Question: Does each spiritual Master have a different path, or are the differences between paths due simply to personality differences?

Sri Chinmoy: Each Master has a specific path. It is not actually his personality. The Master has been ordained by the Inner Pilot to have a path of his own, and if seekers are suitable for his path, then naturally he will take them as his disciples. Now, you may say that each Master has a way of dealing with the disciples according to the Master’s own individuality and personality. But this individuality is not the human individuality, the human ego. Again, it is not the personality or individuality of the Master that separates or creates the paths. It is the Will of the Supreme that commands each Master to have a path of his own. The Master just executes the Will of the Supreme, who says, “I want your path to be the path of love, devotion and surrender,” or “I want your path to be based on mysticism,” or “I want your path to follow Kundalini Yoga.” So the Supreme deals with each individual Master in His own Way. The Masters are exponents or channels.

The Supreme may tell the Master, “When the time comes, accept this particular disciple.” The Supreme does not necessarily say this according to the seeker’s present way of approaching the Truth. The sincere seeker himself may not yet know which path to follow. Again, if it is the Will of the Supreme, the Master will definitely tell a seeker, “My path is not meant for you.” But he will usually not be able to direct the seeker to somebody else’s path, for he is not in a position to say anything.

It is like this. Suppose I find it difficult to accept a seeker into my path. I will not be able to tell him to go to a given Master, in spite of knowing that this is the kind of path he should follow. This is because he might go there and the Master might not accept him. There may not necessarily be any personality conflict between the Master and the seeker. It is only that the different paths are run in different ways. So a Master of a particular path may not accept someone who I feel may benefit from that Master.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The spiritual journey: oneness in diversity, Agni Press, 1977
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