Notebooks of Paul Brunton > Category 1: Overview of the Quest > Chapter 3: Inepenent Path

Inepenent Path
General description
1
What am I? is su!h an an!ient an perennial "uestion only be!ause it has to be answere
by ea!h iniviual for hi#self$ If he fins the true answer% he will fin also that he
!annot really transfer it to another person but only its iea% its #ental shaow$ &hat too
#ay be valuable to others% but it is not the sa#e$
'
(urely the hu#an ra!e has by this ti#e% by this late !entury in history foun the truth)
*hy% then% oes the #an who wants it have to #ake his own personal sear!h all over
again) It is be!ause he #ust know it for hi#self within hi#self$
3
It was +a#ana ,aharshi of -runa!hala who sai% ./ou yourself are your own guru$ Be
that$.
0
1e who seeks the truth about these #atters will is!over that it is !ontrary to !urrent
opinion% an therefore he will have to is!over it by hi#self an for hi#self$
2
1e shoul verify the truth not by referen!e to book or bible but by referen!e to his own
private e3perien!e$
4
&here is no roo# in this s!hool for those who are reay to ispose of life5s proble#s
with se!onhan 6uge#ent$ &he nee of iniviual thinking is vital here$
7
1u#anity will not be save in groups or by organi8ations$ It will be save iniviual by
iniviual$
9
&he Quest begins with% an ens in% hi#self$
:
Being true to oneself brings happiness$ Being inifferent to the !riti!is#s of those who
#isunerstan brings freeo# fro# an3iety on their a!!ount$ *alking the streets in a
spirit of inepenen!e% enables us to walk as a #illionaire; <et others sa!rifi!e
the#selves to snobbery% if they will= let us be free$ Only when the feet rest !an we bring
the #in to rest>>unless we are -ttaine Ones;
1?
*e !an be evout an ignifie but we nee not therefore be ull$ I o not eny that the
rift of several #ove#ents whi!h are in the worl5s eye toay% is towar this iea of
greater spirituality$ But whereas they are !onfine in their sear!h by atta!h#ent to a set
!ree% or a parti!ular philosophy% or even so#e one person% we propose to pursue an
absolutely inepenent "uest>>one li#ite in its with by no "ualifi!ations or
!onitions$
11
&he iniviual nee to es!ape fro# rigi for#alis# into intelle!tual freeo# !o#es
only to a #inority$ But it is fro# this #inority that the real truth>seekers e#erge$
1'
&aking no theoreti!al position% not !o##itte to any beliefs% not wearing any labels% not
putting hi#self in any !ategories% the philosophi!al stuent starts his sear!h for truth in
intelle!tual freeo# an ens it in personal inner freeo#$ 1e is then what he is$
13
&he inepenent self>reliant attitue of (aint Paul set an e3a#ple whi!h% ha it been
followe by su!!eeing generations% #ight have !hange the history of his religion$ 1e
refuse #oney gifts an followe his !raft of tent>#aking throughout his wie travels$
10
&o be!o#e a follower of this "uest there is no #aster or organi8ation whose per#ission
he #ust ask: he is free to o so 6ust so far as his aspiration an !apa!ity per#it hi# to$
12
*ithout #aking any fuss an avoiing unne!essary fri!tion% he #ay pursue his
inepenent path an !hoose his own goals$
14
If a #an !annot fin in so!iety or surrounings the stanars whi!h suit his !hara!ter%
then he #ust fin his own$ It is this that #akes hi# a "uester$
17
- #an #ust stay in his own orbit an take his ire!tives fro# within$ If through fear of
loneliness% inti#iation% or suggestion% he 6oins the #ar!hing groups of his ti#e% he will
not rea!h his best$
19
Christianity% as it has be!o#e in its organi8e an institutionali8e state% presents the
goo !iti8en as its #oel$ &aois#% as it originally was% presente "uite the opposite
non!onfor#ing !iti8en as its own #oel$ (o long as so!iety is itself ignorant of where it
is going wrong in its appraisal of the nature of #an an #es#eri8e by institutional
prestige while negle!tful of inner light% so long ought its e#an for !onfor#ity to be
treate with !ol reserve% asserte the &aoist sages$
1:
(o long as so #any #en live in error or !o#pro#ise with wrong% #erely be!ause both
have been establishe by traition or !usto#% so long #ust a few a#ong the# o the
greater an nobler thing by following a bol non!onfor#ity$
'?
1as he refuse to sub#it to his own ego only to sub#it to so!iety5s) (hall he !onfor# to
the worl an its ways out of fear of the worl5s opinion of hi#) Is he to have !ourage
enough to re6e!t his neighbour5s religious ieas but not to resist his neighbour5s foolish
habits)
'1
&he average% the .nor#al%. is not to be taken as the true stanar$
''
1e #ust walk at his own pa!e% not so!iety5s hasty trot$ 1e #ust !hoose his own roa%
not the #ost troen one$ &he way of life whi!h his neighbours follow oes not suit
hi#% so he #ust alter it$ 1e hols the esire to fashion hi#self !reatively into so#ething
better than he is at present% so#ething nobler% wiser% an #ore per!eptive$ But they hol
no su!h esire% are !ontent with stati! e3isten!e$
'3
1e #ust be willing an even eter#ine to think an feel ifferently fro# those aroun
hi#$ 1ow !an it be otherwise when his goal is ifferent fro# theirs% too)
'0
(o far as !onfor#ity !onnotes pretense an insin!erity an ti#i blin i#itation% he is
not one to favour it= but so far as it !onnotes e!en!y in behaviour% !onsieration for
others% an e3perien!e>teste proven stanars% he is for it$
'2
(o far as a !onvention is reasonable an helpful% he will respe!t it% but when it be!o#es
a hollow for#ality or stuffy po#posity% he will not$
'4
1e #ust a!!ept the fa!t that he is not% an oes not want to be% like the #a6ority of
people$
'7
&he superior person always has a !hoi!e fa!ing hi#: is he to live in the way others live
in orer to please the# or is he to live in the way his own stanars !all for) If he lets
the# pull hi# own he loses what has taken hi# #any% #any years to evelop$
(o#ewhere at so#e point he #ust take his stan% #ust plant his feet an refuse to buge
any farther$
'9
&he ieal worl will be one in whi!h the seeker !an live without be!o#ing worlly%
where he !an fulfil his so!ial obligations without be!o#ing a slave to so!ial
!onventions$
':
&he philosopher5s brave efian!e of stuffy her thought has a positive spirit behin it
an not a negative one$
3?
*hen a #an falls away fro# the false stanars set by #aterialis#% he falls into !onfli!t
with the !rippling !onventions of his ti#e$
31
*hatever pe!uliarity he #ay have shown in the past he nee not look like that toay%
nee not wear bi8arre ress or assu#e theatri!al postures$ 1is ress #ay be orinary
an in!onspi!uous% his behaviour nor#al% his e#eanour si#ple$ But one thing he #ay
o an that is !ultivate so#e iniviuality in his attitue towar life$
3'
,ost #en live as prisoners of ieas whi!h are not even their own but whi!h have been
suggeste to the# by other #en$ Inepenent thinking is rare$
33
Cons!iously or unwittingly% #ost of us are suggestible$ *e a!!ept the thoughts whi!h
other persons want to put into our heas$ -n we o so to su!h an e3tent that we live
vi!ariously: we o not really live our own lives$ &his is "uite fitting an proper to the
!hilhoo an aoles!ent years% but how !an it be worthy of the ault ones)
30
*here is the #an who has his own self% an not one #ae for hi# by others) 1ereity
an environ#ent% so!iety an suggestion% !onvention an eu!ation heavily !ontribute
to for#ing an .I. that is not his own .I%. to #aking a pseuo>iniviual that is not
hi#self but passes for it$
32
-s he goes eeper an eeper into hi#self% his private a!ts be!o#e #ore an #ore
inepenent of other people5s suggestions an resistant to their influen!e$
34
&he longer I live the #ore I a# i#presse% to the point even of awe% by the tre#enous
power of suggestion on the hu#an #in$ *here is the person who is able to !ultivate
his own intelligen!e without being !onitione by ieas an e3a#ples put into it by his
environ#ent or by his reaing% by his religion or his fa#ily% by his so!ial traition% or by
the personal fears an esires !onne!te with others) It is others% whether of the long>
ea past or of the living present who partly or wholly i#prison hi# in their thoughts
an i#aginations% their !onfli!ts$
37
-n inner life not entirely ire!te by or epenent on another person is an ault one$ No
one is su!h who has to seek another5s approval of his a!tions or shrinks fro#
isapproval of the#$
39
*e o not have to a!!ept all the burens whi!h others try to put upon our shoulers$ *e
are free to !hoose an to be sure that we are not #erely surrenering our own ego to the
other person5s$
3:
Of what use is it to ask or a!!ept the opinions of those who are ine3pert in this sub6e!t
be!ause they have yet to stuy it thoroughly)
0?
- truth whi!h is born out of personal knowlege% or ha##ere out of personal
e3perien!e% has #ore value for a #an than other people5s hearsay$
01
*hatever for# his outer life #ay have to take uner the pressure of estiny% he will
keep his inner life inviolate$
0'
1e #akes his own worl>view rather than inherits it with his boy% that is% he thinks for
hi#self% without inherite bias an pre6ui!e$
03
It is the iniviual who refuses to be !ast in a #ol who brings inspiration% inner !onta!t
with the ivine% not the institution$
00
&here are a few who rise above the !row to this level by their own self>ennoble#ent
an self>interiori8ation$
02
&he philosopher is not is!ourage be!ause the nu#ber of those who aopt
philosophi!al ieas is so s#all$ 1e is not seeking the su!!ess of a #ove#ent% group%
progra#% or se!t$ @ven if he were the only #an who hel these ieas he woul still not
be is!ourage$ Aor he knows that he has not been put in the worl to refor# it but to
refor# hi#self$
04
It is not ne!essarily an unstable #in whi!h pushes hi# fro# guru to guru% or fro#
belief to belief% or fro# group to group$ It #ay be that he is really seeking the one &ruth
an has not by his own stanars foun it in any of these yet$B
07
It is so#eti#es benefi!ial to throw away the #anuals of spirituality% the te3tbooks of
holiness;
09
&he seeker #ust be istin!tive an not a!!ept !onventional views or orthoo3 religious
notions$ 1e #ust 6uge all proble#s fro# the philosophi! stanpoint for he shoul not
believe any other will yiel true !on!lusions$ &his stanpoint has the e#inent
perspe!tive whi!h alone !an affor a true esti#ate of what is involve in these
proble#s$
0:
*e turn away fro# a tea!hing whi!h oes not satisfy our in#ost spirit% whi!h leaves our
eepest thirst unslake$
2?
In this #atter our wisest !ourse is to follow the s!ientist5s e3a#ple an test the truth of
these theories% either by ourselves !arrying out e3peri#ents or by observing the
e3perien!es of other people$
21
One #ay !o#plain about a sense of epression whi!h !o#es to his #in after #eeting
with !ertain people$ 1e shoul reu!e su!h #eetings to the least nu#ber possible% an
where it is ne!essary to eal with the#% to o so by !orresponen!e as #u!h as he !an$
It oes not #atter that su!h people #ay have spiritual interests an #ay also be on the
Quest$ &he Quest is an iniviual #atter= it is not a group Quest$ One fins Co by
oneself% alone in the priva!y of his heart an life% not with the help of a group nor in
publi! asso!iations$
2'
Be yourself% your own ivine self$ *hy play a part) *hy be an e!ho) *hy follow the
worl in its pursuit of the trivial% the stupi% the pain>bringing)>
23
1e shoul not per#it hi#self to be re>entangle by others in past !onta!ts whi!h have
outserve their purpose an whi!h now will only keep hi# own$
20
&his freeo# to sear!h for an fin truth as well as to sele!t one5s own path of approa!h
towar it% is a pre!ious prerogative$
22
1e refuses to a!!ept a label= he feels hi#self to be outsie all the !o##on !ategories$
24
&he ivergen!e of opinion a#ong leaing iniviuals on every sub6e!t is e3traorinary
an e#phasi8es on!e again the ne!essity of thinking for oneself$
27
+e#e#ber that !usto# an habit are the great tyrants who enslave the #ass of #ankin$
+eal freeo# is possible only when one is true to one5s own self$ Do not per#it yourself
to be hypnoti8e by the !o##on inifferen!e to these high #atters% but be loyal to the
pro#ptings of the spirit$
29
*ith this e!ree he runs up his personal e!laration of inepenen!e$ No s!hool !an
hol hi#$ 1is loyalty is hen!eforth given to global thought$ Nor is this all$
2:
&he #ysti! life epens on no institution% no traition% no se!tarianis#$ It is an
inepenent an iniviual e3isten!e$
4?
*ithout falling into the va!uity of s!epti!is#% the intelligent an inepenent seeker
shuns og#ati! se!tarian intelle!tual or e#otional positions$ But his openness of #in%
his se#i>eta!he stan% o not prevent his for#ing favourable appre!iations or
a!!o##oating unflattering i#pressions$
41
It is only as he gets release fro# all the self>pi!ture% self>#ae% #u!h>li#ite
i#aginations provie for hi# by ignorant but well>#eaning #en that he !an begin to
let in the gra!e>bestowe new unerstaning of the Overself$
4'
-s a #an walks through life keeping a se!ret loyalty to his inner spiritual self% he is
likely to #ake a few friens a#ong those who are keen>sighte enough to per!eive this
loyalty% an a few ene#ies a#ong others who #is!onstrue his a!tions an
#isunerstan his #otives$ -n be!ause he fir#ly believes in !o#plete pay#ent for all
ees by the 1igher Powers set over #ankin% he will re#ain inifferent without
resent#ent an without hatre to the latter% while silently returning a benign love to his
friens$
43
,ysti!is# is not !on!erne with those who epen on traitional for#s of worship an
!urrent religious !rees for the satisfa!tion of all their inner nees$ It is not for the# an
!oul o nothing for the#$ But those to who# su!h epenen!e is #erely in!iental or
#ostly provisional #ay fin further nutri#ent in #ysti!al tea!hings an pra!ti!es$
40
(piritual prie !an take ifferent for#s$ One of the# is a stuie intelle!tual
inepenen!e% a refusal to be !o##itte% the #aintenan!e of a so>!alle open #in
whi!h never !o#es to a e!ision$ -ny goo thing overone be!o#es a ba thing an
although inepenent 6uge#ent an thinking for oneself is ne!essary% if pushe to an
e3tre#e it #erges into #ere prie>>egoisti! prie$
42
<et others follow whatever path attra!ts the#% but o not let the# i#pose their path
upon you if you o not feel any affinity with it$
44
&he person% young or ol% who has his #in set on higher things than pleasures of the
#o#ent an is willing to sa!rifi!e a frag#ent of ti#e% attention% an interest to su!h
stuies an su!h #eitations% will fin his refusal to !onfor# to other people5s ways is
repai in inner growth on the "uest$
47
-ttain#ent of san!tity #ust not be bought at the pri!e of relin"uish#ent of sanity$
49
No longer is he willing to a!!ee to the worl5s e#an for his loyalty% for his
!onfor#ity% for his surrener$ 1e is re!overing his own iniviual ientity an is
eter#ine to keep it$
4:
&he +eal (elf wells above ti#e an spa!e% #atter an for#% inviolable in its perfe!t
liberty$ If that be the goal an ieal state% he #ust sooner or later #ake a beginning to
!o#e into !loser relations to it an to grow by the raian!e of its <ight$ &herefore he
oes no wrong in staning aloof fro# the !onfine#ents of is!ipleship to one parti!ular
#an% an the restri!tions of #e#bership in one organi8e group$
7?
If #en woul learn to a!!ept the authority of the Eoi!e of Inspiration whenever an
wherever it spoke to the#% they woul not nee to !ra#p an !onfine the#selves within
the narrowing walls of any se!t or se!tion% any !ult or organi8ation$
71
It is to the Overself that he #ust give his ulti#ate allegian!e$
7'
If his #in is fille with other people5s tea!hings% it #ay give no attention to his own
Overself5s tea!hings% leaings% an intuitions$
73
&here is a tea!hing prin!iple in every #an whi!h !an provie hi# with whatever
spiritual knowlege he nees$ But he #ust first take suitable #easures to evoke it$ &hese
in!lue !leansing of boy an #in% aspiration of feeling an thought% silen!ing of
intelle!t an ego$
70
-s an e3pression of the ivine life>power% he is uni"ue$ In the en% he will always have
to take his guian!e fro# within% that is to say% ire!t fro# that life>power whi!h has
#ae hi# what he is$
72
&he inepenent seeker% un!o##itte to any !ult% #ay be a sheep without a fol but he
is not ne!essarily without a shepher$ &he inner voi!e !an guie an !are for hi# no
less than a #an in the flesh$
74
&hose bewilere by the o!trinal ifferen!es between the establishe or traitional
!rees% theologies% liturgies% an !usto#s% yet still seeking so#e #ental satisfa!tion%
fining si#ilar ifferen!es between the religious heresies% the non>establishe or
#oern !ults% have a way out of their proble#$ &his is to apply the#selves to ire!t
personal pra!ti!es whi!h !an give the# their own e3perien!e% their own tea!hing% fro#
within$ &hese stanar pra!ti!es in!lue self>purifi!ation an #eitation$ Aor this inner
work they o not have to 6oin any group or organi8ation% o not have to sear!h for%
follow% or !ling to any guie$ &he go within the# be!o#es% with faith% patien!e%
persisten!e% an pra!ti!e% the light on their path$
77
If he fins the sa#e tenet in ten ifferent religious !rees or #etaphysi!al !oes he is
gla to get their repeate !onfir#ation$ But in the en he #ust get it for hi#self fro#
within his own self>>the Overself$ It is the fir#est base of life$
79
-lthough it is "uite true that ea!h "uester #ust travel the path for hi#self% #ust #ove
on his own two feet% this oes not #ean that he is travelling !o#pletely alone% or on his
own$ If he has no personal guie to a!!o#pany hi#% the 1igher (elf is still there% within
hi#% pulling% rawing% leaing% or pointing% if only he !an learn how to re!ogni8e it$
7:
1e wants to be faithful to .the Clowing <ight. within% as it has been !alle by Aar
@astern #ysti!s% not sub6e!te to or obstru!te by an outsie authoritarianis#$
9?
If the Infinite Power is everywhere present% it !an surely #ake itself known to its arent
seeker in any pla!e% even though that pla!e be bereft of #asters$
91
1e is original in the true sense of the wor: he oes not have to !opy others% only to
e3press his own iniviuality% #ostly his higher iniviuality$ 1e takes !are to re#ain
what he is or in (hakespeare5s wors to be true to hi#self% his higher self$
9'
Insofar as he lets his happiness epen on another person an loses his inepenen!e%
he be!o#es weakene$ @ven if the other gives hi# knowlege or love or support% he
shoul still not !ease to look within as eeply as he !an for the iylli! Pea!e$
93
In the end a #an #ust !o#e to hi#self% his iviner self% his essential being$ -n where
shall he look for it if not there where Fesus pointe% within) >>not outsie% not to so#e
other #an% however high his repute as guru% not to so#e book% however sa!rosan!t its
s!riptural authority$ Both #an an book must% if loyal to the highest% also ire!t hi#
inwar$
90
&he Gingo# is within you% not so#ewhere else% not in an ashra#% not even at the feet
of a guru: Fesus5 e!laration is literally a!!urate$
92
&he writer suggests that the iniviual seeker shoul take his own soul>>his higher self>>
as his guie$ By prayer an #eitation% he #ay attain gli#pses of it o!!asionally an
re!eive the neee guian!e$ &his is safer than tying hi#self to any institution or a so>
!alle #aster$ If he !an put as #u!h faith in the e3isten!e an power of his soul as #ost
seekers put into their blin following of these #asters% his efforts shoul prove
suffi!iently effe!tive$ HIn this !onne!tion% the reaer shoul rea the last two pages of
the first se!tion of Chapter 12 in #y book% The Wisdom of the Overself$I
94
Fust as @#erson returne isappointe fro# his @uropean sear!h for a #aster% so Ceorge
Ao3 returne fro# his British sear!h$ But 6ust as @#erson !a#e to unerstan that he
woul have therefore to fin a higher self>relian!e% so i Ao3$ .&hen the <or i let
#e see why there was none upon the earth that !oul speak to #y !onition% na#ely%
that I #ight give 1i# all the glory%. he wrote in his iary$
97
*e regar +alph *alo @#erson as the perfe!t e3a#ple of spiritual inepenen!e$ 1e
see#s beholen to no #an an raws all his light fro# within$ 1ow i he arrive at this
!onition) Aor in his early thirties% he wrote to his -unt ,ary% .- tea!her $ $ $ when will
Co sen #e one full of truth an of bounless benevolen!e). &his "uestion was
written soon after he !a#e to @urope$ &here were four literary heroes a!ross the -tlanti!
a#ong who# he hope to fin his tea!her$ &hey were Carlyle% <anor% Colerige% an
*orsworth$ But when he #et the# in the flesh% <anor severely isappointe hi#$ &he
Colerige visit was .of no use beyon the satisfa!tion of #y !uriosity$. @#erson5s
interview with *orsworth was #ore su!!essful but still so fruitless that he was gla to
en it$ &he first glan!e at Carlyle #ae hi# believe that his sear!h for a tea!her was
over% that here was his #an$ &he a!tuality was that he foun a lifelong frien% even a
fellow>pilgri# an seeker$ But he i not be!o#e a pupil$ 1e ha gone in sear!h of a
#aster$ 1e faile to fin one$ Inee he tells his aunt as #u!h% that he seeks a #an who
is wise an true but that he never gets use to #en$ .&hey always awaken e3pe!tations
in #e whi!h they always isappoint$. 1e left @urope% writing in his 6ournal on
shipboar the #elan!holy after>refle!tion% .I shall 6uge #ore 6ustly% less ti#ily% of
wise #en forever#ore$. -n it was there% in his little !abin% that he re!eive the
illu#ination whi!h he !oul not fin in @urope$ 1e nee look outsie hi#self no #ore$
Out of his illu#ination% whilst still afloat on the o!ean% he wrote own su!h senten!es as
these: .- #an !ontains all that is neeful within hi#self$. .Nothing !an be given to hi#
or taken away fro# hi# but always there is a !o#pensation$. .&he purpose of life
see#s to be to a!"uaint a #an with hi#self$.
99
1is attra!tion towar this or that tea!her #ay weaken an ie but his attra!tion to the
Inspirer of all tea!hers% the Overself% will keep on growing stronger in hi#$
9:
1e alone #ust answer this "uestion% an he !an best answer it by listening for an
obeying that eep inner feeling whi!h is !alle intuition$
:?
&he rarity of !o#petent tea!hers in the worl% an espe!ially in the *estern worl%
for!es seekers to pra!tise self>relian!e an !ultivate inepenen!e% unless they are
willing to a!!ept substitutes for !o#peten!e or 6oin organi8ations #aking
unsubstantiate !lai#s$ &he Overself will not negle!t eter#ine seekers an through
!ir!u#stan!es% events% books% or otherwise gives the# the parti!ular guian!e or
instru!tion neee at a parti!ular ti#e$
:1
&he aspirant of toay who is thoroughly is!ri#inating will generally fail to fin the
support of a !o#petent tea!her$ Jsually he will have to epen on the inner (elf alone$
:'
1e nee not a!!ept any hu#an leaership if he will listen to the voi!e of the (ilen!e an
a!!ept its invisible leaership$
:3
*hat he learns fro# outsie hi#self% fro# tea!her or traition% will never lea to his
true fulfil#ent until he 6oins it with what he learns in the stillness fro# insie hi#self$
:0
People tie the#selves to so#e one #an% living or ea% an worship hi#$ /et he is
outsie the#selves% an the ivine is within the#selves$ &hey !onte#plate his for#%
surrener to his personality% refuse to look within$ -s long as they o this% so long oes
the Cons!iousness elue the#$
:2
*hen a #an re!ogni8es that all he really nees !o#es to hi# fro# the higher self% an
not fro# other #en% an in the #easure that he uses his own efforts to !o#plete his
evelop#ent an so !o#e !loser in !ons!iousness to that self% in that #easure will he
gain what he nees$
:4
Books however sa!re% !ere#onies however i#pressive% le!tures however learne% even
,asters however wise are still only outer helps an as su!h #ust in the en be
is!are$
:7
Despite all the high iealisti! talk of oneness% brotherhoo an egolessness% ea!h of us is
still an iniviual% still has to well in a boy of his own% to use a #in of his own an
e3perien!e feelings of his own$ &o forget this is to pra!tise self>e!eption$ @a!h will
!o#e to Co in the en but he will !o#e as a purifie transfor#e an utterly !hange
person% live in an use by Co as he hi#self will live in an be !ons!ious of the
presen!e of Co$
:9
1is inner self has the !apa!ity of #aking its own revelations to hi#$ &hese got% he will
fin hi#self in!reasingly inepenent of those whi!h !o#e fro# outsie% fro# the
hearsay of other #en or the writings of og#ati! traitions$
::
*hat a nu#ber of #en an wo#en !an no longer get fro# !hur!h or te#ple% they #ust
get fro# their own selves through #ysti!is#$
1??
1e nees to reali8e that his greatest power will !o#e to hi# through his own Overself
an not through any other sour!e% su!h as the overshaowing by spirits% an so on$
&hrough this eventual reali8ation% he will attain to greater progress an rener #u!h
eeper servi!e$ &hus he will fulfil his own highest estiny$
1?1
<et hi# stan in his own pla!e% an not seek to o!!upy that of another$ <et hi# fin a
life that is real% an not !opie$ But su!h a#onitions are goo only so far as he has
alreay !o#e into !o##union with the Overself$
1?'
Jlti#ately% there is only one real ,aster for every spiritual seeker% an that is his own
ivine Overself$ &he hu#an tea!her #ay assist hi# to the e3tent of giving hi# a
te#porary e#otional uplift or a te#porary intelle!tual per!eption% but he !annot bestow
permanent ivine !ons!iousness on another iniviual$ -ll that the tea!her !an o is to
point out the way through the labyrinth= the 6ourney #ust be #ae by the seeker
hi#self$ Aor e3a#ple% an iniviual living alone on a esert islan !oul travel through
all the stages of the Quest an attain the highest reali8ation even though he ha no
visible tea!her$ &he Overself will give hi# all the guian!e an help he nees$ 1owever%
he is likely to #istakenly believe that his own ego is #aking the progress$
1?3
-ll that he nees for the #anage#ent of life !an be ha fro# within$
1?0
If a #an is to re#ain forever the #ere appenage of another #an% if his #in is to e!ho
ba!k only that other #an5s iea% the "uestion arises: *hen will he !o#e to hi#self% his
Atma) Aor is this not the final purpose of our life here) 1e who has rea!he this stage
when he #ust !ease being the shaow of others% will not fall into prou e!eptive self>
assertion if he hu#bly yiels an follows the inner voi!e$
1?2
-ll efforts that take hi# outsie of hi#self are only halting an te#porary !on!essions
to hu#an weakness$ &he soul being insie of hi#self% he #ust in the en turn within$
Take truth where you find it
1?4
*el!o#e the truth on whatever hori8on it appears% look for it in all four ire!tions% an
o not leave any of the# unvisite$ In short% o not be!o#e narrow>#ine or fanati!al$
1?7
<et hi# not be inti#iate by history an believe that truth has appeare only in the
past% or by geography an look for it only in an Oriental lo!ation$
1?9
In whatever pla!e you fin truth% with whatever na#e it #ay be labelle% take it$
1?:
In his eneavours after a better life% he shoul wel!o#e the help that !oul !o#e to hi#
fro# every right sour!e$
11?
1e shoul always be re!eptive to ieas an pra!ti!es whi!h #ight enri!h those he
alreay knows$
111
No single path will lea of itself to the full truth$
11'
&here is no one group whi!h has !apture the #onopoly of truth% for its re!ognition is a
universal e3perien!e$ <et us refuse to listen to those who insist upon our travelling one
way an one way alone$
113
&ruth is not !onfine to any se!t but frag#ents of it #ay be foun s!attere here an
there$
110
*e #ay learn fro# everything an everyone% fro# every event an happening
so#ething that is new or a !onfir#ation of so#ething that is ol% so#ething affir#ative
or so#ething negative$
112
*hen a tea!her of a tea!hing% a book% or a #ysti!al e3er!ise is itself being use as the
inire!t e3pression of the Overself5s own #ove#ent to she gra!e% then it is sheer
blinness to enoun!e it as useless$
114
*hy li#it the help you are willing to re!eive to a single "uarter) -ll #en are your
tea!hers$ &ruth% being infinite% has an infinite nu#ber of aspe!ts$ @a!h spiritual guie is
in!line to e#phasi8e so#e only an to negle!t the others$
117
Inspiration has #anifeste itself in #any lans an in ifferent for#s% through wiely
spa!e !enturies an various kins of !hannels$ *hy li#it !ulture to one !ontribution%
one lan% one for#% one !entury% an one !hannel alone) &his applies not only to
intelle!tual an artisti! !ulture% but also to its religious aspe!t$ *e #ay go even farther
in this #atter an apply the sa#e iea to personal gurus$ ,ust we always be #oore to
a single guru) Cannot we respe!t% appre!iate% honour% venerate an re!eive light fro#
other ones in aition)
119
During his @gyptian stuies Pythagoras visite every #an !elebrate for wiso#% so
eager was he to learn$ 1e i not follow the Inian !usto# of sitting own only at one
#an5s feet$
11:
If he keeps his intelle!tual liberty% he is less likely to fall into narrow se!tarianis#$
&oay% as in an!ient -le3anria% he !an stuy the worl5s tea!hings% taking truth
e!le!ti!ally% but not #aking hi#self a is!iple$
1'?
1e #ust #ake a stubborn reservation of his groun an run the flag of inepenen!e in
the "uest of truth% of nonatta!h#ent in the relationship with the tea!hers of truth$ 1e
will hu#bly an glaly a!!ept whatsoever goo he !an fin in their tea!hings% but he
will not o so uner a !ontra!t of plege is!ipleship$ In this #atter he #ust be
e!le!ti!% taking the best fro# every available sour!e an not shutting out any sour!e that
has so#ething worthwhile to offer$ It #ay not be the way for #ost people% for they
!annot walk alone% but it is the only way for hi#$ (elf>guian!e also leas to the goal$
1'1
It is only through free% inepenent% truth>seeking resear!h that there is any hope of
su!!ess in this Quest for ulti#ate truth$ Naturally ea!h veste interest tries to li#it the
sear!h to its own fol for obvious reasons% but he shoul refuse to li#it his stuies to
any single s!hool$
1''
.(tuy everything but 6oin nothing. is the best !ounsel$ But alas; naKve enthusiasts
selo# hee it$
1'3
<earn so#e of the basi! truths ea!h syste# !ontains without ientifying with the syste#
itself$ Geep the #in open an free to a!"uire worthwhile ieas an pra!ti!es fro# other
!ultures an avoi the !lose>in se!tarian attitue$
1'0
&o be!o#e liberate fro# se!tarian% !onventional% an authoritarian narrowness is to
regar every inspire book as a bible$
1'2
(u!h an isolate position% outsie groups an without labels% offers this avantage% that
he is able to take fro# all% to a!!ept an re!on!ile frag#ents of wiely ifferent an
apparently !ontrai!tory tea!hings$
1'4
&ake whatever is of value to you personally% in your present #ental !onition% fro# all
these tea!hings an is!ar the rest$ &his is the e!le!ti! way% an better than the
!o##oner one of entering a single o!trinal !age an staying there$ 1esitate well before
!o##itting yourself to 6oin this or that organi8ation$ +e#e#ber that there are #ore
aspe!ts to truth than one% an it #ay well be worth keeping yourself free to learn
so#ething of these others$
1'7
I have always re!o##ene to those who feel strong enough to be able to o so% to
refrain fro# 6oining any organi8ation% to keep their freeo#% while at the sa#e ti#e
stuying the o!trines of whatever organi8ations interest the#% whatever religions
engage so#e of their attention$ &his freeo# enables the# to look anywhere% to stuy
everything% to "uestion !ourageously% to keep breath of view% epth of thought$
1'9
Only su!h inepenen!e !an rea!h out to the new without losing what is worthwhile in
the ol= all others are !o##itte% fettere% !aptive$
1':
By re#aining open to truths fro# ifferent sour!es% an fitting the# together like
#osai!s% we get eventually so#e sort of a pattern$
Intelligent nonconformity
13?
No #an !o#es to the knowlege of his ivinity through a !row of other #en$ No
hu#an entity !an is!over its own relation to Co through any group #etho$ &he way
to spiritual awareness is entirely iniviual% essentially lonely% ines!apably within
oneself$ &hat is to say% it is #ysti!al$ Insofar as religion su!!ees in showing the way% it
!eases to be religion an be!o#es% or rather% !onsu##ates itself in% #ysti!is#$
131
Nothing is final an absolute$ -ll is relative$ Noboy nee obey any #anate to bin
hi#self forever to any single group of ieas% nee follow any se!tarian flag$ If he is to
surrener his allegian!e at all% it !an only be reasonably one to the perfe!t synthesis of
all that is neee for hu#an living in all its epart#ents$
13'
If the #an of letters is to hear an pronoun!e the wor of truth% he #ust be inepenent
of groups% organi8ations% parties% an institutions$ 1e #ust be at liberty to play with
#any ifferent points of view without !o##itting hi#self forever an finally to any of
the#$
133
&hey #ust try to work out interpretations of s!ripture an life for the#selves% not
re#ain tie to obligatory ones i#pose fro# without$ &hey #ust begin to stan on their
own iniviual resour!es or they will never rise to the level of ire!t spiritual
!o##union at all$ &he tenen!y to look to one #an or one organi8ation as the sole
repository of spiritual wiso# #ay be!o#e angerous to their further progress$ In The
Wisdom of the Overself it was #entione that the !urrents of evolution an the
!ir!u#stan!es of #oernity have !reate new !ultural values whi!h in turn have
lessene the nee of su!h epenen!e$ One proof of this assertion lies in the fa!t that the
sa#e line of !hange #ay be seen also in the so!ial% politi!al% an e!ono#i! spheres$
130
&o seek knowlege fro# unpre6ui!e sour!es is a rule har to fulfil% be!ause su!h
sour!es are rare$ &he ne3t best thing is to be an unpre6ui!e seeker% an this is the ieal
I have trie to follow$ (e!tarianis# is everywhere% be!ause institutions an
organi8ations are everywhere$ &here is a better !han!e for the truth seeker when flying
the flag of inepenen!e$
132
&here are those in Inia who have #ae a se!t out of Eeanta% even of -vaita Eeanta$
&he intoleran!e% the fanati!is# of the narrower groups an religions has been brought in
here too$ <et the *estern stuent of philosophy who takes it seriously enough to think%
breathe in re#e#bran!e% an live a!tively by it% be warne an stay free% un6oine%
unlabelle% spa!ious in outlook% unerstaningly tolerant in pra!ti!e$
134
.(tuy both sy#patheti!ally an !riti!ally the other !onte#porary #ysti!al #ove#ents
but do not join them$. (u!h is #y general answer to the seeker who "uestions #e about
the#$ 1e shoul !ertainly e3a#ine an stuy other tea!hings% not ne!essarily for his
a!!eptan!e% but for his broaening$ Be a goo stuent% but a ba 6oiner; Aor he will fin
it iffi!ult to re!ogni8e the linea#ents of full perfe!tion either in the tea!hing or the
pra!ti!e of any e3isting institution or #ove#ent$ 1owever% the anger here is that he
#ay over!on!entrate on their stuy or pra!ti!e% elevate sie>routes into the #ain one%
an finally get so absorbe in the# as te#porarily to abanon the original "uest
altogether$ (o there are !ertain reservations in #y avi!e% a !ertain wat!hfulness is
neee uring su!h stuies$ 1e shoul take !are to be only an en"uirer into these !ults
an not a follower of the#$ 1e shoul be first% a sy#patheti! en"uirer an then only
e3er!ise the philosophi!al right of severely !riti!al e3a#ination$ In the en% every
aspirant #ust fin his .own$. .&he path of another is angerous%. says the hagavad
Gita$ Jnless a spiritual tea!hing has enough inspiration behin it to help hi#
su!!essfully ta!kle his gravest personal proble#s% it is not the right one>>however #u!h
it #ay be so to others$ Aor he nees gra!e% an oes not !all in vain$
137
*ith so #any !ults% !rees% religions% se!ts% an so!ieties !lai#ing that their tea!hing is
the only true one or that their path is the only path to salvation% the seeker will either get
bewilere or be for!e to o the right thing>>whi!h is to e3er!ise his own inepenent
6uge#ent an not to a!!ept any !lai# on its #ere fa!e value$
139
*hoever loves truth in its fullness !annot put on the !hains of a partisanship an stay
!onfine in a !hur!h% a te#ple% a #os"ue% a synagogue% a .s!hool of thought%. a theis#%
or an atheis#$ &herefore he !annot be!o#e an aherent to any one belief only% a !onvert
to any one religion% a #e#ber of any one group% or a follower of any one #an but #ust
re#ain an inepenent% that is to say% a philosopher HphiloLliker or lover%
sophiaLwiso#I$ 1e sees that all o!trines% all ways of belief an thought are steps on
the way% satisfy so#e nee of so#e persons% an hen!e are of servi!e at so#e ti#e$ But
he sees not only that truth5s fullness is allie to his own freeo#: it is also allie to
na#elessness$
13:
&he fellowship of philosophy re"uires no ritual% no i##ersion% no og#ati! !onfession%
no !reeal test$ It is free an non>se!tarian$ It shuts no one in% no one out$
10?
Philosophy is for the free #in% willing to live without organi8ational bonage% an
unerstaning that what it seeks #ust be foun an graspe for itself$
101
(in!e the real essen!e of philosophy has only an inner !ontent% whi!h #ust be felt
intuitively an graspe intelle!tually% but no outer for#% it !annot be!o#e #aterial for a
!ult% an organi8e group$ It #ust lea ea!h person on his own iniviual way% letting
hi# grow naturally fro# within$ 1is "uest will then take the inepenent !ourse proper
for hi#% not #ae to !onfor# to one suitable only to others$
10'
1e who !an !o##une with his soul by hi#self oes not nee a !hur!h% a labelle
religion$ (o!iety has no right to i#pose it on hi#$ In their naKve aoles!ent gropings% the
young who is!ar their traitional for# of religion% feel so#ething of this truth$
103
1ow !an he who loves the (pirit% who feels Its goowill whi!h e3!lues nothing%
asso!iate hi#self with an en!lose group or !o##unity whi!h e3!lues everyone who
is not an aherent of its parti!ular faith)
100
&he refusal to 6oin any e!!lesiasti!al !hur!h or religious so!iety oes not leave a #an
spiritually ho#eless$ If he faithfully e3er!ises hi#self in #eitation an seeks to
pra!tise the presen!e of Co% what better .ho#e. !oul he have)
102
&here is an inepenen!e whi!h gives a #an spe!ial strength for it allows hi# to
possess !o#plete purity of #otive$ It oes not !o#e easily% for he has to stay !lear of all
atte#pts to organi8e the truth% of all orthoo3ies% groups% fa!tions% parties% an se!ts
whi!h !lai# to be unite with it$ 1e #ay align hi#self with none of those$ &herefore he
!an take up no efine position% no parti!ular progra#$ Is he then a neutral) No an yes$
Is he an iniviualist) /es an no$
104
Only this total inepenen!e of all !ults% !rees% groups% an organi8ations !an enable
hi# to fin the fa!ts as they are% rather than i#aginary pi!tures of the fa!ts$
107
If the inepenen!e of the philosophi! position stops hi# fro# speaking for any
parti!ular establishe religion or #ysti!al !ult% it allows hi# to view all religions an all
!ults with fairness an eta!h#ent$
109
It is to be foun in the priva!y of your own #in: no !ult% group% or !hur!h will provie
it$
10:
Philosophy stresses the nee of evelop#ent5s being iniviual$ (tuents of other
tea!hings #ay grow in groups% but not stuents of philosophy$
12?
