________________
preserve harmony by bringing about their transformation to accept the higher nature in place of the lower one. It is not what you do that is important but how you do it. Drawing a strict line between internal and external is never possible. It is always to be remembered that the total conduct to be generated by all these vows, austerities and reflections has to be in thought, speech and action and not only by yourself but also by not causing others to do what you should not do or causing others not to do what you should do. Even approval by word or thought or co-operative action has to be watched with care. The last of these external 'tapas' viz 'Sanlinta or Samlinata' has also an internal streak of Samyaktva, to bring about which all these have been prescribed. It has not only much to do with mind but also the vital life force i e. 'prana' which if unregenerated and enslaved to desire, passion and ego is as harmful as it can otherwise be helpful. It is a good instrument but a bad master. Therefore making full use of this instrument of vital life-force, purified and transformed by the psychic and spiritual predominence, a sort of control, 'Samlinata' is a gathering inward of the mind to fixed objects instead of wandering at random. Just for a change, give your thougt to the idea, 'fasting totally is easier than balanced eating'. Similarly about the six internal austerities: 'Prayashchitta, Vinaya, Vaiyyavrittya, swadhyaya, kayotsarga and dhyana", translated as a fixed sense of remorse at the way you have been drifting in the ocean of life so far resulting in the regular practice of 'Samayika and Pratikamana'; cultivating a sense of humility and gratefulness and ego-lessness at the opening of doors to the light of spirital knowledge surrendering yourself to the embodied Adepts and Masters whom you have found and who have also found you accepting to serve them in thought, word and deed; an introspection with an intense desire to know yourself in all aspects, both visible and non-visible, external and internal, by constant study and research of holy books and records, signs and emblems, developing discrimination to give up body-alone-sense as you and learning to evolve as consciousness over the unconscious, getting convinced about mind over matter (mind is
