Chapter from “Forever with Master” vol. II (p. 54), section “Leading a life of perfection” — by Dr. Harbhajan Singh
We are not to leave the world. We are to live in the world;
but while remaining in the world, the needle of our compass
should always point to the North.
And this is His Grace. We have the manbody;
we have very magnificent buildings to live in;
we have health and possessions:
and it is His, everything is His.
Masters don’t tell us to leave the world
and live in solitude, in out-of-the way places.
They say, “Remain in the world;
but while remaining in the world,
don’t forget Him, that’s all.
Be thankful for all the gifts He gives us.” (18)
— Kirpal Singh
Those who worship the mammon do not worship God. The Gurmukh had seen the mammon standing at the threshold of his Master for its acceptance, but his Master never accepted it. Various beautiful charms and attractions have no effect on the life of a Conscious Co-worker of the Divine Plan.
This credit entirely goes to his Master, who is the protector and keeps His Gurmukh within His attention.
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The whole world is affected with the fear and the fire of mammon which is pervading everywhere; only by the Grace of the Master the Gurmukh is not affected. He has abandoned all and is under the direct protection of his Master. The so-called people exchange the priceless jewel against the shell, and it is their attention which keeps the shell shining, and the treasures of their virtues get exhausted. The Gurmukh abides by his Master, he renounces all efforts and hopes of the world and worldly promises and bargains in the precious commodity blessed by his Master. The hard earnings of the Gurmukh help to pay off the debts of many, many defaulters.
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The Gurmukh is not bewildered by mammon and is above the attachment and the mental pride. He is above weal and woe, honour and dishonour of the world, because this is not more than a dream or like a shadow of a tree changing its site.
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Mostly people believe and trust in God due to their helplessness and needs. When their needs are fulfilled, they are careless about their helplessness and forget the faith in Him. Disbelief in the faith in God has spread all over the world. This expansion among the population is evidently due to the excessive hunger for more and more possession in the world; otherwise there ever exists food for the hungry and water for the thirsty.
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Earning through the false ways and spending through the false ways is prohibited by the Master, it makes one surrender to one’s mind and one is affected with lots of diseases of the mind. The Gurmukh has realized the phenomenon consciously from the lives of lots of persons, and he is a witness of so many instances and mis-happenings in the world. By serving his Master truthfully he has attained the priceless heritage of his Master.
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He does not mix up what is needed and what is beyond need. Because of the value of everything in the nature he does not discard anything, but his acceptance is rare and is in accordance with his needs. He knows the value of both and knows the advantages and disadvantages of both. He keeps his head and shoulders free of any burden to carry whatever comes through the demands of his Master. Glittering views have a dominating effect on a common man, but that reminds the Gurmukh to remember and remain in touch with the ever existent glamour of his Master.
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He is not affected by the outward delicacies and show of life, as he has beautified his inner life. The inner life of man gives the real food to the outer life. He is not affected by delicious food served to others, but he is very much satisfied with the food he takes. He takes it to maintain the body and never to misuse the body, and remains contented with it. For him to disclose the need is to be affected by the need. He is not affected by the need, but can affect the need to change. He is the man of his own relishes and is not relished by the needs.
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He does not live beyond necessities, as he knows and has learnt it from the practical life of his Master. To live beyond necessity is a sin, because one has to bear the reaction of his wishes. He lives on his own earnings, rather he lets others partake in his earnings.
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The Gurmukh does not beg for his needs nor does he beg that others should look after his interests on the ground that he does for Master. Begging is the root-cause of dependency and its reaction is poverty, but begging for God’s work is the higher cause and helps the needy and the poor to partake in the benefits. Begging for certain community or religion is also good, provided the money is used in the proper way. There are lots of such persons who do so, but there are very
blessed souls who still rise above and help the common cause for all the human beings. For a Gurmukh, whatever comes from his Master is his real begging.
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As the sugar is sweet and its taste does not end with the tongue, but if taken in excess creates acid and poisons the body with various diseases, the Gurmukh is conscious of all such attachments of the world which are not less than poison. The Gurmukh is conscious to live within needs. He repents if ever he lived beyond in his early life. He knows and feels as well the reaction of each doing beforehand, so he would never put his finger into burning fire.
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The Gurmukh does not make a display of his offerings. Lots of matters between the Master and the Gurmukh remain secret and unknown to others. The Gurmukh pledges all attachments unto his Master so as not to bear the reaction or whatsoever.
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He does not believe in begging and spending for his needs, even if he has to live from hand to mouth. He does his level best to overcome the situation. Sometimes such tests are from the Master and are momentary. Master is the life of the life of his Gurmukh, and the Gurmukh is also the life of the life in his Master; if the Gurmukh is hungry, the Master is hungry.
There are so many inner tests and secrets, which his Master has to bear in this or that way. They are to be overcome and absorbed within and not to be disclosed. When Guru Amar Das fell into the well, the lady of the adjoining well said that who else could be there except Amaroo Nathawan (this Amar Das who is having no place). The Master of Guru Amar Das told, “He is not Nathawan, but he is a well-placed personality.”
References:
(18) God hears the cry from the heart, SSE 1/76