SESSION 1 - THE BASIC GOAL AND WAYS TO ATTAINMENT - By Lester Levenson
セッション1 - 基礎的なゴールおよび達成への道..........3
SESSION 1
THE BASIC GOAL AND WAYS TO ATTAINMENT
That which everyone of us is looking for in this world is
exactly the same thing. Every being, even the animals,
are looking for it. And what is it that we are all looking
for? Happiness with no sorrow! A continuous state of
happiness with no taint whatsoever of sorrow. Now, if
this be the Goal, why is it the Goal? The reason why it is
the Goal is because unlimited happiness is our very
basic nature! This is the real natural state, before we
encumber it with limitations. Now why is it that most of
us do not have this continuous happiness with no
sorrow? There's only one reason: being this infinite
Being with infinite happiness we do a way with this joy,
this happiness, by saying, “I am an individual, separate
from the All.” To make myself separate from the All, I
must set up a means to accomplish this. The means is
my mind that creates my body and the material world.
Then I proceed, creating more and more thoughts that
create more and more matter until the thoughts and
matter have me so bogged down and blinded that I have
lost my real identity as the infinite Beingness that I am.”
The original thought of “I am separate from the All”
necessarily creates a lack. Lack creates desire. Desire
therefore cannot undo the lack, as lack is not there in
the first place, it is not real but assumed. And we go on
and on trying to satisfy desire and we never, never
succeed. If we could succeed, we would be able to
satisfy desire and therefore all desire would disappear!
And then we would be desireless!
The only real purpose of being here on this earth is to
learn, or to remember, our original natural state of
totality, of complete freedom and no limitation. Once we
are led to see that this is our natural state, then we
proceed to let go of all the limitations. The prime, the
very first limitation is: “I am an individual separate from
the All.” Eliminate that and you eliminate all limitation, all
trouble, all sickness, all poverty.
To say this in another way is to say: “God is all! Let go
and let God be. It is not I but the Father who worketh
through me.” We must let go of the ego sense which is
the original sense of separation from the All and allow
our natural Being just to be and then everything would
fall perfectly into line.
This is all very, very simple. If you want complexity you'll
never see simplicity. Once this is accepted as the overall
way, however, we do not find it easy of accomplishment.
We don't find it easy because of past habits that have
been established over thousands and thousands of
years. And for some silly reason we subconsciously like
these past habits of trouble and so we continue them.
We do it in a manner that we refuse to look at. We call it
subconscious behavior! And we go on and on and on
repeating all this behavior of limitation automatically,
calling it subconscious. Now the subconscious mind is
only that part of the mind that we refuse to look at! When
our desire is strong enough we will dig up these
subconscious habits and begin to let go of them.
There is no growing into the natural Being that we are.
That Being is whole and perfect, here and now. There is
only letting go of concepts to the contrary, that we have
troubles, that we have limitations. Anyone who says, “I
have trouble,” has it in his mind. That's the only place
where it is because you can't see anything anywhere
else but in your mind. Whatever you look at, whatever
you hear, whatever you sense, is through your mind.
That's where everything is. Change your mind and
everything out there changes. Change your thinkingness
and you change the world for you. Do this and you have
the proof!
So the way, the path, is simple. The method of undoing
the limitations is not easy because of habit. We need a
very strong desire to begin to let go of these wrong
habits from the past. Without that strong desire there is
no growth. This desire must be stronger than the desire
to possess and control this world. The world as now
seen really is a fiction when you see the Truth. It turns
out to be a dream. First you'll see it as a dream, then
you'll see it as a dream that never was. It is exactly as
happens in a night dream. While you're in the night
dream you have a body there are other bodies, there's
action, interaction, there's good and there's bad. And so
long as you remain in that night dream everything there
is real to you. When you awaken from the night dream
you say, ‘‘my gosh it was just a dream! It never
happened! This dream was all in me!” And exactly in the
same manner you awaken from this dream called the
waking state. You come to see that it was only a fiction
of your imagination, it was only a dream, and then you
let go of it lock, stock and barrel and what is left over is
the infinite you! Then you call yourself fully realized
totally free.
We are actually fully realized all the time. We are fully
realized Beings saying that we are not. So all we do is
let go of “we are not” and what's left over is the fully
realized Being that we are. Are there any questions on
what I've said so far? No? Then everyone understands
this, at least intellectually.
Alright if you understand it intellectually and you are not
able to use it, it's because you're not looking at yourself
honestly, truthfully, with deep desire to see your Self, in
the process of which you have set up as the
subconscious mind all the things you will not look at.
However, it's not necessary to dig up this unconscious
mind, in fact it's much better to try to quiet the mind.
