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Just as the difference between the space in a pot and the space outside it disappears when the pot is demolished, so also does duality disappear when it is realized that the difference between the individual consciousness and the Universal Consciousness does not in fact exist.
God is the end of all desire and knowledge.
As far as the search for truth is concerned, 98% of our thinking is rubbish. The remaining 2% is garbage.
Throw it all out and be empty!
Truth cannot be caught by intellect alone - grace is needed.
Throw it all out and be empty!
Truth cannot be caught by intellect alone - grace is needed.
Everything in your life is there as a vehicle for your transformation. Use it!
What I'm getting at is this:
Whatever you put first in your life that's what you ultimately become.
If you think your work is number one because that's what supports you, you're looking at this thing the wrong way. What supports you is the Self. Work is only one of the channels of the Self. If you know the Self you will always be taken care of because the Self is self-contained harmony and bliss. Therefore I should think your first obligation should be toward finding your Self or finding out who you really are.
What about vacations, holidays? Wherever you go you've got to take yourself with you. If you are a miserable person you're going to take your misery wherever you go. The first day or so may seem as though you were taking a break from your everyday experiences. But soon you will find fault with the hotel you're staying in, with the restaurant, with the food, with everybody because that is what you do when you are here.
It seems to me that if a person really wants to awaken they will put the teaching first. Now it makes no difference to me. I'm not saying this because I want to see you here all the time. As you know you've got the freedom to do what you like. I'd be the last one to tell you where to go or what to do. Sometimes I'd like to tell certain people where to go. But you're free to do what you like.
You have to come to the conclusion of what I'm talking about by yourself. Something within you has to be so strong, you've always got spiritual life on your mind. Why do have to go anywhere? You are the universe. There is no place for you to go. After all you remember that the whole universe is an emanation of your own mind. You are creating the universe. Where do you have to go?
If you're looking for happiness and peace, it's right within you. If you're looking for a change of environment, it's right within you. Whatever you need is within you. There is no where you have to go for anything.
You have to ask yourself, how badly do I wish to awaken? And this will determine what you do.
When some of us are experiencing good karma, so-to-speak and we have the pleasures of life in this world, sometimes we go further away from spiritual life because we assume we're happy. Since we have the so called good things of life. We have forgotten that everything is subject to change. Your fortune can end tomorrow. And even if it doesn't you still become earth bound. So the next time around you will probably be a homeless person.
The universe is a cosmic joke. It plays games with you. It wants you to become attached to things. Your mind appears to be very strong. It will tell you all sorts of things to keep you attached. There are very few people who break out of it. In the Bhagavad-Gita it tells you, out of a thousand people, one searches for God. Out of a thousand who search one finds him. They are referring to the Self.
You cannot possibly find yourself when you are engrossed in the world. I'm not advocating that you become a hermit or a recluse. I'm simply saying, first things first. Focus your attention on the Self, your body will take care of itself. Something will take care of your so called body. It will not starve. This something can take care of your body better than you can ever hope to. So you do not have to keep thinking about your affairs and your body and the world most of the time.
You must begin to understand that you are the only one who can dissolve the maya and awaken to the truth of your being.
You can tell where you're at by what you do all day long.
Just think about today, since you woke up this morning.
How often did you think about your higher Self.
How often did you practice self-inquiry.
How often did you surrender completely.
Not too much, you identified yourself with the worldly situation.
You identified with maya.
With things, with persons, with places and then you tell me I want to awaken.
I want to become self-realized.
Of course the truth is that you're already self-realized, you know that, but those are just words.
What are you doing to prove it?
When you worry you're moving away from self-realization. Even though you may believe that you've got something to worry about. It may appear very important to you, but from a higher standpoint there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing to worry about. No matter how it may appear to you, at least realize that it is an appearance and that is how you see it from your viewpoint. Rise above it by asking, "To whom does it come? Who is experiencing this?"
When you have fear. Fear of any kind, you are pushing yourself away from liberation. What can you possibly fear, consciousness is all there is, consciousness is bliss. There is nothing else. The mind has invented the rest and causes you to fear. Hate, revenge, all these traits and even the good things, they're two sides of the same coin.
I want to remind you that you are not trying to change bad human hood into good human hood. What you are trying to do is to transcend both. Everything will be all right if you stick to your sadhana. If you take time out to practice self-inquiry, or surrender, or just to sit in the silence. You can do these things while you are working. You really do not have to meditate formally.
How Bad Do You Want To Awaken? - May 23, 1991
Whatever you put first in your life that's what you ultimately become.
If you think your work is number one because that's what supports you, you're looking at this thing the wrong way. What supports you is the Self. Work is only one of the channels of the Self. If you know the Self you will always be taken care of because the Self is self-contained harmony and bliss. Therefore I should think your first obligation should be toward finding your Self or finding out who you really are.
What about vacations, holidays? Wherever you go you've got to take yourself with you. If you are a miserable person you're going to take your misery wherever you go. The first day or so may seem as though you were taking a break from your everyday experiences. But soon you will find fault with the hotel you're staying in, with the restaurant, with the food, with everybody because that is what you do when you are here.
It seems to me that if a person really wants to awaken they will put the teaching first. Now it makes no difference to me. I'm not saying this because I want to see you here all the time. As you know you've got the freedom to do what you like. I'd be the last one to tell you where to go or what to do. Sometimes I'd like to tell certain people where to go. But you're free to do what you like.
You have to come to the conclusion of what I'm talking about by yourself. Something within you has to be so strong, you've always got spiritual life on your mind. Why do have to go anywhere? You are the universe. There is no place for you to go. After all you remember that the whole universe is an emanation of your own mind. You are creating the universe. Where do you have to go?
If you're looking for happiness and peace, it's right within you. If you're looking for a change of environment, it's right within you. Whatever you need is within you. There is no where you have to go for anything.
You have to ask yourself, how badly do I wish to awaken? And this will determine what you do.
When some of us are experiencing good karma, so-to-speak and we have the pleasures of life in this world, sometimes we go further away from spiritual life because we assume we're happy. Since we have the so called good things of life. We have forgotten that everything is subject to change. Your fortune can end tomorrow. And even if it doesn't you still become earth bound. So the next time around you will probably be a homeless person.
The universe is a cosmic joke. It plays games with you. It wants you to become attached to things. Your mind appears to be very strong. It will tell you all sorts of things to keep you attached. There are very few people who break out of it. In the Bhagavad-Gita it tells you, out of a thousand people, one searches for God. Out of a thousand who search one finds him. They are referring to the Self.
You cannot possibly find yourself when you are engrossed in the world. I'm not advocating that you become a hermit or a recluse. I'm simply saying, first things first. Focus your attention on the Self, your body will take care of itself. Something will take care of your so called body. It will not starve. This something can take care of your body better than you can ever hope to. So you do not have to keep thinking about your affairs and your body and the world most of the time.
You must begin to understand that you are the only one who can dissolve the maya and awaken to the truth of your being.
You can tell where you're at by what you do all day long.
Just think about today, since you woke up this morning.
How often did you think about your higher Self.
How often did you practice self-inquiry.
How often did you surrender completely.
Not too much, you identified yourself with the worldly situation.
You identified with maya.
With things, with persons, with places and then you tell me I want to awaken.
I want to become self-realized.
Of course the truth is that you're already self-realized, you know that, but those are just words.
What are you doing to prove it?
When you worry you're moving away from self-realization. Even though you may believe that you've got something to worry about. It may appear very important to you, but from a higher standpoint there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing to worry about. No matter how it may appear to you, at least realize that it is an appearance and that is how you see it from your viewpoint. Rise above it by asking, "To whom does it come? Who is experiencing this?"
When you have fear. Fear of any kind, you are pushing yourself away from liberation. What can you possibly fear, consciousness is all there is, consciousness is bliss. There is nothing else. The mind has invented the rest and causes you to fear. Hate, revenge, all these traits and even the good things, they're two sides of the same coin.
