Eventually, all that one has learnt will have to be forgotten.
There was no duty for enlightened people, none, none except this: to seek themselves, to become certain of themselves, to grope forward along their own path, wherever it might lead. — I was deeply affected by that, and for me that was the profit from experience. I had often played with images of the future, I had dreamt roles that might be meant for me, as a poet, perhaps, or as a prophet, or as a painter, or whatever else. That was all meaningless. I didn’t exist to write poetry, to preach sermons, to paint pictures; neither I nor anyone else existed for that purpose. All of that merely happened to a person along the way. Everyone had only one true vocation: to find themselves.
A River Understands
I used to know my name. Now I don’t. I
think a river understands me.
For what does it call itself in that blessed
moment when it starts emptying into the
Infinite Luminous Sea,
and opening every aspect of self wider than
it ever thought possible?
Each drop of itself now running to embrace
and unite with a million new friends.
And you were there, in my union with All,
everyone who will ever see this page.
I used to know my name. Now I don’t. I
think a river understands me.
For what does it call itself in that blessed
moment when it starts emptying into the
Infinite Luminous Sea,
and opening every aspect of self wider than
it ever thought possible?
Each drop of itself now running to embrace
and unite with a million new friends.
And you were there, in my union with All,
everyone who will ever see this page.
This is peace;
To conquer love of self and lust of life;
To tear deep-rooted passion from the breast,
To still the inward strife.
To conquer love of self and lust of life;
To tear deep-rooted passion from the breast,
To still the inward strife.
Why look outside?
Become like melting snow,
Wash yourself of yourself.
Become like melting snow,
Wash yourself of yourself.
(From Robert Adams] I then asked him another question, “What is the easiest way and most effective way to do atma-vichara, self-inquiry?” Again he smiled and waited a few seconds and then he said, “To always be aware consciously in all situations of the ‘I-am’. No matter what you’re doing where you are be aware of the ‘I-am’ in your heart. This is the most effective practice.
If the ego rises, all else will also rise; if it subsides, all else will also subside.
Take refuge in silence. You can be here or there or anywhere. Fixed in silence, established in the inner ‘I’, you can be as you are. The world will never perturb you if you are well founded upon the tranquility within. Gather your thoughts within. Find out the thought centre and discover your Self-equipoise. In storm and turmoil be calm and silent. Watch the events around as a witness. The world is a drama. Be a witness, inturned and introspective.
You remain effortlessly marinating inside your being all the time. Outwardly, there may be activities, but internally, you remain the unchanging peace and serenity…. If you are easily set on fire and agitated because of the events around you, you are not sufficiently established in the Self so that others can take rest in your presence or recognize themselves in your reflection. The sage’s presence and being is the light of the world. Of course, all this is not your job, it is simply your joy.
An aging master grew tired of his apprentice’s complaints. One morning, he sent him to get some salt. When the apprentice returned, the master told him to mix a handful of salt in a glass of water and then drink it.
“How does it taste?” the master asked.
“Bitter,” said the apprentice.
The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”
As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”
“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.
“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.
“No,” said the young man. At this the master sat beside this serious young man, and explained softly,
“The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same. However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”
“How does it taste?” the master asked.
“Bitter,” said the apprentice.
The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”
As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”
“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.
“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.
“No,” said the young man. At this the master sat beside this serious young man, and explained softly,
“The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same. However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”
Forget every touch or sound that did not teach you how to dance.
The times I feel most alive are when I’m caught up in something that makes me forget myself. Art. Work. Other people. Nature. God.
Many people have the desire to let go, but they’re not able to do so because they don’t yet have enough insight; they haven’t seen other alternatives, other doorways to peace and happiness. Fear is an element that prevents us from letting go. We’re fearful that if we let go we’ll have nothing else to cling to. Letting go is a practice; it’s an art. One day, when you’re strong enough and determined enough, you’ll let go of the afflictions that make you suffer.
Here and now you are already the Self.
You don't need time to realize it, all you need is correct understanding. Each moment you identify yourself with the body and the mind, you are going in the direction of ego and misery.
