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A Record of Meetings held by P.D. Ouspensky - HolyBooks.com

A Record of Meetings held by P.D. Ouspensky - HolyBooks.com

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New York. 1944 (?)MR. O. Devil is very important. Some people think he is symbolic. Ialways thought he is very concrete. And I was very glad to hear it wasaccepted so <strong>by</strong> the system. . . . He works through considering, negativeemotions, imagination. But if you fight against these dangers, you aresafe. You are taught to fight against dangers, before you are taughtwhere they <strong>com</strong>e from.Q . Is the devil in back <strong>of</strong> the moon?MR. O. No, you make a very easy devil. He is much cleverer.Q . Devil must mean embodiment <strong>of</strong> evil?MR. O. Quite right. But with purpose. Before you think about purpose,you cannot say anything about the devil. No devil can keep you fromself-remembering, if you work. If you don't, anyone can prevent you.The devil has so many faces, there are so many legends about him. Ifyou study tales, it would help.Q . He wanted to be as great as God?MR. O. No, the devil has many different ambitions, not only to beGod. It is—I don't know—too small. . . . He is real, quite real. It isnot the system; it is my opinion.[Here followed Kril<strong>of</strong>f's fable <strong>of</strong> the Monk and the Egg which isbriefly as follows: There was a monk who lived in a very strictmonastery. He did not like it, and one day during Lent managed to getan egg. Very pleased, he took the egg to his cell, and when night camethought he would cheat the abbot and have a nice meal. He lit a candleand began to cook the egg over the flame. Suddenly the door openedand the abbot stood there looking at him. Terrified, the monk cried,'Forgive me, I do not know how I could have done such a thing, thedevil tempted me.' But the devil jumped out from behind the stove,shouting indignantly, 'This is quite unfair, I have only this minutelearned from you how to cook eggs <strong>by</strong> candle flame, I did not know itcould be done.']Q . Why is he so powerful?

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