Read these discourses by Guru Rajnish which highlight the importance of living/alive master.
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You can see light, but how can you explain it to a blind man There seems to be no way. Whatever you say about light, will not be light.
Whatever you say about light, will not be meaningful to the blind man. Hence always remember, we cannot say truth, we can show truth.
It is a finger pointing to the moon. All words are just fingers pointing to the moon, but don’t accept the fingers as the moon. The moment you start clinging to the fingers – that’s where doctrines, cults, creeds, dogmas, are born – then you have missed the whole point.
The fingers were not the point; the point was the moon.
That’s why I say, don’t let words and doctrines misguide you.
Rather find a living master whose very being is a finger pointing to the moon. In his presence maybe something transpires in you.
Not in his words, but perhaps in his silence. Not in theories, but perhaps in his eyes. There you may find a certain inspiration, a glimpse, a door opening into the mysteries of life. Books cannot do that; only a living master can.
And this is the misery, that people go on carrying dead books, dead words.
In his presence maybe something transpires in you.
Perhaps those words were once alive when the master who had spoken them, was there.
When I speak to you, do you think it is only the words that reach to you ?
No, my tone, my emphasis on certain words, my silence between two words, my gestures of the hands, my eyes – which I forget completely to blink !
My doctors are after me to continue to blink – but I forget ! When I am really speaking to you, then it is not only my words, but my whole being that is involved in it. I
t is a total alive expression…. and one never knows what will reach to your heart.
You can write these words. They will be the same – but yet not the same, because the living reality behind them will be missing .
My emphasis has always been – while I’m alive do not bother about what I say.
My emphasis has always been – while I’m alive do not bother about what I say. Don’t listen to what I say, listen to what I am !
And just say a goodbye to me after my departure.. Don’t cling to the memories, don’t cling to that which is no more.
Find another living master – the earth is never empty. Existence is very compassionate.
I don’t want you to cling to me.
That is one of the faults all the old religions have commited, and I don’t want you to do it. Now the pope did not become enlightened. Original Shankaracharya was not related to your eight shankaracharyas.
You are unnecessarily wasting your time and their time. Search and you will always find, because the earth is not barren, it always produces.
Whoever is thirsty will always find the well somewhere. Use your time in finding a charismatic personality, a living mystery, a man who has become a legend while he is alive.
Don’t get lost into words,
And be grateful for moments that you lived with him, but don’t get stuck there.
Find out, and now it will be easier for you to find out because you have tasted one mystic, you know the taste, you know the vibe.
Another awakened being will easily pull you in his direction. Only bodies differ, the experience of the awakening is the same.
So I don’t want anybody to remember me, even when I am gone.
If you have really loved me, I would like you to find someone of the same quality, so that your love goes on growing, your being goes on maturing.
In the East, the blessing of a master is very very significant. The west has remained completely unaware of the phenomenon. The West knows teachers, not masters. Teachers are those who teach you about truth. A master is one who gives you the taste of it. A teacher may be someone who does not know himself, he may have learned from other teachers.
Seek a master. Teachers are many, masters are few.
And how will you seek an alive master? Just move. Whenever you hear a rumor that somebody has become enlightened, go and remain available. Don’t be much of a thinker, be more of a lover – because a master is found through feeling.
A teacher is found through thinking; listen to the teacher, his logical appeal will be there, his argument. Eat the master, drink the master. Listening won’t help because he is a living phenomenon; the energy is there. If you drink and eat him, then only you will become aware of a different quality of being.
A great receptivity is needed, a great feminine receptivity is needed to find the master. And if you are available and a living master is there, suddenly something clicks. There is nothing to do on your part – you simply be there. It is such a vital energy phenomenon that if you are available something simply clicks, you are caught.
It is a love phenomenon. You cannot prove to anybody else, “I have found the master.” There is no proof.
Don’t try that because anybody can bring proof against it.
You have found it and you know it; you have tasted and you know it. This knowledge is of the heart, of the feeling.
Original discourse in Hindi is being shared first, followed by English translation. Scroll down for English translation.
संत चरण को छोड़िके पूजत भूत बेताल…
अगर परमात्मा पास है – ऐसा जानना हो तो किसी संत चरण में खोजना, किसी जीवंत संत के सान्निध्य में खोजना, भूत-प्रेत की पूजा से नहीं होगा, मुर्दों की पूजा से नहीं होगा |अतीत की पूजा से नहीं होगा, वर्तमान में जीवित किसी संत के चरण चाहिए। मन का लगाव लग जाए, कहीं कोई एक ऐसा व्यक्ति मिल जाए जिसमें तुम्हें परमात्मा की एक छोटी सी किरण भी दिख जाए !
