Acharya Shree, does awakening and enlightenment mean the same thing?
Oh, this is also very wonderful question because people are confused about it.
And that confusion needs to be taken away. Enlightenment and awakening...awakening is gradual.
And enlightenment is sudden. It is a big difference. That's why I don't call them, that awakening are same, no.
These are 2 different. But awakening, which is gradual, I prefer that path, because gradual awakening leads you towards enlightenment.
And gradual awakening is like a turtle race. And person needs lot of patience on this path. If they lose the patience...
They don't even have the patience if I will say to someone, "Hey, you are a truthseeker?" "Yes." "Can you keep quiet for 2 days?"
They will end up in silence maybe for 2 hours instead of 2 days, because it requires a lot of patience.
And that's what awakening requires. It is gradual. It is not just that it will happen.
Enlightenment can happen suddenly, but person is already on the higher level when it happen.
So already worked on himself or herself, that person. In those cases, the enlightenment happens suddenly.
But most of people go towards enlightenment gradually. That I call it awakening. Awakening is a gradual process.
But it happen if I say something, few words, and those words hit them fully, and when they hit them they think, "Oh, I got it."
That is a click for them. That click is little awakening. That click will bring transformation in person's life.
And that's why awakening means transformation.
So, this is great. Acharya Shree, for your last book, latest book, you chose the title Awaken. Are you suggesting we are asleep?
Oh, yeah. Better and better question. Yes, majority of this world, they think they know themselves.
They think they are awake because early morning they are awake. They go to work. But if you read psychologists, psychologists say that our consciousness is not awakened.
Our consciousness is asleep. I will say the people are working sleepy way. They are working still. They eat, they walk, they work, they go to office, they have business.
But everything is happening in sleepy way because awakening doesn't happen sleeping. Someone has to shake them up.
That's what I tell, give 4 tools. What Buddha used to tell people.
I will repeat that the people are so much asleep that if they are literally asleep like they are so much asleep if you call their name, they will not be awakened.
You have to do something else. You cannot knock the door. They will not awaken. You cannot just call their name, they will not be awaken.
Sometimes you have to shake them. They might be awaken, but necessarily. People are so much asleep, Buddha said literally you have to throw the bucket of water on them.
Then they will be a little bit shaken. So we are asleep that much. The most of majority of people, they are asleep.
In figurative way. In whatever people think they are asleep, they are not asleep, that is not a real awakening.
Real awakening is when consciousness begins to unfold. And when consciousness begins to unfold, it begin to reveal the truth.
And the truth can be revealed. Consciousness needs to be shaken somehow.
Person has to get hit by someone deeply that the person will go really dive deep into consciousness.
And when the person dives deep into consciousness, it will miracle will happen. The soul begins to see through by itself. No eyes.
There is no need of eyes. It will see without eyes. It will smell without nose.
You will be surprised I was watching one show a long time ago. And they were cooking. And I was like 3,000 miles away from that where they were doing it.
And I smelled exactly what they were cooking there. And I was shocked those days, years ago, that how it is possible that I am smelling and I am not familiar with that food.
And I inquired with the people what it tastes like, what it smells like, that kind of food. I never tasted that.
So your soul directly begin to open up. The consciousness begin to unfold, reveal all the truth.
That's why people, they will be awakened, otherwise they will be asleep, the majority asleep.
So what we have to do? We have to awaken the person. How? You have to give them little tools.
Shake them and tell them, "Hey, this is the benefit. If you will do this, like little kapalabhati suppose, whatever I mention into my book, you do kapalabhati and kapalabhati will make you bring into your life clarity."
"In the senses. Senses become relaxed. Mind is released, no, sorry, your brain is released from the grip of the toxins and tensions.
And you feel very much happiness. That's what awakening begins. Even it's a little awakening, but it is still awakening, otherwise you are asleep, you will be asleep forever.