Page 10 of 207 ·
Jump to page #:
Go
· Jump To Random Page 
ANNAMALAI SWAMI REMEMBERED
Building works, part 17
Chinnaswami's managerial style alienated a lot of devotees but as a matter of principle Bhagavan nearly always supported him if he got into any disputes with devotees. Bhagavan himself frequently criticized Chinnaswami but that was prerogative he alone had. The rest of us had to suffer in silence. I remember one incident which illustrates this very well.
A woman once came to have Bhagavan's darshan. Because she was a very shy woman who didn't like eating in the company of men, she ate alone in a separate hut near the dining room. Instead of sending some woman devotee like Sampurnammal to serve food to her, Chinnaswami himself decided to deliver her food and serve it to her. When Bhagavan discovered what was happening he publicly rebuked him: 'Why don't you send one of the women to serve her? Why are you taking her food? She is very shy. She is not accustomed to dealing with strange men.'
Several devotees who had witnessed this scene began to think 'If Bhagavan treats Chinnaswami like this, why should we treat him with any respect?'
In the succeeding days these devotees began to treat Chinnaswami rather badly. Bhagavan observed this in silence for a few days.
When he saw that the disgruntled devotees were not going to change their attitude unless he intervened, he restored the status quo by telling them, 'Do you think that Chinnaswami is a killuk-kiraiai [a small plant which can easily be pulled out of the ground with one's fingernails and thrown away]? Chinnaswami is the sarvadhikari here. You should respect his position and follow his instructions.'
When the work on the cowshed was finally over Chinnaswami wrote to Rangaswami Gounder, the man who had given the cowshed which had been turned into a storeroom.
'We have completed a big cowshed. You can come and yourself. Please don't be angry with us anymore.'
Rangaswami Gounder accepted the invitation and was delighted to see what a big cowshed we had built. He kept his original promise and donated several cows to the ashram.
As he was being shown around the cowshed he remarked.
'When I saw that Chinnaswami had spent my earlier donation on a storeroom instead of a cowshed, I quite naturally got angry with him. I thought that he had wasted all my money. Now that this new cowshed, which is much bigger than the one I had planned, has been built, I am happy and content. Everything has turned out well in the end.'
Chinnaswami was also a happy man. In the closing stages of the work the ashram had received so many donations for the cowshed that there was a lot of money to spare when the work was finally completed. This put Chinnaswami into an unusually exuberant mood.
'Whenever you work for the ashram in future,' he told me, 'get the work done by throwing money wherever it is needed. Bhagavan will provide whatever is needed.'
- Living by the Words of Bhagavan p. 57
Building works, part 17
Chinnaswami's managerial style alienated a lot of devotees but as a matter of principle Bhagavan nearly always supported him if he got into any disputes with devotees. Bhagavan himself frequently criticized Chinnaswami but that was prerogative he alone had. The rest of us had to suffer in silence. I remember one incident which illustrates this very well.
A woman once came to have Bhagavan's darshan. Because she was a very shy woman who didn't like eating in the company of men, she ate alone in a separate hut near the dining room. Instead of sending some woman devotee like Sampurnammal to serve food to her, Chinnaswami himself decided to deliver her food and serve it to her. When Bhagavan discovered what was happening he publicly rebuked him: 'Why don't you send one of the women to serve her? Why are you taking her food? She is very shy. She is not accustomed to dealing with strange men.'
Several devotees who had witnessed this scene began to think 'If Bhagavan treats Chinnaswami like this, why should we treat him with any respect?'
In the succeeding days these devotees began to treat Chinnaswami rather badly. Bhagavan observed this in silence for a few days.
When he saw that the disgruntled devotees were not going to change their attitude unless he intervened, he restored the status quo by telling them, 'Do you think that Chinnaswami is a killuk-kiraiai [a small plant which can easily be pulled out of the ground with one's fingernails and thrown away]? Chinnaswami is the sarvadhikari here. You should respect his position and follow his instructions.'
When the work on the cowshed was finally over Chinnaswami wrote to Rangaswami Gounder, the man who had given the cowshed which had been turned into a storeroom.
'We have completed a big cowshed. You can come and yourself. Please don't be angry with us anymore.'
Rangaswami Gounder accepted the invitation and was delighted to see what a big cowshed we had built. He kept his original promise and donated several cows to the ashram.
As he was being shown around the cowshed he remarked.
'When I saw that Chinnaswami had spent my earlier donation on a storeroom instead of a cowshed, I quite naturally got angry with him. I thought that he had wasted all my money. Now that this new cowshed, which is much bigger than the one I had planned, has been built, I am happy and content. Everything has turned out well in the end.'
Chinnaswami was also a happy man. In the closing stages of the work the ashram had received so many donations for the cowshed that there was a lot of money to spare when the work was finally completed. This put Chinnaswami into an unusually exuberant mood.
'Whenever you work for the ashram in future,' he told me, 'get the work done by throwing money wherever it is needed. Bhagavan will provide whatever is needed.'
- Living by the Words of Bhagavan p. 57
UNDER THE RIGHT TEACHER THE DISCIPLE LEARNS TO LEARN, NOT TO REMEMBER AND OBEY
Each seeker accepts, or invents, a method which suits him, applies it to himself with some earnestness and effort, obtains results according to his temperament and expectations, casts them into the mound of words, builds them into a system, establishes a tradition and begins to admit others into his 'school of Yoga'. It is all built on memory and imagination. No such school is valueless, nor indispensable; in each one can progress up to the point, when all desire for progress must be abandoned to make further progress possible. Then all schools are given up, all effort ceases; in solitude and darkness the last step is made which ends ignorance and fear forever.
