VBT – Meditation 4.1
Death Predominates
Life has happened, birth has happened, now death is going to happen. So our life is predominated too much by death-hence everybody is in search of security, safety, insurance: how to avoid death? How to prolong life a little longer? How to be here a little more? How not to die? How to escape from death? Death predominates-hence money becomes so important.
Remember, the importance of money is the importance of death, because money gives you a false sense of security-that you have money, that you have the physicians, that you have the medicine, that you have the bank balance, that you have the life insurance, that you have friends, that you have a good house, that if there is some trouble you are protected. So a person becomes obsessed too much with money: have more and more money, create big China Walls of money around you, so death cannot penetrate.
But nothing can prevent death. Your effort to prevent it simply destroys the opportunity which could have been a great experience, which could have flowered into love. There are only two types of people in the world: death-oriented and love-oriented. Life has already happened, so there is no question about it. Nobody is worried about birth-that has already happened.
In India we have three gods-trimurti, the Indian trinity-three faces of one god: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva. Brahma is the god who created the world, Vishnu is the god who maintains the world, and Shiva is the god who will destroy the world. Now, you will be surprised. There is not a single temple dedicated to Brahma, the god who created the world. Who bothers?-once you have already created your work is finished. You will not find a single temple dedicated to Brahma. Yes, there is only one temple-very rare, in Pushkar, India-but it is impossible to find. Thousands and thousands of temples are there, in one town you can find hundreds of temples, but not a single temple dedicated to Brahma, who has created the world! What type of gratitude is this? But who bothers about life?-it has already happened. Birth is not the question.
You will find Shiva worshipped everywhere; the most worshipped god is Shiva. Millions of temples are dedicated to Shiva: he is the god of death. Number two is Vishnu, who maintains life. People worship Vishnu; but even people who worship Vishnu, when they are in danger they immediately run to Shiva’s temple-because he is the ultimate god. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva: three are the gods. Shiva is called ‘the great god’-mahadeva; the other two are lesser gods. Death predominates.
I am the pause between two notes
That fall into a real accordance scarce at all
For death’s note tends to dominate.
Both though are reconciled
In the dark interval tremblingly…
And that dark interval is Love, You, Godliness. Become alert of this Pause.
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