How many lives will it take for me to become like you? ( Story )

A beautiful story is told about a great mystic, Nagarjuna:

He was a naked fakir, but he was loved by all real seekers. A queen was also deeply in love with Nagarjuna. She asked him one day to come to the palace, to be a guest in the palace. Nagarjuna went. The queen asked him a favour.

Nagarjuna said, "What do you want?"

The queen said, "I want your begging bowl."

Nagarjuna gave it -- that was the only thing he had -- his begging bowl. And the queen brought a golden begging bowl, studded with diamonds and gave it to Nagarjuna. She said, "Now you keep this. I will worship the begging bowl that you have carried for years -- it has some of your vibe. It will become my temple. And a man like you should not carry an ordinary wooden begging bowl -- keep this golden one. I have had it made specially for you."

It was really precious. If Nagarjuna had been an ordinary mystic he would have said, "I cannot touch it. I have renounced the world." But for him it was all the same, so he took the bowl.

When he left the palace, a thief saw him. He could not believe his eyes: "A naked man with such a precious thing! How long can he protect it?" So the thief followed....

Nagarjuna was staying outside the town in a ruined ancient temple -- no doors, no windows. It was just a ruin. The thief was very happy: "Soon Nagarjuna will have to go to sleep and there will be no difficulty -- I will get the bowl."

The thief was hiding behind a wall just outside the door -- Nagarjuna threw the bowl outside the door. The thief could not believe what had happened. Nagarjuna threw it because he had watched the thief coming behind him, and he knew perfectly well that he was not coming for him -- he was coming for the bowl, "So why unnecessarily let him wait? Be finished with it so he can go, and I can also rest."

"Such a precious thing! And Nagarjuna has thrown it so easily." The thief could not go without thanking him. He knew perfectly well that it had been thrown for him. He peeked in and he said, "Sir, accept my thanks. But you are a rare being -- I cannot believe my eyes. And a great desire has arisen in me. I am wasting my life by being a thief -- and there are people like you too? Can I come in and touch your feet?"

Nagarjuna laughed and he said, "Yes, that's why I threw the bowl outside -- so that you could come inside."

The thief was trapped. The thief came in, touched the feet... and at that moment the thief was very open because he had seen that this man was no ordinary man. He was very vulnerable, open, receptive, grateful, mystified, stunned. When he touched the feet, for the first time in his life he felt the presence of the divine.

He asked Nagarjuna, "How many lives will it take for me to become like you?"

Nagarjuna said, "How many lives? -- it can happen today, it can happen now!"

The thief said, "You must be kidding. How can it happen now? I am a thief, a well-known thief The whole town knows me, although they have not yet been able to catch hold of me. Even the king is afraid of me, because thrice I have entered and stolen from the treasury. They know it, but they have no proof. I am a master thief -- you may not know about me because you are a stranger in these parts. How can I be transformed right now?"

And Nagarjuna said, "If in an old house for centuries there has been darkness and you bring a candle, can the darkness say, 'For centuries and centuries I have been here -- I cannot go out just because you have brought a candle in. I have lived so long'? Can the darkness give resistance? Will it make any difference whether the darkness is one day old or millions of years old.

The thief could see the point: darkness cannot resist light; when light comes, darkness disappears. Nagarjuna said, You may have been in darkness for millions of lives -- that doesn't matter -- but I can give you a secret, you can light a candle in your being."

And the thief said, "What about my profession? Have I to leave it?"

Nagarjuna said, "That is for you to decide. I am not concerned with you and your profession I can only give you the secret of how to kindle a light within your being, and then it is up to you."

The thief said, "But whenever I have gone to any saints, they always say, 'First stop stealing -- then only can you be initiated.'"

It is said that Nagarjuna laughed and said, "You must have gone to thieves, not to saints. They know nothing. You just watch your breath -- the ancient method of Buddha -- just watch your breath coming in, going out. Whenever you remember, watch your breath. Even when you go to steal, when you enter into somebody's house in the night, go on watching your breath. When you have opened the treasure and the diamonds are there, go on watching your breath, and do whatsoever you want to do -- but don't forget watching the breath."

The thief said, "This seems to be simple. No morality? No character needed? No other requirement?"

Nagarjuna said, "Absolutely none -- just watch your breath."

And after fifteen days the thief was back, but he was a totally different man. He fell at the feet of Nagarjuna and he said, "You trapped me, and you trapped me so beautifully that I was not even able to suspect. I tried for these fifteen days -- it is impossible. If I watch my breath, I cannot steal. If I steal, I cannot watch my breath. Watching the breath, I become so silent, so alert, so aware, so conscious, that even diamonds look like pebbles. You have created a difficulty for me, a dilemma. Now what am I supposed to do?"

Nagarjuna said, "Get lost! -- whatsoever you want to do. If you want that silence, that peace, that bliss, that arises in you when you watch your breath, then choose that. If you think all those diamonds and gold and silver is more valuable, then choose that. That is for you to choose! Who am I to interfere in your life?"

