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

348 THE DHAMMAPADA: THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA, VOL. 9-12
Only fools are interested in the future. The intelligent person is interested only in the present. And enlightenment
is not predictable; enlightenment is absolutely unpredictable. It is such a mysterious phenomenon that
there is no possibility of predicting it.
But now this idea has been put into his head. Now he will feel at ease: ”This time it is not going to happen, so
why bother?” So this man will stop meditating, he may even think of dropping sannyas. What is the point when
you are not going to become enlightened this lifetime? ”So we will see next lifetime when the time comes, we will
meditate again and become enlightened.”
But I tell you one thing: next lifetime you will go again to an astrologer I can predict it right now! And
last time also you had done this! Are you really interested in becoming enlightened or not? Why go on finding
excuses? And people can find any kind of excuse people are great rationalizers. Now you have a reason not to
meditate because this time around it is not going to happen, so why waste time? But then how is it going to
happen? And why should you go to an astrologer in the first place? Even stars are not enlightened! At least
one thing is absolutely certain: that enlightenment is not determined by any causes, it is a sudden phenomenon.
Your death may be predictable, your illnesses may be predictable, your foolishnesses may be predictable, but not
enlightenment. You see? (AT THIS MOMENT THE VIDEO LIGHTS SUDDENLY COME ON...!) How does it
happen? for no reason at all!
Somebody asked Picasso, ”You seem to be so much interested in art studies in the nude. Why?”
”Well,” said Picasso, ”I guess it’s because I was born that way.”
One can always find some reason.
Julie: ”And if I refuse you, Edward, will you kill yourself?”
Edward: ”That has been my usual custom.”
The third world is of the mysteries of the heart, bhakti yoga. First is hatha yoga, second is mantra yoga, third
is bhakti yoga. Buddha says: Go on cutting across them; don’t move sideways, otherwise you will be lost in the
inner worlds. Hence Buddha is neither interested in yoga, nor in mantra, nor in bhakti, devotion, prayer nothing.
His simple interest, one-pointed interest, is awareness.
And I absolutely agree with him because that is the only possibility for you to get rid of all this nonsense that
you have been living for millions of lives. And you will go on repeating it, because just by living through it again
and again you don’t become intelligent. You change a little bit, but the basic foolishness remains the same.
A telegram arrived at the army camp saying that Private Smith’s father had died. The sergeant was told by
the colonel to break the news gently to Private Smith. With the colonel watching, the sergeant went over to the
private and said, ”Smith, your father died.”
The colonel called the sergeant over and said, ”If it ever happens again you must be more gentle break the
news easier!”
Two weeks later another telegram arrived saying that Private Smith’s mother had died.
The sergeant lined up the whole platoon and said, ”Anyone who has a mother take two steps forward.... Not
so fast, Private Smith!”
Now, just the strategy has changed, but it is the same! And that’s what has been going on in your life, life
after life. A little bit, of course, you change in the details, but the fundamental foolishness persists.
WITH DISPASSIONATE EYE HE SEES EVERYWHERE THE FALLING AND THE UPRISING.
One who has become aware, he sees everywhere only one thing: that everything is born and dies, everything
begins and ends, that everything is a flux. Nothing is worth clinging to, nothing is worth holding, nothing is worth
possessing, because it is bound to disappear sooner or later. Hence he remains nonpossessive. He moves through
the world detached, calm, cool, seeing everywhere the falling and the uprising. He knows things come and go; he
watches. When something arises he watches and knows perfectly well it will go. Misery comes he is not worried
because he knows it will go. Happiness comes he is not excited because he knows it has come, it will go.
WITH DISPASSIONATE EYE.... Awareness gives him a new kind of eye, a new vision dispassionate. He
simply looks with no desire; it is a totally different vision. When you look with no desire, the world appears
totally different; when you look with desire you are confined in your desire and you color everything according to
your desire.
”What are you thinking about, John?”
”The same as you, Jane.”
”Oh, if you do, I’ll scream!”
Not even a single word can you hear which is not colored by your inner processes of thought.
A farmer persuaded one of his cowhands to buy two raffle tickets for which the draw was to be held that night
at a dance. The next day the cowhand asked the farmer who had won the draw.