Chapter 10
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Contents ·
Chapter 12
11.
SECULAR AND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE
Embodiments of Divine Love,
All knowledge is comprised of the material (secular) and
the spiritual. Vidya means full knowledge of every thing. The
ordinary type of knowledge teaches an individual the daily
routines and how to use his limbs. Not only reading and
writing, but everything one does from childhood until old age
relates to vidya. All that one attends to from day to day using
one's five senses of perception depends on vidya. However, true
vidya comprises spiritual knowledge. Human beings can only
enjoy the peace of the Atma (spirit) when they practice penance
and develop wisdom.
To comprehend Atma Vidya one must practice self-inquiry and through inquiry see the special nature of the mind
and the intellect. This special knowledge pertains to the spirit
and the inner, subtle senses and feelings. A person is able to
develop the power of renunciation due to the combination of
mental and spiritual knowledge. By merely practicing penance
alone without control of the senses one cannot realize anything
fruitful. The relationship then between knowledge and penance
is like the positive and negative; it is related to the inner subtle
body guarding the outer physical body. Education relates to the
body, penance to the Spirit. The body has been gifted for
selfless good actions; one need not be highly educated to use
his body for proper action. So, we need both spiritual and
formal knowledge to lead a fulfilling, purposeful life.
What is the meaning of penance? Penance does not mean
living in solitude in the forest practicing pranayama (breath
control), fasting, etc. The ancients protected the body by eating
fruits and the tubers so the state of the body was different than
today. Today man's body is weak, his habits are all wrong, thus
he does not realize his Divine power. Penance purifies the inner
senses which are different from the aspect of the mind (chitta)
which recapitulates, memorises, questions and enquires. Man is
a bundle of thoughts, a combination of thoughts and counter
thoughts.
Buddhi or intellect is another aspect of the mind, the
faculty of discrimination. From the intellect one's ego develops
and grows. All persons say "I" (the personal "I" is the ego
sense). The antahkarana (the inner subtle equipment) is a
combination of mind, intellect and ego. To attain purity of
intellect one must undertake thapas (penance). True penance is
sacrificing one's evil thoughts, habits and actions and
cultivating harmony of one's thoughts, words and deeds and
proper behaviour. The power of penance is demonstrated by
one's food habits. The unnatural, artificial food we eat today
leads to unsteadiness in meditation so our spiritual practices are
in vain. If we wish to prepare idly and sambar (steamed rice
balls and soup) we must purchase fresh vegetables, dhal
(lentils), tamarind and spices such as salt and chili powder. All
of these should be pure and clean including the vessels for the
preparation of food. To know and practise these habits is
knowledge (vidya). The cook may be an expert in preparing
food but if the vessel is not tinned the food may become
poisonous. For those on the spiritual path, purity of mind and
thought, word and action are essential. Worldly knowledge is
only one aspect of vidya. Any human being can stay in one
position or stand for an extended period of time without much
exertion but in order to run he has to exert himself far more.
This is natural for the body, but not for the mind. The mind is
able to run fast naturally, but cannot remain stable or quiet for
long. We should develop equipoise between the body and the
mind. The mind should be stable but the body should run
(perform exercise). One is able to gain experience of the Divine
only through his body. Man truly has infinite power; he is like
a generator. The body is like a powerful magnet full of Divine
attraction. The body/mind is like a television or a radio in that
it is able to tune into a multiplicity of events. All Divine
powers in nature are within the human body which is a
reflection of the Divine.
We are presently wasting the Divine powers within us by
talking and listening too much to impure things which lead to
mental agitation and emotional imbalance. When the radio is
switched on, we hear the music due to some units of current
being used. Time is wasted through listening to all the impure
talks, and one's senses may become agitated. Also everyone
around is affected by the radio broadcasts since light travels
long distance in waves of Divine energy.
Divine magnetic attraction is present in all the five
elements. This is demonstrated by the magnet's power to attract
the iron and make the iron stick on as though they are one. One
cannot hold back the attracted object. How can one separate
himself from impurity? Do not listen to bad talk, don't indulge
in bad talk, don't perform bad actions. One can escape from all
of these and gain spiritual Bliss by running away from bad
company and having limited talk.
The sage Vasistha was highly knowledgeable and full of
wisdom and penance. On the other hand, Vishwamitra was full
of wisdom and penance, but due to repeated fluctuations of his
mind and emotions, he had to charge and recharge his energy
very often. One day a competition was arranged to determine
which of the two was greater; wisdom or penance. It was
accepted that among all types of education, wisdom is supreme.
