Exploration, Understanding, Freedom, and Joy
The term ‘self-knowledge’ has been in use for several hundred years or perhaps even longer. Many people from around the world have spoken about it. But I would request you, the readers, to avoid getting influenced by the views of others and forming any conclusions. That would prevent you from looking clearly at what is written here and impede your understanding of this book. However, I am not suggesting that you should dismiss what others say. Neither am I saying that they are wrong nor am I proposing that you should accept whatever is written in this book as the ultimate truth. I am merely encouraging you to doubt, question, investigate and look at whatever is written here with a certain dose of scepticism. I also urge you to look at various issues that are discussed here from different angles for better understanding and find out what is true and what is false. You will find that, within the content of this book, I have doubted and questioned various things that we have consciously, unconsciously or blindly accepted in society. I have also looked at the various psychological issues that humanity is facing.
Self-knowledge is the knowledge of the self. Therefore, it is important to know what the term ‘self ’ implies. ‘Self ’ or ‘me’ is one’s accumulated knowledge, beliefs, ideologies and philosophies. It is our desire to be great or be nobody. It also includes our various fears and numerous psychological pains, conscious as well as unconscious. Self is also the unnecessary greed to accumulate various things without the biological need for them but for the sake of achieving pride and fame, which means seeking pleasure. It is all in our brain. These pursuits keep us unnecessarily occupied in our lives and prevent us from living life to the fullest extent possible. Having self-knowledge is to be naturally aware of the process of ourselves, which includes all our thoughts, feelings, words and actions, without making any obvious effort to know them. Also, ‘self ’ or ‘me’ creates a particular personality, which becomes our ego (this is discussed in detail in Chapter 2 on natural pride, personality or ego and humility).
Now, if one watches these pursuits and fears, then he or she will find out that these are not static but are continuously undergoing changes. This means the self is not static but is a living thing and is constantly undergoing changes. Self-knowledge means the ability to investigate into the whole nature of ‘myself,’ which is ‘my’ consciousness: i.e the conscious and unconscious self. Self-knowledge gives the understanding of ourselves both at the conscious level as well as the unconscious level, and thus brings freedom from various psychological problems.
Acquiring Self-Knowledge
Now, another question that comes to mind is this: how does one acquire this self-knowledge? Is it to be acquired with the help of a guru or a psychoanalyst? In observing the self, the mind must not be tied to any particular method or system because method means knowledge. As knowledge is always limited, observation from that particular viewpoint will also be limited. This prevents complete understanding. As there is no method required, there is no need for a brain specialist or guru. For understanding the living self, the mind must be passively alert and not aggressively alert, to catch all the new intimations from time to time, understand them, and free itself from them.
To know ourselves, we should stay with ‘what is.’ This means staying with our desires, hurts, fears and any other psychological problems. When you stay with ‘what is,’ there is understanding of ‘what is.’ This understanding gives freedom from ‘what is.’ In this understanding and freedom, there comes order psychologically, which is the order of the brain. Then the brain is without any conflict. When there is freedom from the self and there is no conflict in the brain, then there is right thinking and right action, which is not static or according to a blueprint. It is very much a living thing.
When there is a beautiful mountain in front of us, then we do not have to make an effort to look at it or watch it. It automatically catches our attention and we want to remain with it. Similarly, when there is a serious crisis or a situation that demands our attention, we do not have to make an effort to be aware of it. There is passive awareness of the situation, which is needed to observe the problem and do whatever is necessary. So, awareness comes naturally when we are in front of something very beautiful or there is a serious danger to life. However, most of the time, we are so used to everything around us that we no longer stop to look at the beauty of the trees or observe the animals, birds and various other things around us. We are also not interested in looking at our problems and confusion. They have become a part of our lives. However, this can be reversed. Perhaps we should start by being aware of the beauty around us and then move inward to find out more about ourselves.
Awareness is a natural process when we live rightly. Right living includes right food, right exercises, adequate sleep, and a good lifestyle, because a dull body can neither be physically sensitive nor can it have a clear and sensitive mind. It is also necessary to have a mind that is not tied to any beliefs, ideas and opinions. All this is important because a mind that observes things from the screen of beliefs, motives and ideas cannot observe clearly.
As said before, awareness is a simple process that requires no effort. However, when we make efforts to be aware, then it becomes ‘concentration,’ which is exclusive. Concentration is not awareness because there is a deliberate effort in one direction, excluding other things. The process of awareness is not exclusive. Though one may look in a certain direction or look at a particular problem, the observation is holistic and flows naturally. But it is important to understand that awareness cannot be maintained throughout the day because the body and the mind also need rest at various points during the day. These moments of rest are necessary and natural. But if we actively try to maintain awareness throughout the day, without any periods of rest, then it is not awareness. Just like self-probing and exploration are natural and certain things just catch our attention, so are the moments of quietness during this self-probing period. When the mind needs rest, it automatically rests. We do not have to make any special effort for such ‘quiet’ moments.
When there is a psychological problem in our life, then there is pain. This pain is a type of crisis, which generates an intensity of interest to understand the pain and the thing that is painful. The pain might be greed, anger or fear. The crisis drives the self away and there is awareness. This awareness includes stillness of the mind and there is a complete exploration of the psychological problem, which leads to its understanding. It is only in the stillness of the mind that there can be true understanding. When the mind is occupied unnecessarily with various things, then it cannot look into a problem and then there cannot be proper understanding of the problem. But when the mind is still, then there is clear thinking. This thinking is not mechanical or controlled by any particular knowledge. So, there is no conflict in the brain. There is conflict only when there is ‘concentration,’ which is exclusive, and there is an effort to be aware, because then thoughts are resisted or guided by another thought.
However, awareness should not be mistaken for introspection because introspection does not come naturally. When we introspect, we make an effort to study ourselves and there is a desire for a certain result. When there is a goal in view, then it colours the observation, because the investigation is directed towards the goal and thus prevents sincere observation. In awareness, there is no effort needed, but the gravity of the situation automatically catches our attention. Then, from one thought arises another thought and then another thought and so on.
When we are uncertain about something or we are anxious to find out or know something, then, most of the time, we try to cover this up. We try to hide our uncertainty with certainty—certainty in beliefs, theories and knowledge, which only makes the mind dull. But when the mind is uncertain, there is a burning urge to find out more and inquire. And it is this inquiry that brings clarity. But if we try to find certainty in beliefs and theories, then it will prevent understanding. Moreover, there is no such thing as certainty in beliefs and theories. There is only confusion and uncertainty whenever these beliefs are challenged.
Digging Deep
When a thought arises, then it is not sensible to escape from it or subdue it. One must go deeper into it. If we try to suppress it, then it will reoccur. If the thought is about something that is important to us, then it is not possible to get rid of it, as it will come back again and again. Let us look at an example. If there is a physical danger or there is an anticipation of an earthquake or a hurricane in the city we live in or our house is burning, then we naturally start to think about the situation because there is a threat to our life and property. It is natural to think about the situation, unless we are on drugs or there is something wrong with us. In such a situation, it becomes impossible not to think, because the situation demands observation and action. Similarly, when a psychological problem is bothering us repeatedly, then any attempt to escape from it or suppress it may bring in temporary freedom. But the thought of the problem will come back until we have ventured deep into the problem and understood it.
Most of us act according to various ideas, beliefs and ideologies. When we act according to them, then the action becomes repetitive, and there is the formation of a habit. This repetitive action only shows thoughtlessness, as we are not using our intelligence to see whether there is any need for a certain action or not. We are merely pursuing the action even when it is not necessary. In such cases, one should probe and find out the cause of a particular habit through passive awareness. When there is understanding at a deeper level and the root cause is discovered, then there is freedom from the habit.
Without meditation or stillness of mind, there is no self-knowing or understanding. This is because a mind that is continuously caught in various unnecessary pursuits and occupations cannot be aware of the surroundings or the thoughts that arise. It is busy in the occupation in which it is caught. Also, without self-knowing, there is no meditation or stillness of the mind because it is only understanding that frees the mind from conflict. In passive awareness, there is self-probing, stillness and understanding. The process is seen as one state and not as separate states.
When we study and understand a particular problem at a conscious level (this means not merely thinking about it but also feeling it), then the conscious layers that are pursuing one thing or the other become comparatively and temporarily quieter. In this quietness, at the conscious level, the hidden causes are discovered. Once they are understood, there is stillness of the mind. It is necessary to understand the hidden causes, which are part of the past. But it is only through awareness of the present problems that one begins to discover the past. Without looking at the present, one cannot dig straight into the past. The conscious mind cannot dig deeper into the unconscious as it cannot know what it doesn’t know. When the conscious mind is still, then the unconscious is revealed.
Let us look at the problem of greed. From childhood, we have been trained in schools and at home to give high value to success and ambition. We have been constantly told to have lofty goals and compete with society. Although one has to listen to the natural/biological urges and try to obtain what is necessary, beyond a particular point, the need becomes a merely psychological requirement.
We are continuously struggling and straining ourselves to become richer and achieve high positions in life and unnecessarily competing with others. When we look at a problem through the superficial layer or the conscious mind, then we will discover that, in trying to achieve happiness and contentment, there is a continuous struggle, because we are seeking one thing or the other. After achieving the result, we may get some small temporary pleasure. But it is not true contentment because satisfaction of one need immediately leads to the birth of another need, and the desire to achieve the need causes fear of loss. Also, when we accumulate property and things unnecessarily, for fame or other psychological reasons, then it causes various economic problems. These problems lead to poor people struggling or fighting to attain the various necessities of life.
Now, an understanding of the problem with a conscious mind somewhat quietens the mind. But the problem is still not resolved. Until the hidden motives are discovered and understood, there is no freedom from the problem of greed. When the conscious mind is still, then the hidden motives are discovered. When the hidden causes are understood, there is freedom from the problem of greed. All other problems and miseries can also be understood in this manner.
So, until the unconscious mind is exposed and understood, there is no freedom from the problem. The unconscious mind includes the deep-rooted hurt we carry, our motives, and our conditioning by society, religion and country. We have all been conditioned at different stages in our lives. It is this conditioning that makes us pursue one thing or the other and avoid something else. We have acquired various values, from our culture, society or through our personal experiences. These values drive us to pursue various things unnecessarily. Also, when we are compared to our classmates, colleagues and others who are successful or are considered brilliant, then we are hurt. To make sure we are not hurt again or to gain some recognition from society, we start competing with others and we make efforts to do extraordinary things. We run after fame and try to prove to others that we are not ‘failures.’ We keep trying harder and harder to achieve success and we keep struggling in life. Hence, there is a constant pain in life.
When the whole content of consciousness, which includes both the conscious as well as the unconscious mind, is explored and understood, then there is stillness of mind. A quiet or still mind is the most active mind, but it is not occupied unnecessarily with one thing or the other. Such a mind is active in all directions, but only when there is a need for it to think or when the situation demands such an action. As it is not tied to any belief or dogma, it can think freely. Whereas a mind that acts in a certain way, according to particular knowledge, can only think mechanically according to its beliefs and prejudices when a situation or a problem arises. A person committed to the ideals of X, Y, Z or any of his heroes is not free to think, but his thinking is confined by what his ideals tell him. Therefore, any action from this very limited thinking cannot be correct. Such a mind becomes active and aware only when there is a serious crisis that demands urgent observation and action. Only then the conditioned mind leaves behind all its theories and tries to deal with the situation.
Life is a relationship with others. We are always related to others. We cannot exist without a relationship. Even if we move to a remote place or a forest, we are likely to be dependent on somebody for food or other essentials. Most of the time, our relationship with others is merely based on need and use. There is no actual connection with or responsibility towards others. We care only for the people whom we are dependent on for various things. We can easily discover who we are in our relationships with our spouse, friends, secretary, boss and others, if we are aware of our thoughts, feelings and words from time to time.
Now, by the term ‘relationship,’ I do not mean relationship merely with family, friends and other people, but I also refer to our relationship with our beliefs, property and other things (the beliefs we use for seeking security, or property we acquire in order to gain recognition and fame). Relationship also refers to the psychological dependence on pets to get away from our loneliness. Our behaviour with others depends on our conditioning. This conditioning develops our thoughts, feelings and reactions, making them a bit mechanical. There is conditioning by culture, tradition, race, religion and so on. We have formulated certain concepts of what is right and what is wrong or what is good and what is bad. This dictates our behaviour. Many times, we become overly polite to our bosses, but the next moment we dominate and bully our juniors. This merely shows that we are not in communion with people but we are merely acting from our conditioning.
We are so easily hurt even if someone just questions our concepts and ideologies. A person who is committed and devoted to the ideology of capitalism can be easily hurt when someone points out the limitations of such an ideology to deal with a particular situation or crisis. We are hurt even when someone has no desire to hurt us. Remember, he or she has simply questioned our style or merely asked us to look into our behaviour. There is unnecessary hurt when we have a particular image about ourselves and this image gets hurt when someone says something about this image. This hurt then gives rise to anger. When we are hurt and angry, we try to hurt others. All these unnecessary feelings of hurt, anger and envy cause unnecessary conflict and problems in our relationships with others. Therefore, it is necessary to look at these emotions when they arise in our relationships with people. If a person stays with his or her hurt or anger, then there can be understanding of unnecessary hurt or anger at a deep level. Again, it is understanding that can free us from the various psychological problems and emotions that arise in our relationships.
Understanding ‘What Is’
There should be awareness of ‘what is’ without any judgement, condemnation or comparison. The moment we judge, condemn or compare, then we make an effort to move away from ‘what is.’ This way, the direct contact with ‘what is’ is postponed and there is an attempt to cultivate the ideal of ‘what should be.’ ‘What should be’ is only an illusion and prevents the understanding of ‘what is.
‘What should be’ is a mere illusion, because it does not exist now. It is only a goal for the future. And when we make efforts to reach this goal of ‘what should be,’ then we continue to remain in the state of ‘what is.’
For instance, when we feel greedy, then greed is the ‘what is.’ If we make an effort to be non-greedy, then non-greed is the ‘what should be.’ In trying to be non-greedy, we are still greedy to be non-greedy. However, although non-greed (what should be) is only an illusion, the desire to reach this goal (of what should be) is a fact. Therefore, one can stay with this fact. This means we must observe this desire. During this observation, we will see that we want to move towards ‘what should be’ because the ‘what is’ is painful. When we look at ‘what is,’ then there is freedom from ‘what is.’ If we look at the desire to reach ‘what should be,’ then we can understand this desire. But if we get caught in this illusion, then we will be living in constant conflict.
To understand ourselves, we must watch ourselves when we are dominating others, be it our spouse, our friend or our employee. It is necessary to stay with this desire to dominate others. This does not mean that we should keep dominating. But do observe this desire to dominate. There is a craving for power, name and fame when our senses become dull and we cannot enjoy the beauty of nature and various things around us and there is tremendous loneliness in our lives. So, we seek all the unnecessary things in life. When this desire is understood at the deeper level, then there is freedom from this desire. Similarly, if we can watch ourselves when we are possessive of our partner (strangely, we call this ‘love’), then we will find that it is our psychological dependence on the other person that makes us become so possessive of them. Consequently, we treat the person as if they are just for our amusement, thereby making their life miserable.
Also, it is necessary to watch ourselves when we are behaving according to various concepts, beliefs, ideologies and theories. This behaviour is all about seeking pleasure because there is the thought that acting according to beliefs and ideologies will bring peace and happiness. These ideas, beliefs and ideologies are in conflict with the ideas and beliefs of others. Thus, they may prevent actual relationships. We can observe our reactions, prejudices and behaviour in our relationships with friends, spouses and society at large.
If we are merely using people in our relationships with them, then there is no actual connection or meaningful relationship. In fact, we are isolating ourselves. Such relationships will only breed conflict, misery and sorrow. However, this does not mean that we should not seek things that we want from others in our relationships with them. We are all dependent on each other for our physical needs, but if we are not careful about how our needs affect the lives of others or if we are insensitive towards others and their needs, then we are living a very selfish life.
Ideals, Principles and Morals
There are so many traditions, cultures and philosophies with their morals, principles, ideals, rights and wrongs. These condition our brain over a period of time. Different societies, through their values, encourage and discourage various activities. It becomes very difficult to stay away from this conditioning because an individual who does not follow the customs of society is simply condemned. However, when we live according to these ideals, principles, and morals, then there is unnecessary conflict in our brains. We are not sure whether we should do what we want to do or do what our ideals tell us to do. Eventually, we become second-hand entities. It might be necessary to have good manners and politeness and these can be cultivated or refined when one is already flowering in goodness, but if one is burning inside with hatred, envy and jealousy, then cultivating the opposite traits is not goodness.
If a psychological problem is bothering us, then it is necessary to understand it. The movement towards the ideal while ignoring ‘what we are’ prevents us from understanding ourselves. Moreover, this movement towards the ideal is illusory and we continue to remain in the psychological state from which we are trying to run away. This is because, psychologically, every opposite contains in it its own opposite (please refer to the chapter on non-duality). There is freedom from a psychological problem only in the understanding of it. When the mind is free from the ‘self,’ then there is real goodness and sensitivity.
Comparison
We generally compare ourselves with the people around us or far away from us who are considered intelligent, virtuous, kind or loving. We also tend to compare ourselves with those who are famous and rich. When we compare ourselves with others, then we are hurt. This results in a feeling of emptiness because we feel that the ones who are above us are advanced and we are insignificant. We are also encouraged by our parents, teachers and others to become like X or Y. When we make efforts to become what we are not, then we ignore what we are. In this process, there is no understanding of ourselves.
A person may compare himself with a rich or famous man. Another person may not bother about wealth or fame, but he may compare himself with a humble and simple man. Now, the question that arises here is why do we so often compare ourselves with others? Firstly, we have been conditioned from our childhood to compare and compete with the ones who are considered the ‘best.’ The race for so-called excellence and our culture and tradition have conditioned our brain and we have acquired certain values from our society, such as ‘this is good and that is bad’ or ‘this is right and that is wrong.’ We compare and compete with the ones whom we consider to be at the top, in terms of these values, and condemn the ones who are at the bottom.
This comparison leads to unnecessary competition, jealousy and hurt. Also, psychologically, this comparison is one of the factors that is causing poverty in the world because in comparing and making efforts to compete with others and rise to their level, we are needlessly accumulating property, wealth and other means of livelihood. Now, we do need to accumulate to an extent, but unnecessary accumulation causes economic problems, because the means of livelihood get blocked in the process; they could have easily been used by the poor and needy. It may be very difficult to have an egalitarian society because we are all so different in terms of physique, skills and so on, but if we are not greedy and give significance to only our biological needs, then we may have better economic conditions.
When the desire for power and status ends and there is love, then we may have equality. This equality is not in terms of having equal money and property. Equality exists because there is no high or low on the basis of jobs and positions. The prime minister and the clerk are merely performing their respective functions. However, this is only possible when we are free psychologically, and there is no unnecessary comparison and competition.
Comparison can be both healthy or unhealthy. Physically, comparison may be necessary. It may be important to compare two things before buying one of them. Also, in the technological world, it is necessary to compare because that brings improvement, such as better cars, better televisions and so on. So, if we need something better to suit our needs or we want some comforts in our life, then comparison is natural. If you are unhealthy or you want to be healthier, then it might be necessary to compare yourself with a healthy person and maybe learn a few things from him or her, which can help you become healthy. However, if you are satisfied with what you have and your belongings fulfil all your needs, but you still compare and compete with other people, then the comparison is psychological and unnecessary.
Imitation
Comparisons may lead to imitation. When we are young, we get easily impressed by others and we try to emulate or imitate them. We have our heroes or role models. This creates a peculiar habit or style in us. We want to be like celebrities, actors, sportspersons, and those who excel in their field. We copy their ways, behaviour and style. We are told that if we copy what great engineers and doctors did in their lives, then we would be successful in our lives too. In doing so, our behaviour becomes mechanical. Now, it is natural to learn a certain skill such as engineering, carpentry or something we love or have a passion for. But if we are always imitating the style or behaviour of a good carpenter or a skilful engineer, then we are destroying ourselves.
While learning from others, so many times, we give importance to non-essential things along with the essential parts. We may learn a lot of things about engineering from a good engineer, but if we copy his behaviour and style, then it becomes a problem. When we try to imitate people’s behaviour and copy their values, then such an imitation prevents us from looking at ourselves or ‘what we are,’ because we are busy becoming something or someone else.
Choice Based on Influences
In our day-to-day life, we have to make many decisions and choices. For instance, we have to choose among various cars and pick a car that is right for us, based on factors like comfort, quality and economy. When we are sick, we have to choose the right doctor. If we are travelling, then we have to choose a place to stay and eat. A student may need to choose the right course for himself/herself. We also make decisions regarding ideologies. We make a choice between one ideology or another, one tradition or another. Whenever we choose an ideology to act in a particular manner or not act in a certain manner, we create unnecessary conflict in our brain. This is due to the fact that we give importance to one fragment of life while compromising on other things. So, there is a conflict in trying to resist everything that is in the way of what we have chosen. If a person has chosen capitalism, then he tries to solve most of the problems from this ideology and resists suggestions that may be contrary to the ideology, even if they make sense.
Now, most of us are conditioned in some way or the other, as a result of various influences, prejudices and previous experiences. We want to pursue one thing or the other. In doing so, we get caught in a particular pattern of living. Also, there is the influence of society, which wants us to be something or the other. And there is also the family with their own ambitions; they want us to choose a career according to their wishes. So, when a person is very young, naturally there is much confusion about what he or she should do or should not do. If he or she makes a choice in the midst of this confusion, the choice will likely cause unnecessary conflict in life. Only when one is free from all influences, can he or she can look into the situation clearly, do what needs to be done, and choose a career based on what he or she likes to do.
When we are free and do what we love doing, then there is no conflict in the brain and there is no resistance to other desires, because we are not pursuing things unnecessarily. Therefore, we give importance to all desires, whenever necessary. But when we choose something according to our concepts and influences, then it becomes a psychological choice. And when we pursue something in this manner, there is a constant struggle in one direction, while resisting the other desires. When there is complete clarity in our brain or if we can see the danger of various ideologies and concepts, then there is no need to choose between one pattern or the other. Instead, there is an action from the whole. This means looking at the total picture and not giving importance to a particular fragment. It is important to understand that the fragment is also part of the whole. However, action from the whole is possible only when the brain is free and unimpeded by concepts or theories.
Also, by clarity, I don’t mean partial clarity. Intellectual people use their intellect to decide or choose. They may be very clear about their choice, but their clarity is partial, because there is no love. Their clarity is merely based on their knowledge and intellectual capacities. Such people can be extremely clear within themselves because, when there is no emotion, then there is hardly any hesitation. But their knowledge is always limited and the intellect itself is merely a fragment of the whole. Thus, their clarity, which is based on the intellect, is also very limited. Whereas a sensitive person may hesitate and enquire. He acts from the clarity that emerges from this enquiry. This clarity is not merely based on intellectual capacity.
The question that arises here is why do we choose a particular pattern of life or a way of living? We make a choice of one thing or the other because we are so conditioned by our culture and tradition, which have influenced our way of living. Even if we are not influenced by others, we tend to lose touch with the things around us and then there is emptiness in our lives. We try to fill this void by seeking pleasure from various kinds of activities. We may choose to become a politician, a saint or something else. So, there is a choice we make either due to one of the above factors or both of them. And whenever there is a choice that helps us run away from ourselves, then there can be no self-knowing, And there is no understanding of ‘what is’ because there is a constant movement away from ‘what is.’
In science and technology, new theories and discoveries keep emerging. Yet knowledge is always limited. Now, we may be able to expand the knowledge that we have acquired, but it will still be limited. If we think and act according to this knowledge, then our thoughts and actions too will be limited. When we act merely from the authority of our concepts and ideals, without being sensitive to the situation, then our action too is limited and fragmentary. Most of us think and act either from the authority of someone else’s philosophy or from our own accumulated knowledge.
Thus, all our ideas, thoughts and actions from this kind of limited knowledge are restricted to a particular field. They will remain within a particular circumference with a specific centre. This centre is the knowledge that guides us and dictates our actions. So, our consciousness, which includes our thoughts and actions, is always limited within a certain boundary.
Now, any effort that we may make to go beyond the field of consciousness cannot take us beyond its constraints. This is because, when we set a goal to move out of this field and do certain things which we think will free us from the consciousness, then we are already following a specific method or knowledge. This knowledge then becomes the new centre, and our action according to this limited knowledge keeps us within the circumference of consciousness. The changing of knowledge may adjust the parameters of the circumference, but we are still not out of it. So, any effort to move out is of no use. Also, there are rare moments in our lives when there is freedom of the mind and there is no active centre, i.e. when our thoughts and actions are not dictated by accumulated knowledge. Therefore, there is joy and beauty. But if the mind wants the experience to be repeated and practises a certain method to achieve the same state of joy and beauty, then we are back to square one—with a particular method or knowledge, which again becomes the centre. So, practice is of no use.
When there is no particular knowledge that binds our thoughts and actions, then the whole is open to us. Though we may act within a particular field and use a particular knowledge, we are not tied to any knowledge. Therefore, the knowledge does not restrict our thoughts or actions. Action from the whole means the brain does not give unnecessary importance to certain things. The brain tends to focus on needless things when it acts based on ideals and beliefs. When it acts from the whole field, such an action is not fragmentary but is complete. However, when the ‘self ’ is active, then the mind acts only within a small field. And obviously, it has no connection with the whole. All thoughts and activities get confined to a particular field and remain within a certain pattern.
