Home - Original Christianity - The Aquarian Gospel for Awakening - Chapter One Hundred Fifteen

Chapter One Hundred Fifteen

Hoffman's portrait of ChristPart 127 of the Aquarian Gospel for Awakening

And Jesus stood beside the sea and taught; the multitudes pressed close upon him and he went into a boat that was near by and put a little ways from shore, and then he spoke in parables; he said,

Behold, a sower took his seed and went into his field to sow. With lavish hand he scattered forth the seed and some fell in the hardened paths that men had made, and soon were crushed beneath the feet of other men; and birds came down and carried all the seeds away. Some seed fell on rocky ground where there was little soil; they grew and soon the blades appeared and promised much; but then there was no depth of soil, no chance for nourishment, and in the heat of noonday sun they withered up and died. Some seed fell where thistles grew, and found no earth in which to grow and they were lost; but other seed found lodgement in the rich and tender soil and grew apace, and in the harvest it was found that some brought forth a hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold. They who have ears to hear may hear; they who have hearts to understand may know. (Aquarian Gospel 115:1-9)

The meaning of this parable will be given presently so there is no need for it to be analyzed now. The point to be considered is how we can gain ears to hear and hearts to understand. For God and his messengers intend to speak to us directly; yet we must be able to receive the messages from on high. Purification of life and the practice of meditation are the ways to open our ears and minds to the divine words.

Now, his disciples were beside him in the boat, and Thomas asked, Why do you speak in parables?

And Jesus said, My words, like every master’s words, are dual in their sense. To you who know the language of the soul, my words have meanings far too deep for other men to comprehend. The other sense of what I say is all the multitude can understand; these words are food for them; the inner thoughts are food for you. Let every one reach forth and take the food that he is ready to receive. (Aquarian Gospel 115:10-14)

Here again we see that the Gospels in the Bible do not convey the true meaning, but give the impression that Jesus wanted to blind people to his message, letting only the elite understand the truths he spoke. Wisely Jesus spoke in simple stories so his hearers could receive teaching according to their capacity for understanding and responding. Jesus had only blessings to give and withheld nothing from anyone. It is only our own limitations that determine our level of understanding and following of his words.

And then he spoke that all might hear; he said, Hear you the meaning of the parable:

Men hear my words and understand them not, and then the carnal self purloins the seed, and not a sign of spirit life appears.

This is the seed that fell within the beaten paths of men.

And others hear the words of life, and with a fiery zeal receive them all; they seem to comprehend the truth and promise well; but troubles come; discouragements arise; there is no depth of thought; their good intentions wither up and die.

These are the seeds that fell in stony ground.

And others hear the words of truth and seem to know their worth; but love of pleasure, reputation, wealth and fame fill all the soil; the seeds are nourished not and they are lost.

These are the seeds that fell among the thistles and the thorns.

But others hear the words of truth and comprehend them well; they sink down deep into their souls; they live the holy life and all the world is blest.

These are the seeds that fell in fertile soil, that brought forth fruit abundantly.

You men of Galilee, take heed to how you hear and how you cultivate your fields; for if you slight the offers of this day, the sower may not come to you again in this or in the age to come. (Aquarian Gospel 115:15-25)

Men hear my words and understand them not, and then the carnal self purloins the seed, and not a sign of spirit life appears. This is the seed that fell within the beaten paths of men. Because of immersion in the world and its materialistic focus, not a single word of spiritual teaching is comprehended by a huge percentage of the population. If they do think about what they hear, they come to utterly wrong and often absurd conclusions. In short: there is just no hope for those at that stage, but since it will not last forever, there is hope for the future.

And others hear the words of life, and with a fiery zeal receive them all; they seem to comprehend the truth and promise well; but troubles come; discouragements arise; there is no depth of thought; their good intentions wither up and die. These are the seeds that fell in stony ground. Meteors speed through space that is devoid of atmosphere because there is no substance to slow them down. But when they hit the earth’s atmosphere the friction causes them to burn up and that is their end. Many people are like that, especially those of higher intelligence. Taking spiritual teaching on a purely theoretical level they are like the meteors in outer space. But once the atmosphere of practice (or attempted practice) comes into the picture, then they vaporize. Any kind of reality impinging upon their purely intellectual response tends to that end. Lack of depth is the main factor.

It must also be realized that some people deliberately burn themselves out by jumping in and overdoing everything. In this way they avoid spiritual life but can claim they tried and gave it a chance. So the fault is not theirs, they imply or claim. This is not uncommon, either. As Yogananda said: people are so skillful in their ignorance, including preserving it.

And others hear the words of truth and seem to know their worth; but love of pleasure, reputation, wealth and fame fill all the soil; the seeds are nourished not and they are lost. These are the seeds that fell among the thistles and the thorns. This, too, is common. The hearts are good and open, but desires, ambitions and the pending karmas distract and draw them away from the path. This is extremely sad to see, for real potential is there.

But others hear the words of truth and comprehend them well; they sink down deep into their souls; they live the holy life and all the world is blest. These are the seeds that fell in fertile soil, that brought forth fruit abundantly. This is a beautiful picture, only too rarely seen. Perseverance is the key, perseverance based on genuine understanding and valuation. And the secret is living the holy life. Here Jesus is using the actual words of Buddha regarding Nirvana: “Birth is ended, the holy life has been lived, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.”

You men of Galilee, take heed to how you hear and how you cultivate your fields; for if you slight the offers of this day, the sower may not come to you again in this or in the age to come. This is not meant to frighten anyone, but to awaken them to sober realities. Not that anyone is “lost forever,” but that creation cycles can pass before we again have the spiritual opportunities we so foolishly turn away from or let slip from our grasp. It is true that we have eternity in which to attain liberation, but that also means that we have eternity to fritter away in heedlessness and neglect. The wise hear the exhortation: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2).

Then Jesus spoke another parable; he said: The kingdom I may liken to a field in which a man sowed precious seed; but while he slept an evil one went forth and sowed a measure full of darnel seed; then went his way. The soil was good, and so the wheat and darnel grew; and when the servants saw the tares among the wheat, they found the owner of the field and said, You surely sowed good seed; from whence these tares? The owner said, Some evil one has sown the seed of tares. The servants said, Shall we go out and pull up by the roots the tares and burn them in the fire? The owner said, No, that would not be well. The wheat and tares grow close together in the soil, and while you pull the tares you would destroy the wheat. So we will let them grow together till the harvest time. Then to the reapers I will say, Go forth and gather up the tares and bind them up and burn them in the fire, and gather all the wheat into my barns. When he had spoken thus, he left the boat and went up to the house, and his disciples followed him. (Aquarian Gospel 115:26-36)

Since the meaning of this parable is given in the next chapter we can consider it there.

Read the next section in the Aquarian Gospel for Yogis

(Visited 107 time, 1 visit today)

.

The Aquarian Gospel—Commentary and Text

The Aquarian Gospel for Awakening—A Commentary on the Aquarian Gospel
by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke)

  1. The Mother of Jesus
  2. Prophecies of the Births of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus
  3. The Birth of Jesus
  4. Revelations in the Temple
  5. Coming of the Wise Men
  6. Herod’s Reaction
  7. Revelations in Egypt
  8. The Two Selfs
  9. Deliverance From Gods and Demons
  10. About God the Tao
  11. From India to Chaldea
  12. The Wisdom of Buddha
  13. God and Prayer
  14. The Mission of Jesus and John the Baptist
  15. Sin and the Forgiveness of Sin
  16. The Universal Law of Man’s Free Will and the Divine Will For Man
  17. Understanding Death
  18. The True Teacher
  19. The Value of Ritual
  20. The Law Behind All Laws
  21. Opening To The Truth
  22. In the Temple at the Age of Ten
  23. Revelation to the Teachers and People in the Temple
  24. Jerusalem to Nazareth
  25. Nazareth to India
  26. What is Truth?
  27. What Is Man?
  28. What is Power?
  29. Understanding
  30. Wisdom
  31. Faith
  32. Healing and Healers
  33. Conflict Over Caste
  34. The Destiny of All Men
  35. God and Man
  36. The Voice in the Heart
  37. Seeing the Unseeable
  38. To God Through Man
  39. Who Is Jesus?
  40. The Real Versus The Apparent
  41. The Brotherhood of Life
  42. God…and Man
  43. Relating To God
  44. The Worthy Host
  45. Come to the Light
  46. The Kingdom Revealed
  47. The King Revealed
  48. Perspective On Death
  49. Fire and Sword
  50. Evolution: The Path of Glory
  51. The Real Heaven
  52. Getting to the Essence
  53. New Perspective on Religion
  54. In Tibet and Ladakh
  55. Words to the Worthy
  56. The Thirty-Eighth Chapter
  57. The Origin of Evil
  58. The Silence
  59. The Source of Healing
  60. The Fivefold Gospel
  61. Homecoming
  62. In Athens
  63. The Oracle of Delphi
  64. The Real God
  65. Return to Egypt
  66. First Steps to Wisdom
  67. Strong in Will and Intent
  68. Here Comes the Ego
  69. Blessed are the Merciful
  70. Claiming Our Freedom
  71. The Great Test
  72. Comprehending Death
  73. The Christ!
  74. The Asembly of the Masters
  75. The Seven Pillars of the Aquarian Age – I
  76. The Seven Pillars of the Aquarian Age – II
  77. The Declaration of Jesus
  78. John the Baptist – I
  79. John the Baptist – II
  80. John the Baptist – III
  81. Baptism – Jesus and John
  82. Self-Examination and Temptation
  83. The First Disciples Follow Jesus
  84. Jesus’ First Sermon
  85. The King and the Kingdom
  86. Dealing With Challengers
  87. The First Miracle of Jesus
  88. Kings and Kingdoms
  89. The Temple of God
  90. What Is A Messiah?
  91. The Laws of Healing
  92. Nicodemus Finds The Kingdom
  93. The Prince of Peace
  94. Dealing With Spiritual Opposition
  95. The Opened Gate
  96. John the Baptist Speaks of the Christ
  97. John Speaks Further About Jesus
  98. The Woman at the Well
  99. The Disciples and Samaritans at the Well
  100. Jesus in Sychar
  101. More Wisdom In Samaria
  102. The Imprisonment of John the Baptist
  103. In Jerusalem
  104. The Insights of Jesus
  105. Sabbath Wisdom
  106. Prayer and Good Deeds
  107. Divine Laws and Principles for Seekers of the Divine
  108. A New Understanding of the Ten Commandments
  109. Aspects of the Higher Law – 1
  110. Aspects of the Higher Law – 2
  111. Aspects of the Higher Law – 3
  112. Aspects of the Higher Law – 4
  113. Chapter One Hundred One
  114. Chapter One Hundred Two
  115. Chapter One Hundred Three
  116. Chapter One Hundred Four
  117. Chapter One Hundred Five
  118. Chapter One Hundred Six
  119. Chapter One Hundred Seven
  120. Chapter One Hundred Eight
  121. Chapter One Hundred Nine
  122. Chapter One Hundred Ten
  123. Chapter One Hundred Eleven
  124. Chapter One Hundred Twelve
  125. Chapter One Hundred Thirteen
  126. Chapter One Hundred Fourteen
  127. Chapter One Hundred Fifteen
  128. Chapter One Hundred Sixteen
  129. Chapter One Hundred Seventeen
  130. Chapter One Hundred Eighteen
  131. Chapter One Hundred Nineteen
  132. Chapter One Hundred Twenty
  133. Chapter One Hundred Twenty One
  134. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Two
  135. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Three
  136. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Four
  137. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Five
  138. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Six
  139. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Seven
  140. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Eight
  141. Chapter One Hundred Twenty Nine
  142. Chapter One Hundred Thirty
  143. Chapter One Hundred Thirty One
  144. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Two
  145. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Three
  146. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Four
  147. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Five
  148. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Six
  149. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Seven
  150. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Eight
  151. Chapter One Hundred Thirty Nine
  152. Chapter One Hundred Forty
  153. Chapter One Hundred Forty One
  154. Chapter One Hundred Forty Two
  155. Chapter One Hundred Forty Three
  156. Chapter One Hundred Forty Four
  157. Chapter One Hundred Forty Five
  158. Chapter One Hundred Forty Six
  159. Chapter One Hundred Forty Seven
  160. Chapter One Hundred Forty Eight
  161. Chapter One Hundred Forty Nine
  162. Chapter One Hundred Fifty
  163. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One
  164. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two
  165. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three
  166. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Four
  167. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Five
  168. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Six
  169. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven
  170. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Eight
  171. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Nine
  172. Chapter One Hundred Sixty
  173. Chapter One Hundred Sixty One
  174. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Two
  175. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Three
  176. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Four
  177. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Five
  178. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Six
  179. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Seven
  180. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Eight
  181. Chapter One Hundred Sixty Nine
  182. Chapter One Hundred Seventy
  183. Chapter One Hundred Seventy One
  184. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Two
  185. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Three
  186. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Four
  187. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Five
  188. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Six
  189. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Seven
  190. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Eight
  191. Chapter One Hundred Seventy Nine
  192. Chapter One Hundred Eighty
  193. Chapter One Hundred Eighty One
  194. Chapter One Hundred Eighty Two

The Text of the Aquarian Gospel—by Levi Dowling

(Visited 107 time, 1 visit today)