Brothers and sisters, Bapak greets you in the Islamic way: 'Peace be with you, and the blessing of God and His grace'.

As promised, Bapak will give you a talk such as is needed; one, that is, concerning the Kejiwaan but also connected with Bapak's proposals about enterprises.

As Bapak has always said, his talks do not form a teaching, but are to let you know, to inform you, about experiences Bapak has received in the Latihan. And this will make it possible that you too may experience the same sort of things Bapak has experienced.

Brothers and sisters, the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud is truly a receiving. Clearly, then, without God's grace you could not possibly follow the stirrings of the life within your life. You will be able to receive and feel this more clearly if in the days to come God grants you the grace to rise to the necessary level.

That being so, you have no need to adopt or follow other examples. Since this accords with the hakekat, the truth or reality, of your worship, nothing but your own self forms your path and your pattern.

And for the same reason Subud cannot be said to be a religion or a school of thought. It cannot be called so, for nothing is taught nor is there anything in the nature of a system of ideas in Subud. If, even so Subud were to be called a school of thought or a system of ideas, it would have to have rules for worshipping God, such as those in religion. Such are the reasons why Subud can accept and include people of assorted races and assorted religions.

This morning Bapak touched on the fact that Subud, or the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud, is a technique, the technique, that is, of the truth or the reality of what you already possess. If, for example, what you have been following is the religion of Islam, then in the Latihan that you receive and whose path you tread you will be able to discover and obtain the truth or the reality of what you have been studying or following. Taking Islam just as an example, you will be able to find the truth or reality concerning its beliefs, its ritual observances, its fast, its alms-giving and its pilgrimage to Mecca. You will be able to receive the truth of all this.

By this means you will not then merely be following your religion, but will be able to know the truth of it. And furthermore you will not easily be deceived nor stray or diverge from your target. Likewise you who are Christians will presently be able to obtain the truth of what you have heard, of what you have been taught as well as what you have followed.

There was an instance like this when Bapak was in India. While Bapak was there, he does not remember the year, but he was in India some six or seven years ago, he opened a maharishi, or, if perhaps not a maharishi, certainly a man who had been a Buddhist for years on end, for he himself said that he had followed the religion of Buddha for twenty-seven years. And all the time he had been following that religion he had longed to be able to see the reality of the Buddha in his spiritual form, his spirit or jiwa, but his wish had not been fulfilled.

Then, after he had met Bapak and Bapak had opened him, he at first did the Latihan according to his usual practice of sitting still in a state of samadi or meditation.

Bapak then touched him and told him not to do the Latihan Kejiwaan in that way. Bapak bade him stand up, and then told him to surrender, not to think about anything and not to meditate. He obeyed and was able to receive; that is, he felt movement within himself.

This went on until he had done the Latihan on five days. In his view he was extremely fortunate, because in only five days he had been able to see, truly to see in his Latihan the form of the Buddha. It was like a statue, but with a strange radiance. Clearly then, although having the nature of a statue, this was also a sign that the one who saw it had reached a certain level. But he was fortunate to have seen its radiance already.

His joy and contentment then led him to say 'This is what I was seeking, because for me, Bapak, to have been able to see the Buddha once is enough for my whole lifetime.'

Then Bapak told him 'It is not really enough. You barely knew and could scarcely see the statue. That is to say, you could scarcely see whether it was living or not. Even though you have been able to see his radiance, if you have not yet combined with him, that is, if you have not yet become one with him or at the least had a meeting with him - it can be said that you have not yet truly got to the real place.' 'Oh, is it like that?' 'It is'. So he carried on.

This is just for an example. Although someone may be a Buddhist, when he has joined Subud he will be able to receive the evidence of what he has understood, of what he has followed and of what he has been taught.

This is the equivalent of what Bapak has experienced. For Bapak is a Muslim, though a mogol Muslim. A mogol Muslim means a Muslim who is not well versed in the holy books, not knowing just which is which. Yet Bapak can be called a Muslim.

At the time this happened to Bapak, when he first received it he was awakened from his sleep and, being a Muslim, did the five obligatory prayers as when worshipping God, not like the man just referred to when Bapak was in India, no, and, having finished them, he repeated the prayers again.

It went on like that until on one occasion Bapak received something he may already have told you about. Those of you who are old members, who have been in Subud a long time, must already have heard that on one occasion Bapak received a kind of book. Before that, there had been other things, but it is not necessary for Bapak to speak of those. Bapak received a book, a book as big as an atlas of the world, about twenty-five centimeters in size. It fell into Bapak's lap. It really did fall into Bapak's lap. Bapak was not dreaming but doing the zikir, thus Bapak was inwardly repeating the obligatory prayer La-iliaha ilallah, three times over, and on finishing the prayer Bapak felt as though this was really happening.

