This Pravachan was delivered on 3 Oct 1976
Pravachan Audio link – Soundcloud –
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/c9ojM
Pravachan Transcript link –
https://oshostsang.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/अष्%e2%80%8dटावक्र-महागीता-प्रव-23/
(Pravachan No 22 is a Question and Answer
session. All even numbered pravachans are Q&A sessions. Therefore, these
have been left out for the time being – these will be taken up after completion
of all expositions of Ashtavakra Gita)
janaka uvAca |
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau
viSvapOta itastataH |
bhramati svAntavAtEna na
mamAstyasahishNutA || 7 : 1|| 74 ||
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau
jagadvIciH svabhAvataH |
udEtu vAstamAyAtu na mE
vRddhirna ca kshatiH || 7 : 2 || 75 ||
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau viSvaM
nAma vikalpanA |
atiSAntO nirAkAra
EtadEvAhamAsthitaH || 7 : 3 || 76 ||
nAtmA bhAvEshu nO
bhAvastatrAnantE niranjanE |
ityasaktO(a)spRhaH SAnta
EtadEvAhamAsthitaH || 7 : 4 || 77 ||
ahO cinmAtramEvAhamindrajAlOpamaM
jagat |
atO mama kathaM kutra
hEyOpAdEyakalpanA || 7 : 5 || 78 ||
जनक उवाच ।
मय्यनन्तमहाम्भोधौ
विश्वपोत इतस्ततः ।
भ्रमति स्वान्तवातेन
न ममास्त्यसहिष्णुता ।। 7 : 1।।
74 ||
मय्यनन्तमहाम्भोधौ
जगद्वीचिः स्वभावतः ।
उदेतु वास्तमायातु
न मे वृद्धिर्न च क्षतिः ।। 7 : 2
।। 75 ||
मय्यनन्तमहाम्भोधौ
विश्वं नाम विकल्पना ।
अतिशान्तो निराकार
एतदेवाहमास्थितः ।। 7 : 3
।। 76 ||
नात्मा भावेषु नो
भावस्तत्रानन्ते निरञ्जने ।
इत्यसक्तोऽस्पृहः
शान्त एतदेवाहमास्थितः ।। 7 : 4
।। 77 ||
अहो चिन्मात्रमेवाहमिन्द्रजालोपमं
जगत् ।
अतो मम कथं कुत्र
हेयोपादेयकल्पना ।। 7 : 5
।। 78 ||
(In the book ‘Ashtavakra Samhita’ by Swami
Nityaswarupananda, these 5 Slokas are given as Chapter 7; but, according to
the transcript of the Pravachan, all these are
given sequentially (74 - 78) – without any chapters. Accordingly, both the
systems of numbering have been adopted here.)
Pravachan
Truth (satya) is not possible to be told;
therefore, it becomes necessary to tell it repeatedly (bAr bAr). Even after
telling repeatedly, something is left out (chUT); still again, something is
left out. Whatever is to be told, could not be contained in words (Sabda).
There is a proverb in Arab – ‘a complete (pUrNa)
man cannot be created (made) (banAyA)’; therefore, paramAtmA keeps on
generating (paidA) newer children daily. Even now, he is trying to make a
complete man – he is not defeated, he is not tired (thakA) and not frustrated
(hatASa).
Exactly same is the situation in the case of
Truth also. Since eternity (sanAtana), wise men (buddha purush) have made
effort (cEshTA) to tell (the truth). They have given indication in that
direction, in thousands and thousands of ways (Dhang). But, whatever is to be
told, has remained unsaid (ankahA). That can never be told. By its very nature
(svabhAva), there is no possibility of containing it (Truth) in words. It is
similar to someone cannot fill (enclose) (bhar) the space (AkASa) in a fist
(muTThI).
Have you seen something surprising? If you close
the fist, space remains outside; when you open the fist, the space is in the
fist. It (space) is in the open fist; it is lost in the closed fist.
(Similarly), Truth is in silence (maun); it is lost in words (Sabda). Words are
like closed fist, silence is like open hands. Even then, wise men make effort
to tell it (Truth) out of grace (mercy) (karuNA). It is good (Subha) that
effort (to tell Truth) is still on. Even if it is not possible to be told, effort
to tell it should continue, because, in that effort, a lot of people who are
asleep, awaken. Truth is not grasped (attained) (mil) by listening; but, by listening
repeatedly, thirst for (knowing Truth) awakens; the flame of desire for search
of Truth, is kindled (prajvalit).
Whatever I am telling you, I tell, knowing fully
well, that it would not reach up to you. But, even if what I tell, does not
reach up to you, at least, it will do the job of adding fuel (ghee) to the fire,
hidden inside your life (jIvan) - the fire will get kindled. Whether the Truth
reaches you or not, at least, it will add fuel to the fire that is asleep
inside you. All the scriptures are born with this hope (ASA). But, in your
effort to grasp (pakaD) the Truth, if you get entangled in the words, then you
have defaulted. It is similar to someone memorising (singing) (kaNThasth) a
song, forgetting the meaning hidden in the song. Have you seen the parrot? It
memorises and starts repeating ‘Ram-Ram’; it can even repeat prayer (bhajan).
You can learn words – there are beautiful
(sundar) words, in (by) which you could get deluded that, since you have got
the words, Truth also might have been grasped (reached). Words are just empty
chest (manjUshA) – the Truth does not come (in it); therefore, even by mistake,
do not consider it (words) to be the Truth; do not carry scriptures on your
head (in that conviction).
This the Mahagita of Ashtavakra - a clearer
(Suddhatam) statement of Truth has never been made before, nor can it ever be
made. Still, let me remind you, not to get entangled in words. These words are
empty (khAlI); these (words) are very lovely (pyArE), not because there is
Truth in them; these are very lovely, because the Truth must have been inside that
person, from whom these words emanated; these are very lovely, because the
Truth must have been resident (AvAs) in the heart, from which they emanated, arose.
In the mist (kuhAsA) covered morning, if you go
for walk, you may not become totally wet, because there is no rain as such.
But, if you keep walking for long time, the clothes will slowly become moist
(Ardra). Though you will not become drenched, because it is not raining, but,
when you return home you will find that your closes have become a little wet.
Similarly, it happens near sadguru or in the presence (sAnnidhya) of pious
words (sad-vacan). In the holy company (sat-sang), such wetness comes, one
becomes moist, though one might not become totally wet. If you happen to listen
calmly, the pure (Suddha) words of scriptures, and if you do not get entangled
in the words, the fragrance of the words – similar to the fragrance around the
mist – might make you also fragrant; it might kindle the flame inside you; it
might become the fuel for the torch (maSAl) inside you.
Poem of Osho - This
seems to be a portion of a poem written by ajnEya (अज्ञेय)
कवि
ने गीत लिखे नये—नये
बार—बार
पर उसी एक विषय को
देता रहा विस्तार—
जिसे कभी पूरा पकड़
पाया नहीं;
जो कभी किसी गीत
में समाया नहीं
किसी एक गीत में
वह अट गया दिखता
तो कवि दूसरा गीत
ही क्यों लिखता?
It might appear to you that
Ashtavakra is telling the same thing many times, and Janaka keeps on repeating
the same. If one poem fails, the poet writes another one; but, in that also, he
wants to repeat the same which he wanted to convey in the first one.
Someone asked Vincent van
Gogh (Dutch painter) as to how many paintings (citra) he had made in his life
time. He said – ‘I made many, but I wanted to make only one’. He said it right.
In his effort to make that One, many were made, but that One had always
remained (unmade) – it never gets made.
Ravindranath (Tagore) was
in death-bed. Seeing flow of tears from his eyes, his friend said – ‘You, and
weep? You thank Him for giving you everything. A greater poet than you was
never born. You wrote six thousand poems, which can be set to music. In the
West (poet) Shelley had written only two thousand poems, which can be set to
music. You have written six thousand. What else do you want? Now, why are you
weeping? At least, now say Goodbye peacefully’. Ravindranath laughed and said –
‘I am not weeping for that. I was making appeal to the Lord, and tears started
flowing. I was appealing to Him – ‘what kind of joke is this? Now, I have just been
able to finish tuning (synchronise) (sAj biThAnA); I have not been able to start
singing, but, time has come for bidding farewell. What kind of injustice is
this? These six thousand songs which I sang, is only tuning’.
You might have seen – Tabla
player prepares to tune; Veena player adjusts (tightens) the chords (strings). The sounds produced in
aligning the instruments (tuning) is not music – that is only preparation
(AyOjan). Ravindranath said – ‘just now, the preparation (for concert) was
about to be completed. It seemed that I could sing now. But the time has come
for bidding farewell; what kind of injustice is this?’
This is the experience (anubhava)
of every one of those, who had tried to say something; what is to be sung,
remains unsung; what is to be said, remains unsaid.
Then, people try other
dimensions; (People think that) if these words did not have the desired effect,
then different set of words might be of use - if the lamp could not be lit by
these (words), then it could be lit by different set of words. But the lamp
cannot be lit, because words and Truth do not meet (mil). Even then, if you
listen calmly, if you drink (be attentive to) (absorb) (pIyA) (the words), then
the words would vanish and the mist-like aura (AbhA-maNDal) surrounding the
words, would ignite the fire inside you, and you will become thirsty.
Today’s Sutra of Janaka is
continuation of the earlier series (silsilA). The earlier four Sutras were
revolutionary in nature. Now, it is being expanded (vistAr). In fact, the whole
of this Mahagita, is expansion of those Sutras. The fundamental (basic)
(maulik) content of the previous four Sutras is this – Ashtavakra said to
Janaka to attain (upalabdh hO jAO) knowledge; Janaka responded – ‘shall I
attain knowledge? What kind of advice you are giving? I have already attained
knowledge; you are asking me to attain knowledge, as if knowledge is different
from me. Knowledge is my nature (svabhAva), it is my consciousness (bOdha);
that is the knowledge – iti jnAnaM. This witnessing-experience is the
knowledge. By the words ‘become attained’ (hO jAO), it seems it will happen in
future (bhavishya); by these words, it seems that some techniques (sAdhana) are
to be adopted, some preparations (vidhAn) are to be made, some rituals
(anushThAn) are to be performed; by these words, it seems that a journey
(yAtrA) is to be undertaken, that the goal is in the future, that one has to
chart out the path.’
