LISTEN YOUR WORDS WHEN YOU SPEAK

                                                BEYOND THE WORDS

            I DON'T LIKE THE WORD SIN. IT IMPLIES THAT I AM BEING JUDGED AND FOUND GUILTY.

              I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. OVER THE CENTURIES, MANY ERRONEOUS VIEWS AND INTERPRETATIONS, HAVE ACCUMULATED AROUND WORDS SUCH AS SIN, DUE TO IGNORANCE, MISUNDERSTANDING, OR A DESIRE TO CONTROL, BUT THEY CONTAIN AN ESSENTIAL CORE OF TRUTH. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO LOOK BEYOND SUCH INTERPRETATIONS AND SO CANNOT RECOGNIZE THE REALITY TO WHICH THE WORD POINTS, THEN DON'T GET STUCK ON THE LEVEL OF WORDS. A WORD IS NO MORE THAN A MEANS TO AN END. IT'S AN ABSTRACTION. NOT UNLIKE A SIGNPOST, IT POINTS BEYOND ITSELF. THE WORD HONEY ISN'T HONEY. YOU CAN STUDY AND TALK ABOUT HONEY FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIKE, BUT YOU WON'T REALLY KNOW IT UNTIL YOU TASTE IT. AFTER YOU HAVE TASTED IT, THE WORD BECOMES LESS IMPORTANT TO YOU. 

          YOU WON'T BE ATTACHED TO IT ANYMORE. SIMILARLY, YOU CAN TALK OR THINK ABOUT GOD CONTINUOUSLY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, BUT DOES THAT MEAN YOU KNOW OR HAVE EVEN GLIMPSED THE REALITY TO WHICH THE WORD POINTS? IT REALLY IS NO MORE AN OBSESSIVE ATTACHMENT TO A SIGNPOST, A MENTAL IDOL.

            THE REVERSE ALSO APPLIES. IF, FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU DISLIKED THE WORD HONEY, THAT MIGHT PREVENT YOU FROM EVER TASTING IT. IF YOU HAD A STRONG AVERSION TO THE WORD GOD, WHICH IS A NEGATIVE FORM OF ATTACHMENT, YOU MAY BE DENYING NOT JUST THE WORD BUT ALSO THE REALITY TO WHICH IT POINTS. YOU WOULD BE CUTTING YOURSELF OFF FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPERIENCE THAT REALITY. ALL THIS IS, OF COURSE, INTRINSICALLY WITH BEING IDENTIFIED WITH YOUR MIND.

          SO, IF A WORD DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU ANYMORE, THEN DROP IT AND REPLACE IT WITH ONE THAT DOES WORK. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WORD SIN, THEN CALL IT UNCONSCIOUSNESS OR INSANITY. THAT MAY GET YOU CLOSER TO THE TRUTH, THE REALITY BEHIND THE WORD, THAN A LONG - MISUSED WORD LIKE SIN, AND LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR GUILT.

        I DONT LIKE THOSE WORDS EITHER. THEY IMPLY THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME. I AM BEING JUDGED.

   OF COURSE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU - AND YOU ARE NOT BEING JUDGED.

       I DON'T MEAN TO OFFEND YOU PERSONALLY, BUT DO YOU NOT BELONG TO THE HUMAN RACE THAT HAS KILLED OVER 100 MILLION MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN SPECIES IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ALONE?

     YOU MEAN GUILT BY ASSOCIATION?

          IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF GUILT. BUT AS LONG AS YOU 

       IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF GUILT. BUT AS LONG AS YOU ARE RUN BY THE EGOIC MIND, YOU ARE PART OF THE COLLECTIVE INSANITY. PERHAPS YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED VERY DEEPLY INTO THE HUMAN CONDITION IN ITS STATE OF DOMINANCE BY THE EGOIC MIND. OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THE FEAR, THE DESPAIR, THE GREED, AND THE VIOLENCE THAT ARE ALL - PERVASIVE. SEE THE HEINOUS CRUELTY AND SUFFERING ON AN UNIMAGINABLE SCALE THAT HUMANS HAVE INFLICTED AND CONTINUE TO INFLICT ON EACH OTHER AS WELL AS ON OTHER LIFE FORMS ON THE PLANET. YOU DON'T NEED TO CONDEMN. JUST OBSERVE, THAT IS SIN. THAT IS INSANITY. THAT IS UNCONSCIOUSNESS. ABOVE ALL, DON'T FORGET TO OBSERVE YOUR OWN MIND. SEEK OUT THE ROOT OF THE INSANITY THERE.

       BEAUTY ARISES IN THE STILLNESS OF YOUR PRESENCE

             WHAT YOU HAVE JUST DECRIBED IS SOMETHING THAT I OCCASIONALLY EXPERIENCE FOR BRIEF MOMENTS WHEN I AM ALONE AND SURROUNDED BY NATURE.

            YES. ZEN MASTERS USE THE WORD SATORI TO DESCRIBE A FLASH OF INSIGHT, A MOMENT OF NO - MIND AND TOTAL PRESENCE. ALTHOUGH SATORI IS NOT A LASTING TRANSFORMATION, BE GRATEFUL WHEN IT COMES, FOR IT GIVES YOU A TASTE OF ENLIGHTENMENT. YOU MAY, INDEED, HAVE EXPERIENCED IT MANY TIMES WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT IS AND REALIZING ITS IMPORTANCE. PRESENCE IS NEEDED TO BECOME AWARE OF THE BEAUTY, THE MAJESTY, THE SACREDNESS OF NATURE. HAVE YOU EVER GAZED UP INTO THE INFINITY OF SPACE ON A CLEAR NIGHT,  AWESTRUCK BY THE ABSOLUTE STILLNESS AND INCONCIEVABLE VASTNESS OF IT ? HAVE YOU LISTENED, TRULY LISTENED, TO THE SOUND OF A MOUNTAIN STREAM IN THE FOREST?

               OR TO THE SONG OF A BLACKBIRD AT DUSK ON A QUIET SUMMER EVENING? TO BECOME AWARE OF SUCH THINGS, THE MIND NEEDS TO BE STILL. YOU HAVE TO PUT DONW FOR A MOMENT YOUR PERSONAL BAGGAGE OF PROBLEMS, OF PAST AND FUTURE, AS WELL AS ALL YOUR KNOWLEDGE, OTHERWISE, YOU WILL SEE BUT NOT SEE, HEAR BUT NOT HEAR. YOUR TOTAL PRESENCE IS REQUIRED.

          BEYOND THE BEAUTY OF THE EXTERNAL FORMS, THERE IS MORE HERE. SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE NAMED, SOMETHING INEFFABLE, SOME DEEP, INNER, HOLY ESSENCE. WHENEVER AND WHEREVER THERE IS BEAUTY, THIS INNER ESSENCE SHINES THROUGH SOMEHOW. IT ONLY REVEALS ITSELF TO YOU WHEN YOU ARE PRESENT. COULD IT BE THAT THIS NAMELESS ESSENCE AND YOUR PRESENCE ARE ONE AND THE SAME? WOULD IT BE THERE WITHOUT YOUR PRESENCE? GO DEEPLY INTO IT. FIND OUT YOURSELF.

                    

 

THE MEANING OF SURRENDER

                                             WHEN YOU GET SURRENDER

                 YOU MENTIONED "SURRERDER" A FEW TIMES. I DON'T LIKE THAT IDEA.IT SOUNDS SOMEWHAT FATALISTIC. IF WE ALWAYS ACCEPT THE WAY THINGS ARE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY EFFORT TO IMPROVE THEM. IT SEEMS TO ME WHAT PROGRESS IS ALL ABOUT, BOTH IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES AND COLLECTIVELY, IS NOT TO ACCEPT THE LIMITATIONS OF THE PRESENT BUT TO STRIVE TO GO BEYOND THEM AND CREATE SOMETHING BETTER. IF WE HADN'T DONE THIS, WE WOULD STILL BE LIVING IN CAVES. HOW DO YOU RECONCILE SURRENDER WITH CHANGING THINGS AND GETTING THINGS DONE?

        TO SOME PEOPLE, SURRENDER MAY HAVE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS, IMPLYING DEFEAT, GIVING UP, FAILING TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF LIFE. BECOMING LETHARGIC, AND SO  ON. TRUE SURRENDER, HOWEVER IS SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. IT DOES NOT MEAN TO PASSIVELY PUT UP WITH WHATEVER SITUATION YOU FIND YOURSELF IN AND TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. NOR DOES IT MEAN TO CEASE MAKING PLANS OR INITIATING POSITIVE ACTION.

         SURRENDER IS THE SIMPLE BUT PROFOUND WISDOM OF YIELDING TO RATHER THAN OPPOSING THE FLOW OF LIFE. THE ONLY PLACE WHERE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THE FLOW OF LIFE IOS THE NOW. SO TO SURRENDER IS TO ACCEPT THE PRESENT MOMENT UNCONDITIONALLY AND WITHOUT RESERVATION. IT IS TO RELINQUISH INNER RESISTENCE TO WHAT IS INNER RESISTENCE IS TO SAY, "NO" TO WHAT IS THROUGH MENTAL JUDGMENT AND EMOTIONAL NEGATIVITY. IT BECOMES PARTICULARLY PRONOUNCED WHEN THINGS "GO WRONG" WHICH BECOMES PARTICULARLY PRONOUNCED WHEN THING "GO WRONG" WHICH MEANS THAT THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN THE DEMANDS OR RIGID EXPECTATIONS OF YOUR MIND AND WHAT IS. THAT IS THE PAIN GAP. IF YOU HAVE LIVED LONG ENOUGH, YOU WILL KNOW THAT THINGS "GO WRONG" QUITE OFTEN. IF IS PRECISELY AT THOSE TIMES THAT SURRENDER NEEDS TO BE PRACTICED IF YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE PAIN AND SORROW FROM YOU LIFE. ACCEPTANCE OF WHAT IS IMMEDIATELY FREES YOU FROM MIND IDENTIFICATION AND THUS RECONNECTS YOU WITH BEING. RESISTANCE IS THE MIND.

SURRENDE IS A PURELY INNER PHENOMENON. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT ON THE OUTER LEVEL YOU CANNOT TAKE ACTION AND CHANGE THE SITUATION. IN FACT, IT IS NOT THE OVERALL SITUATION THAT YOU NEED TO ACCEPT WHEN YOU SURRENDER, BUT JUST THE TINY SEGMENT CALLED THE NOW.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE STUCK IN THE MUD SOMEHWERE, YOU WOULDN'T SAY "OKAY" I RESIGN MYSELF TO BEING STUCK IN THE MUD. RESIGNATION, IS NOT SURRENDER. YOU DON'T  NEED TO ACCEPT AN UNDESIRABLE OR UNPLEASANT LIFE SITUATION. NOR DO YOU NEED TO DECEIVE YOURSELF AND SAY THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING STUCK IN THE MUD. NO YOU RECOGNIZE FULLY THAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF IT. YOU THEN NARROW YOUR ATTENTION DOWN TO THE PRESENT MOMENT WIHOUT MENTALLY LABELING IT IN ANY WAY. THIS MEANS THAT THERE IS NO JUDGMENT OF THE NOW. THEREFORE, THERE IS NO RESISTENCE, NO EMOTIONAL NEGATIVITY. YOU ACCEPT THE "ISNESS" OF THIS MOMENT. THEN YOU TAKE ACTION AND DO ALL THAT YOU CAN TO GET OUT OF THE MUD. SUCH ACTION I CALL POSITIVE ACION. IT IS FAR MORE EFFECTIVE THAN NEGATIVE ACTION, WHICH ARISES OUT OF ANGER, DESPAIR, OR FRUSTRATION. UNTIL YOU ACHIEVE THAT DESIRED RESULT, YOU CONTINUE TO PRACTICE SURRENDER BY REFRAINING FROM LABELING THE NOW.

LET ME GIVE YOU A VISUAL ANALOGY TO ILLUSTRATE THE POINT AM  MAKING. YOU ARE WALKING ALONG A PATH AT NIGHT, SURROUNDED BY A THICK FOG. BUT YOU HAVE A POWERFUL FLASHLIGHT THAT CUTS THROUGH THE FOG AND CREATES A NARROW, CLEAR SPACE IN FRONT OF YOU. THE FOG IS YOUR LIFE SITUATION, WHICH INCLUDES PAST AND FUTURE. THE FLASHLIGHT IS YOUR CONSCIOUS PRESENCE, THE CLEAR SPACE IS THE NOW.

 NON-SURRENDER HARDENS YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL FROM, THE SHELL OF THE EGO, AND SO CREATES A STRONG SENSE OF SEPARATENESS. TEH WORLD AROUND YOU AND PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR COME TO BE PERCEIVED AS THREATENING. THE UNCONSCIOUS COMPULSION TO DESTROY OTHERS THROUGH JUDGEMENT ARISES, AS DOES THE NEED TO COMPLETE AND DOMINATE. EVEN NATURE BECOMES YOUR ENEMY AND YOUR PERCEPTIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY FEAR. THE MENTAL DISEASE THAT WE CALL PARANOIA IS ONLY A SLIGHTLY MORE ACUTE FORM OF THIS NORMAL BUT DYSFUNCTIONAL STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

NOT ONLY YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL FORM BUT ALSO YOUR PHYSICAL FORM- YOUR BODY- BECOMES HARD AND RIGID THROUGH RESISTANCE. TENSION ARISES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY, AND THE BODY AS A WHOLE CONTRACTS. THE FREE FLOW OF LIFE ENERGY THROUGH THE BODY, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR ITS HEALTHY FUNCTIONING, IS GREATLY RESTRICTED. BODYWORK AND CERTAIN FORMS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN BE HELPFUL IN RESTORING THIS FLOW, BUT UNLESS YOU PRACTICE SURRENDER IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE, THOSE THINGS CAN ONLY GIVE TEMPORARAY SYMPTOM RELIEF  SINCE THE CAUSE- THE RESISTANCE PATTERN - HAS NOT BEEN DISSOLVED.

