A Talk before the Agni Yoga Society, March 22, 1973, by Melanie U. Adams
Presented before the Agni Yoga Society, November 3, 2015
1."I do not like to talk about reward for labor, but the remuneration will not be delayed." Illumination, III:I:5, p. 159
"Expect Our Help at every moment. Know that no reward should be expected. Earthly rewards are not for you." The Call, 331.
2. The Apostle Paul once made a statement which has since become famous. He said "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." (I Corinthians, 13:11) The expectation of reward is, I feel sure, one of the "childish ways" that Paul put behind him —and one that we, too, relinquish when we learn to think and act like adults.
The habits of childhood are so deeply impressed upon us that when we grow up we go right on applying the same rules to ourselves that our parents did. The good child is rewarded, the bad child is punished. Lacking an authority, other than ourselves, to pronounce these decrees, we act as our own judge and jury. I heard a lady remark once, "I know I shouldn't nibble, but after I have done a good piece of work, I feel so virtuous that I reward myself with a snack." We also punish ourselves. Psychiatrists tell us that sometimes the feelings of guilt in people are so strong that in order to punish themselves they unconsciously induce blindness or paralysis. This type of self-judgment continues in most of us until we outgrow our childish ways. Many of us are helped out of our childish thinking by the Law of Karma.
3. Nothing in life happens accidentally. Good fortune and bad are the results of our own acts and thoughts (and in the Teaching we learn that thoughts are acts). It would be more accurate, perhaps, to replace the words "reward" and "punishment" with the word "effect", as in "cause and effect". Blessings and misfortunes, both, are fruits of past actions. They are results. I prefer the word "effect" because it suggests neither pride nor shame. Pride in reward and shame on account of punishment are unfitting for disciples on the quest of spiritual freedom. Self-praise and self-accusation are sterile occupations. Self-analysis and self-study on the other hand are constructive. The habit of looking back in search of the events which lead up to any given event, happy or unfortunate, is helpful. What actions—including thoughts—were involved? Were they constructive? Was there sincere disinterestedness? Don't feel smug, and don't scold yourself either. Simply try to find the cause, in a calm and disinterested way.
4. As we seek guidance in our efforts to gain the freedom from expectation of reward let us ponder these ideas from the Teaching.
The following passage from Foundations of Buddhism, pp.100-101, by Helena Roerich, helps us through the difficult questions related to spiritual ambition. "All these changes of forms or of existence lead toward one goal—the attainment of Nirvana; it means the full development of all possibilities contained in the human organism. But Buddhism teaches the cognizance and creation of good, independent of this aim, since the contrary would be absolute egoism, and such speculation is foredoomed to disappointment. As it is said, Nirvana is the epitome of disinterestedness, complete renunciation of all that is personal for the sake of truth. An ignorant man dreams and strives to Nirvana, without any realization of its true essence. To create good with the view of gaining results or to lead a disciplined life for the attainment of liberation is not the noble path ordained by Gotama. Without thought of reward or achievement life must be crossed, and such a life is the greatest. The state of Nirvana may be attained by man in his earthly life." Here the Buddha banishes all doubt concerning the unwisdom of ambition for spiritual achievement, and reward therefor. "Without thought of reward or achievement life must be crossed, and such a life is the greatest." Our speculations, then, about the possibilities of such and such an act bringing "good karma" are "foredoomed to disappointment." And so we are left with the paradox—our only reward is the condition of disinterestedness which is the state of expecting no reward.
"He who struggles in the interest of self, so that he himself may be great or powerful or rich or famous, will have no reward, but he who struggles for righteousness and truth, will have great reward, for even his defeat will be a victory." Foundations of Buddhism, p. 70
5. Actions prompted by self-interest do not bring real satisfaction. Selfish people are seldom happy, whereas people convinced of the rightness of their work are almost invariably happy. "Rightness" is usually gauged by the absence of selfishness. A person struggling for "rightness" is always victorious, because he is disinterested. He cannot be defeated, even though he may fail in his immediate goal.
