March 30, 1980


Questioner: If “I Amness” is a product of the essence of food how can Babaji’s “I Amness” continue to exist without food? 

Maharaj: The causal body which was born out of the food essence quality of Sri Babaji is still sustaining itself, but its cause was food only. It might be two thousand or four thousand years old; still it is sustaining itself. 

In mythology also we have two personages who have perpetuated their “I Amness” for thousands of years. It is said that they are still alive somewhere; they too have the causal body that is the cell of “I Amness” formed out of food essence. Nevertheless, in spite of that long period of life, could they bring about any change in the play of the five elements? Could they arrest the flow of this creation, sustenance, and destruction? It has been going on as usual; they cannot interfere with it. They were in their causal body only, observing everything. 

Q: With what does one experience the states of heaven, hell, etc., after death, when both the body and intellect dissolve? 

M: How can there be experience after death since the body and intellect have dissolved? What is there to experience? If the food essence quality is completely dissolved, gone, then who proceeds further? 

Q: Why is there no experience of “I Amness” from infancy until some two years, when the food body and vital breath are present? Is that early state pure consciousness? 

M: It is something like an unripe mango; the sweetness is there in a dormant state but has not fully expressed itself. In the ripe mango it experiences itself. Similarly, in the child, although that “I Amness” touch is present in a dormant condition, it has not fully developed, it cannot express itself. 

Q: Maharaj says that there is no rebirth of the individual—the consciousness is just expressing itself. Then he tells another that his attitude will bring many rebirths. 

M: To the ignorant who are obsessed by ideas of rebirth, etc., I say, “You are going to have rebirths”; but to one who is capable of understanding I will give knowledge only. 

Q: Maharaj says at one time that Brahman is not a witness and at another that Brahman is a witness. 

M: What is the meaning you are desiring out of this Brahman? What do you think of this word Brahman? Brahman means the emanation of the world, simultaneously confirming that “I Am.” 

In this Brahman everything is illusion, but who understands that? The principle that understands, realizes, and witnesses is the Parabrahman. Witnessing happens to the Parabrahman. 

In this manifest state everything is ever-changing, nothing is permanent, and all is illusion. 

Now you have accepted a Guru and he has given you certain knowledge. Having accepted this knowledge, where are you proceeding to? Do you understand the import of what you have received? When did you realize your Self, your true nature? You have a bank account and you say that you have ten thousand rupees. True, the money is there but you do not have it with you. You have only the information that ten thousand rupees is credited to your account. Similarly, you have heard about your birth and death, but this information is not going to remain with you, even the information that you are is going to disappear. 

You who are pursuing spirituality, go to its end, complete it; otherwise, follow your normal mode of life. You must come to the conclusion that you are the Unborn, you shall ever remain the Unborn. The world and the mind— everything—is unreal, but I am not those. 

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