IndiaPost.com - Existence, Non-Existence and the Source

Sat and asat are two terms in Indian philosophy which one very often comes across. Sat means existence, and asat means non-existence. Existence is something that becomes, that grows, and that fulfils. Non-existence is something that negates its own reality and its own divinity.

Existence is everywhere, but existence has its value or its meaning only when divinity is visible in it. If divinity does not loom large in existence, then that existence is useless. Divinity is the life-breath of existence. Divinity fulfils our aspiring consciousness and reveals our own immortality here on earth only when we see divinity as something infinite and eternal.

Existence is cherished by the aspiring consciousness and by God's own highest Reality. Reality and existence have to go together. Reality without existence is an impossibility, and existence without reality is an absurdity. Divine Reality and Divine Existence always go together. Existence expresses itself only through Truth. This Truth conquers everything that is untruth. India's motto, 'Satyam eva jayate,' means 'Truth alone conquers.'

What is this Truth? This Truth is at once the Depth of God's Heart and the Height of God's Head. Truth is our inner promise. Our inner promise, soul's promise, is that in this incarnation we will realize God, not by hook or by crook, but under the able guidance of our spiritual Master, because we feel that this is what the Supreme within us wants.

What for? So that we can serve Him in His own way. The highest way of feeling this Truth is to feel this: "If He does not want me to realize Him in this incarnation, but in some future incarnation, I am fully prepared to abide by His decision." But the seeker must have a dynamic feeling. If he just says, "Oh, let me play my role. Let me be nice, sincere, truthful, obedient, and when the time comes, He will do it all," then relaxation comes.

Very often when we say, "Let me play my role, and God will take care of my realization," God does take care of our realization. But if we feel that if we can become fully realized as soon as possible, then we can be of real help to God, then we are bound to get our realization faster. If we have Peace, Light, Bliss, only then can we be of real service to mankind.

The idea of God-realization at God's choice hour must come from the very depth of our heart, and not from our mental knowledge. Unfortunately, it usually does not come from the heart, it comes only from the clever mind which says, "I have read in books and I have heard from the Master that if I do not want anything from God, then God will give me everything."

It is better to pray to God to give you peace of mind so that you can see the Truth in totality. God has given us some intelligence. In the morning if you say, "God, it is up to You whether I eat or not. I will just stay here in bed," God is not going to put food into your mouth. No, God has given you the necessary intelligence to know that you have to put forth some effort.

You have to leave the bed and take a shower and eat by your own effort. In the inner life, if you want purity, humility, peace of mind, and other divine qualities, then you have to make an effort to get them. It is true that if you don't pray to God for anything then He will give you everything, but this truth has to be understood in its highest way.

If you don't pray to God, or aspire for God-realization, or even think of God, then how do you expect God to give you everything? He will give you everything on the strength of your absolute faith in Him combined with your sincere inner cry.

The Upanishads come from the Vedas. Now what is the difference between the gifts which we get from the Vedas and the gifts which we get from the Upanishads? The Vedas are like a storehouse - everything is there, but it is not kept in proper order.

Also, in it there are quite a few things which are unimportant for the modern world, for present-day life, for evolved human beings, for the intelligent or developed mind. The Upanishads come to our rescue.

They take the inspiration and aspiration from the Vedas, but they have their own originality. All that is good in the Vedas the Upanishads gladly take and offer in a special manner.