ON LUST AND ANGER, Sex and Brahmcharya-1

 

In a few words: man is the highest in all creation, and the highest aim that is before us in the human body - as has been given out by all Masters who came in the past - is to know God. To know God, we must know ourselves first. God cannot be known by the outgoing faculties, the intellect or the vital airs. It is the soul alone that can know God. But our soul is under the control of mind, and mind is under the control of the outgoing faculties. Our attention, which is the expression of our soul, is diffused into the world through the outgoing faculties and is so identified with them that we have forgotten ourselves.

It is the soul alone that can know God. Like knows the like. Soul is a conscious entity; God is all consciousness. So the primary thing is that we should know ourselves. Whenever the Masters came, they gave out the same thing: Know thyself.

How can we know ourselves? We can by liberating ourselves from the clutches of mind and the outgoing faculties; or, you might say, by analyzing ourselves from mind and matter; or, still further you might say, by rising above body-consciousness. When we know ourself, we will see that, that very God Whom we find within is already there.

The human body is a wonderful house that we live in. We are living in this body, and we are also controlled in it because of some higher Power overhead: otherwise, we could run out of this body. There are so many apertures in this wonderful house we live in, but we are controlled: we cannot go out of it.

Our breathing goes out, but cannot remain outside; some Power is bringing it back into the body. The very Power that controls us in the body controls the entire universe. That is what is called God-Power: it has been given so many different names by various Masters. When God, Wordless or Nameless, came into being, it was called Name, Shabda, and Word. That God-into-Expression Power is the cause of all creation.

We reside in this human body, and so does He Whom you are after. To find Him is the purpose for which we have joined various schools of thought or religions. He also resides within us: "The Kingdom of God is within us." If we would like to find Him or enter this Kingdom, we will have to enter into the laboratory of our body. We might be seeking outside for years and years; We might be observing so many rites and rituals, performed at the level of the outgoing faculties; and yet, we cannot find a clue to His Kingdom. Guru Nanak says, "So long as we do not know ourself, we are in a grand delusion."

It is a pity: we are the indwellers of the human body, and that very Power that we have to find is also already there: a fish living in the water inquires where water is. In the scriptures we will find a description of what the Masters found in their lives when they came in contact with the God-Power. Reading the scriptures can flare up an interest in us to know Him and to have those very same experiences that the Masters had. But there the scope of the scriptures ends.

What do the scriptures say? "God is within us; the body is the temple of God." All Masters say that: in their own words, of course. So, if God is within us, we must try to find Him where He is. If we try to find Him in outward things or outward places, we will not find Him. We have regard for all scriptures, for they give beautiful, fine records of the experiences that the Masters had in their lives.

We have respect for all places of holy worship, because they are models of the human body: Hindu temples are dome-shaped, like the head; churches are cross-shaped, or nose-shaped. Within them are the symbols representing God: God is Light and God is Music of the Spheres. So these two symbols are kept in the temples and churches to show that this Light of God is shining within you and this Music of the Spheres, or Voice of God, is reverberating within you: it can be heard. We can have a contact with them when we rise above senses, above body-consciousness. It is a matter of practical self- analysis.

How can we rise above body-consciousness? If we can rise above it by our own efforts, you are welcome to do it. If we cannot, we can seek the help of someone who goes up and has the competency to raise our soul, to liberate our soul, from the clutches of mind and the outgoing faculties, someone who is able to give us an experience of opening the inner eye to see the Light of God and opening the inner ear to hear the Voice of God. Call him by any name we like. He is a man like you in his outward appearance; but inside he is developed in that way. He has analyzed his soul from mind and the outgoing faculties; he rises above body-consciousness daily. This is what is meant when the scriptures say: "Learn to die so that you may begin to live." This is what is meant when a Saint said, "I die daily." This is what is meant by, "To be born a new." This is what is meant when it is said: "The Kingdom of God cannot be had by observation; it is within us.

In worldly subjects, we do need the help of someone who is an expert in them. If we need someone to guide us and help us in these subjects that have to do only with the outgoing faculties, why wouldn't we need that help in the subject that starts when we rise above the body and the outgoing faculties? It is a matter of common sense. If we can do it alone, well and good. A blind man needs two eyes to see. So we need someone: "The Son knows the Father and others to whom the Son reveals Him." And that Son ship continues.

