Is the Master's love enough?

There was once a very great spiritual Master who lived in the United States. He had many disciples, and he showed them great affection and love.

One day, while he was preparing some correspondence in his room, he called in one of his disciples to do some filing. After a few minutes the disciple said, "Master, you are my Lord, you are my Supreme. You always show me boundless love and affection."

"Then why isn't my love enough for you, my son?"

"What do you mean, Master? When have I said that your love is not enough for me?"

"If you really felt that I am your All, that I am everything to you, then you would need nobody but me. Sometimes I don't know whether you love me or your girlfriend more."

"Master, today I am being so sincere with you. Why are you not serious with me?"

"Son, how many times today did you think of your girlfriend and how many times did you think of me?"

"Well, Master, perhaps I do think of her. But what is wrong with it?"

"Son, even if you drink in her beauty mentally you are caught. You have no idea how your consciousness falls each time you appreciate her in this way. You fall from your highest spiritual height."

"Master, I had no idea I was doing this."

"My child, if you do this even unconsciously, then you are no different from an unaspiring person. This is what people in the ordinary life do all the time. On the mental plane their vital life is going on constantly."

"So Master, what should I do now?"

"Son, you need to be more consciously aware of that part of your vital world which you are holding onto and not giving to me."

"Master, you always say that I am absolutely open and sincere with you. I have told you everything about my past life and my present problems. What am I holding back from you?"

"Unfortunately, the things that I am speaking about are on the unconscious level, just like what I pointed out today. Even from your past there are many things which you have not told me because you have forgotten them."

"But Master, if I do not remember something, how can I offer it to you?"

"Pray that these things will come forward to your conscious awareness. But even if you cannot bring these things forward, do not worry. I will work with what you have given me and can give me to give you your realisation, revelation and manifestation. And there is something else you can do."

"What is that, Master?"

"My son, love me more."

"Master, I love you with all my heart and soul."

"If you really loved me then you would make yourself strong vitally and mentally. You would fight against these thoughts and you would throw all these lower forces into me for purification. You have to say that you need only me — my Love, my affection — in your life. Son, I am giving you my infinite Love. There is nothing more I can do to show my boundless affection and concern for you. Now you have to feel that my Love is enough for you and not look to anyone else for love."

"Master, these things are so difficult."

"Difficult, but not impossible. One has to do the difficult thing, my son. God-realisation is a difficult task."

"Master, I am a little confused. Lately you have been telling me that I have been making excellent inner progress."

"Son, when you throw off this vital weakness, then your progress will be uninterrupted. You will run absolutely the fastest."

"Then how long will this purification take?"

"It depends on your aspiration. It can take a few years or one incarnation or God knows how many incarnations."

"Master, it seems as if I should pay less attention to purifying my vital life and be more concerned with my spiritual life."

"Son, the purification of your vital cannot be separated from your spiritual life."

"But Master, still the problem is not solved."

"Son, is this not one of the major problems of life? I have been helping you and I will continue to help you out of my infinite Compassion. Remember that when I tell you to do something in your inner life or outer life, I give you the necessary strength. In your case I assure you, my efforts will definitely bear fruit. We shall undoubtedly succeed."