The Importance of Experience
From time immemorial, enlightened Masters have been landing on planet Earth and declaring that life is joy, ecstasy and bliss. Just this single simple understanding of enlightened Masters declaring this is enough to make life blissful. We are not able to discard them by saying that they may be lying! We are not able to push their words aside because of their sheer authenticity. Their presence is too strong!
When Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of Religions in Chicago for the first time, he started by saying, 'Dear brothers and sisters of America'. In the reminiscences, the people who witnessed the scene say that it took at least several minutes for the crowd to settle down after the applause. It was such a strong experience for them! It is not just the clapping, it is the deep feeling that was stirred in them by the authenticity of Vivekananda's voice and presence.
Somebody asked Vivekananda, 'How did it happen?' Everyday we see in the streets so many people addressing gatherings in the same way as 'brother' and 'sister'.
The problem is, when they call you 'brother' or 'sister', you don't know why they are calling you that. You immediately smell a hidden intent. When Vivekananda spoke those words, he spoke from his very being. That is why it touched the beings of the thousands who were gathered there.
One man goes to Mahatma Gandhi and says, 'I feel you are my brother'. Gandhi says, 'Yes, you are my brother. I accept you as my brother.' The man says, 'Then give me my share of your property.' Gandhi gives him just one penny and says, 'Please take it'. The man asks, 'How can you give me only one penny?' Gandhi says, 'I have 30 million brothers. Every single person in the whole of Bharat is my brother or sister. I have to give all of them their share. So your share is only this. Please take it and go!'
So understand, you don't know for what reason people call you as 'brother' or 'sister'!
Anyway, Vivekananda very beautifully answers this question. He says, 'Before uttering those words, I felt it as my solid experience. I clearly felt that they are my own, that they just belong to me or I belong to them. That very feeling I simply expressed as words.'
There is a beautiful word ojas in Sanskrit. It literally means 'vigor' or 'depth'.
If the person who is speaking speaks from authentic experience, from that depth, the person who is listening has to listen authentically! The listener cannot escape because the depth of the words will have such a gripping quality.
By nature, anything that comes out of pure inner space has to penetrate your inner space. It has to enter into your inner space.
When Vivekananda says, 'Dear brothers and sisters', you cannot just brush him aside saying that he is lying or he is using sentimental words or he is just being socially polite or politically correct. No! You simply cannot brush him aside, because it will be such a strong experience for anyone receiving it! You cannot push the Master's words aside because they will be so authentic and strong; you can't help being touched by them.