Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Life has a dual nature. How do you feel oneness in that duality?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Like high tide and low tide in an ocean, they come and go but the ocean remains. How was it five, ten, fifteen years ago? You went through a down time and a high time. It came and it went. Looking back in time you gain strength. “This will pass.”Q:
What does 'I am nothing' mean ? Are we negating our own existence?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know everything else can be explained but emptiness cannot be explained. You are asking me to explain the emptiness. A substance can be explained but lack of all substance cannot be explained. Similarly, 'I am nobody' is an experience. It is a shift from being somebody, from being a limited identity to unlimited identity.Q:
what is the purpose of life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
One who knows won’t tell you, and anybody who tells you doesn’t know. It is very important question. Keep it with yourself. You should keep yourself asking this question. This very question will clear the entire cobweb around you, and will keep you on track of what you want and where do you want to go.Q:
If love is all around us, why do we seek far and wide to find it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Because you don’t know it. Once you know it, you won’t search.Q:
Are thoughts internal or external?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Thoughts are in the mind. The mind is all around you. Both inside and out.Q:
I was thinking since I was a small child that what the original sin is? I never got a satisfactory answer as it couldn’t be about the apple. I wanted to know if you could explain from your perspective what is it all about or is it all a lie?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I am not a theologian in the first place and so I haven’t studied the original sin concept. So I cannot comment much on that. All I can say is that from Indian perspective sin is that which brings misery to many and merit is that which brings love, happiness and joy to many. Sin is something that could be washed out. It is not your nature. If sin is your very nature, you can never get rid of it. Like if mud is your skin, you cannot get rid of it. But if it is on your skin you can take a dip and it will get washed away. If the flaw is inside the diamond, it can’t be corrected. But if slush is on the diamond, it just needs a little water to be poured on and it gets clean.Here in India we consider sin as a superimposition. There are three things in the yoga- malah, avarna and vikshepa. Malah is impurities in the body, vikshepa is impurity on the mind , restlessness and disturbances in the mind and avarana is the sheath which covers the spirit, which is the ego -identification with one little thing. And the purpose of yoga is to clean the three sheaths of impurity. Yoga loosens up all the three sheaths of impurities. And then the true spirit which is part of the divinity shines through.
So I don’t consider sin is your nature but sin is that which you have acquired due to ignorance. And with the light of knowledge it just disappears.
Q:
I'm confused – should I take Ayurvedic medicines?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We definitely need to adopt certain things from Ayurveda. When there is a stomach disorder, lots of thoughts disturb us. When vatta or pitta in the body gets imbalanced, too many thoughts arise in mind. There is Triphala (an Ayurvedic tablet) which balances the three imbalances in body. It is good to take Triphala for one– two months. You can take one–two tablets or one spoon of Triphala churna before going to bed. It increases energy levels in the body. Vitamin C also provides you immunity. Sometimes allopathic doctors prescribe medicines for 15 – 20 days for stomach disorders and that adversely affects the liver and body. There is Devati which you can take. It is very effective in curing fever also. Ayurveda has this specialty of correcting disorders and diseases without any side effects. And hence we should adopt Ayurveda. All these are home remedies and one should keep this with oneself. And if at some time some disease prolongs then one should definitely consult doctor.Q:
How to strengthen dispassion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Without dispassion, sadhana (spiritual practices) won’t work. When mind is caught up in entanglements then sadhana is not possible. Once dispassion is there, sadhana becomes very simple. Also with sadhana the mind is cleansed and dispassion arises.Q:
I grew up in a small town and have seen many ups and down in the life. But now when I am into a job, I see all this corruption. People demanding bribe, this and that. It pains in the heart. I don’t know how to go about it? Also I have heard from Swamiji that when we do meditation, the satva in the atmosphere raises, and that can result in the transformation of these negative tendencies in the society.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You are worried about all the corruption in the society! That is why I say we all have to stand up by principles. Our boys went to Hyderabad and they needed some license to start some project. They stood by their principles and they get their job accomplished without having to bribe anyone. Like them, you also stand by your principles. It could be little difficult in the beginning. That is why we have to inculcate spirituality in every aspect of society. Non-violence and integrity have to be inculcated. We have to fight against corruption.Q:
What can I do to become the Divine’s favorite?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Smile and Serve. Smile at everybody and serve all.