Today's Knowledge Sheet: Creation Is A Mystery
One who is not amazed by the magnificence of this Creation,
his eyes are not yet opened. Once your eyes are open, they close and this is called meditation. (Laughter)
Tell me, what in this Creation? Is not a mystery?
Birth is a mystery; death is a mystery.
If both birth and death are mysterious, then life is certainly
a greater mystery. Isn't it?
Being completely immersed in the mystery of Life and this
Creation is Samadhi.
Your knowing or believing doesn't really matter to what Is.
This Creation is an unfathomable secret, and its mysteries
only deepen.
Getting steeped in mystery is Devotion.
The "Scene" is a mystery; the "Seer" is a mystery.
Deepening the mystery of Creation is science.
Deepening the mystery of the Self is spirituality.
They are the two sides of the same coin.
If neither Science nor Spirituality can create wonder and
devotion in you, then you are in deep slumber.
- Sri Sri
+++
Q: If we are spiritually connected to the Master, how
does the physical presence affect us?
A: I have no idea!
Q. How important is knowledge on the spiritual path? One who
does not know how to read/write, can they grow on the spiritual path?
A: Yes, one can. There are many examples in this country.
Kabirdas (a famous saint in India) never went to a university. Guru Nanakdev (the Sikh prophet)…. there are lots of
instances of famous people in this country.
Q. I have heard people talk about soul mates? Is it true?
Are husband – wife truly soul mates?
A: Better be! Every husband and wife had better meet their
souls. They meet everyone but not their souls. Realising the self is our first aim, our first duty. Ask the question: ‘Who
am I?’
Q. Why has God created this illusion of space and time?
A: Just for fun!
Q. Guruji, what gift shall I give u? After undergoing the
advanced meditation programme, I am going back with such a rich experience.
A: Bring peace, knowledge and spirituality to more and more
people around you. Recently, I was travelling from Canada to America. A security guy at the airport came running upto me and
showed my book – ‘Celebrating Silence’. “Are you the author of this book?” he asked. I said,
“Yes.” He shared his experience with me: “Someone gave this book to me six months ago. After reading this
book, my life has changed. I carry this book all the time.” He has not even done the Sudarshan Kriya!
Knowledge should be brought to everyone. You don’t know
who needs the knowledge when and where.
Q. When we say let go, what does it mean?
A: Take a deep breath in and hold! You will know what it means
to let go. (Audience starts to laugh and begins clapping). Hold the fist and keep holding it. You will know.
Q. I heard this statement in a religion that we have come
on this planet earth so many times that the amount of our mothers' milk we have drunk is, as much as, water in the ocean.
Is it not too much? Have we really come here that many times on this planet earth?
A: Never mind! Who keeps a count of how much you drink. There
are better things to do. Every day you drink eight litres of water. The figure goes to 1,200 litres of water for a year. This
is a conservative figure. If you’re forty years old – imagine how many gallons and gallons of water. And how many
truckloads of food?
This lifetime itself is a lot to count. Why bother about other
lifetimes?
Q. Is doing manas pooja to an idol/picture good enough, or
should we actually perform it?
A: The word puja means that which is born out of fullness
( Pu – fullness, Ja –born out of). Just being grateful is also puja. Just offer a flower or even a smile. Seva
is puja.
Jana seve Janardhan seve. Service to mankind is puja.
Q. What is the dharma of marriage?
A: Ask your spouse! They will give you long lectures on what
your dharma is and what you should be doing. (Audience laughs)
Our ancient people spoke about saptapadi – the seven
steps one takes in life. The knowledge was so scientific even 1,000s of years ago.
A sense of commitment, co-operation, compassion, caring and
less ego – these are the benefits that one finds.
Q. I went to an astrologer and he suggested some remedies
to dispel negative forecasts.
A: Chant Om Namo Shivay. It’s the best remedy. A bit
of pujas is alright. Don’t spend too much money on them. Do charity with all your heart. Some chanting and meditation
will help.
Q. I have been on this path for many years. Many juniors have
gone ahead. I have not been taking enough responsibility….
A: That is why. You’re hesitating to take responsibility
– this is the problem. Just come out of procrastination. Take responsibility. Have courage, faith and self-confidence.
Work will be done then.
Q. Why do good people suffer? Is it because of karma?
A: Yes, yes! They also suffer because of their foolishness.
It’s not enough to be good. It’s like putting your hand in the fire and saying, ‘Why did the fire burn me?’
You have to be smart, intelligent also. When there is knowledge, you will be happy and content in your life. Be centered in
singing, meditation and knowledge.
Q. Is marriage important in life?
A: That you have to decide. What is important is that you
are peaceful. Unmarried people also have lot of problems. Happiness and pleasantness is important in life: with or without
marriage.
Got it? (laughter)
(A 10-year old stands up and asks a question)
Q. What message do you want to convey to the next generation?
A: Study well and excel. Make one new friend every day.
Q. Is life governed by free-will or destiny?
Sri Sri: Life is a combination of both. There are some things
which are beyond your control. That is your destiny. Then there are things where you have a choice. That is free-will. If
it’s raining outside, it’s your destiny as you have no control over the weather. However, to be wet or remain
dry is your free-will.
Past is your destiny, future is your free-will. And be happy
in the present. A foolish person looks at the past as free-will with regret, future as destiny and is miserable in the present.
Q. What is true love?
Sri Sri: If you have a doubt, it is true love. We always doubt
the positives. We doubt our capabilities. We doubt our happiness but are 100 percent sure of our depression. We doubt a person’s
honesty and doubt the existence of higher power. So what is true love? Time will tell you.
Love is what we are made up of. All negative emotions are
off springs of true love.
Love without wisdom makes life miserable…love with wisdom
is bliss.
Q. How can we attain that wisdom?
Sri Sri: By adopting an attitude of enquiring.
Q. How can love move science?
Sri Sri: When love for science is intense, it is already moving
the world.
The ultimate aim of a researcher is not to earn a livelihood.
If the main aim of a researcher is to earn a livelihood, it is not a best quality research. It has to lead to a soul-search.
Research is to know. The joy of knowing is itself the goal. Getting recognition is immaterial.
Q. How do you know what level of spirituality you are at?
Sri Sri: It depends on how often your buttons can be pushed.
If you have no buttons to be pushed then you are very strong.
Q. Who am ‘I’? And what ‘that’ is?
Can these two questions coexist?
Sri Sri: Of course. Yes. The theory of relativity has already
accepted this. The observer has an impact on the observed. This was taught some thousands of years ago. But people kept it
a secret. This is where we missed out.
Q. What is true happiness?
Sri Sri: Know the reason of your unhappiness. If you remove
it, then there will be happiness. Meditate. Just do the Sudarshan Kriya and you will find out.
Q. Why do thoughts come and where do they originate from?
Why do the thoughts rule us?
Sri Sri: Where do the thoughts come from? From the mind, or
the body? Close your eyes and think about it. That itself becomes a meditation. Then you will reach the point or space within
you from where all the thoughts come. And that is fantastic.
Q. Some people have positive thoughts, while some have negative
thoughts. How does one control this?
Sri Sri: By keeping a stress-free mind. If you have a stress-free
mind, your thoughts will be positive.
Q. How do you know all these things?
Sri Sri: Life is a journey from an angry “I don’t
know” to a beautiful “I don’t know!”
Q. What is wrong and what is right?
Sri Sri: Which gives you short term pleasure and long term
misery is wrong and vice-versa.
Q. Why do other people’s feelings inflict us?
Sri Sri: Because you are not a single individual but a part
of a single collective consciousness.
Q. In spite of having so many great saints why is there so
much of communal violence, cascades, conflicts. What is the problem with India? Are we going wrong somewhere?
Sri Sri: People who have been involved in these activities
have never been in touch with any of these spiritual leaders.
Q. Why don’t you suggest government to include spiritual
knowledge at the level of class 10th, at least in India?
Sri Sri: I have been telling it. Now, you all should give
voice too.
Q. How to forgive and let go of things?
Sri Sri: When you see a culprit from a broader perspective,
forgiveness becomes natural.
Q. What do you consider success?
Sri Sri: A smile that nobody will take away from you - that
is the greatest achievement.
+
It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible
to love without giving
+
Q. Why are we attracted to objects we shouldnot be attached
to, even though we know this is unhealthy?
Sri Sri: We don't understand this aspect wellenough. We still
feel there is some joy in those objects, and thismisleads us.
Q. Should we believe in superstition?
Sri Sri: Once you know that it issuperstition, then how can
you believe it? If your brain and reasoningsays it is illogical and not good, then what is the point of it? Youshould move
away from it.
Q. What is pooja? Yousaid that giving a big smile in the morning
is pooja. Is it okto smile instead of washing the idol and offering it incense andflowers?
Sri Sri: Absolutely, there is no need to washthe idol and
decorate it, and in the night you needn’t put it to sleep.
Just do sadhana and feel the Divinitywithin yourself.
However this doesn't mean that you stop doingpooja on special
occasions. Doing meditation is important, but onspecial days, make sure you do pooja.
If you don't do this, then children won't getthe sanskaar
(culture) of prayer. Children should feel thesense of belongingness with God. If you don’t do that, then the firstthing
they will do in the morning is to turn on the television. This isbecause there is no memory of God. You should have God’spictures
in the house. After seeing God's pictures, children lightincense, and offer flowers.
