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no path has any meaning； all paths are false。
even if the man returns to dwarka； the route he would take would be false。
he cannot find the right way back because there can never be one： he never went to calcutta in the first place。
what does it mean for him to find a way back？ the train he will ride to dwarka will be as false as calcutta was。
if he goes to howrah station； buys a ticket and catches a train to dwarka …… all of this will be false。
all the stations he will pass on his way back will be false。
then he would arrive in dwarka and wake up happy。
but he would be surprised to find that he had never gone anywhere； that he had been in his bed all along。
then how did he e back？ his going was false and so was his return。
no one has ever gone outside god。
one cannot； because； all over； only he is …… there is no way one can step out of him。
and so； all going is false； all returning is false。
however； since we have already left on an imaginary journey； we will have to return； there is no other way。
we will have to find the means to return。
but once you have returned； you will find that all methods were false； all sadhana was false。
the sadhana was necessary to bring us back from the dream。
once we have understood this； perhaps nothing will have to be done then； and you will suddenly find that you have returned。
but this is difficult to understand because you are already in calcutta。
you may say； 〃what you are saying is right but i am already in calcutta。
show me the way back！〃
question 3
another friend has asked： have you found god？
this is just the kind of question the traveler to calcutta would ask。
i would like to ask this friend； 〃did you ever lose god？〃 …… because； if i say i have found god； it means i had assumed him lost。
he is already found。
even when we feel we have lost him； he is still with us。
it is simply that we are under hypnosis and therefore feel we have lost him。
so； if a man says； 〃yes； i have found god〃； he is mistaken。
he still doesnt understand that he had never lost him in the first place。
therefore； those who e to know god will never say they have found god。
they will say； 〃he was never lost。
〃
the day buddha became enlightened； people gathered around him and asked； 〃what have you attained？〃
buddha replied； 〃i have attained nothing。
i have simply e to see that which i had never lost。
i have found what i already had。
〃
so； in sympathy； the people of the village said； 〃too bad。
you labored in vain。
〃
〃yes；〃 said buddha； 〃in that sense it is true i labored in vain。
but now there is no need for me to labor any more …… this much advantage i have gained。
now i wont go out seeking； now i wont wander to attain anything； now i wont set out on any journey …… that is my gain。
now i know that i am where i already was。
〃
we only go away in our dreams。
we never actually reach the places we feel we have。
hence； in a sense； all religions are false； all sadhanas； all yogas are false。
they are false in the sense that they are all methods of returning。
and yet； they are very useful。
a village shaman who shakes off snake poison with the help of mantras is very useful for those who are bitten by a snake …… even if they are bitten by a false snake。
otherwise； without him people would die of the bite from a snake which was not there。
such a man once lived in my neighborhood。
he is now dead。
people came to him from far and wide to draw snake venom out。
he was a very clever man； he had tamed a few snakes。
when a person bitten by a snake came to him he would use his shaman skills and ask what kind of snake it was； where it had bitten； whether the snake was dead or alive。
after obtaining all the information； he would apply his trick and call the snake。
he had everything worked out …… which snake was to be set loose； on which signal； etcetera。
within an hour or so； a snake that matched the description would e through the door； hissing。
the whole thing would create a sensation； the bitten man would feel dumbfounded。
someone bitten by a snake can rarely see or figure anything out right： what bit him？ what did it look like？ where was it？ …… he is so overwhelmed by being bitten that the snake disappears in the meantime。
if the snake had been killed； the shaman would call its soul to acpany his snake。
then he would scold and rebuke the snake for biting this man。
the snake would then hit its head on the ground and beg forgiveness。
in the meantime the poison in the man would start wearing off。
then the snake would be told to draw out the poison。
the snake would promptly go up to the man who had been bitten and put its mouth to the wound； and the man would recover。
unfortunately； it once happened a snake bit this mans son。
he got into trouble because none of his treatments worked。
he came running to me and said； 〃please help。
i am in trouble。
please tell me what i should do。
a snake has bitten my son and he knows about my pet snakes。
i am so unfortunate； please tell me what shall i do？ i am helpless。
my son wont survive！〃
i was surprised。
i asked； 〃but what about your treatment？ people e to you from afar for this cure！〃
〃thats all fine；〃 he said； 〃but even i would be in trouble if a snake were to bite me； i wouldnt even be able to save myself。
i know the tricks of the trade； i wouldnt trust anybody to treat me the way i do。
〃 the boy died。
he could not save his son。
false means are needed to remove the falsehood。
and they have their own meaningfulness。
they are meaningful because we have gone into falsehoods。
so never bother to ask； in the beginning it is indeed hypnosis。
the initial stages are of hypnosis； of sleep； only the final stage is of meditation …… and that is the precious one。
before you can attain to that stage； this background is quite necessary …… necessary so you can e out of the falsehood you have strayed into。
never ask； 〃have you or have you not found god？〃 this is all wrong。
who is going to find？ what is going to be found？ that which is； is。
the day you e to know this； you will see that you have never lost anything； nor have you ever gone anywhere； nothing has ever been destroyed； nothing has ever died。
what is； is。
that day； all journeys； all going anywhere； will stop。
question 4
and now this question： what is the meaning of liberation from the cycle of birth and death？
liberation from the cycle of birth and death does not mean that you will not be born here again。
it means that now there is neither ing nor going …… nowhere； not on any plane。
then you remain rooted where you are。
the day this happens； the springs of joy burst forth on all sides。
we cannot experience joy being in an imaginary place； we can only find joy being where we really are。
we can only be happy being what we are； we can never be happy being what we are not。
so moving through the cycle of birth and death means we are wandering through illusory places …… we are lost somewhere we have never ever been。
we are wandering through some place wher