Swami Kriyananda’s humorous song The Philosopher and the Boatman begins with the lyrics
“The way to perfection is narrow and steep. The bypaths are many, the pitfalls are deep.
By theory alone, many think to arrive. Here’s one who could teach them—if he were alive!”
With a deft ear for dialog, and good-natured poking at the philosopher’s puffed-up sense of self, Swamiji illustrates both the pride of learning, and, as the ferry crossing turns stormy, its utter irrelevance.
The song draws towards a watery end with these lines:
“The boatman regrets to say his fare never reached the opposite bank.
All that pond’rous learning inside his head gave him weight, you see, and he sank…”
In a light-hearted manner, Swamji’s song illustrates the topics of the last two readings from Rays of the One Light; last week’s “How High Should We Aspire” and our reading from this week; “Perfection is Self-Transcendence”
Last week, the Bible quote was from St. Matthew, Chapter 5:
“I say unto you, That except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees”, you shall in no case enter unto the kingdom of heaven.”
which continues this week:
“Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you….
And concludes with:
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which in heaven is perfect.”
Perfection? Self-transcendence? “This is a tall order! Am I ready for it”, we ask? Yes, take heart! As Swami Kriyananda’s guru, Paramhansa Yogananda said, “A saint is a sinner who never gave up!”
Join us this Sunday as we explore the way to perfection, and how to bypass the bypaths and pitfalls on our way to ever-greater awareness in our higher Self!