Thursday 27 December 2012

From Dependance Towards Truth


Enchanted by the song of a bird singing happily on the branch of a tree, a king had it caught and kept in a cage. Even singing is wrong in the presence of wrong people. The poor bird could not have imagined that his song would get him behind bars! The bird that flew in abandon in the free skies and flitted from one branch to another as he wished, now found himself in a golden cage, inlaid with precious stones to one who has tasted the freedom of the skies? A cage is a cage, whether of gold or iron.
The bird cried and cried, but the king and his courtiers thought he was singing aloud with joy! Some people can cry only like the bird did but to those who cannot perceive the cry would be an expression of joy. The bird was filled with agony and anxiety and he began to think: ”Will my wings remember how to fly if I remain in this cage too long?” If he forgets the sky then of what use even if he were to be freed from the cage! Only those that have the knowledge and the joy of freedom within their souls know what it is. By merely becoming independent, freedom cannot be known. The bird longed to be free before he lost memory of the sky. One, morning the bird heard a fakir sing: ”For him who seeks liberation, there is only one way – the path of Truth. For him who seeks freedom there is only one way – the way of Truth. And what is Truth?” The mendicant asks in his song. ”Truth is to see things as they are; to know things as they really exist and try to live with them as they are and reveal them as such – this is Truth; and he who attains Truth is liberated.” This was the Fakir’s song Thus he sang in the streets each day. No one heeded him except the little bird for, a bird still knows the joy of vast spaces through its flights. Man does not know it any more. Man is completely oblivious of the wings he has which can take him to some unknown space. And so the saints and seers of yore tirelessly called out to mankind but who hears? But this little bird caught the Fakir’s message and that very day it decided to try.... The king was in the palace when someone came to see him. He sent word through his servants to say that he was not within. The bird shouted: ”No, no! The king is in his palace and he has ordered his guards to say he is not at home.” The king was angry. People tend to be displeased when truth is spoken, for all people live in untruths and falsehoods. And those who are the sovereigns, be they of kingdoms or wealth or religion; those that wield power of any kind are displeased with Truth, for power is always installed on the throne of falsity. Therefore those that hold power always crucify Truth, for if a Truth is allowed to live, it becomes the cross for the governors.
The king ordered that this bird be removed immediately – how can Truth reside within palaces? Truth can have a place on the branch of a tree, but within the precincts of the royal abode – it stands no chance. The bird was thrown out of the palace – but that was its cherished desire! He began to dance in the open and said: ”The fakir is right – if you want to be free, Truth is the only way.” A parrot watching from a distance cried out: ”Stupid bird, you lost a golden cage and you are happy about it? Not even one is fortunate to have it! It is only obtained by good deeds of our past lives. But you ignorant fool, you do not know the art of living in a golden cage. The first and foremost rule is to do exactly what the master says without thinking about right and wrong: for he who falls into this error cannot stay within it, Thinking begets rebellion and whosoever begins to think, cannot remain in captivity. Why did you commit the mistake of thinking, you silly bird? To think is dangerous.
Sensible people never think. They stay within their prisons and call it their home, their temple. At the most, you could have decorated the bars from within; a decorated cage give the impression of a house.”  remember, the majority of people adorn their cages in just this fashion and look upon them as their homes. The bird paid no attention; he was mad with ecstasy, his wings fluttering in the gentle breeze – for he  was once again out in the open air. But the parrot continued to give his unasked, for advice. ”Learn the art of retaining the golden cage from us parrots. We always say what the master says. We never say the truth. In fact, we do not care to think that is truth. We say what the master says. What he does, is not to be mentioned. We see with the master’s eyes and thing with his thoughts. We never use our eyes or our brains.” Saying this the parrot quickly went and occupied the open cage. The guard shut the door.

The parrot is still within the cage, saying just what the master says. He will remain closed in that cage forever, for the parrots speak everything but the truth. The parrot is a bird after all, but among human beings too, the likes of parrots are numerous. These parrots too, repeat what their masters have said; and for thousands of years they have gone on repeating and to repeating what they have been told. There are parrots of scriptures, there are parrots of sects and cults, there are parrots of temples – the whole of mankind is pestered with the noise these parrots make! And their voices, heard incessantly, capture our minds, so that gradually we too, become parrots. Then we are not even aware that there are open skies and that we have wings to soar into them; we are not even aware of that thing called soul or beatitude!

