Non-possessiveness can be a defence of poverty. It can be in opposition to progress. It can be an obstruction of life in the pursuit of prosperity. All matters would produce opposite contrary results if they are taken up in a wrong or mistaken way. All matters taken in a wrong manner, do not bring any advantage to life, but they harm the life; and there is always the possibility of understanding man in a wrong way and not as he is. I shall try to explain this by telling you a short story. There was a town in which lived a very wealthy man. He was a miser. A temple was being built in that town. People went to him for contribution many times, but to no effect. New beggars who went to that town were informed by the old ones that they should not go to that rich man’s house because none had got anything from that house. Even the poorest man had given his mite to the fund for the temple. So the town people thought that a list should be prepared showing the contribution of each man. Some had donated one thousand, some had donated ten thousands some had donated five rupees, and some had given one rupee. But there was not a single person who had not contributed something. With that list, the leaders, about fifty went to the house of the rich man. They thought they would return after getting something from him because he would certainly be impressed by seeing the list. If not impressed, a person would at least feel ashamed. They began reading aloud the names from the list, saying such and such a person, who is not so wealthy, donated rupees ten thousand, some other who is poor, gave rupees one thousand, some other person who is a daily wage earner gave rupees five. They were reading aloud and at the same time looking at that rich man to see what effect was being produced on him. That rich man was getting more and more eager to know the names and appeared much impressed. Those people thought they would succeed in the mission. After hearing all the names, the rich man stood up at once. He said he was much impressed. The people thought they would not go empty-handed that day. They said, ’when you are so much impressed, give us your contribution.’ That wealthy man spoke, ’you have wrongly understood the meaning of my being impressed. 1 am impressed, so I am thinking of planning to go round the town to beg for alms from tomorrow. It is a great mistake not to beg for alms in a town where all persons are willing to give alms. I have been much impressed.’ The Christians cannot reach The height of Christ, the Buddhists cannot reach the height of Buddha. There is a reason why the followers of Guru Nanak cannot reach the height of Nanak. A follower can never get to the height, because he who follows another. In going after, in following someone else, one kills oneself. To follow another, we have to cut ourselves. To put on another’s clothes, we have either to shorten or lengthen ourselves. To adopt another’s self-individuality we have to suppress ourselves. A follower can never reach the height, because one who has decided to be a follower has decided to commit suicide. I do not advise you to become the follower of anyone. It is just enough to understand enlightened personalities, let other things go. If possible, be yourself. There is no way for anyone to become Nanak or Jesus. This does not mean that you cannot reach, that height to which Jesus reached. You also can reach, but can reach only if you become yourself. The person who tries to be the carbon copy cannot get the clarity of the original. It is just about right if you are a second copy. Thousands of years have passed since the death of these great personalities. Millions of copies have been taken out, and you stand after them. Millions of copies have been taken out on this carbon. Now nothing is understood from these copies, but you go on as if you have understood, you go on following. A follower can never reach. The renunciation of Buddha was natural. Another person can only renounce by making an effort and when he does so, his renunciation will be that of the circus. It will only be a borrowed thing; it will be a matter thrust upon by someone else. At the most he can act as Buddha, he cannot be Buddha. Those who follow Jesus, Buddha, Krishna or Rama are simply acting. They have refused to have an authentic real self. There is one thing worth remembering. God has given the right to each person to be his own self, and he who lets go this right gives up the greatest gift from God. Such a person can be called an atheist, such a person says to God, you have thrown a very great responsibility on me, I was not for it, let me follow somebody. I cannot be an engine, I am fit lo be only a carriage which remains attached to the engine and whose shunting is being done here and there. Such a person will anyhow pass his life. Each person created is born to be himself; he is incomparable, he is unique. No person was created like him in this world in the past, and will not be created in future. God is not a mediocre creator. He is not an ordinary creator who would create the same person a second time. He creates new persons every day. God does not repeat an idea or a picture which He has created once. Buddha was created once, the matter ended there. Jesus was created once, the matter ended there. You will not be able to find out even one single piece of stone similar to any other in the whole world, then what to talk of man. If you tear off one leaf from a tree and try to find another like the first one, you will not be able to get it, the question of man is much bigger compared to this. Man is the evolution of a very complex consciousness. In this world, each individual is the highest, the top, and no man has a right to follow another. This doesn’t mean that he should not try and understand Buddha. In fact even the follower never understands. It is not even necessary for the follower to understand. In fact, one who wants to follow, does so to save the trouble of understanding. One who doesn’t follow anybody will have to work hard to understand. He is trying to understand them, not to follow them, but with a view that seeing those evolved, developed, will flower the thirst of his own bud, may also blossom and may be eager to become a flower. And he does this with a view that listening to the ’instruments’ of others, the wires of his own ’instruments’ may also be stirred and then his ’instrument’ may be eager to play songs as well. Life does not mean to follow another, but it is the unfolding of one’s self. It is not a process of becoming like another, but to be one’s own self. He who accepts this challenge of becoming like himself, will not be the follower but will reach that height where enlightened persons have reached, will reach that place of liberation, that nirvana where Buddha had gone after his samadhi. Everybody can enter the kingdom of God. One has to offer flowers of one’s own self at the altar of God. There is no other way but that....
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:54:38 +0000
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