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O。M。 That is pleasant and convenient； if true。 When you
speak of 〃my body〃 who is the 〃my〃？
Y。M。 It is the 〃me。〃
O。M。 The body is a property then； and the Me owns it。
Who is the Me？
Y。M。 The Me is THE WHOLE THING； it is a common property； an
undivided ownership； vested in the whole entity。
O。M。 If the Me admires a rainbow； is it the whole Me that
admires it； including the hair； hands； heels； and all？
Y。M。 Certainly not。 It is my MIND that admires it。
O。M。 So YOU divide the Me yourself。 Everybody does；
everybody must。 What； then； definitely； is the Me？
Y。M。 I think it must consist of just those two parts
the body and the mind。
O。M。 You think so？ If you say 〃I believe the world is round；〃
who is the 〃I〃 that is speaking？
Y。M。 The mind。
O。M。 If you say 〃I grieve for the loss of my father；〃
who is the 〃I〃？
Y。M。 The mind。
O。M。 Is the mind exercising an intellectual function when
it examines and accepts the evidence that the world is round？
Y。M。 Yes。
O。M。 Is it exercising an intellectual function when it
grieves for the loss of your father？
Y。M。 That is not cerebration； brain…work； it is a matter of FEELING。
O。M。 Then its source is not in your mind； but in your MORAL territory？
Y。M。 I have to grant it。
O。M。 Is your mind a part of your PHYSICAL equipment？
Y。M。 No。 It is independent of it； it is spiritual。
O。M。 Being spiritual； it cannot be affected by physical influences？
Y。M。 No。
O。M。 Does the mind remain sober with the body is drunk？
Y。M。 Wellno。
O。M。 There IS a physical effect present； then？
Y。M。 It looks like it。
O。M。 A cracked skull has resulted in a crazy mind。 Why
should it happen if the mind is spiritual； and INDEPENDENT of
physical influences？
Y。M。 WellI don't know。
O。M。 When you have a pain in your foot； how do you know it？
Y。M。 I feel it。
O。M。 But you do not feel it until a nerve reports the hurt
to the brain。 Yet the brain is the seat of the mind； is it not？
Y。M。 I think so。
O。M。 But isn't spiritual enough to learn what is happening
in the outskirts without the help of the PHYSICAL messenger？ You
perceive that the question of who or what the Me is； is not a
simple one at all。 You say 〃I admire the rainbow；〃 and 〃I
believe the world is round；〃 and in these cases we find that the
Me is not speaking； but only the MENTAL part。 You say； 〃I
grieve；〃 and again the Me is not all speaking； but only the MORAL
part。 You say the mind is wholly spiritual； then you say 〃I have
a pain〃 and find that this time the Me is mental AND spiritual
combined。 We all use the 〃I〃 in this indeterminate fashion；
there is no help for it。 We imagine a Master and King over what
you call The Whole Thing； and we speak of him as 〃I；〃 but when we
try to define him we find we cannot do it。 The intellect and the
feelings can act quite INDEPENDENTLY of each other； we recognize
that； and we look around for a Ruler who is master over both； and
can serve as a DEFINITE AND INDISPUTABLE 〃I；〃 and enable us to
know what we mean and who or what we are talking about when we
use that pronoun； but we have to give it up and confess that we
cannot find him。 To me； Man is a machine； made up of many
mechanisms； the moral and mental ones acting automatically in
accordance with the impulses of an interior Master who is built
out of born…temperament and an accumulation of multitudinous
outside influences and trainings； a machine whose ONE function is
to secure the spiritual contentment of the Master； be his desires
good or be they evil； a machine whose Will is absolute and must
be obeyed； and always IS obeyed。
Y。M。 Maybe the Me is the Soul？
O。M。 Maybe it is。 What is the Soul？
Y。M。 I don't know。
O。M。 Neither does any one else。
The Master Passion
Y。M。 What is the Master？or； in common speech； the
Conscience？ Explain it。
O。M。 It is that mysterious autocrat； lodged in a man； which
compels the man to content its desires。 It may be called the
Master Passionthe hunger for Self…Approval。
Y。M。 Where is its seat？
O。M。 In man's moral constitution。
Y。M。 Are its commands for the man's good？
O。M。 It is indifferent to the man's good； it never concerns
itself about anything but the satisfying of its own desires。 It
can be TRAINED to prefer things which will be for the man's good；
