24. The donkey and the deity🔗

There is a beautiful story: During an Indian village festival, the villagers were taking the temple deity in a procession on a donkey. The procession went around the village. In the very first street, everyone gathered around, offering flowers, arati, incense, worshipping the deity on the donkey. The donkey was shocked. He thought, 'What happened to these people? Usually they beat me and drive me out! Sometimes these kids put crackers on my tail and tease me. But today these fellows are worshipping me!' Then slowly he thought, 'Oh, I think only now this village has recognized my greatness!' In the second street, the same thing happened. He felt really proud and thought, 'Maybe I have become enlightened! See how the whole village is worshipping me!' In the third street, the same thing was repeated. The donkey was now walking down the street with a swagger, nodding at all the people and blessing them with a smile. While walking in the fourth street, the donkey suddenly thought, 'Now it is obvious that I am enlightened. Then why should I carry this stupid statue and walk around?' So he just shook himself and dropped the deity! You can imagine what would have happened next! The donkey got a very strong and powerful puja (worship) from the whole village!

Understand, the donkey is worshipped as long as it carries the deity! Your body is great as long as it remembers it carries the superconsciousness, and acts as an instrument to express the superconsciousness, not as an impediment to your superconsciousness. The body and mind should be beautiful tools for you to express the glory of consciousness. Then they are worth worshipping, not otherwise.