Questions and answers

The following questions were asked by Aradhana when Sri Chinmoy and a group of his disciples visited her apartment on 19 October 1976.

Question: Why has technology progressed so much in the past 50 years?

Sri Chinmoy: Technology has progressed because the human mind finds it very easy to manifest itself powerfully and dramatically through technology. The human mind has an instinctive urge to manifest the reality that it embodies as fast as possible, and it has discovered that technology is the fastest means for manifesting this reality. But technological progress has nothing to do with spiritual progress. It is the mental, vital and physical consciousness that is awakened technologically and mechanically.

If you compare the soul’s progress with the progress of technology, then there is no comparison. No matter how fast or how far technology has evolved and developed, it will be of no avail in the long run to gain soul’s light or to gain anything from Above.

If technological improvements give us some material comfort, if they create good circumstances surrounding us, they may help us in our inner quest. But sometimes when the circumstances around us are better, our aspiration is ruined. When all the world’s comforts are there, then instead of meditating and praying, we sleep. When technology brings too much comfort and pleasure to our life, then it is destructive.

We need not lead an austere life; a moderate degree of technology can be of great help to us in our life of acceptance. We can take as much help as we need from technology. But when it is a matter of the soul’s reality, the soul’s achievement, light, peace and all the spiritual things that we are crying for, then technology cannot do anything.

But why has technology improved? Because the development of the human mind finds that this is the best means so far to carry its messages or to carry the reality, the truth, that the mind has already achieved.