Inn of Madness
VI
Lord Krishna says in the Gita that there are only two paths; pitriyan panth and deviyan panth.
Pitriyan panth is the path of the karmic wheel, and the soul which travels it cannot get off this wheel. But, the soul which travels the deviyan panth – the Path of Light – never returns. It is the custom in the Sanatan sect of the Hindu religion to light a lamp and put it in the hand of a dying person, for it is believed that the soul will not otherwise gain salvation. But, in fact, this light should be lit while living – the Inner Light – for only then can the soul become free from births and deaths.
Where is this Light?
The Light is effulgent in He Who controls the ten senses.
The Light is already within all men, but one must separate from the senses to see It. There is no need to create It, therefore; just invert. You can say to turn the face inwardly, or by self-analysis, rise above the senses.
Kabir Sahib says,
Why remain intoxicated in this inn of the body?
It is common sense to see that for the soul who is at the level of mind and senses and has become the image of the body and therefore is doing all practices at the same level, how can it be possible to rise above the body, mind, and senses? If anyone thinks he can do it, he is welcome to try. After all, what does a blind man desire? Just two eyes. But, if you cannot do it, admit the fact and go to seek help from Someone Who knows the science of rising above body consciousness. Such a Master-Soul may give a sitting to ten people, or fifty, or one hundred or more; but by His single fraction of attention everyone will receive Light. The proof of Light will be seen with one’s own vision. So, the path of the Saints is called the reverse path, for They teach the seeker how to invert the senses.
When you meet the Satguru, inversion starts; dying while living will unravel it.
When the soul inverts, the body becomes lifeless; he who dies while living becomes the one who experiences the Lord. Learn to die so that you may begin to live. Maulana Rumi says that if you desire to have Everlasting Life, then learn to die while living.
Dadu Sahib says,
Dadu, die before; everyone dies when the time comes.
All Masters have made similar statements on the same subject. That person who has unravelled the mystery of life has no fear of death.
Die you must, so why not now? Stand aloof from the world. Such a death one can die a hundred times a day.
To be able to rise above at will erases all fear of death. You are a guest in this inn of the body for a few days only – do not lose yourself in the madness of the senses and the sense-enjoyments. Do not forget yourself entirely in this outer madness, but try to reach the aim for which the human birth was given. If this opportunity to do the real work is wasted, then who knows when you will be given another?
Rest for the night, leave in the morning.
It is a place where you can spend the night; but when daylight comes, you have to leave. Who stays permanently at an inn?
Return to your own place, brother; why live in a strange country? Do your own work and ignore alien affairs.
This is not your country. You merely have connection with the physical form for a few days and will soon have to leave. It can never be your permanent place, but where will you go? Have you ever thought about that?
The house you must leave is tied in your mind; there is never a thought for your permanent Home.
You have imprisoned yourself in its environments and you have given it the status of a god. The True Home has been completely forgotten. Who can say you are intelligent? Perhaps you are learned through books, but the Masters say that one who does not realise his transient condition and has no knowledge of his Real Destination is either a fool or an ignorant child.
When a Spiritual Person is also learned in outer knowledge, he wears this like a garland of flowers and uses it to explain the Truth in a variety of ways.
For instance, when Keshab Chander Sen went to Sri Ramakrishna, the latter said,
If you want to understand this teaching in one word, then listen to me; if you would prefer to learn it through many words, then go to Vivekananda.
It is important that the mind should fully understand and be satisfied, for True Spiritual Experience can be had only when the senses, mind, and intellect are perfectly stilled. Nothing can be experienced while one is scattered at the sense level, whether it be in enjoyments or in intellectual expansion. We should make the best use of the intellect for our own or another’s understanding, but remember that reasoning can be a help and it can also be a bar. Through reason we can come to the point of accepting that God does exist; but having done that, why not realise Him? And, for that, the intellect then must be stilled.
Everyone must leave the physical form – and that includes you.
One Master says,
Where have the parents gone who gave you birth? You have no knowledge of their whereabouts.
The facts are clearly evident, but the world’s grease has covered you like a greasy cloth which does not retain water on its surface. We read books and scriptures, listen to numerous lectures; but the Truth penetrates neither mind nor heart: that we must also leave the world.
“Those who know they must go, why worry and scheme?”
Why increase the worries and troubles more than necessary when we must all leave this place one day? If you knew you had to leave the world at the end of this day, how would you spend it?
A certain Master advises,
Spend each day thinking it is your last on earth.
If this advice was rigidly followed, a person’s life would be transformed. We go deeper into the forgetfulness because we do not remember death. Death is no bugbear, but is the name given to a change; or, you can call it a transfer. That person can truly be termed intelligent who prepares for this event. How wisely we start preparing ahead of time for some worldly event, like a marriage or an examination, etc. The change of death can also be called an examination which lies ahead of us, but we do not know the date. We do nothing to prepare for this.