Posts in Category: Captions
How to Increase Devotion?
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Q3: How do you increase your devotion? I mean, how does one become more devoted? If you find you get distracted by the world and then you forget to meditate, or you need to increase devotion…
Maharaj: You have to accept it. Reality is placed before you, the Reality of the Invisible Listener within you. When you accept this totally, it is devotion.
So this body is called ‘woman’. Are you saying “I am woman, I am woman, I am woman”? You accepted it. I say you are Brahman, but you’re not accepting it, you say “Oh, you’re making fun of me”. I’m placing before you the Listeners Reality, but you’re not accepting it. But if anybody says anything wrong, you’re immediately accepting it, you’re immediately reacting.
So it is now up to you. Reality is placed before you, you have to accept it. You were not the body, you are not the body, you’re not going to remain the body, it’s a fact. Who is holding this body? This is the Invisible Listener’s story, the Reality. It’s called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master, it’s not separate from you. You’ve got tremendous value, but you’re not giving that value, you’re underestimating yourself. Why to go here and there in search of any Masters? “Oh God bless me, Oh God bless me”, why? To say ‘God’ your Presence is required. If there’s no Presence who will talk about the ‘God’? Are you not the father of God? ‘God’ is a concept. Okay, it’s not bad, I’m not criticizing that God concept. If your Presence is not there who will talk about the ‘God’, how can you talk about ‘God’ and ‘Masters’? The moment that Spirit clicked with the body, you start identifying the entire world. The entire world is projected out of your Presence, it’s fact.
And therefore I’m insisting: to have this Spontaneous Conviction regarding your Selfless Self, you are to undergo the meditation. Meditation is not only sitting, again I’m repeating it. Total involvement is required. Recite the Mantra all the time, and you’ll feel some miraculous experience within you, you’ll feel some exceptional peacefulness, you’ll remain unconcerned with the worldly things.
Unknown to Yourself
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Prior to beingness you’re unknown to yourself, after leaving the body you’re unknown to yourself, and at present also. This is Unknown, Invisible Identity, Anonymous Identity, Unidentified Identity. Thoughts are flowing, not to struggle with the thoughts – good thoughts, bad thoughts. We’re struggling with the thoughts: “Why are these thoughts coming!”, “I’m meditating all the time, some unpleasant atmosphere is there, depressive thoughts are there, why are they coming?” Okay, you’re experiencing depressive thoughts, bad thoughts or good thoughts. The thoughts which are tolerable you say ‘good thoughts’, the thoughts which are not tolerable you say ‘bad thoughts’. What is not tolerable? The body is not tolerable, body-based knowledge is not tolerable. When there was no body, there was no question of toleration.
And after having Conviction, I told you, people say “How can I identify if I’m realized or not? I’ve got knowledge, spiritual knowledge, how can I identify if I’m realized or not?” Some feeling will be there. As I told you last time: six stages are given by spiritual knowledge, spiritual science. Shama means ‘forgive and forget’. I am giving the example of Jesus Christ, you know? When they were nailing him, what did he say? “Oh God, forgive them, they do not know what they’re doing.” Then ‘Dama’ means tolerance and patience, no irritation, no excitement. It happens spontaneously. Prior to knowledge, suppose for a small matter you’re getting excited, now no excitement. You’ll get spontaneous tolerance, patience. I’m giving the example, in Maharashtra, of Saint Eknath. He was a very calm and quiet Saint. So one person said: “I will make him irritated.”
Every day he (Saint Eknath) went to take a bath near the river. After coming from that bath, he (the person) spit on him. Calmly and quietly he went back to the river. Like this, forty times he spit on him – then he got irritated! And he bowed down to him (Saint Eknath). And what did he (Saint Eknath) say? “Because of you I got to bathe forty times.” This is patience and tolerance. And he (Saint Eknath) invited him to come for lunch with him. Exceptional silence will be there, it happens spontaneously.
