At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J.

Krishnamurti)

At The Feet of the Master

by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

Published in the 1900 s

Preface
The !ri"ile#e is #i"en to me$ as an elder$ to !en a %ord of introduction to this little boo&let$ the first %ritten by a youn#er 'rother$ youn# in body "erily$ but not in (oul. The teachin#s contained in it %ere #i"en to him by his Master in !re!arin# him for )nitiation$ and %ere %ritten do%n by him from memory * slo%ly and laboriously$ for his +n#lish last year %as far less fluent than it is no%. The #reater !art is a re!roduction of the Master s o%n %ords, that %hich is not such a "erbal re!roduction is the Master s thou#ht clothed in -is !u!il s %ords. T%o omitted sentences %ere su!!lied by the Master. )n t%o other cases an omitted %ord has been added. 'eyond this$ it is entirely Alcyone s o%n$ his first #ift to the %orld. May it hel! others as the s!o&en teachin#s hel!ed him* such is the ho!e %ith %hich he #i"es it. 'ut the teachin# can only be fruitful if it is lived$ as he has li"ed it$ since it fell from the Master s li!s. )f the e.am!le be follo%ed as %ell as the !rece!t$ then for the reader$ as for the %riter$ shall the #reat Portal s%in# o!en$ and his feet be set on the Path. Annie 'esant ....../ecember 1910 TO THOSE From the unreal lea# me to the $eal. From #ar%ness lea# me to &i'ht. From #eath lea# me to (mmortality. HO K!O"K

FO$E O$)
T-+(+ are not my %ords, they are the %ords of the Master %ho tau#ht me. 0ithout -im ) could ha"e done nothin#$ but throu#h -is hel! ) ha"e set my feet u!on the Path. 1ou also desire to enter the same Path$ so the %ords %hich -e s!o&e to me %ill hel! you also$ if you %ill obey them. )t is not enou#h to say that they are true and beautiful, a man %ho %ishes to succeed must do e.actly %hat is said. To loo& at food and say that it is #ood %ill not satisfy a star"in# man, he must !ut forth his hand and eat. (o to hear the Master s %ords is not enou#h, you must do %hat -e says$ attendin# to e"ery %ord$ ta&in# e"ery hint. )f a hint is not ta&en$ if a %ord is missed$ it is lost fore"er, for -e does not s!ea& t%ice.

Pa#e 1

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

Four 2ualifications there are for this !ath%ay3 /iscrimination /esirelessness 4ood conduct 5o"e 0hat the Master has said to me on each of these ) shall try to tell you. *1* T-+ first of these 6ualifications is /iscrimination, and this is usually ta&en as the discrimination bet%een the real and the unreal %hich leads men to enter the Path. )t is this$ but is also much more, and it is to be !racticed$ not only at the be#innin# of the Path$ but at e"ery ste! of it e"ery day until the end. 1ou enter the Path because you ha"e learnt that on it alone can be found those thin#s %hich are %orth #ainin#. Men %ho do not &no%$ %or& to #ain %ealth and !o%er$ but these are at most for one life only$ and therefore unreal. There are #reater thin#s than these* thin#s %hich are real and lastin#, %hen you ha"e once seen these$ you desire those others no more. )n all the %orld there are only t%o &inds of !eo!le* those %ho &no%$ and those %ho do not &no%, and this &no%led#e is the thin# %hich matters. 0hat reli#ion a man holds$ to %hat race he belon#s* these thin#s are not im!ortant, the really im!ortant thin# is this &no%led#e* the &no%led#e of 4od s !lan for men. For 4od has a !lan and that !lan is e"olution. 0hen once a man has seen that and really &no%s it$ he cannot hel! %or&in# for it and ma&in# himself one %ith it$ because it is so #lorious$ so beautiful. (o$ because he &no%s$ he is on 4od s side$ standin# for #ood and resistin# e"il$ %or&in# for e"olution and not for selfishness. )f he is on 4od s side he is one of us$ and it does not matter in the least %hether he calls himself a -indu$ or a 'uddhist$ a 7hristian or a Muslim$ %hether he is an )ndian or an +n#lishman$ a 7hinese or a 8ussian Those %ho are on -is side &no% %hy they are here and %hat they should do$ and they are tryin# to do it, all the others do not yet &no% %hat they should do$ and so they often act foolishly$ and try to in"ent %ays for themsel"es %hich they thin& %ill be !leasant for themsel"es$ not understandin# that all are one$ and that therefore only %hat the 9ne %ills can e"er be really !leasant for any one. They are follo%in# the unreal instead of the real. :ntil they learn to distin#uish bet%een these t%o$ they ha"e not ran#ed themsel"es on 4od s side$ and so this discrimination is the first ste!. 'ut e"en %hen the choice is made$ you must still remember that of the real and the unreal there are many "arieties, and discrimination must still be made bet%een the ri#ht and the %ron#$ the im!ortant and the unim!ortant$ the useful and the useless$ the true and the false$ the selfish and the unselfish. 'et%een the ri#ht and %ron# it should not be difficult to choose$ for those %ho %ish to follo% the Master ha"e already decided to ta&e the ri#ht at all costs. 'ut the body and the man are t%o$ and the man s %ill Pa#e ;

