by Peter Holleran



*Dedicated to the memory of Richard Handel, an inquiring soul*


Invocatory Prayer:

“I’m just a soul whose intentions are good;
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.”




   It is because of the inner freedom given me by my initiating Master, Sant Kirpal Singh, that I write this article, asking and searching for clear answers and open dialogue on what remains for many a mysterious path. I would not for the world take it upon myself, nor is it my intention, to cause one soul to lose faith or entertain unnecessary doubts, but I figure that if you, dear reader, have gotten this far, you have suffered more than your share of heartache, or may find some benefit in what I attempt to say, and that the day and age has arived to speak more plainly on such matters. What follows is largely not for the beginner but rather for the seasoned questor who still has real questions despite his efforts, devotion, and apparent failures or successes on "the path". As there are now hundreds of thousands of followers in the many branches of Sant Mat, or Radhasoami tradition, with different gurus within each, offering similar but not always identical teachings, there are undoubtedly many seekers who harbor unasked and unanswered heartfelt questions. This is not primarily due simply to internal differences, discrepencies, and controversies among or between the various lineages of Sant Mat, but also because of the challenge of a more radical, direct approach disseminated by a host of emerging non-dual teachers. Hopefully this story will bring the two schools of thought a little closer together. If you are content where you are and have no questions, wonderful, you may read no further. Otherwise, read on, with full attention and an open mind intent on truth. This article was previously released as Part Two of Emanationism and Non-Duality, but has been extensively re-written and expanded. It is about fifty pages in length, at times dense and exhaustive, but I believe worthwhile.

PROS

   On the positive side it is lauditory that by and large the masters of Sant Mat are examples of clean living, selfless service, loving others, personal discipline, profound depths of inner meditation and illumination, not accepting money for their spiritual work, and, compared to many paths, relatively free of gross scandals, i.e., drugs, money, and sex. On these points most unbiased observers would agree. The goal proposed and promised is lofty and celestial. The loved poured out by the greatest of these masters is real. The questions I have relate to the philosophy itself and how it relates to ultimate realization as described in other traditions and schools.

Introduction

   Sant Mat teaches an emanationist philosophy/theology of creation that believes the fallen soul must retrace its journey back from realms of varying densities of matter to those of pure spirit. The technique, believed superior to other paths and unique to itself alone, is to concentrate at the ajna chakra (third eye) and withdraw the attention from the body, catch the inner light and sound current, and ride that upwards to the fifth and, by their system, first divine and indestructible, plane, Sach Khand. Some Sants, such as Darshan Singh and Rajinder Singh, have actually described the supercausal realm, Bhanwar Gupta, as a true spiritual realm (beyond mind and matter), where the soul first experienced its individuality on the downward path, and on the upward path (with but a thin veil of anandamaya kosha remaining, almost an integral part of the soul itself, said Kirpal Singh) first cries out "aham brahm asmi", i.e., "oh Lord, I am of the same essence as thou, or "Thou Art That", etc.), with Sach Khand being refered to as the True Region, or the realm of Truth or Spirit, the first primal expression in full effulgence of the nameless One. This also sometimes referred to as the region of Oneness or Kaivalya. Param Sants go further, to three more planes, Alakh, Agam, and Anami, where there is less and less light and sound until merger into Anami, the nameless and formless. This is sometimes called mahakaivalya [some schools of Sant Mat teach that Radhasoami is a stage beyond Anami, but it is not well defined metaphysically or ontologically in the literature. The suggestion, through use of the terms "wonder region," or that it is not a region, but the "source and reality of All", etc., is that it may refer to a non-dual realization, but it is not made clear, and is difficult to compare to the teachings of other paths]. The “soul” is said to “die” or be absorbed at each succeeding inner region. There is no talk of insight, prajna, or satori such as discussed in Buddhism and other schools. The goal is merger of the soul in the Oversoul, which absorption they say begins in Sach Khand and ends by stages in Anami. On this path, the Godman is all in all. The Sants speak endlessly of the need to first achieve fana-fil-sheikh (annihilation in the Master) as a prelude to fana-fil-Allah (annihilation in God). Ths consists in developing rapt concentration through loving remembrance of the human master and the Master-Power within, to the point of reaching the Master's inner Radiant Form. That, once attained, will, by magnetic attraction, escort the emanated soul to the Sat Purush, which in turn further absorbs the soul into the Absolute. On this path of love and devotion, at each stage there is allegedly both deeper penetration into the Essence within as well as greater interpenetration between the inner and the outer, to the ultimate point of no-difference... In The Crown of Life (1970), Sant Kirpal Singh speaks movingly of this process:

   "This relationship of love between the Satguru and his shishya, the Godman and his disciple, covers many phases and developments...With his greater effort and the greater grace from the Master, the disciple makes increased headway in his inner sadhanas, leading finally to complete transcendence of bodily consciousness. When this transcendence has been achieved, he beholds his Guru waiting in his Radiant Form to receive and guide his spirit on the inner planes. Now, for the first time, he beholds him in his true glory, and realizes the unfathomable dimensions of his greatness. Henceforth he knows him to be more than human and his heart overflows with songs of praise and humble devotion. The higher he ascends in his spiritual journey, the more insistent is he in his praise, for the more intensely does he realize that he whom he once took to be a friend, is not merely a friend but God Himself come down to raise him up to Himself. This bond of love, with its development by degrees, becomes the mirror of his inward progress, moving as it does, from the finite to the infinite.....once it has reached the point where the disciple discovers is teacher in his luminous glory within himself, all analogies are shattered and all comparisons forever left behind; all that remains is a gesture, and then silence...." (p. 185-186)

   As discussed in section one of this website's article Emanationism and Non-Duality (of which this current article forms Part Two, but was considered important enough to be listed separately), Paul Brunton and Plotinus teach that an emanent of the individual or unit Soul has penetrated or assumed a body, and it may be traced back to the Individual Soul from which it emanated and evolved through a long process of evolution. (At the level of man, the emanent in conjunction with the body develops an ego). The Absolute Soul, which continually births Individual Souls, is inherent in the Intellectual Principle, the Divine Mind, which is forever looking towards its prior, the One. The Absolute Soul is then the first of the three degrees of penetration of the Void-Mind (Absolute Soul, Intellectual Principle, and the One). In PB’s terms that would be Overself, World-Mind (God), and Mind (Godhead). All of these higher principles are in the silent Void beyond perception, name and form, light and sound. Thus, “Anami” of Sant Mat would appear to represent the first degree of merger of the ego or ego-soul into the Individual Soul, or perhaps Absolute Soul, but not the One per se, in Plotinus' classification. This need not lessen the greatness of such a state, only to outline its potential difference as described and the ultimate goal as stated in other schools. If there is a further stage beyond Anami, “Radhasoami”, then there may be some line of communication between these teachings, but, as mentioned, it is left a mystery in the teaching of Sant Mat where, like in other mystical schools, reasoning on such things is also unfortunately many times discouraged, simply because during the practice of concentration/meditation/dhyana the mental process is temporarily set aside. But that does not justify the denigration of the intellect and reasoning about these matters altogether, especially when so many sages appear to disagree with the interpretation of their inner experiences. Francis Wickes issues a warning:

   ” ‘Thinking hard’ hurts. It turns the sharp point of truth back upon the thinker. It pricks the bubble of ego complacency blown up by thinking easy. Its sharp wound forbids the forgetfulness which is the goal of evasive thinking. If one can forget the inner experience and its challenge can be evaded, the ego can remain comfortably unborn in the womb of the already known.” (1)

   Nor does it refute the contention of jnanis or sages that enlightenment itself is not the direct fruit of concentration, samadhi or meditative absorption (although that may be indeed be preparation), but rather is a discriminative knowledge or insight arising when the Self and Maya (illusion) are finally seen as non-separate, in the midst of any and all conditions and states. If the effort is only to kill the mind, they will say, how can such discrimination arise?

   As one teacher points out:

   "The great wisdom traditions of India, China, Japan and Tibet (as well as western mystical traditions) all put a strong emphasis on study of wisdom texts as an essential part of the spiritual curriculum. Consider how the eminent modern-era jñâni-sage Ramana Mahârshi, so famous for his wisdom-inducing silence and whose own powerful spiritual opening occurred without any significant intellectual preparation (he had read a book about the great Shaiva saints before his awakening in 1896), in the ensuing years actually spent much time listening to and promoting the reading of sacred texts, especially the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gîtâ, Yoga Vâsishtha, Tripura Rahasya, Bhâgavatam Purâna, Ashtâvakra Gîtâ, Ribhu Gîtâ, Avadhûta Gîtâ, the works of Shankara and stories of saints. Ch'an-Zen-Son Buddhist masters of the Far East likewise spent much time poring over classic texts of their own tradition, as well as the earlier Chinese and Indian classics. The Tibetan Vajrayâna masters are well known for their devotion to textual study. All this study promotes a balanced understanding of the various subtly nuanced teachings about authentic spiritual realization, the avoidance of common pitfalls, working through more insidious forms of delusion and attachment, and so forth. Such study is, of course, the prime ingredient in the classic "triple method" utilized in both the Hindu Advaita Vedânta tradition and Nâgârjuna's and Mahâyâna Buddhism wisdom path: hearing the teaching about our real Identity/Nature, pondering it ever more deeply through intensely penetrating reflection, and meditating upon this Truth (or having the Truth "meditate" you). (These are respectively, in Vedânta, shravana, manana, and nididhyâsana; and for Nâgârjuna: shruti, cintâ, and bhâvanâ.)" (Timothy Conway, http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org)

   And contemporary advaitist James Schwartz wrtes:

   "In spiritual circles it has become an article of faith that a the quest for spiritual knowledge is an 'intellectual' and therefore misguided pursuit. But it should be noted that anyone seeking enlightenment through the 'heart' or other paths would necessarily be motivated by the intellectual belief that he or she was limited, inadequate and incomplete i.e. unelightened. To pursue experience is natural but to pursue it at the expense of understanding is foolish because it is only misunderstandings about our true nature that make us think we are unenlightened in the first place. The Self realized beings who went before left a vast body of information to help us purge erroneous concepts that stand in the way of appreciating who we really are." (www.shiningworld.com/Index.htm).

   Of course, the mystic or devotee will say that such an approach is jnana, not bhakti, and he will be right - although many great spiritual masters have said that in the end one cannot truly have one without the other. This is not a call for every seeker to become a great scholar, or even be literate, but if even great sages have disagreed on the nature of their enlightenment, however, where would ordinary souls like us be without The Courage to Question? In the Secret Sayings of Jesus it is said:

   "Let him who seeks not cease in his seeking until he finds;
   and when he finds he will be troubled,
   and if he is troubled, he will marvel,
   and will be a king over the All."

   Paul Brunton gives his definition of the term shraddha, traditionally meant as faith in the revealed truth of the scriptures:

   "that faith in the existence of truth, that determination to get at truth, come what may, which would make one a hero even in the face of God's wrath."

   And finally, we have these words from scientist Carl Sagan:

   "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence."