And the third thing, ‘Titiksha’, means just to know the Reality. Total involvement, total devotion. And the fourth thing, ‘Uparati’, means you remain untouched with the world. Whatever happens whatever doesn’t happen, you remain untouched with the world. Even though you’re holding the human body, and a good thing happens or a bad thing happens, you’re not concerned. Then devotion (Bhakti), complete faith. This happens after having strong devotion.
The body is an opportunity for us, because we forgot our identity. There are so many concepts: ‘you are born’, ‘last birth’, ‘future birth’, ‘hell or heaven’, ‘karma’, ‘dharma’, so many things are there. Our identity is wrapped up in all these concepts. You have to break the circle of all these concepts.
It is very simple. You are not required to spend a single penny. And if you’re Realized, make others Realized. Siddharameshwar Maharaj says: “If you’re Realized spread out your carpet and go on talking. Share the knowledge free of charge, not to commercialize it”.
Yes, do you have any questions? Yes, yes.
Reality is not having any form, any shape.
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Suppose somebody lost his memory. They’re showing something: “See this thing, see this thing.” The purpose behind that is to gain the memories. Same thing here. Because of long association with the body you forgot your identity.
Why is this required? What is the principle, what is the use of this spiritual knowledge in your life? We’re not happy, see. What do we want exactly? We want happiness, peacefulness, tension-free life, fearless life. Material sources are there, but it’s not sufficient. We want money, publicity is there, sex is there, but no happiness. Because there is already inbuilt happiness within you.
It’s open fact. This body is not going to remain constant. It is having stages: you’re a child, you’re a young man, then you’re an old man, and some day, willingly or unwillingly, you are to leave the body. The body is not your identity at all. You’re unborn, basically. No birth, no death. Birth and death are connected with the body-knowledge, and you’re not the body at all. That Conviction is supposed to appear spontaneously, this is the purpose of this spirituality. After having Conviction, there’s is no necessity of spirituality. So in the beginning stage you have to recite the Mantra, your involvement is required. Devote some time for yourself. There are no restrictions, no bondage, not to do for anything, not to spend a single penny for that. But you are to give some time for yourself. Out of twenty-four hours you are giving some time towards your regular responsibilities, but give some for you. Sit for some time, for one hour, half an hour. See what is there! Reality is within you, you are Reality, your Presence is Reality, your Invisible Listener is Reality. Why to go here and there? You don’t need to go to any Master. You forgot your Inner Master. Your Inner Master is very strong. We’re neglecting our Inner Master and we’re visiting so many Masters. It’s not necessary, not to go anywhere. I’m not telling you not to respect anybody, respect all the Masters. The Masters are the forms of Reality. But Reality is not having any form, any shape.
Physical Symptoms from Meditation?
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Yes? Anybody having any questions? Be free! Yes?
Q: You talk about the spontaneous release of really strong emotions, and I have been experiencing that. What I’m wondering is: can that also apply to physical symptoms?
Maharaj: Yes, yes, it happens. When you’re going closer and closer to your Selfless Self it happens. It’s good. Because you’re experiencing those emotions.
Q: Yeah, the emotions have been pretty intense sometimes, like rage coming out of nowhere and lasting for a half hour and then just subsiding. But it’s the physical stuff that I was a little more perplexed about.
Maharaj: When there’s so much involvement in spirituality, so many emotional feelings, love, affection, appear spontaneously. It’s part and parcel of your Spirit, spiritual knowledge. Because you are full of love and affection. Exceptional peacefulness is there. After having strong devotion, strong meditation, total peacefulness will be there, total silence will be there. No confusion, no confusion, all confusion dissolves. Exceptional silence, you’ll remain untouched with the world. Why are we disturbed? Because we have some ego, subtle ego of this world: “I’m somebody else”. We’re having subtle expectations. So all expectation, body-based expectation dissolves. All body-based concepts dissolve. It happens spontaneously, it’s not difficult, it’s not impossible. You can do it, you can have it. Because it is your own property. As I told you: except your Selfless Self there is no God, no Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman, no Master. It’s fact. Just remember it. Therefore Nisargadatta Maharaj said: “I’m not making you a disciple, I’m making you a Master.”
