[1] REVELATION

The monks of a neighboring monastery asked the Master's help in a quarrel that had arisen among them. They had heard the Master say he had a technique that was guaranteed to bring love and harmony to any group.

On this occasion he revealed it: "Any time you are with anyone or think of anyone you must say to yourself: I am dying and this person too is dying, attempting the while to experience the truth of the words you are saying. If every one of you agrees to practice this, bitterness will die out, harmony will arise."

Having said that, he was gone.

[2] FLOW

When it became clear that the Master was going to die, the disciples were depressed.

Said the Master smilingly, "Don't you see that death gives loveliness to life?"

"No. We'd much rather you never died."

"Whatever is truly alive must die. Look at the flowers; only plastic flowers never die."

[3] HEALING

To a distressed person who came to him for help the Master said, "Do you really want a cure"

"If I did not, would I bother to come to you?"

"Oh yes Most people do."

"What for?"

"Not for a cure. That's painful. For relief."

To his disciples the Master said, "People who want a cure, provided they can have it without pain, are like those who favour progress, provided they can have it without change."

Anthony de Mello, an Indian Jesuist priest, was an great 'sythesizer' of religious traditions, and was later, for all his beautiful work, censured by the Vatican. I suppose speaking truth is deeply disturbing to the entrenched dogma.