Zen

NIRVANA: THE LAST NIGHTMARE

Chapter 6: Taking the risk

Question 2

 

 

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Question 2

OSHO, YOU ARE THE SURVIVOR OF A SHIPWRECK. YOU ARE ABLE TO FIND A SMALL PLANK JUST CAPABLE OF STAYING AFLOAT WITH ONE PERSON ON IT. JUST THEN ANOTHER SURVIVOR APPEARS AND ATTEMPTS TO JOIN YOU ON THE PLANK. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

If I am myself, then I will jump off the plank and help the other person to survive. If I am you, then too I will jump off the plank and help the other person to survive. In both the cases I will do the same, but for different reasons.

If I am myself, then I know life is immortal, life is deathless. There is no problem for me. If I am you, then first let me tell an anecdote:

"A british diplomat was visiting the mountain hideout where Adolf Hitler, in those terrifying days of the late nineteen-thirties, was deliberately attempting to break western will by displaying how hopeless resistance was.

'What can the british do,' he demanded, 'against an army so devoted to me that they will go to their death at my nod? Do you see that soldier there? Soldier, jump out of the window!'

Without a moment's hesitation the soldier leaped out of the window to his death, leaving the british diplomat frozen in horror. Hitler smiled grimly. 'I will show you once more. Soldier, jump out of that window!' A second soldier jumped.

A third time Hitler ordered suicide, but this time the british diplomat could not sit there idly. He seized the third german soldier by the arm, even as he headed for the window, and cried, 'How can you abandon life so lightly!'

The soldier replied, 'You call this a life?' Then he broke away and jumped."

Whatsoever you call life is not a life at all. If I am you, I will jump. What I call life is eternal. If I am myself, then too I will jump -- because there is going to be no death.

But the reasons will be absolutely different. Sometimes actions can be similar and reasons can be absolutely different. So never pay too much attention to the action. Always pay much more attention to the reason behind it.

Because a buddha may behave just like you, the action may be exactly the same, but it cannot be similar, because a buddha-consciousness is so different from you. The action will be only similar in appearance; deep down there must be a great difference -- it has to be so.

Buddha also lives an ordinary life -- eats, sleeps, feels thirsty. But the reasons are totally different. When Buddha drinks the water, he is just quenching the thirst of the body. When you drink water, you are quenching your thirst.

When Buddha eats food, he is just helping the body to be alive so that it can be used. It is a means, a vehicle -- all care has to be taken of it. When you eat food, it is a question of life and death. Food is life.

When Buddha sleeps and you sleep, both are in the same way sleeping. The posture may be the same, the eyes will be closed, but deep down there is a great difference. Even in deep sleep, Buddha is aware. He never sleeps; only the body sleeps. The inner light goes on burning. Never for a second is there any discontinuity in inner awareness. When you sleep, you are completely asleep. You become unconscious. You completely lose your being into unconsciousness, into darkness.

So never judge anything by the action. Always judge the thing by the innermost core of it.

 

Next: Chapter 6: Taking the risk, Question 3

 

Energy Enhancement                Enlightened Texts                Zen                 Nirvana: The Last Nightmare

 

 

Chapter 6

 

 

 

 
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