Maharaji's First "Invited" Speech at a University: 'Thankful', 27th March 2003

Maharaji at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida:
'Thankful', (27th March 2003)

Really what I have to talk about is something incredibly simple. It's simple because it has something to do with you. It has something to do with your existence. It's not about formulas. It's not about trying to contrive ways to get around to the joy and the beauty of this life. But it is about a feeling and the feeling of being alive. We do so much in our lives to fulfil ourselves on the outside. We create massive structures. We create massive institutions and the purpose and the reason for all of this so that we can be fulfilled. Now the key thing here is fulfilment. It is not what fulfils you, but do you have the fulfilment in your life? So yes, every day we do our research every day. We go on expanding our horizons. But all on the outside.

And what I'm here to tell you is that it's okay to study and expand your outer horizons but don't forget your inner horizon. It is okay to learn about this world but don't forget to learn about the heart. It is okay to study the behaviour of all the animals and the plants and the nature but don't forget your own behaviour. The behaviour of this heart. The request of this heart. The call of this heart. Because if you do, if you do, there's only one simple consequence and that consequence is that you have 1,000 glasses but no water to fill them with. And if you were a person in the middle of the desert, in sincere need of that water, in dire need of that water because of the thirst. which would you rather have? The glass? Or glass or the water? When we are in our world, when we are in our society, when we are at home, we have all these niceties that we surround ourselves with. But we also know that when it gets down to the sharp end of things, then we must prioritise.

Then the significance of you, know, it's not a question - Maybe you go to the to the market and you look around and you say "Well you know I like the green bucket or I like the red bucket or I like the blue bucket." But if your house is on fire you're not going to go "Uh sorry I can't, I can't use that, its as a blue bucket. I I I I my favourite colour is red, bring me a red bucket and then I'll throw that, uh fill it with water and throw that towards the fire." It doesn't work like that because maybe when you're in the supermarket, maybe when you're looking around, maybe when everything is hunky dory, everything is great, you have the you have the luxury, you have a choice but when you see that it's an emergency, that's it is now quite dire then you will take what you have.

In our nicessities, yes, we dream, we dream about - and and this is how it is. If you're poor you dream about being rich and if you're really rich your nightmare is becoming poor. You know a poor person really doesn't dream of one day he gets up and he says "You know when I dreamt about last night, I became really poor" and the rich person doesn't quite dream like "You know it was a horrible thought but last night in my dream I became rich." No it's exactly the reverse and yet when that person awakens, when that person awakens, then reality counts the person can't say "Well you know I'm going to write a cheque and I know it's not going to bounce because last night I dreamt I became really rich." No you awakened to a reality you awakened to the real situation.

Now what is the real situation? What is the real situation? On one hand we we look at ourselves in the mirror and we say "That's me." You know one of the things is is that I have been photographed a lot since I was a little kid and have I really changed? Not to me, because it has happened over a period of time so slowly that I haven't really changed even though I have changed. Which one is real? Have I changed or have I not changed? The question here really doesn't pertain to the change, it pertains to my perception. What do I perceive? How do I see things? What meaning do I give to what I see through my eyes. So we look at the world, we look at ourselves, we look at our dreams, we all have aspirations. Now the question again becomes what is really real? Well, we could go all night long trying to explain that one because there is a lot of people who've tried to explain it and there's two very distinct schools of schools of thought. One is "This is all a dream, so forget about it" and the other one is "No. Are you kidding? This is everything" and they're people who may be a little more moderate, might be in between ,but they're always walking this funny walk and it looks like a penguin. Because one day it's "This uh this is a dream" and the other way, "Are you kidding? This is all real" and they, you know, they waddle as they walk. Well, not that waddling is bad if you're a penguin but you're not a penguin. So then what is real?

Well also, real is the cry of the heart to be fulfilled. Also I'm adding. I'm not subtracting. Whether this is all real or whether this is not all real you decide. I'm pointing out another observation and the observation is that also there is a heart and the heart is saying "Be fulfilled. Fill me. As you drink water to quench your thirst, give me the water that I need to be filled." That if I can understand that this heart holds for me an incredible promise of fulfilment. That inherently in the heart of every human being lies the possibility to be fulfilled. Lies the - not only the causes - the thirst but also lies the very well that holds the water which can fulfil the thirst. That this is our true nature. That as we feel thirst or as we feel hunger as we feel tired or as we feel fresh, as these feelings are real so is the feeling of the heart to be fullfilled. Then every breath, not a group, not a day's worth, not a night's worth, not a evening's worth, not an hour's worth, but every breath carries for us a possibility, of a possibility that is beckoning to us again and again, that yes you can be fulfilled, that yes, yes not a no, but yes to this existence, yes to this life, yes to this possibility that you are here and that is a good thing that you are here that you are alive and that is a good thing that you are alive and yes you do exist and yes there is a want and that want needs to be fulfilled.

