Sri Sri talks about the recently discovered God Particle

July 10, 2012

Bad Antogast, Germany

 

The scientists have discovered the God Particle; that is what they are saying – Higgs Boson. And they say that the entire universe is made up of this. It is a field, and this field is energy. It gives shape to the planets, stars and everything.

This sounds so familiar to someone who has studied Vedanta, or someone who has experienced deep meditation.
The whole universe is made up of consciousness. It is a play and display of one consciousness. The Vedic Rishis also said the same. They said first know the elements; they called even Brahman, the Ultimate, as a Tattva. Tattva means Principle. Like God Particle, they said Brahman Principle.

The Brahman or God is not a He or She; they say it is a field. It is a field, it is a space, the basis of everything, and everything is just its own reflection. Everything forms of its own reflection. It is neither a thing, nor nothing.

What is the first principle? They said the Elements; Earth element, Water, Fire, Air, Ether, and then the Mind, the Intellect – the subtler and subtler you go, you reach there.

Subtler than space is mind, subtler than that is intellect and knowledge is present there. And subtler than that is ego, and hundred times subtler than ego is the Mahat Tattva – The Principle called Mahat, field called Mahat.

Ego itself is an atom, but finer than the ego, beyond the ego, that point, that particle is a field called Mahat Tattva, and finer than that is Moola Prakurti – the primordial energy.

And beyond that primordial energy, is Brahman, of which everything is made, which is the substance of the whole creation. Brahman is infinity, it is neither born nor will it ever die.

In the Rig Veda, there is a Sukta called Nasadiya Sukta, in the 10th Mandala, 129th Adhyaya, there, around seven verses are written. In the seven verses of The Hymn of Creation, it is so striking how these aspects which we now know through quantum mechanics and through quantum physics were present then and there.

What scientists call as Dark Matter and Dark Energy which is everywhere, and which is what we are talking about, the Nasadiya Sukta says the same thing.

Nasadasinno sadasittadanim nasidrajo no vyom paro yat

Kimavarivah kuha kasya sharmannambhah kimasid gahanam gabhiram

Beyond the space, then, in the beginning, there was neither existence nor non-existence; neither birth nor death. It was all only energy. And it also talks about, ‘Darkness enveloped by darkness. ’ In the third verse it says, ‘Darkness was all wrapped around by darkness.’

So these verses strikingly indicate what today’s scientists talk about almost in the same language.

Let me read the translation:

At first was neither Being or Non-being. There was not air nor yet sky beyond. What was it wrapping? Where? In what protection?

Was water there, unfathomable and deep?

There was no death then, nor yet deathlessness; of night or day, there was not any sign.

The One breathed without breath, by its own impulse. Other than that was nothing else at all.

Darkness was there all wrapped around by darkness, and all was water indiscriminate. All was energy indiscriminate.

Then that which was hidden by the void, the one emerging, stirring, through power of Ardor, came to be.

In the beginning Love arose, which was the primal germ cell of the mind.

The seers, searching in their heart with wisdom, discovered the connection of Being in Non-being. A crosswise line cut Being from Non-being.

What was described above it, what below? Bearers of seed there were and mighty forces, thrust from below and forward move above.

Who really knows? Who can presume to tell it?

When was it born? Whence issued this creation? Even the Gods came after its emergence.

Then who can tell from whence it came to be?

That out of which creation has arisen, whether it held it from or it did not; He who surveys it in the highest heaven, He surely knows or maybe He does not!

That is very interesting – He surely knows or maybe He does not – because even the knower is part of the phenomenon.

The three types of space are described. One is the space in which we see all the matter that exists; the outer space – Bhutakasha. Then there is the intermediate space or inner space, where all thoughts and emotions float. This is called Chittakasha - the space of the Chitta (consciousness). And then Chidakasha, the space of pure consciousness or energy, which here and there appears to have consolidated and appears to be matter. What appears to be matter is really not matter, it is all One energy, and that One field is called Brahman, and that is what everybody is, that is what everything is.

Doesn't it sound very similar to the Higgs Boson?

So the Brahman or God is not a He or She, they say it is a field. It is a field, it is a space, the basis of everything, and everything is just its own reflection. Everything forms of its own reflection. It is neither a thing, nor nothing.

And they also said this will be known by the scientist of the past and the scientist of the future.

Rishi means one who discovers. The scientists of the ancient times and the scientists of the modern times, in coming years will explore this. And even those, they may not know it. Who knows whether they will know it, or not know?

So further they go, they see it is unknowable.

It is very interesting – Higgs Boson, the concept of it, has come from the past.

It is also said that every particle of the space is filled with knowledge, information, – Chittakasha; Akashik Records. All that happened in the past is all present in the Akasha. And what is going to happen in the future is also present in the Akasha. This is what they say, if you get access to the Akasha.

