On Ignorance, Fear and Desire

Be aware that whatever happens, happens to you, by you, through you, that you are the creator, enjoyer and destroyer of all you perceive and you will not be afraid. Unafraid, you will not be unhappy, nor will you seek happiness.

In the mirror of your mind all kinds of pictures appear and disappear. Knowing that they are entirely your own creations, watch them silently come and go, be alert, but not perturbed. This attitude of silent observation is the very foundation of Yoga. You see the picture, but you are not the picture.

~ Nisargadatta

These words of an enlightened one do not 'contain' the truth in them, but the truth contains these words. A master is a living embodiment of the truth, which itself is unspeakable but can be pointed towards- for the disciples to discover it in themselves. The truth is thus universal and individual at the same time. One cannot misappropriate the understanding of an enlightened being but one is enabled with certain 'data' needed for the exploration within himself. Not within his mind but within his 'presence'. 

Now, our understanding so far has been like- the situations happening around us determine the state of our mind. The perception is such that certain situation is causing me pain, or certain people make me irritated, or there are some activities in which I find pleasure and so on. But in reality, there is a certain 'data' that has already been crystallized in our 'common presence' which determines our reactions to every situation. There is a certain spectrum of experience we have framed for ourselves and everything happening around falls in some or the other place in that already assumed 'understanding of the world'. These 'data', what they are and how they became crystallized is another matter of exploration, but a point to note is- how to know that whatever is happening is really the way it is or I am making it up.

Now, the very interesting mess is- if one has a wrong conviction in the mind- everything happening looks exactly in concord with that conviction- for say, if one thinks that the world is a very hostile place- he gives rise to the experiences in all ways strengthening his conviction and is dragged more and more away from the truth. But to see that everything that happens is entirely your creation- there is no need of having this as your conviction-but only an impartial watchfulness is needed. In this watching, slowly the turbulence of the mind starts to slow down and a point comes of immense standstill. 

In the knowledge of this reality of the being, the fear, whatever fear one may have, of death, of separation, of failure etc, is simply and automatically dropped because one then knows that there is nothing there apart from this silent watchfulness. The mind was only like a phantom arising in the absence of the knowledge of our being. The mind has now entirely disappeared and there is only presence. No identity. Only knowing. 

And another consequence of this observation, this knowledge is - one comes to know that the desire was also a manifestation of the fear- seeking pleasure, security, future, happiness and everything- because the consciousness took  itself to be this 'person' because it was ignorant of its reality. 

A lot of effort and energy is wasted in our lives fighting the fears and desires and thus one is never fully satisfied. One cannot actually be fully satisfied because the one, the 'person' is only the consciousness, which in reality is just a presence- that was ignorant of itself.    

Thus the fear and desire are only shadows and have no place in the light of the realization of your being. 

May all beings reach their truth which is a storehouse of infinite pleasure, infinite knowledge and infinite power. 

Our infinite gratitude towards the enlightened ones, without the guidance of who, man would only travel in circles trapped in the shackles of the religions, scriptures, rituals, beliefs and disbeliefs thus never advancing towards any higher objective possibility. 

Cheers.