Points for Discussion


1. It is quite a challenge to compare or reconcile the teaching of Sant Mat with any other system than gnostic or mystical schools; their doctrine says that Buddhism, Advaita, and all other yogas are on a lower level, either: (1) because, as they claim, their inner experience progressively reveals this, or (2) because the modern founder of the school, Swami Shiv Dayal Singh (Soamiji), once said so, perhaps in reference to the quality of so-called jnanis and vedantists he came in contact with who were available for comparison at the time - which he mentioned to be largely pundits and not practitioners - but not apparently, I humbly suggest, from an in-depth study of high Buddhist, Hindu, and other writings or association with sages of the caliber of Ramana Maharshi. Descriptions of the meanings of "Brahman", and "Gyana", also appear different than those given in other schools. Soamiji wrote, in Sar Bachan (Prose) (1978 edition):

   “There will be no salvation for Vachak Gyanis (those who only talk Gyan), for they only talk. In the case of true Gyanis, the Sthool Karmas (gross karmas) only are destroyed, but not the Sukshm Karmas (subtle karmas), as they can be destroyed only after reaching the region of the Saints. It must be born in mind that only Saints can lead to salvation in this age, because there can be no salvation unless all Karmas, both gross and subtle, are destroyed, and the Gyanis do not know the technique of destroying karmas.” (p. 138)

   This may be so. One famous zen master said, “first enlightenment, then the bad karma is dealt with.” There may be few who achieve this. Yet many will argue that a gyani or sage like Ramana Maharshi or Shree Atmananda were examples of those who both taught and achieved the transcendance or eradication of not only gross and subtle, but causal or root karmas as well. Kirpal Singh, in his book, The Crown of Life: A Study in Yoga mentioned that Jnana Yoga was a true path, but a steep one and not suited for the average person, but he did not deny its efficacy and even said it was a short-cut for those who had the qualifications for it (In fairness, he also pointed out the pitfalls for those who did not).

   Soamiji wrote:

   “Whoever seeks the Sat Guru will surely find Him, for the Sat Guru is an incarnation eternally present on this earth.” (p. 139)

   However, he then contradicts himself by claiming:

   “Saints are the Incarnations of Sat Purush, and to serve Them is to serve Sat Purush. They did not manifest themselves in the first three Yugas - but They have now incarnated themselves in this Kali Yuga for the redemption of the Jivas.”

   It then gets more complicated when claims are made by other gurus in these lineages that Kabir, a key figure in Sant Mat history, “incarnated in all four ages.”

   Example is often given that Jesus Christ was a perfect master and taught Surat Shabd Yoga, as well as Buddha (as suggested in the Surangama Sutra where it mentions attaining the “diamond samadhi” through the faculty of “intrinsic hearing”), but at other times these past masters are spoken of as incomplete and only reaching to the third plane in realization. Moreover, Sant Mat teaches that all masters must have a master, but whether Shiv Dayal Singh, the modern founder of the line, for instance, had a master in Tulsi Das is yet a matter of controversy.

   Shiv Dayal Singh didn’t give proof for his claim of the inherent superiority of Sant Mat, he merely stated it was so. Of course, one could say, what proof could he give? - one must realize it for oneself. Yet for the beginner at least, in deciding if one will take up this path, it comes down to whether you believe Soamiji’s cosmology and ontology.. I am not saying whether it is absolute true or not, only that it is an article of faith on this path, not generally a matter of open debate. Sant Mat would say there are inherent and inevitable paradoxes and mysteries on the path that make description of the inner truths ineffable. True enough, but then that makes comparison with paths of jnana, for instance, impossible, and, in fact, comparative references are mostly only given to that of various saints and mystics within the Sant or Sikh tradition itself.

Some of the differences in the traditional uses of various terms, i.e., brahm, purusha, prakriti, gunas, etc, can be gleaned by the perceptive student from the following description of the four grand divisions of the cosmos according to , by Julian Johnson:

“Sat Desh, the Highest Region

Beginning now from Above, and going downwards, we come first to Sat Desh (Sat, True, and Desh, country: True Country or Far Country). Many other names have been applied to it, such as Nij-Dham, Sat Lok, Mukam-e Haq and Sach Khand. These names are usually applied to the lowest section of Sat Desh, but occasionally to the entire grand division. This is the region or plane of pure spirit. All enjoying the greatest conceivable happiness, its inhabitants are pure spirits in such countless numbers as no man can estimate. It is the supreme heaven of all heavens... It is known to Saints only, who alone can enter it. It cannot be described. In substance and arrangement it is wholly unlike anything known in this world. Neither can the human mind imagine it. This section is so vast in extent that no sort of understanding of it can be conveyed to human intelligence. No mind can grasp it. All that the Saints can say of it is that it is limitless. It is the only region which the great Saints insist is practically limitless. We may say, although no mind can grasp the thought, that it embraces all else, and is both the beginning and the end of all else. It is the great center about which all other worlds revolve. Anything which we might say about it would be incomplete and only partially true, so declare the Saints. If the entire physical universe with its countless millions of suns and their planets were all gathered together in a single cluster, each sun being a million light-years distant from any other sun, yet this entire ensemble would appear no more than a few dark specks floating in the clear and luminous sky of Sat Desh. In that happy country, a sun such as ours, but a thousand times larger, would appear as a tiny dark spot, so very great is the light of that world. This region is the grand capital of all creation, the center of all universes, and the residence of the Supreme Creator-Lord of all. From this center of all light, life and power, the Great Creative Current flows outwards and downwards to create, govern and sustain all regions. It passes out from this region somewhat like the radio emanations going forth from a great broadcasting station. It is the Audible Life Stream, the most important factor in the system of the Masters. This Stream permeates the entire system of universes. A thing of great importance to us is that the music of this ever- flowing current, the stream of life, can be heard by a real Master and also by his students who have advanced even a little on the Path. And let us reiterate that unless a Master teaches his students how this current is to be heard, he is not a Master of the highest order.

This grand headquarters of all creation is the region of immortality. It is unchangeable, perfect, deathless. It is for ever untouched by dissolution or grand dissolution. So are its inhabitants. This region will be referred to many times in this book. It is subdivided into four distinct planes, each having its own characteristics and its own Lord or Governor. But the difference between these subdivisions is very slight. From above downward they are named: Radha Swami Dham (meaning home of the Spiritual Lord). It is also called Anami Lok (meaning nameless region). The next plane below the highest is Agam Lok (Agam, inaccessible, and Lok, place). The third plane is Alakh Lok. (Alakh, invisible and Lok, place). The last of these higher planes is Sach khand (Sach, truth and Khand home). The last one is also called Sat Lok, the true place. By the Mohammedan Saints it has been called Mukam-e-Haq, meaning of the same as above, the Home of Truth.

The light of all four of these regions is so very intense that it is impossible for any mortal to get an understanding of it. It cannot be described. The great Swami Ji sums up his statements regarding is region by saying simply that "It is all Love.


BRAHMANDA, THE SECOND GRAND DIVISION

The second grand division from above downward is Brahmanda, (meaning, the egg of Brahm, as said before). This refers to its shape and also to the Governor or Lord who is its ruler. This Brahm is supposed by most of the old rishis to be the supreme being of all creation, because they knew of no one higher. But the Saints know that there is not only one Brahm, but countless numbers of Brahms, who are governors over so many Brahmandas. For it must be understood that there are countless Andas and Brahmandas, each circling about the supreme region in its own orbit. And each of them has its own governor or ruler. Brahm was the highest God known to the ancient rishi or yogi, and so the name of Brahm is retained by the Saints to designate the ruler of the "Three Worlds," including the physical universe, the Anda and lower portion of Brahmanda, named Trikuti. The upper portion of Brahmanda is called Par Brahm.

As said before, this grand division is mostly spirit in substance, but is mixed with a certain amount of pure, spiritualized matter. It is the finest order of matter, and that includes mind. This is called the "spiritual-material region," because spirit dominates the region. The substance of that division gradually becomes less and less concentrated as we descend toward the negative pole of creation. The lower portions become coarser in particle, and more and more mixed with matter. In the lower end of Brahmanda mind is supreme. It is practically all mind, for mind itself is material of the finest order. Of course, even mind is mixed with spirit substance to some slight extent, otherwise it could not exist. All worlds become a shade darker as we descend, because there is less and less of spirit substance in the composition. Trikuti, the lowest section of Brahmanda, is the home of Universal Mind. It is from that region that all individual minds are derived, and to that region all minds must return when they are discarded during the upward flight of the spirit. Brahmanda is extremely vast in area when compared with the physical universe, but small when compared with the first grand division. It is itself subdivided into many distinct regions or planes. Some mention six subdivisions; but as a matter of fact, there are scores of subdivisions in that one grand division, almost numberless subdivisions, each constituting a separate and distinct world. Divisions and subdivisions shade into one another so imperceptibly that it is not easy to say just where one ends and another begins. This accounts in part for the many different descriptions of those regions, and the great variety of names assigned to them.


Anda, The Lowest of the Heavens

It lies nearest to the physical universe. Its capital is called Sahasra dal Kanwal, meaning a Thousand-petalled Lotus. Its name is taken from the great cluster of lights which constitute the most attractive sight when one is approaching that world. This great group of lights is the actual "power house" of the physical universe. Out of that power house flows the power that has created and now sustains all worlds in our group. Each of those lights has a different shade of tint and they constitute the most gorgeous spectacle as one enters that magnificent city of light. In that city of splendors may be seen also many other interesting and beautiful things. Also, here may be seen millions of earth's most renowned people of all ages of our history. Many of them are today residents of this great city and country. Naturally they are quite happy. It is far superior to anything ever seen on this earth. Yet this is but the first station on the upward Path of the Masters.

This region constitutes the negative part of all the superphysical zones. That is, it lies most distant from the positive pole of creation. This region is sometimes classified as a part of Brahmanda, but the Saints prefer to consider it as a separate grand division of creation. It has many distinctive features of its own. Lying nearest to the physical universe, it forms the port of entry for all the higher regions. All souls who are passing to still higher regions must pass through it. The great majority of human souls at the time of death pass to some sub-plane of this region. But very few, comparatively, go direct to this central portion of the Sahans dal Kanwal region. It is through all of these regions that the Masters and their disciples must travel on their way to higher worlds. This section of creation is not immortal or imperishable. Neither are its inhabitants. Many of its inhabitants believe that they have attained immortality because their lives there go on for extremely long periods. All below that is subject to death and dissolution. There are two kinds of dissolutions. The one, simple dissolution" which reaches up to the lowest section in Brahmanda, the region called Trikuti; this occurs after many millions of years, and the other, the grand dissolution" which occurs after immeasurably long periods of time and extends up to the top of Brahmanda. Of course, both of these dissolutions include the entire physical universe, every sun, moon and planet in it. At that time every star and its satellites are wiped out, and then follows a period of darkness equal in duration to the life of the universe. When the period of darkness has expired, a new creation is projected, and the heavens are once more alive with sparkling stars. With each new creation begins a new "Golden Age" for each planet and its inhabitants. But between minor dissolutions there are also periods of renewal for the life of each planet when Golden Ages succeed dark ages. There is a general idea, finding its way into most religions, that this world is to come to an end. And so the Masters teach. But the end is a very different proposition to what it is generally supposed to be. It will come at a time when all worlds of the physical universe will be dissolved, and after periods of darkness and silence, new worlds will take their places. The inhabitants of all of those worlds to be dissolved are drawn up to higher regions in a sort of comatose state to be replaced upon these worlds when they are ready for human habitation. They will then begin a new life here under more favorable conditions. These periodic dissolutions come to the physical universe after many, many hundreds of millions of years. No man need worry now, lest that time is near at hand. It is many aeons away yet.


The Grand Division of Pinda -- The Physical Plane/Multiverse of Dark Matter and Light

The fourth grand division, beginning from above, is called Pinda. It is the gross material or physical universe. Here coarse matter predominates, there being but a small percentage of mind and a still smaller amount of spirit. Our earth is a small and insignificant member of Pinda. It embraces all the suns and their planets known or unknown, to astronomy. It extends out into space far beyond the reach of any telescope. Astronomers have never been able to count these worlds; although as their instruments become more perfect, the range of their observations is extended. Who shall set limits or indicate bound to those starry depths? Who can number the numberless? Who can circumscribe the boundless? To the farthest extent of space wherever there is a material sun or a speck of dust they are all included in this fourth grand division which the Masters call Pinda.

