When Tavayogi spoke about the receptiveness of people to certain teachings, he classified them as having the nature of petrol, charcoal, and peat. Petrol catches fire easily. Charcoal if fanned will catch on and burn well. Peat fires smolder underground for great lengths of time. If Tavayogi spoke about the three kinds of people namely those who ignite immediately; those who catch fire when fanned and those who turn away, I was surprised to learn that Bhagawan Ramana too has distinguished them similarly. He associates them with gunpowder, charcoal, and wet coal. We learn this from, "Be As You Are. The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi" compiled by David Godman, (Compass) Paperback.
"Sri Ramana occasionally indicated that there were three classes of spiritual aspirants. The most advanced realize the Self as soon as they are told about its real nature. Those in the second class need to reflect on it for some time before Self-awareness becomes firmly established. Those in the third category are less fortunate since they usually need many years of intensive spiritual practice to achieve the goal of Self-realization."
"Sri Ramana sometimes used a metaphor of combustion to describe the three levels: gunpowder ignites with a single spark, charcoal needs the application of heat for a short time, and wet coal needs to dry out and heat up over a long period of time before it will begin to burn."
I came across this distinction in the documentary movie "Samadhi - The Pathless Path", too.
"Some like dry wood need just a spark to light up. Others require more preparation as in wet wood that needs some time to dry out before they ignite. They need teachings, and practices to loosen the bonds of the self-structure to become free of samskaras."
Swami Saravanananda wrote in his English rendering of the Arutperunjhoti Agaval by Ramalinga Swami published by the Ramalinga Mission, Madras, "The cosmic space is beginningless and is full of atoms of souls called Atmas. The atoms in cosmic space are of 3 types (immature, transitional, and mature). Due to the differences in the levels of will, wisdom, and action (karma) that are found in the cosmic space, Atmas have come to possess threefold bodies (Karmic, Pranava, Gnana)"
Annie Besant in her talks on "The Laws of the Higher Life", the Theosophical Publishing House, 1903, draws two distinct divisions to people and their brains. The coarser vibrations of the lower world and those adapted to it are one. The others are those who are in the front of evolution and of a subtler nature.
Agathiyar in coming to us recently speaks about this too.
மாணவன் என்பவன் கற்பூரம் போல் இருக்க வேண்டும்.
A disciple has to be like a camphor.
"இதோ வருகிறேன்", அவன் மாணவன்.
"Here I come", He then is a disciple.
கூறியவுடன் வருகிறான் அல்லவா....அவன் கற்பூரம்.
The one who comes that instant ....is camphor.
குரு பேச்சுக்கு எதிர் பேச்சு இருக்க கூடாது. மறு பேச்சு இல்லை. காரணம் கூற கூடாது.
He should not dispute the guru's speech. No talking back. Not giving reasons.
"இல்லை குரு, பார்க்கிறேன், யோசிக்கிறேன்", நீ மாணவன் அல்ல. வெறும் வாழை தண்டு.
"No guru, I shall see, I shall think over it", You are not a disciple then. Just a banana trunk.
"அவகாசம் கொடுங்கள்", அவன் கரி கட்டை. ஊதி வரவைத்து விடலாம்.
"Give me time, please", He is charcoal. We can blow (as in fanning the flame) and bring him (to us).
Where do we stand? We need to ask ourselves.