" If you don't use thought for any achievement, spiritual or otherwise, then it is not a burden " ~ UG

  

              Thought is the product of conditioning

            Thoughts are basically ‘processed’ memories, the residues of experiences gathered over a lifetime, the ‘leftovers’ from various interactions with the environment – both the physical (or natural) environment as well as the social (or cultural) environment. In other words, ‘thought’ is the product of either the ‘physical conditioning’ or the ‘cultural conditioning’. 

            Conditioning is the mechanism of adaptation of the entity in a given environment. Our ‘infant to adult’ journey is one of accrual or accumulation of thoughts (knowledge) or the amassing of experiences or learnings about both our natural and cultural environments. 

    The ‘natural conditioning’ occurs in case of all lifeforms including humans while they adapt to the physical environment. Whereas the cultural or ‘social conditioning’ is peculiar to the human race. It is a superimposition on top of natural conditioning making humans not only unique but also volatile and unpredictable. 

Conditioning midwives 'thought', the tool or the instrument essential for operating, functioning within a given environment. This indeed is the true function or utility of thought. 

Instead of being a powerful tool for adaptation and survival, thought could very well turn into a weapon when employed as a means to control or influence or dominate over others or the natural order of things: “Thought is your enemy” ~ UG.

Phobias & Psychological Fears

Specifically, thoughts of fear or phobias are the result of physical or natural conditioning. Whether it is acrophobia or the fear of heights, or aquaphobia or the fear of drowning, pyrophobia or the fear of fire, all these are natural and valid fears. They ensure that the physical entity survives and does not suffer any harm or danger in the natural environment. 

On the other hand, the psychological or thought-induced fears like the fear of loss, the fear of humiliation, the fear of guilt or shame are all artificial fears, born of culture. This is peculiar to humans; animals do not suffer this fate. 

Human journey is pivoted around the social or cultural conditioning. In fact, our education is all about gathering or studying thoughts, the thoughts of others – the thoughts of wise men and women from every walk of life since the beginning of time. World’s libraries are flooded with thoughts of leaders, achievers, scientists, inventors, philosophers, saints and sages from ages. They have tremendous influence on our thoughts and actions to this day. 

Even the social or cultural environment is soaked or charged or contaminated with human thought: “We are surrounded by what I call the ‘world mind’ or the ‘thought sphere” ~ UG. 

Every human, in a way, is a tiny repository of the cumulative knowledge of humans since time immemorial, the product of centuries of human thought. Every social or cultural interaction is a means of exchange or transmission or dissemination of thoughts or ideas. As societal creatures, no wonder we can never be free of thoughts even for a moment.

Lack of purpose or goal reduces the burden of thoughts

In the audio clip, UG points out exactly when thoughts stop being functional, instead turning into inimical agents. This happens when there is an agenda or a purpose or a motive to achieve a certain goal, either material or spiritual.

" The achievement you are interested in, is made possible but not guaranteed through this instrument called ‘thinking’...

Thought is the material, the idea that there is something to be achieved, the goal is fixed. So, what you are doing is putting these thoughts together to achieve that goal. That's all that you are doing. You are thinking. So, this material (thought or knowledge) has been supplied to you, by the claimants (the achievers) who talked about this.” ~ UG

Thoughts are generally random, not binding or burdensome. Every moment, some thoughts appear and disappear depending on our situation, depending on the people who we meet with or interact with. But mostly thoughts are ‘disjointed or disconnected’, flowing in a free-wheeling mode. Random, with no real purpose or focus, they completely lack any substance or momentum. 

The whole equation changes when there is a strong motivation or desire to achieve a particular objective or goal. Thoughts then get focused, turn purposeful and forceful coalescing into a formidable ‘will’. Willful thoughts get propelled into motion towards achieving the desired goal or result. They acquire tremendous power and gather enormous momentum. UG calls this ' the movement of knowledge’.

Incidentally the 'movement of knowledge' wreaks havoc on our lives by simulating the powerful and stubborn illusion of a virtual reality, the false appearance of the 'knower' or the 'doer' or the 'achiever' or the ‘self’. “Self is nothing but the movement of knowledge” ~ UG. 

Yes, thoughts in motion create the illusion of the ‘thinker’ just like the still images or drawings when set into motion give rise to the illusion of Tom and Jerry.

