• Question: I would like to know how you felt the call of God in your life?

1966

• Note
• Question: How long have you been here in Puerto Rico?
• Question: Do you believe there is a great strength in stillness?
• Editor's note
• Question: Had you heard something about Puerto Rico in India?
• Question: How long will you be staying here: a week?
• Question: How can imperfection be removed quickly?
• Question: I would like to know the name of Swamiji.
• Question: With what movement is Swamiji connected in New York?
• On that table is a display of the magazine that Sri Chinmoy is publishing. It is his way of spreading the Truth. When we finish here, you have the opportunity of looking at it and deciding if you are interested.
• Note
• Questions by Kalipada
• Question: Gurudev, when I come into contact with Mr. Friedman or anyone else in this everyday experience, I get a certain joy and sometimes a certain pain in that association. Now what do you experience when you are in union with God?
• Question: Now once I have entered into this ocean of Bliss and I come back down to my normal self, would I be normal in the sense that I was the same as before I went into this ocean, or would I be radically different?
• A special blessing and power
• Question: Suppose one achieves Realisation, say, at the age of twenty. Does this realisation wipe out all karmic debts for that individual?

1967

• Question: Is it correct to think of love, forgiveness and wisdom while one pronounces the name of the Supreme?
• Question: Is it possible to realise the Supreme in one life?
• Question: Is there a difference or distinction between surrender, devotion and selfless love?
• Question: Does resurrection come when perfection in body and mind is attained?
• Question: Is all that happens to a human being caused by karma or by trials or by a third force? Can we call that third force "will"?
• Question: How can we succeed in breaking loose from the bonds of karma?
• Question: Please explain the relationship between karma and fate.
• Question: I believe that if we live our lives according to the laws of nature, most harmoniously with the laws of nature, we won't have as much suffering as we now have, because everyday we are actually violating the laws of nature.
• Question: I think that one should not try to imitate the laws of nature, inasmuch as each one has his own nature which is more important to him. We cannot imitate a tree. The tree does not have to know that it is a tree to be a tree. A man has to know that he is a man to be a man. We have to be conscious, but the tree is not required to be conscious.
• Question: We try to live the spiritual life and then we feel that the forces of the world seem to act apart from us and try to drag us down. When we give in to those forces, something happens and then we lose our contact with the Divine. We get mixed up with the things of the world. We have desires, passions, and we ask God for material things. Then when we try to go back to the spiritual life, we find that we do not deserve it.
• Question: How do you find a Guru? This is all new for me in this life. Idle urge is already there, but how does one know?
• Question: In the Bible, it says that there will always be a Joshua to follow a Moses. Joshua was Moses' disciple. I see also in Indian books that there is always a disciple who starts a line of followers. Is this spiritual chain a necessary part of the manifestation?
• Question: This state or condition of complete surrender is not easily obtained. On the other hand, you cannot obtain liberation until first you reach the condition of complete surrender. However we find out that we cannot reach that Goal unless we bypass the limitations and self-consciousness of the limited mind, be it in the sphere of the personality or elsewhere. To by-pass that self-consciousness, we find that we cannot do so by the development of the intellect or by the development of the reasoning power because this condition transcends the sphere of both, of the intellect and the reasoning power. And there is a difficulty here because to attain this condition you cannot be consciously immersed in life's problems. I mean to say, we cannot be attached or chained by those problems. Yet life is a challenge that we must meet because life is the process by which the Atman will develop the power and the wisdom to merge with the immanent and transcending power of the Divine. Now the question is: on the one hand we cannot run away from life, but I have found now that this is true only until a certain stage. The stage comes when you have to pull out from this daily turmoil so that you can concentrate and develop or not, but at least get in contact with the inner powers of the Self. For that we need to retire in solitude and meditation so that we will not be disturbed. And my question is: is this retirement indispensable? Is it also indispensable at this ultimate stage that you have the guidance and help of the Guru to attain that condition of complete surrender? Is it indispensable? Once you have attained that condition, then can you come back into life and serve in whatever position that the Supreme wants to put you into?
• Question: I cannot see anything created by God as imperfect. How can He create a soul that is not perfect and then say, "Alright, you go ahead in your own free way; develop the best you can?"
• Question: I would like to know why I have many times seen that when a person comes into profound practice of the spiritual or inner life, so many difficulties arise, many times discouraging the aspirant to go on in his practice?
• Question: In relation to Sudha's question, are not other personalities sometimes involved in keeping the soul in its present condition? For example if you are attached to someone?
• Question: I would like to know if there is a point after pain? We live in pain, but then do you believe that there is a point beyond pain?
• Question: But do you think that a person can go on like this and not have to come back and stay in the physical plane? I mean, can he stay in a state of joy?
• Question: Will you speak about the Divine Mother?
• Question: Do you have pictures of the different aspects of the Mother?
• Question: In that picture, Mother Kali is represented doing different things with her four arms. What is she actually doing?
• Question: What is true humility and how does true love for mankind manifest in us?
• Question: Does the spiritual life preclude other kinds of normal activities in life? I mean ... does the spiritual life mean that you have to give up what you happen to be doing at the time, say, being an interior decorator?
• Question: If there is no perfection in the body and no perfection in the mind, then my question is: would the soul's light lead the body and the mind toward perfection?
• Question: Do the body, mind and heart function differently when they function with the light of the soul?
• Question: Can we draw upon the cosmic energy by going deep within ourselves?
• Question: What did you mean when you said that now we have a choice with regard to the discovery of the inner life, but that some day we wouldn't have that choice?
• Question: Why would God take the trouble to compel slackers like myself to accept the inner life?
• Question: There is still something I don't understand. You said that there is the opportunity at the Hour of God and yet you said that He could take away the Grace. Then if so, how is He divine?
• Question: I ask this question mainly because I wonder why the greater part of the holy men or yogis that I know are unmarried or do not have a family life. I just wondered if marriage would be a deterrent.
• Question: Referring to your talk on Illumination, I want to ask: In our daily life, when frustration and adversity attack us, how can we orient ourselves so that we know what to do about it?
• Question: When you tell us to learn by heart twenty meditations, are you not establishing a kind of competition among the disciples?

