Master-Disciple Relationship Is The Most Tenacious...It is a Trap !

                               Lao Tzu Statue ( Mount Qingyuan)

                      ("Laozi 002" by Thanato - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

“When the Master governs, the people
are hardly aware that he exists.
Next best is a leader who is loved.
Next, one who is feared.
The worst is one who is despised.”

 -Tao Teh Ching, Lao Tzu, Chapter 17, (Translation: S. Mitchel)   

  

  The beauty of Taoist wisdom is its pragmatism and penetrating clarity. Come to think of it, this amazing revelation of Lao Tzu about rulers and leaders is equally true and valid about spiritual teachers as well.

 The greatest spiritual teachers are only known to exist, one rarely chances upon them; the next rung are known and praised; the lesser ones are feared and finally, the inferior ones or conmen are despised or loathed.  

                                            

   Think of your closest friend who has acquired some secret medical knowledge & remedies! Looking at your physical condition, he gathers that you might fall sick! He gently, without a hint, persuades you to replenish your vitality by supplying nutrition, through appropriate food & drink, gradually & eventually restoring you back to pink of health. He does a cure with finesse and flourish while you remain blissfully unaware of either your sickness or its tacit cure!

This singular compassion and service, offered informally, in a friendly and sporting way, will ensure that you will not discover that he is your real doctor or that he has cured your unknown disease!

Akin to these kind of ‘secret doctors’ are real sages like Ramana or Ramakrishna. The real ones do not announce their learning and lead obscure lives ! They live as one amongst us without a hint about their greatness but secretly, silently and relentlessly work for the benefit of the people! 

It requires real guts and gumption to debunk recognition, reputation and a place in the sun! Only the real sage is endowed with such courage!

           Contrast the matchless services of the unsung doctor in the 'guise and garb' of your friend who cures your disease with the marketplace physician who craves for reputation! This second class doctor has a cure but can help only after you have fallen sick! He enjoys name and fame and boasts of a reputable clinic. They are akin to the gurus with a foundation or ashram.  Alas, their energies are divided between services to humanity and the upkeep of the organisation , a token of self-aggrandisement!

            

Coming now to the the last category: the lowest and most inferior classes of physicians! They are like the charlatans and quacks peddling bogus drugs that induce more diseases!  They declare that you are sick when healthy and coerce you to enrol in their clinics. They dare you not to visit or consult others! Our spiritual bazaar is rich with many such examples.     

   

The real sage or a true master (or a Sadguru) needs no ashram or foundation or forum or properties or books or followers. He has no agenda, no axe to grind, no investment to make! No show off,  no pomp and power play for him! He regards them as obstacles in his noble & silent, nameless & faceless services to humanity.

UG declared, “I have no message for mankind”! Unlike gurus hankering after followers, he roared, “Don’t follow me, I am lost myself !” If he discovered a lot of foot wear outside his door signalling too many visitors, he would shout, " I don't like the stench of an ashram!"To those who craved for his advice, he said, “Get lost and stay lost!”

To the Prime Ministers, Governors or leaders who wanted to meet him, he reiterated that he had no message of any kind but gently added that they were welcome to visit him minus their daunting 'Z plus' security arrangements. He always chose middle class residential places as his portals so common folk could visit him freely and openly. He abhorred the idea of high-security VIP movements that disturbed normal life in the vicinity of his place that inconvenienced ordinary people. 

Once genial Rajiv Gandhi, ex-PM agreed to let off his guard and meet UG as per his terms but was restrained by his security men who feared for his life.

Anyone, regardless of his or her station in life could meet and interact with UG. His doors were always open to sincere and honest seekers. The serious and the curious made a beeline to his portals. 

Our friend Raghavendra once remarked, “With UG, the doors were always open, anyone could walk in and walk out! Just think of other gurus and ashrams, once you are inside, the doors are closed shut…you are trapped inside!”

Having associated with spiritual guides and teachers for some decades, I couldn’t agree more with UG, who had once remarked at my predicament, “Among all relationships, the guru-shishya (master-disciple) relationship is the most tenacious ! It is a trap! Not everybody is lucky to escape the trap!”

I Really Don't Know

I Really Don't Know "- UG

This incident was narrated by Mahesh Bhatt.

UG once stayed in the hill resort of Kodaikanal in South of India along with Parveen Babi, Valentine and others.

Mahesh took a break from his hectic film shoots and arrived from Bombay to meet UG and friends.

UG, on this trip, had a chronic attack of cold and cough that made him unable to speak even. Others in his company fell sick too.

Mahesh walked in to the resort to discover everyone sick and no one to talk to ! He felt very depressed.

The whole atmosphere was dull and sickening.

He decided to go out into the woods alone for a walk. For some reason ,he felt miserable. On reaching a lonely spot, a clearing, he stopped ! He had a strange feeling that someone was following him. He spun around and was shocked to find UG standing behind !

Mahesh stared speechlessly at UG, and UG responded, " All this makes no sense, isn't it?". Precisely what Mahesh felt strongly deep within him at that very moment.

Mahesh says, "My master was the only one who said, " I really don't know ! Every guru, every spiritual teacher makes you feel that you are ignorant and only they 'know' "

(Photograph Courtesy: Wendy Moorty )

'The Indian Express' is talking to 'The Hindu'

It looks like 'The Indian Express' is talking to 'The Hindu' - UG

Major Dakshinamurti, a close associate of UG, recalled an anecdote about the learned man's slavery! Today he leads a contented, self-sufficient life, all by himself, in total harmony with nature in a farmhouse near Bangalore with no TV, newspaper or Internet, the trappings of a gregarious life.

Major, a big-time votary of BBC for 30 years, prided himself on the 'borrowed' knowledge doled out by the popular radio station. Further, he religiously consumed write-ups by some leading columnists of the day in national dailies like The Indian Express, The Times of India etc.

Once in the presence of UG, Major got into a heated debate with another highly opinionated visitor on some mundane issue. The argument got escalated, at some point it even turned furious with each side trading counter-arguments.

UG chipped in at the right moment, “Major, it looks like 'The Indian Express' is talking to 'The Hindu’! (The two leading English dailies in India) You both blurt out what you read in your favourite columns. Tell me, in all this, is there anything that you can call your own? It is all borrowed opinion! Even the servant maid has her own world view! All these arguments are just empty and worthless, mere clash of opinions! "

For the sensible Major, this indeed was an eye-opener and he thenceforth gave up on all his favourite columns.

Most of us are willing victims! Every one has a personal favourite - a writer, a columnist, an anchor. As UG points out, we are unconsciously tied to the 'doctored' opinion of these worthies.

The Falling Leaf....

Mahesh Bhatt once recollected an incident in Coorg, Karnataka, South India, when he visited UG who was staying in a Tea Estate.

On a lonely path in the woods, there was this tall tree shedding leaves. UG and Mahesh stood transfixed watching the sight- the leaf got detached , started its last journey, swaying and dancing in the gentle wind for a while before finally hitting the ground.

UG turned to Mahesh standing glued to the sight of the silent, falling leaf and remarked, " MAHESH, IF THIS FALLING LEAF CAN'T TEACH YOU ABOUT LIFE, NO SCRIPTURE CAN!"

You are a frightened chicken with no govt. or policeman !

UG stayed for a few weeks in Mukesh Bhatt's ( Mahesh Bhatt's brother ) flat in Mumbai, during the late 90s.

It was evening time. A motley crowd had gathered around UG. Mahesh Bhatt who was missing from action since morning trooped in. After greeting UG in a loud voice, he settled down on a nearby settee. He seemed to be in a great mood, looking for some fun! There was a sudden surge in energy and a lot of expectation in the air!

With Mahesh around, invariably UG would light up! Mahesh teased out the very best of UG’s invincible repartee! 

As eloquent and articulate as ever, Mahesh began his speech, along the lines of a TV anchor,

“ Sir ! Please tell us what do you think will happen to the biggest democracy in the world? Elections are over, the results are coming in. My sources are telling me that it will be yet another hung parliament like last time! Things are not going well for us  poor Indians! They say you are an enlightened man, you are also holding an Indian passport, but you sit here the whole day and keep talking , you don’t seem to be really bothered about the man on the street .. Come on! ….Time for you to act….Act now…..Tell us how as an enlightened man, you can really help the suffering millions? We are subjected to this torture of elections and now this hung parliament ! I demand an answer….. !”

UG flared up ,

“ Hey mister, you are telling me about those suffering people? Take a look at yourself first! What about the millions you have amassed? Your millions came from those poor people, people on the street, from those slum dwellers ( pointing in the direction of slums in the neibhourhood ) they are the ones who made you rich and famous! They don’t mind paying any amount in black to see your B grade movies!

Get this and get this straight ! You are least bothered about those people. The fact is you are scared of hung parliament ! Not they! They couldn’t care if there is a parliament, hung parliament or no parliament! They know very well none will really help them! It is you - rich and filthy bastards, who are afraid that without a parliament, there would be no government! You are afraid that these guys next door ( slum dwellers ) will crash into your houses , attack your wealth and finish off everything that you have accumulated. You are scared that without a government, with no law and order, these guys might loot your houses, steal everything from you… You are a frightened chicken! You are utterly selfish and you need a government , you need the policeman, to safeguard your millions, to save your skin! Don’t you tell me that you are concerned about the people on the street…you only think of yourself and your money all the time…nothing else…don’t talk of a hung parliament …don’t give me the crap !”

     UG’s exposé on democracy was a lesson on the shallowness of the celebrated institution!

" Those who do not worry about the chaos of the world but enjoy order in their own bodies, can be engaged in the conversation about the Way ( Tao or Life ) " - Lao Tzu

Gratitude, the crowning virtue !

"Great people are great, not because they do great things, because they do not ignore little things !"
                                                                                                                                                 - Lao Tzu

     UG's sense of gratitude was remarkable. He never once forgot to express his gratitude for even little acts of service that someone rendered. 

   Did UG allow anyone to serve him in the first place? Only towards the end, UG allowed the lucky Louis Brawley to serve him. Louis rendered outstanding personal services when UG turned into a 'lame duck' because of his injury. 

Generally, UG refused to depend on anything or anyone and lived according to his dictum, 'uncomplaining, uncompromising self reliance!' 

  Here is a small anecdote!

  My mother stayed with me for a few months in Mumbai in the early 90s. My  wife was off, visiting her parents.

  Late evening one day, I received a call from Kamal, our pilot friend. UG had sent a message that he would be transiting via Mumbai to London. He would be arriving from Singapore or some place in the early hours of next morning on his way to London. And that we should meet him at the transit-lounge.

    It was late evening and I told my mother that I would go to bed so I could leave home around 1 a.m. to meet UG.  Just to be sure, I kept alarm and soon fell asleep!

   I woke up in the middle of the night suddenly to  loud noises in the kitchen! I To my utter surprise, I found mother busy preparing idlis - favourite rice dish for UG! The lady had never met UG, she had come to know about him through my narrations and had great reverence for him.  

    She didn't go to bed at all on learning of UG's arrival! She had taken a head bath, in  typical Indian tradition of ladies who prepare food (bhiksha), an offering to the enlightened masters. She has served many a saffron clad swami and holy men who visited our home in her highly religious and dedicated life. 

    She was wrapped in a wet sari, a token of sanctification, for preparing the food offering !

    Finally she made a neat pack of the food and I took a local train to join Kamal at the airport. Soon, we saw UG emerging from the gate. With his disarming smile, he waved at us and came into the main lounge. He was a First Class traveler but preferred to sit in the commoners' lounge so we could all meet and chat over coffee. UG insisted on paying the bill but the ever devoted Kamal wouldn't allow that!

    I promptly handed him his pack of idlis that mother had prepared. UG thanked her profusely and said he would need only two idlis - one for his breakfast on the plane and the other for his lunch in London. We had coffee and chatted for a while. Finally both of us, like protocol officers, escorted UG, a VIP,  to his favourite seat, '1 A' on the Air India flight ( UG would say, "Sitting on 1 A , I will be the first to go in case of a nose landing or a crash")

 We bade him goodbye.

     I reckon that this happened over a weekend. Soon after reaching home, I promptly went to bed to catch up on my lost sleep.

      A few hours later, I woke me to a call from Kamal!

" Hey! UG called up from London, he has landed safely and asked me to convey this urgent message to your mom that he relished her wonderful idlis, one he had on the flight & the other soon after reaching the hotel. UG says to personally convey his gratitude and regards to your mother!"

      That was UG! 

 Having served many swamis and spiritual guides, who lacked this crowning human virtue, mom and self were overwhelmed by UG's sense of gratitude !!!

UG's Parting Remark.....

December 2006(?)!

It was late afternoon. I was in the office winding up for the day. 

Capt. Kamal, our pilot friend rang me on the cell phone, " Suresh, Listen ! UG asked me to book your tickets to B'lore and wants both of us to go and stay with him for a few days. Am in Delhi now and will join you there. Am booking our accommodation close to Babu's place in the Transit House. I am sending you the tickets , just apply for leave and be ready to fly tomorrow !"

A surprise invitation from UG! Next evening we found ourselves in Bangalore. I am ever grateful to kind Kamal for all his arrangements. 

I had traveled all the way from Bombay but never once felt like visiting my parents who were just an hour's drive from the transit house. I called them up, excused myself that this journey was exclusively to be with UG and I would be visiting them next time round!

The next few days were some of our best days ever with UG! His words, guidance in those days provided me with immense strength and succour to carry on with my life during the subsequent years. UG had said, " The next two years will be tumultuous years for you, I am concerned!" In a way, I was forewarned about my upcoming trials and tribulations!

 Everyday myself and Kamal would walk down to Chandrashekhar Babu's place around 5 O' clock in the morning to find UG, fresh like a jasmine would be in his 'hot seat', ! The 'shop' would be open and in full swing, The morning hours started solemnly with some melodious bhajans or devotional music and some hymn chanting. Chandrashekhar Babu,Uma Balaji, Nagesh and others were among the singers. Sometimes Kamal and myself lent our voices too!

  As the day progressed, huge crowds gathered and spilled out into the street. UG never disappointed anyone who came to hear him. He obliged one and all , he pumped up more  'lung power', raised his decibel levels high enough so everybody could hear him. UG, by then, had discarded his dentures but amazingly his 'toothless' words rang out sharp and clear into the distance.  

  Louis Brawley took the centre stage! He obliged UG by playing the 'court jester', kept everyone in splits through his jokes, repartee  and entertained UG by singing his compositions - 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' and other UG poems, embellished with a dash of his characteristic humour!  Everyone would join the chorus. It turned out to be non-stop fun! UG would also insist on other performances like dancing, mimicry, palmistry. At times, the fun took a bizarre turn, especially in case of Louis. He found himself at the receiving end with UG egging on small kids to smack his bald pate in full public view!

  Unlike in the past, the 'shop' went on into the night beyond the usual 9 O' clock closing hour ! It was a 'full house' at 11:00 PM, very unusual! Happy Hours extended !

  Finally the day arrived for our departure. Kamal departed early evening for Delhi and after a while my turn came to say bye to UG ! House was filled with people everywhere. I stood up, folded my palms in 'namaskar' and said, " UG , please permit me to take leave!" UG looked at me poignantly, after a pause, " When do I get to see you again ? ". It stirred me ! My answer was ready,  " Sir, whenever you want to see me!" He gave a knowing smile and feigning surprise turned to Chandrashekhar Babu, "Chandrasekhar, did you hear what he said!", Babu smiled! 

I reluctantly bid him goodbye and walked out,  it turned out, never to lay my eyes on him again!

(An aside :

Whenever someone said 'Bye' to UG, he simply dismissed him, "See you sometime, somewhere sir!" and looked away. The parting was sudden! UG would summarily dismiss you and never look back in your direction again. His saying, " out of sight, out of mind " was an operating reality in his life !

Instead, when he asked me, " When do I get to see you again ? ", it appeared uncharacteristic of UG, but as it turned out, it was a hint of his impending departure from the physical realm ! Perhaps he was aware that our tracks would never cross again!

When UG's death watch began in March in Vallecrosia, self and Kamal were in Bombay monitoring, getting constant updates and after a while, we finally learnt that the end came on the 22nd of March 2007! )

P.S.

I wish to throw some light on my reply to UG ,  " Sir, whenever you want to see me!" in a later post, as this was a learning from an earlier lesson in UG's 'training camp'!

UG and the Realm of the Essence

UG and the Realm of the Essence

Come to think of it - UG could very well be the  subject matter for open -minded researchers  any or all of these  - philosophers ( not the narrow academicians), scientists  especially the new breed of Cognitive Scientists - encompassing mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists , neuroscientists, psychologists thrashing out the Nature of Consciousness), Vedantins, Sociologists - in short any one serious about mind-matters! And UG simply brushed aside - 'Mind Does not Matter" Mind does not even exist!

The whole knowledge seeking pursuit of experts from every realm is at stake, in danger of receiving a lightning jolt, UG is tearing up , blasting the very bed-rock of one's life-time pursuit. 

With UG, all  questions stopped - they simply lost their steam! He mocked at us, teased us - pointed out that they were not even our questions! 

With UG there was no beating around the bush, no quoting from other sources, not even the privilege of relying on our own experiences - the very ground on which we stood gave way - "there is NOTHING TO ALL THIS  SIR" - this hit us like a ton of bricks! Knowledge is all about acquisition, here the very attempt at knowledge got booted out!!

Remember the timeless quote from Tao Teh Ching? 

" To accrue, to gather leads to knowledge; to diminish,to throw away leads to Tao"

UG conveyed this message without the words!

INSTRUCTION WAS ALWAYS  DiRECT, IMMEDIATE & PERSONAL - UG threw away all that was non-essential so we were left with the wordless ESSENCE !

Our hearts felt lightened, brains unburdened, uncluttered, we felt liberated, meeting him was indeed a healing and cleansing experience!