Maharaji in Lisbon E55R 2002-07-07

Maharaji in Lisbon E55R 7th July 2002

This afternoon we have a chance to hear about something very simple and maybe an analogy would best describe it. It's like a violin and maybe the violin is perfectly tuned, but it needs someone to play it. And one can say, does the music reside in the violin? No. A violin can stay in its box for years and years and years and never produce a note. So, who or what produces that sound? And who determines and what determines whether that sound is in tune or not? Well, first of all, the instrument has to be in tune. This is understood. But then, the person who plays it also has to play it in tune. And if the person goes off tune, he cannot say it's the instrument because once in tune, once in that place, that instrument is quite capable of producing tunes, notes in tune, and notes that are not in tune. This is in fact the fundamentals of what this existence is. This life is in fact the most incredibly tuned, beautiful instrument that we have been given. Incredible. And if you hear beautiful melody coming out of this instrument, this is not an accident. This is not an accident. This is how it is supposed to be. Because one, the instrument is in tune. And two, the person playing it also understands his music. The person playing it also understands what they are playing and plays it with that rhythm, with that dignity, with that beauty, with that passion. And the sound is melodious. The sound is beautiful. Now, that sounds like a nice description. Once in a while, fortunately or unfortunately, once in a while this does happen. Most of the time, most of the time, unfortunately, the case is, I think it's the instrument. I think the bow is bad. Oh, the person playing it does not understand. Who wrote this music? You know, it's like in an orchestra. I wasn't off. It was somebody else who was off. Somebody else doesn't know what to play. I was okay.

You have been given, each one of you, you have been given the most incredible gift, period. End of conversation, end of discussion, end of thinking, end of going, but this is it. This is a reality that you have been given the most incredible gift. This is not fiction. This is not a theory. This is not a line from some book. This is a fact. This is a reality. And this reality is incredibly sweet. It's incredibly beautiful. And if the receiver, that's us, that's us. We're not talking about a third person here. We're not talking about another planet here. No, no, no. We're talking about us, our lives, our existence. And if the receiver can appreciate, understand what they have been given, then the story begins to become completely different.

Right now, for a lot of people, the story is but. This is it. It begins with "But Maharaji, but, I experience life as being a gift." In fact, and so many people have said this to me, "In fact, I find it quite painful. And you say it's beautiful. How can that be?" And I am saying, look at the facts. look at the facts tainted. Look at the facts. There is a simplicity to life. Yes, there is. Have you been given a gift? He has. Why is it a gift? Well, what do you think you paid for it? What do you think you paid for it? You think you crawled on your little hands and knees to a machine, put some money in it, and next thing you know, you got sucked into the machine and thrown into planet earth? No. Here it is. Here you are. You exist. And it's not just one gift. The existence is one gift, and on top of that, you have been given the ability to appreciate that is another gift. You think the sunset looks beautiful? You think the sunset looks beautiful? You know, if you did not have the ability to appreciate, it would not look beautiful. The ability to appreciate is within you. You use it without even knowing it. Coming here today, I looked at the skies. The skies were blue, beautiful breeze blowing, and I said, it's a beautiful day. It is a beautiful day. And what do you think recognized that beauty of today? My eyes? That was it? Or something deep inside of me, in my heart, when I see something beautiful, that there is an appreciation, and I can say, beautiful.

There is a saying, and the saying goes that the dog chews on the bone and makes the gums bleed. And the dog tastes the blood and thinks the bone is delicious.

Not recognizing, not recognizing, not appreciating, not appreciating appreciation, not appreciating this heart, not loving the capacity to love, not understanding the capacity to understand, not answering the need to answer, not being in peace with the very thing that wants peace in this life, not being friends with the friend within, seeing the world but not seeing one's own self, recognizing other people's existence and forgetting your own, forgetting the basics of what it is all about, to take one breath of what it is about, to yearn, to have gratitude in this life, to simply see and understand and focus on that one simple reality that will be there, was there, was there when you were born, is there as you are alive today, and will be there till your very last breath. This is your friend. Nobody can be a bigger, better, greater friend than that. This, this simplicity, this quietness, this relationship to become friend with me. Who are my friends? People who agree with me.

People who agree with me are my friends, who think the same way, who like to do the same things. They become my friends. Am I my friend? Do I agree with me? Do I walk around going, you know, shouldn't have done that? You're stupid. You're this. You're that. You're crazy.

