Dear Friend,
What is the difference between an ‘individual’ and a ‘person’? Let us understand this. Let us depict the mind of the individual by one circle, and the mind of the person by another circle. The word ‘individual’ is linked to ‘indivisible’. That which is neither divided nor can be divided. There is no possibility. So there is this circle; the individual’s circle. And it’s an empty circle. Zero cannot be divided. There are only two entities that cannot be divided; zero and infinity. You can represent the individual by any of them. They both are indivisible. Zero and infinity.
We will just take zero for the sake of convenience. So there is the mind of the individual: blank, empty. Or let me say: clear and clean, containing no garbage, with no influences working on it. And then there is the mind of the person. The mind of the person, you may visualize, is divided into hundreds of sectors. Hundreds of small sectors. Do you understand a ‘sector’? A sector is within a circle. What is each of these sectors representing? It is representing a particular influence upon the mind. Every sector is dominated by some other influence. And the sectors keep fluctuating. Thousands of sectors keep mingling, changing, but they remain within the circle. They never go away. They never leave the mind clean.
One sector is dominated by family, other by education, third by friends, fourth by media, religion, and all kinds of influences. And these too have their own chemistry with each other. So in a particular environment I am influenced by this person, or that force, or that system. And all these sectors are being pushed in different directions. So friends are pushing or rather pulling the mind in one direction, and teachers are pulling it in another direction.
So what happens to an entity upon which two opposing forces are acting? It remains stressed. Right? And if the stress increases beyond a point, then it is torn apart. That is the mind of the person: divided, stressed and torn apart by various forces. And we experience that daily. The biggest sign of that stress is confusion, indecision. We can’t decide. And don’t you see, don’t you inquire that why can’t you be attentive enough. Whenever there is indecision there are always two or three options. These two or three options are actually two or three influences upon the mind. Each trying to go differently. That is the mind of a person- a slave to a thousand influences.
That’s how our lives are. Whichever direction we go, that direction is not ours. That is the enslavement, the depth of enslavement of the person. And it is tragic, because that’s not what it is meant to be.
Of all the influences on the mind, one of the influences is: ‘you are free’. Of the thousand beliefs that have been embedded into the mind, one of the beliefs is: you have a free power of opinion making. Now that’s extremely dangerous because the best way to let a slave remain a slave is to tell him, that he is already free. If you can convince a slave that- you are already free- that is the best and most deceptive way of keeping him enslaved. Is that not so?
There is a prisoner in a jail. If he can be convinced that: this is not a jail at all, this is your personal palace, and these policemen are your personal guards, personal security guards, and you are a V.I.P. and these handcuffs, these chains are not chains, they are actually ornaments, will the prisoner ever try to break free? Will he ever try to break free? No
That is what happens to the person who starts thinking that she is an individual. “I am a prisoner but I have been convinced that this is freedom. This itself is freedom, there is no need to become free, because I am already free” You do not know what freedom is, you do not know what individuality is, you are just saying, “Be individual, be individual.” What does ‘be individual’ mean? Does ‘be individual’ mean going as per your likes and dislikes? Does ‘be individual’ mean that I like pizza, so I will order pizza? Is that what individuality is? Does ‘be individual’ mean ‘I am attracted towards a particular dress so I’ll buy it’? Is that what individuality is?
There is the bird in the cage. Since childhood the bird is in the cage itself. It was born in the cage. It knows nothing but the cage. It is alright in the cage because it’s master feeds it. Morning and evening the bird is given a few things to eat. The bird is also given a few toys inside the cage. So the bird can keep itself entertained. And the bird is safe and secure in the cage, because cats, dogs, eagles, cannot attack it as long as it is within the cage.
The master is fond of telling the neighbors, “I teach my bird all kinds of good things.” So he teaches the bird all kinds of nice things and one of the things that he teaches the bird is, “Say freedom! Say freedom is precious. Say individuality! Say truth! Say joy!” So a young man is passing by that cage one day and there is nobody looking. The cage is kept a little outside the house. And he sees this bird. And the bird is constantly parroting, “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! Truth! Flight! Joy! Freedom! Freedom!”
Now the young man is young in the real sense of the word. He has real red-blood flowing in his veins. He says, “Oh my God! A bird is meant to fly free in the skies, not to be caged. Even if the cage is made of gold.” So he goes to the bird and opens the door of the cage. He says, “This bird is thirsty for freedom.” He opens the door of the cage, expecting that the bird will say, “Thank you Sir. I am so glad that you are opening my cage.” But the bird sits where it is sitting, and keeps parroting, “Freedom! Individuality! Freedom! Individuality!” It does not come out.
Now the young man is puzzled. He says, “What is this? Maybe there is some confusion in the mind.” So he goads the bird a little, but the bird still won’t come out. So he says, “Alright, if you are stubborn, you won’t come out. I am also stubborn. I’ll make you come out.” So he puts his hand inside the cage and tries to pull the bird out. He says, “Your place is not inside the cage. No bird is ever born to live inside a cage. Come out and fly high.”
So what does the bird do? The bird starts biting the finger of the man who wants to help her. The bird says, “This must be some enemy. It is trying to relieve me from my cage. And my cage is precious home! How dare he tries to set me free?” So the bird keeps nipping and biting the finger, and the blood starts flowing. But still the young man pulls the bird out and says, “‘Go! Now you will know what individuality is. Individuality is not a word, it’s a way of living. Now go and find out. Fly and know. Be and know.”
And he is happy that he has done a nice job, and he goes away. After a few days he comes back. To his utter surprise what does he see? The bird is back in the cage. And in the cage what is the bird constantly singing? “Freedom! Freedom! Individuality! Individuality!”
