[Something about this article- My article “Religions vs. Spiritualism” is right in front of you. I have given my best effort here, as this topic is close to my heart. From time immoral lots of talks and presentations have been made about Religion and Spiritualism. But more we read or listen, more confused we be. This is an attempt from my end to address your confusion up to some extent. It was never easy for me to touch such a sensitive topic but what was more top for me was how to give shape to my thoughts.
So, taking all into consideration, I have made an attempt to present the whole concept in a dramatic approach, so that you will not feel bored while going learning right till the end. However, I cannot judge my effort. I leave it to my respected readers to write me back in comment session so that I can also hear from you. Let's go ahead…]
“Master, are religion and spiritualism different or same?” Arun stood and asked.
The Master looked at Arun with love and affection. Arun although was in his early teens but he was very mature as compared to any other student of his age. Sometimes his questions go so dip and meaningful that, even Master does some research before answering. May this is the reason why the Master loves him so much.
But today, the question he had asked was not of him alone rather of all 200 disciples who were present there. The time was around 10 am. Already two hours had passed from the starting of the session. The session was continuing in full flow before Arun’s question, which had brought a short break.
Everybody had waited for Master’s replay. But Master was silent. It looks as if he was in some deep thought. He was searching for the right answer as the question was no common. It’s not that he had not known the answer. Rather he was very clear from inside. But the issue for him was how to explain and establish this profound truth.
After a dip breath he told, “Well, I don’t know whether you all can understand this truth or not. Not sure how much of it you can take. But if you can, it will help you throughout your life. So please be attentive. I will try my best to keep it as simple as I can.”
“Can anybody answer how destination is different from mediums to be there?” Master asked.
“We could not understand anything Master” One of the disciples stood and told.
"Let me put it in this way" continued Master "Suppose you are planning to go to a particular place from here; let's say New Delhi. How many mediums you have to be there?”
"There are so many mediums Master," one said and continued "We may move by train or by bus or may move by plane also. And each of these options also has sub-options also. I mean if I look for a train I have multiple trains and routes to choose from. I can choose at the base of my convenient."
“Very good” Master said while smiling and continued, “Now I have two more questions which will help us clear out confusion to a large extent. My first question is, are the destination (New Delhi) and medium (bus, train, plain) to be there are same or different?"
“How can be both same? Both are thoroughly different?” one of the disciples stood and told.
“Nice. My second question is- our mediums are varying does it mean that destination also go different?”
"No Master. Each of these mediums is leading us to the same destination- New Delhi" Another one stood and told.
Master said, "It does mean that our destination does not vary although we have multiple mediums to be there. We are very free to choose our mediums depending on our own convenience. It largely depends on where we are, how much may afford, how much time we have etc. Yes, we may take suggestions or may get suggested. But there is nothing compelling or forceful. Am I right?
"Yes, Master. You are very right.” All shouted together. But nobody could understand how and where the talk was going.
The Master mediated for sometime before continuing, “See, above example can be directly replicated to our discussion - Religion and Spiritualism, to which we will come a little later. The term ‘Spiritualism’ is derived from its root word ‘Sprite’, which is also known as ‘soul’.
"Let me elaborate" continue Master, "What do you mean by sprite or soul? How many of you will agree that we all are one-one soul or are connected with a soul? Many of you may not agree? This happens because we do not understand ourselves from inside. Our understanding of self is just from the external point of view. But the truth is that Spiritualism and Religion are more connected to our internal world than the world outside."
With a brake Master continued, "Our approach to understand both (Spiritualism and Religion) from the external point of view- is the only reason why we are so confused. This is the reason, why one religion is fighting with another. History was witnessed many fighting, riots, casualties only to define which religion is better than other. But unfortunately the very question (which religion is better?) still unresolved. And also never can be resolved unless until we have not started a journey inside.”
With a smile Master told, “I know, my talks are going little heavy. Things might be going above your head. But you will understand its significance with time to come.”
There was a pin drop silence all over the place. Everybody smiled with the smile of the master and felt easy. Master with a pause continued, "All right. The only way out of this problem to starts from the beginning. Ask this very question to you – ‘Who are you?' Do not get defined and limited with any answers like – ‘I am a Name or a Body or a color or a cast etc’. Because if you will little ponder into you must realize that these are some temporary identification about you, not exactly about you. If you can go deeper and can reach at the end you get identified with your true self. This final identification or realization of you is called – Soul or Sprite."
"But how one feels after this realization is Master?" Arun Asked.
After giving a smiling at Arun, Master continued, "This realization cannot be expressed in language. In this stage, you see yourself in all and all in yourself. You just cannot be limited to yourself you get expressed in all. After this realization, you are left with to get nothing. This world which is the matter of so serious for us now appears to be merely an illusion. You never get influenced by any worldly desires. All appears to be same and equal. After this realization, you neither work to get anything or to be anything. You just do, what is most required to be done. This state is also known as the state of liberation or nirvana.”
“So nice, Master. But how can we all be there? How can we realize it?” One student sited in the middle row stood and asked.