In this division, coarse material predominates. Permeating this coarse material are many finer substances, including mind, and last of all there is a modicum of spirit to give life to all the rest. In this lowest of all divisions of creation there is but little light and a very low grade of life when compared with Brahmanda. But if compared with Sat Desh, this world is pitch darkness and the life here, in comparison to that, is scarcely cognizable at all. Its substance is coarse, clumsy, inert, and full of all manner of imperfections. These imperfections, as said before, are due to the paucity of spirit at this pole. This condition of negativity is the soil out of which all evil grows. However real it may seem to us, negativity is the absence of reality, and the absence of reality is the absence of spirit. Food is a reality to us, but hunger is also a real condition to our consciousness. But hunger is due to the absence of food. In its last analysis, all pain, longing, all desire is only a cry of the mind and soul for more light, more spirit. In like manner, evil is due to, the absence of spirit. And the reason we have so small a percentage of spirit substance at this end of creation is because this is the negative pole of all creation. Pinda is the extreme negative pole. It is consequently so far depleted of spirit that it lies in a state of semi-death, a condition of heavy inertia over which broods deep shadow.

Out of this condition rise all the manifold difficulties experienced by mortals on this plane of life. As one leaves this lowest plane and begins to ascend toward the positive pole of creation, the light increases, and hence more life, more beauty and more happiness. This is all entirely due to the increase in the percentage of spirit on the several planes. Love, power, wisdom, rhythm, perfection of every sort take the place of negative conditions which prevail in the lower sections of the universe.

It should be said here, with all possible emphasis, that just in proportion to the degree of spirit substance prevailing in any region, world, person or thing, will its perfections be manifest. And vice versa, in proportion to the lack of spirit, imperfections will show themselves. In proportion as matter predominates, those states which we call evil will manifest. A depletion of spirit, is therefore, the one fatal disease of the physical universe. Out of that state all other diseases spring up. In the last analysis, we believe there is but one disease in the world -- spiritual anemia.”


   [Notice that Julian Johnson uses the term "sahsra dal kanwal and "thousand-petalled lotus" to describe the first inner region. As will be shown, Soamiji used the term "Sahans dal Kanwal" and said this region had only an eight-petalled lotus. This has significance in comparing other schools of yoga with Sant Mat].

   Continuing, we have a more lyrical description of creation by Huzur Maharaj:

“A current issued forth from the feet of SOAMI [Lord]. It is the Prime Current and the Creator of the entire creation.

The Name of that ADI DHARA. (Prime Current) is RADHA [Soul]. THAT alone is the doer and dispenser of every activity.

The Source or Origin or Fountain-head from whom the Prime Current emanated, is ADI SOAMl (Absolute Lord) of all.

Where that current halted in its descent, the creation of Agam Lok [Inaccessible Plane] was brought into being.

Agam Lok is a vast sphere. It encompasses all the creation.

The entire creation below is being cradled just in a small nook of Agam Lok.

On completion of the creation of Agam Lok, a current issued forth from there.

It descended and halted, and evolved the creation of Alakh Lok [Invisible Region or Plane].

When the sphere of Alakh Lok was formed in the above manner, the current descended, and created Sat Lok.

Sat Lok [Plane or Realm of Truth] is the Dham (Abode) of Sat Purush, and is inhabited by Hansas.

Each of the Hansas [souls] has a dweep (island) to himself. They are absorbed in the Darshan [Vision] of Sat Purush.

Up to here is the creation of Sat (Truth) or pure spirit. Neither Maya nor cruel Kal exists here.

There is neither any desire nor any work. All are absorbed in the Darshan of Sat Purush and feed on Ami (ambrosia).

All live in perfect harmony and enjoy rapturous bliss. There is no trace of pain and anguish due to Kal [god of time-death- illusion] and there is no burden of Karma.

For a considerable period of time the creation remained like this - a region of Truth and pure bliss.

Time, The "Fall" of Kal, the Gnostic "Demiurge" or Universal Mind

Then, from the lower portion of Sat Pur (Sat Lok) emanated a Shyam (blue) current. It came down and underwent considerable expansion and ramification.

It remained constantly engaged in the Sewa (service) of Purush but, inwardly, it was cherishing some other desire.

It disclosed its mind thus, "0 Sat Purush [God]! 0 Merciful One and Giver of all things! Grant me the sovereignty of a separate region, and furnish me with the seed of Surat. Life here is not suited to me. Your region is not agreeable to me."

Hearing this, Purush replied, "Get out from this place. You are a nuisance here. Go and evolve a creation for yourself in the lower part of the pre-creational neutral zone. Take your seat there and rule over that dominion."

The name of that current is Niranjan. It has all the characteristics of Kal.

Purush evolved another current with a yellow hue. Its name is Adya.

By the order of Purush, this other current was sent down. It associated with Niranjan.

In Sunn, they came to be known as Purush and Prakriti, and in Trikuti, as Maya and Brahm.

They halted in Sahas-dal-kanwal, from where the three Gunas (qualities) came into being.

Here, Adya assumed the form of Jyoti, and Niranjan assumed a dark blue complexion.
They first brought into being Brahm-srishti.
Then, the creation of Triloki (three worlds) was evolved.

Niranjan then engaged himself in Dhyan (contemplation) of Purush (Sat Purush).
Jyoti took upon herself the burden of looking after the creation.

The three Gunas or gods became her assistants. They evolved the rest of the creation.”

-- Huzur Maharaj, from "Prem Bani Radhasoami", Volume Four, Agra, India


   This appears to be a derivation from the Sar Bachan of Soamiji, and, in turn, possibly the Anurag Sagar of Kabir, of which we will hear more about later. In the first description of the inner regions given above, it is noteworthy that Julian Johnson uses the term "Sahasra dal Kanwal" and equates it with the Sahasrara or thousand-petalled lotus as traditionally mentioned in yoga, particularly kundalini yoga. Sar Bachan Poetry, Part II, p. 277, by Soamiji, however, clearly states that Sahans dal Kanwal is a region of an eight-petalled lotus - followed by a lotus of twelve petals in Trikuti, thirteen in Sunn, and ten at Maha-Sunn. It is also of interest that further on in Sar Bachan, on page 394-395, it is stated that there are twelve "kanwals" or ganglia or lotuses in the human microcosm. Six are the traditional chakras in the spine from the coccyx or muladara up to the eyes or ajna chakra. The next three would be unique although not unheard of in the literature outside of Sant Mat, and appear to be centers deeper within the brain, although the impression given is that one is to believe that they are out of the body altogether. But is this so?

   Soamiji says that the seventh Kanwal is Sahans dal Kanwal, the eighth is in Trikuti, and the ninth is at Daswan Dwar (considered the tenth door or tenth orifice, the other nine being the lower, external bodily orifices). This will suggest to some that the tenth orifice is at the brahmarendra or top of the head, and that the other preceding kanwals are experienced as the attention moves through the structures of the brain (including the "sky of mind" in the braincore) before passing out or beyond through the corona radiata into what may be the true sahasrara. Are kanwals or chakras seven through nine actually between the midbrain to the top of the brain, and experienced as attention curves through the ventricles and corpus collosum before passing out through the corona - or not? This begs for elucidation. Sant Rajinder Singh has said that one will have proof that there is life after death when one reaches the third inner plane. This would make sense if the first two inner regions are really experienced before death in the domain of the braincore itself. Radhasoami gurus Huzur Maharaj and Maharaj Saheb in their writings both added the interesting but confusing comment that the doorway to the lower subtle regions was in the gray matter while the doorway to the "purely spiritual" regions was in the white matter. Rumi, too, said, "in the folds of thy brain lie wonderous regions."

   Soamiji stated: "I give out details of the ganglia, I have seen within my body. Twelve Kanwals (lotuses, ganglia) are found in the human microcosm." What are we to make of this, then, in light of the statement of the sage Ramana Maharshi, that "the light in the brain is but the reflected light of the Heart" ?

   Saints like Ramakrishna taught that spiritual illumination comes when the kundalini or shakti passes through the lower chakras, purifying one of gross attachment, and then finally rising into the sahasrara. The Kriya yoga of Paramhansa Yogananda held to a similar idea of purification and also considered the sahasrar not as an actual chakra per se but the doorway to the infinite. Some argue that Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the end result of this process, while there have been traditional tantric gurus who have argued that through the union of Shiva and Shakti a non-dual awakening may even ensue from such an experience. I ask a question, therefore, at the outset of this article: Is the sahasrara or thousand-petalled lotus the same as the eight-petalled lotus of Sahans Dal Kanwal in Sant Mat, or does it really represent something more comprehensive than that? Soamiji goes on to list the tenth kanwal as in Maha-sunn, the eleventh at Bhanwargupha, and the twelfth at Sat Lok. These are all still considered in the "human microcosm". Is it possible, then, that the highest reach or depth of the true Sahasrara is really Sat Lok, with further absorption into the wordless and formless state of Anami actually traditional ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi? If it isn't, why isn't it? This is not to diminish the realization of Anami, but rather to categorize Nirvikalpa in its traditional profundity. While it may not represent final enlightenment, it is still said to be no small thing. Can it be that there are semantic differences between the traditions that cloud our understanding?

   But we are getting ahead of ourselves. There is much ground to cover before returning to this important topic.

2. Despite the promises of Soamiji, "Unless I see with my own eyes, I will not believe the sayings of the Master,” and “Know yourself by yourself, and do not rely on the sayings of anyone else,” therefore, much still seems to be expected to be believed without argument from the beginning. It is common in Sant Mat to say that “all Masters speak of the same path” and that its teaching is the same as many teachings throughout the ages. This makes the path sound like the highest and also helps legitimize the teachings. It is said that Jesus, Buddha, and other classic figures all taught the same thing. But one can easily reach the conclusion they did NOT teach the same thing, at least not as historically recorded. In none of the schools of high Buddhism is shabd yoga taught, nor is there any real evidence that Jesus did so, other than a few oblique references in the gospels that are interpreted to suggest that he did. I am not saying they did one way or the other. There is obviously subtle light and sound experiencible within. That is not at issue. The point, however, is that one must assume that Jesus and Buddha taught this specific method of yoga in private only to a select few in order to justify such a claim. There is also the problem that any number of mystical schools, such as Kriya Yoga, also attempt to gain legitimacy by claiming Jesus as one of their own.

   If someone adheres to a particular ideology, he tends to defend it in the terms of that ideology itself instead of from a position of intellectually neutral comparative analysis. If one is not seen as a ‘good’ satsangi, for instance, it might be argued that his criticisms are the work of Kal or the negative power instead of tackling the criticisms themselves. This is no longer a justifiable position as mankind gets less and less provincial in its communication with each other. The teachings must be able to withstand debate from without and not just within. Otherwise, I ask, what is the purpose of having conferences like the World Fellowship of Religions and Unity of Man, such as were held by my guru, Sant Kirpal Singh? I say this with all due respect; it is time for the light of truth to be shed on the Path of the Masters - as well as all other paths (and “non-paths”). It is now time for philosophy (the “love of truth”), and no longer the time for religion and theology. In order to proceed further on the path, one must get to square one, or what the Buddha called “Right View”, or otherwise no matter how far one appears to advance he may not reach the highest truth.

