Right Use

by Sri P.C. Lahiri

Master (Prajnanpurush Sri Sri Babathakur) has revealed the ‘Science of Right Use’ as the Right Use of six elements; namely― right use of 1) time, 2) wealth, 3) education, 4)life-energy, 5) environment, and finally 6) the simultaneous right use of all the above five.  We have our own understanding of these six right uses and their application in day to day life based on the revelation of this Science by the Master through video discourses, bhajans, books and articles.  This piece is a reflection on how to imbibe the aforementioned Science in our daily lives based on how the Master conducted Himself in day to day life. 

Real learning comes from observing and following a “living example of perfection”.  A perfect Life essentially demonstrates the sixth right use in all walks of life. The preparation to achieve perfection in each of the first five right uses is the sadhana (self-effort for perfection and realization) of a true seeker or follower.  It is only after the seeker achieves perfection in all the first five right uses that the question of sixth right use arises; and its perfection shall come only after prolonged simultaneous right use of the first five right uses so that it becomes one with the very innate nature (swabhava) of the seeker.  The preparatory process goes on as long as the ‘sense of otherness’ (the perception of something other than the being of the seeker/practitioner) remains.  When the sense of otherness disappears, the central Self-Divine nature reveals of Its own accord.  The sense of many-ness and duality gets merged into the realization of unity within and without.  Perfection of swabhava (the innate nature) unifies it with swabodha (the Self-Conscious central divine nature).  Then life becomes the play of Self-Consciousness with Itself, for Itself and in Itself.  Due to the absence of any other entity, time, wealth, education, life-energy and environment become one with that life. Due to this unity, simultaneous right use of all the five as one reveals from within effortlessly.  It is to be carefully noted that the sixth right use is not an effortful exercise.  The goal is achieved by such a seeker.  He/she becomes the master of the playing field of apparent diversity and many-ness, yet remains in the state of unity and perfection.  Hence, all the other players on the field look up to the master of the field for any kind of favor, grant, wish fulfillment, and finally perfection.

Now, we have heard the Master say (pointing to Himself) that ‘this One’ is ‘behind the goal post’. Reaching the goal is the name of the game.  What is beyond the goal?  We have also heard the Master say ‘nitya-advaita’ (eternally non-dual), not just advaita (non-dual).  Nitya-advaita is the original coinage of Master, just like His positioning of Himself― ‘behind the goal post’ is an original coinage.  Advaita is achieved when the goal is achieved; nitya-advaita is ‘behind the goal post’. ‘Behind the goal post’ is the Perfect Witness who has nothing to do with the play of many-ness and duality on the field.  He is absolutely un-attached and un-affected; whereas the master of the field has the duty to start, conduct and finish the game.  The master of the field also remains unaffected by the vicissitudes of the game but still has the duty to run the game. He also demonstrates the Science of Right Use in all the on-field activities - not only as a master/referee/umpire, but also as a player.  Only after the final whistle does the master of the field become unified with the Master behind the goal post.

How does the Supreme Master conduct Himself whenever He appears on the field from ‘behind the goal post’?  How is that possible?  From the position of ‘behind the goal post’, how can there be an appearance on the field?  To find an answer, let us try to assimilate and absorb the real meaning of some utterances of the Master in this regard.  Pointing to Himself He has uttered that ‘this One’ is not born. The Supreme Divine Mother is playing Her Supreme Divine game and to you it appears that ‘this One’ has a body.  I was, am and shall ever remain an eternal Witness.  You will know my true identity at the deepest core of your heart where you are one with ‘this One’. He also says that do not try to know, rather try to accept.  Real understanding is achieved only by ‘standing under’. The best effort to know cannot lead us to the state of all-knowing.  At best, it will give us more knowledge than most of the others, but not the state of all-knowing.  The practice of accepting one and all as verily our own Self shall culminate in the state of all-knowing without any specific effort to know more and more.  So when you ‘stand under’ your own higher Self which is the Self of one and all, you will realize the all-knowing Supreme Divine state of your True Nature where you are unified with ‘this One’. You will then understand and realize the true meaning of ‘behind the goal post’. An effort to intellectually understand the real meaning of this original coinage is an exercise in futility. So let us try to understand (by standing under) the day to day conduct of the Master, even if they “appear” to be routine in nature.

Time was not an important factor in Master’s life, but it was never neglected or disregarded. It was never an influence. On various occasions in the course of a single day, Master had to be told about bath time, food time or sleep time. The reminder to Master was more for the need of people around as they were all bound by time.  Master had no need including shelter, clothes, food, sleep etc.― no physical, vital, mental and intellectual or any need of any kind. This extremely unique and exceptional fact was witnessed day in and day out, yet He never ignored anything.  He was the perfect example of all-acceptance, despite being absolutely qualified to easily follow all-rejection since He had no need.  In a state of perfect unity and identity, there is no second entity.  So how can there be any need or any factor that binds/controls such a Supreme Soul?  And yet, His mundane life on the mortal plane was an unprecedented example of all-acceptance. One has to keep this unique factor in mind while trying to understand (which comes only by standing under) the lessons to be learnt from the life of the Master. 

In the treatise Knowledge of Knowledge vol. 2, Master has revealed an original coinage― ‘Time Eternal’. There is a full chapter on Time Eternal.  He has elaborated that Time Eternal is that perennial constant substratum on the bosom of which past, present and future play their game or it is the ‘timeless-time’ (in other contexts Master has used phrases like ‘missionless-mission’ and ‘causeless-cause’).  Time Eternal remains as the permanent Witness to the play of time (past, present and future).  Time Eternal revealed in the Master as He is identified with it. Therefore, if we say that Master has demonstrated the right use of time through His conduct in life, it is like saying that a world famous English writer knows a b c d…. Same will be the case in Master’s life with all other aspects of the Science of Right Use.  State of Time Eternal is the state of ‘behind the goal post’.  The master of all the right uses including the sixth has achieved the goal, i.e. the Self-Divine, and has direct experience of the central nature, the God-nature within each one of us. The direct experiencer of the transcendental and the trans- transcendental nature is the One behind the goal post.  From another angle― we the ordinary people are always involved in past-present-future; as also in tamasic-rajasic-sattvic gunas (qualities).  By virtue of merit, when we get so refined that we reach the central core of past-present-future or go beyond tamasic-rajasic-sattvic gunas, we realize the Self-Divine within, i.e. the shuddha sattvic gunas (purest of all qualities or Godly qualities) reveal within. Then it is said that we have achieved our goal to become the master of the field/world.  However even then the link with the world remains, although it does not affect such a soul.  Absolute freedom or the state of absolute unity and identity with one and all, where there is no existence of a second entity, is the state behind the goal post/nitya-advaita/gunatit (beyond gunas or qualities).

Since these states are way beyond any intellectual perception or understanding, the best and the easiest option for us is to simply follow the directions of the Master to ultimately reach the state of sixth right use and then everything shall move on its own accord spontaneously and effortlessly.  The above analysis to some extent shall subdue the curiosity of the mind to know more and more, and direct it to accept more and more. The depth of the profound wisdom of the Master makes one speechless and question-less; and that state is very helpful in becoming a serious devoted and dedicated follower. 

Submitted at the lotus feet of the Master.