Page 48 - NAMAH-Apr-2023

Namah Vol. 31, Issue 1, 24th April 2023

“The first thing one learns on the way is that the by divine Grace a drop of light falls into the
joy of giving is far greater than the joy of taking. consciousness and what needs to be known is
known. Why should one care to remember —
Then gradually one learns that to forget why try to retain that knowledge? On the day
oneself is the source of immutable peace. or at the moment that it is needed one will have
Later on, in this self-forgetfulness, one finds it again. At each second one is a blank page on
the Divine, and that is the source of an ever- which what must be known will be inscribed —
increasing bliss. in the peace, the repose, the silence of a perfect
receptivity.
Sri Aurobindo told me one day that if men
knew this and were convinced of it, they “One knows what must be known, one sees
would all want to do yoga (2).” what must be seen, and since what must
be known and seen comes directly from the
The Mother speaks on Sri Aurobindo’s Supreme, it is Truth itself; and it completely
Aphorism, and she reveals to us how we eludes all notions of reason or folly. What is
can partake of perfect peace of mind and true is true — that is all. And one has to sink
an unalloyed joy if we offer ourselves to be very low to wonder whether it is folly or reason.
used by the Divine, in whatever way He
wills for us. Also, when we give ourselves “Silence and a modest, humble, attentive
to the Divine for His use, we stop bothering receptivity; no concern for appearances or even
with our unfulfilled wishes, demands, or any anxiety to be — one is quite modestly, quite
expectations from life. And hence, we step humbly, quite simply the instrument which of
back from the falsehood of the ego state. itself is nothing and knows nothing, but is ready
to receive everything and transmit everything.
“…. And Sri Aurobindo says: I am not a
Jnani…. I do not seek knowledge. I have “The first condition is self-forgetfulness, a total
given myself to the Divine to accomplish self-giving, the absence of ego.
His work and, by the divine Grace, at every
moment I know what must be known in And the body says to the Supreme Lord: ‘What
order to accomplish this work. You want me to be, I shall be; what You want
me to know, I shall know; what You want me
“It is an admirable state; it is perfect peace to do, I shall do (3).””
of mind. There is no longer any need to
accumulate acquired knowledge, received Path of self-forgetfulness — tools and
ideas which have to be memorised; it is no challenges
longer necessary to clutter one’s brain with
thousands and thousands of things in order to One of the ways to forget oneself, one’s sense
have at one’s command, when the time comes, of limited separate self, the one connected
the knowledge that is needed to perform an with the whole storyline in life, is by bringing
action, to impart a teaching, to solve a problem. the mind to an in-gathered state, either by
The mind is silent, the brain is still, everything focusing on the breath, body, or by centring
is clear, quiet, calm; and at the right moment, the mind on Divine name/japa, like: Ma/

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