The Divine Silence

THE DIVINE SILENCE

I am quite happy to be with you once again. In the light of the things that we know, everyday seems to be a bonus. As there were many chances of Swami leaving this place, everyone has been speaking that it may not have been possible to meet one more time. However, He has given us ample chances again -- and we must thank Him for it!

Having had the New Year celebration yesterday, I want to share with you a few thoughts on some of the doubts or questions that, once in while, might arise in our mind in relation to Bhagavan’s apparent desertion toward us.

One question that often strikes our mind, prompting us to ask Swami, is this: “I feel that I am totally neglected. Does this means that You have forgotten about me, and that I am out of Your sight, or dropped from Your Divine register?”

The first point is that when we feel forgotten by Swami, in fact, we think more about Him, contemplate within, and meditate more intensely. Once we feel dropped, we go within to realise why we are neglected, asking ourselves, “Why did He not look at me?”

As we go within, we also feel compelled to notice that we might have done something wrong and that thought, in turn, might provide us with an opportunity to rectify any mistakes that we might have previously made. This way, His Divine Silence helps us to make an inquiry. When I say ‘self-inquiry’, I am referring to the possibility of correcting ourselves in the right way, so that we are positioned in the right direction.

Moreover, Swami’s Divine Silence equally leads us to be more spiritual in our intentions, thoughts and actions. For instance, we start reading more about Him and/or start repeating His Name more and more. And all that, sequentially, will help us to take our sadhana more seriously than ever before.

THE DIVINE ROMANCE

So my friends, there are four points worth mentioning and considering in this context: First, why and how we feel neglected? Second, why He turns away from us? Third, why we feel as if we are dropped? Four, what could be the reason?

Bhagavan says that we find a place in His heart when we begin to introspect and take sadhana more intensely. Yet, instead, we are very eager to find a place on His lips! Finding a place on His lips is just functional: “Keep the car ready.” “Go and inform that boy.” “Distribute prasad.” Yet, having a place in His heart is much more important than having a place on His lips.

Although we should recognise that the power, the motive, and the idea behind Swami’s Divine Silence could never be completely known to us, we need to realise and appreciate that this kind of side-lining, pretension of neglecting us, or turning the face away from us is also a beautiful drama due to His incredible love and compassion toward each one of us. This is what I call ‘the Divine Romance’.

I am not saying these words either as a sort of encouragement or as words of solace. No. No. No! Kindly go through the literature of the Divine Masters. Particularly, if you read the literature of the Divine Master Sri Ramana Maharishi, where he addresses these points quite convincingly, it will assist you in understanding the idea behind this procedure adopted by all Divine Masters. Indeed, despite the fact that their methodology and/or ideology may differ, their treatment and approach as how they allow the disciple to grow and blossom is quite similar.

DO MY PRAYERS REACH SWAMI?

Another question that comes to our mind and makes us perplexed is this: “Swami, I think of You as many times as possible, but is it inappropriate if I expect a response from You? Should You not respond to my prayers? Should I not have the satisfaction of getting a response? And, how could I know that my prayers are reaching You?”

In order to clarify this point, once again, we can refer back to our own experiences with Swami, Sai literature and/or those teachings and lives of other Divine Masters. What do they say? My friends, I will repeat tirelessly that the procedure adopted by all the Divine Masters is one and the same. As the Divine Master wants to shape us into ‘perfect’ instruments, the disciples have to pass through this grilling, grinding and chiselling process. Although it is certainly a painful procedure, it is for the good of us so as to blossom in full and be shaped into a beautiful jewel or an ornament that it will be truly a deserving adornment for the head of the Divine Master.

So, should we not have a response from Swami? Should we not have some kind of indication that our prayers are heard and are reaching Him? Swami says, “My dear child, you are wrong! I am first, and you pray next. Indeed, I do not come after the prayer, but already prior to your prayer. First, I energise, activate, and induce you, and then you pray. You are praying because of My instance, as I am the One who makes you pray, guiding you this way to look at Me. Understand that I am behind you, instigating you and encouraging you to proceed along the spiritual path. Why do you expect a physical response from Me?”

