按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
they flock to such a man。
the more he drives them away； the greater the mahatma they think he is。
an ordinary mahatma would wele people； but this one swings his staff and sends them away。
he shows no concern for anyone。
i have heard about a man who had wandered a beach in california for years。
he had bee a kind of attraction。
the story that went around about him was that he was such a simple man that if you offered him a ten…dollar bill and a dime； he would pick up the dime cheerfully。
thats how innocent he was。
out of curiosity； a man visited him five or six times and always found him surrounded by a crowd。
people would ask； 〃baba； what do you want …… this or that？〃 and he would pick up the dime at once； saying he liked it； he liked the shine of it。
people found him such an innocent man。
the curious man found it hard to believe that even after so many years this fellow could not recognize a ten…dollar bill！ that was too much innocence！ one evening； after the crowd had disappeared； this curious man approached the fellow and said； 〃i have been watching you for the last twenty years； and i am astonished to find this game going on for so long。
do you still not recognize a ten…dollar bill？〃
the fellow laughed； and said； 〃i knew it was a ten…dollar bill from the very first day； but if i had shown i recognized it the game would have stopped right then and there。
by not recognizing the bill； i have collected dimes from thousands of spectators。
if i recognize it once； then that will be the only bill ill ever have in my hand …… no other bill will e from these people afterwards。
so if i really want to make money； then i must spurn riches …… and the bills will start piling up on their own。
i have a good understanding of the whole thing； my job is going very well。
during the day； i collect up to five hundred dollars from the crowd。
the game will continue for sure。
〃
the so…called mahatma also knows the value of money； although if you talk to him about money； he will say he never even touches it。
but his disciple； sitting nearby； will pick up the offerings and put them in the safe …… because the mahatma never touches money！
what can anyone do if a man wants to remain blind？ who will be stupid enough to do anything about it？ that fellow on the beach is not the cause of mischief。
the mischief…mongers are those people who approach him。
it is because of their mischief the poor fellow has to put on the act。
let me tell you that if he had not done it； somebody else would have done the same thing。
and people are stupid： wherever they can； they will continue to do what they did with this fellow； they want somebody to snatch their money away from them。
hence； such acts will continue。
they can only be brought to an end when we begin to destroy the stupidity of man。
so dont worry too much about breaking the chains of superstition； because if the man who is wearing the chain remains the same he will make new ones。
he cannot live without chains。
the kind of man he is； he will create new chains。
all religions strive to break these chains； and every religion creates a new chain …… so things remain the same。
the world has seen so many religions。
they were all founded to bring about reforms； they all proclaimed their intent to eradicate all prevailing superstitions； but in the process of destroying superstitions nothing ever really gets destroyed。
of course； those who are fed up with the old superstitions replace them with new ones and are very happy； feeling they have brought about change。
in fact； an intelligent man never holds on to anything …… not even to any belief； let alone to superstition。
he lives intelligently； he doesnt hang on to anything。
he never creates any chain because he knows there is immense joy in living in freedom。
dont create any chains。
so the real question is to awaken enough consciousness in each individual that will create a desire in him to bee free； to bee intelligent； to bee self…realized； to be filled with awareness。
if the tendency to live blindly …… to bee a follower； a pursuer； a believer in somebody …… could be reduced； all superstitions would crumble。
but in that case it would not be that one kind of superstition would break down and another would survive …… all would collapse； they would leave all at once。
otherwise； they will remain forever。
actually； what needs to be understood is that nothing happens by merely changing clothes。
let anyone wear whatsoever he pleases。
if someone wants to wear ochre…colored clothes； let him do so； why stop him？ if someone wants to wear black clothes； let him do so。
what one needs to realize is that a change in clothes does not equal a change in ones life。
once this is realized； then there is no need to change clothes； because the man who will make you change your clothes will immediately replace them with clothes of a new kind。
a sannyasin； wearing ochre clothes； went to see gandhi and told him he was very impressed with his ideas and would also like to serve the country。
what gandhi told him was highly significant。
he said； 〃thats fine； but first you will have to give up your ochre clothes； because they will e in the way of your service。
generally； people serve those who wear ochre clothes rather than being served by them。
〃 this was very true。
but then gandhi； having made him drop the ochre clothes； made him wear clothes of khadi； of handspun cotton。
now those who are wearing khadi are doing things even the people wearing ochre clothes never did before。
what difference has it made？ now the khadi people are accepting service。
the poor ochre people never accepted as much service as those who are wearing khadi are doing now。
so khadi has proven to be very costly for this country。
the sannyasin was very happy that his superstition about ochre clothing had dropped …… but now he wears khadi； now he is holding on to the superstition of khadi。
whats the difference？
the real question is not of letting people drop one thing and making them take on another。
the question is to e to understand that very mentality which holds on to things。
gandhi did not sharpen that mans intelligence； he remained as stupid as ever。
he simply made him change his clothes； and the man felt very happy to do so。
but what difference did it make？ this is how it has always been。
for the last five thousand years the story of humanity has been one of great misfortune。
by an effort to break down a superstition we never change the man； we simply do away with the superstition …… but then he creates a new superstition。
whatever we offer； he seizes upon it。
〃all right；〃 he says； 〃let it be this。
ill drop the other superstition and hold on to this one！〃 and we feel very happy because he has accepted our superstition。
a young man used to visit me。
day and night he used to talk about the scriptures。
he knew the upanishads； the gita； the vedas； by heart。
i told him； 〃stop all this nonsense。
you will gain nothing from it！〃 he became very angry with me； but nevertheless he continued to visit me。
someone wh