New York, NY USA. - May 24, 1959
Code Number : 59 NYC 7
Bapak has heard about those who are now selling Coca Cola. During the world war, they distributed Coca Cola just like that, without charge, to the soldiers who were fighting in the war. People thought it was simply charity. But once it was made available to everybody, people became accustomed to drinking Coca Cola. After the war, well, they just had to drink Coca Cola. However, now the war was over they had to buy it. So, before, they just gave it away, but later they made huge profits.

São Paulo, Brazil - May 29, 1963
Code Number : 63 SAO 3
In this way the spiritual association of Subud can really show society, or the public, evidence that the content and aim of the Subud latihan, besides worshipping God, is to love our fellow beings and give help to those who are weak. In short, to practise charity, which is truly in harmony with the symbol of our association: Susila Budhi Dharma. Through God’s grace, through our worship of God, God awakens the feelings of our entire being; so we become people who like to help, we become people who like to give to those who are weak, and we become people who truly love our fellow beings.

Rio De Janeiro - June 14, 1963
Code Number : 63 RIO 5
For Bapak has observed that many members do not come to latihan because they cannot pay their contribution, and so they feel embarrassed to come any more. As far as we can, we should make sure that this does not happen. In order to make it possible for those of limited means to come to latihan, the committee needs to set up an enterprise to provide an income to meet this kind of shortfall. Then our Subud community can develop well.

Why else do we need to do this, brothers and sisters? It is because the worship of God by human beings is always connected with charity. That is why in the religions – whether in Islam, Christianity or any other religion – besides worshipping God and practising their religion, people also create charitable institutions to help those who are in need.

That is why it would be very good if Subud could create a body whose aim is to help the poor and needy; for example, in the way Bapak has seen in Baurú, where some of the members have created a school and a home to look after delinquent children and help them to improve. If we create something like this, with a charitable aim, the development of Subud and its members can become a good example for society. In itself this already creates publicity that is not words but real evidence that the aim of Subud is pure and brings human beings closer to one another – heart to heart and feeling to feeling. This fits very well with what we receive in our Subud latihan.

If we do this, the government will be interested in the development of Subud, because it will truly demonstrate a charitable contribution. Consequently the government will help us, and this will make it easier for you to do whatever needs to be done. And it could inspire people who are well off to donate some funds to the Subud association. And they will feel happy to give because, as it is going to a social project, they can make a deduction from their income tax.

Washington DC USA - July 30, 1963
Code Number : 63 WAS 2
So, when you have reached the level you need, the level where you are a perfect human being both inwardly and outwardly – you are human outwardly and the soul within is also human – you will be more humane than an ordinary person: you will have a better understanding of all the requirements of human life in this world; you will know that in order to be safe you must give to those in need; and that the way to have a happy life is to share your happiness with those who are unhappy. In this way those who are unhappy, who do not have enough money and who have been abandoned will not disturb your life, because you are already aware.

That is how it is. God truly guides human beings, but not in order to create distinctions between them and others. No. And not so that they should feel superior to others, but so that they can adjust themselves to the society around them, no matter what society they are a part of.

That kind of attitude, as you are no doubt aware, is what is called generous or charitable. Indeed, generosity and charity always go hand-in-hand with the worship of God. Why is that? It is because the fruit that comes from human beings worshipping God is generosity. If you are not generous it means either that your worship of God has not yet reached its target, or that the way you worship is not in accordance with God’s will.

That is also why within religion – within every religion – there is always charity. So, people’s worship of God is the inner aspect, and their generous and charitable actions towards their fellow beings are the outer aspect. Clearly it is God’s will that inner and outer should correspond: inwardly we worship God, and outwardly we serve our own lives and the lives of others. So these are the next steps that we have to take, that our Susila Budhi Dharma association has to take.

Now you, who are just starting off on the path to God and charity, need to think about this and pay attention to it. To start with, we need to worship together in our group with a feeling of mutual love, and to be willing to help one another. Do not say, ‘I have authority and I can guide you, so you should obey me.’ Don’t do that! We need to put into practice what we receive with true harmony, and to work together, helping each other. We need to respect each other and love each other. You must not have any kind of antagonism in your thoughts and feelings, because all that sort of thing will not bring any advantage for your progress. In fact, it will cause you to go backwards.

It is for this reason that Bapak constantly asks you to be in harmony with one other; and if you can do that, the Subud group here in Washington will progress well, even if it is not very big.

With regard to the completeness of our worship and our practising charity or doing social work – being humane: that is very much in accordance with the principles of our association, which we call Susila Budhi Dharma or Subud.

Susila Budhi Dharma: Susila means being humane; that is, generous. But generosity is not complete if it is not guided by the power of God. So we need to add another word: budhi. The meaning of Budhi is a power that is complete, a power within human beings that cannot be seen; you could call it a power from God. So within a human being there is a power from God; but this cannot be received and felt if the person does not have Dharma towards God.

So, to be clear: true charity has to be guided by God, as a result of a person practising Dharma towards God. What is the meaning of Dharma towards God? Dharma is to surrender to God. You surrender everything, outer and inner, body and soul. So when you are surrendering to God you say, ‘God, I surrender outwardly and inwardly.’

The meaning of ‘outwardly’ includes many things. It includes your car, your money in the bank, your clothes. If God were to take all of that – that is up to God: that is the meaning of surrender. Of course God does not want that; God does not want your car. No. But you need to be truly surrendered in your inner feeling.

Clearly, therefore, a person can practise true charity, as willed by God, if they have Budhi and Dharma. That is why Susila Budhi Dharma, Subud, is the symbol of our association. So you are already represented as human beings who really possess the qualities of Susila, Budhi and Dharma. If you do not have these qualities, then what should we call ourselves? Therefore, to become truly Subud, you have to be Susila Budhi Dharma; that is what it means.

Brothers and sisters, this is the meaning and the essence of our Susila Budhi Dharma association, and of the words Susila Budhi Dharma. So Susila Budhi Dharma is not a religion. No. It is a symbol of your own self, which expresses that you have the possibility of receiving God’s gift so that you can practise charity that is truly in accordance with God’s will.

There are still many of you who misunderstand. So you write books and call them ‘The Image of Subud’ or ‘The Way to Subud’, and all sorts of other things. What is Subud then, if you can have ‘a way to Subud’ or ‘an image of Subud’ and so on?

Subud is the person. Therefore, if you write such a book, the image is your own image, not the image of Subud that you describe. So there are still lots of misunderstandings. If you say, ‘This is the way to Subud,’ it means that Subud is a method, a set of objectives; a method, a way to God, about which you can say, ‘Without Subud you cannot get there – Subud is the way.’ ‘It is red, white, blue or whatever.’ ‘If you look at it, it meanders this way and that.’

No, Subud has no way; the way is within each person. The way to God is not like going to the planets. No. If the way to God were like traveling to the planets, it would mean that God is out there; that God has a country, a dwelling and a language.

The messengers of God, the prophets, say that God has no form. What does that mean? It means God has no shape, no colour, no category, no language. God has no country. If God had a country then there would certainly be other gods. If God had a place, there would be sure to be competitors.

It is said that God is One, united. Therefore, if all of creation were put together that would equal God. So, God’s power envelops everything. Like this, here [Bapak repeatedly knocks on the table as he speaks]: the sound would not exist if this did not exist. And this would not exist if there were no sound. So where has this been all this time? Right here! But if it weren’t here there would be no sound. This is difficult to explain isn’t it?

