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| | | Book Name: The Dhammapada - The Way of the Buddha, Vol 3 | Previous Next | |
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would have become a shadow to him. If he had allowed, I would have become another Bokuju. I have loved the man, I would have imitated him in detail: I would have eaten the same things, I would have walked the same way, I would have said the same things... I would have been a carbon copy of him.
"But he was great, he was my master -- he refused. He knew where the pitfall is. The moment he looked into my eyes he knew my future, that if he allows I am going to be a pseudo phenomenon, I will never be an authentic individual. Knowing this he was very hard on me. But now I know his hardness was because of his compassion. It is because of him that I became enlightened. Hence I am celebrating this day -- it is my master's birthday."
Somebody asked him, "But your life-style does not show any indication of Bokuju. Your statements are utterly different -- not only different but sometimes contradictory to his statements. How can you say that he was your master and you are his follower?"
And the mystic said, "Yes, I say he was my master although he never initiated me formally. But formal initiation is immaterial, irrelevant. And I still say that I am his follower, though I cannot prove it by any documents -- but there is no need to prove to anybody. I know, that's all. I am his follower!"
The people insisted, "How can you say that?"
And the mystic said, "He never followed his master; I never follow him. That was his basic characteristic: he never followed his master. And I never follow him -- that's how I follow him. I am a follower and he was my master."
INVALUABLE SECRETS! Yes, these are invaluable secrets. The life of a real seeker is not an ordinary life. It cannot be confined to a certain pattern, it cannot be confined to a certain style of life -- Christian, Hindu, Mohammedan. The life of a real seeker is the life of freedom.
And when Buddha says: FOLLOW HIM, FOLLOW THE WAY... he does not mean to become a carbon copy, he simply means: try to understand his life. Watch, analyze, meditate, and then let your meditation, your watchfulness, your witnessing, become the way.
And following the wise man is really not following
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