Swami also says, “My dear child, why do you think that I am not responding? Why do you feel that you are being neglected? This kind of feeling of being neglected comes if and only if you are cut-off from your own true ‘Self’. When you are distanced from your real ‘Self’, the Atma or Consciousness, you feel that you are isolated, lonely and away from God.”

People with all their affluence, power, position, and property do still feel lonely. This natural loneliness, lacuna or vacuum in one’s own life is due to the distance that the person feels from the source and the missing link with the inner consciousness.

WHY HAVE I CUT MYSELF OFF FROM DIVINE CONSCIOUSNESS?

“Why have I cut myself off from the Divine Consciousness? Why have I distanced myself from that awareness? Have I done it willingly, wantonly and wilfully? Is it an accident, an incident, or by choice?”

The simple answer is ego, ego, and ego! Ego is the identification with the body and the mind, constituting what we call ‘personality’. Indeed, the ego is the biggest barrier and the worst of the obstacles. It is the one that cuts of the link between you and the higher consciousness. Indeed, once you are cut-off, distanced, and away from your true Self, you feel lonely and ‘dropped out’.

Yet, instead of speaking further along this line, it may be best to provide you with some common examples of this occurrence. We all know that when we are with our parents, we usually take things for granted. But once we are away for a while, we miss all that parental care and love, and long for their company.

Similarly, it seems that for some of us who live here for a long time, seeing Swami and sitting in front of Him everyday, along with attending daily scheduled bhajan sessions, can make life seem mechanical. Yet, suppose you are gone for a while; then, once you are back to Puttaparthi after six months, one or two years, you immediately close your eyes and start your prayers in such a serious manner that there is a change on your face itself. This is because you are very happy that you are back seeing Swami after a long gap of time. Before arrival, you were feeling as if you were far away from Bhagavan and now that you are here, you go on praying, nodding your head with all seriousness and happiness, which you never would have done before! It seems then that we can experience what separation really feels like, when there is a gap.

QUESTION IS OUTER -- QUEST IS WITHIN

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi gives a very satisfying reply about these questions and concerns. He says, “Question is outer; quest is within.”

My friends, the higher consciousness thinks of you first. Then you start looking at it next. Never think that you are the one who is looking to the Self, the Atma or Consciousness. No! It is ‘It’ that is thinking of you and pitying you! “Here is a useless fellow who has forgotten Me; one that has not understood the secret of happiness. Here is a person who has not realised that ‘I’ am the life and spirit in everything.” So, as Consciousness starts thinking of you, you direct your attention toward It.

This is Ramana Maharishi’s reverse direction to your typical answers. So, when you and I say, “Swami, You have forgotten me,” Ramana Maharishi says, “No, no! I have not forgotten you; but it is you who have forgotten Me.”

When you and I say, “Swami, there is no response from You,” Ramana Maharishi says, “It was I who made you think of Me. Why do you need a response? First, I provoked you, and then you thought of Me. When you are following Me, why do you blame Me?”

Further, Ramana says, “You are suffering because you have cut off your links with your inner Self. Why? Simple answer: Ego!”

“What should I do?”

And he replies, “The Self, the Supreme Consciousness thinks of you; therefore you think of It.”

That is also what Shirdi Sai Bhagavan says. “If you look to Me, I look to you.” Bhagavan Baba says, “If you turn toward the camera, there is every chance of a beautiful picture being taken. But, if you turn your back to it, you cannot expect any picture out of it.”

WHY AM I NOT PEACEFUL EVEN IN YOUR PRESENCE?

Subsequently, another question arises. However, prior to that, let us acknowledge that Baba’s devotees are not the only chosen ones who are feeling like this. These concerns and questions are asked to all Divine Masters. All other Divine Masters also have had their own group of disciples who equally have similar doubts.

For instance, Sri Ramana Maharishi’s disciples asked him once, “Swami, how is it that even in Your presence, I am not peaceful?” See how direct this question is! “Why do I not have peace, even in Your presence? Usually, I must gain peace and am expected to be peaceful here; but why is it that I am not with peace?”