What are other people going to think about you? I find this to be a very big disease. What are other people going to think about you? People get embarrassed. They do something, they get embarrassed, and it's like, what are other people going to think about you? By the way, what do you think about yourself? Long time ago, you know, Socrates says, know thyself, and people, people learn this in school and colleges. They write debates. They have debates about, what do you think Socrates meant, know thyself? Oh, very, very wise man. What an incredible thing to say, know thyself. What does it mean? You should know yourself. What does it mean to know yourself? What does it really mean to know yourself? What does it mean to understand that every moment in your life comes this breath, fills you. Nothing trivial fills you with life.

Floods. Then it leaves. Then it comes again, and then it leaves. Like a swing, it comes and it goes, and it comes and it goes, and it comes and it goes, and consequently, you're alive. You exist. You think. You laugh. You cry. You sleep. You awaken. You walk. You run, and one day it comes. Then it goes. Then it doesn't come again, and you laugh, and you cry, and you think, and nothing happens. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing happens. There is the whole world outside, and there's a whole world inside. Everything is variable on the outside, and everything is permanent on the inside. Pick, choose, choose, choose. You have a heart. You have a quest. You have a thirst, and you have an understanding in your life. You do. I even go so far to say that when you were young, when you were very, very young, you made a promise to yourself to be happy. Happy was good. Happy was nice.

Every day, a little more, a little more, a little more, a little more deviance from that reality, and we find ourselves going, why does this instrument sound so bad? When are you going to stop blaming the instrument and learn how to play it right? So, what do I do? For 30 years, what do, what have I been doing? Well, for 30 years, I've been trying to teach people how to play that instrument right, and when you hear one instrument playing right, it's hypnotic. I, I want to play like that. Oh, that was so sweet. That was so beautiful. That was so incredible. Play it again, and play it again, and play it again, and everybody says, oh yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. So and so played their instrument really well. Let's build a statue to them. Oh, so and so played their instrument so well. In their memory, let's build a concert hall. Oh, that, oh, oh, that person just played that instrument so well. Let's see if we can write that music on a piece of paper and pass it along, and I say, no, you need to do any of that. Why you play your instrument just as well, because you can.

Peace is not a concept sitting up upon some mountain. People think so. People think so. What is peace? On Saturday, when everything is done, your weekend begins, you take off. In August, Europe goes on vacation. Anyplace you go, oh, it's a zoo. People, people, people, people, people, people. First day, everybody is excited. Wow, and then after that, it's like, oh, man. The only difference is in when you were in the city, you were in your suit, stuck in the rush hour in your car. Now you are in a bathing suit, stuck in a rush hour outside. Stuck you still are.

Peace has always been within you. Your peace, not some defined peace, not some definition of peace, not some epitome of peace. No, the peace that resides in your heart, that's the peace you want. No other peace will do. For a thirsty person, only a glass of water will do. For a thirsty person, only a glass of water will do. Not a thousand pictures of other people drinking water will do you no good. So what does the well with the water need? It needs a bucket.

What does the violin need to be played right? Needs a player. What does it take for somebody to transform a rock into a statue? Takes an artist, takes a sculptor, takes a sculptor. What does it take for somebody to take that color that is trapped in the tubes? The color, the pigment that's trapped in the tubes to put it on a canvas and to make something glorious out of it.

What does it take? It takes an artist. So, the bucket. The bucket is that want. The bucket needs to be put into that well so it can fill up with water. Pulled up and the thirst quenched. Nothing else. I say this so many times, what would it be like if you went to a restaurant and all they did was showed you a picture of food that you ordered. That's it and you pay your bill and you leave. That's it.

You come in, you get a menu and you say, okay, I'll have this, this, this and this and they say yes and then you wait and they bring you a picture of your appetizers and they put it in front of everybody and you look at it and you go looks nice and then the waiter comes, collects the pictures and then he brings you your main course and brings you your dessert and then brings you your bill and he said, did you enjoy your food sir? If that does not work in a restaurant when you, it does not work with your hunger, how can it work with your heart? Is heart not real? Is heart a fantasy? The thirst within inside of you to be fulfilled, you tell me, is that a fantasy or is that a reality? The desire to own a car may have come recently but the desire to be fulfilled was there when you were that big, that big, that big, forever, forever. One day, the desire to own a car may not be there but the desire to fulfilled will always be there unless you are fulfilled. The thirst is there, this is a reality.

