Your Questions Answered

by Swami Krishnananda

Dr. Goel: The mundane things also go in the Higher Self?

SWAMIJI: By accepting that the Higher Self includes all these mundane things, so that you need not have to ask for mundane things separately, it includes whatever you want, even your train fare is included in that, so, why are you worrying about these little things, when it is already there? The idea of avoiding something is painful, but I am not telling you to avoid anything. Just realise that what is here, is also there, in a better way.

Dr. Goel: What is here, is also there.

SWAMIJI: So, why should you go here, when it is already there? And it is in a larger dimension that you will get it there; it is only a fraction you will get here. That is the original; this is a reflection. So, why do you want a reflection, when the original is ready there?

Dr. Goel: So, that is why I always want to go in the Higher Self.

SWAMIJI: If you want it, it will come. There is no qualification necessary, except wanting it. That is the only qualification. If it is not wanted, it will not come. It comes when it is wanted – but wanted wholly, not a little.

If I like you only for some time what kind of statement is it? Is there any sense or meaning in it? Like that, you tell God, also: "For some time I like you, because I want some help from you; otherwise, I can manage myself." What kind of person are you?

Dr. Goel: Too much selfishness is there.

SWAMIJI: "When I want something from you, I like you. When I have nothing to do with you, well, you mind your business." This kind of thing you tell to God, also.

Dr. Goel: Yes. Selfishness is there.

SWAMIJI: Yes, we sell a lot of fish. How much fish will you sell?

Dr. Goel: I want all my thoughts always to be in the Infinite, in tune with the Almighty.

SWAMIJI: When you can find everything there, why should you have problems? The problem is that you cannot believe that everything can be found there. "The heart has a reason which reason does not know," is an old saying. So, whatever you may say, the heart will say, "Do not be too optimistic. Be cautious." Like that, it will tell from inside. "After all, you are going to some unknown place. Be cautious." So, there is a hesitancy in going there.

If you say everything is there, yes, I understand; but, still the heart has a reason which reason does not know. It will whisper something: "Don't be too optimistic; don't be foolish; go slow." All this, it will tell. So, what to do? Whose voice are you going to listen to?

And the world will tell you, "I have taken care of you for so many years, and now what is your idea of kicking me out, and going like that? Are you ungrateful? What kind of person are you? So many people have protected you and taken care of you, and made you what you are, and you will simply throw them out, and go somewhere? Is this a gentlemanly attitude?" This it will tell from within.

A hundred questions will come from inside. One by one, they will come. They do not come always together; sometimes, finally, one questions comes: "It is a hopeless thing, a hopeless affair; nothing has come, and nothing may come, also." This trouble also may arise from inside.

There are some intelligent lawyers in the court. Before any question is raised by the other party, they can visualise what questions will arise. All the questions they themselves will raise, as can be put by the opposite party, so that the other one has nothing to say, and they will furnish the answer also subsequently. If he is a very able lawyer, he can already assume what questions can arise, contravening his position, and answer them then and there. The other party will then have the mouth shut.

Sankaracharya's commentaries are highly polemical. "If you say like that, this is the answer to you. But you may counteract and say this is wrong; for that, I rebut like this."

It has to be clear what questions will arise. They are only two or three questions the mind has generally, and these manifest as hundreds, as light becomes manifold by passing through a prism. Questions are only two or three, basically. All of humanity has only two or three questions, but it appears to be manifold because of this prism of the ego which converts the issues into a manifold form, and then tantalises, and troubles you.

Place one image, and then keep two glasses on both sides. Then you will see millions of images reflected on both sides. Only one is there, but it looks like millions; likewise, only one desire is there, finally. But it looks like a hundredfold, because it passes through the ego, which is the peculiar medium that deflects a centrality of aspiration, and makes it appear as manifold.

Dr. Goel: You have said that nothing exists outside; everything is in you. How can we convince ourselves that nothing exists?

SWAMIJI: Who are the "ourselves"? Where are they? You have again defeated your own self by saying, "Nothing exists outside, but I am existing." You have already asserted that you are existing outside, and then you say, at the same time, that nothing exists outside. Thus, your statement is self-contradictory. If nothing is outside, you also do not exist; then, why are you wanting to convince yourself? That means that you are still existing as an outside object.

You are, somehow, by the back door, coming to the same point. By the front side, you say it is not there; by the back side, I am here. So, what is the purpose? It is back-door entry. You close the door from the front, and behind you open it. This is what you are doing.

Dr. Goel: That is what happens in life.

SWAMIJI: No, that is no good. Back-door entry is no good. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the two friends you have. Sometimes this man speaks, and sometimes that man speaks. You don't know what to make out.

Dr. Goel: Yes, that is correct. That is the problem of life.

SWAMIJI: Two voices will be telling you two different things, like one man with two wives. They will quarrel, and then say different things, and the man has to hide, afterwards. He has to run away from there. So, likewise, these two friends are telling you two things. Sometimes this looks all right, and sometimes that looks all right, according to your mood and requirement and the voice heard from within.

Dr. Goel: But what is the solution? That is the problem.

SWAMIJI: Already you have given the solution. That which you want is everywhere; therefore, you are also there. Hence, you should not raise a question. If you raise a question, you are asserting your externality still, and then your assertion that externality does not exist gets defeated. The question defeats itself.

Andrea: Swamiji, what are those two basic questions?

SWAMIJI: I did not want to tell all these things, but you are a very clever person. You understood what I said. You want to know everything before you leave this place.

Andrea: Yes.

SWAMIJI: Do you want to know everything?

Andrea: Yes.