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There is no necessity to even observe the formality of thanking. Who is to be thanked? And if the meditator commits this mistake, the master might hit him with his staff ordering him to unroll the mat as meditation has not yet happened.
So the idea of the other is due to our ignorance; otherwise where is the other? It is oneself alone in myriad forms; it is only oneself on numerous journeys; it is oneself in innumerable mirrors. It is definitely oneself alone who is in the mirror, though what one sees is other than oneself.
There is a Sufi story. A dog lost his way in a palace. The walls and the ceiling of this palace were made of mirrors, so the dog was in a great difficulty. Wherever he looked there were dogs, dogs and only dogs. He became very puzzled: so many dogs all around! He was alone and yet surrounded by so many dogs. There was no way to get out, because the doors were also of mirrors so he saw dogs there too. Then he began to bark, but all the dogs in the mirrors began to bark with him. And when his bark filled the room he was sure his fears were not unfounded and that his life was in danger. He went on barking and all the dogs barked even louder. He ran here and there to fight them; the dogs in the mirror did likewise. All night he exhausted himself barking and fighting the dogs in the mirrors, although he was alone there! In the morning he was found dead inside the palace by the guards. The dog died running, barking and fighting with the reflections, although he was alone there. When he died all noise subsided; the mirrors became silent.
There are many mirrors, and when we see the other it is our own reflection in different mirrors; therefore, the other is a fallacy. The notion that we are helping others is an illusion, and the notion that we are receiving help from the other is also an illusion. Actually, the other, as such, is an illusion.
Once this is realized life becomes simple. Then neither you do something for the other, taking him as the other nor do you let the other do something for you feeling him as the other. Then it is you yourself extended on both ends. Then if you give a helping hand to someone on the road
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