Prayer, its Nature & Technique - Kirpal Singh

APPENDIX PRAYER B DEFINED — SIMRANSimilarly, the Chinese have invented what iscalled the “Wheel of Prayer.” If it is once putin motion it makes about a thousand rounds.They transcribe a mantra or a holy hymn ona piece of paper and put it on the wheel andset it into motion and feel satisfied that theyhave repeated the holy name a thousand times— but to no avail. Simran done parrot-like byrepeating a mantra thousands of times in thisway cannot bear any fruit.Among orthodox Hindus there is a practiceof writing the word “Ram, Ram” or the Word ofGod on paper in thousands every day. Aftersome time they scissor down each word “Ram”and put it in a pill of flour and consign the saidpills to the waters of some running stream, andbelieve that they have gained religious merit. Itgives only a little remembrance of Ram. If onewere to tell them that real Ram is within them,they would not believe it. So they neither findRam nor do they get any substantial thing.Similarly, Purbias (an orthodox sect whoattach great importance to outer rituals and try toperform the same with religious faith) generallytake a bath early in the morning in the watersof a running stream, as an act of religiousmerit. Once a few Purbias went to Kabul inAfghanistan (a hilly country to the northeastof India) where the weather is generally verycold. Here one of them went for a bath in the223