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Transcript September 17, 2016 Part II

OneCircle USA Talks with Ramakant Maharaj Part II September 17, 2016

Ramakant Maharaj:  We are blindly signing: “Yes sir, Yes sir” – why? You’re not guilty at all, why build a guilty conscience? There’s no deed, there’s no doer. I’m placing facts before you, and again I’m repeating: the only source is meditation, through which you can identify yourself in a real sense. You will get spiritual courage to embrace the Reality. Because of a lack of courage, therefore we are afraid of everything.

You can ask any question. If you’ve got any doubts, ask about the doubts. (Inaudible) Yes?

Q4: 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?

Q3: 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. 

 

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Transcript September 17, 2016 Part I

OneCircle USA Talks with Ramakant Maharaj Part I September 17, 2016

 

Ramakant Maharaj: How is everybody? Okay?

Yesterday we were talking about the principle of spirituality, the purpose of spirituality. And you know that spirituality is just to identify oneself in a real sense. What is the reason behind identifying ourself in a real sense? We are identifying our self as the food-body and that is not Reality. This is not our Reality (Maharaj indicates his body).

There is some glimpses of ‘I’. This is called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master. Why is this required? Because we are wrapped in illusory concepts: ‘I am somebody else’. And because of that there is no peace, no happiness, always tension is there, fear is there. So unless we identify ourself in a real sense we are not able to identify Reality. And as I told you, literally we are knowing that ‘I am Brahman’ or ‘I am not the body’. Even if you think intellectually, it is fact: the body is not our identity at all. It’s open fact. Who is acting in this body, who is talking, who is listening? The Invisible Listener within you is called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master, Ultimate Truth. And for which there is no birth, no death, nothing is there. You are unborn, realize that you’re unborn, it’s fact. But we must have practical knowledge. Practical knowledge means: literally we are knowing ‘I am Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master, I am not the body, the food-body’ but that Reality is supposed to be absorbed totally. Directly or indirectly we depend upon this food-body. We have a lot attachment to the food-body.

I never said neglect your food-body. This is the media through which you can identify yourself. There are so many concepts from childhood till today: ‘I am born’, ‘I am a man or woman’, so many concepts are there, social concepts, religious concepts. And within this circle we are living our life. After perfectly identifying (yourself) there will be dramatic changes within you, called signs of Realization. Spiritual science says there are six symptoms of Realization. There is the question: ‘How can I identify whether I’m Realized or not? What is the sign of Realization, what is the sign of Enlightenment?’ After having Conviction, after absorbing the knowledge of Reality, some changes are taking place. ‘Shama’ means to forgive and forget. (inaudible) petty matters are giving irritation. After having the Conviction you’ll be calm and quiet, just like Gautama Buddha or Jesus Christ, you know them? There’s no irritation. ‘Shama’ means forgive and forget. If anything happens against your mind, you’re not getting irritated, no anger is there. And ‘Dama’ means tolerance or patience. Tolerance comes spontaneously within you. Where petty matters would irritate us, there may be some violence inside, patience will appear. You will feel it. If any incidents happen against your mind, you’re not getting irritation. There’s tolerance, patience, ‘Shama’, ‘Dama’. ‘Titiksha’ means just to know the Reality, anxious to know the Reality: who am I? And then ‘Uparati’ means there is no attraction of the world. There are so many attractions to the world: publicity, money, sex, there are so many attractions to the world. No greediness, no attraction to the world. You’re living in the world, but there’s complete calm and quiet. And then ‘Bhakti’ means devotion, total devotion. After knowing the Reality there is total devotion. And ‘Shraddha’ means full trust and faith. These are the six symptoms given in spiritual science. You can measure yourself. And after having the Spontaneous Conviction about the Reality, these changes are taking place. What you are prior to beingness, how you will be after leaving the body, at that time there was no anger, nothing is there. And these symptoms will appear spontaneously within you. You’ll be calm and quiet.

I’m giving a story, an example of Gautama Buddha you may be knowing, just for understanding. The story is that a lady took on the challenge: ‘I will make him irritated’, and she abused him in very bad language. He was very calm and quiet. And the lady became irritated and said “Why are you not getting angry, not getting irritated?”. So he said “Oh mother, you’ve offered me something and I’ve not accepted it. With whom it remains?”

The same thing in Maharashtra: there was a Saint, Saint Eknath, he was a calm and quiet Saint. So one person took on the challenge that “I will make him irritated”. (Saint Eknath) had a route to go to take a bath in some river. (The person) spit on him forty times, and (Saint Eknath) took a bath forty times. And they (the person) bowed down to him “Oh, I am sorry”. Then (Saint Eknath) took him to his home and asked him to take lunch and dinner with him.

What am I trying to convey by this? How you are living, under the force of violence, that violence disappears spontaneously. It can happen. There’ll be always silence, no violence. And you’ll feel it, after having Conviction, you’ll feel it. That’s the principle of spirituality. Only listening, only talking and approaching so many Masters will not help you. Some changes are required. Then you’ll get realistic (inaudible) silence, peacefulness, no tension will be there – why tension is there? We’re having some expectations, and if something happens against your expectations you’re getting irritated. Everybody has so many expectations, from anybody, from family, from friends, from society, so many expectations are there, it’s the nature of the mind.

All expectations, needs, came along with the body only. Because body-knowledge is not tolerable, it’s a food-body. So far you’re supplying food, water, the body survives. It is an open fact, this (body) is not going to remain constant. Spirit, Presence, likes to continue the life, it’s it’s nature. Even an ant: if you pour some water (on it), he’s running here and there for survival. It’s the nature of the Spirit or Presence. Your Presence knows itself through body only. And for which, again I am repeating, the only source is meditation. Only through meditation can you identify yourself, have Conviction. Knowledge will be absorbed totally. And therefore I am repeating: dry knowledge, dry discussion on spirituality, if I talk hours together, years together with you, it is meaningless. It is your identity, not the identity of Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master.

Anybody having any question? Yes?

Q: In your book you said that meditation is like a spiritual broom?  It’s a nice image.

Maharaj: Yes, correct, correct. It’s the anti-virus software. Because the files are very corrupt, so many concepts are there. Though we know our identity, though we know the Reality, some concepts are there. And because some weakness is there, they’re flowing, exploiting.

