the mountain path - amazon web services ii...coupon and the full name and address written in block...

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Arunachala! Thou^dost root out the ego of those

who meditate on Thee in the heart, Oh Arunachala!

The Mountain Path Vol. V APRIL 1968 No. 2

Fiery G e m , shining in all d i rec t ions , d o T h o u b u r n u p m y dross , O h A r u n a cha la !

— The Marital Garland of Letters, verse 18

Publisher :

T. N. Venkataraman, President, Board of Trustees,

Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.

Editor :

Arthur Osborne. Sri Ramanasramam,

Tiruvannamalai.

#

Managing Editor :

V. Ganesan, Sri Ramanasramam.

Tiruvannamalai.

Annual Subscription :

INDIA Rs. 5.

FOREIGN 1 0 sh. $ . 1 . 5 0 .

Life Subscription :

Rs. 1 0 0 ; £ 1 0 ; $ 3 0 .

Single Copy : Rs. 1 . 5 0 ; 3sh.\ $ 0 . 4 5

^ (A QUARTERLY)

*' Arunachala ! Thou dost root out the ego of those who meditate on Thee in the heart, Oh Arunachala ! "

—The Marital Garland of Letters, verse 1.

Vol . V A P R I L 1968 N o . 2

C O N T E N T S

P a g e E D I T O R I A L :

Sacred P o e t r y - 2 8 9 T h e P o e t ' s V i s i o n

— Prof: Eknath Easwaran 9 1 S o l o m o n ' s Cant i c l e o f Cant i c les

— Gladys De Meuter . 9 4 T h e S y m b o l i s m o f the Q u e s t in the O d y s s e y

— Arthur Osborne . 1 0 0 P r e - E x i s t e n c e — William Law 101 T h e W a y o f C h u a n g T z u

— Father Thomas Merton . 1 0 2 P o e t r y — ' A l o n e ' 1 0 5 M i l a r e p a , T i b e t ' s G r e a t Poe t -Sa int

— Dorothy Donath 1 0 6 C h ' a n P o e t r y — L . T. Wang 1 1 0 Z e n P o e t r y — Prof. Lucien Stryk 1 1 4 T h e V i s i o n o f G o d — y o u r or ig inal f a c e

b e f o r e y o u w e r e b o r n — Jacob Boehme 1 1 6 T h e M i r a c l e o f the Q u r a n

— Abdullah Qutbuddin . . . 1 1 7 G a r l a n d s o f G u r u ' s Sayings

( F r o m the T a m i l o f Sri M u r u g a n a r ) — Tr. by Prof. K. Swaminathan 1 1 8

T h e M e s s a g e o f the R u b a i y a t o f O m a r K h a y y a m

— Sir George Trevelyan 1 1 9

T h e h e a v e n l y s o n g o f D a n t e — Gladys De Meuter 1 2 7

T h e listeners — s i lence a n d s o u n d — Robert Hurley . 1 3 3

Shakespeare ' s M o r a l i t y P lays — H. Sebastian Gubbins 1 3 5

R e g a r d i n g W a v e ( P o e m ) — Gary Snyder 1 3 9

C O N T E N T S — ( C o n t d . )

T h e Y a k s h a Prasna ( F r o m the Mahabharata)

H o w I c a m e t o B h a g a v a n — R. N amy ana Iyer

T h e B h a g a v a d G i t a — Tr. by Prof. G. V.

Kulkarni a n d Arthur Osborne

T h e V e d a p a r a y a n a B o o k R e v i e w s A s h r a m Bul le t in I n t r o d u c i n g Letters t o the E d i t o r

GRACE IN WORDS : The Verse in Telugu and Tamil

reproduced on the fly-leaf facing the frontispiece is the

facsimile of Bhagavan's own handwriting.

To Our Subscribers 1. The official year of the quarterly is from January

to December. 2. SUBSCRIBERS IN INDIA should remit their annual

subscription by Money Order only as far as possible and not by cheque. The words 'subscription for The Mountain Path for year/years' should be written on the M.O coupon and the full name and address written in BLOCK LETTERS on the reverse of the coupon.

Life Subscription should be sent by cheque drawn favouring The Mountain Path and crossed.

The journal will not be sent by V.P.P. 3. FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS can send their subscrip

tion by International Money Order, British Postal Order or by Bank cheque or draft payable in India, U.S.A. or U.K.

The subscription rates are for despatch of the journal by surface mail to all parts of the world.

If despatch by AIR MAIL is desired the following additional annual amount should be remitted: (with effect from 1-1-1968)

£ $ (a) Pakistan, Ceylon Rs. 4.00 (b> Africa, Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia,

France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece. Israel, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Switzerland, USSR (in Europe) 15s. 1.80

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(d) North, Central and South America, Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Nigeria 37s. 4.50

P a g e

1 4 0

1 4 2

1 4 4 1 4 6 1 5 0 1 5 6 1 6 4 1 6 6

( A Q U A R T E R L Y )

The aim of this journal is to set forth the traditional wisdom of al l religions and all ages, especially as testified to by their saints and mystics, and to clarify the paths available to seekers in the conditions of our modern world.

C o n t r i b u t i o n s f o r pub l i ca t i on shou ld b e addressed t o 4 T h e E d i t o r , The Mountain Path, Sri R a m a n a s r a m a m , T i r u v a n n a m a l a i , M a d r a s S t a t e ' . T h e y s h o u l d b e in Engl ish and typed with d o u b l e spac ing . C o n t r i b u t i o n s n o t pub l i shed will b ' returned o n request .

The editor is not responsible for statements and opinions contained in signed articles.

• N o p a y m e n t is m a d e f o r c ont r i

but i ons pub l i shed . A n y t h i n g herein p u b l i s h e d m a y b e repr inted e l se w h e r e wi thout fee p r o v i d e d d u e a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t is m a d e a n d the ed i tor is p rev i ous ly noti f ied

• C o n t r i b u t i o n s are a c c e p t e d o n l y

o n c o n d i t i o n that they d o not a p p e a r e l sewhere b e f o r e be ing p u b lished in The Mountain Path. T h e y can b e pub l i shed later e l sewhere but o n l y with a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t to The Mountain Path.

m

T H E M O U N T A I N P A T H

is d e d i c a t e d t o

B h a g a v a n S r i R a m a n a M a h a r s h i

>ra« m

Efe&ooels "So © e&3 &o — § Go

&>/fc> as£s himself ' Who am I?y and c Where

am I?\ though existing all the while as the Self,

is like a drunken man who enquires about his own

identity and whereabouts. — B H A G A V A N SRI R A M A N A M A H A R S H I

( Q U A R T E R L Y ) Editor : ARTHUR OSBORNE

Vol. V APRIL, 1968 No. 2

SACRED POETRY-2

C A C R E D ' p o e t r y w a s t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e J a n u a r y 1968 i ssue of The Mountain

Path. Its e d i t o r i a l c o v e r s t h e r e f o r e a l so t h e p r e s e n t i s sue w h i c h d e a l s w i t h a p a r a l l e l s u b j e c t . In w o r l d l y p o e t r y t h e p o e t ' s m i n d b e c o m e s p r e g n a n t w i t h s o m e i n t u i t i o n a l f e e l i n g o r u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d th is c h u r n s h i m u p in s u c h a w a y t h a t his l a n g u a g e b e c o m e s r h y t h m i c a l a n d h e u t t e r s f o r t h a n i n d i c a t i o n t h o u g h n e v e r an e x a c t a c c o u n t o f w h a t h a d m o v e d h i m . I n s a c r e d p o e t r y t h e p o e t - s a i n t b e c o m e s a r e c i p i e n t , a n i n s t r u m e n t t h r o u g h w h i c h f l o w u t t e r a n c e s o f T r u t h o f s u b l i m e b e a u t y a n d p u r i t y . H e d o e s n o t h a v e t o f u m b l e f o r w o r d s ; t h e y p o u r l i k e a c a s c a d e f r o m his h e a r t . A s i m p l e l i n e h a s t h e p o w e r to m o v e t h o s e w h o u n d e r s t a n d t o t e a r s .

T h e F i v e H y m n s t o S r i A r u n a c h a l a a r e a s u p r e m e e x a m p l e o f it . W a l k i n g r o u n d t h e H i l l , t ears f l o w i n g f r o m H i s e y e s , R a m a n a M a h a r s h i w r o t e it as it c a m e t o H i m . O n c e

Editorial o n e o f t h e d e v o t e e s a s k e d f o r h e l p b y w r i t ing o u t s o m e s l o k a s f r o m T h e F i v e H y m n s a n d s h o w i n g H i m . H o w H e u n d e r s t o o d ! T h e s m i l e a n d r e a s s u r i n g l o o k f r o m t h o s e l u m i n o u s e y e s f u l l o f G r a c e w e r e suf f ic ient r e p l y . W h o w r o t e t h o s e w o r d s ? T h e y c o m e

f r o m o u r h e a r t s . D i d H e w r i t e t h e m f o r us i d e n t i f y i n g H i m s e l f w i t h o u r s t r u g g l e s , H e t h e Se l f , t h e l i v i n g i n n e r G u r u t h e n a n d n o w ?

17. ( U n m o v i n g ) H i l l , m e l t i n g i n t o a S e a o f G r a c e , h a v e m e r c y , I p r a y . O A r u n a c h a l a !

18. F i e r y G e m , s h i n i n g in al l d i r e c t i o n s , b u r n u p m y d r o s s , O A r u n a c h a l a !

E v e n w h e n t h e t h i e v e s o f t h e f ive senses b r e a k in u p o n m e , ar t T h o u n o t st i l l in m y h e a r t , O A r u n a c h a l a ? D a z z l i n g S u n that s w a l l o w e s t u p all t h e u n i v e r s e in T h y l i g h t , o p e n t h e l o t u s o f m y h e a r t , I p r a y , O A r u n a c h a l a !

11.

27 .

90 T H E M O U N T A I N P A T H April

31 . T h e r e ( i n t h e h e a r t ) res t q u i e t ! L e t t h e seas o f j o y s u r g e , s p e e c h a n d f e e l i n g c e a s e , O A r u n a c h a l a !

35 . I f s p u r n e d b y T h e e , a las ! W h a t res t s f o r m e b u t t h e t o r m e n t o f m y prarab-dha ? W h a t h o p e is l e f t f o r m e , O A r u n a c h a l a !

49 . T r e a s u r e o f b e n i g n a n d h o l y G r a c e , f o u n d w i t h o u t s e e k i n g , s t e a d y m y w a n d e r i n g m i n d , O A r u n a c h a l a !

5 1 . U n l e s s t h o u e x t e n d T h y h a n d o f G r a c e i n m e r c y a n d e m b r a c e m e , I a m los t , O A r u n a c h a l a !

53 . L o v e l e s s t h o u g h I b e c l o t h e m e w i t h T h y G r a c e a n d t h e n r e g a r d m e , O A r u n a c h a l a !

57. W h e n w i l l w a v e s o f t h o u g h t c e a s e t o r i s e ? W h e n sha l l I r e a c h T h e e , s u b t l e r t h a n t h e e t h e r , O A r u n a c h a l a !

78. G u a r d m e lest I flounder s t o r m - t o s s e d l i k e a s h i p w i t h o u t h e l m s m a n , O A r u n a c h a l a !

A l s o t h e f o l l o w i n g f r o m t h e Necklet of Nine Gems

. . . O L o v e in t h e s h a p e o f A r u n a c h a l a ! h o w c a n t h e l o t u s b l o s s o m w i t h o u t s ight o f t h e s u n ? T h o u art t h e S u n o f s u n s ; T h o u c a u s e s t G r a c e to w e l l u p a n d p o u r f o r t h as a s t r e a m !

O T r a n s c e n d e n t ! . . . . O r d a i n T h o u t h a t m y b u r d e n b e t r a n s f e r r e d t o T h e e a n d m y f r e e w i l l e f f a c e d , f o r w h a t i n d e e d c a n b e a b u r d e n t o t h e S u s t a i n e r V L o r d S u p r e m e ! I h a v e h a d e n o u g h o f c a r r y i n g t h e b u r d e n o f th is w o r l d u p o n m y h e a d , p a r t e d f r o m T h e e , A r u n a c h a l a , t h e S u p r e m e Itsel f .

N o f o r m H e has , n o n a m e , n o q u a l i t y ;

St i l l t h e r e b e s i d e t h e H o l y H i l l H e d w e l l s

I n h u m a n f o r m , k n o w n b y t h e c o m e l y n a m e

O f R a m a n a , m a r k e d b y t h e p r i m a l p o w e r j

O f l o v e ; w i t h m o i s t e y e s s h o w e r i n g g r a c e f o r a l l

T o see ; t h e e t h e r e a l B e i n g w h o s e b r i g h t n e s s b u r n s

T o I - l e s s n o t h i n g n e s s o b n o x i o u s m e .

— F r o m Sr i M u r u g a n a r ' s Ramana Deva Malai, v . 180.

1968 91

THE POET'S VISION

A S 1 s t o o d o n t h e g r e e n l a w n o f t h e P a l a c e o f t h e L e g i o n o f H o n o u r in S a n

F r a n c i s c o a d m i r i n g t h e s t a t u e o f t h e T h i n k e r b y R o d i n , a y o u n g f r i e n d a s k e d m e t h e q u e s t i o n , •'" W h a t d o y o u t h i n k t h e T h i n k e r is t h i n k i n g ? "

" H o w t o s t o p t h i n k i n g , " I v e n t u r e d t o r e p l y .

I n t h e e x p r e s s i v e w o r d s o f a S a n s k r i t d o g g e r e l , t h e m i n d m a y b e c o m p a r e d in its r e s t l e s sness t o a m o n k e y that is d r u n k , s t u n g b y a s c o r p i o n , a n d p o s s e s s e d b y a g h o s t , a l l at t h e s a m e t i m e . It is t h e n a t u r e o f t h e m i n d t o b e res t l e ss , a n d if o n l y w e c a n b r i n g th i s f u r i o u s f a c t o r y t o a c o m p l e t e s tandst i l l , t h e S c r i p t u r e s te l l us t h a t w e p a s s h e r e a n d n o w i n t o a h i g h e r s ta te o f c o n s v c i o u s n e s s .

W h e n m y m i n d is s t i l l ed , m y s e l f - w i l l is e x t i n g u i s h e d . I a m n o l o n g e r a s e p a r a t e f r a g m e n t in a w o r l d o f m i l l i o n s o f s e p a r a t e f r a g m e n t s ; I a m n o t a b u b b l e b u t h a v e b e c o m e t h e sea . I n t h e p o e t i c w o r d s o f t h e U p a n i s h a d s , " A s w h e n t h e d r u m is b e a t e n , its v a r i o u s p a r t i c u l a r n o t e s a r e n o t h e a r d a p a r t f r o m t h e w h o l e , b u t in t h e t o ta l s o u n d al l its n o t e s a r e h e a r d ; as . w h e n t h e c o n c h -s h e l l is b l o w n , its v a r i o u s p a r t i c u l a r n o t e s a r e n o t h e a r d a p a r t f r o m t h e w h o l e , b u t in t h e t o t a l s o u n d al l its n o t e s a r e h e a r d — so , t h r o u g h t h e k n o w l e d g e qf t h e Se l f , P u r e I n t e l l i g e n c e , a l l t h i n g s a n d b e i n g s a r e k n o w n . T h e r e is n o e x i s t e n c e a p a r t f r o m t h e S e l f . "

T h i s S e l f is c a l l e d G o d — S a t , C h i t , A n a n d a — A b s o l u t e E x i s t e n c e , A b s o l u t e K n o w l e d g e , A b s o l u t e J o y . F r a n c i s T h o m p s o n ca l l s H i m t h e h o u n d of H e a v e n w h o is a l w a y s o n o u r t ra i l . W e m a y t r y o u r h a r d e s t t o s h a k e H i m off b y h i d i n g o u r s e l v e s in p l e a s u r e a n d pro f i t , p r e s t i g e a n d p o w e r , b y r u n n i n g a w a y as fast as w e c a n f r o m t h o s e s t r o n g F e e t that f o l l o w e d , f o l l o w e d a f ter .

By Prof. EKNATH EASWARAN

" B u t w i t h u n h u r r y i n g c h a s e , . . - . ; . ! A n d u n p e r t u r b e d p a c e , D e l i b e r a t e s p e e d , m a j e s t i c i n s t a n c y , T h e y b e a t — a n d a V o i c e b e a t M o r e ins tant t h a n t h e F e e t — ' A l l t h i n g s b e t r a y t h e e , w h o b e t r a y e s t

M e . ' "

W h e n w e t r y t o f ind o u r c e n t r e o f g r a v i t y o u t s i d e o u r s e l v e s , w h e n w e s e e k t h e K i n g d o m o f H e a v e n w i t h o u t ^ w e a r e m o v i n g in a w o r l d o f d u a l i t y , o f p l e a s u r e a n d p a i n , s u c c e s s a n d f a i l u r e , b i r t h a n d d e a t h . B u t o u r d e e p d r i v i n g n e e d is n o t f o r f ive m i n u t e s o r f ive h o u r s o f p l e a s u r e , n o t f o r a n i c k e l ' s o r d i m e ' s w o r t h o f s e c u r i t y , n o t f o r a f e w y e a r s o r d e c a d e s m o r e o f l i f e . O u r d e e p d r i v i n g n e e d is f o r a b i d i n g j o y , c o m p l e t e s e c u r i t y , u n e n d i n g l i f e . " T h e r e is n o j o y i n t h e f in i t e , " d e c l a r e t h e U p a n i s h a d s . " T h e r e is j o y o n l y in t h e I n f i n i t e . " T h e r e is n o I m m o r t a l i t y in t h e f ini te , t h e r e is i m m o r t a l i t y o n l y in t h e Inf in i te .

W h e n w e l o v e t h e finite t h i n g s o f t h e w o r l d , g o a f t e r m o n e y o r m a t e r i a l p o s s e s s i ons , p l e a s u r e o r p o w e r , w e a r e r u n n i n g a w a y f r o m o u r r e a l n e e d a n d r u n n i n g i n t o f r u s t r a t i o n , i n s e c u r i t y a n d e p h e m e r a l e x i s t e n c e . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , w h e n w e s e e k t h e K i n g d o m o f H e a v e n w i t h i n , t u r n o u r f a c e t o t h e L o r d o f L o v e w h o is e n s h r i n e d in o u r h e a r t o f h e a r t s , w e a r e t u r n i n g o u r b a c k u p o n f r u s t r a t i o n i n s e c u r i t y , e p h e m e r a l e x i s t e n c e . A s J e s u s sa id u n t o P e t e r a n d t h e o t h e r d i s c i p l e s , " B u t r a t h e r s e e k y e t h e K i n g d o m o f G o d ; a n d a l l t h e s e t h i n g s sha l l b e a d d e d u n t o y o u . F e a r n o t , l i t t l e f l o ck ; f o r it is y o u r f a t h e r ' s g o o d p l e a s u r e t o g i v e y o u t h e K i n g d o m . S e l l t h a t y e h a v e , a n d g i v e a l m s ; p r o v i d e y o u r s e l v e s b a g s w h i c h w a x n o t o l d , a t r e a s u r e in t h e h e a v e n s t h a t f a i l e t h n o t , w h e r e n o t h i e f a p p r o a c h e t h , n e i t h e r m o t h c o r r u p t e t h . F o r w h e r e y o u r t r e a s u r e is , t h e r e w i l l y o u r h e a r t b e a l s o . "


O u r t r e a s u r e is u s u a l l y in a h u n d r e d p l a c e s ; t h e b a n k , t h e s t o c k e x c h a n g e , t h e c o m p a n y p r e s i d e n t ' s c h a i r , t h e m a n o f t h e y e a r a w a r d ; a n d o u r h e a r t , t o o , t h e r e f o r e , is In a h u n d r e d p l a c e s . T w o m o n t h s a g o I s a w an e x h i b i t i o n o f t h e p a i n t i n g s o f t h e B e l g i a n s u r r e a l i s t M a g r i t t e w h o b r i n g s o u t in a m a s t e r l y f a s h i o n w h a t h a p p e n s t o u s w h e n w e f o l l o w a s e n s e c r a v i n g . I a m r e f e r r i n g t o a st i l l l i f e s t u d y in w h i c h w e s e e o n a t a b l e an e m p t y b o t t l e , a g lass a n d a p l a t e w i t h a r o u n d p i e c e o f h a m o n it . R i g h t at t h e c e n t r e o f t h e h a m is d e p i c t e d a h u m a n e y e t h a t h a s t r a p p e d i tse l f t h e r e t h r o u g h i t s g r e e d a n d g l u t t o n y .

E v e r y t i m e w e y i e l d t o a sense c r a v i n g , w e h a v e l o s t a l i t t l e b i t o f o u r h e a r t , a l i t t l e b i t o f o u r c a p a c i t y t o d e s i r e w h i c h is t h e s a m e as o u r c a p a c i t y t o l o v e . L i v i n g as m o s t o f us a r e in t h e m i d s t o f a w i d e s p r e a d n e t w o r k o f m a s s c o m m u n i c a t i o n m e d i a •—• t e l e v i s i o n , r a d i o , m o v i e s , m a g a z i n e , n e w s p a p e r — it is a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e t o e s c a p e t h e i r s i ren s o n g t o s e d u c e us t o y i e l d t o t h e c l a m o u r o f t h e s e n s e s , t o p l a c e o u r c e n t r e o f g r a v i t y in t h e c h a n g i n g w i t h o u t . R i s e a b o v e it , a n d w e f ind o u r c e n t r e in t h e c h a n g e l e s s w i t h i n . A s t h e B h a g a v a d G i t a p o i n t s o u t ,

" T h e w i n d s t u r n a s h i p F r o m its c o u r s e u p o n t h e w a t e r s : T h e w a n d e r i n g w i n d s o f t h e senses C a s t m a n ' s m i n d a d r i f t A n d t u r n h is b e t t e r j u d g m e n t f r o m its

c o u r s e . "

T h e p r a c t i c e o f m e d i t a t i o n e n a b l e s u s t o d e v e l o p t h e d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a n d t h e w i l l t o c o n t r o l t h e s enses , a n d t h e p r a c t i c e o f s e n s e -c o n t r o l h e l p s t o d e e p e n o u r m e d i t a t i o n . S i g n i f i c a n t l y e n o u g h , w h e n w e i n d u l g e t h e senses w i t h o u t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , w e a r e l e t t i n g o u r P r a n a o r v i t a l e n e r g y e b b o u t ; w h e n w e r e s t r a i n t h e senses w i t h d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , w e a r e c o n t r i b u t i n g t o o u r p h y s i c a l a n d m e n t a l h e a l t h . It is sa id i n t h e S v e t a s v a t a r a U p a -n i s h a d : " T h e first s igns o f p r o g r e s s o n t h e p a t h o f y o g a a r e h e a l t h , a s e n s e o f p h y s i c a l l i g h t n e s s , c l e a r n e s s o f c o m p l e x i o n , a b e a u t i f u l v o i c e , a n a g r e e a b l e o d o u r o f t h e p e r s o n , a n d f r e e d o m f r o m c r a v i n g . " T h u s w h e n w e s e e k t h e K i n g d o m o f G o d that l i es w i t h i n ,

t h e first bene f i t s w e r e c e i v e a r e o n t h e p h y s i ca l l e v e l , i m p r o v i n g h e a l t h a n d i n c r e a s i n g e n e r g y .

A s l o n g as w e a r e d r i v e n b y s e n s e c r a v i n g , it is n o t p o s s i b l e f o r us t o e n j o y f u l l y t h e b e a u t y o f t h e e x t e r n a l w o r l d o r d e r i v e f r o m it t h e m a x i m u m bene f i t it c a n g i v e us . I n f a c t , w e d o n o t e v e n p e r c e i v e t h e w o r l d c l e a r l y o r ' c o r r e c t l y as l o n g as w e c o n t i n u e t o l o o k at it t h r o u g h t h e d i s t o r t i n g m e d i u m o f o u r s e n s e c r a v i n g s a n d self ish u r g e s . I t is w h e n w e h a v e s u b d u e d o u r s e n s e c r a v i n g s a n d self ish u r g e s that w e a r e a b l e t o see t h e w o r l d as R e a l i t y . In t h e w o r d s o f t h e R e n a i s s a n c e E n g l i s h m y s t i c T h o m a s T r a h e r n e , " B u t al l t h i n g s a b i d e e t e r n a l l y as t h e y w e r e in t h e i r p r o p e r p l a c e s . E t e r n i t y w a s m a n i f e s t e d in t h e l i g h t o f t h e d a y a n d s o m e t h i n g inf ini te b e h i n d e v e r y t h i n g a p p e a r e d ; w h i c h t a l k e d w i t h m y e x p e c t a t i o n a n d m o v e d m y d e s i r e . T h e c i t y s e e m e d t o s t a n d in E d e n , o r t o b e b u i l t in H e a v e n . T h e s t ree ts w e r e m i n e , t h e t e m p l e w a s m i n e , t h e p e o p l e w e r e m i n e , t h e i r c l o t h e s a n d g o l d a n d s i l v e r w e r e m i n e , as m u c h as t h e i r s p a r k l i n g e y e s , f a i r s k i n s a n d r u d d y f a c e s . T h e sk ies w e r e m i n e , a n d so w e r e t h e s u n a n d m o o n a n d s tars , a n d a l l t h e w o r l d w a s m i n e ; a n d I t h e o n l y s p e c t a t o r a n d e n j o y e r o f i t . "

A s w e a r e e n a b l e d t h r o u g h t h e p r a c t i c e o f m e d i t a t i o n t o find o u r c e n t r e o f g r a v i t y w i t h i n o u r o w n c o n s c i o u s n e s s r a t h e r t h a n in t h e f l u x o f t h e w o r l d w i t h o u t , p r o f o u n d p e a c e - a n d d e e p s e c u r i t y b e c o m e o u r p e r m a n e n t p o s s e s s i o n s . N o l o n g e r a r e w e e n g a g e d in t h e f u t i l e t a s k o f e x t r a c t i n g t h e last o u n c e o f l o v e t h a t w e c a n f r o m e v e r y b o d y ' a r o u n d u s , b u t w e n o w find o u r s e l v e s i m m e r s e d in t h e f r u i t f u l m i s s i o n o f g i v i n g r a t h e r t h a n r e c e i v i n g , o f l o v i n g t h o s e a r o u n d u s — f a t h e r , m o t h e r , h u s b a n d , w i f e , c h i l d r e n , f r i e n d s — m u c h m o r e t h a n w e l o v e o u r s e l v e s . T h i s is t h e w a y t o l o v e t h e L o r d — ca l l h i m Chr i s t , ca l l h i m K r i s h n a — w h o is e n t h r o n e d in t h e c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f e v e r y o n e , a n d th is is , o f c o u r s e , t h e w a y t o h a v e a h a p p y f a m i l y , a h a p p y c o m m u n i t y , a h a p p y c o u n t r y , a h a p p y w o r l d . " A n d h e t u r n e d t o t h e w o m a n , a n d sa id u n t o S i m o n , 1 Se e s t t h o u th is ? I e n t e r e d i n t o t h i n e h o u s e , t h o u g a v e s t m e no ' w a t e r f o r m y f e e t : b u t s h e h a s w a s h e d m y f e e t

w i t h t ears , a n d w i p e d t h e m w i t h t h e h a i r s

1968 T H E P O E T ' S V I S I O N 93

o f h e r h e a d . T h o u g a v e s t m e n o k i ss ; b u t th is w o m a n s i n c e t h e t i m e I c a m e i n h a t h n o t c e a s e d t o k iss m y f e e t . M y h e a d w i t h o i l t h o u d ids t n o t a n o i n t ; b u t th is w o m a n h a t h a n o i n t e d m y f e e t w i t h o i n t m e n t . W h e r e f o r e I say u n t o t h e e , H e r s ins , w h i c h a r e m a n y , a r e f o r g i v e n ; f o r s h e l o v e d m u c h : b u t to w h o m l i t t l e is f o r g i v e n ; t h e s a m e l o v e t h l i t t l e , ' "

T h r o u g h t h e s y s t e m a t i c p r a c t i c e o f m e d i t a t i o n w e c a n d e v e l o p a h i g h e r m o d e o f k n o w i n g w h i c h r i ses a b o v e t h e d u a l i t y o f s u b j e c t a n d o b j e c t . It is b e y o n d t h e senses , t h e m i n d a n d t h e i n t e l l e c t , a n d m a y b e c a l l e d t h e s u p e r c o n s c i o u s o r t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l o r t h e o p e n i n g o f t h e d i v i n e e y e , as t h e B h a g a v a d G i t a p u t s it . T h r o u g h th i s d i r e c t , i n t u i t i v e m o d e o f k n o w i n g w e a r e a b l e t o j u m p o u t o f o u r sk in , as it w e r e , t o b e c o m e u n i t e d in s o m e m e a s u r e w i t h t h e o b j e c t o f o u r k n o w l e d g e . T h i s is t h e s e c r e t o f al l g r e a t sc ient i f i c d i s c o v e r y a n d o f a l l g r e a t ar t i s t i c c r e a t i o n t o o . A l b e r t E i n s t e i n h a s sa id : " T h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l a n d t h e m o s t p r o f o u n d e m o t i o n w e c a n e x p e r i e n c e is t h e s e n s a t i o n o f t h e m y s t i c a l . It is t h e s o w e r o f a l l t r u e s c i e n c e . H e t o w h o m th is e m o t i o n is^a s t r a n g e r , w h o c a n n o l o n g e r w o n d e r a n d s t a n d r a p t in a w e , is as g o o d as d e a d . T o k n o w that w h a t is I m p e n e t r a b l e t o u s r e a l l y e x i s t s , m a n i f e s t i n g i tse l f as t h e h i g h e s t w i s d o m a n d t h e m o s t r a d i a n t b e a u t y w h i c h o u r d u l l f a c u l t i e s c a n c o m p r e h e n d o n l y in t h e i r m o s t p r i m i t i v e f o r m s — this k n o w l e d g e , th i s f e e l i n g is at t h e c e n t r e o f t r u e r e l i g i o u s n e s s . "

A l m o s t al l o f us h a v e p a r t o f o u r v i t a l e n e r g y t r a p p e d e i t h e r in t h e pas t —- in m e m o r ies , r e g r e t s , r e m o r s e — o r in t h e f u t u r e — in h o p e s , f e a r s , e x p e c t a t i o n s . W h e n w e h a v e o n l y a v e r y s m a l l p a r t o f o u r v i t a l c a p i t a l w i t h w h i c h t o l i v e in t h e p r e s e n t , h o w can w e g i v e o f o u r b e s t , h o w c a n w e l i v e o n t h e h i g h e s t l e v e l o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s p o s s i b l e f o r us ? O n e o f t h e m o s t e n r i c h i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s o n t h e p a t h o f M e d i t a t i o n is o u r i n c r e a s i n g c a p a c i t y t o r e c a l l o u r v i t a l e n e r g y f r o m t h e n o s t a l g i c m e m o r i e s o r v a i n r e g r e t s o f t h e p a s t , a n d f r o m t h e t e n s e e x p e c t a t i o n o r d a r k a p p r e h e n s i o n o f t h e f u t u r e . T h i s e n a b l e s u s t o l i v e e n t i r e l y in t h e p r e s e n t , in t h e h e r e a n d n o w , w i t h al l o u r v i t a l f o r c e s un i f i ed in o u r h a n d s , a n d a b l e t o m e e t t h e

c h a l l e n g e o f l i f e w i t h c a l m n e s s , c o u r a g e a n d c o m p a s s i o n . W h e n w e a r e a b l e t o f a c e s o r r o w c a l m l y , c o u r a g e o u s l y a n d c o m p a s s i o n a t e l y , s a y t h e i l l u m i n e d m e n a n d w o m e n , t h e r e is n o m o r e r e a s o n , n o m o r e n e e d f o r s o r r o w to c o m e i n t o o u r l i f e ! " Y o g a is t h e b r e a k i n g o f c o n t a c t w i t h p a i n , " d e c l a r e s Sr i K r i s h n a in t h e B h a g v a d G i t a .

I n t h e s t u p e n d o u s s p i r i t u a l c l i m a x c a l l e d S a m a d h i , w e a r e f r e e d f r o m t h e t y r a n n y o f t h e p a s t a n d t h e f u t u r e ; w e a r e d e l i v e r e d f r o m t i m e i n t o t h e E t e r n a l N o w . S i n g s t h e Sufi m y s t i c J a l a l u d d i n R u m i in o n e o f h i s i n s p i r e d s o n g s :

" P a s t a n d f u t u r e v e i l God" f r o m o u r s ight ; B u r n u p b o t h o f t h e m w i t h f ire . H o w l o n g W i l t t h o u b e p a r t i t i o n e d b y t h e s e

s e g m e n t s , l i k e a r e e d ? S o l o n g as a r e e d is p a r t i t i o n e d , it is

n o t p r i v y t o s c r e t s , N o r is it v o c a l in r e s p o n s e t o l ip a n d

b r e a t h i n g . "

T h e m i n d m o v e s in t i m e , b u t t h e A t m a n , t h e Se l f , t h e C h r i s t w i t h i n , is b e y o n d t i m e . W h e n w e a r e e n a b l e d in S a m a d h i t o g o b e y o n d t h e m i n d w e g o b e y o n d t i m e , b e y o n d c h a n g e , b e y o n d t h e las t c h a n g e c a l l e d d e a t h t o r e a c h a h i g h e r s tate o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s w h i c h is i m m o r t a l a n d inf inite .

T h e e v i d e n c e o f S a m a d h i is in t h e c o m p l e t e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f c h a r a c t e r , c o n d u c t a n d c o n s c i o u s n e s s . " Y e sha l l j u d g e t h e t r e e b y t h e f r u i t t h e r e o f . " W e a r e n o l o n g e r I - m i n d e d . W e h a v e b e c o m e C h r i s t - c o n s c i o u s . St . A u g u s t i n e d e s c r i b e s t h e l i f e o f t h e C h r i s t - c o n s c i o u s in b e a u t i f u l l a n g u a g e : " T e m p e r a n c e is l o v e s u r r e n d e r i n g i tse l f w h o l l y t o H i m w h o is its o b j e c t ; c o u r a g e is l o v e b e a r i n g all t h i n g s g l a d l y f o r t h e s a k e o f H i m w h o is its o b j e c t ; j u s t i c e is l o v e s e r v i n g o n l y H i m w h o is its o b j e c t , a n d t h e r e f o r e r i g h t l y r u l i n g ; p r u d e n c e is l o v e m a k i n g w i s e d i s t i n c t i o n s b e t w e e n w h a t h i n d e r s a n d w h a t h e l p s i t se l f . "

M a y t h e L o r d g r a n t us t e m p e r a n c e to s u r r e n d e r o u r l o v e w h o l l y t o H i m , c o u r a g e t o b e a r al l t h i n g s g l a d l y f o r t h e s a k e o f H i m , j u s t i c e to s e r v e o n l y H i m , a n d P r u d e n c e t o m a k e w i s e d i s t i n c t i o n s b e t w e e n w h a t h i n d e r s a n d w h a t h e l p s u s in b e c o m i n g o n e w i t h H i m !

94 April

SOLOMON'S CANTICLE OF CANTICLES

By GLADYS DE MEUTER

T h y S t a t u t e s h a v e b e e n m y S o n g s in t h e H o u s e of m y p i l g r i m a g e . '

^J^HE m e d i t a t i v e s o u l e n g a g e d i n s w e e t c o m m u n i o n w i t h t h e d i v i n e P r e s e n c e ,

s ings a u n i q u e l o v e - l o n g w h i c h has b e e n h a n d e d d o w n t h r o u g h t h e a g e s as t h e S o n g o f S o n g s .

S o l o m o n o r J e d i d i a h w h o s e n a m e signi f ies ' B e l o v e d o f t h e L o r d ' is r e g a r d e d as t h e a u t h o r o f th is s u p e r l a t i v e w o r k w h i c h w a s .s trongly d e f e n d e d b y t h e R a b b i A q u i b a at t h e S y n o d o f J a m n i a a r o u n d 90 A . D . I n t h e M i s h n a h ( Y a d a y i m iii . 5 ) w e r e a d t h e w o r d s s p o k e n b y A q i b a : ' G r e a t i n d e e d w a s t h e d a y o n w h i c h t h e S o n g o f S o n g s w a s g i v e n t o I s rae l . A l l t h e K e t h u b i m a r e s a c r e d , b u t h o l i e s t o f a l l is t h e S o n g o f S o n g s /

S a i n t B e r n a r d , A b b o t o f C l a i r v a u x , c o n s i d e r e d t h e w o r k t o b e * a s u b l i m e a n d s a c r e d d i s c o u r s e w h i c h is t o b e h e a r d b y t h o s e e a r s a n d h e a r t s w h i c h h a v e b e e n pur i f i ed , f o r u n l e s s d i s c i p l i n e h a s b e e n i m p o s e d u p o n t h e f lesh so t h a t t h e s p i r i t u a l is m a s t e r , t h e h e a r t b e i n g i m p u r e is n o t w o r t h y o f p e r u s i n g t h e h o l y C a n t i c l e . J u s t as c l e a r l i g h t f a l l s in v a i n o n b l i n d e y e s o r u p o n c l o s e d e y e l i d s , so t h e n a t u r a l m a n fa i l s t o a b s o r b t h e t h i n g s o f t h e sp i r i t o f G o d . '

T h o s e w h o d o n o t p e r c e i v e t h e g o l d e n l i g h t o f m y s t i c i s m w h i c h i l l u m i n e s , t h e L o v e -P o e m , a r e u n a b l e t o p i e r c e t h e s h a d o w e a r t h l y - l o v e in o r d e r t o a p p r e h e n d t h e h e a v e n l y L o v e t r u l y p o r t r a y e d in t h e S o n g o f S o n g s .

O r i g e n u n d e r s t o o d t h e S h u l a m i t e b r i d e t o b e t h e s o u l , a n d h e r B e l o v e d t h e d i v i n e L o g o s . O r i g e n t a u g h t that w h e n t h e s o u l t u r n s h e r g a z e f r o m t h e t r a n s i t o r i n e s s o f w o r l d l y t h i n g s t o s e e k h e r t r u e l o v e , t h e n t h e W o r d o f G o d m o v e d b y c o m p a s s i o n c o m e s t o t h e y e a r n i n g s o u l a n d m a k e s H i s a b o d e in h e r h e a r t , as C h r i s t t h e ' L i v i n g O n e ' p r o m i s e d in J o h n x i v . 23 .

( P s , c x i x . 5 4 ) .

T h e C a n t i c l e o f C a n t i c l e s h a s i n s p i r e d t h e n o b l e s t m i n d s a n d s t i r r e d t h e p u r e s t h e a r t s w i t h its m y s t i c a l s o n g , a m o n g t h e m —. C h r y s o s t o m , E u s e b i u s o f C a e s a r e a , D i a d o r u s o f T a r s u s , T h e o d o r e t , C y p r i a n o f C a r t h a g e , Bas i l t h e G r e a t , t h e t w o G r e g o r i e s a n d t h e E a r l y F a t h e r s .

A t t h e s e c o n d T r u l l a n C o u n c i l A D . 692 t h e e x e g e s i s o f t h e F a t h e r s w a s r u l e d as b i n d i n g , p u t t i n g an e n d t o f u r t h e r c o m m e n t o n t h e P o e m in t h e C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h .

T h e l i t e r a t u r e o f t h e East c o n t a i n s ta les w h e r e t h e l o v e o f m a n a n d w o m a n is u s e d to t e a c h h o w a r d e n t l y t h e h e a r t s h o u l d c r a v e f o r t h e d i v i n e E m b r a c e .

Y u s u f a n d Z u l e i k h a , w r i t t e n b y t h e P e r s ian p o e t J a m i te l l s h o w Y u s u f o r t h e J o s e p h o f t h e B i b l e is l o v e d b y Z u l e i k h a o r P o t i -p h a r ' s w i f e . A f t e r t h e h e r o i n e h a s u n d e r g o n e m a n y s u f f e r i n g s , t h e i m p u r e l o v e w h i c h at first c o n s u m e d h e r b e c o m e s e n n o b l e d a n d pur i f i ed , f ina l ly l e a d i n g Z u l e i k h a t o t h e p e a c e of t r u e L o v e .

T h e G i t a G o v i n d a o f J a y a d e v a a l so w e a v e s t h e h e a v e n l y L o v e - s t o r y w i t h t h e s h a d o w f a b r i c o f t e r r e s t r i a l l o v e .

A s t h e e n l i g h t e n e d N i z a m i s tates : ' T h e m y s t i c w o r d v e i l e d b y p o e t r y , is t h e s h a d o w o f tha t v e i l e d b y p r o p h e c y . '

I n h is Laila and Majnun N i z a m i l i f t s t h e v e i l o f p o e t r y t o r e v e a l g l i m p s e s o f t h e , m y s t i c ' s l a n g u a g e :

' O K h i z a r , t h o u b y F o r t u n e b l e s s e d , t h i n k n o t

T h a t m y p r a i s e o f w i n e s igni f ies t h e g r a p e ' s j u i c e .

F o r b y w i n e I a m r a i s e d b e y o n d m y s e l f A n d it is th is w i n e that I w o u l d b r i n g t o

m y b a n q u e t .

1968 S O L O M O N ' S C A N T I C L E O F C A N T I C L E S 95

M y ' c u p - b e a r e r ' is t o fulf i l m y d u t i e s t o G o d :

M y 1 d a i l y d r a u g h t at t h e i n n ' is t h e w i n e o f s e l f - f o r g e t f u l n e s s .

F o r in t r u t h n e v e r h a t h w i n e p a s s e d m y l i p s /

S u b l i m e a n d p o i g n a n t l y b e a u t i f u l is m a n ' s s e a r c h f o r G o d , a n d t h e C a n t i c l e o f C a n t i c l e s g i v e s u t t e r a n c e t o t h e Q u e s t as t h e b r i d e s ings o f h e r a r d e n t d e s i r e f o r u n i t y w i t h h e r B e l o v e d . T h e p o e m is filled w i t h t h e r a d i a n t l a n g u a g e o f L o v e w h i c h i n f u s e s f r e s h l i f e i n t o l a n g u i d sou l s a n d l e a d s t h e m o n t o e n j o y t h e e n c h a n t m e n t o f . d i v i n e e c s t a s y .

B e r n a r d o f C l a i r v a u x w r i t e s : ' L o v e is n o t u t t e r e d b y t h e m o u t h , b u t s p r i n g s j o y o u s l y f r o m t h e f o u n t a i n o f t h e h e a r t . It is n o t a s o u n d m a d e b y t h e l i p s , b u t t h e e m o t i o n a n d i m p u l s e o f g l a d n e s s s t e m m i n g f r o m w i t h i n ; n o t m e r e w o r d s b u t a f u s i o n o f h a r m o n i o u s w i l l s . '

I n S a c r e d S c r i p t u r e t h e m a r r i a g e c e r e m o n y is o f t e n u s e d as a s y m b o l o f d i v i n e L o v e .

* A s t h e b r i d e g r o o m r e j o i c e t h o v e i t h e b r i d e , so sha l l t h y G o d r e j o i c e o v e r t h e e . ' (Isa, 62 : 5 ) .

( I h a v e e s p o u s e d y o u to o n e h u s b a n d t h a t I m a y p r e s e n t y o u as a c h a s t e v i r g i n t o C h r i s t . ' ( I I C o r . 11 : 2 ) .

* * *

The Song of Son)gs

'The S o n g o f S o n g s w h i c h is S o l o m o n ' s . *

T h e H e b r e w l a n g u a g e n o t h a v i n g t h e v a r i e t y o f t e r m i n a t i o n s t o set f o r t h t h e d i f f e r e n t d e g r e e s o f c o m p a r i s o n g e n e r a l l y r e p e a t s t h e s a m e w o r d s t o s i g n i f y t h e s u p e r l a t i v e d e g r e e .

' L e t h i m kiss m e w i t h t h e k i s ses o f h is m o u t h : f o r t h y l o v e is b e t t e r t h a n w i n e . '

T h e s o u l is filled w i t h d e e p y e a r n i n g f o r t h a t K i s s o f d i v i n e L o v e w h i c h s y m b o l i z e s p e r f e c t u n i t y . ' M e r c y a n d t r u t h a r e m e t t o g e t h e r : r i g h t e o u s n e s s a n d p e a c e h a v e k i s s e d e a c h o t h e r . ' ( P s . 85 : 1 0 ) . T h e sou l ' s

s i l e n c e r e g a r d i n g t h e i d e n t i t y o f h e r B e l o v e d is e l o q u e n t t e s t i m o n y that H e is i n t i m a t e l y k n o w n to h e r , f o r h e r h e a r t is p e n e t r a t e d a n d h e r t h o u g h t s w h o l l y p o s s e s s e d b y H i m .

' D r a w m e , w e w i l l r u n a f t e r t h e e . '

A t t r a c t e d b y t h e a l l u r i n g l o v e l i n e s s o f t h e B r i d e g r o o m W o r d , t h e s o u l t u r n s f r o m e r r o r to s e e k T r u t h .

' T h e k i n g h a t h b r o u g h t m e in to h i s c h a m b e r s . '

T h e s p i r i t u a l b r i d e e n t e r s in to a s e c r e t d i a l o g u e w i t h h e r r o y a l S p o u s e ; th is i n t i m a t e L o v e - S o n g cons i s t s o f s i l ent s p e e c h , f o r in t h e d i v i n e C o u r t o f L o v e t h e sou l h e a r s u n s p e a k a b l e w o r d s .

' I a m b l a c k b u t c o m e l y , O y e d a u g h t e r s o f J e r u s a l e m , as t h e t ents o f K e d a r , as t h e c u r t a i n s o f S o l o m o n . '

T h e s o u l is i n t h e p r o c e s s o f u n d e r g o i n g p u r i f i c a t i o n . T h e m i n d b e i n g i m p u r e , t h e i n n e r s p i r i t u a l p e r f e c t i o n r e m a i n s h i d d e n , * M y s k i n is b l a c k u p o n m e , a n d m y b o n e s a r e b u r n e d w i t h h e a t . ' ( J o b . 30 : 3 0 ) .

' T h e y m a d e m e t h e k e e p e r o f t h e v i n e y a r d s , b u t m i n e o w n v i n e y a r d h a v e I n o t k e p t . '

P u r i f i e d v i s i o n r e v e a l s to t h e sou l t h a t h e r p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h w o r l d l y m a t t e r s h a s b e e n d e t r i m e n t a l t o s p i r i t u a l p r o g r e s s .

' T e l l m e , O t h o u w h o m m y s o u l l o v e t h , w h e r e t h o u f e e d e s t , w h e r e t h o u m a k e s t t h y flock t o res t at n o o n : f o r w h y s h o u l d I b e as o n e t h a t t u r n e t h a s i d e b y t h e flocks o f t h y c o m p a n i o n s ? v

T h e s o u l , w i s h i n g t o b e l o n g e x c l u s i v e l y t o h e r d i v i n e S h e p h e r d , p r a y s that she w i l l b e l e d t o t h e h o l y p a s t u r e w h e r e she m a y s h e l t e r f r o m t e m p t a t i o n . ' N o r t h e d e s t r u c t i o n t h a t w a s t e t h at n o o n d a y . ' ( P s . 91 : 6 ) .

1 I f t h o u k n o w e s t n o t , O t h o u fa i r es t a m o n g w o m e n , g o t h y w a y f o r t h b y t h e f o o t s t e p s o f t h e flock, a n d f e e d t h y k i d s b e s i d e t h e s h e p h e r d s ' t ents . '

T h e s o u l l a c k s S e l f - K n o w l e d g e ; she m u s t s e e k t h e sp ir i t o f t r u t h , t h e ' d i v i n e c o m -


f o r t e r ', in o r d e r that she m a y b e g u i d e d t o t h e P a t h she is t o f o l l o w .

' A b u n d l e o f m y r r h is m y w e l l - b e l o v e d u n t o m e ; h e sha l l b e all n i g h t b e t w i x t m y b r e a s t s . '

W h e n t h e s o u l c l a s p s t h e d i v i n e s tatutes t o h e r h e a r t she l e a r n s that t h e sp i r i tua l P a t h is a r d u o u s a n d c o v e r e d w i t h t h e t h o r n s o f b i t t e r s o r r o w .

' M y b e l o v e d is u n t o m e , as a c l u s t e r o f c a m p h i r e in t h e v i n e y a r d s o f E n - g e d i ' .

E n - g e d i n e a r J e r i c h o , w a s f a m e d f o r its p a l m t r e e s . P u r s u i n g t h e a n a g o g i c P a t h , t h e sou l r e c e i v e s h e r first l e s s o n s in h u m i l i t y ; s h e is m a d e to d r i n k t h e w i n e o f r e m o r s e .

' B e h o l d , t h o u art fa i r , m y l o v e ; b e h o l d , t h o u art f a i r ; t h o u has t d o v e ' s e y e s . '

T h e c o n t e m p l a t i v e b r i d e is r a v i s h e d b y t h e l o v e l i n e s s o f h e r h e a v e n l y B r i d e g r o o m ; u n c o n s c i o u s t o sel f , s h e is l o s t in t h e e n j o y m e n t o f t h e d i v i n e L o g o s .

1 1 a m t h e r o s e o f S h a r o n , a n d t h e l i l y o f t h e v a l l e y s . '

P u r i t y o f c o n s c i e n c e a l l i ed to t h e s u b l i m e v i r t u e o f h u m i l i t y a r e t h e a d o r n m e n t o f t h e sou l , m o s t p l e a s i n g t o t h e B e l o v e d ; b u t b e a u t y b l o o m s in t h e sou l o n l y w h e n t h e w i l l a n d r e a s o n h a v e b e e n p u r i f i e d , m a k i n g c o n t e m p l a t i o n p o s s i b l e .

' H e b r o u g h t m e t o t h e b a n q u e t i n g h o u s e , a n d h is b a n n e r o v e r m e w a s l o v e . '

B r o u g h t in to t h e i n n e r c h a m b e r o f c o n t e m p l a t i o n , t h e s o u l r e c e i v e s k n o w l e d g e that L o v e e m b r a c e s al l v i r t u e s — it' is b e n e a t h th is b r i l l i a n t s t a n d a r d that h e r L o r d w o u l d h a v e h e r s tand .

' T h e v o i c e o f m y b e l o v e d ! b e h o l d , h e c o m e t h l e a p i n g u p o n t h e m o u n t a i n s , s k i p p i n g u p o n t h e h i l l s . M y b e l o v e d is l i k e a r o e o r a y o u n g h a r t ; b e h o l d , h e s t a n d e t h b e h i n d o u r w a l l , h e l o o k e t h f o r t h at t h e w i n d o w s , s h e w ing h i m s e l f t h r o u g h t h e la t t i c e . '

T h e P r e s e n c e o f t h e B e l o v e d in t h e h e a r t is e x p e r i e n c e d as a l i l t ing j o y , an i n w a r d s u r g e o f e c s ta t i c e n j o y m e n t . T h e d i v i n e L o v e r w a l k s w i t h s e c r e t , s i l ent f o o t f a l l , b u t His e n t r y is m a d e k n o w n to t h e l o v i n g s o u l b y an u n m i s t a k a b l e e x u l t a t i o n .

' M y b e l o v e d s p a k e , a n d sa id u n t o m e , R i s e u p , m y l o v e , m y fa i r o n e , a n d c o m e a w a y . '

W i t h t e n d e r i n s i s t e n c e t h e m i n d is w e a n e d f r o m a t t a c h m e n t t o t e r r e s t r i a l o b j e c t s .

' F o r , l o , t h e w i n t e r is pas t , t h e r a i n is o v e r a n d g o n e ; t h e f l o w e r s a p p e a r o n t h e e a r t h ; t h e t i m e o f t h e s i n g i n g o f b i r d s is c o m e , a n d t h e v o i c e o f t h e t u r t l e is h e a r d in o u r l a n d . T h e fig t r e e p u t t e t h f o r t h h e r g r e e n f igs, a n d t h e v i n e s w i t h t h e t e n d e r g r a p e g i v e a g o o d s m e l l . A r i s e , m y l o v e , m y f a i r o n e , a n d c o m e a w a y . '

W h e n t h e r e a s o n is i l l u m i n e d b y t h e l i g h t o f W i s d o m , t h e w i n t e r o f i g n o r a n c e d e p a r t s f r o m t h e s o u l a n d L o v e ' s s p r i n g t i m e b u r g e o n s f o r t h in r i p p l e s o f j o y . R e s p o n d i n g t o t h e i n n e r a w a k e n i n g , t h e s o u l is f i l led w i t h h a p p i n e s s .

' O m y d o v e , t h o u art in t h e c l e f t s o f t h e r o c k , in t h e s e c r e t p l a c e s o f t h e s ta irs , le t m e see t h y c o u n t e n a n c e , l e t m e h e a r t h y v o i c e ; f o r s w e e t is t h y v o i c e , a n d t h y c o u n t e n a n c e is c o m e l y . '

S c h o o l e d in h u m i l i t y t h e s o u l is a w a r e o f h e r u t t e r h e l p l e s s n e s s a n d t o ta l d e p e n d e n c e o n h e r L o r d ; s h e re l i e s o n H i s s t r e n g t h a n d g u i d a n c e in al l t h i n g s .

1 T a k e us t h e f o x e s , t h e l i t t le f o x e s , t h a t spo i l t h e v i n e s : f o r o u r v i n e s h a v e t e n d e r g r a p e s . '

T h e w i s e s o u l is o n h e r g u a r d a g a i n s t t h e s m a l l e s t d e f e c t s w h i c h l i k e t h i e v e s a r e h i d d e n a m o n g t h e r i p e n i n g v i r t u e s , f o r t h e y d e p l e t e h e r sp i r i tua l s t o r e . 1 T h e y shal l b e a p o r t i o n f o r foxes) . ' ( P s . 63 : 1 0 ) .

' B y n i g h t o n m y b e d I s o u g h t h i m w h o m m y s o u l l o v e t h : I s o u g h t h i m , b u t I f o u n d h i m n o t . '


B u r n i n g w i t h a s t r o n g d e s i r e f o r h e r B e l o v e d , t h e s o u l c a n n o t e x p e r i e n c e t h e r a p t u r e o f t h e W o r d o n t h e p h e n o m e n a l o r e v e n n o u m e n a l p l a n e s ; s h e m u s t t h e r e f o r e r e l y s o l e l y o n t h e g u i d a n c e o f G r a c e t o l e a d h e r b e y o n d t h e senses .

' I w i l l r i s e n o w , a n d g o a b o u t t h e c i t y in t h e s t ree ts , a n d in t h e b r o a d w a y s I w i l l s e e k h i m w h o m m y s o u l l o v e t h . '

T h e s o u l ' s l o v e f o r t h e B r i d e g r o o m W o r d is a l l c o n s u m i n g a n d o v e r p o w e r i n g . I r r e s i s t i b l y d r a w n t o w a r d s t h e o b j e c t o f h e r l o v e , t h e s o u l d i s p l a y s u n d a u n t e d c o u r a g e in h e r d e t e r m i n e d s e a r c h . T h i s r e s o l v e t o s e e k T r u t h is i tse l f a g i f t o f G r a c e .

' I f o u n d h i m w h o m m y s o u l l o v e t h : I h e l d h i m , a n d w o u l d n o t l e t h i m g o . '

T h e m i n d b e i n g in a b e y a n c e , c o m m u n i o n t a k e s p l a c e w i t h t h e h e a v e n l y L o r d .

' B e h o l d , K i n g S o l o m o n w i t h t h e c r o w n w h e r e w i t h his m o t h e r c r o w n e d h i m in t h e d a y o f h is e s p o u s a l s , a n d in t h e d a y o f t h e g l a d n e s s o f h is h e a r t . '

W h e n t h e e g o - w i l l is s u r r e n d e r e d t o t h e D i v i n e W i l l , e n l i g h t e n e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g e n a b l e s t h e r e c e p t i v e s o u l t o p e r c e i v e t h e g l o r i o u s n u p t i a l C r o w n o f L o v e ' s U n i t y .

8 H o w m u c h b e t t e r is t h y l o v e t h a n w i n e ! a n d t h e s m e l l o f t h i n e o i n t m e n t s t h a n a l l sp i c e s ! '

T h e s o u l is r a v i s h e d b y a b u r n i n g l o v e w h i c h intens i f ies h e r y e a r n i n g f o r u n i o n w i t h t h e d i v i n e E s s e n c e . W i t h i n t h e p a l a n q u i n o f l o v e t h e f r a g r a n t v i r t u e s o f p e a c e , k i n d n e s s , m e r c y a n d o t h e r f r u i t s o f w i s d o m a r e t o b e f o u n d . T h e s o u l w h o h u n g e r s a f t e r T r u t h is p r e s e n t e d w i t h L o v e ' s p a l a n q u i n a n d is r e f r e s h e d t h e r e b y .

' I s l e e p , b u t m y h e a r t w a k e t h : it is t h e v o i c e o f m y b e l o v e d t h a t k n o c k e t h , s a y i n g , O p e n t o m e , m y s is ter , m y l o v e , m y d o v e , m y u n d e f i l e d . '

T h e H i g h e r S e l f ' n e v e r s l u m b e r e t h ', a n d it is H e w h o w a k e n s t h e s l e e p i n g h e a r t f r o m t h e n i g h t o f i l l u s i o n .

' I o p e n e d t o m y b e l o v e d ; b u t m y b e l o v e d h a d w i t h d r a w n h i m s e l f , a n d w a s g o n e : m y s o u l f a i l e d w h e n h e s p a k e : I s o u g h t h i m , b u t I c o u l d n o t f ind h i m ; I c a l l e d , b u t h e g a v e m e n o a n s w e r . '

T h e o p e r a t i o n s o f G r a c e w i t h i n t h e s o u l a r e m y s t e r i o u s . I n p u r s u i n g t h e a n a g o g i c P a t h , t h e soul e x p e r i e n c e s a s p i r i t u a l l a n g u o r w h i c h is t h e s i g n o f t h e W o r d ' s w i t h d r a w a l . T h i s c a u s e s i n t e n s e s a d n e s s o f sp i r i t w h i c h is k e e n s u f f e r i n g t o t h e l o v e s i c k s o u l . In t h e w o r d s o f St . J o h n o f t h e C r o s s : ' T h e s o r r o w f u l s o u l su f fers g r e a t a f f l i c t i on w h e n s h e t h i n k s that G o d h a s a b a n d o n e d h e r . '

' T h e w a t c h m e n that w e n t a b o u t t h e c i t y f o u n d m e , t h e y s m o t e m e , t h e y w o u n d e d m e ; t h e k e e p e r s o f t h e w a l l s t o o k a w a y m y v e i l f r o m m e . '

T h e s e n s e o f s e p a r a t i o n f r o m G o d c a u s e s a n g u i s h t o t h e s o u l , a n d s h e p u r s u e s h e r res t l ess q u e s t w i t h w o u n d e d h e a r t , e n d u r i n g t h e scof f ing g i b e s o f u n b e l i e v e r s w h o s c o r n h e r l o v e o f G o d . ' M y t e a r s h a v e b e e n m y m e a t d a y a n d n i g h t , w h i l e t h e y c o n t i n u a l l y s a y u n t o m e , ' W h e r e is t h y G o d ? '

( P s . 42 : 3 )

1 1 c h a r g e y o u , O d a u g h t e r s o f J e r u s a l e m if y e f ind m y b e l o v e d , t h a t y e t e l l h i m , that I a m s i ck o f l o v e . '

T h e s o u l ' s a r d e n t y e a r n i n g f o r h e r h e a v e n l y B r i d e g r o o m e x c l u d e s a l l o t h e r d e s i r e s ; e v e r y f i b re o f h e r b e i n g is b e n t o n p o s s e s s i n g H i m . ' M y h e a r t a n d m y flesh c r i e t h o u t f o r t h e l i v i n g G o d . ' ( P s . 107 : 9 ) .

' W h a t is t h y b e l o v e d m o r e t h a n a n o t h e r b e l o v e d , O t h o u fa i r es t a m o n g w o m e n ? '

T h e i n t e l l e c t s e e k s t o r e c e i v e u n d e r s t a n d ing o f L o v e ' s m y s t e r i o u s f l am e .

' M y b e l o v e d is w h i t e a n d r u d d y , t h e c h i e f e s t a m o n g t e n t h o u s a n d — I a m m y b e l o v e d ' s , a n d m y b e l o v e d is m i n e . H i s m o u t h is m o s t s w e e t : y e a , h e is a l t o g e t h e r l o v e l y . T h i s is m y b e l o v e d , a n d th is is m y f r i e n d , O d a u g h t e r s o f J e r u s a l e m / f


L o v e t r a n s c e n d s a n a l y t i c a l r e a s o n i n g , p o s s e s s i n g a s e c r e t l a n g u a g e all its o w n . A n c h o r e d to L o v e , t h e s o u l is e n d o w e d w i t h a c a l m a n d s u b l i m e c e r t a i n t y w h i c h c a n n o t b e c o m m u n i c a t e d t o t h e i n t e l l e c t .

' T h e r e a r e t h r e e s c o r e q u e e n s , a n d f o u r s c o r e c o n c u b i n e s , a n d v i r g i n s w i t h o u t n u m b e r . M y d o v e , m y u n d e f l l e d is b u t o n e . '

I m p u r e v i s i o n b e h o l d s a m u l t i p l i c i t y o f s o u l s in d i f f e r e n t s t a g e s o f u n f o l d m e n t . F o r t h e d i v i n e B r i d e g r o o m t h e r e is o n l y O n e R a d i a n t B r i d e .

* I w e n t d o w n i n t o t h e g a r d e n o f n u t s t o see t h e f r u i t s o f t h e v a l l e y , a n d t o s e e w h e t h e r t h e v i n e flourished.'

W i t h i n t h e i n v i s i b l e k e r n e l o f t h e s o u l s a n c t i f y i n g g r a c e is a c t i v e ; t h e d i v i n e L o v e i m a k e s k n o w n th is a c t i v i t y t o t h e s o u l w h o k n e w n o t w h e r e t o s e a r c h f o r h i m . ' O G o d o f h o s t s . . . b e h o l d , a n d v i s i t th i s v i n e . ' ( P s . 80 : 1 4 ) .

' O r e v e r I w a s a w a r e , m y s o u l m a d e m e l i k e t h e c h a r i o t s o f A m n i - n a d i b . '

T r u t h i t se l f is t h e s u p r e m e o b j e c t o f m y s t i c a l c o n t e m p l a t i o n ; it is o n t h e w i n g s o f G r a c e that t h e w i l l i n g s o u l is d i r e c t e d t o h e r L o r d . T h e w o r d A m n i - n a d i b s igni f ies ' m y w i l l i n g ' o r ' p r i n c e l y p e o p l e . '

' R e t u r n , r e t u r n , O S h u l a m i t e ; r e t u r n , t h a t w e m a y l o o k u p o n t h e e . '

S h u l a m i t e m e a n i n g 1 p e r f e c t i o n ' a n d ' p e a c e ' , t h e t r a n q u i l a n d p e r f e c t e d s o u l e n j o y s m y s t i c a l u n i o n w i t h h e r B e l o v e d . T h e f ru i t o f th i s s p i r i t u a l m a r r i a g e is t o b e d i s t r i b u t e d a m o n g s t t h o s e y e t a s l e e p in t h e sp ir i t , tha t t h e y t o o m a y a w a k e n t o B l i s s .

* H o w b e a u t i f u l a r e t h y f e e t . . . t h y n e c k is as a t o w e r o f i v o r y ; t h i n e e y e s l i k e t h e f i s h - p o o l s in H e s h b o n . '

S h e in w h o m t h e B e l o v e d is w e l l p l e a s e d , is p r a i s e d f o r h e r h o l y b e a u t y . ' T h e k i n g ' s d a u g h t e r is a l l g l o r i o u s w i t h i n . ' ( P s . 45 : 1 3 ) . ' H e m a k e t h m y f e e t l i k e h i n d ' s f e e t , a n d s e t t e t h m e u p o n h i g h p l a c e s . ' ( P s . 1 8 : 3 3 ) . * A

s t r o n g t o w e r f r o m t h e e n e m y . ' ( P s . 61 : 3 ) . J u s t as b e a u t y p l a y s a p r o m i n e n t r o l e in p h y s i c a l c o u r t s h i p , so in t h e h e a v e n l y r e l a t i o n s h i p s p i r i t u a l l o v e l i n e s s is a s o u r c e o f d e l i g h t . W h e n t h e b e a u t i f u l e y e s o f t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g a r e o p e n e d , t h e s o u l re f lects t h e c l e a r d e p t h s o f a c a l m a n d unru f f l ed sp i r i t .

1 1 sa id , I w i l l g o u p t o t h e p a l m t r e e /

E s t a b l i s h e d in t h e d i v i n e H e a r t o f L o v e , t h e s o u l b l o s s o m s f o r t h i n t o r a r e b e a u t y . ' T h e r i g h t e o u s sha l l flourish l i k e t h e p a l m t r e e . ' ( P s . 92 : 1 2 ) .

1 1 a m m y b e l o v e d ' s , a n d his d e s i r e is t o w a r d s m e . '

G r a c e h a s d i s p e l l e d t h e i l l u s i o n o f i g n o r a n c e w h i c h h i n d e r e d a n d o b s t r u c t e d t h e s o u l in h e r Q u e s t — she e x u l t s in t h e k n o w l e d g e that she is n o w h e r B e l o v e d ' s c h a s t e s p o u s e ' T h e d e s i r e o f h is e y e s . ' ( E z e k . 24 : 16. 1 8 ) .

' C o m e , m y b e l o v e d l e t us g o f o r t h i n t o t h e field ; l e t u s l o d g e in t h e v i l l a g e s . L e t us ge t u p e a r l y t o t h e v i n e y a r d s , l e t us see if t h e v i n e flourish.'

It is in t h e c a l m s o l i t u d e o f c o n t e m p l a t i o n that t h e i n n e r h a r v e s t r i p e n s .

' H i s l e f t h a n d s h o u l d b e u n d e r m y h e a d , a n d his r i g h t h a n d s h o u l d e m b r a c e m e . '

T h e s o u l h a s g i v e n e a r t o t h e i n n e r C a l l ; in a n s w e r t o that b e l o v e d V o i c e s h e h a s s u f f e r e d d e e p l y , c r i e d b i t t e r l y , u n d e r g o n e s e v e r e t r ia l s . Y e t d e s p i t e e v e r y t h i n g s h e h a s e m e r g e d v i c t o r i o u s a n d t r i u m p h a n t , t e s t i f y i n g t o t h e s u p r e m e a n d i n v i n c i b l e P o w e r o f L o v e . H e r r e w a r d is m y s t i c a l u n i o n w i t h t h e A b s o l u t e .

' S e t m e as a seal u p o n t h i n e h e a r t , as a sea l u p o n t h i n e a r m : f o r l o v e is s t r o n g as d e a t h ; m a n y w a t e r s c a n n o t q u e n c h l o v e , n e i t h e r c a n t h e floods d r o w n it . '

L o v e is n o t m e r e s e n t i m e n t a l i t y b u t a d y n a m i c e n e r g y . U n d e r its m a n i p u l a t i o n t h e h a r d , flinty h e a r t is m o v e d , s o f t e n e d a n d


b r o u g h t t o l i f e . T h e w e e d s o f b a d h a b i t s a r e t o r n o u t ; i g n o r a n c e is d i s s i p a t e d b y t h e l i g h t o f W i s d o m ; t h e c r o o k e d p a t h s a r e m a d e s t r a i g h t ; e r r o r r e c e d e s f r o m r e a s o n , u n t i l t h e i n n e r m a n sh ines w i t h h o l y g l o r y . T h e h e a r t w h i c h is i l l u m i n e d b y W i s d o m r e c o g n ises L o v e as t h e S o v e r e i g n P o w e r .

1 W e h a v e a l i t t l e s is ter , a n d s h e h a t h n o b r e a s t s : w h a t sha l l w e d o f o r o u r s is ter in t h e d a y w h e n s h e sha l l b e s p o k e n f o r ? '

T h e s o u l h a v i n g e n t e r e d t h e m y s t i c a l C a v e o f t h e H e a r t a n d t h e r e e n j o y e d u n i o n w i t h t h e W o r d , o u t o f c o m p a s s i o n f o r m a n k i n d t e a c h e s t h a t K n o w l e d g e w h i c h s h e h a s i n t u i t e d . T h i s f e c u n d i t y is t h e r e s u l t o f m y s t i c a l c o n t e m p l a t i o n .

' I f she b e a w a l l , w e w i l l b u i l d u p o n h e r a p a l a c e o f s i l v e r ; a n d if s h e b e a d o o r w e w i l l e n c l o s e h e r w i t h b o a r d s o f c e d a r . '

It is w i t h t h e ' w o r d s o f t h e L o r d ' w h i c h a r e * as s i l v e r ' , t h a t t h e w a l l s a n d ' e v e r l a s t ing d o o r s ' o f t h e h e a v e n l y C i t y a r e b u i l t . T h o s e w h o h e a r t h e w o r d o f G o d a n d k e e p it ' sha l l g r o w l i k e a c e d a r in L e b a n o n . '

( P s . 90 : 1 2 ) .

' 1 a m a w a l l , a n d m y b r e a s t s l i k e t o w e r s : t h e n w a s I in h is e y e s as o n e t h a t f o u n d f a v o u r . '

T h e s o u l p e r f e c t e d i n W i s d o m g i v e s s w e e t s u s t e n a n c e t o t h o s e w h o f e e d at h e r b o s o m . F r a g r a n t a n d p u r e as t h e l i l y is t h e h o n e y e d m i l k w h i c h f l o w s f r o m M o t h e r W i s d o m , u n l i k e t h e p i t i l e ss m o t h e r s o f B a b y l o n w h o g i v e t o t h e i r b a b e s t h e p o i s o n e d m i l k o f i g n o r a n c e .

' M a k e h a s t e , m y b e l o v e d , a n d b e t h o u l i k e u n t o a r o e o r t o a y o u n g h a r t u p o n t h e m o u n t a i n s o f s p i c e s . '

T h e l a n g u a g e o f L o v e fills t h e s o u l w i t h m e l o d y ; in v i b r a n t , l i l t ing , e x u b e r a n t a c c e n t s L o v e c a u s e s t h e h e a r t t o b r e a k o u t i n t o e c s t a t i c s o n g . T h e i n e f f a b l e e x p e r i e n c e o f B l i s s f u l u n i o n t a k e s p l a c e in S a c r e d H e a r t - S i l e n c e , f o r it is t h e r e t h a t t h e S o n g o f L o v e is b o r n .

* # *

S a i n t B e r n a r d w r i t e s :

' T h e s o u l e m b a r k s u p o n t h e s p i r i t u a l Q u e s t so t h a t s h e m a y y i e l d t o t h e W o r d f o r c o r r e c t i o n ; r e c e i v e a n e n l i g h t e n e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g ; b e r e l i a n t u p o n it f o r v i r t u e ; p o s s e s s b e a u t y , a n d b e w e d d e d to it so t h a t s h e m a y b e f r u i t f u l — l a s t l y , tha t s h e m a y e n j o y e v e r l a s t i n g B l i s s . '

G r e g o r y o f N y s s a t a u g h t t h a t L o v e ' s I d e a l is r e a c h e d w h e n t h e B r i d e - s o u l s o a r s b e y o n d a l l t h i n g s m a t e r i a l t o that s ta te w h i c h h e t e r m e d ' a p a t h y ' / b y w h i c h h e m e a n t c o m p l e t e w i t h d r a w a l f r o m t h e b o d i l y s e n s e s . S u c h d e t a c h m e n t l e a d s t o t h e h i g h e s t e n j o y m e n t o f T r u t h , w h e n t h e h e a v e n l y B r i d e g r o o m b e s t o w s u p o n H i s b r i d e t h e s a c r e d K i s s o f d i v i n e U n i t y .

S o l o m o n ' s m i g h t y H y m n o f L o v e s ings a n a g e l e s s s o n g :

' W i t h an e v e r l a s t i n g l o v e h a v e I l o v e d t h e e : t h e r e f o r e h a v e I d r a w n t h e e w i t h l o v i n g k i n d n e s s . ' ( J e r . x x x i : 3 ) .

1 See the explanation of. the term ' apatheia ' in the article ' Spiritual Traditions of the Greek Orthodox C h u r c h ' by Father Lazarus in our issue of January 1964 — (Editor)

C h r i s t m a y b e b o r n a t h o u s a n d t i m e s in B e t h l e h e m , b u t if h e b e n o t b o r n a n e w w i t h i n y o u r o w n h e a r t , y o u r e m a i n e t e r n a l l y f o r l o r n .

— A N G E L U S S I L E S I U S . >

100 April

THE SYMBOLISM OF THE QUEST IN THE ODYSSEY

* y \ ^ H Y d i d t h e a n c i e n t G r e e k s r e g a r d t h e H o m e r i c p o e m s as a r e l i g i o u s a u t h o

r i t y ? T h e y c o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d r e l i g i o u s in t h e s e n s e t h a t t h e y r e c o r d e d n o r m s o f c o n d u c t , e v e n t h o u g h t h e y l a c k e d t h e h i g h e t h i c a l s t a n d a r d s a n d t h e p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h d h a r m a o f t h e H i n d u e p i c s . T h e y w e r e r e l i g i o u s t o o in that t h e y c o m p r i s e d a l l e g o r i e s o f t h e q u e s t . T h e y w e r e c o m p o s e d in t h e l a n g u a g e o f s y m b o l i s m .

T h e q u e s t i o n h o w m a n y o f t h e a n c i e n t s s a w t h e s y m b o l i s m w o u l d b e as p o i n t l e s s as t h e q u e s t i o n h o w m a n y m o d e r n s s e e t h e a l l e g o r y o f A b r a h a m ' s sacr i f i ce o f I saac . I t w a s c e r t a i n l y t h e r e t o s e e a n d s o m e m u s t h a v e s e e n it o r t h e e p i c s w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n r e g a r d e d w i t h s u c h r e v e r e n c e .

T h e O d y s s e y , it w i l l b e r e m e m b e r e d , s tarts n e a r t h e e n d a n d t h e n p r o c e e d s w i t h a t h r o w - b a c k . L e t us f o l l o w H o m e r in th is . T h e final e p i s o d e s h o w s P e n e l o p e , t h e f a i t h f u l w i f e o f O d y s s e u s , st i l l r u l i n g his r o c k y h o m e l a n d o f I t h a c a a f t e r h i s y e a r s o f e n f o r c e d w a n d e r i n g t h r o u g h p e r i l o u s a d v e n t u r e s . B u t s h e is b e s e t b y u n r u l y n o b l e s w h o p e s t e r h e r t o m a r r y o n e o f t h e m a n d p r o c l a i m h i m r u l e r , g i v i n g O d y s s e u s u p as l o s t a n d d i s i n h e r t i n g t h e i r a d o l e s c e n t s o n T e l e m a c h u s .

P e n e l o p e c a n b e u n d e r s t o o d as t h e r i g h t l y d i r e c t e d h u m a n state , O d y s s e u s as t h e a c t i v e s i d e o f it s t r u g g l i n g t h r o u g h t h e m a n y v i c i s s i t u d e s o f t h e q u e s t , a n d T e l e m a c h u s as t h e n e w m a n e m e r g i n g o u t o f it . T h e su i t o rs a r e t h e st i l l u n s u b d u e d t e n d e n c i e s w h i c h t r y t o c a p t u r e it a n d t u r n it t o t h e i r o w n u s e a n d e n j o y m e n t . F i n a l l y t h e y set a t e r m f o r P e n e l o p e ; t h e y w i l l w a i t o n l y t i l l s h e finishes w e a v i n g t h e t a p e s t r y s h e . is e n g a g e d o n , b u t n o l o n g e r . H o w e v e r , s h e c i r c u m v e n t s t h e m ; e a c h n i g h t s h e u n r a v e l s w h a t s h e h a d

By A R T H U R O S B O R N E

w o v e n t h e p r e v i o u s d a y . T h e t a p e s t r y is M a y a , w o v e n d u r i n g t h e d a y t i m e o f a c t i v i t y , u n r a v e l l e d d u r i n g t h e n i g h t o f m e d i t a t i o n . T h e n O d y s s e u s a r r i v e d . H a v i n g c o m e s a f e t h r o u g h al l t h e p e r i l s o f t h e q u e s t , h e is r e a d y t o a p p e a r n o w as t h e b r i d e g r o o m , t h e t r i u m p h a n t h e r o . H e is r e a d y t o a p p e a r , b u t first t h e f o r c e s o f d i s o r d e r m u s t b e s u b j u g a t e d . H e a p p e a r s as a d e s t i t u t e w a n d e r e r . P e n e l o p e r e c o g n i z e s h i m b u t t h e su i t o r s d o n o t . P r e c a u t i o n s h a v e t o b e t a k e n lest t h e y s l a y h i m b e f o r e h e h a s e s t a b l i s h e d h i m s e l f — as t h e r e b e l l i o u s g e n e r a t i o n s s l e w t h e p r o p h e t s , as t h e b l i n d l y o r t h o d o x s l e w Chr i s t . H e r e m a i n s d i s g u i s e d u n t i l h e is m a n o e u v r e d in to a p o s i t i o n w h e r e h e c a n o v e r c o m e t h e m .

T h a t is t h e e s s e n c e o f t h e s t o r y b u t t h e r e a r e m a n y w a y s i d e a d v e n t u r e s , j u s t as t h e r e a r e in t h e l i f e o f t h e w a y f a r e r . A l s o t h e r e a r e c h a n g e s in s y m b o l i s m , o n e a s p e c t o r a n o t h e r b e i n g d e p i c t e d as r e q u i r e d . O n l y a f e w sa l i ent f e a t u r e s a r e p o i n t e d o u t h e r e . T h e s t o r y o f H e l e n a n d P a r i s a n d t h e T r o j a n W a r w o u l d b e t h e s u b j e c t o f a n o t h e r n o l ess c o m p l e x s y m b o l i c a l s t o r y .

T h e r e is o n e e p i s o d e , it w i l l b e r e c a l l e d , w h e r e t h e s i r e n s , t r e a c h e r o u s n y m p h s s i n g i n g w i t h i r r e s i s t a b l e b e a u t y , t r y t o l u r e O d y s s e u s a n d his m e n o n t o t h e r o c k s w h e r e t h e i r s h i p w i l l b e d a s h e d t o p i e c e s a n d t h e y t h e m s e l v e s d r o w n e d . O d y s s e u s f o i l s t h e i r s c h e m e b y m a k i n g his m e n p l u g t h e i r e a r s w i t h w a x b e f o r e r e a c h i n g t h e i r h a u n t . O n l y h e h i m s e l f k e p t h is e a r s o p e n b u t t o o k t h e p r e c a u t i o n o f g e t t i n g l a s h e d t o a m a s t a n d f o r b i d d i n g his m e n t o r e l e a s e h i m t i l l h e w a s o u t o f t h e d a n g e r z o n e . T h e s o n g s o f t h e s i r ens o b v i o u s l y r e p r e s e n t t h e l u r e s o f t h e s u b t l e w o r l d w h i c h h a v e l e d s o m a n y s p i r i t u a l w a y f a r e r s t o p e r d i t i o n . O d y s s e u s is o n e o f t h e f e w h a r d y o n e s w h o c a n e x p e r i e n c e

1968 P R E - E X I S T E N C E 101

this d a n g e r o u s b e a u t y w i t h o u t g e t t i n g d e s t r o y e d b y i t .

T h e n t h e r e is t h e s t o r y o f C i r c e . S o m e o f t h e m e n g o a s h o r e o n a b e a u t e o u s i s l e t o r e p l e n i s h t h e i r w a t e r s u p p l y a n d t h e r e e n c o u n t e r a n e n c h a n t r e s s w h o o f f e rs t h e m f o o d a n d w i n e . B y p a r t a k i n g o f it t h e y g i v e h e r p o w e r o v e r t h e m , a n d s h e u s e s it b y d a s h i n g a c u p o f w i n e in t h e i r f a c e s a n d t u r n i n g t h e m i n t o s w i n e . S h e r e p r e s e n t s M a y a , a n d t h o s e w h o s u c c u m b t o h e r a l l u r e m e n t s a r e t u r n e d i n t o s w i n e , f o r g e t t i n g t h e i r u p r i g h t m a n h o o d .

A s t r a n g e p a r a l l e l is t o b e f o u n d in a s t o r y o f V i s h n u . H e b e c o m e s i n f a t u a t e d w i t h h i s o w n d a u g h t e r — D i v i n e P o w e r w i t h t h e b e a u t y o f c r e a t i o n . T o m a k e l o v e t o h e r w o u l d b e i n c e s t , s o h e t r a n s f o r m s b o t h o f t h e m i n t o s w i n e , f o r w h o m , t h e r e is n o s u c h b a n . T h u s t r a n s f o r m e d , h e w a l l o w s h a p p i l y u n t i l r e m i n d e d o f h is t r u e n a t u r e .

A n d h o w d o e s O d y s s e u s e s c a p e ? W h i l e h e is o n his w a y t o C i r c e ' s h o u s e H e r m e s , a y o u t h r e p r e s e n t e d in G r e e k m y t h o l o g y as t h e m e s s e n g e r o f t h e g o d s , c o m e s e s p e c i a l l y to w a r n h i m a n d t e a c h e s h i m a c h a r m w h i c h w i l l t u r n t h e t a b l e s o n C i r c e , g i v i n g h i m p o w e r o v e r h e r . T h e ' m e s s e n g e r o f t h e g o d s ' is d i v i n e i n t u i t i o n . F o r e w a r n e d , t h e h e r o o f m y t h o l o g y a v e r t s t h e s n a r e s o f M a y a , n o t o n l y r e t a i n i n g h i s m a n h o o d b u t

Pre-Exist ence

s u b j e c t i n g h e r t o h is w i l l . A s w i t h t h e s i r e n s , h e is a b l e t o e x p e r i e n c e t h e a l l u r e m e n t s o f t h e s u b t l e w o r l d w i t h o u t b e c o m i n g e n s l a v e d t o t h e m .

T h e s t o r y o f P o l y p h e m u s is less o b v i o u s . T h e o n e - e y e d g i a n t w h o c a p t u r e s O d y s s e u s a n d h i s m e n a n d s h u t s t h e m u p i n h i s c a v e , i n t e n d i n g t o d e v o u r t h e m , t w o a d a y , at first s i gh t s u g g e s t s t h e s i n g l e e y e o f S i v a , d e s t r u c t i v e o f d u a l i t y . B u t a c t u a l l y it m u s t b e o n l y a d a r k s i m i l a c r u m o f th i s , s u c h as m u s t c o m e f r o m o n e - p o i n t e d c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f a h a r m f u l , n o t a s u b l i m e n a t u r e , f o r P o l y p h e m u s is a d a n g e r t o s u r v i v a l a n d it is O d y s s e u s w h o t r i u m p h s a n d l i v e s b y p u t t i n g o u t h is e y e . It is O d y s s e u s t o o , it w i l l b e r e m e m b e r e d , w h o at ta ins s y m b o l i c a l l y t h e N a m e l e s s s tate b y t e l l i n g P o l y p h e m u s w h e n a s k e d h is n a m e , t h a t it is N o m a n , so t h a t , w h e n t h e b l i n d e d g i a n t ' s c o m p a n i o n s a s k w h o h a s d o n e th i s t o h i m h e a n s w e r s : " N o m a n h a s d o n e i t " , t h u s e n a b l i n g O d y s s e u s a n d h i s m e n t o e s c a p e .

T h e s e s y m b o l i c a l s t o r i es a r e i n d e e d a s o r t o f c o d e , a r e m i n d e r t o t h o s e w h o h a v e t h e k e y t o t h e m . T h e r e i s a w e a l t h o f t h e m in a n c i e n t G r e e k , as in H i n d u a n d N o r s e , m y t h o l o g y — t h e G o l d e n F l e e c e , t h e L a b o u r s o f H e r c u l e s a n d m a n y m o r e t h a t h a v e l a s t e d t h r o u g h t h e a g e s a n d c a n st i l l s e r v e as a r e m i n d e r if r e a d a r i g h t .

from the 18th Century English mystic WILLIAM LAW

T h e c r e a t e d s o u l is a c r e a t u r e o f T i m e , a n d h a d its b e g i n n i n g o n t h e 6th d a y o f C r e a t i o n , but t h e E s s e n c e s o f t h e s o u l , w h i c h w e r e t h e n f o r m e d i n t o a c r e a t u r e a n d i n t o a s ta te o f d i s t i n c t i o n f r o m G O D h a d b e e n in G O D f r o m al l e t e r n i t y , o r t h e y c o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n b r e a t h e d f o r t h f r o m G O D i n t o t h e f o r m o f a l i v i n g c r e a t u r e . T h a t w h i c h t h i n k s a n d w i l l s in t h e s o u l is that v e r y s a m e u n b e g i n n i n g b r e a t h w h i c h t h o u g h t a n d

w i l l e d in G O D b e f o r e it w a s b r e a t h e d i n t o t h e f o r m o f a. h u m a n s o u l T h o u b e g a n n e s t as T i m e b e g a n , b u t as T i m e w a s in E t e r n i t y b e f o r e it b e c a m e d a y s a n d y e a r s , so t h o u w a s t in G O D b e f o r e t h o u w a s t b r o u g h t o u t i n t o c r e a t i o n , a n d as T i m e is n e i t h e r a p a r t o f E t e r n i t y n o r b r o k e n off f r o m it, so t h o u art n o t a p a r t o f G o d , n o r b r o k e n off f r o m H i m , y e t b o r n o u t o f H i m . "

W A April

THE WAY OF CHUANG TZU

£jHUANG T Z U ( 4 t h - 3 r d c e n t . B . C . ) is in m a n y r e s p e c t s t h e g r e a t e s t a n d m o s t

s p i r i t u a l o f t h e C h i n e s e p h i l o s o p h e r s . H e is a l so t h e c h i e f a u t h e n t i c h i s t o r i c a l s p o k e s m a n f o r T a o i s m ( L a o T z u b e i n g l e g e n d a r y a n d k n o w n to a g r e a t e x t e n t t h r o u g h C h u a n g T z u in a n y c a s e . ) T h e r e f o r e C h u a n g T z u s t a n d s in o p p o s i t i o n to t h e t r a d i t i o n a l C o n f u c i a n p h i l o s o p h y , a n d h a s b e e n r e g a r d e d b y t h e o r t h o d o x C o n f u c i a n s as a r a t h e r d a n g e r o u s t h i n k e r , t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l b o a t r o c k e r o f C h i n e s e t h o u g h t . T h e r e a s o n f o r th is is that C h u a n g T z u w a n t e d t o ins ist t h a t t h e r e w a s s o m e t h i n g m o r e t o l i f e t h a n t h e p i e t y , t h e o r d e r , t h e r i t e s , a n d t h e h u m a n i t a r i a n f e e l i n g s w h i c h c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e so c ia l h a r m o n y p r e a c h e d b y C o n f u c i u s . C h u a n g T z u l o o k e d o n l i f e as a w h o l e •— a n d as a m y s t e r y — that c o u l d n o t b e g r a s p e d m e r e l y in a c l e a r d o c t r i n e , w i t h l o g i c a l e x p l a n a t i o n s f o r t h e w a y t h i n g s a r e , i m p l e m e n t e d b y - o r d e r l y soc ia l c u s t o m s a n d p a t t e r n s o f b e h a v i o u r . H e r e a c h e d o u t t o s o m e t h i n g m o r e , s o m e t h i n g w h i c h c o u l d n o t b e e x p r e s s e d , a n d y e t c o u l d b e l i v e d : t h e i n e f f a b l e Tao. A n y t h i n g t h a t f a l l s s h o r t o f Tao is l i m i t e d a n d f a l l i b l e . Y e t Tao is n o t t o t a l l y o u t o f m a n ' s r e a c h . O n t h e c o n t r a r y , b y h u m i l i t y , s i m p l i c i t y , c h i l d l i k e n e s s a n d w h a t w e w o u l d ca l l a sp i r i t o f f a i t h , o n e c a n l i v e i n u n i o n w i t h T a o , e v e n t h o u g h o n e m a y n o t b e a b l e t o u n d e r s t a n d j u s t h o w th i s c o m e s a b o u t , o r g i v e a c l e a r e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e f a c t . It is this h o l y a n d s o m e t i m e s h u m o r o u s s i m p l i c i t y that is at t h e h e a r t o f C h u a n g T z u , a n d s t r a n g e t o s a y , it h a s m a d e his d o c t r i n e s e e m , t o s o m e p e o p l e , t e r r i b l y di f f icult .

T h e f o l l o w i n g v e r s i o n s o f C h u a n g T z u a r e t h e r e su l t o f a m e d i t a t i v e r e a d i n g in v a r i o u s t r a n s l a t i o n s a n d t h e y s t i ck c l o s e l y t o t h e t e x t s o f t h e s e t r a n s l a t i o n s , w i t h o c c a s i o n a l g l o s s e s a n d s i m p l i f i c a t i o n s , w h i c h a r e a l w a y s v e r y s l i ght .

By FATHER THOMAS MERTON

A Hat Salesman and

A Capable Ruler

A m a n o f S u n g d i d b u s i n e s s In s i lk c e r e m o n i a l hats . H e t r a v e l l e d w i t h a l o a d o f ha ts T o t h e w i l d m e n o f t h e s o u t h . T h e w i l d m e n h a d s h a v e d h e a d s , T a t t o o e d b o d i e s . ' W h a t d i d t h e y w a n t W i t h s i lk C e r e m o n i a l hats ?

Y a o h a d w i s e l y g o v e r n e d A l l C h i n a . H e h a d b r o u g h t t h e e n t i r e w o r l d T o a s ta te o f rest . A f t e r that , h e w e n t to v i s i t T h e f o u r P e r f e c t O n e s In t h e d i s tant m o u n t a i n s O f K u S h i h . W h e n h e c a m e b a c k A c r o s s t h e b o r d e r I n t o h is o w n c i t y His l os t g a z e S a w n o t h r o n e .

The Breath of Nature

W h e n g r e a t N a t u r e s ighs , w e h e a r t h e w i n d s W h i c h , n o i s e l e s s in t h e m s e l v e s , A w a k e n v o i c e s f r o m o t h e r b e i n g s , B l o w i n g o n t h e m .

F r o m e v e r y o p e n i n g L o u d v o i c e s s o u n d . H a v e y o u n o t h e a r d T h i s r u s h o f t o n e s ?

T h e r e s t a n d s t h e o v e r h a n g i n g w o o d O n t h e s t e e p m o u n t a i n : O l d t r e e s w i t h h o l e s a n d c r a c k s L i k e s n o u t s , m a w s a n d e a r s , L i k e b e a m - s o c k e t s , l i k e g o b l e t s G r o o v e s in t h e w o o d , h o l l o w s f u l l o f w a t e r : Y o u h e a r m o o i n g a n d r o a r i n g , w h i s t l i n g S h o u t s o f c o m m a n d , g r u m b l i n g s , D e e p d r o n e s , sad flutes. O n e ca l l a w a k e n s a n o t h e r in d i a l o g u e .

1968 T H E W A Y O F C H U A N G T Z U 103

G e n t l e w i n d s s ing t i m i d l y S t r o n g o n e s b las t o n w i t h o u t r e s t r a i n t . T h e n t h e w i n d d ies d o w n . T h e o p e n i n g s E m p t y o u t t h e i r last s o u n d . H a v e y o u n o t o b s e r v e d h o w al l t h e n

t r e m b l e s a n d s u b s i d e s ?

Y u r e p l i e d : I u n d e r s t a n d : T h e m u s i c o f t h e w o r l d s ings t h r o u g h a

t h o u s a n d h o l e s . T h e m u s i c o f m a n is m a d e o n f lutes a n d

i n s t r u m e n t s . W h a t m a k e s t h e m u s i c o f h e a v e n ?

M a s t e r K i sa id : S o m e t h i n g is b l o w i n g o n a t h o u s a n d

d i f f e r e n t h o l e s . S o m e p o w e r s t a n d s b e h i n d al l th is a n d

m a k e s t h e s o u n d s d i e d o w n W h a t is this p o w e r ?

Great Knowledge

G r e a t k n o w l e d g e sees al l in o n e . S m a l l k n o w l e d g e b r e a k s d o w n i n t o t h e m a n y .

W h e n t h e b o d y s l e e p s , t h e s o u l is e n f o l d e d in O n e .

W h e n t h e b o d y w a k e s , t h e o p e n i n g s b e g i n t o f u n c t i o n .

T h e y r e s o u n d w i t h e v e r y e n c o u n t e r . W i t h al l t h e v a r i e d b u s i n e s s o f l i f e , t h e

s t r i v i n g s o f t h e h e a r t ;

M e n a r e b l o c k e d , p e r p l e x e d , l os t in d o u b t . L i t t l e f e a r s eat a w a y * t h e i r p e a c e o f h e a r t . G r e a t f e a r s s w a l l o w t h e m w h o l e . A r r o w s s h o t at a t a r g e t : h i t a n d m i s s :

r i g h t a n d w r o n g . T h a t is w h a t m e n ca l l j u d g e m e n t , d e c i s i o n . T h e i r p r o n o u n c e m e n t s a r e as f inal . A s t r e a t i e s b e t w e e n e m p e r o r s : O , t h e y m a k e t h e i r p o i n t ! Y e t t h e i r a r g u m e n t s f a l l f a s t e r a n a f e e b l e r T h a n d e a d l e a v e s in a u t u m n a n d w i n t e r T h e i r t a l k , flows o u t l i k e p i ss , it is N e v e r t o b e r e c o v e r e d . T h e y s t a n d at last , b l o c k e d , b o u n d a n d

g a g g e d , C h o k e d u p l i k e o l d d r a i n p i p e s , T h e m i n d fa i l s . It sha l l n o t see

l i g h t a g a i n .

P l e a s u r e a n d r a g e S a d n e s s a n d j o y H o p e s a n d r e g r e t s C h a n g e a n d s t a b i l i t y W e a k n e s s a n d d e c i s i o n I m p a t i e n c e a n d s l o t h : A l l a r e s o u n d s f r o m t h e s a m e flute, A l l m u s h r o o m s f r o m t h e s a m e w e t m o u l d . D a y a n d n i g h t f o l l o w o n e a n o t h e r a n d c o m e

u p o n u s W i t h o u t o u r s e e i n g h o w t h e y s p r o u t !

E n o u g h ! E n o u g h ! E a r l y a n d l a t e w e m e e t " T h a t " F r o m w h i c h t h e n all g r o w !

If t h e r e w e r e n o " T h a t " T h e r e w o u l d b e n o " I " . I f t h e r e w e r e n o " I " T h e r e w o u l d b e n o t h i n g f o r al l t h e s e w i n d s

t o p l a y o n . S o f a r c a n w e g o . B u t h o w sha l l w e u n d e r s t a n d W h a t b r i n g s it a b o u t ?

O n e m a y w e l l s u p p o s e a T r u e G o v e r n o r T o b e b e h i n d it al l . T h a t s u c h a P o w e r w o r k s I c a n b e l i e v e . I c a n n o t s e e h is f o r m . '

H e ac ts , b u t h a s n o f o r m .

Three Friends

T h e r e w e r e t h r e e f r i e n d s D i s c u s s i n g l i f e . O n e sa id : " C a n m e n l i v e t o g e t h e r A n d k n o w n o t h i n g o f it ? W o r k t o g e t h e r A n d p r o d u c e n o t h i n g ? C a n t h e y fly a r o u n d in s p a c e A n d f o r g e t t o e x i s t W o r l d w i t h o u t e n d ? " T h e t h r e e f r i e n d s l o o k e d at e a c h o t h e r A n d b u r s t o u t l a u g h i n g . T h e y h a d n o e x p l a n a t i o n . T h u s t h e y w e r e b e t t e r f r i e n d s t h a n b e f o r e .

* -5f 4f

T h e n o n e f r i e n d d i e d . C o n f u c i u s S e n t a d i s c i p l e to h e l p t h e o t h e r t w o C h a n t h is o b s e q u i e s .


T h e D i s c i p l e f o u n d that o n e f r i e n d H a d c o m p o s e d a s o n g . W h i l e t h e o t h e r p l a y e d a l u t e T h e y s a n g :

' H e y , S u n g H u ! W h e r e ' d y o u g o ? H e y , S u n g H u ! W h e r e ' d y o u g o ? Y o u h a v e g o n e w h e r e ' W h e r e y o u r e a l l y w e r e . A n d w e a r e h e r e — D a m n i t ! W e a r e h e r e ! '

* * *

T h e n t h e D i s c i p l e o f C o n f u c i u s b u r s t in o n t h e m a n d e x c l a i m e d : „

" M a y I i n q u i r e w h e r e y o u f o u n d th is in t h e r u b r i c s f o r o b s e q u i e s ,

T h i s f r i v o l o u s c a r o l l i n g in t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e d e p a r t e d ? "

T h e t w o f r i e n d s l o o k e d at e a c h o t h e r a n d l a u g h e d .

" P o o r f e l l o w " t h e y sa id , " h e d o e s n ' t k n o w t h e n e w l i t u r g y . "

Lao Tse's Wake

L a o T a n l a y d e a d C h i n S h i h a t t e n d e d t h e w a k e . H e l e t o u t t h r e e y e l l s A n d w e n t h o m e .

O n e o f t h e d i s c i p l e s sa id : W e r e y o u n o t t h e M a s t e r ' s f r i e n d ? " C e r t a i n l y . " H e r e p l i e d .

u Is it t h e n suf f ic ient f o r y o u T o m o u r n n o b e t t e r t h a n y o u h a v e j u s t

d o n e ? "

*' I n t h e b e g i n n i n g / ' ( s a i d C h i n S h i h ) " I t h o u g h t

H e w a s t h e g r e a t e s t o f m e n . ,. N o l o n g e r ! W h e n I c a m e t o m o u r n T f o u n d o l d m e n l a m e n t i n g h i m as t h e i r s on , Y o u n g m e n s o b b i n g as t h o u g h f o r t h e i r

m o t h e r . H o w d i d h e b i n d t h e m t o h i m s e l f so t i g h t ,

i f n o t B y w o r d s h e s h o u l d n e v e r h a v e sa id A n d t e a r s h e s h o u l d n e v e r h a v e w e p t ?

" H e w e a k e n e d his t r u e b e i n g H e l a id o n l o a d u p o n L o a d o f e m o t i o n , i n c r e a s e d T h e e n o r m o u s r e c k o n i n g : H e f o r g o t t h e g i f t G o d h a d e n t r u s t e d t o h i m : T h i s t h e a n c i e n t s c a l l e d ' p u n i s h m e n t F o r n e g l e c t i n g t h e T r u e Sel f . '

" T h e M a s t e r c a m e at h is r i g h t t i m e I n t o t h e w o r l d . W h e n his t i m e w a s u p H e l e f t it a g a i n . H e w h o a w a i t s h i s t i m e , w h o s u b m i t s W h e n h i s w o r k is d o n e , In h is l i f e t h e r e is n o r o o m F o r s o r r o w o r f o r r e j o i c i n g . H e r e is h o w t h e a n c i e n t s sa id al l th is In f o u r w o r d s :

' G o d ' cu ts t h e t h r e a d ! '

" W e h a v e s e e n a fire o f s t i c k s B u r n o u t . T h e fire n o w B u r n s in s o m e o t h e r p l a c e . W h e r e ? W h o k n o w s ? T h e s e b r a n d s A r e b u r n e d o u t . "

Confucius and the Madman

W h e n C o n f u c i u s w a s v i s i t i n g t h e s t a t e o f C h u

A l o n g c a m e K i e h Y u T h e m a d m a n o f C h u A n d s a n g o u t s i d e t h e M a s t e r ' s d o o r :

" O P h o e n i x , P h o e n i x , ^ W h e r e is y o u r v i r t u e g o n e ? It c a n n o t r e a c £ t h e f u t u r e O r b r i n g t h e pas t a g a i n !

W h e n t h e w o r l d m a k e s s e n s e T h e w i s e h a v e w o r k t o d o . T h e y c a n o n l y h i d e W h e n t h e w o r l d ' s a s k e w . T o d a y if y o u c a n s t a y a l i v e L u c k y a r e y o u : T r y t o s u r v i v e !

J o y is f e a t h e r l i g h t B u t w h o c a n c a r r y it ? S o r r o w fa l l s l i k e a l a n d s l i d e W h o c a n p a r r y it ?

N e v e r , n e v e r T e a c h v i r t u e m o r e .

1968

POETRY

J JDOK at s c e n e r y n a t u r e t h e m i n d is at o n c e s u s p e n d e d , so t o

s a y . ' S u s p e n d e d ' m e a n s : f o r t h e m o m e n t it is at a s tandst i l l ; . . l a t e r t h o u g h t s , t h e n o n - s t o p m a c h i n e r y o f t h o u g h t s , m a y set in w h i r r i n g

S o , p e r h a p s , to t a k e ' a d v a n t a g e ' I a m e x p r e s s i n g it c r u d e l y . . ) o f this ( o f s u c h an o p p o r t u n i t y . . . . . . . . o f l o o k i n g at n a t u r e )

o r a l so w h e n w e a r e m o v e d b y a t e a r o r a l a u g h if o n e c a n p r o l o n g th is o r ' see ' h o w ' t h e m i n d ' c o m e s in ( a g a i n ) , e v e n in s u c h a ( g o l d e n ) o p p o r t u n i t y e v e n t h e r e

e v e n in such c i r c u m s t a n c e s — h o w ' t h e m i n d ' c o m e s , a n d s a y s ,

" h o w b e a u t i f u l it is , h o w c h a r m i n g " ; o r ' t h e m i n d ' n a m e s s o m e p a r t i c u l a r f l o w e r o r t r e e o r b i r d ; o r it s a y s : " h o w b e a u t i f u l is t h e c u r v e o f t h e m o u n t a i n , h o w v i o l e n t l y , h o w n o i s i l y t h e c a t a r a c t is f a l l i n g , in w h a t d i f f u s i o n o f c o l o u r s t h e c l o u d s / a r e h a n g i n g , h o w s w e e t t h e b i r d s a r e w a r b l i n g / ' o r , " h o w s o o t h i n g is t h e c a d e n c e o f m u s i c . . . . . . . . " , o r , ( l o o k i n g d o w n a h i l l ) " h o w e x t e n s i v e l y u p t o t h e h o r i z o n , t h e p a n o r a m a s t r e t c h e s " a n d t h e t h o u g h t : " it s h o u l d b e d e p i c t e d o r t u r n e d in to a p o e m o r a p h o t o g r a p h o r a p a i n t i n g . "

a n d a l so t h e v a r i o u s w a y s o f c o m p a r i n g t h e p r e s e n t e x p e r i e n c e to a l i k e o n e e tc . , e t c .

