by Peter Holleran



"Not only does loving devotion raise the soul to God, but God, too, is drawn down from the transcendental regions and reaches for the devotee and takes His abode in his heart. "

-   Sant Kirpal Singh, Sat Sandesh, July 1983



   Dedication: For the Hungry


   It is because of the freedom given me by my initiating Master, Sant Kirpal Singh, that I write this article, asking and searching for open dialogue on what remains for some a glorious yet mysterious path. I would not for the world take it upon myself, nor is it my intention, to cause one soul to lose faith or entertain unnecessary doubts, but I figure that if you, dear reader, have gotten this far, you have your share of inquiries and may find some benefit in what is discussed herein, and that the day and age has arived to speak more plainly on such matters. What follows is largely not for the beginner but rather for the seasoned questor who still has real questions regardless of his efforts, devotion, and experiences on this path. As there are now hundreds of thousands of followers in the many branches of Sant Mat, or Radhasoami tradition, with different gurus within each, offering similar but not always identical teachings [perhaps the two most predominant branches today descending from Sawan Singh (Beas) to either Maharaj Charan Singh (Beas) and Sant Kirpal Singh (Delhi), but also major branches in Peepalmandi (Dadaji), Soamibagh, and Dayalbagh)], there are undoubtedly many seekers who harbor unasked and unanswered heartfelt questions. This is not due only to internal discrepencies and controversies among or between the various lineages of Sant Mat, but also because of the challenge of a more radical, direct approach disseminated by a host of emerging non-dual teachers, largely descending from Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Nisargadatta. Hopefully this article will bring the two schools of thought a little closer together. This is an exploratory essay and not in any respect an attempt to "prove" or "disprove" Sant Mat or any other path. In fact, its underlying assumption is that Sant Mat is true and authentic, although numerous questions may arise for the discriminative seeker. It is also recognized that mystical experience enters a realm where the discursive intellect does not go, yet, it is still subject to Reason or Buddhi, the highest faculty of the mind, next to Atman itself. Therefore, If you are content where you are, wonderful, you may read no further. Otherwise, read on, with full attention and an open mind intent on truth. This article is about fifty pages in length, at times dense and exhaustive; the reader, however, can determine if it is of value.

PROS

   On the positive side it is lauditory that by and large the masters of Sant Mat are examples of clean living, selfless service, loving others, personal discipline, profound depths of inner meditation and illumination, not accepting money for their spiritual work, and, compared to many paths, relatively free of gross scandals, i.e., drugs, money, and sex. On these points most unbiased observers would agree. The goal proposed and promised is lofty and celestial. The loved poured out by the greatest of these masters is real. The questions I have relate to the philosophy itself and how it relates to ultimate realization as described in other traditions and schools.

Introduction

   Sant Mat teaches an emanationist philosophy/theology of creation that believes the fallen soul must retrace its journey back from realms of varying densities of matter to those of pure spirit. The technique, believed superior to other paths and unique to itself alone, is to concentrate at the ajna chakra (third eye) and withdraw the attention from the body, catch the inner light and sound current, and ride that upwards to the fifth and, by their system, first divine and indestructible, plane, Sach Khand. Some Sants, such as Darshan Singh and Rajinder Singh, have actually described the supercausal realm, Bhanwar Gupta, as a true spiritual realm (beyond mind and matter), where the soul first experienced its individuality on the downward path, and on the upward path (with but a thin veil of anandamaya kosha remaining, almost an integral part of the soul itself, said Kirpal Singh) first cries out "aham brahm asmi", i.e., "oh Lord, I am of the same essence as thou, or "Thou Art That", etc.), with Sach Khand being refered to as the True Region, or the realm of Truth or Spirit, the first primal expression in full effulgence of the nameless One. This also sometimes referred to as the region of Oneness or Kaivalya. Param Sants go further, being progressively absorbed by the Sat Purush into three more planes, Alakh, Agam, and Anami, where there is less and less light and sound until merger in Anami, the nameless and formless. This is sometimes called mahakaivalya.

   [Some schools of Sant Mat teach that Radhasoami is a stage beyond Anami. The suggestion, through use of the terms "wonder region," or that it is not a region, but the "source and reality of All", etc., is that this may refer to a non-dual realization, but it is not made clear, and is difficult in any case to compare to the teachings of other paths. To thicken the plot, Agam Prasad Mathur (aka Dadaji, a direct spiritual descendant of Rai Salig Ram, himself a disciple of Soamiji (according to most sources the modern day originator of the path of Sant Mat or Radhasoami Mat), has stated that beyond Anami is Radhasoami Dham and Dayal Desh, and that these teachings were edited out of the Sar Bachan of Soamiji in the translation of that book by the Beas group under Sawan Singh. Agam Prasad Mathur therefore was saying that the Beas lineage descending from Jaimal Singh - another disciple of Soamiji - through Sawan Singh did not have the full truth. This rather significant alleged difference is little known among radhasoami satsang circles].

   Sant Mat is adamant and unique among the traditions in maintaining that the Vedantins are wrong in their assertion of Brahman as the ultimate reality. This is a major point whose truth or not is at the heart of this entire article:

   "In the Radhasoami faith, the ultimate reality is Radhasoami. In Hinduism and its branches the ultimate reality is Brahman and Isvara. Brahman is considered to be the highest reality in Vedanta. The founders of Radhasoami faith, however, came forward with a new concept. According to them, The Brahman of Vedanta is limited to the second grand division of the creation whom they call "spiritual-material region". They hold that the Brahman is not the true Supreme Being or the highest reality because he is not perfectly free from mind and matter. They assert that though spiritual components predominate in Brahman, there is Maya latent in the seed form and a Supreme Reality having the least admixture of Maya cannot be styled as the highest truth. They envisaged the highest and the first grand division of creation as the region of the true Supreme Being who is absolutely spiritual and totally free from mind and matter. Such a Supreme Being they have named as Radhasoami." (website of Dadaji Maharaj)

   In Sant Mat the “soul” is said to “die” or be absorbed at each succeeding inner region. There is no talk of insight, prajna, or satori such as discussed in Buddhism and other schools. The goal is merger of the soul in the Oversoul, which absorption they say begins in Sach Khand and ends by stages in Anami. On this path, the Godman is all in all. The Sants speak endlessly of the need to first achieve fana-fil-sheikh (annihilation in the Master) as a prelude to fana-fil-Allah (annihilation in God). Ths consists in developing rapt concentration through loving remembrance of the human master and the Master-Power within, to the point of reaching the Master's inner Radiant Form. That, once attained, will, by magnetic attraction, escort the emanated soul to the Sat Purush, which in turn further absorbs the soul into the Absolute. On this path of love and devotion, at each stage there is allegedly both deeper penetration into the Essence within as well as greater interpenetration between the inner and the outer, to the ultimate point of no-difference... In The Crown of Life (1970), Sant Kirpal Singh speaks movingly of this process:

   "This relationship of love between the Satguru and his shishya, the Godman and his disciple, covers many phases and developments...With his greater effort and the greater grace from the Master, the disciple makes increased headway in his inner sadhanas, leading finally to complete transcendence of bodily consciousness. When this transcendence has been achieved, he beholds his Guru waiting in his Radiant Form to receive and guide his spirit on the inner planes. Now, for the first time, he beholds him in his true glory, and realizes the unfathomable dimensions of his greatness. Henceforth he knows him to be more than human and his heart overflows with songs of praise and humble devotion. The higher he ascends in his spiritual journey, the more insistent is he in his praise, for the more intensely does he realize that he whom he once took to be a friend, is not merely a friend but God Himself come down to raise him up to Himself. This bond of love, with its development by degrees, becomes the mirror of his inward progress, moving as it does, from the finite to the infinite.....once it has reached the point where the disciple discovers is teacher in his luminous glory within himself, all analogies are shattered and all comparisons forever left behind; all that remains is a gesture, and then silence...." (p. 185-186)

   The following several paragraphs are part of an earlier article; it may be difficult to understand for those without a philosophic background into the thought of Plotinus and Paul Brunton. Nevertheless, they are retained here for those who may find them clarifying. Paul Brunton and Plotinus teach that an emanent of the individual or unit Soul has penetrated or assumed a body, and it may be traced back to the Individual Soul from which it emanated and evolved through a long process of evolution. (At the level of man, the emanent in conjunction with the body develops an ego). The Absolute Soul, which continually births Individual Souls, is inherent in the Intellectual Principle, the Divine Mind, which is forever looking towards its prior, the One. The Absolute Soul is then the first of the three degrees of penetration of the Void-Mind (Absolute Soul, Intellectual Principle, and the One). In PB’s terms that would be Overself, World-Mind (God), and Mind (Godhead). All of these higher principles are in the silent Void beyond perception, name and form, light and sound. Thus, “Anami” of Sant Mat would appear to represent the first degree of merger of the ego or ego-soul into the Individual Soul, or perhaps Absolute Soul, but not the One per se, in Plotinus' classification. This need not lessen the greatness of such a state, only to outline its potential difference as described and the ultimate goal as stated in other schools.

   Meister Eckhart said:

   “God is infinite in his simplicity and simple in his infinity. Therefore he is everywhere and is everywhere complete. He is everywhere on account of his infinity, and is everywhere complete on account of his simplicity. Only God flows into all things, their very essences. Nothing else flows into something else. God is in the innermost part of each and every thing, only in its innermost part.

   When the soul enters the light that is pure, she falls so far from her own created somethingness into her nothingness that in this nothingness she can no longer return to that created somethingness by her own power.

   Blessedness consists primarily in the fact that the soul sees God in herself . Only in God’s knowledge does she become wholly still. There she knows nothing but essence and God. Between that person and God there is no distinction, and they are one. . . Their knowing is one with God’s knowing, their activity with God’s activity and their understanding with God’s understanding.

   I have occasionally spoken of a light in the soul which is uncreated and uncreatable. . . . This light is not satisfied with the simple, still and divine being which neither gives nor takes, but rather it desires to know from where this being comes. It wants to penetrate to the simple ground, to the still desert, into which distinction never peeped, neither Father, Son nor Holy Spirit. There, in that most inward place, where everyone is a stranger, the light is satisfied, and there it is more inward than it is in itself, for this ground is a simple stillness which is immovable in itself. But all things are moved by this immovability and all the forms of life are conceived by it which, possessing the light of reason, live of themselves.”

   This seems to be speaking of the Soul’s merger into or glimpse of Intellectual Principle, its prior, where the Soul is no longer herself. Could this be Anami of the saints, or is there a further realization that most of them have missed? Be it noted that Dadaji (Agam Prasad Mathur) claimed that Sant Kirpal Singh visited him several times to ask him about this very matter.

   If there is, a further stage beyond Anami, “Radhasoami”, then there may be some line of communication between these teachings, but, as mentioned, it is left a mystery in the teaching of Sant Mat where, like in other mystical schools, reasoning on such things is also unfortunately many times discouraged, simply because during the practice of concentration/meditation/dhyana the mental process is temporarily set aside. But that does not justify the denigration of the intellect and reasoning about these matters altogether, especially when so many sages appear to disagree with the interpretation of their inner experiences. Francis Wickes issues a warning:

   ” ‘Thinking hard’ hurts. It turns the sharp point of truth back upon the thinker. It pricks the bubble of ego complacency blown up by thinking easy. Its sharp wound forbids the forgetfulness which is the goal of evasive thinking. If one can forget the inner experience and its challenge can be evaded, the ego can remain comfortably unborn in the womb of the already known.” (1)

   Nor does it refute the contention of jnanis or sages that enlightenment itself is not the direct fruit of concentration, samadhi or meditative absorption (although that may be indeed be preparation), but rather is a discriminative knowledge or insight arising when the Self and Maya (illusion) are finally seen as non-separate, in the midst of any and all conditions and states. If the effort is only to kill the mind, they will say, how can such discrimination arise?

   As one teacher points out:

   "The great wisdom traditions of India, China, Japan and Tibet (as well as western mystical traditions) all put a strong emphasis on study of wisdom texts as an essential part of the spiritual curriculum. Consider how the eminent modern-era jñâni-sage Ramana Mahârshi, so famous for his wisdom-inducing silence and whose own powerful spiritual opening occurred without any significant intellectual preparation (he had read a book about the great Shaiva saints before his awakening in 1896), in the ensuing years actually spent much time listening to and promoting the reading of sacred texts, especially the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gîtâ, Yoga Vâsishtha, Tripura Rahasya, Bhâgavatam Purâna, Ashtâvakra Gîtâ, Ribhu Gîtâ, Avadhûta Gîtâ, the works of Shankara and stories of saints. Ch'an-Zen-Son Buddhist masters of the Far East likewise spent much time poring over classic texts of their own tradition, as well as the earlier Chinese and Indian classics. The Tibetan Vajrayâna masters are well known for their devotion to textual study. All this study promotes a balanced understanding of the various subtly nuanced teachings about authentic spiritual realization, the avoidance of common pitfalls, working through more insidious forms of delusion and attachment, and so forth. Such study is, of course, the prime ingredient in the classic "triple method" utilized in both the Hindu Advaita Vedânta tradition and Nâgârjuna's and Mahâyâna Buddhism wisdom path: hearing the teaching about our real Identity/Nature, pondering it ever more deeply through intensely penetrating reflection, and meditating upon this Truth (or having the Truth "meditate" you). (These are respectively, in Vedânta, shravana, manana, and nididhyâsana; and for Nâgârjuna: shruti, cintâ, and bhâvanâ.)" (Timothy Conway, http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org)

   And contemporary advaitist James Schwartz wrtes:

   "In spiritual circles it has become an article of faith that a the quest for spiritual knowledge is an 'intellectual' and therefore misguided pursuit. But it should be noted that anyone seeking enlightenment through the 'heart' or other paths would necessarily be motivated by the intellectual belief that he or she was limited, inadequate and incomplete i.e. unelightened. To pursue experience is natural but to pursue it at the expense of understanding is foolish because it is only misunderstandings about our true nature that make us think we are unenlightened in the first place. The Self realized beings who went before left a vast body of information to help us purge erroneous concepts that stand in the way of appreciating who we really are." (www.shiningworld.com/Index.htm).

   Therefore the most difficult and basic question must be asked at the outset, “where is the proof the path of inversion leads to the non-dual Brahman?” Vedanta says that, being non-dual, the One, no effort can lead there, that something more than mere yogic concentration must take place to realize it. V.S. Iyer states:

   “When I am told to go and practice Yoga and then only I shall know its truth, I reply, “How do you know that Yoga leads to truth? This at once involves epistemology of which every yogi is ignorant and which he has never taken into consideration. Yet it is the very foundation of knowledge; without knowing epistemology a man who mentions truth or knowledge simply does not know what he is talking about...Vedanta’s atitude to mystics is, “granting that, if we place ourselves in your position, if we follow up the yoga-practices you prescribe we shall have the same mystic experiences you have had, how are we to know even then that those experiences are the truth? We shall still be faced with that question even after the experience. Hence the need for inquiry, whether before or after into “What is truth?”

   How do we know that duplicating the death process, by itself, through shabd yoga leads to the truth, and not just a possible alternative state, such as in dream or deep sleep? How do we know it leads to turiya, the fourth state, nirvana, or liberation? Vedanta maintains that one is free from ignorance not when he sees nothing at all, such as in nirvikalpa or sleep, nor when he sees God everywhere, but when he sees all this universe within himself, that is, when he sees the Atman, the same soul, the same self, everywhere and in every state. Iyer continues:

   “Hence you must ask the question, “What is this universe?” The attention must be drawn to the outer world. Thus Gnana will make you feel the universal welfare. Ths is the highest aim and test.”

   “Vedantic bliss is non-dual; there is no enjoyer present to enjoy it, or to distinguish it from misery. The mystic revels only in ‘bliss’ that is experienced, i.e., that comes and goes, but his is not Vedantic. Mystics claim that their ego disappears in the mystic experience: we say it is not so. It is the ego that sees and enjoys the experience, otherwise they would not say afterwards, ‘I had this great ecstasy, I felt such peace.”

   “When you think you are a reflection, a ray of Brahman, you thereby separate yourself from Brahman and imagine an individual soul. Give up these imaginations and you will find yourself to be what you are.”

   "No name, no form can be given to Brahman. Any Yogi who says he “sees” something within as Brahman is no sage.”

   “Without Reasoning, direct cognition is impossible. The Rishis too got it through Reason: we only rely upon Reasoning.”

   “When there is a desire for final truth, when doubts come to a man, it indicates that he has begun to think.” (V.S. Iyer, Commentaries, Vol. 1 (edited 1999 by Mark Scorelle), p. 28, 29, 56, 58, 59)

   Of course, the mystic or devotee will say that such an approach is jnana, not bhakti, and he will be right - although many great spiritual masters have said that in the end one cannot truly have one without the other. This is not a call for every seeker to become a great scholar, or even be literate, but if even great sages have disagreed on the nature of their enlightenment, however, where would ordinary souls like us be without The Courage to Question? In the Secret Sayings of Jesus it is said:

   "Let him who seeks not cease in his seeking until he finds;
   and when he finds he will be troubled,
   and if he is troubled, he will marvel,
   and will be a king over the All."

   Paul Brunton gives his definition of the term shraddha, traditionally meant as faith in the revealed truth of the scriptures:

   "that faith in the existence of truth, that determination to get at truth, come what may, which would make one a hero even in the face of God's wrath."

   And finally, we have these words from scientist Carl Sagan:

   "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence."




Points for Discussion


1. It is quite a challenge to compare or reconcile the teaching of Sant Mat with any other system than gnostic or mystical schools; their doctrine says that Buddhism, Advaita, and all other yogas are on a lower level, either: (1) because, as they claim, their inner experience progressively reveals this, or (2) because the modern founder of the school, Swami Shiv Dayal Singh (Soamiji), once said so, perhaps in reference to the quality of so-called jnanis and vedantists he came in contact with who were available for comparison at the time - which he mentioned to be largely pundits and not practitioners - but not apparently, I humbly suggest, from an in-depth study of high Buddhist, Hindu, and other writings or association with sages of the caliber of Ramana Maharshi. Descriptions of the meanings of "Brahman", and "Gyana", also appear different than those given in other schools. Soamiji wrote, in Sar Bachan (Prose) (1978 edition):

   “There will be no salvation for Vachak Gyanis (those who only talk Gyan), for they only talk. In the case of true Gyanis, the Sthool Karmas (gross karmas) only are destroyed, but not the Sukshm Karmas (subtle karmas), as they can be destroyed only after reaching the region of the Saints. It must be born in mind that only Saints can lead to salvation in this age, because there can be no salvation unless all Karmas, both gross and subtle, are destroyed, and the Gyanis do not know the technique of destroying karmas.” (p. 138)

   This may be so. One famous zen master said, “first enlightenment, then the bad karma is dealt with.” There may be few who achieve this. Yet many will argue that a gyani or sage like Ramana Maharshi or Shree Atmananda were examples of those who both taught and achieved the transcendance or eradication of not only gross and subtle, but causal or root karmas as well. Kirpal Singh, in his book, The Crown of Life: A Study in Yoga mentioned that Jnana Yoga was a true path, but a steep one and not suited for the average person, but he did not deny its efficacy and even said it was a short-cut for those who had the qualifications for it (In fairness, he also pointed out the pitfalls for those who did not).

   Soamiji wrote:

   “Whoever seeks the Sat Guru will surely find Him, for the Sat Guru is an incarnation eternally present on this earth.” (p. 139)

   However, he then contradicts himself by claiming:

   “Saints are the Incarnations of Sat Purush, and to serve Them is to serve Sat Purush. They did not manifest themselves in the first three Yugas - but They have now incarnated themselves in this Kali Yuga for the redemption of the Jivas.”

   It then gets more complicated when claims are made by other gurus in these lineages that Kabir, a key figure in Sant Mat history, “incarnated in all four ages.”

   Example is often given that Jesus Christ was a perfect master and taught Surat Shabd Yoga, as well as Buddha (as suggested in the Surangama Sutra where it mentions attaining the “diamond samadhi” through the faculty of “intrinsic hearing”), but at other times these past masters are spoken of as incomplete and only reaching to the third plane in realization. Moreover, Sant Mat teaches that all masters must have a master, but whether Shiv Dayal Singh, the modern founder of the line, for instance, had a master in Tulsi Das is yet a matter of controversy. Agam Prasad Mathur claimed that Soamiji had no guru, whereas the Beas lineage claims that he did.

   Shiv Dayal Singh didn’t give proof for his claim of the inherent superiority of Sant Mat, he merely stated it was so. Of course, one could say, what proof could he give? - one must realize it for oneself. Yet for the beginner at least, in deciding if one will take up this path, it comes down to whether you believe Soamiji’s cosmology and ontology.. I am not saying whether it is absolute true or not, only that it is an article of faith on this path. Sant Mat would say there are inherent and inevitable paradoxes and mysteries on the path that make description of the inner truths ineffable. True enough, but then that makes comparison with paths of jnana, for instance, impossible, and, in fact, comparative references are mostly only given to that of various saints and mystics within the Sant or Sikh tradition itself.

Some of the differences in the traditional uses of various terms, i.e., brahm, purusha, prakriti, gunas, etc, can be gleaned by the perceptive student from the following description of the four grand divisions of the cosmos according to , by Julian Johnson:

“Sat Desh, the Highest Region

Beginning now from Above, and going downwards, we come first to Sat Desh (Sat, True, and Desh, country: True Country or Far Country). Many other names have been applied to it, such as Nij-Dham, Sat Lok, Mukam-e Haq and Sach Khand. These names are usually applied to the lowest section of Sat Desh, but occasionally to the entire grand division. This is the region or plane of pure spirit. All enjoying the greatest conceivable happiness, its inhabitants are pure spirits in such countless numbers as no man can estimate. It is the supreme heaven of all heavens... It is known to Saints only, who alone can enter it. It cannot be described. In substance and arrangement it is wholly unlike anything known in this world. Neither can the human mind imagine it. This section is so vast in extent that no sort of understanding of it can be conveyed to human intelligence. No mind can grasp it. All that the Saints can say of it is that it is limitless. It is the only region which the great Saints insist is practically limitless. We may say, although no mind can grasp the thought, that it embraces all else, and is both the beginning and the end of all else. It is the great center about which all other worlds revolve. Anything which we might say about it would be incomplete and only partially true, so declare the Saints. If the entire physical universe with its countless millions of suns and their planets were all gathered together in a single cluster, each sun being a million light-years distant from any other sun, yet this entire ensemble would appear no more than a few dark specks floating in the clear and luminous sky of Sat Desh. In that happy country, a sun such as ours, but a thousand times larger, would appear as a tiny dark spot, so very great is the light of that world. This region is the grand capital of all creation, the center of all universes, and the residence of the Supreme Creator-Lord of all. From this center of all light, life and power, the Great Creative Current flows outwards and downwards to create, govern and sustain all regions. It passes out from this region somewhat like the radio emanations going forth from a great broadcasting station. It is the Audible Life Stream, the most important factor in the system of the Masters. This Stream permeates the entire system of universes. A thing of great importance to us is that the music of this ever- flowing current, the stream of life, can be heard by a real Master and also by his students who have advanced even a little on the Path. And let us reiterate that unless a Master teaches his students how this current is to be heard, he is not a Master of the highest order.

This grand headquarters of all creation is the region of immortality. It is unchangeable, perfect, deathless. It is for ever untouched by dissolution or grand dissolution. So are its inhabitants. This region will be referred to many times in this book. It is subdivided into four distinct planes, each having its own characteristics and its own Lord or Governor. But the difference between these subdivisions is very slight. From above downward they are named: Radha Swami Dham (meaning home of the Spiritual Lord). It is also called Anami Lok (meaning nameless region). The next plane below the highest is Agam Lok (Agam, inaccessible, and Lok, place). The third plane is Alakh Lok. (Alakh, invisible and Lok, place). The last of these higher planes is Sach Khand (Sach, truth and Khand home). The last one is also called Sat Lok, the true place. By the Mohammedan Saints it has been called Mukam-e-Haq, meaning of the same as above, the Home of Truth.

The light of all four of these regions is so very intense that it is impossible for any mortal to get an understanding of it. It cannot be described. The great Swami Ji sums up his statements regarding is region by saying simply that "It is all Love.


BRAHMANDA, THE SECOND GRAND DIVISION

The second grand division from above downward is Brahmanda, (meaning, the egg of Brahm, as said before). This refers to its shape and also to the Governor or Lord who is its ruler. This Brahm is supposed by most of the old rishis to be the supreme being of all creation, because they knew of no one higher. But the Saints know that there is not only one Brahm, but countless numbers of Brahms, who are governors over so many Brahmandas. For it must be understood that there are countless Andas and Brahmandas, each circling about the supreme region in its own orbit. And each of them has its own governor or ruler. Brahm was the highest God known to the ancient rishi or yogi, and so the name of Brahm is retained by the Saints to designate the ruler of the "Three Worlds," including the physical universe, the Anda and lower portion of Brahmanda, named Trikuti. The upper portion of Brahmanda is called Par Brahm.

As said before, this grand division is mostly spirit in substance, but is mixed with a certain amount of pure, spiritualized matter. It is the finest order of matter, and that includes mind. This is called the "spiritual-material region," because spirit dominates the region. The substance of that division gradually becomes less and less concentrated as we descend toward the negative pole of creation. The lower portions become coarser in particle, and more and more mixed with matter. In the lower end of Brahmanda mind is supreme. It is practically all mind, for mind itself is material of the finest order. Of course, even mind is mixed with spirit substance to some slight extent, otherwise it could not exist. All worlds become a shade darker as we descend, because there is less and less of spirit substance in the composition. Trikuti, the lowest section of Brahmanda, is the home of Universal Mind. It is from that region that all individual minds are derived, and to that region all minds must return when they are discarded during the upward flight of the spirit. Brahmanda is extremely vast in area when compared with the physical universe, but small when compared with the first grand division. It is itself subdivided into many distinct regions or planes. Some mention six subdivisions; but as a matter of fact, there are scores of subdivisions in that one grand division, almost numberless subdivisions, each constituting a separate and distinct world. Divisions and subdivisions shade into one another so imperceptibly that it is not easy to say just where one ends and another begins. This accounts in part for the many different descriptions of those regions, and the great variety of names assigned to them.


Anda, The Lowest of the Heavens

It lies nearest to the physical universe. Its capital is called Sahasra dal Kanwal, meaning a Thousand-petalled Lotus. Its name is taken from the great cluster of lights which constitute the most attractive sight when one is approaching that world. This great group of lights is the actual "power house" of the physical universe. Out of that power house flows the power that has created and now sustains all worlds in our group. Each of those lights has a different shade of tint and they constitute the most gorgeous spectacle as one enters that magnificent city of light. In that city of splendors may be seen also many other interesting and beautiful things. Also, here may be seen millions of earth's most renowned people of all ages of our history. Many of them are today residents of this great city and country. Naturally they are quite happy. It is far superior to anything ever seen on this earth. Yet this is but the first station on the upward Path of the Masters.

This region constitutes the negative part of all the superphysical zones. That is, it lies most distant from the positive pole of creation. This region is sometimes classified as a part of Brahmanda, but the Saints prefer to consider it as a separate grand division of creation. It has many distinctive features of its own. Lying nearest to the physical universe, it forms the port of entry for all the higher regions. All souls who are passing to still higher regions must pass through it. The great majority of human souls at the time of death pass to some sub-plane of this region. But very few, comparatively, go direct to this central portion of the Sahans dal Kanwal region. It is through all of these regions that the Masters and their disciples must travel on their way to higher worlds. This section of creation is not immortal or imperishable. Neither are its inhabitants. Many of its inhabitants believe that they have attained immortality because their lives there go on for extremely long periods. All below that is subject to death and dissolution. There are two kinds of dissolutions. The one, simple dissolution" which reaches up to the lowest section in Brahmanda, the region called Trikuti; this occurs after many millions of years, and the other, the grand dissolution" which occurs after immeasurably long periods of time and extends up to the top of Brahmanda. Of course, both of these dissolutions include the entire physical universe, every sun, moon and planet in it. At that time every star and its satellites are wiped out, and then follows a period of darkness equal in duration to the life of the universe. When the period of darkness has expired, a new creation is projected, and the heavens are once more alive with sparkling stars. With each new creation begins a new "Golden Age" for each planet and its inhabitants. But between minor dissolutions there are also periods of renewal for the life of each planet when Golden Ages succeed dark ages. There is a general idea, finding its way into most religions, that this world is to come to an end. And so the Masters teach. But the end is a very different proposition to what it is generally supposed to be. It will come at a time when all worlds of the physical universe will be dissolved, and after periods of darkness and silence, new worlds will take their places. The inhabitants of all of those worlds to be dissolved are drawn up to higher regions in a sort of comatose state to be replaced upon these worlds when they are ready for human habitation. They will then begin a new life here under more favorable conditions. These periodic dissolutions come to the physical universe after many, many hundreds of millions of years. No man need worry now, lest that time is near at hand. It is many aeons away yet.


The Grand Division of Pinda -- The Physical Plane/Multiverse of Dark Matter and Light

The fourth grand division, beginning from above, is called Pinda. It is the gross material or physical universe. Here coarse matter predominates, there being but a small percentage of mind and a still smaller amount of spirit. Our earth is a small and insignificant member of Pinda. It embraces all the suns and their planets known or unknown, to astronomy. It extends out into space far beyond the reach of any telescope. Astronomers have never been able to count these worlds; although as their instruments become more perfect, the range of their observations is extended. Who shall set limits or indicate bound to those starry depths? Who can number the numberless? Who can circumscribe the boundless? To the farthest extent of space wherever there is a material sun or a speck of dust they are all included in this fourth grand division which the Masters call Pinda.

In this division, coarse material predominates. Permeating this coarse material are many finer substances, including mind, and last of all there is a modicum of spirit to give life to all the rest. In this lowest of all divisions of creation there is but little light and a very low grade of life when compared with Brahmanda. But if compared with Sat Desh, this world is pitch darkness and the life here, in comparison to that, is scarcely cognizable at all. Its substance is coarse, clumsy, inert, and full of all manner of imperfections. These imperfections, as said before, are due to the paucity of spirit at this pole. This condition of negativity is the soil out of which all evil grows. However real it may seem to us, negativity is the absence of reality, and the absence of reality is the absence of spirit. Food is a reality to us, but hunger is also a real condition to our consciousness. But hunger is due to the absence of food. In its last analysis, all pain, longing, all desire is only a cry of the mind and soul for more light, more spirit. In like manner, evil is due to, the absence of spirit. And the reason we have so small a percentage of spirit substance at this end of creation is because this is the negative pole of all creation. Pinda is the extreme negative pole. It is consequently so far depleted of spirit that it lies in a state of semi-death, a condition of heavy inertia over which broods deep shadow.

Out of this condition rise all the manifold difficulties experienced by mortals on this plane of life. As one leaves this lowest plane and begins to ascend toward the positive pole of creation, the light increases, and hence more life, more beauty and more happiness. This is all entirely due to the increase in the percentage of spirit on the several planes. Love, power, wisdom, rhythm, perfection of every sort take the place of negative conditions which prevail in the lower sections of the universe.

It should be said here, with all possible emphasis, that just in proportion to the degree of spirit substance prevailing in any region, world, person or thing, will its perfections be manifest. And vice versa, in proportion to the lack of spirit, imperfections will show themselves. In proportion as matter predominates, those states which we call evil will manifest. A depletion of spirit, is therefore, the one fatal disease of the physical universe. Out of that state all other diseases spring up. In the last analysis, we believe there is but one disease in the world -- spiritual anemia.”


   [Notice that Julian Johnson uses the term "sahsra dal kanwal and "thousand-petalled lotus" to describe the first inner region. As will be shown, Soamiji used the term "Sahans dal Kanwal" and said this region had only an eight-petalled lotus. This has significance in comparing other schools of yoga with Sant Mat].

   Continuing, we have a more lyrical description of creation by Huzur Maharaj:

“A current issued forth from the feet of SOAMI [Lord]. It is the Prime Current and the Creator of the entire creation.

The Name of that ADI DHARA. (Prime Current) is RADHA [Soul]. THAT alone is the doer and dispenser of every activity.

The Source or Origin or Fountain-head from whom the Prime Current emanated, is ADI SOAMl (Absolute Lord) of all.

Where that current halted in its descent, the creation of Agam Lok [Inaccessible Plane] was brought into being.

Agam Lok is a vast sphere. It encompasses all the creation.

The entire creation below is being cradled just in a small nook of Agam Lok.

On completion of the creation of Agam Lok, a current issued forth from there.

It descended and halted, and evolved the creation of Alakh Lok [Invisible Region or Plane].

When the sphere of Alakh Lok was formed in the above manner, the current descended, and created Sat Lok.

Sat Lok [Plane or Realm of Truth] is the Dham (Abode) of Sat Purush, and is inhabited by Hansas.

Each of the Hansas [souls] has a dweep (island) to himself. They are absorbed in the Darshan [Vision] of Sat Purush.

Up to here is the creation of Sat (Truth) or pure spirit. Neither Maya nor cruel Kal exists here.

There is neither any desire nor any work. All are absorbed in the Darshan of Sat Purush and feed on Amrit (ambrosia).

All live in perfect harmony and enjoy rapturous bliss. There is no trace of pain and anguish due to Kal [god of time-death- illusion] and there is no burden of Karma.

For a considerable period of time the creation remained like this - a region of Truth and pure bliss.

Time, The "Fall" of Kal, the Gnostic "Demiurge" or Universal Mind

Then, from the lower portion of Sat Pur (Sat Lok) emanated a Shyam (blue) current. It came down and underwent considerable expansion and ramification.

It remained constantly engaged in the Sewa (service) of Purush but, inwardly, it was cherishing some other desire.

It disclosed its mind thus, "0 Sat Purush [God]! 0 Merciful One and Giver of all things! Grant me the sovereignty of a separate region, and furnish me with the seed of Surat. Life here is not suited to me. Your region is not agreeable to me."

Hearing this, Purush replied, "Get out from this place. You are a nuisance here. Go and evolve a creation for yourself in the lower part of the pre-creational neutral zone. Take your seat there and rule over that dominion."

The name of that current is Niranjan. It has all the characteristics of Kal.

Purush evolved another current with a yellow hue. Its name is Adya.

By the order of Purush, this other current was sent down. It associated with Niranjan.

In Sunn, they came to be known as Purush and Prakriti, and in Trikuti, as Maya and Brahm.

They halted in Sahas-dal-kanwal, from where the three Gunas (qualities) came into being.

Here, Adya assumed the form of Jyoti, and Niranjan assumed a dark blue complexion.
They first brought into being Brahm-srishti.
Then, the creation of Triloki (three worlds) was evolved.

Niranjan then engaged himself in Dhyan (contemplation) of Purush (Sat Purush).
Jyoti took upon herself the burden of looking after the creation.

The three Gunas or gods became her assistants. They evolved the rest of the creation.”

-- Huzur Maharaj, from "Prem Bani Radhasoami", Volume Four, Agra, India


   This appears to be a derivation from the Sar Bachan of Soamiji, and, in turn, possibly the Anurag Sagar of Kabir, of which we will hear more about later. In the first description of the inner regions given above, it is noteworthy that Julian Johnson uses the term "Sahasra dal Kanwal" and equates it with the Sahasrara or thousand-petalled lotus as traditionally mentioned in yoga, particularly kundalini yoga. Sar Bachan Poetry, Part II, p. 277, by Soamiji, however, clearly states that Sahans dal Kanwal is a region of an eight-petalled lotus - followed by a lotus of twelve petals in Trikuti, thirteen in Sunn, and ten at Maha-Sunn. It is also of interest that further on in Sar Bachan, on page 394-395, it is stated that there are twelve "kanwals" or ganglia or lotuses in the human microcosm. Six are the traditional chakras in the spine from the coccyx or muladara up to the eyes or ajna chakra. The next three would be unique although not unheard of in the literature outside of Sant Mat, and appear to be centers deeper within the brain, although the impression given is that one is to believe that they are out of the body altogether. But is this so?

   Soamiji says that the seventh Kanwal is Sahans dal Kanwal, the eighth is in Trikuti, and the ninth is at Daswan Dwar (considered the tenth door or tenth orifice, the other nine being the lower, external bodily orifices). This will suggest to some that the tenth orifice is at the brahmarendra or top of the head, and that the other preceding kanwals are experienced as the attention moves through the structures of the brain (including the "sky of mind" in the braincore) before passing out or beyond through the corona radiata into what may be the true sahasrara. Are kanwals or chakras seven through nine actually between the midbrain to the top of the brain, and experienced as attention curves through the ventricles and corpus collosum before passing out through the corona - or not? This begs for elucidation. Sant Rajinder Singh has said that one will have proof that there is life after death when one reaches the third inner plane. This would make sense if the first two inner regions are really experienced before death in the domain of the braincore itself. Radhasoami gurus Huzur Maharaj and Maharaj Saheb in their writings both added the interesting but confusing comment that the doorway to the lower subtle regions was in the gray matter while the doorway to the "purely spiritual" regions was in the white matter. Rumi, too, said, "in the folds of thy brain lie wonderous regions."

   Soamiji stated: "I give out details of the ganglia, I have seen within my body. Twelve Kanwals (lotuses, ganglia) are found in the human microcosm." What are we to make of this, then, in light of the statement of the sage Ramana Maharshi, that "the light in the brain is but the reflected light of the Heart" ?

   Yogis like Swami Sivananda taught that spiritual illumination comes when the kundalini or shakti passes through the lower chakras, purifying one of gross attachment, and then finally rising into the sahasrara. The Kriya yoga of Paramhansa Yogananda held to a similar idea of purification and also considered the sahasrar not as an actual chakra per se but the doorway to the infinite. Some argue that Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the end result of this process, while there have been traditional tantric gurus who have argued that through the union of Shiva and Shakti a non-dual awakening may even ensue from such an experience. I ask a question, therefore, at the outset of this article: Is the sahasrara or thousand-petalled lotus the same as the eight-petalled lotus of Sahans Dal Kanwal in Sant Mat, or does it really represent something more comprehensive than that? Soamiji goes on to list the tenth kanwal as in Maha-sunn, the eleventh at Bhanwargupha, and the twelfth at Sat Lok. These are all still considered in the "human microcosm". Is it possible, then, that the highest reach or depth of the true Sahasrara is really Sat Lok, with further absorption into the wordless and formless state of Anami actually traditional ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi? If it isn't, why isn't it? This is not to diminish the realization of Anami, but rather to categorize Nirvikalpa in its traditional yogic profundity. While it may not represent final enlightenment, it is still said to be no small thing. Can it be that there are semantic differences between the traditions that cloud our understanding?

   But we are getting ahead of ourselves. There is much ground to cover before returning to this important topic.

2. Despite the promises of Soamiji, "Unless I see with my own eyes, I will not believe the sayings of the Master,” and “Know yourself by yourself, and do not rely on the sayings of anyone else,” therefore, much still seems to be expected to be believed without argument from the beginning. It is common in Sant Mat to say that “all Masters speak of the same path” and that its teaching is the same as many teachings throughout the ages. This makes the path sound like the highest and also helps legitimize it. It is said that Jesus, Buddha, and other classic figures all taught the same thing. But one can easily reach the conclusion they did NOT teach the same thing, at least not as historically recorded. In none of the schools of high Buddhism is shabd yoga taught, nor is there any real evidence that Jesus did so, other than a few oblique references in the gospels that are interpreted to suggest that he did. I am not saying they did one way or the other. There is obviously subtle light and sound experiencible within. That is not at issue. The point, however, is that one must assume that Jesus and Buddha taught this specific method of yoga in private only to a select few in order to justify such a claim. There is also the problem that any number of mystical schools, such as Kriya Yoga, also attempt to gain legitimacy by claiming Jesus as one of their own.

   If someone adheres to a particular ideology, he tends to defend it in the terms of that ideology itself instead of from a position of intellectually neutral comparative analysis. If one is not seen as a ‘good’ satsangi, for instance, it might be argued that his criticisms are the work of Kal or the negative power instead of tackling the criticisms themselves. This is no longer a justifiable position as mankind gets less and less provincial in its communication with each other. The teachings must be able to withstand debate from without and not just within. Otherwise, I ask, what is the purpose of having conferences like the World Fellowship of Religions and Unity of Man, such as were held by my guru, Sant Kirpal Singh? I say this with all due respect; it is time for the light of truth to be shed on the Path of the Masters - as well as all other paths (and “non-paths”). It is now time for philosophy (the “love of truth”), and no longer the time for religion and theology. In order to proceed further on the path, one must get to square one, or what the Buddha called “Right View”, or otherwise no matter how far one appears to advance he may not reach the highest truth.

   Shabd gurus do make a point of encouraging people to examine the path critically, but then once that is done and the seeker has "made up his mind", he or she is advised he should follow the master's instructions, etc., and not worry about thinking anymore. But for many this is not enough. How many initiates, moreover, truly make an in-depth investigation of the path as it compares with others before making their decision? Even if one has, a true path must be able to withstand any new arguments that arise, for how can one be certain that he has examined all the issues in his initial study? Must one ignore new questions or criticisms that arise just because he has committed himself to a path? If, on the other hand, one relies only on his immediate feelings in making such a decision, such feelings are unfortunately subject to error as well as change when later held up against the light of reason and experience. So understanding, even just intellectual understanding, can not be bypassed.

   Seeking is supposedly about discovering truth. Therefore, it appears someone must ask the questions raised below, and I risk the wrath of the faithful and even God if need be to do so. It was never my intention to be in such a position. I would rather just revel in inner bliss and a simple giuru-devotee relationship. Yet my master confounded my assumptions, called me his friend, and in the end said I was a new man and that I should tell everyone so. Therefore, as Ramanuja once shouted from the rooftop while saying what he was told not to say, “I don’t care if I go to hell if it will help one soul find the truth.” I do hope that more than a few as well as my heart-friend will find me unworthy of damnation for this investigation.

   There has, moreover, also been an ongoing controversy among Sant Mat teachers (beginning with Faqir Chand) whether it is actually the Master who "gives" anyone a contact with the inner light and sound, or whether he merely points out the technique for the disciple to find out what is already there. I believe both of these may be the case, depending on the lineage one is a part ofand the guru’s competency therein. In the line of Kirpal Singh, it is claimed that it is the Master Power, directly or indirectly, which can and will (at initiation) actually drag the attention of the initiate within to grant him experiences, and many can attest to that first hand. Personally, I believe they can and do. In other lineages within Sant Mat, this is not promised, and there are apparently some masters who are only competent to give meditation instructions, but no “transmission”. This will all be discussed further below.

3. This promise of an experience at initiation (as a boost on the way, and as proof of the guru’s competency) was started by Kirpal Singh, and most initiates of that lineage (Darshan Singh, Rajinder Singh) do experience something, even before their official initiation (which is said to be the moment of thought-transference from the Master, not necessarily the actual time of the official initiation), sometimes shortly after, which promise is not the case with initiates in the Beas or Agra line. I believe there is a divine siddhi involved, at least in the Kirpal lineage, whereby the Masters, whether consciously, or unconsciously through their own inner attunement, can temporarily invert the attention of their disciples, but does that guarantee the ability to grant or produce eventual enlightenment, or that the guru is enlightened? It would certainly elevate him beyond the ordinary teacher, that is not in question. And this is not meant to disparage or criticize this path, only to seek understanding. Many teachers on other paths, like Ranmakrishna and Yogananda, have been able to give temporary experiences of the preliminary inner stages of mystic light and sound; Sant Mat claims that they will only be able to take their disciples so far, and not to the highest, which requires a Divine commission. So this is a matter of faith on this path.

   4. There is a controversy within Sant Mat that begs for a more adequate explanation. This pertains to the role and nature of the Master’s subtle radiant form. There may certainly be paradox and divine mystery involved, but there is no reason for obscurity. For example, Sawan Singh said since the physical master could not possibly be in contact with thousands of disciples at one time, therefore he creates an "astral duplicate" that resides in the third eye of the initiate and which looks over him and only “reports”, as it were, to the master when something really important needs personal attention. The Master Power, not the physical master, is otherwise constantly looking after the disciple once he is initiated.

   Question: if the real master dies, and then soon reincarnates, what connection does the inner radiant form then actually have with HIM for someone initiated by him before he died? How is one still connected with him? Obviously this is a purely theoretical question, perhaps a questionnot suited to edification as the Buddha termed them, as who could know whether his master had reincarnated? Nevertheless, the connection could not be on a personal level. One is sometimes advised to seek the company of one’s guru’s successor, but continue contemplating only on one’s own guru’s form, when it appears. [Actually, there is some ongoing differences about this within the Beas and Agras branches of Sant Mat]. Is this then a mental image burned into the soul of the disciple, as it were?And if so, is the form itself a product of the Master, or ultimately of the Soul of the disciple, through the medium of the master? Does it matter? Sant Mat in general claims that the form is “real”. There have been other spiritual schools which denigrate or lessen the value of such a form by arguing that it is only a mental projection from the disciple's own mind or soul, saying that Christians see Jesus, Hindus see Krishna, etc. That doesn’t mean such an “ishta” as mentioned on the Path of the Masters is not useful, or is a product of the gross imagination of a disciple, but the question does arise whether it is a product of the deeper mind and ultimately the soul or Overself of the disciple, and not necessarily “God” or the guru directly. It would certainly have to be a lofty definition of Soul to account for the radiant form of a living who appears of Himself. Yet Paul Brunton describes the philosophic view:

   "It is the mystic's ego which constructs the image of his teacher or saviour, and his Overself [divine Soul] which animates that image with divine power. This explains why earnest pupils of false teachers have made good progress and why saviors dead for thousands of years still seem to help their followers."

"Only when well-advanced does he learn that the help he thinks he got from a guru came often from the Universal Being. It was his own personal thoughts which supplied the guru image, but the power which worked was from that Being." (Notebooks. Vol. 16, Part 1, 5.183,189)

   Of course, this is a paradox. Supposedly at the highest level Mind, God, Soul, and Master are all One. There can certainly, moreover, also be telepathic and transcendental help from the master even without the presence of the form, and even whether or not one is receptive or aware of it. Even the master may not necessarily be aware of it, and yet still be a conduit for such help. Again, PB explains:

   "The conscious personal mind of the teacher may know nothing of the help that is radiating from him to one who silently calls on him from a long distance, yet the reality of that help remains." (Ibid, Vol. 2, 6.744).

   This is precisely Baba Faqir Chand's position. Furthermore, PB affirms that the blessing of the attention of a sage, given even once, is so profound that its effects may manifest over the course of some years:

   "The guide may send his blessing telepathically only once but if it is powerful enough it may work itself out through a hundred different experiences extending over several years. Because he identifies himself with the timeless spaceless soul, his blessing may express itself anywhere in space and anywhere in time. Moreover he may formulate it in a general way but it may take precise shapes unconsciously fashioned by and suited to a recipient's own mentality and degree of development....Just as the sun does not need to be aware of every individual plant upon which it sheds its beneficent life-giving growth-stimulating rays, so the master does not need to be aware of every individual disciple who uses him as a focus for his meditations or as a symbol for his worship. Yet each disciple will soon realize that he is receiving from such activities a vital inward stimulus, a real guidance and definite assistance. This result will develop the power unconsciously drawn from the disciple's own higher self, which in turn will utilize the mental image of the master as a channel through which to shed its grace." (Notebooks, Vol. 2, 6.752, 784)

   Not only Faqir Chand, but Sant Rajinder Singh has in so many words affirmed that this is more or less how it works. Only in rare instances does the incarnate master personally involve himself in the disciple's personal inner life, but his own higher self is like a grand switchboard into which the many, many disciples are plugged into. The help or grace goes "over the head" of the adept as it were, but it is no less real. PB writes:

   "With a teacher, it is the inward relationship that matters. What, then, is going to happen when there is only one Teacher and many thousands of students? How can all the wishes, dreams, and thoughts reach him, yet leave him time for his work? Obviously, it cannot be done. So Nature steps in and helps out. She has arranged a system very much like a telephone swithboard. The incoming "calls" are plugged into the subconscious mind of the Teacher. The "line" itself is composed out of the student's own faith and devotion; he alone can make this connection. Then, his wishes, dreams, and thoughts travel along it to the subconscious of the teacher, where they are registered and dealt with accordingly to their needs. In this way, they do reach the Teacher, who can, at the same time, attend to his work. Sometimes Nature deems it advisable to transfer a particular message to the conscious level. In such a case, it may be answered on either the conscious or subconscious level. Occasionally, too, the teacher deliberately sends one out when he is guided to do so." (Notebooks, Vol. 16, , Part 1, 5.273)

   The latter could account for visions of a Master's form that appear to people who have never even heard of the Master before, but were destined to meet. This happens with relative frequency in Sant Mat. It is certainly consistent with truth that a realized Master could project His form to a disciple, but philosophy still argues, as mentioned above, that, ultimately, He or the Divine is using the disciple's own Soul as the medium for the Master. On the other hand, the Master's greatness is in no way diminished by this understanding, for without the Master the vision which comes of itself would not take place or be imbued with vitality, in most cases. The philosophic understanding, it might be said, is perhaps of most value in the later stages of the path.

   To be sure, once again, there does seem to be a difference between a form which comes of itself in meditation, and stands before the Master's charged words, than simply a subconscious manifestation of a disciple's (culturally or religiously) conditioned mind (again, such as when Christians tend to see visions of Christ, and Hindus of Krishna, etc.). The Kirpal lineage of Sant Mat Masters' forms have appeared to many who had never even heard of them before. This would contradict the theory that it is just a manifestation of one's subconscious mind in every instance, though it could still be an advance demonstration or guidance from one's higher self or Soul. This would require a very expanded and lofty conception of what the Soul actually is. If a true Master is indeed a mouthpiece of the Absolute Soul, or God, however, due to the purity and depth of his realization, then his Gurudev or radiant subtle form is certainly a glorious thing which could be imprinted or arise within and attract the soul and mind of his chela or disciple, and which thus is inherently divine. This could be considered a True vision. While it is a paradox, it is not a contradiction to the doctrine of the Soul as being the ultimate source of the vision. Still, a sage such as Ramana Maharshi would say, "press on and find the perceiver," the subjective source, not the ultimate object, and then go even beyond all subject-object distinctions, whether within trance or without. Or as Sri Nisargadatta said, "“There's no state in which one is seeing reality. WHO is seeing WHAT? You can only BE real.”

   Here is some more on the origin of the [ongoing] debate within the radhasoami tradition about the nature of the master's Form. Faqir Chand, a Sant Mat guru who was a disciple of Shiv Brat Lal, and who was recognized by Sawan Singh, discovered that many miracles and appearances of his form to his disciples occurred without any awareness on his part. He concluded that the Form was a product of the disciple's imagination or faith, and not the Master, and he taught likewise, changing the teachings of Sant Mat at the behest of his guru. Dr. I.C. Sharma, successor to the radical and iconoclastic Faqir, didn’t follow the latter's thinking that the form is 'just a vision', but that it was important to visualize and concentrate on it in the lower planes as long as one realized it wasn’t the be all and end all. In other words, the stages are necessary. Actually, Faqir had said this, too, although he also said, and is famous for saying, that all seen inside up to Bhanwar Gupta is "phantasmagoria". Faqir didn’t himself always see his guru's form inside Sant Darshan Singh, however, once said that he was always "in contact" with the form of his master within." These are both somewhat enigmatic comments, for supposedly once a guru achieved Satguru status by merger with the true form of their Master, the Satguru or Sat Purush in Sach Khand, he no longer has a personal master of his own but is now the Master Himself. So would a dying master care about or need to see the astral form (gurudev) of his master anyway to lead him into the beyond? And if Sant Darshan Singh had passed beyond Sach Khand, which he claimed to do in 1967, and transcended even the Sat Purush, would he still need to see the subtle form at all? Of course, there would be no reason he couldn't see the subtle form, just as he could see a physical form, only that, as a realized Master, for the sake of argument, would he need to? Sant Kirpal Singh said (in Godman, p. 108) of the gurudev or radiant form of the master, that "even the Saints adore this form and derive ecstatic delight from it." Even though a Master is merged in the light beyond any form of his master, and hopefully in the Void beyond that, he still gets charm from his master's subtle form. Yet he must be considered a Master now, in his own right, regardless if for conventions sake and an outward show of humility most of these masters always defer to their own master as the doer and source of grace.

   Paul Brunton wrote:

   "No guru can lead anyone to enlightenment if he himself is attached to the role of guru, nor can any disciple ever achieve enlightenment if he wants to play the role of disciple forever. Both are suffering from attachments which prevent enlightenment."

   “This last stage, where the presence and picture of the Master are displaced by the pictureless presence of the disciple's own spirit, is accurately described in the words of Jesus to his disciples: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you ... when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." Any other interpretation of them leaves them without reasonable meaning...When a man has at last found himself, when he has no longer any need for an outside human Symbol but passes directly to his own inner reality, he may stand shoulder to shoulder with the teacher in the oldest, the longest, and the greatest of struggles.”

   "The teacher is a support needed by the disciple to help him progress through successive stages of the quest, as they are stages of thinning illusion. When he stands on the threshold of reality, then the last and thinnest illusion of all must be left behind, the support of any being outside himself, apart from himself, for within him is the infinite life-power." (Notebooks, Vol. 2, 6.590; Vol. 16, Part 1, 5.285-286; Vol. 2, 6.859))

   If, solely theoretically for instance, Sawan Singh quickly reincarnated as an infant, would that mean his disciple would no longer have contact with "him" directly through that form? One could say, yes and no. The 'elemental form" was already created as an "astral duplicate" even when the master was incarnate, and this form would still exist, in the astral and causal realms, and be useable through the above described divine physics through the medium of the questor's individual divine Soul as an object of contemplation and devotional submission. Still, if this leaves some confusion to grapple with, so be it. It has been said that confusion is the doorway to true understanding; this would certainly qualify. Therefore at some point the disciple must stand on his own two feet, apart from the crowd. As PB wrote:

   "In the end he must inwardly walk alone - as must everyone else however beloved - since God allows no one to escape this price." (Notebooks, Vol. 2, 3.325)

   Sharma also held that in Sach Khand you are not seeing a vision but "God as a person" as the Sat Purush. Sri Nisargadatta said, “ As long as you think yourself to be a person, He too is a person. When you are all, you see Him as all.” (I AM THAT, p. 88). Vedantist V.S. Iyer, a teacher of Paul Brunton, and Ramakrishna Order monks Nikhilinanda and Siddeswarananda, wrote that "even if you see Sat Purush, it is just a thought" ! This is a radical conception indeed, as in Sant Mat the mind is supposedly left off at the level of the causal plane, two realms below Sach Khand. Ramana also spoke of God as a person, the "first person" or "I" in the Heart, but nevertheless beyond the vision of light. Scripture tells us, “No man sees God and lives.” So I ask now an epistemological question: How did Sharma KNOW this is God 'appearing as a person', and not a manifestation of his own Soul, consciousness or Atman appearing as a person? Is there , in fact, a difference? [This is not mere semantics but a discriminative understanding of the Primals as given by Plotinus and as suggested in the teachings of a few other sages, even while recognizing that this cannot be known by the mere intellectual faculty of mind but only through experience and knowledge (purified Buddhi)]. Vedantist V.S. Iyer stated:

   "Ideas never reach Atman. The mind never knows it. He who says he has a vision of the highest or describes it as supra-mental, etc., does not understand Atman, because it is free from imaginations." (Commentaries, Vol. 1; see note 29).

   According to Iyer, it may not be a personal vision at the level of a dream or a product of one’s personal mind, but it is still in the realm of the imagination, albeit at the highest level. Even if it is the great vision of light, there is still a perceiver, the ego or ego-soul, is there not? When the perceiver is gone, then who sees what, and who has merged with what? This is an important question. Supposedly the Sat Purush, chief ‘denizen’ of Sach Khand, absorbs the soul (ego) further on into the Nameless One. And despite Soamiji's lyrical descriptions of Sach Khand, any sense of separation or bifurcation of the mind into percever and perceived, as in the lower orders of creation, is supposedly non-existent here. The Sants insist this is a purely spiritual realm, with mind and matter left far behind.

   But, in PB and Plotinus’ terms, Anami would be the level of Soul, and not God, per se, since Soul, as the ultimate subjective source, beyond peception, has apparently yet to be realized in the planes prior to Anami, which is the only plane characterized as being nameless and formless. Sant Darshan has written that after traversing the physical, astral, and causal planes," the soul no longer has mind, but perceives and understands with its own light." But, one may ask, what does this actually mean? Perceives and understands what? Can the soul by its own light perceive and understand anything other than Itself, without a vehicle (i.e., kosha) to do so? And does the soul not perceive even the physical world by its own light? Anthony Damiani states:

   “Any mystical state, any dream state, any wakeful state is a content and an object of consciousness. Different ones are going to demonstrate different characteristics, and there’s going to be an infinite array of possibilities, but the point to be grasped is that every one of them is an idea to consciousness and that the mind puts forth its own ideas and then experiences them....If you go to a higher level than this one, it will still be a content of consciousness; and if you go to an even higher level, or even to the level of being itself, there will always be a content of consciousness....That’s why it is so important to grasp this principle firmly. Hold on to it, because with it you will be able to analyze all experience and tear apart any misconceptions you have....This is true of all the seven levels of existence, even if you live in the angelic world. So if someone came from another level of existence and said, “Yes, but your analysis doesn’t hold for my plane of existence,” I would say, “Is it a content? Is it an experience for you? Is it a world that you are perceiving? Is there a perception taking place? You know it? Yes? Then it’s subject to the same analysis.” That’s how it cuts through everything and that’s why this teaching is direct and the most comprehensive one you will find. This teaching has been around for thousands of years and it won’t disappear.”(1)

   “Mystical experiences are still on a penultimate stage of the imagination. You become aware of that. And no amount of superlatives will take you away from that stage....it’s still not [ultimate] reality." (2)

   “PB wrote The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga prior to reaching the jivanmukta [liberation in life] stage. And the statement he makes there is that through personal feeling and intuition he had already grasped the fact that the mystical level is not dominated by reality, and is not that reality. But it would only be a person who has disciplined and developed an extreme rational consciousness who would be able to see through the superlative effulgence of the mystic state, and see its shortcomings.”(3)

   The great Sankara said in his commentary to the Brahma Sutras:

   "The highest beatitude is not to be attained through Yoga." [although yoga is a useful preliminary to concentrate the mind and prepare it for inquiry into Truth]

   Why do some high paths, such as the Tibetan school of Dzogchen, teach that the goal of meditation is not to go inside? Surely they know of the existence of the tenth door and the inner realms. Why did a venerated master such as HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche say not to strive for advanced states and inner bliss?

   "We should realise that the purpose of meditation is not to go "deeply into ourselves" or withdraw from the world. Practice should be free and non-conceptual, unconstrained by introspection and concentration.... The everyday practice of dzogchen is just everyday life itself. Since the undeveloped state does not exist, there is no need to behave in any special way or attempt to attain anything above and beyond what you actually are. There should be no feeling of striving to reach some "amazing goal" or "advanced state."

   On the positive side, even Ramana Maharshi said that "visions are better than no visions," in so far as they indicate an increasing depth of concentration, but that they must be gone beyond before true Self-Realization. In Sant Mat the only "visions" or perceptible phenomena to be paid attention to in meditation are the Light, the Sound, and the Master's Form, which itself must stand before repetition of the five charged words given at initiation. Thus, the Form is important as an aid at deepening concentrative absorption towards the final goal. The final goal even in Sant Mat is spoken of as realizing the Master to be ones own very Self - but the description still seems quite different than that given by the gyanis such as Maharshi. A difficulty in even interesting anyone in discussing these things is that the bliss increases as one ascends the inner stages, a bliss that one no less than the Buddha said was extremely difficult for the aspirant to transcend. According to Buddha, beyond the stages of bliss come the stages of insight, and then Nirvana.

5. Faqir Chand claimed Sawan Singh himself told him it was all right to change the teachings to reflect the truth about the Master’s radiant form, ie., that the physical Master was usually unaware of his disciple's experiences of His form, among other things, but that since he (Sawan) had too many disciples he could not do that without causing problems with their faith and loyalty. This problem, we now see, would have been avoided if a complete understanding of the spiritual physics involved were made clear.

   According to Arran Stephens, author of the book Journey to the Luminous, Darshan Singh, Kirpal’s successor, claimed as a negative about Faqir that when Faqir was asked to describe the various inner planes he did not name their proper order and specifically could not or did not give the proper answer to the question of how many steps led to the pool of sanskaric purification named Manasarovar. Darshan also said Faqir Chand was wrong, that the form WAS Real, or a direct manifestation of Reality.. As we have seen, the form could be real, but its appearance to a disciple still beyond the conscious mind of the human guru, except when he needed to know of it.

   The subtle Gurudev is said to lead directly to the Satguru or Satpurush, the true or divine form in Sach Khand. Schools like Buddhism and Advaita argue that anything visible is still psychic, not spiritual, moreover, so Sach Khand would not be considered “spiritual” in their sense of the term, as there must be a perceiver to see the sights and sounds there. Some other yoga schools use this terminology of ‘spiritual’ planes, but this use of the word ‘spiritual’ must be kept in mind when discussing the path of the sages such as Ramana who speak differently.This is not to detract from the value or validity or even necessity of such higher realizations, only one should understand that it is being considered spiritual in contrast to realms where there is the lower mind there, but there still must be some means of perception. Even Buddhism speaks of the heavenly Avalokitesvara whose sweet sounds will take one back to the true home. Sach Khand, however, sounds more like a most celestial subtle plane, regardless of language used to describe it. For the sages the word spiritual would imply the “void” or a formless realization. I don't have an answer and admit I am out of my league on this one.

   Brunton writes:

   "Those who find that beyond the Light they must pass through the Void, the unbounded emptiness, often draw back affrighted and refuse to venture further. For here they have naught to gain or get, no glorious spiritual rapture to add to their memories, no great power to increase their sense of being a co-worker with God. Here their very life blood is to be squeezed out as the price of entry, here they must become the feeblest of creatures." (4)

   Ramana enigmatically referred to scripture that said that the gyani is "invisible even to the Gods," and "trackless like a fish swimming through water." This is in contrast to the saint or sant satguru, whose luminous radiant form is described as "blazing a path of light for miles ad miles through the subtle realms."

   Faqir claimed that his final realization was that he was “hanging on the gallows,” a “bubble of consciousness”. However, it must be said that he himself evidenced no certainty of self-realization like Ramana Maharshi did, even while he appeared sympathetic to advaitic teachings. For instance, he claimed he had no idea where “he” would go after death, whereas Ramana was certain: “where can I go; I am here?”, he said (ie., eternally the Self, alone). Interestingly, nearing the end Kirpal Singh said he would soon be going, and one disciple asked, "where are you going?", to which he replied, "Oh, where we all go." Paramhansa Yogananda likewise remarked, "All paths are paths to God, because, ultimately, there is no other place for the soul to go." (Journey to Self-Realization, p. 51)

  

6. Sant Rajinder Singh has said that one will be assured that there is life after death when one reaches the third plane. This is interesting, but does that in itself imply that the first two inner planes are then not after-death planes but reside in the brain and are thus still within the body? Interestingly, the Sar Bachan Radhasoami (Poetry) : Part Two appears to say so. After Sahans Dal Kanwal and Trikuti, one enters the Banknal and then goes through Daswan Dwar (the “tenth door”) to reach the third inner region of Sunn:

   “Surat moves onward and opens the door. It enters Banknal (crooked tunnel) and gets across. It passes through high and low valleys. It turns up the pupil of the eye.” (p. 118).

   “Turning up the pupil of the eye” and entering the “tenth door” or aperture (the other nine being the bodily openings: eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, and two below) implies attention finally leaving the body. Babuji Maharaj of the Agra branch said that “within the folds of thy brain there are many beautiful regions,” etc. He may have been quoting Maulana Rumi, who likewise said, “Within the folds of thy brain there are wonderful gardens and beauty spots. Should you like to enjoy them, hie to a Murshid (Master) for instruction.” (5)   Maharaj Saheb, a Sant Mat guru after Rai Salig Ram, even more explicitly said,

   ”In the fissure between the two lobes of the brain there are twelve apertures, which provide the means for communion with the six subdivisions of Brahmand and with the six subdivisions of the purely spiritual region. The apertures appertaining to Brahmand are to be found in the gray matter, and those appertaining to the purely spiritual region, in the white matter.” (6)

   First off, this passage is somewhat confusing, as it suggests that someone who has an accidental death would have no access to the spiritual regions because he had no chance to pass through the apertures in the white matter of the brain. Some Buddhist schools teach this also. But can that really be the truth? Other Sant Mat masters have said that a true disciple in such a case is immediately with the Master within, so this cannot truly be an impediment]. The suggestion definitely, however, is that the path of Sant Mat initially takes place in a passage through the brain, the most direct route being via the central channels in the white matter (i.e., via the corona radiata), culminating in the “God-light” or “purely spiritual region(s)” that manifest when one truly pierces the crown center in ascended samadhi. This implication or interpretation is somewhat uncommon in the Sant Mat or Radhasoami literature, which generally assumes a gnostic position considering all of the subtle realms to be outside, or above and beyond, the body, while Saheb seemed to be suggesting that, as experienced in meditation, they are actually in the braincore, with only the alleged truly spiritual realms beyond the limits of the body. Sometimes Sant Mat writers claim that the third eye is between and behind the eyebrows (i.e, near the pineal gland, with the pituitary more towards the center of the head), while the so-called "tenth door" leading to Daswan Dwar, the third region, is at the crown of the head - where the fontanelle is in an infant. So, this would suggest that only the highest inner planes, such as Bhanwar Gupta and Sach Khand are truly out of the body, as the spatial descriptions of a lower region where the ”crooked tunnel” (Banknal) is found seems to suggest the passageway in the braincore itself. This would also mean that Sahansdal Kanwal, the first inner station in Sant Mat, may not be the exact equivalent of the thousand-petalled lotus of the true Sahasrar as described in traditional yoga sutras, but yet a region in the sky of mind in the braincore, which would, however, truly be felt to be outside of or interior to the body for the normally extroverted individual. This is certainly highly enjoyable; as Sawan Singh once said, "if you go in an inch, it is better than a trip around the world," but its actual nature should be clarified, so adequate comparisons can be made with other schools.

   For instance, in the Kriya Yoga as taught by Paramhansa Yogananda, the "spiritual eye" is visualized at the ajna or agya chakra, but passage between the agya chakra and the sahasrara at the top of the head is said to culminate in nirvikalpa samadhi and transcendance of the astral and causal bodies. The actual passageway is said to be a subtler form of the sushumna called, in their school, firstly the vajra and chitra nadis (luminous astral nadis, the "spine of the astral body"), and then the "brahmanadi" (or the "spine of the causal body"). Thus, in the kriya school, the implication is also that the astral and causal worlds, at least before death, are somehow within the physical body or brain itself.

   Soamiji also describes Trikuti as being within the sushumna, the central yogic channel that culminates in the sahasrar, an additional implication that this region is not truly outside of the body. Sant Kirpal Singh, in his book Godman, quotes Guru Nanak:

   "The Master exhorts the jivas to listen to this music in the Sukhman, the artery between the two eyebrows; Then be established in Sunnya (the Region of Silence), with the result that all oscillations of the mind would cease. When the chalice of the mind thus turns into the correct position, it will get filled with the Elixer of Life, making the mind steady and self-poised. The ceaseless music of eternity becomes a constant companion." (p. 131)

   The upturning of the chalice of the heart is standard mystic terminology, but the reference to the region of Sunn is to the third inner plane. Is that then also experienced in the brain, at least, so long as one is alive? The importance of these questions lies in establishing the true uniqueness of shabd yoga as contrasted with other traditional yogic explanations.

   The exposition of this in the Kriya Yoga in the lineage of Paramhansa Yogananda is even more confusing. [for more on this, see Paramhansa Yogananda and Kriya Yoga: A Comparative Analysis ]. In that path, as in Sant Mat, the aspirant is to focus at the spiritual eye, located between and behind the eyebrows, which is said to actually extend from that subtle center backwards to the medulla. According to Yogananda,

   "The spiritual eye is perceived as a golden aura surrounding a sphere of blue, in the middle of which is a five-pointed start of white light...The point of origin of the single eye is in a subtle spiritual center in the medulla oblongata (at the base of the brain where it joins the spine). The energy from this single eye divides at the medulla and pours through the brain into the two physical eyes, through which the world of duality is perceived. The spiritual eye with its three lights, or three different rays - one within the other like an extending telescopic lens - has all-seeing spherical vision. Through the gold ray, the deeply meditating yogi beholds all matter and the mass of radiation (the vibratory cosmic energy) permeating the universe. Penetrating the blue light {the reader may recall references to the "blue pearl" by Swami Muktananda], the yogi will realize the Christ or Krishna Consciousness - the Kutastha or infinite intelligence of God - which is present in all creation. Piercing the tiny five-pointed white star, the yogi experiences Cosmic Consciousness - the transcendant consciousness of God that underlies all creation and that is also beyond the realms of manifestation in Infinitude. The yogi in Cosmic Consciousness perceives that all creation, including the microcosm of his body, is a projection of the fivefold rays of God's Cosmic Consciousness."

