Life is Fair

The Law of Cause and Effect

by Brian Hines
[Revised 8/13/98]
1
Be not deceived;
God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.
Galatians 6:7

Cartoon credits:
!a"e #$, from Einstein Simplified by %idney Harris. &opyri"ht 1'(' by %idney
Harris. By permission of %idney Harris.
!a"e $$, from the Doctor Fun series p)blished on the *nternet. By permission of
+avid ,arley.
Story credits:
-.m * Bl)e/0 from Living b t!e "ord# Selected "ritings 19$3%8$, copyri"ht 1'(6
by .lice 1alker, reprinted by permission of Harco)rt Brace 2 &ompany and +avid
Hi"ham .ssociates 3imited.
-4he %la)"hterer0 translated by 5irra Ginsb)r" from &!e 'ollected Stories of (s))c
*)s!evis Singer by *saac Bashevis %in"er. &opyri"ht 1'( by *saac Bashevis %in"er.
6eprinted by permission of ,arrar, %tra)s 2 Giro)7, *nc. and 8onathan &ape, 3imited.
-. 5other9s 4ale0 from &!e 'ollected S!ort +rose of ,)mes -gee, copyri"ht 1'6'
by 4he 8ames ."ee 4r)st. .ttempts to contact the copyri"ht holder were )ns)ccessf)l,
and the Ho)"hton 5ifflin &ompany book in which the story appeared is o)t:of:print. 4he
p)blisher, 6adha %oami %atsan" Beas, wo)ld welcome any information concernin" the
stat)s of 4he 8ames ."ee 4r)st, and re"rets not bein" able to obtain permission to reprint.
#
Table of Contents
!reface $
;7pandin" <)r =iew of 3ife 7
.nswerin" 3ife9s Bi" >)estions 17
.ll 3ife *s <)r ,amily #'
=e"etarianism, 5eat:;atin", and %)fferin" ?$
;ssays 71
4he @at)re of 6i"ht and 1ron" 7
Aarma &larifiedB4he ,airness 5achine (
- Reverence for -ll Life# &!ree S!ort Stories 1C7
-.m * Bl)e/,0 by .lice 1alker 1C'
-. 5other9s 4ale,0 by 8ames ."ee 11
-4he %la)"hterer,0 by *saac Bashevis %in"er 1?
%)""estions for ,)rther 6eadin" 1#$
;ndnotes 1#7
.cknowled"ements 1$C
$
Preface
*t is a si"nificant feat)re of recent times that we are enco)ra"ed to probe, D)estion,
and think abo)t every aspect of life. 1e may remind o)rselves this was not always the
case. ,or tho)sands of years this activity was the prero"ative of philosophers and
theolo"iansBthe people were e7pected to comply with the opinions and beliefs of their
time and place. *n the last few h)ndred years the philosophers and cler"y have been
"rad)ally s)pplanted by the scientist.
@ow, in o)r present times, the ideal of )niversal ed)cation enco)ra"es each one of )s
to establish o)r answers for o)rselves. Anowled"e, in principle, is eD)ally available to all,
and nowhere is this ill)strated more clearly than in the )nre")lated flow of information
thro)"h the worldwide web.
*f a ")ideline for life is to be meanin"f)l today, clearly it has to withstand the scr)tiny
of lo"ic and reason. *t also has to be s)fficiently far:reachin" and )niversal so as to remain
valid in the conte7t of o)r technolo"ical and m)lti:c)lt)ral societies. 1e are challen"ed by
the different o)tlooks and beliefs of o)r friends and nei"hbors to widen o)r perspective
and find )niversal principles that )nite )s on life9s common "ro)nd.
4his book asks the reader to open his or her mind to consider what may be for some a
new perspectiveBa )niversal, spirit)al view of life that sits comfortably with a scientific
approach. *t is a perspective that helps to resolve some of the "reat contradictions we all
face. 4he book9s messa"e, that life is fair and we only ever "et what we deserve, will not
make sense, however, if we look at life thro)"h a narrow window. 4he a)thor therefore
asks )s to step back and perceive life more broadly. He presents to )s the way mystics see
life and shows )s how their vision complements and enriches a scientific world view.
By -mystics,0 he means those people who, thro)"ho)t history and in all parts of the
world, have spoken of a level of spirit that is common to the "reat reli"io)s traditions.
4hey are people whoBthro)"h direct perception or ill)mination, not thinkin" or analysis
Bhave e7perienced the formless lovin" power in which all life has its so)rce. B)ildin" on
o)r reason and lo"ic, if we take their vision and )nderstandin" as o)r framework, we find
that all life is endowed with meanin" and p)rpose.
-3ife,0 the book says, -does not make complete sense to )s beca)se we have no sense
of the completeness of life.0
5ystics describe reality in terms of two f)ndamental principles: love, the very st)ff of
e7istence, the positive power that ener"iEes everythin"; and .ustice, the law of ca)se and
effect that weaves and dyes the comple7 patterns of creation and ens)res that its fabric
never wears away.
4he foc)s of this book is the principle of F)sticeBand most importantly, that correct
)nderstandin" and application of the workin"s of this principle are essential if we are to
e7perience the divine potential of the more f)ndamental and all:embracin" principle of
love.
Gsin" metaphors drawn from o)r daily e7perience, the a)thor describes how the law
of action and reaction, of ca)se and effect, reaches m)ch f)rther than we commonly
)nderstand. .s he presents )s with a vision of the vastness of life and conveys how the
principle of F)stice operates at s)btle spirit)al levels of which we are not normally aware,
he leads )s to )nderstand why thin"s happen in the way they do. 3ookin" at life from this
perspective, we find that practical D)estions of ri"ht and wron" can be resolved, and we
have the basis for a lo"ical and )niversal moral code.
*t is simple: positive actions prod)ce positive res)lts; ne"ative actions prod)ce
?
ne"ative res)lts; no action "oes )nanswered; and the principle of perfect F)stice links
everyone and everythin" thro)"h all time and space. .t the individ)al level, once we
)nderstand that we only "et back from life whatever we "ive, it makes sense to act
positively if we want a positive, happy life.
%ince killin" is an action that always carries its conseD)ence of pain and s)fferin", a
life of non:violenceBincl)din" not eatin" animalsBis a nat)ral o)tcome of this
)nderstandin". =e"etarianism is also the preferred choice for many who simply choose to
live in harmony with what they sense to be the essentially lovin", or positive, nat)re of
creation. &ompassion, the active concern for the well:bein" of all life, is the crossroads
where we can lift o)r h)man lot to a hi"her e7perience of bein". *t is o)r opport)nity to
"ive ear to the divine instinct within each one of )s and, thro)"h the way we live,
transm)te the principle of balance and perfect F)stice that r)les the world into the
e7perience of love.
Before askin" the reader to consider what may be for many a new perspective, the
a)thor D)estions some ass)mptions that )nderlie o)r common perceptions of everyday
life. @e7t he sets abo)t providin" a more comprehensive pict)re of life, incl)din" those
aspects which we cannot readily see. 1ith this fo)ndation he then t)rns to the implications
of divine F)stice for everyday life, and disc)sses the importance of caref)lly choosin" what
we eat to s)stain o)rselves. 6esearch on the health effects of meat:eatin" is also presented
to s)pport the book9s ar")ments relatin" to ve"etarianism.
.lso incl)ded are two essays which e7pand )pon the central themes of Life is F)ir:
morality and the law of karma, or divine F)stice. 4he first essay e7amines the nat)re of
ri"ht and wron", and how a -moral compass0 wo)ld work if s)ch a device act)ally
e7isted. 4he essay on karmaB-4he ,airness 5achine0Bwill be of partic)lar interest to
those who want to know !o/ the moral law of F)stice ens)res that we always reap the
conseD)ences of o)r actions.
4he %ociety is privile"ed to incl)de at the end of the book three short stories by
distin")ished a)thors: the !)litEer priEe winners .lice 1alker and 8ames ."ee, and a
winner of the @obel priEe for literat)re, *saac Bashevis %in"er. 1ith strikin" literary
accomplishment, each a)thor conveys a messa"e abo)t the oneness of life. *t is a fact that
by whatever meas)res we )se to define o)rselvesBby species, c)lt)re, "ender, lifestyle, or
convictionsBwe also separate o)rselves from all others. 1e remove o)rselves from those
we think are not like )s. *f they s)ffer, it means nothin" to )s for they are somethin" else,
beyond the reach of o)r compassion. 1e are who we are. 4hey are who they are.
1hy do we s)ffer when someone we love is s)fferin"/ Beca)se we feel connected to
them. 4hese stories are incl)ded in the book beca)se each one takes )s across a barrier we
mi"ht not normally cross. 4hey draw )s into the heart of the other9s e7perience and raise
the D)estion: are the fears, the conf)sion, the Foy, and the love felt by others so different
from o)r own feelin"s/
*n the conviction that a respect for all life marks an important step on the road to self:
knowled"e, it is with "reat pleas)re that the %ociety presents this clear and modern
e7planation of how the moral law of F)stice works.
%ewa %in"h
%ecretary
6adha %oami %atsan" Beas ,ebr)ary 1''(
Expanding Our View of Life
>)estion: 0)ster1 t!e most !elpful t!ing ( !)ve received from our lips is /!en ou s)id1
6
23ou get onl /!)t ou deserve45
.nswer: "!)t ( me)n b 2/e get onl /!)t /e deserve5 is t!)t /!)tever /e !)ve done
in t!e p)st1 /e !)ve so/n cert)in seeds to deserve /!)t /e )re getting no/4 "e re)p
/!)t /e !)ve so/n in t!e p)st1 )nd no/ /e deserve it4 &!erefore1 /e s!ould )l/)s do
t!ose )ctions of /!ic! /e /)nt to re)p t!e desired results4
5aster &haran %in"h, &!e 0)ster -ns/ers
1
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
3ife is fair. 1e "et what we deserve.
4o many people, these are o)tra"eo)s statements. How co)ld life possibly be fair
when there are so many obvio)s inF)stices/ Babies bein" born blind. 5)rderers escapin"
p)nishment. @efario)s swindlers prosperin" at the e7pense of innocent victims.
Hes, it is indeed diffic)lt to ima"ine that life is fair. B)t consider, for a moment, that
it is tr)e. *s it possible that life appears )nfair only beca)se we are not seein" the
completeness of life/ &o)ld a limited view of e7istence be the reason why we fail to see
how, and why, every livin" bein" "ets precisely what it deservesBno more, and no less/
*f we came to believe that the correct answer to these D)estions is yes, then every
aspect of o)r life wo)ld take on new si"nificance. 1e co)ld no lon"er blame fickle fate or
happenstance when bad thin"s occ)r to )s. 1e also wo)ld find it easier not to blame
others when life isn9t to o)r likin". 1e wo)ld take a fresh look at everythin" we do and
think, with the knowled"e that whatever we send o)t into the world, both the "ood and
the bad, one day will ret)rn to )s in like meas)re.
Life is F)ir says this is e7actly how life works. B)t if we are to )nderstand how F)stice
operates in the world, we m)st first st)dy life9s bi" pict)re. 1e cannot e7amine life only
from the point of view of the material sciences. 1e m)st also look at life from a spirit)al
perspective. 4hen we will learn that as h)man bein"s we are in a )niD)e position. 3ike no
other livin" bein"s, we have the capacity to )nderstand the s)btle laws that "overn the
world. 1ith this knowled"e, we can then make choices that will lead )s toward the
harmony and happiness every person seeks in one way or another.
8)st as the material sciences provide e7planations for many of the thin"s that happen
to )s, so does the spirit)al perspective e7plain why we s)ffer or why we are happy. *t
shows )s that there are "ood reasons for everythin" that happens to )s. 1e "et what we
deserve. .nd this way of )nderstandin" pins the responsibility for what we do, and what
happens to )s, sD)arely )pon o)rselves. .ny distress we ca)se to othersBwhether h)man
or animalBis re"istered in the atmosphere of o)r conscio)sness, where it ret)rns to )s in
the form of storms of pain and misery. *f we "et blown off co)rse on the way to the 3and
of Happiness, that sD)all is of o)r own makin".
<nce we come to accept that the law of ca)se and effect "overns all life, both physical
7
and metaphysical, we see that every tho)"ht and action ass)mes a moral dimension. .ll
that we do and think leaves its mark. . lon" Fo)rney is made of many short steps. 4he
overall co)rse of o)r life is determined by decisions made every instant. 5oment by
moment, an )nceasin" flow of mental and physical action carves the channels thro)"h
which the ship of o)r self sails in the f)t)re. <)r loftiest "oals and most down:to:earth
activities are seamlessly linked.
*n a similar fashion, readers will find an intimate blend of philosophical iss)es and
practical concerns in Life is F)ir. *n almost the same breath there may be talk abo)t both
carrots and the cosmos, abo)t the nitty:"ritty reality of the food we keep in o)r
refri"erator and the ethereal nat)re of spirit)al reality. %till, )nderlyin" the words on all
the pa"es is one basic ass)mption: whatever we do in life, we )s)ally do beca)se we think
it will make )sBor those aro)nd )sBhappy.
*f this is tr)e, and it seems obvio)s that it is, then it is important to know what
prod)ces happiness or peace of mind. Gnless this is known with certainty, o)r efforts to
move in that direction )nknowin"ly may be leadin" )s the wron" way.
Desere !ore "appiness# $eco!e !ore desering%
%cience is be"innin" to come )p with some intri")in" partial answers to the all:
important D)estion of why some people are happier than others. %t)dies of sets of
identical twins Isome of whom were raised to"ether, and some apartJ have fo)nd that one:
half or more of o)r tendency to be happy is fi7ed at birth. 4hat is, at least half of the
happiness we e7perience as an ad)lt apparently flows from "enetic infl)ences, and the rest
from other ca)ses.
8.B. Handelsman 1''6 from 4he @ew Horker &ollection. .ll ri"hts reserved.
*t is a soberin" tho)"ht to realiEe that factors beyond o)r control prod)ce so m)ch of
o)r happiness Ior sadnessJ. *9m born. KapL ,ifty percent of my tendency for f)t)re Foy and
(
sorrow is determined before * even take my first breath. &an this be fair/ <nly if o)r life is
part of a contin))m of e7istence that be"an lon" before we were born and will contin)e
lon" after we dieBif not for eternity.
4his immediately moves )s into a broader view of life than o)r everyday e7perience
)s)ally is able to provide. 1e need a perspective that encompasses far more than the
min)te slice of e7istence with which most of )s c)rrently are familiar.
T"ere is !ore to life t"an !eets t"e eye
*f yo) are one of the many who believe there is no evidence for any sort of reality
beyond the physical world, it may be helpf)l to remember that even to )nderstand material
reality we have to e7pand o)r horiEons. ;ven matter has vario)s levels which cannot
readily be known. 4he pa"e on which these words are printed appears to be solid when
viewed with the h)man eye. +elvin" deeper with the aid of a powerf)l microscope, this
piece of paper wo)ld take on a completely different appearance. .nd at the most basic
s)b:atomic level, science tells )s that the -matter0 of this pa"e consists of ethereal waves
of p)lsatin" ener"y.
*f we challen"e the e7istence of the spirit)al world beca)se the tools we )se to
)nderstand material reality do not demonstrate it to )s, we may be reactin" like a person
who denies the s)b:atomic reality of this pa"e beca)se he cannot see it thro)"h a
ma"nifyin" "lass.
Life is F)ir, therefore, asks yo) to temporarily s)spend some of yo)r ass)mptions
abo)t reality. ;ntertain the possibility that there is more to life than meets the eye, and
that this -more0 can be known by cond)ctin" the proper e7periments. ,or the most part,
we see o)r life )nfold, b)t fail to realiEe what prod)ces the circ)mstances that s)rro)nd
)s: o)r health, o)r wealth, o)r loves and hates, o)r Foys and sorrows. *f we apply the
proven method of scientific investi"ationBri"oro)s testin" of hypothesiEed tr)thsBto
spirit)al e7istence, perhaps we can )nderstand life in a more holistic and meanin"f)l way.
4he spirit)al perspective )nderlyin" these ar")ments arises from the e7perience of
)nity at the heart of life. 4he reader is asked to consider that the separations we
commonly makeBs)ch as between mind and matter, people and animals, heaven and
earth, God and the creationBlimit o)r )nderstandin" of a far:reachin" moral law.
4he e7perience of )nity challen"es o)r )s)al pres)mption that a bi" difference e7ists
between the world -o)t there0 and the world -in here0; that is, between rocks, clo)ds,
trees, animals, and all the rest of the physical world which we see, and hear, and to)ch
with o)r senses, and the seemin"ly vastly different inner reality of o)r tho)"hts, fears,
Foys, loves, and desires.
&oing beyond reflections of reflections
*f the cosmos is indeed a whole, yo) mi"ht well ask, -1hy does everythin" appear so
fract)red70 !erhaps this simple e7periment provides the be"innin" of an answer.
%tand in front of a lar"e mirror and hold a small mirror in yo)r hand, the "lass facin"
toward yo)r reflection. Ho) will see a hand holdin" a mirror, which contains an ima"e of
a hand holdin" a mirror, which contains an ima"e of a hand holdin" a mirror, and so on,
apparently witho)t end. .maEin"L <ne hand and one mirror prod)ced all of these myriad
reflections. .ppearances certainly can deceive.
%imilarly, we can think abo)t the world o)tsideBor insideBof o)rselves, and then
think abo)t those tho)"hts, and then think abo)t the tho)"hts abo)t o)r tho)"hts. *f we
keep on in this fashion, we may even become a "reat philosopher, or a theolo"ian, or a
madman. Het no matter how lon" and how intensely we may reflect )pon ima"es of
mirrors within mirrors, or ponder tho)"hts abo)t thinkin", the simple reality of what lies
'
beneath appearances will el)de )s.
1e need a hi"her perspective.
Ho) can s)pply that broader vision yo)rself in the case of the mirror within the mirror,
beca)se yo) know that yo)9re the one prod)cin" the ill)sion. 1hen yo) lower yo)r hand,
the ima"es inside the ima"es disappear. Ho)9re left with a sin"le reality. However, when
thinkin" abo)t tho)"hts, or feelin" feelin"s, the sit)ation is more complicated. 1here is
the vanta"e point on which we can stand and clearly see o)r own self/
Here9s the problem: How do * fi")re o)t what life is, and therefore how * sho)ld live
Bwhich incl)des how * behave toward other forms of lifeBwhen * can9t even fi")re o)t
what or who is doin" the fi")rin"/ 4his con)ndr)m drives many to rely on f)it! as the
answer to life9s bi""est D)estions.
Don't "ae too !uc" fait" in fait"
.ll in all, faith is an over:rated virt)e. .t its best, faith is a promissory note for tr)th
Ban *.<.G. to be "rasped )ntil the hard coin of certainty is handed over. .t its worst,
faith "ives its holder the ill)sion of possessin" somethin" s)bstantial. . mira"e is
mistaken for reality. %ince different people often have faith in completely contradictory
beliefs, clearly some faith is well:fo)nded, and some faith is "ro)ndless.
,aith is like a si"npost that can be made to point either way at a fork in the road. Ho)
can have complete faith that yo) are travellin" in the ri"ht direction, b)t if it t)rns o)t that
yo)9re on the wron" road yo)9ll never "et to yo)r destination. .nyone who has become
lost while drivin" a car knows this.
4r)th, then, has to lie down one path or the other. *f one accepts that there is an
obFective reality independent of any individ)al9s perception of that realityBand both
material science and the spirit)al world view tell )s that there isBthen it seems impossible
that completely opposed e7planations of e7istence are both ri"ht.
%o rather than relyin" on a si"npost that swin"s in one direction, then the other, a
detailed map of the s)rro)ndin" area wo)ld be a better ")ide. Gsin" the map to e7plore
the territory yo)rself clearly wo)ld be best of all, since then yo) wo)ld have no do)bt
abo)t the correct ro)te. %)ch is the method of science, movin" from faith to facts.
(eat"er always is fair
4he scientific method has had tremendo)s s)ccess in layin" bare the mysteries of the
world -o)t there.0 1e enFoy the advances of science every time we t)rn on a microwave
oven, )se a comp)ter, or talk by phone to a friend halfway aro)nd the world. %cience
accomplishes so m)ch beca)se it ass)mes that life is fair. 4he world makes sense. @at)re
is not arbitrary. 4here are laws waitin" to be discovered thro)"h proper investi"ation, and
then )sed to o)r advanta"e.
&onsider how o)r view of the weather has chan"ed d)rin" the past few decades. .s a
child, many readers will remember lookin" at a barometer to tell whether or not a storm
was comin". 1ith a chan"e in air press)re, the pointer wo)ld move closer to either the
-fair0 or -stormy0 marks on the dial. Hes, there were weather forecasts on radio and
television, b)t they seemed barely more acc)rate than cons)ltin" the primitive barometer
han"in" in the kitchen.
@ow we are acc)stomed to seein" remarkable satellite photo"raphs on the ni"htly
news. *n the western Gnited %tates, for instance, the weather man or woman can point to
a storm system developin" many h)ndreds of miles away in the G)lf of .laska, overlay a
dia"ram of the prevailin" hi"h altit)de air c)rrents, and tell viewers that the ne7t few days
are "oin" to be cold and rainy. .nd )s)ally he or she is ri"ht.
4he same applies at the other end of the co)ntry in ,lorida. 3ate s)mmer and early
1C
fall is h)rricane season. %atellites are able to detect tropical storms brewin" in the warm
waters of the .tlantic, and track them as they occasionally "row to h)rricane stren"th. .
h)rricane9s path can be predicted D)ite acc)rately. 3ives and property are saved beca)se
of the advance warnin" provided by the weather service.
H)rricanes, alon" with the rest of the weather, have nat)ral ca)ses. 5eteorolo"ists
know how a h)rricane develops and why it travels in a certain direction. 4he stren"th of
its winds and the path it takes are determined by impersonal forces that can be known
precisely in theory, if not yet in act)ality.
.ll of )s know that weather doesn9t F)st happen. %)nny warm days and cold bl)stery
ni"hts each have their roots in the laws of nat)re. 4hese laws are absol)tely fair since
everywhere in the )niverse, so far as scientists know, they operate in e7actly the same
way. 4he weather in .merica is ca)sed by the very same forces as the weather in .sia.
-<)tside0 weather, then, clearly is fair. @ot that fair days always "reet )s when we
rise each mornin", b)t in the sense that climate is prod)ced by obFective laws of nat)re
which work the same way in every part of the world.
)ow's t"e weat"er inside today#
,or most people, the inside weather seems to be a different matter entirely. -*nside
weather,0 yo) may ask, -what does that mean/0 4hese are the climatic conditions /it!in
o)rselves: the s)nshine of optimism and the clo)ds of "loom, the fo" of depression and
the clear sky of Foy, the bl)stery winds of an"er and the calm air of serenity, the li"htnin"
bolts of pain and the warm winds of pleas)re.
1ho can say that they haven9t had tho)"hts like these at one time or another: -* didn9t
deserve this.0 -*9ve been doin" everythin" ri"ht; how co)ld this happen/0 -<ther people
"et all the l)ck.0 <r, -4hin"s are "oin" too "ood for me; somethin" bad is bo)nd to
happen.0 Behind each of these tho)"hts is an ass)mption that life is some kind of dice
"ame, and probably an )nfair one as well.
@ot only does chance seem to determine how we feel and what happens to )s, b)t
some people appear to play with loaded dice. 4hey seem to "et m)ch more o)t of life
than they deserve, while others "et m)ch less. *f we applied s)ch thinkin" to the weather,
it wo)ld be akin to sayin" that the %ahara desert is bein" cheated o)t of moist)re by the
BraEilian rain forest. <r that an earthD)ake which hits 8apan happened by chance.
4hose ideas wo)ld be la)"hed at, ri"htf)lly, by climatolo"ists and "eolo"ists. 6ain
patterns and earthD)akes don9t F)st happen, or happen -)nfairly;0 they occ)r for lo"ical
reasons. %o whenever we look )pon the deli"hts and miseries of o)r life as bein" )nF)st
or )ndeserved, it is beca)se we ass)me there are no laws to e7plain them. 1e pres)me
that the way the o)tside world works is D)ite different from what we feel within.
5aybe it is wron" to make s)ch a division between the clearly lawf)l physical world,
and the seemin"ly m)ch more capricio)s mental worldBthe arena in which we feel Foy
and sorrow, love and hatred, contentment and desire, and all the other e7periences that
come with bein" h)man. 1hile the mind certainly operates with more comple7ity than
does matter, perhaps the same basic laws of e7istence )nderlie both. . fit of ra"e may not
be so different from a passin" sD)all.
.s with other s)btle tr)ths, however, this isn9t readily apparent. 6ecall that a reliance
on appearances wo)ld have )s believin" that the s)n "oes aro)nd the earth, as people
ass)med for many millennia. %o it is )nderstandable why many find it diffic)lt to believe
that the internal world of tho)"hts and emotions is as lawf)l and determined as the
e7ternal world of air, water, and minerals. Het almost everyone wo)ld a"ree that like the
weather o)t there, the weather in hereBin o)r conscio)snessBalways is chan"in". @o
one feels the same all the time. ;veryday lan")a"e reflects this fact. *n describin" the
11
patterns of o)r lives, we often so)nd like meteorolo"ists.
-*9ve "ot a black clo)d han"in" over my head,0 )tters a sad person. . man who can9t
conceal his happiness is "reeted with, -1ell, here comes 5r. %)nshine.0 1hen recallin" a
partic)larly movin" event, a person may speak of bein" -flooded with emotion.0 -+id
somebody rain on yo)r parade/0 we ask an acD)aintance who appears letdown.
%till, even tho)"h the words )sed to describe e7ternal and internal weather are similar,
there are clear differences in the reality reflected by those words. *f we don9t like the
weather where we are livin", two choices are open to )s: move to another location, or
chan"e o)r attit)de. &an9t stand the snow/ 5ove to a warm place. 3ove raindrops
fallin" on yo)r head/ 5ove to a rainy place. <r if movin" isn9t an option, we can try to
accept the conditions aro)nd )s rather than complain abo)t them.
C"anging your internal cli!ate
<ne of these two choices is eliminated in the case of the weather inside )s. &learly it is
impossible to move o)tside o)r own conscio)sness. *f we find o)rselves drenched in
despair most of the time, we can9t call )p the 5ental &ontents 5ovin" &ompany and have
o)r mind shipped to a locale where it never rains sadness. !eople have to live with
themselves. *f o)r mind were elsewhere, we obvio)sly wo)ld be somebody else.
%o if movin" isn9t an option, how do we deal with )npleasant climatic conditions
within o)rselves/ 1ell, F)st as with the o)tside weather, it is always possible to try and
accept what is, and not desire to chan"e it. *f we9re happy, we can be content with
happiness. *f we9re sad, we can be content with sadness. B)t it is e7tremely diffic)lt to
attain this state of eD)animity. 6arely, if ever, does anyone accept sorrow and Foy eD)ally.
*t is nat)ral to want to be happy rather than sad, to desire pleas)re over pain, to seek love
rather than hate.
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
.ll ri"ht, then. 1e can9t move o)tside o)r own mind, and we can9t accept all that we
find there; that is, we9d like to keep the "ood -weather0Bsensations of contentment,
happiness, pleas)re, and FoyBand "et rid of the opposite sensations of an7iety,
depression, pain, and despair. &learly we have to find a way to chan"e o)r internal
weather. %o the D)estion is whether we can do somethin" which meteorolo"ists cannot:
alter the patterns that prod)ce )ndesirable climatic conditions.
*f there are reasons why somethin" happens, if there is a law "overnin" a partic)lar
sort of activity, then there is a possibility of control. *f life is fair, and we "et what we
deserve, then in principle there is the possibility of becomin" happier by becomin" more
deservin".
4he science of meteorolo"y has made "reat strides in comprehendin" the dynamics of
the earth9s weather, b)t the sciences that try to )nravel the mysteries of h)man nat)re are
1
still in their infancy. 4he weatherman on 4= can acc)rately forecast how hot it will be
tomorrow, b)t no one can tell )s how happy we will be when the s)n rises. 4ho)"h
psycholo"y and medicine have had some s)ccess in treatin" mental and physical diseases,
this is like bein" able to repair the roof of a barn after a hi"h wind has torn it off.
,rom where do the storms of illness that rava"e o)r minds and bodies ori"inate/ How
can we avert these dist)rbances/ &o)ld it be that o)r own actions infl)ence whether or
not o)r conscio)sness enFoys the eD)ivalent of calm s)nny days and peacef)l warm ni"hts/
)eig"ts of !ystic experience
&ameras on weather satellites transmit photo"raphs of earth that enable )s to see
lar"e:scale weather patterns that cannot be discerned from "ro)nd level, or even an
airplane. %imilarly, the teachin"s of the mystics, the spirit)ally e7periencedBor -spirit)al
scientists0Bcomm)nicate to )s their knowled"e of hi"her planes of conscio)sness.
B)t why, we may ask, is it that only mystics e7perience these hi"her planes/ 1hy
aren9t more people aware of them/ 1hat prevents everyone from knowin" the facts of
spirit)ality and perceivin" the depths of reality/ .re there reasons why most people are
i"norant of spirit)al e7istence, F)st as there are reasons why a destr)ctive h)rricane t)rns a
b)ildin" into r)bble/
4here is "eneral a"reement, even amon" scientists, that all the tools of modern science
have failed to penetrate the mysteries of life and conscio)sness. ,rom a spirit)al
perspective one wo)ld say this is beca)se the tools are not s)ited to the Fob. 4he answers
to the riddles life poses, say the spirit)al scientists, lie within life and conscio)sness itself,
not o)tside in dials, co)nters and comp)ters, nor in comple7 mathematical eD)ations that
describe only the smoke of physical reality and not its creative fire.
!)re conscio)sness, says the mystic, is lifeMs creative fire. %pirit, or conscio)sness at its
hi"hest and most refined level, is the basic b)ildin" block of all life, and indeed of all
e7istence. 4his is the )ltimate reality, or -4heory of ;verythin",0 that material science
seeks to discover. .nd the only tool we need to e7perience this tr)th, says the mystic, is
o)r h)man conscio)sness.
How simple. <)r h)man conscio)sness, or -so)l,0 is capable of e7periencin"
)niversal conscio)sness, -spirit.0 B)t simple is not the same as easy. *t "enerally reD)ires
"reat effort to transform o)r weakened, scattered psyche into a powerf)l, foc)sed means
of contactin" the hi"hest reality. Het the str)""le is worthwhile, for if we come to know
o)r essence, the basic b)ildin" block of all life, we know everythin"; havin" o)r tr)e self,
we have everythin".
1e need to become adepts in the science of spirit)ality if we are to find the answers to
lifeMs "reatest D)estions. 1e need to work on o)rselves, o)r inner bein", and not F)st the
world o)tside of )sBwhich )s)ally is o)r main interest, and o)r main concern. 4o be
effective, this tool of h)man conscio)sness has to be in s)perb condition. %o we need to
)nderstand everythin" that affects it for "ood or ill.
Law of cause and effect
<)r conscio)sness is like a wave of ener"y, or life force, that is intimately related to
the vast ener"y field of the creationBa min)te particle of the )nified s)bstance some call
God. *n theory, by f)lly e7periencin" the part we can e7perience the whole. However, in
fact o)r conscio)sness is rendered ineffective by its connections with o)r mind and body,
somewhat as interference that prod)ces lo)d static makes it impossible to clearly hear
m)sic on a radio.
*f we are to receive clear information abo)t the whole of which we are a part, this life
force has to be refined or p)rified )ntil it ret)rns to its ori"inal state. 1e m)st re"ain o)r
1#
ability to -t)ne in0 to the wavelen"th of hi"her spirit)al tr)ths. ,or this, we m)st
)nderstand the laws that "overn life, the most decisive bein" the law of ca)se and effect.
4he o)tcomes of this law keep o)r conscio)sness bo)nd to the cr)dity of mind and matter
and prevent )s from e7periencin" the s)btle reality of spirit.
4he law of ca)se and effectBas yo) sow, so shall yo) reapBwe all accept to some
e7tent in daily life. *f we work hard at o)r Fob, we are likely to "et a raise. *f we eat too
m)ch, and e7ercise too little, we will "ain wei"ht. *f we treat someone kindly, kindness
probably will be ret)rned to )s. *f we drive o)r car too fast on a sharp t)rn, we will r)n
off the road.
Het few of )s have any idea that the same law operates )nremittin"ly and witho)t
e7ception at more s)btle and deeper levels. Anown as the law of karma in several eastern
c)lt)res, this law of spirit)al reality means that all o)r tho)"hts and actions, like seeds of
sweet or bitter crops, are re"istered or -sown0 not F)st in o)r present personality, b)t also
deep in o)r conscio)sness at s)perphysical levels of e7istence. 4hese seeds "enerate
harvests in keepin" with their nat)re. %ometime in the f)t)re we have to reap their nat)ral
fr)its.
5istakenly, we try to e7plain life in terms of physical laws alone. Beca)se o)r
)nderstandin" of spirit)al e7istence is limited, we fail to reco"niEe that what we are
e7periencin" in this lifetime is the harvest from seeds of tho)"hts and actions sown earlier.
Both o)r e7periences and the person doin" the e7periencin"Bthe -*0 that responds when
someone calls yo)r nameBare the res)lt of the spirit)al law of ca)se and effect. 1e fail to
see that the workin"s of this law at the met)physical Ibeyond the physicalJ level infl)ences
o)r conscio)sness at the physical level, where we have the impression life be"ins and ends.
T"e nature of !orality
&onsider this simple D)estion: how do we decide what to do in life/ .fter all, yo)
co)ld be doin" many different thin"s ri"ht now. &ookin" a meal. Goin" for a walk.
4alkin" with friends. %eein" a movie. !attin" a pet. 1hy, indeed, are yo) readin" this
book/ How do we decide what is important, and what is )nimportant/ 1hat actions are
ri"ht and what are wron"/
,or many people in the world the maFor D)estions of life, incl)din" matters of
morality, are decided by their reli"ion. Beca)se they believe in a partic)lar faith, they try
to live by the moral code associated with it. B)t there are as many different moral codes as
there are different reli"ions. How do we choose between them, or how does a non:
reli"io)s person decide what is important or ri"ht/
. person who doesn9t s)bscribe to a partic)lar reli"io)s belief may concl)de that there
is no s)ch thin" as an absol)te standard for determinin" what is ri"ht and wron". 5orality
)nderstandably is considered to be a matter of c)lt)re, of reli"io)s, social or le"al
convention, or dependent on how a person is raised. *n the ;ast, for instance, people
cover their heads as a si"n of respect. *n the 1est, people take off their hats. 5oral codes
even may be seen as a device for e7ercisin" control over others: "overnment over citiEens,
reli"io)s a)thorities over believers, parents over children.
B)t what if the simple law of ca)se and effect is the absol)te standard that holds
constant for every h)man, and indeed all of life/ 1hat if this law "overns the
conscio)sness of every livin" bein" with as m)ch certainty as do the principles of anatomy
and physiolo"y in the bodily sphere/
*f a person c)ts himself with a knifeBwhether he believes in the laws of physiolo"y or
notBdeath certainly will follow if the bleedin" is not stopped. 1hat if the law of karma is
as inviolable as this, and every one of )s has to reap the conseD)ences of each of o)r
tho)"hts and actions/ &o)ld it be that each time s)fferin" is ca)sed, those responsible
1$
m)st one day s)ffer themselves in recompense for the pain and misery they prod)ced/
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
%a"es have compared life to a dan"ero)s voya"e across an ocean. 1e are sailin" on
the fra"ile craft of o)r mind and body which sometimes makes headway in the desired
direction, b)t all too often is tossed abo)t aimlessly beyond o)r control. 4he spirit)al law
of ca)se and effect ens)res that it is o)r own ne"ative tho)"hts and actions which ca)se
the bad weather in o)r lives, F)st as positive tho)"hts and actions lead to smooth sailin".
*f we donMt )nderstand the nat)re of this Fo)rney and the inner workin"s of the ship that is
o)r self, how can we hope to steer o)r co)rse/
Life is a *ust adenture
3ife is an advent)re, a F)st advent)re, and this is what makes it so challen"in". *f we
want to p)t in the reD)ired effort, we can Fo)rney to far:off places, e7plore marvelo)s
mysteries, and e7perience asto)ndin" deli"hts. @ot anywhere o)tside, tho)"h this
obvio)sly is possible too, b)t within o)r own conscio)sness. <f co)rse, a lon" Fo)rney is
made )p of many short steps. 4he overall direction of o)r life is determined by decisions
made every instant.
1e need to cast off the chains that limit )s by freein" o)rselves of whatever binds or
clo)ds o)r conscio)sness. 3ife is m)ch more than physical e7istence. 4he "reater o)r
)nderstandin" of what lies beyond materiality, the "reater will be o)r desire to act in ways
cond)cive to spirit)al )plift. <nce hot air balloonists have tasted the deli"ht of floatin"
freely thro)"h the skies, they release their ballast ea"erly. .s each earthbo)nd rope is
)ntied, the moment of soarin" "rows nearer.
1hat, then, yo) may ask, awaits )s beyond the confines of o)r present state of
conscio)sness/ 1ho has Fo)rneyed to the spirit)al realms/ .nd, from a practical point of
view, what keeps )s from followin" in their footsteps/ *f life r)ns by the law of ca)se and
effect, do certain actions wei"h down o)r so)l F)st as s)rely as sandba"s hold a balloon
fast to the earth/
1?
+nswering Life's $ig ,uestions
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
4here are many important D)estions abo)t life. @ot s)rprisin"ly, only one who has
tr)ly lived can answer these D)estions. %adly, s)ch individ)als are few and far between.
4hey are the tr)e mystics, the !rofessors ;merit)s of %pirit)al %cience, men and women
who have e7perienced the f)ll potential of what life offers )s. *n every a"e they serve as a
link between the ethereal spirit)ality that is the s)preme reality, and the cr)de materiality
of earthly e7istence.
1hether &hristian, Hind), B)ddhist, 8ewish, 5)slim, or non:sectarian, at the heart of
their messa"e mystics espo)se a remarkably similar point of view. 1e are acc)stomed to
thinkin" of the differences between reli"ions and philosophies. 5any people reFect reli"ion
for this very reason: that it separates man from man.
B)t the divisive wran"lin" of theolo"ians is only foam tossed )p from the sea of )nity
known to the spirit)ally enli"htened. -God,0 for them, cannot be described in terms that
create differences. -God0 is the oneness behind all appearances. 4h)s it is not s)rprisin"
that those who have e7perienced what lies beyond mind and matter a"ree on what they
find there, while those who merely spec)late ar")e endlessly abo)t their ")esses.
-aps of !etap"ysical geograp"y
6eliable maps of metaphysical "eo"raphy do e7ist, b)t it takes a practiced eye to
reco"niEe them. ;ven an act)al road mapBthe kind yo)9d )se to "et aro)nd in a co)ntry
by carBbears almost no resemblance to the hi"hways on which one act)ally travels. 4he
tiny sD)i""les drawn on a few feet of paper may represent si7:lane freeways whose "iant
ribbons of asphalt and concrete traverse tho)sands of miles of mo)ntains, plains, and
16
(t is onl b m)8ing p!sic)l e9periments t!)t /e c)n discover t!e intim)te n)ture of
m)tter )nd its potenti)lities4 -nd it is onl b m)8ing psc!ologic)l )nd mor)l
e9periments t!)t /e c)n discover t!e intim)te n)ture of mind )nd its potenti)lities4 (n
t!e ordin)r circumst)nces of )ver)ge sensu)l life t!ese potenti)lities of t!e mind
rem)in l)tent )nd unm)nifested4 (f /e /ould re)li:e t!em1 /e must fulfil cert)in
conditions )nd obe cert)in rules1 /!ic! e9perience !)s s!o/n empiric)ll to be v)lid4
;in ever )ge t!ere !)ve been some men )nd /omen /!o c!ose to fulfil t!e conditions
upon /!ic! )lone1 )s ) m)tter of brute empiric)l f)ct1 suc! immedi)te [spiritu)l]
8no/ledge c)n be !)d< )nd of t!ese ) fe/ !)ve left )ccounts of t!e Re)lit t!e /ere
t!us en)bled to )ppre!end;&o suc! first%!)nd e9ponents of t!e +erenni)l +!ilosop!
t!ose /!o 8ne/ t!em !)ve gener)ll given t!e n)me of 2s)int5 or 2prop!et15 2s)ge5 or
2enlig!tened one45
B.ldo)s H)7ley
1
deserts. 4he dots sprinkled here and there alon" the sD)i""les often denote lar"e cities
with millions of people. Before we "o to a new co)ntry, it is impossible to comprehend
the vast three:dimensional reality of what we will e7perience by lookin" at a miniat)re
two:dimensional map.
*ma"ine, then, how diffic)lt it wo)ld be to -draw0 a map of hi"her states of reality.
1hen yo) remember a dream, isn9t it often ne7t to impossible to describe the landscape
and happenin"s within yo)r conscio)sness/ <ne freD)ently ends )p sayin" somethin" like,
-* was watchin" a soccer "ame, b)t it wasn9t like a match in any stadi)m that *9ve ever
seen.0 1ell, a statement like that doesn9t do m)ch to help another person )nderstand
what we9ve seen. B)t it9s the best we can do. .nd dreams are a lower order of reality
than wakin", bein" almost entirely personal and s)bFective.
%o mystics freD)ently end )p )sin" phrases like: -@ot this, not that,0 -Beyond
anythin" we can know, and anythin" we cannot know,0 -God is what is.0 %h)nnin"
words, Ken masters are said to strike their st)dents on the head with a stick to indicate
that some tr)ths only can be known thro)"h direct e7perience.
5ystics, to the h)man world, are akin to water birds who can traverse air, sea, and
land. Bein" free and f)lly developed in all respects, they are the real h)man bein"s,
e7amples of the )nlimited potential of the h)man condition. 4hey are at home in the
ethereal spheres of spirit)ality, the rarefied and s)btle re"ions of mind, and the cr)de
conditions of materiality. .ppearin" as normal h)man bein"s, they are free to soar far
beyond the confines of everyday conscio)sness. .rmed with direct knowled"e of hi"her
realities, they tell )s limited, earthbo)nd creat)res that what we call -life0 is b)t a drop in
the limitless sea of metaphysical e7istence.
,or the mystic, every state of lifeBmaterial, mental, and spirit)alBmakes sense. 3ife
does not make complete sense to )s beca)se we have no sense of the completeness of life.
*t9s that simple.
.f life is a !oie/ w"at's t"e plot# +nd w"o's t"e director#
*ma"ine tryin" to )nderstand the plot of a movie by watchin" only a few seconds from
the middle of the film. . woman p)lls o)t a ")n and shoots a man in the chest. He falls
to the floor, and she r)ns o)t the door. 4his tells )s nothin", aside from the obvio)s
physical motions of the actors. *s she a merciless assassin or a co)ra"eo)s heroine/ 1e
can9t tell )nless we know what came before and after this brief snippet of action. 4he bare
facts of the sit)ation are immediately obvio)s by watchin" the screen, b)t the meanin" of
those facts depends )pon a m)ch broader conte7t.
3ife is similar. 1hat we sense is m)ch less than what there is. 1e "et )nhappy,
conf)sed, and an7io)s beca)se we9re i"norant of the bi" pict)re. 8)st as lookin" at a few
frames of a motion pict)re will not tell yo) m)ch abo)t the plot, neither will "oin"
thro)"h everyday life enli"hten )s as to the meanin" of o)r e7istence. ,or this life we are
livin" now is no more than a tiny snippet of what we have been, and what we will be.
5any people believe that if they only knew all the details of their for"otten childhood,
they wo)ld somehow -know themselves.0 B)t re:r)nnin" the film of o)r c)rrent life even
back to the moment of conception is eD)ivalent to watchin" a co)ple of seconds of a two:
ho)r movie. *f this is not conFect)re, b)t a fact of spirit)al science, it be"s D)estions that
need some answer.
<ne of these D)estions is: 6o/ did m e)rt!l e9istence begin in t!e first pl)ce7
.nswerin" this D)ery wo)ld take )s a lon" way toward knowin" the deepest spirit)al
mysteries. 4he search for be"innin"s, after all, is the )ltimate D)est of any science.
!hysicists are not satisfied with )nderstandin" the laws of nat)re, b)t want to know how
those laws came to be and why different laws do not ")ide material e7istence.
17
&osmolo"ists are happy st)dyin" the formation of stars from primordial matter and
ener"y, b)t wo)ld be ecstatic if they co)ld know the secret of the Bi" Ban" which, they
consider, bro)"ht o)r )niverse into bein".
%imilarly, even if we co)ld watch a film of o)r lifeBor myriad of livesBfrom start to
finish Ia fri"htenin" prospect, especially witho)t bein" able to edit that movieJ, it really
wo)ld not tell )s all that m)ch abo)t o)rselves and the cosmos. 1here, or what, was *
before * came to be -me/0 @ow that *9ve finished watchin" the last reel of the epic, -5y
;7istence as 5e,0 and reached the present moment, what happens ne7t/ +oes this film
ever end/ .m * trapped in some sort of theatrical ni"htmare in which * play vario)s roles
for eternity/ .nd here is the bi""est D)estion of all:
(s t!ere ) director7
1e m)st, in other words, try to come to "rips with a basic iss)e: -1ho9s in char"e
here, anyway/0 5ovies don9t F)st sprin" o)t of nowhere. Behind the scenes there is a
screenwriter, a director, a prod)cer, and all of those other folks whose names appear in
the final credits. Gnfort)nately, the fifteen billion year:lon" showin" of -Gniverse: Bi"
Ban" to 6i"ht @ow0 lacks any readily apparent credit linesBperhaps beca)se o)r movie is
not over yet.
(a0ing up to reality is as si!ple as 12324
How, then, co)ld it ever be possible to confirm the tr)ths of spirit)al science/ *s there
any way to t)rn o)r attention away from the show of materiality in which we are so
en"rossed, and learn abo)t the so)rce of this marvelo)s prod)ction/
Hes, this can be done. *t9s simple as 1, , #, b)t it9s not easy.
=1> 'lose our ees )nd le)ve )side t!e outside /orld1 for t!)t cle)rl is m)teri)l )nd
l)c8s )n met)p!sic)l signific)nce4 &!is le)ds ou inside our consciousness?p!sic)l
sig!ts1 sounds1 )nd ot!er sensor impressions !)ving been left be!ind4
=@> "it!in our consciousness1 elimin)te evert!ing person)l# t!oug!ts1 emotions1
im)ginings1 concepts1 im)ges1 memories1 )nd )nt!ing else pert)ining eit!er to t!e
ob.ective outside /orld1 or our sub.ective inner /orld4
=3> Simpl be )/)re of /!)t rem)ins in our consciousness4 &!is /ill be ob.ectivel
re)l1 bec)use it isnAt person)l4 -nd it /ill be met)p!sic)l1 bec)use it !)s no connection
/it! )n sensor impression or t!oug!t of t!e m)teri)l /orld4
&on"rat)lationsL Ho) may now be described as a realiEed h)man bein".
1ell, if yo)9re thinkin", -4here m)st be more to realiEation than this,0 yo)9re correct.
8)st as a scientific e7periment reD)ires caref)l preparation before it can be cond)cted
properly, so, as we have already disc)ssed, m)st an aspirin" spirit)al scientist form his or
her conscio)sness into a s)itable instr)ment for observin" hi"her states of reality.
1ron" actions, beca)se they brin" with them a chain of ne"ative reactions, or the
-sins0 of reli"io)s terminolo"y, are the anchors which keep o)r conscio)sness st)ck in the
dense m)ck of physical reality. *t is as if someone asked &hristopher &ol)mb)s, -1hat
relation co)ld there be between the anchors on yo)r ships, the BiC), +int)1 and S)nt)
0)ri), and yo)r findin" the @ew 1orld/0 . s)itable reply wo)ld have been, -1ell, my
friend, )ntil * raised those anchors * was bo)nd to the shore of %pain. 1ith the anchors
)p, my ships were free to set forth on a historic voya"e of discovery.0
5eality is real% 5eally6
4he cr)7 of the matter is this: metaphysical or spirit)al reality is not some far:off
fantasy land with no connection to everyday life. %pirit)al laws of e7istence shape the
physical laws of nat)re, and o)r own inner conscio)sness. 4hey are part of the str)ct)re
of the cosmos, not abstract concepts that can be reFected or accepted as we please. Aarma
1(
Bthe principle that each action prod)ces an eD)ivalent reactionBcontrols everythin"
mental and material, and is as impossible to avoid as "ravity.
*t doesn9t matter in the sli"htest if someone believes in "ravity, or not. *f he falls off
the roof, he hits the "ro)nd, !)rd. %imilarly, it doesn9t matter in the sli"htest if someone
believes in karma, or not. *f he "oes a"ainst the nat)re of life, he reaps the conseD)ence,
suffering.
Gravity, however, is an accepted scientific fact. Aarma, bein" a s)btle law of hi"her
conscio)sness, is not known to material science. *ma"ine a worker who wants to warn
passers:by abo)t the dan"er of standin" on a sidewalk directly )nder a "rand piano
perched on the ed"e of a hi"h roof. 4his warnin" will make immediate sense to anyone
familiar with the law of "ravity: since heavy obFects fall with a lar"e force, it is wise to "et
o)t of the way of anythin" s)bstantial that is abo)t to hit yo)r head. ;ven if the worker
simply pointed at the teeterin" piano, those familiar with the way "ravity worksBwhich
incl)des almost everyoneBwo)ld "et the warnin".
B)t the metaphysical law of karma is m)ch less )nderstood than "ravity, since its
operation is evident only by e7pandin" o)r conscio)sness. 4hat is why we have to
address so e7tensively the D)estion -1hat is 3ife/0 before we can appreciate how s)btle
spirit)al laws shape physical laws, and thro)"h this means always ret)rn to )s the F)st
conseD)ences of o)r tho)"hts and actions. <nly if we have some idea of the complete
pict)re will we see that these conseD)ences are not at all arbitrary, F)st as "ravity does not
operate on a whim. 5orality may appear as a matter of personal choice, b)t its
conseD)ences are b)ilt into the very fabric of reality.
5ising aboe t"e fog of !ind and !atter
,rom the spirit)al perspective, virt)e and sin, or ri"ht and wron" actions, are not
s)bFective concepts that each person can look )pon in their own way. 4hey are obFective
aspects of e7istence that can be i"nored, b)t not escaped. Ho) are free to keep yo)r eyes
on the sidewalk and i"nore fallin" pianos. However, fallin" pianos are not free to i"nore
the law of "ravity, nor is yo)r body free to i"nore the effect of a tho)sand po)nds of
wood and metal fallin" on it. .nd neither can we avoid e7periencin" pleas)re and pain,
health and disease, Foy and sadness, after havin" en"a"ed in the actions which ca)sed
those effects.
<)r condition is akin to walkin" alon" a street that is covered with a blanket of dense
fo". 4he fo" e7tends only ten feet or so above "ro)nd level, b)t that is taller than we are,
so we can see only a little of what is ahead of or behind )s, and nothin" at all of what lies
above o)r heads. .s we walk, s)rprises keep droppin" thro)"h the veil of fo". Here
comes a cascade of rose petals. How lovelyL @ow there is a torrent of hot coals. How
awf)lL ,ra"rant droplets of sweetly scented perf)me s)rro)nd )s for a while. 1e smile in
deli"ht. 4hen a p)n"ent odor descends which makes )s feel sick.
4his is the normal co)rse of life. <)r vision is clo)ded beca)se we e7perience only
the physical reality. 1e move alon" )ncertain of what is comin" )p ne7t. !leasant and
painf)l events rain down on )s, often witho)t o)r bein" s)re from where they have come.
1e are )nable to see whoever, or whatever, is above the fo" of o)r i"norance, or why and
how vario)s obFects descend thro)"h that fo" and enter o)r life. 4hese mysteries can
never be solved by simply thinkin" or perceivin". How can yo) fi")re o)t what is above
the fo" of materiality when yo) have no knowled"e that anythin" above physical reality
e7ists/ How can yo) see the hei"hts when yo)r eyes cannot penetrate the clo)ds of
)nknowin" that s)rro)nd yo)/
%o we t)rn to the spirit)al scientist. 4o "et above the fo" bank of this physical
)niverse and o)r mental misconceptions, we need to be receptive to the ")idance of those
1'
people who, thro)"h a practice of contemplative meditation, e7pand their conscio)sness
)ntil they are able to e7perience the complete pict)re.
Science is partial trut"7 !ysticis! is co!plete trut"
Birds and skydivers have a m)ch broader view of earth than rabbits and hikers.
%imilarly, tho)"h what we e7perience in the everyday world is real, mystics say it is a
weak reflection of )ltimate reality. .nd while the knowled"e of material science is tr)e, it
constit)tes F)st a small proportion of the absol)te tr)th.
%o let )s e7amine vario)s aspects of the bi" D)estion, -1hat is 3ife/,0 from both
points of view. ;ach D)estion will be"in with an overview of the obvio)s b)t partial
answer from material science, and then describe the more complete pict)re that comes
with the spirit)al perspective.
6emember, however, that both spirit)al and material science view reality as an
)nbroken whole. ;very part of e7istence is related to every other part in some way.
Gnderstandin" the nat)re of this -some way0 is the final "oal of researchers in either
science. <ne discipline )s)ally calls the power which holds everythin" to"ether -God;0
the other discipline often terms that power the -4heory of ;verythin".0 6e"ardless, the
"enerally reco"niEed fact that a sin"le reality lies behind the m)ltiplicity of appearances
has a cr)cial implication: it is impossible to completely fathom life by breakin" it into
parts.
<ne either "rasps )ltimate tr)th as a whole, or not at all.
.nd even when an attempt is made to describe less:than:)ltimate tr)th, foc)sin" on
parts obsc)res the whole. %o don9t be concerned if yo) find yo)rself wonderin" how the
followin" D)estions, which may seem disFointed, fit to"ether. .fter breakin" life into
pieces, the ne7t chapter will assemble those pieces into a complete pict)re.
("y is t"ere so!et"ing/ rat"er t"an not"ing#
Obvious and partial truth. Before delvin" into the details of what life is all abo)t, the
D)estion arises, -1hy is there anythin" at all, incl)din" lifeBand h)mans who ponder the
meanin" of life/0 4hat is, we tend to take e7istence itself for "ranted. Het the central
mystery that faces both scientists and mystics is how bein" came to be. *nterestin"ly, we
refer to o)rselves as h)man beings, perhaps o)t of a reco"nition that raw e7istence is the
fo)ndation that s)pports people and everythin" else in the cosmos.
@evertheless, some scientists believe that the )niverse always has e7isted, so it is
meanin"less to ask this D)estion, F)st as it is senseless to ask what time it wo)ld be when
infinity ends. B)t this still be"s the D)estion of why the -somethin"0 that s)rro)nds )s,
and is )s, e7ists at all, even if nat)re is infinite. %o science Iin this section we call material
science -science,0 and spirit)al science -mysticism0J either has to ass)me that the )niverse
has e7isted eternally in one form or another, or p)t forward theories s)ch as the Bi" Ban"
which raise as many D)estions as they p)rportedly answer.
,or e7ample, ass)me it is tr)e that the physical )niverse spran" into e7istence at the
moment of the Bi" Ban" some ten to fifteen billion years a"o. .nd since its birth the
)niverse has contin)ed to e7pand from a speck m)ch smaller than an atom to an
)nima"inable vastness containin" billions )pon billions of "ala7ies. However, we still
m)st ask, -1hat prod)ced the tremendo)s ener"y of the Bi" Ban", and where did t!)t
force come from/0 %cientists have not come close to answerin" this D)estion, callin" it
-metaphysical,0 since whatever prod)ced the time and space in which we now reside
obvio)sly transcends the ordinary laws of nat)re.
>)ite tr)e. B)t metaphysical is not the same as non:e7istent. .nd bein" )nable to
answer a D)estion does not mean that the D)estion is )nanswerable.
C
Subtle and complete truth. -God0 knows why creation e7ists. 4hat isn9t an offhand
statement. *t9s the tr)th. 5ysticism teaches that one can indeed know why there is
somethin" rather than nothin", b)t this is only possible by att)nin" oneself to the
conscio)sness of the creative power that ca)sed the creation.
5ystics a"ree with many physicists that the essence of the cosmos has e7isted
eternally. %ometimes, if it even makes sense to speak of time in the conte7t of eternity,
this essence takes on form, and becomes the creation. %ometimes -God0 remains an
)ndivided )nity, a wholeness witho)t parts, )nmanifest, beyond all description.
*nsofar as words can e7press spirit)al realities, mystics describe e7istence as God9s
play. 4his can be taken in several ways. <ne is that creation is a Foyf)l e7pression of the
creator9s infinite wisdom and power. .nother is that creation is directed: the c)rtain of
life rises and falls accordin" to a divine desi"n.
Babies learn how they were born only when they "row )p and are capable of
)nderstandin" the answer. %imilarly, o)r h)man conscio)sness m)st be raised to a
different state before we can comprehend the reason for creation. %till, even if we cannot
yet comprehend the intelli"ence which bro)"ht o)r )niverse, and m)ch more, into
e7istence, it is possible to "rasp that all we see aro)nd )s came into bein" for some
p)rpose, not by chance. 1e can learn somethin" from bein" alive, and the physical
creation is o)r classroom. ;ven more, reality is not only the teacher b)t the schoolho)se
as well, which brin"s )s to the ne7t D)estion.
("at is t"e 8so!et"ing9 fro! w"ic" existence is !ade#
Obvious and partial truth. %cience holds that everythin" in o)r )niverse, the only
part of e7istence that concerns the material sciences, is composed of matter. 4his is why
most scientists profess a materialistic philosophy of life. -1hat else is there/0 they ask.
1ell, it is accepted that matter and ener"y are eD)ivalent, as shown by ;instein9s famo)s
eD)ation: ;Iner"yJ N 5IassJ times &Ispeed of li"htJ