We dare not to put this question to Bhagavan! If you say “Swami, Why am I not peaceful here?” He will say, “You will be peaceful outside. Better you leave the ashram.” (Laughter)

But when this question was put to Sri Ramana Maharishi, the saint replied, “In order to make you realise the value of peace, I made you lose it. Peace is taken away from you because you have not understood its value. It is really out of compassion only that I have made you restless.”

What about those who are not peaceful, but act as if they are? Some people try to hide their inner turmoil. But we cannot hide our face, as it will reveal our inner state. So, despite the fact that some say they are at peace, their face attests to the fact that they can never be peaceful, even for a hundred lives to come! Indeed, the face itself is an index of the mind. Very serious faces, as if they have never smiled in their lifetime! (Laughter) As if they have never had the taste of happiness or any moments of bliss. As if they have carried the whole luggage of planet earth upon their very shoulders for many lifetimes. (Laughter) Poor fellows!

HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD WHATEVER HAPPENS IN LIFE

Bhagavan said one time, “If you fall sick, don’t curse yourself for your sickness. Don’t feel badly that you are sick. No! Be happy. That is the time to meditate and relax. Be happy that you have time to rest.”

When we are healthy, we will neither take rest nor allow others to relax. (Laughter) The latter is true! An active man, though quite good, will make others really become exhausted and tired. Therefore my friends, when I am sick, I say that God has given me rest and provided me with the chance to think and meditate on Him. Indeed, we have to take whatever happens in our lives positively.

Bhagavan has also said, “You fall sick so that you may know the value of health.” When you are healthy, you do not understand the value of health. I never knew that my heart was beating so nicely until the doctor said that there are some fluctuations in my heartbeat. (Laughter) Or, I will never know that blood circulation is going on in perfect order unless my doctor says that there is a slight rise in my blood pressure. So, when we hear of the abnormalities, we begin to pay attention to what is happening within our body.

Similarly, when something negative happens, we will understand the value of the positive. But my friends, let us not wait that long! Let us not test Providence and God’s mercy by inviting sickness and unhappiness into our lives! Let us thank God right now for all that has already been provided for us, and the health that is allowing us to have an active life. Let us realise the value of health right now, without having to fall sick later.

FOLLOW YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE

There is another question that has been put to Sri Ramana Maharishi: “What are the signs of an ignorant man (ajnani) and what is ignorance?” We might simply reply that the lack of knowledge is ignorance. But Ramana Maharishi says, “No! Absence of awareness is ignorance.”

Our Bhagavan also says and does the same thing. Whatever your answer, He says, “No, no, no!” Divine Masters are all like that. (Laughter)

“Oh Swami, then what is ignorance?” Ramana Maharishi replied, “When you have love for all that is the outer world, such as recognition, publicity, propaganda and name and fame, you are the very personification and embodiment of ignorance.”

It is only the ignorant man who seeks name, fame and publicity. Why? Ramana Maharishi elaborates, “Due to an inner emptiness, an inner lacuna, and a profound dissatisfaction within, as deep as an empty valley, the ignorant may crave for the outer objects, material benefits, name, fame and publicity.”

One time, a lady asked Ramana, “Swami, so many people come here to see you. Why don’t you have a bigger towel instead of this little piece of cloth on you?”

He laughed and said, “My dear child, today you want me to have a bigger towel. Later on, someone else will come and say, ‘Why not a dhoti?’ Another day, some other person will come and say, ‘Why not some pants?’ Soon then, another would say, ‘Why not a shirt and a necktie?’ I follow what my own conscience dictates.”

Baba also says, “Follow your own conscience.” That is what it means by “Follow the Master.”

EVERYONE IS UNIQUE

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa never said the word ‘pension’ clearly. He used to say ‘pencil’ instead of ‘pension’. But when the scholars around Him would correct Him by saying, “Swami, it is not pencil, it is pension!” He would say, “Keep quiet. I will only say ‘pencil’ and will not say ‘pension’!” (Laughter)

Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna then told them a story: “One day, a crow saw a swan walking majestically. The crow then wanted to imitate the swan. Initially, the crow started to walk as graciously as the swan. Yet, later on, the crow began going so fast that it finally forgot both the swan and the crow way of walking!”

That’s why Baba says, “Imitation is human; Creation is Divine.” Come, my friends, let us be creative and have our own style. Everyone is unique and great in his or her own form and style of functioning. Let us be original. Imitation is cheap, silly, childish and an act of immaturity. Each one of us is unique and should remain unique by following one’s own conscience.

NEVER ARGUE – NEVER NEGATE – NEVER DENY

At one time, Bhagavan said that there are some people who argue that there is no God, but that they should not be worried about it. If you do not have your God, how can you deny mine? If your God does not exist for you, why should you say that my God does not exist? In spirituality, argumentation is very mean and low. By arguing, you can never win any person. At the most, you will be successful in spoiling the other fellow’s existing faith.

Therefore, spirituality is like a flower blossoming in due time. One should grow in one’s own way. You cannot force a flower to open with the help of needles. When you take needles and open the flower, the petals would drop down. We should allow the flower to blossom at its own natural pace.

For instance, if we criticise a person who is worshipping an idol by saying that he should only think of God within, the person could very well drop and discontinue the way he was initially worshipping God.

Even Bhagavad Gita says, “Never argue; never negate; never deny.” Bhagavad Gita wants you to set an example for the other man to follow. Here is a man who is happy throughout. What could be the reason? Here is a man who thinks of God all the twenty-four hours. How is it possible? Here is a man who is blissful, prayerful, respectful, and humble. Why? Then people will follow you. Rather let people follow your example, instead of trying to convince them with heated arguments.

LET SPIRITUALITY BLOSSOM NATURALLY

This kind of gradual evolution and transition from dualism to qualified non-dualism to non-dualism cannot be achieved by force, but by a natural process of development.

A simple example: Sri Ramana Maharishi and Adi Sankara, the top-most Masters in the school of non-dualism in humanity, never condemned idolatry. In another words, they never asked or prevented anybody from going to different temples or from worshipping different idols and gods.

For instance, when a lady came to visit Ramana from Madurai, a city in Tamil Nadu where the Meenakshi temple is located, one of the biggest temple in South India, he saluted her and asked, “Amma, where is the prasadam for me?”

In fact, this great advocate of non-dualism never said, “Who are you and what am I?” Of course, as a joke, and please do not take this seriously, I like to tell you about this elderly man whom I met in Brindavan. When I asked him, “Good morning, sir…how are you?” he said, “The you in me, the you in you, is He. So we are always fine.” (Laughter) And then I decided not to talk to this person for all my lifetime! (Laughter)

Also, when a young fellow from our English department met the same unusual philosopher (Laughter) and asked him the same question, he replied, “Awareness in that eucalyptus tree and awareness in the coconut tree are very much the same as awareness in you and me, which is always fine.” (Laughter) That young fellow was out of his senses for a week to follow. (Laughter)

As learning is an evolutionary process of revelation and gradual transition, it needs to happen in a natural way. You cannot force the mother to deliver the child, as the child’s delivery takes its own natural course. Naturally the child is delivered in due time. Similarly, the blossoming of the flower and the fruition of the ripe fruit require its own due course. I cannot keep a mango fruit in my palm and go on pressing it so as to make it sweet. Impossible!

FOLLOW YOUR OWN METHOD OF WORSHIP

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi says, “Follow your own conscience.” Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba says, “Follow your own method of worship.”

Somebody said, “Sir, we neither know Sanskrit nor Veda. Shall we conclude then that liberation or moksha is impossible for us?”

My response was, “Moksha or liberation is not a sweet from the North Indian canteen to buy and swallow.” (Laughter) Moksha is neither patented nor the copyright or birthright of people who know Sanskrit or Veda. No! You can read your own scripture in the language you know best. Bible is as valuable as Veda itself. To a Muslim, the Koran is as valuable as the Bible to a Christian, and the Veda to Indians.

Somebody asked me, “Sir, we are English-speaking people. We do not know these Telugu or Hindi bhajans. What should we do?”

I replied, “You know, God knows English also.”(Laughter) God never said that you could never sing English bhajans here. In fact, He will appreciate your English songs. Sing a song in the language known to you and the one you are comfortable with.

“I have no knowledge of Hindi. What happens If I sing a song in Hindi? There will be a few mistakes! I may be correct in the tune, but how about response and feeling? There will be no feeling at all. Also, when Hindi people hear what I am singing, they will pity me: ‘Oh God, why do You make this fellow sing like this?’”

Follow your own conscience. Follow your own method of worship. According to Bhagavan, “We do not need to ape or imitate anybody.”

WHAT IS ILLUSION?

One day, somebody asked Swami, “Swami, what is illusion (maya)?” Our knowledge of the different scriptures, such as Yoga Vashista or Brahma Sutras, assists us in understanding this concept. Bhagavan gave a very straight and simple answer: “Not being what you really are is illusion.” You are the force, the reality, the consciousness and existence, but you do not know that. Indeed, being that Divinity, yet not being aware of it, is what illusion is.

Swami says, “Illusion is nothing but unawareness of the true Self that you are.” Allow me to illustrate this point with an example. Suppose I have so much money in the bank, but unaware of its existence, I lead a beggarly life. Everybody thinks that I am a beggar; but in reality, I have lots of money in the bank to my credit. So, ‘illusion’ is like a rich man who is unaware of having money in the bank, and has become a beggar.

Then somebody asked, “Swami, what is fortune and misfortune?” We rather think that getting first line at the stores or the ice cream parlour is fortune! But according to Bhagavan Baba, “To be away from your own reality and to be forgetful of one’s own true Self is misfortune. To be aware of reality and to have experienced the truth of one’s own nature is the biggest fortune.”

WISDOM IS WITHDRAWAL OF THE MIND

Another question was put to Bhagavan. ”What is wisdom (jnana)?” These questions naturally come to our mind and, although we might have our own answers, we better hear Swami’s beautiful and direct response.

Before going any further, however, allow me to clarify a few points on the subject. All that is related to the outer world, the five elements, and all that is seen, touched and heard is knowledge, not wisdom. Furthermore, all that we get from books and learn in colleges and universities is knowledge, not wisdom.

So, knowledge is outer, external, and sensual. It is information that is passed on and handed over to us from one generation to another. Knowledge is stored in the head as information is stored in the computer. But wisdom is different. Wisdom is in-born, latent, immanent and our birthright. Wisdom is discriminating, Divine, and spiritual. It is neither learnt nor can be taught.

Knowledge is taught, while wisdom is caught. Wisdom is caught, while knowledge is taught. Knowledge can be taught, while wisdom is caught by the intellect. Knowledge is external, while wisdom is internal. Knowledge is given to us through expression, vocal and verbal, whereas wisdom is intuitive, as an inner voice that we call the ‘conscience’.

Most of us have no experience of the inner voice and have not heard the voice of conscience. Why? Because of the outer noise! (Laughter) As there is outer noise, we are unable to hear or listen to the inner voice. The outer voice can be heard, whereas the inner voice is felt.

Inner voice is the silent whispering of God and it is heard in silence. Therefore, according to Bhagavan, “Wisdom is the annihilation or withdrawal of the mind.” When the mind is totally withdrawn, wisdom dawns; and so where mind ends, wisdom begins.

THE UNKNOWABLE AWARENESS BEHIND THE KNOWN AND THE UNKNOWN

“Without mind, how can I know wisdom?” True! But similar to the moon that vanishes as soon as the sun rises, once wisdom dawns, mind becomes non-functional.

Chandrama Manaso Jaatah.

As you all may know by now, moon is the presiding deity of the mind. But in the daytime when there is sunlight, where is the moon? We will see the moon in the evening. Similarly, the sun represents the buddhi or the intellect. When this intellect or buddhi is present, it’s shining force drives the mind to get out of the picture. That is the state of wisdom.

Knowledge creates ego! A person of knowledge often becomes egoistic. Because he always says, “I know this and I know that.” You tell anything to him, and he says he knows! But we know that he does not know. (Laughter) All those people who say they know, indeed, do not know.