Another question that may arise here is this. Let us suppose our mind has the freedom to think and act and there is no authority of any knowledge. But if our mind uses the knowledge we have acquired, then does this limited knowledge make the mind limited? Now, there are two types of thinking. Firstly, a person who has had various experiences and has acquired knowledge about several subjects can think from the memory that he or she has. Such thinking will obviously be limited. There is also another kind of thinking whereby a person is not only guided by the memory that he or she has acquired in life, the person is also sensitive to the situation, without ignoring any of the senses. Thus, there is harmony between body, mind and heart. The thinking one experiences in such a situation is not limited. But it is necessary to understand that being free to think and act does not mean we can do whatever we want to do. That would be another authority that merely gives importance to our wants and desires. There is freedom to think when we are psychologically free from the authority of any knowledge, beliefs and theories. It is necessary to understand the question of authority deeply because we may think that we are free, but we may be acting from our own formula. Thus, a lot of times, authority in its subtle form continues.
Consciousness
Consciousness includes both the conscious as well as the unconscious mind. We generally use the term ‘conscious mind’ for the everyday problems of life: the various struggles, goals, ambitions and fears we have. The term ‘unconscious mind’ is used for the deeper motives, childhood hurt, racial conditioning and traditions we acquired during our childhood. Some of these motives and traditions have been going on from the times of our ancestors. Now, although we use the terms ‘conscious’ and ‘unconscious,’ in reality, the division between them is not real because there is no distinct boundary between them. At times, they keep overflowing into each other. There are several layers of consciousness, and there is also a conflict between these various layers.
To free ourselves from this limited consciousness, which has a certain boundary with a centre, it is necessary to observe it. Now, it is easy to observe the conscious problems because they are on the surface and one is conscious of them. The unconscious mind also gives us signals and intimations constantly. But the conscious mind is so occupied with its pursuits and worries that there is no awareness to catch the intimations of the unconscious mind. It is only when the conscious mind is still that the unconscious surfaces. Several brain specialists have said that it is vital to uncover the unconscious mind. They have suggested various methods like analysis and going back in time to trace our improper treatment during childhood days. But these methods have their own limitations. Analysis entails using a particular method, which in turn means using certain knowledge. As knowledge is always limited, the analysis will also be limited.
Now, there are temporary ways by which the mind can be made quiet at the conscious level. But very soon the mind comes back to chattering. The brain can become quiet at the conscious level by consuming alcohol or drugs, because these intoxicants make us forget our everyday problems for some time. But the moment we are out of this intoxication, the problem presents itself. The problem is still there, unresolved. If we keep drinking forever, then this has severe effects on our body.
The brain can also become temporarily quiet by repeating several words, chanting and prayers. But the issue with such kind of temporary quietness is that the problem at the conscious level is not resolved, it is only held down. So, there is no real understanding of the problem. The mind has merely become dull or mesmerised.
When the mind is made quiet at the conscious level in such a manner, then the unconscious mind pops up and tries to resolve the problem with its conclusions. But it is not necessary that the conscious mind is satisfied with these conclusions to deal with the problem. Such conclusions are either accepted or rejected by the conscious mind, depending on whether it is satisfied or not with the conclusions. Therefore, during such stillness, there is a possibility of getting an answer to our physical problems. We may experience temporary relief from the psychological problems and think that this is the right way to deal with the problems. However, there is every possibility that we may not get the right answer to deal with the physical problem completely. Any relief from the psychological problems would be temporary in nature.
Brain specialists like psychologists, analysts and dream specialists have proposed that, during our sleep at night, our conscious mind is asleep but the unconscious mind is active. The unconscious mind tries to resolve the everyday issues of life through dreams. Therefore, according to the specialists, it is necessary to dream for the mind to function properly and healthily.
Now, there are different kinds of dreams: dreams that have no meaning at all and nightmares that occur due to overeating or eating foods that are not healthy. Of course, I do not recollect having dreams that tried to resolve the everyday problems and issues of life at night time. But brain specialists have suggested that there are such dreams and they are important. However, the problem with the dream method is that it involves writing down every dream for the brain or dream specialist to analyse. Specialists analyse these dreams using their limited knowledge and methods. This means their observation is also limited.
Moreover, even if the specialists are able to dig deep into the unconscious mind, changing the unconscious would mean coming up with a goal using a particular method. This would result in a conflict between opposites and there would be no freedom from the problem. However, during the daytime, if we are aware and able to explore the intimations of the unconscious mind, then the brain functions healthily. It doesn’t need dreams that try to deal with the conscious problems at night time. Also, we may be able to sleep well without unnecessary dreams, which only cause disturbances at night.
There is freedom from the problem only when both the conscious and unconscious mind are still. Then there is passive and choiceless awareness of the problem. When the problem is psychological, then it is important to understand the ways of the mind, which are complex. When the mind separates itself from the state it is experiencing, then there is a dual process in the brain. For instance, let us say I am greedy and I decide to be non-greedy. Then, on one hand, my mind is greedy, and on the other hand it is trying to be non-greedy. In trying to be non-greedy, I am still greedy. The seeker, the seeking and the thing that is sought by the mind are all one and the same. The mind is the seeker. When it is seeking a psychological state, then it is in the state of seeking. And the goal that is sought by the mind is also a product of the mind. However, when the mind is neither concerned with seeking the goal, which is an illusion, nor is concerned with making any modifications to the state of seeking but stays with the problem, then there is understanding of the problem. This understanding gives freedom.
Now, most people hardly take time to understand themselves. But they like to cultivate ideals. Each one of us is trying to brainwash the other. However, we have never questioned the usefulness of opinions and ideals, despite all the conflict and chaos caused by them in the world. When we are dealing with a particular problem (whether it is physical or psychological) and give primary importance to our formulated concepts and ideas, then the problem becomes secondary or somewhat insignificant. This is because the real emphasis is on the concepts and ideologies. But when we are free and look at a problem both intellectually and sensitively, without ignoring any of our senses, then there can be understanding of the problem. Here, the facts are obviously important and our observation is not coloured by our beliefs and prejudices.
Also, when we are discussing or investigating a problem with someone, then it is necessary to free ourselves from our opinions and prejudices. If we merely emphasise our opinions and ideas, instead of looking at the problem objectively, then there are unnecessary and irritable arguments and there can be no understanding. This is akin to what happens in the court of law, wherein the lawyers generally argue without any urge to find out the truth. Their only goal is to support the client’s case through arguments. Though their arguments may seem to make sense, it may just be a game to win the case. The lawyers during such arguments generally view things from a very limited perspective.
A healthy discussion leads to understanding of the problem holistically. But such a discussion is possible only when we are free to observe things without any pressure from ideals and concepts. What is important in such a discussion is the urge to understand the problem.
We are all so conditioned by various consciousnesses such as race, culture, peer groups and nationality. Our own personal experiences also shape our personality. We identify ourselves with a certain group or community. We are divided into various groups, communities and countries. And then there is rivalry between various groups and countries. Human beings are divided into various groups, depending on the practices they follow or the country they live in. Within these various groups, there are several subgroups, which are the outcomes of different interpretations of a certain group text by various people. A slight difference in practices can lead to the formation of cliques. Most nationals are very proud of being a citizen of a particular country, be it the British, Israelis or Americans. This is because they have been conditioned from their childhood to think that they are superior to the others. This conditioning feeds their vanity. Are we superior to others at all? Or are we similar to each other? It is important to address these questions. I believe nationalism and patriotism have not done us any good. They have only caused many wars and economic problems in this world.
Now, physically the people of the world are similar in some ways and different from one another in others. There may be differences in colour, height or weight, depending on various factors such as the climate of the place we live in or the food we eat. There may be differences in our body structure or our facial features. We may have different skin colours. One person may be short, while the other may be tall. But we all have two hands, two legs, one heart and two eyes. The structural differences in the physique have not separated humanity. In every society, family or country, there are people of different shapes and sizes. But this difference does not automatically cause division and rivalry between people. When we are not conditioned by a particular consciousness, then we may have normal relationships with others. But when we are conditioned, then we are generally united with a few and divided from others. Although there may be division and rivalry between various races, the rivalry is not caused because someone has a different colour skin or is short or fat. It is the difference in the psyche that has divided us.
The different set of values, ideals and morals makes us think that we are different from the people of other cultures and traditions. The disagreement and conflict between various groups, communities and religions is due to the differences in ideals, morals, beliefs and sense of right and wrong. We think that we are different from the rest psychologically; this has resulted in us separating ourselves from the others in society.
Although we are different at the peripheral level, because we all have a different set of beliefs and ideals that dictate our behaviour, our consciousness is very similar to the consciousness of the rest of humanity. Let me explain this. A person who belongs to an Eastern religion is conditioned by the traditions and practices present in that religion, while a person who belongs to a Western religion is conditioned by his or her own traditions. But both people are conditioned by the traditions that have been present in society for years. Similarly, an American is conditioned by the American culture and an Englishman is conditioned by the English culture. We are all very similar; though our beliefs, ideals and morals may vary, we have all accepted a set of beliefs, morals and ideologies. We acquire the values present in our cultures and traditions and act according to them; this is a phenomenon common to all cultures and traditions. All cultures have very similar problems of greed, envy and ambition. A person may be greedy about one thing, another person may be greedy about something else, but the fact is both are greedy.
Whether we are Christians or Hindus or belong to some other religion, we all have a holy book and priests who interpret texts and carry out religious ceremonies and rituals. Every religion has gods and messengers. Every religion has its own morals, faiths and ideals. Man has always sought security and desired continuity after death and religions have provided these theories of continuity after death. Every religion has holy places too. Those who say that there is no God also have a belief (that there is no God). Our morals and beliefs may vary slightly or be totally different, but they all come from a universal cause, which is prevalent throughout the whole humanity, irrespective of where one lives and what ideology he or she follows. There are different communities and groups with their own consciousnesses, practices and knowledge, and these are common to all of humanity.
All religions speak about brotherhood and peace with other human beings on Earth. But the fact is we have separated ourselves from those who do not belong to our group or religion. Although we may show sympathy, oneness and care for others, deep inside we are separated from them by ideologies, beliefs and the concept of right and wrong. When there is such a division inside us, then trying to bring about unity between people superficially is a futile exercise. History shows that there have been numerous wars between people in the name of religion, even though all religions speak of peace. We may have numerous organisations to maintain peace and bring about unity, but until the root cause of conflict is removed, there will still be wars and destruction.
Then there is the issue of racism in this world. The Whites and Blacks may be conditioned by their race consciousness. This causes division between the two races. The Whites and Blacks may unite when they are conditioned by the consciousness of the country and may separate themselves from others who belong to a different country.
One Humanity
We must realise the truth that we are all similar to each other. This observation removes unnecessary division, conflict and hatred towards others, created by various ideologies, opinions and concepts. If we are all very similar to each other, no one can claim to be superior to others. It is not possible to have peace in this world where beliefs, nationalism, religion, race and tradition divide people and cause conflict among them. We can think about the welfare of the whole humanity only when we realise and see the fact that we are one humanity and that our consciousness is similar to the consciousness of other communities and groups. What is also important here is to see the fact of unity not at the intellectual level alone. We must feel the unity of human beings. If we do not feel this unity but merely make an idea out of it, then we divide ourselves and come into conflict with those who have different ideas or concepts.
At the same time, we must be aware of a particular group of people whose consciousness is affected by their race, nationality and ways of life. This awareness will help us protect ourselves from being cheated or exploited. But we must look at the other person with a free mind, without a particular image of that person, because each individual is conditioned by various factors and the personality is continuously undergoing modifications. Moreover, there is always the possibility of freeing oneself from this consciousness.
It is very natural to feel pleased when we pass an examination, sing a beautiful song, design a marvellous structure or win a game. If someone appreciates our work, then there is a sense of pride. This is normal. It is quite natural to feel proud when a few or many people like our work. We may even want to improve our skill and learn more from others because we want to do something that we love doing in a better way. However, it becomes a problem when we are continuously struggling and competing in order to achieve popularity and recognition. Then the passion is not for the work but for achieving fame.
THE ‘I’ FACTOR
When we do things in a particular way or according to an idea or formula, then we do things mechanically. It becomes our style, which is the ‘ego.’ Following any particular style creates ego because there is a sense of pride that ‘I do it this way,’ or, ‘I am this.’ When we follow humility as an ideal, then there is ego. When we try to be humble, there’s actually no humility, there is self-importance. There is a sense of pride that ‘I am a humble guy.’ We tell others that we are a particular kind of person. So, this style or personality, which is created by knowledge, is ego. This personality becomes very important to us because it gives us recognition. This means that the action within the pattern becomes very important to us and not what the circumstances require. There is real humility only when there is no style or pattern, because then there is no self-importance and one does what is necessary.
We have knowledge about various things in the area of technology and other fields too. Such knowledge is not in question because that is necessary for living. But it is the psychological knowledge of concepts and ideals that is in question. Psychological knowledge guides our future actions to attain a psychological goal. It is sometimes referred to as ‘accumulated knowledge.’
The moment there is accumulation of knowledge, there is also the desire to achieve an end, because without a goal why would we act according to particular knowledge. Therefore, the moment there is accumulation, there is a goal. Also, whenever there is a goal, we try to find a method to reach that goal, and then this method becomes accumulated knowledge. So, whenever there is accumulation, there is a goal. And whenever there is a goal, there is accumulation.
END OF EGO
When the brain is free from all ideals, concepts and formulae, there is no ego. We do not act in a particular way and there’s no particular style or personality. It becomes difficult to say ‘I am this or that person’ or ‘I act this way or that way.’ There is no style and we are nobody. So, when accumulated knowledge ends, which is the end of ‘I’ or the ego, then the person is nobody, because he is new from moment to moment. But if we have a particular concept of nobody in our brain and make efforts to be nobody, then we are already following a pattern to be nobody. This pattern makes us somebody, and there is again a sense of pride that ‘I am nobody.’ So, the following of a particular pattern becomes our personality, which is the ego.
NEED VERSUS STYLE
We need the knowledge to attain physical goals. But this knowledge does not create any particular style of living, as long as we use that knowledge only when necessary and not monotonously. So, if we are acting within a particular field only when necessary, and not thoughtlessly, then it does not become our style. This is because we are not acting in a monotonous manner. When something is done thoughtlessly, over and over again, without any necessity, but according to a concept, then it becomes our style. Waking up early every day, doing exercises and following a healthy routine to keep fit do not become particular styles because these practices are needed for a healthy body and are part of healthy living. They are not done thoughtlessly and unnecessarily. We may follow this routine only till it is useful and there is flexibility to skip the routine to accommodate something that is more urgent. But when there is style, then there is no flexibility; there is rigidity unless some exceptional circumstance frees the brain.
Let us take another example. We need a house to live in and we plan to purchase one. Eventually, we buy a house. But getting a house for our need does not become our style of living because we stop the moment this need is satisfied. However, if we start accumulating property even though we have enough, then it becomes our style, personality or trademark. We are known as that individual who accumulates properties. In the first scenario, there is no style, but there is a need. And we stop when the need is satisfied. But in the second case, we do not stop even though the need is satisfied. This becomes our style, which is the ego. We feel proud of our style and look up to individuals who are ahead of us in the wealth race and look down upon those who are behind in this regard. Also, there are several examples of various idealists who want to resolve problems according to their ideologies and ideals, and are not flexible enough to tackle things differently even if it is necessary.
IN PURSUIT OF GREATNESS
Most of us want to be called great, whether it is being a great politician, a great religious personality, a great player, a great this, a great that, and so on. Such a desire for recognition creates unnecessary comparisons and competition with others because we have to constantly maintain our reputation and fame. We want recognition and fame and there is very little love for the thing that we are doing. If a player wins a competition through corrupt means to achieve fame and popularity, then is he a great player? There are umpteen examples of great people in society and we want to like them. It seems easier to gain respect and recognition because all we need to do is follow the pattern already set by the society, community or group. But at times, it might be necessary to stand up against the culture even if it means gaining no recognition at all. However, there are also people who unnecessarily stand up against society because they feel that they are doing something brave, which will give them fame. So, they follow another pattern and this becomes their style. Whatever we do has very little meaning without the feelings of love and compassion.
Now, when we are trying to prove that we are great, then it becomes necessary for others to be mediocre or on a much lower level. If everyone is at the same level, then no one is great. The term ‘great’ exists only in comparison with the term ‘mediocre.’ A person who is trying to be great is always competing with others. She does not want others to rise to her level; in fact, she gets hurt when others rise above her. So, we can see that there is much arrogance involved when someone is trying to prove himself or herself great because he or she is constantly trying to defeat others in various fields.
A person who is trying to prove himself or herself great is doing so because there is an emptiness deep within. It is important to discover the cause of this emptiness or loneliness (this is discussed in detail in Chapter 3 on relationship and Chapter 6 on desire). He or she is actually a very mediocre person. Perhaps we do not want to look at it this way. But it is a fact that he or she is actually seeking attention, which can give him or her a sense of importance. A happy person does not depend on fame, recognition or attention for fulfillment.
FREEDOM FROM EGO
Now, “the question that arises here is” what is wrong with the ego or why should we free ourselves from this ego? The simple reason is that, as long as there is ego, there will be hurt, anger, jealousy and envy. This ego keeps getting wounded. Even small things like someone praising or appreciating another person can hurt us. We may also get hurt if someone teases us for fun, using a name which we think degrades our personality. When we are hurt in this manner, then we try to hurt the other person or we try to avoid the person so that he or she cannot hurt us again. All this prevents actual relationship and communion with others, because we keep getting hurt and causing hurt to each other.
It is necessary to stay with the problem of hurt. When we eventually discover that the root cause of any psychological hurt is the self (me or the ego), then there is freedom from this pain.
We often hear news about someone killing the person he or she loved because that person had betrayed him or her. We also hear about killing for the love of their community. Then one may ask: what is this thing called love? Do we have to make an effort to love someone? Various books say that you should love this or love that. This means that there is an effort involved in loving someone. Such love may have nothing to do with the deep state of emotion that one experiences when there is love. However, we are used to loving this way. We get emotional about our ideals and ideologies, which we call ‘love for our ideals.’ Somehow, we are attached to ideals, but we have no love for birds that we keep in cages for our amusement and animals, which are whipped and used to carry heavy burden, day after day. We have no compassion for the poor or beggars with torn clothes.
What Is Love?
What causes attachment to various things? Is this attachment love? What prevents the feeling of love in us? Can the state of love ever be described?
A person who is full of love, care and compassion may get emotional or even break down when he or she sees someone suffering. When someone we love dies, then we may naturally be in tears—not only for the suffering experienced by the person who has died but also for ourselves because our life changes and there is sadness without that individual. There is memory of the good and bad times, which brings out all our emotions. The memory and emotions wane with the passage of time. The memory is natural and cannot be wiped away through effort. It is natural to like someone who is pleasant and beautiful or be pleased with something that is sweet and gives us comfort. We may also feel sad for some time when a person moves away from us because our life was probably a bit more comfortable, livelier and happier with that person.
We may also have tears in our eyes simply because someone we are attached to has moved away from us. There is psychological dependence and attachment, which may give us a sense of passion. And there may be great loneliness and sorrow when the object of attachment (it could be a person or property) is lost or moves away.
The sorrow of loneliness may make us weep, but it is not love. It is difficult to come out of this loneliness because the thing that means everything to us is gone. But again, this is not love. When we are psychologically dependent and attached to someone, then we make the person’s life miserable by becoming possessive. But if we like someone without any attachment and feel affection and compassion for that person, then the relationship is healthy and pleasant. This is the manifestation of love.
Dependence on people and things may arise out of a physical need or a psychological need. A physical need is an actual need for a normal living body, depending on the situation and circumstances. Food, clothes, shelter and sex are some of the examples of the actual needs of a living person. A person may need someone to cook for him if he is too old or weak. This is also a natural need. The cause of physical dependence on a person or thing is always a natural biological urge or a physical necessity. If a person depends on the tailor for clothes, then it is because it is necessary to wear clothes while living in society. Perhaps it is more convenient or even necessary to get clothes stitched by an expert for various reasons. Similarly, if one needs a doctor’s help for treating his ill body, it is because he wants to be cured and get healthy.
We are all dependent on others for our physical needs. There is dependence on the employer for money, which is necessary to buy essential things. We depend on the mechanic to maintain and repair our car. When there is dependence on a person or thing, there is also the fear of losing the person or the fear of not getting the physical needs satisfied. When one is very young, then he or she depends on parents for food and other necessities of life. A child is perhaps a bit more dependent on parents or the guardian for the fulfilment of physical needs. But the young mind of the child is generally not worried about the faraway future. However, when we grow up, fear, insecurity and the need for planning emerge.
One can generally deal with physical dependence. Now, physical dependence is not so binding because either the need is satisfied or we can find another way of satisfying the physical need. We may even be able to live without the need, especially if it is not immediate. A person may need a cook to prepare food or an assistant to take care of him. But if the cook or assistant leaves, then he can find someone else to do the tasks. So, the fear that may arise from physical dependence does not necessitate possessiveness, because the dependence is not so binding. But if the dependence is too binding, then the fear of losing the person on which one is dependent is very high. This leads to possessiveness and causes various unnecessary problems.
Clinging to Memories, Running After Things
A psychological need is not an actual need but a need created by the mind, which wants to attain happiness by acquiring various things that are not needed to satisfy any biological urge. Sometimes, the mind thinks of wonderful sensations or good times from the past and runs after things that gave delight in the past but have no purpose or use now. Then it is merely trying to satisfy a psychological need. It is natural to have memories of the past, but problems occur when we want the previous experiences to be repeated. The mind lives in the illusion that repeating occurrences that gave delight in the past would give us the same sensations. There is conditioning by the society, which also makes us run after things that have no purpose in our lives. Yet we nurture the hope that acquiring them will bring happiness. Loneliness forces a person to run after money, property, fame and political position. People crave unnecessary things, though they may have no actual utility or purpose in their lives.
It is healthy to be sensitive to the beauty of nature or the smile of a person and feel delight. These sensations are natural. It shows that our senses are alive. But very often, a sensitive person starts depending on these sensations and wants them to repeat. This is a futile exercise. However, this does not mean that we should become insensitive towards nature. It also does not mean we should stop enjoying the beauty around us. But it is necessary to free ourselves from the problem of dependence. The question that arises here is this: can we free ourselves from the problem of dependence while still being sensitive? The problem of dependence cannot be resolved by making an effort to free ourselves from it. The answer lies in understanding the whole problem. Then there is freedom from it. The problem of dependence leads to various other problems such as attachment, anxiety and possessiveness. The cause of psychological dependence on a person or thing is not a biological urge or a demand of the organism. The cause is loneliness, which again has a cause. The problems are connected to each other. So, only when we see the problem as a whole and understand its root cause, is there freedom from the problem.
Cause of Loneliness
To free ourselves from the problems of psychological dependence and loneliness, it is necessary to discover the cause of loneliness. Loneliness arises when the mind gives predominant importance to one thing and eventually isolates itself from other things. Whenever we compare our possessions, such as car and house, with that of others, who have a bigger or better car or house, this gives us a feeling of deficiency or emptiness. We feel that we are nobody. This feeling makes us want to achieve things that may have no use for us. The problem starts when we run after things for recognition and fame, because, in doing so, our mind gets caught in the pursuit of goals that have no end. Therefore, our action gets a bit limited. Now, when we have too much to achieve in a certain field, then most of our time is spent doing things within that particular area. We start ignoring our relationship with so many important things in life. Eventually, we lose the relationship and end up in isolation and loneliness.
The pursuit of the psychological needs on which the mind is dependent cannot fill this loneliness. In fact, it increases the loneliness. Thus, there is no freedom from dependence. Gradually, the dependence increases. The occupation with the object of dependence temporarily frees the mind from the problem of loneliness. But the occupation slowly strengthens the loneliness because it is causing isolation. When the loneliness is ever increasing and the dependence too is increasing, then the object of dependence becomes extremely important. Therefore, the psychological dependence becomes very binding on the mind. Also, the fear of losing the thing on which we are so badly dependent grows. This necessitates possessiveness and leads to various other problems.
There is no end to our psychological goals because loneliness can never be filled. There is no lasting satisfaction even when we achieve a certain goal. Our mind wants more and more. Secondly, we have acquired various morals, values and goals from society. We keep comparing ourselves with others in terms of these values and achievements. So, when we find that we have little compared to others, we want to achieve more. In doing so, our life gets reduced to a mere fragment, to which the mind gives importance. There is an unnecessary struggle and effort in this process. Instead of enjoying life, which is a vast movement, our living gets reduced to a particular field or fragment. Thus, the connection with the whole is lost. So, this lack of relationship with other things leads to isolation and loneliness. And the relationship with the one thing becomes a relationship of dependence. There is dependence on this one thing because there is no connection with other things. This causes extreme attachment, so much that if the thing is taken away from us, we experience complete emptiness or loneliness.
Connection with the Whole
The physical goals that arise out of a biological urge, a use or purpose do not become a hindrance. They are necessary for our living. Once they are satisfied, the mind does not run after them continuously. In pursuing physical needs, the connection with the whole is intact. This is because, once the biological need is satisfied, then there is no continuous activity within that particular field, until there is an urge for food, clothes and so on again. So, once these needs are satisfied, we may get involved with other things, depending on what we feel like doing at that time or what the situation demands. Therefore, the connection with the whole is not lost. There is a possibility that it may take some time (or even years) to accomplish a physical goal, like buying a house or car. But this does not mean that the connection with the whole is lost during that period, because we could still be sensitive towards our other needs and the things around us.
Physical needs and psychological needs flow into each other. Therefore, it would be worthwhile to discuss the differences that exist. Now, whether it is a physical need or a psychological need, the objects of desire stays the same because one needs a person, property or position to cover both kinds of needs. However, the difference is that the physical need is related to our survival or well-being. The psychological need has nothing to do with survival and well-being; it only covers our loneliness and satisfies the ego. One may need a house for living, which is a natural desire. He or she may even need two houses for various reasons and this can also be considered a natural desire. But if there is a need for several houses just for recognition and fame, then it is purely a psychological need.
