No orthodox Brahmans and Buddhists would deny the Christian incarnation; only, they understand it in their own philosophical way, and how could they deny it? The very cornerstone of their religious system is periodical incarnations of the Deity. Whenever humanity is about merging into materialism and moral degradation, a Supreme Spirit incarnates himself in his creatures selected for the purpose. The "Messenger of the Highest" links with the duality of matter and soul, and the triad being thus completed by the union of its Crown, a saviour is born, who helps restore humanity to the path of truth and virtue. The early Christian Church, all imbued with Asiatic philosophy, evidently shared the same belief - otherwise it would have neither erected into an article of faith the second advent, nor cunningly invented the fable of Anti-Christ as a precaution against possible future incarnations. Neither could they have imagined that Melchisedek was an avatar of Christ. They had only to turn to the Bhagavad Gita to find Krishna saying to Arjuna: "He who follows me is saved by wisdom and even by works . . . As often as virtue declines in the world, I make myself manifest to save it."
The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.
It is only by translating into action what is perceived as truth that one fully realizes its nature.
Each man has a private door opening on to the eternal brightness.
Three things are necessary in the laying of a foundation for the spiritual life. Aspiration, a real impersonal interest in something outside oneself, the motive; Concentration, which is the means to power, and Sincerity, that inner sense of truth with oneself; a growing capacity at every step of the way to detect and face self-deception in its more and more subtle forms. This is the only safeguard on a difficult, and dangerous road. Each of these requirements is equally essential, and to neglect any one spells futility if nothing worse.
The following are some notes of a discussion on the first of these qualities.
Every individual who has a real interest in the welfare of Humanity has something in common with every other person who is working for the Race. This common interest in Humanity is the true basis, and provides real values in the approach to spiritual matters.
Two things are required, however, before an individual can take a step toward the true Path. He must realize as the result of his own examination and reflection that the life he knows is totally unsatisfactory as an ends in itself. And, he must have the conviction that Light exists; that it may be attained, and that when found it will justify itself.
Whatever true impersonal interest we possess is the germ of spirituality within us. This is the one sound spot ins our being; the one link with the unawakened powers of our spiritual nature. We have to discover it, clarify and define it, and free it from sentimentality and self-deceiving illusions as far as we are able.
The starting point then is to look deep within ourselves, and discover what this impersonal interest is, which we value more than anything else in all life. We shall pass in review many fine and great qualities, some of which are so great that we and everybody else assent that there can be none greater, but we have to discover not what others may consider important, but what value makes the greatest appeal to us, and draws out our energy as nothing else can.
It will help to clarify this search if we ask ourselves this question; "If to-morrow I had to give my life in exchange for one of these qualities, which should I choose?" If we ask ourselves, "What quality in human life will I be fully satisfied to have lived and worked for when I come to the end of my life?" In this way we shall discover what in the deepest part of our nature we value the highest, the form which our link (however small) with the `Great Life of the Universe' takes the form of impersonal living to which we have given allegiance in the past. It will be seen that it becomes a matter of tremendous importance that we acquire a growing capacity to discriminate between self-interest, no matter how beautifully disguised, and true impersonality.
As a result of increasing awareness and clarity regarding our values, we shall seek for evidences of them in ourselves, in those about us, in literature, and history, and we shall discover as our perceptions become more acute that very much that passes for fineness and greatness in human life is but a tawdry imitation; it is not the power to give without asking, it is not the power of Self-Mastery, it is not the disinterested love of Truth, it is not compassion which we shall usually find, but subtly disguised barter masquerading as these things. We shall realize that Beauty, Truth, and true Greatness, even in a small way, are very rare indeed, and when we do discover them, as we certainly shall, if we look for them, our whole being will go out to them and feed on them, and the germ of spirituality awake in us will expand in their radiance. "Grow as the flower grows, unconsciously but eagerly anxious to open its soul to the air. So must you press forward to open your Soul to the Eternal."
All this is the first step, a negative one. The neophyte has discovered what those one or two things are which he values more than anything else in life, which he would gladly give his life for if he had the power. He has cleared away vagueness and obscurity, sentimentality and self-deception, so that his value stands out clear and well-defined in his mind, so that he could formulate it at any time, at a moment's notice.
The next step is to put oneself in training in order to get
the
power
to dedicate whatever of his life he has made his own, to his chosen
value. This preparatory work of self-discipline is to give
him
the power to take a positive and much more difficult step, to commit
himself unreservedly,
unconditionally and with all the force at his command, to his
values.
This must be done coolly and without dependence upon emotional
enthusiasm,
knowing as well as it is possible for him to know what it means and
will
mean to him. If he succeeds in doing this, he has thrown the
challenge
to his lower nature and the first battle in the long war for Self
Conquest
is on.
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