Map of a Human Being

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Contents:
Home Page
Map
About
Map Introduction
Mind-life
The Body
The Person (Mind)
The World
Soul-life
The Person (Soul)
99 Qualities
Remembrance (Soul)
Publications
Sayings
Glossary

Welcome to the Map of a Human Being:

It was conceived by me, Tony Buck, and inspired by my experience interacting with my spiritual
father, M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen; which occurred during the last 6 1/2 years of his life, and my 23
plus years of further study and reflection. The depth and breadth of his divine knowledge was so great
that I wanted to create a way for others to access it.
The model of a state park inspired the map. When we enter a state park we often start at the visitor's
center. We get a map and the park-ranger points out a few features. We realize there is a lot to see
and do. First we do the short hike, and from there observe views of mountains, rivers and forests - a
lot to explore. And so it is with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen's legacy of wisdom.
Click the map below to open it and navigate your way around this wonderful treasure-trove of
wisdom, exploring whatever precepts interest you. Whoever you are, and whatever path or tradition
you follow, my wish is that by sharing this wisdom-landscape it will enhance your knowledge of self,
helping you progress and gain clarity about life. And, if you discover that you wish to go even deeper,
I encourage you to partake directly of the print, audio and video archive of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. This
is one of the greatest 'Know Thyself Curricula', extant in the world today.

ABOUT - scroll down:

Map of a Human Being
Who funds this website?
M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen
Tony Buck
Publications
Glossary

Mapofahumanbeing.org
What is MAPOFAHUMANBEING.ORG (The original home of: MAP OF A HUMAN BEING)?
The Map of a Human Being website was conceived by me, Tony Buck, and inspired by my
experience interacting with my spiritual father, M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen; which occurred during the
last 6 1/2 years of his life, and my 23 plus years of further study and reflection. The depth and breadth
of his divine knowledge was so great and enriching for me that I wanted to present a way for others to
access it. It is an attempt to create a landscape that makes visible as much of this wisdom teaching
as possible.
The model of visiting a state park inspired the map. When we enter a state park we often start at the
visitor's center. We get a map and the park-ranger points out a few features. We realize there is a lot
to see and do. First we do the short hike, and from there observe views of mountains, rivers and
forests - a lot to explore. And so it is with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen's legacy of wisdom.
On the map there are about 40 precepts, each linking to further explanations. Navigate your way
around this wonderful treasure-trove of wisdom, exploring whatever interests you. Whoever
you are, and whatever path or tradition you follow, my wish is that the sharing of my experience of
Bawa's insight will enhance your knowledge of self, helping you progress and gain clarity about life.
And, if you discover that you wish to go even deeper, I encourage you to partake directly of the print,
audio and video archive of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen from the publisher, the Fellowship Press. Use the
Return to Map button to get back to the map and continue exploring.
The wisdom shared at this website comes mainly from my personal encounter with M.R. Bawa
Muhaiyaddeen (Bawa: Father; Muhaiyaddeen: reviver of the faith). Initially, I spent many months
listening to the wisdom he expounded unaware that it was associated with an established tradition (of
course not all of it was, mainly the style of it). Later, I discovered that he was teaching from what is
sometimes called the Sufi tradition. The Map represents many of the guiding principles for the wisdom
he suggests. Since adding a wisdom path to my life, I have been able to identify other sources that I
think are consistent with a wisdom teaching that is, a perspective and explanation of the material
world and the events of human life that point to objective reality. By bringing our life in line with this
perspective, we gain more of the peace that passeth all understanding" moving closer to our true
potential as human beings.
In a sense, I am like the guy you meet on the trail, the one who has been visiting the state park for
years and has explored most of its features. I can tell you my impressions of what I have experienced.
That doesnt mean your experience will be the same and there is no need to fit yourself to my
experience. Bawa (Father) used to say, there are 70,000 meanings to every wisdom point and each
person receives the meaning according to their understanding.
For me wisdom is the evolving ability to access objective reality, or God's point of view. Wisdom
should be able to answer: Why was I born? Where was I before? Where am I going? What is a
human being? What are the animals? Who or what is God? What is the difference between mind,

brain and soul (inner-heart)? What are all these spiritual traditions around the world? Is there a devil?
What is illusion and what is real? Why do we die? What is happiness and sadness? How can I be
happy? What is true justice? What is my true identity? Am I my body? Am I my mind? Why is there
suffering? Where is God when the bad stuff is happening? Ultimately, what is the purpose of human
existence? But, in order to answer these questions, we have got to know something about ourselves.
The more clarity we gain concerning human complexity, the more accurate we can answer these
questions. The precepts presented here are not just theoretical philosophy but should be applied to
our life.
I cannot go to the greatest depth and breadth on all subjects within the scope of this website. And so,
I hope you will forgive me, but I will have to recommend further study in print, video and audio if you
wish to go deeper - and I hope you will. You can purchase some publications from this website, which
will help to support it, or you can surf around the Internet and perhaps find it elsewhere. Whatever you
do, the world needs as many people as possible studying to become truly wise - becoming the lightbeings that prevent the world from being engulfed in darkness.
Also, because so many books are now searchable at Googlebooks, wherever I can, I will give you the
reference as a URL destination (a web link) where further study can be found.
I no longer see separate religions in the world. I have come to see them as chapters in God's story the story revealed by God to humankind over thousands of years. With this in mind, Ive tried to
present here the insights that can fit into all the traditions, stirring up their meaning and depth.
Sometimes you may not like or be familiar with these explanations and you may not feel that they
apply to your tradition. But they are universal and do apply to human beings. We may have a
tendency to be defensive, to quote the known familiar ideal when new ideas challenge us. But if we
are honest, many of us are not living the ideal and we need to do some 'work', have some self
honesty, get into the mode of realizing there is always room for self-improvement. However, if you are
already one of the exalted, merged with God, dispelled of all illusion, you do not need this website!

Who funds this website?

Currently it is a labor of love. And that is why it may seem a bit funky to some World Wide Web
wizards. Hopefully, as time goes on, I will be able to improve the design and fill it out with more
content as folks explore it and give me feedback. I constructed it using the Mac-based Rapidweaver
program.

M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen

Little is known of the early personal history of M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. He rarely spoke of a
personal history, suggesting it would be vainglorious for him to do so when it was our needs and
the story of God that needed to be addressed. His earliest public life appears to have begun in the
1940s, when he was invited by pilgrims to the northern Sri Lankan town of Jaffna. Throughout Sri
Lanka, (an island country off the tip of southern India) people from all religious and ethnic traditions
listened to his public discourses. Many consulted him on how to conduct life's affairs, including
public figures, politicians, the poor, and the learned. Later he spent long periods of time in

Colombo, the capital. In 1971 Bawa Muhaiyaddeen accepted an invitation to visit the United States.
Here, once again, people from all religious, social and ethnic backgrounds came to hear him
speak. Wherever he went, he tirelessly answered the many personal and mystical questions that
people brought to him until his death on December 8th, 1986. But he was so much more than a
speech giver. He was like a loving father to hundreds of people, always available to resolve
problems and give inspiration. Thousands of hours of audio and video recordings of his talks and
exchanges exist, and some are available on CD, DVD, and have been printed into books and
pamphlets.
For audio and video go here: http://www.bmfstore.com this will take you to the Fellowship Press
website which is not affiliated with this website.

Tony Buck
I was born and grew up in England. I left school at 15 1/2 years old and became an apprentice at a
Rolls Royce company learning all facets of steel tool making and machining until I was 21. After that I
traveled on and off indulging in long overland journeys: Europe, Africa, Central America and the USA.
In 1980 I met Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, and with my traveling energy about exhausted, and recognizing
the depth of his divine knowledge, I sat down and listened. I always regretted not going to college, but
I came from a working class background and was educationally under-prepared. I know I could have
gone later, but having met Bawa, and tuned into what he was saying, I realized this was the learning I
had unconsciously always yearned for. His presence was proof of the divinity he described. Through
his example and wisdom he showed us that as human beings we were spiritually under-performing.
He helped so many of us to lift our states closer to the peace that passeth all understanding; and I
for one will always be eternally grateful. Surprisingly the wisdom he taught helps all aspects of our life
including the material and mundane.

PUBLICATIONS (Further Studies)

At present this website can only go to a certain depth and breadth of wisdom illumination. If you are
touched by the precepts presented here, you may want to study them deeper and submerge yourself
in their bounties. With this in mind I have culled together a collection of printed, audio and video works
that I think can accomplish this.
These publications fulfill several purposes:
Some are linked directly to further exposition of the precepts presented on the Map of a Human
Being.
Most can be read as stand-alone texts.
There is a suggested chronological order to the publications if you are relatively new to a wisdom
tradition.
Most are oral books, that is, they originated as spoken discourses, and to preserve accuracy were
changed very little. This will make them a little harder to read for some people.
The material is very dense and should not be read like a novel, but savored in the way a cow chews
grass, bit by bit, very deliberately, and with great contemplation.
At present the sale of these publications is the only financial support for this website outside of my
own contributions.

