th is on the circumference； life is at the center。
if we dont even know the circumference； how will we ever know the center？ and if we run away from the circumference； we will never reach closer to the center。
if you bee frightened of the walls that make up the outer limits of a house； and escape； how will you ever enter the inner dwelling？ death is the periphery and life is the temple at the center of it。
by running away from the periphery； we also run away from life。
one who es to know death will； by and by； uncover it and begin to understand life as well。
death is the gateway to knowing life。
eluding death is eluding life as well。
so when i say 〃know death；〃 recognize the facts …… i am not asking you to think。
there is one more interesting thing that needs to be understood。
thinking means to repeat； in the mind； what we already know。
thinking is never original …… although we ordinarily say that such…and…such a persons thoughts are highly original。
no； thought is never original。
thoughts can never be original。
darshan； seeing； can be original。
thoughts are always stale。
if i ask you to think about this roseflower； what will you think？ you will simply reiterate what you already know about a rose。
what else would you do？ what else can you do with thinking？ could even one single unheard…of and original viewpoint about a rose ever appear in your thoughts？ how can it？
thinking is nothing but reiterating a thought。
you may say； 〃the roseflower is very beautiful；〃 but how many times have you heard this before？ how many times have you read this before？ or you may say； 〃the roseflower is just as beautiful as the face of my beloved。
〃 how many times have you heard this before too？ how many times have you read it before？ or you may say； 〃the flower is very fresh〃 …… but this too； how many times have you heard or read it before？ what good are thoughts？ how will you be able to enter the being of that roseflower by thinking about it？ thinking can only lead you into whatsoever is in your memory about a rose。
thats why thinking is never original。
there can never be an original thinker …… only seers are original。
the first condition in looking at a roseflower is that the person looking at it should not think。
he should remove thoughts from his memory； he should bee empty； and live in that moment with the flower。
let the roseflower be on one side and you be on the other； and let there be no one between you …… nothing youve ever heard； nothing youve ever read； nothing youve ever known。
nothing youve ever experienced should be in between。
no one should be between you two。
only then； the unknown seated within the rose will begin to enter your being。
finding no hindrance in between； it will enter； and then you wont feel you want to know the rose； you will feel you are one with the rose。
then you will know the flower from its interiority。
a seer penetrates inside an object； while a thinker hovers around it on the outside …… and therefore a thinker has no achievement of his own； only a seer enjoys achievement。
a seer penetrates within because there remains no wall between him and the object before him …… the wall crumbles； disappears。
once kabir asked his son kamal to go to the forest and bring some hay for their cattle。
kamal went as he was told。
it was morning when he left； but when the sun was overhead and kamal had not yet returned； kabir became worried。
and even by the waning hours of afternoon there was no sign of kamal。
kabir grew even more worried。
soon it was evening and the sun was about to set； so finally； acpanied by a few of his devotees； kabir set out in search of kamal。
when they reached the forest they found kamal standing in the middle of the thick grass； his eyes closed； swaying like a blade of grass in the breeze。
kabir went over； shook him； and asked； 〃what are you doing here？〃 kamal opened his eyes。
he came to himself； realized what had happened； and immediately apologized。
kabir said； 〃but what have you been doing for so long？ its so late！〃
kamal answered； 〃i am sorry； but when i came here； instead of cutting the grass i began to look at it。
and just looking at it continuously； i dont know when； but i also became a blade of grass。
soon it was evening； and here i was； pletely oblivious that i am kamal who has e here to cut grass。
i became the grass itself。
there was so much joy in being the grass； joy that； being kamal； i never had before。
its good you came； because i didnt know what was happening。
the breeze was not moving the grass； the breeze was moving me …… the cutter and that which was to be cut had both disappeared。
〃
have you ever seen your wife； your son； with whom you have lived for so many years？ have you ever seen them？ the things your wife did yesterday flash through your mind …… and a thought es in between you and her。
you recall how she quarreled when you were about to leave for the office in the morning …… and again the thought is present between you。
what she said at the dinner table es back to you …… and the thought stands between you。
you have always thought； you have never seen。
and thats the reason there is no relationship between husband and wife； between father and son； between mother and son。
relationship happens where thought is no more and where darshan； seeing； has begun。
that is really when a relationship takes place； because then no one exists to disrupt it。
remember； a relationship does not mean there is a third factor binding the two。
as long as there is something in between to bind the two； the disrupter is also present。
that which binds also breaks。
the day nothing exists to bind； when only two remain； when nothing remains in between； that day what actually remains is only one； then there are not two。
a relationship does not mean we are joined with somebody； a relationship means that now nothing exists between you and the other person； there is no one in between …… not even to join you。
there； the two streams disappear and merge into each other。
this is love。
seeing leads you into love； seeing is the source of love。
and one who has not loved has never known anything。
no matter what a man may have set out to know； he has only known it through love。
so when i say death has to be known； i mean we will have to love death as well。
we will have to see death。
but the man who is afraid of death； who is eluding it …… how can he love death； how can he have its darshan； how can he ever see death？ when death appears before him； he turns his back on it。
he shuts his eyes； he never lets death appear before him； face…to…face。
he is afraid； he is frightened； thats why he is unable to see death at all； nor is he able to love it。
and the man who hasnt been able to love death yet； how will he ever love life？ …… because death is a very superficial event and life is a far deeper phenomenon。
one who turned away from the very first step； how will he ever reach the deep waters of the well？
thats why i say death will have to be lived； it will have to be known； it will have to be seen。
you will have to fall in love with it； you will have to look into its eyes。
and as soon as a man looks into deaths eyes； begins to watch it； penetrate into it； he feels astounded。
to his great amazement； he realizes； 〃what a great mystery lies hidden in death！ what i knew as death and kept running away from； actually conceals within itself the source of supreme life。
〃 hence i say to you： enter into death willingly so that you may reach life。
there is an incredible saying of jesus。
jesus has said； 〃the one who will save himself will perish； and the one who will efface himself …… no one can ever destroy him。
one who will lose himself shall find； and one who will save himself shall be lost。
〃 if a seed wishes to save itself； it will rot …… what else？ and if a seed annihilates itself in the earth； disappears； it will bee a tree。
the death of the seed bees life for the tree。
if the seed were to protect itself by saying； 〃i am scared。
i could die。
i dont want to disappear。
why should i disappear？〃 then the seed is bound to rot。
in that case； it will not even remain a seed； let alone grow into a tree。
we shrink with fear of death。
i would like to say one more thing that may not have occurred to you before。
only one who is afraid of death has ego； because ego means a constricted personality； a solid knot。
one who has fear of death shrinks within。
anyone in fear has to shrink inside； and whatever shrinks turns into a knot。
a plex is created inside the person。
the feeling of i is the feeling of a man afraid of death。
the man who penetrates death； who is not afraid of death； who does not run away from it； who begins to live it …… his i disappears； his ego disappears。
and when the ego disappears only life remains。
we can put it this way： only the ego dies； not the soul。
but since we continue to remain egos； a great difficulty is created。
in fact； only the ego can die； only the ego has a death …… because it is false。
it will have to die。
but we are holding on