In the presence of truth

[NOTE: This discourse will be in the book "India Coming Back Home", which has not been published, as of August 1992.]

WHAT REALLY SURPRISES ME, SCARES ME, IS THE EXPRESSION OF DEVOTION, THE TREMENDOUS FEELING THAT YOU SEE WHEN YOUR DISCIPLES, FRIENDS AS YOU CALL THEM, COME TO SEE YOU. WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND THAT? AND DO YOU HAVE THE SAME FEELING WHEN YOU ARE WITH THEM?

I love them, but my love does not include emotions or sentiments. In fact, emotions and sentiments bring the quality of love far lower, they are a sacrilege.

But I can understand my people.

For one thing, I never condemn anything. My acceptance of any person is total. I will explain to my people that love should be far higher than emotions and sentiments, but if somebody starts crying, weeping, sobbing, there is no condemnation of it. It is how he is, it is where he is, it is the only way he can express his love. Perhaps some time he will learn to express better. But for the moment if he represses it that will be bad. I am all for expression. If you feel like crying, cry.

The tears that you have been holding become heavy on your being. The laughter that you missed will be a weight on your soul. So whatever happens in the moment, give it total expression. This is the way to transcend all things that can pull you from your purity of love.

For example, devotion is far lower than love, because devotion basically implies self-disrespect. I am against it because at the cost of self-respect you are respecting somebody else. The cost is too much. My whole effort is to teach you to feel dignity as a human being, to feel self-respect as part of this beautiful existence.

Love is a totally different phenomenon. It creates a spiritual equality. It does not mean ungratefulness, it does not mean ingratitude. In fact, the best way to express your gratitude, your gratefulness, is to rise to the level of the guide, of the master, of the friend, whatever name you give to him.

I prefer the name `friend' because friendship is absolutely unmotivated and unending. There will be a time when the function of the guide will be finished and the master will no longer be needed. There has to be a time when the master is not needed. If the master succeeds, he will not be needed.

But the friend is not dependent on any such conditions because it is not a need. It is simply a love affair, unending, unmotivated, unconditional.

I would like them also to learn to express love at its highest level, but of course it takes time. They are moving; a year ago you may have found a person crying and weeping; this year you may find him laughing and smiling; next year you may find him just expressing everything in pure silence, no gesture, no word.

In fact, the higher a value the less is the possibility to express it by anything; it remains inexpressible. It is understood. It is a kind of transference, not a communication. You feel it, it is there like fragrance. Nothing is said, nothing is heard, but everything is understood.

That's exactly the meaning of the ancient word `satsanga.' The word is so beautiful; it simply means to be in the presence of the truth.

IN THE EVENT OF THE GOVERNMENT TRYING TO DO ANYTHING WHICH IS EVEN A FRACTION OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE COULD BE A REAL PROJECTION OF FEELING TOWARDS YOU IN THE STREETS. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

There are a few things to be understood. One: I like to fight alone because then I am stronger and I can fight with all my innocence and with all my purity. I do not want masses to be on the streets in favor of me.

My whole approach is individualistic. I am born alone, I will die alone, and between these two alonenesses everything that you do to deceive yourself that you are not alone is dangerous. There is no way to be not alone.

Aloneness has such beauty that the mob, the crowd, can destroy it.