Brothers and Sisters, before Bapak opens this Conference at the request of those of the Councilors present, Bapak would first of all like to say welcome.

Primarily first of all to Varindra and Richard who have been able to come to visit this congress. And also to all the rest of you who have been able to come here today. Bapak says welcome. And then, since Bapak has not yet heard it, whether it said that this conference has opened, Bapak would like to say here, with this moment, the conference is declared open.

Brothers and sisters, in fact Bapak has waited since a long time to see whether and when this Conference of Councilors from South East Asia can take place. And now Bapak is pleased to see that it has been possible to arrange it. And not only in South East Asia, but including also, it has spread somewhat to the West, or to the middle of Asia, because we also have present Bangkok, Thailand, India and Ceylon. But it has not yet spread as far as the western part of Asia where it joins North Africa. So Bapak gives thanks and praise to the Greatness of Almighty God in that He has made it possible to arrange this conference.

So since the last international congress, as Bapak laid down that quite some time ago, Bapak has said that, has advised the councilors of the various countries should meet at least every two years to discuss among themselves the problems of their own zones. And at that time four major continents were divided into two halves each, so that you had eight zones. North America, South America, Central and Western Europe, North and South Africa and central and South East Asia. And the idea was that the councilors of these various zones would meet together and they would choose among them selves some suitable chairman, so that it would not be necessary for these meetings to be attended by Richard Engels as Chairman of ISC and Varindra Vittachi as Chairman of the WSC. And also of course not by Bapak. Because when Bapak attends, it becomes a general congress which we normally hold every four years.

Well, therefore it looks as though this conference here that we are holding today is somewhat unusual. Not only because Varindra and Richard have been able to come, but of course Bapak himself is present. And for this reason Bapak would like, that the words he says now in giving guidance to proceedings of this conference that is about to start, Bapak's words or advice should also be conveyed or spread to the other countries outside this zone both to their councilors and to all Subud members in general.

As you know, this conference is not only to discuss the organization of material things. In other words, it is not only for committee councilors who would then meet and discuss about the financial arrangements and the state of membership and the organization in their respective countries, but there is also the spiritual, the kejiwaan councilors who will discuss about the situation of the membership and from the point of view of the kejiwaan, in other words, the progress of the latihan. So therefore don't imagine that this meeting is something unimportant, it is extremely important. Because it is the combination or the result of all the information about the situation, the true situation and the progress of our Subud Brotherhood in the various countries in this region both as to the state of the membership and the progress and harmony of the latihan kejiwaan which has been received.

Brothers and sisters, in fact, Bapak cannot blame the councilors in that up till now they have not really yet been able to impart a correct awareness to all Subud members. For the reason is not that they are unable to give explanations, to give clarifications about the latihan kejiwaan and about Subud to the membership, but the tremendous obstacle is the problem of money.

If, brothers and sisters, if we wait and hope for money that we can get from the membership in the form of contributions it will not be possible for us to carry out what has become our plan, what has become our ideal, since all of that needs to be paid for and the money which is needed is not a little. So if we only expect contributions, maybe after another fifty years we will still not have enough and the fruits or the benefit of the latihan kejiwaan will still not be really felt by the membership. Because, brothers and sisters, although we are an association of brothers and sisters who worship Almighty God, that is, spiritual association, what we cannot abandon are the needs of our life while we live in this world. And our life, for as long as we live in this world, you yourselves know very well, depends on money. Our need for money is not something that we need to emphasize or make it the principal basis of our worship to Almighty God, yet we cannot avoid it or bypass it.

For this reason Bapak has announced and has informed you all that it is already time that Subud or the latihan kejiwaan of Subud should be accompanied by enterprises. It is precisely these enterprises that Bapak hopes for from all of us, and this needs to be made known.

