Afrika Arab világ Ausztrália Ázsiai gasztronómia Bengália Bhután Buddhizmus Burma Egyiptológia Gyógynövények Hadművészet Hálózatok Hinduizmus, jóga India Indonézia, Szingapúr Iszlám Japán Játék Kambodzsa Kelet kultúrája Magyarországon Kína Korea Költészet Közmondások Kunok Laosz Magyar orientalisztika Mélyadaptáció Memetika Mesék Mezopotámia Mongólia Nepál Orientalizmus a nyugati irodalomban és filozófiában Perzsia Pszichedelikus irodalom Roma kultúra Samanizmus Szex Szibéria Taoizmus Thaiföld Tibet Törökország, török népek Történelem Ujgurok Utazók Üzbegisztán Vallások Vietnam Zen/Csan

OJAI 2ND PUBLIC TALK 15TH MAY 1983


May we go on with what we were talking about yesterday and continue with it? It's a lovely morning and I'm glad we have such a nice day.
     We were talking, weren't we, about the general chaos in the world, not only in society and the divisions that religions are creating throughout the world, the threat of war, and the general chaos, and we were asking who is responsible for all this mess. And we were saying, weren't we, that thought, which has so extraordinarily evolved technologically, but psychologically, inwardly, we are still very, very primitive. And this primitivism - if there is such a word, I doubt it - is creating this misery and confusion. And from there we talked about relationship. How without relationship there would be no humanity, without relationship there would be no existence at all. Relationship, we said, was one of the most important things in life. And that relationship is generally, with most people, based on remembrance and things past. And we went into it somewhat in detail yesterday morning; I don't think it would be necessary to go over it again. Remembrance and pleasure, we said, is not love. Desire to achieve, to become something, denies that perfume which we call love. That's where we stopped yesterday, and we briefly talked about peace.
     Man has evolved probably a million years or less or more biologically, and man has always been crying for peace on earth; pacem in terris, the old Latin phrase. And apparently there is no peace in the world. Without peace we cannot possibly flower; we can possibly, not evolve, but see the extraordinary depth of life, the beauty of it; the immensity of all living things. One must have peace. And that peace is denied wherever there is poverty. In this country, there is a great deal of poverty too, though this society is affluent. As you go further east, poverty increases: Africa, Middle East, and India and so on. Where there is poverty, which no special nationalistic government can ever solve, because it's a global problem; a problem of the whole world, not of a particular government, whether it is totalitarian, Marxist, or so-called democratic. And poverty, not only outwardly - if you have lived in a country where there is immense poverty, you see the effect of it: the degradation, the utter slavery of it; the brutality. We have lived through all of it. And this poverty, not only of the mind, and the poverty of the mind is not enriched through books, through institutions and organizations and foundations or forums - that mind is enriched when one understands the whole existence of oneself and one's relationship to the world at large.
     And religions have not encouraged or brought about peace in the world. They talk a great deal - all the Christian world talks about pacem in terris, peace in the world - but religions have divided man. There are the Catholics, the Protestants; I don't know how many religious groups there are in this little village, probably dozens of them, institutions and foundations, each trying to tell the other fellows what to do; or inform them. Religions have prevented peace, they have had wars - 'Hundred Years' War in Europe; torture; all the brutality of this particular culture based on certain religious concepts, dogmas and beliefs. And religions throughout the world, in India and Far East and Near East, have prevented man from right relationship with humanity. These are all facts. There has been 5,000 years of war. This is historically stated, and we are still going on with wars; killing each other - perhaps in the beginning with a club, now you evaporate man, vaporize man by the million. We have not psychologically evolved, inwardly. And as long as we are primitive psychologically, our society will be equally primitive.
