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2014/08

渴求那唯一的欲望

虔诚的顶礼于薄伽梵的莲花足下。

亲爱的兄弟姐妹，

感谢我们的主今天早上再一次把我们带到这里，聚集在这地方。容我谈谈‘欲望’这话题。接下来的研讨中，我们将深入地探讨欲望的来源，欲望会把我们带到哪儿，欲望的种类，培育良好欲望的必要性，限制欲望的原因，培育放诸四海皆准的最佳欲望，以及最后，无欲的境界。

在印度，圣贤，智者和求道者都选择遁入山林去修炼，坐禅以及诸如此类的法门。他们的修习经常是与世隔绝的和孤僻的。即便今天，我们还是可以看到许多人远离发狂的人群而住在山洞里。薄伽梵清楚地分析其原因并举例说明。当任何人到市场去或到展卖会去，许多吸引人的，美丽的商品，礼品，装饰用的材料等等都在陈列展示，任人选购。任何人都可按照个人的口味喜好购买。你环顾每一个摊位，琳琅满目的物品吸引着你，使你心动而掏腰包。然而当一个人不去参观时，商展的吸引力及商品购买欲就不成问题了。

同样，因感官之故，我们被周遭的事物所吸引，那是由于我们生活在一个充满奢侈，浮华，炫耀，虚饰，夸示，虚荣，显赫，阶级和身份意识的社会里。然而古之圣贤则不然，因为遁世者的生活不会曝露于任何感官上的，世俗的，物质的和短暂的欢乐之中。因此，明显的，我们所有的欲望，其主要的核心在于与客观世界互动的感官。简言之，世俗欲望起于迷惑人的无知，加之于这身体的执著上；占有与贪婪都是虚幻的。在现代世界里，我们看到在争取，占有和地位上的恶劣竞争，而欲望正与日俱增，以几何级的倍数上升。在这阶段，只剩下两个选择；要么一生沉溺于无穷无尽的欲望，挣扎以实现之，要么因为达不到这些无法实现的梦想，而承受失望与不满的感觉。

一个基本的事实是欲望决不能得到满足。不论学识与年龄，欲望在任何人生阶段都没有终点，天空才是极限。由于无穷无尽的欲望，结果，人被纠缠于人生的罗网之中，不能自拔而死于斯。他负担重并在较后阶段感到压力很大。但是他感到无助也无能为力，生米已煮成熟饭，一切为时已晚。有时，周围的人还会火上添油，基于某种原因，使他不能跳出火坑。再者，高涨的忧虑，焦急和紧张损害了他的健康。以至于到他接近目标时，他却因高血压，血管和糖尿等问题而躺在床上，不得一尝自己努力所获得的成果！换句话说，时间与生命都浪费在求取与囤积上了。

由于身体不能长期承受精神压力和操劳过度，肯定罹患疾病。它意味着我们感到快乐幸福，不是处于快乐幸福之中，而是有一个快乐幸福的观念而已。这简直是疯了。那么，一个人若不能把钱用在自己身上也不能用在他人身上，而他还是继续挣钱，这何异于一个没钱的人。唯一差别的就是心念。富者觉得他有钱而穷者觉得他没有钱。仅此而已。但对体验而言，二者并无差别。有了资产和财富，我们常觉得我们的生活会更好，就会没有烦恼并且绝对舒适安逸。但实际上，它并非如此。很少有钱人能声称他们是快乐幸福的。

薄伽梵说明许多情况以支持这个论调。你或许有钱买得起一张‘邓洛普’垫褥及一张美丽的床，但你可买不到睡眠。你有多余的钱可以到五星级的餐馆用餐，享受山珍海味，但你可买不到胃口。富者吃昂贵丰富的菜肴，贫者则以粗茶淡饭充饥，但胃口或食欲是同样的。一杯冷饮之于一个富裕者与一杯自来水之于一个乞丐没有两样，同样只是止渴而已。饮料不同，口渴无异。目的一致，达至目的的方法不同。

归根结蒂，我觉得欲望会使你的一生凄惨悲凉。对那些认为富裕可以满足感官之所求而享受人生的人来说，这可能显得愚蠢和毫无意义。分析之后，我们就会知道这不是真实的。我们不是用我们的感官来享乐。如果我们真的从感官享乐中导致喜悦，为什么到最后我们还是变得孱弱？为什么我们丧失精力？为什么我们会老化或衰弱？其实，如薄伽梵说的，“老化提前到来，由于这些感官享乐促使我们变得衰弱。感官享乐使我们付出代价而其逆则不然。”这就是世俗欲望的结果。

高尚的欲望可称之为指标、志望、目标和目的。如果如愿以偿，它们提供你一种成就感，一种感恩之情及巨大的满足感。倘若你获得崇高的成就，你赢得社会的尊重而人人都会向你看齐。无疑的，这是欲望的正的一面。但如果一个人的欲望是不好的，低贱的，那么那个人就受到同样的社会的谴责和唾弃。因此，怀持好的欲望是绝对必需的，这样你才能得到幸福，平和，健康和安适。从伟大的叙事诗中我们拥有很多这样的例子，如罗波那（Ravana）以其邪恶欲望见称，难敌（Duryodhana）则以其骄慢贪婪著称，他时时刻刻都想攫取属于般达瓦（Pandava）合法的份儿。我们不应该犯上这样的低贱欲望而企图占有他人的资产和拥有物。这样的坏欲望剥夺我们心境的平和与明辨是非的意识。通过这种不良欲望和邪恶计谋所获得的任何事物都不会持久且不会带来任何好的声誉。

薄伽梵在祂的神圣讲道中常提醒我们有关斯里阿迪商羯罗（Sri Adi Sankara）的教导。阿迪商羯罗在其“Prasnothari”（问与答）中说，知足者最富，具无穷欲望者最贫。应该把心念锻炼与调整成乐天知命的境况。薄伽梵峇峇说，即便一个人被剥夺了拥有四轮汽车或两轮机车的机会，他也应该感到快乐，因为上天赐予他一双能自由步行的腿。祂更进一步说，人不应该因得不到‘千万’（泰卢固语是Koti）而感遗憾，他应该因有足够赖以生存的粮食（泰卢固语是Kooti）而感庆幸。限制欲望于一个程度是在所必需的。薄伽梵幽默地说，我们应该遵守铁道局所标明的一句格言 -- 行李少，舒适多，旅途就愉快。在这漫长的人生旅途里，我们应该因欲望的行李稀少而感到舒适与愉快。如果我们不去限制欲望，最后该是什么结果呢，我们会失去生命的实际意义及每一个欲望的目标 -- 愉快。

如果我向你们叙述赛文献里的一则有关的故事，那是再适合不过的事了。有一次，一个贫穷者寻求一个得道者的赐福，使他成为富者。得道者于是告诉那贫穷者，他会吩咐一个恶魔提供他所要求的一切，但有一个条件，就是他必须不断地要求，如果基于任何原因而停止要求，恶魔就会把他生吞下肚。那贫穷者认为要求恶魔施恩对他而言没什么大不了，因为他有无穷的欲望。然后他一一地把他的欲望传达给恶魔，恶魔几乎紧凑地照料其所需，丝毫没有耽搁。终于到了他的欲望名单的尽头了。他已经得到心里所能想象到的一切。他到了没有任何欲望的境况，应为一切已经如愿以偿。一如与得道者所达成的协议，恶魔正准备把他吞下。在极端惶恐之下，他开始逃遁，恶魔如鬼魂般地纠缠着他。他狂乱地寻找那得道者，幸运地他终于找到了得道者。他拜倒在得道者的足前，央求得道者解决这严重问题。得道者同情地告诉他，树立起一根柱子并叫恶魔不断地爬上爬下直到另一个指示，使他免于被恶魔吞噬的命运。在此，柱子可比为人的生命，恶魔可比为人的心念，不断爬上爬下的过程可比为持名（Namasmarana），不然的话，‘恶魔心念’会不断地追逐永无止境的，无谓的世俗欲望。

