The Path of the Masters (1) - Amazon Web Services

302 Pages·2005·1.55 MB·English

THE PATH OF THE MASTERS
The Science of Surat Shabd Yoga
SANTON KI SHIKSHA
A comprehensive statement of the Teachings of
the Great Masters or Spiritual Luminaries of
the East. Also an outline of their scientific
system of exercises by means of which they attain
the highest degree of spiritual development.
Yoga of the Audible Life Stream
By
JULIAN JOHNSON, M.A., B.D., M.D.
RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS
after living almost seven years with
one of the Greatest of the Masters
RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS
(PUNJAB) INDIA
THE AUTHOR
A typical Kentuckyan, a
distinguished artist, a devout
theologian, an ardent flier, an
outstanding surgeon and
above all a keen seeker after
truth, Dr. Julian Johnson,
sacrificing his all at a time
when he was at the height
of his worldly fame, came to answer the call of the East for the
second time. The first time was when he voyaged to India to
preach the true gospel of Lord Jesus Christ in his inimitable way.
He came to enlighten her but eventually had to receive enlighten-
ment from her. Caesar came, saw and conquered; the author came,
saw and was conquered. It was a day of destiny for him when he
came the second time. He was picked up, as it were, from a remote
corner and guided to the feet of the Master. Once there, he never
left. He assiduously carried out the spiritual discipline taught by one
of the greatest living Masters and was soon rewarded. He had the
vision of the Reality beyond all forms and ceremonies. He learnt of
the ancient wisdom which all messengers of God come to teach.
He unmistakably discerned the same essence of spirituality under-
lying all world religions. In an otherwise divided and strife-torn
world he clearly perceived complete unity and utter calm at the
base. Thus convinced, he acclaimed to the world that 'the Path of
the Masters' is not a theory. It is not a system of beliefs or
dogmas. It is not even a religion, although it embraces all the
value of religion. It is an actual way, a genuine road to be traveled,
involving of course a certain preparation and training as one
goes along. The path is really "el Camino Real" or the Kings
Highway. It belongs to the royal Masters and it leads the traveler
from earth upwards through kingdom after kingdom, from country
to country, one more splendid than the other, in an advancing
series until the upper terminus lands the traveler at the feet of the
supreme Lord of all regions.
Published by:
S. L. Sondhi, Secretary
Radha Soami Satsang Beas
Punjab, India
©1939
First Edition (Printed in France)
2000 copies 1939
Second Edition (Reprint in U.S.A.)
2000 copies 1951
Third Edition (Revised)
1000 copies 1957
Fourth Edition (Reprint in U.S.A.)
1000 copies 1958
Fifth Edition ( Revised & primed in India)
2000 copies 1963
Sixth Edition
3000 copies 1965
Seventh Edition
3000 copies 1969
Eighth Edition (Revised)
5000 copies 1972
Ninth Edition
5000 copies 1974
Tenth Edition
5000 copies 1975
Eleventh Edition
7000 copies 1977
Twelfth Edition
8000 copies 1980
Printed at Rekha Printers Private Limited, New Delhi-110020.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
1, Dedication .. .. .. xi
2 Preface to the Eighth Edition .. xi
3. Preface to the Third Edition .. xii
4. Preface .. .. .. xv
5. Author's Foreword .. .. xxxv
CHAPTER ONE
THE PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND
1. The noble birthright of man.. ,. 1
2. Man's first duty—to know himself .. 5
3. The new social order .. ., 8
4. A great spiritual awakening .. .. 10
5. No democratic government known •. 18
CHAPTER TWO
A REVIEW OF WORLD RELIGIONS : THEIR
MEANINGS AND ANALYSIS
1. The spiritual plight of mankind .. 23
2. Does the remedy cure the disease? .. 28
3. The religions of China .. . .. 36
4. What is the meaning of Tao? .. 40
5. The Zoroastrian faith .. ... ' 44
6. Buddhism in India .. .. 56
7. An unnecessary sacrifice . • .. 59
8. Islam, the religion of Mohammed .. 65
9. The Bhagavad Gita .. ., 75
10, Quotations from the Gita ,. .. 76
VI THE PATH OF THE MASTERS
PAGE
11. The Yoga of the Gita .. .. 82
12. The four Vedas of the Hindus .. 87
13. An epitome of Vedic philosophy 92
14. The YogaofPatanjali .. .. 98
15. Jesus Christ and the Christian religion .. 104
16. Teachings emphasized by Jesus .. 107
17. Paul, the founder of Christianity .. 112
18. The substance of the teachings of Jesus .. 116
19. The Church needs a living Master .. 124
