Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Catacism: Part 5

..............unconscious, raise his diffused spirituality, attention and his Surat to the third Til, and then to a higher region, access to which he has secured by the practice of Surat Shabd Yoga.. Nay, even before death, at the time of pain or any other time when he so desires, he can save himself from pain by withdrawing and raising his Surat to a higher plane, and experience great joy and happiness by tasting the current of ami-ras (amrit, nectar) coming from Brahmand or Dayal Desh or the Feet of Radhasoami Dayal.

Q. 34. When was Sant Mat promulgated ?
Ans. Formerly, the practices of Pranayam (breath exercise) and piercing the six centres or ganglia were in vogue; thereby wasting practically the whole of life time, but even then complete salvation was not achieved. Moreover, slight negligence in the matter of abstinence etc. would involve many a risk and difficulty. In Kali Yuga, Sants like Kabir Saheb and others discarded Pranayam and the practices of piercing the Chakras (ganglia of Pind). Their practices start from the eyes and Sahas-dal-kanwal. They have hinted about these practices in their writings. In the present times Radhasoami Dayal has, in His great mercy on Jivas, disclosed the secrets of the path and method of these practices openly and clearly. Q. 35. Who have been more well known Sants and Sadhs ?
Ans. They are Kabir Saheb, Guru Nanak Saheb, Paltu Saheb, Jagjivan Saheb, Dadu Saheb, Tulsi Saheb and in the end Param Sant (Supreme Sant) Radhasoami Dayal.

Q. 36. Why are Sants called Incarnations of Sat Purush ? How does the Supreme Being manifest His entire power, knowledge and wisdom in a tiny human frame ?
Ans. The Supreme Being is the reservoir and source of all knowledge, wisdom, goodness and virtue. These attributes are also present in the human entity, though in miniature. This is the reason why it is said in Sant Mat that the Supreme Being is like the Ocean and the Jiva is like a drop. All Jivas (human entities) are like that drop or wave, which has, issuing forth 'from the ocean, got mixed up with earth and stuck in mud and enveloped by them. But the Surat of a Sane is like a wave which rises at the time of tide and proceeds hundreds of miles through a river, and then returns to the ocean. Every such wave can, therefore, be called ocean. This wave takes along, to the ocean, on its return journey, all such waves as have mixed up with mud or earth or have been surrounded by them. In other words, the current of the Surat of a Sant is connected with the Holy Feet of the Supreme Being. When He descends into the body, He functions like an ordinary human being. But, when He reverts to Sat Lok, there is no difference between Him (Sant) and the Supreme Being.

Q. 37. Are the miracles and display of the extraordinary powers of previous Sants, as given in the books of their religion, correct ?
Ans. Their miraculous powers refer, in fact, to the elevation of their Surat (spirit) internally. They describe the regions they passed through in their spiritual practices or the scenes they viewed or other Surats (spirits) which they met. These are all correct. But it is wrong to take these things to have occurred outwardly.

Q. 38. Can Sants, in fact, show miracles and extraordinary powers outwardly or not ?
Ans. Although Sants are in every way powerful and competent, they always, or as far as possible, consider it advisable to avoid public notice and act in accordance with the Mauj (will, pleasure) of the Supreme Being. When, however, it is desirable and necessary, they do exhibit their powers or accomplish something extraordinary outwardly too. By going near fire, one feels heat. By going near a perfumer's shop one surely feels sweet fragrance. In the same way, by going before Sants, every seeker of the good of his soul will surely get peace and happiness, proportionate to his adhikar (fitness). This is because of the high seat of the Surat of Sants and their absorption in Bhajan or spiritual practices. True Parmarthis (devotees) always receive special grace in the enhancement of internal bliss and exaltation of their Surat (spirit) and mind. If these matters are termed extraordinary powers, then, such things do take place every day in the darbar (court) of Sants. These are real supernatural powers. Sincere Satsangis (devotees) always notice the grace of the Supreme Being in their affairs internally and externally. All these are really miracles and super-natural powers.

Q. 39. How to recognize the Sant Sat Guru ?
Ans. In the first place, Sant abides in Sat Lok. He alone can be called a Sant. He preaches and initiates in Surat Shabd Yoga and is Himself absorbed in Shabd. Secondly, when a loving and deserving seeker goes in His presence, his Surat (spirit) and mind spontaneously begin to withdraw inwards and rise up, and he experiences joy and happiness. Thirdly, the discourses of a Sant are very concise, deep and effective, and satisfy and convince a listener in proportion to his fitness. Fourthly, a Sant affords some recognition of His greatness to, and bestows some joy and happiness on, one who sincerely brings faith in Him, without argumentation and disputation. Fifthly, a Sant's mode of living accords with His teachings. Sixthly, a Sant watches over the welfare of His devotees.

