Namaste.
Welcome to the Bhagavad Gita series where we discuss various topics that Krishna teaches in the Bhagavad Gita.
Today we're going to speak about the nature of reality.
Ultimately what is real and what is unreal.
If we look at our life we see that every day we wake up and we're constantly chasing after things that we have convinced ourselves will make us happy.
A new haircut,
A new boyfriend,
A new girlfriend,
Cheesecake,
A new promotion,
Whatever it might be.
And we,
Once we get that which we are chasing after,
We gain some momentary pleasure from it.
And then after that pleasure goes away we then search for something else.
So we're essentially like monkeys that are chasing after desires that we feel will make us happy.
But when we look at this type of happiness we see that there's one underlying quality which is that it is temporary.
No matter what we gain two things will happen.
One is that we will inevitably lose that that which makes us happy.
Or the other is that we won't derive the same happiness that we once did from it.
And when we stop deriving that happiness we suffer.
Or if we lose that which makes us happy we suffer.
So the eventual end goal always leads to suffering when we try and find things of the world to make us happy.
So here we say that this type of happiness is temporary.
It is unreal.
Any type of happiness that gives us momentary pleasure but that which cannot give us something eternal is ultimately unreal and leads to suffering.
Now the difference between that which is unreal and that which is real is that when we turn within,
When we stop looking at the things of the world to make us happy,
When we experience the bliss of our own nature,
That bliss is not of this world.
It's not something that anybody can take away from us.
And it's not something that diminishes.
It grows more and more and more.
And that is what we say is real.
In the Bhagavad Gita in chapter 2 verse 16 Krishna says the unreal can never come into being and the real never ceases to be.
This is the conclusion of those who have seen the truth.
So here Krishna is saying the real never ceases to be.
That bliss or that ananda when experienced from within it never ceases.
But the unreal it can never be eternal.
It's always fleeting.
It comes and it goes.
So when we look at our life it's not that we can't enjoy the things of this world.
Of course we can.
We can enjoy our partner.
We can enjoy good food.
We can do all of those things.
But the issue is always about attachment.
When we become attached to that which we enjoy,
When we convince or trick ourselves that this is the highest form of happiness,
Then that inevitably leads to suffering.
So spirituality is about accessing that deep ananda or bliss that nobody and nothing can take away from you.
In the spiritual path we compare the unreal to a fake rose.
So the fake rose can look real.
The colors can seem real.
The shape can seem real.
Even some fragrance can be added to it to make it smell real.
But ultimately we know that it is not real.
But when we're given a real rose,
When we touch it,
When we feel it,
When we smell it,
We know ah this is real.
Everything before was fake.
And it's the same with ananda or bliss.
When we go it within and when we perceive the atma or the soul,
We smell a fragrance emanating from the soul which is nothing compared to that of this reality.
It is something far greater.
It's something far more beautiful.
And it's something that cannot be taken away.
So we say enjoy the fake rose.
Play with the fake rose.
But always understand that that is not real.
That which is real is within you.
Another way that you can look at it is kind of like the rays of the sun.
When the rays of the sun are reflected through broken glass,
And we're looking at the rays through the reflection of the broken glass,
They might look and feel like the rays of the sun.
But when we actually turn towards the rays,
When we feel the rays on our skin,
When we feel that heat,
We know ah that is real.
So for most of us in the world we're chasing after fake roses.
We're chasing after the reflection of the sun through broken glass.
But when we pick up our spiritual practices,
When we commit to making changes in our life,
Then we'll start to feel,
Experience,
And smell the fragrance of who we truly are.
So observe your life and see what is it that you are chasing after.
That which is unreal,
Or that which is real.
Much love.
Hope to see you in a future talk about the Bhagavad Gita.