Janaka continued – ‘No,
please do not try to confuse (uljhAnA) me, and do not give such temptations
(pralObhan). It (knowledge) has been attained. It (awakening) has happened.
When I say that ‘it has happened’, it does not mean that it had not happened
earlier, but now only. It only means that – ‘the happening was there forever; I
was not aware (bOdha), I did not remember (smaraNa); the property (sampatti)
was lying inside me; I did not look there – I was searching (khOj) elsewhere’.
‘There was no problem in
attaining (getting) (mil) (knowledge) – my misplaced (galat) search was the
problem. It was not that I did not exert (Sram) fully, that my practices were
not complete, or my practices were incomplete, or I did not bet (dAv) my life’s
whole energy – it is not so. Only I did not look where I should have – I did
not look inside me. The searcher did not look inside (the searcher) himself –
he was searching elsewhere. (The moment) I saw inside, it happened. We have to
say ‘it happened’ because of the language (construct) – it should be said –
‘that, which always existed, happened.’
When Buddha attained
knowledge (jnAna), someone asked him as to what he got. Buddha said - ‘I got
nothing. I just came to know about what has already been attained; I came to
know that, which has already been attained, and for losing which, there is no
scope.’
Ashtavakra must have become
very pleased to hear the reply of Janaka. Hardly any disciple would have ever
fulfilled the expectations of a guru so thoroughly. It is so, because
(normally) the disciple is (more) eager (utsuktA) in ‘happening’ (hOnA), in
becoming (bananA), in expanding (vikasit), in becoming prosperous (samRddha),
in becoming knowledgeable (jnAnavAn), in becoming powerful (Sakti-sampanna), in
becoming accomplished (siddhi). Ashtavakra would have become very jubilant (praphullit).
His mind would have become very joyous (magna), because he (Ashtavakra) wanted
to hear only that which Janaka was telling.
Poem of Osho – (Meaning not
available)
तेरे हुस्ने—जवाब से आई
मेरे ली सवाल की खुशबू।
Surely, in the response of
Janaka, Ashtavakra would have experienced the extreme (utmost) (Atyantik)
fragrance (sugandh) of his question (savAl). Though he (Ashtavakra) must have
been inwardly jubilant, (but) he was adopting a harsh stance (rukh) outwardly.
He was an examiner outside; his eyes were searching; his sharp (painI) edged
(dhAr) eyes were cutting (dissecting) the heart of Janaka. Guru must be harsh –
that is his grace (karuNA); he (guru) will say ‘yes’ only in extreme condition,
not before that. Till the time there is even a remote possibility (sambhAvanA)
of error (bhUl) or default (bhaTak), he will continue to scratch (kurEd), he
will continue to cut (dissect), he will adopt some other method so that the
disciple can be caught, so that disciple commits some slip-up (bhUl-cUk).
janaka uvAca |
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau
viSvapOta itastataH |
bhramati svAntavAtEna na
mamAstyasahishNutA || 7 : 1|| 74 ||
Janaka said – ‘in me, the
infinite (anthIn) ocean (mahA samudra), the boat (nAv) of Universe (viSva) is
swaying (DOl) hither and thither (idhar-udhar) due to the wind (vAyu) of its
own nature (prakRt); but I am not impatient (concerned) (worried)
(asahishNutA)’.
This Sutra seems very
simple (saral), but it is very deep (gahan). Try to get into it. If you listen
carefully (dhyAn), you can get into it. The meaning of this Sutra is this –
whether it is happiness or unhappiness, both arise from nature (prakRti); where
is the scope for my choice? Who asks me? Like waves which arise in the ocean –
small and large waves, good and bad waves, beautiful and ugly waves – these are
all the nature (svabhAva) of the ocean that these waves arise. Similarly, waves
arise in me also; waves of happiness and unhappiness, waves of love and hate,
waves of anger and mercy – these arise naturally (svabhAva) and they undulate
(roll) (DOl) here and there. In these, I do not make any choice (cunAv) in
these; I have given up choosing. Since the time I gave up choice, my impatience
also has gone. When there is nothing to do, how can there be impatience
(asahinshNutA)?
People
come to me and say – ‘somehow or other, get us out of sorrow (disquiet)
(aSAnti)’. I tell them to accept (svIkAr) sorrow. They do not understand
immediately (Ekdam), because they have come to get rid of sorrow. The reasons
for its emergence are varied (bhinna). But they want to get rid of sorrow –
through some or other means (vidhi) or method (upAy), some remedy (aushadhi),
some chant (mantra) or spell (tantra), some sacrifice (yajna) or oblation
(havan); (they sat that) there should some way of getting rid of sorrow. In the
World, ninety-nine out of hundred gurus are such that, if you go to them (with
the problem), they would tell some or other means by adopting which sorrow can
be got rid of.
My problem is that I know
that there is no means of getting rid of sorrow – there are methods of
accepting (svIkAr) it; and in acceptance, sorrow gets dissolved (visarjit).
When I say that sorrow gets dissolved, do not understand that sorrow goes away;
whether sorrow is there or not, you become relieved of sorrow; whether sorrow
goes off (chUT) or not, you become relieved (chUT) of sorrow.
Understand this condition
(vyavasthA) of the mind. Mind is restless (aSAnta); you say that you should
become calm. Already mind was restless, and you have added another restlessness
– (that) now you want to become calm. Understand the restlessness of mind. You
have ten thousand rupees; you want ten lakh rupees; that is why mind is restless.
You were not satisfied with what you have. You were asking what you did not
have. Restlessness came because of demand of what you did not have. Restlessness
comes from want (non-availability) (abhAva). Restlessness never comes with what
you have; it comes because of want of what one does not have. You want a wife
who is more beautiful than the present one. You want a husband who is more glorious
(yaSasvI) than the present one. You want a son who is more intelligent than the
present one. You want a greater house than what you have now. You want greater
prestige than what you have now. You want a higher position than the present
one. Restlessness comes from the demand of what you do not have. When you are
restless, you ask for something new – that you should become calm. The earlier
trap (jAl) is very much there, and based on the arithmetic, that trap expands –
that you should become calm (peaceful). Now, you do not have calm, and you want
calm. Have you understood? This means that the trap will become more
complicated (jaTil).
Normally, a restless
person, who is not bothered about calmness, remains more calm than the one who
is bothered about becoming calm. That is another nuisance (upadrava). You were
restless – the argument was that one should have what is not there. Now, one is
not calm, and wants to become calm – a new botheration (jhanjhaT) begins.
You cannot find more
restless persons than the so called religious (virtuous) (dhArmik) persons.
Worldly (saMsArik) person is not that restless. You will find, those who are
praying (jhuk) in temples and mosques, those who are seated in places of
worship (pUja gRha), those who are into asceticism (tapaScaryA) and fasting
(like) observances, to be more restless; you will not find those ordinary
people, who are seated in hotels, who are drinking tea, who are reading
newspapers etc. to be as much restless. The latter category of (ordinary)
people have only one restlessness - that they want to get something in this
World. The religious person’s restlessness is
double – that he want something in the next world also; not only he
wants something in the next world, but also calmness there, he wants bliss
(Anand) there, he wants meditation (dhyAna). And the whole trap is this much –
that if you want to get something, you become more and more restless.
When someone comes to me in
search of calm, I say to them – ‘you accept (svIkAr) restlessness’. I explain
to him, and sometimes, he understands. ‘Accept restlessness; otherwise, how
(else) you will become calm?’ - This is, no doubt, a difficult proposition. I
understand your point of view. But I still say – ‘whenever someone became calm
(peaceful), it happened only by accepting restlessness’. Listening to me,
understanding what I say, some people agree; and they ask – ‘we will accept
(restlessness), but then will we become calm? How long will it take to become
calm?’ I say to them – ‘then you have not accepted at all. Even now, your
demand is still on – to become calm. The meaning of ‘acceptance’ is – ‘it is
(jaisA hai), the way it is (vaisA hai); it cannot be different. It would be
(vaisA hI hOgA), the way it is. It has always been (vaisA hI hOtA rahA hai) the
way it happened (jaisE huA).’
When you accept in this
manner, then no further question would arise whether – ‘by acceptance, will we
become calm?’ Calmness is the condition of that situation when – ‘whatever is,
that is acceptable’. Then, tell me how will you become restless? Then, how one
would become restless? ‘Whatever is, however it is, that is acceptable’ – then,
who can make you restless? How can anyone make you restless? Then, even if
there is restlessness, it will also be acceptable; even if misery (dukh) comes,
that is also acceptable; even if death comes, that is also acceptable. Then,
you gave up choice, you have given up resolve (sankalpa); you have submitted
(surrendered) (dedicated) (samarpit). The day you say ‘now, whatever is (jo
hai), that indeed is (vahI hai)’, that day, a great revolution happens, which
is indicated in this Sutra.
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau
viSvapOta itastataH |
‘In me, the infinite
(anthIn) ocean (mahA samudra), the boat (nAv) of Universe (viSva) is swaying
(DOl) hither and thither (idhar-udhar).’
bhramati svAntavAtEna na
mamAstyasahishNutA |
‘Now, I have come to know
that it is but natural (svabhAva); none is after me (pIchE paDA), in opposition
to me. There is no enemy for me, who makes me restless. These are my natural
waves (tarang). This is me only. This is the way I am – sometimes waves arise
herein, sometimes waves do not arise; sometimes, everything is quiet (SAnta),
sometimes everything is agitated (aSAnta); this is me, indeed, and this is my
nature.’
