A new book of Papaji’s teachings,
published by Avadhuta Foundation and edited by David
Godman, is now available. Entitled The Fire of Freedom,
it comprises dialogues Papaji had with visitors in the
middle of 1991. At that time Papaji was relatively
unknown. Satsangs would take place in his living room in
the suburbs of Lucknow, and about twelve to fifteen
people would normally attend.
In these conversations Papaji explains the practical
teachings of his Master, Ramana Maharshi, in a simple and
forceful way. As he engages his visitors in discussions
about the nature of spiritual freedom and the means by
which it can be discovered, he is always looking for an
opportunity to take his questioners back to the source of
their minds so that they can find out for themselves, by
direct experience, what he is trying to show them. The
first three pages of the book can be read here.
Published
by Avadhuta FoundationPO Box 296,Boulder,
CO 80306-0296USA
Pages 291, with fifteen extra
pages of colour photos
Price $18
The book has been printed in Pondicherry,
South India. Copies can be purchased immediately from
David Godman’s site (http://www.davidgodman.org/books/buybooks.shtml) where payment is by Paypal. Copies should
reach most foreign destinations in 7-14 days.
"A shepherd
was once hypnotized into thinking that he was a
great king, and that his sheep were loyal subjects. So the
shepherd's every act expressed his delusion, for example, he
commanded the sheep to polish his crown and to bring him a
royal dinner. The point is, we must recognize the nonsense of
a certain idea at the start, otherwise we will not notice the
equal nonsense of all else which follows. So a grasp of fun-
damentals is essential, including this one: The false sense of
self can do nothing but create chaos. "
--Vernon Howard, Secrets
for Higher Success, p. 102
When identities are
identical
The potter knows the bowl inside out,
having formed it in the void,
having shaped it around nothing
so that it may contain something.
When we comprehend with our hands again,
our minds have no difficulty comprehending.
Space and form,
form and void,
form and emptiness...
they meet each other in one shared locale
recognizing each other's identical nature.
The potter knows the bowl inside out,
having formed it in the void,
having shaped it around nothing
so that it may contain something.
When we comprehend with our hands again
our minds have no difficulty comprehending.
Tranquility and action,
movement and stillness,
silence and voice...
they meet each other in one shared moment
listening to each other's identical sound.
The poet knows the ballade inside out,
having formed it in quiet inspiration,
having voiced it around silence
so that silence may carry the song.
When we comprehend with our ears again,
our minds have no difficulty comprehending.
You and I,
male and female,
yin and yang...
touching each other in one shared embrace
feeling each other's identical being.
Lovers know their loved ones inside out,
though still discovering each other in their cosmic search,
always finding each other while expecting no one
so that each may bring forth the other.
When we comprehend with our hearts again,
our minds have no difficulty comprehending.
Space and form,
form and void,
form and emptiness...
they meet each other in one shared locale
recognizing each other's identical nature.
The potter knows the bowl inside out,
having formed it in the void,
having shaped it around nothing
so that it may contain something.
When we comprehend with our hands again,
our minds have no difficulty comprehending.
The
process of practice is to see through, not to eliminate, anything
to which we are attached. We could have great financial wealth
and be unattached to it, or we might have nothing and be very
attached to having nothing. Usually, if we have seen through the
nature of attachment, we will have a tendency to have few
possessions, but not necessarily. Most practice gets caught in
this area of fiddling with our environments or our minds. "
My mind should be quiet". Our mind doesn't matter; what
matters is non attachment to the activities of the mind. And our
emotions are harmless unless they dominate us 9 that is, if we
are attached to them)---then they create dis-harmony for
everyone. The first problem in practice is to see that we are
attached. As we do consistent, patient zazen we begin to know
that we are nothing but attachments; they rule our lives. But we
never lose an attachment by saying it has to go. Only as we gain
true awareness of its true nature does it quietly and
imperceptibly wither away; like a sandcastle with waves rolling
over, it just smoothes out and finally Where
is it? What was it?Who is it?
Whose mind is it that gets attached, or frees itself from
attachments? This questioning can continue not only in
formal sitting meditation, but throughout all daily
activities. Who is the one that has this opinion? Who
is it that experiences pain? This is questioning at the
deepest level. The ordinary mind cannot provide an
answer. The answer, when it comes, comes to no one out of
no mind. It is revealed directly-Oh! It's as close as
the nose on your face.