The man said, "I cannot choose to be unconscious again. I have never known such moments. Accept me as one of your disciples, initiate me."

Nagarjuna said, "I have initiated you already."

Religion is based not in morality but in meditation. Religion is rooted not in character but in consciousness.

Why should I ask forgiveness from the door?

A great Zen Master, Rinzai, was sitting. A man came. He pushed the door very hard – he must have been angry – he slammed the door. He was not in a good mood. Then he threw his shoes, and came in. Rinzai said 'Wait. Don't come in. First go and ask forgiveness from the door and from your shoes.'

Why should I ask forgiveness from the door?

The man said 'What are you talking about? I have heard that these Zen people are mad, but it seems true. I was thinking it was just rumour. What nonsense you are talking! Why should I ask forgiveness from the door? And it looks so embarrassing... those shoes are mine!'

Then Rinzai said 'You get out! Never come here again! If you can be angry at the shoes, why can't you ask their forgiveness? When you were angry, you never thought that it was so foolish to be angry with the shoes. If you can relate with anger, then why not with love? Relationship is relationship. Anger is a relationship. When you slammed the door with such anger, you related to the door; you behaved wrongly, immorally. And the door has not done anything to you. First go, otherwise you don't come in.'

Under the impact of Rinzai's silence, and the people sitting there, and that presence... like a flash, the man understood. He understood the logic of it, it was so clear. 'If you can be angry, then why can't you be loving? You go.' And he went. Maybe in his whole life that was the first time. He touched the door and tears started flowing from his eyes. He could not hold back those tears. And when he bowed down to his own shoes, a great change happened in him. The moment he turned and came towards Rinzai, Rinzai took him in his arms and embraced him.


This is reconciliation. How can you pray if you are unreconciled? How can you come to a Master if you are unreconciled with existence?

What is hell and what is heaven?

A Japnese Emperor reached the Zen Master and asked him, “What is hell and what is heaven?”
The Zen Master looked at the Emperor and said “You son-of-a-bitch! Have you looked at your face in the mirror lately? I have never seen such a dirty-looking fellow before!”

The Emperor was enraged! He had not expected such a thing from such a great saint. You don’t know great saints! You know only small, puny saints. A real saint is not a cat, he is a tiger!
The Emperor was so enraged that he pulled his sword out of its sheath. He was going to cut the head of the Master. Just as the sword was coming closer, the Master said, “Wait! You are entering hell. This is the gate to hell.”

The way the Master said “Wait!” was so powerful that the Emperor’s hand was stopped in the middle, and he understood — “True!” He threw the sword away, fell at the feet of the Master, and the Master laughed and said, “This is the way to heaven! You have already experienced both within a single moment. The distance is not far.”

Whenever you are surrendered to existence, whenever you live in trust, love, prayer, joy, celebration, you are in heaven

मित्र, एक चुनें लेकिन नेक चुनें - Hindi Inspirational Story

एक बेटे के अनेक मित्र थे जिसका उसे बहुत घमंड था। पिता का एक ही मित्र था लेकिन था सच्चा।
एक दिन पिता ने बेटे को बोला कि तेरे बहुत सारे दोस्त है उनमें से आज रात तेरे सबसे अच्छे दोस्त की परीक्षा लेते है।

बेटा सहर्ष तैयार हो गया।

रात को 2 बजे दोनों बेटे के सबसे घनिष्ठ मित्र के घर पहुंचे, बेटे ने दरवाजा खटखटाया, दरवाजा नहीं खुला, बार-बार दरवाजा ठोकने के बाद अंदर से बेटे का दोस्त उसकी माताजी को कह रहा था माँ कह दे मैं घर पर नहीं हूँ।

यह सुनकर बेटा उदास हो गया, अतः निराश होकर दोनों लौट आए।
फिर पिता ने कहा कि बेटे आज तुझे मेरे दोस्त से मिलवाता हूँ। दोनों पिता के दोस्त के घर पहुंचे। पिता ने अपने मित्र को आवाज लगाई।

उधर से जवाब आया कि ठहरना मित्र, दो मिनट में दरवाजा खोलता हूँ।

जब दरवाजा खुला तो पिता के दोस्त के एक हाथ में रुपये की थैली और दूसरे हाथ में तलवार थी। पिता ने पूछा, यह क्या है मित्र।

तब मित्र बोला....अगर मेरे मित्र ने दो बजे रात्रि को मेरा दरवाजा खटखटाया है, तो जरूर वह मुसीबत में होगा और अक्सर मुसीबत दो प्रकार की होती है,या तो रुपये पैसे की या किसी से विवाद हो गया हो। अगर तुम्हें रुपये की आवश्यकता हो तो ये रुपये की थैली ले जाओ और किसी से झगड़ा हो गया हो तो ये तलवार लेकर मैं तुम्हारें साथ चलता हूँ। तब पिता की आँखे भर आई और उन्होंने अपने मित्र से कहा कि, मित्र मुझे किसी चीज की जरूरत नहीं, मैं तो बस मेरे बेटे को मित्रता की परिभाषा समझ रहा था।

