Bangalore (India), May 25: H H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was the key note speaker at the centenary celebrations of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. “Are you feeling at home?” asked Sri Sri right at the onset. He then shared: “Our ancient scriptures have always said that true learning happens in a relaxed environment where an exchange of ideas takes place through enquiry and questioning.”
A Q n A session followed in the relaxed atmosphere of the auditorium. Excerpts:
Q. Is life governed by free-will or destiny?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Life is a combination of both. There are some things which are beyond your control. That is your destiny. Then there are things where you have a choice. That is free-will. If it’s raining outside, it’s your destiny as you have no control over the weather. However, to be wet or remain dry is your free-will.
Past is your destiny, future is your free-will. And be happy in the present. A foolish person looks at the past as free-will with regret, future as destiny and is miserable in the present.
Q. What is true love?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you have a doubt, it is true love. We always doubt the positives. We doubt our capabilities. We doubt our happiness but are 100 percent sure of our depression. We doubt a person’s honesty and doubt the existence of higher power. So what is true love? Time will tell you.
Love is what we are made up of. All negative emotions are off springs of true love.
Love without wisdom makes life miserable…love with wisdom is bliss.
Q. How can we attain that wisdom?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: By adopting an attitude of enquiring.
Q. How can love move science?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When love for science is intense, it is already moving the world.
The ultimate aim of a researcher is not to earn a livelihood. If the main aim of a researcher is to earn a livelihood, it is not a best quality research. It has to lead to a soul-search. Research is to know. The joy of knowing is itself the goal. Getting recognition is immaterial.
Q. How do you know what level of spirituality you are at?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It depends on how often your buttons can be pushed. If you have no buttons to be pushed then you are very strong.
Q. Who am ‘I’? And what ‘that’ is? Can these two questions coexist?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Of course. Yes. The theory of relativity has already accepted this. The observer has an impact on the observed. This was taught some thousands of years ago. But people kept it a secret. This is where we missed out.
Q. What is true happiness?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Know the reason of your unhappiness. If you remove it, then there will be happiness. Meditate. Just do the Sudarshan Kriya and you will find out.
Q. Why do thoughts come and where do they originate from? Why do the thoughts rule us?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Where do the thoughts come from? From the mind, or the body? Close your eyes and think about it. That itself becomes a meditation. Then you will reach the point or space within you from where all the thoughts come. And that is fantastic.
Q. Some people have positive thoughts, while some have negative thoughts. How does one control this?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: By keeping a stress-free mind. If you have a stress-free mind, your thoughts will be positive.
Q. How do you know all these things?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Life is a journey from an angry “I don’t know” to a beautiful “I don’t know!”
Q. What is wrong and what is right?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Which gives you short term pleasure and long term misery is wrong and vice-versa.
Q. Why do other people’s feelings inflict us?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Because you are not a single individual but a part of a single collective consciousness.
Q. In spite of having so many great saints why is there so much of communal violence, cascades, conflicts. What is the problem with India? Are we going wrong somewhere?
Sri Sri Ravishankar: People who have been involved in these activities have never been in touch with any of these spiritual leaders.
Q. Why don’t you suggest government to include spiritual knowledge at the level of class 10th, at least in India?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have been telling it. Now, you all should give voice too.
Q. How to forgive and let go of things?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you see a culprit from a broader perspective, forgiveness becomes natural.
Q. What do you consider success?
H.H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A smile that nobody will take away from you - that is the greatest achievement.
© The Art of Living Foundation
