Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
You have told us that there is no heaven or hell. But in our ancient texts there are pictures of hell where people are suffering.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
True. Heaven or hell is the state of mind. If the mind is in difficulty then hell is right here. If Sanskaar is absent, then hell is right here.For a mukt (free) mind, there is always bliss, it is always heaven.
Q:
How can people from different communities come together?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Satsang increases awareness and a sense of belongingness. So many of us are here together but we are not asking each other about our caste or religion, are we? We are sitting here together as one family!Q:
Why are dreams there if they don’t turn to be true?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Because those are dreams.Q:
How can I increase my faith in anything? Does faith grow with time? Is it the same for everyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You cannot increase your faith. Either you have it or you don’t. The more you try to increase your faith, it will only be a struggle. It doesn’t ‘get increased’. So whenever you feel you have less faith that itself indicates you have faith.And when you realize that, it means it is returned back. The doubt has ended.
In the Samaveda (an ancient Indian scripture), a hymn says. “I am building the bridge from not having faith to having the faith.”
‘I didn’t have the faith’, this idea comes when faith has started coming back, from lack of faith to faith. These two banks can’t come together, they can’t be one and the bridge is what you are.
When the prana (life energy) is high, then faith is more. When the prana is low, the faith is less.
Q:
What is really essential as human beings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is really essential for human beings' is love, and it is your very nature. You only need to relax a little. If you are tensed you are unable to realize your true nature. When you are at rest then you realize the purpose of human life.Q:
What is the secret behind the notion of ‘Judgment Day’ in Christianity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Christianity says a judgment day will come. At that time all those below the earth, the dead bodies will rise and be asked about their right and wrong deeds. According to which they will be sent to either heaven or hell.The understanding changed from the original meaning due to time and various interpretations.
Today what is believed and discussed as 'Judgment Day' is not what it was originally. The place where Christianity and Islam were born had a scarcity of wood.
The land there had only stones and mountains. At that place burying was a better alternative. It was not expensive.
In India there was a lot of wood, so the tradition of burning the dead bodies began. Whereas in the land of Islam and Christianity, burning the dead was not possible. So according to the country and time people would do certain practices.
The interpretation people have maintained is that on the Judgment Day the dead would get up from their samadhi, but it is not that. In the Bible, it is said "Judge not and ye shall not be judged". Christ asks not to judge (criticize) and leave the judgment only on God and one day He will look into the judgment.
In India we have faith in Karma, which means you will have to reap the result of all your acts. Good deeds will bring joy and bad will bring misery. Similarly in Christianity they say not to judge and that everyone will have to bear their cross.
Q:
When we know that we are doing something wrong, we are unable to stop ourselves? What should we do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Feel the pinch of your wrong action – it will keep pinching you and one day, you will stop.When you feel sadness over your weaknesses, then you will be able to overcome them.
Q:
Beloved Guruji, I have a new job that gives me economic and social stability, it’s good. On the other side, it is based on lies and on taking advantage of peoples' faith. The environment is polluted and colleagues poison me with depression and dishonesty. Still I work hundred percent and I give a good example. But I feel this situation is not good for me. What do you suggest me to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
In a situation like that consider yourself like an oasis in the dessert. Just imagine even the oasis disappears from the dessert, how will people survive? So, your being there has a good influence on the people and keep influencing and see if you can create even one two, three or four people like you in the same work environment. It can change. You have the power to change your situation. On request from people like you who are in the corporate business environment, we tailored our course and changed its jargon, its processes to fit to the corporate world. We call this the APEX course. Today the World Bank and many other institutions are taking it and they are benefiting greatly by this. Yes? So, do it!Q:
What is the importance of sankalpa (intention) and how to strengthen it? Does the world move on sankalpa?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The mind is full of sankalpa and vikalpa (imagination, fancy). Each work gets done through sankalpa. Even the act of moving our arm is preceded by the sankalpa in the mind. If twenty sankalpas arise in the mind then nothing gets done. When the mind is peaceful and restful then our sankalpa is powerful.The sankalpa of a weak mind is weak and that of strong mind is strong.
We can make our mind strong by sadhana (spiritual practices) and knowledge. Then the sankalpa will also be strong. The wise makes one sankalpa in fifty days whereas the ignorant makes fifty in a day.
Q:
Guruji, there are so many spiritual leaders, do we need to visit all and read their teachings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Respect and honor everybody. Follow one path. Suppose you meet four gurus and you take four mantras and techniques, which one will you use? It is like trying to reach your destination on four different boats at the same time! You will reach nowhere. If you had a guru before and you have come here now, know that he sent you here. Even saying 'all gurus' is wrong. There is only one guru principle. And all the Masters want only your happiness. When you want to dig a well, if you dig two feet deep in ten places, you will not find water. You need to go deep in just one place. There is no need to go everywhere, it’s not necessary. When you have faith in one path and move ahead then for sure you will reach your destination.
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Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,The Art of Living is an educational and humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives.
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