DISCOURSES Volume II - Avatar Meher Baba Trust

48 DISCOURSESservice becomes, the more welcome it is for the disciple, and as hevoluntarily accepts physical and mental suffering in his devotedservice to the Master, he experiences the bliss of spiritualfulfillment.The sense of undivided and absolute loyalty to the Masteris made possible by the right understanding of what the Master isand what he really stands for. If the disciple has an imperfect graspCases of conflictof the true status and function of the Master, heis likely to set up a false antithesis between hisown higher Self and the Master. As a consequence of thisantithesis he might create in his mind an artifical and imaginaryconflict between the claims of the Master and other claims whichseem legitimate. A disciple should realise from the very beginningthe Master only requires that the disciple should realise his ownhigher Self. In fact, the Master symbolises this higher Self of thedisciple and is none other than this higher Self which is the sameone reality in all. So, allegiance to the Master is only another formof allegiance to one's higher Self. This does not mean, however,that merely formal allegiance to the higher Self is in any way anadequate substitute for allegiance to the Master. The disciplecannot have a clear perception of his own higher self until he isGod-realised and often that which comes to him as his duty isreally a prompting of some sanskaras interpolating themselvesbetween the higher Self and his field of consciousness. The Masteron the contrary is one with the higher Self and can make nomistake about right valuation.The disciple therefore must always test his own promptingsby means of the standards or orders given by the Master, and in theCases of conflictevent of any conflict between the two, heshould thoroughly re-examine his own ideas to