With a serious look, Master continued, "It does not so easy to attain the way it sounds. Many have failed while trying for it. Thousands have been misguided. But there is no option, as this is the ultimate aim of every human. Is not it so?”
“But how is it so?” one disciple stood and said.
With a smile, Master told, "Are not you all desire for endless pleasure? Is not human looking for never ending happiness? Are not we all wanted to know everything? The very answer to the question is Liberation. This is the only realization which can give permanent pleasure, happiness, and complete knowledge etc. It is quite unfortunate and vain attempts that we all want to get satisfied in worldly thing. Is anybody getting satisfied with these? No- nobody can ever be even. What can be more interesting than this that – we are looking for something permanent from temporary things? We are looking for right thing but in wrong addresses. Tell me, how will we successful? So I say, we all have been misguided. “
"Dear Master, if this is the ultimate aim of every human please guide us. Please guide us before being misguided." Arun said with lots of enthusiasm.
Master could not hold himself anymore. Continued without any delay, “As I said you, to be there at that level of realization of your own is so hard and difficult that rarest and rare can do or have achieved it. And very few among those realized person decide to help others to realize the same. This is so because they realize the truth is such way that they simply go overflowed and want to help other to get benefited out of their experiences. They prepare some rules and regulations, some rituals, some does and don’ts etc., which are broadly known as a Religion. This is how the term “Religion” comes to existence.”
Looking at the confusing faces of all disciples, Master continued with a smile, "Let me elaborate through an example. Do you know the original name of Gautama Buddha, who is the founder of Buddha Dharma? Yes- his original name is Siddhartha. The great Siddhartha, attempted all by him to get the answer of his very question ‘who is He?' Despite many failures, when he finally tested success, decided to help people be benefited out of his experiences. So he brought Buddha Dharma into existence and going ahead people call him Gautama Buddha. Like this, every religion has a background story."
“Then why there are so many religions Master? Why one fight against other? “ Arun asked.
Master continued, “How far numbers of religion is concerned- it is quite obvious. This is so because, although the Highest Truth which those few lucky realized was the same but their experiences were different. And differences also found to be seen in the approaches to help others to realize the same. So each came forward with his or her own- own approaches, which are known as religions. As their experiences and thoughts were different, religions were bound to be different. However, although all religions start their stories differently, every story ends almost at same outcome- which is the realization of self. So I always suggest not to get into the puzzle of religions. Always try to get out of it.” Master paused for some time.
After a little break returned to his talk, "Coming to your next question ‘why one religion fights against the other', is only because we have forgotten our destination. We are thinking our religion is our destination, which is not the whole truth. But unfortunately, as we keep self, limited to religion only, so our confusions and fighting with each other are obvious. This is the reason why we are not able to respect other religions. Basically, if you will see, a religion is nothing but a bunch of thoughts, which never can be the whole truth. But yes a religion may lead us towards the truth”
“Then what should be our destination Master? What should we aim at?” One disciple asked.
With a smile is his lip, Master continue, "It’s not religion, what we should aim is to the realization of self, which is in other words known as spiritualism. A true self-realized person never gets into any kind of trouble or confusion. He stays clear in all respects. He lives with own religion but never forgets to pay all reserved respects to other religions. Unlikely some religious groups he never forces anybody to join in his own religion. He just says- you may be part of any religion or not even, but just unsure whether you are in the right path towards self-realization or not."
Master looked around. He realized that the secession already has extended for one hour extra. The dinner time is approaching. Without any delay, he moved towards concluding part, "Dear All, have you all remembered the initial example about medium and destination. The example is directly replicated here. It really not matter which is your medium to reach in New Delhi. You can choose your option on the base of affordability, availability etc. You may move by train or bus or on a plane. If nothing of these is fit to you, you can design your own medium to be there. Nothing of these really matter. What really matters is- whether finally you are reaching at your destination (New Delhi) or not. If you could not, best to best medium for other is simply meaningless for you. If you made it even the worst medium for other has a high meaning for you."
With a breath, Master continued, "In the same vein, it really not matter you are from which religion. You may adopt your family religion or can change; even I say you are very free to design your own religion if you are not satisfied with any of the available religions, even you may not be a religious person at all. These are nothing but one-one medium. What really matters is did your adopted medium dropped you at the right destination? Are you eventually could be a self-realized person? Could you reach in true spiritualism? If the very answer of these questions is “Yes”, your religion/medium (whatever it may be) is right to you. Because nothing wrong or polluted can help you to be there. But if the answer is “No”, best-to-best religion/medium is simply meaningless for you. However, what important is that you should not aim at your religions/mediums, rather you should aim at spiritualism or self-realization.”
With an ever smiling face Master moved towards the final statements, “Dear, allow my teaching to go into your inside. Things will get cleared automatically. Do not worry……We are already late for dinner. Let’s have our peace prayer, before proceeding to dinner.”
All prayed together. While praying all were thinking themselves lucky enough for being a part of such a beautiful and informative session. Everybody's heart was full with gratitude towards their Master.
