Post by maxdprophet on Oct 14, 2015 12:49:22 GMT -5
www.ramakantmaharaj.net/
Q: Do we really need to meditate?
Maharaj: You see, from childhood until now, there has been a lot of attachment to the body, a lifetime of impressions, a lot of love and affection with the body. All body-related relations are there. This has to be dissolved. Of course, meditation is also an illusion, but we need to use a thorn to remove another thorn. And remember, this is just at the initial stage for focus, concentration, to CONCENTRATE ON THE CONCENTRATOR.
The body is not your identity. You are 'Final Truth', 'Ultimate Truth. But in order to have this total conviction, all concepts and body knowledge need to dissolve. We may understand everything intellectually, but intellectual understanding is not enough. Therefore, you have to undergo the meditation. It is essential at the beginning. Later, at the advanced stage, it is no longer required.
In our lineage,(the Inchegiri Navnath Sampradaya), we are giving a mantra, some words, chanting these words. However, the mantra is not given to those who already have a Master.
Q: How does the mantra work?
Maharaj: First, I have to tell you that the mantra, (the Master Key), is to be kept secret. YOU MUST NOT REVEAL IT TO ANYONE. So, how does it work? The spirit is very sensitive. Whatever is impressed upon it, is reflected.You have forgotten your real identity, so the mantra reminds you of this. The meaning of the mantra is 'I AM BRAHMAN, BRAHMAN I AM'. The mantra produces vibrations within you, and through these vibrations, as you continue to recite the mantra, you will come to know the Reality.
Slowly, silently and permanently, after concentrating, you will feel some changes within you. Your body knowledge will be dissolved. You will be totally fearless because you will know “I am not the body”. ALL NEEDS ARE BODY-RELATED NEEDS: NEED OF GOD, NEED OF FOOD, NEED OF HAPPINESS, NEED OF PEACE - all body-related. When you came across with the body, all needs started. PRIOR TO BEINGNESS, NO NEEDS WERE THERE, NO FEAR WAS THERE.That said, look after the body, do your job, do your duties. Do not neglect your body. This is a precious opportunity.
Q: So, meditating regularly will help to bring about a shift, a change?
Maharaj: “Meditation is the base, the starting process to ensure that a perfect foundation, a strong foundation is laid. As you recite this mantra, YOU ARE REMINDING YOUR 'UNIDENTIFIED IDENTITY', THAT YOU ARE ATMAN, BRAHMAN, PARAMATMAN.”
Maharaj continues: “You know Reality, but you have forgotten Reality. Everybody has the Knowledge of their Reality within them, but THIS PROCESS OF MEDITATION IS NEEDED FOR CONVICTION, TO ESTABLISH AND ABSORB THE KNOWLEDGE. Dry knowledge, bookish knowledge or literal knowledge is not Self-Knowledge. MEDITATION ALONE WILL LEAD TO SELF-KNOWLEDGE.”
Q: When reciting the mantra, the question sometimes arises “Who is reciting?”
Maharaj: Ah! “Who is reciting?” The question came because you have body attachment. There is no 'Who?', there is no 'He', 'She'. There is nothing. These are just the terms, the body-related terms. WHO IS RECITING THE MANTRA? THE CONCENTRATOR, THE INVISIBLE PRESENCE. Why are you reciting it? Because you forgot your identity. While reciting, YOU ARE INVITING THE ATTENTION OF THE 'INVISIBLE PRESENCE' – YOUR ULTIMATE TRUTH. So at the initial stage, you have to recite it deliberately. After continuous reciting, it will happen spontaneously, without your knowledge for 24 hours – waking, dreaming, all the time.”
“The terms 'he', 'she', 'it' are only used for understanding purposes. Guessing, logic or inference are not applicable to (the task of), knowing yourself in a real sense. Why? BECAUSE YOUR EXISTENCE IS 'SPONTANEOUS EXISTENCE'. How were you prior to Beingness? How will you be, after leaving the body? What is your identity? Here, we conclude, that the identity is the same as it is today. The only difference is that you are holding the body. So, again, I repeat, body knowledge has to be erased completely, and for this to happen, you have to meditate.”
Q.Maharaj, I have been reciting the mantra for some time now, and it is now happening spontaneously, just as you said it would. Also, the effects of the meditation are now showing. There's an almost tangible quality present, such as stunning silence and peace and emptiness, to use your word, 'CleaReality'.There is just spontaneous happiness that is causeless.
Maharaj:"You are operating the Master Key (Naam Mantra), with deep involvement, and so it is bringing you closer to Selfless Self. The spontaneous happiness is the fragrance of Selfless Self. This means that the Knowledge is being absorbed. Very nice. Embrace Selfless Self and go deeper and deeper.”
“You see, when you go deep and deep within the Selfless Self, you will find so many things, beyond your imagination. You will forget this external or internal identity. YOU WILL REMAIN UNKNOWN TO YOU. NO KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWLEDGE. NO KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWLEDGE.”
“WHATEVER KNOWLEDGE IS ROOTED TO THE BODY IS ILLUSION. YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF BRAHMAN, ATMAN, PARAMATMAN IS ALSO ILLUSION. These are just the words, only W-O-R-D-S, (the Master spells it out). It is OK, maybe giving you some pleasure, momentary happiness, a little entertainment, BUT IT IS NOT ULTIMATE TRUTH.”
Q: Are there other ways of getting there, of reaching the Absolute?
Maharaj: "There's other ways, like if you have strong devotion(Maharaj makes a fist and shakes it in the air), like Ekalavya(from the Mahabharata). So it is not impossible to do it by another way. But casual reading and casual enlightenment is not so easy. We need total involvement, with a strong desire to find out, like “Yes, I want to know the Reality. I HAVE to know”.
