Posts in Category: Captions
Progressive Steps
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Basically, no knowledge is knowledge. What is knowledge? Knowledge means just to identify oneself in a real sense. We’re identifying in body-form and that is illusion. And as you know, it is a very clear thing. Basically, nothing was there prior to beingness, and after leaving the body nothing will be there. What is the use of knowledge? Because you forgot your identity. And if you glance within you – forget about the world, sit quietly, glance within you – what is there? Bones? Blood? Hm? And Flesh. What is the value of this body? If there is no Presence for a moment, what is the value of this body?
We have a lot of planning, egoistic planning. So, I’m not asking you to neglect your body. Do your duties, do your job, but remain untouched with the body-based knowledge. Because it’s fact, open fact: the body is not your identity, the body was not your identity, the body is not going to remain your identity. But you’re not accepting this fact. And to accept this fact spontaneously, you have to undergo the meditation only. And during meditation, as I told you, you’ll go through so many experiences, miraculous experiences, magical experiences. You may get some power also, it happens. But not to use or not to misuse that power – it happens, you’ve got miraculous power. But that is not Ultimate Truth.
With strong involvement will come some power, you’ll feel it. And there may be chances of ego, subtle ego: “Oh yes, I’ve got power, I can do something.” So that ego is supposed to be dissolved. These are a kind of progressive steps. So this is a precautionary measure I’m telling you, it happens, but it is not connected with any Reality.
Anybody having any questions? Be free, don’t worry, this is friendly chatting. I’m not delivering some spiritual lectures, I’m not considering myself as a ‘great spiritual master’ like that. Bodies are different, same thing is there.
Q: Maharaj, I’m noticing that I have been doing, you know I’ve been doing different practices for many years, and different Mantras come up in different contexts. That has been my practice, if you will. So, would you advise me as to…
Maharaj: What you’ve been told, that Mantra, you recite that Mantra. See, it is told that this Mantra came from Dattatreya. It has got tremendous value, importance, power, energy with this Mantra. It creates some vibrations inside. When you are reciting the Mantra, you’ll forget your body-identity. You’ll become one with the Mantra. What is the meaning of the Mantra? : I am Brahman, Brahman I am. It is not something else, it is practical, it is your Reality. You forgot your Reality. You’re reminding Reality, your Self.
So whatever Mantra is given, it may be any Mantra, forget it you got this Mantra, some say “Aham Brahmasmi”, “Sivoham”, “Soham”, these are the various words. But whatever Mantra you’ve got, be loyal with that Mantra. Because through the Mantra you’re inviting the attention of the Invisible Presence: “You’re Brahman, Atman”.
Easy to Discuss
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Maharaj: So for two days we’ve discussed some things about spirituality, and you’ve got the basic knowledge. I don’t want to repeat the same thing again and again. Just, you have to absorb the knowledge, try to know Reality. You know better what to do and what not to do. Just to identify oneself. It is easy to discuss about Spirituality. It’s a little bit difficult, but not impossible (to absorb the knowledge).
See, this human body (inaudible). We’re having so many concepts, illusory concepts. And since childhood till today we’ve embraced all the concepts and are living within the circle of the concepts. You are to cross the circle of all the concepts. The mind is there, the ego is there, the intellect is also there, they are the functioning parts, they’re not bad. But we are giving so much importance to the mind, ego, intellect. So, not to become a victim of the flow of thoughts. Thoughts are flowing, it’s they’re nature. And therefore, just to identify yourself. It’s open fact that you’re not the body at all, the body is not your identity at all. Though we are knowing all these things, again and again we are repeating the same thing: we’re trying to extract happiness from this body-knowledge, and unless body-knowledge dissolves you’re not able to identify yourself in a real sense, it’s a fact.
You are not required to go anywhere, don’t expect anybody’s blessings. You are Ultimate Truth, you are Final Truth, except your Self, nothing is there. Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master is the name given to the Ultimate Truth which is already within you. The Invisible Listener within you is Master, Ultimate Truth. And just to identify yourself in a real sense, you are to undergo the discipline of meditation, in the beginning only. It’s the only source. You go anywhere in the world, if you approach so many Masters, if you read so many books, nothing. It will give temporary relief, pain-killers, temporary intoxication.
So what do we want exactly? If we’re not knowing what we want, we’re roaming here and there. We’re giving trouble to the body, torture to the body. And therefore, today’s concluding lecture is that: try to identify the Invisible Listener within you which is Ultimate Truth. The master-key is meditation. As I’ve told you, it is the anti-virus software. All illusory concepts are supposed to be dissolved totally. Until you’ve got the Conviction that ‘I am not the body, I was not the body, I’m not going to remain the body’, that Reality will not be clear.
Try to Absorb the Reality
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You’re self-sufficient. But we are always underestimating ourself, thinking something is there, some supernatural power is there regulating all this world. As I said, do not underestimate yourself. Your Selfless Self is very strong. There’s no birth, no death, these are concepts. Nobody knows ‘I am born’, nobody knows ‘I am dying’. Death and birth are connected with the body-knowledge only. You’re never the body, you’re not the body at all, it’s a fact. You’re unborn. The sky is having birth and death? The sky knows hell or heaven? Good deed, bad deed, bad energy, good energy, what is... We’ve made a circle and within that circle we are trying to live. Break the circle. For which again I am repeating: meditation is the base at the beginning stage. Only discussion, dry discussion on spirituality, playing with the various spiritual words is meaningless. You can do it! You’ve got tremendous power! You’re not separate from God, Brahman, Atman, Paramatman. The Invisible Listener is having tremendous power, it is called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman. Be with you all the time. You do your job, you do your duties, not to neglect your health also, not to neglect your family life. Be practical. But at the same time try to identify yourself in a real sense.
Yes? Anybody having any question? Be free, don’t worry about it! Okay.
Q: Maharaj?
Maharaj: Yes?
Q: How do you practice self-enquiry? How is the process?
Maharaj: Self-enquiry just means we are unaware of our identity. “Who am I?” Self-enquiry starts because “Who am I”? Though it is called ‘Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God’, we are not knowing what is Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master. Because so many concepts are engraved upon us from childhood till today we have accepted and are acting within that circle of concepts. The questioner itself is Ultimate Truth, you just forgot your identity.
You can do it! It’s not impossible, not difficult, you just have you to devote some time. It is free of charge, no charge is there. It’s your knowledge, the Listener’s knowledge, not the knowledge of Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master. The Listener, Invisible Listener is not knowing ‘I am somebody else’, ‘Brahman’, ‘Atman’. Through meditation you hammering all the time ‘I am Brahman’, ‘Soham’, ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ these are the words. Considering the sensitivity of the Spirit, words are given. Spirit is very sensitive. If anyone says “You are donkey”, you are slapping him, insulting him. If anyone says “You are Brahman”— “Oh, how can I be Brahman?” For which you are not required to…You just have to involve yourself, try to absorb the Reality.
Open Fact
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What is the purpose of meditation? Through meditation you are identifying yourself in a real sense. Through meditation you are inviting the attention of the Invisible Meditator within you that you are Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God. Through meditation you are hammering yourself all the time. It’s open fact: we start as a small child, then grow up to a young man, then an old man. These are the stages of the body.
Who is acting with the body? Who is watching the dream?
It is a fact that the entire world is projected out of your Presence. Your Presence is Invisible Presence, Anonymous Presence, Unidentified Presence. And therefore, first thing I’ll tell you is not to measure yourself in body-form. When you measure yourself in body-form you’re underestimating your Selfless Self.
Literal knowledge will not help you, bookish knowledge will not help you. Be practical. You’ve got a lot of knowledge. Will that knowledge help you at the time of leaving the body? No. So how are you prior to beingness and after leaving the body? Ask the question. It is beyond imagination. It is called Ultimate Truth, Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master – that you are.
We understand this intellectually: “Yes I am Brahman, Atman, Paramatman”, but are not accepting it in Reality, practical Reality. What is practical? So all concepts are supposed to be dissolved, all concepts related to body-knowledge. It is a very simple thing, for which your strong involvement is most important. I was not the body, I’m not the body, I’m not going to remain the body. The body was not my identity, the body is not going to remain my identity at all, it’s open fact.
So Many Relations
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Maharaj: The entire world is projected out of your Presence, it’s open fact. If there is no Presence for one moment, what is the value of this body? If there is no Presence in this body, what is the value of this body? Body is having importance because of your Presence. And therefore all the while I am inviting the attention of the Invisible Listener within you that you are Ultimate Truth, it’s fact. So how this knowledge is to be absorbed within you, that is most important. For which, the only media is meditation. Only talking about spiritual knowledge is meaningless. Through meditation you are inviting the attention of the Invisible Meditator within you that you are Ultimate Truth, you are hammering all the time: ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘I am Brahman, I am Brahman’. Just like this body is accepted as a man. If anyone says you are a woman, you are slapping them. So likewise, the holder of this body is called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman. It is fact, but we are not accepting that fact. Therefore mind, ego, intellect are pricking you from backside.
So directly or indirectly we are depending upon this body-knowledge. We say “Oh, I am Brahman, I am Brahman”, it is not enough. Stand on your own feet, not to depend upon anybody else. Your Spontaneous, Invisible Presence has great value. All ‘Brahman’, ‘Atman’, ‘Paramatman’, ‘Master’ are the names given to your Spontaneous Invisible Presence. Try to identify the Unidentified Identity within you. Try to identify the Unidentified, Invisible Identity within you.
Not to underestimate. You do all your activities, no restrictions. You’ve got family responsibilities, do your responsibilities. As if you’re acting in some drama, in some pictures. We’ve got so many relations: we are uncle, we are father, we are brother, so many relations. One person having so many relations.
So all needs, requirements came along with the body only. Spiritual knowledge is required because we forgot our identity. Where was spiritual knowledge prior to beingness? After leaving the body, spiritual knowledge will help you? No.
Total Involvement
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Maharaj: See, at the initial stage you have to say “I am Brahman, Brahman I am”, because by that you are hammering your Selfless Self. To forget body-identity, to dissolve all concepts, body related concepts, you have to recite this mantra “Aham Brahmasmi”, ”I am Brahman”, like that. These are the words, I’m telling you, it is language. Language is just to understand, but who has given language? We have given the name of God, donkey means something else. We have given the meaning. Through this language you are trying to identify oneself in a real sense. It is open fact! It is not going to remain. Open fact. Prior to a hundred years how were you? You say “I don’t know”. If anybody ask you the question: “How are you prior to a hundred years?”, you say “I don’t know”, “After leaving the body?” “I don’t know”. ‘I don’t know’ means I am not in any form. In a negative answer there is a positive concept. I am telling everybody, if you are alone in your house and somebody knocks on the door, “is anybody there?”, you say “nobody’s there”. The person who says “nobody’s there”, is there. Similarly, ‘I don’t know’ means I am not in any form, I am formless. It’s fact. But Conviction is required, Spontaneous Conviction is required.
And therefore I am saying meditation means anti-virus software. It is cleaning. And you can do it, nothing is required, no expenses, it is free of charge. Free of charge. In our lineage it is the discipline not to demand anything from devotees, strictly. No expense is required. This is your knowledge! Not the knowledge of Brahman, Atman, Parmatman, God. These are the names that are given to Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, to identify your Ultimate Truth. You’ve got supernatural power! You’ve got supernatural power that is unknown to you. Your inner Master is very strong. These are also concepts, internal Master, external Master. The Invisible Listener within you is Internal Master, it is Brahman, Paramatman, but you are neglecting it.
Your total involvement is most important.