ऐसे मित्र न चुने जो खुद गर्ज हो और आपके काम पड़ने पर बहाने बनाने लगे अतः मित्र, एक चुनें लेकिन नेक चुनें।

Importance of Home, Family and Relationships ( Story )

Mother is flying a kite. Her son is watching her carefully. After some time son says "mom. Because of the string the kite is not able to go any further higher."Hearing this, the mother smiles and breaks the string. The kite goes higher and then shortly after that, it comes and falls on the ground. The child is very dejected and sad.

The mother sits next to him and calmly explains: "Son, in life we reach a certain level and then we feel that there are certain things that are not letting us grow any further like Home, Family, Culture etc. We feel we want to be free from those strings which we believe are stopping us from going higher. But, remember son."That our home , family and culture are the things that will help us stay stable at the high heights . If we try to break away from those strings our condition will be similar to the kite."we'll fall down soon..

Never go away from home, culture, family, and relationships as they help keep us stable while we are flying high.

Have faith in God

Everyday Krishna would visit the garden and say to all the plants, “I love you”. The plants were very happy and responded saying “Krishna, we love You too".

One day Krishna rushed quickly into the garden very alarmed. He went to the bamboo plant and the bamboo plant asked, “Krishna, what´s wrong?”

Krishna said “I have something to ask you, but it is very difficult”.

The bamboo said “Tell me: if I can, I will give it to you”. So Krishna said “I need your life. I need to cut you”. The bamboo thought for a while and then said “You don´t have any other choice. You don’t have any other way?”

Krishna said, “No, no other way. And it said “OK” and gave himself up. So Krishna cut the bamboo n made holes in it, and each time, he carved the holes, the bamboo was crying in pain ...

Krishna made a beautiful flute out of it n this flute was with him all the time. 24 hours a day, it was with Krishna. Even the Gopis were jealous of the flute.

They said, “Look, Krishna is our Lord, but yet we get to spend only some time with him.

He wakes up with you, He sleeps with you, all the time you are with him”.
Gopis asked the bamboo, “Tell us your secret. What secret do you have, that the Lord treasures you so much?”

And the bamboo said “The secret is that, i gave myself up, and he did whatever was right for me, in the process i had to undergo a lot of pain.

And the Lord does whatever he wants with me, whenever he wants with me and however he wants with me. I have just become His instrument”. So this is complete surrender: where God can do whatever He wants with you, whenever He wants, as He wants.

Trust Him completely and have faith in Him and Always Know.. that you are in His Hands... What can go wrong??

This is Sharanagathi.

How Innocence is greater than wisdom ?

After nine years, when Bodhidharma came back to #India, thousands of people had become his disciples. He had chosen four of them for the final fire-test, because out of those four, one would be chosen as his successor to continue his work in China.

There was great silence, although thousands of disciples were sitting there. They knew that those four people were worthy of it, but it was very difficult to tell who was the most worthy....
Bodhidharma asked the first man, ”Tell me the essence of #wisdom.”

And the man said, ”The essence of wisdom is that the kingdom of God is within you.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my flesh, but the flesh is not very deep. You are not chosen to be my successor. What you have said has a faraway echo of truth in it, but it is too faraway an echo.”

He asked the second disciple, ”You tell me – what is the essence of wisdom?” And he said, ”The essence of wisdom is meditation, being absolutely silent.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my bones, but you don’t have me. You cannot be my successor.”
And he turned to the third man and asked the same question, ”What is the essence of wisdom?”
The third person said, ”The essence of wisdom is to bring your potential to its ultimate actuality, to blossom, to bring flowers to your being.”

Bodhidharma said, ”You have my marrow, but still you are not yet capable of being my successor. You are very close, but even closeness is a distance.”

He turned to the fourth man, and he asked the same question. And the fourth man had tears in his eyes and he collapsed at Bodhidharma’s feet, not saying a single word.

Bodhidharma said, ”I understand your silence. But these thousands of people will not understand it. You have to bring your experience into words. Say it!”

And the man with tears said, ”I don’t know.”

And Bodhidharma said, ”You are going to be my successor, because the person who can say ‘I do not know’ has already reached to the door of the temple of wisdom, he is already standing at the door. His innocence, his not-knowing, is the beginning of knowing.”

A true master is going to be condemned by the whole world, for the simple reason that he does not give anything to you – on the contrary, he goes on taking things away from you. He leaves you utterly naked, in a state of innocence like a child. Only from there your real growth starts. Only from there is the true beginning.

What is greater than wisdom? Innocence is greater than wisdom, because wisdom is only a collection of empty words.

Innocence is a transformation of your whole being, as if you are cleaned of all dust – you have just taken a shower.

The ego is a disease, the ego can exist only if your mind is sick

A youth, Prince Shrona, was initiated by Buddha. The people in the capital could not believe it. No one had ever imagined that Shrona would become a bhikkhu, a monk. Buddha’s monks could not believe it either, their eyes were popping out when Shrona came and fell at Buddha’s feet and said, ”Initiate me, make me a bhikkhu.”

Shrona was an emperor, and a famous emperor. He was famous for indulgence. His royal palace had the most beautiful women of that era. His palace had the finest wines, gathered from every corner of the world. Celebration went on all night long, he slept all day. He was so drowned in indulgence that no one had ever thought he could imagine becoming a sannyasin. When he climbed the steps he didn’t have railings put up, but had naked women stand there. He would climb the stairs putting his hand on their shoulders. He made his house into a heaven. His palace was such that gods in heaven would be jealous.

The bhikkhus asked Buddha, ”We can’t believe it, Shrona being initiated!”

Buddha said, ”Whether you believe it or not, I knew he was going to take sannyas. To tell you the truth it is for him that I came to the capital today. What goes to one extreme will go to the other extreme too. Indulgence is one extreme, he did that completely. Now there is no way to move further there, no way to satisfy the ego. He has whatever is possible in that world. Now a wall has come in front of the ego, where can the ego go now? The ego demands more. Now there isn’t any more, so the ego must return, must go back in the opposite direction. When the pendulum of a clock goes all the way to the right, it must return towards the left. Then it goes all the way to the left and has to return again to the right. When the pendulum of a clock is going to the left, remember that it is gathering momentum to go to the right. And when it is going to the right it is gathering momentum to go to the left. One who has a subtle vision will be able to see this. One who goes into extreme indulgence will one day go into extreme yoga.

Buddha said, ”Wait a few days, you will see the truth of what I am saying.”

And people saw. The other #bhikkhus walked on a well paved road, but Shrona walked through thorns and brush, his feet became drenched in blood. When the sun was hot the other bhikkhus sat in the shade of the trees. Shrona would stand in the sun. The other bhikkhus wore clothes, he used only a loin cloth. And it seemed as if he was eager to drop the loin cloth too. Then one day he did drop it. The other bhikkhus ate once a day, Shrona ate only once in two days. The other bhikkhus ate sitting down. Shrona ate standing up. The other bhikkhus kept a bowl, Shrona didn’t keep even a bowl, only his hand... he ate only the food that fit in his hand. His beautiful body shrivelled. Previously people used to come from miles around to see his body. His face had been very charming, immensely beautiful. After he had been a bhikkhu for three months anyone who saw him would not recall that this was Emperor Shrona. His feet became blistered, his body became black, he shrivelled and became just bones. And he went on disciplining himself.

Buddha said, ”Do you see bhikkhus, I had told you that what goes to one extreme, will go to the other extreme! It is difficult to stop in the middle, because the middle is the death of the ego.”

Then Shrona stopped eating. Then he stopped taking water. He continued from one extreme to another. It seemed he would be a guest on this earth only two or three more days, then die. This is when Buddha went to his door, to the tree under which he had built a hut to rest in. He was lying down. Buddha said to him, ”Shrona, I have come to ask you something. I have heard that when you were an emperor you had a passion for playing the veena, and that you were very skilled at playing it, that you took great interest in the veena. I have come to ask you a question: when the strings of the veena are very loose, will music arise or not?”

Shrona said, ”What are you talking about? You know it well, if the strings are very loose music cannot arise, they cannot even sound a twang.”

Buddha said, ”Then I ask you this: if the strings are tightened too much will music arise or not?”

Shrona said, ”If they are tightened too much the strings will snap, music will not arise, only the sound of snapping strings will arise. How can music arise from the sound of an instrument breaking?”

Then #Buddha said, ”I have come to remind you. Just as you have experienced the veena, I experience the veena of life. I say unto you, if the strings of life are very tight music does not arise, and if the strings of life are very loose, again music does not arise. The strings need to be in the middle Shrona, neither too tight nor too loose. The greatest skill of a musician is in bringing the strings exactly to the middle, this is what is meant by tuning an instrument.”

This is why when you see Indian classical music, it takes half an hour or an hour to tune the instruments. Tuning instruments is a great art. To bring the strings to that middle point where it cannot be said that they are too loose or too tight, one needs great skill, a very sensitive ear. Only a connoisseur of music is able to tune.

”The veena of life is exactly the same,” Buddha said, ”It is enough Shrona, wake up now. I was waiting to let you come to the extreme. At first your strings were very loose, now you have tightened them too much. Music didn’t happen then, nor does it happen now: are you experiencing samadhi? What is all this that you are doing? Previously you stuffed yourself, now you are fasting to death. Previously you never went barefoot, if you went anywhere the road was covered with velvet. And now if the path is good you will not move on it. You move in the brush, in the thorns, on rough, rugged paths. Perhaps previously you had never drunk water but only wine. Now you are afraid to drink even water! Now you want to avoid water too. Previously at your house incomparable meat dishes were prepared, now you are not ready even to eat dry bread. See how you have moved from one extreme to the other? That extreme was unmusical, this too is unmusical. I call out to you: Now is the time, come to the middle.”