Look, if this did not exist, there would be no sound. There is a sound because this exists. And this represents all of you: humankind, plants, material things, animals, planets, the content of the planets, the sun, the content of the sun, other suns – and there are other suns, brothers and sisters, many of them. And do not think that creatures of God exist only here. Out there, there are many more creatures of God, and more intelligent than we are. All of that is enveloped by the power of God.

So, if you want to know where God is and to know God, you have to be able to include all of that within your self. But you have only just started. You have just begun to feel, ‘How can this be? If you feel sick, I feel sick too!’ You have just started to feel that. That is guidance for us, to enable us to feel together and receive together. Then we can really practise charity, because we feel compassion towards others. That is the continuation of the process of the latihan and our path towards God’s power.

It is better not to think so far ahead. Bapak is just giving you an illustration, and offering you an explanation so that you do not ask lots of questions. But now that he has told you about this, maybe you will have even more questions: Does God have a beard or not? – that kind of thing.

So, Bapak would like this explanation to be just a description, for you to listen to. It is not a method. No, because there is no method. The method is within each one of you. You will believe something that you see with your own eyes. You will have more faith in something if you hear it with your own ears. The same applies to your other senses.

San Francisco, CA USA - September 4, 1963
Code Number : 63 SFO 1
So it is clear, brothers and sisters, that you need to be able to take care of yourself and look after your heart and thinking, so that they are not easily disturbed and filled by desires manipulated by the low forces that cause you to make mistakes. And the way to do that, as Bapak said earlier, is not to let your heart feel unhappy if you are slow in your receiving, not to feel envious of other people who do latihan with you. Also, do not always give in to the temptation of the desires in your heart that cause you to look down on other people, blame other people, ignore others while showing off your own superiority and intelligence; and, furthermore, cause you not to have the love for others that is practised in religion and called charity. If you can restrain yourself in all these things and make an effort not to be like that, then besides not being easily used by the low forces, your latihan will be better than in the past.

Malang, Indonesia - May 22, 1964
Code Number : 64 MLG 1
These are the sorts of things we need to think about in the organisation. In fact, we need to go further: besides thinking about the needs of our own organisation, we need to broaden the scope of our activities, and contribute funds and effort to social undertakings for the benefit of society in general, beyond our own association. All of this needs money.

Normally, charitable institutions or organisations that do social work depend on asking for donations from other people, donations that eventually can be devoted to social needs. But in our case, Bapak would like us to create enterprises in order to help with such things, so that what we give to society will really come from our own energy, our own generosity and our own efforts.

Although it is not necessary to publicise such charity, people will certainly know where it comes from. And God is All-giving and All-knowing, so you will certainly get a reward from God that is equal to or even more than what you have given. This is Bapak’s hope for you, which he needs to convey to you so that you can really have a good life.

The Hague, Holland - September 1, 1964
Code Number : 64 HAG 2
That is why it is best if you arrange a meeting and also a latihan every month – or even just once every two months – between the helpers and the committee, to awaken a feeling of love and cooperation between you, and to make sure that you do not drift apart in your feelings. And besides doing latihan together you also need – as Bapak said just now – to invite those who you feel, or who you know, cannot yet receive the latihan. By doing that, the helpers and the committee will be looking after the progress and the welfare of the members.

And in order that the members here can be closely connected with members in other countries and can follow the development of Subud everywhere, Bapak hopes that if you haven’t already formed a national committee here, you will create one as quickly and efficiently as possible, as has been done in other countries. If you need it, you can get draft documents from groups or centres that have set up their national committees. You particularly need to do this now in order to support and participate in the progress of SIS.,4 which was created at the recent World Congress in New York.

This will also enable Subud to take steps in a direction willed by God; that is, in the field of charity or social responsibility. That is indeed a reality in people’s worship of God and forms part of it, because when people worship God, or when God gives something to human beings, it is not just for the good of one person, or just for the individual, but for the benefit of the whole of humanity.

Therefore the inner and the outer reality must go together. The inner reality is clear, because you have proved it to yourself in the latihan: even though you belong to various nationalities and various religions, when you are doing latihan here you feel as though you are in your own house and with your own kind. In fact it is closer than that: sometimes you feel as if you are at home together with your own brothers and sisters.

This shows that God’s will is in the spiritual guidance you are receiving and practising. We need to understand that the consequence of this is that outwardly we need to be active in charity and in society. And the content of such charity, as you certainly know, are things like providing schools for children who have a mental disability, or providing housing for disadvantaged people. And besides that, we – the helpers – need to guide them so that the condition of these children is improved, and these disadvantaged people become useful to society.

Oslo, Norway - September 7, 1964
Code Number : 64 OSL 1
Truly, God guides human beings, not nations. If it was nations, then Bapak would keep this in his own pocket, and Subud could not be shared. No, Bapak has received for humanity, not for a nation. Not for his nation. Not for his religion. Bapak acknowledges that he is a Muslim, because he is descended from Muslims. But once he received this he realised, ‘Oh, yes, the path to God is one.’

Therefore it is very important for you all to possess a feeling of the oneness of all human life on the earth, because this will lead to behaviour between human beings that is loving, just like the actions of the messengers that are enshrined in the religions. That means charity towards people in general, towards the whole of humanity. You must have become aware of this – even if not the full breadth of it – in the latihan, the spiritual training we do that we call Subud.

Subud is not something you think of in terms of: ‘What is Subud?’ as if it were some kind of object. Subud is you. So if you want to know, ‘What is Subud?’ You are Subud!

And Bapak? Yes, Bapak is Subud too. So Subud, as Bapak said earlier, is the symbol of a person who has been able to receive a contact from the greatness of God, so that he or she can act humanely in accordance with God’s will. It represents a person who, having received the contact from God, behaves in a way that is really humane.

So in your heart there will certainly not remain even a trace of, ‘Oh, I am very special, but you are not!’ That will not exist. Not one bit of it.

It is possible that there are still many members who do not yet understand about Subud. So they talk of: ‘The reflection of Subud’. Come again? Reflection of Subud? What is that? In reality it is: ‘Reflection of me’ – that you can say! So, they’ve got it wrong.

There is more: ‘The difference between Subud and this.’ And: ‘Subud is like this; and this is like that.’ How can that be? It is clear that these people who consider themselves as Subud have not understood yet. For Subud – as Bapak said just now – is a receiving.

When you receive, it is like this [gesture]. When this receives [Bapak knocks on the microphone], it sounds like this. That is Subud. So the Subud of this thing is this sound, not something else. [Bapak knocks again on the microphone.] There, that is receiving.

And it must be different from this [Bapak knocks on the glass]. Huh? Why is it different? Yes! It must be.

So, once an entity has received something from God, it manifests in accordance with its own individuality. What that means is that if God’s power has manifested in a goat, you don’t expect the goat to say, ‘I am a goat.’ Of course not! ‘Ma-a-a!’ That’s what a goat sounds like! It cannot say, ‘I am.’ It cannot say in English, ‘I am a goat.’ What it can say is, ‘Ma-a-a!’ A cat cannot say, ‘I am a cat.’ What it can say is, ‘Miaoow!’ That is what it can say.

That, brothers and sisters, is Subud. So Subud is the growth of your individual self in receiving from God. Therefore God gives to you and you receive; after that it is as if you were a tree: once it is planted it grows by itself. When it eventually bears fruit, it doesn’t say to itself: ‘Look, I’m so clever now! I know how to bear fruit!’ No. That is what the process of growth is like. It has nothing to do with whether you are clever or not. It is God’s will.

And if the goat and the cat were able to use human speech … there are birds like that. Bapak has met a bird that could say, ‘Good morning!’

‘What? What is this? “Good morning”? This is a bird!’