. %o it is F)st as acc)rate to say that

the )niverse is made of ener"y. 6e"ardless, science "enerally ass)mes that stars, and
rocks, and "oldfish, and ladyb)"s, and comp)ters, and brains, and everythin" else on and
off of earth, consist solely of physical matterOener"y.
However, some material thin"s are alive, and some are not. 4his is a bi" problem for
science. How co)ld life arise from inanimate matter/ <ne hypothesis, amon" many, is
that life was sparked into e7istence by li"htnin" strikin" some sort of chemical so)p in the
earth9s primeval oceans. 4his notion is appealin"Bespecially to those who enFoy
,rankenstein moviesBb)t has si"nificant loose ends.
Basically, it is e7tremely diffic)lt for science to )nderstand how the comple7ity of self:
reprod)cin" life "rows o)t of m)ch simpler inert matter. *t is as if yo) took a pile of
electronic parts, shook them to"ether in a paper ba", and o)t came a radio that not only
worked perfectly, b)t also co)ld prod)ce little baby radios. 4he odds of this happenin" by
chance are F)st abo)t Eero, yet this is the prevailin" scientific view of how life be"an.
,)rther, this radio analo"y doesn9t even address the iss)e of conscio)sness.
1hatever conscio)sness is, and the material sciences don9t have an answer to that
D)estion either, yo) are e7periencin" it at this very moment. +oes yo)r conscio)sness
seem to have the same -flavor0 to it as does the feel of a rock, or the Folt from electricity/
@o. Het science "enerally ass)mes that somethin" so ethereal arose from cr)de matter
and ener"y. ,ailin" to believe that conscio)sness simply was present at the moment of the
Bi" Ban", scientists m)st labor mi"htily to e7plain how it was prod)ced m)ch later in the
life of the )niverse.
Subtle and complete truth% 5ysticism a"rees with science that matter and ener"y
make )p physical e7istence. B)t mystics say there is more. .ll matter is intimately
1
connected with spirit in that everythin" is enlivened by spiritMs all:pervadin", vital ener"y.
4hose parts of the creation that are knowin" may be described as havin" a so)l. *t is the
knowin" parts of the creationBpeople, animals, plants, insectsBthat we "enerally term
alive. 4he mystic "oes so far as to say that matter, mind, and so)l are varyin" aspects of a
sin"le s)bstance: spirit. 4he easiest way to )nderstand this is to think of water, which is
known to chemists as H

< since each molec)le of water has two atoms of hydro"en and
one atom of o7y"en.
.nyone with a stove and a freeEer can confirm that water can e7ist as either a liD)id, a
solid IiceJ, or a "as IvaporJ. Heat an ice c)be above # , and it t)rns to liD)id; heat the
liD)id water to 1 , and it t)rns to vapor, or steam. B)t water always remains H

< no
matter how its appearance chan"es. %o we sho)ldn9t be all that s)rprised when mystics tell
)s that everythin" in e7istence, evert!ing1 is composed of spirit. 5atter, so to speak, is
-froEen0 spirit; mind is -liD)id0 spirit; and the so)l is -"aseo)s0 spirit.
1hat, tho)"h, is spirit itself/ 1hen the ocean of )ltimate reality IGodJ stirs in an act
of creation, a wave of spirit IGod:in:.ctionJ forms. 8)st as a wave possesses the same
attrib)tes as the ocean, so does the creative power of spirit reflect the omnipresence,
omniscience, and omnipotence of the s)preme reality from which it has arisen. %o
scientists are correct in viewin" the physical )niverse as made of ener"y. B)t physical
ener"y is stepped:down from the m)ch more potent spirit)al ener"y, F)st as a transformer
converts ho)se c)rrent into a weaker form of electricity.
%pirit, however, is not like an electrical c)rrent that flows only alon" wire pathways,
or water that is restricted to the bed of a river channel. @o, spirit is more like an
electroma"netic wave, s)ch as radio or television si"nalsBthe positive ener"y of creation
that fills all of space. ,)rther, and this is almost impossible to vis)aliEe, spirit not only fills
all of space, b)t creates space and time itself as it moves away from its p)re so)rce.
4h)s spirit)ality is not somethin" abstract, concept)al, other:worldly, or p)rely
metaphysical. 6ather the st)dy of spirit, which is tr)e spirit)ality, is the st)dy of reality.
,or whether spirit appears in the ")ise of matter, ener"y, mind, or as itselfBformless and
namelessBeverythin" in e7istence is composed of that all:pervadin" vital ener"y. %o
mysticism has no diffic)lty e7plainin" how life appeared on earth. %pirit is the positive
essence of life, the ever:livin" God. 3ife creates life, ri"ht down the scale.
*n this sense even s)b:atomic particles are alive, as are rocks and beams of li"ht. B)t
mystics e7plain that all life:forms that have what we call -life0 possess a D)ality that
matter and ener"y lack. *t is as if they e7ist above a partic)lar threshold of comple7ity,
and this we call havin" a so)l. 3ivin" entities have within them a 8no/ing spark of God9s
eternal fire. 4his makes plants, insects, animals, h)mans and other forms of life )niD)ely
akin to God. %o when we kill, we e7tin")ish the sacred fire of life; we sla)"hter somethin"
divine.
<f co)rse this philosophy, when taken to the e7treme, wo)ld make it impossible to
live a normal life, or even live at all. Ho) cannot "ive )p p)llin" weeds, swattin"
mosD)itoes, or eatin" ve"etables. *t is the reality of this world that one form of life can
e7ist only by in"estin" another form Ie7cept for plants which, aside from =en)s fly traps
and the like, s)bsist on raw matter and ener"y.J
However, if we s)stain o)rselves on hi"her forms of life that have a developed
conscio)snessBeven if we do not do the sla)"hterin" o)rselvesBthe pain and s)fferin"
they e7perience rebo)nds )pon )s. .ction prod)ces reaction, and it is we who initiate
s)fferin" and death by o)r demand. 1hatever distress we ca)se somehow is re"istered in
o)r conscio)sness, where it has to reappear one day and ca)se )s an eD)ivalent amo)nt of
pain.
4hat we have to take life to live is clearly a fact, b)t there is a bi" difference between

sla)"hterin" a cow and a carrot. .s the demand for food obvio)sly creates the s)pply, this
difference has enormo)s conseD)ences. 1hether we want to rise beyond the cr)dity of
physical e7istence and e7perience p)rer levels of spirit)ality, or simply be happy on this
earth, it is in o)r interest to avoid actions that lead to painf)l conseD)ences.

)ow !any states of reality exist#
Obvious and partial truth. &learly a physical reality e7ists, for we are livin" in it now.
*t is immediately apparent thro)"h the five senses. 1e can feel the hardness of rocks, see
the colors of flowers, hear the cries of birds, smell the fra"rance of perf)me, and taste the
sweetness of a berry. %cientists ma"nify the power of the senses thro)"h technolo"y,
which allows them to see faint "ala7ies billions of li"ht years away or feel the min)te
movement of a sli"ht earthD)ake. 4hese observations, of co)rse, are noted by somethin"
called the -mind,0 which certainly seems to be a different type of reality than material
e7istence.
However, most scientists consider the seemin"ly non:physical nat)re of the mind to be
an ill)sion prod)ced by the comple7 interaction of cells in the brain. 4he mind, they say,
really is F)st a kind of ne)ro:chemical sensation res)ltin" from all of the activity "oin" on
in the brain. 8)st as si"ht is a physical reaction to li"ht, and hearin" a reaction to so)nd,
so are tho)"hts, emotions, and other mental states a reaction to the transmission of
chemical si"nals within the brain. %o this doesn9t leave room for any reality other than the
material forces of nat)re. ;ven tho)"h mathematicians and physicists theoriEe abo)t
hi"her dimensions of reality, these are considered to be -ima"inary0 in the sense that no
one ever co)ld e7perience them directly.
Subtle and complete truth. 5ysticism teaches that not only is this viewpoint of
science incomplete, it is very misleadin". *n tr)th the mind is most definitely not an
ill)sory offshoot of the brain, nor is physical e7istence the solid fo)ndation of reality.
6ather, the brainBand everythin" else made of matterBis a reflection of a more real level
of e7istence, m)ch as a mirror reflects a two:dimensional ima"e of whatever three:
dimensional obFect is in front of it. <)r material world is an ima"e of a hi"her mental
reality.
*n other words, mind comes first and "ives rise to matter. 4his is not a personal mind
like yo)rs and mine, b)t an impersonal level of conscio)sness called )niversal mind.
;verythin" in the physical world has its be"innin"s in this hi"h mental sphere. 4he
)niversal mind contains the root ca)se of everythin" in the physical )niverse and other
non:material planes that lie between it and the physical world. 4hese intermediary planes
or de"rees of conscio)sness act as steppin" stones, so to speak, between two very
different levels of bein": p)re mind and physical matter.
5ysticism teaches that there are many levels of conscio)sness beyond o)r physical
)niverse; there is not F)st one -heaven.0 4he place where people "o after death, or in a
near:death e7perience, is only the first floor of the immensely tall skyscraper of &reation.
%tartin" from o)r everyday level of conscio)sness, each realm is e7perienced as more
bea)tif)l and l)mino)s as the presence of p)re spirit increases. ;ach level is more refined
than the one before. .s 8es)s said, -*n my ,ather9s ho)se are many mansions.0 I8ohn
1$:J 1itho)t knowin" how to rise )pward on the elevator of spirit, it is easy for
someone F)st enterin" the many spirit)al planes to believe they have reached the kin"dom
of God.
4hese refined planes of e7istence are not an idea, or some abstract theolo"ical
concept. 4hey are act)al levels of bein" which can be entered and e7plored by anyone
who knows how to e7perience them. <ne m)st nat)rally )se a non:physical means of
travellin" to these metaphysical re"ions, a practice that develops the spirit)al fac)lties that
#
are intrinsic to oneMs conscio)sness.
,or this reason these domains are better tho)"ht of as states of conscio)sness than as
some "hostly version of the physical world. .s dreamin" coe7ists with wakin" Iyo) can
move between these two states of conscio)sness easily, especially when yo)9re tiredJ, so
do hi"her realms of bein" coe7ist with the everyday world.
However, F)st as it is m)ch easier to "et in a canoe and float downstream rather than
paddle )pstream, so is enterin" a lower state of conscio)snessBsleep and dreamin"B
m)ch easier than reachin" a hi"her state thro)"h meditation. 4his is why few people are
able to directly e7perience these planes of reality. 5any talk abo)t them, or claim that
some an"el or other entity has told them all abo)t these heavenly re"ions, b)t this is very
different from "oin" there at will. *ma"ination is not reality, nor is hearsay solid evidence.
*t is only when we pro"ress beyond the mental sphere, the realm of )niversal mind and
the framework of everythin" below it, that we act)ally e7perience a state of p)re spirit.
<nly then can the ineffable state of @irvana, or p)re conscio)sness, be e7periencedBGod:
as:God.
5ystics say, tr)ly, this can9t be ima"ined. 4o know s)ch a reality, it m)st be
e7perienced. 4he p)rpose in even mentionin" it is to impress )pon the reader that
whatever we believe we know abo)t creation, it isn9t m)ch. .ccordin" to the mystics, o)r
)nderstandin" of life is e7tremely limited. ;ven worse, most of )s are completely i"norant
of o)r i"norance. 1e hold onto a l)mp of clay when diamonds are within o)r reach. .ll
we need to do is let "o of the one and take hold of the other. B)t those spirit)al "ems
cannot be "rasped with o)r physical hands. %o it is time to ask, -1hat are we made of/
,lesh, bone, and blood, or that and somethin" more/0

("at is a "u!an being#
Obvious and partial truth. 1e are a physical body. 4his m)ch is clear as * watch the
fin"ers of my hands type o)t these words. 4hese hands are connected to arms, the arms
to a tr)nk, and this whole con"lomeration is ")ided by an entity known as -me0 who
seems to reside within my head, or brain. 4his is tr)e for yo) as well, even tho)"h the
shape and siEe of o)r bodies may be very different. ;very person has some sort of
physical body, tho)"h parts of itBs)ch as an arm, le", or breastBmay be missin" d)e to
an accident, illness, or birth defect.
B)t when o)r brain is missin", or dead, scientists consider that /e are "one also. %o
this clearly is the most important part of the h)man body. Brain death is "enerally
considered by doctors to mark the end of life, even tho)"h the l)n"s, heart and other vital
or"ans still are f)nctionin". .nd when people talk abo)t their event)al death, most are
more afraid of losin" their mind in old a"e, than of s)fferin" some sort of physical
disability. 4h)s it seems evident that even tho)"h o)r body is essential for life, a body
witho)t a mindBwhich seems to prod)ce o)r sense of personal identityBco)ld hardly be
called a h)man bein".
.s was noted previo)sly, the bi" D)estion is this, -.re we made )p of anythin" other
than the physical matter that constit)tes o)r body/ 1hat does prod)ce o)r Ph)manness9 if
it isn9t physical matter/0
%cience cannot answer that D)estion, beca)se it takes on face val)e the evident fact
that when a person9s body dies, whatever seemed to inhabit that body also dies. 1hen a
h)man is no lon"er livin", the person who apparently inhabited his physical form cannot be
fo)nd. %o it appears reasonable to ass)me that we have no e7istence apart from o)r
body, which nat)rally implies that death is to be feared, rather than welcomed. *f it is bad
eno)"h to lose part of one9s mind thro)"h senility or .lEheimer9s disease, it seemin"ly
wo)ld be m)ch worse to lose )ll of yo)r mind and sense of personal identity at the time of
$
death.
4he @ew Horker &ollection 1''7 6obert 5ankoff from cartoonbank.com. .ll ri"hts reserved.
Subtle and complete truth4 4hankf)lly, the mystic says, we are m)ch more than a
b)nch of chemical elements packa"ed to"ether in a clever fashion and "iven the ability to
move, sense, and think for a few decades of life before ceasin" to e7ist and disinte"ratin"
into nothin"ness. 4he tr)th is that matter, o)r body, is only a flimsy shell that temporarily
encases other livin" realities which possess m)ch more permanence and vitality than the
physical form.
.fter the death of o)r physical body, we find o)rselves in a more refined state of bein"
that is sometimes referred to as o)r -astral0 form, meanin" -of the stars.0 *t is called this
beca)se the astral body is described as sparklin" with millions of particles resemblin" star
d)st. *n some sense it resembles o)r previo)s physical form b)t is more l)mino)s and
bea)tif)l. !l)sBand this is really "ood newsBthe astral form doesn9t s)ffer from diseases
or other ailments. B)t in other respects, since the same mind as we have now is still with
)s, o)r h)man stren"ths and weaknesses remain with )s after death.
4his means that the time we spend at this level of conscio)sness is temporary. *f o)r
mind reflects stron" earthly habits, desires and attachmentsBand )s)ally this is the caseB
then before too lon" we will find o)rselves reincarnated into another physical body. 3ife
"ives )s what we deserve thro)"h the perfectly F)st law of karma. Beca)se most people
lean decidedly more toward the worldly than the spirit)al, it follows that the "eneral
co)rse after death is back -down0 to earth, or the physical plane. 4hose, however, who
have been able to free their mind si"nificantlyBwho have spirit)al rather than worldly
tendenciesBmay have reached the level of p)rity necessary to move -)p0 to hi"her
realms.
4he ne7t si"nificant point on the ladder of conscio)sness is when one has shed oneMs
astral body. <)r p)re spirit)al nat)re then is masked only by a final coverin" of mind.
4he hi"hest and most refined level of mind is, in essence, one with the )niversal mind,
which as already mentioned is the ca)se and ori"in of all life below it. 4his state of bein"
?
is called the -ca)sal body0 or -ca)sal self0 simply beca)se it is the startin" point, or
fo)ndation, of everythin" that happens in a person9s life. *t is said to be m)ch finer than
the astral level, F)st as the astral is considerably finer than the physical state. Given this
fact, few descriptions of it are meanin"f)l, other than to say that it is very s)btle and
bri"ht. ;very e7perience that we have, life after life, is recorded at this hi"h level of o)r
ca)sal bein". %o it contains the root ca)ses for vario)s aspects of o)r character and
personality.
.fter this comes p)re spirit, o)r so)l, which can be known directly only after o)r
conscio)sness separates itself from its physical, astral, and ca)sal coverin"s. 4his is the
only eternal and p)rely spirit)al part of )s. . drop of spirit, or p)re conscio)sness, the
so)l itself e7ists )ns)llied by mind or matter. 4his is why it is necessary to leave behind all
impressions of mind and matter before the f)ll potential of the so)l can be known.
&)rrently the so)l is hidden by the coarser coverin"s of o)r other bodies, m)ch as an
astrona)t is enclosed first by his space s)it, then by the shell of his space vehicle. 1hen
people watch the la)nch of a manned space mission they know that a conscio)s astrona)t
is on board, b)t all that is visible from "ro)nd level is a mass of inert metal.
%imilarly, we normally don9t e7perience o)r so)l, as o)r attention foc)ses on what we
think we really are: o)r physical self and mind. %omewhat stran"ely, mysticism teaches
that this very attention is the life force that is the so)l. %o while we9re lookin" all aro)nd
inside and o)tside of o)rselves tryin" to fi")re o)t who or what we areBreadin" books,
"oin" to psychotherapy, talkin" with friends, thinkin" abo)t life, practicin" o)r reli"ionB
the very entity that is doin" all this fi")rin" is what we9re lookin" for. %tandin" in the
middle of a river, we9re askin", -1here is the water/ * don9t feel any waterL0
1ell, the problem is that Imetaphorically speakin"J we9ve p)t on thick hip boots and
have stepped into a metal divin" s)it. <nly naked skin feels the coolness and wetness of
water, and only the naked so)l f)lly e7periences the warmth and love of God. 5ost of )s
are concerned abo)t p)ttin" e7tra po)nds on o)r physical body, b)t o)r real problem is a
different kind of obesity: the b)rden those coverin"s place on o)r so)l. 4he so)l is a bird
that cannot fly from its ca"e of mind and matter.
("at can influence us#
Obvious and partial truth. %cience basically has three answers to the D)estion of
what infl)ences )s: heredity, environment, and possibly free will. -Heredity0 means all of
the attrib)tes that are encoded in the cell)lar +@. we9ve inherited from o)r father and
mother. 4his determines o)r hei"ht, eye color, predisposition to certain diseases, and
many other thin"sBmost of which are F)st be"innin" to be identified by researchers.
-;nvironment0 means the world o)tside of )s. 4his incl)des o)r family )pbrin"in",
c)lt)re, ed)cation, and si"nificant interactions with other people.
.nd -free will0 is kind of an Q:factor )sed to e7plain what heredity and environment
cannot, altho)"h many scientists find little evidence that we can ever act independently of
all hereditary and environmental infl)encesBwhich wo)ld be necessary if o)r will were to
be tr)ly -free.0
3eavin" aside the specifics, it is clear that if science considers o)r physical body to be
the only real part of )s Ithe -mind0 bein" a prod)ct of nerve cells in the brainJ, then only
physical ca)ses can affect )s. Hearin" an ins)lt, children in the Gnited %tates often recite
the rhyme, -%ticks and stones may break my bones, b)t words can never h)rt me.0
%cience has a similar attit)de: if it isn9t material, it can9t affect )s.
1ords are carried by so)nd waves which enter the ear canal and set off a comple7
series of physiolo"ical events which c)lminate in what we call hearin". 4he same "oes for
seein", tastin", smellin", and to)ch. Genes tri""er the release of chemical s)bstances that
6
end )p directin" how o)r body develops and mat)res. 5ore e7amples co)ld be "iven, b)t
we are makin" a simple point: from the viewpoint of science, evert!ing that affects )s is
physical in nat)re. ;ven o)r tho)"hts and intentions, the possible so)rce of whatever free
will we may possess, can be traced to ne)ro:chemical patterns in the brain, and can be
cr)dely viewed by modern machines which sense brain activity.
4h)s it wo)ld seem that if we co)ld know every detail of the environmental infl)ences
that have affected )s from the moment of conception, pl)s all the "enetic herita"e with
which we were born, there wo)ldn9t be m)ch else that co)ld be infl)encin" )s ri"ht now.
Subtle and complete truth. 5ysticism knows that physical infl)ences are only part of
what can affect )s, beca)se we are more than o)r physical body. %ince every person
e7ists at vario)s levelsBphysical, mental, and spirit)alBno material science can be
complete witho)t )nderstandin" how these states of bein" interrelate. 4here is a
contin)o)s interaction between the s)btler aspects of o)rselves and the coarser bodyOmind
with which we are m)ch better acD)ainted. <)r s)btle selves, in other words, affect )sB
and are affected by )sBin m)ch the same way as we relate to o)r physical body.
*t does not s)rprise )s at all when we are f)EEy:headed and listless beca)se o)r nose is
r)nnin", o)r throat is sore from co)"hin", and the thermometer we placed )nder o)r
ton")e reads 1C ,. 4hat is, we take it for "ranted that how we think and feel is affected
by how healthy o)r physical body is. *sn9t it tr)e that life seems m)ch bri"hter and more
cheerf)l when we are physically healthy than when we aren9t/ 4)rnin" thin"s aro)nd,
isn9t it also evident that the conscio)s entity * term -myself0 can positively affect bodily
health by decidin" to e7ercise, eat ri"ht, "et eno)"h sleep, and so on/
%pirit)al science, then, doesn9t seem so mystical when it is )nderstood that a similar
sort of interplay takes place between all o)r levels of bein". 5edicine increasin"ly
reco"niEes the importance of the -mindBbody connection.0 ;ach affects the other.
5ystics simply "o one or two steps f)rther and say that o)r mind and body also interact
with o)r so)l or spirit)al self.
3ife, as we keep comin" back to, is m)ch "rander and more involved than it )s)ally
appears. 5ost of )s think of o)rselves as a physical body inhabited by a mind and
personality called -me.0 * can infl)ence other people, as well as myself, thro)"h my mind
and body. 4hey can do the same. H)mans converse, read books, fall in love, fi"ht, debate
philosophy, kiss and h)". .ll of these person:to:person interactions are physical in nat)re,
as are my interactions with nat)re itself: wind on my face, a bee stin", seein" moonli"ht on
water, strokin" a cat9s f)r.
.ll of this certainly is a part of life. Het what we "enerally fail to reco"niEe are the
messa"es received and sent by the non:material parts of o)rselves. 8)st as o)r physical
body is connected with the physical world, so are o)r more refined levels of bein" closely
tied to hi"her planes of e7istence. .nd o)r so)l is in close comm)nion with the )ltimate
reality of spirit, the presence of which is intimated to )s in vario)s waysBperhaps most
meanin"f)lly thro)"h the mystery of love.
<ne day the world seems dark and depressin" to )s. 4he ne7t day o)r life is filled
with l)ster and levity. 1hat has chan"ed/ @ot the world, b)t o)r vision of it. 4he arrival
of love bri"htens o)r conscio)sness, m)ch as the s)n, comin" o)t from behind a clo)d,
ill)minates a dreary landscape. @o matter the obFect of o)r affectionBa woman, a man, a
pet, a newborn baby, perhaps even a belief or an ideaBlove somehow transforms o)r
inward vision, even tho)"h most of o)r o)tward circ)mstances remain )naltered.
5y car still won9t start. *9m as m)ch in debt as * ever was. 5y boss contin)es to say
he9ll have to fire me if b)siness doesn9t pick )p soon. 1hile * )sed to worry a lot abo)t
these problems, now *9m barely concerned abo)t themBbeca)se today *9m in love, and
everythin" is ri"ht with the world. *sn9t it amaEin" that somethin" immaterial which we
7
can9t be"in to define, m)ch less p)t o)r fin"er on, or see thro)"h a microscope, has s)ch
marvelo)s power/ %till, worldly love frees )s only partially from the confines of an
an7iety:ridden, e"o:encaps)lated e7istence, while )nion with spirit is a love that liberates
completely.
%o lon" as we are livin" in materiality, whatever we think and do at the physical level
has reperc)ssions that we wo)ld be wise to reco"niEe. ,or o)r non:physical forms are
what will remain when the physical body dies. Bein" non:material, o)r s)btle bodies
contain not flesh and blood, b)t intention and desire. 1hile the material effects of a
tho)"ht or action infl)ence only o)r physical body, the non:material effects are -capt)red0
by those s)btler bodies.
. farmer "oes o)t to the barnyard, "rabs a chicken, and c)ts its head off. His wife
cooks the chicken for dinner. .fter the farmer9s stomach di"ests the meat, and his body
absorbs n)trients and eliminates waste prod)cts, the physical effects related to the
chicken9s killin", cookin", and eatin" no lon"er are evident. 4h)s it seems that those
actions are )nable to f)rther infl)ence the farmer. However, the terror and pain
e7perienced by the chicken have been recorded in that animal9s s)btle -bl)eprint0 of life
that contin)es to e7ist, and the farmer9s intention to kill which led to the chicken9s demise
has been made a part of the farmerMs mental -karmic record.0
%o the story that be"an with a visit to the barnyard is not yet over. 3ife is fair, and no
imbalance is tolerated for lon". ,or the moment the farmer has enFoyed a tasty dinner, and
the chicken has end)red a cr)el death. 4he scales of F)stice seem to be tilted decidedly in
one direction. Het we only are able to see the immediate and obvio)s effects of any
action. 4he lon":term effects are hidden from view, since it is on finer levels of e7istence
that a record is made of everythin" that a person Ior animalJ has done or e7perienced.
8)st as it is said that an elephant never for"ets, neither does the moral law of F)stice.
4o )nderstand how fairness operates )nder s)ch circ)mstances we need to consider
another D)estion.
("at is t"e beginning and end of a person's life#
Obvious and partial truth. %eemin"ly life be"ins with birth and ends with death,
tho)"h scientists can trace a h)man e7istence back to the moment of conception when a
male sperm fertiliEes a female e"". ,rom this h)mble be"innin" as somethin" m)ch
smaller than a pinhead, we develop into a mat)re person who can write or read a book like
this. 8)st as science tells )s that the tremendo)s ener"y of the Bi" Ban" marked the birth
of the e7pandin" )niverse, and that this ener"y is ine7orably dissipatin" Iin accord with the
%econd 3aw of 4hermodynamicsJ, so does h)man life mirror the cosmic flow.
.fter receivin" a f)ll complement of brain cells, these ne)rons "rad)ally be"in to die.
.fter several decades o)r m)scles be"in to lose their yo)thf)l stren"th; o)r skin its l)ster;
o)r mind its clarity. 1hether death comes s)ddenly or "rad)ally, it never fails to make an
appearance. 5en and women try to forestall, or i"nore, this imm)table fact thro)"h a
variety of means: plastic s)r"ery, cosmetics, affairs with yo)n"er people, total immersion
in work or home life, creatin" art or children which will -live on beyond me.0 4he list is
endless, b)t o)r earthly e7istence is not.
4he D)estion is: does my life tr)ly be"in at conception and end at death/ *f it does,
then there is every reason for me to want to live as lon" as possible, and cram as many
e7citin" and pleas)rable e7periences as * can into my one and only e7istence on earth.
However, if it doesn9t, then everythin" chan"es. ,or now * know that somethin"B
whatever it isBawaits me on my death bed, and was present with me before * was born.
1hile * once saw my life standin" on its own as a complete vol)me, perhaps it is b)t a
brief chapter in a m)ch lon"er narrative. .re we, then, part of a serial in which -4o Be
(
&ontin)edR0 concl)des each episode of life, or is -4he ;nd0 written in bold letters with
o)r last breath/
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
Subtle and complete truth% Here a"ain, mysticism has a m)ch broader perspective
than the limited view of science. .dept spirit)al scientists, while livin", can raise their
conscio)sness to the state where others "o after they die. *n the lan")a"e of spirit)ality
this is sometimes called -dyin" while livin".0 <ne learns to -die0 to all physical stim)li
while remainin" physically very m)ch alive. By "atherin" all of the ener"y of his or her
attention into a sin"le non:material foc)s, the spirit)al adept travels beyond the world of
the senses and enters a different state of conscio)sness.
1hat is seen there bears a close resemblance to the descriptions of many who have
had near:death e7periences and ret)rned to tell their tale. ,or e7ample, both mystics and
many near:death ret)rnees tell of the -life review0 that occ)rs at the point of one9s
physical death. Here, in a process that somehow happens almost instantaneo)sly, we re:
visit all the events of o)r life, m)ch as one hears a person who s)rvives a near:fatal
accident say, -5y life passed in front of me.0
4his is a scary tho)"ht for most of )s, and by itself is reason eno)"h to act caref)lly in
all that we do. 1ho can say that they wo)ld welcome seein" a replay of everythin" they
have done or tho)"ht d)rin" a lifetime/ .lmost everyone wo)ld want to t)rn away d)rin"
parts of that screenin", b)t we are told that the -theater0 in the metaphysical plane
demands complete attention to both o)r "ood and bad deeds.
%ome believe that after a person has seen this review of their life, the recent decedent
decides on his or her own whether to ret)rn to earth for another birth. 4his, mystics say,
isn9t tr)e. 4he )niversal law of ca)se and effect determines what happens after we die,
not o)r personal preferences. ;ven tho)"h we may a"ree with the decision reached after
all the tho)"hts and actions of o)r previo)s earthly e7istence have been balanced, we do
so beca)se the res)lt is absol)tely fair. 1e "et what we deserve. <nce *9ve learned basic
arithmetic, it doesn9t matter whether a teacher tells me that S N $ or if * fi")re that o)t
myself. 4he answer depends )pon the obFective reality of mathematics, not a personal
s)bFective choice.
%o what happens to )s after death Iand before birth, which amo)nts to the same thin"J
is not in o)r control, e7cept insofar as we can be"in actin" now to deserve better later.
6i"ht livin", thro)"h actin" in harmony with the complete pict)re of the creation, enables
one to remain at hi"her levels of conscio)sness for some timeBwhich may be a lon" time
in earthly years. However, event)ally )nf)lfilled desires and )nfinished b)siness re"istered
in the mind lead almost every so)l to a rebirth here on earth.
4hen o)r s)btle bein" takes on a physical coverin" a"ain, and we start o)t once more
as an infant in the womb. @ormally every conscio)s memory of o)r previo)s life, and
intervenin" soFo)rn at hi"her planes, is erased. However, o)r likes and dislikes, stren"ths
'
and weaknesses, affinities and aversions, all stand as indirect si"ns of previo)s lives.
Believe it or not, yo) have lived before. .nd yo) will live a"ain, at least )ntil yo)
have settled yo)r acco)nt with life and paid all the d)es yo) owe to other livin" bein"s
that bind yo) to this level of e7istence. 6eincarnation, tho)"h, can appear as a stran"e
-eastern0 concept to many in the 1est. However, Greek philosophers s)ch as !lato and
!lotin)s believed in reincarnation, as did the early &hristians and many within the mystic
tradition of 8)daism. .nd polls show that ? percent of people in the Gnited %tatesBa
predominantly &hristian nationBshare a belief in reincarnation with Hind)s and
B)ddhists, who make )p abo)t a D)arter of the world9s pop)lation.
6eincarnation is one of the central pillars that s)pport the mystical tenet: life is fair. *t
provides the necessary time span for the scales of F)stice to be balanced, since clearly s)ch
does not always occ)r in a sin"le life. .nd reincarnation answers with simple clarity the
ve7in" D)estion, -1hy do bad thin"s happen to "ood people/0 I.lon" with the converse,
-1hy do "ood thin"s happen to bad people/0J.
4he wheels of cosmic F)stice sometimes "rind e7ceedin"ly slowly, b)t they always
"rind e7ceedin"ly fine. @o action escapes bein" kneaded into the bread of pain or
pleas)re. 1hen we bite into life and break a tooth on an )ne7pected rock of hardship, be
ass)red yo) baked that loaf yo)rself, yet have for"otten what yo) p)t into it. %imilarly,
the enFoyment we "et from tastin" life also comes from a recipe penned by o)r own hands.
,ort)nately, in every life we have the opport)nity to become better -cooks0 and
prepare fare that will be healthier for )s in the f)t)re. ,or instance, a practical implication
of the central messa"e of this book is that anyone who kills animals for food is like a chef
who ad)lterates the in"redients. 5aybe a small amo)nt of a to7ic s)bstance will make
yo) barely ill, b)t a b)ild)p of to7icity can kill yo). .nd it isn9t F)st the physical body that
may be affected by wron" actions, for the ne"ative effects of s)ch actions can remain in
o)r s)btle bein" for a lon" time, and be manifested anew with each s)cceedin"
reincarnation in a physical form.
@ow we ask, -1ill * always "et a !um)n form/ *s it merely a fi")re of speech when a
br)tish person is referred to as an Panimal9 or a devoted pet as a Ptr)e friend9/ &o)ld these
terms be some sort of premonition of the life that awaits less:than:h)man people and
more:than:beastly pets/0

("at diides "u!ans fro! ani!als and ot"er liing t"ings#
Obvious and partial truth% *nterestin"ly, science and mysticismBor material science
and spirit)al scienceBare in closer a"reement re"ardin" the answer to this D)estion than
one mi"ht e7pect. Both find a stron" connection between all forms of life, which makes it
impossible to draw a hard and fast line between h)man bein"s and so:called -lower0
species. %cience, after all, views evol)tion as a well:established fact, since it is clear that
maFor life:forms have appeared and disappeared over many millennia. 5ammals didn9t
e7ist h)ndreds of millions of years a"o, and dinosa)rs aren9t alive now.
1hat is )ncertain is e7actly !o/ these chan"es have come abo)t. 4ho)"h many
details remain to be e7plained by +arwin9s theory of how life on earth has evolved
thro)"h s)pposedly random "enetic m)tations and nat)ral selection of the most viable
m)tations, there is "eneral a"reement that modern h)mans are links of an ancestral chain
that e7tends far, far back into prehistoric times.
&himpanEees share at least '(T of the +@. possessed by people. %o from a "enetic
perspective, only abo)t 1 part in ?C of h)man bein"s differs from a life:form that most
wo)ld re"ard as decidedly -s)b:h)man.0 4his means that there is a rather stran"e
dichotomy between scientific fact and social c)stom. 4ho)"h people basically are hi"hly
evolved animals Ispend a few ho)rs in any sin"les bar to confirm thisJ, we still act as if
#C
there were a "reat divide between o)rselves and other speciesBeven the primates, with
whom we share the "reatest kinship. <therwise, why wo)ld we find it so acceptable to
keep chimpanEees confined in p)blic viewin" areas IEoosJ for o)r am)sement, when no
civiliEed society wo)ld condone this bein" done to people/
However, there are si"ns that scientific pro"ress is startin" to break down this ill:
fo)nded belief that h)mans and animals have little in common. 4he fast "rowin" field of
evol)tionary psycholo"y is discoverin" that all kinds of modern h)man behaviorBse7)al,
familial, a""ressive, cooperativeBis the fr)it of adaptations that have roots which are
h)ndreds of tho)sands, or even millions, of years old. 4here is, it appears, not all that
m)ch difference between a man tryin" to impress his date with a red B51 and an
.merican ;7press Gold &ard, and a male bird spreadin" its colorf)l feathers and str)ttin"
abo)t a female of his species in a matin" dance.
8)st as science is findin" that people are more animalistic than we mi"ht like to believe,
so too are researchers discoverin" that animals have more h)man:like characteristics than
was previo)sly tho)"ht. !orpoises and "orillas are able to )nderstand symbols and even
-talk0 thro)"h "est)res or si"ns in a primitive fashion. <ther animals )se tools for vario)s
p)rposes, s)ch as apes who )se twi"s to scoop ants o)t of b)rrows and hammer n)ts with
a sto)t stick to break open the shell. 4his may seem a far cry from desi"nin" a comp)ter
chip, b)t it is easy to ima"ine o)r ancestors be"innin" their lon" Fo)rney toward modern
technolo"y by lookin" lon" and hard at a piece of wood and vis)aliEin" how it co)ld be
p)t to "ood )se.
%cience tells )s that what makes people different from animals is that we have more
intelli"ence and brain power than lower speciesBnot that o)r conscio)sness differs in
kind from theirs. .s for the h)man body, a c)rsory comparison of a person and a "orilla
reveals that o)r physical form also is m)ch the same as other primates, only not as hairy,
more )pri"ht, and less m)sc)lar. 4here is a chimpanEee species that walks on two le"s,
and it is eerie to watch an animal o)twardly appearin" so m)ch like a h)man. .nd,
)nfort)nately, there is plenty of evidence that many h)mans act no better than animals.
<ne doesn9t need to say any more on that s)bFect. 8)st watch the evenin" news.

Dilbert reprinted by permission of Gnited ,eat)re %yndicate, *nc.
Subtle and complete truth. 5ysticism a"rees with science that a stron" bond e7ists
between people and animals, and indeed amon" all life of every sort. 4he reason is simple:
life is one. .nother way of p)ttin" it is that all life shares a common denominator:
conscio)sness or spirit. %ince the so)l, the individ)al conscio)sness, is part of the one
ener"y that is God, this means that the essence of every livin" thin"Bwhether it be a blade
of "rass, a worm, a chicken, a monkey, or a h)man bein"Bis the same. Gnity divided into
any n)mber of seemin"ly separate parts still is )nity, <ne witho)t a second.
However, even tho)"h conscio)sness is common to all livin" entities, the bodies which
cover that drop of spirit can appear very different. 4his leads )s to believe, incorrectly,
#1
that there is a wide ")lf between vario)s species. *t is as tho)"h nat)re was a carnival, a
5ardi Gras, in which so)ls p)t on all kinds of cost)mes to dis")ise themselves. 1hen we
see a "iant caterpillar snakin" its way down the streets of 6io de 8aneiro, we realiEe that
there are people beneath that cost)me. 1hen they take off their dis")ises, the reality of
what lay beneath appearances is revealed.
*t is more diffic)lt to realiEe the commonality of all life. .s was disc)ssed earlier, the
so)l normally is well:hidden by its coverin"s of mind and body. ;ven if we were able to
see livin" bein"s witho)t their earthly form, those other s)btle coverin"s wo)ld obsc)re
the one li"ht of conscio)sness that shines in all.
H)mans, animals, insects, and plants differ in the degree of conscio)sness a partic)lar
body and brain can manifest, m)ch as the same air blowin" thro)"h a chimney or a pipe
or"an will prod)ce a considerably different so)nd d)e to the nat)re of the s)bstance
thro)"h which it passes.
4h)s some livin" entities, s)ch as carrots and wheat stalks, manifest only the sli"htest
de"ree of conscio)sness. 4heir cr)de ve"etable body and r)dimentary ve"etable mind
allow F)st a "limmer of spirit9s li"ht to shine thro)"h. ;ven so, the conscio)s ener"y of
spirit is si"nificant, for ve"etables -know0 how to t)rn toward the s)n, and how to "row
from a tiny seed to a mat)re plant.
*nsects have a more refined body and mind. 5embers of an ant colony or a hive of
bees act in ways far beyond the capacity of plants. However, most of this behavior is
instinct)al and ro)tine. *s there any evidence s)""estin" that insect "eni)ses e7ist who
can do asto)ndin" thin"s that their peers cannot/
.nimals, on the other hand, are m)ch more individ)alistic. *t is not )ncommon to see
si"ns of a hi"her mind str)""lin" to reveal itself thro)"h an animal brain and body.
.lmost every do" and cat owner feels that if their pet co)ld talk, that animal wo)ld have
somethin" interestin" to say.
4he perspective of the spirit)al scientist reveals to )s that these feelin"s have a stron"
basis in reality. .nimals are b)t one step removed from the more hi"hly evolved self:
conscio)sness of h)man bein"s. !ossessin" a mind and body that not only can think, b)t
can think abo)t thinkin", we have been able to create a comple7 world of symbols which
acco)nts in lar"e part for what we call o)r -h)manness.0 %o if people saw a cow in a feed
pen scratch o)t words in the dirt with its hoofB-HelpL * don9t want to dieL0Bwo)ld not
they consider that animal to be closely akin to themselves, and be D)ite rel)ctant to
consi"n it to a fate in the sla)"hterho)se/
<f all the forms of life, science tells )s that the other kinds of mammals are the most
closely related to h)mans. 4his fits with people9s int)itive sentiments. 6arely does one
find a home with a pet carrot named -5)ffy0 "rowin" in a flower pot, or a pet fly bein"
looked after in a tiny ca"e, b)t do"s and cats are )biD)ito)s and their owners often treat
them almost as family members.
#
4he @ew Horker &ollection 1''( 8ack Kie"ler from cartoonbank.com. .ll ri"hts reserved.
!erhaps one of the reasons for this is that in some cases animals were or will be o)r
act)al kinBnot in a metaphorical sense, b)t in act)ality. 4his deserves more than a few
lines of e7planation, so let9s move on to a D)estion that foc)ses on reincarnation and the
-transmi"ration0 of so)ls from one physical body to another.

Can an ani!al eer beco!e a person/ or a person an ani!al#
Obvious and partial truth% -@o, of co)rse not,0 most scientists wo)ld say
confidently. -4he idea is abs)rd.0 .fter all, who has ever seen a h)man metamorphose
into another sort of creat)re/ *n movies this can happenBwitness &!e Fl and &!e
S!)gg +rofessorBb)t never in real life. Het what wo)ld yo) call a woman who coldly
and willf)lly m)rders her own children/ How co)ld we describe a man who kidnaps,
rapes, and tort)res his victims/ -Beast0 or -animal0 seems appropriate, tho)"h even
harsher adFectives wo)ld be more fittin".
5ost wo)ld a"ree that h)man bein"s are capable of descendin" to animalistic
behavior. .nd stories abo)nd of devoted pets who have performed a heroic or self:
sacrificin" act that wo)ld make any person pro)d. 4h)s it is common to find people
actin" like animals, and animals actin" like people. However, d)rin" a sin"le life, it is
indeed impossible to drastically chan"e one9s physical formB)nless yo) are a
caterpillarOb)tterfly, or someone with lots of money and a willin" plastic s)r"eon.
%cience ends )p, then, in an interestin" position. .s was noted previo)sly, the theory
of evol)tion is well:accepted by most material scientists. %o they find nothin" stran"e in
the notion that life takes on vario)s ")ises d)rin" millions, or billions, of years. @ow it
appears as primitive bacteria, then as lobster:like trilobites. Here life ass)mes the form of
a dinosa)r, there a primate. ;vol)tion apparently has been p)nct)ated by massive and
rapid e7tinctions, followed by an almost eD)ally swift e7plosion of new species, yet life
has never stopped flowin" in ever:chan"in" patterns since its appearance on earth some
##
fo)r billion years a"o.
*t seems clear that the le"acy of a wondro)s variety of creat)res m)st be co)rsin"
thro)"h h)man +@. in one form or another. ,or science teaches that if yo) co)ld retrace
yo)r family tree step by step thro)"h millions and millions of "enerations, this awesome
"enealo"y wo)ld lead yo) down thro)"h the earliest moments of recorded history, back
into prehistoric times, and far, far beyond to a"es when life was F)st be"innin" to emer"e
from the primeval seas that covered the earth.
4he "enes that make each one of )s what we are now )nD)estionably have their roots
at the be"innin" of this vast span of time d)rin" which life has e7isted on o)r planet. Ho),
and each one of )s, is a leaf that has spro)ted from the top of an immense "enetic
herita"e. ,rom this perspective we9ve been many, many different forms of life, some of
which are still reflected in o)r physical make)p. %cientists speak, for instance, of the
-reptilian0 and -neomammalian0 parts of o)r brainsBwhich are holdovers from a time
lon" a"o when o)r ancestors act)ally were reptiles or early mammals.
Hes, tho)"h we may point with pride to a pict)re on o)r mantel of some distin")ished
relative a few "enerations back, we also sho)ld reco"niEe the ne7t snake that slithers past
as a distant co)sin. %cience tells )s this is tr)e. Het the idea that not only my +@., b)t
me myself Iwhoever that mi"ht beJ, has e7isted in many types of animal, insect, and even
plant formsBthat somehow is considered by most scientists to be a ridic)lo)s notion. *s
it/
Subtle and complete truth% 5ysticism has little D)arrel with the theory of evol)tion
Bas lon" as it is reco"niEed that life evolves not randomly, b)t )nder the ")idance of an
intelli"ence which is far beyond o)r ability to fathom. .ll that is evident are the res)lts of
the divine will reflected most imperfectly in the fossil record and the c)rrent diversity of
species. *f o)r inner spirit)al vision was clear, we wo)ld see that the physical form of life
on earth adapts to match the minds of the bein"s which inhabit those bodies, not the other
way aro)nd.
*n other words, before a dinosa)r body appears on this planet, a dinosa)r mind m)st
be present. 1here does s)ch a mind come from/ 1ell, F)st as physical bodies are
considered to evolve in accord with laws of ca)se and effect Is)ch as m)tation and nat)ral
selectionJ, so do mental bodies evolve and devolve in accord with the law of karma, which
is nothin" other than ca)se and effect applied in the metaphysical and moral sphere of
action.
4he same so)l, accordin" to its chan"in" mindsets, inhabits many, many different kinds
of physical bodies d)rin" one9s personal evol)tion. .n individ)al9s evol)tion reflects
nat)re9s evol)tion of species. <nce a bein" has reached the limits of -fishiness0 Iso to
speakJ, it9s time to move on to -amphibianness,0 then to -mammalness,0 and perhaps
event)ally to -h)manness.0 .n appropriate physical body always is ready for a mind and
so)l to move into.
3ife seems to be like a company where everybody "ets the e7act promotion, or
demotion, which they deserve. +o a "ood Fob as a fro", and yo) can move )p a notch to
be a "oat. 4he corner office on the top floor is reserved for those few so)lsOminds who
earn the ri"ht to inhabit a h)man body. &onscio)sness shines most clearly thro)"h the
h)man form. 1ith o)r )niD)e self:awareness, we even can become aware of -o)rself,0 o)r
tr)e self that is p)re spirit. +o"s and cats can9t meditate, b)t people can.
4h)s mysticism has a )niD)e perspective on bein" h)man: rather than spendin" so
m)ch time thankin" o)r l)cky stars or c)rsin" o)r miserable fate for what we are
e7periencin" in life, instead we sho)ld be e7ceedin"ly "ratef)l for the simple fact that we
are h)man. ,or"et the aches and pains, the Foys and pleas)res, and all the rest that
)navoidably comes with livin" a h)man life. .ll this is F)st smoke that obsc)res a
#$
powerf)l reality: we are fort)nate to be in a h)man body at all.

T"e "u!an body is a rare opportunity
5ystics )r"e )s to look at o)r present sit)ation from the broad perspective described
in the precedin" e7planation of the nat)re of life. .ss)me for the moment that what
yo)9ve read is tr)e. ;very livin" thin" on earth is, in essence, so)lBa conscio)s spirit)al
bein"Bencased in layers of s)btle coverin"s and a physical form. 4his incl)des insects,
plants, animals, h)mans. @ow, F)st compare the h)man pop)lation on this planet, abo)t
si7 billion in 1''(, with how many other life:forms there are. 4he idea of co)ntin" the
separate blades of "rass on even a sin"le vast prairie D)ickly leads to the concl)sion that
the n)mber of so)ls in the physical creation is !uge.
4his is why the h)man body is s)ch a rare and precio)s commodity. 5ost so)lOmind
entities are st)ck flyin" aro)nd as a "nat before bein" "obbled )p by a bird; or are rooted
to the earth for a season or two as a weed; or swim abo)t in a school of fish )ntil eaten by
a lar"er predator. .s m)ch as we may love nat)re, livin" as an insect, plant, or animal
wo)ldn9t be most people9s first choice. %o it is s)rprisin" that people are so inclined to
become Iin .merican slan"J a -co)ch potato,0 or to -breed like rabbits,0 or stay -as b)sy
as a bee.0
1e9ve already done those sorts of thin"s many, many, many times d)rin" the billions
of years life has e7isted on earth. 5ystics ask, -1hen are we "oin" to learn that we
already have e7perienced se7, work, family life, and all the rest that "oes with everyday
h)man e7istence, when we e7isted in forms other than the h)man body/0
6eally, there isn9t all that m)ch difference between comm)ters with briefcases "oin"
back and forth to their Fobs in a central city, and a line of ants marchin" in and o)t of a
hole in the "ro)nd carryin" bits of leaves. <r between b)cks fi"htin" in the forest for the
ri"ht to mate with female elk, and several men competin" to pick )p an attractive "irl at a
beach.
4hese aren9t F)st metaphors. 1e act)ally have been insects and animals in previo)s
incarnations. 1hatever those lower forms of life do, we have done already. @ow is the
time to act like a 4r)e H)man Bein", a term which comes from *slamic mysticism. *t is
said that both animals and an"els are enslaved by their nat)res: one to always act beastly,
the other to always act divinely. <nly h)man bein"s have been "iven the ability to choose
which way to face: toward earth or heaven/
*t is a fact, not h)mancentrism, that h)man bein"s are the top of creation. ;ven an"els
reportedly yearn for a h)man form, beca)se spirit)al development can occ)r m)ch more
rapidly on the physical plane than in hi"her states of e7istence. 4his may be beca)se
s)fferin" is "reater here, and )s)ally it is s)fferin" which sp)rs )s to transcend o)r
everyday plane of conscio)sness, whereas residents of the spirit)al planes are more
content with their elevated state and so have less lon"in" for chan"e.
Sow seeds today for a "arest to!orrow
%cience wo)ld have )s believe that life always moves toward "reater conscio)sness
and mental capacity. 6ather easily reco"niEed in the fossil record is the )pward
evol)tionary trend that has led to the remarkable h)man form each of )s inhabits at
present. Hidden from the eyes of sense perception and reason is the ascent and descentB
evol)tion and devol)tionBof individu)l minds and so)ls since the moment of creation.
4ho)"h presently the "eneral direction of conscio)sness on this planet may indeed be
)pward Iand even this is s)bFect to debateJ, every bein" follows a )niD)e path that can
lead in any direction dependin" )pon one9s actions and desires.
#?
5ystics therefore warn )s to be caref)l abo)t what we do and think. @ot fearf)l, F)st
caref)l. ,or the karmic seeds we are sowin" now will spro)t one day in the f)t)re. *t is
entirely possible to wake )p in a field of nettles after "oin" to sleep in a bed of
wildflowers, since death and rebirth erases the memory of what we have sown in each life.
1arnin" )s, therefore, they ask, -+o yo) wish to move )pward towards "reater freedom
and conscio)sness, or downward on lifeMs evol)tionary scale/0
#6
+ll Life .s Our Fa!ily
&!e science of t!e 0)sters1 in de)ling /it! m)n )nd !is destin1 must )lso de)l /it! t!e
universe of /!ic! m)n is ) p)rt1 ) unit4 Bo one c)n g)in even )n intellectu)l
underst)nding of !is o/n interests until !e !)s some compre!ension of t!e universe of
/!ic! !e is )n integr)l p)rt1 )nd /it! ever p)rt of /!ic! !e is in some m)nner rel)ted4
* t!e /ord universe1 /e me)n v)stl more t!)n ) fe/ g)l)9ies of st)rs1 suns )nd pl)nets
pointed out b )stronomers;(f t!e modern scientist ob.ects t!)t /e )re tring to e9tend
t!e field of science beond its legitim)te scope1 let !im remember t!)t science !)s been
for centuries e9tending its bounds1 enl)rging its fields of oper)tion4 "! s!ould /e no/
tr to limit it7
8)lian 8ohnson, 5.+.
1
4aken sin"ly, each piece of the p)EEle of life disc)ssed in the last chapter admittedly
can be challen"ed by a scientifically minded rationalist. Het this also occ)rs in science.
@o scientific theory rests on its own merits. *t has to be connected to a lar"e body of
related theories before it is accepted. %cientific tr)th abo)t e7istence is akin to a spider9s
web. ,acts abo)t reality are interconnected with other strands of tr)th that, to"ether,
make )p an intricate pattern. @o strand of a web stands alone. By foc)sin" on only a
sin"le part of either a spider9s web or life as a whole, we miss seein" the meanin" of the
overall desi"n.
Here is a s)mmary of the ei"ht D)estions that have F)st been addressed. Aeep in mind
that these D)estions and answers only scratch the s)rface of what mysticism knows abo)t
reality. %till, the followin" table provides a "ood overview of how science and mysticism
view life.

>)estion !artial answer of science &omplete answer of
mysticism
I1J 1hy is there
somethin", rather than
nothin"/
Gniverse is eternal, or
D)estion cannot be
answered
God, the creative power,
knows why creation e7ists,
and we can know by
knowin" God.
IJ 1hat is the
-somethin"0 from which
e7istence is made/
5atter and ener"y %pirit, God9s essence that is
the tr)e form of matter and
ener"y
I#J How many states of
reality e7ist/
<neBphysical )niverse ,o)rBphysical, astral,
ca)sal, and spirit)al states
of bein"
I$J 1hat is a h)man
bein"/
<ne bodyBphysical ,o)r -bodies0Bphysical,
astral, and ca)sal bein"s,
pl)s a so)l Ithe spirit)al
bein"J
I?J 1hat can infl)ence
)s/
!hysical heredity and
environment, pl)s ImaybeJ
free will
!hysical and mental
heredity IkarmaJ, pl)s spirit
Ithe positive creative
powerJ
#7
I6J 1hat is the be"innin"
and end of a person9s
life/
!hysical birth, or
conception, and physical
death
6eincarnation leads to
many, many physical births
and deaths
I7J 1hat divides h)mans
from animals and other
livin" thin"s/
>)antity, not D)ality, of
brain9s conscio)sness
;7tent to which so)l9s
conscio)sness is manifested
I(J &an an animal ever
become a person, or a
person an animal/
@o, since an entity inhabits
only one type of body
d)rin" its life
Hes, thro)"h karmic law
and reincarnation in another
life

*n every area we can see that mysticism "oes beyond, b)t does not contradict, the
concl)sions of science. 4his is an important point. %pirit)al science is not opposed to
physics or the other material sciences. 4here are tr)ths abo)t material reality, and there
are tr)ths abo)t non:material reality. *f a person prefers to live in the bay of the physical
)niverse, rather than the ocean of spirit)al conscio)sness, then he or she has every ri"ht to
do so. Het F)st as it is impossible to )nderstand why the water in a bay rises and falls
witho)t knowin" abo)t ocean tides, so will we be limited to partial answers abo)t the
nat)re of life witho)t takin" a broader metaphysical or spirit)al perspective.
%cientists are )nable to e7plain why o)r )niverse is here at all, nor can they even say
how this central eni"ma of e7istence co)ld one day be answered. 4his alone seems to
doom h)manity to eternal i"norance abo)t the most important D)estions of all: from
where have we come and why are we here/ *f we believe that creation was the res)lt of a
chance -Bi" Ban",0 then life itself m)st be p)rposeless. *f there was no reason for o)r
be"innin", then what reason co)ld there be either for o)r e7istin" or o)r endin"/
,rom 6)pp &r)ils by Berke Breathed. &opyri"ht 1''C by Berke Breathed.
By permission of 3ittle, Brown and &ompany.
*n this way, on both a cosmic and a personal level, science implies that birth, life, and
death essentially are random events. 4he )niverse has no intrinsic meanin" other than what
we ima"ine for o)rselves.
5ysticism, on the other hand, says the divine )ltimate reality never has been, and
never will be, separate from creation. .ll that e7ists comes from one reality and is part of
that one reality. &all it God. &all it what yo) may. <neness, or God, cannot be divided.
%o it is impossible that any nook or cranny of e7istence co)ld be disconnected from
the divine wellsprin" of e7istence. 4here is, *9m afraid Iand "lad, at the same timeJ no
place to hide from o)r creator9s view. ,or we o)rselves are this reality, tho)"h presently
mind and matter have obsc)red o)r awareness of that fact, m)ch as the s)btlety of steam
is not evident when water is liD)id or froEen.
%pirit, God9s essence, is an all:pervadin" vital ener"y that can take on a myriad of
#(
forms, incl)din" physical matter and ener"y, dependin" )pon the rate at which spirit
-vibrates.0 %o every part of creation, whether it be a rock, an electron, a "ala7y, a starfish,
a clo)d, or a h)man mind, has an intimate connection with s)preme reality thro)"h the
wave of spirit that enlivens and ener"iEes each particle of e7istence.
However, the connection of spirit with materiality is s)btle. *t is not obvio)s even to
people who believe that God e7ists, not to mention the skeptical eye of material science.
4his leads scientists to believe that nothin" e7ists o)tside the physical )niverseBe7cept,
perhaps, other -dimensions0 that are mathematically real, b)t cannot be observed directly.
*t is no wonder, then, that God appears to be a primitive myth to those with a lo"ical and
scientific bent. -*f God is all:powerf)l, all:knowin", and ever:present,0 they ask, -where is
the evidence that this bein" e7ists/ *f the .lmi"hty is tr)e to his title, one wo)ld think that
God9s power and "lory wo)ld not be so well hidden.0
T"is unierse is a reflection of a reflection of a reflection
*n response to this D)estion, mysticism reminds )s that there is m)ch more to creation
than its two poles of o)r physical )niverse and God. 4here are many levels of reality in
between. 4his makes it easier to )nderstand how the force of spirit, God:in:.ction,
becomes pro"ressively -stepped:down0 as it creates and s)stains states of reality that are
f)rther and f)rther from their divine so)rce. 8)st as we can e7ist on different levels of
individ)al conscio)sness Ithe microcosmJ, there are vario)s levels within the whole of
e7istence Ithe macrocosmJ.
,or clarity these may be described in terms of the fo)r maFor states of bein"Bspirit)al,
ca)sal, astral, and materialB)sin" the terms that describe their distinctive D)alities. 4hese
states are not abstractions, b)t obFective levels of reality, the hi"hest bein" the most
permanent and real.
;ach plane of life is a reflection of the ne7t. 4he physical )niverse is a reflection of the
astral plane, which is a reflection of the ca)sal plane, which in t)rn is a reflection of the
p)rely spirit)al plane where mind and matter do not e7ist at all. .nd beyond all is the
naked ref)l"ence of p)re bein", of )nity, of God:as:God. %o in the maFestic str)ct)re of
creation there are vast realms of increasin"ly cr)der de"rees of reality between God and
the physical level.
8)st as &ol)mb)s tho)"ht that he co)ld sail strai"ht from %pain to the ;ast *ndies, b)t
fo)nd a lar"e continent lyin" in his path, so does the ca)sal plane, the domain of the
)niversal mindBand its reflection at the astral levelBstand between anyone tryin" to
travel from materiality to spirit)ality.
1hen scientists penetrate as deeply as they can into the mysteries of the atom, or the
earliest moments of the Bi" Ban" that created o)r )niverse, they end )p with
mathematical form)las and abstract conceptionsBnot anythin" that can be to)ched, seen,
smelled, heard, or tasted. 4his is beca)se investi"ations into the fo)ndation of matter, or
the be"innin" of material e7istence, necessarily approach the bo)ndary between the
physical )niverse and whatever lies beyond. Here it seems that the intelli"ence of man
has a limited capacity to )nderstand the mental -bl)eprint0 of the material creationB
lawf)l patterns that lie behind the workin"s of nat)re and can be acc)rately described by
eD)ations.
4he important point to remember is that a non:material reality, dominated by what
mystics call mind, encompasses the physical )niverse. ;verythin" here comes from there,
m)ch as a material ho)se is b)ilt from bl)eprints prod)ced by the mind of an architect.
4his means that -mentality0 comes before -materiality,0 and in that sense it is more real,
bein" both more permanent than, and the ca)se of, the physical world. Goin" f)rther,
spirit)ality is the conscio)s essence that ener"iEes both mind and matter, yet is )s)ally well
#'
hidden.
(e are !uc" !ore t"an a p"ysical body
4he veils or coverin"s of spirit can be )nderstood to be both o)tside and inside )s, for
h)man bein"s mirror the desi"n of the cosmos. 1hat is witho)t also is within. ,or
e7ample, science knows that there is a physical world and that people have a physical
body. @ice match. <)r or"ans of perceptionBeyes, ears, and so onBare desi"ned to
receive sensory impressions from o)tside )s and convert them into messa"es which o)r
brain can interpret. 4hen we can act in accord with that information and send messa"es
back to the e7ternal world by talkin", to)chin", writin", and so on.
%pirit)al science simply "oes f)rther and says that F)st as we have a physical body
which is well desi"ned to interact with the physical world, so do we also have an astral
form and a ca)sal form which are eD)ally well s)ited for thrivin" in the astral and ca)sal
planes of life. 1hile we )s)ally can9t see these s)btle bodies, this doesn9t mean they don9t
e7ist.
Both science and mysticism a"ree that ca)se and effect r)le the states of e7istence
dominated by matter and mind. @othin", in other words, F)st happens. ;verythin"
happens for a reason, even if we cannot reco"niEe or )nderstand the ca)se behind a
partic)lar effect. Het since science believes that h)mans are nothin" b)t a physical body,
science ass)mes that anythin" affectin" )s m)st be physical also.
."ain, it is easy to )nderstand why most scientists hold firmly to this materialistic
world view. <)r physical senses obvio)sly can perceive only physical obFects, and
everythin" that enters o)r conscio)s mind likewise is material in ori"inBspoken or written
words, m)sic, si"hts and so)nds of nat)re. ;ven memories of the past and ima"inin"s of
the f)t)re merely resh)ffle the materialistic contents of o)r brain.
%cience also reco"niEes that we possess a sort of memory that preceded o)r birth in
the form of o)r "enetic inheritance, the +@. present in all cells of o)r body. %o heredity
Iinternal infl)encesJ and environment Io)tside infl)encesJ s)pposedly have combined to
make )s what we are today, perhaps with a dash of free will thrown into the recipe to add
some spice and )npredictability. 5ysticism follows ri"ht alon" this way of thinkin", b)t
e7pands the sphere of ca)se and effect to incl)de o)r s)btle selves.
:ar!a;our spiritual 8D<+9
5)ch as "enes contain inherited information that ")ide the development of o)r brain
and the rest of o)r physical bodyBincl)din" o)r hei"ht, eye color, predisposition to
certain diseases, innate intelli"ence, and so onBeveryone carries with them a non:material
-karmic record0 that essentially is their inheritance from previo)s lives. 8)st as +@. is
stored in every cell of o)r physical bein", so is this record stored in o)r ca)sal, or mental,
body. %ince it is recorded at a non:material level, karma contin)es to e7ist after the
physical body dies. 4h)s in many ways karma is to o)r ca)sal bein" as +@. is to o)r
physical body, e7cept that we inherit +@. from o)r parents, and we -inherit0 karma from
o)rselves.
.ltho)"h we may not )nderstand precisely how +@. works Inor do scientists, for
that matterJ, still one can accept that "enetic infl)ences have a "reat effect on )s even if
we are not conscio)s of their operation. 1ho, after all, choosin" an e7ample with which
many are familiar, can sense their "enes tellin" their scalp to develop a bald spot/ Het
lookin" at the back of oneMs head in the mirror, there it is. %imilarly, every moment
karmic infl)ences from o)r ca)sal mind are affectin" o)r tho)"hts, desires, intentions,
emotions and actionsBthe whole kit and caboodle of h)man life. 4his )nderstandin"
leads to a more realistic and scientific conception of free will than the -* can choose to do
$C
whatever * wantL0 attit)de of many people.
Caug"t in t"e web of experience
1hen yo) look into an infant9s eyes, yo) see a freshness and openness that is most
appealin". 4o a yo)n" child the world is new, e7citin", f)ll of potential. Gnfort)nately,
by the time one9s body and mind are mat)re eno)"h to take advanta"e of the seemin"ly
)nlimited possibilities open to )s, we already are bein" confined by the conditionin"
imposed by e7perience.
&onsider this e7ample: a tr)stin" toddler happily walks )p to a nei"hbor9s pet do",
who t)rns o)t to be a mean:spirited pit b)ll. .fter recoverin" from several s)r"eries, this
child will be fearf)l of approachin" stran"e do"s a"ain, and will almost certainly shy away
from a career as a do" trainer.
!ositive e7periences, on the other hand, lead )s to want to repeat them. . yo)n"ster
praised early on for his or her vocal ability almost certainly will keep on sin"in", and
perhaps event)ally become an accomplished professional. 4he opposite, of co)rse, also
applies. %omeone who keeps bein" told, -*t9s <A if yo) want to sin" with )s, b)t F)st
move yo)r lips and don9t make any so)nd. Ho) can9t carry a t)ne,0 likely isn9t "oin" to
be ea"er to a)dition for the school choir.
5)ltiply a myriad of daily e7periences by the #6? days in a year, then by the (C years
in a typical h)man life. 5ost, if not all, either enco)ra"e or disco)ra"e )s to act, think, or
feel in some partic)lar way. By the end of o)r days, whatever s)pple freedom we seemed
to possess at birth has been molded and shaped into a well:defined form that the elderly
often refer to fondly as -my f)ll life.0
*sn9t it tr)e that if yo) think back to when yo) were m)ch yo)n"er, yo) can reco"niEe
many intimations of the person yo) event)ally "rew )p to be/ %o the pat phrase often told
to children, -Ho) can be anythin" yo) want to be,0 isn9t tr)e. 6i"ht from birth certain
aven)es be"in to be closed to )s, while other paths open )p.
5ysticism says that this is only a small part of the story. @o one is born as a blank
slate, beca)se all livin" thin"sBincl)din" peopleBhave already lived many, many times
here on earth. ;ach life has been as rich in its own way as the one we are livin" now,
tho)"h nat)rally composed of different sorts of e7periences. %o the mental record of all
o)r e7istences is )nima"inably f)ll of likes and dislikes, positive and ne"ative happenin"s,
innate abilities and incapacities, and many other sorts of -karmic memories0 that
accompany )s from birth to birth. !erhaps this sho)ld be considered by the many people,
in .merica at least, who are tryin" to "et in to)ch with their repressed or for"otten
childhood e7periences.

-any birt"s/ !any lies/ !any deat"s
-1hich childhood/0 asks mysticism. -Ho) have had co)ntless )pbrin"in"s as a yo)th,
not to mention an eD)al n)mber of descents into old a"e or premat)re death.0 .nd most
of these lives have been in other than a h)man form. 5any times we have spro)ted from a
seed and "rown )p rooted to the soil as a plant; many times we have hatched from an e""
and learned to fly thro)"h the air as a bird; many times we have emer"ed from an animal9s
womb and fo)"ht to s)rvive thro)"h tooth and claw. @ow we find o)rselves as h)mans
able to ponder, if not directly know abo)t, those previo)s incarnations by virt)e of o)r
self:awareness.
1hatever we have been has made )s what we are now. 4he c)rrent of the past flows
with perfect harmony and precision into the pool of the present moment, where life9s
stream of )nbroken e7perience moves onward into the f)t)re. 4hro)"ho)t, spiritBthe
)nchan"in" essence of matter and mindBtakes on a myriad of forms, F)st as water can be
$1
po)red into F)"s of any shape or siEe witho)t alterin" its nat)re. 4here is complete order
)nderlyin" the s)ccessive incarnations of o)r so)l into vario)s bodies, each possessin" a
different physical and mental capacity.
4he wonderf)lly e7act hand of karmic ca)se and effect, which serves as the primary
adaptive tool in the creator9s workshop, always makes best )se of available materials.
1hen the law of karma finds a mind filled with beastly desires, that animalistic mentality is
directed to inhabit a body best s)ited to f)lfill its cravin"s. 5ore docile minds take birth in
creat)res with a like body. .nd when an evolved mind has developed positive D)alities
that are beyond the capacity of an animal brain, that mind nat)rally is born in a h)man
body.
Life/ all life/ is our fa!ily
*n this way, all of life is o)r family. 6oses and dandelions; b)tterflies and scorpions;
an"elfish and sharks; peacocks and crows; lambs and ti"ers; and, of co)rse, every h)man
bein". ,rom the spirit)al perspective, each plant, each insect, each fish, each bird, each
animal, and each person is o)r kin.
6i"ht now yo) and * are people who have only h)man relatives that we reco"niEe.
Het in tr)th, every type of life has been a close relation to )s at some point d)rin" the lon"
Fo)rney of o)r mind and so)l. .s diffic)lt as it may be to believe, we have e7isted many
times as plants, insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals. 4ho)"h death erases the conscio)s
memory of o)r previo)s incarnation, somewhere on a hi"her level of conscio)sness the
impressions of other lives are retained.
5any people, )nfort)nately, are not sensitive eno)"h to feel their kinship with their
non:h)man nei"hbors. 4hey tend to look at life as tho)"h peepin" thro)"h a narrow
keyhole: only a tiny part of what lies on the other side of the door of materiality is evident
to them. <ften payin" lip:service to a belief in God, the creator, they act with abysmal
disrespect to that part of creation which manifests God9s D)alities most clearly and directly
Blife. 4hey consider h)mans, and a few select animals, to be the only livin" bein"s
worthy of love and compassion.

$easts wit" a nap0in and a for0
.lon" these lines, we mi"ht reflect whether it is stran"e that a central part of
celebratin" the -4hanks"ivin"0 holiday in the Gnited %tates, which s)pposedly is a time
for "ivin" thanks to God, )s)ally involves killin" and eatin" an animal. I*f yo) are not
familiar with .merican c)lt)re, yo) may be able to identify similar festivals that occ)r in
yo)r own land.J
,amilies and friends "ather aro)nd the table at mealtime, hold hands, and solemnly say
a prayer. 4hen they set abo)t c)ttin" )p and eatin" the body of a t)rkeyBor some other
creat)reBthat possessed a si"nificantly developed conscio)sness before bein" sla)"htered
for the pleas)re of the 4hanks"ivin" celebrants.
$
;dward Aoren 1''7 from 4he @ew Horker &ollection. .ll ri"hts reserved.

. ve"etarian invited for the celebration mi"ht feel as if he or she has entered the lair of
a pack of lions who happen to possess h)man bodies. 4ho)"h they )se a knife and fork,
and wipe their lips with a napkin after each bite of meat, it appears as a sanitiEed version
of what occ)rs after a kill by a lion h)ntress on the savannas of .frica.
;ven the protocol is m)ch the same. ,emale lions do the h)ntin", b)t the dominant
Iand, not coincidentally, lar"erJ males "et the first taste of the kill. .nd at 4hanks"ivin"
who traditionally carves the t)rkey that )s)ally has been cooked by the womenfolk/ 4his
is another hint that h)man behavior often is closely linked to o)r animal herita"e. H)man
bein"s, however, possess somethin" lower species don9t have: self:awareness. *t is this
)niD)e ability which makes )s capable of conscio)sly discriminatin" between ri"ht and
wron".

Co!passion for ot"ers
<)r power of discrimination may lead )s to either an intellect)al or int)itive
comprehension of the sacred nat)re and oneness of life. 4his, in t)rn, may help )s to feel
comp)ssion for ot!ers Ilater weMll talk abo)t somethin" different, comp)ssion for oneself>4
4his first kind of compassion makes )s cry )pon seein" pict)res of starvin" children; reach
for o)r checkbook when a charity asks for money to shelter the homeless; take the arm of
an elderly person who is havin" diffic)lty crossin" a b)sy street; and become a ve"etarian
once we realiEe how eatin" meat ca)ses so m)ch pain and s)fferin".
&ompassion for others stems from several so)rces: one is a deep and lar"ely
$#
)nconscio)s memory of o)r e7periences d)rin" many lives in vario)s kinds of physical
bodies. 4hese impressions from the past prod)ce certain tendencies, both positive and
ne"ative, in )s. ,eelin" compassion, or empathy, is a si"n that we have been doin"
somethin" ri"ht in o)r previo)s births, since a partial realiEation of the )nity of life is
penetratin" the fo" of mind and matter that otherwise keeps )s blind to tr)th.
.nother so)rce of compassion comes from the "rowth of spirit)al )nderstandin" ri"ht
now, in this present e7istence. ."ain, this can occ)r either by means of reasonin" or from
a direct and immediate e7perience. 6e"ardless, we be"in to comprehend the real nat)re of
both o)r -horiEontal0 relationship to other people, and other forms of life, and o)r
-vertical0 relationship to that lar"er life force which s)stains )s at every moment, now and
after death. <nce these kinds of realiEations be"in to dawn, it no lon"er is possible to
keep doin" many of the thin"s we )sed to do.
,rom +enguin Dre)ms )nd Str)nger &!ings by Berke Breathed. &opyri"ht 1'(? by 4he 1ashin"ton !ost
&ompany. By permission of 3ittle, Brown and &ompany.

Co!passion for oneself
B)t there is an eD)ally stron", if not stron"er, motivation than compassion for others
to be caref)l of what we do and think. <nce one comprehends the workin"s of karma,
moral behavior flows nat)rally from a compassion for oneself. ;ven if * am not concerned
abo)t the s)fferin" of other people or animals, * certainly care abo)t my own s)fferin".
%o it behooves me to think and act in ways that will offer me the best chance of findin" the
happiness and peace of mind that * am seekin".
3ike travelers who have lost their way, each of )sBin o)r own fashionBis tryin" to
ret)rn to o)r home. @ot o)r earthly home, b)t o)r place of ori"in, o)r spirit)al so)rce.
.nd this, as we have already noted, will be fo)nd by e7pandin" o)r own conscio)sness.
1e will never be tr)ly happy )ntil we realiEe what we are first and foremost: spirit. %o if
we have compassion for o)rselves, we will try to ens)re that o)r tho)"hts and actions
take )s closer to this spirit)al "oal, not f)rther away.
*f we are walkin" a mile to o)r earthly home and take fifty steps forward for every
step backward, obvio)sly we will "et there soon. .lmost as D)ickly, in fact, as if o)r
pro"ress was always in the homeward direction. However, if we walk forward three steps
then backward three stepsBor worse, backward five stepsBwe never will be able to pass
thro)"h o)r front door.
4he p)rest or hi"hest level of conscio)sness is o)r home, and it is to here that we want
to ret)rn. ;very livin" bein" is a traveler. ;ach tho)"ht and action is a step in some
direction. <)r so)l, a drop of spirit, is the compass that points the way homeward, for it
lon"s to ret)rn to its so)rce. 4he problem we face is knowin" which steps, which
tho)"hts and actions, will take )s closer to where we want to "o. 4hese we may call
-ri"ht0 actions. *f we want to reach o)r home D)ickly, we also need to know how to take
bi" steps homeward, and only tiny steps, if any, in the wron" direction.
$$
4here are several reasons to be ca)tio)s abo)t missteps. @ot only do these side trips
delay )s, they also ca)se )s pain. &onsider that the very notion of a spirit)al -path0
implies that there is ro)"her territory on either side of the road to hi"her conscio)sness.
%o if we stray from that path, there are thorns and brambles, pain and s)fferin", ready to
entan"le )s. 4he more wron" steps one takes, the deeper one moves into the
)nder"rowth of disease, )nhappiness, affliction, and misery.
1e "et thrown off co)rse beca)se most of )s are more stron"ly att)ned to o)r mind
and body than to the moral compass of the so)l. 4he conscio)s ener"y of o)r so)l is a
spirit)al ma"net that will always be attracted to its so)rce, so lon" as the so)l is not overly
infl)enced by other forces that p)ll it in a different direction.
)ow to tell t"e difference between rig"t and wrong
5oral codes, s)ch as the 4en &ommandments, are one means of keepin" on the ri"ht
track. Het how co)ld any "eneral list of -do9s0 and -don9ts0 encompass all the specific
tho)"hts and actions in which a person en"a"es/ 1e need a clear, )nambi")o)s means of
decidin" between what is ri"ht and what is wron". %pirit)al science provides this, a
strai"htforward yardstick to determine the moral val)e of a tho)"ht or action.
Rig!t t!oug!ts )nd )ctions eit!er en!)nce t!e /ell%being of ot!ers1 /!ic! includes
)ll of life1 or bring us closer to spiritu)l re)li:)tion4
"rong t!oug!ts )nd )ctions eit!er !)rm t!e /ell%being of ot!ers1 /!ic! includes )ll
of life1 or t)8e us furt!er from spiritu)l re)li:)tion4
1hen properly )nderstood, these two short sentences encaps)late the core of a
spirit)ally:based morality and can serve as an eminently practical ")ide in everyday life.
. metaphor will help e7plain this. 5etaphors always have limitations, and this one is
no e7ception. Het there is tr)th in the sayin" that a pict)re is better than a tho)sand
words. ;ven tho)"h this metaphor is composed of words, it provides a fairly acc)rate
mental pict)re of the mystic conception of morality.
S"opping in t"e depart!ent store of life
*ma"ine yo)rself in a fo)r:story department store. ;very floor is filled with different
kinds of merchandise. %hoppers with any sort of need or desire are almost certain to find
what they are lookin" for. 4he layo)t of each floor is the same: at the far end an -;7it0
si"n marks the location of stairs and an elevator that lead either )pward or downward
Ie7cept, of co)rse, on the "ro)nd floor, where yo) only can "o )p; and the top floor,
where yo) only can "o downJ.
4his store represents the cosmos, which we are describin" in terms of fo)r levels: the
physical, astral, ca)sal and p)rely spirit)al planes. ;ach level contains marvelo)s si"hts,
so)nds, and other sensations that can be perceived in the appropriate state of
conscio)sness. 4he all:pervadin" ener"y of spirit is the elevator by which conscio)sness
can swiftly move )p or down from level to level. <ther means of spirit)al ascent are akin
to stairs. 4ho)"h they also lead to the ne7t floor, )sin" them involves more time and
effort.
Ho) and *, the reader and writer of this book, are on the "ro)nd floor of the store
beca)se each of )s has a physical body. Ho) and * also mi"ht be able to visit hi"her floors
if we know how to find the e7it from "ro)nd level, and can either operate the elevator or
make o)r way )p the stairs. 1e have company, of co)rse. 3ots and lots of shoppers are
all aro)nd )s. ;ach has his or her own shoppin" list, whether it is conscio)s or
)nconscio)s. %ome shoppers head directly for a partic)lar part of the store, since they
know what they want. <thers browse here and there, b)t not at random. 4endencies
derived from all their prior actions p)ll them to some departments more than to others.
$?
4hese companions of o)rs in the vast store of the cosmos are every bein" with a so)l,
which incl)des m)ch more than F)st h)mans. ;very species of animal, each type of
insect, all forms of ve"etationBall of these are walkin" the aisles alon" with )s. 1ell, the
plants and trees are pretty m)ch rooted to one spot, so their shoppin" e7perience is rather
limited. B)t everyone else "ets to move aro)nd. *n all of this h)bb)b of activity, a
m)ltit)de of interactions is takin" place: this creat)re "ives )p its place in line to that
creat)re; someone wants an item b)t can9t afford it, so they steal from someone else; by
the stairs, one person is holdin" the door open for another.
@ow, if yo) were able to follow the shoppers in o)r metaphorical department store for
a lon" eno)"h time, yo)9d discover somethin" interestin". 1hen someone on the "ro)nd
floor dies, they are p)t on the elevator and taken to the ne7t floor. 4here an efficient
%hopper 6ef)rbishin" &enter tallies all their actions and )nf)lfilled desires, and eD)ips
them with the most appropriate new physical body. 4hey are then sent back down on the
elevator, and they be"in shoppin" all over a"ain. 4he mana"ement of this enterprise wants
to be s)re that no inconvenience, incl)din" death, prevents shoppers from satisfyin" their
desires. 4h)s the "entle lady in front of yo) may have been a fierce ti"er not lon" a"o; the
monkey a stockbroker; the hornet an oak tree.
. code of cond)ct almost can be based on this fact alone. ,or it lends new meanin" to
the familiar admonition of the Golden 6)le, -+o )nto others as yo) wo)ld have others do
)nto yo).0 Dt!ers now is )nderstood to encompass animals, insects and plants, as well as
people. %)re, at the moment it may seem that as a h)man bein" yo) hold all the power.
-1hy sho)ld * be nice to a cow,0 "oes the reasonin", -if cows can never do anythin" nice
for me/ * mi"ht as well eat them instead.0 ,ine, "o ahead. B)t maybe in yo)r ne7t
incarnation, once yo) are -ref)rbished,0 that cow will be a h)man enFoyin" a barbec)e
dinner of ou.
*t9s important, then, to respect the well:bein" of o)r fellow shoppers. .fter all, )ntil
we are able to "et above the "ro)nd floor we9re "oin" to be st)ck with these companions.
*f everyone acts kindly toward those aro)nd them, everybody9s shoppin" e7perience will
"o m)ch more pleasantly. 6emember, this store is committed to f)lfillin" the needs of all
the shoppers. *f we find someone lost, poor, or h)rt, or otherwise needin" help, we
sho)ld do what we can for them. 4his is common co)rtesyBtho)"h it isn9t all that
common to find people e7tendin" s)ch co)rtesy to non:h)mans.
3ife is m)ch like a department store in this additional way: most of the time, other
shoppers F)st want to be left alone. 4his so)nds rather heartless, b)t it is a fact. !eople
don9t "o to a store to be helped, or h)rt, by fellow patrons. 6ather, they are there either
to b)y a partic)lar item, or to look at the merchandise. *nteractions with others are
pleasant or )npleasant adF)ncts to their shoppin" e7perience, not the reason they are in the
store. %o if * can9t do anythin" to help a fellow shopper, and )s)ally this is the case, the
ne7t kindest thin" is to let them "o their own way.
.nalo"o)sly, it is nice if * can enhance the well:bein" of some companion of mine on
this planet, h)man or not, b)t * need to remember that there can be no well:bein" witho)t
being itself. 4h)s the first r)le of th)mb in the moral sphere is the same as in medicine:
-+o no harm.0 Helpin" is better than doin" nothin"; doin" nothin" is better than harmin".
Aillin", of co)rse, is the "reatest harm * can inflict on another livin" bein". Besides
ca)sin" pain and s)fferin" Iboth physical and mentalJ, killin" c)ts short the victim9s
potential to satisfy his or her own needs. %o it is a two:ed"ed sword: killin" imposes
somethin" the victim doesn9t want, s)fferin", and takes away what the victim does want,
the ability to learn from life and e7perience what life offers.
,)rther, the sword of killin" is more than two:ed"ed. *t is do)ble:ended, in the sense
that the blows that are str)ck rebo)nd on the wron":doer. ;very tho)"ht and action has
$6
this D)ality. 4his is another reason why we sho)ld be most deliberate in how we act
within the department store of life. 4he movements of the shoppers are choreo"raphed in
a s)btle fashion. ."ain, caref)l attention is reD)ired to f)lly appreciate the intricate
pattern followed by each entity.
. man r)dely p)shes a fellow patron o)t of the way in his r)sh to "et to a display that
catches his eye. @ot lon" after, someone else b)mps into !im, as hard or harder. . boy
"rabs hold of a frail elderly man who has st)mbled and is abo)t to fall. %oon an employee
warns the boy before he slips on a newly wa7ed floor. . lady "enero)sly allows another
shopper to take the last of somethin" on sale, even tho)"h she was lookin" at it first.
,)rther down the aisle she is happy and s)rprised to find one more of the same item,
seemin"ly misplaced by accident.
@one of these events occ)rred by happenstance. ;ach was orchestrated in accord
with the law of karma. Het this is not evident to most of the shoppers, for they are so
b)sy r)shin" aro)nd they fail to notice how an action becomes reflected in a similar
reaction. ,)rther, deathBand the trip to the %hopper 6ef)rbishin" &enterBca)ses all
memory of previo)s shoppin" e7periences to be erased. &lad in a fresh body, thinkin" and
feelin" in what seems to be a brand:new mind, no one wo)ld s)spect that the pickpocket
who F)st stole my wallet had s)ffered the same indi"nity at my hands at a time and place
both of )s have for"otten.

Don't s"op until you drop
*t becomes easy to )nderstand why this store is so crowded and b)sy. !eople come in
$7
wantin" F)st one or two thin"s, and then "et so involved in the e7perience of satisfyin"
their desires that they never leave. 4his is also what happens with life on earth. 1e for"et
that o)r present e7istence is F)st one of the stops on the "rand Fo)rney of the so)l. Hes,
this world is a fine place to visit for a while, b)t there are more interestin" destinations
ahead of )s. *n fact, the "reatest achievement of this shoppin" e7perience is to locate the
-;7it0 si"n, make o)r way toward it, and then take the elevator of spirit to discover and
enFoy what is on the hi"her floors.
;veryone is a st)dent of life by virt)e of bein" alive. However, many people are
content to remain within the domain of what is familiar, rather than attemptin" to break
o)t of these bo)nds and cross over the fence of mind and matter. *f there are plenty of
"oods to occ)py o)r attention on the "ro)nd floor, why think of "oin" anywhere else/
%ome people, tho)"h, have a mysterio)s lon"in" for somethin" -other.0 4hey keep
seekin" for somethin" more. *t is mysterio)s beca)se they can be in the same s)rro)ndin"s
as friends and family, and sample the same e7periences, yet find the so:called deli"hts of
life dry and tasteless while others happily devo)r them.
*s this a blessin" or a c)rse/ *t depends on one9s point of view. *f yo) believe h)man
e7istence is limited to a stay of a h)ndred years or less on an insi"nificant planet circlin"
one of several h)ndred billion stars that make )p one of fifty billion "ala7ies in a fifteen
billion year:old )niverse, then everyone mi"ht as well try to "et as m)ch enFoyment as
possible o)t of an otherwise meanin"less e7istence.
1hat "en)ine meanin" co)ld there be in a sin"le brief life so disconnected from the
incomprehensibly vaster reaches of time and space that we can never know abo)t/ -Ho)
only "o aro)nd once in life, so enFoy it while yo) can0 wo)ld be an appropriate philosophy
of life. *t wo)ld be st)pid not to revel in the material and mental pleas)res of life )nder
s)ch conditions.
However, what if yo) believe that one9s e7istence has no be"innin" and no end, since
we are in essence spirit)al bein"s/ .nd what if yo) believe that it is possible to raise
h)man conscio)sness to the level of the divine intelli"ence that creates and destroys
)niverses as easily as an ocean wave tosses )p spray/ 4hen it makes sense to do all we
can to e7perience the f)llness of o)r spirit)al nat)re. .nd that we can only do by reachin"
the spirit)al top floor.
+re you a See0er or a S"opper#
1itho)t direct spirit)al e7perience there never will be )nanimity of opinion abo)t
what, if anythin", lies beyond birth and death. @or will we all a"ree abo)t what moral
precepts, if any, sho)ld ")ide o)r tho)"hts and actions d)rin" o)r life as h)man bein"s.
4his means that both -shoppers0 and -seekers0 always will min"le on the "ro)nd floor of
the department store that constit)tes o)r cosmos.
4ho)"h the shoppers and seekers are movin" sho)lder to sho)lder alon" the same
aisles of earthly e7perience, their perspectives are rather different. 4he vision of shoppers
is trained on their immediate s)rro)ndin"s. 4hey are absorbed in what is ri"ht aro)nd
them, which nat)rally incl)des other shoppers Iand seekers tooJ. 4heir shoppin" list
basically consists of material possessions, mental conceptions, physical desires,
interpersonal relationships, and other phenomena that can be fo)nd ri"ht here on earth.
;ven if they aren9t able to find what they want, at least they are lookin" in the ri"ht place.
%eekers are also doin" some shoppin"Bthey have to eat, drink, work, find shelter, and
raise families F)st like everybody elseBb)t rather half:heartedly. .nyone acD)ainted with
a seeker, or who is one themselves, probably will )nderstand this. 4hey seem partly here,
and partly there, yet sometimes even they can9t tell yo) where -there0 is. %eekers F)st
know it isn9t !ere. .ll aro)nd them shoppers are Foyf)l at findin" somethin" they9ve been
$(
lookin" for, or despairin" beca)se they can9t obtain an item on their list, and the seekers
find it diffic)lt to )nderstand the reason for all the commotion.
,or they aren9t m)ch interested in what the "ro)nd floor displays have to offer.
&onscio)sly or )nconscio)sly, seekers sense that what life really is all abo)t m)st be
discovered on a hi"her level. %o their eyes are contin)ally dartin" abo)t, lookin" for the
-;7it0 si"n that marks the passa"e which will lead them closer to what they instinctively
feel is more real.
&etting bac0 on course
However, what is ri"ht and wron" doesn9t depend on whether yo)9re tryin" to rise
above this world, or dive into it. 1e mi"ht think of individ)al so)ls as tiny spirit)al
ma"nets which are an inte"ral part of the <ne Great Bi" 5a"net that is everythin". 6i"ht
now most of )s are more aware of other so)lsBo)r friends, relatives, lovers, pets, co:
workers, "arden plants, and so onBthan we are of that <ne.
,ine. 4hen wisdom lies in doin" what we can to make life better, or at least not
worse, for o)r fellow so)ls. Hes, it wo)ld be nice to be attracted so stron"ly to God that
we essentially become the hi"hest reality. Gnitin" o)r so)l with the conscio)sness of the
creative power wo)ld brin" )s the lastin" peace we incessantly seek, b)t fail to find. *f we
don9t yet enFoy s)ch bliss, we need to keep movin" in the direction of oneness rather than
separateness, for this will brin" )s closer to tr)e happiness.
&onsider how everyday lan")a"e speaks of o)r lon"in" for )nion, and distaste for
separation. 1e say positively, -*9m really into model trains Ior FaEE, or %hakespeare, or
whateverJ.0 -5y therapist is really helpin" me "et my head toget!er40 -* "ot so
immersed in the book * was readin" that * lost all track of time.0 .nd we say ne"atively:
-*9m all mi9ed up.0 -4his relationship is te)ring me )p)rt.0 -* woke )p with a splitting
headache.0
*t9s clear. Gnion is pleasant, whether it be se7)al interco)rse, a meetin" of minds, or
the so)l mer"in" with spirit. %eparation is )npleasant, whether it be a forced partin" of
lovers, scattered attention, or disconnection from God. 4his is only a "eneral r)le, of
co)rse. &lose contact with a poisono)s leaf or a hi"h tension wire is painf)l, F)st as
fleein" a b)rnin" b)ildin" or an obno7io)s companion is a ca)se for Foy. Het all in all,
people, alon" with almost every sort of livin" bein", have a stron" inclination for love,
to"etherness, intimacy, sharin", and similar si"ns of )nion.
4his inclination reflects a central fact of e7istence: the )nity of the cosmos. ;very so)l
yearns to ret)rn to the ocean of conscio)sness that it left lon" a"o. %ince o)r present
attachment to a body and mind confines o)r so)l, we have to make do with an )npleasant
sit)ation and not make thin"s worse.
1hether o)r inclination is more towards bein" a seeker or a shopper, we will not find
what we are lookin" for if we think and act in ways that "o a"ainst the "rain of the
cosmos. 1ron" actions take )s off co)rse. *t seems obvio)s that we will not "et closer to
e7periencin" )nity if we keep dividin" reality into more pieces. 4he Fi"saw p)EEle of life
already is complicated eno)"h. .nd violence of all formsBan"er, hatred, killin"B
divides. .n"er and hatred drive wed"es of separation between livin" bein"s. Aillin"
separates life with an irreversible finality. 1hy make it more diffic)lt to realiEe the -bi"
pict)re0 by c)ttin" )p the pieces the !)EEle 5aker has "iven )s/
4he ne7t chapter, therefore, disc)sses ve"etarianism and an animal:based diet. %ince
the span of cosmic F)stice e7tends over vast eons of time, it may seem that we can "et
somethin" for nothin". *t is not s)rprisin" that "enerally we who are so absorbed in the
nitty:"ritty of material life fail to reco"niEe how an )nfailin"ly F)st hand ")ides every
particle of the creation. %till, the si"nificant and dama"in" karmic reperc)ssions of certain
$'
actions are more obvio)s and transparent than others. %)ch is the case with what we eat.
4ho)"h many readers )ndo)btedly are already aware of how harmf)l meat is to health,
it is hoped that information doc)mented by medical science will take on a deeper meanin"
when viewed in the li"ht of karmic law. %)fferin", says the spirit)al scientist, isn9t like a
ro")e who F)mps o)t from behind b)shes and attacks passers:by at random. @o, s)fferin"
is m)ch more akin to a ")est who appears on o)r doorstep in response to a lon":for"otten
invitation.

?C
&!e v)st m).orit of t!ose /!o e)t me)t never consider its rig!ts )nd /rongs< societ
condones it1 )nd t!)t is sufficient re)son to t!in8 no furt!er4 So it is t!e veget)ri)n /!o
is c)lled upon to e9pl)in !is odd be!)viour1 )nd not t!ose /!o support t!e unnecess)r
sl)ug!ter t!)t me)t%e)ting reEuires4 (t reEuires ver little mor)l sense to re)lise t!)t t!e
t)8ing of life is )n import)nt m)tter1 et for most people t!e c!oice bet/een ) nut cutlet
)nd ) beefste)8 is )bout )s import)nt )s t!)t bet/een c!ipped )nd boiled pot)toes< )
m)tter of t)ste1 not mor)lit4
8ohn Harris, -nim)ls1 0en )nd 0or)ls

')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.

?1
Vegetarianis!/ -eat2Eating/ and Suffering
@ow we come to the iss)e of ve"etarianism. B)t why sho)ld diet be sin"led o)t from
so many other aspects of a person9s lifestyle/ 1hen so many of o)r tho)"hts and actions
are constantly pennin" invitations for a host of conseD)ences to visit )s, why is what we
eat so important in determinin" whether pain or pleas)re becomes o)r most freD)ent
companion/
.dmittedly, diet seems to be a m)ndane and rather inconseD)ential aspect of ri"ht
livin". 1hy pinpoint meat:eatin" for special attention when it appears that there are so
many other worse evils/ 5)rder, tort)re, child ab)se, and wife:beatin", not to mention
stealin", lyin", infidelity, and alcoholism. 4he list of h)man vices is almost endless.
1o)ldn9t it make more sense to foc)s on somethin" other than o)r eatin" habits/
@o. .nd the reason why is simple. Before we can do ri"ht, or wron", we have to F)st
be. Bein" h)man, that means e7istin" in a physical body. 3ife is maintained a)tomatically
for a baby in its mother9s womb. 1hen the child is born, actions have to be taken to
s)stain lifeBsome by the infant and some by care"ivers. 4he baby has to breathe on its
own. %omeone else s)pplies food and water. %helter a"ainst the elements is needed.
6e"ardless of how lon" we live, o)r basic needs remain the same: air, food, water,
shelter. %ome wo)ld add love and companionship to that list, b)t they are not necessary
for life itself, only for a decent life. %o let9s stick with air, food, water, and shelter as the
essentials for maintainin" raw h)man e7istence. @ow, if the very fo)ndation of o)r
physical bein" is rooted in pain and s)fferin", whatever is b)ilt )pon it rests on shaky
"ro)nd.
Two =uestions about staying alie
Here are two cr)cial D)estions abo)t o)r basic reD)irements for life:
=1> "!ic! of t!em involve c!oices7
=@> "!ic! of t!em potenti)ll c)use suffering to ot!er living beings7
6e"ardin" the first D)estion, "ettin" air to breathe obvio)sly reD)ires very few, if any,
choices, )nless yo) find yo)rself sealed in a mine shaft, or yo) live in an area with severe
air poll)tion. Generally air is free, available, and mostly taken for "ranted. %o if we don9t
choose what to breathe, obvio)sly this basic need has little or nothin" to do with morality
or ri"ht livin", which entail makin" a choice between ri"ht and wron".
However, food, water and shelter do involve choices. .fter bein" dependent )pon
ad)lt caretakers d)rin" o)r childhood, event)ally each of )s has to decide for o)rselves
how to meet o)r needs for food, water, and shelter. 1e can choose to contin)e eatin",
?
- !um)n being is p)rt of t!e /!ole1 c)lled b us 2Fniverse15 ) p)rt limited in
time )nd sp)ce4 6e e9periences !imself1 !is t!oug!ts1 )nd feelings1 )s somet!ing
sep)r)te from t!e rest?) 8ind of optic)l delusion of !is consciousness4 &!is
delusion is ) 8ind of prison for us1 restricting us to our person)l desires )nd to
)ffection for ) fe/ persons ne)rest to us4 Dur t)s8 must be to free ourselves from
t!is prison b /idening our circle of comp)ssion to embr)ce )ll living cre)tures
)nd t!e /!ole of n)ture in its be)ut4
4 4 4 ( !)ve long been )n )d!erent to t!e veget)ri)n c)use in principle4 *esides
)greeing /it! t!eir )ims for )est!etic )nd mor)l re)sons1 it is m vie/ t!)t t!e
veget)ri)n m)nner of living b its purel p!sic)l effect on t!e !um)n
temper)ment /ould most benefici)ll influence t!e lot of m)n8ind4
.lbert ;instein
1,
drinkin", and livin" as we were bro)"ht )p, or we can act differently. 5any alternatives
are open to )s in modern society.
%)permarkets and resta)rants offer a bewilderin" variety of food and drink. @o lon"er
are most people forced to p)t on their table whatever their c)lt)re traditionally has
favored. *n more and more co)ntries it is possible to dine like a 8apanese, an .merican, a
5e7ican, an *talian, an *ndian, or many other nationalities. %o fewer people nowadays can
say, -* have no choice in what * eat.0
4he same applies to shelter. +ependin" )pon one9s income and tastes, in most parts
of the world it is possible to live in a sin"le:family home, an apartment, a condomini)m, a
mansion, a h)t, or a cardboard bo7Bto name b)t a few possibilities.
,indin" shelter, tho)"h, )s)ally doesn9t entail makin" life or death choices involvin"
animals or h)mans. 1earin" clothes made of leather and f)r, a form of personal shelter, is
abo)t the only e7ception that comes to mind. .ltho)"h trees have to die to s)pply the
wood )sed in most homes, they are part of the plant kin"dom, the form of life with the
least de"ree of conscio)sness.
8)ow to be#9; t"at is t"e =uestion
4h)s what to eat t)rns o)t to be the central moral concern involved in simply being.
%hakespeare had it partly ri"ht when he wrote, -4o be or not to be: that is the D)estion.0
,rom the spirit)al point of view we ask, -6o/ to be: that is the D)estion.0 Breathin",
drinkin", eatin", and findin" shelter. 4his is how * contin)e to be, to e7ist. <f these fo)r
actions, only eatin" entails any si"nificant moral decisions. * harm no one by breathin". *
harm no one by drinkin" IwaterJ. * harm only plants by findin" shelter )nder clothes of
cotton and a roof of wood. 4hen there is eatin". *f * am a habit)al meat:eater, over the
co)rse of my lifetime h)ndreds or tho)sands of animals will die to keep me alive.
Gnder those circ)mstances, ri"ht off the bat *9ve "ot two strikes a"ainst me. @o
matter how virt)o)s my actions are in other respects, no matter how m)ch "ood * try to
do for other livin" creat)res, no matter how devoted * am to my creator, *9m di""in"
myself into a moral hole every time * sit down for a meal.
+ay in and day o)t, the ener"y that keeps my body alive is bein" taken from animals
which s)ffer and die so * may live. ;very beat of my heart, every tho)"ht of my brain,
every sensation that comes thro)"h my eyes and earsBall that * e7perience in my physical
body has been bo)"ht with the coin of killin". How wo)ld yo) feel abo)t drivin" a car
and livin" in a ho)se "iven to yo) by a killer who had taken that vehicle and dwellin" from
one of his victims/ @ot a very appealin" prospect. 1o)ldn9t it make yo) feel )neasy and
ashamed to know that yo) were enFoyin" those possessions only beca)se someone else
"ave their life for them/

)ow !any pounds to a life#
6eaders who eat meat may find it a stretch of the ima"ination to eD)ate the m)rder of
a person with the sla)"hter of a cow. !erhaps, b)t these wron"s differ only in de"ree.
%ay the penalty for killin" a h)man is five h)ndred -karmic )nits0 of s)fferin", and the
penalty for killin" a cow is F)st one )nit. <ver a lifetime of eatin" steaks and hamb)r"er,
the ne"ative )nits add )p. *nstead of committin" a sin"le serio)s crime a"ainst life,
m)ltit)dino)s lesser offenses are recorded on the karmic rap sheet.
<n avera"e, every person in the Gnited %tates eats 1'$ po)nds of pork, beef, and
po)ltry, combined, each yearBabo)t half a po)nd per day. %ome people, of co)rse, eat
m)ch more meat than this, since the 6:1CT of the G.%. pop)lation who call themselves
ve"etarians eat little or no animal prod)cts. .dd fish, and the per capita cons)mption of
animals rises to well over CC po)nds.
?#
!i"s may be )sed as an e7ample of how po)nda"e translates into individ)al lives.
5any pi"s are raised in what we co)ld ri"htf)lly call -livestock factories0 Ithe animals
never see the li"ht of dayJ, and are sla)"htered when they wei"h abo)t 6? po)nds. 4he
avera"e .merican eats ?# po)nds of pork a year, which is e7actly 1O? of an avera"e pi".
*f every o)nce of a pi" was )sed for pork chops, spareribs, bacon, and the like, then each
person wo)ld be responsible for one porcine death every five years. Given that bones and
other by:prod)cts can9t be )sed for h)man cons)mption, the death rate m)st be closer to
one pi" every two or three years. %o over the co)rse of a typical .merican meat:eater9s
lifetime, doEens of pi"s will die so he or she can satisfy a desire for animal flesh.
&hickens wei"h m)ch less than a pi", b)t the avera"e per capita cons)mption of
po)ltry is hi"her I7# po)ndsJ. 4h)s most .mericans will be responsible for the deaths of
h)ndreds of chickens. %imilar calc)lations co)ld be made for fish and cows. .ll told, the
death toll recorded by anyone who eats meat re")larly for a lifetime co)ld easily be in the
tho)sands.
!eople who mercilessly kill other h)mans are often described as b)tchers, or evil
th)"s. B)t in most parts of the world, people who ca)se the deaths of so many animalsB
for no reason other than for taste, moreoverBare not even considered )n)s)al.