   Shabd gurus do make a point of encouraging people to examine the path critically, but then once that is done and the seeker has "made up his mind", he or she is advised he should follow the master's instructions, etc., and not worry about thinking anymore. But for many this is not enough. How many initiates, moreover, truly make an in-depth investigation of the path as it compares with others before making their decision? Even if one has, a true path must be able to withstand any new arguments that arise, for how can one be certain that he has examined all the issues in his initial study? Must one ignore new questions or criticisms that arise just because he has committed himself to a path? If, on the other hand, one relies only on his immediate feelings in making such a decision, such feelings are unfortunately subject to error as well as change when later held up against the light of reason and experience. So understanding, even just intellectual understanding, can not be bypassed. As one blogger posted, with far more temerity than I:

   "I was involved with Sant Mat RSSB for the better part of three decades. The literature presents a pretty seductive picture of mystic transport in the guidance of the perfect master to regions of glory and light. It is said once you are accepted into the master's fold, your release from the travails of karma and rebirth are virtually assured, one day, four lifetimes at most. If you are in the right frame of mind, you might just accept that this could be true. You want it to be, and at this point your reasoning may become, shall we say, selective. But in reality, there is nothing to support this belief but blind faith. How do you know the master is perfect? Does he have a perfect master certificate on his wall? How do you know Sach Khand is the highest region as the master says? Does God really want you to quit eating egg whites, meditate for 2.5 hrs per day and never ever take a sip of tequilla? Does this god exist?

   Followers differentiate Sant Mat from most faith based religions because supposedly you have a path with "scientific" procedures which will yield concrete results in this very life, master/god willing, of course. But what if you aren't having ecstatic mystical experiences after following these scientific procedures for several decades? Doubts may creep in. At this point, someone will tell you that the path is like boring through a mountain. You are in darkness until suddenly you break through into the light on the other side. Keep at it brother. Your actions are bound to bear fruit, with master's grace, sooner or later. It may be that you'll have to wait until another life because your karmic burden is so heavy that it just isn't possible this time around. (It may be that there is nobody to get anywhere. But that's another story.)

   There is always some esoteric explanation that eliminates logic and reason from the equation. There is no way to know if it is real until, if ever, you get to where it talks about. Even if an "advanced" satsangi were to tell you the master is the real deal and they daily hear peals of celestial thunder, you have no way of knowing if they are deluded or not. This is really an absurd proposition to cash in all your chips on one blind bet. To what? To where? To whom?"

   Seeking is supposedly about discovering truth. Therefore, it appears someone must ask the questions raised below, and I risk the wrath of the faithful and even God if need be to do so. It was never my intention to be in such a position. I would rather just revel in inner bliss and a simple giuru-devotee relationship. Yet my master confounded my assumptions, called me his friend, and in the end said I was a new man and that I should tell everyone so. Therefore, as Ramanuja once shouted from the rooftop while saying what he was told not to say, “I don’t care if I go to hell if it will help one soul find the truth.” I do hope that more than a few as well as my heart-friend will find me unworthy of damnation for this investigation.

   Continuing with this line of thought, even if one has an inner experience at the time of initiation or afterwards, how does he know that this is proof the guru is self or god-realized? A siddhi or power to induce inner visionary phenomena does not itself prove a guru is enlightened. Then what compelling reason is there to believe the rest of the entire theology and cosmology and metaphysics without seeing and knowing it for ones self, or fully understanding in depth how it compares with the spoken and written word of other teachers? What proof or argument is there that the very approach or fulfillment of the sadhana or practise is the only path, or even a path, leading to classically defined Self or God-Realization, besides the logic that it seeks through meditation to duplicate the withdrawal process that occurs at the time of physical death? Again, I am not saying whether it grants the ultimate truth or not. I don't know. It definitely has an intuitive appeal, and is appealing to the suffering body-bound ego. But ordinary death and mystical experiences do not themselves produce enlightenment itself, according to sages. As will be pointed out later, others, particularly Ramana Maharshi, differ on the technical process, direction, and purpose of withdrawal and the manner it leads or doesn't lead to self-realization. Thus, Self-realization as defined on these two paths is radically different. So this must be worked out from the beginning, as again, it was not for nothing that the Buddha made "right view" the first point of the noble Eight-fold Path."

   There has, moreover, also been an ongoing controversy among Sant Mat teachers (beginning with Faqir Chand) whether it is actually the Master who "gives" anyone a contact with the inner light and sound, or whether he merely points out the technique for the disciple to find out what is already there. I believe both of these may be the case, depending on the lineage one is a part ofand the guru’s competency therein. In the line of Kirpal Singh, it is claimed that it is the Master Power, directly or indirectly, which can and will (at initiation) actually drag the attention of the initiate within to grant him experiences, and many can attest to that first hand. Personally, I believe they can and do. In other lineages within Sant Mat, this is not promised, and there are apparently some masters who are only competent to give meditation instructions, but no “transmission”. This will all be discussed further below.

3. This promise of an experience at initiation (as a boost on the way, and as proof of the guru’s competency) was started by Kirpal Singh, and most initiates of that lineage (Darshan Singh, Rajinder Singh) do experience something, even before their official initiation (which is said to be the moment of thought-transference from the Master, not necessarily the actual time of the official initiation), sometimes shortly after, which promise is not the case with initiates in the Beas or Agra line. Yet, even so, one might ask, since we are here discussing everything in depth once and for all, hopefully, what does that specifically prove? This also will be discussed more below. I believe there is a divine siddhi involved, at least in the Kirpal lineage, whereby the Masters, whether consciously, or unconsciously through their own inner attunement, can temporarily invert the attention of their disciples, but does that guarantee the ability to grant or produce eventual enlightenment, or that the guru is enlightened? It would certainly elevate him beyond the ordinary teacher, that is not in question. And this is not meant to disparage or criticize this path, only to seek understanding. Many teachers on other paths, like Ranmakrishna and Yogananda, have been able to give temporary experiences of the preliminary inner stages of mystic light and sound; Sant Mat claims that they will only be able to take their disciples so far, and not to the highest, which requires a Divine commission. So this is a matter of faith on this path, obviously, and a large hurdle and difficult one for a naive initiate to be responsible for.

   Of course, a beginning mystic enjoying their spiritual honeymoon and new-found happiness of inner distraction will not be interested in entering this discussion, and they may even be better off for a time not doing so. It should be mentioned, that Kirpal Singh emphasized that besides the gift of initiation, true masters also provide guidance, inner protection and help. I personally believe this is so, and my own experience, detailed in “Death of a Dream and a Gift of Truth” [in the Biography section of this website] suggests there is much more even than this that is left unsaid by the best among these masters - higher teachings that if publically voiced would at times for some possibly call into question the nature of the soul and its relationship with the entire superstructure currently promoted as the “path” by the masters themselves. Therefore, I still have questions.

4. There is a controversy within Sant Mat that begs for a more adequate explanation. This pertains to the role and nature of the Master’s subtle radiant form. There may certainly be paradox and divine mystery involved, but there is no reason for obscurity. For example, Sawan Singh said since the physical master could not possibly be in contact with thousands of disciples at one time, therefore he creates an "astral duplicate" that resides in the third eye of the initiate and which looks over him and only “reports”, as it were, to the master when something really important needs personal attention. The Master Power, not the physical master, is otherwise constantly looking after the disciple once he is initiated.

   Question: if the real master dies, and then soon reincarnates, what connection does the inner radiant form then actually have with HIM for someone initiated by him before he died? How is one still connected with him? It obviously cannot be on a personal level. One is sometimes advised to seek the company of one’s guru’s successor, but continue contemplating only on one’s own guru’s form, when it appears. [Actually, there is some ongoing differences about this within the Beas and Agras branches of Sant Mat]. Is this then just a mental image burned into the soul of the disciple, as it were?And if so, is the form itself a product of the Master, or ultimately of the Soul of the disciple, through the medium of the master? Sant Mat in general claims that the form is “real”. There have been other spiritual schools which denigrate or lessen the value of such a form by arguing that it is only a mental projection from the disciple's own mind or soul, saying that Christians see Jesus, Hindus see Krishna, etc. That doesn’t mean such an “ishta” as mentioned on the Path of the Masters is not useful, or is a product of the gross imagination of a disciple, but the question does arise whether it is a product of the deeper mind and ultimately the soul or Overself of the disciple, and not necessarily “God” or the guru directly. Paul Brunton describes the philosophic view:

   "It is the mystic's ego which constructs the image of his teacher or saviour, and his Overself [divine Soul] which animates that image with divine power. This explains why earnest pupils of false teachers have made good progress and why saviors dead for thousands of years still seem to help their followers."

"Only when well-advanced does he learn that the help he thinks he got from a guru came often from the Universal Being. It was his own personal thoughts which supplied the guru image, but the power which worked was from that Being." (Notebooks. Vol. 16, Part 1, 5.183,189)

   Of course, this is a paradox. Supposedly at the highest level Mind, God, Soul, and Master are all One. There can certainly, moreover, also be telepathic and transcendental help from the master even without the presence of the form, and even whether or not one is receptive or aware of it. Even the master may not necessarily be aware of it, and yet still be a conduit for such help. Again, PB explains:

   "The conscious personal mind of the teacher may know nothing of the help that is radiating from him to one who silently calls on him from a long distance, yet the reality of that help remains." (Ibid, Vol. 2, 6.744).

   This is precisely Baba Faqir Chand's position. Furthermore, PB affirms that the blessing of the attention of a sage, given even once, is so profound that its effects may manifest over the course of some years:

   "The guide may send his blessing telepathically only once but if it is powerful enough it may work itself out through a hundred different experiences extending over several years. Because he identifies himself with the timeless spaceless soul, his blessing may express itself anywhere in space and anywhere in time. Moreover he may formulate it in a general way but it may take precise shapes unconsciously fashioned by and suited to a recipient's own mentality and degree of development....Just as the sun does not need to be aware of every individual plant upon which it sheds its beneficent life-giving growth-stimulating rays, so the master does not need to be aware of every individual disciple who uses him as a focus for his meditations or as a symbol for his worship. Yet each disciple will soon realize that he is receiving from such activities a vital inward stimulus, a real guidance and definite assistance. This result will develop the power unconsciously drawn from the disciple's own higher self, which in turn will utilize the mental image of the master as a channel through which to shed its grace." (Notebooks, Vol. 2, 6.752, 784)

   Not only Faqir Chand, but Sant Rajinder Singh has in so many words affirmed that this is more or less how it works. Only in rare instances does the incarnate master personally involve himself in the disciple's personal inner life, but his own higher self is like a grand switchboard into which the many, many disciples are plugged into. The help or grace goes "over the head" of the adept as it were, but it is no less real. PB writes:

   "With a teacher, it is the inward relationship that matters. What, then, is going to happen when there is only one Teacher and many thousands of students? How can all the wishes, dreams, and thoughts reach him, yet leave him time for his work? Obviously, it cannot be done. So Nature steps in and helps out. She has arranged a system very much like a telephone swithboard. The incoming "calls" are plugged into the subconscious mind of the Teacher. The "line" itself is composed out of the student's own faith and devotion; he alone can make this connection. Then, his wishes, dreams, and thoughts travel along it to the subconscious of the teacher, where they are registered and dealt with accordingly to their needs. In this way, they do reach the Teacher, who can, at the same time, attend to his work. Sometimes Nature deems it advisable to transfer a particular message to the conscious level. In such a case, it may be answered on either the conscious or subconscious level. Occasionally, too, the teacher deliberately sends one out when he is guided to do so." (Notebooks, Vol. 16, , Part 1, 5.273)

   The latter could account for visions of a Master's form that appear to people who have never even heard of the Master before, but were destined to meet. This happens with relative frequency in Sant Mat. It is certainly consistent with truth that a realized Master could project His form to a disciple, but philosophy still argues, as mentioned above, that, ultimately, He or the Divine is using the disciple's own Soul as the medium for the Master. On the other hand, the Master's greatness is in no way diminished by this understanding, for without the Master the vision which comes of itself would not take place or be imbued with vitality, in most cases. The philosophic understanding, it might be said, is perhaps of most value in the later stages of the path.

