55. 86. Why was man born?
# 86. Why was man born?
Mullah Nasruddin always fondly wore shoes that were one size smaller than his actual shoe size. Throughout the day, he would work with the pain given by his tight shoes. He never removed his shoes till he returned home in the night.
The person who was living opposite his house, who was surprised at Nasruddin's` strange action, asked him as to why he was using such shoes.
Nasruddin said, 'Throughout the day, the shoes bother me. It continues to be tight. Some times it presses against my feet to the extent of giving me pain.
When the opposite house man sadly asked, 'What foolishness? Is it for that reason you are wearing those shoes?' Nasruddin said, 'No, no, not for that. Having fought with the shoes through the entire day, as soon as I remove the shoes, I get great comfort. You see I do this to experience that independent and comfortable feeling of those few minutes after I remove the shoes. To experience this comfort, suffering for a day is not wrong at all.'
- Because it has not been understood as to why man was born, for the sake of name, money, fame which give just a few minutes of happiness, working hard for the entire life-time has become 'human life routine'. That is why, name, money, alcohol and all other things give satisfaction to man. Man is not born just to be happy for a few minutes. He is born to be blissful for his entire lifetime. Wasting life for the sake of money, name, fame which give short lived comfort and satisfaction is not an intelligent way of living.
- Whichever thing it may be, why we wish that, that is the reason for doing that should be long-lasting and permanent. It is enough if this single question arises within. That itself will lead to eternal bliss.
- Man's continuous search for joy and short-term comforts is equivalent to a billionaire extending his arms and begging while still remaining a billionaire.
- Short-term happiness Lust. Eternal happiness – Bliss.
- It is only because 'that eternal happiness that is available inside' has been forgotten, that man goes on searching for the eternal happiness on the outside and becomes numb. Later he dies.
- Whatever be the comfort, after experiencing that comfort, the satisfaction of having enjoyed it is not obtained fully. What is the reason?
- The desire to possess which was there before possessing and enjoying it, simply vanishes once it is obtained and enjoyed. Why? Is there any way for man to enjoy the comforts to the entire extent he desires and that too at all times whenever he desires?
Only these are the vast general public's expectations which have made today's medical research turn their attention towards spirituality.
- After all, what is the root cause for man's expectations of this nature? Where is that? A beautiful Zen statement gives the reply to this:
'Run as much as possible! Dance till it is dawn! Enjoy till your desire exhausts! No harm at all. At least then, let it be known to you That what you search for, Is not available in the outside...'
Not to live simply with mere food, sleep and relationships, man has taken birth. He has taken birth to achieve and attain some thing beyond these. What is that?
Read the essay carefully. It will be understood...
Only a few months had passed since Jumalki came to that town. One day, a rude man came there with the intention of picking up a quarrel with him.
Outside Jumalki's hut, the rude man asked in a rough tone:
'Hi! Who is inside the house? Who is the mystic who has come anew here? Ask him to come out...Let me see, who is greater of the two, whether it is me or him!'
After threatening like this, he was striding up and down there. Jumalki came out slowly and said, 'There is no such person here.'
The rude man said, 'Don't try to deceive me! You are the mystic. You fit the descriptions given by the people. You are that mystic without a doubt.'
Jumalki, suppressing the laughter that was rising within him said, 'No sir, I have never called myself a mystic. I am an ordinary man. People only call me that.'
The rude man said, 'Hi! You are trying to deceive me by saying so many things about which I know nothing.'
'Throughout the night I will do hunting. Is it possible by you?' he asked haughtily and without any relevance.
Jumalki said, 'For that it is enough to be born as a lion or tiger, Sir! For that reason, what is the need to be born as a man...?'
For this answer which was in the form of a question, the rude man rather struggled inside a little.
What the rude man was thinking so far as a big achievement, when the mystic called it as an ordinary 'animal's character', he felt as though he got a big beating at the mental level.
Pretending not to be upset by this the rude man asked, 'Let it be so. Just on sighting me, people are terrified and bound. All are afraid of me. Is it possible for you to create the same feeling in the people?'
'Does anybody respect you in this town? To control people merely by fear, a demon is just enough. For that one need not be born as a man.' Jumalki said.
What the rude man was thinking in his mind, as an achievement, those pillars of his mind got shaken by the testing of the mystic.
'Is it that all the people are afraid of me? Or is it that all the people respect me?'
As these questions began to come in the mind of the rude man again and again...
Jumalki continued, 'Your mind has become spoiled; therefore you are unable to sleep. You don't get sleep. It is true that if you heartlessly threaten them, the innocent will surely be afraid. What achievement is there in this so as to become so proud of, in this birth? There is pain within you. That is all.' So saying, Jumalki went into the hut.
Having fallen deep into his thoughts to such an extent of being unable to reply, the rude man went home deeply absorbed in the same thought.
The rude man did not come out at all for almost three days. However much he tried, he could not sleep in the night.
He did not see the people.
Having known about the matter, the people also got back their peace of mind.
Having become mentally tired, on the fourth day morning, as the rude man came out, his very style of walking had changed. He simply walked without any thought of frightening anybody. He wondered.
He saw now, that those who were thus far afraid of his very sight, and always got out of his way, were today just ignoring him and walking away. As he thought more and more, 'Perhaps, as the mystic said, have I not lived like a man at all...?' Unable to bear his grief, he ran and came over to Jumalki's hut and fell at the entrance.
Jumalki patted the rude man on his back and said, 'You have now got qualified! Don't cry. You have got the basic qualification required to experientially feel and realize the aim of having been born as a man. Get up!' Saying this he embraced him warmly.
It is easy for such mystics to change a rude man, soft as a jasmine flower.
The basic qualification to understand the answer for all your questions happens when the question, 'Why are we born?' arises in the mind from the conscious level.
For the question, 'Why man has taken birth?' the reply given by the sages:
The basic aim of man's birth is only, 'to attain the eternal bliss (wholesome happiness) which is permanent, peaceful and one which cannot be shaken at all by any thing at any time.'
Further, human birth is only a hide and seek game, which we, who were fully immersed in bliss, began to play for ourselves.
In case you understand this simple truth, the game of life will become very interesting.
For these statements to be true, the living enlightened Masters themselves are the witnesses. Whether man knows this truth or not, whatever man is in search of, by way of comfortable life, peace, peace of mind it is actually only a search for the eternal bliss.
This only is man's ultimate aim.
Man was born only to attain this.
What man searches for is not outside of man. It is very much within him only.
Act, to attain the bliss, which is the aim of your birth.
Do not waste even one minute
A meaningful incident.
It was a birthday for a professor who was very strict. When all the students came to him one after the other and greeted him without saying, 'Thanks', he said, 'Same to you...same to you.' As this appeared rather strange, another professor who had just then joined the faculty, asked, 'Why do you say this instead of saying thanks?
The professor said, 'I have also been a student and come from there only. Do I not know what they will say about me in their minds when they greet me?'
- Until the reply to the question, 'Why am I born?' has not become an experience, an imitative life like this one of 'one deceiving the other' will continue.
Meditation chisels. Chisel No. 41.