THERE IS SOMETHING WITHIN YOU THAT REMAINS UNAFFECTED BY THE TRANSIENT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE UP YOUR LIFE SITUATION, AND ONLY THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE UP YOUR LIFE SITUATION, AND ONLY THROUGH SURRENDER DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT. IT IS YOUR LIFE, YOUR VERY BEING - WHICH EXISTS ETERNALLY IN THE TIMELESS REALM OF THE PRESENT. FINDING THIS LIFE IS "THE ONE THING THAT IS NEEDED " THAT JESUS TALKED ABOUT.

            

THE WAY TO THE PRAY - GOD

                                                             PRAY THE GOD

             THERE ARE MANY ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY HAVE FOUND GO THROUGH THEIR DEEP SUFFERING, AND THERE IS THE CHRISTIAN EXPRESSION "THE WAY OF THE CROSS" WHICH I SUPPORSE POINTS TO THE SAME THING.

         WE ARE CONCERNED WITH NOTHING ELSE HERE.

     STRICTLY SPEAKING, THEY DID NOT FIND GOD THROUGH THEIR SUFFERING, BECAUSE SUFFERING IMPLIES RESISTENCE. THEY FOUND GOD THROUGH SURRENDER, THROUGH TOTAL ACCEPTANCE OF WHAT IS, INTO WHICH THEY WERE FORCED BY THEIR INTENSE SUFFERING. THEY MUST HAVE REALIZED ON SOME LEVEL THAT THEIR PAIN WAS SELF-CREATED.

           HOW DO YOU EQUATE SURRENDER WITH FINDING GOD?

      SINCE RESISTENCE IS UNSEPERABLE FROM THE MIND, RELINQUISHMENT OF RESISTENCE-SURRENDER-IS THE END OF THE MIND AS YOUR MASTER, THE IMPOSTOR PRETENDING TO BE "YOU" THE FALSE GOD. ALL JUDGMENT AND ALL NEGATIVITY DISSOLVE. THE REALM OF BEING, WHICH HAD BEEN OBSCURED BY THE MIND, THEN OPEN UP. SUDDENDLY, A GREAT STILLNESS ARISES WITHIN YOU, AN UNFATHOMABLE SENSE OF PEACE. AND WITHIN THAT PEACE, THERE IS GREAT JOY. AND WITHIN THAT JOY, THERE IS LOVE. AND AT THE INNERMOST CORE, THERE IS THE SACRED, THE IMMEASURABLE, THAT WHICH CANNOT BE NAMED.

              I DON'T CALL IT FINDING GOD, BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU FIND THAT WHICH WAS NEVER LOST, THE VERY LIFE THAT YOU ARE? THE WORD GOD IS LIMITING NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THOUSANDS OF YEAR OF MISPERCEPTION AND MISUSE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT IMPLIES AN ENTITY OTHER THAN YOU. GOD IS BEING ITSELF, NOT A BEING. THERE CAN BE NO SUBJECT- OBJECT RELATIONSHIP HERE, NO DUALITY, NO YOU AND GOD. GOD-REALIZATION IS THE MOST NATURAL THING THERE IS. THE AMAZING AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE FACT IS NOT THAT YOU CAN BECOME CONSCIOUS OF GOD BUT THAT YOU ARE NOT CONSCIOUS OF GOD. 

             THE WAY OF THE CROSS THAT YOU MENTINONED IS THE OLD WAY TO ENLIGHTENMENT, AND UNTIL RECENTLY IT WAS THE ONLY WAY. BUT DON'T DISMISS IT OR UNDERESTIMATE ITS EFFICACY. IT STILL WORKS.

           THE WAY OF THE CROSS IS A COMPLETE REVERSAL. IT MEANS THAT THE WORST THING IN YOUR LIFE, YOUR CROSS, TURNS INTO THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO YOU, BY FORCING YOU INTO SURRENDER, "DEATH" FORCING YOU TO BECOME AS NOTHING, TO BECOME AS GOD- BECAUSE GOD, TOO, IS NO-THING.

         AT THIS TIME, AS FAR AS THE UNCONSCIOUS MAJORITY OF HUMANS IS CONCERNED, THE WAY OF THE CROSS IS STILL THE ONLY WAY. THEY WILL ONLY AWAKEN THROUGH FURTHER SUFFERING, AND ENLIGHTENMENT AS A COLLECTIVE PHENOMENON WILL BE PREDICTABLE PROCEEDED BY VAST UPHEAVALS. THIS PROCESS REFLECTS THE WORKINGS OF CERTAIN INIVERSAL LAWS THAT GOVERN THE GROWTH OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND THUS WAS FORESEEN BY SOME SEERS. IT IS DESCRIBED, AMONG OTHER PLACES, IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION OR APOCALYPSE, THOUGH CLOAKED IN OBSCURE AND SOMETIMES IMPENETRABLE SYMBOLOGY. 

THE SUFFERING IS INFLICTED NOT BY GOD BUT BY HUMANS ON THEMSELVES AND ON EACH OTHER AS WELL AS BY CERTAIN DEFENSIVE MEASURES THAT THE EARTH, WHICH IS A LIVING INTELLIGENT ORGANISM, IS GOING TO TAKE TO PROTECT HERSELF FROM THE ONSLAUGHT OF HUMAN MADNESS.

HOWEVER, THERE IS A GROWING NUMBER OF HUMANS ALIVE TODAY WHOSE CONSCIOUSNESS IS SUFFICIENTLY EVOLVED NOT TO NEED ANYMORE SUFFERING BEFORE THE REALIZATION OF ENLIGHTENMENT. YOU MAY BE ONE OF THEM.

ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH SUFFERING-THE WAY OF THE CROSS- MEANS TO BE FORCED INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN KICKING AND SCREAMING. YOU FINALLY SURRENDER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STAND THE PAIN ANYMORE, BUT THE PAIN COULD GO ON FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL THIS HAPPENS. ENLIGHTENMENT CONSCIOUSLY CHOSEN MEANS TO RELINQUISH YOUR ATTACHMENT TO PAST AND FUTURE AND TO MAKE THE NOW THE MAIN FOCUS OF YOUR LIFE. IT MEANS CHOOSING TO DWELL IN THE STATE OF PRESENCE RATHER THAN IN TIME.