   To be sure, once again, there does seem to be a difference between a form which comes of itself in meditation, and stands before the Master's charged words, than simply a subconscious manifestation of a disciple's (culturally or religiously) conditioned mind (again, such as when Christians tend to see visions of Christ, and Hindus of Krishna, etc.). The Kirpal lineage of Sant Mat Masters' forms have appeared to many who had never even heard of them before. This would contradict the theory that it is just a manifestation of one's subconscious mind in every instance, though it could still be an advance demonstration or guidance from one's higher self or Soul. This would require a very expanded and lofty conception of what the Soul actually is. If a true Master is indeed a mouthpiece of the Absolute Soul, however, due to the purity and depth of his realization, then his Gurudev or radiant subtle form is certainly a glorious thing which could be imprinted or arise within the Soul or Mind of his chela or disciple, and which thus is inherently divine. This could be considered a True vision. While it is a paradox, it is not a contradiction to the doctrine of the Soul as being the ultimate source of the vision. Still, a sage such as Ramana Maharshi would say, "press on and find the perceiver," the subjective source, not the ultimate object, and then go even beyond all subject-object distinctions, whether within trance or without. Or as Sri Nisargadatta said, "“There's no state in which one is seeing reality. WHO is seeing WHAT? You can only BE real.”

   Here is somemore on the origin of the [ongoing] debate within the radhasoami tradition about the nature of the master's Form. Faqir Chand, a Sant Mat guru who was a disciple of Shiv Brat Lal, and who was recognized by Sawan Singh, discovered that many miracles and appearances of his form to his disciples occurred without any awareness on his part. He concluded that the Form was a product of the disciple's imagination or faith, and not the Master, and he taught likewise, changing the teachings of Sant Mat at the behest of his guru. Dr. I.C. Sharma, successor to the radical and iconoclastic Faqir, didn’t follow the latter's thinking that the form is 'just a vision', but that it was important to visualize and concentrate on them in the lower planes as long as one realized it wasn’t the be all and end all. Actually, Faqir said this, too, although he also said, and is famous for saying, that all seen inside up to Bhanwar Gupta is "phantasmagoria". Faqir didn’t himself always see his guru's form inside, in fact, nor did Sharma , even at his death, interestingly, a promise usually given by Sant Master masters. In his case Sharma said his guru was “hiding” from him. Sant Darshan Singh, however, once said that he was always "in contact" with the form of his master within." These are both somewhat enigmatic comments, for supposedly once a guru achieved Satguru status by merger with the true form of their Master, the Satguru or Sat Purush in Sach Khand, he no longer has a personal master of his own but is now the Master Himself. So why would a dying master care about or need to see the astral form (gurudev) of his master anyway to lead him into the beyond? And if Sant Darshan Singh had passed beyond Sach Khand, which he claimed to do in 1967, and transcended even the Sat Purush, would he still need to see the subtle form at all? Of course, there would be no reason he couldn't see the subtle form, just as he could see a physical form, only that, as a realized Master, would he need to? He is merged in the light beyond any form of his master, and hopefully in the Void beyond that. HE is the Master now, regardless if for conventions sake and an outward show of humility most of these masters always defer to their own master as the doer and source of grace. As Paul Brunton wrote:

   "No guru can lead anyone to enlightenment if he himself is attached to the role of guru, nor can any disciple ever achieve enlightenment if he wants to play the role of disciple forever. Both are suffering from attachments which prevent enlightenment."

   “This last stage, where the presence and picture of the Master are displaced by the pictureless presence of the disciple's own spirit, is accurately described in the words of Jesus to his disciples: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you ... when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." Any other interpretation of them leaves them without reasonable meaning...When a man has at last found himself, when he has no longer any need for an outside human Symbol but passes directly to his own inner reality, he may stand shoulder to shoulder with the teacher in the oldest, the longest, and the greatest of struggles.”

   "The teacher is a support needed by the disciple to help him progress through successive stages of the quest, as they are stages of thinning illusion. When he stands on the threshold of reality, then the last and thinnest illusion of all must be left behind, the support of any being outside himself, apart from himself, for within him is the infinite life-power." (Notebooks, Vol. 2, 6.590; Vol. 16, Part 1, 5.285-286; Vol. 2, 6.859))

   And if, theoretically for instance, Sawan Singh quickly reincarnated as an infant, would that mean his disciple would no longer have contact with "him" directly through that form? Yes and no. The 'elemental form" was already created as an "astral duplicate" even when the master was incarnate, and this form would still exist, in the astral and causal realms, and be useable through the above described divine physics through the medium of the questor's individual divine Soul as an object of contemplation and devotional submission. Still, if this leaves some confusion for an inquiring mind to grapple with, so be it. It has said that confusion is the doorway to true understanding; this would certainly qualify. Therefore at some point the disciple must stand on his own two feet, apart from the crowd. As PB wrote:

   "In the end he must inwardly walk alone - as must everyone else however beloved - since God allows no one to escape this price." (Notebooks, Vol. 2, 3.325)

   Sharma also held that in Sach Khand you are not seeing a vision but "God as a person" as the Sat Purush. Ramana also spoke of God as a person, the "first person" or "I" in the Heart, but nevertheless beyond the vision of light. Scripture tells us, “No man sees God and lives.” So I ask now an epistemological question: How did Sharma KNOW this is God appearing as a person, and not his own Soul appearing as a person? [This is not mere semantics but a discriminative understanding of the Primals as given by Plotinus and as suggested in the teachings of a few other sages, even while recognizing that this cannot be known by the mind but only through experience]. It may not be a personal vision at the level of a dream or a product of one’s personal mind, but it is still in the realm of the imagination, albeit at the highest level. Even if it is the great vision of light, there is still a perceiver, his ego or ego-soul. When the perceiver is gone, then who sees what, and who has merged with what? This is an important question. Supposedly the Sat Purush, chief ‘denizen’ of Sach Khand, absorbs the soul (ego) further on into the Nameless One. But in PB and Plotinus’ terms, this would be Soul, and not God, per se, since Soul, as the ultimate subjective source, beyond peception, has yet to be realized in the planes prior to Anami (despite the language used in Sant Mat that says the soul knows itself in Bhanwar Gupta and certainly Sach Khand). Sant Darshan has written that after traversing the physical, astral, and causal planes," the soul no longer has mind, but perceives and understands with its own light." But, what does this actually mean? Perceives and understands what? Can the soul by its own light perceive and understand anything other than Itself, without a vehicle to do so? Anthony Damiani states:

   “Any mystical state, any dream state, any wakeful state is a content and an object of consciousness. Different ones are going to demonstrate different characteristics, and there’s going to be an infinite array of possibilities, but the point to be grasped is that every one of them is an idea to consciousness and that the mind puts forth its own ideas and then experiences them....If you go to a higher level than this one, it will still be a content of consciousness; and if you go to an even higher level, or even to the level of being itself, there will always be a content of consciousness....That’s why it is so important to grasp this principle firmly. Hold on to it, because with it you will be able to analyze all experience and tear apart any misconceptions you have....This is true of all the seven levels of existence, even if you live in the angelic world. So if someone came from another level of existence and said, “Yes, but your analysis doesn’t hold for my plane of existence,” I would say, “Is it a content? Is it an experience for you? Is it a world that you are perceiving? Is there a perception taking place? You know it? Yes? Then it’s subject to the same analysis.” That’s how it cuts through everything and that’s why this teaching is direct and the most comprehensive one you will find. This teaching has been around for thousands of years and it won’t disappear.”(1)

   “Mystical experiences are still on a penultimate stage of the imagination. You become aware of that. And no amount of superlatives will take you away from that stage....it’s still not reality." (2)

   “PB wrote The Hidden Teaching Beyond Yoga prior to reaching the jivanmukta [liberation in life] stage. And the statement he makes there is that through personal feeling and intuition he had already grasped the fact that the mystical level is not dominated by reality, and is not that reality. But it would only be a person who has disciplined and developed an extreme rational consciousness who would be able to see through the superlative effulgence of the mystic state, and see its shortcomings.”(3)

   On the positive side, even Ramana Maharshi said that "visions are better than no visions," in so far as they indicate an increasing depth of concentration, but that they must be gone beyond before true Self-Realization. In Sant Mat the only "visions" or perceptible phenomena to be paid attention to in meditation are the Light, the Sound, and the Master's Form, which itself must stand before repetition of the five charged words given at initiation. Thus, the Form is important as an aid at deepening concentrative absorption towards the final goal. The final goal even in Sant Mat is spoken of as realizing the Master to be ones own very Self, but the description still seems quite different than that given by the gyanis such as Maharshi. A difficulty in even interesting anyone in discussing these things is that the bliss increases as one ascends the inner stages, a bliss that one no less than the Buddha said was extremely difficult for the aspirant to transcend. According to Buddha, beyond the stages of bliss come the stages of insight, and then Nirvana.

5. Faqir Chand claimed Sawan Singh himself told him it was all right to change the teachings to reflect the truth about the Master’s radiant form, ie., that the physical Master was usually unaware of his disciple's experiences of His form, among other things, but that since he (Sawan) had too many disciples he could not do that without causing problems with their faith and loyalty. This problem, we now see, would have been avoided if a complete understanding of the spiritual physics involved were made clear. Sawan Singh also once told Faqir he would look after his disciples in some instances. It seems there was a case of a woman who went so far up inside in meditation she couldn’t take care of her family responsibilities, and when Faqir told Sawan Singh this, Sawan said that he would “look after his back”. This is all strange, for why couldn’t Faqir take care of this himself? I personally think the above-mentioned problem (a need to update the teachings, or, at least, offer individual instruction) was a problem and burden for Kirpal Singh and perhaps his successors as well.

   According to Arran Stephens, author of the book Journey to the Luminous, Darshan Singh, Kirpal’s successor, claimed as a negative about Faqir that when Faqir was asked to describe the various inner planes he did not name their proper order and specifically could not or did not give the proper answer to the question of how many steps led to the pool of sanskaric purification named Manasarovar. Perhaps Faqir's realization was incomplete, but I ask, could it be that since Faqir considered all experiences “phantasmagoria” compared to the truth (Sat), that maybe he didn’t CARE about whether their were 52 steps, 35 steps, or whatever? Darshan also said Faqir Chand was wrong, that the form WAS Real (which must mean, perhaps, not ultimately Real, but more real than simply being an objectification of the disciple’s personal mind). As we have seen, the form could be real, but its appearance still beyond the conscous mind of the human guru, except when he needed to know of it.

   The subtle Gurudev is said to lead directly to the Satguru or Satpurush, the true or divine form in Sach Khand. Schools like Buddhism and Advaita argue that anything visible is still psychic, not spiritual, moreover, so how then can Sach Khand be considered “spiritual” in that sense, as there must be a perceiver to see the sights and sounds there? Some other yoga schools use this terminology of ‘spiritual’ planes, but this use of the word ‘spiritual’ must be kept in mind when discussing the path of the sages such as Ramana who speak differently.This is not to detract from the value of such higher realizations, only one should understand that it is being considered spiritual in that there is less or none of the lower psychic being or mind there, but there still must be some means of perception. Even Buddhism speaks of the heavenly Avalokitesvara whose sweet sounds will take one back to the true home. Sach Khand, however, sounds more like the most celestial subtle plane, regardless of what language is used to describe it. How can it be truly spiritual (as the word is used in philosophic schools), when there are still perceptions there? For the sages the word spiritual would imply the “void” or a formless realization.

