21 Discursos del aņo 1993 Saisruthi, Kodaikanal
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Discurso del 16/04/93 ( A TRADUCIR ) | Kodaikanal
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Embodiments of love!
In the world there are various forms of knowledge. There are various forms of knowledge such as the worldly knowledge, besides that the knowledge of literature, the knowledge of sculpture, the knowledge of dance, and the knowledge of music, but of all it is the knowledge of the self [atma] that is the best and the noblest. The worldly, physical knowledge will help you to carry out a living and also to earn a name. It is only the knowledge of the self that gives self-satisfaction, that gives the bliss to the self, and also the mental peace.
Every man struggles and puts in a lot of effort from dawn to dusk until he goes to bed to carry out a living. Livelihood is a reflection of the very life. Livelihood is a reflection on the very purpose of life. We should take it, the livelihood, as the resound of the very objective of life. The worldly knowledge is but the reflection, resound, and the reaction. The knowledge of the self is eternal, permanent, and all truth itself.
The knowledge of the self cannot be earned by physical action. The disciples of Sankara investigated, explored several devices to improve mathematics. (Swami: Na hi na hi rakshati dukrinyakarane ). He said, "Oh mad man! Towards the end, when you are to leave this body, the repetition of dukrinyakarane will never come to your rescue. Every individual should develop the feeling, as to tread along the path of truth and reach divinity. Man should make an effort to acquire the knowledge of the self [atma jnana].
In the world, there are rich people, men of character, strong people, educated, intellectuals, but there is, there is nobody with knowledge of the self. They struggle hard and work for the body in anticipation of happiness and pleasure. The bliss of the self [atma ananda] and the peace of the self [atma santhi] are not available in the world. The bliss that we get out of individuals, sensual pleasure, and objects is just temporary. It is momentary peace. We have to experience the peace that is permanent. When we develop inner vision, then we can have peace. Everything is within us. The knowledge of the self, the knowledge of the non-duality, the knowledge of the Brahman, they are all present within each man. We have to make an effort to improve its value.
In the first instance, man experiences natural life. Gradually through spiritual practice and refinement, he should bring forth, manifest, the inner values outside. How? In the first instance supposing we get raw-material, diamond. It has no value. How does it value? The value lies in the diamond. When you refine it, that raw-material, diamond, and cut it into several faces, it will have its value. Similarly, the human quality within man, human value, should spread in society. We should take to correct spiritual practices. We have to refine them.
What do you mean by refinement? Here is paddy. The name paddy is there right from the beginning. Nobody can eat the paddy in its true form. Cotton in its original form, you cannot put on the cotton as it is. What is to be done? It has to be crushed, the husk has to be removed. It has to boil. We have to mix appropriate materials, only then we can eat. We have to shape it in such a way, that it is eligible to eat. That is refinement [samskara]. Meaning that which is existing, to make it convenient in a daily life, we refine it properly. We will have it for bliss in experience.
We cannot wear the cotton as it is. We have to make the thread of the cotton. The thread has to ??? yarn into cloth, then first the cloth is there. Then you can just put it on as a shirt. This shirt had so much of refinement earlier. After refinement this cotton will have that value.
Here is a bag of paddy. The value of the bag of paddy is 300 rupees. But removing all the dirt there, when you make it into rice, if you polish rice, bag of rice will have the value of 800 rupees. Then what do you mean by that? Value will be more. Refinement is done, that gives us ample scope.
Human life is the raw-material. The body with five senses, the mind with thoughts and aberrations, would only demonstrate the form. Man is not attached to value because of form. That with awareness, discrimination power, the thoughts out of awareness, the value is attached thereby.
Here is a bamboo stick, also the sugar cane stick. Both look alike, bamboo and sugar cane, but sugar cane's value is higher. Bamboo is valued because of its height and weight. What is the reason? Though in form both are alike we attach value to the sweetness in a sugar cane, not to the sugar cane as such. Similarly, human body is a sugar cane. We don't give value to that. We attach value to the sweetness of divine feeling inside. When you keep it, the sugar cane as it is, it will lose its value. You should refine it. It has to be put to trouble. You have to hurt it, squeeze the juice, keep it on pan, burn it and refine, then it will be permanent jaggery.
If you keep the sugar cane on one side, it becomes dry and the juice is lost. You have to hurt it. You have to trouble it, you have to squeeze. And the juice must be refined in fire. Then only it is shaped into permanent jaggery.
Every man must be able to resist, must be able to bear all troubles, and problems, and difficulties (Swami: Pleasure is an interval between two pains). So, Swami says, "Pleasure is an interval between two pains." There is a pleasure in between two pains. By merely calling the sugar cane it will never give you sugar, jaggery. You have to trash it and squeeze the sugar cane.
