20th October, 1936

Talk 263.

Dr. Syed: Sri Bhagavan says that the Heart is the Self. Psychology has it that malice, envy, jealousy and all passions have their seat in the heart. How are these two statements to be reconciled?

M.: The whole cosmos is contained in one pinhole in the Heart. These passions are part of the cosmos. They are avidya ^[?] (ignorance).

D.: How did avidya arise?
M.: Avidya ^[?] is like Maya ^[?] [she who is not is maya ^[?] (illusion)]. Similarly that which is not is ignorance. Therefore the question does not arise. Nevertheless, the question is asked. Then ask, "Whose is the avidya? Avidya is ignorance. It implies subject and object. Become the subject and there will be no object.

D.: What is avidya?
M.: Ignorance of Self. Who is ignorant of the Self? The self must be ignorant of Self. Are there two selves?

Page 226