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

is not al%ays %hat the body %ishes. 0hen your body %ishes somethin#$ sto! and thin& %hether you really %ish it. For you are 4od$ and you %ill only %hat 4od %ills, but you must di# dee! do%n into yourself to find the 4od %ithin you$ and listen to -is "oice$ %hich is your "oice. /o not mista&e your bodies for yourself*neither the !hysical body$ nor the astral$ nor the mental. +ach one of them %ill !retend to be the (elf$ in order to #ain %hat it %ants. 'ut you must &no% them all$ and &no% yourself as their master. 0hen there is %or& that must be done$ the !hysical body %ants to rest$ to #o out %al&in#$ to eat and drin&, and the man %ho does not &no% says to himself3 < ) %ant to do these thin#s$ and ) must do them.< 'ut the man %ho &no%s says3 <This that %ants is not )$ and it must %ait a%hile.< 9ften %hen there is an o!!ortunity to hel! some one$ the body feels3 <-o% much trouble it %ill be for me, let some one else do it.< 'ut the man re!lies to his body3 <1ou shall not hinder me in doin# #ood %or&.< The body is your animal* the horse u!on %hich you ride. Therefore you must treat it %ell$ and ta&e #ood care of it, you must not o"er%or& it$ you must feed it !ro!erly on !ure food and drin& only$ and &ee! it strictly clean al%ays$ e"en from the minutest s!ec& of dirt. For %ithout a !erfectly clean and healthy body you cannot do the arduous %or& of !re!aration$ you cannot bear its ceaseless strain. 'ut it must al%ays be you %ho controls that body$ not it that controls you. The astral body has its desires* do=ens of them, it %ants you to be an#ry$ to say shar! %ords$ to feel >ealous$ to be #reedy for money$ to en"y other !eo!le their !ossessions$ to yield yourself to de!ression. All these thin#s it %ants$ and many more$ not because it %ishes to harm you$ but because it li&es "iolent "ibrations$ and li&es to chan#e them constantly. 'ut you %ant none of these thin#s$ and therefore you must discriminate bet%een your %ants and your body s. 1our mental body %ishes to thin& itself !roudly se!arate$ to thin& much of itself and little of others. +"en %hen you ha"e turned it a%ay from %orldly thin#s$ it still tries to calculate for self$ to ma&e you thin& of your o%n !ro#ress$ instead of thin&in# of the Master s %or& and of hel!in# others. 0hen you meditate$ it %ill try to ma&e you thin& of the many different thin#s %hich it %ants instead of the one thin# %hich you %ant. 1ou are not this mind$ but it is yours to use, so here a#ain discrimination is necessary. 1ou must %atch unceasin#ly$ or you %ill fail. 'et%een ri#ht and %ron#$ 9ccultism &no%s no com!romise. At %hate"er a!!arent cost$ that %hich is ri#ht you must do$ that %hich is %ron# you must not do$ no matter %hat the i#norant may thin& or say. 1ou must study dee!ly the hidden la%s of ?ature$ and %hen you &no% them arran#e your life accordin# to them$ usin# al%ays reason and common sense. 1ou must discriminate bet%een the im!ortant and the unim!ortant. Firm as a roc& %here ri#ht and %ron# are concerned$ yield al%ays to others in thin#s %hich do not matter. For you must be al%ays #entle and &indly$ reasonable and accommodatin#$ lea"in# to others the same full liberty %hich you need for yourself. Try to see %hat is %orth doin#3 and remember that you must not >ud#e by the si=e of the thin#. A small Pa#e @