If you want to maintain peace in your captivity, do not ever mention the word ”Truth.” If life is accepted
only as an existence in subjugation and confinement, never ever make the mistake of liking your eyes towards Truth. Consider him your enemy who talks about truth, for truth is dangerous; for truth leads to freedom and freedom offers no security. There is great security in bondage. How safe is the cage? There is no fear of storms and high winds. The pouring of clouds and the flash of lightning hold no terror. No, there is no fear, man is safe within the bars of his cage. In the vast skies are many dangers. Imagine, a tiny bird in the endless skies with their terrible storms and mighty gales – there is no protection, there is no safety. That is why the majority of people prefer bondage. If you desire security, ask yourself – do you want to be a captive? If that is so, do not ever talk of Truth. Then captivity, bondage, is the only answer. For be it of politics or religion of wealth or of words, if security is desired, it is best to be dependent.

The quest of Truth is not for those who believe in a safe and secure existence. It is a quest for eager and fearless souls... for those who have not forgotten their wings and the open skies. Deep within them, some lost remembrance stirs to break ties, pull down walls and fly... fly to that element where there are no walls, no fetters!
How few who feel stirred thus Look into thousands of eyes – and this thirst for freedom may perhaps be found in the eyes of one in a million. Knock at a million hearts and perhaps one heart may resound with the resonance of Truth. What has happened to mankind? Security has become everything in life. Security has become our religion – live in security and die in security. There is the story of a king who once built a special palace. He made it so impregnable that no enemy could enter it. We also, in life, make just such castles and take all precautions to keep the enemy away and be absolutely safe. What does man do all his life, after all? Why does he amass wealth? Why does he yearn for position and fame? So that he may feel safe and secure
and life holds no terror for him. But the fun of the whole thing, and also the secret, is that the more measures he takes to safeguard himself, his fear increases in the same proportion. The king had also conquered all there was to conquer. No the only fear was to guard himself from the enemy; for the enemy conquered is still the enemy. He who tries to conquer others, makes enemies of all. Only he who is ready to accept defeat from another man alone be a friend in this world. The king wished to conquer the whole world so the
whole world was his enemy and his fear had increased a thousandfold. When fear increased, it became necessary to make provisions for safety. He built a big palace with only one door. There were no other doors and no windows; not even a hole for the enemy to work through. Only one door – guarded by thousands of soldiers with naked swords.

The neighbouring kind came to see this much-talked-of palace. He was terribly impressed and determined to make a similar palace for his own safety. While taking leave, he praised the king for his foresight and wisdom and reiterated his desire to follow his example. An old beggar sitting by the roadside heard this talk. He laughed aloud. The owner of the palace chided him saying: ”What makes you laugh, fool?” ”Since you ask, Sire, I shall take the opportunity of telling you,” said the beggar. ”There is only one flaw in this marvellous structure. It is impregnable except for the door. The enemy can come through the door. If you step in and have the door covered with brick and mortar, it will be completely secure. Then no enemy can ever enter it.”
”If I do as you say, you fool, this palace will become my grave,” said the king. ”It already is,” said the fakir, ”except for the door. Through this door the enemy can come, and if not the enemy, death is bound to come.”
”But I will be dead before that!” raved the king. ”Then understand this well.” said the fakir. ”As many doors as you had in your palace, so much of existence was with you. As you decreased the doors so also life diminished within you. Now one door is left – one lone opening to life; close it and shut out life forever. Therefore I say, there is only one flaw.” And he broke into peals of laughter again. ”I too had castles, your majesty,”the fakir continued. ”Then I felt that they were no more than prison-houses. So I began to widen the doors and separate the walls. But I found that no matter how much I widened the doors the walls still
remained, so I got out of the walls and came out in the open. Now I stay beneath the open skies and am alive in the perfect sense of the word.” But have we not all built as many walls around us as we possibly could? The walls that are made of brick and mortar are not that dangerous, for they can be seen. There are other walls – subtle, imperceptible walls.... These are the hard screens – glass screens of concepts, of doctrines, of scriptures. Absolutely invisible!

These walls we have built around our souls for complete security The thicker the walls, the farther it keeps us away from the open skies of Truth. Then the soul becomes restless and struggles; and the more agitated the soul is, the more we strive to strengthen the walls. Then a fear grips us – perhaps this struggle, this  restlessness, is due to the walls? The answer is ”Yes.” As long as the soul is confined, it cannot attain bliss. There is no sorrow except in captivity. And remember, the subjugation forced on you by others, is never more than superficial; it never touches you within. But the subjugation you accept yourself, enters your soul. We have accepted this subjugation over a very long period. Who has told you that you are a Hindu? Who has told you that you are a Muslim? And who asked you to be bound to Gandhi or to Marx? Who asked you to bind yourself? No, no one. You bound yourself with your own hands Who binds you to the Geeta?
Who binds you to the Koran? Who ties you to the Bible? Nobody but yourself.

