Discarnate Masters

DISCARNATE MASTERS

Book Two

"Realisation is only one. The difference between the Perfect Masters (Qutubs) and the Majzoobs is that the former have the authority to use the power they have, while the latter do not. What a Perfect Master hands over to his chargeman is not power, which is already in him, but the authority to use it. During his physical lifetime, the Perfect Master can do the greatest amount of universal work for the good of the world. After he leaves the body, he enjoys eternal bliss, and though the power is with him, he cannot use it. For this reason, at the tomb or samadhi of a Perfect Master there is spiritual power. But it is the faith of the people in the disembodied Master which becomes the medium to utilise that power. That is why people derive benefits by revering a Perfect Master's tomb. But the benefit accruing from such sources and drawn upon by the individual's faith is invariably material in nature. Internal spiritual benefit can only be derived when a God-realised Master is in the physical body.'

"There have been some rare instances of people deriving spiritual benefit from the shrines of past Masters or saints. But this spiritual benefit is derived only in special cases where the earthly connection of the receiver and the giver has been cut short by unavoidable circumstances. Such instances are very rare and far between. Material benefit from disembodied saints is more common, and is in proportion to the faith of the receiver.'

"There is nothing outside ourselves. Everything, like planes, heavens, universes, earths, beings and things, are all within us. The Master gives the aspirant nothing that is not already latent in him. He is only instrumental in rousing the aspirant to the awareness of the divine treasure within him. He shows us the treasure that is already there. Duty therefore means authority. It is for this reason that a Perfect Master is ever eager and longs to give up this mortal body which prevents him from enjoying his eternal bliss.'

"From the beginningless beginning, the Messiah or Avatar is the only Perfect Master who takes birth on this plane again and again from age to age. The last perfect form of that being was Rasul-e-Khuda, Muhammad. As Maulana Niaz Ahmed says, 'The name and characteristics of my friend vary in every age. His form changes, but the face is always one.' "

Meher Baba, 2 February 1923, Bombay, LM2 p474-475
(Another version of the same explanation, RD p147-148)

Ordinarily, at death, a spiritual teacher or Master gives up the authority to guide or help others. There are, however, exceptions:

THE AVATAR, who maintains his connection with the Gross, Subtle and Mental worlds whether or not he is incarnate.

"The Sadgurus lose connection with creation at the moment they drop the physical body. The Avatar never loses connection after he drops the body, but maintains his connection with all creation through the five Sadgurus living."

(from notes dictated by Meher Baba, NE p113)

KHWAJA KHIZR, a Perfect Master of ancient times. Meher Baba explained that Khwaja Khizr is a discarnate Perfect Master who takes temporary human form whenever needed. Khizr is believed by the Sufis to have been the Master of Moses. Baba said Khizr gave God-realisation to Francis of Assisi (Aw 4:3 p34). Bhau Kalchuri wrote that Khizr gave Realisation to the Perfect Master Narayan Maharaj.

(LM1 p31fn)

MARY, the mother of Jesus Christ. Meher Baba said that Mary had been given authority to continue to help people even after her physical death.

(source: Mehera Irani to Erico Nadel)

Index - Book Two