Sri RamaKrishna says difference between worldly and other-worldly things?

November 17, 2009

DEVOTEE: " Sir, what is the difference between worldly and other-worldly things? " MASTER: " While striving for the realization of God, the aspirant has to practise renunciation, applying the logic of 'Neti, neti'â€”'Not this, not this', But after attaining the vision of God, he realizes that God alone has become all things.

" At one time Rama was overpowered by the spirit of renunciation.Dasaratha,worried at this, went to the sage Vasishtha and begged him to persuade Rama not to give up the world. The sage came to Rama and found him in a gloomy mood. The fire of intense renunciation had been raging in the Prince's mind.Â

Vasishtha said: 'Rama,why should You renounce the world? Is the world outside God? Reason with me.' Rama realized that the world had evolved from the Supreme Brahman. So, He said nothing.

" Buttermilk is made from the same substance as butter. One who realizes this knows that butter goes with buttermilk and buttermilk with butter. After separating the butter with great effort-that is to say, after attaining Brahmajnanaâ€”you will realize that as long as butter exists, buttermilk also must exist.Â

Wherever there is butter there must be buttermilk as well. As long as one feels that Brahman exists, one must also be aware that the universe, living beings,and the twenty-four cosmic principles exist as well.

Source: THE GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA