*** 不要過度限制自覺的小孩
***
西方世界的小孩享有自由，有完全的自由去做他們想做的事；在印度，父母及社會並未給小孩子這麼大的自由。西方的小孩可到任何想去的地方，做任何想做的事，老師並無法去糾正他們。許多西方人都因為自由而走入歧途，迷失了！但是正因為這個自由，卻有一項好的事發生。
正因為他們內在來自這自由的發展，那些西方的霎哈嘉練習者，可以在四、五個月內學會印度音樂。沒有印度人可以在如此短的時間做得到的，因為他們從小總是被規範、被限制，他們一直被保持在這宗教信仰的軌道上。這些西方的練習者從小有的、且習慣的自由反而給他們一個特殊的特質與能力，即他們可以毫不費力地學會艱難的東西。當然你自己是否要有這些自由，這是你自己的事，但是假如給小孩子太多的限制，我想這並不是一件好事。
就我所知，音樂家 Ravi Shankar 在他年輕的時候，他的老師曾用琴砸在他頭上，打壞了一把琴，只因為他彈錯了一個音。這些老師會打弟子，將他們頭下腳上吊起來.......，用各式各樣的方法來管教弟子，這些門徒也遵從這些規矩。但是我想這種做法給門徒產生了限制，限制了他們學習艱難的東西的潛能，這也是為什麼西方的練習者可以快速學會這些困難的印度音樂，我想這是一種奇蹟，印度人是無法做到的。這些西方的練習者，你給他們做什麼，他們都學得很快。對於那些在霎哈嘉天生自覺的小孩，我想應該給他們完全的自由，因為他們不會去做錯事，你將可以看到他們會很快學會許多東西。
並非西方人比較聰明或機靈，而是他們成長過程得到的自由，及因這自由而來的發展，及因此而有的人格特質。有時候他們像個流氓、像個野丫頭，對我而言，有時候我覺得他們像粗俗、沒教養的人。但是一旦他們得到自覺，以往那些自由的經歷，卻有如財富一般，讓他們發亮發光。所以我要要求印度練習者，不要太過壓抑你們的小孩。印度人很喜歡小孩，這是毫無疑問的，但是印度人也過度壓抑小孩，太過隨時管教他們，如："為什麼你站著？、"為什麼你不坐下？"等等。印度小孩是不在意這些管教，因為在印度這種方式是普遍被接受的。
所以給小孩子太多的限制，也會侷限他們的一些特質及人格，這是我所發現的。但是西方人(有了完全的自由) 往往首先會引發許多問題，如同走過地獄一般，很可能變成很壞、很壞的人。若他們可以成為好人，那他們往往是令人驚嘆的，他們過去享受的自由，會帶給他們非凡的成就。這就是為什麼西方的練習者在學習印度音樂上，可以有奇蹟式的成就，除此之外是沒有其他合理的解釋了。
那麼到底我們是否要給已得到自覺的小孩自由呢？這些已得到自覺的小孩和天生自覺的小孩，開始的時候，他們自己也不會明瞭，但是逐漸地，這些小孩會展現出他們有很大的潛能來吸收學習、來表現。
我現在講的自由是靈的自由，我們應該明瞭，這些小孩的內在有靈性，他們內裡有正法，我們不應該試圖去限制他們，或給他們麻煩、障礙，要讓他們去做他們想要的，因為他們是天生自覺的，他們不會去做錯事。所以我們應該不要試圖過度掌控、干涉小孩太多。這是霎哈嘉文化的一部分。
註一：江瑞凱摘譯自Shri Mataji 在新年除夕普祭(New Year Eve Puja)的談話1998-12-31。JSM ! 敬請霎哈嘉兄弟姊妹們指正。
They had the freedom, complete freedom to do what they liked. In
India we don’t have such freedom for children. They can go wherever they like,
they can do whatever they like, the teacher cannot correct them. Because of
that freedom that they had, there’s one thing good that has happened. So many
are lost, all right, but those who are saved are rare people.
Because of that growth of freedom within them I think they learn
our Indian music in five months, four months. No Indians can do it because they
are restricted all the time, they are controlled all the time, they are kept on
the path of religion. So ultimately the freedom that some of you had and
enjoyed has given you a special personality. That you pick up very difficult
things without any effort. Now whether you should have that freedom or not is
your own lookout. But too much restrictions on children, I think, is not a good
thing.
Now in music, I know, Ravi Shankar when he was young, his guru
had broken a tanpura on his head because he put a wrong note. Can you imagine?
They used to beat them, tie them upside down, put them in the well, I mean all
kinds of things they did and the disciples listened to all that discipline. Can
you imagine? But I think that curbed their capacity to absorb something
difficult. This is one of the reasons why I see this has happened, that people
have picked up this difficult music in four months, three months, it’s a
miracle we think. Why not this happens with Indians? You put them to anything,
they pick it up so fast. With Sahaja Yoga, born with Sahaja Yoga, those who
are, should be given full freedom I think. Such children should be given full
freedom for they will not do anything wrong. And you will see they will pick up
things very fast.
Not that westerners are more intelligent or alert, but the way
they are given freedom, their growth, their personality. Sometimes they are
like a vagabond, I think. Sometimes just like a tomboy. Sometimes to me they
look like very vulgar, but once with that wealth of freedom they come to
reality, they shine. So I would request also Indians, not to suppress their
children too much. We enjoy the children very much in India, no doubt, but we
suppress also them, very much. ‘Why are you standing? Why don’t you sit down?’
And children don’t mind because it is accepted, this pattern is accepted in
India.
So too much restriction on children also curbs their personality,
this is what I have discovered. But the western people go through such hell
first of all, develop such problems to begin with and ultimately what happens
is this, that they can be discarded as bad, bad, bad people. But if they come
as good, good, good they are marvelous. All the freedom they have enjoyed
before is showing results, otherwise how can this miracle happen to western
people. There is no justification.
Now the problem is to give freedom or not. We have a proper
sense now, after Realization, that a child is a born realized. In the beginning
he won’t understand, he won’t understand. But gradually such a child will show
results, maximum capacity to absorb and to express.
So today I am telling you about this freedom, which is the
freedom of the Spirit. We should have understanding of such children who have
that spirituality in them. They have dharma in them. And we should not try to
constrict them or to trouble them. Let them do what they like. They’ll never do
anything wrong because they are born realized........
So we should not try to control and check our children too much,
that’s a part of our Sahaja culture. It doesn’t fit into Indian culture, I must
say, but it should fit into Sahaja culture, to understand the value of our
children who are realized souls.
