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Agni Yoga (1929) - 27:
27. Having no home is a necessary attribute of the Teacher. The Teacher has a place to stay, but not a home. The Teacher participates in life, but is not touched by the ordinary. The Teacher beautifies a discussion, but does not prolong it. He pities, but does not bewail. The Teacher defends, but does not gesticulate. The Teacher affirms, and is never uncertain. He forewarns, and delays not. If absolutely necessary, He can smite, but will never wound. He is grateful, and does not forget. He evaluates motives, and shows no weakness. Carefully He guards, but does not impose. He fears not, yet is not reckless. And so, cherish the Teacher, who is revealed for the growth of your spirit. Consciously must the spirit be nurtured. Agni Yoga (1929) - 132:
132. Conceit and suspicion are horrible diseases. The first gives rise to stupidity and ignorance. From the second issue lies and treachery. One must keenly discern the true motives of one's co-workers. The shield protects those who, through sincere striving to enlightenment, can make straight the convolutions of darkness. Agni Yoga (1929) - 137:
Sometimes even decent motives can draw unworthy individuals to a worthy person - a sort of overloading of a ship with unfit cargo. But the helmsman must guard the quality of the cargo and cut away the unfit. Especially avoid empty promises; these promises cling to the ship like barnacles. Recognize the merits of the worthy one, but do not burden him with promises. A united group must avoid mutual promises. A realization of the future structure should be the sole basis for unity. I speak not of magic circles but of the influence of real groups. Agni Yoga (1929) - 261:
Only a great consciousness can discern inner motives. Only a great consciousness can ignore the intrusiveness of external opinions. Agni Yoga (1929) - 401:
When I taught you the rhythms of the Fire of Space, I of course had in mind the application of a spiritual consciousness and a striving without base motives. Long ago it was told about the two fires: the creative fire and the destructive one. While the first shines and warms and exalts, the second sears and reduces to ashes. But I directed you only to the creative fire. You have seen for yourself how the perception of fire occurs. Even daylight could not prevent you from seeing the messengers of space. And the stars were surrounded by signs. One must treasure these fiery signs and learn to collect the best offerings of the consciousness. Agni Yoga (1929) - 417:
Karma is a most complex process. From the most casual, superficial action to the deepest level of motives, everything is varied in form and color. One should firmly ponder when it is possible and deserving to interfere in the karma of others. One can imagine cases of self-sacrificing and beneficial interference in the destiny of others. By the fires can the goal-fitness of interference be determined. The fires are the best indicators for this decision, since in them the inner consciousness is combined with the spatial consciousness. And nothing is equal to them in vitality; they are many-colored milestones, the product of a full understanding of surrounding conditions. You see how two abstract concepts, the Redeemers and the Fire of Space, become real for you! Agni Yoga (1929) - 473:
473. In the same way that we study the nature of the astral world, let us clarify our attitude with regard to Rosicrucian, Masonic, and other organizations devoted to the General Good. Many Mahatmas have participated in them. And when we remember the original altruistic principles of these organizations, we must not turn away from them. When it concerns sincere motives, then all workers for the General Good must accept one another, especially when the spirit is developed and the consciousness is awake. Infinity - Book 2 (1930) - 170:
170. How resounding are the words of the heart about hidden motives! How important it is to realize impartially the intentions of the spirit! Three traits of character will help to cognize the potentiality of motive; the trait of honesty, the trait of self-abnegation, and the trait of service. The manifestation of each trait will give the spirit the sword against egotism. Not the hand of karmic tension but the hand of self-exertion will hold for the spirit that gleaming sword. Let us remember that fire which gives tension to the motive. Let the spirit of egotism thus approach the fiery transmutation. The Tara points out the path of fiery self-exertion. The Guru points out the path of fiery action. Yes, yes, yes! Infinity - Book 2 (1930) - 506:
506. In the proclaimed law of life the principle of harmony is truly majestic! Often the spirit ascribes his action to a good motive whereas the power of the spirit is impelled in the opposite direction. Thus think those who do not wish to look straight ahead toward the Light. By such thinking the spirit admits lack of will, and lack of will is chaos. Since we know that effects proceed from causes, each spirit must examine his own motives. The entire Book of Life is concerned with the qualities of motives. Heart (1932) - 211:
211. Let everything be done for the sake of Good. Let each action unfold new achievements. Let the thought of service accompany each deed. Let the command of Good react upon everything, like the most vivid image of the Teacher; the Teaching of the Heart is indivisible from Good. Who, and what, then, besides the heart, can vindicate or indict one's motives? The purity of the heart is disclosed by Fire. How often it has been necessary to speak of this vital application of Fire; nevertheless, neither in the home nor at school is the fiery purifier spoken about. And could a teacher who has never even thought about reality, speak of Fire? Attestation does not yet mean firmness of consciousness. Hence, how assiduously one must observe and re-examine the events of one's own life. Frequently, important signs surround us and disclose the significance of our future, but undeveloped attentiveness prevents one from discerning the convincing reality. Heart (1932) - 551:
551. Man cannot conceal his inner motives. Though these may not be reflected in earthly expressions, in the subtle feeling there are no secrets. Usually, people do not know how to assimilate the feelings of the Subtle World. But they feel a seeming disquietude, confusion, or joy, as if some secret record were before them and they felt its significance before unsealing it. Yet with the education of the heart one can have an understanding of human motives that is not incidental. Moreover, one can evaluate not only the significance of thoughts but also their substance. Is it not true that the heart often does not reflect people's motives because they do not exist altogether or resemble down wafted by the wind? Ask your interlocutor what he desires. The usual response will be an evidence of confusion. Such a heart, not having crystallized its strivings at all, will be confused in the Subtle World. The Teaching is not luxury. It teaches the minimum that should be expected from those reincarnated over millions of years. Let us not impede in any measure the flighty tendency of thought, but it is necessary to demand cognizance of the heart. Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 364:
364. One should discern which qualities become more pronounced through realization of the Fiery World. Among these, justice is especially evident. It is impossible in words to convey this quality, which, when straight-knowledge is evidenced, is regarded as the greatest. Beyond earthly laws, the just ones know where the truth is. The law leads to many injustices, but he who is conscious of the Fiery World knows where the truth lies; in spite of the obvious he senses reality. Thus, the fiery consciousness transforms life. Fiery martyrdom also bestows the higher knowledge. So, too, we can discern other qualities of the spirit which grow under the fiery shower. Moderation without Fire becomes mediocrity, but the Golden Path intensified by Fire is the best exemplification of moderation. Similarly, courage without Fire becomes recklessness, but courage resplendent with the fires of the heart becomes an impregnable wall. Indeed, patience, compassion, and friendship will take on different colors in the fiery Light. But only according to action, and through testing, can the Teacher ascertain the degree of fieriness. Words are the least suitable for such assurances. How many words cleanse the thresholds of prisons, but few are the jailers who can boast of being just. Also, how many words are there about patience! Yet the first failure produces the most intolerant cannibals. Of course, one need not explain how verbal courage turns into great cowardice. But he who wishes to approach the Fire must watch all his motives. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 36:
36. After a new cataclysm humanity will enter upon the path of cooperation. but one may imagine what two hostile neighbors must outlive in order to think about mutual benefit. The oppression of one has been the rejoicing of the other. It means that they both must suffer. The devices of the dark forces will help the especially cunning ones to protect themselves. The manifestation of justice is very difficult, if the motives are not taken into consideration,. Fiery World - Book 3 (1935) - 101:
101. Verily, only the heart is able to penetrate into all actions, into all motives, into all entities, manifesting discernment. For penetration into the Fiery World, it is especially necessary to discriminate with the heart. Only that source which strives toward the basis of Truth can provide a concept of the true structure of Cosmos. Only that source which is saturated with the fire of subtle energies can offer a true measure of the judgments. For the affirmation of one's forces in the Higher Spheres it is indispensable to intensify the forces of the heart, for there is no other quality of Fire which can replace these energies. The heart powerfully impels the spirit to the subtle energies. All the Higher Spheres are attained by the tension of the heart. This sacred vessel can reveal all the creative exalted spheres. These heart energies are irreplaceable, truly the Higher Will is reflected in them. The creativeness of the heart may be called sunlike. On the path to the Fiery World let us aspire to an understanding of the heart as a connecting manifestation between the Worlds. AUM (1936) - 170:
170. Man does not know wherein lies his best action; therefore, to pride oneself on one's actions is ignorance. Human deeds depend upon many conditions. The distant worlds are either allies or adversaries. The causes and motives have been written down on such lengthy scrolls that the results cannot be read by human eyes. Brotherhood (1937) - 63:
63. It has been said that virtue has a rainbow aura. The rainbow is the symbol of synthesis. Is not virtue revealed as a synthesis of qualities? In each ancient symbol can be found an unquestionable truth. People have understood that virtue is not simply the doing of good. They have distinctly known that only consonances of tensions of the best qualities provide the synthesis of ascent. They have known that only the motive will be the affirmation of virtue. No outward actions can testify to the intentions. Experiments with psychic energy will reveal to what extent action is to be distinguished from motive. No glittering words and actions can conceal intention. Many historical instances can be cited when, because of an unworthy motive, even useful actions could not be justified. On the other hand, much that remained inexplicable and under suspicion has shown the radiance of beautiful motives. Such evidences of the essence of life will be confirmed by the primary energy. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 187:
It is also possible that by criticism one may retard the evolution of those beings, some of whom may be at the point of overcoming their unrighteousness. It is cruel to surround them with vibrations like the barking of dogs. In addition, people are unable to judge the motives for another's actions, and unjust criticism will only burden his karma. People judge in ignorance, and thus deprive themselves of joy, and loss of joy is a great misfortune. The Thinker took the idea of care for the Subtle World from Anaxagoras, who said that in tearing its fine texture, we also tear our own garment. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 263:
263. Urusvati knows that most people avoid looking into the essence of events and are satisfied with superficial observations. How differently history would be written if real causes and motives, and the true Leaders, whose existence humanity does not even suspect, were revealed! Instead of kings and rulers, there would emerge individuals who had remained in the background, unknown because of prevailing ignorance, or required to go unnoticed because of the law of the Brotherhood. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 309:
Much work is required before one can discern goodness. It is even more difficult to detect all the inner motives of the human mind. One should not judge only by outer deeds, but must examine motives. This art can be learned from the ancient sages. The circumstances of those days were quite different, but the scope of human thought was the same. Legends perhaps exaggerate the facts, but the essence of true achievement remains unchanged. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 319:
319. Urusvati knows how We labor for peace. Why then do We not rejoice at the many organizations dedicated to the promotion of peace? Simply because very few of them are unselfish in their work and the majority harbor hidden motives that are worse even than the drive toward war. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 2 (1938) - 366:
366. Urusvati knows that outer appearances do not serve as an indication of the inner life. To obtain a clear idea of the inner life, one must have a knowledge of a man's aspirations and intentions. Learning that someone was a philosopher, physician, king, or warrior will not show you the inner man; it is far more important to learn the underlying motives that prompted the actions of these individuals.
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