Don't be aerage% $e nor!al%
4he mass acceptance of all this killin" is sad. *t indicates how we have come to
conf)se -avera"e0 with -normal.0 *f everyone in a family has a temperat)re of 1C ,,
this doesn9t mean that a visitor has to become feverish to be normal. *f the visitor is
healthy, if a thermometer )nder his ton")e reads '(.6 ,, then !eAs the normal one. *n
today9s world, it is all too easy to lose si"ht of the nat)ral way of livin". -@at)ral0 does
not mean -)s)al.0 4hro)"ho)t recorded history there have always been only a few people
with a conscio)sness clear eno)"h to serve as an acc)rate moral compass.
%am)el &lemens I5ark 4wainJ said, -Be "ood, and yo) will be lonesome.0
#
5ystics mi"ht add, -Be "ood, and tho)"h yo) will find yo)rself walkin" on a path
sh)nned by most other people, yo)r steps one day may lead yo) to a way of life in which
peace and Foy will be yo)r constant companion.0
!resently, misery and pain can be fo)nd everywhere one looksBincl)din", nat)rally,
within o)r own self. Het deep inside we also realiEe that s)fferin" is neither nat)ral nor
inevitable. 1hy else wo)ld we dread s)fferin" so m)ch, often even more than death/
%)fferin" is clearly not the normal condition of what we "en)inely are. ;verlastin" bliss is
the hallmark of o)r tr)e nat)re. .t present we are more like stran"ers in a stran"e land.
1e sense, conscio)sly or )nconscio)sly, that o)r herita"e is in the spirit)al re"ions of
the cosmos where pain does not e7ist. %)fferin" occ)rs only when we identify o)rselves
with a body and a mind. Hence o)r so)l:conscio)sness rails at the diseased and pitif)l
h)man condition to which it is bo)nd.
Ta0e a guess/ 8("at 0ind of food causes t"e !ost suffering#9
*f karma lies at the root of both health and disease, then to become tr)ly healthy we
need a %pirit)al +octor, not a 5edical +octor.
Het modern medicine has its proper role as well, and bit by bit is makin" pro"ress
toward )ncoverin" the ca)ses of chronic illness. .s written in the .pril 1''6 iss)e of the
Fniversit of ')liforni) )t *er8ele "ellness Letter: -*n the past decades, scientists have
made "reat strides in )nderstandin" the relationship between diet and health, and have
s)""ested that cancer, heart disease, and other chronic ailments may in some sense be
Pdeficiency9 diseases. 4hat is, if we wo)ld improve o)r eatin" habits, maybe we co)ld
decrease o)r risk of chronic diseases.0
$
?$
1hile tr)e, this is a ca)tio)s interpretation of scientific facts. 5any medical
researchers have concl)ded that chronic disease almost certainly is related to diet. 4hat is,
most of the health problems that afflict )s, partic)larly in o)r later years, are self:ind)ced.
. lar"e proportion of heart attacks and t)mors are prod)ced by the food we eat. .nd
what kind of food do these reports indict as one of the main c)lprits that ca)ses so m)ch
pain and s)fferin"/ <f co)rse, we can ")ess.
5eat.
*sn9t that interestin"/ ,reD)ently people say that it is nat)ral to eat meat; that
evol)tion has fine:t)ned h)mans to s)bsist on a mi7t)re of animal and plant foods; that we
are descended from h)nters of mammoths and saber:toothed ti"ers; and that cows, pi"s,
sheep, and other domesticated creat)res are simply a s)bstit)te for the sava"e beasts on
which o)r ancestors once s)rvived. *n other words, o)r bodies are nat)rally desi"ned to
cons)me meat, and we sho)ldn9t ar")e with nat)re.
1ell, this view may have its own lo"ic, b)t it is stran"e that somethin" h)mans
s)pposedly are meant to eat is so bad for o)r health. !erhaps nat)re act)ally is tellin" )s
somethin" different, that meat:eatin" is bad for )s, both physically and spirit)ally.
&ertainly solid s)pport for sh)nnin" meat comes from an e7pandin" body of scientific
research. 4oday parents who want to raise their children to be ve"etarians have a m)ch
lar"er arsenal of facts to s)pport their decision than was the case a decade or so a"o.
4here are plenty of books available for those readers who want to know, in detail, why
meat is bad for o)r health. 4hat isn9t the primary foc)s of this chapter, beca)se its
ar")ment for a ve"etarian diet is based on compassion for o)rself and others, not on
physical well:bein". Aillin" animals for food is an )nwise and )nsafe choice beca)se it
ca)ses s)fferin" to a form of life that has a refined mind which feels pain when
sla)"htered. ,or many people, this one tho)"ht is reason eno)"h to become a ve"etarian.
However, the reality is that o)r concern for others also is balanced by self:interest,
-1hat9s in it for me/0 .s we9ve seen, karmic law has a ready answer to this D)estion:
-+o "ood for others, and in ret)rn yo) will receive pleas)re; do wron", and receive
s)fferin".0
%o this chapter is like a twice:baked potato. *t may not be essential, b)t it adds flavor
to the thesis that life is fair, and those who kill "et what they deserve. 4he -first:bakin"0
is the s)fferin" inflicted on animals by people who eat meat. 4he -second:bakin"0 is the
s)fferin" that rebo)nds on meat:eaters as a res)lt of the s)fferin" they9ve ca)sed. 1e
reap what we sow.
T"e eidence against !eat is in% &uilty%
Here, then, for those who want a -well done0 ar")ment in favor of ve"etarianism, is a
brief r)ndown of some of the acc)m)latin" evidence that meat is a destroyer of h)man
health.
*n the 'ornell '!ronicle I+ecember 1, 1''$J %)san 3an" writes:
-.mericans will not red)ce their rate of cancers, cardiovasc)lar diseases and other
chronic, de"enerative diseases )ntil they shift their diets away from animal:based foods to
plant:based foods, accordin" to research findin"s emer"in" from the most comprehensive
proFect on diet and disease ever done.0
?
4his on"oin" st)dy involved 1CC people from each of 6? co)nties in &hina. ;ach of
these 6?CC &hinese contrib)ted #67 items of information abo)t their diet, lifestyle, and
physical condition. Genetically, those st)died were similarBm)ch more alike than wo)ld
be a randomly selected "ro)p of .mericans. B)t since &hina has "reat re"ional differences
in disease rates and eatin" habits, this proFect provided a )niD)e opport)nity to determine
the effect diet has on health.
??
@)tritional biochemist 4. &olin &ampbell, st)dy director, said that eatin" F)st small
amo)nts of animal:based foods is linked to si"nificantly hi"her rates of cancers and
cardiovasc)lar diseases typically fo)nd in the Gnited %tates. . research associate on the
proFect, Banoo !arpia, observed that -<ne of the most si"nificant problems with the
.merican diet is the e7cessive intake of animal:based foods and the inadeD)ate intake of
plant:based foods.0
6
&ampbell went so far as to say, -1e9re basically a ve"etarian species and sho)ld be
eatin" a wide variety of plant foods and minimiEin" o)r intake of animal foods.0
7
%o here9s
solid s)pport for ve"etarianism, p)rely from the standpoint of material science: meat is
bad for h)man health. ,or"et morality. ,or"et spirit)ality. ,or"et karma and
reincarnation. 4hose concerned only abo)t their bodies, and not their so)ls, still have
plenty of reasons to stop eatin" meat.
8ean &arper9s book, Food?3our 0ir)cle 0edicine, is based on more than 1C,CCC
research st)dies concernin" the connection between diet and health. *n chapters on
cardiovasc)lar disease Iheart tro)ble, hi"h cholesterol, blood clots, hi"h blood press)re,
strokesJ &arper "ives a -th)mbs )p0 or -th)mbs down0 to vario)s foods that have been
shown to affect these problems. %he does the same for di"estive problems Iconstipation,
diarrhea, heartb)rn, kidney stones, and the likeJ, cancer Iincl)din" breast, colon, and
l)n"J, breathin" problems and infections Icolds, fl), asthma, bladder infectionsJ, Foint and
bone problems, reprod)ctive f)nctions, diabetes, and a variety of other complaints.
*n the back of her book, she s)mmariEes the disease:fi"htin" powers in si7ty common
foods. @ow, take a ")ess. How many of these foods are of animal ori"in, and how many
of plant ori"in/ *f it is nat)ral for h)mans to eat meat, wo)ldn9t yo) think that D)ite a few
varieties of animal flesh wo)ld tend to improve o)r health, rather than harm it/ 1o)ldn9t
one e7pect at least five or ten of the si7ty common foods to be some sort of meat/
G)ess a"ain. 4here is only one type of animal food listed that promotes health: fish
and fish oil Iwhich seem to ")ard a"ainst heart disease, strokes, some cancers, and
assorted other ailmentsJ. Fift%nine of the foods are fr)its, ve"etables, dairy prod)cts, and
bevera"es, ran"in"Bif not from . to KBat least from .pples to Ho")rt.
<n the ne"ative side, the 1C,CCC st)dies reviewed by &arper fo)nd that meat:
U dama"es arteries and the heart
U raises cholesterol
U promotes strokes
U enco)ra"es breast, colon, pancreatic and stomach cancer
U tri""ers or a""ravates arthritis
U promotes kidney stones
Food?3our 0ir)cle 0edicine contains some interestin" facts that sho)ld make one
feel "ood abo)t bein" a ve"etarian. Here9s a sample:
U . German st)dy fo)nd that the white blood cells of ve"etarians were twice as
deadly a"ainst t)mor cells as those of meat:eaters, thereby boostin" their imm)ne
defenses.
U &arper says that -devo)rin" fr)its and ve"etables can slash yo)r chances of heart
attacks and strokes, even if yo) have already s)ffered oneR=e"etarians have the lowest
rates of cardiovasc)lar diseaseRa recent +)tch st)dy of heart patients fo)nd that
switchin" to a ve"etarian, low:sat)rated fat, low:cholesterol diet for two years both halted
and reversed arterial dama"e.0
(
U 6ats fed lard Ian animal fatJ can9t find their way thro)"h maEes as easily as rats fed
soybean oil. 4he precise reason isn9t known, b)t &arper ca)tions that -too m)ch animal
fat may dim yo)r mental fac)ltiesRscientists have be")n fascinatin" inD)iries into the
possibility that the type of fat in a diet over a period of time can affect brain f)nctionin",
?6
incl)din" memory. 4he bi""est c)lprit in e7perimental animals is sat)rated:type animal
fat.0
'
<f co)rse, the sort of food we eat is only one of many infl)ences that help to
determine what kind of person we are, and the circ)mstances of o)r lifeBincl)din" o)r
state of health. Het facts are facts. .s a "ro)p, ve"etarians tend to be healthier than those
who eat meat. Here9s an e7cerpt from the official position of the .merican +ietetic
.ssociation on ve"etarian diets I@ovember 1''#J:
-. considerable body of scientific data s)""ests positive relationships between
ve"etarian diets and risk red)ction for several chronic de"enerative diseases and
conditions, incl)din" obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension Vhi"h blood press)reW,
diabetes mellit)s, and some types of cancerR%t)dies of ve"etarians indicate that they
often have lower mortality rates from several chronic de"enerative diseases than do
nonve"etarians.0
1C
Diseases are 0ar!a in action
4he bi" D)estion, of co)rse, is /! a ve"etarian diet is "ood for people. %cience offers
)p all kinds of comple7 reasons for the ill effects of animal flesh, b)t they are not
partic)larly relevant to the lar"er perspective conveyed in this book. Biochemistry, from
the spirit)al perspective, is a tool of karmic law. .n a)to mechanic may )se all sorts of
tools in fi7in" a carBwrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, "a)"es. Anowin" how each tool
works doesn9t brin" one closer to )nderstandin" the overall p)rpose of the mechanic and
his repair shop: "ettin" a)tomobiles to f)nction properly.
%imilarly, in the area of diet it is all too easy to lose si"ht of the bi" spirit)al pict)re in
a mass of scientific min)tia. Biomarkers. .ntio7idants. ,ree radicals. ,atty acids. 3+3
and H+3. 4:cells, B:cells and @A cells. 4his is the lan")a"e of medical science. *t is
)sef)l in describin" the physical dama"e that res)lts from killin" animals for food. B)t the
messa"e of spirit)al science is a more powerf)l means of )nderstandin" why eatin" meat
does one harm.
1hen we look at the effect of the food we eat from a spirit)al perspective, we see a
specific application of the overarchin" r)le of karma. 4he s)fferin" that animals end)re to
fill the stomachs of meat:eaters can be seen reflected in diseases and disabilities that make
h)mans s)ffer in t)rn. +o not think for a moment this means that ve"etarians
a)tomatically will be healthy. +isease is a f)nction of karma, and it will strike ve"etarians
and meat:eaters alike. B)t, as we have said so often, killin" adds to o)r ne"ative karmic
load. *t may so)nd less scientific to say that killin" animals for food is wron", than to say
that eatin" meat increases the risk of physical s)fferin", yet both statements are tr)e.
-orality is reality
Gnderstandably, there are many who recoil at )sin" the lan")a"e of morality to
describe h)man behavior. 6eli"io)s bi"ots often )se -ri"ht and wron",0 -"ood and evil,0
-virt)e and vice,0 as sled"e hammers to p)mmel those who disa"ree with them. 4his
book has attempted a different approach. ;ven tho)"h its messa"e reflects the
f)ndamental teachin"s of co)ntless mystics and spirit)al paths, what has been written in
these pa"es has to be F)d"ed on the basis of so)nd reason.
*s morality an ill)sion, best left to each person to conF)re )p on their own, or is
morality an obFective attrib)te of the cosmos that can be discerned by those with eyes to
see it/ 4o answer this D)estion, we need the clear vision of an )ndistorted conscio)sness.
4hose spirit)al scientists who have attained this clarity of perception speak with one
voice: the moral law of F)stice is reality, not ill)sion. 4he f)ndamental principle of ca)se
and effect applies as m)ch to o)r tho)"hts and actions, as to the physical laws of nat)re.
?7
4he ca)ses we send o)t into the world ret)rn to )s as like effects.
*f the moral compass of o)r so)l was f)nctionin" properly, mystics say, we either
wo)ld need no remindin" at all of what morality is all abo)t, or these s)ccinct e7positions
of the Golden 6)le wo)ld be s)fficient.
11
-1hat yo) do not want others to do to yo), do not do to others.0
'onfucius1 c. ?CC B.&.;.
-4he D)estion was once p)t to .ristotle how we o)"ht to behave to o)r friends;
and his answer was, P.s we sho)ld wish them to behave to )s.9 0
Diogenes L)ertius, c. 1?C B.&.;.
-4his is the s)m of all tr)e ri"hteo)sness: deal with others as tho) wo)ldst
thyself be dealt by.0
&!e 0)!)b!)r)t), c. 1?C B.&.;.
-1hatsoever tho) wo)ldst that men sho)ld not do to thee, do not do to them.
4his is the whole 3aw. 4he rest is only e7planation.0
6illel 6)%b)bli, c. #C B.&.;.
-.ll thin"s whatsoever ye wo)ld that men sho)ld do to yo), do ye even so to

them: for this is the law and the prophets.0
0)tt!e/1 c4 $G
1ithin karmic law, the Golden 6)le is e7tended to incl)de animals as well as people.
1ith that proviso, each of the D)otations above is perfectly consistent with the messa"e of
this book. ;mpathy is a fine means of decidin" what actions are ri"ht and what actions
are wron". !)t yo)rself in the other person9s shoes Ior other animal9s hoovesJ and
consider how ou wo)ld feel if they did to yo) what yo)9re considerin" doin" to them.
1o)ld yo) like to be killed, c)t into pieces, wrapped in paper, and sold to someone so
they can cook and eat yo)r dead flesh/ @o/ 4hen killin" animals for food is an immoral
act. !erhaps meat:eatin" co)ld be rationaliEed if animals welcomed the pain of bein"
sla)"htered. *f yo) have a cat or a do", test this ass)mption by "ently tweakin" yo)r pet9s
ear. +oes the animal appear to enFoy discomfort, or try to escape it/
?(
*i:)rro 1''7 by +an !iraro. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
1hen we ind)l"e in tho)"hts and actions that harm the well:bein" of other livin"
creat)res which are searchin" in their own fashion for happiness, then we cannot be e7pect
to be rewarded with anythin" "ood. 4he law of karma forbids o)r pleas)re bein" bo)"ht
with the pain of others. 1hatever short:term enFoyment a person may find in eatin" animal
flesh m)st event)ally be repaid with his own s)fferin".

+cting out t"e script we'e written ourseles
4he law of karma ")ides every particle of o)r )niverse, incl)din" o)r own body and
mind. &a)se and effect are the order of the dayByesterday, today, and every day )ntil a
so)l is able to e7perience the p)rely spirit)al realm where love and positive ener"y rei"n.
*n this physical world, what we do and what we think makes )s what we are. *n tr)th, we
are not h)man bein"s, b)t h)man doin"s.
4hat is, each of )s wants to be happy, to be healthy1 to be lovin", to be wise. Het
perhaps yo) will a"ree that the moments we spend enFoyin" s)ch wonderf)l states of
bein" are far e7ceeded by the time we spend strivin" to attain those ends. 4his is the trap
of karma. *n an endless cycle of action and reaction, o)r doin" leads to more doin". %)ch
wo)ld be tolerable, even hi"hly enFoyable, if we always did "ood, for then "ood always
wo)ld be ret)rned to )s. B)t, )nfort)nately, s)ch is rarely the case. %ince we "et what
we deserve, o)r wron" actions often ret)rn pain and s)fferin" to )s.
*t is a mistake to believe that anythin" happens by chance in this world. !eople who
?'
are able to perceive the workin"s of the material )niverse from a hi"her level of awareness
say that whatever is made of mind or matter is s)btly, yet ever so firmly, connected to the
invisible hand of cosmic F)stice, the law of karma.
However, it is important to keep in mind that o)r movements follow the script we
have written o)rselves. 4his is a diffic)lt fact to comprehend, beca)se o)r memories
"enerally are limited to the life we are livin" now. 3ike an amnesiac playwri"ht who "oes
to sleep and wakes )p to find a man)script lyin" on his bedside table, and can9t remember
that he wrote the dialo")e the day before, we are actin" o)t roles penned by o)r own hand
Bmostly in previo)s incarnations.
1e also contin)e to e7pand the prod)ction of -5y 3ife0 thro)"h the relatively small
amo)nt of free will still available to )s Isee the followin" essay on karma for a disc)ssion
of free willJ. *t is as if an actor were to "rab a pen and pad of paper whenever the script
"ives him a free moment, and spend that time writin" additional lines to speak. .s his part
becomes ever lar"er he will be actin" more and more, )ntil event)ally his character
becomes all:cons)min", so m)ch so that he even for"ets he is an actor. 4he play, in other
words, is mistaken for reality.
.dmittedly, pleas)re and pain seem absol)tely real. *n one sense, they are. Het from
a spirit)al perspective their reality is akin to the Foy and sorrow evidenced in a theatrical
prod)ction. 4ho)"h the emotions may appear "en)ine to the a)dience, they flow from the
conscio)s intention of the actor. *n t)rn, the actor9s speech and movements are bein"
directed primarily by a script, with F)st a small opport)nity for improvisation.
4his is why Life is F)ir, when disc)ssin" ve"etarianism, has paid so little attention to
the physiolo"ical aspects of eatin" meat. .s noted before, cholesterol, anti:o7idants, hi"h
blood press)re and the like are essentially props, or sta"e directions, in the play of h)man
life.
. playwri"ht directs that before the c)rtain rises a b)tcher knife be placed in a drawer
beca)se it will be needed in the final act when the wife kills her h)sband in a Fealo)s ra"e.
4he knife co)ld as well be a ")n, or a vial of poison. *t really doesn9t matter. 4he choice
of a partic)lar m)rder weapon isn9t e7actly arbitrary, for it needs to fit the circ)mstances
of the play Ia sickly old woman probably wo)ldn9t wield a heavy sam)rai swordJ, b)t it is
secondary to the plot.
4hat is, the playwri"ht thinks, -*n the final scene *9ll have 8ennifer kill +erek after she
discovers that he was sleepin" with her best friend, sold the family do" to an illicit testin"
lab to s)pport his cocaine habit, and has been embeEElin" money for years from the
&rippled &hildren9s <rphana"e.0 <nly then does the playwri"ht decide !o/ the killin"
will occ)r: knife, ")n, poison, fall from a balcony/ %imilarly, karmic law has co)ntless
tools at its disposal to ens)re that the nat)ral conseD)ences of each tho)"ht and action are
e7perienced by the doer, either in this life or in another incarnation.
So !uc" progress/ so little "appiness
.lon" these lines, isn9t it interestin" that even tho)"h science and technolo"y have
ca)sed tremendo)s chan"es d)rin" the past several tho)sand years, with most -pro"ress0
occ)rrin" in the last cent)ry, the overall balance of pleas)re and pain in h)man life doesn9t
seem to have chan"ed m)ch, if at all/ .re we happier today than in the tenth cent)ry, or
the first cent)ry/ 4here is little evidence to s)""est that we are.
Hes, on avera"e people live lon"er than they )sed to. .nd while we9re alive we have a
m)ltit)de of devices available to )sBcars, televisions, comp)ters, microwave ovens,
cell)lar phonesBthat hold o)t the promise of makin" o)r lives easier and more pleasant.
B)t for every pl)s of modern civiliEation, there is a min)s.
&ars make it easier to "et aro)nd, b)t most often on roads that are sterile and )"ly.
6C
4elevisions brin" knowled"e directly into homes, b)t also mindless drivel. &omp)ters
e7pand the amo)nt of available information, b)t red)ce personal interaction with other
h)mans. 5icrowave ovens cook food D)ickly and easily, b)t lead many to for"et what a
real meal tastes like. &ell)lar phones permit comm)nication with others wherever we "o,
b)t now work can intr)de even on a hikin" or bikin" trip.
4his is what karmic law predicts. !leas)re and pain are not prod)ced by anythin"
o)tside )s, b)t by o)rselves. <)r character, o)r intentions, o)r morality; t!ese are what
res)lt in o)r e7periencin" peace and happiness or an7iety and sorrow. %ince it doesn9t
seem that modern h)mans are more virt)o)s than o)r ancestors, it isn9t s)rprisin" that o)r
so:called technolo"ical -advancements0 have failed to promote the sort of lastin" pleas)re
we all are seekin".
%o, to ret)rn to the matter of health and disease, we sho)ldn9t hold o)t m)ch hope
that medicine will find mirac)lo)s c)res for all of the ailments that afflict )s. 4he root and
f)ndamental ca)se of those ailments is mis)nderstandin" the nat)re of life. 1hile that
statement may so)nd stran"e in this a"e of val)e:free science, when researchers are loath
to call any behavior ri"ht or wron", mystics tell )s it is a fact. 4he fo)ndation of every
kind of healthBphysical, mental, and spirit)alBis a correct )nderstandin" of life that tells
which actions and tho)"hts are ri"ht and which are wron".

T"e cos!os is a circular bouleard/ not a one2way street
1ith an )nderstandin" of the vast spirit)al reach of life, one9s perspective broadens.
1e now see happiness and well:bein" as a res)lt of two sorts of infl)ences: those which
directly and rather immediately affect o)r body and mind, and those which circle back
)pon )sBoften at a later dateBas a conseD)ence of tho)"hts and actions we9ve directed
toward others. 4he cosmos isn9t a one:way street. *t is a circ)lar bo)levard, for whatever
"ood and bad we send o)t into the world event)ally ret)rns to )s. 4his aspect of life is
not, and probably never will be, perceived by material science. *t will remain the -Q
factor,0 the so)rce of )ne7plained ca)ses of s)fferin", illness, and disease, the random
variable in all research pertainin" to h)man well:bein".
&onsider this %)fi story related by *dries %hah:
1
Dne nig!t ) t!ief1 tring to climb t!roug! t!e /indo/ of ) !ouse /!ic! !e intended to
rob1 fell bec)use t!e /indo/%fr)me bro8e1 !it t!e ground )nd bro8e !is leg4
6e /ent to court to sue t!e o/ner of t!e !ouse4 &!is m)n s)id#
2Sue t!e c)rpenter /!o put t!e /indo/ in45
&!e c)rpenter s)id# 2&!e builder did not m)8e t!e /indo/%)perture properl45
"!en t!e builder /)s c)lled1 !e s)id# 20 f)ult /)s c)used b ) be)utiful /om)n
/!o /)s p)ssing /!ile ( /)s /or8ing )t t!e /indo/45
&!e /om)n /)s found1 )nd s!e s)id# 2( /)s /e)ring ) be)utiful go/n )t t!e time4
Borm)ll1 nobod loo8s )t me4 (t is t!e f)ult of t!e go/n1 /!ic! /)s cunningl ded in
v)rieg)ted stripes45
2Bo/ /e !)ve t!e culprit15 s)id t!e .udge< 2c)ll t!e m)n /!o did t!e deing )nd !e
s!)ll be !eld responsible for t!e !)rm done to t!e leg of t!e t!ief45
"!en t!e found t!e der1 !e turned out to be t!e !usb)nd of t!e /om)n4 (t so
!)ppened t!)t t!is /)s?t!e t!ief !imself4
Have yo) ever driven a b)mper car at a carnival/ *t9s f)n to bash into other drivers
and see their cars F)mp backwards or sideways. &hain reactions are common beca)se the
cars are Fammed so close to"ether. *f somehow yo) co)ld "et all the other drivers to
cooperate, and form a ti"ht circle, yo)9d be able to see a "raphic ill)stration of the karmic
theory of disease. By rammin" into the rear of the car in front of yo), yo)9d ca)se that
car to b)mp into the one in front of it, and so on all the way aro)nd the circle )ntil yo) felt
61
a crash behind yo). 4his is karmaBca)se and effect.
%cience obvio)sly can st)dy a livin" bein" only d)rin" a sin"le lifetime, or incarnation.
. researcher can mark a mi"ratin" animal to be certain that the &anadian "oose seen
"oin" so)th in the fall is the same bird observed "oin" north in the sprin". B)t there is no
way to mark the mi"ration of the so)l and mind from one physical body to another. @o
scientist knows that the sweet pink:cheeked baby F)st born to parents in =eneE)ela was
previo)sly a to)"h 4e7as rancher, and carries with her the karmic conseD)ences of a
lifetime of beef barbec)es.
;ven if that child is raised from birth as a strict ve"etarian, the resid)e of s)fferin"
from stored karmas will have to be )nder"one. %omethin" similar can be observed in
many families. <ne child is born healthy, then the ne7t is born with a con"enital heart
defect and dies within a few years. 1hy the one and not the other/ 4he answer lies
hidden in the comple7, yet )tterly fair, workin"s of the law of karma. +octors cannot tell
)s the root ca)se of the birth defect, bein" able to e7plain only its physical manifestations.
*t is m)ch as if halfway aro)nd the chain reaction of b)mper cars, each of the drivers
lost conscio)sness for an instant and for"ot all that had happened since they entered the
carnival ride. ;verythin" then contin)es )nalteredBb)mp, b)mp, b)mpBe7cept the
people sittin" in the cars wo)ld have no idea why the cars were bashin" into each other.
4he person who started the chain reaction mi"ht even think, -HeyL %omeone F)st hit me in
the rear. How )nfairL * was F)st sittin" here, mindin" my own b)siness, and they sn)ck
)p on me from behind. @ow *9ll "et t!emL0
<n a carnival ride, this sort of for"etf)lness wo)ld be harmless, for the "oal is innocent
f)n. B)t in life, for"ettin" that what we "et is what we "ive has more serio)s
conseD)ences: worry, an7iety, depression, an"er, resentment. @ow, these feelin"s are
)nderstandable when it comes to the -circ)lar0 effects of o)r tho)"hts and actions. 4hese
are the karmic seeds that are planted in one lifetime and come to fr)ition in another
lifetime. 1hen there is no way of rememberin" what we did to prod)ce a partic)lar bit of
pleas)re or pain, some perple7ity or conf)sion is to be e7pected.
1hat is diffic)lt to )nderstand is how so many otherwise intelli"ent people t)rn a blind
eye to perfectly obvio)s chains of ca)se and effect in their own lives. ,or e7ample, it
doesn9t take the brain of a @obel priEe winner to comprehend that smokin" is )nhealthy.
.fter all the p)blicity abo)t the ill effects of smokin", anyone who li"hts )p a ci"arette
m)st know e7actly what they9re askin" for. *n a similar fashion, this is what makes eatin"
meat s)ch an obvio)s wron" Iif yo) don9t like the term -wron"0 in this conte7t, s)bstit)te
-health:defeatin" behavior0J.
@eal Barnard, 5.+., president of the !hysicians &ommittee for 6esponsible 5edicine
and a)thor of E)t Rig!t1 Live Longer, writes: -6esearch has shown beyond any
reasonable do)bt that meat is to yo)r di"estive tract and arteries what tobacco is to yo)r
l)n"s. 5eat contrib)tes to colon cancer, heart attacks and other health risks that r)n neck
and neck with the toll bro)"ht on by tobacco.0
1#
.s this is bein" written, -mad:cow0 disease can be added to the list. By the end of
1''7 twenty:two people in Britain died after contactin" the h)man form of this malady
I&re)tEfeldt:8akob diseaseJ. How did they "et this rare condition/ !ers)asive, tho)"h
not concl)sive, evidence points to the eatin" of meat from animals s)fferin" from mad:
cow disease. &)rrently co)ntless other British meat:eaters are nervo)sly waitin" o)t the
lon" inc)bation period Iten years or moreJ of &re)tEfeldt:8akob disease, which rots one9s
brain.
How )nfort)nate, tho)"h, that it takes s)ch a dramatic disease to stir people to
consider the obvio)s. .s Barnard points o)t, -4his was hardly o)r first "limpse of the bad
side of beef. 5)scle tiss)es are a veritable chemical conspiracy of fats, cholesterol and
6
cancer:ca)sin" heterocyclic amines that form as meat cooks.0 %omehow it9s diffic)lt to
ima"ine a -mad:carrot0 disease ca)sin" millions to sh)n salads and ve"etable F)ice.
Dilbert reprinted by permission of Gnited ,eat)re %yndicate, *nc.
&et all your "orses "eading in t"e sa!e direction
4he sayin" "oes, -*f yo) keep on doin" what yo)9re doin", yo)9ll keep on "ettin"
what yo)9re "ettin".0 *f yo) believe that yo) deserve more, become more deservin".
.n )ltimately f)tile approach is to merely chan"e yo)r life9s props, rather than the
script, or basic plot. 5any people think that if they had a different car, or a different
ho)se, or a different lover, or a different Fob, then they wo)ld enFoy the peace and
happiness that has so far el)ded them. 4his won9t happen. 4he law of karma ens)res that
life is fair. 1o)ld it be fair if people co)ld b)y lastin" pleas)re, or have it "iven to them,
rather than earnin" it thro)"h ri"ht tho)"hts and actions/
@o, it wo)ldn9t. 5orality wo)ld be a sham if there was no connection between what
we do and how happy we are. 6i"ht and wron" then wo)ld F)st be bits of a disembodied
philosophy, floatin" aro)nd in some abstract realm with no roots to the real world.
4his book has described an alternative world view that places a practical morality at
the very center of daily life. Bad thin"s happen to those who do bad thin"s. Good thin"s
happen to those who do "ood thin"s. 4his is why it9s smart, as well as ri"ht, to be a moral
person. *t isn9t possible to avoid a f)ndamental principle of the cosmos by not thinkin"
abo)t it. 3aws of nat)re don9t work that way. 4hey operate independently of )s. *f they
didn9t, scientists wo)ld call them -tendencies of nat)re0 or -s)""estions of nat)re0 rather
than laws.
*n this respect metaphysical laws are F)st like physical laws: inescapable. %o karma
and its implicit moral code is e7pressed in all that we doBevery tho)"ht and action, no
matter how seemin"ly insi"nificant. %ince the "en)ine p)rpose of life is to e7perience the
essence of life by blendin" one9s personal conscio)sness Ithe so)lJ with the hi"hest
conscio)sness IGodJ, we cannot escape bein" meas)red a"ainst this divine "oal, for it is
woven into the fabric of the )niverse.
<)r problem is to reco"niEe the -mile markers0 that indicate whether we are comin"
closer to, or f)rther away from, o)r "oal. !l)s, we9ve "otten so deeply involved in the
comple7 workin"s of life that we9re "oin" in all sorts of different directions.
<)r condition is akin to a carria"e driver tryin" to mana"e a poorly trained -team0 of
horses. 1hile a few horses are followin" the driver9s commands, another has been st)n"
by a bee and is b)ckin" madly; this one sees an attractive potential mate in a past)re and is
tryin" to F)mp the fence; that one has his si"hts on an apple tree by the side of the road.
;ven tho)"h the driver is applyin" his whip to the o)t:of:control horses, and cooin"
-"ood boy, "ood boy0 to the well:behaved horses, the net effect is to make very slow
pro"ress in any direction. 4his is the )s)al h)man condition. !artly we do ri"ht actions,
and partly we do wron", so when all is balanced o)t we end )p in the limbo of earthly
6#
e7istence, with its familiar mi7t)re of pleas)re and pain.
1hat can be done abo)t this sit)ation/ %ome people, whom we9ve called seekers,
have a stron" desire to make their way to hi"her re"ions of conscio)sness where spirit
rei"ns s)preme. <ther people, shoppers, are content with what earth has to offer, b)t
want to cast o)t as m)ch s)fferin" as possible from the merchandise they are collectin".
4he law of karma applies as eD)ally to seekers and shoppers as does the law of
"ravity. Aarmic F)stice is reality. *nescapable. &han"eless. ;ver:present. .ll:powerf)l.
3ive correctly, and reality one day will enfold yo) in a lovin" embrace. *"nore the law,
and reality one day will "ive yo) a painf)l shake. ,or this reason, what is ri"ht or wron"
is the same for seekers and shoppers.
Diet is a 8lead "orse9 of !orality
1hether we seek the bliss of heaven, or happiness on earth, ri"ht tho)"hts and actions
take )s closer to o)r "oal. %imilarly, a well:trained team of horses can be )sed for
travellin" to distant places or plowin" a homestead. *deally, ever aspect of o)r life wo)ld
reflect what is ri"ht: enhancin" the well:bein" of others or comin" closer to spirit)al
realiEation.
However, when performin" a moral self:e7amination, it makes sense to look first at
what we9re doin" to s)stain life itself. .s we9ve already noted, there are few ethical
dilemmas involved in drinkin" water, breathin" air, or findin" shelter. +iet is a different
matter. Here nat)re has provided )s with a basic choice: live by killin" animals, who
possess a relatively refined conscio)sness and conseD)ent capacity for s)fferin", or live by
killin" ve"etablesBwho have a m)ch diminished level of conscio)sness.
*t9s bad news if the lead horse in a team heads off in the wron" direction, beca)se he
or she sets an e7ample for the other horses. %)ch is akin to the effect of o)r diet on the
overall co)rse of life. %ince we eat so freD)ently from birth )ntil death, food is kind of a
-lead horse0 in respect to the rest of o)r tho)"hts and actions. &ertainly the bad involved
in meat:eatin" can be balanced by the "ood done in other aspects of one9s life, b)t this is
like di""in" a hole by takin" two shovelf)ls of dirt o)t and then p)ttin" one and a half
shovelf)ls back in. 4he Fob wo)ld "o m)ch D)icker, and more easily, if all that shovelin"
was in one direction.
;verythin" we do prod)ces some conseD)ence that ret)rns to )s. 6i"ht actions
event)ally res)lt in happiness, wron" actions in s)fferin". *f o)r "oal is happiness and
peace of mind, the premise with which this book be"an, then it is senseless to knowin"ly
sow the seeds of f)t)re misery.
$e spiritually "ealt"y after deat"
@o matter how hard a person tries to be physically healthy in other respectsBeatin"
ri"ht, e7ercisin" often, holdin" to a proper wei"htBsmokin" several packs a day
event)ally is "oin" to )ndermine those efforts. -Great body; looks real fit,0 the coroner
will say. -4oo bad abo)t the cancer that destroyed his l)n"s. <therwise he wo)ld have
lived a lon" life.0
.nd no matter how hard a person tries to be spirit)ally healthy in other respectsB
"ivin" to charity, worshippin" re")larly, adherin" to ethical tenetsBeatin" flesh several
times a day event)ally is "oin" to )ndermine those efforts. -Bea)tif)l so)l; basically
so)nd,0 the .n"el of +eath will say. -4oo bad abo)t the killin" for which he m)st be held
responsible. <therwise he wo)ld have had a wonderf)l afterlife.0
*s this overstatin" the case/ @o, not accordin" to the perennial wisdom handed to )s
thro)"h the a"es. 4hese D)otations speak for themselves.
-He who desires to a)"ment his own flesh by eatin" the flesh of other creat)res
6$
lives in misery in whatever species he may take his birth.0
?0)!)b!)r)t), epic Hind) script)re Ic. ?CC B.&.;.B&.;. $CCJ
1$
-5eat can never be obtained witho)t inF)ry to livin" creat)res, and inF)ry to
sentient bein"s is detrimental to Ithe attainment ofJ heavenly bliss; let him therefore
sh)n Ithe )se ofJ meat.0
?L)/s of 0)nu, code of Hind)ism Ic. CC B.&.;.B&.;. CCJ
1?
-4he "reatest pro"ress of 6i"hteo)sness amon" men comes from the e7hortation
in favor of non:inF)ry to life and abstention from killin" livin" bein"s.0
?-so8)1 #
rd
cent)ry B.&.;. B)ddhist emperor
16
-.las what wickedness to swallow flesh into o)r own flesh, to fatten o)r "reedy
bodies by crammin" in other bodies, to have one livin" creat)re fed by the death of
anotherL0
?Dvid, 1
st
cent)ry B.&.;. 6oman poet
17
-4he )nnat)ral eatin" of flesh:meats is as poll)tin" as the heathen worship of
devils, with its sacrifices and its imp)re feasts, thro)"h participation in which a
man becomes a fellow eater with devils.0
?'lementine 6omilies,
nd
cent)ry &hristian te7t
1(
-*t is far better to be happy than to have o)r bodies act as "raveyards for animals.
.ccordin"ly, the .postle 5atthew partook of seeds, n)ts and ve"etables, witho)t
flesh.0
B'lement of -le9)ndri),
nd
cent)ry &hristian theolo"ian
1'
-B)t as water which flows thro)"h a rock is more )ncorr)pted than that which
r)ns thro)"h marshes, beca)se it does not brin" with it m)ch m)d; th)s, also, the
so)l which administers its own affairs in a body that is dry, and is not moistened by
the F)ices of forei"n flesh, is in a more e7cellent condition, is more )ncorr)pted,
and is more prompt for intellect)al ener"y.0
B+orp!r, #
rd
cent)ry @eoplatonist philosopher
C
-Rhe V!ytha"orasW forbade the most contemplative of philosophers, and who
have arrived at the s)mmit of philosophic attainments, the )se of s)perfl)o)s and
)nF)st food, and ordered them never to eat any thin" animated, nor in short, to
drink wine, nor to sacrifice animals to the Gods, nor by any means to inF)re
animals, b)t to preserve most solicito)sly F)stice towards them. .nd he himself
lived after this manner, abstainin" from animal food, and adorin" altars )ndefiled
with blood.0
?()mblic!us1 $
th
cent)ry Greek philosopher and historian
1
-1e, the &hristian leaders, practice abstinence from the flesh of animals to s)bd)e
o)r bodies. . . the )nnat)ral eatin" of flesh:meat is poll)tin".0
?St4 ,o!n '!rsostom, $
th
cent)ry ,ather of the ;astern &h)rch

-;atin" the meat of a cow ca)ses disease, its milk is health and its clarified b)tter
is medicine. &ompassionate eatin" leads to compassionate livin".0
B-l%H!):)li1 11
th
:1
th
cent)ry 5)slim theolo"ian and mystic
#
-.nd remember: when yo) h)nt and kill,
yo)r p)nishment will depend
on where Von the scale of evol)tionW
yo) have str)ck yo)r bladeBhi"h or lowL. . .
Ho) are not a v)lt)re, to stoop on carcasses,
and do not, like a crow, dip yo)r feet in others9 blood.
;ven if h)n"er has red)ced yo) to a mere skeletonB
6?
bloodless like a pict)re ima"eB
yo) will, at least, be spared the p)nishments of a carcass eater.0
Bi:))mi H)n.)vee1 1
th
cent)ry %)fi poet
$
-1hen he V%t. ,rancisW considered the primordial so)rce of all thin"s, he was filled
with even more ab)ndant piety, callin" creat)res, no matter how small, by the
name of brother or sister, beca)se he knew they had the same so)rce as himself.0
BSt4 *on)venture, 1#
th
cent)ry ,ranciscan minister and theolo"ian
?
-Ho) violently sla)"hter innocent animals
.nd claim it to be in keepin" with the canons of yo)r creed.
B)t when God places before yo) the record of yo)r cr)el deeds,
1hat will yo)r fate be/0
?I)bir1 1?
th
cent)ry *ndian mystic
6
V+a =inci, a ve"etarian, eliminated even honey from his diet, writin",W -.nd many
others will be robbed of their store of provisions and their food, and by an
insensitive folk will be cr)elly immersed and drowned. < F)stice of GodL 1hy
dost tho) not awake to behold thy creat)res th)s ab)sed/ . . . He who does not
val)e life does not deserve it.0
BLeon)rdo D) Jinci, 1?
th
cent)ry *talian artist and scientist
7
-* believe that every man who has ever been earnest to preserve his hi"her or
poetic fac)lties in the best condition has been partic)larly inclined to abstain from
animal food, and from m)ch food of any kind. . . P4hat in which men differ from
br)te beasts,9 says 5enci)s, Pis a thin" very inconsiderable; the common herd lose
it very soon; s)perior men preserve it caref)lly.9 1ho knows what sort of life
wo)ld res)lt if we had attained to p)rity/0
?6enr D)vid &!ore)u, 1'
th
cent)ry .merican writer and nat)ralist
(
V%haw, a ve"etarian, was told by the doctors in 1('( that he wo)ld die )nless he
ate some meat. He said,W -5y sit)ation is a solemn one. 3ife is offered to me on
condition of eatin" beefsteaks. B)t death is better than cannibalism. 5y will
contains directions for my f)neral, which will be followed not by mo)rnin"
coaches, b)t by o7en, sheep, flocks of po)ltry, and a small travellin" aD)ari)m of
live fish, all wearin" white scarfs in honor of the man who perished rather than eat
his fellow creat)res. *t will be, with the e7ception of @oah9s ark, the most
remarkable thin" of the kind seen.0
?Heorge *ern)rd S!)/, 1'
th
:C
th
cent)ry British writer and critic
'
-* think that eatin" meat or fish is a denial of all ideals, even of all reli"ions. How
can we pray to God for mercy if we o)rselves have no mercy/ How can we speak
of ri"ht and F)stice if we take an innocent creat)re and shed its blood/ ;very kind
of killin" seems to me sava"e and * find no F)stification for it.0
?(s))c *)s!evis Singer, C
th
cent)ry 8ewish writer
#C

+o these words reflect fantasy or reality/ ;ach of )s will find o)t after we take o)r
last breath. Gntil that moment comes, what9s the wisest co)rse of action/
Signposts pointing toward reality
4he law of karma and life:after:death can9t be proven to be tr)e with the means most
of )s have at o)r disposal: the mind and the physical senses. Het clear si"ns of spirit)al
realities can be perceived in everyday life. Life is F)ir has described D)ite a few of these
intimations, incl)din":
66
U How science has fo)nd that laws of ca)se and effect operate in every sphere of
e7istence, and how the law of karma e7plains the impact of action and reaction )pon all
livin" bein"s.
U How karmic law predicts that any action which ca)ses a person or animal to s)ffer
will res)lt in s)fferin" bein" ret)rned to the doer of that action, and how research on the
health effects of meat:eatin" ill)strates this point.
U How most people appear to have a sincere desire to do ri"ht and avoid wron", which
is nat)ral if everyone has a so)l, an element of p)re conscio)sness that is inclined toward
the )ltimate positive reality.
%till, this book is F)st a collection of words which add )p to a hypothesis. 4hat is, all
that has been written points toward potential tr)ths of e7istence, b)t these can9t be
accepted as fact witho)t bein" proven. Life is F)ir describes a world view which many
find tremendo)sly compellin" and pers)asive. !erhaps yo) feel this way also. *n that
case, takin" action is the only way of discoverin" whether karma and reincarnation are
tr)e or false. 5erely thinkin" abo)t the principles that have been o)tlined cannot lead to
)sef)l knowled"e.
.ction is the way of science, whether material or spirit)al. Gen)ine mysticism is
spirit)al science. 4he scientific method of testin" hypotheses is how firm concl)sions are
reached abo)t the nat)re of reality, physical or metaphysical. %o if this book is to make
any difference to a personMs life, it has to be viewed more as a be"innin" than an endin".
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
1e often fail to look at simple thin"s in a simple way. 1e make life more complicated
than it needs to be, or really is% 1e don9t need fancy eD)ipment or a sophisticated research
center to test the hypothesis that life is fair.
3ife itself is the laboratory. ;ach one of )s is a researcher. ;very tho)"ht and action is
an e7periment. 4he res)lts of o)r previo)s e7periments are all aro)nd )s. *ndeed, they
)re what we consider o)rselves to be: o)r personality, o)r body, o)r stren"ths and
weaknesses, o)r likes and dislikes. .re we happy with the res)lts/
Gen)ine happiness, better termed bliss, is an inherent D)ality of o)r innermost self. 1e
become tr)ly happy when we become what we tr)ly are: so)l. . )niversal wellsprin" of
life, love, and )nity lies at the core of o)r bein". Gntil we drink of that well, o)r thirst for
happiness will not be D)enched.
8)st as a person lost in an arid desert does not walk away from a pool of water, so is it
senseless to think tho)"hts and perform actions that distance )s from o)r tr)e so)rce of
peace and bliss. 6ather, we sho)ld be r)nnin" towards it.
.nd if we do not yet know e7actly in which direction to move, not bein" in to)ch with
the moral compass of o)r so)l, then we can choose to seek the ")idance of those who are.
4hese spirit)al teachers say, with one voice, that if we are concerned for o)r own
happiness, we m)st first develop a respect for all life. 4hen only can we become worthy of
67
drinkin" deeply from the fo)ntain of spirit within o)rselves.
*s there anythin" more important to do/
6(
Essays
,ollowin" are two essays which e7pand )pon the central themes of this book: morality
and karma. 4hey are intended for c)rio)s readers who want to delve a bit deeper into
these important s)bFects. 4he essays are non:scholarly, reflectin" the a)thor9s belief that
h)mor is completely compatible with spirit)ality.
4he first essay, -4he @at)re of 6i"ht and 1ron",0 foc)ses on a D)estion which has
been at the heart of moral debates thro)"ho)t recorded history: (s t!e found)tion of
mor)lit ob.ective or sub.ective7 4he answer of spirit)al science is conveyed not
intellect)ally, b)t thro)"h the metaphorical device of a -moral compass0Ba "ad"et yo)
co)ld act)ally hold in yo)r hand that wo)ld provide answers on moral D)estions. 4his
essay also looks at how we can tell the difference between ri"ht and wron", approachin"
the iss)e from a somewhat different perspective than in the earlier section, b)t arrivin" at
the same concl)sion.
4he second essay, -Aarma &larifiedB4he ,airness 5achine,0 presents the workin"s
of karmic law in a modern fashion. 1ith the aid of an ima"inary depiction of a machine
that capt)res the main elements of karma, we learn why o)r free will becomes increasin"ly
limited by the ine7orable conseD)ences of o)r actions. 4he workin"s of the ,airness
5achine also e7plain why bad thin"s happen to "ood people, and how the
effects of ri"ht and wron" actions tend to acc)m)late over timeBwhich is all the more
reason for )s to always make so)nd moral choices.
6'
T"e <ature of 5ig"t and (rong
&!e mor)l l)/ comm)nds me to m)8e t!e !ig!est possible good in ) /orld t!e ultim)te
ob.ect of )ll m conduct4 *ut ( c)nnot !ope to effect t!is ot!er/ise t!)n b t!e !)rmon
of m /ill /it! t!)t of ) !ol )nd good -ut!or of t!e /orld;)lso mor)lit is not
properl t!e doctrine of !o/ /e s!ould m)8e ourselves !)pp1 but !o/ /e s!ould
become /ort! of !)ppiness4
;"e c)n )lso see from t!is t!)t1 /!en /e )s8 /!)t is HodAs ultim)te end in cre)ting t!e
/orld1 /e must not n)me t!e !)ppiness of t!e r)tion)l beings in it1 but t!e summum
bonum [supreme good];&!erefore1 t!ose /!o pl)ced t!e end of cre)tion in t!e glor of
Hod =provided t!)t t!is is not conceived )nt!ropomorp!ic)ll )s ) desire to be pr)ised>
!)ve per!)ps !it upon t!e best e9pression4
B*mman)el Aant
1
1hat is -"ood0 and what is -bad/0 4hro)"ho)t the a"es, few D)estions have been
more important to philosophers, theolo"ians, ethicists, and ordinary people. 4oday
debates contin)e to ra"e abo)t what is moral and immoral, what is ri"ht and what is
wron". %ome of these ar")ments occ)r o)tside )sBon editorial pa"es of newspapers, in
scholarly Fo)rnals, on televised p)blic affairs pro"rams, in le"islat)res and co)rtrooms.
.nd some debates take place inside )sBprimarily within what we call o)r conscience.
*s it proper that * perform this action, or think this tho)"ht/ <r sho)ld * follow another
co)rse/ ;veryone faces freD)ent moral dilemmas, some small and some lar"e.