So practice is most important, practical knowledge is most important. You’ve got theoretical knowledge, you’ve read so many books, approached so many Masters. Practice is most important. Why is practice important? Because we’re wrapped with so many illusory concepts. We’ve got to come out from all these illusory concepts: ‘I’m somebody else’, ‘I’m a man or woman, female or male’. So many concepts are there, so many expectations are there. So far we’re holding the body, it’s okay. Whatever is necessary for the nourishment of the body, you can do it, you can have responsibility. But remain untouched with all these illusory concepts.
Feel the Pain and the Fear about the World?
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Q: If one is no longer identified with the body, and knows what they are, will they no longer feel the pain and the fear about the world?
Maharaj: Therefore you are to undergo the meditation. Fear because we are developing body-concepts. What is the fear?
Q: I mean, responsibility for acting in the world…
Maharaj: Okay. Yes, yes, of course. You’ll get courage out of spirituality. After having Identification, you’ll get the courage how to live your family life, your routine life. For which spirituality is there. Because directly or indirectly, our mind is pricking from the backside. The mind, ego, intellect is pricking from the backside. When you’re getting very close, closer and closer to the Selfless Self, the mind and ego are pricking from the backside, trying to distract you from the Reality. You have to be alert. Particularly in meditation, some negative concepts are appearing, some negative atmosphere appears. Be firm with you, you know the Reality. It’s the nature of the mind. Mind, ego, intellect appeared upon your Presence. Your Spontaneous Invisible Presence is supplying power to the mind, ego, intellect. Not to become a victim of the mind, ego, intellect, you can use them. You’re no longer a slave of the mind, ego, intellect, you’re Master of the mind, ego, intellect, you can control it. You know good thoughts and bad thoughts are appearing, it’s their nature. Thoughts which are to be accepted, thoughts which are not to be accepted is up to you, you’re Master of thoughts. Not to give cognisance to any egoistic thoughts or illusory thoughts. Thoughts are appearing, it’s their nature. Good thoughts appearing, bad thoughts appearing. They are clouds, coming and going. You are there and there only.
Have the Conviction that the body is not your identity at all. Where were the depressions prior to beingness? After leaving the body, any depression is there? It’s a fact, some day or other, willingly or unwillingly, we have to leave this body. It’s a dead body. What is the value of this body? Because of your Spontaneous Presence you say ‘I’. To say ‘I’ your Presence is required. Without Presence, what is the value of the body? – “take it away, take it away”. To see this world the seer is required.
So, you are the central point. You are the source of all this world. To say ‘this world’, to say ‘God’, the identification given by the Presence is required. If there’s no Presence who will talk about the world, who will talk about all relations?
Miraculous Experience Appears Upon Your Presence
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I will tell you another aspect of this knowledge. In the process of your meditation, involvement, strong meditation, strong involvement, strong devotion, sometimes we come across with some miraculous experiences. They may be positive or negative miraculous experiences. And I’m giving you the example of Nisargadatta Maharaj – it will be more focused.
Nisargadatta Maharaj, at the early stage, was very rich – he had eight to ten shops. His finances were very good when, in 1933-something, he came across Siddharameshwar Maharaj. One of his friends took him to Siddharameshwar Maharaj. He said, at that time, that “I’m not believing in any body-based Sage or Saint, I’m not going to bow down to him.” But he went there and listened to him, and there was a miraculous change in him. The base was (already) there. He was so much impressed, deeply impressed, and he bowed down to him spontaneously. Then he was having association with Siddharameshwar Maharaj for about three years, three and a half.
Why I’m quoting the experience of Nisargadatta Maharaj is so that it will give more focus to your devotional life.
So then, after about 1939, he left his family life and he went to have the experience of the spiritual world or spiritual experience. He faced so many problems, unbearable problems. He left his family life, he left everything. He had about ten shops, apartment tenants, a tobacco shop and all these things, but he wanted to have the experience of this spiritual knowledge. And he faced so many negative experiences: no money, nothing is there, wandering, wandering here and there.