Although a certain need might be physiological, the dependence could still be psychological. The dependence on a particular person or thing is a psychological dependence if our need can be fulfilled by another person or thing, but we are dependent and attached to a particular thing or person and want to fulfil our need only through this person or thing. For instance, we could be attached to a house or a chauffeur. We may want to live only in a particular house or want only a particular person to drive our car. Then, this is psychological dependence. However, this does not mean that we should not fulfil our needs with the help of a particular thing or person that we like. But dependence on the same thing or person has to be questioned.
If you want to take up an exercise to find out whether your particular dependence on various things is physical or psychological, then a few things might be worth looking at. We all depend on various people and things. It might be worth looking at some of the binding dependencies that we have. A physical dependence can be very binding too. For example, a person may be dependent on a particular doctor who is the only expert for his particular ailment. It may be very hard to imagine life without this person. But one has to question the nature of dependence and figure out if there is another person who is equally good. Another question one can think about is whether one always wants a particular thing or a person to fulfil his or her needs. Again, a certain thing may be always needed for a healthy life or survival. A person suffering from asthma may need an inhaler for survival and easy living. Even if there are alternatives available, one may want a particular thing that he or she likes the most, without being dependent on it psychologically. But one can question the nature of dependence if the thing one was dependent on has become obsolete.
So, if one is possessive of something even if there are alternatives or feels forever lonely after losing something that is not so important for physical well-being, then perhaps this indicates psychological dependence. Also, when a thing becomes so important that we lose our care for others and do not bother about anything around us, then it may be a strong indication of some psychological dependence. Although there are various obvious signs of psychological dependence, it may be very difficult to say with certainty that these are signs of psychological dependence. So, one has to look at his dependence from various angles and find out whether the dependence is natural or psychological.
Now, a physical need may be our personal need or someone else’s physical need. When we want to help others, then it is not a psychological desire, even though it is not our personal need. When we feel compassion or love for someone and want to do something for that person, then that is an actual need. It is not the need of our mind, unless our love is for an idea or we are doing something just for fame and recognition. The flame of compassion creates its own intelligence, and we may use our mind or knowledge to decide what to do. So, mind or knowledge is not the problem. Only when a particular knowledge becomes authority, based on which we make decisions and act, then the goal dictated by this knowledge is psychological.
Perils of Possessiveness
If we do not free ourselves from the problem of psychological dependence, then there is an attachment to the object of dependence, which may be money, property or another person. This attachment leads to possessiveness. When we become possessive of a person, then it binds the freedom of the individual, who is constantly being used and exploited by us. When the person whose freedom is restricted tries to run away or escape from this life of bondage, then he or she is condemned to be a ‘deceiver.’ And the person who is possessive is called a ‘true lover.’
But the truth is that the possessive person wants to make himself happy. What matters to him the most is his own self-interest. This is the cause of misery in the relationship, both for himself and the other person. The person who escapes from the life of bondage is only trying to protect himself from unnecessary trouble and conflict. Therefore, in a relationship, the person who is possessive has no love for the other, because he takes away the freedom of the other person and makes that person’s life miserable for his own self-interest. The act of possessiveness not only causes irritation, disturbance, discomfort and misery to the person who is being used but also destroys any love in that person and forces the person to move away from the relationship.
When there is a feeling of love, then this love is for everyone. Though one may love someone in particular, it does not mean he or she does not have love for others. However, a person who loves just one individual and is insensitive to everybody else is merely attached to that individual. This attachment may give him a sense of passion, but it has nothing to do with love. When a person is in love with somebody, then this does not mean that he cannot love another person. Love has no boundaries. When we have defined boundaries, then it is not love. It is something of the mind that is dependent, devoted and attached to a person or property. A person may be passionate or have love for something like architecture, designing buildings, playing cricket and so on. This is good, but if he wants to be at the top, then there is isolation and loneliness, which leads to dependence and attachment to one thing or the other.
Freedom from attachment does not mean that we should become detached and indifferent or isolate ourselves from others. Moreover, when we cultivate detachment, there is no freedom from the problem of attachment. We are still attached to detachment. When detachment becomes our goal, then we are caught in a conflict of opposites. There is a constant effort in trying to be detached and resisting attachment. However, what is necessary is a different kind of passion in which there is intensity but it must not be merely fixed on one thing. This kind of passion does not cause loneliness, psychological dependence or attachment. When one acts from the whole, then there is no authority of any concept or formula. Although one may be highly active and intense within a particular field, the intensity is not fixed at one point. But if one acts from the authority of knowledge, towards a fixed goal, then he is acting within a particular field to which he gets attached.
The root cause of all these psychological problems is the self or accumulated knowledge. This reduces the activity to a particular field, causing loneliness. This then leads to dependence, attachment, possessiveness and anxiety. In seeing the root cause, the self disappears, and there is freedom from all problems. However, any effort to free ourselves from the self is still an action of the self or the continuation of the self. As long as the self remains, there is no freedom from problems.
Freedom from Problems
However, most people do not look at the problems. They just want to escape from them. And when they get bored with a particular escape route, they look for some other diversion. If all their escape options are taken away from them, they feel very lonely. There are people who devote their life to a particular person and become dependent on that person. If this person leaves them or breaks up with them, then they feel very lonely. There are various escape routes that may give some temporary relief from the feeling of loneliness. For instance, one can become religious, hold on to some belief, get involved in some spiritual activity or turn to politics. These things may give some temporary relief and one may feel that he has found the right calling. He may claim to very happy, but the dependence on these things only causes further loneliness. A person who is dependent on beliefs or political position feels terribly lonely when the object of dependence is questioned, threatened or taken away from him.
One may also turn to drinks or drugs, which may make sensory organs, such as eyes or ears, very active. One may feel heightened sensitivity in a certain direction or towards a particular thing. But the moment its effects are over, there is loneliness. Perhaps the only notable difference between dependence on a person and dependence on a drug is that the person can leave us anytime and then we are left with our loneliness. It might be somewhat easier to find a drug and keep it with us.
Trapped!
It is important to understand the problems of loneliness, dependence and attachment and not look for various escape routes. What prevents enquiry is attachment itself, because we do not want to leave the thing that we are attached to. If we hold on to a belief or thing, then we do not want to question it, because it gives us some sort of security. Our enquiry may give the understanding that the thing we are attached to is worthless or completely useless. So we avoid questioning it.
Writers, artists, sportspersons, and various other professionals get trapped within the limits of their field because they want to be above everyone else in their field. A lot of people invest most of their time within a certain area. After some time, they get attached to it. And when they cannot remain active within that field, due to old age or some other reason, then there is tremendous loneliness. After retirement, many sportspersons, politicians and professionals feel very lonely because they had given importance to just one fragment of life. Now, this does not mean that we should not spend our time doing things that we have a passion for, as it is wonderful to do something that one loves doing. It is natural to spend time learning a certain skill in which one is interested in. Or we may pursue a skill that helps us find a job. All this is fine. The problem starts only when the pursuit becomes a thing of the mind and we want to be at the top. This reduces the action to a limited field and leads to loneliness, dependence and attachment.
However, I do not mean that the ones who strive for excellence become lonely. If one is passionate about something, then it is natural to learn as much as possible and become more and more skillful. All this does not lead to loneliness because one has other interests in his life and does not give importance merely to one thing and ignore the other things, unless the mind interferes and becomes the controller. But, when one wants to be at the top, then the passion is not for the thing but to be superior. When the mind is caught up with something, then there is no end to this race. This reduces the activity within a limited field. When the mind, heart and body are in harmony, then there is balance, but if the mind controls everything, then there is imbalance. A person who is in harmony may be at the top or bottom: it does not matter, but he is not lonely. Similarly, a person who does not have this balance may be at the top or bottom, but he soon finds himself very lonely.
Aloneness versus Loneliness
There is sorrow and self-pity due to loneliness. But there is a difference between standing lonely and standing alone. Loneliness is painful, but aloneness is freedom from all conditioning, which brings joy. One needs strength to stand alone. When the mind has freed itself from the self or accumulated knowledge that has become a centre in the brain, then there is a state of ‘aloneness.’ Aloneness is different from loneliness. In loneliness, there is the authority of knowledge and no relationship with people or nature. There is isolation. When the ideas dominate our mind, then there is no sensitivity. However, in aloneness, there is freedom from knowledge, ego and the self. There is sensitivity in the true sense and a real relationship. Many religious people try to isolate themselves, but they are acting from the authority of their beliefs, dogmas and accumulated knowledge. They are never alone. In aloneness, there is freedom from the great burden of ideologies, and there is happiness.
There is a state of solitude, which has its importance. In solitude, one can discover the state of his loneliness. However, most of the time, we want to be with somebody and keep ourselves busy to forget or escape from our worries. But when one escapes in such a manner, then there cannot be any understanding of one’s loneliness or other problems. When the problem is really immense, then there is awareness, which comes naturally. We want to turn off the television or we ask people at home not to make too much noise, so that we can delve into the problem. Periods of quiet solitude are sometimes important to go deeper into our psychological issues.
Now, let us examine what prevents the actual communion between individuals. When one looks through coloured sunglasses, then the objects appear to be a bit different in colour than what they are actually. Similarly, when we watch everything through our knowledge, opinions and prejudices, then our vision gets distorted. Our observation, from particular knowledge, is coloured by our perception of what is good and what is bad or what is wrong and what is right. This observation is very limited. This is because we are observing the other person on our own terms and our vision gets somewhat restricted by the rights and wrongs.
This partial observation prevents actual sensitivity, because when the observation is limited to our wants, rights and wrongs, then we cannot be sensitive towards the problems and needs of others. When a person is concerned only about himself and the other person is also concerned about himself, then there is no real relationship between the two people; there is just isolation.
There are various wants and demands that arise from time to time in our relationships with others. But they do not prevent the communion between people. When there is psychological dependence, then the object of dependence becomes so important that it limits our observation to our wants. So, we are actually not concerned about the needs or welfare of others. Thus, there is no real connection with people, nature or anything else around us. The relationship is mostly limited to the use that others provide. But when there is freedom from the self, then there is complete observation. Though we may be sensitive to our own needs, we are also sensitive towards other things.
Observation and Image
The observation from the centre, that is the ‘I,’ creates an image of the other person. This in turn creates a psychological space between individuals and causes conflicts in a relationship. When one looks at the other person through the centre (‘I’), which includes all ideals of right and wrong, then the observation creates an image of the other person. This is ‘not I,’ which is the ‘you.’ And there is a psychological space between the ‘I’ and the ‘you.’ There is a psychological space between the individuals when they are far away from each other in ideals, opinions, goals and ideologies. Also, there is very limited contact between each other due to the limited observation of each other. If two people have the same images, then they may be able to get along with each other. But when the images are different, then there is conflict. So, accumulated knowledge creates a psychological space between two people.
Now, if there is no centre (‘I’), then there would be no measurement in terms of right or wrong and therefore no image of ‘you.’ But there would be total observation. So, the observation from the image ‘I’ creates the image of ‘you.’ Consequently, when we look at another person from this image ‘you,’ then we are merely comparing him or her with the image we have. Thus, there is no complete observation. However, in the absence of the centre ‘I,’ there may still be image formation of another person, who is dangerous or has caused some serious physical hurt. Then it becomes difficult to connect with such people.
Acting according to the previous image of the person, which we have in our minds, prevents any relationship. But this does not mean that we should assume that the person has changed and act according to the assumption. An individual who had been selfish or inconsiderate in the past could have changed and become better. Or he or she could have become more insensitive than earlier. A kind and a nice person may have also changed. He or she may not be nice and good anymore or in a particular situation. Thus, it is important to use our intelligence. We must use images only when necessary. This way, the relationship is a living thing and is not merely an activity based on ideas.
Knowledge is necessary to protect ourselves from danger, keep us healthy, and make our life comfortable. The fact that a snake is dangerous or can be dangerous is knowledge that is necessary. We may have an image of a criminal or a habitual offender whom we know is dangerous and violent and has committed various offences. Such knowledge is also necessary. Such knowledge is essential to protect ourselves from any possible danger. Scientific knowledge is also vital to keep us healthy, stave off diseases, and treat the problems in our body. However, in a relationship, it is not necessary to have an image of someone and look at this person from this image, just because of a previous instance or behaviour. Remember that any particular behaviour, at a particular instance, could have been caused due to various reasons, such as improper diet, improper sleep, unhealthy lifestyle or alcohol consumption. Also, in a relationship – especially with our partner or a friend – even if a particular behaviour is repeated, it might be worth getting deeper into it before drawing any conclusion(s).
When there is no accumulated knowledge in the brain to direct our thoughts, there is no self. Our thoughts are not in conflict with the other thoughts in our brain, because there is no centre that guides us or resists our thinking. So, the thoughts that arise from time to time do not breed any conflict in the brain. Also, when there is no self, then our thinking is not mechanical. There is spontaneity, which is wisdom. So, there is no mechanical thinking or mechanical action. There are no ideals or ideologies. There is no particular behaviour within a pattern. There are no ideals of right or wrong that could come in conflict with the ideals and beliefs of others. This means there is no cause for conflict with the world.
However, a person who is conditioned may still enter into a conflict with a person who is free from ideologies and concepts. He may even call the free person immoral or foolish, but the conditioned person is the cause of conflict. There is a conflict in his brain and he is in conflict with the world. But the individual who is free from the self deals with situations according to his intelligence, without the authority of knowledge. He acts spontaneously. A spontaneous action does not mean acting instantly without thinking, but it means acting without the authority of any knowledge, though one may use thought and knowledge or take time to decide. However, if both individuals are conditioned, then there is not too much difference between them. Though they may have different ideals, they are essentially similar because they are both conditioned. There is a conflict in their brain and they are in conflict with each other and with most of the world.
A person who follows any ideal is cultivating a value and resisting its opposite. This means that deep inside, he is in conflict or opposing the opposite of what he is cultivating. Now, when deep inside, we are opposed to something and avoid it continuously, then how can we accept the person who follows what we are opposed to? We are bound to be in conflict with that person because deep inside we are opposed to the other person’s values. (Of course, we may accept the person superficially or pretend to accept him or her.) We also tend to defend the values that we have acquired. This means we are bound to be in conflict with anyone who condemns or attacks our values.
An idealist deeply feels that his values are superior to the values of others because if all values are equal, then there is no need to accept one or a few and reject the others. And when there is this feeling of superiority and inferiority, then there will be the feeling of contempt against others.
Knowledge Causes Conflict
Psychological knowledge, which includes concepts, ideals, ideologies, beliefs and systems, not only causes inner conflict within us but also creates distance between nations, groups, communities and religions. Although our ideologies speak about peace and brotherhood, we have separated ourselves from each other and we sometimes even kill each other. Now, this knowledge has caused a gap or a space between people. Then, the mind invents another method or an idea to cover this gap, so that we can all live in peace. However, method means knowledge. What is important to understand here is that any particular knowledge is only a fragment of the whole. The fragment does not contain the whole. So, giving importance to any particular knowledge will cause division. It will not bring us together. In fact, it will always divide us. One person holds on to one fragment and the other person holds on to another. Then we are fighting with each other about which fragment is right.
Question of Tolerance
Then there is the question of tolerance. There are people who talk about cultivating tolerance for those who differ from them in beliefs and ideals and who also advise others to cultivate tolerance. However, the need for tolerance comes only when we are in conflict with another person and there is lack of love and understanding of others. When we are in a healthy relationship with someone, then we do not say that we are “tolerating” that person. If we are not in conflict with another person, and the other person is in conflict with us, then too there is no need for the ideal of tolerance, but one does what is necessary, which may mean tolerating or educating him. And if we are in conflict with the others and the others are in conflict with us, then it is not the ideal of tolerance that is important, but it is our conflict with the others that is important and must be looked at and understood.
Secondly, a mind that is cultivating tolerance is still intolerant because it is intolerant to the fact of intolerance that it is experiencing. Now, our beliefs, ideas, and ideologies have caused conflict and division with people who do not belong to the same class of thinking. So, experts have come up with the word ‘tolerance,’ which means even though we differ in beliefs and ideals, we should have acceptance and patience for each other. Tolerance then becomes another belief, and this belief still separates us from the ones who have opposing views on tolerance. What is important is to be free from the cause of this unnecessary division and conflict in society.
Also, if one person believes in war and the other person believes in peace, then there cannot be any relationship between the two. If both of them assert the authority of their ideal, then they are bound to be in conflict with each other. Now, if we believe in the ideal of peace and also have an ideal of tolerance, then it will not be easy for us to deal with someone who believes in war. If we say that we should have tolerance for the other person, it means we are accepting his ideal of war and not educating him about the consequences of war and violence. We are not in conflict with our ideal of tolerance because we tolerate. But we are in conflict with our ideal of peace because we accept the other person’s ideal of war. However, if we challenge his ideal of war, then we go against our ideal of tolerance, because we are being intolerant towards his ideal of war. So, it becomes very difficult for us to act in such a situation. If a person is free from all ideals, then he or she is free to act and do whatever is necessary in a particular situation.
Now, if someone says that the ideals, concepts and ideologies are destructive for the world, then he or she may be looked upon as a person who is intolerant towards various ideologies and theories. If the person puts up with anything and everything, even if it is destructive, then though he or she may be called tolerant and may also get a lot of respect for her ideal of tolerance. But the person is not at peace within or at peace with the world. Two people with opposing views may try to establish some relationship with each other, but their opposing views only create conflict. Any particular knowledge never unites people. It always divides. Even the people who believe in the same thing are still divided into various sects and sub groups.
However, to be free of the ideal of tolerance does not mean that we should become intolerant towards people who have beliefs, ideologies and ideals. But when one understands himself, then he understands the other. From this understanding, there stems a different kind of quality in the mind. There is love, and there is no need for tolerance in a cunning mind. A person who has love in his heart may try to establish a relationship with someone who is acting according to his or her conditioning. However, this person who is conditioned will have no relationship with the person who has love and compassion, until he or she is free from the bondage of knowledge and ideologies.
The more we cling to particular views and a particular pattern of life, the more hatred there is towards people who challenge our views and way of living. We get attached to life within the pattern because it’s a kind of life that we have been living for a long time. We would feel lonely without this kind of life, which we are very used to. So, we become defensive, and there is hatred and antagonism towards people who question or threaten our object(s) of attachment.
The Meaning of Love
Love is a vast movement, which cannot be described in words. When we give a certain name to love, then it means that we have imagined it to have a certain quality. We all have certain ideas of love. We also call parts of love as love. However, we must understand that the whole contains the part but the part does not contain the whole. Therefore, the part of love which we call ‘love’ cannot be love. When there is love, then there is a strong desire for what we love. There is a state of tremendous passion, joy or pleasure.
Love is beyond pleasure or desire. Though it includes both, we cannot limit love to pleasure or desire. When love is limited, then it is not love. Then it means the mind gives preference to a particular fragment. In a relationship, if we merely care about our desire and pleasure and care very little about other things, then the feeling we experience is not really love. Love has no meaning in this context.
When we are drawn towards an idea and start following it, then the movement gets limited to a certain field. There is an attachment to a particular idea. We then give importance to a particular fragment, while ignoring the other fragments. When love becomes a thing of the mind or an idea to be pursued, then it can merely be a particular fact of love or certain facts of love. Love for a tiny fragment, while ignoring a vast movement, cannot be love.
For instance, there are so many fanatical movements in this world with endless passion for an idea, like communism, nationalism and Nazism. These movements kill so many people who do not belong to their country or community. Such passion has nothing to do with love.
The movies tell us what love is or what love should be. And then there is the formation of the idea of love in our minds, which becomes all important to us. Religious books also tell us about love and the idea of love for God; they tell us to devote our lives to this idea even though we don’t know anything about God. And then there are patriotic people who speak about the love for their country. So, we have various ideas about what we can do and what we cannot do in love. And these ideas become very important. When we are in a relationship with someone, then we come up with rules. We want the other person in the relationship to follow these rules. Each person in the relationship is trying to brainwash the other, depending on their conditioning. This is not love but selfishness.
We have a lot of ideas and thoughts about love. We look at love as something of the past or something to be achieved in the future. This is not love. Love is a living thing, which takes a new form from moment to moment. If we call a particular kind of act as love and say that we will love a particular person tomorrow, then it is of no value.
What Love Is Not
The ‘self ’ prevents actual observation, sensitivity and love. One must be careful that love is not the outcome of denying the self through an effort. When we make an effort to free ourselves from the self, then we are merely following a particular method, which implies acting from certain knowledge. This is still the continuation of the self. It is the understanding of the self that gives freedom from the self. And when there is no self, then we see things clearly and there is sensitivity, which is not limited to certain things that are important to the conditioned mind.
There are many people who cultivate the opposite of hatred and violence and call it love. However, the opposite of hatred cannot be love, because every opposite contains in it its own opposite (please refer to the chapter on non-duality). So, the opposite of hatred would still contain hate and therefore it cannot be love.
Love cannot be practised and one cannot cultivate love through various efforts. If one says that he will do this or that thing to reach the state of love, then it has no meaning because one cannot attain love through methods. Also, if someone loves a particular person merely because he or she has something to gain from that person, then there is a cause. But love has nothing to do with a cause. When two people are in love with each other, then though they may have something to gain from each other, their love for each other is not dependent on a certain cause. Moreover, one may be in love with somebody from whom he/she may have nothing to gain. When there is love, then we care infinitely for everyone, including animals, birds and other human beings, though they may have nothing to give us or we may have never met them before in life. It is this love that expresses itself in everything that we do. Without this love, there cannot be passion that is free from a cause. In the absence of love, life becomes boring even if we fill it up with various worldly possessions.
Sensitivity in Relationships
Most of us are conditioned by various factors. And this conditioning keeps us psychologically far away from each other, even when we are very close to each other physically. When two people are free from the self or the ego, then the psychological space between them, which is created by ‘me’ and ‘you,’ comes to an end. Now, when this psychological space ends, then there is a real connection between the individuals because there is an actual seeing or observation. When there is clear observation, there is real sensitivity. And then there is love, which is a living movement. Without sensitivity, there cannot be love. To be totally sensitive, there must be actual seeing or actual contact. There cannot be actual contact or seeing when we give importance to just one fragment, through which we look at the other person. When there is seeing or there is contact, then what happens in this fused state of sensitivity cannot be put into words because it not a fixed movement. It is a living movement, which is new from moment to moment. When there is communion with something at the mental, physical and emotional level, then this communion itself is love.
A healthy mind that is free from the self and a healthy body are necessary to be sensitive. To have a sensitive mind and body, we must have a healthy lifestyle, which includes right diet, right clothes, right sleep and right exercises. If we follow an unhealthy lifestyle with heavy foods, improper sleep and no exercises, then we cannot be healthy. The body becomes lethargic and unfit and is not physically sensitive. It also does not have a sensitive mind. Such a mind is not intelligent.
Without intelligence, we cannot have compassion, and without compassion there is no intelligence. Extreme thoughtfulness and intelligence help with understanding. This understanding gives us freedom from the self, ego or accumulated knowledge. This, in turn, frees us from conflict and misery. In this freedom, there is love and compassion. This compassion creates its own intelligence.
Without the feeling of love, when we do good according to a formula or knowledge, then our actions may have little impact. If we do not go deep into someone’s problem, there is very little that can be done. However, this does not mean that we should not be kind to others. But without the feeling of love, our kindness may have very little meaning. Our kindness is also of no use if it is not done with sensitivity.
In India, when we visit our friends or relatives in their house, we are served different kinds of food. We are constantly persuaded to eat even if we are not hungry. This is people’s way of treating their guests. Hospitality is important to them, not what the other person feels or wants. Their action is not out of love but out of their idea of hospitality.
Let me give you another example. There is a joke that once a teacher told his students that they should help old people cross the road. The next day, a student came back and told the teacher that he had helped an old lady cross the road but she had been furious with him. The teacher asked the student why the lady was furious. The student said that the lady wanted to remain on the same side of the road and did not want to cross it. But because the teacher had told him that helping old people cross the road was a virtuous act, he had done so. The student did not bother to find out if his help was required or not. He was not sensitive to the needs of others.
Now, this does not mean we should do away with non-governmental organisations, which are the result of planning and thinking. These organisations are necessary. What I am trying to say is don’t follow the blueprint blindly. There must be some spontaneity to deal with immediate challenges.
If we merely act according to a particular formula, then all our thoughts and actions are repeated within a particular pattern. There is no new response posed by a new challenge. Moreover, the organisations that are part of some ideology, theories and ideals come in conflict with other organisations that have different ideals and theories. This is one of the causes of disintegration of society.
True Love
When there is true love, then there is no need to verbally express it explicitly. It may not be necessary to say ‘I love you’ because love flows through words, gestures and other actions even without verbalising it. However, this does not mean that one should not express it if he or she wants to. When there is true love, then there is real caring for each other. We are sensitive towards each other’s needs even when there is no help sought. The one who has needs may not want to bother the other person unnecessarily for his personal needs. But the other person may still want to fulfil his needs even if he does not demand it.
There is care and a feeling of responsibility in the real sense. However, this is not a concept of love. It does not mean that when someone is in love, then he or she should not demand anything from the other person. We all have different needs that arise from time to time and sometimes it is necessary to tell others and ask for help. A person may be sick and may need to inform the partner and seek his/her help with various needs that may arise in that situation. If a person is ill and needs some urgent attention or even if there isn’t an urgent need, but one needs some advice in a tricky situation, or one is occupied with too many tasks and wants someone to lessen his burden, then it may be necessary to seek assistance. In a true relationship, there is consideration for one another, which flows naturally and is not based on any prescribed formula.
Now, we care about others and look after each other even when we are not in love, but this is only because we want something in return. Outwardly, this care may appear very similar to the care expressed in love. But this kind of care generally only lasts as long as the other person is useful to us or as he/she can give comfort, sex, money and so on. This care has nothing to do with love but is merely like a business transaction.
