Notebooks of Paul Brunton > Category 2: Overview of Practicies Involved > Chapter : !

he "uest and #ocial

$esponsibility
!he "uest and #ocial $esponsibility
On time and solitude
%
&e la'ent the lack of ti'e( But if we critically scrutini)ed our actions* and even 'ade
so'e kind of schedule beforehand* we would find that so'e activities are unnecessary
and others are useless( !hese not only rob us of ti'e but they deprive us of so'e of the
energy needed for 'editation* rendering it harder or even i'possible(
2
+o not i'agine that because the 'ystic fre,uently seeks seclusion he does this because
he is bored with life and hence disdains the drawing roo's of society- rather is it that he
is intensely interested in life and is therefore short of ti'e* for drawing roo's are
usually places where people go to kill ti'e* because they are bored(
.
!he ,uest calls for strenuous endeavours and the right use of ti'e( !hose who are
indifferent to its disciplinary de'ands should not co'plain about the slow/'otion
character of their progress( !hose who give little should not e0pect to get 'uch(
1
It will not be enough* if he wants to find ti'e for graver pursuits* to throw out of his life
all har'ful pleasures- he will also have to throw out ti'e/wasteful and useless ones(
#uch e0ercise of self/denial proves a profitable one in the end* whatever it costs in the
beginning(
2
If heart does not radiate silently to heart* then talk is idle dissipation of ti'e and energy*
even though it be continued for hours(
3
People who do not know how to get rid of ti'e e0cept by getting involved in ti'e/using
activities* cannot know the value of conte'plation(
4
5e 'ay succeed in his ai' only if he succeeds in not getting entangled by irrelevant
activities and intruding persons(

!i'e is like a great treasury( Put nothing of value into it and you will get nothing out(
Put philosophic study and self/training into it and at the very least you will draw out a
'easure of peace and understanding* at the 'ost you 'ay enter into reali)ation of the
!ruth(
6
5e should so'eti'es ask hi'self for how 'any 'ore years 'ay he hope to be given
the chance which every lifeti'e gives a 'an to transcend hi'self(
%7
!o give ti'e is to give life( !o be 'aster of one8s ti'e* for an hour or a week* free and
independent* is to be 'aster of one8s life for an hour or a week(
%%
It is a necessary rule of the aspirant8s life* laid down by the yogic 'anuals of old and
proven by e0perience today* that regularity should be faithfully observed in 'editation
practice and at least atte'pted in the other i'portant duties of his spiritual career(
%2
!hose who ob9ect to conte'plation as a waste of ti'e and life* need to learn that it is
also a for' of activity//inner activity(
%.
5e will be forced to ad'it* with sorrowful head* that he had been too busy with the
trivial 'atters of the 'o'ent to break through the 'ysterious barriers that bar our
hu'an way out of the prison of ti'e and space(
%1
:ritter//and fail(
%2
!he "uest does not de'and the renunciation of worldly business but only the
renunciation of a s'all daily frag'ent of the ti'e hitherto devoted to such business( It
asks for half or three/,uarters of an hour daily to be faithfully given to 'editation
e0ercises( It asserts that the fullest reali)ation of the Overself can be attained without
beco'ing a whole/ti'e yogi(
%3
No 'an can escape responsibility for the way he uses his day( 5e can either carefully
organi)e it to serve his highest purposes or he can carelessly fritter it away in trivial
activity or idle sloth(
%4
!he day 'ust be definitely apportioned and scheduled beforehand* its routine
prearranged and left undisturbed( Chance visits by friends 'ust be discouraged- he 'ust
refuse to fit the' in(
%
!he e0cuses given for this failure 'ay be serious and sincerely 'eant* but the fact
re'ains that those who 'ake the' can still find ti'e to eat their 'eals and* perhaps* to
'ake love( !he essence of the 'atter lies in how i'portant 'editation is to hi'(
%6
5e is also too 'uch aware of his own precarious 'ortality to per'it useless
involve'ents and irrelevant co''it'ents to waste his life(
27
!he ordinary person does not have the ti'e to search intellectually or the desire to
search adventurously for truth( !his is partly because his other personal activities absorb
his day( But a 'an who dedicates his entire ti'e to this ,uest* who is willing to pay its
cost* is 'ore likely to find the truth( ;et ti'e is only part of the price- he 'ust also be
willing to sacrifice dishonesty in his thinking(
2%
5e will find* on a strict self/e0a'ination* that he has allowed hi'self to be drawn into
currents of ti'e/wasting worldliness or attracted into whirlpools of ti'e/eating frivolity(
22
Once he recogni)es his responsibility toward the fulfil'ent of this higher purpose* for
which the Infinite &isdo' has put hi' here* he will have to recogni)e also the
obligation of devoting so'e ti'e every day for study of* and 'editation upon* it( !he
philosophic standard of 'easure'ent enables hi' to see plainly that however fully he
has fulfilled all other de'ands 'ade upon hi'//to the point that all his ti'e is
engaged//if he has neglected this single one* he is still at fault(
2.
