Los Angeles Public
Programme, California,
February 21, 1988
(Extracts)

Let me start by pointing out what I hope to accomplish this evening. Maybe inform you that something exists that is not just a part of our daily curriculum. Something that we have heard about, we have maybe even read about, but that there is a way, that there is a practical way to be able to feel that feeling. And this way we call 'Knowledge, 'know how' to be able to get in touch with that.

Let me address this one question first 'Why Knowledge?' Why do we need it? Is there something that we need to get in touch with? After all, all of you sitting here have been around in this world for quite a while, seen many things, heard many things. And most of all, have searched for 'something: 'Something' means not necessarily that we don't know, it doesn't exist, but may be there isn't a word for it that I can speak and you can understand. And not that one is trying to be vague. But it is there. What is fundamental, everything stripped away. People say, 7'm a lawyer, 'I'm a doctor', 'I'm a pilot. Really? Who were you when you were born? What were you?

I would like for everyone to just stop for a second and make a very simple distinction, between you as a living, functioning, breathing entity that is alive and things that you do. Because being a pilot, that is something I da I am not a pilot. Even though it always comes out, you know, the Air Force they ask, 'What are you doing here?' And I say, 'Well, I'm the pilot'. 'Okay, you can go. But I am not really a pilot. lam a reasonable human being that can reason. That's the difference. I can reason between good, I can reason between bad. And fundamentally something inside of me evokes me, pushes me, towards something that is good.

But here we are. And somehow we want to feel good. And feeling good is inherent in human beings. Life needs to feel good. If it doesn't feel good it's not going to go too many places. What does it mean to feel good? Have we fallen in a trap, in a groove, in which we continuously just go around like many before us and probably many after us? Like, first you go to school. Now, there are rare days when kids actually like to go to school, but I say rare. I have four children and if they could get out of it, that'd be lovely. Is that strange? Are my children strange? No. I did the same thing.

Then we grow up and then we go to our university, colleges, whatever, and then we try to look for a job. And then the race begins. You got to have a better job. You gotta improve yourself. And this goes on. This doesn't stop. That Chairman's position looks lovely, if you can make it. Supervisor. Maybe a Colonel in the Army, maybe a General. So, there are these vivid visions to attain things, to become this person, to leave a mark on this earth, to have done something good, to make a difference that you were alive in this world. Well, maybe not everybody has high ambitions like that, but some of us do. Then comes this stage in which you hope that you have saved everything that you need to save everything for. Basically, the society says, 'Arrivederci, 'Goodbye, 'Please find a nice place, rest, relax, and do your thing, and wait. "Wait for what?' Well, wait for the inevitable. It's gonna come.

But if we would stop for a minute and say, Life. What is life? What have I got? Am I in charge of something around here?' Yes, you are. You're in charge of your life. Something, somebody has given you this incredible tool. Amazing tool. And there is this body and in this body this Creator has given you an amazing capability to create at will or destroy at will. You can make, you can remake. You can create, you can destroy, you can imagine. And you can do what you want.

To me, in this life, we have options. We, as human beings, have choices. Choices that are real, not somebody's imagination. Choices that we can make. To be with that quality, to be in that beauty that is inherent in every single human being. Something very subtle, but it's there. And we have a choice either to experience or not to experience it. We have a choice to further this life or not to further this life. And I'm not here, by any means, to judge whether that's right or that's wrong. I'm not a preacher. I have nothing to preach. I'm not a teacher. I have nothing to teach to you either. All I have is a very simple message. That in this life, yes, of course it's fun to go skiing, isn't it? Do we ever stop to wonder? There must be something inside of you that allows you to enjoy these things. Enjoyment is not in the ball. And it's not in the racket, I can guarantee you that. What about enjoying, for a change, that very thing that allows you to enjoy all those other things? Because it must be accessible as well. That is fundamentally inside every human being. That's it. That's what makes the difference.

Recently I've been travelling and talking to those people who do have this means, who do have Knowledge, who do have this method. And I have to tell them exactly the same thing: 'You have a choice. And if you want to, you can enjoy something very fundamental in your life. Fundamental. And this choice we must appreciate. This is that choice that allows us to search. This is the choice that can get us to take that one step in our lives for nobody else, but just for us.

If there is something within each human being, something fundamental, something beautiful, then it can be experienced. And that's the difference. That's the claim that's a little bit different. Because I don't know how many times people have told you, 'Peter, there's something good inside of you. 'Jack, there's something wonderful inside of you. But the claim that's being made, that it is possible to experience that thing. And the method, the way that allows you to experience that, is called Knowledge. And that Knowledge is available, it is possible.

There is beauty of incredible proportions and we can enjoy. We can actually be a part of this incredible festival of life. And we need to remember that. We need to understand that. It doesn't matter whether we have Knowledge or don't have Knowledge. It doesn't matter if we are just starting off or we have found it. Doesn't matter. Appreciation is one thing that you can't just have one day and it will last you forever. No. It's one of those things that is very short-lived. You want to appreciate you've got to stay with every moment. If you miss one moment of appreciation that's the moment in which you won't have that appreciation. And when you don't appreciate, guess who loses? Not the moment and nobody else.

Don't laugh for the world. Laugh because you want to laugh. Don't cry for this world, this world doesn't care. There's nobody out there. You know something? There's nothing called 'world' out there that I have yet to be able to point my finger at and say, 'Ah, there's the world:

No, it's just a whole bunch of people. Every individual trying to climb their own step ladder. Everybody making a little effort to enjoy this life a little more each day. And that's okay, that's okay. And that's where Knowledge comes in. To be able to enjoy that very fundamental, that very basic thing. And that's what its all about.

It is a gift of heart. It is a gift from one human being to another human being. Not because I know you, I don't know who you are. Just because of one reason - we're in the same boat. I'm not trying to make this world a better place to live. It already is a pretty decent place, I think. It's got a few bugs, but not the earth, us. I mean, let's put it where it belongs. There's no problem with the earth, it's a problem with the people on it. Because of ignorance, because they don't know any better. If tomorrow they did, things would change. And I'm not trying to change that. I'm here, I'm alive, you're here, you're alive. I've found something, you can find something too. And it's as simple as that. And it's lovely. It's lovely to be alive. We've got to take those moments in our life and say, 'Hey, I know I don't always say this, but thanks: 'Cause when it really comes down to it, there's one thing that is totally indispensable and that's you. Completely. And that's the bottom line. And enjoy. Enjoy this gift that you have been given. Inevitably it's not going to last forever. Enjoy the enjoyment. And that's where Knowledge comes in. And that's as simple as it is.

6