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must be well understood: TRUTH IS WITHIN ONE'S OWN SELF. It therefore cannot be acquired by asking others. Truth is never dropped into a beggar's bowl, nor obtained on credit. Truth cannot also be learned from others, for all our knowledge is the knowledge of the outside -- all our demands are sought outside. Truth is within us. It has neither to be studied, nor learned, nor demanded -- it has to be dug out from within us. That ground where we stand has to be excavated and the treasures of Truth will reveal themselves.
Yet another story comes to my mind: It is said that soon after making the world, God made Man; but no sooner had He made him than God became worried! He called all the devatas and expressed His fears. He said: "Perhaps I have made a mistake in creating Man. He will not let me be in peace. Every minute I find him at my door with some complaint or the other. What shall I do? Where shall I hide that he cannot find Me?"
The devatas made many suggestions. One said: "Hide in the peaks of the Gaurishankar!"
"You do not know," said God, "Soon Tensing and Hillary will be there -- very soon."
"Another said: "Hide in the Pacific Ocean."
God said: "But very soon the scientists will probe the five mile depth of the Pacific."
Some others suggested the moon and the stars. God said: "You do not know. Man will acquire means to reach there too. All these places are vulnerable."
Then an old devata whispered in His ears: "Hide within Man's own being for he will never go there."
And he accepted his advice and withdrew into Man's heart; and it is a fact that Man never goes there. With the exception of his heart, Man explores all avenues but his steps never lead him to the realm within him. Perhaps we are completely oblivious of this path within; perhaps we do not know of the door within; perhaps we are unaware that within also there is something, and missing which, we fail to reach the Truth.
If someone asks: "Where is the temple of Truth? Where does Truth abide?" there is only one answer: "That which is the 'Inner-ness' the 'Being-within', is the temple of Truth, its abode, its haven." We plant a seed in the
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