Because without that, without that, all you have on this life is bragging rights. Let me explain. So you finally find your dream car and you buy your dream car. It costs you so much that you don't have time or money to get gas. So the car is absolutely zero on fuel. Well there's only one thing you can do with it, bragging rights. Have your friends come, open the garage door, show them the car, shine it off a little bit and say "Isn't that neat, here is my dream car. I've got it." Without something, without this breath, it's only bragging rights. Here was someone. Yeah. This is one of those things, I get introduced and I know there's two times you get introduced, one is one is to an audience that may not know you and the other one is when you leave and you have left and you're there and you're being introduced "he was a nice, everything is in past tense mind you, every he was a nice person. He was so gentle. He was so kind." I mean sometimes you know the eulogies that we give for people need to be said while they're still alive, so they can hear it too. Not after they're gone, because after they're gone they can't hear all the nice things you're saying about them because God forbid they could hear, they'd get right back up and say "You know I really didn't know you cared so much. If you if you would have only told me you care so that I would have I would be here I I I'd go nowhere. I mean what a bunch of good friends you are" but we leave it.

The agenda is the priorities priorities are those priorities that the Joneses have established. When Jones's buy the Volvo, they establish a priority in our life. We need one too. I want to be like the other person. Yes, the world says "This is what you must do" and you say "Okay. This is what I will do." Doing isn't the problem. So far, you can also do that one other thing that is your own calling, that is your own quest, that is your own desire, that is your own want, that is your own mission in this life. Of why you are not just another bag full of cells and blood and white blood cells and bone and so that you're not a bag, you're a being, a being who has the capacity to smile. Think about this. We have all felt sad and we have all felt happy. What is the difference between the two emotions? When we are miserable in and the other one is like "Ha ha ha this, we're going at it" and I was thinking about this. So what is the difference but since those are 2 emotions, they're emotions. I get hit with those emotions why do I do I mean, you know, I don't go around looking for sadness I don't go around going, you know "Gee this is right now 20 minutes to 8, good time to get sad." No I don't do that and sometimes I'm not really looking to be happy it just happens to be there or a funny situation happens or somebody says something and the next thing you know I'm laughing.

So what is the difference between the two emotions? Well we could write a book on that issue but putting it in layman's term, you don't have to be a rocket scientist for this. When you're happy you don't want it to go away. when you're sad you want this thing to end. as soon as possible. This is defining an incredible thing. Talk about something inherent. Who decides this? Who decides this that, "You know, I don't like the sadness. I really would like this thing to end." And the other one. This is so good. And people even say "I never want this to end." Who told you this? Who gave you this incredible wisdom? Who laid this precedent? Who said oh by the way. And when you feel sad, see if you can get rid of it. And by the way, when you feel happy, see if you can hang on to it. Nobody did. This wisdom you had, ever since you have been alive. Ever since you have been alive and you will have this wisdom till the very last breath. That's a powerful wisdom that says something about you that says that you have a bias. You are biassed.

You love joy and that is the fundamental first step that is dictating in your life that you want peace. And if it wasn't for this inherent desire in every human being innate, not learnt, innate, there would be no point in talking about peace. Because if we have to teach everybody how to love peace, peace would not be a happening thing. To fall in love with peace does not have to be learnt nor does it have to be taught. It is inherent. Once that peace is felt, falling in love is rather automatic and it transcends the barriers of language. It transcends the barrier of cultures and anything else you can think of. And yes, peace is looking for us as we are looking for peace and we may be looking for peace and not even realise we are looking for peace. It may be just that little uncomfortable feeling. It's like you know you're sitting in the chair and the chair is kinda just wobbly because there's a leg missing and you're sitting there and it doesn't quite feel right but you don't really know what it is. It's one of those things from people close their door in their seat belt is left out and the buckle is slamming against the car so obviously they can hear it so they can hear a noise. Of course, every time they stop, it disappears and then when they get going again it appears again. And so it's like, it's one of those things. How do you investigate something like that? Because you need to stop to figure out what it is. But every time you stop it disappears. "Oh, its fixed." "No, it's not." "Yes, it is." "No, it's not." And you know that's exactly what happens with this thing called peace.