Then Bapak opened the book. On the first page was a picture, a picture of an Arab, though only half-length, not full-length. Bapak looked at the picture, then saw there was some writing underneath it, Arabic writing. Then Bapak read it. But maybe his angel was impatient because Bapak was rather a long time

spelling it out, for then it changed into Roman letters. Bapak could read the Roman script: Nabi Muhammad Rasalullah, the Prophet Muhammad, Messenger of God. Having read Nabi Muhammad Rasalullah, Bapak looked at the picture and, lo and behold, the picture nodded, like that. Well! This was a picture that could nod!

When you hear Bapak say such things, perhaps they are like a fairy tale. Perhaps, too, you do not believe it, for how could it be so? Especially if you connect it with the stories in books, in the holy books perhaps, where it is said that nobody apart from the prophets will receive revelations from God. Yes, maybe you take it as just a fairy tale, but Bapak truly did receive that. And now there is evidence of it. Thus Bapak matches the truth of it with the truth of what Bapak is experiencing nowadays.

That portrait or picture nodded. It really nodded. But there was no sound; it merely nodded, laughing or smiling a little. After that, Bapak at once resolved to show the book to his friends.

Then Bapak opened the book again. More pictures were revealed, first a picture of Indonesians, many of them Javanese. After Bapak had given his attention to this picture, why, then it became animated. Well! This was a picture, it could not move! Bapak looked behind him, thinking there might be a projector there, as in a cinema, but evidently not. After the people had moved to and fro, a medley of sounds gradually arose. Some wept, some cried out, some spoke. 'Oh, this is strange,' thought Bapak. 'How pleased my friends will be with it!'

When next Bapak looked at it, he opened it at subsequent pages, one, two, three of them, there was a variety of pictures. There were many people wearing dresses, some wearing sarongs, some with white skins, some with yellow, all sorts of people. Bapak could not yet understand what it meant. They were merely pictures, and as soon as Bapak looked at them they all moved. Then the white people spoke, seemingly in their own language, which Bapak has verified as English, German and so on. It agreed with, it was evidence of what has now happened.

After looking at four or five pages, Bapak then closed the book again, thinking 'Oh well, it will be clearer tomorrow if I look at it in daylight.' Bapak shut the book, then gripped it tightly and held it to his chest, and it vanished! Goodness me! Bapak felt very disappointed and sad. It felt as though his soul had vanished. However could the book have gone?

But then Bapak was told from within, 'Don't regret this. It's only the first thing. There will be other things still, later on. And the book that has disappeared hasn't gone away anywhere, but has gone into your inner self, being intended to be within you. You can look at it any time you want to, and later on it will come true.' Then Bapak accepted this and was content, and after that Bapak went to sleep.

Then, about six months later, Bapak again received a book. This second book again fell from above into Bapak's lap, though this one was not like an atlas but more like a thick dictionary, like Van Daalen's.

Well now, Bapak wanted to open it but was afraid that, if he did so, it also would vanish. But if Bapak did not open it he would not grasp its purpose. So Bapak opened it, slowly and gingerly, and the book appeared to have nothing in it, no writing. After being opened at quite enough pages, it obviously contained only blank white sheets.

When Bapak realized that, it seemed to be a mystery, for it was as though it was true. What game was it? What conjuring trick? Was there somebody about? Bapak looked up, there was nothing above but the ceiling.

Then Bapak was shutting the book but wait, it was not yet shut, and before it was, Bapak realized that it had been written in, that some writing had emerged: 'This book is purposely not written in, for if you have a question, it will be answered here.' Yes, as yesterday, when you, Bapak's children, were questioning him ( at the Congress ). That was the same, wasn't it.

Bapak at once asked this and that and other questions, and all were answered. For it was as though Bapak was given a chance to ask every question he needed to ask. So Bapak asked, and Bapak's questions were not trifling ones. But Bapak did not ask about money, no. He asked about all kinds of circumstances, and it was made clear to him that eventually, after a world war and after Java had been freed from Dutch rule, he would travel round the world. Well, this has now been confirmed.

Next, all sorts of things were told that need not be recounted here. All the secrets were then heard. Afterwards Bapak shut the book. Having shut it, Bapak wondered if it would have to disappear. As he had done before, Bapak held it to him like this, again it vanished. But having been forewarned, Bapak did not feel disappointed. This has been explained once.