One of my friends asked me
– ‘you say that when the Self (AtmA) becomes free (liberated) (mukta), then it
will be in absolute (paripUrNa) bliss (Anand), it will be independent
(svatantra). But, after that (liberation), is it possible for desires (vAsanA) to
arise? If desires cannot arise after that (liberation), why, initially (pahlE)
there were desires? If Self is, by nature, independent, pure (Suddha)
consciousness (buddha), why, initially, desires arose?’
To that friend. His
question is very natural – it is worth arguing (tark yukta). He does not take
into consideration (khayAl) that, arising of desire, is also part of that
independence (svatantratA). No one else has aroused desires in you. This is
your nature. Desires also arise in your nature, and so also liberation
(mOksha). When desires arise in you, you become a worldly person (saMsArI);
when desires arise, you enter a body. When you get tired of desires, then you
become liberated. Both of them are your nature only. It is not that desires are
induced in you by some devil (SaitAn), and it is you who have to earn (bring)
liberation. Desires are also yours, liberation is also yours. To one who has
understood thus, it will also come to his mind that, if desires cannot arise in
the Self (AtmA), then that Self is not free at all. Otherwise, how is that a
liberation? If you are free to go only to heaven, and the doors of hell is
closed – that you cannot go there – then that freedom is not total (pUrI)
freedom. Such a heaven would become boring (bEmazA), and the fun (taste) (svAd)
(of heaven) would be lost. You will be filled with bitterness (kaDvAhaT) by
going to (such) heaven.
The fun (mazA) of heaven is
that there is facility (suvidhA) for going to hell also. The fun of happiness
is that there is facility for becoming unhappy also. Only because of the
opposites (viparIt), the life abounds in colours, abounds in music (sangIt). If
there are no opposites, the whole of music would be lost. When the lute (vINA)
player plays the strings (tAr), then there is music. The struggle (sangharsh)
between fingers and the strings (of lute) is indeed music. If the struggle
comes to end, the music is voided, music is lost.
The opposites between man
and woman, is indeed love (prEm). If opposition ceases, then love is lost. The
choice (vikalpa) between world (saMsAr) and freedom (liberation) is, indeed, independence.
The meaning of independence is this – that, if I so wish, I can go right up to
the last layer (parat) of hell; there is none to stop me. If I so wish, all the
heights of heaven are mine; there is none to stop me. It is my decision
(nirNaya). Both of them are my nature. Hell is my lowest state (daSA), and
heaven is my highest state. If hell is my feet, then heaven is my head. But
both of them are mine, and inside both, my blood unites them.
bhramati svAntavAtEna – ‘it is my wind, movement
(bhram) arises from it (wind); the boat becomes turbulent (DAvADOl)’.
‘In me, the infinite
(anthIn) ocean (mahA samudra), the boat (nAv) of Universe (viSva) is swaying
(DOl) hither and thither (idhar-udhar) due to the wind (vAyu) of its own nature
(prakRt); but I am not impatient (concerned) (worried) (asahishNutA)’.
Janaka says – Now, I do not
want to make any choice. I do not want that the boat should not sway, because
if my charming (AkarshaN) boat does not sway, it would create tension (tanAv)
in my mind’. (Translator’s note – This sentence is a rhetoric. Please see below
for clarification.)
Whenever you desired
something, you chose something, tension is created. When you accepted (svIkAr)
whatever is, tension goes away. If you desire that ignorance should go away,
and knowledge should come, then, problem (upadrava) begins. If you desire that
desire should go away, and you have desirelessness (nirvAsana), then, you got
into trouble (jhanjhaT). If you desire that you should become free (mukti) of
the World (saMsAr), and liberation be your empire (sAmrAjya), then you have
invited trouble, which will not give you peace (cain).
Janaka says something
wonderful – he says – ‘the World (saMsAr) and liberation (mOksha) are the waves
arising in me; I am not going to make any choice. I keep watching whatever wave
arises – it is also mine; it is also natural (svabhAvik)’.
Did you see the state
(bhAva) of acceptance! Then, what kind of impatience? Then patience will be
totally spontaneous (instinctive) (naisargik). Whatever happens, happens. It is
very difficult to accept it, because, it is against the ego.
Someone came to me and said
– ‘I am a very angry person; I want to get rid of anger’. I asked him – ‘why
are you an angry person? Understand this a little. It must be due to ego’. He
said – ‘you are right’. I said – ‘it is because of the same ego, you say that
you should get rid of anger – because, due to anger, your ego gets hurt.
Therefore, even behind the anger, there is ego; it is ego which is seeking to
become anger-free. Whenever you become angry, your (Self) image (pratimA) comes
down; it is not acceptable to your ego. You want that people should worship you
like a holy man (sant), and they should touch your feet. Because of your anger,
all these have become messy (gaDbaD). No one touches your feet. Who will touch
your feet? Who will salute you? Now, you are seeking to become free of anger.
But the root cause remains. Your ego, because of which you become angry, wants
that you should become a holy man. Understand this; you give up choice. I say
to you that you are an angry person; be reconciled to it. You accept that you
are an angry person; and whatever is the effect of anger, it will be there. No
one will regard you. It is alright. Why should they regard you? Someone might
insult you; that is also alright. (Think that) because I am an angry person, I
am (feel) insulted.’ Try to understand – if this person understands anger, and
accepts it, then will there be anger?
That person wrote a letter
to me two days back – ‘Save me, get me out, because, now I have started going
to prostitutes. These people consider me to be a holy man, an ascetic (sAdhu);
if they catch me, if they come to know, what will happen?’, Now, the same ego
takes new forms. The same ego will take him to the house of prostitutes, and
the same ego will also arouse the desire for becoming a holy man. I told the
person – ‘you do one thing – either you accept that you go to prostitutes and
declare that you are a patron of prostitutes (vESya-gAmI); the matter ends
there; after that, you need not fear, you need not be afraid. Then, if you want
to go (to prostitute), you may go; if you do not want to go – it is your wish. For
now, it may, probably, be appropriate for you, that whatever is happening now,
is right. I do not say that you do not go. If your problem goes away by your
acceptance, it is alright; then, you will awaken. Then, you can accept your
awakening. For now, you accept that you are (still) asleep. By the method
(mAdhyam) of acceptance only, a bridge between sleep and awakening can be built.’
What did he do? He
screamed, he shouted before me – ‘no one can stop me from becoming
enlightened’. He shouted so loudly that Sheela (Osho’s secretary) who was sitting
by my side, began trembling. The same ego takes many new forms – ‘no one can
stop me from becoming enlightened’ – as if I am stopping him from becoming
enlightened. I just told him to accept whatever is happening, however is happening.
This has offended him. How would one accept – even a worst person does not
accept -that he is bad. He says – ‘there is evil (burAyI) in me, but I am a
good man; I am trying to become good; I worship, pray, meditate, seek company
of holy men; I am a good man; there is some shortcoming – a little evil; it
happens sometimes; it will go away slowly’. It will never go away, because
these virtues are the means (upAy) of hiding evil. Company of holy men is just
a cover (AD) for the anger lying inside. The nice talks and nice imaginations –
‘one day, I will become a holy man, no one can stop me from becoming
enlightened’ – this is ego now taking nice cover, it hides behind beautiful
curtain – curtain of becoming enlightened!
If you observe the mind
properly, then the significance (mahatva) of Janaka’s words – ‘I accept’ (svIkAr) – will be understood.
This is also natural, that is also natural. Whatever is happening in this
moment, I do not desire anything other than that. Have you understood the
revolution of this statement? ‘Whatever is happening in this moment, that I am’
– if it is anger, then it is so; if it is greed, then it is so; if it is lust,
then it is so. I am whatever is happening this moment; I do not want anything
other than this, nor do I erect any other screen (covering) (AvaraNa).
Often, you hide your life’s
wounds (deficiencies) (ghAv), behind nice ideals (AdarSa). One who is violent,
is busy trying to become non-violent; he never becomes one, he cannot become,
because there is only one way of becoming non-violent, and that is – to accept
violence in its totality. An angry person, keeps trying to be (become) merciful
– he can never become; maybe he can, superficially (Upar); he may wear a robe
(AvaraNa), he may practice duplicity (pAkhaND); but, he cannot become one. A
lustful person (kAmI) makes effort (cEshTA) to be a celibate (brahmacarya); the
more lustful he is, the more he is attracted to celibacy; because, he can hide
his ugly (kurUp) lustfulness only in the ideal of celibacy; there is no other
alternative. ‘Today, I am wrong; tomorrow, I will become good’ – only in this
hope (ASA), he can live today; otherwise it will become difficult to survive even
today.
I tell you – there is no
tomorrow at all; whatever you are today, that you are. Once you concede
(angIkAr) this whole-heartedly (samagra-bhAva), totally, then all your life’s
struggles (dualities) (dvandva) will get dissolved (visarjit). You are what you
are, you cannot be anything else. Where is duality? Where is choice (cunAv)?
The way you are, that you are. This is your ‘being’ (hOnA). The Lord has
desired you (to be) like that. This moment, it is the Lord’s wish (AkAnkshA) to
make it happen, the way it is happening. This moment, the entire (samasta) life
wants to see you in this way – such a person is wanted. This is the law (vidhi)
inside you, this is your fate (destiny) (bhAgya).
‘In me, the infinite
(anthIn) ocean (mahA samudra), the boat (nAv) of Universe (viSva) is swaying
(DOl) hither and thither (idhar-udhar) due to the wind (vAyu) of its own nature
(prakRt)’.
Sometimes one gets angry,
sometimes one becomes merciful, sometimes lustful, sometimes celibate, sometimes
greedy, sometimes donating (dAn) – hither, thither (itastataH). But, I am not
impatient (disturbed) (asahishNutA). I do not desire anything different.
Therefore, there is nothing left for me to do – all actions (kRtya) are over.
Now, I sit and watch the way waves are arising – bhramati svAntavAtEna.
Wandering (swaying) in its (one’s) own wind; I have to go nowhere; I do not
have to become anything; there is no ideal (AdarSa), there is no goal
(lakshya). Now I have sat down. Now, I am watching happily; all my impatience
is gone.
When you say – ‘I am given
to anger (krOdhI), and I want to become anger-less’ – you know what it means?
You are becoming impatient because of anger – you are not accepting anger bravely
(with fortitude) (dhairya) – you are cowardly (adhairya). You say – ‘me, and
anger! A pure (pavitra) person like me, to become angry! No, it is not appropriate
(janc). I want to become free of anger. I shall adopt means – exercise restraint
(yam), practise observances (niyam), practise postures (Asan), work out (vyAyAm),
concentration (dhAraNA), meditation (dhyAna); but I must get rid of anger.’ (By
saying so), you have conceded timidity (adhairya). You have said that you are
not reconciled to what you are; you want something else. Then on, you start becoming
restless (aSAnt).
Impatience (asahishNutA) is
the seed of restlessness (aSAnti). Janaka says – ‘these are waves – sometimes,
there is anger, sometimes there is lust, sometimes greed – here and there
(yahAn-vahAn) (itastataH) – due to its own wind. Everything is rolling
(swaying) (bhaTak); but I keep watching. I have nothing to do with it. I have
no compulsion (Agraha) that I should become such and such. I am happy, the way
I am.’ Patience (sahishNutA) is in becoming free (mukti) of ideals (AdarSa).
And whom else I call an ascetic (sanyAsi)? I call that person a sanyAsi who has
renounced his ideals. You may be surprised. You have always heard that the one
who has renounced the World is a sanyAsi. I say – the one who has renounced
ideals, is sanyAsi, because, after renouncing ideals, there remains no scope
for becoming impatient.
Just try this – for a
month. For a month, whatever you are, accept that. If somebody told you
something, and you became angry – accept that. Accepting does not mean that you
justify your anger. You accept this much – that I am an angry person; and tell
others – ‘brother, you have befriended a person given to anger; therefore, the
thorn (of anger) will prick; I am an angry person; it is your mistake that you
have befriended me, that you have become familiar (pahcAn) with me; now, if you
be with me, sometimes, anger will be there; I cannot assure you that I will get
rid of anger in future – who knows what will happen tomorrow? As far as I know,
in the past, I was never without anger; therefore, it is most likely that
tomorrow also, I would be angry. Just think of it. I cannot regret
(paScAt-tAp), because I had regretted many times before; nothing fruitful
happened with that; therefore, that (regretting) would prove to be cheating. I
get angry; then, I regret; and again I get angry. What is the use of regret? I
just tell you this that I will not cover it (anger) up with regret.’
Regretting means cover up.
You got angry with someone; then, after returning home, you thought – ‘what is
this that happened? I have done something clumsy (bhaddA); what people will
think? Till now, they were considering me a gentleman (sajjan); they thought of
me as a serious person (guru-gambhIr); but, now my shallowness (utlApan) has
been exposed. People thought of me as a golden vessel; it has been proved to be
aluminium – just because I became hot-headed (garmA) suddenly. Now, do
something – the image has been shattered (khaNDit), it has been upturned
(aundhE); lift it up and seat it (image) in a throne (siMhAsan).’ Then, after
pondering (sOc-vicAr), you said – ‘brother, pardon me; I did not want to do it,
but it just happened’.
People say – ‘I did not
want to do, it just happened; it happened in spite of me; I do not know how it
happened – which devil got into my head’. They themselves are the devil, they
are trying to find means not to accept it – ‘I do not know which devil had got
into my head – what an evil minded person (the devil is). I realised what I
did. That is why I came to seek pardon’. What you are doing is - restoring that
image which got shattered in the market place, which was reduced to dust. You
are saying – ‘I am not a bad person; it was an error; who does not err? Man
errs sometimes.’ You remember being a human, only when you commit error. Then,
you say – ‘to err is human’. Do you not remember being a human, otherwise –
when you seek pardon, when you touch his feet?
The other person also
thinks – ‘no, he is a nice person’. Why does he think so? You had hurt his ego,
by becoming angry; he was much annoyed (nArAz). Now that you touched his feet,
brought a bouquet, presented flowers, he also thinks – ‘this person is nice’.
Why does he think so? He has nothing to do with you; neither you have anything
to do with him. He thinks – ‘this person is nice’, because, you have garlanded
his ego; just some time back, you had slapped him, and he became furious; he
was thinking of taking revenge; he was thinking of going to court. Because you
presented flowers, the problem is solved; no court also. His ego was comforted (restored
prestige); your ego was also restored. Things begin to move again as usual -
the way they were before you slapped him; things are restored to their place.
You are now standing where you were.
No, the person, who truly
wants to understand, will go – not for regretting, but for accepting. He will
go to say – ‘brother, did you see, what kind of a person I am? Your opinion
(dhAraNa) about me was wrong. Your thinking that I am a good person, was wrong.
My true personality has come out – it is good that it came out. Now, you
consider whether you want to be associated with me or not. I am not going to
assure you that it will not be repeated tomorrow. I am not worthy of trust
(bharOsA). Even if I assure you, do not trust it, because, earlier also I had
assured people and cheated them. I am a bad person. Devil-hood is my nature.’
Are you worried as to what
would be the result (pariNAm)? What effect it will have on the other person –
only that person will know; but inside you, there will arise simplicity
(saraltA). You will, at once, become simple; you will, at once, become humble
(vinamra). This is not regret, but the state (bhAva) of acceptance. You have
made everything clear about you – as to what kind of person you are - you have
not embellished (sanjOnA) the delusion about yourself. Then, a revolution takes
place. That revolution happens, because of this great truth, this great formula
(sUtra) of acceptance. Suddenly (acAnak), you find that, it has become difficult
to be angry – as there is no cause left for anger. You become angry because
someone was trying to trample your ego. Now that you have pulled down (girA)
your own image, thrown it in the waste, no one can make you angry. Bear in mind,
we always want to place responsibility (jimmEvArI) on others – we all do so. We
do this by adopting thousands of means, so that we can place responsibility on
others.
I know a person – given to
great anger. I asked him – ‘how it happened that you become so angry?’ He said
– ‘what can I do? My father was a very angry person; because of him, right from
childhood, I got into this bad habit (kusanskAr).’
Do not laugh – even
(Sigmund) Freud (Austrian Neurologist) tells the same. Even greatest psychologists
say the same. All kinds of means are adopted to shift responsibility on others.
Ancient scriptures (dharma) also say the same. If you see the whole history of
mankind, you find very few persons – you can count them on fingers - who make
statements like that of Ashtavakra and Janaka. All others say something else.
Christianity says – ‘Lord
expelled (khadED) Adam and Eve from the heaven, because they violated His
command. When the Lord came and asked Adam – ‘why did you eat the fruit of this
tree? Did I not forbid you?’ He said – ‘what can I do? Eve incited (phuslAyA)
me’. The story has begun – responsibility has been shifted on Eve. (Adam said)
– ‘see this wife of mine; I am just a husband, and you know the condition of
husbands; if the husband does not agree to what the wife tells, then there is
problem. I am aware of your command, but look at her wish also. She brought the
fruit and asked me to eat it, and I had to eat.’ Then, the Lord asked Eve –
‘you knew it, then why did you bring the fruit?’ She said – ‘what can I do?
This Devil, as the snake, told me to eat the fruit; he excited (uttEjit) me
saying – ‘if you eat this fruit, you will attain the form of Lord and not
remain human. Lord Himself eats the fruit; but He forbids you; see the
cheating! This is the fruit of knowledge; eating this, the Lord has become wise
(jnAnI), and He wants you to remain ignorant (ajnAnI).’ ‘I am ordinary woman;
but he (snake) incited me’. A woman has always been telling that the other has
incited her. Every husband knows that the wife says – ‘I was not after you; you
were after me; you incited and created this problem.’
‘....what can I do? The
snake has incited me’! If the snake could speak, it will shift (blame) on
another. Maybe, it (snake) will shift it on the Tree saying – ‘the Tree was
advertising (vijnApan) that one who eats my fruit, will attain knowledge’. But,
the snake could not speak – probably it had not even heard the conversation; as
this was a talk between men, it remained quiet; therefore, the story ended
there; otherwise, the story would have never ended.
(Karl) Marx says – ‘the
society is responsible; if you are bad, it is only because the society is bad’.
There is no difference in this. It is the same old ploy (cAl) – only the name
has changed.
Hindus say – ‘it is law,
fate; creator (vidhAtA) has written thus – what can you do?’ You leave it on
somebody – ‘the creator has written; when you were born, it was written on your
forehead (mAthA) that such and such things will happen – you will become an
angry person, a lustful person, a saint, a holy man, as to what will be your
whole life (zindagI) – everything is written. Everything is written before
hand; what is in our hands? He has always been doing so; that is why, it is been
happening so.’
(Sigmund) Freud says – ‘it
is the result (pariNAm) of the (cultural) values (saMskAr) that your parents
instilled (imbibed) in your childhood, by which your mind has become influenced
(saMskArit).’
But, these are all tricks
(tarkIb) to escape from the fact, that it is my nature; whatever is happening,
it is (because of) my nature. These are all tricks, inventions (IzAd), innovations
(AvishkAr) to escape from this grand truth. I call that person as brave,
courageous, who can speak like Janaka, that – ‘it is because of my nature-wind
(prakRt vAyu) that the waves are rolling hither and thither’.
bhramati svAntavAtEna - mama na asti asahishNutA
– Janaka said – ‘Gurudev, I have no impatience; it makes no difference to me;
whatever is, fine; I am agreeable to it. In my agreement, there is no ifs and
buts (nA nuc).’ By this, a great revolution takes place. The day you are able
to see the truth, you will find that things happen all by themselves.
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau
jagadvIciH svabhAvataH |
udEtu vAstamAyAtu na mE
vRddhirna ca kshatiH || 7 : 2 || 75 ||
‘In me, the infinite (anthIn) ocean (mahA samudra),
universe (jagat) form (rUp) of waves (lahar), by their own nature, whether rise
or subside, there is no increase (vRddhi) or decrease (harm) (hAnI) in me’.
