of Truth for himself, and +point it out to you; you yourself must walk it for yourself. You can obtain +freedom and peace alone by your own efforts, by yielding up that which +binds the soul, and which is destructive of peace. + +The angels of divine peace and joy are always at hand, and if you do not +see them, and hear them, and dwell with them, it is because you shut +yourself out from them, and prefer the company of the spirits of evil +within you. You are what you will to be, what you wish to be, what you +prefer to be. You can commence to purify yourself, and by so doing can +arrive at peace, or you can refuse to purify yourself, and so remain with +suffering. + +Step aside, then; come out of the fret and the fever of life; away from the +scorching heat of self, and enter the inward resting-place where the +cooling airs of peace will calm, renew, and restore you. + +Come out of the storms of sin and anguish. Why be troubled and +tempest-tossed when the haven of Peace of God is yours! + +Give up all self-seeking; give up self, and lo! the Peace of God is yours! + +Subdue the animal within you; conquer every selfish uprising, every +discordant voice; transmute the base metals of your selfish nature into the +unalloyed gold of Love, and you shall realize the Life of Perfect Peace. +Thus subduing, thus conquering, thus transmuting, you will, O reader! while +living in the flesh, cross the dark waters of mortality, and will reach +that Shore upon which the storms of sorrow never beat, and where sin and +suffering and dark uncertainty cannot come. Standing upon that Shore, holy, +compassionate, awakened, and self-possessed and glad with unending +gladness, you will realize that + + "Never the Spirit was born, the Spirit will cease to be never; + Never was time it was not, end and beginning are dreams; + Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the Spirit for ever; + Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it seems." + +You will then know the meaning of Sin, of Sorrow, of Suffering, and that +the end thereof is Wisdom; will know the cause and the issue of existence. + +And with this realization you will enter into rest, for this is the bliss +of immortality, this the unchangeable gladness, this the untrammeled +knowledge, undefiled Wisdom, and undying Love; this, and this only, is the +realization of Perfect Peace. + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Truth! + Hast thou passed through the desert of doubt? + Art thou purged by the fires of sorrow? hath ruth + The fiends of opinion cast out + Of thy human heart? Is thy soul so fair + That no false thought can ever harbor there? + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Love! + Hast thou passed through the place of despair? + Hast thou wept through the dark night of grief? + does it move + (Now freed from its sorrow and care) + Thy human heart to pitying gentleness, + Looking on wrong, and hate, and ceaseless stress? + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Peace! + Hast thou crossed the wide ocean of strife? + Hast thou found on the Shores of the Silence, + Release from all the wild unrest of life? + From thy human heart hath all striving gone, + Leaving but Truth, and Love, and Peace alone? + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way of Peace, by James Allen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY OF PEACE *** + +***** This file should be named 10740-8.txt or 10740-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/7/4/10740/ + +Produced by Kevin Handy and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. + + https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06 + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/10740-8.zip b/old/10740-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..739adf0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10740-8.zip diff --git a/old/10740.txt b/old/10740.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f5c3ced --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10740.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2259 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way of Peace, by James Allen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Way of Peace + +Author: James Allen + +Release Date: January 18, 2004 [EBook #10740] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY OF PEACE *** + + + + +Produced by Kevin Handy and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +THE WAY OF PEACE + + +BY JAMES ALLEN + + +AUTHOR OF "AS A MAN THINKETH," "OUT FROM THE HEART" + + + + +CONTENTS + + +THE POWER OF MEDITATION + +THE TWO MASTERS, SELF AND TRUTH + +THE ACQUIREMENT OF SPIRITUAL POWER + +THE REALIZATION OF SELFLESS LOVE + +ENTERING INTO THE INFINITE + +SAINTS, SAGES, AND SAVIORS; THE LAW OF SERVICE + +THE REALIZATION OF PERFECT PEACE + + + + +THE POWER OF MEDITATION + + +Spiritual meditation is the pathway to Divinity. It is the mystic ladder +which reaches from earth to heaven, from error to Truth, from pain to +peace. Every saint has climbed it; every sinner must sooner or later come +to it, and every weary pilgrim that turns his back upon self and the world, +and sets his face resolutely toward the Father's Home, must plant his feet +upon its golden rounds. Without its aid you cannot grow into the divine +state, the divine likeness, the divine peace, and the fadeless glories and +unpolluting joys of Truth will remain hidden from you. + +Meditation is the intense dwelling, in thought, upon an idea or theme, with +the object of thoroughly comprehending it, and whatsoever you constantly +meditate upon you will not only come to understand, but will grow more and +more into its likeness, for it will become incorporated into your very +being, will become, in fact, your very self. If, therefore, you constantly +dwell upon that which is selfish and debasing, you will ultimately become +selfish and debased; if you ceaselessly think upon that which is pure and +unselfish you will surely become pure and unselfish. + +Tell me what that is upon which you most frequently and intensely think, +that to which, in your silent hours, your soul most naturally turns, and I +will tell you to what place of pain or peace you are traveling, and whether +you are growing into the likeness of the divine or the bestial. + +There is an unavoidable tendency to become literally the embodiment of that +quality upon which one most constantly thinks. Let, therefore, the object +of your meditation be above and not below, so that every time you revert to +it in thought you will be lifted up; let it be pure and unmixed with any +selfish element; so shall your heart become purified and drawn nearer to +Truth, and not defiled and dragged more hopelessly into error. + +Meditation, in the spiritual sense in which I am now using it, is the +secret of all growth in spiritual life and knowledge. Every prophet, sage, +and savior became such by the power of meditation. Buddha meditated upon +the Truth until he could say, "I am the Truth." Jesus brooded upon the +Divine immanence until at last he could declare, "I and my Father are One." + +Meditation centered upon divine realities is the very essence and soul of +prayer. It is the silent reaching of the soul toward the Eternal. Mere +petitionary prayer without meditation is a body without a soul, and is +powerless to lift the mind and heart above sin and affliction. If you are +daily praying for wisdom, for peace, for loftier purity and a fuller +realization of Truth, and that for which you pray is still far from you, it +means that you are praying for one thing while living out in thought and +act another. If you will cease from such waywardness, taking your mind off +those things the selfish clinging to which debars you from the possession +of the stainless realities for which you pray: if you will no longer ask +God to grant you that which you do not deserve, or to bestow upon you that +love and compassion which you refuse to bestow upon others, but will +commence to think and act in the spirit of Truth, you will day by day be +growing into those realities, so that ultimately you will become one with +them. + +He who would secure any worldly advantage must be willing to work +vigorously for it, and he would be foolish indeed who, waiting with folded +hands, expected it to come to him for the mere asking. Do not then vainly +imagine that you can obtain the heavenly possessions without making an +effort. Only when you commence to work earnestly in the Kingdom of Truth +will you be allowed to partake of the Bread of Life, and when you have, by +patient and uncomplaining effort, earned the spiritual wages for which you +ask, they will not be withheld from you. + +If you really seek Truth, and not merely your own gratification; if you +love it above all worldly pleasures and gains; more, even, than happiness +itself, you will be willing to make the effort necessary for its +achievement. + +If you would be freed from sin and sorrow; if you would taste of that +spotless purity for which you sigh and pray; if you would realize wisdom +and knowledge, and would enter into the possession of profound and abiding +peace, come now and enter the path of meditation, and let the supreme +object of your meditation be Truth. + +At the outset, meditation must be distinguished from _idle reverie_. There +is nothing dreamy and unpractical about it. It is _a process of searching +and uncompromising thought which allows nothing to remain but the simple +and naked truth_. Thus meditating you will no longer strive to build +yourself up in your prejudices, but, forgetting self, you will remember +only that you are seeking the Truth. And so you will remove, one by one, +the errors which you have built around yourself in the past, and will +patiently wait for the revelation of Truth which will come when your errors +have been sufficiently removed. In the silent humility of your heart you +will realize that + + "There is an inmost centre in us all + Where Truth abides in fulness; and around, + Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in; + This perfect, clear perception, which is Truth, + A baffling and perverting carnal mesh + Blinds it, and makes all error; and to know, + Rather consists in opening out a way + Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape, + Than in effecting entry for a light + Supposed to be without." + +Select some portion of the day in which to meditate, and keep that period +sacred to your purpose. The best time is the very early morning when the +spirit of repose is upon everything. All natural conditions will then be in +your favor; the passions, after the long bodily fast of the night, will be +subdued, the excitements and worries of the previous day will have died +away, and the mind, strong and yet restful, will be receptive to spiritual +instruction. Indeed, one of the first efforts you will be called upon to +make will be to shake off lethargy and indulgence, and if you refuse you +will be unable to advance, for the demands of the spirit are imperative. + +To be spiritually awakened is also to be mentally and physically awakened. +The sluggard and the self-indulgent can have no knowledge of Truth. He who, +possessed of health and strength, wastes the calm, precious hours of the +silent morning in drowsy indulgence is totally unfit to climb the heavenly +heights. + +He whose awakening consciousness has become alive to its lofty +possibilities, who is beginning to shake off the darkness of ignorance in +which the world is enveloped, rises before the stars have ceased their +vigil, and, grappling with the darkness within his soul, strives, by holy +aspiration, to perceive the light of Truth while the unawakened world +dreams on. + + "The heights by great men reached and kept, + Were not attained by sudden flight, + But they, while their companions slept, + Were toiling upward in the night." + +No saint, no holy man, no teacher of Truth ever lived who did not rise +early in the morning. Jesus habitually rose early, and climbed the solitary +mountains to engage in holy communion. Buddha always rose an hour before +sunrise and engaged in meditation, and all his disciples were enjoined to +do the same. + +If you have to commence your daily duties at a very early hour, and are +thus debarred from giving the early morning to systematic meditation, try +to give an hour at night, and should this, by the length and laboriousness +of your daily task be denied you, you need not despair, for you may turn +your thoughts upward in holy meditation in the intervals of your work, or +in those few idle minutes which you now waste in aimlessness; and should +your work be of that kind which becomes by practice automatic, you may +meditate while engaged upon it. That eminent Christian saint and +philosopher, Jacob Boehme, realized his vast knowledge of divine things +whilst working long hours as a shoemaker. In every life there is time to +think, and the busiest, the most laborious is not shut out from aspiration +and meditation. + +Spiritual meditation and self-discipline are inseparable; you will, +therefore, commence to meditate upon yourself so as to try and understand +yourself, for, remember, the great object you will have in view will be the +complete removal of all your errors in order that you may realize Truth. +You will begin to question your motives, thoughts, and acts, comparing them +with your ideal, and endeavoring to look upon them with a calm and +impartial eye. In this manner you will be continually gaining more of that +mental and spiritual equilibrium without which men are but helpless straws +upon the ocean of life. If you are given to hatred or anger you will +meditate upon gentleness and forgiveness, so as to become acutely alive to +a sense of your harsh and foolish conduct. You will then begin to dwell in +thoughts of love, of gentleness, of abounding forgiveness; and as you +overcome the lower by the higher, there will gradually, silently steal into +your heart a knowledge of the divine Law of Love with an understanding of +its bearing upon all the intricacies of life and conduct. And in applying +this knowledge to your every thought, word, and act, you will grow more and +more gentle, more and more loving, more and more divine. And thus with +every error, every selfish desire, every human weakness; by the power of +meditation is it overcome, and as each sin, each error is thrust out, a +fuller and clearer measure of the Light of Truth illumines the pilgrim +soul. + +Thus meditating, you will be ceaselessly fortifying yourself against your +only _real_ enemy, your selfish, perishable self, and will be establishing +yourself more and more firmly in the divine and imperishable self that is +inseparable from Truth. The direct outcome of your meditations will be a +calm, spiritual strength which will be your stay and resting-place in the +struggle of life. Great is the overcoming power of holy thought, and the +strength and knowledge gained in the hour of silent meditation will enrich +the soul with saving remembrance in the hour of strife, of sorrow, or of +temptation. + +As, by the power of meditation, you grow in wisdom, you will relinquish, +more and more, your selfish desires which are fickle, impermanent, and +productive of sorrow and pain; and will take your stand, with increasing +steadfastness and trust, upon unchangeable principles, and will realize +heavenly rest. + +The use of meditation is the acquirement of a knowledge of eternal +principles, and the power which results from meditation is the ability to +rest upon and trust those principles, and so become one with the Eternal. +The end of meditation is, therefore, direct knowledge of Truth, God, and +the realization of divine and profound peace. + +Let your meditations take their rise from the ethical ground which you now +occupy. Remember that you are to _grow_ into Truth by steady perseverance. +If you are an orthodox Christian, meditate ceaselessly upon the spotless +purity and divine excellence of the character of Jesus, and apply his every +precept to your inner life and outward conduct, so as to approximate more +and more toward his perfection. Do not be as those religious ones, who, +refusing to meditate upon the Law of Truth, and to put into practice the +precepts given to them by their Master, are content to formally worship, to +cling to their particular creeds, and to continue in the ceaseless round of +sin and suffering. Strive to rise, by the power of meditation, above all +selfish clinging to partial gods or party creeds; above dead formalities +and lifeless ignorance. Thus walking the high way of wisdom, with mind +fixed upon the spotless Truth, you shall know no halting-place short of the +realization of Truth. + +He who earnestly meditates first perceives a truth, as it were, afar off, +and then realizes it by daily practice. It is only the doer of the Word of +Truth that can know of the doctrine of Truth, for though by pure thought +the Truth is perceived, it is only actualized by practice. + +Said the divine Gautama, the Buddha, "He who gives himself up to vanity, +and does not give himself up to meditation, forgetting the real aim of life +and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in +meditation," and he instructed his disciples in the following "Five Great +Meditations":-- + +"The first meditation is the meditation of love, in which you so adjust +your heart that you long for the weal and welfare of all beings, including +the happiness of your enemies. + +"The second meditation is the meditation of pity, in which you think of all +beings in distress, vividly representing in your imagination their sorrows +and anxieties so as to arouse a deep compassion for them in your soul. + +"The third meditation is the meditation of joy, in which you think of the +prosperity of others, and rejoice with their rejoicings. + +"The fourth meditation is the meditation of impurity, in which you consider +the evil consequences of corruption, the effects of sin and diseases. How +trivial often the pleasure of the moment, and how fatal its consequences. + +"The fifth meditation is the meditation on serenity, in which you rise +above love and hate, tyranny and oppression, wealth and want, and regard +your own fate with impartial calmness and perfect tranquillity." + +By engaging in these meditations the disciples of the Buddha arrived at a +knowledge of the Truth. But whether you engage in these particular +meditations or not matters little so long as your object is Truth, so long +as you hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is a holy heart and a +blameless life. In your meditations, therefore, let your heart grow and +expand with ever-broadening love, until, freed from all hatred, and +passion, and condemnation, it embraces the whole universe with thoughtful +tenderness. As the flower opens its petals to receive the morning light, so +open your soul more and more to the glorious light of Truth. Soar upward +upon the wings of aspiration; be fearless, and believe in the loftiest +possibilities. Believe that a life of absolute meekness is possible; +believe that a life of stainless purity is possible; believe that a life of +perfect holiness is possible; believe that the realization of the highest +truth is possible. He who so believes, climbs rapidly the heavenly hills, +whilst the unbelievers continue to grope darkly and painfully in the +fog-bound valleys. + +So believing, so aspiring, so meditating, divinely sweet and beautiful will +be your spiritual experiences, and glorious the revelations that will +enrapture your inward vision. As you realize the divine Love, the divine +Justice, the divine Purity, the Perfect Law of Good, or God, great will be +your bliss and deep your peace. Old things will pass away, and all things +will become new. The veil of the material universe, so dense and +impenetrable to the eye of error, so thin and gauzy to the eye of Truth, +will be lifted and the spiritual universe will be revealed. Time will +cease, and you will live only in Eternity. Change and mortality will no +more cause you anxiety and sorrow, for you will become established in the +unchangeable, and will dwell in the very heart of immortality. + + + + +STAR OF WISDOM + + Star that of the birth of Vishnu, + Birth of Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, + Told the wise ones, Heavenward looking, + Waiting, watching for thy gleaming + In the darkness of the night-time, + In the starless gloom of midnight; + Shining Herald of the coming + Of the kingdom of the righteous; + Teller of the Mystic story + Of the lowly birth of Godhead + In the stable of the passions, + In the manger of the mind-soul; + Silent singer of the secret + Of compassion deep and holy + To the heart with sorrow burdened, + To the soul with waiting weary:-- + Star of all-surpassing brightness, + Thou again dost deck the midnight; + Thou again dost cheer the wise ones + Watching in the creedal darkness, + Weary of the endless battle + With the grinding blades of error; + Tired of lifeless, useless idols, + Of the dead forms of religions; + Spent with watching for thy shining; + Thou hast ended their despairing; + Thou hast lighted up their pathway; + Thou hast brought again the old Truths + To the hearts of all thy Watchers; + To the souls of them that love thee + Thou dost speak of Joy and Gladness, + Of the peace that comes of Sorrow. + Blessed are they that can see thee, + Weary wanderers in the Night-time; + Blessed they who feel the throbbing, + In their bosoms feel the pulsing + Of a deep Love stirred within them + By the great power of thy shining. + Let us learn thy lesson truly; + Learn it faithfully and humbly; + Learn it meekly, wisely, gladly, + Ancient Star of holy Vishnu, + Light of Krishna, Buddha, Jesus. + + + + +THE TWO MASTERS, SELF AND TRUTH + + +Upon the battlefield of the human soul two masters are ever contending for +the crown of supremacy, for the kingship and dominion of the heart; the +master of self, called also the "Prince of this world," and the master of +Truth, called also the Father God. The master self is that rebellious one +whose weapons are passion, pride, avarice, vanity, self-will, implements of +darkness; the master Truth is that meek and lowly one whose weapons are +gentleness, patience, purity, sacrifice, humility, love, instruments of +Light. + +In every soul the battle is waged, and as a soldier cannot engage at once +in two opposing armies, so every heart is enlisted either in the ranks of +self or of Truth. There is no half-and-half course; "There is self and +there is Truth; where self is, Truth is not, where Truth is, self is not." +Thus spake Buddha, the teacher of Truth, and Jesus, the manifested Christ, +declared that "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the +one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the +other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." + +Truth is so simple, so absolutely undeviating and uncompromising that it +admits of no complexity, no turning, no qualification. Self is ingenious, +crooked, and, governed by subtle and snaky desire, admits of endless +turnings and qualifications, and the deluded worshipers of self vainly +imagine that they can gratify every worldly desire, and at the same time +possess the Truth. But the lovers of Truth worship Truth with the sacrifice +of self, and ceaselessly guard themselves against worldliness and +self-seeking. + +Do you seek to know and to realize Truth? Then you must be prepared to +sacrifice, to renounce to the uttermost, for Truth in all its glory can +only be perceived and known when the last vestige of self has disappeared. + +The eternal Christ declared that he who would be His disciple must "deny +himself daily." Are you willing to deny yourself, to give up your lusts, +your prejudices, your opinions? If so, you may enter the narrow way of +Truth, and find that peace from which the world is shut out. The absolute +denial, the utter extinction, of self is the perfect state of Truth, and +all religions and philosophies are but so many aids to this supreme +attainment. + +Self is the denial of Truth. Truth is the denial of self. As you let self +die, you will be reborn in Truth. As you cling to self, Truth will be +hidden from you. + +Whilst you cling to self, your path will be beset with difficulties, and +repeated pains, sorrows, and disappointments will be your lot. There are no +difficulties in Truth, and coming to Truth, you will be freed from all +sorrow and disappointment. + +Truth in itself is not hidden and dark. It is always revealed and is +perfectly transparent. But the blind and wayward self cannot perceive it. +The light of day is not hidden except to the blind, and the Light of Truth +is not hidden except to those who are blinded by self. + +Truth is the one Reality in the universe, the inward Harmony, the perfect +Justice, the eternal Love. Nothing can be added to it, nor taken from it. +It does not depend upon any man, but all men depend upon it. You cannot +perceive the beauty of Truth while you are looking out through the eyes of +self. If you are vain, you will color everything with your own vanities. If +lustful, your heart and mind will be so clouded with the smoke and flames +of passion, that everything will appear distorted through them. If proud +and opinionative, you will see nothing in the whole universe except the +magnitude and importance of your own opinions. + +There is one quality which pre-eminently distinguishes the man of Truth +from the man of self, and that is _humility_. To be not only free from +vanity, stubbornness and egotism, but to regard one's own opinions as of no +value, this indeed is true humility. + +He who is immersed in self regards his own opinions as Truth, and the +opinions of other men as error. But that humble Truth-lover who has learned +to distinguish between opinion and Truth, regards all men with the eye of +charity, and does not seek to defend his opinions against theirs, but +sacrifices those opinions that he may love the more, that he may manifest +the spirit of Truth, for Truth in its very nature is ineffable and can only +be lived. He who has most of charity has most of Truth. + +Men engage in heated controversies, and foolishly imagine they are +defending the Truth, when in reality they are merely defending their own +petty interests and perishable opinions. The follower of self takes up arms +against others. The follower of Truth takes up arms against himself. Truth, +being unchangeable and eternal, is independent of your opinion and of mine. +We may enter into it, or we may stay outside; but both our defense and our +attack are superfluous, and are hurled back upon ourselves. + +Men, enslaved by self, passionate, proud, and condemnatory, believe their +particular creed or religion to be the Truth, and all other religions to be +error; and they proselytize with passionate ardor. There is but one +religion, the religion of Truth. There is but one error, the error of self. +Truth is not a formal belief; it is an unselfish, holy, and aspiring heart, +and he who has Truth is at peace with all, and cherishes all with thoughts +of love. + +You may easily know whether you are a child of Truth or a worshiper of +self, if you will silently examine your mind, heart, and conduct. Do you +harbor thoughts of suspicion, enmity, envy, lust, pride, or do you +strenuously fight against these? If the former, you are chained to self, no +matter what religion you may profess; if the latter, you are a candidate +for Truth, even though outwardly you may profess no religion. Are you +passionate, self-willed, ever seeking to gain your own ends, +self-indulgent, and self-centered; or are you gentle, mild, unselfish, quit +of every form of self-indulgence, and are ever ready to give up your own? +If the former, self is your master; if the latter, Truth is the object of +your affection. Do you strive for riches? Do you fight, with passion, for +your party? Do you lust for power and leadership? Are you given to +ostentation and self-praise? Or have you given up the love of riches? Have +you relinquished all strife? Are you content to take the lowest place, and +to be passed by unnoticed? And have you ceased to talk about yourself and +to regard yourself with self-complacent pride? If the former, even though +you may imagine you worship God, the god of your heart is self. If the +latter, even though you may withhold your lips from worship, you are +dwelling with the Most High. + +The signs by which the Truth-lover is known are unmistakable. Hear the Holy +Krishna declare them, in Sir Edwin Arnold's beautiful rendering of the +"Bhagavad Gita":-- + + "Fearlessness, singleness of soul, the will + Always to strive for wisdom; opened hand + And governed appetites; and piety, + And love of lonely study; humbleness, + Uprightness, heed to injure nought which lives + Truthfulness, slowness unto wrath, a mind + That lightly letteth go what others prize; + And equanimity, and charity + Which spieth no man's faults; and tenderness + Towards all that suffer; a contented heart, + Fluttered by no desires; a bearing mild, + Modest and grave, with manhood nobly mixed, + With patience, fortitude and purity; + An unrevengeful spirit, never given + To rate itself too high--such be the signs, + O Indian Prince! of him whose feet are set + On that fair path which leads to heavenly birth!" + +When men, lost in the devious ways of error and self, have forgotten the +"heavenly birth," the state of holiness and Truth, they set up artificial +standards by which to judge one another, and make acceptance of, and +adherence to, their own particular theology, the test of Truth; and so men +are divided one against another, and there is ceaseless enmity and strife, +and unending sorrow and suffering. + +Reader, do you seek to realize the birth into Truth? There is only one way: +_Let self die_. All those lusts, appetites, desires, opinions, limited +conceptions and prejudices to which you have hitherto so tenaciously clung, +let them fall from you. Let them no longer hold you in bondage, and Truth +will be yours. Cease to look upon your own religion as superior to all +others, and strive humbly to learn the supreme lesson of charity. No longer +cling to the idea, so productive of strife and sorrow, that the Savior whom +you worship is the only Savior, and that the Savior whom your brother +worships with equal sincerity and ardor, is an impostor; but seek +diligently the path of holiness, and then you will realize that every holy +man is a savior of mankind. + +The giving up of self is not merely the renunciation of outward things. It +consists of the renunciation of the inward sin, the inward error. Not by +giving up vain clothing; not by relinquishing riches; not by abstaining +from certain foods; not by speaking smooth words; not by merely doing these +things is the Truth found; but by giving up the spirit of vanity; by +relinquishing the desire for riches; by abstaining from the lust of +self-indulgence; by giving up all hatred, strife, condemnation, and +self-seeking, and becoming gentle and pure at heart; by doing these things +is the Truth found. To do the former, and not to do the latter, is +pharisaism and hypocrisy, whereas the latter includes the former. You may +renounce the outward world, and isolate yourself in a cave or in the depths +of a forest, but you will take all your selfishness with you, and unless +you renounce that, great indeed will be your wretchedness and deep your +delusion. You may remain just where you are, performing all your duties, +and yet renounce the world, the inward enemy. To be in the world and yet +not of the world is the highest perfection, the most blessed peace, is to +achieve the greatest victory. The renunciation of self is the way of Truth, +therefore, + + "Enter the Path; there is no grief like hate, + No pain like passion, no deceit like sense; + Enter the Path; far hath he gone whose foot + Treads down one fond offense." + +As you succeed in overcoming self you will begin to see things in their +right relations. He who is swayed by any passion, prejudice, like or +dislike, adjusts everything to that particular bias, and sees only his own +delusions. He who is absolutely free from all passion, prejudice, +preference, and partiality, sees himself as he is; sees others as they are; +sees all things in their proper proportions and right relations. Having +nothing to attack, nothing to defend, nothing to conceal, and no interests +to guard, he is at peace. He has realized the profound simplicity of Truth, +for this unbiased, tranquil, blessed state of mind and heart is the state +of Truth. He who attains to it dwells with the angels, and sits at the +footstool of the Supreme. Knowing the Great Law; knowing the origin of +sorrow; knowing the secret of suffering; knowing the way of emancipation in +Truth, how can such a one engage in strife or condemnation; for though he +knows that the blind, self-seeking world, surrounded with the clouds of its +own illusions, and enveloped in the darkness of error and self, cannot +perceive the steadfast Light of Truth, and is utterly incapable of +comprehending the profound simplicity of the heart that has died, or is +dying, to self, yet he also knows that when the suffering ages have piled +up mountains of sorrow, the crushed and burdened soul of the world will fly +to its final refuge, and that when the ages are completed, every prodigal +will come back to the fold of Truth. And so he dwells in goodwill toward +all, and regards all with that tender compassion which a father bestows +upon his wayward children. + +Men cannot understand Truth because they cling to self, because they +believe in and love self, because they believe self to be the only reality, +whereas it is the one delusion. + +When you cease to believe in and love self you will desert it, and will fly +to Truth, and will find the eternal Reality. + +When men are intoxicated with the wines of luxury, and pleasure, and +vanity, the thirst of life grows and deepens within them, and they delude +themselves with dreams of fleshly immortality, but when they come to reap +the harvest of their own sowing, and pain and sorrow supervene, then, +crushed and humiliated, relinquishing self and all the intoxications of +self, they come, with aching hearts to the one immortality, the immortality +that destroys all delusions, the spiritual immortality in Truth. + +Men pass from evil to good, from self to Truth, through the dark gate of +sorrow, for sorrow and self are inseparable. Only in the peace and bliss of +Truth is all sorrow vanquished. If you suffer disappointment because your +cherished plans have been thwarted, or because someone has not come up to +your anticipations, it is because you are clinging to self. If you suffer +remorse for your conduct, it is because you have given way to self. If you +are overwhelmed with chagrin and regret because of the attitude of someone +else toward you, it is because you have been cherishing self. If you are +wounded on account of what has been done to you or said of you, it is +because you are walking in the painful way of self. All suffering is of +self. All suffering ends in Truth. When you have entered into and realized +Truth, you will no longer suffer disappointment, remorse, and regret, and +sorrow will flee from you. + + "Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul; + Truth is the only angel that can bid the gates unroll; + And when he comes to call thee, arise and follow fast; + His way may lie through darkness, but it leads to light at last." + +The woe of the world is of its own making. Sorrow purifies and deepens the +soul, and the extremity of sorrow is the prelude to Truth. + +Have you suffered much? Have you sorrowed deeply? Have you pondered +seriously upon the problem of life? If so, you are prepared to wage war +against self, and to become a disciple of Truth. + +The intellectual who do not see the necessity for giving up self, frame +endless theories about the universe, and call them Truth; but do thou +pursue that direct line of conduct which is the practice of righteousness, +and thou wilt realize the Truth which has no place in theory, and which +never changes. Cultivate your heart. Water it continually with unselfish +love and deep-felt pity, and strive to shut out from it all thoughts and +feelings which are not in accordance with Love. Return good for evil, love +for hatred, gentleness for ill-treatment, and remain silent when attacked. +So shall you transmute all your selfish desires into the pure gold of Love, +and self will disappear in Truth. So will you walk blamelessly among men, +yoked with the easy yoke of lowliness, and clothed with the divine garment +of humility. + + O come, weary brother! thy struggling and striving + End thou in the heart of the Master of ruth; + Across self's drear desert why wilt thou be driving, + Athirst for the quickening waters of Truth + + When here, by the path of thy searching and sinning, + Flows Life's gladsome stream, lies Love's oasis green? + Come, turn thou and rest; know the end and beginning, + The sought and the searcher, the seer and seen. + + Thy Master sits not in the unapproached mountains, + Nor dwells in the mirage which floats on the air, + Nor shalt thou discover His magical fountains + In pathways of sand that encircle despair. + + In selfhood's dark desert cease wearily seeking + The odorous tracks of the feet of thy King; + And if thou wouldst hear the sweet sound of His speaking, + Be deaf to all voices that emptily sing. + + Flee the vanishing places; renounce all thou hast; + Leave all that thou lovest, and, naked and bare, + Thyself at the shrine of the _Innermost_ cast; + The Highest, the Holiest, the Changeless is there. + + Within, in the heart of the Silence He dwelleth; + Leave sorrow and sin, leave thy wanderings sore; + Come bathe in His Joy, whilst He, whispering, telleth + Thy soul what it seeketh, and wander no more. + + Then cease, weary brother, thy struggling and striving; + Find peace in the heart of the Master of ruth. + Across self's dark desert cease wearily driving; + Come; drink at the beautiful waters of Truth. + + + + +THE ACQUIREMENT OF SPIRITUAL POWER + + +The world is filled with men and women seeking pleasure, excitement, +novelty; seeking ever to be moved to laughter or tears; not seeking +strength, stability, and power; but courting weakness, and eagerly engaged +in dispersing what power they have. + +Men and women of real power and influence are few, because few are prepared +to make the sacrifice necessary to the acquirement of power, and fewer +still are ready to patiently build up character. + +To be swayed by your fluctuating thoughts and impulses is to be weak and +powerless; to rightly control and direct those forces is to be strong and +powerful. Men of strong animal passions have much of the ferocity of the +beast, but this is not power. The elements of power are there; but it is +only when this ferocity is tamed and subdued by the higher intelligence +that real power begins; and men can only grow in power by awakening +themselves to higher and ever higher states of intelligence and +consciousness. + +The difference between a man of weakness and one of power lies not in the +strength of the personal will (for the stubborn man is usually weak and +foolish), but in that focus of consciousness which represents their states +of knowledge. + +The pleasure-seekers, the lovers of excitement, the hunters after novelty, +and the victims of impulse and hysterical emotion lack that knowledge of +principles which gives balance, stability, and influence. + +A man commences to develop power when, checking his impulses and selfish +inclinations, he falls back upon the higher and calmer consciousness within +him, and begins to steady himself upon a principle. The realization of +unchanging principles in consciousness is at once the source and secret of +the highest power. + +When, after much searching, and suffering, and sacrificing, the light of an +eternal principle dawns upon the soul, a divine calm ensues and joy +unspeakable gladdens the heart. + +He who has realized such a principle ceases to wander, and remains poised +and self-possessed. He ceases to be "passion's slave," and becomes a +master-builder in the Temple of Destiny. + +The man that is governed by self, and not by a principle, changes his front +when his selfish comforts are threatened. Deeply intent upon defending and +guarding his own interests, he regards all means as lawful that will +subserve that end. He is continually scheming as to how he may protect +himself against his enemies, being too self-centered to perceive that he is +his own enemy. Such a man's work crumbles away, for it is divorced from +Truth and power. All effort that is grounded upon self, perishes; only that +work endures that is built upon an indestructible principle. + +The man that stands upon a principle is the same calm, dauntless, +self-possessed man under all circumstances. When the hour of trial comes, +and he has to decide between his personal comforts and Truth, he gives up +his comforts and remains firm. Even the prospect of torture and death +cannot alter or deter him. The man of self regards the loss of his wealth, +his comforts, or his life as the greatest calamities which can befall him. +The man of principle looks upon these incidents as comparatively +insignificant, and not to be weighed with loss of character, loss of Truth. +To desert Truth is, to him, the only happening which can really be called a +calamity. + +It is the hour of crisis which decides who are the minions of darkness, and +who the children of Light. It is the epoch of threatening disaster, ruin, +and persecution which divides the sheep from the goats, and reveals to the +reverential gaze of succeeding ages the men and women of power. + +It is easy for a man, so long as he is left in the enjoyment of his +possessions, to persuade himself that he believes in and adheres to the +principles of Peace, Brotherhood, and Universal Love; but if, when his +enjoyments are threatened, or he imagines they are threatened, he begins to +clamor loudly for war, he shows that he believes in and stands upon, not +Peace, Brotherhood, and Love, but strife, selfishness, and hatred. + +He who does not desert his principles when threatened with the loss of +every earthly thing, even to the loss of reputation and life, is the man of +power; is the man whose every word and work endures; is the man whom the +afterworld honors, reveres, and worships. Rather than desert that principle +of Divine Love on which he rested, and in which all his trust was placed, +Jesus endured the utmost extremity of agony and deprivation; and today the +world prostrates itself at his pierced feet in rapt adoration. + +There is no way to the acquirement of spiritual power except by that inward +illumination and enlightenment which is the realization of spiritual +principles; and those principles can only be realized by constant practice +and application. + +Take the principle of divine Love, and quietly and diligently meditate upon +it with the object of arriving at a thorough understanding of it. Bring its +searching light to bear upon all your habits, your actions, your speech and +intercourse with others, your every secret thought and desire. As you +persevere in this course, the divine Love will become more and more +perfectly revealed to you, and your own shortcomings will stand out in more +and more vivid contrast, spurring you on to renewed endeavor; and having +once caught a glimpse of the incomparable majesty of that imperishable +principle, you will never again rest in your weakness, your selfishness, +your imperfection, but will pursue that Love until you have relinquished +every discordant element, and have brought yourself into perfect harmony +with it. And that state of inward harmony is spiritual power. Take also +other spiritual principles, such as Purity and Compassion, and apply them +in the same way, and, so exacting is Truth, you will be able to make no +stay, no resting-place until the inmost garment of your soul is bereft of +every stain, and your heart has become incapable of any hard, condemnatory, +and pitiless impulse. + +Only in so far as you understand, realize, and rely upon, these principles, +will you acquire spiritual power, and that power will be manifested in and +through you in the form of increasing dispassion, patience and equanimity. + +Dispassion argues superior self-control; sublime patience is the very +hall-mark of divine knowledge, and to retain an unbroken calm amid all the +duties and distractions of life, marks off the man of power. "It is easy in +the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live +after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps +with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." + +Some mystics hold that perfection in dispassion is the source of that power +by which miracles (so-called) are performed, and truly he who has gained +such perfect control of all his interior forces that no shock, however +great, can for one moment unbalance him, must be capable of guiding and +directing those forces with a master-hand. + +To grow in self-control, in patience, in equanimity, is to grow in strength +and power; and you can only thus grow by focusing your consciousness upon a +principle. As a child, after making many and vigorous attempts to walk +unaided, at last succeeds, after numerous falls, in accomplishing this, so +you must enter the way of power by first attempting to stand alone. Break +away from the tyranny of custom, tradition, conventionality, and the +opinions of others, until you succeed in walking lonely and erect among +men. Rely upon your own judgment; be true to your own conscience; follow +the Light that is within you; all outward lights are so many +will-o'-the-wisps. There will be those who will tell you that you are +foolish; that your judgment is faulty; that your conscience is all awry, +and that the Light within you is darkness; but heed them not. If what they +say is true the sooner you, as a searcher for wisdom, find it out the +better, and you can only make the discovery by bringing your powers to the +test. Therefore, pursue your course bravely. Your conscience is at least +your own, and to follow it is to be a man; to follow the conscience of +another is to be a slave. You will have many falls, will suffer many +wounds, will endure many buffetings for a time, but press on in faith, +believing that sure and certain victory lies ahead. Search for a rock, a +principle, and having found it cling to it; get it under your feet and +stand erect upon it, until at last, immovably fixed upon it, you succeed in +defying the fury of the waves and storms of selfishness. + +For selfishness in any and every form is dissipation, weakness, death; +unselfishness in its spiritual aspect is conservation, power, life. As you +grow in spiritual life, and become established upon principles, you will +become as beautiful and as unchangeable as those principles, will taste of +the sweetness of their immortal essence, and will realize the eternal and +indestructible nature of the God within. + + No harmful shaft can reach the righteous man, + Standing erect amid the storms of hate, + Defying hurt and injury and ban, + Surrounded by the trembling slaves of Fate. + + Majestic in the strength of silent power, + Serene he stands, nor changes not nor turns; + Patient and firm in suffering's darkest hour, + Time bends to him, and death and doom he spurns. + + Wrath's lurid lightnings round about him play, + And hell's deep thunders roll about his head; + Yet heeds he not, for him they cannot slay + Who stands whence earth and time and space are fled. + + Sheltered by deathless love, what fear hath he? + Armored in changeless Truth, what can he know + Of loss and gain? Knowing eternity, + He moves not whilst the shadows come and go. + + Call him immortal, call him Truth and Light + And splendor of prophetic majesty + Who bideth thus amid the powers of night, + Clothed with the glory of divinity. + + + + +THE REALIZATION OF SELFLESS LOVE + + +It is said that Michael Angelo saw in every rough block of stone a thing of +beauty awaiting the master-hand to bring it into reality. Even so, within +each there reposes the Divine Image awaiting the master-hand of Faith and +the chisel of Patience to bring it into manifestation. And that Divine +Image is revealed and realized as stainless, selfless Love. + +Hidden deep in every human heart, though frequently covered up with a mass +of hard and almost impenetrable accretions, is the spirit of Divine Love, +whose holy and spotless essence is undying and eternal. It is the Truth in +man; it is that which belongs to the Supreme: that which is real and +immortal. All else changes and passes away; this alone is permanent and +imperishable; and to realize this Love by ceaseless diligence in the +practice of the highest righteousness, to live in it and to become fully +conscious in it, is to enter into immortality here and now, is to become +one with Truth, one with God, one with the central Heart of all things, and +to know our own divine and eternal nature. + +To reach this Love, to understand and experience it, one must work with +great persistency and diligence upon his heart and mind, must ever renew +his patience and keep strong his faith, for there will be much to remove, +much to accomplish before the Divine Image is revealed in all its glorious +beauty. + +He who strives to reach and to accomplish the divine will be tried to the +very uttermost; and this is absolutely necessary, for how else could one +acquire that sublime patience without which there is no real wisdom, no +divinity? Ever and anon, as he proceeds, all his work will seem to be +futile, and his efforts appear to be thrown away. Now and then a hasty +touch will mar his image, and perhaps when he imagines his work is almost +completed he will find what he imagined to be the beautiful form of Divine +Love utterly destroyed, and he must begin again with his past bitter +experience to guide and help him. But he who has resolutely set himself to +realize the Highest recognizes no such thing as defeat. All failures are +apparent, not real. Every slip, every fall, every return to selfishness is +a lesson learned, an experience gained, from which a golden grain of wisdom +is extracted, helping the striver toward the accomplishment of his lofty +object. To recognize + + "That of our vices we can frame + A ladder if we will but tread + Beneath our feet each deed of shame," + +is to enter the way that leads unmistakably toward the Divine, and the +failings of one who thus recognizes are so many dead selves, upon which he +rises, as upon stepping-stones, to higher things. + +Once come to regard your failings, your sorrows and sufferings as so many +voices telling you plainly where you are weak and faulty, where you fall +below the true and the divine, you will then begin to ceaselessly watch +yourself, and every slip, every pang of pain will show you where you are to +set to work, and what you have to remove out of your heart in order to +bring it nearer to the likeness of the Divine, nearer to the Perfect Love. +And as you proceed, day by day detaching yourself more and more from the +inward selfishness the Love that is selfless will gradually become revealed +to you. And when you are growing patient and calm, when your petulances, +tempers, and irritabilities are passing away from you, and the more +powerful lusts and prejudices cease to dominate and enslave you, then you +will know that the divine is awakening within you, that you are drawing +near to the eternal Heart, that you are not far from that selfless Love, +the possession of which is peace and immortality. + +Divine Love is distinguished from human loves in this supremely important +particular, _it is free from partiality_. Human loves cling to a particular +object to the exclusion of all else, and when that object is removed, great +and deep is the resultant suffering to the one who loves. Divine Love +embraces the whole universe, and, without clinging to any part, yet +contains within itself the whole, and he who comes to it by gradually +purifying and broadening his human loves until all the selfish and impure +elements are burnt out of them, ceases from suffering. It is because human +loves are narrow and confined and mingled with selfishness that they cause +suffering. No suffering can result from that Love which is so absolutely +pure that it seeks nothing for itself. Nevertheless, human loves are +absolutely necessary as steps toward the Divine, and no soul is prepared to +partake of Divine Love until it has become