At Shahane’s house on March 25th, (1926) Meher Baba gave the following discourse on intelligence – the use of knowledge by the mind in the state of thinking:
Intelligence not thinking is unconsciousness and may be likened to sound sleep. Thinking and imagination are latent in intelligence. When intelligence thinks of Itself, it realizes Its Self and is God. When it thinks about imagination, it is the world, mind, body and ignorance.
For example, take a gramophone record. When it is not being played, it is in a state similar to sound sleep, as is unconscious intelligence; but when the phonograph needle is put on the record, it starts to play. This is like the thinking of imagination that is latent in intelligence and becomes manifest while the mind is thinking.
Take as another example an ocean to represent intelligence, which is calm water at first. But when the wind blows – the desire of intelligence to know Itself – there is movement in the still waters. Intelligence begins to think, forming numerous waves, and the result is an uncountable number of bubbles. When intelligence starts thinking, it creates waves – universes. These universes in turn form bubbles – different worlds.
Baba then put some water in a big bucket and turned a glass upside down in it. He continued:
Although the same water is in the glass as in the bucket, its quantity is limited. Similarly, the ocean is in the bubble; intelligence is in imagination, but limited.
When a few outside visitors came in the evening, Baba explained to them:
The whole world is enmeshed in the grip of lust for women and wealth, while the real aim of life is to achieve the Truth. Unless God is realized, the purpose of acquiring a human body is frustrated, and the real object of life remains unfulfilled.
But Realization is impossible until intelligence is purified and freed of imagination. This can only be achieved by keeping the company of saints. For this reason, intimate contact with a Master is always necessary for Realization. But such Perfect Ones are very, very rare, while the world abounds with numerous hypocrites and frauds who pose as divine guides. How can one who has not had the experience of Truth guide others toward it?
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 3, pp. 786 – 787.