It is not an essential part of the outer !onitions of his life that he shoul subs!ribe to
any parti!ular institution or organi8ation% but if he is le to o so that will be a!!eptable
also if it is an honourable one$
121
,in in its ulti#ate !onition is free an infinite$ *e% as hu#ans% are at the very
beginning of its is!overy$ <et us not set up false steps to our 6ourney or ignorantly put
up fen!es to blo!k our view$ <et us avoi the ill>infor#e littleness of se!tarianis#% the
!o##on eagerness to hule uner a label$
12'
Aor several reasons he is not a 6oiner$ ,ost se!ts have only partial an li#ite views%
#ost #i3 so#e error with their truth% an #ost evelop ugly og#ati! tyrannies$
Aurther#ore% their aherents% believing that they alone possess the truth% generally
e3!lue all others fro# the war#er te#peratures of their goowill>>if they o not openly
islike the#$ But the largest reason for his refusal is that the Overself is unli#ite%
un!onfine= he wants to e3press this freeo#$
123
&he orthoo3 way of looking at these "uestions will no longer serve$ - new way is
neee$ &he right answers will be foun only if we reorient our thinking an free it fro#
the og#as of establishe institutions$
120
1e is not a 6oiner be!ause of several reasons: one of the# is that 6oiners are too often
too one>sie in approa!h% too li#ite in outlook% too e3!lusive to let truth in when it
happens to appear in a se!t ifferent fro# his own$ -nother reason is that too fre"uently
there is a tyranny fro# above% i#itate by followers% whi!h forbis any inepenent
thought an oes not tolerate any real sear!h$
122
,an5s sear!h for truth !annot be properly !arrie on unless he has full freeo# in it$
*here is the religious or religio>#ysti!al institution whi!h is willing to grant that to
hi#) Is there a single one whi!h lets hi# start out without being ha#pere by
authoritarian og#as% taboos% li#itations% an traitions whi!h it woul i#pose upon
hi#)
124
<e!tures% so!ieties% an group>#ove#ents are of li#ite value: they !an never repla!e
nor a!hieve what is gaine by one5s own iniviual efforts #ae in the right way$
127
&he seeker after truth will not fin his way easy to travel$ 1e #ay fin that an
institution% an authority% or an organi8ation is suffo!ating hi# #entally or oppressing
hi# e#otionally$ &his #ay be the hour when he #ust !lai# his freeo#$
129
It is illusory to believe that% by blinly haning or hu#bly sub#itting his !hara!ter an
!reo% his stanars an values% his spiritual purposes an pra!ti!es% to any organi8e
group or establishe !hur!h% to a tea!her% guie% or guru% to for# an for#ulate% a #an
!an evae the responsibility of 6uging the# for hi#self% a!!epting or re6e!ting by
hi#self$ It is re"uire of every fully hu#an being that he be iniviual% not a parasite%
an that he be hi#self% not so#eone else$
12:
&he prestige of institutional #ysti!is#% like that of offi!ial religion% #es#eri8es nearly
everyone intereste in the sub6e!t$ &he inepenent #ysti!% who refuses all affiliation
with any se!t% s!hool% ashra#% #onastery% group% or so!iety% is suspe!t an fins hi#self
left al#ost in isolation$ But although this #ay see# unfortunate% it is so only in so#e
ways$ In other ways% it leaves hi# entirely free fro# the bons of og#a% free to re#ain
faithful to truth irrespe!tive of all other !onsierations% free to speak in a voi!e whose
authority !o#es not fro# worlly power but fro# spiritual status$
14?
1e shoul not !hange his !hains by going fro# one #aster or one se!t to another$
+ather shoul he rop all !hains$
141
1e is entitle to be set free fro# his for#er epenen!e on the !hur!h so that he #ay
live his own iniviual inner life$
14'
1ow !an he bring hi#self to 6oin any group% !ult% or se!t when he believes all of the# to
be right% only so#e are #ore right than others% an all of the# to be wrong% only so#e
are #ore wrong than others) &here is not one whose li#itations he oes not see$ 1e
prefers the truthfulness of being un!o##itte to any .is#%. an the freeo# of being
un6oine to any group$
143
1e is not likely to be a #e#ber of any organi8e #ove#ent be!ause his #in is too
large to be e3!lusive$ 1e is outsie all organi8e groups be!ause% in spirit% he is insie
all of the#$
140
Aar fro# the in an isparage#ents of 6arring se!ts% he lives unlabelle an free$
142
1e belongs to no parti!ular na#e% !lassifie% an ino!trinate group% an this keeps
his own freeo# while e3!luing none fro# his general goowill$ -t the sa#e ti#e he
stays open to truth an avois the !lose #in% fi3e only on its own og#as opinions
an beliefs$
144
&he only group he is likely to be a #e#ber of is the hu#an ra!e;
147
1e is unwilling to be tie to any se!t or !oterie% establishe orthoo3y or organi8ational
unorthoo3y$ 1e #ay even refuse to fit into any of the a!!epte patterns$ 1e has to
follow a light of his own$ (u!h an anar!histi! attitue is likely to provoke hostility an
!reate etra!tors$
149
I have an @#ersonian love of spiritual freeo# an intelle!tual inepenen!e% a
Grishna#urtian urge to keep away fro# all restri!tive% li#iting% an narrowing groups%
organi8ations% an institutions$ I have seen so #any lost to the !ause of &ruth by su!h
!onstri!tions of the #in an heart% so #u!h of its goo unone by this har#% that I
shrink fro# the iea of be!o#ing tagge as so#e one #an5s is!iple or as a #e#ber of
so#e ashra#% so!iety% or !hur!h$ If this #an has foun the +ight% why not let his natural
e3pression of it>>whether in writing% art% or life>>be enough) *hy !reate a #yth aroun
hi#% to befog others an falsify the goal) *hy not let well alone)
14:
1aving no offi!ial !onne!tion with any group% se!t% organi8ation% or !hur!h leaves #e
free to help anyone% anywhere$
17?
- strongly iniviualisti! te#pera#ent !annot be at ease in the !olle!tive #e#bership
of an organi8ation where og#as are set up like fen!es an where patriotis# re6e!ts
salvation for those outsie$ (u!h a te#pera#ent nees the free air of unfettere thinking
an un!ir!u#s!ribe goowill$ It !an sy#pathi8e intelle!tually with #any ifferent
points of view without losing itself in any one of the#% but it !an o so only be!ause it
belongs to none$
171
&he routine evotions of an institution o not appeal to this type of te#pera#ent>>
sensitive% #ooy% an inepenent as it is$
17'
&he #an who has seen the light an e3perien!e its war#th will prefer his own way of
living if it is the !onse"uen!e of his awakening$
173
1is #in is boun by no religious og#as% his !onu!t by no prohibitions or
!o##an#ents$ But this oes not #ean he is free to o what he pleases$
170
One #an an one Co are all the organi8ation neee$ ,ore is a superfluity$ &he seeker
who !herishes his inepenent path an iniviual thought !annot !o#fortably fit into a
group where all alike #ust be presse into the sa#e shape$
172
It see#s histori!ally inevitable that every spiritual #ove#ent shoul sooner or later
be!o#e organi8e an institutionali8e$ In that way it refle!ts the nee an serves the
tenen!y of average hu#an nature$ But where a person is not average an refuses to be
taken up into it by that #eans% preferring to keep his inepenen!e an his allegian!e%
he is 6ust as #u!h entitle to o so$
174
&hose who feel te#pte to o so% #ay stuy the publi! !ults an listen to the publi!
tea!hers but it woul be i#pruent to 6oin any of the first or follow any of the se!on$ It
woul be wiser to re#ain free an inepenent or they #ay be le astray fro# the
philosophi!al path$
177
By re6e!ting the easy way of 6oining a parti!ular se!t% a labelle group% he re6e!ts at the
sa#e ti#e the withrawal of sy#pathy or unerstaning fro# all other groups whi!h
usually or often a!!o#panies the 6oining$ If the universal !hara!ter of truth re"uires hi#
to keep his #in un!orralle% the personal nee of strength !onfir#s the re"uire#ent$
!ros " cons of independence
179
&he follower of a labelle !ause% #ove#ent% or party tens to be!o#e unfair to
!o#peting !auses% e3aggerating their weak points but #ini#i8ing or even shutting his
eyes to those of his own$ 1e who refuses to atta!h hi#self but re#ains inepenent is
#ore likely to 6uge without pre6ui!e an after genuine investigation of both sies$
17:
&he avantages of being in a position of intelle!tual an so!ial% religious an personal
inepenen!e are several$ &he !han!e of fining truth an% if lu!kily foun% of
e3pressing it% is surely larger$
19?
If he has to analyse proble#s for hi#self an has no one else to o it for hi#% the
eneavour #ay help hi# to learn is!ri#ination an goo 6uge#ent$
191
If his unerstaning of this tea!hing elivers hi# fro# e3!essive epenen!e on another
#an or on e3ternal #ethos% it will !lear his path an help his self>relian!e$ But if it
outruns itself an #akes hi# !o!ksure% prou% arrogant% an irreverent towars the
#asters% then it has egenerate into #isunerstaning$ &his will blo!k his path$
19'
It is better to #ake one5s own e!isions inepenently$ &his is not the !ase% however% if
one feels too in!apable of thinking out an issue% or too ill>infor#e about it% or too
va!illating to #ake up one5s #in on its pros an !ons$
193
- #an !an a!hieve his inepenen!e by graes without rebellion but he is selo# so
wise as to o so$ ,ore often% he la!ks patien!e% takes the #ore foolish violent way% an
attains his freeo# at a !ost% to hi#self an to others% that !oul have been #u!h less
for the sa#e result by evolutionary ways$
190
&he passionate !onte#pt for organi8e authority% or its !o#plete re6e!tion% #ay be only
a !over for weakness: the inability to unergo a !ourse of is!ipline% #u!h less
unertake it for oneself$
192
&he anger of walking alone is also the anger of ientifying his own private
6uge#ents% i#pulses% esires% an thoughts as intuitions fro# the higher self$
194
But inepenen!e of #in has its own perils% for it #ay lea to stubbornness in error% to
arrogan!e in behaviour% an to fanati!is# in attitue$
197
1e who epens upon his own personal intelle!t an personal strength alone% eprives
hi#self of the prote!tion whi!h a higher power !oul give hi#$
199
&he eneavour after inepenen!e !an a!hieve only a partial su!!ess% never a total one$
*e fin that we are tie to other people$
#e$uirements
19:
-s #u!h as anything else% one nees personal freeo# in this sear!h after truth$ @very
for# of interferen!e an obstru!tion !o#es fro# sour!es whi!h have a!"uire only a
partial or false insight into truth$ But su!h freeo# is per#itte only insofar as one is
goo enough% wise enough% balan!e enough% 6ui!ious enough% an is!ri#inating
enough to use it properly$ Otherwise it leas to non>truth an self>e!eption$
1:?
1e #ust learn to think for hi#self an to pra!tise is!ri#ination for hi#self% if he wants
to fin his way to truth$
1:1
If a seeker fins no one in his surrounings% !onta!ts% or so!iety near enough to his level
of spiritual interests% then he #ust a!!ept his loneliness% be!ause he has !hosen to raw
away fro# the !o##on preo!!upation$ Aor in orer to be a working philosopher% a #an
#ust go his own way$ &his e#an for iniviuality re"uires !ourage an wiso#$ If he
la!ks higher knowlege% intuitional feeling% an intelle!t>>whose !o#bination is
wiso#>>then he #ust seek to evelop the# an this e#ans work$ ,eanwhile% he !an
take help fro# personal guies an superior books$ *ithout wiso#% or at least genuine
efforts to work towars it% his !ourse !oul be wrongly set an he !oul arrive at
isaster$
1:'
&o withraw fro# se!tarian !o##unity life an walk alone re"uires "ualities that only
few possess$ &here is se!urity% !o#fort% #oral an worlly support in it$ &o be able to
abanon these things a #an #ust have a strong inner urge as well as a !ontinuous !lear
per!eption of philosophy5s #eaning$
1:3
&he weakling !annot walk this path$ - #an nees strength to follow out what his eep
intuition tells hi# to o% espe!ially where it eparts fro# the allegely rational or the
so!ially !onventional$ If his guie attitue or a!tion #eets with !riti!is# or opposition%
what is that to hi#) 1e is not answerable for what other people think about hi#$ &hat is
their responsibility$ 1e is answerable only for what he hi#self thinks an oes$
1:0
Only the #an who has a passion to a!"uire the !ertainty of truth% who has the !ourage to
hol unorthoo3 views an !o#e to inepenent !on!lusions% who lives in an
at#osphere of original thought% an to who# the !harge of heresy is no !harge at all% is
at all likely to fin his way to the truth$
1:2
&heir uty is to a!t as pioneers= but if they are to be su!!essful pioneers% they will nee
!ourage to forget outworn ieas an to free the#selves fro# ying traitions so as to
!ope with the new !onitions whi!h are arising$ In this !onne!tion% the suggestion that it
is also a uty to !o>operate with e3isting spiritual #ove#ents woul be a!!eptable if it
were pra!ti!able= but e3perien!e will show that #ost of these #ove#ents are unable to
enter that eep union of hearts whi!h alone !an guarantee su!!ess to any e3ternal union$
(u!h a plan woul en in failure an it is better for the# to pursue their own
inepenent !ourse than waste ti#e an for!e in atte#pting what woul not su!!ee an
is not really neee$
1:4
&he freeo# to !o##an one5s life in one5s own way !an be got only by first getting the
fearlessness to isregar the !riti!is# an to ignore the e3pe!tations of other people$
1:7
1e who woul follow an inepenent path #ust% to so#e e3tent% be fearless$ 1e #ust
refuse to be inti#iate by the power% prestige% !lai#s% or si8e of establishe
organi8ations% 6ust as he #ust refuse to be elue by the ieali8ations of the#selves
whi!h they hol before the publi!$
1:9
Aew people know what a free e3isten!e really is= #ost people live !age in by fear of% or
enslave#ent to% the opinion of others$ @ven the ri!h o not know it for their !ages are
gilt an !o#fortable$ @ven the spiritual o not know it for they #erely e!ho ba!k what
these others want the# to think about Co$ Co#plete freeo# is possible only to those
who have a spe!ial !hara!ter% one that is evoi of tyranni8ing a#bitions an espoti!
