【圣尤地斯瓦尔Sri Yukteswar】锐利的智力是一把双刃剑

译者和编者写在前面的话：在没达到与圣人同一振动之前，无法做到准确的领悟和翻译，所以，请大家用意识与古茹和圣人们调频来理解教导，祝福大家精进🦁Aum Gurus~

锐利的智力是一把双刃剑

再谈到伯纳德 ，他非常真诚，有好几年他都真诚地追随着上师。然而，过了一段时间，在他的健康问题上，甚至不仅于此，我恐怕，他越来越确信自己比上师知道的更多(在我看来明显是完全错觉的自我评估)——这令他自满地退回到他的自我里。故事的结局是他在灵性上跌落，离开了古鲁，也离开了教导。早期遗憾地注意到，伯纳德越是朝上师之外其他的思维方式敞开，他越是达到某种智力的巅峰。最终，他变得完全和世俗的方式对频，不断地强化自我。伯纳德的思想变得扭曲以便和那些方式相一致。真的，就像上师在《一个瑜伽行者的自传》中写的，锐利的智力是一把双刃剑，可以用来割除无明的疖子，也可以斩掉自己的头。

——摘自《与尤迦南达的对话》

只有当心智体认到灵性法则的必然性， 聪明才智才会受到正确的引导

“聪明才智如双刃刀，”上师有一次谈及库玛的出色伶俐。“可以用来建设，也可以破环;好比一把刀，可以切除无明的脓包，也可以杀伤自己。只有当心智体认到灵性法则的必然性， 聪明才智才会受到正确的引导。”

我的古鲁男女弟子兼收，视他们如自己的孩子。觉照所有弟子灵性平等，他从未有分别心或任何偏袒。

“ 在睡眠中，你不知道自己是男人或女人，”他说。“就像一个扮成女人的男人，不会成为真正的女人;灵魂亦然，无论扮演男性或女性亦不会改变。灵魂是上帝恒常不变的无条件形象。”

圣育克铁斯华从不刻意避开或指责女人是“造成男人坠落的祸水”。他指出，女人同样要面对异性的诱惑。有一次，我问上师为何古代一位伟大圣者称女人是 “地狱之门”。

“ 也许在他早年，一名女子使他心神不定。”古鲁挖苦地回答。“不然他该怪罪的不是女人，而是自己在 自我克制上的缺陷。”

如果有访客胆敢在道院里提到引 人遐想的故事，上师会保持静默不作反应。 “不要让自己在美丽脸孔的刺激之鞭下翻来覆去，”他告诉弟子。“感官奴隶如何能品味这个世界?当它们还耽溺于原始泥浆时，这世间更精致的风味即逃逸无踪。充满原始欲望的人会失去所有美好的辨识能力。”

那些想自摩耶所幻生的性欲中寻求解脱的学生，总能从圣育克铁斯华那得到体谅且耐心的辅导。

“ 就像饥饿(非贪婪)、有其合理的目的，自然赋予的性本能原意只为了繁衍后代，不是为了点燃永远无法填满的渴求，”他说。“现在就摧毁不当的欲望，否则当星灵体离开躯壳后，它们还会继续跟随你。即使肉体软弱的时候，心灵应持续抵抗；当诱惑以无情的力量攻击你时，用客观的分析及不屈不挠的意志去克服它。每一种自然情欲都能被控制。

“ 存蓄你的能量，像广阔大海，静静吸收所有感官百川的汇流。每日翻陈出新的感官欲望消耗你内在的平静;就像水库的缺口，让珍贵水源浪费在物质世界 的荒漠土壤中。强烈、冲动的不当欲望，是阻碍人类幸福的最大敌人。要像只懂得自制的狮子漫步世间，别让像青蛙般乱窜的感官弱点踢得你团团转!”

一个真正的皈依者最终会从所有本能的冲动中解脱。他能将人对情爱的需求转化为一心对神的渴望——一种因无处不在而独特唯一的爱。

圣育克铁斯华的母亲住在巴拿纳斯的兰纳摩诃区，也是我初访古鲁的地方。她是一位仁慈和蔼但很有主见的妇人。有一天，我站在她的阳台上看母子间的对话。上师以平静而理性的方式试图说服她某件事，他显然没有成功，因为她猛摇头。

“ 不!不!儿子，你走吧!你那些睿智话语不用说给我听!我不是你的徒弟!”

