on the contrary path
even flowers turn out to be stones.
Therefore when the stones start raining on me,
be happy and thank God!
Truth is always received like this.
If you don’t agree
ask Socrates
ask Jesus
ask Buddha
ask Kabir
ask Meera.
My regards to all.
132. Love.
What does the seed know of its own potential?
It is the same with man:
he doesn’t know what he is nor what he can be!
The seed, perhaps, cannot look within but man can.
This looking in is called meditation.
To know one’s truth
as it is here and now is meditation.
Dive into it, deeper and deeper;
there, in the depths, all that is possible
can be clearly seen.
And once seen it begins to happen –
the awareness of what is possible turns it into a reality,
like a seed stirred by a vision of its potential
beginning to sprout.
Time, effort, energy – pour it all into meditation
because meditation is the gateless gate through which
the self becomes aware of itself.
133. Love.
Nothing in life is sure – except death,
otherwise life is another name for insecurity.
When this is realized
the desire for security simply vanishes.
To accept insecurity is to become free of it.
Uncertainty will stay in the mind
because that is its nature.
Don’t worry about it
because that will add fuel to it.
Just let the mind be, where it is,
and you go into meditation.
You are not the mind
so where is the problem of the mind?
Leave the darkness where it is
and just light your lamp.
Are you going to think carefully and then surrender?
O mad one! Surrender is a leap outside thought.
Either jump or don’t jump
but for God’s sake don’t ponder over it!
134. Love.
Theism is another name for infinite hope.
It is patience,
it is waiting,
it is trust in leela,
in the play of life,
and therefore with theism complaining cannot be.
Theism is acceptance,
it is surrender –
acceptance of what is beyond the self
and surrender to the source of the self.
In 1914 a fire broke out in
Thomas Edison’s laboratory.
Machinery worth millions
and all the papers pertaining to his lifelong research
were burnt to ashes.
Hearing of this tragedy his son Charles
came looking for him
and he found him standing by the side
enjoying the sight of the leaping flames.
On seeing Charles, Edison said to him: Where is your mother?
Go and find her and bring her here quickly;
such a sight she will never see again!
The next day, walking amidst the ashes
of his hopes and dreams,
the 67 year-old inventor said:
What benefit there is in destruction!
All our mistakes have been burnt to ashes, thank God!
Now we can begin afresh, all over again!
God’s grace is endless.
We just need the eyes to see it.
135. Love.
Wittgenstein has said somewhere:
Of that which one cannot speak,
one should remain silent.
Oh, if only this advice was heeded
there would be no useless arguments about truth!
That-which-is cannot be spoken of.
Whatever is said in words is not,
cannot be,
that-which-is.
Truth is beyond words,
only silence is related to truth.
But silence is very difficult;
the mind wants to speak even of that
which is beyond words.
Really, the mind is the only barrier to silence.
Silence belongs to the state of no-mind.
A preacher came to address some small children.
Before beginning he put a question to them:
If you were asked to address a gathering
of such intelligent boys and girls
who expect a good lecture from you,
and if you had nothing to speak on,
what would you say?
A small child replied: I would keep quiet.
I would keep quiet.
This child-like simplicity is needed to experiment with silence.
136. Love.
Sannyas is a pilgrimage to Mt. Everest –
naturally there are difficulties on the way.
But the fruits of determination are sweet too,
so bear everything calmly and joyously
but don’t give up your commitment.
Serve your mother even more than before –
sannyas is not a running away from responsibility.
Your family is not to be given up,
rather you have to make the whole world your family.
Encourage your mother to take sannyas too.
Tell her: You have seen enough of the world,
now raise your eyes towards God.
But make sure she is caused no trouble on your account.
This doesn’t mean giving in or compromising –
sannyas knows no compromise.
Strong, bold and resolute is the soul of sannyas.
137. Love.
Love does not discriminate
even