!o find the ti'e re,uired for 'editation 'ay call for a little planning of our ti'e and a
lot of revision of our values( But this in itself is a worthwhile self/discipline( :or we
rush hither and thither but have yet to ask ourselves where we are rushing to( &hat
better use could we 'ake of the treasure of leisure than soul/finding<
21
!hose costly hours when we abandon pleasure or deny sleep that we 'ay take counsel
of our better selves* are not wasted( !hey too bring a good reward//however deferred it
be//and one that re'ains forever(
22
Our daily occupations and preoccupations keep our ti'e* energies* and consciousness
identified with the e0ternal world and e0ternal activities to such an e0tent that we have
little left for reversing the situation and discovering//or at least e0ploring//the deeper
layers of self( ;et* unless so'ething is done about this situation* and at least si'ple
e0ercises and pre/studies 'ade as a beginning* we shall re'ain ignorant throughout life
of what is actually of high i'portance to us( !wenty 'inutes a day at whatever ti'e is
convenient should at least be given for this purpose(
23
If the student finds his ti'e fully taken up in caring for others* this 'ust take first place(
5e 'ust care for all victi's of 'an8s ignorance as though they were 'e'bers of his
own fa'ily- he 'ust be as clearheaded and practical in dealing with his work as any
worldly 'inded person* but underneath he will know that earthly life is fleeting*
transient* never per'anently satisfying* and therefore only the outer face of his life-
deep within 'ust be a persistent ,uest of truth and reality which alone confer
everlasting peace(
24
5is withdrawal fro' co''on gossip* tittle/tattle speech* and negative conversation
'ust be deliberate until by habit it beco'es natural( #uch talk is unnecessary*
e0travagant* and har'ful to his inner work(
2
It is not a 'oral endeavour* although that 'ay enter into it* but a worthwhile plan to cut
out ti'e spent on adulterous theatre plays* =ris,u>= stories* and trivial television( !he
'ental attention thus saved can be transferred and used 'ore constructively on a higher
level(
26
5alf an hour is not enough for his high purpose( Only the whole day* all his waking
hours will suffice for it(
.7
If he values his life he will have to value his ti'e( !his 'eans he will have to select the
,uality and li'it the ,uantity of his e0periences(
.%
!he 'an who seeks 'ore free ti'e for spiritual pursuits 'ay find it by withdrawing
fro' the fullness of hu'an e0perience( By refusing to work at a 9ob or to rear a fa'ily*
he 'ay achieve his ai'(
.2
;ou can throw your ti'e away on the waste/heap* or you can transfor' it into a result/
producer(
..
If you think you have not the necessary ti'e for the practice of 'ental ,uiet* then 'ake
it( Push out of the day8s progra' the least i'portant ite's so as to 'ake roo' for this*
the 'ost i'portant of all activities(
.1
&hoever is interested in 'aking the 'ost of his life and doing the best for his character
needs two things a'ong several others: he needs ti'e and he needs seclusion( !he ti'e
'ay vary fro' a few 'inutes a day up to a couple of hours( #eclusion 'ay be in an attic
or in a forest( ? third thing needed is silence( &ith these three conditions he can begin
the very i'portant inner work: first of reflection* second of thought/control( !he ti'e is
needed to withdraw fro' the hustle and bustle of the world* fro' the triviality and
futility of so 'uch social life( It is a good thing to co'e out of that for a while every
day* to be se,uestered fro' society and 'ake the effort to be in hi'self//that is* in his
true self* his spiritual being( !hese few 'inutes of detach'ent fro' the world can
beco'e in ti'e very valuable to hi' if he uses the' in the right way(
.2
!he little seed fro' which a great tree will one day grow 'akes no noise as it busily
ger'inates in the dark earth( In such silence and with such reticence* the aspirant should
begin his ,uest and wait patiently for the day when he shall receive a 'andate to speak
of these things( !o speak pre'aturely is not only ineffective but likely to arouse
unnecessary and avoidable opposition(
.3
!he real work on the "uest has to be carried out within and by the 'ind* not the body(
!he aspirant 'ust try to live his outward life as nor'ally as possible and avoid 'aking
a public spectacle of the fact he is following the spiritual path(
.4
!he ,uest is his secret which he can better carry in the depths of his heart(
.
5oliness or spiritual greatness or a dedicated life is a secret between a 'an and his @od(
5e does not need to advertise it by any outward show* by a particular kind of dress* or
by the professional sanctity of the 'onk or yogi(
.6
!he intellectual and intuitional and 'ystical sides of his real spiritual life will cause hi'
to withdraw a part of hi'self fro' social co''unication( 5e will learn to live alone
with it(
17
!he student who rushes to narrate to everyone his inner e0periences* his occult visions
or 'essages* his high gli'pses* 'ay fall into the pit of self/advertise'ent* vanity*
conceit( 5e 'ay then lose through the ego what he has gained through his efforts(
1%
5e should not 'ention his 'ystical e0periences to unsy'pathetic persons nor discuss
the' with inco'petent ones( It is better to keep the' to hi'self and talk about the'
only to a spiritual director or an aspirant 'uch 'ore advanced on the road than he is(
12
5e should try to follow this ,uest and to practise its regi'es as unobtrusively and as
,uietly as he can( By doing so he will reduce to a 'ini'u' the attention attracted fro'
those persons who are likely to critici)e his faith* or worse* to obstruct his path(
1.
It is only the novice* enthusiastic but ine0perienced* who loud'outhedly tells all and
sundry about each one of his surface/scratching spiritual e0periences( !he 'an who is
very far advanced on the ,uest ac,uires great discretion( In fact* the 'ore advanced he
is the 'ore secretive does he beco'e about such 'atters( 5e will not speak a word upon
the' unless he is bidden by the inner Aoice to do so( !he Overself does not live in
public but in secret( It is totally outside the world8s activity( !herefore the closer you
approach it* the 'ore secretive you are likely to beco'e concerning the event( ?nd
when you do succeed in finally uniting yourself with it* your lips will be co'pletely
shut//not only because of the ego8s greater hu'ility but because the Overself desires it
so( !here is a further feature of this ,uestion of secrecy which deserves co''ent( !hose
who are very far advanced tend also to withdraw increasingly fro' the social circles or
vocational activity which for'erly engaged the'( !hey vanish into retreat and withdraw
into solitude for longer and longer intervals( Bnless they are charged with a public
'ission* the world seldo' hears of the'(
11
!his need of privacy to follow one8s ,uest in one8s own way is best satisfied by the wide
open spaces of ranch life* ne0t best by the vast i'personality of large city life( It is
hardest to satisfy in a s'all town where watching eyes and intruding feet seek to 'ind
everyone else8s business(
12
It 'ust live ,uite her'etically and secretly in his own 'ind and feelings* not because he
wants to conceal truth but because it is still a tender young plant needing shelter and
protection(
13
&here e'otional guidance would bid hi' disclose his inner affiliation with the divine
order* intuitional guidance bids hi' 'ove unobtrusively and ,uietly(
14
!he gossip who 'eddles with other people8s private lives* the 9ournalist who uses the
e0cuse of professional practice to invade other peoples8 privacy//these unpleasant
repulsive creatures should be avoided or if necessary rebuked(
1
;ou 'ust re'e'ber that everyone without e0ception stands in life 9ust where the
evolutionary flow has brought hi' and that his outward life is the result of all those
previous e0periences in 'any* 'any incarnations( 5is outlook and his beliefs* his
attitude towards life are all part of his evolving growth( !herefore you will not try to
convert hi'( If* however* doubts begin to arise in his 'ind and he asks you ,uestions*
then it is right for you to speak to hi' of a higher viewpoint( But say 9ust what needs to
be said to give hi' the light you see he needs* and no 'ore( If you go too far you will
confuse hi'( If you give hi' 9ust enough to carry his 'ind a step onward you will help
hi'( Bntil then every effort you 'ake is wasted- it is throwing seed on to stony ground(
!herefore* unless you are asked in this way it is unnecessary and often unwise to
advertise that you are following spiritual practices or believe in spiritual truths( If you
live with others and 'ake a fuss about these things you 'ay arouse their hostility( If you
really have so'ething to give the' they will co'e to you one day and ask for help( ;ou
'ust learn discretion in dealing with people( ;ou 'ust learn when to be silent and when
to speak* and when you do speak how 'uch to say(
16
One reason why this silence about inner e0periences is en9oined upon novices is that
speech about the' tends to spiritual conceit- another is that it identifies the novice with
his ego fro' which it is the very purpose of those e0periences to separate hi'( In
learning to keep the' secret* he is learning to keep hi'self out of the subtlest for's of
egois'(
27
!he seeker is warned not to talk about his inner e0periences( !hey have to be well/
guarded by silence if they are to be kept or repeated(
2%
It is not a reprehensible selfishness to beco'e* for the purposes of his inner work* 'ore
seclusive* 'ore withdrawn* 'ore conscious of the value of privacy( !he 'ore he obeys
this higher will the 'ore will others benefit(
22
If others laugh at hi' because he does not go with the herd* he 'ust include it in the
,uest8s cost( But it would be well to screen those things which need not be displayed* or
refrain fro' drawing attention to the' if this is possible( !he world being what it is*
negativities 'uddying so 'any characters* the less he lets the' put their thoughts upon
hi' the better(
2.
!he high value of secrecy in preparation and surprise in attack is well known to those
who plan 'ilitary operations skilfully( But those who want to succeed with their efforts
for a higher kind of life can also profitably use these two approaches(
21
Cost novices 'ake the 'istake of talking too freely to friends and relatives about the
"uest( !his is a serious error* and can lead to needless suffering on both sides( !he
aspirant 'ust learn that it is a test of faith to trust in the workings of the Overself to
spread these ideas in Its own ti'e and way(
22
?ll 'ust cherish secrets and the farther anyone advances on the path of knowledge the
'ore he 'ust cherish in this 'anner* not because of their value alone but because
society is not usually ready to receive the'( !he sage* who is full of the loftiest secrets*
does not suffer in the slightest fro' their possession( $estrained e'otions are good as
signs of atte'pted self/discipline but bad when they are set up as a goal of living(
?sceticis' can only bloo' successfully when it arises out of genuine* reasoned
understanding( Bntil such understanding co'es one often has to restrain hi'self
forcibly( But nothing ought to be overdone( !he overdoing of asceticis' produces
cranks//unbalanced* illogical* and self/deceiving persons( Confession and sharing help
to relieve the soul only insofar as they are connected with the right persons( !o confess
to the wrong persons or to share with the' only 'akes 'atters worse(
23
!he younger people of today who are knowingly e'barking on the "uest should 'ake
so'e effort* within reasonable li'its* to appear outwardly as being not too different
fro' those who are not e'barking on it//thus avoiding the stig'a of being regarded as
eccentric or* even worse* insane(
24
#uch secrecy as he is e0pected to 'aintain about his ,uest is also due to the utter
seriousness with which he 'ust take it( It is so'ething too sacred and too inti'ate to be
talked about or argued about(
2
!he i'pulse to speak 'ay be obeyed or resisted- only each individual case can
deter'ine which course is correct(
26
!o gain 'ore friends at the risk of losing 'ore privacy is a 'ove which re,uires the
fullest consideration(
37
Bnlike 'ost beginners* the proficient will never speak of his in'ost spiritual
e0periences to other aspirants e0cept in special cases( 5e will* however* drop such
reticence with a teacher(
3%
!he rule of secrecy does not 'ean that he is never to talk about the !ruth to others( It
'eans only that he shall not talk pre'aturely about it( 5e 'ust wait until he can talk
with correct knowledge and at ti'es when it is prudent to do so* and to persons who are
ready for what he has to say( 5e 'ust wait until he is hi'self strongly established in
!ruth* and will not be affected by the doubts and denials of others( 5e should learn and
re'e'ber that speech opens his private purposes to their negative thoughts or
antagonistic e'otions and 'ay thus weaken hi'( It needs fir'ness and discipline but by
keeping his spiritual work and goals locked up inside hi'self and revealing the' only
when the right occasion arises he will show true practicality and foster real strength(
Spiritual service
32
5e 'ust defend his right to an inner life against all disruptions* however well/'eaning
the disrupter 'ay be( &hat he owes to others* to society* friends* or fa'ily in the way of
devotion* attention* or intercourse can and should be given( But there is a point where
his self/giving 'ay have to stop* where his responsibility to the higher purpose of living
'ust cancel all other responsibilities(
3.