When two people look at each other through the screen of their wants and find that they are useful to each other and can fulfil each other’s demands, then there may be connection between them. But if the connection depends upon someone’s usefulness, then it has nothing to do with love. When there is no love in a relationship, then there may blame games. People can accuse each other of ruining the relationship and not showing enough care. When there is love and compassion, then there is consideration, affection and adjustment to live together happily.
There are always ups and downs in a relationship. All of us make mistakes in a relationship, even in a relationship of love. But we can always admit our faults and confess to our mistakes. We can also say sorry when it is necessary. However, egoistic people may not want to admit their mistake because it hurts their pride. They may want the other person to apologise. This causes ill will and irritation towards the other person and destroys the relationship. A person who is egoistic and lives a life of conflict has no love. A relationship with this person may not be fun. It can cause constant irritation to the people around him.
Relationship is a process of discovering ourselves. In this process of discovery, there flows endless love. And then there is constant adjustment to take care of and be responsible towards each other.
Problem of Sex, Chastity and Licentiousness
When we see something beautiful, be it a mountain, the sunset, or a person, then it is very natural to feel some kind of good sensation. There is nothing wrong in this. But some people from various religions have condemned looking at a woman. There are people who take the vows of abstaining themselves from having any sex and torture themselves during the life. This suppression keeps the mind in constant conflict.
Some people go to the other extreme and say that it is completely acceptable to stare at women and even stalk them. These people are also acting from certain knowledge in their brains. A person who is free from all accumulated knowledge is sensitive to every movement that is going on around him. And he is capable of acting in the right way. Such a person knows how to live life fully. At the same time, he is also sensitive and considerate towards others.
It is natural for us to like someone or be attracted to something that is beautiful and pleasing. But this has to be dealt with sensitivity. A person who is inconsiderate towards others and merely cares about his happiness and comfort is insensitive. There is immense happiness in seeing a beautiful bird flying in the sky, but if we put it in a cage and keep it for our own pleasure, then we are insensitive towards the bird. A person may take care of the bird kept in the cage but it does not mean that he loves it. He may take actions that suggest care for the bird. But this is because the bird is necessary for his personal happiness and not because he really cares for the happiness of the bird.
Using Our Intelligence
When we are very young, our mind is not very mature to decide what is the correct thing to do. There are various influences that impact our thinking and behaviour. There is also a possibility of getting influenced or trapped by various philosophies and ideologies that suit our desires. It is not very wise to follow anyone’s philosophies because they generally take into consideration one aspect or a few aspects of life.
We must not rely on anyone in life. We must try and find the answers to our problems with our own intelligence and a free mind. If someone says that he does not care about how his actions affect others and would do whatever he feels like doing, then he is actually following a philosophy—of giving importance to just one fragment, which is his own desires.
When we are in our teens and early twenties, then there may be a very strong desire for sex. There are parents and others who want us to avoid getting into a relationship and avoid any indulgence in sex. On the other hand, there is a strong desire towards a person of the opposite sex and the urge to get into a relationship with this person. In the Western world and many other developing countries, there is the problem of teen pregnancy. There are so many people who take drugs and enter into casual sexual relationships without considering the law, pregnancy or other consequences and eventually become parents during their early teenage years. This severely impacts the life of the newborn babies.
Now, this does not mean that we should suppress our desires. But we must not yield to our desires all the time without considering anything else, as this means living a fragmentary life. However, the intention is not to say desires are right or wrong or must be avoided or indulged in. But there is no harm in listening to people who are concerned about us and seeing if what they are saying makes sense. It may be worth using our intelligence to consider the necessary things, such as the law of the land, consequences, precautions and so on. Then we can decide, with a free mind, what we should do or not do, so that we and the others around us do not face unnecessary problems in the future.
Sex has become an immense problem among human beings. Although it is a biological necessity, we also indulge in it in order to escape from our worries and troubles, and so it becomes a psychological need too. In a relationship, there is the memory of good times and good sex, which might be natural, but when the mind seeks pleasure and wants to repeat previous joy, then it may lead to the formation of a habit. A lot of times, there is habitual sex, which is without the biological urge. We indulge in it only to get away from our worries and to seek happiness. When we get bored with this habitual sex, then we look for new escapes.
When our partner separates and moves away from us, then there is enormous loneliness if we are attached and dependent on that person. Also, if our partner divorces us and marries someone else, then there is jealousy, anger and hatred, as if he/she is our property. Although we may blame the person for our agony and pain, the real cause is our own mind, which is dependent psychologically on another person. However, this does not mean that one should not be a family person and leave his/her partner and run away with someone else. That would be foolish. But psychological dependence has to be questioned.
Chastity and Licentiousness
Then there is a problem of chastity and licentiousness. Some people have their own ideals of chastity. Some believe in the opposite, which is being licentious. However, when there are ideals, then there is the ‘self ’ or the ‘ego,’ and then there is no space for love.
Now, we all have biological urges of food and sex. It is natural to have biological urges if one is a healthy person. Besides, there is nothing good or bad about sex. It is natural to pursue our biological needs. If they can be satisfied while being sensitive to others and the whole situation, then there is nothing wrong. Obviously, one has to obey the law too. But when the mind is pursuing pleasure, thinking that sex will give happiness, even though there is no biological urge, then such a mind is unchaste. Chastity means purity. But when the mind is pursuing the ideal of chastity and is resisting a particular desire, then it is running away from the fact. This cannot be pure; it is unchaste. Also, the mind that seeks happiness through sex, by exaggerating the desire of sex, is escaping from the fact of ‘what is’ and is therefore unchaste.
When the mind is free from the self, there is love. Then sex has its own beauty. The ideal of chastity is something that stems from the mind. And what the mind has created is merely an illusion. It is not the actual state that one is experiencing. The mind continues to remain in this state, from which one is running away. There is nothing pure about it and is thus unchaste. There should be freedom from the concepts of ‘this is right’ and ‘that is wrong’ or ‘I should do this’ and ‘I should not do that.’ This does not mean freedom from the authority of law because one has to obey the law, but there must be freedom from concepts and ideals, which control our actions. This does not mean that one should become licentious, but when there is intelligence with compassion and the mind is not controlled by any particular knowledge, then there is an action, which is correct. So, it is important to question and doubt all ideals and ideologies and be a light to oneself.
Several spiritual teachers have given tremendous importance to sex. Some have even said that we can reach a state of ‘super consciousness’ through sex. I do not know what they mean by the term ‘super consciousness’ because I have not read a lot of literature on this. But I have heard about this from people. The brain is quiet at the time of sex or when a person sees a beautiful thing like a mountain or enjoys a sport. So, there is timelessness not only during sex but also at other times when we are enjoying something or are busy with something. However, such stillness is only at the superficial or conscious level. It is momentary. Real silence comes when the unconscious is discovered and understood.
Sadly, many gurus and priests have sexually exploited their students or disciples in the name of timelessness. Every other day, there is a new story involving a priest, guru or pastor. So, religion for many is merely a tool for making a lot of money and feeding their egos. Thus, they are involved in various kinds of exploitation.
Karma is a popular belief around the world, especially in India. According to believers of this theory, we get rewarded or punished for our actions. Thus, the suffering that humanity is going through has been rationalised. Some believers of this theory say that if one is having a good time, then it is because of his or her good deeds in the previous life, and if one is suffering, then it is because of his or her evil deeds in the past life. However, there is belief in something only when we are not aware of the facts about the thing. When one is aware of the facts, then there is no need to believe in it because one knows it fully. Belief in the various theories of continuity after death is the effect of a cause. And the cause is our desire for continuity after death. The fact is there is uncertainty and we do not know what happens after death. But when we hold on to a belief, there is an effort to move away from that fact. So, belief gives us comfort from the anxiety about continuity but a particular belief may or may not be true.
The simple reality is that when an action has a cause, the action produces an effect. And this effect becomes another cause for the next effect. There is a cause as long as there is particular knowledge, beliefs, ideas or goals that guide our action. When the action has a particular cause, then the action becomes dependent on that cause. It gets limited to a particular field, and there is no connection with the whole. The particular knowledge, belief or goal, which forms the past or the future, becomes important. Then the action in the present becomes less important. In other words, the problem – which is in the present – is not properly looked into and is given little importance. But the theory or the goal, which is of the past and the future respectively, is given tremendous importance. When the response is from a limited field and not from the whole, then it can only be a very limited response. If a person gets angry when he is called by a certain name and his action is dependent on something to which he gives utmost importance, then he is merely reacting from his conditioning. Such an action has a cause, which makes the action relative.
Freedom from Cause
However, freedom from the cause does not mean that one should deliberately ignore particular knowledge, a goal or something that somebody has done to him. In doing so, he is ignoring a particular fragment, which makes his action fragmentary. There is freedom from the cause only when one acts from the whole. This means that he is not acting from a conditioned brain, which ignores one or few fragments and gives significance to some other fragment/fragments. When the action is free from a cause, then such an action is not relative but is absolute. This does not mean that one ignores the part; the whole includes the part as well. Getting angry if someone abuses or mistreats us is a natural response. It depends on the situation, circumstances and the context under which it is done, but if the anger is solely dependent on a particular thing, then such an action has a cause. If a particular knowledge or goal is not the guiding force that dictates our action, then the action is free from the cause. But if the knowledge or goal dictates the action, then the action has a cause and it is within a fragment.
Now, let us assume we are attached to our goals, opinions and beliefs. Then there is hurt, frustration and anger when someone attacks our beliefs or does not fulfil our expectations. The reason or cause for this hurt and anger is our accumulated knowledge and goals. But if we have a close friend who is insensitive, cold, and does not care two pins when we are in serious trouble, then it may or may not be natural to get upset with the friend, depending on the situation, circumstances and other factors, which form the whole. This is not dependent on a particular cause. So, in this case, there is no cause or goal, but there is the observation from the whole. In this observation, if we see insensitivity, deceit and a very cold behaviour from a particular friend, then it may upset us. But if the observation is from a very narrow field of goals, opinions and beliefs, then such an observation has a cause which is the belief or the goal. This results in hurt and anger, which is the effect.
When there is a cause, then the situation and circumstances do not matter. Only the cause matters. However, if our actions are based merely on what the circumstances are, then the action is still not free from the cause, because we have given importance to the circumstances alone. And it again becomes a fragmentary activity. Also, the whole does not mean that one has to give equal importance to each and every factor because then it again becomes a formula of the mind. Moreover, knowledge is always limited. So, it is impossible to think and consider everything. Also, there are times when one has to react instantly and there is no time to think and consider much. And if one is bound by a formula to deeply consider various factors, then he is not free to act instantly. He is thus ignoring this fragment. So, freedom from cause means the mind is unimpeded by theories or formulae and is open to everything. When the situation arises, then one considers the necessary factors that one can think of. Then there is healthy cooperation between what one thinks and feels to decide what is necessary. But there is no particular formula or method, because if there is a formula, then the formula becomes the cause.
Physical Challenge and Cause-Effect Chain
When we deal with a physical challenge from the authority of certain knowledge, which may be concepts and ideals, our response to the challenge can be very limited and fragmentary. Then the experience becomes the effect. This experience, which is the effect, leads to modification of our knowledge. And when we act from the authority of this modified knowledge, then this knowledge is the cause for the next effect. The process goes on until we can free ourselves from the cause. When there is freedom from the cause, then the action is complete and does not produce an effect. But there is a state of experiencing.
There is a cause as long as we are using knowledge to deal with our psychological issues or when there is the authority of any particular knowledge to deal with the day-to-day physical challenges. When one acts from a cause, then it strengthens the cause. If the action is based on hate, then the effect is more hate.
Past-Present-Future
When there is a cause, then the past or the future is important and not the present. And in this process, the present is sacrificed or destroyed for the sake of the past or future. There have been so many leaders whose mission was to have a particular kind of world. To achieve their goal of peace or something else, they fought wars and caused destruction, but all that brought very little change. So, they sacrificed their present for the sake of the future. The cause is to have a better world and the effect is war and destruction. So, there is a cause producing a certain effect in which the ‘now’ is sacrificed. But what is important is the ‘now.’ If one acts intelligently now, then the future will be good.
However, action in the now does not mean that we should ignore the past or the future. If we care only for the present, then we are still acting from a philosophy of the past, which gives importance only to the present. Therefore, the action is still not free from the past. Action in the now means action from intelligence, which also uses knowledge from the past. But this knowledge is not the authority directing a particular action. The implication in the future is considered when necessary. So, the action is spontaneous, which means it is not according to any formula, belief, concept, ideal or future goal. The action is from the whole.
So, if one is acting from a formula to deal with a physical challenge, then he is not using intelligence but is acting out of ignorance. Such an action produces more ignorance. When there is an action according to ‘what was’ to move towards ‘what should be,’ while ignoring ‘what is,’ then there is a cause and an effect. But if we do not ignore ‘what is,’ then there is no cause and effect. Then there is an action in the present. It is the action in the present that is important. But to give importance merely to ‘what has been’ or ‘what should be’ means we are moving from cause to effect and effect to cause. When there is no centre in the brain, then there is no cause and effect. There is only ‘what is,’ because the centre gives importance to the past or the future, in which the ‘what is’ gets sacrificed.
Psychological Issues and Cause-Effect Chain
Although knowledge has its place when we are dealing with physical issues, if we use knowledge to deal with our psychological issues, then there is cause and effect and there is no freedom from psychological problems. Let us see how the use of knowledge to deal with psychological issues creates further problems. When we act from the authority of concepts and ideals, then the action gets limited to a small field, which leads to isolation and loneliness. Therefore, self, me or the ego, which includes concepts and ideals, is the cause, and loneliness is the effect. Now, when we look for an escape and move away from this loneliness, then there is dependence on this activity that temporarily frees us from the problem of loneliness. When we depend on something, then that thing matters to us, and there is an attachment to it. So, loneliness is the cause and dependence and attachment are the effects. The attachment then causes fear of losing the object of attachment and then we find a new way to control this fear by becoming possessive which, in turn, leads to other problems.
However, the activities of dependence and possessiveness are still the activities of the ‘me,’ which is still causing loneliness. When we move from loneliness to dependence, then the activity of dependence becomes the cause for further loneliness because it reduces the activity to a small field, causing isolation. The effect is still loneliness, so the movement away from the psychological problem is still the continuation of the problem. When we use knowledge to deal with our psychological issues, then this knowledge becomes the centre in the brain, which is the self, me or the ego from where all the thoughts come. The cause of a psychological problem is the mind that chooses and gets caught in a particular pattern of action. And when the mind makes an effort to get rid of the psychological problem or chooses a different pattern of action, then this new activity becomes the problem. The understanding of the psychological problem gives freedom from the problem. But when the mind chooses a different activity, then the self continues. Thus, as long as there is the self, there will be psychological problems.
Observation and Understanding
When the mind is not chattering but is quiet, then there is the observation of the state of ‘what is.’ It is this observation that gives freedom from ‘what is.’ However, when we cling to the pleasure and want the pleasurable experience to be repeated or want to move away from a psychological pain, then there is no understanding of ‘what is.’ But there is cause and effect.
When every psychologically painful experience is understood, from moment to moment, then the experience does not lead to accumulation of knowledge. To be free from a psychological problem, we need to understand each problem as it arises. There will be problems as long as we cling to various experiences or escape from them. Such problems need to be understood. The state of happiness does not need understanding, but problems need observation and understanding.
Now, there are various beliefs in this world. Though they may differ from place to place, there is a common cause, which gives birth to these beliefs. The cause is the desire of the mind to move away from uncertainty or insecurity and to cling to some security. So, the cause is the desire for certainty and the effect are the beliefs. This effect then becomes the cause of hatred in our society. This means the beliefs are the cause, and the effect is hatred, antagonism and disintegration of society. However, if one does not act on this uncertainty and stays with it, it does not mean that the mind must remain in uncertainty forever. But when the mind is uncertain about something, then there is an urge to probe and delve deeper into the issue. This results in clarity and understanding. So, if one does not make the effort to escape from the anxiety of continuity after death by clinging to some belief and does not exaggerate this anxiety or let it colour the search, then he or she may know the truth about the desire for continuity.
The religions of the world have created various unnecessary fears in the minds of people. It might be necessary to free ourselves from this fear (please refer to the chapter on fear). As far as the question of desire for continuity is concerned, what is it that the mind wants to continue and why does it seek continuity? It is the self, me or ego that seeks the continuity of desires and attachments. When we die to all our pleasures, pains and desires, which means we are no longer pursuing unnecessary desires or continuously worrying about the past or future pain, then there is freedom from anxiety about continuity and the desire for continuity. So, staying with ‘what is,’ when the mind is uncertain, brings understanding and then there is no cause and effect.
However, there is no law of cause and effect. It is not necessary that a particular cause will produce a certain kind of effect. There is no law because there are so many other influences that affect the results or the effect. Also, the effect that produces another cause is not merely the outcome of that effect. Moreover, there is always the possibility of freeing ourselves from a way of living in which the action is based on an idea or a goal. This freedom comes through understanding. And when there is this freedom, then there is no cause and effect.
Let us say we are living within a particular fragment. We want to do everything according to our desires or we are acting from our ideals of what is good, clever, cunning and so on. Then the observation from our desires and ideals becomes very limited. Now, if another person is also looking from a particular motive, then the observation of both individuals is very limited. And both may get fooled and exploited by each other. So, although both may cheat and get cheated simultaneously or one may cheat and the other may get cheated, the fact is we are living a life that is not free from cause and effect. Though we may succeed within a certain area, such a living brings tremendous loneliness to our lives. This is the effect.
Love Has No Cause
Once there is complete freedom from the self, me or ego, then there is no cause and effect. But there is love. This love has no cause, which also means that this love is not the effect of a particular cause. Also, this love does not leave any effect which means it is free from the chain of cause-effect. Although there may be happiness when there is love, this happiness is not the effect of any cause. A mother who takes care of her child is not seeking a reward or happiness, but there is love in what she does and that brings a peculiar kind of happiness, which is free from the cause-effect chain. When love has a cause, it means that one loves another because of some particular reason. Then there is no love. When there is observation, contact and deep sensitivity, which might occur while looking at the beauty of the sea, holding someone’s hands or observing a poor or sick individual, then this communion is love. But this communion is not dependent on any one thing or the other like beauty or anything else. So, love has no cause.
When there is a cause, then the energy is wasted in several ways. There is wastage in conforming to the past because it only causes mental conflict between various thoughts. There is thinking within a certain pattern while resisting other thoughts. When we are caught in a pattern of action, then there is an attachment to the pattern. And there is a continuous wastage of energy within this pattern, because there is no end to psychological goals. When we try to fulfil these psychological goals, there is resistance to actual needs, which is another form of wastage of energy. Whereas, when the living is free from any cause, then there is tremendous energy, because there is no friction in the brain between various thoughts. Also, when the physical needs are fulfilled, there is no more action within that particular field unless it is needed again. The tremendous energy that is created can also work in the other fragments. When there is no self, me or ego, then there is silence. In this silence, there is tremendous energy.
Freedom from Cause-Effect Chain
Once there is freedom from the cause, then there is also freedom from its effects. But if we find the cause of a problem and try to free ourselves from this cause, then such an effort to free ourselves still has a cause. Yet again, we are in the circle of cause and effect. If we find that the cause of dependence is loneliness and try to free ourselves from the loneliness, then such an effort cannot free ourselves from the problems. When the discovery of a psychological problem is limited, then such a discovery cannot free us from the problem. If we are able to find the cause of possessiveness, which is attachment, then such a discovery cannot free us from the problem of possessiveness or attachment. To dig deeper into a psychological problem, it is necessary to have a state of intelligence, without a cause. When intelligence has a cause, then the search becomes dependent on that cause. It is therefore limited. Intelligence has no cause. If it has a cause, then it is not intelligence.
The understanding of a problem gives freedom from cause and effect. If we understand the whole process of ourselves, through self-knowledge, then there is freedom from the self, ego, me or accumulated knowledge, which is the root of all psychological problems. There are various causes for our psychological problems, but the root cause of all the psychological problems of loneliness, attachment, hatred, hurt, violence, conflict and fear is the self, me, ego or accumulated knowledge from which we act. So, when we see the root cause of any psychological problem, which is the main cause of all other causes of the problem, then we have understood the whole nature and structure of the problem. In this understanding, there is freedom from the root cause and all other causes. When there is freedom from the self, then we come upon or arrive at a state that has no cause and therefore no effect.
To deal with a mathematical problem or a problem related to science and technology, certain authority stemming from particular knowledge or a formula may be necessary. However, when there is a psychological problem, then the use of knowledge to free ourselves from the problem only complicates the problem. Also, authority of formulae, ideals and concepts to deal with our day-to-day problems (this has been discussed in some of the other chapters) makes our thinking and action limited.
But the use of knowledge may still be necessary at times. There are people who give preference to their intellect alone and there are people who are proud of their emotional and sentimental nature, although their emotions may be destructive and have nothing to do with love. Without sensitivity, there cannot be love. So, it is important to explore the factors that make us insensitive and explore the state of intelligence in which there is harmony between intellect and emotions.
When we go to school for the first time, we start learning the alphabet and numbers. We learn from various books on different subjects. The books teach us various things through a particular method, which thus becomes an authority. Although there may be several books for a particular subject, with their own unique methods, our teachers advise us on what books to follow because they are in a better position to tell us which books are useful. So, the teacher, the book or the method becomes our authority. Similarly, it might be necessary to learn a certain skill so that we can find a job to live or for any other purpose. Here, the authority of knowledge is perhaps necessary. Also, there is the authority of the laws of the country in which we live. We have to obey the laws for harmony. If we feel a certain law is draconian, then we may request for the law to be amended through various procedures available within the country.
However, beliefs, ideologies, concepts and ideals to deal with the day-to-day challenges of life make our thinking very limited. Intellectual capacity of reasoning has its place in our lives, but when our thinking is bound by some idea, formula or concept, then the intellect cannot function sanely. The self, me or ego, which includes all our concepts, ideologies, beliefs and traditions, is psychological knowledge. This knowledge prevents the intellect from functioning sanely. Also, if we give preference to the intellect alone, then we are still acting from a formula, which gives preference to the intellect and ignores the emotions. And then there are some people who merely listen to their emotions. They too are acting from a formula that gives importance to emotions alone. Also, there is a possibility that their minds could be drugged so that they cannot think or reason much. So, they do what they feel like doing, without delving deeply into anything. Moreover, when the thinking is limited by formulae and concepts and the emotion is also limited due to partial observation, then it has very little value, even if we give importance to both the intellect and the emotion.
Freedom to Think and Act
There is a difference between using a certain knowledge to deal with a particular situation and acting from the authority of some knowledge. A person who thinks, acts and lives according to formulae or concepts is generally not free to think and act. The sphere of his thinking, as well as his action, is limited by his accumulated knowledge. He is free only when there is a serious crisis in his life, because when one faces tremendous danger or crisis, then one forgets all the formulae and concepts and thinks freely. Now, a person who is not restricted by various formulae or concepts may use a certain knowledge and think in a particular direction. But his mind is not held or bound by some formula that forces him to think only in one direction because he is free to think in any direction. If one has an ideal of war, peace or non-violence, then his thinking and action is bound by his ideal. However, a person who has no ideal may think and act in a certain way when he faces a challenge. But he is free to think and act from the whole.
Psychological Issues and Goal
Psychologically there should be no ‘becoming,’ which means living in the now. The very process of ‘becoming something’ psychologically, such as trying to achieve a state of peace and happiness, is merely the continuation (in a modified form) of the state from which there is an escape. In the chapter on non-duality (and some other chapters), I have explained that the use of knowledge to overcome attachment, fear and greed is merely the continuation of the problem in a modified form.
The goal and method are interconnected. There cannot be one without the other. When there is a goal of ‘what should be,’ then we also need some method or knowledge to achieve the goal. Also, when we are following a particular method, it implies that there is a goal. Without a goal, why would we waste our energy by following any method, knowledge or formula? When we use a method, there is a hope that it will bring happiness or that it is good for us. So, we are living in the future. To live in the now means to stay with ‘what is.’ The only way to free ourselves from a psychological issue is to stay with it and understand it. It is this understanding that gives freedom from the problem.
Therapists tell us not to fight psychological pain but accept it in order to free ourselves from the problem. However, it doesn’t matter whether we accept, deny or suppress a problem. Whatever we do, we are still using a particular method or knowledge, in the hope that accepting the problem will reduce the pain or bring happiness/peace. So, there is particular knowledge in the brain and also a goal in view. There is continuation of a psychological problem as long as the mind uses various ways to escape from the problem. By accepting the psychological pain, we are merely playing another trick on the mind, because we are still using a method to overcome the problem. Only when we understand a psychological problem, is there freedom from it. In order to understand a psychological problem, there must be intelligence. This intelligence uses knowledge. But this use of knowledge is not directed towards achieving a particular end, and there is no effort involved.
Living in the Now
When there is a physical problem or physical need, then the past, present and future are important. In this case, living in the now is important in the sense that decisions and actions are spontaneous. Living in the now does not mean that only the present is important and not the past or the future. It would be silly to live thoughtlessly in the present while ignoring the past and the future. But this has become all the rage these days. The past and future are also important. There is no problem as long as neither the past nor the future is the cause or the guiding force for the action. If our action is based on various concepts, ideologies and ideals, then the past is the guiding force or the cause. If the action is based on a future goal, then the future is the guiding force or the cause for the action. However, when there are no concepts, ideologies and traditions, then there is action in the present. Although one may use the knowledge of the past and have a long vision for the future, the past or the future do not become the causes in which the present is sacrificed.
If we give preference merely to the present, then we are still following a philosophy that is always of the past even though we may give preference to the present. Also, there is a hope that this way of living will bring happiness. So, we are still living in the past and future. But to live in the now is to be free from all philosophies and ideologies. For instance, if a tiger is a hundred metres away, then we would perhaps not say that the danger is a hundred metres away or in the future and that we should live in the present and enjoy the present. When the danger is immense, then we do forget all formulae. But we generally live according to various formulae until there is a real danger that wakes us up. The past, present and future are important, but if we give importance to one of them, then we are living in the past and future and not in the present. There may be a challenge or danger partly in the present and partly in the future, and if we give importance only to the present, then our response is limited.
There may also be lack of awareness of the future due to various reasons. For instance, the mind may have become dull due to improper diet, drugs or some other reason, and it does not sense the importance of the future or the danger in the future.
Freedom from Authority
Now, we may free ourselves from the philosophies and ideals of others but formulate another formula of our own and live according to that formula. This is not freedom. Just because we are living according to our own formula, we cannot assume that we are free. Actually, we are still tied to the formula. A person who always chooses to do everything that he wants to do is not free to act in any other manner when the situation and circumstances compel him to be careful and cautious. Although physical freedom has its place, if we decide to do everything that we want to do, then we are not free psychologically, because we are tied to a formula. However, this does not mean that we should not do what we want to do. We do need some freedom to a certain extent for us to live happily, but the moment we formulate a philosophy and live according to it, then it is no longer freedom.
It is necessary to free ourselves from various formulae, concepts and philosophies. But when we listen to someone or read a book, then we generally accept or reject it depending on what suits us and gives us comfort. However, acceptance or non-acceptance on our part can only prevent understanding. The understanding of ourselves cannot be given to us by another person. This understanding comes through questioning and doubting and not merely through accepting or rejecting. If the readers follow whatever is written in this book as a philosophy, concept or an idea, then there cannot be any understanding. And without understanding, there is no freedom. So, I am not asking you to follow what is written here but only suggesting that you look at these things attentively so that there is understanding. Moreover, I may be mistaken or my understanding of a particular problem may not be complete. So, it is for the readers to test whether what is written here is true or false.
If I suggest that we should not follow another person, then the readers must not accept this suggestion without understanding it, as it may be of no use to them. Some other writer may persuade the readers to follow something else. It is for the readers to understand the question of authority. If we look at this thing called ‘authority’ and understand how destructive it is to live according to ideals, formulae and theories, then we are free from the whole problem of authority. The ideals, theories, ideologies and concepts that we have accumulated through our own personal experiences or through the influence of others prevent us from looking at a particular challenge fully, whether it is physical or psychological. The cause of our psychological problems is the self, me or ego, which includes all our concepts, ideals and beliefs. This self also prevents us from dealing with the physical challenges efficiently.
A lot of times we do get impressed by various people, their style, energy and enthusiasm, and we follow whatever concepts and ideologies they offer. The fact that we are impressed by certain qualities is exploited by clever and cunning people, who try to convince us through propaganda, trickery, sentiments and emotions. They try to persuade us without establishing the facts. And once we acquire the values and philosophies offered by them, then we struggle for the rest of our lives.
Emotions and Sentiments
So, we have explored what prevents the intellect from functioning sanely. Now, if we may explore how we are often caught with wrongful and unnecessary emotions and what prevents us from being sensitive, then there is a possibility of achieving a state of intelligence in which there is harmony between the intellect and emotions. At times, there is a possibility that what we may feel like doing may differ from what our mind wants us to do, but if there is harmony between the two, then it does not become a problem. So, let us explore emotionalism and sentimentality.
There is the feeling of love and there is the feeling that the self, me or ego arouses. A person who has a certain belief feels tremendously for his belief because he is attached to the belief. The belief gives him security. He may get very aggressive and violent when his belief is attacked. The religious people, nationalists and idealists are full of emotions because they are attached to something. This attachment may give them a sense of passion, but such an emotion has very little meaning. The people who are caught in such a state of emotion are often full of hatred for others and are ready to kill or die for their beliefs or anything to which they are attached. So, they feel strongly for their accumulated knowledge but not for human life itself. This means the self or ego makes us insensitive towards others. Therefore, unless there is freedom from the self, which means freedom from ideas, beliefs, concepts and ideologies, our emotions and feelings have very little value.
The State of Intelligence
Now, when there is freedom from the self, me or ego, there is love. This love has its own intelligence, in which there is harmony between the intellect and emotions or the mind and heart. In such a scenario, the mind and heart listen to each other. This harmony comes naturally when the self is absent. It is not the outcome of practising a certain method. But if we practise a particular method to bring about harmony between the intellect and emotions, then following this method is still the continuation of the self. This prevents the intellect and emotions from functioning sanely. When the intelligence is active, then there is the capacity to feel as well reason. This intelligence will tell us what to do in a given situation. But most of us give importance to the intellect by ignoring our deeper feelings, and we call this intelligence.
There cannot be the quality of intelligence without awareness in which there is pure observation without any distortion. Awareness implies that there is sensitivity towards beauty, poverty, our reactions and influences. Without sensitivity, there cannot be love, and without love, knowledge can be used for destructive purposes. There is tremendous knowledge in this world to solve various human problems of poverty and illnesses. But there is lack of sensitivity and awareness. Most people are merely concerned about becoming successful and great, even if it means crushing others. Only when there is an awakening of the sensitivity of human beings towards each other and towards animals and other living things, is there hope for a new world. Without love, acting merely from the intellect is not intelligence. This cannot solve our problems.
When there is freedom from the authority of various concepts, ideals and philosophies, then there is intelligence. This intelligence uses knowledge wherever it is necessary. So, the mind lets the memories float by without being occupied with them unnecessarily. It uses the memories whenever it is necessary. When we are aware that knowledge about any particular thing can never be complete then, if the intelligence is active, there may be a slight hesitation, especially when the situation and circumstances are new.
This does not always happen, but when we are dealing with a new situation, then there may be a need for some inquiry before acting. For instance, when a doctor is looking at unknown symptoms in a sick person, then he may need to pause, consult other experts and think from various angles rather than carelessly acting with certainty. Unless we hesitate in a tricky situation, there cannot be an enquiry. Though we may use the knowledge of others when needed, intelligence demands a little doubt, questioning or certain kind of scepticism, without believing in our doubts or becoming cynical. Suppose, one doubts if a particular statement is true. By believing in doubt, I mean that one not only doubts that the statement is true but also believes in the accuracy of his doubt and therefore believes that the statement is false. But if we follow another person, then there is no observation and there is no intelligence.
A person who does not look at his problems but cultivates ideals or makes an effort to become intelligent remains stupid. This is because the very fact of ignoring ‘whatever he is’ prevents the understanding of himself and makes him an ignorant person.
Lifestyle, Self and Sensitivity
There are several factors that make us dull and insensitive. To have a sensitive mind and body, the body must be fit and healthy. This implies having a healthy lifestyle, which includes the right kind of food, proper sleep, right exercises, right kind of clothes and so on. If a person eats too much or too little or eats unhealthy food, then it results in a dull mind and body. The body and mind cannot be sensitive if we are smoking, taking drugs or drinking alcohol frequently. We may be sensitive towards various things that are important in our life and may think that we are sensitive, but to have total sensitivity we must have a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Consuming drugs may bring clear observation in a certain direction temporarily. But the moment its effects are over, we are back to our problems. The fact that drugs make us forget about our problems shows that there is a loss of sensitivity towards something. So, we are neither sensitive towards our problems nor the problems of others. People who take drugs can even lose their capacity to reason. Thus, they become duller and more insensitive than before. People who take muscle-building steroids may become big with powerful muscles, but strong muscles do not necessarily mean a healthy and sensitive body. Moreover, if we cannot enjoy the beauty of nature, birds and the things around us, then of what use are big muscles? But there is more emphasis given these days in becoming bigger and not healthier, through heavy weight training exercises and taking various steroids or powders, which may make the body rougher and more insensitive.
When the body becomes dull, coarse and insensitive to the beauty around, then stimulants such as alcohol and drugs become very important. Such a person looks for various ways to entertain himself. He may choose a dangerous sport like hunting. The danger drives the self away. During such times, he is free from psychological problems. So, this activity becomes very important in his life. But he misses out on the joy of looking at nature and admiring the animals, which are unfortunately being hunted. If he is sensitive to nature and wildlife, then he would not choose an activity like hunting. Such a person has no love. But the same person goes and tells his partner that he loves her. This has no meaning.
When the mind is prejudiced and is tied to beliefs, concepts and opinions, then such a mind can neither be sensitive to the beauty of nature and nor be sensitive to its problems. Such a mind is observing everything from accumulated knowledge. This prevents total observation. Without total observation, there can only be limited sensitivity. So, to have total sensitivity towards the beauty around us and our problems, it is necessary to have a healthy body and a mind. The body must be healthy and the mind must be free from unnecessary opinions, beliefs and prejudices.
Our lifestyle affects the centre or the self and the centre affects our lifestyle. A mind burdened by the self may not be able to choose right food, right exercises, and so on because when the self is active, then there is ego. This ego makes one choose exercises and food that can give recognition and popularity. There is unnecessary competition with others over what we eat and drink and how much we eat, drink and digest. Or there is competition regarding who can work out longer or who has bigger muscles. So, unless there is freedom from the self, it may not be easy to choose the right food and the right exercises. Also, when we are living an unhealthy lifestyle, then the body becomes insensitive to the beauty around us. This makes us run after power and fame, which build the self. So, there is a connection between the psyche and lifestyle and they affect each other.
There must be freedom from the self and there must be a healthy lifestyle as well. But perhaps one must start from the centre and try to free oneself from various ideologies and ideals. When the mind is free, then we will demand right food and exercises. This may bring about deep sensitivity in us. When the body is healthy and the mind is also free from the self, then there is real sensitivity and love, and then we may not want to dominate others. When there is love, then there is affection, cooperation and partnership. There is no desire for power to dominate or rule others.
The body has its natural demands and urges. We cannot be without biological urges unless there is something seriously wrong with the body. When we put a permanent lid on any of our natural desires or take a vow to do or not do a certain thing, then it causes havoc and creates needless conflicts in our lives. But this does not mean that every time a desire arises, we must yield to it. There is a desire to eat when one is hungry or take rest when the body is tired. We may want to meet a friend or family, go out for a walk, play football, or keep the house clean. All this is natural.
So, to say that we can free ourselves from all desires would be hypocritical. It is practically impossible to be free of desire unless one is dead or in a coma. Moreover, if we suppress our desires, there is still a desire to be free from desire.
Some people say that we should only pursue things that are necessary for our survival and not strive for comfort and luxury. But the question is, what is wrong with luxury? If someone wants to have a comfortable bed or a comfortable car, then what is wrong with it, if he can afford it? Moreover, luxury is a relative concept. What is luxury for one person, may be an absolute necessity for another person, depending on his physical condition and circumstances. A comfortable bed may be a luxury for one person, but it might be an absolute necessity for another person. It is healthy to wear clean clothes, keep our house clean, and eat healthy food. A person may decorate her room to make it look good, if she can afford it. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with this. However, if a person cannot afford something, then she has to work hard and earn money for comforts. If this involves too much hard work, then she may have to balance her expenditures intelligently and assess whether the things she wants are worth the hard work or not. So, one has to act according his or her intelligence and not have preconceived ideas on what is right, wrong, good or bad.
Most religions of the world have condemned pleasure. Some religious men have even said that one must refrain from pleasure and not get involved in anything that gives pleasure, in order to lead a religious life. But what is wrong with enjoying the beauty of nature and the songs of birds? What is wrong in looking at a beautiful face or the smile of a boy or a girl?
Now, there might be pain in the pursuit of pleasure. The pleasure itself may not cause pain, but there could be some pain during the process of achieving pleasure (this is discussed later in the chapter). Perhaps due to this pain, advocates and preachers of various religions have probably tried to convince people to stay away from pleasure altogether.
Pleasure versus Natural Desire
People desire things and pursue them, even without a biological or physical urge. They seek something because it has given them joy previously. It is a desire of the mind based on previous sensations. We may want to see a person we like, a mountain or the sea. All this is natural. However, if we want something just because of a previous joy or sensation, and it is not something we actually want, desire or feel for, then it is not a natural desire. It is something which the mind thinks will give joy or happiness. It is based on the previous sensation alone and is not a biological urge. But if the desire is based on a biological urge, then it is a natural desire. It is an actual want and not a want created by mere thought that is seeking pleasure.
For instance, a person does not have any biological urge to eat anything in the present. But he remembers how good a particular food had tasted in the past and wants to eat it again. Then this is just a psychological desire. A person who is healthy and physically fit tries to become bigger and more muscular because he wants to compete with his friends and desires recognition for his muscles is craving unnecessarily. It is natural for someone who is unhealthy or not very healthy to try and become healthier and fit. However, if one is already healthy, fit and happy with his body but still wants to be bigger only to compete with his friend, then it is merely a psychological need.
There is pleasure in achieving difficult tasks or becoming a great personality or a religious head. There is the pursuit of pleasure in following various ideals, beliefs and ideologies, because there is a hope that following these will bring happiness or make our lives better. Then the brain is in conflict when it follows these ideals, beliefs and ideologies. This conflict occurs because we want to do something, but our ideals want us to do something else. Our natural desires are in conflict with our ideals and vice versa. So, either we resist our natural desires or our ideals. This conflict brings unnecessary suffering.
When there is the pursuit of pleasure, then there is no harmony between the mind and the senses. The mind dominates the other senses. The mind is also one of the senses, but when the mind dominates the other senses, then there is an unnecessary pursuit of various things that bring imbalance in our lives.
It is very natural for us to want a pleasant atmosphere in meetings and gatherings. We do not want unnecessary noise or a disturbing atmosphere. We want to be around people who are pleasant. If we are sensitive, we are likely to be affected by unpleasant gestures and words. It is very normal for people to avoid those who are harsh and quarrel unnecessarily all the time for their own entertainment. There are people who enjoy annoying and disturbing others, and it is sometimes wise to avoid them. Although it is natural to want a pleasant atmosphere, it becomes a psychological need when one is not satisfied with the nice atmosphere and wants to have recognition, fame and honour from others. When we compete with others in order to achieve fame, recognition and respect, then it brings needless struggles in our lives.
Let us look at an example. Say we live in a building with several flats and we play loud music at night. We are unaware that this is causing unnecessary nuisance to our neighbours. When the neighbours meet us in the hallway, they may look at us with anger or disgust and they may make rude gestures at us. If we are sensitive, then we may not have a very good feeling when we are looked at in this manner. However, though we may have been unaware in the past, the crisis with our neighbours may awaken our awareness. And if we are sensitive to the situation, we may try to correct ourselves and avoid being a nuisance. We will strive to be a better neighbour. This consideration from us may please our neighbours and there may be a better atmosphere between us. All this is possible when we are sensitive not only towards our needs but also towards everything around us, including gestures, looks, atmosphere and the lives of others. This kind of desire to avoid hurt from others and create a nicer atmosphere is natural and not a psychological desire. However, this does not mean that we should try and please everyone, including criminals and anti-social elements, and help them with their anti-social activities so that they may look at us nicely. When the intelligence is operating, then it will tell us what to do and what not to do.
Psychological Needs and Suffering
There is tremendous struggle, pain and wastage of energy in pursuing our psychological needs. A person who is ambitious and is seeking pleasure is always discontented because he does not have something that he feels he should have. And he feels that way constantly because he is always competing. When there is tremendous struggle in a certain direction, there is a continuous wastage of energy. In order to attain unnecessary goals, a person compromises with his natural desires, relationships and family. There may be an effort in the pursuit of basic needs but the pursuit or effort is natural. The struggle stops the moment our needs are satisfied, and it is not a constant battle. So, there is this balance between effort and rest.
When the mind seeks experiences that have given us delight in the past and tries to attain similar joy or reach the same state of mind, then there is only disappointment and frustration. This is because we do not experience the same kind of delight when we repeat the thing. Moreover, the mind is not in a position to experience anything new because its approach is from the memory, which is old. And finally, in becoming something, there is unnecessary fear of failure or anxiety of not achieving what we want. Therefore, the activity of the ‘me’ only leads to sorrow, misery and loneliness.
There is imbalance in our lives when we give importance to a very small part of life and ignore the other important aspects of life. What is actually important is the whole of life and this includes the little parts as well. Obviously, we must do what we love to do, but there is no struggle for name and fame here. The problem begins when we start pursuing our psychological needs. In the endless pursuit of name and fame, the activity is reduced to a very limited field. People who want to achieve success in life generally dissociate themselves from so many important aspects of life. This isolation brings tremendous loneliness in their lives. It is necessary to attend to our physical needs and, in the present society, it may necessary to work a job for a living. Such jobs often mean devoting most of our time to one thing and can also lead to some isolation. So one needs to be careful in balancing the important things in life.
A person worked as a very senior manager in a big company. Like with most people in most jobs in most organisations, he had to work long hours. He had given much of his time to working for the company. After completing his tenure, when he retired from the company, though he had enough money, there was also some loneliness in him. He tried to escape from his loneliness by inviting people to his house all the time for tea and unnecessary gossip. But, after a few years, he was tired of this kind of life and wanted to go back to the life in office, to which he was attached. Though he was financially very well off, he joined another company, doing a job similar to his previous one. However, after a few months, he had to quit due to old age and health. So, the point is that we keep running away from loneliness through one escape route or the other.
Psychological Pleasure and Destruction of Security
The psychological demand for pleasure may give some temporary satisfaction, but it destroys our actual security. When we associate ourselves with a big country and we are united by the ideal of nationalism and feel superior compared to other nationals, then we may feel a sense of pride and security. But this nationalism also causes divisions with other nationals and is one of the major causes of wars. Similarly, when we accumulate property and things unnecessarily to get prestige, name and fame, it causes economic problems. It increases violence and people have to fight for the basic necessities. When we act according to the concepts and values that we have acquired, it creates a certain personality, which is the ego. When we act according to the personality that we have created, we may feed our vanity. But this ego is the root cause of our psychological problems and is one of the major causes of conflict in the world.
We can see that many politicians and people who crave for power are only interested in their theories and ideologies and not in the lives of human beings. Their theories and revolutions cause so much chaos and impact the lives of so many people. But most of them are either superficially concerned about these things or are not really bothered about them. They may pretend to be concerned about the lives of their citizens, but what really matters to them the most is their pleasure. They derive pleasure from the recognition, respect and importance given to them. They revel in the fact that many people are following them and are ready to die for them.
Freedom from Desire
The psychological desires for recognition, fame and power do not have to be suppressed. But it is necessary to stay with these desires and understand them. In staying with the desire, there is self-knowing and understanding of ourselves. When we see the root cause of this desire, conflict and struggle, there is freedom from the desire. And then there is beauty and joy.
When we become insensitive towards the things around us, then we run after power, money and recognition. People who crave power and recognition are generally lonely and miserable. To cover their loneliness, they desire fame and want to be liked and honoured by the public. A person who is happy does not need to struggle for power or other things. When we discover the root cause of the desire, then there is freedom from the desire.
Now, another question that may arise here is this: is there a goal to be free from desire when there is an urge to understand it? If a person investigates the desire with an aim of freeing himself from the desire, then the whole investigation becomes very biased. This is because he is bound to examine things in the direction that he thinks will ultimately free him and ignore the area that he thinks will never let him become free. This may give very limited understanding. However, when there is no goal, method or effort to move away from the problem, then there is passive awareness, in which the examination is not directed towards a particular end. There is a sincere examination of the desire at a deeper level, which gives impartial understanding and freedom from the desire.
Loneliness forces us to look for an escape. Consequently, we start running after something or desire something that has nothing to do with our physical appetite or actual needs. But it is important to see that moving from one desire to another will not free us from the pains of loneliness. It can only give us temporary freedom from the problem of loneliness. The action of the self, me or ego causes isolation and loneliness. Any action that is based on an idea, knowledge or conclusion is an action of the ‘self,’ which gives importance to a particular fragment. So, when we decide and choose to run after various things to escape from our loneliness, then it is still an action of the ‘self.’ This causes further loneliness. When one observes that the self is causing loneliness, that the loneliness is forcing us to choose and pursue one thing or the other, and that this pursuit itself is an action of the ‘self ’ causing further loneliness, then this observation gives freedom from the self, loneliness and desire.
When ideas, concepts and formulae dictate our goals and desires, then the goal is something that is already fixed by the mind. Though natural urges, circumstances and other factors may point towards an urgency to change the goal, there is hardly any harmony between the mind, senses and the heart. In fact, there is conflict between them. However, when there is no self, then there is a harmony between the senses, mind and heart. In this harmony, the goal is not something that is fixed but it is a living thing. It keeps changing, depending on what the situation demands. So, though the action may be planned, there may be constant modifications, according to changing pressures and circumstances. Therefore, if we want to live peacefully within ourselves and with the world, it is necessary to doubt the values and traditions that have caused so much destruction and disintegration in our society.
Some people are constantly running after something because they want to move away from their day-to-day problems and conflicts in relationships (with their family and friends). In pursuing several goals, their minds forget about daily worries. This is another way of drugging the mind. So, they accept their life of unending struggle and pain in order to escape from their daily worries. However, if a person can stay with the worries (which could be some family issue or some other issue) and understand them, then he might be able to free himself from the worries and live a happy life. In such a case, there is no need for an escape. Choosing a life of ambition, greed and struggle is not the solution because it brings its own pains and the problem remains unresolved.
Now, a lot of times, ambitious or materialistic people get fed up with the constant struggle in trying to accumulate things and property for name, fame and respect, because there is no happiness in this pursuit. So, they start searching for knowledge and peace. But the truth is they are still ambitious as they try to find peace in various systems, ideologies and theories. The only difference probably is that earlier they were pursuing property and name and now they are pursuing peace, knowledge and methods.
Moreover, knowledge is also matter that the brain cells hold on to. When the cells accumulate knowledge, they are still being materialistic. Desire for material things is necessary and natural to an extent, but when we unnecessarily run after material things, it becomes a pursuit of pleasure. For instance, though religious people want to curb their natural desires, they desire for other things. This means there is still desire in them. They renounce worldly materials but hold on to other principles and ideologies in order to attain peace, happiness and inner development. So, there is a different kind of struggle to gain various things and resist natural desires in the search for pleasure.
All of us need food, clothes, and shelter to survive. At this level, self-interest is natural because without these basic needs we cannot live. But psychologically we do not need any theories to live. Although we need to fulfil our biological needs, the moment we think that it is right to have everything that we need or want, no matter what the situation is, then it merely becomes another concept or theory. Then there is no freedom of the brain. Maybe, at times and when necessary, one may have to compromise with the not-so-immediate needs, for something that is more urgent or necessary. However, our evaluation of the urgent and necessary too is based on our conditioning, prejudices and ideas of what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad, or what is important and what is not.
The younger generation wants more and more freedom. Young people feel that they should not be stopped from doing anything that they want to do. For most of us, freedom means living according to various concepts and theories that we can choose in the hope of finding happiness, but such a mind is merely a slave to a concept or a formula. Only when the mind is whole, when there is no self or ego, there is freedom.
Freedom from Ideologies
When we want to do everything that we want to do without caring about others, then there is a struggle or conflict with people, especially when we enter or invade their personal freedom. So, there may be no peace physically. Psychologically too, it causes a conflict inside the brain. Also, in doing everything that we want to do, we are unnecessarily destroying animals and other human beings for our pursuits, goals, entertainment and amusement.
Most of us are occupied in our own little world, which is the world of ideals, prejudices and wants. There is hardly any connection or communion with people. When we act from our morals and principles, without being sensitive to the situation, then such an action is still a self-centred activity. This is because in doing whatever our ideals and morals tell us to do, no matter how good they are, we are merely giving importance to our accumulated knowledge. But we are not sensitive to the situation. There are people who are virtuous because this gives them respect, fame and power. So, obviously, they are concerned about themselves and not others. Also, there is a possibility that their action may be unnecessary under the given circumstances or a particular situation. It can even cause damage or harm to others. However, one can always cultivate good manners and politeness in speech, but if one is acting without awareness and the feeling of love, it may have very little value.
Conscious and Unconscious Motives
A person who does charity and other noble acts without the inner feeling of love and compassion has a motive, conscious or unconscious. People who act according to some knowledge are always pursuing something. They may have conscious motives. For instance, they may think doing good will earn them name, fame or power. They may think that helping someone today will make that person help them with their needs and requirements.
There are also unconscious motives. People may have accepted certain formulae ages ago and they think that following these ideals will bring inner development and inner peace. So, they keep acting according to these formulae.
If people do good with a motive in mind, then they are selfish people. As long as the self is active and dictates the action, there will be selfishness. The act of doing good to others is not in question here. But if people act out of love and compassion, only then does the action becomes vital. When there is love, then there is no question of duty. We do what we can without becoming a doormat, depending on what we can do and what we cannot and our circumstances. This compassion is for everyone around, including animals, plants and all living things. The ones who act out of love may be aware that what they are doing will bring its own joy; but it is what they feel strongly that drives the action and not the goal of happiness.
Unhealthy Mind and Body
Though we may not be acting according to any formula, we still cannot think of anything else apart from our immediate needs. So, there is neither awareness nor sensitivity towards others. There is also no long-term vision for our own life. This generally happens when the body and mind have become dull due to various reasons such as unhealthy lifestyle, drugs and intoxication. There may be moments of awareness due to a crisis even during intoxication or when the effects of intoxication are over. This awareness can give understanding of the causes that make the body and mind dull.
Treatment of Animals
Human beings have become selfish and insensitive towards other species and towards each other. We have various arguments to support our beliefs and actions and our insensitivity towards humans, animals and other living things. People may say that some animals kill and eat others and therefore we too can do the same. However, it is in the nature of animals to kill and eat other animals. But when humans do this, there is a lot of cruelty. When animals kill other animals, the degree of violence is not the same. Carnivorous animals have natural organs to kill other animals. But humans don’t possess these organs. And that is why when we kill animals, there is a lot of brutality in the action. Moreover, humans have a brain, which can be used for constructive as well as destructive purposes. When it is used for destructive purposes, there is war, devastation and brutality. We are not only killing animals, but we are also keeping them in terrible conditions and torturing them for life.