Most of the works presented are authored by my wisdom father, Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, although I
have included a few books from other authors that I think speak to and support the level and clarity of
wisdom being offered here.

Glossary
It is very difficult to speak of the numinous with the words of this world. But as human beings we must
do it. This is the real work of our species, to communicate with each other about these formless
subjects.
So the glossary defines some of the words that may be new to you, although some people are
already familiar with them. Also because words like mind, soul, God, etc., are used in society in so
many different ways, I wanted you to be clear about their specific usage regarding the Map of a
Human Being. I once sent a book by Bawa Muhaiyaddeen to a friend, I asked him weeks later if he
enjoyed the book. He told me the definitions in the glossary were so unbelievable, he got stuck there!

MAP INTRODUCTION
The Map of a Human Being lays out many of the formless precepts that inform, affect and govern
human life: the interior landscape. They are as significant as any physical influence. They are the
landmarks of the Know Thyself Curriculum, which have been watered down or removed from most
religions and philosophies.
Graphically the Map breaks into two main areas of influence, with the brain receiving information from
both. Outside the dark brown line, in roughly the shape of a doorway, is the realm of the mind, which
in Map terms represents the negative. Inside the line are the precepts of the soul life, which in Map
terms are positive.
This map was conceived by Tony Buck.

How the Map can work for you

Because the Know Thyself Curriculum is so absent from daily discourse, the Map can help us sort out
what it means to be truly human. The more we reduce the influences of the mind, the more human we
become. Being born human isnt enough; we must behave human and gain that exalted state, both in
public and private. We have to work at it. For those who understand this need, there is no other
activity that can satisfy as this work does. Some people have no interest in living the conscious life
and so will not bother with any of this. Thats fine; we must all find our own path.
There are 70,000 meanings for every precept* the deeper we become, the more wisdom,
understanding and the meaning of being human, we will bring to our lives. The goal of the journey of
the Map is to merge with the uncreated Power of the universe, which in English we call God. For that
to happen we must know ourselves: what is real, what is contingent on this world, and what is
immortal this process takes time. Patience will be the gold that we must always carry.
The Map offers definitions and a vocabulary to help us communicate more clearly about these often
difficult-to-convey precepts, and can be adopted by a person from any religious or philosophical
tradition. Even if you dont agree with everything on the Map, at least you will have learned that!
Most people will realize that they are a mixture of mind and soul life. Once we understand this,
choices can be made. It also shows us why some people are capable of murder, while others are
potentially saints; and that we can move in any direction at any time. The Map underlines how
wonderful and valuable a human life is the animals are not capable of this work (in no way am I
denigrating the animals by saying this, in the section on Creation as University, more will be
explained).

The brain is hard-wired to perform many bodily functions, but it also receives instructions from the
soul and mind influences. It is an amazing neutral organ that connects our life with the world. It is
flexible, but it can also get cemented up with good or bad habits. Therefore, it must be protected and
treated with care. The Map will show this clearly and hopefully help us make good and wise choices.
(* Bawa Muhaiyaddeen)

MIND PRECEPTS (Negative) - scroll down:

Monkey Mind
Baby Mind
Dog of Desire
Ego
Mind Wires Brain
400 Million Thoughts
Limited Sentient Perception
Mind-life
Mind-life (The inhuman condition) (See Soul-life for human condition)
The mind, brain, soul/inner-heart have been separated for clarity of study. The mind is an ideational
projection that emerges from the elements that make up the body, to and from the elements that
make up the world. Although it can contain much worldly knowledge, it must be controlled by the
soul/inner-heart center, which has a distinguished intelligence, drawing its wisdom from the divine.
(Please do not attach the sky-god thinking of the religions to the word divine or God.)
The mind is contingent on creation. It is also informed through true and false perceptions. Humans
are not their mind, though most people live their lives as if this was so.
A squirrel is a squirrel and a bird is a bird, they cannot imitate each other. However, the depth and
complexity of a human life is so great that we can behave with any bestial quality, even demonic.
The mind-life is a life of fate, whereas the soul-life is the life of destiny. I know we use fate and destiny
interchangeably, but Im suggesting we change that. Fate is what happens to us when we live in the
mind as defined by the Map. Consider a life influenced by the precepts of the mind: monkey mind,
baby mind, dog of desire, ego, maya (Illusion), 400 million thoughts, 18,000 Universes, karma,
hunger, disease, aging and death,17 Epics (Puranas), 9 openings and five elements; surely this is the
life of being kicked around by the world and what results is unpredictable, due to lack of
consciousness? But if we live a life consciously using the soul precepts we can overcome and control
the tendencies of the mind. Then we are living a life of wisdom and what results could be called
destiny up to the level that we have eradicated ignorance. Only when wisdom is fully applied, can we
then say what happens to us is destined, says Bawa Muhaiyaddeen.
But what does it mean to behave consistently as a human being? This is one of the questions we
hope will be answered through study of the Map.
The mind is only aware of the physical realm, although, because of its limited understanding, it is
capable of magical thinking. The mind cannot know God, in fact, the distance between a human
being and God is the mind. (BM)
The mind is amoral, inconsistent, makes decisions based on selfishness, sets bestial needs above all
else, is not concerned with survival but indulgence. From its myriad of influences it contains 400
million thoughts, many of which are destructive to its own life, its environment and others. The mind
begins at conception and ends at death.
Understanding and then controlling the mind's propensities leads to a more peaceful and exalted life.
The Guidebook To The True Secret of the Heart, Vol. 1 & 2 contains this essential part of the core

teachings. (Fellowship Press) (Available from Map of a Human Being Bookstore). Or (Google
books)

Monkey Mind
The monkey mind refers to one of the three major areas that characterize the mind: Its constant
tendency to perform pranks, diversions - imitating what it sees without discernment - grabbing hold of
the multifarious parts of the world, often to the detriment of its host. These actions are not the
essential 'you.'

Baby Mind
The baby mind refers to one of the three major areas that characterize the mind: It is the condition of
never being satisfied. Within minutes (sometimes seconds) of giving a baby something off the shelf of
a supermarket, it throws it down and points to the next fascinating thing. This leads to a searching
after constant amusement, and the dog of desire is happy to lead us there. (This is the tendency that
the advertising agencies exploit when convincing us that we must have the latest and greatest
model.) If we still want something from this physical world, we still have the baby mind.

Dog of Desire (Mind)

The dog of desire refers to one of the three major areas that characterize the mind: It is the tendency
that searches for the needs of the mind. It pulls us, like a dog on a leash, from place to place in order
to satisfy our desires (which are not necessarily our real needs). It has no morals, no discernment, in
fact the smellier the thing the better. It is connected to the lowest of our base desires. Because
human beings are so capable of fulfilling their desires, this tendency, if not controlled by wisdom,
leads to a sub-human life.
Note: When these three culprits: Monkey mind, dog of desire and baby mind, get together, you can
see what a mischievous web they weave!
Discussion:
I'm not a mathematician, but even if you only agree with some of the negatives shown on the Map,
you can see how they could compound and confound our judgement - especially if they are still
present in old age. Could this be an underlying exacerbation of dementia? But I hear some say, "Ah,
but my mother/father didn't have these qualities." But does any of us really know what qualities or
feelings others hold within themselves? Who is even living consciously enough to have identified and
eradicated them? This is the work of the conscious human being. There's nowhere to go for this. But
the beautiful qualities are also pre-installed software - we just need to become aware of them. Then,
when we're lacking in them, just like when we see a hair out of place in the mirror, we can simply
make a correction and carry on our day, regaining our equilibrium.

Ego (Mind)
It is hard to leave the word ego out of this discussion. So I think in our context it is that individuated
part of us that believes in the world and seeks attainment through and in the world. And because this
operates through the limited understanding of the mind, it is also an amoral faculty; so it can perform
everything from the most saintly act to the most dastardly deed. From the Maps perspective, were
defining it as the minds collective will.

Discussion:
In one of our prayer phrases we recite, "I seek refuge in God from the accursed one," (satan, the
totality of all that takes us away from Truth).
So I ask, "Who is this 'I' that seeks refuge in God?" Is it this ego 'I' that is the collective will of the
mind? Is it the 'I' that is my self image? Is it the person that other people see in me? If you have read
the section on karma, you will have some understanding of my position on our composition by the
time we reach late childhood and adulthood and you will know that I do not consider this to be based
in reality. So can something that is not reality, or is only partial reality, seek refuge in God? Would it
survive there? Can it even enter into that company? I don't think illusion can seek refuge in God, so
that means there is a genuine 'I' that is able to seek refuge in Reality (God). What does that 'I' look
like in me? Do I align myself or identify with that 'I,' or do I identify with some other image of myself,
and what is the difference between the two? Do I look at myself from the mind or do I look from the
soul?

Mind Wires Brain

Until the Mind-life precepts have been controlled or removed from our lives, they impact us. But it is
worse than that they can dominate us.
How is that? I believe that both the mind and the soul need the brain to communicate with the body
and the world. The more we perform from the mind, the more the brain remembers those actions and
begins wiring the neural pathways that become habits. That is why, even when we realize we are not
our mind, it is so hard to change. The current discoveries about the workings of the brain cannot be
ignored by any of us. Understanding their process will be another tool to help us affect meaningful
change. From neural canyons of addiction and mental illness, to habitual foibles, we come to
understand that these are not our essential self, and so begin the work of redirecting the pathways. It
does take a lot of effort and, yes, even faith.
(Although in some cases medication is necessary to temporarily relieve the problems associated with
these conditions, the work of re-shaping the brain through therapy or spiritual work is the only
permanent solution - of course the person must be willing and able to commit to this kind of change
and the quality of the intervention and the practitioner must be up to the task.)
"Do not carry or replay the memories of events, carry only the point of wisdom they convey and you
will not be sad." BM

400 Million Thoughts (Mind)

We know from experience that the mind continually generates thoughts and emotions. However, we
may not realize how many. It is a vast problem for us if we don't practice controlling them.
I believe that many psychiatric conditions revolve around this point. We must admit that these
thoughts and emotions are often meaningless and have no significance in our lives. When we are
young the random antics of these thoughts are annoying enough, but in old age it is harder to take
control of them if we have not lived the examined life. I used to think that as I grew older the younger
me became written over by the new me, but now I dont think so. All those people we have been
through our life, the five year old, the ten year old and the twenty year old, etc., are still there to some
extent, like shareholders in a cooperative store. Which one will make a demand on me today? How
will I recognize that it is not the essential me making demands and what standard will I use to assess
and control that impulse? Because our childhood insecurities might still be lurking below the surface
we need to be ever vigilant. Bawa suggests that many of these hidden negative tendencies are also
the source of illness and disease. I once mused with Bawa about the dangers of the modern world

with its nuclear weapons. He asked me what was the most destructive weapon currently. I replied the
hydrogen bomb. He said no it is the mind. So, if that is the case, we can grasp the need to develop
the skills to contain these thoughts. It is equivalent to de-fragging a computer or regularly clearing an
untidy desk, but do not lose sight of this point: this desk is inside us, and no one but I can clear it!

Limited Sentient Perception (Mind)

The mind uses sentient perception to understand life in the physical world. This is also the main
observation tool of science. It is true that the scientific approach has liberated us from a lot of magical
thinking and superstition, but ultimately, by not researching a spiritual realm/intelligence center or
consciousness, we still end up with a partial picture. Tragically, then, because of the high place given
the scientific method in the modern world, as with some of our ancestors, when the modern mind
thinks of God it imagines an idol, which science then rightly attacks as not being God; and then goes
on to conclude, therefore, there is no God.

THE BODY
Hunger, Disease, Aging, Death (Mind)
These are the consequences of taking a physical form, exacerbated by living in the mind, as defined
here. By switching to a more soul/heart-based life, their influence can be reduced.
Discussion:
(Extracted from: Divine Luminous Wisdom That Dispels the Darkness, page 205, Fellowship Press)
I am speaking of the disease of hypnotic torpor, which appears in birth... (it) creates numberless
thoughts and characteristics. All these create innumerable projections of hypnotic fascination. They,
in turn, cause the degradation of Wisdom. This degraded state of Wisdom causes endless desires.
Desires cause several births. These births create various physical forms. These forms create various
diseases. These diseases cause numberless mind-monkeys. They, in turn, create forests, which
cannot be crossed by flying over or cutting through them. In these forests are cruel animals (qualities)
which prey on one another. These animals create the diseases of hunger, disease, old age, and
death. These four create the power of the four hundred billion hypnotic fascinations projected by
Illusion (maya).

9 Openings (Mind)
The 9 openings referred to on the Map are: two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth and the two
below the waist. They are essential for our physical life. But they also feed the mind and can spin our
lives around. They are like nine planets of influence. Before living consciously they feed all the minds
tendencies, but in the transformed human being they serve wisdom. Then we become attuned to the
inner eye, ear, tongue and nostril; aiding us in discerning truth from falsehood, reality from illusion.
Discussion:
These 9 must be guarded and managed. Depending on our parents' awareness of this, we will usually
absorb their skill level at first. In other words we absorb their karma. Absorbing this karma is just as
dangerous as a genetically inherited disease. The one saving grace is that karma can be stopped or
changed. Many people dont even see the need to change their karma, it is the pain they are familiar

with. Changing karma can even sometimes distance us from relatives and friends, that makes it
doubly difficult to do. Changing oneself is one of the hardest things to do in life, so it is better
achieved a little at a time, so that the mind does not go into revolt and sabotage us. We only need to
watch afternoon cable TV shows to see those who are almost completely controlled by these 9
openings. They are the ones who believe in the world around them as the only reality. Although we
are in the world and must do our necessary duties: to the world, the soul and to the people, we should
not believe in it. The people-made world, not nature, we see about us today, wherever we live, is just
one version of what it could look like. The society we have built is just one version, often forced by the
most influential people. In a world run by the truly wise, there would be much more compassion, more
unity, less hurried and more in tune with nature and Gods will.

9 Openings (Soul)
Serenity comes to those who have contained these and the reclaimed energy that results can be
used for their wise intentions.
The inner eyes gaze upon God, the inner ears hear the sounds of God, the inner nostrils savor the
fragrance of God, the inner tongue tastes the beauty of divine knowledge, giving it a voice while
conversing with God. (BM)
Discussion:
Imagine the energy these openings use up? Now imagine if we had transcended the mundane kinds
of desires. If we stop using our energy for the mind section we might get the awareness that the soullife provides. We might even discover a greater fulfillment than what we had hoped to get from the
mind activities. At least we would have spare energy to pursue some other worldly goals like
continuing education and spiritual education. Who knows, we might even start helping others,
volunteer at a non-profit organization or start our own! Some do this already. By consciously placing a
wisdom filter in front of these openings we will reduce their influence on our mind, limiting the minds
strength.

5 Elements (Mind)
The five elements of earth, fire, water, air and ether have no direct correlation with the table of
elements. This is the broad stroke of the mystics, all physical form in the universe is composed of
them. The sakti (energy plus perception, not necessarily accurate perception) that arises from them
helps form the mind. We look through sakti at sakti, and sakti reflects back at us. Many of us believe
this to be reality, but it is only the manifestation, often misinterpreted, on display.
Discussion:
Do we ever stop to think that everything is really made of the same stuff? Whether it is an ipod, a car,
a building or our own body - it is all made of various mixtures of the same stuff. Let us call it mud!
Only the scientist really needs to get into the finest detail. So what is all the fascination with the look
of high-tech products? What designers do is create a mesmerizing external sakti to fascinate the dog
of desire into wanting the thing. I can appreciate what designers do, I also design, I live in the world.
But once you get this, it takes the slavery we have to objects out of our daily lives. We like freedom
dont we? Then let us become freer and less beguiled. We need to buy a car, but with this awareness,
instead of buying the fascinating looking car, we might make a better decision based on practical
need.
That is an external awareness we can apply from contemplating this. But our life is also encapsulated
in these 5 elements. How do their characteristics influence us? What if we discovered that thinking is

the elements arguing with each other? Because, according to Bawa Muhayaddeen, this is so. Does
anyone acknowledge that all the thoughts they have are self-willed? I havent even got time to
produce all those thoughts. So where do they arise from? Brain synapses you say? What is a brain
synapse? Isnt it made of mud? Isnt the mud made of energy? Am I not surrounded by this stuff? Can
we distinguish all this in our consciousness? Perhaps if we slow it down by concentrating our efforts
in the soul-life, which is not contingent on mud, we might get a clear view of it all.

THE PERSON (Mind)

Karma (Mind)
This is one of those words important enough to become part of our vocabulary.
Literally: The ethical, moral and physical consequences of thought and action.
When I use the word karma, it usually represents negative influences. This karma must be analyzed,
understood, stopped and discarded as one goes forward on the wisdom path.
The Map shows 5 major areas of karma:
1) Inherited at conception: totality of parents wisdom and ignorance.
2) Influence of parents after birth.
3) Influence of society, relatives, culture, education, and tutors.
4) Misperceptions.
5) These 4 karmas inform our adult decisions (creating more karma).
Discussion:
The repercussions of karma are that we reap what we sow. Of course we dont always see this
happen directly on the outside. But, whether we acknowledge this or not, it affects us internally,
because we all have a conscience; even those who have almost buried it completely.
The word karma is often blamed for many of the less preferable things that happen to us. Someone
asked Bawa about karma once and in this vain he answered, Karma is like the word uncle, no one
really knows whose uncle. But like everyone is an uncle to us, in the way we say uncle all the time,
we also say the word karma. Actually, it is what you gather within yourself both from ignorance and
wisdom. Evil becomes a great burden, making it hard to walk on the (spiritual) path. Ignorance will try
to carry an entire house on its back, while wisdom will just take a photograph of it and carry that.
There is no karma in the soul, but some comes with you at birth from your mother and father. There is
also what you collect yourself. (There is a video of this question and answer session sold by the
Fellowship Press. Order # VTC8310-06)
Of course there is a lot more to be said about this and Guidebook Vo. 1 & 2 explains that.

17 Epics (Mind)
Arrogance, Karma, Maya, Tarahan, Singham, Suran, Lust, Anger, Miserliness, Attachment,
Fanaticism, Envy, Intoxicants, Desire, Theft, Murder, Falsehood.
These are behind the plots of TV shows, novels and theater; and will also run riot in our life dramas if
we dont live the examined life and apply wisdom.
Some of them are related in ways that create a domino effect. They are the source of much conflict
and strife. Any one of them can motivate an entire life, even among what we might call, successful
people!
Discussion:
I studied playwriting for a while. There was a dictum people used: good people make bad drama. How
do you write a play, film or novel with a good person as the protagonist? It is rare and difficult. So
what do we see on the ubiquitous screens? People being bad - all the time. We grow up seeing tens

of thousands of murders and every other kind of inhuman behavior, day after day after day. What is
the news dictum? If it bleeds it leads. Imagine the onslaught of wrong doing and evil we are subjected
to our whole lives if we access various forms of media, which most of us do. (I turned the TV off in
2002.) Now we even have live talk radio shows where the commentators tell half truths and seek to
divide the people. Ask yourself, whose work is it to divide the people one against the other, especially
in a country called the United States?
It amazes me that there is as much goodness in the world with this negative onslaught. It just shows
us how powerful a little light can be. However, in my life, I have seen an erosion of looking out for the
other guy and an increase in selfishness. Of course there are also a lot of people isolated from each
other in Western society, which leads to suspicion, disconnectedness and mental illness. But like
Shakespeare reminds us, "The fault, dear Horatio, lies not in our stars but in ourselves."
These 17 epics alone are enough to deal with, let alone all the other things we have presented in the
mind section. But it is on us to become aware of the negatives and positives and decide where we
stand. Being aware, then, makes us Samurais for true humanity. So, for me, it is not enough to shout
religious slogans all day, it would be better to save our energy and become conscious of, and deal
with these 17.

THE WORLD
Maya
Maya is a Sanskrit word referring to the nature of the creation. It is generally used here to mean
illusion. This is one of those words important enough to become part of our vocabulary. It is how we
perceive the world, not the world itself. Even science can now show us that the world of form is made
up of many layers: the macro scale and deeper still, the atomic structure - atoms (tiny specs of
energy) spinning around a nucleus of energy at the speed of light. I call this the electromagnetic
fiction, because what we now see as a tree, a body, or a house, is really this atomic structure
masquerading as forms. Add to that our perception of these forms seen through our karma (opinions,
race, culture, class, prejudices, poverty, misunderstandings, wealth, desires, etc.,) and who could
ever call that objective perception, or seeing the world as it really is? Objective perception has
become for me, God's point of view.
Discussion:
I bought a rundown house in one of the poorer towns of southeastern Pennsylvania. I've since
renovated it and for me it is a great place.
Now someone living in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods, just 20 miles away, would be depressed
if they made some bad investments, lost their wealth and were forced to live in my house, even in its
renovated state. This exact house located in their neighborhood would be many times its value, and
so they would not feel so bad if it were over there. Now it is made of the same materials that many
other houses are made of, which are just variations of mud! (It is also being constantly eaten by the
same creatures!) Wood-mud, stone-mud, plastic-mud, marble-mud, there is no material on Earth that
didnt come from basically, mud! Can we even imagine that a God would have any value judgment of
this kind? And yet some might even think that God was punishing them if they fell on hard times. Has
God agreed to take care of our needs, our wants, or both, or neither?
It is true that many people in the world have received an immense bounty of material goods, and
some have received little. Once these conditions happen to us we get used to them, and in fact
equate them with life itself. But the materially wealthy person could be living a deluded life and the
other could have divine wisdom. And of course, the materially wealthy person could also attain divine

wisdom, while the materially deprived person could also be deluded. (The poor and the rich boast
about their exalted states!) God does not play favorites, but what state of being is preferable to God,
because that is ultimately preferable to us?
It is really hard to see through the world we are in, lift its veil, as it were. I remember reading Carlos
Castenada years ago and in one of his books he talked about 'stopping the world.' I thought that was
an interesting concept. Now, I realize, you cannot stop the world outside yourself, but to some extent
you can stop it inside yourself. Fasting is one way of doing this. It stops our routine, sets an intention
in us, often to the annoyance of the mind, presenting to us what we have gotten into since the last
time we questioned our day. The fast of Ramadan goes for 30 days, eating and drinking only between
sunset and sunrise. It is an annual fast, and it can act as a course correction. It shows us everything
we have been up to for the year. That is if we are paying the right kind of attention.
The point of all this is to suggest that most of us have a hard time seeing things as they really are. I
know it is favorable to have a nice house in a decent neighborhood, that is not the point, it is what all
these worldly objects and situations do to our state of being that is the concern. Ultimately the pursuit
and attainment of permanent happiness cannot be contingent on the mud of this world; but if we do
connect it to that, that is the point at which we become subject to pleasure and suffering, praise and
blame. This, I believe, is what has driven Western society to an obsessive life of acquisition. Had our
religions, disciplines, philosophies, education, informed us sufficiently, we would have restrained this
wild beast to some extent, using wisdom to guide our lives instead of economics. With all the factors
of the 21st century coming upon us: global warming/climate change, water resources, peak oil, overpopulation, food distribution, etc., it is as if the natural world is telling us to assess our lives from a
deeper perspective than an economics/acquisition position.

18,000 Universes
The statement, 18,000 universes, is a way of illustrating the vastness of creation. Nevertheless, Bawa
Muhaiyaddeen, insists that all these universes are compressed within a human being. The wisdom
traditions illustrate that what is manifest outside is also inside us in a kind of shadow form. Because
the Creator has also placed Itself inside every human life - every human life contains all of everything,
including the faculty to experience this.

Creation as University (Soul)

In some traditions there is a way of looking at the natural creation so that it is understood as the
verses of the divine.
Great teachers throughout time have used analogies from nature to share wisdom with their listeners.
Within the flora and fauna positive and negative traits are demonstrated. Contemplating and
internalizing these can hone our humanity.
Discussion:
In my 6 1/2 years with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen I heard him tell thousands of analogies that were
applicable to our behavior using examples from the creation about us. And although many of these
reflected the negative traits of animals, Bawa was in no way anti-animal. He often said their
connection to God was direct, although limited. His point was that humans do not need to behave with
animal qualities, that is the point, as humans we are expected to live with higher consciousness. In
fact he said that if a person could do as much duty as a single cow, that person would be exalted.
One of the benefits of this teaching style was its indirectness. It allowed each listener to learn from the
example according to their level of wisdom. In that way everyone received something. I did see one

guy push Bawa once though, refusing to accept an answer to a question using an analogy. He
wanted a straight answer as he called it. Bawa told him that at this time it was all he had to offer, and
the visitor got up and sat towards the back of the room. Personally I liked this style of teaching, but
clearly it was not for everyone. I also see now that revealing the true nature of things can be quite
frightening to some people. After all it is hoped that these insights will be applied to our lives. That is
going to require changing. The psychology of change is a very delicate thing. The analogies help us
to absorb the new awareness with the faculties we have right now at our own pace, that way, I
believe, we are not going to get overloaded.
The book My Love You My Children: 101 Stories for Children of All Ages (Fellowship Press) contains
this essential part of the core teachings. See Map bookstore. Or (Google books)

SOUL/HEART PRECEPTS (Positive) - scroll down:

Love (Soul)
Redirected Heart (Soul)
Conscience (Soul)
Soul Wires Brain
We are the Scripture (Soul)
4 Steps (Soul)
4 Religions

Soul-Life
(The human condition) (See Mind-life for the inhuman condition)
The mind, brain, soul/inner-heart have been separated for clarity of study. Soul-life: The soul is
uncreated and cannot be corrupted. It is a ray of Gods light, Life itself, a distinguished intelligence
center, sensed in the heart area, drawing its wisdom from the divine.
The soul-life is the life of destiny, whereas the mind-life is a life of fate.
When people say their soul aches, or is damaged, they mean their mind, as defined by the Map of a
Human Being. Many people use the words soul, mind and brain interchangeably. Hopefully the Map
will bring further clarity to their meanings.
Soul-life is not contingent on being born, it existed before that and will exist after death. One who lives
every breath merged in soul life is a complete human being. Most of us are living a mixture of soul
and mind-life. Some have even fallen into the demonic form. To be human it is not sufficient just to
have a human face.
Studying and embracing the soul-life precepts of this Map shows us how to become more human.
True wisdom, wise judgment, ethical and moral behavior are all guided and informed by the soul-life
center. The mind will imitate these qualities to get some reward, (feign good behavior as it were) but
mostly it is indifferent. You may be wondering what is the purpose of all this goodness and wisdom
anyway?
For millennia civilization has spoken of divine enlightenment. For this to happen the soul-life must
become whole in a human being. Then we will have completed the purpose of human existence having fully established the divine principles to the degree that the mind no longer has any influence
thereby aligning with immortality.
The representatives of God were sent to instruct us on how to do this. The Map represents a
compendium of these precepts to assist us in fulfilling our human destiny.