我也想起赛文献的另一则故事。一天，一个村民经过浓密的森林步行到另一个邻村。他一度感到疲倦而坐在树下休息，他并不知道那是一棵偿愿树（Kalpavriksha）。他一感口渴，清凉的饮用水立即出现在他面前。他一感饥饿，美味佳肴随即到来。他一想睡，舒适的床就出现。他睡下打算休息一段时间。在那一刻，他想到了他的妻子，对着他微笑。他的妻子出现站在他面前。现在他怀疑站在他面前的是否真的是他的妻子；说不定她可能是个妖魔。他甚感害怕，认为那妖魔会杀了他。如其所思，他被杀害。所以，即便欲望一一得到实现和满足，也不能保证安全和保障。它可能带来死亡，一如故事所述。因此，我们应该反复地检讨我们的欲望并加以控制之，因为它们可能会危害我们的生命。

最重要的，我们应该知道，我们每一个人都应该拥有一个欲望。为了自己的利益，我们应该培育之。那欲望是什么？是对神和神恩的欲望。一旦我们获得神恩，其余一切就跟着来了。圣经说，“寻求神的国，其他一切就会加给你们了。”（译注：马太福音6：33）薄伽梵举一个令人信服的一张一百卢比钞票的例子。一张一百卢比钞票可取代一大堆等值的一万个派士（paise）的铜板；钞票很轻，放在口袋里即可，而铜板甚重，不易携带，当然应该换成钞票了。同样，钞票是神的恩典，等同于一万个‘欲望’的派士。所以神的恩典是重要的。我们应该怀持神恩的欲望。薄伽梵再举一个有关一棵树的例子。我们只需灌溉树根，所灌溉的水分自然会传达到树的各个部分。不是吗？我们不必灌溉树叶，树枝，花和果实。同理，对神，万物的根基，要有坚定的信心和爱。然后你生活中的一切就会得到照顾了。

无欲是最高的境界。薄伽梵说，生命 - 欲望 = 神，生命 + 欲望 = 人。你和神是被欲望分开的。你跟祂的一体性和同一性因欲望而丧失了。欲望是世俗的而体验是二元的。无欲是灵性的而且是非二元的。无欲是平等心，平静和福乐的一个境界。只有在你超越身、心、智之后，这才可能办到。无私，无条件的爱，牺牲和恻隐之心帮助我们达到无欲的境界。对神绝对而不动摇的信心及完全的降服引领我们到达无欲的境界。就让我们朝向那境界而努力，而祈祷，而生活吧！

谢谢大家，赛罗姆。

取自《薄伽梵斯里沙迪亚赛峇峇普及和实用的教导》第18章

Desire the Desire

With pranams at the lotus feet of Bhagavan.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let me thank our Lord and God for bringing us again here, this morning to this place. I seek your permission to talk on ‘Desires’. During the discussions to follow, we will go deep, into the origin of desires, where they lead to, types of desires, the need to develop good desires, the reason to have a ceiling on our desires, the best desire for everyone to cultivate and finally the state of desirelessness.

In India saints, seers and aspirants have chosen forests for penance, meditation and such other spiritual paths. Their performance has always been in isolation and solitude. Even today we find many, spending their lives in caves, far from the maddening crowd. Bhagavan explains the reason clearly with an illustration. When anyone goes to a market or an exhibition, a number of attractive and beautiful things, gift articles, decorative pieces etc., are on display for sale. Anyone feels like buying them on seeing, according to the taste and choice. As you go around different stalls your attention is drawn to anyone of them, you are attracted and ultimately you buy. Whereas to a person who does not go there, attraction towards the exhibits and the subsequent purchases are out of question.

Similarly, we are attracted by many things around us, because of the senses, since we are living in a society full of luxuries, pomp, show, vanity, exhibitionism, false dignity, prestige, class and status consciousness. But the position of saints of yore, is different, since the life of a recluse is not exposed to any sensual, worldly, mundane and fleeting pleasures. Therefore, it is clear that the main centre of all our desires is the senses that interact with the objective world. Plainly speaking, worldly desires are due to ignorance, which deludes adding to this body attachment; possessiveness and greed are illusory. In the modern world we find unhealthy competition in acquisition, possessions and positions, and the desires are increasing day by day in geometric proportion. There are only two alternatives left at this stage. Either one should spend his life time drowned in endless desires, struggling for their fulfillment or feel disgruntled and disappointed for not being able to realize the dreams that do not come true.

