“Perception through senses, conclusion arrived at through that…”

Perception through senses, conclusion arrived at through that cognition, words of an Enlightened Master are the three ways to gain correct knowledge. Perception through senses. Please understand, it means your senses should be pure and fresh. Not the perverted senses. If your senses are tired, overworked, overwhelmed it cannot give you the right perception. If your senses are tired, the moment somebody enters the room, you will feel he is going to fight with you. If you are tired you will always be expecting enemies. If you are alive, fresh, even your enemies will look like challenges for you.

They won't look like enemies. They will...you will feel it's life, let's live. If you are tired, if you are feeling dull. Even your friend will look like enemy. When he enters, "Oh God, I have to talk to him. I have to entertain him. He will not leave me. He will be inquiring how am I. What am I doing? Oh, no, no, no. If somebody takes him away it will be very nice." If you are tired even your friend will look like a enemy. You will say, "Oh God, how to get rid of him?" With the fresh, alive, pure senses, whatever is grasped, that itself can be proof. The three things to measure whether something is truth- right knowledge or not. First, through senses, sensory perceptions. Second, conclusions arrived at through that cognition, through that senses.

It's a very tricky thing. When you perceive through senses, you analyze the data inside you and come to the conclusion. That is what we call cognition, receiving the information, processing it, coming to conclusion, taking a decision. That cognition can be the scale whether what you have is the right knowledge or the wrong knowledge. That cognition can also be the scale for Pramana, proof of right knowledge. For example, if you are seeing Me here, seeing is one proof and receiving this information, internally coming to the conclusion. "Yes, I know Him, I have heard Him. I have experienced Him." That is also source of right knowledge. The third important thing, very powerful thing. I think this is an important point. He says, Patanjali says the words of an Enlightened Master is the third source of correct knowledge; means all the words of an Enlightened Master, whether you perceive it with your senses or not, whether you cognicise it through your mind or not it's a right knowledge.

It's a very powerful Sutra or I can say very powerful truth. I can say the whole tradition of Guru-Shishya Parampara, the Master-disciple relationship is built on this one Sutra. It says the words of an Enlightened Master is the way to gain correct knowledge. The words which comes out of Him is a straight, complete correct knowledge. The modern day men, they can understand the perception through senses is right knowledge. They can understand the conclusion arrived at through that cognition is right knowledge. But they can't understand the words of an Enlightened Master is a source of right knowledge. They always demand proof, "He may say but we need proof."

But, please understand, all the traditions which accepted words of an Enlightened Master is a source of the right knowledge, lived ecstatically, radiated Enlightenment. It's like a, let Me give you an example...what will happen, two-plus-two equal to four, now you know the result. After you work out the sum, now what your teacher assume is right. See, your Master says let us assume x is equal to two. So, he replaces two in the place of x. Now you know two-plus-two is four. The moment the conclusion is arrived, now you know what Master assumed is right? But you need to have patience till he concludes, till he proves. But instead the moment Master says, "Let us ah- assume x is equal to two," if you start talking, "Why not three? Why not one? Why should it be two?" You start fighting, who will be the loser? You, because He knows x is two. He has already come to the conclusion. He has experienced.

He is trying to teach you in your language, the language in which you understand. So He has to say few things like, "Let's assume," in the initial level. And if you say, "No, no, no I cannot assume. Why should it be? Come on, prove. Only then I will let you go to the next step." Transfer of knowledge, transfer of truth can never happen if you don't have patience to bear till He comes to the conclusion, till He gives you the experience. Till experience, you need to have little patience, that patience is what we call faith. Not even belief, faith. Simple, wait, He is teaching you. But if you say, "No, I am not interested in all that. Every statement in this moment He has to prove. Only then He can go further."

Is there any possibility? In the second statement x is equal to two, let us assume x is equal to two is no way you can prove. There is no way He can prove that statement immediately. You need to have patience, till He comes to the third statement and fourth statement to reach the conclusion. So here, Patanjali says the words of an Enlightened Master is a way to gain correct knowledge; means He is saying relax. Till you experience, respect His words, go with it. It will become your experience. The only difference between atheists and theists are this word: perception through senses, conclusion arrived at through that cognition. These two both agree, atheist and theist. But the third statement, third source: the words of an Enlightened Master is accepted only by the people who are interested in experience in the truth.

