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the antidote was not needed； it was only used because the man took the wrong medicine。
since the poison； the wrong medicine； has already entered his body； it is necessary to give the man another poison to counteract the former one。
remember； however； the antidote is a poison too。
only a poison can act against another poison。
the second potion is a poison too； except that it is meant to work in the opposite direction。
you would be horrified if a physician were to tell you your body is poisoned and that he is giving you more poison。
you might cry out； 〃as it is； i am dying of poison。
now you are adding more to it！〃 the doctor explains； 〃this is an antidote。
it is indeed a poison； but antithetical to the former one。
〃
so when i say this world is a lie； then a sadhana； a spiritual discipline； cannot be true。
how can a true sadhana be applied to counter a false world？ you cannot use a real sword in order to kill an imaginary ghost …… you will hurt yourself if you do。
make sure you have a false sword to kill an imaginary ghost。
you will obviously create a problem for yourself if you go to kill a nonexistent ghost with a real gun。
the real gun can cause you harm。
so if you need to drive out a ghost it would be good to wear a talisman； it is neither a sword nor a gun。
it is a false cure； it is an antidote too。
it is perfect； an exact antithetical lie meant to counter another lie。
all spiritual disciplines are nothing but ways of getting out of the samsara； the mundane world。
and since i call this mundane world an illusion …… illusion in the sense that it is not what we understand it to be
so the question is： what can we do to remove this illusion？ we need to retrace our steps to the same extent we have gone deeply into the illusion。
why do i feel like reminding you of this？ …… because a seeker constantly faces a danger。
and the danger is： he may use a talisman in order to keep the ghost away； however； in doing so； although he succeeds in saving himself from the ghost； he holds on to the charm tightly。
he finds the talisman the savior of his life。
now he is as afraid of losing the charm as he was of the ghost。
naturally。
how can he afford to lose something that saved his life？ so he is freed from the ghost but gets hooked to the talisman。
thats why he needs to be reminded that just as the ghost was unreal so is the talisman。
now that the ghost is gone； he had better throw the charm away as well。
again and again； i would like to remind every seeker that； whatever sadhana he may be following； basically it is an antidote for his getting himself into a falsehood。
and an antidote for a lie will inevitably have to be a lie。
only a poison can counter another poison …… for it works in the opposite direction。
it is essential to bring this point home to a seeker； otherwise he may succeed in dropping the samsara； but grab on to sannyas； to renunciation。
he may drop the marketplace but seize upon the temple。
he may give up money but latch onto meditation。
it is dangerous to cling to anything； because whatsoever one hangs on to bees a bondage …… regardless of whether it is money or meditation。
the day meditation is not needed； the day it bees meaningless； that is when the sadhana bees real。
obviously； one who has reached the roof should find the ladder useless。
if he still insists the ladder is useful to him and clings to it； then understand he has not yet reached the roof； he must still be standing somewhere on the ladder。
it is conceivable one may reach the top rung of the ladder and yet hold tight to it。
should this be the case； then remember the man is still as far away from the roof as he was when he was standing on the first rung of the ladder。
he has not reached the roof yet。
in both cases he is far away from the roof。
you may climb almost the entire ladder； but if you stop at the last rung； it doesnt mean you have reached the roof …… you are still on the ladder。
and that makes the difference。
initially you were on the first rung； now you are on the hundredth rung； but you are on the ladder nevertheless。
and one who is on the ladder is definitely not on the roof。
if you want to be on the roof； you will have to do two things： you will have to climb the ladder； and after reaching the roof； get rid of it。
thats why i say； on the one hand； that meditation is useful。
and at the same time i also say that meditation is nothing more than an antidote。
hence； i maintain； follow a spiritual discipline； and then drop it too。
so when i say both things simultaneously it obviously creates a difficulty。
it is natural you feel that on the one hand i say； do this； do that； and then i declare all sadhanas are false。
〃if this is so then why should we follow them？〃 you naturally ask。
your logic says； 〃if one has to get off the ladder eventually； then why climb it in the first place？〃
remember； however； that one who doesnt climb the ladder stays off it； and one who has climbed it and stepped out on the roof is also off the ladder …… but both exist on totally different planes。
one will be on the roof while the other will be on the ground below。
although neither is on the ladder； there is a fundamental difference between the two。
one is off the ladder because he didnt climb it； while the other is off because he did climb the ladder and then got off。
life is a great mystery wherein one needs to climb up certain things and climb down other things； wherein one needs to cling to certain things and drop certain other things。
but the human mind says； 〃if you want to hold on to something then hold to it pletely； if you want to drop it then drop it absolutely。
〃
this kind of reasoning is dangerous。
it cannot help bring about any dynamism in life。
i am aware of both things； and i can see the problem。
some people are holding on to their riches while others are holding on to their religion。
some are clinging to the samsara； while some are holding tight to the idea of moksha …… but basically the holding remains。
only he is liberated who hangs on to nothing。
one who is free from all clinging； attachments； blocks； demands； he alone knows the truth。
only he can know the truth who makes no conditions。
even this much of a condition …… that you would rather be in the temple worshipping than attending to your store …… can prevent you from knowing the truth。
in such a case you will end up knowing only the truth that is born out of a lie …… such as the temple itself。
even this much of a condition on your part …… that you would live only in a particular way； that you wish to live like a sannyasin …… if this too became a condition； you would never e to know the truth。
this would amount to holding on to the ladder after having climbed to the top rung。
often it may have even occurred to you that 〃how can the very ladder which helped me climb so high be thrown away all of a sudden？〃 so you want to hold fast to the ladder。
we find this happening all around us。
for example； a man begins to earn money so that he can live a fortable life later on。
it takes him years to make money； and in the process he misses his rest and recreation。
how could he have succeeded in creating his wealth otherwise？ he had assumed at that moment he would earn a great deal and live in fort and ease later。
his aim was to live in fort which； without having money； was naturally impossible。
so the man was busy making money。
and when you have to make money you cant afford to relax。
the only way to make money is to give up rest and relaxation for years at a time。
so lets assume this man gives up his holidays and vacations for the next twenty to twenty…five years and earns a lot of money。
no doubt he creates wealth； but he loses the habit of relaxing。
not relaxing at all bees a habit to him； and that creates the problem。
a practice of twenty…five years is behind him。
now if you ask him to stay home and relax； he cant do it。
he arrives at his office an hour earlier than his secretary； his staff quits at five oclock； he leaves at seven。
apparently the man has forgott