That is, the understanding of the members needs to be fostered in this regard, and who is the one who can foster this understanding? The councilors. It is the councilors who should now explain and bring understanding to the membership in their own center, to those that are as it were their subordinates, that the members should really be able to understand the meaning of enterprises in Subud. As far as Bapak has heard and understood what is done by Subud members abroad is not yet what Bapak means by enterprises, a kind of individual enterprise. So later, when it goes well and becomes big, you know well what will happen, when one has tasted sugar and felt it's sweetness, then certainly one feels sorry to have to share this sweetness. For this reason it is before we have started to taste the sugar we should already make arrangements and regulations by way of cooperation and mutual help, that is to set up a P.T. or company of shareholders, that is, a communal enterprise. Not just one, two or three people.

An example, brothers and sisters. Although Indonesia is a country retarded in every way, except in relation to the kejiwaan, yet Bapak regards Indonesia as the first to have truly shown what an enterprise is, that is with the existence of P.T.S. Widjojo, the Bank which has been set up here, I.D.C., S.U.B. etc. This is what Bapak has in mind. The example is as we have done it in Indonesia. You may ask, who has done it? Of course, well, so far it is Bapak who has done it. But while Bapak can only handle the situation here in Indonesia, all of you abroad are certainly clever enough, certainly you can do it better than what has been done here. But as far as Bapak has heard, what you have is two or three man enterprises, even some one man enterprises. From this one can draw the conclusion that the brothers and sisters there cannot yet demonstrate true harmony among themselves.

For what

Bapak has in mind when he urges you to form enterprises are companies of shareholders, in order that they may show the existence of harmony among the members. If you are not yet able to be in harmony in the material field, how much less in the spiritual. So all this is in order that we can organize ourselves, in order that we can make arrangements amongst ourselves which are harmonious, harmonious in this world reaching into the next: harmonious in spirit, harmonious in djiwa. This is what Bapak intends and is also what Bapak has received, and this is the will of Almighty God. If you can carry this out, it will not be necessary to ask whether Subud can make progress or not. The question will not arise. Because in every step you take you will have what you need and you will be able to act because what you need in order to act, has been provided, is there. For example, take Varindra and Richard who have come here. It is possible, and Bapak is not saying this to insult them, that a large part of the cost they have paid out of their own pocket. Well, that’s all right for Varindra and Richard, but what if it is someone else? If it was someone else holding Richard's or Varindra's positions, they would not be able to come here. Why? Because the money you need is not a little. But Bapak needs councilors meetings, and not only in order that councilors should just meet and get to know each other. No. In order that councilors can get to know each other’s countries, can inspect the state of the membership in the country which they are visiting. So it is not just to get to know each other, councilor to councilor. No. What is necessary is the place. So, for example, we have someone here from India, Shyam Bose. What is necessary is not only that he should get to know Bapak here and those others who are present at the conference. No. It is necessary for him to know the situation in Indonesia, to know how the members are. That's why it is necessary for Shyam not only to stay here but to go to Surabaya and all over the place. So that you know how is Subud in Indonesia with its enterprises and with its latihan kejiwaan. If it is the organizational councilor, he needs to know about the material situation, if it is for the kejiwaan councilor he needs to know, he should find out the state of development of the kejiwaan in each other countries.

This is Bapak's wish, brothers and sisters, so that this meeting that we hold every two years, is really necessary, in order that you can each get to know the situation in each others countries.

Brothers and sisters, Bapak is not trying to show off in telling you what has been done by the brothers in Indonesia. But it is Bapak's wish that you should take it as an example. Bapak will tell you a bit more about Sinar Utama Bahagia. You probably do not know that we in Indonesia, especially the Subud members, practically all of them, have no money, their pockets are empty. But why do they have the courage to undertake the establishment of a sugar factory whose cost is approximately 30 million dollars? If you convert this to Rupiah, you multiply by 415. 415, how many millions is that? Why do they have the courage. Well, brothers and sisters, we have the conviction which has also been written in books about the kejiwaan, books about the kebatinan, books of people who can understand and know something before it has taken place, and understand and know about man’s situation in his life here on earth.

They say that however fortunate is a man, however fortunate a man can be who does not understand about life, or we can say, does not understand the latihan kejiwaan, more fortunate is the man who understands about this, who understands about the kejiwaan. Why? Because one who understands the kejiwaan, one who really understands about the guidance and training that comes from God, Whose power, Whose being envelops the whole universe and envelops our being, both within and without, is accompanied, is served by the Almighty, by the All-knowing, By the All-powerful, by the All-wealthy and the All-wise. So if you can really obey, really be aware of what you have received in the latihan kejiwaan, you will always be guided by Almighty God, even if this guidance is still only guidance in worldly things. Why? Because God is not the God of the dead, no, God is called in Arabic Allah Subhana Watala. It is not later when you die that you meet with God, you also meet Him now. Only you don’t understand, you don’t know. Why not? Because you are still covered by your nafsu.

It is necessary that you know God's being, God's power before you die and also after you die. That is God, because God has no boundary, neither His power nor His being, it has no boundary.

And nothing can contain Him. If there is a wall between God and man, whose thickness is the size of Jakarta, God can still touch you, God can still know your situation, God can still know your state and can still assist you.

This is why Bapak urges you, Bapak calls you to do enterprises. Don’t imagine that an enterprise can become an obstacle or something that covers up your worship of God. There is no obstacle or wall that can cover or obstruct the closeness of God’s Power to you. What can obstruct it, is precisely you yourselves, that is your own will, your own nafsu. That is what obstructs it. If you can open that, God's power will always guide you without any boundary between this world and the next. Therefore, from this world, you can understand and be aware of how the next world is and how it will be when you die.

Brothers and sisters, do not let yourselves feel according to the old tune: once a man turns to the inner , once he follows the teaching of completeness, he forgets the world. Don't! If man forgets this world, it is the same as forgetting the next, exactly the same. So if you have not been able to feel how is the nature of God which envelops your being both from within and without, then when you later die you will be in darkness.

Bapak does not say this, because Bapak possesses something out of the ordinary. No. It is from the kejiwaan, from the latihan kejiwaan which you have received. In the latihan kejiwaan you are trained to wave your arms, to touch, to hear, to laugh, to shout, trained to do many different things until finally you are trained to think. God's guidance is not guaranteed, it depends on your strength and the purity of your heart. This is why Muslims have been given a month of fasting every year, and this fast is in fact a training to train a person, to train the one who fasts to purify himself and to be able to put aside the pressure of the nafsu whose temptation is always present in his heart.

Brothers and sisters, do not imagine that devils live in the forest: devils do not only live in the forest or under the bridge; they are in your heart, brothers and sisters, so it is not necessary to relegate them to the forest. In your heart and in your brain devils are hidden and inhabit. This is why those who study the way of completeness consider it necessary to close the babahan nawasanga. The meaning of this is the nine holes, that means the two eyes, the two ears, the two nostrils, the one mouth. What about the other two? You must know where they are. One of them is secret and the other one is for going to the WC. These nine have to be closed because this is where the devils enter.

But for devils it is even easy to enter by other ways. Indeed, for devils to enter man is very easy. And who makes it easy? You yourselves, brothers and sisters. You see something that is very beautiful, and the devil gets in. This is the bridge, your seeing. You hear people having a quarrel, are noisy or criticizing someone, the devil enters. By what means? Through the sound. This is something man can easily understand. But what about thought? If you think about something that is not good, the devil enters into this thought of yours that is not good.

This, brothers and sisters, is your great good fortune, for with these the guidance of Almighty God, all these ways have been dammed up.

So, let us use this. God has with great effort dammed up the way whereby the devils can enter you. In this case, Bapak just uses the expression "great effort". Of course, for God there is no such thing as "great effort" but from our point of view God has done this work with great effort. It remains for you to do the enterprise. It will not become a temptation for you, because while you count money, you will always be accompanied by Allah, Allah, Allah. This Bapak has already illustrated to you. Why? When you do the latihan, you walk, and each step is accompanied by Allah, Allah, Allah.