In the clip, UG deconstructs the ‘self’ or the ‘you’ through yet another simple, profound observation,

“If you don't use that (thought) for any achievement, spiritual or otherwise, then it is not a burden. Then it (thought) becomes disconnected and disjointed. The continuity (of the 'self'), the demand to continue through the repetition of the thought is not there. You have to experience that (thought) again and again and again (to feed the illusion of the ‘self’). Otherwise, ‘you’ are not there” ~ UG

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Audio Clip

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Audio Transcription

Q: The changes in thought, frequent changes in thought show that they (thoughts) have no basis.

UG: No, you see, the use of thoughts to achieve something is the problem. Whether it is material achievement or spiritual achievement. You call it a spiritual achievement, but the instrument which you are using is matter.

And so, this so-called desire to achieve a spiritual goal is also materialistic. So, both of them are finished for you.

Q: Thought should cease.

UG: Thought will not cease. Thought is not the instrument.

Q: What is the instrument?

UG: There is no instrument at all. The achievement you are interested in, is made possible but not guaranteed through this instrument called ‘thinking’.

Q: True, what exactly is the material?

Thought is the material, the idea that there is something to be achieved, the goal is fixed. So, what you are doing is putting these thoughts together to achieve that goal. That's all that you are doing. You are thinking. So, this material has been supplied, to you, by the claimants who talked about this.

Q: Granted,

UG: That's all. You are using that. So, then what is the question?

Q: Then, you see, is the ‘thought condition’ in which I am, itself, is satisfactory, for life?

UG: It is. It is

It is. If you don't use that for any achievement, spiritual or otherwise, then it is not a burden. Then it becomes disconnected and disjointed. The continuity, the demand to continue through the repetition of the thought is not there. You have to experience that again and again and again. Otherwise ‘you’ are not there. 

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Tao Teh Ching

Chapter 3

Do not glorify the achievers (or chase after goals)
So, the people will not squabble
Do not treasure goods that are hard to obtain
So, the people will not become thieves
Do not show the desired things
So, their hearts will not be confused

Thus, the governance of the sage:
Empties their hearts (or minds)
Fills their bellies (or fills their essence)
Weakens their ambitions
Strengthens their bones

Let the people have no cunning and no greed
So those who scheme will not dare to meddle
Act without contrivance (or scheme or plan)
And nothing will be beyond control (all actions will be natural and harmonious)

(Derek Lin)

Source: https://taoism.net/tao-te-ching-online-translation/

(Tao of UG - Chapter 3)

" By trying to plan every action, man becomes a poisonous worm. " ~ Babu reminisces about UG

    

     

    The following is an excerpt from Chandrasekhar Babu's journal, 'Stopped In Our Tracks - Third Series'.  It is a wonderful piece of eloquent writing that captures the real essence of UG's talks over the years. 

    The writeup is powerful and insightful, a true reflection of the openness and receptivity of the author. The simplicity and clarity of these lines are truly impactful.    

****

    Man uses his every action, thought and experience to seek pleasure. The search for pleasure has the only aim of maintaining the continuity of the ‘I’ without a break. 

    When we notice that our attempts are, even in sorrow, worry and depression, to make the ‘I’ continue, we must also count them as part of the search for pleasure. 

    It is as much a pleasure movement when the devotee pines for God’s mercy, when the spiritual aspirant yearns for oneness while struggling in duality, unable to achieve unity with the animate and inanimate world, as when the lover trembles in eagerness for the bliss of his beloved’s embrace. 

    We seek pleasure especially in the food we try to find, prepare and fill our bellies with. The body doesn’t know what we eat, nor does it care. The body doesn’t know hunger. Hunger is a chemical event. If thought does not translate the chemical event that occurs when the blood glucose level drops to a certain level as ‘hunger’, we wouldn’t be anxious to fill our stomachs; and in that condition there wouldn’t be any debate in the body about what to eat and what not to eat. The body grabs whatever is within its reach. It won’t be eager to hoard for the next day. 

    All that food worry is only for the false, delusional individuality, for the separate identity called the ‘I’ that this culture and civilization have created in the body. That individuality constantly - every moment, day and night - fights with the mechanism of the body to assert its separate existence. It needs permanence. It must always survive. It must live higher and higher, wealthier and wealthier, happier and happier. Even if one’s body is in ruins, is decomposed or dead, it must continue to live at least in another body.

    Immortality and permanence, living forever, these are the primary goals of this 'existence'. It is thanks to these goals that man has become a pleasure seeker. 

    By trying to plan every action based on wanting to secure his happiness, his pleasure, his satisfaction, he becomes a poisonous worm, destroying the whole of creation which supports his body. The body tries to shake off this poisonous worm with all its might. It is this struggle which the 'individual' experiences as fear, anxiety, disease and psychosomatic illnesses.