It is only the diamond that gives the value after it is polished. If the diamond is cut into different faces, then only it gives value. A round boulder is chiseled, hammered by the sculptor so as to shape it into a statue. Where is the idol? Where is the boulder? This idol that receives worship, came out of the boulder that never received any worship. Our body is a rock, a boulder. You have to refine it and then you have, you must have realization [sakshatkara]thereafter.
The spiritual practice is the act of sculpture. You are bringing out the idol out of the boulder, but from nowhere else. That, what is mentioned in the veda, "That thou art" - is the very proof of manifestation. On a hill there is a boulder. No one will worship it. The sculptor chiseled, carved into an idol. As he carves into idol of Krishna certain pieces fall down. Nobody will touch the pieces. But they take, they carry the idol, keep it the temple, install there, offer all forms of worship. The idol that receives worship, and the pieces of stone they both belong to the same. You ask the pieces of stone, "Why have you fallen here? Why is it receiving worship there?" Then the pieces of stone will give a reply, "That idol and we are one and the same. As it has form, it receives worship. As there are no form, we are lying on the hill." Form [saakaara] is important. This is the form ???. The nature in both is one and same.
The first instance we should follow three paths. (Swami: Bhakthi) Devotion , (Swami: Sraddha) steadfastness, (Swami: Viswasa) and faith. With these three objects man would be able to refine himself well, and will shape himself into a divine ideal. To develop the faith, steadfastness, and devotion, he should have faith, faith in one's own self. On whom? He should have faith in himself, and then on God later. So, (Swami: Confidence in you), confidence in you. You should have self-confidence first (Swami: Faith, faith in your self and faith in God, this is the secret of greatness). You should have faith in your self, you should have faith in God, that is the secret of greatness. This is a great value.
If he has no faith in himself, he will not have faith in anyone (Swami: Faith, faith, faith in our self). So, faith in our self is most important.
When you want it, you have to inquire properly. What sort of inquiry? (Swami: Who am I?) Who am I? Am I the body? Am I the mind? Intellect? Inner senses? No!
(Swami: This is my kerchief) This my kerchief. (Swami: Kerchief is separate from me) Kerchief is separate from me. (Swami: My body. This is my body) This is my body. (Swami: Body is separate from me) Body is separate from me (Swami: Then who am I?). Then who am I? He has to inquire clearly, and to decide, that he is not the body. That he is not the mind. Not intellect. Not inner senses. Not, not anything what so ever. They are instruments. They are all instruments. Taking instruments he can shape his nature. Here is a brush, paint. Because of the presence of paint and brush you should also have the skill so as to paint well.
You have got a knife. It is an instrument, by you have to make proper use of the knife. Because of the knife you cannot kill, stab everybody. That is misuse. Then you will have to face punishment. You should have authority to make use of a knife. A small example.
In a small street side by side are two pawn shops and coffee hotels. There is a small fight among them. They start fighting. The pawn shop owner, the pawn shop owner with the help of the knife will cut the coffee house owner. A small cut. The moment blood came out, police will come immediately and register a case. What does it mean? Taking the knife he has no authority to harm another man.
Here is a doctor. He announces publicly, "To tomorrow is the day of operation." He takes sharp knife, he makes you lie down on the table, and he cuts your abdomen deep. He conducts operation. It is good luck if the operation is a success. Even if it is a failure, mistake does not lie with the doctor. No police will arrest the doctor. What is the reason? Doctor has the right, doctor has got the right to operate with a knife. The one with that right can only operate. The one without right can not even show the knife. So, every one must earn a right.
I am an aspirant [sadhaka]. When you get that right? Doing spiritual practice [sadhana], enjoying the results, when you mature in that path, then you will have right to tell others. That is the right, proper right. But today we fight for right, we don't cognize the responsibility. Right and responsibilities are wings. Two wings. Two wheels. Two hands. Two legs. We have to take them equally. But truly speaking man has no right. He has only responsibility (Swami: Do your duty sincerely). Do your duty sincerely. You have right to an action, you have got right to an action, but not on the consequence, or the result. There is reward, that you don't aspire, it will come to you naturally.
If you discharge your duty well, that duty will give you authority. When you don't do, how do you get the reward? It is not proper. First do work - then worship. Proceed in the path of work, action [karma]. The path of work is difficult. Either the path of work, path of devotion, path of wisdom, all the three ultimately reach the same place. A small example.
Traveling somewhere you are going in a train. You purchased third class ticket. Your friend took second class ticket, and another purchased first class ticket. All the three got into the same train. But, the one who purchased third class ticket he will feel stress and strain, because of the pressure of number of travelers. That kind of troubles has to be born. There is little troubles for a second class passenger. First class, first class passenger can stretch his legs and lie down. That is comfort. Second class passenger little more difficulty. Much more difficulty on the third class. But difficulties will last while they travel. The first class passenger, second class passenger, third class passenger get down at the same station. Same station they get down there. But, during the course of journey, the second class and third class passengers will have to face problems. For this there is another example.