This is, brothers and sisters, why you should not be afraid. Don't think that later when you carry money, you will forget your worship of Almighty God. If you cannot yet worship God, even if you do not carry money, you will still not be able to worship God. The proof is the poor people, that we see. Why have they become poor, why? Because they do not worship God. If a poor person can worship God, he will no longer be poor. Because Almighty God is All-wise and All-wealthy, God is Almighty. If you are friends of the Governor, you will at the very least be respected by others, at very least people will have trust in you, if you want to borrow money, you just say to someone "Lend it to me."How much?'' “Hundred thousand” "Okay!" Why? "Well, isn’t he the friend of the Governor?"

This what Bapak is telling you, of this there is already some proof. Those who manufacture machinery for making sugar, machinery which we need for setting up our sugar factory, costing about 10 million dollars, while Bapak has no money. So how can Bapak bid for machinery which costs 10 million Dollars. Bapak is not talking about Rupiahs. For Rupiahs you multiply by 415. But people have trust, just try it. They trust us so much, that it even feels as if we are being spoiled. "If we may, can we pay later?", "Yes, you may!", Just try it. "Yes, you may pay later!" "Can we have a reduction of 10 percent?", "Yes, you may!" "How about if we don’t pay for it at all?", "Well, now that's going a bit too far, we give you an inch and you take a mile!"

This is a miracle, a situation that is truly only possible through the Grace of Almighty God. But, don’t then say, oh well, of course, that's Subud. Don't say that, Bapak doesn't allow it. Remember, there are not a few Subud members who are destitute, Subud members who look for work and don't get it, Subud members who cry everyday because they have no money. A lot of you here, sitting here, have no money, except of course Varindra and Richard, who have come a long way.

Brothers and sisters, Bapak is convinced that it is very important and very necessary for Subud members to do enterprises together. Bapak will explain this to you. If, while you are still in this world, you are not yet in harmony, how about later? For, in the next world, once you have no harmony, you will never have harmony, while in this world, you can still achieve it, you are in discord, but you are given encouragement, you are given advice. Finally you become harmonious. This is in this world. But if you are already in the next world, if once you are not harmonious, you will have discord forever. It is like something that is broken, once it is broken, how can it become one again? It is impossible. So, the enterprises that you do together are training for you in helping each other, in respecting each other, in loving each other.

It means truly unifying and strengthening your bonds of brotherhood.

If outwardly you are in discord because of money which you regard as something that has fallen from heaven, then how much more, later, if you are taken to heaven by God, since the joy and the delight in the next world cannot be compared with the delight and the pleasure here. So, then supposing, you have been given such a delight and you are asked to give a little of it, you will not even let others see it.

Why? Because it is so blissful. Therefore this world is a trial, a test for man, whether with his wealth, with his beauty and his delight in this world, does man already forget his neighbor. If here already he forgets his neighbor, how much more later? Brothers and sisters, such is the firmness of Almighty God's nature who possesses heaven and possesses a state of bliss which is incomparable. And yet he gives it to man. For example, when you do latihan, you even forget the time. If Bapak would not forbid you, you would do latihan here all night and sleep here till morning. Bapak prevents you, because you should not do latihan too much. Because spiritual advancement cannot be obtained with a strong will. It cannot be obtained with the nafsu. On the contrary, it is obtained with purity, patience, trust and sincerity. That's how it is, brothers and sisters, and for this reason, this councilors conference has been organized. In order that we can do all that Bapak has hoped, as Bapak has explained it here. If you could feel the true situation, you would know that other countries, other zones are truly jealous to you. Why does Bapak only give guidance in Indonesia? Why only to the Asian councilors conference? While in North America, South America, North Africa, South Africa, Western Europe, Central Europe, Bapak does not. So this is why Bapak needs to give you explanations which are as wide as possible so that these explanations which Bapak gives, you can take home and spread in your own countries and also to other zones. So it is clear, brothers and sisters, that the importance of this councilors conference is none other than that what has been planned in the last Congress, can really be understood and carried out by Subud members all over the world. This is what Bapak hopes.