IT MEANS SAYING YES TO WHAT IS. YOU THEN DON'T NEED PAIN ANYMORE. HOW MUCH MORE TIME TO YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED BEFORE YOU ARE ABLE TO SAY, I WILL CREATE NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE SUFFERING,? HOW MUCH MORE PAIN DO YOU NEED BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE THAT CHOICE?

IF YOU THINK THAT YOU NEED MORE TIME, YOU WILL GET MORE TIME- AND MORE PAIN. TIME AND PAIN ARE INSEPARABLE.

IF YOU ARE RUN BY YOUR MIND, ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE NO CHOICE YOU WILL STILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR UNCONSCIOUSNESS, AND YOU WILL CREATE FUTHER SUFFERING, YOU WILL BEAR THE BURDEN OF FEAR, CONFLICT, PROBLEMS, AND PAIN. THE SUFFERING THUS CREATED WILL EVENTUALLY FORCE YOU OUT OF YOUR UNCONSCIOUS STATE.

WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT CHOICE ALSO APPLIES TO FORGIVENESS. I SUPPOSE. YOU NEED TO BE FULLY CONSCIOUS AND SURRENDER BEFORE YOU CAN FORGIVE.

"FORGIVENESS" IS A TERM THAT HAS BEEN IN USE FOR 

2000 YEARS, BUT MOST PEOPLE HAVE A VERY LIMITED VIEW OF WHAT IT MEANS. YOU CANNOT TRULY FORGIVE YOURSELF OTHERS AS LONG AS YOU DERIVE YOUR SENSE OF SELF FROM THE PAST. ONLY THROUGH ACCESSING THE POWER OF THE NOW, WHICH IS YOUR OWN POWER, CAN THERE BE TRUE FORGIVENESS. THIS RENDERS THE PAST POWERLESS, AND YOU REALIZE DEEPLY THAT NOTHING YOU EVER DID OR THAT WAS EVER DONE TO YOU COULD TOUCH EVEN IN THE SLIGHTEST THE RADIANT ESSENCE OF WHO YOU ARE. THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF FORGIVENSS THEN BECOMES UNNECCESSARY.

AND HOW DO I GET TO THAT POINT OF REALIZATION?

WHEN YOU SURRENDER TO WHAT IS AND SO BECOME FULLY PRESENT, THE PAST CEASES TO HAVE ANY POWER. YOU DO NOT NEED IT ANYMORE. PRESENCE IS THE KEY. THE NOW IS THE KEY.

HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN I HAVE SURRENDERE?

WHEN YOU NO LONGER NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION.

            

YOGA REDUCES THE EGOISM

                                                             EGOISM

                EGOISM IS THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE SEER WITH THE INSTRUMENT OF SEEING.

          THE SEER IS REALLY THE SELF, THE PURE ONE, THE EVER HOLY, THE INFINITE, THE IMMORTAL. THAT IS THE SELF OF MAN. AND WHAT ARE THE INSTRUMENTS? THE CHITTA, OR MIND - STUFF, THE BUDDHI, DETERMINATIVE FACULTY, THE MANAS, OR MIND, AND THE INDRIYAN, OR SENSE ORGANS. THESE ARE THE INSTRUMENTS FOR HIM TO SEE THE EXTERNAL WORLD, AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE SELF WITH THE INSTRUMENTS IS WHAT IS CALLED THE IGNORANCE OF EGOISM. WE SAY, "I AM THE MIND, I AM THOUGHT, I AM ANGRY, OR I AM HAPPY ". 

       HOW CAN WE BE ANGRY, AD HOW CAN WE HATE? WE SHOULD IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH THE SELF, THAT CANNOT CHANGE. IF IT IS UNCHANGEABLE, HOW CAN IT BE ONE MOMENT HAPPY, AND ONE MOMENT UNHAPPY? IF IS FORMLESS, INFINITE, OMNIPRESENT. WHAT CAN CHANGE IT ? BEYOND ALL LAW. WHAT CAN AFFECT IT? NOTHING IN THE INIVERSE CAN PRODUCE AN EFFECT ON IT, YET, THROUGH IGNORANCE, WE IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH THE MIND-STUFF, AND THINK WE FEEL PLEASURE OR PAIN.

             ATTACHMENT IS THAT WHICH DWELL ON PLEASURE.

       WE FIND PLEASUREIN CERTAIN THINGS, AND THE MIND, LIKE A CURRENT, FLOWS TOWARDS THEM, AND THAT, FOLLOWING THE PLEASURE CENTRE, AS IT WERE, IS ATTACHMENT. WE ARE NEVER ATTACHED TO ANYONE IN WHOM WE DO NOT FIND PLEASURE. WE FIND PLEASURE IN VERY QUEER THINGS SOMETIMES, BUT THE DEFINITION IS JUS THE SAME, WHEREVER WE FIND PLEASURE, THERE WE ARE ATTACHED.

              AVERSION IS THAT WHICH DWELLS ON PAIN.

     THAT, WHICH GIVES UP PAIN WE IMMEDIATELY SEEK TO GET AWAY FROM.

           FLOWING THROUGH ITS OWN NATURE, AND ESTABLISHED EVEN IN THE LEARNED, IS THE CLINGING TO LIFE.

        THIS CLINGING TO LIFE YOU SEE MANIFESTED IN EVERY ANIMAL, AND UPON IT MANY ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO BUILD THE THEORY OF A FUTURE LIFE, BECAUSE MEN LIKE THEIR LIVES SO MUCH THAT THEY DESIRE A FUTURE LIFE ALSO. OF COURSE IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THIS ARGUMENT IS WITHOUT MUCH VALUE. BUT THE MOST CURIOUS PART OF IT IS THAT, IN WESTERN COUNTRIES, THE IDEA THAT THIS CLINGING TO LIFE INDICATES A POSSIBILITY OF A FUTURE LIFE APPLIES ONLY TO MEN, BUT DOES NOT INLUDE ANIMALS. 

             IN INDIA THIS CLINGING TO LIFE HAS BEEN ONE O THE ARGUMENTS TO PROVE PAST EXPERIENCE AND EXISTENCE. FOR INSTANCE, IF IT BE TRUE THAT ALL OUR KNOWLEDGE HAS COME FROM EXPERIENCE, THEN IT IS SURE THAT WHICH WE NEVER EXPERIENCED WE CANNOT IMAGINE, OR UNDERSTAND. AS SOON AS CHICKENS ARE HATCHED THEY BEGIN TO PICK UP FOOD. MANY TIMES IT HAS BEEN SEEN WHERE DUCKS HAVE BEEN HATCHED BY HENS, THAT, AS SOON AS THEY COME OUT OF THE EGGS, THEY FLEW TO WATER, AND THE MOTHER THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE DROWNED. IF EXPERIENCE BE THE ONLY SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE, WHERE DID THESE CHICKENS LEARN TO PICK UP FOOD, OR THE DUCKLINGS THAT THE WATER WAS THEIR NATURAL ELEMENT? IF YOU SAY IT IS INSTINCT, IT MEANS NOTHING - IT IS SIMPLY GIVING IT A WORD, BUT IS NO EXPLANATION.

