Kabir says:
The Guru is great beyond words, and greater is the good fortune of the disciple.
During the time I did service in Denver as Mike Donner's secretary, I was Graced frequently with Maharaj Ji's darshan. One day Maharaj Ji entered the office in an exceptionally playful mood. He was carrying His trusty pair of handcuffs. I laughed when I saw Lou, Rick Berman and Joe Natter spot them in His hand -- last time Maharaj Ji handcuffed two premies, a locksmith had to be called in because there wasn't a key.
After much kidding around and tugging, Maharaj Ji had snagged Lou and Joe and cuffed them to the pole in front of my desk that ran from the ceiling to the floor … (two redder faced premies you never saw). Maharaj Ji did happen to have a key this time, but He promptly put it is His pocket and walked out to the elevator. Three or four of us walked out with Him. Maharaj Ji stepped inside the elevator and looked at us (smiling away), took the key out of His pocket and played like He was going to drop it down the shaft. I was feeling so much love and laughter inside, but even at this most playful moment I realized total concentration on Holy Name was necessary. A split second after my "realization" my hand simply shot out towards Maharaj Ji … I had completely become His puppet; and I'll never forget Him looking at me and smiling, and, placing the key right in the palm of my hand.
The door closed and He was gone.
Father's Day Party Darshan Story: "For me, it was like going home for a weekend, just going back home to see my parents and my little sister. For me the party wasn't even there, I was so intent on being at my father's lotus feet and being with Premlata. When I was with her, I wanted to stay with her all the time. Everything I experienced in Malibu I seemed to experience through Premlata. Just to watch Maharaj Ji and Durga Ji with Premlata was so beautiful. The way they were parents to her I could see they are our parents too." --Joan Leahy, who babysat for Premlata during the party.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Realizations are something which everyone experiences on this path of Knowledge, but realizations in themselves are not always experiences. Many times premies make significant theoretical realizations, but unless we actually incorporate these into our lives, they lose almost all of their value. It's like swallowing a whole walnut without removing the shell first; it will pass right through the digestive system without providing any nutritional value. This happens with theoretical realizations also, for unless we put these precious thoughts into action, they soon slip away into the ozone somewhere, providing no significant value to our spiritual development.
All of the direction Guru Maharaj Ji provided us on his last visit to Denver inspired many realizations for all of us I am sure. But the important thing is whether they are active or impassive realizations, whether we take them to heart or mind. So often I hear premies say "it's all by the Grace of Guru Maharaj Ji", and truer words could not be spoken, but unfortunately this phrase is often used as an excuse for being irresponsible in our actions or even lack of action. If we listen closely to Guru Maharaj Ji's satsang, we will see this is exactly the opposite of what he wants. He wants us to be responsible to him so that he can work through us. Only by surrendering our actions to his agya and practicing a balanced life of satsang, service and meditation, can we ever truly understand that everything is by His Grace. We must become activists for Guru Maharaj Ji so we can make the Mission Impossible a Divine Mission instead. To be a true pacifist, one who has no internal conflict, you must be an activist for Maharaj Ji, not an impassivist. Jai Satchitanand.
Rich
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Once Guru Maharaj Ji described how a rose becomes such a beautiful flower. He said first it's just an ugly thorny stalk. Then a bud is formed and when one sees it, it still doesn't look beautiful. But He said it's apparent that something is going to happen. Then one morning the flower emerges from that bud and all of a sudden this plant is beautiful. So beautiful.
This can be related to a lot of things but especially to us as premies and to the growth of the mission. The bud is about to unfold. Satsang, service and meditation are a practical reality for so many premies because of the opportunity that's available to every premie to dedicate his life to Guru Maharaj Ji.
In July, a system of communication was implemented in our community solely for the purpose of giving any premie who wants to dedicate himself/herself to Guru Maharaj Ji, the opportunity to do so. Satsang is available to attend. Service is available to do and meditation? Well the effort is in each of our hands. The community now has a council which is there to help guide us according to Guru Maharaj Ji's direction, to communicate to every premie who wants to be a part of A.M.P.to be someone who can listen to feedback and suggestions about anything, to plug anyone who wishes it into service. It's kind of like that bud that popped up on the end of the stalk.