Such, brothers and sisters, was Bapak's experience. So what Bapak received has been verified from what Bapak has heard and learnt and also followed. Since Bapak is a Muslim, that was all Islamic. Supposing Bapak had been a Christian, he would probably have received something Christian, maybe a Bible or something of the sort.

In other words, then, the books that disappeared did not just vanish away, nor did anyone take them. They entered into Bapak's nature, went into Bapak's self, enabling him to know that whatever he asked would be answered spontaneously. And he was also told, 'This is better than if the books remained books, for they could also be lost, also be stolen by someone. But when they vanish they are then with your jiwa.'

Bapak is only using this as an illustration, only giving it as an example, only offering it as an explanation of the point Bapak has just spoken about, that this Latihan Kejiwaan is a technique, the technique of religions, and the technique of human views on spiritual matters, those for example in places of education and so on. This has also been confirmed while Bapak has been here in Cilandak.

Bapak gets many letters, well, not a great number, but Bapak does get letters saying that Subud members also who have received the Latihan have received mysterious things that could be called very strange. Just the other day, Bapak had a letter from Nak Prio, the Nak Prio who is present here, telling how someone in the general Latihan was immediately startled by the arrival of Ibu in a golden carriage.

Maybe Prio could tell this even more clearly, for it was sent in a letter from Prio. Ibu came down from above in a golden carriage. After it had alighted, the door was opened and a big man came down the step first. This big man with a beard and moustache, a very tall man, led the way. Immediately after him came another man, strong and smart. Then Ibu got out.

As soon as Ibu had got out, the member who saw this asked: 'Ibu, who was that who came out first?' 'That was the angel Gabriel, the angel Gabriel because Bapak deputed him to escort me to meet you all. So do the Latihan in earnest, don't play at it, for this Latihan Kejiwaan is a training from God, coming from God and indeed willed by God, so that mankind shall not endlessly go astray, so that mankind shall find the right path.'

The member heard that, then asked, 'Now who was that just in front of Ibu?' 'That was David, the prophet David.' Then Ibu said, 'Look, I can't talk to you for long. I've given you my message, what I've just told you. That's done. May your Latihan go well.' She went back into the golden carriage, which then flew upwards again. That was an American member of Subud, wasn't it? Well, that was the letter Bapak had from America.

There have been others too. Well then, Bapak hopes that you here may also get a revelation, may be blessed and may get the qadar like that, so that you may really be witnesses. Bapak need not tell you what Rahayu received, for that was of a different nature. Being of a different nature means that its nature was to confirm that Rahayu could answer questions from the women members when Bapak lacked the opportunity to do so.

That is how it is, brothers and sisters. And now Bapak will go on with another matter, but also connected with this.

Bapak recently asked some brothers, Sudarto, Brodjo and Prio, to visit Professor Hazairin in hospital, for he had just been taken there. Then Bapak asked, 'What came of your visit?' Sudarto, Brodjo and Prio then recounted how it had been with Professor Hazairin, saying something really very interesting for religious people, because the Professor's assistant ( who was present ) is also prominent in Islam.

The Professor said he had visited purgatory and met people who had died, and he also met Bung Karno ( the former President Sukarno ) there. Yes, he met Bung Karno and looked at Bung Karno with great compassion, for he was crying all the time and seemed like someone truly suffering. Asked 'Why are you like this?', he said 'Alas, I'd just got one of my children married, then I fell down, down, down, like this.'

Well, this was the story told by Nak Darto, Nak Brodjo and Nak Prio. The Professor's assistant, who chanced to be there, was only an onlooker, and he said this experience was the result of the Latihan, so it meant that Pak Hazairin had made quite good progress too.

Events like that, brothers and sisters, show that the qodar given from God Almighty to mankind, or to those who receive His revelation, is not like a thing that drops down from above, nothing like that. Having gone into one, it becomes understanding, it becomes knowledge for the person concerned. That is why Bapak tells or advises you all not to be afraid. For the deeper, the broader, the more developed your Latihan is, your heart actually feels fearful.

Just as an example, only an example, you hear a whisper, 'In five days' time you will die.' Try to feel what that would be like. Try it. Yes, that's it. Thus now you are beginning to strengthen the resources of your hearts, to be resolute, to surrender. Suppose there is a whisper, 'You are going to die at twelve o'clock.' Well, if it is God's will, just surrender. Don't get agitated. Again, for example, you may hear a whisper, 'In one month from now you will get ill, you will be struck by a severe illness and will then die.' Then you are panic stricken. Normally it is sure to be like that; the panic is natural.