I n th i s w a y t h e m i n d a g a i n ' c o m e s *

105

By 'ALONE '

[ t h o u g h al l this m a y l o o k e n c h a n t i n g , e v e n n o b l e , — — — stil l it is ' t h e m i n d ' ! ]

T h u s t h e m i n d a g a i n c o m e s a n d ' d i s t u r b s ' t h e s ta te c a s u a l l y , w i t h o u t e f f o r t ,

• e s t a b l i s h e d ( s o t o s a y ) — — — t h o u g h , p e r h a p s , it m a y b e ' fleeting *.

J u s t b e ' a w a r e ' h o w it a l l h a p p e n s ! !

T h e o n l y a d v a n t a g e ( ' a d v a n t a g e ' is j u s t a w o r d ) t o b e t a k e n o f th is \ o p p o r t u n i t y * is : c o n d i t i o n i n g is n o t t h e r e at all at th i s ' j u n c t u r e \

T h i s s h o u l d s e r v e as a s u g g e s t i o n t o p o e t s ( w h o , a r e g i v e n t o m a k i n g , e s p e c i a l l y ) , o r . . . . . . . . t o a l l p o e t s in g e n e r a l , I t h i n k !

T h e p o e t s h a v e n o t b e e n m a d e a l i v e ( I a m a f r a i d ) t o t h e T r u t h A s t h e y n a v e ( n a t u r a l l y ) ' ' p e r c e p t i o n ' , t h e y s h o u l d s t o p t h e r e , a n d s h o u l d n o t l a n d in w o r d s ( e v e n m e n t a l l y ) w h e n t h e y a r e m o v e d b y a t e a r o r a l a u g h . T h e y d o n o t k n o w that * p e r c e p t i o n ' ( a n d s t o p p i n g t h e r e ) is i tse l f w o r d s — -r e a l ( l i v i n g ) w o r d s • — — - !

A b o u t ' c o m m u n i c a t i o n ' o r s a y a b o u t * s h a r i n g ( t h i s is m y c o n c e p t • * I m a y b e w r o n g ) — they n e e d n o t b o t h e r .

It w i l l t a k e p l a c e , b r e a k i n g t h r o u g h 1 s i l e n c e ' ' p e r c e p t i o n ' ' h i s r e t i c e n c e ' i n sp i t e o f t h e m s e l v e s w h e n e v e r t h e r e is 1 n e e d \

P O E T R Y

T h e g r e a s e that f e e d s t h e l i g h t d e v o u r s i tsel f .

T h e c i n n a m o n t r e e is e d i b l e : so it is c u t d o w n !

T h e l a c q u e r t r e e is p r o f i t a b l e : t h e y m a i m it E v e r y m a n k n o w s h o w u s e f u l it is t o b e

u s e f u l . ; (

N o o n e s e e m s t o k n o w H o w u s e f u l it is t o b e u s e l e s s .

Y o u w a l k in d a n g e r , B e w a r e ! B e w a r e ! E v e n f e r n s c a n c u t y o u r f e e t — W h e n I w a l k c r a z y I w a l k r i g h t : B u t a m I a m a n T o i m i t a t e ? "

T h e t r e e o n t h e m o u n t a i n h e i g h t is its o w n e n e m y .

106 April

MILAREPA, TIBET'S GREAT POET-SAINT*

j y j I L A R E P A w a s s e c o n d in s u c c e s s i o n in t h e l i n e o f G u r u s o f t h e K a r g y u t p a o r

M a h a m u d r a S c h o o l o f t h e T i b e t a n V a j r a -y a n a . T h i s s c h o o l , f o u n d e d in t h e 11th C e n t u r y A . D . b y h is G u r u , M a r p a t h e T r a n s l a t o r , has m a i n t a i n e d its s u c c e s s i o n u n b r o k e n d o w n to t h e p r e s e n t d a y . His l i f e s p a n n e d m o r e t h a n e i g h t y y e a r s at a t i m e w h e n t h e f l ood o f I s l a m w a s s w e e p i n g o v e r I n d i a a n d t h r e a t e n i n g H i n d u i s m a n d B u d d h i s m a l ike . It is l a r g e l y d u e t o h i m a n d his G u r u M a r p a that m u c h o f B u d d h i s m ' s s p i r i t u a l h e r i t a g e w a s p r e s e r v e d in that p a r t o f t h e w o r l d .

T h e r e has b e e n n o t e a c h e r in t h e h i s t o r y o f T i b e t t o s u r p a s s M i l a r e p a f o r t h e d e p t h a n d p u r i t y o f his v i s i o n o r t o r i v a l t h e p l a c e h e h e l d a n d sti l l h o l d s in t h e m i n d s a n d h e a r t s o f h is p e o p l e . H e e x c e l l e d n o l ess as a p o e t t h a n a sa int . H e is sa id t o h a v e h a d a f ine s i n g i n g v o i c e , a n d t h e c lass i c ' H u n d r e d T h o u s a n d S o n g s ' ( r e c e n t l y t r a n s l a t e d in to E n g l i s h in t h e i r e n t i r e t y 1 ) is f a m i l iar t o all T i b e t a n s . H e r d s m e n stil l sang m a n y o f t h e m in t h e h i g h p a s t u r e s o f t h e H i m a l a y a s u n t i l t h e C h i n e s e C o m m u n i s t s s i l e n c e d t h e m . T h e b l o c k - p r i n t e d ' S o n g s ' w i t h t h e 61 s tor i es t h a t f r a m e t h e m e m b o d y the w h o l e g a m u t o f B u d d h i s t t e a c h i n g s . T h e y a r e t h e o u t c o m e o f t h e p o e t i c g e n i u s a n d sp i r i tua l E n l i g h t e n m e n t ' o f M i l a r e p a , m a t u r e d in t h e s i l e n c e a n d g r a n d e u r o f t h e g r e a t S n o w M o u n t a i n s w h e r e h e d w e l t in c a v e s , t a u g h t t h e p e o p l e a n d m e d i t a t e d o n t h e I l l u m i n a t i n g V o i d . T h e y c a r r y a m e s s a g e sti l l p e r t i n e n t t o - d a y , as it w a s w h e n h e s a n g t h e m ( " in a t u n e f u l v o i c e l i k e t h a t o f t h e g o d B r a h m a , " so t h e r e c o r d s s a y ) t o h u m b l e v i l l a g e r s a n d d i s c i p l e s , t o Y o g i s , P a n d i t s and s c h o l a r s , t o d e m o n s a n d s u b t l e b e i n g s , a n d e v e n t o t h e a n i m a l s , in t h e H i g h H i m a l a y a s so m a n y c e n t u r i e s a g o .

B o t h I n d i a a n d C h i n a w e r e h i g h l y c i v i l i z e d

By DOROTHY DONATH

at th is t i m e , a n d T i b e t h a d r e c e i v e d an in f lu x f r o m t h e c u l t u r e o f b o t h .

T h e o u t l i n e o f M i l a r e p a ' s l i f e - s t o r y is w e l l k n o w n 2 — h o w h e a n d his m o t h e r a n d s ister w e r e d e p r i v e d o f t h e i r p r o p e r t y a n d t r e a t e d l i k e b e g g a r s b y r e l a t i v e s , h o w h e l e a r n e d s o r c e r y in o r d e r t o g e t h is r e v e n g e o n t h e m a n d s u c c e e d e d in d o i n g s o , h o w h e h a d t o u n d e r g o a t e r r i b l y s e v e r e t r a i n i n g in o r d e r to c l e a n s e h i m s e l f o f t h e i m p u r i t y o f s o r c e r y . O n e o f h is o r d e a l s w a s t o b u i l d a h o u s e s i n g l e - h a n d e d a n d s e v e r a l t i m e s d e m o l i s h a n d r e b u i l d it . H e c a m e to see t h e s y m b o l i s m o f a l l h is w o r k a n d r e f e r s t o it in t h e f o l l o w ing l ines :

Faith is the firm foundation of my house, Diligence forms the high wails, Meditation makes the huge stones, A n d Wisdom is the great cornerstone. With these four I build m y castle, A n d it wi l l last as long as Truth eternal.

M i l a r e p a t a u g h t t h e p a t h o f * Y o g a w i t h o u t f o r m ' , t h e p a t h o f L i b e r a t i o n , k n o w n as M a h a m u d r a , * T h e G r e a t S y m b o l ' , w h i c h is m o r e o r l ess e q u i v a l e n t to w h a t in H i n d u i s m w o u l d b e c a l l e d J n a n a M a r g a . H e h i m s e l f d e s c r i b e s it b y s a y i n g :

Buddha cannot be found by searching, So contemplate your own Mind.

T h i s is n o t t h e l i m i t e d , m u n d a n e , i n d i v i d u a l m i n d ; it is t h e B u d d h a - m i n d w h i c h is p o t e n t i a l l y in al l o f u s . M i l a r e p a s a y s o f it :

The mind is omnipresent like space ; It illumines all manifestations as the Dhar-

makaya ; It knows all and illumines all. I see it clearly like a crystal in m y palm.

I ' T h e Hundred Thousand Songs of Mi larepa ' translated from the original Tibetan and annotated by Garma C. C. Chang, University Books, N e w York, 1962.

2 In that connection, see 4 Tibet's Great Yogi . Mi larepa ' by Evans-Wentz, Oxford University Press, and ' The Life of Milarepa ' by Lobzang Jivaka, John Murray.

* Based upon a lecture delivered to the 'Washington Friends of Buddhism' , Washington D.C., U.S.A., January 4th, 1964.

1968 M I L E R E P A , T I B E T ' S G R E A T P O E T - S A I N T 107

It d o e s n o t c o r r e s p o n d w i t h s u b j e c t i v e o r o b j e c t i v e , e x t r o v e r t o r i n t r o v e r t , c o n s c i o u s o r u n c o n s c i o u s m i n d in t h e t e r m i n o l o g y o f m o d e r n p s y c h o l o g y b u t t r a n s c e n d s al l s u c h c o n c e p t s .

In the Mind-Essence, the quintessential Light, There is no adulteration by distracting

thoughts. In the real nature of beings, the realm of Mind, There is no subject-object defilement. In the natural state of Mind-Essence There is no ground from which habitual-

thought may rise. The nature of the mind is Dharmakaya ! It is not denied by • forms And from attributes is free.

I w i l l n o w q u o t e f r o m t h e c o m m e n t a r y o n this in P r o f . C h a n g ' s t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e ' H u n d r e d T h o u s a n d S o n g s ' . " T h e m a i n c o n c e r n in ' M a h a m u d r a ' , t h e r e f o r e , is t h e u n f o l d m e n t o f t h e t r u e E s s e n c e o f o n e ' s o w n m i n d . T o a c c o m p l i s h th is t h e d i s c i p l e m a y m e d i t a t e a l o n e , f o l l o w i n g t h e G u r u ' s i n s t r u c t i o n s , o r m a y b e g i v e n t h e * p o i n t i n g - o u t * d e m o n s t r a t i o n in an e f for t b y t h e G u r u t o o p e n h is m i n d i n s t a n t a n e o u s l y . T h i s c a n b e d o n e in d i f f e r e n t w a y s — b y a s m i l e , a b l o w , a p u s h , a r e m a r k , a s u d d e n e x c l a m a t i o n , e t c . T h i s is s t r i k i n g l y s i m i l a r t o t h e t r a d i t i o n o f Z e n , a l t h o u g h t h e s t y l e a n d p r o c e s s m a y d i f f er .

" A g a i n , m o s t m e d i t a t i o n p r a c t i c e s a r e d e v i s e d f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f mental concentration—to h o l d o n t o a s i n g l e o b j e c t in t h e m i n d ' s e y e — a n d a m e n t a l e f f or t is r e q u i r e d in a l l o f t h e m ; b u t in M a h a m u d r a m e d i t a t i o n is s p o n t a n e o u s , e f f or t l ess a n d n a t u r a l : in its p r a c t i c e , no object whatsoever Is h e l d in t h e m e d i t a t o r ' s m i n d . " 3 ' 4

T h o s e w h o a r e f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e m e t h o d s a n d t e a c h i n g o f Z e n w i l l n o t find t h e s e i d e a s so v e r y f o r e i g n o r s t r a n g e . D e t a c h m e n t , o f c o u r s e , is i m p l i c i t in b o t h t e a c h i n g s ; a n d in M a h a m u d r a , as in Z e n , D h y a n a ( t h e p u r e c o n c e n t r a t i v e s ta te a c h i e v e d in m e d i t a t i o n ) in its e a r l i e r s tages ( o f t e n m i s t a k e n l y o v e r v a l u e d b y t h e b e g i n n e r ) is o n l y p r e l i m i n a r y t o a r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e g o a l . H o w e v e r p l e a sant o r b l i s s f u l it m a y b e , e c s ta t i c d h y a n a s h o u l d n e v e r b e c l u n g t o , as it is l i a b l e t o

p l u n g e o n e i n t o w h a t is k n o w n as t h e ' d e a d -v o i d ', w h e r e al l a w a r e n e s s is l os t . M i l a -r e p a w a r n s o f th is in t h e f o l l o w i n g s tanza :

When your body is rightly posed and your mind absorbed in deep meditation,

You may feel that thought and mind both disappear ;

Yet this is but the surface experience of Dhyana.

By constant practice and mindfulness thereon, One feels a radiant Self-awareness shining

like a brilliant lamp. It is pure and bright as a flower. It is like the feeling of staring Into the vast and empty sky. The Awareness of Void is l impid and trans

parent, yet vivid. This non-thought, this radiant and transparent

experience, Is but the feeling of Dhyana. With this good foundation One should pray further to the Tnree Precious

Ones 3 And penetrate to Reality b y deep thought and

contemplation.^ One can thus tie the non-ego Wisdom With the beneficial l i fe-rope of deep Dhyana. With the power of kindness and compassion. And with the altruistic v o w of the Bodhi-

Heart, One can see direct and clear Tne truth of the Enlightened Path, Of which nothing can be seen yet all is

clearly visioned. One sees h o w wrong were the fears and

hopes of one's own mind, Without arrival, one reaches the place j of

B u d d h a ; Without seeing, one Beholds the Dharmakaya ; Without effort, one does all things naturally.

B u i M i l a r e p a a lso w a r n s t h e b e g i n n e r :

Before you have realized Awareness in itself, Chatter not about the V i e w of Voidness T Al l that which manifests

3 See Appendix to ' The Hundred Thousand Songs of M i l a r e p a v o l . 11 p. 683 ff. and notes referring to Mahamudra throughout the book.

4 Compare also the Maharshi's saying that : " The difference between meditation and Self-enquiry is that in meditation you have subject and object, whereas in Self -enquiry you have only the subject ." (Editor)

5 Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. 6 On sunyata or Voidness.


Is unreal as an echo, Yet it never fails to produce A n effect that corresponds. Karmas and virtues, therefore, Should never be neglected

Before the great Illumination Shines forth in your mind, cling not To sweet ecstasy and Voidness. Though all things are Void-manifesting, Never wa l l ow in pleasures, nor expect Your troubles to vanish without effort Things in themselves are void ; So never cling to Voidness Lest you stray into formalism. When in the tide of mundane bliss One's crude, wandering thoughts subside. A n ecstasy will then arise. But hp Who is attached to it will go astray.

I h a v e l i m i t e d m y s e l f t o q u o t a t i o n s b e a r i n g o n M i l a r e p a ' s t e a c h i n g . I o n l y w i s h t h e r e w e r e s p a c e e n o u g h t o i l l u s t r a t e a lso h i s h u m o u r , h is l o v e o f t h e b e a u t i f u l in n a t u r e a n d h i s c o m p a s s i o n t o w a r d s al l l i v i n g b e i n g s . A p a r t f r o m al l th i s , h is c o n t a c t s a n d c o n tests w i t h 1 d e m o n s ' a n d o t h e r ' m a g i c b e i n g s ' w e r e v a r i e d a n d n u m e r o u s . S o m e m o d e r n r e a d e r s f ind it h a r d t o c o n c e i v e o f t h e o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y o f t h e s e , b u t t h e s a m e a p p l i e s a l so t o o u r m a t e r i a l w o r l d : 7 in t h e r e a l m o f t h e A b s o l u t e , n o t h i n g ( a s w e a r e c a p a b l e o f k n o w i n g o r i m a g i n i n g it o n th is r e l a t i v e p l a n e ) e x i s t s . A s M i l a r e p a has sa id , in t h e l i g h t o f U l t i m a t e R e a l i t y o u r l i v e s h e r e a n d n o w a r e as i l l u s o r y , a n d d r e a m - l i k e as an e c h o .

I h a v e t r i e d t o c o n v e y , as b e s t I c o u l d 8

s o m e i m p r e s s i o n o f t h e sp i r i t a n d s t a t u r e o f th i s g r e a t B u d d h i s t , w h o a r o s e at a t i m e a n d in a se t t ing v e r y s t r a n g e t o u s , y e t w h o s e b r e a d t h o f v i s i o n , p r o p h e t i c i n s i g h t a n d l o v e o f T r u t h c r o s s e v e r y b a r r i e r o f t i m e , s p a c e a n d c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n . K n o w i n g that m a n k i n d h a d a l r e a d y e n t e r e d u p o n t h e k a l i y u g a , t h e p r e s e n t s p i r i t u a l l y d a r k a g e , M i l a r e p a r e i t e r a t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g p r o p h e t i c w o r d s s p o k e n t o h i m in h i s y o u t h b y his G u r u . M a r p a .

He said : * A t the time of defilement, When the Buddha's teaching declines,. Lives wil l be short and merits poor Evils and hindrances in myriad forms Will overshadow the w o r l d ;

Leisure and long life will become most r a r e ; Knowledge will expand to a point Too stupendous to c o m p r e h e n d ; Proofs and conclusions wil l be hard to reach. To understand the truth of Tantra will be

most difficult. Therefore, m y son, try nothing else, But w o r k hard at the practice.

H o w t r u e th is is o f o u r w o r l d t o - d a y ; a n d r e m e m b e r t h a t it w a s sa id in a r e m o t e p a r t o f A s i a n e a r l y a t h o u s a n d y e a r s a g o ; H e r e s u r e l y is f o o d f o r t h o u g h t !

M i l a r e p a t a u g h t , as h e p r a c t i s e d , t h e V a j -r a y a n a f o r m o f B u d d h i s m ( i . e . t h e D i a m o n d o r A d a m a n t i n e W a y ) b o t h as t h e ' P a t h o f M e a n s ' ( t h e s i x y o g a s o f N a r o p a ) a n d t h e ' P a t h o f L i b e r a t i o n ' ( t h e M a h a m u d r a ) , w h i c h c o n v e r g e in t h e i r h i g h e r s tages . B u t th is wajs n o t al l ; h e n e v e r f o r g o t t h e f o u n d a t i o n s u p o n w h i c h a l l s c h o o l s o f B u d d h i s m res t : — r e v e r e n c e f o r G a u t a m a t h e B u d d h a , r e c i t a t i o n a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e T h r e e R e f u g e s ( a c t u a l l y , f o u r i n t h e T i b e t a n f o r m , f o r r e f u g e in t h e G u r u is a d d e d t o r e f u g e in t h e B u d d h a , t h e D h a r m a a n d t h e S a n g h a ) , t h e F o u r N o b l e T r u t h s , t h e E i g h t f o l d P a t h , t h e T w e l v e f o l d C h a i n o f D e p e n d e n t O r i g i n a t i o n , t h e P r e c e p t s a n d P a r a m i t a s , t h e n o n e x i s t e n c e o f e g o , a n d a b o v e a l l t h e essent ia l u n i t y o f W i s d o m a n d C o m p a s s i o n . H e s t r e s s e d a lso t h e B o d h i s a t t v a V o w , t h e gist o f w h i c h is t o a t ta in t h e h i g h e s t p o s s i b l e p e r f e c t i o n f o r t h e bene f i t o f a l l l i v i n g b e i n g s . W h a t h e t a u g h t w a s a s y n t h e s i s o f t h e e s s e n t ia ls o f a l l B u d d h i s t S c h o o l s .

A b o v e a l l , h e c o u n s e l l e d p r a c t i c e ; a n d i n d e e d , t h e K a r g y u t p a S c h o o l is k n o w n a lso as t h e ' T r a d i t i o n o f P r a c t i c e \ W i t h o u t p r a c t i c e o f w h a t w e k n o w , h e te l l s u s , h o w e v e r l i t t l e t h a t m a y b e , w i t h o u t d e s t r u c t i o n o f e g o - c l i n g i n g a n d t h e s e e d s o f ' h a b i t u a l — t h i n k i n g ' i n t h e alaya o r ' S t o r e C o n s c i o u s n e s s ', w i t h o u t c u l t i v a t i o n o f o u r d e e p e r i n t u i t i v e f a c u l t i e s a n d s p i r i t u a l a w a r e n e s s , w i t h o u t t h e a c t i v e u s e o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d c o m p a s s i o n t o w a r d s al l o u r f e l l o w b e i n g s , a n i m a l as w e l l as h u m a n , i n t e l l e c t u a l k n o w -

7 Similarly, when the Maharshi was asked whether Vaikunta, the Vaishnavite heaven, did not exist only in the imagination, he rep l i ed : " S o does this wor ld . " (Editor)

8 Actually better than here appears, since it was necessary to shorten the article. (Editor)

1968 M I L E R E P A , T I B E T ' S G R E A T P O E T - S A I N T 109

l e d g e a l o n e w i l l a v a i l us l i t t l e o n t h e P a t h , so that L i b e r a t i o n f r o m t h e W h e e l o f b i r t h -a n d - d e a t h b e c o m e s i m p o s s i b l e . T h i s d o e s n o t m e a n that t h o u g h t a n d s t u d y s h o u l d b e n e g l e c t e d — f a r f r o m it ; r e f l e c t i o n a n d k n o w l e d g e a r e v e r y n e c e s s a r y p a r t s o f o u r f o u n d a t i o n ; o n l y t h e p r i m a r y e m p h a s i s a f t e r o n e h a s p a s s e d t h e s t a g e o f in i t ia l e n q u i r y s h o u l d b e p l a c e d u p o n i n s i g h t a n d e n l i g h t e n m e n t ( t h a t is B o d h i c h i t t a , t h e W i s d o m H e a r t , t h e E n l i g h t e n e d C o n s c i o u s n e s s ) w h i c h is t o b e a t t a i n e d t h r o u g h s o m e f o r m o f d a i l y p r a c t i c e a n d m e d i t a t i o n , w h e r e v e r a n d o n w h a t e v e r l e v e l w e f ind o u r s e l v e s to-day. T h e bene f i t s d e r i v e d t h e r e f r o m w i l l m a k e t h e m s e l v e s f e l t in a w o n d e r f u l w a y a n d l e a d to g r e a t e r o n e s , e v e n in t h e b u s i e s t o f e v e r y d a y h u m a n l i v e s .

M i l a r e p a s t ressed t h e n e e d f o r s e l f - d i s c i p l i n e , f o r a h u m b l e a n d l o v i n g h e a r t , f o r a c o n s t a n t a w a r e n e s s o f t h e t r a n s i e n c y o f a l l c o m p o u n d t h i n g s a n d t h e u l t i m a t e R e a l i t y o f t h e B u d d h a h o o d w i t h i n us a n d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f its R e a l i z a t i o n in th is v e r y l i f e . H e b a d e u s r e m e m b e r t h e I l l u m i n a t i n g V o i d o f M i n d i tse l f , t h e o r i g i n a n d m a t r i x o f a l l m a n i f e s t e d t h i n g s , w h e r e g i v e r a n d r e c e i v e r , s u b j e c t a n d o b j e c t , h i g h a n d l o w , th i s a n d that , m e d i t a t i o n a n d m e d i t a t o r , a l l d i c h o t o m i e s a n d d u a l i t i e s , i n t e r f u s e a n d a r e d i s s o l v e d in t r a n s c e n d e n t L i g h t . B u d d h a h o o d is n o t a t t a i n e d b u t u n f o l d e d — if n e e d b e , s t e p b y s t e p — s tar t ing now, w i t h t h e m e a n s w e h a v e at h a n d a n d g r o w i n g t h r o u g h p r a c t i c e t o t h e p o i n t w h e r e a l l m e a n s m a y b e d i s c a r d e d , l i k e t h e r a f t in w h i c h w e h a v e c r o s s e d t o t h e o t h e r s h o r e .

T h e u l t i m a t e s t e p , a n d f o r s o m e f o r t u n a t e o n e s t h e e n t i r e p a t h , d o e s i n d e e d b y - p a s s all m e a n s a n d s tages . T h i s is M a h a m u d r a — d i r e c t a w a r e n e s s o f t h e E s s e n c e o f M i n d i tsel f . T h i s is t h e s u m m i t o r e s s e n c e o f t h e K a r g y u t p a W a y .

F i n a l l y , I w o u l d l i k e t o c l o s e b y q u o t i n g a n o t h e r s tanza b y M i l a r e p a a n d o n e b y h is d i s c i p l e R a c h u n g p a ,

By MILAREPA

To give alms to the needy with compassion Is equal to serving Buddha in the three times.9 To give with sympathy to beggars is T o make offerings to Milarepa. Sentient beings are one's parents ; to Discriminate between them is harmful and Ignorant. True sages and Scholars A r e always in accord ; Clinging to one's own school and condemning

others Is the certain way to waste one's learning. Since all Dharmas are equally good, Those w h o cling to sectarianism Degrade Buddhism and sever Themselves f rom Liberation. Al l the happiness one has Is derived from others ; Al l the help one gives to them In return brings happiness. One's pernicious deeds Only harm oneself.

By RACHUNGPA

The rivers of India and Nepal, Divided by different valleys, F low in different directions. Yet, as rivers, they are all alike — In the great ocean they wil l meet again.

Divided by the four continents, The sun rises in the east, the moon Sets in the w e s t ; as light-bearers They are both alike : on a cloudless Autumn evening they sometimes see each

other.

Vei led by ignorance, The minds of man and Buddha Appear to be dif ferent; Yet in the realm of Mind-Essence They are both of one taste. Sometime They will meet each other In the great Dharmadhatu.

9 Past, present and future.

E y e h a t h n o t s e e n n o r e a r h e a r d , n e i t h e r h a t h it e n t e r e d in to t h e h e a r t o f m a n , w h a t t h i n g s G o d h a t h p r e p a r e d f o r t h e m that l o v e H i m .

— S T . P A U L (Corinthians).

110 April

CH'AN POETRY

By L. T. W A N G

Mr. Wang is one of the older generation still imbued with traditional Chinese culture. He was permanent representative of several important Chinese papers at the U.N. until the Communist Government took over and Chinese culture was negated.

^ J p H E K E a r e m a n y s t y l e s o f C h ' a n p o e t r y . O n e is t h e q u a t r a i n w h i c h m u s t " H o l d

In f in i ty in t h e p a l m o f y o u r h a n d . " C o n s i d e r , f o r i n s t a n c e , t h e t w o f a m o u s o n e s c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e s u c c e s s i o n t o t h e F i f t h P a t r i a r c h . A s h is e n d a p p r o a c h e d , H u n g J e n d e c l a r e d that h e w o u l d t r a n s m i t h is a u t h o r i t y t o w h i c h e v e r d i s c i p l e c o u l d w r i t e t h e b e s t q u a t r a i n . O n l y S h e n H s i u , t h e s e n i o r d i s c i p l e a m o n g t h e m o n k s , p r e s u m e d t o t r y . H e w r o t e o n t h e m o n a s t e r y w a l l :

The body is a Bodhi-tree, The heart a shining mirror, Clean it unceasingly So that no dust may gather.

A n i l l i t e ra te p r o v i n c i a l l a b o u r e r a s k e d t h e m e a n i n g a n d , o n b e i n g t o l d , g o t a m o n k t o w r i t e u n d e r n e a t h i t f o r h i m ;

There is no Bodhi-tree, No shining mirror ; f! There is nothing. Where then could the dust gather ?

B o t h a r e t r u e b u t o n d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s . T h e a u t h o r o f t h e la t t e r , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t s t h e h i g h e r , t h e n o n - d u a l l e v e l o f t r u t h , w a s a p p o i n t e d s u c c e s s o r a n d b e c a m e t h e S i x t h P a t r i a r c h , t h e f a m o u s H u i N e n g . 1

T h i s h i g h e r v i e w p o i n t is p e r f e c t l y o r t h o d o x . T h e r e is jus t i f i ca t i on f o r it in m a n y o f B u d d h a ' s s a y i n g s . F o r i n s t a n c e ; " L i s t e n , m o n k s ! T h e b o d y is n o t t h e Se l f . If t h e b o d y w a s t h e S e l f it c o u l d n o t f a l l i l l . " 2 A n d a g a i n : " L i s t e n , m o n k s ! A l l that is p h y s i ca l , w h e t h e r in u s o r in t h e o u t e r w o r l d , al l t h a t is p h y s i c a l is t h e n o n - S e l f . I a m n o t it ; it is n o t m y se l f . " 2

A s a n o t h e r C h i n e s e S a g e p u t it : " T o s e e k f o r t h e B u d d h a in t h e S c r i p t u r e s i n s t e a d

of in y o u r s e l f is l i k e s e e k i n g f o r N i r v a n a in the s a n d s o f t h e s e a - s h o r e . " 3

T h e n a g a i n , s o m e C h ' a n p o e m s m a K e use o f t h e h u m o r o u s o r m o c k i n g s t y l e k n o w n as 4 T a Y o ' w h i c h w a s p r a c t i s e d in C h i n a e v e n b e f o r e t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f B u d h i s m . T h i s is w h a t m i g h t b e c a l l e d ' s h o c k ta c t i c s ' a n d has s o m e t h i n g in c o m m o n w i t h t h e w e l l k n o w n C h ' a n a n d Z e n t e c h n i q u e o f s h o c k i n g t h e d i s c i p l e i n t o r e a l i z a t i o n b y a b l o w w i t h a s t i ck . It m u s t b e r e m e m b e r e d t h a t t h e r e a r e t w o C h ' a n t r a d i t i o n s o f s p i r i t u a l t r a i n i n g , o n e l e a d i n g t o g r a d u a l E n l i g h t e n m e n t a n d t h e o t h e r t o s u d d e n , 4 In t h e l a t t e r t r a d i t i o n t h e L i n C h i s c h o o l is sa id t o h a v e e m p l o y e d t h e s t i ck , to g r e a t e f fec t . It is t h e s a m e r e s u l t t h a t C h ' a n p o e t s a i m at w i t h t h e i r ' s h o c k t a c t i c s '. T h e y find c o u n t l e s s o c c a s i o n s f o r s u r p r i s e , u s i n g a n y t h i n g t h a t c a n b e w i l d e r o r d e f y t h e r e a s o n a n d c o m m o n s e n s e , a n y t h i n g p a r a d o x i c a l o r i n c r e d i b l e , a n y f o r m o f m o c k e r y o r h u m o u r . T h e f o l l o w i n g is an a n o n y m o u s e x a m p l e , sa id to b e C h ' a n .

1 Our contributor A . Rao, refers to these two stanzas in his poem published in our issue of October 1964, p. 209, when he writes :

Be a glass- polished bright To reflect the light.

But Hui Neng said There is no glass.

Let the ego-self be dead, This will come to pass.

Then all Fate's teeth are drawn In that glad dawn. (Editor)

2 Samyutta Nikaya. 3 Sayings of Hui Chao. 4 However , it must be remembered that, h o w

ever gradual the approach may be, the actual Enlightenment, through whatever religion it may be approached, is always a sudden change of state, like physical birth or physical death ; and h o w ever sudden the change of state may be, the person must always have become ripe for it, as with physical birth or physical death. (Editor)

1968 C H ' A N P O E T R Y 111

No one in the world can understand This poem of mine. They ask me about it — r I don't understand it myself.

T h i s p o e m o f m i n e is m y s e l f . B u t t h e a p p a r e n t • m e ' is i l l u s o r y a n d d o e s n o t r e a l l y e x i s t . W h o , t h e n , c a n e x p l a i n w h a t d o e s n o t e x i s t ? I a l so , b e i n g a m a n , c a n n o t u n d e r s t a n d w h a t d o e s n o t e x i s t .

Suf f i ce it t o d e a l b r i e f l y h e r e w i t h t w o o f t h e g r e a t e s t M a s t e r s o f C h ' a n p o e t r y , W a n g F a n T s e a n d H a n S h a n . 6

O f t h e f o r m e r v e r y l i t t le is k n o w n , t h o u g h h e h a s h a d a c o n s i d e r a b l e i n f l u e n c e . H e l i v e d in t h e l a t t e r p a r t o f t h e s i x t h c e n t u r y a n d t h e i n f l u e n c e o f his s t y l e w a s st i l l f e l t t h r e e c e n t u r i e s l a ter . H e w a s n o t a m o n k b u t a C h ' a n l a y s c h o l a r . M a n y o f h is p o e m s a r e in t h e ' T a Y o ' t r a d i t i o n . I n t h e f o l l o w i n g q u a t r a i n h e p l a y s o n t h e s o u n d o f w o r d s t o baff le t h e r e a d e r :

The eyes of wisdom are an empty hear t ; They have nothing to do with these holes in

the skull. Y o u say you don't recognize them ? Then you don't deserve the name of Tong

that your mother gave you.

T h e first t w o l ines r e i t e r a t e tonce m o r e t h e f a m i l i a r t e a c h i n g that f o r t h e S a g e t h o u g h t a n d t h e P h y s i c a l w o r l d ( s y m b o l i s e d b y t h e s k u l l a n d d u a l i t y o f t w o . e y e s ) a r e o n l y an i l lus i on , w h e r e a s t r u e v i s i o n is u n i t i v e . H e w h o is t a k e n in b y t h e d u a l i t y is n o t E n l i g h t e n e d a n d h a s n o rigxht t o t h e n a m e o f ' T o n g ', w h i c h m e a n s ' u n d e r s t a n d i n g ' b u t w h i c h w a s a l so a c o m m o n l y u s e d n a m e at t h a t t i m e . F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e w o r d f o r 1 m o t h e r ' a l so s igni f ies * u n i v e r s a l o r i g i n ' . T h e last t w o l ines , t h e r e f o r e i m p l y t h a t if y o u d o n ' t u n d e r s t a n d this y o u a r e n o t h i n g b u t a f o o l , e v e n t h o u g h u n d e r s t a n d i n g w e r e y o u r v e r y n a t u r e .

S u c h a p l a y o f w o r d s is o f t e n u s e d t o h i d e a d e e p e r m e a n i n g . F o r i n s t a n c e :

I Fan Tse, have put m y stockings inside-out? " Wrong ! A mistake ! Every one will tell

you so. -

Good heavens ! I would rather put your eyes out

Than hide m y feet/*

T h e f e e t s y m b o l i s e o n e ' s p r o g r e s s t o w a r d s E n l i g h t e n m e n t a n d t h e r e b y t h e P a t h , w h i l e at t h e s a m e t i m e t h e y a l so s y m b o l i s e t h e l o w e r poss ib i l i t i e s o f a m a n a n d a r e t o b e k e p t h i d d e n . T h i s d u a l s y m b o l i s m g i v e s its p r o -v a c a t i v e n a t u r e t o t h e last l i n e . H e r e W a n g F a n T s e is d e c l a r i n g in a f a c e t i o u s w a y t h a t h e w o u l d r a t h e r d e p r i v e h is I n t e r l o c u t o r o f d u a l i s t i c v i s i o n than c o n c e a l t h e P a t h f r o m h i m .

I n m u c h o f h is w o r k t h e r e is w h a t l o o k s l i k e p e s s i m i s m a n d f e a r o f d e a t h , d e s p i t e h is w r i t i n g at o t h e r t i m e s l i k e a S a g e . F o r i n s t a n c e :

To see your carrion, dead rat ? Red steel across m y belly ! Not that I am mourning you, you rat? — But the fear : — when will m y turn come ? 7

T h e r e is t h e s a m e air o f p e s s i m i s m in t h e f o l l o w i n g v e r s e s , w h i c h s h o w t h e i n f l u e n c e o f T a o i s t n a t u r a l i s m : s

Every one has a body : — illusion. Red steel across m y b e l l y ! One is reborn after death ? Yes, But when I come back I shall have forgotten

everything ! Just to think of that Makes life bleached and d r a b ! Better, m y heart, to console yourself, Ignobly, Fall often dead drunk !

T h e f o l l o w i n g f o u r l ines , in m u c h t h e s a m e s tra in , h a v e b e c o m e f a m o u s a n d g i v e n r i se t o a n u m b e r o f c o m m e n t a r i e s :

These clay loaves outside the town — Their stuffing of grass is in the town. You ought to eat one. Don't scoff at those who are put off by them.

T h e 4 c l a y l o a v e s ' a r e t h e t u m u l i a l o n g t h e s ides o f t h e r o a d o u t s i d e t h e t o w n . T h e

6 On the basis of the ' T'ai Ping K w a n g Ch i ' . 7 The f e a r ? All right if it is only a poet wr i t

ing, but a Sage ? (Editor) 8 The clinging to ego-sense of a poet w h o knows

the theory but fears to become a Sage ? (Editor)


% stuff ing o f g r a s s ' is t h e t o w n s - f o l k w h o w i l l e v e n t u a l l y ' b e b u r i e d in t h e m .

T h e p o e t H u a n g S h a n - K u n o f t h e S u n g D y n a s t y p o i n t e d o u t t h e i l l o g i c a l i t y o f t h e last t w o l ines — to b e at t h e s a m e t i m e t h e stuf f ing a n d t h e d i n e r , t h e e a t e r a n d t h e e a t e n ; b u t i l l o g i c a l i t y d o e s n ' t m a t t e r s i n c e it is a q u e s t i o n o f a w a k e n i n g , a n d t h e r e f o r e h e e n t e r e d i n t o t h e sp ir i t o f t h e g a m e w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g c o m m e n t a r y :

These elay loaves outside the town, With their grass stuffing in the t o w n : Water them wel l with wine — That's the w a y to get up an appetite for

them .9

T h i s p o e m w a s a g a i n t a k e n u p f o r t r e a t m e n t b y t h e m o n k K o C h i n , a g r e a t C h ' a n M a s t e r o f t h e S o u t h e r n S u n g D y n a s t y ,

These clay loaves outside the town, With their stuffing of grass in the town, Weep, they and their party. For him they devour W e all become stuffing for them, one after

another, No ehd to the moving queue. Let that be a warning to y o u : — Don't s l eep ; keep your eyes o p e n !

N o m e r e r e f l e c t i on o n t r a n s c i e n c e th i s t i m e , s i n c e t h e last l i n e is an e x h o r t a t i o n t o w i s d o m . E v e r y o n e c a n h a v e h is e y e s o p e n , that is t o s a y h a s t h e a b i l i t y t o r e a l i z e h is c o n d i t i o n . L e t u s t h e n n o t b e l i k e t h e w i t ness o n e s w h o s l e e p a l t h o u g h t h e y h a v e e y e s to s ee .

R e t u r n i n g t o W a n g F a n T s e , h e t o o w a s i n c l i n e d t o g i v e s a g e c o u n s e l , b u t in a s u b t l e r w a y . F o r i n s t a n c e , in t h e f o l l o w i n g q u a t r a i n it r e m a i n s i m p l i c i t .

Others ride high horses, I amble along on a donkey ; But behind walks a rogue with two bundles

of faggots — I feel a catch in m y heart.

T h o s e w h o r i d e t h r o u g h l i f e w i t h h i g h a i m s a n d a m b i t i o n s d o n o t n o t i c e d e a t h t r r u d g i n g a l o n g b e h i n d t h e m , as h e d o e s w h o a m b l e s a l o n g n a t u r a l l y . 1 0

I n m a n y o f W a n g F a n T s e ' s p o e m s e i t h e r t h e o b s c u r i t y is d e l i b e r a t e o r t h e s y m b o l i s m t o o f a r - f e t c h e d f o r m o d e r n r e a d e r s . F o r i n s t a n c e :

No one lives for a hundred years ; W h y then dream of a sound that lasts a

thousand years ? The demons, forging an iron door-bolt , Cheer derisively.

A g a i n t h e e v a n e s c e n c e o f l i f e . T h e ' s o u n d ' is l i f e . T o s e e k t o p r o l o n g it a t h o u s a n d y e a r s is c o m p a r e d t o t h e s t u p i d i t y o f t r y i n g to shut d e m o n s o u t o f y o u r h o u s e w i t h an i r o n d o o r - b o l t .

T h e o t h e r p o e t that I w a n t t o s p e a k a b o u t is H a n S h a n o f t h e T ' a n g D y n a s t y , b e l i e v e d to h a v e b e e n b o r n b e t w e e n 766 a n d 799 . H e w a s t h e m o s t e s t e e m e d o f t h e f o l l o w e r s o f W a n g F a n T s e , e v e n t h o u g h h e s o m e t i m e s m a d e f u n o f h i m . T r a d i t i o n h a s it t h a t h e r e t i r e d t o M t . T i e n T ' a i in t h e s o u t h o f C h e k i a n g . H e a c q u i r e d h i s n a m e , ' m a s t e r o f t h e G o l d M o u n t a i n ', in r e f e r e n c e to t h e e t e r n a l s n o w o f h is r e t r e a t .

It is sa id that h e u s e d t o t r a m p t h e f o r e s t s , w r i t i n g p o e m s o n t h e r o c k s a n d t r e e t r u n k s . M a n y o f t h e m w e r e p a s t o r a l p o e m s , s h o w i n g an i r o n i c c o n t e m p t f o r t h e l e a r n e d a n d f o r t o w n s . H e is sa id t o h a v e b e e n a c c o m p a n i e d b y S h e D e , a n o t h e r v a g a b o n d m o n k o f t h e s a m e i l k . T h e t w o f r i e n d s a r e sa id t o h a v e m e t at K u o - C h i n t e m p l e o n t h e s u m m i t o f T i e n T ' a i .

T h e M a s t e r C h a n g N i e n o n c e w e n t t o th i s t e m p l e t o v i s i t t h e t w o f r i e n d s , a n d th is is w h a t h e h a s t o s a y a b o u t t h e m : F o r a l o n g t i m e I h a d a d m i r e d H a n S h a n a n d S h e D e , b u t w h e n I w e n t to see t h e m I f o u n d a c o u p l e o f b u f f a l o e s . T h e y w e r e a m u s i n g t h e m s e l v e s a t t a c k i n g e a c h o t h e r l i k e t w o b u l l s . I t o l d t h e m t o s t o p it , b u t t h e y c o n t i n u e d s n a r l i n g at e a c h o t h e r . "

9 Wine as a symbol of ecstasy, as in all re l i gions ? (Editor)

10 What Sage counsel ? T 0 take life easy ? Yes . To face the thought of death ? Yes. But to feel a pang in the heart f rom the fear of death ? (Editor)

1968 C H ' A N P O E T R Y 113

T h i s is i n d e e d t y p i c a l o f t h e a t t i t u d e o f C h ' a n p o e t s t o o n e a n o t h e r . A c t u a l l y , n e a r l y a l l t h e p o e m s o f t h e s e t w o h a v e d i s a p p e a r e d , b u t s u c h f r a g m e n t s as s u r v i v e s h o w , o n t h e o n e h a n d , a c o n s t a n t d e s i r e t o s u r p r i s e a n d o f f e n d s o - c a l l e d h u m a n d i g n i t y . T h e f o l l o w i n g s h o w s h o w H a n S h a n c o u l d d e r i d e t h e l e a r n e d a n d s u b t l e W a n g F a n T s e :

After his death, Fan Tse Went to see the old king of h e l l ; He had read the books of a hundred royal

sages, But he was roasted and well roasted. Just to have called once on the Name o±

Buddha Would have sufficed : Y o u are on the path

of Buddha.

M i n g l e d w i t h th i s e l e m e n t o f s a r c a s m is a n o t h e r s t ra in a l s o , t h e l o v e o f n a t u r e . F o r i n s t a n c e :

I seek a quiet retreat A n d Han Shan alone offers me peace. The light breeze rustles the ancient pines ; The nearer you draw the gentler is the sound.

On the tree-top a white-haired man Murmurs that he reads Chuang-Tse and

Lao-Tse. For ten years n o w he has been unable to

return ; He has forgotten the path that brought him

here.

T h e * w h i t e - h a i r e d m a n ' c a n s t a n d f o r a n y s c h o l a r , a n y s t u d e n t o f t h e s c r i p t u r e s . . B o o k s h a v e l e d h i m to a f i c t i t i o u s w i s d o m a n d s o w a r p e d his m i n d that h e h a s f o r g o t t e n t h e t r u e p a t h a n d w i l l n o t b e a b l e t o g e t b a c k to n a t u r a l n e s s .

L e t us e n d w i t h a n o t h e r q u o t a t i o n i n t h e s a m e v e i n , t h o u g h p e r h a p s m o r e p r o f o u n d :

If you meet the devil The best thing is not to be afraid. Courage ! Don't look at this devil, Just call him by name and he will flee of his

own accord. To burn incense Or ask help of the Buddha Or make gestures seeking the aid of some

old monk Is l ike a mosquito biting a bronze bull — Where will it plunge its proboscis ?

T h i s r e f e r s t o t h e u n r e a l i t y o f e v i l . C a l l it b y its o w n n a m e , s e e it as u n r e a l , a n d it d i s a p p e a r s . B u t s e e k t o p i t g o o d a g a i n s t it a n d y o u a r e a c c e p t i n g its o w n l e v e l , t h a t o f d u a l i t y , o f t w o o p p o s i t e p o w e r s , a n d o n t h i s l e v e l y o u c a n n o t d e f e a t it . Y o u c a n n o t at t h e s a m e t i m e a c k n o w l e d g e its r e a l i t y a n d d e s t r o y its p o w e r . 1 1

11 Readers are reminded that this is one of the basic principles of Joel Goldsmith, that evil is unreal and is not to be defeated on the level of ' two p o w e r s ' but dissolved b y rising above it to the level of One Power and seeing it for the un reality that it is, i.e. b y calling it b y its true name. (Editor)

A t t h e m o m e n t w h e n o n e is a b l e t o c o n c e n t r a t e his m i n d t o t h e e x t r e m e o f e m p t i n e s s a n d is a b l e t o h o l d it t h e r e in s e r e n e t r a n q u i l l i t y , t h e n h i s sp ir i t is un i f i ed w i t h t h e sp ir i t o f t h e u n i v e r s e a n d it h a s r e t u r n e d t o its o r i g i n a l s ta te f r o m w h i c h h is m i n d a n d a l l t h i n g s i n t h e u n i v e r s e h a v e e m e r g e d as a p p e a r a n c e .

A l l t h i n g s a r e i n a r e c u r r i n g p r o c e s s o f a p p e a r i n g a n d d i s a p p e a r i n g , o n l y t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r o r i g i n a l s tate . T h i s m a y b e c a l l e d a k i n d o f iner t ia , a d r a g o n a c t i v i t y a n d m a n i f e s t a t i o n , tha t b r i n g s al l t h i n g s b a c k t o t h e i r o r i g i n a l s tate o f c o m p o s u r e . T h e o r i g i n a l s tate is e t e r n a l . T o u n d e r s t a n d th is e t e r n a l i t y o f e m p t i n e s s Is e n l i g h t e n m e n t ^ w i t h o u t th i s e n l i g h t e n m e n t o n e ' s m i n d is e n g r o s s e d in c o n f u s i o n a n d e v i l a c t i v i t y .

— T A O - T E - K I N G ( T r a n s . Goddard).

114 April •

ZEN POETRY

By Prof. LUCIEN STRYK

P r o t Stryk has made a mark for nimself as an authority both on poetry and Zen, apart from being himself a poet of some standing. He has experience of lecturing in Japan and is at present teaching poetry, creative writing and Oriental literature at Northern Illinois University, De Kalb, Illinois 60115. His collection of Buddhist readings entitled ' World of the B u d d h a ' published by Doubleday, N e w York , is due out this spr ing ; so is his book * The Pit and other P o e m s ' . which contain some Zen poetry, published by Swal low Press, Chicago. His book : ' Zen : Poems, Prayers, Sermons, Anecdotes, Interviews co-authored with Takashi Ikemoto was published by Doubleday Anchor in 1965.

J £ V E N in t r a n s l a t i o n , o r s u c h at l east is m y h o p e , Z e n p o e t r y is so s u g g e s t i v e in i t se l f

that e x p l i c a t i o n is f o r t h e m o s t p a r t u n n e c e s s a r y . J a p a n e s e Z e n n i s t s r a r e l y t h e o r i s e d a b o u t t h e p o e m s t h e y w o u l d w r i t e f r o m t i m e to t i m e , and f o r g o o d r e a s o n : t o t h e m p o e t r y w a s n o t , as so o f t e n in t h e W e s t , an art t o b e c u l t i v a t e d b u t a m e a n s b y w h i c h an a t t e m p t at t h e n e a r l y i n e x p r e s s i b l e c o u l d b e m a d e . T h o u g h s o m e o f t h e i r p o e m s a r e c a l l e d 1 sa tor i P o e m s ' o t h e r s d e a t h p o e m s , in a s e n s e al l Z e n p o e m s d e a l w i t h m o m e n t o u s e x p e r i e n c e s . T h e r e a r e , in o t h e r w o r d s , n o ' f inger e x e r c i s e s a n d t h o u g h s o m e Z e n p o e m ? s e e m c o m p a r a t i v e l y l i g h t - h e a r t e d , t h e r e is n o t o n e that isn ' t t o t a l l y in e a r n e s t , f u l l y i n s p i r e d .

I n d e e d , w h e n y o u c o n s i d e r t h e Z e n n i s t ' s t r a d i t i o n a l g o a l , t h e a l l - o r - n o t h i n g q u a l i t y o f h is s t r i v i n g a f t e r i l l u m i n a t i o n , th i s is s c a r c e l y t o b e w o n d e r e d at.

P o e t s o f t h e C h i n e s e C h ' a n S c h o o l ( ' Z e n ' is t h e J a p a n e s e t r a n s l i t e r a t i o n o f 1 C h ' a n o n w h o s e w o r k s J a p a n e s e Z e n n i s t s m o d e l e d t h e i r o w n , w e r e f a r l e s s r e l u c t a n t to t h e o r i s e , a n d f o r t u n a t e l y t h e r e e x i s t s o m e v e r y i m p o r t a n t d o c u m e n t s , m o s t o f w h i c h h a v e b e e n e x c e l l e n t l y t r a n s l a t e d b y M r . J a m e s J . Y . L i u in h i s * T h e A r t o f C h i n e s e P o e t r y \ d e s c r i b i n g t h e i r a p p r o a c h a n d a t t i t u d e . T h e r e is t h e n e e d , f o r e x a m p l e , t o a t ta in a s ta te o f c a l m , m a k i n g it p o s s i b l e f o r t h e p o e t to g e t t h e sp i r i t o f n a t u r e in to h is p o e m s .