Once he came across with such a barren land, and there was no water, nothing was there. He said it would be the last moment of his life. But in that barren land he saw long in the distance that one cottage was there. I’m talking about some devotional experience that appears when you’re having involvement in spirituality. Though it is not knowledge, not Reality, but you’re coming across such incidents, miraculous incidents. He had seen the cottage, and with great difficulty went to that cottage. One old man was there, and he gave him bread and all, water and everything. After taking some steps, he looked behind him and there was no cottage.
Nisargadatta Maharaj was rarely giving as examples his experiences, miraculous experiences. But I learned from him.
And then he wrote a poem: “My Master became a cottage for me, my Master became food for me, my Master became water for me.”
This happens in everybody’s case. Your Master can take any shape when you’re in difficulty. But you must have strong faith within yourself and with your Master. What happens is that negative and positive experiences during the process of this spiritual knowledge, spirituality, devotion – when you’re having strong devotion and strong involvement in your devotion, then you come across with such types of miraculous, positive or negative experiences.
Negative experiences means that you’re having some negative thoughts, depressive thoughts, some difficulty may be there just like Nisargadatta Maharaj. He faced so many problems in his life – so many problems, beyond imagination. But he did not lose his faith in his Master – his knowledge was very strong, exceptional, firm, total conviction.
There are some positive miraculous experiences also. He rarely said it, but: one time when he was sitting at his shop, he started giving water from his teapot, and some people in long cues were being cured by that water. But Siddharameshwar warned him: “What are you doing? This is not knowledge, not Reality. It’s distracting you from Reality.” So he stopped this.
So in my speech, what I’m telling you is: after having strong devotion you may come across with such negative or positive experiences. It is not knowledge, it is not Reality, it is not Ultimate Truth. But the point is that you might be distracted from the Reality. If you’ve got ego: “Yes, because of me somebody got a miraculous experience.” Suppose you visit some house and something miraculous happens: “Oh, my power is so much!” that ego may develop. So it is a precautionary measure in the process of your devotional spirituality.
So, during your devotion, if you come across such experiences, not to give so much importance. All experience, miraculous experience appears upon your Presence. That Presence, Invisible Presence, Anonymous Presence is Ultimate Truth. There is no value for any miracles. It is the nature of our human body, of the human being. If any miracles happen you bow down: “Oh, you’re a very great man”. Those miracles are within you. You’ve got tremendous power, but not to take ego. Suppose something happens, suppose you visited some places, and some miracles happen and people say: “Oh, because of you something miraculous happened”. Nisargadatta Maharaj was not taking any prestige, not taking any credit. He said: “If it happens, it is because of my Master. I’m not doing any miracles.” He never took ego.
So why I’m inviting your attention is because in your strong devotional life, spiritual life, it may happen. You may call them progressive steps. But not to stop there. Until you’ve got Spontaneous Conviction you’ve got to continuously involve yourself in devotion and spirituality. I’m giving alertness, cautiousness in the process of your devotional life, your spirituality. So, ignore it, it’s not Reality.
Q: I just feel like what I’m doing is just a waste of time.
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Q: At some point I have this feeling that (inaudible). The voice becomes so strong: “there’s no value in anything you’ve done”. It’s because there’s no doer, or I know sometimes I just watch myself. I just feels like what I’m doing is just a waste of time. And that feeling gets very strong, and then comes back again…
Maharaj: Until you get Conviction thoughts are appearing upon your Presence. Various thoughts are appearing upon your Presence . Good thoughts, bad thoughts, depressive thoughts are there. You are prior to that. And therefore I inviting the attention of the Invisible Presence, concentrate. You’re watching this, you’re witness all that’s happening inside. I’m talking about the Invisible Witnesser within you.
Q: Yes, I can feel that…
Maharaj: That ‘I’ is supposed to be dissolved. ‘I’ is supposed to be dissolved. To say ‘I’ your Presence is required. If there is no Presence, who will talk about the ‘I’?
