84. Temples – Energy Stations.🔗

He has very much supported the institution of temples.

❖ Whatever is the religion, whichever be the God, temples are common to all.

❖ Temples are healing energy stations, which satisfy to a very great extent man's energy needs.

❖ All religions welcome the principle of temples in the name of temple, church, and mosque. Principle of temple: Those holy structures which continue to radiate healing energy are called temples. Temples are hospitals, which feed divine energy of bliss.

❖ GOD. Is God so small to be shrunk within these three letters?

❖ Just because you know the word God, have you understood God?

❖ The above questions are asked to theists first and then to atheists.

------

A beautiful story told by Ramakrishna...

The question asked daily by the Pundit to the king, to whom he was teaching Bhagavad Gita was, ‘Oh king! Have you understood what I have said today?’

For this, the king used to put a question in reply, ‘First of all, have you understood all these?’ In spite of his thorough preparation and his beautiful explanation, as the king continued to ask the same question, the pundit got disturbed mentally.

That morning, for the Gita class, instead of the pundit, a palm leaf came to the king. In that it was written, ‘Oh king, I have understood the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita today. Hereafter I will not come.’

For the pundit, who had been talking for hours together on how to remain unattached and how to get released from the clutches of the senses, on that particular day only, it was known to him very clearly, that the words spoken by him so far have not at all really experienced by his own self. The day he stopped preaching to others he started to take necessary action for his own improvement.

❖ If, for the pundit, it took so much time, even to understand that, he himself had not understood at all, what is our condition? Just by knowing to talk a few words about the world, have we understood the world?

In the same way as the radio stations absorb the sound waves and do the broadcasts, temples absorb the energy waves and spread the energy. So they are energy stations.

Temples which are established by mystics are energy stations to radiate energy constantly. That is why, people who go to the temple with mental depression, mental difficulties, when they come out, they come with a new vigour and fresh hopes.

The fresh vigour and fresh clarity are got from the wisdom energy present in the temples. When people go to the temple, to whatever extent they enter with devotion and open mind, to the same extent they will receive the energy and return.

Devotion is an entrance door which helps energy to enter through. To whatever extent you open out the door of bhakthi (i.e.) devotion, to the same extent the breeze of energy will enter within you. It will make you blissful.

Without devotion, without earnestness if one goes to the temple as a duty, it will be of no use. Open the door of devotion... Let the breeze of energy enter in.

Why were temples created?

Temples are only holy energy stations created for people to have contact with the divine energy.

Doctor Frank Rudolph was a great scientist. He had stayed amongst the tribals of Amazon forests for 30 years and did continuous research.

He indicates in his book about a strange habit prevalent there.

If they wanted to punish their enemies or make them become afflicted with some disease they will make a statue exactly like that enemy, name it with the name of the enemy, after chanting some mantras before it, and break the legs of the statue. Even if the enemy is present many, many miles away, some accident or the other would happen to him and his legs would be broken.

Same way, if a disease is to be cured, after making a statue like the patient, naming it after the patient and chanting some mantras, the disease goes away.

When Dr. Frank Rudolf heard it for the first time about such strange incident happening, he did not believe it.

Later on, when he wrote about the research he did, in his autobiography, 'For hundred times I experimented with this and on all the hundred instances, I saw with my own eyes such incidents happening. This is 100% true. If this is told by an ordinary person, we can ignore it as falsehood.

But when a great and renowned scientist has proved it through photographs and video recordings it has got to be believed.

By keeping an ordinary statue, if changes can be made on a person who is alive and who is far away beyond hundred miles, why will it not be possible to connect to the Divine energy or God by keeping an idol of a mystic?

The idols which have been installed by Prana Prathishta (Vedic installation of Idol) by a mystic have the power of continuously releasing the energy.

This is truth. This will be understood experientially by those who come with total devotion only.

The more and more devotion increases in your heart, the silly feelings which affect you like ego, anger, envy, hatred - all these will begin to disappear from you.

In case such a thing like this happens...

Suddenly a world war erupts and almost the whole world is destroyed. A cell phone which somehow escaped reaches a few who have survived.

To those who come after one or two generations, if the cell phone is shown to them, saying once upon a time people could talk with a person in any remote corner of the world, will they believe it? No. They won't.

This is because the scientific knowledge to use the cell phone is not available now. Therefore the greatness of the cell phone cannot be understood. You cannot make one understand its use.

In the same way, the greatness of temples created by mystics of those times has been hidden in course of time. Many do not know how the temples serve as a path way in human life and in one's spiritual growth.

The pujas done just as a duty will not yield any benefits. Puja i.e. worship is equivalent to a plantain leaf (plantain leaf is used as a plate in India) laid out but without any food on it.

The worship that is done with devotion is not a mere worship or ritual. It is equivalent to the meditation which helps to obtain a direct contact with the divine energy.

Even the meditation done without interest or total application and involvement is also a mere ritual only. A ritual which is done with earnestness and total involvement is itself a meditation only.

India is a holy land containing a lot of mystics and temples. One should be blessed even to take birth in this holy land. Going to the temples in this holy land and having the darshan (seeing the deity) of the deity, standing for long durations and worshipping is also a type of meditation only.

In the spiritual journey of feeling the experience of realization, going to temples and worshipping the idols are important aspects.

Do not think that these are to be done only by illiterates and those who don't know any thing. Whether educated or illiterate, to those who live consciously, the best path for every one is the path of devotion.

