One wonders, especially in the western part of the world, what the path of discipleship really is. Discipleship has been the path of those who followed Christ and all other teachers, but the modern trend of thought has by its new influence taken away a great deal of the ideal that existed in the past. Not only the ideal of discipleship seems little known, but even the ideal towards motherhood and fatherhood and the ideal towards the aged seem to be less understood.

The consequence of this change in the ideal of the world has worked unwittingly to such an extent that we now find a world in conflict. The troubles between nations, the troubles between classes, and the troubles in social and domestic life all come from one and the same reason. If a person asks me, "What is the cause of today's world unrest ?", I will say the answer in one word, "the lack of ideal. "

The path of discipleship in the ancient times was a lesson given to use in all directions of life. One is not only one's body but one is also one's soul. The soul is not born when a child is born on earth; the soul is born from the moment that consideration is born. One shows one's soul in one's consideration. Some become considerate as children; others, perhaps, in their whole life do not awaken to consideration.

People say that love is divine. Yes, love is divine, but love's divine expression is consideration. It would not be very wrong to say that love without consideration is not fully divine. Love that has no consideration loses its fragrance. Intelligence is not consideration. The balance of love and intelligence brings about consideration; the action and reaction of love and intelligence produces consideration. Children who are considerate are more precious than jewels to their parents. The one who is considerate, the friend who is considerate, and all those with whom we come in contact who are considerate are most valuable.

Therefore, it is the lesson of consideration given by spiritual teachers which is called the path of discipleship. The great teachers have not wanted the discipleship of the disciples for themselves, or the devotion for themselves, or the respect of the pupils for themselves. If any teacher expected that, he or she could not be a teacher. How can a spiritual teacher be dependent on the respect, devotion, or consideration of his or her pupil? The teacher must be above that to be above them. Rather it is taught for their own advantage, as an attribute that must be cultivated.

Until now in India there has been a custom which I myself experienced when young. When I went to school to learn the ABC's from a teacher, the first thing my parents taught me was respect, consideration, and a kindly inclination for the teacher. The modern child going to school thinks the professor is appointed to do a certain duty. The child does not know the professor, the professor does not know the child. When children come home they have the same tendency towards their parents as at school.

Mostly, children grow up thinking all the attention their parents give them is part of the duty of the parents. They think, "Perhaps if I am able, I shall pay it back." The ancient idea was different. For instance, the Prophet Mohammed taught his disciples that the greatest debt everyone has to pay was to his or her mother. If one wished one's sins to be forgiven, one must act in life so that before passing from this earth one's mother would say, "I have forgiven you the debt." There was nothing -- money or service -- that a person should say, "I have paid." No, one's mother must say, "I have forgiven you that debt." What does it teach? It teaches the value of unselfish love which is above all earthly passion.

We inquire within for the purpose that we have come on earth. Why have we become human beings? Perhaps it would have been better to remain angels: why this human body? The answer certainly comes to the wise from their own heart: we are here to experience a fuller life and to become fully human. That human fullness is in consideration. Every action done with consideration is valuable; every word said with consideration is precious. The whole teaching of Christ. "Blessed are the meek and the poor in spirit," culminates in one thing: consideration. Although it seems simple, it is a hard lesson to learn. The more we wish to act according to this ideal, the more we realize that we fail. The further we go in the path of consideration, the more delicate the eyes of our perception become. We feel sorry for the slightest mistake.

Not every soul takes the trouble to tread this path. Not everyone is a plant: there are many rocks. They do not want to be considerate; they think it too much trouble. Of course the stone has no pain; the one who feels has pain. In feeling there is life. Life's joy is great. Even with pain one would like to be a living being rather than a rock, because there is a joy in living and in feeling which is not expressible in words. After how many thousands of years the life buried in stones and rocks has risen to the human being! If a person wishes to stay a rock, he or she had better stay one. But the natural inclination in every person must be to develop fully human qualities.

1. Lesson of Confidence

The first lesson that a pupil learns in the path of discipleship is called in Sufic terms Yakin; yakin means confidence. First one gives this confidence to one's fellow human being, whom one considers one's teacher and one's spiritual guide.

There are three classes that can be distinguished.

One gives partial confidence and cannot give complete confidence. One is wobbling, thinking, "Yes, I have confidence: perhaps I have, perhaps not." This sort of confidence is a very difficult position. A better position would be not to give it at all. It is lukewarm: not hot, not cold. This person does the same in all things-in business and in profession. This person trusts and doubts, and trusts and fears. This person is not walking in the sky, and is not walking on the earth, but is between the two.
There is a second kind who gives their confidence to the teacher but is not sure about themselves. They say, "Yes, I have given my confidence, but they are not sure if inwardly they have given it. These people have no confidence in themselves and are not sure of themselves: therefore this confidence is of no value.
The third person gives confidence because he or she feels confident. This confidence can alone rightfully be called Yakin.