             WHAT IS THIS INSTINCT?  WE HAVE MANY INSTINCTS IN OURSELVES. FOR INSTANCE, MOST OF YOU LADIES PLAY THE PIANO, AND REMEMBER, WHEN YOU FIRST LEARNED, HOW CAREFULLY YOU HAD TO PUT YOUR FINGERS ON THE BLACK AND THE WHITE KEYS, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, BUT NOW, AFTER LONG YEARS OF PRACTICE, YOU CAN TALK WITH YOUR FRIENDS, AND YOUR HAND GOES ON JUST THE SAME. IT HAS BECOME INSTINCT, IT BECOMS AUTOMATIC, BUT SO FAR AS WE KNOW, ALL THE CASES WHICH WE NOW REGARD AS AUTOMATIC ARE DEGENERATED REASON.

                         

            IN THE LAUGUAGE OF THE YOGI, INSTINCTIS INVOLVE REASON. DISCRIMINATION BECOMES INVOLVED, AND GETS TO BE AUTOMATIC SAMKARAS. THEREFORE, IT IS PERFECTLY LOGICAL TO THINK THAT ALL WE CALL INSTINCT IN THIS WORLD IS SIMPLY INVOLVED REASON.AS REASON CANNOT COME WTHOUT EXPERIENCE, ALL INSTINCT IS, THEREFORE, THE RESULT OF PAST EXPERIENCE. CHECK FEAR THE HAWK, AND DUCKLINGS LOVE THE WATER, AND THESE ARE BOTH THE RESULT OF PAST EXPERIENCE. THEN THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THAT EXPERIENCE BELONGS TO A PARTICULAR SOUL, OR TO THE BODY SIMPLY, WHETHER THIS EXPERIENCE WHICH COMES TO THE DUCK IS THE DUCK'S FOREFATHER'S EXPERIENCE, OR THE DUCK'S OWN EXPERIENCE. MODERN SCIENTIFIC MEN HOLD THAT IT BELONGS TO THE BODY, BUT THE YOGIS HOLD THAT IT IS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SOUL, TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE BODY. 

              THIS IS CALLED THE THEORY OF REINCARNATION. WE HAVE SEEN THAT ALL OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, WHETHER WE CALL IT PERCEPTION OR REASON, OR INSTINCT, MUST COME THROUGH THAT ONE CHANNEL CALLED EXPERIENCE. THESE FEELINGS HAVE TO BE CONTROLLED IN THE GERM, THE ROOT, IN THEIR FINE FORMS, BEFORE EVEN WE HAVE BECOME CONSCIOUS THAT THEY ARE ACTING ON US. WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF MAN KIND, THE FINE STAES OF THESE PASSIONS ARE NOT EVEN KNOWN, THE STATE WHEN THEY ARE SLOWLY COMING FROM BENEATH CONSCIOUSNESS. WHEN A BUBBLE IS RISING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, WE DO NOT SEE IT, OR EVEN WHEN IT IS NEARLY COME TO THE SURFACE, IT IS ONLY WHEN IT BURSTS AND MAKES A RIPPLE THAT WE KNOW IT IS THERE. 

              WE SHALL ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL IN GRAPPLING WITH THE WAVES WHEN WE CAN GET HOLD OF THEM IN THEIR FINE STATE, AND UNTIL YOU CAN GET HOLD OF THEM, AND SUBDUE THEM BEFORE ANY BECOMES GROSS, THERE IS NO HOPE OF CONQUERING ANY PASSION PERFECTLY. TO CONTROL OUR PASSIONS, WE HAVE TO CONTROL THEM AT THEIR VERY ROOTS, THEN ALONE SHALL WE BE ABLE TO BURN OUT THEIR VERY SEED. AS FRIED SEEDS THROWN INTO THE GROUND WILL NEVER COME UP, SO THESE PASSIONS WILL NEVER ARISE.

 

ABOUT EVIL

                                                              THE EVIL

              A MAN SHOULD HASTEN TOWARDS THE GOOD, AND SHOULD KEEP HIS THOUGHT AWAY FROM EVIL, IF A MAN DOES WHAT IS GOOD SLOTHFULLY, HIS MIND DELIGHTS IN EVIL. IF A MAN COMMITS A SIN, LET HIM NOT DO IT AGAIN, LET HIM NOT DELIGHT IN SIN, THE ACCUMULATION OF EVIL IS PAINFUL. IF A MAN DOES WHAT IS GOOD, LET HIM DO IT AGAIN, LET HIM DELIGHT IN IT, THE ACCUMULATION OF GOOD IS DELIGHTFUL. EVEN AN EVIL-DOER SEES HAPPINESS SO LONG AS HIS EVIL DEED DOES NOT RIPEN, BUT WHEN HIS EVIL DEED RIPENS, THEN DOES THE EVIL-DOER SEE EVIL. 

            EVEN A GOOD MAN SEES EVIL DAYS SO LONG AS HIS GOOD DEED DOES NOT RIPEN, BUT WHEN HIS GOOD DEED RIPENS, THEN DOES THE GOOD MAN SEE GOOD THINGS.

            LET NO MAN THINK LIGHTLY OF EVIL, SAYING IN HIS HEART, IT WILL NOT COME NIGH UNTO ME. EVEN BY THE FALLING OF WATER- DROPS A WATER- POT IS FILLED, THE FOOL BECOMES FULL OF EVIL, EVEN IF HE GATHER IT LITTLE BY LITTLE. LET NO MAN THINK LIGHTLY OF GOOD, SAYING IN HIS HEART, IT WILL NOT COME NIGH INTO ME. EVEN BY THE FALLING OF WATER-DROPS A WATER - POTS IS FILLED THE WISE MAN BECOMES FULL OF GOOD, EVEN IF HE FEW COMPANIONS AND CARRIES MUCH WEALTH, AVOIDS A DANGEROUS ROAD, AS A MAN LOVES LIFE ABOIDS POISON.

              HE WHO HAS NO WOUND ON HIS HAND, MAY TOUCH POISON WITH HIS HAND, POISON DOES NOT AFFECT ONE WHO HAS NO WOUND, NOR IS THERE EVIL FOR ONE WHO DOES NOT COMMIT EVIL. IF A MAN OFFEND A HARMLESS, PURE, AND INNOCENT PERSON, THE EVIL FALLS BACK UPON THAT FOOL, LIKE LIGHT DUST THROWN UP AGAINST THE WIND. SOME PEOPLE ARE BORN AGAIN, EVIL- DOERS GO TO HELL, RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN, THOSE WHO ARE FREE FROM ALL WORLDLY DESIRES ATTAIN NIRVANA.

         NOT IN THE SKY, NOT IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA, NOR IF WE ENTER INTO THE CLEFTS OF THE MOUNTAINS, IS THERE KNOWN AS SPOT IN THE WHOLE WORLD WHERE A MAN MIGHT BE FREED FROM AND EVIL DEED. NOT IN THE SKY, NOT IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA, NOR IF WE ENTER INTO THE CLEFTS OF THE MOUNTAINS, IS THERE KNOWN A SPOT IN THE WHOLE WORLD WHERE DEATH COULD NOT OVERCOME THE MORTAL. 

                                                            PUNISHMENT

                    ALL MEN TREMBLE AT PUNISHMENT, ALL MEN FEAR DEATH, REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE LIKE UNTO THEM,AND DO NOT KILL, NOR CAUSE SLAUGHTER.ALL MEN TREMBLE AT PUNISHMENT, ALL MEN LOVE LIFE, REMEMBER THAT THOU ARE LIKE UNTO THEM, AND DO NOT KILL, NOR CAUSE SLAUGHTER. HE WHO, SEEKING HIS OWN HAPPINESS, PUNISHES OR KILLS BEINGS WHO ALSO LONG FOR HAPPINESS, WILLNOT FIND HAPPINESS AFTER DEATH. HE WHO, SEEKING HIS OWN HAPPINESS, DOES NOT PUNISH OR KILL BEINGSWHO ALOS LONG FOR HAPPINESS, WILL FIND HAPPINESS AFTER DEATH. DO NOT SPEAK HARSHLY TO ANYONE, WHOSE WHO ARE SPEKEN TO WILL ANSWER THEE IN THE SAME WAY. ANGRY SPEECH IN PAINFUL, BLOWS FOR BLOWS WILL TOUCH THEE.

             IF, LIKE A SHATTERED METAL PLATE (GONG) THOU UTTER NOTHING, THEN THOU HAS REACHED NIRVANA, ANGER IS NOT KNOWN TO THEE. AS A COW-HERD WITH HIS STAFF DRIVES HIS COWS INTO THE STABLE, SO DO AGE AND DEATH DRIVE THE LIFE OF MEN. A FOOL DOES NOT KNOW WHEN HE COMMITS HIS EVIL DEEDS, BUT THE WICKED MAN BURNS BY HIS OWN DEEDS, AS IF BURNT BY FIRE.  HE WHO INFLICTS PAIN ON INNOCENT AND HARMLESS PERSONS, WILL SOON COME TO ONE OF THESE TEN STATES. HE WILL HAVE CRUEL SUFFERING, LOSS, INJURY OF THE BODY, HEAVY AFFLICTION, OR LOSS OF MIND.

               A MISFORTUNE COMING FROM THE KING, OR A FEARFUL ACCUSATION, OR LOSS OF RELATIONS, OR DESTRUCTION OF TREASURES. LIGHTNING- FIRE WILL BURN HIS HOUSES AND WHEN HIS BODY IS DESTROYED, THE FOOL  WILL GO TO HELL. NOT NAKEDNESS, NOT PLATTED HAIR, NOT DIRT, NOT FASTING, OR LYING ON THE EARTH, NOT RUBBING, WITH DUST, NOT SITTING MOTIONLESS, CAN PURIFY A MORTAL WHO HAS NOT OVERCOME DESIRES.

         HE WHO, THOUGH DRESSED IN FINE APPAREL, EXERCISE TRANQUILLITY, IS QUIET, SUBDUED, RESTRAINED, CHASTE, AND HAS CEASED TO FIND FAULT WITH ALL OTHER BEINGS, HE INDEED IS A BRAHMANA, AN ASCETIC (SRAMANA) A FRIAR (BHIKSHU). IS THERE IN THIS WORLD ANY MAN SO RETRAINED BY SHAME THAT HE DOES NOT PROVOKE REPROOF, AS A NOBLE HORSE THE WHIP? LIKE A NOBLE HORSE WHEN TOUCHED BY THE WHIP, BE YE STRENOUS AND EAGER, AND BY FAITH, BY VIRTUE, BY ENERGY, BY MEDITATION, BY DISCERNMENT OF THE LAW, YOU WILL OVERCCOME THIS GREAT PAIN, PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE AND IN BEHAVIOR AND NEVER FORGETFUL. WELL - MAKERS LEAD THE WATER WHEREVER THEY LIKE, FLETCHERS BEND THE ARROW, CARPENTERS BEND A LOG OF WOOD, GOOD PEOPLE FASHION THEMSELVES.     

 

THE POWER OF PRESENCE

                                                 LIVE LIFE IN PRESENCE

 

            IS PRESENCE THE SAME AS BEING?

           WHEN YOU BECOME CONSCIOUS OF BEING, WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING IS THAT BEING BECOMES CONSCIOUS OF ITSELF. WHEN BEING BECOME CONSCIOUS OF ITSELF-THAT'S PRESENCE. SINCE BEING, CONSCIOUSNESS, AND LIFE ARE SYNONYMOUS, WE COULD SAY THAT PRESENCE MEANS CONSCIOUSNESS. BUT DON'T GET ATTACHED TO THE WORDS, AND DON'T MAKE AN EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND THIS. THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE YOU CAN BECOME PRESENT.

           I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT IT SEEMS TO IMPLY THAT BEING, THE ULTIMATE TRANSCENDENTAL REALITY, IS NOT YET COMPLETE, THAT IT IS UNDERGOING A PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT. DOES GOD NEED TIME FOR PERSONAL GROWTH?

         YES, BUT ONLY AS SEEN FROM THE LIMITED PERSPECTIVE OF THE MANIFESTED UNIVERSE. IN THE BIBLE, GOD DECLARES, "I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, AND I AM THE LIVING ONE". IN THE TIMELESS REALM WHERE GOD DWELLS, WHICH IS ALSO YOUR HOME, THE BEGINNING AND THE END, THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, ARE ONE, AND THE ESSENCE OF EVERYTHING THAT EVER HAS BEEN AND EVER WILL BE IS ETERNALLY PRESENT IN AN UNMANIFESTED STATE OF ONENESS AND PERFECTION - TOTALLY BEYOND ANYTHING THE HUMAN MIND CAN EVER IMAGINE OR COMPREHEND. IN OUR WORLD OF SEEMINGLY SEPERATE FORMS, HOWEVER, TIMELESS PERFECTION IS AN INCONCEIVABLE CONCEPT. HERE EVEN CONSCIOUSNESS, WHICH IS THE LIGHT EMANATING FROM THE TERNAL SOURCE, SEEMS TO BE SUBJECT TO A PROCESS OF DEVELOPMEMT, BUT THIS IS DUE TO OUR LIMITED PERCEPTION. IT IS NOT SO IN ABSOLUTE TERMS. NEVERTHELESS, LET ME CONTINUE TO SPEAK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN THIS WORLD.

         EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS HAS BEING, HAS GOD - ESSENCE, GAS SOME DEGREDE OF CONSCIOUSNESS. EVEN A STONE HAS RUDIMENTARY CONSCIOUSNESS, OTHERWISE, IT WOULD NOT BE, AND ITS ATOMS AND MOLECULES WOULD DISPERSE. EVERYTHING IS ALIVE. THE SUN, THE EARTH , PLANTS, ANIMALS, HUMANS- ALL ARE EXPRESSIONS O CONSCIOUSNESS IS VARYING DEGREES, CONSCIOUSNESS MANIFESTING AS FORM.

          THE WORLD ANISES WHEN CONSCIOUSNESS TAKES ON SHAPES AND FORMS, THOUGHT FORMS AND MATERIAL FORMS. LOOK AT THE MILLIONS OF LIFE FORMS ON THIS PLANET ALONE. IN THE SEA, ON LAND, IN THE AIR- AND THEN EACH LIFE FORM IS REPLICATED MILLIONS OF TIMES. TO WHAT END? IS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING PLAYING A GAME, A GAME WITH FORM? THIS IS WHAT THE ANCIENT SEERS OF INDIA ASKED THEMSELVES. THEY SAW THE WORLD AS LILA, A KIND OF DIVINE GAME THAT GOD IS PLAYING. THE INDIVIDUAL LIFE FORMS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS GAME. IN THE SEA, MOST LIFE FORMS DON'T SURVIVE FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES AFTER BEING BORN. THE HUMAN FORM TURNS TO DUST PRETTY QUIKLY TOO, AND WHEN IT IS GONE IT IS AS IF IT HAD NEVER BEEN. IS THAT TRAGIC OR CRUEL? ONLY IF YOU CRETE A SEPERATE IDENTITY FOR EACH FORM, IF YOU FORGET THAT ITS CONSCIOUSNESS IS GOD-ESSENCE EXPRESSING ITSELF IN FORM. BUT YOU DON'T TRULY KNOW THAT UNTIL YOU REALIZE YOUR OWN GOD - ESSENCE AS PURE CONSCIOUSNESS.

                  IF A FISH IS BORN IN YOUR ACQUARIUM AND YOU CALL IT, JOHN, WRITE OUT A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, TELL HIM ABOUT HIS FAMILY HISTORY, AND TWO MINUTES LATER HE GETS EATEN BY ANOTHER FISH- THAT'S TRAGIC, BUT IT'S ONLY TRAGIC BECAUSE YOU PROJECTED A SEPARATE SELF WHERE THERE WAS NONE. YOU GOT HOLD OF A FRACTION OF A DYNAMIC PROCESS, A MOLECULAR DANCE, AND MADE A SEPARATE ENTIRY OUT OF IT.

           CONSCIOUSNESS TAKES ON THE DISGUISE OF FORMS UNTIL THEY REACH SUCH COMPLEXITY THAT IT COMPLETELY LOSES ITSELF IN THEM. IN PRESENT-DAY HUMANS, CONSCIOUSNESS IS COMPLETELY IDENTIFIED WITH ITS DISGUISE. IT ONLY KNOWS ITSELF AS FORM AND THEREFORE LIVES IN FEAR OF THEANNIHILATION OF ITS PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL FORM. THIS IS THE EGOIC MIND, AND THIS IS WHERE CONSIDERABLE DYSFUNCTION SETS IN. IT NOW LOOKS AS IF SOMETHING HAD GONE VEY WRONG SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE OF EVOLUTION. BUT EVEN THIS IS PART OF LILA, THE DIVINE GAME. 

                 FINALLY, THE PRESURE OF SUFFERING CREATED BY THIS APPARENT DYSFUNCTION FORCES CONSCIOUSNESS TO DISIDENTIFY FROM FORM AND AWAKENS IT FROM ITS DREAM OF FORM. IT REGAINS SELF-CONSCIOUNESS, BUT IT IS AT A FAR DEEPER LEVEL THAN WHEN IT LOST IT.

                      CAN YOU NOW SEE THE DEEPER AND WIDER SIGNIFICANCE OF BECOMING PRESENT AS THE WATCHER OF YOUR MIND? WHENEVER YOU WATCH THE MIND, YOU WITHDRAW CONSCIOUSNESS FROM MIND FORMS, WHICH THEN BECOMES WHAT WE CALL THE WATCHER OR THE WITNESS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE WATCHER- PIURE CONSCIOUSNESS BEYOND FORM- BECOMES STRONGER, AND THE METAL FORMATIONS BECOME WEAKER. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WATCHING THE MIND WE ARE PERSONALIZING AND EVENT THAT IS TRULY OF COSMIC SIGNIFICANCE THROUGH YOU, CONSCIOUSNESS IS AWAKENING OUT OF ITS DREAM OF IDENFICATION WITH FORM AND WITHDRAWING FROM FORM. THIS FORESHADOWS, BUT IS ALREADY PART OF,AN EVENT THAT IS PROBABLY STILL IN THE DISTANT FUTURE AS FAR AS CHRONOLOGICAL TIMEIS CONCERNED. THE EVENTIS CALLED - THE END OF THE WORLD.

YOGA DESTROY YOUR WORRIES AND IMPURITIES

                                                USES OF YOGA

        BY THE PRACTICE OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOGA THE IMPURITIES BEING DESTROYED KNOWLEDGE BECOMES EFFULGENT, UP TO DISCRIMINATION.

         NOW COMES THE PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE. WHAT WE HAVE JUST BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT IS MUCH HIGHER. IT IS WAY ABOVE OUR HEADS, BUT IT IS THE IDEAL. IT IS FIRST NECESSARY TO OBTAIN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONTROL. THEN THE REALISATION WILL BECOME STEADY IN THAT IDEAL. THE IDEAL BEING KNOWN, WHAT REMAINS IS TO PRACTISE THE METHOD OF REACHING IT.

         YAMA, NIYAMA, ASANA, PRANAYAMA, PRATYA HARA, DHARANA, DHYANA, SAMADHI, ARE THE LIMBS OF YOGA.

        NON-KILLING, TRUTHFULNESS, NON-STEALING, CONTINUENCE, AND NON-RECEIVING ARE CALLED YAMA.

         A MAN WHO WANTSTO BE A PERFECT YOGI MUST GIVE UP THE SEX IDEA. THE SOUL HAS NO SEX, WHY SHOULD IT DEGRADE ITSELF WITH SEX IDEAS ? LATER WE SHALL UNDERSTAND BETTER WHY THESE IDEAS MUST BE GIVEN UP. RECEIVING IS JUST AS BAD AS STEALING, RECEIVING GIFTS FROM OTHERS. WHOEVER RECEIVES GIFTS, HIS MIND IS ACTED ON BY THE MIND OF THE GIVER, SO THAT THE MAN WHO RECEIVES GIFTS BECOMES DEGENERATED. RECEIVING GIFTS DESTROYS THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE MIND, AND MAKES US MERE SLAVES. THEREFORE, RECEIVE NOTHING.

