The Advent (Page 2 of 4)

The Avatar gives us the precepts we need and if men were to follow them, there would be no need for him to repeat his appearances. However, humanity being steeped in the slumber of illusion, he comes to get us out of illusion-consciousness and help us march towards Reality-Consciousness. The grip of illusion is so tight on us that no amount of our determination to follow the path of righteousness, allows us to stay on that path. So time and again he returns to put us back on the path of righteousness from which we have slipped.

His coming in our midst and laying down precepts to guide us, does help for the time being, but gradually the influence fades away and he has to make another appearance. This fading away of the influence is all because he likes his Divine Game. He wants to come in our midst and be with us. This is what I have been made to understand by Meher Baba.

Meher Baba has given us to understand that he is the same Ancient One, who comes again and again in our midst as a man amongst men, and whatever difference may exist among the appearances of the Avatar is not a difference in substance but in the mask he has to wear each time Reality descends into illusion. Only the material of the camouflage is different. Sometimes he seems to be a great warrior, sometimes a great peacemaker, sometimes he is the one who promotes brotherhood, purity and honesty, and according to circumstances, he manifests the traits which are required for the times.

This has happened millions upon millions of occasions, but we stick to a handful of Advents recorded in the past, and we try to compare them. But the only comparison that can be made is the external form, which keeps changing; otherwise he is the same Ancient One who functions as Redeemer, Saviour, Messenger, Messiah. He may be called by different names but he stations himself on all planes of consciousness. He is the Highest of the High and the lowest of the low, simultaneously. He is on all levels; all planes and his functions vary according to the circumstances and the needs of humanity.

In each Advent it is the same one Truth, which becomes the message. If there were two Truths, the Truth would not stand its ground because Truth by itself is one and only one. It is spoken in different languages in different Advents and explained according to the level of consciousness that humanity possesses at each particular time, and for this the Ancient One uses metaphors and parables to fit the particular circumstances of the Advent and he also shows us different ways to live that one Truth according to the times.

The Avatar is always referred to as He — instead of It — or the Reality — and this is so because the Reality always dons the male human form. Therefore we always use the masculine gender in referring to the Avatar; we say his coming again and again in our midst.

Now what need is there for the Avatar to come so many times? It is all his Divine Game. It is the divine game of hide-and-seek that takes place wherein he continues to remain hidden. There is a continuous process of seeking and being sought, and he being infinite, the whole of existence revolves around this reality which is infinite. The game goes on and on without any end except at the time when there is total dissolution (mahapralaya), and even then it is not the end because there is no end to this beginningless beginning.

The Avatar gives us the precepts we need and if men were to follow them, there would be no need for him to repeat his appearances. However, humanity being steeped in the slumber of illusion, he comes to get us out of illusion-consciousness and help us march towards Reality-Consciousness. The grip of illusion is so tight on us that no amount of our determination to follow the path of righteousness, allows us to stay on that path. So time and again he returns to put us back on the path of righteousness from which we have slipped.

His coming in our midst and laying down precepts to guide us, does help for the time being, but gradually the influence fades away and he has to make another appearance. This fading away of the influence is all because he likes his Divine Game. He wants to come in our midst and be with us. This is what I have been made to understand by Meher Baba.