Pravachan 57 - Acharya Rajneesh (Osho)

 This Pravachan was delivered on 7 Dec 1976

Pravachan Audio link – Soundcloud –

https://on.soundcloud.com/9asdk

Pravachan Transcript link –

https://oshostsang.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/अष्%e2%80%8dटावक्र-महागीता-प्रव-57/

(Pravachan No 56 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, on completion of all expositions of Ashtavakra Gita)

ashTAvakra uvAca |

AtmA brahmEti niScitya bhAvAbhAvau ca kalpitau |

nishkAmaH kiM vijAnAti kiM brUtE ca karOti kim || 18 : 8 || 184 ||

 

ayaM sO(a)hamayaM nAhamiti kshINA vikalpanAH |

sarvamAtmEti niScitya tUshNImbhUtasya yOginaH || 18 : 9 || 185 ||

 

na vikshEpO na caikAgryaM nAtibOdhO na mUDhatA |

na sukhaM na ca vA duHkhamupaSAntasya yOginaH || 18 : 10 || 186 ||

 

svarAjyE bhaikshyavRttau ca lAbhAlAbhE janE vanE |

nirvikalpasvabhAvasya na viSEshO(a)sti yOginaH || 18 : 11 || 187 ||

 

kva dharmaH kva ca vA kAmaH kva cArthaH kva vivEkatA |

idaM kRtamidaM nEti dvandvairmuktasya yOginaH || 18 : 12 || 188 |

 

kRtyaM kimapi naivAsti na kApi hRdi ranjanA |

yathAjIvanamEvEha jIvanmuktasya yOginaH ||18 : 13 || 189 ||

 

Variations –

18 : 11 – svarAjyE - svArAjyE

18 : 11 - bhaikshyavRttau- bhaikshavRttau

 

अष्टावक्र उवाच ।

आत्मा ब्रह्मेति निश्चित्य भावाभावौ च कल्पितौ ।

निष्कामः किं विजानाति किं ब्रूते च करोति किम् ।। 18 : 8 ।। 184 ||

 

अयं सोऽहमयं नाहमिति क्षीणा विकल्पनाः ।

सर्वमात्मेति निश्चित्य तूष्णीम्भूतस्य योगिनः ।। 18 : 9 ।। 185 ||

 

न विक्षेपो न चैकाग्र्यं नातिबोधो न मूढता ।

न सुखं न च वा दुःखमुपशान्तस्य योगिनः ।। 18 : 10 ।। 186 ||

 

स्वराज्ये भैक्ष्यवृत्तौ च लाभालाभे जने वने ।

निर्विकल्पस्वभावस्य न विशेषोऽस्ति योगिनः ।। 18 : 11 ।। 187 ||

 

क्व धर्मः क्व च वा कामः क्व चार्थः क्व विवेकता ।

इदं कृतमिदं नेति द्वन्द्वैर्मुक्तस्य योगिनः ।। 18 : 12 ।।188 ||

 

कृत्यं किमपि नैवास्ति न कापि हृदि रञ्जना ।

यथाजीवनमेवेह जीवन्मुक्तस्य योगिनः ।।18 : 13 ।। 189 ||

 

(In the book ‘Ashtavakra Samhita’ by Swami Nityaswarupananda, these 6 Slokas are given as Chapter 18 (8 – 13); but, according to the transcript of the Pravachan, all these are given sequentially (184 – 189) – without any chapters. Accordingly, both the systems of numbering have been adopted here.)

 Pravachan

ashTAvakra uvAca |

AtmA brahmEti niScitya bhAvAbhAvau ca kalpitau |

nishkAmaH kiM vijAnAti kiM brUtE ca karOti kim || 18 : 8 || 184 ||

First Sutra – ‘A person free of desires (nishkAma), having known with certainty (niScaya-pUrvak), that the Self (AtmA) is the Brahman (brahma), and existence (bhAva) and non-existence (abhAva) are just imaginations (kalpita), what is there for him to know, say or do?’

Understand this – ‘....having known with certainty, that Self is the Brahman....’ Whatever is known, through any medium (intermediary) (mAdhyam), can never be with certainty. If one trusts (bharOsA) another, distrust (gair-bharOsA) will continue to persist, at one’s depth; doubt (sandEha) always persists, at the substratum (antastal) of trust (belief) (viSvAs); no matter how much effort, you may make, to trust (believe), one cannot get rid of doubt. The very meaning of trust (belief) is, that you are busy (engaged in) (samlagna) suppressing the doubt; you may suppress it (doubt), but cannot get rid of it; you may forget (bhulA) it, but cannot get rid of it. The more a doubt is suppressed, that much greater a contrary (viparIt) situation develops; superficially, there is trust, but underneath, there is doubt. One has trust in the words (Sabda), but there is doubt at the vitals (prANa). People talk something, but what happens is totally contradictory (opposite); this is called hypocrisy (pAkhaND). That is why people say something, do something else, and think yet something else; there remains no homogeneity (harmony) (EkrastA). What kind of music would there be, where there is no harmony, where each string of lute plays different tune! There would be only noise (SOrgul), no music, no rhythm (laya-baddha), and no peace (SAnti). Where is comfort (sukh), then?

First Sutra – ‘.....he who knows, with certainty, that Self is Brahman.....’ Who knows with certainty? Who is able to know with certainty? iti niScitya – Whom we call as one who knows with certainty? It is one who has had experience (anubhava); there remains no doubt in experience; only experience is freedom from doubt.

People come to me, and say – ‘we have full (firm) (dRDh) faith (trust) in you’. I tell them – ‘firm? It (firm) means that, there is strong (saghan) doubt inside; otherwise, what is that, you are suppressing, with firmness?’ When someone says – ‘I love you totally (pUrA)’, be careful, because, he is hiding something behind the ‘total’ love; what is hidden behind this ‘total’? Why does he say, with such insistence (Agrah), that ‘I love you totally’, ‘I have total trust’, ‘I have total conviction (SraddhA)’? Behind this screen of insistence, the contra (opposite) is present (mauzUd). Only when there is serious doubt, one needs such firmness for trust. Even then, doubt does not go away. That is why, no matter, how much external (Upar) difference is there, between atheist (nAstik) and theist (believer) (Astik), internally, there is no difference. What is the internal difference? An atheist does not go to temple; he does not pay obeisance to paramAtmA; but, you (theist) go to the temple; but did you ever reach there? You pay obeisance (namaskAr), but did it (obeisance) ever reach unto His feet? You do (obeisance), but, atheist does not; but has your action (obeisance) ever culminated? Both (atheist and theist) are alike, in regard to Worldly affairs (vyavahAr) – there is no difference at all. Whether one is a Muslim or a Hindu or a Christian or a Jain, there is no difference at all, in Worldly affairs. All these convictions are hollow (thOthI), because they are borrowed (udhAr). Who has certainty of conviction? Only the one who experienced (anubhava).

 Kesava Chandra went to meet Ramakrishna (Paramahamsa). Kesava Chandra said – ‘I do not believe in God; I have come to argue (vivAd) with you. I shall refute (khaNDit) your belief. Will you accept my challenge?’ Ramakrishna said – ‘it is very difficult; you won’t be able to do it. Your defeat is certain. It is not, that I can argue with you, that I have any arguments (tark). But, I have known Lord; no matter, how much you refute, what difference will it make? Even then, I know that paramAtmA is there. This is my personal (nijI) experience; how will you be able to snatch it away from me? He permeates (samA) every breath of mine; He pervades (vyApa) every heart-beat of mine; this is the call (pukAr) of every pore (rOEn) of mine; you won’t be able to snatch it from me. Kesava Chandra, I won’t be able to respond to your arguments; you are intelligent (buddhimAn), well-versed in scriptures (SAstrajna), a knowledgeable person (jnAnI), a scholar (paNDit). I am an illiterate and rustic (gamvAr). But if you get entangled (involved) (ulajh) with me, you won’t be able to win against a rustic, because, I do not have any doctrines (siddhAnta) or beliefs, but experience. How can you refute my experience? How can you unmake that, which I have known? I have seen with my own eyes. Even if the whole World asserts, in one voice, that there is no God, I shall keep repeating, that He is, because I have known.’

