Simplicity
Mr Masur: Many people think that simple things are stupid. But a lot of people do not know that intelligence or cleverness can hinder them.Sri Chinmoy: Most of the time intelligence hinders our progress.
Mr Masur: I believe the same. The simplification of things does not mean to make them ordinary. On the contrary, it is we who are made wise. This wisdom may be found in India, China and many Asian countries. Unfortunately, Japan went through a dangerous period of being overcome by Western civilisation, of losing the ground under their feet, which they got from India, from Buddhism.
Sri Chinmoy: Anything that is simple is real, and anything that is real is progressive. Water, air and everything that is around us in nature is very simple, but unfortunately what we are doing in our day-to-day life is creating pollution and so many things that are unnatural. In order to exhibit our capacities, we have become unnatural. But if we depend on natural sources, natural things, for example, on our heart, then at every moment we can derive satisfaction, which we are all longing for.
Mr Masur: What you are saying is wonderful. You make me stronger than I am with these words. When I came here to the United States, I told everybody openly that I cannot be an American in a daily way. I feel in my heart that I love Americans, especially those in New York. At least I love their loneliness. You can feel that around the city. Everybody is longing to meet another person who will listen. This touch gave me the imagination to see that I could live here, and maybe I could help to make life a little bit better than it would be without music.
Sri Chinmoy: Your own personality will make others better. In the last few days there have been a few articles about you in the newspapers. The critics were highly appreciating your recent performances. They spoke of how much dynamism and oneness they feel in the musicians. You have brought about a new life of hope and promise, not only for the musicians who are with you but also for the listeners. Previously the listeners were very restless, and they went a little bit away from outer discipline while they were listening. When you arrived, they began listening with utmost sincerity, one-pointedness and the heart’s depth.