One fundamental truth is that the desires will never be satisfied. They do not come to an end at any stage of life irrespective of scholarship and age, sky being the limit. With the result, man is caught in the tangled web of life and dies there, because of endless desires. He is burdened and loaded and starts feeling the heaviness at a later stage. But, he is helpless as it is too late to undo what has been already done. Sometimes the people around him add fuel to the fire, for some reason he cannot get out of it. Further, mounting worry, anxiety and tension spoil the health of the person in the process. So much so, by the time he is anywhere near the target he will be denied the fruits of his efforts, because he is laid on bed owing to hypertension, cardiac problems and diabetes! In other words time and life are spent in acquiring and hoarding.

As the body cannot withstand mental stress and strain and physical hard work for a prolonged period, he necessarily falls ill. It means we feel happy, not in being happy, but only with the idea of happiness. This is sheer madness. Then, a person who cannot use money either for his own self or for others, but goes on earning money is as good as or as bad as a person without money. The only difference is the mind. The rich man feels he has money while a poor man feels that he has no money. But, both are the same when it comes to experience. We often feel that we will be better off and life will be trouble free and absolutely comfortable with properties and riches. But in reality it is not true. Very few rich people can claim to be happy in the true sense of the word.

Bhagavan mentions many situations in support of this statement. You may be rich enough to buy a Dunlop bed and a beautiful cot for rest, but you cannot buy sleep. You can afford to go to a five star restaurant for lunch or dinner, where many delicious and costly items are served. But you cannot buy appetite. A rich man may eat costly food and a poor man may appease his hunger with gruel, but the appetite is same. A cool drink to a well-to-do person and tap water to a beggar are the same and quench the first equally. There may be the difference of drink, but the thirst is the same. End is same, but the means are different.

With all that is said and done, I feel that desires will make your life miserable. This may appear silly and meaningless to those who say that the demands of the senses are met with if a person is rich, all in the name of enjoyment. On analysis we will realise that this is not true. We are not enjoying with our senses. If we really derive joy out of sensual pleasures, why should we become weak at the end? Why do we lose energy and why should we age or feel weak? In fact, as Bhagavan says, “Old age is advanced because of these sensual pleasures making us weak. Senses enjoy at our expense and not vice-versa.” This is the result of worldly desires.

Lofty and noble desires may be termed as aims, aspirations, goals and objectives. They give you a sense of achievement, a spirit of gratification and immense satisfaction if such desires are fulfilled. You win the admiration of the entire society, and people look to you as an ideal and example if you are highly accomplished. Undoubtedly, this is the positive side of desires. But if the desires are bad, low and mean the person will be condemned by the same society, and he will be ignored or defamed. Therefore, there is every need to entertain good desires so as to be happy, peaceful, healthy and good. We have many instances from our great epics, like Ravana known for his evil desires (lust), Duryodhana for his pride and greed, who planned all the time to grab the rightful and legal share of Pandavas. We should not be guilty of such low desires as to intend to possess other’s properties and belongings. Such bad desires rob us of our peace and sense of discrimination and discretion. Even if anything is obtained or achieved though such bad desires and evil designs, it will not stay long and bring any credit to the recipient.

Bhagavan in His Divine discourses often reminds us of the teachings of Sri Adi Sankara. Adi Sankara said in his “Prasnothari” that the richest man in this world is the one who has contentment, while the poorest man is the one who has limitless desires. Mind should be so trained and tuned as to be contented with the lot given. Bhagavan Baba says that instead of feeling deprived of a car or a two-wheeler, one should feel happy to have been gifted with two legs to walk safely. He further adds that man should not feel sorry for not having one crore (Koti – in Telugu), on the other hand he should be happy that he has enough to sustain life (Kooti – food in Telugu). There is every need to put a ceiling on our desires. Bhagavan says humorously that we should follow the maxim of railways – less luggage more comfort, make travel a pleasure. In this long journey of life we shall be comfortable and happy with less luggage of desires. Ultimately what happens is, if we not put a check on desires, we will lose the very purpose of life and the aim of every desire i.e., happiness.