20. Theosophy .. .. .. 129
21. Christian Science as a religion .. 138
22. Modern spiritualism .. .. 143
23. The Rosicrucians .. .. 150
24. The Jewish religion . .. 154
25. The Sikh religion of India .. .. 170
26. The basic elements of all religions .. 174
27. Love, the essence of religion .. .. 178
28. Key to the analysis of religions .. 184
29. Guarding one's own mental processes .. 189
30. Analyzing religious movements .. 195
CHAPTER THREE
THE MASTERS AND THEIR DUTIES
1. Who and what are the Masters? .. 199
2. What is a genuine Master? .. .. 202
3. The Master more than super-man .. 209
4. The Master and the Supreme One .. 213
5. Time limit of the Master's work .. 218
6. How shall we recognize a Master? .. 223
7. Objective indices of mastership .. 227
8. Very difficult to find a Master .. 230
9. Positive knowledge versus beliefs .. 233
TABLE OF CONTENTS VII
PAGE
10. The duties of the Masters .. .. 236
11. Why surrender to a Master .. .. 239
12. The Masters'change of policy .. 242
13. The function of the spiritual Master .. 246
CHAPTER FOUR
THE CREATION AND ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE
1. The cosmogony of the Masters .. 254
2. The four grand divisions of Nature .. 256
3. Sat Desh, the highest region .. .. 262
4. Brahmanda, the second grand division .. 265
5. Anda, the lowest of the heavens .. 266
6. The grand division of Pinda .. .. 269
CHAPTER FIVE
GOD AND THE GRAND HIERARCHY OF THE UNIVERSE
1. The perplexing question of God .. 272
2. A word of caution to scientists .. 278
3. Who, or what, is God? .. .. 281
4. Names of the Supreme Being .. 283
5. Monotheism, polytheism, monism and
pantheism .. .. .. 293
6. The grand Hierarchy of the Universe .. 297
7. The Negative Power .. .. 304
CHAPTER SIX
ANALYSIS OF MAN : THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE MASTERS
1. The new-old psychology .. .. 310
2. What is the real man? .. .. 314
3. Several parts of man .. .. 317
4. The analysis of mind .. .. 322
VIII THE PATH OF THE MASTERS
PAGE
5. The tour Antashkarans 326
6. A new force enters the mind .. 338
7. The five perversions of mind 343
Kam 344
Krodh 347
Lobh .. 352
Moh 353
Ahankar 356
8. Antidotes to the deadly five .. 360
CHAPTER SEVEN *
KARMA AND REINCARNATION
1, What is karma? .. .. , . 3 63
2, Karma binds the world together .. 367
3, What is reincarnation? .. .. 371
4, Metempsychosis, a bitter pill.. .. 377
5, Reincarnation explains much .. 383
6, What happens after death? . • .. 387
7, How to do karma-less actions . • 392
8, Karma and the vegetable diet .. 397
9, Reincarnation and social reconstruction 400
10. Karma and the nature of evil .. 407
11, Love the pass-key to the Kingdom •. 411
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE EXISTENCE OF HIGHER WORLDS
1. A new concept of the Universe .. 417
2. Quotations from prominent Christians .. 421
3. Inner experiences analyzed •. .. 427
4. Inner experiences of mediums . • 430
5. Inner experiences of the Masters .* 434
TABLE OF CONTENTS IX
CHAPTER NINE
THE MICROCOSMIC CENTERS IN MAN
PAGE
1. Man himself a microcosm .. .. 436
2. The microcosmic centers .. .. 442
3. The meaning of going within .. 445
4. The release of the Kundalini .. 447
CHAPTER TEN
MENTAL PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT WORK
1. A flawless morality .. .. 451
2. The next step is Viveka .. .. 453
3. The Christ attitude of mind .. .. 457
4. The Gita ideal of discipleship .. 458
5. Vairagya, the next step on the Path .. 460
6. The final destruction of desire .. 465
7. That which kills desire .. .. 469
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE AUDIBLE LIFE STREAM : THE SOURCE OF ALL.
BEING
1. The central fact in Santon ki Shiksha .. 474
2. Names of the Supreme Logos .. 476
3. What is the Audible Life Stream ? .. 481
4. The Life Stream can be heard .. 484
5. The Sufi idea of the divine Vadan .. 487
6. The only means of spiritual liberation .. 493
7. New birth through the Shabd .. 495
8. Shams-i-Tabriz on the Life Stream .. 499
9. Science of the Masters in six words .. 502
X. THE PATH OF THE MASTERS
CHAPTER TWELVE
THE GREAT WORK OF THE MASTERS :
WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO
PAGE
1. The scientific Yoga of the Saints .. 507
2. Demonstrating truth for oneself .. 514
3. What does this science offer?.. . . 516
4. The SuratShabd Yoga .. .. 523
5. The technology of this Yoga .. .. 534
6. Passing the "Gates of Death" .. 537
7. Evolution and the final goal .. .. 547
Glossary of Foreign Terms .. .. 556
BOOKS ON THIS SCIENCE .. .. 575