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

thin# %hich is directly useful in the Master s %or& is far better %orth doin# than a lar#e thin# %hich the %orld %ould call #ood. 1ou must distin#uish not only the useful from the useless$ but the more useful from the less useful. To feed the !oor is a #ood and noble and useful %or&, yet to feed their souls is nobler and more useful than to feed their bodies. Any rich man can feed the body$ but only those %ho &no% can feed the soul. )f you &no%$ it is your duty to hel! others to &no%. -o%e"er %ise you may be already$ on this Path you ha"e much to learn, so much that here also there must be discrimination$ and you must thin& carefully %hat is %orth learnin#. All &no%led#e is useful$ and one day you %ill ha"e all &no%led#e, but %hile you ha"e only !art$ ta&e care that it is the most useful !art. 4od is 0isdom as %ell as 5o"e, and the more %isdom you ha"e the more you can manifest of -im. (tudy then$ but study first that %hich %ill most hel! you to hel! others. 0or& !atiently at your studies$ not that men may thin& you %ise$ not e"en that you may ha"e the ha!!iness of bein# %ise$ but because only the %ise man can be %isely hel!ful. -o%e"er much you %ish to hel!$ if you are i#norant you may do more harm than #ood. 1ou must distin#uish bet%een truth and falsehood, you must learn to be true all throu#h$ in thou#ht and %ord and deed. )n thou#ht first, and that is not easy$ for there are in the %orld many untrue thou#hts$ many foolish su!erstitions$ and no one %ho is ensla"ed by them can ma&e !ro#ress. Therefore you must not hold a thou#ht >ust because many other !eo!le hold it$ nor because it has been belie"ed for centuries$ nor because it is %ritten in some boo& %hich men thin& sacred, you must thin& of the matter for yourself$ and >ud#e for yourself %hether it is reasonable. 8emember that thou#h a thousand men a#ree u!on a sub>ect$ if they &no% nothin# about that sub>ect their o!inion is of no "alue. -e %ho %ould %al& u!on the Path must learn to thin& for himself$ for su!erstition is one of the #reatest e"ils in the %orld$ one of the fetters from %hich you must utterly free yourself. 1our thou#ht about others must be true, you must not thin& of them %hat you do not &no%. /o not su!!ose that they are al%ays thin&in# of you. )f a man does somethin# %hich you thin& %ill harm you$ or says somethin# %hich you thin& a!!lies to you$ do not thin& at once3 < -e meant to in>ure me.< Most !robably he ne"er thou#ht of you at all$ for each soul has its o%n troubles and its thou#hts turn chiefly around itself. )f a man s!ea& an#rily to you$ do not thin&3 <-e hates me$ he %ishes to %ound me.< Probably some one or somethin# else has made him an#ry$ and because he ha!!ens to meet you he turns his an#er u!on you. -e is actin# foolishly$ for all an#er is foolish$ but you must not therefore thin& untruly of him. 0hen you become a !u!il of the Master$ you may al%ays try the truth of your thou#ht by layin# it beside -is. For the !u!il is one %ith his Master$ and he needs only to !ut bac& his thou#ht into the Master s thou#ht to see at once %hether it a#rees. )f it does not$ it is %ron#$ and he chan#es it instantly$ for the Master s thou#ht is !erfect$ because -e &no%s all. Those %ho are not yet acce!ted by -im cannot do 2uite this, but they may #reatly hel! themsel"es by sto!!in# often to thin&3 <0hat %ould the Master thin& about thisA 0hat %ould the Master say or do under these circumstancesA< For you must ne"er do or say or thin& %hat you cannot ima#ine the Master as doin# or sayin# or thin&in#.