T h i s f e e l i n g is s u r e l y w h a t W a n g W e i , t h e g r e a t 5th C e n t u r y p a i n t e r , h a d in m i n d w h e n h e sa id ( I q u o t e f r o m M a i - M a i S z e ' s 1 T h e T a o o f P a i n t i n g ' ) : " T h e f o r m o f t h e o b j e c t m u s t first f u s e w i t h t h e sp i r i t , a f t e r w h i c h t h e m i n d t r a n s f o r m s it in v a r i o u s w a y s . T h e sp i r i t , t o b e s u r e , h a s n o f o r m ; y e t t h a t w h i c h m o v e s a n d t r a n s f o r m s t h e f o r m o f an o b j e c t is t h e s p i r i t . "

E v e n t h o s e Z e n n i s t s w h o a r e n o t art ists s e e m t o u n d e r s t a n d th is m o s t i m p o r t a n t p r i n c i p l e . F o r e x a m p l e , w h e n in t h e c o u r s e o f i n t e r v i e w i n g f o r o u r A n c h o r Z e n o n e o f t h e m a s t e r s o f Y a m a g u c h i , T a k a s h i I k e m o t o , a n d I a s k e d h o w h e w o u l d d e s c r i b e t h e s tate o f m i n d in w h i c h an art ist m i g h t p r o d u c e s o m e t h i n g a p p e a l i n g to a Z e n n i s t , t h e m a s t e r sa id : " It is a state o f m i n d in w h i c h o n e is ident i f i ed w i t h an o b j e c t w i t h o u t a n y s e n s e o f r e s t r a i n t . "

Z e n a n e c d o t e s c o n c e r n i n g art ists ( a n d t h e r e a r e m a n y ) are u s u a l l y v e r y t e l l i n g a b o u t t h a t s o r t o f t h i n g : S p e n d t e n y e a r s o b s e r v i n g b a m b o o s , b e c o m e a b a m b o o y o u r self , t h e n f o r g e t e v e r y t h i n g — a n d p a i n t . A n o t h e r w a y o f t h i n k i n g a b o u t t h i s m o s t s ign i f i cant p r i n c i p l e o f Z e n a e s t h e t i c s , a n d a c o n v e n i e n t o n e f o r W e s t e r n e r s , is t o r e ca l l K e a t s ' s ( N e g a t i v e C a p a b i l i t y b y w h i c h t h e p o e t m e a n s t o s u g g e s t that t h e t r u e art is t d o e s n o f asser t h is o w n p e r s o n a l i t y , e v e n if h e f a n c i e s h i m s e l f p o s s e s s e d o f o n e ; r a t h e r h e ident i f i es h i m s e l f as f a r as p o s s i b l e w i t h

196% Z E N P O E T R Y 115

t h e o b j e c t o f his c o n t e m p l a t i o n - its p e r s o n a l i t y w i t h o u t f e e l i n g t h a t h e h a s t o understand it .

T h e R i n z a i Z e n n i s t B u n a n ( 1 6 0 2 - ^ 7 6 ) p u t s it th is w a y :

The moon's the same old moon, The flowers exactly as they were, Yet I've become the" thingness Of all the things I see !

Z e n p o e t r y is h i g h l y s y m b o l i c a n d t h e m o o n , as in B u n a n ' s p o e m , is a c o m m o n s y m b o l . It s h o u l d b e r e m e m b e r e d , i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e u s e o f s u c h s y m b o l s , t h a t a s r e l i g i o n Z e n is r o o t e d in M a h a y a n a B u d d h i s m a n d that t h e Z e n n i s t s e a r c h e s , a l w a y s w i t h i n h i m s e l f , f o r t h e i n d i v i s i b l e m o o n r e f l e c t e d n o t o n l y o n t h e sea b u t o n e a c h d e w d r o p as w e l l . T o d i s c o v e r th i s , t h e D h a r m a k a y a , in a l l t h i n g s , w h e t h e r w h i l e s i t t ing in m e d i t a t i o n o r w r i t i n g a p o e m e x p r e s s i b l e o f i l l u m i n a t i o n , is f o r t h e Z e n n i s t t o d i s c o v e r h i s o w n B u d d h a - n a t u r e ,

P e r h a p s m o s t Z e n p o e m s , w h e t h e r d e s i g n a t e d as s u c h o r n o t , a r e sa tor i p o e m s c o m p o s e d i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r an a w a k e n i n g a n d p r e s e n t e d t o a m a s t e r f o r a p p r o v a l . S u c h p o e m s d e l i n e a t e , u s u a l l y v e r y g r a p h i c a l l y , w h a t t h e s p i r i t u a l e y e h a s b e e n a w a k e n e d t o , a v i e w o f t h i n g s s e e n as f o r t h e first t i m e , in t h e i r e t e r n a l a s p e c t . T h e f o l l o w i n g a r e t y p i c a l sa to r i p o e m s :

D a i t o ( 1 2 8 2 - 1 3 3 7 )

At last I 've broken Ummon's barrier r There's exit everywhere — east, west, north,

south. In at morning, out at evening ; neither host

nor guest. M y every step stirs up a little breeze.

E i c h u ( 1 3 4 0 - 1 4 1 6 )

M y eyes eavesdrop on their lashes f I'm finished with the ord inary ! What use has halter, bridle To one who's shaken off contrivance ?

K o k a i ( 1 4 0 3 - ' 6 9 )

Taking hold, one's astray in nothingness ; Letting go, the Origin's regained. Since the music stopped, no shadow's touched M y d o o r : again the village moon's above the

river.

T h e las t p o e m i l lus t ra tes a n o t h e r m o s t i m p o r t a n t p r i n c i p l e o f Z e n , a n d o n e t h a t s e e m s to a p p e a l e s p e c i a l l y t o t h o s e W e s t e r n e r s i n t e r e s t e d i n Z e n : tha t is ' l e t t i n g g o \ B r i e f l y , th is is t h e i d e a t h a t o n e n e v e r g e t s w h a t o n e g r a s p s at . S e e k n o t , in o t h e r w o r d s , a n d y e s h a l l f ind. H e r e is a n o t h e r p o e m , b y K a n e m i t s u - K o g u n ( 1 8 t h C e n t u r y ) b a s e d o n t h e s a m e Z e n i d e a :

My hands released at last, the cliff soars Ten thousand metres, the ploughshare spark&, All 's consumed with m y body. Burn again, The lanes run straight, the rice wel l in the ear.

T r a d i t i o n a l l y d e a t h p o e m s a r e w r i t t e n o r d i c t a t e d b y Z e n n i s t s j u s t b e f o r e d y i n g . T h e a u t h o r l o o k s b a c k u p o n h i s l i f e a n d , i n a f e w h i g h l y c o m p r e s s e d l ines , e x p r e s s e s h i s s ta te o f m i n d at t h e i n e v i t a b l e h o u r . T h e f o l l o w i n g a r e t y p i c a l :

F u m o n ( 1 3 0 2 - ' 6 9 )

Magnif icent! Magnif icent! No one knows the final word . The ocean bed's aflame, Out of the Void leap wooden lambs.

K u k o k u ( 1 3 2 8 - 1 4 0 7 )

Riding this wooden upside-down horse, I'm about to gallop through the Void . Would you seek to trace me ? H a ! Try catching the tempest in a net.

Z e k k a i ( 1 3 3 6 - 1 4 0 5 )

The Vo id has collapsed upon the earth, Stars, burning, sheet across Iron Mountain. Turning a somersault, I brush past.

T h e V o i d m e n t i o n e d in a l l t h r e e o f t h e s e d e a t h p o e m s is t h e g r e a t P e n e t r a -l i u m o f Z e n . T h e m i n d , it is t h o u g h t , is a v o i d o r e m p t y s p a c e in w h i c h o b j e c t s a r e s t r i p p e d o f t h e i r o b j e c t i v i t y , r e d u c e d t o t h e i r e s s e n c e , t h e i r c o m m o n a n d c o s m i c e s s e n c e .

I n t h e f o l l o w i n g d e a t h p o e m b y B o k u o ( 1 3 8 4 - 1 4 5 5 ) t h e r e is an i m p o r t a n t Z e n s y m b o l , t h e o x , w h i c h h e r e s e r v e s as a n o b j e c t o f d i s c i p l i n e . T h e p o e t , in h is c a l m a c c e p t a n c e o f d e a t h , p r o v e s h i m s e l f a t r u e Z e n - m a n :


For seventy-two years I've kept the o x wel l under. Today, the p lum in b loom again, I let h im wander in the snow.

It w o u l d b e m i s l e a d i n g t o c l a i m that o n l y Z e n n i s t s e x h i b i t s u c h s t o i c i s m at t h e f inal h o u r . I n h i s b r i l l i a n t e s s a y ' A r t i s t s a n d O l d A g e ' G o t t f r i e d B e n n te l l s o f t h e d i a m o n d d e a l e r S o l o m o n R o s s b a c h w h o , j u s t b e f o r e l e a p i n g t o h is d e a t h f r o m t h e t o p o f t h e E m p i r e S t a t e B u i l d i n g s c r a w l e d th i s n o t e :

No more above, No more be l ow — So I leap off.

W h i c h , b y a n y s t a n d a r d s , is a f ine Z e n p o e m .

T h o u g h sa tor i a n d d e a t h f i gure h e a v i l y in Z e n p o e t r y , m o s t o f t h e p o e m s d e a l w i t h n a t u r e a n d m a n ' s p l a c e in it . S i m p l y p u t , t h e B u d d h a - N a t u r e is b y n o m e a n s p e c u l i a r to m a n . I t is d i s c o v e r a b l e in al l t h a t e x i s t s ,

a n i m a t e o r i n a n i m a t e . A s A r t h u r W a l e y p u t s it in h is * Z e n B u d d h i s m a n d its R e l a t i o n t o A r t ' : " S t o n e , r i v e r a n d t r e e a r e a l i k e p a r t s o f t h e g r e a t h i d d e n U n i t y . T h u s m a n , t h r o u g h h is B u d d h a - n a t u r e o r u n i v e r s a l i z e d c o n s c i o u s n e s s , p o s s e s s e s a n i n t i m a t e m e a n s o f c o n t a c t w i t h n a t u r e . T h e s o n g s o f b i r d s , t h e n o i s e o f w a t e r f a l l s , t h e r o l l i n g o f t h u n d e r , t h e w h i s p e r i n g o f w i n d in t h e p i n e -t r e e s —- a l l t h e s e a r e u t t e r a n c e s o f t h e A b s o -l u t e . "

P e r h a p s i n th is p o e m b y R y o k a n ( 1 7 5 7 -1 8 3 1 ) t h e Z e n sp i r i t is p e r f e c t l y c a u g h t :

Without a jot of ambition left I let m y nature flow where it will . There are ten days of rice in m y bag And, by the hearth, a bundle of f irewood. W h o prattles of illusion or nirvana ? Forgetting the equal dusts of name and

fortune, Listening to the night rain on the roof of

m y hut, I sit at ease, both legs stretched out.

The Vision of God — Your Original Face before you were born

Disciple : H o w m a y I c o m e t o t h e s u p e r -s e n s u a l l i f e , tha t I m a y s e e G o d , a n d h e a r H i m s p e a k ?

Master; W h e n t h o u c a n s t t h r o w t h y se l f b u t f o r a m o m e n t i n t o T H A T w h e r e n o c r e a t u r e d w e l l e t h , t h e n t h o u h e a r e s t w h a t G o d s p e a k e t h .

D . : Is t h a t n e a r at h a n d , o r f a r off ?

M . ; It is i n t h e e , a n d if t h o u c a n s t f o r a w h i l e c e a s e f r o m al l t h y t h i n k i n g a n d w i l l i n g , t h o u sha l t h e a r u n s p e a k a b l e w o r d s o f G o d .

D . ; H o w c a n I h e a r , w h e n I s t a n d sti l l f r o m t h i n k i n g a n d w i l l i n g .

M . ; W h e n t h o u s t a n d e s t st i l l f r o m t h e t h i n k i n g a n d w i l l i n g o f se l f , t h e n t h e e t e r n a l H e a r i n g , S e e i n g a n d S p e a k i n g w i l l b e r e v e a l e d in t h e e ; a n d so G o d h e a r e t h a n d s e e t h t h r o u g h t h e e : t h i n e o w n h e a r i n g ,

From JACOB BOEHME

w i l l i n g a n d s e e i n g - h i n d r e t h t h e e , t h a t t h o u d o s t n o t see n o r h e a r G o d .

D . ; W h e r e w i t h a l sha l l I h e a r a n d s e e G o d , b e i n g H e is a b o v e n a t u r e a n d c r e a t u r e ?

M . : W h e n t h o u art q u i e t o r s i l ent , t h e n t h o u art that w h i c h G o d w a s b e f o r e n a t u r e a n d c r e a t u r e , a n d w h e r e o f H e m a d e t h y n a t u r e a n d c r e a t u r e : t h e n t h o u h e a r e s t a n d seest w i t h that w h e r e w i t h G o d s a w a n d h e a r d in t h e e , b e f o r e t h y o w n w i l l i n g , s e e i n g a n d h e a r i n g b e g a n .

D . : W h a t h i n d e r e t h o r k e e p e t h m e b a c k that I c a n n o t c o m e t o t h a t ?

M . : T h y o w n w i l l i n g , h e a r i n g a n d s e e ing : A n d b e c a u s e t h o u s t r i v e s t a g a i n s t that o u t o f w h i c h t h o u art c o m e , t h o u b r e a k e s t t h y s e l f off w i t h t h y o w n w i l l i n g f r o m G o d ' s w i l l i n g .

— ( B o e h m e 1 5 7 5 - 1 6 2 4 Of the Supersensual Life, 1 - 5 ) .

1968 111

THE MIRACLE OF THE QURAN

J^J O H A M M A D d i d n o t w o r k m i r a c l e s . I n s t e a d , t h e D i v i n e G r a c e flowing

t h r o u g h h i m c r e a t e d t h e Q u r a n . I t i s , i n d e e d , s ta ted t h e r e i n , in r e p l y t o d e m a n d s f o r m i r a c l e s , that its v e r s e s w e r e t h e s i g n s that h e b r o u g h t , w h i c h is t h e m o r e p o i n t e d as the i r n a m e , ' a y a t m e a n s 1 s i gn ' a n d t h e r e f o r e ' m i r a c l e \ T o w a r d s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f h is t e s t i m o n y , b e f o r e h e h a d y e t b e e n e x p e l l e d f r o m M e c c a f o r b e a r i n g it , h e h u n g u p t e n v e r s e s f r o m t h e Q u r a n in t h e K a a b a , w h e r e it w a s t h e c u s t o m o f p o e t s t o e x h i b i t t h e i r w o r k s , w i t h a c h a l l e n g e t o a n y w h o d o i i b t e d t h e i r d i v i n e i n s p i r a t i o n t o p r o d u c e o t h e r s t h e l i k e o f t h e m ; a n d that in a l a n g u a g e a n d a r a c e f a m e d f o r its p o e t r y .

T h e i m p a c t o f th is b o o k c o m p o s e d t h r o u g h t h e I n s t r u m e n t a l i t y o f a m a n w h o w a s a l r e a d y f o r t y y e a r s o f a g e w h e n it b e g a n , w a s i l l i t e r a t e a n d h a d n e v e r c o m p o s e d a t h i n g , w a s s t u p e n d o u s . I t w a s a n e w l i t e r a r y f o r m , a k i n d o f r h y t h m i c a l r h y m e d p r o s e . A l r e a d y in M o h a m m e d ' s l i f e t i m e t h e r e w e r e p e o p l e w h o c o u l d r e c i t e t h e w h o l e o f It b y h e a r t a n d c o u l d h a v e r e p l a c e d it i f a l l t h e t e x t s h a d b e e n d e s t r o y e d : a n d t h e r e h a v e b e e n e v e r s i n c e . Haf iz o r ' g u a r d i a n ' s u c h a o n e is c a l l e d . T h e r e f o r e t h e c l a i m o f s o m e h o s t i l e W e s t e r n c r i t i c s that t h e o r i g i n a l t e x t s w e r e in a s c a t t e r e d a n d f r a g m e n t a r y c o n d i t i o n m e a n s l i t t le .

T h r o u g h t h e i n f l u e n c e o f th is b o o k t h e A r a b i c o f t h e t i m e o f K i n g A l f r e d a n d C h a r l e m a g n e , b e f o r e a n y o f t h e l a n g u a g e s o f p r e s e n t - d a y E u r o p e h a d e v o l v e d , is st i l l t h e c l a s s i c a l l a n g u a g e o f A r a b i c l a n d s t o d a y . L o c a l d i a l e c t s h a v e , o f c o u r s e , d i v e r g e d f r o m it, b u t n o t e n o u g h t o p r e v e n t it b e i n g s p o k e n , r e a d a n d u n d e r s t o o d . A n d t h r o u g h o u t t h e w h o l e I s l a m i c w o r l d p o r t i o n s o f t h e Q u r a n a r e r e c i t e d f ive t i m e s a d a y b y t h o s e w h o ful f i l t h e i r o b l i g a t i o n s .

It is e m p h a t i c a l l y s ta ted in t h e Q u r a n t h a t it is n o t p o e t r y , a n d t h o s e w h o s p e a k o f

By ABDULLAH QUTBUDDIN

it as s u c h a r e d e n o u n c e d . I n o r d e r t o u n d e r s t a n d th is it is n e c e s s a r y t o see w h a t t h e t e r m ' p o e t r y ' c o n v e y e d to t h e A r a b s o f M o h a m m a d ' s t i m e . I t d i d n o t i m p l y , o n t h e o n e h a n d , d i v i n e r e v e l a t i o n , n o r , o n t h e o t h e r , t h e t e p i d i m a g i n a t i o n a n d b a n a l o b s e r v a t i o n o f l i f e a n d n a t u r e that so o f t e n g o e s b y t h e n a m e t o d a y . L y r i c a n d n a r r a t i v e p o e t r y w e r e f l o u r i s h i n g a n d its c r e a t o r s w e r e apt t o b e e c s ta f i c s . A s a m o n g v a r i o u s o t h e r a n c i e n t p e o p l e s , t h e y w e r e s o m e t h i n g l i k e p r e s e n t - d a y m e d i u m s , p o s s e s s e d b y f a m i l i a r sp i r i t s , s i m i l a r t o t h e ' c o n t r o l s ' o f t h e m e d i u m s . T h e s e m i g h t e v e n o v e r p o w e r t h e m a n d s p e a k t h r o u g h t h e m . W h e n , t h e r e f o r e , it w a s k n o w n t h a t M o h a m m a d f e l l in to a t r a n c e in w h i c h p o r t i o n s o f t h e Q u r a n w e r e r e v e a l e d t o h i m , w h i c h h e r e c i t e d o n c o m i n g r o u n d , i t w a s n a t u r a l that s o m e s h o u l d d e c l a r e t h a t th i s w a s t h e s a m e t h i n g . It w a s in f a c t q u i t e d i f f e r e n t b e c a u s e it w a s n o f a m i l i a r sp i r i t t h a t r e v e a l e d t h e v e r s e s t o M o h a m m a d b u t t h e A n g e l G a b r i e l , that* is t h e S p i r i t o f D i v i n e R e v e l a t i o n . A n d t h e i r f o r m a n d c o n t e n t d i f f e r e d a c c o r d i n g l y .

I n c i d e n t a l l y , t h e m a l i c i o u s s u g g e s t i o n o f s o m e W e s t e r n c r i t i c s that M o h a m m a d 1 f r a u d u l e n t l y ' c o n c o c t e d t h e Q u r a n o r s o m e p a r t s o f i t , o n l y p r e t e n d i n g t o h a v e h e a r d t h e m in t r a n c e , is , f r o m a p u r e l y l i t e r a r y p o i n t o f v i e w ( a p a r t f r o m al l o t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n s ) r a t h e r l i k e a c c u s i n g M i l t o n o f ' f r a u d u l e n t l y ' c o n c o c t i n g ' P a r a d i s e L o s t \ T h e r e is a d i f f e r e n c e , o f c o u r s e , b e c a u s e M i l t o n w a s a p o e t , w h e r e a s M o h a m m a d w a s n o t .

T r a n s l a t i o n o f g r e a t w o r k o f l i t e r a t u r e is a l w a y s di f f icult b u t p e r h a p s m o r e so w i t h t h e Q u r a n t h a n a n y o t h e r . In t h e first p l a c e , it is n o t d i v i d e d s y s t e m a t i c a l l y a c c o r d i n g t o s u b j e c t , as a thes i s o r e x p o s i t i o n in t h e W e s t e r n s e n s e o f t h e w o r d w o u l d b e . A l e g a l i n j u n c t i o n s u c h as t o d r a w u p a d o c u m e n t test i f ied t o b y t w o w i t n e s s e s w h e n t a k i n g a


l o a n m a y b e f o l l o w e d b y an a f f i rmat ion o f D i v i n e O m n i s c i e n c e , t h e n b y an e n c o u r a g e m e n t t o t h e f a i t h f u l a n d a w a r n i n g t o u n b e l i e v e r s a n d e v i l - d o e r s ; th is a g a i n b y a r e f e r e n c e t o o n e o f t h e p r o p h e t s . I n f a c t it h a s to b e r e a d a n d p o n d e r e d p a s s a g e b y p a s s a g e a n d o f t e n v e r s e b y v e r s e . T h e n a g a i n , t h e r e a r e m a n y t o p i c a l a l l u s i o n s w h i c h w o u l d b e l o s t o n t h e m o d e r n r e a d e r w i t h o u t f o o t n o t e s . A n d it is b o t h c r y p t i c a n d s y m b o l i c a l . F o r i n s t a n c e , an e j a c u l a t i o n s u c h an " A n d t h e stars ! " Is it t o b e t r a n s l a t e d : " A n d b e h o l d t h e s tars ! " o r " C o n s i d e r t h e stars ! " o r " W h a t o f t h e stars ? " o r " I s w e a r b y t h e s tars ! " ? B u t t h e g r e a t e s t d i f f i cu l ty is p u r e l y l i n g u i s t i c . T h a t , h o w e v e r ,

m e a n s m o r e t h a n s e m a n t i c , s i n c e t u r n s o f p h r a s e c o v e r a n d m o u l d t u r n s o f t h o u g h t . F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e s a y i n g " T o G o d d o w e b e l o n g a n d t o H i m d o w e r e t u r n " d o e s n o t s t r i k e o n e as p a r t i c u l a r l y n o t e w o r t h y ; a n d y e t t h e p o w e r a n d b e a u t y o f t h e o r i g i n a l A r a b i c a n d its s u g g e s t i o n o f u t t e r s u r r e n d e r a r e s u c h t h a t it is o f t e n u s e d as an i n c a n t a t i o n .

M u s l i m s d o n o t f o r b i d o r d i s c o u r a g e t r a n s l a t i o n , b u t f o r w o r s h i p a n d r i t u a l t h e o r i g i n a l A r a b i c h a s to b e u s e d . I n f a c t t h e o n l y w a y o f r e a d i n g t h e Q u r a n s a t i s f a c t o r i l y is t o m a s t e r at l east e n o u g h A r a b i c t o r e a d t h e o r i g i n a l t e x t s ide b y s ide w i t h a f a i r l y l i t e r a l t r a n s l a t i o n .

Garlands of Guru's Sayings

57. E x p e r i e n c i n g t h e u n b r o k e n o n e n e s s o f p u r e s p a c e ,

O n e sees n o s e p a r a t e p o t at a l l . F r o m s e e m i n g m o v e m e n t o f t h e s e e m i n g

p o t W h a t f o l l y to i n f e r M o v e m e n t o f t h e s p a c e w i t h i n t h e p o t !

58. In t h e p l e n i t u d e o f S e l f - a w a r e n e s s B o d y a n d w o r l d a r e s e e n n o m o r e ; B e c a u s e o f the i r a p p a r e n t c h a n g e s H o w f o o l i s h t o c o n c l u d e T h a t t h e S e l f is m u t a b l e !

59. V a s t , w h o l e , i m m u t a b l e , t h e Se l f , R e f l e c t e d in t h e m i n d ' s d i s t o r t i n g m i r r o r . M a y s e e m t o m o v e . K n o w it is t h e i m a g e m o v i n g , N e v e r t h e Se l f .

60. H o w c a n d e l u s i v e d a r k n e s s e v e r t o u c h T h e Se l f , t h e O n e w i t h o u t a s e c o n d ? T h i s t h e m i n d ' s d i v i s i v e v i s i o n b r i n g s . N o t h i n g b u t b r i g h t A w a r e n e s s is t h e Se l f .

Translated by Prof. K. SWAMINATHAN from the Tamil of Sri MURUGANAR

61. O n l y t h e m i n d d e l u d e d a n d d r a w n o u t w a r d

B y maya's m i g h t b e h o l d s t h e b o d y . T h e t r u e S e l f k n o w s it n o t . H o w m a y th is P u r e A w a r e n e s s B e c a l l e d t h e b o d y ' s o w n e r ?

62. O n l y t o t h e e g o in t h e b o d y T h e w o r l d o f m o v i n g a n d u n m o v i n g

t h i n g s A p p e a r s as t h e o t h e r . W h e r e t h e r e is n o w o r l d , n o G o d , In th i s a b s e n c e o f a n o t h e r , H o w a n d w h e r e o f C a n t h e Se l f b e c a l l e d t h e w i t n e s s ?

63. W i t h o u t t h e b o d y , t h e w o r l d is n o t . W i t h o u t m i n d , t h e b o d y is n o t . W i t h o u t a w a r e n e s s , m i n d is n o t , A n d w i t h o u t b e i n g t h e r e is n o

A w a r e n e s s .

1968 119

THE MESSAGE OF THE RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM

By Sir GEORGE TREVELYAN

Acknowledgment: I gladly give credit for the original inspiration for this essay in a pamphlet by m y friend Ernest Gabrielson, called " Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam with interpretation

SOME KEY VERSES

1. A w a k e ! f o r M o r n i n g i n t h e B o w l o f N i g h t H a s f lung t h e S t o n e t h a t p u t s t h e S t a r s t o F l i g h t A n d l o ! t h e H u n t e r o f t h e East h a s c a u g h t T h e S u l t a n ' s t u r r e t in a N o o s e o f L i g h t .

2. D r e a m i n g w h e n D a w n ' s L e f t H a n d w a s in t h e S k y I h e a r d a V o i c e w i t h i n t h e T a v e r n c r y , ' A w a k e m y l i t t l e o n e s , a n d fill t h e c u p B e f o r e L i f e ' s L i q u o r in its C u p b e d r y '.

3. A n d as t h e c o c k c r e w , t h o s e w h o s t o o d b e f o r e T h e T a v e r n s h o u t e d ' O p e n t h e n t h e D o o r ! " Y o u k n o w h o w l i t t l e w h i l e w e h a v e t o s t a y , A n d o n c e d e p a r t e d m a y r e t u r n n o m o r e .

7. C o m e , fill t h e c u p , a n d in t h e F i r e o f S p r i n g T h e W i n t e r G a r m e n t o f R e p e n t a n c e f l ing ; T h e B i r d o f T i m e h a s b u t a l i t t l e w a y T o fly — a n d l o ! t h e B i r d is o n t h e W i n g .

13. L o o k t o t h e R o s e that b l o w s a b o u t us — 1 L o I L a u g h i n g ' s h e s a y s , ' i n t o t h e W o r l d I b l o w ; A t o n c e t h e s i l k e n T a s s e l o f m y P u r s e T e a r , a n d its T r e a s u r e o n t h e G a r d e n t h r o w . '

16. T h i n k — in th is b a t t e r ' d C a r a v a n s e r a i W h o s e D o o r w a y s a r e a l t e r n a t e N i g h t a n d D a y , H o w S u l t a n a f t e r S u l t a n w i t h his p o m p A b o d e h is H o u r o r t w o , a n d w e n t h is w a y .

20. A h , m y B e l o v e d , fill t h e C u p t h a t c l e a r s T o - D a y o f p a s t R e g r e t s a n d f u t u r e F e a r s — T o m o r r o w ? w h y , T o m o r r o w I m a y b e M y s e l f w i t h Y e s t e r d a y ' s S e v ' n T h o u s a n d Y e a r s .

28. W i t h t h e m t h e S e e d o f W i s d o m I d i d s o w , A n d w i t h m y o w n h a n d l a b o u r ' d it t o g r o w ; A n d th is w a s a l l t h e H a r v e s t that I r e a p ' d I I c a m e l i k e W a t e r , a n d l i k e W i n d I g o '.


37. A h , fill t h e C u p — w h a t b o o t s it t o r e p e a t H o w T i m e is s l i p p i n g u n d e r n e a t h o u r F e e t : U n b o r n T o - M o r r o w , a n d d e a d Y e s t e r d a y , W h y f r e t a b o u t t h e m if T o - D a y b e s w e e t !

38. O n e M o m e n t i n A n n i h i l a t i o n ' s W a s t e , O n e M o m e n t , o f t h e W e l l o f L i f e t o t a s t e — -T h e S t a r s ard se t t ing a n d t h e C a r a v a n Star t s f o r t h e D a w n o f N o t h i n g — O h , m a k e h a s t e !

40. Y o u k n o w , m y F r i e n d s , h o w l o n g s i n c e in m y H o u s e F o r a n e w M a r r i a g e I d i d m a k e C a r o u s e : D i v o r c e d o l d b a r r e n R e a s o n f r o m m y B e d , A n d t o o k t h e D a u g h t e r o f t h e V i n e t o S p o u s e .

4 1 . F o r ' I s ' a n d ' I s - N o t ' t h o u g h w i t h R u l e a n d L i n e , A n d ' U p - a n d - D o w n ' w i t h o u t , I c o u l d de f ine , I y e t in al l I o n l y c a r e d t o k n o w W a s n e v e r d e e p in a n y t h i n g b u t — W i n e .

43 . T h e G r a p e t h a t c a n w i t h L o g i c a b s o l u t e T h e T w o - a n d - S e v e n t y j a r r i n g S e c t s c o n f u t e : T h e s u b t l e A l c h e m i s t t h a t in a T r i c e L i f e ' s l e a d e n M e t a l i n t o G o l d t r a n s m u t e .

44. T h e m i g h t y M a h m u d , t h e V i c t o r i o u s L o r d , T h a t al l t h e m i s b e l i e v i n g a n d b l a c k H o r d e O f F e a r s a n d S o r r o w s t h a t in f e s t t h e S o u l S c a t t e r s a n d s lays w i t h h is e n c h a n t e d S w o r d .

47. A n d if t h e W i n e y o u d r i n k , t h e L i p y o u p r e s s , E n d in t h e N o t h i n g al l T h i n g s e n d in — Y e s — T h e n f a n c y w h i l e t h o u art , T h o u art b u t w h a t T h o u sha l t b e — N o t h i n g — T h o u shal l n o t b e l ess .

50. T h e B a l l n o Q u e s t i o n m a k e s o f A y e s a n d N o e s , B u t R i g h t o r L e f t as s t r i k e s t h e P l a y e r g o e s ; A n d H e that t o s s ' d T h e e d o w n i n t o t h e F i e l d , H e k n o w s a b o u t it al l — H e k n o w s — H E k n o w s !

73 . A h L o v e ! c o u l d t h o u a n d I w i t h F a t e c o n s p i r e T o g r a s p th is s o r r y S c h e m e o f T h i n g s e n t i r e , W o u l d n o t w e s h a t t e r it t o b i t s — a n d t h e n R e m o u l d it n e a r e r t o t h e H e a r t ' s D e s i r e !

74. A h M o o n o f m y D e l i g h t w h o k n o w ' s t n o w a n e , T h e M o o n o f H e a v e n is r i s i n g o n c e a g a i n ; H o w o f t h e r e a f t e r r i s i n g s h a l l s h e l o o k T h r o u g h th is s a m e G a r d e n a f t e r m e — in v a i n !

75 . A n d w h e n T h y s e l f w i t h s h i n i n g F o o t s h a l l pass A m o n g t h e G u e s t s S t a r - s c a t t e r ' d o n t h e G r a s s , A n d in t h y joyous E r r a n d r e a c h t h e S p o t W h e r e I m a d e o n e — t u r n d o w n an e m p t y G l a s s !

1968 R U B A I Y A T O F O M A R K H A Y Y A M 121

^ J _ R E A T m y t h o l o g y a n d p o e t r y e n s h r i n e s e t e r n a l t r u t h s a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f m a n

a n d t h e a l l e g o r i c a l j o u r n e y o f t h e h u m a n s o u l t h r o u g h t h e d a r k f o r e s t s o r s t o r m y seas o f l i f e o n e a r t h . T h e b a s i c a l l e g o r y is a l w a y s t h e s a m e . A l l p o e t i c i n s p i r a t i o n , a l l g r e a t l e g e n d s , e v e r y f a i r y s t o r y , t e l l in s o m e f o r m t h e t a l e o f t h e e t e r n a l b e i n g o f m a n , b e l o n g i n g t o a t i m e l e s s r e a l m o f l i g h t , d e s c e n d i n g in to t h e t e m p o r a l s p h e r e o f e a r t h , t a k i n g t o i tse l f a b o d y , f o r g e t t i n g w h e n c e a n d w h y it c a m e , u n d e r g o i n g s o u l t r ia l s a n d o r d e a l s a n d r e t u r n i n g t h r o u g h t h e g a t e w a y o f s o - c a l l e d d e a t h , e n r i c h e d b y e x p e r i e n c e , t o t h e r e a l m o f sp ir i t f r o m w h i c h it d e s c e n d e d . I n a t h o u s a n d f o r m s this t a l e is t o l d a n d it is t h e t r u t h that o u r m a t e r i a l i s t i c a g e m o s t n e e d s t o r e c o v e r . H e n c e t h e i m m e n s e i m p o r t a n c e o f r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f m y t h s and o f p o e t r y , m a d e p o s s i b l e f o r o u r i n t e l l e c t u a l a g e b y o u r m o d e r n p s y c h o l o g i c a l a n d s p i r i tua l k n o w l e d g e .

T h i s e s s a y 1 is an a t t e m p t at s u c h i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f F i t z g e r a l d ' s R u b a i y a t . It is b a s e d o n a l e c t u r e a n d is m u c h c o n d e n s e d . E v e r y v e r s e c a n b e a n a l y s e d t o r e v e a l its h i d d e n m e a n i n g , b u t h e r e I m u s t b e c o n t e n t w i t h b u t a b r i e f i n d i c a t i o n r e f e r r i n g t h e r e a d e r b a c k to t h e t e x t i tsel f . I n d e e d e a c h v e r s e c a n b e t a k e n as a k i n d o f m e d i t a t i o n w h i c h g o e s o n r e v e a l i n g r i c h t r u t h s . W e m u s t r e c o g n i s e that if sp i r i tua l t r u t h s p e a k s in t h e s y m b o l s o f p o e t r y , it is e v e n p o s s i b l e that t h e p o e t h i m s e l f is n o t f u l l y a w a r e o f t h e d e p t h o f w h a t h e h a s sa id . T h i s m a y w e l l h a v e b e e n so w i t h F i t z g e r a l d .

I w i l l a s s u m e that t h e r e a d e r has b e s i d e h i m h is c o p y o f t h e R u b a i y a t ( o r h a s it b y h e a r t ) a n d sha l l n o t w a s t e s p a c e b y f u l l q u o t a t i o n s . *' B y h e a r t " i n d e e d . It is w i t h t h e t h i n k i n g o f t h e h e a r t , r a t h e r t h a n l o g i ca l i n t e l l e c t t h a t w e a p p r e h e n d p o e t i c a l t r u t h . A l l e g o r y is i n v a r i a b l y h i d d e n b y d o u b l e m e a n i n g . T h e d e e p s p i r i t u a l t r u t h s n e v e r c o n s t r a i n be l i e f . T h e r e m u s t b e n o c o m p u l s i o n t o a c c e p t a n c e a n d t h e r e f o r e w e f ind that t h e e s o t e r i c t e a c h i n g s a l w a y s h a v e t o b e u n c o v e r e d a n d u n r a v e l l e d . T h e R u b a i y a t is a w o n d e r f u l e x a m p l e o f th i s , so m u c h so that it is u s u a l l y t r e a t e d as t h e c r e e d o f a w i n e b i b b e r . O f t e n e n o u g h t e a c h e r s in

s c h o o l s h a v e sa id in e f fec t : " W h a t w o n d e r f u l p o e t r y it c o n t a i n s b u t w h a t b a d p h i l o s o p h y t o t e a c h t h e y o u n g ! " S u p e r f i c i a l l y it s e e m s t o s a y t h a t al l l i f e is w i t h o u t m e a n ing , d e a t h is a n n i h i l a t i o n , a n d t h e r e f o r e l e t u s d r i n k a n d b e m e r r y , f o r t o m o r r o w w e d i e . I t does s a y a l l th is a n d a n y w h o w i s h t o s t o p t h e r e a r e w e l c o m e t o d o so . " W h i l e y o u l i v e , d r i n k — f o r o n c e d e a d y o u n e v e r sha l l r e t u r n '\ T h a t s e e m s e x p l i c i t e n o u g h .

B u t " C o m e w i t h o l d K h a y y a m " , t h e p h i l o s o p h e r , t h o s e w h o a r e unsat i s f i ed w i t h w i n e a l o n e . L o o k d e e p e r a n d y o u w i l l s e e t h a t t h e w h o l e p o e m is a b o u t l i f e . It is t h e s t o r y o f t h e e t e r n a l s o u l , d e s c e n d i n g at b i r t h o n t o t h e e a r t h p l a n e , l i v i n g o u t its l i f e t h r o u g h its s p r i n g , s u m m e r a n d a u t u m n u n t i l " t h e a n g e l w i t h his d a r k e r d r a u g h t d r a w s u p o n t h e e " . T h e n " t a k e t h a t a n d d o n o t s h r i n k

Awake ; Look ; Think ; Listen : T h e s e a r e t h e f o u r m a g n i f i c e n t i n j u n c t i o n s w h i c h s p a n t h e p o e m in v e r s e s 1, 8, 16 & 59. L a c k o f s p a c e m a k e s it n e c e s s a r y f o r m e t o c o n tent m y s e l f w i t h i n t e r p r e t i n g o n l y a f e w v e r s e s a n d to m a k e c a t e g o r i c a l s t a t e m e n t s as to w h a t t h e s y m b o l s m e a n t o m e . R e m e m b e r that e v e r y s y m b o l is c a p a b l e o f s e v e r a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s , o f t e n a p p a r e n t l y c o n t r a d i c t o r y , b u t if y o u r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n b r i n g s l i f e -e n h a n c i n g m e a n i n g t o y o u , w h o d a r e say t h a t f o r y o u it is o t h e r t h a n t r u e m e r e l y o n t h e g r o u n d t h a t h e h a s f o u n d a d i f f e r e n t m e a n ing .

(Marginal Numbers refer to Verses)

1. L e t us t h e n b r a v e l y l o o k at t h e o p e n i n g

i This is the substance of a lecture given to the Iran Society on Feb. 9th, 1966.

L e t us t h e n b r a v e l y l o o k at t h e o p e n i n g s tanzas in t h e i r w i d e r m e a n i n g . T h e y p i c t u r e t h e d e s c e n t o f s o u l s i n t o b i r t h . T h e T a v e r n r e p r e s e n t s l i f e o n e a r t h . T h e s o u l is c a l l e d o n t o a w a k e n in t h e d a w n o f e a r t h c o n s c i o u s n e s s a n d t h e s t o n e flung in to t h e b o w l o f n i g h t r e p r e s e n t s t h e d e s c e n t in to t h e r e a l m o f t h e m a t e r i a l f r o m t h e s p i r i t u a l w o r l d . L e a v i n g t h e " as t ra l " r e a l m is i n d e e d e q u i v a l e n t to " p u t t i n g t h e stars t o f l ight " .


N o t e t h a t pre-existence is a s s u m e d . T h i s p o s t u l a t e is o f a b s o l u t e i m p o r t a n c e t o o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d w o u l d h a v e b e e n n a t u r a l l y a c c e p t e d , t o g e t h e r w i t h p l u r a l i t y o f l i v e s , o r r e - i n c a r n a t i o n , b y t h e o r i e n t a l s a g e . I u s e t h e w o r d ' s o u l ' r a t h e r l o o s e l y t o i n c l u d e t h e c o n c e p t o f t h e ' e n t i t y ' t h e e t e r n a l b e i n g o f m a n , t h e ' e g o ' in e a c h o n e o f us , w h i c h t a k e s u p o n i tse l f t h e s h e a t h o f a l i v i n g b o d y in o r d e r t o e x p e r i e n c e l i f e o n e a r t h . T h i s e n t i t y , b e i n g e t e r n a l , w a s t h e r e b e f o r e b i r t h , a n d is r e l e a s e d at d e a t h t o r e t u r n t o t h e l i g h t filled p l a n e s f r o m w h i c h it d e s c e n d e d . T h e r e is n o s u c h t h i n g as d e a t h i n t h e sense o f e x t i n c t i o n o f t h e e n t i t y .

2. A t t h e m o o n g a t e o f b i r t h a v o i c e w i t h in t h e t a v e r n i n v i t e s t h e y o u n g sou l s t o e n t e r a n d a w a k e n a n d fill t h e c u p o f t h e i r b o d y w i t h t h e w i n e o f c o n s c i o u s -

• n e s s " b e f o r e l i f e ' s l i q u o r in its c u p b e d r y " . T h e r e w i l l b e n o a w a k e n i n g o r b i r t h u n l e s s w e a l l o w t h e e t h e r i c f o r c e s o f l i f e t o flood i n t o o u r b e i n g . T h r o u g h o u t t h e p o e m O m a r is s p e a k i n g o f t h e W i n e o f L i f e , a n d t h e cupj is t h e e n s o u l e d b o d y t o b e filled w i t h th is c o n s c i o u s n e s s . It is w h a t J e s u s m e a n t in s a y i n g " I a m t h e t r u e v i n e , y e a r e t h e b r a n c h e s . H e that d r i n k e t h o f m y W i n e sha l l n e v e r th i rs t " .

3. T h e sou l s , u r g e d t o p l u n g e in to e a r t h c o n s c i o u s n e s s , c l u s t e r r o u n d t h e t a v e r n d o o r c a l l i n g f o r e n t r y .

" Y o u k n o w h o w l i t t l e w h i l e w e h a v e t o s t a y

A n d o n c e d e p a r t e d m a y r e t u r n n o m o r e " .

It is so o f t e n a s s u m e d that th is c o u p l e t s h o w s O m a r ' s d i s b e l i e f in s u r v i v a l . N o t at a l l ! It is s p o k e n b y t h e personalities, w h i c h as e a r t h v e h i c l e s d o n o t as s u c h s u r v i v e . T h e t r u e individuality is e t e r n a l a n d O m a r o f c o u r s e k n e w th is , t h o u g h w e f o r g e t it in o u r d e s c e n t t o e a r t h a n d e n t r y i n t o t h e T a v e r n . T h e r e is m u c h that w e m u s t e x p e r i e n c e d u r i n g o u r s h o r t s o j o u r n o n e a r t h a n d a l r e a d y t h e r e is a s e n s e o f u r g e n c y .

7. " T h e B i r d o f T i m e has b u t a l i t t l e w a y T o fly — a n d l o t h e b i r d is o n t h e w i n g " .

16. L i f e o n e a r t h is l i k e n e d t o a b a t t e r e d c a r a v a n s e r a i w i t h t w o d o o r s , t h e b i r t h p o r t a l o f e n t r y a n d t h e g a t e o f d e p a r t u r e at d e a t h . H e r e e n t e r al l k i n d s o f m e n . N o t e t h e p e r s o n a l i t i e s a r e a l r e a d y d e v e l o p e d t h r o u g h e a r l i e r l i v e s a n d p l a n e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s . S o m e a l r e a d y t h e r e f o r e e n t e r as su l tans .

N o w w e c o m e t o t h e c r u x o f t h e w h o l e p o e m a n d its b a s i c t e a c h i n g .

• " A h , m y B e l o v e d , fill t h e c u p that c l e a r s

T o d a y o f past r e g r e t s a n d f u t u r e f e a r s " .

O n c e w e h a v e l i f t e d o u r t h i n k i n g a b o v e t h e p r e c o n c e p t i o n that th is is m e r e l y an i n v i t a t i o n to d r i n k „ w e r e c o g n i s e that it is t h e c e n t r a l p r o b l e m f o r us al l in d e v e l o p i n g a c o u r a g e o u s a n d c r e a t i v e a t t i t u d e t o o u r l i v e s in a d i f f i c u l t a g e . W h a t is it tha t d i s t u r b s us all w i t h n e g a t i v e e m o t i o n o t h e r t h a n r e m o r s e a n d r e g r e t o v e r p a s t o p p o r t u n i t ies m i s s e d a n d d e e d s i l l d o n e , o r a n x i e t y a b o u t a n u n k n o w a b l e f u t u r e ? T h e C u p o f f e r e d is t h e 1 E t e r n a l N o w ', t h e p r e sent m o m e n t . F i l l tha t , l e a r n t o l i v e o n l y in that , a n d w e l i f t o u r s e l v e s t h r o u g h o u r o w n i n i t i a t i v e in to t h e p o s i t i v e e m o t i o n s o f l o v e , j o y a n d c o u r a g e .

W e c a n at w i l l j e t t i s o n n e g a t i v e t h i n k i n g a n d e m o t i o n a n d " sacr i f i c e o u r s o r r o w s . " If w e c o u l d r e a l l y l i v e o n l y in t h e p r e s e n t t i m e , f r e e d f r o m sel f a n d its c l u t t e r o f ' pas t r e g r e t s a n d f u t u r e f e a r s ' , w e c o u l d r e a l l y m a k e c h a n g e s a n d f r e e c h o i c e s . It is t h e g r e a t c h a l l e n g e f o r c r e a t i v e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d m o d e r n p s y c h o l o g y . It is a l so t h e w a y t o s u r r e n d e r i n g t h e w i l l t o t h e g u i d a n c e o f h i g h e r b e i n g s , w h i c h in o u r c u l t u r e m e a n s t h e e n t r y o f t h e C h r i s t p o w e r in to o u r l i v e s .

W h y f r e t a b o u t '1 unborta t o m o r r o w a n d d e a d y e s t e r d a y " w h e n w e h a v e th is s p l e n d i d h o p e a n d j o y f u l t a s k in t h e l i v i n g m o m e n t .

R U B A I Y A T O F O M A R K H A Y Y A M 123

23 . " A h , m a k e t h e m o s t o f w h a t w e y e t m a y s p e n d " b e f o r e w e a b a n d o n o u r b o d i e s ( n o t o u r s o u l s ) to t h e d u s t —

" D u s t i n t o d u s t a n d u n d e r dus t , t o l i e S a n s w i n e , sans s o n g , sans

s i n g e r a n d — sans e n d " .

T h i s appears t o s a y t h a t e v e r y t h i n g e n d s w i t h d e a t h . I n t r u t h it u r g e s us t o d e v e l o p o u r ta l en t s b e f o r e w e l o s e t h e b o d y , tha t i n s t r u m e n t f o r s e n s e e x p e r i e n c e , b u t w h e n t h a t w o r n -o u t t o o l is cast a w a y t o d u s t t h e e t e r n a l c o r e o f m a n m o v e s o n t o t h a t p l a n e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s t o w h i c h t r u l y t h e r e is no end.

27 . O m a r " w h e n y o u n g d i d e a g e r l y f r e q u e n t D o c t o r a n d Sa in t a n d h e a r d g r e a t a r g u m e n t " . B u t h e h a s f o u n d a t r u t h w h i c h h e a t t e m p t s to t e a c h t h e m , a n d t h e h a r v e s t o f w i s d o m h e r e a p s is c o n t a i n e d in a m a r v e l l o u s l y e n i g m a t i c s e n t e n c e " I c a m e l i k e w a t e r a n d l i k e w i n d I g o " . R e a d th is in t h e sense t h a t " t h e sp i r i t b l o w e t h w h e r e it l i s t e t h " , , a n d

^8. tha t W a t e r is a l w a y s t h e s y m b o l o f L i f e .

29 . T h e sou l , cast o n t h e w a t e r s o f l i f e o n e a r t h , is b l o w n a r o u n d , " t h e w h y n o t

30. k n o w i n g " , a n d " w i t h o u t a s k i n g w h i t h e r h u r r i e d h e n c e " . It h a s f o r g o t t e n t h e h i g h p u r p o s e w h i c h it c h o s e , w i t h D i v i n e g u i d a n c e , b e f o r e its d e s c e n t t o e a r t h . T h e v a g a r i e s o f l i f e m a y a p p e a r t o b e a n i m p e r t i n e n c e o n t h e p a r t o f t h e f a t e s . A f t e r a n u m b e r o f l i v e s

30. ( " a n o t h e r a n d a n o t h e r C u p " ) it w i l l r e a c h t h e s t a g e o f s e e i n g h o w D e s t i n y is w o r k i n g a n d w i l l l e a r n t o a c c e p t f a t e , s e e i n g m e a n i n g in al l tha t h a p p e n s —* " d r o w n t h e m e m o r y o f that ( f a n c i e d ) I m p e r t i n e n c e " .

3 1 . T h e n O m a r d e s c r i b e s h is q u e s t f o r t h e e t e r n a l t r u t h s . A l l h e r o l e g e n d s a r e c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e sou l w h i c h t a k e s u p o n i tse l f t h e t a s k o f e x p l o r i n g u p i n t o t h e e t h e r e a l r e a l m s of e t e r n a l sp ir i t t o b r i n g b a c k t o h is f e l l o w m e n s o m e e l i x i r o f l i f e ( G o l d e n F l e e c e , p r e c i o u s

d i a d e m , H o l y G r a i l ) w h i c h m a y p r o v e t h e t r u t h o f t h e H i g h e r W o r l d s . S o in m e d i t a t i o n h e r i ses t h r o u g h t h e g a t e s o f K n o w l e d g e i n t o p l a n e t a r y w i s d o m , b u t

32 . st i l l f inds that t h e r e is a v e i l b e y o n d w h i c h h e c a n n o t y e t see . A s y e t h e h a s n o t f o u n d t h e k e y ( b u t see v e r s e 35 — " o f m y b a s e m e t a l m a y b e f i led a k e y " ) . W h i l e t h e sou l is o n e a r t h , s e e i n g t h r o u g h a g l a s s d a r k l y , t h e h e a v e n s e x h o r t it t o u s e its understanding, a l b e i t

33. b l i n d e d b y t h e o b s c u r a t i o n o f m a t t e r ( A w a k e ! T h i n k ! L i s t e n a g a i n ! )

W e tas te o f t h e w e l l o f e a r t h c o n s c i o u s n e s s o n l y f o r a l i t t l e m i n u t e o u t o f t h e w i d e r l i f e o n t h e e t e r n a l p l a n e s .

38. " T h e stars a r e se t t ing a n d t h e c a r a v a n S t a r t s f o r t h e D a w n o f

N o t h i n g — O h m a k e h a s t e " .