     And can there be peace on this earth? This is a very, very serious question. Not only in oneself to live peacefully, without conflict, is that at all possible? Or man, is condemned forever to live in conflict. (Is that bothering you? The aeroplane? All right.) Is man forever condemned to live in conflict, in wars? Or is there a way out of all this? Certainly not through religions, as they are; not through political organization, whether it is democratic or totalitarian or Marxist. Nor through divisions of nationalities. As long as you remain an American, and the speaker remains a Hindu or a Buddhist or Muslim, we'll have no peace on earth. Nor the racial divisions, as the Jew, the Arab, and the Hindu, and so on. Nor culturally. So it's a very important question to ask of ourselves; not of another, not whether governments can bring about peace. Governments are created by what we are. They have been structured, put together by our own demands.
     So, one asks, is it possible to have peace on this earth? This has been a cry for centuries; long before Christianity came into being. 2,500 years ago the Buddha was talking about peace. And we are still talking about it. And so realizing all this, what is one to do? Individuals, so-called individual effort to live in peace doesn't affect the whole world. You may live peacefully in this lovely valley; quietly, not too ambitious, not too corrupt, not too competitive; and live here quietly. Perhaps get on with your wife or your husband, but will that affect the whole of human consciousness? Or, the problem is much greater, much more profound. To find that out, if we are at all serious - and please, if one may remind you, this is not an entertainment, this is far too serious. We have to think together; not the speaker thinks and explains and describes, but together look, like two old friends, sitting under the shade of the trees, and talking about all this, not merely intellectually, but their hearts are disturbed. They are greatly concerned about what is happening in the world and what is happening to themselves. Like two old friends who have an amiable conversation; not convincing one or the other; not stimulating one or the other; not sticking to one's opinions and judgments and conclusions; two old friends who have lived together, walked together, seen many things of the world. You and the speaker are like that; so that we can think together, not what to think, or how to think, but think, observe together; observe the same tree, the skies, the birds, and the astonishing beauty of the mountains. And so together, actually together, not you listen to the speaker, but together explore into this question; the question being - one puts to the other - can we live not only you and I, but the rest of humanity? Because this earth is ours, not the American or the Irish or the English or the French, it's our earth. We are its guests. We have to live here peacefully.
     And the one says to the other, what is the cause of all this? If one can find the cause, then the effect can end, the symptom. War is a symptom. The cause is very, very deep, complex. As when you can find the cause of a disease, that disease can be cured. So the two friends - I hope we are friends talking over together - two friends say, what is the cause of all this? Why have human beings become like this? So thoughtless, only concerned with themselves, and nothing matters except their own desires, their own urges, their own impulse; their own ambition, their own success; whether the success be in business world or in the professorial world. And also psychologically, inwardly, we want to be somebody, become somebody. So please, one says to the other, do listen carefully what I am telling you. Is there psychological evolution at all? That's a very, very serious question. That is, is there a becoming at all, psychologically? And that becoming, inwardly achieving, from 'what is' to 'what should be', from misery to some form of happiness, from confusion to enlightenment, which is to become - from that which is to what should be; that is becoming.
     That becoming implies time. And this becoming, each one trying to become psychologically something, may be the same movement as physically to become from a clerk to whatever it is - bishop. No - local priest to become a bishop; like a clerk to become an executive. It's the same movement, the same wave, brought over to the psychological realm. I hope - the friend is asking the other - I hope I am making myself clear. He says, you are not quite clear. Go into it a little bit more.