Nothing is lost here, nor
anything is gained here. Then, what is the worry (Fikra). Neither anything is
lost by anger, nor anything is gained by mercy (karuNA). It is a wonderful
(adbhut) statement. All these are just a dream.
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau jagadvIciH sva bhAvataH –
The waves of Universe arise naturally (svabhAvik) – all types of waves – small and large, many waves, in different forms,
good and bad, noisy waves – creating nuisance, calm waves - arise.
udEtu vAstamAyAtu na mE vRddhirna ca kshatiH – neither there is increase (vRddhi) nor loss (kshati);
nothing comes or goes.
In the night, you dreamt –
you became a thief, you became a saint; after getting up in the morning, both
the dreams have become equal. In the morning, you cannot say – ‘I became a
saint in the dream’; you do not feel any honour (gaurav); nor do you feel any
dishonour or sadness, that you became a thief, a murderer. Dream is a dream;
when you wake up from dream, everything vanishes.
Janaka says – ‘whether they
arise or subside (miT)’ – ‘are you telling me that I should become free (mukta)
from the World? What are you saying? Whatever is happening, it will continue to
happen, it always happened; let them keep happening; what difference does it make
to me? Neither will I gain anything by doing this way, nor will I lose anything
by doing that way. There is nothing to choose. All these gain and loss are same
(equal) (barAbar).’
There is no loss or gain;
you are unnecessarily doing book-keeping – that you had huge loss in this or
there was a great gain in that; if you do this, you gain; if you do that, you
lose.
Janaka
says – ‘whatever is happening, is just happening; I am just watching’. jagadvIciH
svabhAvataH udEtu vAstam – Nothing is going to change (parivartan) by my doing,
because, how can there be any change in the nature (svabhAva)? Autumn (patjhar)
comes, leaves fall; spring comes, then there are fresh sprouts (kOmpal); youth
comes and desires arise; old age comes, and desires subside (kshIN). There is
nothing of my doing – I am not the doer (kartA). Therefore, what is there to give
up, what kind of running away (bhAg), what kind of renunciation?
Ashtavakra set up a trap
(jAl) for testing (parIkshA); he said – ‘you renounce, give up all these; you
say that you have attained knowledge (jnAna); then, give up everything; give up
these thoughts – ‘this is my body, this is my wealth, this is my kingdom’. But
Janaka says – ‘whether I give up, or hold on to – what is the connection at
all? This is not mine at all, so that I can give up; nor I ever held on to these,
that I can give up (now). These happened all by themselves, and these will go
away all by themselves.
svabhAvataH udEtu vA astam na
mE vRddhiH na ca kshatiH – ‘I can see only this much - there is neither any
gain, by having these, nor there is any loss, by not having these.’ This is a
wonderful statement. This is the supreme asceticism (saMnyAs). If you are
sitting in the shop, you are sitting; if the shop is running (functioning), it
is happening; if it is shut, let it be shut; if you become insolvent (dIvAlA),
come out happily. Till the time it is running, let it run; what will you do?
When it was running, you were with it; when it is not running, you stopped. One
who takes it in this manner (bhAnti), can he ever become disquiet (aSant)? Can
he ever become anxious (udvigna)? Can there be any tension (tanAv) in his life?
He has got rest (viSrAnti). During childhood, there were childhood games;
during youth, there were games of youthhood, during old age, there are games of
old age. Children play with toys, youth plays with persons (vyakti), plays with
doctrines (siddhAnta). During childhood, one has no idea of sexual desire; even
if you want to explain it to the child, you cannot do so, because the wave (of
sexual desire) has not yet arisen; now the child’s nature is not sex-oriented;
now the nature has not aroused the wave of sexual desire; then he becomes youth
– the wave of (sexual) desire is aroused; then, you can explain (to him) a lot.
Mulla Nasruddin was in death
bed. He called his son near him and said – ‘there is a lot to say, but I will not
say’. His son asked the reason. Mulla said – ‘my father also told me; but I did
not listen. There is a lot to say, but I will not say’. His son was persisting
– ‘tell me, whether I listen or not’. Mulla said – ‘my father told me not to
get entrapped (cakkar) by women, but I fell (in the trap). And not one (woman),
but as many as allowed in Islam – I married nine women, and I suffered (bhOgA);
suffered like a hell. I want to tell you, but I do not want to say, because I
know that you will also be entrapped. Nothing is going to happen by my telling.
When my father died, he told me not to drink alcohol, but I drank, drank a lot,
and was rotting. You also will be rotting, because, I doubt whether my son
would be able to achieve, what I could not. No one listens what is told; they understand
only after experiencing (anubhava). Therefore, remember this much – it is
alright if you err once; but do not commit the same error again; even if you
fall in the trap of women, do not get trapped by more than one woman at a time.
It is enough if you exercise this much control (samyam).’
There is something natural in
man – in youth, sexual desire will arise. Elderly think that they have got a
great wealth, because, now they do not have that kind of desire towards sex, or
he is becoming desireless (vairAgya). This – desirelessness - is the game of
old age; desire is the game of youth, and desirelessness is the game of old
age. As desire is natural at a particular age, at some other age,
desirelessness is also natural.
Therefore, Hindus have made
stages and divided (life span) – up to twenty five years, securing knowledge,
celibacy; then up to fifty years, household (gRhasth) life; then up to seventy
five – transiting to forest (vAnaprastha) – it means thinking whether to become
ascetic (sanyAs); being in forest for some time and then come back to the
village – remaining in a transitory stage; after seventy five, become ascetic
(sanyAs), if death does not precede. Often, death comes before that. If death
does not come, then become ascetic. Therefore, Hindus have kept the stage of
asceticism after seventy five. The method of thinking of Hindus is very
scientific (vaijnAnik), because, after seventy five, asceticism is natural
(svabhAvik). In the youth, desire arises, waves arise, ambitions arise for
earning wealth, prestige; so also, a time comes, when the life energy has
drained (rikta), man stoops, becomes tired, and then desirelessness arise –
tiredness brings desirelessness.
This method of Hindus is
clearly scientific, and that is why Buddha and Mahavir – both of them –
rebelled (bagAvat) against this method. They said – ‘desirelessness that arises
after seventy five is not at all vairAgya – it is mechanical (yantravat); it
naturally arises. It is the shadow of approaching death – it is not vairAgya.
vairAgya is that which arises in full youth. In the revolution of Buddha and
Mahavir, the argument is that - what arises after seventy five is not
asceticism in the real sense. Understand the difference. Jain and Buddhist culture
is called ‘toiling (SramaNa) culture’ – toil (Sram) is valuable – it is the
‘man’s purpose’ (purushArtha). There are no rules (vidhi), fate (bhAgya),
nature (svabhAva) in them (Jain and Buddhist cultures) – there is no provision
for these. Only your resolve (sankalpa) and toil (Sram) (matters). Therefore,
naturally, they provided for asceticism at the youth stage itself; if youth
toils, he can become ascetic – if he struggles (jUjh) with the resolve, he can
become an ascetic. That is why, the kind of egoism found in Jain ascetics, is
not found in Hindu ascetics; Muslim ascetics are totally non-egoistic – they
have not given up anything; they have just understood; the doership (kartA) is
not in them.
Jain ascetic is very
egoistic, because he has given up much. In full youth, or even in childhood, he
gave up all – wealth, home, desires and ambitions. Waves (of desires) are
arising inside them, but, he is suppressing them; the more he suppresses, the
more he wants that he should get regard (sammAn), because he is doing a
laborious job, a difficult job.
Mulla Nasruddin applied for
job in an office. When he went for interview, the owner (mAlik) of the office
asked him whether he knows typing – because he had applied for the job of
typist. Mulla said that he does not know typing. The owner asked – ‘if you do
not know typing, then why did you apply? And, not only that, you have asked
double the salary’. Mulla said – ‘that is why I asked double. If I know typing,
I would have finished the job in half the time; as I do not know, I have to
undertake double the labour; think of labour also’.
Therefore, one who becomes
ascetic in youth, will seek very egoistic prestige. He would say – ‘Take a
look, I am a youth and I have become ascetic. I swam against the flow (dhAr) of
the life; I am swimming towards Gangotri; take a look!’ The asceticism of
Hindus is along the flow of Ganga – swimming towards Ganga Sagar (where Ganga
joins the Ocean). But, Jain ascetic swims towards Gangotri – against flow (of
Ganga). Therefore, he insists (Agrah) that he gets prestige; otherwise, why
should he labour? Therefore, when Jain Muni comes to village, people applaud,
take out procession (SObhA yAtrA), beat drums (band-bAjA) – there is a lot of
commotion (SOrgul). Hindu ascetic comes to village and goes away – there is
nothing special. No one knows anything about (coming of) Muslim Fakir, because,
he did not give up anything externally – maybe he has a wife, a shop. Sufi
(Fakir) does not give up anything – it is very difficult even to recognise a
Sufi Fakir.
When one (Sufi) guru sends
his disciple to another Sufi, for learning, then only, one comes to know that
the other is also a guru. Otherwise, it is not possible to find out, because,
maybe he (other Sufi guru) is doing the job of weaving carpet – throughout the
life he had been weaving and selling; may be, he was making shoes and
throughout life, he was making shoes.
(George) Gurdjieff (Russian
philosopher) came to East in search of a Sufi Fakir; he was finding it
difficult to find one – how to find out – because, they (Sufi Fakir) do not
look different – they are enjoying (ram) life. Therefore, he has written that,
with great difficulty, he could get the clue (sUtra). He was wandering the
lanes of Damascus (damiSk) to find one. He
asked some Mussalman, that he wanted to find a Sufi Fakir. He said – ‘you will
not be able to find out; do one thing – go to the Mosque and sit there, for as
much time as possible; if you read namAz, do so; some Fakir would notice you
and he will catch you. You will not be able to find him’ – (it is so), because,
how can a disciple find the guru; only guru searches out the disciple.