A s e n s e o f u r g e n c y is c r e e p i n g i n t o t h e p o e m . O u r t i m e in t h e b a t t e r e d C a r a v a n s e r a i is c o m i n g t o an e n d . W e w i t h o u r s o u l c o m p a n i o n s m u s t s tart f o r t h e j o u r n e y t o that r e a l m b e y o n d T h i n g s , t h a t r e a l m o f p u r e B e i n g e n t e r e d a f t e i d e a t h . W e start f o r t h e D a w n ofi N o - T h i n g , a n d m a n y o f us a r e g o i n g t o d o th i s q u i t e u n p r e p a r e d . O h m a k e h a s t e ! T h i s is a v e r s e o f t r e m e n d o u s i m p a c t o n c e w e h a v e s e e n w h a t t h e p o e m is r e a l l y s a y i n g — a n d it a p p l i e s t o t h e l o t o f u s , n o w . T h i s is t h e m a r v e l o f t h e a l l e g o r i ca l s y m b o l s . B e i n g t i m e l e s s t h e y a p p e a l d i r e c t l y t o o u r m o d e r n c o n s c i o u s n e s s a n d t o e a c h o f u s p e r s o n a l l y .

L i n k this v e r s e w i t h t h e w o n d e r f u l v e r s e 47 , w h i c h at first g l a n c e a p p e a r s t o b e p u r e n e g a t i o n a n d t h e n o n , a d e e p e r l e v e l is r e v e a l e d as a m a g n i f i c e n t l i f e a f f i rmat ion . N o t e t h e e x u l t a n t i m p a c t that c o m e s f r o m t h e m y s t e r i o u s i n t e r p o l a t i o n o f t h e w o r d Y E S . Y o u r l o v e a n d l i f e h e r e c u l m i n a t e s in t h e r e t u r n t o t h e e t e r n a l r e a l m o f p u r e b e i n g , w h i c h is " t h e N o - T h i n g al l t h i n g s e n d i n " , t h e t r a n s m u t a t i o n o f m a t t e r i n t o t h e w o r l d o f sp ir i t a n d c r e a t i v e I d e a f r o m w h i c h a l l ' t h i n g s ' d e s c e n d e d . W h i l e


e a r t h - b o u n d , u s e y o u r I m a g i n a t i o n ( f a n c y ) t o u n d e r s t a n d that in e s s e n c e " t h o u art b u t w h a t t h o u shal t b e — n o t h i n g ( b u t p u r e B e i n g ) . T h o u shal t n o t b e less " . I t is t h e g r a v e s t m i s t a k e t o t h i n k ' d e a t h ' m e a n s e x t i n c t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s o r e n t i t y . T o q u o t e t h e D u k e i n S h a k e s p e a r e ' s " M e a s u r e f o r M e a s u r e " , m o d e r n m a n is " m o s t i g n o r a n t o f w h a t h e ' s m o s t a s s u r e d — h i s g l a s s y e s s e n c e " — t h a t is h is sp i r i tua l , s u p e r s e n s i b l e , e t h e r e a l c o r e . T h i s , t h e I n d i v i d u a l i t y , s u r v i v e s a n d is e t e r n a l .

32 . T h e t a l k o f " m e a n d t h e e " in v e r s e 32 r e f e r s o f c o u r s e t o t h e e a r t h l y p e r s o n a l i t ies w h i c h d o i n d e e d f a d e .

O f c o u r s e L o v e is t h e k e y , o p e n -5. 8. h e a r t e d u n f o c u s s e d l o v e o f a l l l i f e a n d

13. 18. w i t h it t h e j o y o f f r e e g i v i n g o f t h e 48 . 70. self . T h i s is t h e r e p e a t e d s y m b o l o f 72. t h e R o s e in s p r i n g w h i c h r u n s l i k e a

g o l d e n t h r e a d t h r o u g h t h e p o e m . ' L o o k t o t h e R o s e ' a n d g i v e y o u r l o v e w i t h t h e s a m e self less a b a n d o n ; ( 1 3 ) a n d t h e n i g h t i n g a l e c r i e s " W i n e , W i n e , red w i n e " t o t h e r o s e ( 6 ) .

B y n o w w e c a n g r a s p t h e r e a l m e a n i n g o f t h e t w o 1 r e p e n t a n c e ' v e r s e s , 7 a n d 70. T h e first

7. " In t h e fire o f s p r i n g T h e w i n t e r g a r m e n t o f r e p e n t a n c e

fling " , 70 . a n d its a u t u m n a l c o u n t e r p a r t —

" w a s I s o b e r w h e n I s w o r e r e p e n t a n c e ? "

" A n d t h e n c a m e s p r i n g a n d R o s e in H a n d

M y T h r e a d b a r e p e n i t e n c e a p i e c e s t o r e " .

H e r e w e h a v e a n o t h e r d o u b l e m e a n i n g , o u t w a r d l y t h e s e n s u a l c a v a l i e r r e j e c t i n g t h e p u r i t a n i n h i s n a t u r e a n d m o r e d e e p l y t h e j o y o u s r i s i n g in t h e h e a r t o f t h e l o v e w h i c h e n a b l e s us t o l i v e in t h e m o m e n t , f r e e d f r o m al l c r a v e n o r p i o u s r e g r e t s a b o u t t h e pas t o r m e l a n c h o l y o r t h o d o x y . T h e n , in t o t a l a b s e n c e o f

n e g a t i v e e m o t i o n , w e c a n c r e a t e l o v e a n d j o y a n d c o u r a g e in t h e h e a r t .

N o w l o o k at t h e ser ies o f v e r s e s 39 — 44 , r e a d i n g W i n e a n d t h e G r a p e s o u r s y m b o l f o r L i f e a n d L i g h t a n d L o v e . I n s t e a d o f g e t t i n g e m b r o i l e d in e a r t h af fa irs o r s t e r i l e p h i l o s o p h y , O m a r s t r i v e s to o p e n t h e s o u l t o t h e r e a l b e a u t y o f l i f e a n d t h e j o y o f d i r e c t a n d i m m e d i a t e c o n t a c t w i t h t h e sp i r i t , d r i n k i n g t h e w i n e f r o m t h e c u p G o d h a s g i v e n h i m , w i t h t h a n k f u l n e s s a n d j o y .

T h e s o u l has r e j e c t e d " b a r r e n r e a s o n " a n d has e n t e r e d i n t o a m o r e f r u i t f u l m a r r i a g e — w i t h t h e D a u g h t e r o f t h e V i n e in t h e s e n s e u s e d b y C h r i s t a n d t h e g r e a t M a s t e r s o f a l l r e l i g i o n s . T h e l o n g i n g is e x p r e s s e d in St . T h o m a s A c q u i n a s ' p r a y e r , " L o a d m e w i t h t h e g i f t s o f t h e S p i r i t d u r i n g m y e x i l e h e r e a n d inebriate m y s o u l w i t h T h y J o y " . R a d h a k r i s h n a n w r i t e s " T h e o l d e s t w i s d o m in t h e w o r l d te l l s us t h a t w e c a n c o n s c i o u s l y u n i t e w i t h t h e d i v i n e w h i l e in t h e b o d y ; f o r this* is m a n r e a l l y b o r n " .

It is v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g t o c o u n t t h e s m a l l n u m b e r o f v e r s e s a c t u a l l y a b o u t d r i n k i n g a n d w i n e . A n e n o r m o u s p r o p o r t i o n o f t h e 75 v e r s e s a r e a b o u t m a t t e r s w h i c h w o u l d b e v e r y t e d i o u s f o r t h e t o p e r . T h e m a j o r p a r t o f t h e p o e m s i m p l y is n o t a b o u t quaf f ing e a r t h l y w i n e . T h e g r o u p o f d r i n k i n g v e r s e s 3 9 - 4 4 a r e o f e x t r a o r d i n a r y i m p o r t a n c e in o u r r e a d i n g o f t h e p o e m . T h e G r a p e a n d W i n e is t a k e n a l w a y s as t h e p u r e c o n t a c t w i t h t h e s p i r i t u a l s o u r c e s o f l i f e a v a i l a b l e t o e v e r y s e e k i n g s o u l in t h e i m m e d i a t e m o m e n t , if t h e w i l l c a n b e f r e e l y o p e n e d t o t h e h i g h e r g u i d a n c e . T h i s is t h e j o y o f t e x -e d b y J e s u s t h e C h r i s t , but^ w e n e e d n o t b e d i s t u r b e d t h a t o u r p o e m is w r i t t e n b y a P e r s i a n s a g e . T h e C h r i s t , t h e C h r i s t o s . is t h e s a m e - e x a l t e d B e i n g , r e c o g n i s e d b y al l t h e r e l i g i o n s as t h e L o r d o f t h e S p i r i t u a l S u n b e h i n d t h e p h y s i c a l s u n , w h o m t h e P e r s i a n s k n e w as A h u r a

1968 R U B A I Y A T O F O M A R K H A Y Y A M 125

M a z d a . " I a m t h e l i g h t o f t h e w o r l d . I a m t h e t r u e b r e a d a n d w i n e o f L i f e T h e a i m o f o u r s o j o u r n h e r e is t o s u r r e n d e r t h e sel f in f r e e d o m to H i s L o v e .

4 1 . I n t e l l e c t a n d l o g i c c o u l d w e i g h a n d m e a s u r e t h i n g s b u t t h e o n l y k n o w l e d g e -w h i c h O m a r r e a l l y m i n d e d a b o u t w a s that w h i c h p o i n t e d t h e w a y , w i t h j o y , t o d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e s p i r i t u a l s o u r c e s . H e w a s " n e v e r d e e p in a n y t h i n g b u t W i n e " . T h i s l i n e is a s p l e n d i d e x a m p l e o f t h e d o u b l e m e a n i n g s .

42 . L a t e in l i f e , h a v i n g m a t u r e d t h r o u g h t h e a l l e g o r y o f S p r i n g a n d S u m m e r , O m a r u n d e r s t a n d s m o r e d e e p l y t h e m e a n i n g o f th is t r u e W i n e a n d h i s g u a r d i a n a n g e l , p r e p a r i n g h i m f o r t h e t r a n s i t i o n c a l l e d d e a t h , b r i n g s h i m t h e v i n t a g e o f h is l i f e . T h i s l i g h t o f D i v i n e L o v e , th is t r u e W i n e , c a n t r a n s m u t e

43 . l i f e ' s l e a d e n m e t a l i n t o G o l d , c o n f u t i n g a l l s e c t a r i a n d i s p u t e s a n d a r g u m e n t s a b o u t r e l i g i o u s m a t t e r s . R e m e m b e r t h a t t h e A l c h e m i s t s w e r e o n l y in o u t w a r d s e e m i n g c o n c e r n e d w i t h m a k i n g t h e p h y s i c a l m e t a l g o l d . T h i s w a s a s y m b o l i c a l p r o c e s s c o v e r i n g t h e i r r e a l p u r p o s e o f t r a n s m u t i n g t h e sou l , b r i n g i n g a b o u t t h e m y s t i c a l m a r r i a g e b e t w e e n t h e p e r s o n a l i t y a n d its h i g h e r s p i r i t u a l self . T h i s is t h e l e s s o n o f t h e g r e a t m y t h s a n d a l l e g o r i e s . T h i s is O m a r ' s p a s s i o n a t e q u e s t t h r o u g h l i f e w i t h an a r d o u r w h i c h , as h e r e v e a l s in v e r s e s 69 a n d 7 1 , h a s o f t e n d a m a g e d h is w o r l d l y r e p u t a t i o n . H e h a s d i s c o v e r e d , h o w e v e r , t h a t o n e g l i m p s e

56. o f t h e T r u e L i g h t c a u g h t , b y d i r e c t c o n tac t w i t h t h e sp i r i t , in t h e m i d s t o f o r d i n a r y l i f e , is b e t t e r t h a n al l t h e r i t u a l s h e f o u n d d e a d e n i n g in o r t h o d o x r e l i g i o n .

55. V e r s e 44 is a t r e m e n d o u s s t a t e m e n t r e l e v a n t t o o u r t i m e in o u r C h r i s t i a n w o r l d , if w e c h a n g e M a h m u d i n t o M i c h a e l , t h e a r c h a n g e l s t a n d a r d b e a r e r o f t h e C h r i s t , w i e l d e r o f t h e s w o r d of l i g h t . It is h e w h o m w e c a n i n v o k e t o s c a t t e r t h e " m i s b e l i e v i n g a n d b l a c k h o r d e o f f e a r s a n d s o r r o w s t h a t i n f e s t t h e sou l " .

50. W i t h g r e a t e a r n e s t n e s s O m a r u r g e s us t o r e c o g n i s e that t h e a p p a r e n t h a r s h n e s s o f d e s t i n y is o n l y an i l l u s i o n w h i l e w e a r e e x p e r i e n c i n g t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f t h e e a r t h p l a n e . T h e D i v i n e M a s t e r o f o u r D e s t i n y ( f o r us t h e C h r i s t ) h a s a p p a r e n t l y t o s s e d us d o w n t o b e s t r u c k a r o u n d l i k e a p o l o b a l l . B u t n o t e w i t h w h a t u r g e n c y t h e f inal l i n e is s t r e s s e d — " He k n o w s a b o u t it a l l — H e k n o w s — H E k n o w s " . W e m u s t f o r l a c k of s p a c e , l e a v e t h e m a g n i f i c e n t m e d i t a t i o n o n t h e c o s m i c d e s t i n y o f m a n , h is f a l l a n d r e d e m p t i o n , s u g g e s t e d in v e r s e s 51 — 58.

T h e E p i l o g u e ' K u z a - N a m a ' g i v e s a p r o f o u n d a l l e g o r y o n l i f e t h r o u g h t h e s y m b o l o f p o t t e r y . O m a r , b e f o r e h i ? d e a t h , " o n e m o r n i n g at t h e c l o s e o f R a m a z a n , e r e t h e b e t t e r m o o n a r o s e " , l o o k s b a c k as a n o l d m a n a n d c o n t e m p l a t e s t h e w a y in w h i c h t h e b o d i e s a n d p e r s o n a l i t i e s a r e s h a p e d in e a r t h s u b s t a n c e :

" W h o is t h e P o t t e r p r a y , a n d w h o t h e P o t ? "

H o w f a r a r e w e a l l r e s p o n s i b l e o n a d e e p e r K a r m i c l e v e l f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e s a n d e v e n t h e d e f o r m i t i e s o f o u r b o d i e s ? T h e p o t s ( b o d i e s ) t a l k t o g e t h e r d i s c u s s i n g w h y t h e y h a v e d e v e l o p e d s u c h v a r i e d f o r m s . S u r e l y t h e r e m u s t b e p u r p o s e b e h i n d it a l l ? T h e n in e x c i t e m e n t t h e y h e a r t h a t t h e P o r t e r is c o m i n g a n d see t h e c r e s c e n t n e w m o o n t h r o u g h t h e o p e n i n g d o o r . T h e y a r e t o b e e n s o u l e d a g a i n a n d t h e w i n e o f l i f e is t o fill t h e m .

68. O m a r m u s t n o w l e a v e t h e b e a u t i e s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s o f e a r t h l i f e . H i s s e a r c h f o r t h e sp i r i tua l h a s so r e f ined h is c o a r s e r b e i n g t h r o u g h s u b t l e r in f luences o f s ou l t h a t t h e true believer p a s s i n g b y t h e p l a c e w h e r e h is ashes a r e b u r i e d w i l l b e c a u g h t b y a " s n a r e o f p e r f u m e " . T h i s v e r s e s h o u l d g i v e p a u s e t o a n y w h o t h i n k O m a r is a m e r e sensua l i s t !

74. T h e final t w o v e r s e s a r e d e e p l y m o v i n g . W i t h t h e c o m i n g o f ' d e a t h ' , t h e t r u e

126 t m M O U N T A I N P A T H April

M o o n o f H e a v e n is r i s ing once ' a g a i n a n d t h e s o u l is t o b e r e l e a s e d t o t h e w o r l d o f e t h e r e a l l i g h t . I a m , s a y s O m a r , l e a v i n g t h e d e l i g h t s o f t h e e a r t h g a r d e n a n d m y f r i e n d s a n d f e l l o w g u e s t s in t h e C a r a v a n s e r a i .

75. A n d it is a joyous, n o t m e l a n c h o l y , e r r a n d f o r t h e B e i n g w h o " w i t h s h i n i n g - f o o t sha l l p a s s a m o n g t h e g u e s t s ^ t a r - s c a t t e r e d o n t h e g rass " . H e r e in m e m o r y o f m e , t u r n d o w n an e m p t y g lass t o s h o w I h a v e d r u n k t o t h e d r e g s t h a t w h i c h e a r t h c o n s c i o u s n e s s c a n o f f e r .

* * *

I m a k e n o c l a i m w h a t e v e r t o O m a r s c h o l a r s h i p n o r h a v e I a n y i d e a h o w w i d e l y s u c h i n t e r p r e t a t i o n is a l r e a d y a c c e p t e d .

N o t f o r a m o m e n t w o u l d I a r g u e w i t h t h o s e w h o f ind th is f o r m o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n u n a c c e p t a b l e , b u t t o t h o s e t o w h o m 73 it a p p e a l s I s a y : L i v e w i t h t h e s e v e r s e s , m e d i t a t e u p o n t h e m , let t h e m w o r k o n y o u a n d t h e i r b e a u t y a n d w i s d o m w i l l r e v e a l i tse l f t o y o u . E a c h w i l l t h e n d i s c o v e r h is o w n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . F i t z g e r a l d ' s r e - c r e a t i o n o f t h e 12th C e n t u r y p o e t p h i l o s o p h e r h a s g i v e n us a w o r k o f art o f d e e p m e a n i n g f o r o u r o w n t i m e .

T h e real p h i l o s o p h y in t h e R u b a i y a t , n o t t h e super f i c ia l , m a t t e r s m o r e n o w t h a n e v e r , in t h e s e y e a r s o f i m p o r t a n t h u m a n d e s t i n y .

It is n o t e n o u g h m e r e l y to r e - r e a d t h e p o e m . W e m u s t m a k e it a l i v e in us a n d

t h e n it w i l l a c t u a l l y b r i n g a b o u t a s p i r i t u a l c h a n g e . Y o u c a n n o t ' l i v e ' t h e R u b a i y a t a n d r e m a i n t h e s a m e p e r s o n , s i n c e it is a m a n t r a m t h a t r e l e a s e s t h e i m p r i s o n e d s p l e n d o u r f r o m w i t h i n t h e h e a r t . T h e M a s t e r o n his " j o y o u s e r r a n d " , o f f ers us t h e " r u b y v i n t a g e " .

" A h , m y B e l o v e d , fill t h e C u p t h a t c l e a r s

T o d a y o f pas t r e g r e t s a n d f u t u r e f e a r s "

T h i s is n o t m e r e l y f o r o u r p e r s o n a l i r r e s p o n s i b l e e n j o y m e n t . It is t h e m a j o r p s y c h o l o g i c a l s t ep that e a c h o f us c a n c o n s c i o u s l y t a k e in b e c o m i n g f u l l y m a t u r e a n d r e s p o n s i b l e a d u l t s . It is this a t t i t u d e o f p o s i t i v e e m o t i o n , o f " r i s e n t h i n k i n g " , tha t m a k e s it p o s s i b l e f o r u s r e a l l y t o c o - o p e r a t e w i t h t h e sp i r i tua l w o r l d . Ir^ o u r c r u m b l i n g w o r l d th is is t h e u r g e n t t a s k w h i c h e a c h o f us is c a l l e d o n t o a c h i e v e . A f t e r w e h a v e " s h a t t e r e d it t o b i t s " it is in v e r y t r u t h t h r o u g h t h e p o w e r of, l o v e that t h e a w a k e n e d s o u l s , a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e l i v i n g w h o l e , w i l l

" g r a s p t h e s o r r y s c h e m e o f t h i n g s e n t i r e " a n d

" r e m o u l d it n e a r e r to t h e h e a r t ' s d e s i r e " .

L o v e is t h e g r a v i t y f o r c e o f t h e N e w A g e — b u t m a k e has te .

" W h a t b o o t s it t o r e p e a t T h a t t i m e is s l i p p i n g u n d e r n e a t h

o u r f e e t "

AWAKE ! — THINK ! — LOOK !

LISTEN AGAIN!

E v e r y t i m e y o u e s t a b l i s h b y p r o o f t h e n e g a t i o n o f a t h i n g in r e f e r e n c e t o G o d y o u b e c o m e m o r e p e r f e c t , w h i l e w i t h e v e r y a d d i t i o n a l p o s i t i v e a s s e r t i o n y o u f o l l o w y o u r i m a g i n a t i o n a n d r e c e d e f r o m t r u e k n o w l e d g e o f G o d . — M A I M O N I D E S o n The Negative Theology.

1968 127

THE HEAVENLY SONG OF DANTE

" T \ A N T E A L I G H I E R I w a s b o r n in F l o r e n c e in M a y 1265. O f h is y o u t h w e k n o w

l i t t l e e x c e p t w h a t is r e c o r d e d in ' V i t a N u o v a ' w h e r e D a n t e te l l s o f his l o v e f o r B e a t r i c e , d a u g h t e r o f F o l c o P o r t i n a r i . A f t e r h e r d e a t h in J u n e 1290, D a n t e i m m e r s e d h i m s e l f in p h i l o s o p h y .

' A p o e t o f r e c t i t u d e ' , as h e h i m s e l f d e c l a r e d in ' D e V u l g a r i E l o q u e n t i a ', D a n t e o p p o s e d t h e i n t r i g u e a n d d e p r a v i t y p r e v a l e n t in I t a l y at t h e t i m e , w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t h e w a s e x i l e d o n t h e t r u m p e d - u p c h a r g e o f b a r r a t r y . H e n e v e r r e t u r n e d t o h is n a t i v e F l o r e n c e , a n d h is ashes r e p o s e at R a v e n n a .

O u t s t a n d i n g a m o n g D a n t e ' s w o r k s is t h e ' D i v i n e C o m e d y ' w h i c h is c o m p o s e d o f o n e h u n d r e d c a n t o s , d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e c a n t i c l e s — I n f e r n o , P u r g a t o r i o a n d P a r a d i s e

I n ' C o n v i t o ' D a n t e s tates that t h e S c r i p t u r e s s h o u l d b e e x p o u n d e d a n a g o g i c a l l y , tha t is , s p i r i t u a l l y . D a n t e e x p l a i n s t h a t w h e n S c r i p t u r e is u n d e r s t o o d in its l i t e ra l s e n s e it m u s t a lso b e a c c o r d e d its m y s t i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . H e c i tes an e x a m p l e — w h e n t h e I s rae l i t e s l e f t E g y p t , t h e l a n d o f J u d e a e w a s sa id t o h a v e b e e n m a d e f r e e a n d p u r e . T h i s is l i t e r a l l y t r u e , b u t it a l so p o s s e s s e s a s p i r i t u a l m e a n i n g , n a m e l y , t h a t w h e n t h e soul d e p a r t s f r o m b o n d a g e , it is l i b e r a t e d f r o m i g n o r a n c e a n d r e n d e r e d h o l y . In th i s w a y s a c r e d S c r i p t u r e r e v e a l s t h e ' sp i r i t ' w i t h i n t h e 1 l e t t e r ' o f t h e l e s s o n .

R e g a r d i n g h is w o r k t h e ' D i v i n e C o m e d y ' D a n t e r e c o r d s in a m i s s i v e t o C a n G r a n d e ' R e l i n q u i s h i n g al l s u b t l e i n v e s t i g a t i o n , w e m a y s u m u p t h e w h o l e o f m y ' C o m e d y ' b y n a m i n g as its o b j e c t t h e l i b e r a t i o n o f s ou l s f r o m s o r r o w in th is l i f e , in o r d e r t o r a i s e t h e m t o w a r d s t h e h e i g h t s o f h e a v e n l y B l i s s . '

D a n t e c o n c e i v e d o f d i v i n e T r u t h as b e i n g i n h e r e n t in t h e c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f m a n , b u t t h e

By GLADYS DE MEUTER

l a t ter t h r o u g h e r r o r , p a r t i c i p a t e s o n l y p a r t l y in d i v i n e B e i n g ; m a n ' s d e s t i n y is t h e r e f o r e o r d a i n e d t o b e a r e t u r n to E d e n a i d e d b y t h e l o v i n g g u i d a n c e o f G r a c e . In t h e ' C o m e d y ' t h e s o u l ' s i n n e r p o w e r s a r e s u m m o n e d as g u i d e s to l e a d t h e p i l g r i m to t h e s u p r e m e w i s d o m o f S e l f - K n o w l e d g e .

T h o s e w h o v i e w t h e ' D i v i n e C o m e d y * s o l e l y f r o m its p o e t i c v i e w p o i n t d e p r i v e t h e w o r k o f its v e r y l i f e - v e i n ; f o r it is i n f u s e d w i t h a r a d i a n t s p i r i t u a l v i s i o n w h i c h i l l u m i n e s t h e w h o l e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e p o e m . T o d e n y it th is s p i r i t u a l l u m i n o s i t y w o u l d b e to e x p o s e o n l y t h e she l l o f t h e m a s t e r p i e c e . D a n t e p e r c e i v e s B e i n g n o t o n l y i n I ts i m p e r c e p t i b i l i t y , b u t a l so c l o t h e d w i t h t h e v e s t u r e o f m a t t e r ; t h u s m a t t e r a n d sp ir i t f o r m an i n d i v i s i b l e U n i t y w h i c h is r o o t e d in U n i v e r s a l O r d e r a n d H a r m o n y .

In t h e 1 C o m e d y ' s ' c o s m o l o g y t h e e a r t h Is s i t u a t e d at t h e c e n t r e o f t h e u n i v e r s e , a n d L u c i f e r ' s a b o d e is d e e p i n s i d e t h e e a r t h ; tha t p a r t o f l a n d w h i c h w a s p u s h e d u p w a r d s b y S a t a n ' s t u n n e l l i n g , f o r m s t h e m o u n t a i n o f P u r g a t o r y at t h e s u m m i t o f w h i c h l ies t h e e a r t h l y p a r a d i s e . T h e t r u e P a r a d i s e s o r C e l e s t i a l S p h e r e s a r e p l a c e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e h e a v e n l y b o d i e s c o n t a i n e d w i t h i n t h e m ; t h e y are , t h e s e v e n p l a n e t s , f o l l o w e d b y t h e s p h e r e o f F i x e d S t a r s , t h e C r y s t a l l i n e h e a v e n a n d t h e E m p y r e a n .

T h e c o n c e n t r i c m o t i o n o f t h e s p h e r e s s t e m s f r o m an i n t e n s e c r a v i n g t o b e u n i t e d w i t h G o d . a n d it is t h e a n g e l i c I n t e l l i g e n c e s w h i c h r e l a y th is m o t i o n t o t h e l o w e r s p h e r e s , w h i l e t h e a l l - e m b r a c i n g E m p y r e a n w h e r e t h e ' E t e r n a l L i g h t ' is r e v e a l e d in Its c l e a r s h i n i n g , r e m a i n s e v e r m o t i o n l e s s .

T h e w h o l e s t o r y o f t h e I n f e r n o t a k e s p l a c e b e t w e e n t h e C r u c i f i x i o n a n d t h e R e s u r r e c t i on , w h e n C h r i s t H i m s e l f ' d e s c e n d e d i n t o H e l l . ' T h e c a n t o b e g i n s w i t h t h e s o l e m n

128 T H E M O U N T A I N P A T H A p r i l

a l o n e n e s s o f D a n t e t h e ' l i v i n g s o u l ' in a d a r k w o o d ' w h e n h e p r e p a r e s t o e m b a r k u p o n his s o l i t a r y a n d a r d u o u s j o u r n e y . A s D a n t e sets o u t t h e ' sun w a s r i s i n g w i t h t h o s e stars w h i c h w e r e w i t h it w h e n L o v e D i v i n e first set t h o s e b e a u t e o u s t h i n g s in m o t i o n . ' S o d o e s t h e s o u l w a k e n at t h e first l i g h t o f t h e sp i r i tua l d a w n .

M a k i n g his w a y o v e r a b a r r e n s l o p e D a n t e is s u d d e n l y h e l d in t h e g r i p o f f e a r as t h e l e o p a r d o f lust , t h e l i o n o f p r i d e a n d t h e s h e - w o l f o f e n v y p r e p a r e t o a t t a c k h i m . D a n t e ca l l s f o r a id , a n d R e a s o n in t h e f o r m o f V i r g i l a p p e a r s at h is s ide , a d d r e s s i n g h i m in a v o i c e w h i c h a p p e a r s ' f a in t f r o m l o n g s i l e n c e . ' D a n t e ' s a c c e p t a n c e o f V i r g i l as G u i d e i n d i c a t e s his i n n e r s u b m i s s i o n t o a h i g h e r p o w e r .

A s D a n t e p r o c e e d s a l o n g t h e m y s t i c a l j o u r n e y , V i r g i l r e l a t e s h o w B e a t r i c e , t h e e m b o d i m e n t o f h e a v e n l y T r u t h a n d L o v e , a s k e d h i m t o l e a d D a n t e a w a y f r o m e r r o r . T h r o u g h o u t t h e p e r i l o u s o d y s s e y it is th i s i n n e r L i g h t o f G r a c e w h i c h e n a b l e s D a n t e to c a r r y o n .

A m o n g t h o s e ' s h a d e s ' e n c o u n t e r e d in t h e N e t h e r w o r l d are t h e l u k e w a r m w h o w a x n e i t h e r h o t n o r c o l d ; t h o s e in w h o m n a t u r a l p a s s i o n o v e r - r o d e s e l f - r e s t r a i n t ; t h e g l u t t o n o u s , t h e p r o d i g a l s a n d t h e w r a t h f u l .

W i t h i n t h e d e v i l - g a r r i s o n o f t h e C i t y o f D i s d w e l l t h o s e sou l s w h o h a v e w i l f u l l y r e j e c t e d G r a c e ; a n d ' h e r e D a n t e is p o w e r l e s s b e f o r e t h e d a r k h o s t s . A w a r e o f t h e i r p e r i l V i r g i l s h e l t e r s his c h a r g e , b u t h e , l i k e D a n t e , a w a i t s d i v i n e a id . T h e n c o m e s ' o n e f r o m H e a v e n sent , ' a n d b e f o r e th is a n g e l i c e m i s s a r y , t h e d i a b o l i c a l o n e s a r e r e n d e r e d m u t e w i t h f e a r , o f f e r i n g n o f u r t h e r r e s i s t a n c e t o t h e p a s s a g e o f R e a s o n a n d t h e sou l . B e f o r e t h e O m n i p o t e n c e o f R e a l i t y t h e s h a d o w -p o w e r o f i g n o r a n c e m e l t s a w a y . D a n t e n o w e n c o u n t e r s t h e M i n o t a u r , s y m b o l o f u n r e s t r a i n e d v i o l e n c e , w h o p r e s i d e s o v e r t h a t s p h e r e w h e r e suf fer t h o s e w h o h a v e e m p l o y e d b r u t e f o r c e . T h e i r t o r m e n t is d r e a d f u l , b u t t h e i r p l i g h t d o e s n o t m o v e D a n t e as d o t h e s u i c i d e s w h o h a v e c u t s h o r t t h e i r t e r res t r ia l l i f e t h r e a d . T h e s e u n f o r t u n a t e s h a v e

a l l o w e d t h e h a r p i e s o f f e a r to r e n d a n d t e a r at H o p e , l e a v i n g d e s p a i r t h e v i c t o r .

T h e l o w e r d e p t h s m u s t b e p l u m b e d b e f o r e t h e h e i g h t s m a y b e s c a l e d , a n d t h e p i l g r i m e x p r e s s e s h is u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f th is w h e n h e s a y s : ' I l e a v e t h e b i t t e r a n d h a s t e n t o t h e s u c c u l e n t f ru i t s p r o m i s e d m e b y m y t r u t h f u l g u i d e ; b u t first it is e x p e d i e n t t h a t I d e s c e n d t o t h e C e n t r e . '

W h e n e v e r f e a r assai ls h i m , D a n t e i n v o k e s t h e a id o f t h e M a s t e r , w h o te l l s h i m : ' I w i l l n o t h a v e t h e e a f r a i d . ' T h i s a d m o n i t i o n i m p a r t s f o r t i t u d e t o D a n t e w h o casts f e a r f r o m h i m . P r o c e e d i n g o n his w a y t h e T r u t h -s e e k e r m e e t s u p w i t h t h e h y p o c r i t e s , t h o s e ' p h a n t o m s ' w e i g h e d d o w n b y t h a t 1 w e a r i s o m e c l o a k ', a m o n g w h o m is C a i a p h a s t h e H i g h P r i e s t . H e r e t h e M a s t e r t a k e s h is p u p i l u p in h is a r m s a n d c a r r i e s h i m a w a y f r o m s u c h d i r e p e r i l , a n d D a n t e e x p r e s s e s h is l o v e f o r t h e S a g e b y r e l a t i n g h o w h e c l o s e l y f o l l o w e d t h e ' i m p r i n t s o f t h o s e b e l o v e d f e e t . '

E x p e r i e n c i n g t h e l e a d e n b u r d e n o f w e a r i ness D a n t e w i s h e s to i n t e r r u p t h i s j o u r n e y , b u t h is w i s e M a s t e r b i d s h i m b e s t i r h i m s e l f : ' N o w m u s t t h o u p u t i n d o l e n c e a w a y f r o m t h e e . ' D a n t e l e a r n s that s p i r i t u a l e f f o r t is n e c e s s a r y , f o r ' t h e r e is y e t a l o n g e r stair w h i c h a w a i t s a s c e n d i n g . ' D e s p o n d e n c y is a l so t o b e a v o i d e d , a n d t h e r e a s s u r i n g w o r d s o f t h e G u i d e fa l l s w e e t l y o n t h e h e a r t ' s e a r : * B a n i s h s a d n e s s , a n d b e a r in m i n d t h a t I a m e v e r w i t h t h e e . '

D u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h e i r j o u r n e y i n g , D a n t e a l l o w s h is a t t e n t i o n t o b e c a u g h t b y c l a m o r o u s c o n v e r s a t i o n , w h e r e u p o n h e is t o l d b y V i r g i l t h a t 1 t h e c r a v i n g t o l i s t e n is a b a s e c r a v i n g . ' T h u s r e b u k e d , D a n t e is m a d e a w a r e o f t h e s tr i c t n e c e s s i t y o f c o n c e n t r a t i n g f u l l y o n R e a l i t y , a n d n o t a l l o w i n g t h e m i n d t o b e d i s t r a c t e d b y p h a n t a s i e s .

U p o n e n t e r i n g t h e r e a l m o f T r e a c h e r y , D a n t e b e h o l d s its i c y g r i p o n t h e sou l s t h e r e , f o r c o l d - b l o o d e d t r e a c h e r y r o b s t h e s o u l o f h e a r t - w a r m t h r e n d e r i n g it r e p t i l i a n in n a t u r e .

F i n a l l y in t h e d e e p e s t d u n g e o n , D a n t e s t a n d s in t h e c h a i n e d a n d i c e - b o u n d p r e s e n c e

1968 T H E H E A V E N L Y S O N G O F D A N T E 129

o f S a t a n h i m s e l f . T h e p i l g r i m is t e r r i f i ed b y th is a w e s o m e e x p e r i e n c e , as t ears a n d b l o o d y f o a m i n d i c a t i v e o f a n g u i s h e d w r a t h , p r o c e e d f r o m t h e P r i n c e o f D a r k n e s s . S a t a n t h e e m b o d i m e n t of I g n o r a n c e p o s s e s s e s t h r e e f a c e s w h i c h t e s t i f y t o his b l a s p h e m y a g a i n s t t h e H o l y T r i n i t y o f P o w e r — W i s d o m •—• L o v e . T h e e v i l c o u n t e n a n c e s a r e d y e d w i t h t h e v a r y i n g s h a d e s o f h a t r e d , i m p o t e n c e a n d a n g e r . F a c e to f a c e w i t h L u c i f e r , D a n t e f e e l s ' c h i l l e d a n d w e a k e n e d ' , b u t h e w i n d s h i s a r m s a b o u t V i r g i l ' s n e c k , s i g n i f y i n g h is t o t a l r e l i a n c e o n R e a s o n , a n d m a k i n g u s e o f S a t a n as a l a d d e r in c o m p l i a n c e w i t h t h e S a g e ' s w o r d s : ' b y t h e s e s teps m u s t w e d e p a r t f r o m so m u c h w i c k e d n e s s , ' M a s t e r a n d p u p i l l e a v e I n f e r n o .

' H e p r e c e d i n g , a n d I f o l l o w i n g , ' D a n t e is l e d b y R e a s o n a w a y f r o m t h e a b y s s o f i g n o r a n c e . M a d e a w a r e of S in ' s i m p o t e n c e D a n t e f e a r s it n o m o r e ; h e is n o w r e a d y f o r t h e a s c e n t t o w a r d s p u r i f i c a t i o n a n d h e a v e n l y d e l i g h t s . A s V i r g i l a n d D a n t e l e a v e t h e d e n o f i n i q u i t y t h e y b e h o l d t h e r a d i a n t l i g h t o f t h e s tars .

Purgatorio

It is E a s t e r m o r n i n g w h e n D a n t e f o l l o w s V i r g i l t o t h e s h o r e o f M o u n t P u r g a t o r i o w h e r e t h e M a s t e r t e n d e r l y r e m o v e s t h e t e a r s f r o m D a n t e ' s f a c e , a n d g i r d s h i m w i t h a r a s h . T h i s r i t u a l s y m b o l i s e s t h e h e a v e n l y c l e a n s i n g w h i c h d e s c e n d s u p o n t h e s o u l w h e n it is g i r t w i t h h u m b l e s e l f - s u r r e n d e r .

H e r e in P u r g a t o r y , R e a s o n is n o l o n g e r t h e s u r e g u i d e h e w a s in I n f e r n o , a n d it is b y t h e L i g h t o f t h e s p i r i t u a l S u n that V i r g i l a n d D a n t e n o w p r o c e e d .

E m e r g i n g i n f u l l s u n s h i n e D a n t e b e c o m e s c o n s c i o u s o f h is e g o - s h a d o w f o r t h e first t i m e ; h e l e a r n s that ' t h e h u m a n f r a m e ' is t h e c a u s e f o r ' t h e s u n s h i n e b e i n g d i v i d e d , ' a n d R e a s o n d i s c l o s e s t o h i m t h a t t h e e g o -c o n s c i o u s n e s s is m e r e l y a r e f l e c t i on — an e r r o r w h i c h c l e a v e s in t w o t h e s h i n i n g u n i t y o f T r u t h .

T h e a s c e n t o f M a s t e r a n d p u p i l is b a t h e d in s u n l i g h t , a f o r e s h a d o w i n g o f tha t E t e r n a l L i g h t o f w h i c h t h e p r o p h e t I sa iah w r o t e ;

' T h y sun sha l l n o m o r e g o d o w n ; n e i t h e r sha l l t h y m o o n w i t h d r a w itsel f : f o r t h e L o r d sha l l b e t h i n e e v e r l a s t i n g L i g h t , a n d t h e d a y s o f t h y m o u r n i n g sha l l b e e n d e d . '

B u t D a n t e , u n d e r g o i n g p u r i f i c a t i o n , e x p e r i e n c e s f o r a w h i l e t h e w i t h d r a w a l o f G r a c e ' s L i g h t ; d u r i n g th is ' d a r k n i g h t o f t h e s o u l ' t h e p i l g r i m l e a r n s h o w to p o s s e s s h is s o u l in p a t i e n c e , a n d to h o p e f o r t h e c l e a r s h i n i n g o f t h e n e w d a w n .

I n t e n t o n f o l l o w i n g his G u i d e , D a n t e is s u d d e n l y assa i l ed b y a s u b t l e f o r m o f i g n o r a n c e in t h e s h a p e o f a s e r p e n t w h i c h c o m e s u p o n h i m in t h e r e g i o n o f d r e a m s . C o n s c i o u s o f h is h e l p l e s s n e s s D a n t e p l a c e s h is t rus t in d i v i n e d e l i v e r a n c e a n d his f a i t h is p r o m p t l y r e w a r d e d as t w o a n g e l s a r m e d w i t h b l u n t s w o r d s p u t t h e e n e m y to f l ight . T h r o u g h th i s e x p e r i e n c e D a n t e l e a r n s that t h o s e f o r c e s w h i c h l i e l a t e n t d e e p in t h e s u b c o n s c i o u s , m u s t b e f a c e d w i t h i m p l i c i t f a i t h in G o d .

P r e s e n t l y S a i n t L u c y , s y m b o l o f t h e c l e a r l i ght o f s p i r i t u a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g , m a k e s h e r a p p e a r a n c e a n d l e a d s t h e w a y t o t h e g a t e o f t h e t r u e P u r g a t o r y , - w h e r e t h e w a r d e r c l a d in p e n i t e n t i a l a shes a n d c a r r y i n g t h e * s w o r d o f w i s d o m ', a l l o w s e n t r y o n l y t o t h o s e p i l gr ims* w h o possess t h e g o l d a n d s i l v e r k e y s o f sp i r i tua l k n o w l e d g e a n d h e a v e n l y f o r g i v e ness . B e f o r e a r r i v i n g at t h e g a t e D a n t e a s c e n d s t h e t h r e e s teps o f P o w e r , W i s d o m , L o v e , w h i c h a r e t h e a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e B l e s s e d T r i n i t y .

P u r s u i n g his w a y t h r o u g h P u r g a t o r y t h e l i gh t o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g g r a d u a l l y d a w n s o n D a n t e a n d h e is s h o w n that t h e r o o t o f d i s h a r m o n y l ies in ' u n w i s e l o v i n g . ' H e l e a r n s that t h e c a u s e of i n h a r m o n y is t o b e s o u g h t w i t h i n , n o t e x t e r n a l l y . O n e p e n i t e n t te l l s h i m : ' I f t h e w o r l d at p r e s e n t a p p e a r s t o g o a w r y , t h e c a u s e is t o b e f o u n d in y o u ; s e e k it t h e r e f o r e w i t h i n y o u r s e l f . . . . F r o m t h e D i v i n e H a n d w h o s e p a t e r n a l g l a n c e is u p o n it b e f o r e it i ssues f o r t h . . . t h e y o u n g s o u l , k n o w i n g n o t h i n g t u r n s t o w a r d s t h a t w h i c h a f f o rds it p l e a s u r e . A t first it p a r t a k e s o f a l i t t l e g o o d , t h e n it is l u r e d in a n o t h e r d i r e c t i o n a n d s t r a y s a f t e r it u n l e s s its l o v e is r e s t r a i n e d a n d c u r b e d . . . t r u e o b s e r v a t i o n


w i l l r e v e a l to y o u t h a t t h e c a u s e o f e r r o r l ies in b e i n g m i s g u i d e d . . . . '

P a s s i n g f r o m o n e s c h o o l r o o m o f P u r g a t o r y to a n o t h e r , D a n t e is s e v e r e l y t e s t e d as t h e t e m p t a t i o n s o f t h e flesh c o m e to h i m in t h e g u i s e o f an a l l u r i n g S i r e n b e f o r e w h o s e l o v e l y a s p e c t D a n t e is e n t r a n c e d . B u t W i s d o m ' s * p u r e ' a n d t r u e v i s i o n c o m e s t o t h e p i l g r i m ' s a id , a n d r e v e a l s t o h i m t h e S i r e n ' s g e n u i n e h i d e o u s a s p e c t b e f o r e w h i c h D a n t e r e c o i l s in h o r r i f i e d d i g u s t .

H a v i n g t r a v e r s e d t h e t e r r a c e s o f t h e p r o u d , t h e e n v i o u s , t h e a v a r i c i o u s a n d t h e g l u t t o n o u s , D a n t e finds that h is p a t h is o b s t r u c t e d b y a w a l l o f flames b e s i d e s w h i c h s tands an a n g e l s i n g i n g : ' B l e s s e d b e t h e p u r e in h e a r t . ' C o n s c i o u s o f t h e t o r r i d h e a t o f t h e fire w h i c h p u r g e s lust , D a n t e r e f u s e s t o e n t e r it , b u t V i r g i l g e n t l y e x p l a i n s to h i m that B e a t r i c e a w a i t s h i m b e y o n d t h e flames. A t th is , D a n t e ' s c o n s e n t is w o n a n d h e f o l l o w s t h e l e a d o f h is f a i t h f u l G u i d e w h o has a l r e a d y p r e c e d e d h i m i n t o t h e fire. A n s w e r i n g B e a t r i c e ' s L o v e - c a l l , D a n t e w i l l i n g l y o f f e rs h i m s e l f t o t h e p u r i f i c a t o r y flames ; w h e r e R e a s o n fa i l s t o p e r s u a d e , L o v e e v e r c o n q u e r s . O n c e w i t h i n t h e fire, D a n t e e x p e r i e n c e s g r e a t su f f e r ing , b u t h e is c o m f o r t e d b y a ' v o i c e w h i c h s ings b e y o n d . ' A f t e r t h e o r d e a l , w h e n D a n t e is g r a n t e d r e s p i t e , h e h a s a d r e a m in w h i c h a b e a u t e o u s m a i d e n n a m e d L e a h s ings o f h e r s e l f a n d h e r fa i r s ister R a c h e l , w h o is c o n t e n t w i t h - s e e i n g ' i n s t e a d o f ' d o i n g ' . T h i s d r e a m is a f o r e s h a d o w i n g o f that r e v e l a t i o n w h i c h w i l l c o m e t o t h e p i l g r i m o f t h e b e a u t y o f b o t h t h e ' a c t i v e ' a n d ' c o n t e m p l a t i v e ' l i f e .

A n d n o w t h e t i m e is at h a n d w h e n V i r g i l , e x e m p l i f y i n g t h e L i g h t o f R e a s o n , m u s t t a k e l e a v e o f D a n t e w h o is n o w a p u r i f i e d s o u l . S o l e m n l y V i r g i l says : ' O v e r t h y s e l f d o I c r o w n a n d m i t r e t h e e . ' H e n c e f o r t h D a n t e m u s t f o l l o w t h e d i c t a t e s o f a h i g h e r p o w e r .

E n t e r i n g t h e f o r e s t o f t h e e a r t h l y p a r a d i s e D a n t e js e n r a p t u r e d b y a v i s i o n in w h i c h h e b e h o l d s t h e sou l ' s p r i s t i n e a n d c h a s t e l o v e l i n e s s . T h i s b e w i t c h i n g l a d y a c c o m p a n i e s h i m as h e f a c e s t h e s a c r e d East , a n d t o g e t h e r t h e y v i e w a s p l e n d i d

p a g e a n t r y in w h i c h a r e t h e s y m b o l i c f o r m s w h e r e b y d i v i n e r e v e l a t i o n c o m e s to t h e s o u l . T h e h i g h l i g h t o f t h e p a g e a n t is w h e n B e a t r i c e a p p e a r s b e f o r e D a n t e ; she w h o r e p r e s e n t s t h e g r a c i o u s sp ir i t o f h e a v e n l y T r u t h . Fu l f i l l ing h e r r o l e , B e a t r i c e p r o v i d e s D a n t e w i t h d e e p e r ins ight i n t o h i s o w n h e a r t , a n d this s e l f - r e v e l a t i o n a ids his i n n e r u n f o l d m e n t . D a n t e t h e n r e c e i v e s i n t i m a t i o n o f h o w c h a o s a n d d i s h a r m o n y c o m e a b o u t . W h e n t h e ' s p i r i t u a l ' s y m b o l i s e d b y t h e C h u r c h , c o v e t s t h e t h i n g s o f t h e w o r l d r e p r e s e n t e d b y I m p e r i a l R o m e , t h e h a r m o n y w h i c h s h o u l d r e i g n b e t w e e n t h e s p i r i t u a l a n d m a t e r i a l w o r l d s is d i s r u p t e d . D a n t e is s h o w n t h e m y s t i c a l c h a r i o t o f t h e C h u r c h t a k e n o v e r b y t h e h a r l o t o f e o v e t o u s n e s s . S h e m a t e s w i t h t h e g i a n t o f u n d i s c i p l i n e d p o w e r , w h o , in o r d e r to possess h e r c o m p l e t e l y , d e t a c h e s t h e c h a r i o t f r o m t h e t r e e w h i c h s igni f ies t e r r e s t r i a l w o r l d o r d e r , a n d b e a r s t h e c h a r i o t a w a y w i t h h i m in to t h e w o o d . I n th is w a y D a n t e l e a r n s that lus t f o r e a r t h l y p o w e r is t h e d o w n f a l l o f t h e s p i r i t u a l in m a n , f o r t h e p u r e sou l is de f i l ed b y t h e u n c l e a n c r a v i n g f o r ' o u t e r t h i n g s ' . T h u s , m a n t r a n s g r e s s e s t h e d i v i n e c o m m a n d : ' R e n d e r t o G o d t h e t h i n g s that a r e G o d ' s , a n d to C a e s a r that w h i c h is C a e s a r ' s . '

A c c o m p a n y i n g B e a t r i c e b e y o n d t h e s h a d o w s o f t h e f o r e s t at n o o n , D a n t e r e j o i c e s in h is c o m p l e t e d p u r g a t i o n . H e l e a v e s t h e e a r t h l e d b y t h e h e a v e n l y sp ir i t o f T r u t h , t o w e n d his w a y t o w a r d s t h o s e c e l e s t i a l s p h e r e s wdi ich l i e b e y o n d t i m e a n d s p a c e . H a v i n g t o i l e d u p w a r d s f r o m t h e d e p t h s o f H e l l , t h r o u g h t h e b l e a k a n d a r d u o u s r o a d o f P u r g a t o r y , D a n t e n o w e x p e r i e n c e s a s i n g i n g in his h e a r t as w i n g s o f d i v i n e G r a c e b e a r h i m t o w a r d s t h e r a d i a n t s tars .

Paradiso

N a t u r a l R e a s o n h a v i n g l e d D a n t e t o e n j o y t h e l o v i n g g u i d a n c e o f B e a t r i c e , t h e m y s t i c a l j o u r n e y o f * m i n d a n d h e a r t ' is c o n t i n u e d , i l l u m i n e d b y t h e L i g h t o f G r a c e .

T h e y e a r n i n g f o r h e a v e n l y t r u t h s q u i c k e n s D a n t e ' s i n n e r b e i n g , a n d as his a b s o r p t i o n in B e a t r i c e ' s l o v e l i n e s s d e e p e n s , h e is e l e v a t e d t o g r e a t e r h e i g h t s o f s p i r i t u a l a w a r e n e s s , a n d

1968 T H E H E A V E N L Y S O N G O F D A N T E 131

w e l c o m e d i n t o t h e ' P e a r l o f E t e r n i t y ' w h i c h is t h e S p h e r e o f t h e M o o n . I n th i s h e a v e n B e a t r i c e e x p o u n d s to D a n t e t h e D i v i n e O r d e r w h i c h r u l e s t h e U n i v e r s e ; h e l e a r n s t h a t t h e i n t e l l e c t ' s s t r i v i n g a f t e r T r u t h is g o o d so l o n g as t h e i n t e l l e c t r e c o g n i s e s its l i m i t a t i ons . I n T r u t h ' s d a z z l i n g , m y s t i c a l s m i l e D a n t e u n d e r s t a n d s that h e r t r u e a s p e c t is e v e r v e i l e d f r o m h u m a n r e a s o n . B e c a u s e t h o s e s o u l s o f t h e b l e s s e d w h o a p p e a r t o D a n t e in t h e M o o n - s p h e r e p o s s e s s n e b u l o u s f o r m s , h e m i s t a k e s t h e m f o r s h a d o w s , f o r w h i c h e r r o r h e is r e b u k e d . D a n t e , l i k e N a r c i ssus w h o t o o k t h e s h a d o w f o r s u b s t a n c e , is m i s l e d b y a p p e a r a n c e s t h r o u g h l a c k of s p i r i t u a l p e r c e p t i o n .