Q. 40. What is the difference between Sant Mat and other religions of the world
Ans. All the other religions of the world deal with both Pravritti (worldly affairs) and Nirvritti (emancipation, liberation, redemption, salvation), with greater emphasis on the former. Sant Mat deals with Nirvritti only, that is to say, it imparts the secrets of the Supreme Being and sings His praises and explains how to reach His Holy Feet by performing the practices of Surat Shabd Yoga with love and devotion. Whereas the Vedas, Upnishads and other revealed books give only casual hints about the higher regions and the creations in them, Sants have described these matters in detail from their personal knowledge- The goal or the final and ultimate stage of Sants is much higher than that of other religions. As Sant Mat dwells only on the performance of internal practices by Surat and mind, there are no rites, observances and worship. For this reason, men of every religion, group or nationality, can join Sant Mat and attain true emancipation, without giving up outward customary practices of their religion. Sant Mat is a spiritual religion, that is to say, it chiefly dwells upon the emancipation of soul. The Rooh (soul) of all individuals is alike and every body stands in need of its salvation.

Q. 41. Does Sant Mat, like other religions, recognize the testimony and authority of old religious books ?
Ans. A seeker may, in the first instance, see for himself and observe intelligently the functions of his own body and the bodies of others, and come to the conclusion that the law of Nature is the same everywhere. He may then compare the teachings in Satsang with what is given in the books of true Sants and, Sadhs. Apart from this, there may be some accord with the principles of the religions promulgated by those who were practitioners of internal yoga and had gained access to some higher region. But there can be no accord between the goals of all the extant religions and the goal of Sant Mat, because the former stopped somewhere on the way, while Sants reached the highest region. But the principles of Sant Mat can have no affinity with the eclectic religions which are the products of human intellect and reason. Sants speak of the secrets of the internal path and regions and the spectacles thereof. These secrets are of universal application. The religions of the intellectuals refer to the outward circumstances and conditions of the world. In point of fact, they are ignorant of the essence of Surat (spirit) and other objects.. Sants, in their utterances and discourses, do not rely on any religious book or books of olden times and the statements of past personages, because faith based on them would be flimsy and unreliable. The outlook of such people is limited. They always rely on what others have said. This is called blind adherence, superstition and prejudice, which Sants do not approve. No benefit can accrue to Jivas from it. It causes harm to them.

Q. 42. What is Satsang and of how many kinds is it ?
Ans. Satsang is of two kinds, internal and external. To be in the company of the Supreme Being or the Shabd Guru by listening attentively to the Shabd by Surat and mind, is internal Satsang. To have darshan of Sant Sat Guru of the time, to listen to His discourses and to act upon them, or to attend such congregational service held under His order or permission, and to listen to the recitation and explanation of the Bani (compositions),,and to take part in other religious talks, is external Satsang. The Bani and discourses of Sants contain praises of the Supreme Being Radhasoami Dayal, and efficacy of Surat Shabd Yoga, explanation of the state of the mind and Surat of the practitioner, which goes on changing for the better from day to day, and description of love and faith in the Holy Feet of Sat Guru, and the evils of senses and how to remove them.

Q. 43. Who is a Satsangi ?
Ans. All those persons who have received initiation from Sant Sat Guru of the time and who are practising the Abhyas of Surat Shabd Yoga, whether Sadhus (recluses) or householders, male or female, are called Satsangis
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Q. 44. Is there any difference between the fitness of a recluse and a householder ?
Ans. In Sant Mat, outward renunciation is of no consequence. Nevertheless, the lesser the entangle­ment, the greater the opportunity for practising this Abhyas and attaining bliss. In this sense, a Sadhu (recluse) is better placed than a householder. But, real renunciation is mental. He, who has sincerely renounced the world is really great; he can understand Sant Mat well in a short time and reap full benefit. It is immaterial whether he is a householder or a recluse. If, however, one has no love for the Holy feet of the Supreme Being one gets nowhere by donning ochre coloured clothes or getting one's head clean shaved or leaving one's house, wife, children, etc. Such a recluse and householder belong to the same category. On the other hand in these times, Radhasoami Dayal does not require anybody to give up his house and occupation. What is necessary is that a man should possess true love. Such a person while leading a householder's life, can perform Bhajan (spiritual exercises) easily, and get great pleasure therefrom.

Q. 45. Is the adhikar (fitness) of man and woman equal ?
Ans. Men and women equally stand in need of working out the welfare and salvation of their souls. A woman is endowed usually with the same degree of intellect as a man. Sant Mat, being a religion of love and devotion, women often reap its benefit very quickly, because they are endowed with love and faith, by nature, in a greater degree than men. As man and woman join in all matters and according to shastras a woman is of equal status, so also in Sant Mat, man and woman are considered of equal fitness and status. Radhasoami Dayal now showers His grace on both men and women squarely, inasmuch as the same initiation is given to both. Some respected, good and virtuous ladies have attained a high status in Parmarth (spiritual regeneration).
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