Human beings have wiped out several species of animals and have made the lives of various species miserable on Earth. For many of us, entertainment and amusement are important. So, we are ready to sacrifice animals or birds and cage them for our pleasure.
Some people argue that plants are also living beings and eating them is also some form of killing and violence. People may argue that there is no difference, whether one kills an animal or a plant. It is true that plants have a life too. But we need to eat something to survive. The killing of plants for basic survival cannot be compared to the killing of animals for food and entertainment. It is necessary to awaken the sensitivity within us, because without this sensitivity we may treat everything in the world to be for our use without any sense of responsibility.
From our childhood, we have been conditioned about what is right and what is wrong. The whole world is divided over the question of right action because what is considered right and virtuous by one group is condemned and considered immoral by another group. One religion condemns something and the other justifies it. So, there is a fight between who is right and what is right. One political party is opposed to another political party because both have a different set of values and ideologies. So, there is tremendous division in this world on the basis of ideals, principles and ideologies.
When we have a blueprint of what is right and wrong action, then there will mostly be condemnation or justification of others according to the blueprint. However, if there is no blueprint or formula, then correct action is a living thing and observation of others is not biased. Rather, one may feel sympathy for those who have been conditioned through propaganda and fear by culture, group and society. When the actions are according to an idea, then it becomes a mere activity. Such an action cannot be correct because there’s no spontaneity in it. The situation is not understood. Only the idea dominates and becomes important.
Ideals are Unnecessary
Action according to some formula or principles shows thoughtlessness because one is not using the mind to assess the situation. This only shows that there is lack of sensitivity to the situation and there is no use of intelligence. If one ignores the situation, the use of reasoning and logic, and what one feels, but gives importance only to his principles or formulae, then how can such an action be correct? To ignore such a vast field and give importance to something that is formulated by another person or by ourselves cannot be correct. Moreover, one may give importance to both intellect and emotions, but if the intellect is used in a very limited field, the emotion is directed towards the very few things to which the mind has given preference, and the situation has significance only so that the theories can be applied; then such an action is corrupt.
However, many of us live according to ideals, and these ideals prevent us from understanding the situation and acting correctly. As long as the self, me or ego is active and dictates what we should do and what we should not do, the action cannot be correct.
Now, following a particular pattern or formula is not necessarily an incorrect action, because when we speak a certain language or write a letter, then we accept and follow a particular pattern of speech and words and grammar. So, using this particular language, we try to communicate with another person. If we say that we won’t accept any particular pattern of a language, then communication with others become tough. Also, if we say that we will only communicate in our local language or any other language, which we like or are proud of, then the communication with a person who doesn’t speak that language becomes almost impossible. So, it might be necessary to use a common language that both can understand to communicate. But a person may use a particular language and not others for various psychological reasons. He may be a patriot who sticks to his local language. Or he may have lived in a foreign country and wants to show off his new accent and foreign language skills while communicating with people who don’t understand the accent or language. In these cases, the person is acting from a concept and not from his intelligence. Such an action cannot be correct.
Real Goodness
Though ideals and morals are of no use, it does not mean that one should do whatever one feels like doing. It also does not mean that one should care only about oneself without bothering about how one’s action may affect others. It is necessary to have good manners and politeness, but without inner beauty and goodness, these outwards expressions of goodness may have very little value.
When there is freedom from the self, then there is love, compassion and real goodness. In this goodness, there is tremendous care for the lives of others. Then we would not kill animals for our food or engage in any sport that harms animals. But this goodness is not dictated by any concept or formula. So, there is a certain sense of freedom in which the goodness flows naturally.
For people living in an extremely cold climate, it may be necessary to eat meat. But to say that one can eat everything that one feels like eating is akin to giving importance to one fragment, which is one’s own feeling, and ignoring other fragments. There are people who may give little or no importance to the mind. It might be easy to say that the mind cannot decide what we should eat and we should do what we feel like doing. A person who has been brought up eating something or is in the habit of eating something will probably feel like consuming that thing. Moreover, if one has already decided that he would always act according to his feeling, then he is following a formula. This formula gives importance to his feeling without any consideration towards what others feel. It becomes a self-centred activity.
Spontaneous Action
There are people who speak about the importance of spontaneous action, but very few act spontaneously. If a person says that he would decide his action when the situation arises, then is he acting according to a formula that tells him to decide when the situation arrives. If one is acting according to a concept that tells him to think and decide only at the time of challenge, then the person is living according to a philosophy. But if one has not decided anything about a future situation, which may or may not arise, and is not following a particular formula according to which he will decide, then it has not become a thing of the mind.
If someone asks you what you would do in a particular situation, then your probable answer could be “I don’t know now, but I will know if and when the situation arises.” This means you haven’t decided anything already. You have only looked into the present question; you don’t know anything with regard to your future.
Sometimes, you may be anticipating a particular situation. Then you may make a blueprint of what you may do if a particular challenge arises. You may also have to make modifications in the blueprint depending on the change in circumstances and the type of challenge. So, though there is a blueprint, you may still act differently.
When the authority of various concepts and ideas ends, then it is the ending of the self. With this, there is an end to the conflict in the brain. The mind then works sanely and uses knowledge whenever it is necessary to do so. A free mind is full of love and compassion. In this freedom of the mind, there is natural intelligence of the body. This is when all the senses, like smell, touch and taste are working in harmony without any kind of control or exaggeration by a particular thought. Of course, thought is also one of the senses and is therefore part of that natural intelligence. When the intellect is unimpeded by theories or concepts and the heart is full of love and the body has its own natural intelligence, then there is harmony between the body, mind, and heart. Thus, there is spontaneous action.
But spontaneous action doesn’t mean that one should decide and act according to the immediate urge that arises in a particular situation. A lot of people confuse spontaneity in action with decision according to an immediate urge that arises when we are dealing with a particular situation. However, such spontaneity would not be real spontaneity because the mind has already predetermined that it would decide according to the instant urge only. Thus, the action is tied to the concept of the past. But spontaneity in the real sense happens when the mind is not bound by any formula, concept or ideology and is free to observe the challenge in the present. When a particular situation arises, then one may take time to think and look into various pros and cons before one acts. Or one may act immediately depending on the circumstances and other factors. Then there is harmony between the body, mind and heart.
At times, the body, mind, and heart may differ, but when there is this intelligence, then there is harmony between the three. This intelligence is not controlled by any of the three factors but the intelligence will know when to cooperate and how much to cooperate with the factors. A person may want to do something out of pure love and compassion and the mind may warn him of the possible risks. But if the intelligence is operating, then it will tell him what to do. This may mean taking a risk or avoiding a risk. After all, one can only do what is within one’s capabilities. But when there is this intelligence with love, then even though one might not be able to do anything at a particular time, one may try to persuade someone else who has the capacity to do something. A sensitive person may look into the causes of the problem in order to understand the situation, so that something can be done. However, if we keep acting superficially, according to some principle, then it has very little significance.
Hurt Caused to Others
There are so many people in the world who just care about their own comfort and are insensitive towards others. They live within a small fragment, in which only their own needs matter and nothing else. Then there are people who enjoy causing hurt and harm to others. They are sadists who have accepted a perverted form of pleasure as their way of life. It is perhaps not easy to change the people who derive pleasure from hurting others. And there are people who speak what may sound good and appealing to the general public, but their way of living doesn’t match what they say. Their only purpose is to impress the public and they live a hypocritical life. There are also many people who avoid killing, even if it is a tiny fly or an insect, and they take extreme measures to prevent any such killing. They sometimes take things too far.
So long as we are living, we may be hurting each other in the subtlest manner, even if none of us has any intention to hurt the other. This does not mean that we should commit suicide and leave the world. But there must be a way of living intelligently with the quality of sensitivity and care for the others.
A person who has love and compassion cannot be involved in the cruelty of killing in the name of religion or a country. He or she cannot kill innocent animals for his or her food, entertainment or sport.
The Question of Duty
Then there is the question of duty, because many times we are told that we have duties towards our elders. We are told that we should obey whatever they tell us to do and follow the career advice they give us, because they know better than us. When there is no self, me or accumulated knowledge, then there is no question of duty or any kind of compulsion. But this doesn’t mean that we won’t do anything for our parents, elders or others. There is freedom of mind and there is love, and such a mind has its own intelligence. This intelligence will tell us what to do.
A lot of times, in countries where tradition is strong, parents choose the careers of their children or the children choose a profession that has been in the family for many years. He or she may choose to become a lawyer, doctor and so on, if one of the elders in the family is in that profession. The parents generally want their children to be very successful and achieve great heights, so that they can fulfil their own ambitions and goals through their children. They do not care about their children’s happiness. Now, when we choose a profession in this manner, then we may have to put up with something we don’t like for a considerable period of our life. This results in conflict, and life becomes dull and boring.
When we act according to a pattern set by society as correct and achieve the heights that society recognises as respectable, in order to earn fame, money and success, then we are honoured by the majority. However, though we may be greatly honoured and respected by society, we may be living a second-hand life that is dictated by the pattern of others and is full of conflict and chaos. If we do not follow the pattern set by society and are free from all conditioning, then though we may have to face opposition from family, friends and society, we will be doing something that we really love to do, in which there is happiness. However, it is intelligence that will tell us what to oppose and when to oppose, because we also have to live in society.
Follow Your Passion
If we can find out what we love doing or what our interests are and pursue a career we have a passion for, then life becomes meaningful, and there is fun and happiness. However, unless there is freedom from the self, our passion has very little value. When the self is active, then tremendous importance is given to one thing or the other, and there is attachment towards that thing. This attachment may give us a sense of passion but it hardly has anything to do with real passion. We may get attached to a particular way of living, which might be to accumulate wealth, property and so on. We tend to give unnecessary importance to one of these things. However, this attachment is not true passion. We need to be free from this attachment and discover true passion. When there is freedom from the self, me or ego, then there is passion without a cause, which also expresses itself in what we do.
It may not be very easy to differentiate between true passion and attachment because there is very similar intensity in both. But, if one is not enjoying what he is doing and is doing something simply because it may earn him name and fame, then it may be a strong indication of attachment. Now, it may be very interesting to look at our various passions very closely. I may have a passion for something, and although it may also involve doing small things which I do not like, I may still want to do these things because they are important for my actual passion. So, doing things that I do not like does not necessarily indicate that my passion is not true. If I like to do something even if it does not give me anything, but I am simply doing it because there is love for that thing, then it may be strong indication of true passion. But it may be necessary to see whether I am really passionate about something or if my passion is the result of influence by society.
Moreover, there is a possibility that I have passion for something, and at the same time I also get attached to that thing. A person may have passion for playing cricket or football, but in the search for name and fame when the mind gives unnecessary importance to one of these things, then there is an attachment to it as well. And when there is this attachment, it destroys the real passion because one is no longer interested in playing a good game, but is merely interested in winning for fame by weakening the opposition through sledging or any other unfair means. So, the game is merely important for achieving fame or because it fulfils the psychological dependence which means that the game is not of primary importance but becomes secondary and is only important because it fulfils something else. So it may be difficult to say with certainty that some things are indications of true passion and others are not, but one has to experiment and look at these things from various angles and find out for himself whether it is attachment or true passion.
We are likely to make mistakes when leading our life. It is practically impossible to be a perfect person who doesn’t make a mistake. The majority of the human population is making mistakes by following various patterns that bring unnecessary conflicts and pain in life. Although most people make innumerable mistakes, they do not want us to make mistakes. They oppose us if we want to experiment in our lives and live freely because they are worried that we may break away from the authority of elders, tradition and society.
It is necessary to be a light to oneself. Though we may make mistakes, we learn from these mistakes and do what is necessary. We must move on after making mistakes. But if we follow the light of others, then we are living in darkness. When we have a serious problem, then we may go to a friend for help. But submitting to the authority of a friend, or anyone else, is not intelligence.
Fear is one of the complex problems that most of us face in our lives. When we have fear, it takes away all our joy and happiness. This fear is used by elders, parents and teachers to control a child. It is also used by society, tyrants and various organisations who want to control the behaviour of humans within a certain pattern, which they choose as the ‘right’ pattern. In this chapter, we will look at some of the causes of fear (including its root cause), the effects of fear on the human brain, and the difference between physical and psychological fear. We will also see if humans can ever be free from fear.
When fear is caused by a physical danger, then it is natural. It alerts the person of danger. If one is not afraid at the time of danger, then there is something wrong; then the thing posing the danger can cause damage and injury. In such situations, if one is drunk or intoxicated and is not afraid, then there is every possibility of becoming a victim. However, if the danger is gone and there’s no likelihood of such a threat in the near future, but the fear remains because of a previous bad experience, then this type of fear is psychological fear. This type of fear arises from the thought of a painful future. Then there is no use saying that you will not think about the painful incident, because the next moment you are thinking about it.
If fire is spreading, then it may be natural to be afraid, and this fear may prompt an immediate action to save your life. However, if the fire that caused the danger has been extinguished, but you are still continuously afraid of a particular threat that the fire may pose in future, then this fear affects your life unnecessarily.
We run away from this fear through various escape routes, but the psychological fear keeps coming back. The suppression of fear only increases the fear. Some people say that we should accept this fear in order to free ourselves from it. But when we accept the fear, then we are still following a formula that says that we should accept the fear. Then there is the goal to be free from fear. Psychological fear needs to be understood. Only by going deeper into it and discovering its root cause, can we be free from this fear.
In the state of fear, there is nervousness and agony, from which one usually wants to run away. So, when there is fear, there is a motive. The motive is to move away from what gives us fear or causes a state of disturbance, and move towards what gives us security, comfort or certainty. If there is a psychological fear, then we invent theories and beliefs to run away from this fear. Or someone else invents these beliefs and theories and we accept them, because this gives us hope. But there is always fear when these beliefs are challenged. When there is fear, then there is generally darkness. Then we cannot observe things clearly because the fear directs the observation and prevents clear observation.
Physical Challenges, Threats and Fear
Whenever we are trying to achieve a lofty goal or there is a physical challenge or threat to us, then there may be a fear of not succeeding or not being able to deal with the challenge or threat. When the challenge is daunting, then it is natural to be a bit negative. In this state, the enormity of the challenge can be understood and proper measures can be planned. When this is done, positivity arises naturally, for us to deal with the actual physical challenge. In a state of fear, there is tremendous energy to look into the challenge because the threat awakens the whole being and one becomes alert and not casual.
Education tells us that we must remain positive to deal with difficult situations. But any effort to be courageous or any movement away from fear is still fear. This is because, when we are running away or avoiding something, then we are already afraid of that thing. So, suppressing fear is not the right way to deal with it because suppression implies avoidance or keeping something away. When we continuously want to avoid or run away from fear, then we are already afraid of fear. However, if we are very careful about avoiding anything that suppresses the fear, then we are already acting according to accumulated knowledge that says we must not suppress the fear. We are still afraid of doing anything that may become suppression. In seeing the fact that suppression cannot end the fear, there is freedom from suppression.
Now, if we are in front of a wild animal, then naturally there is the fear of being attacked. But it may be necessary for us to not exhibit this fear to the animal, because wild animals generally attack when they sense fear. Therefore, we have to be careful and do all that is necessary to hide the exhibition of this fear from the animal. Otherwise there is a risk of the animal attacking us. But this suppression of fear or inhibition of fear is only an act in need. Here, the purpose is not to free ourselves from the problem of fear through suppression. The purpose is to not exhibit this fear to the animal to protect our life.
Intoxicants to Overcome Fears
Often, various drugs and intoxicants are used to forget the state of loneliness or to become courageous. Now, taking these drugs or drinks can make us feel very strong physically. In that state, one may feel tremendous power to face big challenges or do difficult things. Also, when one feels so strong physically, by taking drugs or by other means, then this physical strength affects the psychological fear too. One is not so afraid psychologically. Similarly, if one is free from psychological fear, then it affects the physical state and one is not so afraid physically. However, if we have too many psychological fears, then these psychological fears make us more afraid physically and vice versa. So, there is a relationship between physical fears and psychological fears.
However, in most cases, consuming drugs is not the right way to deal with physical or psychological fear, unless there is a physical condition of the body that is causing the fear. Then obviously a doctor is important. If there is a physical danger or challenge and the fear arises out of that danger, one takes a pill or drug to overcome this fear. The drug may either make one forget about the challenge or make him feel capable of doing something he cannot do. In both cases, the results could be dangerous. There are people who have felt extraordinarily strong after taking drugs and have tried silly things and landed themselves in serious trouble. This is not advisable.
Moreover, though drugs may make us feel temporarily stronger, they also make us insensitive. They have a negative effect on both the body and the mind. Instead, if we keep ourselves healthy and fit through right food, right exercises and proper sleep, then there is not only physical strength and energy, but there is also a quality of awareness, which is necessary to look into the physical challenge or understand the problem of psychological fear and free ourselves from it.
Understanding Psychological Fear
There is psychological fear because we think that what has happened in the past might happen in the future. Or we think that we may not succeed in achieving what we want to achieve. So, we are continuously living in the past or the future. The fear continues because of the effort to get rid of it, through various kinds of tricks, including different methods of meditation. This is in reality not meditation at all. In becoming one thing and avoiding its opposite, there is the fear of the opposite. In developing courage, we are already running away from fear or we are afraid of it. The cause of fear is psychological time, that is the past or the future, and there is no awareness of the present. But if we can stay with our present psychological state, in which there may be fear and anxiety, then there is understanding of that state and freedom from the problem of fear.
A person who has not freed himself from the problem of psychological fear cannot act rightly because it is the fear that guides his action. Such an action is always fragmentary. When there is fear, there is a motive. This means there is a cause. And when there is a cause, the action is fragmentary. When the mind is free from fear, then there is clear observation. Action stems from this clarity. This action is free from any cause. Such an action is whole and not fragmentary.
Energy to Understand Fear
In order to inquire deeper into the question of fear, we require energy. The energy comes when there is an urge or passion to understand something. Uncertainty, anxiety or fear creates this urge.
When there is observation using the intellectual capacity of reasoning of the mind and the emotional element of the heart, we can discover the root of fear. Then there is freedom from the problem of fear.
Root Cause of Fear
The self is the root cause of fear. As long as there is the self, there is no freedom. There will be fear for sure. Suppressing the thought is still an activity of the self. There are different techniques and methods that may give a temporary escape from the self. But it gives just temporary relief from the problem of fear. The thought generally comes back and so does the fear. So, until we think out and feel out the problem of fear, there is no freedom from it. As long as there is the activity of the self, which is acting from particular knowledge or an action based on ideas, principles and ideologies, there will always be fear. The action is motivated by our need to achieve a particular goal or our desire for success, name, recognition and fame. In becoming something, there is the fear of the opposite. In trying to be a great person, there is a fear of being unimportant. There is a desire to be secure psychologically through beliefs and we hope for continuity after death. When these beliefs are challenged, fear is caused.
When the mind gives importance to a certain thing, then there is psychological dependence on that thing. This leads to attachment to the thing. This attachment gives rise to the fear of losing that thing. We are dependent on each other for our physical needs, but this dependence is not so binding, because either the needs are satisfied or we can find an alternative. In certain cases, we may be able to live without the thing that we need.
The fear that arises out of physical dependence makes us cautious. However, a psychological need is never satisfied. We are continuously running after more. And the thing on which we are dependent becomes extraordinarily important to us. Therefore, such dependence is very binding, leading to unnecessary anxiety and the fear of losing that thing.
So, although the desire for physical security causes fear of not being able to secure ourselves physically, it is natural to desire physical security. It is necessary to have food, clothes and shelter to live and survive in this world. However, we must be careful because the desire for physical security can become a desire for psychological security, when there is an unnecessary exaggeration of the demand for security in the future. This only causes psychological fear.
Necessary Precautions and Needless Worry
There are certain things you need to be prepared for. A person may be healthy, but if there is a communicable disease in a certain area or a city or if there is some other danger that is spreading fast, then there may be a fear due to such developments. It is wise to take necessary precautions from such dangers. Sometimes, it is sane to think about the dangers that are not there but may arise.
Also, we have to accumulate some things to a certain extent, to live in this world. It is sane and healthy to have a long vision rather than trying to live only in the immediate present. If the fire is spreading in the city where we live, then it would be foolish to say that we should live in the present and not worry about what may happen in the next hour or two, because you can already see the danger ahead of you, though it might be a few minutes or hours away. However, many people live only in the immediate present, without thinking about the future. We must think about the future when it is necessary.
But worrying needlessly about the future when everything is going well causes unnecessary fear and anxiety. When there is a challenge or threat in life, there is a physical situation that demands our attention. Then we do whatever is necessary. However, sometimes, even when there is no apparent physical challenge or threat, it may be necessary to take certain precautions against some possible dangers such as contagious diseases or wild animals in a forest. So even though there may be no visible physical threat in front, one may need to take precautions against a threat, which might not be visible but hidden. But if we try to secure ourselves totally from every possible danger that may arise, then it becomes very difficult to live life. It might be impossible to secure ourselves completely from every earthquake or famine looming in the future.
Moreover, if we are worried about all possible dangers that are not visible but may arise in future, then it not only causes nervousness but also prevents us from living life. For instance, you may be afraid to travel by bus or car because you fear you may have an accident. The fear prevents you from enjoying the drive. Also, even if you avoid travelling by car or bus, you cannot have complete security because you may be attacked by a lunatic, even while walking.
Now, it is very difficult to separate physical fears from psychological fears because they overflow into each other. Physical fear is the fear arising from a danger that is present. Psychological fear arises from thinking about a danger that is not present, but may arise. The exaggeration of physical fear becomes psychological fear. Also, to an extent, to think about the possible dangers that may arise is not psychological but is still a physical fear.
The Role of Self
There is fear because there are many groups and communities with their own sets of morals, principles and ideologies, and they are fighting against each other. This continuous fighting between people of various groups, races and nationalities, attacking each other either verbally or through the use of arms, causes an atmosphere of unnecessary fear in the world. The root cause of all these divisions, leading up to war and destruction, is ‘self.’ Self has caused division between various communities and groups in this world. So, unless we can free ourselves from all these different ideologies, principles and ideals, there will be wars, and there will be fear. Thus, the ‘self ’ causes fear not only psychologically but also physically.
We compare ourselves with people who have achieved great heights, name or fame and try to achieve similar heights. Then there is a fear of not achieving or not succeeding. So, such comparison is also one of the causes of fear. However, it may not be possible for us to live without comparison completely because sometimes physical comparison is necessary. But psychological comparison is unnecessary as it causes needless fear, anxiety and loneliness.
Fear of Death
There is also the fear of death. People cover this fear through various beliefs and hopes; they never go into the question of death. Death is a fact, and all of us will die one day. But most of us do not see what it is about death that we are afraid of. Most of us are afraid of not being able to continue with our pleasures, attachments and hopes. We want to avoid the pain and agony that we have suffered in the past. So, what we are afraid of is the known. It is not the unknown that is causing the fear. We want to continue with the pleasures and we are afraid of not being able to do so. We are also afraid of any painful experiences being repeated. However, if we realise that we can die to both pleasure and pain, then there is no fear of death. So, the self or the me is the cause of the fear of death. The ‘me’ that is attached wants continuity and security and is afraid of death.
When there is fear, then we generally turn to the people whom we consider experts and who can help us free ourselves from this fear. So, we accept the authority of the so-called experts, who may be psychologists or religious teachers. There is the fear of right and wrong/good and bad or the fear of what may happen in the future. So, we accept the authority of the experts. However, when we submit to the authority of others, conform to a particular formula or ideal, or conform to the authority of our own knowledge, then the authority itself breeds fear. There is nervousness about whether we are conforming to the formula correctly or not. In staying with this fear, there is understanding and freedom from fear.
Role of Religion
Religions have also perpetuated fear. Most religions say that if we do not live according to religious scriptures, then we will be punished after death. So, religions use coercion or fear to control humanity. Religions have caused various divisions in our society, leading to numerous conflicts and wars in the world. If a person sees and feels the fact that organised religions have caused tremendous damage in this world, then he will not commit himself to any of these religions. Such a mind is an enquiring mind, free from belief and non-belief.
The ideals of various religions are mere illusions. They prevent us from looking at what we are and thereby prevent us from understanding ourselves. Moreover, any action according to ideals cannot be correct action; it is only a self-centred action. When there is an action according to an ideal, then there is a cause, and such an action is fragmentary.
It is necessary to free ourselves from organised religions. There is nothing sacred in organised religions, which use propaganda and pressure. All the organised religions of the world are based on thought and thought itself is fragmentary because knowledge is never complete. But if we study the various scriptures of different religions and experiment with various theories, principles and ideals and say this is true or that is false, there are clever people who can refute our arguments and change our minds, with their cunning arguments and power of persuasion.
Most of us live according to various images, which we have not only about ourselves but also about others. The others could be our parents, partner, family, friends and relatives. Now the question is, do these images bring us closer to each other or do they prevent actual observation of each other in our day-to-day life, thereby preventing actual relationships? One may argue that memory of actions and reactions from the past may help us in our relationship with others, because we can deal with them in a better way, through the already acquired knowledge of them. In this chapter, we will discuss how images are formed and how and where image formation is detrimental in our relationships with each other. We will also see where having an image may be necessary and important.
A person needs some degree of knowledge to repair a house. The doctor needs knowledge to treat his patients. A repairer can repair a house because he knows the procedure to repair and a doctor can treat his patients because he knows how different organs in our body function and how to treat them. However, in our relationship with people, things are not so simple. When we hold a certain image/knowledge of a person in our brain and deal with him according to a particular idea, then there is no relationship.
