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Bede
Griffiths and the Place of Truth
Reflections, by Atmajyoti
In the documentary of Bede Griffith’s life, often shown
at Shantivanam, there are two comments which Fr. Bede made
which I found particularly striking. One is that the Truth
is found where two opposites meet. The other is that the most
effective ways of transcending the ego are through meditation
and falling-in-love. The paradox in the first comment begged
consideration. The second comment was both mildly amusing and
also rather reassuring. Meditation required discipline, but
it was nice to think that in the totally undisciplined and
involuntary experience of falling-in-love, there is a chance
of enlightenment!
In viewing the Atman as a bridge, as described in the Upanishads,
we can make a connection between these two comments made by
Fr. Bede. In the Chandogya Upanishad the Atman is described
as: ‘a bridge which, holding the two worlds together,
keeps them apart and joins them’ (Ch. Up 8.4.1). The
Atman (the True Self) is the bridge between the phenomenal
world (the material world of objects) and Brahma-loka (the
world of God, the Absolute). The phenomenal world consists
of name and form plus the Absolute (Sat-Chit-Ananda: Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
Absolute). In meditation and falling-in-love, we move beyond
the phenomenal world and our mistaken belief in the Reality
of name and form, and towards the True Self; the veil of ignorance
is lifted and the Light of the Absolute is revealed. We discover
the Truth. Opposites meet here, in the sense that they merge
into one, the One beyond all dvanda (pairs of opposites). ‘Day
and night do not pass that bridge (of the True Self)…’ (Ch.
Up. 8.4.1). The world of objects and opposites disappears as
the Light of the Absolute radiates over and above our preoccupation
with name and form. Such is the aim of meditation and such
is the magic of falling-in-love.
The context within which this meeting place of opposites occurs
and where Truth is found is in silence and solitude. There
is much noise and clutter in the phenomenal world, but the
divine bridge is marked by a silence and solitude which is
not of this world; no-one is there, and yet everyone is there.
The language of the Absolute is silence. How apt Christ’s
response when asked ‘What is the Truth?’
In silence, solitude opens within us as we let go of attachment
to objects. Identification and attachment with objects creates
a sense of union with the phenomenal world, but this sense
of union is false, for the objects are not real. Realizing
the futility of attachment uncovers a tremendous and awesome
inner solitude; a type of emptiness. It is the solitude of
God. Yet, so gracefully, in this inner solitude there is intimacy
with the Divine; in the emptiness of seeing the unreal aspect
of objects of experience, we discover the fullness of the eternal
Truth; in being detached from objects as name and form, there
is union with the essence of the object (Sat-Chit-Ananda);
in seeing what is unreal, the Real is revealed.
As Jules Monchanin, one of the founders of Shantivanam wrote,
in ‘sharing the solitude of God’ one is ‘called
to a vision which will make him forget all things previously
seen…God is sufficient.’ One ‘forgets all
things previously seen’ for in seeing the Truth of all
objects, that is in seeing beyond the name and form of objects
to the essential essence, the appearance of the phenomenal
world changes. Whereas once it was dominated by the unreal – objects
with a beginning and end – it now becomes a place that
shines with the all-pervading and eternal presence of the Absolute.
With this realization, the Atman serves to bridge the two
worlds. The Light of the Absolute shines through the True Self
dispelling all darkness. There is now the freedom to move in
all worlds without limitation. Knowledge of the Real means
that the phenomenal world can no longer bind the soul. The
words of Lord Jesus ring out: ‘The Truth will set you
free’ (John 8:32); or in the words of an old church hymn: ‘God
sent me to bring the good news to the poor, tell prisoners
that they are prisoners no more, tell blind people that they
can see, and set the downtrodden free, and to go tell everyone,
the news that God’s Kingdom has come.’ We find
a beautiful link between the gospel message and the Chandogya
Upanishad: ‘Therefore he who has crossed that bridge,
if blind, ceases to be blind; if wounded, ceases to be wounded;
if afflicted, ceases to be afflicted…’ (Ch. Up.
8.4.1,2).
The Kingdom of God and its righteousness has come when we
discover the True Self within. We discover our Self as the
Light of God, completely free and shining in all worlds. As
Swami Abhishiktananda wrote, when the True Self is discovered, ‘man
has discovered himself in the world of Brahman’ (Further
Shore, p.122). The Light of the Absolute dissolves the veil
of ignorance and allows us to experience our Oneness with God.
There are no opposites, only Truth.
It is here that Fr. Bede’s two comments tie together.
Fr. Bede said that it is in meditation and falling-in-love
that we can transcend the limitations of the ego, which
is to be rid of the veil of ignorance which thrives on name
and form. Meditation takes us beyond the phenomenal world,
for it takes us beyond name and form. We are able to experience
the True Self in meditation. We enter into the silence and
solitude of God. That requires discipline and the grace of
God.
Falling-in-love also ultimately takes us beyond the phenomenal
world and yet requires no discipline – hence the sensation
of ‘falling’ – we are out of control. Certainly
though, we feel the grace of God. This falling-in-love need
not necessarily be of the romantic or sexual kind; it is a
mysterious feeling that can also occur in other relationships
such as guru and disciple, a parent and babe, or even soul-mates.
Falling-in-love can also be an experience which goes beyond
human relationships, such as with the culture of a country
or a particular landscape. The recently published compilation
of letters by Fr. Bede is entitled ‘Falling-in-Love with
India’ (edited by Adrian Rance, 2006). In all cases,
what we fall in love with is the Spirit which is beyond name
and form; essentially we fall-in-love with God. We experience
a level of union which is beyond all the normal oscillations
and tensions of pairs of opposites. We discover peace. We discover
Truth.
As in meditation, in falling-in-love too we experience, in
a painfully joyful way, the great silence and solitude of God.
In the true experience of falling-in-love, there is no ‘I’ of
the limited ego, there is only surrender to a greater force;
nor is there any language to express such a divine experience.
Through falling-in-love, we sense something greater than the
phenomenal world; we are overwhelmed by something greater than
ourselves. We are in-Love. Love is beyond name and form. Who
has ever been able to adequately describe love? In Love there
is union of opposites, there are no opposites: ‘Love
bears all things’ and ‘endures all things’ (1
Cor. 13:7). God is Love.
What do Fr. Bede’s statements on Truth and transcending
the ego mean on a practical level? Falling-in-love takes on
a sacred significance and we may reflect in gratitude for such
experiences, whether they led to permanent union with another
or not. Such experiences take us into the solitude and silence
of the Divine and Eternal Truth. On a daily basis, falling
into the silence and solitude of meditation will surely allow
us to discover the Kingdom of God and its Truth within us.
Through the realization of our True Self, we become One with
the Light of the Absolute, free and beyond all darkness, beyond
all pairs of opposites. ‘When that bridge has been crossed,
night becomes day indeed, for the world of Brahman is lighted
up once for all’ (Ch. Up. 8.4.2). Truth is found where
two opposites meet…
+ + +
In the previous two editions of Golden String,
Atmajyoti (Carrie Lock) contributed articles on the Hermits
of Sacchidananda. Originally from Australia, Atmajyoti lives
as a contemplative in India. aum.atmajyoti@gmail.com
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