T.V. Programme — WKAQ, Channel 2

• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Question: Master Chinmoy, I believe that there are two wars, the inner and the outer. When and how will these two wars stop?
• Question: Master Chinmoy, I have read in some Eastern books that man is greater than the gods. I wish to hear from you if this statement is correct?
• Question: Can you explain further what liberation is?
• Question: Is there a special means that would accelerate this process of liberation?
• Question: Master Chinmoy, from the spiritual point of view does the New Year have any special significance?
• Question: When God thinks of me what does He really do?
• Question: Master Chinmoy, will you explain briefly to us what is Yoga?

1968

• Question: I believe that Adam and Eve were Vitudha and Atman and then they underwent that transformation. Is this true?
• Question: When we reach the Pralaya, how can the souls who have not attained the highest and are not pure blend into the Divine Purity if they themselves are not pure?
• Question: Many good people, spiritual people, are depressed by the things that are going on. How do you get these people to have hope without saying "Pollyana" to them?
• Talk at the retailers' centre

Questions and answers following Sri Chinmoy’s talk at the Retailers’ Centre

• Question: Is there a coordinated effort in all countries to study Yoga, philosophy and transcendental truth, searching for a spiritual approach to God?
• Question: Is Yoga philosophy something similar to Unity, where one mission or one congregation or a series of ministers or self-abnegated servants of Christ are spreading the seed to teach people how to come nearer to, and enter into, pure Christianity?
• Programme "Temas del momento"
• Introduction by Sri Chinmoy
• Interviewer: Sri Ghose, what is the advantage to the human body in being influenced by learning Yoga philosophy?
• Interviewer: Is it necessary for a person to abandon his religion, let us say Catholicism, in order to adopt the Yoga teachings?
• Question: What made you come to Puerto Rico?
• Question: And this is your seventh visit to Puerto Rico?
• Question: What other Centres do you have?
• Question: Does that have a meaning?
• Question: Is the membership of the Centre here almost one hundred percent Puerto Rican?
• Question: Do they follow your teachings with enthusiasm?
• Question: How many days do you spend in Puerto Rico when you come and engage in these teachings?
• Question: Then from here, where will you go?
• Question: You don't have established headquarters in New York or in Puerto Rico aside from all these centres?
• Question: I want to inform the television audience of the location and telephone number of your Centre.
• Question: Is the earth planet like a final stage for perfection? Do we have to go through the other planets first and then come here?

"La Voz Del Figaro" Colegio De Arberos Villa Palmeras

• Introduction
• Question: What do you mean by scepticism? Do you mean by the term the same thing that religions mean when they say that somebody is a sceptic?
• Question: Can a man be something else than what he thinks himself to be?
• Question: What attitude should we take toward religions other than our own?
• Question: How should a disciple of yours meditate?

Interview with "Bohemia" Spanish magazine

• Note
• Question: What was the main purpose of your visit to Puerto Rico?
• Question: Do your teachings constitute a religion?
• Question: Why do you say that?
• Question: These, concentration, meditation and contemplation, are they a means towards obtaining something?
• Question: Can a human being know the Infinite?
• Question: But you are not Infinite.
• Question: Do concentration and meditation have something to do with the power of the mind?
• Question: By means of this meditation you try to obtain Peace, only Peace?
• Question: One can obtain peace for a moment but then when he goes out from here, he will go back to the same hustle of human life.
• Question: What is the meaning of the word AUM?
• Question: If you are preaching something about God, that is religion, not philosophy. Philosophy knows no God.
• Question: Do you think that Westerners can understand Eastern philosophy?
• Question: What is the rational and logic base for your philosophy?
• Question: How many times have you come to Puerto Rico?
• Question: About the truth, is there more than one Truth?
• Question: Does any religion possess the Truth in itself?
• Question: How many disciples do you have in Puerto Rico?
• Question: During how many years have you obtained these disciples?
• Question: What do you feel about hippies?
• Question: Maybe they are seeking for peace?
• Question: Maybe you could help them?
• Question: And what do you think is the reason that so many hippies and so many people are opposing society?
• Question: Do you think it is society's fault?
• Question: Are you trying to give some message to society?
• Question: Did you found this philosophy? Did you discover it?
• Question: When did you come to the United States?
• Question: Are you the only priest preaching these teachings in the U.S.?
• Question: How did you come to Puerto Rico the first time?
• Question: What is the meaning of that painting?
• Question: Do you have Christians among your followers?
• Question: Do you charge a fee to sustain your Centres?
• Question: How many followers do you have in the United States?
• Question: I think this is enough for today.

Talk to members of the finance department of the Government of Puerto Rico: August 1, 1968

• Talk to members of the finance department of the Government of Puerto Rico
• Question: Is Yoga a religion, an art or a science?
• Question: Please tell me about the basic principle which I understand you yogis follow very consistently about the respect for life. You see life in insects and in every animal and you respect such life. Is that a principle in yoga?

T.V. Programme On Channel 2, Telemundo "Foro De La Comunidad" (Community Forum): August 3, 1968

• Moderator: Agni (Mr. Jose Luis Casanova)
• Question: What is detachment and what do we actually derive from detachment?
• Question: Could you tell me what is freedom, where is it and how can earthbound man have it?
• Question: Most of the ordinary human beings take life seriously; should spiritual persons take life seriously?
• Question: Please tell me what is wrong with the world: It seems to act like a madman and it seems to be running towards its own destruction; what is wrong with the world?
• Note
• T.V. Channel 6, WIPR Interview
• Note
• Question: You have been here several times. Is there any particular reason, special reason that you come or do you come to visit Puerto Rico and be with your followers? Is there any special reason?