Impartial Observation
Having an image of another person means we are not looking at him totally; we are only comparing him with the image that we have of him. So, there is only partial observation, which prevents sensitivity and an actual relationship with that person. The person whom we are observing might have changed in the meantime. However, this does not mean that one should just assume that the other person must have changed or create a different or good image of a person who has not been very nice to us in the past. It is necessary to look at the person afresh because he might or might not have changed.
What is important is to have an impartial observation. This is possible only if knowledge doesn’t dictate our observation. Otherwise, there is no relationship with the other person.
How Are Images Formed?
First of all, let us see how these images are formed. We have acquired various values and morals from society and we act according to these traditions and morals. These values and traditions create our personality, which becomes an image of ourselves. If I have acquired the value of humility from my culture and make an effort to be humble, then I have already created an image about myself that I am a very humble person.
When we compare our values of humility and non-greed with the humility and non-greed of others, then we find ourselves superior or inferior to others. This becomes another image. So, comparison with others either gives a certain satisfaction of superiority or it hurts us with the feeling of inferiority. All this adds to the image we have about ourselves. However, we should not make an effort to get rid of the image of ourselves. Otherwise, this particular effort to remove all the images creates a new personality of ourselves, which becomes another image.
Once we have a certain image about ourselves, then we look at others through this image. We tend to view others through the ideals of ‘this is right’ and ‘this is wrong’ and so on, which are all part of the image. So, we compare the behaviour of people with our values, rights and wrongs, and form an image of people. We categorise people as good and bad according to our rights, wrongs and values.
When someone points out our mistakes, challenges our values, or flatters us, we are hurt by their behaviour or we are pleased and flattered. So, on the basis of this hurt or flattery from others, we form images of people and label them as good or bad. We deal with these people according to the image we have about them. We then live according to the ideas about how to deal with certain people. We try to protect ourselves from being hurt in the future, by avoiding people who have hurt us in the past or being nice and friendly to those who have flattered us. So, the relationship becomes a monotonous activity in the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of any hurt.
I remember that once I was watching the news on television. The government had enacted a new law. The news channel had invited spokespersons of political parties for a debate on this new governmental policy. A spokesperson from an opposition party was praising this new law. However, the spokesperson from the ruling government party was condemning this spokesperson, who was actually praising the government’s stand. So, he was not looking at the situation with a free mind but was acting according to some idea and with a set frame of mind to condemn the Opposition that was not opposing this time. Perhaps he had the image that the rival party always opposed. So, even when the Opposition was not opposing but praising, he could not break out of the image he had in his mind. This may seem somewhat unusual. Or perhaps there was some other reason for such a behaviour. But the truth is we do form images and the images prevent us from looking at things clearly.
When we meet someone regularly, then naturally there is an image formed of that person in our mind, depending on his/her behaviour. Memory is natural and so is image making. It is not possible to forget the memories of some experiences. It is necessary to protect ourselves physically. Sometimes, it is necessary to keep the image of people who have seriously tried to hurt us physically. But remember, the person could have changed.
So, we must try to look at our friends, family, partners and others who are close to us and who have not tried to hurt us grievously without any image about them. This will ensure proper communion and relationship with them.
There must be intelligence in relationships. When intelligence is operating, it will tell us which image to keep and which one to discard. It might be necessary to have the image of people who are a bit dangerous, are habitual offenders or have to tried to repeatedly hurt us physically. We may want to distance ourselves from certain relationships. But if we want to have communion with others, then we should ignore the small incidents that could have been caused due to improper diet or various other reasons. Try not to create an image on the basis of minor incidents.
Physical hurt can sometimes lead to image building. There is also psychological hurt, which is not necessary and leads to an unnecessary image of the person who has caused this hurt. However, when someone’s words or behaviour causes psychological hurt, then the person is probably not fully responsible for causing this hurt. We are hurt psychologically because we hold a certain image of ourselves. We think we are somebody important or we feel we have a great personality. This image gets hurt when someone points out our mistakes or says something to damage our ego. The image can get hurt even if two people are talking to each other and appreciating a third person. When an egoistic person hears others talk about the greatness of another person, then the person’s ego gets hurt. This image is the personality created by all the values that we have acquired from our culture, society and tradition. So, the real cause of this unnecessary hurt is the image that we have created about ourselves. But if we stay with this hurt, then we will find that the root cause of it is the self, me, or ego. In this understanding, there is freedom from the self or the ego. When there is no self or ego, then we are incapable of getting hurt psychologically. This also means that there is no image formation about others unnecessarily.
Freedom from Images
We do not quarrel with each other so much if we have a similar set of values. But when our values, morals and principles do not match, then there is division, conflicts, problems and wars. If one person is free of images, but the other person has them, then there is conflict created by the person who has images. The person who is free of images may try to establish some kind of relationship with the other person. But the other person cannot have any relationship until he is free from images. So, a person who is free from images can only try to help the other person be free from his images. But only if the other person frees himself from the images, can there be a real relationship?
Now, the question that may arise here is how do these images prevent actual contact with others? If we have an image of someone and we are observing him through this image, then we are merely comparing him with the image that we hold about him. This means that there is very little contact with that person. Similarly, if the other person also looks at us through the image he has about us, he too has very little contact with us. Then there is no relationship between us.
Moreover, when two persons have different images of each other, then the difference between the ‘I’ and the ‘not I’ separates them from each other psychologically, because they are at two different levels psychologically. This means that there is a psychological space between them, even though they may be sitting next to each other or holding each other’s hands.
It is important to understand that if we have no image about ourselves, then we don’t look at others through any image. Hence, there is no image formation of another person. But when we compare our image with other people’s behaviour (this comparison includes the rights, wrongs, ideals and morals), we create an image ‘you’ about the others. When both of us are free of the images about each other, then there is actual contact, sensitivity, relationship and love.
Forgiveness
There is also the question of forgiveness. A lot of research has been done on the benefits of forgiveness. According to various experts, if we carry on with hurt inside and consequently keep the pot of anger boiling, then it has a negative impact on us psychologically. Now, if there is no image, then there is no psychological hurt. Also, if there is no storing of anger that arises from physical hurt, then there is no need for forgiveness. At the time of physical hurt, one has to do whatever one can do to protect herself. When the anger piles up after the incident, then it becomes a problem. Perhaps, there would be not much storing of anger if one sees that the person who creates unnecessary conflict, due to his ideologies and ideals, is a victim of culture and propaganda, and is not a bad or wrong person.
We are hurt both physically as well as psychologically, and this hurt causes anger or hatred against the people who have hurt us. Due to this anger and hatred inside us, there is violence against people and communities, resulting in brutality, wars and destruction. This chapter talks about the various causes of anger within us, how unnecessary divisions on the basis of race, religion and country causes devastating violence and brutality, and how we can free ourselves from these divisions, brutality and wars and live a life of peace on Earth.
The society in which we live promotes comparison, competition and ambition. This breeds violence. At school, work, home and other places, we are constantly compared with other students, colleagues, family members and so on. A person who scores fewer marks in school or is less efficient at work is condemned and the one who is better is appreciated. So, the one who is considered brighter becomes an example to be followed. This comparison causes unnecessary psychological hurt to the person who is considered less efficient, leading to jealousy, hatred and antagonism against others. Also, the person who is considered more efficient or brighter does not want to lose the competition. He or she wants to be at the top throughout his life, unless he or she frees himself from this conditioning. So, this competitiveness breeds unnecessary struggle and conflict in our lives. There is hardly any relationship with others. How can we have a relationship with others and think of their welfare when we want to defeat them all the time in meaningless competitions?
We have lost our relationship with nature. Our relationship with everything has been reduced to that of use. We treat everything in nature, including animals and trees, for our use alone. We have the same mentality with respect to our partners, parents and children. However, this does not mean that we should not use anything that is present in nature. But if our relationship is merely that of ‘use,’ then we destroy or bring unnecessary suffering to the life of others. We only care for ourselves and we are ready to destroy things for our pleasure and entertainment. This mentality of using each other and the lack of love in our relationships with one another, be it our friends, family, relatives and partners, causes conflict between people and brings unnecessary suffering to each other.
Cinema promotes violence. Modern-day movies are full of violence involving heroes and villains, who are fighting and destroying each other with the use of guns and other tools of destruction. The action and drama may be fun and entertainment, but it can also affect the young and delicate minds of children, who get attracted to various means of warfare and violence. They want to imitate their heroes and role models.
Role of Parenting
As parents, it becomes very tough to control children who pick up all the wrong values of society. But it is necessary for parents to be vigilant and aware of what children are doing, what kind of friends they have, and what kind of values they are absorbing from the outside world. Most parents do not give adequate time to their children. So, there is a likelihood of their children picking up the wrong values.
When parents have the quality of love and are concerned about their children’s future and well-being, they will spend necessary time with their children and try to understand their behaviours and attitudes. It is important to speak to children about their various issues and problems.
When there is this love, then we will know how to correct our child who is becoming obsessed with violence or is picking up unnecessary values from society. If there is love, then we will find a way to deal with our child, without suppression and control. Control can bring about a temporary change but real change is possible only through educating and discussing why something is not good for children and society.
Role of Systems
Our legal systems are based on the principle of punishing people who have committed a crime. Offenders are given harsh punishments. Perhaps a little discipline with reasonable and humane punishment is necessary to have some kind of order in society and prevent people from committing crimes or doing everything they want to do. But if a person is forced to steal because he has no means to support his family, then is it not the failure of our system? The system has deprived people of their basic necessities of life and has made it difficult for them to survive.
Some people have been brainwashed to destroy a particular race or community or commit various other crimes in the name of religion. This is the result of vast propaganda and conditioning by priests and politicians, and all this has been going on in this world for years.
Surely, the world must be protected from dangerous people, their ideas and designs. All that is needed to save the lives of innocent people from dangerous people must be done. But we must be aware that they too are victims. Such people need the right kind of education to free them from ideologies or theories and thereby free them from the various causes of hatred in society. Also, if a person has a mental health disorder, which is causing his or her aggressive behaviour, then such a person probably needs medical attention and not punishment.
Anger, Violence and Psychological Hurt
Now, anger or violence can arise from physical as well as psychological hurt. So firstly, let us look at the question of anger arising from psychological hurt. As long as we have a particular image about ourselves, we are going to get hurt. In the previous chapter, we learned how these images are formed. We also learned that there is freedom from these images when there is an understanding of ourselves. Once there is freedom from these images, then there can be no hurt psychologically. However, if we are free from images, but the other person is not free from them, then there is a possibility of us hurting the other person psychologically. So long as this person has an image about himself, he may get hurt by what we say to him, unless we decide to flatter him unnecessarily and agree with his ideologies and opinions. But if we agree with him unnecessarily, then this may only feed his ego. He would probably carry on living the way he lives.
If we are overly careful about not hurting others at all, then it becomes impossible to act and speak with complete freedom. Complete freedom doesn’t mean that we should say and do everything that we want to. But we must be free psychologically. This means freedom from ideals and morals. Only then it is possible to act with intelligence. Sometimes, as long as the person we are speaking to is not mentally unstable or excessively violent, it may be necessary to point out his or her mistakes. Although it may hurt him or her psychologically, if he or she sees the truth of what is being said, then he or she may change. Only then it is possible to have a healthy relationship with him or her.
So, people who have a particular image about themselves get hurt psychologically. When they are hurt, they become aggressive and violent and want to hurt the other person. Such people are very insecure about their image getting hurt by someone. Many times, they become aggressive and violent even if they have the slightest suspicion that someone would hurt their ego. They want to defend their image at any cost. So, the moment there is fear that someone will expose their reality or someone who knows about their past can expose them, they become unnecessarily violent. They want to defend their image even before it gets hurt. They can be overtly soft-spoken and nice as long as we feed their ego and don’t disturb them, but the moment their ego is hurt, they get aggressive. It sometimes becomes almost impossible to talk to them without hurting them.
I remember that once a guy who worked for the post office brought a parcel to our house. My mother went to the main door to receive the package. She asked the guy if it was a courier delivery. The man became unnecessarily aggressive and angry and said to my mother, “What? A courier? I am not from a courier company but from the post office!” I went to the door and asked him why he was getting hurt. He said that everybody used the term ‘courier’ and that he worked for the post office and not a courier company. I asked him again what the reason for his hurt was, even if my mother had used the word ‘courier’? He said the courier guy earned only Rs. 5,000 a month, while he earned Rs. 35,000 a month. So, his ego was hurt when he was called a courier, who generally earned a low salary.
In our relationship with others, we are hurting each other unnecessarily. There is hardly any relationship. There is needless anger, hatred and antagonism arising from the unnecessary hurt. So, it is important to be free of images to have healthy relationships.
Ideal Pattern and Violence
When we have a particular set of rules by which we live, then our lives get limited to a particular field, to which we get attached. The moment we consider a particular way of living or a particular pattern of life to be right, then we are opposed to some other way of living, which we consider to be wrong. When someone challenges our ideals and our way of life, we get aggressive because we are attached to these ideals. Eventually, there is perpetual hatred for people who challenge us or have a different way of living. These ideals have not united humanity but they have caused hatred and antagonism; leading to wars, brutality and suffering.
Throughout history, there have been personalities and philosophers who have proposed various principles, ideals, ideologies and morals according to which we should live. But whenever a particular pattern of living is considered a perfect or an ideal pattern and an effort is made to make man perfect, in the hope of creating a perfect society, there will always be cruelty. The people who attempt to create a beautiful world in this manner not only force themselves to live according to that pattern but also force others to follow that particular pattern. In that, there is coercion, compulsion and brutality. In the attempt to create a beautiful and peaceful world, there has been much destruction, conflict and war.
What is important is not what an ideal world should be, but we must look at the various problems and understand them. In understanding the problems and their causes, there is a possibility of transformation. It is not right to force someone to conform to a particular pattern of life which we think is the right pattern. Living according to a particular pattern is leading a life full of conflict and misery. Secondly, we do not have any right upon the lives of others. We cannot tell others how they should live and what they should do or what is right and wrong for them. However, this does not mean that one cannot stop a person who is misbehaving or causing nuisance in society. When someone’s actions cause disturbance or violence to us or the society, then it is natural to protect ourselves and others. We may have to ask that person to change his behaviour or do what is necessary at that time.
Anger and Physical Hurt
And then there is physical hurt. It is natural for us to defend ourselves from being hurt physically. Animals are violent, especially when they are teased or provoked even slightly. They can become very aggressive and violent. But we are supposed to be a bit more intelligent. Many times, when we use violent means against others, the result is more aggression and violence from the other side. Thus, the violence may never stop. However, this does not mean that we should have an ideal of non-violence and never use any force against someone who is hitting us or some other weaker person. By following the ideal of non-violence, we might just be bullying ourselves. In trying to be non-violent, we would still be violent in fighting the violence inside us.
But when we are free from violence and there is intelligence, then we will know how to respond to a given threat without getting unnecessarily aggressive. Now sometimes, it might be necessary to use a little bit of force to protect ourselves or others from a violent and aggressive person. This defence cannot be classed as violence. Some people become more violent the moment they see a weaker person or someone who cannot/doesn’t defend himself. At times, one may have to defend himself from such people. If I want to hurt someone because he has hurt me in the past, even though he has no desire to hurt me anymore or is a totally reformed person now, then I am not acting out of intelligence. I am behaving with a revengeful motive.
Again, this does not mean that we should always use force to stop a violent person. When there is total freedom of the brain (the brain is not tied to any belief or ideal), then we are not dealing with theories. So, we can decide what to do at a particular time. If someone asks us what we would do if our friend is threatened or attacked, then some of us, who have no ideals, could say “I don’t know now, but I will know when the situation arises.” This freedom doesn’t mean that we can break the law. Psychological freedom means that we are not restricted by any theories or concepts. When the situation is really serious or there is a grave danger or crisis, then we would give up all our theories. At that time, there is no ‘self,’ but the mind is free to decide what to do.
But a lot of times, we give more importance to our ideals, concepts and beliefs than the actual situation or challenge, because we are more concerned about adhering to our theories than looking at the problem seriously. When our theories or ideals fail, we move from one ideal to another. So, this accumulated knowledge, according to which we act, keeps undergoing modifications, depending on our personal experiences and the values we gather from society.
Let’s look at an example. Suppose you have a fight with your very close friend. You get aggressive with her and this behaviour ends your deep friendship with her. Later you realise that it was a mistake to have been aggressive with your friend. Consequently, you make non-violence your ideal. Now, the next time you see someone attacking your sister, you try to deal with the situation from this ideal of non-violence. Then, based on your interpretation of this ideal, you may not be able to respond adequately and save your sister from possible injuries or an assault. So, you may regret again and choose another ideal for future actions. This way, we keep moving from one ideal to another. This prevents us from responding to the situation adequately.
So, we either meet violence with violence or we become pacifists. Seeing the destruction caused by violence, a lot of people choose to be pacifists. This is not an ideal solution always. One may destroy himself being a pacifist. However, if we want peace in the world, then it becomes necessary to free ourselves from belonging to religions and ideologies, because these only breed hatred and violence. The ‘self,’ which causes unnecessary divisions on the basis of religion, race, country and so on, leads to hatred and violence among various communities and races. A person who wants to transform humanity should not only free himself from his conditioning but also try and help others free themselves from their conditioning.
There are people who are not concerned about the violence in the world. In fact, they try to justify the violence through theories and examples. There are people who say that animals are violent and so are we. The fact that some bigger animals eat the smaller ones doesn’t mean that we should do the same to the comparatively smaller beings. We are supposed to be more intelligent and we should use this intelligence to live happily with each other, and if possible care for other creatures. If we keep living the way we are living now, then we will keep destroying each other. Peace is possible on Earth only if we come out of our conditioning, which has been going on since our childhood under the influence of our culture and tradition.
We are destroying our present for the sake of our future when we declare wars and justify them for various reasons. Although it is necessary to have a long vision, the future is uncertain. It is not intelligent on our part to forsake the present and go to war, hoping that it would bring peace in the future. Wars lead to more wars. Someone who commences a war saying and hoping it will bring peace or create a better society in the future does not love peace. If he loves peace, then he wouldn’t commence a war and bring destruction in the present, for the idea of a peaceful future, of which there is no guarantee. Such a person is only attached to the idea of peace, but there is no peace in his heart. A person who believes in a bloody revolution cannot guarantee that there will be peace if he comes to power. If he is sensitive to all lives and understands the effects of war, then he will not motivate people to opt for such a revolution.
And there are people who start with peaceful protests, but their aim is to grab power and cause trouble in such a manner that forces the government or the state to use violent means. This then gives these people an excuse to retaliate and use violence. Then they blame the government for all the trouble. The government may be inhuman, but there have been several bloody revolutions due to the desire of the protesters to attain power. Although a certain carefully planned non-cooperation with a particular brutal regime may be necessary, more recently, the West tried to meddle in the affairs of the Middle East, supporting various groups and arming them. There has been so much brutality and unnecessary suffering to the lives of common people.
We are attached to our ideas and we call it ‘love.’ We are attached to the idea of ‘my Israel, ‘my England,’ ‘my France’ or ‘my religion’ (whether it is a religion of the East or the West). We are ready to kill people, in the name of love for our country or religion. Now, whether it is Israel, America, England or any other country, it is still a creation of our minds because we have given a particular name to a particular piece of land, which is only a part of Earth and not Earth itself. By being attached to the idea of ‘my country,’ we are destroying Earth, which is not a dead thing. Whether I am a Palestinian bombing Israel or an Israeli bombing Palestine, I am still destroying Earth. However, it seems that ideas are important in our lives and nothing else.
The present situation in the world is that of brutality, wars, and violence. Countries are fighting each other for a particular piece of land. There are fights between different groups within a particular country to grab power. In the present situation, if we are sane and free from all the ideals and values imposed by society, then we cannot fully support a particular group or community and totally ignore everybody else. Now, if we support a particular group completely, it also means supporting their ideologies, concepts and beliefs. Then we are also supporting things that breed hatred and violence in society. However, this does not mean that we should become totally inactive. So, what can we do in order to survive as well as help others in this world where there is brutality, wars and crime?
A Sane Mind, a Heart Full of Love
What is needed is a mind that is working sanely and uses reason and logic and is free from all ideologies, theories and ideals. What is also needed is a heart that is full of love and compassion. Only when the brain is free from the self and is not tied to ideologies, theories and formulae, is there love in the heart. When there is this quality in the mind and the heart, then we will know what to do when the situation arises. When our intelligence is active, it will tell us what to support and what not to support. This means not belonging to or supporting any particular belief, ideology or religion, which is the causes of conflict in society. In this world, with all the wars, poverty and disease, we can still do whatever we can to help others and support various organisations that help humanity by providing food, proper education and care for the sick.
Role of Education in World Peace
Many of us are not concerned with what is happening around the world, as long as it does not affect our country or the place in which we live. This means that we are a bit insensitive to the world. And there are people who pretend to be concerned with the developments around the world, but they have other motives. There are also people who are concerned very superficially with various problems of life such as war and economy. They try to bring about a change within a limited field, either through legislations or organisations. They work within their limited spheres without being profoundly concerned with the human mind, which has caused so many problems. However, legislations and organisations such as the United Nations have not been able to control the atmosphere of war. The current war in Syria involves so many countries that are part of the United Nations, and they are all fighting each other. Although they are one under the United Nations, they are divided deeply against each other because of nationalities, ideologies, principles, and ideals. Without ending this division, we cannot end violence and wars in the world. Therefore, it is important to free ourselves from all the factors that cause division in our society. Once we are free, then we can try and help others to be free.
There are so many human problems that cannot be resolved without the radical transformation of the human mind, because it is the mind that has created them. As long as there is the self, we will have wars, economic problems, and other issues. Attempts at the surface level to resolve these problems will not bring about real change.
Once there is freedom from the self and there is no attachment to any idea or concept such as nationalism and capitalism, the source of division, conflict and wars will be gone. Then we may be able to live peacefully with each other. If there is a global outlook instead of a nationalistic attitude, then we will be able to solve various economic issues and other problems.
The public needs to be educated rightly, so that people are free from all ideologies and have the quality of intelligence with its love. When there are sensitive and intelligent people in the world, democratic countries will choose the right people in the government, whose aim is to make the lives of people better, and not choose people who desire power, believe in expansion and favour or care for a particular community. Perhaps such sane people in various governments around the world can come together and work as a team to improve the lives of people around the world and not be concerned only with their own countries.
Possibly, these people can come together and form one single government for the whole world. Although a global government may not be easy to achieve, if there are a few intelligent and awakened people around the world, then they can try to bring about a change without bloody revolutions. They can transform the world through love and intelligence.
Dictators who cling to power can also be educated rightly to bring about freedom from the desire for power. But such a desire can end only if the dictators see the truth that power is destructive. The desire for power leads to attachment for power and causes insecurity and fear of losing power, and this fear leads to antagonism and anger against all those who can throw him out of power. In extreme cases, it may lead to unnecessary brutality against those who may pose a threat to his leadership. Only when we stay with the desire, is there true understanding. Once we see the whole structure of the desire (this is possible when we have seen the root cause of the psychological desire), there is freedom from it.
The root cause of any psychological desire, which includes the desire for power, fame and domination, is the self. In seeing the root cause, there is freedom from the self, and then there is no more desire for power.
Global Planning for Peace and Prosperity
Once the public gets rightly educated and there are the right kind of people in the government, then we could also look at the other factors that cause violence, such as overpopulation in bigger and congested cities around the world. These factors result in a fight for the limited available employment and other basic needs of life for physical survival. In order to resolve all this, there must be global planning. This is possible when there is one government for the whole world and not separate governments merely concerned with their countries, and fighting against other governments.
There is wastage of energy in developing the army and modern military equipment of mass destruction. Also, arms factories can flourish and make huge profits very quickly only if there are wars. It is unfortunate that the employment of many people who work in these factories depends on trouble and fights in the world. If there are no wars or rivalry, then arms and munitions would not be so desirable. Moreover, rich corporations fund the election campaigns of various politicians of powerful countries. Once these politicians are elected, they may want to favour these corporations and make their business grow by going out to war, on some pretext or the other. Again, it is unfortunate that the economies of various developed countries depend on manufacturing and selling these lethal instruments. However, as long as the sovereign states with their boundaries remain, perhaps it is not easy to live without the army. Under the current scenario with so many rogue nations trying to expand their area and border, not having an army may be very difficult. But when there is a single global government for the whole world, then we may not need these armies to protect the borders of countries.
So, there must be global planning. If there is a common language for the whole world, then such a planning will be easy to achieve. At present, we have individual countries concerned with their own economies. But if there is a global economy for the entire world, then we may be able to tackle poverty and other problems better. In a global economy, each country may lose something, but there may be a much better world and there are countries that can easily afford to share resources that they have in excess. These things would need carefully planning depending on what and where each country can afford to lose. The government must be concerned with the distribution of wealth among the people, so that there is no starvation and there are no extremities of poverty and richness. When humanity is free from various types of conditioning and the desire for power, position, status and fame ceases to exist in the minds of people, then there will be no unnecessary accumulation of things for status and position. There will be a genuine cooperation to help each other. Then we may have a beautiful world with peace and prosperity.
Thinking is a very natural process. It is impossible to live or imagine life without thinking. However, thinking within a particular pattern has caused unnecessary divisions and conflicts in our brain and within society. We need thought to build a house or go from one place to another. All scientific knowledge and economic planning is based on thought. Thought comes from knowledge, which is the result of experience—whether pleasurable or painful. Knowledge and experience are stored in our brain as memories. Whenever we think about the past experiences, whether pleasurable or painful, there is a sensation. A lot of times, we want the pleasurable experiences to continue in the future but we want to avoid the painful experiences. This pursuit of pleasure, which is already over, brings unnecessary suffering in our lives. All efforts to avoid psychological pain without understanding the cause of it keeps bringing negative emotions like fear, anxiety and stress.
