Mumbai, Jeth Sud 10, Sunday, 1951
The bliss that the Enlightened One experiences is that of abidance in one’s own nature. He does not have the notion of happiness in external objects, therefore it cannot be said that for the Enlightened One, there is an increase or decrease in joy, sorrow etc. due to those objects. Although in general, comfort due to physical health etc., and discomfort due to fever etc. occur to both, the Enlightened and the ignorant, yet those occasions are not causes of joy or sorrow for the Enlightened One, or due to lack of steadfastness in one’s Self, some fluctuations of joy or sorrow arise, however the joy or sorrow are not such that they would lead to absolute unawareness. Due to the strength of manifesting karma, some such feelings arise; however, because of awareness resulting from constant contemplation, the Enlightened One’s inclination is towards annihilating these karma.
Due to a change in the wind, a ship is pulled in another direction, but just as the sailor endeavours only to steer that ship towards the appropriate path to the destination, similarly, the Enlightened One directs the activities of mind, speech etc. towards abidance in one’s own nature alone. Nevertheless, due to the wind of manifesting karma, few changes occur in the state, yet, the inclination, effort is towards the nature of the Self.
There is no such rule that the Enlightened One is poor or is rich; the ignorant is poor or is rich. Both are destined in accordance with the good or bad karma accumulated in the past. The Enlightened One remains equanimous in the manifesting karma; the ignorant experiences joy, sorrow, etc.
Where there is complete knowledge, there is no occasion of even possession of wife, etc. In a state of knowledge lower than that (in the fourth, fifth stages of spiritual development, where there is the possibility of the occasion of such associations, in that state), the Enlightened One may have possessions like wife etc.
