The Divine and Man's Moral Responsibility 279

law, not sameness. God is immanent in all creatures:'

He is even in the ant. The difference is in manifestation
only.
893. Divine power is greater in those who are honoured,
respected and obeyed by 'a large following than in those
who have no such influence.
894. Q. How does the Lord dwell in a physical body?
A. He dwell1 in the body, as a piston-rod in a
syringe; He is in the body, and yet apart from it.
�
THE DIVINE AND MAN"S MORAL RESPONSIBILITY

895. Q. If God ha; become all, is there no sin and

virtue?
A. Yes, there is, and at the same time there is
not. As long as He preserves the ego in us, He retains
in us al;o th� apprehension of duality, and the coqsciousness
of sin and virtue. But at times, in some, He �ompletely
wipes away the ego ; then they go beyond all good and
bad. So long as one does not Realise God, thetperception
of duality, and the idea of good and bad, are sure to existt
You mily say in words that good and bad have all become
•
equal to you, that :'JOU do just what He makes you do.
But in your heart of hearts you know that all thes� are
, mere words. The moment you do some evil ac�ons, your

.
consci.ence will begin to prick you. •
.
896. * Q. If it is He who is actuating me to all
actions, then I am not responsible for my sins. Am I?
A. Dury.:!hana also said like that. ,He, siid
•
" 0 Lord, llfhou abi�est in my 4leart, and I do as Thou
280 Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna

makest me do." But he who really believes that God

alone is the doer and that he himself is only an in'strumenl,
cannot commit any sin. A perfect dancer never takes �
wrong step. Indeed, till the heart becomes pure one cannot
even believe in the existence of God.
897. A devotee : Sir, I have a doubt. They say that
our will is free ; that is, we can do whatever we lilt�-good,
bad or otherwise. ls it true ? "
The Master: Everything depends upon the Lord's �ill I
This is all His play. He is making us do variou� things
in various ways, good and bad, great and small, w�ak and
strong-all these are ultimately .from Him. Good men,
bad men-all these are His Maya, His play. For in­
stance, all the trees of a garden are not equal in height,
beauty or grandeur.
So long as one does not realise God, one t�inks. that his
will is free. But it is He who maintains this delusion in
man. Otherwise there would have been a mighty increase
of sins; people would not have feared to do evil, nor would
there have" been any punishment for crime or sin.
• But do you know the attitude of him who has realised
God? H; says and feels : " I am the machine, Thou art
the mechanic ; I am the house, Thflu art the dweller; I
am ,the chariot, Thou art the charioteer ; I move as Thou
makest Ifie move; I speak what Thou makest me speak I " •
898. God •:mpels the thief to go and steal, and,at the
same time warns the house�older against the thief. t-Je
•
does everything .
 .
CHAPTER XVIII

REALISATION ·or THE DIVINE

[Psychology of mm with reference to God-realisation

--Kundalini and spiritual awakening-Spurious ecstasy­
P;rception of Divine forms and sounds-Samadhi and
Brahma-jnana-The
0
Psychology of Samadhi--Viinana
which comes after Samadhi]
•
PSYCHOLOGY OF MAN WITH REFERENCE
TO GOD-REALISATION

899. 'l:his body which is made of the ' five elements ·

is called the gross body. The subtle body consists of
Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara. The body by
which one realises the bliss of God-vision and continues
to enjoy His union, is the causal body. lrf the Tantras
it is called Bhagavati-tanu. Beyond all is the Mahakarooa
-the-First Cause.
900. When thi! mind is attached �o the conscious-
ness of the external world, it sees gross objec!s and
abides in the Annamaya-kosa, the physica; sheath of
the , soul. which depends on food. '�hen the minci
turns itself inward, it is ljke shutting the door of a house
and entering its inner apartments : that is to say, it goes
from the gross iK,i the subtle, thence into )he ·•c'\:Sal,,
tiil it rea�es the 'fin�! causal 'state. In that state the