The Guidebook To The True Secret of the Heart, Vol. 1 & 2 (Fellowship Press) contains this essential
part of the core teachings. (Available from Map of a Human Being Bookstore). Or (Google books)

Love (Soul)
Selfless love: Divine love (not contingent on anything physical) that emanates from those who are and
have established the divine principles.

Redirected Heart (Soul)

The classic heart symbol points downwards towards the world and created things. The Map heart
symbol is turned upward, suggesting redirecting our focus to a higher consciousness and
formlessness. Why? Because the uncreated: God, truth, immortality, the soul - which are one - is in
this direction away from form.
Note: God is not up or down, above or below, but within and without us, omnipresent, omnipotent,
omniscient.
Discussion:
The book Asmaul Husna: The 99 Beautiful Names of Allah, page 108, contains this essential part
of the core teachings. Paperback (Fellowship Press) See Map bookstore. Or (Google books).

Conscience (Soul)
Most people would consider the conscience to be a natural part of human makeup. Though some
would argue that conscience can be conditioned by culture and environment. However, there is a
pure conscience that warns from within the heart area. Occasionally people override their conscience
and of course there are always the wicked famous who apparently bury it completely. And that is
shown on the Map, it can be buried (by the mind life) or nurtured towards clarity and strength
becoming our very own supreme court.

Soul Wires Brain

I believe both the soul and the mind need the brain to communicate with the body and the world. The
major precepts presented in the soul section of the Map are what I call the human condition. We want
these to impact us. The soul-life precepts neurologically wire the brain in positive ways, increasing
attentiveness, dynamism and subtlety, facilitating our true humanity. They can redirect our negative
neural tendencies. (They are expansive, not reductive.)
The current discoveries about the workings of the brain cannot be ignored by any of us.
Understanding their process will be another tool to help us affect meaningful change.
That is why we need to develop wisdom, to check every thought and action before we put it into our
brain, because every thought and action produces many seeds.
It does take a lot of effort and, yes, even faith.
Discussion:
Consider anger. Is there anyone who thinks this is a life extender? Does anyone think that anger can
lead to serenity or good decisions? However, do we not feel healthier when we feel love? I knew a
teenager who was hungry all the time. She could eat masses of food and still kept a trim figure. I
remember one day we picked her up from soccer practice, and we knew we would have to head

straight for a restaurant because she had not eaten much that day. But on inquiring she actually said
she was not hungry. We all sat there dumfounded. The only thing that had changed in her life was
that she had met her first boyfriend. We had just left him back at the soccer field. She was in love.
My experience shows me that positive qualities enrich our lives on a physical and spiritual basis,
while the negative are the opposite. I know that after I had been exposed to Bawas teachings for
about two months, one evening, sitting quietly, I had the sensation that my brain completely relaxed,
like it had been compressed my whole life. I know the brain is not supposed to have physical feeling
and this was not really physical. It was more a feeling of relief, a blissful feeling that I had never felt
before or since washed over me. These days I tell people that Bawa released the clamps from my
brain. We had the opportunity to do much duty around him, just as he did. Whenever I suggested to
him that the particular duty was not my skill area, he would respond with, OK, my brother, just go
ahead and do it, Ill be there with you. And so I just got on with things. If you ever hear yourself
saying, Im not the sort of person who builds a deck on the back of his/her house, or I cant fill out all
these forms, that is not the kind of thing that I do. Then ask yourself, do I want this, does this have to
be done? If so, learn about it and get on with it.

We are the Scripture (Soul)

The soul life contains the eternal unadulterated scripture of the Creator. The Map helps us sort out the
confusion so that we can read it from within. Then, when our questions arise they will be answered
from within us.
Discussion:
If we accept that we contain God, then we contain everything, including knowledge of the creation.
Can we know what God knows? It seems to me this is possible up to the level of our wisdom. I am not
fond of aging. But, even if it were possible to earn a ten-year reduction from my age, I wouldnt do it if
it meant handing over the accumulated wisdom of those years.

4 Steps (Soul)
Canonical law, the path, divine merging, and gnosis. The four steps to pure faith. They are states of
understanding contained within all authentic spiritual traditions. In Hinduism they are known as,
sariyai, kiriyai, yogam and gnanam. In Islam they are known as shariat, tariquat, hakiquat, and
marifat. This is the path of progression out of karma and towards the Absolute.
Discussion:
The book Four Steps to Pure Iman (Faith) contains this essential part of the core teachings.
(Fellowship Press) (Available from Map of a Human Being Bookstore). Or (Google books).

4 Religions
Hinduism/Buddhism, Zoroastrian/Zen, Christianity, Judaism/Islam: One within the four - four within the
one. Together these religions form the essence of spiritual completeness and were never meant to be
separated. This is His-story, God's story that was revealed for Man's benefit. However, some current
interpretations of scripture and traditions may not be divinely inspired, but distortions/additions by selfinterested parties. This is a good enough reason to develop wisdom: to make our own informed
decisions. The enlightened ones have always understood the four within themselves. We all have to
progress from idol worship to formlessness. I believe most of us, no matter what religion we currently

confess, have progressed in some areas and are probably still idol worshipers in others.

THE PERSON (Soul)

7 States of Consciousness (Soul)
All creatures have the first three states: feeling, awareness and intellect; but humans have an
additional four: discernment, wisdom, divine discerning wisdom and divine luminous wisdom.
However, being born human does not guarantee their use.
Once we realize that the creatures have the capacity of intellect, it shouldnt surprise us that crows
can make tools by bending wire with their beaks to extract food from hard-to-get places.
Sometimes humans do not function above the level of intellect. However, because our choices can
have overbearing effects, we need discernment to decide the right and wrong of our decisions.
Wisdom will further inform us so that wise, moral judgments, not just selfish ones, can be made.
Using divine discerning wisdom to further analyze we will remove illusion and karma from the puzzle,
coming to great clarity. If the following states have been correctly utilized we will see from the totally
objective untainted view of divine luminous wisdom. Now we will be making decisions aligned with the
will of God - a very exalted state, and very rare.
Discussion:
Those of us who have spent a lot of time in close contact with animals, instinctively know that they
have an intelligent life all their own. Of course we know that many animals have higher degrees of
skill in some areas than us. Take the dog for instance, its smelling power is said to be a thousand
times stronger than ours and we know it can find a needle in a haystack as it were. Occasionally I
have had the honor of a wild animal dropping the veil between us, usually when they are desperate.
One night in Spring I was sailing with friends down the west coast of Wales and a small bird came
alongside. Everyone else was below deck asleep. I had the sense that the swallow-like bird was
exhausted as it looked over at me. I moved a jacket off the cabin top and moved back toward the
stern. It promptly landed with a bit of a clunk and lay there with its wings outstretched. I figured it was
returning from migration. I found a jar lid and put some bread soaked in milk in it and pushed it
carefully toward the bird. Concentrating on the wind and trimming the sails I forgot about it for a while
in the moonlight. When I looked back it had hauled itself forward and was gingerly sticking its beak
into the bread. About two hours later it pruned itself a little as we stared at each other. Then it stood
still and sprung into the air gliding back behind the boat and into the darkness. I dont know what it
thought of me, but in those moments I realized its needs were so much like mine. As animals we were
connected in all the basics of survival. It would also likely pick a partner, build a house, raise children
and live in a bird community of some kind.
Contemplating these seven states over the years with Bawas expanded explanations has given me a
greater appreciation for all life about me on every level. Not least of which it shows us the incredible
value of a human being and makes us less likely to trash our exalted birth. That is why we should
never imbibe intoxicants because they prevent us from living at a higher consciousness. To keep
these states open to us we also need the subtlety to prevent our behavior from becoming gross. That
is where (M, R, P, P) below come into their own.

Golden Rule (Soul)

See all lives as our own: God knows the exact balance of soul and mind life of each creation, and the
good and evil thoughts and actions that stem from that over our entire lifespan.
The Absolute does not acknowledge race, religion, color, education, class, caste, nationality, or
culture and does not listen to the tongues of the creations, but knows our inner intentions.

Surrender-Attention-Balance-Wisdom (S,A,B,W) (Soul)

These four, kept at the forefront of our awareness, show us the necessary progression to attain
wisdom. We cannot simply get wisdom. It is something received from the correct preparation. First,
we surrender to the process, like making the commitment. But then we cannot sit back and wait we
have to be attentive. Having accepted the need for change, we observe in ourselves what needs to
go and what needs to be nurtured. This brings us into balance - fertile ground for wisdom to take root.

Modesty-Restraint-Prudence-Propriety (M, R, P, P) (Soul)

I call this the formless immune system. The behavior of these qualities are not popular today. In fact
many would consider them to be fun-spoilers. Their opposites will be praised on radio and television
tonight, teaching the next generation to abandon them. Although they are seen as boring, their
purpose is to protect us from worldly accidents. Discarding these four opens us up to calamities.
Without modesty, the base desires will rule, letting the dog of desire off its leash. This allows the
monkey mind to turn us into fools. Without restraint, addiction will run rampant, not just with
intoxicants, but also food, negative moods and qualities. These four good qualities protect us from
physical and emotional self-abuse. This in turn frees us to go toward a higher state of consciousness.

Patience, Gratitude, Trust in God, Praise of God (P,G,T, P) (Soul)

The progression of these four can help us in times of difficulty. When things get rough we must move
from one to the other for solace and peace. Of course this is not a minor maxim - all of everything is
contained within these four. It could even be said that this is the journey into God. When these four
are ignored, the mind goes free and the soul is imprisoned. When you apply these four, the mind is
imprisoned and the soul goes free. In this way we do our duty, while giving all responsibility to God for
whatever happens. The degree to which we are able to do this gives us access to the peace that
passeth all understanding, showing us how to fulfill the injunction: be not afraid.
Discussion:
The Fast of Ramadan: The Inner Heart Blossoms book (Fellowship Press) contains this essential
part of the core teachings. (Available from Map of a Human Being Bookstore). Or (Google books)

5 Angels (Soul)
5 Archangels: Gabriel, Mikael, Israfel, Izrael, Ruquael. In the transformed human being everything
serves a higher purpose, not worldly desire. Therefore, through the alchemical process of
understanding the illusory makeup of the 5 elements of earth, fire, water and air and ether while
embracing the formlessness of God and Its qualities we become Man, and then the elements
become the serving archangels.

99 QUALITIES OF GOD (Soul)

These have been written and explained through the ages. Also called the names of God. Qualities

like: mercy, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, patience, subtlety, strength, reconciliation, etc. If
there is a description of God, this is it. And all the qualities are performable by human beings. These
qualities form the essence of the phrase I (God) created you in my own image. The image is not
physical, but the actualization of these qualities.
The list of names can be read as a very potent meditation exercise. Or, a single name can be recited
3, 11, 33, 99, or 300 times as a form of meditation, as we reflect on and sink in its meaning. The
recitation tradition would put the word 'Ya' in front of a name, this would be as Ya Lateef, or Oh
Subtlety. Although Oh is substituted in English for Ya, Ya carries with it the implicit meaning of praise.
So, Praise Subtlety, would be more appropriate. Also, try to recite with the focus in the heart/soul, not
in the head or elsewhere. Be very present with the meaning. The book, Asmaul Husna: The 99
Beautiful Names of Allah (Map of a Human Being Bookstore) contains expanded explanations for
each name that brings you closer to the meaning. Many names are very close in meaning to each
other but dont let this frustrate you. When we really think about the names deeply in all their
connotations, we share in their expansiveness. They open us up instead of shutting us down. We
should look to the heart opening and melting. These names relate to the eternal, they should
reinvigorate us, permeating the way we live our lives.

99 Names of God:
Abaser, Humbler (*)
Accepter of Repentance, Ever-relenting
Almighty
All Knowing, Omniscient
All Powerful, Decreer
All Powerful, Determiner
All Seeing
Avenger (*)
Aware One
Beloved, Affection, Loving
Beneficent, Sustainer, Gracious
Benefiter, One Who Grants Favor
Bestower, Giver of Gifts
Bountiful One, Generous
Clement, Forbearing
Comprehensive One
Creator
Delayer, Postponer
Dishonorer (*)
Distresser, Destroyer (*)
Enduring, Everlasting
Enricher
Equitable
Eternal, Absolute
Ever-living, Alive
Exalter
Expander, Widener
Faithful One
Fashioner
Finder
Firm One

First
Forgiver, Absolver
Foremost, Expediter
Friend, Protecting
Gatherer
Giver of Death (*)
Giver of Life
Governor, Ruler
Grateful, Thankful One
Great, Eminent One
Great Forgiver
Guide
Hearer
Hidden, Inner
Highest One
Holy
Honorer
Incomparable, Purpose Setter
Inheritor
Judge (*)
Just
Kind One, Gentle One
King Over All Earthly Kingdoms
King, Sovereign
Last
Light
Lord of Majesty
Maker, Creator
Manifest
Merciful, Compassionate
Mighty One
Most Glorious
Most Great, Self-expanding
Most High
Noble, Glorious
Nourisher, Sustainer
The One
Opener
Originator, Innovator
Overcomer, Subduer, Dominant
Pardoner
Patient One
Peaceful One
Praiseworthy
Preserver
Preventer, Delayer
Protector
Provider
Reckoner
Reconciler
Repairer, All compelling

Responsive One
Resurrecter
Restorer
Restrainer, Binder (*)
Righteous, Pure
Self Sufficient, Rich One
Self-subsisting,
Strong One
Sublime
Subtle
Trustee, Advocate
Truth
Unerring, Right Guide
Unique One
Watchful
Wise
Witness
* Note: although we should emulate the qualities/names of God, we must fully understand those
marked with an asterisk like giver of death before we emulate them.

REMEMBRANCE (Soul)
Remembrance of God: We have forgotten so much, (and been misled) so various practices have
been revealed as tools to re-establish our closeness. The kalima is one such recitation.
Contemplation of the Maps wisdom precepts is another method. And the silent or vocal recitation of
the 99 qualities of God is yet another. Rightly guided divine law can assist in this process by creating
a safe haven within a person and society, enabling this to take place.
This may also be called meditation. It seems many people teach meditation as some form of hyperconcentration. But my experience with Bawa is that this is not the whole picture. What are we
meditating on? Some say the void. But it seems to me that meditation without the qualities of God, or
at least one of them, would be morally devoid, loveless, empty. Truth is not empty, it is full of truth.
Can truth be separate from love?

Kalima (Soul)
Known as the Kalima: There is no existence but God. This awareness is realized when we
experience the impermanence of everything else then that knowledge flows with our breath 43,242
times a day. This is the state of Man-God, God-Man. Man merged within God, God merged within
Man no separation. Man refers to living totally as a soul-being and has no gender basis as in men
and women, male or female.
Discussion:
This was a main emphasis and one of the first prayers that Bawa Muhaiyaddeen explained to his
students. Because he was speaking from the reality, he tried his utmost to instill in us that anything
created is therefore temporary, even the mountains. For as he said, Mountains become oceans and
oceans become mountains. For those in any doubt of this, the highest hills near where I grew up in

England are limestone, which are mainly marine organisms. Many folks today dont believe in the
existence of God, but from the mystics perspective, only God has existence. With the out-breath we
say, there is nothing; and with the in-breath we say, except You. If this awareness exists with every
breath, then we are in constant contact with That which is. This is a very exalted prayer, but it is
everyones birthright. This practice is also known as dhikr, some say zikr, which is remembrance. Of
course to say this prayer perfectly is enough, but to accomplish this our state of being must be free of
illusion - hence the other precepts on the Map.