See, basically, what do we want after spiritual knowledge, what is the principle? You want peacefulness, but no peacefulness is there. Always negative thoughts are coming, inside violence is there. We say “Oh, I’m okay, okay”, but something is there inside, burning inside. That burning should be stopped.

For a long time we’ve been posing as a man or woman or something in body-form. We’ve totally accepted ‘I am the body’, but you’re not the body at all, you were not the body, you’re not going to remain the body. How are you prior to beingness? Just question yourself: “How am I prior to beingness”. How are you after leaving the body? We’ve got a lot of knowledge, but what is the use of that knowledge, spiritual knowledge? Who wants spiritual knowledge? What do you mean by spiritual knowledge? Just to identitfy.

Knowledge is meaningless. There’s no knowledge prior to beingness, there’s no use of knowledge after leaving the body. Knowledge means just to identify oneself in a real sense. We’re identifying ourself in body-form and that is illusion. And again I am repeating, that without meditation it’s not possible. At the advanced stage meditation is also illusion, but it’s necessary (in the beginning). To remove one illusion you have to take the help of another illusion. You know a thorn? To remove one thorn we’re taking the help of another thorn, then throwing away both thorns.

Anybody having any questions? Yes?

Q2: So, you do the bhajans, you do the meditation, you do the practice, and eventually it occurs that you know who you are. You know you’re not the body and you know the world isn’t even existing. And then you don’t care, is that right? You don’t even care what happens? So if the body hurts, or if the body has great pleasures, or the body’s angry, the mind’s angry, it has nothing to do with who I am. And that’s the end, that’s the finality.

Maharaj: Because we’re not identifying ourself, therefore all these actions/reactions are there. The moment you identify yourself nothing will be there. Body is not getting angry. If there’s no Presence, is a dead body going to get angry? Prior to beingess did you know about anger or anything? Prior to beingness did you know if anything like anger was there? After leaving the body is any anger there?

Q2: Is it like, for me sometimes, quite often, if there’s the anger in the mind it has nothing to do with me, because I’m the ocean, not the individual. And so I see things I take the touch of, like….

Maharaj: Thoughts are flowing inside and you’re taking the help of the ego, the flowing of the thoughts. You’re witnessing the thoughts, good thoughts, bad thoughts. Who is the Witnesser?

Q2: Be the witnesser of the best and the worst.

Maharaj: Your Spontaneous Presence is the Witnesser, Invisible (inaudible). Your Spontaneous Invisible Presence is the Witnesser witnessing all these things. All this appears upon your Presence. Presence does not have any anger.

Q2: I guess what I’m trying to say is: pain and anger – they don’t seem to be of any concern.

Maharaj: Of course. There’s no concern with your Selfless Self. You’re totally different. This came along with the body only. Prior to body-knowledge nothing was there. We were not knowing what is anger, what is anxiety, nothing was known to us. Who wants peacefulness? Who wants happiness? Who wants a fearless life? Does the body want a fearless life?

Q2: The ‘I am’ wants, Keith wants peacefulness…

Maharaj: That ‘I am’ concept appeared upon your Presence. If your Presence is not there who will have anything to say about ‘I am’. To say ‘I am’ that Invisible Presence, Power, Energy, is required. If there’s no Presence inside, a dead body can’t say ‘I am’.

Q2: Correct, yeah.

Maharaj: Correct. To see this world, if the seer is not there, what is the use of the seen? The entire seen is reflected out of your Presence. The entire seen is reflected out of your Presence, Spontaneous Presence. To say something your Presence is required. I’ve given the name ‘Presence’. To identify something you have to give some name – ‘Brahman’, ‘Atman’, Paramatman’, ‘God’, ‘Master’ – these are the names given to the Supernatural Power withing you. I’m inviting the attention of the Invisible Listener within you that is called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master, that it is not separate from you. No to underestimate you. You have great power, you’ve got tremendous power. But all the time we are measuring ourself in body-form and that is illusion. It’s not your fault. Because of long association with the body we’ve got so much attraction, we’ve become one with the body. Whatever happens we accept it: “I’m somebody else”.

You are Ultimate Truth, it’s fact. You are unborn. Birth and death are connected with the body-knowledge only, not to you. But we’re not accepting the facts. And therefore some involvement is required. Not to torture your body. Why torture the body for knowing your Self? The thing which is already within you, why to torture it? Give some time, some involvement is required: “Yes, I want to know myself! Who am I?”, you’ll get courage. “If I am not the body, who am I?”, ask the question. That question is supposed to be solved within you only.

Yes?

Q2: Excuse me for the way I’m talking. When you feel pain, you yourself, and in great pleasures, and in confusion, you probably…it’s of little consequence, is that correct? Or, how would you say it? When there’s pain in the body for you, or pleasures, or temptations, or…

Maharaj: There’s no difference between you and I. We are not different, bodies are different, Presence is one. You’re measuring yourself in body-form. I’m not measuring myself in body-form, so there’s no difference between you and me. These are the words: ‘you’, ‘I’, ‘he’, ‘she’, these are the words.

Q2: Yeah. I’ve seen it where you can meditate beyond pain.

Maharaj: And therefore meditation is required because all illusory concepts will dissolve. All illusory concepts are supposed to be dissolved, that’s the most important thing. Only dry talking, dry discussion will not help you. Even if you go to thousands of Masters, it will not help you. You approach your own Master, give importance to your own Master. We’re trying to find so many Master, and you’re neglecting your own Master. 

Everything is within you, it’s fact. God, Brahman, Atman are not separate from you, I’m repeatedly telling you. And to dissolve all illusory concepts you are to undergo meditation. It’s the only source, there’s no other source. If you see thousands of Masters, if you go anywhere, if you torture your body, nothing will happen. These are temporary pain-killers. You’ve got to solve your problem within yourself only. There’s no problem. And for which, again I am repeating: the only source is meditation. Through meditation you’re inviting the attention of the Invisible Meditator within you that you are Ultimate Truth, you’re hammering all the time. You know! Suppose a criminal is there at the police station – “You are a criminal! This is evidence against you! You are a criminal.” Same thing happens: “You are Brahman, I know you are Brahman!”, and all concepts will disappear. It’s not difficult, it’s not difficult. You’ve are to devote some time, have strong faith within you. Because all the time we are dependent upon somebody else. “God will help me”, or “Some Master will help me”. You have to please your own Master within you!