There are three categories: that which is ‘known’, that which is ‘unknown’, and that which is ‘unknowable’. Once I know something, it is known. When I do not know it, it is unknown. But what about this third dimension called ‘unknowable’?

All that is ‘known’ and ‘unknown’ are related to the mind. If I say, “I know you”, it is my mind that tells me so. If I say, “I don’t know you”, it is my mind that tells me I have never met you before. But this kind of known and unknown are the obverse and the reverse of the same coin we call the human mind.

Beyond the mind, however, lays the knowledge of the ‘Self’ or the ‘Consciousness’. And as that is beyond the mind, with what guts can you say, “I know”? In fact, if you say “I know” that logically means that you do not really know! Why? That which is unknowable cannot really be known (by the mind).

Oh I see! Why then are we wasting time when it cannot be known? (Laughter) We have so many coffee shops here. Why not go there then and spend our time more usefully? When it is unknowable, why this exertion? In reality, we are investing our time and energy in grasping the fact that it is indeed the unknowable, which is behind the known and the unknown.

Simple examples: mind is thinking, eyes are watching, and ears are listening because of the consciousness and the spirit behind it. In fact, it is the consciousness that silently percolates and flows into the different senses, making them functional. In reality, we are able to see not because of our eyes, to hear not because of our ears, and to think not because of our mind, but because of the consciousness that lies behind.

It is the ‘unknowable consciousness’ or the ‘unknowable spirit’ that makes things known or unknown to us. Am I clear? My friends, wisdom is extremely precious, valuable, and should be sought after. The whole life shall be oriented towards this wisdom that is beyond the state of mind; that which cannot be expressed but only experienced.

LOVE, BEAUTY AND WISDOM CAN ONLY BE EXPERIENCED

According to Ramana Maharishi, “You may speak for any length of time about love. You may read number of books on love. But words will never be able to provide you with the taste and experience of love.”

As Baba was telling yesterday, “Unless you love, you can never know love.” At the most, I may give a lecture on love, but there may be total hatred inside. (Laughter) Therefore, my friends, to know what love is, one should experience love. It is only then that one will truly understand what love is.

What about beauty? Can you describe beauty? No. You may say so-and-so is very beautiful. However, to my eyes, the one whom you have considered to be beautiful could very well look unappealing. So I have to define to you what ugliness is to me and you have to explain what beauty means to you; still, we might very well end up in a fight. Therefore, my friends, beauty, similar to love and awareness, cannot be explained, interpreted or be read about. Beauty is to be felt, experienced and perceived. Indeed, that is the beauty of ‘beauty’.

Similarly, truth can neither be explained nor spoken of. Truth must be recognised, as wisdom is to be felt. One has to be aware of wisdom, and not speak about it. This is possible only when the mind is withdrawn.

One more example! If I want to know my weight, is it possible to know it by putting a thermometer into my mouth? (Laughter) People then will say, “We met Anil Kumar an hour ago. He was quite fine before, but something is wrong with him now! He wants to know his weight by putting a thermometer into his mouth.” (Laughter) A thermometer will record your temperature, not your weight. In order to know your temperature, you cannot use a scale. Every tool, instrument, and device has got its own unique functionality, and so too does the ‘mind’.

INTELLECT MAKES US AWARE OF CONCIOUSNESS

According to Bhagavan, “Each instrument has got its own particular purpose. Mind like hands, legs, ears, and eyes, is also an instrument. Eyes cannot hear, ears cannot see, hands cannot walk, and legs cannot pick up. Similarly, mind only thinks and gathers knowledge.” Mind is passionate, emotional, egoistic, and extrovert. Therefore, as intellect is higher than mind, the outward mind is unfit for the realm of awareness. It is the intellect that can understand, feel, and be aware of the experience of higher consciousness.