Q: Again, the identity with the body comes back…
Maharaj: It’s not coming and going. Is the sky coming and going anywhere? Because, see, it’s not your fault, I’m not blaming you, it happens. It is because we are measuring ourself in body-form that this happens. And for which your involvement is most important, meditation is required. Why am I insisting on meditation? Because it is basic, it is the foundation, it is the anti-virus software. You have to implant that anti-virus software. Through which you are always hammering yourself ‘you are Brahman, you are Brahman’. You know the police station? To the criminal they say “You are a criminal, this is the evidence against you”, he says “no, I am not criminal” — “Yes, you are criminal! You see this? You’ve done this. Liar, you are liar!” Like that, “You are Brahman, you are Brahman!”, you are hammering. Then you’ll come “Yes, so that I”.
Be with You Always
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There is no binding, no conditions. Nothing is required, it is free of charge. Presence is free of charge and you are neglecting that Presence. If there is the Conviction ‘except myself nothing is there’, and ‘myself’ is not an egoistic statement, ‘except Selfless Self nothing is there’, you will get exceptional spiritual intoxication. I call it spiritual intoxication. Though you are living in the world, you remain unconcerned with the world. The entire world is projected out of your Presence. To say ‘world’, your Presence is required. In a dream you see sky, space, everything, even god, etc. Although you are acting in the dream, who is watching that dream, who is taking the video-shooting of that dream? After awakening you say “Oh, I’ve seen this thing, that thing, good dream, bad dream”. How was that dream-world projected? Similarly, this world is projected out of your Presence. But Presence does not know ‘I am Presence’, just like sky does not know ‘I am sky’. We say “This is sky”. The five elements do not know ‘I am the five elements, water does not know ‘I am water. Your Presence is beyond that. But we are neglecting all this. So be with you always.
Is this a sequence that happens over time, or can it happen all at once?
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So today, if you want to ask any questions, you can ask questions, not to hesitate. Okay, does anybody have any questions?
Yes, yes.
Q: I’ve been taught that the Vedic understanding of the evolution of consciousness…first we have to understand who we are, the unbounded Awareness, and then the perception over time refines to perceive finer and finer levels of creation until one perceives the Infinite. In all of creation (inaudible) sees that, is no different than that which I am. Is this a sequence that happens over time, or can it happen all at once?
Maharaj: Nothing is happening. This is the Spontaneous Projection of your Ultimate Truth. Nothing has happened, and nothing’s going to happen. You are not the doer, there’s no deed at all. So, not to measure yourself in body-form. So far we are measuring ourselves in body-form, and that is illusion. So many questions are raised, appear upon your Presence. Try to identify that Invisible Presence within you. You are not the body, there’s no shape, there’s no nothing…You’re formless, you’re unborn! How were you prior to beingness? After leaving the body, any question remains? No. What is the value of this knowledge? Knowledge means just to identify oneself in a real sense. We’re identifying ourself in body-form and that is illusion, it’s a simple thing.
There are so many books on spirituality, and so many Masters also. We’re not here to analyze the words of the Masters, the spiritual words. What was the message they gave, that is most important, the conclusion of all spiritual knowledge. This one sentence: except your Selfless Self there is no God, no Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman, no Master. This is the one message given in all spirituality.
To have Conviction, to absorb this knowledge, you have to undergo the basics of meditation. There isn’t any other source. Question, counter-question, analyzation, it’s okay.
Yes?
Q2: Is there any specific way to do meditation?
Maharaj: Meditation just means concentration and involvement. Not sitting like this: ‘Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram…’, not like this. Try to identify who is acting within this body. Just sit, calm and quiet, to see what’s happening. Who is witnessing the thoughts? Who is watching the dream? Who is that? It’s not the body at all. It’s called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, the name given to the Supernatural Power.
Q2: So, meditating…
Maharaj: Meditation means just to identify yourself. Invite the attention of the Invisible Meditator within you that you are Brahman! Except your Self, nothing is there.
Whatever knowledge we’re having is body-based knowledge. This is a food-body, it’s not going to remain constant. There are stages: you’re a child, then grown up as young man, then you become an old man, and some or other day, willingly or unwillingly you have to leave the body! What remains? After leaving the body, what remains? Nothing. So everything came out of nothing and dissolves back into nothing. What remains? How were you prior to beingness? “I don’t know”. After leaving the body? “I don’t know”. ‘I don’t know’ means that in a negative thought, a positive concept, a positive Reality is there. “I’m not in any form, I’m formless, I’m shapeless. My Presence is there, just like sky or space: everywhere”.
