What is our true nature?

 What is life? What is its purpose? These questions seem as simple as they are mysterious. The more we try to understand them, the more complicated they become. Actually, knowing is not a matter of the heart, living is a matter of the heart.

Mysteries are not meant to be understood, but to be lived. Living the mystery of life is bliss.

Before attaining knowledge, it seems that we have no ignorance. But as knowledge increases, it seems that we have a lot of ignorance. There is a saying, before enlightenment, chop wood and fetch water. Even after enlightenment, chop wood and fetch water. The difference is that earlier we used to work while being unhappy. But after enlightenment, we do the same work happily.

How good our life is depends on the state of our mind.

We like to listen to what interests us. When our life is centered on love, we want to know about love. When life revolves around children, we want to hear only about children. We like to hear only what we wish for and our desires never end. As soon as one wish is fulfilled, another one arises – like airplanes take off one after the other at an airport.

When we meditate on this tendency of our mind, a deep question arises – “What is the purpose of life?”

The very fact that this question arises is a sign of being human. We ask others, “What are you doing?” Sometimes we should also ask ourselves, “What am I doing?”

This question is a sadhana in itself. Do not hurry to find its answer. This question will take you deep within. Answers are not found by reading books or by merely doing some activities, rather this question itself will take you closer to your soul.

So what is enlightenment?

It is to live life deeply – such a state in which no situation can stress you. Rather you can influence the circumstances.

If your smile comes from the depth of the heart, then that is enlightenment. We all smile, but we have lost touch with the inner smile. When you connect with that inner smile, become simple, become pure, that is enlightenment.

Enlightenment is not an achievement. Rather, removing ignorance is the achievement, leaving behind stress and burden is the achievement.

Because our basic nature is enlightenment. Therefore, human and divine are not two different things. The human body is the peel of that fruit, and the sweetness inside is divinity. And the plastic cover on it is the tension.

Human is the link between animal instincts and divine qualities. No matter how much one tries, one cannot be completely animal instinct, there are some good qualities. Animality pulls human in one direction and divine qualities in the other. Therefore, there is more conflict in human life than in any other life. Animals live in bliss, they have no conflict. Gods are also beyond conflict.

But human swings between conflicts but human life is also fun. This is because of the mind and its nature.

What is love?

Love is not an action. ‘I’ is love and ‘you’ are love. Love is the substance of which we are all made. It is a state, not an action.

When we are in the present, our mind is clean – no anger, no worry, just love.

Look at little children – what pure love on their faces!

Why are children attractive? Because they allow the love within them to come out without any hindrance.

This is why Jesus said – “Unless you become like children, the gates of heaven will not be opened for you.”

Children cry one moment, and laugh the next – this is the art of living in the present. We all have this ability but as we become ‘wise’, we lose our innocence.

Enlightenment means – growing in knowledge while maintaining innocence.

An ignorant person may be innocent, but his innocence has no value.

A smart person may be cunning, but if his intelligence is not accompanied by compassion, then that too is useless.

The most beautiful state of life is when a person is intelligent, but still remains innocent from within.

This is precious in life.

The most beautiful state of life is when we become intelligent, but remain simple and pure like a child from within.

In today's fast-paced life, we all want to be successful, intelligent, influential, but somewhere in this race our simplicity, spontaneity and that pure smile have been left behind.

The true achievement of life is not position, money or prestige, but that smile which can bloom from within in every situation.

The same smile which comes without any reason, without any conditions.

Let us rediscover that innocent light within us, which was natural in childhood and is still alive somewhere inside, which is our simple, lively, loving true nature. Don't make questions a burden, let them become lamps that illuminate you from within.