VBT – Meditation 99.4

VBT – Meditation 99.4

Vulnerable Life

I have heard about a king. He was very afraid of death….

Kings are more afraid. They are more afraid because they have exploited so many people; they have pushed, crushed; they have played many political games on so many people. They have made many enemies. A real king has no friend. He cannot have. Because the closest friend is also an enemy, just waiting for an opportunity to kill him, to be in his place. A man in power cannot have any friends. Hitler, Stalin, Nixon, they cannot have friends. They just have enemies who are parading around them as friends and just waiting for the right chance to push them aside from the throne. Whenever they get the chance they do everything. Just a moment ago they were friendly, but their friendliness is a strategy. Their friendliness is a tactic. A man who is in power cannot have friends. So Lao Tzu says, “If you want friends, don’t be in power.” Then the whole world will be friendly to you. If you are in power, then you are your only friend, everyone is your enemy.

…. So the king was very afraid. He was very scared of death, it was all around. He was haunted by the idea that everyone around him was going to kill him. He couldn’t sleep. So he asked his wise men, his counsellors, what to do. They told him to make a palace with only one door. At the door he should put seven rings of military men: the first watching the palace, the second watching the first, the third ring watching the second. With only one door no one could enter and the king would be safe.

The king built the palace with only one door and with seven rings of soldiers watching each other.

The news spread all over and another king from a nearby state came to see it. He was also afraid.

News had reached him that his neighbour had built such a secure palace that it was impossible to kill him. He came to visit his neighbour and together they appreciated very much the idea of only one door and every safety; no danger.

While they were looking at the door a beggar just sitting at the corner of the street started laughing.

So the king, the owner of the palace, asked the beggar, “Why are you laughing?” The beggar replied, “I am laughing because you have made one error. You should go inside and close, seal this door also. This door is dangerous, someone can enter it. A door means that somebody can enter. So you do one thing: go inside and let this door be also closed. Then you will be really safe because death cannot enter.” But the king said, “That means I would be already dead if I closed this door also.” The beggar said, “You are already ninety-nine per cent dead – you are only as much alive as this door. That is the danger, this much alive. Leave this aliveness also.”

Everyone in his own way is creating a palace around him where nothing can enter and he can remain in peace. But then you are already dead. And peace happens only to those who are alive; peace is not a dead thing. Remain alive, live dangerously, live a vulnerable life, open, so that everything can happen to you. And let everything happen to you. The more that happens to you the richer you will be.

Then you can practise this technique. This technique is then very easy, you will not even need to practise it. Just think, and you will be pervading the whole space.