“Four brothers came to a grave in order to honor the memory of their father, who had died many years before. The brothers wanted to find out whether their father abided in heaven or hell. They all came to the simultaneous desire that their father’s soul appear before them and tell them how he was doing in the other world. Their father’s image appeared before the brothers in a wondrous glow. The brothers were amazed and delighted, and when they came to their senses, they asked, ‘Tell us, Father, does your soul abide in heaven?’
“‘Yes, my sons,’ their father answered them, ‘my Soul delights in heaven.’
“‘Tell us, Father,’ the brothers asked, ‘where will our souls end up after the death of our flesh?’
“The father asked each of the brothers this question: ‘Tell me, my sons, how do you yourselves evaluate your earthly actions?’
“The brothers answered their father in turn.
The oldest son said, ‘I became a great commander, father. I defended our native land from enemies, and no hostile foot entered it. I never oppressed the poor and weak. I tried to protect my soldiers, and I always honored God because I hope to get to heaven.’
“The second son answered his father: ‘I became a famous prophet. I preached to people about good and taught them to honor God. I reached great heights among those like me and high rank because I hope to get to heaven.’
“The third son answered his father: ‘I became a famous scholar. I have invented many devices to make human life easier. I have built many good structures for people. Always before setting to my task, I praise God and remember and honor His name, and so I hope to get to heaven.’
“The youngest brother answered his father: ‘Father, I am raising my orchard and laboring in my garden. I send vegetables and fruits from my beautiful garden to my brothers and try not to do anything bad, anything unpleasing to God, and so I hope to end up in heaven.’
“The father answered his sons: ‘Your souls, my sons, after your fleshly death, will abide in heaven.’
“The vision of their father vanished. The years passed, the brothers died, and their souls met in the heavenly garden, only their youngest brother’s soul was not among them. Then the three brothers summoned their father, and when he appeared before them in his wondrous glow they asked, ‘Tell us, Father, why is the soul of your youngest brother not among us in the heavenly garden? A hundred years have passed in earthly calculation since we spoke with you at your grave.’
“‘Do not worry, my sons, your youngest brother, too, abides in the heavenly garden. He is not by your side right now because your youngest brother at this moment is with God.’
“Another hundred years passed, and once again the brothers met in the heavenly garden, but once again their youngest brother was not among them. Again, the brothers summoned their father, and when he appeared they asked, ‘Now another hundred years have passed, but our youngest brother has not come to meet us, and no one has seen him in the heavenly garden. Tell us, father, where is our youngest brother?’
“The father answered his three sons: ‘Your youngest brother is with God, and so he is not among you.’
“The brothers asked their father to show them where and how the youngest was with God. ‘Look,’ their father answered the brothers. The brothers saw the Earth, and a most wondrous garden on it, which their youngest brother had cultivated during his lifetime. In the wondrous earthly garden, their youngest brother, looking younger, was explaining something to his child. His beauty of a wife was busy doing something nearby.
“The brothers were amazed and asked their father, ‘Our youngest brother is still in his earthly garden, not in the heavenly one as we are. What is he guilty of before God? Why hasn’t the flesh of our youngest brother died? More than a century has passed in earthly calculation, so why are we seeing him young? Has God changed the universal order?’
“The father answered, ‘God has not changed the universal order, created from the beginning in great harmony and inspired love. Your brother’s flesh has died more than once. But the best place for the soul is in the heavenly garden created by your own hands and heart. Just as for a loving mother and father, the child they create is always the most beautiful. Following the Divine order, the soul of your youngest brother should end up in the heavenly garden, but since that garden is on Earth, then it is reincarnated immediately in a new body in the earthly garden dear to it. ’
“‘Tell us, Father,’ the brothers continued. ‘You told us that our youngest brother is with God, but we do not see God near him in his garden.’
“The father told his three sons, ‘Your youngest brother, my sons, is tending to God’s creations, the trees and grass. They are the Creator’s materialized thoughts. By touching them with love and awareness, your youngest brother is thereby with God.’
“‘Tell us, our father, will we ever return to Earth in fleshly guise?’ the sons asked their father and heard in answer: ‘Your souls, my sons, now abide in the heavenly garden, and they can acquire earthly guise only in the event that someone creates a garden on earth for your souls that resembles the heavenly garden.’
“The brothers exclaimed, ‘Gardens are not created with love for someone else’s soul. We ourselves, if we acquire flesh, will raise a heavenly garden on Earth.’
“But the father answered his sons: ‘That opportunity was already given to you, my sons.’
“He quietly began to move away. But once again the three brothers asked the father, ‘Our own dear father, show us your place in the heavenly garden. Why are you moving away from us?’
“The father stopped and answered his three sons: ‘Look! There, next to your youngest brother in his garden, a spreading apple tree is blooming. Under the apple tree is a small cradle, and in it the beautiful little body of an infant has already moved its little hand. The infant’s little body is beginning to wake up, and my soul lives in him. After all, I was the one who began raising this beautiful garden.’”