What that bird is saying is an imitation of what it has heard. It does not come from its understanding or its consciousness. What use is knowing how to do something that we do not understand? That is the point. It is better not to know how to say it, but to understand its meaning.

Like this thing here [Bapak knocks on the microphone]. If Bapak were to knock on this and it sounded like this [Bapak knocks on the glass], that would be false; it would not be authentic. That is something you can sense or assess for yourself. If there is someone who is clever at talking about this and that, but it does not come from themself – that is false.

Solo, Indonesia - February 11, 1965
Talk to helpers and committee
Code Number : 64 SOLO 1
Bapak says this because, as long as you still hold on to the "I", your standard of judging what is right and wrong in a situation will be based upon your own self, while in truth, the nature of yourself is just a tiny piece of the whole, which has been created by Almighty God. If you go too far in this direction, you will become easily affected by the illness of asking: "Who are you and who am I?" This way of thinking is really a very dangerous illness, for it can easily lead to the arising of an atmosphere of disagreement, as well as a lack of cooperation, mutual love and appreciation, etc., among yourselves which will eventually cause a lack of unity in the Spiritual Brotherhood.

You may claim that the words you have spoken have come from within, by which it is usually meant that they come from Almighty God, not just from a wish of your own mind, but it is necessary for you to know what is the content of your self, and the power that has control over your life.

Bapak thinks that you have often heard of people who, after following a certain spiritual practice for a long time, claim to be messengers of God, and still others who claim that they are prophets, holy saints or other personalities who were famous during their lifetime. They themselves believe that their statements are true, because in fact they do not know what it is that has moved them to speak in this way. However, the question arises: Do they really have the soul of a messenger, saint, prophet or famous person from the past?

Brothers and sisters, the fact is that a man who has the soul of a true messenger of God does not have the soul of any other who has ever lived before, for such has never been the case with those in the past. A real messenger of God will have the soul of a real messenger of God. He will be known by his wisdom and for his great charisma power and his whole being will become a living example of good manners and charity. His very nature will be that of oneness, in the sense that he will be the same both inwardly and outwardly.

Therefore, a man who claims himself to be in possession of a high soul who has lived in the past is mistaken, and if he continues to believe and pretend this to be true, he will later be disappointed. His family, as well as friends, will become as strangers to him and, in return, he will be as a stranger to them. Such, Brothers and Sisters, is the nature of the behavior of someone who is not yet aware of the realities in the spiritual field.

Surabaya, Indonesia - October 27, 1966
Code Number : 66 SUB-1
Certainly, as yet you are not in a position to know or be aware of this, for you are still on your journey, as it were. It is true for Muslims – and nowadays others also proclaim this – that while on this journey human beings need to practise charity and devotion. What kind of charity and devotion is required of you? It is to devote your life to Almighty God, so that you may possess a clean and pure individuality and awareness.

This is what Bapak means by saying that you are still on your life’s journey, your journey towards the conclusion; meaning, towards the limits where you become aware of everything that you need for your life. And, of course, since God is All-powerful, All-pure and All-knowing, and knows the weakness and temptations that accompany your individuality, your latihan is always accompanied by a process of purification.

What is this purification for, you might ask? It is to clean out all your faults and all the dirt within your inner feeling. The fact is that the dirt and the faults within you do not come just from your own actions, but they have entered and become entwined in your being from the time of your ancestors. You certainly would not guess that your ancestors were able to pass on their faults and their dirt to you, but in fact it is so.

Solo, Indonesia - October 28, 1966
Code Number : 66 SLO-1
God’s gift does not discriminate between human beings. God gives to those of high rank if they ask for it and also to those of low rank if they ask for it. Such is the service God gives to human beings. That is why it is people who worship God who are truly charitable: because God is the source of charity. God loves even those you do not love. If that is true, you can meet God or God’s power in every direction and in every place. Why not? If that is so, then God is truly Omnipotent and All-embracing.

Such, brothers and sisters, is the love and generosity of God towards all the creatures God has created, including all of you who have been able to receive God’s gift for finding the right path that leads towards God’s power. Therefore for all of you – not just one or two but all of you – when you are heading towards something so good and straight, something so beautiful and pure, what is the point of continuing to let yourselves be tempted and disturbed by feelings of envy and hatred between you?

For, as Bapak just said, a feeling of resentment towards others means that in fact ‘the one who doesn’t pay’ is hitching a ride. This is where you have to be careful. If you are aware that on this road there are many hitchhikers waiting for a ride, you don’t open your door to them. Then the material, animal, vegetable and so on will not be able to get a ride with you.

If you are alone in a lorry or alone in a Land Rover, they will join you. [Laughter.] So, try to outwit them: even though you are alone, fill the space in the car with mattresses, pillows and all sorts of things. Then they won’t bother you – that’s how you can stop them. [Lots of laughter.] You are not refusing them, but rather preventing them from entering. You are not refusing them, but constructing something so that they have no opportunity to hitch a ride within your heart and thoughts. Well, if they were just hitching a ride on your shoulder it would be easy to shrug them off, but this is in your heart and thinking. How can you shrug your heart?

I would like to know, suppose you feel sad, and you say, ‘Sadness, go away!’ Would it go away? No.

‘Sadness, go away!’ It gets worse. Isn’t it true? If you tell your sadness to go away, it will become worse. Yes.

This is something you need to be aware of – and even more, to put into practice – not always to bring back the dirt and mistakes that are starting to be removed. In the morning it is removed and you put it back in the evening. In the evening it is removed and the next morning you bring it back. How is it that God doesn’t get fed up doing this work? No, God just goes on: ‘All right; you bring it back, I will remove it again. You bring it back once more and I will remove it.’ But in the long run all that happens is that it comes in, goes out, comes in, goes out, without end. That’s right. [Laughter.]

Bandung, Indonesia - October 31, 1966
Code Number : 66 BDO 1
Moreover, according to the principles of our Subud Spiritual Association, for completeness we should not only work on our organisation but also in the field of charity, which is the complement to our worship of God. And our ideals include setting up schools and hospitals. How good it would be if the doctors in these hospitals were Subud members, so that those of us who are ill can be treated outwardly as well as inwardly; that is, according to science – the material – and to the spiritual.

Fortunately, when Bapak was in Surabaya, he opened three doctors. One is in general practice and the other two are psychiatrists. Previously, they did not believe [in Subud]: ‘What is this then? Is it possible? Does it exist?’

‘Well, what it is and whether it’s possible or not, you have to prove for yourselves.’

After they joined Subud and were opened, one of them said, ‘What was this feeling of swaying?’ One of the others moved like this [Bapak demonstrates; laughter], and said, ‘How is it, Bapak, that I’m moving like this?’

Having now had the experience, they said, ‘In that case, a psychiatrist is not really a doctor of the soul. It would be better to change the name.’

‘Oh, now you want to change the name? No, don’t do that, people are accustomed to it. If you change the name you will just make enemies. Leave it alone.’

‘Well, but it’s wrong! It’s not knowledge of the soul, just knowledge of the mind.’

Yes, for it is only God who can deal with the soul.

So, apart from the things Bapak was talking about earlier, to make our Subud Spiritual Association complete we need to set up schools and hospitals, with Subud doctors in the hospitals and, if possible, Subud members or helpers as teachers in the schools. Then, when they see the children who are just starting to learn, they will know: ‘Oh, this child’s talent is in this area; that child’s talent is in that area.’ For actually there is no child who is quite without ability, who can receive no knowledge at all. Everybody can learn something. What is wrong is simply the direction they take. So there are children who are very good only at painting, and there are those who are very good only at telling stories. There are children who are good at this, or that or the other. And they will each find their own direction if the teachers, besides having their diplomas – outwardly they have their teachers’ diploma – are also helpers. Then there will not be people – especially in Indonesia – who are lost, who have no skills at all.