The true teacher, however, will not imprison his disciple in a prescribed set of ideas, feelings and actions; on the contrary, he will show him patiently the need to be free from all ideas and set patterns of behavior, to be vigilant and earnest and go with life wherever it takes him, not to enjoy or suffer, but to understand and learn.
Under the right teacher, the disciple learns to learn, not to remember and obey. Satsang, the company of the noble, does not mold, it liberates. Beware of all that makes you dependent. Most of the so-called 'surrenders to the Guru' end in disappointment, if not in tragedy. Fortunately, an earnest seeker will disentangle himself in time, the wiser for the experience.
Q: Surely, self-surrender has its value.
M: Self-surrender is the surrender of all self-concern. It cannot be done, it happens when you realize your true nature. Verbal self-surrender, even when accompanied by feeling, is of little value and breaks down under stress. At best it shows an aspiration, not an actual fact.
- I AM THAT ch 92
Each seeker accepts, or invents, a method which suits him, applies it to himself with some earnestness and effort, obtains results according to his temperament and expectations, casts them into the mound of words, builds them into a system, establishes a tradition and begins to admit others into his 'school of Yoga'. It is all built on memory and imagination. No such school is valueless, nor indispensable; in each one can progress up to the point, when all desire for progress must be abandoned to make further progress possible. Then all schools are given up, all effort ceases; in solitude and darkness the last step is made which ends ignorance and fear forever.
The true teacher, however, will not imprison his disciple in a prescribed set of ideas, feelings and actions; on the contrary, he will show him patiently the need to be free from all ideas and set patterns of behavior, to be vigilant and earnest and go with life wherever it takes him, not to enjoy or suffer, but to understand and learn.
Under the right teacher, the disciple learns to learn, not to remember and obey. Satsang, the company of the noble, does not mold, it liberates. Beware of all that makes you dependent. Most of the so-called 'surrenders to the Guru' end in disappointment, if not in tragedy. Fortunately, an earnest seeker will disentangle himself in time, the wiser for the experience.
Q: Surely, self-surrender has its value.
M: Self-surrender is the surrender of all self-concern. It cannot be done, it happens when you realize your true nature. Verbal self-surrender, even when accompanied by feeling, is of little value and breaks down under stress. At best it shows an aspiration, not an actual fact.
- I AM THAT ch 92
ANNAMALAI SWAMI – FINAL TALKS
'WHEN YOUR BODY IS THE WHOLE UNIVERSE ...'
During sleep, you have no likes and dislikes. Jnanis and babies manage this while they are awake. Baby mind is good; jnani mind is good; 'I am the body' mind is very, very bad.
Question: It's a poisonous thought!
Annamalai Swami: Yes, yes. The 'I am the body' thought is just as poisonous as a cobra. 'All is my Self.' 'All is the nectar of my own Self.' These are the great affirmations that counter the 'I am the body' thought.
Holding on to one of these sayings is the equal of millions of punyas. If we continuously meditate on the truth of these statements, if we hold on to the truth that they are pointing towards, countless punyas will accrue to us.
There are many other mantras, but none are as useful as these. Ribhu Gita says, 'All is one. All is the Self.'
This is the truth that you have to hold onto. To the real ‘I’ nothing is foreign in the entire universe. If you know you are everything, there will be no desire to pursue some things and not others. Do you like or desire your arm more than your foot? When your body is the whole universe, likes, dislikes and desires will be absent.
'WHEN YOUR BODY IS THE WHOLE UNIVERSE ...'
During sleep, you have no likes and dislikes. Jnanis and babies manage this while they are awake. Baby mind is good; jnani mind is good; 'I am the body' mind is very, very bad.
Question: It's a poisonous thought!
Annamalai Swami: Yes, yes. The 'I am the body' thought is just as poisonous as a cobra. 'All is my Self.' 'All is the nectar of my own Self.' These are the great affirmations that counter the 'I am the body' thought.
Holding on to one of these sayings is the equal of millions of punyas. If we continuously meditate on the truth of these statements, if we hold on to the truth that they are pointing towards, countless punyas will accrue to us.
There are many other mantras, but none are as useful as these. Ribhu Gita says, 'All is one. All is the Self.'
This is the truth that you have to hold onto. To the real ‘I’ nothing is foreign in the entire universe. If you know you are everything, there will be no desire to pursue some things and not others. Do you like or desire your arm more than your foot? When your body is the whole universe, likes, dislikes and desires will be absent.
When the mind is backed by will, miracles happen.
Still others commit all sorts of evil deeds, claiming karma doesn’t exist. They erroneously maintain that since everything is empty, committing evil isn’t wrong. Such persons fall into a hell of endless darkness with no hope of release. Those who are wise hold no such conception.
When mortals are alive, they worry about death.
When they're full, they worry about hunger.
Theirs is the Great Uncertainty.
But sages don't consider the past.
And they don't worry about the future.
Nor do they cling to the present.
And from moment to moment they follow the Way.
When they're full, they worry about hunger.
Theirs is the Great Uncertainty.
But sages don't consider the past.
And they don't worry about the future.
Nor do they cling to the present.
And from moment to moment they follow the Way.
The soul given to each of us is moved by the same living spirit that moves the Universe.
I like to experience the Universe as one harmonious whole. Every cell has life. Matter, too, has life; it is energy solidified...
SRI BHAGAVAN SPEAKS ABOUT HUMILITY:
The power of humility, which bestows immortality, is the foremost among powers that are hard to attain. Since the only benefit of learning and other similar virtues is the attainment of humility, humility alone is the real ornament of the sages. It is the storehouse of all other virtues and is therefore extolled as the wealth of divine grace. Although it is a characteristic befitting wise people in general, it is especially indispensable for sadhus.