So have some courage! Spirituality is giving you the courage to identify yourself. We’re having a lack of courage. Everybody wants some artificial limbs. You can stand on your own feet! Nothing is wrong with you. You can fly on your own, without wings.

Okay, in the beginning it’s okay. Like a child who depends upon it’s parents and all things, but now you’re grown up.

Anybody having any questions? Yes?

Q3: In your book you said “Be yourself and everything is okay”. How do you be yourself?

Maharaj: Yes, it’s fact! Because you’ve accepted body-knowledge. Yourself means Selfless Self, through which you are talking just now, you are identifying some concepts. Self is not separate from you. Name is given :’yourself’, ‘myself’, ‘yourself’, these are names given. It is Selfless Self. These are only words. There are so many Masters saying things in different ways. Instead of analyzing the words of all the Masters, what did they want to convey, that is most important. What did they want to convey? After reading so many books, what message were they giving? They’re giving the message: except your Selfless Self there is no God, no Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman, no Master. That’s the gist of spirituality. Remember this: except your Selfless Self there is no God, no Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman, no Master! It is a fact! Be bold, have some courage to accept the Reality! And you’ll find a dramatic change will take place, just like I told you all the six symptoms will appear within you. When you are getting some irritation, some violence, there will be complete silence, complete silence, peacefulness. You’ll have some tolerance also. No attraction of the world – why(be attracted to the world)? This can happen. The only thing you have to do is devote some time for you, not for any Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, or Master. You spend some time, you’re not required to pay a single penny for that. This is free of charge, knowledge is free of charge. But things which you are getting free of charge have no value. If someone is charging five thousand dollars or something you say “Oh, he’s a great Master”.

One person came to me who had a Hatha Yogi Master. His Master charged him five lakhs rupees in foreign currency – why? He cut his ear and something, something. Why is this required? Some different clothes are there, some garlands are there, so many things are there. They are decorating the body. Why are they decorating the body? When you came across this world, did you come with a decorated body? I’m not criticizing, this happens. Because we depend upon somebody else. We’re not trying to know ourself: “Who am I?”, the main question. That question will be solved within you only, because you are the source of this identity. Therefore I define it as ‘Unidentified’, ‘Invisible’, ‘Anonymous’ Identity. There’s no name, you can’t guess. Say I’m talking about something, that Invisible Listener is listening, some flow of thoughts are there. You’re witnessing that thought – who is that? And therefore I told you: be with you. Because your Presence is Ultimate Truth.

Don’t accept illusory thoughts. Thoughts are flowing, why to struggle with the thoughts? We are struggling with the thoughts: “Why this, why this?”. Okay, it’s the nature of the body.

Q3: But that’s difficult…

Maharaj: Why difficult? You can identify thoughts. The things which we do not accept, forget it. If dishes are given to you, so many things are there, you say “I don’t want this, I don’t want this, I want this food only”, correct? Not to flow along with the thoughts. This can happen through meditation. Give some time for you. Only reading books, listening from anybody else, no. Listen to your own voice, inner voice. This will happen if we’re calm and quiet.

Who is witnessing the thoughts inside?

Q3: But how do you know the inner voice that you sit there and hear, the inner voice, how do you know it’s not from your body though?

Maharaj: The body is only the media. You’re witnessing thoughts, you know? You’re witnessing the dream, you’re watching the dream, you know? Who is watching the dream? You are asleep, the body can’t watch. Who has created the dream world? Have you decided “today I’ll see this dream, tomorrow I’ll see that dream”?. You see the sky, the oceans, so many things, you see the Gods, so many things. Who has created the dream world? Similarly, the Presence clicked with the body and you see the dream-world. The body is not creating any dream. The combination of Presence and the body, just like the combination of the matchbox and the stick: they click each other and you see the fire. Fire is everywhere. Just like the five elements are everywhere. American water is not separate from the Indian water, hm? The sky is different from American sky and Indian sky? Because there are different bodies we see ‘this one’, ‘this one’. Presence is one.

After having this Conviction, all concepts will dissolve. There are so many concepts engraved upon us: ‘there’s a God’, ‘you’re going to die’, ‘last birth’, ‘future birth’, ‘hell’, ‘heaven’, what are these things? Who knows ‘hell’ and ‘heaven’? We don’t about this present birth, why are we talking about an earlier birth? We’re talking about ‘sin’, ‘virtue’ and all these things.

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Transcript September 16, 2016 Part II

OneCircle USA Talks with Ramakant Maharaj Part II September 16, 2016

 

Ramakant Maharaj: Because you’re Master of mind! So far mind was dictating us “do this thing, do that thing”, now we are dictating to the mind.  It can happen.  Mind, ego, intellect, these are only functioning organs. And after having Conviction you will be thoughtless, no thoughts will be there. And therefore for which, again I am repeating, meditation is the base, the foundation, which you are neglecting, you are not knowing.

Yes?

Q: Maharaj, why are we so scared to find this Ultimate Truth?

Ramakant Maharaj: Not like that. Because we are having so many concepts engraved upon us we are having some strong concepts: ‘I am somebody else’, ‘man’ or ‘woman’.  And to dissolve all these concepts, again, you have to undergo the meditation. After having the Conviction that ‘I am not the body at all, I was not the body at all, I’m not going to remain the body at all, I am unborn, death and birth are connected with the body only, all desires are connected with the body only”.  You are beyond that.  So there won’t be any depression, there won’t be any negative thoughts.  It is not your fault.  Because since childhood till today we’ve had a long association with the body, thousands of concepts have been engraved upon us. And we are trying to live within the circle of those concepts, we are having some limitation. Our thinking process is also within the circle of limitation, ‘I am somebody else’, ‘I am a man or woman, somebody else’.

Yes?

Q2: If all of us are Brahmans, the Brahma itself, is that correct? That’s the premise? Is that we are all…

Maharaj: It’s a fact! You’re measuring yourself in body-form! Bodies are different, bodies are different…

Q2: No problem, so that’s the premise. So the question that is begged is: why is one Brahma willing to harm another Brahma if we are one and the same?

Maharaj: Because it is body-based knowledge.  Brahma is not harming anything. Is the sky harming any sky? American sky is harming some Indian sky?  Sky doesn’t know ‘I am sky’, Presence doesn’t know ‘I am Presence,’ Brahman does not know ‘I am Brahman’. Brahman is a word given to that Ultimate Truth that you are. The Invisible Listener within you is Ultimate Truth, it is called Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master. It is not an individual, there’s no duality at all.