Tears began to flow from Shrona’s eyes. He became alert. He saw his situation.

And as soon as someone comes to the middle, the ego dies – it cannot live. The ego is a disease, the ego can exist only if your mind is sick. The life of the ego comes out of your being sick, and extremes are the secret of your being sick.

Let go...

A little child was playing one day with a very valuable vase. He put his hand into it and could not withdraw it. His father too, tried his best, but all in vain. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, "Now, my son, make one more try. Open your hand and hold your fingers out straight as you see me doing, and then pull."

To their astonishment the little fellow said, "O no, father. I couldn't put my fingers out like that, because if I did I would drop my penny."

Smile, if you will--but thousands of us are like that little boy, so busy holding on to the world's worthless penny that we cannot accept liberation. I beg you to drop the trifle in your heart. Surrender! Let go, and let God have His way in your life.

- written by Dr. Billy Graham

When you go home today, go and clean your mother's hands [Story]

One young man went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the initial interview, and now would meet the director for the final interview.

The director discovered from his CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent. He asked, 'Did you obtain any scholarships in school?' the youth answered 'no'.


' Was it your father who paid for your school fees?'

'My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.” he replied.

' Where did your mother work?'

'My mother worked as clothes cleaner.”

The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.

' Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?'

'Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.

The director said, 'I have a request. When you go home today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back home, he asked his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to her son.

The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother winced when he touched it.

This was the first time theyouth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fees. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his education, his school activities and his future.

After cleaning his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.

That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.

The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, when he asked: 'Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?'

Theyouth answered,' I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'

“I know now what appreciation is. Without my mother, I would not be who I am today. By helping my mother, only now do I realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done on your own. And I have come to appreciate the importance and value of helping one’s family.

The director said, 'This is what I am looking for in a manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life.”

“You are hired.”

God doesn't exist [ Story]

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.They talked about so many things and various subjects.When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:"I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist.Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things." The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:"You know what? Barbers do not exist.""How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber."I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!""No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me." "Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

Some time it is good for us to act blind [ Story]

A man married a beautiful girl. He loved her very much. One day she developed skin disease. Slowly she started to lose her beauty. So happened that day her husband left her on a tour. While returning he met with an accident and Lost his sight. However their married life continued as usual. But as days passed she lost her beauty step by step. Blind husband did not know this and there was no any difference in their married life. He continued to love her and she also loved him.

One day she died. Her death brought him great sorrow.
He finished all her last rights and wanted to leave that town.

A man from behind called and said, now how will you be able to walk all alone? All these days your wife used to help you.

He replied, I am not blind. I was acting, because if she came to know that I knew that she had skin disease, it would have pained her more than her disease. So only I acted as blind. she was very good wife. I only wanted to keep her happy.

Moral of the story is - Some time it is good for us to act blind or ignore someone's short comings, just to keep them  happy.

Are you determined to find the True Master ? [ Inspirational Story]

A man went in search of a Master. He was ready to go around the world, but he was determined to find the Master, the true Master, the Perfect Master.

Outside his village he met an old man, a nice fellow, sitting under a tree. He asked the old man, "Have you ever heard in your long life — you look like a wanderer…"

He said, "Yes, I am a wanderer. I wandered all over the earth."

The man said, "That is the right kind of person. Can you suggest to me where I should go? I want to be a disciple of a Perfect Master."

The old man suggested a few addresses to him, and the young man thanked him and went on.

After thirty years of wandering around the earth and finding nobody who was exactly fulfilling his expectations, he came back dejected, depressed. The moment he was entering his village he saw the old man who had become very old now, sitting under the tree. And suddenly he recognized that he is the Master! He fell at his feet and he said, "Why didn’t you say it to me, that you are the Master?"

The old man said, "But that was not time for you. You could not recognize me. You needed some experience. Wandering around the earth has given you a certain maturity, a certain understanding. Now you can see. Last time you had met me, but you had not seen me. You had missed. You were asking me about some Master. That was enough proof that you could not see me, you could not feel my presence, you could not smell the fragrance. You were utterly blind; hence I gave you some bogus addresses so you could go. But even to be with wrong people is good, because that is how one learns. For thirty years I have been waiting for you here, I have not left this tree."

In fact the young man, who was not young anymore, looked at the tree and was even more surprised. Because in his dreams, in his visions he was always seeing that tree and there was always a feeling that he would find The Master sitting under this tree. Last time he had not seen the tree at all. The tree was there, the Master was there, Everything was ready but HE was not ready.

