U.G. on Selfishness/Selflessness

[Guest guest]

Q: But we all have to have an idea of a better, more spiritual life.

 

U.G.: Whatever you want, even the so-called spiritual goals, is

materialistic in value. What, if I may ask, is so spiritual about it?

If you want to achieve a spiritual goal, the instrument you use will

be the same which you use to achieve materialistic goals, namely

thought. You don't actually do anything about it; you just think. So

you are just thinking that there must be some purpose to life. And

because thought is matter, its object--the spiritual or meaningful

life-is also matter. Spirituality is materialism. In any event you do

not act, you just think, which is to postpone. There is simply

nothing else thought can do.

The instrument called thought, which you are employing to achieve

your so-called spiritual goals, is the result of the past. Thought is

born in time, it functions in time, and any results it seeks are

bound to be in and of time also. And time is postponement, the

tomorrow. Take, for example, the fact of selfishness. It is

condemned, while selflessness, a pure creation of thinking, is to be

sought after. Its realization, however, lies always just ahead,

tomorrow. You will be selfless tomorrow, or the next day, or, if

there is one, in the next life. Why is it not possible for you to be

totally free from selfishness, today? And do you really want to be

free from selfishness? You do not, and that is why you have invented

what you call selflessness, in the meantime remaining selfish. So,

you are not going to be selfless at all, ever, because the instrument

which you use to achieve that state of selflessness or peace of mind

is materialistic in value. Whatever you do to be free from

selfishness will only strengthen and fortify it. I am not saying that

you should therefore be selfish, only that thinking about its

abstract opposite, which you have called " selflessness " , is useless.