When we're able to get the mind totally quiet, what's left
over is the infinite Self. Every thought is a thing of
limitation. Therefore when we quiet the mind, we still
these limiting thoughts and this infinite Being that we are
becomes self-obvious to us. The Self is then not
occluded by the limiting thoughts! We see It, we
recognize that we never were that mind, that body, and
from that moment on, the mind and body have no
influence upon us. We determine for the body as we
would a puppet and it has no effect upon us, as a
puppet that we would be controlling would have no
effect upon us. So the very best method of all methods
is to quiet the mind to see the Being that you are. Pose
the question: “Who am I?” and if other thoughts come in,
ask, “To whom are these thoughts?” The answer is “To
me.” “Well, who am I?” and you're back on the track,
seeking to see your Self.
''Who am I?” is the final question that everyone answers,
so why not begin with the final question? If you can, all
good, all wonderful. But there are very few of us who are
capable of using this method of just holding onto “Who
am I?” and rejecting all other thoughts that come in. We
have gotten ourselves so involved with thoughts that we
cannot let go of them and therefore we need other
methods, other aids.
The other major methods are called in the East Jnana
Yoga, Raja or Kriya Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga.
- 3 -
(By the way, the only reason I go to the Eastern
Teachings is that they are a total and complete
methodology and such a thing is non-existent in the
Western world. The Western world methodology is only
partial and is included in the Eastern.) I think we are all
familiar with those various paths. So if we cannot use
the Self-enquiry, “Who am I?” we use the one that suits
us best. The path that we like now is the very path that
we have been on formerly in prior lives. The path that is
best for you is the one that you like best. Now each path
includes all the other paths. The only difference is the
emphasis. If we are intellectual we emphasize the Jnana
Path, the path of intellect and wisdom. If we are
devotional, then we emphasize the Bhakti path of love
and devotion to God. If we like to be of service to
mankind we use the Karma Yoga path. Each path leads
to the quieting enough of the mind so that we may see
the infinite Being that we are.
Raja or Kriya Yoga is a complete and integral path that
suits the greatest number of people today. It is a path of
doingness in eight steps, with each step leading to the
next step after it. I think you are all familiar with the eight
steps. If you are not, you can get it from a book. The first
two steps are the moral and ethical ones, the do's, the
don'ts. The third is posture and body exercise. The
fourth step is learning to control the breath and life force.
The fifth is letting go of the external world, interiorizing
by disconnecting the sense telephones and turning
one's attention within. The sixth is concentrating the
mind, getting it quiet, holding one thought to the
exclusion of other thoughts. The seventh step is
meditation, one-pointed meditation, and one-pointed
meditation leads into the eighth step, or the top state
called samadhi. So this Raja or Kriya Yoga path is one
of step-by-step doingness that everyone can use. We
happen to be in an era that is in relatively low vibration.
That's the reason why we find the way difficult, and
that's the reason why we need this Raja or Kriya Yoga,
a gradient and a most integral path.
There are two ways of growing: one is what I call the
negative way, eliminating the negative, going into the
mind, seeing the cause of the problem that originated in
a thought some time in the past. When we see this
thought, when we bring it up into consciousness, we
naturally let go of it. We see how silly it is to hold onto it
and therefore correct that thought and behavior.
However, the other way is the better. It is the positive
way. Quiet the mind and see who and what you really
are, the infinite Self. In the over all, there's really only
two ways: eliminating the negative and the better,
putting in the positive, “I am that I am,” “I am He.” The
latter is by far the faster.
Let's now take a look at this so- called apparency, the
world. The world is only an illusion that we created
mentally. It is not external but in reality within us, within
our mind. Someday you'll discover that you created this
entire universe that you see. The method of creating is
by first creating what we call a mind. We create our
mind, which is nothing but a composite of all our
thoughts, conscious and subconscious, and the
thoughts create the material world. Every little thing that
happens to each and everyone of us is created in our
thinking. We mentally set up a thing called time which
makes it even more difficult to see things because we
think now and things happen years later. But the only
creator there is, is the mind, your mind. Is God a
creator? Yes, because you are. Thou are That! You set
up a mind and through the mind create. It is necessary
and good to discover that everything happening is
caused by our thinking. Everything that happens to us is
created in our thought. It's a stepping stone toward
realizing and recognizing that we are the creators. First
you discover that you created your trouble, then you
discover that you can create anything you desire. After
you discover that there is nothing that you cannot
create, you're still unhappy. The reason is that you have
separated yourself from the Infinity. Only on recognizing
your Infinity are you perfectly satisfied.