Besides this, we can also provide places to meet the needs of the community, such as mosques. In a small way, Bapak has started doing this. In Citalahab, Bapak’s estate, he has built a school with six classes. He has also built a mosque, just a small one to begin with. When he arrived there the other day, it was nearly twelve o’clock. He had just sat down and suddenly there was [the drum]: ‘thung, thung, thung, thung, thung … thung’. The mosque had been completed.

The workers there are happy now. Yes, they are happy, because their children do not need to go so far for their schooling – in Citalahab the nearest school is twelve kilometres away and the road is very bad.

Johannesburg, South Africa - March 19, 1967
Code Number : 67 JNB 4
Besides fasting, Muslims have an obligation to give charity. To give charity means giving to people who have less than you, to give to other people. Muslims do not have to give away all their wealth, but a small part of what they own should be given to the poor. In this way a Muslim is trained in how important it is to help other people and to love and care for other people. This is because, in general, rich people – ‘in general’ because we are not criticising anyone – in general, rich people are extremely mean; they love their material wealth. They are different from you, who are not rich and who can and do give to people who need help.

London, England - March 28, 1967
Code Number : 67 LON 3
What Bapak has been saying, both in the congress and in his talks, is that it is very important for the committee to set up a body – which you yourselves call a Subud enterprise – in any field of business that you think could be profitable here in England. If this were Indonesia it would be the responsibility of the Indonesian members; but here, of course, you understand better than Bapak how best to make a profit to provide funds for Subud, to support Subud’s needs in the field of charity, including the project Bapak just spoke about, this home for disturbed children.

There are now eight children who are being looked after there, and there was recently a letter saying that three more children will be coming. Those who are running the place have calculated that if they look after sixteen children then they will most likely cover their costs. While there are only eight, nine or ten, they will have a deficit every month. It is this deficit to which Bapak would like you to pay attention. How can we do that? You, being familiar with England, should be in the best position to know how to raise money to cover these expenses.

London, England - April 2, 1967
Meeting with national bodies of Subud UK
Code Number : 67 LON 6
Christopher Gardiner: No objections at all, they have been most helpful. In the constitution we have put a translation of Bapak’s preamble for Subud Indonesia, which explains what the latihan is. And we come under the inspectors as a charity for two reasons: because we are a religious organisation and because we undertake welfare activities such as Whatcombe House. These are the two heads under which we are registered, or to be registered.

Bapak: Yes, this is why as far as possible we should include welfare activities in our work, by setting up projects like Whatcombe House. It is to give an indication and a proof that our work is going to be a support for the state.

London, England - April 2, 1967
Code Number : 67 LON 7
The meaning of Susila is being humane. Budhi means that within your being there is the power of God that always accompanies and envelops you. Dharma means that you need to have a feeling of charity and to love and help those whom it is appropriate to help and to love. Therefore the name Susila Budhi Dharma or Subud is not the name of a teaching, nor the name of a course of study; it is our name, your name. So the name Subud represents none other than you yourselves. For that reason this name should be a symbol or a pattern for you, so that you eventually end up being able to act according to Susila, Budhi And Dharma.

The Hague - May 6, 1967
Code Number : 67 HAG 1
What is more in keeping with this process is the content of religions; for instance, Islam or Christianity – whether Catholic or Protestant. People who belong to religions such as these are not required to search for and practise a way to meet with God and God’s power. All that is required in a religion is to follow and practise what has been laid down in it. For example, how to worship, how to have faith, sincerity in carrying out what has been taught in the religion, and implementing charity, which leads to peace, happiness and prosperity in human society.

The Hague - May 11, 1967
Talk to helpers and committee
Code Number : 67 HAG 3
But what Bapak does need to say to you is that we need to be able to carry out the aims of the Subud Spiritual Association. These consist of helping the government and helping society by involving ourselves in charitable undertakings; for example, by creating schools for children who have been neglected and for those with behaviour problems; creating hospitals; and creating homes for old people who have nobody to care for them. These are the aims of our Subud Association, so that besides worshipping God we contribute to society through philanthropy. In this way our Subud Spiritual Association will become a humanitarian organisation, like those that exist in the religions. If we do that, it may be that not just the public but even governments will pay attention to us, with the result that it will become easier for us to find the accommodation we need, land or buildings for doing the latihan, and other places we need.

And when we create schools for children who are neglected, who have special needs or who misbehave, naturally the people who can do that are those who are familiar with the realm of the soul. That is why we need to employ teachers who are Subud members and who have received the latihan, so that they can support these children who misbehave or have special needs, and help them to improve.

There is an example in England. In England they have set up a charity for looking after such children, and some of them have now been able to go to university. It is clear that society very much needs a spiritual path, so it is not just for you. We need to demonstrate the benefit of the latihan and the benefit of worshipping God according to God’s guidance.

It is not possible for us to do these things based only on members’ contributions. We cannot do it. The contributions you get are not even enough to rent a house for latihan, let alone for creating schools, let alone for creating hospitals or homes for the destitute. It is impossible. Therefore, besides their other work the committee needs to create and set up something that Bapak calls a Subud enterprise. Only with such enterprises will you be able to create these charitable undertakings. Even then, you will not be able to do it all at once but just little by little.

Cilandak, Indonesia - November 9, 1971
Talk On 21st Night Of Ramadan
Code Number : 71 TJD 20
His Power is within all He has created. He envelops the whole universe. Man will not know how God and His Power is, because it envelops us completely. You can feel in your inner God’s Guidance. You will know about the meaning of the Puasa ( after many Ramadans ).

You might feel certain things change within you. Then the 4th obligation, the Zakat Fitroh. Normally this charity is organized by man. But you might receive that you should do this charity, if arises within you. And this in the right way. Even though you have received the Grace through the Latihan, you might experience God’s Grace through fasting. Do not look for God, only surrender with sincerity and trust.

The human beings are the highest creations of Almighty God. Beyond this world there is another Kingdom of God. Many planets He has created as a whole. With inhabitants. Not human beings but beings. You should not ask if they are higher. You should only feel and check what your duty is this world, your attitude and behavior. Because we will never know how big God’s creations actually are. His Power is all around you. If you feel His closeness, you will also feel what’s the meaning of life. Life here and beyond this world. If God wills this, it is possible for you. With your physical instruments you only have a limited power, and their understanding will not go beyond this world.

You should feel to which extent the Power of Almighty God works within you. God might give you this understanding. God’s Power is unlimited. God might guide you to an understanding beyond this world. Check what are the results of you latihan. About the changes within you, check in your daily life, how far you are guided.

Mexico City, Mexico - April 26, 1972
Code Number : 72 MEX 1
Bapak really does not intend these enterprises to be individual ones, in order that statutes or binding regulations can be drawn up for them in which it is clearly stated that so-and-so much percent of the profits they make are to be given to Subud as a social body or charity. If that can be done by a hundred enterprises, when a hundred bodies have been established all over the world, then the Subud funds will receive 20 % of the profits of each enterprise as a contribution; it will be multiplied a hundredfold. And it will happen automatically that Subud will be extraordinarily strong, so that whenever there is Subud and wherever there are Subud centers, you will be able to set up buildings for latihan premises. Not places like this, brothers and sisters, where space is so restricted that Bapak is prevented from giving you something necessary and important for you all. Thus if the space is wide the outlook is also wide. Thus every center will possess a building for the latihan; a latihan hall, a guest house to accommodate Bapak when he comes here, for instance.

