Why are Avatars, Prophets presented in such attractive images?||AcharyaPrashant,on JesusChrist(2019)

Acharya Prashant

Video Information: Vishranti Shivir, 8.9.19, Chandigarh, Punjab, India   Context:  ¬ Why do we have images of Avatars and Prophets? ¬ What was the need to use the image of the Prophet as the solution? ¬ What does it mean to be the son of God? ¬ What is the mind? ¬ At what point does an image become a hindrance?  Music Credits: Milind Date  ~~~~~

Transcript

00:00We have spoken during the MAG sessions a couple of months back, the first letter I sent in

00:17regards to images, okay?

00:23There is in my mind frequently still the image or story of Jesus Christ.

00:34I spent about a year identifying as a Christian and coming close to him, but still there is

00:46a, I want to understand the right role of an image.

00:53In your answer you gave to me, you mentioned that they were given with a noble purpose,

00:58a noble cause, but man's ego co-ops everything.

01:03So sometimes I can tell when I'm speaking with people and I think about what I've said

01:10afterwards.

01:11I can see that I'm tiptoeing a fine line between taking it too seriously, perhaps.

01:21So I just was hoping for some clarity with this, the right role of an image.

01:27I understand the simple answer would be a pointing or something like that, but in the

01:33reality of my life there is an emotional, some kind of connection or something there,

01:40and I just want to make sure that before I leave here that this understanding, it's

01:48in the right place.

01:50Do you hear where I'm coming from?

01:54Yeah.

01:55There is no one answer to this, Jamie.

02:01The intention has to be right, you see.

02:06Obviously you understand that the image was given as an image buster because the mind

02:15is anyway full of nonsensical images.

02:20So a pristine image was given to us as a solution to the various miscellaneous, random and harmful

02:35images.

02:39And what was the need to use the image as a solution?

02:44Because we would not accept anything else.

02:48We are a sucker for images.

02:53All we want is images, thoughts, stories, myths.

03:02Were it possible to rid us of images using any other means?

03:07The other means would have been surely deployed.

03:12But we proved to our well-wishers that we are obstinate beings who would not submit

03:22to or acquiesce to any other method.

03:27Left with no choice, the well-wishers said, alright, if images is what you would have,

03:37I will give you a special image.

03:40So the special image was provided.

03:42Obviously its purpose is to rid you of the miscellaneous stuff that is there in the mind.

03:51Now what after that?

03:57It depends on the mind, the personality.

04:05In an ideal sense, and ideas are ideas, they do not go too far.

04:12In an ideal sense, the image should dissolve having served its purpose.

04:20Actually the purpose never gets fully or absolutely served.

04:27Even if temporarily the mind is cleansed of images, its tendency to imagine it still remains.

04:40Even if images are cleared off, the tendency to imagine it, that still remains.

04:46So you need protection against that tendency.

04:53Now the lovely and pure image that helped you in the first case, obviously is again

05:03the solution.

05:06So then there is a need to stay put with the image.

05:11The image could be of Christ or Krishna.

05:14If one sees that getting rid of the image makes one vulnerable to the same old diseases,

05:27and many people do find it that way.

05:30They say as long as I am with the image, the world is at bay.

05:36As long as I abandon the image and I am on my own, the old things again start bugging

05:42me and occupying me.

05:44Now that's not a great condition.

05:50That just proves that unfortunately the bodily tendencies are too strong.

05:55But what can one do about it?

05:56The body is the body.

05:57You cannot change your DNA.

06:00So in that case, yes, there is no option but to stick to the image.

06:07Stick to the image lifelong, as millions and billions of people have done in history

06:15across continents, across religious affiliations, be it the image of the Buddha, be it the image

06:21of Christ, be it the image of Ram or Krishna, be it the symbolism of Islam.

06:30It has been happening everywhere.

06:33Imagery has been imagining in some sense or the other.

06:39Even if the image is not that of a face, like in Islam, there is some other kind of imagery.

06:51Even a word is an image, is it not?

06:53So even if you stick to the holy word, you are still sticking to some image.

06:59In that sense, there is no option but to be an idol worshipper of some sort.

07:07Even if you do not worship an idol made of wood or stone or metal, you are worshipping

07:13an idol made of worldly stuff, stuff that comes from words.

07:22Don't words conjure up images?

07:24Does the image have to be of concrete?

07:27The word itself is an image, is it not?

07:29So that way.

