What does the ego argue for? || Acharya Prashant (2019)

Questioner (Q): Dear Acharya Ji, with Kabir Saheb and other saints, I see that they had an intense longing for the Love of God. They continuously felt that they were in distress because of being separated from God. But Acharya Ji, you tell people that they are all right, but as long as the intense longing is there, how can I feel all right? Also, I doubt if I am eligible for the Love of God because I don't see in me such a deep urge to even die for Him as Kabir had.

Acharya Prashant (AP): I do not always tell people that they are all right. There is nothing that I, necessarily or compulsorily, have to say to everybody. Who is the one who does not feel all right? Who is the one who declares, “I am not alright?” Obviously, it is not the pure Self. It is the “I” sense, the ego. The ego sometimes declares, “I am not alright.” And why does it declare that it is not alright?

The second part of your query tonight gives us the answer. The ego says, “I am not alright, I am not good, I am not eligible for the Love of God. And if I am not eligible for the Love of God, why work? Why try? Why indulge in spiritual practice? After all, who am I? The one who is not all right. I am not good enough. And if I am not good enough, why should I even make an attempt?” Even to make an attempt, a certain feeling of wellness has to be there.

Therefore, when people insist to me that it is too bad for them, or too late for them, or that they are too weak, or too ignorant, then I tell them, “No, it is never too late, and you are not at all too weak or too diseased.” Then I tell them, “You are all right!” I do not convince them of their ‘alright-ness’ or wellness, as a matter of their fact. I tell them they are all right because it is necessary to debunk any argument that the ego comes up with. Because, necessarily, every argument of the ego is aimed at only one end, and the end is to avoid the Truth.

So, when someone says, “I am not all right,” what is the objective? Avoid the Truth. To such a person, I will say, “You are all right.” It's not as if I want to convince him that he is absolutely okay; it's just that I want to rob the ego of its excuse. Similarly, when somebody insists, “I am already all right”, then I say, “No, you are just not all right; you are deeply sick. Look at yourself, look at your actions, look at your life. Do you honestly see that you are healthy and centred and peaceful? No, you are not.”

Now, it must be sounding paradoxical and strange. On one hand, I am convincing someone of his indisputable health. On the other hand, I appear determined to prove to the other person that he is chronically sick. What is my position? What is my standpoint? I have no standpoint. I just don't want you to have any arguments. Because, irrespective of what the colour, the flavour, the tone of the argument is, the purpose of any concept, any argument, any description, any identity that the ego ever comes forth with, is just one: self-preservation . The ego wants to avoid the Truth and preserve itself—it doesn't matter in what way, through what means, using what kind of argument.

The ego is quite determined. It has its eyes firmly set on the target. And the target is “avoidance of Truth”; the target is “preservation of itself”. To achieve that target, it can come up with any argument. The ego has no loyalty to any particular ideology. The ego is not at all wedded to any particular line of thought. If the Truth is to the left, the ego will say, “The right is so beautiful!” And if the Truth is to the right, the ego will say, “Oh! The left is awesome!”

The ego shows a great deal of maturity. It's just that all its so-called maturity, its tricks, its flexible positions, its accommodations are targeted towards a self-destructive end.

So, on days, when you will be very down, you will come and say, “Acharya ji, I am so sick today—physically and psychologically. I cannot go to Kabir Sahab. Today is just not the day.” Then I will say, “Who said you are sick? You are wonderfully alright. Look at yourself.” That day you will have difficulty determining whether I am a spiritual teacher or a motivational trainer. I will motivate you, no end. And there will be days when you will say, “Acharya Ji, I am already fully blossomed! I have already arrived. No suffering remains in life. Look at me, I am the epitome of peace and stillness. Look at me, I am already enlightened. In fact, I am disappearing and slowly fading away.” Then I will come down very harshly on you. I will say, “Look at yourself. You suffer from multiple illnesses. And you think you are healthy? Look at your mind. It is like a huge prison containing only criminals, and how dare you say that you are alright?”

Hopefully, probably, there will come a day when reasonlessly, without any argument, you will just flow towards that which is beautiful, peaceful, big, and ultimately comforting. And then, I will have no business telling you that you are not alright. Equally, I will have no business telling you that you are alright. That day, I will be done.

‘Alright-ness’, ‘not alright-ness,’—all these are just games of the ego. The pure Self is neither ‘alright' nor ‘not-alright'. These are both relative terms and transient states, and therefore, both of them cannot be applicable to the Truth. That which is alright today can become bad tomorrow. Obviously, we are not then talking of the Truth, because the Truth is not a condition that would change. These two are mere states that exist in relation to just each other. Both these states apply only to the ego and therefore, both these states must be demolished.

The aim of the Teacher is to not to convince you that you are wonderful, beautiful, alright, whatever; the aim of the Teacher is to take you beyond any descriptions that you attach to yourself. So, now you say, “Acharya Ji, I doubt if I am eligible for the Love of God because I don't see in me, such deep urge to die for Him.” Aww! You would have already predicted my answer, I'll say, “Who said you are not eligible for the Love of God? You are the front runner. You are absolutely the one God himself is waiting for.” This trick won't work with you tonight. I have already spilled the beans (laughs) . No argument would work, nothing would suffice. Just be silent and keep moving towards Him; only He would suffice. In between, sometimes you will feel, “Ah! The weather is so wonderful” and sometimes you will feel, “Oh! Everything is so awful.” It's alright. Everything is acceptable, even that which is not acceptable is acceptable. Just keep moving.

Mental states keep changing; your Love must not dither. Yes? Sometimes, you'll feel full of energy. God would appear totally within reach. And sometimes, you will feel fallen and God would appear like the most distant star. It doesn't matter. These things happen. Great warriors fight on, irrespective of the state of the battle. And the goal is so big, so worthy, obviously, you are going to be defeated many a times. Obviously, you will have self-doubt. Obviously, there will be times and situations when you will feel that it is just too much for you. Just stay put!

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