。
he is continuously looking for ways to renounce things。
ultimately he even arrives at a point where he talks of giving up his life； begins to think in terms of mitting suicide。
he gets ready to do santhara； the religious practice of embracing death voluntarily。
one who renounces and one who clings are of the same kind。
one is holding on to the ladder meant for renouncing things； while the other has seized upon the ladder meant for latching on to things。
but none of them is willing to get off the ladder。
and in my view； truth lies where ladders cease to exist and you land on plain ground； where there is no longer the need to climb up or down。
truth lies where you drop your attachment； where you drop your conditions； where you stop seeing things through your conditioned mind； where you begin to perceive things with a mind free of all conditioning …… thats where the truth lies。
perhaps thats precisely what jesus means
when jesus was asked who would inherit the truth； he replied； 〃those who are like children。
〃 now what can this mean； 〃like children〃？ what it means is： the one who looks at things without any preconditioning。
you will be amazed if you watch how children look at things。
there is a difference between how we see things and how children do。
when we see； we are looking at something； we are looking for something； while a child just looks。
he doesnt look for something in particular； his eyes simply move。
whatsoever is； whatsoever is visible； he just looks at it。
he is not attached to seeing a particular thing。
he is not fixed on the idea that what he sees should only appear in a particular way。
he sees whatsoever there is。
to put it rightly； his seeing is purposeless。
a child does not look with a purpose。
thats why in the eyes of an adult you dont see the innocence you see in the eyes of a child。
an adult sees things with a reason。
if you have money in your pocket； he looks at you in a particular way； if your pocket is empty； he looks at you differently。
if you happen to be beautiful； the man has a look of one kind； if you are not beautiful； he has a different look in his eyes。
he looks at you in a special way if he is interested in you； otherwise he looks differently； or doesnt look at you at all。
his seeing is purposive。
for an adult even the simple act of looking is not without purpose。
when a purpose enters your view； a rope begins to look like a snake； the rope ceases to exist。
actually； just reflect； if you will； as to why a rope appears to someone like a snake。
it is simply his projection …… the man is scared。
there is fear in his look。
that means； whenever he looks at things； he looks out of fear。
he is walking down the street in the dark； and there is fear in his eyes。
he spots something lying on the road； it looks like something is moving。
he immediately believes it to be a snake； because he is looking out of fear。
he is guided by a purpose； he is looking through his unconscious mind to see if there is any snake on the street …… and that makes him see a snake instead of a rope。
a child wont see a snake superimposed on a rope。
often； what is possible is that if a snake stays still； a child may take it to be a rope； he may not see it as a snake and may actually pick it up。
if there is any purpose； any expectation； any fear in what we see
understand well； if you are seeing through the mind； you will distort the object of your perception。
so the question is； can we see without the use of mind？ seeing without the mind is the ultimate state。
all our motives； our fears； our desires； our passions are stored in the mind。
chekhov has written a short story。
two policemen were patrolling a street。
they saw a crowd gathered near a tea stall。
one man was holding a dog by his leg。
he was saying he would kill the dog because it had bitten him。
everyone in the crowd was having fun and encouraging the man to kill the dog who was a menace and had bitten many people before。
the policemen also stood in the crowd。
dogs harass policemen too； they pay special attention to them！
so the policemen were pleased to see someone taking care of the dog。
〃you are doing the right thing。
kill this dog； he is a great trouble to us at night；〃 one policeman said。
right then the other policeman took his partner aside and said； 〃watch it； i think it looks like thats our bosss dog。
〃 at once the first policeman； who had been urging that the dog be killed； went up to the man holding the dog； grabbed his collar and said； 〃you rogue！ what do you mean by drawing a crowd in the middle of the street and holding up traffic？ what do you mean by creating this nuisance？ e with us to the police station！〃 he immediately picked up the dog in his arms and began petting him。
as the policeman started showing affection to the dog； and as the man holding the dog was apprehended； the entire crowd grew very puzzled。
the crowd could not figure out what was going on …… the policeman was ready to kill the dog just a while ago。
the next moment； the second policeman looked at the dog a little more closely and said； 〃no； this doesnt look like our bosss dog！〃 right away the first policeman got rid of the dog and yelled at the man； 〃take hold of this dog and kill him。
he is extremely dangerous。
〃 however； by the time the man got hold of the dog the second policeman once again expressed his doubt by saying； 〃i cant be sure； but he does look like our bosss dog。
〃
the story continues like this。
the attitude towards the dog changes many times because many times a change in purpose occurs。
the dog is the same； the man is the same； the policemen are the same …… everything is the same。
the characters remain unchanged； but the story takes turns a few times because each time there is a change in motive。
sometimes he is perceived as the bosss dog； and sometimes not。
the policemen changed their attitude at once when the dog was seen not to belong to their boss。
and they began petting it with a totally different attitude once it was perceived that the dog was owned by the boss。
this is the way we all live。
as long as the mind exists； we shall continue to live like this。
so what i am saying is that sadhana
what is sadhana； spiritual discipline really？ sadhana means being free from this mind。
but once you have bee free； of what use will the sadhana be？ you will need to bury it along with your mind。
you will have to let go of the spiritual discipline as well； along with the mind。
you will have to tell your mind； 〃take this sadhana with you。
i was following it because of you。
now that you are leaving； kindly take this sadhana with you too！〃
when a person is free from both the mind and the sadhana； free from the disease as well as the cure
remember； if one is free from the illness alone but still continues the cure then one is not really free。
very often the illness does not prove to be as dangerous as getting hooked on the cure。
it feels rather easy getting rid of illness because the illness is painful。
one feels good about going through the cure； hence one never wants to drop it。
but does that make the cure something worth hanging on to？
a cure is desirable indeed for a man who is ill； but what meaning can it have for a person who is healthy？ for a healthy person； a cure is totally worthless。
since you are so determined to embrace illness； you are forced to accept the cure too。
but if you stop insisting on falling sick； the cure will bee totally meaningless。
the illness and the cure belong to the same plane； there is no difference between the two。
there cannot be； otherwise they would cease to function。
the cure exists on the same plane as the illness： the germs present in the drugs are opposite to the germs that cause illness。
it is true that the disease and the cure stand with their backs to each other； however； the plane on which they exist is the same。
i am not only talking against the disease； i am talking against the cure as well； because my experience is that； for the last thousands of years； a great deal has been said against the disease。
consequently； although people got rid of the disease； they latched on to the cure。
those who got attached to the cure turned out to be even more dangerous than the ones who were ill。
hence； both things need to be considered。
the illness and the cure both need to be dropped。
mind and meditation both have to be given up。
samsara and religion are both to be renounced。
one needs to arrive at a point where nothing is left …… either to hold on to or to drop。
then； only that which is； remains。
so when i talk about all these techniques …… whether it is about kundalini； chakras； the seven bodies …… they are all part of a dream。
the fact is； you are already dreaming； and you wont be able to e out of it until you have rightly understood what the dream is all about。
it is necessary we have a right understanding of the dream in order to e out of it。
a dream； a lie； has its own existence too。
it has its own place in this world； and there are means to get rid of i