Chapter 10 - Life Is A Play
Day 55
In a jail, you find both jailers and prisoners. The jailer is free to come and go at any time, while the prisoner is stuck. So what is the difference between them? Both are sitting in jail, behind bars.
The prisoner might ask, "Since both of us are here, what is the difference between us? I get my food, and so do you. I have to work, and you also have to work even more than I do."
Once his work finishes, prisoner can go to sleep, but a jailer still has work to do. He is on 24-hour duty. So what is the difference between guards and prisoners in a jail?
Guards have a feeling of independence. They can go out, and nobody can stop them, whereas a prisoner is held captive. If you understand you feelings, you will realise that they arise each moment like bubbles forming on the surface of water.
When Sri Purandar Das said, "The bubble on the water is not real, oh Hari" he has looked at life as a bubble and not considered emotions at all.
Our feelings and thoughts are just like waves on the surface of the water, and others' feelings and thoughts are also like waves on the water.
Our sense organs are spectators. Our sense organs are spectators. This is an amazing sutra. The whole drama that is happening in the
world is witnessed by our senses.
And through them you can see inside and outside. Spectators simply enjoy an event. That is all. Sometimes people in the audience sleep through a performance. If you go to South India, the climate is so sunny and hot, people cannot sleep comfortably at home.
Once asked a friend of mine why he went to see the same film every day, and he said, “There is nothing special about it. We only have one theatre, which shows the same film for weeks at a time, and it is air-conditioned”.
“There is cool air blowing, and I can get good sleep, which I can't get at home. What does the movie matter?" Like this, many spectators get good sleep during a movie.
Sometimes, a person asked his
neighbor to wake him up if something interesting happens. This is how most spectators are. We do not take time to enjoy the dance or play of the self.
We keep crying, having lost ourselves in some object, or we are just asleep. This we have not paid attention to. Imagine that you have gone to the market or a place where you can see many people's heads.
Sit and watch for some time. What are the different thoughts and feelings passing through their heads? One might be angry, and another happy. Each one is different.
When we observe, it looks very strange. Today, when you go home, sit for some time and examine each person's face to find out what is going on in his head. Even children observe.
As soon as they come home, they find out their mother's and father's mood and what is happening between them. They also plan how to achieve what they want.
If they want to go on a trip from school, they mention it only if their mother and father are in a good mood. The children discuss among themselves, "Father is angry so we won't ask today. We'll wait to ask tomorrow when he's
in a good mood."
Then they'll try to make him happy with different tricks. One will show his report card and say, "Look. I got such good marks."
The report card may be old, but the father does not have time to check whether it is old or new, and once the father approves the card.
Then the child asks, "All our
classmates are going on a trip. I also want to go. May I? I'll only go if you say so, and I won't go if you say no. They know lots of subtle tricks.
In case the father says no, they will persuade him, saying, “Everyone is going. I'll also go and then I'll come right back home. It's just for one day, isn't it?”.
If I don't go, my friends have decided that they won't go either. I'm not very interested, but for their sake I should go. Even our teacher will be angry with me and say that I don't participate and keep giving the same excuses."
They make sure that somehow or the other, their father will let them go. Observe the dance of the Self. Watch its play. A variety show is happening - you can see this play out in your own home.
Watch people's expressions and you can see all of the nine feelings - fear, seriousness, hatred, boredom and so on. Our life, thoughts and feelings are full of these nine flavours.
Remember this much - it is enough. The moment you go home, observe : "Oh, this person is in an angry mood. This person is in a happy mood or a serious mood."
If your husband brings you flowers or takes you out to a movie or your wife dresses up and applies make up, then he or she is in a romantic mood.
She may have put on make-up to go to a concert of M.S. Subhalakshmi. There, the women in the audience will wear more make-up than the performers on stage, and their saris they will not wear again.
The wife might say, "What will others think? They'll say that I have only one sari. Don't you think that's shameful? Maybe it is not for me, but for you it is. It's a disgrace.
For all I care, I could go in the same sari that I use in the kitchen. It is only for your reputation that I am going to this trouble." At the concert, who will notice her?
Everyone will have their eyes closed, absorbed in the music. There are nine flavors, or emotions in life. Recognize them. You do not need to do anything except label them.
Today father is serious, mother is in a funny humor, brother is terrified, husband is in a romantic mood. Once you label the emotions, then you will start laughing and then you will enter a cheerful mood.