In the Epic Ramayana, Vasishta was the family priest.
Once Dasaratha asked him why he should keep the position of
a priest as he was not lacking anything and was full of
penance. Vasishta after having experienced a Divine vision
replied, "Oh king!, I have not come here for worldly position
or status. I deserve nothing. I am working here because God
will soon be born in this house and I wish to have His darshan
(seeing), sparshan (touching) and sambashan (talking with, and
spending time in His company)." Vasishta had knowledge and
Truth. Vishwamitra, on the other hand, did penance but not the
penance of the inner senses. Every sage acknowledged that
Vasishta was a Brahamarishi, but no one called Vishwamitra
a Brahmarishi. Vishwamitra was a Rajarishi (one who is
emotional), though he desired to be a Brahmarishi (one who is
Divine) like Vasishta.
In the competition between Vasishta and Vishwamitra,
Adisesha (the snake), was chosen to be the judge due to His
qualities. Adisesha bore the weight of the entire earth, had
magnificent powers and penance, all knowledge and was one
with Divinity. Adisesha agreed to be the judge on the condition
that someone took His place to support the earth. Vishwamitra
tried but he failed whereas Vasishta, due to his wisdom and
penance could keep the earth in balance.
Only the devotee and his devotion and nothing else can
bear the burden of the earth; devotion is the supreme state that
man can attain. It cures all troubles, solves all mental problems
and confers liberation. One who contemplates on God becomes
God. To attain this state one must have unity of thought, word
and deed. Vasishta conducted his life in this way but
Vishwamitra was put to shame through anger and consequently
lost his wealth and respect. Man today has largely lost his
human qualities of Truth, Love and Peace, Right Action and
Non Violence. Here is a bulb and a wire; current flows through
the wire lighting the bulb. In the same way Divine power exists
in all. If there is to be a garland, there should be someone to
make it. You may have all of the materials like flowers, needle
and thread but there should also be someone to make the
garland. You may have gold, but there should be a goldsmith
to make the jewellery. There may be a container, oil and wick,
but there should be someone to light it. Similarly, in the body
you have a mind and a heart, but it is the Divine current that
illumines them. A light could be dim due to the wattage of the
bulb; likewise the spiritual power in the body can become
weak. Our inner Divine light should shine brightly and be
developed through expressing more and more Love. When
Love grows faith too grows. View all work as God's work and
develop Love and faith. If one doubts, his faith will decrease.
Penance is the combination of unity, trinity and Divinity.
But
today man does not have steady faith. For example when one
opens a tap there is an unending supply of water. God is the
tank full of unending Bliss and Love and one's devotion is the
tap. The Gopikas had a lot of devotion for Krishna and their
leader Radha had continuous devotion for Krishna. She did not
waste any of her energy but talked only of Krishna and heard
only the melodious music of Krishna. One may consider that
Radha's state is impossible to attain but it is easily reached
through taking everything as God's work.
Many of you have come from different places such as
Madras and Prashanthi Nilayam Each of you have travelled by
different means of transport such as train, bus, plane or car, so
each has taken a different amount of time to reach here
depending on the mode of transport. While travelling in an
ordinary train, one may have to shift compartments to reach his
destination. This can be compared to the bhaktipath which
involves nine forms of worship including listening to the glory
of God, chanting His names, worshipping His feet, salutations,
ritual worship, friendship, service, and surrender. In friendship
we invite our old friends to our homes and offer them
refreshments. God should be our oldest and closest friend.
Tyagaraja considered God as his oldest and best friend; old is
gold; have this type of friendship with God. Today's friendships
often depend on status and power. God is in you, with you and
around you whereas the worldly forms and events are like
passing clouds.
Divinity neither comes nor goes. God is total Love. The
following points are important to remember: in this world you
and the world are temporary, but Truth and Love are
permanent. Love is God so live in Love; Truth is God so
follow Truth. Like the two wings of a bird, Truth and Love can
make you fly to noble heights. Follow the greatest path, the
path of Love.
Everything is God only, so spend your time in Divine
sojourn. Take the example of a magnet and iron. They unite
and the iron itself becomes one with the magnet. Likewise the
knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. You are children of
immortality; you are eternal; the relationship between God and
you is eternal. The body changes through many births but the
mind, deeds, etc. continue from birth to birth. Just as an auditor
totals the accounts for the day and carries the balance onto the
next page, our mind follows to the next life. We should be able
to control that mind by first controlling the senses. Merge in
Truth and experience Oneness.
April 16, 1996
Chapter 12