Kesava Chandra did not agree; he put in a lot of arguments. Ramakrishna listened to all his arguments, but did not respond. Sometimes, in the middle, when Kesava Chandra would put forth serious arguments, he (Ramakrishna) would stand up and embrace him. Kesava Chandra became very impatient. As the disciples of Kesava Chandra had also come, for disputation, a large crowd had gathered to watch it. They (crowd) also became a little worried. He (Kesava Chandra) was perspiring; he said – ‘what is the matter? Are you in your senses? I am talking against you’. Ramakrishna said – ‘you think that you are talking against me; in fact, seeing you, I begin to have more faith in paramAtmA, because, how can there be such a brilliance (pratibhA), in this World, without paramAtmA being there? Your brilliance is unique (anUThI); your arguments are very valuable – they are very sharp. It is indeed the proof, that paramAtmA is there. Your awareness (consciousness) (caitanya), your arguments, your thoughts (vicAr), your methodology (praNAlI) – all these are proof that paramAtmA is there. When flowers blossom, it is sure that there is a tree (plant). No matter how much, the flower might try to refute the tree, it won’t be able to do so. It’s (flower) very being is the proof of existence of tree. No matter how much the flower puts forth, its testimony (gavAhI) in the Court (adAlat), that there is no tree, the very testimony, of the flower, would convey, that there is a tree; otherwise, how the flower can come to being?’ Ramakrishna further said – ‘I am a rustic; there is no flower of brilliance with me; you have the lotus of brilliance. I am filled with thousands of gratitude; that is why, I get up and embrace you, that – ‘O Lord, you did well, by sending Kesava Chandra to me; I got another glimpse of You; I got another acquaintance (pahcAn) with You; I saw You again, through another new window (opening) (dvAr); now, no matter, how many methods, Kesava Chandra might adopt, I have seen You; I can never believe that God is not there.’

Kesava Chandra has written in his memoirs (smaraNa) – ‘the only person, who vanquished me, was Ramakrishna. There was no way of winning over Ramakrishna. That night I could not sleep; I was thinking again and again, that this person (Ramakrishna) surely had some experience – such a profound (pragADh) experience, which cannot be shaken, by any argument. His experience, must have been so profound, that it (experience) is proved by arguments, both for and against. I have to sit at the feet of this person; I have to learn from this person; whatever has been seen by him, should also be seen by me. He has vision, but I have arguments. Arguments are not enough; no one’s hunger has ever been satiated, by arguments; no one’s thirst - (parched) throat - has ever been relieved by arguments.’

Knowing with certainty means, knowing like Ramakrishna; it does not mean, belief (trust) (faith) (viSvAs), but the conviction (SraddhA), arising from experience. One who has developed trust (faith), faces considerable problems, in kindling his inner conviction. That is why, one should avoid, what is borrowed (udhAr); one should get rid of the rotten (stale) (bAsA); one should leave off (tyAga) all that belongs to another (parAyA). One should not be worried at all, and not be afraid, if the faith is lost, because, there is no use of holding on to it - let it go. You stand in that void (SUnya), wherein there is no faith, and no thoughts. From there (void), a voice (tune) (dhun) shall come forth; a fresh tone (note) (svara) shall arise from there. Whatever experience that envelopes you, shall be pervaded by that void. One knows (with certainty) from that experience.

AtmA brahmEti niScitya..... The Self (AtmA) is Brahman – it is known thus, from that experience, wherein all your boundaries collapse, wherein there remains, no dividing line (bhEd-rEkhA), between you and the Infinite (limitless) (boundless) (asIm). The Self is Brahman – it means, that the drop (bUnd) is indeed the ocean. But, how the drop would know that? How shall it (drop) know thus, unless it falls (gir) (into the ocean)? It (drop) would know thus, only by falling (gir) into the ocean. No matter how scholarly, the drop might be – even a great scholar – it (drop) shall never know, that it is indeed the ocean, unless it (drop) comes to know, by falling into the ocean. It comes to know – that it is the ocean - only when it gets dissolved (disintegrates) (miT) into the ocean. Only when you get dissolved, you come to know of Brahman. Only when you get obliterated (tirOhit), Brahman becomes manifest (mauzUd). Your absence (non-presence) is indeed His presence (mauzUdgi), and your presence is His absence. It is only in your ‘being’, Brahman becomes ‘not’; the moment you disintegrate (bikhar), He will come into being again.

‘One who has known, with certainty, that Self is Brahman......’ In order to know thus, with certainty, do not venture into scriptures (SAstra), but into the void; do not get into the words (sound) (Sabda), but into the silence (niH-Sabda); do not get entangled in the snare of arguments, but get into the silence (maun) – silence is the window (door) (dvAr); maintain (practise) (sAdhO) silence; daily, for an hour or two, become silent. When there remains no speaker, in your mind, then the one who speaks, is indeed Brahman. When you find, inside you, total silence – endless (shoreless) (pArAvAr), seamless, unending silence - in that very silence, you would hear, for the first time, the footfalls (pag-dhvani) of the Lord; for the first time, you would experience his touch (sparSa). He is nearer than nearest. Till the time you are filled with thoughts, He is farther than the farthest.

Upanishads say – paramAtmA is farther than the farthest, and nearer than the nearest. If you are replete with thoughts, He is farther than the farthest, because, your thoughts cover the eyes. In a mirror, covered with dust, no reflection is made; in a lake, full of waves, the moon does not get reflected. Similarly, when your mind is full of thoughts, ‘That which is’ inside you, does not get reflected. To know, with certainty, means that, you have become so peaceful (tranquil) (SAnta) - you have become a mirror, the lake has become placid (maun), the thoughts have dozed off, the dust has been wiped off – and now, ‘That which is’, is being depicted in the mirror. That indeed is knowing with certainty, when you make reflection, and, in that reflection, you come to know, that indeed, the drop is ocean. (Translator’s note – ‘farther than the farthest’ – please refer to Mundaka Upanishad.)

AtmA brahmEti niScitya bhAvAbhAvau ca kalpitau | - In that moment, you come to realise that, existence (bhAva), as well as non-existence (abhAva), were my imaginations (kalpanA) only. Somethings which I conceived as existing, and somethings which I conceived as non-existing, both were false. I was not aware of ‘That which is’. As even I was false, whatever I conceived (considered) as existing, were also false, and whatever I have not conceived (considered) as non-existing, those were also false. Suppose, one night, you dreamt that you became an emperor of a large empire; there was a big palace, and a huge stack (ambAr) of gold. The next night, you dreamt that you became a beggar; you had lost the kingdom and everything, and that you were wandering in a forest, hungry and thirsty. One night, you dreamt that you had a kingdom, and the next night, you dreamt that there is no kingdom. Is there any difference between these two dreams? Both were your imaginations. Existence (bhAva) is your imagination, so also non-existence (abhAva). Whatever ‘is’, that is not seen by you. When you dreamt of becoming an emperor, while the dream was false, the one who was dreaming, was real. The next night, when you dreamt of becoming a beggar, while whatever was seen in the dream was again false, but the dreamer is real, even now. Whether you dream of empire or beggary, in both cases, the one who was dreaming was real. Whatever is seen – both existing and non-existing – were imagined. Only the seer (drashTA) is real, only the witness (sAkshI) is real; everything else is a dream.

 As you become peaceful (quiet) (tranquil) (SAnta), both these perceptions (pratIti) – that ‘I am not (real)’, and ‘Brahman is (real)’ – happen simultaneously, because, the witness is One only. It is not that, ‘my’ witness is different from ‘your’ witness. Certainly, my dream is different from your dream; but my witness is same (form) as yours. There is no difference in the witness. Suppose, you are seated here; if all of you become quiet and silent, if no waves of thought arise inside anyone, then how many people are seated here? Then, you do not count people - there is only one void is (seated) here. No matter how many zeroes (voids) (SUnya) are added, the count does not increase; two zeroes make one zero; three or four zeroes, or even if infinite number of zeroes are added, it remains zero only – the count does not increase. But, if you speak, and another also speaks, then it will become two. If you speak, you become separate; if all of you are quiet, you all are one only. If someone says something, another says something, they became separate. If thought arises, difference also arises. If there are words, there arises enmity. You say – ‘I am a Hindu’, and I say – ‘I am a Muslim’ – difference has arisen. You say – ‘I have faith in Bible’, I said – ‘I have faith in Quran’, then difference has arisen, dispute has arisen. Where there is dispute, we become different; where we are seated quietly, without any dispute (nirvivAda), we are not different – there is one only. When you hurry (dauD), you are different; but when you are seated (quietly), there remains only one. 

When you are dreaming, you are separate. Have you observed something interesting (mazA)? You cannot invite your friend to participate in your dream – you become so alone. In the night, you see dream – maybe, a very nice dream; even then, you cannot take your wife along, to participate in your dream. You cannot tell her – ‘come along; it is a nice dream’; there is no means for that; there cannot be any partnership (sAjhEdArI) in it. Two people cannot dream together - dream makes us separate. No matter how much love (prEm) and intimacy (AtmIyatA) may be there, between them, each one dreams separately. As two people cannot see a dream together, similarly, in the (state of) witness, two people cannot be separate – they become one only. That one is called ‘Brahman’. 

