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Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 1 - The Call (1924) - 21:
Prepare your hearth; the Lord approaches! He has transformed the treasure of the chalice And returns it to you afire. O flame two-tongued, assert thyself, thou double-pointed! Tears of joy - the Lord's wine - radiate pure fire. O heart, pour out the wine of thy tears as an offering; but, my heart, never allow the source of thy tears to run dry. How shall I fill Thy Cup, O Lord! Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 1 - The Call (1924) - 232:
232. The path of virtue is not a singing of psalms, but labor and service. If Karma is violated, it will react against you. The travail of the spirit is the one ladder on the shortest path. The suffering of a decade is crowded into one day in the lives of the chosen ones. Better a full cup of misery than a life of mild sadness. Pay your accounts in the hostelries on the way, and with a bow they will carry your trunks onto the ships. Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 1 - The Call (1924) - 328:
Is it easy to soar when you have wings? I shall say, it is easy for those who sense their wings. But those for whom the cup of worldliness is sweet, fly not. Chained to their idol, their delight, whither to fly? By experience will you learn the fruitlessness of earthly desires. It is simple, for all things are simple. Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 1 - The Call (1924) - 353:
Knowing wherein is podvig, Knowing that power is sacrifice, Whilst affirming the victory you will say, "Lord, let this triumphal cup pass from me." Then will you attain the right to create, And your spirit will be unassailable. Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 2.6.15:
Christ advised to distribute spiritual wealth. But, as the keys to it are far away, people have applied this advice toward the distribution of pillaged money. First to steal and then to give away with a tear and become enraptured by one's own goodness. As if in speaking of distribution the Teacher could have had in mind chairs and old coats! The Teacher meant imponderable wealth. Only the spiritual gift can move the cup of the scales. Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 2.7.4:
"New cups are given for the feast. Respecting a grandfather, one need not drink out of his cup." Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 2.7.7:
The hammer is working and the chains are clanking, and grey people continue to find pleasure in the cup of lechery. They do not know that the hands of the clock have moved imperceptibly and that tomorrow the doors will be closed to their ingenious amusements. My gatekeeper will tell them: "At dawn there was erected an altar to the Lord of Wisdom." And the grey ones will depart. Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 3.4.10:
I strongly advise to abolish gossip. Half the day will then be made free, and there will remain a lonely cup of coffee or glass of bear. New Era Community (1926) - 113:
113. Cupidity is coarse ignorance. Only true cooperation can save from such a malignant mange. A greedy man has a stamp on his face. He is not concerned with the heart; his cup is a bitter one. And for the greedy man the Subtle World is only a source of torment. Agni Yoga (1929) - 8:
8. One can point out why the Teachers of Knowledge experienced such suffering on departing Earth. Of course, this suffering was conscious and voluntarily chosen. Just as the host fills the guest's cup to the brim, so does the Teacher desire to impress this last sign of His Teaching. Agni Yoga (1929) - 11:
When the scales of the Lord have been prepared, we shall awaken early in order to weigh our use of the day just passed. We shall select that which was most daring, in order that these kernels of good may weigh more in the balance. We shall add the sorrows of the old world, for their burden is of use to us. And add the derision of the ignorant. Each of these adds its weight to the cup holding truth. Should we find threats and assaults, let us not forget to add those to the cup also. Why the trembling of the scale? With what wretched, murky tatters have we filled the cup of our wrongdoing? Like last winter's withered leaves are heaped the curses of the ordinary, the dross of yesterday. Agni Yoga (1929) - 286:
286. Success in life can be found both by those who with particular clarity understand the essential nature of things and also by those who have accepted their own very distorted perception of things. The difference lies only in the consequences. Those who have realized the nature of things are not attached to them, but the distorters are slaves to them. If someone finds no success, it means that he has remained at the fulcrum of the balance rather than placing himself in either cup. What is the measure of whether things are understood or distorted? Whether or not the conditions of one's life have changed. If nothing has changed, it is because there has been no action of thought. Those who are slow to understand cannot succeed. The majority of people are dragged down by their own weakness and inertia. Life is like chains to them, whereas life should be a conquest. The guarantee of success lies in action. Infinity - Book 1 (1930) - 15:
It is no joy to discover what saturates the strata of your planet. On one cup of the scale let us place the manifestation of all vices anger, cowardice, treason, prejudice, hypocrisy, complacency. On the other cup let us place the impelling force of psychic energy, straight-knowledge, affirmation of the Covenant of the Wise Ones, inviolability of the Origins, gratitude to the Shield, attainment of knowledge, and unwaveringness on the path opened by Infinity. Infinity - Book 1 (1930) - 70:
70. As a heavy fate the thought of death hangs over the human consciousness. The spectre of death is present as an inevitable cup, and having traversed the entire path of life, the spirit concludes that here one must terminate one's existence. Such is the plodding of the spirit dissociated from Cosmos. Hierarchy (1931) - 434:
434. Help each other, harken! Help in the small and in the great. Help is a rap upon the future. You know not which is the drop that filled the cup to the brim. I shall remind you of a tale of ancient India King Rishiputra could no longer sleep. He summoned a Sage to restore his sleep to him. The Sage said, "King, examine thy couch." The royal couch was examined, and a stone was found in the folds of the sheets. The King rejoiced, believing that this was the cause of his affliction. But sleep did not return and the Sage repeated his advice. Again the couch was examined, and a dead butterfly was found. Again the King was sure that the cause of his sleeplessness was discovered. But his sleep did not return. The Sage said, "There is no effect without cause. Thou thyself, King, examine thy couch; for nothing can take the place of one's own eye." And the King found under his pillow a grain of gold, small as a mustard seed. "This minute grain could not have harmed me," thought the King. But sleep immediately closed his eyes. In the morning the Sage pointed out to the King, "The downfall of the spirit is not measured by fourths. The treasures of war cannot outweigh a seed taken from a widow. Help, King, wherever help can reach." Heart (1932) - 275:
275. The Teacher needs an especially clear consciousness in the disciples. But night, which obscures the consciousness, does not permit the propelling of the entire might preserved in its depths. Among the reasons for success or failure in the tasks, the condition of the consciousness occupies no small place. Even a slight perplexity or uncertainty in striving alters the result. For instance, someone may come to you anxious to help and awaiting from you only the impetus to do so. But you may be absorbed in some outside conversation, and the desire to help evaporates in a cup of tea. Besides, the custom of the country demands that time be filled with the most insignificant communications, and in this rubbish the most precious seeds are lost. But if humanity would only value time, at least much that is vital could come about. True, this can be ruled by the heart in order to correlate the highest measures. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 482:
482. In Tibet horses are fed on leopard flesh in order to make them fierce. The Kshatniyas of Rajputana depend upon a meat diet to maintain their warlike spirit. These two examples alone show the significance of meat-eating. People do not slaughter a vast number of cattle from a sense of refinement. Like troglodytes, they are ready to devour bears. One must realize that the mass slaughter of animals is carried on in full consciousness. People know that vegetables or fruit give more vital energy than a cup of blood, yet they prefer being served with bloody meat, greatly relishing this coarseness. There is no other name for the frenzy of blood consumption. People are perfectly aware that a handful of wheat or barley is sufficient to sustain life, but their animal instinct tries to drag their minds back to a bestial state. Do not beasts try to tear each other's throats? Does not darkness impel people to the lowest actions? Let us not forget that mass killings, whether in war or in the slaughterhouse, equally pollute the atmosphere and violate the Subtle World. It must be realized that every conscious killing shakes the entire surrounding atmosphere. Moreover, these actions strengthen the forces of darkness and chaos, breaking the rhythm. One must avoid disturbing the Subtle World in any way. We can allow a diet of vegetables, farinaceous food, and milk, also eggs, the very freshest and in a liquid state. You know how repulsive the very sight of meat becomes to the organism accustomed to a vegetable diet. Thus, in practice one must accustom oneself to refinement and remember that even an elephant increases his strength through plants alone. One should not think that people eat meat because of poverty. With the least effort one can obtain a vegetable diet; besides, many nourishing herbs and roots are not utilized. One could learn much from certain animals, they know far more about natural foods than man, the meat-eater. Do not be concerned if the lover of blood scoffs at vegetable food; only remember him, because he is from darkness. Many are indifferent to meat and are compelled to it only by ugly home conditions. We do not mean them. We deplore the conscious vampires and necrophagi. Hence, be simpler and more refined in your diet. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 41:
41. Some children have a habit of breaking things in moments of leisure. Sometimes an ordinary plate may be broken, but sometimes with the same movement a precious cup may be destroyed. Therefore one must direct one's thought upon the most essential and refrain from all petty actions. The intent to inflict even a small harm is already criminal. At present, when we approach decisive events, there is no time to be occupied with trivial things. One must keep in mind that the most decisive time is at hand. Fiery World - Book 3 (1935) - 24:
24. One of the great concepts, often incorrectly interpreted, is precisely the great concept of humility. It has been interpreted as non-resistance to evil; it has been interpreted as good-heartedness, as compassion, but very few accepted it as self-denial. For only self-denial and self-sacrifice can give understanding of humility. Truly, We see the giants of spirit and the heroes who devote themselves fully to the humble tasks for the good of humanity. We know of great experiments being humbly carried out in the earthly laboratories for the benefit of humanity. We know the great fiery experiments of those who dedicate their lives wholly and humbly to the benefit of mankind. We know manifestations on the path to the Fiery World which inspire all surroundings. Truly manifold is humility manifested through self-sacrifice and self-renunciation. Heroism is a manifestation of various aspects of humility. Thus the records of space are filled with great deeds of humility. Invaluable are these fiery flights of the spirit. Thus, verily, the heroes of humility drain the cup of poison for the good of mankind. Fiery World - Book 3 (1935) - 25:
25. As the highest humility and the highest self-renunciation, should one accept the Image of Those bearing the full Chalice of self-sacrifice. They carry a heavy burden in the heart. They bear the brunt of the tension manifested by humanity. They carry the burden of the entire discrepancy. Such humility is redemption. Who will give himself wholly to the achievement of drinking the cup of poison? Who will take upon himself the Fiery Shield for the good of humanity? Who will resolve to accept the fiery energies? Who will manifest the understanding of the entire Cosmic tension? Verily, he who is in consonance with the Higher Forces. Mankind is accustomed to demand Good, but very rarely does man think of giving. Hence the humility of a saint who carries a fiery chalice is regarded as the highest humility. The fiery chalice holds the essence of the saving of the spirit of mankind and the atonement. Thus, let us remember and manifest understanding. Fiery World - Book 3 (1935) - 50:
50. In life, which is unified by the law of Cosmic Right, it is possible to trace how the cup of poison is drained in attaining the great Cosmic Right. The spirit bears all the affirmed chalices through self-sacrifice. The great chalice of Beauty is revealed as a crowning to the spirit through the Fiery Right. Verily, great is the time, because final energies are being intensified on a final step. Rightly has it been said - "The heart will not long endure if the attraction is often repeated." The heart of the Arhat drains the Chalice of abnegation on the final step. Our life Chalice is filled and reveals the path to Our Cosmic Existence. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 238:
We can mention individuals who achieved such vigilance, who accepted the required state of mind, applied it joyously, and were ready to take the cup of poison. We can mention the philosopher Seneca, who suffered greatly during Nero's reign, but whose consciousness remained undisturbed. Seneca inherited the mentality of the Thinker and endured the most trying times of ancient Rome, yet was able to remain the solace of many. His discourses about ethics were indispensable during those confusing days of little faith. Perhaps Seneca is less well known than the Thinker, but his work has great significance. He wanted to create a Leader, but received a terrible blow from his own disciple. The cup of poison did not confuse the clarity of his mind, and many learned from him how to cross the border of earthly life. We respect such examples amidst the confusion of ignorance and pride. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 282:
The Thinker warned that one should fear the poison in a cup less than the poison in space, for poisoned space has even more deadly currents. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 323:
One should think of consciousness as a vessel that can contain all the human potential. When an ordinary cup is filled to the brim there is no room for more, but fortunately the vessel of consciousness can be stretched infinitely to accommodate the life-giving fluid. Thus, even the most wretched individual will not be deprived of wisdom if he can realize that the capacity of his consciousness is without limit.
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