Since attaining greatness is impossible for anyone except by humility, all the disciplines of conduct such as yama and niyama, which are prescribed specifically for aspirants on the spiritual path, have as their aim only the attainment of humility. Humility is indeed the hallmark of the destruction of the ego. Because of this, humility is especially extolled by sadhus themselves as the code of conduct befitting them.
Moreover, for those who are residing at Arunachala, it is indispensable in every way. Arunachala is the sacred place where even the embodiments of God, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shakti, humbly subsided. Since it has the power to humble even those who would not be humbled, those who do not humbly subside at Arunachala will surely not attain that redeeming virtue anywhere else.
The Supreme Lord, who is the highest of the high, shines unrivaled and unsurpassed only because he remains the humblest of the humble. When the divine virtue of humility is necessary even for the Supreme Lord, who is totally independent, is it necessary to emphasize that it is absolutely indispensable for sadhus who do not have such independence? Therefore, just as in their inner life, in their outer life also sadhus should possess complete and perfect humility. It is not that humility is necessary only for devotees of the Lord; even for the Lord, it is the characteristic virtue.
- Sri Ramana Darsanam, Taken from http://davidgodman.org/interviews/al4.shtml
The power of humility, which bestows immortality, is the foremost among powers that are hard to attain. Since the only benefit of learning and other similar virtues is the attainment of humility, humility alone is the real ornament of the sages. It is the storehouse of all other virtues and is therefore extolled as the wealth of divine grace. Although it is a characteristic befitting wise people in general, it is especially indispensable for sadhus.
Since attaining greatness is impossible for anyone except by humility, all the disciplines of conduct such as yama and niyama, which are prescribed specifically for aspirants on the spiritual path, have as their aim only the attainment of humility. Humility is indeed the hallmark of the destruction of the ego. Because of this, humility is especially extolled by sadhus themselves as the code of conduct befitting them.
Moreover, for those who are residing at Arunachala, it is indispensable in every way. Arunachala is the sacred place where even the embodiments of God, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shakti, humbly subsided. Since it has the power to humble even those who would not be humbled, those who do not humbly subside at Arunachala will surely not attain that redeeming virtue anywhere else.
The Supreme Lord, who is the highest of the high, shines unrivaled and unsurpassed only because he remains the humblest of the humble. When the divine virtue of humility is necessary even for the Supreme Lord, who is totally independent, is it necessary to emphasize that it is absolutely indispensable for sadhus who do not have such independence? Therefore, just as in their inner life, in their outer life also sadhus should possess complete and perfect humility. It is not that humility is necessary only for devotees of the Lord; even for the Lord, it is the characteristic virtue.
- Sri Ramana Darsanam, Taken from http://davidgodman.org/interviews/al4.shtml
It is only in the silence that the ultimate truth comes to you. It is only when your mind becomes quiescent, calm, like a motionless lake. A motionless lake reflects the stars, the moon, the sun. But a lake that’s noisy, vibrating, reflects absolutely nothing. In the same instance, a being whose mind has become motionless, whose mind has become calm, relaxed, peaceful, begins to reflect their own divinity, begins to reflect pure awareness, nirvana, emptiness. That always comes by itself. The ultimate reality is already there. You do not have to search for it. No one can give it to you.
&
(silence)
Om shanti, shanti, peace, peace.
When I sit like this at home in a chair for hours, people ask me if I'm meditating? And the answer is no. For to meditate you have to have a subject and an object and that implies duality. But if there is nobody home there is no subject and there is no object. So you're not meditating. Some people ask whether I go into samadhi? Who is left to go into samadhi? There has to be somebody left over to go into samadhi. That also implies an object and a subject. Wipe out the object and the subject and you will become nobody. So what do you do you just stay in the silence and do nothing. There's nothing to do. People always believe they have got to do something. When there is nothing to do it sounds too easy. But when you are doing something, meditating, going into samadhi, there has to be a doer. You are not the doer. You are no-body and you are absolute reality, pure consciousness, ultimate oneness, sat-chit-ananda, I am that I am. And this is your true nature, awaken to it.
Robert Adams, T43: I AM & T32: Remember The Reasons Why You Came Here
&
(silence)
Om shanti, shanti, peace, peace.
When I sit like this at home in a chair for hours, people ask me if I'm meditating? And the answer is no. For to meditate you have to have a subject and an object and that implies duality. But if there is nobody home there is no subject and there is no object. So you're not meditating. Some people ask whether I go into samadhi? Who is left to go into samadhi? There has to be somebody left over to go into samadhi. That also implies an object and a subject. Wipe out the object and the subject and you will become nobody. So what do you do you just stay in the silence and do nothing. There's nothing to do. People always believe they have got to do something. When there is nothing to do it sounds too easy. But when you are doing something, meditating, going into samadhi, there has to be a doer. You are not the doer. You are no-body and you are absolute reality, pure consciousness, ultimate oneness, sat-chit-ananda, I am that I am. And this is your true nature, awaken to it.
Robert Adams, T43: I AM & T32: Remember The Reasons Why You Came Here
A Heap of Skulls : A Sufi Story
There is a story about Bayazid, a Sufi mystic. He was passing through a cemetery and he came upon a heap of skulls. Out of curiosity he took one skull. He had always been of the thought that all skulls are almost the same, but they were not the same. There were a few skulls whose ears were joined together; there was a passage. There were a few skulls whose ears were not joined together; there was a barrier between the two. There were a few skulls both of whose ears were joined to the heart but not joined together; there was a passage running to the heart.
He was very surprised. He prayed and asked God, “What is the matter? What are you trying to reveal to me?” And it is said that he heard a voice. God said, “There are three types of people: one, who hear through one ear; it never reaches anywhere — in fact they don’t hear, just the sound vibrates and disappears. There is another type, who hear, but only momentarily — they hear through one ear, and through the other ear it is lost into the world again. There are a few souls, of course, who hear through the ears and it reaches to the heart.”
