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the final moments were approaching； the poison was being ground to kill him。
he kept asking； 〃it is getting late； how long will it take to grind the poison？〃
his friends were crying and saying to him； 〃are you crazy？ we want you to live a little longer。
we have bribed the person who is grinding the poison； we have persuaded him to go slowly。
〃
socrates went out and said to the man who was grinding the poison； 〃you are taking too long。
it seems you are not very skilled。
are you very new to this？ have you never ground it before？ have you never given poison to a condemned person？〃
the man replied； 〃i have been giving poison my whole life； but i have never seen a crazy man like you before。
why are you in so much of a hurry？ i am grinding it slowly so that you may breathe a little more； live a little longer； remain in life a little more。
you keep talking like a crazy man； saying it is getting late。
why are you in such a hurry to die？〃
socrates said； 〃i am in a great hurry because i want to see death。
i want to see what death is like。
and i also want to see； even when death has happened； whether i survive or not。
if i dont survive； then the whole affair is finished …… and if i do survive； then death is finished。
in fact； i want to see who will die with death …… will death die or will i die？ i want to see whether death will survive or whether i will survive。
but how can i see this unless i am alive？〃
socrates was given the poison。
his friends began to mourn； they were not in their right senses。
and what was socrates doing？ he was telling them； 〃the poison has reached up to my knees。
up to the knees my legs are totally dead …… i will not even know if you cut them off。
but my friends； let me tell you； even though my legs are dead； i am still alive。
this means one thing is certain …… i was not my legs。
i am still here； i am totally here。
nothing within me has faded yet。
〃 socrates continued； 〃now both my legs are gone； up to my thighs everything is finished。
i wouldnt feel anything if you cut me right up to the thighs。
but i am still here！ and here are my friends who go on crying！〃
socrates is saying； 〃dont cry。
watch！ here is an opportunity for you： a man is dying and informing you that he is still alive。
you may cut off my legs entirely …… even then i wont be dead； even then i will still remain。
my hands are also drifting away； my hands will die too。
ah！ how many times i identified myself with these hands …… the same hands that are leaving now …… but i am still here。
〃
and； like this； socrates continues talking while dying。
he says； 〃slowly； everything is being peaceful； everything is sinking； but i am still intact。
after a while i may not be able to inform you； but dont let that make you think i am no more。
because； if i am still here； even after losing so much of my body； how then would an end e to me if a little more of the body is lost？ i may not be able to inform you …… because that is only possible through the body …… but still i will remain。
〃 and at the very last moment he says； 〃now； perhaps i am telling you the final thing： my tongue is failing。
i wont be able to speak a single word further； but still i am saying； i exist。
〃 until the final moment of death he kept saying； 〃i am still alive。
〃
in meditation； too； one has to enter slowly within。
and gradually； one after another； things begin to drop away。
a distance is created with each and every thing； and a moment arrives when it feels as if everything is lying far away at a distance。
it will feel as if someone elses corpse is lying on the shore …… and yet you exist。
the body is lying there and still you exist …… separate； totally distinct and different。
once we experience seeing death face…to…face while alive； we will never have anything to do with death again。
death will keep on ing； but then it will be just like a stopover …… it will be like changing clothes； it will be like when we take new horses and ride in new bodies and set out on a new journey； on new paths； into new worlds。
but death will never be able to destroy us。
this can only be known by encountering death。
we will have to know it； we will have to pass through it。
because we are so very afraid of death； we are not even able to meditate。
many people e to me and say that they are unable to meditate。
how shall i tell them that their real problem is something else？ their real problem is the fear of death。
。
。
and meditation is a process of death。
in a state of total meditation we reach the same point a dead man does。
the only difference is that the dead man reaches there in an unconscious state； while we reach consciously。
this is the only difference。
the dead man has no knowledge of what happened； of how the shell broke open and the kernel survived。
the meditative seeker knows that the shell and the kernel have bee separate。
the fear of death is the basic reason why people cannot go into meditation …… there is no other reason。
those who are afraid of death can never enter into samadhi。
samadhi is a voluntary invitation to death。
an invitation is given to death： 〃e； i am ready to die。
i want to know whether or not i will survive after death。
and it is better that i know it consciously； because i wont be able to know anything if this event occurs in an unconscious state。
〃
so； the first thing i say to you is that as long as you keep running away from death you will continue to be defeated by it …… and the day you stand up and encounter death； that very day death will leave you； but you will remain。
these three days； all my talks will be on the techniques of how you can encounter death。
i hope that； these three days； many people will e to know how to die； will be able to die。
and if you can die here； on this shore。
。
。
。
and this is an incredible seashore。
it was on these very sands that krishna once walked …… the same krishna who told arjuna in a certain war； 〃dont be worried； have no fear。
dont be afraid of killing or of being killed； because i tell you that neither does anyone die nor does anyone kill。
〃 neither has anyone ever died； nor can anyone ever die and that which dies； that which can die； is already dead。
and that which does not die and cannot be killed …… there is no way of its dying。
and that is life itself。
tonight； we have unexpectedly gathered on this seashore where that very krishna once walked。
these sands have seen krishna walk。
people must have believed that krishna really died …… since we know death as the only truth； for us everyone dies。
this sea； these sands； have never felt that krishna died； this sky； these stars and the moon have never believed in krishnas death。
in fact； nowhere is there any room for death in life； but we have all believed that krishna died。
we believe so because we are always haunted by the thought of our own death。
why are we so preoccupied with the thought of our death？ we are alive right now； then why are we so afraid of death？ why are we so very afraid of dying？ actually； behind this fear； ther