Uncovering the mind
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
763
[Continued from yesterday]
[Pravrajika] Atmaprana [the first Sannyasini (Hindu nun) of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]: An Incarnation [Avatar] doesn't think like us, planning and doubting and so on . . .
Swamiji: That's why I use the word 'spontaneous'. Otherwise he is not the child of nature. Swami Vivekananda said, 'Sri Ramakrishna is a child of nature fashioned by Mother Nature herself.' He didn't think, 'I must practise this religion and that religion, therefore unity of religions.' He just did what was natural to him.
Do you think a child thinks of walking? The child never thinks of walking. It's natural in the child that he starts walking. Just like it is natural for the eyes to start seeing, it is natural for the ears to start hearing, so it is natural for the mind to be captured as an individual soul.
For years I had thoughts like: If there are eyes then why don't some people have eyes in the back of their heads, or one eye on the side and so on. [laughter] How is it that everyone gets eyes in the same place?' You may not think like this but I did.
Do you understand what I mean about individual soul? Good, because when you read about this in the scriptures it will confirm what I am saying. It won't bring doubt. Once you read it somewhere, it will come.
Devotee: At what stage when the individual soul comes down from Consciousness does it crystallize into mind?
Swamiji: No. We can't say that. We can only say that if we start from evolution state (which means from down going up) it is most conducive to the mind being in that form, so that it can reach its highest. There is mind in the animal too, but it is dormant. By instinct they are led. A very minute part of the mind is called instinct.
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham