Illustration to
'Description of the twelve Paths created by Kal'
II
Both their eyes: Outer and Inner. The experience of Inner Light is a valuable criterion; but there are some important outer signs, too.
The life and conduct of a Perfect Master single Him out as a Unique Personality apart from the rest of mankind.
1. He is always a bestower of gifts and never a recipient. He never wishes for the slightest service from His following. He earns His own living and is never a burden upon anyone. All His personal savings, if any, He spends on the relief of the needy.
Touch ye not the feet of one who makes his living out of the offerings of the people; oh Nanak! He Who earns His own bread and helps the needy knows the Path.
2. He does not charge any fees for imparting Spiritual Instructions. On the contrary, He bestows Spirituality as a free gift like any other gift of God, viz. light, air, water and so forth.
3. He is a Living Embodiment of humility. With all His powers and greatness co-equal with God, He never claims credit for anything, but attributes everything to God or to His own Master. Like a fruit-laden branch of a tree, He bows to the lowest, and moves about in simple dignity peculiar to Him alone.
He Who regards Himself as the lowest is in fact the Highest.
4. He is at peace with all and is grouty with any. He smilingly forgives all who talk ill of Him, and does not pick flaws in others. His Love embraces the entire humanity. Christ-like, He proclaims and practises the cardinal Truth,
Love thine enemies.
5. Purity, Godliness and Spirituality flow from Him like shining springs of cool and refreshing waters, which bring life to the parched and arid hearts of the aspirants who merrily move along the Spiritual Path under His able guidance.
6. He does not wear any conspicuous form of dress. He adopts just an easy middle path. His grand trunk road bypasses austerities on the one hand, and forms and formalities on the other. His teachings consist of enunciating natural truths which sink into the soul, and everyone irrespective of sex and age can practise the Spiritual Discipline enjoined by Him.
7. He never believes in nor performs miracles for attracting people and gaining their credence, as a juggler would do. He keeps His treasures well concealed in the deepest recesses within Him. He may, if necessity demands, make use of His powers on some special occasion. The disciples, of course, everyday feel the hidden hand of the Master working for their welfare and advancement.
Godman (First Edition, 1967) –
XXI. His Life and Conduct,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
But naturally the primal criterion is that He is able to connect a Soul with Naam and does not fob her off with outer practices:
He never keeps His followers in delusion about the inefficacy of outer pursuits. His cardinal tenets centre around one thing; namely, contact with and devotion to Shabd alone. The manifestation of Ceaseless Music within is a gift of a Master-Soul.
XXIII. The Influence of the Master,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
In exactly the same way, the work of the Master does not consist in mere teaching the theory of Para Vidya – Science of the Beyond –, but it includes the practical demonstration of the results of Spiritual Experiments and Help and Guidance of aspirants through all their difficulties. A True Friend does not give only theoretical lessons as to how best one may escape from the wiles and matter but He actually helps in effecting the escape itself.
Godman (First Edition, 1967) –
XXIX. Surrender to the Master,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
The process of liberating a human soul from the labyrinth of the sensual plane lies in the hands of a Competent Master of Para Vidya or the Science of the Beyond; competent both in theory and practice. One Who has Himself liberated His soul and can at will go to the higher Spiritual Regions, can take others as well. It is a work of great trust and responsibility which the so-called masters, with which the world always abounds, cannot do. Those who prescribe outer yogic practices or the performance of rites and rituals, sacrifices and austerities, pilgrimages and the like are yet ignorant of the Inner Path that begins from the headquarters of the soul above the sensory plane and for which transcendence above body consciousness is the primary condition. […]
Naam or Word (Fourth Edition, 1981) – Book VIII:
III. The Kingdom of God: Where it is,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
The Path of Chitbhang Doot: This path consists of elements of the paths of Rambh Doot and Kurambh Doot. (See also the subchapter 'The Characteristics of the four Messengers.') It also uses outer elements and wrongly calls the Souls 'Sat Purush,' that means he talks the Jivas into thinking that they were all and did not have to develop further.
Bijak: An aggregation of hymns that are published under the name of Kabir.
The Path of Akalbhang Doot: 'He will steal something of the Koran and something of the Vedas.' The Vedas were created by Kal, the Koran was dictated to Prophet Mohammed by the archangel Gabriel. A mixture of both may be something that seems to be acceptable for some minds but it cannot help the Soul; in the end this messenger merely gives 'the knowledge of Brahm – Kal' and the Souls are involved in outwardnesses, such as rites and rituals.
Indeed True Masters often use parts of the Koran and the Vedas in order to explain Their teachings. But They also always use scriptures of Great Saints Who had risen above the regions of Kal.
Today – in 2012 – there are incredibly many authors and teachers that compose mixtures of most different kinds of teachings just as they want. By the motto 'Many paths lead to the final truth' apparently everyone can choose something that applies to his personal preferences and addictions. This is but a grand illusion; since there is only one Truth which is unchangeable and eternal so there is also only one Path that leads there, and this Path – the Path of Sant Mat, Sanatan – has always been the same.
The Path of Bishamber Doot: Paths like the 'Ram Kabir Path' described here that directly refer to Kabir in their own name still exist today. However, these paths are nothing but a mingling of a part of the original teachings of Kabir together with false teachings. The Souls following these paths do not get the connection with Naam. Therefore all so-called Kabir-paths are cul-de-sacs.
Understand sins and virtues as equal: This teaching to allegedly reach beyond duality is also found in Tantric teachings and with various modern 'Satsang teachers.' A Soul following such teachings will entangle herself in the mesh of karma because there literally lie worlds between such an intellectual demand and the real state of being 'beyond of good and evil' – in the sense of sins and virtues created by Kal. These worlds first need to be crossed what is only possible by the aid of Naam and the Master-Power.
To what extensions such highly dangerous intellectual-non-dualistic teachings can lead, can be realised by the example of the teachings of 'Kalachakra Tantra,' to which there is reference in the illustration to 'The Attributes of the four Messengers,' subsection 'Jay Doot.'
The Path of Naktanen Doot: Competent Masters attach importance on the foolishness of caste barriers, refusing to raise such confusion among Their disciples and have been born in all castes including the lowest. Nevertheless, to emphasise this point separately by ignoring Shabd or the Sound Current which leads to the experience of Inner Oneness, means – instead of teaching the True Path – to simply start a social revolution, what is finally useless for the Souls.
All ideologies and isms searching salvation of men in changes of outer circumstances belong to this path.
Therefore Kirpal Singh said:
Wanted: Reformers … not of others but of themselves.
Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra: The four main castes of the Indian caste system, subdivided into numerous sub-castes. The Brahmins – priests – are meant to be the highest caste in this system. In descending ranking being followed by the Kshatriyas – warriors, sovereigns –, by the Vaishyas – merchants, traders – and Shudras – craftsmen, tenant farmers, service providers. Below there are the so-called 'untouchable,' they have to do the lowermost work. According to the foolishness of this caste system see the illustration 'The Path of Naktanen Doot' in this illustration above.
Following him the Souls will go to hell: In this connection there is a very revealing story:
One day Guru Nanak went for a walk with some disciples when they saw a snake along the path that lay under a number of ants. The disciples looking at that spectacle asked Guru Nanak what Souls the ants were. Guru Nanak answered that these were Souls that had been misguided by a false master. Later they asked Him about the role of the snake. The Master replied, that was the Soul which had misguided the others.
The Path of Durgdani Doot: There are many paths where the followers undertake bodily practices, beginning with different types of yoga to the teachings of breath, bodywork or bodywork therapy etc. Even practices by many considered as spiritual such as mudras – special finger positions – or other practices for the manipulation of pranas* – Chi – belong here. The Jiva may think to be on the Path but where is her attention? Teachers of these paths actually know a lot in their field and get much admiration by their disciples; later they are proud on their new-found knowlegde and learned faculties and often establish own schools. But all of this only leads to proudness and blows up the ego, it does not lead to salvation.
In spite of all existing competition between the different formations and 'schools' they tolerate each other – as far as it is according to their way of thinking –, granting mutual protection since their courses of actions which resemble each other in many respects so become a kind of industry standard in the realisation of many people. Similar or equal institutions often found umbrella organisations to present themselves in a serious manner and to be accepted by law as far as possible.
Unfortunately, today at the beginning of 21st century many people believe in the possibility of development by following such ways. But that is not true: A person may lose some tensions and have some extraordinary experiences. But all this happens below the seat of the Soul behind and between the eyes. Instead of rising above body consciousness the Soul sinks down further into it. The apparent liberation of neuroses or confining social rules that often are aimed on such ways actually is a degeneration of one’s character; all that has nothing in common with the high ethical and moral standard that is acquires by the real development of man.
Buddhistic monks are often engaged in practices in order to manipulate the Chi – the Pranas – and to apparently gain supernatural powers by that. Displaying these practices feeds the ego leading further away the Soul from Truth. The motor vital forces are not for producing some show but to be let alone.