We find ourselves on top of a mountain away from all out problems and we go "God, that's peaceful."And then we turn around, come down the mountain, and it starts again. And then what? What can we do? We can't wait and make another schedule with the mountain, another date with the mountain because we know, if we can get on top of that mountain, we'll be in peace and then the next thing you know, this is what you're dreaming about. And there you are. And this thing is going tak tak tak tak tak tak because something is very loud and it will not turn down. Here is a street box. You know a music box that has no volume control. It came preset from the factory in its pegged to full and pretty soon this thing takes over. All it needs is nothing. Do you realise? I mean, can you imagine a record player that can play music when there's nothing to be played? There's no record but it's playing music well. This little tak, tak, tak, tak machine is just like that. It has no volume control and it gets off on its own when there's nothing happening, it could be middle of the night. Everybody is asleep but it's like tak tak tak tak. You left your iron on, what's going to do about tomorrow. What what you know can we get a good night's sleep. We'll worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. tak tak tak tak ta How can you go to sleep? 0h I can't wait to get on top of the mountain.

Peace needs to be felt when you are not on top of the mountain. Peace needs to be felt when you are on top of the mountain and peace needs to be felt even when that big boom box is going off at full volume and peace is not in far distance corners of this world but peace is within you. So how do you calm a rough ocean? How do you calm a rough ocean How do you get to that one thing that is within inside of you that is peace. How do you change the wind that is causing the waves to rise in that lake? And people, first thing they wanna do is "Give me a formula. You know I've got a formula. I've got a formula of how to go to this place and and and I put my card in and I punch my number and it gives me cash." Now you realise, I don't know if they were ever gonna have this one in India but if a person from a village in India was to see a machine like this, he would flip. "You take something plastic and you put it in this machine and then you like dial a phone number and it gives you money. I mean that's like My dream has come true."

And people think, for peace its the same process. This is what peace is about too. You just, you know, go somewhere do something and somebody will come along and say to you Oh but you know just repeat this 20 times a day and you'll find yourself in peace." Well no. First you must realise what is the value in your life you, feel, of being able to feel the peace. Does that mean anything to you? We have a dream. We dream. We want a big house and we want a big this and we want a big that and so we work and we work and we work and we work and I remember when I was a kid going to school my parents would tell me study, study so you can make something of yourself someday. So you can be successful and I'm sure there's a lot of kids here who have been told that again and again. Well I'm certainly not here to interfere with the university studies nor do I want to take on any challenge with your parents because I've told the same thing to my kids. "Study, you know, everything, that's all." And I I remember both but there is something more and that's something more is within you and it begins with recognising the importance of what does it mean to be alive?

Peace begins with that because right now in this world there's a 1,000 explanations of why we should have wars but hardly any of why we should have peace. That bothers me. Because we because if we have 1000 explanations for having war we should at least have 1000 and one for peace (applause) and of all the, all the research that is done to very efficiently destroy one another, there should be some research done to how to very efficiently save each other (applause) and there shouldn't just be what "I think," no, because there needs to be a recognition that this heart wants this peace, that people on the face of this earth have wanted peace. This is not a new request. This is not a fashionable thing that just started, people on the face of this earth have always wanted peace, peace, peace because both the biggest war happens within us, a war that is more terrifying than any a country could ever put on, takes place within a human being and a peace unparallelled takes place within a human being and war and peace is happening. What hasn't kicked in is that one desire that says "War I don't like, peace I like." This is what's going to win. This is what I want in my life, not the other and when we can begin to see the importance, not the excuses, not the reasons.

