Q. Why one gets bored on Spiritual path after some time?
A. Because there is nothing encouraging for the mind. There will be no entertainment for the mind. Since mind does not find anything exciting, it gets bored. It will give the feeling of boredom so that the individual will try to search or look for something that is more exciting and entertaining. The height of boredom will be the death of the mind. The death of the mind will be the death of the ego. This is what it means, what the saints say it as - die before you really die. The death of the ego is the real death. The physical death is not death at all. It is only a transformation from one form to another. The ego continues to live even after the physical death or transformation of the body. It is the ego which gives rise to re-birth. There is a small catch here. The mind can play many tricks. One of the trick that mind plays while in meditation is sleep. The aspirant can feel sleepy after some time, when mind does get some rest or when it gets bored. Sri Ramana Maharshi used to say, "observe even while you are sleeping or just before going to sleep. Who is that actually going to sleep?" In short it's a mind game, so just ignore it. Ignore the mind which says that and ignore the boredom also. Just keep practicing whatever you are practicing without anticipating any thing.
Q. Why should I opt for spiritual path?
A. Hmmm....... pretty difficult question to answer.
Q. Why is it difficult to answer?
A. Because, there is nothing you can gain on spiritual path. You will lose everything, including your identity. This loss is not at all physical or materialistic. The loss is only related to the causal. All the causes are lost. When there is no cause, then there is no effect. So, if someone has to show you that spiritual path is very exciting, then they will tell you only the part of the journey and not the end of the journey. Because, at the end of the journey there is nothing you gain. Of course the journey could be exciting, and it will be exciting as long as the mind exists. Once the mind is gone or the attachment towards the thoughts is gone, then there is nothing. In fact what remains is nothingness. The nothingness cannot be expressed. Since it cannot be expressed, others who are attached to thoughts will get bored. And, how can you ask an individual to opt for spiritual path? When you tell the Truth that there is nothing what will you say? You have to tell the individual to opt for nothingness on the spiritual path. And, how will you say that to an individual who is so much attached to his/her thoughts?
Q.People say that one get powers on the spiritual path, how far it is true?
A. Anything which is manifested is impermanent, temporary and will perish in time. So, all the powers that one get or obtain on the spiritual path are impermanent, temporary and they will perish in time. In fact an aspirant should not show even an iota of interest on to such things.
Q. What about service to others? Don't you think it is necessary?
A. There are two ways of looking at this point.
1. When you say I do service to people - then you feel that you are different from that individual and hence get into an egoistic state - saying that "I have done this and that." Such things will not do any good. Instead they will spoil you further.
2. When you feel that you are not different from others, in fact you are the same spirit as the others, then there is no service. By talking to other person, you are talking to your own self in others. By giving food to others, you are giving food to your own self present in others.
This you will say as - "I am existing here in this body in the same way as in that body also."
Q. What is advaita vedanta (अद्वैत वेदान्त)
A. Both the words have same meaning and both mean One.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. Advaita means non-duality. It means there is no two. So, when there is no two, there is no three also. Hence there is only one.
Vedaanta (वेद + अन्त) means - the end of knowledge. Now, where knowledge ends, there the mind stops. Where the mind stop its existence, there - there is nothingness. Where there is nothingness, there is no duality. Where there is no duality, there it is only One that is present.
Q. Is it good to follow, and is it the right path for everyone?
A. It all depends upon the conditional thinking of the individual. Initially it may be pretty difficult for anyone to come on to this path, but eventually one has to come to this path of advaita or non-duality, for it is not a path, it is the Truth.
A. Because there is nothing encouraging for the mind. There will be no entertainment for the mind. Since mind does not find anything exciting, it gets bored. It will give the feeling of boredom so that the individual will try to search or look for something that is more exciting and entertaining. The height of boredom will be the death of the mind. The death of the mind will be the death of the ego. This is what it means, what the saints say it as - die before you really die. The death of the ego is the real death. The physical death is not death at all. It is only a transformation from one form to another. The ego continues to live even after the physical death or transformation of the body. It is the ego which gives rise to re-birth. There is a small catch here. The mind can play many tricks. One of the trick that mind plays while in meditation is sleep. The aspirant can feel sleepy after some time, when mind does get some rest or when it gets bored. Sri Ramana Maharshi used to say, "observe even while you are sleeping or just before going to sleep. Who is that actually going to sleep?" In short it's a mind game, so just ignore it. Ignore the mind which says that and ignore the boredom also. Just keep practicing whatever you are practicing without anticipating any thing.
Q. Why should I opt for spiritual path?
A. Hmmm....... pretty difficult question to answer.
Q. Why is it difficult to answer?
A. Because, there is nothing you can gain on spiritual path. You will lose everything, including your identity. This loss is not at all physical or materialistic. The loss is only related to the causal. All the causes are lost. When there is no cause, then there is no effect. So, if someone has to show you that spiritual path is very exciting, then they will tell you only the part of the journey and not the end of the journey. Because, at the end of the journey there is nothing you gain. Of course the journey could be exciting, and it will be exciting as long as the mind exists. Once the mind is gone or the attachment towards the thoughts is gone, then there is nothing. In fact what remains is nothingness. The nothingness cannot be expressed. Since it cannot be expressed, others who are attached to thoughts will get bored. And, how can you ask an individual to opt for spiritual path? When you tell the Truth that there is nothing what will you say? You have to tell the individual to opt for nothingness on the spiritual path. And, how will you say that to an individual who is so much attached to his/her thoughts?
Q.People say that one get powers on the spiritual path, how far it is true?
A. Anything which is manifested is impermanent, temporary and will perish in time. So, all the powers that one get or obtain on the spiritual path are impermanent, temporary and they will perish in time. In fact an aspirant should not show even an iota of interest on to such things.
Q. What about service to others? Don't you think it is necessary?
A. There are two ways of looking at this point.
1. When you say I do service to people - then you feel that you are different from that individual and hence get into an egoistic state - saying that "I have done this and that." Such things will not do any good. Instead they will spoil you further.
2. When you feel that you are not different from others, in fact you are the same spirit as the others, then there is no service. By talking to other person, you are talking to your own self in others. By giving food to others, you are giving food to your own self present in others.
This you will say as - "I am existing here in this body in the same way as in that body also."
Q. What is advaita vedanta (अद्वैत वेदान्त)
A. Both the words have same meaning and both mean One.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. Advaita means non-duality. It means there is no two. So, when there is no two, there is no three also. Hence there is only one.
Vedaanta (वेद + अन्त) means - the end of knowledge. Now, where knowledge ends, there the mind stops. Where the mind stop its existence, there - there is nothingness. Where there is nothingness, there is no duality. Where there is no duality, there it is only One that is present.
Q. Is it good to follow, and is it the right path for everyone?
A. It all depends upon the conditional thinking of the individual. Initially it may be pretty difficult for anyone to come on to this path, but eventually one has to come to this path of advaita or non-duality, for it is not a path, it is the Truth.
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