Greed for God and Self-realization
What is the meaning of desiring to be with “God”? What is the “reason”?
Salvation? From what? A “high status” in the Golden age? If everyone is happy there, what is the need of a “high status”? Do you desire a “plus,” an “elite” treatment? To be recognized as a king or queen now?
All of those things only show our greedy nature. I want that because it enhances ME. Nothing wrong with that, but only look at it, observe it.
Look at the childish motives and the neediness to be “safe” in the afterlife. All “you” want is some gain for “yourself.” Just like the “normal” behavior in society.
Label that greed as love for “god” and then it will be respectable. All is “good”!
Have you seen a “respectable seeker” wanting to obtain “self-realization” in this lifetime?
Pretty much, these naïve individuals believe that self-realization is like getting a masters’ degree or a Ph.D. They are only looking for the guru offering the “fully accredited” method to get there.
Why do you want to be “self-realized”? To get a “high status” now. To become something “better” so we believe that all of our problems will get behind.
It is laughable when some seeker, throws the “I want to be self-realized” without knowing what that entails.
All our karmic accounts will be settled. From this Life and past lives. That is not an easy scenario. For some you will be the “bad” guy and for others, the “good” one. No one will know if you are really “self-realized” as everyone has an idea, a concept an opinion of what that is, although they don’t know. Those who like you, or who had some utility with your company, aka “experiences”; could make you into an idol to worship. Others, could crucify you in a heart beat.
Whatever value you think you have or that you deserve, will be gone. Whatever safety our society offers, will not be applicable for you. Do you want to be a “successful” CEO and self-realized? That will not happen. What about a powerful politician and self-realized? That is a good joke. One of the best descriptions I have read of what is like while going through the process is explained in the Tao Te Ching Chapter 20. (Note there are 3 different translations, so we get the idea and not a literal meaning, which is deceitful.)
“Self-realization” does not happen out of “my effort” or my greed to BECOME something. That is childish. It happens only when it is our time and that is out of our hands to decide.
Once someone realizes about their own greed for “spiritual” things, the next question goes like this:
How do I get rid of my greed, attachment, ego, etc?
That question only shows lack of observation of the self. Greed for obtaining self-realization, is not a thing that we can take away by following steps or methods. This is not something that we could get rid off by following some method like “having yoga with Baba for 30 minutes thrice a day for 3 weeks.”
Simply put: What we ARE we OBSERVE to become AWARE of it. As our awareness increases, then changes will appear. We do not OBSERVE to BECOME “better.” We OBSERVE to acknowledge who we ARE, to enjoy who we ARE.
Seekers want to change things that they do not believe should be in their personality, to become “pure,” a “saint,” “god chosen ,” etc.
All they have are mental concepts of what the “right” thing should be. That ideal is not real. Is not who they ARE, thus repression and dishonesty will occur.
OBSERVE, become AWARE and let CHANGE happen. What “happens” is a step forward in your own evolution, whether you like it or not. Some may need to go down before going up. Some will go up as they already went down. Every journey is different.
Learn to appreciate your own role in this Life. Become AWARE of it. Put aside all of those ideas and concepts to reach somewhere “higher.” Appreciate who you ARE. That may be the best thing to DO.
Dinesh C 1:42 PM on November 21, 2018 Permalink |
Hi Ahnanda, thank you for writing this article. Now for the questions you have asked in this article, everyone will have different answer, some might match. Considering my case, even after exploring BKs and Osho, I don’t know what is God, but still a desire to know him/her/it is there. In India, most of the children are told that there is a God in early childhood, may be they are introduced to pictures and Hindu statues of Gods and Goddesses. So we grow up with this belief about God. However, later you may become a theist/atheist/agnostic. But for me, God was required to reduce my emotional and mental suffering at the age of 22, before that I never thought about God so much. Suffering brought me to BKs. But even after following BKs for 6 years, I was in state that sometimes happy with Baba and sometimes guilty and upset of not been able to adhere to BK teachings. For me, yes I need God for removing suffering out of my life, but I agree that I haven’t been able to find God, or arrive at any conclusion. I am a failure until now. And moreover, I can’t accept Shiv Baba as my God. Can’t go into details but I can’t.
Regarding self realization, I think when we come across any genuine self realized being, we feel like to be like them. For example, when I explored Gautam Buddha, I felt some kind of similarity in his viewpoint and mine about life. For example, he had made a clear statement in his teachings that “Life is suffering.” Dukha. When I heard this, I wanted to know more and more about Buddha. We also have a greed for acquired knowledge as well Ahnanda. Also, I somehow feel “Knowing” is kind of an obstacle in the journey towards the SELF, I mean already knowing words and explanations, then mind wants to somehow arrive at that becoming.
Lastly, you are really scaring me by saying that it is not easy and this will happen that will happen. But what if Drama has not written SELF realization for me?? that’s another thing!!
Sometimes “I” try that SELF inquiry as well, Ramana Maharishi and HWL Poonja aka Papaji have guided for SELF inquiry. Just sitting silently, not putting any effort, just BEING here and now, not touching the mind, now inquiry starts “WHO AM I”. But the answer doesn’t come.
By the way Ahnanda, thanks for sharing that it is not decided by ME and it happens at the right time. But there is this belief in Hinduism that after human birth, our soul takes millions of reincarnations in other life forms, like animals, birds and all. I believe in Osho to some extent, he approves this belief and says that it is true. Now if I don’t SELF realize myself in this human birth then again I the soul will have to wait for millions of years and Kalpas?? But one interesting thing in that belief is that how those millions of years will pass away in other life forms, there will be no much recognition of that, because animals don’t live in the time the way and to the extent we humans do. Right!! Anyways, thanks for writing and Om shanti 🙂
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avyakt7- New Generation 10:19 AM on November 22, 2018 Permalink |
Too much stuff in your mind. Too many beliefs, too much worry and theories, reading, quotes, etc. Do you know how to get rid of that? That is all. EXPERIENCE that.
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Dinesh C 11:38 AM on November 22, 2018 Permalink |
You mean if I somehow get rid of all of that I will be self realized?
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Dinesh C 12:43 PM on November 22, 2018 Permalink |
Ok I asked a stupid question!!
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