Believe In Your Self...

once a brahmin bought a goat and was taking it home. Three or four thieves saw him and thought the goat could be snatched away from him. But the brahmin was strong and to steal from him would be no easy job, so they decided to try diplomacy, a little trickery.

One came up to him on the road saying, ”Well done! How much did you pay for the dog?” That man, that brahmin said, ”Dog! Are you blind? Or only mad? It is a goat! I am bringing her from the market. I paid fifty rupees for her.”

The thief said, ”It’s up to you, but you know... seeing a brahmin carrying a dog on his shoulders....  Dear brother, to me it looks like a dog. Could there be some mistake?”

The brahmin went on his way, wondering what kind of man was that! But he fingered the feet of the goat just to check, saying to himself, ”It is a goat.” Another of the gang was waiting across the road.

He called over to the brahmin, ”What a fine dog you bought!”

Now the brahmin hadn’t the courage to insist it was not a dog: who knows maybe it was a dog – two men could not be wrong. Still he said, ”No no, it’s not a dog.” But it was weaker now. He said it, but the foundations inside were shaken. He said, ”No, no it’s a goat.”

The man said, ”It’s a goat? You call this a goat? Then, respected brahmin, the definition of goat needs to be changed! If you call this a goat then what will you call a dog? But it’s up to you. You are a scholarly man; you can change it if you want. It’s just a name. Perhaps you say dog, perhaps you say goat – a dog it remains. Nothing changes just by calling it a goat.”

The man went away. The brahmin put the goat down and looked: it was definitely a goat... a goat like any other goat. He rubbed his eyes and splashed them with water from a roadside tap. He was nearing his own neighborhood: if people saw a brahmin carrying a dog on his shoulders it would be a blow against worship in the temple and against scholarship. People paid for his worship – they would stop paying, they would think him mad.... Again he thoroughly inspected the animal, making sure it was a goat. But what was with those two guys?

Again he shouldered the goat and started off, but now he moved a little nervously. What if anyone else saw him? Then he came across the third fellow. He exclaimed, ”What a fine dog! Where did you get it? I too have wanted to have a dog for a long time.”

The brahmin said, ”Friend, you just take it! If you want a dog, take it. It is really a dog. A friend gave it to me, you please relieve me of it.” And he ran home before anyone could find out that he had bought a dog.

This is how man lives. You have become what you believe. And there are many cheats and scoundrels all around – you have been led to believe all kinds of things. They have their own motives. The priest wants to convince you that you are a sinner, because if you are not a sinner how will he continue to pray for you? It is in his interest that a goat be taken for a dog. 

A pundit... if you are not ignorant what will become of his scholarship? How will he run his business? A religious

teacher... if he explains to you that you are inactive, free of doing, that you have never committed sin – then what need is there of him?

It is as if you go to a doctor and he explains that you are not sick, that you have never been sick, you cannot be sick, health is your nature – then the doctor is committing suicide. What will happen to his business? In robust health go to a doctor, go when you are not at all sick; then too you will find that he discovers some problem. Go and try it. Go in absolutely top form, when you are not sick at all; just go and do it, tell the doctor that you just want him to do a check-up. It is not easy to find a doctor who will say you are not ill. 

Source: “The Mahageeta, Volume 1” - Osho

God Is Everywhere...

There is a very beautiful story in the life of Nanak, another great mystic of the same calibre as Kabir.

Nanak went to Mecca; he traveled with some Mohammedan travelers who were on a pilgrimage. They reached Mecca, the holy stone of Kaaba. It was evening and the sun was setting, and they were very tired; and Nanak immediately fell asleep. The travelers, the companions, were very much surprised. They used to think of Nanak as a very holy man, but he was doing something stupid: his legs were towards the Kaaba when he lay down and fell asleep. They became very much afraid; this is a sacrilege. 

And by the time they could do something about it, the chief priest came, and he said, ”Who is this man? Is he an atheist, he does not believe in God? He does not seem to be a Muslim. Throw him out of here!” All this noise and talk, and Nanak opened his eyes, and he said, ”What is the matter?”

They said, ”This cannot be allowed. Your legs are towards Kaaba, and this is a sin.” Nanak laughed uproariously, and he said, ”You can put my legs anywhere you like, but, one thing before you do it, tell me if this is not so: wherever my legs are, they will always point towards God – because he is everywhere.”

Up to this point, the story seems to be absolutely realistic; then it becomes a parable. The priest was very angry; he took hold of the feet of Nanak and turned his feet away from Kaaba. And the parable says Kaaba turned towards Nanak’s feet. And he moved him in every direction, and Kaaba turned to that direction.

Now, it is a parable; I don’t say now it is realistic. Half the story seems to be exactly right. The other part seems to be very poetic – true, but not factual. It is very significant though. God is everywhere. Once you have found him within, you will find him everywhere. Then you cannot find a place where he is not. 

But don’t start the journey from the outward. Don’t start going to Kaaba and Kailash, to the temple and the mosque; otherwise you have taken a wrong step. And one wrong step leads to another. You start imagining.

Source: "Ecstasy - The Forgotten Language " - Osho

The Ghost...

Once a Man lost his Loving wife. While his wife was dying, he gave her the promise that that he will not marry again.

The man remain truthful to his dead wife for a while but destiny had stored some thing else for him. He fell in love again.

He fell so deep in love that he forgot about his promise and he married again. Its natural for a man to forget promises, wedding dates, and birthday but a woman always cherishes these things.

On his wedding Night he saw his dead wife's Ghost, who complained about the broken promise. The man was surprised to see the ghost of his dead wife but now he could do nothing about it, so he kept quite. But his dead wife ghost could not accept this betrayal and She kept coming back everyday and telling word by word what transpires between the man and his new wife.

Tired by complaints and threats from the Ghost one day the man went to a Sage. The Sage said “the Ghost is very intelligent. Next time she comes, just pick one handful of grains from a Sack and ask her how many grains are there in your Hand”.

When the Ghost came that night, the man did the same. He filled his hand with grains from a sack and asked the Ghost, “Tell me how many grains are there in my hand?” The Ghost immediately disappeared and never returned again.

Most of time what we believe and see in this world is a Projection of our mind. We can only see those things which we are already aware of. The mind projects things from the past. That Ghost was a creation of the mind and so are most of our problems. If we stop projecting things then 99% of our problems will disappear like the Ghost in this story.

 courtesy: OSHO 

Two Monks and Women...

This is one of the most famous and talked about buddhist stories for generations after generations. In old days man was close to nature and it was easy to become silent. This story belongs to that time. One day two buddhist monks were returning to their monastery silently. Watching their thoughts, watching each step and witnessing everything.

A small river used to flow close to their monastery. Walking slowly, meditatively they came across the river. There was no boat men in the river. 

Instead of boatmen, one beautiful young lady was waiting for the boat man to cross the river. The Sun was about to set and darkness was spreading its kingdom.

They waited for some time for the boat men and eventually decided to cross the river on their own. One monk who was Young carried the lady on his shoulder and three of them crossed the river. On other side of river, lady thanked the monks and went on her way and two monk started moving towards their monastery meditatively.

Meditation the very breath of their all actions. After some time Old monk broke the silence "I will tell everything to master"

The Young Monk asked surprisingly "what will you tell to master"

Old Monk said " you are spoiled , you have carried the woman on your shoulders, its sin to touch a woman for a monk"

Young Monk replied "I had dropped the woman at river bank only.''

But you are still carrying her in your head"

Some one throws garbage in our house we get angry, but if some one throws garbage in our mind then we don't mind. TV, newspaper, gossips are all garbage. Meditation is the cleanser which cleans all these garbage.

Courtesy: Osho, Sambhog Se Samadhi Ki Or

Locked Mind...

      Houdini was a master magician as well as a fabulous locksmith. He boasted that he could escape from any Jail cell in the World in less than an hour, provided he could go into the cell dressed in street clothes. Houdini became very famous. A small town in the British Isles built a new Jail, which they were extremely proud of. They issued Houdini a challenge.

     "Come give us a try", they said. Houdini loved the publicity and the money attached with it, so he accepted. The day of the challenge came. By the time Houdini arrived, excitement was at a fever pitch. Houdini rode triumphantly into the town and walked into the cell. He proudly walked into the cell and the Big Iron door was closed. Houdini took off his coat and went to work. Secreted in his belt was a flexible tough and durable ten-inch piece of steel, which he used to work  on the lock. At the end of 15 minutes his confident expression had disappeared. At the end of 30 minutes he was looking confused. At the end of an hour he was drenched in perspiration. 

          After two hours...Houdini literally collapsed against the door - which opened...! Yes, it had never been locked...... ...except in his mind........ ..where he viewed it was as firmly locked as if a thousand locksmiths had put their best efforts in making the lock for it. One little push and Houdini could have easily opened the

door........ ..But he didn't. Many times a little extra push is all you need to open your opportunity door. In the game of life you will discover, as you set your goals and unlock your mind, that the world will unlock its own treasures and rewards to you. Realistically, Most locked doors are in our minds.

Unlock your Mind...Think Great Thoughts...Do Great Things...

Thread Becomes The Bridge- Osho

Osho : There is a Sufi tale: Becoming angry with his prime minister, a king had him confined in a very high tower with no way to escape; if he tried to jump he would surely be killed. The king did not know it, but on his way to the tower the prime minister had whispered something in his wife’s ear. On the very first night she came and left an ordinary insect on the tower wall. She applied a little honey to its antennae and the insect began to climb up the tower in search of the honey, but she had also tied a thin silk thread to its tail. 

Slowly the insect climbed the three hundred feet of the tower where the minister was waiting for it. He grabbed at the silk thread to which the wife had tied a string, and to the string she had tied a cord, and attached to the cord was a strong rope. The minister pulled till he had the rope in hand, and with its help he climbed down from the tower. The story states that not only did the minister escape the prison, but he also discovered the means to escape from life’s ultimate prison. 

If even the thinnest, weakest thread comes to hand, there is no difficulty in attaining liberation. The weakest thread can pave the way to beatitude, but the thread must come to hand. A slight ray, once recognized, can lead to the sun. All religions, all gurus, have reached God by catching hold of one thin thread or other. These threads are many, and can be tied to many kinds of insect. It isn’t necessary to smear the insect’s antennae with honey; you can apply anything that tempts the insect to climb to the prisoner. The thread becomes the bridge.

Source: "The True Name, Vol 2 "  - Osho

Lao Tzu and His Donkey- Osho

I have heard a story. Once Lao Tzu was going from one town to another on his donkey.  A messenger from the emperor came and told Lao Tzu, "The emperor has heard about you and he would like you to become a part of his court. He needs wise men there."

Lao Tzu treated the messenger very courteously, but said, "No, it is impossible. I am grateful. Thank the emperor, but it is impossible."

When the messenger was going, Lao Tzu washed his ears with water, and washed the ears of the donkey also. A man who was standing by the road asked, "What are you doing, sir?"

He said, "I am washing my ears, because even the messenger from the world of politics is dangerous."

The man asked, "But why are you washing the ears of the donkey?"

He said, "Donkeys are very political. He is already walking in a different way! The moment he heard and saw the messenger from the court, he became very egoistic. Donkeys tend to be political. I don't much understand the language of the court, but he understands, because similar donkeys are there. The language is the same."
The man laughed. It is said, even when the story was reported to the king, that he also laughed.

People laughed about Lao Tzu; at the most, a crazy old man, eccentric, but nobody took him seriously. And he could never influence people to such an extent that they should organize his teaching. No religion, no organization, could come out of his teachings. He remained alone. He remains alone, but purest.

Source:  "Come Follow To You, Vol. 3" - Osho

What is Recession?

This Story is about a man who once upon a time was selling Hotdogs by the roadside.

He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers.

He was hard of hearing, so he never listened to the radio.

His eyes were weak, so he never watched television.

But enthusiastically, he sold lots of hotdogs.

He was smart enough to offer some attractive schemes to increase his sales.

His sales and profit went up.

He ordered more a more raw material and buns and use to sale more.

He recruited few more supporting staff to serve more customers.

He started offering home deliveries. Eventually he got himself a bigger and better stove.

As his business was growing, the son, who had recently graduated from College, joined his father.

Then something strange happened.

The son asked, "Dad, aren't you aware of the great recession that is coming our way?"

The father replied, "No, but tell me about it." The son said, "The international situation is terrible.

The domestic situation is even worse. We should be prepared for the coming bad times."

The man thought that since his son had been to college, read the papers, listened to the radio and watched TV.

He ought to know and his advice should not be taken lightly.

So the next day onwards, the father cut down the his raw material order and buns, took down the colourful signboard,

removed all the special schemes he was offering to the customers and was no longer as enthusiastic.

He reduced his staff strength by giving layoffs.

Very soon, fewer and fewer people bothered to stop at his hotdog stand.

And his sales started coming down rapidly, same is the profit.

The father said to his son, "Son, you were right".

"We are in the middle of a recession and crisis. I am glad you warned me ahead of time."