     In all religions and psychological world, the idea of change is to become. Right? I am confused, I must change this confusion to become clear. I quarrel with my wife, but the change to stop that, or to end that quarrel is to move from the violence to non-violence. That is, there is always the attempt to be something which is not. Right? So the friend says, that's fairly clear; fairly, not too clear. But we'll go on with our conversation; it's a lovely morning, we have plenty of time, the sun is warm, and the shadows are many. And the shadows matter as much as the sun. There is great beauty in the shadows; but most of us are concerned with light, enlightenment, and we want to achieve that. This very psychological achievement may be one of the factors of conflict in life. So - my friend says - let's examine that fact. What is it to become? I hope my friend is very interested - and I hope you are too; and listening to this conversation; which is you and the speaker. You and the speaker. There's no friend outside you and the speaker. So, he says, is that the fundamental cause of division? Division must exist, the other explains, as long as there is the psyche, the self, the 'me', the ego, the person, separating himself from the other. But the other says, this has been a long history, this is what the human condition is; that we have been trained, educated to accept both religiously and economically and so on that we are individuals, separate from the rest of mankind, separate from an other. And the friend says, is that so? Are we really individuals? I know this is the tradition, this is what all religion have said - separate souls in Christianity, and the Hindus, and so on. But together, you as the friend and the speaker as the other, are going to examine whether we are really individuals at all. Be patient, please. See all the implications of it before you deny or accept. Now you accept it; it's your condition, as an individual, free to do what you want to do. And the totalitarian denies this; they say you are just a cog in the whole social structure.
     So we are questioning not only the psychological becoming may be an illusion, and also psychologically we are not separate; because you suffer, you are confused, you are unhappy, you are anxious, uncertain, insecure; you may have security outwardly - even that is becoming more and more uncertain. There are millions unemployed in this country; and in England. Four million people are unemployed in England; a small country. And the unemployment in India is something they don't know. This unemployment is causing great misery, unhappiness, and conflict, hate.
     So we are questioning together - you and the other friend are questioning - whether we are individuals at all. Or, we are like the rest of humanity; the rest of humanity is unhappy, sorrow-ridden, fearful, believing in some fantastic romantic nonsense; they go through great suffering; uncertainty, like you. And our reaction, which is part of our consciousness, is similar to the other. This is an absolute fact. You may not like to think about it, you might like to think that you are totally separate from another - which is quite absurd. So your consciousness, which is you: what you think, what you believe, what your conclusions, prejudices, your vanity, arrogance, aggression, pain, grief, sorrow, is shared by all humanity. That's our conditioning; whether you are a Catholic or a Protestant or whatever you are.
     So, our consciousness is your essence, what your life is. That is the truth. And so you actually share the rest of humanity; you are the rest of humanity. You are humanity. This is a tremendous thing to realize. You may believe in a certain form of a saviour and the other believe in certain form of ideologies and so on; belief is common to all of us; fear is common to all of us; loneliness, the agony of loneliness is shared by the rest of humanity. So when one realizes the truth of that, becoming - that is, to change from 'what is' to 'what should be' - has a totally different meaning. The friend says, I don't understand that at all. What do you mean by that? The friend says, I don't quite know, but let's examine it. I hope you are all following all this; because it's your life, not mine. It's your daily life - whether you live in this valley, New York or other big cities, all the cities of the world - it's our life. We have to understand that, not from another, but to examine the facts of our life; to look at ourselves as you look at yourself when you comb your hair or shaving: objectively, sanely, rationally, without any distortion, seeing things as they are, and not be frightened or ashamed; but to observe.
     So the friend says, all my life I have tried to change from 'what is' to 'what should be'. I know violence, disorder, I've known all that very well. And that disorder and violence, I've tried to change; that is, to become from violence to non-violence; from disorder to order. Now is there - the other friend says - is non-violence a fact? Or just an imaginary conclusion, a reaction from the fact of violence? I hope we understand each other. I am violent; I project the idea of non-violence, because that's part of my conditioning. I have lived in disorder and I try to seek order; that is, to change 'what is' to 'what should be'. That's part of becoming. And that may be the cause of conflict. And so let's examine that carefully. You're examining it, not the speaker is examining it. I must constantly - one must constantly remember that. And the speaker will constantly remind his friend that it's not a one-sided conversation; it's not one-sided communication. We are both of us friends, you and the speaker are observing all this. The speaker is expressing it in words, but you are also observing it, not only the words but the fact. So the friend says, can this violence end? Not become non-violent. Can envy, greed, fear end? Not become courageous, free from this or that. That's the question. So the other friend says, I'll show it to you. Only perhaps this may be new to you, so please kindly listen most attentively.