The moment you give up that identification, you are moving towards your real Self, towards happiness.
You don't need time to realize it, all you need is correct understanding. Each moment you identify yourself with the body and the mind, you are going in the direction of ego and misery.
The moment you give up that identification, you are moving towards your real Self, towards happiness.
When you encounter sorrow and suffering, remain with it and don't try to escape from it.
Don't throw yourself into blind activity. Neither learning nor acting can really help.
Be with the presence of sorrow and uncover their roots - help with insight is real help
Don't throw yourself into blind activity. Neither learning nor acting can really help.
Be with the presence of sorrow and uncover their roots - help with insight is real help
The state of a jnani is neither sleep nor waking but intermediate between the two.
There is the awareness of the waking state and the stillness of sleep.
It is the state of perfect awareness and of perfect stillness combined.
It lies between sleep and waking; it is also the interval between two successive thoughts.
It is not dullness but it is bliss.
It is not transitory but it is eternal.
There is the awareness of the waking state and the stillness of sleep.
It is the state of perfect awareness and of perfect stillness combined.
It lies between sleep and waking; it is also the interval between two successive thoughts.
It is not dullness but it is bliss.
It is not transitory but it is eternal.
Loneliness is when you're missing people, aloneness is when you're enjoying yourself.
The bird of paradise lands only on the hand that doesn't grasp.
"How does one seek union with God?"
"The harder you seek, the more distance you create between Him and you."
"So what does one do about the distance?"
"Understand that it isn't there."
"Does that mean that God and I are one?"
"Not one. Not two."
"How is that possible?"
"The sun and its light, the ocean and the wave, the singer and his song — not one. Not two."
"The harder you seek, the more distance you create between Him and you."
"So what does one do about the distance?"
"Understand that it isn't there."
"Does that mean that God and I are one?"
"Not one. Not two."
"How is that possible?"
"The sun and its light, the ocean and the wave, the singer and his song — not one. Not two."
Don't mix with those who have no desire for spirituality.
Don't hesitate to speak out in public what is just and right.
Never act against your conscience out of fear of authority.
Knowledge gained from the company of great souls is superior to book-knowledge.
The ornaments of the soul are justice, integrity, courage, and truth.
Bad men obey out of fear. Good men obey out of love.
Justice is to give each man his proper share.
You cannot get rid of evil simply by exposing it. If you try to be good, loving and honest, evil will disappear.
He who has no patience cannot be a man of justice.
Not all can understand that I am in all.
Don't hesitate to speak out in public what is just and right.
Never act against your conscience out of fear of authority.
Knowledge gained from the company of great souls is superior to book-knowledge.
The ornaments of the soul are justice, integrity, courage, and truth.
Bad men obey out of fear. Good men obey out of love.
Justice is to give each man his proper share.
You cannot get rid of evil simply by exposing it. If you try to be good, loving and honest, evil will disappear.
He who has no patience cannot be a man of justice.
Not all can understand that I am in all.
True freedom isn’t ‘I’m free.’ True freedom is ‘everything is free.’ Which means everyone has the freedom to be who they are. Whether they’re awake or not awake. Deluded or un-deluded. Freedom is that everything and everybody gets to be exactly as they are. Unless we’ve come to that point, unless we’ve seen that is how Reality sees things, then we’re actually withholding freedom from the world.
Relationship is needed only because you can’t be alone, because you are not yet capable of meditation. Hence, meditation is a must before you can really love. One should be capable of being alone, utterly alone, and yet tremendously blissful. Then you can love. Then your love is no more a need but a sharing, no more a necessity. You will not become dependent on the people you love. You will share, and sharing is beautiful.
Often one is more attached to the journey than to the discovery...
because the journey happens in the mind...
the discovery happens in the heart...
because the journey happens in the mind...
the discovery happens in the heart...
Now be silent. Let the One who creates the words speak. He made the door. He made the lock. He also made the key.
Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior’s world.
The state of self-realization, as we call it, is not attaining something new or reaching some goal which is far away, but simply being that which you always are and which you always have been.