   "The tricolored rays of the spiritual eye, through a complex transformation known to yogis, form the physical body of man the microcosm. The golden rays of cosmic energy, for example, are strongly inherent in the vital red blood, and are manifested in the electric current that flows through the nerves. The blue rays are a predominant factor in the gray matter of the brain, which provides a medium for the expression of thoughts through sensory-motor activity - just as on the universal scale Christ Consciousness provides the medium that upholds all of nature's activities. And the white rays are the predominant factor in the white matter of the brain, in which God's transcendant Cosmic Consciousness is insulated." (Journey to Self-Realization, p. 92-94)

   The last sentence in this quotation is most interesting, and similar to the comments above of Maharaj Saheb that relate the "spiritual Regions" to the white matter of the brain. In his first book, A Search in Secret India, Paul Brunton wrote of similar comments given him by Radhasoami guru Sahabji Maharaj of Dayalbagh:

   "The innermost parts of our brain centres are associated with subtle worlds of being; that, after proper training, these centres can be energized until we become aware of these subtler worlds; and that the most important centre of all enables us to obtain divine consciousness of the highest order..The most important of these centres is the pineal gland, which, as you know, is situated in the region between the eyebrows. It is the seat of the spirit-entity in man....It is the focus of the individual spirit-entity which gives life and vitality to man's mind and body...Since the human body is an epitome of the entire universe, inasmuch as all the elements employed in the evolution of creation are represented in it on a miniature scale, and since it contains links with all the subtler spheres, it is quite possible for the spirit-entity in us to reach the highest spiritual world. When it leaves the pineal gland and passes upwards, its passage through the grey matter of the brain brings it into contact with the region of universal mind, and its passage through the white matter exalts its consciousness to lofty spiritual realities." (p. 244-245)

   Still, we have yet to understand this matter of "inside" and "outside".

   What does it truly mean to be “outside the body?” If one takes the view of the jnanis or sages who state that it is closer to the ultimate truth to say that all bodies and worlds arise within the Soul or Mind, and it is a fact that while alive in the gross plane all bodies, sheaths, or koshas interpenetrate, then that would certainly not preclude one having experience of the subtle regions once the gross body disintegrates at physical death, only that the understanding of one’s experience might be somewhat different, as possibly would the motivation for choosing a particular sadhana or practice. Indeed, some sages maintain that as the physical, subtle and causal bodies interpenetrate one can do sufficient sadhana while in the gross body, bypassing the need for ascent and even the attainment of the witness self, in some cases. Sant Rajinder Singh, in fact, has started to speak in this manner about the various inner planes:

   "Most religions believe that there are higher regions of existence to which the soul goes after it dies...The question is, where are these realms? They are not zones in outer space delineated by borders. All these realms exist concurrently with this one. The reason we are not aware of them is because they operate on a different frequency or vibration." (Sat Sandesh – April 2003).

   If this is truly so then some of the aforementioned contradictions and discrepencies are overcome. If all of the planes exist concurrently, they must all exist in consciousness, or the soul, and then the 'direct path' of the sages is exonerated. Then we may be only one step away from saying things like:

   "Behind most spiritual practices is the belief that you have to get someplace you're not- a destination called realization or enlightenment. But realization isn't someplace else; it's the naturally occurring human state. It doesn't belong to anybody. It's who we all are." (Suzanne Segal, Collision with the Infinite)

   Along with this comes the inevitable question, "why, then, if all planes are concurrent, need one attempt to practice ascended meditation at all, if we are already the goal already, here and now? Sant Mat with this type of language appears to be approximating closer to the advaitic position. Especially as Master Rajinder Singh has also introduced language stating that we really do not "go in and up, or leave the body." More on this later, but it is the case that while teachng a mystic path to the masses, there have been esoteric hints or comments by a number of Sant Mat masters that there may be a stage of gyan after the path of shabd has been fulfilled. For instance, Sant Jagat SIngh, guru between Sawan Singh and Charan Singh, said, "90% of spirituality is correct thinking." Sant Kirpal Singh, my guru, once asked me, "do you want anything, my friend? - do you want to leave the body?", to which I answered, "no, nothing." He became animated and exclaimed, "You're an emperor, I'll kiss your feet - "nothing" is God!" Further, when someone asked him. "Master, do you still meditate?", he replied, "If you get your PhD do you still have to learn the ABC's?" And, as mentioned above, when near death he mentioned to someone he would be going soon. They asked him, "where are you going?" His reply was "Oh, where we all go." Could that have meant "back to the Mind from which we came?" Very mysterious language coming from these gurus, and obviously something to be revealed to only a few to avoid confusion for the unripe mind. Other saints have acted likewise. Lord Krishna, after giving Arjuna the Cosmic Vision, as recounted in the Bhagavad-Gita, then said, "Now I will teach you." Ramakrishna gave visions and samadhis and devotional exercises to his devotees, but instructed or taught only one disciple, Vivekananda. This he did through the help of his copy of the non-dual Ashtavakra-Gita which he kept hidden from the others, including his chief biographer, "M", or Master Mahasaya.

   Returning to our previous line of thought, Ramana went on to say that the light of the sahasrar AND even the god-worlds is the borrowed or reflected light of the Heart. The sahasrar for him and perhaps even a mystic/sage such as Ramakrishna might then encompass more than just the crown chakra but the ascended dimension in aggregate, all reflected light of the formless heart of consciousness, Soul, Void-Mind, or Nous. (And, again, in that case, would traditional ascended Nirvikalpa (formless, subjectless, objectless) samadhi be equivalent to the Anami state in Sant Mat, or not? Certainly, in the case of Sri Ramakrishna, who sometimes voiced the traditional yogic view that God-consciousness ensued when the kundalini reached the Sahasrar (but ultimately taught non-duality), the way he and some others have described this process sounds more profound than the experience of the average Sant Mat initiate whose surat or sensory currents were concentrated into the tisra til and ‘entered’ Sahans Dal Kanwal. Ramakrishna said:

   "The mind ordinarily moves in the three lower chakras. But if it rises above them and reaches the heart, one gets the vision of Light...Even though it has reached the throat, the mind may come down again. One ought to be always alert. Only if the mind reaches the spot between the eyebrows need he have no more fear of a fall, the Supreme Self is so close." (source misplaced).

   This is not the only or the most complete description given by Ramakrishna. He taught vedanta to Vivekananda, not this form of yoga and mysticism. The Sant Mat reply, however, based on this statement, would likely be that the he was mistaking the final goal of the kundalini path for what is only the first stage of the shabd yoga path. But is this so? Kirpal Singh and many others thought highly of Ramakrishna, often capitalizing on his oft-repeated phrase to Vivekanda, "Yes, I see God as clearly as I see you - even more so!" But the implication most often is that Ramakrishna had not transcended the causal plane, the uppermost limit of the lower three worlds. Many in Sant Mat would likely argue that his realization was limited to the region of Brahm, with Nirvikalpa samadhi achieved there, but not to the higher regions within.

   On this point, it may be suggested that one can attain various samadhis, i.e., savikalpa or nirvikalpa - and dare it be suggested, sahaj -on any plane of existence. For instance, advaitist James Schwartz in his biography at www.shiningworld.com recounts seeing Ramakrishna on a subtle plane, merging in his abdomen and going into nirvikalpa. If this is true then the claim of Sant Mat that their path leads one to the highest could be true.

   One difference, it may be suggested, to some extent depends on the prior condition and state of the individual. For Ramakrishna, who later came to the position that even Nirvikalpa was superseded by Sahaj, or the non-dual condition realized in the waking state, the full kundalini awakening as he described it nevertheless lead to a great purification and disidentification with embodiment. In the case of Ganapati Muni, however, a disciple of Ramana Maharshi, discussed later in this article, and undoubtedly many others, the same result was apparently not attained. This is not an argument for or against kundalini yoga, as I have no practical and little theoretical knowledge or particular interest in that area. It seems, however, that it can produce a big awakening or transformation or not, depending on various factors and preconditions. Kirpal Singh recounted the awakening of the kundalini in his early sadhanas, before his initiation into shabd. If leaving the body and ascending as far as possible through the inner planes via the shabd or subtle life-current is THE goal, however, then Ramakrishna is wrong and other mystics and sages like him are also wrong, and of course then the gyanis or sages like Ramana are wrong. There is little doubt that kundalini, certainly wthout the help and protection of an qualified master, is full of danger and difficulties.

   Swami Sivananda, whom Kirpal Singh respected, used the following language when writing about the kundalini. This is very interesting because speaking from a different yoga tradition he used several terms identical to some of those used in Sant Mat, with a different explanation. He, too, like Yogananda, and Ramakrishna when he was talking to the yogis - but not Vivekananda - argued that merger of the attention into the sahasrar produced liberation:

   "Brahmarandhra” means the hole of Brahman. It is the dwelling house of the human soul. This is also known as “Dasamadvara,” the tenth opening or the tenth door. The hollow place in the crown of the head known as anterior fontanelle in the new-born child is the Brahmarandhra. This is between the two parietal and occipital bones. This portion is very soft in a babe. When the child grows, it gets obliterated by the growth of the bones of the head. Brahma created the physical body and entered (Pravishat) the body to give illumination inside through this Brahmarandhra. In some of the Upanishads, it is stated like that. This is the most important part. It is very suitable for Nirguna Dhyana (abstract meditation). When the Yogi separates himself from the physical body at the time of death, this Brahmarandhra bursts open and Prana comes out through this opening (Kapala Moksha). “A hundred and one are the nerves of the heart. Of them one (Sushumna) has gone out piercing the head; going up through it, one attains immortality” (Kathopanishad).

   Sahasrara Chakra is the abode of Lord Siva. This corresponds to Satya Loka. This is situated at the crown of the head. When Kundalini is united with Lord Siva at the Sahasrara Chakra, the Yogi enjoys the Supreme Bliss, Parama Ananda. When Kundalini is taken to this centre, the Yogi attains the superconscious state and the Highest Knowledge. He becomes a Brahmavidvarishtha or a full-blown Jnani." (Kundalini Yoga, p. 32-33)

   The Sants use the term Daswan Dwar in a different meaning than the yogis, in which it refered to the third inner plane, not a brain structure. This is important to keep in mind.

   Words, moreover, are no doubt poor substitutes for reality. Ramana considered even this world to be nothing but spiritual. This, again, can only be true, however, if the concepts of matter as well as the ego-soul or ego-self is rejected in favor of the view and insight that "all is a perception or appearance to Mind". In Sant Mat, the various planes are described as containing differing amounts of matter and spirit, from gross material, material-spiritual, spiritual-material, to purely spiritual. For Ramana, Buddhism and Zen, anything perceivable ("things") or conceivable ("thoughts") could be considered “mental”, all arising in and as Mind. To them, the concept of matter is really no more than a guess, with no proof. This doesn't mean one may not experience or feel a difference while passing through different planes, etc., but only that the same epistemological discipline must be applied when discussing each of them and their relationship to truth. Mystics in general have no interest in doing this, assuming what they see and feel is real. To sages and philosophers, however, such an endeavor is important if not crucial if ones interest is in truth, and not just bliss or peace. It is, they say, essential for a full understanding of concepts such as "soul,"   "spiritual", and "consciousness."

   The goal, if it can be talked about as such, is the realization of this One Mind, or Brahman. Ramana taught, to repeat, that the light in the brain or sahasrar from which the world is projected is but the reflected light of the Heart, which for him could be realized directly without completion of the “inner tour” of the yogis or sants, and that full trance is not necessary for this, and that the ego and the power of God both resolve into the emptiness of the non-dual Self. This seems such a different view than that of traditional Sant Mat as to be almost incomparable. Yet, as mentioned above, the language of some within Sant Mat is slowly beginning to change.

7. Plotinus, Paul Brunton, Ramana Maharshi, and Buddhism teach that the Reality itself is neither within or without, that the highest inner trance state (ie., nirvikalpa) is still a subjective realization, a partial realization only, that it must be carried into the waking state and established as sahaj for the higher ultramystic “lightning flash” of Mind Itself, existant between two pulsating thoughts of the World-Mind, to be realized. This is non-duality. The Witness Self, they say, is fully realized in nirvikalpa, a lofty state; the Overself or true Soul, a particle of the World-Mind or All-Soul, is realized in sahaj. That is, the "drop appears to merge into the ocean" in nirvikalpa, but the "ocean merges into the drop" in sahaj. That would appear to make Radhasoami or Anami Lok of the Sant Mat tradition appear to be only a halfway house on the philosophic path (in as much as it is, as described, similar to nirvikalpa), whereas Sant Mat considers Sach Khand as the halfway house of Self-Realization with Anami as God-Realization - rather than realization of the Soul in itself, as philosophic realizers, such as PB and Ramana, might argue. I, for one, cannot reconcile the two positions. Sant Darshan Singh, a blessed soul, peace be upon him, answered a similar question regarding gyan or jnana by simply stating that gyan masters reach the highest human states of realization or samadhi, but that only Sant Mat takes one to the highest. This begs for more elucidation. Exactly how and why is this so? [Interestingly, on a side note, one of Sant Darshan's favorite books was Somerset Maughan's, The Razor's Edge, which is supposedly the story of a seeker's visit with the sage Ramana Maharshi.]

8. Scriptures and teachers seem to be in agreement that the waking state or earth life is the most important gift for realization, that enlightenment must be achieved or realized here and now, not after death. Few outline exactly why that is so. For instance, even Kirpal Singh said one can make more progress HERE than after death. He casually mentioned sometimes that is the case because the inner planes are so deceiving. Others have pointed out that here ones experiences are so vivid, etched in stone, as it were, while up there they are often vague and dreamlike, or at least, without the anchor of the body, too subject to distraction. There is the quote from the Buddhist sutra, The Transmission of the Lamp, which says that one can be lost for many, many kalpas in the bliss, not just in the inner realms, but the inner void itself. [Df: Kalpa: (as a period of time) A Maha Yuga is 4.32 million years, ten times as long as Kali Yuga. Twenty seven Maha Yugas is one Pralaya. Seven Pralayas is one Manvantara. Finally, six Manvantaras is a Kalpa. That is, one Kalpa is 27x7x6 = 1,134 Maha Yugas. This works out to 1134 x 4.3 million = 4.876 billion years!]   This suggests there is something special about the waking state, and that it is not only to be dismissed as illusion, to be dualistically left behind in search of some permanent spiritual place. The "Radhasoami state" seems to imply a realization that would encompass this perspective. Brunton clearly states that all yoga is only preparatory for inquiry, and that realization is achieved in the full waking state. Brunton's teacher, the reknown vedantic scholar and realizer, V.S. Iyer, argued that the waking state is essential for Self-Realization because only here (not in nirvikalpa or sleep) is the faculty of Buddhi (Reason) active - which is not merely intellect as yogis frequently misinterpret it, but the highest faculty of the mind which distinguishes the real from the unreal. "Through Buddhi will you come to Me," said Krishna in the Gita. PB states:

   "The Overself should not be reached merely in trance; it must be known in full waking consciousness. Trance is merely the deepest phase of meditation, which in turn is instrumental in helping prepare the mind to discover truth. Yoga does not yield truth directly. Trance does not do more than concentrate the mind perfectly and render it completely calm. Realization can come after the mind is in that state and after it has begun to inquire, with such an improved instrument, into truth." (Notebooks, Vol. 15, Part One, 7.122)

   This quote of Brunton is pure vedanta and reflects his association with Iyer. For the vedantist, realization requires, among other things, as stated, the faculty of buddhi in the waking state, not in trance. This is because, for the vedantist, our ignorance began in the waking state and there it must end. This is definitely not the teachings of the sants, as reflected in Sar Bachan of Soamiji or Anurag Sagar of Kabir. For them our ignorance or fall began in the supracausal realm. This is a major and important difference. For more on this topic, the reader is directed to see The Enigmatic Kabir and come to his own conclusions.

9. Ramana said that ones samskaras or inherited egoic tendencies must be scorched one by one as they arise and traced to the Heart while alive. This is much different from Sant Mat which teaches that of samskaras being only removed after soul travel through an "inner" pool of Mansarovar or Amritsar on the supracausal plane [more on this later]. If the latter view is true then nothing besides Sant Mat makes sense. The suggestion of the sages on the importance of the waking state, however, is that realization consists in seeing something without excluding the waking state. Nanak said, "Truth is above all but higher still is true living." If that is not just a metaphor, what is its true meaning? What Truth was he talking about - the truth of the inner reality found at the innermost level of trance - like Anami Lok or Nirvikalpa samadhi - or the Truth of sahaj? Certainly nothing can really be above Truth. So truth must in some sense include life. Which brings one back to the argument that realization must be had while alive - not in meditation alone - and that, further, as the subtle and causal aspects of the being (the koshas or sheaths) are the backdrop of the gross, bodily aspect, they can effectively be purified while residing in the body, that is, through the process of incarnation itself, and not only in a disembodied condition.

   This is not discussed by Sant Mat masters, to my knowledge, although they do certainly mention this world as a place to pay off karmic debts, which may or may not be exactly the same thing. To their credit, however, it might be argued that the non-dualists (certainly the pop non-dualists) who often criticize them lack a cosmogony, or theory of creation, and many of these teachers may only be privy to having had a glimpse of reality, however long it lasts, and not full realization. That is apparently clear among Papaji disciples, many of whom were declared enlightened by him, when it became clear that that was just not the case. A glimpse, even if it lasts five years, is not the same as fully grown union with ones Soul, which, according to Paul Brunton, may entail a number of successive lives of spiritual APPLICATION , even AFTER nirvikalpa has been attained, or re-attained, in any particular life. That would also suggest, on the other hand, that simply traveling to Sach Khand or even Anami once would not grant ultimate and permanent enlightenment by itself, although Sant Mat teachers, where they allude to it, which is infrequent, appear to differ on this point. Some sages say that the longer one dwells in the Void the deeper ones realization becomes and the more one understands it, especially if one has some metaphysical background to accompany the mystical fulfillment. So it would seem the same argued for repeated immersion would apply to mystical merger in Anami Lok. Sant Darshan Singh, in his biography, mentioned that by a certain date he had been able to achieve the ability to go there at will, implying that before he had gone there, but not at will. Obviously, the former is a higher accomplishment than the latter. The idea of will is a tricky one, however, as there are sages like Ramana Maharshi who speak of losing the will or vikalpa to do anything, that the Self does all, which would include the inherent wisdom of knowing when transporting the soul to itself was of use for its divine purpose. Kirpal Singh would say that he did not do anything, and that if his Master did not send his grace, he was nothing. Taking him at his word, one might assume that would apply to when he might be absorbed into Anami, hold initiation, or even go to the grocery store. When one loses the personal will, what does it mean to speak of having the ability to do something at will?

10. Here is an anecdote that brings questions to my mind. In Ramana's case there was a disciple, Palanaswami. When Palanaswami died, Ramana said that his eyes opened, which to him signified that his "I-thought", as he put it, or ego or soul, escaped into and was "reborn in the higher planes". To Ramana that signified that Palanaswami must take another birth before realizing the Heart (Self or Soul, source of the feeling of "I", not to be confused with the heart chakra), that if Ramana had been there he could have "pinned his ego down in the heart," thus scorching his sanskaras there, never to be reborn again. Lakshmana Swamy, a realized disciple of Ramana, gave an odd version of this phenomenon in the case of his own disciple Mathru Sri Sarada. He said,

   “Just before Sarada realized the Self her ‘I’-thought tried to escape by breaking her skull. If I (Swamy) had not been present the experience would have killed her. The ‘I’-thought would have broken her skull and escaped to the higher regions where it would have been born again.” (7)

   Sarada said that this was like an axe trying to split her head open from the inside. She put her head on Swamy’s feet in surrender and her ‘I’-thought “subsided forever.” Whatever one is to make of this description it is certain that the peculiar dramatic nature of this realization experience is rare. Neither Lakshmana Swamy or Ramana felt the ‘I’-thought threaten to break their skull in its flight from the Heart. Others have reported experiences of pain and pressure in the head due to the force of kundalini energy, and one in particular worth examining occurred to the famous disciple of Ramana, Ganapati Muni. It was Ganapati who gave the young Venkataram the name Ramana Maharshi. He was a teacher in his own right, and had spent twenty years in yogic sadhana. A few years after meeting Marharshi he experienced a spontaneous, forceful awakening of kundalini-shakti (which he confessed was not caused by any intention on his part, but was the “result of the grace of his Guru and God”), and which began a two-week ordeal in which he endured the yogic phenomenon known in the Taittirya Upanishad as vyapohya sirsha kapale, or the “breaking of the skull.” Ganapati began to feel a flood of energy through his body at all times, with a stream of bliss piercing his head making him completely intoxicated. He felt totally out of control of his body and went to Maharshi for guidance. The sage blessed him with a pat of the hand on his head and said not to worry.

   ”That night Ganapati suffered terribly. There was an unbearable burning sensation throughout his body...It looked as though his head would break into pieces any time. he suffered unbearable pain... Suddenly a sound was heard, something like smoke was seen. The Kundalini had caused an aperture at the top of his skull...After the experience for ten days something like smoke or vapor was found emanating from the orifice at the top of the skull. By that time the burning sensation subsided. The play of force became bearable. The long story of suffering, pain, and agony ended. The body was filled with the flow of cool nectar of bliss. The face of the Muni reflected an ethereal splendor. His eyes bore the effulgence of the supernatural. After this extraordinary experience of kapalabheda, the Muni lived for fourteen years...” (8)

   In spite of the unusual nature of Ganapati’s transformation, Maharshi affirmed that he had not attained enlightenment. When asked after his death whether the Muni was realized, Ramana replied, “How could he? His ‘sankalpas’ (inherent tendencies) were too strong.” In other words, in Ganapati Muni’s case the overwhelming awakening of the kundalini was not sufficient to unlock the “knot of self” that was still alive at the heart. "Ganapati Muni used to say that he could even go to Indra loka and say what Indra was doing, but he could not go within and find the "I." Sri Bhagavan added that Ganapati Muni used to say that it was easy to move forward, but impossible to move backward. Then Sri Bhagavan remarked: However far one goes, there he is. Where is moving backward?" (9)

   Of course, this "escape into the higher planes" warned about by Ramana and Lakshmana Swamy is exactly what is considered advisable by Sant Mat. So there is a major difference here. My teacher in Ithaca, NY, Anthony Damiani, once told us that both he and his wife Ella May heard the big bell overhead in meditation, and he confirmed to us that we could go with it, because it would "take you up." He also said that experience of the subtle planes would completely devalue our experience here. However, he said he didn't pursue following the bell sound higher because "it wasn't where he wanted to go." I didn't understand at all what he meant at the time. He also said that he "didn't want holiness," which I didn't quite understand either. He held out for the completion of his inner concentration and mind's tracing itself to the Heart, which gave him stable realization of the witness self, (after a period of application), which he described as "peace, peace, peace." He acknowledged the possibility of spiritual ascent, and eventually different possibilities of spiritual evolution, but wanted to realize the heart-root first, which, he said off-handedly, would "take your head off." He said to those of us who were into shabd practise to "get this (the Witness) first." The idea is that, without such prior realization of true consciousness, entering the inner realms would be deluding. In Sant Mat this possibility of delusion is also asserted, however the major point they emphasize is that what is required is the "sheet anchor" of the true Master's Radiant Form or Light to guide one without danger through the maze of possible inner experiences as quickly as possible to reach Sach Khand and the formless realms beyond. The witness consciousness at the heart-root, and the bypassing of this inner journey, is not mentioned as a consideration. Tony spoke of the need, also mentioned in Theosophy, that to reside or explore inner realms one needed a suitable body for it, which required some kind of maturation process and was not an automatic given simply by attention slipping inside. V.S. Iyer said that while living in the physical body, the subtle or astral body is, for ordinary souls, not really well-formed, and is for them more or less a picture or imagination of the physical body. So one can see why on his particular path he didn't want to go there, might not have found it particularly fruitful, and probably shouldn't have. For the latter, according to Sant Mat, the agency and help of a qualified adept is necessary.

   Anthony's reasoning about attaining the witness consciousness first, however, would also resonate with one teacher’s comment that inner meditation without the mind first lying formless in the Heart only leads to "dreaming in the body's interior", the experience of common mysticism in which the ego’s unreality is not fully revealed, the complete illusion of a fixed “entity” not undone, except by stages until the very end of the path, whereas in the path of sages, such a problem is tackled from the beginning.

   A hint at a resolution of this dilemma may be gleaned from Dzogchen Buddhism, where uniting one's mind with the "Ground Luminosity" or "Clear Light" while alive, as well as when appearing at the time of death is considered the most important means for liberation, at the same time also advising as auspicious that the soul leave the body through the crown of the head for passing directly to the pure buddha realms. [see, The Tibetan Book on Living and Dying, by Sogypal Rinpoche]   On the other hand, this is surely confusing from the perspective of Sant Mat, where it is assumed that even if you pass out of the body via the crown, your access to the purely spiritual (or buddha) realms is not assured, but depends on the grace of the spiritual master and/or one's prior progress in that direction. The lower astral realms still await the soul who passes unconsciously or resistingly from the body even via the crown. The stage by stage of dissolution during the death process, as well as recognition of and responsibility for it by a disciple on the Dzogchen path, is also purportedly bypassed by initiates into Sant Mat, where the Master's radiant form comes for the disciple at the time of death, assuring a smooth passage, leaving the body behind like a fallen leaf. This would obviate a three-day or forty-nine day vigil or waiting period after physical death as advised in Tibetan Buddhism as well. Indeed, the promise given by the Sant Mat lineage at least since the time of Kirpal Singh has been that the Master takes complete charge of the sanchit or storehouse karmas of the disciple and at death takes him to a suitable inner plane to progress further, even escort him to Sach Khand and beyond - not very Buddhist-like, perhaps, but a glorious promise much like the one proclaimed in the New Testament:

   "Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. For I have come down from heaven. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6: 35, 38, 40)

   And as Sant Darshan Singh affirmed:

   "In spite of our blemishes, our shortcomings, our enslavement to the world and worldly desires, the Master has taken us to himself. The Master belongs to the realm of immortality, and in taking us to himself he takes us within the ambit of eternity." (Spiritual Awakening, Chapter 8)

   Lord, I pray, please grant me first-hand experience of this so I will know it is not just a beautiful dream. May the Masters who speak from their own experience step forth and say so and let those who but repeat what they have heard from their own masters or have read from the books say so also.

11a. Somewhat curious was a comment by Ramana’s that when the soul or "I-thought" merged in the heart there was a sound like the tinkle of a bell that the jnani could hear that indicated liberation. He indicated that that was the case with his mother, whose soul he guided at death until it merged in the Heart, but that it was not the case with Palanaswami whose "eyes opened at death meaning his soul had escaped to be reborn in a higher plane" instead of merging once and for all in the Heart. So what for Sant Mat was an escape and a boon was for Ramana a failure to attain self-realization. I don’t know in what way that tinkle of a bell sound relates to the naam or shabd in Sant Mat or not. Many in Sant Mat hear the tinkling of bells all the time. The words of Ramana doesn’t suggest it is the same, because Ramana did acknowledge the existence of inner sounds or nada as a concentration method favored by its adherents to lull the mind into samadhi. He didn’t speak of it as a way into higher planes, however, which he looked on as a kind of unnecessary detour, even though he confessed to having had thousands of such experiences, and devotees remarked that his eyes looked like two stars, and that he appeared to return from a far-off place when he came out of inner absorption. He, however, like Anandamayi Ma, seemed to go inside into full trance less and less as he got older. Shree Atmananda said that once you realize that your own nature is happiness, you will never again be attracted by the goal of happiness in samadhi. You might enjoy it for refreshment, but not for realization. Sri Nisargadatta likewise said: "Once the guru told me: "You are the Supreme Reality", I ceased having visions and trances and became very quiet and simple. I found myself desiring and knowing less and less, until I could say in utter astonishment: "I know nothing, I want nothing."

   Now, returning again to what Sant Rajinder said, that one would have certainty of life after death once he reached the third plane, my question remains, why wouldn't one get assurance of life after death after reaching the FIRST inner plane? The only answer I can imagine is that the first two planes, at least, are not really out of the body, but rather within the brain. As stated, Babuji Maharaj and Maharaj Saheb seemed to confirm that. This is not a serious objection to Sant Mat as a path, but it would perhaps cause one to interpet his experiences in a different manner. In addition, it may also be asked, how can there truly be any "up" or "down" or spatial sense except in relationship to the body? V.S. Iyer said that inside and outside apply only to the body, and since the body is a perception in the Mind, such concepts become meaningless. So how can one truly go up AFTER leaving the chakra system by passing into and through the brain? Where is up once the body is dead and you are in a mental realm(s)? Sant Mat could argue that there is still a sense of up and down in relationship with the other bodies or coverings of the soul, such as the astral and causal, but after that, with the supercausal and spiritual planes, it gets more difficult to talk of up and down, higher and lower, although the possibility of deeper would still remain. Would higher and lower, then, only be a mere appearance, from the point of view of Mind itself? And for that matter, wouldn't that be the case for the entire chakra system? Ramana certainly thought so. And Sant Rajinder Singh has recently implied as such. Ramana said, speaking from the point of view of reality, that thinking "the muladara was down here and the sahasrara up there was wrong - that thinking was not our nature." Here is what PB said about the heart versus the head, which may shed some light on these matters:

   "The query as to whether the seat of the Overself is in the heart or in the pineal gland is a problem which has long excited controversy. The yogis are divided upon this issue. My own research leads to the following view: from the standpoint of yoga practice both answers are correct because at one stage of the quest, it is necessary to meditate upon the Overself as being in the heart. But at a different stage it is necessary to meditate upon it as being in the pineal gland in the head. This is because the different stages have different objectives, each of which is quite proper in its own place. However, from the philosophical standpoint which is arrived at after these two stages are passed through, the idea of the position of the Overself is then dropped, for the effort is then to be made to transcend the body-belief altogether. From this ultimate standpoint, space is regarded as being merely an idea for the mind whilst the mind itself is regarded as being outside both position and distance. Hence the philosophic meditation seeks to know the Overself by direct insight into its timeless, spaceless nature and not indirectly by bringing it into relation with a particular point in the physical body." (The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, Vol. 4, Part 1, 1.218 (Burdett, New York: Larson Publications, 1986)

   Coming back to my question about how, and in exactly what way, is this life the most important for realization, and in precisely what way can one make more progress here, one asks, "Why is the waking state considered so important?" Kirpal quoted Jesus about how after death "no man can work", so one had better work now. PB said that this world is more valuable than after death states because only here are lessons etched so strongly on the ego, whereas after-death realms are more dream-like. Sant Rajinder Singh has said that souls are supposed to be literally lined up waiting a chance at getting a human body, as there are currently not enough suitable bodies available in which to make appreciable spiritual progress. If the only purpose for getting a human body was to get out of it, that seems hardly a sufficient reason to come here. The only other spiritual reason to come here would be to meet the living Master, which might be taken to imply that is harder to find him "up there", but is that so? In either case, they say the Master really finds us, we don’t find Him.

   The Sant Mat masters do say that one can work from the subtle planes after death, but, again as mentioned, that it can take a much longer time than here. Buddhist scriptures generally say that the personality disintegrates back to the elements, after the death of the body, and that the ego-soul does not survive, certainly not after the so-called "second death", where the subtle elements disperse. [This is not to deny that there is a continuity of the consciousness, or the "I-AM", from death to rebirth, only that the koshas, at least up to the manomaya kosha, constituting the personality, disperse and are not an entity that reincarnates]. Therefore, if this were the case, and also if ones master chooses to reincarnate to save souls, would one NOT want to follow Him back here where one can make more progress? So, again, exactly why is this birth, this life, so important? Kirpal once joked "we have to make the most use of the man-body, and that is - to get out of it!" I think he was speaking somewhat tongue in cheek, because I saw more in Him than that would imply. But for the spiritual beginner that can make intuitive sense. Whether it is true is another matter. Certainly advaita would disagree. And I think Kirpal would have disagreed also, at least in the sense that there was purificatory work to do here. A disciple, Rameshwar Dass, relates in Ocean of Divine Grace, p. 97-98:

   I told Maharaj Ji, "My friend told me that You would give me a glimpse of my Divine Home. But that has not been my experience." "As for taking you up there," He said, "it could be done, but in your present condition you will not be able to stay there; nor when you come back would you be able to carry on with your normal life on earth."

   I personally feel that there is more to it than that, which is that before ego-death or ego-transcendance such higher planes can not be experienced without illusion. Whether they must be experienced before such an event or development may vary in each case, depending on the needs of ones soul. There is then no cause for jealousy or envy among initiates, as there is no high or low, just different pathways for each person along the way to the realization of who they always, already are. For some it is possible that only the final experiential stages may become known after a lifetime of striving in apparent darkness. This need not be cause for despair, if one practices with the right view.

   The vedantic answer as to why the waking state is important is further expressed by Iyer in the following quote:

   "Gnan is to see that all things are the mind's own creations, that none are different from yourself, that none are other than the mind itself, and that therefore there is no second thing. But this you can get only by analyzing world during the waking state itself and finding it to be like a dream. This is why truth must be understood when awake, not in blank trance, when facing and seeing the world, not in negation of it." (Commentaries, Vol. 1 ; see note 29)


   Another quote of Soamiji that seems out of place within even Sant Mat teachings was made by him on the day of his death:

   “Life-long Bhajan and Simran is only for this reason: That one should not forget at this time (at the time of death).” (Sar Bachan p. 21)

   This also causes questions to arise. What was his true meaning here? Forget what? -Bhajan and Simran? -The image of his Master? It is said in many traditions that one’s last thought is very important, but surely “life-long bhajan and simran” , according to Sant Mat, is for the purpose of achieving liberation in life, isn’t it? And surely the general trend of ones mind over a lifetime is more important than any stray thought that crosses it at the time of de What if, when one’s time comes, as has happened even to great sages, one lapses into a coma, or has an accidental death? Does then the inability to remember anything cancel out one's progress, relationship with his guru, or, most importantly, one's enlightenment? This is likely the type of remark that was directed to one person at a particular time for its impact value, but, nevertheless, when placed in a source text like Sar Bachan can create confusion.