capable of the deepest and most +intense human love. It is only by passing through human loves and human +sufferings that Divine Love is reached and realized. + +All human loves are perishable like the forms to which they cling; but +there is a Love that is imperishable, and that does not cling to +appearances. + +All human loves are counterbalanced by human hates; but there is a Love +that admits of no opposite or reaction; divine and free from all taint of +self, that sheds its fragrance on all alike. + +Human loves are reflections of the Divine Love, and draw the soul nearer to +the reality, the Love that knows neither sorrow nor change. + +It is well that the mother, clinging with passionate tenderness to the +little helpless form of flesh that lies on her bosom, should be overwhelmed +with the dark waters of sorrow when she sees it laid in the cold earth. It +is well that her tears should flow and her heart ache, for only thus can +she be reminded of the evanescent nature of the joys and objects of sense, +and be drawn nearer to the eternal and imperishable Reality. + +It is well that lover, brother, sister, husband, wife should suffer deep +anguish, and be enveloped in gloom when the visible object of their +affections is torn from them, so that they may learn to turn their +affections toward the invisible Source of all, where alone abiding +satisfaction is to be found. + +It is well that the proud, the ambitious, the self-seeking, should suffer +defeat, humiliation, and misfortune; that they should pass through the +scorching fires of affliction; for only thus can the wayward soul be +brought to reflect upon the enigma of life; only thus can the heart be +softened and purified, and prepared to receive the Truth. + +When the sting of anguish penetrates the heart of human love; when gloom +and loneliness and desertion cloud the soul of friendship and trust, then +it is that the heart turns toward the sheltering love of the Eternal, and +finds rest in its silent peace. And whosoever comes to this Love is not +turned away comfortless, is not pierced with anguish nor surrounded with +gloom; and is never deserted in the dark hour of trial. + +The glory of Divine Love can only be revealed in the heart that is +chastened by sorrow, and the image of the heavenly state can only be +perceived and realized when the lifeless, formless accretions of ignorance +and self are hewn away. + +Only that Love that seeks no personal gratification or reward, that does +not make distinctions, and that leaves behind no heartaches, can be called +divine. + +Men, clinging to self and to the comfortless shadows of evil, are in the +habit of thinking of divine Love as something belonging to a God who is out +of reach; as something outside themselves, and that must for ever remain +outside. Truly, the Love of God is ever beyond the reach of self, but when +the heart and mind are emptied of self then the selfless Love, the supreme +Love, the Love that is of God or Good becomes an inward and abiding +reality. + +And this inward realization of holy Love is none other than the Love of +Christ that is so much talked about and so little comprehended. The Love +that not only saves the soul from sin, but lifts it also above the power of +temptation. + +But how may one attain to this sublime realization? The answer which Truth +has always given, and will ever give to this question is,--"Empty thyself, +and I will fill thee." Divine Love cannot be known until self is dead, for +self is the denial of Love, and how can that which is known be also denied? +Not until the stone of self is rolled away from the sepulcher of the soul +does the immortal Christ, the pure Spirit of Love, hitherto crucified, dead +and buried, cast off the bands of ignorance, and come forth in all the +majesty of His resurrection. + +You believe that the Christ of Nazareth was put to death and rose again. I +do not say you err in that belief; but if you refuse to believe that the +gentle spirit of Love is crucified daily upon the dark cross of your +selfish desires, then, I say, you err in this unbelief, and have not yet +perceived, even afar off, the Love of Christ. + +You say that you have tasted of salvation in the Love of Christ. Are you +saved from your temper, your irritability, your vanity, your personal +dislikes, your judgment and condemnation of others? If not, from what are +you saved, and wherein have you realized the transforming Love of Christ? + +He who has realized the Love that is divine has become a new man, and has +ceased to be swayed and dominated by the old elements of self. He is known +for his patience, his purity, his self-control, his deep charity of heart, +and his unalterable sweetness. + +Divine or selfless Love is not a mere sentiment or emotion; it is a state +of knowledge which destroys the dominion of evil and the belief in evil, +and lifts the soul into the joyful realization of the supreme Good. To the +divinely wise, knowledge and Love are one and inseparable. + +It is toward the complete realization of this divine Love that the whole +world is moving; it was for this purpose that the universe came into +existence, and every grasping at happiness, every reaching out of the soul +toward objects, ideas and ideals, is an effort to realize it. But the world +does not realize this Love at present because it is grasping at the +fleeting shadow and ignoring, in its blindness, the substance. And so +suffering and sorrow continue, and must continue until the world, taught by +its self-inflicted pains, discovers the Love that is selfless, the wisdom +that is calm and full of peace. + +And this Love, this Wisdom, this Peace, this tranquil state of mind and +heart may be attained to, may be realized by all who are willing and ready +to yield up self, and who are prepared to humbly enter into a comprehension +of all that the giving up of self involves. There is no arbitrary power in +the universe, and the strongest chains of fate by which men are bound are +self-forged. Men are chained to that which causes suffering because they +desire to be so, because they love their chains, because they think their +little dark prison of self is sweet and beautiful, and they are afraid that +if they desert that prison they will lose all that is real and worth +having. + + "Ye suffer from yourselves, none else compels, + None other holds ye that ye live and die." + +And the indwelling power which forged the chains and built around itself +the dark and narrow prison, can break away when it desires and wills to do +so, and the soul does will to do so when it has discovered the +worthlessness of its prison, when long suffering has prepared it for the +reception of the boundless Light and Love. + +As the shadow follows the form, and as smoke comes after fire, so effect +follows cause, and suffering and bliss follow the thoughts and deeds of +men. There is no effect in the world around us but has its hidden or +revealed cause, and that cause is in accordance with absolute justice. Men +reap a harvest of suffering because in the near or distant past they have +sown the seeds of evil; they reap a harvest of bliss also as a result of +their own sowing of the seeds of good. Let a man meditate upon this, let +him strive to understand it, and he will then begin to sow only seeds of +good, and will burn up the tares and weeds which he has formerly grown in +the garden of his heart. + +The world does not understand the Love that is selfless because it is +engrossed in the pursuit of its own pleasures, and cramped within the +narrow limits of perishable interests mistaking, in its ignorance, those +pleasures and interests for real and abiding things. Caught in the flames +of fleshly lusts, and burning with anguish, it sees not the pure and +peaceful beauty of Truth. Feeding upon the swinish husks of error and +self-delusion, it is shut out from the mansion of all-seeing Love. + +Not having this Love, not understanding it, men institute innumerable +reforms which involve no inward sacrifice, and each imagines that his +reform is going to right the world for ever, while he himself continues to +propagate evil by engaging it in his own heart. That only can be called +reform which tends to reform the human heart, for all evil has its rise +there, and not until the world, ceasing from selfishness and party strife, +has learned the lesson of divine Love, will it realize the Golden Age of +universal blessedness. + +Let the rich cease to despise the poor, and the poor to condemn the rich; +let the greedy learn how to give, and the lustful how to grow pure; let the +partisan cease from strife, and the uncharitable begin to forgive; let the +envious endeavor to rejoice with others, and the slanderers grow ashamed of +their conduct. Let men and women take this course, and, lo! the Golden Age +is at hand. He, therefore, who purifies his own heart is the world's +greatest benefactor. + +Yet, though the world is, and will be for many ages to come, shut out from +that Age of Gold, which is the realization of selfless Love, you, if you +are willing, may enter it now, by rising above your selfish self; if you +will pass from prejudice, hatred, and condemnation, to gentle and forgiving +love. + +Where hatred, dislike, and condemnation are, selfless Love does not abide. +It resides only in the heart that has ceased from all condemnation. + +You say, "How can I love the drunkard, the hypocrite, the sneak, the +murderer? I am compelled to dislike and condemn such men." It is true you +cannot love such men _emotionally_, but when you say that you must perforce +dislike and condemn them you show that you are not acquainted with the +Great over-ruling Love; for it is possible to attain to such a state of +interior enlightenment as will enable you to perceive the train of causes +by which these men have become as they are, to enter into their intense +sufferings, and to know the certainty of their ultimate purification. +Possessed of such knowledge it will be utterly impossible for you any +longer to dislike or condemn them, and you will always think of them with +perfect calmness and deep compassion. + +If you love people and speak of them with praise until they in some way +thwart you, or do something of which you disapprove, and then you dislike +them and speak of them with dispraise, you are not governed by the Love +which is of God. If, in your heart, you are continually arraigning and +condemning others, selfless Love is hidden from you. + +He who knows that Love is at the heart of all things, and has realized the +all-sufficing power of that Love, has no room in his heart for +condemnation. + +Men, not knowing this Love, constitute themselves judge and executioner of +their fellows, forgetting that there is the Eternal Judge and Executioner, +and in so far as men deviate from them in their own views, their particular +reforms and methods, they brand them as fanatical, unbalanced, lacking +judgment, sincerity, and honesty; in so far as others approximate to their +own standard do they look upon them as being everything that is admirable. +Such are the men who are centered in self. But he whose heart is centered +in the supreme Love does not so brand and classify men; does not seek to +convert men to his own views, not to convince them of the superiority of +his methods. Knowing the Law of Love, he lives it, and maintains the same +calm attitude of mind and sweetness of heart toward all. The debased and +the virtuous, the foolish and the wise, the learned and the unlearned, the +selfish and the unselfish receive alike the benediction of his tranquil +thought. + +You can only attain to this supreme knowledge, this divine Love by +unremitting endeavor in self-discipline, and by gaining victory after +victory over yourself. Only the pure in heart see God, and when your heart +is sufficiently purified you will enter into the New Birth, and the Love +that does not die, nor change, nor end in pain and sorrow will be awakened +within you, and you will be at peace. + +He who strives for the attainment of divine Love is ever seeking to +overcome the spirit of condemnation, for where there is pure spiritual +knowledge, condemnation cannot exist, and only in the heart that has become +incapable of condemnation is Love perfected and fully realized. + +The Christian condemns the Atheist; the Atheist satirizes the Christian; +the Catholic and Protestant are ceaselessly engaged in wordy warfare, and +the spirit of strife and hatred rules where peace and love should be. + +"He that hateth his brother is a murderer," a crucifier of the divine +Spirit of Love; and until you can regard men of all religions and of no +religion with the same impartial spirit, with all freedom from dislike, and +with perfect equanimity, you have yet to strive for that Love which bestows +upon its possessor freedom and salvation. + +The realization of divine knowledge, selfless Love, utterly destroys the +spirit of condemnation, disperses all evil, and lifts the consciousness to +that height of pure vision where Love, Goodness, Justice are seen to be +universal, supreme, all-conquering, indestructible. + +Train your mind in strong, impartial, and gentle thought; train your heart +in