stolen from the back of the book。
then such a god is lifeless； dead； useless； good for nothing； not alive。
an alive religion es into being by living it； not by stealing answers from the back of some book。
but we are all thieves。
we scold little children and warn them not to steal。
the teacher also makes it clear that his students must not look for answers in the back of the book； that they should not steal their answers from somewhere …… but if he were to ask himself whether all his answers were stolen or not； it would seem all his answers were stolen as well。
the guru is a thief； the disciple is a thief； the teacher is a thief。
all lifes answers are stolen。
from stolen answers one can never find peace or joy。
joy is attained by going through the same process by which flowers of answers bloom on their own。
they are not borrowed。
。。
Chapter 6
love is dangerous
31 october 1969 am in meditation camp at dwarka； gujarat； india
question 1
a friend has asked： why should we think of death at all？ we have life； let us live it。
let us live in the present。
why do we bring in the thought of death？
he has asked the right thing。
but his very asking； 〃why bring in the idea of death？〃 or 〃lets just live and not even think of death〃 shows in itself that even he cannot escape thinking about death。
death is such an enormous fact it cannot be ignored； although throughout our lives we try not to think of death …… not because death is not worth thinking about； but because the very thought of it is terrifying。
the very idea that 〃i will die〃 sends chills up our spines。
of course； it will shake you up while dying； but even before that； if this idea takes hold of your mind； it will shake you to your very roots。
man has always tried to forget about death； he has tried not to think about it。
we have managed our entire system of life in such a way that death should not bee visible。
all mans efforts and plans towards falsifying death seem to be succeeding； but they never are successful …… because death is there。
how will you escape from it？ where will you escape？ even running away from it； you are ultimately going to run into it。
no matter where you escape； no matter which direction you take； eventually you are going to end up there。
every day it approaches nearer …… whether you think about it or not； whether you escape from it or not。
one can never run away from a fact。
it is not that death is something which will happen in the future； so why think about it now？ this too is a misapprehension。
death will not happen in the future …… death is already happening every moment。
although it will e to its pletion in the future； it is actually taking place every moment。
we are dying this very moment。
if we sit here for an hour； we will be dead one hour。
it may take seventy years for us to die pletely； nevertheless this one hour will be a part of it。
during this one hour we will be dying too。
it is not that after seventy years one dies all of a sudden； death never occurs instantaneously。
it is not a sudden event； it is a growth that begins with birth。
in fact； birth constitutes one end of death； and death constitutes the other end。
this journey begins with birth。
what we call the birthday is actually the first day of death。
it will take time； but the journey will continue。
for example； a man sets out from dwarka for calcutta。
the very first step he takes will be as much to reach calcutta as his last step。
the final step will be as instrumental in bringing him to calcutta as the initial step。
and if the initial step cant bring him to calcutta； the last step cannot either。
this means that when he took his first step towards calcutta； he began to reach calcutta。
with each step calcutta drew nearer and nearer。
you may perhaps say he took six months to arrive at calcutta； but the fact is that it is only because he had started to arrive six months ago that he could arrive six months later。
the second thing i would like to say to you is： dont think that death is somewhere in the future； death is present every moment。
and what is future？ it is the sum total of all of our presents。
we keep on adding to it。
it is just like when we heat water。
at the first degree the water warms up； but it hasnt turned into steam yet。
and the same is the case when it heats up two degrees。
the water will turn into steam when it heats to a hundred degrees； however； it started moving closer to being steam at the first degree； and then at the second； and the third and so on。
but even when its at ninety…nine degrees the water does not turn into steam； that will only happen when it reaches one hundred。
has it ever occurred to you that the hundredth degree is also a degree； just as the first degree is also a degree？ the journey from the ninety…ninth degree to the hundredth degree is the same as from the first to the second degree； there is no difference。
so the one who knows will warn you at the very first degree that the water will turn into steam …… although you never see water turning into steam anywhere。
of course； he may say the water is heating up； but where is it turning into steam？ we can delude ourselves up to the ninety…ninth degree that the water is still not turning into steam； but at the hundredth degree it is bound to bee steam。
each degree will keep bringing the boiling point closer。
hence； it is meaningless to try to save yourself from death； or to postpone it by saying that death is in the future。
death is happening every moment； we are dying every day。
in fact； there is virtually no difference between what we call living； and dying。
what we call living is just another name for dying gradually。
i dont say think about the future； i say watch what is already happening now。
i am not asking you to think； even。
this friend has asked； 〃why think of death？〃 i dont say to think。
thinking will lead you nowhere。
remember this： no fact can ever be known by thinking。
actually； thinking is a tactful means of falsifying facts。
looking at a flower； if you begin thinking about it you will never know the flower； because the more you move into thinking about it； the further it will be removed from you。
you will move ahead in your thoughts while the flower will remain lying there。
what has the flower to do with what you are thinking？ a flower is a fact。
if you want to know a flower； dont think about it …… look at the flower。
there is a difference between thinking and seeing …… and the difference is significant。
the west puts great emphasis on thinking。
thats why they have named their science of thinking philosophy。
philosophy means conceptual thinking。
we have named the same science darshan。
darshan means to see； darshan does not mean thinking。
this needs to be understood a little。
we have called it darshan while they have called it philosophy； and there is a fundamental difference between the two。
those who take philosophy and darshan to be synonymous know nothing。
they are not synonymous。
thats why theres nothing like indian philosophy and nothing like western darshan。
the west has a science of thinking …… it consists of investigation； logic； analysis。
the east cared for something else。
the east has experienced that there are certain facts which can never be known by thinking about them。
these facts will have to be seen； will have to be lived。
and there is an enormous difference between living and thinking。
a man who thinks about love may perhaps write a thesis on it； but a lover lives it； sees it； its possible he may not be able to write a thesis。
and if someone asks a lover to say something about love； he may close his eyes； tears may start rolling down his cheeks； and he might say； 〃please dont ask。
what can i say about love？〃 one who has thought about love will explain it for hours； but he may not even know one iota of love。
thinking and seeing are two altogether different processes。
so i am not saying you should think about death。
you can never know death by thinking about it。
you will have to see it。
what i am saying is： here is death； right now within you； and you have to see it。
what i call the i is dying all the time。
this phenomenon of death will have to be seen； this phenomenon of death will have to be lived； this phenomenon of death； that 〃i am dying； i am dying；〃 will have to be accepted。
we try our best to falsify death； we have invented a thousand ways to falsify it。
of course we can dye our white hair； but that does not prove death a lie …… it invariably es。
even underneath the dyed color the hair is still white。
they are the indications that death has started approaching； that it is sure to e。
how can we falsify it？ no matter how much we go on falsifying it； it makes no difference …… it is approaching； non…stop。
the only difference is that we can fail to know it。
what i am asking is： how will one who hasnt even known death yet know what life is？ my point is： death is on the circumference； life is at the center。
if we dont even know the circumference； how wi