He liked the idea; he sat
down in the Mosque; he was sitting there the whole day, even up to midnight, reading
namAz, so that someone could notice him – and it happened. After some days, an
elderly person was watching him carefully (gaur). One day, that elderly person
came to him and said – ‘you do not look like a Mussalman; then why are you
reading so much namAz?’ He said – ‘I am in search of some sadguru; I was told
that I could not search him out, but if I keep on reading namAz, probably,
someone – elderly - would notice me; if you have noticed me, and if you find
that I am fit enough, please send me to some Sufi; please tell me.’
He (the elderly person) said
– ‘tonight, you go to so and so place’, When he reached there, he was
surprised. The person, to whom the elderly person sent him, was running a tea
shop – selling tea etc. Gurdjieff had visited the tea shop many a times. Not
only that, he had asked the shop owner, many times, to tell him if he knew
about any Sufi. The shop owner used to smile at him saying – ‘I do not have any
interest in religion; therefore, I do not know’. That person happened to be the
guru for Gurdjieff. He told Gurdjieff – ‘you clean the tea cups – for two
years’. While cleaning the tea cups, that guru imparted him the initial steps
of meditation.
An American traveller reached
Dhaka. Someone had given him news – ‘there is a Sufi Fakir who has reached
final stages; if you can reach him, you may get something’. Final stage (phanA)
is when a person gets destroyed (miT). He reached Dhaka and hired a taxi. He
said to the Taxi driver – ‘I have come in search of such and such person; can
you help me’? He seated him in the Taxi telling that he would help him. He took
him to a small hut and asked him to come in (the hut) after five minutes. When
he reached inside the hut after five minutes, he found the taxi driver there;
there were ten or fifteen disciples seated. He (Gurdjieff) asked him whether he
is the guru. He said – ‘I am; that is why, I doing the job of taxi driver,
because, sometimes a person comes in search, and I catch him there itself.’
Where will you search, and
how will you search? It is not possible to find Sufis, who live their lives so
simply (sahajtA).
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau viSvaM
nAma vikalpanA |
atiSAntO nirAkAra
EtadEvAhamAsthitaH || 7 : 3 || 76 ||
This statement (of Janaka) is
the statement of Sufis. Whatever Janaka is telling, that is the essence of Sufi
Doctrine (mat).
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau viSvaM
nAma vikalpanA | - This universe (viSva) is only a name (nAm), it is only an
imagination (kalpanA) – it is not there in fact (vastutaH) – it only appears
(bhAsatA) so; this is only our belief (dhAraNA); this is only a dream happening
in sleep; we are not awake – that is why the World (jagat) is (perceived). If
we wake up, then there is no World.
Consider a little. How will
the World be, if there remains no desires in you, if there remains no desire to
acquire anything, if there is no craze (pAgalpan) of becoming somebody
(something)? After that, what will you be in this World? You will suddenly find
that your whole World has been transformed (rUpAntarit), because the World is
made on the basis (AdhAr) of what a man searches for. It is possible that the
road by which you daily pass by, has a tap (bambA) on the road side, there is a
post-box, there is a red-coloured Hanuman (statue) standing, but you do not
notice them. But, on that day, when you have to drop a letter, you will notice
the post-box; you were passing by the same path, every day, but, as there was
no need for posting letter, you did not notice it, You might have seen the post
box, but the sight would have been lost (Ojhal) to the eyes; it was there
itself, but you did not notice it, till there was a desire (to look for it) in
you – which makes the connection (sambandh). Suddenly (acAnak) today, you had
to post a letter.
After observing fast, go to
the MG Road; you will find only restaurants, hotels, coffee-houses – only such
places would be seen (noticed) – nothing else would be noticed; suddenly, your
nose (sense of smell) has become so strong (pragAD) that all types of smells
(sugandh) would be felt, all types of desires (of smell) would attract you.
After fasting, you pass through a different road by which you never went - for
name sake it is MG Road. But, when your stomach is full, then it is a different.
When you go there for purchasing cloth(es), then it is a different. When a
person who is satisfied with his wife, goes there, it is different; and one who
is not satisfied with this wife, also goes there, it is different, because the
looking method and expectations are different. (Translator’s note – Bombay MG
Road is a Red Light area.)
Your World is established by
what you seek. We all are not living in the same World – we all are living in
our own Worlds. There are as many Worlds as there are humans, as there are
minds. Remember that we are talking of that World, otherwise, there is often
delusion. There is a great delusion due to the words of these learned men
(manIshi) of East; people think – ‘is the World illusion? Then, if we become
quiet, will this house go away? These trees will vanish?’ Then, you have not
understood. The meaning of the ‘World’ is that which has been imagined by your
mind - that much will be lost (vanish); things will remain (as it is). In fact,
what is (actually) there, will be seen for the first time. Because of your
mind, that was not seen. You see things differently. Only those things, which
you are eager (Atur) to see, are visible to (seen by) you. Your eagerness is
very creative (sRjanAtmak). It is from that creativity, dreams arise,
imaginations arise.
mayyanantamahAmbhOdhau viSvaM
nAma vikalpanA – your World is your imagination. It is not necessary that the
World of your neighbour is the same as (that of) yours. Two people may be
sitting in the same place – but in two different Worlds.
In a cinema theatre, Mulla Nasruddin and his
wife were talking to each other, almost till the interval. This was very
disturbing to those sitting nearby. One viewer who was sitting behind Mulla
said – ‘what is that you keep on repeating like a parrot; you are not keeping
quiet.’ Mulla was very annoyed by this; he said – ‘are you talking about us?’
The viewer said – ‘not you, but to the film people; from the beginning, it is
just nonsense; we are not able to listen, even a word of your interesting
talk.’ Now, it is possible that there are two viewers sitting behind; one of
them might have been annoyed the he is not able to listen to the film dialogue,
because of the incessant talk of husband and wife; the other might have been
annoyed that he is not able to listen to the very interesting talk going on
between husband and wife, because of the nonsensical film dialogue, and he
wishes that the film would stop. Both of them might be sitting side by side,
but their angle of viewing is different.
Our method (Dang) of looking
is our view (dRshTi), it is our creation (sRshTi); from the view, creation
arises. When there is no (point of) view in you, when there remains, inside
you, the simplicity (saraltA) of viewing things as they are – when there is no
possibility of superposing (ArOpaNa) something else (anyathA), when your inner
projector (prEkshapan yantra) ceases, then, suddenly, you find that the screen
is blank (khAlI) – that screen is true. The picture of light and shadow (dhUp
chAva) that is going on in the screen (inside you) is coming from your
projector.
Whenever you come across the
statement of scriptures (SAstra) – ‘the World (samsAr) is only an imagination
(kalpanA)’ – then, do not fall into the delusion that the scriptures are
telling that, when you awaken (jAgaraNa), when you enter into absorption (samAdhi),
then, that very moment, the whole World will become dream-like. They say only
this, that ‘your’ World will vanish (be lost) that very moment.
This World is not yours. It
was there, before you came; it will be there even after you go away. These trees,
these birds, this space do not belong to you; they have nothing to do with you.
It is there, when you are asleep, when you are awake, when you are in
meditation, when you are in the clutches of desires (vAsanA-grast); it will not
vanish (miT), but (what will vanish is) the web (jAl) of imagination (kalpanA)
that you have woven (bun), considering the World (samsAr) to be a screen
(pardA). Try a little to identify (recognise) (pahcAn) this web, as to how you
are weaving it daily. This web does not allow you to recognise that which ‘is’
(jO hai).
‘In me, the endless (ant-hIn)
Ocean (mahAsamudra), this universe (viSIva) is surely, only a name (nAm), it is
only an imagination (kalpanA); I am quite (atyant) tranquil (SAnt) and formless
(nirAkAr); I abide (ASraya) in this.’
atiSAntO nirAkAra
EtadEvAhamAsthitaH – ‘Having understood that these are all my imaginations
(kalpanA), that these arise (uThtI) and get dissolved (lIn) in me, that these
are all my waves, I have become quite (bilkul) tranquil; I have become formless
(nirAkAr). And now, I abide (ASraya) in this. There is nothing to give up – I
only remain.’
nAtmA bhAvEshu nO
bhAvastatrAnantE niranjanE |
ityasaktO(a)spRhaH SAnta
EtadEvAhamAsthitaH || 7 : 4 || 77 ||
‘The Self (AtmA) is not in
the objects (vishya); neither the objects are in that infinite (ananta),
stainless (niranjan) Self. Thus, I am unattached (anAsakta) – free (mukta) of
desires (spRhA) and I abide in this’.
nAtmA bhAvEshu nO
bhAvastatrAnantE niranjanE – Neither the objects are in me nor I am in the
objects. All these are the play of waves arising on the surface (sataha). The
depth of oceans do not touch the waves (the waves do not touch the depths of
oceans).
You see a lot of waves on the
surface of the ocean. Ask the divers (gOtAkhOr) as to how many waves they find
when go inside (down). Where are waves in the ocean’s bottomless (atal) depths?
Waves are there only on the surface. In that (my) bottomless depths, it is all
unattached (anAsakta), tranquil, formless and desire-free. That is my abode
(ASraya). That is my true form (nija-svarUpa). What kind of giving up or
renunciation (tyAga), and know (jAnanA) what? iti jnAnaM. This is how I have
come to know – this is the knowledge (jnAna).
ahO cinmAtramEvAhamindrajAlOpamaM jagat |
atO mama kathaM kutra
hEyOpAdEyakalpanA || 7 : 5 || 78 ||
‘Oh (ahO)! I am pure (just)
(mAtra) consciousness (caitanya); the World (samsAr) is like a jugglery
(indrajAl); therefore, in which (what), can there be imaginations of rejection
(hEya) and acceptance (upAdEya)?’
