Why does mental disease exist? || Acharya Prashant, on Avadhuta Gita (2017)

Question: Manish Bansal has asked, Acharya Ji, The Avadhuta Gita says, “svarupa-nirvanam anamayoaham”, then why do we get hurt? Why do we get sick?

Acharya Prashant:

The fundamental does not get hurt and the fundamental does not get sick.

That in you which is central, fundamental, incorruptible, unbreakable can neither get hurt nor sick. That also tells you about the nature of all hurt and sickness. They don’t occur to the real you and therefore as they run their course, it is possible to let them run their course and yet be aloof.

There is something in you that just cannot get sick. There is something in you that just cannot get hurt. If you feel that your entire existence is reeling under the impact of hurt then you have not looked at yourself carefully.

There always is something left. There always is that point, that no hurt can ever touch, that point is who you are, that point is your real identity, that point is both your root and your refuge.