Maharaji: Shine With Understanding DVD 06V1 SWU-S 28 April 2006 transcript

An edited version of this speech was published as The Ocean in the Drop in the Inspire Electronic magazine, Inspire v3 i101, 28 April 2006

Maharaji: Shine With Understanding DVD 06V1 SWU-S 28 April 2006 transcript

So this evening we are here to listen, to try to understand something and what we need to understand is about this life. Because this is what we have. There are so many explanations in this world. So many ideas. Recently, I was in India. That's where I'm coming from and did a lot of events. One million, seven hundred some odd 1000 people (applause fails) listened to this message and to express to them that the most important thing that we have, is this existence. Because so many people have so many ideas and they all talk about it. "No, no. The most important thing is heaven. That's what's important. You are here only to work for heaven." Fine. But why is it after death? Why does it have to be after death? Your existence begins. Your life begins, when you come here. When you are born and what is that that you are given? What is it that you are presented with You're presented with a experience called life. Life and in this life, what do you have? What do you have? You have a breath. You have a day. You have an hour. You have a minute .You have a second. These are your realities. This is not fiction, my friend. This is not some concept. What I talk about, what I want to experience in my life and what I want you to experience in your life is not fiction, is reality. Reality that you can touch. Reality that you can feel. Reality that you can understand. Understand. Not reality that you simply have to swallow without knowing what you just swallowed. Acceptance in your life should be of that which you know, not of some grand concept and idea which you don't know, but you don't know but no, understand. Feel. Not in thought. Not in thought. But feel. Feel what? Understand what? So let me explain. When I, when I was in India, I talked about this quite a bit and people loved it. And there's a beautiful couplet and it says

That the drop resides in the ocean, everyone knows this
But the ocean resides in the drop, very few know about this

So I'm sure you are thinking. He just finished saying, I don't want you to be accepting abstract concepts and then he goes into a couplet from India. Which sounds incredibly abstract. "The drop resides in the ocean, everyone knows." Understandable. "The ocean resides in the drop." If this is not abstract, what is? But then the last line is the key here. "That only very few understand this."

And I want you to be those very few that understand this. (applause) Understand this. And what is being talked about? That that incredible thing, in it everything is but that incredible thing is in you too. You are the drop. You are the drop. Not the liquid drop. You are the drop and the ocean is in you, and you, and yes, you can feel that. Yes, I understand it. Because I'm me. That same energy that is everywhere, comes in me, in the form of that breath. That is me. Brings the gift of life. What does life mean? What does life mean? So many people. Life means, you have a job, you have a kid. You have a house. You have a cat. You have a dog. You have a this, you have a this is what life is.

It's not life. That are things. Those are things in your life. Say it as it is. Don't twist and bend things like people do. Say it as it is. Who are you? Somebody asked me that I had an interview on TV in India and personally I really enjoyed it. I really, really enjoyed it. But that's just personal to me. I thought it was great. Some people thought it wasn't that great, but I thought it was great. I just loved the whole experience. So the interviewer asked me, so what is your name? How you called? I said "Me, me." (laughter) I am sure that people sitting here going "But that's stupid. You must have a name. I said "Yeah, Prem Rawat is my name. People call me Maharaji and all that, but I'm me." So I gave him an analogy. An example. You're in a building, lots of people and earthquake comes shake, shake, shake, shake, shake and the building collapses and you're alive and but you're buried. And all of a sudden you hear people rescuing outside. You hear the rescuers. Excuse me. What are you gonna say? "Help Prem Rawat." This is the time. This is the time when it matters the most, not the least, most. Because you may only have a few moments. And it matters the most. And even though you are in a very awkward situation. You are not presentable. And in normal circumstances perhaps you would even avoid seeing anybody. But in this time, all of those barriers are gone. You are you. That's it. You, and this you is saying "Help me." It's funny isn't it? Don't you think that's curious? That when all the other stuff, the extras are gone. You just become you. No name, no shame, no ideas, no protocols. This is also a reality. This is also a reality.