圣育克铁斯华不再争论即退开，像个受到责骂的小孩。上师对母亲的尊敬让我深受感动，即使在她不讲理的时候。在她眼里上师只是她的小男孩，而非圣者。这件小插曲有其迷人之处，它让人从侧面窥见古鲁独特的性情——内在谦和而外表刚强。

——摘自《一个瑜伽行者的自传》第十二章 我在上师修道院的日子

未被满足的欲望的危险性

没有被满足的欲望被留在了心中。那么，怀藏着它们的危害是什么呢？那就是：每一个欲望都包含着特定的能量，不管是好是坏，或者混合了两者。当你离世时，虽然你的肉体死亡了，但是这些内在的能量却没能消散。就像心智里的小报刊一样，无论你的灵魂走到哪儿，它都跟着，并且当你再投生时，这些小报刊也成为行为的倾向而被显现出来。因此，一个死于酗酒的人会带着酗酒的倾向再次投生；并且这会一直影随他，直到他将其克服。

甚至是最小的孩子的行为也揭示着某种前世的特征。一些孩子有着糟糕的易怒脾气，有一些孩子则多愁善感。这并不是上帝所为。前世没有被满足的欲望，塑造了他们这一世的心理倾向；并且，因为这些倾向，本来是以上帝的形象所打造出来的灵魂，却变得与祂不同。如果你内在的上帝的形象在今世被愤怒和恐惧扭曲了，而你又无法战胜这些非正常的特质，那你来生还是会携带着它们；并且你将会一直携带着这些制造痛苦的倾向之重担，直到你在未来的某一个转世中，能克服它们。

因此，更好的做法是，现在就解决或者克服所有的欲望。它们将在上帝临在的至高喜悦中瞬间被满足。不过，除非你能够知晓祂，否则你那未被克服的欲望都会一直尾随着你。

这里有两条路可以消除你的欲望——通过思考和辨识而领悟到只有上帝可以给你永恒, 纯真的幸福。在许多情况中，欲望都是隐藏在潜意识中。你认为它们被实现了，但实际上没有。生命确实是个伟大的谜，但是这谜却能在你使用理性的手术刀剖析时，被揭露开来。如果每天你都安静地坐一会儿，并在此刻分析你自己，你将会发现你有许多没被满足的欲望。它们像危险的病菌一样，被你携带着走，不管你去哪里，今生或来世，它们都会跟随着你。

最好的做法就是在这一世就清理掉所有危险的欲望，并通过辨识, 把专注力放在实现那些好的欲望上。如果你有自杀倾向，或想做恶事，那么现在就去除这些欲望吧!

用理性和良好的行动使自己信服，你就是上帝的孩子，是按祂的模样所造的。克服你的情绪和身体的习惯。不要执着。若采用这种方法，你将会胜利。如果你受困于某种慢性疾病，尝试在心智里将自己与身体意识分离。通过辨识，你会战胜感官。辨识是燃尽欲望的火焰。

通常一个人会将自己不想要的，不怎么需要的“垃圾” 放在一个阁楼里，然后一旦有机会，就来个大扫除。同样地，隐藏在你潜意识心智阁楼里的，有很多有潜在危险的欲望，并且有一天，它们可能会给你造成一个大麻烦。因此，非常重要的， 你应该去分析你自己，也许你是个心怀怨恨之人，或多愁善感之人，或者暴躁类型的人。如果是这样，这些特性就是你自己过去的行为所形成的结果。为了清理掉你心智阁楼里这些不需要的家具，你必须用力地采取正面的, 有建设性和富有爱的行动 。

——摘自于《人类永恒的追寻》

A keen intelligence is a two-edged sword

To return toBernard, he was very sincere. For years, he followed the Master faithfully.After some time, how- ever, concern for his own physical well-being—and evenmore so, I’m afraid, a growing self-assurance on his part that, in practical matters, he knew more than the Master (a self-assessment that, as was obvious to me, was entirely illusory)—caused him to withdraw proudly into his own ego.The sad ending to his story is that he fell, spiritually, and left both theGuru and the teachings. I had noticed earlier, to my regret, that the more Bernardopened himself to other lines of thinking from the Master’s, the farther hewithdrew onto a kind of mental peak. Finally, he grew attuned entirely toworldly ways, with their unceasing emphasis on the ego. Bernard’s thinking became twisted to conform with those ways. Truly, as the Master wrote in Autobiographyof a Yogi (quoting his guru), a keen intelligence is a two-edged sword. It can be used either to lance the boil of ignorance, or to decapitate oneself.

——from conversation with Yogananda

Intelligence is rightly guidedonly after the mind has acknowledged the inescapability of spiritual law.

“Keen intelligence is two-edged,” Master once remarked in reference to Kumar’sbrilliant mind. “It may be used constructively or destructively like a knife, either to cut the boil of ignorance, or to decapitate one’s self. Intelligence is rightly guidedonly after the mind has acknowledged the inescapability of spiritual law.”

My guru mixed freely with men and women disciples,treating all as his children. Perceiving their soul equality, he showed nodistinction or partiality.

“In sleep, you do not know whether you are a man or a woman,” he said. “Just as a man, impersonating a woman, does not become one, so the soul, impersonating both man and woman, has no sex. The soul is the pure,changeless image of God.”

Sri Yukteswar never avoided or blamed women as objects of seduction. Men, he said, were also a temptation to women. I once inquired of my guru why a great ancient saint had called women “the door to hell.”

“A girl must have proved very troublesome to his peace of mind in his early life,” my guru answered causticly. “Otherwise he would have denounced, not woman, but some imperfection in his own self-control.”

