let’s not waste time over philosophical questions. Instead, we should keep the mind still so that the soul comes in contact with the inner light, says Sant Rajinder Singh
When we begin our journey on a spiritual path, there are two elements involved. On the theoretical side we satisfy our questioning minds, and on the practical side we experience the spiritual truth. While it is important to be well-versed with both aspects, there comes a point when we must focus our attention on the practical side of meditation to gain true experience. Overemphasis on the theoretical side can take our attention away from what we are born to perform. While we must satisfy the mind, we should not get into mental wrangling, for that is like a spider web from which we may have difficulty escaping.
To illustrate this point, let’s look at lord Buddha, who spent 45 years of his life teaching people on how to escape mindless rituals and complex philosophical debates. He wanted to help suffering souls gain enlightenment and escape the karmic wheel of life that binds them to this world. Buddha was full of compassion and served humanity without any concern for his own comfort. He sacrificed himself so that others could attain nirvana. It is said that Buddha toured for eight months a year to teach people the way to salvation. The only time he did not move was during the rainy season; he would then live at one place, meditating most of the time. He would teach people irrespective of their caste, religion, colour or social status. He gave all an equal chance to find the way to enlightenment and liberation.
One day, a disciple named Malunkyaputta wanted to meet Buddha. Malunkyaputta had a restless mind. His mind would often venture into deep philosophical debates: “Is the world infinite or finiteIJ Is the soul identical with the human bodyIJ” Instead of meditating, he ended up spending his time over these philosophical questions. So, during one of his interactions with Buddha, he asked, “O Blessed One, please answer these questions. If you do, I will remain on the spiritual path. If you do not answer these questions, I will leave your Holy Order.”
To this, Buddha replied: “O Malunkyaputta, did I ever ask you to take up this path and did I promise you that I would answer these intellectual wranglingsIJ” The disciple sheepishly replied, “No.” Buddha lovingly explained, “Whoever worries about these meaningless speculations such as whether the world is infinite or finite, or whether the soul looks like the body, is taking away time from spiritual practices. It is like someone hit by an arrow, but instead of letting a doctor treat him, he asks, ‘I will not allow my wound to be treated until I know the man who shot me, what kind of person he is. Is he tall or shortIJ What type of bow and arrow did he use, or what colour is his skinIJ’ The key is to get yourself treated first. Similarly, if we say we will not pursue spirituality until we know whether the universe is eternal or not, and other such questions, then one may never reach the ultimate spiritual goal.”
Buddha further explained, “I teach what is important to know. I want to help people solve the problems of sorrow and suffering in this life.” To further illustrate this point, one day while in the Simsapa forest near Kosambi, Buddha picked up a few leaves and asked his disciples: “What is your opinionIJ Which is moreIJ Few leaves in my hand, or the leaves in the forest around usIJ”
The disciples said, “O Blessed One, you have very few leaves in your hand, while there are many more in the forest.” Buddha then told them, “It is the same with my teachings. Of everything I know, I have only told you a little. What I have not told you is much more, like the leaves in the forest. Why did I not tell you everything I knowIJ The reason is that all that information is not useful. That information will not lead you to enlightenment. I have only told you what you need to know to gain the spiritual experience and attain salvation.”
Many of us get involved in intellectual debates. We have to discriminate which question will help our spiritual progress and which one is merely to satisfy our intellectual curiosity. There are thousands of pages written in all religious texts on the theoretical side of mysticism. If we were to start reading all those pages, we might never finish them in our lifetime. People who are steeped in the theoretical side of religion can spend years debating each point found in the scriptural writings and never find any solution. In this short time that we have in this world, it is better to spend time in spirituality so that we can rise above our limited intellect and come in touch with our soul. Our soul has all the answers, because it is one with the lord.
let us not waste our time thinking over the intricacies of the universe. Instead, we should keep the mind still so that the soul can come in contact with the inner light. The soul will then awaken to the truth lying within. Thereafter, there will be no further questions, for we will experience for ourselves the truths within us.
The writer is a spiritual master