-oral dile!!as
4he woman ahead of yo) in a s)permarket check:o)t line drops a five:dollar bill on
the floor, b)t doesn9t notice it. +o yo) point it o)t to her, or wait )ntil she leaves and
keep it for yo)rself/ +)rin" a meetin" at work yo)r boss makes a dispara"in" remark
abo)t the Fob yo)9ve been doin". +o yo) "et an"ry and lash back with an ins)lt of yo)r
own, or stay calm and ask him to e7plain what he means/ . new friend invites yo) over
for dinner and serves a so)p with meat stock that obvio)sly took considerable time to
prepare. ;ven tho)"h yo)9re a ve"etarian, do yo) eat it to avoid h)rtin" the host9s
feelin"s, or p)t the dish to one side and reach for salad instead/
* co)ld "ive many more e7amples, b)t no do)bt yo) can s)pply plenty from yo)r own
life. ,ew people can "o thro)"h a sin"le day witho)t enco)nterin" several clear choices
between ri"ht and wron". %)ch choices have faced h)manity ever since we developed the
power of discrimination that separates )s from the lower animals.
Dilbert reprinted by permission of Gnited ,eat)re %yndicate, *nc.
1ithin the span of recorded history, we know that many "reat minds have tho)"ht
7C
deeply abo)t ethical problems. ,or e7ample, perhaps yo) have some va")e memories
from hi"h school or colle"e abo)t !lato and his views abo)t the -"ood.0 4hankf)lly, we
don9t have to think like philosophers to come to "rips with the all:important D)estion,
-How do we choose a moral code to ")ide o)r life/0 4he central iss)es that need to be
addressed are few and simple.
(s mor)lit founded on t!e bedroc8 of ob.ective re)lit or on t!e s!ifting s)nds of
person)l opinion7
-nd reg)rdless of /!et!er mor)l st)nd)rds )re ob.ective or sub.ective1 c)n /e
identif t!em7
%cholars may ar")e that this approach is too simple, b)t this book is more concerned
with livin" life ri"htly, and happily, than with spinnin" aro)nd in intellect)al circles.
Finding your way wit" a !oral co!pass
%o let9s "et down to earth and pict)re a -moral compass.0 *ma"ine that this is a
"ad"et yo) can hold in yo)r hand, like a ma"netic compass. However, instead of fo)r
headin"sBnorth, so)th, east, westBthis moral compass has only two: ri"ht and wron". *f
yo) want yo)r compass to say -"ood0 and -bad,0 or -ethical0 and -)nethical,0 this is fine.
,rom the spirit)al perspective, these sets of terms are synonymo)s, and from now on * will
)se them interchan"eably. 4hat is, ri"ht is "ood and ethical, and wron" is bad and
)nethical.
@ow, most people wo)ld love to have s)ch a device. <nly psychopaths wo)ld have
no )se whatsoever for a compass that points o)t whether an action or tho)"ht was ri"ht
or wron". 4hey F)st do whatever they feel like doin", with no concern abo)t the moral
conseD)ences.
However, "enerally the rest of )s try to do the ri"ht thin", most of the time, so
seemin"ly wo)ld welcome a device that helps )s make correct choices. ,)rthermore, let9s
ima"ine that it costs nothin" and is delivered ri"ht to o)r door. 1hy not try this moral
compass/
Ho) )nwrap it and take a "lance at its simple dial, one pointer that swin"s between
-Rig!t0 and -"rong.0 *t certainly looks easy to operate. . small slip of paper is in the
bottom of the bo7 it came in. GreatL 4he instr)ction man)al is simple and short. Ho)
read:
'ongr)tul)tionsK 3ou )re t!e o/ner of t!e /orldAs finest mor)l comp)ss4
Hu)r)nteed?t!ere is none better4
(nstructions# =1> press s/itc! to 2on5 =@> )s8 mor)l Euestion
@ow, what happens ne7t is "oin" to make a "ood share of science, philosophy, and
reli"ion obsolete. *f, of co)rse, the "ad"et works at all.
6emember, this device is ")aranteed to be the world9s finest moral compass,
s)rpassed by none. %o if yo) t)rn the switch on, ask it a D)estion, and nothin" happens,
yo) may be disappointedBb)t lots of other people are "oin" to be ecstatic. 5any
scientists and philosophers firmly believe that "ood and bad are fictions dreamed )p by the
mind of man. 4hey think that these concepts have no meanin" at all, e7cept as feeble
e7planations for completely nat)ral phenomena.
. woman feels that it is -"ood0 to be a carin" mother and raise her children lovin"ly,
rather than abandonin" them emotionally or physically. -4his feelin" is F)st a tool of
evol)tion,0 says a materialistic scientist. -5aternal behavior increases the chances of
newborns livin" lon" eno)"h to pass on their "enetic inheritance. 4h)s nat)ral selection
has created feelin"s like Pmother love9 for evol)tionary p)rposes. 4here isn9t anythin"
inherently P"ood9 or Pbad.9 1e9ve F)st been molded to act in certain ways which now we
71
rationaliEe as bein" moral behavior.0
%omeone who thinks this way wo)ldn9t be s)rprised to find that the moral compass
doesn9t do anythin" at all. ,or beneath the dial, the pointer readin"s of ri"ht and wron",
he is s)re there is nothin". 8)st an empty case.
Don't as0 if you don't want to 0now
;no)"h talk. 4ime for action. Ho) sit down on the co)ch, hold the compass in yo)r
hand, and think of somethin" to ask. -1hat9s been on my mind lately/0 .n ima"e pops
)p, b)t yo) try to dismiss it. %till, the vision lin"ers: that attractive person at work who
keeps askin" yo) to "o o)t to l)nch with them. Ho)9ve "otten the impression that they9re
attracted to yo), and, to be honest, yo) have had the same kinds of feelin"s.
B)t yo)9re married. .ll the same, yo) know many other people who have had affairs,
and yo)9re a bit envio)s of them. 1hy not see what the moral compass says abo)t
ad)ltery/ 3ookin" aro)nd the room to make s)re that no one is aro)nd, yo) whisper, -*s
it ri"ht or wron" for a married person to have a se7)al affair/0 4he pointer immediately
F)mps from its ne)tral position. 1owL 4his "ad"et reacts, and fast. *t now points
directly at one of the moral compass directions.
"rong. -+arnL0 comes o)t of yo)r mo)th, before yo) can catch yo)rself. *t seems
that yo) had been secretly hopin" for a different response. -<h well,0 yo) think. -*
sho)ldn9t have asked the D)estion if * didn9t want to know the answer. .nyway, this is
kind of f)n. 1hat else co)ld * ask abo)t/0
Ho) remember a recent phone conversation with a friend who was )pset that her
teena"e da)"hter had been talkin" abo)t becomin" a ve"etarian. 4he "irl seems
convinced that this is the ri"ht thin" to do, even tho)"h her mother is eD)ally s)re that all
she wo)ld "ain is a bad case of maln)trition. 3et9s try o)t the moral compass on this
ethical dilemma. Ho) ask, -*s it ri"ht or wron" to be a ve"etarian and not eat any meat/0
Rig!t. 4he pointer has flipped all the way to the other side of the dial. Hmmmm/
Ho) think abo)t yo)r own dietary habits. -* hope this moral compass doesn9t t)rn o)t to
be more tro)ble than it9s worth,0 yo) m)tter. -B)t maybe it is F)st flippin" randomly in
one direction or the other, toward either Rig!t or "rong, and isn9t really respondin" to
my D)estions.0 !erhaps it wo)ld be all ri"ht to accept that l)nch invitation after all. Ho)
decide to try another e7periment.
3iftin" both feet into the air while sittin" on the co)ch, yo) ask, -1o)ld it be ri"ht or
wron" to p)t my left foot down now/0 4he pointer F)mps to what looks like a ne)tral
position. *nterestin". -1hat abo)t if * p)t my other foot down now/ Rig!t or "rong/0
4he pointer moves sli"htly in the direction of "rong. @ow, this doesn9t make any sense.
*t looks like this "ad"et isn9t workin" as ")aranteed. Ho)r le"s are "ettin" tired, b)t
somethin" makes yo) "lance at the floor before p)ttin" them down.
.maEin". . tiny spider had crawled o)t from )nder the co)ch and now is directly
)nder yo)r ri"ht foot. *f yo) had p)t yo)r le"s down witho)t lookin", this insect wo)ld
have been sD)ished. *t9s be"innin" to appear as if the moral compass is capable of makin"
some pretty fine distinctions between ri"ht and wron", "ood and bad. Ho) can hardly
wait to show this instr)ment to yo)r friends.
Do all !oral co!passes gie t"e sa!e results#
B)t this raises an important iss)e. 4he moral compass works; that has been proven by
t)rnin" it on and seein" that it responded to D)estions with ethical implications. However,
yo) be"in to wonder what wo)ld happen if another person asked the moral compass the
same D)estions. 1o)ld he or she also be told that ad)ltery is wron", ve"etarianism is
ri"ht, and the morality of p)ttin" one9s foot down depends on what lies )nderneath it/
7
*n other words, is the nat)re of "ood and bad s)bFective or obFective/ !ersonal or
)niversal/ @ow that it has been proven that s)ch a thin" as ri"ht and wron" e7ists, the
ne7t D)estion is where morality resides: -*s there a )niD)e moral lodestone within each
person by which the moral compass finds its direction, or is there a sin"le ethical standard
that attracts every seeker of the "ood/0
.ll ma"netic compasses point north Iin the absence of local interferenceJ. +o all
perfectly f)nctionin" moral compasses also point in the same direction/ 4his D)estion is
at the heart of philosophical and theolo"ical debates abo)t the nat)re of "ood and bad that
have "one on for many cent)ries, and the iss)es show no si"n of bein" resolved. @ow,
with o)r moral compass, we finally may have a way to c)t thro)"h those endless
ar")ments. .ll we need to do is "et a "ro)p of people to"ether, hand each of them a
compass, and have every person ask the same D)estion.
=oilaL *f all the compasses point in a sin"le directionBdirectly at Rig!t or "rong, or
somewhere in betweenBthen this is convincin" evidence that morality transcends
individ)al beliefs. B)t where are we "oin" to "et more of these devices/ 1hy, that9s the
doorbell rin"in". . delivery tr)ck has F)st left a lar"e bo7 of them. *t almost seems as if
whoever is s)pplyin" these moral compasses knows what we need before we do.
.fter some phone calls to friends and nei"hbors, a fair:siEed "ro)p assembles that
evenin" in yo)r livin" room. *t doesn9t take lon" to describe what the devices are
s)pposed to do: tell ri"ht from wron". @o one believes yo)9re serio)s. 4o "rab the
"ro)p9s attention yo) decide to be"in by showin" them the spider test. %ince now there
aren9t any insects visible, the family do" is recr)ited as a s)bstit)te. -!lace yo)r foot F)st
above her tail and ask the moral compass if it is ri"ht or wron" to stomp down.0
;ach person tries this e7periment with their own moral compass and is amaEed to find
that the needle on each instr)ment points in the direction of "rong, and to e7actly the
same de"ree. . few people "et a different readin" at first, b)t a close inspection of their
post)re reveals that they wo)ld have missed the do"9s tail by a fraction of an inch if they
had p)t their foot down. .fter a sli"ht adF)stment of their le" the D)estion is repeated,
and their moral compass now "ives the same response as everyone else9s. 4he "ro)p is
startin" to believe in this "ad"et.
Ho) move on: -3isten, everybody. 1e9re "oin" to try another D)estion. 6epeat after
me, P*s it ri"ht or wron" for a married person to have a se7)al affair/9 0 %ome people
titter, b)t everyone "oes alon" with yo)r reD)est. <ne by one each person reports the
readin" of his or her moral compass: -"rong.0 -"rong.0 -"rong.0 *n every case the
needle is pointin" directly at this compass headin", F)st as when yo) asked the D)estion by
yo)rself earlier.
4he mood in the room t)rns more serio)s. . few ")ests look a bit )ncomfortable.
Glancin" at yo)r spo)se9s forehead, yo) notice some beads of sweat. -*t isn9t that warm
in here,0 yo) think to yo)rself. -5aybe we need to have a heart:to:heart talk after the
")ests "o home.0 4he rest of the evenin" is kind of a bl)r. ;veryone is ea"er to ask more
D)estions of the moral compass, and many want to know if they can keep one.
However, a few people look increasin"ly discomfited as the ni"ht wears on. 4hey end )p
by themselves in a corner of the room, m)tterin" D)estion after D)estion )nder their
breath, their freD)ent e7pletives the only words that can be heard by others.
*f this were a tr)e story, the followin" days and weeks wo)ld see tremendo)s
)pheavals as news of the moral compass spread. 4he relatively mild reactions of those
people who first tested the device in a livin" room wo)ld pale in comparison to the
feverish o)tcries of reli"io)s leaders, politicians, and many others who have a vested
interest in a partic)lar moral code. 1hen the moral compass was fo)nd to a"ree with
their beliefs, it wo)ld be lavishly praised as a "ift from God. 1hen it contradicted their
7#
ethical tenets, the device wo)ld be harshly condemned as the +evil9s tool.
4his is, of co)rse, precisely how "reat mystics "enerally have been received by the
world. 4he saints and prophets, whose vision lies at the heart of the "reat reli"ions,
possess a "en)ine moral compassBan absol)tely still and p)re conscio)sness. 8)st as
those who "aEe into the crystal:clear waters of a calm lake can easily see what lies beneath
the s)rface, so are the spirit)ally enli"htened aware of the tr)ths that are obsc)red by the
m)ddy t)rb)lence of self:interested mind and matter.
Laws of existence are ob*ectie/ not relatie
<ne of these spirit)al realities is that the nat)re of "ood and bad is an obFective reality
that is constant thro)"ho)t the cosmos. 3ike "ravity, morality is a f)ndamental law of
e7istence. 4his is why the moral compass "ave the same res)lts no matter who asked it a
D)estion. !ersonal beliefs abo)t whether ad)ltery, or ve"etarianism, or insectOtail
stompin" are ri"ht or wron" were irrelevant to the operation of the moral compass, F)st as
someone9s ide) abo)t where the north pole is does not affect a ma"netic compass.
4his is as it sho)ld be. *f yo)9re lost in a dense forest, yo) want a compass to point
where north really is, not where yo) think it is. 4he problem is that yo) don9t know
where yo) are, or where yo)r home lies. Ho) need a navi"ational aid that is completely
independent of yo)r i"norance.
&onsider the diffic)lty yo) face in learnin" how to spell a word correctly. 4o find that
word in a dictionary, yo) have to know at least its first few letters. Het yo)r problem is
that yo) don9t know how it is spelled. *f yo) co)ld spell it, yo) wo)ldn9t need a
dictionary. Het the dictionary can9t be of help )nless yo) have a fairly "ood idea of how
the word is spelled.
*n either case, the worst thin" that co)ld happen wo)ld be for tr)th to modify itself in
response to o)r searchin" for it. 4his wo)ld be like a ma"netic compass pointin" in
whichever direction we tho)"ht north was. @o one co)ld find their way if this occ)rred.
@or wo)ld dictionaries be )sef)l if the form of the entries chan"ed to match o)r
conception of how a word is spelled. 5ost importantly, e7istence wo)ld be ins)fferable if
the nat)re of "ood and bad was based on personal opinion rather than obFective reality.
7$

;dward Aoren 1'( from 4he @ew Horker &ollection. .ll ri"hts reserved.
,ort)nately, this isn9t tr)e. 1hether we believe some action is ri"ht or wron" is
irrelevant to the cosmos, F)st as one9s belief or disbelief in the force of "ravity has no
bearin" on how the )niversal law of "ravitation operates.
Ho) mi"ht be aware that ;instein9s theory of relativity e7plains how "ravity works.
5any people hear the word -relativity0 and think that ;instein fo)nd f)ndamental laws of
nat)reBand by implication, tr)thBto be relative. .ct)ally, it was F)st the opposite. His
theory demonstrates that there is a solid obFective reality which lies beneath appearances,
b)t this reality can )ppe)r different dependin" on one9s relative point of view. 4his brin"s
to mind the -fallin" elevator0 e7ample which scientists often )se when e7plainin" "ravity
and the theory of relativity.
To be bad is folly/ not fun
*ma"ine yo)rself in a windowless elevator compartment on the top floor of a very tall
b)ildin". . cable snaps and the elevator be"ins to fall freely. %ince yo) are fallin" alon"
with the compartment, it will seem that yo)9re wei"htless. 3ike a sky diver, or an
astrona)t in space, yo) co)ld float aro)nd within the confines of the elevator. *f amnesia
str)ck at the same time as the cable snapped, and yo) for"ot the "ravity of the sit)ation
Ie7c)se the p)nJ, yo) co)ld even have f)n for a few momentsBdoin" somersa)lts in mid:
air, sprin"in" )p to the ceilin" with a li"ht to)ch of yo)r toe.
Gntil the elevator hits the "ro)nd. 4hen the f)n wo)ld end in a mass of tan"led
wrecka"e and yo)r man"led body. However, it is a scientific fact that someone fallin"
7?
freely cannot feel their own wei"ht. 4h)s he or she co)ld be deceived into believin" they
are enFoyin" a beni"n wei"htless condition, while in reality they are pl)mmetin" toward a
painf)l meetin" with 5other ;arth. -1hoopeeL0 followed by a cr)nch.
@ow, someone watchin" a fallin" elevator from the o)tside knows the reality of the
sit)ation. *f this observer co)ld comm)nicate with a person trapped inside the
compartment who mistakenly believes they are wei"htless, rather than abo)t to be cr)shed
to death, the observer co)ld take steps to save them, s)ch as by )r"in" that they press the
Emergenc Stop b)tton immediately.
%imilarly, there are people who have lifted their conscio)sness beyond the confines of
matter and mind in which we find o)rselves. 4hey can see that the law of karma ens)res
that those who en"a"e in ne"ative actions will reap )npleasant conseD)ences as s)rely as
"ravity ca)ses a fallin" person to hit the "ro)nd. 4hese spirit)al scientists ")ide )s how to
act so metaphysical laws of e7istence will "ive )s what we want as well as what we
deserve4
1hat we want, of co)rse, is happiness. 4his is a worthy "oal. <)r only problem is
that we do not know with certainty where the so)rce of happiness lies. 1e find riv)lets of
pleas)re lyin" aro)nd this dry earthly desert of materialityBsens)al deli"hts, romantic
love, reli"io)s devotion, social action, intellect)al p)rs)itsBb)t the ever:flowin"
wellsprin" of bliss and peace el)des )s. *t often seems that o)r lives have plenty of
movement, b)t little direction.
>our soul 0nows t"e rig"t way
1hat we need, desperately, is a moral compass that will help )s maintain a co)rse in
the ri"ht direction. @at)rally there isn9t any physical "ad"et that yo) can hold in yo)r
hand, ask a D)estion of it, and "et a Rig!t or "rong response. B)t there is a metaphysical
mechanism, or force, that operates almost e7actly like the device * described earlier. %o
*9ll contin)e to call this force a moral compass, beca)se it always points in one direction.
Home. @ot o)r earthly home, b)t o)r so)l9s home. <)r ori"in, o)r startin" point, the
)nion of o)r individ)al conscio)sness with the conscio)s so)rce of life.
4his moral compass is of immeas)rable help both to those who wish to leave the
re"ions of mind and matter entirely, and to those who want to s)rvive comfortably in the
forei"n land of materiality in which the so)l finds itself. *f the tr)e p)rpose of life is for
each one of )s to realiEe o)r potential and oneness with s)preme reality, then some means
m)st have been b)ilt into creation to enable s)ch to occ)r.
<)r so)ls have fo)nd their way to a stran"e land, the material )niverse, and are
covered with physical and mental bodies. 4hese bodies are necessary to live here, b)t
prevent )s from e7periencin" spirit)al re"ions. *nstead, a so)l m)st plod alon" at the
speed of matter and mind, m)ch as a "reyho)nd closely tied to a t)rtle and a cow moves
only as fast as the slowest of its companions.
.t the same time, the so)l is conscio)s, and is travelin" thro)"h a land s)ff)sed with
conscio)sness, even tho)"h this isn9t obvio)s to o)r mind and sensesBwhich are
comatose compared to the so)l. ,ort)nately, the so)l has a ma"netic attraction to spirit,
the essence of )ltimate reality of which it is a part. 1e have a -direction finder0 within
o)r conscio)sness that enables )s to discern the si"ns that point toward )nion, toward the
spirit)al home left lon" a"o. ,or those with clear spirit)al vision, a well:marked path
leads homeward.
?lti!ate reality is a sea!less w"ole
4he "reat so)ls of historyBB)ddha, 8es)s, Aabir, 3ao 4E), 5ohammed, 5oses,
@anak, 6)mi, and many othersBhave told h)manity abo)t this divine path, and how to
76
tread it. 4ho)"h the finer points of their teachin"s were att)ned to a certain c)lt)re and
time, the essence of their messa"e is )niversal: Re)li:e t!e spirit t!)t is our life1 )nd )ll
else follo/s# )bsolute 8no/ledge1 complete bliss1 life everl)sting1 )nd es?perfect
mor)lit.
4his is beca)se nothin" e7ists apart from the creator. %pirit, God:in:action, has
formed everythin" in the cosmos o)t of itself. %pirit is both the weaver and the cloth, the
painter and the paintin". 1e read in the Bible, -*n the be"innin" was the 1ord, and the
1ord was with God, and the 1ord was God. 4he same was in the be"innin" with God.
.ll thin"s were made by him; and witho)t him was not any thin" made that was made.0
I%t. 8ohn 1:1:#J
@ow, if the 1ord, or spirit, was all there was at the be"innin" of creation, and this
creative force /)s God, then it follows that all which e7ists now also is of the same
essence as the &reator. God is one. 4his is similar to water takin" on vario)s forms
Isolid, liD)id, vaporJ dependin" )pon the temperat)re of its s)rro)ndin"s. <)r physical
)niverse basically is -froEen0 spirit, or matter, with a small bit of -liD)id0 spirit, or mind,
mi7ed in. 4he ethereal so)l, the drop of p)re spirit that is o)r moral compass, is well:
hidden by coverin"s of mind and matter.
*f this so)nds )ncomfortably mystical to the scientifically:minded reader, here is an
alternative way of e7pressin" the )nity of creation: )ltimate reality is a seamless whole.
4hose familiar with modern science will reco"niEe that many theories and findin"s of
the new physics s)pport this statement, incl)din" Ib)t not limited toJ the search for a
4heory of ;verythin", D)ant)m interconnectedness, the eD)ivalence of matter and ener"y,
and s)perstrin"s.
+on9t be concerned if these terms mean little or nothin" to yo). * F)st want to
reass)re anyone who is committed to )sin" the scientific method to "et at the heart of
reality that the !rofessors of %pirit)al %cience share yo)r "oal. 5etaphysics takes )p the
search for obFective tr)th at the point where physics and the other material sciences are
forced to stop: the bo)ndary between matterOener"y and whatever lies beyond.
Both mystics and physicists know that somethin" marvelo)s and mysterio)s formed
and ener"iEed o)r )niverse. .nd both know that this somethin" is not many, b)t one.
1ell, it perhaps is more acc)rate to say that mystics know this and physicists stron"ly
s)spect it, which is why their search is for the 4heory Inot 4heoriesJ of ;verythin" that is
the root of all the other laws of nat)re. %o there is nothin" stran"e abo)t sayin" either
that )ltimate reality is a seamless whole, or that God is one. 4hese simply are different
ways of e7pressin" the same tr)th.
.ll ri"ht. 3et9s "et back to o)r main s)bFect in this essay, the nat)re of ri"ht and
wron". Here is how the )nity of e7istence is linked with morality and the claim that all
one has to do is1 re)li:e t!e spirit t!)t is our life1 )nd )ll else follo/s. 1ith three lo"ical
links everythin" fits to"ether:
I1J God is one.
IJ 4he primary p)rpose of life is to realiEe that oneness.
I#J 1hatever brin"s )s closer to the )nity of God is ri"ht I"oodJ and whatever takes
)s f)rther away is wron" IbadJ.
."ain, *9ll rephrase my lan")a"e for the benefit of those who prefer a more scientific
approach:
I1J Gltimate reality is a seamless whole.
IJ 4he endpoint of science is to know that final reality.
I#J 1hatever brin"s )s closer to this complete knowled"e is ri"ht IpositiveJ, and
whatever takes )s f)rther away is wron" Ine"ativeJ.
77
+ loer doesn't "urt t"e beloed
4his brin"s )s to the core of the metaphysical F)stification for non:violence. Dneness
is re)c!ed not t!roug! sep)r)tion )nd division1 but t!roug! merging )nd bringing
toget!er4 !erfect love, of co)rse, is the D)intessence of )nity. +ivine love, which
transcends romantic or personal love, has its endpoint in the )nion of the beloved, God,
and the lover, so)l.
*t isn9t an act of love to kill part of the beloved. 4his is obvio)s even from a worldly
perspective. . woman bein" wooed by a man wo)ld not take it as a si"n of affection if he
came over to her ho)se, p)lled o)t a cleaver, and chopped off one of her fin"ers. 4o p)t
it mildly, she wo)ld prefer chocolates or flowers instead. 3ove connotes "ivin", not
takin"; bindin", not splittin"; self:denial, not self:centeredness.
1hen we ind)l"e in tho)"hts and actions that harm the well:bein" of other livin"
creat)res Ih)man or non:h)manJ who are searchin" in their own fashion for happiness,
then we cannot e7pect to be rewarded with anythin" "ood. 4he law of karma forbids o)r
pleas)re bein" bo)"ht with the pain of others.
4he morality and wisdom of takin" life to s)stain o)rselves may well be considered
from this perspective.
.t's stupid to be bad
@otice that * F)st Foined two terms, morality and wisdom, which people often think of
as D)ite different. 4hat is, one co)ld be a st)pid saint or an evil "eni)s. *n this way of
lookin" at the world, tr)th and "oodness are separate virt)es, F)st as falsehood and
malevolence are separate vices. %omeone who ret)rns a million dollars in )nmarked bills
that fell o)t of an armored tr)ck mi"ht be told, -4hat was "ood of yo), b)t it wasn9t a
smart thin" to do.0
*n m)ch the same vein, pop)lar entertainmentBpartic)larly moviesBis fond of clever
crooks. 1hile committin" reprehensible crimes they are wonderf)lly charmin". 4he
)nderlyin" messa"e is: -*sn9t it better to be a dashin" free:spirit who follows no moral
code, rather than a borin" pillar of society bo)nd by ethical precepts/0 Good people are,
in other words, f)ddy:d)ddies. .nd often st)pid f)ddy:d)ddies as well, beca)se they
don9t know how m)ch pleas)re they are missin" by remainin" tr)thf)l, chaste, h)mble,
and p)re.
%pirit)al adepts see life differently. 5orality and wisdom are one and the same. 1hy/
Beca)se no one can know the tr)th of )ltimate reality witho)t holdin" on to what is ri"ht
and discardin" what is wron". 4his makes nonsense of the widespread notion that what
some call -livin" life to the f)llest0 is more heroic than -livin" life ri"htly.0
,or instance, if a manBlet9s call him 8oeBis a heavy drinker, a passionate womaniEer,
a connoisse)r of red meat and fine wines, a dabbler in e7otic and forbidden pleas)res, then
he often is viewed as a co)ra"eo)s fi")re who takes life by the horns and wrestles it to the
"ro)nd. ;ven if 8oe "ets "ored by cirrhosis, .*+%, hardenin" of the arteries, or a prison
sentence, many people wo)ld contin)e to see him akin to a mo)ntain climber who falls
while attemptin" a risky ascent. 1hile others cowered on the flat "ro)nd of traditional
morality, "ood old 8oe followed his own path )p the )ne7plored slopes of )nfettered
action. He fell, b)t he tried. How brave. How manly.
@ot tr)e. 8oe9s road, which always event)ally leads to r)in, has been e7ceedin"ly well
traveled by wimps and cowards who are too weak to resist the p)ll of the senses. 6ather
than marchin" )pward to the beat of their own dr)mmer, they are contin)ally fallin" on
their backsides to the t)ne of the n)rsery rhyme, -Gently down the streamR .0 *t always
is easier to float with the prevailin" c)rrents of mind and matter, driftin" wherever habit
takes )s, rather than paddlin" steadfastly )pstream toward the divine wellsprin" of
7(
conscio)sness.
%till, we sho)ldn9t be too hard on o)rselves, or on other people, when mistakes are
made. ;veryone errs some of the time, whether they are a fool or a "eni)s. 1hat9s
important is the overall direction of o)r life, not isolated missteps here and there. <n the
whole, are we movin" toward the tr)th of )ltimate reality or the falsehood of mind and
matter/ 4he answer to this D)estion depends )pon whether o)r moral compass is workin"
properly, and if we choose to follow its ")idance.
Staying on t"e rig"t course
*deally the so)l9s moral compass wo)ld ")ide every individ)al )nerrin"ly. 1e wo)ld
always think the ri"ht tho)"ht or )ndertake the ri"ht action in any circ)mstance. 4his is
the ideal of Ken, of 4aoism, of the %ermon on the 5o)nt, of B)ddha9s teachin"s, and
indeed of every maFor reli"ion and deep mystical path. .ll tell )s that while livin" in this
world it is possible to act divinely, b)t only when spirit ")ides body and mind.
4he world we see aro)nd )s is as it is beca)se sens)al desires and mental
misconceptions distort the -readin"s0 we receive from o)r spirit)al navi"ation system.
+eviations from the Godward, or "oodward, co)rse "o )ncorrected. . minor misstep
ends )p leadin" )s far from the path of peace and harmony, F)st as hikers who stray even a
few yards from a trail soon become completely lost if they contin)e walkin" in the wron"
direction.
How did we become so insensitive to the si"nals of ri"ht and wron"/ .nd how can
we become better t)ned/ 4he answer to both of these D)estions is contained within the
law of karma, the s)bFect of the followin" essay.
7'
:ar!a Clarified;t"e Fairness -ac"ine

Aarma. 1hat a word. .lmost everyone has heard abo)t -"ood karma0 and -bad
karma,0 b)t hardly anyone tr)ly )nderstands what karma isBor how it operates. !ossibly
this is one of the least )nderstood concepts in metaphysics.
Aarma is basically the law of ca)se and effect as it applies to livin" bein"s. %imple
descriptions of karma s)ch as -as yo) sow, so yo) reap0 may e7press its essence, b)t
cannot encompass many important details of how karmic law works.
4he "oal of this essay is to convey a deeper )nderstandin" of the moral law of F)stice,
so we can better appreciate !o/ life always "ives )s what we deserve.
:ar!a is action
Aarma, a word of %anskrit ori"in, simply means -action.0 B)t knowin" that karma
means action is abo)t as helpf)l in )nderstandin" this force as knowin" that -"ravity0
comes from a 3atin term, gr)vis, that means heavy. *n either case, the name assi"ned to a
law of nat)re tells )s littleBif anythin"Babo)t the manner in which it operates. Gravity,
however, can be described by precise mathematical eD)ations, while karma cannot. 4his is
one reason why physical laws are ta)"ht as obFective tr)th in the classroom, while
metaphysical laws tend to be learned haphaEardly, if at all.
3ove is the law of spirit)ality. @ot the =alentine9s +ay, h)"s and kisses, romantic
poetry, sweetheart kind of love, b)t the hi"hest possible state of positive conscio)sness. *n
the most elevated realms of bein", all is composed of the same p)re s)bstance, spirit. Here
is enFoyed a de"ree of )nity far removed from the divisiveness and separateness of the
lower reaches of the cosmos. .pproachin" the <ne, d)ality vanishes. %o it is often said
that -God is love.0 .s noted in the previo)s essay, a more scientific way of sayin" the
same thin" is that -)ltimate reality is a seamless whole.0
1hen there is only )nity, an action makes no sense. 1hat is there to be acted )pon/
.n action means that somethin", somewhere, at sometime has c!)nged. *n the realm of
the omnipresent and the eternal, this isn9t possible. <nly when )ltimate reality takes on the
")ise of God:in:.ction, as contrasted with God:as:God, can we speak of )cts of creation.
4h)s the law of karma, which is a principle of action and reaction, is inoperative in p)rely
spirit)al states of e7istence.
However, mind is the s)bstance that dominates on the lower re"ions of the cosmos,
and directs o)r less refined spirit)al coverin"s or bodies. 4he so)l, by contrast, is the
essence of )ltimate reality, since what is most real is spirit. %pirit is all:pervadin". %pirit
is the st)ff of e7istence. 5)ch as many different fabrics can be woven from one type of
fiber, spirit ass)mes an almost infinite variety of forms when it is transformed into mind
and matter.
<nce there is disparity and pl)rality, actions and reactions are not only possible, b)t
inevitable. Aarma, rather than love, now is the controllin" principle. 4h)s love is the law
of those spirit)al re"ions that are the so)l9s tr)e home. 8)stice, or karma, is the law of
(C
&!us is t!e universe )live4 -ll t!ings )re mor)l4 &!)t soul /!ic! /it!in us is )
sentiment1 outside of us is ) l)/;(t is etern)l1 but it en)cts itself in time )nd sp)ce4
,ustice is not postponed4 - perfect eEuit )d.usts its b)l)nce in )ll p)rts of life;&!e
/orld loo8s li8e ) multiplic)tion%t)ble or ) m)t!em)tic)l eEu)tion1 /!ic!1 turn it !o/
ou /ill1 b)l)nces itself4 &)8e /!)t figure ou /ill1 its e9)ct v)lue1 nor more nor less1
still returns to ou4 Ever secret is told1 ever crime is punis!ed1 ever virtue re/)rded1
ever /rong redressed1 in silence )nd necessit4
B6alph 1aldo ;merson
1
re"ions of mind and matter, incl)din" o)r physical )niverse. +oes this so)nd too
philosophical, or poetic/ 4hen let9s be more prosaic and speak abo)t eD)ations.

:ar!a is an incalculable e=uation
@o one ever will be able to pro"ram a comp)ter to calc)late the correct response to
either of these D)estions:
0 life rig!t no/ L 7
0 life in t!e ne9t moment L 7
However, this does not mean that these D)estions lack an answer. 4here is, indeed, an
-eD)ation0 that stands in the place of the D)estion mark. 4his is one of the most
important messa"es in these pa"esByo)r life, and mine, can be e7plained completely.
4here is a law that precisely describes why yo)r life is as it is at this very instant, and how
yo)r life will chan"e in the ne7t moment. 4his is the law of karma. *t ens)res the perfect
balancin" of all of life9s eD)ations, a)tomatically ret)rnin" to )s the e7act effects of o)r
tho)"hts and actions.
1hile this seems simple eno)"h, metaphysical laws of e7istence are no easier to
)nderstand than physical laws, and anyone who has taken a co)rse in physics or chemistry
knows how diffic)lt it is to fathom the principles that )nder"ird these sciences. 5ost
people can remember ; N mc

, b)t other eD)ations fade D)ickly from one9s memory if

they aren9t )sed freD)ently.
,ort)nately, the main thin" to remember abo)t the law of karma is common to all laws
of nat)reBthe eD)al si"n. 6emember this, and yo) will know most of what yo) need to
know abo)t karma. 4o say -3ife is fair0 really is the same as sayin" -3ife N some chain of
ca)ses and effects.0 %imilarly, yo) co)ld tell someone either that the amo)nt of chan"e in
yo)r pocket is X1.CC, or that the amo)nt eD)als .C? S .1C S .1C S .? S .? S .?. ;ven if
yo)9re not tellin" the tr)th, it is obvio)s that there is some correct total for yo)r chan"e.
5aybe yo) misco)nted a D)arter as a nickel, or didn9t find a dime that had slipped
inside a seam. 6e"ardless, the plain fact is that the money in yo)r pockets eD)als a certain
amo)nt. %imilarly, o)r karmic -net worth0 also eD)als somethin": the total of all the
tho)"hts and actions in which we have en"a"ed in this and previo)s lives. Het even
tho)"h both o)r loose chan"e and o)r karmic net worth can be s)mmed )p, there is a
cr)cial difference between them.
1e find o)t how m)ch money we have, somethin" we don9t know, by addin" to"ether
many separate coins, each of which we do know abo)t. <)r present life, which reflects a
portion of o)r overall karmic net worth, is F)st the opposite. 1e already know the end
res)lt, beca)se this is )s ri"ht now: o)r health, o)r wealth, o)r family, o)r friends, o)r
beliefs, everythin" that makes )p what we call -my life.0 1hat we don9t know is what
prod)ced all of this. %o we are left with only an answer, a sol)tion to some )nknown set
of eD)ations: 0 life rig!t no/ L 9 M M : M ;4
,ine. *t really doesn9t matter what all those 7, y, E9s are, especially if yo) are more
interested in improvin" yo)r life than in e7plainin" it. However, some people are obsessed
with -whys.0 1hy is my personality the way it is/ 1hy did * chooseBor end )p withB
this mate, this Fob, this city, this faith, this belief/ 1e can spend years delvin" into s)ch
D)estions thro)"h psychotherapy, self:analysis, -inner child0 work, or other means. .nd
what will be "ained/
@ot m)ch, beca)se everyone has lived many, many lives in other bodies and other
times. <)r memories, the "rist for the mill of -whys,0 encompass only this c)rrent life,
and often these recollections are selective and incomplete. B)t even if an event in this life
can seemin"ly be traced to a ca)se in this life, one m)st ask: what ca)sed that ca)se/ *t
may be interestin" to learn that some early childhood infl)ence led yo) to act in a certain
(1
way as an ad)lt. *f this knowled"e helps yo) to chan"e yo)r life for the better, that9s
wonderf)l. 8)st don9t believe that yo) have fo)nd the rock:bottom e7planation of why
yo) are as yo) are.
8("at#9 not 8("y#9
4he chain of -whys0 essentially is never:endin". 4he central circ)mstances of yo)r
childhood, as with every other aspect of yo)r life, were determined by tho)"hts and
actions in past livesBthe effects of which have carried over to yo)r present e7istence. %o
it is f)tile to try to e7plain m life rig!t no/ as if it was a mathematical eD)ation. 4he
variables in this -eD)ation0 are beyond meas)re. ,)rther, they keep on increasin" with
every movement, with every idea, with every desire, with every emotion. %o it makes
sense to t)rn away from whys and foc)s on whats. "!)t do * need to do to make my life
more prod)ctive, more meanin"f)l and satisfyin", happier and healthier/
4his is a m)ch easier D)estion to answer. *n the previo)s essay we learned that every
livin" bein" has a moral compass, "iven the so)l9s inherent and powerf)l attraction to
spirit. Rig!t and "rong are like different compass headin"s. 6i"ht tho)"hts and actions
are those that brin" )s closer to spirit)al )nderstandin", or enhance the wellbein" of
others. 1ron" tho)"hts and actions are those that take )s away from spirit)al
)nderstandin", or harm the wellbein" of others. !leas)re, "en)ine lon":term pleas)re or
tr)e happiness, flows from ri"ht. &onversely, pain and s)fferin" flowBat some point of
timeBfrom wron".
4his really is all we need to know: if we plant positive seeds, seeds of "ood, we will
reap the fr)it of happiness; if we plant bad seeds, a sowin" of wron" actions,we will reap
the fr)it of pain.
How we feel d)rin" the sowin" of those seeds has very little to do with the res)ltin"
crop, F)st as a farmer can c)rse the hard work involved d)rin" plantin" season and still
praise the fall9s bo)ntif)l harvest. %oybeans, for some, may please the palate less than
steaks, b)t the pleas)re of eatin" char:broiled meat is likely to be far o)twei"hed by the
sorrow of a heart attack ca)sed by coronary artery disease. .nd this is recompense at the
physical level alone.
%till, those with a live:for:the:moment philosophy Iand this incl)des almost everyone
at one time or anotherJ find it diffic)lt to )nderstand how feelin" "ood now can be the
wron" thin" to do, while deferrin" "ratification can be the ri"ht thin" to do. 5any people
are either )nable or )nwillin" to "ive )p a present o)nce of pleas)re to "ain a f)t)re
po)nd of pleas)re, or to avoid a like meas)re of pain. *n part, this may be beca)se few
have a clear )nderstandin" of karmic law.
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
<ature's laws neer stop wor0ing
3aws of nat)re, of co)rse, don9t care whether yo) know abo)t them, or believe in
(
them. 4hey "o on doin" their Fob re"ardless. Het /e certainly benefit from at least a basic
)nderstandin" of how these laws operate. 4ake the e7ample of "ravity a"ain. Gravity
controls the motion of all the trillions of celestial bodies in the )niverse. Gravitational
forces ")ide the motion of everythin" in space, from microscopic specks of interstellar
d)st to "iant "ala7ies.
@ow, is there a bi" comp)ter somewhere that keeps track of the incredibly comple7
dynamics in o)r )nima"inably vast cosmos/ @o. .nd there isn9t any earthbo)nd
comp)ter which can come close to the precision of nat)re that keeps every heavenly body
perfectly related to every other heavenly body. *f one entity chan"es, s)ch as a star
e7plodin" or an asteroid hittin" a planet, then everythin" in the )niverse adF)sts to this
event instantly and a)tomatically.
Gravity is a fascinatin" reflection of the hi"her metaphysical law of karma. 4his all:
pervadin" force of nat)re ill)strates a point that applies eD)ally well to material and
spirit)al states of reality: the laws of nat)re are self:e7ec)tin" and self:balancin". -%elf:
e7ec)tin"0 means they operate contin)ally in every corner of the )niverse. 4here is no
stop b)tton that allows )s to temporarily halt their workin"s. ;ven miracles are simply the
application of hi"her laws of e7istence that transcend, rather than overt)rn, lower laws.
-%elf:balancin"0 means the laws a)tomatically take care of the Fob that fr)strates
st)dents of mathematics: balancin" both sides of an eD)ation. 4he nat)re of an eD)ation is
eD)ality, whether the law be mathematical I;Nmc

J or verbal I3ife is fairJ. 1henever a

variable on one side of an eD)ation chan"es, the other side chan"es to balance it. 5ore
mass means more ener"y; less mass, less ener"y. *n m)ch the same fashion, the
circ)mstances of o)r life keep chan"in" as karmic law contin)o)sly balances o)r acco)nts
of "ood and bad.
How this happens isn9t necessary to know. %cientists don9t yet )nderstand e7actly
how the force of "ravity works Ic)rved space/ a "ravity particle/J, b)t this doesn9t keep
them from makin" the calc)lations that precisely ")ide a space probe to 8)piter. *n the
same fashion, most people are able to drive a car witho)t knowin" very m)ch abo)t the
mechanics of their vehicle. 4)rn a key, the car starts. !ress on this pedal, it accelerates.
%tep on another pedal, it slows down. 4wist the wheel ri"ht or left, the car moves in that
direction. 4ho)"h a lot is "oin" on behind the scenes when we perform these actions,
those mechanical connections are a)tomaticBe7cept when somethin" breaks down.
3aws of nat)re never break down. %o we F)st need to learn how to -drive0 o)r life. *t
is not necessary for )s to know how to fi7 it. 4his is important to remember. Ho)r life
isn9t broken. @othin" has "one wron". ;verythin" is happenin" F)st as it sho)ld. Believe
firmly that a hi"her power, the ca)se behind all other ca)ses, is ")idin" yo).

Proble!s co!e fro! us/ not t"e cos!os
H)man life presents )s with a challen"e to act positively, and to acD)ire clear
)nderstandin". *t provides )s the opport)nity to steer the ship of o)r life in the direction
in which we want to "o. However, for this we have to take concrete action, not spend o)r
lives in abstract analysis. 1e9ve been "iven a marvelo)sly F)st world in which to live, a
world that already is, and always will be, in perfect harmony.
.ny problems we e7perience have come from o)rselves, not the cosmos. -Het how
can this be/0 we keep askin". How is it possible for the )niverse to be perfectly F)st and
harmonio)s when we feel so m)ch pain and s)fferin"/
Beca)se normally we are not aware of )ltimate reality, only limited reality. 1e e7ist
in the sphere of d)ality; of mind and matter; of action and reaction; of ri"ht and wron".
%ince o)r so)l, or spirit)al conscio)sness, has taken on so many coverin"s, we are only
feebly aware of the divine oneness that s)stains )s. <)r attention is almost completely
(#
absorbed in either the "ive:and:take of the o)tside world, or the never:endin" chatter of
o)r own mind.
%tillness is forei"n to )s. 1e know only abo)t movement, action, desire. 4hese are
the workin"s of karma, which essentially is !)bit. 6epeated tho)"hts and actions soon
lead )s down well:trod paths, and "rad)ally take )s f)rther and f)rther from the open
tranD)il spaces of spirit.
4he laws of nat)re, both physical and metaphysical, allow entities to move only within
certain bo)nds. <nce capt)red by the s)n9s "ravitational attraction, the planets in o)r
solar system keep on orbitin" for eons. Hes, the tho)"hts and actions of h)man bein"s
clearly are m)ch more complicated than the motions of celestial bodies. However, o)r
comple7ity has nothin" to do with "en)ine freedom. 4he desires of co)ntless lives have
res)lted in o)r mind bein" drawn in a myriad directions.
;ach person -orbits0 not one entity, b)t many: friends, relatives, lovers, beliefs,
hobbies, sports, pets, professions, pastimes, and all the other attractions of life. 1e
similarly are repelled by what we dislike or find distastef)l.

+ blunt !essage
5ystics have a bl)nt messa"e for )s. *t isn9t pleasant to hear, b)t it9s the tr)th:
Dur life on e)rt! is )lmost entirel ) m)tter of b)l)ncing our 8)rmic )ccounts4
"eAre not )ble to en.o our spiritu)l /e)lt! bec)use /eAre so involved /it! p)ing t!e
debts incurred b our /rong )ctions1 )nd receiving t!e re/)rds of our rig!t )ctions4
Even t!oug! itAs more ple)s)nt to be ) creditor t!)n ) debtor1 bot! p)rties )re in !oc8
to t!e 8)rmic )ccount boo8s4
1orse, it is e7ceedin"ly diffic)lt even to become aware of what keeps )s so involved
in all this "ivin" and receivin", action and reaction, ca)se and effect, sowin" and reapin"
Bthe law of karma. ,or karmic law is fo)nded in the hi"her )niversal mind, not the lower
personal mind of which we are directly aware. Aarma th)s controls the very mind that is
tryin" to )nderstand karma. <f co)rse, karma also controls the minds of those who aren9t
tryin" to )nderstand karma. ;ither way, karma ")ides the process of its own discovery.
Ho)r reaction to the messa"e of this essay, as well as that of the entire book, stems
from more than yo)r readin" the words. 4here are deep c)rrents lyin" beneath the waves
of the tho)"hts that have been, and will be, "oin" thro)"h yo)r mind. ;7periences in
co)ntless lives, incl)din" the one yo) are livin" now, make )p the s)m of yo)r philosophy
of life, spirit)al leanin"s, intellect)al abilities, and emotional likes and dislikes.
4hose e7periences have )nfolded, and are contin)in" to )nfold, in complete accord
with the law of karma. @ow here yo) are, readin" abo)t the law of karma, which
indicates that yo) have some interest in spirit)al principles of e7istenceBmysteries that lie
beyond o)r )s)al )nderstandin".
:ar!a !ade isible
*ma"ine, for a moment, a clock. 4he hands of the clock are visible, while the
clockwork mechanism is hidden behind a case. 4he -case0 of karma is the cr)dity of mind
and matter on the physical and astral planes of e7istence. 1e "enerally cannot see
thro)"h this case, which acts more like a one:way mirror: the power on the other side is
directly in to)ch with all that occ)rs !ere, b)t we are i"norant of what is happenin" t!ere.
5ystics "rapplin" with the impossibility of describin" spirit)al reality have tried to talk
abo)t the workin"s of karma in lan")a"e that we can )nderstand.
%t. !a)l, in the Bible, said, -Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap.0

5ohammed said, -He who does a "ood deed will receive ten times its worth; and he
($
who does evil will be reD)ited to an eD)al de"ree; and no one will be wron"ed. . . ;ach
so)l earns Iwhat it earnsJ for itself, and no man shall bear another9s b)rden.0
#

B)ddha said, -<)r life is shaped by o)r mind; we become what we think. %)fferin"
follows an evil tho)"ht as the wheels of a cart follow the o7en that draw it.0
$
3ao 4E) said, -*t is also a part of the cosmic law that what yo) say and do determines
what happens in yo)r life. . . 4he s)perior person reco"niEes that he and the s)btle law are
one. 4herefore he c)ltivates himself to accord with it, brin"in" moderation to his actions
and clarity to his mind.0
?
*n the Bible I!roverbsJ, it is said, -1hoso di""eth a pit shall fall therein: and he that
rolleth a stone, it will ret)rn )nto him.0
6
*t seems evident that each of these D)otations is referrin" to the same )niversal law,
even tho)"h the teachin"s of &hristianity, *slam, B)ddhism, 4aoism, and 8)daism
otherwise differ in many respects. +eep inside every world reli"ion is a common core of
mystical tr)th that takes some di""in" to be fo)nd. -Aarma0 definitely is part of the
!erennial !hilosophyBa"eless and chan"eless principles of spirit)al science.
1e live in scientific times, and many people yearn for a scientific approach to
spirit)ality, as well as morality. . clear )nderstandin" of karmic law will "o a lon" way
toward f)lfillin" that yearnin". 1hat follows, then, is an attempt to comm)nicate the
essence of that )niversal law in a modern format: an ima"inary representation of a ,airness
5achine.
4he )niversal law of ca)se and effectBkarmaBis mental, not physical, so obvio)sly
there isn9t any act)al machine like this. Aarma is more like an omnipresent, yet )nseen,
comp)ter pro"ram than a piece of cl)nky machinery. B)t abstractions are, well, abstract.
4hey are easy to dismiss as airy:fairy pieces of fl)ff, especially when metaphysical tr)ths
are bein" described. ;ven tho)"h the res)lt of karmic law is bein" reflected ri"ht now in
every detail of yo)r mind and body, and the circ)mstances of yo)r life, the s)btle
operation of this cosmic principle of fairness rarely is reco"niEed.
4his ill)stration may look like a 6)be Goldber" contraptionBa complicated apparat)s
(?
that doesn9t bear m)ch resemblance to anythin" in everyday lifeBb)t the way it operates
is based on the solid reality of spirit)al tr)th. 1hile it is impossible to capt)re all the
n)ances of karmic law in a simple drawin", this fi")re ill)strates the central feat)res of the
metaphysical mechanism which ens)res that life is fair, and we always "et what we
deserve. 3et9s take a look at each of the pieces of the ,airness 5achine, then see how
they fit to"ether into a smoothly f)nctionin" whole.

Free will control panel
+o h)man bein"s have free will/ !hilosophers and behavioral scientists debate this
D)estion endlessly, b)t cent)ries of ar")ment have prod)ced no answer. 5ystics c)t
thro)"h this thorny tan"le of spec)lation with a simple response: (n t!e p)st /e did !)ve
unfettered free /ill1 )nd no/ /e donAt4 By -past0 isn9t meant yesterday, or the moment of
o)r birth. 4hat far:away moment is when p)re conscio)sness first divided itself and
descended into mind and matter, emanatin" into vario)s states of bein" to make contact
with cr)der forms of e7istence.
4o keep this disc)ssion more down:to:earth, let9s ima"ine that at this very moment
every impediment to o)r free will has been removed: every "enetic or environmental
infl)ence, every habit, every personal stren"th or weakness that c)rrently tends to make )s
think and act in certain ways. 1e9re freeL <f co)rse, the laws of nat)re are still in effect,
so we can9t F)mp )p to the moon or swallow the ocean in a bi" ")lp. However, within the
limits imposed by those imm)table laws, we can do whatever strikes o)r fancy.
4his is very m)ch like the state we enFoyed at the dawn of creation. 1ide:eyed, new:
born, b)rstin" with potential, ready to e7ercise o)r God:"iven freedom. .nd we did.
%tim)lated by the creative ener"y of o)r so)l, o)r nascent mind prod)ced some tho)"ht.
4hen tho)"hts "ave birth to actions. 1e were like a teena"er who has a car, a f)ll tank of
"as, twenty dollars in his pocket, and a s)nny afternoon to fill, who says to himself,
-1here to "o/ 1hat to do/ 1ho to see/0 8)st as this yo)th is impelled to choose from a
plethora of possibilities Ihomework and chores likely bein" discarded early onJ, o)r free
will was b)rstin" to be p)t into action.
1e have seen that actions, whether mental or physical, are not morally ne)tral. 4hey
are ri"ht or wron" to some de"ree. 4hat is, the action will brin" o)r conscio)sness closer
to, or f)rther from, spirit)al realiEation. 4he action may also enhance, or harm, the well:
bein" of another livin" entity. ;verythin" we do has some effect, if only on o)rselves, and
is -branded0 as ri"ht or wron" in line with the conseD)enceIsJ it prod)ces. ."ain, this
brandin" isn9t a matter of s)bFective choice. *t is b)ilt into the fabric of the cosmos.
5orality is a law of e7istence, not a h)man invention.
%o there are only two b)ttons on the ,airness 5achine9s free will control panel:
-Rig!t5 and -"rong.0 4his refers to the moral D)ality of a tho)"ht or actionBwhat lies
)nder the skin, so to speak, of an intention. . l)scio)s:lookin" apple can be rotten inside,
while the sweetest fr)it often lies beneath a mottled rind. 5ost of the time we don9t
conscio)sly set o)t to do somethin" "ood or bad. 1e "o to the store simply beca)se we
need food. 4his isn9t a morality play, it9s F)st shoppin". %till, choosin" hamb)r"er or tof)
carries moral conseD)ences re"ardless of o)r conscio)s intention.
*n other words, i"norance of the lawBthe law of karmaBis no e7c)se. B)ddhism
teaches that havin" a wron" view which denies the e7istence of somethin" that does e7ist
is a ne"ative, or bad, action in itself. *t may seem )nfair that i"norance Is)ch as bein"
)naware that killin" animals for food is wron"J keeps )s enmeshed in karmic chains, b)t
this is no different from how other laws of e7istence operate. Gravity doesn9t care
whether an infant knows that the block bein" "leef)lly thrown into the air is "oin" to h)rt
when it strikes him on the head. %imilarly, karma doesn9t care whether we know the
(6
difference between ri"ht and wron". !leas)re and pain are meted o)t to )s in perfect
meas)re irrespective of o)r knowled"e of the karmic law that prod)ces them.
C"ute of intention
*n spite of the fact that we are held responsible for o)r i"norance, intention does play
an important role in certain types of tho)"hts and actions. Good intentions may miti"ate
what otherwise wo)ld be an e7ceedin"ly ne"ative action. H)ntin" animals for sport is
worse than killin" for food. Grat)ito)s m)rder is a m)ch "reater wron" than slayin" in
self:defense, even tho)"h one takes a h)man life in each case. +onatin" a lar"e s)m of
money anonymo)sly is more virt)o)s than demandin" that the recipient acknowled"e yo)r
"enerosity p)blicly, s)ch as by namin" a new hospital win" in yo)r honor.
4he amo)nt of ri"ht or wron" that flows o)t of the free will control panel th)s is
determined both by the e7trinsic nat)re of the tho)"ht or action, and by o)r intrinsic
motivation. Bein" told by a robber, -*9m takin" yo)r wallet so * can feed my sick child,0
doesn9t e7c)se his crime, b)t it red)ces the siEe of the karmic wron". *f the robber is
ca)"ht, o)r sec)lar laws probably will reflect this spirit)al )nderstandin" by "ivin" him a
li"hter sentence than if his theft was motivated p)rely by "reed.
However, obFective circ)mstances also determine the karmic conseD)ences of a
tho)"ht or action, independent of the motivation of the doer. 4o better )nderstand this,
ima"ine yo)rself comin" home one day, openin" the front door, and findin" a most
)ne7pected scene in yo)r livin" room.
4here, han"in" by nooses from the ceilin", are several creat)res. <ne is a carrot
pl)cked from yo)r "arden. -+arn,0 yo) say, -it wasn9t f)ll:"rown yet. * was "oin" to
wait a few more days before di""in" it )p.0
.nother is the family do", eyes "laEed over and ton")e han"in" o)t of a lifeless body.
4ears ")sh from yo)r eyes as yo) cry o)t, -+amn itL 1ho wo)ld do s)ch a cr)el thin" to
an innocent pet/0
4hen yo) notice a lar"er form swayin" in a shadowy corner of the room. -<h no,
please, @<L0 *t is the person yo) love the most. @ow yo) break down completely.
3ater, yo) can9t remember how yo) were able to c)t the body free and call the police.
4hree killin"s; three deaths; three lives c)t short. Het what a difference there is
between them. 4o yo) the dead carrot is a Foke; the dead do" a misfort)ne; the dead
h)man a tra"edy. Ho)r emotional reactions mirror the le"al p)nishment that co)ld be
meted o)t to whoever was responsible for these han"in"s. @o co)rt in the land will
convict yo) for tort)rin" a ve"etable, b)t stran"lin" an animal is a criminal offense in
many parts of the world. .nd m)rderin" a person is a heino)s crime that can in some
co)ntries even lead to death by lethal inFection, the "as chamber or electric chair.
&learly the amo)nt of wron" involved in killin" depends )pon the de"ree of
conscio)sness in what is killed. 4he more conscio)s an entity is, the more s)fferin" it
)nder"oes when it dies. Hes, the so)l in every livin" bein" is eD)ally conscio)s. B)t the
so)l does not s)ffer, the mind and body do. 5ore acc)rately, the mind feels bodily pain,
so a mind is reD)ired for both physical and mental s)fferin". 4he more refined and
sensitive is the mind that inhabits a body, the more potential there is for painBand Foy.
%o three factors determine the siEe of the ri"ht IwhiteJ and wron" IblackJ balls of
mental or physical action rollin" down the ,airness 5achine9s ch)te of intention: the
intention of the doer of the action, the nat)re of the action itself, and the de"ree of
conscio)sness of the entity affected by that action. %ome years back !et 6ocks were a fad
in the Gnited %tates. 4hey were easy to take care of, feedin" and "roomin" not bein"
reD)ired, b)t decidedly )nresponsive. Ho) wo)ld inc)r little, if any, bad karma from
kickin" yo)r !et 6ock across the room, apart from a possible broken toe, beca)se
(7
minerals don9t feel sensations as do cats and do"s.
However, if the kick was the res)lt of a fit of an"er, this action wo)ld have a reaction
on ou. 4ho)"hts and emotions prod)ce karmic effects even if no one other than yo) is
aware of them, notwithstandin" a freD)ently accepted tenet of the behavioral sciences that
-it doesn9t matter what yo) think or feel, b)t what yo) do40 *n other words, it s)pposedly
is <A to have fantasies of ad)ltery, or tort)rin" yo)r boss, or keepin" yo)r teena"er
locked )p in the basement, as lon" as yo) don9t act )pon those secret desires.
1ell, as the familiar sayin" "oes, -%ow a tho)"ht, reap an action; sow an action, reap
a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.0
7
4his is precisely
in accord with karmic law. 1e start with a simple tho)"ht and end )p with a profo)nd
destiny. How does this occ)r/ By tho)"hts t)rnin" into actions, which t)rn into habits,
which t)rn into o)r character, which t)rns into o)r destiny. ;verythin" that we think or
do has an effect, either on o)rselves or on others, and the acc)m)lation of all those effects
has res)lted in the life we are livin" now.
B)t how and where is this acc)m)lation of actions takin" place/ 4hro)"h what
process does a sin"le freely:willed intention t)rn into a comple7 implacable destiny/ 4he
,airness 5achine contains the answer to these D)estions. @otice that there are two
openin"s onto the ch)te of intention: the free will control panel and a bin containin" the
c)rrent life9s karma. 4his is a reflection of the fact that partBa small partBof o)r actions
are freely willed, and partBa lar"e partBare inescapable conseD)ences of previo)s
actions.
Dilbert reprinted by permission of Gnited ,eat)re %yndicate, *nc.
Gnfort)nately, there9s "enerally no way of tellin" from what so)rce an intention
comes. @ormally all that we are aware of is the tho)"ht, emotion, desire, int)ition, or
other mental force that impels )s into action. 1hat prod)ced that intentionBfree will or
destinyBis )nknown to )s. %o the )nfailin" r)le of th)mb for self:development is to
always ass)me that yo)9re free to choose yo)r tho)"hts and actions, and try to make s)re
that only good passes down yo)r ch)te of intention.
%omewhat parado7ically, most of the time this ass)mption will be wron". ,or all b)t a
few spirit)ally liberated so)ls, destiny is a m)ch stron"er force than free will. %o, since
freedom is s)ch a rare commodity, it9s cr)cial not to mess )p the few chances we have to
e7ercise it by choosin" somethin" bad rather than "ood. 4hat is, whatever free will we
still possess after acc)m)latin" co)ntless karmic infl)ences d)rin" an )ntold n)mber of
incarnations in vario)s physical forms sho)ld be )sed e7ceedin"ly wisely4
*t9s somewhat as if almost every bit of money that passed thro)"h yo)r hands had to
be earmarked to pay inescapable bills. +ay after day, all yo) do is write checks and more
checks, and every month there9s not a penny e7tra in yo)r acco)nt. 4hen the mirac)lo)s
happensL Ho)9ve "ot some e7tra money, discretionary income. *f thro)"h force of habit
yo) r)n ri"ht o)t and spend it, yo)9re back where yo) started. However, if yo) invest the
((
money in a savin"s acco)nt, over time it will "row thro)"h compo)nd interest.
Aarmic law works m)ch the same way. . little bit of "ood now can t)rn into a lot of
"ood later. .nd vice versa re"ardin" what is bad. 4he +alai 3ama writes, -4he potential
of karma always increases over time. %mall seeds have the potential to prod)ce massive
fr)itsR,rom the sli"htest positive action can come the "reatest conseD)ence of happiness,
and in the same way the smallest ne"ative action can brin" abo)t very intense s)fferin"R
8)st as drops of water can fill a lar"e vessel, in the same way the smallest actions, when
contin)o)sly committed, can fill the minds of sentient bein"s.0
(
%o we need to be smart in how we invest o)r tho)"hts and actions, since most of the
time we9re F)st receivin" what already is owed )s, and payin" off previo)sly inc)rred
debts. 1hen there9s an opport)nity to p)t some capital in the "ood karma f)nd, do it.
%ince the cosmic bookkeeper a)tomatically ded)cts o)r karmic debts, there9s no need to
worry abo)t any )npaid bills. <)r Fob simply is to try to act ri"htly. 4he Fob of the law of
karma is to keep balancin" the amaEin"ly comple7 -eD)ations0 of ca)se and effect which
ens)re that every bein" receives precisely what it deserves.
4o )se some comp)ter Far"on, the inputs that end )p determinin" the circ)mstances of
o)r life, either now or in a f)t)re incarnation, are within o)r control. 4he outputs,
however, are prod)ced by laws of e7istence over which we have no sway. .s we9ll see
shortly, the cr)7 of the karmic dilemma is that those o)tp)ts, or effects of previo)s
actions, t)rn into inp)ts, or ca)ses of present actions. 4his is why o)r freedom steadily
becomes diminished as mechanical cycles of )ction B re)ction B )ction B re)ction
occ)py an ever lar"er role in o)r life. *n the be"innin", individ)al free will ")ides the
,airness 5achine. *n the end, the intricate machinery takes on a life of its own and o)r
free will becomes more of an observer, than a controller, of what it has set into motion.