purity and compassion; train your tongue to silence and to true and +stainless speech; so shall you enter the way of holiness and peace, and +shall ultimately realize the immortal Love. So living, without seeking to +convert, you will convince; without arguing, you will teach; not cherishing +ambition, the wise will find you out; and without striving to gain men's +opinions, you will subdue their hearts. For Love is all-conquering, +all-powerful; and the thoughts, and deeds, and words of Love can never +perish. + +To know that Love is universal, supreme, all-sufficing; to be freed from +the trammels of evil; to be quit of the inward unrest; to know that all men +are striving to realize the Truth each in his own way; to be satisfied, +sorrowless, serene; this is peace; this is gladness; this is immortality; +this is Divinity; this is the realization of selfless Love. + + I stood upon the shore, and saw the rocks + Resist the onslaught of the mighty sea, + And when I thought how all the countless shocks + They had withstood through an eternity, + I said, "To wear away this solid main + The ceaseless efforts of the waves are vain." + + But when I thought how they the rocks had rent, + And saw the sand and shingles at my feet + (Poor passive remnants of resistance spent) + Tumbled and tossed where they the waters meet, + Then saw I ancient landmarks 'neath the waves, + And knew the waters held the stones their slaves. + + I saw the mighty work the waters wrought + By patient softness and unceasing flow; + How they the proudest promontory brought + Unto their feet, and massy hills laid low; + How the soft drops the adamantine wall + Conquered at last, and brought it to its fall. + + And then I knew that hard, resisting sin + Should yield at last to Love's soft ceaseless roll + Coming and going, ever flowing in + Upon the proud rocks of the human soul; + That all resistance should be spent and past, + And every heart yield unto it at last. + + + + +ENTERING INTO THE INFINITE + + +From the beginning of time, man, in spite of his bodily appetites and +desires, in the midst of all his clinging to earthly and impermanent +things, has ever been intuitively conscious of the limited, transient, and +illusionary nature of his material existence, and in his sane and silent +moments has tried to reach out into a comprehension of the Infinite, and +has turned with tearful aspiration toward the restful Reality of the +Eternal Heart. + +While vainly imagining that the pleasures of earth are real and satisfying, +pain and sorrow continually remind him of their unreal and unsatisfying +nature. Ever striving to believe that complete satisfaction is to be found +in material things, he is conscious of an inward and persistent revolt +against this belief, which revolt is at once a refutation of his essential +mortality, and an inherent and imperishable proof that only in the +immortal, the eternal, the infinite can he find abiding satisfaction and +unbroken peace. + +And here is the common ground of faith; here the root and spring of all +religion; here the soul of Brotherhood and the heart of Love,--that man is +essentially and spiritually divine and eternal, and that, immersed in +mortality and troubled with unrest, he is ever striving to enter into a +consciousness of his real nature. + +The spirit of man is inseparable from the Infinite, and can be satisfied +with nothing short of the Infinite, and the burden of pain will continue to +weigh upon man's heart, and the shadows of sorrow to darken his pathway +until, ceasing from his wanderings in the dream-world of matter, he comes +back to his home in the reality of the Eternal. + +As the smallest drop of water detached from the ocean contains all the +qualities of the ocean, so man, detached in consciousness from the +Infinite, contains within him its likeness; and as the drop of water must, +by the law of its nature, ultimately find its way back to the ocean and +lose itself in its silent depths, so must man, by the unfailing law of his +nature, at last return to his source, and lose himself in the great ocean +of the Infinite. + +To re-become one with the Infinite is the goal of man. To enter into +perfect harmony with the Eternal Law is Wisdom, Love and Peace. But this +divine state is, and must ever be, incomprehensible to the merely personal. +Personality, separateness, selfishness are one and the same, and are the +antithesis of wisdom and divinity. By the unqualified surrender of the +personality, separateness and selfishness cease, and man enters into the +possession of his divine heritage of immortality and infinity. + +Such surrender of the personality is regarded by the worldly and selfish +mind as the most grievous of all calamities, the most irreparable loss, yet +it is the one supreme and incomparable blessing, the only real and lasting +gain. The mind unenlightened upon the inner laws of being, and upon the +nature and destiny of its own life, clings to transient appearances, things +which have in them no enduring substantiality, and so clinging, perishes, +for the time being, amid the shattered wreckage of its own illusions. + +Men cling to and gratify the flesh as though it were going to last for +ever, and though they try to forget the nearness and inevitability of its +dissolution, the dread of death and of the loss of all that they cling to +clouds their happiest hours, and the chilling shadow of their own +selfishness follows them like a remorseless specter. + +And with the accumulation of temporal comforts and luxuries, the divinity +within men is drugged, and they sink deeper and deeper into materiality, +into the perishable life of the senses, and where there is sufficient +intellect, theories concerning the immortality of the flesh come to be +regarded as infallible truths. When a man's soul is clouded with +selfishness in any or every form, he loses the power of spiritual +discrimination, and confuses the temporal with the eternal, the perishable +with the permanent, mortality with immortality, and error with Truth. It is +thus that the world has come to be filled with theories and speculations +having no foundation in human experience. Every body of flesh contains +within itself, from the hour of birth, the elements of its own destruction, +and by the unalterable law of its own nature must it pass away. + +The perishable in the universe can never become permanent; the permanent +can never pass away; the mortal can never become immortal; the immortal can +never die; the temporal cannot become eternal nor the eternal become +temporal; appearance can never become reality, nor reality fade into +appearance; error can never become Truth, nor can Truth become error. Man +cannot immortalize the flesh, but, by overcoming the flesh, by +relinquishing all its inclinations, he can enter the region of immortality. +"God alone hath immortality," and only by realizing the God state of +consciousness does man enter into immortality. + +All nature in its myriad forms of life is changeable, impermanent, +unenduring. Only the informing Principle of nature endures. Nature is many, +and is marked by separation. The informing Principle is One, and is marked +by unity. By overcoming the senses and the selfishness within, which is the +overcoming of nature, man emerges from the chrysalis of the personal and +illusory, and wings himself into the glorious light of the impersonal, the +region of universal Truth, out of which all perishable forms come. + +Let men, therefore, practice self-denial; let them conquer their animal +inclinations; let them refuse to be enslaved by luxury and pleasure; let +them practice virtue, and grow daily into high and ever higher virtue, +until at last they grow into the Divine, and enter into both the practice +and the comprehension of humility, meekness, forgiveness, compassion, and +love, which practice and comprehension constitute Divinity. + +"Good-will gives insight," and only he who has so conquered his personality +that he has but one attitude of mind, that of good-will, toward all +creatures, is possessed of divine insight, and is capable of distinguishing +the true from the false. The supremely good man is, therefore, the wise +man, the divine man, the enlightened seer, the knower of the Eternal. Where +you find unbroken gentleness, enduring patience, sublime lowliness, +graciousness of speech, self-control, self-forgetfulness, and deep and +abounding sympathy, look there for the highest wisdom, seek the company of +such a one, for he has realized the Divine, he lives with the Eternal, he +has become one with the Infinite. Believe not him that is impatient, given +to anger, boastful, who clings to pleasure and refuses to renounce his +selfish gratifications, and who practices not good-will and far-reaching +compassion, for such a one hath not wisdom, vain is all his knowledge, and +his works and words will perish, for they are grounded on that which passes +away. + +Let a man abandon self, let him overcome the world, let him deny the +personal; by this pathway only can he enter into the heart of the Infinite. + +The world, the body, the personality are mirages upon the desert of time; +transitory dreams in the dark night of spiritual slumber, and those who +have crossed the desert, those who are spiritually awakened, have alone +comprehended the Universal Reality where all appearances are dispersed and +dreaming and delusion are destroyed. + +There is one Great Law which exacts unconditional obedience, one unifying +principle which is the basis of all diversity, one eternal Truth wherein +all the problems of earth pass away like shadows. To realize this Law, this +Unity, this Truth, is to enter into the Infinite, is to become one with the +Eternal. + +To center one's life in the Great Law of Love is to enter into rest, +harmony, peace. To refrain from all participation in evil and discord; to +cease from all resistance to evil, and from the omission of that which is +good, and to fall back upon unswerving obedience to the holy calm within, +is to enter into the inmost heart of things, is to attain to a living, +conscious experience of that eternal and infinite principle which must ever +remain a hidden mystery to the merely perceptive intellect. Until this +principle is realized, the soul is not established in peace, and he who so +realizes is truly wise; not wise with the wisdom of the learned, but with +the simplicity of a blameless heart and of a divine manhood. + +To enter into a realization of the Infinite and Eternal is to rise superior +to time, and the world, and the body, which comprise the kingdom of +darkness; and is to become established in immortality, Heaven, and the +Spirit, which make up the Empire of Light. + +Entering into the Infinite is not a mere theory or sentiment. It is a vital +experience which is the result of assiduous practice in inward +purification. When the body is no longer believed to be, even remotely, the +real man; when all appetites and desires are thoroughly subdued and +purified; when the emotions are rested and calm, and when the oscillation +of the intellect ceases and perfect poise is secured, then, and not till +then, does consciousness become one with the Infinite; not until then is +childlike wisdom and profound peace secured. + +Men grow weary and gray over the dark problems of life, and finally pass +away and leave them unsolved because they cannot see their way out of the +darkness of the personality, being too much engrossed in its limitations. +Seeking to save his personal life, man forfeits the greater impersonal Life +in Truth; clinging to the perishable, he is shut out from a knowledge of +the Eternal. + +By the surrender of self all difficulties are overcome, and there is no +error in the universe but the fire of inward sacrifice will burn it up like +chaff; no problem, however great, but will disappear like a shadow under +the searching light of self-abnegation. Problems exist only in our own +self-created illusions, and they vanish away when self is yielded up. Self +and error are synonymous. Error is involved in the darkness of unfathomable +complexity, but eternal simplicity is the glory of Truth. + +Love of self shuts men out from Truth, and seeking their own personal +happiness they lose the deeper, purer, and more abiding bliss. Says +Carlyle--"There is in man a higher than love of happiness. He can do +without happiness, and instead thereof find blessedness. + +... Love not pleasure, love God. This is the Everlasting Yea, wherein all +contradiction is solved; wherein whoso walks and works, it is well with +him." + +He who has yielded up that self, that personality that men most love, and +to which they cling with such fierce tenacity, has left behind him all +perplexity, and has entered into a simplicity so profoundly simple as to be +looked upon by the world, involved as it is in a network of error, as +foolishness. Yet such a one has realized the highest wisdom, and is at rest +in the Infinite. He "accomplishes without striving," and all problems melt +before him, for he has entered the region of reality, and deals, not with +changing effects, but with the unchanging principles of things. He is +enlightened with a wisdom which