Looking at the flowers in a botanical garden nothing will happen. But if one starts to pick them the keeper will come.
So-called deep relaxation techniques such as, for example, autogenic training lead into the body instead of leading out of it and so these techniques are of no Spiritual Avail but hold the Soul within the body. An example is the so-called yogic sleep; a related – but modified – method is taught as 'Yoga Nidra' since the middle of the 20th century.
Question to Kirpal Singh:
What is 'yogic sleep'?
Answer by Kirpal Singh:
It is a sleep in which the soul descends into the lower chakras and goes into deep sleep and sometimes sees dreams. It comes on while contemplating on some fixed idea. The Masters do not advocate or encourage it.
Spiritual Elixir (First Edition, 1967) –
Part I: II. Meditation,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
As Kirpal Singh emphasised there are some very simple practices to keep the body healthy, such as fresh air, pure water, sun and, in a more intense way, air bath, sun bath and water bath.
The Path of Hansmuni Doot: This messenger first creeps in Dharam Das’ house to work against him later and to establish an own path. So whoever acts likewise follows that path.
For example it was shown that exactly such people that crept into the families of disciples of K. S. by marrying into it – sometimes against the will of the daughter’s father; for example H. F., an initiate of K. S. did that – later caused big problems. A short comment on that: the Master-Power is responsible for all mistakes that are made by a disciple. In addition such forms of behaviour have no bearing on discipleship and they are not conducive having the tendency to start representing one of Kal’s paths.
This kind of character traits can often be realised when people sublty sow discord to act as intermediator afterwards. Displaying selflessness they always take what they desire. They are the parvenus of spirituality. Within they live in small dark rooms without a door and without a window, with grey plaster on the walls and loamy ground. That is their state of consciousness. They are without substance and without any future and by following them, people hock their Soul and literally fail spiritually.
Jaimal Singh wrote in a letter to the Sangat of Bhandal, dated 10th July 1899:
Do construct a dharamsala and have it fitted with doors. I will come when it is completed. […]
This is the state of consciousness of the Saints.
Just everything has its reactions that become visible within. As the following story illustrates, that applies even to apparently inconsiderable actions commited by us in the course of day and consider to be completely normal:
One day a disciple of Hazur Sawan Singh went along a path and saw a big worm with ants on it. Wrongly believing to be doing something good, he took the worm, freed it from the ants and laid it down some metres away. Then he continued his way. Meditating as usual in the evening he realised that ants were nibbling at his feet in the subtle realm. Not being able to classify that experience he asked his Master Sawan Singh. He explained to him that he, the disciple, had no right to intervene in the karmic reactions between the worm and the ants and, for that reason, he himself had to experience a responsive reaction.*
* As a matter of principle one should keep out of activities of the animal kingdom as far as possible. Man has no right to deal with animals at his own discretion.
Kirpal Singh writes in the book 'The Wheel of Life – IV. The Way of Saints' (First Edition, 1965):
In caging birds and keeping pets collared, chained and imprisoned, one wrongly takes it for granted that these poor dumb creatures have no court of law where they can lodge their complaint. […]
The aspect of 'believing in some of the knowledge and in some not' is typical for many teachers of misleading paths, who often teach isolated parts of Truth while refusing or ignoring the rest.
Miracles: Kirpal Singh wrote on this subject:
Master-Saints never show any miracles except in very rare cases to a disciple due to special circumstances. Miracles are in accordance with the laws of nature but are nevertheless terribly entangling webs detrimental to the highest ideals of man to approach the Almighty God.
It is something that an ordinary man does not care to study and ignores deliberately for the simple reason that it involves immense self-control and training of the mind, with restrictions that an easy-going man of today does not like to tolerate or pursue. The miraculous powers achieved after a lengthy period are instrumental in doing both good and harm, now they are utilised more for harm than anything else, they are looked down upon by all truly Spiritual Persons.
The Masters are in possession of Supreme Power but Their mission is sacred. An initiated disciple whose Inner Vision has been opened, sees any number of miracles at each step.
To hesitate to believe in a Master without seeing miracles is as ridiculous as our refusal to believe that a certain person is a multi-millionaire unless he shows us his money. He may have all his money deposited in a bank and like to spend it in the way that he chooses, without caring for public applause or approval.
Out of an audience of several thousands watching a magician perform his miracles, only a very small number would thereby be induced to learn the art. Those who are anxious to see miracles are not True Seekers.
Man, know thyself (Original Tape Recording) –
Chapter XIV: Miracles,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974
Contrary to the Saints the messengers of Kal sometimes use such powers in order to attract people who are taken in by such things.