Zen

A SUDDEN CLASH OF THUNDER

Chapter 10: Towards Nothingness

Question 4

 

 

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The fourth question:

Question 4

GIVE AND SHARE.

RENOUNCE NON-ESSENTIAL AND BE ESSENTIAL.

TO WHOM TO GIVE -- THE POOR AND NEEDY? -- IN GENERAL OR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS? BEGGARS -- ORGANIZED OR INDIVIDUALS? INSTITUTIONS -- POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS? PURCHASE INSTITUTIONAL PRESENTS -- BOOKS AND OTHER THINGS? SAINTS AND MAHATMAS? ETC?

I GIVE YOU POETRY -- you immediately translate it into prose. I have been simply saying: Share! You ask: With whom? You have changed the subject.

Mulla Nasrudin was talking to a woman and saying great things, was getting very romantic. He was saying, "Your eyes -- never, never have they happened before. And your face -- it is just like the moon. And the glow that surrounds you, and the vibe that you create -- it is the most beautiful thing that has ever happened." And he went on and on.

And, of course, as women are very practical, the woman asked, "Are you going to marry me, Nasrudin?"

Nasrudin said, "Please, don't change the subject!"

I am talking about sharing and you immediately change the subject, You say: "With whom?" Your emphasis is not about yourself. You have not asked: "I am a miser and I cannot share. It is difficult for me to share." You have not asked how to share, how not to be miserly. You have immediately changed the subject -- as if you are ready to share but it is very difficult to find the right persons. So with whom?

"The poor and needy? -- in general or relatives and friends?"

You are going into details -- without asking the basic and fundamental question: Are you ready to share? When the cloud is ready to shower, it doesn't ask: "Where to shower? -- on the mountains? in a lake?.on grounds? in the fields? in the gardens? Where to shower? -- on good people? virtuous or sinners? on temples or on churches? on saintly people or on worldly people?" It doesn't bother -- it simply showers. It is not a question of on whom to shower. The cloud is ready -- it has to shower, to unburden itself.

When the flower blooms, it doesn't ask: "Towards whose nostril should I float now? Where should I send my fragrance? To saints and mahatmas? or to sinners?" No, it never asks. It goes on spreading its fragrance, it goes on unconcerned about whom; the fragrance moves unaddressed.

That's what I would like to say to you: Share! and let your sharing be spontaneous. When you have to give, give! Why bother? But people are very cunning -- they say: "Give? First we have to see whether it is the right person or not." How is one going to decide who is a right person or not? What are the criteria? How are you going to decide who is the right person?

A person may be poor but may be a criminal -- so whether to give to him or not? A person may be poor, needy, his wife may be suffering from illness, his children may be hungry, but he may be a drunkard. If you give him money, he will simply go and drink -- he is not going to purchase medicine with it. With whom to share?

In Jainism there is a sect called 'Terapanth'. It has gone to the very logical end; it has rationalized miserliness to the very extreme. This sect says: "Don't give because you don't know what the other person will do about it -- you give money to somebody; he may go and purchase a gun and kill a few people. Then? Then you will be responsible! It will be part of your karma. If you had not given him the money he would not have purchased the gun and he would not have killed so many people. He has killed now -- you are part, knowingly, unknowingly, and you will have to pay for it"

Now this is the businessman's mind, and all these Terapanthis are business people. "Don't give, because who knows what will be done, what will happen out of it?" They say if a person is dying by the side of the road, thirsty, crying and asking for water, you just go on your way, don't be distracted by him -- because if you give him water and tomorrow he kills somebody, then? or goes and steals something from somebody, then? You will be part of it.

Humanity is very cunning. Human beings are very cunning. This is the end-result of Mahavir's teaching -- who taught about love and sharing. This Terapanth is a sect of Jains. Mahavir says: "Share!" But how things can turn! even to the very opposites. And it is appealing -- it is rational, it looks right. Then these Terapanthis say: "If somebody is poor, he is poor because of his past karmas -- who are you to help him? He is suffering from his past karmas and you are becoming a distracting force. If you give him money and you help him not to suffer, he will have to suffer some day or other -- so you simply postpone. Let him be whatsoever he is."

If you want to share you will never ask these questions. These questions come up out of miserliness.

If you ask me, I will say: Share! If I cannot say anything positively about with whom to share, at least I can say one thing negatively: Never share with saints and mahatmas! -- because what can you share with them? What can you give to them? If they are really saints and mahatmas they are in tremendous bliss -- you cannot give them anything. You can beg something from them. You can ask them to shower what has happened to them. You can receive. You can be the receiving end -- you cannot be the giver. They don't need.

Otherwise, keep it as a simple remembrance that whenever there is any situation in which you are asked to share and you can share, you have something to share -- share! and don't be bothered who the person is with whom you are sharing. That is none of your business! You shared -- that's all.

And it is always beautiful -- whether you share with a sinner or you share with a pious man, whether you share with a criminal or you share with a very respectable citizen, it is always beautiful. It will always give you tremendous joy. It is not a question of what happens afterwards! In the very sharing you have enjoyed a climax of being.

A Jewish couple were honeymooning at Niagara Falls. The boy's money ran out after a week, but he and his bride were having such a good time they wanted to stay longer. So he wired his father for more money. His telegram read: "Dear Dad. It's great here. Want to stay longer. Please send money. Love, Son."

The father wired back: "Dear Son. It's great anywhere. Come home. Love, Dad."

It is great anywhere! -- love is great. It is not a question of whether you are near Niagara Falls or in the Himalayas: love is great everywhere, yes, anywhere. Sharing is great: with whom you share is irrelevant.

I know your mind will always find ways not to share. Avoid those tricks of the mind. You have to share. You should be happy whenever you can find an opportunity to share.

Mulla Nasrudin lay on his deathbed for months, while flocks of relatives gathered like vultures waiting for the kill. At last the dear old man went to his peaceful reward and the lawyers announced the date of the reading of his will.

All the relatives assembled on the appointed day. The lawyer tore open the envelope, drew out a piece of paper and read:

"Being of sound mind, I spent every dime before I died."

That is the golden rule: Before you die, share whatsoever you have. If you are of a sound mind you will share your whole life. Before you die, spend yourself in love.

 

Next: Chapter 10: Towards Nothingness, Question 5

 

Energy Enhancement                Enlightened Texts                Zen                 A Sudden Clash of Thunder

 

 

Chapter 10

 

 

 

 
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