   Brunton writes:

   "Those who find that beyond the Light they must pass through the Void, the unbounded emptiness, often draw back affrighted and refuse to venture further. For here they have naught to gain or get, no glorious spiritual rapture to add to their memories, no great power to increase their sense of being a co-worker with God. Here their very life blood is to be squeezed out as the price of entry, here they must become the feeblest of creatures." (4)

   Ramana enigmatically said that the gyani is "invisible even to God."

   Faqir claimed that his final realization was that he was “hanging on the gallows,” a “bubble of consciousness”. However, it must be said that he himself evidenced no certainty of self-realization like Ramana Maharshi did, even while he appeared sympathetic to advaitic teachings. For instance, he claimed he had no idea where “he” would go after death, whereas Ramana was certain: “where can I go; I am here?”, he said (ie., eternally the Self, alone). Interestingly, nearing the end Kirpal Singh said he would soon be going, and one disciple asked, "where are you going?", to which he replied, "Oh, where we all go." Paramhansa Yogananda likewise remarked, "All paths are paths to God, because, ultimately, there is no other place for the soul to go." (Journey to Self-Realization, p. 51)

   [For more discussion on the confessions of Faqir Chand, the soul and the connection to light and sound, the Master's form, and the politics of guru succession, see Ford Johnson, Confessions of a Truth Seeker, Chapter 11: Sant Mat, Radhasoami, and the Myth of the Master].

6. Sant Rajinder Singh has said that one will be assured that there is life after death when one reaches the third plane. This is interesting, but does that in itself imply that the first two inner planes are then not after-death planes but reside in the brain and are thus still within the body? Interestingly, the Sar Bachan Radhasoami (Poetry) : Part Two appears to say so. After Sahans Dal Kanwal and Trikuti, one enters the Banknal and then goes through Daswan Dwar (the “tenth door”) to reach the third inner region of Sunn:

   “Surat moves onward and opens the door. It enters Banknal (crooked tunnel) and gets across. It passes through high and low valleys. It turns up the pupil of the eye.” (p. 118).

   “Turning up the pupil of the eye” and entering the “tenth door” or aperture (the other nine being the bodily openings: eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, and two below) implies attention finally leaving the body. Babuji Maharaj of the Agra branch said that “within the folds of thy brain there are many beautiful regions,” etc. He may have been quoting Maulana Rumi, who likewise said, “Within the folds of thy brain there are wonderful gardens and beauty spots. Should you like to enjoy them, hie to a Murshid (Master) for instruction.” (5)   Maharaj Saheb, a Sant Mat guru after Rai Salig Ram, even more explicitly said,

   ”In the fissure between the two lobes of the brain there are twelve apertures, which provide the means for communion with the six subdivisions of Brahmand and with the six subdivisions of the purely spiritual region. The apertures appertaining to Brahmand are to be found in the gray matter, and those appertaining to the purely spiritual region, in the white matter.” (6)

   First off, this passage is somewhat confusing, as it suggests that someone who has an accidental death would have no access to the spiritual regions because he had no chance to pass through the apertures in the white matter of the brain. Some Buddhist schools teach this also. But can that really be the truth? Other Sant Mat masters have said that a true disciple in such a case is immediately with the Master within, so this cannot truly be an impediment]. The suggestion definitely, however, is that the path of Sant Mat initially takes place in a passage through the brain, the most direct route being via the central channels in the white matter (i.e., via the corona radiata), culminating in the “God-light” or “purely spiritual region(s)” that manifest when one truly pierces the crown center in ascended samadhi. This implication or interpretation is somewhat uncommon in the Sant Mat or Radhasoami literature, which generally assumes a gnostic position considering all of the subtle realms to be outside, or above and beyond, the body, while Saheb seemed to be suggesting that, as experienced in meditation, they are actually in the braincore, with only the alleged truly spiritual realms beyond the limits of the body. Sometimes Sant Mat writers claim that the third eye is between and behind the eyebrows (i.e, near the pineal gland, with the pituitary more towards the center of the head), while the so-called "tenth door" leading to Daswan Dwar, the third region, is at the crown of the head - where the fontanelle is in an infant. So, this would suggest that only the highest inner planes, such as Bhanwar Gupta and Sach Khand are truly out of the body, as the spatial descriptions of a lower region where the ”crooked tunnel” (Banknal) is found seems to suggest the passageway in the braincore itself. This would also mean that Sahansdal Kanwal, the first inner station in Sant Mat, may not be the exact equivalent of the thousand-petalled lotus of the true Sahasrar as described in traditional yoga sutras, but yet a region in the sky of mind in the braincore, which would, however, truly be felt to be outside of or interior to the body for the normally extroverted individual. This is certainly highly enjoyable; as Sawan Singh once said, "if you go in an inch, it is better than a trip around the world," but its actual nature should be clarified, so adequate comparisons can be made with other schools.

   For instance, in the Kriya Yoga as taught by Paramhansa Yogananda, the "spiritual eye" is visualized at the ajna or agya chakra, but passage between the agya chakra and the sahasrara at the top of the head is said to culminate in nirvikalpa samadhi and transcendance of the astral and causal bodies. The actual passageway is said to be a subtler form of the sushumna called, in their school, firstly the vajra and chitra nadis (luminous astral nadis, the "spine of the astral body"), and then the "brahmanadi" (or the "spine of the causal body"). Thus, in the kriya school, the implication is also that the astral and causal worlds, at least before death, are somehow within the physical body or brain itself.

   Soamiji also describes Trikuti as being within the sushumna, the central yogic channel that culminates in the sahasrar, an additional implication that this region is not truly outside of the body. Sant Kirpal Singh, in his book Godman, quotes Guru Nanak:

   "The Master exhorts the jivas to listen to this music in the Sukhman, the artery between the two eyebrows; Then be established in Sunnya (the Region of Silence), with the result that all oscillations of the mind would cease. When the chalice of the mind thus turns into the correct position, it will get filled with the Elixer of Life, making the mind steady and self-poised. The ceaseless music of eternity becomes a constant companion." (p. 131)

   The upturning of the chalice of the heart is standard mystic terminology, but the reference to the region of Sunn is to the third inner plane. Is that then also experienced in the brain, at least, so long as one is alive? The importance of these questions lies in establishing the true uniqueness of shabd yoga as contrasted with other traditional yogic explanations.

   The exposition of this in the Kriya Yoga in the lineage of Paramhansa Yogananda is even more confusing. [for more on this, see Paramhansa Yogananda and Kriya Yoga: A Comparative Analysis ]. In that path, as in Sant Mat, the aspirant is to focus at the spiritual eye, located between and behind the eyebrows, which is said to actually extend from that subtle center backwards to the medulla. According to Yogananda,

   "The spiritual eye is perceived as a golden aura surrounding a sphere of blue, in the middle of which is a five-pointed start of white light...The point of origin of the single eye is in a subtle spiritual center in the medulla oblongata (at the base of the brain where it joins the spine). The energy from this single eye divides at the medulla and pours through the brain into the two physical eyes, through which the world of duality is perceived. The spiritual eye with its three lights, or three different rays - one within the other like an extending telescopic lens - has all-seeing spherical vision. Through the gold ray, the deeply meditating yogi beholds all matter and the mass of radiation (the vibratory cosmic energy) permeating the universe. Penetrating the blue light {the reader may recall references to the "blue pearl" by Swami Muktananda], the yogi will realize the Christ or Krishna Consciousness - the Kutastha or infinite intelligence of God - which is present in all creation. Piercing the tiny five-pointed white star, the yogi experiences Cosmic Consciousness - the transcendant consciousness of God that underlies all creation and that is also beyond the realms of manifestation in Infinitude. The yogi in Cosmic Consciousness perceives that all creation, including the microcosm of his body, is a projection of the fivefold rays of God's Cosmic Consciousness."

   "The tricolored rays of the spiritual eye, through a complex transformation known to yogis, form the physical body of man the microcosm. The golden rays of cosmic energy, for example, are strongly inherent in the vital red blood, and are manifested in the electric current that flows through the nerves. The blue rays are a predominant factor in the gray matter of the brain, which provides a medium for the expression of thoughts through sensory-motor activity - just as on the universal scale Christ Consciousness provides the medium that upholds all of nature's activities. And the white rays are the predominant factor in the white matter of the brain, in which God's transcendant Cosmic Consciousness is insulated." (Journey to Self-Realization, p. 92-94)

   The last sentence in this quotation is most interesting, and similar to the comments above of Maharaj Saheb that relate the "spiritual Regions" to the white matter of the brain. Still, we have yet to understand this matter of "inside" and "outside".

   What does it truly mean to be “outside the body?” If one takes the view of the jnanis or sages who state that it is closer to the ultimate truth to say that all bodies and worlds arise within the Soul, and it is a fact that while alive in the gross plane all bodies, sheaths, or koshas interpenetrate, then that would not preclude one having experience of the first two or three “regions” once the gross body disintegrates at physical death, only that the understanding of one’s experience would be quite different, as possibly would the motivation for choosing a particular sadhana or practice. Indeed, some sages maintain that as the physical, subtle and causal bodies interpenetrate one can do sufficient sadhana while in the gross body, bypassing the need for ascent and even the attainment of the witness self, in some cases. Sant Rajinder Singh, in fact, has started to speak in this manner about the various inner planes:

   "Most religions believe that there are higher regions of existence to which the soul goes after it dies...The question is, where are these realms? They are not zones in outer space delineated by borders. All these realms exist concurrently with this one. The reason we are not aware of them is because they operate on a different frequency or vibration." (Sat Sandesh – April 2003).

   If this is truly so then some of the aforementioned contradictions and discrepencies are overcome, but the next obvious question presents itself, "why the need to ascend at all? Can not the soul be realized here and now?" Ramana certainly thought so. If all of the planes exist concurrently, they must all exist in consciousness, or the soul, and then the 'direct path' of the sages is exonerated. Then we may be only one step away from saying things like:

   "Behind most spiritual practices is the belief that you have to get someplace you're not- a destination called realization or enlightenment. But realization isn't someplace else; it's the naturally occurring human state. It doesn't belong to anybody. It's who we all are." (Suzanne Segal, Collision with the Infinite)

   Returning to our previous line of thought, Ramana went on to say that the light of the sahasrar AND even the god-worlds is the borrowed or reflected light of the Heart. The sahasrar for him and perhaps even a sage such as Ramakrishna might then encompass more than just the crown chakra but the ascended dimension in aggregate, all reflected light of the formless heart of consciousness, Soul or Nous. (And, again, in that case, would traditional ascended Nirvikalpa (formless, subjectless, objectless) samadhi be equivalent to the Anami state in Sant Mat, or not? Certainly, in the case of Sri Ramakrishna, who sometimes voiced the traditional yogic view that God-consciousness ensued when the kundalini reached the Sahasrar, the way he and some others have described this process sounds more profound than the experience of the average Sant Mat initiate whose surat or sensory currents were concentrated into the tisra til and ‘entered’ Sahans Dal Kanwal. Ramakrishna said:

   "The mind ordinarily moves in the three lower chakras. But if it rises above them and reaches the heart, one gets the vision of Light...Even though it has reached the throat, the mind may come down again. One ought to be always alert. Only if the mind reaches the spot between the eyebrows need he have no more fear of a fall, the Supreme Self is so close." (source misplaced).