AtmA brahmEti niScitya bhAvAbhAvau ca kalpitau | - Whatever you have assumed (believed) to be ‘existing’, and ‘not existing’ – both of them are snares of imaginations; it is your imagination. You are real; your being (existence) is real, and everything else is a snare of imaginations only. If you believe so, by hearing Ashtavakra, that would not be knowledge with certainty. Only when you come to know this, through experimentation (prayOg), it becomes knowledge ascertained. Religion (dharma) is as much experimental (experimentative) (prayOgAtmak) as science (vijnAna). This should be understood properly. Scientists say – ‘science is experimental’. Let me say – ‘religion also is as much experimental’. In regard to experimentation, there is no dispute between religion and science; the conflict (virOdha) is only about the laboratory (prayOga-SAlA). The laboratory of science is outside, and that of religion is inside. Science experiments on another, and religion experiments on oneself (svayam). Scientist spreads out (dissects) (bichA) things on the table, and then examines (parIkshaNa), analyses (viSlEshaNa) it. A religious person (dhArmik), gets inside, spreads out (dissects) himself on the table, and then examines himself. Religion is self-examination, and science is examination of the other (par). Science is knowing the other, and religion is knowing oneself; but it is very much experimental. If you have believed something without experimentation, get rid of that rubbish (kUDE-karkaTa); there is no substance (sAr) in it; you have become encumbered (burdened) (bOjhil) with it; your head has become weighty with it; you have become scholarly with it, but the idiocy (folly) (mUDhtA) has not been rid.

‘That desireless (nishkAma) person, having known with certainty, what does he say, what does he do?’ – This statement is very unique (anUThA); listen to it.  nishkAmaH kiM vijAnAti kiM brUtE ca karOti kim | - All the desires (vAsanA) of that person, who has known that ‘there is Brahman only, and I am not’,  vanish; it is bound to be so. Generally, it has been explained to you that, when your desires vanish, then Brahman is attained. No, it is just the opposite. Only when one attains Brahman, one’s desires vanish. You have tied the bullocks on the wrong side of the cart – bullocks behind the cart. Desires will continue till ‘you’ are there; you might change your form, you might adopt a new (different) path, even you might develop a desire to know Brahman, so that you could attain liberation (mOksha). Even then, these are but desires only. Whether it is seeking wealth or seeking meditation or seeking the grip (muTThI) of the World (samsAr) or seeking the grip of paramAtmA, so that you may enjoy the comforts of the World or seek the other-world (para-lOka) or City of God (bahiSt) or heaven (svarga) – all these are desires only. The desires may take different forms (rUp), new dimensions (AyAm),  different directions (diSA), or they may be based on fresh issues, but they will not vanish (miT). Till ‘you’ are there, your desires will continue, because fresh waves of desires arise only in your presence; your presence (mauzUdgi) is indeed the source (srOt) of all the waves (of desires). Only when you yourself vanish, the desires vanish.

You can vanish (khO) only by one method, and that is, to become silent (maun), and begin to apprehend (see face to face), the one who is splendid (seated), inside you. Those who told you, to get rid of desires first, have indeed created problems (jhanjhaT) for you; they have created, new desires, in your life – religious (dhArmik) desires. I tell you – you cannot get rid of desires, but you can get rid of thoughts (vicAr). If you get rid of thoughts, you can come to know (realise) as to – ‘where am I? Who am I? He only is.’ When He only ‘is’, there remains no scope (reason) (kAraNa) for desires. When I am not at all there, the bamboo has vanished, and the flute cannot play now. When bamboo is not there, what kind of flute!  

Desires are indeed shadows (chAyA), similar to shadow that forms (follows), when you walk along the road. If you get seated, peacefully (SAnta), underneath a tree, if you do not remain in the Sunlight, shadow stops. (Similarly,) ego also falls off (gir), the day you sit down, becoming quiet, because, ego survives only in rushing (dauD); it does not survive when one gets seated (quietly). Ego survives in (a state of) ambition (mahatvAkAkAnkshA), in (a state of) hustle-bustle (bhAg-dauD), in (a state of) rushing (hurry) (ApAdhApI), in (a state of) fever (jvara). Ego gets dispersed (bikhar) when one gets seated quietly. If you sit down quietly in the shadow, if you become silent, if there are no thoughts, if ‘you’ are not there, then desires also go away. It is about this situation, Ashtavakra’s Sutra says – ‘what does the desireless person know?’ You could, probably, think that, when you become quiet, you would know ‘something’ (kuch); if so, the knower (jAnanEvAlA) is remaining; you have not at all become quiet, completely, absolutely (samagra); you have retained something; if not enjoyer-ship (bhOktA), then, (you have retained) knower-ship (jnAtA) (now).  

Ashtavakra says – ‘what does such a person know?’ When there remains no knower, what is there to know? If there remains no differentiation (bhEda), what would he know? What would he say? What would be speak? It is not that, if paramAtmA is attained, you would speak something - paramAtmA would speak something through you. Words (speech) (bOl) get lost; one becomes inarticulate (abOl). Tulasi Das and other poets have said – ‘paramAtmA makes a dumb (mUka) into articulate (vAcAl), gives a lame (pangU) expertise (sAmarthya) in running.’ Ashtavakra says in an opposite way, which seems more appropriate. Ashtavakra says – ‘He makes an articulate into a dumb, makes a runner into a lame, makes a diligent (karmaTha) into a lazy (AlasI) chieftain (SirOmaNi). The statement (vacan) is – ‘mUkam karOti vAcAlaM’ – makes a dumb, articulate. But this is read – can be read - in the opposite way also. We may say – ‘makes a dumb into articulate’. We may also read it as – ‘makes an articulate as dumb’; in fact, this is more appropriate. One who speaks, becomes quiet; one who goes, stops; one who moves here and there, now does not move – becomes (like) a lame. The doer vanishes, action vanishes.

‘All kinds of gross (sthUla) and subtle (sUkshma) waves get dissolved (visarjit). Such a person neither knows anything, nor speaks anything, nor does anything.’ - kiM vijAnAti kiM brUtE ca karOti kim | - And, this is the state of supreme (parama) knowledge (jnAna), wherein nothing is perceived (known), because, neither there is knower, nor there is anything to be known. Note this paradoxical (contradictory) (virOdhAbAsa) statement (vaktavya)! This indeed, is the supreme state (daSA). kiM vijAnAti kiM brUtE......| Neither anything is said, nor anything is possible to be said. kiM karOti..... | There remains nothing to be done; whatever happens, happens; whatever is happening, keeps happening.

 It is said that, for forty-two years, Buddha was making people understand; he was going from village to village. He talked so much; he was explaining, from morning till evening. One day, when Ananda (Buddha’s disciple), asked something, he said – ‘Ananda, do you know, that I have not spoken a single word, for forty-two years?’ Ananda said – ‘Lord, if you say this, to someone else, he might, probably, accept it; but, I am wandering along with you, for the past forty-two years, like your shadow; do you say this to me, that you have not spoken at all? You have been explaining to people, from morning till evening.’ Buddha said – ‘Ananda, again I am telling you; remember this, that for forty-two years, I have not spoken a single word.’ Ananda said – ‘you wander, from village to village, from house to house; you knock at their doors.’ Buddha said – ‘Ananda, again I am telling you, that I had not gone anywhere, for the past forty-two years.’ Ananda said – ‘probably, you are joking; please do not tease me.’ But, Ananda, could not understand. After the end (dissolution) (visarjana) of Buddha, when Ananda himself attained knowledge, then he understood; then, he wept. While weeping, he said – ‘O Lord, you explained so much, but, I could not understand. Today, I know that, for forty-two years, you never moved about, anywhere; today, I know that you did not speak a word, for forty-two years.’ kiM vijAnAti kiM brUtE kiM karOti | You did not do anything. When the ego goes off, along with it, all the actions also go off. Action (kriyA) belongs only to ego – knowing is action, speaking is action, moving is action, doing is action; all these go off.

You also, might find it, problematic (aDcan), if I say, that I have not spoken, a single word. Now I am speaking; but, if I tell you, that I am not speaking, a single word, you might find it problematic. I shall explain your problem also. Whatever you have done so far, is ‘done’ by you; you did not allow anything, to happen, in your life. These words are being spoken, but these words are not being spoken, by anyone. Similar to sprouting of leaves, and blossoming of flowers on the tree, so also, these words are sprouting (bursting) forth (lag); no one is speaking them. Behind these words, there is no action, no effort, no urge (Agraha). It would make no difference, whether they sprout (burst) forth or not. While speaking, if I suddenly stop also, it would make no difference. If words do not come out, they just do not come out.

