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ambitions from the mind.
I am reminded of an anecdote between Tamberlaine and Baizad. King Baizad got defeated in a battle and was brought before the conqueror Tamberlaine. On seeing him Tamberlaine suddenly started laughing loudly. Thereupon the insulted Baizad lifted his head proudly and said: "Tamberlaine, do not be so proud of your victory in the battle. Remember, he who laughs at the defeat of others has one day to shed tears on his own defeat."
King Baizad was one-eyed and Tamberlaine had only one leg. On hearing the words of one eyed Baizad, lame Tamberlaine laughed twice as much and said: "I am not so foolish as to laugh on this small victory. I am laughing at our condition, yours and mine! See, you are one-eyed and I am lame! I was laughing at the thought as to why God grants kingdoms to you and me who are one-eyed and lame!"
I want to tell Tamberlaine who is asleep in his grave: This is not the fault of God. In fact, except the lame and the one-eyed, none else is eager for the kingdoms."
And is it not true? Is it not true that the day when man's mind is healthy there will be no kingdoms? Is it not true that those who become healthy have always lost their kingdoms?
Man wants to run away whenever he finds any inferiority in himself. He starts running in the direction exactly opposite to it; and here comes the mistake, because inferiority is no more than an indication of inner poverty. In the depth, every person suffers from inner poverty. One emptiness is felt by all. Attempts are made to fill up this inner emptiness by outer gains, but how can it be possible to fill up the pit of inner emptiness from the outside? That which is exterior is unable for the same reason to fill up the interior. After all, everything is outside: wealth, status, qualities, power, religion, goodness, renunciation, knowledge, God, salvation. Then what is inside? Except that poverty, that emptiness, that nothingness, there is nothing inside. Therefore, to run away from that nothingness is to run away from the self. Running away from them is running away from the existence of self. The way lies not running from it, but in living with it. For that
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