   This is not the only or the most complete description given by Ramakrishna. The Sant Mat reply would likely be that the he was mistaking the final goal of the kundalini path for what is only the first stage of the shabd yoga path. But is this so? Kirpal Singh and many others thought highly of Ramakrishna, often capitalizing on his oft-repeated phrase to Vivekanda, "Yes, I see God as clearly as I see you - even more so!" Obviously, by the word mind here Ramakrishna meant something other than mere thought. He must be talking about pranas or attention, because other yogis also talk of having the vision of light first when one reaches the heart chakra. Through further concentration which then occurs fairly rapidly one reaches the throat, eye-center, and eventually brahmarendra and sahasarar, with the potential for permanent effects in the body. Ramakrishna was a saint of saints, and his ascended samadhis, I suspect, were highly evolved. He knew of higher planes.

   The difference, it may be suggested, to some extent depends on the prior condition and state of the individual. For Ramakrishna, who later came to the position that even Nirvikalpa was superseded by Sahaj, or the non-dual condition realized in the waking state, the full kundalini awakening as he described it nevertheless lead to a great purification and disidentification with embodiment. In the case of Ganapati Muni, however, a disciple of Ramana Maharshi, discussed later in this article, and undoubtedly many others, the same result was apparently not attained. This is not an argument for or against kundalini yoga, as I have no practical and little theoretical knowledge or particular interest in that area. It seems, however, that it can produce a big awakening or transformation or not, depending on various factors and preconditions. If leaving the body and ascending as far as possible through the inner planes via the shabd or subtle life-current is THE goal, then Ramakrishna is wrong and other mystics and sages like him are also wrong. Still, Ramakrishna knew of and had access to such places, others have reported meeting 'him' in the “abode of the siddhas” and elsewhere. Based on respect for what Ramakrishna had to say it appears possible to this one that Sant Mat in general may not always present the fullest understanding of the kundalini process, or sometimes explains it within more narrow parameters than is warranted - which doesn’t necessarily mean their path is ‘wrong’ - or not 'easier' or 'higher', either. There is little doubt that kundalini, certainly wthout the help and protection of an qualified master, is full of danger and difficulties.

   Swami Sivananda, whom Kirpal Singh respected, used the following language when writing about the kundalini. This is very interesting because speaking from a different yoga tradition he used several terms identical to some of those used in Sant Mat, with a different explanation. He, too, like Yogananda and Ramakrishna argued that merger of the attention into the sahasrar produced liberation:

   "Brahmarandhra” means the hole of Brahman. It is the dwelling house of the human soul. This is also known as “Dasamadvara,” the tenth opening or the tenth door. The hollow place in the crown of the head known as anterior fontanelle in the new-born child is the Brahmarandhra. This is between the two parietal and occipital bones. This portion is very soft in a babe. When the child grows, it gets obliterated by the growth of the bones of the head. Brahma created the physical body and entered (Pravishat) the body to give illumination inside through this Brahmarandhra. In some of the Upanishads, it is stated like that. This is the most important part. It is very suitable for Nirguna Dhyana (abstract meditation). When the Yogi separates himself from the physical body at the time of death, this Brahmarandhra bursts open and Prana comes out through this opening (Kapala Moksha). “A hundred and one are the nerves of the heart. Of them one (Sushumna) has gone out piercing the head; going up through it, one attains immortality” (Kathopanishad).

   Sahasrara Chakra is the abode of Lord Siva. This corresponds to Satya Loka. This is situated at the crown of the head. When Kundalini is united with Lord Siva at the Sahasrara Chakra, the Yogi enjoys the Supreme Bliss, Parama Ananda. When Kundalini is taken to this centre, the Yogi attains the superconscious state and the Highest Knowledge. He becomes a Brahmavidvarishtha or a full-blown Jnani." (Kundalini Yoga, p. 32-33)

   Words, no doubt, are poor substitutes for reality. Ramana considered even this world a spiritual plane. This, again, can only be true, however, if the concepts of matter as well as the ego-soul or ego-self is rejected in favor of the view and insight that "all is Mind". In Sant Mat, the various planes are described as containing differing amounts of matter and spirit, from gross material, material-spiritual, spiritual-material, to purely spiritual. For Ramana, Buddhism and Zen, anything perceivable ("things") or conceivable ("thoughts") could be considered “mental”, all arising in and as Mind. The goal, if it can be talked about as such, is the realization of this One Mind. Ramana also taught, to repeat, that the light in the brain or sahasrar from which the world is projected is but the reflected light of the Heart, which can be realized directly without completion of the “inner tour” of the yogis or sants, and that full trance is not necessary for this, and that the ego and the power of God both resolve into the emptiness of the non-dual Self. This seems such a different view than that of Sant Mat as to be almost incomparable. But can it not be further explained by these masters?

7. Plotinus, Paul Brunton, Ramana Maharshi, and Buddhism teach that the Reality itself is neither within or without, that the highest inner trance state (ie., nirvikalpa) is still a subjective realization, a partial realization only, that it must be carried into the waking state and established as sahaj for the higher ultramystic “lightning flash” of Mind Itself, existant between two pulsating thoughts of the World-Mind, to be realized. This is non-duality. The Witness Self, they say, is fully realized in nirvikalpa, a lofty state; the Overself or true Soul, a particle of the World-Mind or All-Soul, is realized in sahaj. That is, the "drop appears to merge into the ocean" in nirvikalpa, but the "ocean merges into the drop" in sahaj. That would make Radhasoami or Anami Lok of the Sant Mat tradition appear to be only a halfway house on the philosophic path (in as much as it is, as described, similar to nirvikalpa), whereas Sant Mat considers Sach Khand as the halfway house of Self-Realization with Anami as God-Realization - rather than realization of the Soul in itself, as philosophic realizers, such as PB and Ramana, might argue. I, for one, cannot reconcile the two positions. Sant Darshan Singh, a blessed soul, peace be upon him, answered a similar question regarding gyan or jnana by simply stating that gyan masters reach the highest human states of realization or samadhi, but that only Sant Mat takes one to the highest. This begs for more elucidation. Exactly how and why is this so? Perhaps they are right, but Shiv Dayal Singh did not answer it adequately, nor has anyone since, and it is time some spiritual master did so. [Interestingly, on a side note, one of Sant Darshan's favorite books was Somerset Maughan's, The Razor's Edge, which is supposedly the story of a seeker's visit with the sage Ramana Maharshi.]

8. Scriptures and teachers seem to be in agreement that the waking state or earth life is the most important gift for realization, that enlightenment must be achieved or realized here and now, not after death. Few outline exactly why that is so. For instance, even Kirpal Singh said one can make more progress HERE than after death. He casually mentioned sometimes that is the case because the inner planes are so deceiving. Others have pointed out that here ones experiences are so vivid, etched in stone, as it were, while up there they are often vague and dreamlike, or at least, without the anchor of the body, too subject to distraction. There is the quote from the Buddhist sutra, The Transmission of the Lamp, which says that one can be lost for many, many kalpas in the bliss, not just in the inner realms, but the inner void itself. [Df: Kalpa: (as a period of time) A Maha Yuga is 4.32 million years, ten times as long as Kali Yuga. Twenty seven Maha Yugas is one Pralaya. Seven Pralayas is one Manvantara. Finally, six Manvantaras is a Kalpa. That is, one Kalpa is 27x7x6 = 1,134 Maha Yugas. This works out to 1134 x 4.3 million = 4.876 billion years!]   This suggests there is something special about the waking state, and that it is not only to be dismissed as illusion, to be dualistically left behind in search of some permanent spiritual place. The "Radhasoami state" seems to imply a realization that would encompass this perspective, but the methodology to get there has not yet suggested otherwise. Brunton clearly states that all yoga is only preparatory for inquiry, and that realization is achieved in the full waking state:

   "The Overself should not be reached merely in trance; it must be known in full waking consciousness. Trance is merely the deepest phase of meditation, which in turn is instrumental in helping prepare the mind to discover truth. Yoga does not yield truth directly. Trance does not do more than concentrate the mind perfectly and render it completely calm. Realization can come after the mind is in that state and after it has begun to inquire, with such an improved instrument, into truth." (Notebooks, Vol. 15, Part One, 7.122)

9. Ramana said that ones samskaras or inherited egoic tendencies must be scorched one by one as they arise and traced to the Heart while alive. This is much different from Sant Mat which teaches a gnostic idea of samskaras being only removed after soul travel through an "inner" pool of Mansarovar or Amritsar [more on this later]. If the latter view is true then nothing besides Sant Mat makes sense, and if it is just a fairy tale for beginners, the teachings need updating. And if it is true that one can make more progress HERE than inside after death, how is it any different than that one can make more progress HERE on the inner planes in meditation before death? One would be just as subject to distraction in meditation as the other arguments make against spiritual progress and realization after death. The suggestion is that realization consists in seeing something without excluding the waking state. Nanak said, "Truth is above all but higher still is true living." If that is not just a metaphor, what is its true meaning? What Truth was he talking about - the truth of the inner reality found at the innermost level of trance - like Anami Lok or Nirvikalpa samadhi - or just Truth unvarnished and eternal? Certainly nothing can really be above Truth. So truth must in some sense include life. Which brings one back to the argument that realization must be had while alive - not in meditation alone - and that, further, as the subtle and causal aspects of the being (the koshas or sheaths) are the backdrop of the gross, bodily aspect, they can effectively be purified while residing in the body, that is, through the process of incarnation itself, and not only in a disembodied condition.

   This is not discussed by Sant Mat masters, to my knowledge, although they do certainly mention this world as a place to pay off karmic debts, which may or may not be exactly the same thing. To their credit, however, it might be argued that the non-dualists (certainly the pop non-dualists) who often criticize them lack a cosmogony, or theory of creation, and many of these teachers may only be privy to having had a glimpse of reality, however long it lasts, and not full realization. That is apparently clear among Papaji disciples, many of whom were declared enlightened by him, when it became clear that that was just not the case. A glimpse, even if it lasts five years, is not the same as fully grown union with ones Soul, which, according to Paul Brunton, may entail a number of successive lives of spiritual APPLICATION , even AFTER nirvikalpa has been attained, or re-attained, in any particular life. That would also suggest, on the other hand, that simply traveling to Sach Khand or even Anami once would not grant ultimate and permanent enlightenment by itself, although Sant Mat teachers, where they allude to it, which is infrequent, appear to differ on this point. Some sages say that the longer one dwells in the Void the deeper ones realization becomes and the more one understands it, especially if one has some metaphysical background to accompany the mystical fulfillment. So it would seem the same argued for repeated immersion would apply to mystical merger in Anami Lok. Sant Darshan Singh, in his biography, mentioned that by a certain date he had been able to achieve the ability to go there at will, implying that before he had gone there, but not at will. Obviously, the former is a higher accomplishment than the latter. The idea of will is a tricky one, however, as there are sages like Ramana Maharshi who speak of losing the will or vikalpa to do anything, that the Self does all, which would include the inherent wisdom of knowing when transporting the soul to itself was of use for its divine purpose. Kirpal Singh would say that he did not do anything, and that if his Master did not send his grace, he was nothing. Taking him at his word, one might assume that would apply to when he might be absorbed into Anami, hold initiation, or even go to the grocery store. When one loses the personal will, what does it mean to speak of having the ability to do something at will?

