Freedom

So this is the problem in modern world, of freedom, that some are more free, some are less free, some are not free. You see it in your politics, you see it in your economics, you see it in your civil life; some countries are more free than others, and they want to be free by not allowing anybody else to come into their countries. Babuji Maharaj said, "When you close the door of your house, you may keep others out, but remember, you have locked yourself inside." You are your own prisoner. It does not matter if the house is a small one or a big one like this hall, or a whole country; it is still a prison. Imagine if all the doors were locked now and somebody announced, "You cannot go out!" What would happen? Pandemonium. "We are not free!" And somebody says, like me or Fausto, "But it's a big hall, you see, et nous avons Chariji ici avec nous [we have Chariji here with us]." "Basta!" [Enough!] you say, you see. "What is the use of Chariji if all the doors are closed?"

So, if you are to be free and the doors are to be open, you must be free to go; others must be free to come. This does not exist today. Does it exist? No. It exists for a few people at a few places at some times-not for all, everywhere, all the time. Therefore, freedom today is a lie. Yes or no? Oui ou non? (Audience: "Oui!") Non! N'existe pas, [it doesn't exist], freedom. So, la liberté est finie [Freedom is finished]. Et quand nous n'avons pas la liberté, nous n'avons pas la fraternité aussi [And when we don't have freedom, we don't have brotherhood either]. Yes, how can there be a brotherhood when you are better, she is worse, somebody is not free, somebody is free. Où est l'égalité? [Where is equality?] N'existe pas [Doesn't exist]. So that is a second lie. And if there is no freedom and if there is no equality, there cannot be a brotherhood, a fraternity. C'est tout [That's all]. Yes or no? Yes.

Now, in Sahaj Marg, we are always saying that we are a society where there is no discrimination because of colour, race, sex, education, power etc. So we are really trying to create what the French revolution tried long ago. And tomorrow they're going to celebrate as if they have achieved these things. It is going on everywhere, all over the world. We celebrate that which does not exist. If it does not exist, what is the use of celebrating? If it exists, what is the need to celebrate? Babuji Maharaj said, "If you are conscious you are free, you are still conscious of lack of freedom." N'est-ce pas? [Isn't it?] So freedom from freedom is the real freedom.

We have to work for all these things in our Sahaj Marg-to make, you know, our people really equal, create a real brotherhood-no more Italians, no more French, no more Indians. And therefore I am trying initially to create a Shri Ram Chandra Mission Europe. You see, like my body-I have legs, I have hands, I have a head etc. But if I don't exist, they don't exist. When I say "I" it is not the body. Everybody knows this. But still we are spending so much time and money on this body, protecting it, trying to beautify it, flaunt it, comme ça [like that], you know. And we are beautiful, they are dirty, they are black, they are, you know, etc.

So we want, first, Shri Ram Chandra Mission Europe. As I told twice in France, in Paris, you have a Europe now, supposed to be there, politically, economically. But is it true? I don't think so, because there are still, you know, invisible boundaries, invisible frontiers, localised nationalities. Until these exist, you cannot say that there is a Europe. Of course, certainly it is on the map, you see. It has been there for centuries and, fortunately, people cannot destroy that, because God created it. But we are cutting and dividing, you know, and because now it is advantageous, we are playing a childish game, a children's game. What is that game? You know that game with a lot of pieces which you put in? Puzzle, jigsaw puzzle. So, first you cut everything into pieces, now try to assemble it and say, "Oh! We have created a Europe. Voilà!" [That's it!] So first it was a few countries, eight or nine, then very gracefully, very, what should I say, generously, they included some poorer nations, including, I think, Italy, the Czech republic, Yugoslavia.

Now suppose you are able to move these walls and make the room bigger and bigger still there is an outside, there is an inside. Still there are doors. Still there is the power of admission, and the power of exclusion. And even then, if the doors are locked, you will be prisoners of your own creation. Yes or no? Yes. I mean, it's very clear. So until there are no walls, you cannot say, "We're a free people," because now you are only selecting the people you will accept. It is like a club, a select club, a rich man's club, a club of power, you see. Because, suppose any organisation has the power of accepting or rejecting, can we say it is a free organisation? Yes or no? No.

Sahaj Marg has no such restriction. Everybody, from anywhere in the world is welcome. Everybody can come, everybody can go. There is no restriction. There are no fees. We are not having any restriction of education. Is it a free organisation? Is it human? Is it the real democracy of a free people, for a free people, by a free people? Yes or no? (Audience: "Yes.")

So Sahaj Marg is today, in my opinion, the only organisation in this world fulfilling the requirements of this definition of "Liberté, egalité, fraternité" [Freedom, equality, fraternity]. Vive le Sahaj Marg! [Long live Sahaj Marg!] (applause).