Past and Future Only in Mind

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

There must be some way of making our who has realized and who has not. If one is indistinguishable from the other, of what use is he?

M. He who knows himself has no doubts about it. Nor does he care whether others recognize his state or not. Rare is the realized man who discloses his realization and fortunate are those who have met him, for he does it for their abiding welfare.

When one looks round, one is appalled by the volume of unnecessary suffering that is going on. People who should be helped are not getting help. Imagine a big hospital ward full of incurables, tossing and moaning. Were you given the authority to kill them all and end their torture, would you not do so?

M. I would leave it to them to decide.

But if their destiny is to suffer? How can you interfere with destiny?

M. Their destiny is what happens. There is no thwarting of destiny. You mean to say everybody's life is totally determined at his birth? What a strange idea! Were it so, the power that determines would see to it that nobody should suffer.

What about cause and effect?

M. Each moment contains the whole of the past and creates the whole of the future.

But past and future exist?

M. In the mind only. Time is in the mind, space is in the mind. The law of cause and effect is also way of thinking. In reality all is here and now and all is one. Multiplicity and diversity are in the mind only.

Still, you are in favor of relieving suffering, even through destruction of the incurably diseased body.

M. Again, you look from outside while I look from within. I do not see a sufferer, I am the sufferer. I know him from within and do what is right spontaneously and effortlessly. I follow no rules nor lay down rules. I flow with life - faithfully and irresistibly.