So if there are any problems that remain, they only remain because you are holding onto “hem in thought. The
moment you let go of them, they are gone! If you tell me
that isn't so for you, that isn't true. The truth is you're still
holding onto them, telling me that it doesn't work. Now
trying to get rid of a problem is holding onto it. Anything
we try to get rid of we are holding in mind and thereby
sustaining that problem. So the only way to correct a
problem is to let go of it. See not the problem, see only
what you want. If you would only from this moment on
see what you want that is all that you would get, i.e.,
what you want. But you hold in mind the things you do
not want. You struggle to eliminate the things you don't
want, thereby sustaining them. So it's necessary to let
go of the negative and put in the positive if you want a
positive, happy life.
This subject cannot be learned intellectually, it cannot be
learned through the mind because it's perceived just
behind the mind. We can use the mind to gradually undo
the limitations enough so that we can get behind the
mind by getting it quieter. If it were possible to get this
subject through the mind intellectually, all we would
need to do is to read the books on it and we would have
it. But it doesn't work that way. We have to very
concentratedly dwell upon our Self that is just behind the
mind. Turn the mind back upon the mind to discover
what the mind is, and then go be yond the mind to the
Self. So to get this subject, each one must experience it,
realize it, make it real by going to the place just behind
the mind and perceiving it there.
Now the very highest state is simply Beingness, and if
we could only be, just be, we could see our Infinity. We
would see that there are no limitations. We would see
that we are the All. We would be in a perfectly satiated,
permanent, changeless state. And it is not a
nothingness, it is not a boredom, it is an Allness, an
Everythingness, a Total Satiation that is eternal. You will
never, never lose your individuality. The word “I” as you
use it to mean your individuality will never ever leave
you. It expands. What happens as you re-remember
what you are is that you'll begin to see that others are
you, that you are me, that you are now and always have
been gloriously Infinite.
Look at your mind. That in itself is a good practice. It
puts you apart from it. You are looking at it. Watch your
thoughts. It's a wonderful practice. If you examine
thoroughly the mind, you will discover that it isn't, it's an
illusion. Let it go it's way, just watch the mind. The
ultimate witness is the Self. It's a tremendous thing to
watch the mind. Not only does it quiet it, it makes the
mind not you. If you trace the source of the mind, you
find it is nothingness. This whole world is a dream
illusion, which means that it isn't.
***
This Session was recorded in New York City,
September 28, 1964.
- 4 -
----------
セッション1 - 基礎的なゴールおよび達成への道..........3
SESSION 1
THE BASIC GOAL AND WAYS TO ATTAINMENT
That which everyone of us is looking for in this world is
exactly the same thing. Every being, even the animals,
are looking for it. And what is it that we are all looking
for? Happiness with no sorrow! A continuous state of
happiness with no taint whatsoever of sorrow. Now, if
this be the Goal, why is it the Goal? The reason why it is
the Goal is because unlimited happiness is our very
basic nature! This is the real natural state, before we
encumber it with limitations. Now why is it that most of
us do not have this continuous happiness with no
sorrow? There's only one reason: being this infinite
Being with infinite happiness we do a way with this joy,
this happiness, by saying, “I am an individual, separate
from the All.” To make myself separate from the All, I
must set up a means to accomplish this. The means is
my mind that creates my body and the material world.
Then I proceed, creating more and more thoughts that
create more and more matter until the thoughts and
matter have me so bogged down and blinded that I have
lost my real identity as the infinite Beingness that I am.”
The original thought of “I am separate from the All”
necessarily creates a lack. Lack creates desire. Desire
therefore cannot undo the lack, as lack is not there in
the first place, it is not real but assumed. And we go on
and on trying to satisfy desire and we never, never
succeed. If we could succeed, we would be able to
satisfy desire and therefore all desire would disappear!
And then we would be desireless!
The only real purpose of being here on this earth is to
learn, or to remember, our original natural state of
totality, of complete freedom and no limitation. Once we
are led to see that this is our natural state, then we
proceed to let go of all the limitations. The prime, the
very first limitation is: “I am an individual separate from
the All.” Eliminate that and you eliminate all limitation, all
trouble, all sickness, all poverty.
To say this in another way is to say: “God is all! Let go
and let God be. It is not I but the Father who worketh
through me.” We must let go of the ego sense which is
the original sense of separation from the All and allow
our natural Being just to be and then everything would
fall perfectly into line.
This is all very, very simple. If you want complexity you'll
never see simplicity. Once this is accepted as the overall
way, however, we do not find it easy of accomplishment.
We don't find it easy because of past habits that have
been established over thousands and thousands of
years. And for some silly reason we subconsciously like
these past habits of trouble and so we continue them.
