| |
is a fight going on between the musician and his instrument.
AUM is the unstruck sound; there is no instrument. When you become absolutely silent, suddenly it is there.
Zen people have the right expression for it; they call it'the sound of one hand clapping'. If two hands are there, of course, the clapping is easy, but one hand clapping and the sound of one hand clapping seems to be absurd -- but they are truly expressing the reality. When you go inside and you are absolutely silent you hear for the first time the inner music.
The agitated barfly rushed from his car into the nearest pub and gulped down a double scotch. "Jack," he called out to the barman, "how big is a penguin?"
"Well," replied the barman, "about two feet, I suppose."
The barfly was visibly shaken. He persisted, "How about a really big penguin, Jack?"
"About two feet, six inches," came the reply.
"What about the biggest penguin in the world?" demanded the barfly.
After a moment's pause the barman answered, "About three feet -- no more."
"Oh shit!" gasped the barfly, "then I've just run over a nun!"
The scholars, the pundits are drunk with knowledge, knowing nothing but full of words. And their words are almost intoxicating because those words are beautiful, and they know the art of how to go on splitting hairs.
Beware of the scholars if you want to understand the Upanishads. These are the words of the Masters, of the Buddhas, of the awakened ones; these are not the words of the pundits and the scholars and the priests.
THE IMPERISHABLE SOUND,
IS THE SEED OF ALL THAT EXISTS.
AUM is the imperishable sound; it is the seed of all that exists.
THE PAST, THE PRESENT, THE FUTURE
-- ALL ARE BUT THE UNFOLDING OF AUM.
AND WHATEVER TRANSCENDS THE THREE REALMS OF TIME,
THAT INDEED IS THE FLOWERING OF AUM.
THIS WHOLE CREATION IS ULTIMATELY BRAHMAN.
AND THE SELF,
THIS ALSO IS BRAHMAN.
Simple words, direct, but you can make much dust around them, you can create many clouds around them. Thousands of commentaries exist on the Upanishads; in fact, no commentary
|
|
|