Don't deceive yourself by registering in your mind the public speeches which are self-centered and the ideas which mock at worship. These ideas are written by some people, just because they know how to write.

You may be a best theist within yourself. You go by some wrongly obtained notions about devotion and you deceive yourself by saying, 'Oh! Devotion is silly; I don't feel it.' Then the loss is for you only. It is a loss certainly for you alone.

To feel the divine energy, there are many paths. Of all these paths, if one has to say which the simplest path is, it is only the path of bhakthi or devotion.

Remaining dumb even if one has a mouth, remaining blind in spite of having eyes, remaining deaf in spite of having ears -- All these refer to those stone-like minds of men, which in spite of knowing the truth and knowing the greatness of devotion, remain without understanding it.

Bring devotion to your life; it will change the stone-like heart into white soft one.

You will consciously experience, that due to the full-fledged showering of grace by the divine energy, the deficiencies of body, mind and energy, which are the reason for disease, sorrows and sufferings, are removed and made full to their capacity.

It is just like the wet cloth which smells, when it does not get enough sun-light to dry. When the energy needed for our health is not got to the required extent, our health runs down and disease manifests itself in our body.

In the same manner, for a mind to be happy, if the required energy is not available to the required measure, enthusiasm reduces and grief surfaces.

Disease, grief and suffering are all different expressions of deficiencies of energy in the body, mind and the central location point of our life. It is enough if just the problem of the energy deficiency alone is corrected. All problems will become all right automatically.

For some, it may be difficult to believe this truth.

The only problem of energy deficiency is the root for all problems.

It is difficult to believe this truth.

To accept this is easy. To make it an experience is very easy.

It is easy to act as if the truth is believed. It is also easy to act as though it is accepted also. But it is an impossible task to act as though it is experiential knowledge.

It is very easy to act as a devotee, still remaining inwardly as a cruel person, fraud or a sorrowful person.

But to live as a person full of devotion is difficult. Your deficiencies will expose you.

Because, one who is full of devotion is full of energy! Devotee is an energized man! Devotion is energy!

Devotion and energy are the two sides of the same coin. To whatever extent devotion is present in you; to the same extent energy also will be present in you.

If you feel there is deficiency of energy or feel the presence of disease or sorrow in you, know for sure that it is only an expression of absence of energy.

To get rid of absence of energy, it is enough to begin to correct the absence of devotion. This is just like the darkness disappearing the very moment light comes in.

The rapture born out of devotion will make up for the deficiency of energy and this will make the body be filled with energy.

Devotion is a combined exposition of the three feelings, belief, respect and feeling of gratitude.

It is only the deficiencies of these three feelings which emerge as lack of devotion. It is only the imitations of these three feelings which are exhibited as false devotion.

What is devotion? This can be realized by anybody easily. What is given below are some of the expressions of the feeling of devotion:

Our parents who were responsible for our birth; the society which helped us grow; the divine energy which is basic to our life - Devotion is the aggregation of our respect, gratitude and belief on the above.

When one gets the maturity to express this devotion towards all and at all places, the full expression of devotion occurs.

Devotion is recognizing and feeling the divine energy in each and every thing we see.

This devotion only is enlightenment.

Temples are only the expressions of the divine principle formulated by Rishis and mystics, so that, devotion, which possesses so much of maturity and ripeness can reach the masses in a very natural and ordinary manner.

It is an irrefutable truth that 'temples are energy stations'. It is the unchanging reality.

We will be able to feel the abundant flow of divine energy in its complete totality, if, with all our feelings of gratitude, respect and full belief, we try to connect with the idols in the temple, which have been duly installed by way of the performance of Prana Prathishta (a Vedic idol installation ceremony) by great mystics and seers.

If one goes without any feeling of gratitude, respect, faith and belief and just as a duty the idols will appear as mere statues.

Temples, Vedas and Yagnas (Sacred offerings of specific materials into the fire duly chanting specific mantras), are the sacred boats created for leading the people from their present 'muddy sea' to the 'ocean of energy'.

Feeling the idols as God's energy or seeing them as mere stones depends upon each individual's feeling of gratitude, respect and belief.

Every aspect of the temples is an expression of wisdom energy.

Without using temple-going as an entertainment or duty, if you enter into the temple with devotion and earnestness, you can feel the presence of 'divine energy', which makes every minute of your time there in the temple beautiful.

Involve yourself in meditation in temples with devotion and earnestness, understand the principles of temple fully and be blissful.

-------------

A meaningful incident.

A dentist once told Kuljith, 'I am compelled to tell you one thing good and one bad thing about your teeth.'

Kuljith said, 'O.K. Tell me the good news first.'

The dentist said, 'Your teeth are very strong.'

Kuljith said, 'I am very glad to hear this. Now tell the bad news.'

The dentist replied, 'The bad news is that both of your jaw bones are affected very much, so all of your teeth have to be extracted.'

❖ What is the use of a very strong body and a big brain, if the power that makes them function becomes bad? Will they not attain the same fate as the teeth?

Multiply the energy.

-----------

Meditation chisels. Chisel No. 39.

King Raja Raja Chola, after having built the awe-inspiring Tanjore Big Temple entirely with granite stones, would he have not constructed a similarly strong palace for himself to stay?

Is that available now?

It was only the kings who built all the ancient temples. Till date those temples are alive.

Where are those palaces and luxury mansions of those kings? How did they get destroyed?

What a multitude of invasions, aggressions... But, if till date, the temples continue to be safe and strong, that means, that some mammoth power or matter has been and is protecting those temples. Are you able to understand this?

