Index to Questions

Fear Prevents Initiative

How are we to gain the habit of fearlessness?

Authority Destroys Intelligence

How is one to be intelligent?

Everybody knows we are all going to die. Why are we afraid of death

How can we live happily?

Understanding Freedom and Discipline

Is it practicable for a man to free himself from all sense of fear and at the same time to stay with society?

What is God?

Can we be aware of our unconscious desires?

Why are some people born in poor circumstances, while others are rich and well-to-do?

Is God a man or a woman, or something completely mysterious?

Learning How to Think

How can we make our minds free when we live in a society full of tradition?

Since we have been brought up in a society based on fear, how is it possible for us to be free of fear?

What is real freedom, and how is one to acquire it?

Is There Such a Thing as Security?

Why are we afraid, even though we know that God protects us?

What is society?

Can you be free while living in this society?

Why do people want to live in society when they can live alone?

Since we are always related to one another, is it not true that we can never be absolutely free?

How can we be free when our parents depend on us in their old age?

Would it be good on our part to allow our parents to starve?

Why Are You Ambitious?

If somebody has an ambition to be an engineer, does it not mean that he is interested in engineering?

What is the easiest way of finding God?

Is God everywhere?

What is the real goal of life?

If I develop higher influences, will I eventually see the ultimate?

What Is Love?

Why is there sorrow and misery in the world?

If a man is starving and I feel I can be helpful to him, is this ambition or love?

Suppose I want to go home and the principal says no. If I disobey him, I will have to face the consequences. If I obey the principal, it will break my heart. What am I to do?

Why should we not do puja?

The Importance of Understanding Your Mind

What should we ask God to give us?

What is real greatness and how can I be great?

Is not love based on attraction?

What is prayer? Has it any importance in daily life?

On How to Listen

Why do we feel a sense of pride when we succeed?

How can we be free of pride?

How can a thing of beauty be a joy forever?

Why are the poor happy and the rich unhappy?

Though there is progress in different directions, why is there no brotherhood?

The Quality of Real Affection

What is love in itself?

What is religion?

If somebody is unhappy and wants to be happy, is that ambition?

Understanding Is Not Memorizing

Is beauty subjective or objective?

Why do the strong suppress the weak?

Is it true that scientific discoveries make our lives easier to live?

What is death?

What Is Envy?

Is truth relative or absolute?

What is external awareness?

What is real and eternal happiness?

Why do people want things?

It Is Understanding That Is Creative, Not Memory

Does intelligence build character?

Why does a man feel disturbed when another person looks at him intently?

Can we not cultivate understanding? When we constantly try to understand, does it not mean that we are practicing understanding?

Is the power of understanding the same in all persons?

Understanding the Significance of Words

What is the purpose of creation?

What is karma?

Is there an element of fear in respect?

Can the Mind Ever Find Peace?

Why do we feel inferior before our superiors?

Is it possible to have peace in our lives when at every moment we are struggling against our environment?

Why do we suffer? Why can we not be free of disease and death?

What Is Life All About?

What is obedience? Should we obey an order even without understanding it?

Living Intelligently

Society is based upon our interdependence. The doctor has to depend on the farmer, and the farmer on the doctor. How then can a man be completely independent?

Why is truth unpalatable?

Up to now our teachers have been very certain and have taught us in the usual way, but after listening to what has been said here and after taking part in the discussions, they have become very uncertain. An intelligent student will know how to conduct himself under these circumstances; but what will those do who are not intelligent?

The farmer has to rely on the doctor for the cure of physical pain. Is this also a dependent relationship?

Being Educated Rightly

I have everything to make me happy, while others have not. Why is this so?

What is the way to get rid of the fear that we have?

You said that if the parents really love their child they will not stop him from doing anything. But if the child does not want to be clean or eats something which is bad for his health, must we not stop him?

Is it not important to have ideals in life?

If we are small, how can we create a new world?

What should be the system of education to make the child fearless?

Is it possible to know the quality of gold without testing it in a special way? Similarly, can the capacity of each child be known without some sort of examination?

Sir, what is your idea of a new world?

How can we create anything new if we don’t know what it is we want to create?

Must the children take all these matters seriously? And if they do, will they ever be free to enjoy themselves?

Religion Really Is a Process of Education

In your book on education you suggest that modern education is a complete failure. I would like you to explain this

May I know why we should not fit into our parents’ plans, since they want us to be good?

You say that modern education is a failure. But if the politicians had not been educated, do you think they could have created a better world?

If I want the right kind of education, do I need teachers?

If all ambitions are stupid, then how can man progress?

I have a friend who hates her parents because they have separated her from a person she loves. How can I help her?

What is the definition of a student?

You say that all idealists are hypocrites. Whom do you call an idealist?

To Discover the Truth of Things

If all of us were educated rightly, would we be free of fear?

You have said that to be ambitious is to be stupid and cruel. Is it then stupid and cruel to have the ambition to get the right kind of education?

When one wants to find truth or peace, one becomes a sannyasi. So a sannyasi has simplicity?

If we are educated in the right way we are free of fear, and if we are educated wrongly we are fearful. Is that true?

If, as you say everyone is afraid, then no one is a saint or a hero. Are there no great men in this world?

You said explanation is a bad thing. We have come here for explanation. Is that bad?

What is your idea about the future of India?

You say there are very few people in this world who are great. Then what are you?

We read books out of inquisitiveness. When you were young were you not inquisitive?

Should we not be concerned about the future?

When we are young we are very playful and do not always know what is good for us. If a father advises his son for the good of the son, should not the son follow his father’s advice?

You said last time that the idealist is a hypocrite. If we want to construct a building, we must first have an idea of it. Similarly, must we not first have an ideal if we are to bring about a new world?

By aiming at the well-being of our own country, do we not also aim at the well-being of humanity? Is it within the reach of the common man to aim directly at the well-being of humanity?