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〃 the man stood there under the tree with an uneasy feeling。
buddha moved on。
another man came at noon and said； 〃i am a theist。
i am an absolute believer in god。
i am an enemy of atheists。
i have e to ask you； what do you think about gods existence？〃
buddha said； 〃god？ neither is there one； nor can there ever be one。
there is absolutely no god。
〃
the man couldnt believe his ears。
〃what are you talking about？〃 he exclaimed。
〃i heard a religious man had e to this village； so i came to ask whether god is。
and whats this you are saying？〃
buddha said； 〃a religious man？ a believer in god？ i am the greatest atheist ever。
〃
the man stood there utterly confused。
we can understand this mans confusion …… but ananda； a disciple of buddhas； was in a terrible suspense； he had heard both conversations。
he became very restless； he couldnt figure out what was going on。
it was all right in the morning； but by afternoon it became a problem。
〃what has happened to buddha？〃 ananda wondered to himself。
〃in the morning he said he was the greatest theist； while in the afternoon he said he was the greatest atheist。
〃 he made up his mind to ask buddha in the evening； when he would be alone。
but by evening ananda was in for yet another surprise。
by the time it was evening another person came to buddha and said； 〃i dont understand whether there is god or not。
〃 the man must have been an agnostic； one who says he doesnt know whether god is or not。
no one knows； and no one can ever know。
so he said； 〃i dont know whether there is god or not。
what do you say？ what do you think？〃
buddha replied； 〃if you dont know； then i dont know either。
and it would be good if we both remained silent。
〃
listening to buddhas answer； this man was confounded as well。
he said； 〃i had heard you are enlightened； so i thought you must have known。
〃
buddha said； 〃you must have heard wrong。
i am an absolutely ignorant man。
what knowledge can i have？〃
just try to feel what ananda must have gone through。
put yourself in his shoes。
can you see his difficulty？ when it was night and everyone had left； he touched buddhas feet and said； 〃are you trying to kill me？ what are you doing？ i almost lost my life！ never have i been so upset and restless as i have been today。
what is this you have been saying and doing the whole day？ are you in your right mind？ are you sure you know what you said today？ in the morning you said one thing； in the afternoon another； and in the evening you gave an entirely different answer to the same question。
〃
buddha said； 〃i did not give these answers to you。
i gave my answers to the people concerned。
why did you listen to them？ do you think it is right to hear what i say to others？〃
ananda said； 〃now this tops it all！ how in the world could i not hear？ i was present； right there； my ears were not blocked！ and could it ever be possible i wouldnt want to hear you speak？ i love to hear you speak； no matter who you talk to。
〃
buddha said； 〃but why are you upset？ i didnt answer you！〃
ananda said； 〃maybe not； but i am in a quandary。
please answer me； right now。
what is the truth？ why did you give three different answers？〃
buddha explained； 〃i had to bring the three of them to a point of balance。
the man who came in the morning was an atheist。
being an atheist only he was inplete； because life is made of opposites。
〃
keep this in mind： a truly religious person is both …… an atheist on one hand； and a believer in god on the other hand。
his life contains both aspects； but he brings harmony between the two opposites。
religion is in that very harmony。
and one who is only a believer in god lacks religious maturity。
he has not yet attained a balance in his life。
so buddha said； 〃i had to bring a balance to his life。
one side of him had bee very heavy； so i had to put some rocks on the other scale。
and besides； i also wanted to unsettle him； because somehow he had bee convinced there is no god。
his conviction needed to be shaken up； because one who bees certain； dies。
the journey must go on； the search must continue。
〃the man who came in the afternoon was a theist。
i had to tell him i was an atheist because he had bee lopsided too； he had also lost his balance。
life is a balance。
one who attains this balance attains the truth。
〃
the reason i say to you； you should learn the art of dying is because your life has bee lopsided。
you are sitting very solidly on the scale of life； and so everything has turned to rock。
life has bee solidified； the balance is gone。
go ahead。
invite death as well。
say； 〃e and be my guest too。
well stay together。
〃 the day life agrees to live with death； it is transformed into life supreme。
the day one weles death； gives it a hug； embraces it； the matter is over！ that day the sting of death departs。
the sting lay in our running away from death； in our being afraid of it。
when a person es forward and embraces death； death loses； death is conquered； because the man who embraces death bees immortal。
now death cant do anything to him。
what can death do when the man himself is ready to disappear？
there are two types of people …… one whom death seeks and the other who seeks death。
death seeks those who run away from it。
and there are those who seek death； but it keeps eluding them。
they search endlessly but cant find death。
what kind of a person would you like to be …… the one who runs away from death or the one who embraces it？ a person eluding death will continue to be defeated； his entire life will be a lifelong story of defeat。
one who embraces death will instantly triumph over it； defeat will no longer exist in his life。
then his life bees a triumphant journey。
yes； i teach the very art of dying。
i am teaching you how to die so you may attain life。
do you know a secret？ the man who learns how to live in darkness …… the moment he accepts the totality of darkness； the darkness turns into light for him。
do you know that the man who takes poison lovingly； joyfully； as if he were taking nectar …… the poison bees nectar for him？ if you dont； then you must find out。
one of the most profound truths of life is that the man who accepts poison lovingly； the poison no longer remains poison for him …… it turns into nectar。
and the man who has accepted darkness itself； wholeheartedly； finds to his astonishment that darkness has bee light。
and one who greets pain with open arms； finds there is no pain at all …… only happiness remains for him。
for one who accepts his state of agitation and agrees to live with it； the doors of peace and tranquility are thrown open。
this seems contradictory。
remember； however； that one who says he wants to attain peace can never bee peaceful； because to say 〃i want to attain peace；〃 is； in fact； looking for disturbance。
man is restless as he is； and yet there are some who create a new restlessness by saying； 〃we want to be peaceful。
〃
once a man came to me。
he said； 〃i have been to the ramana ashram； to pondicherry； and t