I have seen many people coming and asking Me, "Swamiji, tell me what to do. What should I do in my life?" I asked them, "What do you want to do?" They say, "No, no, no whatever you say we will do." The moment I give some suggestion they say, "No, no, no I have this problem. I have that problem." The other day one person was asking, "Swamiji, tell me what to do." I told that...I asked that person, "What do you want to do?" "Oh, I want to be Sannyasi with you." I said, "Then what is stopping you?" "No, no, no I want to be a samsari, grihasti also, householder also." Then I tell them, "At least take one decision. Only then I can support you." "No, no, no I feel like I should. I should become householder. But no, no, no, no I want to be around you."

That kind of mood, situation if your heart believes this third statement: words of an Enlightened Master is the way for right knowledge, there is a possibility for you to be guided. There is a possibility for you to reach the truth. There is a possibility for you to experience the higher consciousness. But without that, if you believe only these two: the perception through senses and conclusion arrived at through that cognition, then you are in dilemma. Dilemma is the ultimate punishment given to people. No, whenever people are not interested in listening to Me, all I do is just give them freedom. That's the ultimate punishment. They will die just by dilemma, "What to do. What to do. What to do."

See when you have freedom without maturity, without Enlightenment, that is the ultimate suffering. Because you do not know what to do. You will be oscillating, oscillating, oscillating. Either you will be postponing decision making or any decision you make you will be repenting. You know only two space: postponing or repenting. You will continue to postpone because of fear of taking decision. Or if you have taken decision you will continue to repent that you have taken wrong decision. Any decision it may be. This side or that side you will be repenting. So without Enlightenment, freedom is the ultimate punishment.

Very rarely, very few intelligent people have the respect for this third statement: the words of an Enlightened Master are the three ways to gain correct knowledge. Understand, remember this one truth: the words of an Enlightened Master is the way to gain the right knowledge. This one Sutra is enough, you will have straight, right knowledge about the purpose of your life, about your life, about everything. What to do? What needs to be done? What is the ultimate? Everything can be gained, just with this one truth: the words of an Enlightened Master. Perception through senses, conclusion arrived at through that cognition. And the words of an Enlightened Master are the three ways to the right knowledge. (13:56)

Understand this one truth: respect for Enlightened Master's words will straightaway lead you to Enlightenment. Because constantly He is reminding you, you are Enlightened. In this Yogam souvenir, the center page it's a beautiful photograph. That is called ‘Tat Tvam Asi photograph’, you are that, you are that. Whenever you see that photograph, remember: one Enlightened Being is telling you you are Enlightened. His words can never be a lie. I have no reason to tell a lie. I don't have to. I have no reason to tell a lie. "If He says, it will be true". Please understand, either you must be correct or I must be correct. Who can be more correct? You know, who can be more correct.

So whenever you see that photograph remember, "Here is a guy, surely will be more correct than me. And He says, I am Enlightened then I must be Enlightened. I may not believe, I may not understand. It is not that all the things I believe are right. It is not that all the things I don't understand are wrong." I have seen in My experience, you know, many things which you believed are wrong. Many things, which you are not able to understand are right. So, whether you understand or not, whether you are able to believe or not, He is saying. Just with this one authority, again and again, remember, "If He says, it must be true. If He says, it must be true, let me remember. Let me live. Let me understand, let me internalize."

Hang that photograph wherever you can, and constantly remember, "If He says, it must be true. At least let me try to understand why He is telling that. At least let me try to understand why He is telling that." This can become a technique, to remind you constantly: you are Enlightened, to awaken your imagination constantly that you are Enlightened. And lead you to the right knowledge constantly that you are Enlightened; ultimately lead you to very Enlightenment itself. So, I bless you all to achieve and radiate the Enlightenment. We will enter into the technique to use your sleep as meditation. To use your sleep as Samadhi, to transform your sleep into Samadhi.