Pa#e B

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

1ou must be true in s!eech too* accurate and %ithout e.a##eration. ?e"er attribute moti"es to another, only his Master &no%s his thou#hts$ and he may be actin# from reasons %hich ha"e ne"er entered your mind. )f you hear a story a#ainst any one$ do not re!eat it, it may not be true$ and e"en if it is$ it is &inder to say nothin#. Thin& %ell before s!ea&in#$ lest you should fall into inaccuracy. 'e true in action, ne"er !retend to be other than you are$ for all !retense is a hindrance to the !ure li#ht of truth$ %hich should shine throu#h you as sunli#ht shines throu#h clear #lass. 1ou must discriminate bet%een the selfish and the unselfish. For selfishness has many forms$ and %hen you thin& you ha"e finally &illed it in one of them$ it arises in another as stron#ly as e"er. 'ut by de#rees you %ill become so full of thou#ht for the hel!in# of others that there %ill be no room$ no time$ for any thou#ht about yourself. 1ou must discriminate in yet another %ay. 5earn to distin#uish the 4od in e"eryone and e"erythin#$ no matter ho% e"il he or it may a!!ear on the surface. 1ou can hel! your brother throu#h that %hich you ha"e in common %ith him$ and that is the /i"ine 5ife, learn ho% to arouse that in him$ learn ho% to a!!eal to that in him, so shall you sa"e your brother from %ron#. *;* There are many for %hom the 6ualification of /esirelessness is a difficult one$ for they feel that they are their desires* that if their distincti"e desires$ their li&in#s and disli&in#s$ are ta&en a%ay from them$ there %ill be no self left. 'ut these are only they %ho ha"e not seen the Master, in the li#ht of -is holy Presence all desires dies$ but the desire to be li&e -im. 1et before you ha"e the ha!!iness of meetin# -im face to face$ you may attain /esirelessness if you %ill. /iscrimination has already sho%n you that the thin#s %hich most men desire$ such as %ealth and !o%er$ are not %orth ha"in#, %hen this is really felt$ not merely said$ all desire for them ceases. Thus far all is sim!le, it needs only that you should understand. 'ut there are some %ho forsa&e the !ursuit of earthly aims only in order to #ain hea"en$ or to attain !ersonal liberation from rebirth, into this error you must not fall. )f you ha"e for#otten self alto#ether$ you cannot be thin&in# %hen that self should be set free$ or %hat &ind of hea"en it shall ha"e. 8emember that all selfish desire binds$ ho%e"er hi#h may be its ob>ects$ and until you ha"e #ot rid of it you are not %holly free to de"ote yourself to the %or& of the Master. 0hen all desires for self are #one$ there may still be a desire to see the result of your %or&. )f you hel! anybody$ you %ant to see ho% much you ha"e hel!ed him, !erha!s e"en you %ant him to see it too$ and to be #rateful. 'ut this is still desire$ and also %ant of trust. 0hen you !our out your stren#th to hel!$ there must be a result$ %hether you can see it or not, if you &no% the 5a% you &no% this must be so. (o you must do ri#ht for the sa&e of the ri#ht$ not in the ho!e of re%ard, you must %or& for the sa&e of the %or&$ not in the ho!e of seein# the result, you must #i"e yourself to the ser"ice of the %orld because you lo"e it$ and cannot hel! #i"in# yourself to it. -a"e no desire for !sychic !o%ers, they %ill come %hen the Master &no%s that it is best for you to ha"e Pa#e C

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

them. To force them too soon often brin#s in its train much trouble, often their !ossessor is misled by deceitful nature*s!irits$ or becomes conceited and thin&s he cannot ma&e a mista&e, and in any case the time and stren#th that it ta&es to #ain them mi#ht be s!ent in %or& for others. They %ill come in the course of de"elo!ment* they must come, and if the Master sees that it %ould be useful for you to ha"e them sooner$ -e %ill tell you ho% to unfold them safely. :ntil then$ you are better %ithout them. 1ou must #uard$ too$ a#ainst certain small desires %hich are common in daily life. ?e"er %ish to shine$ or to a!!ear cle"er, ha"e no desire to s!ea&. )t is %ell to s!ea& little, better still to say nothin#$ unless you are 2uite sure that %hat you %ish to say is true$ &ind and hel!ful. 'efore s!ea&in# thin& carefully %hether %hat you are #oin# to say has those three 2ualities, if it has not$ do not say it. )t is %ell to #et used e"en no% to thin&in# carefully before s!ea&in#, for %hen you reach )nitiation you must %atch e"ery %ord$ lest you should tell %hat must not be told. Much common tal& is unnecessary and foolish, %hen it is #ossi!$ it is %ic&ed. (o be accustomed to listen rather than to tal&, do not offer o!inions unless directly as&ed for them. 9ne statement of the 6ualifications #i"es them thus, to &no%$ to dare$ to %ill$ and to be silent, and the last of the four is the hardest of them all. Another common desire %hich you must sternly re!ress is the %ish to meddle in other men s business. 0hat another man does or says or belie"es is no affair of yours$ and you must learn to let him absolutely alone. -e has full ri#ht to free thou#ht and s!eech and action$ so lon# as he does not interfere %ith any one else. 1ou yourself claim the freedom to do %hat you thin& !ro!er, you must allo% the same freedom to him$ and %hen he e.ercises it you ha"e no ri#ht to tal& about him. )f you thin& he is doin# %ron#$ and you can contri"e an o!!ortunity of !ri"ately and "ery !olitely tellin# him %hy you thin& so$ it is !ossible that you may con"ince him, but there are many cases in %hich e"en that %ould be an im!ro!er interference. 9n no account must you #o and #ossi! to some third !erson about the matter$ for that is an e.tremely %ic&ed action. )f you see a case of cruelty to a child or an animal$ it is your duty to interfere. )f you see any one brea&in# the la% of the country$ you should inform the authorities. )f you are !laced in char#e of another !erson in order to teach him$ it may become your duty #ently to tell him of his faulst. +.ce!t in such cases$ mind your o%n business$ and learn the "irtue of silence. *@* The (i. !oints of 7onduct %hich are s!ecially re2uired are #i"en by the Master as3 *+ Self+control as to the Min#. ,+ Self+control in Action. -+ Tolerance. .+ "heerfulness. /+ One+0ointe#ness. Pa#e D

