The Initiate in the New World by His Pupil
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in which you have met M.H.?” “No.” “Well, then, since the link between Guru and Chela is the strongest in the world, I persists life after life, doesn’t it?” I agreed. “Now, do you really think that because in this incarnation M.H. was born in England and his Chela in India, it can make any difference?” “No, of course not, now you put it that way.” “Besides,” he went on, “M.H. was in India for years and years.” “Good God, then how old can he be?” I exclaimed. “Oh, about a hundred,” he replied with impish carelessness; then, correcting himself: “No, as a matter of fact only about two of the Chelas know, and they won’t let on.” He hummed a tune and drummed with his fingers on the arm of his chair. I offered him a cigarette. “No use to me, thanks,” he said. “I don’t smoke.” “What- not allowed to?” “There’s no allowed here- in that connection- I’m advised not: it aggravates an obscure and obstinate complaint I’ve got.” “Can’t M.H. cure it for you?” “You mean won’t . . . When I’ve learnt to ignore it and work as efficiently as if I hadn’t got it, he’ll put me on to the cure. He says - well, you know how he says these things- ‘My son, it is a greater achievement to do good work in spite of a sick body, than to cure the body itself.’” “I thought that Buddha said that perfect health was necessary to attain salvation.” “Perhaps he did, and I daresay in our final incarnation we shall have splendid health. I don’t know you,” he added humorously, “but I’ve got a long way to go before then.” “Good Lord, me . . .” I exclaimed, “all the same, you know, Ramakrishna was a pretty big saint, and he died of cancer.” “Yes, because he used to take on other people’s Karma. But even he wasn’t a Master.” “How do you know that?” “M.H told me. He said he was nearing Adeptship but hadn’t reached it yet.” “Does Master expect his Chelas to study philosophical books for a certain time every day, as they do in some esoteric schools?” I asked after a pause. The musician burst out laughing. “We are not learning the occult alphabet; most of us have done all that before we came here. I used to read for about three or four hours a day before I met M.H.- not as a duty, but because I liked it. When you’ve extracted all the knowledge you can out of books, then the Master appears. He says the people who write the books only know up to a point. Why, the sort of rules that are laid down in the books are quite unsuited to certain people, and even do harm. I’ve read, somewhere, for instance, that unless you meditate for half an hour a day, you can’t lead the spiritual life. I’m told not to meditate more than five minutes, because that sort of concentration needs too much force, and M.H. says all the force I have must go into my work.” “I’m learning a lot tonight,” I remarked, meaning it sincerely, “it’s a piece of good