You cannot brush this fact aside that it is just accidental that the temples alone have been protected.

This is not a matter for wonder alone. It needs to be investigated and examined.

For you to be born, for the earth to be suspended in space, from the atom to the earth to be in order -- Only because the temples have been the energy stations of the super natural power, these have remained naturally protected.

Beware of your mind being instrumental in making you lose the super power by driving you to see, in an exaggerated way, the few false beliefs around the temples and some rituals.

The power which is beyond us is present very near us.

Due to our ignorance and poor understanding, we should not lose them.

Give due respect for the 'energy centers' in your 'intellect centers'. Let the energy flow into the intellect. Let the intellect approach life from a new angle hereafter.

85. Don't meditate.

❖ Doing meditation by merely sitting down physically is a good exercise. That is all. Involving mind also along with the body is a good ritual. There is nothing more than that. If you involve fully and totally all the three (i.e.) body, mind and spirit while doing meditation, then only it is true meditation.

❖ For a meditator - sincerity is a great treasure. It is a basic qualification too.

❖ For an insincere person, he cannot get the best benefits of meditation.

❖ If we learn to bring deep sincerity in whatever actions we do, then all the actions that we do will become meditation.

A Zen disciple and a Sufi disciple...

Zen: What is the interesting part of your life?

Sufi: That particular day when I realized the truth that 'I am a fool'.

Zen: What is the difficult part of your life?

Sufi: All those days when I was thinking 'I am intelligent'.

Zen: Which one will you point out as amusing?

Sufi: When we are in the ignorant state only our positive side comes to our notice. That is amusing.

Zen: 'The Wheel of Life' - How to explain this briefly?

Sufi: There is no necessity to do meditation for a fool as well as a mystic. Whoever is remaining in between these two states must and should do meditation. Knowingly when one does it, it is called as meditation. Otherwise what man does is a world feat. The examination given to your mind through the world is called achievement. Meditation is an achievement! Achievement is a meditation! A man cannot escape from meditation, which is the axle of the life wheel and is in between being a lunatic and being a Buddha - the two extremes of man-kind.

❖ Meditation is your life.

Your life itself is a meditation only.

-----------

Ritual which is done sincerely and in all its totality is also a meditation.

Whatever is done with a lack of sincerity and without total involvement, even if it is meditation, it is only mere ritual.

When you hear this does it feel like you had an electric shock?

Rituals and customs are not ordinary matters, as many may think.

For the man to live peacefully, and in permanent bliss in the present moment, out of the various methods discovered, rituals are one such.

If you have to say it still more correctly, they are also methods of meditation only.

But today's condition has changed up-side down. They have been changed into compulsory rituals which have become compulsions that should and must be carried out according to one's own religion, caste and creed.

Rituals have become an ordinary matter because people do not perform it with sincerity and involvement.

On the other hand, meditation has its own value and respect in the minds of the people.

Even though they have not involved themselves in meditation, meditation should be done. Meditation is good for you. You will be joyful if you do meditation -- Many such ready-made statements are available in plenty with the people.

Some times, some people do certain things in the name of meditation and believe that they are progressing in spirituality.

A vagrant's story which gives a solution to all the above:

Lee Majoli felt grief that he had not yet got salvation even after doing 'Sasen' meditation for many years.

Lee Majoli's long time craving, 'I must find a solution by approaching a living Master' got fulfilled that day.

Lee Majoli had the opportunity to meet the mystic Isakkiya Minda.

Lee Majoli paid his respects to Isakkiya Minda and said, 'I have been doing 'Sasen' meditation for the last 15 years. Yet I have not got salvation. You have to give me a solution.

Isakkiya Minda shouted angrily at the top of his voice to his disciples, 'Who allowed such a fool like this man to come inside? Any number of times I tell you, don't you all have any sense?'

Lee Majoli felt as though he himself got slapped on his cheek harshly. Due to these insulting words of Minda, anger was boiling within him. But he was craving for an answer to his question and he wanted to have a solution. So again he started, 'For the last 15 years, I...'

Barely had he begun and Isakkiya Minda firmly said, 'I do not wish to talk to you. You go and come later.'

Though the sadness of 'I have not got the solution' affected Lee Majoli very much, Isakkiya Minda's contradicting words 'do not wish... go and come...' were ringing in Lee Majoli's mind again and again.

Next day, Lee Majoli had a chance to meet Isakkiya Minda on the way.

After bowing to him, Lee Majoli asked him, 'Even after doing meditation for 15 years, I have not had any benefit. What can I do?'

Isakkiya Minda said just two words, 'Don't meditate' and started walking.

Lee Majoli felt as though his mind had broken into two. Lee Majoli felt hatred towards life. Having lost his faith Lee Majoli took a decision to commit suicide by jumping into the nearby river. He thought, 'All right. Let me do meditation for one last time.' So he started to meditate.

Suddenly he could feel someone touch his head. Lee Majoli raised his head and looked up.

Fondling his head, there stood Isakkiya Minda near him.

When Lee Majoli was struggling to understand what was happening there, he saw a man on the same bank of the river, keeping a statue of Buddha, saying...

A Buddha devotee was worshipping with devotion.

Isakkiya Minda pointing to that man said to Lee Majoli, ‘Did you show the same involvement and sincerity that man is showing in his worship, in your meditation?’ After asking this question, he started walking away.

The more and more Lee Majoli thought over it, truths dawned on him one by one.