And God said, “Bayazid, I have brought you to this heap of skulls just to help you remember it when you are talking to people. Talk only to those who take whatsoever you say to their hearts — otherwise don’t waste your energy, and don’t waste your time. Your life is precious: you have a message to deliver.”
One day I also understood — not by going to a cemetery and coming across a heap, but by looking into alive people. There are three types; Bayazid is right. The story may be true or not; that is irrelevant. I looked into thousands of people, and I found that only a very few are there who will take the seed to the heart, who will begin soil to it, who will absorb it. And others are just curiosity-mongers, just entertaining themselves. Maybe entertainment is religious, but it is meaningless.
So here I don’t exist for the masses. Let it be known once and forever: I am not interested in the crowd, I am interested only in individuals. And you have to show your mettle.
There is a story about Bayazid, a Sufi mystic. He was passing through a cemetery and he came upon a heap of skulls. Out of curiosity he took one skull. He had always been of the thought that all skulls are almost the same, but they were not the same. There were a few skulls whose ears were joined together; there was a passage. There were a few skulls whose ears were not joined together; there was a barrier between the two. There were a few skulls both of whose ears were joined to the heart but not joined together; there was a passage running to the heart.
He was very surprised. He prayed and asked God, “What is the matter? What are you trying to reveal to me?” And it is said that he heard a voice. God said, “There are three types of people: one, who hear through one ear; it never reaches anywhere — in fact they don’t hear, just the sound vibrates and disappears. There is another type, who hear, but only momentarily — they hear through one ear, and through the other ear it is lost into the world again. There are a few souls, of course, who hear through the ears and it reaches to the heart.”
And God said, “Bayazid, I have brought you to this heap of skulls just to help you remember it when you are talking to people. Talk only to those who take whatsoever you say to their hearts — otherwise don’t waste your energy, and don’t waste your time. Your life is precious: you have a message to deliver.”
One day I also understood — not by going to a cemetery and coming across a heap, but by looking into alive people. There are three types; Bayazid is right. The story may be true or not; that is irrelevant. I looked into thousands of people, and I found that only a very few are there who will take the seed to the heart, who will begin soil to it, who will absorb it. And others are just curiosity-mongers, just entertaining themselves. Maybe entertainment is religious, but it is meaningless.
So here I don’t exist for the masses. Let it be known once and forever: I am not interested in the crowd, I am interested only in individuals. And you have to show your mettle.
One must not allow oneself to be caught by the lure of supernormal faculties. Suppose one has acquired the power that whatever one utters becomes true or whatever one desires is fulfilled. What of it? This is only a stage.
By using such powers to destroy or improve people one may become arrested on that level instead of progressing towards the ultimate. To get entangled on the level of these powers is a waste of energy. Having acquired them one must not lose sight of the supreme Goal of human existence but strive unceasingly after Self-realization.
Failing to do so will create obstacles and may result in a fall.
By using such powers to destroy or improve people one may become arrested on that level instead of progressing towards the ultimate. To get entangled on the level of these powers is a waste of energy. Having acquired them one must not lose sight of the supreme Goal of human existence but strive unceasingly after Self-realization.
Failing to do so will create obstacles and may result in a fall.
I am here to make you Total, Whole. To be Whole is to be Holy. Nothing is to be denied, contradictions have to be absorbed, so that a harmony, a symphony arises. I don't want you to become monotonous, monotony is death. A life of ordinary indulgence is repetitive, and so is the life of ordinary religion. The life of Yoga is tremendously rich. It is affirmative, it is saying yes to existence. Blessed are those in whom God has become a laughter, a song and a dance.
All things are governed by speech: speech is the root, from speech they originate; that man who is verily dishonest in speech, he is dishonest in all.
— Manu
— Manu
When you are experiencing with your attention rooted in being, your mind is no longer collecting outer impressions and the usual noise of the world goes unnoticed. All is replaced by this field of seamless awareness. For most people, their attention is engaged with sensory perception, and the noise produced there becomes the background of their being.
But for one who is absorbed in the Self, the most profound experience is that of unbroken, soundless Awareness, in which all phenomena appear and disappear without trace. For the one who has lost interest in the mind play, impressions drift further and further away from the heart of perceiving. This should be everyone’s unbroken experience. However, when we get wrapped up in the scenarios created by the mind, we will be distracted.
As you stabilize more in the Self, you find and enjoy peace even in the midst of daily life. The sense ‘I’ in you becomes a synonym for peace and harmony. For such a one knows he is not just the body or mind, nor is the body-mind a mere container or an antenna for receiving the incessant noise and impressions of the world. Even amidst the worldly traffic of sensations, the awakened one remains unperturbed, abiding effortlessly in the silence of Being. The mind of an awakened one is like a space in which phenomena appear and disappear, yet nothing sticks.
But for one who is absorbed in the Self, the most profound experience is that of unbroken, soundless Awareness, in which all phenomena appear and disappear without trace. For the one who has lost interest in the mind play, impressions drift further and further away from the heart of perceiving. This should be everyone’s unbroken experience. However, when we get wrapped up in the scenarios created by the mind, we will be distracted.
As you stabilize more in the Self, you find and enjoy peace even in the midst of daily life. The sense ‘I’ in you becomes a synonym for peace and harmony. For such a one knows he is not just the body or mind, nor is the body-mind a mere container or an antenna for receiving the incessant noise and impressions of the world. Even amidst the worldly traffic of sensations, the awakened one remains unperturbed, abiding effortlessly in the silence of Being. The mind of an awakened one is like a space in which phenomena appear and disappear, yet nothing sticks.