&hen a 'an begins to think of what service he can render as well as the co''on
thought of what he can get* he begins to walk success/wards(
31
?ll the great prophets have 'ade special 'ention of the fact that the task of spiritually
enlightening others is the 'ost i'portant and 'ost beneficial activity in which any 'an
can engage( 5e who wishes to sti'ulate others to start on the spiritual "uest* to help
those who have already started to find the right direction in which to travel* and to 'ake
available to the public generally the leading truths of spiritual knowledge* feels that this
is the 'ost worthwhile activity( !he effective and enduring preparation for this is first to
spirituali)e oneself and therefore it is up to hi' to carry on even 'ore ardently with his
efforts than he has done hitherto(
32
Philosophy bids hi' follow its ,uest and practise its ethics in his own person before he
bids others do so( Only after he has succeeded in doing this* can he have the right to
address hi'self to the'( Only after he has discovered its results and tested its values for
hi'self* can he guide the' without the risks of deception on the one hand or hypocrisy
on the other(
33
5e 'ay seek* when better e,uipped to do so* to render service to 'any people( But until
that ti'e co'es* it is better to go on working upon hi'self* i'proving his 'oral
character* increasing his knowledge of the philosophic teachings* hu'bling hi'self in
daily prayer and worship* and cultivating that thread of intuition which links hi' to the
#oul(
34
!he seeker who follows this path is and will be of so'e service as a channel for the
inspiration and enlighten'ent of others less advanced than he//within* of course* his
own capacity and sub9ect to his own li'itations( Because of this* he should 'ake every
effort to ac,uire accurate knowledge of what the "uest is* what Philosophy contributes
to it* and what//in everyday language//these 'ean and offer to the individual8s everyday
life(
3
!he acts of service are yours* the conse,uences of service are @od8s( +o not be an0ious
where an0iety is not your business(
36
5e 'ust not only apply the teaching but he 'ust apply it intelligently( 5is acts 'ust
either be inspired ones or* when they cannot attain that level* considered ones( Only in
this way will he avoid the reproach so often levelled at 'ystics* that they are
i'practical* fanatical* and inefficient(
47
#ervice* in its purity* 'ust be the first as well as the last thought behind his work( 5e is
not unconcerned about rewards but he knows that they are always the natural
acco'pani'ent of* or se,uel to such service(
4%
;ou talk of service( But you cannot really beco'e a server of @od before you have
ceased to be a server of self(
42
!he serious aspirant soon discovers that he has so 'uch work to do on i'proving
hi'self that he has little ti'e left to i'prove others(
4.
? novice in 'editation ought not e0pect that he can give hi'self with i'punity to the
fully active life as an advanced practitioner can( Practical service of hu'anity ought
therefore be li'ited within 'uch narrower degrees by the for'er than need be done by
the latter( !he sphere of service should be widened only as the server develops his
'ystical faculties and should not outrun the'( !he sensible rule is that with the
beginner e'phasis 'ust be laid upon self/develop'ent first and service last* but with
the senior this order 'ust be reversed( !his is not to say with the reclusive 'inded that
the beginner should be concerned wholly with hi'self and atte'pt no service at all(
41
Before we can help others or influence the world* we need to possess three things:
knowledge* e0perience* and power(
42
It is an error to place too 'uch stress on unselfish activity as an ele'ent in the aspirant8s
,ualifications( &e did not incarnate pri'arily to serve each other( &e incarnated to
reali)e the Overself* to change the ,uality of individual consciousness( ?ltruis' is
therefore always subordinate to this higher activity( !he sage8s co'passion is not
pri'arily for other people8s troubles* although he certainly feels that too* but he knows
that these will continue without end in so'e for' or other//such being the unalterable
nature of 'undane e0istence( 5is co'passion is for the ignorance out of which 'any
avoidable troubles spring or which when they are unavoidable prevents people fro'
attaining inner peace( 5ence he econo'i)es ti'e and energy by refraining fro'
devoting the' 'erely and solely to hu'anitarian work and uses the' instead for the
root/work of alleviating spiritual ignorance(
43
#erve in subli'e self/abnegation(
44
!here is a co''on delusion that giving up selfishness in the sense of beco'ing utterly
altruistic is the highest call of the ,uest( It is believed that the sage is si'ply a 'an who
no longer lives for hi'self but lives wholly for others( @etting rid of one8s own ego*
however* does not 'ean taking on so'eone else8s( It 'eans taking on or* rather* being
taken up by* the deeper self(
4
!his does not 'ean that one is to renounce all ideas of rendering service( It 'erely
'eans that one is to withdraw fro' pre'ature acts of service* to withdraw for a ti'e
sufficient to prepare oneself to render real service* better service( One is to beco'e
possessed of patience and to wait during this period of preparation(
46
!hey have no adequate idea of what they 'ean when they use this ter' =service(= ?nd
in its absence they are liable to do as 'uch har' as good( :or they do not know in what
consists the real good of other persons(
7
!he divine power to help* heal* guide* or instruct others begins to show itself when we
begin to turn our face towards it hu'bly* prayerfully* and thus 'ake the necessary
connection through 'editation and study* through altruistic action and religious
veneration(
%
!o refrain fro' pre'ature service whilst developing oneself for better service* is not
selfishness but si'ply unselfishness 'ade sensible( 5e who has de'onstrated his
capacity to solve his own proble's 'ay rightly set forth to solve other people8s(
2
?lthough the Buddha agreed with the 'ystical view that to seek one8s own spiritual
welfare and not that of another was a higher ai' in life than to seek another8s spiritual
welfare whilst ignoring one8s own* he said it was the highest of all to seek both one8s
own and another8s at the sa'e ti'e(
.
But before he e'barks on such service* such entry into the hearts and lives of others* he
should be sure that neither personal egotis' nor the desire for personal reward has
'i0ed itself up with his altruistic i'pulse( If this surety is not present* he had better wait
until it does arrive(
1
If you feel you want to spread this teaching* then do so- but do it in the right way( ;ou
don8t have to organi)e a society or indulge in loud propaganda( !ruth is not so'ething
which can be i'posed on other people( !hey 'ust grow through e0perience and
reflection into the right attitude of receptivity and then they will look for whatever they
need( It is only at such a critical 'o'ent that you have any right to offer what you
yourself have found* 9ust as it is only at such a 'o'ent that your offering will be
successful and not a wasted one(
2
?nother reason for not 'aking 'editation the sole path is that in these ti'es of world
crisis we deliberately have to e'phasi)e self/forgetfulness* to stop looking so 'uch at
our own selves and start looking a little 'ore at 'ankind* to forget so'e of our own
need of develop'ent and re'e'ber others8 need of develop'ent( !he spiritual
enlighten'ent* however hu'bly we are able to do it* of the society in which we find
ourselves is at least as vital in this crisis as our own enlighten'ent through 'editation(
If we will faithfully recogni)e and obey this* then @od will bless us and grant grace
even though we haven8t done as 'uch 'editation as in nor'al ti'es we ought to have
done(
3
&e cannot save others until we can save ourselves( ?nd yet the altruistic desire to share
this self/salvation with others should be present fro' the beginning( Otherwise* it will
not 'anifest itself when success co'es(
4
If he begins to think what i'pression he is 'aking on others* how spiritual his speech or
appearance* his silence or personality 'ust appear to the'* then he is worshipping his
own ego( !o the e0tent that he does this* his value or service to the' is di'inished(

5is first duty is to hi'self- only when this has been properly attended to is he free to
consider his second duty* which is towards 'ankind( Nevertheless* he is not to fall into
the error which would defer all consideration of such altruis' until he has co'pletely
reali)ed his Overself( If he does so* it 'ay be too late to create a new attitude( It ought
always to be at the back of his 'ind- it should be the ulti'ate ideal behind all his
i''ediate endeavours(
6
!hat is pure service where the server feels no i'portance in hi'self* where he effaces
the gratifying egois' that good deeds 'ay bring to the doer( But where the opposite
prevails* then the very act of service itself strengthens self/i'portance(
67
It is a hu'an failing to wish to appear the possessor of i'portant knowledge* and the
desire to rise in the esti'ation of the curious 'ay easily lead to loss of discretion(
6%
!here are those who sacrifice the'selves to others under the belief that this is a virtue(
But if the sacrifice is not linked with wisdo' and righteousness* if it is foolish and
cowardly* then it beco'es the opposite of a virtue and brings har' to one8s self and the
others(
62
Only wisdo'* not e'otion alone* can show hi' how to help without beco'ing
personally entangled( Otherwise he beco'es caught in a web of lives* and no longer free
to live his own(
6.
