Question: What should our attitude be towards our job in terms of our position as a disciple and the mission itself? Very often I wonder whether the work that I am doing has any relation to my being a disciple.

Sri Chinmoy: As long as I want you to work, if you have a job, you can rest assured that I am responsible. I have asked quite a few disciples to enter into specific businesses. In your case, I have told you that when the time comes I will tell you what to do. As long as I want you to do your present work, please feel that it is not standing in the way of your spiritual life. If one is sincere and wants to serve my mission, and if I see that that person is being hampered by undivine forces at his job, then I will definitely ask him to change his job. Right now you only have to feel that you are working because it is necessary for you to support yourself and to keep some discipline in your life.

Also, when you support our mission with your money-power, money becomes at that time a divine instrument. But you have to know that money will not be able to bind me. Material wealth will never be able to bind me. What will be able to bind me is the love, devotion and surrender of the disciples. If you give me millions of dollars — which you don't have — or if you buy me a large piece of property or give me the Empire State Building, my divine hunger, infinite hunger for the manifestation of the Supreme, will not be satisfied. Only if devotion and dedication come will I be fully satisfied.

Those who are offering their money with a dedicated consciousness are naturally helping my mission. I am not condemning or belittling those who are giving. Far from it. They are doing a great service, but this service counts only if they are doing it with devotion and dedication. Otherwise, just to give me large sums of money will be of no benefit to them. If somebody gives me thousands of dollars in the hope that he will be able to keep my mouth shut, that I will not warn him or scold him, it will be of no use. If you try it, you will see. No real spiritual Master can be bound by money. You can give me millions of dollars, and the next day you will be asked to leave the Centre if you do something wrong. But you can make me your devoted slave at every moment if you give me one cent with dedication and devotion. If you can give me one cent with dedication and devotion, I will be able to place that at the Feet of the Supreme immediately. But if you give just to feel your own importance or to make me feel that you are very great, then you will not be able to make spiritual progress or inner progress.

The other day when you sold your motorcycle, you gave me the money with utmost dedication, with your utmost sincerity. If you had not given it that way, I would not have accepted it. I do not need your love-offerings. If I give up my spiritual work, I can go back to work at the Indian Consulate. My position is secure there. And if I continue my literary work, I can support myself with my writings. I do not have to shoulder the responsibilities of a big family. But since I am your spiritual father, when you give devotedly to the Centre, you are giving not to me, but to the Supreme in me.