Because if somebody asks me, in fact, right here I have a glass of water. Very courteous of someone to place some water in case I need it. I don't. Right now this glass, for some unknown reason, was to slip off this podium, hit the, hit the ground and break, I would just go "Oops" and stand over here. That'd be my extent of my trouble with this water. But if I was in the desert dying of thirst that would not be the case and if this glass broke, I'd lick it up. (laughter) First of all, the thing is that this glass wouldn't be here and plus if it slid there would be no consequence because the water would be gone because something has become obvious. The thirst had made. Thirst has made something obvious for me. It is no longer that I'm searching for reasons. If somebody was to come, if I'm in the middle of the Sahara desert and boy I have seen the Sahara Desert and it's not. I mean it's not an incredible place to find yourself without supporting infrastructure and you need a lot of it. If somebody was to come to me and I'm there in the middle of the Sahara Desert and I'm dying of thirst and said to me "Can you give me five reasons of why I should give you water?" "I'm thirsty. Give me water please. Give me water." I really wouldn't want to be even having a conversation with this person. "You have water? I would …" I mean he's asked me give me 5 reasons. I wouldn't even give him one. I would say "You have water give me water!" (screams) because the need has become so clear, the need has become so prevalent. But when the need is not prevalent then it is "Well, you're a nice guy. I'm a nice guy. Let's see um if you weren't thirsty. I'd give you water. I mean, you know."

It becomes one of those things and this is what it's about so much in our society. We look for reasons and we're looking for reasons because something is not very clear. Something is being debated because something is not very clear and when it is clear, then the debates disappear. Then there's no more. But then there lies one thing and the one thirst only and that is to experience it, to experience the quenching and water can bring that and so be it and that is what I talk about. People ask me "What can you make a impact?" I don't know. I don't know but I know I can go to people and I can tell them about this, that what they are looking for is with an inside of them, that the peace that they want is inside of them, that the joy that they want is inside of them and yes peace is possible. This is not an impossible dream. Peace is a very possible dream but it begins with each one of us. It does not bring - begin with nations. It does not begin with giant institutions because that's what everybody has been waiting for. Somebody else will bring the peace. War we can do ourselves. Somebody else for the peace. When we start to say "No, I need peace in my life and let it begin with me."

That is the day we are going to see a profound change. A change of an attitude, a change, the way we perceive things in this life, that when we begin to take our responsibilities that yes, the thirst is within me. That if I want to cross a desert, problem is not the desert, the problem is the availability of the water and if I carry the water within me as so eloquently put by one person a long time ago "the fish is thirsty in the water" and every time I hear that it makes me laugh. Water water everywhere, wherever you go, you carry the well of peace with you, wherever you go you carry that treasure of joy with you. Have to know how to turn within, have to know how to dig into that, have to know how to appreciate that, have to know that that's what this life is about. That there is a beautiful possibility, not by subtracting but by adding. Somebody asked me that long time ago, "What is the value of what you offer?" and I said "Well, this whole world, all the things we do are like zeros and what I offer is a one." (scattered applause) They did not like the answer and they left because they were really hoping that I would say that this whole world is all kind of ones and ones and ones and I said "No it's it's like what we do in this world is like a whole lot of zeros and what I offer is 1 and then I went on to explain that if you place the zeros in front of one, all you have is a bunch of zeros and one but if you place one in front of the zeros, well now you don't have a one, you have 10 and 100 and 100,000 and a 1,000,000 and 10,000,000 and billions and trillions.

If peace can be placed. If your heart can be placed before all the other things then I think you would have a winning life. (applause) A real win. This is an opportunity to present my observation. What I see. If you are interested. If you see a thirst. If you feel a thirst in your life, I can help. People say what do I do next? First thing. Live your life a little consciously. For every day be thankful and see if you can try to be thankful for every breath. That's a very big challenge but it was one element you must remember is the most expensive in the world. It is so expensive. There is not enough money in the world to pay for. It is one thing that you cannot share with anyone. You cannot borrow it. You cannot steal it. It comes and it comes and it is being abundantly given to you every day. It is one thing that is abundant and it is one thing that will be there till the v-e-r-y end. Friends, maybe. Family, maybe but this one thing called breath will be there till the very end. In fact the end will be caused by the loss of it.

You've been thankful for your job. You've been thankful for your good grades. You've been thankful for your car. You've been thankful for your dog. I'm saying to you., can you be thankful for this breath? Can you be thankful for this life? Because there's something valuable. When we thank, when we have that gratitude, we're acknowledging one of the most beautiful things in existence. My life. Your life. And to be thankful. So I've already said enough and whatever you want to do. The next is up to you. The information is available and more than anything else I have nothing to sell to you. This is not for sale. There's nothing to buy. The only thing is just remember your life. Just remember this breath. And if you feel the thirst, look me up, I can help. Thank you very much. Thank you for coming.

Common Catchwords used in this speech: heart, joy, peace, beautiful, breath, fulfilled, divine, gift, judgement, concepts, ideas

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