              THESE, UNBROKEN BY TIME, PLACE, PURPOSE, AND CASTE, ARE (UNIVERSAL) GREAT VOWS.

             THESE PRACTICES, NON-KILLING, NON-STEALING, CHASITY, AND NON-RECEIVING ARE TO BE PRACTICED BY EVER MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD, BY EVERY SOUL, IRRESPECTIVE OF NATION,COUNTRY OR POSITION.

           INTERNAL AND  EXTERNAL PURIFICATION, CONTENTMENT, MORTIFICATION, STUDY, AND WORSHIP OF GOD, ARE THE NIYAMAS.

         EXTERNAL PURIFICATION IS KEEPING THE BODY PURE, A DIRTY MAN WILL NEVER BECOME A YOGI. THERE MUST BE INTERNAL PURIFICATION ALSO. THAT IS OBTAINED BY THE FIRST-NAMED VIRTUES. OF COURSE INTERNAL PURITY IS OF GREATER VALUE THAT EXTERNAL, BUT BOTH ARE NECESSARY, AND EXTERNAL PURITY, WITHOUT INTERNAL,  IS OF NO GOOD.

       TO  OBSTRUCT THOUGHTS WHICH ARE INIMICAL TO YOGA, CONTRARY THOUGHTS WILL BE BROUGHT.

         THIS IS THE WAY TO PRACTICE ALL THESE VIRTUES THAT HAVE BEEN STATED, BY HOLDING THOUGHTS OF AN OPPOSITE CHARACTER IN THE MIND. WHEN THE IDEA OF STEALING COMES, NON-STEALING SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF. WHEN THE IDEA OF RECEIVING GIFTS COMES, REPLACE IT BY A CONTRARY THOUGHT.

         THE OBSTRUCTIONS TO YOGA ARE KILLING ETC., WHETHER COMMITTED, CAUSED, OR APPROVED, EITHER THROUGH AVARICE, OR ANGER, OR IGNORANCE, WHETHER SLIGHT, MIDDLING, OR GREAT, AND RESULT IS INNUMERABLE IGNORANCE AND MISERIES. THIS IS (THE METHOD OF ) THINKING THE CONTRARY.

        IF I TELL I LIE, OR CAUSE ANOTHER TO TELL A LIE, OR APPROVE OF ANOTHER DOING SO, IT IS EQUALLY SINFUL. IF IT IS A VERY MILD LIE, IT IS STILL A LIE. EVERY VICIOUS THOUGT WILL REBOUND, EVERY THOUGHT OF HATRED WHICH YOU HAVE THOUGHT, IN  A CAVE EVEN, IS STORE UP, AND WILL ONE DAY COME BACK TO YOU WITH TREMENDOUS POWER IN THE FORM OF SOME MISERY HERE. IF YOU PROJECT ALL SORTS OF HATRED AND JEALOUSY, THEY WILL REBOUND ON YOU WITH COMPOUND INTEREST. NO POWER CAN AVERT THEM, WHEN ONECE YOU HAVE PUT THEM IN MOTION YOU WILL HAVE TO BEAR THEM. REMEMBERING THIS, WILL PREVENT YOU FROM DOING WICKED THINGS.

        NON - KILLING BEING ESTABLISHED, IN HIS PRESENCE ALL EMNITIES CEASE (IN OTHERS).

       IF A MAN GETS THE IDEA OF NON - INJURING OTHERS, BEFORE HIM EVEN ANIMALS WHICH ARE BY THEIR NATURE FEROCIOUS WILL BECOME PEACEFUL. THE TIGER AND THE LAMB WILL PLAY TOGETHER BEFORE THAT YOGI AND WILL NOT HURT EACH OTHER. WHEN YOU HAVE COME TO THAT STATE, THEN ALONE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE BECOME FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN NON-INJURING.

      BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUTHFULNESS, THE YOGI GETS THE POWER OF ATTAINING FOR HIMSELF AND OTHERS THE FRUITS OF WORK WITHOUT THE WORKS.

     WHEN THE POWER OF TRUTH WILL BE ESTABLISHED WITH YOU, THEN EVEN IN DREAM YOU WILL NEVER TELL AN UNTRUTH, IN THOUGHT, WORD OR DEED, WHATEVER YOU SAY WILL BE TRUTH. YOU MAY SAY TO A MAN, "BE BLESSED" AND THAT MAN WILL BE BLESSED. IF A MAN IS DISEASED, AND YOU SAY TO HIM, "BE THOU CURED" HE WILL BE CURVED IMMEDIATELY.

        BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NON-STEALING ALL WEALTH COMES TO THE YOGI.

    THE MORE YOU FLY FROM NATURE THE MORE SHE FOLLOWS YOU, AND IF  YOU DO NOT CARE FOR HER AT ALL SHE BECOMES YOUR SLAVE.

      BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTINENCE ENERGY IS GAINED.

    THE CHASTE BRAIN HAS TREMENDOUS ENERGY, GIGANTIC WILL POWER, WITHOUT THAT THERE CAN BE NO MENTAL STRENGTH. ALL MEN OF GIGANTIC BRAINS ARE VERY CONTINENT. IT GIVES WONDERFUL CONTROL OVER MANKIND. LEADERS OF MEN HAVE BEEN VERY CONTENT, AND THIS IS WHAT GAVE THEM POWER. THEREFORE, THE YOGI MUST BE CONTENT.

        WHEN HE IS FIXED IN NON-RECEIVING HE GETS THE MEMORY OF PAST LIFE.

       WHEN THE YOGI DOES NOT RECEIVE PRESENTS FROM OTHERS HE DOES NOT BECAME BEHOLDEN TO OTHERS, BUT BECOMES INDEPENDENT AND FREE, AND HIS MIND BECOMES PURE, BECAUSE WITH EVERY GIFT HE RECEIVES ALL THE EVILS OF THE GIVER, AND THEY COME AND LAY COATING AFTER COATING ON HIS MIND, UNTIL IT IS HIDDEN UNDER ALL SORTS OF COVERINGS OF EVIL. IF HE DOES NOT RECEIVE THE MIND BECOMES PURE, AND THE FIRST THING IT GETS IS MEMORY OF PAST LIFE. 

        THEN ALONE THE YOGI BECOMES PERFECTLY FIXED IN HIS IDEAL, BECAUSE HE SEES THAT HE HAS BEEN COMING AND GOING SO MANY TIMES, AND HE BECOMES DETERMINED THAT THIS TIME HE WILL BE FREE, THAT HE WILL NO MORE COME AND GO, AND BE THE SLAVE OF NATURE.