Q: Why did Buddha leave home to attain self-knowledge?

Sri Sri: He was not Buddha when he left home. He was only Siddhartha at that time. When He became Buddha he came back. After enlightenment he came back home. Buddha saw some dead bodies some diseased people and certain questions came to his mind. He wanted to seek the answers for those questions. He thought that he may not get the answers of those questions if he is at home. After few years he got the answers and came back home. He made his son a sanyasi, he took his aunt, and his wife as a sanyasi. The whole family joined him!! People who have read the life story will surely know this.

Q: Guruji, how to fight ignorance with knowledge?

Sri Sri: You cannot fight ignorance with knowledge. Because light cannot fight darkness. That kind of fight is useless!! Because where there is light, there cannot be any darkness. Immediately when light comes darkness vanishes. Then how do you fight? To fight you need equals! Tell me is darkness equal to light? No. Nobody can fight with ones own shadow. It is foolishness. Same way ignorance and knowledge can never meet. To fight, you at least need to meet right? They never meet. When they meet the existence of darkness disappears. It is gone, finished. Do you see what I am saying? Just wake up and understand!! What you see is precious. Human life is very precious!! Consider everybody a part of you. Never mind if they don�t consider. You consider them a part of you.


Q: Guruji, is everyone going to reach the destination at the end?

Sri Sri: Yeh, tossing turning shaking moving ultimately everyone is going to reach (laughter). Its like you are in a compartment of a train. You think you are moving too much, up and down� to and fro. But the train is ultimately taking you to its destination. You can jump, do shirshaasana, lie down, stand� do what ever! (Laughter). Ultimately you are going to reach!! That�s why in Sanskrit it is called �Madhukari Vidya�. It is such a path. That�s why they say, Salutations to the path. Salutations to the traveler. Buddham sharanam Gacchami � Salutations to Buddha Shangam saraman gacchami - Salutations to the sangha. Margam Sharanam gacchami � Salutations to the path.

Q: Which is more helpful for spiritual growth - to spend more time with the Master or to do more practices?

Sri Sri: It�s only the intellect that brings separation. Otherwise there is no separation. Air is everywhere. But when you observe your breath - then that breathing in is joyful. In the same way you are already close. Just have to be aware of it. A question about relationship problem being a botheration

Sri Sri: There is this story a devotee told me. Two men in a bar are talking. Bhanu didi already started laughing when Guruji said this and Guruji himself was having a hard time controlling his laughter. He could barely finish the story without laughing. �So one of them says to the other - I have family problems.� And the other says, �You think you have family problems? Listen to this. I�m married to a young widow with a grown-up daughter. We got married and I got myself a stepdaughter. Later, my father married my stepdaughter. (Stops to laugh) That made my stepdaughter, my step-mother. And my father became my stepson-in-law. Also, my wife became mother-in-law of her father-in-law.!� (He continued for a bit - I don�t know how he remembered the combinations�) and I am will have a son and I will be my own grandfather!� And you think you have family problems?!!! When the Guru smiles�


Q: Is permananent peace beyond all concepts of the mind?

Sri Sri: Yes! Is it okay to have two Gurus or will the blessings be reduced? It�s hard to manage one - why do you want two! Reduced blessings? Even here you want more and more. Even in blessings there is greed? You should honor every tradition - there is no need to feel guilty. Because of those blessings you are here. But don�t keep searching from pillar to post. Dive into any one tradition deeply.


Q: You said all is programmed into the DNA but in Vasishta it is said self-effort is required? Is it grace of self-effort?

Sri Sri: Both!

Q: How can we age gracefully?

Sri Sri: (with a mischievious smile and a small subtle gesture toward himself) Like this! See you are really asking how to look attractive. Your desire to look attractive makes you unattractive! If you want to look attractive, have that feverish desire that makes you unattractive. But if you are calm, serene, then that brings beauty.