The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ, by Levi H. Dowling, [1920], at sacred-texts.com

Chapter 33

Jesus teaches the common people at a spring. Tells them how to attain unto happiness. Relates the parable of the rocky field and the hidden treasure.

1. In silent meditation Jesus sat beside a flowing spring. It was a holy day, and many people of the servant caste were near the place.
2. And Jesus saw the hard drawn lines of toil on every brow, in every hand. There was no look of joy in any face. Not one of all the group could think of anything but toil.
3. And Jesus spoke to one and said, Why are you all so sad? Have you no happiness in life?
4. The man replied, We scarcely know the meaning of that word. We toil to live, and hope for nothing else but toil, and bless the day when we can cease our toil and lay us down to rest in Buddha's city of the dead.
5. And Jesus' heart was stirred with pity and with love for these poor toilers, and he said,
6. Toil should not make a person sad; men should be happiest when they toil. When hope and love are back of toil, then all of life is filled with joy and peace, and this is heaven. Do you not know that such a heaven is for you?
7. The man replied, Of heaven we have heard; but then it is so far away, and we must live so many lives before we can reach that place!
8. And Jesus said, My brother, man, your thoughts are wrong; your heaven is not far away; and it is not a place of metes and bounds, is not a country to be reached; it is a state of mind.
9. God never made a heaven for man; he never made a hell; we are creators and we make our own.
10. Now, cease to seek for heaven in the sky; just open up the windows of the hearts, and, like a flood of light, a heaven will come and bring a boundless joy; then toil will be no cruel task.
11. The people were amazed, and gathered close to hear this strange young master speak,
12. Imploring him to tell them more about the Father-God; about the heaven that men can make on earth; about the boundless joy.
13. And Jesus spoke a parable; he said, A certain man possessed a field; the soil was hard and poor.
14. By constant toil he scarcely could provide enough of food to keep his family from want.
15. One day a miner who could see beneath the soil, in passing on his way, saw this poor man and his unfruitful field.
16. He called the weary toiler and he said, My brother, know you not that just below the surface of your barren field rich treasures lie concealed?
17. You plough and sow and reap in scanty way, and day by day you tread upon a mine of gold and precious stones.
18. This wealth lies not upon the surface of the ground; but if you will dig away the rocky soil, and delve down deep into the earth, you need no longer till the soil for naught.
19. The man believed. The miner surely knows; he said, and I will find the treasures hidden in my field.
20. And then he dug away the rocky soil, and deep down in the earth he found a mine of gold.
21. And Jesus said, The sons of men are toiling hard on desert plains, and burning sands and rocky soils; are doing what there fathers did, not dreaming they can do aught else.
22. Behold, a master comes, and tells them of a hidden wealth; that underneath the rocky soil of carnal things are treasures that no man can count;
23. That in the heart the richest gems abound; that he who wills may open the door and find them all.
24. And then the people said, Make known to us the way that we may find the wealth that lies within the heart.
25. And Jesus opened up the way; the toilers saw another side of life, and toil became a joy.