!ravings% an even of unworlly strivings$
1::
(u!h is the strange parao3 of the "uest that on the one han he #ust foster eter#ine
self>relian!e but on the other yiel to a feeling of utter epenen!e on the higher
powers$
'??
&hose who are self>suffi!ient an prefer to learn an evelop by the#selves% are those
who espe!ially nee to pra!tise this inwar listening an waiting$
'?1
*hat we #ean is that #oern #an has to be!o#e #ore self>reliant% has to throw off the
re#nants of tribal !ons!iousness whi!h still rule hi#% has to learn to think for hi#self$
'?'
But if he #ust stan aloof to live his own way% with his own free thoughts% it re#ains a
benevolent% a#iable inepenen!e$ 1e wishes all beings well while knowing they
re!eive% suffer% or en6oy the results of their own physi!al% e#otional% or #ental a!tion$
'?3
1is esire to e3press iniviual views% !hara!ter% an personality #ust be respe!te so
long as he oes not try to i#pose the# aggressively or tyranni!ally on others$
'?0
It is not ne!essary to be surly an irritable in orer to be an iniviualist$ One !an still
be affable% genial% !ivil% an !ourteous>>even raiant with goowill$ It is all a #atter of
inner e"uilibriu#$
'?2
1e #ust refuse to violate his intelle!tual integrity or sa!rifi!e his spiritual
inepenen!e$
'?4
If he is unable to !ontinue in this "uest without the asso!iation% en!ourage#ent% or
sy#pathies of others who are also following it% then he ha better not enter it at all% for
"uite obviously he is not reay for it nor suffi!iently appre!iative of its values$
'?7
If .being ifferent. is an honest result of the sear!h for higher truth% it #ust be
a!!eptable$ But when it is #erely a isguise ego!entri! e3hibitionis#% it be!o#es
reprehensible$
'?9
1e #ust try to keep his life in his own hans if he woul keep it free fro# influen!es
that woul take away the ieals whi!h he has spe!ifi!ally set up for it to follow$ If he
values freeo#% he #ust refuse to put hi#self in a position where he will be !o#pelle
to e!ho the views of those who o not share his ieas$ 1e #ay have to !hoose between
the trials of stury inepenen!e an the te#ptations of enervating se!urity$
'?:
It oes not ask hi# to #ake harsh sa!rifi!es but it oes ask hi# to #ake reasonable
ones$ If they see# harsh to hi# that is only be!ause he has been kept until then in a state
of so>!alle nor#ality by the powerful suggestions of organi8e so!iety$ &his nor#ality
is #erely the pooling of !o##on ignoran!e an the sharing of !o##on weakness$
'1?
If the #in is to engage with su!!ess in the "uest for truth% it #ust first be unfettere
an then unpre6ui!e$
'11
1e has to pi!k his way through #istaken tea!hings% a#ong provisional stanpoints% an
between a#bitious gurus$
'1'
&o venture so far afiel fro# the !o##on way an yet keep "uite sane an pra!ti!al%
an not be!o#e a hu#an oity% a so!ial freak% is so#ething inee$
'13
It re"uires #oral strength or #ental power to refuse the gregarious support of the
!row>>be it se!tarian !hur!h% a #ysti!al group% or so#e other !o#bination$ It re"uires
faith in oneself an the !ourage to resist the pull of others an be an iniviual$
'10
&he self>suffi!ien!y of his ieal% its re#oteness fro# popular ways% #ay be bolly an
openly e3presse in a!tion or kept as an interior an hien thing$ Aor #ost the first
#ay prove to be an i#pruent !ourse but for others it #ay be a ne!essity$
'12
,entally he !annot fit hi#self into any of the a!!epte !ategories whi!h the so!iety of
his pla!e an ti#e provie% so an inepenent an solitary path attra!ts hi#$ Physi!ally%
he #ay have to #ake an uneasy !o#pro#ise with so!iety% with the result that both
benefit by their #utual servi!es$ &hus without oing violen!e to his !hief prin!iples he
yet fins a way to live a#ong those who have no use for the#$
'14
Before anyone !an !arry out an inepenent investigation of truth% he #ust first possess
the !apa!ity to o so$ &o evelop this !apa!ity where it is la!king% the philosophi!
is!ipline is pres!ribe$
'17
1e is not prepare to relin"uish iniviual e3pression% however #u!h he is only too
unerstaning of the nee to relin"uish the ego5s o#inan!e>>whi!h is not the sa#e
thing$
'19
It is what he e3pe!ts fro# hi#self that will be #ore effe!tive than what so#eone else
e3pe!ts fro# hi#$ +ules an regulations thrust upon hi# fro# outsie whi!h he is
unwilling or unable to enfor!e will be of #u!h less use$
Is monastic discipline needed?
'1:
&he way to full reali8ation of the Overself #ay lie through a #onastery or a nunnery for
one person an through a fa#ily ho#e or a !areer in the worl for another$ If any #an
asserts that it #ust lie solely through a parti!ular one of these two% he is #istaken$ If he
insists on for!ing this iea on all aspirants% he is sinning$ If he !lai#s illu#ination as
authority% it !oul be only a partial% li#ite% an in!o#plete illu#ination$
''?
*hether a #an stays within the househol an se!ular so!iety or whether he enters the
#onasti! an as!eti! one% his enlighten#ent is neither guarantee by the se!on !hoi!e
nor blo!ke by the first one$ &he go within hi# is his se!ret wat!her% be he lay#an or
her#it$ 1e !an efile or purify hi#self in either state% grasp the truth or #iss the point
whether a!tive in the worl Has #ost of us have to beI or en!lose in a religious orer%
ashra#% or te#ple$
''1
&he notion that a #an who #arries% has !hilren% lives a!ross the sa#e roa% an !at!hes
the !o##uter5s train is unfit to re!eive the gra!e of Co% whereas a #an who wears a
priest5s ress or a #onk5s robe is alone fit% is one of those ieas seulously fostere by
priests an #onks the#selves$ &he fa!t is that gra!e is no respe!ter of !lothes% status% or
so!ial a!tivities= that it happens to alight on those whose hearts an #ins seek it #ost%
an in the right way= that toay Christ is #ilitant% is working inside #an wherever he
#ay be an whatever gar#ents he wears an however he !hooses to pay his ebt to
so!iety= an that 1is true followers are not easily istinguishable by any outer labels%
but are easily #easurable by their own !ons!ien!e% in their egree of !ons!iousness$
&hey are not professional e3hibitionists eager to isplay their spirituality% to talk about it
an i#press others with it$ &hey #ay be passive in a #onastery or a!tive in an offi!e>>
that is not the point$ *hat is going on insie the#)
'''
&here is no spe!ial superiority in either of the two !onitions of life>>the #onasti! or the
householing$ *hoever praises the #onk5s state as being the highest open to hu#an
beings% errs$ *hoever praises the householer5s as being the best% also errs$ *hat !an
rightly be sai is that for !ertain persons at !ertain ti#es an uner !ertain
!ir!u#stan!es% one or the other state is better$ Aor the sa#e persons at ifferent ti#es
an in ifferent !ir!u#stan!es either #ay be worse$ (o it is the setting up of
universality% the !lai#ing that one alone is the #ost spiritual or the #ost satisfa!tory
ieal% whi!h is wrong$
''3
@a!h #ust fin the way uni"uely oraine for hi#% an not passively% i#itatively% a!!ept
the way oraine for another #an$ -lthough it is true that so#e have reali8e the goal
while living a nor#al life in the worl% #arrie an a!tive% others have been able to o
so only while free fro# the worl5s ways$ It is therefore essential for hi# to be hi#self%
an iniviual% an let his own inner voi!e guie hi# to the parti!ular path suite to his
estiny$
''0
&o the householer taking on a fa#ily life is a 6oy= to the #onk it is an en!u#bran!e$
Neither #an is wrong$ It is all in the point of view$ @a!h has inherite his own attitue
fro# his for#er selves$
''2
1e nee not abanon the householer5s life unless the ivine !o##an tells hi# to o
so$
''4
&hey are not ne!essarily strong an heroi! who stay in the worl an isain flight fro#
it$ It #ay be that pleasures an possessions keep the# there$ @"ually% those who have
nothing worth renoun!ing>>the poor% the unlu!ky% the isappointe% an the frail>>#ake
no sa!rifi!e in passing to the !loister5s shelter% the #onastery5s pea!e$
''7
&here are those who flee the worl% its futile tu#ults an oings= they o well$ But we
who hol to philosophy #ay flee or stay% 6ust as we !hoose$ Aor we !an #ake of it a
pathway to the @ver>Pea!eful$
''9
&he #an of inepenent te#pera#ent !annot fit easily into #onasti! e3isten!e with its
for#al patterns an !lo!k>ti#e bell>signalle regularity$
'':
If the book %ahatma &etters says that a #arrie #an !annot be!o#e an aept then the
author of it #ust be thinking of a spe!ial kin of aeptship belonging to his own
parti!ular s!hool of thought an training whi!h is% as a #atter of fa!t% a s!hool for
#onks only$ But this s!hool is not the only one whi!h is able to fin truth$ &here are
others an they are intene not for #onks but for people who have to live in the worl
an earn their livings an live the fa#ily life$ &he real !eliba!y is in the heart an #in
an has nothing to o with e3ternal so!ial !usto#s like as!eti! #onasti!is#$
'3?
&he solution of the worl5s proble#s oes not lie in renoun!ing the worlly life itself$ If
every #an be!a#e a #onk an every wo#an a nun% they woul #erely e3!hange one
set of proble#s>>worlly ones>>for another set>>#onasti!al ones$ It is probably !orre!t
to say that the first kin are harsher an gri##er than the se!on kin$ But whatever
type of life is aopte% proble#s will ines!apably be there$
'31
*hether the ieal is a her#it5s e3isten!e or a householer5s the sa#e "ualities have to be
evelope$
'3'
.If this o!trine shoul be attainable only for <or Cauta#a an the #onks an nuns%
but not for his #ale an fe#ale aherents living the househol life% then this holy life
woul be in!o#plete% 6ust be!ause of this$ But be!ause this o!trine #ay be attaine by
the <or Cauta#a an the #onks an nuns% as well as by the #ale an fe#ale aherents
living the househol life% therefore this holy life is perfe!t% 6ust be!ause of this$.>>
Buha% in %ajjhima 'ikaya
'33
*hen (ubba !onsulte Buha about the "uestion of renoun!ing the worl% Buha
frankly a#itte that he ha no basis for 6uging that every her#it was ethi!ally or
intelle!tually superior to every householer% or vi!e versa$ &herefore% he !on!lue%
ea!h #an% whether he be #onasti!% re!luse% or worlly householer% !oul best be
6uge only on his iniviual #erits$ Buha5s general an #ost reiterate reason for
asking his followers to be!o#e #onks was% as he has here !onfesse% not be!ause their
way of life was spiritually superior but be!ause% in his own wors: .Painful is the life of
a householer an free is the life of renun!iation$. &his is not an ethi!al reason%
therefore% but a purely pra!ti!al one$ 1e re!o##ene e3ternal renun!iation be!ause it
relieve a #an of o#esti! troubles an fa#ily burens= it was a rule of e3peien!y
rather than an absolute prin!iple of spiritual #etho$
'30
I was gla to fin these ieas !onfir#e by a great yogi an sage of Bengal%
Para#aha#sa Narayana &irtha Dev% so that it !annot be sai they are *estern notions
grafte on Inian trees$ &he yogi% who was the hea of a se!ret fraternity with #ore than
a thousan #e#bers living near the -ssa# frontier% was ea before I !a#e to know
hi#% but to glean #ore etails of his te!hni"ues an o!trines I #ae a spe!ial 6ourney
to the group of inti#ate is!iples who survive hi#$ 1e sai% .In the !o#ing nation%
there will be no pla!e for (annyase$ &o reali8e the (elf through the householer5s life
shall be the gran ieal of the future of the worl$ It is not by giving up all% but by
reali8ing the (elf in all% that one has to reali8e the ob6e!t of the worl>evolution an be
free$ &he path is not through negation of the Jniverse to the affir#ation of the (upre#e
(elf% but through affir#ation of the (upre#e (elf to the #ergen!e of the Jniverse in the
(upre#e (elf$ &he #ission this ti#e is eu!ational an not religious$ (prea eu!ation
in the na#e of the 1ighest &ruth enshrine in the )panishads an religions will grow of
the#selves on the sure founation of the 1ighest &ruth$.
'32
&he belief is that in the worl a #an5s a!tivities are usually% an #ostly% evote to the
benefit of hi#self an the sustenan!e of his fa#ily% whereas in the #onastery they are
evote to seeking Co$ But this is theory$ I on!e hear +a#ana ,aharshi rebuke those
who were sitting in the -shra# 1all$ .(o#e of you are really householers wearing the
sahu5s robe% while so#e of the householers living in the worl are really sahus;. he
sai$
'34
,ust a #an take for#al vows in orer to is!ipline hi#self) Can he not be loyal to his
ieal% whi!h in the en is self>!hosen or he woul not have turne his ba!k upon the
worl% without #aking pro#ises an uttering pleges whi!h it #ay not be possible to
reee#) -re the tonsure hea an the !oarse robe essential to ensure the pra!ti!e of
self>!ontrol in a!t an thought) If he is to persevere in the purifi!ation of !hara!ter% is it
not enough that he hi#self wants it)
'37
If he !hooses to o so% he is free to live in the nor#al hu#an relationships% to follow a
!areer in the worl% to #arry an beget !hilren$ Of !ourse this will ne!essarily entail
!ertain is!iplinary !onitions$ But he will not be oblige to flee fro# all possessions
into 6ungles% #onasteries% or the like$
'39
*hether he be outsie in the worl or insie in the !loister is not so i#portant to a #an
as whether his thoughts an feelings% his !hara!ter an !ons!iousness have right
ire!tion$ @ither of these environ#ents #ay be a hinran!e or a help to his spiritual
aspirations% epening on its parti!ular nature$ /es% even the worl #ay be a #eans of
avan!e#ent if he uses it for this spe!ifi! purpose$
'3:
It is less i#portant whether or not we live uner #onasti! rules than whether we live
faithfully in the purpose whi!h pro#pte those rules to be for#ulate$ &he purifi!ation
of the #in #ay be a!!o#plishe at ho#e or it #ay be a!!o#plishe in an ashra#>
#onastery$ Do not be !arrie away fro# truth by the bigots who enoun!e the one or
the other pla!e;
'0?
&he #onks who have steppe out of the worl #ay have steppe into a vo!ation whi!h
is proper an goo for the#% but it is not ne!essary an not right to suggest that
everyone else shoul o so$ Airst of all% everyone else !oul not o so$
'01
It is not a #atter so #u!h of staying with the worllings an oing their work nor of
fleeing to the #onks an following their is!iplines% as of !o#prehening the #entalist
se!ret an of keeping an inner eta!h#ent$
'0'
Deta!h#ent fro# the worl is an absolute ne!essity for the #an who seeks authenti!
inner pea!e% an not its i#agine !ounterfeit$ But renoun!e#ent of the worl is not
ne!essary to any e3!ept those who have an inborn natural vo!ation for the #onkish life$
'03
It is i##easurably #ore i#portant to have inner eta!h#ent than to wear a #onk5s
robe$
'00
*e ought not% in our appre!iation of a spirituali8e worlly life% #inify the value of a
#onasti! life$ <et us not forget that the #an who be!o#es a #onk to the e3tent that he
sin!erely an unerstaningly e#bra!es the new ieal% e3hibits a#irable "ualities$ In
taking the vow of poverty he shows forth his tre#enous faith% for he will rely upon the
infinite life>power to sustain hi# hen!eforth$ In taking the vow of obeien!e% he shows
forth his great hu#ility% for he !onfesses that he is unable to guie his own life an
thought wisely% but will take his guian!e hen!eforth fro# those who stan nearest to
Co$ In taking the vow of !eliba!y he #akes a #agnifi!ent gesture of efian!e to his
own lower nature% against whi!h he will hen!eforth fight an to whi!h he will not
willingly su!!u#b$
'02
1e nee wear no istin!tive robe nor isplay a tonsure hea$ 1e nee pursue no spe!ial
traition% enter no #onasti! establish#ent% nor !ut hi#self off fro# orinary life$ &hat
he is a philosopher is not to be avertise by su!h outwar signs$ /et if he feels a
personal vo!ation to follow these !usto#s% he is also free to o so$ It is si#ply that there
is no ne!essity in the general sense$
'04
-siati! #ysti!is# has been well nigh suffo!ate uner the weight of #onkish traitions
whi!h have a!!u#ulate aroun it$ &he !onse"uen!e is that the present>ay stuent who
la!ks the spirit of !riti!al resear!h% will not know where the philosophy begins an
where the #onkishness ens$ If we stuy the available te3ts toay without the
e3pository guian!e of a !o#petent personal tea!her% we shall al#ost !ertainly fall into
a nu#ber of errors$ (o#e of these are #erely !ontributory towars a superfi!ial
unerstaning of the te3ts an no har# is really one but one of the# is !ru!ial an
#u!h har# #ay then be one$ Aor it #ust be re#e#bere that in the ays before the art
of writing was wiely use al#ost all the earliest te3ts were hane own fro#
generation to generation by wor of #outh alone$ &his entaile wonerful feats of
#e#ory whi!h we #ust a#ire but it also entaile the possibility of !ons!ious or
un!ons!ious alteration of the te3ts the#selves% against whi!h we #ust guar ourselves$
It #ust also be re#e#bere that the te3ts were !usto#arily in the possession of a
segregate !lass of #en% either priests or #onks or both types unite in the sa#e #an$
Quite hu#anly% too% new passages whi!h praise their own !lass an ieali8e their
#oe of living were slowly if surreptitiously introu!e into these sa#e te3ts$ It #ay be
sai that an honest #an woul not o this but it #ust be replie that an honest yet well>
#eaning #an #ay o it$ -nyone who really knows the @ast knows that this has
e#onstrably happene right through its history even until our own era$ *hether it
happene or not% however% one thing was psy!hologi!ally unavoiable$ &his was the
interpretation of passages% phrases% or single wors a!!oring to the un!ons!ious
!o#ple3es governing the #ins an !ontrolling the !hara!ters of those who preserve
an passe own the te3ts$ It is perfe!tly natural% therefore% to e3pe!t to fin that
sa!erotal an #onasti! interests% !hara!teristi!s% an pra!ti!es are ieali8e whereas
the interests% !hara!teristi!s% an pra!ti!es of all other !lasses are #ini#i8e an
!riti!i8e$ &his inee is what we o fin to be the !ase$ &he inevitable !onse"uen!e is
that wors whi!h bore one #eaning when they were uttere by the original author !a#e
bit by bit to re!eive a #oifie or altogether ifferent #eaning when they ha passe
through the #ouths an pens of #onks an priests$ Our se#anti! stuy alone woul
ini!ate su!h a histori! probability$ &he result for us who live toay is so#ewhat
unfortunate$ Aor we learn fro# the te3t that if we woul live a higher life% if we woul
pursue the "uest of the Overself% we #ust put away our uties% !ast asie our
responsibilities% an eny our physi!al natures$ *e #ust is!ourage interest in the
i#prove#ent of this worl or the better#ent of #ankin5s #iserable lot$ *e #ust flee
fro# so!iety an hie in retreats with other es!apists$ *e #ust regar the worl as a
trap !unningly invente by (atan for our ownfall an the boy as a to#b ug for our
ivine soul$ *hoever refuses to a!!ept the path outline by #onkish an sa!erotal
eitorial interferen!e is sha#e by having the very wor>#eanings or passage>
"uotations born of su!h interferen!e hurle at hi# in proof of his error; &he ivine
"uest% whi!h was originally intene for the stuy an pra!ti!e of #ankin generally>>
so far as their worlly status% !lass% or profession be>>has now be!o#e so#ething
intene for the stuy an pra!ti!e of #onks an as!eti!s only$ ,en obsesse by a
persistent !o#ple3 whi!h #ae the# fuss an3iously over their boily life to the
etri#ent of their #ental life= #en who faile to per!eive that the real battlefiel of
hu#an life is internal an not e3ternal= #en who !oul not !o#prehen the unity of
(pirit an #atter= #en% in short% who ha yet to reali8e that they were virtuous or sinful
pri#arily as their thoughts were virtuous an sinful>>these are set up toay as the
arbiters of how we twentieth>!entury persons shall live in a worl whose !ir!u#stan!es
an syste#s are beyon their own narrow i#aginations$ &he "uest inee has been
turne into so#ething i#possibly re#ote fro# us% so#ething only to be talke about at
tea>tables be!ause we !annot i#ple#ent it$ (u!h a situation is una!!eptable to the
philosophi! stuent$ Better ostra!is#% abuse% slaner% an #isunerstaning than this$
'07
No !hur!h% no #onastery% no ashra# !an shut in the ivine life behin its walls$ &1-&
is for all$
'09
*abir:
*hy put on the robe of the #onk% an
live aloof fro# the worl in lonely prie)
Behol; #y heart an!es in the elight of a
hunre arts= an the Creator is well please$
'0:
&he point is that holiness is not ne!essarily li#ite to her#its an #onks: it #ay also
belong to householers$ *hether it be the <ong or the (hort Path% both #ay be pra!tise
in the aily routine of life$
Independence and teachers
'2?
&here is so#eti#es !onfli!t between sub#ission to authority an obeien!e to
!ons!ien!e$
'21
&hose who !an only avan!e by hanging on to a tea!her #ake only a pseuo>avan!e
an one ay their house of !ars will !o#e tu#bling about their ears$ But it is e"ually
true that those who !an only progress by ispensing with a tea!her% progress farther into
the #orass of ignoran!e$ 1e alone who !an take a tea!her5s guian!e in a free spirit=
who !o#prehens that while the tea!her points out a path% it is for hi# to strive% toil%
an aventure forth= su!h a #an will erive #u!h fro# his is!ipleship$
'2'
*hen he fins that he !an go no farther by hi#self% the ti#e has !o#e to look within for
#ore gra!e or to look without for #ore guian!e$ 1e nees the one to get away fro# his
own selfishness or the other to get away fro# his own arkness$
'23
&he proble# is to take avantage of outsie help an yet leave the stuent iniviually
free$ Its solution is si#ple$ 1e !an get this help through books written by seers% sages%
an philosophers$
'20
&o rely wholly on oneself is not so wise as to rely both on oneself an on the tea!hings
of illu#ine #en$ (u!h tea!hings e3ist in abunan!e in the whole worl5s great
literature>>sa!re% philosophi!al% an ethi!al$
'22
One of the #ost valuable philosophi! !hara!ter "ualities is balan!e$ &herefore the
stuent shoul not be willing to sub#it hi#self to !o#plete authoritarianis# an thus
sa!rifi!e his !apa!ity for inepenent thinking% nor on the other han shoul he be
willing to throw away all the fruits of other #en5s thought an e3perien!e an ispense
with the servi!es of a guie altogether$ 1e shoul hol a wise balan!e between these
two e3tre#es$
'24
I will hu#bly bow before the revelation of a superior truth an sub#issively stuy his
tea!hing% but I will not regar that as suffi!ient reason to abanon the free% full% an
autono#ous growth whi!h I a# #aking$ Aor only if su!h growth re#ains as natural as a
flower5s an is not artifi!ially shape by another #an% !an I fulfil the true law of #y
being$
'27
But parallel with this pra!ti!e of self>relian!e an this assu#ption of self>responsibility
we #ay re!eive the help of a #ore avan!e person if it is available to us$ It shoul of
!ourse be re!eive only if it leaves our freeo# untou!he an only if it is !o#petent$
&hus we o not take avantage of su!h help to sink into la8y forgetfulness of the work
that #ust be one upon an by ourselves$
'29
-uthority an iniviuality nee not !onten with one another in a #an5s #in$
'2:
It #akes #an responsible for his own life while uly honouring the helps an influen!es
outsie hi#$ 1e #ust rely on the for!e of his aspiration an evotion% work an
is!ipline instea of leaning on guru or avatar or turning pri#arily to ry a!ae#i!
s!holarship an epening on book learning for final 6uge#ents$ &he #aster is not
re6e!te but then he is not given the pla!e of Co$
'4?
