ision in court； the other side is absent。
the poor fellow has not even had a chance to say whether he is indeed dead or not。
do you follow what i mean？ death is a social illusion。
it is not that mans illusion； his illusion is altogether different。
his illusion is not of dying。
his illusion is how he can expect to remain awake at the moment of death when he has lived all his life in the state of sleep？ it is obvious。
how can one who is used to spending his whole day in a state of sleep； stay awake when he is actually asleep？ this means that one who is already asleep even when he is awake； will most certainly be fast asleep in his sleep。
how can one who cannot see in the bright daylight see in the darkness of night？
do you suppose one who failed to see what life is like even in his wakeful state； will be able to see what death is？ in fact； as soon as life slips through his hands； at that moment he will be lost in deep sleep。
the fact of the matter is that； outwardly； we feel he is dead； but this is a social determination； which is wrong。
here the phenomenon of death is being determined by those who are not qualified。
no one in the crowd is a right witness because no one really saw the person dying。
no one has ever seen a person dying！ never has an act of dying been witnessed by anyone。
all we have known is that until a given moment a person was alive； and then he was no longer alive。
thats it； beyond this there is a wall。
so far； no one has ever seen the phenomenon of death。
actually； the problem is that once things are accepted for a long time； we stop thinking them over。
for example； you will immediately take exception if i say that no man has ever seen light。
but i maintain that no one has ever seen light。
we have； of course； seen lighted objects； but never light itself。
we say there is light in this room because the wall is visible； because you are visible。
an object shines in the light； but light itself is never seen。
light is always an unknown source。
certain things shine in it； and because of that we say there is light。
when objects do not shine we say there is darkness。
we have never seen darkness either。
obviously； how could one who has never seen light have ever seen darkness？ if light were visible one could understand； but how can darkness be seen？
darkness simply means； now nothing is visible。
the deeper meaning of darkness is； now nothing is visible to us。
it would be better to say。
〃we cannot see anything。
〃 this would be a statement of fact。
but to say 〃there is darkness〃 is absolutely wrong。
this way； we are turning darkness into an object。
so the right thing to say about darkness is； 〃i cannot see anything。
〃 however； just because i am unable to see anything does not mean there is darkness。
saying 〃i cant see anything〃 means the source that made everything shine has bee dull。
now； since things are not visible； it is therefore dark。
a person who has； all along； taken his life to be nothing but eating； drinking； sleeping； moving about； quarreling； loving； making friends； creating enmity； all of a sudden； at the moment of death； even he finds life slipping away through his fingers。
what he had understood as life was not life at all。
they were just acts； visible in the light of life。
just as objects are seen in the presence of light； the person； in the same way； had seen certain things when the light within him was present。
he had eaten food； made friends； created enmity； built homes； earned money； risen to high position …… all these were things seen in the light of life。
now； at the moment of death； he finds them slipping away。
so now the person thinks he is gone； he is dying； that life is lost forever。
he has seen other people dying before and the social illusion that man dies is stuck in his mind as well。
so he feels he is dying。
his conclusion is also part of that social illusion。
he es to feel he is dying just as others before him have died。
he sees himself surrounded by his loved ones； his family and relatives crying bitterly。
now his illusion begins to bee confirmed。
all this creates a hypnotic effect on him。
all these people
。
the situation is just ideal …… the doctor at his side； the oxygen ready； the whole atmosphere of the house changed； people in tears。
now the man seems certain of his death。
the social illusion that he is dying grips his mind。
his friends and relatives around him begin to cast a hypnotic spell on the man that he is just about to die。
someone feels his pulse。
someone else recites the bhagavadgita or whispers the namokar mantra in his ear。
all of them thoroughly convince the man he is about to die …… that whatsoever has been done before with a dying man； they are now doing the same with him。
this is social hypnotism。
the man is now fully convinced he is about to die； that he is dying； that he is gone。
this hypnosis of death will cause him to bee unconscious； frightened； horrified； it will make him shrink； feeling 〃i am about to die； i am about to die。
what shall i do？〃 overe with fear he will shut his eyes； and in that state of fear he will bee unconscious。
in fact； falling unconscious is a device we use against things we are afraid of。
you have a stomach ache； for example； and if the pain bees unbearable you will fall unconscious。
that is just a trick on your part to switch off your mind； to forget the pain。
when the pain is too much； falling unconscious is a mental trick …… you dont want to suffer the pain any longer。
when the pain doesnt go away； the only other alternative is to switch off ones mind。
one turns off so one remains unaware of the pain。
so； falling unconscious is our unique way of dealing with unbearable pain。
remember； however； there is nothing like unbearable pain： you only feel pain as long as it is bearable。
as soon as the pain reaches the point of being unbearable； you are gone； hence you never feel unbearable pain。
never believe a word of it if someone says he is suffering from unbearable pain； because the person talking to you is still conscious。
had the pain been unbearable he would have been unconscious。
the natural trick would have worked and he would have lost consciousness。
as soon as a person crosses the limit of endurance he falls unconscious。
even minor illnesses frighten us and we bee unconscious …… what to say about the terrifying thought of death。
the very idea of death kills us。
we lose consciousness； and in that unconscious state death occurs。
hence； when i say death is an illusion i do not mean it is an illusion that happens either to the body or to the soul。
i call it a social illusion …… one which we cultivate in every child。
we indoctrinate every child with the idea； 〃you are going to die； and this is how death occurs。
〃 so by the time a child grow
。。
Chapter 11
the choice is always yours
2 august 1970 pm in bombay； india
question 1
at the dwarka meditation camp you mentioned that all sadhanas； all spiritual disciplines are false； because we have never been separate from god。
does that mean the state of unconsciousness is false？ is the growth of body and mind false？ is the cessation of conditioning false？ is the achievement of moving from the gross to the subtle false？ is all the preparation for the journey from the first body to the seventh body false？ is the long process of the discipline of kundalini all a sham？ kindly explain。
first of all； when i refer to something as false； as untruth； it does not mean it is nonexistent。
even a falsehood has its own existence。
one could not call it a falsehood if that were not true。
a falsehood has its own existence and so does a dream。
when we say a dream is false； it does not mean a dream has no existence。
it only means that the existence of a dream is psychological； not real。
it is a whim of the mind； not a fact。
when we say the world is maya； illusion； it does not mean the world is nonexistent； because if the world does not exist then whom are you addressing？ who is talking？ why？ when one calls this world an illusion； he at least assumes that the speaker exists and so does the listener。
he also assumes that somebody needs to explain； and someone needs to understand。
at least this much truth is established。
so when we call this world an illusion； it does not mean the world does not exist。
it means the world appears to have an existence。
calling this world maya simply means the world is not what it looks like； rather； it is merely an appearance。
it does not look the way it actually is； it appears like what it really is not。
for example； a man is walking down the street when it is almost dark。
he sees a piece of rope lying there and； mistaking it for a snake； runs for his life。
someone tells him it wasnt a snake； that what he saw was all false； that he ran for no reason。
now what does this mean？ to say the snake was false does not mean the man did not see the snake。
he would not have escaped had he not seen it …… he did see the snake。
as far as the question of his seeing the snake is c