Why Budhi Dharma Sat Facing The Wall For Nine Years

• Q. Do You Have Homosexual Disciples?
• M. Yes. Do I have to report to you their private business? You see, homosexuality is just a misconception about their awareness. They misunderstand their body's function. And when they become enlightened, this will be less and less, because they will identify themselves less with the body, but more with the spirit. Therefore there's nothing wrong with that. Yeah, when the children are very young, they play with plastic models and they cling to their teddy bears, but when they grow up, they will leave them. So do not worry about your misidentification with your body or with your birth appearance. It's alright, just get enlightenment, and everything will fix itself in due course.

Q. Master, I often see that in meditation it is my mind watching my mind, I lose faith that I can't go beyond this technique. Any advice? Thank you!
M. Oh, of course, it's not the very suitable technique for you perhaps. Because if we use the mind to watch the mind, we are still inside the mind and inside the creation's destroying and nourishing process. We should go beyond the mind. Therefore in our meditation, we don't use the mind at all. Yeah, and that is the most advanced technique. So, maybe try ours, Okay?! Um.

• Q. What happened to your husband?
• M. Oh, thanks for your concern. We've lost contact for, I think, several years now. Well he waited for me six years, alright? And then, he remarried after six years. And during the time we wrote off and on, half a year a letter, or one year a letter. And after six years, he got married again, with a vegetarian doctor wife. And then he got a son and he reported that to me. That was the last I heard of him. If you are interested to know, maybe I'll go into the second level and have a look at his future. (Master and everyone laugh.)

Q. Master, how important is it to see the light eighteen inches in front of me. I only see it close to my forehead. Thank you.
M. It's fine, It's a good beginning. Don't worry. It will grow further.
Q. I don't know if it's my business to understand, but I would like to find out about Buddha's message when he came from India and sat facing the wall for nine years.

M. Oh! The patriarch, the Budhi Dharma? Facing the wall for nine years? Because He had nothing else to do. (Laughter.) If it weren't for you, I would probably sit and face the ceiling for nineteen years. (Laughter.)
You see. If they have things to do, they would do them whole-heartedly. If they have nothing to do, they just do what they want to do. Yeah, that's it. And if He loved the wall so much, why not? (Laughter & applause.) 
You see actually, of course I make a joke about it. But you see, to elaborate it further, you should understand that an enlightened person is very contented within him or herself, and does not desire to do anything when it's not necessary.

For example, if I don't come to you or if I don't lecture or if nobody requires me to come out to see them or talk to them, I am always in my room. Yeah. Of course sometimes I like to take a walk in the garden or in the forest whenever it's there. If not, I stay in my room. I do nothing, I am just happy. Yeah, I may read books, or not read books. I might meditate, or not meditate. I may sleep, or I may feel awake. I may eat something or not eat something. I'm fine within the walls. You see! That's the problem with the prisoners.

Because they are not enlightened, therefore they feel walls separate them. If they were enlightened they would sit pretty well in there and they'd never probably want to leave prison at all. Yes, it is because we are very contented within ourselves. You see. That's why the patriarch, He sat there and felt good. At that time, probably there was no lecture hall for Him, and not many people understood Him. So, He just sat there and enjoyed Himself. He could have done other things, but it wasn't necessary at that time.



There was a story about a Zen master and his disciple. I am afraid to lose your time. Is it okay to tell? (Audience: Yes.) Okay. One Zen disciple, yeah, very enlightened perhaps, came to see his master after some time, and then his master asked him, Ah, well, well, what did you do all these months? Yeah, you had a summer vacation, now what did you do? He said, Oh, in my backyard, there is a big piece of land. I cultivated it and planted some vegetables, and they tasted so good, they looked good. Yeah, and I feel very good about it. So, the master praised him and said, Oh, well, well, you did not waste your time, huh! You know how to use your time, it's very good, yes. And so the disciple asked the master: Then what did you do during this time that I was not here? What did you do? And the master said, Oh, in the daytime I ate and read books, in the nighttime I slept, hm. So, the disciple also nodded his head and said, Oh, well, well, master, you also know how to use your time, you didn't waste your time, you are very useful! You understand? Yes, it's very comfortable, huh! It takes an enlightened mind to understand an enlightened mind. So, that's what it is, with the enlightened people. If they have work to do, they do it. If they don't they don't miss anything. So, whenever we are on tour, we are sometimes in a kind of very famous place. You know? Like when we were in Mexico, we were next to the pyramid, yeah and of course people would like to go there. It was about one hour from our place actually, and my room was in the middle of the city, with all the noises and all the narrowness, everything. But still I didn't long to go to the pyramid. So, we never did go.