In July we saw "The Holi Film" and "The Power of Love", the dancers performed Krishna Lila at the Temple Music Festival, we started the sister's choir, played softball at Holmesburg Prison and had as beautiful a Guru Puja as we could have wished without the darshan of Guru Maharaj Ji.
July was ashram month. We finally have our ashram again, something we learned to appreciate so much on July 14th, when over 120 premies showed up for our first satsang there. The Knowledge Course began in July with 28 aspirants who, because of the course, will probably be leading us all in September after they receive Knowledge in August. We had our first public program in two years on July 23rd where 83 non-premies sat with 137 premies and listened to music and satsang at the Hilton. Childcare started evolving in July along with other opportunities for service like postering committees, an expanded food co-op and skit writing.
It's all for one purpose, to help propagate this Knowledge. To help communicate the love we feel for Guru Maharaj Ji and each other. There must have been hundreds of hours of satsang during July. Not bad.
August 2: "In Service Day" for aspirants. The aspirants will be joining forces with the postering committees for a day of postering. They'll be distributing the Sunny Kingdom Poster throughout the city and suburbs.
August 3: Softball game with Holmesburg Prison
August 8: 2nd Knowledge Course begins at ashram.
August 9: Community Meeting
August 13: Public program at Hilton Hotel in W. Phila.
August 16: Mahatma Gurupujanand arrives and gives satsang at community meeting.
August 17: Knowledge selection at the ashram: 10:00 AM.
August 20: Public program in the northeast. Mahatma Ji will be the guest speaker. Place to be announced.
August 21: Knowledge Session at ashram.
August 22: Mahatma Ji leaves for E. Orange, N.J.
August 23: Community Meeting
August 24: Five area community meetings. Propagation workshops featured. You'll be receiving a letter in the mail.
August 27: Public program in center city. Place to be announced.
August 30: Community meeting
LOOKING AHEAD TO SEPTEMBER
September 6th and 7th: Meditation Retreat at Fellowship Farm.
Get your HANS JAYANTI PRE-REGISTRATION together as soon as possible. The pre-registration deadline is October 5th but the money is needed sooner to pay for deposits and reservations in advance in Orlando. If you have any questions call DUO. 477-2800
Satsang of Shri Raja Ji - 16 July 1973 Alexandra Palace
Dear Premies,
The Guru Puja Festival has just now ended. Everybody will be moving away, some today, some tomorrow, some the day after tomorrow, and this campsite will be just empty then. And it's the same thing with the world, you know. We have stayed in the campsite and the man who owns the campsite, if we behave nicely, he will remember us for his whole life, if we do something good for him. It's the same way with the world, you know. We come in the world and go. People come, people go. The whole campsite was empty and we filled it, then it was empty again. But it's what we did there that matters. If we have realized what to do, very nice. But if we haven't realized, we have to realize it. And the way to realize it is through a certain technique, a certain channel, and for that you should go to a person who can give it to you. If you go to a man and you are very thirsty and you ask, "I want water," and he says, "OK. Sit down," and he gives it to you, you'll taste it and say, "Thank you." It is a practical thing. This is the quality of it, you can taste it, you can touch it.
So that's the thing. We have to go to a Perfect Master to get the Perfect Knowledge, to get the satisfaction, to get everything we want. And once you have realized the Knowledge we have a duty to meditate on it. Because once upon a time we were looking for something, something was missing from us. We knew something was missing from us and we were looking for it. Now we have found it. We know what we were looking for. We have achieved our aim. But just to achieve the aim is not enough, you know. There is a duty also. If somebody has an aim in life to become a doctor, when he becomes a doctor there is still something after the aim. If somebody has an aim to become a President, and he becomes a President, still it's not enough. He has a certain duty to perform.
