What Is Enlightenment ~ Interview with Amma

[Guest guest]

What Is Enlightenment

When You Go Beyond the Ego

You Become an Offering to the World

 

An Interview with

Mata Amritanandamayi

by Amy Edelstein

 

WIE: What is ego?

 

MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI: You are actually asking, what is unreality? But

how can unreality be described? What use is there in talking about

something that isn't real, that is nonexistent? And how can you speak

about that which is real? Amma can only give you a few hints. The mind

is the ego. But the ego is a big lie, it is a liar. It is unreal.

There was a cowherd boy who took his cows to the meadows every morning

and brought them back to the cowshed at the end of the day. One

evening, as he was tying the cows up for the night, the boy found that

one of them was missing her rope. He feared that she might run away,

but it was too late to go and buy a new rope. The boy didn't know what

to do, so he went to a wise man who lived nearby and sought his

advice. The wise man told the boy to pretend to tie the cow, and make

sure that the cow saw him doing it. The boy did as the wise man

suggested and pretended to tie the cow. The next morning the boy

discovered that the cow had remained still throughout the night. He

untied all the cows as usual, and they all went outside. He was about

to go to the meadows when he noticed that the cow with the missing

rope was still in the cowshed. She was standing on the same spot where

she had been all night. He tried to coax her to join the herd, but she

wouldn't budge. The boy was perplexed. He went back to the wise man

who said, " The cow still thinks she is tied up. Go back and pretend to

untie her. " The boy did as he was told, and the cow happily left the

cowshed. This is what the guru does with the ego of the disciple. The

guru helps untie that which was never there. Like the cow, due to our

ignorance, we believe that we are bound by the ego when, in fact, we

are completely free. We need to be convinced of this, however.

The ego is an illusion with no existence of its own. It appears to be

real because of the power it derives from the Atman [self]. It is

animated by the Atman. The ego itself can be compared to dead matter;

for without the Atman, it would have no life. Stop supporting the ego,

and it will withdraw and disappear. We ourselves lend the unreal ego

its reality. Expose it for what it is, or rather, for what it isn't,

and that will be the end of it.

A dog wags its tail, the tail does not wag the dog. If the tail were

to wag the dog, it would be disastrous! The same is true with the

mind. The mind, or the ego, should be nothing more than a useful tool;

a sadhaka [spiritual seeker] shouldn't let him- or herself be ruled by

the whims and fancies of the mind.

The ego consists of our thoughts and our mind. Our thoughts are our

own creation. We make them real by cooperating with them. If we

withdraw our support, they will dissolve. We simply have to observe

our thoughts. The clouds in the sky assume different shapes, and they

change constantly. You may see clouds drifting by that look like faces

of the gods or different animals or sailing ships. A small child may

believe that these shapes are real, but, of course, they are only

illusions. In the same way, our ever changing thoughts drift through

the mind, which is the ego. They assume different forms, but they are

no more real than the shape of a cloud in the sky. If we simply

witness our thoughts as they drift by, they will no longer have any

effect on us or influence us in any way.

A lion made of sandalwood is real to a child, but to a grown-up it's a

piece of sandalwood. For the child, the wood is concealed, revealing

only the lion. The grown-up may also enjoy the lion, but he knows it

is not real. For him, the wood is real, not the lion. In the same way,

to a Self-realized soul, the entire universe is nothing but the

essence, the " wood " that comprises everything, the Absolute Brahman or

Consciousness.

 

WIE: What is ego death for the true seeker of moksha [liberation]?

 

MA: If the ego is unreal, what death are you talking about? We

superimpose the unreal on the real. What really exists is Brahman.

There is no discovery, only uncovering.

 

WIE: What are the signs of true ego transcendence?

 

MA: One who has gone beyond the ego becomes an offering to the world,

like an incense stick that burns itself out while bestowing its

fragrance to others. For such a person there is no sense of otherness.

It is difficult to say what a clear sign would be. People pretend or

they imitate this and that quality, but for a real master, one who

truly doesn't identify with the ego, his or her entire being, and

every action, is a pure expression of divine love and self-sacrifice.

Divine love and self-sacrifice cannot be imitated.

 

WIE: Is it possible for a master to completely annihilate their ego?

 

MA: A mahatma [great soul] is one who disidentifies with the ego; they

see everything as an extension of the Self. Due to our ignorance, we

identify with the ego, with that which is not real, but a mahatma is

not identified at all with the ego, with that which is unreal.

 

WIE: How does the guru help to annihilate the ego of the disciple?

 

MA: A true master creates the situations that will allow the seeker to

come out of his or her dream. The disciple wants to continue to sleep

and to dream, but the master wants to awaken him or her. The whole

effort of the master is to somehow bring the disciple back to the

reality of his or her true existence.

 

WIE: It is said that the ego will go to any length to maintain its

grip on the individual, even masquerading as our own spiritual

longing. What are the most important qualities for success in the

fight against the endless tricks of the ego?

 

MA: Performing one's own dharma with utmost shraddha. Shraddha is very

important at the beginning stage on the spiritual path; it is

absolutely essential.

 

WIE: What is shraddha? Is it faith in the possibility of transcending

the ego in this life?

 

MA: Shraddha is more than just faith. It is trust and love. Both trust

and love are necessary to transcend the egotrust in the existence of a

higher reality, love for that reality and an intense longing to

realize it.

 

WIE: What is the best way to cultivate discrimination in the face of

all the temptations of the ego?

 

MA: Just as a little boy grows out of his teddy bear and other toys, a

true seeker gains the power to discriminate between the eternal and

noneternal as his understanding grows and as he advances along the

path. The power of discrimination dawns within us as we gain proper

understanding and as we mature. As we learn how to evaluate life's

experiences in the proper manner, we automatically begin to use our

discriminative intelligence. It is an inner blossoming that takes

place like a bud opening up. It is part of a slow but steady process.

There is a divine message hidden behind every experience life brings

you both the positive and negative experiences. Just penetrate beneath

the surface and you will receive the message. Nothing comes from

outside; everything is within you. The whole universe is within you.

There will be many temptations and challenges along the way. Only an

experienced person can help you. The way to moksha is very subtle, and

it is easy for a spiritual aspirant to become deluded.