The teacher is never a giver of truth. He is a guide, a pointer to the truth each student must find for himself.
Life itself is your teacher, and you are in a state of constant learning.
Life itself is your teacher, and you are in a state of constant learning.
The sincerest form of love.
"What is love?" the little child asked the wise man.
"Love is to give people what they need, not what they want", he answered.
"What is love?" the little child asked the wise man.
"Love is to give people what they need, not what they want", he answered.
The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness.
Вопрос: “В какой асане обычно сидит Бхагаван?”
Бхагаван: “В какой асане? В асане Сердца. Это моя асана. Её называют сукхасаной, асаной счастья, ибо эта асана Сердца полна тишины и даёт счастье. Сидящие в такой асане не нуждаются в какой-либо иной”.
Бхагаван: “В какой асане? В асане Сердца. Это моя асана. Её называют сукхасаной, асаной счастья, ибо эта асана Сердца полна тишины и даёт счастье. Сидящие в такой асане не нуждаются в какой-либо иной”.
Видения во сне
Позавчера, где-то от восьми до девяти утра, пожилой человек из семьи среднего класса, знающий аюрведу, пришёл к Бхагавану, простёрся перед ним и сказал: “Свами, это полезно для флегмы, возьмите”. Он хотел дать некоторое лекарство. Когда служители пытались помешать ему сделать это, Бхагаван остановил их, взял лекарство и сказал им: “Когда я жил на Горе, он время от вре- мени приносил мне то или иное лекарство. Пусть он и сейчас даст его. Возможно, у него был какой-то сон”. С очевидным удо- вольствием тот старик произнёс: “Сейчас у меня не было ника- кого сна, Свами. В это время года у Вас обычно бывает избыток флегмы, не так ли? Поэтому я и принёс лекарство”. Сказав так, он поклонился и вышел. Как только он ушёл, преданный, сидящий рядом с Бхагаваном, спросил: “О каком сне Вы говорили?” Бхагаван ответил: «О, это! Живя на Горе, я однажды вечером случайно спросил Паланисва- ми, нет ли у него лимона. Он сказал: “Нет”. “Если так, не бес- покойся”, — произнёс я. Кажется, что в ту самую ночь только что ушедшему человеку приснилось, что я попросил у него лимон. На следующее утро, когда я вышел, он уже был там и сказал: “Свами, возьмите этот лимон!” Я обратился к нему с вопросом: “Вчера я спросил Паланисвами, нет ли у него одного лимона. Как вы узнали об этом?” Отвечая, он произнёс: “Вы приснились мне и сказали, что хотите лимон. Вот почему я сейчас принёс его”; и он положил лимон в мою руку. Вот как это произошло». Тот преданный спросил: “Бхагаван действительно появился ему во сне?” Бхагаван, улыбаясь, ответил: “Я не знаю. Кто знает? Он сказал так. И это всё”. Другой преданный спросил: “Записная книжка К.К. Намбияра тоже появилась здесь тем же способом, не так ли?” Бхагаван от- ветил: «Да, именно так. В то время Мадхаван находился здесь. Я говорил ему о необходимости вынуть из комода продолговатую записную книжку с чёрной обложкой, чтобы я мог записать в неё комментарий на Шри Рамана Гиту. Он сказал, что достанет её мне, но в течение четырёх или пяти дней забывал об этом. Тем временем Намбияр пришёл сюда и дал мне записную книж- ку, точно той формы и того описания, которые я просил. Когда я поинтересовался у него, как это случилось, что он принёс за- писную книжку точно по моему заказу, он сказал: “Бхагаван появился мне во сне и попросил записную книжку, указав тре- буемое количество страниц, ширину и длину. В магазине я нашёл точно такую книжку и принёс её”. Тем временем пришёл Мадха- ван. Я сказал ему: “Смотрите, здесь лежит эта книжка. Вы дали её мне, не так ли?” Он удивился и, вспоминая мои инструкции, вынул мою записную книжку из комода, которая оказалась точ- но такого же размера. Она как раз была достаточной для Шри Рамана Гиты, со шлоками и комментарием. Как только эта ра- бота была закончена, пришёл Намбияр и унёс её, сказав, что хотел бы напечатать текст, но в то же время он не решался пере- давать в печать книгу, содержащую почерк Бхагавана. Поэтому он сделал копию, которую послал в печать, а оригинал оставил себе. Он ещё должен быть у него. Даже Раджагопалан однажды сделал почти такую же вещь. Когда закончился запас наших
чернил, я несколько раз говорил людям здесь о необходимости пополнить его. На следующий день или днём позднее он, воз- вращаясь откуда-то, принёс большую банку чернил. Когда я спро- сил его, как он узнал о необходимости чернил здесь, он ответил, что Бхагаван появился ему во сне и сообщил о необходимости чернил. “Поэтому я и принёс её”, — сказал он. Вот какие вещи время от времени происходят». Тот преданный спросил: “Они говорят, что Бхагаван сам рас- сказывал им. Это правда?” Бхагаван ответил: “Откуда я знаю? Они так сказали. И это всё”. Тот же преданный спросил снова: “Пусть даже и так, но разве не удивительно, что требуемое здесь должно было оказаться увиденным ими во сне?” Бхагаван одо- брительно кивнул головой и остался в безмолвии.
