post 2

IS EVERYTHING ORDAINED?
By Devaraja Mudaliar

ONE summer afternoon I was sitting opposite Bhagavan in the Old Hall with a fan in my hand and said to him: "I can understand that the outstanding events in a man's life, such as his country, nationality, family, career or profession, marriage, death, etc. are all predestined by his karma, but can it be that all the details of his life, down to the minutest, have already been determined? Now, for instance, I put this fan that is in my hand down on the floor here. Can it be that it was already decided that on such and such a day, at such and a such an hour, I shall move the fan like this and put it down here?"

Bhagavan replied "Certainly." He continued: "Whatever this body is to do and whatever experiences it is to pass through was already decided when it came into existence."

Thereupon I naturally exclaimed: "What becomes then of man's freedom and responsibility for his actions?"

Bhagavan explained: "The only freedom man has is to strive for and acquire the jnana which will enable him not to identify himself with the body. The body will go through the actions rendered inevitable by prarabdha (destiny based on the balance sheet of past lives) and a man is free either to identify himself with the body and be attached to the fruits of its actions, or to be detached from it and be a mere witness of its activities."

This may not be acceptable to many learned people or philosophers, but I am sure I have made no error in transmitting as above the gist of the conversation that took place between Bhagavan and me. Though this answer of Bhagavan may upset the apple cart of our careful reasonings and conclusions, I am satisfied that what Bhagavan said must be the truth. I also recall in this connection the following lines that Bhagavan once quoted to me from Thayumanavar on another occasion: "This is not to be taught to all. Even if we tell them, it will only lead to endless discussion."

It may be well to remind readers that Bhagavan has given his classic answer to the age-old question "Can freewill conquer fate?" as follows in his Forty Verses. "Such questions worry only those who have not found the source of both freewill and fate. Those who have found this source have left all such discussions behind." The usual reaction of Bhagavan to any such question would be to retort: "Who is it that has this fate or freewill? Find that out and then this question will not arise."

– First published in Call Divine, 01 December 1959. Featured in June '97 Maharshi Newsletter.

post 1

Self-knowledge is possible only in deep aloneness.

Ordinarily whatever we know about ourselves is
the opinion of others. They say "You are good"
and we think we are good.
They say "You are beautiful"
and we think we are beautiful.

They say you are bad or ugly...
whatsoever people say about us we go on collecting.
That becomes our self-identity.

It is utterly false because nobody else can know you,
can know who you are, except you yourself.

Whatsoever they know are only aspects,
and those aspects are very superficial.

Whatsoever they know are only momentary moods;
they cannot penetrate your center.

Not even your lover can penetrate to the
very core of your being.

There you are utterly alone,
and only there will you come to know who you are......

0sho

post 5

Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you. The future will take care of itself...... ~Paramahansa Yogananda

post 4

परमात्मा का होना अगर सबसे बड़ा सच है, तो मेरा होना सबसे बड़ा झूठ है। क्योंकि यहां दो मैं तो हो ही नहीं सकते। अस्तित्व तो एक है। एक ही मैं हो सकता है। पूरा अस्तित्व अगर एक है तो इसका एक ही केंद्र हो सकता है। लेकिन हर व्यक्ति, हर बूंद घोषणा करती है अपने मैं की।

ज्ञानी को यही शर्म आती है। वह लज्जा से भर जाता है। कितनी अतिशयोक्ति की! कितनी अपनी घोषणा की, जहां कुछ भी न था। पानी का बबूला था, जरा सा छुआ कि टूट गया। कागज की नाव थी, बही नहीं कि डूब गयी। ताश के पत्तों का घर था, हवा आयी नहीं कि गिर गया। पर कितने-कितने दावे किए! कितनी घोषणाएं कीं!

तुम्हारा होना सिर्फ नुकसान पहुंचाने का दावा है। वह हिंसा की एक घोषणा है। तुम उसी वक्त कहते हो--कि मैं कौन हूं जानते हो--जब तुम दावा करना चाहते हो कि मैं चाहूं तो विध्वंस कर सकता हूं।

तुम्हारी सारी अकड़ हिंसा है। अहंकार हिंसा का सूत्र है। जानने वाला तो कहता है, मैं कहां हूं! पता ही नहीं चलता। मैं कौन हूं! कुछ पता नहीं चलता। जानने वाला तो खो जाता है। अज्ञानी अकड़ा रहता है। जो नहीं है वह तो कहता है, मैं हूं। और जो हो जाता है, वह यह भाषा बोलना बंद कर देता है।

ओशो❤

🌹एक ओंकार सतनाम-18 (नानक)🌹

Post 3

From ~~~ Day by Day with Bhagavan, 31-1-46.

Sri Ramana Maharshi :

That which is, is peace.

All that we need do is to keep quiet.

Peace is our real nature.

We spoil it.

What is required is that we cease to spoil it.

For instance, there is space in a hall (room).

We are not going to create space anew.

We fill up the place with various articles.

If we want space, all that we need do

is to remove all those articles and we get space.

Similarly,

if we remove all the rubbish from the mind

the peace will become manifest.

That which is obstructing the peace

must be removed.

Peace is the only Reality.

~~~~~~

Post 2

The one who follows the thought is also a thought! The one who follows the thought IS in thought. When you know that both are thoughts, you are home. You are not at home, you ARE home. Then allow thoughts to arise and allow them to be followed. You remain as That unmoved and unconcerned Being. This is the highest understanding.

~ Papaji

Spiritual quotes 1

Is God personal?

Maharshi. Yes, He is always the first person, the I, ever standing before you. Because you give precedence to worldly things, God appears to have receded to the background. If you give up all else and seek Him alone, He alone will remain as the I, the Self.

(The Maharshi's Gospel)