And you HAVE to surrender totally to the Master – whosoever the Master may be. That is also very important.
Q: Do we really need to meditate?
Maharaj: You see, from childhood until now, there has been a lot of attachment to the body, a lifetime of impressions, a lot of love and affection with the body. All body-related relations are there. This has to be dissolved. Of course, meditation is also an illusion, but we need to use a thorn to remove another thorn. And remember, this is just at the initial stage for focus, concentration, to CONCENTRATE ON THE CONCENTRATOR.
The body is not your identity. You are 'Final Truth', 'Ultimate Truth. But in order to have this total conviction, all concepts and body knowledge need to dissolve. We may understand everything intellectually, but intellectual understanding is not enough. Therefore, you have to undergo the meditation. It is essential at the beginning. Later, at the advanced stage, it is no longer required.
In our lineage,(the Inchegiri Navnath Sampradaya), we are giving a mantra, some words, chanting these words. However, the mantra is not given to those who already have a Master.
Q: How does the mantra work?
Maharaj: First, I have to tell you that the mantra, (the Master Key), is to be kept secret. YOU MUST NOT REVEAL IT TO ANYONE. So, how does it work? The spirit is very sensitive. Whatever is impressed upon it, is reflected.You have forgotten your real identity, so the mantra reminds you of this. The meaning of the mantra is 'I AM BRAHMAN, BRAHMAN I AM'. The mantra produces vibrations within you, and through these vibrations, as you continue to recite the mantra, you will come to know the Reality.
Slowly, silently and permanently, after concentrating, you will feel some changes within you. Your body knowledge will be dissolved. You will be totally fearless because you will know “I am not the body”. ALL NEEDS ARE BODY-RELATED NEEDS: NEED OF GOD, NEED OF FOOD, NEED OF HAPPINESS, NEED OF PEACE - all body-related. When you came across with the body, all needs started. PRIOR TO BEINGNESS, NO NEEDS WERE THERE, NO FEAR WAS THERE.That said, look after the body, do your job, do your duties. Do not neglect your body. This is a precious opportunity.
Q: So, meditating regularly will help to bring about a shift, a change?
Maharaj: “Meditation is the base, the starting process to ensure that a perfect foundation, a strong foundation is laid. As you recite this mantra, YOU ARE REMINDING YOUR 'UNIDENTIFIED IDENTITY', THAT YOU ARE ATMAN, BRAHMAN, PARAMATMAN.”
Maharaj continues: “You know Reality, but you have forgotten Reality. Everybody has the Knowledge of their Reality within them, but THIS PROCESS OF MEDITATION IS NEEDED FOR CONVICTION, TO ESTABLISH AND ABSORB THE KNOWLEDGE. Dry knowledge, bookish knowledge or literal knowledge is not Self-Knowledge. MEDITATION ALONE WILL LEAD TO SELF-KNOWLEDGE.”
Q: When reciting the mantra, the question sometimes arises “Who is reciting?”
Maharaj: Ah! “Who is reciting?” The question came because you have body attachment. There is no 'Who?', there is no 'He', 'She'. There is nothing. These are just the terms, the body-related terms. WHO IS RECITING THE MANTRA? THE CONCENTRATOR, THE INVISIBLE PRESENCE. Why are you reciting it? Because you forgot your identity. While reciting, YOU ARE INVITING THE ATTENTION OF THE 'INVISIBLE PRESENCE' – YOUR ULTIMATE TRUTH. So at the initial stage, you have to recite it deliberately. After continuous reciting, it will happen spontaneously, without your knowledge for 24 hours – waking, dreaming, all the time.”
“The terms 'he', 'she', 'it' are only used for understanding purposes. Guessing, logic or inference are not applicable to (the task of), knowing yourself in a real sense. Why? BECAUSE YOUR EXISTENCE IS 'SPONTANEOUS EXISTENCE'. How were you prior to Beingness? How will you be, after leaving the body? What is your identity? Here, we conclude, that the identity is the same as it is today. The only difference is that you are holding the body. So, again, I repeat, body knowledge has to be erased completely, and for this to happen, you have to meditate.”
Q.Maharaj, I have been reciting the mantra for some time now, and it is now happening spontaneously, just as you said it would. Also, the effects of the meditation are now showing. There's an almost tangible quality present, such as stunning silence and peace and emptiness, to use your word, 'CleaReality'.There is just spontaneous happiness that is causeless.
Maharaj:"You are operating the Master Key (Naam Mantra), with deep involvement, and so it is bringing you closer to Selfless Self. The spontaneous happiness is the fragrance of Selfless Self. This means that the Knowledge is being absorbed. Very nice. Embrace Selfless Self and go deeper and deeper.”
“You see, when you go deep and deep within the Selfless Self, you will find so many things, beyond your imagination. You will forget this external or internal identity. YOU WILL REMAIN UNKNOWN TO YOU. NO KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWLEDGE. NO KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWLEDGE.”
“WHATEVER KNOWLEDGE IS ROOTED TO THE BODY IS ILLUSION. YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF BRAHMAN, ATMAN, PARAMATMAN IS ALSO ILLUSION. These are just the words, only W-O-R-D-S, (the Master spells it out). It is OK, maybe giving you some pleasure, momentary happiness, a little entertainment, BUT IT IS NOT ULTIMATE TRUTH.”
Q: Are there other ways of getting there, of reaching the Absolute?
Maharaj: "There's other ways, like if you have strong devotion(Maharaj makes a fist and shakes it in the air), like Ekalavya(from the Mahabharata). So it is not impossible to do it by another way. But casual reading and casual enlightenment is not so easy. We need total involvement, with a strong desire to find out, like “Yes, I want to know the Reality. I HAVE to know”.
And you HAVE to surrender totally to the Master – whosoever the Master may be. That is also very important.