People of all these categories were with Jesus Christ.

Thousands of people of the first category came, surrounded the Master, and left Him. It took not one moment for them to be attracted, and not one moment for them to leave the Master.
The second category goes on for some time, just as a drunken man goes on. When soberness comes it becomes clear to them. "Where am I going? Not in a good direction." Do not think that those of this category did not follow the prophets! Thousands and thousands followed the masters and prophets.
But those who stayed to the end of the test were those who, before giving their confidence to the teacher, had confidence in their hearts first. It is they who, if the earth turned to water and the water turned to earth, if the sky came down to earth and the earth rose up to the sky, would stay the same, firm in the belief they first had. By discipleship one learns a moral: that whatever position one assumes in life - husband, wife, son, daughter, servant, or friend - a firm and steady confidence is needed.

2. Lesson of Sacrifice

After yakin comes a test: sacrifice the ideal in the path of God. The most precious possession is not too valuable, in fact nothing is too great to sacrifice. No one among the disciples of the Prophet, the real disciples, thought life too great a sacrifice if needed.

The story of Ali is very well known. One night enemies wanted to kill the Prophet; Ali knew about the plot. He did not tell the Prophet, but tried to get him to leave home. Ali himself stayed, for he knew that if he went also the assassins would find out where the Prophet was. He slept in the bed of the Prophet, so that the assassins might find him, but he was not ready to lose his life if he could fight them. The consequence was that the plot failed and the enemies could touch neither the Prophet nor Ali.

There are a thousand such examples. The friendship between the teacher and the disciple is formed in God and truth for always; nothing in the world can break it. If the spiritual link cannot hold, how can a material link hold? It will wear out, as it is a worldly link. If the spiritual thought cannot form a link between two souls, what else could be such a strong tie that it would last here and in the hereafter.

3. Lesson of Imitation

The third lesson in the path of discipleship is imitation: to imitate the teacher in his or her every attitude, with a friend, with an enemy, with the foolish, and with the wise. If the pupils act as they wish and the teacher acts as he or she wishes, then there is no benefit in spite of all the sacrifice and devotion. Remember, no teaching or meditation is so great or valuable as the imitation of the teacher in the path of truth. In the imitation of the teacher the whole secret of spiritual life is hidden: not only the imitation of her or his outward action, but also of his or her inward tendency.

4. Seeing the Teacher in All Others

The fourth lesson the disciple learns is still different. That lesson involves turning the inward thought of the teacher outward, until the disciple grows to see in the wise, in the foolish, and in all forms, one's teacher who teaches him or her.

5. Respect Given to All

The fifth lesson for the disciple is to give all that one has so far given to one's teacher - devotion, sacrifice, service, and respect - to all people, because in all one sees one's teacher.

One person may perhaps not learn these lessons in their whole life; another will learn all five lessons in a short time.

There is the story of a man who went to a teacher and said, "I would like to be your disciple." The teacher said, "Yes, I shall be very glad." This man, conscious of so many faults, was surprised that the teacher was so willing to accept him as a disciple. He said, "But I wonder if you know how many faults I have?" The teacher said, "Yes, I already know your faults, yet I accept you as my pupil."

"But I have very bad faults," the man said. "I am fond of gambling." The teacher said. "That does not matter much."

"I am inclined to drink sometimes and there are many other faults." The teacher said, "I do not mind." Then he said, "I have accepted all your faults; you must accept one condition from your teacher." "Yes, most willingly! What is it?" The teacher said, "You may have your faults, but not in my presence; you have to keep that much respect for your teacher."

The teacher knew that all five aspects of discipleship were natural to him. Afterwards he was made an initiate. As soon as he went out and had an inclination to gamble or drink, he saw the face of his Murshid before him. When he came to the teacher, the teacher smilingly asked, "Did you commit any fault?" He answered, "Oh no, the great difficulty is that whenever I want to commit any of my usual faults my Murshid pursues me."

Do not think that this spirit has to be cultivated; this spirit could be found in the innocent child. The other day I was most amused to hear a little child of four say when I asked, "Have you been naughty ?", "I would like to be naughty, but my goodness will not let me." This shows us the spirit of discipleship in us.

Remember that the teacher is one who is oneself a disciple. In reality there is no such thing as a teacher. God alone is teacher, we all are disciples. The lesson we all have to learn is the lesson of discipleship; it is the first and the last.

Social Gathekas

26. The Path of Discipleship

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