Once Ramana Maharishi told his disciples, “It is possible to experience wisdom within when the mind is totally withdrawn and completely annihilated.” Then a fellow asked, “What good is it for me in my worldly life if I get wisdom?” (Laughter) It seems that he was wondering as to whether having wisdom, he could get more money or a better job promotion! (Laughter)

Knowledge will be able to help us get an additional degree, a few more bucks, respectability, higher status and power in society. But what about wisdom?! What to do with this useless wisdom and that futile inner voice? (Laughter)

Sri Ramana Maharishi replied, “Look here! If you have got that wisdom at a stage when the mind is entirely withdrawn and fully annihilated, you begin to listen to your inner voice. Further, by feeling that inner awareness and wisdom, the world’s duality (as you perceive it now) will disappear. You will then be entering into a non-dual state, where paradise or hell, pleasure or pain, happiness or sorrow will no longer remain.”

TRANSCENDENTAL STATE

What is non-duality? I know about paradise as this place with seven star hotels, where ageless, you can watch dancers all day long and drink any number of barrels of wine you wish. (Laughter) I also heard about hell -- that you will be simply roasted over and over again in a frying pan and dragged across the razor’s edge afterward. (Laughter)

Oh I see! But awareness or wisdom is neither heaven nor hell. It is transcendental. Both heaven and hell are temporary states of mind, whereas transcendence is an eternal state of spirit. For instance, if you win the election, you will be a member of parliament for five years; but after that, you have to return to your hometown. Similarly, you may be lucky to go to heaven for two or three years; yet, you might have to return in the reverse gear with double the speed! (Laughter)

Bhagavan has given a beautiful interpretation on heaven and hell: “Heaven is your own joy. Hell is your own misery.” Indeed, your own sadness is verily hell and your own happiness is truly heaven. You don’t need to die and go there, as you experience them both here. (Laughter) Daytime, heaven; night time, hell. Or daytime, hell; night time, heaven, as the case may be. (Laughter) They come in perfect sequential order. The question is of duration, that is all.

Nevertheless, in the transcendental or thoughtlessness state, where mind is withdrawn and annihilated, there is neither heaven nor hell. There is neither merit (punyam) nor sin (papam). There is neither birth nor rebirth. You will be unlinked from the cycle of birth and rebirth and will not be reborn. This is the final stage.

Ramana Maharishi sums the advantages of wisdom (jnana) into three points: 1) Wisdom is nothing but a state beyond the mind; 2) it is felt and experienced by the intellect, and 3) it is the awareness or consciousness of the transcendental state which will cut off the cycle of birth and rebirth.

MIND IS ABSENT IN DEEP SLEEP

Due to different levels of understanding, there are people who sit around Swami, who might also have some questions in regard to this subject. When Swami started explaining about wisdom or intellect (jnana), somebody asked Swami, “What about the mind?” (Laughter) (When Swami has taken you up, that fellow wants to come down. Parachutes!) (Laughter) Swami said, “Mind is nothing but the diversity, plurality, and multiplicity in the world. Ego is the mind. Time is the mind. But once you are beyond time, you are also out of the mind.”

How to be beyond time? Shall I throw out my watch? (Laughter) Or, break all the wall clocks? My friends, it is our daily experience to be beyond time! Can you tell me when you have exactly gone to sleep? No! Can you say that at precisely 9:32, you started snoring? (Laughter) Are you mad or am I mad? (Laughter) Can you accurately tell me the time that you got up? No! Can you say that you woke up right at 6:30? No! You do not know. Can you tell the time when you are in deep sleep? No! Nobody knows!

We all know that there is no time awareness in deep sleep. Having eaten neck-deep, one can’t help it but to snore. (Laughter) But as to the precise starting time, nobody knows! Why? Because at the time, mind is inactive, dull, withdrawn and gone! Suppose that last night, I had a beautiful dream that I had been to USA. Could anyone ask me today, “Sir, please tell me the exact time when you were in Los Angeles, Hollywood, or Disneyland?” (Laughter) Or Las Vegas or…?!

Why are you so interested in time? Could anyone ask me when the dream started, how long it lasted, and when it ended? No, no, no. Why? Because we all know that the dream state is beyond time. Similarly, we know that the transcendental state is also beyond time. Yet the difference is that we have projections of the mind in the dream state, whereas, in the transcendental state, we are beyond mind.