EMI- Decide First, After All Its Your Hard Earned Money...

      I have been thinking a lot about the Lehman crisis . Spending money that they didn't have and going beyond their means is one of the main reasons for their situation today. In fact that is the cause for the current economic crisis in the US. When I see all this happening, I can only remember the good old days. Then, karz was bad. People looked down upon those who took loans. Parents would not give their daughter's hand in marriage to a man with loans. But of course, the times have changed now. Everyone I know has a loan. The buzz word is EMI (equated monthly installment). Today, you can buy everything on EMI - a house, a television, an i-Pod. In fact I know of someone who just bought a fancy BMW 3 series on EMI, instead of buying a cheaper car outright with cash. I mostly prefer to take public transport, but then I am an old man with old thoughts! 

     Anyway, coming back to what caused the crisis. Imagine having Rs 2 lakh in your bank account, no regular income, yet buying a house worth Rs 65 lakh, in the hope of selling it for a higher price. Even if the price of the house fell by just 5 per cent (that is Rs 3 lakh), you will go bankrupt.This is what Lehman Brothers did; with around USD 20 billion they went and bought assets worth over USD 600 billion. Isn't it suicidal and simply foolish? I am sure things would have been different, had I been the head of Lehman brothers. But who wants an old conservative man like me to head a complex financial institution.

But there are a few lessons that we can learn: 

1. Live a balanced life and avoid overspending.
Tip: As soon as you get your monthly salary, set aside a fixed amount, usually 35 per cent, for insurance savings and investments. You can then spend the rest.
2. Not all loans are bad. Loans that are 'need based' (home loans, education loans) can always find a place in your finances against those that are largely 'want based' (personal loans, car loans). 3. Borrow only if repayment is financially comfortable. 

A thumb rule: Keep EMIs within 30 per cent of your monthly income. In that respect, there is one American who I really respect - Warren Buffet. He has lived in the same ordinary house for over three decades, drives his own medium sized car and leads an extremely regular 'middle class' life. If that's all it takes for the richest person on earth to be happy, why do all of us need to take extra stress just so that we can get things which aren't even essential?

What Warren Buffet Say's

“Stay away from credit cards or bank loans and invest in yourself and always remember: Money doesn’t create man but it is the man who created money. Live your life as simple as you are. Don’t do what others say, just listen them, but do what you feel good. Don’t go on brand name; just wear those things in which you feel comfortable. Don’t waste yourmoney on unnecessary things; just spend on them who really in need rather. After all it’s your life then why give chance to others to rule our life.The happiest people do not necessarily have the best of all. They simply appreciate what they find on their way”

Source: Internet

Anyone for a nice cup of tea?

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.During their visit the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.  Offering his guests tea, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of tea and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the tea.  

    When all the alumni had a cup of tea in hand, the professor said:"Notice that all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the tea. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was tea, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups.... and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

    Now consider this: Life is the tea; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life. The type of cup one has does not define, nor change the quality of life a person lives. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the tea. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.Live simply. 

 Love generously.  Care deeply.  Speak kindly...... And enjoy your tea.

Lessons in Leadership ...

Mr. Ratan Tata and the flat tyre

One of Mr. Ratan N Tata's first assignments was the stewardship of the ailing electronics company in the Tata portfolio - Nelco. 

Story goes that a team of senior managers from Nelco was driving to Nasik along with RNT. Halfway into the journey, the car had a flat tyre, and as the driver pulled up, the occupants - including Mr. Tata - got off for a comfort break, leaving the driver to replace the tyre. 

Some of the managers welcomed the forced break, as it allowed them a much-needed chance to light up a cigarette. Some used the opportunity to stretch, and smile, and share a joke. And then, one of them suddenly noticed that Mr. Tata was not to be seen, and wondered aloud where Ratan Tata might have vanished. 

· Was he behind some bush? 

· Had he wandered off inside the roadside dhaba for a quick cup of tea? 

· Or was he mingling with some passer-bys, listening to their stories? 

None of these, in fact while his colleagues were taking a break, Ratan Tata was busy helping the driver change tyres. Sleeves rolled up, tie swatted away over the shoulder, the hands expertly working the jack and the spanner, bouncing the spare tyre to check if the tyre pressure was ok. Droplets of sweat on the brow, and a smile on the face. 

In that moment, the managers accompanying Ratan Tata got a master class in leadership they haven't forgotten. 

And that's a moment that the driver of that car probably hasn't forgotten either.