E n t r a n c e d b y that L i g h t w h i c h ' v iv i f i es l o v e , ' D a n t e is t r a n s l a t e d t o t h e S p h e r e of M e r c u r y w h e r e h e is i n s t r u c t e d in t h e s a c r e d n e s s o f v o w s a n d h o w a c t i o n s m a y b e m a r r e d b y s e l f - s e e k i n g .

G u i d e d e v e r i n w a r d s t o t h e r a d i a n t C o r e o f B e i n g , D a n t e r e a l i z e s that t h e sou l s w h i c h h e e n c o u n t e r s in t h e s e h e a v e n l y S p h e r e s are n o t s o j o u r n e r s t h e r e , b u t a r e t h e m s e l v e s b e i n g d r a w n t o w a r d s t h e i r u l t i m a t e d e s t i n y — that o f a t - o n e - m e n t w i t h t h e i r S o u r c e .

A m o n g t h o s e w h o h o l d c o n v e r s e w i t h D a n t e is t h e E m p e r o r J u s t i n i a n w h o r e p r e sents that R o m a n L a w w h i c h h a d as its o r i g i n ' n o t f o r c e b u t d i v i n e r e a s o n . '

A s D a n t e b e c o m e s i n c r e a s i n g l y a w a r e of T r u t h ' s f a i r c o u n t e n a n c e , h e is d r a w n e v e r c l o s e r t o t h e H e a r t D i v i n e . T h e n e x t S p h e r e t o e n f o l d h i m in i r i d e s c e n t s p l e n d o u r is V e n u s , S t a r o f L o v e w h e r e t e m p e r a n c e r e i g n s . H e r e , t h o s e l o v e r s w h o o n c e d i r e c t e d t h e i r l o v e - b e a m s i m p e r f e c t l y n o w e a g e r l y p l a c e t h e i r a n g e l i c h e a r t s u p o n t h e s a c r e d a l tar o f P e r f e c t L o v e .

F r o m V e n u s D a n t e is e l e v a t e d t o t h e S p h e r e o f t h e S u n w h e r e ' t h e y t h a t b e w i s e sha l l s h i n e as t h e b r i g h t n e s s o f t h e f i r m a m e n t . ' M a n t l e d w i t h t h e g o l d e n r a y s o f d i v i n e K n o w l e d g e t h e C h u r c h F a t h e r s a n d T h e o l o g i a n s m a k e t h e m s e l v e s k n o w n to D a n t e . I n t h e i r p r e s e n c e h e e x p e r i e n c e s w o n d e r f u l c a l m a n d e l e v a t i o n o f sp ir i t , a n d as t h e ce l e s t ia l m u s i c o f t h e s p h e r e s v i b r a t e in h i s

s ou l , D a n t e is r a p t in i n n e r a b s o r p t i o n . W h e n h e e m e r g e s f r o m his e c s t a t i c s ta te it is t o r e c e i v e f u r t h e r r e v e l a t i o n s f r o m T r u t h . H e is t a u g h t that S a i n t F r a n c i s s y m b o l i s i n g t h e P a t h o f L o v e , a n d S a i n t D o m i n i c t h e P a t h o f K n o w l e d g e , a r e t h e s e r a p h i c a n d c h e r u b i c sp ir i ts w h i c h f o r m a p e r f e c t u n i t y . T h e l o v i n g h e a r t o f II P o v e r e l l o b l e n d s h a r m o n i o u s l y w i t h t h e b r i l l i a n t i n t e l l e c t o f Sa in t D o m i n i c , f o r T r u t h d i s c l o s e s t h a t t r u e L o v e is w i s e , j u s t as t r u e W i s d o m is l o v e .

E n c o m p a s s e d b y d a z z l i n g L i g h t , D a n t e r e c e i v e s i n i t i a t i o n i n t o t h e S p h e r e o f M a r s , v i v i d s y m b o l o f f o r t i t u d e w h e r e t h e h e r o -saints w h o h a v e b e e n t h e m a r t y r s a n d k n i g h t s o f t h e C h u r c h M i l i t a n t a r e s e e n b y D a n t e . I n t h e h e a v e n l y M a r s t h e t r u e s o l d i e r s o f C h r i s t e m e r g e as t h o s e w h o h a v e v a l i a n t l y s t r i v e n f o r t h i n g s d i v i n e , a n d n o t f o r e a r t h l y p l a c e a n d p o w e r .

T h e b r i l l i a n t g l o r y o f B e a t r i c e ' s e y e s b e s t o w s u p o n t h e l o v e r o f T r u t h a c l e a r e r v i s i o n o f t h e r e a l i t y o f t h i n g s , a n d n o w D a n t e f inds h i m s e l f in t h e S p h e r e o f J u p i t e r w h e r e w i s e a n d J u s t R u l e r s h i p is e x e m p l i f i e d b y t h e R o m a n E a g l e . H e r e , D a n t e ' s t h o u g h t d w e l l s o n t h e r i g h t e o u s n e s s o f t h o s e u p r i g h t s ou l s in w h o m t h e L i g h t o f d i v i n e J u s t i c e b u r n s w i t h a r d e n t f l am e .

D a n t e is n e x t t r a n s l a t e d to t h e S p h e r e of S a t u r n w h e r e h e m e e t s t h o s e asce t i c s w h o s e l i v e s h a v e b e e n d e d i c a t e d t o t h e c a l m a n d d i v i n e p u r s u i t o f ' i n t e r i o r c o n v e r s e ' w i t h t h e i r M a k e r . W r a p p e d in h o l y S i l e n c e , D a n t e is w i t h d r a w n f r o m t h o u g h t a n d p l u n g e d i n t o t h e d e p t h s o f m e d i t a t i o n —-h a v i n g l e f t t h e ' a c t i v e ' b e h i n d , t h e s o u l is r e a d y to e m b r a c e t h e ' c o n t e m p l a t i v e ' l i f e , in t h e H e a r t o f w h i c h l ies t h e u l t i m a t e V i s i o n . F r o m B e a t r i c e , D a n t e l e a r n s t h a t t h e y h a v e r e a c h e d t h e * ' s e v e n t h g l o r y ' , a n d h e b e h o l d s a l a d d e r o f g o l d r e a c h i n g u p w a r d s t o t h e E m p y r e a n b e y o n d . ' B e h o l d a l a d d e r set u p o n t h e e a r t h , a n d t h e t o p o f it r e a c h e d t o h e a v e n , a n d b e h o l d t h e a n g e l s o f G o d a s c e n d i n g a n d d e s c e n d i n g o n i t . 1

H o l y c o n t e m p l a t i o n e n a b l e s g r e a t s o u l s t o a s c e n d th is s a c r e d s t a i r w a y , b u t o u t o f c o m -

i Gen. xxvi i i . 12.


p a s s i o n f o r m a n k i n d t h e s e w i s e o n e s d e s c e n d f r o m t h e h e i g h t s o f B l i s s t o i n s t r u c t w a y w a r d h u m a n i t y .

A p p r o a c h i n g t h e h i g h e s t H e a v e n D a n t e r e c e i v e s i n s t r u c t i o n o n t h e ' v i t a c o n t e m p l a -t i v a ' a n d m e e t s S a i n t B e n e d i c t w h o s y m b o l i zes t h e l u s t r o u s a n d s e r e n e g l o w o f c o n t e m p l a t i o n w h i c h re f lec ts i n n e r p e a c e . F r o m S a i n t B e n e d i c t , D a n t e a c q u i r e s k n o w l e d g e o f t h e E t e r n a l N o w w h i c h r e i g n s in t h e E m p y r e a n w h e r e pas t a n d f u t u r e a r e n o n - e x i s t e n t .

O n w i n g s o f e c s t a s y D a n t e is d r a w n t o t h e S p h e r e o f t h e F i x e d S t a r s w h e r e h e r e c e i v e s a w a r e n e s s o f t h e s o u l ' s d e s t i n y in f o l l o w i n g t h e g u i d a n c e o f t h e d i v i n e L i g h t w i t h i n . F r o m t h e g r e a t h e i g h t o f th is S p h e r e D a n t e ' s c l e a r v i s i o n p i e r c e s t h e s e v e n p l a n e t a r y h e a v e n s b e l o w t o v i e w t h e d e p t h s w h i c h h e h a s l e f t b e h i n d , a n d h e is c o n s c i o u s o f t h e i n s i g n i f i c a n c e o f tha t t r a n s i t o r y se l f o r e g o w h i c h h e o n c e c o n s i d e r e d so i m p o r t a n t . W i t h t h e s i n g l e e y e o f W i s d o m D a n t e p e r c e i v e s t h a t h e a v e n a n d e a r t h b e a r t h e sea l o f d i v i n e G o o d n e s s , f o r it is ' l a d i v i n a b o n t a c h e '1 m o n d o i m p r e n t a . '

I n t h e e i g h t h h e a v e n Dante ; is b l e s s e d w i t h a v i s i o n o f t h e b r i l l i a n t g l o r y a n d m a j e s t y o f C h r i s t , H e o f w h o m it is w r i t t e n : ' C h r i s t t h e p o w e r o f G o d a n d t h e w i s d o m o f G o d . ' 3

D a n t e is a l so s h o w n M a r y , b e l o v e d m y s t i c R o s e in w h o s e c h a s t e a n d f r a g r a n t H e a r t -P a l a c e t h e W o r d m a d e Its a b o d e .

R a i s e d t o g r e a t e r s p i r i t u a l h e i g h t s b y t h e S m i l e o f G r a c e , D a n t e is q u e s t i o n e d b y P e t e r o n m a t t e r s o f F a i t h , a n d b y S a i n t T h o m a s o n H o p e . B e a t r i c e s p e a k s t o h i m o f t h e e g o ' s d e a t h : ' It is t h e g r a c i o u s W i l l o f o u r K i n g t h a t y o u s h o u l d b e h o l d y o u r d e a t h f a c e t o f a c e in t h e s e c r e t i n n e r C h a m b e r . ' D a n t e is a l so t a u g h t t h a t t h e t a s k of e s t a b l i s h i n g o r d e r in t h e U n i v e r s e is e n t r u s t e d t o t h e A n g e l s , t h o s e Messen 'gers o f L o v e w h o p e r f u m e c r e a t i o n w i t h t h e i r h e a v e n l y b r e a t h .

C o n s c i o u s o f an e x p a n s i o n in 1 a w a r e n e s s ', D a n t e is e n r a p t u r e d b y a v i s i o n . H e b e h o l d s t h e s e r e n e f l o w i n g o f t h e R i v e r o f G r a c e , a n d h e is b i d d e n b y B e a t r i c e to d r i n k o f its v i v i f y i n g w a t e r s . A s h e w i l l i n g l y o b e y s h e

r e c e i v e s e n l i g h t e n m e n t w h e r e b y s p i r i t u a l t r u t h s are u n v e i l e d a n d s h o w n in t h e i r p r i s t i n e l i g h t . A s D a n t e ' s v i s i o n u n f o l d s , a l u m i n o u s c i r c l e a p p e a r s , r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e E t e r n a l G l o r y o f t h e d i v i n e P r e s e n c e . B e f o r e t h e p i l g r i m ' s e n t r a n c e d i n n e r g a z e t h e E m p y r e a n r e v e a l s I tse l f in al l its s u p e r n a l s p l e n d o u r u n d e r t h e g u i s e o f a p e r f e c t w h i t e R o s e —• s y m b o l o f D i v i n e L o v e . M u t e w i t h w o n d e r , D a n t e is l e d b y B e a t r i c e i n t o t h e j o y o u s H e a r t o f t h e h e a v e n l y F l o w e r w h e r e b e a u t i f u l s o u l s a p p e a r l i k e s p a r k l i n g l a m p s o f l o v e , t h e i r l i f e a n d m o t i o n d e r i v e d f r o m L i g h t E t e r n a l . F o r t h e p i l g r i m t h e G o a l is n o w in s ight ; h a v i n g f o l l o w e d T r u t h w i t h ' a r d e n t h e a r t a n d i m p l i c i t t rus t , D a n t e ' s s o u l is a b o u t t o b l o s s o m f o r t h i n t o fu l l m a t u r i t y u n d e r t h e m y s t i c i n f l u e n c e o f S a i n t B e r n a r d , s y m b o l o f s u p r e m e e c s t a s y .

B e a t r i c e t h e b e l o v e d , h a s b r o u g h t D a n t e to an u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f l o v e , a n d o b e d i e n c e to T r u t h ; n o w t h e sp i r i tua l w i n g s a r e g r o w n , a n d t h e s o u l is a b o u t t o fly t o w a r d s t h a t w o n d r o u s B e y o n d w h e r e t h e h u m a n t o n g u e a n d m i n d c a n n o t f o l l o w .

A r e v e r e n t h u s h e n v e l o p s t h e s o u l as it is r a i s e d b y L o v e I tse l f t o e n j o y t h e B e a t i fic V i s i o n . F r o m w i t h i n t h e H e a r t o f S i l e n c e , S a i n t B e r n a r d s e n d s f o r t h a H y m n in p r a i s e o f t h e H o l y M o t h e r , i n c o m p a r a b l e V e h i c l e o f G r a c e ; a n d th is B l i s s f u l C a n t o d i s c l o s e s t o D a n t e t h e p e r f e c t i o n o f tha t i m m a c u l a t e W o m b , in w h i c h r e p o s e d t h e C h r i s t - P e a r l o f t h e M o s t H i g h .

A s D a n t e ' s w i l l fuses w i t h U n i v e r s a l L o v e , a p a e a n o f t h a n k s g i v i n g p e a l s f o r t h f r o m his s i n g i n g h e a r t : ' l i k e a w h e e l t h a t s t e a d i l y w h i r l s , so m y w i l l a n d d e s i r e a r e k e p t in e v e n m o t i o n b y that L o v e E t e r n a l w h i c h m a i n t a i n s in d i v i n e h a r m o n y t h e sun a n d t h e s tars . '

D a n t e ' s h e a v e n l y S o n g r e t u r n s to that S t a r r y R e a l m o f L o v e f r o m w h e n c e it c a m e —• b u t t h e r e f r a i n o f th is ce l es t ia l H y m n w i l l e c h o f o r e v e r in t h e h e a r t s o f t h e d e v o u t , ' O B e a u t e o u s O n e , in T h y W i l l a l o n e l ies o u r p e a c e . ' $—_—. _ — — — . .———

2 1 Cor. i; 24

1968 133

THE LISTENERS - SILENCE AND SOUND

By ROBERT HURLEY

" Is t h e r e a n y b o d y t h e r e ? " sa id t h e T r a v e l e r , K n o c k i n g o n t h e m o o n l i t d o o r ;

A n d his h o r s e in t h e s i l e n c e c h a m p e d t h e g r a s s e s O f t h e f o r e s t ' s f e r n y f loor ,

A n d a b i r d f l e w u p o u t o f t h e t u r r e t , A b o v e t h e T r a v e l e r ' s h e a d :

A n d h e s m o t e u p o n t h e d o o r a g a i n a s e c o n d t i m e ; " Is t h e r e a n y b o d y t h e r e ? " h e sa id .

B u t n o o n e d e s c e n d e d to t h e T r a v e l e r ; N o h e a d f r o m t h e l e a f - f r i n g e d sil l

L e a n e d o v e r a n d l o o k e d in to h is g r a y e y e s , W h e r e h e s t o o d p e r p l e x e d a n d st i l l .

B u t o n l y a h o s t o f p h a n t o m l i s t e n e r s T h a t d w e l t in t h e l o n e h o u s e t h e n

S t o o d l i s t e n i n g in t h e q u i e t o f t h e m o o n l i g h t T o that v o i c e f r o m t h e w o r l d o f m e n :

S t o o d t h r o n g i n g t h e f a i n t m o o n b e a m s o n t h e d a r k stair T h a t g o e s d o w n to t h e e m p t y hal f ,

H e a r k e n i n g in an air s t i r red and; s h a k e n B y t h e l o n e l y T r a v e l e r ' s ca l l .

A n d h e f e l t in h is h e a r t t h e i r s t r a n g e n e s s , T h e i r s t i l lness a n s w e r i n g h i s c r y ,

W h i l e h is h o r s e m o v e d , c r o p p i n g t h e d a r k tur f , ' N e a t h t h e s t a r r e d a n d l e a f y s k y ;

F o r h e s u d d e n l y s m o t e o n t h e d o o r , e v e n L o u d e r , a n d l i f t e d h is h e a d : —

" T e l l t h e m I c a m e , a n d n o o n e a n s w e r e d , T h a t I k e p t m y w o r d , " h e sa id .

N e v e r t h e l east st ir m a d e t h e l i s t eners , ^ T h o u g h e v e r y w o r d h e s p a k e

F e l l e c h o i n g t h r o u g h t h e s h a d o w i n e s s o f t h e sti l l h o u s e F r o m t h e o n e m a n l e f t a w a k e :

A y e , t h e y h e a r d his f o o t u p o n t h e s t i r r u p , A n d t h e s o u n d o f i r o n o n s t o n e ,

A n d h o w t h e s i l e n c e s u r g e d s o f t l y b a c k w a r d , W h e n t h e p l u n g i n g h o o f s w e r e g o n e .

( 1 9 1 2 ) — • W A L T E R D E L A M A R E .

^J^HE h o r s e in th is p o e m is l i k e a d u l l s t u d e n t , c h e w i n g g u m . A l l k i n d s o f s t r a n g e

t h i n g s a r e g o i n g o n a r o u n d h i m , b u t h e is o b l i v i o u s ; h e j u s t m o v e s a b o u t , c h a m p i n g t h e grass , w a l k i n g o n s t o n e s a n d so f o r t h . H e is s o m e t h i n g l i k e t h e p o p u l a r i d e a o f t h e p h l e g m a t i c E n g l i s h m a n w h o g o e s a b o u t h is d a i l y af fa irs in t h e o l d w a y , i n d i f f e r e n t t o

w h a t e v e r h a p p e n s in t h e w o r l d o u t s i d e h is o w n . H e r e p r e s e n t s al l t h o s e b e i n g s w h o , p u s h e d a h e a d b y a h u g e iner t ia , d o n o t b o t h e r to " r e s p o n d . "

T h e T r a v e l e r is o n e o f t h o s e a n o n y m o u s f igures w h o c o u l d b e a n y b o d y . H e c o u l d b e a n y o n e in h is j o u r n e y i n g l i f e w h o h a s s t a r t -

134 THE MOUNTAIN PATH April

e d t o ask q u e s t i o n s a n d k n o c k o n d o o r s ; w h o has d r o p p e d his u s u a l w o r l d a n d finds h i m se l f w a n d e r i n g a r o u n d in a n e w e n v i r o n m e n t . B u t h e is o n l y a b e g i n n e r , t o o . H e k n o c k s , b u t a p p a r e n t l y m o r e in d u t y t h a n p r e f e r e n c e . H e d o e s n o t s t a y l o n g a n d s e e m s relieved, a l m o s t , that o n o n e a n s w e r s h is ca l l .

M a y b e h e f e e l s a l a r m e d t o c o m e o n so m u c h s i l e n c e all at o n c e , f o r s i l e n c e is t h e p e c u l i a r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e w o r l d o f th is p o e m , as n o i s e is o f t h e " n o r m a l " w o r l d m o s t o f us i n h a b i t d a i l y . T h e s i l e n c e o f t h e p o e m is n o t " d e a d " s i l e n c e . It h a s p e n e t r a t i n g p o w e r .

T h e s t i l lness ! S i n k i n g in to t h e r o c k s , T h e v o i c e o f t h e c i c a d a .

W e c o u l d s a y that t h e s u b j e c t o f " T h e L i s t e n e r s " is t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f s o u n d a n d s i l e n c e a n d o f t h e m e a n i n g t h a t e a c h g i v e s t o t h e o t h e r . W h e n w e a r e v e r y s i l ent , a n d a s o u n d c o m e s , it c o m e w i t h m e a n i n g i n i t . A l s o , s i l e n c e c o m e s t o l i f e w h e n a s o u n d b r e a k s it. I n t h e m o r n i n g , a c r o w ca l l s a n d w e f e e l t h e p e a c e o f tha t w o r l d o f a ir . W e u n d e r s t a n d t h e p u r i t y o f t h e w a t e r w h e n w e see t h e fish f l oat ing in it .

A n o l d p o n d . A f r o g j u m p s in . T h e s o u n d o f t h e w a t e r !

S i l e n c e a n d s o u n d , e m p t i n e s s a n d f o r m . If t h e r e is n o s i l e n c e , t h e r e is n o s o u n d . I f t h e r e is n o e m p t i n e s s , t h e r e is n o f o r m . A r o o m f u l l o f t h i n g s has n o t m u c h m e a n i n g in it f o r u s , b u t a r o o m w i t h o n l y o n e t h i n g , o r a f e w t h i n g s , d o e s h a v e m e a n i n g . T h e t e a c e r e m o n y r o o m is n o t c l u t t e r e d ; e a c h o b j e c t h a s m e a n i n g b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e o n l y a f e w o b j e c t s a n d e a c h ' h a s a p u r p o s e ; e a c h o b j e c t h a s m e a n i n g , a l so , b e c a u s e t h e p e o p l e a t t e n d i n g t h e c e r e m o n y a r e q u i e t a n d so a l l o w t h e r o o m t o c o m e to its o w n l i f e . T h u s , t h e T r a v e l e r ' s " l o n e l y " c r y h a s a p e c u l i a r s t r e n g t h b e c a u s e it c o m e s in an e n v e l o p e o f s i l e n c e . T h u s a lso , t h e " s o u n d o f i r o n o n s t o n e " at t h e e n d of t h e p o e m . E v e r y p o e m a b o u t s i l e n c e is a l so a p o e m a b o u t s o u n d , e v e r y

c r e a t i v e r e s p o n s e t o f o r m is a r e s p o n s e t o e m p t i n e s s .

T h i s w o r l d o f s i g n i f i c a n c e is a l w a y s p r e sent w i t h i n o u r w o r l d o f b a n a l i t i e s w a i t i n g f o r us to r e c o g n i z e it . In f a c t , t h e w o r l d o f b a n a l i t i e s is t h e w o r l d o f s i gn i f i cance , b u t w e a r e u s u a l l y l i k e t h e h o r s e o f t h e p o e m , a u t o m a t i c a l l y b u s y w i t h o u r ^ f o d d e r , h e a d s b e n t , c o n s c i o u s n e s s a s l e e p , " c h a m p i n g " a w a y b e n e a t h a " s t a r r e d a n d l e a f y s k y . "

B u t s i n c e w e a r e h u m a n b e i n g s , w e h a v e an obligation t o e x p l o r e t h e fields o f b e i n g , to k n o c k o n s t r a n g e , old( d o o r s , in t h e m i d d l e o f n o w h e r e . " T e l l t h e m ; I c a m e — that I kept my word."

T h e T r a v e l e r d o e s n o t r e c e i v e an a n s w e r in w o r d s t o h is k n o c k i n g ; t h e a n s w e r is in t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e s t i l lness o f w a i t i n g f o r an a n s w e r . T h e a n s w e r is t h e s t i l lness . A n d , f o r u s , t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e p o e m is h e r e a b o u t s . W e must k n o c k a n d t h e a n s w e r t o o u r k n o c k i n g m a y b e o n l y s i l e n c e , b u t s u c h a s i l e n c e as w e n e v e r " h e a r d " b e f o r e . P e r h a p s s o m e t h i n g e l se in t h e p o e m is t h e w a y in w h i c h s i l e n c e a n d s o u n d a r e un i f i ed . D o e s it m a t t e r so m u c h w h e t h e r w e c e n t e r o u r s e l v e s o n " f o r m " o r o n " e m p t i n e s s , " o n t h e " I - I " in t h e h e a r t o r o n " c l e a r a w a r e ness ? " T h e y a r e n o t so f a r a p a r t . M a y b e it m a t t e r s m o r e that w e g i v e o u r s e l v e s w h o l e h e a r t e d l y to " l i s t e n i n g " , l i s t e n i n g e i t h e r t o t h e s o u n d o r t h e s i l e n c e , b u t listening, a t t e n d i n g m i n u t e l y to t h e s o u n d s o f o u r l i v e s as t h e y pass t h r o u g h o u r c l e a r c o n s c i o u s n e s s , o r a t t e n d i n g t o t h e o c e a n o f s t i l l ness in w h i c h al l f o r m s a r e a l w a y s s w i m m i n g .

T h e F a t h e r u t t e r e d o n e W o r d ; t h a t W o r d is H i s S o n , a n d h e u t t e r s H i m f o r e v e r in e v e r l a s t i n g s i l e n c e ; a n d in s i l e n c e v ; t h e s o u l h a s t o hear" it .

— S T . J O H N OF THE C R O S S .

W e c o u l d h o p e that t h e T r a v e l e r w i l l k e e p c o m i n g b a c k t o that d o o r to k n o c k o n it a g a i n a n d a g a i n , a n d e a c h t i m e h e w i l l u n d e r s t a n d b e t t e r w h o is k n o c k i n g a n d w h a t k i n d o f an a n s w e r is c o m i n g b a c k to h i m .

1968 135

SHAKESPEARE'S MORALITY PLAYS

T T Is r e m a r k a b l e f o r h o w s h o r t a p e r i o d R e n a i s s a n c e d r a m a n o u r i s h e d in E n g

l a n d . Its r i se , c l i m a x a n d d e c l i n e al l f a l l w i t h i n S h a k e s p e a r e ' s l i f e t i m e . I n his y o u t h M e d i a e v a l m o r a l i t y p l a y s w e r e sti l l b e i n g a c t e d , w h i l e b y t h e e n d o f h is l i f e R e n a i s s a n c e d r a m a w a s d e c a d e n t a l r e a d y a n d t h e t h e a t r e s w e r e s o o n t o b e c l o s e d b y t h e P u r i tans . S h a k e s p e a r e , in f a c t , w a s h i m s e l f t h e c h i e f a r c h i t e c t o f E n g l i s h R e n a i s s a n c e d r a m a . W h a t is s e l d o m r e a l i z e d is tha t h e w a s , at t h e s a m e t i m e , t h e p e r p e t u a t o r o f M e d i a e v a l d r a m a , o r p e r h a p s it w o u l d b e b e t t e r to s a y its last a n d s u p r e m e e x p o n e n t .

L e t us t a k e a l o o k at t h e t w o t y p e s o f d r a m a .

A m o r a l i t y p l a y w a s t h e d r a m a o f a, m a n ' s i n n e r s p i r i t u a l w a r f a r e , l e a d i n g t o h is v i c t o r y o r d e f e a t . T h e c h a r a c t e r s o n t h e s t a g e q u i t e e x p l i c i t l y r e p r e s e n t e d t h e w a r r i n g i n g r e d i e n t s in h i m — g r e e d , p r i d e , h u m i l i t y , f o r t i t u d e a n d so f o r t h , w i t h t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f a n g e l s o n o n e s ide a n d d e v i l s o n t h e o t h e r . T h a t is t o s a y that a t t e n t i o n w a s f o c u s s e d o n w h a t is , f o r e a c h m a n , t h e essent ia l p r o b l e m of his l i f e , w h e t h e r h e k n o w s it o r n o t : n o t o n a n y q u e s t i o n o f s o c i a l a d j u s t m e n t , b u t o n t h e u s e o r m i s u s e o f h i s h u m a n l i f e , t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o r w a s t e o f h is f a c u l t i e s , t h e o r d e r o r c h a o s o f h i s i n n e r e c o n o m y , l e a d i n g to h a r m o n i s a t i o n o r c o r r u p t i o n .

R e n a i s s a n c e d r a m a , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , d e a l t w i t h p u r e l y m u n d a n e t o p i c s , tha t is w i t h q u e s t i o n s o f s o c i a l a d j u s t m e n t , o f t h e r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n m e n a n d w o m e n , f r i e n d s a n d f o e s , s u p e r i o r s a n d i n f e r i o r s , a n d so o n . T h i s t r a d i t i o n , s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d ' h u m a n i s t i c ', has b e e n c o n t i n u e d e v e r s ince . In l i t e r a t u r e , as in e v e r y o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t o f l i f e , t h e R e n a i s s a n c e w a s a t u r n i n g a w a y f r o m a G o d - c e n t r e d to a w o r l d - c e n t r e d a t t i t u d e t o l i f e . I n d r a m a , t h e r e f o r e , it w a s h e n c e f o r t h a m a n ' s h u m a n r e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d w o r l d l y

By H. SEBASTIAN GUBBINS

p o s i t i o n that i n t e r e s t e d p e o p l e , n o l o n g e r his i n n e r s tate . T h e r e h a v e b e e n a f e w e x c e p t i o n s a m o n g t h e g r e a t e s t p o e t s o r d r a m a tists, b u t v e r y f e w — I b s e n in h is ' P e e r G y n t ' , G o e t h e in h is 1 F a u s t ' , T a g o r e in h is • K i n g o f t h e D a r k C h a m b e r '. T h e r e is n o d o u b t t h a t t h e M e d i a e v a l d r a m a is m o r e p r o f o u n d , b u t f o r m o d e r n m a n it is l ess i n t e r e s t i n g . In f a c t it is o n l y a c c e p t a b l e t o h i m if it is d i s g u i s e d u n d e r t h e f o r m o f h u m a n i s t ic d r a m a . T h a t is w h a t S h a k e s p e a r e d i d .

S h a k e s p e a r e w a s in a u n i q u e p o s i t i o n . H e w a s c a p t i v a t e d b y t h e b r i l l i a n c e o f t h e R e n a i s s a n c e , as e v e r y w r i t e r is b y t h e sp i r i t o f h is a g e . H e h e l p e d to m o u l d t h e n e w a g e , as e v e r y g r e a t w r i t e r d o e s . A n d y e t at t h e s a m e t i m e h e w a s i m b u e d w i t h t h e h i g h s e r i o u s n e s s w h i c h a n i m a t e d t h e M e d i a e v a l m i n d a n d its in te res t in t h e u l t i m a t e q u e s t i on , t h e o n l y u l t i m a t e q u e s t i o n , o f w h a t a m a n m a k e s o f h is l i f e , S u b j e c t to th is d u a l c u r r e n t o f i n f l u e n c e , h e w r o t e M e d i a e v a l p l a y s in t h e R e n a i s s a n c e s t y l e , m o r a l i t y p l a y s w i t h r e a l l i v e i n d i v i d u a l s as t h e c h a r a c t e r s in t h e m i n s t e a d o f t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l t y p e s o f M e d i a e v a l d r a m a , b u t m o r a l i t y p l a y s n o n e t h e less . In d o i n g th i s , it m u s t b e r e m e m b e r e d , h e w a s n o t a t t e m p t i n g t o r e v i v e an a b a n d o n e d s t y l e ( n o s u c h a t t e m p t e v e r has r e a l l i f e in it , e v e r r e a l l y s u c c e e d s ) b u t c o n t i n u i n g a t y p e o f d r a m a w h i c h w a s st i l l c u r r e n t , o n l y c l o t h i n g it in t h e s t y l e o f t h e n e w a g e . A n d t h e m e a s u r e o f h is s u c c e s s is that , e v e n t h o u g h d e p r i v e d o f t h e i r t r u e p r o f u n d i t y b y i g n o r a n c e o f s y m b o l i s m a m o n g c r i t i c s , r e a d e r s a n d a u d i e n c e s f r o m his a g e d o w n to o u r s , h is p l a y s h a v e st i l l r e m a i n e d g r e a t .

A c t u a l l y , t h e y g o b e y o n d t h e o r d i n a r y m o r a l i t y p l a y s c u r r e n t in h is y o u t h . T h e s e d e a l w i t h t h e b a t t l e o f l i f e w h i c h e v e r y m a n m u s t w i l l y - n i l l y fight in h i m s e l f , w h e r e a s S h a k e s p e a r e is d e a l i n g w i t h t h e g r e a t s p i r i tua l w a r f a r e d e l i b e r a t e l y e n t e r e d u p o n b y


t h o s e w h o t a k e u p t h e Q u e s t . T h e t r a g e d i e s a r e d r a m a s o f f a i l u r e in t h e Q u e s t , t h e c o m e d i e s o f s u c c e s s .

S o m e S h a k e s p e a r e a n cr i t i c s h a v e o p i n e d that in t h e p e r i o d w h e n h e w a s w r i t i n g t h e g r e a t t r a g e d i e s S h a k e s p e a r e w a s so o p p r e s s e d w i t h t h e t h o u g h t o f h u m a n i n n e r f a i l u r e a n d t r a g e d y t h a t it b r o u g h t h i m c l o s e t o m a d n e s s . T h i s is p r o b a b l y a g r e a t e x a g g e r a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y as s o m e o f h i s c o m e d i e s a l so w e r e w r i t t e n at t h e s a m e t i m e . N e v e r the l ess , t h e s y m b o l i c a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e t r a g e d i e s d o e s s h o w h o w t h e y m u s t h a v e w e i g h e d o n h i m . V e r y f e w o f t h o s e w h o t a k e u p t h e Q u e s t b r i n g it t o a s u c c e s s f u l c o n c l u s i o n . C h r i s t sa id t h a t m a n y a r e c a l l e d b u t f e w a r e c h o s e n . T h e B h a g a v a d G i t a s a y s that o u t o f t h o u s a n d s p e r h a p s o n e is c a l l e d a n d o u t o f t h o u s a n d s w h o a r e c a l l e d p e r h a p s o n e is c h o s e n . T h a t is n o t e v e n o n e in a m i l l i o n . S y m b o l i c a l s tor i es o f t h e Q u e s t s u c h as M a l l o r y ' s 1 M o r t e d ' A r t h u r ' s h o w m a n y d e f e a t e d o r c a p t u r e d a l o n g t h e w a y o r a b a n d o n i n g t h e Q u e s t a n d v e r y few-r e a c h i n g t h e g o a l . T o a y o u n g m a n se t t ing f o r t h as o n e o f a f e l l o w s h i p o f a sp i rants in c o u r a g e a n d h i g h h o p e , as S h a k e s p e a r e m u s t h a v e d o n e , h o w c a n it n o t b e d e p r e s s i n g t o s e e so m a n y f a i l u r e s a l o n g t h e w a y , so f e w h o l d i n g f i r m l y t o t h e p a t h ? B u t n o o n e w i t h t h e flame st i l l b u r n i n g in h is h e a r t c a n a l l o w h i m s e l f t o b e d i s c o u r a g e d . S h a k e s p e a r e d i d n o t . H 6 p e r c e i v e d t h e r a d i a n c e o f t h e g o a l a n d his l a t e r c o m e d i e s w r o t e a g a i n o f its a c h i e v e m e n t .

S u c h s t a t e m e n t s m u s t b e i l l u s t r a t e d b y e x a m p l e s . A c t u a l l y , a g o o d d e a l h a s b e e n w r i t t e n a l r e a d y a b o u t S h a k e s p e a r e a n s y m b o l i s m in The Mountain Path. S i n c e s o m e r e a d e r s m a y n o t h a v e t h e b a c k n u m b e r s t o h a n d , I m a y b e f o r g i v e n f o r q u o t i n g . I n J u l y last y e a r ( t h e i ssue t o w h i c h I first b e c a m e a c o n t r i b u t o r ) t h e r e is a b e a u t i f u l a n a l y s i s o f t h e s y m b o l i s m o f H a m l e t b y S i r G e o r g e T r e v e l y a n

" L e t us l o o k b r i e f l y at t h e t r a g e d y o f H a m l e t as t h e h e r o w h o f a i l e d H e is a h i g h l y s e l f - c o n s c i o u s i n t e l l e c t u a l s u m m o n e d to u n d e r t a k e t h e p a t h o f r e g e n e r a t i o n . H i s task is to t a k e o v e r a k i n g d o m o c c u p i e d b y

a u s u r p i n g m o n a r c h a n d t h e r e b y r e v e n g e his f a t h e r a n d f r e e h is m o t h e r f r o m d o m i n a t i o n b y t h e u s u r p e r . S e e n a l l e g o r i c a l l y , t h e k i n g d o m is h i m s e l f . * S o m e t h i n g is r o t t e n in t h e s tate o f D e n m a r k ' — in h i m s e l f . T h e f a l s e , u n a s p i r i n g a s p e c t o f t h e p e r s o n a l i t y r u l e s , w e d d e d t o h is m o t h e r , tha t is t o t h ? i n s t i n c t u a l n a t u r e w h i c h is d e b a s e d a n d ca l l s f o r r e g e n e r a t i o n . I n i n t e r p r e t i n g a m y t h w e m u s t s e e t h e w h o l e s e t t ing as t h e p e r s o n a l i t y a n d a l l t h e c h a r a c t e r s as t h e m e s o r a s p e c t s o f it . T h e t e m p t a t i o n s a n d t r ia ls r e flect t h e flaws o f c h a r a c t e r t o b e o v e r c o m e . H a m l e t , a u n i v e r s i t y i n t e l l e c t u a l , is s u m m o n e d b y a n e x a l t e d b e i n g f r o m t h e o t h e r w o r l d . H i s n o b l e f a t h e r ' s sp ir i t in a r m s ( t h a t is h is e a r l i e r u n t u t o r e d s p i r i t u a l i n t u i t i o n that w a s o n c e w e d d e d t o h is i n s t i n c t u a l l i f e b e f o r e h e f e l l i n t o s o p h i s t i c a t i o n ) t e l l s h i m o f h is w a r r i o r t a s k t o a v e n g e t h e m u r d e r a n d r e d e e m his d e b a s e d m o t h e r , "

I n t h e f o l l o w i n g i s sue , S i r G e o r g e r e t u r n s w i t h a p r o f o u n d s t u d y o f ' T h e M e r c h a n t o f V e n i c e '. " I n ' T h e M e r c h a n t ' w e s e e t h e r i c h c i t y o f V e n i c e r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e m u n d a n e l e v e l a n d t h e ' b e a u t i f u l m o u n t a i n ' o f B e l m o n t r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e h i g h e r p l a n e o f a w a r e n e s s w h e r e t h e p r i n c e s s P o r t i a l i v e s . Thf p e r s o n a l i t y , B a s s a n i o , h a s t o j o u r n e y t h e r e t o w i n a n d u n i t e w i t h t h e h i g h e r b e i n g in h i m s e l f s y m b o l i s e d b y P o r t i a . " P a r t i c u lar ly t e l l i n g is t h e c o m m e n t o n P o r t i a ' s p a r t ing r e m a r k a f t e r she has p l a y e d t h e j u d g e in t h e l a w s u i t , " P o r t i a , in d i s g u i s e , d e p a r t s w i t h t h e w o r d s : ' I p r a y y o u k n o w m e w h e n w e m e e t a g a i n . ' T h u s s p e a k s t h e h i g h e r S e l f t o e a c h o n e o f u s . "

S y m b o l i s m v a r i e s . T h e r e is n o h a r d a n d fast r u l e . I n ' H a m l e t ' t h e h i g h e r f a c u l t y o f l e v e a n d i n t u i t i o n is s y m b o l i s e d b y O p h e l i a ( a n d S i r G e o r g e T r e v e l y a n r e m i n d s us t h a t h e r v e r y n a m e in G r e e k m e a n s ' a i d ' ) ; i n L e a r it is s y m b o l i s e d b y C o r n e l i a , r e j e c t e d b y L e a r , as O p h e l i a w a s b y H a m l e t . I n t h e O c t o b e r 1966 e d i t o r i a l t h e e d i t o r a l l u d e s b r i e f l y t o th is t r a g e d y . " B u t t h e q u e s t is n o t a l w a y s s u c c e s s f u l . A m a n m a y b a n i s h t h e s i m p l e t r u t h o f i n t u i t i o n , p r e f e r r i n g i n s t e a d t h e d i v e r s i t y a n d flattery o f t h e m i n d — t h e t w o s i s ters . T h e n t h e m i n d i tse l f t u r n s aga ins t h i m , b u t h e f inds that i n t u i t i o n h a s

1968 S H A K E S P E A R E ' S M O R A L I T Y P L A Y S 137

p e r i s h e d a n d c a n n o t b e r e v i v e d . T h e n g r i e f a n d m a d n e s s d r i v e h i m to h is d e a t h . T h a t is t h e t r a g e d y o f L e a r . "

F u r t h e r b a c k , ( h a v i n g b e e n f o r t u n a t e e n c u g h t o a c q u i r e t h e b a c k n u m b e r s ) I f o u n d a f ine a c c o u n t o f t h e a s t r o l o g i c a l s y m b o l i s m o f ' T w e l f t h N i g h t ' b y ' S a g i t t a r i u s ' in A p r i l 1965. " T h e D u k e a n d O l i v i a a r e t h e s u n a n d m o o n . T h e D u k e is l o v e s i c k f o r O l i v i a , b u t a s i c k l y , r o m a n t i c l o v e f o r a b e a u t y h e has n e v e r seen . T h i s r e p r e s e n t s t h e m a n w h o p i n e s n o s t a l g i c a l l y f o r t h e i d e a l s tate o f a l os t c h i l d h o o d o r i m a g i n e d p e r f e c t i o n . N o s u c h s tate c a n b e r e c a p t u r e d . T h e v i r t u a l o r i d e a l p e r f e c t i o n o f c h i l d h o o d c a n n o t b e r e c o v e r e d ; it m u s t b e a c t u a l i s e d . . . . A t t a i n m e n t o f a c t u a l i s e d p e r f e c t i o n is b r o u g h t a b o u t fey t h e ' H e r m e t i c m a r r i a g e ', tha t is b y t h e i n t e r p o s i t i o n o f M e r c u r y b e t w e e n s u n a n d m o o n . M e r c u r y is t h e M e s s e n g e r o f t h e g o d s . H e is e q u a t e d w i t h i n t e l l e c t u a l i n t u i t i o n M e r c u r y a p p e a r s as t h e t w i n s ister a n d b r o t h e r , V i o l a a n d S e bas t ian , w h o i n t e r v e n e b e t w e e n sun a n d m o o n , D u k e a n d O l i v i a . O l i v i a , t h e ' m o o n ', t h e h u m a n n a t u r e o r t e m p e r a m e n t a c c o r d i n g t o a s t r o l o g y , is t h e p e r s o n n e e d i n g t r e a t m e n t . ITer h o u s e h o l d ( h o r o s c o p e ) is in a t e r r i b l e s tate o f d i s a r r a y . S i r T o b y B e l c h is t h e v e r y p i c t u r e o f a d e g e n e r a t e J u p i t e r — h i s e x p a n -s i v e n e s s d e g e n e r a t e d in to g l u t t o n y , h i s m a g n a n i m i t y i n t o b o a s t f u l n e s s , h is g r a n d e u r i n t o r i o t o u s n e s s . H e is in c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h M a r s , Sir A n d r e w A g u e c h e e k , in T a u r u s ( a s h e h i m s e l f s a y s ) . T a u r u s , it w i l l b e r e m e m b e r e d , is t h e ' d e t r i m e n t ' o f M a r s , w h e r e h e is apt t o b e q u a r r e l s o m e b u t c o w a r d l y , w h i c h is j u s t w h a t S i r A n d r e w w a s . M a l v o l i o , a h y p o c r i t i c a l P u r i t a n , s c h e m i n g a n d c o l d l y a m b i t i o u s , is j u s t as m u c h a c a r i c a t u r e o f S a t u r n as S i r T o b y is o f J u p i t e r o r S i r

A n d r e w o f M a r s W i t h b r i l l i a n t w i t a n d t e c h n i q u e t h e t w i n s a r e i n t r o d u c e d i n t o th i s m e n a g e a n d r e s t o r e o r d e r i n t o it b y a c c o m p l i s h i n g t h e • H e r m e t i c M a r r i a g e ' , t h e m a l e t w i n w e d d i n g O l i v i a a n d t h e f e m a l e t h e Duke , , w h i l e t h e d i s o r d e r e d 1 p l a n e t s ' a r e d i s c i p l i n e d a n d b r o u g h t t o o r d e r . " .

L e t u s n o w l o o k at a n o t h e r o f S h a k e s p e a r e ' s p l a y s , ' J u l i u s C a e s a r '. R o m e i tse l f m u s t b e r e g a r d e d as t h e p e r s o n b e i n g

s t u d i e d . It has f a l l e n i n t o a s tate o f c o n f u s ion . C a e s a r t a k e s o v e r c o n t r o l , b u t h e r e p r e s e n t s r a t h e r t h e o v e r w e e n i n g e g o t h a n t h e e n l i g h t e n e d s o u l . T h i s is m a d e c l e a r at t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g w h e n h e l a m e n t s h is c h i l d l e s s n e s s . T h e s o n is t h e n a t u r a l s y m b o l o f t h e r e g e n e r a t e se l f ; b u t it is o n l y t h e pur i f i ed s o u l that h a s a s o n in th is s e n s e , n o t t h e e g o . F u r t h e r m o r e C a e s a r , b e f o r e h i s assass inat ion , s h o w s h i m s e l f e a s i l y s w a y e d , first o n e w a y b y his w i f e a n d t h e n t h e o t h e r b y a f la t terer ; a n d y e t at t h e s a m e t i m e h e b o a s t s o f b e i n g as i m m o v a b l e as t h e p o l e star ( a s t h e t r u e S e l f w o u l d b e ) .

I could be well moved if I were as you ; If I could pray to move , prayers would

m o v e me ; But I am constant as the northern star. Of whose true fix'd and resting quality There is no fe l low in the firmament. The skies are painted with unnumber 'd sparks, They are all fire and every one doth shine, But there's but one in all doth hold his place : So in the w o r l d ; 'tis furnished wel l with men, And men are flesh and blood, and

apprehensive ; Yet in the number I do know but one That unassailable holds on his rank, Unshak'd of motion : and that I am he.

T h i s is t h e w o r s t t y r a n n y : t h e e g o c l a i m ing t o b e t h e Se l f . A m a n ' s f a c u l t i e s r e v o l t aga ins t i t , r e j e c t t h e d i s c i p l i n e u n j u s t i f i a b l y i m p o s e d u p o n t h e m — assass inate C a e s a r .

B r u t u s is t h e r a t i o n a l m i n d , h o n e s t b u t e a s i l y d u p e d . C a e s a r h a s t w o m a i n d e p e n d ents — A n t o n y , t h e r o i s t e r o u s , p a s s i o n a t e , s e l f - i n d u l g e n t n a t u r e , a n d B r u t u s , t h e r a t i o n a l m i n d ; a n d w h e n t h e art i f ic ia l r i g o u r o f t h e e g o is r e j e c t e d it is A n t o n y w h o w i n s . B r u t u s s p e a k s t o t h e p e o p l e in p r o s e a n d m a k e s n o i m p r e s s i o n ; A n t o n y i n f l a m e s t h e m aga ins t h i m .

H a d C a e s a r b e e n t h e t r u e r u l e r , n o t a u s u r p e r , B r u t u s w o u l d h a v e s e r v e d h i m a n d a l l b e e n w e l l ; b u t t h e m i n d c a n n o t s t a n d a l o n e . H a v i n g d i s a p p r o v e d o f C a e s a r , B r u tus lets h i m s e l f b e s w a y e d b y t h e j e a l o u s , m a l i c i o u s , r e s e n t f u l t e n d e n c y t h a t is C a s s i u s . T h u s h e l o s e s h i s i n t e g r i t y . A l t h o u g h h e r e f u s e s t o a c q u i r e f u n d s b y d i s h o n e s t m e a n s ,

138 April T H E M O U N T A I N P A T H

I n p o i n t o f f a c t a k n o w l e d g e o f t h e t h e o r y o r p r i n c i p l e s o f z a z e n is -not a p r e r e q u i s i t e t o p r a c t i c e . O n e w h o t ra ins u n d e r an a c c o m p l i s h e d t e a c h e r w i l l u n d o u b t e d l y g r a s p th is t h e o r y as h is p r a c t i c e r i p e n s . M o d e r n s t u d e n t s , h o w e v e r , b e i n g i n t e l l e c t u a l l y m o r e s o p h i s t i c a t e d t h a n t h e i r p r e d e c e s s o r s in Z e n , w i l l n o t f o l l o w i n s t r u c t i o n s u n r e s e r v e d l y ; t h e y m u s t k n o w t h e r e a s o n b e h i n d t h e m . H e n c e I f e e l o b l i g e d t o d e a l w i t h t h e o r e t i c a l m a t t e r s . T h e d i f f i cu l ty w i t h t h e o r y , h o w e v e r , is tha t it is e n d l e s s . B u d d h i s t s c r i p t u r e s , B u d d h i s t d o c t r i n e a n d B u d d h i s t p h i l o s o p h y a r e n o m o r e t h a n i n t e l l e c t u a l f o r m u l a t i o n s o f z a z e n , a n d z a z e n is t h e i r p r a c t i c a l d e m o n s t r a t i o n .

— Y A S U T A N I R O S H I q u o t e d b y P h i l i p K a p l e a u in The Three Pillars of Zen, p . 27 .

A s r i v e r s h a v e t h e i r s o u r c e in s o m e f a r off f o u n t a i n , so t h e h u m a n sp ir i t h a s i ts s o u r c e . T o f ind th is f o u n t a i n o f sp ir i t is t o l e a r n t h e s e c r e t o f h e a v e n a n d e a r t h . I n th is f o u n t a i n o f m y s t e r y sp ir i t is e t e r n a l l y p r e sent in e n d l e s s s u p p l y . A n y o n e c a n ava i l h i m s e l f o f it f o r t h e r e f r e s h m e n t a n d u n f o l d i n g g r e a t n e s s o f h is o w n sp ir i t b y t h e e a r n e s t p r a c t i c e o f c o n c e n t r a t i o n , b u t t o d o so h e m u s t d e v o t e h i m s e l f t o t h e e f f o r t w i t h a s t i l l ed m i n d a n d s e n s i t i v e e x p e c t a n c y .

; — T A O - T E - K I N G .

h e h a s t o a c q u i e s c e i n C a s s i u s d o i n g so , s i n c e o t h e r w i s e t h e a r m y c o u l d n o t b e h e l d t o g e t h e r . T h e m i n d m a y d i s a p p r o v e o f t h e e g o b u t c a n n o t r u l e w i t h o u t it , c a n n o t r e p l a c e it . T h e f a i l u r e o f B r u t u s is s u m m e d u p in a w i s e s a y i n g w h i c h is u n w i s e b e c a u s e u n t i m e l y : ,

There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

W h e n B r u t u s s p o k e so w i s e l y h e h a d a l r e a d y m i s s e d t h e t i d e . T h a t , t h e p o i n t o f h i g h t i d e , w a s w h e n h e a d d r e s s e d t h e R o m a n s a f t e r C a e s a r ' s d e a t h a n d a l l o w e d

A n t o n y t o c a p t u r e t h e m f r o m h i m . C a e s a r c o u l d n o t s t a n d w i t h o u t h i m , t h e r e b e l s c o u l d n o t r e b e l w i t h o u t h i m , b u t n e i t h e r c o u l d h e s t a n d a l o n e . T h e m i n d m u s e b e g r o u n d e d in i n t u i t i o n .

