The Spiritual Training Programme

De Simple Silence.

[modifier] Divine Will And Divine Wish

Although everything happens according to the Divine Will, and as Baba explained, not even a leaf can move without it, the limited mind can neither know nor even understand how the Divine Will operates. It is beyond mankind’s comprehension. The Avatar comes to give His Wish to humanity, so they can follow His Wish and come closer to God.

Yet humanity, out of ignorance, often ignores His Wish, and in its attempts to comfort itself, misinterprets events, declaring that certain events or circumstances occur because of the Divine Will.

For a very simple example, someone steals something. The police catch the thief, and he is brought before a judge. The judge says to him, « Did you do this action? »

In reply, he says, « Everything happens according to Divine Will. Although I have done the act of stealing, God must have willed this act. Otherwise, how could I have done it? »

The judge replies, « Okay! You say your stealing has happened according to Divine Will. No doubt this must be so, because it happened. But I have to put you in jail because you have committed this crime. Since you’re going to jail is also going to happen, that also is according to the Divine Will. »

This simple example may seem laughable. But too often the mind makes similar justifications, in more complex situations in one’s life, for the actions that we commit. We say God is doing « it, » when it is we ourselves who, because of our own impressions, are doing the action.

To use another simplified example of how we think :

A Baba lover thinks that Baba is telling him what to do, and therefore, it is Baba’s Will. He informs his friend, « Baba wants me to leave my wife, because only now have I met the one woman in my life who is my true love. »

The friend asks, « How can you say it is Baba’s Will? »

He replies, « Since I am feeling this way, it must be Baba’s Will. Because He said that nothing happens without it being His Will. »

The friend says, « That may be. But do you think that your action would be pleasing to Baba? Do you think that it is His Wish that you leave your wife for another woman? »

At this, the first Baba lover says, « I only know what is in my heart. I must listen to my heart and be true to myself, which is what I think Baba would want us to do. So it must be Baba’s Wish for me. And so I must leave my wife for my true love. »

Such is the state of affairs when we do not listen to the Avatar’s Wish but our own wish, and we justify our actions with our own philosophies of the Divine Wish and the Divine Will. We cannot understand how the Divine Will functions. It is beyond human understanding. But because of His compassion, we can follow the Divine Wish, which is the Avatar’s message of love and truth for humanity. Although His Wish is fundamentally the same each and every time He comes (« Love God and love your fellow man »), there are also many aspects of His Wish which, in order to free people from specific obstructions, apply only to the predicament of humanity at that time.

That is why the words of truth that are in the Bible, the Koran and the Vedas are difficult to put into action today. They were meant for different time periods in humanity’s history and suited to those specific situations and sanskaras. The words are correct, no doubt. They are words of Truth. But when we try to understand those words from our present circumstances and impresions, we end up interpreting those words according to our modern understanding. This results in misunderstanding, because our situation and impressions differ from those of humanity at that time.

Understanding the words of a previous Avatar is not easy. Only deep love can illuminate those words. But the general public does not have such love, and so they do not try to understand the real meaning of those words of Truth. Because of this, gradually a priest class comes about and begins to tell people how to follow the words of Truth. But the priest class does not understand either and makes its own interpretations which eventually become rules for humanity to follow instead of following the Avatar’s Wish. So the Wish the Avatar gave in a previous descent eventually is followed without understanding. Because of it, people follow the words mechanically and then ritual is born.

When the Avatar comes back, He wipes out obstructions in consciousness, so that humanity can follow God. For those whose hearts are truly sincere in following the Wish of a previous Advent, the words of Truth given at that time can be followed. However, Beloved Baba has told us that the easiest way to follow God is through the Wish of the most recent Avatar, because His message is the most closely suited to humanity’s current situation and sanskaras.