Q2: So then can one say that it’s okay for this Brahman to harm this Brahman?

Maharaj: No, no, no “Okay I am Brahman I will harm another Brahman”, there’s no two different Brahman.

Q2: Okay, so it’s one Brahman, right, but bodies, there are two separate bodies. If I harm this body in some way do I just turn around and say it’s okay because we’re all one and the same?

Maharaj: Egoistic concepts are there, ‘I am somebody else’. That ‘somebody’ is supposed to be dissolved. Brahman is not harming anybody else.

Q2: But if harm should happen, which you, I think, said earlier, was that nothing is really being done, no deeds are being done, ultimately.

Maharaj: There’s no doer there’s no deed. So far we’re measuring ourselves in body-form, all these concepts appear. I’m talking about that invisible Presence within you, where nothing is there, no thoughts are there, no concepts are there.  The concept ‘Brahman’ is also not there. And as I told, the name ‘Brahman’ is given to that Ultimate Truth. Except your Selfless Self there is no Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master. So Brahman is not harming some other, “this Brahman is different, this Brahman is different”.

Q2: Okay, so in other words, what you do to others you’re doing to yourself, right?

Maharaj: So far you’re considering yourself in body-form these concepts appear. No other is there. Because we are measuring in body-form, therefore ‘he’ is there, ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’ is there, and all concepts appear. Prior to beingness any of these things are there? Prior beingness or after leaving the body, are you finding any different things?

Q2: So, somebody who does do harm to another…

Maharaj: When did you come across with somebody? Prior to beingness who ‘somebody’ was there?

After leaving body any ‘somebody’ is there?

Q2: …body, body, if this body harms…

Maharaj: (Smiling) I’m shouting…I’m shouting at you…because you’re measuring yourself in body-form therefore you say different bodies are there. Different houses are there, sky is one. This is called a bungalow, this is a cottage, something, something, names are given. If all the houses collapse what happens to the sky? Is it going to hell or heaven? And therefore I’m telling you not to measure yourself in body-form, it’s the basic thing. Since we are measuring ourselves in body-form, so many concepts appear.  Bodies are different. After one hundred years what will happen to all these bodies? Even if you think intellectually – how were you prior to one hundred years, you say “I don’t know”, your answer will be: “I don’t know”. How are you after one hundred years – “I don’t know”.  ‘I don’t know’ means “I’m not in any form, not in any shape”. As I told some of you: You’re alone in the house, and somebody knocks on the door “Anybody there?”,  you say “Nobody’s there”. Correct? You want to say “I am here, except myself nobody’s there”, that’s the only thing.  Except your Selfless Self, nothing is there. 

And therefore I am insisting on meditation. Meditation means concentration, full involvement. For which there are no restrictions, no bondage is there. This is the base, foundation. Because only listening is meaningless, it is a temporary relief, painkillers. Temporary intoxication.

The human body is an opportunity for you to identify yourself. Every moment is very important, it’s valuable. Complete concentration, complete involvement is most important.  We’re not accepting it. Everybody knows ‘I am not body at all’, everybody knows. Some or other day, willingly or unwillingly we are to leave this body, what remains?

Yes?

Q3:  Could you please say something about any practice that is silent, without words, that supports the  aware Presence in recognizing itself?

Maharaj: After having Conviction, silence will be there, spontaneous silence is there. Therefore I am insisting on meditation.  Because, there is no silence because we are having so many concepts, body-based concepts. Directly or indirectly we’ve become a victim of our mind, ego, intellect. For which you have to identify yourself in a real sense. It’s fact, forget about spirituality.  You were not the body at all, you’re not the body, you’re not going to remain the body, the body is not your identity at all.  Even if you think intellectually, it’s open fact. What is the value of this body?  If there is no Presence for a moment, what is the value of this body? Nothing. And therefore I am insisting on meditation all the time, involvement. Considering the sensitivity of the Spirit or Presence, the words are given ‘Soham’ or some ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘Sivoham, these are the words. Key-words, you see, key-words.

Q4: Maharaj?

Maharaj: Yes?

Q4: Naam (inaudible) should be recited continuously at all times once one has received initiation?

Maharaj: You have to recite  the Naam Mantra all the time continuously, at any moment. You need not sit all the time here like this (Maharaj pretends to meditate). You do your job, do your duties, no restrictions, no bondage is there. What you are doing, whatever you are doing, you recite the Mantra, the Naam Mantra, ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘Brahman I am, Brahman’, like that.

Q4: And it will still the mind so that the mind is not all over the place all the time.

Maharaj: Mind is always pricking from the backside. When you’re concentrating on the Mantra, concentrating on ‘Brahman’, it’s a kind of cleaning process. Mind will not allow you to concentrate on yourself. Mind is nothing but the flow of thoughts. We are giving importance to the mind – there’s no mind at all, no mind, ego, intellect. They came along with the body only, they appeared upon your Presence. If your Presence is not there, where is the mind, ego, intellect? But directly or indirectly we are becoming victims of the mind, ego, intellect. We are giving so much importance to mind, ego, intellects: “Not to go against my mind”.

Q2: Maharaj?

Maharaj: Yes?

Q2: May I ask another question?

Maharaj: Yes, yes, ask a question.

Q2: I (inaudible) with Vipassana meditation, which does not involve mantras, it is basically observing your breath, observing your body sensations. What are your thoughts on that?

Maharaj: This is a temporary relief. ‘Vipassana’, so many concepts are there. Temporary relief. So far you are doing Vipassana for a time, one week, two week, one month, after leaving the Vipassana again you come to the same place.

Q2:  But what if you practice Vipassana everyday? I mean, what are your thoughts on Vipassana versus…

Maharaj: The Principle behind Vipassana or any practice is just do identify yourself in a real sense. Whatever practice you are doing, is just for the principle that you identify yourself in a real sense. This is only a process: Vipassana is a process, meditation is also a process. But meditation is a strong process through which you can identify yourself as early as possible.

Q2: But in Vipassana meditation there is no mantra…

Maharaj: You (go ahead and) do Vipassana meditation, but you are posing yourself in body-form and then doing some Vipassana meditation, so it is meaningless. “I am somebody else, I’m doing Vipassana meditation”, it is egoistic meditation. You are to forget your body-identity. “I am doing some sadhana, I am doing some meditation” – that ‘I’ is supposed to be dissolved, for which meditation is there. Through meditation you are inviting the attention of the Invisible Meditator within you that you are Ultimate Truth, you are Final Truth. Non-stop hammering yourself. At the advanced stage, meditation is no longer required. After having Conviction, no meditation is required. Meditation is only a process for the time being., till you’ve got Conviction, Spontaneous Conviction.

Yes?

Q5: In ‘I Am That’, Nisargadatta says “A quiet mind is all you need. When the mind is quiet, all else happens as it should.” Does it matter, therefore, how one quiets one’s mind?

Maharaj: It happens, but after knowing your Selfless Self the mind will not remain. The existence of mind appeared upon your Presence. The existence of mind, ego, intellect appeared upon your Presence.  Presence does not have any mind, ego, intellect. And therefore, try to identify  yourself in a real sense. These are the words, through words I am conveying. After having Conviction, mind, ego, intellect never remains. Where was the mind prior to beingness and after leaving the body? Mind does not have it’s own identity. You have given birth to the mind, ego, intellect. Without your Presence, how can you identify ego, intellect, mind?  It was not there prior to beingness, and not after leaving the body also. And therefore I am insisting on meditation. Through meditation you can control your mind, mind will be controlled spontaneously. Mind means flow of thoughts, continuous thoughts are there, which you define as ‘the mind’. Thoughts are entering the mind, they go to the intellect and make a decision, and through ego you are implementing that decision. It’s a process, functioning. You are separate from that.

So all questions will be solved within you. You do not need to go anywhere or to any Master also, I’ll tell you. Because the Masterly essence is within you. My Master said: “I’m not making you a disciple, I’m making you a Master”. Nisargadatta Maharaj says that “I’m not making you a disciple, I’m making you a Master”. You’re already Master, but you forgot your identity.

You know the story of the lion? Famous story, spiritual story. One lion got brought up with the goats and sheep and started considering: “I am a goat or sheep” and was afraid of the dogs and foxes, etc., etc. It’s a famous story, you know? So far we have association with this body, even though body is not our identity, and therefore we are considering ourself in body-form. You are formless. There’s no shape, no form, it’s fact. And to absorb this fact, you are to undergo the meditation, again I am repeating the same thing. You may read books, you may listen to the various Masters, but not to neglect your Inner Master.

Any questions for anybody else? Yes?

Q6: I’m confused about when the best time to activate the inner Master and do the self-enquiry.  Should that…

Maharaj: See, I said that ‘inner Master’ and ‘outer Master’ are concepts. There’s no difference between the internal Master and the external Master. Just for understanding we are saying ‘internal Master’, ‘external Master’, there’s no difference between any ‘internal Master’ and ‘external Master’. It’s just for understanding. Master is Master, there’s no inner and no outer, no external.

Q6: Thank you.

Maharaj: Yes?

Q7: Who is eligible to have the Naam Mantra?

Maharaj: Everybody!

Q7: (inaudible)..requirement for that?

Maharaj: Yes, yes, I told John. If you are willing to have the Naam Mantra, spare some time for Naam Mantra. But it should be sincere. I’m not accepting anything from you, but you should be sincere to accept it, your involvement is most important. Because what happens, is that things we get free of charge have no value. I’m not expecting anything from you except your involvement, which is most important, not anything else. To give the Naam Mantra is not difficult for me. But there should not be some ill-faith or something. Be serious about the Naam Mantra.

Q7: How to practice it?

Maharaj: (Inaudible), (I’ll guide you). You are to recite the Mantra according to the breathing. At the initial stage we are giving some discipline, just like when you are learning some language, how to write a-b-c-d and all these things.

Q7: Because sometimes it feels we are torturing ourself.

Maharaj: It’s not necessary to torture yourself. It’s a very simple thing. No torturing, no special exercise. Why to torture the body? It’s a simple thing, it’s your knowledge, not the knowledge of ‘Brahman’, ‘Atman’, ‘Paramatman’. The Invisible Listener within you is Ultimate Truth, it is called Ultimate Truth. But you are neglecting it, you are underestimating yourself. You say “God is great”, “Oh God bless me”, okay, it’s not bad. But if your Presence is not there, how can you identify God?

To say ‘God’ your Presence is required. If there’s no Presence in the body, who will talk about the God? Who will talk about this world? At the initial stage I’m insisting on meditation because we forgot our identity. You might have read so many books, you might have listened to so many Masters. But you’re not reading, not listening as if it’s the listener’s story, the readers story, “It’s my story”. If somebody writes your biography, you“It’s my biography”.

Yes?

Q8: You can also recite with an ‘Om Nama Sivaya’ or (other) mantra also?

Maharaj: You can recite one mantra, any one mantra. Not to take one mantra from one Master, go to another Master for some other mantra.  Have some loyalty or faith with your mantra, any mantra will do. Not to (inaudible) wavering mind: “Today one Master gives this mantra then that Master gives a different Mantra”.

Q8: No, in the morning you have a habit of (inaudible), ten minutes…

Maharaj: Okay, no problem. With full faith, full involvement. Any mantra will do: ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ is okay, ‘Sivoham’, any mantra.  But be faithful with full trust.

Q9: I’m kind of confused. When you say something comes…nothing comes from something, and then something becomes nothing?

Maharaj: I said that ‘everything came out of nothing, and everything dissolves back into nothing’. Everything came out of nothing and everything dissolves within nothing.

Q9: But how can something become nothing? And nothing become something, I mean…

Maharaj: We are playing with the words. Try to identify yourself so this question will not arise in your mind. These are the words, I repeat, this is language through which you are conveying yourself. We have created language: ‘something’, ‘nothing’, ‘everything’, these are words. The basic principle behind that is that you have to try to identify yourself, try to identify the Invisible Listener within you. Instead of analyzing so many words, spiritual words, try to identify: who is the analyzer? Who wants this knowledge? What is the purpose of this knowledge?  To what extent is this knowledge helpful? Suppose somebody has lots of knowledge. Will that knowledge help at the time of leaving the body? Lots of knowledge, so many books you are reading, fifty years of sadhana, seventy years of sadhana, or something. Just question yourself: “After reading so many books, after having approached so many Masters, after having a lot of knowledge, will this knowledge help me at the time of leaving the body?” You should be fearless. That fearless life should be there. That moment should be a happy moment: “I am not dying, no death is there. I am unborn.”