07:32So it's a tricky situation, you see.

07:35Best thing would be to depend as little on the image as possible, but practically if

07:43you do require the image, don't insist on depriving yourself of the image.

07:53Being with the image is obviously a problem, but far far far bigger problem is being with

08:00the multifarious demonic images that the world stuffs in your mind.

08:07So choosing between these two, which image to keep, the image of Jesus or all the images

08:16that the world wants to load me with, the choice is obvious.

08:21One has to be with Jesus.

08:24But at the same time, if possible, try to go to the Father.

08:33There there is no image, right?

08:36Jesus is the image of Father.

08:40That's what is meant by Him being the Son.

08:42Jesus is the image of the Father, Sakaar, Sagun.

08:49If possible, go a little beyond Jesus, go to the Father and there there is no image.

08:55And Jesus so poignantly said, you cannot go to the Father, but through me.

09:03I am the truth, the way and the life.

09:05If you have to go to the Father, you have to pass through me.

09:09He said you have to go through me.

09:10He didn't say stop at me.

09:13So it's great to go to Jesus and if you stay with Jesus all your life, that itself is so

09:19beautiful and wonderful.

09:21But even more fascinating would be if you can go to the Father and there you will not

09:28find any image.

09:35The admiration or the fondness returns primarily when speaking with people.

09:44It's more of a, because of the tradition that I'm familiar with, using His words to point

09:56to things has proved to be helpful in relating with people.

10:03But then I start to remember the story and then.

10:14As long as it is delivering the goods, no harm, as long as.

10:20But a point will come when you will find that not only is the image becoming an obstruction,

10:25something even more nefarious is happening.

10:29You will find that you are customizing the image to suit your personal egoistic needs.

10:35Once you detect that, that's a major alarm, major alarm.

10:43Now you are not merely with the image, you are actually distorting the image to suit

10:48personal needs.

10:50If you detect that, then you should just jump up and do something very, very urgent and

10:55take it as a drastic measure.

11:00It's a very fine thing, a tightrope walk to be with the image and yet not sully the image.

11:13That's why, you know, if the mind can somehow get centered on the one imageless truth, nothing

11:24beats that, that's the ultimate.

11:28That does not usually happen.

11:31So one has to stay with the idol or the image or the word.

11:37Best would be word goes, only silence remains.

11:40Best would be the idol goes and only the formless remains.

11:44Best would be the image goes and only the nameless, imageless remains.

11:48That does not easily happen.

11:51If you are staying put with the image, just make sure that you respect the image, worship

12:00the image and never dare to distort the image, never.

12:15What has happened is, man has not merely taken the images that the scriptures have given

12:19us.

12:21Man has amplified those images.

12:24Man has created myths and stories, so much so that we do not even know what was the original

12:33stuff that the messenger, the prophet or the scripture gave us.

12:40Man has superimposed so much of his own content on the scripture, we do not know what is happening.

12:46And that was not merely a historical process.

12:49It is happening every day in our own minds.

12:53Let's say he is a Krishna worshipper and she is a Krishna worshipper.

12:57The image of Krishna in his mind will be different from the Krishna she worships.

13:02They both have created their customised Krishna images and that to me is highly dangerous.

13:11Even if you can stick to the Krishna image that the Bhagavad Purana gives you, it is

13:16probably alright.

13:18But we do not even stick to the Krishna that Bhagavatam gives us.

13:23We create Krishnas of our own fantasies and that is very dangerous.

13:29Now the ego is exploiting even Krishna.

13:41So best is stick to Nirakar Krishna, the one formless truth.

13:52If you cannot do that, then at least be very very respectful to the image.

13:57Don't lay your dirty hands on it.

14:00Don't try to disfigure it.

14:03You never say you are disfiguring it.

14:04You say always that you are giving it a more attractive figure.

14:11We never say we are distorting it.

14:13We always say we are decorating it.

14:15But your decoration is distortion.

14:17So don't try to decorate the images that have been given.

14:26Hands off.

14:28Let the image be as it is.

14:29If there is the holy word, don't try to add to it or don't try to take away anything from

14:36it.

14:37Don't load it with your own personal interpretations.

14:39The word is the word.

14:41There is a reason why it has been put that way, worded that way.

14:47Don't try to give it a convenient spin.

14:52Are you getting it?

14:56You have to be very cautious whether you are listening to the teacher or whether you

15:01are superimposing your own intentions upon the teacher.

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