Truth is not Linear

I have no words to express what it is to be staying in the ashram in Bengaluru. The very air is permeated with Sattva and Grace. Its a blessing to be here. Yesterday there were stormy winds followed by heavy showers. I guess one has to have an extremely expanded consciousness to be able to absorb the divine beauty of the atmosphere. My mind fails to comprehend how can some thing or place be so so so good!

The best part of the day is the satsang in the evening with Guruji. His presence engulfs the entire hall with a warm benevolence, so obviously evident.

Today in the Satsang, Brijit asked about some apparent contradiction in the Gita. Guruji narrated an anecdote. Former American president Mr. Nixon once travelled to Japan. He had the occasion to have the company of a Buddhist Zen monk on his left and a Shinto monk on his right. When asked as to how much percentage of the Japanese population is following Buddhism and how much is following Shintoism, both replied 80%. Nixon could not understand how this could be possible.

Guruji said, "The West has always considered Truth as linear. In the East they have understood it as Spherical. If one has to get directions to go to a certain place, if someone says go straight and then left, someone else says go straight and then right and yet someone else says just go straight; all the the three are right depending on where the person who is asking directions is standing."

So Truth is multi dimensional and spherical.

There was another question about the discrimination between 'Paap' (Sins )and 'Punya' (virtuous deeds). Guruji simplified a complex concept by answering that question in 2  lines. A deed that makes you and many others around you sad is bad. A deed that makes you and many others around you happy is good.

Master-Stroke :-)