[Number] 81: “The appreciation of objects and subjects is the same for an enlightened person as well as for an unenlightened person. The former” means the enlightened one “has one greatness:” That is, “he remains in the subjective mood, not lost in the object.” In the mood only. “Subjective mood and not lost in the things.” That’s very nice. Suppose I want a house and I just remain in the mood of wanting, instead of buying a house, isn’t that nice? You save a lot of money, you can go on retreat every time. So, the enlightened one perhaps has the same knowledge, the same appreciative attitude, and the same appreciative feeling for anything, the same as the way the unenlightened person does.
Suppose I have this umbrella here and suppose I am very enlightened indeed, suppose, and you are not enlightened, or suppose you are very enlightened and I am not. And both of us will look at the umbrella and we both appreciate its beauty. We both probably buy the same umbrella and pay the same price, and use it in the same way, because it’s beautiful. But the difference here, the Master (Lord Shiva) says, is that the enlightened person probably wouldn’t buy the umbrella. So that means I am not enlightened because I have bought the umbrella. And you did not buy the umbrella, so that means you are very enlightened, because you only look and appreciate the umbrella’s beauty, but you did not possess it, you did not follow the urge to possess the thing. For example like that. So that is the difference between the enlightened person and the unenlightened person. (Yes.) Mind you, this is not what I bought. Somebody else bought it for me. The unenlightened one had bought it for the Enlightened One, Who sits here helplessly using the umbrella.
Now, what He (Lord Shiva) meant is that, suppose the desire arises in the two people at the same time, the enlightened one and the unenlightened one, then the unenlightened will try with all his might to pursue and to obtain what he wants at any price sometimes. Sometimes at the cost of his life, and soul, and business, and name, and fame, and everything, and family. But the enlightened one perhaps has the same desire, wanting something, or maybe not desire, just appreciation, like a beautiful flower. We look at it and we say, “Oh, it’s beautiful.” And the unenlightened one tries to pluck it out of the public [place]. But the enlightened one just appreciates it, but has no desire to possess it. So perhaps that is the meaning of the Master (Lord Shiva) when He says there’s a difference between the two. There’s no difference in appreciation and desire. There’s only a difference in controlling or in approaching things. Maybe the enlightened person doesn’t even need to control himself. He just doesn’t have the desire to run after the objects but remains in the mood of appreciation. That’s all it is. Understand? (Yes.)
Just like when you see a beautiful man, you say, “Oh, he’s nice.” That’s it. (Yes.) But then he’s married. Oh, that’s it. But the other woman, maybe when she sees a very handsome guy, and rich and talented, even though he’s married, she tries to squeeze in. And makes trouble for herself first, and then for the family of that person. You understand what I mean? (Yes.) So that’s the only difference. Even though she doesn’t desire that man, maybe she doesn’t love that man. She just wants him because he is very convenient for everything. That’s it. And the enlightened person appreciates that the person is handsome, or talented and rich, but isn’t concerned. OK, he is rich, he’s handsome, he’s talented, so let it be. And leave him alone. And whatever will be, will be. Suppose that person approaches her or him, and says things in the matter of love, and that enlightened person perhaps loves that person too, then perhaps something will take place, like a marriage, or a union, or something. But otherwise, she or he doesn’t try to snatch that from someone else, or doesn’t try with all their might to possess that person, just because that person possesses all the qualities and attributes that she wants to have in a husband, or he wants to have in a wife. Capiche? (Yes.)
82: “Feel the consciousness of each person as your own consciousness. So, leaving aside concern for self, become each being.” This you know. When we meditate in this manner, the meditator should try to feel the consciousness of other people as his own consciousness. Because actually all beings are one anyhow, that everybody knows. So, it is OK to feel that way. Until the practitioner loses his own individual self and merges into all as one, and becomes each of the other beings. Isn’t that simple? (Yes.) Capiche? Understood? (Yes.) Yes or no? (Yes.) Oh my God. You’re so lazy to open your mouth when you should. All day you open it already, so when it’s my turn, you just couldn’t care less. Well, if you don’t understand, you tell me too. Then I will explain it again to you. But I think if you don’t understand now, it’s because I talk sometimes fast, and you still remain on the last sentence, while I run already to the next. And then you will, of course, sometimes, be confused. But then after you watch the video again, or listen to the tapes again next time, somewhere at your convenience, then you will understand in your own leisure time. So don’t worry, if you don’t understand, just smile.
