00:00 You see, two types of things attract us.
00:22 One, where the attraction is tremendous and the attraction is so tremendous that you
00:36 get totally lost in the thing that attracts you and you are left with no space or desire
00:49 to inquire further.
00:53 Now something really spectacular, something really eye-catching, something really interesting
01:00 is attracting you.
01:03 This attraction becomes so dominant on us that we do not even want to ask what that
01:09 thing is and why it is attracting us and whether that thing really holds any importance in
01:18 our life.
01:21 What the eyes see becomes so heavy that it totally occupies the mind and the mind is
01:29 then not free at all to ask any questions.
01:35 You could even say that we become dumb.
01:37 We become dumb but it's a very pleasurable dumbness because we are, as we say, enjoying
01:46 that state of being attracted.
01:51 The one who is getting attracted is totally lost in the thing that is attracting him and
01:57 because he is totally completely lost, therefore nothing is left of him to make an inquiry,
02:05 to ask a question.
02:07 What question?
02:08 Why is this thing attracting me and whether it is really important for me?
02:15 What would this give me?
02:18 After the initial period of attraction, would I be left with anything substantial?
02:27 For five minutes or let's say five months, there would be a lot of pleasure.
02:36 But what after these five minutes?
02:43 What after these five minutes and what was before these five minutes?
02:47 What really happened that this thing became so tremendous on me?
02:54 These are important questions but we are left with no space to ask these questions because
02:59 the thing, the attractive thing or thought totally overpowers us.
03:05 It controls us.
03:07 It has taken us in its arrest.
03:16 Now we are left with no capacity to ask an intelligent question.
03:26 These are the first kind of things that we come across.
03:31 Attractive things, attractive things, attractive things where the possibility of asking a question
03:42 or inquiring is impeded and in contrast there are other kinds of things that do not look
04:01 attractive on the surface at all.
04:09 The moment you look at them, the moment you hear of them or the moment you think of them,
04:15 no interest arises within.
04:18 In fact, a disinterest may arise.
04:21 You feel like saying, "Oh, what's there in it?"
04:25 Or you probably do not say anything and just want to ignore that object.
04:31 You want to say, "It's not exciting.
04:34 It's not exciting."
04:36 And now what happens in this case, please see.
04:40 It's a step-by-step thing.
04:42 It's a scientific thing.
04:43 What happens in this case?
04:45 Because you have already said that this thing does not interest me, therefore you are left
04:50 with no possibility of asking a question.
04:54 The matter has been closed.
04:56 So why ask a question?
04:59 In the first case, why was no question asked?
05:04 Because the thing appeared so attractive that you were left with no time, space or desire
05:13 to ask the question.
05:15 You didn't ask, "What is this thing really?"
05:19 It appears nice and beautiful, but what is it really and what would it give me?
05:26 Am I being intelligent by getting attracted towards it?
05:30 Probably I am.
05:31 Then I'll allow myself to be attracted even more.
05:35 But if I'm not being intelligent by moving towards this thing, why should I hurt myself?
05:42 That was the first case.
05:43 In this case, again there is no inquiry.
05:46 In the second case, why is there no inquiry?
05:51 Because the thing appears so unattractive that you say, "Oh, come on, move on.
05:58 I don't want to look at it.
06:00 Hey, it's not exciting.
06:02 I don't like it.
06:03 There's nothing in it.
06:08 It does not arouse me.
06:13 So I'll not ask any question."
06:14 Here again, if you could ask, "What is in it for me?"
06:24 Then the picture would change.
06:30 You say that when you are with your maths book, then you do not feel any urge or attraction.
06:40 Then do something else.
06:42 What is it that you must do?
06:43 Ask yourself in the first place, "Why am I with this maths book?
06:50 Why am I holding it at all?
06:52 Is there a reason?
06:55 What is the importance of this book?"
06:57 Now if the book really has some importance, then you will find that you are compelled
07:01 to read.
07:02 And if the book has no importance, then you will throw away the book.
07:07 Let's see whether the book has importance.
07:09 All that you need to do is ask a sincere question.
07:13 Whether it's a maths book or some online game that is attracting you, ask the same question.
07:26 What is in it for me?
07:29 What will I really get from this?
07:31 After the 5 or 50 minutes of interest or disinterest, what would I be left with?
07:41 Ask, "Is it so that I am being cheated?
07:48 Is it so that somebody is making a fool of me and exploiting me by giving me a little
07:56 dose of excitement?"
08:02 The answer would sometimes be yes and it would sometimes be no.
08:05 We need not predict the answer.
08:08 Let the answer emerge.
08:11 Just as when you conduct an experiment in a science lab, the result, the observation
08:21 emerges.
08:22 You don't want to predict it and you don't want to conclude beforehand.
08:27 You want to see what is happening, don't you?
08:30 Similarly, ask this question and just see what happens.
08:34 You may find, Akhil, that magic is happening.
08:40 Before you accept or reject something, before you get wildly drawn to something or before
08:49 you just ignore something and move on, pause for 5 seconds, just 5 seconds and ask, "What
08:59 is in it for me?
09:02 What is the real importance it holds?"
09:06 Do not be carried away by emotions.
09:10 Do not be carried away by thoughts.
09:13 Do not be carried away by impulsive conditioning.
09:17 Just wait for 5 seconds and ask, "Is it important?"
09:22 And that's one of the most important questions, most life-giving questions to ask.
09:29 Is it really important?
09:33 You will find you are able to avoid a lot of trash and you will find that you are now
09:40 able to love and respect a lot of valuable things and people in life.
09:46 The moment you ask this, "What is this thing or this person or this activity bringing to
09:54 me?"
09:55 Right?
09:56 Would you do that?
10:00 The maths book is not just a maths book.
10:02 It stands for something.
10:08 There are benefits from reading and there are repercussions of not being with it.
10:14 Dwell over them.
10:16 What is mathematics?
10:17 Why must I read it?
10:18 Maybe you will find that mathematics is nothing, that it's a foolish thing to read maths and
10:25 if you find that, then feel free to throw away the maths book.
10:30 But in case you discover that the thing, person, activity is indeed important, then obviously
10:40 we all are honest people and having discovered that something is precious, we will want to
10:48 keep it.
10:50 Having discovered that somebody is lovable, we would want to be with him.
10:55 Having discovered that a field of study is indeed important, we would want to pursue
11:00 it.
11:01 Right?
11:02 5 seconds.
11:03 What is in it for me?
11:10 How does it hold any importance?
11:13 [Music]