It is not out of place if I narrate to you a story from Sai literature in this connection. Once a very poor man sought the blessings of a Sadhu so that he would become rich. The Sadhu then told him that he would instruct a demon that would start giving all that he asked for, on one condition that he should demand continuously, and if he stopped demanding it for any reason, the demon would swallow him. The poor man thought that it was no big deal for him to ask for boons and get them granted by the demon, as he had endless desires. Then he conveyed his desires one after another to the demon that was almost chasing him and attending to his needs. There came a stage when the man’s list was exhausted. He got all that he wanted to the extent that his mind could visualise. There arose a situation when he had no more to desire as everything was provided as and when demanded. The demon was ready to swallow him as per the condition laid down by the Sadhu. Being in total panic he started running as the demon haunted him. He searched frantically for the same Sadhu and luckily met him. He fell at his feet and begged him to provide a solution to this serious problem. The Sadhu compassionately told him to erect a pole and instruct the demon to climb up and down repeatedly until further orders so as to save himself from the jaws of death at the hands of the demon. Here pole can be compared to human life, demon to human mind and the process of climbing up and down repeatedly to namasmarana (chanting of God’s name), otherwise the ‘devil mind’ would be engaged constantly in running after endless futile worldly desires.

I am also reminded of another story from Sai literature. One day, a villager went to another neighbouring village on foot passing through a dense forest. He felt tired at one stage and sat under a tree. He did not know that the tree under which he sat was kalpavriksha or wish-fulfilling tree. He felt thirsty and cool drinking water appeared in front of him. Nice delicious food came to him as and when he felt hungry. He felt sleepy and a cosy ‘Dunlop’ bed was found and he lay down intending to take rest for some time. At that moment he thought of his wife chuckling to himself. She stood before him as the tree was kalpavriksha. Now he doubted whether the person before him was really his wife; if she could possibly be a demon. Out of fear, he thought that the demon would kill him. Exactly as he thought, he was killed. So, even if the desires are fulfilled one after the other it is no guarantee for safety and security. It may even lead to death as in the story. Therefore, time and again we should decide to put a check on our desires and control them, as they would endanger our lives.

Above all, we should know that everyone of us should have one desire. We should cultivate and develop it in our own interest. What is that desire? It is the desire for God and His grace. When once we have God’s grace, everything will follow. The Holy Bible says, “Seek ye the kingdom of God, everything else will be added unto you”. Bhagavan gives a very convincing example of a hundred rupee currency note. Instead of carrying ten thousand paise (coins) in a bundle which will be too heavy to carry we can convert the change into currency note of one hundred rupees and it is so easy and light in weight as to be kept in our pocket. Similarly currency note is God’s grace, which equals ten thousand paise of desires. So God’s grace is important. We should have that desire for God’s grace. Bhagavan gives another example of a tree. We water roots and the water on its own is translocated to different parts of the tree. Is it not? We do not water leaves, branches, flowers and fruits. Similarly, have firm faith and love for God, the basis of creation. Then everything else in your life will be taken care of.

The highest state is to be desireless. Bhagavan says Life – Desire = God; Life + Desire = Man. You and God are separated by desire. Your identity and oneness with Him are lost because of desires. Desires are worldly and experiences are dual. Desirelessness is spiritual and non-dual. Desirelessness is a state of equanimity, tranquility and bliss. This is possible only if one transcends body, mind and intellect. Selflessness, unconditional love, sacrifice and compassion help us to be desireless. Absolute, unwavering faith in God and total surrender lead to a state of desirelessness. Let us strive, pray and live to attain that state.

Thank you, Sai Ram.

Universal & Practical Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Chapter 18