   Once more, the waking state is valued in most traditions because they say realization must take place while here to be true liberation. Why? Perhaps because it is very important how we interpret or understand our experiences across all the states, and also that we do not live here or go “within’, in ignorance. Brunton states:

   "If the body does not become non-existent because, ultimately, it is a thought-form, neither does it become unimportant. For it is only in this body that we can attain and realize the ultimate consciousness...the physical wakeful state is the only one in which the task of true self-realization can be fully accomplished.." (The Notebooks, Vol. 7, Part I, 1.5)

   As in Sant Mat, however, Brunton elsewhere admits that this may not need to be achieved on earth but could occur on "other spheres." There is also permitted this exception in the Buddhist tradition for certain advanced aspirants of a degree of sainthood who had purified a sufficient number of the "fetters" or "defilements". But the attainment would still not be achieved in a purely subjective state in their case, and the higher realms themselves, however blissful and however long one might stay there, which could be kalpas, may be considered "pure" but not necessarily eternal, as they are in Sant Mat. For example, one of the higher fetters in Buddhism is "attachment to the formless realms". Dzogchen Buddhism somewhat differently argues that only awakening to the "Ground Luminosity" of Mind while alive assures merger with the Clear Light when it initially dawns at the time of death. This is the great opportunity for liberation according to their teachings. If one cannot hold onto this realization at the time of death one then passes into the dawning of the "dharmata realm", which is the all-pervading creative radiance of Mind, similar to how the Sants describe Sach Khand. Failing to sustain awareness of that, one falls into identification with mind and ego once more and passes into the various intermediate realms of the bardos, and eventually rebirth. Only through experience in the waking state with its sharply defined limits can one be prepared, through spiritual practice, for the dawning of Mind or the Clear Light at death. In Sant Mat the waking state is also valued to prepare one to be aware while in the bardos or inner planes, as well as for the working off of karmas, but the defining difference after death is the boon of the Master coming for the soul, sparing him the bewildering and disintegrating experience of the withdrawel of the attention and pranas, a less than auspicious exit into an undesirable lower realm, and even further rebirths prior to liberation. There is no teaching about immediate recognition of the Dharmakaya, i.e., liberation, however, prior to passage through all the inner planes to Sach Khand and beyond. Nevertheless, there are also hints here and there in Sant Mat about the non-necessity of experiencing all of the planes in a linear fashion. Kirpal said some initiates may go directly to Sach Khand and not experience the other planes along the way, although, generally, they would, at least to some degree, as in a brief "meet and greet" of the various deities presiding therein. He also said, "you are already there, you just don't know it." But he was very clear that a disciple of some degree of attainment, and even those without much in the way of that but who nevertheless had full faith, may not have to be reborn but could continue their sadhana on inner planes, at the discretion of the Master:

   "The initiates have a great concession: at the time of death, your Master will come to receive you, and not the angel of death. He usually appears several days or weeks before death to advise you of your coming departure from this world. I'm talking about those who keep the precepts! For those who do nothing with the gift of Naam, he may or may not appear before they leave the body...In your final moments, and much beforehand if you have gained proficiency in meditation, Master's radiant form will take you to a higher stage where you can make further progress. At the time of death the initiate will be as happy as a bride on her day of marriage! He may then place you in the first, second or third stage, or he may take you direct to Sach Khand. In some cases, where worldly desires and attachments are predominant, he will allow rebirth, but in circumstances more congenial for spiritual growth." (Arran Stephens, Journey to the Luminous (Seattle, Washington: Elton-Wolf Publications, 1999), p. 41)

   One enigmatic incident relating to the "distance" or relationship of Sach Khand to the earth plane (Pinda) is illustrated by the following. Sawan Singh, when asked how long it took him to go to Sach Khand, closed his eyes for a second and then reopened them, saying that that was how long. In the yoga sutras, however, it is said that for concentration to mature into absorptive samadhi takes two and a half minutes. How is this discrepency reconciled? I can think of two answers. Either the Sants, as sometimes is said, do not let their attention descend below the throat center, a yogic process called lokasamgraha, whereby they are able to continue to interact with and teach others while still holding on to the intuition of freedom they enjoyed in savikalpa or nirvikalpa samadhi or the inner planes, and are therefore able to ascend to Sach Khand much quicker than in traditional yoga paths, in as much as the body is almost already transcended, or, two, they reside in a non-dual state, and Sawan was speaking from a higher, or perhaps, metaphorical, point of view.

   It is true that on the path of ascent there would be innumerable distractions, and perhaps a near impossibility of succeeding in reaching its end without the help of an adept in that line; this is a cardinal point of Sant Mat. But is the path of ascent essential, and itself the way, the total way, or only way, to truth? Ramana and PB, and others, adamantly say no; therefore, questions must continue to be raised.

   Buddha, the Ch’an masters and others agree on this importance of waking earth life. Damiani says, further, that without the knowledge the World or World-Idea can teach the soul, one would be utterly incapable of understanding what one was experencing in the mysterious Void (beyond all the manifest planes). One could come out of his trance and still be confused about the relationship between world, self, and God, ie., not enlightened. This is as close as I have found for a metaphysical reason for the importance of the waking state for realization, or, since it is not a ‘personal ‘ attainment, the Void-Mind awakening to itself or coming to self-cognition. The Lankavatara sutra said that one day all beings will get purifed and ascend the stages, but "if they only realized it, all things are in Nirvana from the beginning." How can one realize that "all things are in Nirvana" by leaving some things out (ie., like the world) and only going within? Obviously, one can't. This is the mistake of the yogis and ordinary mystics. The highest teachings always posit stages AFTER the mystical ones. The progression of stages in Buddhism, beyond those of the beginner, are from ecstasy to peace to insight to Nirvana. Does Sant Mat recognize a stage after going within as far as you can go (as profound as that is), as the sages do? Personally, I think they do. Kabir, for instance, spoke of a stage "beyond Sunn and trance." Brunton writes:

   "After all, even the Void, grand and awesome as it is, is nothing but a temporary experience, a period of meditation. The realization of what is Real must be found not only in deep meditation, in its trance, but when fully awake." (Notebooks, Vol 15, Part 1, 8.187-188)

   And further:

   "The mystic may get his union with the higher self as the reward for his reverent devotion to it. But its light will shine down only into those parts of his being which were themselves active in the search for union. Although his union may be a permanent one, its consummation may still be only a partial one. If his intellect, for example, was inactive before the event, it will be unillumined after the event [this would say something about the idea of "perfect masters"]. This is why many mystics have attained their goal without a search for truth before it or a full knowledge of truth after it. The simple love for spiritual being brought them to it through their sheer intensity of ardour earning the divine grace. He only gets the complete light, however, who is completely fitted for it with the whole of his being. If he is only partially fit, because only a part of his psyche has worked for the goal, then the utmost result will be a partialbut permanent union with the soul, or else it will be marred by the inability to keep the union for longer than temporary periods."

   "The Mystic may be illiterate, uneducated, simple-minded, but yet may attain the Overself. Thus he finds his Inner Peace. It is easier for him because he is less intellectual, hence has fewer thoughts to give up and to still. But Nature does not absolve him from finishing his further development. he has still to complete his horizontal growth as well as balance it. He has obtained depth of illumination but not breadth of experience where the undeveloped state of faculties which prevents his light from being perfect may be fully developed. This can hapen either by returning to earth again or continuing in other spheres of existence; he does this all inside his peace instead of, as with ordinary man, outside it. When his growth is complete, he becomes a philosopher."

   "It is not that the mystic does not enter into contact with the Overself. He does. But his experience of the Overself is limited to glimpses which are partial, because he finds the Overself only within himself, not in the world outside. It is temporary because he has to take it when it comes at its own sweet will or when he can find it in meditation. It is a glimpse because it tells him about his own "I" but not about the "Not-I." On the other hand, the sage finds reality in the world without as his own self, at all times and not at special occasions, and wholly rather than in glimpses. the mystic's light comes in glimpses, but the sage's is perennial. Whereas the first is like a flickering unsteady and uneven flame, the second is like a lamp that never goes out. Whereas the mystic comes into awareness of the Overself through feeling alone, the sage comes into it through knowledge plus feeling. Hence, the superiority of his realization."

   "The need of predetermining at the beginning of the path whether to be a philosopher or a mystic, arises only for the particular reincarnation where attainment is made. Thereafter, whether on this earth or another, the need of fulfilling the philosophic evolution will be impressed upon him by Nature." [The "philosophic discipline" is the development and balancing of the faculties of feeling, knowing, willing, and intuition, as well as the full inner mystical realization as well as metaphysical realization of non-dual Oneness]. (, Notebooks, Vol. 13, Part 2, 4.9,11-13)

   “The understanding that everything is illusive is not the final one. It is an essential stage but only a stage. Ultimately you will understand that the form and separateness of a thing are illusory, but the thing-in-itself is not. That out of which these forms appear is not different from them, hence Reality is one and the same in all things. This is the paradox of life and a sharp mind is needed to perceive it. However, to bring beginners out of their earthly attachments, we have to teach first the illusoriness of the world, and then raise them to a higher level of understanding and show that the world is not apart from the Real. That Thou Art unifies everything in essence. But this final realization cannot be got by stilling the mind, only by awakening it into full vigour again after yogic peace has been attained and then letting its activity cease of its own accord when thought merges voluntarily into insight. When that is done, you know the limitations of both yoga and enquiry as successive stages. Whoever realizes this truth does not divorce from matter--as most yogis do--but realizes non-difference from it. Hence we call this highest path the "yoga of nonduality." But to reach it one has to pass through the "yoga of philosophical knowledge." (Notebooks, Vol. 16, Part 1, 2.116)

   Maybe the jnanis and non-dualists are wrong, and the emanationists, such as the Sants and sages like Plotinus, are right, that down here we only see as in a glass dimly, a poor reflection of the real - but up there "face too face." Maybe any non-dual realization must be made abiding on all planes after passing through multiple "zero-points" or apparent "deaths". Even though the Real is not separated from nature, or the hierarchy of planes, perhaps it is true that only the purified soul has a chance at realizing the higher state of the Nous, and that such must be attained on successive levels of the cosmos. If the Soul is a permanent emanation of the Nous (Divine Mind or Godhead), as Plotinus says, perhaps then, having a satori or deep awakening while on the earth plane does not in itself simply dissolve all that lies between 'Nature and the Nous', as many non-dual teachers imply while casually and with self-assurance bordering on its own form of fundamentalism dismiss all discussion of cosmology and the Soul. This has not been, therefore, so much an argument with Sant Mat as a wish for its clarification. In Sant Mat as well as some of the gnostic traditions such as that of Plato and Plotinus, the true form of the Soul is known only in its own domain, and what we see and know down here is but a glimmer of the reality, even though it is a manifestation of the reality. Perhaps it can be said then that even if one intuits the Nous, the soul still naturally desires to seek its origin, and on the way to knowing the Anami state, and for even after, one may have the true non-dual realization or not.

   Maharaj Saheb, in his discourse, "Ode to the Unknown God," said:

   "Radhasoami Dayal [the Merciful Lord of the Soul] has graciously assumed human form to grant redemption to the entire humanity, nay, He has made the reflection of His Form available even at the lower chakras.
   "Still lower down, He assumed the dark bluish form of Niranjan. Such is my beloved Radhasoami. Descending to the heart centre, He became subject to desires. Such is my beloved Radhasoami. He, however, reduces the evil tendencies of Indri-centres (lower centres pertaining to senses). Such is my beloved Radhasoami." (quoting Swami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Poetry, Book One)"

   In philosophical terms what he seems to be saying, in this instance, is that the Idea of Man, and the form of the Master-Soul, gets reflected from plane to plane from Sach Khand on down. The higher up, the more it approximates the eternal emanation from the Nous, even though the One is always existent and "there is nowhere that it is not."

   In any case, in Sant Mat it is said that after the soul reaches the radiant form of the Master on the threshold of the astral plane, all of its personal toil is over and the rest is in the hands of the Master, who attracts the soul like iron filings towards a magnet. Likewise, upon reaching Sach Khand, the emanated soul is then in the hands of the Sat Purush, who absorbs the soul likewise by stages in to the Anami, the nameless and formless absolute realm. So what we are talking about is far beyond the aegis of the personal will. Timothy Smith similarly writes from the point of view of the Sam'khya tradition of this need for grace:

   "Finally, when the cosmos itself reaches a moment of perfect self-knowing, Buddhi, through the Grace of Ishvara and with the support of Prakriti, stands aside, and a new Bodhisattva is born. With neither will nor ego-identity remaining, this is the moment of viveka turning upon itself – and being turned upon itself. This is the assimilation of mentalism and the fruition of epistemological discipline. The remaining ascent from Purusa to Âtman shall unfold in the mysterious remoteness of pure, empty Being.... The higher tattvas [Buddhi, Aham'kara, Tanmatra], starting with Aham’kâra, are not the product of the individual Purusa alone, but are the work of Îshvara, Shakti, and Shiva. As such they can not be truly dissolved by any individual act, including viveka."

   IN The Crown of Life: A Study in Yoga, it is implied that Surat Shabd Yoga fulfills if not transcends the goal as elaborated in the Sam'khya school. This makes a precise categorization of the terms Sat Purush and Anami even more compelling.

   In Sant Mat it is said that even a state of oneness, in which the mind merges in ITS own source in the causal plane, is a stepped-down manifestation of higher spiritual realizations, with which it is often confused. Maharaj Charan Singh said:

   "Unless the mind returns to and merges in its origin, the soul cannot be released from the negative power and cannot begin its real spiritual evolvement to God-Realization." (Katherine Wason, The Living Master (Radha Soami Satsang Beas, 1984) p. 136)

   The reader will refer to the schema of planes given before for a visual example of this. The mind is said to merge with the universal mind at the second main stage of the inner journey with soul travelling beyond on its own. This is much different than advaita. Katherine Wason writes:

   "The stage of Brahm is the apex of reality , the very height of spiritual attainment, to one who has not a perfect Master who has gone beyond the reach of Brahm. With the blending of self into Universal Mind and the expanded consciousness which embraces the furthest reach of the cosmos of the Universal Mind, it seems that no stage can be further attained. For how is it possible even to conceive of s stage above and beyond Universal Mind, often called Unity itself? To merge into that which interpenetrates the entire universe would seem to constitute the furthest limit of spiritual ascent.
   Yet for one initiated by a perfect Master, the now purer and far more powerful force of the Shabd lifts the disciple out of this appearance of Unity and transports him to the stage of Parbrahm - "beyond" Brahm. And here a greater, more glorious dimension of consciousness is met. For each stage reflects the higher, and a reflection - no matter how real and pure and beautiful it may seem - cannot but distort and vaguely hint at that which it reflects. Thus the appearances vanish and the Oneness of Brahm is known to be but a part of the Whole. In fact, the sojourner directly comprehends that there is not only one Brahm, but others as well - that within each of these Brahmandi regions revolves the same vast, seemingly limitless cosmic scheme, each with its own cycle of birth and death and liberation, each with its own Universal Mind and astral and material creation.
   At the third stage of the spiritual journey, the soul is pure, completely unfettered and free. The once slumbering spirit realises its true identity as a drop of the Supreme Ocean and for the first time wakens to the full wonder and glory of God...Now the soul is in the majestic realm of pure spirit-consciousness, and awe and joy and wonder become increased beyond imagination. At each threshold of the stages of consciousness..the soul is flooded with the awareness that glory of a greater dimension lies beyond...By the great Love and Light of the true Lord Himself, the soul, united with God-consciousness, expands and advances to the three remaining regions". (Ibid, p. 306-308)

   The big question remains, is this something beyond the purview of advaita and other such approaches, or are the apparently huge differences essentially ones of language? Is there an equivalence between the pseudo-oneness of the Brahmandi stage in Sant Mat and the ultimate Unity proposed by the non-dual sages, or are they different altogether?

11b. The concept of the Void is necessary to mention here, because of the fact that in Sant Mat it is explained that there is a great void or region called Maha Sunn separating the materio-spritual regions from the purely spiritual ones, in which even great souls get suspended until the Living master of the time brings his great Light through it to guide them out of it and "usher them into" the spiritual planes. This may be confused with the concept of the void as given in Buddhism. For it is unlikely the two are the same.

   In Sant Mat sometimes the plane of Maha-Sunn is referred to as a dark void that the soul passes through on the way to Sach Khand, but in Buddhism the Void is not a phenomenal void but, rather, the only reality there is. In Maha Sunn, however, there is still an "I" present to experience and fear the darkness, but in the true Void there is no darkness and no "I", so this, it appears reasonable, would have to be at least what is called Anami in Sant Mat. The Void, Sunyata, Suchness, whatever name one chooses to point to the non-conceptual truth, is not dark (another concept or experience), but the clear light of Reality, the goal-less goal of all the paths. How could Sant Kirpal Singh, for instance, explain such a thing to his disciples other on a one to one basis and not necessarily through words but through a potent spiritual silence? Looking back now, I see the reason Kirpal's exclamation to me, "God is nothing!" In Buddhism, God IS nothing, or the Void-Mind, or as Rumi put it, the "Unmanifest-Manifest". The Void, unfortunately, is probably the most misunderstood concept in Buddhism. It does not mean nothing as conceptually understood, but rather, non-conceptual reality. It is the noumenon out of which all phenomena arise and return. It is the REAL, wherein the separate "I" is not. Wei Wu Wei wrote about this basic or fundamental Void:

   "To look upon the Void as an emptiness that exists somewhere in a cosmic fullness will never open the mind to its wholeness. Vision must start afresh by realizing that a cosmic plenitude is an imaginary implication, and that the cosmos itself is not. The Void is not nothing somewhere within something; that something is nothing, there is nowhere within it, and the Void is that."

   "It is the basic notion, the fundamental conception that is erroneous. People start by assuming reality, a something, a positively existing continuum, and then seek to situate the Void somewhere therein. But it is the Void we have to take as the basic notion, the fundamental conception, the basic continuum that is a non-continuum - and then see that if there is anything apparent anywhere it can only be in that."

   "We imagine the Void as an emptiness in a pre-existing fullness, a nothing in an assumed Something, whereas we are urgently required to apprehend the ubiquitous pre-existence of Nothing out of which something may appear, or out of Non-manifestation manifestation."

   "It is precisely because it is Nothing that there can be anything. Either one sees this or one does not: it is evident, but it cannot be proved."

   "All talk about the Void being this and that, not meaning that and the other, is not only balking the issue - it is shutting oneself off from the truth. It is necessary to realize that the Void means exactly Nothing, and that exactly Nothing is all there is. And that that is the reason why anything can appear to be."

   "The Void is not of the nature of a black abyss or a bottomless pit. Rather is its nature "vast and expansive like space itself." It is apprehended as "serene, marvellous, all-pure, brilliant and all-inclusive." Above all does it partake of the nature of light. And it is not anything. For Void is Mind Itself, and Mind Itself is Void.."

   "The essential understanding is that in reality nothing is. This is so obvious that it is not perceived. We quote Hui Neng's "From the beginning not a thing is" without apprehending its full significance. We refer to the Void and Emptiness without realizing what is implied. What is meant is just what is said, i.e.,that nothing is - that Nothing alone is what is, not that no thing is real in Something, not that in positive Being, which we tacitly assume, no object is real. Positive being is not to be assumed, but negative Being - Non-being. it is non-being only that is, and there is nothing but that. it is only in function of Non-being that being seems to be." (Ask the Awakened, 2002, pp. 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 90)

   We will digress here a bit and consider also something of the distinction made between paths of concentration versus insight. They are relevant to my personal tale in that the former was removed and the latter was directly brought to my attention. There is no ultimate contradiction in choosing or adopting one or the other for a time, despite perennial arguments, but definitely a seeming one based on the way the paths are generally presented. In Buddhism, the samadhi system is considered optional. Vipassana or awareness is primary. Although in Vipassana there are jhanas, or states of absorption, they are not equivalent to the samadhis in yoga, in that they do not assume the necessity of full trance. The paths of dhyana concentration lead to their fulfillment in Nirvikalpa, but there are said or implied to be stages of insight beyond that, i.e., beyond mysticism, according to philosophic sages. This is only obliquely referred to in Sant Mat. You can find it, but the path as outlined for beginners is only the single route of inversion. Guru Nanak said, however, “Truth (Sat) is above all, but higher still is true living" (i.e., sahaj). One must retreat all the way in, according to mysticism, but then, even if you have, other teachings say one must come all the way out, and reconcile the two positions in a further realization. This is a task of application, not a “one-shot deal”, and also not an automatic given. It is also why the traditions have said that full realization must occur while alive, i.e., in the ordinary waking state. Judith Lamb-Lion had implied the same thing to me way back in 1973 when she said that “people must spend some time in contemplation as well, and not just meditation.” Centuries ago Zen Master Foyan (1067-1120) similarly said:

   "Nowadays people only work on concentration power and do not open the eye of insight." (Instant Zen - Waking up in the Present, trans. by Thomas Cleary, p.)

   [note; one may not want to come out; the bliss inside is so great. Buddha warned about this advanced dilemma.] The same debate is now ongoing between the "non-dualists" and the "traditionalists", and what the comment of Judith along with that of Master Foyan mean to me now is that awareness or understanding of reality or the self does not come just by meditating, and is why the Buddhists have always included metaphysical study and contemplation along with the discipline of meditation or concentration in their sadhana. In other words, sages insist that the so-called “lightning flash” that awakens one to the state of sahaj is not a mystical event produced by inversion alone. True, it may only be possible in the man-body, the crown of creation, because only in man is there the capacity for self-reflection. The sages are saying, however, that not only is the man-body precious, as Sant Mat likewise asserts, but also waking life itself, and further that the non-dual Void-Mind does not awaken to Itself, i.e., enlightenment does not occur, just by yoga meditation alone, even in its highest or furthest interior reach. PB writes

   "If the body does not become non-existent because, ultimately, it is a thought-form, neither does it become unimportant. For it is only in this body that we can attain and realize the ultimate consciousness...the physical wakeful state is the only one in which the task of true self-realization can be fully accomplished.." (The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, Vol. 7, Part I, 1.5)

   It is recognized in Buddhism and some versions of advaita that the attainment of concentration produces the razor-sharp mind that is then capable of the higher stages of insight. It is also to be understood that grace is required for the final stroke as well as help in the earlier stages in either system. So this is not a criticism of the initial goals of Sant Mat or other yoga paths per se. The following passage from PB quoting Dr. Parawehera Vajiranana Thera further addresses this distinction between the samadhi and vipassana approach:

   “The Buddha’s own conclusion in regard to the practical methods of mind training has been developed into two complex systems known as ‘cultivation of concentration’ and ‘cultivation of insight.’ Again, these two systems correspond to the two predominant faculties, faith and wisdom. Those who have entered into the religious life through strong faith and devotion are trained in the Samadhi path which appreciates the special practice of rapt, absorbed, concentrated thought called Jhana, the ecstatic tranquility of mind. The method of jhana meditation is called ‘the path of tranquility,’ and the disciple who has practised this path should enter in the end to the acquisition of that full knowledge which leads to Arhatship. Those who practise Samadhi meditation in the beginning...should practise insight at the end to attain Arhatship. Those who practise insight in the beginning, with or without Samadhi practice, will attain Arhatship. The Samadhi system, therefore, is optional in Buddhism, and is regarded as only a mental discipline preparatory to the attainment of full knowledge. But Vipasanna being the direct path to full knowledge is indispensable and is universally imperative for the attainment of Nirvana. Hence insight meditation is the essential method of mental training in Buddhism and it is a unique system in Buddha’s teachings.” ( Ibid, Vol. 15, Part 1, 7.298-299)

   The Dalai Lama appears to take a middle ground. emphasizing the importance of both achievements, concentration and insight:

   "This pattern of training in the path, training first in ethics then in meditative stabilization and then in wisdom is not just a pronouncement of the Buddha but accords with the actual fact of experience in training the mind. In order to generate the view realizing emptiness in any strong form, never mind that special level of mind called special insight realizing emptiness, it is necessary that the mind not be distracted, that it be channeled, that it be brought together and made powerful. Thus in order for the wisdom consciousness to be powerful and to be capable of acting as an antidote, it is necessary for the consciousness itself to be channeled. Thus meditative stabilization is needed for wisdom.

   In order to have meditative stabilization, in which there is a quieting of internal mental distractions, it is necessary prior to that to restrain coarser types of distraction of body and speech. Thus one engages in practices of ethics that involve restraint of these coarser activities of body and speech in order to lay the groundwork for meditative stabilization. Thus ethics is first, meditative stabilization second and wisdom is third in the order of the three trainings. This is certified by experience.” (The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, Preliminary Teachings to the Kalachakra Initiation, 1989).

   PB further clarifies the need for meditative depth as well as insight, or "opening the Eye of Wisdom":

   “Psychologically the void trance is deeper than the world-knowing insight, but metaphysically it is not. For in both cases the same Reality is seen.” (Notebooks, Vol. 15, 7.301)

   “The Void must not be misunderstood. Although it is the deepest state of meditation and one where he is deprived of all possessions, including his own personal self, it has a parallel state in the ordinary active non-meditative condition, which can best be called detachment...After all, even the Void, grand and awesome as it is, is nothing but a temporary experience, a period of meditation...The awareness of what is Real must be found not only in deep meditation, in its trance, but when fully awake.” (Ibid, 8.186-188)

   Along these lines, the following conversation between members of Wisdom's Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies speaks on the need for a body to attain realization. This will be useful for those with a familiarity with the philosophy of Plotinus and PB. For others, don't worry about it, just skip it and read on:

TS: I thought that the idea there was that in the mode of Nirvikalpa Samadhi the individual mind is returning into its own source of the Overself, the I AM principle. And in Sahaja it's returning into the Intellectual-Principle within it, that the World Idea is contained in the Intellectual-Principle, and the World Idea is known for what it is by the Intellectual-Principle interior to the Overself. And it's that knowing of the Intellectual-Principle's consciousness of the World Idea that is what is contacted in the Sahaja consciousness--It's the knowing of the Overself's being which is what is contacted in Nirvikalpa.

AD: This dual nature of the Soul: one, so to speak, insofar that we speak of it as concerned with itself, and introspecting into itself. The other we speak about as the Soul, with the Nous IN the Soul, now the Soul, so to speak, as inhabiting or presiding over a part of the World Idea, that is a particular body which that World Idea has created. So you have on the one hand, and this is the strange paradox, that for the Soul to gain ultimate enlightenment, it must do so through a vehicle, or vehicles, which are provided by the Intellectual-Principle within the Soul, through which it can reach that Intellectual-Principle.

KD: That quote of PB's, "The ego to which he is so attached turns out on enquiry to be none other than the presence of the World-Mind within his heart''-- would refer to what you said that, that body is produced by the World Mind, and that that is why that's necessary, that's the Soul's contact with the World Mind is through that body.

AD: Yes.

AD: the association of the Soul with a particular body is the entrance into the unlimitedness of the World Mind.

AD: The actualities may be quite different. The Soul has identified with a body which is part of the Intellectual-Principle, can experience, or let's say, have experience of, the unlimited nature of the intellectual idea, and the mind. In other words, the mind and the World Idea can experience its unlimitedness or at least become aware of it. And then to speak about, you know, three states of consciousness, would be in here, say--. Because it's actually unlimited, the extent of the World Idea is something we can't grasp, we can't conceive. And it's through the fact that the soul can associate with part of the World Idea that this becomes feasible or possible.

CdA: But that says that the body is part of the World Idea. You're saying that because the Soul can have this association, that it's through this association that the Soul is able to experience then the unlimitedness of the Intellectual-Principle.

AD: Yes, so you could have a body, for instance, in the celestial realms--and then you could have a body that belongs to one of the higher spheres or stars. But without the body, you're not going to have the experience of the unlimitedness of the World Mind and the World Mind's idea. And that's why these things have to be understood."

   What they are saying is that one can experience Nirvikalpa samadhi, or the furthest inner reach of the soul, but for enlightenment, the realization that the Soul is a part of the World-Mind [Intellectual principle, or God], experience in a body is required, because a body is part of the World-Idea of the World-Mind, which World-idea is temporarily suppressed in Nirvikalpa samadhi. The liberating knowledge does not come from trance alone. Nirvikalpa samadhi gives the experience of the Soul in itself, but not the Nous. So based on this understanding Nirvikalpa or its equivalent (Anami?) is itself just a halfway-house, not the final stroke of Enlightenment.

   I cannot argue with such sages. In my humble, limited understanding what they say seems to make sense. Further, just as meditation needs a long time to be successfully cultivated, such insight apparently also needs a long time to be understood, seen for what it is, and perhaps most importantly, believed, in order for reality to positively reveal itself through grace.

12. Sant Kirpal Singh once criticized Russell Perkins for editing out a reference in his book NAAM, where a Buddhist monk said the sound of a bell caused his awakening into satori (which was described as a samadhi, although it was clearly a satori). Russell edited it to read that the person heard an INNER sound, but Kirpal Singh said to leave the quote alone, because that’s the way the sutra read, but also said that the person was mistaken, and that he only THOUGHT it was an outer sound, for how could an outer sound ‘DRAG one into samadhi?” In this case, the monk went on to describe this satori as apparently initiating a series of deeper mystical experiences for him. Now, satori and samadhi are very distinct experiences. As D.T. Suzuki explains:

   "When a man's mind is matured for satori it tumbles over one everywhere. An inarticulate sound, an unintelligent remark, a blooming flower, or a trivial incident such as stumbling is the condition or occasion that will open his mind to satori. Apparently, an insignificant event produces an effect which in importance is altogether out of proportion....When the mind is ready for some reasons or others, a bird flies, or a bell rings, and you at once return to your original home; that is, you discover your now real self." (from The Gospel According to Zen, 1970, p. 39)

   An example of a satori awakening was that of a nun Chiyono who studied Zen under Bukko of Engaku. For a long time she was unable to succeed in her meditation. At last one moonlit night while carrying water in an old pail bound with bamboo, the bamboo broke and the bottom fell out of the pail. At that moment Chiyono was set free, moving her to write this poem:

   “In this way and that I tried to save the old pail
   Since the bamboo strip was weakening and about to break
   Until at last the bottom felt out.
   No more water in the pail!
   No more moon in the water!”

   In the above instance, then, either one of two things was true. Either (1) Kirpal Singh apparently did not recognize the way countless Zen practitioners achieved satori through their ripe minds being awakened to reality in a moment through an outer sight or sound, and strictly adhered to the Indian belief that only inner (trance) experience was spiritual, and didn’t understand other schools or experiences which contradict that and was using this monk's account only to support the philosophy of Surat Shabd Yoga (all of which I am inclined to doubt, for a number of reasons: Kirpal was a scholar of the traditions, had read 300 biographies of different saints and sages and great men as a young man, and was friends with numerous Buddhist teachers), or (2) he said what he did because he didn’t want to confuse his meditating followers with more sophisticated, non-dual teachings. Ramakrishna was the same way when he was with Vivekananda in contrast to most of his followers. He put the advaita books such as the Ashtavakra Gita away when Master Mahasaya (“M”) was around because he knew the latter was keeping a diary and didn’t want him to confuse many of his disciples who were not ripe enough to understand such things. My experience with Kirpal suggests this was the case.

  

   One is forced, then, to find the gold within the dross on this path, as on any other. Ones understanding and insight can but do not necessarily change radically by inner mystic experience itself. It appears to vary greatly depending on the condition and background before one gets inner access. Witness the bickering that went on, for instance, after Kirpal Singh's death among so-called advanced, albeit unrealized, disciples. The following exchange of letters, posted with comments by David Lane, took place between two well-known Kirpal initiates regarding their relatively high inner experiences as relates to confirmation of a spiritual successor to Kirpal Singh. It is offered, without judgement, only for the purposes of furthering our understanding:

   "A classic illustration of this "politics of inner experience" comes from a letter exchange between Michael Grayson, a Darshan Singh supporter, and Arran Stephens, a strong critic (at that time) of Darshan Singh's role. Below are excerpts from Michael Grayson's original letter and Arran Stephens' rebuttal claiming that Grayson's "spectacular experiences" on the inner planes with Darshan Singh (thereby confirming Darshan Singh's exalted attainment) are nothing but "projections of [his] own wishes on the astral plane."

   {Michael Grayson Letter}

   Dear Beloved Master Darshan Singh Ji: This unworthy one is so pleased to be able to tell You that on Saturday evening, October 26th, 1974, the Radiant Form of our Beloved Kirpal appeared within to this unworthy one and, while standing the test of the 5 charged Names, spoke to me and told me that You [Darshan Singh] are the next Master and that You are truly His Beloved Son and that I should serve You to the best of my ability. Since then our Beloved Kirpal and also Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji have appeared within numerous times to confirm this. The Master within has given this unworthy one the order to write this letter since in some small way it might help to clear up some of the confusion of the dear ones who in many cases are falling prey to the feelings, emotions and inferences of others who are only going on the impressions of their outer eyes and not the inner. . . .