I want to know what the difference is between me and you [ Inspiring Story]

A king was very much interested in a young man who always remained underneath a tree, sitting silently. Every night the king passed around the city in disguise to see whether everything was right or not. He always found that young man sitting like a statue, without any movement. 

Finally, he could not contain his curiosity. He stopped his horse and he said, “Young man, forgive me for disturbing your meditation.”

The young man opened his eyes and he said, “There is no need for any apology because I am not meditating, I am meditation — nobody can disturb it. But whatever your curiosity is, please fulfill it.”

The king said, “I would love you to come to my palace. I will take care of you. There is no need to sit under this tree. Seeing you so silently, like the ancient story of Buddha, I have fallen in love with your silence, your gestures, your utter undisturbance. I invite you to come with me to my palace. I am the king.”

This is how the barbarous mind functions. The king asks the young man to come to his palace — inviting him — but deep down his unconscious wants him not to accept his invitation because that will mean he is still desirous of luxuries and palaces.

But that young man simply stood up, and he said, “I am coming.”

Immediately the whole scene changed. The mind of the king was thinking, “What have I done? This man is still interested in the luxuries of a palace, being the guest of a king. This is not a great saint.” This is the old idea of the saint, that he should be as uncomfortable as possible. Discomfort is religion. Sick, hungry, torturing oneself in thousands of ways… and then you become a great saint. This fellow has suddenly fallen from his sainthood, in the mind of the king. But now it was too late. He could not take his word back; it would be to ungentlemanly.

But the young man was watching everything. He didn’t say anything. The king provided for him in the best part of the palace, servants, young girls to look after him — and he accepted everything. With each acceptance he was falling down in the scale of saintliness: what kind of saint was he? He accepted a beautiful king-size bed. He accepted all the delicacies of the palace.

The king said, “My God. What kind of a stupid person am I? This man has deceived me. It seems like he tricked me. Just sitting there every night, he knew I passed at that time, sitting silently like a buddha, he knew that I would be caught — and he caught me. And now it is very difficult either to swallow him or to spit him out. He is inside the palace.”

But how long can you carry such a state of mind?

After six months, one day early in the morning when they were taking a walk together in the gardens, the king said to him, “One question has been continuously harassing me and I want to get rid of it. Because of it, for six months I have not slept well.”

The young man said, “You can ask any question.”

The king said, “It hurts me to ask, but I want to know what the difference is between me and you. You live in the palace, you enjoy all the luxuries… what is the difference between me and you?”

The young man said, “I knew that this question was going to arise one day. In fact, it arose the same moment I stood up to follow you. You are not a very courageous man. You should have asked immediately. Why waste six months, and for six months unnecessarily disturbing your sleep. I can answer your question but not here. You have to come with me outside the boundary of your kingdom.”

It was not far away. Just a few miles away was the river, the boundary of his kingdom.

The king said, “What is the need to go there? You can answer me here.”

He said, “No. There is a need.”

Both went past the river. Standing on the other shore, the young man said, “My answer is that I am going ahead. Are you coming with me?”

He said, “How can I come with you? I have a palace, I have a kingdom, I have my wife, my children… I have thousands of worries and problems to solve. How can I come with you?”

The young man said, “Do you see the difference? I am going. I don’t have any palace, I don’t have any wife, I don’t have any problems. I was as happy under my tree as I have been happy in your palace — not a bit more or a bit less. My awareness is the same whether I am in a palace or in a forest.”

The king felt very sad at his ugly mind, that he thought such an ugly thing. He touched his feet and he said, “Forgive me even to think this. In my own eyes I have fallen.”

The young man said, “No. Don’t do it. Seeing your tears and you touching my feet I have no difficulty, I can come back, but you will still start thinking, `My God. Has he deceived me again?’ I have no difficulty but so as not to be uncompassionate towards you, I will not come. Just let me go. The whole world is there and I don’t need much, just a tree to sit underneath. It does not matter to me at all.”

Power is in the hands of the wrong people, and the people of intelligence are devoid of power. [Story]

But the misfortune is that power is in the hands of the wrong people, and the people of intelligence are devoid of power. I will tell you a small story to make it clear….

A great mystic heard that one of his friends, a childhood friend — they had played together, studied together — had become the prime minister of the country. Just to congratulate him, the mystic came down from the mountains. It was a long journey, tiring. By the time he reached the prime minister’s palace, the prime minister was getting ready to go somewhere.

He recognized the mystic, but he said, “I’m sorry, I have some appointments. I have to go to three places, and I would love it if you can come with me. On the way we can talk and remember the golden old days.”
The mystic said, “I would love to come with you, but you can see my rags are full of dust. It would not look right to sit by your side on a golden chariot.”

The prime minister said, “Don’t be worried. The king has presented me with a very costly overcoat. I have never used it; I have been keeping it for some special occasion. I will give you the coat. You just put it on; it will cover your clothes, the dust and everything.” The coat was given to him.
They reached the first house. They entered the house. The prime minister introduced his friend: “He is a great mystic. He lives in the mountains.
 