Even though I stayed there six days, and lectured only one day. But I saw people every day of course. But I had no longing to go to see pyramid, or anything else. I stayed always every day, every minute of the day in my room.

And so, I told you again and again, enlightenment is the only way for the cure of everything in this world. Otherwise, if anyone else, you put them in the room like that, yeah, and don't let them go to see pyramid, something, they will be unhappy. But we are not. I and my disciples, the immediate crew, you know, nobody wanted to go to the pyramid. I asked them, If you want to go, you are free to go. Don't have to wait for me or ask my permission. But nobody wanted to go. They are just happy to serve. They sleep when they have time. And when they wake up, they go and prepare for the lecture-equipment and all that. No one longs to go sightseeing, nothing. It's because we are very contented within ourselves.


Therefore, the first patriarch, Bodhi Dharma, the Buddhist who came to China and faced the wall nine years, it was the same situation, um.

Changing Ourselves Is Changing The World

Therefore, it's not what we should have in life but to what degree we are contented with life. To tell you honestly I have no better life than any of the people who live in the communist system. For example, from thirty-six or forty hours up till now I have only had one meal and that wasn't much. There was only maybe half a bowl or one bowl of rice, just a few tofu and a few vegetables. That's all there was. And I am working so, very... you can not say it's not hard. It's hard work because we run from one place after another and we are always packing and unpacking and talking to hundreds of, thousands of people all the time. I seldom rest with my voice, very seldom. 


I'll tell you my schedule. For example yesterday, the night before, I was in Seattle, yeah, talking to thousands and after that talking to the disciples and non-disciples, etc. And then, I did not go to bed until about five o'clock in the morning. And before that, I meditated for a while and then slept a little bit. And got up again at nine or something, got ready to go for the airplane. And then, at the airport I had to speak to hundreds of people and make them happy, right. And then, went to the air... (Laughter.) What, you're laughing at? It's not true? It's true, yes. Because, if not, then they are not happy. And then, in the airplane, I have to talk again to the neighbors because they will ask me where I come from and what I do and all that. Fine, I enjoy also. And then I had a little rest, maybe ten minutes. And then, again, came down to the airport. And hundreds of people were already there awaiting for me to talk again. Okay, I talked, until nine or something, huh?


 And then we went home. And then I had a little rest. And then came the telephone, and I talked again for about one or two hours, one hour at least. And then came out, and then all my disciples, their immediate friends, the Americans, they wanted to be exclusively treated. So only Americans were around, and I talked only in American language. Ah, that was about, yeah, just for a while, yeah? And then, I came and took that meal that I told you. Yes, and that was it. Up till... I had nothing from that meal until now. And before that I didn't have meal. Before that meal I nibbled two mouthfuls of bread and two mouthfuls of milk. That was before I left Seattle. And I came to last night and had that meal. The only meal up till now. So, therefore, I had in forty hours or fifty hours, actually only one meal. Nothing more. And if the communists are proud of their teaching, they should be more proud of the action, and they should give me a best medal. (Laughter & applause.) Actually I am too proud of myself. It's my ego at work, you see. (Master laughs.) Don't worry, I'll put it aside later. (Laughter.)

So, the problem is not to change anything of this world but to change ourselves you see. I would have complained before. Without enlightenment I would have complained. I would have loved to have my beautiful house, my lovely husband and my, whatever is mine. You understand? And I can't just sacrifice like that. But by the way doing this, I do not even feel sacrifice. You understand what I mean? Just very natural, very happy to do it. Of course I am tired and I complain sometimes. Because of some of the unnecessary tiresome questions or demands from people and disciples. And sometimes it agonizes you. You understand what I mean? Having to accompany kindergarten children while you are teaching in college, yes. It is very difficult also, but I get through, I get through. That's a reasonable complaint, no? Is it not? (Laughter & applause.)

Enjoy The World Within And Without

Thus, if the people in any poor country or in whatever situation if they get enlightenment, they would not feel suffering. Some of our disciples are relieved from even the most dangerous sicknesses after initiation or after they practice for a while. Yes, it depends on also their sincerity and karma. And some of them have to undergo sometimes this retribution, but they go with smiles on their faces.

Yesterday while I was in Seattle, even one of the women told me she had to undergo operation, but then she had prepared herself already to go to play in heaven while the body was undergoing operation. She told me: Ah, fine. I know already. I will go and let the doctor inject me and then meanwhile I will go to Buddha's land and have a look around. (Laughter.) Yes, that's what she did. And she had no fear of whatsoever. Yeah, yesterday some of you had heard it. Any of you from Seattle yesterday? Yes, you heard this, yeah. That was an Au Lac lady. She is about my age, maybe younger. But don't make me feel very old. (Master laughs.) Yes, that's what they do. And sometimes some of our fellow practitioners, their lives are not rich like you perhaps in Formosa. They drive taxi. Okay, they are taxi driver but while driving the taxi they can see Buddha's land or heaven, Kingdom of God at the same time. Therefore their lives pass very quickly. And whatever they do, they do it in joy. They enjoy the real life and the shadow of the real life, because both will blend together-there is no separation, no rejection of any kind.

The Beauty Of Enlightenment

When I was in Indonesia or some other country, some people said, Oh, you look beautiful. Would you consider to remarry? Yeah. What do you think? Do I have time for that? (Master and everyone laugh.) Yes, but I said to him, Why do you ask this question? He said, because he thinks that enlightened people would not care so much about these things and no love and very dry and all that. I said, No, if you consider you should propose first. Yeah, you propose and I will put you on the marry list. (Laughter.)


But then, that's the last I heard of him. (Laughter & applause.) Probably after a close examination of my face and figure and whatever, and my life style and he thought he had better not take adventure. (Master and everyone laugh.) So, my disciples everywhere are enough to scare the biggest hero on earth. (Master laughs.) They would run away you know. 


When you are at home, and you have only one husband and wife and if the third person comes, you already feel very scared, right, very frightened that your love would be shared. How much more if they see my disciples! They hang around twenty four hours, they eat everything with me, and they interfere with all kinds of privacy, except when I am in the bathroom. (Laughter.) My door is never be able to lock. Always coming up and down and my room is just like a restaurant. So whoever dare to be my husband should prepare for war. (Master and everyone laugh.) So, that's the life it is. You see whether you have or you don't have it's fine. It's very fine with you because you are contented within yourself. You do not reject life. But you do not sink into life deeply so that you know nothing else except the material existence of life. And that's the beauty of enlightenment.


Alright, I am ready for your questions, because there will be more talk by the way. You can ask anything, yeah. And I am free to answer or not, so don't worry. It is a very good atmosphere today, huh! Right? Yes, for the first time and then you can laugh so much. I think we don't charge the lecture with money but we charge the laughter because this is very rare. (Laughter.)

Immediate Enlightenment

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Brisbane, Australia, March 23, 1993
(Originally in English)

Q: I don't quite know what has happened after the initiation. I have been weak for a long time and suddenly I have lots of energy. It's fantastic. I'm quite thrilled. Could You please explain a little more about what has happened?

M: You have answered yourself. Great things can happen to you because your own Power has been awakened. Your torch has been lighted by another already-lighted torch. Both torches are lighted, and we are both illuminated. You will feel that I am just like yourself. Whatever I have, slowly you will discover that you also have. In case you haven't discovered or are not yet confident in yourself, you may pray to the so-called Master to help you in the beginning of your practice. But even without praying, you will get it.

Just initiated a few minutes only. I told you, "Immediate Enlightenment." I have told many people, but they don't believe it. Only the ones who believe, like you, will get it. Then you shout with joy, but don't shout too loud and make people think you are crazy. But you would like to do it sometimes, jumping like a baby. It happens. Because you are very sincere and pure, you will receive the maximum benefit. The ones who are pure at heart, the kingdom of God belongs to them. Blessed are the pure in heart, or Except you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. That's it.

If you are pure, anything is yours because it is already there. To the complicated and doubtful ones, it will come to them also. But sometimes they waste it a little bit, or it doesn't soak into them. They build some protecting wall around themselves and the blessings because they are unwilling to accept them and are stopped outside. So, even God's blessing is not to be forced upon someone. Otherwise, God would force blessings from heaven and we all would be liberated. No need for me to go around and beg each of you to meditate. But you understand that because you know it for yourself and because you're sincere.

I am happy for you. Many people are like that. You are not the only one. There is nothing to explain - nothing logical and nothing scientific about it. Just you, your Self, the great wisdom of yours, wakes up and immediately goes to work, and regulates the disordered places in the body and makes them in order again and also makes your mind in order, erases some of the negative tendencies and residues by the great force of the universe. Therefore, you feel alive again.