     First realize what we are doing; that is, 'what is' to become the ideal, which is 'what should be'. The ideal is non-existent, is non-fact. But 'what is' is a fact. Right? So let's understand 'what is' and not the idea of non-violence, which is absurd. This has been preached by various people in India, beginning with Tolstoy and others. This is our tradition, this is our conditioning; this is our attempt to become something. And we have never achieved anything. We have never become non-violent. Never. So let's examine carefully whether it is possible to end that which is, to end that disorder or violence. End, not become something. I hope we understand each other. The becoming implies time. This is very important to understand. When we talk about fear, which shall presently, we'll go into the question of time; which is extraordinarily complex.
     So, sir, let's understand whether it's possible to end what is; not to change 'what is' into that which we would like to be. We'll take the question of violence. And if you prefer disorder, both are the same; it doesn't matter what you take. Violence is inherited from beyond all time, from the animal, from the ape and to us. We have inherited it. That's a fact, we are violent people. Otherwise we wouldn't be killing anybody; we wouldn't be hurting anybody; we wouldn't say a word against anybody; but we are by nature violent. Now what is the meaning of that word? To hold that word, feel the weight of that word, the complications of that word. Not merely physical violence: the terrorist throwing bombs; those terrorists who want to change society through various forms of disturbance and bombing and so on, they have never changed society. And there are the terrorists who do it for the fun of it. Violence is not only physical but psychological, much more. Violence is conformity, because to conform to something, not understand 'what is', but to conform, imitate. And violence must exist as long as there is division outwardly and inwardly. Conflict is the very nature of violence. The friend says, yes, I see that. That's fairly clear. Now how do you end it? How do you end the whole complex question of violence? He says, I understand very well that to become non-violent is a part of violence. Right? Part of violence; because you have projected from violence non-violence. And I understand that very clearly, that projection is really illusion. So I have rejected that concept, or that idea, that feeling that you must become non-violent. He says, I understand that very clearly. There is only this fact. Now, what am I to do?
     And the friend says, don't ask me - listen carefully - don't ask me, but let's look at it. The moment you ask what to do, or how to do, you put the other fellow as your guide. You make him your authority; therefore friendship ceases. Right? So together let's look at it. Being free, work together from the idea of non-violence; observe what is violence; look at it; give attention to the fact, not escape from it, not rationalize it. Don't say, why you shouldn't be violent, it's part of myself. But if that is part of yourself, you'll always create wars, of different kinds: wars between yourself and your wife, wars, killing others and so on.
     So look at it without conflict; you understand? Look at it as though it was not separate from you. You understand all this? This is rather difficult. Which is: violence is part of you, you are violent, like you are greedy. Greed is not separate from you. Suffering is not separate from you. Anxiety, loneliness, depression, all that is you. But our tradition, our education has said, you are separate from that. Right? So where there is separation, where there is duality, there must be conflict. Like the Jew, Arab, I'm taking that, probably you'll understand that better. Between the conflict of two great powers, division, and so on. So, it's you; you are that. You are not separate from that. The analyzer is not different from the analyzed. Right The friend says, I follow this a little more. Go on, explain a bit more. He says, I will.
     We observe the tree, the mountain, you observe your wife and your children, and who is the observer and who is the observed? Please, I am going into it carefully, follow this. Is the observer different from the tree? Of course he is different, I hope. The observer is different from that mountain. The observer is different from the computer. But, is the observer different from anxiety? The anxiety is a reaction, put into words as anxiety, but the feeling is you. The word is different - please follow this - the word is different, but the word is never the thing. The thing is the feeling of anxiety, feeling of violence. The word 'violence' is not that. So watch carefully that the word doesn't entangle your observation. You are following? Because our brain is caught in a network of words. When I say, you are an American, you feel very proud. When I call myself South African or a Zulu, I feel - you follow - something totally different. So one must be very careful that the language doesn't condition our thinking. This is quite a different problem. Right?