Suppose I want to beat you up, but I cannot because you are stronger than me. (Laughter) Now, I can finish you off in my dream. Be careful! (Laughter) I can even easily get rid of you for good! Indeed, dreams are nothing but mental projections, unfulfilled desires; they are solely imagination.

We have one friend whom I am afraid to run into because, whenever I see him, he will tell me that he dreamt last night that Swami took him for a ride in His car. (Laughter) And I get tempted to say, “Pity He did not drop you in the middle of the road.” (Laughter) He is always full of dreams: “Swami gave me an interview”, “I was dining with Swami”, etc, etc, etc. He is always in dreamland or merry land!

Hence, dream state is only beyond time, where we have all our mental projections, imaginations, and unfulfilled desires; whereas in deep sleep and at the transcendental state, we are beyond both time and mind. Subsequently, just as Adi Sankara has noted in Prasthana Thraya, the three levels of consciousness are the ‘waking’ the ‘dreaming’ and the ‘deep sleep’. In the third state, we can experience that which is beyond mind and time.

MEDITATION IS WITHDRAWAL OF THE MIND

According to Bhagavan, “Mind is time, world, diversity, and always after ownership, e.g. ‘my people,’ ‘my group,’ ‘my house,’ and ‘my property.’ The ‘I’ and the ‘mine’ are the two expressions of the mind.”

Mind is like this, intellect is like that. Both seem to be at loggerheads, like India and Pakistan. (Laughter) They never stand face-to-face with each other. Intellect is there to reach the inner wisdom, while mind is there to gather outer knowledge. Mind belongs to the outer world, while intellect originates from the inner voice. How to bridge that gap then? (Laughter) Will United Nations help me to bring them together? Will the Security Council give me a guarantee that there will be a lifetime security with these two conflicting entities? (Laughter)

Baba simply suggests, “Turn the mind inward.” Finished. Once you turn the mind inward, it becomes non-existent. Mind is existent and powerful as long as it is outward. Mind becomes weak, nullified, dull, passive and void once it is inward. By turning the mind inward, it totally disappears. This is the essence of meditation (dhyana).

Meditation (dhyana) is not sitting tight with the backbone straight until you feel the ache or the pain. (Laughter) Backache is not meditation. That is a slipped disc problem! (Laughter) Meditation means withdrawal of the mind by turning it inward. And this is the key to success.

As I have previously mentioned, there exists an internal conflict between Intellect and mind. So, we are neither happy here nor happy there. On the one hand, some of us who have been living here for a long time might feel that we made a wrong decision to stay. We may think, ‘I have been here for the last sixteen years; yet I have not grown even an inch, and continue to be bad or sometimes much worse than I have ever been before! Was it a wrong decision for me to stay? I know all that I have lost; yet, I am not certain what I have gained.’

On the other hand, those who are not living in Puttaparthi sometimes might feel that they made the wrong decision by not living here. They may think, ‘I should have stayed and settled there. How is it that I am still in the world?’ So, interestingly enough, those people outside feel so badly for being outside and these people inside are also doubtful of the benefits of staying here.

Why this problem arises? In a few words, the conflict arises due to the in-fighting and the bi-directional approach of the intellect being inward and the mind being outward. Baba has come up with a beautiful formula to resolve this conflict. He recommends that instead of the mind and the intellect being at discrepancy and in a state of dichotomy, we should turn the mind inward so that it sinks and gets totally nullified, powerless and lost. It is only through the awakening of the awareness that intellect will remain, and as a result, there will be no more conflict; instead, a total state of bliss.

During this New Year, may Bhagavan grants us that awareness, helping us turn the mind inward in order to reach a transcendental state of bliss, where things are neither ‘outward’ nor ‘inward’; instead, all being one and the same.

Looking from the outside, two sides exist: outer and inner. Yet, once one has turned inward and is within, outside appears only as its own reflection, with no more duality. From outside, there appears duality; yet from within, there will be none.

I thank all of you for having heard this serious talk in rapt attention. May God bless you! Thank you very much!