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Main Index
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| | | Book Name: Walk Without Feet, Fly Without Wings | Previous Next | |
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of his experience is ordinary.
Buddha's expression is extraordinary. Buddha's expression is special. That does not mean that their experiences are lower or higher -- no. Enlightenment is enlightenment -- there is no higher, no lower. What Buddha knows, Shankaracharya knows.
It is like this: you go to the Himalayas; you see the beauty of the Himalayas and the virgin silence, and those peaks covered for millions of years by pure snow -- you feel it in every pore of your being; your every fibre vibrates with that benediction that the Himalayas is. You come back and somebody asks, "Would you please paint a little picture so I can see something of your experience? I have not been fortunate enough to go to the Himalayas, but can't you paint a little picture?" Now there will be differences.
If a Van Gogh had gone to the Himalayas, he would have painted a totally different kind of picture; if you paint, it will not be a Van Gogh -- you don't know how to paint. Still you have been to the Himalayas as much as Van Gogh has.
Or somebody says to you, "Can't you sing a song about your experience?" Now, songs will be different... they are bound to be different. A poet will be able to sing beautifully, will be able to compose poetry. Your poem will not be much of a poem; at the most a limerick -- it cannot be great art. It will depend on your skill.
Buddha is a Van Gogh of that world, so is Tilopa, so is Saraha, so is Hakuin. These are aristocrats of that world! Shankara is ordinary. Even when chose him, I had chosen very reluctantly. I was thinking to drop many sutras. There ARE a few diamonds, but ninety-nine percent is rubbish. If you search deep enough you will find a few diamonds, but ninety-nine percent is valueless.
Buddha's sayings are all diamonds -- you will not find rubbish at all. In Shankara you may be able to miss the diamonds, but in Bud&a it is impossible to miss, it is almost impossible to miss. You can miss one, you can miss two, you can miss three -- how can you miss so many diamonds? a row of diamonds?
Shankara is enlightened as much as Buddha is, but his expression is mediocre. That's why he has impressed the
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