     So the friend says to the other, observe this feeling without the word. If you use the word, you strengthen the past memories of that particular feeling. Are you following? This is the act of observation in which the word is not the thing and the observer is the observed. The observer who says, I am violent, that observer is violence. Right? So the observer is the observed. The thinker is the thought. The experiencer who says I must experience nirvana or heaven or what, is the experience. Right? The analyzer is the analyzed and so on. So look at that fact, of that feeling, without a word, without analyzing it, just look. That is, be with it. Be with this thing as is. Which means you bring all your attention to it. Right? By analyzing, examining, that's all waste of energy, whereas if you give your total attention, which is give all your energy to the feeling, then that feeling has total ending.
     The friend says, are you mesmerizing me by being so vehement, by being so passionate about it? I say, no. I'm not stimulating you, I'm not telling you what to do. You yourself have realized that non-violence is non-fact, it's not real. What is real is violence. You yourself have realized it. You yourself have said, yes, I am violent; not I am separate from the violence. The word separates. But the fact of the feeling is me. Me is my nose, my eyes, my face, my name, my character, that's me. I am not separate from all that. When you separate, you act upon it. Right? Which means conflict. Therefore, you have fundamentally erased the cause of conflict when you are that, not separate from that. Is this clear? Right?
     So we have - the friend says, I have learned something. I have learned a great phenomenon, which I have never realized before. Before I have separated my feelings as though I was different from my feeling. Now I realize the truth that I am that. Therefore I remain with it. And when you remain with it, hold it, you are out of that, that gives you tremendous energy. And that energy dissipates, ends that violence completely. Not for a day, not while you are sitting here, but it's the end of it.
     So we can go on to the next question, if we have time. Oh, good, plenty of time. I hope you are not tired. We must now take up the question - two friends are asking - how to end fear? Because that's been one of our problems; from time beyond time, man has lived with fear. Fear of various kinds: fear of ending, death, fear of not gaining, fear of being a failure in life, fear of losing a job, fear of darkness, fear of what public will say; fear I might lose my wife, fear of so many kinds. Fear of being dull. When I see a bright man, intelligent, capable, alive, I am jealous of him; that's part of fear.
     So, to understand the nature of fear, and the structure of fear; because out of fear we have created gods - you understand? If we are not afraid at all, we are the most liberated man on earth. Then you don't want gods. You are a god yourself. So to understand the nature of fear, we must examine very carefully time. Time is fear. I'm afraid of tomorrow; I'm afraid of that which has happened two years ago. Two years ago is the past; the past is time, and I'm afraid of what might happen tomorrow. That's part of time. I have a job, but I might lose it. That's time. Right? So we must understand, if we can, and go into this question very carefully, what time is.
     Time exists not only physically, but psychologically. Time to learn a language, time is necessary to go from here to your home, time by the watch, time by the sun, rising and setting, the darkness of night and the light of day. There is physical time. To put together a computer needs time. You'll understand that better because you're all mechanically minded. That's hot a sneer, please. So time is necessary at a certain area. Now we are questioning whether time exists at all psychologically, inwardly. That is, the word 'hope' - don't get depressed by all this; just look at it - the word 'hope' implies time. I hope to be; I hope to become; I hope to achieve; I hope to fulfil; I hope to reach heaven, enlightenment. All that psychologically demands time. We are saying time in one direction, one area is necessary, whether this psychological time may be a total illusion. The word illusion implies, the root meaning, etymological meaning of that word is, to play; to play with something. We play with illusions. Because that's fun. We take great pleasure in having a dozen illusions. The more the better, because the more neurotic they are. The word - that's why we are examining the word itself, the root meaning of that word is 'ludere', to play.