By identifying e'otionally with another8s suffering* when this is based on futile* vain*
or unwise de'ands* one does not really help hi' by supporting* or seeking to satisfy*
those de'ands( One 'erely prolongs the fog of error around hi'( It is better to engage
in the unpleasant duty of pointing out their unwisdo'* of throwing cold water upon
the'( But this should be acco'panied by positive suggestion* by pointing out the
benefits of a self/disciplined attitude* by e0plaining how this is the correct way to heal
the suffering e'otions and bring peace to the agitated 'ind* because it is the har'ony
with the higher law(
61
!he need of self/help precedes the duty of service( 5e 'ust lift hi'self out of the errors
and weaknesses of the flesh before he can safely or effectively lift others( 5e will be
able to serve others spiritually precisely in proportion to the e0tent he has first served
hi'self spiritually( !here are profounder for's than the 'erely intellectual or 'erely
'uscular* too subtle for the 'aterialists to co'prehend* whose power is based on
'entalist truth( #ervice does not pri'arily consist of repeating parrot/like what he has
read( It consists of so deepening his consciousness and so developing his character that
he can speak with authority* 'ake every word count because of the spiritual e0perience
behind it( If a 'an can deepen his consciousness* he will discover the instru'ental
'eans whereby he can help others to deepen their own( Power will flow fro' his 'ystic
=heart= to any person he concentrates upon and will get to work within that other8s inner
being( It will take ti'e for the results to show* however(
62
5e who has helped hi'self to inner strength and knowledge* outer health and spiritual
energy* beco'es a positive force in the world* able to assist others instead of asking
assistance fro' the'( #elf/salvation 'ust co'e first(
63
Because your world is contained in your consciousness* as 'entalis' teaches* you can
best help that world by i'proving and correcting your consciousness( In attending to
your own inner develop'ent* you are putting yourself in the 'ost effectual position to
pro'ote the develop'ent of other persons( Philosophy is fully aware of* and concerned
with* the 'isery and the suffering which are ra'pant everywhere( It does not approve of
selfishness* or indifference to the welfare of others( ;et* at the sa'e ti'e* it does not
per'it itself to be swept away by blind e'otionalis' and unreasoned i'pulsiveness
into doing what is least effective for hu'anity( It calls wisdo' in to guide its desire to
serve* with the result that the service it does render is the 'ost effective possible(
64
#o long as there still adheres to his conscious 'ind even a frag'ent of the conviction
that he is destined to serve hu'anity spiritually* 'uch less save it 'essianically* so long
should he take it as a sign that the ego is still do'inant( &ith true hu'ility* there co'es
abnegation of the will//even the will to serve or save(
6
!he disciple who e0poses hi'self too pre'aturely to the world as a would/be teacher*
e0poses hi'self also to new perils and dangerous te'ptations( It will not be easy for
hi' to reorient hi'self toward the concept of pure service done disinterestedly* but
without it he will fall into traps that will in9ure hi'(
66
!hose who have been given a 'ission to perfor'* however s'all or large it 'ay be* too
often fall into the arrogant error of e0tending it beyond the proper li'its( !hey let the
ego intrude* overplay their hand* and thus spoil what 'ight otherwise have been a good
result(
%77
&hat is the best charity* the truest philanthropy< It is so to enlighten a 'an that
thereafter he will find within hi'self all the resources he needs to 'anage his life so as
to bring hi' the greatest happiness(
%7%
Dove is to be given as a first duty to our own higher self* and only then to other 'en(
&e are here on earth to find the soul* not to better the social relationship nor to construct
utopia( !hese are highly desirable things* let us seek the' by all 'eans* but let us not
'ake the 'istake in thought of calling the' first things( !he two ideas are not 'utually
e0clusive( !hey ought to be* and can be* held side by side* but one as pri'ary and the
other as secondary(
%72
!he feeling of co'passion and the doing of service help to cleanse the hu'an 'entality
of its innate egois' and to release the hu'an heart fro' its inborn selfishness( !hus
they are useful to the aspirant who is treading the path of purification(
%7.