That is why Bapak says that in fact you who have received and done the Latihan Kejiwaan can be said already to be learning something from God, meaning that you are already being trained in the way to die. It is like that, isn't it? So if you are already trained to die, dying will be your Latihan. Why be afraid of death? If you are afraid of death, don't follow the Latihan.

The brave man is not one who scorns death and commits suicide, no. The man who is brave about death surrenders to God, and his life may even be prolonged.

Bapak himself did not think he would still be alive, but if it is indeed the will of God, would you want to be held back? What can one do? Nothing. Thus, brothers and sisters, the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud is a training in life, but in the life within life, that is, a training in death.

Brothers and sisters, many things show it is true, as Bapak says, that the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud is the technique of the religions.

There was another really astonishing piece of news, about a member who was ill and finally he died, and his death was confirmed by a doctor. The man was indeed genuinely dead. This was in Spain, if Bapak is not mistaken. And after he had been taken to the mortuary he came back to life. As he told the story, he did not know or feel that he had died, he felt alive. Then Christ came to him, then came another, accompanying Christ, an angel perhaps. Then the angel assumed the form of a doctor, an angel doctor. So there was an angel who became a doctor. There are angel doctors. Then this angel cut open the man's chest, perhaps because he had a heart disease. So it may be said that he had had a heart attack from which he eventually died, and was then taken to the mortuary.

His body was about to be washed, but then he was visited by Christ and the angel doctor. After he had been cut open, the contents of his stomach or his chest were taken out and cleaned, with replacements being provided for some of the parts, after which they were put back. The man was then told, 'Don't be afraid and don't worry. You're definitely still alive. God has forgiven you and God is helping you.' That said, Jesus, followed by the angel doctor, then left.

The man did not immediately realize that he had been taken to the mortuary. Then suddenly he got up, saw the attendant, and called to him. On being called by a 'corpse', the attendant, instead of coming, ran away. He ran, well it was night-time!

Just suppose Nak Darto had been the attendant, what then Darto? The attendant took one look and on being called he ran off rather than go near. After the attendant had run off, the man had to ask himself, 'Well I never! He's called and he runs away, why's that?'

The man did not feel he had died. Then he was getting down or going to get down from the slab prepared for the dead, but felt 'How can I get down when I'm naked! People will laugh at me.' That would not do, so he lay down again, but, being naked, he thought 'Oh dear, if I'm like this very long I'll catch cold. It's a very funny thing. I'm already cured of the real disease, then I catch cold!'

But the man who had run away had run to look for a doctor. As soon as he found one, he blurted out to him, 'Sir, there's a dead man who's come back to life again.' 'Oh, nonsense! Look, what's this nonsense about?' 'Well, why call it nonsense, since I've come running here about it!'

Then he went back with the doctor, and on arriving the doctor asked, 'Where is he?' 'Over there.' They went up to him and uncovered him, wow! The doctor also ran off. It was comical.

But in the end he was taken out of the mortuary and was then asked how was he able to come back to life. He told them all about it. 'Very strange.' 'Well, maybe! wasn't dead, doctor?' 'Oh, you were dead, you'd been dead for some hours. How could a doctor not know if someone is dead?' 'Well, why am I still alive?' 'That I don't know.' Then he was told to dress, and was taken back home.

There you are, brothers and sisters. So some very strange things happen, but Bapak hopes nothing like that will happen to you when you go home later. Probably not. Different people, different events.

That being so, it would be best to put letters as good as that into the Subud Pewarta, brothers and sisters, so that they can be known to members everywhere and make you all more convinced. In short, there are many such letters. Not only from Europe, not only from this country, and not only from South America. In Japan too such things happen.

Bapak had a letter from Japan telling about a member who had been dead for forty days, or maybe it was three months, and who came and joined in a Latihan again. It happened that during the Latihan one of the members was still outside. He had not yet gone in, feeling as though he wanted to wait for a Subud member who had not yet come. Sure enough one did come. When the man saw the new arrival, he realized that this member had died and had already been dead for forty days or maybe three months, but being so startled he forgot that. The one who had just arrived even spoke to him: 'Oh, you're still outside, not doing the Latihan.' 'Yes, I was waiting for you.' 'Ah, I was expected. Let's go in.' They then joined the Latihan.

During their Latihan together this man was incapable of asking any questions. It was as though he was gagged. He went on with his Latihan, and when it was finished he was invited to leave with the visitor: 'Let's go back together, shall we need a taxi?' 'No point in that,' he replied, 'let's walk.' The man's house was quite near. The visitor said 'I just have a message to give you. I've left my wife behind, and her children are still small. I'm asking you to help. Find some work for her, for my wife. Have pity on my children whom I have left while they are still young. That's my message, and here you are, home. Good night.'

