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was so happy that he had been able to keep his word against all odds. It was really difficult for him; there were complaints from students, from superintendents, from the proctor, from professors. But he went on inquiring, "Was he wrong or right?"
One professor was delivering a lecture. He said in his lecture -- it was the anniversary celebration of the founder of the university -- he said, "There was a time when India was known as a golden bird. It was so rich and so religious that there was no need to lock your doors -- locks were not invented even."
I stood up and asked him, "If this is true -- that people were not keeping locks on their houses because there was no question of anybody stealing, of thieves, of criminals -- then why does Gautam Buddha go on continually teaching people, 'Don't steal, don't be a thief'? Do you think you are saner than Gautam Buddha? Mahavira continues, all the teachers from the VEDAS.... If there was no stealing happening then these people seem to be utterly mad. For forty years Buddha teaches against stealing -- to whom?"
I said, "Take your statement back. I can accept the idea that locks were not invented; that may be the reason why people were not locking their doors. A second reason is: there was nothing to be stolen, people were so poor. And poverty has existed since the days of the VEDAS; it is mentioned in every scripture.
So the only explanation is that people were poor, so poor that what could you steal? -- they had nothing. Moreover, to invent locks some kind of technology is needed -- they don't just grow on trees. The technology was missing. Of course the rich people had no need of locks because they had naked swords guarding their palaces and houses. But guarding against whom? There must have been poverty just on the other side of the road."
He complained. But at the lecture he said, "Okay. I don't want to make this celebration a place of argumentation or discussion. I take my statement back."
I said, "You are not taking it back, you are just trying to save your face. But okay, this will do."
Later he complained, "This man insulted me before the whole university." By
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