You’ll get spontaneous courage out of spirituality to approach any problem. Thoughts are coming and going, negative thoughts are coming and going, depressions are there. But after having Conviction you’ll neglect all these depressive thoughts. It is momentary, just like clouds, black clouds coming and going. You are there and there only.

Yes? Anybody having any questions? I think tomorrow will be another session.

 

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Transcript September 16, 2016 Part I

OneCircle USA Talks with Ramakant Maharaj Part I September 16, 2016

 

Ramakant Maharaj: Everybody’s read ‘I Am That’ book?  Selfless Self? 

Well, we can start.

We are here to identity oneself in a real sense. Spiritual knowledge is just to identity oneself in a real sense. We are identifying ourselves in body-form, and that is illusion.  And everybody knows it, the body is not your identity at all.  The body was not your identity, the body’s not going to remain your identity.  Just glimpses of ‘I’ is there, that appears upon your Spontaneous Presence. If Presence is not there, where is ‘I’?  So, ‘I’ appears upon your Presence.  It is called God or Master, Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, name is given to that Unidentified Identity within you.

See, what happens is from childhood till today we are measuring ourselves in body-form, and as you know body is not our identity at all.  What is the purpose behind spiritual knowledge?  We are reading so many books, we approach so many Masters. What is the purpose, what do we want exactly? The basic thing is we want happiness, peacefulness, tension-free life, fearless life.  Because human body is not tolerable. We’ve accepted the human body as ‘I am’.  The ‘I am’ appeared upon your Presence.  Presence does not know ‘I am Presence’.  It is subtler than sky, space. If there is no Presence what is the value of this body?

Through the human body we can identity ourself in a real sense.  What is knowledge, spiritual knowledge? It means just to identify oneself in a real sense. It does not mean neglect your body, neglect your family responsibility. It is practical spirituality, it is not a dry spirituality, not a dry discussion on spirituality.  Be practical.  It’s not difficult at all.  I’ve already told you: except your Selfless Self there is no God, no Brahman, no Atman, no Paramatman, no Master.  But all the time we are measuring ourselves in body form, and that is illusion.  And that illusory concept is supposed to be dissolved.  ‘I am somebody else’, mind, ego, intellect, appeared along with the body.  We are living within the circle of the mind, ego, intellect.  Where was the mind, ego, intellect prior to beingness?  Prior to beingness we were not having any happiness or peacefulness.  After leaving the body, who wants happiness, who wants peacefulness?  These are the words. Body-knowledge is not tolerable, ‘I am somebody else’ is not tolerable.  So once it is identified perfectly, it means ‘I’m not the body, I was not the body, I’m not going to remain the body’.

Basically you are unborn. There is no birth and death. Birth and death are connected with the body-knowledge only. I’m not saying to neglect your body.  Body is the media through which you can identity.  If Presence is not there, what is the value of this body?  So be practical, it’s not impossible.

What is practical?  To identify oneself in a real sense you are to undergo the discipline of meditation, it is most important.  We are insisting Nama Mantra, mantra, these are the words. ‘Soham’ is a word, ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘Sivoham’, these are the words through which you can identify, through which you are hammering yourself all the time.

So, that is the only source.  I’m telling you that meditation is also illusion at the advanced stage. But, to dissolve all body-based concepts, meditation is most important, the foundation.  In other words, I am saying it is the anti-virus software, meditation is the anti-virus software.  You have to go through this, without which you can’t identity.  Only dry spiritual knowledge, “I’ve read so many books”, these are temporary reliefs, they’re painkillers.  So this is a golden opportunity.  Your Presence is invaluable Presence.  Presence does not know ‘I am Presence’.  I have given the name ‘Presence’, ‘Spirit’, or ‘Energy’, you can say anything. It’s just like space: space does not know ‘I am space’ or sky does not know ‘I am sky’.  Then what to do?  Try to identify yourself in a real sense. “I am somebody else” is supposed to be dissolved.  You’re everybody.  You’re beyond sky.  Sky is everywhere.  You go anywhere in the world, sky is there.  But sky does not know ‘I am sky’. Likewise, your Anonymous, Invisible Presence, the Invisible Listener within you is everywhere just like sky – not limited to the body.  The body is having some limitations, some stages. You’re a child, then grown up as young man, then old man, and some or other day, willingly or unwillingly, we have to leave this body.  This is the purpose behind spirituality. Spirituality means what? These are the words.

Anybody want to ask any questions, you can ask it.  Yes? Okay, welcome.

Q: Maharaj, what is devotion, how do you practice devotion?

Maharaj: Yes, good question.

You have to involve yourself. After knowing the Reality, you have to involve yourself, you have to concentrate.  Concentrate on the Concentrator, the Invisible Concentrator within you, the Invisible Listener within you.

Through words we are trying to identify ourself.  We have created language, and through this language we are trying to identify ourself. Through devotion you can identify the Deity within you.  Your Spontaneous Presence is a Deity, it is God, Ultimate Truth, Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, not separate from you.  This happens because we are all the time measuring: ‘I am somebody else’, ‘I am man or woman’, or something else.  You are not man or woman you are Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master.  It’s fact, but you are not accepting the facts.

So many questions appear upon your Presence, body-based questions. So all questions will be solved the moment you identify yourself in a real sense. It’s open fact, forget about spirituality.  Even if you think intellectually, body is not your identity at all. After leaving the body what remains? What is knowledge? Who requires knowledge? Who wants knowledge? Who wants peacefulness? What is peacefulness, what is happiness?  Body-knowledge is not tolerable, therefore we want happiness.

There are three concepts for happiness:  publicity, money, and sex.  We are trying to extract happiness through these three elements.  These things are not there prior to beingness. After leaving the body, who wants all these things?

There are so many concepts!  ‘Karma’, ‘dharma’, ‘religion’, so many things.  ‘Destiny’, ‘earlier birth’, ‘future birth’ – nothing is there, absolutely it is illusion.  But since childhood, because of long association with the body we’ve accepted so many concepts, body-related concepts.  “I am somebody else”.  That ‘I am somebody else’ is supposed to be dissolved.

