[continued from previous message]   
      
   conceptions in the physical world. They are all destroyed in the ego   
   layer of the mind. The proponents' minds are confined to the ego and   
   they are seekers of enjoyment and not the seekers of salvation.   
      
   Some sects hold that happiness comes after death, but who will enjoy   
   that happiness? The mind, of course. But where does the mind go   
   after the destruction of its vehicle - the physical brain? Who will   
   enjoy the pleasures? The soul pervades as an indivisible form, as an   
   all-knowing entity. There is no soul in the grave, nor does the   
   question of its waking up arise. In such sectism the ego layer of   
   mind is called the soul, however if there is only the soul, then   
   there would be no fear of pain or pleasure."   
   (INVOCATION OF THE SUPREME, Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 1, Jyaes't'ha   
   Pu'rn'ima' 1955)   
      
   Contrast this to spirituality.   
      
   "The purpose of spirituality or dharma is to attain perfect   
   happiness and perfect happiness is the attainment of the soul, there   
   being only partial happiness in each of the layers of the mind or   
   human physical existence. Where there is perfect happiness there is   
   Dharma. Everything else yields only partial happiness and is   
   therefore sectism or religion. Sectism leads to superficial and   
   immediate gains and only spirituality or Dharma leads to ultimate   
   and real gains. Everything else leads to crudeness. Dharma leads to   
   Supreme Consciousness and only that which upholds and sustains the   
   soul is spirituality or Dharma. The dharma of living beings is to   
   attain happiness. Where there is pursuit of superficial and   
   immediate gains there is ignorance. The happiness of heaven and the   
   fear of hell are creations of the mind. Dharma has no fear since   
   through Dharma one attains the original state."   
   (INVOCATION OF THE SUPREME, Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 1, Jyaes't'ha   
   Pu'rn'ima' 1955)   
      
   Taking refuge in spirituality means taking refuge in God.  Only this   
   washes one's sins.  In that sense God steals your sins.   
      
   "He steal the sins of devotees. You know that every action has a   
   reaction. If there is no change in time, space and person, there   
   must be a reaction equal to the action.   
      
   Suppose a person commits many sins; if the reactions to actions are   
   to be undergone, it might take twenty to twenty-five lives. Then is   
   there no future for the sinner? What is this? If the reactions of   
   all the actions are to be reaped completely, spiritual liberation   
   and salvation will be a far cry. There is certainly a future for   
   sinners. The Lord will certainly do something for those who have   
   taken refuge in Him. It is said about the Supreme that He is the   
   Lord of both hell and heaven. Those who remain in hell are also with   
   the Divine, are also dear to Him. To give them love, the Lord will   
   have to remain in hell with them. What does the Lord do? To save   
   them, He will take the load of their sins on Himself.   
      
   Real devotees do not want to give their sins to the Supreme   
   Consciousness, rather, they want to offer flowers and sweets. They   
   would like to carry the load of their sins themselves. Since they   
   are very dear to the Lord, He takes away their sins without their   
   permission. To take something without permission is known as   
   stealing. So the Supreme Consciousness steals, and therefore He is   
   known as the Cosmic Stealer ('Hari') - you have taken refuge in Him.   
   There is no need to worry any more. In hell also the Lord will be   
   with you.   
   (HARI, THE DIVINE STEALER, A'nanda Vacana'mrtam - Part 1, 13 August   
   1978, Patna)   
      
   =====   
      
   from works of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti   
      
      
      
      
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)