10. Here is an anecdote that brings questions to my mind. In Ramana's case there was a disciple, Palanaswami. When Palanaswami died, Ramana said that his eyes opened, which to him signified that his "I-thought", as he put it, or ego or soul, escaped into and was "reborn in the higher planes". To Ramana that signified that Palanaswami must take another birth before realizing the Heart (Self or Soul, source of the feeling of "I", not to be confused with the heart chakra), that if Ramana had been there he could have "pinned his ego down in the heart," thus scorching his sanskaras there, never to be reborn again. Lakshmana Swamy, a realized disciple of Ramana, gave an odd version of this phenomenon in the case of his own disciple Mathru Sri Sarada. He said,

   “Just before Sarada realized the Self her ‘I’-thought tried to escape by breaking her skull. If I (Swamy) had not been present the experience would have killed her. The ‘I’-thought would have broken her skull and escaped to the higher regions where it would have been born again.” (7)

   Sarada said that this was like an axe trying to split her head open from the inside. She put her head on Swamy’s feet in surrender and her ‘I’-thought “subsided forever.” Whatever one is to make of this description it is certain that the peculiar dramatic nature of this realization experience is rare. Neither Lakshmana Swamy or Ramana felt the ‘I’-thought threaten to break their skull in its flight from the Heart. Others have reported experiences of pain and pressure in the head due to the force of kundalini energy, and one in particular worth examining occurred to the famous disciple of Ramana, Ganapati Muni. It was Ganapati who gave the young Venkataram the name Ramana Maharshi. He was a teacher in his own right, and had spent twenty years in yogic sadhana. A few years after meeting Marharshi he experienced a spontaneous, forceful awakening of kundalini-shakti (which he confessed was not caused by any intention on his part, but was the “result of the grace of his Guru and God”), and which began a two-week ordeal in which he endured the yogic phenomenon known in the Taittirya Upanishad as vyapohya sirsha kapale, or the “breaking of the skull.” Ganapati began to feel a flood of energy through his body at all times, with a stream of bliss piercing his head making him completely intoxicated. He felt totally out of control of his body and went to Maharshi for guidance. The sage blessed him with a pat of the hand on his head and said not to worry.

   ”That night Ganapati suffered terribly. There was an unbearable burning sensation throughout his body...It looked as though his head would break into pieces any time. he suffered unbearable pain... Suddenly a sound was heard, something like smoke was seen. The Kundalini had caused an aperture at the top of his skull...After the experience for ten days something like smoke or vapor was found emanating from the orifice at the top of the skull. By that time the burning sensation subsided. The play of force became bearable. The long story of suffering, pain, and agony ended. The body was filled with the flow of cool nectar of bliss. The face of the Muni reflected an ethereal splendor. His eyes bore the effulgence of the supernatural. After this extraordinary experience of kapalabheda, the Muni lived for fourteen years...” (8)

   In spite of the unusual nature of Ganapati’s transformation, Maharshi affirmed that he had not attained enlightenment. When asked after his death whether the Muni was realized, Ramana replied, “How could he? His ‘sankalpas’ (inherent tendencies) were too strong.” In other words, in Ganapati Muni’s case the overwhelming awakening of the kundalini was not sufficient to unlock the “knot of self” that was still alive at the heart. "Ganapati Muni used to say that he could even go to Indra loka and say what Indra was doing, but he could not go within and find the "I." Sri Bhagavan added that Ganapati Muni used to say that it was easy to move forward, but impossible to move backward. Then Sri Bhagavan remarked: However far one goes, there he is. Where is moving backward?" (9)

   Of course, this "escape into the higher planes" warned about by Ramana and Lakshmana Swamy is exactly what is considered advisable by Sant Mat. So there is a major difference here. My teacher in Ithaca, NY, Anthony Damiani, once told us that both he and his wife Ella May heard the big bell overhead in meditation, and he confirmed to us that we could go with it, because it would "take you up." He also said that experience of the subtle planes would completely devalue our experience here. However, he said he didn't pursue following the bell sound higher because "it wasn't where he wanted to go." I didn't understand at all what he meant at the time. He also said that he "didn't want holiness," which I didn't quite understand either. He held out for the completion of his inner concentration and mind's tracing itself to the Heart, which gave him stable realization of the witness self, (after a period of application), which he described as "peace, peace, peace." He acknowledged the possibility of spiritual ascent, and eventually different possibilities of spiritual evolution, but wanted to realize the heart-root first, which, he said off-handedly, would "take your head off." He said to those of us who were into shabd practise to "get this (the Witness) first." The idea is that, without such prior realization of true consciousness, entering the inner realms would be deluding. In Sant Mat this possibility of delusion is also asserted, however the major point they emphasize is that what is required is the "sheet anchor" of the true Master's Radiant Form or Light to guide one without danger through the maze of possible inner experiences as quickly as possible to reach Sach Khand and the formless realms beyond. The witness consciousness at the heart-root, and the bypassing of this inner journey, is not mentioned as a consideration. Tony spoke of the need, also mentioned in Theosophy, that to reside or explore inner realms one needed a suitable body for it, which required some kind of maturation process and was not an automatic given simply by attention slipping inside. So I can see why on his particular path he didn't want to go there, might not have found it particularly fruitful, and probably shouldn't have. For the latter, according to Sant Mat, the agency and help of a qualified adept is necessary.

   Anthony's reasoning about attaining the witness consciousness first, however, would also resonate with one teacher’s comment that inner meditation without the mind first lying formless in the Heart only leads to "dreaming in the body's interior", the experience of common mysticism in which the ego’s unreality is not fully revealed, the complete illusion of a fixed “entity” not undone, except by stages until the very end of the path.

   A hint at a resolution of this dilemma may be gleaned from Dzogchen Buddhism, where uniting one's mind with the "Ground Luminosity" or "Clear Light" while alive, as well as when appearing at the time of death is considered the most important means for liberation, at the same time also advising as auspicious that the soul leave the body through the crown of the head for passing directly to the pure buddha realms. [see, The Tibetan Book on Living and Dying, by Sogypal Rinpoche]   On the other hand, this is surely confusing from the perspective of Sant Mat, where it is assumed that even if you pass out of the body via the crown, your access to the purely spiritual (or buddha) realms is not assured, but depends on the grace of the spiritual master and/or one's prior progress in that direction. The lower astral realms still await the soul who passes unconsciously or resistingly from the body even via the crown. The stage by stage of dissolution during the death process, as well as recognition of and responsibility for it by a disciple on the Dzogchen path, is also purportedly bypassed by initiates into Sant Mat, where the Master's radiant form comes for the disciple at the time of death, assuring a smooth passage, leaving the body behind like a fallen leaf. This would obviate a three-day or forty-nine day vigil or waiting period after physical death as advised in Tibetan Buddhism as well. Indeed, the promise given by the Sant Mat lineage at least since the time of Kirpal Singh has been that the Master takes complete charge of the sanchit or storehouse karmas of the disciple and at death takes him to a suitable inner plane to progress further, even escort him to Sach Khand and beyond - not very Buddhist-like, perhaps, but a glorious promise much like the one proclaimed in the New Testament:

   "Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. For I have come down from heaven. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6: 35, 38, 40)

   And as Sant Darshan Singh affirmed:

   "In spite of our blemishes, our shortcomings, our enslavement to the world and worldly desires, the Master has taken us to himself. The Master belongs to the realm of immortality, and in taking us to himself he takes us within the ambit of eternity." (Spiritual Awakening, Chapter 8)

   Lord, I pray, please grant me first-hand experience of this so I will know it is not just a beautiful dream. May the Masters who speak from their own experience step forth and say so and let those who but repeat what they have heard from their own masters or have read from the books say so also.

11a. Somewhat curious was a comment by Ramana’s that when the soul or "I-thought" merged in the heart there was a sound like the tinkle of a bell that the jnani could hear that indicated liberation. He indicated that that was the case with his mother, whose soul he guided at death until it merged in the Heart, but that it was not the case with Palanaswami whose "eyes opened at death meaning his soul had escaped to be reborn in a higher plane" instead of merging once and for all in the Heart. So what for Sant Mat was an escape and a boon was for Ramana a failure to attain self-realization. I don’t know in what way that tinkle of a bell sound relates to the naam or shabd in Sant Mat or not. The words of Ramana doesn’t suggest it is the same, because Ramana did acknowledge the existence of inner sounds or nada as a concentration method favored by its adherents to lull the mind into samadhi. He didn’t speak of it as a way into higher planes, however, which he looked on as a kind of unnecessary detour, even though he confessed to having had thousands of such experiences, and devotees remarked that his eyes looked like two stars, and that he appeared to return from a far-off place when he came out of inner absorption. He, however, like Anandamayi Ma, seemed to go inside into full trance less and less as he got older. Shree Atmananda said that once you realize that your own nature is happiness, you will never again be attracted by the goal of happiness in samadhi. You might enjoy it for refreshment, but not for realization. Sri Nisargadatta likewise said: "Once the guru told me: "You are the Supreme Reality", I ceased having visions and trances and became very quiet and simple. I found myself desiring and knowing less and less, until I could say in utter astonishment: "I know nothing, I want nothing."

   Now, returning again to what Sant Rajinder said, that one would have certainty of life after death once he reached the third plane, my question remains, why wouldn't one get assurance of life after death after reaching the FIRST inner plane? The only answer I can imagine is that the first two planes, at least, are not really out of the body, but rather within the brain. As stated, Babuji Maharaj and Maharaj Saheb seemed to confirm that. This is not a serious objection to Sant Mat as a path, but it would perhaps cause one to interpet his experiences in a different manner. In addition, it may also be asked, how can there truly be any "up" or "down" or spatial sense except in relationship to the body? So how can one truly go up AFTER leaving the chakra system by passing into and through the brain? Where is up once the body is dead and you are in a mental realm(s)? Sant Mat would argue that there is still a sense of up and down in relationship with the other bodies or coverings of the soul, such as the astral and causal, but after that, with the supercausal and spiritual planes, it gets more difficult to talk of up and down, higher and lower, although the possibility of deeper would still remain. Would higher and lower only be a mere appearance, from the point of view of Mind itself? And for that matter, wouldn't that be the case for the entire chakra system? Ramana certainly thought so. He said, speaking from the point of view of reality, that thinking the muladara was down here and the sahasrara up there was wrong - that thinking was not our nature. Here is what PB said about the heart versus the head, which may shed some light on these matters:

   "The query as to whether the seat of the Overself is in the heart or in the pineal gland is a problem which has long excited controversy. The yogis are divided upon this issue. My own research leads to the following view: from the standpoint of yoga practice both answers are correct because at one stage of the quest, it is necessary to meditate upon the Overself as being in the heart. But at a different stage it is necessary to meditate upon it as being in the pineal gland in the head. This is because the different stages have different objectives, each of which is quite proper in its own place. However, from the philosophical standpoint which is arrived at after these two stages are passed through, the idea of the position of the Overself is then dropped, for the effort is then to be made to transcend the body-belief altogether. From this ultimate standpoint, space is regarded as being merely an idea for the mind whilst the mind itself is regarded as being outside both position and distance. Hence the philosophic meditation seeks to know the Overself by direct insight into its timeless, spaceless nature and not indirectly by bringing it into relation with a particular point in the physical body." (The Notebooks of Paul Brunton, Vol. 4, Part 1, 1.218 (Burdett, New York: Larson Publications, 1986)

   Coming back to my question about how, and in exactly what way, is this life the most important for realization, and in precisely what way can one make more progress here, one asks, "Why is the waking state considered so important?" Kirpal quoted Jesus about how after death "no man can work", so one had better work now. PB said that this world is more valuable than after death states because only here are lessons etched so strongly on the ego, whereas after-death realms are more dream-like. Thus, souls are supposed to be literally lined up waiting a chance at getting a human body. If the only purpose for getting one was to get out of it, that seems hardly a sufficient reason to come here. The only other spiritual reason to come here would be to meet the living Master, which might be taken to imply that is harder to find him "up there", but I do not know if that is so; in either case, they say the Master finds us, we don’t find Him.

   So again, if one cannot work after death as easily as here, how can one work in the higher planes, outside the anchor of the body, towards realization while alive either, since technically, once one has left the body he is not "alive" in the conventional sense, whether before death or after. The gyanis are very adamant about this. The Sant Mat masters do say that on