You need to begin to understand that reality, because you know people say "Truth is bitter." I have heard many times this "Truth is bitter." Truth is not bitter. Truth is sweet. It's lovely. It's comforting. It's comforting because that is the truth. That is the truth. Not the truth of the left, right, is it day, is it night? People people say if if because I can see still there is daylight. And if I was to say no on a dark outside that is a lie. And therefore if I say it is still daylight that is the truth. That's not the truth. That is not the truth. When you fly at high altitudes like 45,000 feet or higher and you're flying eastbound. This happened to me many times. You look down and on the surface of the Earth it's dark. Lights are on. It's pitch dark. But at your altitude you can still see the sun. Down there they can't see the sun because it's down there. But where you are up high, the sun is still there and sometimes at night if there's a high flying aeroplane everything is pitch dark but you will see this lit thing travelling across the sky.

There is all those things that are relative and there is one thing that is not relative. It's absolute and that which is absolute. That is what is within you. No variables. You are alive. You have life, its absolute. It is absolute. It is ABS-U-LUTE. One day it won't be. Until you are alive, till this breath comes into you, it is absolute. Until you are alive, until you can feel, until you can - till you are conscious. Till you have the capacity of being conscious. Then I say to you, be conscious of that, that is the real life. Of all the things you should be conscious of. Be conscious of that breath that comes in you. Of all the things you can be conscious of. Be aware of this existence that you have. Be aware, because being aware of that existence brings joy. Being aware of that existence brings happiness. Being aware of that existence brings peace. Peace. Real peace.

What is real peace? You want to know what real peace is? I'll tell you about real peace. That's what I do. I talk to people about peace. Then then then we're sitting in our fat living rooms, in our fat lives, you know, got our TV and we've got our car outside and got this over here and we got that and we got our little problems, you know, overwhelmed by them sometimes. "Oh my God. What's gonna happen?" Somebody comes along "Peace" and it's like "I'm not interested in peace. With our problems. I got my problems. I could take care of my problem. I'm not interested." So let's take a person who's in prison. He's in prison. I'm not talking about the guard I'm talking about the convict. He's in prison. Is he in prison because of his own wish? No. This has been proven many times. They seem to get in there and then they want to get out. Gaol breaks, first opportunity. They get out, they get out, they're not there, these these people are not there because they want to be there but they're there. They're there because they've done something wrong in society. The judgement has been made and they have been put in prison. I'm not a judge. I'm not a judge. So I'm not gonna read their case file and say "well why are you in prison?" All I know is that you're alive? Breath comes into you. You are a human being and therefore as long as you are alive and that you are a human being, you have the capacity to understand something. You can feel peace if you want to feel peace, you can feel peace.

Last year, I went to a prison. I talked with the people there. And quite a few people now, in that prison have received the gift of Knowledge. (applause) So I went to see them. And there is this one relatively young guy and he writes to me quite a few letters. Very sweet letters. Now you tell me, has he got problems. I'd say he has problems. You think he can wake up whenever he feels like. No. You think he can go wherever he feels like? No. Can he talk to anyone he feels like? No. Did he eat anything he likes? No. Can he pick the time he goes to sleep? No. He's incarcerated. All his liberties, lib-er-ties, all the things you can do. He can't do. So does he feel peace? Yes. YES. And that is what is remarkable. And why is it remarkable? If you think about it, it's remarkable in many ways and one of the ways it is remarkable is that you can be sure of one thing. All the things you have that he doesn't have don't lead you to peace. Two!

Giving it all, giving it all up. Doesn't lead you to peace because there's some people say, you know, give it all up. Then you will have peace. Well, no, it doesn't work because if giving it all up make made people peaceful and happy. They would immediately shut down the prisons because this would be like a reward. You do something wrong and instead of being punished, you're placed in an environment where you're peaceful and happy. So that proves that point. Giving it all up doesn't do it.

But it also proves something else that regardless of any of those circumstances, there is a place inside of us and if we can access that place, we can have that peace. We can feel that peace. It's remarkable. It's the best news. This is who you are. This is who I am and truly in this drop. A drop that we are, resides this infinite ocean of peace. Not anywhere else. But in this drop resides the ocean. So you begin to understand that this whole little couplet is not that far off when it says that the drop resides in the ocean everyone knows but that the ocean resides in the drop very few know. Be that very few because that is an achievement unparalleled. You need peace. Why do you need peace? Because you are human being. That's why you need peace. You need happiness. You need happiness because you are a human being. This is your trait. This is your nature. Understand your nature. You cannot fight it. This is not a problem that you have to solve. By the way, wanting peace is not a problem. Wanting to be happy is not a problem. But you see many people feel the need to be happy, cannot be happy and then they think they've got a problem and they approach the solution to being happy and approach the solution to having peace in their lives as a problem.