   {Arran Stephens Letter}

   Dear brother Michael:

   If, on account of divulging inner spiritual experiences in this letter I am retarded on the Way, or sent to Hell, then Master's words about Ramanuja will be my comforter: "Never mind if I go to hell. You'll be saved! I'll suffer Hell for your sake. . . ." [I feel the same way] Hundreds of times since our precious Beloved left for His Heavenly Home, He has appeared to this unworthy child--in India, on the plane, wherever & whenever the chance was seized to withdraw "into the foxhole of the brain" (while chanting the charged passwords of the Five Names. . .) Never once did He indicate to me His respected physical son Darshan Singh Ji was or is to be the next Param Sant--and unless He does, I find it my duty to try to protect the spiritual interests of the Initiates and new seekers by informing them of my position. The rest, of course is in His Hands. Always was. . . . On november 9th morning [sic], while sitting in Bhajan, the Lord kindly withdrew this soul first from the body below, up to and through His (Kirpal's) Luminous Form, and thence into Trikuti, the Causal plane of transcendent Red Rising Sun and deafening soul-melting thunder and Drumbeats, still yet transcended by higher, sweeter symphonies, impossible to describe, and sacreligious [sic] to try. As this soul communed with the Intoxicating Naam, the Holy Naam Itself transformed into a Heavenly Voice, and three times, with the great Oceanic Power gave out the name of a Man, who, it is assumed, will carry out the highest spiritual responsibility of Master's divine Mission. It was not Darshan Singh Ji. [Arran Stephens later said it was Ajaib Singh of Rajasthan.] [*NOTE: Interview with Arran Stephens (telephone, June 1978). In my conversation with Stephens at the time he appeared fully convinced that Ajaib Singh was a genuine master. Although the revealing of inner experiences in Sant Mat is forbidden, except in very rare cases, Stephens told me in some detail about how he had left the body and ventured as far as Bhanwar Gupha, the fourth inner plane according to the cosmology of the saints, and was informed via the Shabd that Ajaib Singh was competent to lead souls on the spiritual journey. Stephens' later switch to Darshan Singh was, to say the least, highly unexpected. *] I can only understand your [Michael Grayson's] spectacular experiences as projections of your own wishes on the astral plane. They do not coincide with many other devotees experiences who regularly see Master or His Master inside. Some others here have had experiences, while doing simran, of another radiant one, who had appeared to some, including at least one non-initiate in vivid dreams, wherein was communicated the name, details of appearance etc,. even though these persons had never seen a photograph of him....I believe that you have been seeing the result of your intense wishes to have Master in the flesh, but as you were psychologically pre-conditioned due to your long and close friendship with Master's son, you have allowed and desired another form to sit on the throne of your heart, which should be exclusively reserved for Master, in spite of your doing simran. . . Look at Paul Twitchell [founder of Eckankar], who was "talking [sic] with the Master on the inner planes" and several others like him who were led astray by the promptings of their own powerfully developed subtle mind. You will probably say the same of anyone who will not agree with you. . . .

   Lane continues:

   What is clearly evident from Stephens' letter is that the politics of guru successorship does not radically change even if it moves to a more esoteric (astral or causal) plane. The political rhetoric and debate is essentially the same: "your perception of truth is misguided, whereas I have a genuine glimpse into the real nature of things." [*NOTE: Although the content of transpersonal debates may be different than regular political arguments, the structure behind both of them is remarkable the same: you are wrong--I am right (or, at least, variations along that dualistic spectrum). Inner experiences, as such, never truly enter into the debate, since various parties are only dealing and arguing with testimonies or reports of mystical excursions. Moreover, the cultural filter through which these experiences much pass should not be neglected. Even the so-called phenomenologically "pure" out-of-body transports are not without a cultural bias, as exemplified in Near-Death Experiences (N.D.E.'s) where the content of what one perceives is flavored by his or her religious background. Christians see Jesus, not Buddha; Hindus see Krishna, Rama, and a plethora of Gods, not Jehovah; Muslims see Allah, not Vishnu; and Sikhs see Guru Nanak or Guru Gobind Singh, not the Virgin Mary. The reason is obvious: although individuals may indeed transcend to a higher plane of consciousness and see light at the end of a long tunnel, they interpret the nature of that light according to their specific religious and social backgrounds. For more on this intriguing phenomenon, see The Unknowing Sage: The Life and Work of Baba Faqir Chand (Del Mar: Del Mar Press, 1989). *] It is a conflict over testimonies, perceptions, and personal recollections. There is no difference between "inner" experience arguments and "outer" experience arguments (since both deal with testimonies of experiences), except over the issue of "proof." What constitutes proof in the waking sense world is, at least, open to consensus agreement, whereas inner experiences lack any universal guideline.... The ironic twist in the Grayson-Stephens debate is that Arran Stephens switched over to Darshan Singh four years later, despite claiming to have had divine revelations about Ajaib Singh's mastership on the "fourth plane--Bhanwar Gupha." (10)

   My purpose is not to criticise either of these dear initiates, but my question is, in this case, what precisely do these exalted inner experiences prove or reveal? How to determine who or what is right?

   The answer that comes to mind is that, simply, they do not "prove" anything by themselves, and are not confirmation about who is or is not a true successor. One can only say that in Sant Mat if one repeats the simran, or five charged names given to the disciple by the Master at the time of initiation, and the form stays, then it is of the "Positive power" and beneficial for ones spiritual growth.

   The idea that a "perfect Master" never makes a mistake, or that every word he utters is absolute truth, is a stumbling block for many initiates on the path. It must also be understood generally as an erroneous conception of enlightenment. PB said:

      "It is pathetic for the philosophically minded, and especially for the inheritors of the formerly close-guarded hidden teaching, to observe how followers of a mystical or religious guide take all his words without exception quite literally and all his revelations as incontestable truth. When Sri Ramakrishna said that a man must die within twenty-one days of achieving illumination, he said what other mystics are likely to contradict rather than confirm. And when he asserted that hardly one man in a century attains the goal through following the philosophic path, there is no support from the traditions of the hidden teaching for his assertion. All this is written despite my most respectful admiration and warm reverence for Ramakrishna and despite my unhesitating belief that he was a man of genuine spiritual self-realization. I do not select his statements for criticism deliberately but only because they are the first ones which happen to come to mind. There are several other mystics, whom I and most of us honour, whose sayings could equally have been drawn upon as containing examples of this kind of contestable teaching." (Notebooks, 9.30)

   A master on the path of Sant Mat is "perfect" in that he can go at will to Sach Khand (the "office of the Master" according to Dr. I.C. Sharma) or the eighth and final plane, Anami, and lead others there; it doesn't mean he will in his human body never make what looks like a mistake, or necessarily have absolute knowledge or wisdom regarding all doctrines, including those he has never studied, for instance jnana. He might "drop his fork" or spill food. He may make mistakes of fact from time to time when he speaks. This is only mentioned because some seekers have hold the naive view that such should not happen if a Master is perfect. The Masters, it should be mentioned, would probably be the first to say they are not perfect, even while maintaining the view that their own Masters were perfect. This is out of respect and humility. "Don't call me perfect," said Christ, "only God is perfect." It is a human concept, afterall. Let us leave it at that. None of these examples of so-called imperfection, where present, is evidence that a path or teacher is false or not genuine.

   In advaita, or the view of many sages, "omniscience" does not mean knowledge of everything you can think of, but rather the permanent and continuous knowledge that all is Brahman. This is especially significant in that the highest form of knowing has so frequently been described as a kind of "unknowing" or "divine ignorance." A little story will illustrate this. In 1991 I met Sant Rajinder Singh for the first time. I was writing a book of biographies of spiritual teachers, which my friend William was quick to point out. I was a little embarrassed, and simply said, "I really don't know what I am doing," to which Sant Rajinder's instant response was, "Join the club!" Rather than causing doubt to arise, for me it was a great instiller of confidence in him. To me meant his knowledge arose spontaneously or intuitively as needed from deep within. Later, I have heard Master Rajinder say, "God-Power does everything, I don't do anything." So, the concept that a Master is omniscient, omnipotent, etc., while useful perhaps at a particular stage of development of a disciple, is too often misconstrued. It simply need not be a stumbling block for anyone. If it is an aid for ones devotion, so be it. Otherwise, no one need be ashamed of admitting the obvious when it presents itself. It doesn't lessen the grandeur of a Master and his scope of influence, but, rather, should be a guide to strengthen ones faith. If one is in internal conflict because of a discord between his faith and his Reason, that is not too fruitful. Doubts must be cleared before one can move on. Sant Darshan Singh once replied to a disciple's question of whether a saint always knows whether there are other saints alive in the world at the same time. Master Darshan replied, "Of course, saints are all-knowing." As this is different than Master Rajinder's comment to me above, I would like to explore this idea further.

   Ramana Maharshi once remarked somewhat sarcastically after certain guests left, "people think if I can not answer every question that I am not great, etc." The great Zen Master Dogen once said, "the life of a Zen Master is one continuous mistake." Now that one can really make one think if he takes it too literally. One simply can't get ones mind around such a comment. Held in contrast with that of the "perfect master" and it can't help reduce one to an absolute state of ignorance, which is a great achievement! Paul Cash, further, in an article he wrote about his time with Paul Brunton, who many consider to have been a sage, wrote thusly:

   "Once PB asked Paul what his idea of what it is like being a sage. Paul answered that he thought one thing would be that one loves everybody. PB answered, "I'm not that advanced; I don't love everybody." Another time the question of omniscience came up:

   One afternoon I asked him, "What exactly is it about a sage's mind that makes that mind so different from the rest of us?" It was one of many questions I asked that he didn't originally seem to intend to answer. But I persisted and finally he asked me, "Well what do you think it is?"

   I said that I had never been able to believe that it could be omniscience in the sense of knowing everything at once; but I didn't think it unreasonable to conceive that when a sage wants or needs to know, he could turn his mind toward it in a certain way and that knowledge would just arise.

   P.B. laughed heartily and answered, "It's not even that good!"

   "Well, how good is it?"

   "It has really nothing to do with knowledge, or continuity of intuition, or frequency of intuitions. It's that the mind has been made over into the Peace in an irreversible way. No form that the mind takes can alter the Peace."

   "You could say it's a kind of knowledge," he continued, "in this sense. If the mind takes the form of truth, the sage knows it's truth. If it doesn't , then he knows that it's not. He's never in doubt about whether the mind has knowledge or not. But whether it does or not, his Peace is not disturbed."

   I asked if that meant that someone could go to a sage for help and the sage would be unable to help them. He replied that sometimes the intuition comes, sometimes it doesn't; he explained that when it doesn't come, the sage knows he has nothing to do for that person. The continuity of frequency of the intuitions has to do with the sage's mission, not with what makes a sage a sage.

   "You must understand," he said, "that there is no condition in which the Overself is at your beck and call. But there is a condition in which you are continuously at the Overself's beck and call. That's the condition to strive for."

   As he spoke these words, he was the humblest man I had ever seen before or since. For all the extraordinary things about him, all the glamorous inner and outer experiences, all the remarkable effects his writings and example have had on others, that humility is what seems to be the most important fact about him."

    My hope is that these examples will provide food for thought and help settle this matter of perfection for the reader, if not now, then soon. Again, perfection is a concept of the human mind. It really has limited usefulness. I can say this with confidence because even sages will disagree on what it means.

   Returning to the discussion of the difference between the paths of jnana (the "direct" or "short" paths) versus paths such as Sant Mat (which might be called indirect" or "long" paths, I was privy thirty years ago to the confession of one satsangi, Ed Wallace, with an ecstatic demeanor, and blood-red, tear-filled eyes, who said that after literally having to "drag himself to satsang" for five years he finally achieved by the grace of the Master entry into the first of the inner planes, the experience of which at first scared him, but which appeared to have had the result in him of a marked change of character. When asked, "Is it a place or a state," he answered me, "it's both; it's so perfect - you die, and are born again! And once you are through, you are through forever." Thirty years later, Ed confesses to witnessing Kirpal Singh coming on the inner planes to take charge of numerous souls at the time of death, a testimony to the faithful discharge of the promise of a Godman. Now, such a positive result may have been true for him, but for others whose inner journey was a more gratuitous passage, a temporary gift, they often come out with the vividness of the experience fast receding, and all that is left is a dream-like memory, as the ego re-identifies with the body and consolidates its hold over the being again. That is certainly true for nightime transports. But for others, such as the gentleman mentioned above, his confession was an inspiration to behold. Judith Lamb-Lion's tale of going to Sach Khand, a much higher state, at her initiation, however, was related to me in a much more calm and balanced way. Based on these two honest accounts of death-in-life on this path of ascent it should not be dismissed by the beginner or seasoned advaitist or non-dualist student that the possibility exists of a progressive death and absorption of the ego-soul at succeeding inner plane after inner plane leading to a form of non-dual Self-realization that is valid in the end. The advaitic path and philosophy may or may not be the highest truth, but it does not know whether or not there are other legitimate paths. It is just difficult to compare them all, as mentioned at the outset.

   An interesting take on this form of path is given by one Swami Satprakashananda:

   ”Knowers of Saguna Brahman [God with form or attributes], according to Sankara, do not have full knowledge (jnana) and their souls depart from their bodies at the time of death, although they do not have to be reborn. The jnanis (knowers of Nirguna Brahman - God without attributes), however, merge in Brahman, and their subtle bodies (souls) dissolve at the time of death....Knowers of Saguna Brahman realize Nirguna Brahman and attain final liberation at the cosmic dissolution, along with Hiranyagarbha, the presiding deity of Brahmaloka. This is called “Gradual Liberation” (krama-mukti), as distinct from “Immediate Liberation” (sadya mukti), achieved by those who realize Nirguna Brahman in this very life.” (11)

   This gradual liberation has also been discussed clearly by Swami Krishnananda, disciple of the reknown Swami Sivananda, whom Kirpal Singh respected. He argues that one can reach Brahmaloka or union with Puroshottama and, thus purified, gain a relative liberation, and then attain final, unconditional mukti from the after-death realms. Paramhansa Yogananda was of the view that most souls achieve final liberation from the higher regions after death.

   Since a chief claim of Sant Mat is that Sat Lok itself is beyond both Brahmaloka and the “three worlds”, as well as cosmic dissolution and grand dissolution, and is eternal, it would most likely agree that the above statement only implies a relative liberation in Brahmaloka, although it would not necessarily disagree on the general concept of gradual liberation or the non-necessity of rebirth for as yet unliberated souls, which it, and even some schools of Buddhism, ARE also in agreement with. It is just that it may take longer on the inside than here on the physical plane.

   For sages such as Iyer, a strict vedantic analysis would hold that liberation is truly not release from the cycle of births and deaths, but knowledge or gyan alone, that is, freedom from even the concept of birth and death. Thus, the sage will perpetually return just like everyone else. His freedom lies in that he knows all is Brahman, and his sympathies and identification are with the benefit of all. That is why he will come back. He is no longer motivated by the hope of a personal salvation, bliss, or peace. Such is a much higher view than this one is presently capable of. Nevertheless, it complements the view of the saints - who also have this universal sympathy or compassion, in their case having risen above the level of the Universal Mind - and is worthy of contemplation.

   One thing that is plain to me, however, on the basis of a (very) few of my early experiences, is that one may become certain by an inner psychic or mystical experience that he is NOT the body, but he doesn’t necessarily know what the ego is, or what the world or God is, nor can he necessarily make sense out of the world when he comes out of meditation, without some other sadhana of purification and metaphysical understanding or inquiry. That is because the mystic believes that what he perceives or feels is real. But what is the world, for instance? Vedanta says that, irrefutably, it is an idea within Consciousness or Mind. In turn, the body is an idea, and the ego is an idea. This having been made ones own through inquiry, then one is fit to inquire into the soul or Atman, and then Brahman, the All. Otherwise, upon returning from ones inner meditation, the lesser mystic is confronted by a world he does not understand, and he feels a need to return to his samadhi to maintain his peace. But that is what is discouraged in most mystical schools in general, where it is assumed that meditation alone is the only means necessary to realize truth. This has always been strongly denied in Buddhism, however, and other branches of philosophy, with strong warnings not to be misled by the ecstasy and even absorptive oneness of trance states but to go beyond them. Jagat Singh, as mentioned, said “90% of spiritual life is clear thinking.” I have wondered precisely what he meant by that. Could it be remotely similar to the following remark by Ramana Maharshi, who said, "Deliverance is just the clarification of the mind, the understanding: 'I am ever in my own real nature; all other experiences are illusory.' It is not something that has newly come about." ? (The Power of the Presence, Part Three, p. 193) Sant Mat generally, however, teaches that vivek or discrimination will take place automatically by the progressive absorption that occurs from plane to plane on the way to the final goal of anami. In my understanding, Brunton and other sages might be in disagreement on that point. For more on the distinction between paths of insight, and paths on concentration or absorption, please see the very excellent Samadhi Trilogy by the Wanderling.

   Some of the difficulty between reconciling practice of "Long Paths" such as mysticism with "Short Paths" such as Advaita or Zen, lies in the form of the master or teacher one requires or seeks out. Brunton writes:

   "The Short Path [which it must be warned nevertheless requires its own forms of discipline and preparation] can succeed only if certain essential conditions are available. First a teaching master must be found. It will not be enough to find an illumined man. We will find peace and uplift in his presence, but these will fade away after leaving his presence. Such a man will be a phenomenon to admire and an inspiration to remember, not a guide to instruct, to warn, and to lead from step to step. Second, we must be able to live continuously [or for a sufficient period] with the teaching master until we have finished the course and reached the goal." (Notebooks, Vol. 15, Part 1, 5.112)

   A great deal of misunderstanding among mystic paths arises over their definition or use of the term "mind". It is common to refer to mind as "the slayer of the real", and as something that must be destroyed or eliminated. Yet this is strongly denied on paths of jnana or advaita vedanta, where the intellectual sheath itself is a primary means of realization of the Atman in the waking state. "It [the Self] is always shining in the intellectual sheath," said Ramana quoting scripture. In yoga, however, the goal is often conceived as kaivalya, or separation of consciousness from all limiting adjuncts, but in advaita it is not. The One is to be realized, and that necessitates cognition, not destruction of the mind. There is both Being and Knowing. Franklin Merrell-Wolff writes:

   "It is often stated in mystical literature that the activity of the mind is in a peculiar sense a barrier to the Realization of the Higher Consciousness…

   In general, the mystical and occult use of the word "mind" does not carry the same connation that western philosophy or the most authoritative usage gives the term. If for "mind" we substitute the word "manas," at once the mystic's statement becomes more correct. "Manas" is commonly translated as "mind" since there is no other single English word that approximates its meaning. The word "mind" today comprehends much more than the Indian philosophers and mystics mean when they say "manas." Unless this distinction is born in mind, confusion is almost inevitable. For my own part, this confusion caused me some years of needless misunderstanding. What I read violated what I felt intuitively and subsequently demonstrated to be the case. It was not the competent mystics and philosophers who were in error, but the translators and the western students of mysticism and occultism.

   I have entered into this point at some length, partly for the reason that in my earlier studies the mis-translation of "lower manas" seemed to require of me a crushing of faculties of the soul that are vitally important for even the Realization itself, for I was quite familiar with what the word "mind" meant in western usage. Others may be facing the same difficulty. Literally, to crush or suppress "mind," giving to that word the meaning it has in western thought, is to crush or suppress the soul. No true mystic means that, whatever he may seem to say as a result of not being familiar with the English term.

   Actually, with the mass of men, cognition is bound to egoism, but a divorce of these two is possible. Cognitive activity of a higher type is most emphatically not a barrier to Recognition, and if my experience is any criterion, may well prove to be one of the most powerful subsidiary aids for those who can make use of it. In any case, I must conclude that if by "mind," cognitive activity is meant, then it is not true that the mind must be stilled in order to attain Recognition. But it is true that the cognitive action must be within a matrix of a high order of dispassion.

   The higher affections, such as love, compassion and faith are also most emphatically an aid. But upon this point I do not need to dwell, for here agreement among the mystics seems to be practically universal. Further, this phase of the subject has been much clearly presented and better understood. This is the Road through Bliss, the Way most widely appreciated and most commonly followed by Those who have attained God-Realization.

   By means of pure cognition, it is possible to enter through Intelligence (Chit). Or, again, one may Enter through various combinations of the higher affections and pure cognition. Such a course is naturally the most perfect. The individual may be more developed on the one side or the other at the time of the Entering. But once he is grounded in Higher Consciousness, there is a tendency for the nature to unfold toward balance, so that finally a Man is symbolized by the "Great Bird" which has two wings equally developed. And these two are Compassion and Intelligence." (Chapter 77, "The Higher Consciousness and the Mind", from Experience and Philosophy: A Personal Record of Transformation and a Discussion of Transcendental Consciousness)

   Ramesh Balsekar, disciple of Sri Nisargadatta, said:

   “Though in itself limited, a developed intellect is nonetheless necessary as the one faculty that can bring us to the brink of true Advaitic understanding. The person with a keen intellect becomes enlightened even when the instruction of the guru is imparted casually, whereas without it the immature seeker continues to remain confused even after a lifetime of seeking.”

   “A mature and penetrating intellect will not have divorced itself from intuition and bound itself so extensively in logic and reason as to obstruct its natural receptivity to the spontaneous arising of divinity.” (Meditation for October 18, A Net of Jewels (1996))

   James Schwarz (Ram) argues that one must think or use discernment before during, and after enlightenment:

   "There is a strange notion that when one permanently experiences the Self the intellect is switched off for good and you just remain forever as the Self in some kind of no thought state. The fact is that the intellect keeps right on thinking from womb to tomb. God gave it to us for a good reason. Clear logical practical thinking is absolutely necessary if you are going to crack the identity code. It is called inquiry. You want to think before realization, during realization and after realization. Realization is nothing more than a hard and fast conclusion that you come to about your identity based on direct experience of the Self. Only understanding will solve the riddle....No experience will eradicate vasanas born in ignorance and reinforced with many years of negative behavior.”

   Question: Is self-realization a discrete occurrence in time...or is the removal of self ignorance a gradual process over time?

   Ram: It can be either or both. Usually one realizes who one is, falls again under the sway of ignorance, applies the knowledge again, realizes again and so on. It goes on over and over until one day there is absolutely no doubt and the process of enlightenment/ endarkenment stops for sure. Ignorance is persistent and aggressive and one needs to practice the knowledge until the last vestige is rooted out. I have a friend, a self realized person, who said, “I realized the Self five hundred times before my seeking stopped” to illustrate that point.” (http://www.shiningworld.com)

   Obviously, during a process of dhyan type of meditation one tries to stop thinking. That is where the mystic schools derive the admonition for one to still the mind. This generally refers to manas, the discursive mind and intellect. However, outside of such a particular exercise philosophic schools argue that one needs the complementary practice of contemplation on the nature of the Self and reality for realization to occur. This requires a faculty of cognition. I personally know of one disciple, Judith Lamb-Lion, who had gone to Sach Khand at her initiation, but still asked, "who am I?", to which Sant Kirpal replied, "Who is asking?" This was akin to Ramana's inquiry, but for the ripe soul only. And his response to the question, "do you still meditate?", being "once you get your PhD, do you have to go back and learn the ABC's?", suggested that he, the Master, enjoyed going inside for refreshment, but it was not necessary anymore for his realization. He admitted as such, that "I, too, like to go inside and enjoy." PB writes:

   “Sahaja Samadhi is not broken into intervals, is permanent, and involves no special effort. Its arisal is instantaneous and without progressive stages. It can accompany daily activity without interfering with it. It is a settled calm and complete inner quiet....There are not distinguishing marks that an outside observer can use to identify a Sahaja-conscious man because Sahaja represents consciousness itself rather than its transitory states....Those at the state of achieved Sahaja are under no compulsion to continue to meditate any more or to practise yoga. They often do--either because of inclinations produced by past habits or as a means of helping other persons. In either case it is experienced as a pleasure. Because this consciousness is permanent, the experiencer does not need to go into meditation. This is despite the outward appearance of a person who places himself in the posture of meditation in order to achieve something....When you are engaged in outward activity it is not the same as when you are in a trance. This is true for both the beginner and the adept. The adept, however, does not lose the Sahaja awareness which he has achieved and can withdraw into the depths of consciousness which the ordinary cannot do.'' (25.2.138 & Persp. p.350)...It would be a poor thing for the sage if he had to sit down and squat in meditation in order to lift himself into peace. This is why he may or may not make a practice of meditation. For whether he meditates or not he always enjoys his inner peace.'' (unpublished, bv/255/3)

   PB gives a hint a the stage of sacrifice of the sage:

   “The escape into Nirvana for him is only the escape into the inner realization of the truth whilst alive: it is not to escape from the external cycle of rebirths and deaths. It is a change of attitude. But that bait had to be held out to him at an earlier stage until his will and nerve were strong enough to endure this relevation. There is no escape except inwards. For the sage is too compassionate to withdraw into proud indifferentism and too understanding to rest completely satisfied with his own wonderful attainment. The sounds of sufferings of men, the ignorance that is the root of these sufferings, beat ceaselessly on the tympana of his ears. What can he do but answer, and answer with his very life, which he gives in perpetual reincarnation upon the cross of flesh, as a vicarious sacrifice for others. It is thus alone that he achieves immortality, not by fleeing forever--as he could if he willed--into the Great Unconsciousness, but by suffering forever the pains and pangs of perpetual rebirth that he may help or guide his own.'' (Notebooks25.4.17)

   There is also obfuscation among schools because mind, as mentioned, can mean strictly the faculty of manas, or, as in Buddhist teachings, it is used to refer to the nature of ultimate reality itself, as "Mind". This must also be understood when discussing these matters.

   13. Claims about the ‘”location” of past masters, upon reflection, sometimes appear rather mysterious. Sawan Singh said Jesus Christ was a second plane master. Then, Charan Singh claimed Jesus was a full Sant, i.e., a fifth plane master. Sant Kirpal Singh said Christ was on the third plane. Likewise for Buddha . These claims are believed by many disciples without proof or experience. Maybe the masters are just playing with us in many instances. Yet if a past master reincarnates, then what meaning is to be ascribed to a present master saying he has seen that past master in meditation? Kirpal Singh once said he had spoken with Guru Nanak. Yet where is Guru Nanak today? or Kirpal Singh? or Jesus? How does one know he is seeing the "real" Guru Nanak? Is the purported inner contact then only with an animated “astral duplicate”, not the true being that is presently incarnated as that master? In this light, can there only be contact with a Master’s radiant form until he reincarnates? The Masters today would say, no, all masters are one, and can send the form of any Master to us. On a relative level these views would be acceptable within some theory of the Universal Mind, and the fact that it is all God. But the actual reality of the form and a direct relationship with a particular master could, in certain instances, be somewhat mysterious and then require religious belief, which may be subject to the possibility of a loss of faith, which might not be the case if a more philosophic explanation could be given.

Perhaps the answer regarding the nature of seeing a past master or anyone else who has reincarnated is given in the following excerpt from the book, The Magus of Strovolos:

   "Whatever has been imprinted on the Universal Mind will always exist. Suppose, for example, I wish to contact a master who lived four thousand years ago, let us say he lived in Egypt as Rasadat. Since that time the entity that manifested as Rasadat has incarnated over twenty-five times. Is Rasadat at this moment alive or is he a dead entity? Both Rasadat, as well as all his other incarnations, are alive within the Universal Memory. Subconsciously we are linked to all our incarnations and whatever incarnation we bring to consciousness is a living entity. Rasadat is alive because the entity that emanated him is alive. Socrates may have incarnated many times. Perhaps he is alive today in another body, in a different culture, with a different name. It is possible, however, to bring up Socrates from the pool of Universal Memory and even semi-materialize him in front of us and converse with him irrespective of the fact that today the entity that incarnated as Socrates may be in another body.' 'Is it possible,' I asked, 'that Socrates would act and talk in the same way as the entity who was once Socrates but is presently somebody else?' 'No. You must bear in mind that Socrates within the Universal Memory is a living elemental and not a human being. The self-consciousness that was Socrates is no longer there. If I bring Socrates and converse with him, he will have the intelligence and knowledge of the Socrates of that period." (12)

   If this is the case, such a conversation, from a metaphysical point of view, while beyond the purely subjective nature of the ordinary dreamer, would still have to be considered "imaginary", despite the more numinous qualities it may have. That doesn't mean it has no value. Devotees on Sant Mat are told to repeat the five names given at the time of initiaton to ascertain if the personage in their vision is helpful to them or not. I must warn the reader if he hasn't realized it already, that I am only asking questions here, not speaking with any authority whatsoever about things which I have certain knowledge. Still, I feel someone has to ask.

   Timothy Conway (www.enlightened-spirituality.org) forwarded a reported that someone’s spirit guide said there is an aspect of the soul-personality that remains eternally in the subtle realms, always available to any other soul, regardless of whether an aspect of that soul's totality has associated with a new earthly lifetime. James Schwarz (www.shiningworld.com) described an experience of going to the ‘realm of the siddhas’ and seeing Ramakrishna, embracing him, merging and then going into Nirvikalpa Samadhi. In this case, if Ramakrishna had already reincarnated one would have to assume that this was an elemental, or astral duplicate, of the sage that had responded to the soul or soul-desire of James.

   This would explain the question posed at the outset. So there is not really a criticism of the report, be it from an ordinary person or a sant, of having the experience of seeing a past master in a vision or meditation. The reason being that we would more or less have to apply the same logic and reasoning, epistemology and metaphysics to our earth-plane experience as well: ‘who’ are we seeing when we glimpse a form? Is it really the person, or our Soul’s projection? Or a dim ‘reflection of a reflection’ of the Universal Mind projected through the medium of our Soul, which is itself at a higher level than that that Mind or Intelligence? This is not only difficult to grasp, but also paradoxical. The point would be, however, that one could derive wisdom from ‘meeting’ even such a disincarnate but apparently animated, residual subtle body of a saint or sage - or perhaps even one’s grandmother - inasmuch as they are all manifested and arising in God or the One Mind through the medium of our Divine Soul. There is no separation. There also need be no felt lack of reality or intimacy to the experience. We have only clarified our understanding from the point of view of a higher than our imagination or naive belief. It makes a difference in the maturity of our conception of who or what the Master is, and also mitigates against the tendency for cultism and exclusivity.

   14.

   One is also supposed to take on faith (at least, in the Kirpal-Darshan-Rajinder line, since they are the only lineage that gives a guaranteed promise) that any experience he gets at the time of initiation comes from ones master and that that master is therefore perfect and competent to guide his soul to the highest region. But other gurus may well be initiators acting purely on the behalf of their predecessor with whom they probably have inner contact. This implies they may not necessarily have reached the highest planes of "perfection", and that their character may not also be perfect in the spiritual sense. Thus, discrimination is required and may never be abandoned.

   A siddhi of being able to give initiation may be transferred, there are written accounts of that in the traditions, and there is even a name for that type of a guru, without the full achievement of sagehood or sainthood. Sri Kripalvanandaji writes:

   “Such a guru can initiate aspirants into various yogic techniques. He puts seekers on the path of spirituality. However, since he has not mastered all the steps in yoga, there is a chance that he is nourishing some illusion, misunderstanding them as truths. In such a case, he transmits those illusions to his disciples as true knowledge. As a result, his disciples are never able to realize the ultimate Truth.
   It is not true that only a siddha guru can bestow saktipata initiation. That can be done even by a sadhaka guru. Not only that, but a disciple initiated by a sadhaka guru also can bestow saktipata upon thousands of people at a time, even within days of his own initiation, provided he is given that grace by his guru. However, this does not contribute towards his own spiritual progress. For that he must personally undergo the hard penance of regular yoga practice. His real growth is accomplished only when he gains rtambhara prajna (the highest wisdom). Only then can he be considered a siddha guru.” (13)

   Therefore it must be admitted for consideration that in some cases a master may begin as a sadhaka guru and grow into mature mastership as his mission unfolds. He may not reach those heights, however:

   "The belief that a fully illumined master or religious prophet can be succeeded generation after generation by a chain of equally illumined leaders following the same tradition, is delusive. He cannot bequeath the fullness of his attainment to anyone, he can only give others an impetus towards it. He himself is irreplaceable." (The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, Vol. 2, 4.115)

   This would not mean such a successor was not an agent of grace from the time of the transference of authority, or the siddhi of initiation, from his own guru. His competency may increase as he becomes more complete, illumined, self-realized and enlightened. Master Rajinder attests to this fact. The ability of his being a philosophic teacher would depend on other factors than his going fully into the light, however. The light would interact with his human vehicle only as it found it; the simple mystic would not automatically become a genius or teacher of universal ability simply by achieving the highest samadhi states. This is one reason that some initiates of Sant Mat masters, while devoted to their gurus, feel a need to visit other teachers to round out their development and get answers to questions not addressed by the traditional mystical teachings in those schools. This apparently arouses much fear and secret suffering among many disciples, which in other traditions would not be necessary because of the accepted practice of “wandering” to broaden one’s spiritual horizens without guilt or a sense of lack of fidelity.

   Instruction in a meditative technique is one thing. The gift of a brief experience of subtle light and sound is another. Establishment of the soul of a disciple in a position to fruitfully engage such subtle meditation via the master's siddhi or power is yet another, and even greater gift. As far as the matter of realization goes, however, Asvaghosa clearly states in his Fifty Verses of Guru-Devotion:

   “The more you wish to attain Enlightenment, the clearer you see the need for your Guru to be a Buddha.” (14)

   If it is ones own divine Soul which paradoxically and mysteriously gives him the inner image of his Master as well as grace (even if mediated through a Master), and at the ultimate level the true Master is one with ones own Soul and the Absolute Soul (both transcendental and of the nature of voidness - i.e., as in the Primal Hypostases of Plotinus - and thus far beyond what is commonly understood as soul in occult or mystic circles), then certainly contemplation of a form which comes of itself in meditation, that is, not through the discursive imagination, is an authentic practise and imbedded in the divine structure of the worlds, and has been pronounced as such. Even Ramana Maharshi did not disparage it. The lotus feet of the guru, or the “dust of the guru’s feet”, the radiant gurudev, appearing in the disciple’s heart is supposed to be a great vision, boon, and aid, during life and at the time of death and beyond. It is a cornerstone of Sant Mat.

   An additional question, briefly mentioned before, however, is that the Sant Mat lines divide on whether one should continue contemplating only on one’s initiating guru after that guru’s death, or whether it is necessary to take his successor as ones guru. This controversy began after the death of Shiv Dayal Singh. All recommend seeking the company of a true successor, but differ on what to do with ones contemplative practice. Sant Darshan Singh also said that matters pertaining to the disciple's pralabd karma (current destiny) could only be handled by the successor, because that would required a physical body.

   This is an extremely important point that raises a number of issues. First of all, in Sant Mat, at least in the lineage after Sawan Singh and Kirpal Singh, the dispensation has been offered or promised that once a disciple is initiated it will take a maximum of four lives for him to reach Sach Khand or be liberated. The Master is said to take it upon himself to erase the pool of sanchit karmas from times immemorial that the disciple would otherwise have to bear. This is significant, for, as taught in, for instance, Dzogchen Buddhism, it is these very tendencies, karmas, or habits of lifetimes uncountable that prevent our abiding in the Ground Luminosity of Clear Light which dawns after death, if ever so briefly for the average person. A question arises, however: if responsibility for exhausting the sanchit storehouse of karmas is taken over by the Master at the time of initiation, what would prevent an initiate from only needing one lifetime to realize the truth? The answer must be, only his creating more destiny or kriyaman karma by not living up to the teachings in this life. Even so, Sant Mat says that the decision of a further birth into this earth realm lies in the hands of the Guru.

   The spiritual Master is said to be able to assume the karmas of others on his own body. A body, as stated, is essential for this particular task. This is not a unique article of faith in Sant Mat. The following beautiful account of the death of the Gyalwang Karmapa illustrates this phenomenon:

   "By the time that I saw him, His Holiness had already had many operations, some parts of his body removed, things put inside him, his blood transfused, and so on. Every day the doctors discovered the symptoms of some new disease, only to find them gone the next day and replaced by another illness, as if all the diseases in the world were finding room in his flesh. For two months he had taken no solid food, and finally his doctors thought the life-supporting systems should be disconnected. But the Karmapa said, "No, I'm going to live. Leave them in place." And he did live, astonishing the doctors, and remaining seemingly at ease in his situation - humorous, playful, smiling, as if he were rejoicing at everything his body suffered. Then I thought, with the clearest possible conviction, that the Karmapa had submitted himself to the cutting, to the manifestation of all those diseases in his body, to the lack of food, in a quite intentional and voluntary way: He was deliberately suffering all of these diseases to help minimize the coming pains of war, disease, and famine, and in this way he was deliberately working to avert the terrible suffering of this dark age." (15)

15. Sant Mat often relies on medievil saint Kabir and sometimes Guru Nanak, as basically the first in their line, while saying that every Master still needs to take a Master for himself "as a refresher course" due to the requirements of reincarnation, to wit, the temporary losing ofone's realization to assume a new human body. Attempts, however, are sometimes made to claim that the line must extend back to the beginning of creation. Most scholars, however, believe that Guru Nanak, like other founders of major religions, had no master, certainly no complete or perfect master, and was self-enlightened. But scholars can be wrong. Kabir himself claimed to have incarnated in all four previous ages or yugas and taught the path of shabd yoga. Soamiji held that the Satguru is an incarnation eternally on earth.

   Kabir’s Anurag Sagar claims that Kal the negative power always produces imposter masters to fool the “unelect”, and that part of the search is for the seeker to find the gem among the dirt. Kirpal Singh said there is always at least one true master alive on earth, and clearly said that there may be more than one. Sant Darshan Singh said on at least one occasion that there was only one. Shoonyo, successor to Dr. I.C. Sharma, said that there could conceivably be many.The founder of the modern Sant Mat or Radhasoami lineages, Shiv Dayal Singh, implied there could be more than one, with both Rai Salig Ram and Jaimal Singh becoming gurus. Sant Mat often mentions that contemporaries Kabir and Nanak were both perfect masters.

   16. Sant Mat argues for their superiority to other systems, such as kundalini and Kriya Yoga which report experiences of light and sound as well, saying theirs goes higher. For instance, Sant Mat makes a point for their disciples to meditate or concentrate only on sounds coming from the right side, instead of the left, teching that the sounds from the right will take you up while those from the left will drag you down. Both kundalini and shabd yoga meet in agreeing to exit the body through the aperture at the top of the head, however, and in both kriya and shabd yoga the attention from the ears when meditating on sound must eventually go inward and reach the straight path through the corpus collosum in the center of the two hemispheres of the brain where the “paramahansa” or ‘swan’ configuration is anatomically located. A question at issue is what happens after that.

   The kriya path of Paramhansa Yogananda has always been a little confusing for me on this point, as he sometimes taught that the sound, aum, or word of God entered the body at thebrainstem, or medulla oblongata, and not the crown. This at one point suggested to me an unconscious recognition of the terminal pathway spoken of by Ramana from the crown center downwards to the heart on the right side, (not to be confused with the anahata or heart chakra). A fellow initiate, Mike Carris, pointed out to me, however, that this is likely a mistaken perception. He wrote:

   "It has nothing to do with Ramana Maharshi's pathway. It is said that the sound comes from the medulla oblongata because at first there is a deep rumbling sound and sensation towards the back of the head, (at the area around where the spine meets the skull, there is often a small knot there you can feel) and it begins to fill the head. Then, if concentration is strong enough, it may begin resonating and turn into the sound of the big bell which pulls one up. This may also explain the distintion made in "Baba Jaimal Singh" between "Ghor Anhad" and "Panch Shabd".”

   Mike's interpretation is correct from the point of view of shabd yoga, but in Kriya Yoga the sound of the big bell by at least one account I have read is said to be listened to at the heart chakra, with thunder heard at the crown. In contrast with practitioners of Surat Shabd Yoga, who bypass pranas and begin their concentration on light and sound at the sixth or ajna chakra, in Kriya Yoga while manipulating the prana currents they listen to successive distinct sounds in each of the six bodily chakras. [Swami Sivananda, whom Kirpal Singh respected, also taught his disciples to concentrate successively on the six chakras, but Kirpal said that this was unnecessary, and that one should start at the top]. Shabd Yoga teachers argue that these sounds are reflections of the higher sounds that convey true benefit, and that involvement with pranas is a waste of time, while Kriya Yoga must think otherwise and that some kind of purification is being achieved with their practices. They engage in "kriyas" (asana and pranayamas), precise information only given out in initiations and lessons, which aid in achieving pratyahara and attunement with guru. In shabd yoga that is supposed to be given by the master at the time of initiation, with simply concentration at the spiritual eye from that point on. In kriya, the assumption is that more may be required to become capable of concentrating at that point. From there, however, the path sounds almost identical with shabd yoga proper (see The Holy Science by Sri Yukteswar for description of Trikuti, Daswan Dwar, Sunn, Maha Sunn, the Throne of the Creator, Alak, Agam, and Anami, in only slightly different words. He even uses the terms spirit baptism and Surat Sabda Yoga. However, elsewhere Yukteswar said he was a master who worked on the causal plane, making him lower on the scale than the shabd masters. What I find intriguing, however, is how he explains the inner phenomena, especially of a great divide between the material and spiritual creations, in terms of passage beyond the ‘Atom at the heart’ where the ego or sense of a separate self originates. I recommend this short book; to me, it is metaphysically and cosmologically more revealing than what is found in later descriptions of that path). For more on this see Paramhansa Yogananda and Kriya Yoga. Interestingly, on a side note, Yogananda had a respect for Ramana Maharshi and would sometimes send a disciple, such as Robert Adams, who asked too many questions to be able to remain satisfied with his kriya yoga, to go see the sage.

   Kriya Yoga, in the books published by SRF, as far as I have been able to ascertain, is vague on an exposition on the goal or final truth of the path, but it appears to be a form of Nirvikalpa Samadhi, extended and held onto in ones daily life. The famous book, Autobiography of a Yogi, however, chiefly essentially fascinates the reader with stories of ascended astral and mental (or causal) plane experiences. That may have been bait to lure in seekers. All of this, however, would place the Kriya Yoga path as a lesser path than Sant Mat. In any case, Yogananda said he was to be the last guru in their lineage of Masters.

   Returning to the main discussion - which is more one of mysticism and emanationism (including kundalini, Kriya, Sant Mat) versus non-duality, jnana, Ch'an, or Zen, etc. - once out of the body (and from an absolute point of view, even while in the body), don't ideas of high or low, inside and out, essentially lose their ultimate meaning, as they are only concepts or ideas in the mind? Sant Rajinder Singh, a current Sant Mat Master, succinctly explains that this is indeed the case even on that path:

 Q: Where are the inner realms?

When we withdraw our attention to the single eye, we become absorbed in the inner Light and Sound. Then, after we meet the radiant form of the Master and rise above body-consciousness, we find inner realms. These inner dimensions or realms exist concurrently with our physical universe. For lack of better terminology we speak of inner and outer, or higher and lower regions. These realms are not exactly descriptive because we are talking about states of consciousness. They do not exist in time and space., but we have the illusion that our physical world is in time and space. The physical region with the earth, sun, planets, and galaxies  exists simultaneously with spiritual regions. We measure time and space in this physical universe because that is the only frame of reference that we know. But all these regions, from the physical to the spiritual, exist as states of consciousness. When we talk about traveling to inner or higher regions, we are not actually traveling anywhere or going up or in. We are actually refocusing our attention to a different state of consciousness or awareness.

Spiritual Thirst, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj


   So, too, must be for raptures and emotions, as well as the idea of a self or soul as a fixed entity. They are all ideas or perceptions existing only in Mind. From the point of view of Advaita, even the body is essentially nothing more than an idea. From the point of view of consciousness, which we are, is not this so? Therefore, from the point of view of truth, does it matter, as some of the Tibetans maintain, how one leaves the body? What if an initiate is murdered or killed in a horrible accident and is suddenly jerked out of the body, as has happened? One such Kirpal Singh initiate initiate I knew who died in a head-on collision was said by Master Rajinder to have gone to Sach Khand. We are told that no matter how we die we will be instantly with the Master within. "The Master always resides in the disciple's innermost heart center," said Kirpal Singh.

   Saints and yogis have said that one can leave the body through different centers: the navel, the heart, or the head, etc. They generally feel that a conscious exit via the head is most fruitful, and some have said that if one exits the body or dies via the anahata chakra, for instance, one may be lost until the next life in lower reflections of the true higher planes - although an initiate of a Sant Mat Master will not.

   Sants argue for the superiority of the head or third eye over the heart, but generally do not address the debate on the difference between the causal spiritual Heart spoken of by the sages with the heart chakra of the yogis. They simply say that the heart-lotus of the saints is between the eyebrows. Whereas sages such as Ramana Maharshi say the entire inner journey through the subtle, psychic realms via the divya chaksu (third eye) can be avoided by absorption of attention or mind in the Heart, the subjective source of the ego. Ramana says the highest mystic experience of the infinite expanse of light is still one step from the Atman ( "Since the experience is through the mind only, it first appears as a blaze of light. The mental predispositions are not yet destroyed. The mind is, however, functioning in its infinite capacity in this experience...When you wake up from sleep a light appears, which is the light of the Self, passing through Mahatattva. It is called cosmic consciousness. That is arupa (formless). The light falls on the ego and is reflected therefrom” (Talks). (For Ramana, this still must be superceded by attaining sahaj samadhi in daily life). Swami Yogeshwaranand Saraswati describes this problem in his book Science of Soul :

   ”Although the light of Jivatman is much greater than that of Chitta (mind-stuff) even as the light of the sun compared with a lighted candle, yet in association with Jivatman the Chitta becomes as brilliant as an ocean of light. That is why, unable to realize the subtlest Atman, more subtle than minute atomic particles, some have taken Chitta itself to be Atman, because the Purusa seems to be invisible, being immersed in the luminous myriad-rayed ocean of Chitta-Sattwa. This is the hard knot of Asmita (ego), an invisible obstacle which is neither easy to visualize nor easy to untie. This small Chitta becomes so luminous, so bright due to luminosity of Atman, and becomes so colored by the idea of ego, that although it is not impossible, it is certainly difficult to separate - to pick out the minute subtle Atman - in this ego-colored luminous Chitta. There is no doubt that among the principles concerning self and non-self this search is the most difficult in the world.” (16)

   These are penultimate arguments, and in no way are cause to diminish the value of high mystical attainment. They are of concern only from the point of view of truth itself. An objection might also be raised that in the case of Ramana by his own admission he had little or no experience of the overhead planes, so cannot speak for the realizations of the Sants. That is true. Comparisons between the two positions are therefore difficult. Sri Aurobindo made the same comment about Maharshi when a disciple asked him questions concernng differences between their philosophies. Maharshi in turn criticized Aurobindo's experiences of the Supermind, Overmind, etc., in effect as imaginary. When such sages disagree, we should feel little doubt over seeking answers to our own questions.

   Sant Mat sometimes describes Sach Khand as the realm of Atman in exactly those terms of “infinite light” as Maharshi spoke (but not quite that, as there are, according to Sar Bachan at least, scenes and sounds there, too, gushing fountains of light, etc.). The disciple of Sant Mat eventually attains to a realm of no sound and no light (Anami), which it calls the Absolute, but sages (like Paul Brunton, Ramana, Nisargadatta) would still almost certainly disagree with the idea that that is the end of the path. If there is an experiencer left to have an experience, no matter how infinite it feels, there are two separate things, and inquiry remaining to be done. Sahaja samadhi, which may or may not be the “radhasoami state”, still awaits the mature soul. Sant Mat might argue differently, as I suggest, saying that many kinds of samadhis can be entered into from any plane, but the true path as set up by the Creator requires communing with the sound current emanating from the Absolute, passing through all intermediate regions or levels of existence, reuniting the soul or conscious principle with its source. This is obviously quite different than advaita. It should be noted that Hazur Baba Sawan Singh was attracted to advaita as well, but after study of Kabir's Anurag Sagar decided the path of shabd was higher. [I hate to do this, but feel compelled to raise one more question: on what basis did even the great Sawan Singh determine or know Sant Mat was higher? Belief, or feeling, or Reason?]

   All Sant Mat gurus who claim to have reached that stage do not appear to have evidenced the same intelligence or spiritual understanding or ability to lead others to even the same goal they have reached. This is just my personal opinion, based on study, meeting a number of these teachers, and conversation with disciples. Perhaps only those who are permanently established in the highest state are so enabled to lead others. Sant Mat says only those souls with a divine commission from God can do so. That may well be true, but like all mystical pronouncements, it is irrefutable. Vedanta would say, first define God, then apply the same epistemological discipline he did in the beginning: how do you know it is the case? What is the basis of your knowledge, of the world, the body, the ego, then the Soul (Atman) and then God (Brahman)?

   17. Ramana, it must be noted, was of the view that all types of experience are unnecessary - even while many of his disciples had all sorts of classic yogic and mystical experiences in his company. He also made gentle fun of those of his disciples who wanted to see “the light of a million suns.” Brunton called that "the penultimate experience." A rare yogic text called it , great as it was, "maya". Interesting, isn't it, that Maharshi made fun of what most Sant Mat disciples would die for, and what, in fact, sound alot like descriptions of Sach Khand! According to Maharshi, as well as Sri Nisargadatta, then, ultimately ‘Seeing is NOT above all’, contrary to the slogan of Kirpal Singh (who I feel must have often said “Seeing Is Above All” simply to convert beginning disciples from teachers who could give them no real inner experience to one who could). Rather, BEING is above all. Any 'seeing' at the level of BEING must be with direct insight, not a perception with the subtle indriyas or manas. It is, he says, the realization of the one who sees not something seen. One can still call it seeing, of consciousness itself, but there is no light or sound in there. If there is it is still not the realization of the Atman, the subject but rather some object. But Kirpal was certainly right, seeing the subtle realms is certainly far above merely talking about them. And "seeing" reality with intuitive insight is also above talking about that. Ramana also said that one could not really say it was not light, that the metaphor was appropriate, but it was the light of understanding.

   The highest mystical experience is generally considered in the literature to be nirvikalpa samadhi (samadhi without form, the source of subjectivity), with anything perceptible still in the realm of the psychic or subtle. Thus Sach Khand would not be “spiritual” in a metaphysical or philosophic understanding. It is described as the "full effulgence of the light." It may be "divinely" blissful and ecstatic, beyond the lower self, then, but not the higher self. The physical body may be separated from consciousness at Sahansdal Kanwal, the pranas left behind at Trikuti, and the mind left behind at Daswan Dwar, as taught in Sant Mat, but is not that that mind manas, the discursive or lower mind, but not the root-mind, Reason or Buddhi, that which distinguishes the real from the unreal, according to many scriptures, such as Mandukya Upanishad, and others? The vedantist would want an answer to this. Kirpal Singh once did mention, however, that the description of Sach Khand as being that of millions of suns, etc., was in fact an allegorical description. As long as there is a perceiver, there must be the faculty of mind, if only the thought of "I", according to philosophy.

   According to vedantist V.S. Iyer, "even if you see the Sat Purush, it is still only a thought" - although perhaps the 'highest' thought you could have.

   Is Sach Khand then really the highest subtle plane, some may ask, known in Theosophy as devachan, the celestial “abode of the siddhas", sometimes termed the home of the immortal ego? Or is it truly higher? According to the sants, it IS definitely higher. According to Sant Rajinder Singh, the Theosophical schema, in a addition to various subplanes in the astral world, outlines seven subplanes in devachan, the lower four constituting the mental plane, and the higher three the causal plane. In Sant Mat, the soul is free of birth and death when it reaches the super-causal plane, where only a thin layer of the anandamaya kosha is said to cover the soul. After that is Sach Khand, or Sat Lok. As mentioned, Dr. I.C. Sharma called Sach Khand “the office of the Master”, and Param Sants are said to go higher, to Alak, Agam, and Anami. There is no doubt that these planes are intoxicating compared to ordinary life in this sublunar earthly sphere. However, while Sach Khand may possibly be beyond some form of dissolution and even grand dissolution of the lower created worlds, as these masters teach, it, once again, is paradoxical to call it spiritual, in the philosophical sense, as there is said to be light and sound and visible beings there, living on their “dweeps” (islands) and enjoying nectar, as the Sar Bachan of Soamiji says. As Anthony Damiani emphasized, “no amount of superlatives” will take away from [the] fact that if there is a perceiver and a perceived there, it is not the Reality." No matter how intense and high the bliss and ecstasy, these must be gone beyond before the Soul is realized. This is clearly not the case in Sach Khand. The mystical experience of an ocean of light, however wonderful, is itself still the penultimate stage of the mystical path. The words "spiritual planes", however, is useful within the sense it is used in Sant Mat. Yet the highest mystical experience is supposedly beyond all objectivity, as the realization of the subject, and can then, it seems, only be found in the Sant Mat experience in the Anami state or region - if that is understood and experienced as beyond subject/object distinctions as nameless and formless would seem to imply. Some in Sant Mat, in fact, feel that not only is the Radhasoami state higher than Anami, but that it itself is just the beginning. Anami and even Radhasoami are described, however, in terms such as "the wonder region," into which, according to Baba Jaimal Singh, Sawan Singh's Guru, the gurumukh disciple will "get merged", which, even though supposedly beyond subject and object, still seems to sound too much like an " experience" for a non-dualist, such as Adyashanti, to be compared to the One of Plotinus or the Nirvana of the Buddha, which do not admit the concept of merger as ultimate truth. They say that in truth there is only One, and no separate self to get merged into that One. Merger implies two real things, and philosophy, in its truest sense, says that is not so. There is only the One, or better, the "not-two", for as Kabir mentioned, "If I say He is one, the question of two arises." This is a radical insight and requiring a radical shift in one’s view of the world and sense of identity. Ramana went so far to call such an approach of assuming the reality of an ego-soul that gets purified to finally enjoy or even get merged with an Oversoul or Paramatma a "deceitful stratagem":

   "...devotion is nothing more than knowing oneself. The doctrine of Qualified Monism [i.e., Ramanuja] also admits it...Their traditional doctrine says..that the individual soul should be made pure and then surrendered to the Supreme; then the ego is lost and one goes to the regions of Vishnu after one's death; then, finally, there is the enjoyment of the Supreme (or the Infinite)! To say that one is apart from the primal Source is itself a pretension; to add that one divested of the ego becomes pure and yet retains individuality only to enjoy or serve the Supreme, is a deceitful stratagem. What duplicity is this - first to appropriate what is really His, and then pretend to experience or serve Him! is not all this already known to Him?"......"all lokas, even Brahma loka, do not release one from rebirth. The Bhagavad Gita says: 'Reaching Me, there is no rebirth...All others are in bondage'...so long as you think that there is gati (movement) - as implied in the word gatva (having gone to) - there is punaravritti (return), also. Again, gati implies your Purvagamanam (birth) What is birth? It is birth of the ego. Once born you reach something; if you reach it, you return, also. Therefore, leave off all this verbiage! Be as you are. See who you are and remain as the Self, free from birth, going, coming, and returning"....."People would not understand the simple and bare truth - the truth of their everyday, ever-present and eternal experience. That Truth is that of the Self. Is there anyone not aware of the Self? They would not even like to hear it (the Self), whereas they are eager to know what lies beyond - heaven, hell, reincarnation. because they love mystery and not the bare truth, religions pamper them - only to bring them around to the self. Wandering hither and thither, you must return to the Self only. Then, why not abide in the Self right here and now?" (17)

   Both the Enneads and the Lankavatara Sutra are clear on this. The One is what is already the case and not an experience or the merger of anything with anything. Any experience of merger, however exhalted and great, is on a lower level, a merger of an illusory “self” with an illusory “God”.

   Adyashanti states:

   "The taste of no separate self is totally liberating. "No separate self" does not mean there is a spiritual experience that goes something like, "I have extended myself infinitely everywhere, and have merged with everything." That's a beautiful, wonderful experience for a separate self to have, but that's not what Oneness is. Oneness is not merging. Merging happens between two and since there is only one, then any experience of merging is one illusion merging with another, as beautiful and wonderful as that experience may be. Even when I experience having merged with the absolute, with the infinite, with God, it simply means that my fictitious self has merged with another fiction. Mystical experiences aren't enlightenment." (18)

   "The merging experience is very pleasant and very beautiful, and you may or may not ever have it. If you have a particular type of body-mind, you might experience having it every five minutes. If you are another type of body-mind, you might have it every five lifetimes. It means nothing whether or not this happens or how often.

   I have met many people who can merge at the drop of a hat, and they are about as free as a dog chasing its tail in a cage. Merging has nothing to do with being free or actually having any idea what Oneness really is.

   Oneness simply means that everything is the One. Everything is That, and everything always was That. When there is a very deep knowing that everything is One, then the movement of the me trying to find a past experience ceases. Movement is cut off. Seeking is cut off. The seeker is cut off. Realization cuts everything off all at once.

   Every experience that you will ever have is the One, whether that experience is merging or having to go to the bathroom. Even when it's beating a stick on the floor and saying, "This is it. This is the Buddha. This is enlightened mind. It doesn't get more enlightened than this!" It is all God.” (From Consciousness -- Everything is That, by Adyashanti)

   Sant Darshan Singh, by contrast, described his ultimate experiences in the following manner:

   "He has taken me above body consciousness...to the higher planes, leaving the stars, the moon and the sun behind, making me one with him in his radiant effulgent form. He has taken me into moments of eternity; beyond the limitations of time and space, and then, giving me a glance of love, a boost...he has taken me...into the highest realms of spirituality. On the way he has introduced me to the various Masters who have blessed this earth since time immemorial, and arranged for our conversation. We have conversed in a language which has no tongue...no words...no alphabet...in a language which is eternal. We have conversed in the language which was in the beginning..which was made Word, in the language which [divine] lovers even now speak. This is the language which will continue to the end of all time...And after taking me to our Eternal Home, Sach Khand, he has taken me to higher realms known as Agam and Agochar, those regions which are fathomless...beyond human imagination. And after that we reached Anami, the ultimate vast region which has no shores...no limitation...no name..." (19)

   "We cannot possibly reach our goal of union with God without the help and constant guidance of an Adept. The distractions and pitfalls that line the way are unsurmountable, and one would be lost a thousand times even before one crossed the first inner plane. But the Guru's task does not end even after the soul has realized its own essential divinity. He takes us to the region known as Sach Khand, or the True Home. Here the soul comes face too face with its Creator and is finally in the realm of the Absolute, the Unchanging Permanence. From now on the spiritual journey is the story of progressive merger, to a state where the creature cannot be said to behold the Creator for they have at last become one. Such indeed is the inner journey which the spiritual Adept makes possible and which he enables us to traverse successfully." (20)

   And from Sant Kirpal Singh:

   "The soul has been imprisoned for ages and it is only through the kindness of the Master that it can be released. There is no other way." (Spiritual Elixir - Chapter 20)

18. It should be obvious that the problem here is that the two above-mentioned positions, as represented by Adyashanti and two Sant Mat Masters, appear virtually incomparable. It seems that both cannot be the truth. For one thing, according to Plotinus and the ancients, the Soul is not a "created" being, but an eternal emanation of the Nous. Even Sant Mat proclaims the Soul to be divine and uncreated, and not of the created realms. So in what sense would it be perceiving its Creator in Sach Khand? Answer: at that stage you won't be worrying about a question like this, but will be attracted to the glorious Sat Purush "like iron filings to a magnet." To complete this inquiry, however, to "perceive" or come "face to face" with its Creator, seems to imply as yet a mystical experience of a separate self seeing something. Sant Mat solves this by agreeing that there is then a progressive merger of this "soul" into the Absolute (in Alakh, Agam, and Anami). The philosophy of Plotinus, however, seems to say that this is really the true Soul, one of three primal, divine hypostases, which (these three higher planes and the three Hypostases) are very likely not the same thing, as there is some sound in agam and alakh. I ask, am I missing something here? In any case, reaching anami is described as a sea that has no shores, infinite, without name or form. Who knows or sees that? If there is someone perceiving it, there are still two things. If that is just poetic language attempting to describe the ineffable (a word vedantists hate to use) then Anami could be where there is an ever-deepening silent immersion in the Void-mind or Absolute, as Plotinus and some others have attested to.

   Bernadette suggests the following way out of this dilemma. In The Experience of No-Self she writes:

   ”Perhaps the only philosophy or theology that can help us cross the stream is one that admits: when you have learned it all and lived it thoroughly, then you had better get ready to have it all collapse when you discover the highest wisdom is that you know nothing.

      It is said that St. Thomas Aquinas, after writing his masterful tomes on Christian theology, suddenly had an experience of God that so silenced his mind that ever after, he never wrote a single word.  In other words, St. Thomas literally fell outside his own frame of reference when he came upon "that" which no mind can comprehend nor pen describe....

      It seems that ultimately we must go beyond all frames of reference when the Cloud of Unknowing descends, and all the thrashing around looking for a life preserver won't do a bit of good.

     Nevertheless, I now see a possible line of travel that may be of use before crossing the stream.  It would be to start with the Christian experience of self's union with God, whereby we loose the fear of ever becoming lost -- since we can only get lost in God....

     But when the self disappears forever into this Great Silence, we come upon the Buddhist discovery of no-self, and learn how to live without anything we could possibly call a self, and without a frame of reference, as we come upon the essential oneness of all that is.

     Then, finally, we come upon the peak of Hindu discovery, namely: "that" which remains when there is no self identical with "that" which Is, the one Existent that is all that Is....”

   But our dilemma is not quite solved. In Surat Shabd Yoga, the highest causal plane is explained as where the first individualization of pure spirit as soul is made. While being above the “gravitational pull” of the three lower realms, this is still different from the traditional yogic or philosophic definition of Soul or the Self, being that of a jiva with a veil or veils covering it, the vijnanamaya or anandamaya kosha or both. This must be clearly understood when trying to compare schools or there may be difficulties.

   The problem, if one wishes to see it as that, extends itself into the methodology followed. For instance, much current non-dual talk says that we have no power over our thoughts, they come uninvited, and that desires that follow on those thoughts, or which such thoughts create, we also have no power over; therefore there is no separate doer or controlling entity, and the spiritual task is to just see THAT. There is no one to protect, they say, no separate one at all. Thus, nothing but an utter surrender to what IS is what is called for. On the other hand, Sant Rajinder Singh has explained the task at hand and the workings of the universal mind, or Negative Power, in the following manner:

   "Universal Mind entangles us in the world: It sends thoughts to us which, in turn, create a desire for us to act on those thoughts. When we meditate, engage in simran (repetition of the names of God/divine remembrance) and selfless service, and when we go to satsang, we are protected from the machinations of the Universal Mind."

   This is akin to the contrast between the approaches of yoga and concentration, versus vipassana or observation. Both can possibly be true from different points of view and/or different stages of practice. But truly speaking, an inevitable clash seems unavoidable.

   The Sants, Darshan Singh in particular, once said that the gyanis are worthy of our respect, and have achieved the most advanced of the human realizations, but do not go to the highest. They say that there are two poles, or positive and negative powers, one which sends us outward into the world and created realms, and one which takes the soul back to its creator. The question of whether this is a provisional conceptual framework is one they might answer. For the gyanis there is no such thing, although they do admit the concept of the mysterious veiling power of maya. The gyanis, it may be said, have some explaining to do regarding the concept of the soul. They often equate it solely with the ego, but it is not clear that that is the end of the story. The sants also say that only they know how to clear karma, and that the gyanis don't.

   The branches among Sant Mat, as stated, are divided on whether Anami is the highest realm, or whether there is something beyond, called “Radhasoami”, which may or may not be a region, per se. This is where there is a lack of preciseness or limitation in our language. Some of this may be unavoidable, yet if Radhasoami is not a region, but a more universal, transcendental realization, similar to that described by sages like Ramana Maharshi or the Buddha, beyond even the formless state represented by Anami, then it should be made explicit. It may not matter much to beginners but overall it is important. And perhaps not all Sant Mat masters have attained the highest philosophic realization, but only the mystic one. Even in cases where they have, because so much theologic tradition has been built up around Sant Mat, it might not be possible for the gurus to teach differently, even if they have the radical insight, without undermining the faith of thousands, if not millions of disciples. And perhaps they help more people by simply teaching the way they do. Perhaps it is more practically effective to teach an initial dualistic search, with more advanced instruction demonstrating higher stages of the path being given by those of their gurus with the specific capability. But, as Kirpal Singh was fond of quoting from Socrates, “I love Truth more than Plato.” At some point, Truth is better.

   In other passages Sant Darshan speaks more radically, however, about the true condition of the soul:

   "If we think that the Master is in one physical location, that is the most erroneous way of looking at things. The Master is always with us. He is nearer to us than our throat; he is within us. He is within our eyes; he is within our forehead; he is within every pore of our body...The Master is with us all the time. We are caught in the tresses of the beloved and we cannot wiggle out of them. We cannot even move our finger we are so tied up in our Beloved's tresses. Only if we look inside ourself will we find our Beloved master with us. Our Master can even be with us physically all the twenty-four hours. He is not gone. He has not left the earthly plane. He is here - now! [words similar to those of the dying Ramana Maharshi: "where could I go? I am here."]... We should call him from the core of our heart. He has not gone anywhere. He is with us; he is within us; he is without us; he is in every pore of our body. He enlivens us in our voice; he is in our breath; he is in our looks; we only fail to perceive him...Be one with him and he will be with us all the time. There is no magic in this room. it is only the oneness of our attention." (21)

   And, interestingly, Sant Rajinder Singh recently has also appeared to modify the language of Sant Mat to move one step closer to the advaita or non-dual position, as well as that of modern science. While touring Budapest in 2007 one woman expressed that when she sat for meditation she sometimes felt afraid. The Master responded by saying that we often feel fear because of the language used such as “rising above body-consciousness.” The words, he said, do not clearly define what is happening. The spiritual regions are going on concurrently with this physical region. We are not rising “out” of the body, he explained, but are "tuning into different frequencies." This is a radical departure from the explicit message in all of Sant Mat to date, whose appeal to suffering seekers is exactly that the soul does rise out of the body, exactly as at the time of death, with the ability to return guaranteed because the "silver cord" mentioned in the Bible remains intact.

   Examining the statement further, one can see the difficulty faced by the Teacher. If he in this instance is trying to tell someone that "we" are really not a "something" that goes anywhere, but that "we" only deepen in the experience of more and more dimensions within our self, then this traditional teaching as given loses its comparative uniqueness. On the other hand, saying that we are really not leaving the body but "tuning into different frequencies", still leaves unanswered the more basic question, " 'who' is doing the tuning in?" Without resolving that question first, the gyanis or sages say that self-understanding has not yet occurred and the potential for fear will remain, as well as the potential for the misunderstanding of one's experiences. If this is answered according to advaita, it will be argued that in fact there is no separate "one", no fixed entity, to tune into anything (and also no fixed entity that is born or dies), in which case the motivation to meditate in this specific manner itself is called into question and needs further argument. What is the goal one exactly is trying to achieve? This is now not so clear. Is this ascent a necessary and direct means to enlightenment, or, as traditions such as advaita would argue, are the practice and samadhis only preparatory, in some cases, to final inquiry into the Self? If there is no leaving, or no one who leaves, the body in meditation, then is there any one who leaves the body at the time of death - and does this also need to be understood in a radically different way? The teachings of the advaitists purporting to speak from the position of absolute truth even deny incarnation itself, and speak radically differently about death and the state of consciousness of an "I" after death - or in life, for that matter - some denying it any intermediate reality at all. There may be limitations in their point of view, which they will admit is not for beginners, but it must be considered. If the Masters say that the body is just a thought, or perception arising in consciousness, however, which the language, "we are not really rising out of it", suggests - or at least is compatible with - then the concept of "leaving" the body would also need to be re-explained, and the books possibly re-written, a difficult and perhaps thankless task for those charged with upholding a tradition with countless followers at many levels of understanding. No wonder Sri Ramakrishna, once again, taught simple devotion to the masses and yoga to his disciples, all except Vivekananda, for whom he reserved a copy of the Ashtavakra Gita, perhaps the purest expression of non-dualism, for special occasions.

   Sant Mat is a bhakti path, and few are likely to be interested in questions like these. Just sit in the silence, receive the love, and don’t worry. I pray for a cool breeze from the Masters to soothe my overheated brain, and I, too, wish above all for pure love.... But such questions have been around in some form for hundreds of years and will not go away. They are not mere mental hair-splitting but inquiries that affect the very means, intention, and understanding of one's sadhana and the guru-disciple relationship. If the soul or power of the soul called the attention does not really rise up and leave the body during meditation, but only appears to, what are the meaning of heart-felt statements like the following from Sant Kirpal Singh, quite representative of Sant Mat:

   "You cannot imagine with what longing the Master Power awaits you at the eye focus ready to receive you with open arms."

   As the reader will find under Biographies: “The Death of a Dream and a Gift of Truth”, I have a personal and not merely intellectual interest and need for such answers, having been cast down from the eye-focus by the Master Power many years ago for what I hope was my soul's own ultimate good, but which continues to strain my faith and endurance to the limit. If I think of the fallen state of the soul, I suffer immensely. If I inquire " 'who' wants to leave the body", or " 'who' thinks he must leave the body", or "who thinks he is a 'thing' that must leave a body?", and the Soul responds with an intuitive glimpse, there is relative peace. So this entire article thus represents not just a philosophical investigation but a continuing prayer to the Masters for guidance and grace.

   I respectfully ask, therefore, what exactly was the Master pointing to here? It seems to speak directly to the heart of Sant Mat as a distinct philosophy.