In the mystical sense, we can say this illness or the heavy feeling of pressure for the physical and the mental body is the result of previous karma or the deeds from this life. But now we have turned into the Source of mercy and love and so it is washed away. That is as far as I can say, but more, much more of the things of God, we can't explain at all. Just enjoy and keep quiet. There will be much more that you would like to tell people later, but take care if they understand; otherwise, they will doubt you.

It hurts you to think that people think you tell lies. It hurts; it hurts a lot. I am used to getting hurt. I keep telling people, "Please come. It's all for free. I will do everything for you, if you only know yourself and be happy. Don't be ill, don't be so weak, and don't beg for anything, because you have everything. Please just come and experience it." But many people stay outside, and even if they come, they walk out. It is due to karma, too heavy karma, so they are blind to any love that stands in front of them. Therefore, they even crucified Jesus - such a love to sacrifice. That was the blessing that He wanted to point out to the world, but they saw nothing; they felt nothing because they were so blind, so spiritually blind and deaf. The world is like that, so sometimes I suffer. Even though I know everything is God's will, I suffer for them. I feel so much sorrow for the people. Why are they content to live such a life? Why don't they believe in themselves?

Our path is a little bit different from many other paths because I tell you to rely on yourself, to wake your Power and become the Master, not to have to worship me all your life, do everything for me, and rely on me. Therefore, I give you the way to know yourself and then begin to be a teacher of yourself, at least, or whoever comes into contact with you. Maybe I should just let you worship me, and you would get blessings all the same. Many people just recite my name because they don't want to get initiation. They just pray to me for anything they want and they get the benefits. They also see Light; they also see the Master come to them sometimes. Not that I bar them, but they will not be the teacher. They will forever rely on my blessings and grace, but that's the way they want, so what can we do about it? But I would like all of you to be your own great teacher. That's why I show you this way. Do it every day and you will become greater, and everything you want will just come even if you don't ask for it. Just be pure and sincere.

What is the Purpose of Living ?

Jiddu Krishnamurti on Purpose of Living

Question: We live but we do not know why. To so many of us, life seems to have no meaning. Can you tell us the meaning and purpose of our living?

Jiddu Krishnamurti: Now why do you ask this question? Why are you asking me to tell you the meaning of life, the purpose of life? What do we mean by life? Does life have a meaning, a purpose? Is not living in itself its own purpose, its own meaning? Why do we want more? Because we are so dissatisfied with our life, our life is so empty, so tawdry, so monotonous, doing the same thing over and over again, we want something more, something beyond that which we are doing.

Since our everyday life is so empty, so dull, so meaningless, so boring, so intolerably stupid, we say life must have a fuller meaning and that is why you ask this question. Surely a man who is living richly, a man who sees things as they are and is content with what he has, is not confused; he is clear, therefore he does not ask what is the purpose of life. For him the very living is the beginning and the end. Our difficulty is that, since our life is empty, we want to find a purpose to life and strive for it.

Such a purpose of life can only be mere intellection, without any reality; when the purpose of life is pursued by a stupid, dull mind, by an empty heart, that purpose will also be empty. Therefore our purpose is how to make our life rich, not with money and all the rest of it but inwardly rich - which is not something cryptic.

When you say that the purpose of life is to be happy, the purpose of life is to find God, surely that desire to find God is an escape from life and your God is merely a thing that is known. You can only make your way towards an object which you know; if you build a staircase to the thing that you call God, surely that is not God. Reality can be understood only in living, not in escape.

When you seek a purpose of life, you are really escaping and not understanding what life is. Life is relationship, life is action in relationship; when I do not understand relationship, or when relationship is confused, then I seek a fuller meaning. Why are our lives so empty? Why are we so lonely, frustrated? Because we have never looked into ourselves and understood ourselves. We never admit to ourselves that this life is all we know and that it should therefore be understood fully and completely.

We prefer to run away from ourselves and that is why we seek the purpose of life away from relationship. If we begin to understand action, which is our relationship with people, with property, with beliefs and ideas, then we will find that relationship itself brings its own reward. You do not have to seek. It is like seeking love. Can you find love by seeking it? Love cannot be cultivated. You will find love only in relationship, not outside relationship, and it is because we have no love that we want a purpose of life. When there is love, which is its own eternity, then there is no search for God, because love is God.