And when you try to fix a problem that is not a problem. Look around you in this world. That's what happens. That's what happens. What happens, and if I may say so, that we make definitions and we say "people must live longer, longer and healthier lives. This is important" we say. I agree and we say that there here are the disease that should be eradicated because they kill people and we don't look at war as a disease because by the virtue of definitions war is one of the worst disease there is. It kills instantly. And it kills a lot of innocent people. And it does not looked at as a disease. Just looked at something good. There is a disease.

We are here so that me may feel that peace. That is why this heart, I don't care if you call it heart or you don't call it heart or if you think heart is an abstract concept. But let me then just say this something, something, inside of you, wants you to be in peace. You know, when you say to yourself. "Hmm. Let's become unhappy. Let's be unhappy." Something inside goes not a good idea. This happens to be everywhere, around the world. Curious. You know, does it seem to follow language? Doesn't seem to follow religion. Doesn't seem to follow any of those things. It's just anywhere, anywhere in the world. People go well "Let's be unhappy." It's like, no, not a good idea. "Let's be happy." Good idea. Good idea. Because that request to be happy comes from within you. Don't underestimate it. It will be there for as long as you are alive. For as long as you are alive, that request to be in happiness and in peace will be there. I'm not here to mould new definitions for you. Because I am a person who believes very much in experiencing. I'm not really too much on words. When people start to show me words or give me words, I say "just show it to me." Then I will, then I know. You need to see that too. You need to feel that too. Whether you have Knowledge or not. If you do not have that gift of Knowledge, you need to aspire to get the gift of Knowledge. And if you have the gift of Knowledge, then you need to aspire to continue to feel that feeling. And if you have the tools, use them.

This is not about trying to satisfy your curiosity. This is about trying to satisfy that something inside of you that is real. Your curiosity is not real. Your curiosity is not real. If there is a box in front of you. It's a little box and there is something inside of it. You don't know and it's going, you know, some, making some noise. And you want to know what is inside of it. And if there's another box and it starts to do the same thing, your curiosity will switch. It's not loyal. It has no loyalty. It'll go from this to that. And if there's another box and these two stop and that one starts going, then your curiosity will go to that one. There is something inside of you that has always been loyal. Always said the same thing. Never changing and always will say the same thing. Be content, be happy. The idea of being thankful is a good one. Be thankful. Even when everything is going wrong. Don't be thankful for things going wrong. That's silly.

But be thankful for that one thing that is going right and what is it? Here it comes. Here comes that breath. And here it goes. And here it comes and here it goes and with this every wave comes the gift of life. Abundance, abundance, abundance, abundance. Accept, accept, that's all you have to do. You don't have to package it. You don't have to put it off for tomorrow. You know it doesn't work like that. You cannot save your breaths. I'm not going to take, you know, 60 breaths. I'll save it for tomorrow. You can do that with a sandwich. You can't do it with a breath. It's a funny thing. Existence is a funny thing. Somewhere it gives you a hint that you are in control. And then sometimes it gives you the proof. You are not. Did you make plans? Everybody makes plans. I'm young. I'm young. I'm old. Do you know that there's a department up there, somewhere? I call it the Department of Death and Destruction. And old, young, new, just made, is not in it's vocabulary. It doesn't care. He doesn't. When someone passes away? People go "Oh my God. You know, he was so young." That's your problem. Nothing. problem of death and Department of Death and Destruction. You build a brand new house. Boom!. "Hey, it was brand new." Who cares? Brand new aeroplane crashes. "But it was brand new." Crash! Crash. That's it.