Yes, they had reached his house and the visitor walked away. Only after entering his house did the man remember that the other had already died. Then he thought, 'Oh, in that case I'll go to his wife's place at once.' He went to the wife's house, and then promised to look for work for her, with the result that eventually she got a job.

Well, how about that! That was in a letter that came here. Maybe Nak Darto remembers it, have I forgotten anything?

Well now, these stories are very important. They are just for the purpose of checking, to witness to the truth of what Bapak has said that the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud truly a training in the hakekat, the inner reality, making it possible for you to experience such proofs as Bapak has described. So don't feel, for instance, that you have as yet made no progress. In fact you have made progress, you are already getting on well, but you have not yet reached the stage of getting proofs in the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud. But this too will come, so it is very necessary for you to have resolute feelings, a resolute heart, in order that your faith in God, or your steadfastness towards Him, or your worship of Him should not be disturbed by your own heart.

Clearly then, brothers and sisters, strange things or surprising things may happen to you. But they may come soon, or later, vroeg of laat, as the Dutch say. And Bapak also says that the progress or development of the Latihan Kejiwaan that you are already receiving will increase the possibility of narrowing the gap between life after death and life before death, or between life in this world or life in the hereafter.

Even so, don't worry or be afraid, for of course people are bound to die. That is because there is life. Where there is life, there is sure to be death, and where there is death, there also is life. So life and death are really one, simply opposite sides of the one thing. While you are alive you see this world, during the life after death you see not this world but the next, that is how it is. The difference is that how you see in the life after death is not blinkered by the material things in front of you, but in this world you are still shut off from seeing beyond them. So you need to set aside the things that are in front of you, but this cannot be done except with the eyes of the jiwa. This too Bapak has often told you.

And as for the proofs Bapak has just spoken of, of course you cannot expect to learn to receive things like that quickly. It is merely your heart that wants that. But supposing God granted you what you want. For instance your wish to be clever, your wish for understanding, your wish to know what the hereafter is like and what are the conditions of life after death, supposing God granted you these wishes, and you were told about that life or admitted to it, your heart might not be strong enough. For you would be able to see things that are not normally seen. So such is the wisdom of God that human beings, or all of you, are trained little by little, so that later you will be undaunted, you will be resolute and strong, and though you see things you have never seen before, they will not upset you.

And to encourage you not to despair along the way because you have not yet obtained all you wish for, as just mentioned, the wish to understand things before they happen, the wish to understand mysteries, the wish to understand matters that are not usually understood by human beings - for this reason Bapak gives you also some work of the kind it is customary for people to do during their life on earth, or that you normally do while living in this world: that is to say, what Bapak calls enterprises.

Little by little through doing enterprises you will be able to know, be able to feel and also to receive that at times you are working without your nafsu taking part and at times constantly and only with your nafsu. Gradually these two will become integrated, meaning that they will interact in the sphere of the kejiwaan and at times be present in your awareness of your feelings. In this way you will gradually recognize and be able to receive things that are not usually to be seen as well as things that are.

Bapak is expressing this in a simple way so that you may see that there is no need to use symbolic language, as is found in writings and books, many of which are exclusively like that and so are difficult for the reader to put to practical use.

It is different with the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud. All you have to do is follow it. The important thing and the one essential condition in receiving and doing the Latihan Kejiwaan is to surrender to God with sincere submission, with trustful acceptance, when something unexpected may be taking place.

For instance, what Bapak has just been telling you: that could also happen to you, it could also happen, though Bapak cannot be definite about it, no. It could also happen, just as an example, that you go to bed and, having lain down to sleep, then die. Well now, naturally, if Bapak says that might happen, you will of course be scared. 'If my Latihans' really like that, Pak, I'm only going to do it so-so, I'm not going to be so diligent about it.'

In other words, you will not do the Latihan regularly. Just twice a year, so as not to hasten your death. It may be just the opposite of what you hope, and neither is there any certainty that you would die if you came regularly. There is no certainty either way. Bapak has also experienced this.

Bapak will tell you about this too. On one occasion Bapak was feeling weak and only wanted to sleep. It was only early in the afternoon, and Bapak was sitting like this and already wanted to sleep. He was very weak. Why should he be like this? Then, feeling as he often did, Bapak recalled something that had happened to him.

Bapak remembered the time when he was sixteen. In those days young children, or an adolescent as Bapak was, were not usually treated as children are now, constantly attended to by their parents and sleeping on mattresses.