but it will prefer them only because they will content IT better
than other things would。
Y。M。 Then even when it is trained to high ideals it is still
looking out for its own contentment； and not for the man's good。
O。M。 True。 Trained or untrained； it cares nothing for the man's good；
and never concerns itself about it。
Y。M。 It seems to be an IMMORAL force seated in the man's
moral constitution。
O。M。 It is a COLORLESS force seated in the man's moral constitution。
Let us call it an instincta blind； unreasoning instinct； which cannot
and does not distinguish between good morals and bad ones； and cares
nothing for results to the man provided its own contentment be secured；
and it will ALWAYS secure that。
Y。M。 It seeks money； and it probably considers that that is
an advantage for the man？
O。M。 It is not always seeking money； it is not always
seeking power； nor office； nor any other MATERIAL advantage。 In
ALL cases it seeks a SPIRITUAL contentment； let the MEANS be what
they may。 Its desires are determined by the man's temperament
and it is lord over that。 Temperament； Conscience；
Susceptibility； Spiritual Appetite； are； in fact； the same thing。
Have you ever heard of a person who cared nothing for money？
Y。M。 Yes。 A scholar who would not leave his garret and his
books to take a place in a business house at a large salary。
O。M。 He had to satisfy his masterthat is to say； his temperament；
his Spiritual Appetiteand it preferred books to money。 Are there
other cases？
Y。M。 Yes； the hermit。
O。M。 It is a good instance。 The hermit endures solitude；
hunger； cold； and manifold perils； to content his autocrat； who
prefers these things； and prayer and contemplation； to money or
to any show or luxury that money can buy。 Are there others？
Y。M。 Yes。 The artist； the poet； the scientist。
O。M。 Their autocrat prefers the deep pleasures of these
occupations； either well paid or ill paid； to any others in the
market； at any price。 You REALIZE that the Master Passionthe
contentment of the spiritconcerns itself with many things
besides so…called material advantage； material prosperity； cash；
and all that？
Y。M。 I think I must concede it。
O。M。 I believe you must。 There are perhaps as many
Temperaments that would refuse the burdens and vexations and
distinctions of public office as there are that hunger after
them。 The one set of Temperaments seek the contentment of the
spirit； and that alone； and this is exactly the case with the
other set。 Neither set seeks anything BUT the contentment of the
spirit。 If the one is sordid； both are sordid； and equally so；
since the end in view is precisely the same in both cases。 And
in both cases Temperament decides the preferenceand Temperament
is BORN； not made。
Conclusion
O。M。 You have been taking a holiday？
Y。M。 Yes； a mountain tramp covering a week。 Are you ready to talk？
O。M。 Quite ready。 What shall we begin with？
Y。M。 Well； lying abed resting up； two days and nights； I
have thought over all these talks； and passed them carefully in
review。 With this result： that 。 。 。 that 。 。 。 are you
intending to publish your notions about Man some day？
O。M。 Now and then； in these past twenty years； the Master
inside of me has half…intended to order me to set them to paper
and publish them。 Do I have to tell you why the order has
remained unissued； or can you explain so simply a thing without
my help？
Y。M。 By your doctrine； it is simplicity itself： outside
influences moved your interior Master to give the order； stronger
outside influences deterred him。 Without the outside influences；
neither of these impulses could ever have been born； since a
person's brain is incapable or originating an idea within itself。
O。M。 Correct。 Go on。
Y。M。 The matter of publishing or withholding is still in your
Master's hands。 If some day an outside influence shall determine
him to publish； he will give the order； and it will be obeyed。
O。M。 That is correct。 Well？
Y。M。 Upon reflection I have arrived at the conviction
that the publication of your doctrines would be harmful。
Do you pardon me？
O。M。 Pardon YOU？ You have done nothing。 You are an
instrumenta speaking…trumpet。 Speaking…trumpets are not
responsible for what is said through them。 Outside influence