You’re nobody, you’re everybody. You’re Presence is everywhere just like space or sky.  After having Spontaneous Conviction, all concepts will be dissolved, all questions will be solved within you. I said to you: You’re not a beggar, you’re a multimillionaire.  We’re begging “Oh God bless me, Oh, somebody bless me”, “Put your hand on my head”, why?  Because you’re always neglecting your Selfless Self.  Accepting some happiness or blessing from somebody else.  Okay, you respect everybody. But there should be Spontaneous Conviction: I was not the body, I’m not the body, I’m not going to remain the body. It’s Reality, but you’re not accepting that Reality because ego is there, so-called mind is there, intellect is there. These are functional organs.  Where was that mind prior to beingness? After leaving the body mind remains? Nothing. Any ego is there? No. Any intellect? No.  Mind, ego, intellect, needs, requirements came along with the body only, and dissolve along with the body.

So this is an opportunity to identify yourself. For which meditation is the only source. If you go on approaching so many Masters, reading thousands of books, spiritual books, we are adding something, intellect.  Because your Selfless Self is there, nothing is there.  God, Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master, these are names given to that Ultimate, Supernatural Power within you.  I’m inviting the attention of the Invisible Listener within you that you are Ultimate Truth, you are Final Truth. You need not go anywhere.

But, some confusion is there because we’ve read so many books, so many concepts were impressed, were engraved upon us. We’ve got to break the circle of all concepts, body-related concepts. Even if you say “I am Brahman”, it’s also concept.  You’re beyond that. These are names, words are there, good words. Because we’ve created language, given the meaning of language, each and every word.

And therefore I am insisting, in the beginning stage, one should undergo the meditation.  It’s the only source, the base, the foundation.  After having Spontaneous Conviction, meditation is also illusion.  Why is meditation required?  Through meditation you are inviting the attention of the Invisible Meditator within you that you are Ultimate Truth.  Through meditation you are inviting the attention of the Invisible Meditator, Anonymous Meditator within you that you are Ultimate Truth, Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God.  After Conviction you’re not required to go anywhere, everything is within you. You’ve got tremendous power, but we are always depending on somebody else.  “Do some something-prayers for me, do something-prayers for me”, “give me some blessing”, “put your hand on my head”, why? Try to absorb the knowledge which you already have.

Anybody have any questions, you can ask it. Be free! Yes, yes, okay, welcome.

Q2: Sri Ramakant, after reading Selfless Self my spaces in meditation were longer when the ‘I’ disappeared, they disappeared for longer periods, and… 

Maharaj: See, ‘I’ appeared upon your Presence. To say ‘I’ it appeared upon your Presence.  If there’s no Presence who says ‘I’?  You’re prior to ‘I’.  ‘I’ is a word, ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘he’, ‘she’, it is an indication, an identification, local identification, physical identification.

Q2: But after I began experiencing so much peace in that, and before my trip I experienced so much resistance to get here and it’s like I made myself come.

Maharaj: The experience is okay, it’s a good experience. But at the last stage, the Ultimate Stage there is no experience no experiencer, no witness no witnesser.  Experience appeared upon your Presence, it’s a good thing, not a bad thing. When you come closer and closer to your Selfless Self some good experiences appear: exceptional peacefulness is there, exceptional happiness is there, there is spiritual intoxication without any cause, without any material cause.

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 no 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 (inaudible). 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.

Q3: Maharaj? 

Maharaj: Yes? 

Q3: 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 accepting 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’, (inaudible). Through meditation you hammering all the time ‘I am Brahman’, ‘Soham’, 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.

Yes?

Q4: On my way down here, when I was sitting – I came by this house a few hours back, and you probably weren’t even here – but I…gradually I feel more bliss than other times.  It was stronger than ever when I was just sitting here waiting, for some reason.  And I was wondering if there was any way I could share this with – and I don’t know where it comes from, but I can’t control it – could I share it with my Mother? She’s really old. Is there any way I could help her?  I mean, I’ve told her about this stuff and she has a little bit of interest.  Is that the best I can do?  Can I meditate with her in mind?

Maharaj: Meditation is not only sitting like this (Maharaj pretends to meditate). This is required in the beginning stage.  Your total involvement is required.  This body is called ‘man’, and you’ve accepted it as man, and this body is called ‘woman’.  Are you going” I am woman, I am woman, I am woman” or “I am man, I am man”?  You are neither man nor woman, you are Brahman, you have to accept that. Because of some illusory concepts, we are not accepting it. And therefore meditation is required, through which you are hammering all the time: “You are Brahman”.

All relations, all needs came along with the body. All requirements, needs came along with the body, and you are not body at all.  Prior to beingness what needs are there? What relations are there? You say “my father”, “my brother”, “my sister”, “my Brahman”, “my God, do something”, so many things are there. The moment the Spirit disappears from the body what relation remains?  It’s open fact, even if you think intellectually.  All relations came along with the body, all requirements came along with the body, needs came along with the body.  Because the body is not tolerable therefore we want so many things. So many material causes are there.  Prior to beingness no nothing is there, no requirements, no needs are there, no relations are there. Master is not separate from you.

Yes?

Q5: What type of meditation is (inaudible), whether ask the self ‘Who am I?’ or meditate on the ‘Brahman’ (mantra)?

Maharaj: You are to recite some mantra, ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘I am Brahman, I am Brahman’, like that, or ‘Soham’, there are so many.  Every lineage is having some different words.  The principle behind it is that through those words you are identifying yourself.  ‘I am Brahman’, ‘Aham Brahmasmi’, ‘Soham’, ‘Sivoham’, these are the words.  They are key-words, through which you are hammering your Selfless Self.  All the time I am living as a man or woman, limitations, body limitations are there.  Your Presence is beyond that, beyond sky. The entire world is projected out of your Presence.  If there is no Presence who will talk about the world, who will talk about the God?  To say ‘God’, your Presence is required. To identify God your Presence is required. When did you come across with the God? Be free (to reply). If there is no Presence in the body can I identify ‘Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, Master’?  Any relations are there?  

Nothing is impossible. 

Yes?

Q6:  So why is the realization of Ultimate Truth so scarce and rare…

Maharaj: See, ‘Realization’ means Conviction. Realization means Spontaneous Conviction. At present we are saying “I am somebody else”, “I am man or woman”, that is illusion. So I’m talking about that Realization, Spontaneous Conviction: ‘I am Brahman, Atman, Paramatman, God, Master, I am nothing to do with the world’.

