On YouTube
Living in the Moment vs. Battling Thoughts and Suffering || Acharya Prashant (2023)
193.7K views
1 year ago
Ego
Selectivity
Thought Process
Liberation
Duality
Experimentation
Kabir Saheb
Gautam Buddha
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the questioner's feeling of being trapped in a worldly thought process, which has become exhausting, especially amidst physical ailments. He explains that if the entire process of one's life remains as it has always been, the results cannot be different. The current inner state, or the ego, is a product of a long train of experiences, results, and beliefs accumulated over decades. This accumulation creates a sense of confidence in the way one has been living, but it is a hodgepodge. One cannot selectively keep the parts of life they enjoy while discarding the parts they dislike, as they are an inseparable package. Using the analogy of a coal-powered steam engine, Acharya Prashant illustrates that one cannot enjoy the power and the ride without accepting the pollution it creates. The problem lies in this selectivity. One is proud of certain aspects of their life and wants to protect them, and these cherished parts are the very seed of the inner problem. While one may dislike certain aspects of their life, they are unwilling to let go of the entire package because there are parts they approve of and admire. The speaker quotes Kabir Saheb, "Everyone remembers in sorrow, no one in joy. If one remembers in joy, why would sorrow occur?" This highlights that the problems one faces are the other side of the various pleasures one enjoys and is determined to keep enjoying. Acharya Prashant acknowledges the questioner's good deeds in his profession but points out that this is part of the householder's way of life. While kindness is wonderful and brings its own rewards, what the questioner is demanding is something extraordinary: freedom from body-identification, which is liberation itself. This requires paying a far greater price than just performing good deeds. He cites the example of Prince Gautama, who was kind but still had to take the extreme step of renunciation to attain enlightenment. To move to the next dimension, one must be willing to experiment, to step out, and not let old experiences extend into the future. The goal is to become so fully immersed in the spiritual quest that one has no time to die, meaning no time to be bothered by the mortal self.