As the Ancient One, He has to come down on earth in human form again and again, giving HIs Wish in a way that will help humanity at that time. Because its sanskaras keep changing, humanity’s situation keeps changing throughout time. Therefore, whatever the Avatar’s Wish is, and how He works to make humanity aware of it, depends upon sanskaras that humanity has collected since His previous descent. Whatever obstructions in consciousness to God humanity had at the time of Zoroaster, the same obstructions did not exist at the time of Ram. Whatever obstructions to God existed at the time of Ram, the same did not exist at the time of Krishna. Whatever obstructions to God were at the time of Krishna, the same did not exist at the time of Buddha. Whatever obstructions to God were at the time of Buddha, the same did not exist at the time of Jesus. And whatever obstructions to God were at the time of Jesus, the same did not exist at the time of Mohammed. And whatever the ostructions to God were at the time of Mohammed, the same does not exist at the time of Meher Baba.

When the Ancient One came down in the form of Jesus, His work included using His power to attract and heal the masses. Baba stated that as Jesus, it was necessary for Him to do that at the time. He gave out part of His Wish as He sat with His disciples during the Last Supper. He asked them to eat bread and drink wine. But the bread He asked them to eat was likened to His body, and the wine He asked them to drink was likened to His blood. He knew His crucifixion was to come, and He asked His disciples to do this out of remembrance of Him. His utterance grew into one of the major ways Christians still remember Him. But His saying this is not for all time. It was His way to help His followers remember Him.

Another instance of His Wish is the Lord’s Prayer, which He gave to help His followers and asked them to repeat. In referring to this prayer, Beloved Baba has said that no prayer even from Him lasts with its original potency. It is only for the time being. And this time, Baba has given several prayers. He specifically stated that His followers will be helped by repeating the Parvardigar prayer when He is not in the body. It will help maintain the link, He said.

When the Messenger of God, Mohammed came, His work included being involved in wars. As for His Wish, we turn to a few practical matters. He had said if you give a loan to anyone, don’t charge interest. At that time, the situation was such that when anyone took out a loan, he would be charged so much interest, that he would never be able to repay the loan during his lifetime.

Now, the situation is quite different. There are banks, and if you take out a loan, there is a fixed rate of interest. And when you deposit any amount in a bank, even if you don’t want interest, the bank will automatically give it to you.

Another situation which is different from the present time is that Mohammed allowed men to have as many as four wives. At that time, not only was the number of women greater than men, but they also needed protection. Now the situation is changed. Family planning is necessary throughout the world, because the world has become overpopulated.

Meher Baba worked in Silence. But because mankind’s intellect has developed, to satisfy it He gave out more words than in any previous Advent.

Because I was one of the Mandali, I could see how Baba would give out His Wish. Sometimes it was only for a particular person, other times it was only for His Mandali. Sometimes it was for ones who were close to Him, although they lived far away. At other times, He would give out His Wish to the general public.

Beloved Baba had said to the general public, « Remember Me. » People may think, « How can simply remembering Meher Baba be spirituality? Shouldn’t we observe austerities, penances, fasts, silence and repeat mantras? Isn’t that spirituality? »

But in this age of action, where the mind is distracted by all the daily activities, He has made it very simple for humanity to follow Him through His remembrance. People do not know what help He gives them when they remember Him. For those who remember Him, He binds them to Him and gradually wipes out their impressions...

MY WISH

Baba said : The lover has to keep the wish of the Beloved. My wish for My lovers is as follows :

1. Do not shirk your responsibilities.

2. Attend faithfully to your worldly duties, but keep always in the back of your mind that all this is Baba’s.

3. When you feel happy, think : « Baba wants me to be happy. » When you suffer, think : « Baba wants me to suffer. »

4. Be resigned to every situation and think honestly and sincerely : « Baba has placed me in this situation. »

5. With the understanding that Baba is in everyone, try to help and serve others.

6. I say with My Divine Authority to each and all that whosoever takes My name at time of breathing his last comes to Me ; so do not forget to remember Me in your last moments. Unless you start remembering Me from now on, it will be difficult to remember Me when your end approaches. You should start practising from now on. Even if you take My name only once every day, you will not forget to remember Me in your dying moments.

[modifier] Endurance

This story takes place after Baba’s second accident on 2^nd December 1956. Baba started living nine months of the year at Meherazad and three months in Pune. Baba appointed Kaka Baria as the manager of Meherazad. From the New Life onwards, he would always stay there, even if Baba moved to other places.