A t t h e e n d o f t h e p l a y , in p l a c e o f t h e g r a n d i o s e C a e s a r a n d t h e h o n o u r a b l e i d e a l i s t ic B r u t u s w e h a v e t h e s e l f - i n d u l g e n t A n t o n y a l l i e d w i t h t h e c o l d , s c h e m i n g O c t a -v i u s — a d e s c e n t f r o m a s p i r i n g t h o u g h u n e n l i g h t e n e d y o u t h to c a u t i o n b u t e g o i s t i c m i d d l e a g e . W h e n t h e y o u n g m a n w h o t h o u g h t h e c o u l d s h a k e t h e w o r l d a n d d i d n o t k n o w h e w a s an e g o i s t r e n o u n c e s h is a m b i t i o n s , t h e n e x t c a s u a l t y is h is i d e a l i s m a n d m e n t a l i n t e g r i t y .

Gary Snyder

R E G A R D I N G WAVE

The voice of the Dharma

the voice

now

A shimmering bell through all.

Every hill, still. Every tree alive. Every leaf. All the slopes flow.

old woods, new seedlings, tall grasses plumes.

Dark hollows; peaks of light. wind stirs the cool side

Each leaf living. All the hills.

The Voice is a wife

to

him still.

140 April

THE YAKSHA PRASNA From THE MAHABHARATA (contd. from the last issue)

(Based largely on the annotated edition of K. Balasubramania Iyer published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.)

Yaksha

38 . W h o is t h e g u e s t o f a l l b e i n g s ? 39. W h a t is t h e e t e r n a l d h a r m a ? 40 . W h a t is a m r i t a , G r e a t K i n g ? 4 1 . W h a t is th is w h o l e u n i v e r s e ?

This is one of the most difficult set of questions. It is not included in the text of the Mahabharata published by the Bhandarkar Institute, Pokma, but only referred to in a note as being given in other editions. Various interpretations have been suggested.

Y.udhishtira

38. A g n i ( f i r e ) is t h e g u e s t o f all b e i n g s . 39. S o m a is t h e e t e r n a l d h a r m a . 40 . C o w ' s m i l k is a m r i t a . 4 1 . V a y u ( a i r o r w i n d ) is this w h o l e u n i

v e r s e .

Fire was the guest of all in that a sacrificial fire had to be maintained in every household for the performance of sacrifice. Symbolically, fire is the aspiration in the heart of man and therefore the divine guest.

The sacrifice demanded by dharma required oblation of soma into the sacred fire. Symbolically, soma was the intuition or ecstasy offered to the fire of aspiration.

Amrita or nectar stands for ecstasy; the true ecstasy is not inebriation but the sober, substantial wisdom symbolised by milk.

Vayu is referred to in the Upanishads as the outer form of Brahman, since it pervades everything.

1968 141

Yaksha 42 . W h a t is it that t r a v e l s a l o n e ? 43 . W h a t is b o r n a g a i n ? 44 . W h a t is t h e a n t i d o t e t o s n o w o r f o g ? 45 . W h a t is t h e g r e a t r e c e p t a c l e ?

Yudhishtira 42 . T h e s u n t r a v e l s a l o n e . 43 . T h e m o o n is b o r n a g a i n . 44 . F i r e is t h e a n t i d o t e t o s n o w o r f o g . 45 . T h e e a r t h is t h e g r e a t r e c e p t a c l e .

When the phenomenal world composed of Vayu (in the last of the previous set of questions) disappears, Atma (the sun) remains. Atma (the siin) remains alone, while the mind (the moon) is born again, as the world is projected forth by it. The world thus projected is enveloped in the fog or snow of avidya (ignorance). This is dispersed by the fire of knowledge. The earth stands for nature.

Yaksha 46. W h a t is t h e so l e w a y t o d h a r m a ? 47 . W h a t is t h e so l e m e a n s to f a m e ? 48. W h a t a l o n e l e a d s t o h e a v e n ? 49 . W h a t is t h e o n e s o u r c e o f h a p p i n e s s ?

Yudhishtira 46. I n t e g r i t y is t h e so l e w a y o f d h a r m a . 47 . G i v i n g is t h e so l e m e a n s t o f a m e . 48. T r u t h a l o n e l e a d s t o h e a v e n . 49 . C h a r a c t e r is t h e o n l y s o u r c e o f h a p p i

ness .

Yaksha 50. W h o is t h e sel f o f a m a n ? 51 . W h o is t h e f r i e n d b e s t o w e d o n h i m b y

d e s t i n y ? 52 . W h a t h e l p s t o sus ta in h i m ? 53. W h a t is h is b e s t r e s o r t ?

Yudhishtira 50. A m a n ' s s o n is h is se l f 51 . H i s w i f e is t h e f r i e n d b e s t o w e d o n h i m

b y d e s t i n y . 52 . R a i n h e l p s to sus ta in h i m 53. G i v i n g is h is b e s t r e s o r t .

A son performed the ritual for a man's posthumous welfare. Symbolically the son stands for the

new life in one who has been ' born again of the Spirit'.

Yaksha 54. W h a t is t h e b e s t o f t h i n g s p r a i s e

w o r t h y ? 55 . W h a t is t h e g r e a t e s t w e a l t h ? 56. W h a t is t h e g r e a t e s t g a i n ? 57. W h a t is t h e g r e a t e s t h a p p i n e s s ?

Yudhishtira 54. I n t e g r i t y is t h e b e s t o f t h i n g s p r a i s e

w o r t h y . 55 . L e a r n i n g is t h e g r e a t e s t w e a l t h 56. H e a l t h is t h e g r e a t e s t g a i n . 57. C o n t e n t m e n t is t h e g r e a t e s t h a p p i n e s s .

Yaksha 58. W h a t is t h e h i g h e s t d h a r m a in t h e

w o r l d ? 59. W h a t is t h e d h a r m a w h i c h a l w a y s

b e a r s f ru i t ? 60. C o n t r o l o f w h a t s e c u r e s o n e f r o m

gr i e f ? 61 . W i t h w h o m d o e s a s s o c i a t i o n n o t c o m e

t o an e n d ?

Yudhishtira 58. U n i v e r s a l b e n e v o l e n c e is t h e h i g h e s t

d h a r m a . 59. V e d i c d h a r m a a l w a y s b e a r s f ru i t . 60. C o n t r o l o f m i n d s e c u r e s o n e f r o m gr ie f . 61 . A s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e g o o d n e v e r c o m e s

to an e n d .

Neelakantha, the traditional commentator, suggests that the first of these questions implies that the highest dharma is that of the sannyasin, since he is not required to do harm to any.

He Holds the second reply to mean pranava, the use of the mantra OM.

Control of the mind, he says, leads to the Atma, which is beyond grief.

By ' association with the good9 he understands Sat Sangh, the association with the Enlightened, which even death does not terminate.

(This dialogue will be continued in our next issue)

HOW I CAME TO BHAGAVAN April

J T w a s in t h e y e a r 1928 o r m a y b e 1929. I w a s e m p l o y e d at C h e t p u t , a t o w n s h i p

30 m i l e s f r o m T i r u v a n n a m a l a i . M y o n l y f r i e n d a n d c o n s t a n t c o m p a n i o n t h e r e w a s D r . V . R a m a k r i s h n a I y e r , a v e r s a t i l e m a n o f p a r t s , r a t h e r r e l i g i o u s b u t n o t o f t h e o r t h o d o x t y p e , v e r y g e n i a l a n d e n t e r t a i n i n g , o n e w h o m I w o u l d n o w d e e m a ' p u r u -s h o t t a m a ' ( b e s t o f m e n ) , a f r i e n d , p h i l o s o p h e r a n d g u i d e as h e s u b s e q u e n t l y p r o v e d to b e . I w a s j u s t t h e o p p o s i t e in m y m a k e - u p , an o u t a n d b u t s c e p t i c w i t h n o r e l i g i o n in m e , scof f ing in m y r e f e r e n c e s t o S a d h u s , S a n n y a s i s a n d S w a m i s w h o m I c o n s i d e r e d i m p o s t o r s a n d p a r a s i t e s o n s o c i e t y , w h o e x p l o i t e d t h e c r e d u l o u s f o l k f o r p e r s o n a l e n d s , a n d a c c e p t e d t h e i r h o m a g e a n d h e r o -w o r s h i p as t h o u g h t h e y w e r e s u p e r i o r t o o r d i n a r y m e n . D r . R a m a k r i s h n a I y e r is t h e s o n o f t h e l a t e L a k s h m i A m m a l , a f r i e n d a n d p l a y m a t e o f S r i B h a g a v a n in h i s b o y h o o d d a y s at T i r u c h u z h i t o w h i c h p l a c e s h e a lso b e l o n g e d . H e w a s t h e r e f o r e w e l l a c q u a i n t e d w i t h B h a g a v a n a n d w a s an o c c a s i o n a l v i s i t o r to Sr i R a m a n a s r a m a m . H e o n c e a s k e d m e to g o t o T i r u v a n n a m a l a i w i t h h i m d u r i n g t h e f e s t i v a l o f K a r t h i g a i D e e p a m . A l t h o u g h I d i s l i k e d t h e c r o w d s a n d t h e i n s a n i t a r y c o n d i t i o n o f t h e t o w n a n d t h e p o m p a n d p a g e a n t r y o f t h e t e m p l e f e s t i v a l h a d n o a t t r a c t i o n f o r m e , I a g r e e d , n o t w i s h ing t o h u r t his f e e l i n g s , b u t r e q u e s t e d t o b e l e f t w i t h m y p a r e n t s w h o h a d g o n e f o r t h e f e s t i v a l a n d w e r e s t a y i n g in t h e t o w n , w h i l e h e w e n t t o t h e A s r a m a m in s e a r c h o f h is f a v o u r i t e p u r s u i t s . H e a g r e e d a n d t o o k m e t o t h e p l a c e w h e r e t h e y w e r e s t a y i n g , b u t o n s e e i n g t h e n u m b e r o f f a m i l i e s h u d d l e d in a s m a l l h o u s e I t o l d m y f r i e n d : " D o c t o r , I c a n n o t s t a y h e r e . T h e r e is n o t e v e n b r e a t h i n g s p a c e . Y o u r A s r a m a m w i l l h a v e p l e n t y o f o p e n air a n d s u n s h i n e a n d s h a d e o f t r e e s . I w o u l d r a t h e r g o t h e r e a n d s t a y o u t s i d e w h i l e y o u g o in a n d h a v e y o u r w a y . " H e sa id , ' y e s ' a n d t o o k m e to t h e A s r a m a m a m i l e o r so f r o m t h e t o w n . O n t h e w a y I r e p e a t e d m y

By R. NARAYANA IYER*

o p i n i o n o f t h e s o - c a l l e d h o l y m e n a n d s a i d to h i m : " I w i l l n o t c o m e in o r j o i n in a n y o f y o u r ' t o m f o o l e r y '. I f b y c h a n c e I m e e t y o u r 1 S w a m i ' I w i l l n o t p r o s t r a t e b e f o r e h i m . I m e a n n o insu l t b u t c a n n o t d o w h a t is aga ins t m y c o n v i c t i o n . I d o n ' t b e l i e v e t h a t a n y m a n , h o w e v e r g r e a t , has a r i g h t t o a c c e p t t h e h o m a g e o f o t h e r s , j u s t b e c a u s e h e has l e a r n e d t o m e m o r i s e a n d q u o t e s c r i p t u r e s o r s a c r e d l o r e . " W i t h th is w a r n i n g t o m y f r i e n d w e c a m e to t h e A s r a m a m . I t t h e n c o m p r i s e d j u s t t h r e e t h a t c h e d s h e d s , a l i t t l e a w a y f r o m t h e r o a d , w h i c h o n e c o u l d r e a c h b y a n a r r o w f o o t - p a t h a m o n g s t t h o r n s a n d b u s h e s .

W e w a l k e d in . A m a n in a w h i t e l o i n c l o t h , a t o w e l s u s p e n d e d o n h i s s h o u l d e r , a kamandalu ( w a t e r p o t ) in o n e h a n d a n d a w a l k i n g s t i ck in a n o t h e r , s t o p p e d in h i s w a l k in t h e o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n o n s e e i n g u s . T h e

* A retired Sub-Registrar and an old devotee, introduced to our readers in our previous issue ; January '68, p. 83.

1968 143

D o c t o r h a s t e n e d his s teps a n d I s l o w l y f o l l o w e d . T h e d o c t o r w a s g r e e t e d v e r y k i n d l y a n d w a s a s k e d a b o u t t h e w e l f a r e o f h is m o t h e r a n d b r o t h e r . It m u s t b e t h e M a h a rshi , t h o u g h t I, b u t I d i d n ' t l o o k u p as h e w a s a c o m p l e t e s t r a n g e r t o m e . T h e n I h e a r d m y f r i e n d s a y i n g : " T h i s is t h e S u b -R e g i s t r a r o f C h e t p u t . " O u t o f c o u r t e s y I l o o k e d at h i m . W h a t a w o n d e r f u l f a c e a n d w h a t a w e l c o m i n g s m i l e ! B e w i t c h i n g , f a s c i n a t i n g a n d a p o w e r f u l l o o k t o o !

I n a m o m e n t I w a s at h is f e e t o n t h e g r a v e l g r o u n d ! I s o o n r e g a i n e d m y s e l f -p o s s e s s i o n a n d f e l t a s h a m e d . " I s h o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n so h a s t y in e x p r e s s i n g m y v i e w s t o t h e D o c t o r " , t h o u g h t I. T w o p e r s o n s w h o m I h a d s e e n b e f o r e h a d i m p r e s s e d m e w i t h t h e i r p o w e r f u l p e r s o n a l i t y — M a h a t m a G a n d h i a n d R a b i n d r a n a t h T a g o r e . " T h i s p e r s o n s u r p a s s e s t h e m " , sa id I t o m y s e l f , " n o b o g u s , l o o k s g e n u i n e . Y e t I m u s t find o u t f r o m h i m a b o u t h is g r e a t n e s s a n d h o w h e is e n t i t l e d t o t h e h o m a g e o f o t h e r s a n d h o w h e a c c e p t s it. H a s h e s o l v e d t h e m y s t e r y o f l i f e , t h e u n i v e r s e that w e see a r o u n d ? If n o t I w i t h d r a w m y h o m a g e a n d g o m y w a y . " W i t h a p l e a s i n g s m i l e h e sa id : " Y o u h a v e a c o u p l e o f d a y s ' l e a v e , is it n o t so ? Y o u c a n s t a y in t h e A s r a m a m . I w i l l b e t h e r e in a f e w m i n u t e s . " I d a r e d n o t s a y a n y t h i n g . I w a s d a z e d . S o o n I r e c o v e r e d a n d w a n t e d t o find o u t i f h e h a d w r i t t e n a n y b o o k . I g o t a c o p y o f ' R e a l i t y in F o r t y V e r s e s ' in T a m i l , j u s t p u b l i s h e d . I t r i e d t o r e a d t h e first s tanza . I c o u l d n o t f o l l o w . T h e w o r d s ulladu s e e m e d t o o c l o s e l y p a c k e d a n d s o m e h o w j u m b l e d t o g e t h e r t o f o r m a s tanza . I w a s f l a b b e r g a s t e d . " W h a t " , t h o u g h t I, " c a n h e n o t s a y w h a t h e h a s t o s a y in s o m e i n t e l l i g i b l e l a n g u a g e ? " . S o m e o n e n e a r b y sa id that it h a d b e e n a r r a n g e d that t h e M a h a r s h i h i m se l f w o u l d e x p l a i n t o us t h e F o r t y V e r s e s t h a t n i g h t . I p r e v a i l e d u p o n m y f r i e n d t o p r o l o n g o u r v is i t . T h i s t i m e it w a s his t u r n t o b e flabbergasted.

In a n x i o u s a n d e a g e r s u s p e n s e I w a i t e d f o r t h e n i g h t . T h e M a h a r s h i sat o n a r a i s e d pial or da is i n s i d e a s h e d c o n t a i n i n g his m o t h e r ' s samadhi ( g r a v e ) . A p p a r e n t l y h e u s e d t o r e m a i n m o s t o f t h e t i m e t h e r e . N i g h t c a m e . A b o u t ha l f a d o z e n o f us w e r e s e a t e d o n t h e g r o u n d b e f o r e h i m . A s o l e m n st i l lness p e r v a d e d t h e air . T h e r e w a s a b s o l u t e s i l e n c e , e x c e p t f o r a n o c c a s i o n a l c h i r p i n g o f a b i r d o r t h e h o o t i n g o f an o w l . T h e M a h a r s h i r e a d t h e first s tanza . T h e m e r e r e a d i n g o f t h e s tanza m a d e t h e m e a n i n g as s i m p l e as s i m p l i c i t y i tse l f ! T h e w o r d ulladu w a s j u s t u s e d in t h e s e n s e o f B e i n g o r R e a l i t y , as n o u n , v e r b a n d a d j e c t i v e . S t a n z a b y s tanza h e r e a d a n d e x p l a i n e d in a v o i c e that w a s so s w e e t a n d m e l o d i o u s a n d c o m i n g as t h o u g h f r o m ' s o m e w h e r e '. T h e c l i m a x c a m e . E x p l a i n i n g o n e v e r s e h e sa id : " G o d c a n n o t b e s e e n w i t h o u r e y e s o r k n o w n b y o u r s e n s e p e r c e p t i o n s . T h i s is w h a t is m e a n t b y s a y i n g : T O SEE GOD IS TO BECOME G O D . "

O n e m a n f r o m t h e s m a l l a u d i e n c e , a s t a l w a r t p e r s o n w i t h a s e v e r e e x p r e s s i o n n a m e d D a n d a p a n i s w a m i , i n t e r p o s e d : " Is B h a -g a v a n s a y i n g th is o u t o f p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e ? "

T h e q u e s t i o n a s k e d b l u n t l y w i t h s u c h n a i v e t e w a s a n s w e r e d w i t h e q u a l c a n d o u r : " E l s e w o u l d I d a r e t o s a y so ? " E n o u g h . It set m e f u r i o u s l y t h i n k i n g a n d p u t t i n g t w o a n d t w o t o g e t h e r ; w h a t t a k e s so m u c h t i m e t o t h i n k flashed u p o n m e in a m o m e n t . T o see God is to become God. G o d c a n n o t b e k n o w n b y o u r s e n s e f a c u l t i e s . T h e o n l y w a y w a s t o b e c o m e G o d . I f H e w h o m al l r e l i g i o n s a c c l a i m to b e G o d w e r e t o appear , b e f o r e o n e in flesh a n d b l o o d , H E R E H E I S . M y b o d y e x p e r i e n c e d a t h r i l l f r o m s o m e w h e r e d e e p d o w n in m e . Y e t a n o t h e r — a g a i n a n d a g a i n , thr i l l a f t e r thr i l l q u i v e r e d a n d s h o o k m y f r a m e . I w e n t o u t t o c o m p o s e m y s e l f .

I CAME, HE SAW, HE CONQUERED.

T h a t w h i c h is c a l l e d t h e C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n e x i s t e d a m o n g t h e a n c i e n t s a n d has n e v e r n o t e x i s t e d f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e h u m a n r a c e unt i l C h r i s t c a m e in t h e flesh, at w h i c h t i m e t h e t r u e r e l i g i o n , w h i c h a l r e a d y e x i s t e d , b e g a n t o b e c a l l e d C h r i s t i a n i t y . — S T . A U G U S T I N E .

The Bhagavad Gita •

CHAPTER TWELVE

Translated by Prof. G. V. KULKARNI and ARTHUR OSBORNE

1 A r j u n a sa id :

O f t h o s e d e v o t e e s w h o s t e a d i l y m e d i t a t e u p o n y o u in th is m a n n e r ( i . e . w i t h f o r m s a n d a t t r i b u t e s ) a n d t h o s e w h o m e d i t a t e u p o n t h e I m p e r i s h a b l e , t h e U n m a n i f e s t , w h o are b e t t e r v e r s e d in y o g a ?

2

B h a g a v a n r e p l i e d :

T h o s e w h o f i x ing t h e i r m i n d s o n M e m e d i ta te o n M e w i t h s t e a d f a s t n e s s a n d w h o h a v e s u p r e m e fa i th , I d e e m to b e t h e h i g h e s t a m o n g y o g i n s .

3 - 4 T h o s e w h o s t e a d f a s t l y m e d i t a t e o n t h e

I m p e r i s h a b l e , t h e I n d e s c r i b a b l e , t h e U n m a n i f e s t , I m m u t a b l e , O m n i p r e s e n t , t h e U n t h i n k a b l e , s t a b l e a n d I m m o v a b l e , E t e r n a l , — h a v i n g t h e i r senses u n d e r c o n t r o l , e v e n -m i n d e d u n d e r al l c i r c u m s t a n c e s , e n g a g e d in t h e w e l f a r e o f a l l b e i n g s — t h e y r e a c h o n l y M e .

5 M o r e di f f icult is t h e t a s k o f t h o s e w h o s e

m i n d s a r e set o n t h e U n m a n i f e s t ; t h e G o a l , t h e U n m a n i f e s t , is h a r d t o a t ta in f o r t h e e m b o d i e d b e i n g s .

1968 T H E B H A G A V A D G I T A 145

6 -7

B u t t h o s e w h o s u r r e n d e r i n g al l a c t i o n s t o M e , m e d i t a t e u p o n M e a n d s w o r s h i p M e w i t h s i n g l e - m i n d e d d e v o t i o n , w h o s e h e a r t s a r e fixed o n M e , I s p e e d i l y r e s c u e f r o m t h e o c e a n o f d e a t h - b o u n d e d s a m s a r a .

8

F i x y o u r t h o u g h t o n M e a l o n e , c e n t e r y o u r m i n d a n d r e a s o n o n M e . T h e n , w i t h o u t d o u b t , y o u w i l l a b i d e in M e .

9

If y o u c a n n o t fix y o u r m i n d s t e a d i l y o n M e , . O h D h a n a n j a y a , t h e n s e e k t o r e a c h M e b y t h e y o g a o f c o n s t a n t p r a c t i c e ( A b h y a s a -y o g a ) .

10

I f y o u a r e u n a b l e to p r a c t i c e that y o g a e i t h e r , t h e n p r a c t i c e p e r f o r m i n g a c t i o n s f o r M y s a k e . T h i s w i l l h e l p y o u t o at ta in p e r f e c t i o n .

11

I f y o u a r e u n a b l e t o d o e v e n th is , t h e n t a k i n g r e f u g e in M e , s e l f - c o n t r o l l e d , a b a n d o n t h e f ru i t o f al l a c t i o n s .

( p e r f o r m e d e n t i r e l y w i t h o u t sel f ish m o t i v e s as s e r v i c e t o G o d )

12

B e t t e r i n d e e d is k n o w l e d g e t h a n p r a c t i c e ; m e d i t a t i o n b e t t e r t h a n k n o w l e d g e ; t h e a b a n d o n m e n t o f t h e f r u i t o f a c t i o n b e t t e r t h a n m e d i t a t i o n . P e a c e r e s u l t s f r o m th is a b a n d o n m e n t .

13

H e w h o h a t e s n o s i n g l e b e i n g , w h o is f r i e n d l y a n d c o m p a s s i o n a t e t o a l l , w h o h a s n o a t t a c h m e n t s a n d is f r e e o f e g o i s m , e q u a l in p a i n a n d p l e a s u r e a n d f o r b e a r i n g ,

14

w h o is e v e r c o n t e n t a n d b a l a n c e d in m i n d , s e l f - c o n t r o l l e d a n d firm, in h is c o n v i c t i o n , w i t h m i n d a n d i n t e l l e c t fixed o n M e , h e M y d e v o t e e , is d e a r t o M e .

15

H e b y w h o m t h e w o r l d is n o t af f l icted a n d w h o is n o t af f l icted b y t h e w o r l d , w h o is f r e e f r o m p l e a s u r e , a n g e r , f e a r a n d a n x i e t y — h e is d e a r t o M e .

16

H e w h o h a s n o w a n t s , w h o is p u r e , p r o m p t , u n c o n c e r n e d , f r e e f r o m a n x i e t y , r e n o u n c i n g al l u n d e r t a k i n g s , h e M y d e v o t e e , is d e a r t o M e .

17

H e w h o n e i t h e r r e j o i c e s n o r h a t e s , n o r g r i e v e s , n o r d e s i r e s , r e n o u n c i n g g o o d a n d e v i l , fu l l o f d e v o t i o n , h e is d e a r t o M e .

1 8 - 1 9

H e w h o is t h e s a m e t o f o e a n d f r i e n d a n d a lso in h o n o u r a n d d i s h o n o u r ; t h e s a m e in c o l d a n d heat , in p l e a s u r e a n d p a i n ; f r e e f r o m a t t a c h m e n t ; t o w h o m c e n s u r e a n d p r a i s e a r e e q u a l , w h o is s i lent , c o n t e n t e d w i t h w h a t e v e r c o m e s t o h i m , h o m e l e s s , s t e a d y -m i n d e d a n d f u l l o f d e v o t i o n — that m a n is d e a r t o M e .

20

T h e y w h o f o l l o w th is i m m o r t a l d h a r m a d e s c r i b e d h e r e , e n d u e d w i t h f a i t h a n d d e v o t i o n a n d t o w h o m I a m S u p r e m e ( r e g a r d i n g M e as t h e i r s u p r e m e G o a l ) , a r e e x c e e d i n g l y d e a r to M e .

T h i s is t h e t w e l f t h c h a p t e r c a l l e d t h e Y O G A OF D E V O T I O N .

T h e b o d y is t h e c r o s s . J e s u s , t h e s o n o f m a n , is t h e e g o o r 1 I - a m - t h e - b o d y ' - i d e a . W h e n t h e s o n o f m a n is c r u c i f i e d o n t h e c r o s s , t h e e g o p e r i s h e s , a n d w h a t s u r v i v e s is t h e A b s o l u t e B e i n g . It is t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n o f t h e G l o r i o u s Se l f , o f t h e C h r i s t — t h e S o n o f G o d .

— S R I M A H A R S H I .

5/

Pi

RAM ANA CHATVARIMSAT or

F O R T Y V E R S E S I N P R A I S E O F R A M A N A

b y K A V Y A K A N T H A G A N A P A T I M U N I

1. T h e w o r l d h a s n o w f o u n d a p r o t e c t o r in R a m a n a , t h e o c e a n o f c o m p a s s i o n w h o h a s m a d e t h e h i l l o f A r u n a c h a l a h is a b o d e , t h e t r u e s t o r y of w h o s e l i f e d e s t r o y s i g n o r a n c e ; w h o k n o w s t h e t r u t h u t t e r e d b y h i m ( V i s h n u ) w h o r i d e s t h e b i r d ( G a r u d a ) ; w h o k e e p s w i t h i n h i m s e l f t h e s e c r e t o f t h e s i l e n c e o f ( D a k s h i n a m u r t i o r S i v a ) t h e r i d e r o f t h e b u l l ;

2. W h o is t h e G u r u o f t h e a s s e m b l y o f l e a r n e d s c h o l a r s i n c l u d i n g t h e k i n g o f t h e G a n a s 1 ; w h o is an o c e a n o f n o b l e q u a l i t i e s ; w h o s e g r e a t e f f u l g e n c e is h i d d e n b y t h e s h e a t h o f t h e b o d y , l i k e t h e b l a z i n g s u n b y d e n s e c l o u d s ;

3. W h o is p e r f e c t in t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e res t l ess senses ; w h o is e x p e r t at r e c o g n i z i n g t h e m e r i t s o f o t h e r s ; w h o a b i d e s in t h e n a t u r a l s a m a d h i o f s i l e n c e ; w h o h a s f i r m l y s u b d u e d t h e f e a r f u l lusts ;

4. W h o eats o n l y w h e n n e c e s s a r y ; w h o p e r f o r m s s e v e r e aus ter i t i e s o n t h e s l o p e s o f t h e h i l l ; w h o s e h e a r t is n o t t o u c h e d b y t h e a r r o w s ( o f t h e g o d o f l o v e ) w h o b e a r s t h e f ish o n h is b a n n e r ; w h o h a s c u l t i v a t e d t h e p a t h o f k n o w i n g t h e S e l f ;

5. W h o h a s c r o s s e d t h e f e a r f u l o c e a n o f s a m -sara ; w h o u s e s h is l o t u s h a n d s t o s e r v e h i m as a ( b e g g i n g ) b o w l 2 ; w h o , b y h is b r i g h t a n d e x c e e d i n g l y r e f r e s h i n g g a z e , r e m o v e s t h e f e a r o f t h o s e w h o t a k e r e f u g e at h is l o t u s f e e t ;

6. W h o is l i k e a t r e a s u r e t o t h e t r u e d e v o t e e s w h o b o w d o w n b e f o r e h i m ; w h o s e p r e s e n c e d i s p e r s e s t h e i r g r e a t m i s e r i e s l i k e d u s t ; w h o m a i n t a i n s t h e r u l e s ( d h a r m a ) o f as ce t i c s ; w h o d i s p e l s i g n o r a n c e al l r o u n d ;

* Continued from our last issue. For an explanatory introduction see our Jan. '68 issue, p. 71.

a

1968 T H E V E D A P A R A Y A N A 147

7. W h o is t h e p o s s e s s o r o f v i r t u e s e n o u g h to b e d e s c r i b e d b y t h e K i n g o f t h e S e r p e n t s ( A d i s h e s h a ) 3 ; w h o s p e a k s w o r d s w h i c h a r e s w e e t , t r u e a n d b e n e f i c e n t ; w h o is n e i t h e r p l e a s e d b y h o n o u r n o r d i s t r e s s e d b y insu l t s ;

8. W h o is t h e k i n g o f as ce t i c s ; w h o h a s d e s t r o y e d t h e e g o w i t h his s t e a d y , b r i g h t a n d k e e n i n t e l l e c t ; w h o is i m m e r s e d in t h e f l ood o f e t e r n a l b l i ss ; w h o has e x t e r m i n a t e d the i n n e r h o r d e s o f e n e m i e s ( l i k e g r e e d , a n g e r , e t c . ) ;

9. W h o has , t h r o u g h his o w n ab i l i t i e s , a c h i e v e d t h e S u p r e m e D i v i n e s tate n o t e a s i l y a t t a i n e d ; w h o is f r e e f r o m t h e s e n s e o f ' m i n e ' ; w h o h a s t h e w e l f a r e o f t h e g o o d at h e a r t ; w h o is c h e r i s h e d in t h e h e a r t o f t h e L o r d o f t h e G a n a s ( G a n a p a t i ) ;

10. W h o a b a n d o n e d e v e n t h e l a p o f t h e d a u g h t e r o f t h e m o u n t a i n ( P a r v a t i ) in o r d e r to r e m o v e t h e i g n o r a n c e e n v e l o p i n g m a n k i n d a n d w h o is t h e p i e r c e r o f t h e h i l l 4

( n a m e d K r o w n c h a ) in h u m a n f o r m .

11. M a y t h e S u p r e m e G u r u , t h e asce t i c w e a r i n g o n l y a l o i n - c l o t h , t h e G o d w h o r i d e s t h e p e a c o c k ( K a r t i k e y a ) , c o m e o n e a r t h as a m a n , a l o n e r u l e t h e w o r l d .

12. S a l u t a t i o n s t o t h e e , O G u r u w h o h a s t r a n s c e n d e d al l q u a l i t i e s , l i f e - l o n g c e l i b a t e w h o hast a s s u m e d , t h r o u g h m a y a , t h e f o r m o f a m a n , s l a y e r o f T a r a k a . 5

13. H e r e is n o p e a c o c k t o c a r r y y o u , n o ce l e s t ia l r i v e r ( t h e G a n g e s ) f o r b a t h i n g , n o n e c t a r o f m o t h e r ' s m i l k f r o m t h e b r e a s t s o f P a r v a t i , n o l o r d s o f P r a m a t h a s 6 w i t h v e e n a s t o s ing t o y o u . W h y , t h e n , O p i e r c e r o f t h e K r o w n c h a Hi l l , h a v e y o u t a k e n u p y o u r a b o d e o n t h e r e d h i l l ( o f A r u n a g i r i ) ?

14. O E n e m y o f T a r a k a , Y o u h a v e o n l y o n e f a c e , y o u d o n o t h a v e a p l a c e o n U m a ' s ( P a r v a t i ' s ) l a p , y o u d o n o t c a r r y t h e w e a p o n k n o w n as S a k t i in y o u r h a n d , y o u a r e in h u m a n f o r m , t h e r e a r e n o c e l e s t i a l a r m i e s w i t h flags o n e i t h e r s ide o f y o u . T h i s d i s g u i s e is e n o u g h t o c l o u d t h e e y e s o f t h e s i m p l e , b u t h o w c a n y o u e s c a p e t h e v i g i l a n c e o f y o u r o w n b r o t h e r ( G a n a p a t i ) ?

15. S o m e w o r s h i p y o u r l o t u s f e e t c o n s i d e r i n g y o u t h e f o r e m o s t a m o n g t h e y o g i s , s o m e as a g r e a t S a g e ( j n a n i ) , o t h e r s as an e s c e t i c , a n d o t h e r s as t h e i r G u r u : o n l y t w o o r t h r e e r e c o g n i z e h i m w h o is k n o w n as R a m a n a as t h e d i v i n e G u h a 7 s i t t i n g o n t h e l a p o f U m a , b o r n o n e a r t h f o r t h e w e l f a r e o f m a n k i n d .

16. Y o u e x p o u n d e d t h e s i gn i f i cance o f O m ( t o B r a h m a ) t h e L o r d o f S a r a s v a t j ( G o d d e s s o f l e a r n i n g ) . Y o u r m o u t h o p e n e d a l i t t le t o i n s t r u c t e v e n y o u r f a t h e r ( S i v a ) . Y o u h a v e n o w , b y v i r t u e o f y o u r w i s d o m , c o m e o u t as t h e G u r u o f y o u r e l d e r b r o t h e r ( G a n a p a t i ) . T h o u g h y o u n g , O S u b r a h -m a n y a , y o u h a v e , b y y o u r m e r i t s , b e c o m e g r e a t e r t h a n al l .

17. T h e t h r o n e r e s e r v e d f o r t h e f o r e m o s t a m o n g t h e A c h a r y a s w h i c h w a s first a s c e n d -


e d b y D v a i p a y a n a ( V e d a V y a s a ) w h o h a d seen t h e f u r t h e r s h o r e o f t h e V e d a s a n d l a te r b y S a n k a r a o f h i g h w i s d o m w h o d i s p e l l e d t h e d a r k n e s s o f i g n o r a n c e a n d d o u b t , n o w a w a i t s y o u , i n c a r n a t e as a m a n , O C o m m a n d e r o f t h e c e l e s t i a l h o s t .

.18. N o w , w h e n d h a r m a is at an e n d , w h e n t h e t h r e e w o r l d s a r e d i s t r e s s e d b y e v i l d e e d s , w h e n s c h o l a r s , h a v i n g l os t s ight o f T r u t h , l e a r n e d l y d i s c u s s p o l e m i c s t o n o e n d , a n d w h e n t h e v e r y e x i s t e n c e o f G o d , t h e F a t h e r , is d o u b t e d , w h o b u t y o u , i n t h e g u i s e o f m a n , is t h e r e f u g e o f t h e g o o d , O L o r d , R i d e r o f t h e P e a c o c k ?

19. D i s p a s s i o n m a y b e v a l u a b l e f o r y o u , b u t h o w c a n y o u r e f u s e t o s h o w m e r c y ? A c t i v i t y m a y b e a d e f e c t f o r y o u , b u t is m e d i t a t i o n o n t h e f e e t o f t h e F a t h e r ( G o d ) a d e f e c t ? D e s i r e s m a y b e c o n t e m p t i b l e t o y o u , b u t is t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h o s e w h o s u b m i t c o n t e m p t i b l e ? O S k a n d a in t h e d i s g u i s e o f a m o r t a l , a r e y o u w a i t i n g f o r s o m e p a r t i c u l a r o c c a s i o n .?

20. H e n c e s o p h i s t r y ! O B u l l o f D h a r m a , y o u n e e d n o l o n g e r l i m p . A w a y w i t h b e w i l d e r m e n t ! M a y t h e g o o d f l our i sh e v e r y w h e r e . O u r L o r d , t h e s o n o f B h a v a n i ( P a r -v a t i ) , t h e d e s t r o y e r o f t h e d e l u s i o n of S o o r a ' s 8 i n n e r e y e h a s n o w a p p e a r e d o n e a r t h w i t h his b r o t h e r ( G a n a p a t i ) .

21 . O M e n , r e v e r e th is b r o t h e r o f L a m -b o d a r a 9 in t h e f o r m o f a G u r u w h o , b y h is p o w e r , p e r v a d e s th is b o d y a n d t h e e n t i r e w o r l d a n d w h o , t h o u g h o n e , m a n i f e s t s as t h e Se l f of t h e m u l t i f a r i o u s m o v i n g b e i n g s , h a v i n g a l r e a d y r e a c h e d h is p r i m a r y s e c r e t S o u r c e a n d d e s t r o y e d t h e s e p a r a t e n e s s o f t h e e g o .

22 . S a l u t a t i o n s t o Sr i R a m a n a , t h e U n i v e r s a l G u r u , t h e d e s t r o y e r o f m i s e r y , w h o h a s r e a c h e d t h e e t e r n a l s ta te fu l l o f l i g h t a n d f r e e f r o m d a r k n e s s w i t h o u t a n d w i t h i n , w h o r e m o v e s t h e i g n o r a n c e o f t h o s e w h o s u b m i t t o h i m a n d w h o , t h o u g h s e e i n g t h e w o r l d , e x i s t s b e y o n d t h e w o r l d .

23 . O R a m a n a ! M a y y o u r g r a c i o u s g l a n c e b e t u r n e d j u s t o n c e o n m e , t h a t I m a y b e b l e s s e d .

24. O R a m a n a ! Y o u a r e t h e G u r u o f m e n . G r e a t is y o u r h e a r t w h i c h k n o w s n o o t h e r n e s s .

25 . T h r o u g h y o u r t e a c h i n g , t h e w o r l d , e g o a n d G o d a l l a p p e a r t o m e as t h e o n e u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d b e i n g b e y o n d al l d o u b t .

26 . T h r o u g h y o u r t e a c h i n g t h e E x i s t e n c e , w h i c h is d i f f e rent f r o m t h e e g o , f l o w s in t h e f o r m o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s n o t s e p a r a t e f r o m m e .

27 . W e sha l l r e a l i z e in o u r h e a r t t h e p u r e ( S e l f ) w h i c h is s u b t l e r t h a n t h e e g o , if w e h a v e y o u r g r a c e .

28. O K i n g o f S a g e s ! C o m p a s s i o n is n o t m e r e l y a q u a l i t y o f y o u r s b u t is n a t u r a l t o t h e e f f u l g e n t h e a r t w h i c h y o u are .

29 . O S in l ess o n e ! Y o u r f o r m b l a z e s w i t h p u r e l i gh t . In f in i te is y o u r e f f u l g e n t l o o k .

30 . O L o r d , y o u r m i n d h a s b e e n s w a l l o w e d b y y o u r h e a r t a n d y o u s h i n e w i t h e t e r n a l b l i ss .

1 In this as well as in a number of the subsequent stanzas the author looks upon himself as an incarnation (avatar) of Ganapati, the elder son of Siva and Parvati, and the Maharshi as an avatar of Ganapati's younger brother Skanda whose two other names are Kartikeya and Subrahmanya. Ganas are celestial beings who wait upon Ganapati, their lord and master.

2 This refers to a period in the life of Bhagavan when he did indeed beg for food. He used no begging bowl but only accepted as much as he could take in his hands. He never asked but only stood silently in front of a house and accepted what was given. If he was not given anything he just walked on. He never went twice to the same house.

3 Adisesha, the king of the serpents, upon whose coils Vishnu reposes in the milky ocean, has a thousand heads and therefore a thousand tongues. The idea is that so many tongues are required to describe the Maharshi's qualities.

4 This refers to Skanda. 5 This also refers to Skanda. 6 These are celestial beings w h o wait upon Siva.

The veena is a stringed musical instrument. 7 This refers to Skanda. 8 The name of a demon killed by Skanda. 9 A name of Ganapati,

1968 T H E V E D A P A R A Y A N A 149

31 . O C h i e f o f t h o s e w h o a r e s e l f - ' c o n t r o l l e d , y o u h a v e b e e n m a d e t h e c o o k o f t h e L o r d o f t h e u n i v e r s e .

32 . F o r y o u s l a u g h t e r t h e e g o s o f t h e s e h u m a n c a t t l e a n d c o o k t h e m as f o o d f o r t h e S u p r e m e S i v a .

33 . I b o w d o w n b e f o r e B h a g a v a n R a m a n a w h o d e s t r o y s t h e i g n o r a n c e in t h e h e a r t s o f h u m a n b e i n g s n o t o n l y b y h is w o r d s b u t a l so b y his c o m p a s s i o n a t e l o o k .

34. S i n k i n g a g a i n a n d a g a i n in t h e o c e a n o f s a m s a r a w e n o w c l u t c h at t h e i s l a n d o f y o u r l o t u s f e e t . O B h a g a v a n R a m a n a ! Y o u a r e t h e a b o d e o f a l l a u s p i c i o u s n e s s . O C o m p a s s i o n a t e o n e , cast y o u r g r a c i o u s g l a n c e u p o n us , y o u r s u p p l i c a n t s .

35 . W h a t w i l l b e t h e f a t e o f t h e b a b e if t h e m o t h e r d o e s n o t s u c k l e it ? If t h e c o w h e r d b e c o m e s a n g r y h o w w i l l t h e c o w s b e p r o t e c t e d ? I f y o u w h o a r e t h e A c h a r y a o f t h o s e w h o s e e k r e f u g e at y o u r f e e t d o n o t d e s t r o y t h e i r d o u b t s h o w c a n t h e y w h o a r e o v e r c o m e b y c o u n t l e s s d e l u s i o n s c r o s s t h e o c e a n o f s a m s a r a ?

36. T h e r e is p e r f e c t p e a c e in y o u r b e n e v o l e n t , g r a c i o u s s m i l e , g r e a t p o w e r in t h e u n e q u a l l e d r a d i a n t g l a n c e o f y o u r c l e a r , s t e a d y e y e s ; y o u a b i d e a l w a y s in t h e l o t u s o f t h e h e a r t ; o u t w a r d l y y o u s h i n e l i k e a c a l m l a k e ; O B h a g a v a n R a m a n a , w h a t p a r a l l e l is t h e r e in al l t h e w o r l d to y o u r s i l e n c e ?

37. T h i s p o w e r in y o u r e y e s w h i c h d i s p e l s t h e i g n o r a n c e o f y o u r d e v o t e e s is d i v i n e . T h i s b e a u t y in y o u r f a c e l i k e t h a t o f t h e s p o u s e ( L a k s h m i ) o f t h e L o t u s - E y e d ( V i s h n u ) is d i v i n e . T h e s e w o r d s w h i c h a r e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l a n d s e c r e t a r e d i v i n e . G r e a t R a m a n a , A c h a r y a o f t h e w o r l d , h o w c a n a m e r e m o r t a l p r a i s e y o u ?

38. O R a m a n a , t h o u g h I a m n o w f a r a w a y f r o m y o u r f e e t , a g r e a t p o w e r ac ts u p o n m e . L i k e t h e b l a z i n g l i g h t o f t h e s u n y o u r p o w e r , s u p r e m e in al l t h e w o r l d , w o r k s f r o m a d i s t a n c e , m a k i n g m y m i n d f r e e f r o m gr ie f .

39 . Y o u r b l e s s e d n e s s , O R e d H i l l ( A r u n a c h a l a ) , d e r i v e d f r o m t h e r e s i d e n c e o f m a n y s a g e s , is n o w u n r i v a l l e d , s i n c e B h a g a v a n R a m a n a M a h a r s h i c h o s e y o u f r o m m a n y p l a c e s .

40 . T h i s R a m a n a M a h a r s h i is an i d e a l h e l d o u t f o r m e n b e c a u s e o f h is d e p t h o f p e a c e , h is t r a n s c e n d e n t p o w e r , h is w o n d e r f u l d i s p a s s i o n , his i m m e n s e m e r c y , h is w i s d o m w h i c h d i s p e l s i l l u s i o n a n d h is g r a c i o u s c o n d u c t .

Ganapati, the son of Narasimha, of the lineage of Vasishta, has thus in these forty verses worshipped briefly the Rishi Ramana, an incarnation of Skanda.

( T o b e c o n t i n u e d in o u r n e x t i s s u e ) .

T h e r e a r e b h i k k h u s in this c o m p a n y w h o a r e A r a h a n t s : h a v i n g e x t i n g u i s h e d t h e c o r r u p t i o n s , c o m p l e t e d t h e as ce t i c l i f e , d o n e w h a t w a s t o b e d o n e , l a id d o w n t h e b u r d e n , a t t a i n e d t h e i r g o a l , u t t e r l y d e s t r o y e d t h e f e t t e r s o f e x i s t e n c e , a n d w h o are d e l i v e r e d b y r i g h t ins ight .

— B U D D H A — Kandaraka Sutta et alia.

150 April

" F O U R L A M A S OF D O L P O " : By D. L. Snel l -grove. Autobiographies of four Tibetan Lamas (15th — 18th centur i es ) ; Vol . I. Introduction and Translations. X _|_ 302 pages, 46 p lates ; Price 84s. Publ ishers : Bruno Cassirer, Oxford 1967.

A.mong the younger generation of Tibetologists, Dr. Snellgrove (who is n o w Reader in Tibetan at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, and Director of the Institute of Tibetan Studies) has the unique distinction of having worked and studied among Tibetans in one of the last untouched enclaves of medieval Tibetan life iri the borderland of Nepal and Western Tibet. He lived like a simple Tibetan under very pr i mitive conditions in a far-away, practically u n explored highland-valley, which originally formed part of the Tibetan kingdom of Purang (sPtt-hrangs). About his travels in this region and other little known parts of northern Nepal, Snell grove has published already two highly informative books under the titles " Buddhist Himalaya " (1957) and "Himalayan P i l g r imag e " (1961), in which he combines a very readable travalogue with a detailed and scholarly description of the religious life and tradition of the people.

The present volume, which is the outcome of his last journey of exploration, is a good example of what Tibetology should be — and could have been from its beginning, if most of the earlier pioneers in this field had had the humility of putting aside their own preconceived ideas and feelings of intellectual superority. No amount of philological knowledge is sufficient for a real understanding of Tibetan mentality and religious

EVIEWB

experience. It requires, in addition to the l inguistic knowledge, the capacity to enter into the spirit of Tibetan culture and religion, and this is only possible by living with the people on a basis of equality and mutual respect, sharing their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, and — what is more — sharing their religious life. This does not mean that a scholar has to be or to become a Buddhist, but at least, that he should be capcble of appreciating the fundamental values of religious tradition — however alien it may appear in its forms — and recognize it as a genuine expression of spiritual experience and the desire for perfection and enlightenment.

In these biographies of Four Lamas oi Dolpo we get a l i fe-l ike picture of four saintly religious teachers, which is both touchingly human and deeply significant, as it reveals the struggle bet ween the" highest ideals and the adversities of ordinary human existence under often extremely difficult circumstances. The Lamas concerned r e present four very different characters : Sonam Loto (bSod-nams blo-gros : " Merit Intellect " ) , who l ived from 1456-1521, was inclined towards a hermit-life. Cho -kyab Palzang (Chos-skyabs dpal-bzang : " Religious Protector Glorious and G o o d " ) , who l ived from 1476-1565 and was the former's pupil, was a teacher and organizer. Pa l -den Loto (dPal-ldari blo-gros : " Glorious Intellect " ) was more of a m y s t i c : a dreamer and exorcist. He l ived from 1467-1536. The fourth Lama, Sonam Wang-chug (bSod-nams dbang-phyug: " L o r d of M e r i t " ) , 1660-1731, was a scholar and traveller.

Except for their final sections, describing the death and the funeral rites, these biographies

1968 B O O K R E V I E W S 151

were compiled during the lifetime of the Lamas concerned, according to their own words as well as to the observations of their contemporaries. They are, therefore, to a great extent autobiographical and historically as well as spiritually highly significant. Even where certain magical powers and miraculous experiences are described, we cannot simply dismiss them as products of mere imagination or attributions of credulous followers, and the translator himself, after careful consideration of all evidence (and with his o w n experience among religious people of this t y p e ) , does not think that such an assumption is justi^ fled, and says : " There certainly is a marked difference between these lamas' opinions of themselves and their disciples reinterpretation of their lives, but it seems that the possession of magical powers is one of the f e w attributes on which all are agreed." (p. 12) In fact, the Lamas themselves speak very modestly about their spiritual attainments and do not claim supernatural powers or knowledge, but emphasize that salvation cannot be attained without great exertion, as their own struggles for perfection have shown. " Rel i gious Pro tec tor ' was once asked by one of his faithful attendants, who was on the point of death, to promise that they would always be born together in future lives. He rep l i ed : " Since there was some connection from our former lives, w e have met in this one. So by the combination of these circumstances it would seem cer tain that w e shall meet in other lives. Apart from this I am not a sage who can promise such things, but it would be all right to say a prayer ." (p. 169)

As already demonstrated in the above-mentioned four names of the Lamas with which the biographies of this book are concerned, Tibetan names are generally composed^ of various religious concepts or virtues, so that it is possible to render them in translation. While most writer? on Tibetan subjects have rendered such names, as wel l as the better known technical terms either phonetically or according to their original spelling, or both side by side, Snellgrove has translated most of the names and terms into English, In order to make it easier for his readers to r e member them. In general he has succeeded well In this, though some of the names which sound quite easy in Tibetan, l ike ' D o r j e Gyaltsen '* or ' Chokyab Palzang ' become rather cumbersome in English, when rendered as " Powerbol t Victorious B a n n e r " and " Religious Protector Glorious and G o o d " . The translation of ' D o r j e ' as " P o w e r b o l t " (though better than " Thunderbo l t " , as used by some writers) nei

ther corresponds to the meaning of the Tibetan word " rdo-rje" — which means the Lord of S tones " , i.e. the diamo*nd, — nor to the meaning of vajra in Buddhist Sanskrit, as explained in the Vajracchedika-Prajna-Paramita-Sutra, in which likewise the nature of the vajra is described as that of a diamond. The Vajrayana has, therefore, rightly been called the " Diamond Vehicle " and not the " Thunderbolt " or " Powerbolt Vehicle As a visible symbol the vajra or ' D o r j e ' takes the shape of a scepter, so that it would be cor rect to call it " Diamond Scepter " , in which the symbols of power and of indestructibility, as well as of supreme value are united. Unless a translation brings about the right associations (mentally as wel l as emotional ly) , it is better to leave such a term untranslated.

This applies in an even greater measure to the interpretation of the we l l -known Dhyani -Bodhi -sattva Avalokltesvara (Tib. : sPyan-ras^gzlgs, pron. " Chenresie " ) , rendered as " the would -be buddha Glancing E y e " ! This is not only ugly, but outright misleading, becuase Avalokitesvara is not a 'v Buddha in the m a k i n g " , an incomplete Buddha or one who is on his way to Buddhahood, but on the contrary, the active emanation of the highest state of Buddhahood, symbolized in Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light.

