[continued from previous message]   
      
   the waves of gold or silver and finally into crude gold or silver   
   itself as a result of inanimate absorption. Later on it is reborn as   
   a gold or silver, and spends its days confined within the safe of a   
   money-minded merchant! This undesirable situation is called life in   
   hell.   
      
   This type of degradation is not possible for creatures other than   
   human beings, because they cannot perform original actions   
   independently. With the development of intellect, and with the   
   expansion of freedom in the field of action, human beings can either   
   elevate themselves or degrade themselves. Prior to the attainment of   
   this freedom they moved along the path of development in the flow of   
   positive evolution. On acquiring this freedom, however, they have to   
   make a tremendous effort to progress, or else they will certainly   
   regress. Those people who move towards heaven or hell are not the   
   controller of either. But the Macrocosm is the controller of both   
   because the movement from hell to heaven is nothing but the direct   
   result of the application of His divine energy." (MACROCOSM AND   
   MICROCOSM -- 1, Paos'ii Pu'rn'ima' 1959, Darbhaga, Bihar,   
   Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 7)   
      
   "The Supreme Consciousness - God - is unbiased. He is equal to   
   everyone because He sees everyone in the same way. He sees an ant in   
   the same way He sees a small mosquito. He understands an ant in the   
   same way that He understands a mosquito. He doesn't make any undue   
   fuss over a giant serpent (python or "elephant of the jungle")   
   because of its great size. He sees a python or "elephant of the   
   jungle" in the same way that He sees an ant or a mosquito, and they   
   also see Him in that same way. Nor does He make any special fuss   
   over this universe, the three worlds of heaven, earth and hell,   
   because of their vastness, and they look at Him in this same way. In   
   other words, everyone is equal to God -- a mosquito, an ant, a   
   python, a mammoth, even the three worlds. He remains with everyone   
   equally through His intimate / individual association and also   
   pervasive / collective association. He is impartial under all   
   conditions."   
   (SHABDA CAYANIKÁ PART 2, DISCOURSE 9, UI TO ULUKA, Ui, 10 November   
   1985, Calcutta)   
      
   To conclude, one can see the irrationality of heaven and hell in the   
   extract from the story below:   
      
   A certain Mr. Chamru Sao, another rich merchant, was organising a   
   memorial ceremony for his deceased father. One day he happened to   
   meet a famous Kashmiri pundit whom, it was rumoured, could find a   
   place in heaven for even the worst sinner. Chamru Sao was quick to   
   seize his opportunity. "Punditji," he said, "my illustrious father   
   violated the moral code of conduct once or twice to make a little   
   more money - times were hard, you know. I was wondering if you have   
   any places left in heaven where he can remain in eternal peace. It   
   would be very unfortunate if he was denied entry to heaven. I'd be   
   put in a very embarrassing position if he returned to earth and   
   checked the business accounts."   
      
   "That service costs fifty asrafis (1)," said the pundit.   
      
   "That seems to be a little excessive," said Chamru Sao. "Won't forty   
   asrafis be enough, punditji?"   
      
   "With forty asrafis," replied the pundit, "I can construct a palace   
   for your father in heaven using a few mantras, but I can't provide   
   any servants. He'll have to cook, wash the dishes, clean the beds   
   and do all the other household chores himself. Won't that be too   
   difficult for a frail old man?"   
      
   "Well punditji," continued Chamru Sao after a pause, "what will I   
   get for thirty asrafis?"   
      
   "For thirty asrafis I can get your father into heaven but I can't   
   promise a palace," relied the pundit.   
      
   "And if I only give you twenty asrafis?" asked Chamru Sao.   
      
   "Well, I'll probably be able to get him through the gates, but he'll   
   have to travel to the centre of heaven by his own means."   
      
   "And for ten asrafis?" persisted Chamru Sao. "Your father will have   
   to wait outside the gates just like King Trishanku. (2)"   
      
   "Fifty rupees ?" asked Chamru Sao   
      
   "Fifty rupees!" exclaimed the pundit. "It's hardly worth   
   contemplating."   
      
   Khya't'anda's had overheard the entire conversation and felt duty-   
   bound to free Chamru Sao from the evil influence of the   
   pundit. "Chamru Sao you don't need to pay for the services of a   
   pundit while I'm here. I'll get your father into heaven without   
   asking for a single rupee. I'll perform your father's memorial   
   ceremony and prove that it can be done. Be sure to invite the most   
   distinguished guests, though."   
      
   The memorial ceremony was well under way. Chamru Sao was in a jolly   
   mood because his father was going to heaven and would never ask to   
   see the business accounts again. "The auspicious moment has   
   arrived," declared Khya't'anda's. "It's time for your father to go   
   to heaven. Let me see what the conditions are like in heaven at the   
   present time... My goodness, the place is an arid desert, there's   
   not a tree in sight. Your father will die in the heat. Moreover   
   there's nothing to eat. I can't see a single chocolate tree or cake   
   tree. If he doesn't die of heat-stroke, starvation will certainly   
   finish him off. Chamru Sao, are your accounts ready for inspection?"   
      
   "Isn't there any other option?" asked Chamru Sao nervously.   
      
   "There's always another option," said Khya't'anda's   
   optimistically. "It shouldn't be difficult to find. Let me see...   
   Ah, there's a desert of chickpea sweets about twelve miles north of   
   the place where your father is waiting. If your father crosses the   
   desert - but it won't be easy - he'll reach a mountain range of milk   
   sweets as high as the snow-capped Himalayas. If he man ages to cross   
   the treacherous mountain pass he'll see a vast ocean of milk to the   
   west and another monotonous desert of chick pea sweets to the east.   
   There's another snow-capped mountain range of milk-sweets beyond the   
   desert and a cream lake beyond that. Would you like your father to   
   travel east or west? It's up to you. But remember, being so old and   
   frail he won't be able to walk that far. The only other way to   
   travel around heaven is by chartered rocket. A single ticket costs   
   fifty asrafis. I think it's your only option."   
      
   Chamru Sao could hardly refuse to pay for his father's comfort in   
   front of so many distinguished ladies and gentlemen. He handed over   
   fifty asrafis to Khya't'anda's. "Will your father be able to climb   
   into and out of the rocket himself, or should we send a young man   
   along to assist him ?" asked Khya't'anda's.   
      
   "Yes, we should definitely send along an assistant," agreed Chamru   
   Sao.   
      
   "So, we'll need another fifty asrafis for his ticket," said   
   Khya't'anda's. Chamru Sao gave him another fifty asrafis.   
      
   "Well, we can't send a ghost to heaven, can we? We'll have to send   
   someone from earth who will have to return after his mission is   
   over. That'll be an extra fifty asrafis for his tick et." Chamru Sao   
   was obliged to hand over another fifty asrafis.   
      
   1. The asrafi is a gold coin that was legal tender in India in the   
   nineteenth century. 2. See The Plight of King Trishanku.   
      
   THE DESIRES OF KHYA'T'ANDA'S, Sarkar's Short Stories Part 1   
      
   from works of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti   
      
      
      
   CXK2PhlDdxYV6tww9o6rR7xINtGonquW0UXJsPMMP0DxJOvT6Srb8HlxDrokDrzt3sd   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)