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And the same thing is with us. After achieving our aim we now have a certain duty to perform. And though everything is done by Guru Maharaj Ji, we have to play a certain part. So now we have to play a certain part. What is our part, do you know? To propagate this Knowledge of Guru Maharaj Ji in whatever way we can. This is it. We must use what God has given us. In India, you know, if somebody doesn have a job, he will say that he is a road inspector. And he walks on the road, you know, finding jobs. We say he is a number eleven bus; two legs - one and one. It is not fast, but it's a good bus, very smooth-running. So we can spread the Knowledge by number eleven bus. By whatever is possible. Maybe it is different from personality to personality. OK, if I have my own channels I'll use them. If I am a teacher I'll speak to other teachers. Tell them that we have found something which is stilt missing from them. They also know that but they have to realize it. And this can only happen when we do it, you know, when we talk to them. We have to do it. It won't happen by itself, you know. We have to do it, that's all.
And by the Grace of Maharaj Ji we, most of us here, I think, have received Knowledge and that's the main thing. Because, you know, there can't be peace in the world unless there is peace in our hearts. And once there is peace in our hearts, there is peace in the world,
Thank you very much.
If the bud unfolds and becomes the rose like it's supposed to, August might be the month we all see it, and when new people become attracted to its beauty, forget about the lazy lazy days of summer, there's so much to be done to bring us closer to Guru Maharaj Ji inside.
In July Guru Maharaj Ji said that satsang and service are exactly as important as meditation. Only through the combination of these three ingredients can we be perfectly on the path, growing at the pace He sets for us.
Every activity that D.L.M. sets up is for propagation. Whether it's the food co-op, satsang at the ashram or visiting Byberry State Hospital, everything we do as a servant of Guru Maharaj Ji to carry out His agya. In August our plan is to really get our feet wet in propagation. We spent two and a half months building and implementing a way to connect each premie to the family through satsang and service. So now we have to get our feet on the ground so to speak by utilizing what we have for propagation. For instance, about 60 premies did service in getting together Guru Puja. All of them were contacted through the community council and plugged into the festival coordinators. The result was a very smooth and extremely beautiful festival. In August we will be using the same system of communication for the activities that will be happening.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS … Public programs are going to become a regular activity now. We have three of them scheduled for August in West Philly, center city, and the northeast. Mahatma Gurupujanand will be here for the northeast program. Postering committees in these areas will be busy distributing new posters for the programs. We are going to begin working with the media again, using public service announcements and newspaper advertising for our programs.
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The best way to effectively advertise is by word of mouth, which every one us should be conscious of. The leaflet cards on meditation are available for free at the publications table at any of our community meetings. There are enough for each of us to carry 5 of them in our wallets for on the spot propagation. Also the meditation brochures are available to any premie who would like to give one to an interested person or to distribute in doctors offices. The feedback on our first program at the Hilton has been that it was a really beautiful program and a good first step but that more music was needed and some of the satsangs were too long.
W.W.A. … W.W.A. is scheduled to get more off the ground in August. We're presently researching for a good institutional project in West Philly. The northeast premies participate each week in the Byberry State W.W.A. project. A similar project will be starting in West Philadelphia for the premies who live closer to that part of the city. Also, we're finally getting our foot in the door with the Philadelphia prisons. On July 20th we had a softball game with the Holmesburg Prison team. A lot of our players gave satsang to the inmates who responded enthusiastically. Ted Levitt and Paul Williams are meeting with the volunteer coordinator and the warden of Holmes-burg on August 6th to hopefully set-up regular satsang at the prison. Also, Gandarva (the Springfield House premie band) will be playing for the inmates soon. By His grace things look very positive with W.W.A.
MAHATMA JI: Mahatma Gurupujanand (formally Ira Woods) will be in town on August 16th. He's scheduled to give Knowledge on Thursday August 21st to those aspirants who he feels are ready to receive Knowledge and practice it. Knowledge selection for aspirants will be held on Sunday August 17th at the ashram. On Saturday evening the 16th, Mahatma Ji will be giving satsang at the community meeting. He'll also be giving sat-sang at our public program in the northeast on Wednesday August 20th.
