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Every parents wish the best for their children

A spiritual discourse on the Master-disciple relationship and surrender, illustrated by a historical parable.

"Pāras makes iron into gold, but the Master makes the disciple a Master."

"She said, 'Uh-huh, so it means my beauty is my obstacle; that is the biggest barrier or a rock on my path.'"

The speaker explains a Master's wish to elevate disciples, using the analogy of the philosopher's stone. He then narrates the story of Princess Saṅghamitrā, who disfigured her face with acid to remove the obstacle of her beauty and successfully fulfill her father Emperor Aśoka's mission to spread Buddha's teachings. The talk emphasizes removing ego and obstacles to fully receive a Master's grace.

Recording location: Hungary, Vep, Summer seminar

Every father and mother think of their children, desiring for them the best education, the best social position, and the best economic situation. Whatever parents collect in life, they collect with the thought that it is for their children. If one has no child, a time comes when one thinks, "For what is all this? Is there someone who will utilize it in a positive way?" Otherwise, with hard work, whatever one has created, made, or earned will be destroyed. In the same way, the Master is also thinking. As you heard yesterday, the Master thinks more than parents do for the disciples, to make them capable and to give everything. It is not that He does not want to give, but there is someone who cannot receive. Though He gives, it does not remain; it disappears. This is because they do not know the aim, the mission of the Master's life. There is a stone called Pāras. It breaks stone, and when you touch iron to the Pāras, that Pāras turns that iron into gold. Then there is a Master. So what is the difference between a Master and Pāras? The difference is this: Pāras makes iron into gold, but the Master makes the disciple a Master. The gold which became gold through contact with the Pāras has no ability to turn other metal into gold. But the Master, who makes someone a Master, has all these qualities to create more Masters. For that, you have to understand the Master; you have to surrender. There is no word "no" in front of the Master, no question "why," and also no "no." "No" and "why"—these two words should leave your dictionary. But our ego does not allow this. She began to work, and she said, "Father, I promise you I will not marry, and I will carry this message on." The Emperor Aśoka died. You see in the Indian flag, in the middle there is one wheel; that is called the Aśoka Chakra. It is in his name, and it is a symbol of continuity—the sun, the light, continuity, victory. That is called the Aśoka Chakra. Well, the king died, the emperor died, and Saṅghamitrā made her journey to preach about Buddha, moving towards China from the Himalayas and Tibet in that direction. When she gave lectures, there were so many people, a big crowd. One day she was very unhappy, sitting in her room and thinking very deeply. Her minister or secretary—because she was still a princess—asked her, "What makes you so unhappy? Today you do not look happy." She said, "Yes, I am." They said, "Why? What? What can we do for you?" She said, "You cannot do anything. I am only thinking what I can do more to fulfill the wish of my father, which is to bring the message of the Buddha to all mankind." "But you are doing it; look how many people came to listen—a hundred, fifty, two hundred, sometimes five hundred people." (That time the population was not so much, you know; to have five hundred people or a thousand people come was a great dream. Now, a thousand people you can see in front of the supermarket. Now humans are walking on this earth like ants.) She said, "That I do not see as a success. What do you mean? Why do these people not accept my teachings? They do not understand; they do not accept, but still they are coming—that I do not understand." He said, "Your Highness, we will analyze this," and he put about fifty soldiers as a secret police. Some of you are here sitting; you know very well, you are a bhakta, you are playing as a bhakta, and Swāmījī knows very well. They sent a message: "Why do they not accept, but why do they come to her for listening to lectures?" So the result came: people are coming to see her beauty. She is the most beautiful woman they ever saw, and that is why they are all coming, the men, to see how beautiful she is. Afterward, when they go home, they talk about nothing of her subject, what she spoke, only about how beautiful she is, how she smiles, and how she moves. She said, "Uh-huh, so it means my beauty is my obstacle; that is the biggest barrier or a rock on my path." She went into the bathroom, and she put acid on her face, and all her skin was burned. It took her time to get treatment, but she lost the beauty on her face and continued her mission. It worked in such a way that all who came to her became Buddhist. So, boys, I do not mean that you should put tomorrow's spirit on your face or acid, but this is an example of how many things in our life are as a support, a help, and also as an obstacle. Recording location: Hungary, Vep, Summer seminar

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt, what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

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