सूरज का तो हमें पता नहीं है, छोड़ो सूरज की बात, उसकी बात भी क्या करनी !
कहीं कोई ऐसा व्यक्ति मिल जाए – जिसमें सूरज की एक किरण का भी अस्तित्व मालूम पड़ता हो ! तो उस एक किरण का सहारा पकड़ लेना।
संत का अर्थ होता है जिसने जाना है, जिसने जिया है, जिसने भोजन किया है |जिसने अपने दिए की बाती जला ली है, जिसने खसम को पा लिया है |जिसने उस प्यारे को उपलब्ध कर लिया है |तुम अगर उसके पास बैठोगे, अगर तुम थोड़े उसके सान्निध्य में रहोगे | चोर के पास बैठते हो, चोर हो जाते हो, बीमार के पास बैठते हो, बीमार हो जाते हो, जिसने प्यारे को पा लिया उसके पास बैठोगे तो थोड़ी न बहुत मस्ती तुममें छाने लगेगी |
शराबी के पास बैठते हो तो शराबी हो जाते हो, सत्संगी के पास बैठोगे तो सत्संगी हो जाओगे ! संत के सान्निध्य का इतना ही अर्थ है जो पिए बैठा है, जरा उसकी दोस्ती बांधो, शायद उसकी दोस्ती से रास्ता साफ़ होने लगे।
संत चरण को छोड़िके पूजत भूत बेताल…और तुम पूजते फिरते हो — कोई भूत को पूज रहा है, पत्थर पूजोगे, पत्थर हो जाओगे |मंदिर-मस्जिदों को पूजनेवाले लोगों ने जितना खून बहाया है उतना किसी ने भी नहीं बहाया। पत्थर को पूजेंगे, पत्थर हो जाएंगे, जिसको पूजोगे वही हो जाओगे, पूजने में जरा सावधानी बरतना|
जरा पूजना हो तो कुछ ऐसे को पूजना कि उस जैसे हो जाओ तो पछताना न पड़े| जरा देख के चुनना उनको जो उदास बैठे हैं, तुम उनको पूजोगे – तुम उदास हो जाओगे | ऐसे जिंदगी में बहुत दुख था और महात्मा मिल गए, दुबले और दो आषाढ़, और मुसीबत हो गई| एक ही आषाढ़ झेलना मुश्किल था, ऐसे ही मरे जा रहे थे बीमारियों से और आषाढ़ दो हो गए।
कहीं जागते, जीवंत, नृत्य करते परमात्मा की कोई छवि मिलती हो तो फिर चूकना मत |
फिर हजार बहाने खोज कर और तर्क खोजके बचने की कोशिश मत कर लेना, क्योंकि बचने को तुम्हारे पास कुछ है नहीं, बचाने को तुम्हारे पास कुछ है नहीं। है क्या जिसे तुम खो दोगे, कई दफा बड़ी हैरानी होती है, लोग बड़े डर-डर के चलते हैं |
नहीं है खोने को यही तो दुःख है ! पास कुछ खोने को होता — कुछ होता पास, तो जीवन में सुख होता, शांति होती, आनंद होता, अहोभाव होता, कुछ भी तो नहीं है|
तुम्हारे पास है क्या, कुछ भी नहीं, मगर डर बड़ा, कि कहीं कुछ खो न जाए |
जिनके पास है वो डरते नहीं क्योंकि जिनके पास है उनको पता चल जाता है कि जो है वो खो नहीं सकता |ये कुछ धन ऐसा है कि खोता नहीं |
और जिनके पास नहीं है – वो बहुत डरते हैं | जिनके पास नहीं है वो डरते हैं कि कहीं खो न जाए और जिनके पास है – वो डरते नहीं क्योंकि ये खोता ही नहीं | ये तो जितना बाँटो उतना बढ़नेवाला धन है |
संत चरण को छोड़िके पूजत भूत बेताल मुए पर भूतेई होई …
जो पूजोगे वही हो जाओगे, इसलिए जिन चरणों को पकड़ो बहुत-बहुत बोध से, जहाँ कुछ जीवंत किरण हो, जहाँ प्रेम का कोई फूल खिला हो, जहाँ समाधि की कुछ सुगंध हो | जिसके पास रहोगे अंत में वैसे ही हो जाओगे |
और ये देव-पितर, और पितर की पूजा, और चल रहा है पितर-पक्ष, और पुरुषोत्तम मास, और पर्युषण पर्व, और रमजान से कुछ भी सार नहीं है |और ऐसे ही तो जीते रहे, मरते रहे, कुछ पाया नहीं, कुछ हाथ लगा नहीं |
किसने कब पाया है देवी देवता की पूजा करने से परम पद, तुम्हारे भैरव, दुर्गा, शिव सब तुम्हें नर्क ले जाते हैं |जहां चिन्मय रूप उतरा हो वहाँ, मुर्दों से नहीं, जहाँ परमात्मा अभी श्वास ले रहा हो वहाँ !!