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

1+ "onfi#ence. E ) &no% some of these are often translated differently$ as are the names of the 6ualifications, but in all cases ) am usin# the names %hich the Master -imself em!loyed %hen e.!lainin# them to me.F *+ Self+control as to the Min#. The 6ualification of /esirelessness sho%s that the astral body must be controlled, this sho%s the same thin# as to the mental body. )t means control of tem!er$ so that you may feel no an#er or im!atience, of the mind itself$ so that the thou#ht may al%ays be calm and unruffled, and (throu#h the mind) of the ner"es$ so that they may be as little irritable as !ossible. This last is difficult$ because %hen you try to !re!are yourself for the Path$ you cannot hel! ma&in# your body more sensiti"e$ so that its ner"es are easily disturbed by a sound or a shoc&$ and feel any !ressure acutely, but you must do your best. The calm mind means also coura#e$ so that you may face %ithout fear the trials and difficulties of the Path, it means also steadiness$ so that you may ma&e li#ht of the troubles %hich come into e"ery one s life$ and a"oid the incessant %orry o"er little thin#s in %hich many !eo!le s!end most of their time. The Master teaches that it does not matter in the least %hat ha!!ens to a man from the outside, sorro%s$ troubles$ sic&nesses$ losses$ * all these must be as nothin# to him$ and must not be allo%ed to affect the calmness of his mind. They are the result of !ast actions$ and %hen they come you must bear them cheerfully$ rememberin# that all e"il is transitory$ and that your duty is to remain al%ays >oyous and serene. They belon# to your !re"ious li"es$ not to this, you cannot alter them$ so it is useless to trouble about them. Thin& rather of %hat you are doin# no%$ %hich %ill ma&e the e"ents of your ne.t life$ for that you can alter. ?e"er allo% yourself to feel sad or de!ressed. /e!ression is %ron#$ because it infects others and ma&es their li"es harder$ %hich you ha"e no ri#ht to do. Therefore if e"er it comes to you$ thro% it off at once. )n yet another %ay you must control your thou#ht, you must not let it %ander. 0hate"er you are doin#$ fi. your thou#ht u!on it$ that it may be !erfectly done, do not let your mind be idle$ but &ee! #ood thou#hts al%ays in the bac&#round of it$ ready to come for%ard the moment it is free. :se your thou#ht*!o%er e"ery day for #ood !ur!oses, be a force in the direction of e"olution. Thin& each day of some one %hom you &no% to be in sorro%$ or sufferin#$ or in need of hel!$ and !our out lo"in# thou#ht u!on him. -old bac& your mind from !ride$ for !ride comes only from i#norance. The man %ho does not &no% thin&s that he is #reat$ that he has done this or that #reat thin#, the %ise man &no%s that only 4od is #reat$ that all #ood %or& is done by 4od alone.