He began to understand that in the last fifteen years of his practice of meditation not even once he had done it with devotion and sincerity. This was his problem.

When the question arose in him, ‘When it is possible to do even a ritual with full involvement like meditation, why not I do meditation with full involvement?’ the fifteen-year-old foolishness dropped from him!

What is your state of meditation? Is it done with devotion and sincerity? Or is it done as a compulsory ritual done on a superficial push which is again on a compulsion from some persons?

Think well about it... Involve yourself fully in the method of meditation. I again tell you.

If done with full sincerity, even ritual is meditation. Even if you do without sincerity a meditation method taught to you by a living enlightened Master, it will be a mere ritual only.

The result of a meditation method depends upon your sincerity. ------------

A meaningful incident.

Dr. Murali Krishna asked me once, 'Master, shall we list out what all diseases, meditation will heal'. I told him, 'Meditation done with sincerity will heal all diseases, which could be named by you as well as diseases which cannot be named by you.'

❖ There is only one root cause for all diseases. That is a deficiency of energy!

Also meditation too knows to do only one action. That is to set right the energy deficiency. As the energy becomes all right, disease becomes all right.

-----------

Meditation chisels. Chisel No. 40.

Write a letter to the office asking for ten days leave and then continue this page. Just for only ten days. If you adopt what is stated hereafter, your life will change thoroughly. You will become a new person, looking at a new world.

Just like the air-bubbles coming out continuously from the apparatus in a corner of the fish tank thoughts are continuously originating from some corner within you.

The aim of this meditation is only to reach up to these thoughts and catch them up.

Do each step of this meditation carefully once, convert it into an experience, and then enter into the next one.

❖ Firstly enter into the tank called the body.

❖ Within yourself swim through your consciousness like a fish.

❖ Next, observe the thoughts as they arise without stopping the flow or participating in the thoughts. Feel continuously thoughts originating, see these thoughts feel that and confirm it.

❖ Next, as these thoughts originate, then itself bring them to your attention. First, you will observe the thoughts that came. As the awareness expands you will observe the thoughts that are now coming. Further as you do the exercise more and more sincerely, you will observe the thoughts that are going to come.

❖ Just like the person, who has learnt how to catch a sparrow with bare hands, after learning the art of catching the thoughts merely by being aware and conscious, you can move on to the next stage of this meditation exercise. Go and search as to wherefrom the thoughts are born. Go to the birth place of thoughts. If you have come this far it means you have actually touched the underground cellar inside.

The reason: The birth place of thoughts is the same as the seat of ego!

The karmas, stated by the Hindu religion, sins stated by Christianity and 'the root cause for sufferings' as indicated by various faiths - The hiding place for all these is this location only.

The Tao religion refers to this as, 'Entrance to hell'.

One may become afraid as one enters this cellar room.

Don't be afraid. If you just overcome this fear you will be drawn into the pure consciousness which is called heaven where peace and bliss reign. This is possible only for any one who does it with sincerity.

You do not express your anger every time you get angry with someone. In some circumstances you do not think it is appropriate or conducive for you to express your anger. When you are unable to express your anger openly in such circumstances, what do you do? Don't you throw away those angry words and feelings which arose within you on such occasions?

Having gone into the birth place of thoughts, begin to throw away all the thoughts that originate from there. What do you do when you are unable to openly express your anger in some circumstances; you throw away the angry words that originate within you being unable to express it openly. Same way throw away all your thoughts that come from within by going to the source of thoughts.

Whether it is lust, anxiety or happiness or whatever it may be, whatever comes, just throw it away.

All of these thoughts are trash remaining inside you. Don't stop this action until all the garbage is exhausted.

Until you get bliss, let this continue.

Spend 10 days continuously for this one meditation only.

Once all the registered distresses get exhausted, you will find that bliss will begin to rise up and flow like spring water.

86. Why was man born?

Mullah Nasruddin always fondly wore shoes that were one size smaller than his actual shoe size. Throughout the day, he would work with the pain given by his tight shoes. He never removed his shoes till he returned home in the night.

The person who was living opposite his house, who was surprised at Nasruddin's` strange action, asked him as to why he was using such shoes.

Nasruddin said, ‘Throughout the day, the shoes bother me. It continues to be tight. Some times it presses against my feet to the extent of giving me pain.

When the opposite house man sadly asked, ‘What foolishness? Is it for that reason you are wearing those shoes?’ Nasruddin said, ‘No, no, not for that. Having fought with the shoes through the entire day, as soon as I remove the shoes, I get great comfort. You see I do this to experience that independent and comfortable feeling of those few minutes after I remove the shoes. To experience this comfort, suffering for a day is not wrong at all.’

❖ Because it has not been understood as to why man was born, for the sake of name, money, fame which give just a few minutes of happiness, working hard for the entire life-time has become 'human life routine'. That is why, name, money, alcohol and all other things give satisfaction to man.

Man is not born just to be happy for a few minutes. He is born to be blissful for his entire lifetime. Wasting life for the sake of money, name, fame which give short lived comfort and satisfaction is not an intelligent way of living.

----------

❖ Whichever thing it may be, why we wish that, that is the reason for doing that should be long-lasting and permanent. It is enough if this single question arises within. That itself will lead to eternal bliss.

❖ Man's continuous search for joy and short-term comforts is equivalent to a billionaire extending his arms and begging while still remaining a billionaire.

❖ Short-term happiness - Lust. Eternal happiness - Bliss.

❖ It is only because 'that eternal happiness that is available inside' has been forgotten, that man goes on searching for the eternal happiness on the outside and becomes numb. Later he dies.

❖ Whatever be the comfort, after experiencing that comfort, the satisfaction of having enjoyed it is not obtained fully. What is the reason?

❖ The desire to possess which was there before possessing and enjoying it, simply vanishes once it is obtained and enjoyed. Why? Is there any way for man to enjoy the comforts to the entire extent he desires and that too at all times whenever he desires?

Only these are the vast general public's expectations which have made today's medical research turn their attention towards spirituality.

❖ After all, what is the root cause for man's expectations of this nature? Where is that?

A beautiful Zen statement gives the reply to this:

---------

Not to live simply with mere food, sleep and relationships, man has taken birth. He has taken birth to achieve and attain some thing beyond these. What is that?

Read the essay carefully. It will be understood...

Only a few months had passed since Jumalki came to that town. One day, a rude man came there with the intention of picking up a quarrel with him.

Outside Jumalki's hut, the rude man asked in a rough tone: 'Hi! Who is inside the house? Who is the mystic who has come anew here? Ask him to come out...Let me see, who is greater of the two, whether it is me or him!'

After threatening like this, he was striding up and down there. Jumalki came out slowly and said, 'There is no such person here.'

The rude man said, 'Don't try to deceive me! You are the mystic. You fit the descriptions given by the people. You are that mystic without a doubt.'

Jumalki, suppressing the laughter that was rising within him said, 'No sir, I have never called myself a mystic. I am an ordinary man. People only call me that.'

The rude man said, 'Hi! You are trying to deceive me by saying so many things about which I know nothing.'

'Throughout the night I will do hunting. Is it possible by you?' he asked haughtily and without any relevance.

Jumalki said, 'For that it is enough to be born as a lion or tiger, Sir! For that reason, what is the need to be born as a man...?'

For this answer which was in the form of a question, the rude man rather struggled inside a little.

What the rude man was thinking so far as a big achievement, when the mystic called it as an ordinary 'animal's character', he felt as though he got a big beating at the mental level.

Pretending not to be upset by this the rude man asked, 'Let it be so. Just on sighting me, people are terrified and bound. All are afraid of me. Is it possible for you to create the same feeling in the people?'

'Does anybody respect you in this town? To control people merely by fear, a demon is just enough. For that one need not be born as a man.' Jumalki said.

What the rude man was thinking in his mind, as an achievement, those pillars of his mind got shaken by the testing of the mystic.

'Is it that all the people are afraid of me? Or is it that all the people respect me?' As these questions began to come in the mind of the rude man again and again...

Jumalki continued, ‘Your mind has become spoiled; therefore you are unable to sleep. You don't get sleep. It is true that if you heartlessly threaten them, the innocent will surely be afraid. What achievement is there in this so as to become so proud of, in this birth? There is pain within you. That is all.’ So saying, Jumalki went into the hut.

Having fallen deep into his thoughts to such an extent of being unable to reply, the rude man went home deeply absorbed in the same thought.

The rude man did not come out at all for almost three days. However much he tried, he could not sleep in the night.

He did not see the people.

Having known about the matter, the people also got back their peace of mind.

Having become mentally tired, on the fourth day morning, as the rude man came out, his very style of walking had changed. He simply walked without any thought of frightening anybody. He wondered.

He saw now, that those who were thus far afraid of his very sight, and always got out of his way, were today just ignoring him and walking away. As he thought more and more, ‘Perhaps, as the mystic said, have I not lived like a man at all...?’ Unable to bear his grief, he ran and came over to Jumalki's hut and fell at the entrance.

Jumalki patted the rude man on his back and said, ‘You have now got qualified! Don't cry. You have got the basic qualification required to experientially feel and realize the aim of having been born as a man. Get up!’ Saying this he embraced him warmly.

It is easy for such mystics to change a rude man, soft as a jasmine flower.

The basic qualification to understand the answer for all your questions happens when the question, ‘Why are we born?’ arises in the mind from the conscious level.

For the question, ‘Why man has taken birth?’ the reply given by the sages:

The basic aim of man's birth is only, 'to attain the eternal bliss (wholesome happiness) which is permanent, peaceful and one which cannot be shaken at all by any thing at any time.'

Further, human birth is only a hide and seek game, which we, who were fully immersed in bliss, began to play for ourselves.

In case you understand this simple truth, the game of life will become very interesting.

For these statements to be true, the living enlightened Masters themselves are the witnesses. Whether man knows this truth or not, whatever man is in search of, by way of comfortable life, peace, peace of mind it is actually only a search for the eternal bliss.

This only is man's ultimate aim.

Man was born only to attain this.

What man searches for is not outside of man. It is very much within him only.

Act, to attain the bliss, which is the aim of your birth.

Do not waste even one minute.

----------

A meaningful incident.

It was a birthday for a professor who was very strict. When all the students came to him one after the other and greeted him without saying, 'Thanks', he said, 'Same to you...same to you.' As this appeared rather strange, another professor who had just then joined the faculty, asked, 'Why do you say this instead of saying thanks?

The professor said, 'I have also been a student and come from there only. Do I not know what they will say about me in their minds when they greet me?'

❖ Until the reply to the question, 'Why am I born?' has not become an experience, an imitative life like this one of 'one deceiving the other' will continue.

----------

Meditation chisels. Chisel No. 41.

Spirituality is not a part of your life. Your very life is spirituality.