is as superior to ratiocination, as reason +is to animality. Having yielded up his lusts, his errors, his opinions and +prejudices, he has entered into possession of the knowledge of God, having +slain the selfish desire for heaven, and along with it the ignorant fear of +hell; having relinquished even the love of life itself, he has gained +supreme bliss and Life Eternal, the Life which bridges life and death, and +knows its own immortality. Having yielded up all without reservation, he +has gained all, and rests in peace on the bosom of the Infinite. + +Only he who has become so free from self as to be equally content to be +annihilated as to live, or to live as to be annihilated, is fit to enter +into the Infinite. Only he who, ceasing to trust his perishable self, has +learned to trust in boundless measure the Great Law, the Supreme Good, is +prepared to partake of undying bliss. + +For such a one there is no more regret, nor disappointment, nor remorse, +for where all selfishness has ceased these sufferings cannot be; and +whatever happens to him he knows that it is for his own good, and he is +content, being no longer the servant of self, but the servant of the +Supreme. He is no longer affected by the changes of earth, and when he +hears of wars and rumors of wars his peace is not disturbed, and where men +grow angry and cynical and quarrelsome, he bestows compassion and love. +Though appearances may contradict it, he knows that the world is +progressing, and that + + "Through its laughing and its weeping, + Through its living and its keeping, + Through its follies and its labors, weaving in and out of sight, + To the end from the beginning, + Through all virtue and all sinning, + Reeled from God's great spool of Progress, runs the golden + thread of light." + +When a fierce storm is raging none are angered about it, because they know +it will quickly pass away, and when the storms of contention are +devastating the world, the wise man, looking with the eye of Truth and +pity, knows that it will pass away, and that out of the wreckage of broken +hearts which it leaves behind the immortal Temple of Wisdom will be built. + +Sublimely patient; infinitely compassionate; deep, silent, and pure, his +very presence is a benediction; and when he speaks men ponder his words in +their hearts, and by them rise to higher levels of attainment. Such is he +who has entered into the Infinite, who by the power of utmost sacrifice has +solved the sacred mystery of life. + + Questioning Life and Destiny and Truth, + I sought the dark and labyrinthine Sphinx, + Who spake to me this strange and wondrous thing:-- + "Concealment only lies in blinded eyes, + And God alone can see the Form of God." + + I sought to solve this hidden mystery + Vainly by paths of blindness and of pain, + But when I found the Way of Love and Peace, + Concealment ceased, and I was blind no more: + Then saw I God e'en with the eyes of God. + + + + +SAINTS, SAGES, AND SAVIORS: THE LAW OF SERVICE + + +The spirit of Love which is manifested as a perfect and rounded life, is +the crown of being and the supreme end of knowledge upon this earth. + +The measure of a man's truth is the measure of his love, and Truth is far +removed from him whose life is not governed by Love. The intolerant and +condemnatory, even though they profess the highest religion, have the +smallest measure of Truth; while those who exercise patience, and who +listen calmly and dispassionately to all sides, and both arrive themselves +at, and incline others to, thoughtful and unbiased conclusions upon all +problems and issues, have Truth in fullest measure. The final test of +wisdom is this,--how does a man live? What spirit does he manifest? How +does he act under trial and temptation? Many men boast of being in +possession of Truth who are continually swayed by grief, disappointment, +and passion, and who sink under the first little trial that comes along. +Truth is nothing if not unchangeable, and in so far as a man takes his +stand upon Truth does he become steadfast in virtue, does he rise superior +to his passions and emotions and changeable personality. + +Men formulate perishable dogmas, and call them Truth. Truth cannot be +formulated; it is ineffable, and ever beyond the reach of intellect. It can +only be experienced by practice; it can only be manifested as a stainless +heart and a perfect life. + +Who, then, in the midst of the ceaseless pandemonium of schools and creeds +and parties, has the Truth? He who lives it. He who practices it. He who, +having risen above that pandemonium by overcoming himself, no longer +engages in it, but sits apart, quiet, subdued, calm, and self-possessed, +freed from all strife, all bias, all condemnation, and bestows upon all the +glad and unselfish love of the divinity within him. + +He who is patient, calm, gentle, and forgiving under all circumstances, +manifests the Truth. Truth will never be proved by wordy arguments and +learned treatises, for if men do not perceive the Truth in infinite +patience, undying forgiveness, and all-embracing compassion, no words can +ever prove it to them. + +It is an easy matter for the passionate to be calm and patient when they +are alone, or are in the midst of calmness. It is equally easy for the +uncharitable to be gentle and kind when they are dealt kindly with, but he +who retains his patience and calmness under all trial, who remains +sublimely meek and gentle under the most trying circumstances, he, and he +alone, is possessed of the spotless Truth. And this is so because such +lofty virtues belong to the Divine, and can only be manifested by one who +has attained to the highest wisdom, who has relinquished his passionate and +self-seeking nature, who has realized the supreme and unchangeable Law, and +has brought himself into harmony with it. + +Let men, therefore, cease from vain and passionate arguments about Truth, +and let them think and say and do those things which make for harmony, +peace, love, and good-will. Let them practice heart-virtue, and search +humbly and diligently for the Truth which frees the soul from all error and +sin, from all that blights the human heart, and that darkens, as with +unending night, the pathway of the wandering souls of earth. + +There is one great all-embracing Law which is the foundation and cause of +the universe, the Law of Love. It has been called by many names in various +countries and at various times, but behind all its names the same +unalterable Law may be discovered by the eye of Truth. Names, religions, +personalities pass away, but the Law of Love remains. To become possessed +of a knowledge of this Law, to enter into conscious harmony with it, is to +become immortal, invincible, indestructible. + +It is because of the effort of the soul to realize this Law that men come +again and again to live, to suffer, and to die; and when realized, +suffering ceases, personality is dispersed, and the fleshly life and death +are destroyed, for consciousness becomes one with the Eternal. + +The Law is absolutely impersonal, and its highest manifested expression is +that of Service. When the purified heart has realized Truth it is then +called upon to make the last, the greatest and holiest sacrifice, the +sacrifice of the well-earned enjoyment of Truth. It is by virtue of this +sacrifice that the divinely-emancipated soul comes to dwell among men, +clothed with a body of flesh, content to dwell among the lowliest and +least, and to be esteemed the servant of all mankind. That sublime humility +which is manifested by the world's saviors is the seal of Godhead, and he +who has annihilated the personality, and has become a living, visible +manifestation of the impersonal, eternal, boundless Spirit of Love, is +alone singled out as worthy to receive the unstinted worship of posterity. +He only who succeeds in humbling himself with that divine humility which is +not only the extinction of self, but is also the pouring out upon all the +spirit of unselfish love, is exalted above measure, and given spiritual +dominion in the hearts of mankind. + +All the great spiritual teachers have denied themselves personal luxuries, +comforts, and rewards, have abjured temporal power, and have lived and +taught the limitless and impersonal Truth. Compare their lives and +teachings, and you will find the same simplicity, the same self-sacrifice, +the same humility, love, and peace both lived and preached by them. They +taught the same eternal Principles, the realization of which destroys all +evil. Those who have been hailed and worshiped as the saviors of mankind +are manifestations of the Great impersonal Law, and being such, were free +from passion and prejudice, and having no opinions, and no special letter +of doctrine to preach and defend, they never sought to convert and to +proselytize. Living in the highest Goodness, the supreme Perfection, their +sole object was to uplift mankind by manifesting that Goodness in thought, +word, and deed. They stand between man the personal and God the impersonal, +and serve as exemplary types for the salvation of self-enslaved mankind. + +Men who are immersed in self, and who cannot comprehend the Goodness that +is absolutely impersonal, deny divinity to all saviors except their own, +and thus introduce personal hatred and doctrinal controversy, and, while +defending their own particular views with passion, look upon each other as +being heathens or infidels, and so render null and void, as far as their +lives are concerned, the unselfish beauty and holy grandeur of the lives +and teachings of their own Masters. Truth cannot be limited; it can never +be the special prerogative of any man, school, or nation, and when +personality steps in, Truth is lost. + +The glory alike of the saint, the sage, and the savior is this,--that he +has realized the most profound lowliness, the most sublime unselfishness; +having given up all, even his own personality, all his works are holy and +enduring, for they are freed from every taint of self. He gives, yet never +thinks of receiving; he works without regretting the past or anticipating +the future, and never looks for reward. + +When the farmer has tilled and dressed his land and put in the seed, he +knows that he has done all that he can possibly do, and that now he must +trust to the elements, and wait patiently for the course of time to bring +about the harvest, and that no amount of expectancy on his part will affect +the result. Even so, he who has realized Truth goes forth as a sower of the +seeds of goodness, purity, love and peace, without expectancy, and never +looking for results, knowing that there is the Great Over-ruling Law which +brings about its own harvest in due time, and which is alike the source of +preservation and destruction. + +Men, not understanding the divine simplicity of a profoundly unselfish +heart, look upon their particular savior as the manifestation of a special +miracle, as being something entirely apart and distinct from the nature of +things, and as being, in his ethical excellence, eternally unapproachable +by the whole of mankind. This attitude of unbelief (for such it is) in the +divine perfectibility of man, paralyzes effort, and binds the souls of men +as with strong ropes to sin and suffering. Jesus "grew in wisdom" and was +"perfected by suffering." What Jesus was, he became such; what Buddha was, +he became such; and every holy man became such by unremitting perseverance +in self-sacrifice. Once recognize this, once realize that by watchful +effort and hopeful perseverance you can rise above your lower nature, and +great and glorious will be the vistas of attainment that will open out +before you. Buddha vowed that he would not relax his efforts until he +arrived at the state of perfection, and he accomplished his purpose. + +What the saints, sages, and saviors have accomplished, you likewise may +accomplish if you will only tread the way which they trod and pointed out, +the way of self-sacrifice, of self-denying service. + +Truth is very simple. It says, "Give up self," "Come unto Me" (away from +all that defiles) "and I will give you rest." All the mountains of +commentary that have been piled upon it cannot hide it from the heart that +is earnestly seeking for Righteousness. It does not require learning; it +can be known in spite of learning. Disguised under many forms by erring +self-seeking man, the beautiful simplicity and clear transparency of Truth +remains unaltered and undimmed, and the unselfish heart enters into and +partakes of its shining radiance. Not by weaving complex theories, not by +building up speculative philosophies is Truth realized; but by weaving the +web of inward purity, by building up the Temple of a stainless life is +Truth realized. + +He who enters upon this holy way begins by restraining his passions. This +is virtue, and is the beginning of saintship, and saintship is the +beginning of holiness. The entirely worldly man gratifies all his desires, +and practices no more restraint than the law of the land in which he lives +demands; the virtuous man restrains his passions; the saint attacks the +enemy of Truth in its stronghold within his own heart, and restrains all +selfish and impure thoughts; while the holy man is he who is free from +passion and all impure thought, and to whom goodness and purity have become +as natural as scent and color are to the flower. The holy man is divinely +wise; he alone knows Truth in its fullness, and has entered into abiding +rest and peace. For him evil has ceased; it has disappeared in the +universal light of the All-Good. Holiness is the badge of wisdom. Said +Krishna to the Prince Arjuna-- + + "Humbleness, truthfulness, and harmlessness, + Patience and honor, reverence for the wise, + Purity, constancy, control of self, + Contempt of sense-delights, self-sacrifice, + Perception of the certitude of ill + In birth, death, age, disease, suffering and sin; + An ever tranquil heart in fortunes good + And fortunes evil, ... + ... Endeavors resolute + To reach perception of the utmost soul, + And grace to understand what gain it were + So to attain--this is true wisdom, Prince! + And what is otherwise is ignorance!" + +Whoever fights ceaselessly against his own selfishness, and strives to +supplant it with all-embracing love, is a saint, whether he live in a +cottage or in the midst of riches and influence; or whether he preaches or +remains obscure. + +To the worldling, who is beginning to aspire towards higher things, the +saint, such as a sweet St. Francis of Assisi, or a conquering St. Anthony, +is a glorious and inspiring spectacle; to the saint, an equally enrapturing +sight is that of the sage, sitting serene and holy, the conqueror of sin +and sorrow, no more tormented by regret and remorse, and whom even +temptation can never reach; and yet even the sage is drawn on by a still +more glorious vision, that of the savior actively manifesting his knowledge +in selfless works, and rendering his divinity more potent for good by +sinking himself in the throbbing, sorrowing, aspiring heart of mankind. + +And this only is true service--to forget oneself in love towards all, to +lose oneself in working for the whole. O thou vain and foolish man, who +thinkest that thy many works can save thee; who, chained to all error, +talkest loudly of thyself, thy work, and thy many sacrifices, and +magnifiest thine own importance; know this, that though thy fame fill the +whole earth, all thy work shall come to dust, and thou thyself be reckoned +lower than the least in the Kingdom of Truth! + +Only the work that is impersonal can live; the works of self are both +powerless and perishable. Where duties, howsoever humble, are done without +self-interest, and with joyful sacrifice, there is true service and +enduring work. Where deeds, however brilliant and apparently successful, +are done from love of self, there is ignorance of the Law of Service, and +the work perishes. + +It is given to the world to learn one great and divine lesson, the lesson +of absolute unselfishness. The saints, sages, and saviors of all time are +they who have submitted themselves to this task, and have learned and lived +it. All the Scriptures of the world are framed to teach this one lesson; +all the great teachers reiterate it. It is too simple for the world which, +scorning it, stumbles along in the complex ways of selfishness. + +A pure heart is the end of all religion and the beginning of divinity. To +search for this Righteousness is to walk the Way of Truth and Peace, and he +who enters this Way will soon perceive that Immortality which is +independent of birth and death, and will realize that in the Divine economy +of the universe the humblest effort is not lost. + +The divinity of a Krishna, a Gautama, or a Jesus is the crowning glory of +self-abnegation, the end of the soul's pilgrimage in matter and mortality, +and the world will not have finished its long journey until every soul has +become as these, and has entered into the blissful realization of its own +divinity. + + Great glory crowns the heights of hope by arduous struggle won; + Bright honor rounds the hoary head that mighty works hath done; + Fair riches come to him who strives in ways of golden gain. + And fame enshrines his name who works with genius-glowing brain; + But greater glory waits for him who, in the bloodless strife + 'Gainst self and wrong, adopts, in love, the sacrificial life; + And brighter honor rounds the brow of him who, 'mid the scorns + Of blind idolaters of self, accepts the crown of thorns; + And fairer purer riches come to him who greatly strives + To walk in ways of love and truth to sweeten human lives; + And he who serveth well mankind exchanges fleeting fame + For Light eternal, Joy and Peace, and robes of heavenly flame. + + + + +THE REALIZATION OF PERFECT PEACE + + +In the external universe there is ceaseless turmoil, change, and unrest; at +the heart of all things there is undisturbed repose; in this deep silence +dwelleth the Eternal. + +Man partakes of this duality, and both the surface change and disquietude, +and the deep-seated eternal abode of Peace, are contained within him. + +As there are silent depths in the ocean which the fiercest storm cannot +reach, so there are silent, holy depths in the heart of man which the +storms of sin and sorrow can never disturb. To reach this silence and to +live consciously in it is peace. + +Discord is rife in the outward world, but unbroken harmony holds sway at +the heart of the universe. The human soul, torn by discordant passion and +grief, reaches blindly toward the harmony of the sinless state, and to +reach this state and to live consciously in it is peace. + +Hatred severs human lives, fosters persecution, and hurls nations into +ruthless war, yet men, though they do not understand why, retain some +measure of faith in the overshadowing of a Perfect Love; and to reach this +Love and to live consciously in it is peace. + +And this inward peace, this silence, this harmony, this Love, is the +Kingdom of Heaven, which is so difficult to reach because few are willing +to give up themselves and to become as little children. + + "Heaven's gate is very narrow and minute, + It cannot be perceived by foolish men + Blinded by vain illusions of the world; + E'en the clear-sighted who discern the way, + And seek to enter, find the portal barred, + And hard to be unlocked. Its massive bolts + Are pride and passion, avarice and lust." + +Men cry peace! peace! where there is no peace, but on the contrary, +discord, disquietude and strife. Apart from that Wisdom which is +inseparable from self-renunciation, there can be no real and abiding peace. + +The peace which results from social comfort, passing gratification, or +worldly victory is transitory in its nature, and is burnt up in the heat of +fiery trial. Only the Peace of Heaven endures through all trial, and only +the selfless heart can know the Peace of Heaven. + +Holiness alone is undying peace. Self-control leads to it, and the +ever-increasing Light of Wisdom guides the pilgrim on his way. It is +partaken of in a measure as soon as the path of virtue is entered upon, but +it is only realized in its fullness when self disappears in the +consummation of a stainless life. + + "This is peace, + To conquer love of self and lust of life, + To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart + To still the inward strife." + +If, O reader! you would realize the Light that never fades, the Joy that +never ends, and the tranquillity that cannot be disturbed; if you would +leave behind for ever your sins, your sorrows, your anxieties and +perplexities; if, I say, you would partake of this salvation, this +supremely glorious Life, then conquer yourself. Bring every thought, every +impulse, every desire into perfect obedience to the divine power resident +within you. There is no other way to peace but this, and if you refuse to +walk it, your much praying and your strict adherence to ritual will be +fruitless and unavailing, and neither gods nor angels can help you. Only to +him that overcometh is given the white stone of the regenerate life, on +which is written the New and Ineffable Name. + +Come away, for awhile, from external things, from the pleasures of the +senses, from the arguments of the intellect, from the noise and the +excitements of the world, and withdraw yourself into the inmost chamber of +your heart, and there, free from the sacrilegious intrusion of all selfish +desires, you will find a deep silence, a holy calm, a blissful repose, and +if you will rest awhile in that holy place, and will meditate there, the +faultless eye of Truth will open within you, and you will see things as +they really are. This holy place within you is your real and eternal self; +it is the divine within you; and only when you identify yourself with it +can you be said to be "clothed and in your right mind." It is the abode of +peace, the temple of wisdom, the dwelling-place of immortality. Apart from +this inward resting-place, this Mount of Vision, there can be no true +peace, no knowledge of the Divine, and if you can remain there for one +minute, one hour, or one day, it is possible for you to remain there +always. All your sins and sorrows, your fears and anxieties are your own, +and you can cling to them or you can give them up. Of your own accord you +cling to your unrest; of your own accord you can come to abiding peace. No +one else can give up sin for you; you must give it up yourself. The +greatest teacher can do no more than walk the way of Truth for himself, and +point it out to you; you yourself must walk it for yourself. You can obtain +freedom and peace alone by your own efforts, by yielding up that which +binds the soul, and which is destructive of peace. + +The angels of divine peace and joy are always at hand, and if you do not +see them, and hear them, and dwell with them, it is because you shut +yourself out from them, and prefer the company of the spirits of evil +within you. You are what you will to be, what you wish to be, what you +prefer to be. You can commence to purify yourself, and by so doing can +arrive at peace, or you can refuse to purify yourself, and so remain with +suffering. + +Step aside, then; come out of the fret and the fever of life; away from the +scorching heat of self, and enter the inward resting-place where the +cooling airs of peace will calm, renew, and restore you. + +Come out of the storms of sin and anguish. Why be troubled and +tempest-tossed when the haven of Peace of God is yours! + +Give up all self-seeking; give up self, and lo! the Peace of God is yours! + +Subdue the animal within you; conquer every selfish uprising, every +discordant voice; transmute the base metals of your selfish nature into the +unalloyed gold of Love, and you shall realize the Life of Perfect Peace. +Thus subduing, thus conquering, thus transmuting, you will, O reader! while +living in the flesh, cross the dark waters of mortality, and will reach +that Shore upon which the storms of sorrow never beat, and where sin and +suffering and dark uncertainty cannot come. Standing upon that Shore, holy, +compassionate, awakened, and self-possessed and glad with unending +gladness, you will realize that + + "Never the Spirit was born, the Spirit will cease to be never; + Never was time it was not, end and beginning are dreams; + Birthless and deathless and changeless remaineth the Spirit for ever; + Death hath not touched it at all, dead though the house of it seems." + +You will then know the meaning of Sin, of Sorrow, of Suffering, and that +the end thereof is Wisdom; will know the cause and the issue of existence. + +And with this realization you will enter into rest, for this is the bliss +of immortality, this the unchangeable gladness, this the untrammeled +knowledge, undefiled Wisdom, and undying Love; this, and this only, is the +realization of Perfect Peace. + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Truth! + Hast thou passed through the desert of doubt? + Art thou purged by the fires of sorrow? hath ruth + The fiends of opinion cast out + Of thy human heart? Is thy soul so fair + That no false thought can ever harbor there? + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Love! + Hast thou passed through the place of despair? + Hast thou wept through the dark night of grief? + does it move + (Now freed from its sorrow and care) + Thy human heart to pitying gentleness, + Looking on wrong, and hate, and ceaseless stress? + + O thou who wouldst teach men of Peace! + Hast thou crossed the wide ocean of strife? + Hast thou found on the Shores of the Silence, + Release from all the wild unrest of life? + From thy human heart hath all striving gone, + Leaving but Truth, and Love, and Peace alone? + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way of Peace, by James Allen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY OF PEACE *** + +***** This file should be named 10740.txt or 10740.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/7/4/10740/ + +Produced by Kevin Handy and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. + + https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06 + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/10740.zip b/old/10740.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..34098c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10740.zip |