Manifestation of Divinity

[Guest guest]

Manifestation of Divinity

 

Swami Brahmeshananda

 

A former editor of THE VEDANTA KESARI, the Secretary, Ramakrishna

Mission Ashrama, Chandigarh.

 

Question: What is ignorance? How does one understand ignorance?

 

Answer: Ignorance (avidya) is to mistake the unreal as real, the non-

self as Self, the impure as pure and to consider that which leads to

suffering as the source of happiness. The world is transient, ever-

changing and illusory; yet we consider it to be real and permanent.

We are in reality the pure eternal Self, yet we consider our body as

the Self. The physical body is full of impure liquids and substances

but we dote on it as something pure and desirable. Though running

after wealth and progeny is the root cause of suffering and bondage,

we consider them to be the source of happiness. This is ignorance. As

long as you consider yourself to be the body and the world as real

and cling on them, you are under the influence of ignorance.

 

Question: You said that we are divine. Then why do we not feel it?

 

Answer: Unaware of our divine nature, we behave as slaves of senses

and all worldly temptations. We mistake ourselves as matter, as body-

mind complex. Only when we get convinced of our real nature as divine

that our thoughts and actions will change.

 

Question: How to overcome this ignorance?

 

Answer: First we must hear that we are divine--only from a person who

has fully realized his or her divine nature (atman). Such a person is

called guru. Once we hear it, we must deeply ponder over it. When we

internalise this truth, our life manifests this inherent divinity.

 

Question: Why should one bother about knowing the Atman? It is not

necessarily practical.

 

Answer: Atman means Self. To know Atman means to know who we really

are. To know who we are is important because we act according to what

we think of ourselves. A human being acts like a human being and not

as an animal because he thinks that he is a human being. If you know

that you are divine, you will act accordingly. Thus, to know oneself

as divine or Atman, has a transforming effect on one's life and

personality. Said Swami Vivekananda,

 

'Teach yourselves, teach everyone his real nature, call upon the

sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will

come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is

excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self-

conscious activity.'

 

Question: Why cannot all men express their divinity?

 

Answer: The main reason is that we have forgotten it. Having

forgotten it, we then identify ourselves with senses or mind or ego.

Once we start our journey towards gaining our real identity, we

struggle with removing our wrong identities and that is what is

called spiritual life. Whether or not we express our divinity, the

fact remains that we are divine. Like a tree hidden in a seed, our

divine nature remains hidden.