Getting a degree by selling away the brain is modern law.

In the name of becoming civilized we sell away our simplicity. This is modernity.

Working hard and earning money by selling away your life is what is called 'good quality life' (by way of physical comforts) in modern times.

After getting a degree, becoming civilized and wealthy, if one turns back and looks at the person, who received these we find that man continues to do all the work other than the one for which he came.

Not only that, he has sold away his capital and remains contracted.

He studies for getting a job.

He works hard for getting a salary.

He achieves to get a good status.

If you ask him, 'What for all these things?' the reply you get is, 'to live a good life!'

'To live a good life', what did you read and what way you have toiled?

The pitiable act of man losing life itself in the name of 'living life' should be brought to a halt.

Life is a blissful one. Spirituality is only a collection of the methods adopted, for man to get his life back.

Have you realized that whatever you search for, its underlying intention is only to obtain permanent, eternal satisfaction, peace and bliss?

Those who have not so far realized this meditate on these principles and realize it.

Whosoever you may be, your aim is bliss only.

Whatever be the path you travel, it is only a pathway to bliss. Spirituality helps you to get it quickly.

Therefore, I tell you that spirituality is not a part-time job; it is a full time job.

So, whatever be the action you do, learn spirituality which enables you to do it still more deeply and more beautifully.

Let the aim of taking birth be fulfilled before death.

87. Don't know.

In Seattle meditation camp, an American parent brought their son to me.

The parents said, 'This boy does not listen to us at all. Furthermore, if some relative gives him some advice, he laughs at them sarcastically and winks at us with meaning. We do not understand his thinking or his actions. What is the solution for this problem?'

When I spoke to that boy separately, the reply he gave surprised me. 'Why should I listen to them? My mom and dad are not peaceful; not happy. Those relatives, who advise me once in a way, are also struggling like my parents. If I listen to the advice of these persons and adopt them, will I not also suffer in the future like these persons? No, no, no! I don't want to listen to this useless advice. I am happier than these persons. Why should I spoil my happiness by listening to them?' said the boy.

❖ What is stated above is only a small portion of life known to us. Like this couple, 'unknown portions' of the life known to you, may be there in plenty.

-----------

❖ To us beyond what is known in the nearness of what is not known though known to us but not understood by us, bliss is present in all its fullness.

❖ 'I know', whenever this thought arises in whatever action you do, then, from that day itself, the progress and growth of that action will begin to decrease.

❖ 'I know every thing'

When such a thought is born in the mind, the very next second, the progress of that action will completely cease. Reason: You already know every thing! Instead of becoming mature, he will begin to get slackened.

❖ 'I do not know' When this clarity arises, from that very moment itself, a new speed will catch up with the man's growth process. He will bloom like a flower automatically.

I will begin with a sensational statement.

A very proud and egoistic pundit (a man of learning) had come to see Thathuvachariar, who was delivering a discourse.

From the very look, and the looks of the pundit, Thathuvachariar instantly understood that the pundit was coming with the thought in his mind, 'What do these people know? Poor ones! This Thathuvachariar is making a big fuss capitalizing on the innocence of these people.'

'What do you know? Just because you know some scriptural principles, you are deceiving these people, as if you know every thing! What do you know about Shastras?' - As the pundit was thinking in this manner, he was about to ask him this angrily.

As he was about to open his mouth, Thathuvachariar simply asked him, 'Wherefrom does this anger come to you?'

The pundit got rather confused as this question came like an arrow from an altogether different plane.

He broke down, not being able to know the answer for this simple ordinary question of Thathuvachariar.

After thinking for a long time, as he just completed saying, 'I don't know.'

Thathuvachariar asked him, 'Why you are unable to remain joyful at all times?'

Surpassing his scholarship, the pundit felt as though the question of Thathuvachariar was pricking him sharply somewhere within himself. It appeared to the pundit as if the ground below him was giving way as he was standing itself.

Slowly as he returned to his normal state and as he finished saying, 'I don't know', Thathuvachariar asked him, 'Why is it that even your own wife has not understood you completely? Are all the people in this world fools? Or, is it that only you and you alone are the only one intelligent here?'

When the pundit was asked such basic questions about himself in the presence of so many people the pundit was perplexed and shaken.

The pundit thought to himself, 'I came here thinking that Thathuvachariar does not know anything but I am now unable to answer even one of his questions.' The moment the pundit thought like this, he became tensed.

Still, as there was the compulsion for him to give a reply, he finished saying in a very low voice, 'Don't know'.

Thathuvachariar asked, 'When you came here, you came like a majestic and sturdy bull, but why are you now standing like a sheep, which is about to die? Why have you changed like this?'

Frustration caught hold of the pundit.

His legs began shaking.

With his voice stammering, he said, 'Master, I don't know any thing at all. Truly I am telling. I do not know any thing.' So saying he fell on the feet of Thathuvachariar and began to cry.

Thathuvachariar, with a graceful smile, raised the pundit up and with a warm embrace, said, 'Now you see, are all those sitting here innocent?'

The pundit said, 'Master, please excuse me! I had very little knowledge and it pertained only to scriptures. Though this was the case the pride that I 'know all things' was gripping me tightly. This pride prevented me from knowing the truth and the reality.'

As he completed saying this, Thathuvachariar asked, 'Which truth?'

The pundit said, 'I just now came to know the truth that 'I don't know'. I also understood now that those present here also have understood this truth before me. Master, only now I got the reply for my big doubt.'

Thathuvachariar again asked, 'Which doubt?'

'In the world, as compared to the stupid persons, who know that they do not know only the fools, who think that they know, are more in number. I have come out of that foolishness. Further, I understand as to why there is only less number of people around the living Masters like you. Only fools who say, 'I know this, I know that' are more in number in the world. That is why the number of people who want to know the truth is less', the pundit laughingly finished saying.

An interesting competition to the readers of this article...

Let us examine in a thorough manner as to what we know. If you know the answer, put a tick mark in the box. One, who knows the answer, is really a person who knows every thing.

❖ While sleeping where are you inside your body? How are you then?

❖ We say that the mind is the main reason for all problems. We clearly know that we do have a mind. Where and how is it?

❖ Before you were born where were you?

❖ Where is the God or the natural energy which makes us all move about?

❖ Why did this universe get formed?

Add to this all the questions which were asked of the pundit.

By keeping in the mind only the philosophic ideas read in some books, do not come to the conclusion, 'I know this; I know that!' All subjects such as science, medicine, language, art, business and politics are all small parts of life only. Even if a person has mastered a particular subject, he will not know about life fully.

Even in case you have known any thing about life...

Unless you have felt and realized the truths consciously at the being level, there is no big difference between what you know and the undigested ideas that others know which have not been personally experienced by them.

Lastly I would like to mention one truth and end this essay.

Unless and until we do not know that we do not know, we will never come to know about the fact that we do not know. If we know that we do not know, at least one thing will be known that 'we do not know'.

Begin to know...

---------

A meaningful incident.

When Einstein touched the peak of science, he told the world, 'Further than this, I do not know...'

Next he said, 'Here science ends and spirituality starts...'

Further he said, 'Science without the addition of spirituality is lame.'

❖ Continue consciously to reach the target of 'don't know'.

----------

Meditation Chisels. Chisel No. 42.

If one reaches the target, 'don't know', every thing will begin to become known. If only one is able to understand this logically...

It means that he has actually touched the target of 'don't know'. Otherwise, he is also hanging, standing at some place in the middle.

A Tao truth which helps to understand the above, divides man into 4 types:

❖ A man who does not know that he knows.

He is a sleeping man. Wake him up!

❖ A man who does not know that he does not know.

He is a fool. Correct him.

❖ A man who knows that he does not know.

He is a child. He is a disciple. Teach him.

❖ A person who knows that he knows.

He is a mystic. A true king. Follow him!

Of the four steps, men find it very difficult, only to pass beyond the 2nd step.

The man who has touched the third step is that man, who has taken a decision to live his life.

After passing over all the illusions, the person who has begun to live like a king - To attain the status of this person, is a straight-forward road for reaching the bliss.

Begin to know.

For knowing to be complete and total, what all steps remain to be touched, touch all of them and go beyond.

Examine and see just only once, from all angles of the words 'don't know'.

Begin to understand...

88. Achievement? Or pain?

While the ASP Programme was in progress in Devanahalli, some people met me during the break seeking my advice on general life matters.

A gentleman, who was working as a manager in a bank told me, 'It is ten years since I am married. I have not yet got a child. My main worry is that I don't have a child still.' Saying this he shared his problems, got a solution and got leave of me.

After some time, another person, who was working as a clerk in the same bank came to me. He began, 'Ten years have been completed since I got married. Within these ten years, I have six children. My worries are only my children. Not even one is listening or obeying me.'

❖ It is pain whether you have a certain thing or whether you don't have the same thing. All people, at all stages of life, meet with this problem. With a little care, analyze life. You will understand that it is true. Whether one achieves or not, pain follows. The first thing to be crossed over is pain. Only after this, one has even to think about achieving.

----------

❖ Anybody can achieve. In any manner one can achieve. At any time one can achieve. To achieve, nothing is there as an obstacle. Is achieving a big thing at all?

❖ Warning! Dreaming about achieving. The belief that we can be happy, peaceful after achieving; achievement will wipe both of them and throw them away.

❖ Achievement is not such a big thing to the extent we think. This truth will not be known to man till he achieves. It will not be understood.

❖ All achievements which do not give bliss and peace will also give pain as a by-product. - This is a truth based on scientific research too!

❖ One who has achieved in the inner world, whether he has achieved in the outer world or not, still, he will be happy and peaceful. One, who has not achieved in the inner world, to him, happiness and peace do not belong!

A laughing child

A healthy old man

A joyful husband and wife

A man of culture and wealth

A meditator, who celebrates life.

Achievement does not grip these people like madness. Achievement does not attract them.

Living life fully and in all its completeness, sows the seed for happiness.

For such people, as they have either knowingly or unknowingly discovered the path consciously, they will not have any pain. For them, it will be known that every place is filled with joy.

Because, there is no drive to experience and enjoy the happiness 'still more', or, in other words, because there is no pain of 'not having enjoyed fully', the furiousness of 'some thing or the other has got to be achieved' does not at all start for such people.

Achievement is just a part of life only. The problem starts only when it is changed as life itself is a part of achievement. In life, hatred and expectations increase even without our knowledge.

One beautiful story to explain this:

With 32 sons and 10 small kings, who were all paying regular monetary tributes to him, all under his control, Ya-Reekmin was ruling the big city of Nylees.

'I must conquer some more countries, must amass more gold and other things and must achieve still more'. - With this state of mind one day he went to sleep. In his dream suddenly the messenger of death arrives. The

messenger says, 'Ya-Reekmin! Your life-period is over. I will give you heart-attack and am going to take you away...'

Unaware of the fact that it is a dream, in that state of dreaming, Ya-Reekmin started talking in the bed.

Out of his 32 sons, his 32nd son Josh was very intelligent. He was a youth of 16 years, who lived joyfully by experiencing and enjoying any thing and every thing in its totality.

Having heard his father talking in his sleep, he started to watch him with amusement while he was talking.

Ya-Reekmin said, 'Oh! Death-messenger! I will remain in this world for a few more days and finish enjoying what all remains to be enjoyed. Thereafter you may take me.'

Silence prevailed for a few minutes...

Again Ya-Reekmin said, 'What? If somebody comes instead of me, will you leave me? Then, my wife often used to tell me that she had kept her own life upon me. You can take her instead of me. She will certainly come.'

There was silence for a few minutes again.

Again Ya-Reekmin said, 'I never even thought that even my wife would give such a lame excuse, Oh death messenger! Having said earlier that she had kept her life on me; now she says that she wants to live till she sees the children of my last son Josh after his marriage?

That is all right. You can call and take my first son. He will surely come. Last year, during his birthday celebrations, he said, 'I don't want any rank or position. It is enough if you are all right. For the country's sake, I will even give my life.' You can take him with you.'

Again there was silence for a few minutes.

Again Ya-Reekmin said, 'My son says that he has his own personal desires and that he should be let alone. I never even thought that this son would say so, 'No' so bluntly. Oh death messenger! Why are you laughing...? Do you feel like laughing on seeing my condition...? Don't laugh too much. I have 31 more sons here. At least one of them would be prepared to do this sacrifice for my sake, due to his abundant affection towards me. Go and ask...' He said these words with confidence and belief.

After a long period of silence Ya-Reekmin said, 'Where is my dear pet son Josh?'

Josh, after having heard the blabbering of his father and having known his feelings, and also becoming aware that it was time that he would have to come next in the dream of his father, slowly and softly rubbing the head of his father said, 'Father, I have come. Don't worry. Give me to the death-messenger.'

Ya-Reekmin woke up. Tears welled up in his eyes.

He understood that whatever he saw was all dream. On seeing his son Josh, who was talking maturely after seeing his father talking in his dream, Ya-Reekmin started weeping.

Ya-Reekmin asked, 'How is it that you came forward to offer such a great sacrifice?'

Josh said, 'It is not sacrifice or any thing. Even after achieving so much yourself, my mother and all my brothers do not have the satisfaction of having lived life in all its fullness. It struck me, even after achieving so much, is this life necessary wherein you have been spending it only in pain and nothing else? That is why I came to this conclusive decision.'

The truth struck Ya-Reekmin like a thunderbolt.

For each and every man, some push or drive only creates in him the eagerness and speed to achieve some thing.

For the eyes of an average person, who is already in pain, what appear greenish are only the achievements of the achievers.

The decision he takes, saying, 'the remedy for all his pains is only those achievements' only drives him. He proceeds to achieve.

Did those pains of the achiever disappear at least after the achievement? At the barest minimum, was there not an increase of pains? – Without any such thoughts, he travels in the same path.

Most of the achievers are those who jumped in to achieve, out of the drive given by the pains.

Remedy for the pains is joy.

The path to happiness is to live life by experiencing and enjoying life in all its fullness. A joyful life will make the pains disappear.

For pains, healing it by applying the medicine of happiness is better than creating a fire-smoke of achievement and concealing the pains by the smoke.

It is healthy only to cure the pains instead of concealing the same. Thereafter take a step forward towards achieving. Achieve!

I tell you again.

Achievement is separate.

Pain is separate.

Examine as to whether your desire for achieving arose from pains.

You will escape from the test.

First of all apply medicine for the pains.

---------

A meaningful incident.

When the Master said, ‘For showing the way to success, a mystic is not needed’, a journalist asked, ‘Then what are the mystics there for?’

‘To show us the way to remain in bliss and be satisfied before success, during success and after success, mystics are necessary’ the Master replied.

❖ The enlightened Masters have taken birth just for you. Don't miss them.

---------

Meditation chisels. Chisel No. 43.

Achievement is not wrong. At the same time, for man, it is not essential to achieve.

It is responsible for man's life becoming a riddle!

Fear about the future, frustration due to monetary crisis, irritations driven by insults, zeal given by envies - only such negative feelings of pain drive the enthusiasm of achievement in the minds of many.

Such pains are just deficiencies of qualities only. These can be easily corrected.

After these deficiencies become all right, joy and enthusiasm will remain permanently within you.

Then, when happenings which spur pain surround you, still you will not be disturbed. You will remain calm and peaceful.

This enthusiasm and peace prevailing in one's achieving time will not be an ordinary one. It will be celebration time.

live.

Mind given by pain, the fury given by achievement - are not healthy. That is why I say...

Achievers are not the ones who jumped down from the sky. Many among the achievers are those who jumped out from misery and sorrow.

Therefore each one of you should understand that, achievement is not a great aspect of life.

This very understanding itself will give you the much needed rest as you gaspingly run in the field of life. It will give you great independence.

You plan and shape up your qualities in such a way, that the drive given by the achievement will be a happy one. Before achievement sprouts up, let bliss sprout.

Those who have begun to run in the path of achievement, meditate deeply on these wisdom truths. Start working hard to make happiness sprout. Let the journey of life become a pleasant one. Achievement is after all easy to achieve.