Позавчера, где-то от восьми до девяти утра, пожилой человек из семьи среднего класса, знающий аюрведу, пришёл к Бхагавану, простёрся перед ним и сказал: “Свами, это полезно для флегмы, возьмите”. Он хотел дать некоторое лекарство. Когда служители пытались помешать ему сделать это, Бхагаван остановил их, взял лекарство и сказал им: “Когда я жил на Горе, он время от вре- мени приносил мне то или иное лекарство. Пусть он и сейчас даст его. Возможно, у него был какой-то сон”. С очевидным удо- вольствием тот старик произнёс: “Сейчас у меня не было ника- кого сна, Свами. В это время года у Вас обычно бывает избыток флегмы, не так ли? Поэтому я и принёс лекарство”. Сказав так, он поклонился и вышел. Как только он ушёл, преданный, сидящий рядом с Бхагаваном, спросил: “О каком сне Вы говорили?” Бхагаван ответил: «О, это! Живя на Горе, я однажды вечером случайно спросил Паланисва- ми, нет ли у него лимона. Он сказал: “Нет”. “Если так, не бес- покойся”, — произнёс я. Кажется, что в ту самую ночь только что ушедшему человеку приснилось, что я попросил у него лимон. На следующее утро, когда я вышел, он уже был там и сказал: “Свами, возьмите этот лимон!” Я обратился к нему с вопросом: “Вчера я спросил Паланисвами, нет ли у него одного лимона. Как вы узнали об этом?” Отвечая, он произнёс: “Вы приснились мне и сказали, что хотите лимон. Вот почему я сейчас принёс его”; и он положил лимон в мою руку. Вот как это произошло». Тот преданный спросил: “Бхагаван действительно появился ему во сне?” Бхагаван, улыбаясь, ответил: “Я не знаю. Кто знает? Он сказал так. И это всё”. Другой преданный спросил: “Записная книжка К.К. Намбияра тоже появилась здесь тем же способом, не так ли?” Бхагаван от- ветил: «Да, именно так. В то время Мадхаван находился здесь. Я говорил ему о необходимости вынуть из комода продолговатую записную книжку с чёрной обложкой, чтобы я мог записать в неё комментарий на Шри Рамана Гиту. Он сказал, что достанет её мне, но в течение четырёх или пяти дней забывал об этом. Тем временем Намбияр пришёл сюда и дал мне записную книж- ку, точно той формы и того описания, которые я просил. Когда я поинтересовался у него, как это случилось, что он принёс за- писную книжку точно по моему заказу, он сказал: “Бхагаван появился мне во сне и попросил записную книжку, указав тре- буемое количество страниц, ширину и длину. В магазине я нашёл точно такую книжку и принёс её”. Тем временем пришёл Мадха- ван. Я сказал ему: “Смотрите, здесь лежит эта книжка. Вы дали её мне, не так ли?” Он удивился и, вспоминая мои инструкции, вынул мою записную книжку из комода, которая оказалась точ- но такого же размера. Она как раз была достаточной для Шри Рамана Гиты, со шлоками и комментарием. Как только эта ра- бота была закончена, пришёл Намбияр и унёс её, сказав, что хотел бы напечатать текст, но в то же время он не решался пере- давать в печать книгу, содержащую почерк Бхагавана. Поэтому он сделал копию, которую послал в печать, а оригинал оставил себе. Он ещё должен быть у него. Даже Раджагопалан однажды сделал почти такую же вещь. Когда закончился запас наших
чернил, я несколько раз говорил людям здесь о необходимости пополнить его. На следующий день или днём позднее он, воз- вращаясь откуда-то, принёс большую банку чернил. Когда я спро- сил его, как он узнал о необходимости чернил здесь, он ответил, что Бхагаван появился ему во сне и сообщил о необходимости чернил. “Поэтому я и принёс её”, — сказал он. Вот какие вещи время от времени происходят». Тот преданный спросил: “Они говорят, что Бхагаван сам рас- сказывал им. Это правда?” Бхагаван ответил: “Откуда я знаю? Они так сказали. И это всё”. Тот же преданный спросил снова: “Пусть даже и так, но разве не удивительно, что требуемое здесь должно было оказаться увиденным ими во сне?” Бхагаван одо- брительно кивнул головой и остался в безмолвии.
KRISHNA BHIKSHU, part 17
EXPLOITATION DOES NOT PAY OFF
Many people went to Bhagavan not to get advice about their sadhana but to get help for their personal problems. These might include a lack of money or health or some family problem that needed to be resolved.
Bhagavan would never say, 'I will help you,' or 'I will solve your problem'. He would just listen quietly and do nothing. But, somehow, many people found that problems would disappear or be resolved satisfactorily if Bhagavan had been informed about them. He said when he was asked about this, that there was a divine force that automatically took care of all the problems that were placed before him, and that he himself was not personally involved in the resolution of any of these situations. Since this 'Divine force' had a very high success rate, many people brought their personal problems to Bhagavan.
Most people would only approach Bhagavan for help if there was a dire emergency in their lives, but other people expected him to manage all aspects of their lives. Bhagavan himself told us about one such man who corresponded with him while he was still living on the hill.
A postcard arrived, addressed to Bhagavan, in which the sender wrote: 'I am a poor elementary school teacher. My mother is old and my salary is so small, I cannot look after her properly. Kindly see that I get a raise.'
Bhagavan laughed and said, 'Well, why not?'
Another card came after some time in which he wrote: 'By your grace, my salary was increased. Now there is a vacancy in a higher grade. If I am given this promotion, I shall earn more and make my mother very happy.'
Bhagavan had a good laugh and said, 'Good'.
The next card arrived a few days later: 'My mother is bedridden and there is nobody to nurse her. If I could get married, my wife would look after her. But I am a poor man. Who will give me his daughter in marriage? And where will I get the money for expenses? Bhagavan may kindly arrange.' Bhagavan laughed again and said, 'Well, let it be so'.
After some months another postcard came: 'By your kindness, I was married quite easily. My wife is already with me. My mother wants a grandchild before she dies. Please provide.'