If a visitor dared to relate a suggestive story in thehermitage, Master would maintain an unresponsive silence. “Do not allow yourself to be thrashed by the provoking whip of a beautiful face,” he told the disciples. “How can sense slaves enjoy the world? Its subtle flavors escape them while they grovel in primal mud. All nice discriminations are lost to the man of elemental lusts.”

Students seeking to escape from the dualistic maya delusionreceived from Sri Yukteswar patient and understanding counsel.

“Just as the purpose of eating is tosatisfy hunger, not greed, so the sex instinct is designed for the propagation of the species according to natural law, never for the kindling of insatiable longings,” he said. “Destroy wrong desires now; otherwise they will follow you after the astral body is tornfrom its physical casing. Even when the flesh is weak, the mind should be constantly resistant. If temptation assails you with cruel force, overcome it by impersonal analysis and indomitable will. Every natural passion can bemastered.

“Conserve your powers. Be like the capacious ocean, absorbing within all the tributary rivers of the senses. Smallyearnings are openings in the reservoir of your inner peace, permitting healing waters to be wasted in the desert soil of materialism. The forceful activating impulse of wrong desire is the greatest enemy to the happiness of man. Roam in the world as a lion of self-control; see that the frogs of weakness don’t kick you around.”

The devotee is finally freed from all instinctive compulsions. He transforms his need for human affection into aspiration for Godalone, a love solitary because omnipresent.

Sri Yukteswar ’s mother lived in the Rana Mahal district of Benares where I had first visited my guru. Gracious and kindly, she was yet a woman of very decided opinions. I stood on her balcony one day and watched mother and son talking together. In his quiet, sensible way, Master was trying to convince her about something. He was apparently unsuccessful, for she shook her head with great vigor.

“Nay, nay, my son, go away now! Your wise words are not for me! I am not your disciple!”

Sri Yukteswar backed away without further argument,like a scolded child. I was touched at his great respect for his mother even inher unreasonable moods. She saw him only as her little boy, not as a sage.There was a charm about the trifling incident; it supplied a sidelight on myguru ’s unusual nature, inwardly humbleand outwardly unbendable.

——from Autobiography of a yogi - Chapter 12 - Years in My Master’s Hermitage

The Danger of Unfulfilled Desires

Unfulfilled desires remain in the heart. And what isthe harm in harboring them? It is this: Every desire consists of specificforces, either good or evil, or a mixture of both. And when you die, thoughyour body is gone, those forces do not die. As mental tabloids they follow yoursoul wherever it goes, and when you are reborn, these tabloids manifest asbehavioral tendencies. Thus, a person who has died an alcoholic brings with himthe tendency to alcoholism when he is reborn; and it remains with him until heovercomes desire for alcohol.

The behavior of even the smallest child revealscertain charac­teristics of past lives. Some children have terrible tempertantrums,- others are moody. God did not make them that way. Unfulfilleddesires of past lives fashioned those psychological tendencies; and, because ofthem, the soul, even though made in the image of God, appears as somethingdifferent. If the image of God within you is distorted in this life by anger orfear, and you do not conquer such uncharacteristic qualities now, you will bereborn with them; and you will have the burden of these misery-creatingtendencies until you overcome them in some future incarnation.

It is better, therefore, to work out or overcome allyour desires now. They would be finished immediately and for all time in thesupreme joy of God's presence,- but until you know Him, your un­conquereddesires will remain to hound you.

There are two ways of finishing your desires — byrealizing, through reason and discrimination, or wisdom, that only God can givepermanent unalloyed happiness; and by fulfillment. In many cases desires liehidden within the subconscious. You think they are finished, but they are not.Life is indeed a great mystery,- but the mystery clears away when you dissectlife with the scalpel of reason. If every day you sit quietly for a littlewhile and analyze yourself, you will discover that you have many unsatisfieddesires. They are like dangerous germs that you carry through life, andwherever you go, in this life or the next, they will go with you.

The best course is to do away with all dangerousdesires in this life, by discrimination, and to concentrate on fulfilling yourgood desires. If you feel drawn to commit suicide, or to do something evil, getrid of such desires now. Convince yourself, by reason and by good actions, thatyou are a child of God, made in His image, and rise above your moods and bodilyhabits. Be more detached. In this way you will conquer. If you suffer from achronic ailment, try mentally to separate yourself from the consciousness ofthe body. By discrimination you can conquer the senses. Discrimination is thefire that burns up desire.

It is a general practice to store in the attic all ofone's un­wanted, unnecessary "junk," and once in a while to have agood housecleaning. Similarly, hidden away in the attic of your subcon­sciousmind are many potentially harmful desires that one day may give you greattrouble. It is important, therefore, to analyze your­ self. Perhaps you are ahateful or moody or angry type of person. If so, these stored traits are theresult of your own past behavior. In order to clean out your mental attic ofsuch unwanted furnishings, you must vigorously employ constructive, positive,loving action.

——from Man's Eternal Quest