Pa#e G

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

,+ Self+control in Action. )f your thou#ht is %hat it should be$ you %ill ha"e little trouble %ith your action. 1et remember that$ to be useful to man&ind$ thou#ht must result in action. There must be no la=iness$ but constant acti"ity in #ood %or&. 'ut it must be your o%n duty that you do* not another man s$ unless %ith his !ermission and by %ay of hel!in# him. 5ea"e e"ery man to do his o%n %or& in his o%n %ay, be al%ays ready to offer hel! %here it is needed$ but ne"er interfere. For many !eo!le the most difficult thin# in the %orld to learn is to mind their o%n business, but that is e.actly %hat you must do. 'ecause you try to ta&e u! hi#her %or&$ you must not for#et your ordinary duties$ for until they are done you are not free for other ser"ice. 1ou should underta&e no ne% %orldly duties, but those %hich you ha"e already ta&en u!on you$ you must !erfectly fulfill* all clear and reasonable duties %hich you yourself reco#ni=e$ that is$ not ima#inary duties %hich others try to im!ose u!on you. )f you are to be -is$ you must do ordinary %or& better than others$ not %orse, because you must do that also for -is sa&e. -+ Tolerance 1ou must feel !erfect tolerance for all$ and a hearty interest in the beliefs of those of another reli#ion$ >ust as much as in your o%n. For their reli#ion is a !ath to the hi#her$ >ust as yours is. And to hel! all$ you must understand all. 'ut in order to #ain this !erfect tolerance$ you must yourself first be free from bi#otry and su!erstition. 1ou must learn that no ceremonies are necessary, else you %ill thin& yourself someho% better than those %ho do not !erform them. 1et you must not condemn others %ho still clin# to ceremonies. 5et them do as they %ill, only they must not interfere %ith you %ho &no% the truth* they must not try to force u!on you that %hich you ha"e out#ro%n. Ma&e allo%ance for e"erythin#, be &indly to%ards e"erythin#. ?o% that your eyes are o!ened$ some of your old beliefs$ your old ceremonies$ may seem to you absurd$ !erha!s$ indeed$ they really are so. 1et thou#h you can no lon#er ta&e !art in them$ res!ect them for the sa&e of those #ood souls to %hom they are still im!ortant. They ha"e their !lace$ they ha"e their use, they are li&e those double lines %hich #uided you as child to %rite strai#ht and e"enly$ until you learned to %rite far better and more freely %ithout them. There %as a time %hen you needed them, but no% that time is !ast. A #reat Teacher once %rote3 <0hen ) %as a child$ ) s!a&e as a child$ ) understood as a child$ ) thou#ht as a child, but %hen ) became a man ) !ut a%ay childish thin#s.< 1et he %ho has for#otten his childhood and lost sym!athy %ith the children is not the man %ho can teach them or hel! them. (o loo& &indly$ #ently$ tolerantly u!on all, but u!on all ali&e$ 'uddhist or -indu$ Jain or Je%$ 7hristian or Muslim.

Pa#e H

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

.+ "heerfulness. 1ou must bear your &arma cheerfully$ %hate"er it may be$ ta&in# it as an honour that sufferin# comes to you$ because it sho%s that the 5ords of Karma thin& you %orth hel!in#. -o%e"er hard it is$ be than&ful that it is no %orse. 8emember that you are of but little use to the Master until your e"il &arma is %or&ed out$ and you are free. 'y offerin# yourself to -im$ you ha"e as&ed that your &arma may be hurried$ and so no% in one or t%o li"es you %or& throu#h %hat other%ise mi#ht ha"e been s!read o"er a hundred. 'ut in order to ma&e the best out of it$ you must bear it cheerfully$ #ladly. 1et another !oint. 1ou must #i"e u! all feelin# of !ossession. Karma may ta&e from you the thin#s %hich you li&e best* e"en the !eo!le %hom you lo"e most. +"en then you must be cheerful* ready to !art %ith anythin# and e"erythin#. 9ften the Master needs to !our out -is stren#th u!on others throu#h -is ser"ant, -e cannot do that if the ser"ant yields to de!ression. (o cheerfulness must be the rule. /. One+0ointe#ness. The one thin# that you must set before you is to do the Master s %or&. 0hate"er else may come in your %ay to do$ that at least you must ne"er for#et. 1et nothin# else can come in your %ay$ for all hel!ful$ unselfish %or& is the Master s %or&$ and you must do it for -is sa&e. And you must #i"e all your attention to each !iece as you do it$ so that it may be your "ery best. The same Teacher also %rote3 <0hatsoe"er ye do$ do it heartily, as to the 5ord$ and not unto men.< Thin& ho% you %ould do a !iece of %or& if you &ne% that the Master %as comin# at once to loo& at it, >ust in that %ay you must do all your %or&. Those %ho &no% most %ill &no% all that that "erse means. And there is another li&e it$ much older3 <0hatsoe"er thy hand findeth to do$ do it %ith thy mi#ht.< 9ne*!ointedness means$ too$ that nothin# shall e"er turn you$ e"en for a moment$ from the Path u!on %hich you ha"e entered. ?o tem!tations$ no %orldly !leasures$ no %orldly affections e"en$ must e"er dra% you aside. For you yourself must become one %ith the Path, it must be so much !art of your nature that you follo% it %ithout needin# to thin& of it$ and cannot turn aside. 1ou$ the Monad$ ha"e decided it, to brea& a%ay from it %ould be to brea& a%ay from yourself. 1+ "onfi#ence. 1ou must trust your Master, you must trust yourself. )f you ha"e seen the Master$ you %ill trust -im to the uttermost$ throu#h many li"es and deaths. )f you ha"e not yet seen -im$ you must still try to reali=e -im$ and trust -im$ because if you do not$ e"en -e cannot hel! you. :nless there is !erfect trust$ there cannot be the !erfect flo% of lo"e and !o%er. 1ou must trust yourself. 1ou say you &no% yourself too %ellA )f you feel so$ you do not &no% yourself, you &no% only the %ea& outer hus&$ %hich has fallen often into the mire. 'ut you* the real you* you are a s!ar& of 4od s o%n fire$ and 4od$ %ho is Almi#hty$ is in you$ and because of that there is nothin# that you cannot do if you %ill. (ay to yourself3 <0hat man has done$ man can do. ) am a man$ yet also 4od in Pa#e 9