Life is a celebration, sit, pray, light lampsand incense and
do kirtan (singing in a group). This is important.
Read some mantras, say, “Om Namo Bhagvate”,“Om
Namo Narayanaya”, “Om Namah Shivaya”, then the prana shakti(life energy) in the environment will get awaken.
Q. At my workplace, I have to listen toseniors who tell me
to commit morally wrong acts. I am in a dilemmawhether to follow them or not. If I follow them, I cheat myself. If Idon’t,
I am afraid of offending them.
Sri Sri: You should work with skill andintelligence. You should
pray: “Let this man not force me to do anysuch acts.” Then your prayer will be answered.
Q. Should we follow the advicewe get in dreams?
Sri Sri: There are five sources for dreams:
1. Your dreams may come from your desires
2. Your dreams may come from your fears
3. Your dreams may be delusions
4. Your dreams may be premonitions of futureevents
5. Your dreams may be a result of the placeyou are sleeping
in
We experience different things in our dreams.Usually, our
dreams are a mixture of the above. Our dreams are ofthings from the past, future, and of various types.
Don't analyze your dreams too much. If adream comes, let it
come, and just go ahead with your life.
Q. What should be done to end the cycle ofkarmas?
Sri Sri: By seva, sadhana,and satsang.
Q. I am a college student. After followingspiritual practices,
all the excitement in me seems to have been spent.Now I am only calm. Am I making a mistake?
Sri Sri: Absolutely not. Thoughyou are calm, you are also
enthusiastic, and happy. Isn’t it? Then it’sfine.
Q. Nowadays, youth marry without theirparent's consent. They
do this blindly, without thinking. Is thisacceptable?
Sri Sri: Your question already has theanswer. Nobody will
tell someone to do anything blindly or withoutthinking.
As a parent, look at the matter from thechildren’s point
of view. First, examine your reason for refusal. Ifthe reason is good, then it's fine. But if you refuse because ofdifferences
in economic status or differences in caste, then it’s adifferent thing.
Parents can give guidance to children.Explain to them not
to take a hasty step, acting on a whirlpool ofemotions.
Q. Why don’t Muslims believe in yoga? How canwe teach
them the Art of living?
Sri Sri: Sure, we should teach them yoga aswell. We conduct
programs in many Islamic countries, such as Iraq andPakistan.
There are even Hindu people who resist yogaand spiritual practices.
There are temples that don’t allow yoga campsto be conducted.
So also in Islam. The few people who resistyoga change their
perspective when they understand yoga. When peoplelearn yoga, and understand the benefits, they won’t stop it.
This resistance is due to lack of knowledgeand information.
Q. When we insult others, is it true thattheir karma decreases?
What should we do if someone blames us for noreason?
Sri Sri: If someone blames us without reason,what can we do?
Try explaining to them, and then forgetabout it.
Q. What is knowledge for? Toearn money or social good? What
should we do if someone uses knowledgeto earn more money?
Sri Sri: That is wrong. If knowledge is usedto earn money,
it will give not benefits, either to the receiver or tothe giver.
Q. What is Paramatma? Who are Brahma,Vishnu, and Shiva (Hindu
Gods)?
Sri Sri: Just like a rainbow, where all thecolors merge to
form a single white light, the Paramatma(Supreme Consciousness) is white and all the forms of Gods are thevarious colors.
This world is full of names and forms.Fruits, flowers all
have a name and form. Our ancestors realized this,and said that there were 1008 names and forms, all belonging to the Onewho
had no name.
Q. You have told us that there is no heavenor hell. But in
our ancient texts there are pictures of hell wherepeople are suffering.
Sri Sri: True. Heaven or hell is the state ofmind. If the
mind is in difficulty then hell is right here. If Sanskaaris absent, then hell is right here.
For a mukt (free) mind, there is alwaysbliss, it is always
heaven.
Q. What is mumukshtatvam?
Sri Sri: Mumukshtatvam is asking Godfor mukti (freedom). When
you tell God that you have done everything,met people, talked to people, eaten enough, gone to enough parties, andnow you
want to be free, that is mumukshtatvam.
Q. What is right? A truth that brings tearsor a lie that brings
a smile?
Sri Sri: There is a saying:
Satyam bruyaat, priyam bruyaat,
Na bruyaat satyam apriyam
Na priyam cha nanrutam bruyaat
‘Speak the truth, speak pleasantly,
do not speak unpleasant truths
nor speak pleasant lies.’
This is sanatana dharma
. Ifsomeone is blind, don’t say “Hey blind fellow come here!” This is notpleasant, though it may be the
truth. Don't say unpleasant truths andpleasant lies.
__._,_.___