This is what is before us, and for that purpose we have joined various schools of thought. We will find that whoever can withdraw from outside is not attached outside. Whoever is attached outside or is given up to outward pleasures and lives a sensuous way of living, such a man is not fit. There are five passions connected with the outgoing faculties, but two of them are the most dangerous: The first is lust. The second is anger.

All are dangerous, but these are the most dangerous. And even between these two, the first is more dangerous. Kabir says, "I forgive all sins; but not those who are given up to an unchaste life." These are his words.

Naturally the question arises: what can be said about those who are married? All scriptures tell us what marriage means. It means taking a companion in life to be with us in weal or woe on this earthly sojourn; and to help each other to know God, which is the highest aim before us. One duty may be that of begetting children; but it is not one hundred per cent of our duties. About such a marriage,

"Husbands should love their wives." They should have chaste lives. One duty, is begetting children. When we have one or two children, all right; set our example and make our lives sublime.

The first thing needed is a life of continence. The Rishis called having a life of continence observing Brahmcharya. "Brahmcharya means control of all the organs of sense. It does not mean mere control of animal passions. If a man controls only one organ and allows all others to have free play, he is bound to find his effort fruitless. To hear suggestive stories with the ears, to see suggestive sights with your eyes, to taste stimulating food with your tongue, to touch exciting things with the hands, and then expect to control the only remaining organ, is just like putting your hand in fire and expecting that it will not burn.

We will find perhaps that the palate is the chief of all. Brahmcharya means: the word charya means "the course of conduct"; and Brahm means "God." So brahmcharya means to have a conduct of life adapted to the search for God. It is, therefore, the control of all the senses; and it will become easy to anyone who controls his passions, his palate. Diet has very much to do with our lives. Whatever sort of food we eat, we get that very same effect. If a dog is kept on mere vegetables, he will be very amiable. If we keep him on meat, he will be howling and growling. Any diet that flares up passions, we have to eliminate.

Diet flares up passions, Maulana Rumi says, "It is not love that arises out of eating bread; but love is of the soul, of charity." Love attached with the physical body is called lust. We will find that animals observe brahmcharya more than men. When any animal gets sick, the first thing he does is not eat. There is also a time for their mating; and man has no special time. It is a pitiable state, I would say. That is why we are not born for eating; but eating is made for us, so that this body may be maintained. This body is the golden opportunity that we have: maintain it; keep it as long as we can. It is not for eating; but eating is made for us to maintain it, so that we may know God.

Similarly, all other organs of desire are required to be controlled. All Masters have laid great stress on that very subject. These two things are especially important. What does it all mean? All these five passions practically mean the same thing; they hinge only on desire. To be desire less is to cut off, to exterminate, the very root of other things. Many Masters have come and said this. Lord Buddha said, "Be desire less." The tenth Guru of the Sikhs said, in his own language, "Be desire less." When we have no desire, there is no question of anger. What is anger? When we want to do something or have something and someone.

When there is anger, what happens? You cannot speak slowly. Take the example of a little rivulet or ordinary canal flowing strongly in a narrow channel. When there is no impediment in the way, it flows on smoothly. But if you put a big stone in it, the water retards and strikes against the stone, and two things happen: one, there is froth and foam, from the striking; and the other, there is noise. Similarly, those who become angry cannot speak slowly, and there is foam in their mouths. Then when there is any wish: "Oh, I must have it; there is no reason why I should not have it." He puts in all efforts at having it; he makes parties, and this and that. When he achieves it, he does not want to leave it; he is attached. This is called attachment. And then he enjoys it.

So all five passions hinge on the one thing: desire. Out of these, two are the most important, or the strongest ones controlling us in the body. All Masters have been saying that. They say, "Chastity is life" - here we lack very much - and "Sexuality is death." Those who are not married should observe strict chastity. Those who are married should regulate their lives according to what the scriptures say. And what they say. Almost every scripture says the same thing.

So, "The abandonment of sensual desires draws the soul towards heaven." The more you control this, the nearer you are to God; because on this very power depends the health of mind and body both: your intellect, your brain, your physical body. They say that what you eat forms chyle; from chyle, blood is formed; from blood, fat is formed; from fat comes the bones; from bones, the pith in them; and from the pith, this thing is formed - how valuable a thing it is!