DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

ADVICE TO THE MANDALI

3rd June, 1926

A stone remains unmoved under any circumstances; you may kick it, spit on it or worship it, but all these things have no effect upon it. As long as you do not disregard your likes and dislikes, and as long as you do not become indifferent to being kicked, spat upon, slandered and ridiculed, you cannot hope for God-realization. You have to burn up your ego. You have to become dust! Only the contact of a Sadguru can bring this about.

Consider a man who is well perfumed. If he comes and sits among a crowd of people, his presence makes the surroundings fragrant. Similarly, if someone passes gas, the place smells foul and people turn their noses. For that reason, you should keep the company of saints, whose godly atmosphere is beneficial to you. If you merge yourselves in the filth of the world, it will adversely affect your spiritual health.

Take, for example, a movie in which the villain harasses and oppresses a poor innocent child or woman. What great anxiety is caused when the same poor creature is tied down to be either burnt up in a fire or crushed under a motorcar or a railway train.

How eager all feel that a brave hero may turn up and save the unfortunate creature in the nick of time. If the victim overcomes his dilemma, the spectators feel happy; but if the villain gets the upper hand, they feel miserable. In short, you feel in accordance with what happens in the picture on the screen! But the moment the show is over, you realize, "Oh! It was merely a film — a picture on the screen!" — and the feelings that surged within you while watching it were without any basis. It was a mere drama, a creation of imagination or bhas, in which you were absorbed.

In just this very way, think of this our life and universe. We are all acting our parts on the stage of this world, and only when the play of life finishes do we realize that this was all a dream. It is a mere movie which has no substance to it for it is false — made-up. All that you see about you is absolutely nothing. Everything is false — an illusion, a play, a film, a mirage! Therefore, I repeatedly emphasize to one and all, do not be attracted by maya. Take the name of God, and seek and surrender to those who have become one with God, that they may safely advise and guide you aright!

Lord Meher On-line page 670-1

Lord Meher Vol.3 p.808

** There first 3 paragraphs match the book version. The 4th & 5th paragraphs differ greatly.