लेकिन हमारी अजीब हालत है, जब बुद्ध मौजूद होते हैं तो हम उनसे बचते हैं |
जब जा चुके होते हैं, जब उजड़ चुका, जब उजड़ चुकी बहार, जब वसंत जा चुका, जब फूल विदा हो गए और सिर्फ सूखे पत्ते पड़े रह जाते हैं, पतझड़ आ गया तब हम पूजा शुरू करते हैं।
उन सूखे पत्तों में अब कुछ भी नहीं है, हाँ कभी वो पत्ते हरे थे, और कभी उन पत्तों पर हवाओं ने नाच नाचा था,और सूरज की किरणों ने गीत रचे थे, और कभी पक्षी आए थे – जैसे वसंत सदा आता है !!
लेकिन पतझड़ की पूजा बंद करो, जो गया, गया ! अब शिव मौजूद नहीं हैं, अब बुद्ध मौजूद नहीं हैं, अब मुहम्मद मौजूद नहीं हैं, वे गए |
उनमें जो मौजूद हुआ था वो अब भी कहीं मौजूद होगा, तुम रूप से मत जकड़े जाओ, तुम दियों को मत पकड़ो, रोशनी का ख्याल करो|
नहीं तो होता क्या है – बुद्ध का दिया – उसके नीचे कई लोगों को रोशनी मिली, फिर ज्योति तो उड़ गई, फिर मुर्दा दिया पड़ा रह गया| अब उसकी पूजा चल रही है, अब तुम कहते हो इस दिए से कई को ज्ञान मिला था तो हम तो इसी की पूजा करेंगे| हम कैसे छोड़ दें, हजारों को इससे ज्ञान मिला था !
तुम ज्योति की फ़िकर करो ज्योति से ज्ञान मिला था, दिए से थोड़ी मिला था !
दिए को पकड़े बैठे रहोगे उससे क्या होगा, बुद्ध के वचन को पकड़ के बैठे रहोगे क्या होगा, बुद्ध के वचनों में जो शून्य बोला था वो तो अब वहाँ नहीं हैं, अब शास्त्र रह गया है.
सदा जीवित गुरु को खोजो।
“Worshiping ghosts and spirits, leaving aside the saint’s feet…
If you want to know ultimate cosmos, then search in the feet of a saint, in the proximity of a living saint,
not by worshiping ghosts and spirits, not by worshiping the dead,
Not by worshiping the past. You need the feet of a living saint, where your mind gets attached, where you find a person in whom you see a glimpse of almighty, like a ray of the sun.
As far as Sun is concerned, we are ignorant of sun, leave that discussion.
It is futile to discuss sun. If you find a being which gives some clue of existence of ray of sun, then, catch hold of the support of that ray.
The meaning of ‘saint’ is one who has known, who has lived, who has experienced, who has lit the lamp of consciousness, who has found the beloved.
If you sit near them, if you stay in their proximity, You sit in proximity of a thief, you become thief.
When you surround yourself with those in ailing health, you too fall ill. One who got the taste of beloved, if you come in their surroundings ,then you will get a little bit of that divine madness.
If you spend times with drunkards, you turn drunkard. Similarly,If you live with someone who is the epicenter of Satsang, you will become a person of Satsanga (companion of truth).
The proximity of saint only means that one who has taken a drink, befriend him, Maybe you will get the way.
Worshipping ghosts and spirits, leaving aside the Saint’s feet
You are worshiping and wandering – someone is worshiping a ghost, you will become like that which you worship. You worship a stone, you will become a stone. The people who worship temples and mosques have shed more blood than anyone else. You will become like that which you worship, so be careful of what you worship.
Search someone to worship such that if you become like them, then, you need not regret. Be wise in selecting the sad ones, if you worship them, you too turn sad.
Already, life was full of grief and now we are burdened by this heavy religious leader.
We were already skinny and this physical labour in 2 months of AASHADH with scorching heat (4th month of Vikram Samvat or Indian calender ) brings us double burden. We were unable to bear one month of AASHADH ,already we had poor health. And now 2 months of scorching heat of AASHADH.
If you want to worship, then worship someone who is alive, who is dancing with ultimate cosmos. Don’t miss the opportunity, don’t make excuses. Don’t try to escape. You have nothing to lose, you have nothing to save.
What do you have that can be lost. Many times, it is a matter of great surprise , people are too scared in their approach !
You have nothing to lose and this gives pain. If you had something to lose, then, life would be in bliss, peace , joy and fulfillment.
You have nothing indeed. What do you have with you, nothing but the fear is great , nothing should be lost.
Those who have , are no more scared because those who have soon realize that it cannot be lost. This is a wealth impossible to lose.
And those who do not have are too much scared. Those who do not have fear the loss. In contrast, those who have never fear because it never gets lost ! Greater the distribution of this wealth, more growth it sees.
Worshipping ghosts and spirits, leaving aside alive saint’s feet – you become ghost and spirit only.
You become what you worship. Therefore, be wise in selection of feet, where some alive rays exist ! Where flowers of love bloom, Where there is some alive fragrance of SAMADHI (enlightenment).Your company becomes your reality eventually.
And these gods-ancestors, and this ancestral worship and this ongoing ancestral month, purushottam month, paryushan fest (jainism festival ) . Further, Ramadan , all have no essence and all are futile.
Also, all these worship of deities, ancestors, and spirits is useless. You have been living, dying, and getting nothing.
Nobody has achieved the ultimate goal by worshiping deities and ancestors.
Your Bhairav, Durga, Shiva will take you to hell. Where the immortal has descended, not among the dead, where almighty is still breathing, but our condition is strange ! We avoided Buddha when he was present, when he was gone, When the spring was gone, when the flowers had withered, and only dry leaves remained, then we start worshiping.
There is nothing in those dry leaves now, but once they were green, living and the winds danced on them, and the sun’s rays composed songs, and birds came.
Stop worshiping the dry leaves, what’s gone is gone. Now Shiva, Buddha, and Muhammad are not present, but what was present in them is still present in living master. Don’t get caught in the form, don’t hold onto the lamps, think about the light. Otherwise, what happens – Buddha’s lamp – many people got enlightenment from it, but now the flame is gone, and the dead lamp remains. Now you worship it, you say many got knowledge from it, so we will worship it. You should think about the light, not the lamp.”
If you cling to the lamp, it is futile. If you cling to the voice of Buddha what will happen ! The infinity uttered in the words of alive Buddha, immersed in words of Buddha –
does not exist there anymore. Now only scriptures remain.
Always search for an alive Guru
Original discourse in Hindi will be displayed on left in images below with translation given in English on right side to images.
It is always easy to worship a dead guru. But those who worship a dead guru are dead themselves. They are dead, so they worship the dead.
Your worship reflects your own state. Whether you worship Krishna, Muhammad, Ram, Buddha, or Mahavir, in some way, you are worshiping the dead.
I tell you, if Mahavir were alive, you would not go to him because then there would be a risk. There would be fire. Only those would go who are ready to burn and be consumed .
When the flame is burning, the moths go to it. All kinds of insects and pests begin to arrive. After the alive flame is extinguished,
When the flame burns, the moths go. When the flame goes out, the crowd gathers. The same crowd that considers the moths to be insane.
A crowd of insects and pests—bedbugs, mosquitoes—they all come, but the moths do not. Moths always seek the living. You must prepare to die…
A true guru is not under your control; you have to be in the hands of the true guru. That is the risk. So, if you cannot connect with a living guru, you are only deceiving yourself, indulging in self-deception. By worshiping dead gurus, you convince yourself that you are religious, but you are not truly religious.
How can the fragrance of an alive flower remain if the flower itself is no longer there?
How can you sit in the shade of trees that no longer exist?
Whom are you deceiving? You sit by the banks of rivers that have dried up, thinking your thirst will be quenched!
Wake up! Seek out those rivers where the streams still flow.
Find those trees whose branches are still laden with green leaves, where flowers bloom and fruits grow. Look for those individuals where the Divine still speaks, where the Divine is still awake, where the Divine is still alive, where the Divine is still dancing. If you can connect with that dance, a rebellion can happen in your life.
Acharya Rajnish
But Krishna Vedanta, don’t worry. What is happening to me is as expected. This is how it is. Interestingly, this has always been the case. It will always be like this. Don’t waste time on it. That’s why I have no concern for them.
My entire life energy is focused only on those who are willing to change, those who are willing to recognize me. My connection is only with them; I have no connection with the rest.
I have my own world. Those who are willing to recognize me, they are my world. The rest of the world is to be ignored.
Buddhas always have a separate world—a world very different from this one. Call it the “Buddha-realm,” or give it whatever name you wish. That Buddha-realm, call it the “Jina-realm,” or give it whatever name you want.
That Buddha-realm, that Jina-realm is forming. Lovers keep coming, and they will continue to come. Millions of people are going to be transformed. And I want to devote all my energy and strength to those alive plants that are ready to bloom. I am not prepared to waste my efforts on seeds that stubbornly insist on remaining as stones.
Rajnish
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