MODERN CIVILIZATION has taken giant
leaps forward in just the last few hundred years. Everywhere, there have been
very great changes. It is now becoming increasingly more difficult for man to
remember that only a few thousand years before, things were not as they are
now.
02 Then, electricity had not yet been discovered: there were no telephones, no
radios and no television sets; and at night, just to keep warm, people had to
keep an open fire. There were no automobiles. Most people walked while the more
affluent rode on the backs of animals. There were no trains or buses, airplanes
or spaceships. Water couldn’t be had by turning a faucet.
03 There was a very high illiteracy rate. Reading, writing and the beginnings
of a formal education were accessible only to members of the nobility and the
monastic scholars. Books were a rarity and there were no newspapers. People
believed that the world was flat, that the sun was God and that the Earth was
the center of the Universe. There clearly was a need to raise the level of
consciousness of the people. One of the more effective ways was through the
teaching of religion.
04 To bring the people forward, the wise men of old had formulated only the
simplest possible explanations and teachings. They were all that the people
could understand, then. During those early times, people were told to accept
God’s divine instruction given through prophets and priests without question.
Moreover, they were compelled to blindly follow the teachings of the church
under the threat of excommunication or the pains of hell. There were good and
valid reasons behind this injunction.
05 Certainly, little children should not be allowed to play with matches
because they might burn the house down. For much the same reason, the higher
knowledge was not revealed to the common people.
06 They being morally deficient, any such advantage over others would have been
misused and utilized mainly for selfish interests, resulting in harm to others
as well as to themselves. Further, being intellectually inferior, they would
find extreme difficulty in trying to understand advanced concepts. Such
elevated ideas would serve only to confuse them all the more. First, they must
be thoroughly grounded in the basics in much the same way that we must be fully
conversant with simple arithmetic before we can begin to study higher
mathematics. Based on these considerations, it was deemed to the people’s best
advantage that, in the meanwhile, they should rather concentrate their time and
efforts on matters which were better suited to their particular stage of
development.
07 For their own good, therefore, the higher teachings were withheld from those
who were not ready for them. However, to a very few deserving students, the
higher truths were taught in secret. In the East, the Masters taught their
disciples and initiates in the temples of higher learning. Christ, himself,
taught most of the people in parables but spoke plainly to those few who were
ready for more advanced instruction (1, 2).
08 Today, however, the times have greatly changed. Now, modern man is
considered sufficiently evolved to begin to understand. In fact, thinking men
and women everywhere find the old teachings to be sorely inadequate, even
unreasonable and illogical, running counter to the dictates of their ordinary
common sense. To them, the old explanations can no longer suffice. And their
dissatisfaction gives rise to a compelling desire to search for deeper meaning
and explanations to the mysteries of life.
09 Clearly, today, the reasons for withholding the teachings no longer apply.
And, in preparation for the coming Age of Enlightenment, the knowledge
is to be disseminated to all the people. Still, as always,
understanding can come only as a result of continuous strivings.
10 In preparation for our life on Earth, we choose to undergo many years of
rigorous studies in order to attain to some degree of worldly success. We spend
long, hard years of sweat and tears, passing through every phase, from grade
school and, hopefully, on to the more advanced degree courses just so that we
may have a better life with better opportunities which are not available to the
less educated among us. And yet, when it relates to spiritual matters, far too
many leave everything to chance, and they insist falsely that these matters
cannot be learned.
11 To all the questions of life, the
answers can be found. We should re-examine our thoughts on this matter
because there is so much that we can do today to get over our confusion
concerning the deeper and more spiritual aspects of our being.
12 In any field of knowledge, we learn only as we
study. As we study, we inquire, we seek, only then are we able to
learn more and more. However, even as we investigate and seek out every
possibility, we must at all times analyze, test and question. And only after,
should we accept that which we find to be reasonable.
13 The wise commit themselves to serious study and preparation for the life to
come. They don’t just wait, doing nothing. Instead, they endeavor to learn what
will be required of them and prepare all things beforehand. Just like the wise
virgins who prepared for the coming of the bridegroom, we, too, must prepare
for the coming of death, because the gates of heaven will be shut to those who
are not ready to enter therein. We can’t afford to be like the foolish virgins
(3). We must study
and prepare.
14 People who have attained to some measure of worldly
success may feel that their entry into heaven is already guaranteed. But this
is not so. Real success is not according to the standards of
the people in the world (4). Therefore, in our quest for heaven, we
should first strive to learn the laws lest we fail because of ignorance.
15 Looking around us, we find that people are such a confused lot. They don’t
realize what they are supposed to do, and so, they do all the wrong
things. They continue in their error-filled ways, unaware of the
deeper spiritual realities. In order that the people may be guided, God sent
Jesus to light the way (5). And even into our modern age, his
message rings true. Everyone who seeks the Higher Path needs only to refer to
the words of God revealed through Jesus (6).
16 Ignorance of the law is no excuse. The higher laws apply also to the
innocent and to the ignorant. They continue to affect us even if we choose to
ignore them or even reject them (7). Although we may
not believe in the teachings of Christ, the same will be the basis of our
salvation (8). And so, it is inevitable that those who desire to
be on the side of the Truth should listen to him and hear his life-giving words
(9). Those who
listen and strive to live according to his divine teachings are wise and they
will prosper (10).
17 The young and innocent are allowed certain concessions. However, since they
are not yet deserving, the true riches in heaven cannot be made available to
them. Precisely, this is why they are being taught and helped now (11). But if they
should choose to disregard the guidance being given them and refuse to
acknowledge their mistakes, then, they will have no one to blame but
themselves. They will seek for God, but they won’t be able to find Him (12). All those who
have been so instructed should do their utmost to live accordingly because the
kingdom of God is reserved only for the righteous (13, 14).
18 As we become increasingly aware of our true spiritual objectives, we will
come to realize that so many things which we previously thought to be important
are not really important. Consequently, free from many worldly cares, we will
be able to live more meaningful lives and be able to progress more easily and
much faster (15).
19 We should be more concerned with fulfilling our duties and responsibilities
to God and faithfully attending to the work assigned to us. Those who are
faithful and vigilant in the performance of their duties shall be rewarded in
heaven. But all those who fail to do their allotted tasks will certainly get
what they deserve (16, 17, 18).
20 No one knows exactly when we will be called to account for all that we have
done. And while there may still be a sufficient amount of time left for each of
us to do what must be done, still, there is no time to waste. We must always be
alert and watchful. We must study and prepare.
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