Actually, these verses, when people use to say, ‘Darkness is enveloped with darkness’, it wouldn’t make much sense, and Sanskrit and Vedic scholars were struggling to give some meaning to it. It appeared to be completely a meaningless – neither this nor that; it exists or it doesn't exist.

These sorts of words are good enough to confuse a person. I think with the discovery of Higgs Boson, you are able to understand these verses better, because this itself is called The Hymn of Creation. And it is not very straight, like there was a man and a woman and they fell in love, and they brought forth a progeny – it was not like this. The Hymn of Creation here is so mystical and so mysterious.

The mysticism in it is that it is said in the beginning there was neither Being nor Non-being. Neither Matter or Non-matter, and everything was beyond the space.

So, first of all, you should know space, and then you can know beyond the space.

Always they have said that the Brahman is Parame Vyoman (beyond space). You have to go beyond the space. And space is permeating the entire creation.

They have also said about the three types of space – Bhutakasha, Chittakasha and Chidakasha; dissecting the three types of space and then finding.

The scientists never conclude things as an ultimate thing but they will always leave room for further research. They keep the things open-ended and so do the Vedas. They leave it at that. Maybe somebody will discover, somebody knows or somebody doesn't know. It is absolutely fascinating and interesting.

So we need to look at these Vedas, not from a traditional point of view but with a scientific temper. You need to probe into it with a scientific mind. Perhaps you may get some more ideas from this, or maybe not.

Q: (A member of the audience asked a question spontaneously which was inaudible in the recording)

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes because God Particle is in Dark Energy only. Nothing is out of Dark Energy. Dark matter and Dark energy is what exists, and all these light bubbles are like drops on a sheet of paper.

Suppose you have a plastic sheet and you put a few drops of water, it forms a round shape. Why is that? It is because of the sheet. In the same way, this whole universe is enveloped by Dark Matter and Dark Energy and that is what it says, ‘Tama Asitamasa Gudhamagre.’

In the beginning the darkness was in a mysterious manner enveloped with another darkness, and all this what you see was all energy - Salilam.

Salilam in simple translation means water, that which is fluid. But another meaning for it is energy that moves. Water moves, that is why it is also called Salilam. Air moves, that is why air is called Sameer.

So, Salilam means that energy that is not stagnant, but which is dynamic; moving. And the entire universe was just energy which was dynamic.

Unfortunately people who know the Vedas know nothing about science, and people who know about science know nothing about Vedas. There is a big gap. It will be very difficult for Vedic people to graduate in science. What would be easier is for scientists to learn a little bit of the Vedas. If they go into the books a little bit, even as a pass time, they may be able to explore and get ideas which may be of some use.

It is also said that every particle of the space is filled with knowledge, information. Chittakasha – the space is filled with information; Akashik Records. All that happened in the past; whatsoever anybody or everybody has spoken in the past is all present in the Akasha (space). And what is going to happen and what someone will speak in the future is also present in the Akasha. This is what they say, if you get access to the Akasha.

People who are psychic and those who get premonitions, clairvoyants, all this can be answered with this one field of Chittakasha.

And superior to Chittakasha is Chidakasha - the operator.

Chittakasha is simply a store house; like you type a text message here and press the send button and electronically it goes and delivers to the number you sent it to. Similarly, when you send and receive emails, they all remain in the space, and you are able to download it. That uploading and downloading that happens is in Chittakasha - the space of Chitta. But one step higher than that is Chidakasha.

Chidakasha is the field of intelligence.

Chidakasha is the designer and Chittakasha is the design. And when you do yoga and meditation and go deep into it, then you go into these three spaces. Bhutakasha, where first you find nothingness, and you think that this ‘nothingness’ is everything, no! You go beyond that, it is Chittakasha, and then beyond that you see Chid-atma - The Self; the Chidakasha, and that is Shiva Tattva - Chidakasha.

See, when you sit for meditation, the first thing you experience is thoughts, and from thoughts you experience emptiness. And then from emptiness you further experience the energy – tremendous energy, isn’t it?! How many of you experience energy in deep meditation? (Many raise their hands)

Yes, that is Chidakasha.

So someone asked, ‘How is The Self?’

It is empty like the sky and full like the ocean.

Subtler than space is mind, subtler than that is intellect and knowledge is present there. And subtler than that is ego. Ego itself is an atom, but finer than the ego is a field called Mahat Tattva, and finer than that is Moola Prakurti – the primordial energy. And beyond that is Brahman, which is the sub-stance of the whole creation.

Q: What karma determines what bodily elements one gets? Example if someone has eye ailments does it mean it is because they gave eye troubles to others in their previous lifetimes?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No!

Gahana Karmano Gatih – it is very difficult to fathom the laws of karma. Don’t go into it, just don’t worry. What types of karma brings what problem with it is a huge thing. Its better you don’t go into it. It will only create more paranoia.

Whatever karma is there, knowledge can burn them all, you just drop them all and move on. Otherwise it will be like picking on the garbage can, which garbage is from the morning and which is from yesterday or three days ago. How does it matter? Drop all the karmas and just move on.

Q: Guruji, why did God give us the five sense objects when all the wise people ask us to control them?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: So that you can express something even better than that.

You know, cotton candies are given to babies, but when they grow a little older, nobody goes for those toffees or candies. They go in for some higher joy, some higher experiences.

See, our ability to enjoy sense objects is limited; but when the desire is unlimited there is an imbalance. That is when you have to watch out!

For example, take Bulimia, how much food can you eat? This much (cupping his hands together), bulimia is when you eat but then also you are not satisfied. Then you say, ‘Come on, have control over your senses’, because if not it is going to harm your own body.

It is similar with all sense objects because experiencing them is draining. If you eat little food it gives you energy, but if you eat a little more then it tires you. How many of you have had this experience? Instead of giving you energy it has made you so tired.

So they say ‘Tena Tyaktena Bhunjitha’ – which means, experience it but go beyond it as well; let go. You can breathe in, but you cannot only breathe in, you have to breathe out as well, otherwise you will die, isn’t it?

So when you turn inward, when you go to yoga then you are able to experience greater joy. Yoga is energy conservation, otherwise it is energy spending.

If kids spend then nobody bothers, the parents say, ‘Okay, you spend.’

But if a teenager spends, or one who has grown beyond teenage, then parents say, ‘Be careful in spending. Earn as well, you can’t only spend.’

If you have become an adult they will tell you that you should earn too. But babies don’t earn, even then parents say, ‘You go and spend.’

In the same way, with sense objects, you enjoy good taste, good sight, good sound, everything, but then come and conserve your energy, go deep in meditation and realize that there is a bigger joy and greater happiness there and look at that also.

Q: Guruji, please speak about being a vegetarian.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, if you go to Google and search, there are number of reasons.

‘Why should I be vegetarian?’, or just type, ‘Vegetarian’, or type, ‘Benefits of Vegetarianism’.

It should run into pages and pages. You will also have many videos by doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and all that.

Q: Guruji, could you talk about Tantra and Khajuraho temples? I have been visiting these temples with different groups and each guide says different things, and I do not find truth in it.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tantra means technique. Yantra, Mantra and Tantra - these are three things.

Mantra is the sound. Yantra is the diagram. Like the Star of David, it is one such Yantra which Judaisim uses as its main symbol. And Tantra is the technique to combine a physical diagram, or a posture with the sound; this is Tantra – the skill to do it.

Now, Tantra as I said is a technique. The ancient Rishis wrote on sex as well – Kama Sutra was written, different postures, and different theories and principles about Tantra. It is used to get rid of obsession.

Why it is on the outer walls of the temple, for that there is a reason. Pilgrims are first asked to go around the temple and look at all the statues, and if any statue, in any way pulls you to excitement you sit there and keep watching. The moment you keep watching, the excitement comes down. So when the mind loses excitement for all these different postures then you go inside. Then your mind is hollow and empty. The mind is blank and then you are able to see the inner sun. That (Khajuraho) is a Sun temple.

Certain rough times come in life, just have patience. Don’t be in a hurry to take any decision. At times of  dire confusion and conflict you should have some patience.

You may ask, ‘But the Sun is outside, why should we go inside the temple to see the Sun.’ Now the ancient people said that is an outer sun, there is an inner Sun - The Self.

To see The Self what is an obstruction? Excitement about the sense organs. The flow of the sense organs towards sense objects keeps your mind outward which needs to move inward.

So in the temple you go around several times and sit in front of those statues. It is like a pornography movie, but there is sense in it. Pornography movies are used to excite people, but this is used to calm people down. And so this is used as a therapy for obsession to sex.

Obsession to sex is not a new thing, it is an old disease. You can’t even call it a disease; it is an old inheritance in people. And you need to skillfully go past that to see the light of the being, and so they use these things. They sit with anything that might trigger, obsess you or excite you, and the more you watch it the excitement is gone. Mind calms down.

But Tantras have to be practiced under very strict guidance otherwise it is like walking on a sword. People who fall from there they fall completely down, and it is dangerous. Usually people say it is a dangerous thing to do.

In Tantra also, there is White Tantra, Black Tantra, and all sorts of things. Yoga is the best, a safe and secure way to move forward. Mantra, Yantra and Yoga, this Tantra in Yoga is the technique of how to settle the mind down.

Q: Guruji, my family is falling apart and I am worried about my two children. The relationship with my spouse is becoming bitter with mistrust and misunderstanding. I need your advice.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Certain rough times come in life, just have patience. Don’t be in a hurry to take any decision. At times of dire confusion and conflict you should have some patience.