PEARLS OF WISDOM by PROF ANIL KUMAR

[Guest guest]

PEARLS OF WISDOM by PROF ANIL KUMAR

 

NOVEMBER 26th, 2002

 

" Bhrama are many, but brahma is only one "

Bhagavan spoke on various aspects. I shall try to summarize to the

extent possible.

Bhagavan was asked, " Why is there sadness and misery? "

The answer He gave was, " Your imagination, the illusions, are

responsible for sadness. Without imagination, if you are not deluded,

then there is no chance for misery at all. "

" Bhrama is illusion. If you become free from Bhrama, you will

experience Brahma, God. Brahma is Divine. If you experience Brahma,

the Divine, you will not be carried away by Bhrama, delusions or

illusions. So the reason for our misery is our own illusion, delusion

or mistaken identity. "

" Bhagavan, please tell us about Bhrama. "

Bhagavan said, " Bhrama, illusions, are many, but Brahma, God, is only

One. If you only know that one God, Brahma, then you are unruffled,

undisturbed and unagitated. You are equal-minded. "

" I see. "

To clarify this, Bhagavan gave a few examples. For instance, in a

theatre there is a wide screen on which films are projected. There

are many types of films. There are films that make us cry, and films

that make us dance. However, the screen never cries or dances. The

screen never changes, though the films projected on it change often.

Similarly, Brahma, the Divine, is the screen -- changeless,

continuous, unpolluted, eternal, unblemished, nectarine. However, the

films projected on the screen are ever-changing, temporal and

ephemeral. They are worldly and momentary. That's one example.

Bhagavan gave another example: In English literature, there are so

many books -- volumes and volumes -- books with 500 pages or 1000

pages or any number of pages, and thousands of sentences. But the

number of letters is only 26. Out of these 26 letters, volumes and

volumes are written. Similarly, basic Brahman is common. However, the

thoughts, the behaviour, the imagination, the illusions are many.

Once you know the fundamental Brahma, the Divine, you will be

unaffected. You will be joyful and in a state of bliss.

 

The Three Levels Of Consciousness

 

Bhagavan gave a third point. There are three levels of Consciousness,

which can be explained as follows: My current state right now is

called jagrath or the waking state. When I go to sleep and dream,

that is the second state, called swapna or dream state. When I am in

deep sleep, I am in the third state, called sushupthi. In jagrath I

am here. In swapna, I am there. In sushupthi, I continue to exist. I

do not change, but the three levels of awareness or Consciousness,

these three forms of experience, are different.

 

My experience in this waking state is totally different from my

experience in the dreaming state. My experience in the dreaming state

is totally different from the one in deep sleep, where there are no

experiences at all. But, I continue to exist in all these three

states. So this " I " is Brahman, the Divine. The three states of

Consciousness are different -- the three levels of experience are

different -- but " I " continue to exist. This is Brahman. So Swami

explained to us that afternoon.

 

Variety Of Religions

 

Next question: " Bhagavan, when Truth is One, why there are so many

religions? You have been telling us that the Truth is One and

Brahman, the Divine, is One. The rest is only imagination. I

understand it. Then why are there are so many religions? "

 

Bhagavan gave a simple example, " The rain is the same, but the

rivers, tributaries and lakes are many. Similarly Truth is One, while

religions are many. Truth is the rain, and the rivers, tributaries

and streams are all the different religions. "

 

Then I asked another question. " Swami, there are many religions. What

is it that is responsible for so many varieties of religions? Do we

differ in our ideology or in our practices? Between the practices and

the ideology, which is responsible for the existence of so many

religions? "

 

Bhagavan said, " No, no. Your practice is the basis for the ideology

and the ideology is the foundation for a religion. Our practices are

different, so that led to different ideologies, and that ultimately

resulted in different religions. But the Truth is One. The rain is

one, though the lakes and streams are many. " That is the wonderful

example that Bhagavan has given us.

 

Intellect Is Superior To The Mind

 

Now Bhagavan gave an illustration from Indian history. There lived a

very great king, Vikramadithya by name. He convened a conference of

scholars. Many scholars attended that conference. The king asked the

scholars the following question:

" Oh scholars! Please tell me, between the Intelligence and the

intellect, which one is greater? "

To this, Bhagavan explained clearly: " Intelligence is the quality of

the mind. Intellect is superior to the mind. So, your so-called

intelligence, which is the mind, is lower than the intellect, which

is what we call buddhi. "

" Swami, why do You say that? Why do You say that the intellect is

superior to the mind? "

Bhagavan said, " The mind is dual and is full of doubts. However, the

intellect decides, judges and is uni-directional. The intellect does

not give scope for any doubt, whereas the mind is full of bumps and

jumps, ups and downs. Therefore, the mind is lower than the

intellect. The intellect is superior to the mind. "

That's what Bhagavan said, because intellect is gifted with

discrimination and judgment.

 

Sraddha Is Superior To Viveka

 

King Vikramadithya asked another question of his scholars. It was as

follows: Sraddha means steadfastness or sincerity, and viveka means

wisdom. Of the two, sincerity and wisdom, which is superior? Everyone

said that viveka, wisdom, was superior.

