The following is an essay complied by Beezone taken from a talk by Adi Da Samraj in October 1988. The format of this essay is a combination of direct quotes – verbatim – (“in quotes”) from Adi Da and my notes and interpretations of his words. Some of the notes were verbatim and others were not verbatim. The notes were then complied and the following essay written by Beezone.
The Gift and the
Commitment
“The disposition of
God-Realization involves a single intuition or turnabout in
our consciousness, in which we are moved to become a
sacrifice through surrender, or Love-Communion with the
Divine.”
Adi Da Samraj – The
Enlighenment of the Whole Body
The following essay is complied from notes taken during a talk by Adi Da Samraj in October 1988. The format of the essay is a combination of direct quotes of Adi Da speaking and my interpretations of his words.
In various traditions of spirituality there is an experience know that gives a revelatory vision of the infinite nature of eternity, Reality, God or Truth. These kinds of experiences are known in the mystical Christian tradition as Beatific and in the Indian tradition Darsana or Darsha(n). In these spiritual traditions there is a confession among those who have had such a vision that there is an inherent obligation associated with it. That obligation is a ‘turnabout’ asana in the way one views the world and him or herself. Those in a particular spiritual path the obligation usually takes the form of a commitment, promise or a vow.
Such a commitment is what Adi Da addresses in this talk after a devotee confesses a “no bullshit” vision of the ‘Presence of God’ in Adi Da’s Bodily Human Form.
ADI DA SAMRAJ: “If God has been shown to you, if reality has been revealed, then you must live the life.” Or as they say downtown, “if you talk the talk, then you’ve got to walk the walk.” “The more that has been revealed, the the more the obligation.”
If the truth has been revealed “then make an eternal vow to God Realization.” How could it be otherwise? If the truth has been seen, “then how could there by any other commitment.” How could you go on with your life, how could you turn away once you’ve seen? “How could you use life for any other purpose?”
If based on your insight “the Divine Reality were obvious, then the commitment to Realization would be instant.” Anyone who has seen or been shown Reality in whatever form automatically is convicted of the truth. And it is only the rejection of the Truth or “the turning away” from the truth “or the non-acceptance” is Realization not the focus of one’s life.
“There are only two kinds of people in this world. Those who are doing Sadhana and those who are not.” Those who are doing Sadhana are responding with a “certainty of the Gift.” “The Gift is from the Spiritual Master.”
In the moments of greatest clarity you do commit yourselves. “But what happens after a week or so, something else happens and you change your commitment.” Something comes up and modifies your body-mind, then the commitment changes. New desires, new thoughts become the forefront of your life. Circumstances change and your commitment becomes weak and a new commitment is justified. “All of this is inevitable.”
“If this is inevitable then what is one to do?” If the gift has been received and the certainty awakened, then make that commitment in the face of that obviousness. “Then don’t give a damn about what else happens”, what arises. Don’t be concerned about modifications of the body-mind, wanting this or that, “Who cares, you already have another commitment.”
“It’s like really being married. It doesn’t matter who you meet”, or whatever the circumstances are, your committed. “And so it is in the matter of Realization.”
It’s not likely that once you have received the gift and seen the truth will you commitment be completely free of the self-contraction. Forms will change, in mind and body, based on associations from that moment forward. These forms, these tendencies of form must be purified. Everything just doesn’t disappear in the company of the Spiritual Master and Truth.
“The Spiritual Master gives you the means to do the sadhana. You must do the sadhana based on the commitment that has been awakened in you. That must be your arms in all the moments when the body-mind is operating by tendency.” When karmas arise and you are confronted with difficult circumstances you must operate and function as an individual with another commitment.
It is not likely you will always be able to see the truth of the prior commitment, that’s clear. Things will arise, an infinite variety of forms and their possibilities will arise and they are all possibilities of delusion. “You must be able to function in very ordinary terms”, no matter what arises or whatever the circumstances are. You must be able to discipline the body-mind in those moments when circumstances and such are tending to dominate your attention. “Turn the body-mind to Realization.” “The body-mind is no one to consult about Realization. The body-mind has it’s own purposes”, it’s own karmas, it’s own motions, always different ones, depending on the moment.
“You must use these gifts that you have received in the company of the Spiritual Master and use them as arms to transcend the binding power of conditional existence in all moments.”
The body-mind and it’s circumstances have another argument, which is foolishness. Don’t think just because you go through all kinds of changes and the Revelation changes things are disproved. The body-mind will give you all kinds of ‘excuses’ to prove the delusions of Realization and the necessity to ‘get on with life’ and forget about what you’ve seen. “this is only the mind, contraction of energy” and mind can take on any form of energy, enlightened or unenlightened.
“Realization is Self-Authenicating, it authenticates Itself”. In moments of insight you can justify faith and revelation. But then what happens to it? The body-mind will go through many things justify abandoning Sadhana, the discipline and the practices. This IS the nature of the body-mind and the circumstances that include it. This is so. “The body-mind is not wise, you are wise, you must discipline the body-mind.”
The difficulties of life do not disprove your understanding, they are the proof of the gifts you’ve received, they are opportunities. The body-mind is a self-controling mechanism. “It deludes itself with self. Insight give you another life, another way, the transcendence of all that. It is for certain all kinds of limiting conditions will arise, have no doubt about that. “Rather equip yourself to deal with it, by receiving these gifts and committing yourself and accepting your obligation.”
“Live a serious life”. There is no doubt of Reality, Truth and God, “except in your own imagination. Realization has been proved since the ancient days. Just because it has not been believed on TV doesn’t mean it’s not true.” Realization has been revealed by many Realizers throughout all time “and now in your time”.
Examine the Great Tradition, examine your life and realize a commitment to Realization. “Be made serious by this Revelation and conduct your life accordingly, and stop being a fool, stop being unserious, stop being deluded.” “Embrace the Way wholeheartedly and “gather with others who will do likewise because their company is good company and always remain in My Company, always.
Adi Da – 1988
The seekers defensiveness creates tensions and polarities that are then intensified. Adi Da taught (and still does) that the seeker must understand that it is not just a matter of just changing directions in any revolutionary manner that is going to save the seeker. It’s a matter of a radical, or at the root, turnabout in consciousness that will reveal the seekers true dilemma. As Adi Da so simply puts it “the world is seeking. Nothing more.” and therefore “…when you have understood that seeking is all a function of dilemma, and when you no longer are voluntarily motivated by the physical, mental or spiritual problem, then you have already Understood.
Beezone