Interview at Radio Station WKYN, San Juan — 13 August 1968

• Question: Your name is Sri Chinmoy Ghose?
• Question: Would you be classified as a Swami?
• Question: And is there a particular branch of Yoga in your philosophy?
• Question: You have a centre in San Juan. What is its name?
• Question: I read that people who embark on one of the varied spiritual programmes are usually given a particular sound for them. Is this based on a particular thing, or just a feeling at the time, or is there a way of determining what this sound is for the individual?
• Question: But you have to know the individual fairly well?
• Question: At your Aum Centre, you are preaching life? Is this the idea that I get from you?
• Question: Where is the AUM Centre located?
• Question: Do you find that the Western mind has difficulties in grasping the implications of the Eastern philosophers?
• Question: If you had to wrap up your philosophy in one sentence, could you do it?
• Question: If people want more information about this, can they come down to your Centre?

Questions and answers on 17 August 1968

• Question: I realise many times that people want to be involved and do things for the betterment of humanity, but for some reason, their inadequacy or their inefficiency does not allow them to do this. Or they cannot come forward and do what they would like to do. They think often about it but they cannot come forward and do it. What can they do?
• Question: I have always wondered if the AMEN of our Christian religion was originally meant to have the same significance as the AUM of the Hindu religion.
• Question: In the Gita, it says that we must have discrimination. What is meant by this discrimination and how can we obtain it?
• Question: When Arjuna refused to kill, was he discriminating?
• Question: Does not this battle of Kurukshetra mean that one is fighting against his own wrong ideas and ignorance, fighting an inner battle and not actually fighting to kill somebody?
• Question: When one reaches the highest levels, does he have to come back to the world:
• Question: Once I met a person who said that he did not believe in God because he could not see Him or hear Him. He said he believed in his wife because he could see her and hear her, and his child. What can we do and what can we say to persons who think that way, because we try a lot of arguments but to no avail.
• Question: I am deeply disturbed. I want to have peace. My greatest ambition is to study languages, but I cannot concentrate on the simplest things of life. This makes me feel sad, deeply sad and I cry a lot. I feel dispersed, I am so deeply disturbed. I want to regain my happiness, my tranquillity of spirit and mind. I would like you to help me, to lead me. I will follow you.

Questions by Sivashankara

• Question: Is there any way to overcome karma in one’s lifetime?
• Question: Is getting married asking for more karma?
• Question: The people we meet today — are they persons we were related to in our past incarnation?
• Question: It is said that when twins are born, it is because they were enemies in a past incarnation and they had to be joined together in that way, I mean as Siamese twins. Then neither one can kill the other since he will be killed as well.
• Question: Sometimes we hate somebody without any apparent reason, just for his appearance.
• Question: I was thinking of my mother-in-law. No matter what I do to please her, she hates me.

Mr Quinones Vidal's programme, radio interview on station WKAQ

• Introduction
• Question: I heard the beautiful explanation of your philosophy about life. Really, that is what I understand by philosophy. But there is a word in Spanish, maybe it is because of the translation into Spanish, "to accept life". To accept or discover. Is there not a difference between acceptance without investigation, without doubt and merely discovering life?
• Note

Questions and answers, August to October 1968

• Question: Why could Vivekananda not overcome his doubts about Ramakrishna?
• Question: In the spiritual life, which way will be best, to arrive at the truth in order to gain freedom, or to try to gain freedom in order to arrive at the truth?
• Question: You have explained how to remember. Now what is the best method of rejecting thoughts that you do not want to have?
• Question: Are we to believe literally in the story of Adam and Eve, that we are actually suffering from the consequences of their fall? Or are we the product of evolution from animal life?
• Question: A neighbour of mine often swears very loudly to the Supreme against Him and when he does that, I always say, "Dios te bendiga." ("May God bless you.") Is this the right thing to do?