19. In the article Sophia's Passion: Sant Mat and the Gnostic Myth of Creation, Neil Tessler within the framework of Sant Mat attempts to explain contradictions such as discussed above in #17 between paths as viewed by non-dualists like Adyashanti versus that of the Sants, but it is arguable that his essay, as entitled, is about an allegorical rather than literal creation story wherein the realms of creation allotted to “Kal”, the negative power (himself an eternal emanation of the Sat Purush or creator God), are lower than the highest, uncreated Heaven of Sach Khand, but only truly separate or disconnected from it due to the veiling power of maya or ignorance, which, when this collapses or is seen through by jnana, eradicates the deluding force of the projecting power also, which is responsible for all of the apparent created worlds. In other words, when the "I" collapses, Kal or Satan vanish in the non-dual light of Consciousness or Oneness. While Kabir's Anurag Sagar is very interesting, beautiful and enigmatic, it is debateable whether it should necessarily be a taken as a metaphysical and literal description of conditional and absolute reality. It should be mentioned, however, that the reknown saint, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj, considered Anurag Sagar as essential for understanding the difference between Sant Mat and other paths, so its reading should not be lightly dismissed. Again, see the biography of Kabir on this website for more on this.

   Tessler writes:

   “The several creation myths developed by the Masters serve to describe the relationship between the Absolute in its non-attributive formless essence, known in modern Sant Mat as Anami or Radhasoami, and its manifested attributes. As Kirpal Singh has written, "In one there is always the delusion of many, and the totality does signify the existence therein of so many parts. The ideas of a part and of the whole go cheek by jowl, and both the part as well as the whole are characterized by the similarity of the essential nature in them.

   The essence of a thing has its own attributive nature and the two cannot be separated from each other. Just as the essence is both one and many, so is the case with its attributive nature." [Kirpal Singh, The Crown of Life; A Study in Yoga]

   These attributes first appear in their purest and most realized form as the primordial "creation", known in the East as Sach Khand or in Gnosticism as the Pleroma or Fullness, (terms which will both be used synonymously throughout this paper). Creation is, however, a misnomer, for Sach Khand is not created as such, but rather it is the expansion into distinct being of the eternally perfect and fully elaborated attributes of the Absolute. These cosmic attributes are known as the Sons of Sat Purush in the East and the Aeons in Gnosticism. Sat Purush or the Only-Begotten is the Aeon that is the Being, the mind, as it were, of the Absolute; pure consciousness and consciousness on all planes, thus also the bridge to creation proper. As Hans Jonas has written,

   "The Only-Begotten Mind alone, having issued from him directly, can know the Fore-Father: to all the other Aeons he remains invisible and incomprehensible. 'It was a great marvel that they were in the Father without knowing Him.' (Gospel of Truth 22.27)

   The number of these eternal emanations of the divine varies according to reference. The gnostic version described by Hans Jonas gives four Aeons with their consorts to make eight, "the original Ogdoad", who then further elaborate to make another seven pairs for a total of thirty. The Kabiran version gives sixteen with Sat Purush being the first emanation.
The myths now run in two distinct directions, at least in the gnostic forms. The Kabiran version and one gnostic version tells us that there was an Aeon that cherished a desire for its own creation as an inherent part of its nature. We could say that the potential for separation from God is in itself an Aeon. This leads ultimately to a creation existing in negative polarity with eternal Sach Khand, spinning the attributive universes that exist in Time. This separative Aeon, known as Mind or Time (Kal), is Sat Purusha's first expansion in the gnostic version and fifth in the Kabiran version. Kabir's Anurag Sagar states that "He is created from the most glorious part of the body of Sat Purush". Thus Sat Purush is cosmically linked to the "lower" creation, which eventually develops through Kal's activity. In this we are warned away from value judgements, and reminded that this entire process is under Divine Will (Hukam).”

   This last statement is important, because how many nevertheless do think of Kal in value judgements? But how can this be the true perspective when one has realized Oneness? As Rabia of Basra said,

   “In love with God, I have no time left to hate the devil; My love to God has so possessed me that nothing remains but Him.”

   Here is an illustration where even Sant Kirpal Singh, whom I revere - or perhaps the editors or assistants working on his book, Godman ? - may possibly have stretched a bit to maintain the traditional dualistic negative power/positive power dichotomy. One must keep in mind that Kirpal Singh wrote this book, as a devotional gesture to his guru, Sawan Singh, when he was still a disciple, twenty or more years before he was a Master, although it was not published until 1967. Speaking in glowing terms of the oneness of the Master and God or God-Power and how such a state is possible, Kirpal states:

   In discourse 7 of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna thus sets to rest this question:

   "Not knowing my transcendant, imperishable supreme character, the
   undiscerning think me who am unmanifest to have become manifest.
   Veiled by the delusive mystery created by my unique power,
   I am not manifest to all; this bewildered world does not recognize me,
   birthless and changeless." (p. 148)

   Then he writes:

   "Blessed indeed is the man who is ready for immediate transformation into God, for to such an individual he at once reveals his Godhood; as Krishna revealed his oneness with Kal to Arjuna..." (p. 153)

   Krishna, previously implied to be one with God, is here relegated to the lesser avataric status or "oneness with Kal" the negative power as considered within the Sant tradition. All very confusing. Explainable, but still confusing - certainly for a Hindu who would consider Buddha or perhaps Christ or even Ramakrishna to have been avatars. It would also conflict with the teachings of Kriya yoga gurus such as Paramhansa Yogananda, which consider the legendary and quasi-immortal Babaji to be an avatar and the second guru after Christ in their lineage - and who they also say was Krishna in a former incarnation. [For those not familiar with this concept within Sant Mat, avatars are said to be divine dispensations or agents of the Negative Power who have certain work to do with restoring righteousness on earth and keeping things in order, etc., but only Sants are manifestations of the Positive Power with the commission to take souls back to God. This is a unique use of the term avatar in the traditions. I will be the first to admit, however, that I have yet to find a description anywhere of an avatar that I can understand, and as the word is so loosely used these days, with new supposed “avatars” appearing all the time, that one is justified in being confused].


   It is interesting that "Kal" or the negative power is considered to be a creation of "the most glorious part of the body of Sat Purush"; thus, in any vision of Oneness "he" must be taken back into one's being and no longer projected outside. In this respect any objectification of Kal may be likened as similar, perhaps, to the occult teachings of the "guardian of the threshold", wherein the unpurifed soul meets in visionary form at the threshold of the astral world the unredeemed, unaccepted, and reactive parts of his psyche or ego. Except the domain or influence of Kal is much greater than just that of ones psyche but embraces all of creation. Judith Lamb-Lion, disciple of Kirpal Singh, described such an encounter once by saying that she met Kal, who "was black and had feathers. She removed a feather and saw light and God behind him and no longer was afraid." This is also essentially what the Tibetan Book of the Dead tells one to do: recognize everything as a projection of one's own mind.. This non-reactivity and acceptance must be habitually practiced every day, however, to be effective at the time of death. What this all suggests is that the dualistic vision of the cosmos, described metaphorically in many spiritual and religious teachings, is ultimately transcended in what Ramana called the non-dual experience of the Self. "Ultimately" is too 'distant' a word; it is that way right now as well. So "if you meet the negative power on the road, kill him!".....or, perhaps, just say, "Boo!"

   [If one is not familiar with Plotinus' conception of Three Primal Hypostases, he may just as well ignore this next section, as it is highly technical and may be needlessly confusing, written more for students at Wisdom's Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies than anyone else. But there are perhaps a few based upon their studies for whom these words may have some meaning, which is why I have included them.] If, therefore, the “formless essence” herein mentioned above is a "one-and-many", that would correspond to Plotinus’ Absolute Soul, the birther of Individual Souls. The second primal Hypostasis, the Intellectual principle (World-Mind), characterized as a “one-in-many”, is prior to Soul. Thus, the formless esssence in the Gnostic story of creation could be at the level of Soul, not its prior, the Intellectual Principle or Nous - nor that of the Absolute One. The “Only-Begotten” or the Son as spoken of by Plotinus is referring to the Soul, the image of the Intellectual Principle (i.e, as in “man was made in the image of God”). Thus it is a little confusing trying to compare this with Jonas’/Tessler's interpretation of the gnostic story where the “Only-Begotten Mind” of the Absolute somehow corresponds to the Sat Purush in Sant Mat, the “only one who can know the Fore-Father” - although the latter gnostic concept is certainly intriguing, and I long to know the truth of it first hand. It must be admitted that this schema is very similar to that given by theosphist H.P. Blavatsky in The Secret Doctrine, wherein prior to the creation of the manifest planes "Seven Luminous Sons" are said to emanate (but are not created) out of the Triune Absolute.

   To say “Sach Khand is not created as such, but rather it is the expansion into distinct being of the eternally perfect and fully elaborated attributes of the Absolute,” however, might seem for some to beg the question as to whether there is a perceiver there, again which could negate Sach Khand’s distinction as being a spiritual dimension, in the sense of being eternal and outside of mind or time. It does not appear to be philosophical. However, I respect the Sants and Kabir, he spoke of para-bhakti (jnana), where “all know that the drop merges in the ocean, but few know the ocean merges in the drop”, and know my ignorance is profound. But, again, this seems like an allegory, not to be taken too literally. Or it is literal, but not ultimate truth, being the subjective perception of the manifest worlds. Sstill, I ask the Lord forgiveness if I speak out of turn.

   To make this discussion even more complicated there is the following excerpt from a dissertation, Sophia: Exile and Return, by Kathleen Granville Damiani:

   “There are two Sophias in Gnosticism, the heavenly Sophia or wisdom of God, and her daughter, Sophia Achamoth. Valentinus, leader of a major Gnostic sect, described the heavenly Sophia as "Mother of the All" who is Grace, Silence, and Womb. The original Dyad, Sophia and the Primal Father, bring forth a couple, Nous and Truth. The divine Pleroma consists of a series of male-female aeons. The last aeon, Sophia Achamoth, plays the role of Cosmic Eve.

   The Gnostic system, although there are many differing versions, give Sophia a high profile role in both the creation myth and redemption motif. In Gnostic groups, women were of equal status with men. In Neoplatonism, whose interpreters were contemporaries of the Gnostics, Sophia was equated with the Intellectual-Principle (Nous) of the individual soul (which in the system of Plotinus was the point of contact between the soul and the Intellectual-Principle). This redeems itself by renouncing error. Sophia must turn away from the beliefs and assumptions which bind her to darkness, and by so doing she recovers the light, her twin, the Soter Christ. Unless the two are united, knowledge remains without guidance.” (p.56)

   Does this suggest that the primal Sophia is equivalent to the Intellectual Principle of Plotinus, and that the daughter, Sophia Achamoth, the “Cosmic Eve”, is the female version of Sat Purush - or is she a female Kal?! Is the “Cosmic Eve” in this version of the myth the “negative power” responsible for the creation below Sach Khand, or is she the special aeon that redeems and leads to the “Forefather”? In her paper, Gnostic Images of the Feminine, Kathleen Damiani does seem to suggest that this 'second' Sophia, which she refers to as "her [Sophia's] abortion"--the arrogant demiurge who created this world and has no knowledge of God, or the upper echelons of heaven," may very well be what Kabir and the Sants refer to in the masculine gender as the negative power Kal:

   "As the Holy Spirit, the feminine was seen as a third person of the Holy Trinity. The Apocryphon of John tells of John's vision of the Trinity as Father, Mother, and Son: He said to me, "John, John, why do you doubt, and why are you afraid? You are not unfamiliar with this likeness, are you? I am the one who is with you forever. I am the Father, I am the Mother, I am the Son, I am the unpolluted and uncorruptible one." (NHL, p. 99)
   Further on, the author continues the speech of the visioned Lord: "He gazes upon his image which he sees in the spring of the Spirit. He puts his desire in his light-water, that is the spring of the pure light-water which surrounds him. And his Ennoia (a feminine term meaning "image of thought") performed a deed and she came forth, namely she who had appeared before him in the shine of his light. This is the first power which was before all of them and which came forth from his mind, that is the Pronoia of the All." (p. 101)
   The text goes on to describe the androgynous beings created through her, including her "abortion"--the arrogant demiurge who created this world and has no knowledge of God, or the upper echelons of heaven; he thinks he is the supreme god. It is worth noting that the Gnostics equated the Hebrew masculine deity with the arrogant demiurge. The efforts of the orthodox Christians to eliminate the gnostic teaching was believed by Gnostics also to be linked to the efforts of the demiurge to keep humans ignorant of their divine nature."

   The latter is remarkably similar to the manner in which the more positive version of the Kabirian myth, where the aeon Kal is not inherently evil or sinful, describes the power granted to Kal as a concession by the Sat Purush so that the cosmic play will go on for some time and souls will not immediately return to the Forefather, but be trapped in the lower worlds until rescued by the manifestation of the Positive Power, the Sant Satguru.

   What precisely, however, is meant by "the Forefather" in the gnostic myth that Tessler describes? In terms used by Plotinus, is it the Individual Soul, Absolute Soul, Intellectual Principle, or the One? Is there any enlightened mind out there who can work on this, another PB, another Buddha, to illuminate these doctrines further for our modern times?! The following is just a seed thought that came to me, but I wonder if the idea of Sophia as wisdom that Damiani portrays contains an alternative route to truth than that declared in the Kabirian/Sant version, despite the many similarities found within the gnostic myths. That is, if Sophia, as the feminine aspect of Divine Wisdom, in a Plotinian interpretation is the Intellectual Principle (or World-Mind), pouring or existing or emanating in its entirety through each Individual Soul, a Soul which is both in the body and that in which the body arises, a Soul or Mind which is everywhere totally present through any of its powers - could this mean that the path of knowledge would lead to Enlightenment at any time or place, or plane, without necessarily having to mystically trace back the emanent of the Soul to the Sat Purush? Is this inchoate idea of mine possibly a link to a meeting point between the schools of emanationism and non-dualism, between Sant Mat, and , say, Ch'an Buddhism?

   Depending on how one reads Plotinus, it seems one can come to either conclusion. Many writers, including PB in at least one passage of his Notebooks (Vol. 15, Part One, 8.75), have felt that much of what Plotinus wrote about was the 'flight of the alone to the alone" resulting in mystical ascent to Nirvikalpa Samadhi or its equivalent. On the other hand, the philosophic position described above, and the interpretation of Plotinus by Anthony Damiani and PB and the following excerpt on "Realization", taken from "The System of Plotinus" on the Wisdom's Goldenrod website, suggests that there may be another way of looking at it and that radical ascent may not be the only way to experience truth:

   "In knowing God, Nous knows itself, for it will know what it receives from Him; what God has given to it and can give. In knowing this it knows itself, for it is itself one of God's Gifts, or rather the sum total of them all...If then Spirit will know Him and His Powers, it will know itself as having come from Him and having derived from Him all that it is...If It cannot see Him clearly it is because Seer and Seen are the same. For this reason Spirit will know and see itself, because to see Spiritually is to become oneself the thing seen" (v. 3, 7).

   Two metaphors, therefore, seem to exist for the path to Truth. The most ancient is the emanationist one of the "ladder" or "ascent" to the highest or deepest realm of consciousness. The non-dual metaphor currently in vogue is that of the "bottom falling out of the bucket" or "the bubble of ego bursting" wherever one finds himself. Is it necessary to fulfill both of these "paths" for complete Truth to be realized? Is there a choice? Is one more important than the other? Does the "Radhasoami" realization in Sant Mat produce a non-dual enlightenment? It seems that in some cases it may, in some case maybe not, as they seem to derive from different antecedent causes. The Gyan samadhis so criticized as only as "the highest human realizations" by the Sant Mat masters may not automatically become the experience of these Masters just because they fulfilled the complete course of inner inversion, and, therefore, only the rare Master in that lineage may have the means to make an accurate comparison, in my humble and hesistantly introduced opinion. On the other hand, however, does the "non-dual" enlightenment in traditional or popular Buddhism, Zen or Advaita last any longer than the body, unless the total course outlined by the Sant Mat Masters - and perhaps Plotinus - is fulfilled?

   Realization certainly doesn't seem to remain unbroken in its continuity, in either case, if one reincarnates, as even the masters and sages who choose to return to help others temporarily sacrifice their enlightenment when they assume a new body, and must spend some time regaining it (Sant Kirpal Singh called it a "refresher course"), although in their case the regaining is relatively assured.. The Buddhists say the teaching is truly inexhaustible, however, and it looks as if he was right......[For those who wish some more information on the views of the gnostics, here is another link entitled Gnostic Christianity and the Myth of Sophia].

20. Once again, there is still supposed to be light and sound beyond Sach Khand, and if so the three higher regions beyond Sach Khand (Alak, Agam, and Anami, only the latter which is described as formless), can not by definition be equivalent to the three higher degrees of penetration into the Void Mind mentioned by Plotinus (Soul, Intellectual Principle, and the One), and by Paul Brunton as Overself (Soul), World Mind, and Mind, all of which are formless, egoless, dimensions. Sach Khand then must be the highest subtle or celestial plane, which Sant Mat denies, calling it spiritual, and says that you can't know that is the case until you get there, least of all becasue many lower stages seem like the highest. Likewise, despite similar terminology, the so-called causal and super-causal planes in Sant Mat are not the same as the traditional causal dimension in Hindu or Buddhist writings, refered to by sages as the Witness position (first felt relative to the body as in the Heart, but actually formless), the source of subjectivity - rather than the innermost reach of objectivity - again, the reason being because there are sights and sounds in the aforementioned regions which are clearly described in terms that imply a seer and a seen (subject and object). On the other hand, one must die a double death to even get to that point (phsical and astral plane transcendance). An alternate designation for the term causal by some yogis is the anandamaya kosha, the sheath of bliss, thought to be located in the heart. Swami Yogeshwaranand Saraswati argues:

   “A stream of rays pertaining to the life-force arises from the bliss sheath (the causal body in the heart) and goes to the astral body (manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas in the brain) and from there to the physical body.” (22)

   This would not be considered entirely accurate either, however, by one such as Ramana Maharshi, but only the penultimate stage before realization of the inner heart, Self, or Soul, which is beyond the sheaths. The inner self or Soul, although itself cosmic and infinite, the ultimate subject, once realized must then, according to philosophic sages, be known to be a part of the Universal Self or World-Mind (a "point in consciousness" or Mind), and this can not be achieved unless that Soul emerges again into the world to understand and penetrate into the World-Idea to finally get a glimpse of itself as being a part of the World-Mind, or, alternately, the Intellectual Principle of Plotinus, ie., God. This will not occur, they assert, exclusively or simply by trance or further inversion, but is an ultramystic insight..

   This is not useless hair-splitting, but may require research beyond the scope of this article, for which I apologize.

   Then whether in or out of the deepest trance, the sage will be able to catch emanations of the Soul's "priors" and know more than just the Soul in itself, which is the limit, however lofty, of realization for most mystics. Then also, they might say, the Soul will have true self-cognition on any plane in which it chooses to dwell.

   In Sant Mat it is clearly stated that the soul is covered only by the anandamaya kosha in the supracausal plane, and sheds the anandamaya kosha upon entry to Sach Khand. [Question: if the "bliss kosha" is shed, would there really be bliss in Sach Khand? And if not, how could the bliss kosha have been shed?] Beyond bliss is peace, and Anami would fill the bill for that, but bliss or emotional ecstasy of any kind would have been left far behind at that stage. The realization becomes impersonal, not personal. Who can imagine that?

   It must be mentioned here that one should be so fortunate as to be an advanced mystic able to be criticized in this manner. It is not a matter of denigrating the achievement of the height of the mystic path, but clarifying it in light of what some sages claim to be even more advanced teachings. This may not seem relevant to those in beginning and middle stages of the path, but even here, right view and insight are important, to aid in greatly shorten one’s ultimate journey.

21. So according to this line of thinking a Sant coming out of meditation and back from the farthest reach of absorption on the sound current must still develop insight and sahaj here. He must still reconcile the apparent duality of the world and the inner reality by the awakening of insight, according to Buddha and other sages. Sant Mat says no, discrimination or vivek develops automatically as one goes from stage to stage. The philosophers would object, saying that the “Radhasoami” stage if it is Truth must not just be one of further inversion. Merely absorbing the projected emanent of the soul (attention) within does not in itself produce the experience of seeing the ego as unreal (~satori), but only that of: (1) seeing the ego apart from the body, and (2) in the highest inner experience wherein the “I” is absorbed, knowing the soul in itself, abstracted from the world(s). It does not in itself grant insight and knowledge of the World-Mind, God, or Brahman, or the world as Brahman, unless radical insight is attained and the Soul or Mind, as it were, absorbs the World or World-Idea into itself through understanding. Seeing light in oneself and light in all others is not the same as seeing only Brahman, as there are still "two" things, self and others, or self and God. Thus, sages say that the meditation of absorption alone will not produce ultimate enlightenment - the Buddha was emphatic about this - but rather the deepest experience of the Soul in itself (Atman), and not that of the sameness of Atman and Brahman or the higher Principles or Hypostheses mentioned by Plotinus and a few of the greatest among the sages. In other words, the argument is that oncentration alone will not open the “eye of wisdom” (“jnana chaksu”, as opposed to the “divya chaksu”). This has been debated, lamented, and argued about for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The Ashtavakra Gita goes so far as to proclaim, "this is your bondage - that you practice samadhi (or meditation)." Mandukya Upanishad argues similarly. Again, the Sant Mat teaching generally appears to not recognize this idea, and says that such vivek or discrimination will occur automatically as one ascends the stages and comes back down, seeing things in a higher perspective. But does it? Ramana said that even repeated nirvikalpa samadhis will not produce sahaj. The world, too, must be understood.

   The very way Sach Khand is described is paradoxical, however, so its claim to be a “spiritual” region may not be dismissed outright. Our language is a poor guage of reality, in the final analysis. Sach Khand, as a divine realm where souls see by their own light and recognize other souls and their Creator, is very much like the following description given by the great Sufi, Ibn Al ‘Arabi:

   ”A final spiritual intuition will show you our forms manifest in Him, so that some of us are manifest to others in the reality, know each other, and distinguish each other in Him. There are those of us who have spiritual knowledge of this mutual recognition in the reality, while others have not experienced the plane on which this occurs. I seek refuge in God lest I be of the ignorant.” (23)

   And also by Plotinus, on the realization of the Nous or Intellectual Principle, the image of which is the Soul:

   "A blissful life is theirs. They have the Truth for Mother, Nurse and Nutriment; they see all things: not the things that are born and die, but those which have Real Being and they see themselves in others. For them all things are transparent and there is nothing dark or impenetrable, but everyone is manifest to everyone interiorly and all things are manifest to the most intimate depth of their nature. Light is everywhere manifest to light. There, everyone has all things in himself and sees all things in others, so that all things are everywhere and all is all and each is all, and the glory is infinite." (v. 8, 4).

   So far be it for this poor one to speak of what he knows not , but if clarification can be given to bridge the contradictions within the traditions, I fervently ask that it be granted, by experience if not in words.

22. Generally, in Sant Mat there is no recognition or proposal of what Paul Brunton called "Short Path" practices to cultivate insight, as complementary to concentration practice, and to supplement the often long and dreary years of attempts at purifying the ego-soul so it can go "within" - such attempts which can in spite of themselves often reinforce the identification with the ego itself. This is less likely for those who make themselves accessible to the company of a true master and develop love for him. Sometimes in Sant Mat this is difficult, due to the great number of disciples. This is one reason many are turning to non-dual teachers for what they feel is to be more direct, accessible, and practical guidance. The Upanishads themselves were the product of a few students sitting at the feet of the master until all doubts were resolved. This turning away from the path could be unfortunate, however, throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Again, however, Paul Brunton explains that the mystical schools above all are the most likely to offer one method for all, whether that is suitable for an aspirant or not. There are several reasons for this:

   "The average teacher takes from his own personal experience what helped him most or what his own teacher led him to, and passes it on to the student as being "the Path," the only way to God, the sole method of arriving at truth - whether this particular way or method suits the individual type or his degree of development or not. He almost forces it on the student, even if it is contrary to the latter's entire temperament or need. The poor student finds himself locked up in his teacher's personal opinions and practices, as if nothing good existed outside them."

   "It is the mark of a well-qualified teacher that he adapts his advice to fit each disciple individually. If everyone is recommended to practise the same method irrespective of competence, his personal history and temperament, his grade of development or capacity, his character-traits and tendencies, in a number of cases it will be largely ineffectual." (Notebooks, Vol. 2, 6.513, 524)

   Again, the antidote is to go in all humility to the Master-Soul and tell him your problems; if he is a true master the help will be there.

23. Sant Mat apologists claim shabd yoga is NOT the same as nada yoga, which they argue only produces a state of laya, but not transport to the higher planes. Ramana Maharshi also made the claim that merely listening to the sounds, without vichara, would lead to a state of laya, but he didn't differentiate between shabd yoga and nada yoga. Sant Mat adepts claim the sounds heard by their initiates are different, being the true sounds and not their lower reflections, as in kriya yoga where they listen to the sounds at the various bodily chakras. Curiously, however, Sant Mat teachings have sometimes referred to Theosophist Madame Blavatsky’s writings as evidence for the existence of the various sounds heard by initiates, but, again, says that only Sant Mat initiates can hear the REAL sounds or use them to advance from plane to plane. The reason for this is found in the “five charged names” given at initiation by the masters that are the gnostic five “keys” to unlock passage from plane to plane, and also verify the veracity of ones inner visions. Only the visions that stand before repetition of these names belong to the positive power and will help one on his inward journey. The five names are described as akin to a mantra to be repeated until one contacts the sound current which, along with merging into the master’s radiant form, will really take the disciple upwards. Yet here we are again asking, respectfully, in an ultimate sense what can “upwards” or "within" mean except something in reference to the body? And then what meaning does have in respect to Mind itself, the body being but an idea arising in the Mind? The following quote relates to this:

   Former Benedictine monk, Swami Abhishiktånanda, who spent time under both Ramana Maharshi and Swami Gananananda, wrote:

   “For if it really was the within, it would be the within of some thing, and an absolute within is no longer a within. The final prop on which you were relying in order to discover the supreme secret must be jettisoned in its turn. There is nothing, nothing any more, void, absolute sunyata. Even the idea of within vanishes when the within is attained. What is the within? “It is.” asti, asti... There is no skin, no pulp and no kernel, no grain within the kernel and no new elements within the grain, these are the successive layers of an onion, each one more flimsy; when you have removed the last one, nothing remains...This nothing is the All.” (24)

   So at some point sages say that one must move from the practise of pursuing concentration on a projected ultimate object (i.e., God), with attention extended outside of the Heart, and inquire or find the ultimate subject, and then go even further and find the non-duality of subject and object. Ramana said listening to the sounds was good, it would concentrate the mind, but that it was better if accompanied with vichara (enquiry into the subject or perceiver itself. Zen Master Bassui (1338-1500) echoed Ramana:

   "What is this mind? Who is hearing these sounds? Do not mistake any state for Self-realization, but continue To ask yourself even more Intensely, What is it that hears?"

   Curiously, however, there are hints here and there that even some of the Sant Mat masters recognized this. [And, it must be pointed out, even if the planes of creation arise in consciousness, does NOT mean they are arbitrary]. As mentioned previously, a disciple I knew, Judith Lamb-Lion, who confessed in Kirpal Singh’s company and was acknowledged by him to have gone to Sach Khand at her intiation, still asked him in private, “WHO am I?” to which Kirpal replied “WHO wants to KNOW?" It should be mentioned that Kirpal did not suggest this inquiry or practice to just anyone. This was a ripe soul who had also been taken to Sach Khand, and for whom the question still arose. This would make sense of Ramana's comment:

   "It is said in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad that the first name of God is 'I'. 'Aham nama abhavat' ['I becomes the name']. Om came later." (25)

   'Om' here refers to the creative vibration or life-current, similar to Naam or Shabd in the Sikh or Sant tradition, except, to complicate matters, the Sants attribute the scope of "Om" to the lower three worlds only. Sar shabd and Sat shabd are said take one much higher and lead to liberation. Ramana was quite adamant that eventually the quest into the truth of the Self is alone the direct path to the right awareness of the self or realization. He affirmed that meditation is a preliminary aid to this quest for breaking up the idea of the body as the Self, but that in all yogas, or stages of yoga, other than that of enquiry, it is assumed that there is an entity called 'the soul' pursuing that quest, which he says is a false assumption. In summary, for Ramana all yoga and meditation is just preliminary to the ultimate path of vichara or enquiry, wherein the source of the apparent ego-soul is realized as the Self. One of Ramana's disciples also reported to him having the experience of the big bell within. Rather than telling him to follow the sound as in Sant Mat, Ramana advised the man to enquire to whom and wherefrom the sound was arising, saying that it was in fact a deep mental predisposition he was experiencing. This comment seems absurd on its face, and quite different than Sant Mat which views the sound as an inherent structure built into the manifest worlds, but then Ramana was known for always speaking from what he considered to be the highest viewpoint [the ajatadoctrine of non-creation]. For him, after realization the aspirant would recognize sound and light as part of the eternal "amrita nadi" arising from the Heart, but before then it was not the reality itself, but reality as known within the dream. On the other hand, Ramana never claimed to be able to go to higher planes, certainly not the entire many-storied creation, so perhaps he was not one who would be able to judge Sant Mat. Similarly, however, Sant Mat disciples are generally not in a position to judge Maharshi, the teachings and practices are so different.

Here is another example of how Ramana would direct his listener from a relative to an absolute viewpoint:

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Individual human souls are not the only beings known."

Question: "And the sacred regions Kailasa or Vaikuntha, are they real?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "As real as you are in this body."

Question: "Do they possess a phenomenal existence, like my body? Or are they fictions like the horn of a hare?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "They do exist."

Question: "If so, they must be somewhere. Where are they?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Persons who have seen them say that they exist somewhere. So we must accept their statement."

Question: "Where do they exist?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "In you."

   [Didn't Baba Sawan Singh say much the same thing?
   "Everything, including the Creator, is within you." ]

Question: "Then it is only an idea, which I can create and control?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Everything is like that."

Question: "But I can create pure fictions, for example, a hare's horn, or only part truths, for example a mirage, while there are also facts irrespective of my imagination. Do the Gods Iswara or Vishnu exist like that?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Yes."

Question: "Is God subject to Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) ?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Why? Man becoming aware of the Self transcends cosmic dissolution and becomes liberated. Why not Iswara who is infinitely wiser and abler?"

Question: "Do devas (angels) and pisachas (devils) exist similarly?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Yes."

Question: "These deities, what is their status relative to the Self?"

Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Siva, Ganapati and other deities like Brahma, exist from a human standpoint; that is to say, if you consider your personal self as real, then they also exist. Just as government has its high executive officers to carry on the government, so has the creator. But from the standpoint of the Self all these gods are illusory and must themselves merge into the one reality..." (26)

   Vedantist V.S. Iyer said that the concept of pralaya (cosmic dissolution) is just an unprovable statements, and really a metaphor to direct the seeker back to his immediate experience, that the world and ego disappear in deep sleep. The call is to examine the three states and realize turiya, that which pervades them all.

   In the meantime, the jnanis say, THIS world arises in and as consciousness or Mind, and is in that sense spiritual, also, however dense it may appear to be. Which is why such non-dual teachers always return the question back on the questioner and to his immediate experience or intuition of consciousness, presence- awareness, or Mind itself. They would say, must one wait until he reaches Anami to enjoy true enlightenment or liberation? Why? If it is reached that way fine, a path of bhakti and concentration is legitimate, but are there other ways, since even then one must always come back in the end to the ever-existent One? Kirpal Singh once said, "you are already there, you just don't know it." Why not question whether the ego-I is real even now?, says the advaitist Ramana goes so far as to say that if this issue isn't dealt with sooner or later, one places unnecessary restrictions on himself:

   "Truly there is no cause for you to be miserable and unhappy. You yourself impose limitations on your true nature of infinite being, and then weep that you are but a finite creature. Then you take up this or that spiritual practice to transcend the non- existent limitations. But if your spiritual practice itself assumes the existence of the limitations, how can it help you to transcend them?" (27)


24. Sant Darshan Singh said in one of his books that one doesn't get the first glimpse of true happiness until after transcending the fourth plane. No doubt there is great bliss as one ascends to the heavenly realms, and as the ray of the soul returns to its origin it partakes more directly of the nature of that source. Still, I find difficulty in accepting or simply agreeing with that comment, regardless of whether I am an example of happiness, which most of the time I am not, or someone who has gone to the fourth plane, which I have not, at least in this life, and no matter how pure and illumined Sant Darshan Singh was, which as far as I can tell few have walked the earth with as much sanctity as he. It is not that I disagree with it, but other sages have disagreed with it. Therefore the question arises. True, it is certainly harder to be happy here, and it appears that there is a limit to human happiness, due to its transciency, but it also seems that the communication of such a view could reinforce suffering, in so far as the more one believes or thinks he must get out of the body, the more fixed the belief in the reality of the body becomes, for one thing. Japanese Buddhist Master Fuji, who sat with Kirpal Singh a number of times, was in obvious ecstasy, with a smile as wide as the room, while in this very plane. Kirpal was often that way, too. There is also the example of the emotion-filled exclamation Kirpal made to His master, "Huzur, the peace and security found while sitting at your feet can not be had in higher planes!" Unless this was just a devotional gesture one must question the nature of happiness itself. Does it shine forth while being without ego in the moment, or is it only attained in some far-off inner plane, in the psychological depths of consciousness? If one believes strongly in the reality of the body and world as real, which the very drive to get out of the body must reinforce (not that one should never pursue it), then necessarily one will project his ideal of happiness in that direction only and not recognize it any other way. According to some, that very disposition is a big stumbling block to liberation. Again, we refer to Brunton who wrote:

   "The notion that the truth will be gained, that happiness will be achieved, that the Overself will be realized at the end of a long attempt must be seen as an illusory one. Truth, happiness, and the Overself must be seen in the Present, not the future, at the very beginning of this quest, not the end, here and now.....It is an error, although a reasonable one, to believe that attainment comes only when the whole distance of this path has been travelled. This is to make it depend on measurement, calculation - that is, on the ego's own effort, management, and control. On the contrary, attainment depends on relinquishment of the ego, and hence of the idea of progress which accompanies it. it is then that a man can be still; then that he can, as the bible promises, "know that I am God." (28)

   Ramana also declared:

   "What is meant by liberation? Do the heavenly worlds and heavenly bliss exist somewhere else in the sky? Are they to be experienced in some other world and some other body after leaving this world and the body? The heart alone is the supreme world. Tranquility, in the form of supreme silence, is alone the supreme bliss or the happiness of liberation...The cessation of all worries is the attainment of the supreme truth. By the state of inner consciousness the great life of supreme bliss can be attained at all times in this very world and in this very body." (29)

   Even Master Darshan spoke enigmatically about this, in apparent contradiction to his words mentioned above. In Love's Last Madness (p. 75) we find:

   "Eternal rapture is within reach in this ephemeral world:

    Devote your life to serving in the tavern."

