EARLY WRITINGS - 1927 1928 1929
INTO THE LIGHT
Madras, India 1927
In search of that reality, in search of that lasting truth, we go out into the shadows and lose ourselves. What we have to do is to come out of the shadows into the light. You must give up so many things, you must give up tradition, and you must give up yourselves, in order to find the greater truth.
Because I have been so long in revolt, because I have been longing to find out what existed beyond these transient things, I have found out. I am saying this not that I may exert authority on yourselves, but only to point out that in search of the truth, in search of this lasting happiness, you must shed everything, you must renounce everything, and come with me. There is an idea that in the glorification, in the annihilation of the self, you cannot help the outside world. On the contrary, when you are beyond the need of help, you can give true help. When you are beyond the clouds and have a constant vision, a perpetual view of the truth, then whatever you say will resound in the heart of each one.
So because we are in the country that to a great extent still holds the jewel of spirituality, the world looks to us, and because we Hindus, English and other nationalities that live in India have seen the Dawn arise and bring forth a new light, we must go out and give that light to the world. We can do that when we have individually conquered, individually come out into the open life, naked and pure, and when we imbibe there the happiness that awaits each one.