'Why not?' said Bhagavan.
A few months passed before the next card arrived: 'My wife gave birth to a child, but she has no milk for it. I cannot afford milk for the baby. Please get me another promotion.'
The next message came more quickly: 'I got a promotion and a salary increment. The child is doing well. I owe everything to your kindness.'
Bhagavan remarked, 'What have I done? It is his good karma that all goes well with him.'
Eventually, the man's good fortune ran out.
The next card said: 'Mother died. She worshipped you before her death.'
Bhagavan said nothing.
A month later another card arrived: 'Swami, my child has died.'
Bhagavan expressed his regrets but made no further comments.
Some time passed before the next card came: 'My wife is pregnant again.'
This apparent good news was canceled out by the next card:
'My wife gave birth to a child. Both died.'
'Ram, Ram,' said Bhagavan. 'Everything seems to be over.'
But there was more to come. The final card in this bizarre series ran:.'Due to family trouble, my work was very irregular and I was dismissed. I am completely destitute now.'
Bhagavan sighed deeply and commented, 'All that came has gone. Only his Self remained with him. It is always like this. When all goes, only the Self remains.'
- The Power of the Presence, III
EXPLOITATION DOES NOT PAY OFF
Many people went to Bhagavan not to get advice about their sadhana but to get help for their personal problems. These might include a lack of money or health or some family problem that needed to be resolved.
Bhagavan would never say, 'I will help you,' or 'I will solve your problem'. He would just listen quietly and do nothing. But, somehow, many people found that problems would disappear or be resolved satisfactorily if Bhagavan had been informed about them. He said when he was asked about this, that there was a divine force that automatically took care of all the problems that were placed before him, and that he himself was not personally involved in the resolution of any of these situations. Since this 'Divine force' had a very high success rate, many people brought their personal problems to Bhagavan.
Most people would only approach Bhagavan for help if there was a dire emergency in their lives, but other people expected him to manage all aspects of their lives. Bhagavan himself told us about one such man who corresponded with him while he was still living on the hill.
A postcard arrived, addressed to Bhagavan, in which the sender wrote: 'I am a poor elementary school teacher. My mother is old and my salary is so small, I cannot look after her properly. Kindly see that I get a raise.'
Bhagavan laughed and said, 'Well, why not?'
Another card came after some time in which he wrote: 'By your grace, my salary was increased. Now there is a vacancy in a higher grade. If I am given this promotion, I shall earn more and make my mother very happy.'
Bhagavan had a good laugh and said, 'Good'.
The next card arrived a few days later: 'My mother is bedridden and there is nobody to nurse her. If I could get married, my wife would look after her. But I am a poor man. Who will give me his daughter in marriage? And where will I get the money for expenses? Bhagavan may kindly arrange.' Bhagavan laughed again and said, 'Well, let it be so'.
After some months another postcard came: 'By your kindness, I was married quite easily. My wife is already with me. My mother wants a grandchild before she dies. Please provide.'
'Why not?' said Bhagavan.
A few months passed before the next card arrived: 'My wife gave birth to a child, but she has no milk for it. I cannot afford milk for the baby. Please get me another promotion.'
The next message came more quickly: 'I got a promotion and a salary increment. The child is doing well. I owe everything to your kindness.'
Bhagavan remarked, 'What have I done? It is his good karma that all goes well with him.'
Eventually, the man's good fortune ran out.
The next card said: 'Mother died. She worshipped you before her death.'
Bhagavan said nothing.
A month later another card arrived: 'Swami, my child has died.'
Bhagavan expressed his regrets but made no further comments.
Some time passed before the next card came: 'My wife is pregnant again.'
This apparent good news was canceled out by the next card:
'My wife gave birth to a child. Both died.'
'Ram, Ram,' said Bhagavan. 'Everything seems to be over.'
But there was more to come. The final card in this bizarre series ran:.'Due to family trouble, my work was very irregular and I was dismissed. I am completely destitute now.'
Bhagavan sighed deeply and commented, 'All that came has gone. Only his Self remained with him. It is always like this. When all goes, only the Self remains.'