“Be how you were prior to beingness”. In the practical world, how do you do that?
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You can ask any question. If you’ve got any doubts, ask about the doubts. (Inaudible) Yes?
Q: In the book (Selfless Self), Maharaj, you say “Be how you were prior to beingness”. In the practical world, how do you do that?
Maharaj: Just think intellectually: how were you prior to beingness, and after leaving the body? Is this body Reality? This body is Reality? After some time we have to leave this body, so what is the use of knowledge? Knowledge means just to identify oneself in a real sense. We’re measuring ourselves all the time in body-form. You’re formless, you’re shapeless, it’s fact. The moment the Presence clicked with the body you say ‘I’. So many illusory concepts are wrapped up on us. We’ve accepted these concepts blindly. And for which, again I’m repeating, only the meditation.
Through meditation everything will be clear within you. When I say meditation is the anti-virus software, it means all the viruses will be cleared. And again I’m repeating: nothing is impossible. You need not depend upon anybody else, even me also. Therefore Nisargadatta Maharaj says: “I’m not making you a disciple, I’m making you a Master”, because that Masterly essence is within you. Master is not separate from you. Some confusion is there because of the body-based knowledge. This is a food-body. For which strong devotion is required in the beginning: “I can do it! I know the Reality. I am the Source of this world, the entire world is projected out of me.” This is not an egoistic thought, it’s a fact. If there’s no Presence who will talk about the world, who will talk about the God? And with this all illusory concepts will be dissolved and the six symptoms will appear within you. ‘Shama’, ‘Dama’, means: complete silence, peacefulness, whatever happens, whatever you do, “It’s okay”. Since you are holding the body some things will happen against you also. There will be unpleasant atmospheres, just like clouds are coming, coming and going. You are there and there only.
Yes?
Q: Sometimes in the meditation, I have this fear. I don’t what fear it is, but I have some kind of fear. Why is that?
Maharaj: Because of the pressure of concepts, illusory concepts. Directly or indirectly we’ve accepted the body as our identity. Directly or indirectly we’ve accepted body as our identity, therefore fear is there. Where was that fear prior to beingness? After leaving the body, any fear is there? Is a dead body having any fear? No fear is there.
See, the Spirit would like to survive for a longer time because of the body only. Spirit does not know ‘I am Presence’, and Presence does not know ‘I am Spirit’ or ‘Presence’,just like sky does not know ‘I am sky’.
Yes?
Q: Dear Maharaj, first of all I’d like to show my respect for you, I was coming here a little bit late, so apologies. But I want to say that I no longer have any more questions. I want to thank you for helping me develop the conviction with the identification with Presence.
Maharaj: So, nothing is impossible, I repeat: nothing is impossible for you. Just a lack of courage is there: “how can it happen?”. Siddharameshwar Maharaj says: “You come step forward, and I’ll lift you another step. Put your step ahead, and I’ll lift you another step.” It means: be (move) forward, come. Okay, what has happened, forget it. Now you know the Reality, why not to accept the Reality? Reality is not separate from you.
Q: Sri Ramakant, there’s a seeing that’s very peaceful and there’s a seeing where things lose their substance, but it’s so peaceful, so peaceful. But sometimes underlying that there’s a fear of losing the attachments, the emotional attachments that we have, when people around you are saying “you don’t care about me if you’re not worried about me”, you know? You know, the way love is being taught, and somehow there’s a little part there that’s afraid of losing that attachment. But like you said, Selfless Self feels peace, and it’s seeing is peace. Does it take time to kind of like, move out of that fear where you loosen that old way of seeing things?
Maharaj: What happens is that concepts are taking possession of your body. When there’s no alertness, no awareness, then concepts are taking possession of your body and fear will be there. And therefore meditation and reciting the Mantra, etc., etc.,and meditation are required, because all the time you are reminding yourself. So no fear will be there.