Source of desire
Inadequacy or imperfection is the source of any desire.
We are not perfect, we don’t have everything (that our mind thinks are must-haves), so it starts with a need. We believe access to a thing will solve that need for us. Once and for ever. Unfortunately the cycle never ends.
Think about your need. Are you certain you have a need? Are you sure the “access to a thing” will solve it? When was the last time you had a similar thought?
Think.
Do not see. Do not hear. Do not do. Do not go. Just be.
Master
…for the *one* is without attributes. It is far away for those who comprehend with senses and attributes. And those who *be*, realize it as the *one*, *undivided* and *eternal*, their very own innate nature.
Oneness
It is one. Undiluted, attribute-less, pure consciousness. Masters also call it witness consciousness. It is the one which witnesses all the three states of our being - awake, dream and deep sleep.
How is that? While awake, we feel that we exist, we *are*. In our dreams too, we exist; though we never see ourselves in our dream but we know we *are* and we visualize the interactions with nature. And during deep sleep, where there are no dreams, we *feel* tremendous joy, happiness and we do claim, “I had a peaceful sleep”; the “I” was there too experiencing the bliss.
The interesting pattern is, “I” follows us. “I” follows everyone. All of us feel the same thing. Yet we are different. The Masters suggest that this paradox is a result of ignorance. The single “I” that follows everyone, is attached with attributes (name: Joe, age: 20, gender: male, complexion: fair and so on). And as we see, attributes will go away; attributes have a beginning and an end, they are temporary, they cannot be a part of “I”. “I” is universal, without a beginning and an end. “I” will continue to exist even if we are there or we are not.
So “I” is in me. I (with attributes) needs to realize its own true nature (swa-roopa). That is all that is. This process is “sadhana” and enlightenment is the verification of this innate truth.
Mother Teresa - Nobel Lecture
Mother Teresa shares her experiences with serving people, importance of love…
Doing good
There is a surprisingly large amount of selfishness involved in doing something good. Our ego is always in a look out for the “feel good” factor. Anything we do, that complies with our core principles (like Help others), adds to the “feel good” factor and motivates us to pursue the intended action.
It so happens the urge for “feel good” leads us to take routes which seem to correlate very well with one “core principle” but violates another. The violated principle is often the higher priority one. Now we’ve a problem.
Take a moment, please think. Please evaluate all your principles before going for “feel good”.
Let me give an example.
Think you’re in a queue of 200 people waiting for ~10-12hrs (happens at places in India) to get something done. You’re in the 10th position, quite excited to finally get a chance to do that thing. Now an old lady comes up, presents her situation and urgency, pleads you to allow her to join the queue.
You’ve three courses of action here:
- Allow her to join in front of you
- Refuse her
- Allow her to take your place in the queue, you go back to the 201st position
#1 is the shortest path to you helping the lady, and get the “feel good” for “helping other (principle)”. Most of us go this way. But did you realize that you are not “doing justice and living upto the trust” of 190 people behind you in the queue?
#2 is less harmful than #1. You take the blame from your ego for not helping the old lady, but think for a moment and go for the greater good, and are protecting interests and trust of 190 people behind you. Few of us go for this.
#3 is the best if you realize the urgency of the lady’s cause and wish to help her. It requires a lot of courage and unselfishness. A handful of people in a million will go for this. If you’re one of these, please accept my humble obeisance.
Future you
Why not live the future life we envision, today?
Let us be the one, sparkling with love, our consciousness expanding beyond this puny self, living all the ideals we adore, with the brilliance of Knowledge we will have internalized, grateful for amazing experiences we have lived and humble as His faithful servant.
Try this small experiment. Let all our thoughts and actions represent our future, today!
Renounce that
While going through some of my old notes, I came across this beautiful story in the Yoga Vasistha.
The king Sikhidhwaja left his kingdom, wife, wealth and went to a forest with the desire to realize Truth. He led the life of an ascetic but still he remained unfulfilled. He was not able to enjoy the perfect bliss. He wondered why is he still in the clutches of maya (ignorance). He found a young Brahmin (ascetic) near his cottage and seeked his help.