!o rush out into the service of enlighten'ent too pre'aturely at the bidding of the
e'otion of pity unrestrained by the balance of reason* 'ay do nothing worse than waste
ti'e* but it 'ay also do so'ething 'ore serious( It 'ay create confusion in others*
pa'per vanity in oneself(
%71
!o recogni)e that the conventional world is ruled by 'onstrous stupidity and 'alignity*
to reali)e that it is useless* vain* and to no purpose to fight these powerful rulers//since
failure alone can be the result//is practical wisdo'( Det it be called selfishness and
escapis'* but to refuse the sacrifice of energy and the spending of ti'e in so/called
service of hu'anity is si'ply an acknowledg'ent partly that no good can co'e fro'
'eddling in other people8s affairs that would not have co'e anyway* and partly that the
character of hu'anity cannot be changed within one 'an8s lifeti'e but only by the slow
long processes of evolution( It is delusory to believe that anything effectual can be done
to perceptibly weaken the real rulers of the world* the stupidity and 'alignity against
which prophets have spoken and sages have warned 'ankind since thousands of years
ago( !he fruit of their denunciations hangs on history8s tree before us//'ore stupidity
and 'ore 'alignity today than ever beforeE !i'e has not evolved virtue- it has only
accu'ulated folly(
%72
!hose who critici)e this refusal to engage in service pre'aturely* this see'ing 'ystical
isolationis'//and 'ost Occidentals do critici)e it//should ask the'selves the ,uestion:
5ow can people who are unable to live in har'ony with the'selves* live in har'ony
with others< Is it not wiser* 'ore practical* to establish har'ony within oneself first and
then help others to do so<
%73
5e should certainly think of his own welfare* it would be foolish not to do that( !he
'istake or sin is to think only of hi'self or to 'ake the welfare of others entirely
subservient(
%74
People will begin to co'e of their own accord for help and guidance when this higher
power is using hi'(
%7
5e who waits until he penetrates to his inner'ost being before he begins to play with
the notion of service attains depth in the character of that service* whereas he who
hurries hastily into the arena 'ay attain width in his service* but he will lack depth(
Coreover* the first will work on a world canvas* because space cannot bar the efforts of
the spirit* whereas the second* using the 'ethod and 'anner of the body and the
intellect alone* 'ay not reach farther than his own town or land(
%76
If his efforts to serve 'ankind socially are 'ade to the utter neglect of the need to serve
his own self spiritually* then they are as unbalanced and unwise as the efforts to pursue
personal salvation in utter indifference to the fate of others( !he proper solution has
been given by Light on the Path* which counsels the aspirant to kill out desire and
a'bition but to work as those work who are i'pelled by these two great forces( But if
he does do this* the i'pelling forces within hi' can then only be duty and altruis'(
%%7
#ervice 'ust be thoroughly practical as well as conceived in a spirit of noble and
generous endeavour(
%%%
But although pre'ature service of this kind is to be discouraged* the atte'pt of an
advanced disciple to help a beginner is not necessarily a blunder( !hat depends on
confining the help given to proper li'its and on abstaining fro' treading where there is
no sure/footedness( 5e 'ay rightly share his knowledge* e0perience* and findings(
%%2
!he only kind of service he 'ay render is unpaid service( !his condition he cheerfully
accepts( :or whatever he does to help others* he does out of love of the deed itself(
%%.
Offers of service which have unseen strings attached to the'* should not be 'ade(
%%1
!he snubs and rebuffs he will 'eet will cure hi' of the delusion that society is filled
with people who would eagerly take to the ,uest if only they were told about its
e0istence( !hus he will be brought face to face with the proble' of the general
unco'prehension of 'ysticis'* the co''on unsy'pathy to philosophy( 5e will
discover that his own feelings* his own intuitions* cannot be co''unicated to others
through the 'ediu' of words where neither e0perience nor reflection have prepared a
way for the'( #o he cannot share the' with the crowd but 'ust perforce keep the' to
hi'self(
%%2
!o i'prove his corner of the world is good but to i'prove hi'self is still better( Bnless
he receives a 'andate fro' the higher self to set out on such refor'ing activities* it 'ay
be 'ere egois' that drives hi' to 'eddle with the'(
%%3
!he field of service will widen in range as the fields of capacity and aspiration
the'selves widen(
%%4
!he atte'pt to i'prove other people8s lives can easily 'ask a presu'ptuous
interference with the'( !his is especially true when the hidden realities and long/ter'
causes of a situation are not known* or are 'isread* or when the higher laws which
govern 'ankind are ignored( In all these cases* the old evils 'ay 'erely be replaced by
new ones* so that the i'prove'ent is entirely fictitious( In the early Christian ti'es*
#aint Cyril saw and said what* 'uch 'ore than a thousand years later* ?nanda Cetteya
the Buddhist and $a'ana Caharshi the 5indu told 'e//that one best saves society by
first saving oneself( !his is why the philosopher does not try to i'pose on others the
Idea or the &ay which he has espoused( :or the itch to i'prove the' or alter the' is* he
now knows* a for' of interference( 5e 'inds his own business( But if the higher power
wants to use hi' to affect others* he will not resist itE
%%
If anyone beco'es idealistic and wants to help others he is told to =start a 'ove'ent=
and to persuade as 'any people as he can to dedicate the'selves to it( !his is e0cellent
advice in the world of politics* econo'ics* social refor'* and 'aterial philanthropy( It is
of so'e use even in the world of organi)ed religion( But it cannot be applied in the
world of spiritual truth without self/deception( :or there a 'ove'ent 'ust not be
started by a 'an but only by the higher power( It will then select the 'an it can use* and
will guide and inspire hi'(
%%6
!o dedicate life to spiritually uplifting and guiding others* to the e0tent one is capable
of* is to 'ake certain of receiving the sa'e help fro' those beyond oneself(
%27
If you take another 'an8s duty off his shoulders and put it on your own* or lift his
responsibility and leave hi' without it* because you have a laudable desire to serve
'ankind* you 'ay in the end render hi' a disservice as well as put an unnecessary
obstacle on your ,uest(
%2%
+o not atte'pt to 'ake people act on a level beyond their co'fortable traditional one if
they neither want nor understand the higher one( !hey will resist or resent your atte'pt*
which necessarily 'ust fail(
%22
!he best for' of social service is the one which leads others to the higher understanding
of truth( :or fro' that single cause will issue forth various effects in higher 'oral
character* better hu'an relations* and finer spiritual intuitions( Interfering with the
freedo' of others and 'eddling in their affairs* while the true laws of 'an8s being and
destiny are still hardly understood* leads always in history to unfortunate results(
%2.