We do it in a manner that we refuse to look at. We call it
subconscious behavior! And we go on and on and on
repeating all this behavior of limitation automatically,
calling it subconscious. Now the subconscious mind is
only that part of the mind that we refuse to look at! When
our desire is strong enough we will dig up these
subconscious habits and begin to let go of them.
There is no growing into the natural Being that we are.
That Being is whole and perfect, here and now. There is
only letting go of concepts to the contrary, that we have
troubles, that we have limitations. Anyone who says, “I
have trouble,” has it in his mind. That's the only place
where it is because you can't see anything anywhere
else but in your mind. Whatever you look at, whatever
you hear, whatever you sense, is through your mind.
That's where everything is. Change your mind and
everything out there changes. Change your thinkingness
and you change the world for you. Do this and you have
the proof!
So the way, the path, is simple. The method of undoing
the limitations is not easy because of habit. We need a
very strong desire to begin to let go of these wrong
habits from the past. Without that strong desire there is
no growth. This desire must be stronger than the desire
to possess and control this world. The world as now
seen really is a fiction when you see the Truth. It turns
out to be a dream. First you'll see it as a dream, then
you'll see it as a dream that never was. It is exactly as
happens in a night dream. While you're in the night
dream you have a body there are other bodies, there's
action, interaction, there's good and there's bad. And so
long as you remain in that night dream everything there
is real to you. When you awaken from the night dream
you say, ‘‘my gosh it was just a dream! It never
happened! This dream was all in me!” And exactly in the
same manner you awaken from this dream called the
waking state. You come to see that it was only a fiction
of your imagination, it was only a dream, and then you
let go of it lock, stock and barrel and what is left over is
the infinite you! Then you call yourself fully realized
totally free.
We are actually fully realized all the time. We are fully
realized Beings saying that we are not. So all we do is
let go of “we are not” and what's left over is the fully
realized Being that we are. Are there any questions on
what I've said so far? No? Then everyone understands
this, at least intellectually.
Alright if you understand it intellectually and you are not
able to use it, it's because you're not looking at yourself
honestly, truthfully, with deep desire to see your Self, in
the process of which you have set up as the
subconscious mind all the things you will not look at.
However, it's not necessary to dig up this unconscious
mind, in fact it's much better to try to quiet the mind.
When we're able to get the mind totally quiet, what's left
over is the infinite Self. Every thought is a thing of
limitation. Therefore when we quiet the mind, we still
these limiting thoughts and this infinite Being that we are
becomes self-obvious to us. The Self is then not
occluded by the limiting thoughts! We see It, we
recognize that we never were that mind, that body, and
from that moment on, the mind and body have no
influence upon us. We determine for the body as we
would a puppet and it has no effect upon us, as a
puppet that we would be controlling would have no
effect upon us. So the very best method of all methods
is to quiet the mind to see the Being that you are. Pose
the question: “Who am I?” and if other thoughts come in,
ask, “To whom are these thoughts?” The answer is “To
me.” “Well, who am I?” and you're back on the track,
seeking to see your Self.
''Who am I?” is the final question that everyone answers,
so why not begin with the final question? If you can, all
good, all wonderful. But there are very few of us who are
capable of using this method of just holding onto “Who
am I?” and rejecting all other thoughts that come in. We
have gotten ourselves so involved with thoughts that we
cannot let go of them and therefore we need other
methods, other aids.
The other major methods are called in the East Jnana
Yoga, Raja or Kriya Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga.
- 3 -
(By the way, the only reason I go to the Eastern
Teachings is that they are a total and complete
methodology and such a thing is non-existent in the
Western world. The Western world methodology is only
partial and is included in the Eastern.) I think we are all
familiar with those various paths. So if we cannot use
the Self-enquiry, “Who am I?” we use the one that suits
us best. The path that we like now is the very path that
we have been on formerly in prior lives. The path that is
best for you is the one that you like best. Now each path
includes all the other paths. The only difference is the
emphasis. If we are intellectual we emphasize the Jnana
Path, the path of intellect and wisdom. If we are
devotional, then we emphasize the Bhakti path of love
and devotion to God. If we like to be of service to
mankind we use the Karma Yoga path. Each path leads
to the quieting enough of the mind so that we may see
the infinite Being that we are.
Raja or Kriya Yoga is a complete and integral path that
suits the greatest number of people today. It is a path of
doingness in eight steps, with each step leading to the
next step after it. I think you are all familiar with the eight
steps. If you are not, you can get it from a book. The first
two steps are the moral and ethical ones, the do's, the
don'ts. The third is posture and body exercise. The
fourth step is learning to control the breath and life force.