- The Power of the Presence, III
Заблуждение и покой ума
Вчера некий юноша прибыл из Андхра-Прадеш. Внешне он казался прямодушным. Сегодня утром он подошёл к Бхагавану и спросил: “Свамиджи! Десять месяцев назад я пришёл сюда ради Вашего даршана. Сейчас у меня снова появилось желание иметь Ваш даршан, и поэтому я немедленно отправился и прибыл сюда. Я не мог откладывать своё посещение даже на момент. Могу ли я поступать так и в будущем, когда бы я ни имел такое желание?” Бхагаван ответил: “Что бы ни случалось, случается. Всё слу- чается согласно тому, чего мы заслуживаем. Зачем заранее бес- покоиться об этом?” Юноша снова спросил: “Могу ли я приходить, когда бы в бу- дущем ни имел такое желание в любое время? Или мне следует подавлять это желание?” ”Вещи происходят сами собой, если вы прекращаете думать о будущем”, — ответил Бхагаван. Вопрос: “Я не способен подавить такое желание даже на момент. Это самообман?” Бхагаван взглянул на меня с улыбкой и произнёс: “Кажется, он приходил сюда некоторое время назад и сейчас снова пожелал прибыть, а потому тотчас же и приехал. Он спрашивает меня, сможет ли он так поступать в будущем, когда бы он ни имел такое желание”. Тот юноша вмешался и сказал: “Когда бы я ни получил жела- ние видеть Бхагавана, я не в состоянии даже на момент сдержать его. Я только спрашиваю, не является ли это просто умственным заблуждением”. Я спросила его: “Как может желание иметь даршан великого человека быть просто умственным заблуждением? При наличии столь многих заблуждений ума, подлежащих контролю и пода- влению, только это желание кажется вам умственным заблужде- нием?” Дальнейших вопросов он не задавал. В Холле находилось несколько посетителей из Андхра-Прадеш, прибывших сюда паломниками. Один из них встал и спросил: “Свамиджи! Как душа достигает покоя?” Бхагаван ответил, смеясь: “Что? Что такое покой для души?” “Нет, нет! Я подразумевал покой ума”. «О, покой для ума! Ум достигает покоя, если васаны пода- влены. Для этого должно вопрошать и осознать, кем являешься. Как можно обрести покой, просто говоря: “Я хочу покоя, я хочу покоя!”, без первичного запрашивания, что такое покой? Сначала прилагайте усилия узнать и осознать то, что уже существует». Среди них был и пандит. Он спросил: “В некоторых местах сама жизнь становится исключительно трудной. Как человек должен выполнять садхану в таких местах?” Бхагаван ответил: “Заданное место находится внутри вас; вы не находитесь в том месте. Когда вы пребываете во всех местах, где вопрос о трудностях в некоторых местах, а не в других? Все места находятся внутри вас. Как они могут вызывать ваши труд- ности?” “Но мы вообще не получаем покоя ума в некоторых местах”, — возразил он, и Бхагаван ответил: «То, которое всегда существует, есть покой. Оно является вашим естественным со- стоянием. Вы не способны узнать своё естественное состояние. Вы введены в заблуждение отклонениями, которые нереальны, и сожалеете, что покоя нет. Если вы осознаёте себя, все места станут равным образом подходящими для садханы».
Письма из Шри Раманашрама
Вчера некий юноша прибыл из Андхра-Прадеш. Внешне он казался прямодушным. Сегодня утром он подошёл к Бхагавану и спросил: “Свамиджи! Десять месяцев назад я пришёл сюда ради Вашего даршана. Сейчас у меня снова появилось желание иметь Ваш даршан, и поэтому я немедленно отправился и прибыл сюда. Я не мог откладывать своё посещение даже на момент. Могу ли я поступать так и в будущем, когда бы я ни имел такое желание?” Бхагаван ответил: “Что бы ни случалось, случается. Всё слу- чается согласно тому, чего мы заслуживаем. Зачем заранее бес- покоиться об этом?” Юноша снова спросил: “Могу ли я приходить, когда бы в бу- дущем ни имел такое желание в любое время? Или мне следует подавлять это желание?” ”Вещи происходят сами собой, если вы прекращаете думать о будущем”, — ответил Бхагаван. Вопрос: “Я не способен подавить такое желание даже на момент. Это самообман?” Бхагаван взглянул на меня с улыбкой и произнёс: “Кажется, он приходил сюда некоторое время назад и сейчас снова пожелал прибыть, а потому тотчас же и приехал. Он спрашивает меня, сможет ли он так поступать в будущем, когда бы он ни имел такое желание”. Тот юноша вмешался и сказал: “Когда бы я ни получил жела- ние видеть Бхагавана, я не в состоянии даже на момент сдержать его. Я только спрашиваю, не является ли это просто умственным заблуждением”. Я спросила его: “Как может желание иметь даршан великого человека быть просто умственным заблуждением? При наличии столь многих заблуждений ума, подлежащих контролю и пода- влению, только это желание кажется вам умственным заблужде- нием?” Дальнейших вопросов он не задавал. В Холле находилось несколько посетителей из Андхра-Прадеш, прибывших сюда паломниками. Один из них встал и спросил: “Свамиджи! Как душа достигает покоя?” Бхагаван ответил, смеясь: “Что? Что такое покой для души?” “Нет, нет! Я подразумевал покой ума”. «О, покой для ума! Ум достигает покоя, если васаны пода- влены. Для этого должно вопрошать и осознать, кем являешься. Как можно обрести покой, просто говоря: “Я хочу покоя, я хочу покоя!”, без первичного запрашивания, что такое покой? Сначала прилагайте усилия узнать и осознать то, что уже существует». Среди них был и пандит. Он спросил: “В некоторых местах сама жизнь становится исключительно трудной. Как человек должен выполнять садхану в таких местах?” Бхагаван ответил: “Заданное место находится внутри вас; вы не находитесь в том месте. Когда вы пребываете во всех местах, где вопрос о трудностях в некоторых местах, а не в других? Все места находятся внутри вас. Как они могут вызывать ваши труд- ности?” “Но мы вообще не получаем покоя ума в некоторых местах”, — возразил он, и Бхагаван ответил: «То, которое всегда существует, есть покой. Оно является вашим естественным со- стоянием. Вы не способны узнать своё естественное состояние. Вы введены в заблуждение отклонениями, которые нереальны, и сожалеете, что покоя нет. Если вы осознаёте себя, все места станут равным образом подходящими для садханы».
Письма из Шри Раманашрама
There is only one thing to be done:
give up the idea
that you are your personality
and be open to a greater truth.
Spirit is presence, not person.
Like this, Grace enters your heart
and reveals your true nature as
unborn awareness.
give up the idea
that you are your personality
and be open to a greater truth.
Spirit is presence, not person.
Like this, Grace enters your heart
and reveals your true nature as
unborn awareness.
You must have a strong conviction; that conviction means practicing. That conviction means not only “I Am,” but it means I am free from “I Am” also. You know you are, without words. Just be that. You are not to think or imagine anything.
To be beautiful is not to be born beautiful.
As beauty can be learned.
When a person has a beauty of the soul,
What outer beauty can match that?
As beauty can be learned.
When a person has a beauty of the soul,
What outer beauty can match that?
Beings
Follow us on Facebook