There were four dogs at Meherazad : one belonging to Mehera, called Mastan, another belonging to Mani, called Peter, and two belonging to Kaka. Baba gave Aloba the duty of taking Mastan for a one-hour walk, Peter for an hour, and then Kaka’s two dogs for another one-hour walk. This meant that Aloba had to walk the dogs for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. Kaka was in charge of seeing whether Aloba did his duty or not. After making the tea for the men Mandali, Aloba would take Mastan for a walk. Kaka would watch to see whether Aloba walked Mastan for the complete hour or not. Then Aloba would take Peter, and again Kaka would watch the time. Aloba was very particular in giving a full hour walk to Mastan and Peter.

But when he took Kaka’s two dogs, he was not so careful. Kaka would watch the time, and if Aloba brought Kaka’s dogs back after 50 minutes, Kaka would say, « You have walked the dogs for only 50 minutes. Walk the two dogs again and come back after half an hour. »

So Kaka would penalise Aloba because he did not do his duty fully. Kaka was the manager. Even if Aloba walked the dogs for one minute less than the full hour, Kaka would send Aloba out again to walk the dogs for another half an hour. This went on for six months, and then Kaka’s dogs were sent to Meherabad.

But poor Aloba still had to continue taking the other two dogs for a walk. He also had to make tea for the men Mandali in the morning and in the afternoon. Kaka would serve food only once a day. He would give less food to Aloba, which was not honest on his part, but Aloba did not say anything. He would keep quiet. After six months, Aloba felt fed up with his duty, but he did not say anything. Baba, of course, knew what he was feeling.

One day in Mandali Hall, the following took place.

Eruch was reading correspondence. Baba looked at Kaka and said, « Do you understand English? Aloba, teach Kaka English! »

Kaka had been to the West many times with Baba : America, France, England, Italy and Spain. He knew English better than Aloba. Aloba was very, very happy that the tables had been turned!

As soon as Baba left Mandali Hall, Aloba went to Kaka in his room and told him, « Keep ten exercise books and pen and pencil ready. »

Kaka, knowing this was Baba’s order, did not say anything. He kept everything ready. At lunchtime, Kaka realised his dishonesty in not serving Aloba sufficient portions of food and started to do so.

After lunch, the lessons began. Aloba wrote the alphabet in Kaka’s exercise book and told Kaka, « Write ten times. »

Kaka did not say anything but wrote the alphabet ten times. Aloba would walk in front of his room and see whether Kaka was writing or not. After writing the alphabet ten times, he would show the exercise book to Aloba. Aloba would say, « Your handwriting is not good! Write 50 times! »

Poor Kaka could not say a word because this was Baba’s order. He would go on writing the alphabet. At this time, this was the only work Kaka had. But writing the alphabet 50 times became 100 times. This went on for six months. The entire time, Kaka did not say a word. While the lessons were going on, Kaka did not come to Mandali Hall, and Baba did not call him.

After six months, one day, all of a sudden, Baba asked, « Where is Kaka? I have not seen him for a long time. »

« He is writing the alphabet and doing nothing else, » Eruch replied. « He has no time even for lunch. He has no time for anything. He eats hurriedly and goes back to writing the alphabet : ABCD... »

Baba laughed and called Kaka and Aloba.

They both came, and Baba told Aloba, « Stop teaching Kaka English from today onwards. »

And He said to Kaka, « I am pleased with you. Now every day you come to Mandali Hall and sit here, because it is My order. »

Look how both Aloba and Kaka obeyed Baba. Both were undergoing difficult situations. But neither said anything. They complained to no one. They put up with the difficulties quietly. They endured, and endurance is very necessary on the spiritual path. To do what you like has no meaning whatsoever. But to do what you don’t like, and to quietly bear it, creates inner strength. That strength is used to defeat the false self. Both Aloba and Kaka were strong men and had strong characters. It would have been very easy for either of them to boldly express their false self in this situation. But they both knew that Baba wanted them to undergo this situation, and so they kept quiet, swallowing their difficulties because it pleased their Beloved.

Bhau Kalchuri. © 2003 AMBPPCT