The Path of The Masters

569 Pages·2019·1.619 MB·English

by  Julian Johnson

THE
PATH
OF
THE
MASTERS
The Science of Surat Shabd Yoga
Yoga of the Audible Life Stream
By
JULIAN JOHNSON, M.A., B.D., M.D.
RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS
RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS
(PUNJAB) INDIA
Julian Johnson (1867-1939)
The Author
A typical Kentuckyan, a distinguished artist, a devout
theologian, an ardent fl ier, an outstanding surgeon and above
all a keen seeker after truth, Dr. Julian Johnson, sacrifi cing his
all at a time when he was at the height of his worldly fame,
came to answer the call of the East for the second time. The
fi rst time was when he voyaged to India to preach the true
gospel of Lord Jesus Christ in his inimitable way. He came
to enlighten her but eventually had to receive enlightenment
from her. Caesar came, saw and conquered; the author came,
saw and was conquered. It was a day of destiny for him when
he came the second time. He was picked up, as it were, from
a remote corner and guided to the feet of the Master. Once
there, he never left. He assiduously carried out the spiritual
discipline taught by one of the greatest living Masters and
was soon rewarded. He had the vision of the Reality beyond
all forms and ceremonies. He learnt of the ancient wisdom
which all messengers of God come to teach. He unmistak-
ably discerned the same essence of spirituality underlying
all world religions. In an otherwise divided and strife-torn
world he clearly perceived complete unity and utt er calm at
the base. Thus convinced, he acclaimed to the world that ‘the
Path of the Masters’ is not a theory. It is not a system of beliefs
or dogmas. It is not even a religion, although it embraces all
the value of religion. It is an actual way, a genuine road to be
traveled, involving of course a certain preparation and train-
ing as one goes along. The path is really el Camino Real or the
Kings Highway. It belongs to the royal Masters and it leads
the traveler from earth upwards through kingdom after king-
dom, from country to country, one more splendid than the
other, in an advancing series until the upper terminus lands
the traveler at the feet of the supreme Lord of all regions.
Published by:
RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS
P. O. DERA BABA JAIMAL SINGH
DIST. AMRITSAR, PUNJAB 143204, INDIA
Copyright © 1939,1957,1’972,1985,1993,1997 by
Radha Soami Satsang Beas
All rights reserved
First Edition (printed in France) 1939, 2,000 copies
Second Edition (reprint in U.S.A.) 1951, 2,000 copies
Th ird Edition (revised) 1957, 1,000 copies
Fourth Edition (reprint in U.S.A.) 1958, 1,000 copies
Fift h Edition 1963, 2,000 copies
Sixth Edition 1965, 3;000 copies
Seventh Edition 1969, 3,000 copies
Eighth Edition (revised) 1972, 5,000 copies
Ninth Edition 1974, 5,000 copies
Tenth Edition 1975, 5,000 copies
Eleventh Edition 1980, 7,000 copies
Twelft h Edition 1980, 8,000 copies
Th irteenth Edition (revised) 1985, 12,000 copies
Fourteenth Edition 1988, 12,000 copies
Fift eenth Edition (revised) 1993, 15,000 copies.
Sixteenth Edition 1997, 17,000 copies
ISBN 81-8256-019-5
Printed by: Baba Barkha Nath Printers New Delhi 110015
Baba Sawan Singh (1858-1948)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Preface to the Fifteenth Edition.............................x
2. Preface to the Eighth Edition ..............................xii
2. Preface to the Third Edition ...............................xii
3. Preface ...................................................................xv
3. Foreword............................................................xxxii
4. The Author’s Foreword .................................xxxix
CHAPTER ONE
THE PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND
1. The noble birthright of man ................................. 1
2. Man’s fi rst duty—to know himself ......................5
3. The new social order ..............................................7
4. A great spiritual awakening ..................................9
5. No democratic government known ...................16
i
CHAPTER TWO
A REVIEW OF WORLD RELIGIONS: THEIR MEANINGS
AND ANALYSIS
1. The spiritual plight of mankind .........................20
2. Does the remedy cure the disease? .....................24
3. The religions of China ..........................................32
4. What is the meaning of Tao? ...............................35
5. The Zoroastrian faith ...........................................39
6. Buddhism in India ................................................49
7. An unnecessary sacrifi ce .....................................52
8. Islam, the religion of Mohammed .....................57
9. The Bhagavad Gita ...............................................66
10. Quotations from the Gita ................................. 67
11. The Yoga of the Gita ..........................................73
12. The four Vedas of the Hindus ..........................77
13. An epitome of Vedic philosophy ......................82
14. The YogaofPatanjali ...........................................87
15. Jesus Christ and the Christian religion ...........92
16. Teachings emphasized by Jesus .......................95
17. Paul, the founder of Christianity ....................100
18. The substance of the teachings of Jesus .........103
19. The Church needs a living Master .................110
ii
20. Theosophy ........................................................114
21. Christian Science as a religion .......................123
22. Modern spiritualism .......................................127
23. The Rosicrucians ..............................................133
24. The Jewish religion ..........................................137
25. The Sikh religion of India ...............................152
26. The basic elements of all religions ................156
27. Love, the essence of religion ..........................159
28. Key to the analysis of religions .....................165
29. Guarding one’s own mental processes ........168
30. Analyzing religious movements ...................174
CHAPTER THREE
THE MASTERS AND THEIR DUTIES
1. Who and what are the Masters? ......................177
2. What is a genuine Master? ...............................180
3. The Master more than super-man ..................186
4. The Master and the Supreme One ..................190
5. Time limit of the Master’s work ......................194
6. How shall we recognize a Master? .................195
7. Objective indices of mastership ......................202
8. Very diffi cult to fi nd a Master .........................205
iii
9. Positive knowledge versus beliefs ...................207
10. The duties of the Masters ................................210
11. Why surrender to a Master .............................212
12. The Masters’change of policy ........................215
13. The function of the spiritual Master ..............218
CHAPTER FOUR
THE CREATION AND ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE
1. The cosmogony of the Masters .........................225
2. The four grand divisions of Nature ................227
3. Sat Desh, the highest region .............................232
4. Brahmanda, the second grand division ..........234
5. Anda, the lowest of the heaven ........................236
6. The grand division of Pinda .............................238
CHAPTER FIVE
GOD AND THE GRAND HIERARCHY OF THE UNIVERSE
1. The perplexing question of God .......................241
2. A word of caution to scientists .........................246
3. Who, or what, is God? .......................................249
4. Names of the Supreme Being ...........................250
iv
5. Monotheism, polytheism,
monism and pantheism .........................................259
6. The grand Hierarchy of the Universe ..............264
7. The Negative Power ...........................................269
CHAPTER SIX
ANALYSIS OF MAN : THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE MAS-
TERS
1. The new-old psychology ....................................275
2. What is the real man? .........................................278
3. Several parts of man ...........................................281
4. The analysis of mind ..........................................286
5. The tour Antashkarans ......................................290
6. A new force enters the mind .............................300
7. The fi ve perversions of mind ............................304
Kam
Krodh
Lobh
Moh Ahankar
8. Antidotes to the deadly fi ve ..............................321
v