99 Qualities of God
These have been written and explained through the ages. Also called the names of God. Qualities
like: mercy, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, patience, subtlety, strength, reconciliation, etc. If
there is a description of God, this is it. And all the qualities are performable by human beings. These
qualities form the essence of the phrase I (God) created you in my own image. The image is not
physical, but the actualization of these qualities.
The list of names can be read as a very potent meditation. Or, a single name can be recited 3, 11, 33,
99, or 300 times as meditation, while reflecting on and sinking in the meaning. The recitation tradition
would put the word 'Ya' in front of a name, this would be as Ya Lateef, or Oh Subtlety. Although Oh is
substituted in English for Ya, Ya carries with it the implicit meaning of praise and devotion. So, Praise
Subtlety, would be more appropriate. Also, try to recite with the focus in the heart/soul, not in the head
or elsewhere. (99 Qualities list)
Discussion:
But these qualities are not just reserved for the prayer mat, they must precede us in our daily lives. To
live in Bawas house, the house of a public person dedicated to humanity, was very difficult. There
was a constant flow of visitors. The house was virtually active 24 hours a day. There was very little
privacy. All spaces were shared in some way.
It is incumbent on the teacher to create a situation where learning can organically take place. This
was not obvious to me at first and I was often thinking how to make the situation run smoother. In our
living quarters in Sri Lanka we were often overcrowded and lacked amenities. When I first walked into
the situation I began a list of all the things that should be changed to improve things. I did not act
immediately on the list, so there was time to watch the process within the surroundings. It was a time
of great contemplation because we had ceased our daily lives to come and live under the same roof
as our teacher. So modern convenience was not a necessity to help us complete a busy work
schedule.
I started to see how we had to exert greater patience in our limited surroundings and also assist each
other with it. There were frustrations, and due to the lack of stimulus, often our minds appeared
projected on the wall, making us confront them - always a difficult thing to do. Slowly my list reduced
as I saw each thing as non-essential. Then there was one thing left: I did cover the crumbling cement
surfaces that we prepared food on with a light colored laminate so that it could be sufficiently cleaned
and not camouflage the flies. But I saw how the whole thing was working so that really only the
qualities of God would survive the situation. This also worked in the American Fellowship house. One
day, just after this conclusion, Bawa looked my way in the middle of a discourse and said, And
engineers try to make hell look like heaven!

Divine law (Soul)

Right action and behavior for a human being should be understood and, if accepted, established.
Many of the rules within the traditions have been forced upon people without explanation, and
sometimes appear oppressive. Authentic ones were not given to spoil our fun, but to help us discard

bad habits, (habits that burry us deep in the mud of creation instead of lifting us towards
transcendence), thereby protecting the flower of the heart (our spiritual potential) in public and private,
day and night, so that the highest state of perfection can be established. It is a crime against
humanity that some of the clergy within all the religions manipulate the laws to control and often
deceive people while claiming to guide them.

Faith-Certitude-Determination (Soul)
Faith must have three components: faith, certitude and determination. "Faith without determination is
a useless thing." (BM) Sometimes we must go forward with faith alone because trying to understand
everything is like untying all the knots in a net, that is what science does, but we don't always have
time for this. Ultimately, there is too much to untie and not enough time.
After a quantum enough time working the precepts of the Map, trust in them becomes established
and one can cut through other layers with faith. Ultimately only faith can complete the journey.

124,000 Prophets
These representatives have come to explain the divine knowledge sufficient for the Know Thyself
Curriculum, which leads to knowing Gods story and fulfilling the purpose of human existence.
Discussion:
How much I wanted to believe in the existence of an authentic Jesus when I was young. But the socalled Christian society I was supposed to be growing up in did not reflect what they said about him. I
see now that Jesus was also trivialized by lack of understanding. The behavior and explanations of
the religious authorities were pretty weak also. So with all that going on and science parading its stuff,
the existence of Jesus seemed just another fairy tale.
When many of us realized what we had in the personage of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, we took out all
those questions we had bagged up for Jesus since we were kids. And with grace, wisdom and
finesse, he answered them all. He often spoke of the prophets and how each one gave chapters of
the story of God so that human society could progress. He explained how each one brought
examples and lessons that we needed to understand. He showed how they were one long line of
brotherhood and sisterhood revealing the truths that we needed in order to merge with God and know
It like they did. Personally, he gave me back Jesus, and all the other prophets too. And now it all
makes sense. Unfortunately the scriptures we have are often incomplete or very difficult to
understand; and over the years some have even been adulterated. But if we are lucky enough to
meet a truly wise person, he or she is able to open up all the meanings of all the scriptures to us.

INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLICATIONS

At present this website can only go to a certain depth and breadth of wisdom illumination. If you are
touched by the precepts presented here, you may want to study them deeper and submerge yourself
in their bounties. With this in mind I have culled together a list of printed, audio and video works that I
think can accomplish this. Ten books about the core precepts of the Map are available for purchase
from this website.
These publications fulfill several purposes:
Some are linked directly to further exposition of the precepts presented on the Map of a Human
Being.

Most can be read as stand-alone texts.

There is a suggested chronological order to the publications, if you are relatively new to a wisdom
tradition, as listed below.
Most are oral books, spoken discourses, changed little to preserve the accuracy of the delivery. This
will make them a little harder to read for some people.
The material is very dense and should not be read like a novel, but savored in the way a cow chews
grass, very deliberately, with great contemplation.
At present the sale of these publications is the only financial support for this website outside of my
own contributions.

WISDOM BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Bawa Muhaiyaddeen rarely spoke exclusively on one subject, but integrated the negative and
positive aspects into each talk creating a tapestry of learning.
Titles not by Bawa Muhaiyaddeen will have their author listed.

Nature of the mind, world and soul - core teachings:

The Guidebook To The True Secret of the Heart, Vol. 1 & 2 (Available from
Map of a Human Being Bookstore)
God, His Prophets and His Children
When I first heard Bawa Muhaiyaddeen speak many of the Map precepts had been explained
before and he could not re-explain them for every discourse. So these guidebooks are where we all
started with the core teachings. This is where the great sorting begins. The clarity about the world,
soul, mind, God, form versus formlessness, etc., will be illuminated. In this volume there are
chapter headings like: Peace, The Mind, The Camera, The Soul, Beyond Form. Through these
talks, I believe, you will begin to see life in a more accurate way. This will inform much of what you
do. Your decisions will be informed by extra wisdom, making them more agreeable to your life. I
believe all these volumes can enhance any spiritual or philosophic tradition. Most books have a
glossary and some are indexed.

Divine Luminous Wisdom That Dispels The Darkness

More of the core teachings with a large Q & A section with over a hundred and fifty wisdom
exchanges. Especially for those more familiar with the Hindu or Buddhist tradition. These
exchanges happened in the early 1970s when Bawa Muhaiyaddeen was centered mainly in the
north of Sri Lanka among a predominantly Hindu population. Again the reader would benefit from
reading vol. 1 & 2 of the Guidebooks first.

The qualities of God - core teachings:

Asmaul Husna: The 99 Beautiful Names of Allah (Available from Map of a
Human Being Bookstore)
These have been written and explained through the ages. Also called the qualities of God. Qualities
like: mercy, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, patience, subtlety, strength, reconciliation, etc. If
there is a description of God, this is it. And all the qualities are performable by human beings. These
qualities form the essence of the phrase I (God) created you in my own image. The image is not
physical, but the actualization of these qualities.
The list of names can be read as a very potent meditation exercise. Or, a single name can be recited

3, 11, 33, 99, or 300 times as a form of meditation, as we reflect on and sink in its meaning. There is
a great effect on the heart when all 99 are read in one session with detailed explanations from the
book, or you can print out a simple list from the Map of a Human Being website here.
This volume also contains explanations about the precept of the redirected heart. There are several
explanations about powerful prayer phrases that can help us in our daily lives. This book contains an
essential part of the core teachings. Most books have a glossary and some are indexed.
Paperback, 4 x 5 3/4", 211 pages. (Fellowship Press)

The Four Relgions - core teachings:

Four Steps To Pure Iman (Faith) (Available from Map of a Human Being
Bookstore)
Hinduism/Buddhism, Zoroastrian/Zen, Christianity, Judaism/Islam: One within the four - four within the
one. Together these religions form the essence of spiritual completeness and were never meant to be
separated. This is His-story, God's story that was revealed for Man's benefit. However, some current
interpretations of scripture and traditions may not be divinely inspired, but distortions/additions by selfinterested parties. We all have to progress from idol worship to formlessness. Canonical law, the
path, divine merging, and gnosis. The four steps to pure faith. They are states of understanding
contained within all authentic spiritual traditions. In Hinduism they are known as, sariyai, kiriyai,
yogam and gnanam. In Islam they are known as shariat, tariquat, hakiquat, and marifat. This is the
path of progression out of karma and towards the Absolute. This book contains an essential part of
the core teachings. Paperback, 5 1/2 x 8", 68 pages. (Fellowship Press) Reading Guidebook Vol. 1 &
2 first would support understanding.