It is because our minds are full of technicalities and superstitious mutterings that our lives are so empty and that is why we seek a purpose beyond ourselves. To find life's purpose we must go through the door of ourselves; consciously or unconsciously we avoid facing things as they are in themselves and so we want God to open for us a door which is beyond. This question about the purpose of life is put only by those who do not love. Love can be found only in action, which is relationship.

Source: from book "The First and Last Freedom" by Jiddu Krishnamurti

Related Article:
Jiddu Krishnamurti on purpose of Existence

http://www.messagefrommasters.com/Mystic_Musings/Jiddu%20krishnamurthy/Purpose_of_Living.htm

Who is the ideal devotee ?

January 16, 2010(Below is the transcript of Satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.You can watch the Live webcast of future satsangs)

Q: Guruji, the way I feel so connected to you, do you feel the same?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: More than that. You know, connection means that there is a difference. I don’t feel connected for I don’t feel the difference. I feel you are a part of me.

Q: If truth is contradictory, how to find the truth?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Truth is something you can’t avoid nor confront. There is no effort. Truth simply comes out. If you tell a lie, you have to manufacture. To tell a lie, a lot of effort is required. You’re feeling cold, you’re feeling hot, that is how you feel. No effort is needed.

Q: Even after surrendering problems, I worry about them. What to do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is to say, ‘I gave it away’ and even after giving you say, ‘I have it with me’. If even after giving it away again and again, it comes back to you like a ball you again and again keep giving it away. Don’t give up until you have totally given up!

Q: What are the characteristics of an ideal devotee?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: (After a little pause) You are One. You don’t doubt that. And whatever additional quality you want to have, you can always develop.
• Someone who has a calm and serene mind,
• Wants to live in knowledge, has some knowledge and a desire for knowledge,
• No grudges, no hatred towards anyone,
• Has compassion.

Q: What do you expect from us?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A lot. You live in knowledge, you keep smiling, you keep serving, you keep connected. I don’t expect - I know you will do it. Only I am impatient. I want you to do it quickly.

Q: Guruji, telling the truth causes problems outside and telling lie creates problems inside (us)? What to do?


Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Solve the problem. Problems are to be seen as challenges. Someone who is brave like challenges and you are brave, I tell you.

Q: Guruji, when we say Jai Gurudev to someone, are we referring to the Guru in the person in front or we are remembering the Guru in ourselves?


Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I leave it up to you, whatever you want. It has so many meanings – Hello, How are you, Good bye, Welcome, Thank you…So many words come in that Jai Gurudev. You want to say, ‘Oh my God’ you say Jai Gurudev, you want to say, ‘Oh I give up’ you say Jai Gurudev. It’s just become a habit. I don’t insist at all. You say whatever you want to say.

Q: Do I exist beyond body and soul? And if I do then in what form?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Nothing exists beyond the soul. Beyond the body? Yes. When you realize, you see you are not your body and you will realize that yourself.


Q: Guruji, there are moments when I am enthusiastic, when I am very confident but there are two problems: 1. I forget things. 2. I fear of what happens if this state continues. This is predominantly from my wife’s side. What to do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I remember in one course a gentleman with his wife participated. At each knowledge point, the husband would say, ‘Look, I have been also saying the same thing.’ Like I said, ‘Forgive and forget’ and she would say, ‘I told you the same thing, now Guruji is also saying same.’ (Laughter) Itold him, these points are for you to apply and not to just pass on. Charity begins at home, Love begins at home. Start from where you are.

Q: I get physically attracted to many people. What to do? Is it ok to be physically attracted?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you see your mind, so many thoughts come. You can’t act on all the thoughts. If you try to act on all the thoughts, you end up in a mental hospital. Whether thoughts of attraction or repulsion come, you do not get attracted but you also feel repulsion for many people. For example, the mind says to strangle somebody, you have to act out of wisdom. You have to see what is right and what is wrong. You have to see what is evolutionary and what is not. You have to see what is giving you happiness in the long term and what is giving misery. You have to see what is permanent and what is temporary. That is discrimination, Viveka, is so important. Otherwise, it will be just senseless, thoughtless action leaving you in misery.

Q: We give so many botherations to you? To whom do you give all these botherations?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That you don’t worry. I have a processing unit where all garbage gets processed to manure.

Reader: I am laughing a good joke.

Q: If atma (spirit) is neither created nor destroyed then from where do these new souls come? How is the population of the world increasing?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: My dear, so many animals are also getting extinct. Very few sparrows are left, many crocodiles are missing. Like this, many other species are missing. Just imagine. I think you will get the rest of your answer.

