silence shared in words
presents
My Whole Life Is Full of Jokes
Sitting in front of us, what do you see?
Do you find all these jokes while looking at us?
Chaitanya,
you are right.
I have to confess it:
looking at you,
what else can be found?
You are all a joke unto yourself.
Gautam Buddha said
as his last statement:
"Be a light unto yourself."
The day I leave the body
please remind me,
so that I can make my last statement:
"Be a joke unto yourself."
That is far more
joyful than being a light unto yourself.
What are you going to do with a light?
Light your cigars,
or burn people's houses?
But being a joke unto yourself,
you will be
a bliss
for everyone.
You are right...
this is the way I find jokes -- looking at you.
So be aware when I look at you;
I am searching for a joke!
A big old Indian was sitting in a bar
out West
when a dirty hippy came in
and started to drink a lot
and insult all the other people there.
Soon everyone had left the bar in disgust
except
for the old Indian
who just watched the hippy
with interest.
So the hippy walked over to him and said, "Hey, Indian,
what the hell are you staring at?"
"Well," said the Indian,
"many years ago I was
arrested for making love to a buffalo,
and I just had a feeling
that maybe you are my son."
I see your troubles
and really...
I take them seriously,
but deep inside I am giggling.
Not to offend you
I talk about your problems,
which are sheer nonsense --
but don't tell it to anybody!
Once there was a man who had everything a man could desire:
a wonderful job
that he liked,
a wonderful wife
and wonderful children,
but then one day he began to see spots in front of his eyes.
At first he tried to ignore them,
but they began to get worse.
So finally he paid a visit to the doctor.
The doctor examined him but could find nothing wrong with him,
so he sent him to a specialist,
a neurosurgeon,
who examined him thoroughly
with many tests.
He also could find nothing.
But he said to the man,
"Although I can find nothing specific,
I have seen cases like this before;
often it is some pressure on the brain,
which usually results in death after six months to a year."
The man became very upset,
but then he decided that if indeed he only had
such a short time to live,
he would enjoy life and do everything he ever wanted.
The man loved nice clothes,
so he went to the best tailor in town and said,
"Give me the best clothes you have in your store:
English imported suits,
Italian leather shoes,
hand-stitched silk ties,
and one dozen of the best tailored silk shirts,
size fourteen neck."
The tailor who had taken all his measurements
said to him, "Fourteen neck?
You don't have a fourteen neck --
you have a fifteen neck!"
"Don't tell me what I have,"
said the man, "I have been wearing a size fourteen neck all my adult life."
"Well, if that's so,"
said the tailor, "then you must be seeing spots in front of your eyes!"
Seeing you, certainly
I rejoice.
So many jokes all around!
Perhaps this is the first gathering in the world
where jokes are being used
for your spiritual growth....
And you cannot be otherwise -- unless you become enlightened.
Only enlightened people don't have
anything in life
which you can make a joke of.
But in ignorance and unconsciousness, whatever you do
is somehow
hilarious --
your fights, your love affairs,
your marriages, your divorces.
If you start watching your behavior,
you will find out for yourself --
"My god.
My whole life is full of jokes!"
And it will be a great revelation...
far greater than the revelation of God,
because that too is only a joke and nothing else.
Okay, Vimal
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