We're all connected. we all belong to....we're all parts of the Supreme. And now we're acting as if we're disconnected, and that disconnectedness is causing us untold difficulties.
What is that difficulty? No one wants to get old, we're all going get old. Some of us are already well into it, some of us are so far away, but everyone has to get old but no one wants to. Everyone has to get diseased and no one wants it. No one wants to die, and everyone's forced to.
And birth also is something that we have to accept. Without argument. And that's also painful. These are all, unnatural for us, therefore we don't like them. If you asked me 'Do I want to get old?'
“No I don't want to get old!”
'Diseased?'
“No!”
“Dead?'
“No”
Why not?
Why don't we say “Well it's great you know, I'm looking forward to the experience ?” .........Because it's unnatural to us!
Even a cockroach, you try to step on him and he runs away.
Why? He wants to live forever. He doesn't want to die.
In our present situation we're in an unnatural condition, because we have separated ourselves from that Supreme Reality. On the platform of reality, there's permanence, there's knowledge, hence, therefore we are looking for knowledge.
We want knowledge, we want more knowledge, because it's natural for us to have knowledge. But in the material situation our knowledge is blocked, our knowledge is confused, and in our natural state we'll have clear knowledge.
Knowledge, existence, permanent existence, and joyfulness.
If we advertise “Do you know we are having a program this evening and you'll all be unhappy” You wouldn't be here! We are looking for happiness. Why? Because it's natural.
But we're trying to get happiness by owning something and, you know what it's like to own something, as soon as you own it, it starts becoming less valuable, Hm? And then you lose it, or it breaks, or it's no longer what you wanted. The whole material world is like that, it does not satisfy, because we are spiritual beings, by nature, and no amount of matter is going to satisfy a spiritual being.
It just will not work!
So it's another kind of an illusion to think that this is mine, this is mine and I can hold onto it and it will make me happy. The whole world is trying to do that and failing. It does not work. Fullstop. And even the poorest man will be happy if he has inner realisation of who he is, what his relationship is with the Supreme, how to act in that relationship…..He will be happy!
(Jayadvaita Swami 10/2007)
