Editing Meher Baba (section)

==Overview of teachings==
Meher Baba's teachings concerned the nature and purpose of life. He described the [[phenomenal]] world as illusory, and taught that the Universe is imagination. He taught that God alone exists, and each soul is God passing through imagination in order to realise its own divinity.<ref>''God Speaks'', 2nd edition, 1973. p. 170</ref> He advised followers wishing to attain God-realisation, emphasizing love and selfless-service.<ref>''Discourses'', 7th edition, 1987. p. 315</ref> His other teachings included discussion of [[Perfect Master (Meher Baba)|Perfect Masters]], the Avatar, and those on the various stages of the spiritual path, which he termed [[Involution (Meher Baba)|involution]]. ''[[God Speaks]]'' and ''[[Discourses (Meher Baba)|Discourses]]'' are regarded as among his most important written works.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26609184|title=Sanskrit Pathshala to a Deemed University|author=Shigwan, Ramchandra |journal=Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute|date=9 March 2024 |volume=77|pages=261–270|jstor=26609184 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/20024777|title=Spiritual Innovation and the Crisis of American Civil Religion|author1=Anthony, Dick|author2=Robbins, Thomas|year=1982|journal=Daedalus|volume=111|issue=1|pages=215–234|jstor=20024777 }}</ref>

For decades he declined to speak and later refrained from communicating via written language. This practice has remained a topic of discussion among some of his followers.<ref>Purdom (1964) p. 407&nbsp; "Why he ceased to speak and write Baba has explained only vaguely, though much natural curiosity is aroused; the first question asked when people come to know about him or to see him is why he does it. That both silence and nonwriting are of great significance is certain; not surprisingly Baba does not explain. Silence is the answer to silence."</ref><ref>''Meher Baba's Silent Semiotic Output'', José Sanjinés, ''Signs and Society'', Vol. 2, No. S1, Supplement 2014, The University of Chicago Press, p. S121</ref>