Happy Diwali to everybody!
Diwali is a festival where you remind yourself of the importance of knowledge in life. When there is knowledge, there is no darkness. And when do you need knowledge? You need knowledge at the darkest time of life. When you are blissful and everything is okay, then who cares for knowledge. But when you have to face challenges, that is when you need knowledge, and that is when people don’t tend to look at knowledge. So, lighting a lamp is simply a symbol is invoking the knowledge and the wisdom within you.
When there is knowledge, there is no darkness. And when do you need knowledge? You need knowledge at the darkest time of life.
The second aspect of Diwali is distributing sweets. Sweetness in your words, in your behavior and in your relationship with others around you is the best sweet, and not the one with sugar. If you eat too much sugar, then you have exercise to burn all those calories. So, distributing sweets is to create and pleasant communicative atmosphere around us.
The third aspect of Diwali is fire crackers. Here, I would like to tell all of you, please do not pollute the atmosphere by doing it too much. We should always avoid noise pollution, air pollution and other types of pollution.
In ancient days, they would light a few fire crackers so that you can feel the explosion inside you as well. From explosion newness is born. Usually when something explodes, newness comes out of it. Usually we say, if some things are bothering your mind, you say, “Oh my head is going to explode”, isn’t it? This indicates pressure. So, when something bursts you feel a catharsis inside of you, and some pressure is lifted off from your system, and you enjoy this. That is why I am not saying that you should not burn fire crackers at all, but keep in mind how you can cause minimum damage to the environment. Especially the birds and animals, they get so scared. If you are near a zoo or a bird sanctuary, then I would suggest that you be very careful. Your festivity should not cause fear to the animals around.
You know, in cities, the dogs get so scared because there are fire crackers all over. People who have dogs lock them up in their homes, and the dogs really howl the whole time. So, minimum use of fire crackers is recommendable.
Now coming to some deeper wisdom!
Do you know what is the root cause of anger? When do you get angry? When a lie is said to you! Suppose you have to encounter a lie, what will happen to you? When someone lies to you, what happens to you? You get angry!
You want something to happen or you have a desire, and it is fulfilled, then you don’t get angry, you get happy. But when what you want does not happen, then that what you desired or wanted becomes a lie (because it is not the truth in your present reality). So, all the anger that you experience in life is because of ‘lies’ or untruth.
Now, what if I tell you, everything in your life, and your life itself is a lie. Everything is a lie, even I am a lie. Just for one minute think that – Everything is a lie; the world around you is a lie, the spiritual path is a lie, your sadhana is a bigger lie, your Guru is a lie, everything that you do is a lie, YOU ARE A BUNDLE OF LIES.
All your life you are searching for the truth, but with truth comes anger.
What are you going to do now? Why are you quiet? What is happening now?
All your life you are searching for truth, but with truth comes anger as well – that is what is Satyagraha. You insist for truth, now wake up and see, everything is a lie, what is there to insist? YOU ARE A BUNDLE OF LIES.
Tell me what is happening to you now, right this moment?
Audience: We are shocked!
How many of you are shocked? (Some in the audience raise their hands). Just a few of you are shocked? How many of you enjoying? How many of you felt a relief?
Audience: We realize that anger itself is a lie.
When everything is a lie, when there is nothing to hold on to, then where is your anger? Who will you get angry at when everything is a lie? If one of two people were wrong, then it is okay, but I am telling you that everything and everyone is a lie.
I want you to watch what is happening within you this moment. Do you have an explosion happening within you? See what is happening within you!
Audience: Feeling free! Feeling happy! Feel like dancing! Laughing for no reason.
Oh, but when I am saying that ‘Everything is a life’, how can you laugh? Otherwise, if you find out that someone has spoken lies, you get very angry, then now why is it that you feel like laughing. This is deep wisdom – when you realize that this whole world is an illusion, it is all lies. It appears to be, but it is not there – it is all a lie. When you realize this, then what comes out of you? Laughter! You feel freedom. This is real wisdom!
Somewhere you keep holding onto your search for truth - drop it. The moment you drop it, you recognize that everything is a lie.
Only reading wisdom does not help. Somewhere you keep holding on to your search for truth – drop it. The moment you drop it, you can recognize that everything is a lie. Then where is anger or disappointment? Where is run for success? Where is the competition and comparison? Are you going to compare one lie with another lie and see which is a bigger lie? Come on, wake up! All that you have been holding onto, all that which has been binding you to a limited existence and limited awareness suddenly vanishes – when? When you realize what I am saying now (that this world is an illusion.)
I am telling you, your seeking is a lie; everything is a lie. You asking a question is an even bigger lie, and the answer is also a lie.
Audience: We are so confused (laughter)
If you are laughing and saying that you are confused, that means that confusion seems to have worked. If you are really confused then you will not laugh, isn’t it? Can you laugh when you are depressed?
There have been so many ideas and thoughts that have come to your mind, have many of them proven to be false? (Many is the audience agree). When you realize that everything that you think and speak is false, even if it is just for a second, then what happens to you? Look at that! Then we will speak on this sometime later.