The fifth is letting go of the external world, interiorizing
by disconnecting the sense telephones and turning
one's attention within. The sixth is concentrating the
mind, getting it quiet, holding one thought to the
exclusion of other thoughts. The seventh step is
meditation, one-pointed meditation, and one-pointed
meditation leads into the eighth step, or the top state
called samadhi. So this Raja or Kriya Yoga path is one
of step-by-step doingness that everyone can use. We
happen to be in an era that is in relatively low vibration.
That's the reason why we find the way difficult, and
that's the reason why we need this Raja or Kriya Yoga,
a gradient and a most integral path.
There are two ways of growing: one is what I call the
negative way, eliminating the negative, going into the
mind, seeing the cause of the problem that originated in
a thought some time in the past. When we see this
thought, when we bring it up into consciousness, we
naturally let go of it. We see how silly it is to hold onto it
and therefore correct that thought and behavior.
However, the other way is the better. It is the positive
way. Quiet the mind and see who and what you really
are, the infinite Self. In the over all, there's really only
two ways: eliminating the negative and the better,
putting in the positive, “I am that I am,” “I am He.” The
latter is by far the faster.
Let's now take a look at this so- called apparency, the
world. The world is only an illusion that we created
mentally. It is not external but in reality within us, within
our mind. Someday you'll discover that you created this
entire universe that you see. The method of creating is
by first creating what we call a mind. We create our
mind, which is nothing but a composite of all our
thoughts, conscious and subconscious, and the
thoughts create the material world. Every little thing that
happens to each and everyone of us is created in our
thinking. We mentally set up a thing called time which
makes it even more difficult to see things because we
think now and things happen years later. But the only
creator there is, is the mind, your mind. Is God a
creator? Yes, because you are. Thou are That! You set
up a mind and through the mind create. It is necessary
and good to discover that everything happening is
caused by our thinking. Everything that happens to us is
created in our thought. It's a stepping stone toward
realizing and recognizing that we are the creators. First
you discover that you created your trouble, then you
discover that you can create anything you desire. After
you discover that there is nothing that you cannot
create, you're still unhappy. The reason is that you have
separated yourself from the Infinity. Only on recognizing
your Infinity are you perfectly satisfied.
So if there are any problems that remain, they only remain because you are holding onto “hem in thought. The
moment you let go of them, they are gone! If you tell me
that isn't so for you, that isn't true. The truth is you're still
holding onto them, telling me that it doesn't work. Now
trying to get rid of a problem is holding onto it. Anything
we try to get rid of we are holding in mind and thereby
sustaining that problem. So the only way to correct a
problem is to let go of it. See not the problem, see only
what you want. If you would only from this moment on
see what you want that is all that you would get, i.e.,
what you want. But you hold in mind the things you do
not want. You struggle to eliminate the things you don't
want, thereby sustaining them. So it's necessary to let
go of the negative and put in the positive if you want a
positive, happy life.
This subject cannot be learned intellectually, it cannot be
learned through the mind because it's perceived just
behind the mind. We can use the mind to gradually undo
the limitations enough so that we can get behind the
mind by getting it quieter. If it were possible to get this
subject through the mind intellectually, all we would
need to do is to read the books on it and we would have
it. But it doesn't work that way. We have to very
concentratedly dwell upon our Self that is just behind the
mind. Turn the mind back upon the mind to discover
what the mind is, and then go be yond the mind to the
Self. So to get this subject, each one must experience it,
realize it, make it real by going to the place just behind
the mind and perceiving it there.
Now the very highest state is simply Beingness, and if
we could only be, just be, we could see our Infinity. We
would see that there are no limitations. We would see
that we are the All. We would be in a perfectly satiated,
permanent, changeless state. And it is not a
nothingness, it is not a boredom, it is an Allness, an
Everythingness, a Total Satiation that is eternal. You will
never, never lose your individuality. The word “I” as you
use it to mean your individuality will never ever leave
you. It expands. What happens as you re-remember
what you are is that you'll begin to see that others are
you, that you are me, that you are now and always have
been gloriously Infinite.
Look at your mind. That in itself is a good practice. It
puts you apart from it. You are looking at it. Watch your
thoughts. It's a wonderful practice. If you examine
thoroughly the mind, you will discover that it isn't, it's an
illusion. Let it go it's way, just watch the mind. The
ultimate witness is the Self. It's a tremendous thing to
watch the mind. Not only does it quiet it, it makes the
mind not you. If you trace the source of the mind, you
find it is nothingness. This whole world is a dream
illusion, which means that it isn't.
***
This Session was recorded in New York City,
September 28, 1964.
- 4 -
----------
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