Everything that he has is his own, except the coat — that is mine.”
The mystic could not believe it: “What kind of stupidity is this?”
Even the family was shocked, to insult the mystic in such a way.
 

Outside the house the mystic said, “It is better I do not accompany you. You insulted me. What was the need to say that it is your coat? They were not asking.”

He said, “I am sorry, forgive me. And if you don’t come with me to the next appointment, I will think you have not forgiven me.”
 

The mystic was a simple-hearted man. He said, “Then it is okay, I am coming.”
 

Entering the second house, the prime minister introduced him: “He is a great mystic who lives in the mountains. Everything is his — even the coat is his!”
 

The mystic could not believe that this man had any intelligence at all. Outside he simply refused: “I cannot go to your third appointment. This is too much.”

But the politician said, “I have said that the coat is yours!” The mystic said, “It is unbelievable how unintelligent a man can be. Your assertion, emphasis, that the coat is mine, creates suspicion: there is something you are hiding. What is the need to mention the coat at all? I don’t see the point that in any introduction coats need to be introduced.”

And the politician said, “Forgive me, but if you don’t come to the third appointment I will never forget that I have hurt you. Please, there is only one more appointment, and I will not say that the coat is yours or the coat is mine. Don’t be worried about it.”

The simple mystic, innocent, agreed to go with him. At the third house he introduced the mystic in the same way, “He is a great mystic from the mountains. All the clothes are his, but as far as the coat is concerned, it is better not to say anything!”

The politician is not the most intelligent part of humanity. Otherwise there would not have been five thousand wars in three thousand years. The politician has destroyed, but has not created anything. It is the politician who is creating the atomic weapons, the nuclear missiles. With what face can he make the people of the world aware that the future is dark, dismal?

Osho, The Sword and the Lotus, Talk #3

One has only to become a witness and the mind becomes pure [Story]

After Buddha had become old, one afternoon he stopped to rest at the foot of a tree in the forest. He felt thirsty, and Ananda went to a nearby mountain stream to fetch water. But just before, some carts had crossed the stream, and the water had turned muddy. Rotting leaves and scum had begun to float on the surface. Ananda returned without water, and said to Buddha, “The water in the stream is not clean; I shall go back to the river and bring water from there.” The river was very far off, and Buddha asked him to fetch water from the stream. After a short while Ananda returned again empty-handed: the water did not appear to him fit to bring.

But Buddha made him go back once more. On the third occasion that Ananda reached the stream, he was amazed. The stream had now become completely clear and unpolluted. The mud had settled and the water had become pure.

I find the story very interesting. The state of the human mind is just the same. The traffic of life comes and stirs it up. But if one goes on watching it, sitting in silence and patience, the impurities settle and a natural clarity returns. In this clarity of mind, life renews itself. It is only a matter of patience, silent awaiting, and without doing anything the impurities of the mind settle.

One has only to become a witness and the mind becomes pure. Our task is not to make it pure. All difficulty arises because of doing. Simply watch it, just sitting on the bank – then see what happens!

Stop Chasing Happiness !!

An old man lived in the village. He was one of the most unfortunate people in the world. The whole village was tired of him, he was always gloomy, constantly complained and always was in a bad mood. The longer he lived, the more bile was becoming and the more poisonous were his words. People avoided him, because his misfortune became contagious. It was even unnaturally and insulting to be happy next to him. He created the feeling of unhappiness in others.

But one day, when he got eighty years old, an incredible thing hap-pened. Instantly everyone heard the rumor: “An Old Man is happy today, he doesn’t complain anything, smiles, and even his face is freshened up .” 

The whole village gathered together. An old man was asked: What happened to you ? - Nothing special – he answered. – Eighty years I’ve been chasing happiness, and it was useless. Then I decided to live without happiness and just enjoy life. That’s why I’m happy.

So always be Happy to get the happiness. Self satisfaction itself brings happiness.

Don’t hope, friend… decide!

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.

Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son’s face in his hands said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.

While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, “Hi, baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands.

For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?

“Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those.” he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. “Two whole days!”

Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks – if not months. I know my expression betrayed me.

I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!”
The man suddenly stopped smiling.

He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend… decide!” Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!”

- By Michael D. Hargrove and Bottom Line Underwriters, Inc.