Certain bondages others heap on us, but there are certain others that we take on ourselves. The serfdom of others is very external and is no more than physical, but the slavery we accept of our own free will will tie even our souls in fetters. And so we are all held captives. How can we set out in quest of truth with a mind in subjugation? A mind in bondage cannot traverse the path and the fettered soul never rises to the skies. More than trees are rooted in the soil, is man rooted with all his seeming mobility. The roots of our soul are deeply imbedded in tradition and society.

I therefore wish to speak on the first rule in the quest for truth, and that is that we should fully perceive our state of bondage. Man is a slave – whose slave? He is a slave to his follies, his ennui, his ignorance and insensibility all his own. Only when this becomes a vivid realization can he take steps to eradicate this slavery.
The most unfortunate slave is he who does not even know that he is a slave. Wretched is the man who considers the prison his home. He is the most confirmed of slaves who looks upon his shackles as ornaments, for then instead of breaking away from them, he is ever eager and watchful to protect them.
I have heard of a magician who used to rear sheep to sell to the slaughter house. He would feed them well and when they were fatted up, he would kill them and sell their flesh. What was more he would hypnotize his flock and make them believe they were lions, so that when the fatlings were killed before them, they were not afraid. They thought: ”Well, these lambs, they are to be killed. We are lions and the question does not arise.”
So every day one lot was killed and the rest remained blissfully unaware of their fate. It was only when their turn came that they realized the truth; but then it was too late. There was no way of escape. If they had pondered a little when they saw the others being killed, perhaps they would have run away. But the poor things had completely forgotten their origin. And when a lamb is under the illusion that it is a lion, it becomes the most Feeble and debilitated specimen of its kind. When someone asked the magician what he had done that his lambs did not run away, he said: ”I have done to them what each man has done to himself. We believe ourselves to be what we are not. I made the lambs believe themselves to be what they are not.”
Each man considers himself to be independent, and this is the biggest of falsehoods. As long as man believes he is a free soul, he will do nothing towards attaining freedom. Therefore it is very necessary to be aware first – that we are not free. And when I say ”we”, I do not refer to my neighbours alone. I include myself. I am a slave and it is absolutely necessary that I undergo the entire pain and anguish of this slavery. It is necessary to experience all its different dimensions as well as the various directions from which this holds us in thrall. In what shape and manner it rides over us; what the links are that holds us captive – all this must be known. It is impossible to break down this spiritual slavery without being fully acquainted with it.

If a man wants to escape from prison, what would he do? First of all he has to understand and accept that he is a prisoner and that he is in prison. Then he has to know his prison, every nook and corner of it, for then only can he plan his escape. The more familiar he is with the prison house, the easier will be the escape. That is why care is taken that the prisoner does not know the lay-out of the jail. Once he knows, he is dangerous and can break through anytime; for knowledge always liberates. Even the knowledge of the prison liberator and therefore this knowledge is dangerous in the bands of the captive. The best way to keep the prisoner in the dark is to delude him into believing that the prison is a temple of God and no jail, and he is a free human being; and that all the world exists within its four walls; outside these walls there is nothing. And if he finds things unbearable, let him paint the dirty walls. Make a garden, grow flowers – its fragrance will become a source of joy. Beautify the prison, for it is a house. And the captive who believes all this, will he ever be free?
First and foremost, we do not even remember that we are within a prison. How many kinds of prison-houses we go through from birth to death! Everywhere there are walls – the walls of the prison. When a Hindu says: ”I am a Hindu” and when a Muslim asserts that he is a Muslim, they both do not say they are imprisoned within their respective walls. They assert with such conceit, as if to be a Hindu or a Muslim or a Jain is a matter of great pride. When a man declares ”I am an Indian” or ”I am a Chinese” it is a matter of great pride for him. Little does he know that these are walls that prevent all men from merging into ”One Mankind”. Whatever obstructs, is a barrier. If I refrain from meeting you, whatever stands between us is a barrier. If the Hindu fails to meet a Muslim, it is this wall that comes in the way; and it is the same  between the Indian and the Chinese; the outcaste and the Brahmin. Whether this barrier is visible or invisible, whatever stands in the way of union is a wall – and how many walls there are between man and man! These walls as exist between a Hindu and a Muslim, defy detection and we are not even aware of their presence. This is why they are dangerous, for we can see through them but we cannot extend our hand in friendship because of them. If a Hindu tries to extend his hand towards a Muslim, the wall stands between and the hand turns back. So is the case between the low-caste Sudra and the high-caste Brahmin. Therefore there is no meeting-ground and we do not realize that it is due entirely to the fact that each of us is enclosed within the walls of his own concepts and dogmas, and is incapable of seeing beyond them.