You realise they're people and they plan. "There are. I'm going to end my life." Find the high bridge, jump. Nothing. Cold and still alive. Then they try again. Go find a cliff somewhere. Jump off. Broken bones but still alive. Strange. There's people who have shot themselves in the head and the bullet lodged inside. And of course the doctors go "Well. It'll do more harm to take it out." And they're walking around with the bullets still in their head. And then there is somebody sitting there in their living room watching TV, perfectly healthy. Boom. So there's something that gives you the hint. Just a hint. Just a suggestion that you're in control and proof that you're not. But the worst thing is that we take the hint to be real and we disregard the proof. Proof is in front of everyone's eyes. But we disregard the proof and we accept the hint. "Oh yes, I'm in control." I want to be in control of my destiny. And people go everyday like they think they think they are. "I decide when I will eat. I decide when I will go to work. I decide when I will come back. I decide what I will do today. I am in control of my destiny." And then one day that breath doesn't come and it's like bye bye. Do you plan this? Mr destiny controller. Was this part of your plan? Or are you just as surprised as that other guy who never did control his destiny. Surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise.

The question here is not not abstract. I am asking the question. The question is who is the rider and who is the horse? Because I think the question needs to be asked because the assumption is, you are the rider and I'll ask you then if you are the rider, why does it feel like you've got weight on your shoulders? If you are the rider then why are you burdened? If you are the controller then why are you worried? Because I think people are just happily going along in their lives. Everything is fine. Everything is fine. Everything is fine. It's not good. It's not good It's not right. It's not nice, but it's fine. Life is OK. Sometimes. not OK, some times. But that's fine. Everything's fine. Everything's fine. I'm in pain. But that's OK. That's fine. Fine. Fine. Fine. Fine. Fine. Fine. It's a question of priorities. It's a question of priorities. It's a question of understanding the situation. There is a pilot. Plane is flying and he wants to have a cup of tea. Is it wrong to have a cup of tea? See, here's the point.

People say, no, no, no it's wrong for the pilot to have a cup of tea. I say no. It's fine for the pilot to have a cup of tea. After all, he's human and he needs a cup of tea. Coffee, tea, whatever. Provided, the plane isn't headed into mountains. He can have his cup of tea. But if the pilot says "Well, you know what? We're going to hit those mountains here in 5 minutes. Let me finish my cup of tea. I'm on a 5 minute break. But plane is accelerating towards the mountains. You can see the mountains. You can hear the terrain warning. Well, that will be too close if the terrain warning came on. But on the map you can see the terrain rising. It's starting to turn red. That means not going to happen. It's above you. And the pilot says "Okay. I want a tea break." And all you have to say is "you can take a tea break after the mountains?" That's all. That's all. It is not about don't take your tea break. Did you do that after you kind of pulled it up on over and everything is OK, take your tea break. In fact have two tea breaks. In fact, have some sandwiches with your tea. That's all. But it is important.

Your humanity is important. Why is humanity important? Your humanity? Why is it important? Because you're a human being. This innate nature of you. There is a nature of you. There is a nature of you. You have to understand what that is. You have to understand what. What is that nature? One of the examples that I give is of a alligator. A crocodile or a big, big, big alligator They're powerful. Powerful. Teeth everywhere. You know. Big jaws. Big tail. Strong. Can take on an elephant. No problem. No problem. Clamp down and you can't open it. Just powerful. But this alligator has a nature. And in this nature it is not just all that But when the female alligator needs to move her babies, then the same teeth that she can destroy. She picks them up and forget about the clamping down. Forget about the tearing. Forget forget about the ripping of the bones. Not a scratch will come to these babies in the mouth. Long time ago when people saw alligators doing that, they thought they were eating their own babies and they got really bad reputation. That alligators ate their own babies. But it wasn't. They weren't eating. They weren't eating. They're picking them up without even scratching and moving and moving them to where it is safe, where they need to be. It's the nature. This is the nature of the alligator.

What is your nature? You're a human being. What is your nature? Your nature is to be fulfilled. This is your nature. You want that. All the tools that you make to reach to the moon, with the same two hands reach inside. Take that focus. Put it within you and not just talk. Not just talk, but feel the ocean within you. Feel the ocean within. Dive into that ocean. Refresh yourself. Wash away the dirt of ignorance. Ignorance. This is your nature. You do not look good with ignorance. You shine with Knowledge You shine with understanding. Have you ever seen a little kid child? And this child comes to you and this child has a question. I'm sure you must have experienced it yourself. Maybe you went to your father or mother or friend or teacher, whoever. And you asked them a question of something you did not understand. And then somebody explained it to you. Do you remember how happy you got. Because I understand. I know this is your nature. You do not do well with ignorance. But with understanding you light up. You light up.

