There was a time
When I loved you,
O my thought-world.
But now I love
The beauty of a silence-mind
And
The purity of a gratitude-heart.
Sri Chinmoy, Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 9, Agni Press, 1981
Perfection is the seeker's fulfilling realisation and fulfilled manifestation. Everything else has dawned on earth save perfection, perfect Perfection.
Perfection is the tree.
Perfect Perfection is the fruit.
Man's speculation about perfection is his ignorance. Man's concentration on perfection is his knowledge. Man's meditation on perfection is his wisdom. Man's contemplation on perfection is his world illumining, world-transforming inner eye.
God's Message is Perfection. Man's message is temptation.
God's Message is Perfection. Man's message is frustration.
God's Message is Perfection. Man's message is destruction.
Perfection Goal and the freedom soul go together. He who reaches the state of freedom soul has conquered his inner life and immortalised his outer life. He is the chosen instrument of God. He is the direct channel of God. He is the representative of God here on earth.
Cry and try.
When we cry to see the transcendental and when we try to perfect our outer nature, our perfection does not remain a far cry. Perfection is ours.
Exert and control.
When we exert the divine in us and control the animal in us, perfection begins to dawn within us. The flower of perfection blooms.
See and be.
When we try to see the truth with the Eye of God, not with our eyes, and when we consciously try to be the surrendered instrument of God, perfection in no time dawns. The Golden All of perfection beckons our aspiring hearts. It is true that perfection cannot be achieved overnight. Realisation cannot be achieved all at once. It takes time.
Let me tell you a story. A young seeker once came up to a spiritual Master for initiation. He was duly initiated by his Master. Then the following day he said to his Master, "Master, now that you have initiated me, you have to give me realisation. I want to see God." The Master said, "My child, how is it possible for you to realise God in one day?"
Again two days later, he said, "Oh, I want to realise God." The Master said, "You are not ready." A few days later, again the same question. "Master, I want to realise God." He has not completed his task. He has not launched into the spiritual path properly. Just the other day the Master initiated him, but now he is crying for realisation without following the proper method. Without swimming in the sea of aspiration, he wants to realise God.
The Master was going to the Ganges for a dip and he invited this particular disciple to come with him. The disciple followed. So the Master and the disciple entered into the water and the Master pressed the head of the disciple down into the water for a couple of minutes, then he released it. The Master asked, "What did you feel when I pressed your head into the water?" "Master, I was dying. I was gasping for air. I was practically dying and I thought I would die. The moment you released me, I got my life back." The Master said, "If you can come to that particular state of consciousness, that without God you cannot live even for a few minutes, you will realise God. You will realise God at that moment on the strength of your highest aspiration. Your inmost inner flame has to be kindled, and then you have to cry, cry for God as a child cries for his mother. Then only God Realisation is possible."
The disciple got the lesson. Truly and soulfully he entered into the spiritual life. He listened to his Master's dictates at every moment. Wholeheartedly he launched into the spiritual life. He felt the necessity of freedom from the domain of desires. He felt the necessity to grow into the mounting flame which is called aspiration, constant aspiration. Then realisation for him was not a far cry. He did realise God.
When we use the term "heaven", we feel heaven is all light, delight and perfection. But where is that heaven? It is deep within us, in the inmost recesses of our hearts. High heaven, higher heaven and highest heaven are all within us.
When we offer our soulful thoughts to our brothers and sisters, we live in high heaven.
When we offer the results of our soulful actions to mankind, we live in higher heaven.
Finally, when we offer our soulful existence to humanity at large, unreservedly and unconditionally, we live in the highest heaven.
We can live in the highest heaven every day. God has given us the capacity. He has given us the potentiality. It is we who have to manifest our inner potentiality and capacity. We all are surcharged with indomitable inner courage. Unfortunately, we do not use our inner unlimited capacity. We use our outer limited capacity. We are afraid of diving deep within. Inside is the treasure. Inside is the key. We do not know where we have kept the key. We have totally forgotten. We do not know where the treasure lies.
Here at this point is the necessity of a spiritual Master who knows where the key is and where the treasure lies. He does not give something of his own to the seeker. He only brings to the fore the seeker's inner wealth. God Realisation is not his sole monopoly. Everybody has to realise God without fail. It is a matter of time. One realises God today on the strength of his highest realisation. Another realises God tomorrow on the strength of his sincere aspiration. Everybody has to realise God, at God's choice hour. Again, the sincere seekers can expedite their journey. We can walk towards our goal. We can march towards our goal. We can run towards our goal. If we run, naturally we shall reach the goal sooner than one who is walking towards his destination.
Perfection Goal. Perfect Perfection here on earth has to be manifested, but how? We have to start our journey with inspiration. We have to feel deep within us every day in all our activities the necessity of inspiration. No inspiration, no proper achievement. Then we have to go one step ahead. After inspiration we have to feel the momentous necessity of aspiration. Inspiration is not all. We have to aspire to reach the Golden All, to see the Golden Shores of the Beyond, the ever transcending Beyond. This is what we expect from aspiration, the mounting flame within us.
Then, aspiration is also not enough. We have to meditate. Aspiration includes meditation. When we meditate, we have to feel that we are entering into infinity, eternity, and immortality. These are not vague terms-infinity, eternity, and immortality. These are our possessions. To enter into our own divine possessions, infinity, eternity and immortality, is our birthright.
Then, when we are advanced in our meditation, when meditation starts offering its fruit to us, we enter into the realm of realisation. We realise the highest Truth in this body, here on earth. We do not have to go elsewhere to realise God. We do not have to enter into the Himalayan caves or sit on the snow-capped mountains in order to practise spirituality. No. Here on earth, in the hustle and bustle of life, we have to practise spirituality. We have to accept earth as it stands, as it is. If we are afraid of earth, if we fight shy of earth, then God Realisation will always remain a far cry. Here on earth we have to realise the highest Truth.
Then, realisation is also not enough. After realisation we have to reveal our realisation. If we do not reveal our realisation, we act like a miser; we want to hoard our treasure. No. We have to offer our realisation in the form of revelation to mankind.
Revelation is also not enough. We have to enter into the domain of manifestation. If we do not manifest what we have realised here on earth, if Mother Earth does not receive the fruit of our realisation, and if She does not have it for good, we can never be truly fulfilled. Mother Earth has to be fed with the fruits of our realisation. Here on earth the manifestation of realisation has to take place, and when manifestation takes place, perfection is bound to dawn. Perfect Perfection is nothing other than the absolute manifestation of God's Transcendental Will here on earth.
We are all seekers of the Infinite Truth. It is our bounden duty to rise high, higher, highest. Each human being has come into the world with the message of perfection. No human being on earth will remain unrealised. No human being on earth will remain unfulfilled. No human being on earth will remain imperfect.
Realisation, fulfilment and perfection-these three are brothers. Realisation is the youngest, fulfilment is the middle, and perfect Perfection is the eldest in the family. These three brothers must go together. They have to walk along the field of aspiration. They have to swim in the sea of meditation. They have to fly in the sky, the blue welkin of contemplation.
God Realisation, God Revelation and God Manifestation can take place only when man feels that he has to transcend himself. His goal of today is not the ultimate Goal. Today's goal has to be transcended tomorrow. Today's goal is the foundation stone. Every moment we have to transcend ourselves, and while transcending, deep within us we shall cherish the message of perfection. Perfection is bound to loom large and important in all our activities if we feel that aspiration is the only thing we need, the only thing we are striving for.
In aspiration is the key that can ultimately open up the door of perfect Perfection.
Wednesday, November 11th, 1970
University of London