In Russia it is taught that there is no God. The children there grow up with this concept. An irrevocable line is drawn round his soul – there is No God. Now this child will pass through life within the boundaries of this concept; and he will view the world only through this concept – that there is no God. Now all his actions will be oriented by this concept. If a man has to be held captive, he has to be enclosed within the walls of the prison but these prisonhouses of the soul are very strange. They encircle you and go along with you wherever you go. Now when the ideas of non-existence of God is implanted in the mind of a person from childhood, he will live his entire life within this concept. Then he will not find God anywhere; for we are only capable of seeing that for which we are ready. And the person whose capacity of observation is stunted, is closed, comes to the conclusion that there is no God, he will be incapable of seeing anything. You may turn round and say: ”Then we are better off for we believe in the existence of God.” It is not so. We are in an equal, if not worse, peril than they are. A man has taken for granted that there is God. He is convinced and so he will take no trouble to find him. He believes, that is enough – there is nothing more to do. He believes – and his belief that God is, becomes his prison-wall. He who believes that God is not, get bound within the boundary of his denial of God. So one is closed ,in theism and the other in atheism. Both are enclosed in their own sheaths. But only he can progress in the quest of truth who refuses to be bound within any of these walls He will say, ”I do not know yet whether God is or is not but I will set no wall around me. I shall not lean on any scriptures or dogmas. for these only serve to bind the person and make it difficult for him to find Truth.”
During his sojourn at a village, a fakir was approached by its people who asked: ”Will you not come
to our temple, and tell us whether God is or is not?” The fakir replied: ”God? What has that got to do with you? Go, do your work. No one has anything to do with God. If it were so, this world would be a different place altogether Then this world would not be so ugly, so vile, so arrogant. If we had any purpose with God, we would have made a different world altogether. No, we have no interest in this direction, nor do those who sit in temples. The priests, the sadhus, crowds of sannyasins and gurus that have gathered together in His name, not even they have any interest in God; nor those that offer flowers and break coconuts on the temple walls. If God meant anything to us, this would have been a different place altogether. Go do your
work; what business have you with God? Do not waste your time.” But the people would not leave him: ”Today is a holiday, please do come.” Said the fakir: ”So that is it: Now I understand. Because today is a holiday, you have time to spare for God. Man cannot sit without work, so when he has nothing to do, be thinks of God, and he tells his beads. So today is a holiday? Alright I shall come. But what will I tell you about God? For nothing could ever be said about God up to now. Those who said, made a mistake. Those who know, remained silent. I would be foolish if I said anything, for that will prove that I do not know. And
you insist that I go with you? All right I will.” They went to the Masjid. There was a big crowd there. Crowds create illusions. It appeared as if people were eager to know about God. So the fakir said, ”Since so many of you are eager to know about God, may I ask you: Do you believe in God? Does God exist?” All the people lifted their hands in acquiescence – they knew God is and believed in Him. ”Then the matter ends there,” said the fakir. ”Since you are convinced that God is, there is no need for me to say anything. I must go back.” And he left. The people were nonplussed. They did not know what to do! Since they had raised their hands in favour of His existence they could not possibly turn round and deny Him. And who knows? Do you? But if anyone asks, you too will raise your hands.