When (Samuel Taylor) Coleridge – a great English poet – died, he left behind thousands of unfinished poems. Before his death, his friend asked him – ‘you are leaving behind, so many unfinished poems! Why did you not complete it?’ Coleridge replied – ‘who am I to complete these? Whatever came (to my mind), they came; if more than that did not come, it just did not come. If only three lines (pankti) came, I just wrote it; I was just an instrument (upakaraNa); the fourth line did not come. If the full quatrain (caupAyI) did not come, what can I do? Whatever came, that is all.’ Throughout his life, Coleridge completed only seven poems. But, he is a great poet (mahA-kavi), with just seven poems! Even those who wrote, seven thousand poems, could not become great poets. There is something, in the poems of Coleridge, something which is beyond (pAr), some voice from far away; they all came down unawares (ajnAta). It was not Coleridge who spoke, but paramAtmA.

This is the meaning, when we say, Vedas are non-personal (not through human effort) (apaurushEya) or when we say Quran descended (utarI). Understand the meaning of this. I have nothing to do with, what Hindus and Muslims claim; I shall not even support their claim. ‘Quran descended’ – the meaning of this is – Mohammed did not compose it himself; he found it descended. When, for the first time, Quran descended on Mohammed, he became very frightened, because, he was an illiterate person; he never thought, that such a marvelous (apUrva) poetry (kAvya), and that too, would descend. He never even imagined so; he never even dreamt of it. It was something beyond the scope of his reckoning (capacity) (hisAb-kitAb). Suppose, you have never sculpted any figurine (mUrti), throughout your life, and, one day, all of a sudden, you took up a chisel (chainI) and hammer (hathauDI), and started shaping (kharAd) the marble (sang-marmar); you are chiseling away the marble; you, yourself are surprised about what you are doing. You wonder – ‘what is this I am doing? I am not a sculptor; I have never thought anything like this. But, I feel constrained; something indomitable (adamya) is dragging me!’ You find that you are just sculpting a figurine. If you happen to sculpt a most excellent (SrEshThatam) figurine, then, would you be able to say – ‘I sculpted it’? You never learnt it (the art) nor even dreamt of it; your mind never hovered (tair) over figurines.

Mohammed was an ordinary person – an illiterate; he was busy with his work. He never thought about it (Quran). When, for the first time, Quran descended on Mohammed, it seemed to him, as if he heard some voice, from outer space (antar-AkASa), is humming, singing. He became very frightened. ‘Write it’ – the voice said; he was further frightened, because he did not know writing. An inner voice was heard – ‘if you can’t write it, then, read it’. He said – ‘I do not know even reading’; he did not know even signing. He was so frightened, that he developed fever; it looked as if, it was some ghost or spirit (commanding him); he was wondering what the matter is. He came home, went under the quilt, and started sleeping. His wife asked him – ‘what happened? You were alright, when you went; what happened?’ He said – ‘just do not ask anything’. He had plunged under the quilt; he was trembling; but the voice continued to sound. The voice started to take shape; the first import (AyAt) started descending. Mohammed saw it descending. This (Quran) is totally different from Mohammed – it has nothing to do with Mohammed. Mohammed was like the hollow of a bamboo; someone started singing through that; someone’s tune was playing in it. Mohammed just gave room – he gave that room in a state of amazement; he was not knowing, as to what was happening. There was no preparation for this. This great Quran descended – a great poetry descended.

In this sense, Quran is non-personal (apaurushEya) – it was not made by man. Similarly, Vedas descended, Bible descended, Upanishads descended, Dhammapada descended; similarly the voice of Mahavir also descended. No one spoke them – the Existence (astitva) spoke, the Infinite (Grand) spoke, the unknown (ajnAta) spoke.

nishkAmaH kiM vijAnAti kiM brUtE ca karOti kim | - When it has been known, in such a desireless (vAsanA-mukta) state, that Self is Brahman, then, he neither speaks nor knows nor does anything.

 

ayaM sO(a)hamayaM nAhamiti kshINA vikalpanAH |

sarvamAtmEti niScitya tUshNImbhUtasya yOginaH || 18 : 9 || 185 ||

 ‘Ideas (thoughts) (kalpanA) such as ‘I am so and so’, and ‘I am not so and so’, become scant (kshINa) for yogins, who had attained quietude (SAnta), after ascertaining, everything to be Self only.’

sarvaM AtmA! – Everything is Self. Brahman means – there is only One, and it is in everything. From stone (patthar) to paramAtmA, it is the expansion (vistar) of that One, it is the waves of that One. From inert (jaD) to consciousness (caitanya), that One is manifest (pragaTa); there are multitude (anEka) forms, and multitude of states (conditions) and postures (bhangimA); but all these belong to that One only.

sarvaM AtmA – Everything is Self. iti niScitya – one who has ascertained thus, experienced (anubhava) thus, tasted (svAd) thus. All these are not just ideas circulating in the head (mind) (intellect) (sir); they have gone down to the heart (hRdaya); they are not patched (pasted) (chipkA) superficially (Upar), but they have sprouted (ankuraNa) in the interior, they have been experienced.

tUshNImbhUtasya yOginaH | - Such a person, attains supreme quietude (peace) (SAnti), supreme rest (relaxation) (viSrAm). Have you noticed? People come to me, and say – ‘we are very disturbed (aSAnti); how to become peaceful? Tell us some method (rAstA) for peace’. They want some cheap method; they want to remain, as they are, now, but they should become peaceful. If they are running after wealth, they should keep running. In fact, they want to become peaceful, so that they could run after wealth, properly. As they are not getting (enough) sleep during night, they are not able to run around, in the morning, in the shop, as much as they would like to. They are not able to relax; therefore, how can they labour (make efforts)? Even if man wants to become peaceful, it is only because, his business and affairs, which are now running, in a disturbed way, could be conducted in the properly.

If I tell them – ‘you cannot become peaceful, till ‘you’ are there’, they say – ‘then, it is beyond us (our control)’. They want peace, as if it is some ‘thing’, that could be added (to their possessions), and they should remain as they are. They want, peace should get added to it (possessions), similar to purchasing something from the market. It is like purchasing a new able, a new television set. The house is old (purAnA), wife is old, children are old; everything is old; we are also old. Even if we purchase a new television set, we keep it in the same (old) room. People want, peace and knowledge also should come (get added) similarly. No. Peace can come only if all the old (things) go away. Peace is the state of ‘you’ getting out; peace is, wherefrom ‘you’ have been obliterated (tirOhit). Till the time ‘you’ are there, you will continue to create nuisance (upadrava); (creating) nuisance is your nature; (creating) nuisance is the nature of ego; ego is a disease.

tUshNImbhUtasya yOginaH | - Only he, who has known, that there is One only, can become peaceful; only he, attains that supreme relaxation (rest), where no tension (tanAv) remains. Understand what tension is. Firstly, ‘another (dUsrA)’ is the enemy (duSman) – this is the tension. Just by believing, that there is ‘another’, nuisance begins. Then, ‘another’ would indulge in scuffle (chInA jhapaTI), competition (prati-spardhA), and you have to struggle (sangharsh); if there is ‘another’, there is war (yuddha), enmity; if there is ‘another’, then you are not alone. Others also are running after the same desires, which you are after. Are you the only one, who wants to become the President? Seventy crore Indians (bhArat-vAsI) want to become the President. The position is just one, and there are seventy crores of aspirants (ummIdvAr); therefore, everyone is against the remaining seventy crore; they are his enemies. Where ‘another’ is, there is enmity; and one has to make arrangements for his personal security, because, there is fear and fright. If you make security arrangements, ‘another’ also becomes afraid.

Have you seen? If Pakistan purchases aircrafts from America, India becomes afraid, and raises hue and cry; it (India) purchases (aircrafts) from Russia, or makes some other arrangements. If India purchases, Pakistan becomes afraid, and they hurry to make arrangements (to counter it). If you make arrangements, due to fear of the other, then, the other also becomes afraid of you, and makes necessary arrangements. No one seems to be bothered about this vicious circle.

