When there are no questions to ask the Teacher

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Question: Dear Acharya Ji, Pranaam! I know that online sessions are interactive. A question needs to be asked, and the question will be addressed by you. Sometimes I desperately search for a question to ask, maybe just so that I may participate and my presence is acknowledged, but nothing comes to mind.

At other times, I feel the need to say something but then again it is all garbled in the mind. No clear thoughts emerge. It’s like a dumb person who is trying to speak but can’t say something. Am I not able to express myself clearly? Is something holding me back?

Sometimes these thoughts come to mind, especially when we are urged to ask questions in the sessions. So I thought I will put it out to you so as to bring it to light.

Thank you for your love and guidance, and infinite patience with all of us.

Acharya Prashant (AP): There are many aspects to this, you see.

First thing — one need not always ask a question. Listening is enough. The ego tendency is one, and therefore fundamentally the mind of mankind is just one. Therefore, the question asked by one person is in some way, the question of entire mankind. Even if you say that your question is different, you still have a question.

If you have a question, this means the fundamental tendency still stands unresolved.

The central knot is still there.

So, the knot exists in one person, the knot exists in another person.

In one person it manifests itself in the form of one question, in the other person it manifests itself in the form of another question.

So it doesn’t matter what the content, or the language, or the direction of the question is, it is actually pointing towards the knot, it is actually coming from that knot.

And that knot is common to all.

It could be anybody’s question. You may feel that you don’t have this doubt, but still, the answer will be greatly beneficial to you because all doubts are one. It is not proper to say that half your doubts are clear. If your doubts are really clear, no doubt…