When one is traveling, he proceeds in natural travel. What do you mean by natural travel? Going to the train, catching another train, in your train travel, it may be necessary to change another train, another train, and reach the destination. When you change trains like that, you may have to face some troubles and inconveniences. To reach the destination you may have to change the train. This is path of work [karma marga]. What do you mean by path of devotion [bhakthi marga]? (Swami: Through carriage) It is a through carriage. The carriage doesn't change but it will be attached to another train. It doesn't go straight. So, path of devotion is through carriage.
What do you mean by path of wisdom [jnana marga]? (Swami: Through train) It is a through train. No need to change. You can reach straight away. Through wisdom without any difficulty, wherever you reach, you are sure to be comfortable. How? There is no difference. (Swami: You and I are one) You and I are one. All are one. God is in you, with you, around you, below you, above you. Then where do you go? Where do you come? So, wherever you see, only one. Here, there, wherever you see, only one exists. That is only oneness, jnana. Non-duality is wisdom. Only one vision is wisdom. It is not diversity. So, in the path of wisdom, the unity in diversity, and that immortality in this mundane life, that we should realize. We should have that wisdom.
This Upanishads said, "The non-dual vision is wisdom." Take that oneness in all. But don't make this oneness into many. Don't fragment into pieces. Collect all. For this there are two examples.
Supposing you purchased two yards of cloth (Swami: Two meters). Two meters of cloth. But all this will be only one. You want to have a shirt. To have a shirt stitched, what should you do? This cloth which is one piece, the tailor will cut into pieces. He will cut into pieces, meaning: one is made into many. The very tailor that made into many, later through, later through the sewing machine will unify. It is the needle that unifies. That which cuts into pieces is scissor. That which cuts is the mind. That unifies is intellect [buddhi]. When we keep the mind and intellect at proper positions, when the mind makes into the many, the intellect will unify. When intellect unifies, you can put it on, the shirt, wear it and experience.
Every individual, the modern boys, not only boys, girls also. Girls carry with them small, they carry with them a small bag, a mini shop with everything. There is a mirror, a comb. They carry the soap and groom, everything there in that cloth. The modern boys today also, in the pocket of every modern boy, there will be a mirror and also comb. Mirror in the side pocket. In the pocket next is there a comb. What for do they keep? In between as the movement ??? either because of wind his, his ??? is there. So, in between he will look in the mirror and correct his hairstyle. He will also wipe off his face and make it nice, looking in the mirror. It must be there. It is no mistake.
But it is not worldly mirror and comb. Have that mirror of intellect. And the discrimination of comb you should have. The comb of discrimination and intellect of mirror, when both of them are with you, you will be all right. You wont be ugly any time. When these two are not there, you cannot see your own face. How can you decorate yourself. So, you should decorate yourself. What do you mean by decoration? Only to make you fine and to keep properly the mind and intellect is decoration.
Without purity of mind, why worship of Lord Shiva? Without the purity of the self, why all practices of rituals? Without the purity of the vessel, what is the fun of cooking? For cooking the vessel must be clean. When there is purity, there will be result in offering worship to Shiva. Without the purity of the self all traditions are useless. So, for all decoration, we should purify first. That is yoga.
Yoga meant the control of the senses. So, every individual must watch whether these things are going god ward, or towards the nature, or on the proper path, or ???. You have to watch it all the time. Where does the mind go? That is the main duty of intellect [buddhi]. What is it that intellect does? The intellect watches the mind. When intellect watches the mind, it will be able to control mind. Therefore, intellect is above all senses. Intellect is the master for all. When the master is not proper, servants wont listen to you. So, master must be perfect.
Who is the master? The intellect! The one with intellect is intellectual. Without that, if you call yourself intelligent, what is the use? Today in the world, all intelligentsia - from head to toe they are all doubting Thomases. Doubting ???. Along the line ??? of intelligent ???. Ultimately he is not able to have faith in himself. This is not intelligence. What is intelligence? Controlling one's own mistake is intelligence. To rectify one's own mistake is intelligence, not pointing out other's mistakes. He should correct, rectify his own mistakes.
How am I making use of my words? What is it I see? What is it I do? What is it I think? Continuously he has to watch. Watching that way is the true spiritual practice. Without any watching, if you do spiritual practice, what is the use of it? You close your eyes. You sit in meditation. Are you ??? what is happen? That your aim and object it should be concentrated. Whom should you meditate? On ???. Who should do it? Aspirants should do. What should we do? Meditation! So, the one who meditates, the process of meditation, and the object of meditation should be one. This unity of the three is the true devotion, meditation. |