RD
What is the difference between an ‘individual’ and a ‘person’? Let us understand this. Let us depict the mind of the individual by one circle, and the mind of the person by another circle. The word ‘individual’ is linked to ‘indivisible’. That which is neither divided nor can be divided. There is no possibility. So there is this circle; the individual’s circle. And it’s an empty circle. Zero cannot be divided. There are only two entities that cannot be divided; zero and infinity. You can represent the individual by any of them. They both are indivisible. Zero and infinity.
We will just take zero for the sake of convenience. So there is the mind of the individual: blank, empty. Or let me say: clear and clean, containing no garbage, with no influences working on it. And then there is the mind of the person. The mind of the person, you may visualize, is divided into hundreds of sectors. Hundreds of small sectors. Do you understand a ‘sector’? A sector is within a circle. What is each of these sectors representing? It is representing a particular influence upon the mind. Every sector is dominated by some other influence. And the sectors keep fluctuating. Thousands of sectors keep mingling, changing, but they remain within the circle. They never go away. They never leave the mind clean.
One sector is dominated by family, other by education, third by friends, fourth by media, religion, and all kinds of influences. And these too have their own chemistry with each other. So in a particular environment I am influenced by this person, or that force, or that system. And all these sectors are being pushed in different directions. So friends are pushing or rather pulling the mind in one direction, and teachers are pulling it in another direction.
So what happens to an entity upon which two opposing forces are acting? It remains stressed. Right? And if the stress increases beyond a point, then it is torn apart. That is the mind of the person: divided, stressed and torn apart by various forces. And we experience that daily. The biggest sign of that stress is confusion, indecision. We can’t decide. And don’t you see, don’t you inquire that why can’t you be attentive enough. Whenever there is indecision there are always two or three options. These two or three options are actually two or three influences upon the mind. Each trying to go differently. That is the mind of a person- a slave to a thousand influences.
That’s how our lives are. Whichever direction we go, that direction is not ours. That is the enslavement, the depth of enslavement of the person. And it is tragic, because that’s not what it is meant to be.
Of all the influences on the mind, one of the influences is: ‘you are free’. Of the thousand beliefs that have been embedded into the mind, one of the beliefs is: you have a free power of opinion making. Now that’s extremely dangerous because the best way to let a slave remain a slave is to tell him, that he is already free. If you can convince a slave that- you are already free- that is the best and most deceptive way of keeping him enslaved. Is that not so?
There is a prisoner in a jail. If he can be convinced that: this is not a jail at all, this is your personal palace, and these policemen are your personal guards, personal security guards, and you are a V.I.P. and these handcuffs, these chains are not chains, they are actually ornaments, will the prisoner ever try to break free? Will he ever try to break free? No
That is what happens to the person who starts thinking that she is an individual. “I am a prisoner but I have been convinced that this is freedom. This itself is freedom, there is no need to become free, because I am already free” You do not know what freedom is, you do not know what individuality is, you are just saying, “Be individual, be individual.” What does ‘be individual’ mean? Does ‘be individual’ mean going as per your likes and dislikes? Does ‘be individual’ mean that I like pizza, so I will order pizza? Is that what individuality is? Does ‘be individual’ mean ‘I am attracted towards a particular dress so I’ll buy it’? Is that what individuality is?
There is the bird in the cage. Since childhood the bird is in the cage itself. It was born in the cage. It knows nothing but the cage. It is alright in the cage because it’s master feeds it. Morning and evening the bird is given a few things to eat. The bird is also given a few toys inside the cage. So the bird can keep itself entertained. And the bird is safe and secure in the cage, because cats, dogs, eagles, cannot attack it as long as it is within the cage.
The master is fond of telling the neighbors, “I teach my bird all kinds of good things.” So he teaches the bird all kinds of nice things and one of the things that he teaches the bird is, “Say freedom! Say freedom is precious. Say individuality! Say truth! Say joy!” So a young man is passing by that cage one day and there is nobody looking. The cage is kept a little outside the house. And he sees this bird. And the bird is constantly parroting, “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! Truth! Flight! Joy! Freedom! Freedom!”
Now the young man is young in the real sense of the word. He has real red-blood flowing in his veins. He says, “Oh my God! A bird is meant to fly free in the skies, not to be caged. Even if the cage is made of gold.” So he goes to the bird and opens the door of the cage. He says, “This bird is thirsty for freedom.” He opens the door of the cage, expecting that the bird will say, “Thank you Sir. I am so glad that you are opening my cage.” But the bird sits where it is sitting, and keeps parroting, “Freedom! Individuality! Freedom! Individuality!” It does not come out.
Now the young man is puzzled. He says, “What is this? Maybe there is some confusion in the mind.” So he goads the bird a little, but the bird still won’t come out. So he says, “Alright, if you are stubborn, you won’t come out. I am also stubborn. I’ll make you come out.” So he puts his hand inside the cage and tries to pull the bird out. He says, “Your place is not inside the cage. No bird is ever born to live inside a cage. Come out and fly high.”
So what does the bird do? The bird starts biting the finger of the man who wants to help her. The bird says, “This must be some enemy. It is trying to relieve me from my cage. And my cage is precious home! How dare he tries to set me free?” So the bird keeps nipping and biting the finger, and the blood starts flowing. But still the young man pulls the bird out and says, “‘Go! Now you will know what individuality is. Individuality is not a word, it’s a way of living. Now go and find out. Fly and know. Be and know.”
And he is happy that he has done a nice job, and he goes away. After a few days he comes back. To his utter surprise what does he see? The bird is back in the cage. And in the cage what is the bird constantly singing? “Freedom! Freedom! Individuality! Individuality!”
RD
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