Suppression of Thought
Memory is natural and it is not possible or desirable to get rid of it consciously. When the mind is working healthily, it uses memories. They are used whenever necessary, and such a mind is not continuously occupied with them unnecessarily. Now, sometimes the mind chatters and is continuously occupied with something or the other. Then we want to free ourselves from this chattering. However, any effort to stop the chattering or suppress a thought that is bothering us means one thought is suppressing another thought. This is, in fact, a continuation of the chattering because the brain is still occupied when it is concentrating in the direction of suppressing the thought. If a thought inside the brain is struggling to suppress a negative thought, then such a brain is not quiet but is occupied.
The self cannot end what it has created. The division and conflict in the brain cannot end without the ending of the self. If we try to end one thought with another thought, then it is merely the continuation of the self. The new thought becomes a problem. If we keep acting on one thought with another thought, then it leads to a continuation of the cycle of thought. Then there is no freedom from the self. The moment we make an effort to free ourselves from all the thinking and suppress all the thinking, it is still a form of thinking.
So, suppression of a bothersome thought or any effort to end the thought would not be of any help. It will only lead to further problems. The question that arises is how do we free ourselves from this continuous chattering?
Society encourages and discourages various values. When we pick up these values, then they drive us in various directions, which is all becoming. It is necessary to see for ourselves that this constant becoming or effort to be something is causing unnecessary conflict and struggle in our lives. However, if we cultivate the value of not making any effort, then this knowledge becomes the centre in our brain. When we act from this centre, then there is the effort in trying to stop ourselves from making any effort. Whenever there is an effort, there is a becoming, whether we try to be something or nothing. When we make an effort to achieve the goal of ‘nothingness,’ then the goal itself becomes something.
Time and Its Manifestations
Now, let us move on to the question of what time is. Time is a movement from sunrise to sunset, day to night, winter to spring, and so on. There is biological time, chronological time and psychological time. There are several biological changes in the body from childhood to youth to old age. This biological movement is biological time. And there is chronological time, which is the time by the watch or the time from day to night. There is yet another time, that is psychological time, which is the movement of thought in the nervous system.
Psychological time is not real but is illusory. It is created by the brain by thinking about the past, living in the past, wanting the past to be repeated or living in the future and having a future goal of ‘what should be.’ When the ‘what is’ is painful, then the mind thinks about the goal of ‘what should be.’ But this ‘what should be’ is illusory and only a thought about a beautiful future or tomorrow. So, this thought is time, whether it is of the past or the future, which does not exist.
Conflict of Opposites
To avoid the pains of attachment, one may cultivate its opposite—which is detachment. In trying to be detached, one is still attached to the detachment. So, any effort in trying to be detached is the same as attachment because one is still attached to the idea that a particular method of cultivating detachment will solve all problems. But the method itself becomes the problem because one starts to depend on this method and gets attached to it. When we are attached, then there is a strong desire for something in order to move away from our loneliness, in the hope of seeking satisfaction. But when we try to become detached, we are still not free from desire because the goal now is to move away from the pain caused by attachment, in the hope of seeking pleasure or satisfaction.
Psychologically, every opposite contains in it its own opposite. When one is greedy but makes an effort to be non-greedy, then he is not free from greed because he is greedy to be non-greedy. A person who cultivates humility is no longer humble because he is acting according to a concept, which becomes his style, trait or ego. So, there is a sense of pride that one is a humble person. The ‘I’ comes into the picture. There is real humility only when the ‘I’ ends. This means that one is not acting mechanically according to a certain knowledge. Then one is nobody.
If one is violent but suppresses this violence in order to be non-violent, then he continues to be violent because he is fighting the violence inside him. The person who cultivates patience and puts up with something that he feels is not right is cultivating the ideal of patience in order to get the right results. This means that he is impatient for the result. Only the understanding of greed, violence and envy gives freedom from these states and not the cultivation of the opposite. The human mind is caught in thoughts, knowledge, methods and desires. The mind is constantly seeking ways to attain a particular feeling or be free from a feeling. It uses various methods and techniques to become what it is not or achieve various states in order to be satisfied. To achieve its goals, the mind uses will and effort, both negatively as well as positively. When the mind understands that there is suffering in the effort to become something, then it decides not to make any effort or use resistance. This means there is a negative will and effort. Such a mind is still concentrating on not making any effort. When it sees that there is suffering in becoming ‘what should be,’ then it makes an effort to become ‘what is.’ So, there is still the concentration, will and effort to remain with ‘what is’ and avoid its opposite.
Whenever we are making an effort to become or not to become, then we create the opposite and live in a state of duality and conflict. Our thoughts and feelings are caught between the conflict of the opposites. To free ourselves from the opposites, there must be an awareness of the opposites. We need to think out and feel out the opposites as deeply as possible.
The understanding of ourselves does not need psychological time. This means that, to understand ourselves, there is no need to have a goal in the future. Here, I am only talking about psychological time and not chronological time. If one is conditioned and imagines the unconditioned state and tries to achieve this unconditioned state in the future, then he is not free from time because he is living in the future while ignoring ‘what he is.’ This thought about the future is an illusion, which does not exist. To understand ourselves, we need the quality of intelligence, which uses thought as a tool to go deep into ourselves. This understanding is necessary to free ourselves from the self, me or ego.
However, only the effort to change the content in the brain is in question here and not the change of an undesired physical condition. If the room is dirty, and one has the goal of a clean room, then the goal of a clean room is not illusory. Although the room may not be clean in the present, there is nothing wrong with having a goal of a clean room and actually cleaning the room to achieve the goal. The room can thus become clean. The goal of a clean room may not cause any conflict in the brain. It is very natural and healthy to change the outward situation that is not right. There is nothing wrong if one wants to become healthier. There is nothing wrong in a poor doctor wanting to take higher studies in medicine, so that she can be more efficient in her profession. There is nothing wrong if a person does something to improve his living conditions.
When there is a physical requirement, there is nothing wrong in having a goal. There is nothing wrong with becoming. But effort to become something psychologically causes conflict in the brain. In the process of becoming, there is no freedom from the fact of ‘what is.’ This means that one continues to remain in the state of ‘what is’ in a modified form.
Division and Conflict in the Brain
Even when we are trying to change a physical condition, the brain can be quiet. There may not necessarily be any duality or conflict in the brain at that time, as long as there are no ideals, beliefs and ideologies. The brain may use any thought to change the physical condition outside. When this thought is free in its movement and is not controlled or resisted by another thought, then there is no conflict in the brain. If a new thought emerges while the mind is already using a thought to change the situation outside, then it may either use this new thought or discard the new thought (if it’s of no use) and carry on using the first thought. So, there is no question of one thought fighting another one here. Hence, there is no conflict unless two thoughts are pulling you in different directions and both are tremendously important. But you can always assess the situation and decide what you need to do. However, if there are ideals, beliefs, and ideologies that dictate our actions, then there would still be division and conflict in the brain, even while trying to change the physical condition. These ideals and beliefs control our thoughts and actions and create division and conflict in the brain.
Although it is natural to change the physical condition that is not right, many of our physical problems are caused by the disorder in the human brain. The desire to change the physical condition of the world, which is in ruins with all the wars, brutalities and violence, might be natural, but such a state is caused by the self, me or ego, which causes unnecessary hurt, anger and desire for fame. To understand the physical condition of the world, one must delve deep into the causes that have divided our society. The causes of all the division in the world are our beliefs, ideals and ideologies, which have separated us from one another. Any attempt to change the prevailing ideals or beliefs through will and effort, by offering or imposing a new pattern of action or a new set of ideals, would only mean imposing new rules and ideologies, which can only divide us. There can be a change only if we are able to free ourselves from the self, me, or the ego, which means freedom from all the beliefs, ideals and ideologies. This thereby removes the cause of all the hatred and violence in our society.
However, this transformation of the human psyche is not going to happen overnight. This does not mean that one should not act at all in the meantime. There is tremendous poverty, war and suffering in this world, and one has to use his intelligence to decide what to do, what to support, and what not to support.
Knowledge and words are important in communicating with each other, recognising a person, plant and tree, and differentiating between two animals. But the word by which we recognise a person or an animal is not the thing itself. Therefore, it is important not to be caught in words. What is important is to use words and knowledge whenever necessary and not be caught in them. If one looks at something from the already acquired knowledge about that thing, then he is not looking at that thing completely but is only measuring or comparing that thing with the knowledge that he holds about that thing. This measurement creates a psychological distance between the watcher and the thing that he is watching and prevents direct contact or observation.
In Chapter 10 (Image, hurt and forgiveness), I explained how images are formed and how they prevent actual communion with people. We not only have images about ourselves and others, but we also have so many images about physical things and also about our psychological problems which prevent us from looking at those things and the problems completely. The accumulated knowledge that we hold about a thing or a psychological problem is the observer that prevents direct communion with what is observed. Now, suppose I have acquired certain knowledge about an animal, and when I meet this animal in real life, then I start comparing it with the behaviour and tendencies that I have learnt about it. But, in doing so, I am missing the whole beauty of the animal that might be playing in the sand, resting or doing something that might be worth watching.
If there is no image, then the observer is not separate from what one observes or the observer is the observed. However, this does not mean that the observer or the watcher becomes the thing (observed) that he is watching. That would make no sense. But the separation between the observer and the observed happens when the mind is different or holds some particular knowledge or an image about a thing and views that thing from the screen of this knowledge. Then there is separation between the observer and the observed. When there is no image, then there is no distance between us and the other person or the thing psychologically, but we are in direct communion with it.
Similarly, we have various images about our psychological problems of greed, envy, violence and so on. This image tells us that greed is not right, we must become non-greedy, we must free ourselves from violence or we must not be envious. When the image or the observer is separate from the state that is observed, then there is no communion with the state that is observed and there is no freedom.
So, to free ourselves from all images or accumulated knowledge (which is the self), we must look at ourselves. For this to happen, we must be free to look. But, if we are looking at ourselves through some method given by various professionals or brain specialists or we are full of opinions, judgements and our past knowledge about the thing we are observing, then the observer who is separate from what is observed is active. If we are looking at greed through the observer that says that greed is ugly or through an idea of what non-greed is, then we are not in contact with the greed. There is a space or distance between the observer and the fact of greed that is observed. And there is an effort made by the observer to cover this space.
When we make an effort in a particular direction to be or not to be, to become more or become less psychologically, through the action of our will, then there is a duality in the brain. This is because we are trying to be one thing and resisting its opposite. Now, what we are resisting is constantly beating against the wall that has been created by us. This duality causes a conflict in the brain.
What is important is to understand that when I am greedy, then the ‘I’ and greed are the same, unless I decide to act upon on this greed. When the past interferes with the present, then there is the observer who is separate from the observed. But if there is no interference of the knowledge, then the observer is the observed.
When one is ambitious, then there is a state of ambition, which is observed. This means that the state that is experienced by such a mind at that time is ambition. But then the mind, which is the ‘I’ or the observer with all accumulated knowledge, conditioning, beliefs and ideals, decides to act on this ambition and tries not to be ambitious. So, on one hand, the state of the mind is ambition (observed), and on the other hand there is another state of the same mind that wants to conquer this state of ambition. The mind that wants to conquer this state of ambition is the observer which has separated itself from the observed (ambition). This causes more conflict in the brain. Whenever I am becoming, there are two separate processes at work. But if I stay with what I am, then there is no duality. If I am aware that when I am ambitious, then I and ambition are not two separate states. So, I do not make any effort to change this state of ambition and stay with ‘what is.’ This means ‘I’ is not working on ambition but ‘I’ am myself ambition. ‘I’ is not becoming or dominating. Then there is no conflict. In this state, there is only ambition. I am ambition and there is no observer separate from what is observed. And when I am with the ambition completely and deeply, there is an understanding of this state. Then the ambition will end. However, by ‘ambition’ or ‘greed,’ I mean the misplaced desire for various things that are beyond actual requirements or needs.
The action of the will maintains itself through the effort to be or not to be psychologically. This creates division, conflict and duality in the brain. There is a will towards something that we want to achieve against something that we want to avoid, and there is a constant battle of the opposites. So, if one decides that one has to be watchful, then there is will and constant effort to be watchful, while trying to avoid inattentiveness. This leads to the conflict between the opposites.
The purpose of this cultivated watchfulness through continuous effort is to observe and end some negative state of mind and achieve the goal of free mind or happiness. But such concentration is not awareness. And in it, there is duality. As long as there is a desire to change the state of ‘what is’ and there is a goal to reach the imaginary state of ‘what should be’ by making an effort, there will be conflict and duality. Awareness cannot be practised. It comes naturally with an urge to understand something. So, there is no need for an effort to understand. There is also no need for any effort to stop ourselves from making an effort.
We cannot be aware all the time, from the time we wake up till the time we go to bed. That would be impossible. There are times when the body and mind need rest. So, there are moments of inattention during awareness. But this kind of inattention is different from the inattention in which one is continuously making an effort to be aware. The inattention in which the mind is taking rest is very natural. There is awareness the moment one is aware of this inattention. But the inattention in which one is continuously making an effort to be aware is a wastage of energy. What is important is to be aware of the fact that awareness cannot be maintained all the time.
Awareness implies sensitivity to the beauty of nature, to the poor, and to the sick. It also means sensitivity to our psychological problems. To observe, there needs to be something that demands observation, such as unhappiness and sorrow. One cannot observe when there is nothing to observe. Happiness does not demand observation or understanding, but unhappiness needs to be observed and understood. It might be very natural not to like a certain feeling of sorrow, fear and psychological hurt. We see or realise that the sorrow must end when it is bothering us. Fear darkens our lives and brings neuroticism and suffering. Similarly, when there is a psychological hurt, then it can bring its own misery and pain. But if we have already decided what is good and what is bad and have also made up our mind about what to pursue and what to avoid, then there can be no understanding. And without understanding, there can be no end to suffering.
All of us want to be happy and why not? The purpose of life is to be free from conflict so that there is love and joy. But it is necessary to understand that happiness cannot be sought. It comes uninvited. The one who seeks happiness cannot be happy. However, a person who feels tremendously lonely and is insensitive to the beauty around generally seeks happiness through various activities and unnecessary pursuits of power, fame and position. But all these hardly bring any joy in life. It is necessary to understand the state of unhappiness, but if one pursues happiness instead, then he may get some sensation upon achieving various goals, but it is not happiness. There is happiness in doing things that one loves to do. But if happiness is the goal and one is doing things not because he strongly feels for them but because he thinks that it would give him happiness, then there is a constant struggle.
Moreover, there needs to be a balance in our lives or some kind of moderation. But this is not a moderation according to a formula because it then becomes merely a thing of the mind and we are only taking the formula of moderation to the extreme. By moderation, I mean that one is acting from intelligence, doing something when needed or necessary and not doing it excessively out of habit.
The word ‘meditation’ is a commonly used term today. There are an innumerable number of gurus offering different types of meditation around the globe. Some gurus may tell us to concentrate on an object or between the forehead, and others may tell us to think of no thought. Some may make us sit in different postures and follow various techniques. Some therapists have even advocated that, when one is angry, he must throw this anger out by punching a bag, squeezing something or swearing loudly, in order to free himself from the anger. However, all these so-called techniques and meditation methods involve a conscious effort to free ourselves from anger, jealousy or some other painful state. And there is a desire to reach the state of peace and silence. These methods may bring some temporary relief, but the problem will keep recurring again and again unless there is freedom from the root cause.
Although the purpose of most of meditation techniques is to reach a state of no mind, when there is a will and an effort to reach a particular goal, then the thought is active within a specific field. The mind is seeking a particular end while trying to resist other thoughts. A brain that is held down in such a manner is not quiet. It may give some temporary relief from a particular psychological problem that is bothering us, but it is not freedom from the problem. There is a temporary relief because one is focussed on an object or thinking about achieving a state of no thought. While one is doing so, there may be some temporary freedom from other thoughts and worries. However, it is a very futile exercise because the thought always keeps slipping away from this concentration, as the mind keeps wandering here and there. Keeping control over thoughts is a waste of energy.
Now, when the mind concentrates and if the object of our concentration is something that interests us, then the concentration is slightly easier. This is because we are occupied for the time being in that object and forget about our worries. However, after continuous practice, it may also become a dull exercise and there is a loss of interest in that object. For instance, if one has interest in stones and gems, then he may be able to concentrate on it for some time. But it may be difficult to concentrate on the same stone every day. When the object of our concentration is something we are not interested in, then there is a constant struggle because our mind is constantly wandering elsewhere. In this process, there is a resistance towards other thoughts from entering our mind. Although one may be able to find a new object to concentrate on every day, it is merely an escape from the actual problem and there is no freedom.
A mind that is concentrating is full of conflict and duality. It is not in a state of meditation. When one concentrates, then his mind is not free from measurement or comparison because it is measuring itself with an idea, which might be non-greed, non-jealousy or stillness of mind. All this is not meditation. The practice of meditation cannot be meditation because practice involves following a certain method or knowledge in order to achieve a result. In meditation, knowledge or goal has no place. Any kind of conformity to an ideal is also not meditation. If one acts from particular knowledge, which is the past or has a goal in future, then there is a cause. And where there is a cause, there is no meditation.
Escaping from Problems
There are numerous ways of escaping from problems, depending on one’s conditioning, interest and upbringing. If one is a religious person, then there are prayers, mantras, and singing with fancy lights and musical instruments inside a beautifully designed building. It might be easier to forget our worries here. The mind just gets so absorbed in all these activities that it forgets about its miseries. But once the activities are over, then we are back to our problems. Some of us run away from the problems either by watching TV or engaging in some sport, which might be a good escape, but the problem is still there and it will come back. However, all these activities of watching television, sports or listening to music are not in question. It is the escape from a problem that is in question because it prevents us from understanding the problem. Moreover, these escapes have nothing to do with meditation.
There are people who turn to drinking and drugs. These things can make the brain temporarily quiet while their effects last. But they also make the senses dull. Alcohol, smoking and drugs make our body and mind dull and insensitive, because we tend to lose our sensitivity towards others and our problems, whether they are physical or psychological. This kind of temporary relief from our problems is not meditation.
There are times when the doctor may advise alcohol as medicine for treating cold and other conditions. Or one may need a painkiller or other sedatives to reduce some severe physical pain. In such cases, intoxicants or drugs may be necessary. It is the excessive drinking and habit of drinking that is being questioned because one loses sensitivity as well as responsibility for his actions. Nevertheless, I am neither condemning nor advocating alcohol or other intoxicants but only trying to convey my observation to the readers.
Psychological Freedom
All the artificial means of making the mind quiet do not give any psychological freedom. It is meditation that sets us psychologically free.
Meditation does not involve any effort, but it is about staying with ‘what is’ naturally without pursuing ‘what should be.’ This process of looking at the various psychological problems and freeing ourselves from them is meditation. It is only in the understanding of ‘what is’ that there is freedom from ‘what is.’ And when we free ourselves from various psychological problems, there arises silence of the mind. This whole process is meditation.
Liberation from the False
Meditation and self-knowledge have a peculiar relationship with each other. There cannot be one without the other. Self-knowledge is necessary for meditation because without understanding the self, me or ego, there cannot be freedom from various psychological issues. Hence, there can be no stillness of the mind. Also, without meditation, there is no self-knowledge because one can know himself only when the brain is silent and not when it is chattering. It is necessary to discover the truth in the false because it is this discovery that liberates us from the false. The false is the whole structure of the self, me or ego in which greed, jealousy and all other psychological problems are included. In staying with the false, which is the observation of the false, the truth in the false is revealed. And this perception liberates us from the false.
When all our conscious and unconscious problems have been thoroughly investigated and understood, then there is freedom and stillness of the mind. A mind that has the quality of silence is completely empty. Such a mind is free from any conflict. In this emptiness, there is no particular knowledge to dictate or impede our thoughts and actions. So, whatever is born out of this emptiness is free thinking because there is the free movement of thought. The mind is open to everything, or the whole is open to us, which means that the mind is infinite or has no limits. And there is love, bliss and joy. When we are acting from particular knowledge, then the thoughts and actions are limited to a specific field. This means that we are mostly occupied within that field to achieve our particular ends, and the whole is not open to us. So, when there is the ending of accumulated knowledge, self, me or ego, which is the ending of the time, then there is a state of emptiness. In this state, whatever one is doing is not continuous, but there is the ending of it. So, there is a new beginning and ending from moment to moment, but the ending and the beginning are the same in the sense that everything flows from and into this emptiness. Therefore, there is no ending or beginning. This state is creation, which is new from moment to moment and is not a continuous state.
A Whole Mind
When there is this emptiness, there is tremendous energy because there is no wastage of energy in unnecessary conflict and pursuits when the mind is empty. Such a mind has no limitation and is the whole, and then there is more energy for the fragments as well. This energy can be called ‘holy’ because it does not cause any conflict with others and there is love and compassion. But one can experience this energy only when the mind is whole, which is possible only when the self ends. The mind wastes energy in trying to oppose one thing and achieve the other, and such a mind is in conflict within itself and with others.
Although there is energy that is also generated during this conflict, such energy is divisive, destructive and demonic, because there is no love. There is hatred and violence. Also, there is the attachment to what the mind has given importance to and one is ready to sacrifice oneself or kill others for this fragment. In the understanding of all our psychological problems, the problems are transcended, and there is silence. This process is meditation.
Meditation is to look at the beauty of the animal or the face of your partner or look at the countryside and so on without any image. To be aware of what one is doing without making effort is meditation. To look at the various problems and free oneself from them is meditation. When there is freedom, then such a mind is in a state of meditation, and then one can sit and watch himself without any effort or do something else, and the meditation is going on.
There is a stream of human consciousness which is the collective brain of humanity. This stream conditions people’s brains and manifests itself there at different stages of life through various propagandas, desire for psychological security and so on. When we are stuck in that stream, then there is the burden of tradition, organised religion and culture. There is no freedom. There is only selfishness, misery and conflict. So, unless one moves himself completely out of that stream, there is no end to sorrow and selfishness.
Now, even when a person dies, the thought of himself (his accumulated knowledge) continues within that stream. When we are stuck in that stream, then the accumulated knowledge dictates our actions, and as such, we remain within the field of the known. And there is nothing new in our lives.
The craving for a particular experience or an experience that is already over with the help of memory and recognition prevents us from experiencing anything new. This is because such a mind cannot experience anything apart from what it is conditioned to. The limited experience of the limited mind, whether pleasurable or painful, becomes our knowledge. It is stored in the brain as memory, which then leads to the formation of another image, such as ‘this is good’ or ‘that is bad’/‘I should have more of this’ or ‘I should avoid this.’ This image then becomes another tradition that is added to the already acquired knowledge in the brain and guides our future actions. Therefore, the accumulated knowledge in a modified form continues. And there is nothing new. Unless there is freedom from the self, me or ego, there is no experiencing of the unknown.
It is through self-knowing and understanding that there is freedom from the self, me or ego. And then there is silence of mind, in which there is the experiencing of a new state, from moment to moment. It is the state of creativity. Perhaps most of us have experienced this state of silence when the brain is completely quiet. In this state, the self is not active. But we rarely have such moments of stillness in our lives. Even when they happen, they generally occur accidentally, either when we are in front of something beautiful and immense or when we are listening to some music, which knocks the self out.
However, when the past is completely understood and there is a complete ending to it (which means the mind is now free from any influences and there is no becoming psychologically), then there is stillness of the mind, even without being in the presence of something immense. In this state, there is actual seeing. There is a contact that is not partial but total. There is also sensitivity, love, compassion, bliss and joy. It is a state to be experienced and not to be speculated upon.
Ashish Chander Gaur has lived a life marked by deep personal inquiry, emotional turbulence, and an unwavering search for clarity. Growing up in an educated family in India, his early years were filled with laughter, mischief, and a natural curiosity for how things worked. A talented student in subjects like mathematics and a passionate cricket player, his youthful joy began to fade as unhealthy lifestyle habits and emotional upheavals took a toll on his physical well-being.
Later, he encountered a group of missionaries who initially approached him under the guise of friendship. While one individual was sincere and open about his own doubts, most used subtle and manipulative tactics. The shift from casual friendship to religious persuasion, and later into discussions of their beliefs and religion, further disturbed Ashish’s mental and emotional well-being.
Despite coming from a family of legal professionals, Ashish chose an unconventional path. His journey led him through long periods of introspection, spiritual questioning, and cultural exploration. He studied law in India, pursued further specializations in Europe and North America, and interacted with priests, spiritual seekers, and teachers across continents. Yet rather than following a fixed career path, he was drawn to something deeper: the pursuit of psychological freedom and self-understanding.
This quest was not without struggle. From confronting uncertainty, isolation, and discontent with world affairs to facing intense self-doubt and existential questions, Ashish lived through many inner challenges. But it was precisely these experiences that opened the door to deeper insight.
Truth in the False” was born from a combination of several factors, including deep psychological inquiry, personal struggle, and a genuine wish to help humanity move toward inner freedom. Ashish had long felt the urge to write, but early discouragement from a friend left him doubting what he had to offer. Years later, another friend reignited the idea, but the book still remained unwritten. It wasn’t until he came across a video of Arnold Schwarzenegger — speaking about perseverance, ignoring naysayers, and following one’s inner calling — that something finally clicked. That moment stirred the energy needed to begin, aligning with years of reflection and spiritual inquiry, especially the works of J. Krishnamurti.
Having lived and studied in several countries, Ashish has gained a broad perspective on the shared psychological challenges that affect people everywhere. His writing reflects a heartfelt intention to bring about inner transformation—not through doctrine or belief, but through inquiry, clarity, and understanding.
First Published by Notion Press 2019
Copyright © Ashish Chander Gaur 2019
All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 978-1-68466-933-2