People look at this as a fantasy, this is not a fantasy. You see there is two schools of thought and there always have been two schools of thought and one school of thought says all this that you touch, you see is reality and what you cannot touch and you cannot see is not a reality and then there is another school of thought that very clearly says all this that you can touch and see is definitely fake. That's a big one, that's a big one. Is this fake? I can touch it, I can see it, is this fake? Well I'll tell you what, if I want, you see what is the purpose of this thing? The purpose of this thing is to hold this little microphone. So far it does that, it's real. If it can't do that, it's fake. If I expect it to do anything else, it's fake. If I sit on it, it'll break, it's fake. It's not a chair, it's a microphone stand, period.

If I get on it and I say okay take me to London, you know to entertain their children. A lot of parents buy this little toy because when they're driving their child in a car, the child gets bored so they buy this toy and this toy has a steering wheel and sometimes it makes noises and the child sits so they put the child in their seat and they put the toy there so the child can go and is rotating the steering wheel real fast. Now why you object to that? turn the steering wheel so fast because you know it's not connected to anything. If you really thought that this steering wheel that the child has was controlling your car, then yes you've got a problem because the car is going to be doing this. But you know it's not connected to anything, it's not connected to the car, the child can turn it as fast as the child wants, it's okay. It's only a toy. It's only a toy. That's what they're saying. You come, you see, it'll be gone. It's been 13 years. Last time I was in Lisbon, 13 years ago. So I'm standing there looking around going, I wonder if I remember any of this. Changed. So much has changed. Is it real? For 13 years I didn't know about the change, did it make any difference to me? No. It's a toy. It's transitory here today. Gone tomorrow.

Amongst all this that is variable, amongst all this that will change, within you my friends is the unchangeable that never changes. Within you, not you. You are not unchangeable. Inside this little box is an incredible jewel, surrounded by the immortal. There is mortality and within this mortal is the immortality. Immortal.

For you to be able to turn in, understand and feel, feel the joy of being alive. Feel the joy of existence. Feel the joy of every breath. Every breath. You know how music is? You know how music can be? If you're in good mood, it can put you in a better mood. And if you're in bad mood, it can put you in a good mood. This symphony playing inside with every breath is the same way. Awaken to that possibility. It's a possibility. This is all it is. It is possible. Yes, it is possible for you to be fulfilled. For you to be in peace with yourself. Yes, it is possible for you to understand the value of each breath. It is possible for you to acknowledge the yearning of this life. It is possible. It is possible to turn the pain into gratitude, the confusion into gratitude, the doubt into knowing, the questions into one answer. One.

One answer. What kind of answer? To find that one answer that doesn't have a question. Does light really know about darkness? Do you think light goes around and looking for darkness and chasing it? My famous question is, does light know about darkness? And does darkness really know about the light? Or one's absence is the other's presence and other's presence. Is the other's absence. Bring on the light and you have to worry where the darkness will go. You have to ever, ever, ever, ever, ever open your window so darkness has a place to go. You. Turn on the light and there will be light. Remove the light and you have to open the door for the darkness to come in.

It'll be there. The answer. The answer not from my head, but the answer from my heart. The answer from my understanding. Understanding. When it all makes sense. When it all makes sense. I can say something to you. Maybe some of you will understand, but maybe a lot of you won't. Understand. When does the understanding begin? A lot of times I say, what I offer is the key. Key to the door. And some people say, oh, you know, it just sounds really good. Really sounds simple. Of course it's simple. Of course everything I'm saying is very simple. That doesn't mean you are. Breath is simple, isn't it? What do you have to do to take it? Nothing. It comes. It takes effort to try to stop it. It takes effort to try to stop it.

This is one of the things that people say, you know, you can't really kill yourself by trying to hold your breath. You can't. Because you will hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it. Maybe then you'll pass out and you'll start breathing normally and you'll be fine. Takes no effort. And I say to people, I have the key. It can unlock the door. And people say, what do we have to do? Ah, first. First, make sure there is a door. This is what you have to do. Make sure there is a door. Just because I say so doesn't mean there is a door. No, you have to say, okay, I see the door. Then make sure the door has a lock. Make sure it's not already open. Make sure it is locked. And make sure that it has a place to put a key. What would be the point in getting the key when the door doesn't even take the key? And once you have figured out, yes, there's a door. Yes, it is locked. And yes, it has a place to put the key. Then come to me.

And if you want the key, I can give you the key. This is how it works. People, you know, I know people used to get up and say, well, if it's so wonderful, just give it to me right now.