Though the term Bodhisattva can also be used in the sense of one in w h o m the consciousness of enlightenment (bodhi-citta) has become the d r i v ing force of his life, as in Prince Siddhartha, before he attained enlightenment Cor even after his first v o w in the presence of Buddha D i p -ankara) , — yfet, the very expression " w o u l d - b e b u d d h a " has such a derogative undertone (like a " would-be gent leman" ) that it can never be an adequate substitute for* the very positive term ' bodhisattva' or its Tibetan equivalent ' byang-chwb-sems-dpahIn which the accent is not on any kind of incompleteness of attainments, but on the overwhelmingly active quality of Enlightenment.

Another word which is likely to cause mis understanding in the present translation, is one of the key-concepts of Buddhism, namely the root of all suffering: avidya (Tib. : ma-rig) " i gno r a n c e " , or moha (Tib,: gTi-mug) " d e l u s i o n " , " mental darkness" , which Snellgrove renders with " stupidity" , gTi-mUg, according to Tibetan definition, is the characteristic of the animal frealm. Animals may lack the faculty of reasoning, but one certainly cannot call them " stupid " ! Already Ananda Coomaraswami criticised the superficial way in which these important c o n -

152 April T H E M O U N T A I N P A T H

Thangkas would have been added. But perhaps this will be included in the second volume, which Is to contain the original Tibetan texts, C o m m e n tary and Glossary.

L A M A ANAGARIKA GOVINDA.

WHAT'S IT A L L A B O U T A N D W H A T A M I ? : B y Richard B. Gregg (Indian Edition, Navaj i -van, Ahmedabad 14, pp. 192, Rs. 5 ) .

Mr. Gregg shows the wor ld envisaged b y the nuclear scientist to be so different f rom that r e ported by our senses that the word ' m a y a ' might very wel l be used for the latter, although he does not in fact use it. He then turns from the observed to the observer in search of some indi vidual entity 0 s o u l ' or ' s e l f ' ) in each human being, and finds no evidence for any. In fact what seems to him the most plausible in the Buddhist doctrine of anatta is a state of permanent flux. It is not being or intelligence that he repudiates but only their physical vehicles and individual limitations.

Mr. Gregg is concerned also with corporate life (that is with 1 cu l ture ' or ' civilization ' ) . He finds this to be largely based in pre-logical assumptions, individual or corporate, which are neither proved nor disproved but taken for granted as a basis for life. He holds that the main cause of the malaise of the modern wor ld is that its basic assumptions can be true or .false and that it is false assumptions which have brought the modern wor ld to its present plight. Even, so this is a most stimulating book and penetrates deeply into the problems of life and reality.

THINKING W I T H THE Y A J U R V E D A : By Gandabhai G. Desai (Asia Publishing House, Bombay-1 , Pp. 178, Rs. 20) .

It is an old tradition that the Vedas embody a Knowledge which lends itself to a number of interpretations, ritualistic, theological, spiritual, astronomical and so on. The author of the present exposit ion brings out the spiritual content of the Ya jur Veda with special emphasis on its bearings on the social and collective deve lopment of humanity. He has been fortunate in having a ' new d imension ' added to his vision as a result of the Grace and Teaching of Bhagavan Maharshi and his writing is consequently lit with the g low of Agni, the premier Deity of the Veda.

Tn the first few chapters, Sri Desai gives a synoptic v iew of the role assigned to Agni (in the Veda) in the building up and manifestation of the Cosmos. He describes h o w Agni reveals himself in different forms on different planes of

cepts of Buddhist as wel l as Hindu philosophy were interpreted : " In making ignorance the root of all evil ' " , he said, in* his we l l -known w o r k "Hinduism and B u d d h i s m " , " w e must guard our selves from supposing that an ignorance of any particular thing is meant, and especially against a confusion of the traditional ' i gnorance ' with what w e mean by ' i l l i t e racy ' ; so far from this, our emperical knowledge of facts is an essential part of the very ignorance that makes desire pos sible." (p. b2) .

Thq delusion of which the Buddha speaks is not stupidity (in fact, the cleverest are the most likely to fall into the traps of delusion) but the ignorance of ultimate Reality, which is revealed in the experience of Enlightenment.

However , these are minor blemishes in a w o r k which is not primarily concerned with phi losophical and metaphysical ideas but with the actual life of people who tried to realize the highest aspirations of their religion. These biographies are not only near to life, but have an unmistakable ring of truth, which makes them valuable - - f a r beyond their literary importance — as w i t nesses of spiritual attainments. These are all the more remarkable, as the Lamas concerned were neither we l l -known personalities or abbots of important monasteries, nor outstanding scholars but, as we might.say, simple hermits and vi l lage-priests, who faithfully looked after the welfare of their flocks, v/hile persuing at the same time their higher aims in, lonely retreats and long periods of meditation. That in so remote a place l ike Dolpo, under the most primitive conditions and among simple villagers, such hights of spiritual life could be attained, shows that real cu l ture is independent of what we regard the blessings of civilisation. At the same time it may give us an idea of what the average religious life even in the outlying regions of Tibet used to be In translating these biographies, Snellgrove has created a masterpiece that will be worthy to stand by the side of such classics as Milarepa's life-story. For this he deserves the g/atitude of all lovers of Tibet and its sacred tradition.

The book is illustrated with excellent photo graphs, taken b y the author during his stay in Dolpo. Fourteen of these plates are reproductions of beautiful temple-banners (tharvg-ka), painted by the Lama of the " Residence of Great Happiness " (bDe-chen bha-brang) in Dolpo , in whose hermitage the author was staying and working. That such works of art could be produced upto the present day, shows that this tradition is still alive. It would have been good if a detailed description of the iconographical details of these

(

1968 153 B O O K R E V I E W S

existence and presides over the evolutionary p r o gress of the Universe. He cites the conclusions of the leaders of modern Science in vindication of the insight of the ancient Seers regarding the Oneness of Creation at all basic levels.

The individual awakes to the truth of his own existence as a result of the pressure of Agni which translates itself as an unceasing aspiration for the Divine. But the spiritual development envisaged by the Yajur Veda, points out the author, is n o t individualistic a l one ; at every step, the seeker relates himself to the society, to the larger wor ld around and b y a willed process of self-consecration and self-giving, termed Yajna in its symbolic figure, he contributes to the higher evolution of the race. Chapters on the Purusha and Sarva Medha Yajnas are noteworthy contri butions.

Progress is made through reconciliation of opposites and Sri Desai focusses our attention on the harmonisation in the Veda of the claims of kshatra (power) and brahma (knowledge ) .

THE MESSAGE OF THE RISHIS : By Anj i lvel V . Mathew (Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, Bangalore-6. Pp. 95. P r i c e : Rs. 3.50.)

The author of this commendable study approaches the Upanishads as an enlightened Christian and finds much in them that is parallelled by the utterances of the ancient Hebrew Prophets. She examines the major texts with a view to determine what the Seers experienced of the Reality and h o w much of it they expressed. God as the Absolute, God as Person, God and Nature, Ethics in the Upanishads, Grace — these are some of the topics discussed within the framework provided by the New Testament. The author is evidently handicapped by the tenets of her religion regarding Grace, Sin, etc., and is unable to appreciate the full significance o$ the Doctrine of Grace in the Upanishads.

There Is a remark that the Upanishads nowhere refer to God as love. The texts speak of Brahman, again and again, as Ananda, Bliss ; and Love is a term of that Bliss.

A sincere and readable book, M. P. PANDIT.

YOU S H A L L BE A S GODS, a radical interpretation of the Old Testament and its tradition: By Erich F r o m m (Jonathan Cape. Pp . 240. P r i c e : 25s.) Although writing about Judaeism, Erich Fromm

refuses to call himself a fheist. One suspects,

however , that the 1 G o d ' he rejects is rather the ' concept of G o d ' which he refers to elsewhere as ' idolatry ' . It is very interesting to see how he finds the Hindu and Buddhist ' negative theology ' parallelled, for instance in Maimonides, in the Judaeic understanding which will postulate only negative attributes of God, since every affirmation is a limitation.

As one would expect in a Judaeic work, much attention is paid to the mystique of history and the Jewish concept of the Messiah.

The book is well spiced with anecdotes f rom the rabbis and hazedim which rival those f rom Zen in their trenchancy. It is altogether the work of a vigorous mind.

H. S. G.

SRI L A L I T A TRISATI B H A S H Y A of Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada: English Translation by Dr. Chaganti Suryanarayana Murthy. (Ganesh & Co., Madras-17. Pp. 148. Price : Rs. 5.)

Sri Lalita-trisati-stotra forms part of " S r i Ls l i topakhyana" of the Brahmanda-purana. The story connected with its composition is as f o l lows : The sage Agastya who was an adept in the worship of Sri Lalita, the Divine Mother, felt distressed because he had not gained Her grace in spite of great austerity and acts of devotion. He clung to the feet of his Guru. Hayagriva, i m ploring him to intercede with the Mother on his behalf. Three years passed, and Agastya did not leave off holding on to his Guru's feet. Sri Lalita, greatly pleased with the ardour of the disciple, appeared along with Her consort Sri Kamesvara before Hayagriva, and commanded him to impart to Agastya the most sacred Trisati-stiptra c o m posed by Herself and Her Lord. Hayagriva was profoundly moved by this special act of the Mother's grace, and obeyed Her Command. Thus it was that Agastya received the stotra which contains three hundred Names of the Mother. The Names have a unique sanctity because their initial letters, in groups of twenty, are the letters of the fifteen-lettered Mantra (panchadasi-mantra) of the Devi .

Sri Sankaracharya has written a lucid c o m mentary on the Trisati. The main purport of this commentary is to show that the cult of the Devi is in perfect consonance with Advaita. The present translator of the commentary, Dr. Chaganti Suryanarayana Murthi, shows that there is hot the slightest support in the commentary for the Varna or Kaula-achara (left-handed prac tices) . A valuable addition to the Introduction is a free translation of the Sri-Vidya-dipika of Agastya which expounds the significance of the


fifteen-lettered Mantra in its three parts, viz. vagbhava-kuta, kamaraja-kuta, and sakti-kuta.

The translation of Sankara's commentary is only by those who are interested in Sri-Vidya but also by students of Advaita. It is to be hoped that when this book is reprinted, the mistakes in printing, which are far too many, wil l be avoided.

PROF. T. M. P. MAHADEVAN.

THE P R A C T I C A L A P P R O A C H TO D I V I N I T Y : By Chandra Swami. (Available from S r F D . R, Monga, Manager, United Commercial Bank Ltd., Chandni Chowk, Delhi.)

A m i d the welter of claims made nowadays this little book stands out with delightful clarity. The author speaks with equal authority on theory and practice and shows both understanding and c o m mon sense, condemning alike those who make the path a mere topic for discussion and those who drive themselves unwisely and too hard. He obviously has a great deal of experience and is able to differentiate between what is to be shunned and what sought after.

W e are told that Chandra Swami gave up his studies and took sannyas at the age of 21, when a student of M.Sc. in 1952. He is now staying at Hardwar~at the foot of the Himalayas where he observes complete silence for six months out of every year.

A MODERN P R E L U D E : By Hugh l 'Anson Fausset. This book was published by Jonathan Cape, London, as far back as 1933, but the author passed away recently and our Occasional contributor, G. F. Allen* has sent us the following appreciation of it.—(Editor) It is now several years since the Russian

philosopher Nicholai Berdyaev made his famous but unheeded observat ion: In order to understand Christianity one must first sturdy Hinduism. Of recent years an increasing number of West erners, including a few Christian missionaries, have discovered the truth of Berdyaev's Statement. But none can have described it in more pertinent and detailed terms than has Hugh I'Anson Fausset in Part II of his autobiography.

Part I, ' The Outer Journey ' , describes his childhood and youth in England ; it is noteworthy only for the account of his father's pathalogically raw intolerance. His father was a Church of England clergyman ; his mother (who dies at his birth) a Quaker. Part II, ' The Inner Journey \ will prove of greater interest to the readers of The Mountain Path, for in it is contained an account of the reasons for the author's choice of Advaita Vedanta which no Westerner treading

the mountain path towards self-realization should miss reading.

Fausset studied St. Pauf and the early Christian Fathers, as wel l as Augustine, Aquinas, John of Ruysbroek, Eckhart, Hooker Newman, Rashdall, Inge, and Von Hugel before feeling himself conscientiously free to dismiss the organized Christian Church as being but the empty shell of the original teaching of the Founder. His studies extended to the textual irrelevancies of the New Testament, the results of which research are devastatingly revealing. He was^then impelled to interpret the mystical origins of the Christian sacraments themselves. ' But I did not need ' , he wrote (p. 264), ' any esoteric knowledge to recog nize in the mystery of the Incarnation the des cent of the divine spirit into m a n ; in that of Gethsemane and Calvary the crucifix on of the spiritual being on the cross of matter and the death pangs of the personal sel f ; in the ' Resur rec t i on ' the rebirth into creative l i f e ; and in the ' Ascens ion ' the ascent of the true, self to a full realization of its divine nature.'

THE STORY OF MELTING, S A C H A L S A R M A T ' S PERSIAN M A S N A V I G U D A Z - N A M A : By Tirathdas Hotchand. . (Pradeep Publications, Hirabad, Bhurgri Road, Hyderabad, West Pakistan. Pp. 43. P r i c e : Re. 1.) Until the separation of India and Pakistan

Sindh was a province of poets, saints and mystics where Sufi and Vedantist l ived together in blissful amity. N o w the old traditions, are vanishing and being replaced by politics.

Sachal Sarmast was one of the great Sufi poet -saints of Sindh. He lived in the 18th and early 19th Century. The Masnavi Gudaz-nama is a Persian poem about the melting of man's seeming-separate self through the power of Divine Love . It is a proclamation of the ultimate O n e ness and overrides the barriers between the rel i gions. Even though the translation is not felicitous, w e can be grateful for having something salvaged from the former wealth of Sindhi poetry.

A. QUTBUDDIN.

THE D I A R Y OF A M Y S T I C : By Edward Thornton. (George Allen & Unwin. Pp. 177. Price : 20s.) This book represents the author's contribution

towards the fulfilment of the aims and aspirations of the Institute of Psychic and Spiritual Research in N e w Delhi. The autobiographical notes reveal the background which leads the author w h o is also a successful business man to his mystical experience and the unfoldment of his inner

2968 B O O K R E V I E W S 155

journey in search of Truth. As the author so aptly expresses it, " Many of us feel that there is a plan or purpose underlying existence. As w e grow old it becomes clearer that what appeared to be quite insignificant events were responsible for directing our lives towards a fulfilment beyond death." Life becomes the Guru even for those who do not seek, giving them the necessary knocks and experiences to open their eyes to the true purpose of it, or to make them seek ce r tainty in an uncertain wor ld of ever changing values and such transient and elusive happiness. Happiness, as Sri Ramana Maharshi said, is our birthright, so it is being sought always, not always in the right way. A thief and drunkard are also pursuing happiness.

This spiritual autobiography wi l l be of special interest to students of Jung, who was the teacher of the author for several years, and to those interested in psychology and mysticism. The author seems to be greatly influenced by him. Their phraseology is not always , quite consistent with true mysticism. H o w can a " journey into the unconsc i ous " lead to awareness or integration ? In the author's opinion the greatest contribution to modern medicine is the discovery b y Jung that in many cases men fall ill because they have lost contact with their spiritual roots^ Their cure depended on re-establishing that contact and having access to the autochthonous religious function of their psyche.

ARTHUR OSBORNE.

THE H Y M N S OF A T H A R V A N A Z A R A T H U S -T R A : B y Jatindra Mohan Chatter ji . (The Parsi Zoroastrian Association, 1, Saklat Place, Calcutta-13. Pp. 389 plus 159 pages of (Introduction. Price : Rs. 25.)

This is indeed a mangnum opus of Shri J. M. Chatterji. It is obviously the product of a l i fe time of devoted study of the Gathas and the rel i gion of Zarathustra. It carries an appreciative message by Dr. Radhakrishnan.

As the publisher's note says, scholars may disagree with a particular v i ew taken by Shri Chatterji but this does not, in any way, detract f rom the value of the publication. Shri Chatterji is to be congratulated for this monumental labour of love and the time and care and energy that he has bestowed on his work .

The Avesta texts with their prose-order and literal translation and word-notes are given in detail. All in all, this is not a handy book for the layman, but a reference work for libraries and the scholars.

Shri Chatterji's book serves a dire need, but due to its size and price, it limits its scope to scholars, and school, college and university l i b raries and most certainly is a must for research libraries.

VINODINI M. GHARAT.

ON H A V I N G NO H E A D : A CONTRIBUTION TO ZEN IN THE W E S T : By D. E. Harding. (The Buddhist Society, 58 Eccleston Square, London, S . W . - l . Pp. 51. P r i c e : 6sh.) The best thing in this book is the description

of a remarkable personal experience by the author, a pre-gl impse of realization : " There arose no question, no reference beyond the experience itself, but only peace and a quiet j o y and the sensation of having dropped ah intolerab le burden. It felt l ike a sudden waking from the Sleep of ordinary life, an end to dreaming. It was self- luminous Reality . . . " It is very hard to describe a glimpse of a state f rom whicn " words turn away baff led". Whatever one may say, however near, fails to describe the Undes-cribable. That is w h y the Scriptures take recourse to " Neti, N e t i " (not this, not this ) .

The author succeeds remarkably well to make this experience alive as far as possible to the readers so that they may also try to get it. If by the " head " he means mind, wel l and good. This reviewer is wondering w h y he leaves the rest of the body. Is it not as much or as little a part of the illusion or superimpdsition as the rest ? This glimpse may be experienced by some as only H E A D or MIND or pure Awareness or I-am-ness without any otherness whatsoever. " . . . nay h i m self was not present to himself. Even of beauty he is no longer aware, for now he has travelled beyond the beautiful . . . " (Plotinus) .

The motive for writing this book is the author's urge to communicate and to help others get out of the morass of their o w n making. A n excel lent motive indeed and a very good ending after proving that our case . is absolutely hopeless * " However this need cause no alarm. It is all peripheral, elsewhere. Here the Sovereign of the Centre reigns. Here is one that exists Alone, and alone exists, though infinitely beyond aloneness and existence. Who could attain to This except it Self and what need to attain ? "

LUCIA OSBORNE.

A NEW PUBLICATION SRI R A M A N A V A Z H I (The Path of Ramana) , in

T a m i l : By Sadhu Om, Copies available at Sri Ramanasramam Book Depot, Sri Ramanasra-mam. Tiruvannamalai, South India, P r i c e : Rs. 2.50.

TTXEVOTEES of Bhagavan know that there has always been complete freedom for them to

fo l low their o w n methods of sadhana inside the Ashram for which they get powerful support from Bhagavan. Everyone is taken up at his own level of development. There is no compulsion of any kind to partake in religious or spiritual activities. The inmates have rarely been in the habit of gathering for meditation or spiritual discussion at prescribed hours or on fixed days. This complete absence of regimentation has been appreciated by inmates and visitors alike and has been acclaimed as the unique and refreshing feature of the Ashram. Latterly, however , a f ew of the devotees began to feel that it would be desirable to assemble once in a week in some place inside the Ashram and conduct discussions or discourses on spiritual subjects, especially Bhagavan's teachings. Accordingly from the middle of January Sat Sanghs (gatherings of devotees) are being held for about an hour on all Sunday evenings in the N e w Hall. The Sangh starts with the recitation of some Tamil verses from Bhagavan's works and the exposition of a verse or two. This is fo l lowed by a short talk on spiritual subjects, especially Bhagavan's teachings, by one of the

devotees present. The Sangh comes to an end with silent meditation.

Prof. R. K. Viswanathan, who is now settled, after his retirement, in Ramana Nagar, and on whose persuasion the Sat Sangh was formed, is made the Secretary of it. He is very earnest and has already proved to be really capable of con ducting these meetings successfully.

Apart from the weekly Sat Sanghs there were also some special Sanghs during the last quarter. These were addressed by Dr. T. M. P. Maha-devan, Director for Advanced Studies in Phi lo sophy, Madras, Prof. M. M. Verma, retired P r o fessor of the Rajasthan University, Prof. N. R, Krishnamurthi Aiyar, and Major Abdul Gaft'ur.

GOVERNOR'S VISIT Sardar Ujjal Singh, the Governor of Madras,

paid a visit to the Ashram at the end of D e c e m ber last. He was accompanied by the Collector of the District, Mr. B. K. Belliappa. They were shown round the Ashram by the President and the Trustees. The Governor showed considerable interest in everything that he saw. Priests chant-

1968 A S H R A M B U L L E T I N 157

Sardar Ujjal Singh, the Governor of Madras, is seen absorbed inside the ' N i rvana ' room. Next to him are: Sri K. Padmanabhan, Trustee, Sri Swami Sathyananda and the Ashram President.

ed Vedas before him and offered garlands of flowers and sacred prttsadam at the end. Before leaving the Ashram the Governor made a handsome donation to the Ashram.

SRI RAMANA JAYANTHI IN BOMBAY

The 88th Jayanthi of Sri Bhagavan was ce le brated at the Birla Kreeda Kendra, Chowpaty, Bombay, on 1st January 1968. Sri S. K. Patil, a former minister of the Government of India, presided over the function. The chief guest of the evening was K u m . Savitaben Nanji Kalidas Mehta, Acharya of the Shree Aryakanya Gurukul, Porbander. Swami Poornananda Tirtha of the Jnana Ashram, Parlikad, the we l l -known e x p o n ent of Advaita, addressed the gathering.

Justice K. S. Venkataraman, High Court Judge, Madras, addressed the ' Ramana Bhakta S a b h a '

members, in Madras.

RAMANA BHAKTA SABHA, MADRAS The Jayanthi was celebrated on December 24,

1967 at Dharmalayam, 94, Mowbrays Road, Alwarpet, Madras. After Veda parayana, Mr. Justice K. S. Venkataraman spoke of the inescapable

Seated L to R : Kum. Savitaben Nanji Kalidas Mehta, Sri S. K. Patil, former Minister, Sri Swami Poornananda Tirtha, Sri N. D. Sahukar, Sri P. B. Kotak and Sri Ushakant Ladiwala. Smt. Niruben

Kapadia is seen singing Gujarathi songs in praise of Sri Bhagavan.


DELHI : Sri M. L. Sondhi, M.P., offering flowers to the beautiful portrait of Sri Bhagavan, during the Jayanthi celebration. Next to him is Prof. K. Swaminathan.

spiritual reality in which w e have our being, whether or no w e recognize it. After a series of songs by Shri R. M. Sundaram, Mrs. Sulochana Natarajan, Mrs. Sarada Chinnaswami and Mrs. Lakshmi Sivaraman, the meeting ended with arati and distribution of* prasadam.

RAMANA KENDRA, DELHI The Jayanthi meeting wa3 held on December 18,

1967 in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Curzon Road, N e w Delhi. After a we lcome speech in Sanskrit and Veda Parayana, Shri M. L. Sondhi, M.P., jspoke on the relevance of Sri Bhagavan to modern man, who badly needed the "st i l l c e n t r e " of advaita jnana to enable him to orientate and balance himself in the whirl of contemporary life. He said, " Human life, both individual and social, is a continuous growth and there is no growth, without tension. Shakti, which impels growth, should hold perpetual dialogue with Shanti, which is the root of our being and the heart of the universe."

Mrs. Mahalingam rendered songs by Sri Bhagavan and Sri Muruganar. Professor K. Swami nathan described the Sunday meetings of the Kendra and its efforts to establish a permanent home in -the Capital.

VISITORS AND PILGRIMS FROM ABROAD M. Jean Herbert, the we l l -known French

author and publisher, an old devotee of Bhagavan, and his wife paid a visit to the Ashram. M. Herbert was interested to see all the places in the Ashram including the kitchen where he was in Sri Bhagavan's company during his visit long

ago. In fact his old associations with Sri Bhagavan were quite fresh in his mind. He said on leaving, that he and his wife would like to return one day for a longer stay.

Besides the visitors from abroad mentioned in our 1st issue there were quite a number of other visitors for shorter or longer stays during the last quarter.* The circumstances in which some of the visitors became interested in Bhagavan's life and teaching have been described in their letters which w e give be low as they might be of interest to readers of the Mountain Path.

* * *

Some Years ago, when I was still a member of the ' S.R.F.', a co-brother gave me the book " Talks with Ramana Maharshi Vol . I " . The teachings contained in this book appealed i m m e diately to m y innermost being. I, however , c o n tinued m y spiritual practice on the lines of the ' S.R.F.' for several years. It was in 1966 that it occurred to me that I should thereafter fo l low the path of Sri Ramana. I also felt a desire to live at Bhagavan's ashram for some time so that I might benefit by the spiritual atmosphere of the place. It- is n o w three months since I arrived

* Mark Antrobus, United Kingdom. Vaclav Cech, Chechoslovakia. Anne Ansermet, Switzerland. Betjy Muriel Austin, United Kingdom. Van der Linde Hermine, Dutch. Rina Vredenbregt, Belgium. Swami Narikutti, Australia. Louise Marie Lanvin, France. Nadeshca Mackman, Sweden. Gunter Lowack, W. Germany. Lucy Cornelssen, W. Germany. Marlies Hibschenberger, Germany. Baio Regina Sendras, Portugal. Carmen Orosz, U.K. Leonard Oswald Bowen, Australia. Victoria Orfaly, American, U.S.A. Edgar Johannes Krayss, Switzerland. Le Prince Jacqueline, France. Dauguet Yvonne , France. John Hislop, U.S.A. Magdalena Hislop, U.S.A. Giles Francis Dubuis, U.K. Lewis Henry Warren, Australia. R o g e r Henninger, France. George Ernest Oakenfold, U.K. Alain Chapeller, France. Ronald Lee, U.S.A. Erna Feig, W. Germany. Yoytech Kurka, Chechoslovakia. Irene E. Wolfington, U.S.A.

1968 A S H R A M B U L L E T I N 159

Horst Rutkowskl

here. This is m y first visit to this place and to India. I quickly got accustomed to the ways of living prevailing here. Every/body is fr iendly and helpful. The management does its best for the visitors. Everybody is left free to fo l low his own sadhana depending upon his spiritual development a n d mental make-up. N o body is obliged to take part in the pujas or any other religious ceremonies. B h a g a v a n w h o brought me to this place is also taking care of me here and he will let me remain here as long as it is His Will .

HORST RUTKOWSKI, West Germany

It was through the Cambridge University Buddhist Society that a couple of copies of The Mountain Path came m y way. I read some of the articles about the ashram, the life of Sri Bhagavan and some of His sayings. One article by Christmas Humphreys in which he said that he k n e w that on meeting Sri Bhagavan he had contacted that which is " unborn, unconditioned, unmade ", to use the words of the Buddha speaking on the state of nirvana, particularly made me want to find out more. This desire was made even stronger when I saw the photograph of him.

Months later, when I was staying at the newly founded Tibetan monastery in Scotland, I came across the booklet " The Gospel of Ramana Maharshi" , and met also a French couple who had been to this ashram and who told me of the Sense of peace and spirituality that pervades the atmosphere here.

I was intending to come to India in any case* to fo l low up m y interest in Indian Spirituality, and what I had heard and read made me make the Sri Ramanashramam one of m y main o b j e c tives.

I was not disappointed when I arrived. There is something indefinable in the air — something that helps you realize what Indian religion is all about, and definitely something that

makes for fruitful meditation. Perhaps one could say that it is the feeling that Sri Bhagavan is not dead, but is still guiding the steps of the meditator from within,

JAMES WHELAN.

United Kingdom.

Some three or four years ago I gradually b e came aware of an inner urge to know m o r e about India. There was no outer reason for this, nor had I ever had any particular interest in India before. It was something like a vague nostalgia. I felt as if India possessed some hidden mystery ; which I wanted to discover. I began to read booKs about India, and one of the first books 1 came across was H. H. Von Veltheim's " Der Atem Indiens " (The Breath of India) . The author gives a long and detailed account of his visit to Sri Ramanasramam, which took place in 1937 or 1938. This is h o w Bhagavan revealed Himself to me.

At that time I was not even aware of the existence of Vedanta philosophy, nor did I under stand anything of Bhagavan's teachings. But I was so deeply impressed by His divine glory, that I began to read all I could find about Vedanta. Eight months afterwards I discovered a book on Bhagavan and His teachings. This was " Der Weg zum S e l b s t " by Heinrich Zimmer. After reading it I became a convinced devotee.

From the day I first came to k n o w about Bhagavan 1 have never forgotten Him. The thought of Him has haunted me ever since. Although He was no more physically present I felt that I had to go to Tiruvannamalai, and that nothing on earth could prevent me.

N o w Bhagavan's Grace has enabled me to come here. During m y who le stay in India He has guided and blessed me in a marvellous way .

RINA VREBENBREGT,

Belgium.

Towards the end of 1961 1 was carelessly l ook ing through the books in & bookshop in Constance, a town in Southern Germany, when I came across a German translation of Mouni Sadhu's book " In Days of Great P e a c e " . The frontispiece of the book was a photograph of Ramana Maharshi. The immediate effect of this photograpn upon me was one of great attraction. At the same time I felt a great familiarity, as though 1 had known Bhagavan's face for ages. From this time onward for a period of about three years, Bhagavan's face often appeared before m y


Mrs. Hibschenberger

mind in the course of m y daily activities. Although I was not practising meditation at that time, I shortly afterwards started to meditate now and then and, quite automatically, turned to Bhagavan's face as an object of meditation.

A period of two or three years must have elapsed after this before I wrote to Ramanasram. My hesitation to write was mainly due to m y uncertainty and ignorance, as to what facilities and oppor tunities existed for a Westerner to visit an Indian ashram. I knew no person who had ever contemplated or made such a visit. The Ashram's prompt reply to my

letter with an invitation to come came as a welcome and thrilling surprise.

Thus I left for India b y sea in October 1964, but went to the north of India first, visiting seve ral holy places which I had( read about. However during this time 1 was constantly aware of being pulled towards the South and felt Bhagavan's pre sence very strongly whilst in the Himalayas, as if calling me to Arunachala. At times this call became so strong that it became almost physical in its intensity and an urgency to fulfill the real purpose of m y visit to India, began to possess me.

When I finally started southward for Rama-nashram it was with a feeling of relief, ana* m y final arrival at Arunachala seemed to be almost a home-coming, away from the trials and tribulations of the outside world .

M y stay at Arunachala confirmed the opening in m y life of a spiritual awareness which I had always been seeking, but its appearance and con tinued presence since that time, has been a p r o cess of rediscovery of " the o l d " rather than a disclosure of " the new ". I feel that I have rece ived Bhagavan's Grace and this feeling of familiarity of which I speak seems to be common to many devotees who have already experienced this Grace. Here, I am n o w for the second time. I am happy I am at m y ' home

MRS. MARLIES HIBSCHENBERGER,

West Germany.

It was in 1950, in France, that, on opening at random a magazine, I was attracted by Sri Bhagavan's last photograph. There were only some words about His life and His Mahasamadhi. Immediately a kind of prayer rose within me that I might have the darshan of a realized soul. Such was the power which His look in that small photograph had on me for a f ew seconds.

He fulfilled m y prayer in a strange way : In 1954 Swami Ramdas came to Geneva and there I was blessed by His brief darshan. In 1958 in an almost miraculous way, I got an opportunity to come to India and to spend some weeks in Anandashram. Sri Ramdas (who had his reali zation after having the blessing of Sri Bhag:avan) sdvised me to visit Sri Ramanasramam.

I arrived at the Ramanasramam in June 1958 on the anniversary of the Mahasamadhi of Bhagavan's mother. As soon as I arrived I was taken for a * pradakshina' around the sacred Hill. Later, when I was shown the small room in which Sri Bhagavan attained Maha Samadhi m y breath stopped short on reading " April 14th ". For that was the date of m y first landing on the blessed Indian soil. Everything was His Grace and answer to m y prayer.

N o w after some years Bhagavan again opens His wonderful Ashram to this pilgrim. His grace is here. He makes us feel quite at home. W e can meet Him "every w h e r e ; in the Meditation Hall we sit at His f e e t ; in Skandasramam He opens an oasis of beauty and silence ; in the big Temple of the town His welcome took the form of un forgettable and beautiful celebrations. Even In the dining hall His loving care is felt in the kind service and perfect food. Is there any word to express our .gratitude to Him ? And to Him through you all who are ever at His service ?

MARIE LANVIN,

France.

There was a light in a German boy's eyes and now when thinking back I am sure it is this light which originally drove me to Tiruvan-namalai. This light was quite a fascinating one,

•making me suddenly aware that there must be " something beyond " of great interest as all which composed m y life before meeting with this light appeared suddenly grey, dull, dead.

On a French ship bound for Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia, that German boy, Wilhelm, was moving around quietly among the agitated crowd of youngsters around him but nevertheless there was somehow a more active power in him

1968 A S H R A M B U L L E T I N 161

Jacqueline Leprince

which struck us, m y cousin Roland and myself, and awoke in us the desire to find out what it was. Before landing in Tahiti w e had time to find out that he had spent quite a number of years in India and had become one of its warmest lovers, and also that Tiruvannamalai seemed to

have played quite a big part in his stay there which gave me the strong desire to go myself to this very particular place and find out what could be seen or hidden there.

Since m y youth India had always been of great fascination to me but

somehow for m y first big trip abroad fate had driven me in quite another direction. I knew anyway that some day I would reach India and finally that day arrived, two months - ago, when m y girl friend Yvonne and myself landed at Bombay, ready to start the discovery of this ""promised l a n d " which has been so much talked and written about.

When w e reached Tiruvannamalai, a few weeks after our arrival in India, w e knew that already these two girls were not the same any more, as India with all its trials, its shocks, its contradictions, had awakened a part of our being which had been asleep all these years. And h o w not to feel passionately attached to a country which has such power to awaken in our being a sensitivity neglected for so long.

From all the places w e have been till now, T i ru vannamalai has proved to be the best "sensit i vity a w a k e n e r " for us both. N o w please don't force me to give the exact causes. For surely there is a " spec ia l " atmosphere here. Is it due to Bhagavan's body which has been here before ? Is it Bhagavan's spirit floating all around the place ? Is it Arunachala ? Is it the light I see in some people's eyes (the same light which has been originally our leader to Tiruvannamalai) ? Please don't ask me to determine exactly what it

Yvonne Dauguet

is as, finally, when thinking more and more about it all I can only come to the conclusion that it is just one and the same thing. And, whatever, I could name, it, as a living experience, it is the most wonderful thing I could ever have dreamt of,

J A Q U E L I N E LEPtflNCE & Y V N N N E D A U G U E T ,

France. * * *

I first heard of Bhagavan from a friend in ua Zen Meditation group in London. He lent me some books on Bhagavan and his sayings and after reading tliem plus some copies of The Mountain Path I saw the same truths and practice to which I had been led by m y Buddhist enquiries. In particular I felt an affinity with the practice recommended.

I decided to leave London and head for Japan for some training in Zazen and a stay at Ramanasramam in Bhagavan's Presence seemed an essential stop en route. The general atmosphere around Aiunachala and the Ashram life in general have been very conducive to m y sadhana and I consider myself very fortunate to have been led to such a beautiful spot.

L E W I S WARREN,

Australia.

From m y first v iew of the ashram I rejoiced in the right decision to have come, and in the peace which pervaded the grove and now filled me. Looking a little further into the ashram and its activities and the short explorations on Arunachala confirmed m y original impressions. The fol lowing day I went on a pradakshina which also thrilled me.

Then, a couple of days later, after breakfast, leaving for a second walk around the hill, I felt a slight pain in the stomach which at that time I disregarded as mild indigestion. However , it lingered, but by the time I took it seriously I had already passed the point of no return. Near-ing the town I had to sit down for relief and gradually these stops became more frequent and of longer duration till I finally came to a halt on a kerb in town, with no wil l to go further. Lucki ly a jatka came into view* which brought me to ashram (although I was debating whether to go to the hospital in the t o w n ) , and, as I was now convinced I was a victim of food-poisoning, I was mildly surprised to see life in the ashram continuing as normal (my apologies to the kitchen for ever doubting them ?).

It transpired that I had had a minor heart attack and a couple of hours later, the pain r e -

A S H R A M B U L L E T I N 163

tributions in the Golden Jubilee Souvenir (1946) and in the July '64 and January '65 issues of- the Mountain Path.

His first visit to the ashram, which took place in September 1940, is vividly described by^i i im in the Jayanthi (January 1966) number of the Mountain Path. Since then he visited the ashram many times, renewed contact, with the resident devotees and helped the management with valuable suggestions. W e offer our sympathy to his family and the large circle of his loving and beloved old boys .

THE MOUNTAIN PATH LIBRARY

N E W ADDITIONS

The Theology of Chenchidh, by D. A . Thangasamy

The Indian Churches of Saint Thomas, by C. P. Mathew and M. M. Thomas

You shall be as Gods, by Erich Fromm New Methods of Knowledge and Value, by Robert

E. Shiller Prophet Mohammad and His Mission, £>y Athar

Husain

J. Krishnamurti and Awareness in Action, by A. D. Dhopeshwarkar

Thinking with the Yajurveda, by Gandabhai G. Desai

Mahabharatam, by Kamala Subramanian T h e Message of the Rishis, by Anj i lve l V . Matthew Lije and Teachings of the Mother, by E. Bharad^

waia

The Sage of Salisbury: Thomas Chubb 1679-1747), b y T. L. Bushell

A n c i e n t Religion — A New Look, by Swami V e n -katesananaa

Bhakti Yoga, by Swami Venkatesananda ,

Roja Yoga, by Swami Venkatesananda

Yoga, by Swami Venkatesananda SH Lalita Trisati; Bhashya of Sankaracharya,

translated by Dr. Changanti Suryanarayana

The Diary of a Mystic, by Edward Thornton Suparna; Symbdl and a Suggestion, b y E.

Ananthacharya

On Having No Head : A Contribution to Zen in the West, by D. E. Harding

THE MOUNTAIN PATH Statement about ownership and other particulars about The Mountain Path (according

to Form IV, Rule 8, circulated by the Registrar f Newspapers for India) :

1. Place of Publication 2. Periodicity of its Publication 3. Printer's Name

Nationality Address

4. Publisher's Name Nationality Address

5. Editor's Name Nationality Address

6. Names and addresses of individuals who own the newspaper and partners or shareholders holding more than 1% of the total capital.

I, T. N. Venkataraman, hereby declare that the of m y knowledge and belief.

Date 20-3-1968.

Madras-18. Quarterly. T„ V, Venkataraman, Indian. The Jupiter Press Private Ltd., 109-C, Mount Road, Madras-18. T. N. Venkataraman. Indian. 109-C, Mount Road, Madras-18. Arthur Osborne. British. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai. SRI RAMANASRAMAM,

Tiruvannamalai.

particulars given above are true to the best

Signature of the Publisher, (Sd.) T. N. V E N K A T A R A M A N .

164 April

I N T R O D U C I N G

Sri FRAMJI DORABJI

Q U I F R A M J I DORABJI , a Parsi businessman ^ originally belonging to Bombay, but now settled in Madras, is an old devotee of Sri Bhagavan. He comes of an orthodox family strict! fol lowing the religious practices of the Zoroas-trians. From his boyhood he was interested in saints and holy men and he met a number of them. The association with one of them near Bombay was, however , far from happy. The latter began to exercise an unwholesome control over his devotee who tried in vain to overcome his evil influence. But happily for him he heard of Sri Bhagavan from his late brother, Sri Dadiba, who had read a review of Paul Brunton's book, " A Search in Secret I n d i a " in The Sunday Times. And his brother strongly advised him to go and see Sri Bhagavan.

It was, however , some months before he could come down to Tiruvannamalai. At last in 1937 he and a party of four others paid a visit to Sri Ramanasramam and had darshan of Sri Bhagavan. The moment he saw Sri Bhagavan h^ began to feel an extraordinary veneration for

Sri Framji Dorabjl

Him. In Sri Bhagavan's presence he experienced intense peace and happiness. He became con vinced that here at last was the Master, the Sadguru, for w h o m he had been searching. He therefore repeated his visits as often as he could. Soon his fear of the ' holy m a n ' in Bombay grew less and less until it totally disappeared.

Living at such a great distance he could not come to Tiruvannamalai as often as he wished. But in 1942 his business activities were, to his great delight, shifted from Bombay to Madras and this enabled him to visit the Ashram more often. He looked upon this change as a mark of Sri Bhagavan's Grace. During his visits he never put any questions to Sri Bhagavan but was quite content to sit silently in His presence. Nor did Sri Bhagavan ask him anything about his sadhana. But somehow the questions which he would have

1968 I N T R O D U C I N G 165

liked to ask were answered by Sri Bhagavan in the course of His talks with some of the other persons w h o were present. He found that the path of enquiry was not suitable for him and that the alternative path shown by Sri Bhagavan, namely sunvnder was the path he should fol low. A t the same time he began to realize the inner significance of his own religion. He therefore, continued to remain a staunch Zoroastrian without losing his devotion to Sri Bhagavan.

Although Sri Framji neither put any questions to Sri Bhagavan nor talked to Him freely Sri Bhagavan was quite aware of his devotion. A small incident shows this clearly. Sri Framji used always to come into Sri Bhagavan's presence wearing the traditional dress of Zoroastrians, including a black conical cap. One day, however ,

he came without his cap. Sri Bhagavan noticed this and later told one of his attendants about it. Evidently Sri Bhagavan had no objection to any one wearing the dress he was accustomed to and it was not at all necessary that the cap should be removed out of respect to Him. When this came to the ears of Sri Framji he wondered at the broad outlook of Sri Bhagavan and thereafter put on his cap as usual !

Sri Framji, his wife, daughter and son, are all staunch devotees of Sri Bhagavan and still c on tinue to visit the Ashram frequently. They have built a small cottage for themselves, not far from the Ashram, with the object of making longer stays near Sri Bhagavan's Ashram. Al l of them regard Sri Bhagavan as their Guide and Guru and the Ashram as their ' home '.

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166

JANUARY 1968 I see no reason to doubt that " J a n " is the

most valuable number you have hitherto produc ed, as it is the best typographically also. You might have some protests from Europe on the ground of the standing promise of universality, but none on any ground from me.

Congratulations. TENENCE GRAY,

Monte Carlo.

The next issue will clarify the position regarding protests, if\ any, since it deals with Bhagavan's poetry^

EDITOR.

* * *

( 2 ) I have just received the January issue of The

Mountain Path and we have found it not only very interesting but also very beautifully illustrated. Congratulations ! Mr. Osborne, your editorial is a j oy " to read. Once again, congratulations !

GLADYS D E MEUTER, Johannesburg.

* * *

( 3 ) The arrival of The Mountain Path is eagerly

anticipated every quarter. This time's issue is specially fine and the Grace on the fly leaf facing the frontispiece is indeed much to be appreciated. It is a humble request that this practice may kindly be continued in subsequent issues and some words spoken or written by the Great Soul may be quoted on the fly leaf as a regular feature.

The Mountain Path forms an important aid to acquisition of full knowledge of the Self. There is a long way to go yet, but His silent Grace is

April

to the E D I T O R

there and while it is there, there is hope in this life

Please accept these f ew words of appreciation for good w o r k well done.

DR. ARUN K . MITRA.

* * *

( 4 ) Both your efforts (Sacred Poetry and

Threefold Scripture) are compact, clear and re freshingly frank. Y o u speak from a certain high stance..

K. SWAMINATHAN,

New Delhi,

* * *

( 5 ) I have meanwhile received the Jan. 1968 issue

of The Mountain Path. It is a delightful exper i ence for me to go through articles, including yours, in this and other numbers of this remarkable magazine

I note with much interest your opinion that Greek civilization was originally in line with the Vedic. In m y investigation into mysticism in poetry I myself felt l ike believing that f rom the Neo-Platonists back to Plato and Pythagoras and further b a c k there was an unexplojred regioto where the Greek spirit was auite akin to the VedTe,

A. C. Boss*, N e w Delhi.

(6) I am Just an ordinary individual, thoroughly

entangled in samsara and m y only virtue is that I constantly think of Bhagavan. M y struggles are

1968 L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R 167

not yet over and on the night of Tuesday I wept in m y sleep sorely asking for Bhagavan's grace. I was awakened by m y son, sleeping beside me, and I could f ee l "my chest aching even then. The next day, as though in answer to m y prayers, I received The MoiAntairi Path (January issue) and this has offered me great consolation. I am wr i t ing to you as there is a great desire to divulge this experience to a person w h o will understand the significance.

R. RAJAGOPALAN, r N e w Delhi.

* * *

BHAGAVAN IN UNIVERSITIES I have before me your correspondence to Studies

in Comparative Religion, page 96, Vol . I No. 2, Spring 1967. I have owned your two edited volumes on Sri Ramana Maharshi for a f e w months and value them greatly. I completed m y doctor 's dissertation on a comparative study of Sri Ramana and Martin Heidegger in 1964 and received the Ph.D. f rom the American Academy of Asian Studies, San Francisco. As you may or may not k n o w three other doctorates have been granted there for Maharshi study and a course in his teachings is offered regularly there by a faculty member I know of no group of students of the writings of Sri Ramana in San Francisco, although he is a favourite with students at the Academy and his works and literature about him are available at the Cultural Integration Fellowship's San Francisco Ashram.

PAUL E. HERMAN.

U.S.A.

GUIDE TO EXPERIENCE May I say what a j oy it is to read articles like

that by the musician Kovai -Mani which describes h o w his father Nilakanta came to the Maharshi. The effect is such that one seems to pass through the gateway of the words into the living exper i ence with the devotee as the blazing eyes of the Master pour forth their grace. One is then over whelmed with love for^ and gratitude to this Master by whose Grace w e have found the Supreme Teaching in this life time.

Pieces like this are far more than mere words printed on a page ; one cannot help feeling that something like spiritual power communicates itself to the sensitive) reader causing an immediate uplifting of consciousness. This perhaps is the test which separates truly inspired writing from that which results from mental knowledge and it

seems that as one progresses in sadhana it is pos sible to kjnow instantaneously whether one is reading something produced by the former or the latter.

I should like to add that even small articles of this nature more than justify the existence of The Mountain Path for devotees of Bhagavan. Thank you Japa, it would mean — irrespective of the qualifications of teacher and pupil, is by its very nature bound to succeed in lifting the mind to a higher plane of consciousness, when practised earnestly. A n y comments from the Editor ?

SARAH FARRAND.

London.

Sincere and one-pointed effort he it Japa or prayer help in lifting the mind to a higher plane of consciousness hut only up to a point. If the Guru is not qualified he is hound to slip up sooner or later, when the disciple's need may he most vital. Grace is needed. However great our effort it will he no more than a drop merging with the boundless sea of Grace. Only the genuine Guru is the source of Grace on the plane of sadhana.

EDITOR.

CELIBACY? What was the Maharshi's teaching about sex life

for married sadhakas who seek Liberation ? GERARD GRIMARDIA,

Elizabethville, France.

The Maharshi did not demand celibacy, as some spiritual Masters have. He expected his followers to lead a normal family life, except those of them who were sadhus, and he showed interest in reports of marriages and births among them.

If asked whether celibacy was necessary he WGUld sometimes say that it is one help among others and sometimes draw* the attention of the questioner to the real meaning of ' brahma-charya the Sanskrit word for \ celibacy ', meaning inherence in Brahman. In general he taught inner rather than outer discipline. This meant that the aspirant should aim at a state in which all joy and happiness is found in Brahman1, not in the apparent realities of the physical world.

EDITOR.

* * *

SLEEP On page 331 of ' Talks with Sri Ramana Maha

rshi ' it is stated that Bhagavan said " The Self is pure consciousness in sleep." I have been trying


and trying to understand this but have failed. If you mean that sleep is ' nidra h o w can * n i d r a ' be pure consciousness when one is not conscious at all in it? Again, it is said that the Self is the Witness of the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep. Sri Bhagavan has graciously consented to explain all this on pp. 331-334 but still I fail to understand it. I shall thank you if you wil l throw some l ights on it in the 'Letters to the Edi tor ' in The Mountain Path,

M . E . AMROLIA.

Devlali .

It is best to concentrate on the practical not the theoretical meaning of such sayings, Bhagavan says: " The Self is pure Consciousness in sleep; it evolves as AHAM (' I') without the IDAM (this) in the transition stage, and manifests as AHAM and IDAM in the waking state. The individual's experience is by means of the aham only. So he must aim at realization in the way indicated (by means Of the transitional 'I'). Otherwise the sleep-experience d)oes not matter to him. If the transitional 'I' be realized the substratum is found and that leads to the goal."

Sometimes when you first wake up from sleep consciousness returns before it is focussed as definite consciousness • of anything. This is what Bhagavan means by the ' transition stage \ In this stage yoti just are, so he calls it aham or ' I\ As soon as it focusses you are this or that, so he calls it IDAM, ' thisWhat he means is that you should prolong the experience of pure un-focussed I-ness. You will find that it can continue as a substratum underlying the I-am-this consciousness even after that returns an)d that it is perfect bliss. It is not to be confused with daydreaming. Day-dreaming (e I might be that') comes after IDAM (I-am-this), whereas I-am comes before it. What is needed is to try to have this experience not to theorise about it.

EDITOR.

* * *

SURRENDER 1. I can suspend thoughts for a few minutes

but I am aware of the activities of the outer world. When the exercise is prolonged time passes unawares and I am not sure whether I was asleep or conscious. Is this what you call "the suspension of thought while retaining consciousness ? "

2. Can one practise bhakti-marga along with Self -enquiry ?

3. Bhagavan said complete surrender is to leave everything to him. He knows what is best for the devotee and the devotee should not want what he himself thinks best. But a doubt assails me .

* should I not wish for the basic needs of life, such as simple food and clothing ?

G . S lVAPRAGASAM, Vavuniya, Ceylon.

1. It can be but you have to beware of what is called ' laya', that is of a passive sort of state akin to day-dreaming.

2. Yes, 3. Who is it that wishes ? And for who ? Is

there any anxiety that if God or Self is not reminded of the wishes they will not be met ? Cannot God or Bhagavan be trusted to bring about what is .necessary ?

EDITOR.

* * >P

I AND SELF - ENQUIRY I began doing meditation every day in the Old

Hall in the Ashram just a year ago. I admit that I had not so far attempted Self enquiry and I was wondering h o w it was possible for a man to keep asking himself this simple question " W h o am I ? '* For it is a simple question and no one can keep his mind engaged b y this kind of in vestigation, I thought. Hence I was fol lowing q different technique to control m y mind.

Quite recently a very interesting thing happened. V£ was much agitated over a personal p r o blem ^ It was a; simple one, but it held m y attention for nearly a week. A man w h o is worried does not usually sleep well , but during the period of m y worry I quite often pondered on the prob lem which worried me and fell into a state of stupor.

It is clear from this that one-pointedhess is akin to a state of thoughtlessness which is usually associated with sleep. In other words a simple question could enable me to eliminate most of m y thoughts from m y mind. I asked myself the question " W h y then is Sel f -enquiry impossible ? " The answer is I don't consider the question " W h o am I ? " a personal and important p r o blem. I then went to the Old Hall and started Sel f -enquiry treating it as m y most personal p r o blem and found it really successful.

Bhagavan has taught us the way . I write these lines in the hope that some of your readers may be similarly benefited if they are in m y position.

P . V . SRINIVASAN,

Tiruvannamalai.

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