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xt moment？ and once your mind has entered the temple； why bother if the body is in the temple or not？ the mind which has found the entrance into the temple suddenly discovers that it is surrounded on all sides by the vast temple； that now it is impossible to step out of the temple。
wherever you go； you will still be within his temple。
you may go to the moon。
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recently armstrong landed on it。
does that mean he left gods temple？ there is no way you can step out of gods temple。
do you imagine there is any place left where one can be outside his temple？
so those who think the temple they have made is the only temple of god； and that no temple of god exists outside of it； they are wrong。
and those who think that this temple should be destroyed because god is not present here …… they are equally wrong as well。
why blame the poor temples？ if we could step out of our illusion that god exists only in temples； our temples could bee very beautiful； very loving； very blissful。
a village； in fact； looks inplete without a temple。
it can be a very joyful thing to have a temple。
but a hindu temple can never be a source of joy； nor； for that matter； can a mohammedan or a christian temple be a source of joy。
only gods temple can be a source of joy。
but hindu； mohammedan and christian politics are so deep that they never allow a temple to represent the divine being。
thats the reason hindu shrines and mohammedan mosques look so ugly。
an honest man hesitates to even look on them。
they have turned into hotbeds of scoundrels； all kinds of mischief is planned there。
and those who plan this mischief do not necessarily know what they are doing。
it is my understanding that no one plans mischief with much understanding； mischief is always planned in unawareness。
and the whole earth is caught up in this mess。
if temples ever do disappear from the face of the earth； it will not be because of the atheists； but because of the so…called theists。
temples are already disappearing； they have almost disappeared。
if we want to save temples on this earth； first we will have to see the vast temple around us …… existence itself。
then the smaller temples will automatically be saved； then they will survive as symbols of the divine presence。
its as if i gave you a handkerchief as a gift。
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the gift may be worth a few paisa； but you preserve it safely in a treasure chest。
once i visited a village。
people came to see me off at the railway station and someone put a garland around my neck。
i took it off and handed it to a girl standing nearby。
i visited the same village after six years； and the same girl came up to me and said； 〃i have saved the garland you gave me last time。
although the flowers have faded and people say there is no fragrance left in them； yet they are as fresh and fragrant as they were the first day。
after all； you gave them to me。
〃
i visited her house and she brought out a lovely wooden box in which the garland was carefully placed。
the flowers had withered and were all dry； they had lost their fragrance。
anyone seeing it might have asked； 〃why have you left this rubbish in such a beautiful box？ whats the need？ the box is valuable and the rubbish is worthless。
〃 the girl could throw the box away but not the rubbish。
she could see something else in the rubbish …… for her it was a symbol； it contained someones loving memory。
it might be rubbish to the rest of the world； but not to her。
if the temples； the mosques； the churches could just remain the reminders of mans longing to ascend toward god。
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and this is the truth。
take a look at the rising steeple of a church； the rising minaret of a mosque； the sky…high dome of a temple。
they are nothing but symbols of mans desire to rise； symbols of his journey in search of god。
they are symbols of the fact that man is not happy with only a house； he wants to build a temple as well。
man is not happy only being on the earth； he wants to ascend towards the sky as well。
have you ever noticed the earthen lamps burning in the temples？ have you ever wondered why these lamps； containing ghee； containing purified butter； are kept burning in the temple？ have you ever realized that these lamps are the only things on earth whose flame never goes downwards？ …… it always moves upwards。
even if you turn the lamp upside down； the flame still moves upwards。
the flame； which always moves upwards； is a symbol of human aspirations。
we may be living on the earth； but we would also like to make our abode in the sky。
we may remain tied to the earth below； but we also long to move freely in the open skies。
and have you ever noticed how fast a flame rises and disappears？ also； have you ever observed that once the flame has risen and disappeared； you can never find a trace of it？ this is symbolic too …… of the fact that the one who ascends； disappears。
the earthen lamp is solid matter； while the flame is very fluid …… no sooner does it rise than it disappears。
so the flame of the lamp contains the message。
it is a symbol of the fact that whosoever rises above the gross will disappear。
it is purely out of love that a man chooses to burn ghee in his lamp。
although there is nothing wrong in using kerosene oil in a lamp …… god is not going to prevent you from doing so …… we feel that only one who has bee pure like ghee can move upwards。
the flame of a kerosene lamp will move upwards too …… kerosene is no less than ghee …… but ghee is a symbol of our feeling that one who has bee pure will be able to rise higher。
temples； mosques； and churches are also symbols of a similar type。
they can be very lovely。
they are beautiful symbols …… incredible illustrations created by man。
but they have bee ugly because so much nonsense has entered them。
now a temple no longer remains a temple …… it has bee the temple of the hindus。
and not only of the hindus but of the vaishnavas。
and not only of the vaishnavas but the temple of such and such a person。
and so； with such continuous disintegration； all temples have turned into hotbeds of politics。
they nurture the groupism and bigotry that lead everyone to disaster。
by and by； they have all turned into establishments which continue to exploit and maintain their vested interests。
i am not asking you to do away with temples； i am asking you to get rid of all that is worthless and has bee part of the temples。
their vested interests have to be destroyed。
temples have to be saved from turning into establishments； they have to be saved from groupism and bigotry。
a temple is a very beautiful place if it remains just a reminder of god； if it remains his symbol； if it reflects a phenomenon rising towards the sky。
what i am saying is that as long as temples remain the mainspring of politics； they will continue to cause misfortune。
and； indeed； now the temples are nothing but the mainsprings of politics。
when a temple is built for the hindus； it automatically bees a hotbed of politics； because politics means groupism。
and religion is something which has absolutely nothing