But King Vikramadithya said, " You are wrong. It is sraddha --

sincerity or steadfastness -- that is superior. Why? Because being

sincere, you will never doubt; you will never be negligent or

reckless. But wisdom tries to discriminate, distinguish, and

differentiate. Sincerity, sraddha, does not differentiate or

distinguish. Sraddha has purpose and is one-pointed. Therefore,

sraddha is superior to viveka, wisdom. "

" Bhagavan, thank You very much. You have told us that the intellect

is superior to the mind. We are very happy about that. And sraddha is

superior to viveka -- very good. But why is it that I am not in that

state of awareness continuously? Why? "

After all, this awareness is felt in different periods of time, in

different states of consciousness. However, awareness is not

continuous in most cases. I experience that state of total awareness

when I see Baba, or while I sit for meditation, or while I am talking

to you about Swami. However, other times I lack that awareness and am

totally unaware. Therefore, the question is, " Why aren't we in a

constant a state of awareness? "

Bhagavan gave a simple answer, " The very fact that you asked, " Why? " ,

the very fact that you doubt your ability to be in a state of total

awareness, is responsible for ending that awareness. (Laughter) You

doubt whether it is possible or not. So that doubt is responsible for

breaking the state of awareness. When there is no doubt, that

awareness exists, that awareness continues. Then constant awareness

is possible. So the doubt should be given up immediately. " That's

what Swami said.

 

" My life is my message "

 

Then I made a comment, " Bhagavan, we've been thinking about the

Birthday Celebrations. They are over now. I feel they were over even

before they began. It went so fast! " (Anil Kumar snaps his fingers to

indicate an instant of time.)

Then Swami said, " Life is a celebration. Life is full of festivity

and gaiety. This is true not only in My case, but also in your case.

Your life can be full too. It can be full of fun, humour, frolic and

celebration. "

" No, Swami, I'm sorry. But my life is not full of celebration, no!

(Laughter) Monday may be a day of celebration, Tuesday may be a day

of silence, and Wednesday maybe a day of sadness. Thus life is not a

continuous celebration in our case. However in Your case, it is full

of joy, full of bliss and full of celebration. But it is not so in

our case. "

Then Swami said, " My Life is My Message, and I want you to follow the

Master. Follow Me! "

" Swami, it's alright, but why are we not able to follow You? You said

that we should follow You. Agreed. You also said that Your life is

Your message. Agreed. But why are we not able to do it? I want to

know. "

And Swami said, " Selfishness. Your selfishness is responsible for

making your life so heavy -- so serious, burdensome and tragic. Once

you give up your selfishness, it will be full of festivity -- full of

dance, music and ecstasy. " That's what Bhagavan has said.

" Bhagavan, alright! Shall I learn how to celebrate my life? Shall I

learn how to make my life a celebration from now on? "

Bhagavan said, " It cannot be learned. Anything that is learned will

be forgotten. Anything that is learned will also vanish and will

undergo changes repeatedly. But, you have to discover for yourself.

However, the art of Self -discovery will help you to make your life a

celebration. It cannot be learned; it cannot be studied. You have to

discover your Self " . That's what Bhagavan said.

Very good! Instead of learning or reading or doing, let us try to

discover our true Self. This is the best way towards liberation or

the celebration of life in general.

 

How To Make Politics Pure?

 

" Bhagavan, we hear a word, rajakeeyamu, which means politics. Swami,

we want to know Your views about rajakeeyamu. "

Swami said, " Politics, chi chi! Don't say that. It is rajakayyamu.

Kayyamu means fight. Politics is nothing but fighting. Therefore, it

is not rajakeeyamu, but rajakayyamu. Don't speak about it! "

Then I said, " Swami, how can politics become pure? If politics is

polluted and impure, how can democracy be ideal? How can politics be

made pure and clean? How can that be accomplished? There is no point

in just saying, `Politics is impure; politics is dirty; politics is…'

No, no, no! I want to make it pure. There should be a way to have

clean, pure politics. What is it, Swami? "

In His answer, Bhagavan spoke of two qualities that are necessary.

The first one is nijayathi, which means integrity, individuality; and

the second quality is neethi, which means morality. Individuality and

morality – these two will give you clean, pure politics.

" Swami, I have a small doubt. "

" What is it? "

" I think neethi and nijayathi are the same. Would You please tell me

the difference between them? "

Swami explained clearly, " Nijayathi, integrity, is purely

individualistic. Neethi, morality, is a trait of the community. It is

a social obligation and a social commitment. So, while morality is

social, individuality or integrity is personal. Hence, politics can

be purified through individual integrity and social, ethical

morality. That is Rajaneethi -- the politics of purity -- politics

that are unpolluted, and clean. "

Then I asked this question: " Swami, in the Mahabharatha, towards the

end, the grand old man, Bheeshmacharya, taught King Dharmaraja the

principles of politics. What sort of politics did he teach? Was it

pure or impure? Was it rajakeeyamu or rajakayyamu? Which one did he

teach? "

Swami said, " It was not rajakeeyamu politics, but it was rajaneethi,

rajadharma -- the code and the ideal norms of administration.

Bheeshmacharya taught political administration and political science

to Dharmaraja, not the politics of conflict or fighting. "

 

Brahma and parabrahma

 

In the meantime, another gentleman asked a question: " Swami, there

are two words, Brahma and Parabrahma. What is the difference between

the two? "

Bhagavan said, " Brahma is changeless -- the One that does not move

and has existence, whereas Parabrahma is the One that moves and

continues to show movement or mobility. So, Brahman is superior to

Parabrahman. Brahman is a deeper, stable, unblemished, spotless,

crystal clear existence; whereas Parabrahman is that which undergoes

transformation and is in motion. " That's how He explained the

difference between Brahma and Parabrahma.

 

PROF ANIL KUMAR talk on Veranda with Swami/

(Sharing with Sai love)

 

Ram Chugani

Kobe, Japan

rgcjp