Number 83: “Thinking nothing, will limited-self unlimit.” Oh. You know already, right? (Yes, Master.) I tell you to smile, not to shake your head. He (Lord Shiva) tries to shorten the whole lecture into one sentence. That’s why it’s very difficult. But I think what the Master meant here is that you don’t have to think of anything when you want to concentrate, or you try to concentrate on thinking of nothing. And then your limited self will become unlimited. That’s all there is. But they just try to puzzle us. (Yes.) To make Zen something mysterious and difficult. They can’t cheat me, I know.
So now, Number 84: “Believe Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent.” Believe it. Do you? (Yes.) Yes, good. Then now, 85. If you already have such a firm belief, what else do I have to say?
85: “As waves come with water and flames with fire, so the Universal waves within us.” Aha. Now, what is that? You all understood. Yes? No? (No.) Perhaps what the Master meant is, you see, the waves come with water. Look, when you go to the ocean, you see the waves. Now, the waves don’t look like water. Do they? They don’t. They have froth and a white head and are running all over. And sometimes very fiercely beating your body, and taking all the sand to the sea. And they take a lot of boats too, sometimes, into the sea. So, the waves don’t look like very beautiful, tranquil, and blue water, cool water, but they’re very different, they’re very vicious. And sometimes they look nice, but they don’t look like water very much because they have a white head and look like foam, look like plastic foam, styrofoam-like. But where do the waves come from? From water, no? (Yes.) And besides, does the water produce the waves itself? Yes and no. Yes and no. The water needs the waxing and the waning of the Moon, and the turning of the globe. (Yes.) As well as the climate and the wind, in order to give rise to the waves. See what I mean? (Yes.) So actually, the waves come from the water, but are different from water, different in character. Nevertheless, you cannot blame the water for the waves, neither can you blame the waves for the water.
Likewise, all our shortcomings and weaknesses also came from within, but yet without. They come from our being, but then they need a lot of conditions and a lot of influence in order to rise up again. So in that case, the Buddhists say, “Sins are Bodhi, and Bodhi are sins.” Obstacles are enlightenment, enlightenment are obstacles. In that sense; I understood it that way. So, forgive yourselves, but do not remain in the weakness. Rise above the waves so that you may go into the tranquil ocean, which is in the middle. And there you meet no more waves, no obstacles, nothing. Rise deep into the ocean, like, dive deep into yourself, and find your own True Nature with the tranquil blue, cool water and pure Consciousness. That’s why. So, sins came from nowhere, and from nowhere came the sins. So, we must not be attached either to virtues nor to sins, because whether they are beautiful waves or not beautiful waves, they are waves. Or we appreciate them as thus, but we have no need to blame the waves, or to blame the water, or be attached to one or the other. Alright? So, I think that’s what the Master meant by, “Waves come with water and flames with fire, so the Universal waves within us.”
Or perhaps on the higher note of spiritual practice, when we meditate… That is a mundane way. We try to ignore our weaknesses and sins, and try to concentrate on the purity of the True Self. On the higher note, whenever you meditate, you hear the waves of Consciousness in a form of (inner Heavenly) Melody and you see the (inner Heavenly) Light of higher dimensions in the form of Brilliance. When you see these, that means you see the Most High. When you hear this, you hear GOD. Just like when you see the waves, you see the ocean. Yeah? (Yes.) When you know the waves, you know the ocean. (Yes.) Despite the difference in character of both. So, when you ask me, “Where is GOD? I want to see GOD, Oh GOD, how I want to see GOD,” then try to meditate and listen to the (inner Heavenly) Word inside. The Holy Word, that is GOD’s Attribute; the Holy Light, that is GOD’s Quality. And since you see that within yourself, know that you are God as well. If you are not God, where is all this from? If it’s not the ocean, where do the waves come from? Is that not so? (Yes.) Got it? (Yes.) Good.
Photo Caption: “Color Our Life as GOD Colors the World”
