Can There Be Any Trouble for the Witnessing? - 27th December 2014

So we were saying yesterday that we are not interested in a self which comes and goes. Why would I be interested in something which is coming and going? That is the nature of the person himself. All of you are coming and going. So too, if you want to discover the Self, there must be a look. Is the Self here already? What is it that we are seeking? What effort is required to find it? Look here right now. Is there something missing in this? Is there something bound here? Very simply, I will not ask you to imagine anything at all. Just look and see what is here already. And is there something that needs realization? Or what needs to be realized? Only what is already here is already called the Self, you see. What does the word 'Self' mean? You already are that. So if I was to say there is no distance between you and the Self, what would you do to find it? Where would you go? Would you have to move even an inch?

And the mind comes and says, 'But it doesn't seem to be like that. I've been trying for many years and I cannot find this Self. I've been to many ancient lands, Tiruvannamalai, where is this Self?' Because the nature of the mind is that it will say, 'Walk here now, walk here now, come here now, go there. One more retreat, one more teacher.' It will never say, 'Just see what is here now.' The mind will never give this sort of pointing. Its dominance can get over in an instant if you were just to taste this moment. And we can look together because I'm not saying anything esoteric. There's nothing special which is being spoken about here. Mind will again come and say that, 'Okay, he has seen something that I have not.' It is not true like this. If there is a message that I want to bring, it is that it's the most regular thing. To realize yourself is the most regular thing because you've already got that.

So can we see what is here already? Can you find out what is already here? Very simply, we can also look. You can say that, 'Okay, there are some objects, there is this body, there's some breath, then the thought is coming, emotions are here.' And there is a witnessing of all of these, isn't it? Is there anyone who can deny the witnessing of all of these? If there is something, we can say it. It doesn't have to be a monologue. If there is something, we can say it. But just see, there is a witnessing of all of these appearances. And that's why I say that there are two 'A's: there is the big 'A' which is Awareness and the small 'a' which is appearance. And all this phenomenon can be bundled into appearance. But what is the awareness of it? You are the awareness of it. It is as simple as this. No appearance can be there without you. There are no second-hand experiences; it's all your own experience. And this Awareness is untouched by any appearance, no matter how strong it might seem. As I say, the most horrendous or the most sublime, it does not matter. It's only when we start believing this, then there is trouble. Is there any trouble without thoughts?

And that's why if you want a master key, if you come with the question, 'I want to be free from all suffering forever and ever,' I have a simple pointing for you. And it's completely possible to be free from all suffering right now. And this simple pointing is: just don't believe your next thought. I don't tire of speaking this message because in this—it sounds like a very simple statement—but in this is the end of all suffering. Don't believe your next thought. Can you suffer now? No. You have to work hard to suffer. It sounds like a paradox the first time you hear it, that you are actually taking a lot of effort to cause yourself this suffering. This pretense of suffering is a lot of work, and we have been doing all this hard work to experience this misery.

How is it hard work? A thought comes and attention goes. And I'm not saying don't control—I am not saying don't give it your attention. I'm saying even if attention goes, let it go. But just by giving it attention, you will not get the misery out of it. You have to also give it your belief. And to control belief is very easy. The mind will come and say that, 'No, it happens on its own, it's automatic,' you see. It's not true like that. You have to try it out for yourself. That's why I say don't take my word for it. See for yourselves how easy it is to be completely free right now. This whole game has been a trick. This whole seeking game has also been a trick, another trick of the mind.