Ramchand Chugani rgcjp@...

[Guest guest]

By: Paramahamsa Nithyananda, Dhyanapeetam

 

A Man came to Ramana Maharishi, an enlightened Master, and asked:

Bhagavan, when will I be qualified to be able to follow the spiritual

path? Ramana looked at him silently for a while and asked: Are you

alive? The questioner said: Yes, of course I am alive. Ramana calmly

replied: You are then fully qualified. If we keep questioning our

qualification even after decades of rigorous spiritual practice, we

will feel unqualified.

 

The concept of qualification is brought in to exploit and bind us

mentally; to keep us in guilt. We need to drop this guilt and feeling

of inadequacy to progress in life. It is the confusion between

religion and spirituality that also leads to this question in us, of

whether we are qualified. We are constantly told that we are sinners

and as such incompetent to enter the doorway of the Divine. We are

told to take refuge in religion to wash away our sins.

 

A small Zen story: A disciple asks a Master: Master, am I qualified

for spiritual progress? I feel there are many obstructions. The

Master replies: The word obstruction is the only obstruction, nothing

else. Spirituality is about discovering who we are. It is the search

for the ultimate Truth about us and our connection with Existence.

There is no room for qualification here. And let me tell you: it is

not any option for you. It is a basic necessity to be able to connect

with the Existence, to be spiritual. This Truth can be realized

through many ways like yoga and meticulous practices like idol

worship; but all these would take many births, and you will forget

the purpose behind these activities and cling on to the rituals

instead. That is the danger.

 

It is the search for the ultimate Truth about us and our connection

with Existence. There is no room for qualification here

 

Dhyana or meditation is the shortcut to the Truth. It is foolproof

and without side effects. The only side effect is bliss and

realisation of your own Self. To start meditation, all you need to be

is a human being, nothing more. A being with consciousness is the

only requirement to embark upon a spiritual path. The very desire

that you wish to start on this path is a true indication that you are

qualified. It is said in Tao: A journey of a thousand miles starts

with a single step. Take that step now! You are qualified!

 

Ram Chugani

Kobe, Japan