Coreover* whatsoever we give or do to others is ulti'ately reflected back to us in so'e
for' by the power of kar'a* and if he fre,uently nurses the ideal of serving 'ankind he
will attract to hi'self the spiritual help of those who the'selves have this sa'e ai'(
%21
?lthough it is true that the help we give others always returns to us in so'e way*
so'ewhere* so'ewhen* nevertheless he is not 'otivated in this 'atter by the desire of
reward or return( 5e will engage in the service of hu'anity because co'passion will
arise in his heart* because of the good it will do(
%22
!he desire to help the unfortunate and to uplift the depraved is a noble one* but it 'ay
also be a 'isguided* pre'ature* or even dangerous one( Cisguided* because so'e 'en
'ust pay for their cri'inality before they will be willing to renounce it( Pre'ature*
because the philanthropist 'ay have nothing worthwhile of a worldly or spiritual kind
to give others( +angerous* because the 'ental at'osphere which surrounds low circles
of society is haunted by vicious and perverse unseen entities which seek to influence
sensitive or 'ediu'istic 'inds(
%23
!hat alone is pure authentic service which asks for no return(
%24
5e is warned not to get involved in the personal proble's of others* not to assu'e
responsibility for their own duty of for'ing decisions* and not to believe that he is
helping the' when they try to evade the necessity of using their own powers and
9udge'ent( ?t his present stage it is safe only to co''unicate what he knows of the
general laws of the spiritual life( Beyond this he should not usually atte'pt to go* but
should let each person apply the' for hi'self to his individual proble's( !he effort thus
called forth will be 'ore valuable to that person8s own evolution than blindly obeying
so'eone else(
%2
In what way can the student fit hi'self for greater service to hu'anity< Bsually his first
need is to ac,uire or i'prove balance between the various functions( It 'ay be that he is
overweighted on the side of feelings and psychic sensitivity* and underweighted on the
side of caution* practicality* worldly wisdo'* and personal hardness( 5e ought in that
case to develop the ,ualities which he lacks( !his he can do during 'editation by
logically pondering upon the' and by 'aking the' specific the'es for his creative
i'agination( 5e can also deliberately seek opportunities to e0press the' in practical
day/to/day living( !he task is a hard one and certainly not a pleasant one* but it is
necessary if he wants to render real service of a tangible nature and not 'erely indulge
in vivid fantasy about it(
%26
If one8s greatest desire is to serve @od* he 'ust first understand that he will serve 5i'
best by 'aking hi'self a constantly fitting testa'ent of his faith(
%.7
#tudents fre,uently carry over so'e re'nant of the religionist8s urge to convert others
to their own belief( #elf/disciplines 'ust be applied to curb this tendency( ?ctually it is
a product of wishful thinking co'bined with ignorance( &hy ignorance< Because
efforts of this sort are 'ore likely to repel than to attract others* to set up what the
doctrine of relativity calls an =observational interference(= One8s contribution should
si'ply be to be available for so'e discussions of 'etaphysics and 'ysticis' in general*
and to answer ,uestions//provided one is ,ualified to do so( If the person is really ready
for this !eaching* he or she will beco'e aware of it through higher forces than the
student8s( !hese work through the subconscious or over/conscious 'ind( Bsually the
individual builds up artificial resistances* and ti'e is needed to overco'e the'( !hen*
so'e results will begin to appear in the conscious 'ind( !his is the way the Overself
=works(= It is also the way the true Caster teaches(
%.%
?fter the student has sufficiently prepared hi'self//that is* after he has undergone the
philosophic discipline for purifying character* sub9ugated his lower nature* developed
his intellect* and cultivated his intuition//he will then be able to use his gifts in the
practice of a higher order of 'editation* which will bring hi' the bliss of co''union
with the Overself( Others* who 'ay have benefited hitherto by association with hi'*
will find that the earlier benefits were superficial co'pared with those following his
transfor'ation( !hus* one8s first duty is always towards oneself//although the idea of
service 'ay and should be held in the background for later use(
%.2
!here is 'ore than one way of doing so'e good to suffering hu'anity( 5e should find
the way which suits his own te'pera'ent* ,ualifications* and kar'ic possibilities( :or
instance* he 'ust not regard a trade or a business as an activity that is neither useful nor
necessary( Business is so broad that it is possible to find branches of it that are superior
enough to fulfil the double function of 'aking a livelihood and helping others(
%..
It is incu'bent upon each of those on the "uest to play his or her part in the world in a
courageous 'anner in accord with the teachings of this noble philosophy(
%.1
?s to the ti'e taken for attain'ent* one has certainly to go through 'any incarnations
before beco'ing a fit channel for the Overself( But this does not 'ean that he is not
used by the higher power until then( !he student who has not yet been purified of
egois' can only be used brokenly* in patches* and at intervals* whereas one who has
'ade and i'ple'ented the re,uisite inner delegation of self to Overself is used
continuously(
%.2
By hu'ble prayer and aspiration one 'ay attract that kind of @race fro' the Overself
which 'anifests as a power to heal those in unhappy states of 'ind* bad nervous
conditions* and e'otional unbalance( But first* he 'ust work on hi'self and develop
the re,uisite poise* strength* and wisdo' fro' within( !he intensity of devotion to the
+ivine* the desire to be used as a channel for it to others* and the faith which carries on
with the "uest through both dark and bright circu'stances* 'oods* or ti'es//these
things are e,ually necessary to such self/cultivation(
%.3
In trying to help others in these unsettled ti'es//perhaps one8s own children//one should
try to think of the' in their larger relation to @od* rather than in their relation to fa'iliar
surroundings* filial attach'ents* or the une0pected* disturbing situations which have
co'e up* over which one has li'ited or no control( Prayer and positive thinking will be
as 'uch of a help at these ti'es as anything else one can say or do(
%.4
Bntil the aspirant has been notified that he has attained sufficient inner knowledge*
purity* and strength* he should not atte'pt to engage in any outward service* such as
entering into 'editation with others* holding classes* and so forth* and he should restrict
to a 'ini'u' the nu'ber of people with who' he discusses such 'atters(
%.
&henever the aspirant volunteers spiritual help to another* or seeks it for hi'self* he
ought not to take 'oney in return on the one hand* nor give it in pay'ent on the other(
#uch needs will be attended to by the Infinite Intelligence at the proper ti'e(
%.6
!he weak spot in his attitude is its failure to achieve full purity* its pretension to a virtue
which re'ains partially lacking( :or his altruistic service wants to take so'ething back
in return for what it gives( #uch service has hooks in it(
%17
If he seeks the reali)ation of his 'ystical ai's only and for his own gain and no one
else8s* then it is ,uite proper and necessary for hi' to concentrate all his attention upon
the' and upon hi'self( !o indulge in any for' of altruistic service//even if it be
spiritual service//is to go astray fro' this path and be led afar fro' his goal( But if he
seeks hu'anity8s benefit as well as his own* it is not proper and necessary to do so( :or
he will then have to divert so'e co'passionate thought and 'editation and feeling to
hu'anity( !he kind of 'ystical attain'ent which fructifies at the end of the ,uest
depends on the kind of effort he previously put forth in it( If his ai' has been self/
centered all along* his power to assist others will be li'ited in various ways- but if it has
been altruistic fro' the start* then he will be able to assist the' ade,uately* easily*
widely* and differently(
%1%
If he finds that the Overself is using hi' at any particular ti'e as the personal
instru'ent for its guidance* blessing* or healing* he 'ust take care to be detached and
keep ego out of the relationship(
%12
!he student 'ust work for the welfare of the world* yes* but he 'ust do it in his own
way* not the world8s way( 5e 'ust not only do the right thing at the right ti'e* neither
too early nor too late* but also in the right way( 5e will not desert the world* but rather
transfuse his little corner of it with truer ideals(
%1.
!he right 'ove 'ade at the wrong ti'e 'ay no longer be a right one( If 'ade too late*
it 'ay lose 'uch of its effectiveness- if 'ade too early* it 'ay 'eet with failure(F
%11
? wise 'an will seek to study hi'self* a fool will be busy 'eddling with others(
%12
?ll are not called to act as* nor are personally e,uipped to be* teachers and apostles*
preachers and helpers* healers and e0pounders(
%13
It is no use talking vaguely of service to hu'anity when he lacks the capacity to render
any specific service at all( In such a case it is better first of all to set to work to develop
within hi'self the necessary capacities(
%14
&isdo' always relates service to need whereas ignorance relates it to desire(
%1
!he philosophic suggestion to be active in the service of 'ankind does not 'ean* as
so'e think* that we have to be active in politics nor* as others think* to give away
propagandist pa'phlets(
%16
Det it not be forgotten that goodwill towards 'ankind does not e0clude goodwill
towards oneself( !he way of 'artyrdo'* of dying uselessly for others* is the way of
e'otional 'ysticis'( !he way of service* of living usefully for others* is the way of
rational philosophy(
%27
If* at the insistence of other persons or of an over/tender conscience* a 'an takes too
'uch on hi'self* he beco'es less able to help those for who' he does so(
%2%
&hy this eagerness to run about and set society right< If there is a @od* then 5e has not
run away fro' 5is creation and left it to fend for itself(
%22
!he Bhagavad Gita8s warning about the duty of another being full of danger runs
parallel with the Tao-teh-King8s advocacy of the practice of non/interference( Both
Indian and Chinese wisdo' thus tell us to 'ind our own businessE Dao !)u8s words are:
=!he sage avoids the very popular error of endeavouring to assist the processes of
nature* which is what he never ventures on doing(= !he wisdo' of 'inding our own
business is not only validated by such teaching: it is also confir'ed by e0perience(
%2.
!hose 'en who have known this inner life* that other #elf* and who have the talent to
co''unicate in speech* writing* or action* have a duty laid on the' to tell others of it(
But if they lack this talent* they do no wrong to re'ain in silence about it( :or* as
$a'ana Caharshi once said to 'e* =#ilence also is a for' of speech(=
%21
$eflection reveals and history shows that it is i'possible to save the whole world( #o he
prudently keeps his energies for the task that holds 'uch 'ore favourable possibility//
saving hi'self( It is only the individual person here and there* not the entire 'ass* who
is ever led out of ignorance and slavery to wisdo' and freedo'(
%22
5e who attains even a little power to help others cannot 'easure where that help will
stop( If it gives a lift to one 'an who' he knows* that 'an 'ay in his turn give a lift to
another person* and so on indefinitely in ever/widening ripples(
%23
It is bitter indeed to be strong and wise in oneself yet* by identification with another
person* to share his weakness and his blindness( :or the suffering that inevitably follows
the' 'ust be shared too under a feeling of helplessness* of inability to change the other
and save hi' fro' his self/earned destiny(
%24
!hose who are searching for truth are only a s'all nu'ber but still they are a growing
nu'ber( Gach of us 'ay repay his own obligation by saying the right ord at the right
time* by lending or giving the right book to the truth/hungry person(
%2
!he 'inor conventions 'ust be practised if we would serve 'ankind and achieve our
'a9or ai's thereby( &e can 'ake the world in our own i'age only by 'ingling
har'oniously with it(
%26
&ho can save the sick world fro' itself< Possibly an ?vatar but there isn8t one in sight
at present* so what can we do< Gach can save hi'self* can look to hi'self( 5e can tell
or show others what he is doing for hi'self but cannot save the'(
%37
Gven though one is headed in the right direction and is 'ost earnest* his progress*
so'eti'es* is slow( !his 'ay be Nature8s way of encouraging restraint in his atte'pts to
help or enlighten others( +iscri'ination is absolutely essential in such 'atters and they
'ust not be undertaken before one is ready(
%3%
!here is a proper ti'e for everything( &hen he has reached the age when he has to
consider his own spiritual interests he should lessen his activities and save his energies
for a higher service* first to hi'self and then to others(
%32
$ather than placing over/e'phasis on vocal propaganda* students should* instead*
silently e0e'plify in their own persons and conduct the fruits of such acceptance of this
doctrine(
%3.
#o'eti'es it beco'es necessary for the student to drop all thought of service for a
while* in order to de'onstrate in his own life what he can do for hi'self//both inwardly
and outwardly( Before this ti'e* any talk of service to others* especially to the !eacher*
is pre'ature( !he philosophic ideal of ulti'ate service is agreed upon- however* there is
no need to concern oneself about this until one has achieved enough knowledge and
e0perience to 'ake such service worthwhile(
%31
!he noble and beautiful teachings of old @reece* fro' the #ocratic to the #toic*
har'oni)e perfectly with the age/old teachings of the higher philosophy( ?lthough they
taught a lofty self/reliance they did not teach a narrow self/centeredness( !his is
sy'boli)ed vividly in Plato8s story of the cave* where the 'an who attained Dight
i''ediately forsook his deserved rest to descend to the help and guidance of the
prisoners still living in the cave8s darkness(
The !oteboo"s are copyright H %61/%66* !he Paul Brunton Philosophic :oundation(