   I feel Buddhists, advanced advaitins and such would be somewhat amused at the public dharma of Sant Mat, which is introduced as "esoteric" , when to them it might seem as possibly their "exoteric" teaching, ie., taught initially to purify the ego of the highest number of seekers possible, and wean them from gross attachment to the world, to break up the fixed identification with the body, and only later (much later in many instances) bring them around to the higher viewpoint which sees: (1) the unreality of the ego-soul itself and (2) that this world is divine, is Brahman, as well. Then an entirely new perspective arises, and ones initial motivating philosophy is no more. One truly lives an impersonal life.

   In that case the Sant Mat gurus would generally be honorably and laudibly classified according to the Lankavatara Sutra as "Transformation Buddhas", but not necessarily "Dharmata Buddhas" (such as Hui-neng), that is, those who do not publically teach the ultimate truth of the One Mind, but methods to help the most people they can from the level at which they find them. Many of the greatest gyanis in history have mixed mysticism with philosophy, trying to help as many people as they could., such is their great compassion and universal vision. As vedantist V.S. Iyer wrote:

   "In Brahma Sutras Sankara says that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Mandukya Upanishad he denies it. This is because he says that at the lower stage of understanding, the former teaching must be given, for people will be frightened as they cannot understand how the world can be without a cause, but to those in a higher stage, the truth of non-causality can be revealed." (30)

   And further:

   "Guadapada was the first historic teacher known to give us a rational exposition of Advaita. He says that whatever is seen, whether external or internal, whether by ordinary persons or yogis, is unreal." (31)

   This would mean, that, contrary to what my Beloved Guru Kirpal SIngh taught, "Seeing is NOT above all," rather, Being and Knowing are above all. From my perspective, He used that easily understood phrase not as a statement of ultimate truth, but rather to distinguish between gurus who could give their disciples an actual experience of inner light at the time of initiation from those who could not. At some point, however, one must make the jump from seeing objectively to understanding subjectively, in order to get truth.

   Generally, it seems to be the case that the more followers a teacher has, the simpler, easier, and more watered down the teaching he communicates. This is no mystery, because while all want happiness, few of us apparently want truth straight out or are ripe to understand its implications, namely, for one, that truth is no respector of personal satisfaction. As Hung-Jen (eighth century) said:

   “Throughout the canon, the Tathagata preaches extensively about all types of transgression and good fortune, causes and conditions, and rewards and retributions. He also draws upon all the various things of this world, mountains, rivers, the earth, plants, trees, etc. to make innumerable metaphors. He also manifests innumerable supernormal powers and various kinds of transformations. All these are just the Buddha’s way of teaching foolish sentient beings. Since they have various kinds of desires and a myriad of psychological differences, the Tathagata draws them into permanent bliss according to their mental tendencies. Understand clearly that the Buddha Nature embodied within sentient beings is inherently pure, like a sun underlaid by clouds. By just distinctly maintaining awareness of the True Mind, the clouds of false thoughts will go away, and the sun of wisdom will appear." (32)

   Contemporary non-dualist Melvyn Wartella in his website (www.friendsofreality.org) writes on the essence of what an enlightened being has realized, aside from any powers (siddhis) or achievements he may have picked up along the way through a particular sadhana or practice:

   "An Enlightened person is just a person who has awakened to the facts, as they have always been, no more. People seem to think the Enlightened are infallible and perfect in every way. Not so. They are whole and complete but they are just human beings, no better and no worse than anyone else. They make mistakes, make fools of themselves, and most of the things all people do from time to time. They cannot see anything as being outside of their Being. They cannot hate or cause harm to anyone, they do have more compassion than most other humans, they do not get lost in mindless dreams or beliefs, they are secure, and for the most part happy. Even to say I had an enlightenment experience is misleading. There is no one to have such an experience, there is just reality seen clearly without the illusion of self in the way. Our language is dualistic and not very helpful in expressing that which is whole and complete."

   The following quote is going to hurt. PB states:

   "The sage has conquered separativeness in his mind and realized the ALL as himself. The logical consequence is tremendous. It follows that there is no liberation from the round of births and rebirths for the sage; he has to go through it like the others. Of course, he does this with full understanding whereas they are plunged in darkness. But if he identifies himself with the All, then he can't desert but must go on to the end, working for the liberation of others in turn. This is his crucifixion, that being able to save others he is unable to save himself. "And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, `And he was numbered with the transgressors.' Why? Because compassion rules him, not the ego. Nobody is likely to want such a goal (until, indeed he is almost ready for it) so it is usually kept secret or symbolized. Again: "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (33)

   Ramana Maharshi and others, even Darshan Singh, have said the same, that they would come back again and again to help apparent other souls.

   Regarding the issue of sahaj, furthermore, I think I have seen Kirpal Singh very subtly laugh when talking or entertaining such esteemed guests as Master Fuji and others, and giving them his books while at tea. When asked if he still meditated, he replied, “when you get your PhD, do you have to learn the ABC’s?” This seems in-line with the following from the sage Sri Atmananda (Krishna Menon):

   "The samadhi experience is that ‘I was happy.’ But when you understand, from a Karana-guru, that Happiness is your real nature, you come to realize that you are yourself the goal of samadhi. With this understanding, all hankering after samadhi disappears; though samadhi might still come upon you sometimes merely as a matter of course or samskara. But you will never again be attracted by the enjoyment of happiness in samadhi."(34)

   Therefore I am led to believe that the above remark by Sant Darshan Singh is an example that shows that even great Masters often interpret and communicate their experience of realization according to both their prior understanding as well as the specific path by which it was achieved (and also in language that the people they live with traditionally expect). These are primary reasons why realized beings often disagree. [This statement implies that there are other legitimate paths to realization than Sant Mat, which I am certainly not in a position to prove or argue convincingly one way or another; the Sants generally say theirs is the only, God-given way; others obviously disagree]. PB, however, who honored the path of bhakti and the true guru-disciple relationship, wrote:

   "Even the gurus, however reputed and respected, can teach and lead others only by the path along which they themselves came. Their work can be helpful, valuable, encouraging; but at a certain point, when apprenticeship must give way to proficiency, it can become repetitive and restrictive. After that, the courage and strength to obey the Voice of the Silence, sought and given by the Silence itself, must alone lead him." (35)

   He also offers two bold statements:

   "It would be wrong to believe that the attainment of a high degree of initiation into mystical truth makes any man or woman absolutely infallible in personal judgement or absolutely infallible in personal character."

   "The realized man leaves no lineal descendants to take over his spiritual estate. Spiritual succession is a fiction. The heir to a Master's mantle must win it afresh: he cannot inherit it."(36)

   The previous quote may apply to the jnanis, but not the Masters, who always leave a successor. As Kirpal said, "one bulb is replaced with another." Sant Mat believes the Satguru is an incarnation eternally present on the earth, "giving food for the hungry and water for the thirsty," as Christ said.

   Each person must weigh such words deeply within himself. They were not meant for beginners, for whom some of them may seem to go against a central tenet of spiritual paths where the Master is considered all in all for the disciple. I personally feel there is no inherent conflict, however, and that in a mature student-teacher relationship such varying points of view can and need to be reconciled one way or another.

   As for those teachers who attain their realization quickly by extreme good karma or grace, there is the added question of their ability to serve in a teaching capacity for those whose life experiences have been radically different. PB adds:

   "There are men of enlightenment who cannot throw down a bridge from where they are to where they once were, so that others too can cross over. They do not know or cannot describe in detail the way which others must follow to reach the goal. Such men are not the teaching-masters, and should not be mistaken for them. The man of enlightenment who has never been a learner, who suddenly gained his state by the over whelming good karma of previous lives, is less able to teach others than the one who slowly and laboriously worked his way into the state-who remembers the trials, pitfalls, and difficulties he had to overcome." (37)

   This is not a specific criticism of Sant Mat, or any teacher or path, but simply a possible limitation which must be recognized or at least considered. A teacher or Master may in fact still be a true and effective agent of Grace without the ability to advise one in all areas of life or practice; in such cases, one will inevitably be moved out of inner necessity to exercise and develop his intelligence in many matters and seek guidance, with all due love and respect to the primary master of his heart, from other sources as required, and without fear or paranoia about "Kal" or anything else. In traditional devotional paths this independence and self-reliance has usually been considered taboo, but in the age we are living in that is increasingly becoming a no longer viable or believable point of view. The Divine Mind seems to be leading us on a path of evolution and to develop all of ones faculties is part of that evolution. And there is a higher purpose behind this:

   "Each human being has a specific work to do - to express the uniqueness that is himself. It can be delegated to no one else. In doing it, if he uses the opportunity aright, he may be led to the great Uniqueness which is superpersonal, beyond his ego and behind all egos." (38)

   This means for the ego to come in comformity with the evolving World-idea, the manifestation of God in the cosmos, and thereby outgrow its smallness and become identified with the universal "I".

   To teach outside the religious and cultural expectations of tradition when needed requires skill, knowledge, and courage. Sant Kirpal did so, with some. Sant Darshan Singh, to his credit, seemed to be moving in that direction, but once admitted, bless his soul, that he “was old-fashioned”. Perhaps he was referring to personal moral codes and such, perhaps not. I was not his personal disciple so I cannot say. He did write that when all is said and done, one must come to the point of surrender. With that there can be no argument. But there is no question that the public message of Sant Mat in general continues to be simply “go in and up”. For some this works, but for many, apparently not so well. There are many, many souls who have meditated faithfully for years and been disheartened with the results. This may not all be attributed to a lack of patience and perseverance or the difficulty of the ordeal. Here is where the eastern teachers, in some instances, may still be on a learning curve when dealing with those from the west. I am not a teacher and have no spiritual capacity whatsoever, but I am sure in saying this I am voicing the feelings and opinions of many, which is why I risk criticism for doing so. I very well may be wrong.

   Many of these questions, as well, arise from a misunderstanding of the fundamental nature of a mature guru-disciple relationship. The dynamic is changing rapidly as cultural forms from the East are transplanted into the West, with results sometimes good, and sometimes disappointing or not so good. An excellent, well-written article on this subject, which I recommend to anyone interested in going beyond the naive expectations of what a student or a master should be, is The Guru-Disciple Relationship: Making Connections and Withdrawing Projections, by Vic Mansfield. Through the writings of psychologist Carl Jung and philosopher-sage Paul Brunton, the author dissects the false assumptions and immature ideas that have developed around this most primary and powerful of all relationships.

   To return to our main point in this section, as far as going "in and up" goes, do the saints need to be transported there for realization, or just for "vacation" or "refreshment" from the labors of their eternal sacrifices? Many have suggested that to be the case. Great experiences, light, and ecstasy, according to sages and major sutras, do not in themselves prove Self or God-Realization, although they are positive signs of purification and advancement in concentration. The concentration thus gained traditionally has been explained as then granting the power and razor-sharp mind necessary for the higher exercises and stages of insight, which in many but not all cases occur after one has advanced as far as one can go within and fulfilled the mystic path. Some, however, apparently simply come to the end of their rope, give in, and wake up. There are many teachers out there today like that, which cannot be easily discounted without serious investigation. Numerous mystics and sages, moreover, have said that the stages of absorption (whether jhanas, in vipassanna, or samadhis, in yoga), in any case must be gone beyond. However, that must not be done prematurely. Most scriptures, at some point, and even Kirpal Singh and other Sant Mat masters have said this, too. It is just that, it is not taught that way universally and openly in Sant Mat or other mystic paths, as of yet. The path as currently presented, however, can and should be discussed and compared with other teachings as far as is humanly possible, even if we are discussing matters beyond our current experience, and I believe that in the coming age this will be inevitable and necessary. In the coming age, Sri Ramakrishna said "in the not too distant future Christs would grow like grapes on a vine, in clusters." For now the true Masters each have their role to play, and there is no criticism of that, as noted above regarding "Transformation Buddhas." These few are remarkable, unfathomable beings. A simple example recently illustrated this to me even more clearly.

   In the July 2007 issue of Sat Sandesh magazine Sant Rajinder spoke about how we should meditate because we will see the glorious inner realms and have bliss and peace, and that another benefit is that we will see our relatives and realize that they, too, are in a better place of peace and joy. Now, at first glance, forgive me, when I read this I felt like saying, "what is this, how could he say such a thing? doesn't it contradicts everything Sant Mat teaches about life after death, especially for the uninitiated? Kirpal Singh's book, Mystery of Death, does not promise that everyone just by dying is in a better place. You have some vivid but dream-like experiences for a while, have a pleasant sleep, and then are reborn until you get it right or wake up. One doesn't progress just by dying!" But after further contemplation, I was reminded of a story about Ramana Maharshi. A man came to him distraught about a son who had passed away. He wanted Ramana to tell him if he would see his son again when he died. Ramana didn't answer him, and the man relentlessly implored him to promise him that he would again see his son when he died. Finally after a long time Ramana said, "yes." When the man left, Ramana turned to one of his advanced devotees and said, "what could I say? If I had said "no" the man's faith would have been shaken to its roots."

   Sri Nisargadatta, in the midst of speaking about the point of view of the jnani, also confessed to using such consoling words when dealing with souls of less understanding:

"Q: Imagine you are ill -- high fever, aches, shivers. The doctor tells you the condition is serious, there are only a few days to live. What would be your first reaction?
M: No reaction. As it is natural for the incense stick to burn out, so it is natural for the body to die. Really, it is a matter of very little importance. What matters is that I am neither the body nor the mind. I am.
Q: Your family will be desperate, of course. What would you tell them?
M: The usual stuff: fear not, life goes on, God will protect you, we shall be soon together again and so on. But to me the entire commotion is meaningless, for I am not the entity that imagines itself alive or dead. I am neither born nor can I die. I have nothing to remember or to forget...
Q: How does the jnani fare after death?
M: The jnani is dead already. Do you expect him to die again?
Q: Surely, the dissolution of the body is an important event even to a jnani.
M: There are no important events for a jnani, except when somebody reaches the highest goal. Then only his heart rejoices. All else is of no concern. The entire universe is his body, all life is his life. As in a city of lights, when one bulb burns out, it does not affect the network, so the death of a body does not affect the whole."

   How many of us are interested in hearing the truth of the self for its own sake? Let us not judge masters too prematurely, for their message is given to many, many people of different background, understanding, and readiness. Paul Brunton wrote:

   “This goal must not be mistaken, however, for the orthodox Hindu or Buddhist goal of liberation from the cycle of rebirths. The philosophic aspirant seeks liberation only from mental and emotional bondage to the experiences of these rebirths. He does not hate earthly life nor desire to disappear utterly in the universal life. Unlike the ordinary Oriental ascetic or mystic he is content to come back to earth again and again, provided he can come back with wisdom, understanding and compassion, and participate effectively and selflessly in human affairs. For he knows that death and birth, earth and heaven, are but changes in idea, and that in reality there is one unchanging existence which is birthless and deathless and everlasting. The world is for ever changing, but the flow of changes is itself permanent. Therefore we can find the Eternal here in this world as well as in the supra-mundane realm.....

   Ultimately we may continue to exist no longer as finite beings, only as the Absolute itself. The person is absorbed into its impersonal source. This deprives immortality of all human meaning. The instinct of self preservation holds us all in so powerful a thrall that we demand its satisfaction even after we have renounced the transient mortal life. For then there is no impress on the universal life, nothing to show in the vast void of the Absolute that the individual has even existed at all. But we as egos shall not pass into nothingness when we finish this pilgrimage from outward existence to inward Essence. We shall pass inwardly into a state where we shall not be involved in time space change as humanly known, a state where they become meaningless terms. This state is as undeniable by a being in it as it is impenetrable by those who stand outside it. But it exists. It is not annihilation, it is the fullness of being.

   From this final standpoint there can exist no such process as the cyclic whirl of reincarnation. All births on earth are then seen to be appearances of one and the same thing. The thing is known to be the reality, and its appearances are known to be its shadows. But before this high level is reached man thinks in his ignorance that he has a wholly separate existence from all other men, that he is a finite individual who must be born again and again on earth until he attains the being of the Overself, and that the Overself and he are two things, separate and apart.” (unpublished essay)

   So I sense that Sant Rajinder was speaking to someone or some particular group of people in his talk for which such a consoling message was a help. Sort of like "Mr. Rogers". Watching Mr. Rogers (God rest his soul) was a humbling experience. A cynical person like myself could never pull off what he did. He was incredible. So, too, the Masters have their amazing play and often there is little to say about why they do what they do. Sooner or later master-teachers say almost everything, to one person or another. In this instance, however, was such a statement of Sant Rajinder's the literal "truth" ? The answer is, for the Sant Mat initiate, it is said that their close relations and loved ones are also given the boon of the Living Master’s help, and are not at the mercy of Kal, or the angel of death, the Lord of the three worlds within which souls recycle endlessly until they meet the Master.

   I am fully aware that some will cringe at what seems like the exclusivity of such a teaching, while others will shed tears of joy.

   From the point of view of the higher philosophy, such as the Mandukya Upanishad, Ramana, etc., it is all imaginary. But it is as real as we seem to be.

   "Nobody is born or dies at any time; it is the mind that conceives its birth and death and its migration to other bodies and other worlds." - Yoga Vasishta
25. Once more, there is the issue of purification of vasanas or egoic tendencies to clear up. The Sant Mat answer to this is rather unique. In the lineage they say the sanchit karmas, that is, the vasanas, tendencies, and karmas, from time immemorial are eradicated forever by the Master at the time of initiation. The pralabd karmas,those making up this lifetime, are left alone, otherwise one would die at the time of initiation. The kriyaman karmas are those one accumulates from day to day by wrong living, and are kept to a minimum by meditation, moral actions, selfless service, and eating a vegetarian diet. If one does this adequately with full faith then at the time of death when them Master takes one through the pool of Manasrovar in the supracausal plane where one sheds his causal body, all ones karma from time immemorial is wiped out forever. Otherwise the accumulated kriyaman karma may require another birth to be purified. This will, no doubt, raise the air on the neck of the confirmed vedantists, who may not even believe in the concept of karma. So be it. To them it might be said, "see you next life." Just kidding.

   Sages like Ramana Maharshi speak differently about this issue of karmas and samskaras: they say it is an (often long and drawn out) affair that must occur in the waking state, whereby the vasanas of egoity are scorched by checking them in consciousness as they arise and returning consciousness to its source. This must go on even after an experience of nirvikalpa, or formless inner trance. The consciousness must become stabilized under all conditions. One can easily see that this is a very different view. Vedantist Iyer gives a philosophic interpretation of the bath in Manasarovar (Sanskrit: "manas-sarovar", or "lake of mind"). For Iyer, the world in front of us, including the body, is the lake of mind that one must be immersed in until he has firmly established that all is an idea, or a mental appearance. The epistemological argument goes: reality of matter is a guess; we can only known what appears in consciousness; therefore, everything is an idea. This understanding, he says, effectively dissolves the world into Mind, and one realizes in his understanding that he is Atman. Then through further inquiry Atman is known to be the same as Brahman. This, he says, is equivalent of the religious pilgrimage to Lake Manasarovar where one takes his ritualistic bath before going on to Kailas. For Iyer, Kailas signifies Atman. Iyer makes no mention of the mystic interpretation given in Sant Mat.

   26. When I sat before Kirpal Singh, one disciple complained that she couldn’t still her mind. On this path concentration (dhyan) is the sine qua non. Kirpal replied,”that’s all of our problem!” Some would take that as a matter-of-fact reply, the point being that achieving stilling of the mind was difficult for everyone. Yet perhaps there was an additional meaning to Sant Kirpal’s remark. At the time my “dhyan” was being demolished. Later, I remembered this incident when I read the following words of the chinese master Hung-Jen:

   “The triple realm is an empty apparition that is solely the creation of the individual mind. Do not worry if you cannot achieve concentration and do not experience the various psychological states. Just constantly maintain clear awareness of the True Mind in all your actions.” (39)

   Hui-neng, the sixth Patriarch, also said along these lines regarding stilling the mind. The diffferences with the mystical approach are clear:

   ”People under delusion believe obstinately that there is a substance behind appearances and so they are stubborn in holding to their own way of interpreting the samadhi of specific mode, which they define as, "sitting quietly and continuously without letting any idea arise in the mind." Such an interpretation would class us with inanimate objects; it is a stumbling-block to the right Path and the Path should be kept open. How can we block the Path? By attachment to any definite thought; if we free our minds from attachments, the Path will be clear, otherwise we are in bondage. If that practice of "sitting quietly without letting any idea arise in the mind," is correct, why on one occasion was Saraputra reprimanded by Vimalakirti for sitting quietly in the forest? (That is, it is not thinking that blocks the Path, but attachment to definite thoughts.)

   Some teachers of concentration instructed their disciples to keep a watch on their minds and secure tranquillity by the cessation of all thought, and henceforth their disciples gave all effort to concentrate the mind and ignorant persons who did not understand the distinction became insane from trying to carry out the instruction literally. Such cases are not rare and it is a great mistake to teach the practice.

   It has been the tradition of our school to make "non-objectivity" as our basis, "idea-lessness" as our object, and "non-attachment" as our fundamental principle. "Non-objectivity" means, not to be absorbed in objects when in contact with objects; "idea-lessness" means, not to be carried away by any particular idea in our exercise of the mental faculty; "non-attachment" means, not to cherish any desire for or aversion to any particular thing or idea. "Non-attachment" is the characteristic of Mind-essence.

   We should treat all things--good or bad, beautiful or ugly--as void (of any self-substance). Even in time of dispute and quarrel, we should treat intimates and enemies alike and never think of retaliation. In the thinking faculty, let the past be dead. If we allow our thoughts, past, present and future, to become linked up into a series, we put ourselves under restraint. On the other hand, if we never let our mind become attached at any time to any thing, we gain emancipation. For this reason we make "non-attachment" our fundamental principle.To free ourselves from dependence upon externals is called, "non-objectivity." In as far as we are in position to do this, the path of the Dharma is free. That is why we make "non-objectivity" our basis.

   To keep our mind free from defilement under all circumstances is called "idea-lessness." Our mind should always stand aloof and on no account should we allow circumstances to influence the functioning of the mind. It is a great mistake to suppress all thinking. Even if we succeed, and die immediately thereafter, still, there is reincarnation. Mark this, pilgrims of the Path! It is bad enough for a man to commit blunders by cherishing false ideas of the Dharma, how much worse to teach others. Being deluded, he is blind himself, and in addition he misrepresents and puts to shame the Buddhist scriptures. Therefore we make "idea-lessness" our object.”

   Further, in The Buddhist Bible, by Dwight Goddard, we find this summary of the Mahayana teachings on non-duality:

   "What, then, is the teaching of the Mahayana?"

   "From the point of ordinary men," replied the Patriarch, "enlightenment and ignorance are two separate things. Wise men who thoroughly realise Mind-essence, know that they are of the same nature. This sameness of nature, that is, this non-duality of nature, is what is called 'true nature'; it neither decreases in the case of an ordinary man and ignorant person, nor increases in the case of an enlightened sage; it is undisturbed in an annoying situation, and is calm in Samadhi. It is neither eternal, nor not-eternal; it neither goes, nor comes, it is to be found neither in the interior, nor in exterior, nor in the space intervening between. It is beyond existence and nonexistence; its nature and its phenomena are always in a state of 'tathata'; it is both permanent and immutable.”

   It might be asked, when and how does the Sant mat initiate reach such understanding and realization? Is it an automatic product of reaching the Anami stage, or must something else occur along the way?

   Any confusion, whether from imprecision in language or understanding, as well as secrecy or difficulty in comparing these teachings or any other, begs for clarification. My experience with Sant Kirpal Singh was unique and led me to feel that he himself may in a sense have transcended the conventional teaching of his lineage and realized Sat and Sahaj, for instance, independent of exclusive inversion. He once asked me if I wanted anything, if I wanted to leave my body, and when I replied (unknowingly, without much intelligence at the time, as I was a young man), “no, nothing,” he immediately got excited and said, “You're an emperor, I’ll kiss your feet, God is nothing!” A couple of days later I had a satori or kensho type of experience at his ashram, which he seemed to recognize and acknowledge, even though I didn’t yet know what had happened at the time. It was not mystical or psychic, or even an experience, but an instant of realization of the ego or person's unreality, even while in the body. Everything was an idea in consciousness. Nothing had changed, and everything negative in me remained to be purified, but yet, everything was different. It was one of those infamous "non-events" the non-dualists are so fond of talking about. I knew this was something that never arose in any of my inner meditations before that moment, and could not have arisen as long as my attention was only rivetted on inner phenomena or their expectation. Kirpal, as stated, after giving a long and detailed description of the path to the final goal, once said, "you already are there, you just don't know it." To me this confirms he had a more complete realization than that conventionally elaborated in Sant Mat, and that Kirpal, like Rumi and Kabir, was among the highest gurus in that lineage..

   Ramana spoke of a tiny orifice in the heart which is normally closed, but when opened led to realization of the Self and happiness, here and now. This causal "knot" (granthi) is not automatically opened by the path of ascent, it seems, but rather the knot at the ajna doorway is opened. That is, the “divya chakshu” is opened, but not necessarily the “jnana chakshu” that Ramana talked about. That may or may not open depending on one’s background, prior understanding, etc. Otherwise the ego on the path of ascent "takes a bath" and is purified of gross attachment, or should be, but still remains intact as a "soul" (or ego, depending on one's point of view) for quite some time; further, on return to the world ignorance to a degree reasserts itself, perhaps not in all, but in many cases. Maybe the knot at the Heart opens later, at the end of the path, after reaching and coming out of Anami, but such is not discussed or fully explained in Sant Mat. It is likely that the greatest of these Masters, such as Kabir, Nanak, Kirpal, and a few others knew the Truth, but this major distinction between the teachings regarding the Heart versus the third eye (ajna center) is simply not given much recognition. Rather, the path of the sages is just dismissed as a lesser path, and left at that. This leaves many experiences unexplainable. On the other hand, it is likely possible for the jnana chakshu to open, on the path of knowledge, without the divya chakshu opening to any significant degree. Perhaps for both to open would be best. Nevertheless, the Buddha is reported to have characterized realization as a “tacit insight, nothing more".

   “All that we are arises with our thoughts.
   With our thoughts we make the world. …. Wanting nothing
   With all your heart
   Stop the stream. When the world dissolves
   Everything becomes clear. Go beyond
   This way or that way,
   To the farther shore
   Where the world dissolves
   And everything becomes clear. Beyond this shore
   And the farther shore,
   Beyond the beyond,
   Where there is no beginning,
   No end.” (The Dhammapada)

   I humbly implore the Masters that any remaining mystique surrounding Sant Mat should be let go, that they speak openly and plainly, as was done in ancient days (but have confidence that the most compassionate among them will do as they know best for the good of all). The Tripura Rahasya states:

   "The best among sages can, without hesitation, give complete answers on matters relating to Realization and the sublimest truths. He seems to be spontaneously animated when discussing matters pertaining to jnana (knowledge) and is never tired of their exposition." (40)

   Similarly, the sage Yajnavalkya has been taken as a model of the ideal teacher since the earliest times:

   "He exemplifies a major characteristic of the guru, namely, to teach fully, holding nothing back. Although different teachers use different methods, the authentic guru holds nothing in reserve; he teaches all that he knows and experiences. According to the texts, Yajnavalkya exposed principles relentlessly until understanding took place. These early teachers, though their teaching was frequently obscure and esoteric, were not part of a closed society. There was no fear of a free exchange of ideas even among the teachers themselves. Above all, they were concerned for the lineage of sacred wisdom and the necessity of its transmission." (41)

   V.S. Iyer writes:

   "Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. He was no fool in writing...[He] stressed the great importance of freeing our use of words from all ambiguity...Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words, and to practice semantic analysis in his book, "Definition of one's own Self." (42)

   I say, with my limited understanding and countless faults, that it is time for secrecy and old language to be abandoned. The truth must be made plain. There are inevitable mysteries and paradoxes on the path to be sure, words as such being but pointers towards wordless truth, but also many 'unnecessary mysteries and paradoxes' due to philosophical provincialism and doctrinal obscurity. Even under genuine teachers, many initiates have suffered from a lack of clarity and understanding.

   Even so, there have been hints dropped here and there. Jagat Singh, interregnum guru between Sawan Singh and Charan Singh, said "90% of spirituality is correct thinking." More recently, Gurinder Singh, successor to Charan Singh, when asked why he never taught anything about non-duality, remarked that "people would not understand it." Right there may be evidence that Sant Mat, as disseminated for the masses, is an intermediate or second-tier teaching, and not the most direct truth.

   All this being said, Sant Kirpal Singh often said that if one wished to be convinced of the greatness of this path, he should go see an initiate dying. Many have attested to the Radiant Form of the Master coming for them at the time of their passing. Hopefully, blessed assurance is granted the faithful soul even before this final event. The promise given by true Sants is that for the devoted disciple indeed there is not only such assurance but also much help. Sant Kirpal Singh said:

   "Satguru is the fountainhead of grace. Strange are the ways in which he works his grace. With just a single kindly look he may bless a jiva forever." (43)

   "Having received the protection of a God-realized man, do you think he would ever forget you? The Master always holds his disciples in the innermost heart center." (44)


Footnotes

(1) Francis G. Wickes, The Inner World of Choice (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1986), p. 81
(1) Anthony Damiani, Looking Into Mind (Burdett, New York: Larson Publications, 1990), p. 105
(2) Anthony Damiani, Living Wisdom (Burdett, New York:Larson Publications, 1996), p. 167
(3) Ibid, p. 168
(4) The Notebooks of Paul Brunton (Burdett, New York: Larson Publications, 1988), Vol. 15, 8.59
(5) Kirpal Singh, Godman (Delhi, India: Ruhani Satsang, 1971), p. 128
(6) Maharaj Saheb, Discourses on Radhasoami Faith (Soamibag, Agra, India: Radhasoami Satsang, 1983), p. 52
(7) David Godman, No Mind, I Am The Self (Nellore District, A.P., India: Sri Lakshmana Ashram, 1986), p. 10
(8) “The Muni and the Maharshi,” Part III, The Mountain Path 14, No. 3 (July 1978), p. 147-148
(9) Talks with Ramana Maharshi (Carlsbad, California: Inner Directions Publishing, 2001), p. 272
(10) David Lane, THE RADHASOAMI TRADITION: A CRITICAL HISTORY OF GURU SUCCESSORSHIP (New York, New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1992), Chapter Four: The Politics of Guru Successorship (on-line at: http://vm.mtsac.edu/~dlane/rs4.html)
(11) Swami Satprakashananda, The Goal and the Way (St Louis: The Vedanta Society of St. Louis, 1977), p. 179
(12) Krriacos C. Markides, The Magus of Strovolos (Penguin Arkana 1990), p.
(13) Yogacarya Swami Krpalvanandji, Science of Meditation (Gujarat, India: Sri Dahyabhai Hirabhai Potet (publishers), 1977), p. 83-84
(14) Asvaghosa, Fifty Verses of Guru-Devotion (Dharamsala, India: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1976), p. 19
(15) Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (New York, N.Y>: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001), p. 224-225
(16) Swami Yogeshwaranand Saraswati, Science of Soul (New Delhi: Yoga Niketan Trust, 1987, 4th ed.), p. 126
(17) Talks with Ramana Maharshi (Carlsbad, California: Inner Directions Publishing, 2001), p. 141, 118, 99
(18) Adyashanti, Emptiness Dancing (Los Gatos, California: Open Gate Publishing, 2004), p. 199-200
(19) Arran Stephens, Journey to the Luminous (Seattle, Washington: Elton-Wolf Publishing, 1999), p. 249-250;
(20) Darshan Singh, Streams of Nectar (Naperville, IL: SK Publications), p. 263
(21) Ibid, p. 106-107
(22) Yogeshwaranand Saraswati, Science of the Soul (New Delhi, India: Yoga Niketan Trust, 1987), p. 238
(23) Ibn Al ‘Arabi, The Bezels of Wisdom, trans. by R.W.J. Austin (Mahwah, New Jersey: The Paulist Press, 1980), p. 93
(24) Swami Abishiktananda (internet reference)
(25) David Godman, The Power of the Presence, Part One (Tiruvannamalai, India: Sri Ramanasramam, 2000), p. 233
(26) Talks with Ramana Maharshi, op. cit., p.
(27) Ibid, p.
(28) The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, op. cit., Vol. 15, Part 1, 5.216, 5.233
(29) David Godman, op. cit., p. 133
(30) V.S. Iyer, Commentaries, Vol. 1 (edited by Mark Scorelle, 1999), p. 197
(31) Ibid, p. 210
(32) John R. McRae, The Northern School and the Formation of Early Ch’an Buddhism, 1986), p.
(33) The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, op. cit., Vol. 16, Part One, 4.42
(34) Nitya Tripta, Notes on Spiritual Discourses of Shree Atmananda (Trivandrum, India: The Reddiar Press, 1963).
(35) The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, op. cit.,, Vol. 15, Part 2, 4.65
(36) The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, op. cit.,Vol. 16, Part 1, 5.274, 276
(37) The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, op. cit., Vol. 16, 5:20-21
(38) The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, op. cit., Vol. 2, 5.19)
(39) The Northern School and the Formation of Early Ch’an Buddhism by John R. McRae 1986
(40) Tripura Rahasya, or the Mystery Beyond the Trinity, trans. by Swami Ramananda Saraswathi (Tiruvannamalai, South India: Sri Ramanasramam, 1971), p. 187
(41) William Cenkner, A Tradition of Teachers: Sankara and the Jagadgurus Today (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 1983), p. 11-12
(42) V.S. Iyer, op. cit., p. 196-197
(43) Kirpal Singh, Godman, Chapter 28
(44) Portrait of Perfection (Bowling Green, VA: Sawan Kirpal Publications, 1981), p. 189