Daily Readings from the Works of Swami Venkatesananda


Insights and Inspiration — Venkatesa Daily Readings Vol 2 The Self

February 22, 2024

The Self

 
      Does the end of the body mean the end of the self? Once death has come, will I still exist or not? Most of us do not take this enquiry seriously.  One thinks, "Why worry, who cares what is the meaning of life and what happens when it comes to an end?" Instead of meditating on this, one looks after the body, enjoys oneself, works or steals to get more money. We go from one stupid action to another until death knocks at the door. When it is too late, you suddenly jump up, "Oh no, wait, I must meditate". But you cannot do it now. Can I bring about this 'facing death' now? Physiologically or biologically death has not yet come to me, but psychologically or spiritually it has. Then I see that all the pleasures I have enjoyed have made me weaker; that all I think I possess, possesses me!

     These things happen in the world around us, but even though we see them, we close our eyes to the truth. The dialogue between 'me' and 'death' which may be taking place within me right now, becomes meaningless, unless I am sincere in my search for truth. If I am sincere and serious, I will not be side-tracked. The temptations are not outside. Temptation is in the mind, desire is in the mind, and the desire is the temptation. If I am serious about this question: "What is death and what happens to me in death?", when I discover that death only removes that which never belonged to me, I am no longer afraid of it. It is as simple as that.

    Then the query arises: "What is 'I'?" The only obstacle to answering this question is unsteadiness of attention. Watch and note if merely seeing is temptation. If you look within, inwardly watching the mind, you find that the attention does not change, does not shift at all. The eyes still see, the ears still hear, life still goes on - but your attention is within yourself. And there, deep within the innermost core of your being, you realize that you are the Self. Not the self which is some kind of an image, nor something which looks like a big light, nor something which looks like a god. (All these ideas have been created by you.)

    This Self has nothing whatever to do with your good actions or bad actions, it has nothing whatever to do with your suffering or your pleasure. Uninvolved in pain, uninvolved in death, uninvolved in birth - it is. When you do something with all your heart and soul, there is guaranteed success. You begin to look - not at the difficulties - but at the possibilities.
   

Back to Daily Readings