जीवन में हमेशा विनम्र रहें तभी व्यक्ति का अस्तित्त्व बना रहता है। ( Story in Hindi )

महाभारत की एक कथा है। धर्मयुद्ध अपने अंतिम चरण में था। भीष्म पितामह शैय्या पर लेटे हुए अपने जीवन के आखिरी क्षण गिन रहे थे। उन्हें इच्छा मृत्यु का वरदान मिला हुआ था और वे सूर्य के दक्षिणायन से उत्तरायण होने की प्रतीक्षा कर रहे थे। धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर जानते थे कि पितामह ज्ञान और जीवन संबंधित अनुभव से संपन्न हैं। इसलिए वे अपने भाइयों और पत्नी सहित उनके सामने पहुंचे और उनसे विनती की, पितामह! आप हमें जीवन के लिए उपयोगी ऐसी शिक्षा दें, जो हमेशा हमारा मार्गदर्शन करें।

तब भीष्मपितामह ने बड़ा ही उपयोगी जीवन दर्शन पांडवो को बताया, उन्होंने कहा, जब नदी समुद्र तक पहुंचती है, तो अपने जल के प्रवाह के साथ बड़े-बड़े वृक्षों को भी बहाकर ले जाती है। एक दिन समुद्र ने नदी से प्रश्न किया? तुम्हारा जलप्रवाह इतना शक्तिशाली है कि उसमें बड़े-बड़े पेड़ भी बहकर आ जाते हैं। तुम पलभर में उन्हें कहां से कहां ले आती हो, लेकिन क्या कारण है कि छोटी व हल्की घास, कोमल बेलों और नम्र पौधों को बहाकर नहीं ला पाती। नदी ने उत्तर दिया, जब-जब मेरे जल का बहाव आता है, तब बेलें झुक जाती हैं और रास्ता दे देती हैं। मगर पेड़ अपनी कठोरता के कारण यह नहीं कर पाते, इसलिए मेरा प्रवाह उन्हें बहा ले आता है।

‪#‎सीख‬- इस छोटे से उदाहरण से हमें सीखना चाहिए कि जीवन में हमेशा विनम्र रहें तभी व्यक्ति का अस्तित्त्व बना रहता है। सभी पांडवों ने भीष्म पितामह के इस उपदेश को ध्यान से सुनकर अपने आचरण में उतारा और सुखी हो गए।

क्रोध मनुष्य की वह अवस्था है जो जीत के नजदीक पहुँचकर हार का नया रास्ता खोल देता है। [ Story in Hindi ]

बहुत समय पहले की बात है। आदि शंकराचार्य और मंडन मिश्र के बीच सोलह दिन तक लगातार शास्त्रार्थ चला। शास्त्रार्थ की निर्णायक थीं मंडन मिश्र की धर्म पत्नी देवी भारती। हार-जीत का निर्णय होना बाक़ी था, इसी बीच देवी भारती को किसी आवश्यक कार्य से कुछ समय के लिये बाहर जाना पड़ गया।

लेकिन जाने से पहले देवी भारती नें दोनों ही विद्वानों के गले में एक-एक फूल माला डालते हुए कहा, यें दोनो मालाएं मेरी अनुपस्थिति में आपके हार और जीत का फैसला करेंगी। यह कहकर देवी भारती वहाँ से चली गई। शास्त्रार्थ की प्रकिया आगे चलती रही।

कुछ देर बाद देवी भारती अपना कार्य पूरा करके लौट आई। उन्होंने अपनी निर्णायक नजरों से शंकराचार्य और मंडन मिश्र को बारी- बारी से देखा और अपना निर्णय सुना दिया। उनके फैसले के अनुसार आदि शंकराचार्य विजयी घोषित किये गये और उनके पति मंडन मिश्र की पराजय हुई थी।

सभी लोग ये देखकर हैरान हो गये कि बिना किसी आधार के इस विदुषी ने अपने पति को ही पराजित करार दे दिया। एक विद्वान नें देवी भारती से नम्रतापूर्वक जिज्ञासा की- हे ! देवी आप तो शास्त्रार्थ के मध्य ही चली गई थीं फिर वापस लौटते ही आपनें ऐसा फैसला कैसे दे दिया ?

देवी भारती ने मुस्कुराकर जवाब दिया- जब भी कोई विद्वान शास्त्रार्थ में पराजित होने लगता है, और उसे जब हार की झलक दिखने लगती है तो इस वजह से वह क्रोधित हो उठता है और मेरे पति के गले की माला उनके क्रोध की ताप से सूख चुकी है जबकि शंकराचार्य जी की माला के फूल अभी भी पहले की भांति ताजे हैं। इससे ज्ञात होता है कि शंकराचार्य की विजय हुई है।

विदुषी देवी भारती का फैसला सुनकर सभी दंग रह गये, सबने उनकी काफी प्रशंसा की।

‪#‎सीख‬ - क्रोध मनुष्य की वह अवस्था है जो जीत के नजदीक पहुँचकर हार का नया रास्ता खोल देता है। क्रोध न सिर्फ हार का दरवाजा खोलता है बल्कि रिश्तों में दरार का कारण भी बनता है। इसलिये कभी भी क्रोध को खुद पर हावी ना होने दें क्योंकि कोध्र से भ्रम पैदा होता है, भ्रम से बुद्धि व्यग्र होती है, जब बुद्धि व्यग्र होती है तब तर्क नष्ट हो जाता है, जब तर्क नष्ट होता है, तब व्यक्ति का पतन हो जाता है।