Questions from students at Yale University

• Editor's note
• Question: It seems that mystical experience cannot be forced in this way, in that manner. And I would think that if one thought that he could reason himself completely into religious awareness or experience, he might never really get there.
• Question: Would you please explain the difference in some words you used: "Physically," "vitally," "mentally" and "psychically" ...I don't understand the difference between "vitally" and "physically."
• Question: Do you mean that the vital body is a less dense form of matter than the physical body and it interpenetrates or gets within the physical body?
• Question: Which of these bodies is involved in extra-sensory perception and other psychic experiences?
• Question: Can you say something about past lives?
• Question: Will you give me an opportunity to have a private talk with you?

1969

• Question: Upon bringing a man born blind to be cured by Jesus Christ, his apostles asked him, "Who sinned, that this man was born blind? Did he sin or did his parents sin?" Christ answered, "No, it is so the works of God may be shown through him."
• Question: There are persons who pray and still are suffering!
• Question: Why did Sri Ramakrishna not cure himself if he had the power?
• Question: What is the difference between the soul and the Spirit?
• Question: Does evil have a real existence?
• Question: Is it acceptable to offer the joy that one derives from one's outer life to God? For instance, my music, my songs — although they are not religious songs — or is it an offense?
• Question: What should be the approach of the aspirant to the concept of the Supreme?
• Question: When I meditate on you, I feel that I enter into you as a personal God. Is there anything higher than that?
• Question: What are the ways that we can expand our receptivity to the Supreme?
• Question: Does the factor of having spiritual experiences make you closer to the Supreme?
• Question: I want to ask about the meaning of the gods. What powers do they represent?
• Question: I would like to know in which way to invoke Ganesha.
• Question: They are all the same, Ganesha and the other gods?
• Disciple: Also Lakshmi, Kali, and Saraswati.
• Question: The question of responsibility has purified me for a long time. I have heard that the law of Karma is inexorable, that each action has its reaction; that any transgression of the law brings forth the corresponding reaction in the form of punishment or whatever it may be.
• Question: The consciousness of the self is a handicap in the path towards God-realisation and complete surrender. This self-consciousness will limit you in the world of plurality, differentiation and phenomena. Now, this is what we want to transcend because we are searching for that oneness of the Absolute. If we are searching for that oneness, where all differentiation ends and where you will integrate with the universal consciousness, you must try to pull away from these forces that will limit you in the sphere of personality or the ego, that will give you a distorted view of what humanity is, of what the purpose of life is and many causes of differentiation. You are dealing with phenomena that takes place in space and time. But you are not dealing with true values, the eternal values of the real Self. What I mean to say is that when I say that you have to transcend that self-consciousness, it is that you have to destroy this consciousness of the individuality as the "I" or the personality as the "I." You will have to live in a broader consciousness, in a broader vision, otherwise you cannot attain that goal. To reach that goal, we need the Master because the Master will be like a catalytic agent who will bring up those forces that are hidden in the inner Self so that they will flow into view.

1970

• Question: How can we teach ourselves to love people who hurt us? People who are bad?
• Question: Can one develop this love?
• Question: Will God help me if I ask Him for help in that way?
• Question: I have read that one has to help oneself, too. If one does not help oneself, God will not help us.
• Question: In each era God manifests in a different way. We are entering into the Aquarian Age. I was thinking that since energy changes her form of manifestation in each era, even psychic energy changes. There is a complete transformation of the creation in each era. I would like to know how true my argument is now.
• Question: What is the quickest way to achieve self-control?
• Question: What changes do we have to make, when, as seekers, we have to work and eat with other persons who don't feel what we feel? Sometimes I have harsh reactions in my relations with the ordinary world.
• Question: In one of your poems you say, "Hope lost... destruction close." What can one do if that person is losing hope? What can an aspirant do?
• Question: I want to know the relationship between maya and creation.
• Question: In the third chapter of the Gita. Arjuna asks Sri Krishna about action and inaction. I would like to know something more about it.

