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New Era Community (1926) - 206:
Not long ago We spoke about the defense of reality. Remember that it is not the illiterate people who will be furious against reality, but these little "literates" will violently defend their short-sighted evidence. They will think that the world enclosed within their horizon is the actual one, and that all else remaining invisible to them is a harmful fiction. What lies at the base of this beggarly narrowness? In an altered aspect it is that very same idea of personal ownership. This is my own pigpen and therefore everything outside of it is not necessary and pernicious. This is what is apparent to me and therefore nothing outside of it exists. The well-known fable about the elephant and the seven blind people is sufficient as an example. New Era Community (1926) - 237:
Many times have We spoken about the discipline of the will and about the command of the consciousness. Long ago was established the courage of responsibility. Now we must direct our keenness toward the extermination of the narrowness of sectarianism and superstition. The sectarian dreams of seizing power for the subjugation of everything to his own inflexible consciousness. The superstitious man most of all is afraid lest he call up, as if by an accidental self a great deal. Superstition and sectarianism are signs of a very low consciousness, for the potential of creative power has been reduced to nothingness for one to whom the principle of containment is foreign. Agni Yoga (1929) - 128:
We are opposed to baseless fantasies, but We welcome each goal-fitting prognosis. If the best building-blocks for construction can be found, and if the will can join them, then one can be certain that one's plan is valid and will be accepted. The cause of unfitness or frailty of any structure lies within ourselves. The horror of destruction is caused by discord between consciousness and reason. The narrowness of human logic and reason can undermine the foundations, when the consciousness is already celebrating victory. If the logic of evidence finds its true role in the understanding of reality, then one's decisions are made firm. Think thus about the future, and in the midst of the desert erect walls of knowledge. You know that every stone put into these walls must be vital and needed. Their strength will resist all assaults of the enemies of knowledge. Treasure each hour devoted to constructing the future. The major forces of humanity are made possible by man's foresight. Whence comes courage? Whence striving? Whence the ability to overcome? From foresight. Agni Yoga (1929) - 250:
250. If the event of the appointed date is inevitable, then all circumstances are useful: fire illumines the way; thunder awakens at the hour for vigil; the shower washes the mud from the path. There are no countermanifestations. Our Rays indicate the turns of the way and cover it over with the dome of safety. If We warn about the narrowness of the subterranean passage, We do it just for your knowledge. Only when a change of path is needed do We halt you and send a new Indication. Sometimes it is preferable to circle a mountain than to suffer fatigue climbing the steep crags. Agni Yoga (1929) - 399:
In the West can be encountered many conventional expressions, but this does not prevent one from knowing their true meaning. For this one has only to expel narrowness of thinking. AUM (1936) - 499:
Only an ignoramus can pretend that the meaning of synthesis is incomprehensible to him. The ignoramus easily accepts one mechanical branch and is ready to conceal his narrowness with prejudices about the impossibility of combination. Brotherhood (1937) - 407:
407. And yet, how to deal with unbelievers who try everywhere to cause cleavages? There are very many of them, and owing to their ignorance they are very clamorous and meddlesome. One should muster a few scientific arguments against them. They cannot brook having the extreme irrelevancy of their opinions pointed out to them. Fortunately, science in different domains helps to illumine the paths of evolution. Of course, the ignorant will insist upon long outworn concepts. They do not like it when they are asked for proofs. Their attempts to screen themselves with scientific terms merely prove their narrowness of conception. Sometimes it is useful to come in touch with stagnation in order to perceive the entire extent of the obstacles to freedom of evolution. One need not be distressed at the existence of such branded consciousnesses. Each word which serves as a challenge to them will be a useful sowing. Let them even become abusive, nevertheless an agitation of matter will result. Brotherhood (1937) - 427:
427. In fact, the beauty of synthesis will remain throughout life. Each investigator who devotes himself to even the least detail in the structure of the Universe arrives at it through the principle of breadth, and not through narrowness. Thus, cognition will be all-embracing. Verily, where burns the fire of knowledge, there has been ordained a luminous future. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) :
Even if man accepts the truth that fundamentally there is only one energy, this alone will not be enough for progress - one must also learn to picture to oneself its innumerable qualities. Man's customary narrowness of thought limits his perception of the properties of this energy, and thus limits his understanding. Lofty thinking helps one avoid harmful limitation, but it is not easy to establish an appropriate level of beautiful and lofty thought amidst life's misfortunes, and very few are prepared to understand that it is life's difficulties themselves that can assist lofty thinking. Goal-fitness will help one's thinking when the properties of the fundamental energy appear to be contradictory. A blind man may be unable to perceive an event visible to others, but everyone can realize the Supermundane by learning to understand the many properties of the fundamental energy.
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