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

THE DHAMMAPADA: THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA, VOL. 9-12 39
To become an enlightened person is almost like going the whole way AGAINST the current. Hence it is very
rare.
That’s why Buddha starts the sutra: If THE TRAVELER CAN FIND....
And it is a pilgrimage, the greatest, the most adventurous, of coming to oneself. It is a strange journey. You
have gone so far away from yourself that you have to come back. You have forgotten the way how to come back
home. You need a guide, but only somebody who has come home can guide you. And there are thousands of
pretenders. It is very easy to pretend. Anybody can talk, advise, say beautiful things; it costs nothing. Anybody
can read the scriptures, anybody can quote the scriptures and that’s what is happening all around the world.
And religion is a good business. You can exploit people very easily; ”for their own good” you can exploit them.
Buddha says: IF THE TRAVELER CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS AND WISE COMPANION.... Remember: the
real master from his side is only a companion, a friend. From your side he is a master; from his side he is only a
friend. From your side he is a master because you are unawakened and he is awakened. From his side he is only
a friend because he knows there is no essential difference between him and you. You are just asleep; that is not
much of a difference no difference in quality.
You can be awakened.
Your buddhahood can become manifest.
You are just a bud and he has become a flower, but any bud can become a flower any moment. He was also a
bud before; now he has opened his petals, he has become a flower. He has released his fragrance. Everybody is
capable of doing it. From the master’s side, the disciple is a friend, a companion.
The pseudo master will always pretend that he is higher than you, holier than you, superior to you. He will
talk always in such a way that you cannot understand; that is his way of hiding himself. He will talk in spiritual
jargon, he will talk in esoteric ways. And there are foolish people who become victims, because people have some
idea that if you cannot understand something, there must be something in it. If you cannot understand, it must
be very deep, very profound.
Even here... I am with you, but there are a few people who pretend they are my mediums. And they tell people
that, whatsoever they are saying, I am speaking through them. I am fully alive I can speak on my own! Wait a
little. Let me die, then you can do your business. You will do it, but not now.
But I can forgive these people because they earn a little money and they exploit a few people. I cannot
understand the people who become victims of these persons. They can’t see the point. I am here: what is the
need of somebody to function as a medium, to tell them what I want to tell them? I will tell you myself. Am I
not telling you enough? Do you want more? Year in and year out I go on speaking to you every day.
But there are a few people... they don’t come to listen, they don’t come here. They avoid the commune, but
they go on sitting in the Blue Diamond, and a few foolish people go on meeting them there. And they roll up
their eyes and they pretend to go in a trance, and then they start talking nonsense. The more nonsense it is, the
more philosophical it seems, the more metaphysical it seems. And they always get a few people to listen to them,
to follow them. It is a strange phenomenon, but somehow the pseudo has an appeal.
One thing about the pseudo master is that he manages a facade, he wears a mask. He wears a mask that you
would like him to wear. He fulfills your expectations. The true master never fulfills anybody’s expectations.
Jesus proved that he was a true master because at the last moment he frustrated everybody, even his closest
disciples. They were hoping that he would do some miracle: ”If he can raise people from death, if he can cure
blind people, if he can cure crippled persons, he is going to do something when he will be crucified. Some great
miracle is going to happen....” And nothing happened, nothing at all! That proves his authenticity. He was not
there to fulfill your expectations.
But the pseudo master always tries to fulfill your expectations. Sometimes he manages beautifully. Sometimes
he will do miracles.
I know one man. He told his story to me himself because he fell in love with me. He was worshipped by many
as enlightened. By and by he became tired of playing the role. It is tiring. When you are not enlightened and
you have to pretend to be enlightened and you have even to manage a few miracles, it is tiring.
He came to see me. He cried and wept and he said, ”Save me from my followers! I am utterly tired and bored,
and I have to do things just to keep them satisfied.” He said to me, ”Once I had to do a miracle because my
followers were expecting something big so that many more people can come.”
Followers are also interested that if many more people come to their master, they feel that they are with the
right person. If they are alone with the master, then they start feeling a little doubtful. Nobody believes in his
own being, nobody trusts in his own intelligence. When you see thousands of people you say, ”It must be right.
So many people can’t be wrong.” Remember, the reality is just the opposite: so many people can’t be right!