Questioner (Q): Sir, what is maturity? What is the real age of being mature?
Acharya Prashant (AP): Good. So, Aakrati has opened the session she has asked, “What is the real meaning of maturity?”
Aakrati, whenever we mention the word ‘maturity’, we mention it in the sense of growing up. We mention it in the sense of ‘becoming’ mature. What we mean is that maturity is something to be achieved. You ‘become’ mature. Notice the word ‘become.’ “I am not mature, I will become mature.” For us, maturity is something in the future. For us, maturity is something to be gotten through a process, after a period of time. Right? You say, “These experiences made me mature.” So, something will happen which will bring maturity to you, but you are firmly convinced that right now you are not mature.
Let me give you an alternative, let me say something a little different. Maybe ‘maturity’ is not an achievement, maybe ‘maturity’ is not what you become, maybe mature is what you already are, maybe ‘maturity’ is something that you just discover.
There is a difference between discovery and achievement. Do you understand that? The difference between discovery and achievement. When you say, “I am achieving something”, what you mean is, “I do not have it and I will be getting it.” That’s what you mean by achievement. What is meant by discovery? It is there, it is right here, but it is covered, so I cannot see it. So, what am I doing? “I am discovering it. I am not achieving, I am just discovering what is already there.”