This act is a lie! Truth cannot descend by any means into the life of a man who thus lies before God. And when a man gives false evidence of God’s existence, when he has not the slightest idea of His whereabouts, he closes all doors of life to let him in. Then no ray of the eternal spirit descends in him. No light of the Supreme Reality will ever burn within him; no prayer v ill ever flow from within him; no flowers of divinity will ever bloom within him – and yet he is convinced of God’s existence! For this man does not take the trouble to look within himself and realize that he is uttering an atrocious lie; that he knows nothing whatsoever!
And thus fathers prevaricate untruths to sons, and gurus to their disciples, and religious heads to their followers. None of them know of the existence of God. If you ask for clarification, they are shaken and their God-concepts crumble to bits, for no voice from within will corroborate their statement. Perhaps as he tells you that God exists, a voice within him reprimands him: ”What is this you say? You do not know at all!”
The fakir said: ”Since you already know that God is, the matter is finished. But it surprises me that a village where so many people believe in God should be no different from any other village It is just the same!” The village folk were now worried. What should they do? The next Friday they went to him again with the same request. The fakir said: ”Last time you said you know God is. Now there is nothing  left to say.” ”Those were different people. We do not know God. Please come and enlighten us,” they said. The fakir exclaimed: ”Oh wonderful Lord! These are the same people, I recognize their faces – but they have changed!” The fact is, it does not take long for a religious man to change. A more dishonest person than he, would be hard to find: be is a different man in his shop and quite another in the temple: and no sooner he leaves the temple he is a completely different person.

This kaleidoscopic art should be learnt from the temple-goers, They can change their souls at a moment’s notice. Even screen actors are not that skilful, for at most they change their faces or their clothes; but the temple-going man changes his very soul according to his needs. See him at his shop, look into his eyes – he is a different man. See him as he sits in the temple, telling his beads – he is another man altogether. Then as he leaves the temple, he is again totally different. He who was reading the Koran in the Masjid just an hour before, will feel no qualms to knife a man on the call of ”Islam in danger!” He who was reading the Geeta a while ago, will feel nothing it setting fire to houses in the name of the Hindu religion. It does not take men of such religiousness long to change; and as long as such people are considered religious people, irreligion cannot be wiped out from this world. To continue our story, however. The fakir said: ”Praise be to the Lord! How these people have changed! Never mind, if you are different people, I shall go.” He went to the Masjid and said: ”Friends, I ask the same question again, for today I am told there are different people, though many faces look familiar. ’Is there God?’” The people replied in one voice: ”No, God is not. We do not believe in Him, now you explain.” The fakir said: ”Then the matter is over. When there is no God, where is the need to talk about Him? When He does not exist, then to what does your question relate? Is it in connection with that which is not? Which God, What kind of God, do you ask about?” The people were floundered. It was difficult to get anywhere with this man. He told them: ”Go back home. Why do you come at all in search of that which is not? What is your quest when you have found out He does not exist? Forgive me now and let me go.” The wise men of the village were now all the more anxious to hear him for they were convinced he
held a secret. He was no ordinary fakir – for an ordinary person is always eager to talk; give him a chance and he will speak. But this man turns down all occasions to speak! There is a mystery about this man. On the third Friday they went to him again and put the same request, ”But I have already been twice and the matter is ended,” the fakir said. The people said: ”Today it is quite a different affair. Please come, for this time we shall give quite a different answer. To this the fakir said: ”He who comes prepared, his answers are always untrue. It only shows that you do not know the answer. He who knows, needs no preparation. Only he who does not, needs to be equipped.
Remember, all the answers you have come armed with, are false. Answers that ”come” are the correct answers in life. All others are false. Truth is never prepared. Truth comes; untruth is always fabricated. Whatever the compound, is false; whatever comes, is the Truth. Truth is never provided, therefore whatever man prepares is anything but Truth. That is why all scriptures and doctrines and sects of the world are false, for man has made them. Man is not capable of creating Truth. Truth comes when this illusion falls that he can produce Truth. When man leaves all the man made tenets, Truth descends into him. The fakir said: ”I can tell you without your telling me, that your answers are false. But still, I shall go with you.” He went for the third time. Perhaps the village pundit thought they were very clever. They little knew that cleverness does not pay in the realm of Truth.
But the wise men of the village were confident. They were bent upon pinning the fakir down today. But they did not know that the very word fakir meant one who has broken all bridges that ensnare. They also did not know that when a man tries to ensnare another he gets trapped himself. The fakir, however, went to the masjid. He addressed the gathering: ”Friends, for the third time, the same question again. ’Does God exist or does He not?’” Half the congregation raised their hands and said ”God is” and the other half raised their hands and said ”God is not.” And on this they requested the fakir to speak. The fakir folded his hand and looked up at the sky: ”Lord, this village is very entertaining!” Then he turned to the crowd: ”You fools, since
half of you know and half of you don’t, why don’t those of you who know tell the others who don’t? Why do you drag me in between? You decide among yourselves.” And he left. Then the village pundits did not go a fourth time. They tried very hard to coin the fourth answer but they could not. The fact is, there are only three answers – yes, no, or both. The fakir tarried long in the village, hoping they would come again but they did not. When someone asked him why he still stayed on, he said: ”I am waiting for them. They might come for the fourth time, but they have not come.” ”How can they?” the man asked. ”What answer they could give you for the fourth time, they do not know.” The fakir, said, ”If I were to tell you, my answer would also become useless, because for you, it will again become a ready-made reply.”
The fakir then writes in his autobiography: ”I waited for them to come and take me once more to the temple; and if they gave no reply when I asked the question, and if they waited in silence, I would have had to speak – for their silence would have proved the sincerity of their quest.” They should be people with no pre-conceived notions, who set out on this quest with an open mind.
Those who are burdened with beliefs can never never set out on this journey. Therefore, the first thing I want to stress in this matter is that only those who are able to break the prison-walls of doctrines and concepts  can set out in quest of Truth. We are all captives in the hands of dogmas and words and scriptures – Truth cannot be for us. These dogmas are of gold, inlaid with precious stones. A cage can be of gold and of precious stones but that does not make it less of a cage. The lure in fact makes it more dangerous for one strives to break through an iron cage but a golden cage might still be attractive. We have thus bound our own
minds ourselves, and until we free ourselves from all these bondages, we can never rise towards Truth; for till then, we cannot see that which is. We shall, till then, try to see things as we want them to be, and as long as we desire something, we cannot know that which actually is. As long as we design Truth in our own fashion, till then we implant ourselves on Truth. As long as we say God should be like this – playing the flute, carrying the bow and arrow – till then we endeavour to impose our own imagination on God. Then it can be that we get visions of Krishna playing the flute or of Rama with his bow and arrow or of Jesus hanging on the cross. But all these are projections, of our own mind and have not the remotest connection with Truth. It is a play of our desires. These are our own dreams and he who takes dreams for reality destroys all possibilities of
realizing Truth. No – Truth is known by only those who are not influenced by doctrines; by those who are prepared to face all eventualities and are willing to break off all shackles for its attainment. The wonder of it
is, that truth asks only for the shackles that bind us: ”Leave all subjugation, and you will attain me,” It says. But we are not ready to surrender our fetters. We get attached to them: the older they are, the more we are attached, and those that come down from our ancestors are the hardest to give up. The father passes them on to his son and the son to his son for safe custody.