Give you what? The process of awakening is not putting something into you. What can I do? You already are breathing. Awakening is. Awakening is that which you already know, but forgot. It is the process of finding what you once had, but lost. Some people lose it. Forget about it. All their lives, it means nothing to them. Nothing. They go on. Oh yeah, that's better. That's better.

That's more wonderful. Getting lost in that fair. There's that little child. Everything looks so lucrative. You walk into the fair and you're holding on to your mother's finger and it's important. And the mother looks at the child and it's like, you stay close to me, okay? Oh yes, yes, yes. I'm holding on to the mother's finger, holding on to the father's finger and I want to get lost. No, I want to get lost. And off we go. And then in the fair, oh, look at the balloons. Oh, look at the candy. Oh, look at the rides. Oh, look at the colors. Oh, look at all this. And look at that, and look at that, and look at that, and look at that, And look at that, and all the time, what is happening? That. And when did this happen? Long time ago. And why didn't you know about it? Because your attention wasn't there. Your attention was at everything else. And when will you miss? When will you miss this? You will miss this when you say, oh, mommy, can you buy me the balloon? Mommy, where are you? For so many people, maybe it is desperation. Maybe so many people, they get to the bottom of the barrel, and they say, I need peace in my life. You had it. Remember? You had so much of it. Every morning, to look forward to something. Yesterday didn't matter. Tomorrow was not in the agenda. Today was everything. And to wake up, and to see the sun, and to look outside with fresh eyes, so simple. So simple. So innocent. So incredible.

And then, a little of this, and a little of that, and a little of this, and a little of that. And slowly, that peace goes on. And all that you thought that was going to bring you the joy, brings you pain one day. And when it does, then it's like, oh, my God, you know? What happened? All I want is that peace. All I want is that joy in my life. That's what I want. And that's when people go, what can I do? But even in that moment, turn within. Even in that moment, know. Know that all that joy is still there, that all that beauty is still there. It never went away. Live this life consciously, consciously, every day. I am not here to talk about the death.

That's not what I talk about. I just want you to take full advantage of every single day. Hey, it's an effort at best. It's an effort, but try. You won't succeed every day, but you must try. I mean, you must. Be as conscious as you can be. Be aware of your existence. Be aware of this breath. Be aware that you are alive. That's what it is to know yourself. That's what it is to understand yourself. That's what it is to know that fundamental inside of you. That's your potential.

So I bring you good news. I bring you very good news. In this day and age, and you look at the newspaper and it is not nice, I bring you very good news. And the news is you are alive. And within you shines a sun of joy and peace and tranquility so bright that it can make any darkness go away. Open these windows of understanding. I have nothing to sell.

It's not for sale. It never has been. Oh, people have said to me, it's not like that. People have said to me, you know, you must sell this. Charge. I can't. It's free. It's too precious. It's too valuable to charge for. Charging would be great. I mean, I know the advantages of people have told me for hours and hours what the advantages of charging would be, and I agree with them. I absolutely agree. It would be great. You know, all you do is you listen to one of my videos and you call up on the phone, give you a credit card number. As soon as it clears, you authorize a new video, and bang, that's it.

It's free because it comes from a heart. It's a gift. In the truest, truest, truest tradition of a gift, it is a gift. For all those people who are here who have this gift, who have this, enjoy it. Make that effort every day. And those who have come here to hear me, well, I hope you understood something. If nothing else, if nothing else, if all you have understood is you've got something good inside of you and it'll be there till your very last breath and you should live your life consciously, this has been a success. That's good. That's good enough.

And for those of you who are interested, want to know about what do I do next, listen. See if there is a door. See if the door is locked and see if the door takes a key because then when the key is given, you will know where to place it to open that door. That door leads to you. And that's how it has always been. And that's how it is today as well. This is nothing new. This is nothing new. This is very old. Before me, my father was doing this. I mean, you know, traceable goes back thousands of years. Traceable.

But that doesn't do any good. We are here now. Thirsty? Want a picture of water? Want water? You must decide. Those looking for a picture of water, sorry, I have any. Those looking for water, I can help. That's all. So it is simple by nature. You ultimately are simple by nature. Breath comes into you, you exist. That is as simple as it gets. Many questions will come. Many answers will be given. And the answer, like a candle, will still be inside of you till you can go and see it, till you can go and feel it. It's your reality. It's sweet and it's wonderful.

So I want to thank you for coming this afternoon. And I hope that you all can get something out of this because it is truly, truly wonderful. Thank you very much. Good evening.