21. The Shabd of Radhasoami
Faith distinguished from that of other religions
32. But there is difference
between the ‘Word’ and ‘Sound’, which
is alluded to, in the different extant religions and that
in Radhasoami Faith. Their information is not confined to
the ‘Word’ or ‘Sound’ of one and the same
sphere. Some belong to the spiritual-material and some to
material-spiritual regions. While the ‘Word’ or
‘Sound’ mentioned by Radhasoami Faith appertains
to the first or highest spiritual sphere. These ‘Sounds’
are not nominal words or names like the names of common things,
but are real sounds resounding in their appropriate spheres
like the ringing sound of bell, shell, etc.
22. The efficacy of the real name
or sound to approach the center from which it emanates
33. By merely repeating
a name or word, the thing or substance which it designates
or to which it appertains can not be acquired, but by hearing
a real ‘Word or ‘Sound’, the center from which
that sound is emanating can be approached. You can not obtain
bread by simply repeating the word ‘bread’ unless
you go to a baker’s shop and purchase it there.
34. So by internal
repetition of real holy words or names
one can only collect together at the focus of the eyes, the
spirit entity which is diffused all over the body, but by
internally hearing the sounds thereof one can actually hold
communion with and gradually approach the centers whence these
‘Holy Sounds or Names’ emanates.
23. Necessity of sincere prayer
35. Prayer is necessary
to obtain blessing and mercy to help human being’s perfect
salvation, but it must be offered from the innermost of heart
and not confined to mere utterance. It must also be backed
up by works of faith and charity performed through love and
affection for the Supreme Being.
24. Necessity of sincere love for
the Supreme Being
36. Great stress is
laid in the Radhasoami Faith on engendering love for the Supreme
Being. This can only be done when all worldly desires are
gradually eradicated from the mind, and it becomes impressed
to the inmost core, with the unbounded bliss that might be
attained approaching the Supreme Being, Radhasoami. Love being
attraction, it is quite plain that the devotional practice
for approaching the Supreme Being will become very easy indeed,
if there is true love for Him, and devotion, instead of being
a thing of duty, will be the highest and most blissful work
in this world.
25. Necessary restrictions as regards
mode of living
37. In following this
mode of devotion the following restrictions are made with
regard to diet and mode of living. No intoxicating drinks
or drug and animal food is to be taken and immoderate indulgence
in any desire is to be avoided. Animal food is forbidden on
account of its producing a materialistic tendency in human
nature, and intoxicating drink is detrimental to a calm and
natural state of brain and the nervous system Other public
and private duties should be carried on as usual.
26. Definition of good and bad acts
38. The moral code
appertaining to Radhasoami Faith is comprised in two sentences
–
1. All acts including spiritual practice,
which tend to free the spirit entity from matter & raise
it towards its source, are good works.
2. All acts, which tend to degrade the spirit by weighing
it downwards deeper and deeper into matter, are bad
work. Again any action done with a view to help the needy
from unselfish motives is good work; and contrary, bad work
in this world.
39. Radhasoami Dayal
says that the highest aim and object of every spirit being
should be to gradually throw off the coating of matter with
a view to return to the Supreme Source. This is what He defines
as ‘good’. To seek worldly objects, to set the heart
entirely on worldly affairs is a retrograde movement; and
this is ‘bad’. The next aim of every human being
should be to do good to his fellow creatures by thoughts,
words and deeds as for as practicable, and to avoid injuring
them except in the interest of society or for the good of
many.
27.
Brotherhood of Radhasoami Faith – place of worship –
offering of flower garland
40. Priests in the
ordinary acceptation of term find no place in Radhasoami Faith.
All the followers are originally equal and form one big brotherhood
or fraternity. But the superiority of a member depends on
the degree of love, which he imbibes for the Supreme Being,
and on intensity of the desire he manifests to approach Him.
The more fervent members receive inspiration and preach to
others, also by giving them counsel. There are no temples
and no shrines. Any house or even open air is equally fit
for the purpose of worship. No place is holier than another
is except where Sant Sat Guru resided while on earth.
Each member of a congregation assembled for worship brings
a wreath of flowers, which he places round the neck of Preacher.
Immediately or at the close of the service or Satsang,
this wreath is returned to him and sanctity thus obtained.
28. Radhasoami faith consists in four words
41. The Radhasoami
Faith is comprised in four words, viz. –
1. Sant Sat Guru.
2. Sat Shabd or Sat Nam.
3. Satsang.
4. Sat Anurag or sincere love for the Supreme Being and Sant Sat Guru.
42.
1. Sant Sat Guru. He has already been described above.
2. Sat Shabd or Holy and True Name is the Sound proceeding from
the original source. It undergoes some changes, or in other
words, is enveloped in a sort of covering at every step in
its descent in material regions. By step is meant each sub-division
or sphere.
3. Satsang is attendance on the Sat Guru, hearing
His discourse, reading His works, and performing acts of faith
and charity inspired by love for, and a desire to approach,
the Supreme Being. This is external Satsang. Internal
Satsang is the application of mind and spirit entity
to the sound current at the time of practice and an effort
to raise them to higher spheres.
4. By sincere love is meant a strong fervent desire and perseverance
to approach the Supreme Being. This desire should outweigh
all worldly desires.
29.
Superiority of Sound Practice (Surat-Shabd-Yog) over
external religious observances
43. It is evident from
the above that all external works of charity, worship, pilgrimage,
or mere reading of holy books, unless accompanied by internal
practice of Surat-Shabd-Yog (or the union of Spirit
entity and the Holy Word) do not lead to True Salvation which
can only be attained by raising the spirit entity to the First
Degree or pure spiritual regions. One may reap the fruit of
such act by obtaining happiness in the same or a new body
on re-birth, in the same or a higher sphere. But to approach
the Supreme Being, there is absolutely no other means except
the practice of Surat-Shabd-Yog under the guidance
of a Sant Sat Guru or a Sadh Guru, or a sincere
lover of the Supreme Being who has received instructions from,
and is helped in his practice by one of those Superior and
Holy Spirits.
30.
Description of three natural states – wakefulness, dream
and sound sleep
44. It is necessary
to remark here that every human being passes through three
states of life normally in every twenty-four hours, viz. –
1. The wakeful state in which he works with his senses and
limbs, feels pleasure and pain, and comes in contact with
other creatures and objects in this world. In this state the
principal seat of the spirit entity is the pupil of the eye.
2. The dreamy state in which his connection with the corporal
body (or outer covering) and the senses as well as the external
world cease or is slackened. He has no sensation of bodily
pleasure and pain, and all anxiety about worldly affairs in
a manner disappears. In this state the spirit entity is drawn
within and upwards to the astral sphere where it dreams and
comes in contact with astral creation, and works by means
of internal mind and senses.
3. The state of deep and sound sleep when all action of mind
and sense ceases and the spirit entity is drawn further
inwards and its connection with both the corporeal and astral
bodies temporarily ceases. Breathing and motion of the heart
and pulse continue, but in certain disease such as catalepsy
as well as in the state of deep trance etc., the motion of
heart and lungs also ceases owing to the spirit entity being
withdrawn innermost.
45. It would thus appear
that the connection of the spirit entity with the corporeal
body and senses as well as the objects of this world is established
during the wakeful state only, when the spirit current returns
to its seat in the pupil of the eye where the sensation of
worldly pleasure and pain is experienced, and the mind, the
senses and the limbs perform their respective functions. This
connection is temporarily severed when the spirit withdraws
itself from its seat and all sensations and functions cease
simultaneously. A similar change begins to appear when a man
is dying, that is to say, his spirit current is gradually
withdrawn from the extremities and when the pupil of the eye
is turned upwards and inwards, the spirit entity flies and
its connection with the body ceases for ever.
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