Men die but the shackles continue from generation to generation, so that they are thousands of years old; so much so that we have forgotten that we are tied to them. But remember that you cannot realize Truth as long as you hold on to even one dogma; be it of a theist or an atheist, of a Hindu or Muslim or a Christian, and say: ”I consider this doctrine as right.” For where is the sense of any doctrine being correct before attaining Truth? Until I attain Truth, how can I say which doctrine is correct? If you have seen me and seen pictures of me, you will know which is the real picture, but if you have not seen me how can you point me out from a number of pictures and say it is mine? Without having seen me, you cannot point at my picture and if you do, it will be false. Which scripture, which doctrine, which Teerthankar, which incarnation, which son of God is the right one. How will you know until you know the Truth? You have no knowledge of Truth but you have
come to know the authenticity of the Shastras and dogmas. This is how we are tied to untruths and it is not possible for us to know the Truth. So the first thing to do is to look intently for our mental fetters. That the fetters do not appear as such makes the search immensely difficult. But once what binds one is identified then it is not difficult to break loose. It is not difficult to gather courage. How are these chains to be broken? We shall think on this later.
For today, you just ponder on this:
”Am I a slave? Is my mind imprisoned? Have I made any walls around me? Do I hold any doctrine
as Gospel Truth?” It is necessary to be alert and aware. Attachments, if any, are to be broken. Once
a person summons courage, a powerful energy gets born within him. Let him dare once, and a great
soul is born within; and once he is settled within himself, no force on earth can enslave him. God
begins to draw close to the man whose eyes inclined towards the open skies. The Eternal Spirit is like the open skies. He who opens his wings and flies, invariably attains him. But alas, souls locked in cages cannot reach Don’t you ever feel: ”Where are my wings?” Don’t you feel the thirst for freedom within your soul? Don’t you feel your slavery at times? With these questions, I close my talk for the day. Keep asking yourself these questions as you leave the hall. Ask again and again, even as you sleep, ”Am I a slave? If I am, then am I happy to be one?”

Source: The Beginning of the Beginning by Osho




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