Bapak used not to do that, he used to sleep on the floor, without even a mat for the night. Yes, parents were always like that: 'Don't you children get used to comfort, or your lives won't be happy later on when you're grown up. Better not to be like that, better to be as it's common to be.'

On this occasion Bapak was asleep on the floor. Then he felt the touch of somebody's foot. Bapak at once looked up. The one who had touched him was a man, an old man. He wore black and carried a staff. Later on, after Bapak received that book, he asked who it was who had told him things on that earlier occasion. An angel, it was said.

He called to me and said 'I tell you that when you have reached the age of thirty-two you will be called by God.' Bapak's understanding was that to be called by God meant to die. Indeed, those called by God are dead, but the moment God calls someone he lives. It is not that he does not exist, has disappeared.

So after this Bapak felt 'Well, if I am to be called it means I shall die. As I am now sixteen, if I die at thirty-two I have only sixteen years left.' That was how it seemed, for at the time Bapak firmly believed it meant that. So on recalling this Bapak then understood that the moment when he was overcome by weakness was surely the time that had been foretold. I could not prevent it, I only wanted to sleep. I felt weak and went straight to my bedroom and lay down. After I had lain down, it did happen, I died. Yes. But I was fortunate, This really was good fortune, not bad. No, good fortune, as it turned out. Well now, this is how it went on.

That was the moment when Bapak obtained full enlightenment. Bapak does not think it necessary to speak of this, for then Bapak will be thought to be putting himself on a par with whoever it may be. 'Who's that?' 'A prophet, there's a prophet!' Bapak is still a man of today, a man living at Cilandak, this is different. That is why Bapak presents to you only what he knows, only what he has experienced. Whoever has had such experience will know how the situation actually is. Indeed Bapak hopes that some of the members he has guided, whose Latihan Bapak has watched over, will eventually be able to meet with, be able to have experiences like Bapak. And thereby be able to reinforce Bapak's own belief that it will not be only Bapak who has such experiences, and the evidence will be strengthened.

Such things as Bapak has just mentioned have been experienced by Bapak's own daughter, Rahayu. Rahayu has had experiences like Bapak's, but on different lines, because of the difference between a man and a woman and between a father and his daughter.

That is how it is. Bapak does not pray that it may be like that for you, but if you do really wish to be people who truly receive the qodar from God, Bapak certainly hopes that it will happen to you and bring you blessings. But if you do not really wish for it you would, on the contrary, be frightened by it, so Bapak does not pray that it may be like that. But that real wish is indeed the way.

And that, brothers and sisters, is why Bapak always says this Latihan Kejiwaan is the hakekat, the reality of worship, and is the technique behind the theories or stories found in religion. But why cannot the followers of the religions receive the evidence for themselves? There is a reason of course. According to Bapak's receiving and what he has observed, the reason why they cannot yet receive it is because they think about matters that they should not need to think about.

Indeed it is stated in religion, especially in Islam, that one may not seek for God and may not seek the way to God either. To conform to custom, people only do what they have been told to do by the messengers of God. Such people are those well versed in the sjariat, the rites and regulations of their religion. Yes, that is how it usually is. So first they believe, then they fulfill the ibadat, that is, they do their five daily prayers, subuh, luhur, asar, magrib, isa. The essential thing is that every time they fulfill that religious obligation they should truly submit and truly empty themselves and truly think little and truly follow what they have been told by the messengers of God. And likewise in doing the fast, so that their fast may be a true fast; meaning that they not only refrain from food and drink, but restrain themselves and fast in their feelings and thoughts.

So, having fasted, don't then still hate somebody, nor let your heart still be filled with enmity. That damages your own self. As long as your heart and feelings are like that, so long are your heart and feelings in darkness, and therefore do not open a way to enable you to receive ro-roning ngatunggal, the union of the two, of jiwa and nafsu. This indeed is something Bapak frequently says.

Brothers and sisters, Bapak will also do some testing with you about this. Just as you are, just sitting. This is necessary, so that you don't just listen to words but, if possible, may receive the evidence of what Bapak has said.

( Testing )

Bapak says that what is called the inner is indeed inside, and inside that, if we enter it, it covers something yet further inside. And so it goes on until the very innermost inner is actually outside. So too with things that are outside. If we go outside our coverings, further and further out until finally we come to the outermost, that brings us back again to the inside.

Evidently, then, our inner self or our self is like a tunnel, a tunnel leading from the outside to the inside and from the inside to the outside. That is why a symbol is made of it in Arabia, or maybe it is even in Mecca, for Bapak has never yet been there. But there is an account of it, to be precise an account given to Bapak by the Ambassador of New Delhi, Major General Abdulkadir, if Bapak remembers rightly.