Q: Guruji, I do all practices when I am in problem but otherwise I stay away from path. What should I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This you figure out. When misery comes, everyone thinks of God. But to one who thinks of God even when happy, why will misery touch him? There is an old proverb which says this Sukh mein simran sabh karein, dukh mein kare na koi,Sukh mein simran jo kare to dukh kahe ko hoyeThis applies to us also. When you are doing pranayama, Sudarshan kriya, when you are happy, then that happiness will continue.Today, there was an article in the paper which says that the only way to cure depression is by meditation. Anti-depression medicines will make the depression come back. There is a rebounding of depression with anti-depression medicines but with meditation there is no rebounding. Today millions of people are suffering from depression and they don’t know something like this exists. They don’t know there is a way which can make them free from depression. When you go back tell everyone about meditation. It takes one out of depression, suicidal tendencies. Look at Rashid (pointing to a youth who has come from Kashmir), he is smiling after 12 years and is now doing wonderful service also.

Q: When I come here I find so much peace and harmony. How can I take this same peace and harmony back to Kashmir also?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You also come up with ideas, I will also think. More youth like you should come from Kashmir, experience this and go back and serve. We will start the Art of Living in Kashmir and make it big. If you all resolve, we will definitely do it. We can do organic farming there. We can train more teachers, all can heal and bless them, bring happiness in them. We already have a residential school there. We all need to do more and more.


Q: If something bad happens to a person we say that the previous birth karma is responsible. Will you please speak about that?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: ‘Paap kya punya kyat tu bhulade’Karam kar phal ki chinta tu mitade’Forget what is sinful and what is noble. Be free from the desire of the fruit of action. Don’t sit and worry too much about all this.I have spoken more on this in Celebrating silence (a book written by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar).


Q: It is said in the Gita, do your duty and don’t expect for the result. How to live this knowledge in normal life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Live naturally. All Art of Living points are from life’s experience. There is no effort in it. Do some meditation, yoga you will see how life has transformed effortlessly and automatically.

Q: Guruji, is it true you have some super power. You have stopped rain so many times just looking at sky, you can read thoughts.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know love is the most super power in this world and that power is with everybody, not only with me. When mind is free from lust, greed, possessiveness, arrogance etc., when the mind is in the pure form with which we were all born with, then nature listens to you. You are a child of nature and nature loves you. When that manifests, when you are clear then two things happen - your wishes get fulfilled and you can fulfill others’ wishes also. When you are content, that is when blessing happens, Don’t think only Guruji can do it. This is no achievement and no effort is required. That is natural from our state of being, that state of innocence. Most of us have lost it but I still haven’t lost it.

Q: How do you speak so sweetly always?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It’s like asking jaggery, how can you taste so sweet? It’s the nature of the jaggery to be sweet. I don’t put any effort to speak sweetly. If I put in effort, it will turn to be salty. What I am, I speak the same. That’s why you find it sweet. And secondly, you are also sweet so you find me also sweet. If your mind is turbulent then even if I speak sweetly, you will find it salty. I also don’t know how to be otherwise. I am grateful that I never got an opportunity also to do something which is not in my nature. There was never a need to speak a lie or cheat someone. It has never happened that I pretend to be someone else which I am not. It doesn’t seem also I would be doing it in future. (laughter) But I don’t give any guarantee (more laughter). It hasn’t happened till now and God knows about future.

Q: Guruji I worked in a slum and I got so much happiness. I am feeling so blissful and life is so beautiful.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Life is beautiful but we don’t crave for happiness: ‘Oh, life is beautiful. I want joy.’ When you are happy – serve.When you are sad – give up, have the courage to give up your misery. Adveshta serva bhutanam maitra karuna evacah|Nirmamo Nirahankarah samah sukah dukkah kshami||Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that one who is dear to me, who doesn’t hate anybody, who doesn’t have any ego – I, I, me. One who is calm in success or failure. Whatever he gets - sorrow or happiness - he takes it all with a smile. The Gita also talks about the three gunas – Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. What type of food you should eat, how the cosmos affects. Ayurveda, yoga, psychology, all these subjects are there. People from Tamil Nadu had come for the satsang.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar welcomed them and introduced the Pongal festival which was celebrated on January 14. Pongal is the biggest festival in Tamil Nadu. The flavor of Pongal is a little bit salty, little sweet and is prepared with rice, dal (pulses), and turmeric in a clay pot and celebrated.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said: The Intelligent celebrate everyday Fools fight everyday