Energetic pool of potentiality
5otion reD)ires ener"y. 1hether physical or metaphysical, machines need to be
-pl)""ed in0 to somethin" before they can work. 4here are many forms of ener"y, b)t all
)ltimately flow from a sin"le so)rce: spirit, the all:pervadin" ener"y which powers the
cosmos. ;ven tho)"h )s)ally we cannot perceive or control this ine7ha)stible force
Ie7cept by risin" to a hi"her level of conscio)snessJ, spirit is the "enerator that keeps
everythin" in e7istence movin".
*t is the ener"etic pool of potentiality that drives the ,airness 5achine. 1itho)t this
ener"y, everythin" wo)ld instantly come to a halt: karma, )niverses, atoms, minds, bodies.
<nly the so)l is self:ener"iEin", bein" a particle of spirit. 4h)s F)st as spirit ener"iEes the
physical )niverse as a whole, so does the so)l ener"iEe the mind and body. 1hen the so)l
leaves a physical form, that body dies. 4he so)l9s ener"y also "ives life to the mental
forms that constantly sprin" )p within o)r conscio)sness: tho)"hts, emotions, ima"es, and
s)ch.
5)ch as electricity can be )sed to power anythin" from television sets, to dentist
drills, to model trains, to n)clear reactors, to floor lamps, spirit can take on an infinity of
forms. *n doin" so its p)rity is not lost, even tho)"h both ri"ht and wron" actions arise
from the ener"etic pool of potentiality. 6ain water is p)re when it falls from the skies.
Hittin" the earth, it becomes a dirty m)d p)ddle. ;ven co)rsin" down a fresh mo)ntain
stream, it loses m)ch of its pristine nat)re. Het F)st as water can be distilled and ret)rned
to its ori"inal state of p)rity, so is the essence of spirit )nto)ched by its seemin"
defilement in the s)fferin" and depravity of this world.
4his resolves the thorny problem of how the "oodness of God can coe7ist with the
evils of creation. *n line with the Biblical parable of .dam and ;ve, so)ls started o)t with
a kind of spirit)al -seed money0 that they co)ld )se for any p)rpose. 4his was the wealth
('
of spirit. %ome so)ls, as a res)lt of a positive balance of "ood actionsBfor that lifetimeB
enFoy a happy and healthy life. <thers, with a ne"ative balance in a partic)lar lifetime,
s)ffer more.
5ystics tell )s we can choose to take back control of the "ood ship -5yself0 from o)r
m)tino)s Iand mis")idedJ mind. 1e can determinedly steer the co)rse of o)r life for the
3and of Good. .nd if we become good, we can then become Hodl1 havin" ")ided o)r
vessel past the haEardo)s desires and temptations of this material world on which so many
people fo)nder.
.s the wheel and r)dder of a vessel make it possible to t)rn in any direction, so the
,airness 5achine can be made to prod)ce ri"ht as well as wron", pleas)re as well as pain,
virt)e as well as sin. *f we don9t like some of the circ)mstances of o)r life, the o)tp)ts of
karmic law, then we need to be"in chan"in" the inp)ts of o)r tho)"hts and actions.
Het F)st as the tremendo)s inertia of a heavily laden s)per tanker makes it slow to
respond to the helmsman9s command, so does the b)rden of o)r karma "enerally chan"e
only "rad)ally. 4his can be fr)stratin" for those who e7pect D)ick res)lts. 1e9re )sed to
"ettin" a meal in a min)te or two from a fast:food resta)rant; to flippin" television
channels instantly with a remote control; to retrievin" information rapidly from comp)ters
and the *nternet.
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
%adly, there is no ma"ic pill or potion that will enable )s to shed sin or acD)ire virt)e
D)ickly and with little effort. <nce set in motion, the ,airness 5achine takes some time
and ener"y to move in a different direction. 4his is why spirit)al realiEation is not )s)ally
achieved in F)st a few years. *t is the work of a lifetime. !atience, perseverance and
dili"ent adherence to a spirit)al way of life are reD)ired. 4o )nderstand why this is so, we
need to e7amine the most impressive:lookin" pieces of apparat)s in o)r dia"ramBthe
wheels of action and reaction.

("eels of action and reaction
Here9s a fittin" D)otation from ,riedrich von 3o"a):
&!oug! t!e mills of Hod grind slo/l1 et t!e grind e9ceeding sm)ll<
&!oug! /it! p)tience 6e st)nds /)iting1 /it! e9)ctness grinds 6e )ll4
'
@ow, * don9t know if this seventeenth:cent)ry German a)thor was thinkin" of karma
when he wrote these words, b)t it certainly so)nds like it. .t least his ima"e of -the mills
of God0 meshes nicely with the wheels of action and reaction in the ,airness 5achine.
Between these two wheels everythin" in e7istence is indeed "ro)nd -with e7actness.0
.ny action, in other words, prod)ces some sort of reaction. .nd this connection between
a ca)se and its effect is made with perfect precision and lawf)lness.
3et9s ret)rn to the shopper who is tryin" to decide whether to b)y hamb)r"er or tof)
'C
for dinner. .fter contemplatin" the meat department display, and mentally comparin" a
packa"e of hamb)r"er with a block of soybean c)rd, he e7ercises his free will and tosses
the meat into a shoppin" cart. 1ell and "ood. 4he ener"etic pool of potentiality provided
him with the ener"y needed to think the tho)"hts, and carry o)t the actions, to satisfy his
desire for some tasty food. +own the shopper9s ch)te of intention rolls a command: -B)y
hamb)r"er, not tof).0 His body carries o)t this order, and soon a packa"e of beef resides
in the family refri"erator.
4his is an e7ample of an action. 5ore acc)rately, a chain of actions: "o to store, think
abo)t what to b)y, choose a partic)lar item, reach o)t and pick it )p, place in shoppin"
cart, walk to checko)t co)nter, pay for "roceries, drive home, p)t food away. ;ach of
those actions stands by itself in one sense, and in another sense is part of a bi""er pict)re
Bshoppin". 4o keep thin"s simple, let9s foc)s on the sin"le action of pickin" )p the
packa"e of hamb)r"er and placin" it in the cart.
;ven tho)"h the movements of the man9s hand and arm o)twardly appear to be the
same as the motions he )sed to select a b)nch of bananas, or a bar of soap, the
conseD)ences attached to that action differ dependin" )pon the "rocery item selected.
4his is obvio)s when yo) think abo)t it. 5erchandise doesn9t appear on s)permarket
shelves by ma"ic; it is re:ordered when stocks r)n low, either man)ally or by an
a)tomated inventory control system. %o every time we b)y somethin" in a store, that
ca)se helps set in motion a whole set of effects.
4he b)tcher in char"e of the meat department may, for e7ample, notice that someone
F)st bo)"ht the last packa"e of hamb)r"er. He "oes back to the freeEer to check on the
beef s)pply and realiEes that he needs to order more meat from his wholesaler. 4hat order
affects the wholesaler, and so on down the line of sales and prod)ctionBall the way to the
rancher who has to decide how many cattle to raise based on the economics of s)pply and
demand.
4his is an e7ample of a reaction, or chain of reactions. <ne ca)se, a man b)yin" a
packa"e of hamb)r"er, played a role in prod)cin" many effects. 4h)s the shopper is
responsible not only for his freely:willed action, b)t also for the conseD)ences of the
reactions that flowed from his choice of food. +oesn9t this seem fair/
*f an a)tomobile maker p)ts shoddy brakes on a new car, that man)fact)rer le"ally
wo)ld be responsible not only for any dama"e the vehicle s)stains as a res)lt of brake
fail)re, b)t also for dama"e ca)sed by a chain reaction of accidents. !erhaps the fa)lty
a)tomobile is )nable to stop at a red li"ht and rams the rear of another car that is already
stopped, sendin" it into the path of a car comin" the other way, which careens off the road
and strikes a person walkin" alon" the sidewalk.
. "ood lawyer co)ld, and indeed sho)ld, ar")e that whoever installed the defective
brakes is responsible for the pedestrian9s inF)ries, even tho)"h the car that co)ldn9t stop
had nothin" directly to do with the accident on the sidewalk. ,or common sense ar")es
that when a series of actions and reactions can be traced to a ca)se which started
everythin" in motion, that -mother of effects0 is responsible for the children to whom she
"ave birth.
<f co)rse, the drivers of the other cars involved in the chain reaction of accidents are
not completely absolved of responsibility for their own actions Ifor e7ample, they sho)ld
try to steer away from hittin" another person or vehicleJ. However, the primary karmicB
as well as le"alBb)rden wo)ld fall on whoever ca)sed the brakes to fail. %imilarly, those
who create the demand for hamb)r"er m)st ass)me a lar"e share of the responsibility for
whatever is involved in s)pplyin" the beef to satisfy that demand.
!art of this -whatever0 is sla)"hterin" livestock. .nd this killin" is diffic)lt for most
h)mans to behold, and for all animals to end)re:
'1
.nimals in sla)"hterho)ses can hear those ahead of them bein" shackled and killed,
can smell the stench, and can sometimes see the sla)"hter. .ll animals fi"ht for their
lives and str)""le with their remainin" stren"th to "et awayR4here are fo)r common
methods of sla)"hter:
U &aptive:bolt head st)nnin": . Ppistol9 is set a"ainst the animal9s head and a metal
bolt hits them in the head. 4ryin" to shoot a terrified, str)""lin" animal is diffic)lt, and
the bolt often misses its mark or is not of s)fficient power to ca)se )nconscio)sness,
thereby inF)rin" the animal and ca)sin" tremendo)s pain.
U &ardiac arrest st)nnin": Aills the animals by stoppin" the heart, and animals can feel
painf)l heart attack symptoms. *ns)fficient electric c)rrent res)lts in f)lly conscio)s,
yet paralyEed animals.
U ;lectrical head st)nnin": 4his type of st)nnin" is reversible, and animals can re"ain
conscio)sness when they are not bled immediately d)e to handlin" problems.
U 6it)al sla)"hter: .nimals are f)lly conscio)s when their F)")lar veins are c)t. 4his
is s)pposed to ca)se )nconscio)sness within five seconds, b)t often fails to do so.
.nimals are often shackled by one le" and hoisted )pside down before their throats are
c)t, often res)ltin" in broken bones.
B"! Jeg)n1 =e"an <)treach
1C
4his isn9t pleasant readin". Aillin" isn9t a pleasant s)bFect. 5odern meat prod)ction
doesn9t take place on a friendly family farm, where ma and pa rel)ctantly lead "ood old
Bossy to the packin" shed, pattin" her on the head, whisperin" soothin" words in her ear,
and sayin" that they9re sorry her time has come. 4he descriptions above barely scratch the
s)rface of the horrible s)fferin" animals end)re in factory farms, feed lots and
sla)"hterho)ses, all to please the taste b)ds of h)mans.
*t is wron" to interfere with the well:bein" of another livin" creat)re. Gnnecessarily
killin" and inflictin" pain on animals clearly is harmf)l to them, and this is what flows
directly from an -innocent0 p)rchase of a packa"e of hamb)r"er in the local store. !eople
certainly need to eat. 1e have no choice in that matter. However, most of )s do have
many options available abo)t what to eat. *t makes sense to choose from those options
that prod)ce the smallest amo)nt of harm, the least pain and s)fferin".
.s was noted previo)sly, tof) prod)ction also involves killin". B)t sla)"hterin" a
soybean has m)ch less of a ne"ative karmic conseD)ence than does killin" a cow. 4h)s the
siEe of the ne"ative ball that moves down the ,airness 5achine9s ch)te of intention is
m)ch smaller when tof) is p)rchased, as compared to when hamb)r"er is bo)"ht. ;ven
tho)"h each action sets into motion a host of reactions, all it takes are D)ick "lances at a
farmer9s field and a feed lot to )nderstand that the nat)re of those karmic effects differ
markedly. %oybeans don9t cry o)t in pain as they are bein" harvested, moo plaintively
when separated from their offsprin", or str)""le a"ainst their killers.
4he differin" implications of eatin" animals, as contrasted to eatin" fr)it, n)ts and
ve"etables, is also reflected in the fact that nowhere is there an or"aniEation called !eople
for the ;thical 4reatment of .spara")s or a h)mane society promotin" the welfare of
peaches, almonds and potatoes.
1ron" actions or tho)"hts, and ri"ht ones too, create a karmic imbalance which m)st
be rectified in one way or another. *f we ca)se others to s)ffer, one day we will s)ffer
o)rselves. *f we "ive pleas)re to others, that pleas)re will be ret)rned to )s at some
point.
5ost laws of nat)re, incl)din" karmic law, are centered on the notion of b)l)nce.
1hat is borrowed event)ally m)st be paid back, whether this is ener"y, electric char"e,
moment)m, or anythin" elseBincl)din" "ood and bad actions. ,or ener"y, physics
e7presses this as the ,irst 3aw of 4hermodynamics: -;ner"y is neither created nor
'
destroyed, merely chan"ed in form.0 !hysicist 4ony 6othman, who takes a h)moro)s
approach to science, says that it also is known as the 3aw of 4hermo"oddamnics: -Ho)
can9t win.0
11
4hat is, yo) can9t "et somethin" for nothin".
*f yo) like hamb)r"ers and want to eat one, yo) can. B)t there is a price. 6eferrin"
to the dia"ram of the ,airness 5achine, note that every ca)se which leaves the ch)te of
intention t)rns the wheel of action. 5eat is bo)"ht. <n the face of it, the action is
complete in itself. 4he ener"y drawn from the pool of potentiality has been converted into
another form: more hamb)r"er bein" ordered.
Het reactions to the ori"inal action keep the plot movin". 4hey add another chapter to
the karmic tale. ,or the motion of the wheel of action rotates the wheel of reaction, and in
so doin" draws more ener"y from the pool of potentiality. 4his is not bland, colorless,
ne)tral ener"y, b)t vibrant morally char"ed ener"y. 5)ch as one "ear of an en"ine
transmits a certain kind of motion to another "ear, so the ener"y transferred from the
wheel of action to the wheel of reaction is char"ed with the power of "ood or bad.
Gsin" another analo"y almost everyone has had e7perience with, karma is D)ite a bit
like )sin" a credit card. 4here9s nothin" ne)tral on the statement that comes each month.
;very transaction is either a debit Isomethin" we9ve bo)"htJ or a credit Isomethin" we9ve
ret)rned, and been reimb)rsed forJ.
4hese are the only two possibilities, F)st as there are only two kinds of balls of action
and reaction in the ,airness 5achineBri"ht and wron". 4he siEe of the balls varies
dependin" on the type of action, as with the amo)nt of the debit or credit on o)r
statement. . dinner for two costs a lot less than a trip to Hawaii, and eatin" tof) is easier
on the karmic bank acco)nt than cons)min" a hamb)r"er.
1hen we )se a credit card to b)y somethin", we9re essentially borrowin" money from
the company that iss)es the card. 4his is why the resta)rant owner lets )s leave his
establishment after "ivin" him only the promissory note of a credit card slip. *t isn9t real
money, F)st the promise of receivin" payment. ,or the moment we9ve enFoyed a pleasant
meal at no e7pense. 1owL &redit cards are "reatL Ho) can "et somethin" for nothin"B
at least )ntil the statement arrives in the mail.
-Gee,0 yo) mi"ht think after scannin" the len"thy list of char"es. -*9d for"otten how
m)ch * )sed my card last month.0 1ell, yo) may have for"otten, b)t the credit card
company makes it their b)siness to remember, and they do a very "ood Fob at it. 8)st like
the law of karma, which also never for"ets a debit or credit to o)r karmic acco)nt.
'#
4he @ew Horker &ollection 1''( 8.B. Handelsman from cartoonbank.com. .ll ri"hts reserved.
4he conseD)ences of each of o)r tho)"hts and actions are precisely recorded at the
ca)sal plane of reality. .ll the effects prod)ced by the ca)ses that leave o)r mental ch)te
of intention are entered into o)r personal karmic led"er, and we are responsible for them.
4here really isn9t a bespectacled "entleman with a "reen eye shade and a sharp D)ill pen
bent over a book of acco)nts, watchin" all that we do and think, writin" down the e7act
amo)nt of "ood and bad that res)lts from those actions, constantly checkin" to be s)re
that we "et F)st what we deserve, no more and no less.
B)t there mi"ht as well be. ,or this is the f)nction of karmic law.
,airness.
Balance.
Aeepin" the acco)nts of every livin" bein" in perfect order and the creation in perfect
eD)ilibri)m.
-1hatever "oes aro)nd, comes aro)nd.0 4his is a pop)lar sayin" in the Gnited %tates.
!eople seem to have an int)itive )nderstandin" of the law of karma, even if they fail to
)nderstand all of its implications.
1e can fool o)rselves; we can fool o)r friends and relatives; we can fool F)d"es and
F)ries. 1e can9t fool cosmic F)stice. 4he ,airness 5achine never makes a mistake. *t
always ret)rns to )s e7actly what we have earned.
,udge not1 )nd e s!)ll not be .udged#
'ondemn not1 )nd e s!)ll not be condemned#
Forgive1 )nd e s!)ll be forgiven4
'$
Hive1 )nd it s!)ll be given unto ou;
For /it! t!e s)me me)sure t!)t ou mete
"it!)l it s!)ll be me)sured to ou )g)in4
%t. 3)ke 6:#7:#(
1hy, then, are so many people convinced that life is )nfair/ Beca)se after we commit
a ri"ht or wron" action, there )s)ally is a delay before the conseD)ences of that action are
evident. ,or e7ample, it is common to find e7tremely virt)o)s people b)rdened with
horrible diseases and abFect poverty. &onversely, slackers and ne9er:do:wells often enFoy
marvelo)s health and wealth. 1here is the F)stice in this/
')lvin )nd 6obbes 1atterson. 6eprinted with permission of Gniversal !ress %yndicate. .ll ri"hts reserved.
C"ute of conse=uences
4he key to appreciatin" divine F)stice lies in )nderstandin" what happens after the
wheel of reaction has revolved and prod)ced an effect, or effects, in response to some
action. 6i"ht and wron" actions Ithe white and black ballsJ invariably prod)ce
commens)rate reactions, which then ret)rn to )s down the ch)te of conseD)ences. 1hat
we sow, we reap. B)t F)st as there is a la" between plantin" seeds in the sprin", and
"atherin" a harvest in the fall, so is there )s)ally a delay between committin" an action and
receivin" the nat)ral conseD)ence of that action. ,r)it does not ripen overni"ht. &redit
card char"es do not come d)e the moment they are inc)rred.
&)rrently there is m)ch talk abo)t emotional intelli"ence, or ;> I-emotional D)otient0
as contrasted to PPintelli"ence D)otient0J. Here9s one of the ways yo)n" children are
tested for emotional intelli"ence. .n investi"ator places a marshmallow on a table, then
"ives the child a choice: either eat that one marshmallow ri"ht away, or wait for five
min)tes and then be able to eat t!ree marshmallowsBthe one on the table, pl)s two more.
4he tester leaves the room and the child is left alone with the desirable piece of food and a
simple decision: -;at one marshmallow now, or eat three later/0 *t was fo)nd that those
children who were able to delay their "ratification ended )p doin" better in school, and by
implication, in life, than those who chose the sin"le marshmallow.
4hat9s karmic law in a n)tshell. *t takes willpower and vision to pass )p an immediate
pleas)re for a "reater f)t)re reward. !eople who can do this, whether children or ad)lt,
event)ally reap the benefits prod)ced by the ,airness 5achine. Good tho)"hts and actions
prod)ce positive res)lts: well:bein", happiness, wisdom, love. Het, since "ood and bad
have been mi7ed to"ether in both o)r present life and past lives, all sorts of karmic effects
have flowed down o)r personal ch)te of conseD)ences.
*ma"ine a lon" freeway packed with b)mper:to:b)mper traffic. ;ach of the cars and
tr)cks is either black or white. ,rom a helicopter, one sees a patternless pattern. Here
there is a black tr)ck, white car, white car, black car. 4hen comes a white tr)ck, white
tr)ck, black car, black car. <ccasionally, seemin"ly by chance, there is a len"thy strin" of
vehicles with the same color. 5ostly there is a mi7t)re of black and white as far as the
'?
eye can see.
@ow, s)ppose that an on:ramp to this freeway contains only a line of white vehicles.
.s they mer"e with the cars and tr)cks already on the thoro)"hfare, a steadily increasin"
proportion of vehicles on the roadway will be white. Het since the recent arrivals are
bein" combined with a m)ch lar"er n)mber of cars and tr)cks that have been on the road
for some time, any color chan"e will take a while to become evident. *t is obvio)s,
tho)"h, that if some of the vehicles e7itin" the road are black, and some are white, and )ll
the vehicles enterin" the road are white, then event)ally a helicopter will see only a solid
stream of white cars and tr)cks fillin" the roadway.
4his is how ne"ative transforms to positive, how sinners become saints. @o one is
perfect. <)r lives have been a mi7t)re of "ood and bad, ri"ht and wron", virt)e and vice.
&)rrently we are enFoyin", or s)fferin", the nat)ral conseD)ences of previo)s tho)"hts and
actions. %)ch can9t be avoided. Aarmic seeds, once sown, m)st spro)t. However, with
o)r available free will we can control what we will harvest in the f)t)re. 4his means
breakin" o)t of old habit patterns and sendin" more positive actions down o)r ch)te of
intention. 4hose "ood actions will create "ood reactions, and event)ally the ch)te of
conseD)ences will be filled with positive res)lts.
!erhaps yo) are wonderin" how this sort of moral -ret)rn mail0 works. *f we mail a
letter to someone, and don9t incl)de o)r ret)rn address, they won9t be able to reply
I)nless we9ve already told them where we liveJ. How, then, is the law of karma able to
keep track of the inn)merable -messa"es0 constantly bein" sent back and forth between
billions )pon billions of livin" bein"s/ . b)" eats an ant; a bee stin"s a boy; a man prays
for a sick friend; a woman p)ts a dollar in a be""ar9s c)p; a fallin" tree cr)shes a flower.
*t is impossible to ima"ine the n)mber and variety of karmic interactions takin" place
on earth alone, not to mention elsewhere in the vast physical and metaphysical reaches of
the cosmos. %ince the post office has a diffic)lt Fob handlin" a m)ch smaller amo)nt of
correspondence, and makes many mistakes in the process, how is it possible for the law of
karma to a)tomatically acco)nt for each tho)"ht and action of every person, animal,
insect, and plant, and )nfailin"ly -deliver0 to that entity the precise karmic conseD)ences
they deserve/
*t9s simple. Gniversal mind s)rro)nds physical reality m)ch as this pa"e s)rro)nds the
words printed on it. 4he pa"e is one; the words are many. 4he pa"e is )nified; the words
are separate. *f the sheet of paper on which these words are printed were conscio)s, it
wo)ld know abo)t everythin" written )pon it. 4his knowin" wo)ld not take place d)rin"
anytime, or across anyplace, since the pa"e9s awareness is an )nbroken wholeness. 4he
)nity of the white pa"e is completely different from the divided separateness of the letters
and words yo) are readin".
Gniversal mind is the -pa"e0 on which everythin" in this physical )niverse is -written.0
4his is not an abstract bit of philosophy. *t is reality. Beneath the fract)red appearance of
materiality, where everyone and everythin" seem so isolated and distinct, there e7ists
oneness. 4hat )nity connects every bit of mind and matter somewhat as the central
comp)ters at a phone company connect individ)al telephones in people9s homes. 5y
phone and yo)r phone wo)ld be )seless witho)t the comple7 network of hardware and
software that enables )s to easily comm)nicate with each other.
However, few people are aware of what "oes on behind the scenes when they make a
telephone call. ;ven fewer are conscio)s of the m)ch s)btler workin"s of )niversal mind.
%till, a fascinatin" reflection of this metaphysical reality can be fo)nd in the solid
e7perimental findin"s of physics. !hysicists have fo)nd that if two particlesBs)ch as
photons of li"htBinteract in a conventional way, the particles contin)e to infl)ence each
other no matter how far apart they move. *t is as if two people met at a party, shook
'6
hands, and then ret)rned to their respective homes on different continents. ;veryday
e7perience tells )s that a handshake was possible when the people were in the same room,
b)t not when their arms are separated by tho)sands of miles.
Het after they have -met,0 one photon can still -shake hands0 Imetaphorically
speakin"J with another even tho)"h they are billions of li"ht years apart. +istance makes
no difference. 1hile D)ant)m mechanics has no e7planation for e7actly how s)ch
comm)nication takes place, physicist @ick Herbert says -4hese )nmediated connections
are present not only in rare and e7otic circ)mstances, b)t )nderlie all the events of
everyday life.0
1
*n Herbert9s words, nat)re has mysterio)s -private lines,0 which cannot
be accessed by h)mans, to -accomplish her inscr)table ends.0
1#
%o physics, the most ri"oro)s of material sciences, has affirmed a central tenet of
mysticism: there is m)ch more to e7istence than o)tward appearances. %ome deeper form
of reality )nder"irds and connects everythin" in e7istence. <n the physical level, it
effortlessly keeps track of interactions between s)batomic particles and other forms of
matter. <n the mental level, it a)tomatically re"isters the moral conseD)ences of tho)"hts
and actions. 4he name by which it is known is immaterial. 1hether we call it -D)ant)m
connection,0 -)niversal mind,0 -karmic law0Bor whether we see this as the power of
God and speak of it in reli"io)s terminolo"yBis p)rely a matter of choice.
1hat isn9t a matter of choice is how this reality controls almost every facet of o)r
lives, incl)din" o)r very ability to )nderstand the nat)re of that reality. By now it may be
clear that this control isn9t somethin" arbitrary or dictatorial. 6ather, it is nat)ral.
3awf)l. ,air. %cientific. 8)st. ;very livin" creat)re "ets e7actly what it deserves, no
more and no less. 4he "ood news is that if we want somethin", and are willin" to do what
is necessary to "et it, we can have it.
4he problem, tho)"h, is that o)r freely willed desires soon become o)r limitations.
<nce we "et what we want, alon" with the )nforeseen nat)ral conseD)ences that
accompany the f)lfillment of o)r wantin", o)r freedom of action is constrained. 4hese
fetters can either be chains of -"old0 Ithe pleasant res)lts of ri"ht actionsJ or chains of
-iron0 Ithe painf)l res)lts of wron" actionsJ, b)t in either case they limit )s. <nly love,
absol)te love, is synonymo)s with perfect freedom and lies within the primal )nity of God,
beyond karma and the d)ality of ri"ht and wron".
$in of 0ar!ic conse=uences
Back to the ,airness 5achine where the ch)te of conseD)ences drops off its karmic
load, so to speak, into the bin of karmic conseD)ences. By the way, please contin)e to
keep in mind that this depiction of the ,airness 5achine is a metaphor, and sho)ldn9t be
taken literally. 4he screen of a comp)ter may have a pict)re of a trash can where files can
be deleted. <f co)rse, there really isn9t s)ch a can anywhere inside the comp)ter. *t9s F)st
a symbol, whereas the real deletion process takes place electronically in a manner
completely hidden.
4he -bin of karmic conseD)ences0 represents oneMs personal storeho)se of karma,
which is nothin" other than the total of all the effects prod)ced by previo)s tho)"hts and
actions. *t is a backlo" of conseD)ences that serves to keep )s firmly bo)nd to o)r habit)al
ways of thinkin" and actin". Ho) mi"ht think of it as cosmic -call:waitin".0
&all:waitin" is an optional telephone service that beeps an alert when yo)9re talkin" on
the phone to someone and another call is bein" made to yo)r n)mber. Ho) then have the
option of interr)ptin" yo)r c)rrent conversation and switchin" over to the incomin" call.
4h)s the term call:waitin": another call is waitin" for yo)r attention.
Aarma operates in a similar fashion, e7cept it isn9t nearly as polite. *f yo)9re tryin" to
e7ercise yo)r free will, and a karmic conseD)ence -calls yo) )p0 instead, it will b)rst ri"ht
'7
in and take over yo)r conscio)sness. 6emember, )niversal mind has a private line
available, and determines the physical and metaphysical laws of nat)re that hold sway in all
b)t the p)rely spirit)al re"ions. .s the p)nchline of a time:worn Foke p)ts it: -1hat does
)niversal mind do/0 -1hatever it wants.0

