TO THOSE WITH LITTLE DUST IN THEIR EYES

[Guest guest]

TO THOSE WITH LITTLE DUST

 

(EDITORIAL)

 

 

It is related (and the story is no less significant whether

historically true or not) that after attaining Enlightenment the

Buddha’s first impulse was to abide in the effulgence of Bliss

without turning back to convey the incommunicable to mankind.

Then he reflected:

 

“Some there are who are clear-sighted and do not need my teaching, and

some whose eyes are clouded with dust who will not heed it though

given, but between these two there are also some with but little dust

in their eyes, who can be helped to see; and for the sake of these I

will go back among mankind and teach.”

It is for those with little dust in their eyes that this journal is intended.

 

Its purpose is to show that there is a more satisfactory state than

that of ignorant, confused, unguided, frustrated modern man, and a

higher, more satisfying and more durable alternative for him than any

provided by wealth or luxury, art or music, or the love between man

and woman; that such a state can be attained in his lifetime, and

that the purpose of all religions has been to lead men towards it,

although in many different ways. I say ‘towards’ rather than ‘to’

because even though the supreme state may not be attained in this

lifetime, the mere approach to it can bring a peace of mind and

sense of well being not otherwise attainable.

 

Mystics have often had unsought glimpses of a higher or the highest

state; those who are psychic have out-of-the-body and other

experiences closed to the ordinary man; but all this is of little

importance in the quest for Realization. Such powers or experiences

may be a help at certain stages of certain types of path, but they

may also be a hindrance and distraction, like the sirens whom

Odysseus heard but against whom he made his crew plug their ears.

If the pleasures of the physical world are seductive, those of the

subtle world are certainly no less so.

Christ said that if a man attains the kingdom of heaven all else shall

be added to him; but that is after attaining. If he seeks all

else beforehand he is not likely to attain. It is safer to have one’s ears plugged.

 

The quest is no shorter and no less arduous for those who have such

powers and experiences than for those who have not. Realization is

not something like music, for which some are by nature more gifted

than others; it is fundamentally different, since music requires the

development of a faculty which is stronger in some and weaker in

others, whereas Realization is the discovery of and identification

with the Self that has the faculties.

 

It is very hard, perhaps impossible, to say who can and will

understand. It has certainly nothing in common with intellectual

ability as commonly understood. Indeed, the scriptures of the various

religions agree in warning that neither intellect nor learning is any

qualification. They also can be a hindrance.

“It is rather the unlearned who are saved than those whose ego has not

yet subsided in spite of their learning.”1 “

The humble knowledge of oneself is a surer way to God than deep researches after science.”2

A scientist can fail to understand spiritual science, a philosopher be

unreceptive to the Perennial Philosophy, a psychologist remain

ignorant of what underlines the mind.

On the other hand, a spiritual Master may or may not be an

intellectual: Ramana Maharshi was, but Sri Ramakrishna was an

ecstatic with the mind rather of a peasant than a philosopher, while

St. Ignatius Loyola was temperamentally so averse to study that it

required immense effort for him to gain the degree without which the

Church would not allow him to teach, and he was middle-aged before he

did so.

 

A Master may feel who are his people and draw them to him, but even

that is no guarantee of a good outcome to the quest: Judas was among

the closest followers of Christ and Devadatta among those of Buddha,

while Mohammed is told in the Quran: “You cannot save those whom you

will but those whom God wills.”

 

What is required is rather willingness to open one’s heart to the

truth, to surrender oneself, give up one’s ego, conceive of the

possibility of its non-existence, give up one’s life for GOD sake

(„Christ’s sake“ for the believers in Christ). That is why the Quran

speaks of unbelievers rather as perverse than ignorant, saying that

even if an angel from heaven came down to explain to them they would

not listen.

 

Theoretical understanding is not enough. Neither is belief in the

sense of a conviction that this or that will happen after death. What

is needed is to set one’s hand to the plough, as Christ put it, to

undertake the true alchemy, transmuting the dross in one’s nature to

gold.

This is the quest of the Sangraal, the search for the elixir of life,

the eternal youth of the Spirit.

It is the pathway of the heroes, the way from trivialities to grandeur.

 

Its consummation is like waking up from a dream into the ever-existent Reality.

 

1 Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi,

Supplementary Forty Verses, v. 36. Riders and SriRamanasramam.

2 The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis.

 

 

 

 

 

All religions postulate the three fundamentals, the world, the soul

and God, but it is only the one Reality that manifests itself as

these three. One can say ‘The three are really three’ only as long as

the ego lasts. Therefore to inhere in one’s own Being, where the ‘I’

or ego is dead is the perfect state.

 

-Ramana Maharshi -Forty Verses, v. 2.

 

* * * *

 

The Atman (Self) is never born and never dies. It is beyond time,

unborn, permanent and everlasting.

It does not die when the body dies.

 

-Kathopanishad.

 

 

 

Words in either in bold, cursive and/or blue: done by michael bindel

 

 

 

 

 

THE MOUNTAIN PATH

(Quarterly)

Editor: Arthur Osborne

L1 JANUARY1964

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