Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Thakurji on Dharma, Knowledge and Pride
Dharma

The stay of all existence is Dharma, and He is the Supreme Fulfiller. Dharma never becomes many. It is always one. There is no variety of it. View may be many – even as many as there are people. Still, Dharma cannot be many. In my opinion, to speak of Hindu Dharma, Christian Dharma, Mohammedan Dharma, Buddhist Dharma, etc. is wrong; rather, they are so many views. In fact, there is no opposition in the views – different views, the same way – feeling One in many forms. Each faith is for the expansion of avowed activity. That can be in many forms and as much as is gained by the expansion, so much the realization – wisdom. So Dharma is based upon realization – to be ‘real’ in nature.
Knowledge
If you long for good, give up conceit of knowledge. Listen to everyone and do whatever helps to expand your heart. No other passion creates such a hindrance to knowledge as does conceit of knowledge. If you want to teach, think not you are a teacher only. “I am a teacher”: this ‘teach-conceit’ hinders one from learning. As far away as you keep pride, so far your vision or wisdom expands. When the ego dissolves, then and there, the soul becomes the possessor of all qualities – the Absolute.
Pride
If you go with pride to examine a true Master, a loving Sage or Saint, you will only see yourself in Him and will come away deceived. The test is to feel blessed in the race of a true Master by approaching Him without prejudice or preconception, with a loving heart, humility and as little pride as possible. He can never be tested on the touchstone of pride, but as if torn by the horns of a ram, He can be rent into pieces by real humility. As the sparkle of a diamond, which remains in coal and dirt, can only be seen after thorough cleansing, so also, He Who lives in society as an ordinary man can illumine the world with His sparkle only by the washings with love. The lover alone can know Him; so keep the company of lovers and worshipers of Existence. He may manifest Himself. A proud man can examine proud man. How can he fathom one whose pride is dissolved? He is as strange and queer to him as a wise man is to a stark illiterate.

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