Our 0ar!ic in"eritance
@ote that the karmic effects rollin" down the ch)te of conseD)ences fall into two
separate compartments: -store of karma0 and -c)rrent life9s karma0 Ia"ain, the relative
siEes of the bins aren9t meant to be taken literallyJ. <bserve also the connection between
these compartments that allows karma to flow from stora"e into c)rrent life. *n other
words, the conseD)ences of what we9ve done in the life we9re livin" now may not become
apparent before we die. 4hose karmic effects often are p)t into stora"e and saved for
another incarnation. 4his acc)m)lation of karma is another reason why so many people
think that life is )nfair.
4hey say to themselves: -*9m a "ood person. *9ve never done anythin" serio)sly
wron" in my life. * pray. * believe in God. * try to help others whenever possible. * take
care of my body. * eat ri"ht. * e7ercise re")larly. * fill my mind with positive tho)"hts. *
even recycle. %o why am * s)fferin" so m)chL0 *ndeed, often no ca)se can be fo)nd for a
physical or mental illness. <r a ca)se seems to have popped o)t of nowhere, as when l)n"
cancer strikes a non:smoker. %ince some people smoke three packs a day for decades
with few apparent ill effects, an inF)stice certainly seems to have been committed.
Het if we can accept that karmic infl)ences are passed from life to life, o)r world view
chan"es. 1itho)t knowin" the entire history of a so)l9s incarnation in body after body for
tho)sands, or even millions, of lives, it is folly to believe that any circ)mstance is )nF)st.
4here is a story abo)t a man who co)ldn9t )nderstand why he had the misfort)ne to be
born blind. 1ith the aid of an advanced mystic he was able to raise his conscio)sness to a
hi"her plane of reality, where he was able to review the karmic record of his past lives.
,or life after life he -replayed0 his actions, findin" nothin" that wo)ld F)stify the
s)fferin" ca)sed by his blindness. 4hen he fo)nd that in an incarnation lon", lon", a"o, he
had cr)elly poked o)t the eyes of a do" with a sharp stick. 4he conseD)ences of this deed
had led to his c)rrent condition.
@ow, we have no way of knowin" whether this tale is tr)e, or only a means of
dramatically conveyin" a basic principle of karmic law: the effects of actions often are not
felt immediately. 4his is F)st what we e7perience in everyday life.
.ddin" a "allon of clear water to a filthy swimmin" pool won9t make the pool
appreciably cleaner. However, if there is a slow and steady flow of p)re water comin" into
a reservoir, and dirty water is flowin" o)t at the same rate, the clarity of the acc)m)lated
water necessarily will keep improvin" )ntil it is almost crystal clear. %imilarly, it "enerally
takes weeks or months to lose an appreciable amo)nt of wei"ht. 4he same applies to a
-sin:loss0 pro"ram, or a commitment to transform oneMs thinkin". %ome time )s)ally will
pass before we see the positive effects reflected in o)r life.
)ow 0ar!a accu!ulates
*t is easy to )nderstand why water acc)m)lates in a swimmin" pool. 5ore water
enters than leaves. However, why does karma acc)m)late/ *f *9m always doin" or
thinkin" somethin"1 it seems that the ca)ses leavin" the ch)te of intention of my personal
,airness 5achine wo)ld eD)al the effects flowin" down the ch)te of conseD)ences. How
does the bin of karmic conseD)ences "et filled to s)ch a de"ree that some effects m)st be
held over to other lifetimes before bein" e7perienced, like a crowd standin" in line to view
a sold:o)t movie who m)st wait for the ne7t performance/
'(
&onsider the Biblical ada"e, -1hatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap0
IGalatians 6:7J. @o farmer wo)ld avoid bankr)ptcy if plantin" a b)shel of wheat seeds
res)lted merely in a harvest of a b)shel of mat)re wheat. 1hat happens is that one seed
prod)ces a plant with lots of seeds. 4h)s a portion of a wheat crop can be sold at the time
of harvest, a portion can be p)t into stora"e, and a portion can be )sed for ne7t year9s
plantin".
@at)re is bo)ntif)l. 1heat has a stron" tendency to m)ltiply, F)st like people. . man
and a woman can prod)ce more than two children, which is one reason why the world9s
pop)lation has been "rowin" so fast.
4he same applies to karma. . sin"le action can spawn a horde of reactions. 4hese
can be "ood or bad, F)st as the plantin" of a seed can prod)ce either a beneficial stalk of
wheat or a no7io)s shoot of poison oak. *n either case, the nat)ral order of thin"s is for a
little to t)rn into a lot. .ny "ardener knows this. *t9s temptin" to i"nore small spro)ts of
)ndesirable ve"etation beca)se weedin" takes time and effort. B)t after a weed mat)res
and "oes to seed, spreadin" a myriad of offsprin", it becomes m)ch more diffic)lt to "et
rid of a n)isance that wo)ld have been relatively easy to nip in the b)d.
4o ret)rn to o)r earlier e7ample, eatin" a hamb)r"er prod)ces two types of karmic
reactions: internal and e7ternal. 4his is tr)e of most actions that we perform. 4hey have
some effect on the world -o)t there,0 and they also affect the world -in here0: o)r likes
and dislikes, o)r attit)des and beliefs, o)r wisdom and knowled"e.
%o cons)min" a hamb)r"er ca)ses two sorts of effects to ret)rn to the eater. <ne is
the hi"hly ne"ative karmic conseD)ence of ca)sin" pain and s)fferin" to another conscio)s
livin" bein". 4he other is a memory of the pleas)rable taste and smell of the fried meat,
perhaps topped with tomatoes, onions, and a tan"y barbec)e sa)ce.
1e know that the more often one en"a"es in an enFoyable act, the more likely that act
will be repeated. 4his doesn9t have to be a physical sort of addiction. !sycholo"ical
addictions are eD)ally real. -@iceL,0 says the pleas)re:seekin" mind. -*9ll have )not!er
b)r"er for l)nch tomorrow.0 %o t)rn the wheels of karma, the ,airness 5achine.
Here9s another perspective on why karma tends to acc)m)late, whether it is ri"ht or
wron". &onsider the case of a serial killer who sla)"htered a doEen people in a cr)el and
sadistic fashion, ca)sin" )nspeakable distress to both those who died, and the victims9
friends and family. .fter bein" arrested, bro)"ht to trial, and convicted, a F)d"e mi"ht tell
the killer: -@o words can e7press the heino)s nat)re of yo)r crimes. @o p)nishment is
s)fficient for what yo) have done. * can only mete o)t to yo) the ma7im)m allowable
sentence )nder the laws of this land: twelve consec)tive life terms with no possibility of
parole. 5ay God have mercy on yo)r so)l.0
Has F)stice been served/ !erhaps, in a worldly sense. 4he police, prosec)tors, F)ry,
and F)d"e have done all they co)ld. B)t cosmic F)stice still may be awaitin" satisfaction of
the karmic debt this man has inc)rred. 4he s)fferin" he wo)ld end)re by spendin" the rest
of his life in prison, or even havin" his life c)t short by a capital p)nishment, likely wo)ld
not come close to the amo)nt of s)fferin" he ca)sed others.
%o a lar"e deposit will be made to this person9s store of ne"ative karma. .t some time
he will be reborn in circ)mstances which ens)re he s)ffers terribly, a sit)ation perfectly
s)ited to adF)st some of the o)tstandin" karmic imbalance. ;ven a lifetime filled with pain
and s)fferin" may only settle the score for one of the m)rders he perpetrated. He will
then have to s)ffer a"ain and a"ain in f)rther incarnations. ,or karmic F)stice freD)ently is
meted o)t over several lifetimes, takin" as lon" as necessary to deliver the nat)ral
conseD)ences of one9s actions.
<n the positive side, this applies to "ood karma as well as bad karma. *t is possible in
this way for people to b)ild )p a reserve s)pply of positive conseD)ences that become
''
apparent d)rin" a decidedly )nvirt)o)s life, similar to )sin" an inheritance to finance sloth,
folly, and ind)l"ences. 4he problem, one mi"ht reflect, is that both monetary and karmic
wealth soon are e7ha)sted if withdrawals markedly e7ceed deposits.
:ar!ically ric"/ spiritually destitute
6i"ht tho)"hts and actions are akin to p)ttin" money in a savin"s acco)nt. 1ron"
tho)"hts and actions are akin to r)nnin" )p debts. 4he c)rrent balance, or net worth,
determines the "eneral thr)st of o)r life.
4hat is, an e7cess of "ood karma makes )s wealthy. @ot always in a material sense,
since tr)e wealth is meas)red not in dollars b)t in peace of mind, happiness, health, a
sense of meanin" and p)rpose, and in one9s capacity to love and be loved. %imilarly, an
e7cess of bad karma makes )s poor. 4his is the poverty that is as likely to afflict the
inhabitants of mansions and palaces as the dwellers of m)d h)ts and lean:tos. *t is a
poverty of spirit, marked by despair, loneliness, depression, an7iety, disease, and lack of
p)rpose.
5ost people fall into a sort of karmic -middle class,0 neither fab)lo)sly rich with "ood
karma nor abFectly poor with bad karma. 6e"ardless of o)r moral net worth, everyone
ca)"ht in the ceaselessly t)rnin" wheels of the ,airness 5achine is spirit)ally trapped.
4he realm of karmic ca)se and effect is worlds apart from the freedom of spirit. 1e
have seen that limits are placed on the inherent free will of o)r so)l once it chooses to act
and set mind or body in motion. .ny action, "ood or bad, creates a reaction that ret)rns a
F)st conseD)ence to the doer of that action. ,rom that moment on, the effects of previo)s
choices constrain one9s freedom. ;ven if at first the maFority of tho)"hts and actions are
freely chosen, each of these intentions sets into motion a chain of ca)ses and effects that
prod)ce an ever:increasin" store of karmic infl)ences.
+own the ,airness 5achine9s ch)te of conseD)ences they roll, one after the other,
twenty:fo)r ho)rs a day, seven days a week, wakin" and sleepin"Bsince o)r mind
contin)ally carries on )nconscio)s activities of which we are lar"ely )naware. +rop, drop,
drop, into the bin of karmic conseD)ences they "o, the mental storeho)se that preserves a
perfect record of all we have tho)"ht and done since time immemorial. 4hen o)t comes
the precise amo)nt of "ood or bad needed to balance a portion of o)r karmic acco)nts.
,or the s)fferin" we have ca)sed, we receive a like amo)nt of painBphysical or
mental. ,or the lovin" words we have spoken, or the kind actions we have performed, we
receive a commens)rate meas)re of "ood. 4his is the )niversal law. 3ike is ret)rned by
like. ;very ca)se is Foined to a correspondin" effect.
C"ained by desire
%)bFective societal laws can be broken. <bFective laws of e7istence cannot. 4he
,airness 5achine dispenses F)stice in a manner that does not permit any tamperin" with
the edicts of the law of karma. *ma"ine a F)d"e sayin" to a convicted criminal, -. fair
F)d"ment has been reached, and yo) now have a choice. 4he door on this side of the room
leads to prison, and ten years of confinement. 4he door on that side leads to the street,
and freedom. Ho) m)st decide which door to walk thro)"h.0
1ell, the choice is obvio)s. 1ho wo)ld choose to "o to Fail/ 4his is why there are
")ards in a co)rtroom to enforce a sentence, and why bail is )sed to help ens)re that
someone acc)sed of a crime will ret)rn for trial. B)t who enforces karmic law/ 1hat
ens)res that cosmic F)stice always will be meted o)t, re"ardless of the desires of the
wron"doer, or ri"htdoer/
*nterestin"ly, the answer )s)ally is: desire. .ll of creation has been desi"ned so that
laws of nat)re operate )nfailin"ly and a)tomatically. %tars and planets do not consider
1CC
whether to accede to the will of "ravity, nor are radio and television si"nals able to
disobey principles of electroma"netism. <f co)rse, these entities are not conscio)s, while
livin" bein"s are. ,)rther, people possess a certain de"ree of free will, of freedom of spirit
Iconditioned tho)"h it may beJBwhatever remains of the so)l9s ori"inal inheritance from
the &reator.
%o nat)re )ses )nconscio)s mechanisms to control )nconscio)s thin"s, and conscio)s
mechanisms to control conscio)s bein"s. Aarma "enerally operates in people thro)"h
desire, or intention. *f the moral law of F)stice demands that we are to receive somethin",
we will have a desire to obtain it. *f karmic law reD)ires that we be at a partic)lar place at
a certain timeBto be inF)red in an accident, say, or to meet a partic)lar personBthen o)r
mind will lead )s to keep that appointment with destiny.
<ften these kinds of e7periences are called coincidences. . crash kills ninety:nine
people on an airplane, and one s)rvives. .n imp)lse leads someone to take a walk in an
)nfamiliar part of town, and they end )p marryin" the stran"er who helped them when
they "ot lost. %)ch events aren9t coincidences, nor )s)ally are they anythin" that co)ld
be called -mirac)lo)s.0 4hey simply are the workin" o)t of karmic law, which makes no
mistakes. *f F)stice demands that those ninety:nine passen"ers are to die to"ether, no
force can prevent this from happenin".
(e cannot will w"at we will
4here is a %)fi story abo)t a man who was told by the .n"el of +eath that he was
destined to die the ne7t mornin" at s)nrise, and the .n"el wo)ld ret)rn then to collect
him. 4errified, the man F)mped on his horse and be"an ridin" at breakneck speed across
the desert. 1hen his mo)nt became e7ha)sted, he obtained a fresh horse, and in this
manner rode all ni"htBcoverin" a tremendo)s distance.
1hen the s)n be"an to rise, he stopped at an oasis, confident that he had mana"ed to
escape the cl)tches of the .n"el of +eath. +ismo)ntin", he was distra)"ht to see the
.n"el standin" by the water hole, waitin" for him. -.maEin",0 said the messen"er of
death, -my s)perior told me to meet yo) at this remote location to receive yo)r so)l, and *
have never known him to make an error, b)t even * had "rave do)bts that yo) wo)ld be
able to "et here so fast.0
.lbert ;instein once D)oted %chopenha)er, a noted philosopher, as sayin", -5an can
do what he wills b)t he cannot will what he wills.0
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4his is the cr)7 of karma. 4he
,airness 5achine is desi"ned so o)r everyday conscio)sness cannot tell the difference
between an intention that has emer"ed o)t of the bin of o)r c)rrent life9s karma, and a
freely:willed tho)"ht or action. <)r destiny and o)r freedom are interwoven. ;instein, a
firm believer in determinism, went even f)rther and said that the idea of free will is -of
co)rse prepostero)s.0
1?
He was ri"ht, at least re"ardin" the notion of )nfettered free will.
Aarmic law provides the only e7planation of h)man life that is as scientific as it is
spirit)al. <nce we were free, and now we are almost entirely confined within ca"es of o)r
own makin". %ome people enFoy spacio)s and comfortable enclos)res, while others make
do with cramped and miserable s)rro)ndin"s. Het no one can make of life e7actly what
they will. ,rom the moment of conception, we be"in to e7perience the conseD)ences of
o)r tho)"hts and actions in previo)s lives. 4hese cannot be avoided, and form what many
call -fate.0
However, this is not an e7ternally imposed fate. *t is a fate of o)r own makin". .nd
with whatever free will remains to )s, we can be"in to remake o)r destiny. 1e have seen
that the ,airness 5achine has a b)ilt:in tendency to acc)m)late, or m)ltiply, either "ood
or bad karma. Good actions prod)ce "ood reactions, which ret)rn pleas)rable
conseD)ences to the doer of the ori"inal action. *n time this forms a conscio)s or
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)nconscio)s habit, since oft:repeated actions of any sort tend to become habit)al, and this
is especially tr)e if they make )s feel "ood.
*t mi"ht seem that this mechanism wo)ld soon eliminate all ne"ativity. *f wron"
actions prod)ce bad reactions, which ret)rn )npleasant conseD)ences to the wron"doer,
then one wo)ld think that even the most mischievo)s st)dent of life wo)ld tire of havin"
his kn)ckles cracked by the karmic r)ler, and start doin" what 4eacher e7pects. 4o some
e7tent this is tr)e, since we a)tomatically tend to avoid that which ca)sed )s to s)ffer in
previo)s lives. However, we have diffic)lty learnin" this lesson beca)se of the lon" la"
that often occ)rs between the sowin" of a karmic seed and the reapin" of its fr)it.
Decide w"at really needs to be fixed up
.nimals have no other way to learn b)t thro)"h direct e7perience. ,ort)nately,
h)mans can consider the f)t)re conseD)ences of present actions. .lmost everyone can
identify some parts of his or her life which need fi7in", b)t somehow never "et taken into
the repair shop. %o many pressin" demands. %o m)ch to do each day, and so little time to
do it in. %o few opport)nities to sit back, take a deep breath, and calmly resolve to make
those chan"es that, deep down, we know sho)ld be made.
1hen yo) die, which wo)ld yo) rather have in "ood workin" order: what is within or
what s)rro)nds yo) o)tside/ +o we really think that the doorkeeper at the !early Gates
will be concerned whether the shelves in o)r "ara"e ever were or"aniEed, this novel read,
that movie watched, or o)r recipe clippin"s neatly filed/ %)rely it is more likely that we
will have to acco)nt for the ne"ativity that we never bothered to discard from o)r person.
T"e proof of t"e pudding is in t"e eating
%o once a"ain it is fittin" to remind o)rselves how we determine which of o)r
tho)"hts and actions are ri"ht and which are wron". Given how karmic law, the ,airness
5achine, operates, the conseD)ences of an action will reveal whether that action is ri"ht
or wron". 4his means, as an old ;n"lish proverb has it, -the proof of the p)ddin" is in the
eatin".0 Ho) can9t tell whether a p)ddin" is "ood by simply lookin" at it. Ho) have to
taste it.
4he spirit)al scientist realiEes that the morality of tho)"hts and actions is a f)nction of
their conseD)ences. 1hatever leads one nearer to spirit)al realiEation is ri"ht; whatever
takes one f)rther away is wron". 1hatever enhances the well:bein" of others is ri"ht;
whatever harms the well:bein" of others is wron". 1hile it is possible to debate endlessly
the meanin" of terms s)ch as -nearer,0 -f)rther,0 -enhances,0 and -harms,0 the basic
messa"e of this book is simple and clear:
5orality is an inte"ral part of the fabric of life. ;ach of o)r actions and tho)"hts
weaves another thread in the desi"n of o)r life. .ll o)r weavin"Bo)r doin" and thinkin"
Bcontrib)tes to how bea)tif)l or )"ly, how spirit)al or worldly, how lovin" or
hatef)l is the cloth we weave. 1e m)st decide what actions will brin" )s closer to creatin"
the pattern we want. 4hen, with co)ra"e and confidence, we sho)ld hold fast to that
moral choice.
*t behooves )s to chan"e o)r -if only9s0 to -only if9s.0 4he sentiment, -(f onl this or
that bad thin" hadn9t happened,0 is weak, listless, cowardly, and o)t:of:to)ch with the
nat)re of karmic law. 4he tho)"ht, -Dnl if * do s)ch and s)ch will "ood thin"s happen,0
is stron", ener"etic, brave, and in:t)ne with the way the divine law of F)stice operates.
1e are the creators of o)r destiny. 4ho)"h it often seems as if pain and s)fferin" are
powerf)l foes who will not allow )s to enter the 3and of Bliss, we have been "iven a way
to vanD)ish those enemies of happiness. *n the words of the mystic poet, 8alal)ddin 6)mi:
DonAt t)8e ) /ooden s/ord into b)ttle4
1C
Ho1 find one of steel1
t!en m)rc! for/)rd /it! .o4
16
6i"ht livin" helps "ives )s the stren"th to )nsheath the sword of spirit)al realiEation.
4his weapon is invincible, be s)re of that. Hold firmly to what is "ood and tr)e. +iscard
the rest. .s h)mans we have the option to choose, at every moment, which way to face:
this way or that/ 4owards freedom or bonda"e/ %pirit or the senses/ &ompassion or
hardness of heart/ &aref)lly decide the direction in which yo) wish to move. 4hen "o
forwardBwith Foy.
1C#
+ 5eerence for +ll Life
t!ree s!ort stories
( c)nnot but !)ve reverence for )ll t!)t is c)lled life4 ( c)nnot )void comp)ssion for
ever t!ing t!)t is c)lled life4 &!)t is t!e beginning of mor)lit4 Dnce ) m)n !)s
e9perienced it )nd continues to do so)nd !e /!o !)s once e9perienced it /ill continue
to do so!e is et!ic)l4 6e c)rries !is mor)lit /it!in !im )nd c)n never lose it1 for it
continues to develop /it!in !im4 6e /!o !)s never e9perienced t!is !)s onl ) set of
superfici)l principles4 &!ese t!eories !)ve no root in !im1 t!e do not belong to !im1 )nd
t!e f)ll off !im;Reverence for life comprises t!e /!ole et!ic of love in its deepest )nd
!ig!est sense4 (t is t!e source of const)nt rene/)l for t!e individu)l )nd for m)n8ind4
.lbert %chweitEer
1
1arren 5iller 1'(' from 4he @ew Horker &ollection. .ll ri"hts reserved.
4he followin" three short stories have been incl)ded )nder the title Life is F)ir not
beca)se they specifically ill)strate the law of ca)se and effect, b)t beca)se they each
1C$
convey a powerf)l messa"e abo)t the oneness of life. 6ealiEin" the )nity of e7istence, we
may recall, is considered by many spirit)al traditions to be the overarchin" p)rpose of a
h)man birth. 1hatever leads )s away from this realiEation will dama"e )s in the lon":
term, and is therefore to be avoided. 4his incl)des ca)sin" s)fferin" to other livin" bein"s.
4he moment we e7perience a connection to any other form of life, affection and respect
for it arise nat)rally and we are )nlikely to ca)se it pain. .s noted in Life is F)ir, many
people e7perience their connection with animals primarily thro)"h keepin" pets. 4hey may
develop relationships of considerable depth and intensity with their non:h)man
companions, sometimes even treatin" a pet better than their fellow h)mans. B)t )s)ally
people9s affection and respect for animals is selective, bein" limited to F)st a few species.
4h)s we have a world in which some eat sheep and cows, yet think that it wo)ld be
cr)el, even despicable, to cook and eat a do". <thers )se cattle as workin" animals, eat
do"s, and love their pet bird or cat. %ome people adore horses while others eat horses;
some worship snakes and others eat snakes. %ome relish the taste of raw fish and flesh,
while others cannot bear to even kill an ant.
.nd so, aro)nd the world, we "enerally contin)e doin" accordin" to how o)r father
and mother ta)"ht )s, who also did accordin" to their own father and mother. 1e e7press,
thro)"h o)r different ideas of ri"ht and wron", deep:seated c)lt)ral patterns that often can
be traced back to o)r ancestor9s needs in earlier times for basic physical necessities. 6arely
do we consider whether it is now possible to meet those needs in more h)mane and
compassionate ways.
,rom a spirit)al perspective all life is one, re"ardless of the form it takes. %)ch is a
basic premise of this book. .ll life is worthy of respect. 4he "olden r)le for a fr)itf)l and
positive life is to do to others as one wo)ld like them to do to oneself, and this r)le
encompasses all forms of lifeBanimals as well as people.
;ach of the stories incl)ded here helps )s to better )nderstand the commonality of life.
4hro)"h their mastery of story:tellin", the a)thors lead )s to ima"ine what it mi"ht be like
to e7perience life in an )nfamiliar way, thro)"h the eyes of another person or animal.
1hat we have felt, others may feel; what others have felt, we may feel. &ompassion flows
freely when we realiEe that there are no hard and fast bo)ndaries between the varied forms
of life. .ll of )s are branches of the same tree.
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(n -lice ")l8erAs stor1 2-m ( *lue715 /e get to 8no/ ) !orse4 Bot )s ) 2dumb
)nim)l15 but )s ) conscious living being e9periencing t!e tri)ls1 tribul)tions1 )nd
delig!ts of life muc! )s /e do4 ")l8er confronts us /it! t!e /) /e so e)sil c)tegori:e1
)ssess1 .udge1 )nd t!en dismiss1 ot!er people )nd cre)tures4 ')ug!t b our pre.udices1
/e !um)ns tend to /rite off )nim)ls in t!e s)me /) )s bl)c8 people /ere /ritten off b
/!ites during t!e d)s of sl)ver1 or )s /omen !)ve been .udged b p)tri)rc!)l societies
t!roug!out !istor4 &!e common re)lit )nd common dignit of )ll life esc)pes our
)ttention4 "e see )nim)ls simpl in terms of usefulness or function?)s )n )sset1
entert)inment1 or )s food4
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
+! . $lue#
by .lice 1alker
2-inAt t!ese te)rs in t!ese
ees tellinA ou75 N
Y 1'' 1arner Bros., *nc. IrenewedJ. By Grant &larke and Harry .kst. .ll ri"hts reserved. Gsed by permission.
,or abo)t three years my companion and * rented a small ho)se in the co)ntry that
stood on the ed"e of a lar"e meadow that appeared to r)n from the end of o)r deck
strai"ht into the mo)ntains. 4he mo)ntains, however, were D)ite far away, and between )s
and them there was, in fact, a town. *t was one of the many pleasant aspects of the ho)se
that yo) never really were aware of this.
*t was a ho)se of many windows, low, wide, nearly floor to ceilin" in the livin" room,
which faced the meadow, and it was from one of these that * first saw o)r closest
nei"hbor, a lar"e white horse, croppin" "rass, flippin" its mane, and amblin" abo)tnot
over the entire meadow, which stretched well o)t of si"ht of the ho)se, b)t over the five
or so fenced:in acres that were ne7t to the twenty:odd that we had rented. * soon learned
that the horse, whose name was Bl)e, belon"ed to a man who lived in another town, b)t
was boarded by o)r nei"hbors ne7t door. <ccasionally, one of the children, )s)ally a
stocky teen:a"er, b)t sometimes a m)ch yo)n"er "irl or boy, co)ld be seen ridin" Bl)e.
4hey wo)ld appear in the meadow, climb )p on his back, ride f)rio)sly for ten or fifteen
min)tes, then "et off, slap Bl)e on the flanks, and not be seen a"ain for a month or more.
4here were many apple trees in o)r yard, and one by the fence that Bl)e co)ld almost
reach. 1e were soon in the habit of feedin" him apples, which he relished, especially
beca)se by the middle of s)mmer the meadow "rassesso "reen and s)cc)lent since
8an)aryhad dried o)t from lack of rain, and Bl)e st)mbled abo)t m)nchin" the dried
stalks half:heartedly. %ometimes he wo)ld stand very still F)st by the apple tree, and when
one of )s came o)t he wo)ld whinny, snort lo)dly, or stamp the "ro)nd. 4his meant, of
co)rse: * want an apple.
*t was D)ite wonderf)l to pick a few apples, or collect those that had fallen to the
"ro)nd overni"ht, and patiently hold them, one by one, )p to his lar"e, toothy mo)th. *
remained as thrilled as a child by his fle7ible dark lips, h)"e, c)belike teeth that cr)nched
the apples, core and all, with s)ch finality, and his hi"h, broad:breasted enormity; beside
which, * felt small indeed. 1hen * was a child, * )sed to ride horses, and was especially
friendly with one named @an )ntil the day * was ridin" and my brother deliberately
spooked her and * was thrown, head first, a"ainst the tr)nk of a tree. 1hen * came to, *
was in bed and my mother was bendin" worriedly over me; we silently a"reed that perhaps
horseback ridin" was not the safest sport for me. %ince then * have walked, and prefer
1C6
walkin" to horseback ridin"b)t * had for"otten the depth of feelin" one co)ld see in
horses9 eyes.
* was therefore )nprepared for the e7pression in Bl)e9s. Bl)e was lonely. Bl)e was
horribly lonely and bored. * was not shocked that this sho)ld be the case; five acres to
tramp by yo)rself, endlessly, even in the most bea)tif)l of meadowsand his
wascannot provide many interestin" events, and once rainy season t)rned to dry that
was abo)t it. @o, * was shocked that * had for"otten that h)man animals and nonh)man
animals can comm)nicate D)ite well; if we are bro)"ht )p aro)nd animals as children we
take this for "ranted. By the time we are ad)lts we no lon"er remember. However, the
animals have not chan"ed. 4hey are in fact completed creations Iat least they seem to be,
so m)ch more than weJ who are not likely to chan"e; it is their nat)re to e7press
themselves. 1hat else are they "oin" to e7press/ .nd they do. .nd, "enerally speakin",
they are i"nored.
.fter "ivin" Bl)e the apples, * wo)ld wander back to the ho)se, aware that he was
observin" me. 1ere more apples not forthcomin" then/ 1as that to be his sole
entertainment for the day/ 5y partner9s small son had decided he wanted to learn how to
piece a D)ilt; we worked in silence on o)r respective sD)ares as * tho)"ht . . .
1ell, abo)t slavery: abo)t white children, who were raised by black people, who knew
their first all:acceptin" love from black women, and then, when they were twelve or so,
were told they m)st -for"et0 the deep levels of comm)nication between themselves and
-mammy0 that they knew. 3ater they wo)ld be able to relate D)ite calmly, -5y old
mammy was sold to another "ood family.0 -5y old mammy was .0 ,ill in the
blank. 5any more years later a white woman wo)ld say: -* can9t )nderstand these
@e"roes, these blacks. 1hat do they want/ 4hey9re so different from )s.0
.nd abo)t the *ndians, considered to be -like animals0 by the -settlers0 Ia very beni"n
e)phemism for what they act)ally wereJ, who did not )nderstand their description as a
compliment.
.nd abo)t the tho)sands of .merican men who marry 8apanese, Aorean, ,ilipina, and
other non:;n"lish:speakin" women and of how happy they report they are, -blissf)lly,0
)ntil their brides learn to speak ;n"lish, at which point the marria"es tend to fall apart.
1hat then did the men see, when they looked into the eyes of the women they married,
before they co)ld speak ;n"lish/ .pparently only their own reflections.
* tho)"ht of society9s impatience with the yo)n". -1hy are they playin" the m)sic so
lo)d/0 !erhaps the children have listened to m)ch of the m)sic of oppressed people their
parents danced to before they were born, with its passionate b)t soft cries for acceptance
and love, and they have wondered why their parents failed to hear.
* do not know how lon" Bl)e had inhabited his five bea)tif)l, borin" acres before we
moved into o)r ho)se; a year after we had arrivedBand had also traveled to other valleys,
other cities, other worldsBhe was still there.
B)t then, in o)r second year at the ho)se, somethin" happened in Bl)e9s life. <ne
mornin", lookin" o)t the window at the fo" that lay like a ribbon over the meadow, * saw
another horse, a brown one, at the other end of Bl)e9s field. Bl)e appeared to be afraid of
it, and for several days made no attempt to "o near. 1e went away for a week. 1hen we
ret)rned, Bl)e had decided to make friends and the two horses ambled or "alloped alon"
to"ether, and Bl)e did not come nearly as often to the fence )nderneath the apple tree.
1hen he did, brin"in" his new friend with him, there was a different look in his eyes.
. look of independence, of self:possession, of inalienable horseness. His friend event)ally
became pre"nant. ,or months and months there was, it seemed to me, a m)t)al feelin"
between me and the horses of F)stice, of peace. * fed apples to them both. 4he look in
Bl)e9s eyes was one of )nabashed -this is itness.0
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*t did not, however, last forever. <ne day, after a visit to the city, * went o)t to "ive
Bl)e some apples. He stood waitin", or so * tho)"ht, tho)"h not beneath the tree. 1hen *
shook the tree and F)mped back from the shower of apples, he made no move. * carried
some over to him. He mana"ed to half:cr)nch one. 4he rest he let fall to the "ro)nd. *
dreaded lookin" into his eyesBbeca)se * had of co)rse noticed that Brown, his partner,
had "oneBb)t * did look. *f * had been born into slavery, and my partner had been sold or
killed, my eyes wo)ld have looked like that. 4he children ne7t door e7plained that Bl)e9s
partner had been -p)t with him0 Ithe same e7pression that old people )sed, * had noticed,
when speakin" of an ancestor d)rin" slavery who had been impre"nated by her ownerJ so
that they co)ld mate and she conceive. %ince that was accomplished, she had been taken
back by her owner, who lived somewhere else.
1ill she be back/ * asked.
4hey didn9t know.
Bl)e was like a craEed person. Bl)e was, to me, a craEed person. He "alloped
f)rio)sly, as if he were bein" ridden, aro)nd and aro)nd his five bea)tif)l acres. He
whinnied )ntil he co)ldn9t. He tore at the "ro)nd with his hooves. He b)tted himself
a"ainst his sin"le shade tree. He looked always and always toward the road down which
his partner had "one. .nd then, occasionally, when he came )p for apples, or * took
apples to him, he looked at me. *t was a look so piercin", so f)ll of "rief, a look so h)man,
* almost la)"hed I* felt too sad to cryJ to think there are people who do not know that
animals s)ffer. !eople like me who have for"otten, and daily for"et, all that animals try to
tell )s. -;verythin" yo) do to )s will happen to yo); we are yo)r teachers, as yo) are
o)rs. 1e are one lesson0 is essentially it, * think. 4here are those who never once have
even considered animals9 ri"hts: those who have been ta)"ht that animals act)ally want to
be )sed and ab)sed by )s, as small children -love0 to be fri"htened/ or women -love0 to
be m)tilated and raped. . . . 4hey are the "reat:"randchildren of those who honestly
tho)"ht, beca)se someone ta)"ht them this: -1omen can9t think,0 and -ni""ers can9t
faint.0 B)t most dist)rbin" of all, in Bl)e9s lar"e brown eyes was a new look, more painf)l
than the look of despair: the look of dis")st with h)man bein"s, with life; the look of
hatred. .nd it was odd what the look of hatred did. *t "ave him, for the first time, the look
of a beast. .nd what that meant was that he had p)t )p a barrier within to protect himself
from f)rther violence; all the apples in the world wo)ldn9t chan"e that fact.
.nd so Bl)e remained, a bea)tif)l part of o)r landscape, very peacef)l to look at from
the window, white a"ainst the "rass. <nce a friend came to visit and said, lookin" o)t on
the soothin" view: -.nd it wo)ld have to be a white horse; the very ima"e of freedom.0
.nd * tho)"ht, yes, the animals are forced to become for )s merely -ima"es0 of what they
once so bea)tif)lly e7pressed. .nd we are )sed to drinkin" milk from containers showin"
-contented0 cows, whose real lives we want to hear nothin" abo)t, eatin" e""s and
dr)msticks from -happy0 hens, and m)nchin" hamb)r"ers advertised by b)lls of inte"rity
who seem to command their fate.
.s we talked of freedom and F)stice one day for all, we sat down to steaks. * am
eatin" misery, * tho)"ht, as * took the first bite. .nd spit it o)t.
1'(6
,)mes -gee uses t!e first%person stle to m)8e us loo8 )t /!)t is cosmetic)ll c)lled
2livestoc8 production5 or 2f)ctor f)rming45 "e live1 from t!e perspective of ) mot!er
co/ )nd c)lves1 t!e confusion of t!e mt!s t!e t!emselves !)ve cre)ted1 mt!s t!e
1C(
perpetu)te to protect t!emselves from t!e p)in of t!eir destin4 "e !)ve ) glimpse of
t!eir !orrific f)te )s /e le)rn /!)t it is li8e to enter ) c)ttle c)r1 t!en ) feed lot1 )nd
fin)ll ) sl)ug!ter!ouse4 -gee t)8es us t!roug! t!e miser1 t!e fe)r1 t!e gore of de)t!1
)nd t!e Euic8s)nd of m)tern)l sentiment )nd trib)l lo)lt to reflect !o/ e)sil t!e mind
/!ite/)s!es unp)l)t)ble trut!s4 (t is so muc! e)sier to follo/ t!e !erd1 or toe t!e line1
r)t!er t!)n f)ce up to?)nd t!en t)8e )ction on?trut!s or v)lues t!)t )re not s!)red b
our peers4
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
+ -ot"er@s Tale
by 8ames ."ee
4he calf ran )p the hill as fast as he co)ld and stopped sharp. -5amaL0 he cried, all
o)t of breath. -1hat is itL 1hat are they doingK 1here are they goingK0
<ther sprin" calves came "allopin" too.
4hey all were lookin" )p at her and awaitin" her e7planation, b)t she looked o)t over
their e7cited eyes. .s she watched the mysterio)s and maFestic thin" they had never seen
before, her own eyes became even more than ordinarily still, and d)rin" the considerable
moment before she answered, she scarcely heard their )r"ent D)estionin".
,ar o)t alon" the a)t)mn plain, beneath the slopin" li"ht, an immense drove of cattle
moved eastward. 4hey went at a walk, not very fast, b)t faster than they co)ld ima"inably
enFoy. 4hose in front were compelled by those behind; those at the rear, with few
e7ceptions, did their best to keep )p; those who were locked within the herd co)ld no
more help movin" than the particles inside a fallin" rock. 5en on horses rode ahead, and
alon"side, and behind, or sp)rred their horses intensely back and forth, keepin" the pace
steady, and the herd in shape; and from man to man a do" sped back and forth incessantly
as a sh)ttle, barkin", incessantly, in a hysterical voice. @ow and then one of the men
sho)ted fiercely, and this like the shriekin" of the do" was tinily a)dible above a low and
awesome so)nd which seemed to come not from the m)ltit)de of hooves b)t from the
center of the world, and above the sporadic bawlin"s and bellowin"s of the herd.
,rom the hillside this t)m)lt was so distant that it only made more delicate the
prodi"io)s silence in which the earth and sky were held; and, from the hill, the si"ht was as
modest as its so)nd. 4he herd was virt)ally hidden in the d)st it raised, and co)ld be
known, in "eneral, only by the horns which pricked this flat s)nlit d)st like little briars. *n
one place a twist of the air revealed the tremblin" fabric of many backs; b)t it was only
alon" the near ed"e of the mass that individ)al animals were discernible, small in a driven
frieEe, walkin" fast, st)mblin" and recoverin", tossin" their armed heads, or openin" their
sk)lls heavenward in one of those cries which reached the hillside lon" after the Faws were
sh)t.
,rom where she watched, the mother co)ld not be s)re whether there were any she
reco"niEed. %he knew that amon" them there m)st be a son of hers; she had not seen him
since some previo)s sprin", and she wo)ld not be seein" him a"ain. 4hen the cries of the
yo)n" ones impin"ed on her bem)sement: -1here are they "oin"/0
%he looked into their i"norant eyes.
-.way,0 she said.
-1here/0 they cried. -1here/ 1here/0 her own son cried a"ain.
%he wondered what to say.
-<n a lon" Fo)rney.0
-B)t where to70 they sho)ted. -Hes, where to70 her son e7claimed; and she co)ld see
that he was losin" his patience with her, as he always did when he felt she was evasive.
1C'
-*Mm not s)re,0 she said.
4heir silence was so cold that she was )nable to avoid their eyes for lon".
-1ell, not re)ll s)re. Beca)se, yo) see,0 she said in her most reasonable tone, -*Mve
never seen it with my own eyes, and thatMs the only way to be s)re; isnOt it.0
4hey F)st kept lookin" at her. %he co)ld see no way o)t.
-B)t *Mve !e)rd abo)t it,0 she said with shallow cheerf)lness, -from those who !)ve
seen it, and * donMt s)ppose thereMs any "ood reason to do)bt them.0
%he looked away over them a"ain, and for all their interest in what she was abo)t to
tell them, her eyes so chan"ed that they t)rned and looked, too.
4he herd, which had been movin" broadside to them, was bein" t)rned away, so
slowly that like the t)rnin" of stars it co)ld not D)ite be seen from one moment to the
ne7t; yet soon it was movin" directly away from them, and even d)rin" the little while she
spoke and they all watched after it, it steadily and very noticeably diminished and the
so)nds of it as well.
-*t happens always abo)t this time of year,0 she said D)ietly while they watched.
-@early all the men and horses leave, and "o into the @orth and the 1est.0
-<)t on the ran"e,0 her son said, and by his voice she knew what enchantment the
idea already held for him.
-Hes,0 she said, -o)t on the ran"e.0 .nd tryin", impossibly, to ima"ine the ran"e, they
were to)ched by the breath of "rande)r.
-.nd then before lon",0 she contin)ed, -everyone has been fo)nd, and bro)"ht into
one place; and then . . . what yo) see, happens. .ll of them.
-%ometimes when the wind is ri"ht,0 she said more D)ietly, -yo) can hear them
comin" lon" before yo) can see them. *t isnMt even like a so)nd, at first. *tMs more as if
somethin" were movin" far )nder the "ro)nd. *t makes yo) )neasy. Ho) wonder, why,
what in the world can t!)t beL 4hen yo) remember what it is and then yo) can really hear
it. .nd then finally, there they all are.0
%he co)ld see this did not interest them at all.
-B)t where are they going70 one asked, a little impatiently.
-*Mm comin" to that,0 she said; and she let them wait. 4hen she spoke slowly b)t
cas)ally.
-4hey are on their way to a railroad.0
4here, she tho)"ht; thatMs for that look yo) all "ave me when * said * wasnMt s)re. %he
waited for them to ask: they waited for her to e7plain.
-. railroad,0 she told them, -is "reat hard bars of metal lyin" side by side, or so they
tell me, and they "o on and on over the "ro)nd as far as the eye can see. .nd "reat
wa"ons r)n on the metal bars on wheels, like wa"on wheels b)t smaller, and these wheels
are made of solid metal too. 4he wa"ons are m)ch bi""er than any wa"on yo)Mve ever
seen, as bi" as, bi" as sheds, they say, and they are p)lled alon" on the iron bars by a
terrible h)"e dark machine, with a lo)d scream.0
-Bi" as s!eds70 one of the calves said skeptically.
-Bi" enoug!1 anyway,0 the mother said. -* told yo) *Mve never seen it myself. B)t
those wa"ons are so bi" that several of )s can "et inside at once. .nd thatMs e7actly what
happens.0
%)ddenly she became very D)iet, for she felt that somehow, she co)ld not ima"ine F)st
how, she had said alto"ether too m)ch.
-1ell, /!)t happens/0 her son wanted to know. -1hat do yo) mean, !)ppens70
%he always tried hard to be a reasonably modern mother. *t was probably better, she
felt, to "o on, than to leave them all f)ll of ima"inin"s and mystification. Besides, there
was really nothin" at all awf)l abo)t what happened . . . if only one co)ld know /!.
11C
-1ell,0 she said, -itMs nothin" m)ch, really. 4hey F)stwhy, when they all finally get
there, why there are all the "reat cars waitin" in a lon" line, and the bi" dark machine is )p
ahead . . . smoke comes o)t of it, they say . . . and . . . well, then, they F)st p)t )s into the
wa"ons, F)st as many as will fit in each wa"on, and when everybody is in, why . . .0 %he
hesitated, for a"ain, tho)"h she co)ldnMt be s)re why, she was )neasy.
-1hy then,0 her son said, -the train takes them away.0
Hearin" that word, she felt a flinchin" of the heart. 1here had he picked it )p, she
wondered, and she "ave him a shy and c)rio)s "lance. <h dear, she tho)"ht. * sho)ld
never have even begun to e7plain. -Hes,0 she said, -when everybody is safely in, they slide
the doors sh)t.0
4hey were all silent for a little while. 4hen one of them asked tho)"htf)lly, -.re they
takin" them somewhere they donMt want to "o/0
-<h, * donMt think so,0 the mother said. -* ima"ine itMs very nice.0
-* want to "o,0 she heard her son say with ardor. -* want to "o ri"ht now,0 he cried.
-&an *, 5ama/ ')n (7 +le)se70 .nd lookin" into his eyes, she was overwhelmed by
sadness.
-%illy thin",0 she said, -thereMll be time eno)"h for that when yo)Mre "rown )p. B)t
what * very m)ch hope,0 she went on, -is that instead of bein" chosen to "o o)t on the
ran"e and to make the lon" Fo)rney, yo) will "row )p to be very stron" and bri"ht so they
will decide that yo) may stay here at home with 5other. .nd yo), too,0she added,
speakin" to the other little males; b)t she co)ld not honestly wish this for any b)t her own,
least of all for the eldest, stron"est and most pro)d, for she knew how few are chosen.
%he co)ld see that what she said was not received with enth)siasm.
-B)t * want to "o,0 her son said.
-1hy/0 she asked. -* donMt think any of yo) realiEe that itMs a "reat !onor to be chosen
to stay. . "reat privile"e. 1hy, itMs F)st the most ordinary ones are taken o)t onto the
ran"e. B)t only the very pick are chosen to stay here at home. *f yo) want to "o o)t on
the ran"e,0 she said in h)rried and happy inspiration, -all yo) have to do is be ordinary and
careless and silly. *f yo) want to have even a chance to be chosen to stay, yo) have to try
to be stron"er and bi""er and braver and bri"hter than anyone else, and that takes !)rd
/or84 Ever d)4 +o yo) see/0 .nd she looked happily and hopef)lly from one to
another. -Besides,0 she added, aware that they were not won over, -*Mm told itMs a very
ro)"h life o)t there, and the men are )nkind.0
-+onMt yo) see,0 she said a"ain; and she pretended to speak to all of them, b)t it was
only to her son.
B)t he only looked at her. -1hy do yo) want me to stay home/0 he asked flatly; in
their silence she knew the others were askin" the same D)estion.
-Beca)se itMs safe here,0 she said before she knew better; and realiEed she had p)t it in
the most )nfort)nate way possible. -@ot safe, not F)st that,0 she f)mbled. -* mean . . .
beca)se here we 8no/ what happens, and whatMs "oin" to happen, and thereMs never any
do)bt abo)t it, never any reason to wonder, to worry. +onMt yo) see/ *tMs F)st 6ome10 and
she p)t a smile on the word, -where we all know each other and are happy and well.0
4hey were so merely D)iet, lookin" back at her, that she felt they were neither won
over nor alienated. 4hen she knew of her son that he, anyhow, was most certainly not
pers)aded, for he asked the D)estion she most dreaded: -1here do they "o on the train/0
.nd hearin" him, she knew that she wo)ld stop at nothin" to brin" that c)riosity and
ea"erness, and that tendency toward skepticism, within safe bo)nds.
-@obody knows,0 she said, and she added, in F)st the tone she knew wo)ld most
sharply en"a"e them, -@ot for s)re, anyway.0
-1hat do yo) mean, not for sure,0 her son cried. .nd the oldest, bi""est calf repeated
111
the D)estion, his voice crackin".
4he mother deliberately kept silence as she "aEed o)t over the plain, and while she
was silent they all heard the last they wo)ld ever hear of all those who were "oin" away:
one last "reat cry, as faint almost as a breath; the infinitesimal Fabbin" vit)peration of the
do"; the solemn m)tterin" of the earth.
-1ell,0 she said, after even this so)nd was entirely lost, -there was one who came
back.0 4heir instant, tr)stf)l eyes were too m)ch for her. %he added, -<r so they say.0
4hey "athered a little more closely aro)nd her, for now she spoke very D)ietly.
- *t was my "reat:"randmother who told me,0 she said. -%he was told it by !er
"reat:"randmother, who claimed she saw it with her own eyes, tho)"h of co)rse * canMt
vo)ch for that. Beca)se of co)rse * wasnMt even dreamed of then; and Great:"randmother
was so very, very old, yo) see, that yo) co)ldnMt always be s)re she knew D)ite /!)t she
was sayin".0
@ow that she be"an to remember it more clearly, she was sorry she had committed
herself to tellin" it.
-Hes,0 she said, -the story is, there was one1 .ust one, who ever came back, and he
told what happened on the train, and where the train went and what happened after. He
told it all in a r)sh, they say, the last thin"s first and every which way, b)t as it was finally
sorted o)t and "otten into order by those who heard it and those they told it to, this is
more or less what happened:
-He said that after the men had "otten F)st as many of )s as they co)ld into the car he
was in, so that their sides pressed ti"htly to"ether and nobody co)ld lie down, they slid the
door sh)t with a startlin" rattle and a ban", and then there was a s)dden Ferk, so stron"
they mi"ht have fallen e7cept that they were packed so closely to"ether, and the car be"an
to move. B)t after it had moved only a little way, it stopped as s)ddenly as it had started,
so that they all nearly fell down a"ain. Ho) see, they were F)st movin" )p the ne7t car that
was Foined on behind, to p)t more of )s into it. He co)ld see it all between the boards of
the car, beca)se the boards were b)ilt a little apart from each other, to let in air.0
')r1 her son said a"ain to himself. @ow he wo)ld never for"et the word.
-He said that then, for the first time in his life, he became very badly fri"htened, he
didnMt know why. B)t he was s)re, at that moment, that there was somethin" dreadf)lly to
be afraid of. 4he others felt this same "reat fear. 4hey called o)t lo)dly to those who were
bein" p)t into the car behind, and the others called back, b)t it was no )se; those who
were "ettin" aboard were between narrow white fences and then were walkin" )p a
narrow slope and the men kept Fabbin" them as they do when they are in an )nkind h)mor,
and there was no way to "o b)t on into the car. 4here was no way to "et o)t of the car,
either: he tried, with all his mi"ht, and he was the one nearest the door.
-.fter the ne7t car behind was f)ll, and the door was sh)t, the train Ferked forward
a"ain, and stopped a"ain, and they p)t more of )s into still another car, and so on, and on,
)ntil all the startin" and stoppin" no lon"er fri"htened anybody; it was F)st somethin"
)ncomfortable that was never "oin" to stop, and they be"an instead to realiEe how h)n"ry
and thirsty they were. B)t there was no food and no water, so they F)st had to p)t )p with
this; and abo)t the time they became resi"ned to "oin" witho)t their s)ppers Ifor now it
was almost darkJ, they heard a s)dden and terrible scream which fri"htened them even
more deeply than anythin" had fri"htened them before, and the train be"an to move a"ain,
and they braced their le"s once more for the Folt when it wo)ld stop, b)t this time, instead
of stoppin", it be"an to "o fast, and then even faster, so fast that the "ro)nd nearby slid
past like a flooded creek and the whole co)ntry, he claimed, be"an to move too, t)rnin"
slowly aro)nd a far mo)ntain as if it were all one "reat wheel. .nd then there was a
stran"e kind of dist)rbance inside the car, he said, or even inside his very bones. He felt as
11
if everythin" in him was f)lling, as if he had been filled f)ll of a heavy liD)id that all
wanted to flow one way, and all the others were leanin" as he was leanin", away from this
D)eer heaviness that was tryin" to p)ll them over, and then F)st as s)ddenly this leanin"
heaviness was "one and they nearly fell a"ain before they co)ld stop leanin" a"ainst it. He
co)ld never )nderstand what this was, b)t it too happened so many times that they all "ot
)sed to it, F)st as they "ot )sed to seein" the co)ntry t)rn like a slow wheel, and F)st as
they "ot )sed to the lon" cr)el screams of the en"ine, and the steady iron noise beneath
them which made the cold darkness so fearsome, and the h)n"er and the thirst and the
contin)al standin" )p, and the movin" on and on and on as if they wo)ld never stop.0
-DidnOt they ever stop/0 one asked.
- <nce in a "reat while,0 she replied. -;ach time they did,0 she said, -he tho)"ht, <h,
now )t l)stK -t l)st we can "et o)t and stretch o)r tired le"s and lie downL -t l)st weMll be
"iven food and waterL B)t they never let them o)t. .nd they never "ave them food or
water. 4hey never even cleaned )p )nder them. 4hey had to stand in their man)re and in
the water they made.0
-1hy did the train stop/0 her son asked; and with sombre "ratification she saw that he
was takin" all this very m)ch to heart.
-He co)ld never )nderstand why,0 she said. -%ometimes men wo)ld walk )p and
down alon"side the cars, and the more nervo)s and the more tr)stf)l of )s wo)ld call o)t;
b)t they were only lookin" aro)nd, they never seemed to do anythin". %ometimes he
co)ld see many ho)ses and bi""er b)ildin"s to"ether where people lived. %ometimes it
was far o)t in the co)ntry and after they had stood still for a lon" time they wo)ld hear a
little noise which D)ickly became lo)der, and then became s)ddenly a noise so lo)d it
stopped their breathin", and d)rin" this noise somethin" black wo)ld "o by, very close,
and so fast it co)ldnMt be seen. .nd then it was "one as s)ddenly as it had appeared, and
the noise became small, and then in the silence their train wo)ld start )p a"ain.
-<nce, he tells )s, somethin" very stran"e happened. 4hey were standin" still, and cars
of a very different kind be"an to move slowly past. 4hese cars were not red, b)t black,
with many "lass windows like those in a ho)se; and he says they were as f)ll of h)man
bein"s as the car he was in was f)ll of o)r kind. .nd one of these people looked into his
eyes and smiled, as if he liked him, or as if he knew only too well how hard the Fo)rney
was.
-%o by his acco)nt it happens to them, too,0 she said, with a certain pleased
vindictiveness. -<nly they were sittin" down at their ease, not standin". .nd the one who
smiled was eatin".0
%he was still, tryin" to think of somethin"; she co)ldnMt D)ite "rasp the tho)"ht.
-B)t didnMt they ever let them o)t/0 her son asked.
4he oldest calf Feered. -<f course they did. He came back, didnMt he/ How wo)ld he
ever come back if he didnMt "et o)t/0
-4hey didnMt let them o)t,0 she said, -for a lon", lon" time.0
-How lon"/0
-%o lon", and he was so tired, he co)ld never D)ite be s)re. B)t he said that it t)rned
from ni"ht to day and from day to ni"ht and back a"ain several times over, with the train
movin" nearly all of this time, and that when it finally stopped, early one mornin", they
were all so tired and so disco)ra"ed that they hardly even noticed any lon"er, let alone felt
any hope that anythin" wo)ld chan"e for them, ever a"ain; and then all of a s)dden men
came )p and p)t )p a wide walk and )nbarred the door and slid it open, and it was the
most wonderf)l and happy moment of his life when he saw the door open, and walked into
the open air with all his Foints tremblin", and drank the water and ate the delicio)s food
they had ready for him; it was worth the whole terrible Fo)rney.0
11#
@ow that these scenes came clear before her, there was a faraway shinin" in her eyes,
and her voice, too, had somethin" in it of the faraway.
1hen they had eaten and dr)nk all they co)ld hold they lifted )p their heads and
looked aro)nd, and everythin" they saw made them happy. ;ven the trains made them
cheerf)l now, for now they were no lon"er afraid of them. .nd tho)"h these trains were
forever breakin" to pieces and Foinin" a"ain with other broken pieces, with sh)fflin"s and
clashin"s and r)de cries, they hardly paid them attention any more, they were so pleased
to be in their new home, and so s)rprised and deli"hted to find they were amon"
tho)sands )pon tho)sands of stran"ers of their own kind, all liftin" )p their voices in
peacef)lness and thanks"ivin", and they were so wonderstr)ck by all they co)ld see, it
was so bea)tif)l and so "rand.
-,or he has told )s that now they lived amon" fences as white as bone, so many, and
so spiderishly complicated, and shinin" so p)re, that thereMs no )se tryin" even to hint at
the bea)ty and the splendor of it to anyone who knows only the pitif)l little o)tfittin"s of a
ranch. Beyond these maEy fences, thro)"h the dark and bri"ht smoke which contin)ally
t)rned alon" the s)nli"ht, dark b)ildin"s stood sho)lder to sho)lder in a wall as h)"e and
pro)d as mo)ntains. .ll thro)"h the air, all the time, there was an iron h)mmin" like the
h)mmin" of the iron bar after it has been str)ck to tell the men it is time to eat, and in all
the air, all the time, there was that same stran"e kind of iron stren"th which makes the
silence before li"htnin" so different from all other silence.
-<nce for a little while the wind shifted and blew over them strai"ht from the "reat
b)ildin"s, and it bro)"ht a stran"e and very powerf)l smell which conf)sed and dist)rbed
them. He co)ld never D)ite describe this smell, b)t he has told )s it was )nlike anythin" he
had ever known before. *t smelled like old fire, he said, and old blood and fear and
darkness and sorrow and most terrible and br)tal force and somethin" else, somethin" in it
that made him want to r)n away. 4his s)dden )neasiness and this wish to r)n away swept
thro)"h every one of them, he tells )s, so that they were all moved at once as restlessly as
so many leaves in a wind, and there was "reat worry in their voices. B)t soon the leaders
amon" them concl)ded that it was simply the way men m)st smell when there are a "reat
many of them livin" to"ether. 4hose dark b)ildin"s m)st be crowded very f)ll of men,
they decided, probably as many tho)sands of them, indoors, as there were of )s, o)tdoors;
so it was no wonder their smell was so stron" and, to o)r kind, so )npleasant. Besides, it
was so clear now in every other way that men were not as we had always s)pposed, b)t
were doin" everythin" they knew how to make )s comfortable and happy, that we o)"ht
to F)st p)t )p with their smell, which after all they co)ldnMt help, any more than we co)ld
help o)r own. =ery likely men didnMt like the way we smelled, any more than we liked
theirs. 4hey passed alon" these ideas to the others, and soon everyone felt more calm, and
then the wind chan"ed a"ain, and the fierce smell no lon"er came to them, and the smell of
their own kind was back a"ain, very stron" of co)rse, in s)ch a crowd, b)t ever so homey
and comfortin", and everyone felt easy a"ain.
-4hey were fed and watered so "enero)sly, and treated so well, and the maFesty and
the loveliness of this place where they had all come to rest was so far beyond anythin"
they had ever known or dreamed of, that many of the simple and i"norant, whose
memories were short, be"an to wonder whether that whole diffic)lt Fo)rney, or even their
whole lives )p to now, had ever really been. HadnMt it all been F)st shadows, they
m)rm)red, F)st a bad dream/
-;ven the sharp ones, who knew very well it had all really happened, be"an to fi")re
that everythin" )p to now had been made so f)ll of pain only so that all they had come to
now mi"ht seem all the sweeter and the more "lorio)s. %ome of the oldest and deepest
were even of a mind that all the p)EEle and trib)lation of the Fo)rney had been sent )s as a
11$
kind of harsh tryin" or provin" of o)t worthiness; and that it was entirely fittin" and
proper that we co)ld earn o)r way thro)"h to s)ch rewards as these, only thro)"h
s)fferin", and thro)"h bein" patient )nder pain which was beyond o)r )nderstandin"; and
that now at the last, to those who had borne all thin"s well, all thin"s were made known:
for the mystery of s)fferin" stood revealed in Foy. .nd now as they looked back over all
that was past, all their sorrows and bewilderments seemed so little and so fleetin" that,
from the simplest amon" them even to the most wise, they co)ld feel only the kind of
am)sed pity we feel toward the very yo)n" when, with the first thin" that h)rts them or
they are forbidden, they are s)re there is nothin" kind or fair in all creation, and carry on
accordin"ly, ravin" and "rievin" as if their hearts wo)ld break.0
%he "lanced amon" them with an ind)l"ent smile, hopin" the little lesson wo)ld sink
home. 4hey seemed interested b)t somewhat daEed. *Mm talkin" way over their heads, she
realiEed. B)t by now she herself was too deeply absorbed in her story to modify it m)ch.
Let it be, she tho)"ht, a little impatient; itMs over m head, for that matter.
-4hey had hardly before this even wondered that they were alive,0 she went on, -and
now all of a s)dden they felt they )nderstood /! they were. 4his made them very happy,
b)t they were still only be"innin" to enFoy this new wisdom when D)ite a new and
different kind of restiveness ran amon" them. Before they D)ite knew it they were all
movin" once a"ain, and now they realiEed that they were bein" moved, once more, by
men, toward still some other place and p)rpose they co)ld not know. B)t d)rin" these last
ho)rs they had been so well that now they felt no )neasiness, b)t all moved forward calm
and s)re toward better thin"s still to come; he has told )s that he no lon"er felt as if he
were bein" driven, even as it became clear that they were "oin" toward the shade of those
"reat b)ildin"s; b)t ")ided.
-He was ")ided between fences which stood ever more and more narrowly near each
other, amon" companions who were pressed ever more and more closely a"ainst one
another; and now as he felt their warmth a"ainst him it was not )ncomfortable, and his
pleas)re in it was not thro)"h any need to be close amon" others thro)"h an7io)sness, b)t
was a new kind of stron" and "entle deli"ht, at bein" so very close, so deeply of his own
kind, that it seemed as if the very breath and heartbeat of each one were bein" e7chan"ed
thro)"h all that m)ltit)de, and each was another, and others were each, and each was a
m)ltit)de, and the m)ltit)de was one. .nd D)ieted and made mild within this meltin", they
now entered the cold shadow cast by the b)ildin"s, and now with every step the smell of
the b)ildin"s "rew stron"er, and in the darkenin" air the "litterin" of the fences was ever
more D)eer.
-.nd now as they were pressed ever more intimately to"ether he co)ld see ahead of
him a narrow "ate, and he was stron"ly pressed )pon from either side and from behind,
and went in ea"erly, and now he was between two fences so narrowly set that he br)shed
either fence with either flank, and walked alone, seein" F)st one other ahead of him, and
