拉希什米(Lakshmi )和給予

------拉希什米(Lakshmi )和給予------

拉希什米(註一)的兩隻手上各持有一朶蓮花(Lotus)。蓮花是愛的象徵，蓮花是粉红色，粉紅色就代表愛，所以拉希什米原理代表的就是愛，而不是一般人以為的錢財，這些錢財只是用來表示你的愛而已！所以真正有拉希什米的有錢人會十分慷慨，就像蓮花會歡迎面目猙獰的大甲蟲晚間躲到它的花瓣中，它會輕輕地合上花瓣，讓甲蟲在裏面安眠。

拉希什米的左手平伸(手掌向上)就表示給予。這些内在有拉希什米原理的人只想到如何給予他人，而且他們不會把自己不要的東西給予他人。朋友不是你的廢物桶，把不要的東西給予朋友不是所謂的慷慨。假如你有能力給予，你應該把最好的贈予他人。很可惜大部份的人不懂也未曾學過贈予的藝術(註二)，再加上人們都是非常自我中心，他們知道什麼(東西)會帶給自己喜悅，但是他們不了解什麼可以帶給他人真正的喜悦。當你懂得贈予的藝術，知道別人真正的需求，此時因贈予所帶給對方的喜悅會千倍返回你的心中。

當我們表達我們的慷慨時，有時候難免會碰到對方利用我們的好心來佔便宜。這是無所謂的，這不是你的錯。是那個佔你便宜的人犯了罪，他將會因此受到懲罰，這是上天(Divine Power) 的職責，你不用去擔心。你不會因此有損失，你甚至會有十倍的回報。你是一個霎哈嘉練習者，你是隨時都被上天所祝福的。

註一：拉希什米是住在臍輪的神祇，在印度可說是最受歡迎的女神，因為祂帶來財富。
註二：Shri Mataji 在其他的談話中有提過"贈予的藝術"乃在於給人他所需要的或他所缺乏的東西。

註三：江瑞凱摘譯自Shri Mataji在Diwali Puja的談話1990-10-21. JSM ! 敬請霎哈嘉兄弟姊妹們指正.

In Her two hands She has got lotuses. Lotus is a sign of beauty and they being pink, is love. So what does it symbolize? That a person who has Lakshmi, who has money, who has wealth should be extremely generous, like a lotus which allows a horrible gnat-like, black, porky, poking type, little beetle also to come into it and to sleep. And She provides in the lotus a beautiful bed of comfort to such a person. He is black, he’s got thorns in it, but he’s coming to rest, surrendered. And then She covers it with Her petals and makes it comfortable and protected.

So, Lakshmi principle means love. This very few people understand. To them Lakshmi means money in the bank. No, doesn’t mean that. It means money or anything like that to express your love.

So all those who have Lakshmi tattwa developed in them, they think what to give. But they don’t give the worst thing that they have. Just like a waste paper basket is a friend, “Ah! This is useless. I better, instead of throwing, I can give it to that friend.” And then friend says, “All right. It’s very nice. I’ll give it to another friend.” And all friends are used as waste paper baskets. Whatever is the worst is given. How can you touch your depth? Whatever is the best if you can give, if you are free to give, you should give the best.
So, one of the snags is that we have never learnt the art of giving. If we learn the art of giving then it’s so joyous, so beautiful. Because we are very ego-oriented, we understand what gives us joy but we don’t understand what will give joy to others. And when we understand what will give joy to others, then that joy reflects on us much more, thousand times.

In Sahaja Yoga you do trust people, all the time. You give. Of course sometimes you are exploited. So doesn’t matter, that’s not your look out. You have not committed any sin. The one who has exploited you, he has committed the sin and he is going to suffer, so why should you worry? But with the help of this divine power, the one who exploits will suffer. And you will get ten times more than what you have lost. This is what it is to be understood by Sahaja yogis. That we are now blessed by this divine power. We are not alone. All the time it is blessing us.( 1990-10-21)

自我 ( Ego )

------自我 ( Ego )-------

為什麼西方世界的人有很大的自我？因為在西方文化之下，小孩子的自我是一路被餵養長大。西方的父母幾乎是不太負責任，假如小孩子自己忙自己的事，父母是非常高興。他們很少去指正小孩，他們很少對小孩講："不要做這個、不要做那個！"  在這種環境下小孩子就走在自己選擇的路上，父母也不太去擔心。我觀察到在霎哈嘉中心( ashrams ) 若有人指正別人的小孩，孩子的父母馬上跳出來反對，在這一點他們非常敏感，但是這麼做是非常不好，這樣小孩子的自我會變得很大。相反地，在印度小孩子就不會有自我，因為在印度文化之下，婦女負起責任，甚至其他的長輩也會糾正小孩子的不良行為。在這種環境下成長，没有人會因被指正而覺得不舒服，這就為什麼印度人不易掉入西方人的自我陷阱中，因為他們的自我從未被允許長大！印度的政治是最糟的，經濟也不行，但是印度人知道每一個人都可以指正我，我應該把此當成好事，我應因此感謝神。在這一點上印度是世界第一流的。

假如父母有太強烈的這是"我"的小孩的觀念，從小就不允許他人去指正他的小孩，那麼這些小孩的自我就没有機會被打破，小孩子就會發展出很強的自我中心，他們無法從別人的角度來看事情，因為父母從未給他們机會走出他們的自我！縱使在得到自覺之後，他們的自我仍舊在那裏，因為他的腦袋塞滿了父母在成長過程不斷地告訴他 "你非常特別、非常棒" 的自我！

自我只會讓人變得十分愚蠢，不論是龐克族或奇裝異服皆只是自我的表現。至於流行風尚則只是商人利用你的自我來騙你的鈔票。更不用提那些滿口 "為什麼不可以" 的種種毀滅自己的行為，這些皆是自我讓人變得十分愚笨的例子。

做為一個霎哈嘉練習者，你要注意你的自我，隨時要探索内在的自己(soul-searching)。你要隨時問自己：為什麼我(喜歡)做此事？為什麼我有這樣的行為？這背後的原因是什麼？ 假如你常如此省思，那麼你的自我就會慢慢變小。

註一：江瑞凱摘譯自Shri Mataji談及小孩的談話1990-09-21. JSM ! 敬請霎哈嘉兄弟姊妹們指正.

愉悅來面對不利的情境

------愉悅來面對不利的情境------

我第一次到美國是搭船去，人在船上會面臨一個問題：我們不能有任何的問題 (譯者：指太多的要求) !  因為船已離岸，船上没有的，它就無法提供。假如你在船上想要一把剪刀，正好這艘船一把剪刀也没有，所以你不可能找到一把剪刀，你的問題 (或言煩惱，即需要有一把剪刀) 也就不存在了 ! 在陸地時，你有許多的選擇，也因此你有許多的問題；一旦在船上，你終究會了解到：船上有什麼，我們就只能享受什麼。

同樣地，一個霎哈嘉練習者應該如此想：無論我們有什麼，我們都很高興，所以我們沒有任何問題( 煩惱 )。譬如你在去某地的途中迷路了，你應該如是想：我之所以來到這裏，應該是上帝的旨意，我没有迷路，我的真我仍跟我在一起，我如何會是迷路呢？
許多人寫信給我，談及他們的種種問題，其實這些問題( 困境 )都不是問題，一旦你開始這樣想，你會驚訝到這些問題是如何被解決。

在霎哈嘉裏，你必須如是思：假如你面臨一個困境，這困境正是你的一大契機與助力。你應該看清這困境的本質，你應該將它當成一個值得高興的良師益友，以此心態來克服這困境。

不用把困境當成一種挑戰，你應該如海中的泳者一般，想辦法去超越這迎面而來的大浪、去享受這波動。我們不要當一個掃興的人，我們不應該説：我不喜歡這個，我無法享受這個；你應該說：有什麼不好，我就來試試。  因為一旦你說你不喜歡，你的樂趣就消失殆盡了。假如你隨時告訴自己：我就是要去享受這一切，那你的喜樂就源源不斷而來。正如這杯加了肉桂粉的咖啡 (cappuccino) 對我而言不是那麼順口，但是我現在開始享受它！

註一：江瑞凱摘譯自Shri Mataji 1989-05-05  在船上的談話。JSM ! 敬請霎哈嘉兄弟姊妹們指正.

“Rejoice in disadvantages”. Speech held on board of the boat for Capri, 5 May 1989.

First time I went to America I also went by ship. Now the ship has one problem: that it cannot have any problem. Because there are no solutions. It is so limited. Whatever is not on the ship is not there. Supposing you want to have a pair of scissors, it’s not on the ship, so you  cannot find it. So there’s no problem. Because you have possibilities and you have choices that’s why there is a problem. So on the ship you start understanding, whatever we have we are happy.

In the same way a Sahaja Yogi should be: whatever we have we are very happy. So there is no problem. Supposing you are lost on the way somewhere then you have to say, ‘I have to be here. That was God’s desire, so I’m here. So I’m not lost. Whatever is myself is with me. So how can I be lost?’

There are all such things you see. Because there are many people who write to me about their problems. And the problems are such that actually there are no problems. Once you start thinking like that you will be amazed how the problems get solved. Now Italy had no rain for all these days. And that people wanted that there should be rain, before I come, because it should clean out the whole thing. So they must have said, there is no problem. So then it rained.

Then the other day it was quite cold. Now they wanted to have, say, some music program. So it was very cold, so we decided we’ll not have it. So there is no problem. We slept nicely and got up nicely in the morning because we had to get up nicely in the morning. Otherwise you would have been singing till three o’clock. So it’s better that it was not so alright. And now today it’s very warm and nice.

So in Sahaja Yoga you must always think if there is a disadvantage it’s an advantage for us. You should see to the essence of the disadvantage and you should overcome it by seeing it with an advantage.

You see human beings have done this many a times. Like in Holland. You know the sea is much higher than the land. So what did they do? They created canals. So automatically they got very good roads. They don’t always have to worry about keeping the road alight. So in every way if we can learn, how to enjoy the disadvantage, the so called problem, then you’ll see that the solving of that is the solution in a way that there is no problem.

It should not be taken as a challenge, but like a big wave comes to a swimmer and how he enjoys it: to jump over it. That’s why we are not joy-killers and we are not spoiled-sports. Spoiled-sports. Spoiling the sport.  So you should not say, “I don’t like it”, “I don’t enjoy it”, but you should say, “Why not?” Because if you decide not to like it, you will spoil the joy. But you keep yourself all the time and decide, “Oh I’m going to enjoy, then you start enjoying. For example cappuccino was difficult for me at the beginning. (Laughter) But now I enjoy.( 1989-05-05 )

一齣戲( Leela )

--------一齣戲( Leela )-------

在霎哈嘉裏你們要負起推廣霎哈嘉的責任，我從各地負責人所聽到的，往往只是百分之五的練習者有負起責任，其餘的人則没有什麼作為。現在可能好一些，有10%或20%的練習者是負責任的。你們所有的人都應該負起責任，不只讓霎哈嘉在你自己身上達到圓滿，也要推廣到其他人，因為這是你昇進的唯一之路。假如你只會説我完全在享受，外界的種種只是一齣戲等等，這樣子並不能讓你昇進。

當你了解到整個霎哈嘉的擴散及其遠景，當你了解到你有能力去做這事，你也是被撿選來完全這偉大遠景的一份子，此時我不必再說什麼，因為你會說："母親，是您在做所有的事，我們並没有做什麼，這一切就自然而然完成。"，在内心的深處你會体會到這一點，然後你就只是去享受它。每次當你為霎哈嘉做任何事，你只是去享受這一切。假如你認為你正為霎哈嘉貢獻什麼，那你最好是不要做，完全放棄不要做。但假如你想："我做這些只是因為我要去享受，其實我沒做什麼，是母親做所有的事。"，一旦你有如此的感受，那麼你會發覺智慧跟著產生，正是這智慧之光讓你理解到這一切只是一齣戲，及了解到我們應如何去享受這一切。我們必須知道這種種只是一齣戲，這齣戲是上天( Divine )的工作，而我們正是被撿選來完成這工作，我們必須將它做好。

當你成為整體的一部分時，所有發生的事皆只是呈現在你眼前的一齣戲；但是在成為整體的一部分之前，周遭發生的一切對你而言不會只是一齣戲。(註一)

註一：譯者：Shri Mataji的意思是：若你無法体認到自己是整體的一部分，你將會陷入於周遭的事物，而無法以看一齣戲的心態來看待它們。

註二：江瑞凱摘譯自Shri Mataji克里希納( Shri Krishna ) 崇拜之前的談話1990-08-17. JSM ! 敬請霎哈嘉兄弟姊妹們指正。

At the same time we should be responsible. For example, what I always hear from the leaders that there are five per cent people who take up responsibilities and all the rest are just there doing nothing. Now it has increased, five to ten per cent has come, now it is coming to twenty per cent, but all of you should, because that’s the only way you can ascend, not by just enjoyment, by calling it a Leela and all that, but by really working out Sahaja Yoga upon yourself and upon other people.

So, to understand, first of all, the expanse of Sahaja Yoga, to get the whole view, vision, it’s beyond the horizon, so great, and you are working it out. You have got the powers to do it. You are especially chosen for it. I mean, imagine, you should visualise yourself also, what you are, and that once you understand what you are, and relate yourself to the great vision, then I don’t have to say anything because then you just say, “Mother, you are doing everything. We don’t do anything. It’s all working out.” You just don’t say it with your mouth, but in your heart, you feel that way. “Yes, Mother, it’s you who is doing it”. And then you go on enjoying. Every time you do something, you enjoy and enjoy. If you think you are doing some work for Sahaja Yoga, then give it up, absolutely give it up. But if you think, “I am just doing it because I enjoy it. I am not doing it. Mother is doing it”, once such a feeling come in, then you understand that the wisdom has come in, and this wisdom is the one that is really going to give you the light, and in that wisdom, then you will understand that what is the Leela, and how we have to enjoy ourselves. We have to know that’s the Leela, and we have to also know that it is the work of the Divine for which we are chosen and that we have to work it out.

So, even now sometimes I find very petty things coming up and very petty things happening in Sahaja Yoga. It is surprising. You know everything is a Leela when we become part and parcel of the whole thing. Then it’s a Leela, not before that.( 1990-08-17)

霎哈嘉瑜伽的導師原理

------霎哈嘉瑜伽的導師原理------

霎哈嘉瑜伽裏的導師崇拜( Guru Puja) 是非常不同於其他宗派所做的導師崇拜，它有很特別的意義。當你在對你的導師做崇拜時，你同時也在崇拜你内在的導師。這點是其他的導師門徒的宗派( guru-disciple system) 所没有的。為什麼呢？因為在你裏面，這個導師(原理)已經被喚醒了，所以當你崇拜你的導師( 指以導師現身的 Shri Mataji )時，你内在的導師也同時被崇拜。你不只崇拜你内在的導師，你也要尊敬祂、使祂更有光彩、要喚醒祂，進一步將祂展現發揚出來。這一點是每一個霎哈嘉練習者都必須了解的。

就導師的任務與特質而言，最重要的是讓他的門徒接觸到上帝，即提升門徒的昆達里尼( Kundalini)，建立門徒與無所不在的力量( All-pervading Power )的聯結。由於你的導師是太初之母( Adi Shakti )，所以你也讓你的門徒( 指經由你學霎哈嘉的人) 認識太初之母，這表示你有加倍的優勢。當你給他們自覺的同時，你不只使他們感覺到和神聖力量( Divine Power )的聯結，你亦讓他們看到這神聖力量的本身及源頭( Divinity, or the source of Divine Power, 即指Shri Mataji )。所以做為一個霎哈嘉練習者，你的責任是很重大，因為你内裏有個導師。

當你們唸 "母親，我是我自己的導師" 的讚頌( mantras ) 時，你們是否了解到：
假如我是我自己的導師，那麼在 "我" 與 "我的導師" (指内在導師) 之間是有多大的距離？那我又在那個位置呢？我可以引導我自己嗎？我是否已讓我内在的靈的光普照在我的注意力，使我可以引導我自己且可以引導其他人嗎？

在導師原理中最重要的是你觀看你自己、你自我反省：我能做為我自己的導師嗎？我是否已經成為我自己的導師？

除非你在心中有完全的謙卑與臣服，你内在的導師原理是不可能被喚醒的。開始你要先當門徒，之後才可能變成導師。所以你必須先發展你的謙卑之心。假如你愛我且尊敬我，那麼你的謙卑之心就很容易到來。不只要愛我，也必須有尊敬的心！尊敬的心一定要有，如此他人才會尊敬你。

註一：江瑞凱摘譯自Shri Mataji 1990-07-08  導師普祭(Guru Puja)的談話. JSM ! 敬請霎哈嘉兄弟姊妹們指正.

In Sahaja Yoga the Guru puja has a very different significance from any other guru puja. When you worship your Guru you are also worshiping the Guru within you. This is not in any other guru-disciple system because, in you, the Guru, the Master has been awakened. And so, when you are worshipping your Guru, then this Master within you is also worshipped, you respect it, you glorify it, you awaken it, and you manifest it. This we have to realise that – in Sahaja Yoga – if you are a Sahaja Yogi.

Now, the quality of Guru, first and foremost, is that he makes you meet God: means he raises the Kundalini and establish the relation between the All-pervading Power. And as your Guru is Adi Shakti, you make that person meet, also, the Adi Shakti. So you have a double advantage that, at the same time, when you give them Realisation, not only that you make them feel the union with the Divine Power, but you can make them meet the Divinity Itself, the source of Divine Power. So your responsibility, as Sahaja Yogis, is very great because in you is there is the Guru.

Now in our mantras we say that, “Mother, I am my own Guru.” But, saying that, do we realise that: if I am my own Guru, this “I” and “my Guru,” between the two, what have I achieved? Where am I? Can I guide myself? Have I got the light of the Spirit on my attention so well established and manifested that I can guide myself and guide others later on? First of all, in the Guru principle it is important that you see to yourself – the introspection: Can I be my own Guru? Have I become my own Guru?

But first of all we have to develop that humility in your heart; complete humility and surrender, that’s very important. Unless and until you have that humility and surrender in your heart, Guru principle can not be awakened. First you have to be the disciple and then the guru. So you have to develop that humility. And that humility comes very easily if you love Me, respect Me. It’s not only love, but respect.

That respect has to be there and then people will respect you. (1990-07-08 )