The Brahmin suggested him to renounce his dearest object, and promised that upon the renouncement he will realize the Truth. The King thought for sometime, and then decided the only things he own are the cottage and the kamandalu (a vessel to carry water), the pot and clothes. He burned them all and proclaimed, “I am free now, the space is my cloth and the whole world is mine.”
The Brahmin looked at him compassionately and said, “Dear! Don’t proclaim to be knowledgeable when you’re not. You haven’t still given up that thing which will endow you with everlasting peace of mind”. King Sikhidhwija is puzzled now!
The Master explained, “All the things you gave up were never yours to start with, so what did you give up? There is one thing in your being which gives rise to all this duality, it is thy mind. Give up your mind, O King! And you shall be the King of the universe. Give up the thought that “you renounced it all” too and you will be established in everlasting joy.”
No Master, however capable, can help a disciple unless that disciple helps himself by his own willingness and effort.
The task of a Seeker is not merely to acquire mechanics of various techniques, but TO BE!
अलङ्कारो हि नारीणां क्षमा तु पुरुषस्य वा
Forgiveness is a precious jewel (that we should decorate our characters with) which befits women or a manक्षमा दानं क्षमा सत्यं क्षमा यज्ञाः च पुत्रिकाः
O daughters, forgiveness is charity, it is truth and it is indeed a great sacrificeक्षमा यशः क्षमा धर्मः क्षमायां विष्ठितं जगत
Forgiveness is prosperity, it is the true nature; the world stands on the basis of forgiveness!
Slokas 7-8, 34th Canto, Balkand, Ramayan
It takes humongous courage to stop the outrage of emotions (when we believe we’re part of the suffering side or are victims). However, the truly valiant ones take the course of forgiveness and non-violence.
Forgiveness is charity because you’re restraining from any harmful actions to the offender, instead you’re giving love to your enemy. Words of love and kindness have the power to bring upon a change in offender (which is eternal similar to truth). It is a great sacrifice, we give up the outburst of anger and negative emotions.
Forgiveness leads to prosperity, we save lives with non-violence, spread love and kindness, decide the course of action with intelligence. Our true nature is towards equanimity, the balanced state of immense peace; forgiveness illustrates this balanced nature.
Prayer and meditation
Every morning, young Meera used to watch her Grandfather worship their family deity. She would sit quietly and watch him devoutly offer his prayer to the deity. After offering prayers, he would sit silently for a while.
Meera found the silence quite strange. One day, she asked her Grandfather, “Taat, why do you remain silent after offering prayers”. The old man replied, “It is our custom to meditate after we worship the Lord.”.
As curious as she was, the next question popped up, “I know prayer. What is the difference between prayer and meditation?”. Now the old man was in a fix.
How would he explain this concept to a seven year old? Old man thought for a while and replied, “Meera, you know how we talk to the Lord during prayer. We tell him our problems, our day to day issues. And we ask him for love, devotion and strength.”.
That was easy, Meera already knew it. The old man continued, “During prayer, we talk and God listens. It is during meditation that God talks to us, and we silently listen.”.
***
That young Meera later became one of the foremost thinkers during the Bhakti Movement in India. She composed many beautiful poems in praise of the Lord. Some of her compositions are available here (and here if you prefer Hindi).
अँसुवन जल सींचि सींचि प्रेम बेलि बोई।
अब तो बेल फैल गई आणँद फल होई॥With my tears, I watered the creeper of love that I planted;
Now the creeper has grown spread all over, and borne the fruit of bliss.दूध की मथनियाँ बड़े प्रेम से बिलोई।
माखन जब काढ़ि लियो छाछा पिये कोई॥The churner of the milk churned with great love;
भगत देख राजी हुई जगत देखि रोई।
When I took out the butter, what is the need for drinking any buttermilk.
दासी “मीरा” लाल गिरिधर तारो अब मोही॥I came for the sake of love-devotion, seeing the world, I wept;
Servant “Meera” pleads, “Oh Giridhar, now please save me”
