We may wonder, especially in the Western part of the world, what the path of discipleship really may be. No doubt discipleship has been the path of those who followed Christ and all other Teachers, but the modern trend of thought has, by its new influence, taken away a great deal of the Ideal that existed in the past. It is not only the idea of discipleship that seems to be little known, but even the ideals of motherhood and fatherhood and the aged that seem to be less understood. The consequence of these changes in ideals has worked unwittingly to such an extent that we find ourselves in a world-conflict. The troubles between nations, the troubles existing between classes, the troubles in social life and domestic life, all come from one and the same reason. If a person asks me, “What is the cause of the unrest in today’s world?” I will say the answer is one thing, “The lack of the Ideal.”
The path of discipleship, in ancient times, was a lesson given to apply in all directions of life. A human being is not only the body, but also the soul. When a child is born on earth, it is not that the soul is born; the soul is born from the moment that consideration is born. This birth of consideration is actually the birth of the soul. A human being shows their soul through consideration. Some become considerate as children; others, perhaps, in their whole life do not awaken to consideration. People say that love is the divine element. Yes, love is a divine element, but love’s divine expression is only consideration. It would not be wrong to say that love without consideration loses its fragrance.
Also, it is not only intelligence that generates consideration. It is the balance of love and intelligence that brings about consideration. It is the action and reaction of love and intelligence that produces consideration. Children who are considerate are more precious than jewels to their parents. The person who is considerate, the friend who has consideration, all those with whom we come in contact who are considerate we deem valuable.
It is the lesson of consideration given by the spiritual Teachers that is called the path of discipleship. It is not that the great Teachers have wanted the discipleship of the disciples for themselves, or the devotion for themselves, or the respect of the student for themselves. If any Teacher expected consideration for themself, they could not be a Teacher. How can one be a spiritual Teacher who is dependent on the respect, the devotion, the consideration of their student? The Teacher must be above that desire, to be above their students. Consideration is taught for the disciple’s own advantage, as an attribute that must be cultivated.
Until now, there has been a custom in India—I myself experienced it when young. When I went to school to learn the ABCs from the teacher, the first thing my parents taught me was respect for the teacher—consideration and a kindly inclination. I question how far the modern idea of a child going to school is the same. The child thinks the teacher is appointed to do a certain duty; the child does not know the teacher; the teacher does not know the child. When children come home, they tend to have the same attitude toward their parents as they do toward their teacher at school. Mostly children grow up thinking all the attention their parents give them is part of the duty of the parents. They think, “Perhaps if I am able, I shall pay it back.” The ancient idea was different. For instance, the Prophet Mohammed taught his disciples that the greatest debt a person has to pay—every person—was to their mother, and if they wished their sins to be forgiven, they must act in such a way throughout their life that at the end, their mother, before passing from this earth, would say, “I have forgiven you the debt.” The person could not say, “I have paid my debt to my mother with money or service.” No, their mother must say, “I have forgiven you that debt.” What does this teach? It teaches the value of that unselfish love that is above all earthly passion.
If we inquire of our self within—For what purpose have we come to earth? Why have we become human beings? Perhaps it would have been better to remain angels, why this human body? —the answer will certainly come to the wise from their own heart. Their heart would say that we are here to experience a fuller life, to become fully human. That fullness in becoming human is in consideration. Every consideration is precious. The whole teaching of Christ, “Blessed are the meek, the poor in spirit,” teaches one thing: consideration. Although it seems simple, yet it is a hard lesson to learn. The more we wish to act according to this ideal, the more we realize we fail. The further we go on the path of consideration, the more delicate do the eyes of our perception become; we feel the slightest mistake, and we become sorry.
It is not every soul that takes the trouble to tread the path. It is not that everyone is a plant; there are many rocks. They do not want to be considerate; they think it is too much trouble. Of course, the stone has no pain. It is the one who feels, who has pain, that can tread the path of consideration.
Still, even with pain, one would like to be a living being rather than a rock, because there is a joy in living, in feeling, not expressible in words. After many thousands of years, the life buried in stones and rocks has risen to become the life in a human being. Even then, if a person wishes to stay a rock, they had better stay a rock. But the natural inclination in every person must be to fully develop human qualities.
The first lesson a student learns on the path of discipleship is called Yakin. Yakin is a Sufi term that means self-confidence. Before this lesson is learned, a person first gives confidence to their brothers and sisters, and to another human being whom they consider the Teacher, the spiritual guide.
There are three kinds of people that can be distinguished. One kind gives a part of confidence and cannot give complete confidence. This one is wobbling, thinking, “Yes, I have confidence, but perhaps I have, perhaps I have not.” This sort of confidence creates a very difficult situation. A better position would be to not give it at all. It is lukewarm: not hot water, not cold. In all things this person does the same, in business, in their profession. This person trusts and doubts, trusts and fears. This person is not walking in the sky; this person is not walking on the earth; this person is walking between the two.
