presents
Each Problem Is a Challenge and Makes You More Intelligent
It seems that my problems
are getting more and more
since I have become your sannyasin.
Is that your work?
It is my work.
My work is to make you more and more aware,
and when you become more aware
you become aware of more problems.
Those problems were there before.
I don't create your problems,
it is just that you were unconscious;
you were not
taking any note.
Those problems were there.
It is just like a house which is in darkness,
and many spiders are
weaving
their nests
and scorpions are living and snakes are enjoying,
and suddenly you bring light there.
The light does not create the spiders or the scorpions or the snakes,
but it makes you aware of them.
And it is good to be aware,
because then the house can be cleaned;
then you can avoid the snakes.
You have many problems which you are not seeing –
which in fact, you do not want to see.
You go on postponing.
You are so afraid of seeing those problems,
because then you will have to solve them.
But by postponing they are not solved;
it is not so easy.
Problems are not letters
written to George Bernard Shaw.
George Bernard Shaw used to collect letters;
he would not open them.
He would open them
on the first of every month,
so for thirty days he would collect
thousands of letters from all over the world.
His date was fixed:
on the first of every month
he would open them.
And he would go on throwing them,
because most of them had already been answered.
It was rarely that some
letter was left
that had not answered itself.
Somebody asked him, "This is a strange way...."
He said, "It is not strange,
it is the simplest way."
When somebody does not get an answer for two weeks, three weeks,
he gets the answer
that 'This man is not going to answer.'
He drops the hope.
"And most of those letters are useless anyway.
I am not going to waste my whole month.
I have given them just one day –
and any really authentic letter
that needs my attention, I answer.
This way, I save my time, I save their time;
otherwise they would have to read...
and this is such a difficult world
that they would not only read they would
reply also...
again you have to read it.
"It is better to finish it from the very beginning.
It is a chain phenomenon,
it can go on endlessly.
And the more you allow it
and then stop, the more it hurts.
The first letter
and it is finished – it does not hurt.
The man just understands that
this man is not
the type
who answers letters."
But problems are not letters,
and life is not George Bernard Shaw.
You cannot postpone.
But people are postponing.
They go on pushing them this way and that way,
everywhere hiding them,
thinking that
some miracle...
and things will settle down
and problems will be solved.
This is not going to happen.
On the contrary, those problems will create their children.
They will start finding boyfriends, girlfriends –
two problems meeting together
and a third problem is produced,
and you will be in more difficulty.
It is better to go on
facing each problem as it comes by.
It is not sannyas
that
has created your problems.
Sannyas has simply given you a little more awareness.
Your problems
have always been there.
Sannyas has given you the opportunity to solve them.
And one should enjoy solving one's problems.
It sharpens your intelligence.
Each problem is a challenge.
Each problem
makes you more intelligent.
And the day you will not have any problems,
your mind
will come to its
utmost clarity –
because no dust,
no problem.
Your mind becomes
a mirror,
so pure
that it reflects reality.
Yes, it is my work.
But don't think that I am creating your problems.
I am just giving you insight,
awareness,
silence,
so that you can see your problems and solve them.
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