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Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 3.1.7:
One of them received most explicit indications; the other most fragmentary ones only. Finally the latter addressed Akbar, saying: "Why have I not deserved explicit commands, when I brought so many victories?" Akbar replied: "Thy understanding restrained the flow of words. Let each moment saved by thee be commemorated with a most precious pearl." Leaves of Morya's Garden - Book 2 - Illumination (1925) - 3.2.11:
3.2.11. You already know about the two commanders of Akbar - let us add something about a third. This one asked: "Why are tardiness and prematurity equally condemned?" Akbar replied: "My friend, there are no equal values. Hence, if the prematurity embraces resourcefulness its merit is the greater, because tardiness is linked only with death. Prematurity is to be adjudged, but tardiness is already condemned." New Era Community (1926) - 156:
Here he, the lonely one, crossed, swam, flew through the prescribed spaces, and he already communicates and transmits his message. Who has received him? First, distrust - does the Community exist? Second - can the Community be active and take part in distant matters? Third - is not the appearance of the messenger and the need for the indicated action simply a coincidence? I recall that one such messenger, indignant at the mediocrity of the last remark, replied "You who talk about coincidence, do not forget that you yourselves are a coincidence of particles of matter. But if your coincidence has been unsuccessful, the laws of matter provide a reason for it." However, when monetary matters are turned to, and those dealing with the transmission of objects, thoughts begin to coincide propitiously. Facts and warnings are listened to attentively. The city dweller is not averse to squeezing out a useful information, even though it be from the Community. Thus, outside of a few co-workers, the messenger encounters about him an abyss of greed. Give money, give advice for the morrow, do away with the enemy - then vanish quickly and do not disturb our digestion with thoughts about world fellowship. Agni Yoga (1929) - 280:
280. Amidst his enemies' assaults, Akbar was asked why there were so many attacks. Akbar replied, "Let the enemies have something to do." Heart (1932) - 356:
356. It is related how a Yogi, in a moment of tension, lifted a vessel filled with water and broke it. When he was asked the reason for this destruction, he replied, "Otherwise, my heart would have burst." Such discharges exist in all conditions. The tension of the heart can become so great that it becomes necessary to perform some action in space in order to free the needed conditions from the densified sphere. Such condensation may occur externally from outside causes, but it may also occur from within, exactly as during cosmic disturbances. Hence, one should cautiously watch the dictates of the heart. It senses and reflects invisible processes to such an extent that in accordance with it one can write the entire history of the Invisible. A comparison between seismic causes and the cataclysms of the Subtle World is difficult, yet the heart also reacts to them. Heart (1932) - 587:
587. A hermit who understood the language of animals noticed that a small green snake began to coil about him during his prayers. This continued for many days. Finally he asked the snake, "What is the meaning of your strange behavior?" The snake answered, "Rishi, your concentration is strange if during your prayer you were aware of all my motions!" The hermit thereupon replied, "Cunning worm, do not judge by yourself. First occurs the earthly concentration, then the subtle and then the fiery when the heart contains the heavenly and earthly." Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 353:
353. A certain Guru remained out of sight in his cave. And when his disciples asked him to show himself, he replied, "Foolish ones - is it not for your sake that I have hidden myself? For I do not wish to cause discord among you by my appearance. But when you accept me as one who does not exist, perhaps your own fires will burn the more intensely." Even through such means does the Guru show concern about the kindling of the fires so that the heart may be aflame! Fiery World - Book 1 (1933) - 581:
581. A mother told her son about a great saint, "Even the grain of sand beneath his foot becomes great." It came to pass that this saint passed through the village. The boy followed his footsteps, took up a pinch of dust therefrom, sewed it in a bag and wore it around his neck. And as he recited his lessons in school, he always held this relic in his hand. The boy was filled thereby with such inspiration that his answers were always remarkable. One day when leaving the school his teacher praised him and asked what he always held in his hand. The boy replied, "Earth from beneath the feet of the saint who passed through our village." The teacher commented, "This hallowed earth serves you better than gold." A neighboring shopkeeper, hearing this, said to himself, "What a stupid boy to take only a pinch of this golden earth! I will await the passing of the holy man and collect all the earth from where he trod. Thus I can obtain the most profitable merchandise." And the shopkeeper waited in vain for the coming of the saint. But he never came. Greed is not akin to the Fiery World. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 6:
6. Let us recall the myth about the "Origin of Lightning." The Mother of the World said to the Creator, "When the Earth will be covered with dark veils of malice, how will the salutary drops of Bliss penetrate?" And the Creator answered, "Torrents of Fire may be gathered which can pierce the thickest layer of darkness." The Mother of the World said, "Verily, the sparks of Fire of Thy Spirit can give salvation, but who will collect and guard them for use when needed?" The Creator replied, "Trees and herbs will preserve My sparks, but when the leaves fall off, then let the deodar and its sisters preserve throughout the year their accumulations of Fire." Thus in various myths there has been reflected the link with the Higher World. Everywhere there has been stressed solicitude about humanity and all creatures. Likewise did the ancient priests carefully watch over the correct distribution of the creative Fire. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 193:
