Even the knowledge of the prison liberator and therefore this knowledge is dangerous in the bands of the captive. The best way to keep the prisoner in the dark is to delude him into believing that the prison is a temple of God and no jail, and he is a free human being; and that all the world exists within its four walls; outside these walls there is nothing. And if he finds things unbearable, let him paint the dirty walls. Make a garden, grow flowers – its fragrance will become a source of joy. Beautify the prison, for it is a house. And the captive who believes all this, will he ever be free?
First and foremost, we do not even remember that we are within a prison. How many kinds of prison-houses we go through from birth to death! Everywhere there are walls – the walls of the prison. When a Hindu says: ”I am a Hindu” and when a Muslim asserts that he is a Muslim, they both do not say they are imprisoned within their respective walls. They assert with such conceit, as if to be a Hindu or a Muslim or a Jain is a matter of great pride. When a man declares ”I am an Indian” or ”I am a Chinese” it is a matter of great pride for him. Little does he know that these are walls that prevent all men from merging into ”One Mankind”.
Whatever obstructs, is a barrier. If I refrain from meeting you, whatever stands between us is a barrier. If the Hindu fails to meet a Muslim, it is this wall that comes in the way; and it is the same between the Indian and the Chinese; the outcaste and the Brahmin. Whether this barrier is visible or invisible, whatever stands in the way of union is a wall – and how many walls there are between man and man!
These walls as exist between a Hindu and a Muslim, defy detection and we are not even aware of their presence. This is why they are dangerous, for we can see through them but we cannot extend our hand in friendship because of them. If a Hindu tries to extend his hand towards a Muslim, the wall stands between and the hand turns back. So is the case between the low-caste Sudra and the high-caste Brahmin. Therefore there is no meeting-ground and we do not realize that it is due entirely to the fact that each of us is enclosed within the walls of his own concepts and dogmas, and is incapable of seeing beyond them.
In Russia it is taught that there is no God. The children there grow up with this concept. An irrevocable line is drawn round his soul – there is No God. Now this child will pass through life within the boundaries of this concept; and he will view the world only through this concept – that there is no God. Now all his actions will be oriented by this concept.
If a man has to be held captive, he has to been closed within the walls of the prison but these prison houses of the soul are very strange. They encircle you and go along with you wherever you go. Now when the ideas of non-existence of God is implanted in the mind of a person from childhood, he will live his entire life within this concept. Then he will not find God anywhere; for we are only capable of seeing that for which we are ready. And the person whose capacity of observation is stunted, is closed, comes to the conclusion that there is no God, he will be incapable of seeing anything.
You may turn round and say: ”Then we are better off for we believe in the existence of God.” It is not so. We are in an equal, if not worse, peril than they are. A man has taken for granted that there is God. He is convinced and so he will take no trouble to find him. He believes, that is enough – there is nothing more to do. He believes – and his belief that God is, becomes his prison-wall. He who believes that God is not, get bound within the boundary of his denial of God. So one is closed ,in theism and the other in atheism. Both are enclosed in their own sheaths. But only he can progress in the quest of truth who refuses to be bound within any of these walls He will say, ”I do not know yet whether God is or is not but I will set no wall around me. I shall not lean on any scriptures or dogmas. for these only serve to bind the person and make it difficult for him to find Truth.”
During his sojourn at a village, a fakir was approached by its people who asked: ”Will you not come to our temple, and tell us whether God is or is not?”
The fakir replied: ”God? What has that got to do with you? Go,do your work. No one has anything to do with God. If it were so, this world would be a different place altogether Then this world would not be so ugly, so vile, so arrogant. If we had any purpose with God, we would have made a different world altogether. No, we have no interest in this direction, nor do those who sit in temples. The priests, the sadhus, crowds of sannyasins and gurus that have gathered together in His name, not even they have any interest in God; nor those that offer flowers and break coconuts on the temple walls. If God meant anything to us, this would have been a different place altogether. Go do your work; what business have you with God? Do not waste your time.”
But the people would not leave him: ”Today is a holiday, please do come.”
Said the fakir: ”So that is it: Now I understand. Because today is a holiday, you have time to spare for God. Man cannot sit without work, so when he has nothing to do, be thinks of God, and he tells his beads. So today is a holiday? Alright I shall come. But what will I tell you about God? For nothing could ever be said about God up to now. Those who said, made a mistake. Those who know, remained silent. I would be foolish if I said anything, for that will prove that I do not know. And you insist that I go with you? All right I will.”
They went to the Masjid. There was a big crowd there. Crowds create illusions. It appeared as if people were eager to know about God. So the fakir said, ”Since so many of you are eager to know aboutGod, may I ask you: Do you believeinGod? Does God exist?”All the people lift edtheir hands in acquiescence – they knew God is and believed in Him.
”Then the matter ends there,” said the fakir. ”Since you are convinced that God is, there is no need for me to say anything. I must go back.” And he left.
The people were nonplussed. They did not know what to do! Since they had raised their hands in favour of His existence they could not possibly turn round and deny Him. And who knows? Do you? But if anyone asks, you too will raise your hands.
to be continued...
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