As well as this, we shall be able to put our ideas about spreading out into the field of social work into practice.

We shall be able to set up schools for backward and neglected children. We shall be able to establish hospitals to care for the sick; hospitals in which the doctors will be helpers who are qualified doctors. Also the teachers in the schools will be helpers who hold a teaching diploma, and so on. If we can do all these things, then the way will be open for Subud in every country. There will be no country that is not agreeable to allowing the members to do latihan anywhere. You will be able to do latihan anywhere.

Cilandak, Indonesia - October 31, 1972
Talk on 25th night of Ramadhan
Code Number : 72 TJK 8
Because of that, after you have fasted for at least twenty and up to the full thirty days, the fourth pillar of Islam, the fourth foundation of human life in this world, makes its appearance, that is zakat and fitrah ( charity ).

This zakat fitrah, brothers and sisters, is not something enforced, not something that is a rule - no. Yes, there have to be rules, because not everyone can receive it. But in reality there is no need to make rules; people have been able to receive it for themselves, without any rules.

It is a fact, brothers and sisters, that you who have fasted for such a length of time really are already able to receive the rules from God Who made them; rules which are truly Islam, or sacred, holy, meaning pure.

Cilandak, Indonesia - November 4, 1972
Talk on 29th night of Ramadhan
Code Number : 72 TJK 9
It is like that, brothers and sisters, so that after doing the fast something finally arises, something finally grows - zakat and fitrah ( charity or alms giving ). Thus someone who gives zakat and fitrah does not need to be told, does not need to be asked, does not need to be compelled - no. If he does the fast properly, he will feel like this of his own accord.

Cilandak, Indonesia - April 12, 1974
Talk to Asian Councilors Conference
Code Number : 74 CDK 4
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.

Tokyo, Japan - April 21, 1976
Code Number : 76 TYO 4
And it is from this feeling of self sufficiency that we come to what is taught by both Subud and all religions, and that is the wish to do charitable things, the wish towards charity or helping other people. For indeed, this is the wish not only of Subud but of all religions who teach that men should help each other, that men should be willing to give to those who are weak, to help those who happen to be sick, and to assist those who need assistance. And this generally is connected in religion with the fasting, the month of fasting that is carried out. So this was the reason why at the International Congress, Bapak urged all Subud members to undertake enterprises as quickly as possible, that enterprises should be developed as quickly as possible so that we can soon put into practice our wish to start charitable undertakings; such as for example, schools, clinics, homes for old people who have no family to look after them, homes and schools for children who are perhaps handicapped in some way, hospitals, and all these other sorts of undertakings which can put into practice our ideal of serving our fellow men, of helping those who need help, and of giving charity where it is needed in this world. And of setting up special enterprises to help those of our own members who have not yet been able to find a field of work in their lives.

In addition to helping the people they are designed to help, such undertakings will also assist our several nations or governments, so that when these efforts, when these undertakings are beginning to bear fruit, it will be clear that Subud is something that assists the governments of the countries where we exist to solve their problems in these fields. So that thereafter the field of Subud will be open for the worship of God, so that no matter how Subud wants to proceed in order to worship God in the way that we do in the latihan, no door will be closed to us, and we will be given a side field for all our activities by the governments concerned of each of our countries who recognize the benefit of what Subud does.

Herk-de-Stad, Belgium - July 16, 1977
Code Number : 77 HDS 1
So this nature of Almighty God is also a lesson for mankind. So that if mankind happens to be very high - for example, rich, powerful, intelligent, clever - he should not feel himself to be very high, or something so high that there is nothing higher. This is always God's reminder to man, that it is said: 'Oh man, no matter how high or powerful or wealthy or clever you are, remember you are not the highest that exists in the world.' It is in order to make sure that people do not forget, that in religion man is always reminded that no matter what his position is, no matter how high or noble he is, he must remember to feel and to know his fellow human beings. For this there is established in every religion the need for charity, for social responsibility. And this social work or charity is, as it were, a foundation for man's life in this world, because it is from this foundation that man can remember and feel the needs of his fellow human beings. This social work or charity is actually man's payment or return for his life in this world. And this is something that man needs for himself. Do not imagine that it is God who requires service from man, for God is All-mighty and All-powerful and needs nothing whatsoever from man. It is man who needs to serve, and to know his own fellow human beings as a foundation for his life in this world.

London, England - June 24, 1977
At the West Centre Hotel
Code Number : 77 LON 2
Now through the Latihan Kejiwaan we have been given an awareness, or a feeling, which awakens in us an awareness of the right way, an awareness of what is known as conscience - conscience which is the force or the power within us of Almighty God; that is, the power of conscience, or what we call in Christianity the Holy Spirit, or which is called in Islam the power of the Roh or the life force of the Messengers of God, known as the Roh llofii.

Brothers and Sisters, when you have received this conscience, this power of God within you, then whatever you do, because you are aware in everything that you do, you remember God Almighty automatically. The purpose of religion in trying to encourage people to remember God Almighty at all times is that one who remembers God Almighty at all times also remembers in everything he does the way of behaving, or the way of acting, of a true, excellent, noble human being. So it is clear from this, and it is in fact the case, that the spiritual development, or the development in the Kejiwaan, always brings us in a direction of charity or a social attitude.

On the contrary, the progress or the development of the mind and the heart always bring us into a realm of greed - that is, the development and the progress of the heart and mind always take us in a direction of thinking of our own needs and our own importance, of considering our own interests above everything else; whereas the progress of the jiwa takes us in the direction of charity and a social feeling. Why is that? Because through the process of the Kejiwaan we are taken into the realm of the jiwa, and the realm of the jiwa is where we are in contact with all other beings, not only in contact with our fellow men, and we can feel the needs, we can feel the situations. If we are rich, we can feel how the people feel who are poor. If we are clever, we can feel how the people are who are stupid. But not only can we feel our fellow men but we can feel how are the animals, how are the plants and, also, how are the beings outside this world whom so far science has only postulated but not yet experienced or found. Indeed, up till now, man has achieved much in exploring outer space, but it is not impossible that man will go further still. It's not impossible at all that man will be able to create, for example, some vehicles or some apparatus whereby man can visit other planets, such as Jupiter, and investigate what are the life forms that exist on other worlds. Such is the grace of God Almighty to man. And it is clear that what man achieves is not something that is achieved only by the power of his mind, but is always accompanied by the grace of God Almighty, by the guidance of God Almighty, so that man's ability, having reached now the moon, is not something that was only accomplished by man's intelligence, but was accompanied and willed by God's power.

So it is clear then that what brings us into the realm of charity, into the realm of common feeling, is this Latihan Kejiwaan that we have received, that has started within us and has given us the foretaste of this something that we have received; that is, we have received a vibration of life which is within us, and this vibration, at this point, is still only in the realm of movement. But we can see that from the latihan - where we are trained to do things all over again which we have learned since we were little children - our latihan starts by teaching us to walk, by teaching us to wave our arms and to make all sorts of noises. All this we have been able to do since we were little children, but the fact that we are trained to do it again is a proof to us that God requires that the progress of the outer must go hand in hand and in parallel with the progress of the jiwa.

Now we have to catch up with the progress of the jiwa which has got left behind. So we have to start again at the beginning and learn all the things which we have learned before. And this does not stop where we are now; that is, we just make movements and we move around and make all sorts of noises and so on, whose purpose we do not understand. But it will penetrate later into our understanding and into our feeling so that we must start now. Actually, we must start now in this Latihan Kejiwaan to begin to practice this charitable feeling or this social feeling -that is, by being in contact, by feeling the nature of other beings and other creatures, and going as far as being able to feel and be in contact with, and know the nature of, beings who are outside this world.