knowin" of F)st one other behind him, and for a moment the stran"e tho)"ht came to him,
that the one ahead was his father, and that the one behind was the son he had never
be"otten.
-.nd now the li"ht was so chan"ed that he knew he m)st have come inside one of the
"loomy and enormo)s b)ildin"s, and the smell was so m)ch stron"er that it seemed almost
to b)rn his nostrils, and the smell and the sombre new li"ht blended to"ether and became
some other thin" a"ain beyond his describin" to )s e7cept to say that the whole air beat
with it like one immense heart and it was as if the beatin" of this heart were p)re violence
infinitely manifolded )pon violence: so that the )neasy feelin" stirred in him a"ain that it
wo)ld be wise to t)rn aro)nd and r)n o)t of this place F)st as fast and as far as ever he
co)ld "o. 4his he heard, as if he were tellin" it to himself at the top of his voice, b)t it
11?
came from somewhere so deep and so dark inside him that he co)ld only hear the sho)tin"
of it as less than a whisper, as F)st a hot and chillin" breath, and he scarcely heeded it,
there was so m)ch else to attend to.
-,or as he walked alon" in this s)dden and complete loneliness, he tells )s, this
wonderf)l knowled"e of bein" one with all his race meant less and less to him, and in its
place came somethin" still more wonderf)l: he knew what it was to be himself alone, a
creat)re separate and different from any other, who had never been before, and wo)ld
never be a"ain. He co)ld feel this in his whole wei"ht as he walked, and in each foot as he
p)t it down and "ave his wei"ht to it and moved above it, and in every m)scle as he
moved, and it was a pride which lifted him )p and made him feel lar"e, and a pleas)re
which pierced him thro)"h. .nd as he be"an with s)ch wonderin" deli"ht to be aware of
his own e7act sin"leness in this world, he also be"an to )nderstand Ior so he tho)"htJ F)st
why these fences were set so very narrow, and F)st why he was walkin" all by himself. *t
stole over him, he tells )s, like the feelin" of a slow cool wind, that he was bein" ")ided
toward some still more wonderf)l reward or revealin", )p ahead, which he co)ld not of
co)rse ima"ine, b)t he was s)re it was bein" held in store for him alone.
-8)st then the one ahead of him fell down with a "reat si"h, and was so D)ickly taken
o)t of the way that he did not even have to shift the order of his hooves as he walked on.
4he s)dden fall and the so)nd of that si"h dismayed him, tho)"h, and somethin" within
him told him that it wo)ld be wise to look )p: and there he saw Him.
-. little brid"e ran crosswise above the fences. He stood on this brid"e with His feet
as wide apart as He co)ld set them. He wore spattered tro)sers b)t from the belt )p He
was naked and as wet as rain. Both arms were raised hi"h above His head and in both
hands He held an enormo)s Hammer. 1ith a "r)nt which was hardly like the voice of a
h)man bein", and with all His stren"th, He bro)"ht this Hammer down into the forehead
of o)r friend: who, in a blindin" blaEin", heard from his own mo)th the be"innin" of a
"aspin" si"h; then there was only darkness.0
<h, this is enoug!K itMs enoug!K she cried o)t within herself, seein" their terrible yo)n"
eyes. How could she have been so foolish as to tell so m)chL
-1hat happened then/0 she heard, in the voice of the oldest calf, and she was
horrified. 4his shinin" in their eyes: was it only e7citement/ no pity/ no fear/
-1hat happened/0 two others asked.
=ery well, she said to herself. *Mve "one so far; now *Mll "o the rest of the way. %he
decided not to soften it, either. %heMd teach them a lesson they wo)ldnMt for"et in a h)rry.
-=ery well,0 she was s)rprised to hear herself say alo)d.
-How lon" he lay in this darkness he co)ldnMt know, b)t when he be"an to come o)t of
it, all he knew was the most )nspeakably dreadf)l pain. He was )pside down and very
slowly swin"in" and t)rnin", for he was han"in" by the tendons of his heels from "reat
fri"htf)l hooks, and he has told )s that the feelin" was as if his hide were bein" torn from
him inch by inch, in one piece. .nd then as he became more clearly aware he fo)nd that
this was e7actly what was happenin". Anives wo)ld sliver and slice alon" both flanks,
between the hide and the livin" flesh; then there was a moment of most precio)s relief;
then red hands seiEed his hide and there was a Ferkin" of the hide and a tearin" of tiss)e
which it was almost as terrible to hear as to feel, t)rnin" his whole body and the poor head
at the bottom of it; and then the knives a"ain.
-*t was so far beyond anythin" he had ever known )nnat)ral and amaEin" that he h)n"
there thro)"h several more s)ch slicin"s and Ferkin"s and tearin"s before he was f)lly able
to take it all in: then, with a scream, and a s)preme strainin" of all his stren"th, he tore
himself from the hooks and collapsed sprawlin" to the floor and, scramblin" ri"ht to his
feet, char"ed the men with the knives. ,or F)st a moment they were so astonished and so
116
terrified they co)ld not move. 4hen they moved faster than he had ever known men
co)ldand so did all the other men who chanced to be in his way. He ran down a "lowin"
floor of blood and down endless corridors which were h)n" with the bleedin" carcasses of
o)r kind and with bleedin" fra"ments of carcasses, amon" blood:clothed men who carried
bleedin" weapons, and o)t of that vast room into the open, and over and thro)"h one
fence after another, shovin" aside many an asto)nded stran"er and sho)tin" o)t warnin"s
as he ran, and away )p the railroad toward the 1est.
-How he ever mana"ed to "et away, and how he ever fo)nd his way home, we can
only try to ")ess. *tMs told that he scarcely knew, himself, by the time he came to this part
of his story. He was impatient with those who interr)pted him to ask abo)t that, he had so
m)ch more important thin"s to tell them, and by then he was so e7ha)sted and so far "one
that he co)ld say nothin" very clear abo)t the little he did know. B)t we can realiEe that
he m)st have had really tremendo)s stren"th, otherwise he co)ldnMt have o)tlived the
Hammer; and that stren"th s)ch as hiswhich we simply donMt see these days, itMs of the
olden timeis capable of thin"s o)r own stron"est and bravest wo)ld sicken to dream of.
B)t there was somethin" even stron"er than his stren"th. 4here was his ri"hteo)s f)ry,
which nothin" co)ld stand )p a"ainst, which bro)"ht him o)t of that fearf)l place. .nd
there was his hi"h and b)rnin" and heroic p)rpose, to keep him safe alon" the way, and to
")ide him home, and to keep the breath of life in him )ntil he co)ld warn )s. He did
mana"e to tell )s that he F)st followed the railroad, b)t how he chose one amon" the many
which branched o)t from that place, he co)ldnMt say. He told )s, too, that from time to
time he reco"niEed shapes of mo)ntains and other landmarks, from his Fo)rney by train, all
reappearin" backward and with a chan"ed look and hard to see, too Ifor he was shrewd
eno)"h to travel mostly at ni"htJ, b)t still reco"niEable. B)t that isnMt eno)"h to acco)nt
for it. ,or he has told )s, too, that he simply 8ne/ the way; that he didnMt hesitate one
moment in choosin" the ri"ht line of railroad, or even think of it as choosin"; and that the
landmarks didnMt really ")ide him, b)t F)st made him the more s)re of what he was already
s)re of; and that whenever he did enco)nter h)man bein"sand d)rin" the later sta"es of
his Fo)rney, when he be"an to do)bt he wo)ld live to tell )s, he traveled day and
ni"htthey never so m)ch as moved to make him tro)ble, b)t stopped dead in their
tracks, and their Faws fell open.
-.nd s)rely we canMt wonder that their Faws fell open. *Mm s)re yo)rs wo)ld, if yo) had
seen him as he arrived, and *Mm very "lad * wasnMt there to see it, either, even tho)"h it is
said to be the "reatest and most momento)s day of all the days that ever were or shall be.
,or we have the testimony of eyewitnesses, how he looked, and it is only too vivid, even
to hear of. He came )p o)t of the ;ast as m)ch sta""erin" as "allopin" Ifor by now he
was so worn o)t by pain and e7ertion and loss of blood that he co)ld hardly stay )pri"htJ,
and his heels were so piteo)sly torn by the hooks that his hooves do)bled )nder more
often than not, and in his broken forehead the mark of the Hammer was like the socket for
a third eye.
-He came to the meadow where the "reat trees made shade over the water. PBrin"
them all to"etherL9 he cried o)t, as soon as he co)ld find breath. P.llL9 4hen he drank; and
then he be"an to speak to those who were already there: for as soon as he saw himself in
the water it was as clear to him as it was to those who watched him that there was no time
left to send for the others. His hide was all "one from his head and his neck and his
forele"s and his chest and most of one side and a part of the other side. *t was fl)n"
backward from his naked m)scles by the wind of his r)nnin" and now it lay aro)nd him in
the d)st like a ra""ed "arment. 4hey say there is no ima"inin" how terrible and in some
way how "rand the eyeball is when the skin has been taken entirely from aro)nd it: his
117
eyes, which were bare in this way, also b)rned with pain, and with the final ener"ies of his
life, and with his desperate concern to warn )s while he co)ld; and he rolled his eyes
wildly while he talked, or looked piercin"ly from one to another of the listeners,
interr)ptin" himself to cry o)t, P*elieve meL <h, believe meL9 ,or it had evidently never
occ)rred to him that he mi"ht not be believed, and m)st make this last "reat effort, in
addition to all he had "one thro)"h for )s, to m)8e himself believed; so that he "roaned
with sorrow and with ra"e and railed at them witho)t tact or mercy for their slowness to
believe. He had scarcely what yo) co)ld call a voice left, b)t with this relic of a voice he
sho)ted and bellowed and b)llied )s and ins)lted )s, in the a"ony of his concern. 1hile he
talked he bled from the mo)th, and the min"led blood and saliva h)n" from his chin like
the beard of a "oat.
-%ome say that with his naked face, and his sava"e eyes, and that beard and the hide
lyin" off his bare sho)lders like shabby clothin", he looked almost h)man. B)t others feel
this is an irreverence even to think; and others, that it is a poor compliment to pay the one
who told )s, at s)ch cost to himself, the tr)e )ltimate p)rpose of 5an. %ome did not
believe he had ever come from o)r ranch in the first place, and of co)rse he was so
different from )s in appearance and even in his voice, and so chan"ed from what he mi"ht
ever have looked or so)nded like before, that nobody co)ld reco"niEe him for s)re,
tho)"h some were s)re they did. <thers s)spected that he had been sent amon" )s with
his story for some mischievo)s and cr)el p)rpose, and the fact that they co)ld not ima"ine
what this p)rpose mi"ht be, made them, nat)rally, all the more s)spicio)s. %ome believed
he was act)ally a man, tryin"and none too s)ccessf)lly, they saidto dis")ise himself
as one of )s; and a"ain the fact that they co)ld not ima"ine why a man wo)ld do this,
made them all the more )neasy. 4here were D)ite a few who do)bted that anyone who
co)ld "et into s)ch bad condition as he was in, was fit even to "ive reliable information,
let alone advice, to those in "ood health. .nd some whispered, even while he spoke, that
he had t)rned l)natic; and many came to believe this. *t wasnMt only that his story was so
fantastic; there was "ood reason to wonder, many felt, whether anybody in his ri"ht mind
wo)ld "o to s)ch tro)ble for others. B)t even those who did not believe him listened
intently, o)t of c)riosity to hear so wild a tale, and o)t of the respect it is only proper to
show any creat)re who is in the last a"ony.
-1hat he told, was what * have F)st told yo). B)t his p)rpose was away beyond F)st
the tellin". 1hen they asked D)estions, no matter how c)rio)s or s)spicio)s or idle or
foolish, he leaned, toward the last, to answer them with all the patience he co)ld and in all
the detail he co)ld remember. He even invited them to e7amine his wo)nded heels and the
p)lsin" wo)nd in his head as closely as they pleased. He even be""ed them to, for he
knew that before everythin" else, he m)st be believed. ,or )nless we co)ld believe him,
wherever co)ld we find any reason, or eno)"h co)ra"e, to do the hard and dreadf)l thin"s
he told )s we m)st doL
-*t was only these thin"s, he cared abo)t. <nly for these, he came back.0
@ow clearly rememberin" what these thin"s were, she felt her whole bein" D)ail. %he
looked at the yo)n" ones D)ickly and as D)ickly looked away.
-1hile he talked,0 she went on, -and o)r ancestors listened, men came D)ietly amon"
)s; one of them shot him. 1hether he was shot in kindness or to silence him is an
endlessly disp)ted D)estion which will probably never be settled. 1hether, even, he died
of the shot, or thro)"h his own "reat pain and weariness Ifor his eyes, they say, were
"laEin" for some time before the men cameJ, we will never be s)re. %ome s)ppose even
that he may have died of his sorrow and his concern for )s. <thers feel that he had D)ite
eno)"h to die of, witho)t that. .ll these thin"s are tan"led and lost in the disp)tes of those
who love to theoriEe and to ar")e. 4here is no ar")in" abo)t his dyin" words, tho)"h;
11(
they were very clearly remembered:
2P&ell t!emK *elieveKA5
.fter a while her son asked, M-1hat did he tell them to do/0
%he avoided his eyes. -4hereMs a "reat deal of disa"reement abo)t that, too,0 she said
after a moment. -Ho) see, he was so very tired.0
4hey were silent.
-%o tired,0 she said, -some think that toward the end, he really must have been o)t of
his mind.0
-1hy/0 asked her son.
-Beca)se he was so tired o)t and so badly h)rt.0
4hey looked at her mistr)stf)lly.
-.nd beca)se of what he told )s to do.0
-1hat did he tell )s to do/0 her son asked a"ain.
Her throat felt dry. -8)st . . . thin"s yo) can hardly bear even to think of. 4hatMs all.0
4hey waited. -1ell, /!)t/0 her son asked in a cold, acc)sin" voice.
2 PE)c! one is !imself1A 5 she said shyly. 2 PBot of t!e !erd4 6imself )lone4A 4hatMs
one.0
-1hat else/0
2 PDbe nobod4 Depend on none4A 5
-1hat else/0
%he fo)nd that she was moved. 2 P*re)8 do/n t!e fences1A 5 she said less shyly. -
P&ell everbod1 ever/!ere4A 5
-1here/0
-;verywhere. Ho) see, he tho)"ht there m)st be ever so many more of )s than we had
ever known.0
4hey were silent. -1hat else/0 her son asked.
2 PFor if even ) fe/ do not !e)r me1 or disbelieve me1 /e )re )ll betr)ed4A 5
-Betrayed/0
-He meant, doin" as men want )s to. @ot for o)rselves, or the "ood of each other.0
4hey were p)EEled.
-Beca)se, yo) see, he felt there was no other way.0 ."ain her voice altered# 2 P-ll
/!o )re put on t!e r)nge )re put onto tr)ins4 -ll /!o )re put onto tr)ins meet t!e 0)n
"it! &!e 6)mmer4 -ll /!o st) !ome )re 8ept t!ere to breed ot!ers to go onto t!e
r)nge1 )nd so betr) t!emselves )nd t!eir 8ind )nd t!eir c!ildren forever4
2P"e )re broug!t into t!is life onl to be victims< )nd t!ere is no ot!er /) for us
unless /e s)ve ourselves4A 5
-+o yo) )nderstand/0
%till they were p)EEled, she saw; and no wonder, poor thin"s. B)t now the ancient
lines ran" in her memory, terrible and brave. 4hey made her somehow pro)d. %he be"an
act)ally to want to say them.
2 PBever be t)8en1A 5 she said. 2OBever be driven4 Let t!ose /!o c)n1 8ill 0)n4 Let
t!ose /!o c)nnot1 )void !im4A 5
%he looked aro)nd at them.
-1hat else/0 her son asked, and in his voice there was a risin" valor.
%he looked strai"ht into his eyes. 2 PIill t!e e)rlings1A 5 she said very "ently. 2 PIill
t!e c)lves4A 5
%he saw the valor leave his eyes.
-Aill )s/0
%he nodded, 2 PSo long )s 0)n !olds dominion over us1A 5 she said. .nd in dread and
amaEement she heard herself add1 2 P*e)r no oung4A 5
11'
1ith this they all looked at her at once in s)ch a way that she loved her child, and all
these others, as never before; and there dilated within her s)ch a sorrowf)l and marvelin"
"rande)r that for a moment she was nothin" e7cept her own inward whisper, -1hy, ( am
one alone. .nd of the herd, too. Both at once. .ll one.0
Her sonMs voice bro)"ht her back: -+id they do what he told them to/0
4he oldest one scoffed, -1o)ld we be here, if they had/0
-4hey say some did,0 the mother replied. -%ome tried. @ot all.0
-1hat did the men do to them/0 another asked.
-* donMt know,0 she said. -*t was s)ch a very lon" time a"o.0
-+o yo) believe it/0 asked the oldest calf.
-4here are some who believe it,0 she said.
-+o ou/0
-*Mm told that far back in the wildest corners of the ran"e there are some of )s, mostly
very, very old ones, who have never been taken. *tMs said that they meet, every so often, to
talk and F)st to think to"ether abo)t the heroism and the terror of two s)blime Bein"s,
4he <ne 1ho &ame Back, and 4he 5an 1ith 4he Hammer. ;ven here at home, some of
the old ones, and some of )s who are F)st old:fashioned, believe it, or parts of it anyway. *
know there are some who say that a hollow at the center of the foreheada sort of
shadow of the HammerMs blowis a si"n of very special ability. .nd * remember how
Great:"randmother )sed to sin" an old, pio)s son", letMs see now, yes, PBe not like
d)mb:driven cattle, be a hero in the strife.9 B)t there arenMt many. @ot any more.0
-+o ou believe it/0 the oldest calf insisted; and now she was to)ched to realiEe that
every one of them, from the oldest to the yo)n"est, needed very badly to be s)re abo)t
that.
-<f co)rse not, silly,0 she said; and all at once she was overcome by a most c)rio)s
shyness, for it occ)rred to her that in the co)rse of time, this yo)n" thin" mi"ht be bred to
her. -*tMs F)st an old, old le"end.0 1ith a tender little la)"h she added, li"htly, -1e )se it
to fri"hten children with.0
By now the li"ht was lon" on the plain and the herd was only a f)me of "old near the
horiEon. Behind it, d)n" steamed, and d)st sank "ently to the shattered "ro)nd. %he
looked far away for a moment, wonderin". %omethin"it was like a for"otten word on
the tip of the ton")e. %he felt the s)dden chill of the late afternoon and she wondered
what she had been wonderin" abo)t. -&ome, children,0 she said briskly, -itMs hi"h time for
s)pper.0 .nd she t)rned away; they followed.
4he tro)ble was, her son was thinkin", yo) co)ld never tr)st her. *f she said a thin"
was so, she was probably F)st tryin" to "et her way with yo). *f she said a thin" wasnMt so,
it probably was so. B)t yo) never co)ld be s)re. @ot witho)t seein" for yo)rself. *Mm
"oin" to "o, he told himself; * donMt care /!)t she wants. .nd if it isnMt so, why then *Mll
live on the ran"e and make the "reat Fo)rney and find o)t what is so. .nd if what she told
was tr)e, why then *Mll know ahead of time and the one ( will char"e is 4he 5an 1ith 4he
Hammer. *Mll p)t Him and His Hammer o)t of the way forever, and that will make me an
even better hero than 4he <ne 1ho &ame Back.
%o, when his mother "lanced at him in concern, not D)ite darin" to ask her D)estion,
he "ave her his most docile smile, and sn)""led his head a"ainst her, and she was
comforted.
4he littlest and yo)n"est of them was doin" do)ble skips in his efforts to keep )p with
her. @ow that he wo)ldnMt be interr)ptin" her, and none of the bi" ones wo)ld hear and
make f)n of him, he shyly whispered his D)estion, so warmly moistly ticklish that she felt
as if he were lickin" her ear.
-1hat is it, darlin"/0 she asked, bendin" down.
1C
-1hatMs a train/0
11
(n (s))c *)s!evis SingerAs stor1 /e )re f)ced /it! t!e terrible conseEuences of )
deepl e9perienced contr)diction4 Dn t!e one !)nd t!e prot)gonist1 ) devoted ritu)l
sl)ug!terer1 is tormented b t!e loud cries of !is conscience?t!)t person)l mor)l
comp)ss t!)t directs !im unf)ilingl to/)rds comp)ssion4 Dn t!e ot!er !)nd1 !is
prestige )nd position )re tied up /it! !is pl)ce in societ4 6is life t)8es its ver me)ning
from !is role in t!e communit4 6o/ c)n !e f)ce ot!ers if !e f)ils in !is role7 6o/ c)n
!e possibl give e)r to /!)t !is inner voice1 !is !e)rt1 is telling !im7 *ec)use some
/ords in t!is stor /ill be unf)mili)r to m)n re)ders1 ) gloss)r of selected terms
)ppe)rs )t t!e end of t!e stor1 )rr)nged in t!e order in /!ic! t!e terms )ppe)r4
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
T"e Slaug"terer
by *saac Bashevis %in"er
4ranslated by 5irra Ginsb)r"
H<*@;H 5;*6 sho)ld have become the Aolomir rabbi. His father and his "randfather
had both sat in the rabbinical chair in Aolomir. However, the followers of the A)Emir
co)rt had set )p a st)bborn opposition: this time they wo)ld not allow a Hasid from 4risk
to become the townMs rabbi. 4hey bribed the district official and sent a petition to the
"overnor. .fter lon" wran"lin", the A)Emir Hasidim finally had their way and installed a
rabbi of their own. *n order not to leave Hoineh 5eir witho)t a so)rce of earnin"s, they
appointed him the townMs rit)al sla)"hterer.
1hen Hoineh 5eir heard of this, he t)rned even paler than )s)al. He protested that
sla)"hterin" was not for him. He was softhearted; he co)ld not bear the si"ht of blood.
B)t everybody banded to"ether to pers)ade himBthe leaders of the comm)nity; the
members of the 4risk syna"o")e; his father:in:law, 6eb GetE ,rampoler; and 6eitEe
+oshe, his wife. 4he new rabbi, 6eb %holem 3evi Halberstam, also pressed him to accept.
6eb %holem 3evi, a "randson of the %ondE rabbi, was tro)bled abo)t the sin of takin"
away anotherMs livelihood; he did not want the yo)n"er man to be witho)t bread. 4he
4risk rabbi, 6eb Hakov 3eibele, wrote a letter to Hoineh 5eir sayin" that man may not be
more compassionate than the .lmi"hty, the %o)rce of all compassion. 1hen yo) sla)"hter
an animal with a p)re knife and with piety, yo) liberate the so)l that resides in it. ,or it is
well known that the so)ls of saints often transmi"rate into the bodies of cows, fowl, and
fish to do penance for some offense.
.fter the rabbiMs letter, Hoineh 5eir "ave in. He had been ordained a lon" time a"o.
@ow he set himself to st)dyin" the laws of sla)"hter as e7po)nded in the Hr)in of t!e D91
the S!ulc!)n -ruc!1 and the &ommentaries. 4he first para"raph of the Hr)in of t!e D9
says that the rit)al sla)"hterer m)st be a God:fearin" man, and Hoineh 5eir devoted
himself to the 3aw with more Eeal than ever.
Hoineh 5eirBsmall, thin, with a pale face, a tiny yellow beard on the tip of his chin, a
crooked nose, a s)nken mo)th, and yellow fri"htened eyes set too close to"etherBwas
renowned for his piety. 1hen he prayed, he p)t on three pairs of phylacteries: those of
6ashi, those of 6abbi 4am, and those of 6abbi %herira Gaon. %oon after he had completed
his term of board at the home of his father:in:law, he be"an to keep all fast days and to "et
)p for midni"ht service.
His wife, 6eitEe +oshe, already lamented that Hoineh 5eir was not of this world. %he
complained to her mother that he never spoke a word to her and paid her no attention,
even on her clean days. He came to her only on the ni"hts after she had visited the rit)al
bath, once a month. %he said that he did not remember the names of his own da)"hters.
.fter he a"reed to become the rit)al sla)"hterer, Hoineh 5eir imposed new ri"ors
)pon himself. He ate less and less. He almost stopped speakin". 1hen a be""ar came to
1
the door, Hoineh 5eir ran to welcome him and "ave him his last "roschen. 4he tr)th is
that becomin" a sla)"hterer pl)n"ed Hoineh 5eir into melancholy, b)t he did not dare to
oppose the rabbiMs will. *t was meant to be, Hoineh 5eir said to himself; it was his destiny
to ca)se torment and to s)ffer torment. .nd only Heaven knew how m)ch Hoineh 5eir
s)ffered.
Hoineh 5eir was afraid that he mi"ht faint as he sla)"htered his first fowl, or that his
hand mi"ht not be steady. .t the same time, somewhere in his heart, he hoped that he
wo)ld commit an error. 4his wo)ld release him from the rabbiMs command. However,
everythin" went accordin" to r)le.
5any times a day, Hoineh 5eir repeated to himself the rabbiMs words: -. man may not
be more compassionate than the %o)rce of all compassion.0 4he 4orah says, -4ho) shalt
kill of thy herd and thy flock as * have commanded thee.0 5oses was instr)cted on 5o)nt
%inai in the ways of sla)"hterin" and of openin" the animal in search of imp)rities. *t is all
a mystery of mysteriesBlife, death, man, beast. 4hose that are not sla)"htered die anyway
of vario)s diseases, often ailin" for weeks or months. *n the forest, the beasts devo)r one
another. *n the seas, fish swallow fish. 4he Aolomir poorho)se is f)ll of cripples and
paralytics who lie there for years, befo)lin" themselves. @o man can escape the sorrows of
this world.
.nd yet Hoineh 5eir co)ld find no consolation. ;very tremor of the sla)"htered fowl
was answered by a tremor in Hoineh 5eirMs own bowels. 4he killin" of every beast, "reat
or small, ca)sed him as m)ch pain as tho)"h he were c)ttin" his own throat. <f all the
p)nishments that co)ld have been visited )pon him, sla)"hterin" was the worst.
Barely three months had passed since Hoineh 5eir had become a sla)"hterer, b)t the time
seemed to stretch endlessly. He felt as tho)"h he were immersed in blood and lymph. His
ears were beset by the sD)awkin" of hens, the crowin" of roosters, the "obblin" of "eese,
the lowin" of o7en, the mooin" and bleatin" of calves and "oats; win"s fl)ttered, claws
tapped on the floor. 4he bodies ref)sed to know any F)stification or e7c)seBevery body
resisted in its own fashion, tried to escape, and seemed to ar")e with the &reator to its last
breath.
.nd Hoineh 5eirMs own mind ra"ed with D)estions. =erily, in order to create the
world, the *nfinite <ne had had to shrink His li"ht; there co)ld be no free choice witho)t
pain. B)t since the beasts were not endowed with free choice, why sho)ld they have to
s)ffer/ Hoineh 5eir watched, tremblin", as the b)tchers chopped the cows with their a7es
and skinned them before they had heaved their last breath. 4he women pl)cked the
feathers from the chickens while they were still alive.
*t is the c)stom that the sla)"hterer receives the spleen and tripe of every cow. Hoineh
5eirMs ho)se overflowed with meat. 6eitEe +oshe boiled so)ps in pots as h)"e as
ca)ldrons. *n the lar"e kitchen there was a constant frenEy of cookin", roastin", fryin",
bakin", stirrin", and skimmin". 6eitEe +oshe was pre"nant a"ain, and her stomach
protr)ded into a point. Bi" and sto)t, she had five sisters, all as b)lky as herself. Her
sisters came with their children. ;very day, his mother:in:law, 6eitE +osheMs mother,
bro)"ht new pastries and delicacies of her own bakin". . woman m)st not let her voice be
heard, b)t 6eitEe +osheMs maidservant, the da)"hter of a water carrier, san" son"s,
pattered aro)nd barefoot, with her hair down, and la)"hed so lo)dly that the noise
reso)nded in every room.
Hoineh 5eir wanted to escape from the material world, b)t the material world
p)rs)ed him. 4he smell of the sla)"hterho)se wo)ld not leave his nostrils. He tried to
for"et himself in the 4orah, b)t he fo)nd that the 4orah itself was f)ll of earthly matters.
He took to the &abala, tho)"h he knew that no man may delve into the mysteries )ntil he
1#
reaches the a"e of forty. @evertheless, he contin)ed to leaf thro)"h the &re)tise of t!e
6)sidim1 &!e Drc!)rd1 &!e *oo8 of 're)tion1 and &!e &ree of Life4 4here, in the hi"her
spheres, there was no death, no sla)"hterin", no pain, no stomachs and intestines, no
hearts or l)n"s or livers, no membranes, and no imp)rities.
4his partic)lar ni"ht, Hoineh 5eir went to the window and looked )p into the sky.
4he moon spread a radiance aro)nd it. 4he stars flashed and twinkled, each with its own
heavenly secret. %omewhere above the 1orld of +eeds, above the constellations, .n"els
were flyin", and %eraphim, and Holy 1heels, and Holy Beasts. *n !aradise, the mysteries
of the 4orah were revealed to so)ls. ;very holy Eaddik inherited three h)ndred and ten
worlds and wove crowns for the +ivine !resence. 4he nearer to the 4hrone of Glory, the
bri"hter the li"ht, the p)rer the radiance, the fewer the )nholy host.
Hoineh 5eir knew that man may not ask for death, b)t deep within himself he lon"ed
for the end. He had developed a rep)"nance for everythin" that had to do with the body.
He co)ld not even brin" himself to "o to the rit)al bath with the other men. Gnder every
skin he saw blood. ;very neck reminded Hoineh 5eir of the knife. H)man bein"s, like
beasts, had loins, veins, ")ts, b)ttocks. <ne slash of the knife and those solid ho)seholders
wo)ld drop like o7en. .s the 4alm)d says, all that is meant to be b)rned is already as
"ood as b)rned. *f the end of man was corr)ption, worms, and stench, then he was
nothin" b)t a piece of p)trid flesh to start with.
Hoineh 5eir )nderstood now why the sa"es of old had likened the body to a ca"eBa
prison where the so)l sits captive, lon"in" for the day of its release. *t was only now that
he tr)ly "rasped the meanin" of the words of the 4alm)d: -=ery "ood, this is death.0 Het
man was forbidden to break o)t of his prison. He m)st wait for the Failer to remove the
chains, to open the "ate.
Hoineh 5eir ret)rned to his bed. .ll his life he had slept on a feather bed, )nder a
feather D)ilt, restin" his head on a pillow; now he was s)ddenly aware that he was lyin" on
feathers and down pl)cked from fowl. *n the other bed, ne7t to Hoineh 5eirMs, 6eitEe
+oshe was snorin". ,rom time to time a whistle came from her nostrils and a b)bble
formed on her lips. Hoineh 5eirMs da)"hters kept "oin" to the slop pail, their bare feet
patterin" on the floor. 4hey slept to"ether, and sometimes they whispered and "i""led half
the ni"ht.
Hoineh 5eir had lon"ed for sons who wo)ld st)dy the 4orah, b)t 6eitEe +oshe bore
"irl after "irl. 1hile they were small, Hoineh 5eir occasionally "ave them a pinch on the
cheek. 1henever he attended a circ)mcision, he wo)ld brin" them a piece of cake.
%ometimes he wo)ld even kiss one of the little ones on the head. B)t now they were
"rown. 4hey seemed to have taken after their mother. 4hey had spread o)t in width.
6eitEe +oshe complained that they ate too m)ch and were "ettin" too fat. 4hey stole
tidbits from the pots. 4he eldest, Bashe, was already so)"ht in marria"e. .t one moment,
the "irls D)arreled and ins)lted each other, at the ne7t they combed each otherMs hair and
plaited it into braids. 4hey were forever babblin" abo)t dresses, shoes, stockin"s, Fackets,
panties. 4hey cried and they la)"hed. 4hey looked for lice, they fo)"ht, they washed, they
kissed.
1hen Hoineh 5eir tried to chide them, 6eitEe +oshe cried, -+onMt b)tt inL 3et the
children aloneL0 <r she wo)ld scold, -Ho) had better see to it that yo)r da)"hters
sho)ldnMt have to "o aro)nd barefoot and nakedL0
1hy did they need so many thin"s/ 1hy was it necessary to clothe and adorn the body
so m)ch, Hoineh 5eir wo)ld wonder to himself.
Before he had become a sla)"hterer, he was seldom at home and hardly knew what
went on there. B)t now he be"an to stay at home, and he saw what they were doin". 4he
"irls wo)ld r)n off to pick berries and m)shrooms; they associated with the da)"hters of
1$
common homes. 4hey bro)"ht home baskets of dry twi"s. 6eitEe +oshe made Fam.
4ailors came for fittin"s. %hoemakers meas)red the womenMs feet. 6eitEe +oshe and her
mother ar")ed abo)t BasheMs dowry. Hoineh 5eir heard talk abo)t a silk dress, a velvet
dress, all sorts of skirts, cloaks, f)r coats.
@ow that he lay awake, all those words reechoed in his ears. 4hey were rollin" in
l)7)ry beca)se he, Hoineh 5eir, had be")n to earn money. %omewhere in 6eitEe +osheMs
womb a new child was "rowin", b)t Hoineh 5eir sensed clearly that it wo)ld be another
"irl. -1ell, one m)st welcome whatever heaven sends,0 he warned himself.
He had covered himself, b)t now he felt too hot. 4he pillow )nder his head became
stran"ely hard, as tho)"h there were a stone amon" the feathers. He, Hoineh 5eir, was
himself a body: feet, a belly, a chest, elbows. 4here was a stabbin" in his entrails. His
palate felt dry.
Hoineh 5eir sat )p. -,ather in heaven, * cannot breatheL0
**
;l)l is a month of repentance. *n former years, ;l)l wo)ld brin" with it a sense of e7alted
serenity. Hoineh 5eir loved the cool breeEes that came from the woods and the harvested
fields. He co)ld "aEe for a lon" time at the pale:bl)e sky with its scattered clo)ds that
reminded him of the fla7 in which the citrons for the ,east of 4abernacles were wrapped.
Gossamer floated in the air. <n the trees the leaves t)rned saffron yellow. *n the twitterin"
of the birds he heard the melancholy of the %olemn +ays, when man takes an acco)ntin"
of his so)l.
B)t to a sla)"hterer ;l)l is D)ite another matter. . "reat many beasts are sla)"htered
for the @ew Hear. Before the +ay of .tonement, everybody offers a sacrificial fowl. *n
every co)rtyard, cocks crowed and hens cackled, and all of them had to be p)t to death.
4hen comes the ,east of Booths, the +ay of the 1illow 4wi"s, the ,east of .Eereth, the
+ay of 6eFoicin" in the 3aw, the %abbath of Genesis. ;ach holiday brin"s its own
sla)"hter. 5illions of fowl and cattle now alive were doomed to be killed.
Hoineh 5eir no lon"er slept at ni"ht. *f he doEed off, he was immediately beset by
ni"htmares. &ows ass)med h)man shape, with beards and sidelocks, and sk)llcaps over
their horns. Hoineh 5eir wo)ld be sla)"hterin" a calf, b)t it wo)ld t)rn into a "irl. Her
neck throbbed, and she pleaded to be saved. %he ran to the st)dy ho)se and spattered the
co)rtyard with her blood. He even dreamed that he had sla)"htered 6eitEe +oshe instead
of a sheep.
*n one of his ni"htmares, he heard a h)man voice come from a sla)"htered "oat. 4he
"oat, with his throat slit, F)mped on Hoineh 5eir and tried to b)tt him, c)rsin" in Hebrew
and .ramaic, spittin" and foamin" at him. Hoineh 5eir awakened in a sweat. . cock
crowed like a bell. <thers answered, like a con"re"ation answerin" the cantor. *t seemed
to Hoineh 5eir that the fowl were cryin" o)t D)estions, protestin", lamentin" in chor)s
the misfort)ne that loomed over them.
Hoineh 5eir co)ld not rest. He sat )p, "rasped his sidelocks with both hands, and
rocked.
6eitEe +oshe woke )p. -1hatMs the matter/0
-@othin", nothin".0
-1hat are yo) rockin" for/0
-3et me be.0
-Ho) fri"hten meL0
.fter a while 6eitEe +oshe be"an to snore a"ain. Hoineh 5eir "ot o)t of bed, washed
his hands, and dressed. He wanted to p)t ash on his forehead and recite the midni"ht
prayer, b)t his lips ref)sed to )tter the holy words. How co)ld he mo)rn the destr)ction
1?
of the 4emple when a carna"e was bein" readied here in Aolomir, and he, Hoineh 5eir,
was the 4it)s, the @eb)chadneEEarL
4he air in the ho)se was stiflin". *t smelled of sweat, fat, dirty )nderwear, )rine. <ne
of his da)"hters m)ttered somethin" in her sleep, another one moaned. 4he beds creaked.
. r)stlin" came from the closets. *n the coop )nder the stove were the sacrificial fowls
that 6eitEe +oshe had locked )p for the +ay of .tonement. Hoineh 5eir heard the
scratchin" of a mo)se, the chirpin" of a cricket. *t seemed to him that he co)ld hear the
worms b)rrowin" thro)"h the ceilin" and the floor. *nn)merable creat)res s)rro)nded
man, each with its own nat)re, its own claims on the &reator.
Hoineh 5eir went o)t into the yard. Here everythin" was cool and fresh. 4he dew had
formed. *n the sky, the midni"ht stars were "litterin". Hoineh 5eir inhaled deeply. He
walked on the wet "rass, amon" the leaves and shr)bs. His socks "rew damp above his
slippers. He came to a tree and stopped. *n the branches there seemed to be some nests.
He heard the twitterin" of awakened fled"lin"s. ,ro"s croaked in the swamp beyond the
hill. -+onMt they sleep at all, those fro"s/0 Hoineh 5eir asked himself. -4hey have the
voices of men.0
%ince Hoineh 5eir had be")n to sla)"hter, his tho)"hts were obsessed with livin"
creat)res. He "rappled with all sorts of D)estions. 1here did flies come from/ 1ere they
born o)t of their motherMs womb, or did they hatch from e""s/ *f all the flies died o)t in
winter, where did the new ones come from in s)mmer/ .nd the owl that nested )nder the
syna"o")e roofBwhat did it do when the frosts came/ +id it remain there/ +id it fly
away to warm co)ntries/ .nd how co)ld anythin" live in the b)rnin" frost, when it was
scarcely possible to keep warm )nder the D)ilt/
.n )nfamiliar love welled )p in Hoineh 5eir for all that crawls and flies, breeds and
swarms. ;ven the miceBwas it their fa)lt that they were mice/ 1hat wron" does a mo)se
do/ .ll it wants is a cr)mb of bread or a bit of cheese. 4hen why is the cat s)ch an enemy
to it/
Hoineh 5eir rocked back and forth in the dark. 4he rabbi may be ri"ht. 5an cannot
and m)st not have more compassion than the 5aster of the )niverse. Het he, Hoineh
5eir, was sick with pity. How co)ld one pray for life for the comin" year, or for a
favorable writ in Heaven, when one was robbin" others of the breath of life/
Hoineh 5eir tho)"ht that the 5essiah Himself co)ld not redeem the world as lon" as
inF)stice was done to beasts. By ri"hts, everythin" sho)ld rise from the dead: every calf,
fish, "nat, b)tterfly. ;ven in the worm that crawls in the earth there "lows a divine spark.
1hen yo) sla)"hter a creat)re, yo) sla)"hter God . . .
-1oe is me, * am losin" my mindL0 Hoineh 5eir m)ttered.
. week before the @ew Hear, there was a r)sh of sla)"hterin". .ll day lon", Hoineh
5eir stood near a pit, sla)"hterin" hens, roosters, "eese, d)cks. 1omen p)shed, ar")ed,
tried to "et to the sla)"hterer first. <thers Foked, la)"hed, bantered. ,eathers flew, the
yard was f)ll of D)ackin", "abblin", the screamin" of roosters. @ow and then a fowl cried
o)t like a h)man bein".
Hoineh 5eir was filled with a "rippin" pain. Gntil this day he had still hoped that he
wo)ld "et acc)stomed to sla)"hterin". B)t now he knew that if he contin)ed for a
h)ndred years his s)fferin" wo)ld not cease. His knees shook. His belly felt distended. His
mo)th was flooded with bitter fl)ids. 6eitEe +oshe and her sisters were also in the yard,
talkin" with the women, wishin" each a blessed @ew Hear, and voicin" the pio)s hope
that they wo)ld meet a"ain ne7t year.
Hoineh 5eir feared that he was no lon"er sla)"hterin" accordin" to the 3aw. .t one
moment, a blackness swam before his eyes; at the ne7t, everythin" t)rned "olden "reen.
He constantly tested the knife blade on the nail of his forefin"er to make s)re it was not
16
nicked. ;very fifteen min)tes he had to "o to )rinate. 5osD)itoes bit him. &rows cawed at
him from amon" the branches.
He stood there )ntil s)ndown, and the pit became filled with blood.
.fter the evenin" prayers, 6eitEe +oshe served Hoineh 5eir b)ckwheat so)p with pot
roast. B)t tho)"h he had not tasted any food since mornin", he co)ld not eat. His throat
felt constricted, there was a l)mp in his ")llet, and he co)ld scarcely swallow the first bite.
He recited the %hema of 6abbi *saac 3)ria, made his confession, and beat his breast like a
man who was mortally sick.
Hoineh 5eir tho)"ht that he wo)ld be )nable to sleep that ni"ht, b)t his eyes closed as
soon as his head was on the pillow and he had recited the last benediction before sleep. *t
seemed to him that he was e7aminin" a sla)"htered cow for imp)rities, slittin" open its
belly, tearin" o)t the l)n"s and blowin" them )p. 1hat did it mean/ ,or this was )s)ally
the b)tcherMs task. 4he l)n"s "rew lar"er and lar"er; they covered the whole table and
swelled )pward toward the ceilin". Hoineh 5eir ceased blowin", b)t the lobes contin)ed
to e7pand by themselves. 4he smaller lobe, the one that is called -the thief,0 shook and
fl)ttered, as if tryin" to break away. %)ddenly a whistlin", a co)"hin", a "rowlin"
lamentation broke from the windpipe. . dybb)k be"an to speak, sho)t, sin", po)r o)t a
stream of verses, D)otations from the 4alm)d, passa"es from the Kohar. 4he l)n"s rose )p
and flew, flappin" like win"s. Hoineh 5eir wanted to escape, b)t the door was barred by a
black b)ll with red eyes and pointed horns. 4he b)ll wheeEed and opened a maw f)ll of
lon" teeth.
Hoineh 5eir sh)ddered and woke )p. His body was bathed in sweat. His sk)ll felt
swollen and filled with sand. His feet lay on the straw pallet, inert as lo"s. He made an
effort and sat )p. He p)t on his robe and went o)t. 4he ni"ht h)n" heavy and
impenetrable, thick with the darkness of the ho)r before s)nrise. ,rom time to time a ")st
of air came from somewhere, like a si"h of someone )nseen.
. tin"lin" ran down Hoineh 5eirMs spine, as tho)"h someone br)shed it with a feather.
%omethin" in him wept and mocked. -1ell, and what if the rabbi said so/0 he spoke to
himself. -.nd even if God .lmi"hty had commanded, what of that/ *9ll do witho)t
rewards in the world to comeL * want no !aradise, no 3eviathan, no 1ild <7L 3et them
stretch me on a bed of nails. 3et them throw me into the Hollow of the %lin". *Mll have
none of yo)r favors, GodL * am no lon"er afraid of yo)r 8)d"mentL * am a betrayer of
*srael, a willf)l trans"ressorL0 Hoineh 5eir cried. -* have more compassion than God
.lmi"htyBmore, moreL He is a cr)el God, a 5an of 1ar, a God of =en"eance. * will not
serve Him. *t is an abandoned worldL0 Hoineh 5eir la)"hed, b)t tears ran down his
cheeks in scaldin" drops.
Hoineh 5eir went to the pantry where he kept his knives, his whetstone, the
circ)mcision knife. He "athered them all and dropped them into the pit of the o)tho)se.
He knew that he was blasphemin", that he was desecratin" the holy instr)ments, that he
was mad, b)t he no lon"er wished to be sane.
He went o)tside and be"an to walk toward the river, the brid"e, the wood. His prayer
shawl and phylacteries/ He needed noneL 4he parchment was taken from the hide of a
cow. 4he cases of the phylacteries were made of calfMs leather. 4he 4orah itself was made
of animal skin. -,ather in Heaven, 4ho) art a sla)"htererL0 a voice cried in Hoineh 5eir.
-4ho) art a sla)"hterer and the .n"el of +eathL 4he whole world is a sla)"hterho)seL0
. slipper fell off Hoineh 5eirMs foot, b)t he let it lie, stridin" on in one slipper and one
sock. He be"an to call, sho)t, sin". * am drivin" myself o)t of my mind; he tho)"ht. B)t
this is itself a mark of madness . . .
He had opened a door to his brain, and madness flowed in, floodin" everythin". ,rom
moment to moment, Hoineh 5eir "rew more rebellio)s. He threw away his sk)llcap,
17
"rasped his prayer frin"es and ripped them off, tore off pieces of his vest. . stren"th
possessed him, the recklessness of one who had cast away all b)rdens.
+o"s chased him, barkin", b)t he drove them off. +oors were fl)n" open. 5en ran
o)t barefoot, with feathers clin"in" to their sk)llcaps. 1omen came o)t in their petticoats
and ni"htcaps. .ll of them sho)ted, tried to bar his way, b)t Hoineh 5eir evaded them.
4he sky t)rned red as blood, and a ro)nd sk)ll p)shed )p o)t of the bloody sea as o)t
of the womb of a woman in childbirth.
%omeone had "one to tell the b)tchers that Hoineh 5eir had lost his mind. 4hey came
r)nnin" with sticks and rope, b)t Hoineh 5eir was already over the brid"e and was
h)rryin" across the harvested fields. He ran and vomited. He fell and rose, br)ised by the
st)bble. %hepherds who take the horses o)t to "raEe at ni"ht mocked him and threw horse
d)n" at him. 4he cows at past)re ran after him. Bells tolled as for a fire.
Hoineh 5eir heard sho)ts, screams, the stampin" of r)nnin" feet. 4he earth be"an to
slope and Hoineh 5eir rolled downhill. He reached the wood, leaped over t)fts of moss,
rocks, r)nnin" brooks. Hoineh 5eir knew the tr)th: this was not the river before him; it
was a bloody swamp. Blood ran from the s)n, stainin" the tree tr)nks. ,rom the branches
h)n" intestines, livers, kidneys. 4he foreD)arters of beasts rose to their feet and sprayed
him with "all and slime. Hoineh 5eir co)ld not escape. 5yriads of cows and fowls
encircled him, ready to take reven"e for every c)t, every wo)nd, every slit ")llet, every
pl)cked feather. 1ith bleedin" throats, they all chanted, -;veryone may kill, and every
killin" is permitted.0
Hoineh 5eir broke into a wail that echoed thro)"h the wood in many voices. He
raised his fist to Heaven: -,iendL 5)rdererL +evo)rin" beastL0
,or two days the b)tchers searched for him, b)t they did not find him. 4hen Keinvel, who
owned the watermill, arrived in town with the news that Hoineh 5eirMs body had t)rned
)p in the river by the dam. He had drowned.
4he members of the B)rial %ociety immediately went to brin" the corpse. 4here were
many witnesses to testify that Hoineh 5eir had behaved like a madman, and the rabbi
r)led that the deceased was not a s)icide. 4he body of the dead man was cleansed and
"iven b)rial near the "raves of his father and his "randfather. 4he rabbi himself delivered
the e)lo"y.
Beca)se it was the holiday season and there was dan"er that Aolomir mi"ht remain
witho)t meat, the comm)nity hastily dispatched two messen"ers to brin" a new
sla)"hterer.
1(
Selected &lossary
Hasid . member of a 8ewish devotional sect whose hallmark was fervent, ecstatic
prayer; devotion to a :)ddi8 or master; and, often, strict observance of the rit)al law.
Phylacteries %mall sD)are leather po)ches containin" slips inscribed with script)ral
passa"es. 4raditionally they are worn on the left arm and on the head by 8ewish men
d)rin" mornin" weekday prayers.
Groschen . very small )nit of money.
Cabala =I)bb)l)!> 4his term represents the 8ewish mystical tradition. 4he primary
written work in &abala is the Kohar. 4raditionally, rabbis disco)ra"ed teachin" this
material to anyone )nder the a"e of $C, beca)se it is too likely to be misinterpreted by
anyone witho)t s)fficient "ro)ndin" in the basics of 4orah and 4alm)d.
addi! 4he leader of a Hasidic comm)nity. He is believed to have special, mystical
powers. 4he term Eaddik translates literally as -ri"hteo)s one.0
Elul . month of the 8ewish calendar. *t covers mid:.)")st to mid:%eptember of the
Gre"orian calendar.
Titus"#ebuchadne$$ar 4it)s was a powerf)l 6oman emperor d)rin" the first cent)ry
&;. He conD)ered and destroyed 8er)salem in 7C &;, capt)rin" and e7pellin" the entire
8ewish pop)lation. @eb)chadneEEar was kin" of the Babylonian empire from 6C?:?6
B&;. *n ?(6 he besie"ed 8er)salem, capt)rin" and destroyin" the city.
Shema 4he 8ewish confession of faith; one of the basic 8ewish prayers. -Hear <
*srael, the 3ord is o)r God, the 3ord is <ne.0
%ybbu! . wanderin" so)l believed in 8ewish folklore to enter and control a livin"
body )ntil e7orcised by a reli"io)s rite.
1'
Suggestions for Furt"er 5eading
Here are some recommended books that are related to the themes of Life is F)ir.
%ome are scientific, some mystical. %ome are intellect)al, some simple. .n indication of a
book9s comple7ity may be incl)ded in the comments after each title. 4he books are listed
alphabetically in "eneral cate"ories I-5etaphysicsO;thics,0 -%cience,0 -=e"etarianism0J,
tho)"h several overlap these "ro)pin"s.
5etaphysicsO;thics
$oo0 of -irdad/ T"e, by 5ikhail @aimy. !en")in Books, 1'71. (f ou li8e our
spiritu)lit in stor%boo8 form1 t!is boo8 is for ou4 - /onderfull /ritten )nd profound
t)le of ) m)n /!o see8s t!e !ig!est trut!4 'ont)ins c!)pters on 8)rm) )nd
reinc)rn)tion =/it!out using t!ese terms>4
C"ristening of :ar!a/ T"e, by Geddes 5acGre"or. 4he 4heosophical !)blishin"
Ho)se, 1'($. -n -nglic)n priest presents evidence t!)t 8)rm) )nd reinc)rn)tion /ere
ver muc! p)rt of e)rl ,e/is! )nd '!risti)n te)c!ing4 -ddresses evolution from t!e
8)rmic perspective )nd our 8ins!ip /it! )ll forms of life4
C"ristianity and t"e 5ig"ts of +ni!als, by .ndrew 3inEey. &rossroad !)blishin"
&ompany, 1'(7. - c!)pl)in )nd )c)demici)n finds m)n t!eologic)l .ustific)tions for
t!e rig!ts of )nim)ls4 Lin:e s)s# 2'!risti)n t!eolog provides some of t!e best
)rguments for respecting )nim)l life )nd for t)8ing seriousl )nim)ls )s p)rtners /it! us
/it!in HodAs cre)tion45
Does &od Exist#, by 8.!. 5oreland and Aai @eilsen. !romethe)s Books, 1''#. &!e
record of ) f)ce%to%f)ce deb)te bet/een ) confirmed )t!eist )nd )n eEu)ll committed
'!risti)n4 &)8es )n intellectu)l )ppro)c! to spiritu)lit1 r)ising issues usu)ll ignored
b believers )nd non%believers )li8e4 6o/ c)n /e 8no/ for sure t!)t Hod e9ists1 or
doesnAt e9ist7
Funda!entals of $udd"ist Et"ics, by G)napala +harmasiri, Golden 3eaves !)blishin"
&ompany, 1'('. - /ell%/ritten overvie/ of et!ics )nd mor)lit from t!e *udd!ist
tr)dition4 -ddresses suc! sub.ects )s 2criteri) of good )nd b)d15 28)rm) )nd rebirt!15
2t!e *udd!ist 'oncept of Evil15 )nd 2t!e n)ture of nirv)n)45
&od Tal0s (it" +r*una: t"e $"agaad &ita& by !aramahansa Ho"ananda. %elf:
6ealiEation ,ellowship, 1''6. - m)rvelous t/o%volume tr)nsl)tion )nd comment)r on
/!)t m)n consider to be t!e essence of 2(ndi)n p!ilosop!45 3og)n)nd) discusses
bot! obvious )nd subtle me)nings of t!e te9t4 6ig!l recommended4
:ar!a and 5ebirt", by &hristmas H)mphreys. &)rEon !ress, 1''$. Dne of t!e best
descriptions of 8)rm)1 from t!e *udd!ist perspective4 'le)rl /ritten b someone /!o
8no/s /!)t !eAs t)l8ing )bout4
:ar!a and 5eincarnation, by Hiroshi 5otoyama, !h.+. .von Books, 1''#. "ritten
b ) scientist1 p)r)psc!ologist1 S!into priest )nd cl)irvo)nt !e)ler4 'ont)ins
descriptions of /!)t supposedl tr)nspires on t!e )str)l )nd c)us)l pl)nes4 (nteresting1
t!oug! ) touc! 2Be/ -ge45
:ar!a: 5"yt"!ic 5eturn to )ar!ony, edited by =. Hanson, 6. %tewart and %.
@icholson. 4heosophical !)blishin" Ho)se, 1''C. Ess)s on v)rious )spects of 8)rm)4
Li8e most )nt!ologies1 t!is boo8 suffers b not !)ving ) unifing perspective4 Still1
t!ereAs muc! food for t!oug!t in t!ese p)ges4
-orality, by Bernard 1illiams. &ambrid"e Gniversity !ress, 1''#. - rel)tivel brief
ess) on p!ilosop!ic)l issues involving mor)lit4 Hood introduction to ) f)scin)ting
sub.ect4 Bo firm )ns/ers in t!is boo81 .ust intriguing Euestions4
T"e Pat" of t"e -asters, by 8)lian 8ohnson. 6adha %oami %atsan" Beas I*ndiaJ, 1'(C.
1#C
- cl)ssic overvie/ of msticism b )n -meric)n p!sici)n /!ic! covers )ll t!e b)ses4
Dpinion)ted )nd blunt in pl)ces1 but /ell /ort! re)ding4
5eincarnation: T"e P"oenix Fire -ystery, compiled and edited by 8oseph Head and
%.3. &ranston. !oint 3oma !)blications, 1''1. - /ell%rese)rc!ed compendium of
)ncient )nd modern references to reinc)rn)tion4 (f ou t!in8 belief in reinc)rn)tion is )
trend f)d1 or ) peculi)rl 2E)stern5 concept1 pic8 up t!is boo84
Seen Spiritual Laws of Success/ T"e, by +eepak &hopra. .mber:.llen !)blishin" and
@ew 1orld 3ibrary, 1''$. -n e)s%to%re)d loo8 )t 8)rm)1 desire1 potenti)lit )nd lifeAs
purpose b ) s8illed popul)ri:er of spiritu)l principles4 &!is isnAt t!e l)st /ord on
msticism?.ust ) fine introduction4
Song Celestial or $"agaad &ita/ T"e& translated by %ir ;dwin .rnold. +avid 5cAay
&ompany, 1'#$. &!ere )re m)n tr)nsl)tions of t!e *!)g)v)d Hit)< -rnoldAs is )
cl)ssic4 &!is )ncient te9t still is t!e premier poetic description of 8)rmic l)/ )nd
2)ctionless )ction45 - must re)d for )none seriousl interested in msticism4
Suffering: .ndian Perspecties, edited by Aapil @. 4iwari. 5otilal Banarsidass I*ndiaJ,
1'(6. Sc!ol)rl1 )nd prob)bl difficult to find4 'ont)ins ess)s on !o/ suffering is
perceived in (ndi)n p!ilosop!4 Bot for t!e c)su)l re)der1 but /ill )ppe)l to t!ose
interested in t!e finer points of 8)rm) t!eor4
%cience
$ro0en Dice and Ot"er -at"e!atical Tales of C"ance/ T"e, by *var ;keland. 4he
Gniversity of &hica"o !ress, 1''1. - m)t!em)tici)nAs perspective on c!)nce )nd
determinism1 /it! some interesting Borse t)les t!ro/n in to boot4 For t!e scientific)ll%
minded /!o /)nt to better underst)nd !o/ life c)n be unpredict)ble et l)/ful4
Does &od Play Dice# T"e -at"e!atics of C"aos, by *an %tewart. Blackwell
!)blishers, 1''. -not!er m)t!em)tici)n loo8s )t t!e big Euestion# does r)ndomness or
l)/fulness rule t!e /orld7 *rief )ns/er# order !ides be!ind seeming c!)os4 &!e boo8
!)s formul)s1 but ou c)n ignore t!em )nd still get t!e mess)ge4
&od's ("isper/ Creation's T"under, by Brian Hines. 4hreshold Books, 1''6. &!e
)ut!orAs first boo81 /!ic! finds ec!oes of ultim)te re)lit in t!e ne/ p!sics4 (ntended
for t!ose /!o donAt /)nt to t!ro/ t!e b)b of science out /it! t!e b)t!/)ter of
msticism =or t!e reverse>4 Bot t!e lig!test re)ding1 but freEuent Euot)tions from Rumi
?) Sufi mstic?le)ven t!e prose4
&ood <atured: T"e Origins of 5ig"t and (rong in )u!ans and Ot"er +ni!als/ by
,rans de 1aal, Harvard Gniversity !ress, 1''6. -n interesting loo8 )t mor)lit from )n
evolution)r perspective4 -s8s Euestions suc! )s# 0ig!t t!ere be ) code of et!ics in t!e
)nim)l 8ingdom7 0ust )n )nim)l be !um)n to be !um)ne7 =)ns/ers#23es5 )nd 2Bo5>
0or)lit is s!o/n to be p)rt of our b)sic n)ture1 not ) recent !um)n innov)tion4
-oral +ni!al/ T"e: t"e <ew Science of Eolutionary Psyc"ology, by 6obert 1ri"ht.
!antheon Books, 1''$. -lmost purel scientific1 et Euite consistent /it! msticism if
ou re)d bet/een t!e lines4 E9)mines modern D)r/inism )nd its )pplic)tion to everd)
life4 DonAt believe ouAve got ) connection to )nim)ls7 &!in8 )g)in4 -ut!or finds
somet!ing )8in to t!e Holden Rule firml founded in evolution4
<atural Creation or <atural Selection#, by 8ohn +avidson. ;lement, 1''. - loo8 )t
evolution t!roug! t!e ees of msticism4 &ries to fit t!e f)cts of t!e fossil record )nd
current diversit of living cre)tures /it! mstic principles4 (f ouAre /ondering !o/
8)rm) )nd reinc)rn)tion c)n be consistent /it! DB- )nd genetics1 re)d t!is boo84
("en Elep"ants (eep;T"e E!otional Lies of +ni!als, by 8effrey 5o)ssaieff
5asson and %)san 5c&arthy. +elacorte !ress, 1''?. - compendium of scientific
liter)ture concerning )nim)lAs emotion)l lives4 &!e )ut!ors )s81 2(s it possible to go on
1#1
e)ting )nim)ls /!en /e 8no/ !o/ t!e suffer75
=e"etarianism
+ni!al Liberation, by !eter %in"er. 6andom Ho)se, 1''C. S)id to be 2t!e first
modern /or8 to )rgue t!)t t!ose /!o oppose !um)n suffering must oppose inflicting
suffering on )nim)ls45 &!is boo8 is ) cl)ssic in t!e )re) of )nim)l et!ics4 Singer )rgues
for ) mor)l?)s contr)sted to met)p!sic)l?.ustific)tion for veget)ri)nism4 "ell
rese)rc!ed )nd compelling4
Diet for a S!all Planet, by ,rances 5oore 3appe. 6andom Ho)se, 1''1. Hre)t source
of support for beginning veget)ri)ns4 First publis!ed in 19$11 )nd upd)ted regul)rl1
t!is boo8 !)s re)ssured countless /ould%be )bst)iners from me)t t!)t t!e /onAt suffer
from diet)r deficiencies4 - good mi9 of veget)ri)n recipes )nd solid b)c8ground
inform)tion4
T"e )eretic's Feast, by &olin %pencer. Gniversity !ress of @ew ;n"land, 1''?. -
f)scin)ting !istor of veget)ri)nism since pre!istoric times4 Dne ent!usi)stic revie/er
s)id1 2Re)d t!is f)ct%p)c8ed sc!ol)rl stud )nd 8iss our loc)l butc!er goodbe45
Spencer describes t!e diverse p!ilosop!ic)l )nd mor)l motiv)tions for being )
veget)ri)n4
-ay +ll $e Fed: Diet for a <ew (orld, by 8ohn 6obbins. 1illiam 5orrow and
&ompany, 1''. - comp)nion to RobbinsA e)rlier boo81 2Diet for ) Be/ -meric)15 t!is
provides m)n non%met)p!sic)l re)sons to become ) veget)ri)n1 )nd includes v)lu)ble
)dvice for t!ose /!o /)nt to elimin)te me)t from t!eir diet4
1#
Endnotes
C"apter 1: Expanding Our View of Life
1. 5aharaF &haran %in"h, &!e 0)ster -ns/ers I6adha %oami %atsan" Beas, 1'6'J, p.
#((.
C"apter 3: +nswering Life's $ig ,uestions
1. .ldo)s H)7ley, &!e +erenni)l +!ilosop! I@ew Hork: Harper 2 6ow, 1'7CJ, p. i7.
C"apter 4: +ll Life is Our Fa!ily
1. 8)lian 8ohnson, &!e +)t! of t!e 0)sters I6adha %oami %atsan" Beas: !)nFab,
*ndia,1''#J, pp. 1?, 1'.
. >)oted in 8on 1ynne:4yson, editor, &!e E9tended 'ircle I@ew Hork: !ara"on
Ho)se, 1'('J, p. 11$.
C"apter A: Vegetarianis!/ -eat2Eating/ and Suffering
1. >)oted in +enis Brian, Einstein1 - Life I@ew Hork: 8ohn 1iley 2 %ons, 1''6J, p.
#((.
. .lbert ;instein, from a letter to -=e"etarian 1atch:4ower0, +ecember 7, 1'#C.
#. >)oted in - Be/ Diction)r of Quot)tions I@ew Hork: .lfred .. Anopf, 1'6CJ, p. $7?.
$. Fniversit of ')liforni) )t *er8ele "ellness Letter I@ew Hork: Health 3etter
.ssociates, .pril 1''6J, p. 1.
?. 'ornell '!ronicle I*thaca, @ew Hork: &ornell Gniversity, +ecember 1, 1''$J.
6. *bid.
7. 8ane ;. Brody, science section article, &!e Be/ 3or8 &imes I@ew Hork: 5ay (, 1''CJ.
(. 8ean &arper, Food?3our 0ir)cle 0edicine I@ew Hork: Harper !erennial, 1''$J, p. #.
'. *bid, p. (C.
1C. %)Eanne Havala, 5%, 6+ and 8ohanna +wyer, +%c, 6+, -!osition of the .merican
+ietetic .ssociation: =e"etarian +iets0 I,ourn)l of t!e -meric)n Dietetic -ssoci)tion,
@ovember 1''#J.
11. >)oted in - Be/ Diction)r of Quot)tions I@ew Hork: .lfred .. Anopf, 1'6CJ, p. $71.
1. *dries %hah, &!e ") of t!e Sufi I@ew Hork: ;.!. +)tton, 1'7CJ, p. 1?#.
1#. @eal Barnard, 5.+. editorial pa"e article, Dregoni)n newspaper I!ortland, <r.: 5arch
#1, 1''6J.
1$. >)oted in %teven 6osen, Food for t!e Spirit?Jeget)ri)nism )nd t!e "orldAs Religions
I@ew Hork: Bala Books, 1'(7J, p. 'C.
1?. G. B)hler, translator, &!e L)/s of 0)nu?S)cred *oo8s of t!e E)st Series1 v4 @G I+elhi,
*ndia: 5otilal Banarsidass, 1'7'J, p. 176.
16. >)oted in %teven 6osen, Food for t!e Spirit?Jeget)ri)nism )nd t!e "orldAs Religions
I@ew Hork: Bala Books, 1'(7J, p. (C.
17. >)oted in +aniel .. +ombrowski, &!e +!ilosop! of Jeget)ri)nism I.mherst, 5a: 4he
Gniversity of 5assach)setts !ress, 1'($J, p. (?.
1(. >)oted in %teven 6osen, Food for t!e Spirit?Jeget)ri)nism )nd t!e "orldAs Religions
I@ew Hork: Bala Books, 1'(7J, p. 1'.
1'. *bid, p. 1(.
C. 4homas 4aylor, translator, +orp!r?Dn -bstinence From -nim)l Food I3ondon:
&enta)r !ress, 1'6?J, p. 177.
1. 4homas 4aylor, translator, ()mblic!usA Life of +t!)gor)s I6ochester, =t.: *nner
4raditions *nternational, 1'(6J, p. ?(.
1##
. >)oted in %teven 6osen, Food for t!e Spirit?Jeget)ri)nism )nd t!e "orldAs Religions
I@ew Hork: Bala Books, 1'(7J, p. 1(.
#. *bid, p. 61.
$. <ri"inal translation by %hiv %in"h +hatt of @iEami GanFavi, 0)8!:)n%i -:r)r IAanp)r,
*ndia: 5)nshi @aval Aishore !ress, 1(7J, pp. 1#, 1(?.
?. ;wert &o)sins, translator, *on)venture I@ew Hork: !a)list !ress, 1'7(J, p. ?$:??.
6. =.A. %ethi, I)bir I!)nFab, *ndia: 6adha %oami %atsan" Beas, 1'($J, p. 6#C.
7. >)oted in 8anet Barkas, &!e Jeget)ble +)ssion?- 6istor of t!e Jeget)ri)n St)te of
0ind I@ew Hork: &harles %cribner9s %ons, 1'7?J, p. 7C.
(. Henry +avid 4horea), ")lden I@ew Hork: 4ime *nc. Book +ivision, 1'6J, pp. 1,
16.
'. &aroline 4homas Harnsber"er, compiler, *ern)rd S!)/# Selections of 6is "it )nd
"isdom I&hica"o: ,ollett !)blishin" &ompany, 1'6?J, p. #?'.
#C. >)oted in 5iriam Bokser &aravella, &!e 6ol B)me# 0sticism in ,ud)ism I!)nFab,
*ndia: 6adha %oami %atsan" Beas, 1'('J, p. $1.
Essay: T"e <ature of 5ig"t and (rong
1. *mman)el Aant, -4he &ritiD)e of !ractical 6eason0, Hre)t *oo8s of t!e "estern
"orld I;ncyclopedia Britannica, 1'?J, pp. #$7:#$(.
Essay: :ar!a Clarified;t"e Fairness -ac"ine
1. 6alph 1aldo ;merson, EmersonAs Ess)s I@ew Hork: +)tton, 1'(CJ, p. 6.
. Galatians 6:7, Ain" 8ames =ersion.
#. .hmed .li, translator, -l%QurA)n I!rinceton: !rinceton Gniversity !ress, 1''CJ, p. 1#.
$. ;knath ;aswaran, translator, &!e D!)mm)p)d) I4omales, &a.: @il"iri !ress, 1''6J,
p. 7(.
?. Brian 1alker, 6u) 6u '!ing# &e)c!ings of L)o &:u I3ivin"ston, 5t.: &lark &ity
!ress, 1''J, p. $(.
6. !roverbs 6:7, Ain" 8ames =ersion.
7. %tephen 6. &ovey, &!e $ 6)bits of 6ig!l Effective +eople I@ew Hork: %imon 2
%ch)ster, 1''CJ, p. $6.
(. 4he +alai 3ama, &!e ") to Freedom I@ew Hork: Harper%an,rancisco, 1''$J, pp.
'C:'1.
'. >)oted in &!e D9ford Diction)r of Quot)tions I@ew Hork: <7ford Gniversity !ress,
1'??J, p. #1?.
1C. "! Jeg)n I=e"an <)treach, 1C$1C ,orbes 6oad, !ittsb)r"h, !. 1?#?, 1''6J, p.
#.
11. 4ony 6othman, (nst)nt +!sics I@ew Hork: ,awcett &ol)mbine, 1''?J, p. 7'.
1. @ick Herbert, Qu)ntum Re)lit I@ew Hork: .nchor Books, 1'(7J, p. 1$.
1#. @ick Herbert, F)ster &!)n Lig!t# Superlumin)l Loop!oles in +!sics I@ew Hork:
!l)me Books, 1'('J, p. 17'.
1$. >)oted in 5a7 !lanck, "!ere is Science Hoing7 I1oodbrid"e, &t.: <7 Bow !ress,
1'(1J, p. C1.
1?. *bid, p 1C.
16. Aabir Helminski, translator, Rumi?D)lig!t I!)tney, =t.: 4hreshold Books, 1''CJ, p.
'.
+ 5eerence for +ll Life: T"ree S"ort Stories
1. .lbert %chweitEer, Reverence for Life I@ew Hork: Harper and 6ow, 1'6'J, pp. 116,
177.
1#$
1#?
+c0nowledge!ents
4he a)thor had the help of many people in creatin" this book. 1itho)t their contrib)tion
as researchers, critics, editors, artists, and desi"ners, Life is F)ir wo)ld not be what it is.
3a)rel and &eleste, my wife and da)"hter, enco)ra"ed me in so many ways that are
beyond words.
4he s)pport of 6adha %oami %atsan" Beas enabled me, and others, to persevere in the
book9s challen"in"Byet eminently satisfyin"Bpassa"e from intention to reality. .nd witho)t
bein" able to st)dy the science of the so)l with a "reat teacher, 5aharaF &haran %in"h, there
wo)ld have been nothin" to write abo)t.
1#6