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

man, ) can do this thin#$ and ) %ill.< For your %ill must be li&e tem!ered steel$ if you %ould tread the Path. *B* 9f all the 6ualifications$ 5o"e is the most im!ortant$ for if it is stron# enou#h in a man$ it forces him to ac2uire all the rest$ and all the rest %ithout it %ould ne"er be sufficient. 9ften it is translated as an intense desire for liberation from the round of births and deaths$ and for union %ith 4od. 'ut to !ut it in that %ay sounds selfish$ and #i"es only !art of the meanin#. )t is not so much desire as will$ resol"e$ determination. To !roduce its result$ this resol"e must fill your %hole nature$ so as to lea"e no room for any other feelin#. )t is indeed the %ill to be one %ith 4od$ not in order that you may esca!e from %eariness and sufferin#$ but in order that because of your dee! lo"e for -im you may act %ith -im and as -e does. 'ecause -e is 5o"e$ you$ if you %ould become one %ith -im$ must be filled %ith !erfect unselfishness and lo"e also. )n daily life this means t%o thin#s, first$ that you shall be careful to do no hurt to any li"in# thin#, second$ that you shall al%ays be %atchin# for an o!!ortunity to hel!. First$ to do no hurt. Three sins there are %hich %or& more harm than all else in the %orld* #ossi!$ cruelty$ and su!erstition* because they are sins a#ainst lo"e. A#ainst these three the man %ho %ould fill his heart %ith the lo"e of 4od must %atch ceaselessly. (ee %hat #ossi! does. )t be#ins %ith e"il thou#ht$ and that in itself is a crime. For in e"eryone and in e"erythin# there is #ood, in e"eryone and in e"erythin# there is e"il. +ither of these %e can stren#then by thin&in# of it$ and in this %ay %e can hel! or hinder e"olution, %e can do the %ill of the 5o#os or %e can resist -im. )f you thin& of the e"il in another$ you are doin# at the same time three %ic&ed thin#s3 (*) 1ou are fillin# your nei#hbourhood %ith e"il thou#ht instead of %ith #ood thou#ht$ and so you are addin# to the sorro% of the %orld. (,) )f there is in that man the e"il %hich you thin&$ you are stren#thenin# it and feedin# it, and so you are ma&in# your brother %orse instead of better. 'ut #enerally the e"il is not there$ and you ha"e only fancied it, and then your %ic&ed thou#ht tem!ts your brother to do %ron#$ for if he is not yet !erfect you may ma&e him that %hich you ha"e thou#ht him. (-) 1ou fill your o%n mind %ith e"il thou#hts instead of #ood, and so you hinder your o%n #ro%th$ and ma&e yourself$ for those %ho can see$ an u#ly and !ainful ob>ect instead of a beautiful and lo"able one. ?ot content %ith ha"in# done all this harm to himself and to his "ictim$ the #ossi! tries %ith all his mi#ht to ma&e other men !artners in his crime. +a#erly he tells his %ic&ed tale to them$ ho!in# that they %ill belie"e it, and then they >oin %ith him in !ourin# e"il thou#ht u!on the !oor sufferer. And this #oes on day after day$ and is done not by one man but by thousands. /o you be#in to see ho% base$ ho% terrible a sin this isA 1ou must a"oid it alto#ether. ?e"er s!ea& ill of any one, refuse to listen %hen any one else s!ea&s ill of another$ but #ently say3 <Perha!s this is not true$ and e"en if it is$ it is &inder not to s!ea& of Pa#e 10