193. You already know sufficiently about the temperance of certain characters. What is to be done when moderateness has crept into the broadest circles? Those who are seemingly the champions of good give themselves up spiritually to moderation. One can see that the dark ones do not often suffer from this defect. There is a story about a devil encountering and Angel. The Angel said, "Thy servants are bitter." But the devil replied, "Mine are bitter, Thine are sour; we both must look for sweet ones." And the Angel was crestfallen for He could not prove that they had not turned sour. Thus was it observed long ago by people. Fiery World - Book 2 (1934) - 313:
313. Once a Teacher was summoned by the king for wise discourse. The Teacher gazed fixedly at the ruler and began to speak about the beauty of his crown, about the brilliance of natural color of the stones, about the lofty symbol contained in the golden circlet, comparing it to a magnet of attraction. To the astonishment of the disciples accompanying him, and to the gratification of the ruler, the conversation was limited to a talk about the significance of the crown. Afterwards the disciples asked the Teacher why he had not spoken to the king about the Universal Principle. The Teacher replied - understanding of the level of consciousness must be the measuring rod. Had I spoken about the Universal Principle, the king would at best have become bored, and at worst would have been cast into the depths of despair. Either one would have been harmful. But it could be observed that to the king his crown was a most precious treasure, therefore it was useful to exalt it and to remind him about the significance of the Crown of the World. Constantly have in mind the best that your listener has. Even if this be a most ordinary object, nevertheless it is necessary to find its utmost significance. Only thus you are made attractive and can open the path for the future. Incompetent and even criminal is the instructor who does not speak according to the consciousness of his listener. Let us remember this parable especially when we attempt to speak of the Fiery World. Any provoked defamation of the Higher Principle molds a heavy karma. AUM (1936) - 448:
The Teacher replied, "I asked him how he constructed a sound bow and how he hit his target. It is always appropriate to discuss strength, marksmanship, ability." AUM (1936) - 583:
583. A disciple importuned his Teacher with irritation, saying, "I read the Teaching at length, but for all that, I do not know how to begin." The Teacher replied, "It is evident that you must first of all free yourself from irritation. This most prevents you from seeing the path." Brotherhood (1937) - 57:
57. The true family is the prototype of communal life. It can personify cooperation and Hierarchy and all the conditions of Brotherhood. But such families are extremely rare, and therefore it is impossible to say to everyone that the family is the symbol of Brotherhood. It might be replied, "Is not the family a symbol of hostility?" So much have people become accustomed not to respect the home. Therefore, as to the question of upbringing, let us pay special attention to the life in the home. It is impossible to think about building the state without building the home. Brotherhood (1937) - 101:
101. A groom expressed to his master a desire to breed a particular strain of horses. The master replied, "Your plan is excellent, but first put the stable in order." A writer is highly appreciative when his thoughts bring benefit and are not read lightly and fleetingly. Many examples may be cited from different domains to remind one about service, which is orderly in essence. That same orderliness must be applied when the thought about Brotherhood is being molded. Brotherhood (1937) - 280:
280. Disciples noticed that the Teacher often retired to the bank of a stream and gazed intently at the running waves. They asked, "Do the waves actually help pranayama?" The Teacher replied, "You have guessed rightly, because the rhythm of waves is a marvelous alternation which occurs only in nature. In this multiformity there is an amazing unity." Thus, pay attention to all movements occurring in nature. Brotherhood (1937) - 382:
382. A hermit dwelling by a mountain stream was asked, "Does not the noise of the waterfall disturb you?" He replied, "On the contrary, it helps my hearing. Moreover, the stream reminds me of two concepts - consonance and continuity. I recall how people transgress their own paths. This variation in thoughts has the stream given me." Brotherhood (1937) - 432:
432. A certain settler built his house at the foot of a volcano. When he was asked why he exposed himself to such peril, he replied, "The difference is merely that I know about my danger, but you do not know what surrounds you." Great equilibrium must be found between tranquillity and the realization of danger. It is inadvisable to surround oneself with terrors, but neither is carelessness the solution. Brotherhood (1937) - 491:
491. The Teacher bent his head over a cistern and asked the disciple, "What do you see?" The latter replied, "I see thy clear reflection." Then the Teacher directed, "Stir the surface with the little finger - what do you see?" "I see thy features distorted." "Think, if the touch of your little finger so altered my features seen in the water, what distortions will take place in the midst of subtle energies at a coarse contact?" In the smallest examples one can see what is also taking place in the Subtle World. Supermundane - The Inner Life - Book 1 (1938) - 192:
The disciples asked, "What shall we do if no one will accept the truth?" The Thinker replied, "Remember that you have legs! Your oppressors will drive you away and you will then have an opportunity to speak the words of truth elsewhere. Thanks to the persecutors, the Truth will be proclaimed in many places."
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