I remember when time there was this whole math problem and I just did not get it. Then this person explained it to me and then it was it was an algebra thing. And so I didn't get it at first. But once I got it that was it, everything had formulas, formulas, formulas, formulas, formulas. I was so happy and that smile is no accident. There's two kinds of smiles. One smile is forced and one comes naturally. And there's a big difference between the two and the one that comes naturally, that is your nature. This your face is saying to the world, making a declaration in a voice more powerful than any voice. I feel good. You you know you're addicted to your language business and you don't even know that your body developed a language way before you could say "Hey Mama. Something is wrong." The body said "No problem Whah!" Works, and then everything is good. I smile. I smile. People say babies when they're smiling and this is what they say, "I mean, I just don't get it. But this is what they say. A baby is smiling because either he's happy or it is gas." And then the whole world, when the when somebody says "look the baby is smiling." You know what they say? Because scientifically it is either or it could be either you don't actually know unless you had scientific equipment right there and they go "Look at the baby smiling" and somebody will go. "No, that's just gas." How do you know? Could we even wonder? How do you know? Truly, a sign of ignorance. A sign of ignorance.

What is ignorance? I will tell you what the biggest ignorance is. The biggest ignorance is when you begin to lose your nature. This is the biggest ignorance. Biggest. You need to understand who you are. But you have this gift. It's a gift that has been given. This is you. And this gift. When this gift is accepted. When this gift is accepted. It is called awakening. When this gift is accepted, in my book, this is enlightenment. Enlightenment is not being able to predict what's going to happen tomorrow. That's not enlightenment. To change tomatoes into apples is not enlightenment because that's not a miracle.

People want miracles. And what do they think miracles are. This is what the miracle is to people. If the rock gives milk, it is a miracle. Cow gives milk is not a miracle. Specially when it eats green grass. (stupid applause) That's not a miracle. Miracle experts. Miracle experts have descended and the miracle is, when the rocks give milk. Provided, there's a limit to this miracle, there's a limit to this miracle business. Miracle isn't just miracle. It's very complex here, and this is not abstract, provided that rock is not the rock that your house is built on. Because all of a sudden, if one day your whole house, inside and out, starts to give milk. This is not miracle. This would be "the house is possessed." (louder stupid laughter) So to you, the house is possessed because you cannot live in it. Then you call somebody to say, "Hey, please fix this." And they go, "a miracle," cause it's not their house. Don't you see how convenient all this is?

And then don't you see how convenient it is that the ocean resides within you. (deep and meaningful applause) Within you and wherever you go it is there, in this drop. One day the other will happen. The other will happen in the drop will go and reside in the ocean. But for right now till this miracle of breath is happening the ocean is residing in this drop and that's you and that's me. This is our nature. This is who we are. And when the drop mix with the ocean, it will no longer be a drop. It will just become the ocean. But for a brief, relatively brief period of time, something incredible has happened. Miracle of miracles has happened and you know what that is? The drop is separated from the ocean and the ocean has moved into the drop. And this is not abstract. This is reality. As plain as your face, as plain as this breath comes into you. This is what is happening. Grab it. Be fulfilled. Follow that nature. Be in peace. Be in peace. Be happy. Be content. Sorrow. If it's a knife, then happiness is the healer. Be in happiness. Because indeed you have a lot of wounds. A lot of wounds. And those wounds cause pain and you do not need to be in pain. You do not need to be in suffering. Be. Inside.For as long as this show lasts, as long as this miracle lasts. Behold it. Don't budge. Don't bat an eye. (snaps fingers) Because it'll be all over way too soon. Way too soon. This whole formula of young, middle aged, old, really old, very old, too old. Grand illusion. Does not exist. It does not exist. People tell you Oh but you have so many years to live." Don't buy into it.

