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he had always seen his neighbor smiling …… and every morning when the fakir asked him how things were； he would say； 〃everything is just fine〃 …… and this same man was now carrying the same amount of unhappiness。
he saw politicians and their followers； gurus and their disciples …… everyone ing with the same size load。
the wise and the ignorant； the rich and the poor； the healthy and the sick …… the load in everyones bundle was the same。
the fakir as dumbfounded。
he was seeing the bundles for the first time； up to now he had only seen peoples faces。
suddenly a loud voice filled the room： 〃hang up your bundles！〃 everyone； including the fakir； did as manded。
everyone hurried to get rid of his troubles； no one wanted to carry his miseries even a second longer and if we were to find such opportunity； we would also hang them up right away。
and then another voice sounded； saying： 〃now； each of you should pick up whichever bundle he pleases。
〃 we might suspect that the fakir quickly picked up someone elses bundle。
no； he did not make such a mistake。
in panic； he ran to pick up his own bundle before anyone else could reach it …… otherwise； it could have bee a problem for him； because all the bundles looked the same。
he thought it was better to have his own bundle …… at least the miseries in it were familiar。
who knows what kinds of miseries were contained in the other peoples bundles？ familiar misery is still a lesser kind of misery …… it is a known misery； a recognizable misery。
so； in a state of panic； he ran and retrieved his own bundle before anyone else could lay his hands on it。
when he looked around； however； he found that everyone else had also run and picked up their own bundles； no one had selected a bundle that was not his own。
he asked； 〃why are you in such a hurry to collect your own bundles？〃
〃we became frightened。
up to now wed believed that everyone else was happy； that only we were miserable；〃 they replied。
in that mansion； whomsoever the fakir asked； the reply was that theyd always believed everyone else was happy。
〃we even believed that you were happy too。
you also walked down the street with a smile on your face。
we never imagined that you carried a bundle of miseries inside you too；〃 they said。
with curiosity； the fakir asked； 〃why did you collect your own bundle？ why didnt you exchange it for another？〃
they said； 〃today； each of us had prayed to god； saying we wanted to exchange our bundles of misery。
but when we saw that everyones miseries were just the same； we became scared； we had never imagined such a thing。
so we figured it was better to pick up our own bundle。
it is familiar and known。
why fall into new miseries？ by and by； we get used to the old miseries too。
〃
that night； nobody picked up a bundle that belonged to someone else。
the fakir woke up； thanked merciful god for letting him have his own miseries back。
and decided never to make such a prayer again。
in fact； the arithmetic behind it is the same。
when we look at other peoples faces and at our own reality …… that is where we mit a great error。
and with regard to our perception of life and death the same kind of wrong arithmetic is at work。
you have seen other people die； but you have never seen yourself dying。
we see other peoples deaths； but we never e to know if anything within these people survives。
since we bee unconscious at the time； death remains a stranger to us。
hence it is important we enter death voluntarily。
if a person sees death once he bees free from it； he triumphs over death。
in fact； it is meaningless to call him victorious because there is nothing to win …… then death bees false； then death simply doesnt exist。
if after adding two and two a person writes down five； and the next day he es to know that two plus two equals four； would he say hed triumphed over five and made it four？ he would say； in fact； that there was no question of triumph …… there was no five。
making it five was his error； it was his illusion …… his calculation was wrong； the total was four； he understood it as five； that was his mistake。
once you see the mistake； the matter is over。
would that man then say； 〃how can i get rid of five？ now i see two and two are four； but before； i had added them up as five。
how can i be free of five？〃 the man would not ask for such freedom； because as soon as one finds out that two plus two equal four； the matter is over。
there is no five any more。
then what does one have to be free of？
one neither has to be free from death nor does one have to triumph over it。
one needs to know death。
the very knowing it bees freedom； the knowing itself bees the victory。
thats why i stated earlier that knowing is power； that knowing is freedom； that knowing is victory。
knowing death causes it to dissolve； then suddenly； for the first time； we bee connected with life。
thats why i told you that the first thing about meditation is that it is a voluntary entry into death。
the second thing i would like to say is that one who enters into death willingly； finds； all of a sudden； entrance into life。
even though he goes in search of death； instead of meeting death he actually finds ultimate life。
even though； for the purpose of his search he enters the mansion of death； he actually ends up in the temple of life。
and one who escapes from the mansion of death never reaches the temple of life。
allow me to point out to you that the walls of the temple of life are engraved with the shadows of death。
may i also point out to you that the maps of death are drawn on the walls of the temple of life； and since we run away from death we are also； in effect； running away from the temple of life！ only when we accept death will we be able to accept these walls。
if ever we could enter death； we would reach the temple of life。
the deity of life dwells within the walls of death； the images of death are engraved all over the temple of life。
we have simply been running away at the very sight of them。
if you have ever been to khajuraho； you must have noticed a strange thing …… all around its walls scenes of sex have been sculpted。
the images look naked and obscene。
if； after seeing them； a man simply runs away； then he will not be able to reach the deity of the temple inside。
inside is the image of god； and outside are engravings； images； of sex； passion； and copulation。
they must have been a wonderful people who built the temples of khajuraho。
they depicted a profound fact of life： they have conveyed that sex is there； on the outside wall； and if you are to run away from there； then you will never be able to attain to brahmacharya to celibacy …… because brahmacharya is inside。
if you are ever able to get beyond these walls； then you will also attain to brahmacharya。
samsara；the mortal world； is displayed on the walls； and running away from it will never bring you to god； because the one who is sitting inside the walls of samsara is god himself。
i am telling you exactly the same thing。
somewhere； someplace； we should build a temple whose walls have death displayed on it and the deity of life would be sitting inside。
this is how the truth is。
however； since we keep escaping from death； we miss the divinity of life as well。
i say both things simultaneously： meditation is entering voluntarily into death； and the one who enters death voluntarily attains to life。
that means： one who encounters death ultimately finds that death has disappeared and he is in lifes embrace。
this looks quite contrary …… you go in search of death and e across life …… but it is not。
for example； i am wearing clothes。
now if you e in search of me； first you will e across my clothes …… although i am not the clothes。
and if you bee frightened of my clothes and run away； then you will never be able to know me。
however； if you e closer and closer to me； without being frightened of my clothes； then beneath my clothes you will find my body。
but the body too； in a deeper sense； is a garment； and if you were to run away from my body； then you would not find the one who is s