Now, Bapak will tell you something more, so as to be more convincing to you. Bapak said earlier, that Subud has become the pioneer, Subud has become the example, and Indonesia has become the example while Indonesia is a group of people who can be said to be retarded. But with Subud, Indonesia is no longer retarded but rather ahead.

Apart from S.U.B. which Bapak has described which, if we are lucky, and if God gives us His Grace, according to plan, and according to those who can calculate and according to those who have experience, that is according to our brother Iro Rahardjo, alias Ashardikun; when it is already working, he says, that the profit will be between 5 and 10 billion Rupiahs. And of this, later, 25 percent will be for the Subud treasury. So, it is clear, brothers and sisters, that if God gives us His help, and this is what Bapak hopes, Subud Indonesia will be able to build Subud houses, Subud houses for the latihan, Subud houses for guests, houses for schools, houses for hospitals, houses for the elderly, for the retarded, for those who have no families. So, truly, we follow and we are obedient, we carry out the will of God. That is, we do not only open the way for someone who wishes to worship God, but we also can give something for the life of man, so that man can live as he ought. So, it is clear, brothers and sisters, that we in the kejiwaan will not forget charitable activity, we will not forget the field of charity. This way then we truly worship God, in the way, that is according to His will, that is not only giving importance to ourselves, but giving importance to our life together. So, Bapak would like to add, as an example from Indonesia, apart from what Bapak has described, apart from the setting up of the sugar factory. Even though we have no money, we have also set up other companies, for example P.T.S. Widjojo.

This company will build an office building. Certainly, people will be startled, where does Subud get the money from? How can Subud make a building of fourteen stories? Maybe, if you would like to see, how it looks like, you can see it later, but not here, in Wisma Subud. It is a pity that we cannot speed it up, due to our lack of money, so we can say it is proceeding half slowly or “ngular kambang” as they say in Javanese. But it is possible that after the International Congress in Germany, our P.T.S. Widjojo Office, where our Subud Bank will also have its office, will be finished. In addition, we still have other companies, for example I.D.C. It has now recently got a big job, to do a township for a nickel company on Sulawesi. From this also some profits will be received by Subud. But it is not yet completely finished. So, in doing all these enterprises, do the brothers in Subud Indonesia lose ground in the latihan? Or fall off in their receiving? No! On the contrary, they become more convinced that the power of God truly envelops both the outer and the inner, that the power of God has no limit. Quite different from worshipping an idol. When you are in front of the idol, it is as though the idol is in front of you, as though the idol is within you. But when you go home, the idol vanishes. This is quite different from what we have received in the latihan. We are led and trained by the power of God. Not only in our outer and our inner. Also in our sleeping, in our time of unconsciousness. Precisely then our heart is enveloped by the power of Almighty God. Why? Because God has authority in this life and the next. There is no boundary.

It is this that Bapak needs to tell you councilors. So that you broadcast it to your brothers and sisters in other countries as well as your own.

Brothers and sisters, truly there are many projects, to build cement factories, sugar factories, and all kinds of factories. And of this we have more or less informed our brothers and sisters abroad who have money. But it seems that they do not believe us, while on the contrary, Bapak has said earlier, that Bapak is convinced that if we were to abandon Subud, we could not do any of the things we hope for. Why is this? Bapak has already told you. However fortunate and happy a person who is not accompanied by the power of God, who cannot feel and receive how is the help of God's power within his being, far happier is the one who can feel and know the help and the Closeness of the power of God.

So, it is clear, brothers and sisters, that the latihan kejiwaan is like a weapon for us, it is a fundamental requirement. All we need to do, is to carry it out. But it seems that there are brothers and sisters abroad whose faith is lacking. They imagine we are trying to trick them or tell them lies. While in fact, at this moment, we have an extraordinary opportunity for those of you who are abroad to join us and work together with the brothers in Indonesia.

Take, for example, the cement factory. Indonesia still requires several millions tons of cement. And those factories which exist here are still very far from satisfying the need. We still import cement from abroad, and sugar, and many other things. We still need to make planks and plywood. This also needs money. And we have already circulated this to our brothers abroad who have money. But this also they do not believe. So because of the lack of faith of those abroad, we make efforts ourselves. We base ourselves, and we trust completely only in the power of Almighty God. We pray for the help of Almighty God, we are truly helped just as Bapak has described earlier. We have no money, truly Bapak tells you, truly Bapak assures you, we have nothing, we have this because of God. That is clear.

This is why, when we read the A1 Qu'ran, it always says at the end; God is All loving, God is All merciful, it is God who we must trust and who we must worship. "Oh brothers, oh men of faith, to have faith means to believe utterly in God Almighty, only Almighty God can carry out all that you hope." This is the condition. Subud is the condition. But apart from that we still expect and hope for the cooperation of our brothers from abroad. However, it seems so far just the other way round. Regarding the building of 14 stories which we wish to build, Bapak has heard that from America, from the Chase Manhattan Bank, they are willing to service our needs for finance, and to support our 14 story building.

The same is true of S.U.B., the sugar factory. Our Subud brothers abroad do not believe it while people outside Subud who have money, people who are not Subud, do believe.

Why is this, brothers and sisters? Because of Almighty God. So it is clear what we have read in the A1 Qu'ran, for example, last night, which says that we should trust that God will help us.

So, this is it, brothers and sisters. Please broadcast what Bapak has said here, to the brothers abroad, so that they should not feel disappointed when later there is something which looks good and looks successful in Subud, especially in Indonesia.

This is the point of this conference. So this conference of councilors, both kejiwaan and material, that is of the organization, is extremely important in order that when four years are passed and we hold our next international congress, we can put forward and relate the results of our struggle, both in the field of the kejiwaan and in enterprises within our own brotherhood. Let it not be that our international congress only looks like an international congress, but its content is nil, and cannot awaken the enthusiasm to worship and to work for our life and for Almighty God.

Apart from this, brothers and sisters, Bapak does not forget to say, thank you very much, to our brother Varindra who has been able to come and visit this conference, and brother Richard Engels who came and visited us too. And indeed, Bapak feels that Richard Engels works hard. His letters come like a swarm of bees, his letters from there to here. However, our brothers here, it seems, are rather stubborn, and Bapak does not regret this or blame them, no. It is good that there should be a balance.

Truly, our character and customs from long ago are still always repeated. Truly, we are indeed lazy to write. Why is that? Often parents are irritated here. They ask why their children write only every three months or once a year to inform them about their situation and their children. In fact, the grandparents would like to hear. But sometimes they only send letters once every five years. In fact, there are a lot of stories told in Indonesia, but people are lazy to write. In fact, Bapak does not like to say they are lazy, because that gives the wrong impression. Rather, they do not like to write or they do not yet like to write. Well, with a bit of luck, the "not yet" will later disappear, and they will like to write too.

So, Bapak will continue of course, and add to his advice later on during the following days. But for the moment, Bapak only hopes and prays that in the work that is laying ahead of you, you will discuss and arrange matters based on the foundation of sincerity, mutual love and mutual respect, so that your deliberations may progress well and in harmony and will never be far from the guidance of Almighty God, which we all received.

So, Bapak therefore hopes that you will all carry out your duties as representatives of your various countries with diligence and sincerity. That is all.

And Bapak hopes and prays that Almighty God will protect you all during your deliberations in the following days.

Thank you very much.