He said there is something in Mecca that was made for people who really wish to seek the inner truth of Islam, or, to be quite explicit, who seek God. Something is made in the form of a door. So the people are told to go in the door and straight on, for the door is like a tunnel, but it leads to the open sky. In other words, it is the same as before they went through the tunnel or cave.

So this means that looking for God is in fact the same as not looking for Him. In other words, God envelops everything. Thus if someone goes so far as to say he is able to find God, it is actually not true, because for a human being to be able to find God would mean that there are two Gods, the God who is sought and the God who seeks. For who can know God except God? So it is not possible for a man to be able to see God.

This tunnel is, as it were, evidence of reality for people who think about it, so it was made as a kind of example. The fact is, then, that the one being sought is none other than the one who seeks.

And let us witness this, brothers and sisters, through the testing Bapak just spoke of, in order that in some degree you can testify to it. Bapak himself does not feel satisfied if this is merely words, for if you only listen you cannot receive the truth of what Bapak has been making known to you. Please quieten yourselves and sit as you are.

( Testing )

There is a kind of basket, full of holes, called in Javanese keranjang mata ero. Put it into water, and what is inside and what is outside? The outside is affected by the water and the inside is affected by the water. The only part free from the water is the wickerwork between the holes, that is, our inner self.

Evidently, then, we are already held within the power of God. That is why Bapak says that the Zat Tuhan, meaning the power of God, the will of God, is both outside and inside, both outside and inside your self, also outside and inside the world, and outside and inside the universe.

Try again.

( Testing )

In the ordinary way, just as a custom, when someone dies it is said 'May his soul be received by God and even be at God's side. May it be beside God.' As though God may be sitting in that chair and the soul is received beside Him. That is merely what people are accustomed to saying. Actually it is not like that, no.

In the power of God there are no lifeless words. There are none. they are living words. And 'beside God' does not mean to His right or to His left, no, for God has no sides. So God is not beside anything, no. God is, enveloping both inner and outer. That is how it is. Take a mango, for example, take a banana, take a papaya: God does not envelop just their skins, but also what is inside them, their content. In short, God envelops everything, there is nothing not enveloped by Him. This is the truth.

Try again.

( Testing )

God preceded all that came first. God will outlast all that comes at the end. This is the truth of it. Where, therefore, will you turn? Will you be able to avoid death? Will you be able to avoid God? It cannot be done. But don't look for Him, don't seek God. When sought, He is distant.

Try again.

( Testing )

He is not there. When not sought, He is there, at that moment. Where? How? In the Latihan. This is why Bapak says the Latihan Kejiwaan is the hakekat or inner reality of worship. So Bapak often says why look here and look there. That makes things difficult, whereas worship is not difficult, it is very easy. This does not mean that Bapak is saying Islam is best. No, but Islam, to which Bapak belongs, is a very easy way, a very simple way.

Is it not simple? There is no need to go off to a cave, no need to be ascetic, no need to go and live in the jungle, where you might even be seized by a tiger. You can stay contentedly at home with your wife, or a wife with her husband. Much pleasanter, is it not? And you may eat, but don't overeat, don't take three platefuls at meal times. Don't do that. And you should be in a state of simplicity. That is why, through his simplicity, a man with a religion thinks it enough just to be like that. Well now, this also is a mistake. Seeking for God is forbidden, but it is just the same with not seeking. It is even being obstinate, even being wrong. How so? It means that if you leave it like that, that is the end of it. Don't do that. Let this be felt.

We are creatures with feeling, creatures with intelligence, creatures who can perceive the refined as well as the coarse. We are different from animals. Animals can be glad, they can. Animals can feel pleased, they can. But show their pleasure and joy they cannot. Where is there the animal that can laugh? If there was an animal that could laugh, it would be worth, not a rupiah or two, but maybe millions. It would be put into a zoo. If you are looking for an animal that can laugh, it is man.

So we must not just remain apathetic, we must not be like things. We should feel.

This is how it is, brothers and sisters, so we must not be unintelligent or lacking in insight in either spiritual or worldly matters, nor must we fail to make use of our intelligence and our wisdom and to make use of our feelings and emotions. We must not. We must use them all. And in your case you can already receive the difference between the two states: the state in which your feelings, your intelligence and your awareness of your inner self are being used by the nafsu and the state in which they are being used by the jiwa. This you have already been able to receive, so there is no doubt that you follow the one which is using them. If the nafsu is using them, you are almost entirely immersed in a worldly ambience. But if you are not within that ambience you cannot be used by the nafsu.

