The Master's rotten apples
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September 12, 2010
Understand, you always project your own negative patterns on the Enlightened Masters and use that scale to judge them! That's why the Masters say, even the actions that you believe to be wrong, if they are done by an Enlightened Master, simply accept them, because your narrow logic cannot grasp the great compassion of an Enlightened Being!
I have a story for you from this book:
An Enlightened Master is traveling through a forest. At a distance, he sees a man sleeping under an apple tree with his mouth wide open. When he comes nearer, he suddenly notices that a small poisonous snake is about to enter the mouth of the man. The man is so fast asleep that he does not even realize that a snake is getting into his mouth! The Master rushes towards the man, but it is too late; the snake has already
entered inside. Now there is no time! Before the poison goes into the blood, something has to be done. He
looks around and sees that there is nothing but rotten apples lying all around.
So he gives the man a few sharp slaps and wakes him up. The man wakes up and asks, ‘What is the matter
with you? Why are you abusing me like this?’
But the Master has no time to explain. He starts picking up the rotten apples and stuffing them down the throat of the shocked man. The man starts shouting, 'Who are you? I don't even know you! Why do you have so much anger against me? Why are you doing this to me?'
The Master is not even listening! He is just pushing the rotten apples into the man's mouth even as he is shouting, screaming; he just holds the man's head and literally pushes all the rotten apples down his throat, and a little mud also!
Finally this man can't tolerate it
anymore and starts screaming,
'Help! Help! This man is killing
me!' But still the Master does not
stop. In his deep compassion, he
forces the man to swallow more
and more apples. In a few
minutes, because of all the rotten
apples and mud in his stomach,
the man started feeling
nauseous, and he vomits everything; he just throws everything out. Not only do the rotten apples and the mud come out, but the snake also. Everything comes out.
The man watches in shock and finally he understands. He falls at the feet of the Master saying, 'Forgive me for suspecting your motives! You are not just my Master, you are my God!'
Whatever you think is
good for you, you are
ready to accept. Whatever
you think may not be
directly good for you, you
resist.
Understand, I know a little
more about what you need
or what you know about
you. If you have a little
problem with seva, that is
exactly what you need for
living enlightenment!
If you are not that inspired to do seva, and your feel that sitting with me is more inspiring than doing seva, forget about sitting with me. Go and do seva. That is what the obstacle is. I am not teaching you enlightenment by sitting with closed eyes. I am teaching living enlightenment.
Understand, when I am putting rotten apples in your mouth, I know the reason! You may not know. I know the reason.
That's why the Zen Masters say, even what you think is wrong, if it is done by an enlightened being, then accept it. It is good for you.
~ ☸ ~