Why am I saying this? I had this experience. Somebody comes, meets me. Young, young person. Very young. And it wasn't too long ago I met this kid and he had to have this operation and before he had the operation, he wanted to come and see me. He was an aspirant. He was going through the process of wanting to receive Knowledge. And he wanted to come and see me. I knew his dad very well. Very well. And then just this was time not too long ago. I got the message that that child he had to go. Wasn't thanks. But that's what it was. So many friends, that so many people that I knew I started very young. (ha ha)

This year is the anniversary. 40 years I have been doing this. I started very young (applause) and all these people, all these people that I knew have gotten either very old or gone. Somebody I knew really well. He was on his way from Los Angeles to India. He stopped in England, on his way to India and passed away in the bathroom of the airport. These are not fictions for me. When I say what I say to you, it does not come to sadden you. It comes so that you may be aware. Aware of how important it is for you and those of you who have Knowledge how important it is for you that you practise that gift of Knowledge. Those of you who are aspiring, aspire. Understand your thirst and one day you too will have the gift of Knowledge. And then, if we come together again in this hall and I always say and those of you have the gift of Knowledge you will remember because then you will be those other ones that I'm talking to about how important it is to practise. How important it is to remember that you are alive. You forget. I'm sure there are people here going. "No, no, no. How can I forget? I'm alive." You forget, you do and you forget you're alive in the moment where you need to remember it the most. In the times of your troubles, you forget you are alive because the second you say, the second you recognise the life, your troubles just seem to go blblblbp and follow it. It's amazing.

Not that the things have been fixed. That's not the issue. But the priority has changed. The pilot has gone back in the cockpit. He has put his tea down. He has gone back in the cockpit. He has scrolled the wheel. The plane has climbed and he has put the altitude hold on and now he's gonna go and have his tea and everything is fine and hence the smile, the declaration to the world. Whoever may look at yo, your way. It's fine. It is fine. You may - you don't have to speak a word. Your eyes - scientifically this is not possible. Scientifically this is not possible. But your eyes do glow and scientifically it is impossible but your face does shine when it is fine inside. Inside. When it is not fine inside. It can be PURR-FECT outside and it doesn't happen. Understand, this is your nature. When it is fine inside it can be all wrong outside and it's okay. Don't ask me why. This is your nature. This is your humanity. This is who you are. This is how you.

I have seen people, you know, and they are in their most expensive aeroplane and complaining, complaining, complaining ,complaining. I mean on the outside everything is perfect. Best dress, diamonds. One of the most incredibly expensive watches. Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. I mean anybody looking would say "what's your problem?" In fact so much sure they will go. "Please can I have some of your problem." What inside is no good, inside is no good, so nothing works. Nothing works. I've experienced this myself. I've experienced this. There was a shop I went and visited a few times. This is quite a few years ago and the person who owned that shop was so grumpy and she was very articulate, very good looking everything but it was like (grumpy face) and I was buying some dishes and I wanted to make sure that the dishes weren't too heavy and she was goes "why did the dishes need to be light" and it's like "look it's not your problem. My problem. So you take care of your problem I'll take care of my problem" but inside when it is good then outside is different. When inside it is no good than outside it is no good. This is your nature and understand it. Understand it. Understand it and make it right in your life.

Living or learning to live with the wrong is not the solution. Is not the solution. Make it right. Find the source of joy inside of you. Have that peace in your life every day and I have spoken for way too long. (applause) So I think it's this is probably, I've already gone over an hour but oh yes I have gone well over an hour. In any case it was wonderful, wonderful. People asked me if I would do this event and I was on my way from India to America and they asked me, you know, because I was here, did a two day meeting. They said would you do this event too and first I said I don't know but then I said "yes I will do this event." (applause) Anyways, as actually I'm pretty tired, I'm pretty tired, you know, I've done 20 events in 30 cities, flown 2,400 and some odd nautical miles in a helicopter, flown little over 24 hours are all around India and spoken to you know 1.7 whatever million people there (applause) plus the interview which is will actually make it 14 places and 21 events. It wasn't in the list um and so you know physically I am tired but I'm so glad that we could have this time to come together and I could tell you about what I am feeling in my life and feeling in my heart and that I wish you that you know you have all the success in making it right because you've got to make it right. Thank you very much. Goodnight. Thank you.

Anaphora: the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. e.g. that what you are looking for is within you, that the peace that you need is within you, that the serenity that you are looking for is within you, that the joy that you are looking for is within you … You have peace. You have joy. You have clarity. You have simplicity.