I want to remind you that you are not trying to change bad human hood into good human hood. What you are trying to do is to transcend both. Everything will be all right if you stick to your sadhana. If you take time out to practice self-inquiry, or surrender, or just to sit in the silence. You can do these things while you are working. You really do not have to meditate formally.
How Bad Do You Want To Awaken? - May 23, 1991
Though the ‘I’ is always experienced, yet one’s attention has to be drawn to it. Only then does knowledge dawn. Thus the need for the instruction of the Upanishads and of wise sages.
Do not take anything too seriously.
Just observe the world going by and yet do not react to it.
Watch everything, be alert, but leave it alone.
Do not try to own anything and do not try to give up anything.
"Just be yourself".
Have no feeling that I am the doer.
Let your body go about its business, but you stay with the 'I' and all will go well with you.
Dealing With Problems - November 22, 1990
Just observe the world going by and yet do not react to it.
Watch everything, be alert, but leave it alone.
Do not try to own anything and do not try to give up anything.
"Just be yourself".
Have no feeling that I am the doer.
Let your body go about its business, but you stay with the 'I' and all will go well with you.
Dealing With Problems - November 22, 1990
God breaks the heart again
and again
and again
until it stays open.
and again
and again
until it stays open.
In Tibetan, effortless presence is wangthang, which literally means, ‘field of power’. The cause that brings about effortless presence is emptying out and letting go. You have to be without clinging.
S: Can you give an example of a right self-surrender attitude?
R: When you surrender you're surrendering the ego.
The way this is done, is by looking at the world with humility.
Looking at the world with love and peace.
Saying to yourself,
"Not my will but thine".
Feeling that you have no will of your own any longer.
You have no questions, you have no wants, you have no desires, you let them all melt in your heart.
You leave it alone.
You stop worrying, you stop fretting.
You stop trying to accomplish things or to change things.
By realizing there is a power greater than you.
It's available to you right now.
As you do this you're surrendering all of your wants, all of your needs, all of your fears, all of your stuff that you've been carrying on with all these years.
You're surrendering it all.
Everything must go, everything.
Robert Are You Really A Jnani? - January 31, 1993
R: When you surrender you're surrendering the ego.
The way this is done, is by looking at the world with humility.
Looking at the world with love and peace.
Saying to yourself,
"Not my will but thine".
Feeling that you have no will of your own any longer.
You have no questions, you have no wants, you have no desires, you let them all melt in your heart.
You leave it alone.
You stop worrying, you stop fretting.
You stop trying to accomplish things or to change things.
By realizing there is a power greater than you.
It's available to you right now.
As you do this you're surrendering all of your wants, all of your needs, all of your fears, all of your stuff that you've been carrying on with all these years.
You're surrendering it all.
Everything must go, everything.
Robert Are You Really A Jnani? - January 31, 1993
If one knows that Bliss is none other than the Self the mind becomes inward turned. If the Self is gained all the desires are fulfilled.
The Reality that these teachings are pointing toward is not hidden, or secret, or far away. You cannot earn it, deserve it, or figure it out. At this very moment, Reality and completeness are in plain sight. In fact, the only thing there is to see, hear, smell, taste, touch, or feel, is Reality, or God if you like. Absolute completeness surrounds you wherever you go. So there is really no reason to bother yourself about it, except for the fact that we humans have long ago deceived ourselves into such a confined tangle of confusion and disarray that we scarcely even consider, much less experience for ourselves, the divinity within and all around us.
Asking, “What is the Truth?” is a demolition project. Most of spirituality is a construction project. We’re ascending and ascending…. It just keeps building, and a person feels, “I’m getting better and better.” But enlightenment is a demolition project.
Many people ask, “How do I integrate my spirituality into everyday life?” You don’t. You can’t. How could you integrate it? You can’t stuff the infinite into your limited life.
His disciples said to Jesus,”When will the repose of the dead
come about, and when will the new world come?”
He said to them, “What you look forward to has already come,
but you do not recognize it.”
come about, and when will the new world come?”