Love - core teachings:

Book of Gods Love (Available from Map of a Human Being Bookstore)
A small book with four chapters: True Love, Forgiveness, Cultivating the Heart, Eternal Youth. In
todays world people use the word love to mean so many things. Here we read about a love that is not
contingent upon the world. This is the zenith of love from which we can measure all the other loves.
In the chapter on forgiveness we are left with no doubt as to the nature of God with regard to this
subject and therefore our responsibility with it also. This is a very healing chapter. This is a very
healing book. I think we can safely say that modern culture is obsessed with eternal youth. What this
chapter clearly shows is that all physical things change and that the only eternity is to be found within.
It clearly reveals the correct state to foster eternal youth. It is an observation of mine that those who
have the most serene inner state are also those who look the most youthful, even in older age. We
keep applying these magic potions to our shell, when in fact youthfulness emanates from within our
being. This is a great companion book with The Wisdom of Man. Both books contain essential
illumination of the core teachings. Pocket size, 115 pages. (Fellowship Press)

Wisdom - core teachings:

Wisdom of Man (although all the books contain wisdom) (Available from Map of a
Human Being Bookstore)

Devotional Songs - core teachings:

Songs of God's Grace (Available from Map of a Human Being Bookstore)

During one of my early visits to Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, in the middle of a discourse he started to sing.
This was a bit of a shock to me. No one else seemed surprised so I soon got over it and listened.
Through the vibration of song, many explanations were given. There is a great yearning in these
songs. If life has been difficult for you, this is where you will find some soothing balm. Sometimes my
mood demands that only the Song Book will fulfill my inner needs. Many of his songs were recorded
and are available on CD also. This book is currently out of print, but I have some of the 1973 version
still available. Paperback, 5 1/2 x 8", 154 pages. Reading Guidebook Vol. 1 & 2 first would open up
the meaning of the songs further. (Fellowship Press)

Explanatory Discourse - core teachings:

The Fast of Ramadan: The Inner Heart Blossoms (Available from Map of a
Human Being Bookstore)
I call this book, The View From the Ocean of Divine Knowledge. I think the Fast Ramadan title limits
its scope. It was called this because many of the talks were given during the month of Ramadan.
Many of these talks actually happened during my first six month exposure to Bawa's teachings.
They were my introduction. Bare in mind that many of his American students had been with him for
a few years by this time, so there wasn't the need to explain concepts like 'monkey mind' or 'dog of
desire.' For folks like me just coming in the door, I headed for the bookstore and devoured
Guidebook Vol. 1 & 2, so that I could catch up with the core teaching references and get more out of
these multilayered explanations. That is why I have put it here in the study order. Because if you
have read the books that come ahead of this you will get more out of these talks.

Enough For a Million Years (Available from Map of a Human Being Bookstore)
These nuggets of wisdom were given by Bawa Muhaiyaddeen in response to people's needs over
a short period of time. He said there is enough wisdom in them to last for a million years. That is
why this paperback pocket-sized, 80 page compendium was assembled. Ideal for carrying and
reading when a spare moment presents itself. The texts answer such questions as: How can I
remove my fears? What is the purpose of life? What old habits and beliefs keep me from being
who I want to be? Does God test us? What is the root cause of our problems? How does God hear
us? And many more points. It can be read without knowledge of the core teachings, but, yes,
Guidebook Vol. 1 & 2 will make the text more expansive.

Creation as divine signs - core teachings:

My Love You My Children: 101 Stories for Children of All Ages (Available from
Map of a Human Being Bookstore)
Creation as University
At one point in our interactions with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen we mentioned to him the need for wisdom
illustrations for our children. What followed were daily outpourings of short stories and mainly
analogies using the creation to enlighten us. Although they can be used to communicate ethical and
wisdom life principles to children, in this collection we are shown the way of looking at the natural
creation as the verses of the divine. Like the original Aesops tales, these texts introduce us to the
methodology of seeing each creation as containing a wisdom lesson. Many enlightened teachers
throughout time have used the examples of the positive and negative traits of flora and fauna to hone
our humanity. This publication shows us how to sift meaning from the creation in order to serve the
core teachings. Large paperback, 475 pages. I would say it can be read as a stand-alone book, but

the 101 stories and analogies would be more deeply understood after reading Guidebook Vol. 1 & 2.
It is a great book to use as a daily or weekly meditation. For example, read an illustration in the
evening and then carry the lesson with you for 24 hours or a week. (Fellowship Press)

Come to the Secret Garden: Sufi Tales of Wisdom (Fellowship Press)

Creation as University
Another volume of the above.

Prayer:
Dikr: The Remembrance of God (Fellowship Press)

Student/Teacher relationship:
Sheikh and Disciple (Fellowship Press)

Questions and Answer Format:

Questions of Life, Answers of Wisdom, Vol. 1&2 (Fellowship Press)
Divine Luminous Wisdom That Dispels The Darkness (Fellowship Press)
Truth and Light: Brief Explanations (Fellowship Press)

Audio - Visual:
For audio or video go to the Fellowship Press website which is not affiliated with this site:
http://www.bmfstore.com

More Wisdom Texts:

Conference of the Birds - author: Attar (12th century CE!)
One bird decides to go in search of enlightenment and invites all the other birds to join him. What
follows is basically a book of excuses about why they cannot!
The Screwtape Letters - author: C.S Lewis
A letter exchange between an older devil and his nephew. It is really a book about how not to be
human, masterfully written.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations - author: Marcus Aurelius (2nd century CE)
Deep personal reflections by a man of obvious wisdom who was also leader of an empire.
The Great Divorce - author: C.S. Lewis
A man dies and goes to a kind of purgatory. But once a year the bus goes to heaven on a day trip. If
you can lose your resentments and negative qualities you might gain entry. Many prefer to keep their
attachments.
The Bhagavad Gita - an important chapter of the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. (about 5th century

BCE)
It is an incredible explanatory wisdom exchange between Krishna and Arjuna a warrior.
The Drop That Became The Sea - Yunus Emre (Get the Kabir Helminski & Refik Algan translation)
(about 13th century CE)
Sacred poem/songs about the state of humankind, and being in the divine presence.
The Essential Rumi - translation: Coleman Barks
A large volume covering many subject categories from the 13th century mystic Rumi. One of the most
read poets in America today.
One Song - author: Michael Green
For those who are visually oriented, view mystical artist Michael Greens numinous illustrations and
sayings in this volume.
The Book of Mirdad - author: Mikhail Naimy
An interesting story dramatizing the demise of a spiritual community.
The Cloud of Unknowing - Author unknown (about 13th century, maybe Julian of Norwich)
Gnosis level Instructions, from a spiritual teacher, conveyed to a novice.
Dark Night of the Soul - John of the Cross ( Get the Mirabai Starr translation)
Using the vernacular of the Map we would call this the dark night of the mind.
I recommend a subscription to Parabola magazine, which is not affiliated with this website:
www.parabola.org

SAYINGS OF BAWA MUHAIYADDEEN:

"Do not carry or replay the memories of events, carry only the point of wisdom they convey and you
will not be sad."
When asked about a historical religious incident. "I did not come to teach history."
"The world's story is a murder story."
"We are born with the disease that will kill us."
"Divine law protects Gnosis."
If a person could do as much duty as a single cow, that person would be exalted.
"Faith without determination is a useless thing."
Mountains become oceans and oceans become mountains.
Engineers try to make hell look like heaven!
Thinking is the elements arguing with each other.

SAYINGS OF TONY BUCK:

"The world is an electromagnetic fiction."
"The ego is the collective will of the mind as defined by the Map of a Human Being."
"Objective perception is God's point of view."

GLOSSARY:
Words that need definition; as the Map of a Human Being meanings may not conform to general
usage.
Brain: The physical organ used by the soul and the mind to communicate with the world and fulfill
their intentions.
Divine Light: Not a manifested light but an emanation of divine power; illumination.
Ego: The mind's collective will. Mind as defined by the Map of a Human Being.
Five Elements: Earth, fire, water, air, ether (not the table of elements which are contained within
these). For our purposes these are the building blocks of everything in the universe.
Gnosis: The highest form of divine wisdom. The state of living from within wisdom.
God: The uncreated power of the universe.
Kalima: Word. Particularly the phrase: There is no god, but God. Also: There is no existence, but
God.
Karma: The ethical, moral and physical consequences of thought and action. When I use the word
karma, it usually represents negative influences.
Man: Man vs. people or men and women. The natural, genderless divine state of men and women.
Maya: It is generally used here to mean illusion.
Mind: The mind is an ideational projection that emerges from the elements that make up the body, to
and from the elements that make up the world.
Prophet: A person who brings a part of God's ongoing story or revelation. They are never separate
from God.
Redirected Heart: The classic heart symbol points downwards towards the world and created things.
The Map heart symbol is turned upward, suggesting redirecting our focus to a higher consciousness
and formlessness.
Religion: The institutional organizations or cultural expressions that claim to represent a scripture
revealed by one or more prophets.
Saints: Those who have transformed themselves using the revelations of the prophets.
Sakti: The sakti (energy plus perception, not necessarily accurate perception) that emanates from the
created things. This forms the mind.
Soul/Inner-heart: The soul is uncreated and cannot be corrupted. It is a ray of Gods light, Life itself,

a distinguished intelligence center, sensed in the heart area, drawing its wisdom from the divine. The
soul, as compared to the mind, is universal, whereas each mind can have its own propensities.
The Path: The journey from the surface of the eye (the world) into the soul, where we become one in
God consciousness.
Wisdom: The evolving ability to access objective reality, or God's point of view.
END
MAP OF A HUMAN BEING