Bristol, England - June 29, 1977
The fruits of the latihan
Code Number : 77 BRS 4
The purpose of Bapak's words is not to make those of you who happen to be merchants here feel uncomfortable. Bapak is only saying what is the reality; and this is the reason why, in the past, in the system of caste, merchants are always placed at the very lowest level: because they have to be experts in telling lies. But with us, when we have the Latihan Kejiwaan within us, we will become aware of what is allowed in our work, of how far we can tell lies in order to be able to do our job in the right way. In other words, although we do the work of a merchant in the way that it has to be done, we will always be accompanied and guided by a feeling of social responsibility and a humane attitude towards our fellow human beings. We are trained by the Latihan Kejiwaan to be humane, to be people who act rightly and who value and pay attention to the needs of other human beings. And this is, in fact, the will of Almighty God: that men should be like that, so that the harmony of mankind is maintained and augmented.

We are trained by the Latihan Kejiwaan, just as we are in religion, to be humane and to care for other human beings. This is the reason why in religion it is laid down that man must do charitable work, social work. In other words, man must set up homes for the aged like the one Bapak visited this morning; houses for looking after people who are penniless or destitute; hospitals, schools, schools for retarded children, and so on. In every religion it is encouraged and taught that man must devote a certain portion of his wealth to charity and to social work, the purpose of which is to train ourselves to be harmonious with our fellow human beings. And this is what we are also taught in the Latihan Kejiwaan that we have received.

So this is why Bapak advises, encourages and requires us to do enterprises, because it is in doing these enterprises that we have a training ground where we can gradually learn to experience for ourselves the type of guidance that Bapak is talking about. And we can train ourselves more and more to be people who are guided by the power of God, to act in a way that is right. For example, going back to the merchant again; we won't do our business in a charitable way, but at very least, the way we do our work will bring us closer to the people around, with society around us and with the people we deal with. So, instead of being motivated by greed and nafsu we will be motivated by a feeling which makes our bonds with our fellow human beings closer and closer.

Montreal, Canada - September 19, 1977
Code Number : 77 YUL 3
For example, like Bapak described, if you happen to be a singer, then as a result of having done the Latihan for that length of time, you will be able suddenly to sing very, very beautifully - much more than what you could do before. This is something that you should already be able to experience for yourselves. Also, you will be able to receive, for example, how to dress properly, so that if you have done the Latihan for ten years, you will be able to know automatically what to wear and how to put it on. And this is because it is God's Will that we should be clean and healthy in everything that we do. In other words, that we should be clean not only inwardly but also outwardly - not only outwardly but also inwardly. The two must go in parallel, because the two are reflections of each other.

That is how can a man have feelings of charity and love towards his fellow human beings and have a really pure feeling, if outwardly he is a mess ( laughter ). For example, later on you will find that women will not feel like having their hair cut, because they will realize that their character can be seen from their hair. So that the long hair of a woman is a sign of her character. Actually, our character can be seen from our outer situation. This is very easy. From our handwriting people say: "From your handwriting you can tell your character." It's quite true. Like, for example, Bapak's signature is like this. And from that you can tell someone's character, what they are like - because what you do is a reflection of what's inside you, of your character.

Toronto, Canada - September 26, 1977
Code Number : 77 YYZ 3
It is for that reason that in the great religions, men in general are not required to give up all the pleasures of this life, to give up having families, to give up the normal life of man. On the contrary, in the great religions men are generally advised to be normal, to carry out their worship in the way that is laid down in their religion. Besides that, they are required also to practice charity. In other words, to do some sort of social act, whether it be giving alms or zakat to the poor, or giving guidance to those who are ignorant, out of the knowledge or experience that they themselves have acquired. In other words, doing things that will help others, and to give to the poor or to those who are ignorant, what they need. These, then, are the various kinds of efforts that men have made during all of human history, to try to arrive at a freedom from the pressure of the lower forces which would enable them to worship God in a way that is clean and pure.

Chicago, Ill U.S.A. - October 1, 1977
The work of the helpers and committee
Code Number : 77 CHI 2
This, then, is the reality that exists in Subud. So if we can truly give, as helpers, clear explanations to the members, then Subud can really become strong and really spread - not like now, when there are many members maybe just opened, maybe they do the latihan a few weeks and then they already leave because it doesn't seem to mean anything, they don't understand what it is, they don't really have any idea what it's all about. This is really the responsibility and the work of the helpers.

In religion it is not enough just to have faith or to believe. There is also something else that is taught in every religion, and that is the need for charity or what Bapak calls amal. The word amal means to make use of what we have received for the good of others. This is, actually, a pillar of every religion. For example, if we have money, if we need 500 and we happen to have 1000, then out of that extra 500 which is more than what we need, we should give at least 100 to those who need it - and those who need it are, of course, the poor. Or if we happen to be intelligent or well educated, then out of our knowledge and our understanding we should give guidance to those who need it, to those who are ignorant or are in a state of confusion or unable to fend for themselves. This is what is meant by amal.

The normal situation in this world is exactly the opposite - that those who are intelligent and those who are well educated manipulate the ignorant so that they always remain ignorant but serve the interests of those who are intelligent. For example, those who are intelligent are those who are powerful and make schools for those who are, let's say, poor or ignorant - but those schools only teach them how to build houses or how to make this or how to make that so that their skill can then be manipulated and made use of by the wealthy and the powerful for their own use. So these people always remain ignorant and always remain poor, but that their work can be made use of. This has the result that the gap, or the abyss, between those who are intelligent and those who are ignorant is always growing wider and wider because their motivation, their use of what they have, is only for greed and for their own interest and not for the interest of society in general.

This, then, is the importance of what is taught in religion of amal - to make use of what we ourselves have in excess, for the benefit of society in general. In other words, those who need lt. It is only this that can create a society which is stable, which is just, which is prosperous and peaceful and harmonious, for that we need to be able to practice amal - that is, to make use of what we have for the good of others. And if we can do that, then this is truly what is meant in Islam by the words Amal m'aruf nai munkur - that is, an action or a work which breaks through, or destroys, or gets rid of, greed and crime towards society. On the contrary, an action which creates peace and harmony and prosperity - it is this that we have to try to do. For us in Subud, it is something that is already easy, or natural, because we have received the latihan kejiwaan of Subud.

Caracas, Venezuela - October 12, 1977
Code Number : 77 CCS 3
It is clear, then, that the Latihan Kejiwaan as far as our outer life is concerned teaches us to be good people, teaches us to work in a way which does not restrict the freedom of others, or does not oppress others, or does not cause misfortune to others - but, on the other hand, will always bring benefits to other people. This is why in religion also we are always taught to do charity. In other words, to do good works, to do social work, as a balance to our worship of Almighty God, so that there should be two things going in parallel: our worship - that is, the realm of the kejiwaan - and our work in the outer world.

This will be something in Subud later on, when the time comes, we will be able to show - that eventually we will be able also to start social work, projects and undertakings of a charitable nature that will help society round about. So that people will not only have to judge Subud according to the kejiwaan, but also according to its practical results in this world. Quite frankly, Bapak tells you the truth: to understand what Subud is, for someone outside Subud to understand what Subud is, to understand the meaning of the Latihan Kejiwaan, is impossible. Even you yourselves, when you ,try to understand the Latihan Kejiwaan and you try to compare it with this or that method, you only become confused and you do not understand anything. This is why it is necessary for people to see what Subud is - they can only judge it from the outer, that is from the practical results of what we do. Because, as Bapak said earlier, the latihan is something that cannot be understood.

