Acharya Prashant: Difference between believing and realizing?
It is a strange thing, and paradoxical. Must be understood with care.
Is there a need to tell the free one that he is already free? It would be absurd and useless to do do.
When I say, “You are already free”, to whom do I say that? To the free one? No!
To the free one, I say nothing. He needs no advice. He can, though, give advise to many.
I say “You are already free” to the one who staunchly believes that he is NOT free. Why do I say that? The answer must be obvious.
In spirituality, no statement is a statement of Truth. Truth cannot be contained in a statement. So, statements by Teachers are not Truth, but just useful devices.
Useful devices? For what? Useful devices to cut down that which is untrue or false, and therefore damaging.
Since “I am unfree” is a highly damaging belief, so to counter it, I say “You are free”.
The purpose is not to give the listener another belief: “I am free”. So, if someone comes to me with a strong belief that he is free, I tell him, “You are not free”.
All beliefs are shackles. All beliefs hide the Truth. The belief in freedom is as bad as the belief in slavery.