This is an illusory world. The moment Presence clicked with the body you see the world. Where is the world prior to beingness? That means the entire world is projected out of your Presence. Therefore I define it as ‘Unidentified’ Identity, ‘Invisible’ Identity, ‘Anonymous’ Identity which cannot be defined, cannot be guessed, cannot be imagined. This Reality is supposed to be absorbed totally. Only dry discussion on spirituality will not help you. And the human body is a golden opportunity to identify yourself.

Q7: Maharaj?

Maharaj:  Yes?

Q7: What is the benefit of initiation?

Maharaj: Benefit of what?

Q7: Of initiation, Nama Mantra.

Maharaj: Nama Mantra, yes. It is inviting the attention of the Meditator that you are Brahman, Atman, Paramatman. It is the beginning stage, the foundation. You forgot your identity, always we are measuring ourself in body-form. Basically you are not the body-form, no shape is there. If somebody lost his memory we are showing some articles, something, showing this thing, this thing.  The purpose behind that, you should regain your memory. Same thing here. We’ve lost our memory, we’ve accepted body as our identity. And to dissolve body-identity initiation is there, ‘I am Brahman, Brahman I am’.

Yes?

Q8: Why Spirit forgot Himself?

Maharaj: There’s no reason at all – Spirit does not know ‘I am Spirit’. Spirit does not know ‘I am Spirit’. Spirit is the name given to the Presence, Invisible Presence, Power, Energy. Does electricity know that ‘I am lighting all these things’? There’s no reason ‘why Spirit’. Because we are trying to guess with the intellect. Your Presence in the world is Spontaneous Presence. Everyday you see dreams, you know? Are you planning ‘I will see this dream today, this dream tomorrow’? And who is acting in that dream? Who is watching that dream? And you are acting in that dream as somebody else. You see the sun, moon, and everything, you see narrating. How is that dream world projected?  You are sleeping. And who is taking the video-shooting of all the dreams?  Likewise, this is a long dream: ‘I am somebody else”.

Q9:  So Maharaj?

Maharaj: Yes?

Q9: Do you teach that Moola Maya, all is a dream?

Maharaj: What ‘Maya’, no ‘Maya’, ‘Maya’ is a concept.

Q9: Correct. But Moola Maya?

Maharaj: ‘Maya’ is the name given to the illusory concepts.

Q9: Okay, great. And you teach that?

Maharaj: What is the ‘Maya’? Prior to beingness what is the ‘Maya’?  ‘Maya’ is illusion, an illusory concept.

Q9: Of course. So you teach that existence is like a dream?

Maharaj: Of course, of course. Not ‘I am thinking’, it is fact! My thinking is not (inaudible), it’s a fact, it’s Reality. The entire world is projected out of your Presence, all things appear upon your Presence.  It is not my thinking, it is a universal thing, a universal fact.

Q9: Did you know Ranjit Maharaj?

Maharaj: Yes, I knew him. He was my Guru’s Guru Brother.

Q9: Yes, he was my teacher.

Maharaj: Yes, yes, he was a great person. Nisargadatta Maharaj was my Master.

Q9: And Siddharameshwar Maharaj… 

Maharaj: …and Siddharameshwar Maharaj was my spiritual Grand-Master, grand-father.

Q10: Is love a concept as well?

Maharaj: Of course, when did you come across the ‘love’? ‘Love’, ‘affection’, these are concepts which appeared upon your Presence. When the Spirit clicked with the body, the love, affection, appeared before you. What is the love? Prior to beingness no love is there.  After leaving the body any love is there? So far we’re measuring ourselves in body-form, ‘love’, ‘affection’, so many things are there, so many relations are there: ‘my father’, ‘my sister’, ‘my brother’, ‘my Master’, ‘my God’, thousands of concepts are there. The moment the body dissolves nothing is there, no relations. All relations are body-based relations, and you are not the body at all, you were not the body at all, you’re not going to remain the body at all, because you’re Ultimate Truth, you’re Final Truth, Final Reality. 

And to absorb this Reality, again I am repeating, you are to undergo the meditation, it’s the only source. Only reading, only talking, only listening, no. And you can do it! Nothing is impossible. Because except your Selfless Self nothing is there.

Be practical. Not to neglect your family life. If you’re doing a job, do your job, you’re doing duties, do your duties. So “I’m Brahman”, or “I’m spiritual man, how can I do all these things”, no restrictions at all. What you’re reading, what you’re doing, has nothing to do with it. There’s no deed, there’s no doer! Because we are measuring ourself in body-form therefore we are saying “I did something, bad thing, good thing”. What is a ‘good thing’ what is a ‘bad thing’? That which is tolerable is a ‘good thing’, that which is not tolerable is a ‘bad thing’.

Yes?

Q4: I think of bliss, and then I think of impersonal love as sort of the same, and to me, when I’m there, it’s a fact to me.  Then other times, I forget that fact.  So is the bliss, the bliss and love…

Maharaj: Not to measure yourself in body-form.  What blessing is there?

Q4: Bliss, bliss…

Maharaj: Ah, acha, acha (I  understand), blissfulness.

Q4: So,when I experience that it’s a fact for me…

Maharaj: It’s okay, it’s okay…

Q4: …but then I forget it, and then it’s no longer a fact.

Maharaj: Don’t underestimate you. Nothing (inaudible), nothing (inaudible). That so-called ‘I’ is supposed to dissolve.

Q11: When you meditate do you have to repeat a certain Mantra?

Maharaj: Yes, of course, of course. Therefore I told you, our lineage is having a different mantra. ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ is one, ‘Soham’ mantra is there, ‘Sivoham’ mantra is there, ‘I am Brahman, Brahman I am’.  Various mantra’s, various words are there.  It is an indication, some key-words. Through those words you  are to identify, you are hammering yourself.  You’re not only sitting for one hour, two hours. You can sit for meditation, but all the time involvement is required.

Yes?

Q11: When I do the meditation I can’t help but have thoughts coming through. What do I have to do to stop the thoughts?

Maharaj: It’s the nature of the mind. Mind means flow of thoughts. You are witnessing thoughts, you are different from thoughts.  You are witnessing thoughts, good thoughts, bad thoughts, you are witnessing.  Not to try to control the thoughts, let them be there. Suppose you are sitting here and outside something happens, you’re neglecting it. Thoughts are flowing all the time. Which thoughts to be accepted and which thoughts not to be accepted is up to you.