KNOWLEDGE COURSE … The completion of our first Knowledge Course will be Tuesday August 12th. Mahatma Ji will make his selection from these aspirants and any aspirants who come from out of town. The second Knowledge Course is scheduled to begin on Friday August 8th. Please encourage any aspirants you know of who are seeking Knowledge to sign up with Rich Neel. We are learning constantly about this subject and realizing how important it is to prepare someone properly to practice Knowledge.
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COMMUNICATION: We hope to have for you a compilation of the results of the community questionnaires, which a lot of you filled out in the beginning of July. I feel it's very important to let you know what the community feels about what's happening. A lot of you have been giving feedback to your council member about a variety of things, which has helped a lot in planning what we do together. There could be a lot more of it, though, because when we communicate our under standing we either teach others by helping them to understand or we learn more ourselves about what we don't know too much about.
We're going to hold area community meetings again, on Sunday August 24th, at 8:00 p.m. You'll be receiving a notice in the mail and an agenda of the evening. The meeting will be more on a workshop format than the first meeting where we all discuss what's happening in terms of propagation, which includes everything. Another questionnaire will go out to everyone before the meetings.
We're buying a new phone announcing machine, because the old one has died on us. It will be a much better quality machine so that the satsang and announcements will be very clear and we will have up to 3 minutes time instead of one for your listening pleasure. The feedback on the questionnaires was overshelming about how Guru Maharaj Ji's satsang could be clearer. There is also a new number to call which is: GR3-3679.
COMMUNITY FUND: The community fund is still in the embryo stage. Right now it's being mostly supported by big events we hold, where the profit is put into the fund. The fund is now paying for all our office supplies, phones, hall rentals, posters and other propagational materials. About 30 premies in the community are supporting the fund above the 10% dedications. The fund has to be supported, because it's the only way we can use money to propagate in Philadelphia.
So, I guess that's the summary of what's happening now, and what's coming up in August. We're really trying to keep the opportunities available to everyone, because we have to realize this Knowledge now. We have to become one with our Lord. The only reason He comes is for His devotees and if we are those devotees, then we must manifest our devotion through the three legged stool of satsang, service, and meditation.
Jai Satchitanand,
H
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Some Philly premies saw Maharaj Ji and Durga Ji and Premlata in Denver recently … Here's what they say …
… It was another re-realization that it was inside. And that's all Guru Maharaj Ji's Agya is … just like Durga Ji said. "We can only follow His Agya. We can't imitate what He does, we can only do what He said." …
… He loves us! The last few times I've seen Maharaj Ji, the thing that I felt so much is how incredibly much He loves all of us. When I saw Him at the party in Denver I realized that His love for us has always been that incredibly great, but by His grace our hearts are opening, opening, and opening so that finally we're knowing this love in being able to share it with each other. And knowing this love makes us want to do the only thing that really pleases Him … A postcard from Tom Lovatt … My dear Philly Family, Denver is beautiful. You most likely heard by now how beautiful it was here with Guru Maharaj Ji being here. Almost half the Philly community was here. I really love my new service and ashram. I'll write you a longer letter when I have time along with some surprises, I hope, for your new ashram and newsletters. I love you all, Tommy. (When Tommy got to Denver, he not only went to Maharaj Ji's party, but he also saw Maharaj Ji face to face in the office building. At other times he saw Durga Ji and Premlata, and Raja Ji and Claudia! We hear he's pretty happy there) …
This time we had room in our hearts for Guru Maharaj Ji to come to us. We didn't rush to Him for an experience - He came inside each premie and gave. His perfect darshan … Darshan for me was the most beautiful experience because I felt God in everyone and saw Guru Maharaj Ji standing there absolutely knowing everything …
Over the loudspeaker I heard a voice saying … "Maharaj Ji wants to come to you. Just move back and let Him come to you …" At that instant I understood what Maharaj Ji's been saying to me all this time. I don't know what I thought He was talking about all this time but I know now. Darshan is when your consciousness is opened so intensely and immediately that you see the invalidity of your mind and how much you've been conned by it your whole life.
Each one of us premies, each one of us lovers of Guru Maharaj Ji is just a flower. We are flowers that he is tying into a thread of love the whole world wide. That thread is this Holy Name which is going to unite this whole world in love.
Each one of us is Maharaj Ji's child, his very own special child. We're his babies. Now he has come, he is our Father, and he is here. He is here to save us, because each one of us is so hungry and so thirsty for that love that he has to give us.
Guru Maharaj Ji has clearly shown that he is our Father. There is only one Father, and this Father is the Source. There are no other Guru Maharaj Ji's; there is only one Guru Maharaj Ji. There are no other Gurus, there is no one else to follow. Guru Maharaj Ji is the way.
--Durga Ji - India
Dear Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure that we are all assembled at Calcutta. Because the premies from Calcutta came to Jhumri Tilaya to ask about the date of a program in Calcutta, but at that time I told them that I had not decided. Yet now I am in Calcutta. What is supposed to happen, has to happen. The love, devotion, and sentiments of the premier has made it possible for this program. That's why the program is now happening.
Lord Rama, Buddha, and Christ came and left; Alexander came and left. That's why we have to understand the importance of this Knowledge which we have received. We have to understand the value of this Knowledge. Its wealth is for one's whole life, not for one minute or two minutes, or one hour or two hours, but for one's whole lifetime. This is that thing which is priceless, which cannot be sold in the market.
Dear gentlemen, we should think for one moment how so many people are blaming this dark age for our troubles. We have never understood how very fortunate this age is. In this age of darkness the Lord will incarnate with full power. Whoever He will be! That's the other question.
It is said that this age depends on the Holy Name. By remembering the Holy Name, a man can cross the ocean of suffering and misery. So this is the age we have waited for for so long. It is another question whether it is bad or good. It's like, a crow can only speak "Caw! Caw", but a swan can only speak the language of a swan.
Therefore, dear gentlemen, this is an opportunity before us and before all. Mata Ji and Bal Bhagwan Ji are doing bad things to me now. Why should we blame them? It is a test for us to see whether we have faith in this True Knowledge or not. If there is a hole in the boat, however beautiful it is from the outside, one day it will sink into the water. There is another boat and it is so ugly from the outside, but it will not sink.
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Now the time has come. No one knew how long this time was going to take before coming, five years or six years, but now this time has come that the Knowledge and glory of Guru Maharaj Ji are completely different from our ideas and concepts. How far the ideas of man have gone, but still the Knowledge and glory of Guru Maharaj Ji is unaffected.
This is the time to wake up. This is the time to know who really has the True Knowledge and is meditating on the True Knowledge and getting benefit from it. Those who have known, look!
So, dear gentlemen, this time has come, and we should open our eyes. Those who have slept and slept, we should not blame them, but we should see that we have true Knowledge, and so we should serve, meditate and do satsang for our Satguru.
All premies should understand, awake, and arise. Take an oath in your mind that we have to propagate Guru Maharaj Ji's Knowledge. I told you in Jhumri Tilaya that if a man wants to walk from one corner of the stage to the other corner, he has to use his legs. Premies are the legs of Guru Maharaj Ji. I don't know where they make him dance, where they take him; they do whatever they like with Guru Maharaj Ji.
The whole thing depends on the premies. So premies have to know, premies have to awaken, premies have to decide. The time has come that we should wake up. We should announce at every place that we know the Truth. We should tell this to people, and we should work in cooperation and in unity.
There is nothing else to say. Those premies who have not received darshan, it has become two years, so now they should receive darshan. I have come for the premies, because they told me that the condition of the premies had became bad, I have come for them, and nothing else.
I told Mata Ji a long time ago, "Mata Ji, if you have any doubts, any confusions or desire, please don't bring it among the premies. Because premies are for the Knowledge, for Guru Maharaj Ji. Premies are not for other matters." But it has been said that those who are manmat, followers of mind, have no discipline. No one knows what they can do.
Today that time has come to show that premies are with Guru Maharaj Ji. Shri Hans Ji Maharaj was also blamed by some disciples. The same thing is happening with me. So understand, wake up and arise. Blessings to all the premies.
Once upon a time there was a cloud who lived in the sky. This cloud loved being a cloud so much; it loved being light and fluffy and floaty. It said with much pride, "I am a cloud. This is me. I love being a cloud."
