Talk at San Ramon

[Guest guest]

Om Amriteshwariyea Namah,

 

Here are some notes I took at Dayamrita Swami's talk at San Ramon.

 

11/20/04

 

The disciple may have many expectations of the Guru, but the Guru has none of

the disciple. Just as a small polluted creek may join a huge clean river, so

the

creek becomes clean, so it is with the disciple and the guru.

 

There is no shortage of teachers; everyone wants to be a teacher. Only a guru

can guide us in this life and after.

 

Dayamrita told us this story. A man was congratulating a woman on her fourth

marriage. Pray tell me, madam, could you say what happened to your first

husband?

"He died of eating poisonous mushrooms."

"Oh, dear! How unfortunate! Do you mind telling me what happened to your

second

husband?"

"He too died of eating poisonous mushrooms."

"Oh, my! I'm almost afraid to ask what happened to your third husband. Did he

also

die from eating poisonous mushrooms?

"No. He died of a broken neck. Because he refused to eat poison mushrooms!"

 

Dayamrita said that the sadhak is being asked to eat poison mushrooms. The

three

husbands represent the three gunas.

 

There was a boy named Michael who was a naughty boy, but his birthday was coming

up and he wanted a bike. So he asked his mother for a bike and she decided to

use

it as a teaching opportunity. She suggested he think about whether he had been

a good

boy or not, and go up to his room and write a letter to Jesus. So he went up to

his room

and wrote a letter.

It said: "Dear Jesus, I've been a good boy and I would like a bike for my

birthday. Your

friend, Michael."

Michael read the letter over and realized that it wasn't true, so he wrote

another letter.

It said: "Dear Jesus, I've been an okay boy, and I would like a red bike for my

birthday.

Your friend, Michael."

He read that letter over and decided it wouldn't work either. So he started a

third letter.

It said: "Dear Jesus, I haven't been a good boy, but I'd like a red bicycle for

my birthday.

Michael."

Michael read that letter and realized he'd never get a bike with that letter.

So he ran

downstairs and told his mother he was going to the church. She thought it was

nice

that he was doing some soul searching and probably praying.

Michael went into the church and went up to the small statue of the Virgin Mary.

He

looked around to make sure no one was looking, then put the statue under his

coat and

ran home and up to his room.

Then he started a fourth letter. This one read: "Dear Jesus, I have your

mother. If you

ever want to see her again, give me a bike for my birthday!"

 

The first step is attachment to the physical form of the guru. Such a master is

both

the means and the end.

Why a mother? Only a mother can feed the child milk (jnana). A mother can hug

everyone. All her children are equal to her. A mother's love is warmer and

sweeter.

What is Amma's wish is that someday we all become divine mothers like her.