SCIENCE OF ONENESS OF MAN, UNIVERSE AND GOD
— Sri Sri Babathakur
This is an introductory speech on the “Science of Oneness” delivered by the Master, before the congregation of distinguished personalities — scientists, administrators, educationists, eminent businessmen and ladies, at the Ladies and Children’s Club, Stonyland, Laitmukhrah, Shillong on May 29, 1985. The discourse commenced after the singing of Bhajans by the devotees, and the devotional music by the local artists.
THE RESORT OF THE UNIVERSE
The Master’s speech was all extempore and He started in a most unconventional way, true to His originality and teaching by saying: “The dearest, nearest and most beloved One Infinite Self of me and all, is ever revealing within Itself, out of Its infinite bliss and love, only for the sport’s sake, on assuming innumerable forms by adopting very charming and beautiful masks for the self-purpose and spirit of the game. It is ever-present before me and all of you as well. It is the source of infinite energy of Pure Consciousness – the substratum of all manifestations – subtlemost, subtle and gross. The whole thing is the ‘Sportful Dramatic Sameside Game of Infinite Self-consciousness.’
The entire universe is nothing, but an outer manifestation of that game, the infinite divine drama, in which each individual has a very important role to play as a spectator as well as an actor. All individuals have to pass through all the four dimensions of energy of Pure Consciousness, Divine Reality, designated as ‘Cit-Sakti’ (conscious energy), ‘Para-Prakriti’ (supreme nature), ‘Adya-Sakti’ (Primordial energy and the Devi – Divine Mother).
BEING AND BECOMING
Being and Becoming are two fold nature of the infinite game of Self-consciousness. Their sentient and insentient nature, as the one principle of conscious energy, gives the shape of all individuals, dictates the true aim and purpose of their life, their actions and results as well. Various dimensional manifestations of truth or reality in that game, take place in and through two diversified movements. They are centrifugal and centripetal; the former is the movement from the center (centre) towards the outer, i.e., from Oneness to manyness, and the latter is the movement from the outer towards the inner and the center (centre?), i.e. from manyness to Oneness.
MATERIAL SCIENCE AND SPIRITUAL SCIENCE
The material science and the spiritual science are one in essence, which is the revealing truth to the individuals. Scientists in general have not yet realized it. This truth was first discovered by the ancient Sages of this country after a great deal of research, concentrated investigation and deep observation to find out the true nature of life and creation. To know the reality and the truth of infinite energy resource behind the life and the entire phenomenal creation, they had to follow both the analytical process and concentration of a well-disciplined pure mind. By analytical process they reached the energy source of outer nature of life and creation, and in and through deep concentration and meditation of a pure disciplined mind, they arrived at their Self-Knowledge – the Witness Consciousness, the Divine Reality.
By the light of self-knowledge they realized Oneness that pervades all. Self-knowledge is the true nature of all. It is self-existent, self-effulgent, self-evident Reality, ever-pure, ever-free from the sense of duality of subject and object of inner nature, and diversity of names and forms of the outer nature. It is the background of all understandings, of all manifestations, of all individuals and of the entire universe as well.
TRUTH OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE
The term ‘Sat-Cit-Ananda,’ should be clearly understood because it is threefold designation of Supreme Divine SELF, the One (the Absolute) as well as the quintessence of the Vedas. The great significance of this word lies within it, as it is the most concentrated essence of all supreme ideals, noble virtues, laws, purity, beauty, equality, equanimity, tranquility, serenity, luminosity, unity, identity, infinity and eternity. It is by nature homogeneous. It consists of three words of the same divine essence. ‘Sat’ implies the truth, goodness and the very existence, Absolute. ‘Cit’ means luminosity, self-effulgence, Light of all lights, Knowledge of all knowledge, Awareness of all awareness, i.e. the principle of Consciousness. ‘Ananda’ is the fulfillment of both ‘Sat’ and ‘Cit.’ Each of the terms signifies the divine entity as the Absolute. ‘Sat’ is the essence of the gross, causal and supra-causal. For appearance of anything there must be existence of four dimensions, namely ‘Rupa’ (form), ‘Nama’ (name), ‘Bhava’ (idea), and ‘Bodha’ (consciousness). Each of them has also four subdivisional successive dimensions of the same nomenclature. Supra-causal is the transcendental. ‘Sat’ is illumined by its inherent power ‘Cit’ which is its true nature, the reality within, the underlying essence, the life-pervading truth. ‘Cit’ is infinite and is without beginning and end, and hence it is all bliss and ever-present. ‘Ananda’ – Bliss is immeasurable, limitless and absolute.
The entire creation of our experience is verily ‘Sat-Cit-Ananda,’ the Divine Reality, our very Self. Our existence and the existence of the universe are in essence One. The reality of the universe lies in the Divine Self and not in the appearance. In appearance, it is relative, diversified and hence illusory. Difference of names and forms exists in appearance only but not in essence, and that is only superimposition done by deluded mind out of nescience and ignorance or otherwise admitted as the expression of the Gunas (quality of nature) for the discipline of the spirit of the game.
THE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE
The individual can enjoy and experience the relative existence willfully or unwillingly or can withdraw from it and return to one’s original nature by developing dispassion and detachment towards the objective world. One is to renounce all diversities outside all duality and relativity within. With the help of inner spiritual discrimination, self-analysis, self-enquiry, self-surrender, one directly experiences one’s True Nature.
Relativity, diversity of names and forms, actions and results, all can be easily understood by people, but the knowledge of unity of all, oneness behind all, cannot be attained without proper training. The principle of knower, knowledge, and knowable – the threefold factors are found functioning in life. They are One in essence, known after realization.
VIDYA – SCIENCE OF KNOWLEDGE (WORK OF WISDOM)
The term ‘Science’ means ‘Vidya’ (technique or process). In spiritual sense it is inner knowledge. As inner nature, it is the principle of understanding that reveals itself in various ways in order to unfold the inner glory of life divine. Life is the manifestation or revealing expression of Infinite Self-Consciousness (Divine Consciousness). It contains all the eternal Divine essence in the form of ‘Being and Becoming.’