     So, is there psychologically tomorrow? Look at it, don't deny it - I am asking my friend - don't get upset about it. Don't throw up your hands and say, buzz off. Look at it, watch it. Don't deny it or accept it. And you might deny it because you are conditioned. And being conditioned, you might say, I can't live with the idea of not having hope. That involves conditioning. Is it possible not to be conditioned? All these questions are interrelated. Conditioned: what does that mean? To be limited. Our brains are conditioned. Please listen to all this - the friend is saying to the other, please listen to this. Because this is really important if you can understand it. Then you'll be an extraordinary person if you are free of your conditioning. Not that you will be extraordinary, therefore unconditioned, but understand it first, then naturally it happens. There are many scholars and scientists and others who say, human beings, the human brain will always be conditioned: by their language, by their food, by their clothes, environment, society, and all the rest of it. And you can modify that conditioning, but you can never be free from it. Great writers have written about it. We have discussed with prominent people who are convinced that human beings cannot be free from all conditioning.
     So my friend says, tell me about it. Is it possible not to be conditioned? What is the factor of being conditioned? What causes the brain to be conditioned? First of all, it's conditioned, there is the demand for security. We're not advocating insecurity. Just listen to the whole story of it. We want security, both physically, which is natural - food, clothes and shelter, that's natural. Everybody in the world must have it, not just the few. And that security is denied when it is only for the few. There's poverty, therefore there must be conflict. So when the brain seeks - which is thought, naturally, you understand? The essence of the brain is thinking. That is the root, the nature of the brain, to think. But thinking has realized that it is in itself uncertain, therefore it seeks security. And that security through division - I am an American, my family, your family - and that security now is being denied; you can see it. So, is there a security which is not of time? You understand? Which is not of hope. You are following? Is there a security which is not put together by desire? Right? The friend says, yes; there is absolute security. Irrevocable security. The other friend says, show me. Don't be too clever about it. Don't say lot of things, just show me where there is security. But the other says, don't be so impatient. Look at it very carefully; that we need security; physical security. And that's being denied by all the division in the world: religious, political, racial, division of ideologies, wars. Physical security is gradually being eroded. So do something about that. So the desire to find security inwardly as separate human being is causing that. I hope you are following all this.
     So find out if there is security inwardly. There is no security in attachment. Right? Attachment to my wife, to my friend, to my girl, to my man or attachment to an idea, to a concept, to an image. There's no security - right - in those. When you say, "I agree with you, there is no security in that," what happens? Before you had not examined this, you've just attached. But now, by examining it, there has been a radical change. You are following this? The brain has been conditioned by attachment. There in that attachment it sought security: to my wife, to my job, to an ideal; to some god. So, discovering that there is no security in any of that, what has happened to the brain? Please follow, watch this carefully. What has happened to your brain, which has been traditionally conditioned to be attached, hoping to find security in all this, and suddenly discovers there is no security in all this, what's happened to the brain? You follow this? There has been a total change. You understand all this?
     As long as you cling to a particular comforting attachment, and in that attachment you sought security, and you find now, after very careful observation, that there is no security in that. The whole movement has moved away from it. So your brain is unconditioned. Right? And that unconditioning has been brought about because you saw the truth that in attachment there is no security. The seeing that there is no security in illusion is intelligence. That intelligence, the beginning of that, gives you absolute security in intelligence, not in attachment. You have got it? Right? Is this clear?
     So, the friend says, now let's go back to fear. It's very interesting, all this, if you go into it; more fascinating than any cinema in the world. You take a long journey; an endless journey; that is, endless, infinite. Which implies, where there is intelligence, there is compassion. We'll go into that later.
     So now, my friend and I are talking about fear. The friend says, is there an ending to it? Not for one day, or few hours, but the total ending of it. Because he realizes, he says, I realize what fear does. It darkens my whole life; it cripples my thinking; it's a physical shrinking; a nervous tension. I know very well, the friend says, what fear is. I know several forms of fear; but I am not concerned about the forms of fear, because if I can root out the cause, then I don't have to bother with the branches of it.
     So the friend says, I am not concerned with the trimming of the tree of fear, but I am concerned with the ending of fear. Is that possible? Or must we everlastingly live with fear? Man has lived with fear, from thousands of years. And you come along and say, you can end it. What right have you to say it? Is it just another verbal friction Or is it a fact?
     So the friend says, we'll go into it together. You must see it for yourself, not I see it and I tell you, and then you reject or accept; but together let's take the journey to find out whether it's possible to end fear; totally, psychologically. Then outwardly it will have its own expression. Right? When psychologically there is an ending of fear, then the ending has its own expression outwardly. Not the other way round. Is that clear? So the friend says, time is a factor of fear. That's a fact. And also thought is a factor of fear. I think tomorrow may be dangerous; I think I am going to be ill; I think what the public might say; I have a job but I might become unemployed.
     So time and thought are the root of fear. Go into it slowly. We explained the nature of time. Right? Time is hope, time is becoming, time as learning how to drive a car and so on; outwardly and inwardly. Now, we see time is a factor of fear; obviously. That's clear. And also thought is a factor of fear. I am here; I might die. Thought says, I might die. So thought, without too elaborating the movement of thought, which is, thought is experience, knowledge from experience, knowledge is stored in the brain as memory, memory is the reaction to thought. And thought is always limited, because knowledge is always limited; experience is always limited. In the scientific world, in the biological world, however much knowledge they have, they have to have more, more. So knowledge now or in the past or in the future will always be limited. This is a fact. And so thought is limited. And whatever thought does, it's action is limited. So time and thought are the root of fear.
     The friend says, yes, I see that, but how am I to stop thought? I say, don't ask how. That's the easiest question to ask. And whom are you asking? I'm your friend, I'm not your guide, I'm not your guru, I'm not your authority; don't ask anybody ever how. But observe! Look very carefully. If time and thought are the root of fear, which they are - please listen, the friend says to the other, please listen carefully: they are the root of fear. And it's not how to stop thought or time; but see the fact that thought is the originator of fear. Realize that, see it. But you need time to go, or thought, to go from here to there. Right? You are sitting here, you have to go home, that requires time and thought. Otherwise you couldn't move. But psychologically, time and thought have bred fear. And you are fear; you are not separate from fear. Right? So the examiner of fear is the examined. Right? The examiner who says, time and thought are the root of fear, after looking at it carefully, that time and thought is you. You are the trap of fear. Get it? You are fear. This is a revelation, you understand; before you said, I am afraid, I will do something about it. I'll run away from it; I'll become courageous, I'll be this, I'll be that. Therefore there is conflict in that. Right? Whereas now you see for yourself that you are that, time and thought. So you can't do a thing about it. Right? I wonder if you realize this.
     The friend says to the other, do you realize the immensity of that statement, the depth of it, that you are that, therefore you cannot possibly do a thing about it. Which means what? All action with regard to fear has ended. Right? See what happens then. Before you acted upon it; now you are not acting, you are no longer the actor. You are that; you are both the actor and the act. Right? You are that. What takes place when you are that? This is - please, this is part of meditation - look at it very carefully; take it in your hands, like a precious jewel, and look at it. You are that when all movement stops. You understand? When you realize you are that, all movements naturally stop. Movement is a waste of energy. Therefore - you understand - when there is no movement, you have that tremendous energy to look. And therefore there is the ending of it.
     The friend says, I am tired. You have taken a long journey together through valleys and mountains and the meadows and groves. I have understood a great deal. I have not learned. I have learned nothing, but I have observed, and that observance has brought great light, great intelligence; and that intelligence operates - not me operating on that. Right?