And as Bapak said earlier ( something I left out ): in religion also it is like this. We are taught in religion only to worship God - and that is ail. We don't need to search with our minds and try to understand. It is also the same in the Latihan Kejiwaan. In fact, anything that comes from God cannot be understood: if something really comes from God, then it means that the mind cannot understand it. But we are able to be aware of it. Although we cannot understand it with our minds, we can sense its reality and we can be aware and conscious of it. That is what Bapak has said -that in this latihan we can be aware, we can be happy and we can be peaceful. That already is something not at all trivial; it is something very significant and very deep. Because, although not all the time, but from time to time, we are able to feel a peace within ourselves - and that is very, very rare in this world. As Bapak said, you may think that rich people or powerful people are very happy, but actually they are suffering very much. It's the same with people who are very intelligent or very clever. In fact, they often come to a state where they are so depressed that they just would like to die as quickly as possible.

Perth, Australia - February 15, 1978
Code Number : 78 PER 3
Therefore, by doing enterprises we will also be able to find a place for our own people, to find a sphere of work for our own people, whereby we can place Subud helpers into work as doctors and teachers in hospitals and schools. In other words, people who are Subud helpers but with special qualifications, such as medical qualifications, teachers' qualifications. We can place these people in our own schools, in our own hospitals. And this we can only do if we have already set up these schools and hospitals. That is, schools for retarded children and for poor children, homes for orphans, hospitals of various kinds, old people's homes. All these are things that have been proposed and discussed at our Congresses. But we will never be able to put these into practice while we still rely on contributions. No matter how good or how big these contributions, they will never be enough unless we can do enterprises. And the funds for these social undertakings will be furnished by the enterprises. If we can do that, then Subud will become known, not only by the fact that we worship God but by its reputation for its contribution to social work in all spheres.

This is what is necessary. This is what is right, and this is what is needed. So, we can only receive this if we put into practice the idea of enterprises. We do not want to be people who depend on charity, people who go around asking for money all the time, people who always accept other people's monies and then do something with it. It is right that we should stand on our own feet. It is right that we should furnish our own funds with our own work and then do these various things that Bapak has said. That way, if you can really put this idea of enterprises into practice, you will certainly have your own latihan halls, your own guest houses and have something left over for social work and social undertakings.

Then Subud will become known for its work in this world, for its help to humanity. It will be recognized, accepted, and seen by governments and by people with influence. Actually, this is the way that Subud can become known and can spread. That is why Bapak never allows you to make propaganda for Subud. Propaganda is useless if it is not backed up by reality, if you cannot show what Subud can do. This is why, first of all, we have to learn to stand on our own feet. The first step is to fulfil the needs of your own life, so that at least you, personally, can become an example to society, so that people will have some respect for you and look up to you in some way. That is the beginning of fulfilling, of people seeing what Subud really is.

Sri Lanka - March 13, 1981
The prerequisite for progress
Code Number : 81sri-lanka-1
In religion we are always taught that we should do good to our fellow human beings. We are always taught that in our life we should try to act as well as possible, and live as well as possible, always having an attitude of humanity and good will towards other human beings. In particular, we are taught to practice charity, to look after the poor, to provide help to those who need it, to be aware of people who are suffering in their life, who need help and succor, and to provide them with what they need. The reason why we are told to do this by religion is that we are told that everything we experience in this life which is bad, is not because of God. It is retribution for what we have done in our life, for our own actions which have deviated from the Will of God for us.

In religion, we are provided with charitable activities as a means of atoning for our own mistakes and for those of our ancestors. In other words, through these activities of helping the poor, looking after the sick and so on, there is an opportunity to make up for or to correct the sins which have been committed in the past by our ancestors and by our selves.

The effect of the latihan is to broaden your knowledge, your under standing and your knowledge of this world. In the latihan you can receive many different forms of culture, the different ways of life of human beings all over the world: From this you know that the purpose of the latihan kejiwaan is to broaden your being, to encompass more and more of human life.

This broadening is actually the prerequisite to make progress in the latihan kejiwaan.

The effort of the Power of God in the latihan kejiwaan to broaden our being through all these different sorts of experiences, is what enables us to make progress. We go upwards in the latihan kejiwaan, through this broadening.

It is this broadening that actually leads us to the wish and the need to undertake charity and this work in our society to help others.

It is through this experience that we can go upwards and make the progress in the kejiwaan that Bapak was talking about earlier.

We can move upwards, from the human level, finally to the rohani, to the rahmani, to the rabbani, and eventually, maybe to come to the point where we can receive the Grace of Almighty God directly from Almighty God.

Bapak says that we cannot determine that this will be so. Bapak prays that there will be some among us who will achieve this. Bapak knows that it is possible. Who knows, maybe one or two of us can eventually one day achieve this. It depends only on the Power of God and on you yourself. So, it is clear that it is not impossible for us, if it is God's Will, providing we 'truly provide the conditions within our being for its realization.

Wolfsburg, Germany - April 26, 1981
Code Number : 81 WOB 2
Here lies the value and use of the Subud latihan kejiwaan, which represents guidance, directives and control from God himself. All divine messengers since the time of the faith of Abraham have urged people to acquire a good moral character, not to interfere with the liberty of others, to feel for their fellow-men and to practice charity towards the poor so that the sins of the giver may be forgiven. Such are the precepts of the faith of Abraham. The religions of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad contain similar ones, there is no lack of such exhortations. If you study the precepts of Buddhism which tell how man may purify himself, there is no limit, so very much has been written. There is no way to follow all the instructions given. That is why we, why all of you, are extremely lucky, to have received directly from the power of God, despite the considerable confusion within us, despite our utter lack of purity.

And if Bapak goes on to discuss how the various forces interact within man’s being, you will become all the more convinced of the impossibility of reaching the state of the so-called perfect man, such as the Prophets and Messengers of old. You may see how there are communities in which people only take one bath a year, always wearing clothing of the same color, whether black or yellow, never varying, living far removed from society. Why do they need to do this; Because of their strong desire to purify themselves, to purge themselves of their sinfulness and of the domination of the passions which always influence human lives. The purpose of all this, brothers and sisters, is merely that they should reach a state of both inner and outer purity, purity of the mind, the feelings and the soul.

This is the meaning of service of Almighty God, good actions done through the power of Almighty God. This is what people are seeking, that the more intelligent should give charity in the form of advice to those more backward, that the rich should help the poor or weak, so that the world may be filled with people who are always trying to act in such a way as to help each other, to respect each other, while Subud thus spreads throughout the world and it will not only be Bapak who takes it everywhere – you yourselves will do so too. That is why Bapak has trained Assistant Helpers to aid him in his work. Bapak is giving the latihan, while you as assistant helpers help Bapak's work, so that the world may be truly filled with the Subud latihan kejiwaan, even if not quite everywhere. Then the reward, the Grace of Almighty God, which is vouchsafed to mankind will certainly be received by you.

Sao Paulo, Brazil - May 24, 1981
Why the world is in unrest
Code Number : 81 SAO 1
And that is why Bapak encourages you to do enterprises. Because enterprises are something that grow out of the latihan kejiwaan and they are created by the Power of Almighty God.

The purpose of such enterprises is that, when you succeed in making a profit, when you become rich through your enterprising, you will then know what to do with your wealth.

The purpose of enterprises is not at all to build up great fortunes for yourselves. On the contrary, the purpose is to fulfill the needs of society, the needs of those around you, those who need taking care of.

This is the reason why, in religion, there is a rule or regulation that we have to have charity. In Islam, for example, the zakat fitroh: that is, we have to give to the poor.

This relates to the purpose of our life in this world: to live as one society and to look after each other and to be truly aware of the needs of all human beings.

Doing enterprises, therefore, will in no way be an obstacle for you in your worship of Almighty God in the latihan kejiwaan. On the contrary, it is through enterprises that you will become aware of your responsibilities, your duties in life: your duty to worship God and your duty to serve society and human life.

If you can put this into practice, you are truly building up something which is useful and beneficial for your descendents. You will leave them, first of all, the possibility and ability to worship Almighty God. And, at the same time, the possibility and ability to look after human life in this world.

Hoboken, NJ U.S.A. - July 4, 1981
What real charity is
Code Number : 81 NYC 5
So this is an illustration that when you are guided from within, if you happen to be a film star, you will suddenly be able to portray characters as if you were really them.

And if you are a writer writing fiction, you will be able to write a story which when people read it, it is really as if they were reading something that really happened. They will really enjoy it. It will really be something fascinating for them.

Now, needless to say if you are able to do that you are able to earn a lot of money. I mean a film star like that will be able to get the top salary. Or if you are a writer you will be able, your books will sell a lot of copies. So then from your income you will be able to give some to Subud.

That is what is meant by enterprise, Subud enterprise.

And then Subud will have the possibility of doing its own charitable enterprises with its own money.

That is what we really need to do. Because, frankly, what Bapak just told you earlier that it is good to approach this foundation and that foundation and obtain funds from them to do charitable activities in Subud, well, that is not charity. That is being a channel.

And that's all right but it is not the ideal we are looking for. What is called charity is when, with your own sweat, you make money and that you use it for the benefit of other human beings and for the needs of other people. And this is what Bapak calls carrying out the Will of Almighty God.

Sydney, Australia - May 9, 1982
To know an angel you have to be an angel
Code Number : 82 SYD 1
It is better always to place ourselves at a level that is ordinary. Not like, for example, a doctor, who will declare that his patient will definitely die in two months time as if he had the power over life and death. He does not remember that he himself, when he is called to die by Almighty God, cannot refuse it for one second.

It is clear, brothers and sisters, that this is what is meant by sifat, or the form.

You always have to test everything for yourself. Everything you have to check for yourself and experience for yourself.

And also, never allow yourself to get the feeling that, 'Oh well, life goes on. Whatever I do there will always be another morning, there will always be another night.' Never have that attitude. Always try to protect your life, to make your life as excellent and as perfect as possible. This striving must always be with you.

So there is the content, the zat; the nature or the form, the sifat. And now we come to asma, the work.

The working is an indication of what is within you. So for example, if a person is very intelligent and then does something wrong or something harmful, or does not have a humane attitude or a humane behavior, his goodness or his intelligence - or his professed goodness - is only an imitation. It is only something that he forces himself to do and it's not an expression of his real nature - like that mynah bird that Bapak talked about just now.

And then we come to the result, the a'fal. The result is the effect, what you achieve in your life. How is your life? This is shown in the result. The behavior, the action is what gives away what is inside it. So if you claim to be very perfect, very high, and possessed of extraordinary knowledge and understanding, people will not believe you if it turns out that you have a bath only once a year, that you do not ever change your clothes, that you only wear what people happen to give you because you cannot get your own clothes. You just rely on what people give you out of charity. And you do not have anywhere to sleep. You just sleep by the roadside, or at the foot of the mountain, or wherever you happen to be. Then you claim that you have fantastic knowledge and fantastic understanding. Actually it's ludicrous. And nobody ought to believe you.

Tokyo, Japan - May 30, 1982
Code Number : 82 TYO 2
Brothers and sisters: as you know, Bapak always recommends you to engage in enterprises. These develop naturally out of the latihan kejiwaan, since it requires you to remain ever mindful of the greatness of God while carrying on your business. If therefore, you should develop the enterprise to the point that you become wealthy, powerful and clever, in addition to using your wealth for your own advantage, you may also place it at the disposal of your fellow human-beings, of other people, thus helping to bear the burden of other people's insufficiencies, contributing towards the good fortune of their lives, too. Both Islam and Christianity recommend such charitable acts, what we call in Islam zakat and fitrah. It is necessary and extremely important that such charity should be given to the poor, to those who are in great want for everything. Such charity should not only come out of your monetary sufficiency but also from the abundance of your knowledge and learning if you are a clever person. The more intelligent should try sincerely to assist the more backward. They should not be treated as they are today, in practice resembling slaves to be bought. Workers today are under pressure to strive to increase the wealth of their employers. This is not at all the way matters should be. Those with ……( Remainder of Talk missing ….. )

Wisma Subud, Cilandak, Indonesia - June 27, 1984
Comments on zone one councilor's resolutions
Code Number : 84 CDK 7
We should not mix being a priest with being a street vendor. The two things don't mix. This is why it is very important that when we do business, we don't follow the dictates of the kejiwaan. If we did, and we felt that the person in front of us was really in need, then, based on the kejiwaan, we would give him whatever we have. While in business, of course that is not what you do. In business those who are successful are people - if Bapak may say it, like the Chinese, who are willing to make a profit when they sell not only to someone who is a Subud brother or sister but even to their own brother, or their parents, or their grandparents. They are willing to sell something for three rupiahs that cost them one rupiah. That is the difference between the two things.

This is why a lot of Subud enterprises fail. The people who do them rely too much on what they receive in their testing.

This is why Bapak advises you in your enterprise to trade in the way people trade. Don't connect it with the kejiwaan. Just do it in the normal way. It doesn't mean that you will always make a profit; you may also make a loss. But you may sometimes make very big profits. The difference is that in the kejiwaan we have to be truthful, we have to be honest. For that reason, the kejiwaan is more akin to charity, to the social attitude whereby if there is a need, we give. It is very different from the business attitude. Therefore the two things have to be kept strictly separate.

In Subud too, in the kejiwaan we are more charitable than businesslike. If you look at the example of building a latihan hall from the business point of view, you would say, "If this latihan hall stands for ten years, how much profit will we make out of it?" That's the business attitude. But in the kejiwaan, we don't have anything like that. You look at it from the point of view of the need. That is charity. That is the reason why charity is generally not taxed, because in a charity you give more than you receive. Business is taxed because in general you expect to receive more than you give. This is very important - in business you should always look at something and say, "If I buy this, if I do this, if I spend this... what will my profit be?" Never say, "If I spend this, how much will my loss be?" You must always be calculating the profit. If there is no profit, don't do it.

But in the kejiwaan it is not like that. In the kejiwaan, you just break even. You say, "Okay, how much do I need in order to stay alive?" For example, if in the kejiwaan if you have a hundred rupiahs, you are quite happy if that hundred rupiahs remains a hundred rupiahs. As long as you can stay alive, as long as you can eat and sleep, that's enough. That is why in Subud if you have done the latihan for a long time and your kejiwaan has reached a reasonable level, the chances are you prefer not working to working. You don't feel the need to work very hard as long as you can survive. "Why should I work extra hard if I can already live?" But in business you would never have that attitude. In business you would always want to make the maximum amount of profit. If you have a hundred rupiahs today, you say to yourself, "In ten years this must become ten thousand rupiahs." But in the kejiwaan it is not like that. In the kejiwaan you are still happy to have a hundred rupiahs at the end often years, as long as you manage to make ends meet during that time. It is a completely different attitude.

Amen. Bapak Muhammad-Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo