[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
781
Do you know this whole world is comprised of atoms? How is it that this [tapping chair arm] is wood and you don't call it atoms? How is it [pointing to statuette] that is clay and you don't call it atoms? If I tell you this is atoms and that is atoms, you'll believe me, not so?
Devotee: But that's wood and this is something else.
Swamiji: But it is [comprised of] atoms.
Devotee: It is atoms in a true form.
Swamiji: But why don't you believe it then if you say it's atoms?
Devotee: But what you see you believe.
Swamiji: But what you believe is true, too?
Devotee: In a sense.
Swamiji: Not in 'a sense' – it's true in the true sense I'm talking about. Seeing does not mean eyes. Seeing means sensing. You can sense with touch. You can sense with taste. So every sense of yours is an organ through which you sense. So real seeing will be when you see the common factor.
Supposing [pointing to one] you say that is a vase, right? And you call another one a pot and another one a saucer, then you will still deny it if I tell you all those are all clay?
Devotee: But that I can touch and tell. A look can be deceiving too.
Swamiji: Even if you touch it , it can be deceiving.
Devotee: The weight will tell you.
Swamiji: You know, when I first came to know that glass is [actually] sand, I got a shock. [devotee laughs].
Swamiji: [kindly] Why are you laughing my son?
Swamiji repeats it: The first time I came to know that glass is sand, I got a shock - and truly, it is sand. But you see how we get caught now? We look at the glass and say, 'No that's not sand.' So when you look at man you say, 'That's not God – it's man.'
Swamiji: Now answer me another thing: Is God a dead thing or a living thing?
Devotee: I would say a living thing.
Swamiji: I would say 'both'. [chuckles] I would say both. Didn't Krishna Bhagawan say, 'I am Death, the all-devourer' in the [Bhagavad] Gita? So how is it you say it's not a dead thing? For instance; is God light, or is God darkness? – you tell me. God is both, because what we call darkness is a lower intensity of vibration and a high intensity of vibration is called light. But both are vibration.
Devotee: What about good and bad?
Swamiji: [Swami] Vivekananda [lead disciple of Sri Ramakrishna] puts it very well. He says, 'What we call good is relative and what we call bad is also relative.' But what is good and what is bad shouldn't be as man puts it – relative – anything that makes you think about God and go towards God, is good. And anything that makes you forget God, is bad. So from that point of view, that is good and bad. Not what I [meaning, 'we'] say is good and bad. Now you see how beautiful this is? Anything that makes you think about God is good – because it's taking you towards light. Anything that makes you forget God, is bad - because it's taking you towards darkness.
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time.
2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order.
Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites - please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham
