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| | | Book Name: The Dhammapada - The Way of the Buddha, Vol 3 | Previous Next | |
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the inmates and a constant roar of thunder. Painfully and breathlessly he struggled to his feet and stopped a passing devil: "I was taken on a tour and opted for hell, but it was not anything like this!"
The demon grinned: "Oh, but you were only visiting at the time. That was simply for the tourists!"
The mind can allure you, it can give you sweet dreams in the beginning -- but only in the beginning. Once you are trapped, once you are in it, once you have chosen, you will suffer. That's how millions of people are suffering.
Buddha says: LET HIM CHASTEN AND TEACH YOU AND KEEP YOU FROM MISCHIEF.
THE WORLD MAY HATE HIM
BUT GOOD MEN LOVE HIM.
And remember: a wise man is always hated by the world, is bound to be hated by the world. His presence is a disturbance to those who are fast asleep and snoring, because he goes on shouting "Wake up!" He goes on telling you that whatsoever you are doing is all illusory. He goes on shaking you, shocking you into awareness, and you may be dreaming sweet dreams, beautiful dreams. He goes on pulling you out of your dreams and your sleep, and your sleep may be comfortable, safe, secure. And he does not allow you rest; he gives you great work to do upon yourself.
The ordinary humanity has always hated a wise man -- he may be a Buddha or a Socrates or a Zarathustra or a Lao Tzu, it doesn't matter who, but down the ages the wise man has been hated by the ordinary people, by the masses, by the crowds. The wise man has been loved only by a few seekers of truth, a few lovers of truth, a few good men. Remember it!
DO NOT LOOK FOR BAD COMPANY
OR LIVE WITH MEN WHO DO NOT CARE.
FIND FRIENDS WHO LOVE THE TRUTH.
That is the meaning of a spiritual commune: FIND FRIENDS WHO LOVE THE TRUTH -- because alone you may not be able to gather that much courage to go into the uncharted sea. But when you see many are going, a great courage may arise in your heart. It is there, lying dormant; it may become active. Hence a commune is needed -- Buddha created a SANGHA, a commune -- where seekers can gather together, where lovers of truth can hold hands with each other, where meditators
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