Questions and answers following the lecture "The inner freedom"

• Question: Does the inner world affect the outer world?
• Question: What is the purpose of life?
• Question: How do we reach the inner worlds?
• Question: How can one achieve this realisation of Truth?
• Question: Have you attained to realisation, or are you still a seeker?
• Question: What will happen to you when you die, being a realised soul? Will you be absorbed in God and not take incarnation again?
• Question: Since you are a realised soul, will your next incarnation be different from that of an ordinary person?
• Question: Why do we need a spiritual Master? Can't we find Truth by ourselves?
• Question: You said before that each incarnation is a stepping stone towards our God realisation. Does that mean that we can't reach God in this life?
• Question: How do you define God? I try to define Him as an animate Force, but this just confuses me more.
• Question: You said that we are all evolving and progressing. But where did this whole process start? Was there a beginning?
• Question: Is the realisation you speak of achieved through a certain kind of Yoga?
• Question: Is there a difference between man and God?
• Question: Is there any relationship between imagination and faith?
• Question: A disciple from Arecibo told me one night that he felt the necessity to meditate while he was driving his car at night and that he went out of his normal, physical mind. I told him not to do it and that I was going to ask you about that.
• Question: Master, please tell me, if I have to come back here in another incarnation, who is going to take care of my soul? You? If you don't want to come to this world again, will you name someone to take care of me?

Questions asked by Sri Chinmoy himself

• What does the human in us want? What does the divine in us want?
• What is the difference between the divine Lover and the Divine Beloved?
• What is life and what is death?
• What is ego?
• What kind of loss and what kind of gain?
• God means what?
• Truth means what?
• Man means what?
• The past means what?
• The present means what?
• The future means what?
• What is God's contribution?
• What is man's contribution?
• What is aspiration?
• What is realisation?
• What is revelation?
• What is manifestation?
• What does my mind say?
• What does my heart say?
• What does my soul say?
• What does my goal say?
• What is the difference between humanity and divinity?
• What is the difference between inner and outer education?
• Who is the fool?
• Who is the wisest of all?
• What does God do when I concentrate on Him?
• What do I do when God concentrates on me?
• What does God do when I meditate on Him?
• What do I do when God meditates on me?
• What do I do when I contemplate on Him?
• What do I do when God contemplates on me?

I

• Question: How can we tell which is our ego's will and which is the Divine Will?
• Question: Could a creature of the Supreme Omnipotent, Omniscient, obtain a temporary suspension of his karma so that he can obtain worthy progress? What are the requisites thereof?

II — Talk and questions and answers at the Sagrado Corazon College in San Juan

• Discourse
• Question: Please explain your system, so we can know how to go about meditation.
• Question: How are our actions in life connected with the spiritual life?
• Question: Is meditation a way of having absolute freedom from all attachments which cause us to be separated from delight which is our inheritance on earth, spiritual delight?
• Question: During meditation, can one enter into the level of unconscious thought?
• Question: Is this done through a mental process?
• Question: How does a person become a Guru?

1972

• Question: In your article "New Creation", you say that the best way to use our life, every moment of our life, is through inspiration and aspiration. My question is how can we, in what way can we put forth our utmost effort to bring to the fore our highest inspiration and aspiration?
• Question: It is very easy for us to conceive of God in the Infinite and the ultimate. But how can we see God in our everyday life, in our relations with people, in our activities with people? How can we see God here, the Divine here?
• Question: In one meditation you say that if anybody strikes me on the right cheek, I shall not turn my left cheek to him because I love him and I don't want him to commit the same mistake again. Do you mean that one can get mad at that person?
• Question: About two weeks ago, we were talking here about attachment and detachment. We think that we are attached only to somebody whom we like. But Sudhha told us that we can be attached to somebody we dislike. How can we detach ourselves from a person whom we dislike?

1973

• Question: Besides meditating, if you have confusion, say someone has told you something that confuses you in your own spiritual life, how can you clear that up?
• Question: What can we do with the hostile forces when they attack us and try to separate the Centre or the members, instead of feeling as one group? What can we do?
• Question: I would like to know if detachment is in humility or if humility is in detachment and which one comes first.
• Question: How can we best tell the difference between true humility and when our ego thinks it is humble?
• Question: How can you obtain a love for humanity in a true, practical sense? That is easy to speak about but difficult to practise.