I eeply a#ire the genius an hu#bly respe!t the attain#ent of ea!h guru% but o not
feel that it is proper to let hi#% or any other #an I so far know% have a controlling
influen!e over #e$
'41
*hen it is har to for# a !orre!t 6uge#ent by oneself% the wiso# of !onsulting
another person be!o#es obvious$ But if one !onsults the wrong person% one gets wrong
avi!e$ 1is !onvi!tion that he knows what is right oes not #ake it ne!essarily so$ One
is unable to es!ape fro# the nee of 6uging the other5s avi!e$ (o in the en one has to
pra!tise so#e egree of self>relian!e$
'4'
&he uty of the aspirant to !ultivate his #oral !hara!ter an to a!!ept personal
responsibility for his inner life !annot be evae by giving allegian!e to any spiritual
authority$
'43
Be a is!iple if you #ust but o not be a sectarian is!iple$ Geep away fro# su!h
narrow alleys$
'40
Both an inspire !hur!h an a "ualifie #aster have their pla!e but it is only a li#ite
one$ Beyon those li#its% nothing outsie his ivine soul !an really help the spiritual
seeker$ Aor its gra!e alone saves an enlightens hi#$ &he religious #an who epens on
a !hur!h for his salvation thereby elays it$ &he #ysti!al aspirant who epens on a
#aster for his self>reali8ation also elays it$ 1e will have to learn to rely less an less
upon other people for his spiritual an worlly avan!e#ent% #ore an #ore upon his
inner self$
'42
It is well to seek an a!!ept guian!e$ &he error an e3aggeration !reep in when you
be!o#e too !on!entrate on a single sour!e of guian!e$
'44
1e is perfe!tly entitle to !lear his own pathway to the (pirit for hi#self% an without
the help of any !onte#porary% any neighbour% or any leaer who live in the past
!enturies$ But will this inepenen!e an this isolation be a gain or a loss) &he answer
#ust always be an iniviual one: it !annot always be one or the other alone$ It epens
on what sort of a #an he is% what sort of tea!hing an what sort of tea!her he has a!!ess
to$
'47
&he young want an ought to have gurus an o!trines$ &he ault shoul learn to
is!ri#inate for the#selves% !olle!t their own o!trines fro# a wie fiel% an be!o#e
their own tea!hers$ But in this #atter of unerstaning life% one oes not be!o#e ault
an a!"uire a sense of responsibility pre!isely at twenty>one$
'49
&here is roo# in life for the ele#ent of revelation e"ually as for that of reali8ation$
Cuian!e or instru!tion fro# another person is not to be re6e!te #erely be!ause it is
e3ternal% but only if it e#anate fro# a ubious sour!e$ If an aspirant is going to ignore
all the signposts% he will waner aroun for a very long ti#e before he gets starte on
the right roa$
'4:
Not knowing where to fin the right path% he #ay easily enter by #istake on the wrong
path$ Inee% he #ay take several false steps before he rea!hes surety or% #ore often%
so#e right ones #i3e up with so#e wrong steps$ -n not having the strength for the
true ieals% he #ay slip #any a ti#e$ &hus his "uest #ay nee harer efforts an take a
longer !ourse than the "uest of a !o#petently guie is!iple$
'7?
*ithout "ualifie guian!e% the labour of the aspirant be!o#es a pro!ess of trial an
error% of e3peri#ent an aventure$ It is inevitable% !onse"uently% that he shoul
so#eti#es #ake #istakes% an that these #istakes shoul so#eti#es be ra#ati! ones
an at other ti#es trivial ones$ 1e shoul take their lessons to heart an wrest their
signifi!an!e fro# the#$ In that way they will !ontribute towars his growth spiritually$
'71
If he refuses to seek an !ling to the hu#an personality of any ,aster% but resolves to
keep all the strength of his evotion for the ivine i#personal (elf ba!k of his own% that
will not bar his further progress$ It% too% is a way whereby the goal !an be su!!essfully
rea!he$ But it is a harer way$
'7'
Contrary to the !o##on 1inu tea!hing% the Buha taught that although this woul
ne!essarily be the slower path% still it was possible for anyone to attain Nirvana Has a
Pa!!eka BuhaI by relying on hi#self alone an re#aining inepenent of any
#aster5s help$ -n his state#ent to his personal is!iples is signifi!ant: .&reat #y
o!trine as your &ea!her when I a# ea$.
'73
&hat an aspirant must 6oin a parti!ular group or atta!h hi#self to one tea!her is
"uestionable$ &his helps #any beginners% the vast #a6ority of who# usually o it
anyway$ But they are of the orinary sort$ *hen anyone begins to #ake real avan!e% he
e#erges into real nee of an iniviual path unha#pere by others% unefle!te by their
suggestions$ &he inner work #ust then pro!ee by the guian!e of his own intuitive
feeling together with the pointers given by outer !ir!u#stan!es as they appear$
'70
&he ne!essity of a tea!her is #u!h e3aggerate$ 1is own soul is there% reay to lea hi#
to itself$ Aor this prayer% #eitation% stuy% an right living will be enough to fin its
Cra!e$ If he has suffi!ient faith in its reality an tries to be sensitive to its intuitive
guian!e he nees no e3ternal tea!her$
'72
It is not really ne!essary to have the guian!e of an aept if one has suffi!ient inner
resour!es fro# whi!h to raw$ Aor those who have su!h inner guian!e% spiritual
progress #ay be #ae "uite satisfa!torily$
'74
But ea!h aspirant has in the en to fin his own e3pressive way to his own iniviual
illu#ination$ Outsie help is useful only to the e3tent that it oes not atte#pt to i#pose
an alien route upon hi#$
'77
<istening to so#eone else5s tea!hing% or reaing it% will only be a te#porary #akeshift
until the ay when he !an establish !o##uni!ation with his own intuitive self an
re!eive fro# it the tea!hing whi!h he% as a uni"ue iniviual% nees$ Aro# no other
sour!e !an he get su!h spe!ially suitable instru!tion$
'79
-ll Nature shows the self>evolution whi!h is going on$ @a!h of us is part of it$ @a!h of
us !an !arry hi#self further into the ne3t phase an beyon$ &he Aor!e an Intelligen!e
are present% but the faith in the# #ust be rawn on$ Otherwise% we shall have to look
outsie for help% probably for so#eone to guie% lean on% an be !arrie by$ But hel too
long an too far% the hope proves illusory$
'7:
*hen the e3!ess of guru>worship an priestliness be!a#e too prevalent in Inia%
Buha trie to repro!lai# the truth an to !ounterbalan!e the superstition$ 1e taught in
#any pla!es% sai on #any o!!asions% .No one saves us but ourselves= no one !an an
no one #ay$ @a!h alone #ust trea the path$. In our own ti#e we hear e!hoes of these
beliefs that Buha trie to refor#$
'9?
&he risk is too great$ &he pitfalls are too eep$ &he snares are too angerous$ If I !annot
fin a genuine ini!ation of the presen!e of Co>!ons!iousness in a #an by so#e
fleeting or per#anent refle!tion in the #irror of #y own internal e3perien!e% then I
#ust perfor!e abanon #y woul>be is!ipleship to the !are of the ivinity that lies
hien so#ewhere at the ba!k of #y #in$
'91
In the absen!e of a #aster let hi# follow a lone path% wel!o#ing whatever he !an learn
fro# !o#petent authorities but atta!hing hi#self to none$
'9'
Nothing that I have anywhere written shoul be regare as #eaning that instru!tion
!an be ispense with$ But in view of two fa!tors>>the rarity of !o#petent instru!tors
an the over>e#phasis of Inian>originate suggestions upon the nee of a tea!her>>I
have trie to show aspirants that the way to su!!ess is still open to the#$
'93
Noboy shoul overrate the help whi!h a spiritual guie is able to give an unerrate
his own resour!es$ &he "uest is a work whose !ontinuity goes on for a whole lifeti#e%
whereas the personal !onta!t whi!h is neee to #ake a guie5s help effe!tive !an only
be gotten o!!asionally at #ost an then only for li#ite perios of ti#e$ I give the
warning be!ause I know fro# several of #y !orresponents that this is a !o##on
tenen!y a#ong beginners an even a#ong those who ought to know better$
'90
&he i#portan!e of a tea!her is so#ewhat overrate$ If one !ontinues his progra# of
stuy% prayer% an #eitation% an if he appeals to his own higher self for guian!e% he
will !ertainly !ontinue to progress$ @arthly responsibilities will not interfere% for the
ti#e spent away fro# prayer an #eitation is also part of the spiritual life$
'92
Beware of professionalis# in this fiel% of the professional e3pouner of truth an the
professional seekers of it$ Both *ay an Coal are far si#pler than #ost of the# see# to
think it is% an #arkely unlike the i#pression left by #any writings an le!tures% books
an tea!hings% whether an!ient or #oern$
'94
Airst at the beginning of the <ong Path% an again at the beginning of the (hort Path a
#aster% a spiritual guie% is really re"uire$ But outsie these two o!!asions an aspirant
ha better walk alone$
'97
&he tea!her hi#self has to go to this inner sour!e for his own enlighten#ent% why not
go to it ire!tly yourself)
'99
It #ay be slower but it will be #u!h safer% present>ay !onitions being what they are%
to tea!h oneself an liberate oneself$
'9:
&o fin out the truth little by little by oneself is to #ake it really one5s own$ &o be
pushe into it with a plunge by a #aster always entails the likelihoo of a return to one5s
native an proper level later on$
':?
*e #ust fin the Overself through our own per!eptions% that is% through our own eyes>>
or never$ It will not suffi!e to believe that we !an go on seeing it through the eyes of
another #an>>be he a holy guru% or not$
':1
&he seeker #ust eli!it these things for hi#self% an fro# within hi#self: reaing about
the# is not enough% hearing about the# fro# gurus% or at le!tures% is not enough$
':'
(o#ething #ore is neee than what books or even gurus !an give hi#$ &his !an only
be foun within hi#self$ &he !ourage neee for su!h a stanpoint #ust also be foun%
an !an be% within hi#self$
':3
1e #ay well be a bit suspi!ious of all these offers% #u!h less of guarantees% of salvation
by a guru$ 1ow this !an be one without thwarting Nature5s intent to evelop us fully on
all sies is iffi!ult to see$ *e shall be robbe of the i#portant values i#pli!it in self>
effort if we are grante absolution fro# su!h effort$
':0
&he sear!her who is une!eive by fine phrases an knows when to look for the self>
interest behin the#% will know also when e#phasis on the nee of a #aster is
!unningly or e#otionally turne into e3aggeration of the nee$
':2
I will be the #ost eferential of #en before the tea!hing an in the presen!e of a truly
illu#ine #an$ But I will stubbornly resist% an stan fir# on #y groun% when I a#
aske to surrener #y intelle!tual freeo# an be!o#e his bone is!iple% open no
longer to the tea!hing or influen!e of any other #an$
':4
1e has to eta!h hi#self>>or let hi#self be!o#e eta!he by book or tea!her>>fro#
false ieas% !onventional falla!ies% or blin leaership$
':7
&here is no !ontrai!tion between avising aspirants at one ti#e to seek a #aster an
follow the path of is!ipleship% an avising the# to seek within an follow the path of
self>relian!e at another ti#e$ &he two !ounsels !an be easily re!on!ile$ Aor if the
aspirant a!!epts the first one% the #aster will graually lea hi# to be!o#e in!reasingly
self>reliant$ If he a!!epts the se!on one% his higher self will lea hi# to a #aster$
':9
*hen this !raving for a guru be!o#es e3!essive% inorinate% it is a sign of weakness% an
atte#pt to es!ape one5s own personal responsibility an to pla!e it s"uarely on
so#eboy else5s shoulers% a #anifestation of inferiority !o#ple3 su!h as we are
a!!usto#e to see in ra!es that have been long enslave by others$
'::
-lthough it is true that he #ust fin his own way to the goal% he nee not o so as if he
e3ists alone on this planet; 1e #ay be helpe by rawing !reatively on the e3perien!e
gaine by others even while he !riti!ally 6uges it$
3??
Cauta#a trie tea!her after tea!her an left the# after a ti#e be!ause he foun their
o!trines efi!ient or their pra!ti!es efe!tive$ If he ha not ha the !ourage to o so%
the worl woul never have ha its Buha$ @ven (ri Grishna i not ask -r6una to
follow hi# blinly but trie to ispel his oubts by reasone is!ussion% so that only at
the end of the Gita o we fin -r6una saying% .,y oubts are gone$.
3?1
&hey run hither an thither% fro# tea!her or tea!hing to a ifferent tea!her or tea!hing%
fro# @ura#eri!a to Inia% to Fapan% to Inonesia% looking away fro# their own being for
that whi!h is the essen!e of that being$ &hey are like the #an who looke everywhere
for his spe!ta!les$ -t last he gave up the sear!h>>only to fin the spe!ta!les resting on
his own nose$ But his attention ha first to be rawn to his nose by so#eone>>or by the
book of so#eone>>who !oul see the# there$ &hese seekers are not orinarily aware of
what is !ontinually present within the#% the stillness of the !entre of their being% an
instea of looking there for it% they look elsewhere% or to other #en$ &he real servi!e
whi!h is renere the# by these others is to tell the# where to look= the rest is for the#
to o$ But the la8y% or those who want so#ething for nothing% e3pe!t or want the gurus
to o it for the#>>a false iea$ &he other great error of these !onfuse #ins is to seek
fro# -sia what -sia is now re6e!ting$ &he best -siati!s are not re6e!ting its spirituality
but its ignoran!e% superstition% unbalan!e% futility% narrowness% an e3!ess of
!onservatis#$ &he *esterner who aores -sia5s past wants to !opy it% pi!turing it as a
golen age Hwhi!h it never wasI$ 1e tries to restore it for hi#self an in hi#self%
be!o#ing an ape an a parrot$
3?'
