When you go to a new place what do you do? You give an introduction about yourself. You talk about who you are, where you are from, isn't it?
Now let us look at this from a wider perspective. Do we know who we are and where have we come from and where we will go after this little journey called life?
This hall will remain here maybe for the next 300 years, but none of the bodies sitting in this hall will be there for that long. Our shelf-life (here referring to the body) is very short when compared to the matter around us.Even the garments you are wearing have a better shelf life than the body that lies inside it. Do you see what I am saying?
So, sometimes in life, put your thoughts on, 'What is my source? Where have I come from? I have been here for so many years, but where was I before that? Did I exist at all before my current age?'
Forget about all the books and philosophies and just ask yourself this question, 'What is my origin, where have I come from?' You just have to ask this question, nothing else! It should be a genuine question that should come from inside and not because I am telling you.
The answer you get could be stimulating, it could be stunning (filled with wonder) or it could be absolutely confusing! I say, all three are good.This enquiry is a sign of intelligence.
I remember as kids, me and my sister would go to the park with my parents, and we would ask our parents, 'Where did the clouds come from?' They usually didn't have an answer for that. We used to ask them, 'Where is it going?' Because we would see that the clouds are moving.
It is a natural instinct in every child’s mind to know. From the age of three we start asking questions. Questions indicate an existence of a faculty in us called intellect. We should not shun children from asking questions. We should encourage them to ask more questions.
Many times you will see that children are satisfied just by asking questions; it does not matter what you answer them.Kids when they get a sibling they ask, 'Mummy where did this baby come from?' Of course in the West people say that the Stocks brought the kid, and in different cultures we give different explanations. No matter what the parent says, the child seems satisfied. Have you experienced this?Actually, every child is testing your intelligence, your common sense and your knowledge.
So we must maintain and carry this spirit of enquiry that we are born with all our life. This is what is spirituality and this is what is science also. In science you ask 'What is this? How did this happen?' And in spirituality you ask, 'Who am I? Where have I come from?'
No knowledge is complete without the subject and object.Suppose you wear yellow glasses then everything you see will look yellow. But you cannot say that everything is yellow. You have to see what type of glasses you are wearing. This is subjective knowledge.The relationship between the subject and object is so intense, so close, that one cannot exist without the other. This is the field of knowledge.
Science is incomplete without a spiritual quest and a spiritual quest cannot progress an inch without a scientific temper. A scientific temper is the basis for a spiritual quest. So, understanding both spirituality and science is wisdom.
Coming back to the question, where have I come from? Have you ever thought about this? Where did you exist before you came here? This is a journey into the mystic realm which can become so real, as real as you talking to a friend.
I tell you, we should not exit from this world without finding out who we are and where we have came from. This is very important. This very spirit of enquiry lifts us to another dimension which is free from depression, worry and all other sort of mental lack.
The side effect of true spiritual enquiry is happiness, confidence and intuition.
Tell me who doesn’t want these three things? Anyone who doesn’t want these three things can stay away from any type of spiritual enquiry or spiritual practices.
Seeing life from a bigger context is what mysticism and spirituality is all about. Mysticism is not doing some strange things, such as walking on fire or standing on one leg. You don’t need to do any of that, just an enquiry of the source.
Yesterday someone asked me, where do thoughts come from? I said, 'Do you get thoughts?' He said, 'Yes'. Then I said, 'Find out! It is well within your reach'.
‘What is my origin?’ This question should haunt you. This is a sign of intelligence. It is said that the first sign of intelligence is when someone inquires about his or her origin. The second sign of intelligence is not to say anything until a question is asked. Of course, this is when you are in difficulty. When you are in problem, keeping quiet is better than talking.
We keep asking people questions which are very futile. Someone is sick in the hospital, you ask, 'Hey, how are you?'They say, 'I am okay!' If they are okay then why are they in the hospital?
It is like a slot machine, you put a coin and something comes out. Similarly our answers and our enquires are also like that. These questions and these answers mean very little. The real questions is, 'What is my origin?'
It transports us to another dimension of existence where we can get rid of depression in no time.Life is magnanimous, not just limited to a particular role you’re playing here with a few people around you. My dear, you are much more than that ...
WHO ARE YOU -Post 2/3
Every event that you experience in your life here and now has some meaning and is a result or an effect of something that has happened in the past. So, when you see the link between the cause and the effect of the events around you, you can become very peaceful.