What to give up? What to hold
on? Rejection and Acceptance, gain (lAbha) and loss (hAnI), good (acchA) and
bad (burA), auspicious (Subha) and inauspicious (aSubha) – now, all these
imaginations are useless (vyartha); all that is happening, are happening
naturally (svabhAva); all that is happening, are correct (ThIk). In these,
there is nothing to choose nor to give up.
(JK)Krishnamurthi, often
talks of ‘choiceless awareness’; Janaka is declaring that truth – consciousness
(bOdh) without choice (cunAv rahit).
ahO ahaM cinmAtram – I am
just (kEval) consciousness; I am just of witness (sAkshI).
jagat indrajAlOpamam – And,
the World is like a game (play) (khEl) of magic (jAdU) – jugglery (indrajAla);
all these are having superficial (Upar Upar) lustre (appearance) (sheen)
(bhAsa), but they ‘are not’ (existing) – they just seem (pratIta), but ‘are
not’.
ataH mama hEyOpAdEya kalpanA
kathaM ca kutra – then, how should I imagine, as to what (who) (which) (kaun)
is right and what (who) (which) is wrong? I have given up all these
imaginations (kalpanA) – iti jnAnaM; this is knowledge (jnAna); this is
awakening (jAgaraNa); this is wisdom (consciousness) (bOdha).
Enjoyment (bhOga) is one kind
of imagination, and renunciation (tyAga) is another kind of imagination. If one
escapes (bacE) from enjoyments, he falls into renunciation – as if one is
walking between a ditch (khAyI) and a well (kuAn); if he escapes from (falling
into) well, he falls into the ditch. The path is in between (bIc). Neither one
should become a renunciate, nor an enjoyer; if you can escape from both -
renunciation and enjoyment – if you can go beyond both these, if you can become
the witness of both, then you are an ascetic (sanyast); it is the birth (janma)
of asceticism (sanyAs).
A man of the World (samsArI)
is not an ascetic, nor a renunciate is an ascetic. Both of them have made choices
(cunAva) – enjoyer chose to indulge in enjoyments to the hilt, so that he can
be happy. Renunciate chose to renounce – renounce everything, so that he can be
happy. Ascetic is the one who says – ‘this is’ happiness (iti sukhaM) – not
that ‘it will happen’. Neither there is anything to hold on (pakaDa), nor
anything to give up; just ‘be’ in one’s Self; only in that (vahIn) - ‘being in
one’s Self’ - there is happiness (sukh) and knowledge (jnAna). Otherwise, you
can keep exchanging your pain; you may shift load from one shoulder to another;
you may go from one hell to another; but, it will make no difference.
Mulla Nasruddin’s wife was
telling him (Mulla) – ‘the boy we have chosen for Farida, though he is alright,
there are two hiccups (bhUl-cUk) – one is that it is his second marriage – his
first wife has died, he is a widower (vidhur); but it is alright, not a big issue,
because he is still young. But what is annoying is that – though everything is
all right, he has a good complexion, tall, strong, handsome, but one defect is
annoying. It seems that you have not noticed – when he laughs, his long teeth
show up and he looks ugly’. Mulla said – ‘forget it, let his marriage with
Farida take place; after that, where will he have any scope for laughing? One
wife has just died, and he has (already) fallen in love (cakkar mE paDnA) with
Farida’.
We cannot remain for long without getting into
problem (complications) (uljhan). If one problem is solved (over), it seems
that we have become empty (nothing to do) (khAlI); soon, we create (for
ourselves) (nirmit) another problem. Man is busy in problems. Psychologists say
that unmarried people are more (prone to) mad(ness) (pAgal) than married people.
This is very astonishing (hairAn). When I read it for the first time, I was
thinking (wondering) as to what could be the problem. (Normally) it should be
the other way (ulTA) – more married people should be mad – that is
understandable; that they (married) could be more crazy, is also
understandable. Figures (AnkaDE) have been collected from all over the World. From
that, it was observed that more unmarried people commit suicide, than married
people. It appears that it is unbelievable. But after research, psychologists
came to know the reason – unmarried people do not have problems, what else they
would do, other than becoming mad – they have all the spare time in the world
(phursat hI phursat). Married people do not have (much) spare time – to become
mad; they are such busy (vyastatA)!
One psychologist was
researching as to what type of people are most happy. He came to a curious
(ajIb) conclusion (nishkarsh) – that only those people are most happy, who do
not have any spare time, even to think whether they are happy or unhappy. If
one gets even a little spare time, unhappiness begins.
You will find politicians very happy, filled
with elation (praphullatA), wearing garland (gajarA) etc, always in a haste.
The reason is this much – they do not have even a little time to sit down and
think, ponder, at least once, whether they are happy or unhappy. Where is the
time? They are always running like the crusher-bullock (kOlhU kA bail) – go to
Delhi. Where is spare time to look here and there? The crowd is so big – someone
pulls his leg, someone pulls from behind, someone pulls from front, someone
holding one hand, someone the other hand – no one understands what is
happening. But they are in a haste; they do not get any spare time in the rush
(ApAdhApI).
Psychologists say that those
who are always busy, become less mad, commit less suicide – they do not even
remember their own existence. They even forget their own address (patA); all
the life’s energy is committed (saMlagna) in useless pursuits. Therefore,
sometimes, it is better (Subha) to sit alone (EkAnt) quietly for some days.
There, one comes to know as to how restless (bEcain) one becomes in doing
nothing (avyasta), how much emptiness (khAlIpan) pinches.
I am asked as to why, people
like, choose unhappiness (dukh). People choose unhappiness over emptiness
(doing nothing); they think that unhappiness is better than emptiness – at
least there is less head-ache, there is something for the head (thinking). If
there are problems, there are some means, some facilities to do something (for
solution). But, if there is nothing?
That person who is not ready
(rAzI) to remain empty (doing nothing), is not able to reach unto himself
(svayam), because the path, to reach unto oneself, passes through ‘being
empty’, through blankness (rikt), through void (SUnyatA). That is where
meditation is – or one can give any other name. That is absorption (samAdhi). When
you sit down, for some time, leaving aside all business (vyastatA), on the bank
(kinArA), away from the flow of the river – while river is flowing, you keep
watching, and do nothing – in those very moments (kshaNa), slowly (dhIrE) the
witness (sAkshI) awakens (jAg). But, before the witness awakens, you have to go
through the desert (rEgistAn) of void (Sunya). That is the price (mUlya) – one
who does not gather courage to pay (the price), can never become witness. (Translator’s note – The ‘river’ mentioned
herein, seems to be an allusion to ‘life’ – as a river that flows.)
It is essential (zarUrI) to
keep a little distance. We are standing so much in (along with) the things
(objects), that we are not able to perceive that we are different from things;
a little distance (FAslA), a little space, a little leisure (avakASa) (is
essential) for seeing (knowing), who we are, what the universe (jagat) is. What
is happening to our lives? A very little empty interval, could become the cause
for one’s Self awareness (Atma bOdha). In those very intervals, you will get a
little glimpse (jhalak) – ‘Oh! I am just Consciousness (caitanya)!’ While being
engaged (vyastatA) (in activities), one will never come to know (thus). To be
‘engaged’ means that one is involved (ulajh) in the things, involved with
others, involved with something different (anya). When you are unoccupied
(avyasta), when you are not involved in (with) anything (anyone), then you
begin to have remembrance (yAd) of your Self – remembrance of one’s Self
(svayam).
‘Oh (ahO) I am just (mAtra) consciousness
(caitanya); the World is like a jugglery (indrajAla).’
And, then, you come to know
that all your business (vyastatA) are childish (bacpanA), a game (khEl). You
earn wealth, you gather a heap (DEr) of wealth – what will you get (out of it)?
You may reach great positions – what will you get? Can you find, anywhere,
unsuccessful (saFal) people like those who are successful? One who became
successful, got into difficulties (muSkil). After becoming successful, one
realises that the life has slipped away from his hands, and he has achieved
(hAth lagnA) nothing.
It is said that when Alexander (sikandar) came
to India and achieved victory over Purushottam (Porus), he went into a room, he
went into a tent and started weeping. His warlords (sipahsAlAr) and his
commanders (sEnAnI) became worried. They have never seen Alexander weeping.
They did not understand as to how to disrupt (vyavadhAn) him, how to intervene
(bAdhA). Gathering courage, they sent in one of them. He went inside and asked
Alexander – ‘why are you weeping – and that too at the moment of victory? If we
had lost, one can understand the reason for your weeping. You are weeping at
the moment of victory – what is the reason? If Porus weeps, one can understand.
This is the occasion for celebration (utsava). Alexander said – ‘I am weeping,
because there is nothing left in the World for winning (jItnA). There is
nothing to win. What will I do?’
Probably, Porus might not have wept -there is
no story of Porus weeping; there is much left for Porus to achieve – at least
winning over Alexander is left; he has to defeat (dAnt khaTTA) him. But, there
is nothing left for Alexander. He (Alexander) was terrified (tharrA); all his
business was over; he had reached the peak (Sikhar). Now what? Now, there is no
ladder to climb above the peak. What will happen now? All successful people
have this anxiety (gabrAhaT). One has earned wealth, achieved (high) positions,
got prestige; but, in achieving all these, the life has slipped (flowed) away
(bah) from the hands. Suddenly, one day, you are successful, and at once
(simultaneously), in that very moment, you are also a total failure. Now, what will happen? You are left with just
ashes (rAkh). A busy man, finally remains a heap of ashes; the cinder (angAr)
has been totally covered up or it is extinguished.
Keep searching for free
(avyasta) moments, little by little. Occasionally, spare some time to immerse
(DUb) in yourself (apnE); forget the World, forget the waves of the World. Dive
(dip) a little deep into your depths (gahrE), into your tranquil state
(praSAnti); then – only then, you will understand what Janaka is telling – iti
jnAnam – this is knowledge.
‘Oh (ahO)! I am just (mAtra)
consciousness (caitanya); the World (samsAr) is like a jugglery (indrajAl);
therefore, in which (what), can there be imaginations of rejection (hEya) and
acceptance (upAdEya)?’ Now, there is nothing to reject, nor to accept; neither
there is any loss (hAnI) nor any gain (lAbh); there nothing worth (yOgya)
achieving; there is no fear of missing (chUT) anything. I am just consciousness
only. This is liberation (mukti).
Till the time you are
involved in actions, there are differences (distinctions) (bhEda) in you; as
soon as you become witness, all differences are lost.
(Poem of Osho – Meaning is
given hereunder) -
अपने— अपने
कर्मों का फल
भोग रहा है हर कोई
सूरज तो इक—सा
ही चमके
नाथों और अनाथों
पर।
Everyone is reaping
(enjoying) (bhOga) the fruits of his actions. The Sun is shining equally on
masters (have) (rich) (nAtha) and helpless (have not) (anAtha).
You are bound (bandhE) by
your actions, and reaping the fruits, thereof. The Sun is shining equally on
everyone. Paramatma is showering (dispensing) (bharas) equally on (for) all,
but each one of us have made our own cups (vessels) (pAtra) of actions; some
have a small vessel, some have a large vessel; some have dirty vessel, some
have beautiful vessel. Paramatma is dispensing equally. Some have vessel
replete with sins, some have vessel replete with virtues (puNya); but all the
vessels are limited (sImit) – both for sinners (pApi) and virtuous (puNyAtmA).
You just set aside (haTA) the vessel, forget (bhUl) actions; forget (vismaraNa)
the doer – see the witness. The moment you see the witness, you will realise,
that you are the boundless ocean, that Paramatma is showering in you (tummE) in
his infinite (ananta) forms.
‘Oh (ahO), I am just
consciousness (cinmAtra)’. Then, as Janaka said earlier (pIchE), again and
again – one feels like touching one’s own feet; one feels like saluting oneself
for (being endowed with) such a fortune (dhanyabhAga), such a divine grace
(prasAda).
(Poem – Osho’s?)
दामने—दिल
पे नहीं बारिशे—इल्हाम
अभीI
इश्क नापुख्ता अभी
जच्चे दरूखाम अभी।
If shower (varshA) of divine grace (daivI) is
not happening on (in) the (beggar’s) upper garment (dAman) ie., heart (dil),
then, understand this much that love is (now) immature (kaccA) and inner
(bhItar) state (bhAvanA) is not yet ripe (aparipakva). If the grace (prasAda)
of Lord is not showered, then do not understand that His grace is not being
showered, but only this, that love (iSk) is not matured enough now – your love
is immature – the passion (jajbE) is not total? (darUkhAm). Now, the inner
state (daSA) of consciousness (caitanya) is not matured enough. Otherwise,
paramAtmA is showering (on all) – on the qualified (pAtra) and unqualified
(apAtra), on virtuous (puNyAtmA) and sinner (pApI).
सूरज तो इक—सा
ही चमके
नाथों और अनाथों
पर।
(Translator’s note – alms are
obtained (by beggars) in the loose end (tail) (dAman) of their upper garment)
Now, there are two methods for
searching this supreme state (avasthA). One is that, change (badal) the actions
– make bad actions into good (actions), change inauspicious (aSubha) into
auspicious, get rid of sins and gather virtue – this is a long method, and,
probably, it will never succeed, because, these are actions of infinite
(ananta) number of lives; you may not be able to change them; that is a
deception (dhOkhA); that is a trick (tarkIb) for postponing; that is false
(mithyA). Then the second method – in fact, this should be called the only
method; the second method is that you stand behind all the actions and become a
witness; then you can become (free) just now – this very moment.
The basic (maulik) substance
(sAr) of Ashtavakra’s Mahagita is only this – if you so desire, get away
(kinArA) and sit down; become witness just now (abhI). Till the time you keep
making efforts to change your actions, you will keep on creating newer
complications (uljhan), because, together with every sin, there is a little
virtue (puNya) also; together with every virtue, there is a little sin also.
You cannot do any such virtuous deed, in which there no sin attached (juDA).
Think of it – what kind of virtuous deed will you do, which is not attached
with sin? If you donate wealth, you will (would have) also earn(ed) wealth;
otherwise, how will you donate? First, while earning wealth, you will do sins,
then you will donate – this is dishonesty (bEmAnI). If you build a temple, you
will also be destroying many huts (jhOmpaDI), then only you will be able to
build the temple. Only when you exploit (cUs) someone, a temple can be built.
This is useless. In this, along with virtue, there will be sin also. Whatever
good you do, there will also be some – if not more – bad also. Even if you do
something bad, there will be some or other virtue also; that is why man does
bad things, otherwise, why should he do it at all?
There is a thief; he steals
and brings things, because he says that his child is sick and it needs
medicine. Child should get medicine – even if it is by stealing; but, the child
should be given medicine; life is precious – rules regarding wealth and
property (sampatti) are not so valuable (mUlyavAn).
There is a mention in the
life of great (supreme) (parama) alchemist (rAsAyanik) Nagarjuna. He was also a
philosopher (dArSanik) and thinker (vicArak). He was an extraordinary (apUrva)
philosopher. Perhaps, no other philosopher like him was ever born (huA) in
Bharat. Even Sankaracharya seems to come next (number two) to Nagarjuna. It
also seems that whatever Sankara(charya) said, therein is the stamp (chAp) of
Nagarjuna. Nagarjuna has said very unique things. He was also a chemist
(rasAyanvid). He needed two assistants, who could help him in chemical
experiments (processes) (prakriyA). Therefore, he searched a lot. Two chemists
came to him. He wanted to test them. Therefore, he gave both of them, some
chemicals (rAsAyanik dravya) and asked them to make a mixture (miSraNa) of
these and bring it to him; and whoever is successful, in making the mixture,
would be chosen.
Both of them went away. Next
day, one of them brought the mixture, but the other brought the chemicals as it
is. Nagarjuna asked the second one, as to why he had not made (mixture). He
said – ‘when I was going, on the way, I saw a beggar dying; I became busy in
his service. It took twenty four hours to save him; I did not get any time;
this process requires at least twenty four hours’ time. Therefore, please
excuse me; I am aware that I would not be accepted, but there was no other
alternative, because the beggar was dying, and I had to spend twenty four hours
in looking after him; he has recovered, and I am happy. I got an opportunity of
serving you, but I would not get it; even then, I am happy (prasanna); I have
no complaints’.
And, Nagarjuna selected this
(second) person. Nagarjuna had other associates (sahayOgi); they asked him –
‘what are you doing? You did not choose the one who brought chemical mixture?’
Nagarjuna replied – ‘life is more valuable than chemistry; this person has the
grip (pakaD) (of things). He knows which is more valuable – that is the secret
(rahasya) – he knows distinction (bhEda) between essential and non-essential
(asAr).
(Translator’s note –
alchemist – chemist : ‘alchemy is based on mystic view of reality, whereas
chemistry is based on experiments, observations and facts’ – see www.vedantu.com
)
If a man’s child is dying,
should he not steal? Should he bother (Fikra) about you? Should he consider
that personal property (of others) is to be respected? He would not bother; he
would say – ‘even if I have to steal, even if I have to go to jail, I have to
save the child’.
Therefore, even in a sin,
there is a little virtue. Two men who steal together, at least, do not cheat
each other – that much of honesty is there. They also believe – ‘Honesty is the
best policy’ – at least between themselves. Maybe they are not adopting this
(policy) with others, but they have honesty with one another. At least there is
this much of virtue. You will not be able to find, any such sinful action, in
which there is no virtue at all.
Once a thief was caught. The
Magistrate was very surprised; he said – ‘I hear that you entered this shop, in
the night, nine times’! He (thief) said – ‘Sir, what shall I do? I am alone,
and I have to haul (DhOnA) the whole shop’. The Magistrate asked – ‘don’t you
have any associates?’ He said – ‘the times (zamAnA) are very bad; whom should I
make associate? Whomsoever I make, he cheats me.’
Even a thief says - ‘the
times are bad – you are aware of it; whom shall I make associate?’ Even for
stealing, the times should be good – even if one has to cheat another. That
person, who is going to be cheated by you, should have, at least, this much of
good nature (bhalamanasAhat) of trust. Sin and virtue are blended (gUnthA)
together – they are tied (joined) together. You can neither earn virtue without
committing (some) sin, nor you can commit sin without earning (some) virtue.
Poem of Osho –
सुख न सहचरी, लुटेरा
भी हुआ करता है,
खुशी में गम का बसेरा
भी हुआ करता है।
अपनी किस्मत की स्याही
को कोसने वालो,
चांद के साथ अंधेरा
भी हुआ करता है।
All these are joined together. Therefore, if
you want to escape from one, at the most, you can hide the other, but you
cannot run away from the other. Sin and virtue are the two sides (pahlU) of the
same coin (sikkA). If the coin goes, it will go completely – you cannot save
half of it – you cannot save one side only.
Therefore, the revolutionary
formulae (sUtra), that are coming out, in the dialogue (saMvAda) between
Ashtavakra and Janaka, pertain to witness. Neither you have to leave the sin,
nor virtue; neither you have to hold on to sin, nor virtue. You are not to get hold
or give up. Neither hold on nor give up. You stand away from both of them, become
the one who sees, the seer, the witness.
ahO ahaM cinmAtraM jagat indrajAlOpamaM
|
ataH mama hEyOpAdEya kalpanA kathaM
ca kutra ||
Therefore, Janaka said – ‘I
do not have even imaginations, as to what is right and what is wrong – now,
(either) everything is right, or everything is wrong. I am standing outside the
web (jAl) – I am just consciousness (cinmAtra), form of pure consciousness
(intelligence) (cinmaya), consciousness (caitanya) only (kEvala), only witness.
Whom are you telling about renunciation
(tyAga)? Whom are you telling to attain knowledge? iti jnAnam’.
Hari OM Tatsat.
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