6. "Most harmful will be the belief that all is given and without reward," Agni Yoga, 332. Rephrased, I think this means that anyone who feels martyred about giving, and not being rewarded for it, is harming himself. The harvest will be poor from this type of thought.
The Master goes on to say, "Let us not forget that, knowing the goal, one can walk. But to count the number of stones upon which the precious foot treads is the step of a goose....Not a single Teacher believed that his work was done and merited reward." Agni Yoga, 332.
"Each good deed performed by us receives its own reward". (Letters of Helena Roerich II, November 26, 1935, p. 79) which is to say, each action creates its own result. Perhaps it cancels some previous debt, thus averting some unhappiness otherwise to be suffered. Perhaps it creates indebtedness from another, a bit of happiness in the ban, so to speak, for future use. But the "reward", or the karma, is inevitable, as inevitable as the Law of Karma.
7. "For him who wishes an easy life it is better not to live. Let him not think about the Higher World who willfully demands rewards for his merits. Whoever reckons wealth in the material world is a pauper in the Higher World." Aum, 190.
Here I believe the word "reward" is being used in the material sense only. Worldly wealth is not bestowed in response to willful demands. Demanding rewards for one's merits is certainly not the way to obtain them. Faith in the good result which inevitably follows right thought and right action will surely insure all the material wealth that is good for you. Maybe this will mean great riches, maybe not. But you may be sure it will suffice. And if we reckon wealth in this material world as the only wealth, we are paupers in the Higher World.
8. And then, seemingly in contradiction to all the foregoing, we are suddenly told that every self-sacrifice will be rewarded. "I will bestow on each according to his merit. The greater contributor will receive the more. I will reward every self-sacrifice." Illumination, I:XI:5, p.29
This can be understood in several ways. It can be taken to mean that the greater contributor, by his very effort, places himself closer to the Teacher, and therefore becomes more accessible to Him. It can also be understood in the more general sense, that the greater the contribution, the greater the effort, and thus the larger understanding and satisfaction in the work. Perhaps, after all, the contradiction is not so great.
9. Nevertheless, in general, on the basis of the foregoing, it looks as though we would do well to renounce the expectation of reward. However, there is something very close to reward which we may not only expect, but upon which we may rely completely—and that is Help.
Almost every page of the Teaching assures us of Help from the Hierarchy. "Expect Our Help at every moment." (The Call, 331) "I will help, I will help, but add your own efforts." (The Call, 230) "Amidst strife and sorrow My Shield is over you." (The Call, 235) "I shall help those who seek." (The Call, 63) "Naught occurs by accident. My Power is with you." (The Call, 78) And so on throughout the Teaching.
10. In closing I share this thought. As Jesus told His disciples when He said, "I am the door" (St. John, 10:9) so do all true Teachings stress the importance of a Teacher. They tell us that without a Teacher we are like skiffs at sea. The Teacher is our Guide, our Assurance of a safe passage through Eternity, our Door into the fold of the Good Shepherd. Master M. is our Door. Does one ask reward for being invited through the door of the Teaching into a happy life?
Addition from Supermundane III:
11. Urusvati knows that people attach little value to the development of an expanded consciousness. They are like small children who will agree to study their lessons in exchange for a piece of candy, and refuse to learn anything of importance without reward. One can observe the same thing with adults; for the promise of paradise they agree to read something, but without this promise they refuse to work for their own perfectment. The promise of a new consciousness is insufficiently persuasive….
It is hard to believe that so few will dedicate themselves to self-perfectment without expecting reward, but simply for the sake of expanding their consciousness. Try to recall finding any true seekers of knowledge. There are many who read the Teachings of Life, but will then set conditions for reward!... The individual decides on the reward to suit himself, and without considering the reality, he ignores his own errors and misdeeds, and suspects the Guide of withholding payment! Supermundane III, 644.