Suppose you receive a (parking) ticket because you had violated a traffic law somewhere, and you forgot about it. What will happen to you? You will get agitated. But if you are reminded, that you had violated the traffic laws, then you know the cause of the effect you are experiencing in your life. When you know this, what happens? You become peaceful and you accept the situation. Then there is no agitation and no questioning. There is no anger because you know that what you are experiencing today is because of what you did yesterday. You accept and move on.
With the lack of the knowledge (of the cause), you sit and wonder, ‘Why did this happen? Why did that happen?’ This is no good. You’re digging your mind. Instead, you must think of your origin. You may not get an answer right away; nor tomorrow or for another few years, but the journey that it will kick off will yield enormous results; more than you can ever expect. This is viveka.
Viveka means that inner discrimination, seeing what is changing, what is not changing, what is permanent and what is temporary.
We are made up of two things, something that changes and something that does not change. Look at a picture of you that has been taken a few years back and look at you now, are you the same? No!
We know that the body is constantly changing. All our cells change in one year. Our blood changes every 24 hours. Our skin changes every month, the lining in our stomach changes every five days, the bone marrows changes. In one year many things in our body change. Similarly our thoughts change and our emotions change.So, how do we know that everything is changing? It is because there is something that is not changing and this something is very interesting. It expands and it contracts.
Suppose if someone compliments you, what happens to you? You feel a sense of expansion. And when someone blames you for something you have not done, what happens to you? You feel that something inside you is shrinking.
What is this something that expands and shrinks within you? That is worth knowing, and it is the same thing that doesn’t change. Something in you never changes, but sometimes it expands and sometimes it contracts. This is our experience. How would it be if you could have control over this something that expands and contracts, and not allow it to be a football of someone else’s words? Wouldn't it be great if you could be in control of your own happiness? That is exactly what is the impact of meditation!
Meditation is understanding this something inside us which expands and contracts, and keeping it in our control rather than it being controlled by situations, circumstances or the people around us.So, this something in us which is the same throughout our life, and which is not very tangible, is worth knowing. It is what you are.
So, coming back to the same questions, ‘What is your origin and where will you go after this body gets dropped?’
This body drops, but something moves away from the body, and nothing can destroy that. Earlier you heard a song which said, ‘Nothing can burn it, nothing can wet it, nothing can bury it. It does not die with death’.
This something in us is beyond destruction. Even if this body is destroyed, this cannot be destroyed.
Can you destroy air? No! You have a pot and inside the pot there is space and in the space there is air. You can destroy a pot but can you destroy the air or the space? That is impossible! And that space is what we are.
Are you all still here? I am trying to make it as simple as possible so that you can get it, otherwise this knowledge can go well above the head!Once someone asked, how is it that when I sit for a philosophical talk I fall asleep? Someone answered that these talks are like a bed of roses, it gives you inner comfort and so you can fall asleep.
When people come to the Bangalore Ashram, I often say, 'Leave your problems with me'. So one lady said, ‘My mother-in-law is my problem. Can I leave her here?’ I said, ‘Let me ask your mother-in-law, what is her problem and then you both may have to stay together!' (Everybody in the audience laughs!)
Imagine you are going to die in another ten days, then who are you going to be jealous of? Who are you going to be angry with? What is it that you will want?
The small mind which is irritating us everyday suddenly loses its grip over our life and we start blossoming.
We live like paupers sitting on a treasure. We have treasures of lifetimes with us, but we are crying, wailing and mourning for nothing. If there is anything that can uplift you from misery, sorrow and disgust, it is this knowledge of our origin.
Imagine that we are all going to die in another ten days, then who are you going to be jealous of? Who are you going to be angry with? What is it that you will want? All that you have earned and all that you have done will remain here, and you will be gone.
The small mind which is irritating us everyday suddenly loses its grip over our life and we start blossoming. It will bring a smile, confidence and intuition that nothing else can give you.
Who am I and Why am I here?
‘Who am I?’ - Keep asking yourself this question, inside you. This becomes the path to meditation. Sit alone and keeping asking this. Keep aside whatever you consider yourself to be. Then keep asking the question again and again. The answer to this question cannot be answered through words. Those who answer through words, they don’t know. But this question is of great importance.