If so#e have foun their way to this illu#ination by following slavishly the etails of a
spe!ial tea!hing% others have foun it by following no tea!hing at all$
3?3
It is not un!o##on for ine3perien!e beginners on the Quest% who are ignorant of the
serious an often har#ful results of su!h asso!iations% to turn to untrustworthy so>!alle
o!!ult tea!hers$ In #ost !ases% it woul be far safer% an #ore satisfa!tory in the en% for
the# to epen solely upon their own unaie efforts than to follow su!h a angerous
#etho$
3?0
@na!t#ent of the #aster>pupil relationship% with the suborinate an sub#issive role
allotte to hi#% is far better if it happens within his own person than if it is ob6e!tifie
without$ &hen the lower ego will have to play this role$
3?2
Only when he is beginning to fin his own way to the inner reality an feel its support%
only when he is lessening his epenen!e on so#e other hu#an being H!all hi# guru or
what you likeI% !an it be truly sai that he is a is!iple of the 1oly (pirit itself>>not so#e
parti!ular #an5s is!iple$
3?4
&o lose his own ego in so#e other person5s is not to !on"uer it$ -n although this is
!lear enough in orinary !ases% it is not so !lear in referen!e to losing it in a guru5s
person% in total surrener to hi#$ /et the ire!tion is still e3ternal% still taking hi# away
fro# the go within hi#self$ 1e e3!hanges one kin of epenen!e for another>>but
both share this li#itation of being outsie hi#self$ &hen why has this way been
pres!ribe so often an so #u!h in the Inian spiritual syste#s) Be!ause it is useful for
beginners: it is a step forwar towars separation fro# their own will into at least a
better one$ But for the #an of #ore evelop#ent% there is no other way than to turn
roun an look within% to epen on the <ight an Power whi!h is there an whi!h%
with enough patien!e% will be foun there$
3?7
*e all ought to be happy at the #ention of !ertain na#es of !onte#porary spiritual
guies>>whether those who have now passe out of the boy like ,ary Baker @y an
(ri +a#ana ,aharshi or those who are still with us$ 1u#an !ulture is ennoble an
enri!he by what these people have given it$ 1u#an e3isten!e is better be!ause they
e3iste$ Not only their i##eiate followers but we also have gaine by their presen!e
or their work$ @a!h has given his or her own spe!ial gift to us an in his or her
iniviual way$ &his sai% it is neeful to a that we all ought to follow what is true in
these spiritual leaers5 tea!hing as we ought to i#itate what is goo in their !onu!t% but
we ought not o so "uite un!riti!ally$ &hey are still hu#an an therefore still fallible$
*e ought not to follow the# in their #istakes nor i#itate the# in their #is6uge#ents$
3?9
Only arrogan!e will re6e!t the e3perien!e of other #en% but only weakness will support
itself solely on su!h e3perien!e$ - wiser attitue will use it is!ri#inatingly$
3?:
1ow oes the average seeker !o#e to his parti!ular tea!hing) 1e rarely #akes% or has
the ti#e to #ake% a !o#plete investigation of all the tea!hings offere$ -n even if he
oes% his 6uge#ent #ay be too poor or too ine3perien!e to be relie on$ (o the basis
on whi!h he sele!ts the favoure tea!hing is the e#otional rea!tion arouse% that is% the
egree to whi!h he personally likes or islikes it$ Or he 6oins a tea!her who is either
well>publi!i8e in books an 6ournals% easily a!!essible% an #u!h talke about% or else
one who oes his own avertising% often e3aggerate$ &his again is an insuffi!ient basis
for proper sele!tion an i##ensely inferior to a !areful analysis of suffi!ient ata #ae
by a !ool i#partial 6uge#ent$ If the seeker #akes any avan!e at all% it is really ue to
his own #erits% whi!h woul have enable hi# to #ake it anyway an with whatever
#etho he aopte$ /et the !reit goes to the tea!her or the #etho% although they o
not eserve it;
31?
&his looking to% an leaning upon% one #an% #ay !o#e to o#inate the #in to su!h an
e3tent that the !reative powers an is!ri#inative 6uge#ent of that #in #ay be
wholly suppresse$
311
If you rely on an e3ternal tea!her you rely on so#ething whi!h you #ay have to rop
to#orrow or on so#eboy you #ay have to !hange the ay after$
31'
-ll this is not to be #isunerstoo to #ean that we suggest that everyone ought to
a!"uire every ite# of his spiritual knowlege afresh through his own personal
e3perien!e% ignoring all the e3perien!e of the whole ra!e$ On the !ontrary% we woul
strongly suggest that he avail hi#self of this e3perien!e through the for# it has taken in
great literature throughout the worl$
313
&o su# up: a !o#petent spiritual ire!tor of his way is !ertainly worth having% but
unfortunately the proble# of where to fin su!h a #an see#s insuperable$ If an aspirant
is lu!ky enough to solve it without be!o#ing the vi!ti# of his own i#agination he will
be lu!ky inee$ If not% let hi# e3ploit his own inner resour!es$ <et hi# appeal to the
ivine soul within hi#self for what he nees$
310
&he two s!hools of thought% one of whi!h says that spiritual attain#ent epens on self>
effort an the other that it epens wholly upon the Cra!e of Co% o not really !lash% if
their !lai#s are !orre!tly an i#partially unerstoo$ *hen a #an begins his spiritual
"uest% it is solely by his own strivings that he #akes his initial progress$ &he ti#e
!o#es% however% when this progress see#s to stop an when he see#s to stagnate$ 1e
has !o#e to the en of a stage whi!h was really a preparatory one$ &he stagnation
ini!ates that the path of self>effort is no longer suffi!ient an that he #ust now enter
upon the path of relian!e upon Cra!e$ &his is be!ause in the earlier stage% the @go was
the agent for all his spiritual a!tivities% whilst it provie the #otives whi!h i#pelle
hi# into these a!tivities$ But the @go !an never be really sin!ere in esiring its own
estru!tion% nor !an it ever raw fro# its own resour!es the power to rise above itself$
(o it #ust rea!h this point where it !eases self>effort an surreners itself to the higher
power whi!h #ay be variously na#e Co or the 1igher (elf% an relies on that power
for further progress$ But be!ause the aspirant is living in a hu#an for#% the higher
power !an rea!h hi# best through fining a living outlet whi!h is also in a hu#an for#$
(o it bestows its gra!e upon hi# partly as a rewar an partly as a !onse"uen!e of his
own preparatory efforts by leaing hi# to su!h an outlet% whi!h is none other than a
,aster or Cuie in the flesh$ No #an is wholly save by his own effort alone nor !an
any ,aster save hi# if he fails to #ake effort$ &hus the !lai#s of both s!hools are
!orre!t if introu!e at the proper stage$
&oneliness
312
&here is little pla!e toay as ever for the spiritual iniviualist% the #an who !annot
betray hi#self an eny truth for the sake of pea!eably settling own in one of so!iety5s
organi8e groups or establishe institutions$ &he !li#ate is hostile to hi#$ 1e #ust
re#ain a lone thinker% self>e3ile% paying a pri!e but getting his #oney5s worth$
314
&he inepenent #in whi!h oes not wish to !o##it itself to any !ree or group or
!ult #ust a!!ept its loneliness as the pri!e of its inepenen!e$
317
&he fa!t #ay be note without reproa!h an without antagonis#% without surprise an
without arrogan!e% that #en are the vi!ti#s of the very institutions they have the#selves
!reate an #aintaine$ &he iniviual who refuses to be lost in their #es#eri8e
surrener to the false prestige of these institutions #ust go forth alone into an ari an
e#pty wilerness% #ust set hi#self apart fro# the worl aroun hi#$
319
1e has entere a worl of being where few #en will be able to follow hi#$ &heir la!k
of unerstaning will be the bar$
31:
1e will fin that few of his kin are settle in this worl% a is!overy whi!h he #ay
#eet either with isappoint#ent or with resignation$
3'?
&he #an who is travelling this inner way soon fins an feels its loneliness$ 1e #ay try
to get ri of the feeling by 6oining a group% but this !an give only a partial liberation
an% in the en% only a te#porary one$ But this loneliness nee not be a !ause of
suffering$ +ather he #ay !o#e to en6oy it$
3'1
&he feeling of being isolate% the sense of walking a lonely path% is true outwarly but
untrue inwarly$ Aor there he is !o#panione by the Overself5s gentle ever>rawing
love$ 1e has only to grope within suffi!iently to know this for hi#self% an to know it
with absolute !ertitue$
3''
&he higher the peak one !li#bs% the lonelier the trail be!o#es$ &here is a parao3 here
for the loneliness e3ists outsie the boy% not insie the heart% an the #ore it grows
outsie the less it is felt insie$
3'3
&he "uest is to be walke alone$ /et although this #eans that one #ust have a solitary
an !reeless path if the *or is to be sai% the &ou!h is to !o#e% the Cli#pse is to be
seen% or the Aeeling of the presen!e is to enter awareness% the gra!ious revelation is the
sa!re !o#pensation$
3'0
Be!ause of the soul5s own infinitue% its e3pressions in art an !ulture% its #anifestations
in so!iety an inustry% will always be infinitely varie$ If we fin the !ontrary to e3ist
a#ong us toay% it is be!ause we have lost the soul5s inspiration an forfeite our
spiritual birthright$ &he #onotonous unifor#ity of our !ities% the un!reative sa#eness of
our so!iety% the #ass>prou!e opinions of our !ulture% an the stanari8e prou!ts of
our i##obili8e #entalities reveal one thing glaringly>>our !ra#ping inner poverty$ &he
#an who possesses a spark of iniviuality #ust toay isregar the rule of !onfor#ity
an go his own way in appalling starving loneliness a#i this la!k of !reativeness% this
earth of aspiration$
3'2
In the en he #ust inwarly walk alone>>as #ust everyone else however belove>>sin!e
Co allows no one to es!ape this pri!e$
3'4
-s he !li#bs towars the ieal he fins hi#self rawing farther an farther away fro#
his fellows who her on the plains below$ &hat whi!h raws hi# to itself% also isolates
hi# fro# others$
3'7
1e #ay waner through the low haunts of life% seeking the s#iling figures of Aortune
an <ove$ 1e #ay go% too% into the higher aboes of better people$ In both pla!es he
fins illusion an frustration$ (o it !o#es about that he !eases his wanering an sits
silently by a lone hearth$ 1e knows then what he ha always i#ly suspe!te$
3'9
+merson Hin a letter to a young seekerI: .- true soul will isain to be #ove e3!ept by
what natively !o##ans it% though it shoul go sa an solitary in sear!h of its #aster a
thousan years$ $ $ $ I wish you the best eliveran!e in that !ontest to whi!h every soul
#ust go alone$.
3':
If he is really to attain &ruth% he will have to learn how to stan solily by hi#self% how
to live within hi#self% an how to be satisfie with his inner purpose as his only
!o#panion$
33?
Aro# the #o#ent that he has e#barke on this "uest he has% in a subtle an internal
sense% separate hi#self fro# his fa#ily% his nation% an his ra!e$
331
1e #ust be prepare to a!!ept an appalling loneliness if he wishes to walk this path$ But
the loneliness will be li#ite to his novitiate$ Aor a new presen!e will slowly an
"uietly enter his inner life uring its avan!e stage$
33'
&here is a point at whi!h no aspirant !an surrener his ieals uner the !o#pulsion of a
#aterialisti! so!iety% !an no longer !o#e to ter#s with it$ (u!h a point will be vivily
ini!ate to hi# by his own !ons!ien!e$ It is then that% of his own free will% he #ust
a!!ept the !up of suffering$
333
&he is!iple #ust not shirk the isolation of his inner position% #ust not resent the
loneliness of his spiritual path$ 1e #ust a!!ept what is in the very nature of the thing he
is atte#pting to o$
330
&he aloneness that he feels #ust be a!!epte$ Only then% only when he unerstans an
wells !al#ly in it% will the great power of the (aint !o#e forth an well with hi# in
turn$
332
It is #ost pleasant for a #an to feel hi#self at one with the !row% #ost un!o#fortable
to feel hi#self at varian!e with it$ /et the seeker who has hear truth5s !all% has no other
!hoi!e than to a!!ept this intelle!tual loneliness an e#otional is!o#fort if he is not to
fin what% for hi#% is the worse fate of violating his spiritual integrity$
334
&he !ure for loneliness is !o#pany= but if there is no affinity in the !o#pany% then it is
only a "ua!k !ure$ &his pres!ription is true for everyone% even for the sage% for he fins
his !o#pany in the Overself5s self>presen!e$
337
&he atte#pt to follow a lone path #ay well #ake hi# woner at ti#es whether or not he
is #aking a #istake$ It nees #ore than orinary stubbornness to re#ain in a #inority
of one or two$ 1e will !ertainly nee at ti#es% an glaly wel!o#e% so#e reassuran!e
fro# others$
339
1e #ust be willing to stan alone% although that #ay not prove to be ne!essary$
33:
.Is there not an unnatural air about the "uest). &his is a "uestion whi!h is so#eti#es
aske$ &he answer epens% of !ourse% upon a efinition of ter#s$ &he #ultitue of non>
"uesters are !ertainly not living !lose to Nature$ *hat the "uestioner really wants to say
is that the "uest see#s to lift a #an out of the her% to #ake hi# no longer average% to
#ark hi# ifferent fro# the other #en aroun hi#$ Its goals o not a!!or with the
orinary hu#an esires an the !o##on instin!ts$
30?
&here is only one real loneliness an that is to feel !ut off fro# the higher power$HPI
The 'otebooks are !opyright M 1:90>1:9:% &he Paul Brunton Philosophi! Aounation$