Mulla Nasruddin was passing by a road; it was evening time, and it was a little hazy (dhundhlA). He had read a book about dacoits (dAku), and their weapons. It (the book) must have been detective type of novel, with ghosts, spirits, and magic (tilismi). He was afraid, because the shadow of the book was still in his head. He saw some people coming. He thought that, they were looking like enemies; as they were playing band also, he thought that they are going to attack. Some person was riding a horse; he had a sword hanging from his hip. It was a marriage procession (bArAt). But, he became very frightened. He did not find any means (of escape). Nearby, there was a grave yard (kabristAn); he scaled the wall and went inside. There, a fresh grave had been dug – probably, people had gone for bringing the dead body. He went and lied down there; he thought, that no one would bother about a dead body (murdA). Seeing him scaling the wall, the marriage processionists became afraid, as to what the matter was. They became afraid seeing some person suddenly jumping across the wall. They stopped playing of band. Then Mulla became more afraid that he is in trouble. He was holding on to his breath. They also looked from above the wall. Then Mulla became very afraid that it is his end, that he would not be able to see his wife and children again. They saw a live person scaling a wall, but he was lying in the grave just like a dead body. They thought that this is some conspiracy, and that he would throw some bomb. They lighted lanterns and torches and stood there. How long Mulla can hold his breath? He got up and came out; he said – ‘do whatever you want’. They said – ‘what do you mean? What are you intending to do?’ Then, he understood the situation. The processionists asked him – ‘what are you doing here? Since when you are lying in the grave?’ Mulla said – ‘I lied down in the grave, because of you; and you are here, because of me’. He noticed that it was a marriage procession, and the groom was riding the horse. These all are just unnecessary confusion; there was no attack. It was all a misconception (vaham).

Have you observed – if your neighbour does something, you start making preparations. If you do something, your neighbour starts preparing. In World, half of all the struggles are happening because of fear. You return home (daily), but you start preparing on the way itself – ‘what wife would say, and what should I respond?’ While you start preparing, your wife also starts preparing – ‘it is getting five; husband would be coming back; let me see what reply he brings.’ Both are prepared. Fear of escaping from other, makes you shrink, and fills you with tension, it makes you unsecure. We are spending our whole lives in this strife (kalah); small strife, big strife, caste strife, religious strife, national strife – but strife is one only.

‘One who has certainly known that everything is Self only, becomes peaceful’. tUshNImbhUtasya yOginaH | - He indeed is yogin; after one has known, that there is but One only, what kind of fear for him? Even in you, I only am; then, what kind of question, and whom to struggle with?

Darwin’s theory (siddhAnta) is ‘struggle’. But the doctrine of entire wise (jnAnI) of the East is, ‘surrender’ (samarpaNa). Darwin says – ‘Survival of the Fittest’. But the wise of the East say, something else. Ask LaoTzu, Ashtavakra, Buddha, Mahavir; they say something else. They say – ‘one who is tender (soft) (kOmal) survives; one who is full of love, survives. Femininity (straiNa) survives, and hardness (kaThOr) fails. LaoTzu says – stream of water, falls from the mountain, on the hard rock. Superficially, it appears that the rock would win, and the stream would fail, because the stream is soft, and the rock is strong. If Darwin is correct, then the stream should fail, and the rock should win. But, LaoTzu seems to be correct – the stream wins and the rock fails. After some years, you find that the rock has become sand, and the stream is in its place. Tenderness wins, and the hardness fails; egoless (nirahankArI) wins, and egotist fails. Rock is like egotist, and stream is egoless. It can be said this way also – one who fights, fails, and one who fails, wins. One who is reconciled (rAzI) to loss says – ‘I am, you too’.

Have you observed – when you wrestle with your small child, you do not win. If you win over the child, people of the locality would laugh – ‘what kind of foolishness is this? You won over a small child, and sat on his chest?’ No, when father fights with the child, he fights for losing. Father does not lie down at the outset; otherwise, the child would not believe the fight, and think that it is deception; he makes a show of fight; he shows aggression; but, in the end, he lies down. The child sits on the chest of father, and becomes happy, that he has won. What is the fear of losing against one’s own? Who would not like to lose against his own son?

The preceptors (guru) of Upanishads say – ‘preceptor becomes happy only when he loses against his disciple’. Who would not like to lose against his own disciple? Which preceptor would not like his disciple, proceeding ahead of him, and reach where he himself could not reach? When (the opponent) is one’s own, losing is a pleasure (mazA). We want to win over others; we do not wish to win over one’s own. If this (existence) is my own expansion (vistAr), if I am part of this expanse, if there is no distance between you and me – there is only one ocean of awareness (consciousness) (cEtanA), then, what kind of loss or gain; then what kind of struggle? Where there is no struggle, there is peace. Peace is not brought (from anywhere); absence of struggle is called peace (SAnti).   

tUshNImbhUtasya yOginaH | - He only is yogi, who has become quiet (peaceful), in this manner. Sitting down cross-legged (pAlthI), closing eyes, and (trying to) remain peaceful (quiet), by forcibly restraining (sambhAl) oneself – this is not (called) peace (quiet) (SAnti); this indeed is constricting (sikuD) oneself. Sitting down stiffly (akaD), like a corpse, somehow adapting, convincing oneself, and remaining quiet – this is not (called) peace (quiet). A true yogi attains relaxation (viSrAm), rest (virAm); he discards (chOD) himself, he immerses (nimajjit) himself – the drop falls into the ocean.  

iti vikalpanAH – ayaM saH ahaM ayaM na kshINaH | ‘I am so and so, I am not so and so’ – for a yogin, such ideas (thoughts) (kalpanA), become scant (kshINa), forever. While there is One only, to consider oneself to be, ‘so and so’ or ‘not so and so’, to consider ‘this I am’ and ‘this is you’, is to differentiate (bhEda); they are indeed your ideas (thoughts) (vikalpanA), notions (beliefs) (dhAraNA).

When one sees (things) with fear, then ghosts (bhUta) manifest. I know a gentleman, in my village, who always says – ‘I do not fear ghosts and spirits’. He was a school teacher. I have heard him say so, many times. I told him – ‘as you repeat it so often, you must, indeed, be fearing ghosts and spirits’. He said – ‘no, I do not fear them’. He used to make this statement, for no obvious reason. I told him – ‘I know ghosts and spirits; there is a place, where they are; if you have courage, come with me’. Hearing this, he became afraid; I could see fear in his face. But, it was a question of ego. He said – ‘I do not fear them; where are they?’ In my neighbourhood, there is a godown, where a kerosene dealer, keeps a stock of kerosene tins. During summer days, empty tins shrink, and make noise. There was a huge pile of such tins, in the godown. I told him – ‘just remain there, for one whole night’. He became afraid, because, no one had been there, for years. He said – ‘are you sure, that there are ghosts and spirits?’ I said – ‘sure. You can experience it yourself; when ghosts and spirits, go from one tin to another; do not become afraid. If you, indeed, become afraid, here is a bell; just sound it, and I shall come; neighbours also would come; do not be afraid.’ He said – ‘I am not afraid’. I said – ‘if so, there is no need even for this bell’. He said – ‘no, I will keep the bell’. I said – ‘if you are not afraid, what is the need for a bell?’ He said – ‘who knows? At some odd time, one might need it.’ But, his hands and legs were trembling with fear. I left him there. It was evening time; around seven or eight o’clock - within half an hour of my leaving him there – bell sound was heard. As the evening sets in, and the temperature falls, the empty tins begin to shrink; during the daytime, they get enlarged, due to heat. Hearing the bell, I reached that place. I was sure, that he would sound the bell. I found him standing in the balcony (chajjA). I told him – ‘come inside, and open the door; you have locked the door from inside’. But he did not have the courage to go inside, because, the shrinking sound of empty tins, made him think, that they are ghosts and spirits; he was not even able to speak properly. We had to bring him down, through a ladder. I asked him – ‘why are you not speaking?’ He said – ‘what should I say? I have, somehow, tolerated it, for about half an hour. Now, even by mistake, I will not go there. There are ghosts and spirits; I have actually experienced them.’ I tried to explain to him. I told him – ‘I shall come along with you; there are no ghosts and spirits.’ He said – ‘just leave me alone; I will not go to that house, ever again.’ Now, whenever I go to my village, I used to ask him – ‘what do you think?’ He said – ‘I have just left off such talks.’

You would superimpose (ArOpit) your ideas (kalpanA), on anything. And such ideas have great power (bal). You assume, that a woman is very beautiful, and she becomes beautiful. You find something (worth) in the wealth, and it appears so. When you covet (lOlupta) a position, desires combine with it, and it spreads a web of ideas (imaginations) (vikalpanA). How many times, have you imagined, that you have won election (cunAv), and (victory) procession would begin now, and people would garland you? You are sitting in your house, but these imaginations are going on. How many times, you became Sheikh Chilli? Wise say that our entire life is Sheikh-Chilli-hood. We have created our imaginations; we have given so much of strength, vitality (prANa) to those imaginations, that we have trusted them to be true – in fact, they are not true. (Translator’s note – Sufi Saint Abdul Karim Abd-ur-Razak was popularly known by name Sheikh Chilli. He was known for his wisdom. Please refer to Wikipedia.)

When a child is born, it comes like void (blank) (zero) (sUnya); it does not know anything. We teach the child – ‘this is your body’, and the child starts recognising (mAnyatA) it; it learns that it is its body. We teach the child, character, egotism – ‘you are born in so and so clan (kula)’. We tell the child – ‘you should top the class; the prestige of the clan is at stake; you should be ahead of all others; you should build character; you should adorn (vibhUshit) yourself with virtues (sundar guNa)’. Slowly, due to this constant hypnosis (sammOhan) that happens, the child also starts believing – ‘I am somebody special, born in a special home, special family, special religion, special nation; I am the pride (gaurava) of the nation etc.’ In this manner, all other things – ‘I am the body, I am the mind’ – all these notions also, continue to become intense (gahan).

Due to constant repetition (punarukti), even false becomes true. When something is repeated, again and again, it appears to be true. Once it appears to be true, then you come in its grip.

‘A yogin who has become quiet (peaceful), having known (realised), with certainty, that everything is Self only, for him, such ideas (thoughts) (kalpanA) - ‘I am so and so’, and ‘I am not so and so’, become scant.’

You are neither body, nor mind – you are beyond both. You are neither a Muslim, nor a Christian, nor a Jain; neither a woman, nor a man; neither Indian, nor Chinese, nor German; neither white, nor black; neither youth, nor old. He who watches, hiding beyond all these – you are indeed that. The more you experience, and with certainty, the truth of that witnessing, that much you become quiet (peaceful).

 

na vikshEpO na caikAgryaM nAtibOdhO na mUDhatA |

na sukhaM na ca vA duHkhamupaSAntasya yOginaH || 18 : 10 || 186 ||

‘For that yogin, who has attained peace (tranquility) (upaSAnta), there is neither distraction (vikshEpa) nor concentration (EkAgratA), neither increase in knowledge (ati-bOdha) nor ignorance (mUDhatA), neither happiness (sukh) nor grief (dukh).’

Consider the Sutra – ‘upaSAnta’. A yogin who has attained tranquility (upaSAnta) such that - he has left off all the egoistic (ahankAr) thoughts (imaginations) (vikalpanA), he has left off all kinds of identities (t AdAtmya), he does not, now, say that he is so and so, he does not differentiate ‘you’ from ‘I’ – for him, there is no distraction – nothing distracts him; how can anything distract him?

You say that you are sitting for meditation; if wife drops a vessel, in that daze (caunkA), there is distraction; meditation has been disturbed (bhang). If it was disturbed, then it was not meditation. The shout of a child, sound of movement of vehicle on the road, sound of aeroplane flying overhead – if these cause disturbance in meditation, then, it was not, indeed, meditation. You were forcibly seated there, restraining yourself, somehow or other; even a small disturbance, breaks your restraint. This is not, indeed, meditation.

The state (avasthA) of meditation, is indeed the state of void (SUnya); how can there be distraction? Can there be any distraction or disturbance in (the state of) void? If you are really seated peacefully (tranquil) – completely tranquil (upaSAnta) – if wife drops a vessel, even if the sound reaches, there is no reaction (prati-kriyA). The sound reaches, alright, because, you are still having your ears – they are not lost (finished) (samApta); maybe you would hear with much more precision, because you are seated peacefully; even if a pin drops, the sound would be heard. Sound vibrates (gUnj) in an empty house, and then gets dissipates; similarly, in the state of emptiness (khAlIpan), sound reaches, vibrates, and comes to end; you would be seated as it is; there is no vibration in your void. Void never vibrates (shakes) (trembles) (kampnA) – only the ego trembles; there is knock only on the ego. Ego is a kind of wound (ghAv), if there is a hit – even mild – it is felt.

‘Neither there is distraction nor concentration’ - take note of this. This is a very unique statement (vacan). Normally, you think that ‘meditation’ means concentration. Meditation does not mean concentration, because, if you concentrate, then, there will be distraction, disturbance. If you are seated, meditating on the image (pratimA) of Rama, and if some dog barks, it creates problem, because you hear the bark of that dog; during that period, your attention has been diverted from Rama; for a moment, you have forgotten counting (telling) beads (mAlA phErnA). If telephone rings, for a second, your attention is drawn to that, and you defaulted in rosary counting. Even if you continue to count the beads, inwardly, you have defaulted. You become distressed, that you were distracted by the disturbance.

Meditation (dhyAna) is not concentration – it is awareness (wakefulness) (jAgarUkatA). When you are sitting (in meditation), you hear, whether a dog barks or telephone rings. When the dog barks, no such thought arises in your mind, that the dog should not have barked. Who are you to stop the dog from barking? The dog does not stop you from meditating; it does not say – ‘because of your meditation, a lot of distraction happens; it creates problems in our barking; stop this meditation, because, we feel a little guilty, that our barking distracts you. You are interfering in our freedom, sitting here, closing your eyes, adopting a posture.’ No, the dog does not have anything to do with your meditation, and your meditation has nothing to do with dog’s barking. By hearing the sound of barking, a chain reaction starts in your mind. Distraction is, not because of the barking of the dog; distraction is, because of your reaction and consequent thoughts. Thoughts belong to you; therefore, stop thoughts. (Translator’s note – Acharya speaks very elaborately about the chain reaction in the mind. He illustrates about his stay in the house of a speculator (satOriA) and his stay in a rest house along with a minister. All these been condensed, here.)

Even in the barking of a dog, there is a sweetness (ras); even in that (barking), it is paramAtmA who is barking. It is also a form of paramAtmA – accept it; do not have hostility (virOdha) towards it. You say – ‘you be barking; it does not matter; I shall continue to sleep (or meditate); the World is very big; there is place for you and also me.’ paramAtmA is very big (huge); he is taking care (sambhAl) of everyone. Such a natural (simple) (sahaja) state of acceptance (svIkRti) is ‘meditation’. Wake up (jAg) to this (reality) and see – whatever happens, happens; aeroplane would be flying, trains would be rolling, goods trains would be shunting, trucks would be moving, children would be shouting, women would be dropping vessels, postman would be knocking at the door – all these would continue to happen.

For the sake of concentration (EkAgratA), people have run away to jungles; they do not know (anything) about meditation; otherwise, meditation could happen here also. I was reading about the life of an American Psychologist. He wanted to come to East for learning Vipassana Meditation. There is the biggest school for Vipassana – Buddhist Meditation - in Burma. He took three weeks’ leave. After making elaborate arrangements, he reached Rangoon, with a lot of ideas (expectations) (kalpanA) that it (meditation centre) would be in the foothills of a mountain, that there would be a lot of shady trees, that there would be streams flowing, that birds would be humming there, that a lot of flowers would be flowering, that he would happily spend three weeks alone (EkAnta), as against the madness of New York. He was very pleased about the trip. But when the taxi stopped in front of the hermitage (ASram), he felt sad (sir pIT). That school was in the midst of a market – fish market - of Rangoon. There was smell (of fish) everywhere; there was a lot of noise (ruckus); flies were buzzing around, dogs were barking, people were bargaining, women were hurrying, and children were shouting. What kind of hermitage is this? He thought of returning immediately. But, for three days, there was no return flight available. Therefore, he thought, now that he has come, he would have audience (darSana) with the preceptor (sadguru) – a sadguru who has set up hermitage in such a place! Is it some place for a hermitage?

When he went inside, he was astonished. It was evening time; about 200 crows were waiting atop the hermitage, because, the Buddhist mendicants (bhikshu), after having their meals, used to throw remainder food –rice etc - to them (crows). They (crows) were making a hue and cry. The mendicants meditate therein – someone was sauntering (Tahal) – as some Buddhists meditate while sauntering; someone was meditating, sitting quietly, underneath a tree; someone was standing and looking for a moment. He could not understand, as all these looked contradictory to him. But, there was a great peace in the faces of mendicants, as if all the happenings do not matter to them, as if they are in a different world, where news of all these happenings never reached; they were not at all distracted. Seeing the faces of the mendicants, he thought that he should stay, at least, three days. When he went to the preceptor, he asked him – ‘why did you choose this place?’ The preceptor told him – ‘if you ask the same question, after three weeks, I shall, then, respond.’ He stayed for three weeks. After remaining there for three days, he felt that there is something special about the place; then, he stayed for one week. After that, he slowly understood that, it makes no difference, whether the hermitage is in the midst of ruckus of marketplace, whether there is constant movement of trucks, cars, whether it is the constant cawing of the crows, whether dogs are barking, flies are buzzing – all these things do not matter at all. One starts going to a different world, one was getting inside oneself. Nothing was causing any obstacle.

He did not even remember passage of second week. In the third week, it occurred to him that, if these crows were not there, if the dogs were not there, if the market was not there, probably, he would not be able to meditate, because, these very factors became the background (pRshTha-bhUmi) (for his meditation). Then, he told the preceptor – ‘Sir, excuse me; whatever I complained to you was not right; that was done in a haste’. Guru told him – ‘after deliberating a lot, this hermitage was made here, knowingly, because, this indeed, is the application (practice) of Vipassana – where there is disturbance, one should not react to those disturbances. If the mind becomes devoid of reaction, then one attains peace (tranquility) (SAnta)’.

‘A yogin who has become tranquil (upaSAnta), has neither distraction (vikshEpa) nor concentration (EkAgratA), neither increase in knowledge (ati-bOdha) nor ignorance (mUDhtA).’ This is a wonderful statement – one who has become tranquil, does not become supremely wise (mahA-jnAnI), because even that (supreme wisdom) would be exaggeration (atiSayOkti), excess (atiSaya). One who has become tranquil, remains balanced (santulit) – he remains in the middle (madhya); he remains neither a fool (ignorant) (mUDh), nor wise (jnAnI) – neither increase in knowledge nor ignorance; he remains in the middle with a tranquil mind. You cannot call him ‘ignorant’ or ‘scholar’ (paNDit). He remains simple (saral), balanced, and in the middle. In his life, there is nothing excessive. Neither you can call him violent (himsak) nor non-violent (ahimsak) – both these are excessive. You can neither call him a ‘friend’ nor ‘enemy’ – both are excessive. He is rid of excess. Getting rid of excess (ati) is indeed becoming free (liberated) (mukta). He has neither happiness (sukh) nor grief (dukh); he is beyond duality (dvandva).

Normally (sAdhAraNataH), people think that, when knowledge (jnAna) arises (utpanna), he becomes very wise (mahAjnAnI). No, when knowledge arises, he would neither be wise nor fool (mUDh); when knowledge arises, one becomes so tranquil, that even the burden (stress) (tanAv) of knowledge would not remain. You would not even know, that you know – even that will go away. While you would know, ego of knowledge would not remain. Even when you know, you would remain, as if you do not know. You would remain in between a fool and a wise – somewhat like a fool – not knowing, while knowing, and somewhat like a wise – knowing, while not knowing. One would be in the middle. This ‘standing in the middle’ is called ‘restraint’ (samyama) - he is restrained (samyakatva); it is indeed ‘music’ (sangIta). Buddha said – ‘if the strings of lute (vINA) are loose (slack) (DhIlA), music does not arise; if the strings are too tight, it (string) breaks and music does not arise. There is such a condition (state) wherein the strings of lute are appropriately calibrated (tuned) – neither too tight nor too loose, right in the middle; music which arises in that condition (state), is indeed (melodious) music. This is true in regard to the lute of life also.

 

svarAjyE bhaikshyavRttau ca lAbhAlAbhE janE vanE |

nirvikalpasvabhAvasya na viSEshO(a)sti yOginaH || 18 : 11 || 187 ||

‘For a yogin having unconditioned (non-differentiating) (nirvikalpa) nature (svabhAva), there is no difference between kingdom (rAjya) and mendicancy (bhikshA-vRtti), between gain (lAbha) and loss (hAni), and between society (samAj) and jungle (forest) (vana).’

For such yogin, having unconditioned (non-differentiating) nature - who has become tranquil (peaceful) (SAnata), who stays in the middle, who is balanced (santulit), who has attained such an internal music (antara-sangIta) – neither there is anything special (viSEshatA) about a kingdom (rAjaya) nor about mendicancy. Even when you see him begging alms (bhikshA), you will find emperorship of knowledge (jnAna) in him. If such a person is found sitting in the throne of an emperor, there will still be the independence (freedom) of a mendicant (bhikshu) in him. In case you meet such a person, look at him carefully; you will find in him, the other end (edge) (side) (chOr) balanced (santulit). Though an emperor, he is just not an emperor; he could leave off everything, at any moment. Though a mendicant, he is just not a mendicant; he is not plaintive (dIna); even in his mendicancy, his honour is intact (maujUd); and even as an emperor, his tranquility is intact. It makes no difference, whether one is an emperor or a mendicant. Such a person, is in no way special (viSEshaH na asti) – nothing is special about him. Then, whether he is in the society (samAja) or in a forest, it makes no difference. You will find such person alone (akElA) even in the midst of a crowd. Such a person, even if seated in a jungle, you would find him not away from crowd – you would not find him antagonistic (to crowd). You will not find any hostility (duSman) in him, because such a person has not gone away (to jungle) fearing the crowd. Whether you bring such a person from jungle to the crowd, or (take him) from crowd to the jungle, it will make no difference. Such a person is positioned (Thahar) inside himself; nothing ever shakes (kampAnA) him.       

svarAjyE bhaikshyavRttau – whether in a kingdom or in mendicancy; lAbhAlAbhE – whether in gain or loss; janE vanE – whether in a forest or in a crowd; nirvikalpa svabhAvasya yOginaH – yogin always remains non-differentiating (nirvikalpa). He has no choice (cunAv); he does not say – ‘it should happen thus’; it is alright whether it happens or does not happen; it is alright whether it happens this way or even otherwise (anyathA). He has left off all the reactions (pratikriyA); he does not make any statement (vaktavya); whatever happens, he lets it happen; now, he has no complaints (SikAyat); everything is acceptable (svikAr) to him; he has ‘thusness’ (tathAtA); everything is acceptable (angIkAr). (Translator’s note – tathAtA – thusness – a Buddhist philosophy of equanimity.)

 

kva dharmaH kva ca vA kAmaH kva cArthaH kva vivEkatA |

idaM kRtamidaM nEti dvandvairmuktasya yOginaH || 18 : 12 || 188 |

‘For a yogin, who is free (mukta) from dualities (dvandva) such as – ‘done’ (kiyA) and ‘not done’ (ankiyA), where are righteous actions (dharma), desires (sense enjoyments) (kAma), worldly prosperity (artha), and even discrimination (vivEka)?’

We always remain entangled in (thoughts about) things that were done (accomplished) and not done (unaccomplished), (thoughts about) things that could be done and could not be done. We keep count of these things, we keep calculating – this much has been earned and this much we could not earn; all that we have achieved (won), and all that in which we failed (to achieve); all that in which we succeeded, and all that in which we could not succeed. We are worried all the twenty-four hours of the day – what has been done, and what has not been done. Even till the time of death, man keeps thinking – what has been done, and what has not been done.

Andrew Carnegie – an American billionaire – was in death-bed; at that time, he opened his eyes, and asked his Secretary – ‘how much assets I am leaving behind? Tell me truthfully’. His secretary hurried, looked up the accounts and took stock. Andrew was still alive, when his secretary returned; he said – ‘you are leaving behind ten billions.’ At the time of death, Andrew was not very happy; he said – ‘I thought I would earn, at least a hundred billions; I am a defeated person’. A dying person is worried, that he is a defeated person! If he had earned ten billions, then he has been defeated by ninety billions; and, the defeat is weighing on him. It seems as if, ten billions is not equivalent to even ten rupees. This person was grieving, at the time of death also, and he had been running around, his whole life. His secretary has written – ‘if God asks me – ‘what would you like to be - Andrew Carnegie or his secretary?’ - I would say that, I would prefer to be his secretary only, because, I have not seen, a very worried and busy person, like him; he was busy all the twenty-four hours of the day.’ It is said that once, Andrew Carnegie could not recognise his own son. He was sitting in the office, and a youth was passing; he asked his secretary – ‘who is he?’ Secretary replied – ‘funny, it is your son!’ He replied – ‘where is the time for me?’ Where is time for him, to sit with his own son, to talk to him, to play with him, to spend holidays with him, in mountains! He was just running after money, and money only. He had become blind with wealth. He could not even recognise his own son!

Mulla Nasruddin was standing in the Court room; Magistrate asked him – ‘Nasruddin, it is strange that, while you stole the box, you did not touch the money, lying alongside (the box). What is the secret?’ Nasruddin said – ‘for God’s sake, do not mention (zikr) this; my wife has been fighting with me, for the past one week, for this mistake. You are raising the topic again.’ Stealing the box is not a mistake, but not taking the money, lying beside, was a mistake. He says to Magistrate – ‘I shall not do the mistake again; please pardon me.’ You are engaged in such kind of calculations, in your life – ‘what has been accomplished, and what not?’ Would you be doing this, throughout the life? When you go (die), you will go empty-handed; all that was accomplished, and unaccomplished would lie behind. Whether it has been accomplished or unaccomplished, both become futile (vyartha).

‘...where is dharma for yogin who is devoid (free) of duality of ‘done’ and ‘not done’?’ For such a person, even dharna has no meaning (value), because, dharma means – ‘what is to be done (duty)’, and, adharma means - ‘what is not to be done.’ Do you listen to this revolutionary statement? For such a person, even dharma has no meaning, because, he has got rid of the problem of ‘done’ and ‘not done’. Now, he has entered into the state of a witness (sAkshI). For such a person, where is dharma, where is desire (sense enjoyments) (kAma), where is worldly prosperity (artha), and where is, even discrimination (vivEka)! He does not need even discrimination. Such a person does not even discriminate – between good and bad, between ‘to be done’ (duty) (kartavya) and ‘not to be done’ (akartavya), between lawful (nIti) and unlawful (anIti). All these have become futile for him; duality (dvandva) has gone; when duality is gone, there remains only peace (SAnti) – that is THE peace, and that is the asset (sampadA).

idaM kRtamidaM nEti dvandvairmuktasya yOginaH | - Yogin is one who has become free of duality (dvandva) of – ‘done’ and ‘not done’. Whatever he did, He did, and, whatever he did not, He did - paramAtmA alone knows! Yogin is one who has become a witness. (Translator’s note – The implication of the statement – ‘He did – paramAtmA alone knows’ – is difficult to understand, empirically, for us, who have not yet reached the stage of Witness.)

 

kRtyaM kimapi naivAsti na kApi hRdi ranjanA |

yathAjIvanamEvEha jIvanmuktasya yOginaH ||18 : 13 || 189 ||

‘For a living-liberated (jIvan-mukta) yogin, there is no action (karma) that is ‘to be done’ (duty) (kartavya)’. See this blazing (igneous) (AgnEya) statement – like that of burning charcoal! A declaration (udghOsha), more revolutionary than this, has never been made. ‘For a living-liberated yogin, there is no action, that is ‘to be done’ (duty), and neither there is any attachment, in his heart. In this World, he lives his life, as it is (yathA-prApta)’. Life (for him) is, as it is; whatever is got, got; whatever is not got, not got; whatever happened, happened; whatever did not happen, did not happen. He is happy (khuS) in all occasions (events), he is comfortable (sukhI).

yathAjIvanamEvEha – There is absolutely (jarA) no expectation (AkAnkshA), other than whatsoever the life is. The life is as it is, that is all. But, you cherish expectations for something else (anyathA). If you have ten rupees, you want it should become twenty. If you have twenty, you want it to become forty. It makes no difference even then; if you have forty, you would want it to be eighty. You know the story of ‘Ninety-nine Rounds’? It is alright, if the story is applicable to wealth only; but, it is not so. Your face is not beautiful, and you should become beautiful; your character (caritra) should become nice, virtuous (suSIl); you should become a great soul (mahAtmA) – the ‘Ninety-nine Rounds’ is applicable for all these also. You are not reconciled (rAzI) with what you have. You want to become a great soul (mahAtmA); what kind of petty soul (kshudrAtmA) is this – being immersed in house-holder’s life? You should become a Buddha, a Mahavir; you must become something! You are not reconciled to what you are now. (Translator’s note – Hindi story ‘Ninety-nine Rounds’ is available in the following link - https://hindistory.net/story/597 )

Remember this - you become Buddha or Mahavir, only if you are reconciled with whatever ‘is’. Great Soul (mahAtmA) is not any goal (lakshya) to reach. The meaning of ‘Mahatma’ is - ‘you are reconciled to things, as they are’. It is such a supreme contentment (tRpti) with whatever one has, and nothing is to happen otherwise. ‘(I am content with) whatever He has created, howsoever He has created. I shall see, whatever He shows (guides) me. I shall go off, whenever He wishes; I shall be, till He keeps me; I shall play the way he makes me (play)’ – such is the state of mind (bhAva daSA) of a Great Soul (mahAtmA), Great One (mahASaya).

Contemplate (manana) on this Sutra, meditate (dhyAna) on this Sutra. kRtyaM kimapi na Eva – ‘there is no action whatsoever; na kApi hRdi ranjanA - In his heart, there is no expectation that ‘it should happen thus’; there is no such attachment (rAga), no such fascination (mOha), no such affection (affinity) (mamatA), and no expectation (AkAnkshA). yathAjIvanamEvEha – I am reconciled to the way life is. This attitude of reconciliation is called ‘yOga’. jIvanmuktasya yOginaH – Only such a person becomes free of all the snares (jAl) of life.

By this one Sutra, whole life could become transformed (rUpAntarit); everything is embedded (samAyA) in this Sutra – essence of all Vedas, all Quran. In this single Sutra, all the prayers (prArthanA), all practices (exercises) (sAdhanA), and all worships (arcanA) are contained (samAhita). The blast (visphOT) of this one small Sutra can change your life, radically (AmUl).

Surrender (samarpit) unto the Lord, as you are; say – ‘as you wish’; I shall be, as you keep me; I shall do, as you make me do; if you make me wander, so I shall; if you put me in the hell, so I shall be; I shall not complain (SikAyat)’. As you become free of complaints, prayer is born. As you become reconciled with, whatsoever and howsoever things are, then, nothing but Truth-Consciousness-Bliss (sat-cit-Ananda) remains in your life. Then, it is the relish of paramAtmA and paramAtmA only. Then, there flows, the stream of His sap (juice) (rasa) and His sap only. Then the moment of supreme auspiciousness (mangala) has come.

Ponder (dhyAna) over this Sutra; try to relish it, little by little. During twenty-four hours of the day, whenever you remember, utilise (upayOga) this Sutra; you may get thousands of opportunities, when this Sutra could become a key (kunjI). Wherever complaint arises, use this Sutra as a key; all the locks of complaints can be opened, by this Sutra. When complaints fall off (collapse), the door of the temple opens, and the Lord is available (upalabdha). You are not able to see the reason, for your expectations, concerns (interests) (abhiruci), affections (anurAga) – you are blind towards them. yathA jIvanaM Eva – let the life be, as it is, exactly; do not desire, even an iota (rattI) of difference.

Jesus, while dying, in the Cross (sUlI), declared this formula (Sutra); in his last statement, he said – ‘Thy will be done’ – ‘O Lord, may your wish be fulfilled. If it is Cross, so be it; if it is death, so be it. Other than, what your wish is, I have no wish of my own; my wish is with yours.’ That very moment, Jesus came to end, and Christ was born. The very moment, Jesus was leaving the human form, the Lordly form was born – resurrection (punar-ujjIvan) happened. Jesus became twice-born (dvija); that very moment, he became, knower of Brahman (brahma-jnAnI).

Mansur (al-Hallaj) was crucified (sUli lagAnA); his hands and feet were cut off. Even then, he was laughing, looking towards the sky. Someone from the crowd, asked him – ‘Mansur, you are being tortured, and you are laughing!’ He said – ‘even after causing this condition (for me), Lord could not raise any complaint in me, and I am laughing. I am laughing, looking towards the Lord – ‘do whatever you want; I am reconciled. You may come in any form, but you cannot deceive me. I have recognised you; you have come, now, as death; that is also acceptable to me. You deceived me a lot; I was worried, that I might get deceived, but, no; you could not deceive me; I am reconciled. This is also my good fortune (ahO-bhAgya) that, after all, you came, even if it is, as death itself; after all, you tested (parIkshA) me!’

Fire ordeal (agni-parIkshA) is conducted only on those, who are fit (yOgya) for it. Therefore, consider difficulties (kaThinAyi) to be a test; do not consider, crisis (sankaTa) to be a crisis – consider it to be a challenge (cunauti), and remember this Sutra. The distance, between wherever you are, and the Lord, could be bridged, with the help of this Sutra. Have you seen the Lakshman Jhoola – made of ropes! Similarly, this Sutra is a very slender thread, and with the help of this thread, you could undertake your ultimate (antim) journey. (Translator’s note – Lakshman Jhoola – located at Rishikesh.)

Hari OM Tatsat.