What then are you used by? By the jiwa. Naturally you have not yet reached that stage, so Bapak cannot yet test it. Try it a little, to see if you can receive it.

( Testing )

Yes, this is what Bapak says: this Latihan Kejiwaan is the indispensable condition for being able to know the reality, the truth. We must not wait until we are dead. That is going too far, it will be too late then. So we have to begin to get to know it while we are living on earth. We must know now how it will be later. Don't leave it until afterwards. If we do not know it now, neither shall we know it later.

That is how it is, brothers and sisters, but those of you who cannot yet receive, don't feel sad and don't feel disappointed. You will be able to receive, provided you are diligent in your training. Let your training be done as a matter of course, when you are going about, when you happen to be going for a walk, let it always be like that. Don't let the Latihan Kejiwaan be felt as something you are forced to do, no, but as something normal or ordinary.

To get you used to doing this, so that you really can get used to it, Bapak supplements the Latihan with enterprises, so that you can do your daily work as if it was part of your training. Take walking, for instance. ( Bapak walks about ).

This is walking that has content, as if it was saying 'Allah, Allah, Allah.' It is worship. No need to use a rosary, no need for that. This is enough, these legs. While as well as the legs there are the hands. This one says 'Allah, Allah, Allah', and this one says 'Allah, Allah, Allah.' Four limbs saying 'Allah.' As well as this there is seeing, 'Allah, Allah.' So how many times 'Allah' is that already?

Well! by the time you have finished, as a result of the Latihan Kejiwaan these repeated words of worship ( zikir ) are too many to count. And there has been hearing, seeing, smelling. This handkerchief has eau-de-cologne on it, with its perfume. Well! How many time is that smelt?

Nor is this a great deal yet, there is much more still. As you walk you are thinking, you think about all sorts of things -'When will I win the lottery?' It is said in the tarikat, the tarech, 'the path to perfection', that those who are well attuned to the inner reality are doing the zikir or worshipping God without ceasing, because it goes on in their legs, their hands, their ears, their noses. Not through mumbling 'Allah', not through keeping on uttering it as a habit. Yes, there are more than can be counted.

So there are countless ways to worship God, though you do not yet understand this. Well, in order that you may gradually grasp this, may come closer to it, Bapak adds enterprises, so that you will not be a stranger to which of your activities come from the jiwa and which from the nafsu.

Bapak therefore hopes that when those of you who come from outside Jakarta go back from here you will please be prepared to work there. If other people can do some sort of work, why not you? So it is your own fault. Don't underestimate yourselves, don't do that. It is all a matter of determination. There is even a saying 'Where there's a will, there's a way.' Agreed, not every wish comes true, but if you are really strongly determined and can do something well, it will come to be, it will be fulfilled.

The danger is that you need to be honest in your feelings. If you are not honest, even though you are clever, you may later on be diingkel-ingkel in your own cleverness. Do you know what diingkel-ingkel ( Javanese ) means? You don't? Diingkel-ingkel means to be rolled up, wound within it.

This will become clearer to you, brothers and sisters, clearer than you are able to understand. You are walking ( Bapak walks to and fro ): Now I am a man from Solo, this is a man from Solo . . . Now from Surabaya . . . Now from Jakarta . . . By and by you will understand, 'Oh, this is having inner knowledge.' Yes, inner knowledge is like this.

That is why Bapak tests this for you, but you seem contented just to watch. If that is how it is, Bapak is the loser. He is the one who has to perspire.

When Bapak is in England he might be thought to be an Englishman, though a brown one. When Bapak is there he does not intend to be like that, but as he gets off the plane and sets foot to ground . . . ( Bapak acts like an Englishman ).

So, brothers and sisters, this has been rather longer than usual, and it is half-past eleven. Bear in mind too that Bapak is not very well, just now rumbu-rumbu. Do you know what rumbu-rumbu ( Javanese ) means? Just getting his strength back, convalescent. If he had to go on longer, then he would be weak again afterwards.

That being so, Bapak will not prolong this meeting, but will end it now. May God continue to grant His grace to Bapak and all of you, to enable us to meet again somewhere in the future. No more now, because this is the last night ( of the gathering for the National Congress ) and tomorrow or the next day, not that Bapak is sending you away, no, those of you who come from beyond Jakarta will of course be going back to your respective homes.

And it only remains for Bapak to wish you a safe journey, and may God bless you all, so that your condition may always be one of well being and happiness. And may all you wish for come to be, provided your wishes are good ones. For there are many desires, and some of them prove very strange. Bapak asks God that you may be given blessings, not difficulties - not difficulties, that is to say, that cannot be resolved.

Goodnight.