He said to them, “What you look forward to has already come,
but you do not recognize it.”
It is just like your tape-recorder. It records, it reproduces - all by itself. You only listen. Similarly, I watch all that happens, including my talking to you. It is not me who talks, the words appear in my mind and then I hear them said.
Only one’s own awareness is direct knowledge, as is the common experience of one and all. No aids are needed to know one’s own Self, i.e., to be aware.
My worship is of a very strange kind.
In this Ganga water is not required.
No special utensils are necessary.
Even flowers are redundant.
In this puja all gods have disappeared.
And emptiness has emerged with euphoria.
In this Ganga water is not required.
No special utensils are necessary.
Even flowers are redundant.
In this puja all gods have disappeared.
And emptiness has emerged with euphoria.
How can a person limited in time and space, a mere body-mind, a gasp of pain between birth and death, be happy? The very conditions of its arising make happiness impossible. Peace, power, happiness - theses are never personal states; nobody can say ‘my peace,’ ‘my power’ - because ‘mine’ implies exclusivity, which is fragile and insecure.
In love, nothing exists between heart and heart.
Speech is born out of longing,
…True description from the real taste.
The one who tastes, knows;
the one who explains, lies.
How can you describe the true form of Something
In whose presence you are blotted out?
And in whose being you still exist?
And who lives as a sign for your journey?
Speech is born out of longing,
…True description from the real taste.
The one who tastes, knows;
the one who explains, lies.
How can you describe the true form of Something
In whose presence you are blotted out?
And in whose being you still exist?
And who lives as a sign for your journey?
Someone enquired about the nature of perception.
M: Whatever state one is in, the perceptions partake of that state. The explanation is that in the waking state (jagrat) the gross body perceives gross names and forms; in swapna (the dream state) the mental body perceives the mental creations in their manifold forms and names; in the sushupti (deep dreamless sleep), the identification with the body being lost, there are no perceptions; similarly in the Transcendental state identity with Brahman places the man in harmony with everything, and there is nothing apart from his Self.
M: Whatever state one is in, the perceptions partake of that state. The explanation is that in the waking state (jagrat) the gross body perceives gross names and forms; in swapna (the dream state) the mental body perceives the mental creations in their manifold forms and names; in the sushupti (deep dreamless sleep), the identification with the body being lost, there are no perceptions; similarly in the Transcendental state identity with Brahman places the man in harmony with everything, and there is nothing apart from his Self.
I have learned so much from God
That I can no longer call myself
a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself with me
That I can no longer call myself
a man, a woman, an angel, or even a pure soul.
Love has befriended Hafiz.
It has turned to ash and freed me
Of every concept and image my mind has ever known.
That I can no longer call myself
a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself with me
That I can no longer call myself
a man, a woman, an angel, or even a pure soul.
Love has befriended Hafiz.
It has turned to ash and freed me
Of every concept and image my mind has ever known.
The Beloved looked at me
With compassion and said,
‘How can you go on living without me?’
I said, ‘I swear, like a fish out of water.’
He said, ‘Then why do you hold so tight
to the dry land?
With compassion and said,
‘How can you go on living without me?’
I said, ‘I swear, like a fish out of water.’
He said, ‘Then why do you hold so tight
to the dry land?
The scriptures speak of three Holy rivers Within.
These are Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss.
Being beyond thought or effort
they cannot be objectified or subjectified.
They are so dear, so near, behind the retina and before the breath.
You need not see This, you are it.
These are Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss.
Being beyond thought or effort
they cannot be objectified or subjectified.
They are so dear, so near, behind the retina and before the breath.
You need not see This, you are it.
Empty yourself of everything.
Let the mind become still.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
Let the mind become still.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
No personal, individual effort can possibly lead to enlightenment. On the contrary, what is necessary is to rest helpless in beingness, knowing that we are nothing - to be in the nothingness of the no-mind state in which all conceptualizing has subsided into passive witnessing. In this state whatever happens will be not our doing but the pure universal functioning to which we have relinquished all control.
Beings
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