One day something very strange began to happen to this cloud - it began to lose its shape before its very eyes! Slow this wispy white mass turned into new wet droplets, streaming down from this prized position up high in the sky down on the hard earth. The cloud really freaked out as this was happening to him. "Help help," he said, "what's happening to me. Oh-h-h, help, help, I'm scared!"
But after a while, he began to get into being rain. It took a while to adjust, but soon he forgot he was ever a cloud, and he began to say, "I am rain. This is really me - I come sliding down through the sky, and I make things grow, and I get people wet. I make people sad and I make people glad - what a powerful thing it is to be rain. Yes, this is me, and I am so glad this is me."
But what do you know - pretty soon this rain found itself in an ocean, and it wasn't rain at all any more! The rain completely flipped out - he just couldn't take it. Just as he really began to feel comfortable with who he was it would all change on him, and he was beginning to feel miserable. This time it took quite a while, but with a little help from the rest of the ocean he began to adjust, and even began to enjoy being so big and powerful. After a while, he said, "Could this be the real me? Why yes, I think it is. Wow, I can roll into big waves, I can be calm - I'm so big and deep, and so many interesting plants and animals grow in me. This is absolutely the best thing to be - I have so much power. Yes, this is me, this is really, really me, no doubt about it. And I'm glad, I sure wouldn't want to be anything else."
But as it happens to the best of oceans, pretty soon they begin to condense into the air and turn into clouds again and of course this is what happened to our friend. By this time, he was completely a wreck, at his wits end. In the midst of sobs and tears he spotted a calm, serene cloud floating next to him, and he knew it was his only chance to reach out for help. "Oh Mr. Cloud," he cried, "I think they are going to have to put me in an institution for depressed clouds, and I will be such a disgrace
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to my family. I'm so lost and confused, I just don't know who I am. Please, please help me Mr. Cloud."
How can a soul who knows the truth resist reaching out to such a desperate and seeking soul? Thus Mr. Cloud replied, "You are in so much pain and confusion because you are identifying yourself with something that is false and temporary - if you knew your real self, these external change wouldn't bother you in the least. You see, whether you are a cloud, rain, or the ocean, your essence is all the same, but you just take on different forms. That is your service, and if you didn't make these changes it would upset the balance of all of nature. The thing is to know your true nature that never changes, and then you will know freedom and peace, like me."
Our friend the sad cloud cried, "Please, please show me how to know this true essence inside of me." Mr. Cloud was able to show him his real self, and from then on the cloud was completely blissed out to be anything - he was even ice a few times and it didn't bother him because he knew that was only temporary too. He was always just so happy to be doing the service God gave him to do.
And it is the same with us human beings too. When we are shown the true nature of our selves within us which is the energy that created everything, we will never be sad when we change environments, houses, friends, jobs, or various roles and services. Because we know we are serving God and helping everything in the universe be in harmony. And you know what? We won't even be afraid of death, because we know who we really are!
In the next few issures of Brotherly Love, we will print Maharaj Ji's "Peace Bomb" satsang. Below is the first part.
Translation of Guru Maharaj Ji's discourse at the Hans Jayanti Festival, 1970, to honour the anniversary of the birthday of His late Father, Shri Hans Ji Maharaj, the Perfect Master of His time.
Occasionally, the Perfect Master makes a speech of such power, strength and truth that it stands out as a milestone in His work and is remembered throughout history as a turning point for humanity. It is at these times when the Master unleashes a little more of His infinite power than usual that the world trembles before such a show of divinity.
For Jesus, the moment came with His "Sermon on the Mount." The power of His words pieces the centuries as a timeless definitive statement of Divine Truth. This is God, laying it on the line, and we ignore it at our peril. Now the wheel has turned again, and down the corridors of centuries still to come, the Peace Bomb satsang of Guru Maharaj Ji, delivered in Z970 at the age of twelve, will ring loud and strong and pure. On that November day, before a million people, the Lord announced His presence once again on the planet and made His great declaration: "I declare I will establish peace in the world". Once again the eternal message is voiced by the only one who can voice it - the Lord Himself in human guise. Once again the divine words are heard: "Give me your love and I will give you eternal peace." Mankind rejoice, for He is here!
In the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord says that whenever religion becomes corrupted and evil increases He takes a human body and manifests in this world to destroy evil and to protect His devotees. All of you must know very well what is happening to religion and Knowledge in this materialistic age. All the time, the latest models are being built, the latest fashions are being designed. Day by day men are striving to improve the quality and appearance of their inventions. And today I have to say with sorrow that the
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Knowledge which was once firmly established in this land of India has been slowly disappearing. But when the Lord saw that the troubles His devotees were having to endure had reached the final point, He said, "My devotees can bear it no longer," and then manifested Himself in a human body. So He has now come to reveal the lost Knowledge and to restore true peace. The Lord, the True Saint, the True Guru Maharaj Ji, has incarnated in this world. So in this ground, where one moment ago I expressed sorrow, I now praise the fate of India. I do not have the words to express how fortunate we are that the Lord's Grace always saves us from destruction and makes us His lovers.
So dear premies, we have a duty and that duty is to forget that self-esteem which makes people lazy and to destroy those things that seperate them from God. Only accept that which is of God, which is one with the Name of God, and from which every ray of the Light of God comes. Accept that and show the Western world that in this degrading age we are the same Indians as before. The Lord, Guru Maharaj Ji, has brought the same Grace with Him that He brought for us before, and if you are not receiving it then come to me.
In this age which is coming, everybody will have his deserts. Justice will be done and the proud will be made humble. So dear premies, forsake the grandeur that is making you so lazy and go and tell people about God. Remember what the Lord says about this in the Bhagavad Gita: "He who tells people about me is dearer to me than my own life." So tell people about God. In the Ramayana it is said,
The Supreme Light illumines all day and night;
It does not need any lamp, oil or wick.
You read the Gita, Bible and Ramayana daily, worship them daily, but have you understood their essence? Have you even tried to understand their essence? What is the significance of their words? What is that Supreme Light? The light of the sun, moon, fire and electricity can be seen by all animals and birds, but there is one Light that is beyond them. Before the electric light was invented, then it was called the Fourth Light, but now it is the Fifth Light, and only man can see that Light. Only man has the right to see that Light. It is said,
Even animals and birds know what is
good and bad for them. But this human body
is a treasure of virtues and Knowledge
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
MUCH LOVE … could be directed towards our brother Mike Donner. Please write … John Michael Donner, 31620-138, P. O. Box 1000, Leavenworth, Kansas 66048.
ELDERLY lady needs transportation and general assistance one day a week. Contact Ted at GR7-2800.
HOUSING … TO LIVE IN … and to help a lady with a broken hip. Person could continue to live there because there is extra room. Could be a person with a baby also. Call Stu at Hl9-7887.
Heaven's Devils need bikes. Ashram residents are in need of some two wheelers in order to save soles. If you have any old klunker (or new one) that is in good working I condition, please contact Rich at the ashram or call DUO at GR7-2800
SERVICE …In order to personalize the patient's birthdays, Byberry Volunteer Department needs volunteers to buy a small present and deliver it on the Sunday near the patient's birthday. A once a year service or more if you desire.
PENN STATE - MAIN campus. Any premie who is going to be staying up at the Main campus this fall, contact Andy at 618 Stuart St., University Park, PA 16802.
INFORMATION CENTER … wants two more premies to live in their center. RD#4 Spring Valley Rd., Bethlehem, PA 18015. (215) 838-7313. Call Lenny, Dave or Jim.
SHRI HANS PAINTING COMPANY is ready to do endless service. Invite friends, neighbors and relatives to give our painters a call anytime they need painting done. Have them call 483-8536.
Waiting The Word of the master. We are going to have a reading and listening room at the new ashram. We have the magazines, we have the records and stereo and we even have the cassette tapes but we don't have the cassette tape deck. If anyone has a good, quality cassette tape deck to hook up to the stereo system it would be put to fantastic use for the whole community. Please contact Rich at the ashram or GR7-2800.
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A premie house will be starting sometime in August in the Northeast. Contact the DUO Office you this interests you. For other housing also, contact the DUO Office. We may have what you want, and then again, we may not have it!
WESTERN MAHATMAS … In the past, the Indian Mahatmas have been given much deferential treatment by the Western Premies Some of this special treatment came from a lack of understanding of the role of the Mahatma, but most of it has a very practical basis. As Guru Maharaj Ji's ambassadors in this world, travelling continuously from place to place, they need the special care and consideration required by their service. Because the Western Mahatmas are more familiar looking and acting to us, this does not mean that their service is any less important or deserving of the special care and respect which should go to one who is serving Guru Maharaj Ji in this particularly demanding way. Recently, in July, Guru Maharaj Ji appointed four new western mahatmas as you have probably heard already. The first was Bill Patterson who Maharaj Ji named Mahatma Satchitanand. Arthur Brigham has been named Mahatma Parampremanand, Ira Woods has been named Mahatma Gurupujanand, Kathy Sullivan is now called Mahatma Pranam Bai. Maharaj Ji has asked that we call them by these names always. Mahatma Satchitanand went to South America, Mahatma Parampremanand went to Europe, and Mahatma Gurupajanand is in Northeastern part of the States. As a matter of fact, he is coming to Philly on August 16 - August 18. Then he goes to Ocean City and he comes back on August 20 to stay until the 22nd. All the mahatmas are giving Knowledge. Mahatma Pranam Bai is now the manager of the residence in Malibu.
Mahatma Gurupujanand - Arrives in Philly an August 16 -18 and August 20 - 22. Program details coming in mid-August.
CHILDCARE … is just starting and needs any of the following that you can spare: story books, coloring books, toys, fold-up cribs, baby bottles and your love.
AND YOUR LOVE … could also be directed to Jerry who had a very serious accident on his job. Maybe some premies could take the time to write him: Jerry Schaeffer, Intensive Care or Burn Unit, Crozer Hospital, Chester, PA 19013.
All beings are from the very beginning Buddhas.
It is like water and ice:
Apart from water, no ice.
Outside living beings, no Buddhas.
Not knowing it is near, they seek it afar. What a pity!
It is like one in the water who cries out for thirst;
It is like the child of a rich house who has
strayed away among the poor.
The cause of our circling through the six worlds
Is that we are on the dark paths of ignorance.
Dark path upon dark path treading,
When shall we escape from birth-and-death?
The Zen meditation of the Mahayana
Is beyond all our praise.
Giving and morality and the other perfections,
Taking of the Name, repentance, discipline,
and the many other right actions,
All come back to the practice of meditation.
By the merit of a single sitting
He destroys innumerable accumulated sins.
How should there be wrong paths for him?
The Pure Land paradise is not far.
When in reverence this truth is heard even once,
He who praises it and gladly embraces it has merit without end.
How much more he who turns within
And confirms directly his own nature,
That his own nature is no-nature--,
Such has transcended vain words.
The gate opens, and cause and effect are one;
Straight runs the way--not two, not three
Taking as form the form of no-form,
Going or returning, he is ever at home.
Taking as thought the thought of no-thought.
Singing and dancing, all is the voice of truth.
Wide is the heaven of boundless Samadhi,
Radiant the full moon of the four-fold wisdom.
What remains to be sought? Nirvana is clear before him,
This very place the Lotus paradise, this very body the Buddha
--From "A First Zen Reader"
"So many rumors have been spread, that this Guru's mission is to make money. But I am before you and I am telling you that this Knowledge is inside of you, and if you receive you will find out whether it is a business or not.
--Guru Maharaj Ji - Nepal, India 5/2/75
"So premies (and we're all premies; we're all lovers of Guru Maharaj Ji), it's so important that we do exactly what Maharaj Ji has shown us to do, because this is the key that unlocks the door to salvation, that unlocks the door that we've been looking for forever. This is the treasure that we can't lose. So, it's so important to do meditation, and to do agya of Guru Maharaj Ji. -- Durga Ji - India - 4/19/75