THE DHAMMAPADA: THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA, VOL. 9-12 The ...

THE DHAMMAPADA: THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA, VOL. 9-12 201
Tao, this is a remarkable discovery! I wonder how you managed to find it out. It is true. Moshe Kapoyer was
the only Jew in a small town and since business was bad he decided to change his name. There were other reasons
also to change his name: because he was a Jew and the only Jew, people were avoiding him and his business was
suffering. And secondly because his name, Moshe Kapoyer, means Mr. Topsy-turvy or Mr. Upside-down, so he
was not very happy with his name either.
He went to a judge and became Mr. Jones. One week later he was back before the same judge asking that his
name be changed to Murphy.
”Why do you want your name changed? I just changed it last week.”
”So that when people ask me what my name was before it was Murphy, I can say it was Jones.”
The ninth question:
Question 9
BELOVED MASTER, CAN I ALSO BE A GOD?
Krishna, Deva, I have given you the name Krishna Deva. It means God Krishna. Yes, there is no trouble about
it. In fact you are a god; even if you want to be somebody else you cannot. Everybody is trying to be somebody
else, but nobody has ever succeeded in being somebody else. God is our nature. You can forget all about it, but
you cannot change it.
Flaherty and Gluckstein were discussing the merits of their religion.
”Answer me this,” said the Irishman, ”could one of your boys be pope?”
”No,” answered Gluckstein. ”Could one of your boys be God?”
”Why, of course not!” replied Flaherty.
”Well,” said Gluckstein, ”one of our boys made it!”
If Jesus can make it, if Buddha can make it, why not you? In fact, they could make it because it is not
something to be achieved, it is something to be only discovered. We have forgotten it; it is already there like an
undercurrent. Our godliness is always there; wherever you go it goes with you. It is you. It is in the sinner, it is
even in the saint!
The tenth question:
Question 10
BELOVED MASTER, I LOVED YOUR ANSWER THE OTHER DAY TO ARUP’S QUESTION. THE ONLY
TROUBLE IS THAT I HAVE STARTED COMING HOME EARLY AND NOT DRINKING SO MUCH, WHILE
ARUP IS GETTING DISCO PARTIES TOGETHER, GOING OUT AND GENERALLY HAVING A GOOD
TIME. AM I BECOMING MEDITATIVE, WHILE ARUP IS BECOMING AS LOOSE AS A GOOSE?
Niranjan, now you know why I said to Arup that this is absolutely the sure way to raise the consciousness of
humanity. She has started she has begun with you. You are her first victim!
The last question:
Question 11
BELOVED MASTER, WHAT IS MISUNDERSTANDING?
Dhyanesh, three stories for you:
Anna: ”Is it true what I hear about your husband cutting down on his smoking?”
Hannah: ”Yes, now he is smoking only after meals his meal, my meal, the children’s meals, everybody’s meal!”
The second:
The defendant was accused of sullying the honor of a pure young maiden, according to the lady’s testimony,
and he was having a difficult time explaining the circumstances.
”I am innocent, Your Honor,” he declared. ”All I did was offer her a scotch and soda, and she reclined!”
And the third and the last:
Young Moishe was getting married. On the day of his wedding, his father took him aside and said, ”Look here,
Moishe, if you want to have a successful marriage you’ve got to make three things clear right from the start: you’ve
got to show your wife that you’re the master of the house, that you’re a man, and that you’re independent.”
Moishe thanked his father and went off to his wedding and honeymoon.
Kavita, if you are asleep, be awake!
After the couple had returned and father and son were alone together in a quiet moment, the father asked how
his advice had worked.
”Ah, beautiful!” beamed Moishe. ”I put it into practice on the first night of our honeymoon. When we were
alone in the hotel room, I first ripped off her clothes to show her who’s the master; then I ripped off my clothes
to show her that I’m a man; and then I jerked off in front of her to show her that I’m independent!”
Enough for today.