Who and What are the Masters

The terms used to designate Masters and other highly developed men are many. A master, as the term is used in this book, is equivalent to Saint (Sant, in Sanskrit). It is also the same in meaning as Sat Guru, although there is an additional meaning to Sat Guru. All Sat Gurus are Saints, but all Saints are not Gurus. A Sat Guru is a Saint who has been appointed by the Supreme Guru, Sat Nam, to act as Guru on his behalf. The Guru is a sort of viceroy or executive officer, who does His work on this plane. Sat Guru (Sat, meaning true, and Guru, light-giver) is the chief instrument of the Supreme Ruler to contact this world of humanity. It is also the same as Mahatma if we refer to the highest order of mahatmas. This word is often used rather loosely in India, generally meaning any one who has attained some degree of eminence in spiritual or religious matters. (Mahatma,from maha, great, and atma, spirit). A Yogi is a mahatma of a lower order than a true Saint. The original idea of a yogi was one who had attained union whith God. The system of practices by means of which he attained that union is called Yoga. But the great majority of yogis, both ancient and modern, are men who have reached only the first degree, or less, on the Path of the Masters.

The Masters themselves divide all mahatmas into four classes:

(1) The Sikh (shishya), meaning disciple, one who has gained the first region.

(2) A Sadhu, one who has attained the third region. By courtesy, one who has gained the second station, may be called Sadhu.

(3) A Saint, definitely, one who has gained the fifth region, there being eight regions in all

(4) A Param Sant, meaning supreme Saint or one who has reached the highest possible attainment in the Supreme Region.

It will be noted that these degrees are based upon personal and individual attainments. They are not conferred degrees. They are degrees which one has to grow into by hard work.

A Rishi is one who has attained considerable development, similar to that of the yogi. There is a general understanding in India that a true rishi ranks higher than a yogi. This may be so in theory, but in actual practice we doubt if there is any difference. But in both theory and practice the Masters or Saints rank far superior to either yogis or rishis because their attainments are far higher. The Vedas were given out by great Rishis. Maha Rishi is simply a great rishi.

Muni means somewhat the same as rishi. The Hebrew word for rishi or muni or yogi is roim. The Greek equivalent is episcopos meaning a superintendent of spiritual ceremonies or practices. It also has an esoteric meaning indicating one, who looking down with clearer vision upon all things, has a higher viewpoint than others. The ancient rishi was half priest and half prophet. He was the Prohita of the Vedic age, the high priest—counselor of kings. Noted examples of such were Vishvamitra and Vasishtha, high priests to kings. All of these are mahatmas, but not masters.

• 08 APR, 2017