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

it.< Then as to cruelty. This is of t%o &inds$ intentional and unintentional. )ntentional cruelty is !ur!osely to #i"e !ain to another li"in# bein#, and that is the #reatest of all sins* the %or& of a de"il rather than a man. 1ou %ould say that no man could do such a thin#, but men ha"e done it often$ and are daily doin# it no%. The in2uisitors did it, many reli#ious !eo!le did it in the name of their reli#ion. Ii"isectors do it, many schoolmasters do it habitually. All these !eo!le try to e.cuse their brutality by sayin# that it is the custom, but a crime does not cease to be a crime because many commit it. Karma ta&es no account of custom, and the &arma of cruelty is the most terrible of all. )n )ndia at least there can be no e.cuse for such customs$ for the duty of harmlessness is %ell*&no%n to all. The fate of the cruel must fall also u!on all %ho #o out intentionally to &ill 4od s creatures$ and call it <s!ort.< (uch thin#s as these you %ould not do$ ) &no%, and for the sa&e of the lo"e of 4od$ %hen o!!ortunity offers$ you %ill s!ea& clearly a#ainst them. 'ut there is a cruelty in s!eech as %ell as in act, and a man %ho says a %ord %ith the intention to %ound another is #uilty of this crime. That$ too$ you %ould not do, but sometimes a careless %ord does as much harm as a malicious one. (o you must be on your #uard a#ainst unintentional cruelty. )t comes usually from thou#htlessness. A man is so filled %ith #reed and a"arice that he ne"er e"en thin&s of the sufferin# %hich he causes to others by !ayin# too little$ or by half*star"in# his %ife and children. Another thin&s only of his o%n lust$ and cares little ho% many souls and bodies he ruins in satisfyin# it. Just to sa"e himself a fe% minutes trouble$ a man does not !ay his %or&men on the !ro!er day$ thin&in# nothin# of the difficulties he brin#s u!on them. (o much sufferin# is caused >ust by carelessness* by for#ettin# to thin& ho% an action %ill affect others. 'ut &arma ne"er for#ets$ and it ta&es no account of the fact that men for#et. )f you %ish to enter the Path$ you must thin& of the conse2uences of %hat you do$ lest you should be #uilty of thou#htless cruelty. (u!erstition is another mi#hty e"il$ and has caused much terrible cruelty. The man %ho is a sla"e to it des!ises others %ho are %iser$ tries to force them to do as he does. Thin& of the a%ful slau#hter !roduced by the su!erstition that animals should be sacrificed$ and by the still more cruel su!erstition that man needs flesh for food. Thin& of the treatment %hich su!erstition has meted out to the de!ressed classes in our belo"ed )ndia$ and see in that ho% this e"il 2uality can breed heartless cruelty e"en amon# those %ho &no% the duty of brotherhood. Many crimes ha"e men committed in the name of the 4od of 5o"e$ mo"ed by this ni#htmare of su!erstition, be "ery careful therefore that no sli#htest trace of it remains in you. These three #reat crimes you must a"oid$ for they are fatal to all !ro#ress$ because they sin a#ainst lo"e. 'ut not only must you thus refrain from e"il, you must be acti"e in doin# #ood. 1ou must be so filled %ith the intense desire of ser"ice that you are e"er on the %atch to render it to all around you* not to man alone$ but e"en to animals and !lants. 1ou must render it in small thin#s e"ery day$ that the habit may be formed$ so that you may not miss the rare o!!ortunity %hen the #reat thin# offers itself to be done. For if you yearn to be one %ith 4od$ it is not for your o%n sa&e, it is that you may be a channel throu#h %hich -is lo"e may flo% to reach your fello%*men.

Pa#e 11

At The Feet of the Master by Alcyone (J. Krishnamurti)

-e %ho is on the Path e.ists not for himself$ but for others, he has for#otten himself$ in order that he may ser"e them. -e is as a !en in the hand of 4od$ throu#h %hich -is thou#ht may flo%$ and find for itself an e.!ression do%n here$ %hich %ithout a !en it could not ha"e. 1et at the same time he is also a li"in# !lume of fire$ rayin# out u!on the %orld the /i"ine 5o"e %hich fills his heart. The %isdom %hich enables you to hel!$ the %ill %hich directs the %isdom$ the lo"e %hich ins!ires the %ill* these are your 2ualifications. 0ill$ 0isdom and 5o"e are three as!ects of the 5o#os, and you$ %ho %ish to enroll yoursel"es to ser"e -im$ must sho% forth these as!ects in the %orld.
aitin' the 2or# of the Master3 atchin' the Hi##en &i'ht4 &istenin' to catch His Or#ers (n the 5ery mi#st of the fi'ht

Seein' His sli'htest si'nal Across the hea# of the thron'4 Hearin' His faintest 2his0er Abo5e earth6s lou#est son'.

Pa#e 1;