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only authentic freedom is of the soul, which can become an eagle and go into the unknown and the unknowable without any fear.
Because he has attained this state of ultimate consciousness, he wants to share it. The uniqueness about him is that he still loves mankind. There is no condemnation about the sleeping people, the blind people. There is tremendous compassion for them. He is going downwards because he loves life. He is not against life.
This small dialogue with an old saint who lives in the forest is very significant. It contains much which may not be apparent, but we will try to discover it as deeply as possible.
ZARATHUSTRA WENT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN ALONE, AND NO ONE MET HIM. BUT WHEN HE ENTERED THE FOREST, AN OLD MAN, WHO HAD LEFT HIS HOLY HUT TO LOOK FOR ROOTS IN THE FOREST, SUDDENLY STOOD BEFORE HIM. AND THE OLD MAN SPOKE THUS TO ZARATHUSTRA:
`THIS WANDERER IS NO STRANGER TO ME. HE PASSED BY HERE MANY YEARS AGO. HE WAS CALLED ZARATHUSTRA; BUT HE HAS CHANGED.'
The old saint could see the change; although it is the same man, it is not the same energy; it is the same man, but it is a totally different individual. He has gone into the mountains as ignorant and he is coming out of the mountains as the wisest man possible. He has gone there asleep; he is coming back awakened. He has gone through a transformation.
When he went to the mountains, he was just a mortal, and when he comes out of the mountains, he has attained immortality. Now he is full of joy, full of peace, showering blessings all around him. He is overflowing with love, with compassion.
`THEN YOU CARRIED YOUR ASHES TO THE MOUNTAINS:' You were nothing but a corpse. And you had carried your ashes to the mountains. `... WILL YOU TODAY CARRY YOUR FIRE INTO THE VALLEYS?' The transformation has been so radical -- instead of being ashes, he is now fire. He has gone as darkness, now he is aflame.
`DO YOU NOT FEAR AN INCENDIARY'S PUNISHMENT?' This is significant to note. The old saint is saying, "Are you not afraid, going back to the blind people, with eyes? Going to the dead, full of life? Going to the asleep, awakened?"
When you had come from
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