    

When the struggle with the body stops, the individuality called 'I' will disappear. It will appear only when it is necessary for the protection of the body. At other times, it is merged with the mechanisms of the body with no separate existence of its own; and it does not separate itself from this creation and struggle in duality; it lives quietly, united with life. In that state there is no 'pleasure movement'. There is no search for pleasure. That's the natural state of each one of us. That's what I feel UG is saying.

   

    The guy called Chandrasekhar is a squatter there [in that body]; he is an alien. He is a thief who is trying to appropriate [that body]. The body mechanism tries with all its might to expel him. From time to time, human culture and civilization pour life into 'him' (the self), seeking to maintain him permanently. 

    What you call life is only the struggle between these two conflicting goals. The body is not concerned about Chandrasekhar's likes and dislikes. In fact, whatever he likes are like poison to the body. Still, he imposes them on the body. He wants to impose them forcibly and lock in his experience of pleasure permanently. The body pushes it all out as shit. The thoughts that come into his head, it throws out through the mouth as verbal shit. 

    This is why wise men command us to sit quietly shutting up both the top and bottom orifices. Yesterday UG demonstrated this truth so forcefully that it has left a deep and lasting impression on our minds.

    ****

    The title of Babu's book, 'Stopped In Our Tracks' describes the exact state of those who were associated with UG for a length of time. 

    UG took the wind off the sails, putting an end to the torture of needless spiritual shopping and guru hopping. Interactions with UG, sometimes resulted in tremendous amounts of friction and heat. But all this was indeed an act of supreme empathy. He 'stopped people in their tracks' averting the many dangers and disasters associated with spiritual pursuits and self-seeking gurus. 

****

Happy Guru Poornima

"If you are lucky, you get out of the trap of knowledge" ~ UG

    

    In this audio clip (please scroll down to the bottom), UG deconstructs 'knowledge', uncovering its true nature and exposing its serious limitations. 

    Knowledge or 'intellectual wealth' is considered the pinnacle of human achievement, setting us apart from the rest of creation. This is made possible, thanks largely to our 'plastic brain' (the 'neocortex' or the 'gray matter') that sits atop the old limbic-reptilian brain complex. It is the most pliable or the 'biologically programmable' cortical structure, that forms our cognitive or intellectual apparatus. 

    

    'Brain plasticity' refers to the flexibility or pliability of the brain cells or neurons in the cortex that grow, regrow, shrink, connect or reconnect in trillion different ways with other cells in the brain to form powerful neuronal networks to achieve new functionalities or capabilities. 

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    An aside:

 

Scientific research has clearly established the fact that any learning or cognitive undertaking results in the growth of tens of thousands of new dendritic connections (finger like projections) at the terminus of each neuron. A single neuron is known to grow anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand new connections (like the roots of a tree) whenever we embark on a new learning journey. Each brain cell then begins to grow new 'fingers' that reach out and form new associations with thousands of other neurons in different parts of the brain. This results in the acquisition of new capabilities or skillsets for the learner.

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    Yes, 'brain programming' or 'rewiring' is found to be the direct consequence of academic learning or environmental conditioning. This incredible biological adaptation to new environments or new experiences has not only helped humans to survive and thrive in challenging and hostile environments but it has helped us to undertake incredible intellectual adventures. 

    The human aspiration to explore 'life' or 'nature' or 'reality' is therefore, grounded in brain biology, in the uncharted wilderness of gray matter. 

    The pursuit of reality has uncovered many a secret of nature in the form of scientific or technical knowledge, giving us its many wonderful treasures. But on the flipside, it has also resulted in human overreach, the audacity to play god, to lord over all other forms of life, and to plunder and pollute the planet. 

    Yes, exploration of reality has gone awry and turned into exploitation of nature. 

****

    'Knowledge' is nothing but the enormous 'information dump' left behind by the pursuit of 'reality', human inquiry into the physical, or the metaphysical. 

    There are a number of paths or approaches to reality, including that of the scientist or the philosopher or the seeker etc., throwing up enormous amounts of 'intellectual litter'. UG refers to this knowledge dump as the 'world mind'. 

    'World mind' is thus the sum and substance of all that humans have thought, felt and experienced . It foms the very foundation of human knowledge and culture. We are all mere puppets in a culture-soaked, knowledge-driven society where information dictates every aspect of our daily life. 

    Knowledge has bestowed upon us many gifts, comforts and conveniences, but has also created the bomb and other weapons of mass destruction. It has become the albatross around our necks. The onus is entirely on us, individually and collectively, to beware of its limitations, and to steer clear of its dangers and traps. 

    Knowledge is a humungous repository of answers or solutions distilled from human exploration into various aspects of life or reality. Unfortunately, we have not found any answers or solutions to the burning problems of greed, anger, jealousy, inequality, racism, hatred, wars etc. These are the 'problems of living' (UG) born in relationships and interactions.

    There is no 'silver bullet' or 'one-size-fits-all' solution for living problems. 

    Each individual is unique, coming from an entirely different background. Each of us is saddled with peculiar circumstances, problems and challenges. Overwhelmed and helpless, we begin to seek answers or solutions from external sources. But we soon discover that all borrowed answers are woefully inadequate to address our unique challenges. Saddled with incomplete or incompatible answers, we fall into an abyss of self-doubt and despair. This sets off an avalanche of new questions. 

    We fail to see the beauty of this simple truism,  

    "All your questions are born of answers (given out by others)" ~ UG

    " So, what is necessary is not to find out the answer for the question, but understand that the question which you are asking, posing yourself and putting it to somebody is born out of the answer (knowledge) you already have, which is the knowledge."~ UG  

    What we fail to see is that majority of our problems are basically the 'problems of choice', rooted entirely in our own likes, dislikes, prejudices or biases.  

     For UG, all human 'problems' are nothing more than 'conflicts of interest'. He explains that for every situation in life, there is always an adequate, appropriate and definitive solution. But that solution demands a course of action beyond all personal likes or dislikes. Our tendency to cherry-pick a particular course of action, most suitable to us, complicates the matters and perpetuates the problem. 

    UG offers this wonderful tip for a conflict-free life, 

    " Don't seek, don't reject."

    Life is really that simple. It is our personal preferences or choices that turn ordinary situations into extraordinary problems. Even mere labelling of a situation as 'uncomfortable' or 'unfavorable' midwifes the birth of a nonexistent problem. 

  

****

    In this audio clip, UG highlights some of the traps and pitfalls of acquired knowledge, especially of the spiritual or cultural kind. 

    UG points out that 'knowledge of reality' has nothing to do with 'reality'. For him, even reality is a fabrication. He explains that the human pursuit of reality is fuelled by the false assumption of reality leading to relentless acquisition of information and the buildup of falsified or flawed knowledge of reality. Over time, this body of knowledge turns into 'de facto' authority. Therein lies the danger, the trap and the tyranny of spiritual or cultural knowledge. 

    " If you are lucky enough, it's only luck, to get out of this trap of knowledge, the question of reality is not there anymore." ~ UG

    UG drills home the human gullibility and absurdity in unmistakable terms,

    " And that assumption (that there is reality) is born out of this knowledge you have, of and about the reality. So, when this (assumption) is not there, the knowledge is (also) not there. The knowledge is the answer you already have. That is why you are asking the question. The question automatically goes." ~ UG

    Knowledge, the spiritual or the cultural kind, wields tremendous clout over people and nations. A book or a sermon or a stone tablet or a hymnal could turn into a powerful authority that could hold sway over millions of followers. The faithfuls blindly follow such authority with unquestioning obedience.There ensues division between the followers and non-followers, followed by hatred, conflicts and wars. This is the naked reality of the civilised world.

    Knowledge, with its grandiose promise of 'heaven on earth' goes terribly astray, leading us on to the prickly path of hell. 

       ****

   The hegemony of knowledge over humans is thus total and complete. There is no escape from its vicious grip. Seeing through its limitations is the only way to steer clear of its many traps. That is the awakening of intelligence. 

    "Intelligence is to see one's own limitations" - UG

    Once intelligence is awakened, knowledge falls into its rightful place in the scheme of things. We could then use knowledge as and when needed without falling into its trap. 

    Acquired knowledge or literacy remains the primary currency of the human world but is no match to the native intelligence of the body that is unrivalled and unparallelled. 

   " All that is necessary for the survival of this living organism is already there. All that is gathered and acquired through intellect (KNOWLEDGE) is no match to the tremendous intelligence of the body." ~ UG

    Here is yet another passage nailing the unassailable truth from Tao Teh Ching of the great Tao master, Lao Tzu

****

Audio Clip

Audio Transcription

Q: What I am asking is, is there any chance - I understand that there is no method - but is there any chance of getting out of this 'knowledge of reality' to [actual] reality?