Keep asking yourself this question, not once but hundreds of thousands of times. Why are you here? First you understand who you are! What are you not here for? First see that. You are not here to be troubled and trouble others. You are not here just to eat, drink and sleep, or to gossip. Then you will understand what you are here for
First negate all that you are not. Then you will understand that you are here for others. Be useful for yourself and others. When someone gets peace of mind because then you will get fulfillment and bliss.
WHO ARE YOU? Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh or Guru?
There are three forces: Brahma shakti, Vishnu shakti, and Shiva shakti. You may have one of these predominant. Brahma shakti is the force to create something new. Vishnu shakti is maintenance and Shiva shakti is bringing in transformation, filling in life, or destroying.
Some of you have Brahma shakti. You may create well, but you may not be able to maintain. For example, you may make friends very fast, but it does not last long.
There are others who cannot create but are good at maintaining. For example, people have long lasting friendships but cannot make any new friends. In such cases, Vishnu shakti is dominant.
And then there are others who have more of Shiva shakti. They bring in new life or transformation or they can destroy the whole set up.
In Guru shakti, all three shaktis have blossomed fully.
So each of you first identify which shakti you have more of and aspire for Guru shakti. Guru makes a group but a group cannot make a Guru.
YOU ARE THE UNIVERSAL WAVE
As the body you can’t be everywhere, but as consciousness you can be in many places.Everything in this creation has certain vibrations. Each animal is connected to the macrocosm and brings down a particular type of cosmic ray into the planet, that manifests particular vibrations.
So honour and respect every creature on the planet because God is present in every atom of creation. The whole creation is filled with consciousness, filled with knowledge. You are nothing but a particular vibration, a wave function, a frequency. Your body is emitting vibrations or energy all the time. You are losing energy and gaining energy from the cosmos. There is a continuous flow and every cell in your body is changing. You are exchanging energy all the time.
Your consciousness is also a wave function and it has so many possibilities, so many avenues. . As the body you can’t be everywhere, but as consciousness you can be in many places.
When we raise our consciousness, we become more aware of the sensation that is happening in the body and we see that the sensations change. An intense sensation that is pain and an intense sensation that is pleasure, both become pleasurable. Love and pain, they are very closely related. The symbol of Jesus on the cross means that the cross is pain and Jesus is love. One is with the other. The transformation of this pain into bliss, the love into bliss is what happens with awareness.
Without awareness the mind shrinks. When the mind shrinks, the joy diminishes. Whenever we are happy, we feel that something in us is expanding and the expression of sadness is the contraction of mind.
Meditation is a technique where the mind expands and relaxes. And whenever we are relaxed, we are expanding automatically. It is worth knowing this expansion because then nothing can disturb us or take our smile away.
Otherwise, small things can throw us off balance. It is not worth letting your mind or your life undergo such suffering and misery
There is a beautiful couplet in Srimad Bhagavatam, 'Janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārthesv abhijñah svarāt'.
The awareness of the origin and its culmination brings you inner freedom. That consciousness is so magnanimous, so beautiful!
'Tene brahma hrdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayah. Tejo-vāri-mrdām yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mrsā. Dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhīmahi'
That something has the brilliance of a million suns, it is the source of happiness. Let that consciousness which is more real that the real (most true) inspire my intellect, and may I be soaked in that truth.
What is truth? Truth is that which doesn’t change in the past, present or future, it remains the same. It is the Summun Bonum of this creation and into that let my intellect soak, and that is what is meditation!
THE GOAL OF ALL ANSWERS
Some questions can be answered only in Silence. Silence is the goal of all answers. If an answer does not silence the mind it is "no" answer.
Thoughts are not the goal in themselves. Their goal is Silence. When you ask the question "Who am I?" you get no answer, there is silence. That is the real answer. For your soul is solidified silence. This solidified silence is wisdom, is knowledge.
The easy way to silence the thoughts is to arouse the feelings. For through feelings only peace, joy and love dawn. And they are all your very nature.
To the question "Who am I?" the only relevant answer is silence. You need to discard all answers in words, including "I am Nothing" or "I am the Cosmic Self" or "I am the Self" - and just stick to the question "Who am I?". All other answers are just thoughts.
Thoughts can never be complete. Only Silence is complete.
