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The Externalization of the Hierarchy - Section III - Forces behind the Evolutionary Process
This matter of being in a position to receive, and then be the agents of, enlightenment is an intensely practical matter. It is hoped that the response will be so real that it will constitute a great and uniform activity which will leave no single thinking person untouched, which will put the responsibility of establishing right human relations upon the shoulders of the men and women of goodwill, and not on the shoulders of the unthinking, undeveloped and suffering masses. This is a major point to bear in mind. If the thinking and executive people of the world can have their minds "illumined" by the spirit of wisdom and understanding, they can act as distributors of that light through enlightened planning and legislation, and thus affect the entire world. This is the immediate opportunity ahead, and when I say "immediate" I refer to the coming five days of the Wesak Festival. This should have a pronounced effect upon the San Francisco Conference. I also refer to the next five years, with their five Wesak Festivals on five May Full Moons. This year will mark a climaxing effort in the long relation of the Buddha to humanity. Year by year, since He left the earth, He has come back to humanity, bringing light and blessing. Year by year, He has released this light and has presented opportunity to the Forces of Enlightenment to strengthen Their hold upon the minds of men. The success of Their effort has been so great that it has led to the crescendo of knowledge, to the glory of modern science and to the widespread education which has distinguished the past five hundred years. Knowledge is the hallmark of our civilization; it has often been knowledge misapplied and [467] dedicated to the selfishness of men, but it has been an impersonal thing personally applied; this must end. Now another phase of that light can begin to demonstrate as the result of the past, and that is Wisdom. Wisdom is the enlightened application of knowledge, through love, to the affairs of men. It is understanding, pouring out everywhere as the result of experience. I call you, therefore, everyone, to a great service of demand and of invocation on behalf of humanity - a demand for the inflow of light upon the decisions of men. I would ask you to request and expect the needed enlightenment for those who have to make decision on behalf of men everywhere. Your individual enlightenment has nothing to do with this demand. It is a selfless motive which is required and which must lie behind your individual and group demand. You are demanding enlightenment and illumined perception for those who have to guide the destiny of races, nations and world groups. On their shoulders lies the responsibility to take wise action, based on world understanding, in the interests of international cooperation, and in the establishment of right human relations. Throughout the month of April, until May first, the realization of this is a major duty. To the support of the Forces of Enlightenment I call all today. As individuals, you must work for an open and receptive mind, free from prejudice or national bias; as individuals, you need to think in broader terms and of the one world and the one humanity. The mass of right-thinking and convinced demand which you, who seek to serve the Christ, can throw behind the men legislating for the world, can bring great results and can release the Forces of Enlightenment in a new and potent manner. Concentration upon the work to be done is of such importance and will call for such practical activities that I will write no more at this time. I desire to keep the immediate issue clear. We will deal later with the Forces of Reconstruction. I would like to close this message with some [468] words which I wrote many years ago. They express the needed attitude and orientation: I ask you to drop your antagonisms and your antipathies, your hatreds and your racial differences, and attempt to think in terms of the one family, the one Life and the one humanity.
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