UG: If you are lucky enough, it's only luck, to get out of this trap of knowledge, the question of reality is not there anymore.

    Because the question (what is reality?) is thrown out by this knowledge which is still interested in finding out the reality of things and to experience for yourself directly what the reality is all about. 

    So, when this (interest or curiosity in finding out the reality) is not there, the question is also not there. So, there is no need for finding out any of these because this question which you are posing, you said, and also putting it to me, is born out of the assumption that there is a reality. 

    And that assumption (that there is reality) is born out of this knowledge you have, of and about the reality. So, when this is not there, the knowledge is not there. The knowledge is the answer you already have. That is why you are asking the question. The question automatically goes. 

    So, what is necessary is not to find out the answer for the question, but understand that the question which you are asking, posing yourself and also putting it to somebody, is born out of the answer you already have, which is the knowledge.

    So, the question-and-answer format, if we indulge in for long, becomes a meaningless ritual, the question-and-answer business. 

    But if you are really interested in finding out the reality, this has to dawn on you that your very questioning mechanism is born out of the answers that you already have. Otherwise, there can't be any questions because it's an assumption on your part that there is reality, first of all. And then there is something that you can do to experience the reality of things without the knowledge. The knowledge gives you the experience of reality, that is for sure.

    So if this is not there, is there any other way of experiencing the reality? You are asking the question, the question goes with the answer.

    So there is no need to ask questions and there is no need to answer.

    I am not trying to be clever, I am just spotlighting what is involved in the question and answer business. I'm not actually answering any of the questions, just pointing out you cannot have any questions.

    What you have may be answers. 

****

" What all you can say about thought is what you have gathered from other sources" ~ UG

     

    In this audio clip (scroll down to the bottom), UG is laser-focused on the fuzzy topic of 'thought'. 

    What sets us apart from animals is the dominance of 'information' or 'knowledge' in each and every aspect of our daily life. Information is to social life as oxygen is to the biological life. Information is the backbone of our complex society. Take away information, there is nothing more to society, nothing more to culture.  

    In humans, information or knowledge is a matter of inheritance. It is what is passed on from generation to generation (referred to as the 'world mind' by UG). The cognitive apparatus (the hardware) that processes the information (the software) is built into our biology. Many sophisticated cortical and subcortical networks and modules are part of the cognitive apparatus. And the information gets downloaded and installed through societal programs like cultural conditioning, education, indoctrination etc. 

    In the world of computers, information is organized and processed in basic units of data called 'bits' (short for 'binary digits' - '1' or '0'). Similarly in humans 'thought' could be considered as the basic 'unit of information'. Of course, 'thought' is much more complex and sophisticated than mere 1's and 0's, it can take on a myriad forms including sound, taste, smell, touch, word, image etc. 

    All our thoughts or 'information units' are filtered, refined, categorized, assembled and reassembled into complex structures, into what we refer to as 'knowledge'. The accumulated or cumulative human knowledge over centuries upon centuries is simply inexhaustible. Knowledge fills and spills out from the world's libraries and in today's world, it floods the digital space or the internet.  

    In short, we humans are able to function or transact in the cultural environment thanks to the currency of 'thought', the primary medium of 'information exchange'. No wonder, our investment and belief in 'thought' is very deeply entrenched. In fact, every aspect of our mental life is just the play-acting of 'thought'.  

    To further get a handle on 'thought' and its nature, let us consider one of its most common avatars, the aspect of 'time'. 

    'Time' is nothing but a facet of thought. Unlike a sundial or clock that keeps track of 'calendar time', the 'psychological time' is 'experiential time', a subjective phenomenon. Unlike the mechanical clock, the psychological clock runs per vagaries of thoughts. Yes, 'thought' as pleasure or pain can impact the duration of an experience by either stretching or shortening the psychological 'time'. 

   " Thought is time, thought is space " ~ UG 

    'Thought' plays the record keeper. It is nothing but the memory or record or knowledge of events, of happenings and experiences. Thought has invented 'time' to 'bookmark', or sequence, or keep track of the 'flow of events'. Every experience, every event gets 'bookmarked' or 'timestamped' birthing an imaginary timeline turning 'thought' into a timekeeper. 

    We refer to thought as the 'past' when we invoke memory. Similarly, when we use memory to plan or achieve something ahead, we refer to it as the 'future'. 

    The flow of events alongside bookmarks makes for a narrative or biography. The 'autobiographical self' is nothing but a record of events or experiences of a lifetime replete with bookmarks or timestamps. 

    UG highlights that it is actually the flow of thoughts or the 'movement of knowledge' that fakes the 'I' or the 'self', yet another mischief of 'thought'.

    " The 'self' or 'I' is nothing but 'the movement of knowledge " ~UG

    For UG, the 'I' is just an illusion, a conjecture that 'appears' or 'pops up' whenever there is 'flow of thoughts' or 'churning of knowledge'. In other words, whenever there is a cognitive demand, say, we want to find out the cheapest available flight, knowledge is set into motion ('thinking') and the illusion of the 'I' ('thinker') just pops up. It is actually a deceptive sideshow, not very different from the illusion of cinema where fictional characters, the likes of Tom & Jerry or Mickey Mouse or Charlie Chaplin come alive in the rapid motion of still images. 

    All that we ever know (our knowledge) is essentially the objectification of our experiences or learnings or events. Thought is the primary 'objectification tool' that captures all phenomena for the purposes of storage and retrieval. This is how knowledge enables us to function sanely and intelligently in society. 

    Thought is responsible for all the knowledge that we have gathered. Ironically, we have also amassed plenty of knowledge about 'thought' itself - the various aspects and definitions about thought given by philosophers and scientists etc. In other words, what we know about 'thought' is what we have gathered from others, from various sources. 

    In this audio clip, UG explicates that whenever we refer to 'experience' or 'knowledge' all that we are referring to is only about 'thought'. All our ideas or concepts are merely the permutations and combinations of thoughts. Fundamentally and essentially, there is nothing there apart from 'thought'. 

    " But when you want to look at thought, what is there is only 'what all you know about thought'.

    Otherwise, you can't look at thought. There is no 'thought' other than what is there, what you know (or your knowledge) about thought. This is all that I am saying. " ~ UG

   Thought is the only 'tool of inquiry' or the only 'instrument' we have. This limitation puts us in an awkward situation where we fail to see the absurdity and futility of 'deploying thought to know about thought'. We endlessly indulge in this frivolous mind game as long as we continue our pursuit or inquiry into thought.

   "So, if somebody asks a question, what is thought? Any answer you have is the answer that is put in there, the answers that others have given. And you have, by combinations and permutations of those ideations and meditations about thoughts, created your own thoughts, which you call your own.

    So, just like you see mixing up different colors, you create I don't know how many thousands of pastel colors we have. Basically, all of them can be reduced to only seven colors that you find in nature." ~ UG

    To conclude, here is a great quote from Mahesh Bhatt's book, the Taste of Death,

" Thinking is a poor alternative to acting. Your thinking is consuming all your energy. Act, don't think! " ~ UG

   Yes, thinking about 'thought' is self-abuse and a sheer waste of energy.

    ****  

    

Audio Clip

Audio Transcription

We are all the time talking about thought and thinking.

And if somebody asks you a question, which I am asking you a question, what is thought?

Have you ever looked at thought? Let alone controlling thought, let alone manipulating thought, let alone using that thought or achieving something - material or otherwise, you cannot look at your thought because you can't separate yourself from thought and look at it.

The illusion that you have is, the knowledge you have about thought, that is all that is there. There is no thought independent (of), apart from the knowledge you have about those thoughts, the definitions you have.

So, if somebody asks a question, what is thought? Any answer you have is the answer that is put in there, the answers that others have given. And you have, by combinations and permutations of those ideations and meditations about thoughts, created your own thoughts, which you call your own.

So just like you see mixing up different colors, you create I don't know how many thousands of pastel colors we have. Basically, all of them can be reduced to only seven colors that you find in nature.

So even the seven colors you see, they are not actually seven. Anyway, I don't want to go into that whole color scheme in nature and all that.

So, what you think you see is yours, is the combination and permutation of all those thoughts. Just the way you have created hundreds and hundreds of pastel colors, you have created your own ideas. That is what you call thinking.

    But when you want to look at thought, what is there is only what all you know about thought.

    Otherwise, you can't look at thought. There is no thought other than what is there, what you know (or your knowledge) about thought. This is all that I am saying.

So, when that is understood, you see the meaninglessness of the whole business of wanting to look at thought comes to an end. Because it is not possible. What is there is only what you know, the definitions given by others.

And out of those definitions, if you are very intelligent and clever enough, create your own definitions. That's all.

It is like any other object you have around you, there are so many objects. So when you look at it, you see the knowledge you have about that comes into your head.

So, there is an illusion that the thought is something different.

So, it is you that create the object. The object may be there, but the knowledge you have about that object is all that you know.

Apart from that knowledge and independent of that knowledge, free from that knowledge, you have no way of knowing anything about it. You have no way of directly experiencing anything.

We started with that. When I use the word directly does not mean that there is any other way of experiencing things.

That's the wrong word. Directly implies that there is some other way of experiencing things directly other than the way you are experiencing things.

So, the knowledge you have about it is all that is there, and that is what you are experiencing. Really, you don't know what it is.

In exactly the same way, when you want to know something about thought, experience thought, it is the same process that is in operation.

There is no ‘inside’ and ‘outside’. What is there is only the operation, the ‘flow of the knowledge’.

So, you cannot actually separate yourself from thought and look at it. So, when once such a question is thrown at you, what should happen is that giving all the answers has no meaning because all that is acquired thought. So that movement stops.

So, there is no need for you to answer the question. There is no need for you to know anything about it.

So, all that you know comes to a halt. Not literally. So, it has no momentum anymore. It slows down.

So, then it dawns upon you the meaninglessness of trying to answer that question, because it has really no answer at all. The answers that others have given are there.

So, you have nothing to say on that thing called thought, because what
all you can say (about thought) is what you have gathered from other sources, so you have no answer of your own.

" Mankind' is an extension of yourself. " ~ UG

    In this penetrating discussion (scroll down for the audio clip), UG lambasts our deep-rooted notion or belief in the 'collective' dismissing it as a mere abstraction, a 'mental construct'. 

    A 'collective' mentioned in this context could be a group or club or community or society, or statehood or nationhood, or even the all-encompassing 'idea' of mankind. 

    A 'collective', essentially, is a well-knit group of individuals sharing some common ideology or a set of goals or beliefs or values that bonds them together emotionally. The collective borrows its reality, solidity, legitimacy and identity through solidarity or allegiance and regular interaction of its members. Minus ideology or adherents, there will be no form or substance for a collective and it falls apart. 

    Then why is the idea of 'mankind' so important, so central to the social discourse or cultural narrative? 

    UG readily supplies the answer,

    "It (mankind) is the projection of your own demand for permanence. 

(But) there is no such thing as permanence at all. That's all that I'm pointing out." 

    We feel a deep sense of emptiness, inadequacy and uncertainty within and seek permanence externally in any form of 'collective' or 'community'. Here, culture or tradition plays a huge role in creating, promoting and facilitating the social environment for 'empty' individuals to come together and experience a sense of belonging or fulfilment.

    Interestingly, culture, to a great extent, is similar to the 'immortal gene' (made famous by Richard Dawkins) that exhibits tremendous 'staying power'. We know that the human gene (homo erectus) has continued to survive over the past two million years through reproduction and replication. 

    The 'selfish gene' achieves its 'immortality' by actively reproducing a host or vehicle or carrier for its own survival and continuity (" The body is immortal" ~ UG)

    Also, the gene cannot survive alone, it needs an environment or a 'collective' for its own maintenance and sustenance. The body or the host forms that 'collective'. Not only does the gene get reproduced but it is also replicated into as many copies as there are cells in the host. That's about thirty-six trillion copies in case of humans. (Source: How many cells are there in the human body? | New Scientist)

    Culture, just like the gene, propagates itself and survives through 'reproduction' and 'replication' in its psychological form as the 'social self'.   

    Culture engineers the 'social self' through a plethora of social algorithms including norms, beliefs, rituals, values, memes etc. and propagates itself through entire generations. Culture as the 'collective' then propagates itself through its votaries or proponents or adherents, all various avatars of the 'social self'. 

    As much as the culture needs the individual to play the host by being a believer or adherent, the individual too thirsts for the 'collective' or the social environment to escape being an 'island'. This is the meeting (mating) point of culture and the individual. The 'social self' is birthed when the individual is culturally programmed or indoctrinated. 

    The 'social self' is therefore nothing but the product of culture and is its replica or a copy. Much like the gene, culture makes multiple copies of the 'social self' by recruiting more and more followers or believers or members into its orbit.

    Humans come and go, physical bodies get recycled over and over, but the 'gene' as well as the 'meme' (culture) continue to survive and thrive, physically and culturally propagating through the progeny.

    Interestingly, UG explicates the mechanism of cultural indoctrination through what he calls, the 'world mind'. World mind or culture is the sum total of human 'knowledge and experience' accumulated over the centuries. Each of us siphon off our lot from this cumulative knowledge sourced from either parents or society or university or books or speeches. Yes, there is no escape from culture as long as we stay invested in society. All our thoughts are rooted in culture or the 'world mind'.

    'There is nothing about 'you' that is original' ~ UG. 

    Culture is therefore a psychological superimposition mandated upon us by the social environment. That I am an Indian or American or Russian or Chinese is very deep rooted and firmly entrenched. Through conditioning, culture ensures that we subscribe to a certain ideology that ties us to the collective or community. 

    Collective or culture is thus a 'social necessity' and the key ingredient of survival of the 'social self'. 

    For UG, we human entities are a wonderful expression of life endowed with extraordinary intelligence unparallelled in nature. He clearly draws a line between what is natural and what is artificial or cultural, 

    " Only thing that is valid and living there you see, (is) the 'natural anger' and 'lust' that is essential for the survival of the mechanism. 

    Those are the two things ('natural anger' and lust) that are there, that are part of the biological functioning of the living organism." ~ UG

    The primal emotions of anger, lust etc.  are genetically ingrained in the limbic or reptilian architecture of our brain. These primitive structures and their associated neural mechanisms are meticulously hardwired and integrated into our biology over millions and millions of years. They are put in place to ensure the survival and replication of the organism.  

    UG is careful here in his choice of words. He is talking of 'natural anger' that is physical or visceral as opposed to the 'psychological anger' rooted in thinking. Getting angry when someone slaps is different from getting angry when we lose money. 

    Similarly, physical fears or phobias are natural and associated with our physical survival - fear of fire, or fear of heights etc. while our psychological fears are rooted in thinking, ex. the fear of the unknown, fear of death, fear of disease, fear of betrayal etc. 

    Finally, 'lust' is natural but 'pleasure' or 'want' is artificial or psychological.

    UG highlights that all psychological angers or fears or wants are a superimposition on what is natural,

    " Everything else is superimposed on them (natural anger, lust etc). The greed, the jealousy, the envy, the whole 'cultural nonsense'. All the human values are imposed on them. They have not touched anything 'there' (the original, primordial or natural state)" ~ UG  

    By birth we are biological entities, through culture we become psychological beasts. UG sums it up beautifully,

    There is such a thing as the 'world mind', the totality of man's thoughts, feelings and experiences passed on to us from generation to generation.

    You have to use that to experience yourself as an 'entity'. You know, what you call ‘you’ cannot be experienced without the help of that knowledge (the cumulative human thought).

    So, our very existence as an individual or existence as an entity depends upon that (culture).

    How can you separate yourself from that (world mind or the culture) and say, this is 'me' in that sense? 

     ****

Audio Clip

Audio Transcription

UG: After all, mankind is an extension of yourself. Mankind is an abstraction.

    Because you know that there is a permanence about you and the things around you, you project a thing called mankind and say that must live forever. 

So, what the hell you are interested in mankind? What for? 

It (mankind) is the projection of your own demand for permanence. There is no such thing as permanence at all. That's all that I'm pointing out. 

Q: Is there no function served by self-consciousness?

UG: The functions are created by your culture. You tell yourself that you are 'bored', that you are 'happy', that you are unhappy. What is there is only 'boredom', there is nobody who is bored. That's all that I am saying, boredom. 

    That's a sofa, that's a woman, that's a man, that's a microphone, that's a TV camera. 

    In exactly the same way you say you are happy, you are unhappy, you are miserable, you are greedy, you are this, that or the other.

    All that is cultural!

    Only thing that is valid and living there you see, (is) the natural anger, you see lust that is essential for the survival of the mechanism. Those are the two things that are there, that are part of the biological functioning of the living organism.

    Everything else is superimposed on them. The greed, the jealousy, the envy, the whole cultural nonsense. All the human values are imposed on them. They have not touched anything there. 

    There is such a thing as the 'world mind', the totality of man's thoughts, feelings and experiences passed on to us from generation to generation.

    You have to use that to experience yourself as an 'entity'. You know, what you call ‘you’ cannot be experienced without the help of that knowledge.

    So, our very existence as an individual or existence as an entity depends upon that (culture).

    How can you separate yourself from that (world mind or the culture) and say, this is 'me' in that sense. 

I say you have no freedom of action. When I say that, I am not saying that there is such a thing as fatality and all.

    You have freedom of action if you want to come here or you don't want to come here. That's all. Even there, I don't know how much freedom you have. There is a conflict, see, there also. 

****