There is a second kind of person. They give their confidence to the Teacher, but they are not sure about themselves. This one says, “Yes, I have given my confidence,” but is not sure if inwardly they have given it. This person has no confidence in themself. This person is not sure of themself, so their confidence is of no value.
The third person is the one who gives confidence because they feel self-confident. This confidence can alone rightfully be called Yakin.
People fitting in each of these categories were with Jesus Christ. Thousands of the people of the first category surrounded the master and left him. It took not one moment for them to be attracted and not one moment for them to leave the master. The second category of people are those who for some time go on, just as a drunken person goes on; and when soberness comes, it becomes clear to them. “Where am I going? Not in a good direction.” Do not think that those of this category did not follow the prophets. Thousands and thousands followed the Masters and Prophets.
Those, however, who stayed to the end of the test were those who, before giving their confidence to the Teacher, had confidence in their own heart first. It is they who, if the earth turned to water and the water turned to earth, if the sky came down to earth and if the earth rose up to the sky, would stay the same, firm in the belief they once had. By discipleship a student learns the moral attitude that whatever position a person follows, as husband or wife, son, daughter, servant, friend, they are firm and steady with confidence wherever they go.
After Yakin, which means confidence, there comes the second lesson in the form of a test—a sacrifice that is the ideal on the path of God. The most precious possession there is, is not too valuable, nothing is too great to sacrifice. No one among the disciples of the Prophet, the real disciples, was such that they thought life too great a sacrifice, if it was needed.
The story of Ali is very well known. A plot was discovered that one night the enemies planned to kill the Prophet, and Ali knew about it. He did not tell the Prophet, but tried to get him to leave home. He himself stayed, for he knew that if he went also, the assassins would follow and find out where the Prophet was. He slept in the same bed, in the place of the Prophet, so that the assassins might find him. At the same time, he was not ready to lose his life if he could fight them. The consequence was that the plot failed and the enemies could touch neither the Prophet nor Ali. It is not one instance, there are a thousand instances, where the friendship formed in God and truth is forever between the Teacher and the disciple. Nothing in the world can break it. For if the spiritual link cannot hold, how can the material link hold? For the material link will wear out, as it is a worldly link. If the spiritual thought cannot form a link between two souls, what else can be such a strong tie that can last here and in the hereafter?
The third lesson on the path of discipleship is imitation, which means to imitate the Teacher in their every attitude: with the friend, with the enemy, with the foolish, with the wise. If the student acts as they wish and the Teacher acts as they wish, then there is no benefit, even with all the sacrifice and devotion. Remember, no teaching or meditation is so great or valuable as the imitation of the Teacher on the path of truth. In the imitation of the Teacher, the whole secret of spiritual life is hidden. It is not just the imitation of the Teacher’s outward action, but also of their inward tendency.
The fourth lesson that the disciple learns is different still. This lesson is to turn a student’s inward thought of the Teacher outward, to turn the inward thought outward until the disciple grows to see in the wise and in the foolish, in all forms, their Teacher.
The fifth lesson that the disciple learns is to give all that one has so far given to one’s Teacher—devotion, sacrifice, service, respect—to all, because in all they see their Teacher.
There is one person who will perhaps not learn it all in their life; another will learn all five lessons in a short time. There is the story of a person who went to a Teacher and said, “Yes I would like to be your student, your disciple.” The Teacher said, “Yes, I shall be very glad.” This person, conscious of so many faults, was surprised that the Teacher was so willing to accept them as a disciple. He said, “But I wonder if you know how many faults I have?” The Teacher said, “Yes, I already know your faults, yet I accept you as my student.” “But I have very bad faults,” the disciple said, “I am fond of gambling.” The Teacher said, “That does not matter much.” “I am inclined to drink sometimes,” he said. The Teacher said, “That does not matter much.” “Well,” the disciple said, “there are many other faults.” The Teacher said, “I do not mind.” Then he said, “I have accepted all your faults, you must accept one condition from your Teacher.” “Yes, most willingly,” said the person, “What is it?” The Teacher said, “You may do all your faults, but not in my presence; you have to keep that respect for your Teacher.” The Teacher knew that all five things of discipleship were natural to this person. Afterwards the disciple was made an initiate. As soon as he went out and had an inclination for gambling or to go and drink, he saw the face of his Murshid before him. When he came to the Teacher, the Teacher smilingly asked, “Did you commit any fault?” He answered, “Oh, no. The great difficulty is that whenever I want to commit any of my usual faults my Murshid pursues me.”
Do not think that this spirit of discipleship can only be cultivated. This spirit can be found in an innocent child. The other day, I was most amused to hear a little child of four years say to me, when I asked him, “Have you been naughty?” “I would like to be naughty, but my goodness will not let me.” This shows us that the spirit of discipleship is in us. Remember that the person who is the Teacher is the person who is a disciple themself. In reality there is no such thing as a Teacher. God alone is a Teacher; we all are disciples. The ultimate lesson we all must learn is the lesson of discipleship; it is the first and the last.
Undated
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