There was an abbot,
His name was Anastasius.
He had a holy book,
A combo of Old and New Testament in a fine parchment,
A nice book,
A well-made book.
It meant a lot to him and every day he used it as a part of his prayer and as part of his spiritual life.
One day a monk came into his room and he saw this fine book and when the abbot was not there,
He just picked it up and he left and he wanted to sell this book.
So he went to a place where you can pawn things.
So he went there and he said,
See this is a fine book,
I want to sell this.
And in those days,
He said,
For eighteen pence,
I'm willing to sell this book.
The man looked at the book,
He said,
Okay,
It's a fine book but I want to check it up.
You come tomorrow,
I will tell you whether I can pay eighteen or not.
He said,
Okay.
So the man took the book to Anastasius and asked,
Father,
Somebody brought this book to me,
How much do you think I can pay for this,
He's asking eighteen.
Anastasius looked at this book,
It was his own book.
He said,
For eighteen it's a bargain,
It would cost much more.
The man said,
Thank you father and took the book and went away.
Then the next day,
The monk came to collect the money.
So the shopkeeper said,
Yes,
I'm willing to pay eighteen to you.
I actually consented,
Father Anastasius and he told me I can pay eighteen.
The monk just froze.
I said,
What,
You asked father Anastasius?
He said,
Yes.
What else did he say?
He said,
He just said it's a fine book,
I can pay eighteen.
Nothing else,
Nothing at all.
Then the monk said,
I don't think I want to sell the book.
He gave it to me,
He took it and went back to the abode.
And he said,
I took this book and even though it came to you,
You didn't say anything,
You could have just held it,
It's yours.
He said,
Don't you worry,
My son,
It's my gift to you,
You take it.
You take it and go.
It looks like you need it more than me,
I need it.
And I can always get another copy but it looks like for you it's very precious,
You take it.
Now he just broke down and he lived and served him for the rest of his life.
Why I'm saying this is,
This will come to you only when you know you could die today.
You could die today or you could die tomorrow,
Then you will not struggle and haggle with everything.
You're willing to let go of things.
When you believe you're going to be here forever,
You go on accumulating and struggling with these things.
It is because of this people,
You know,
You have enough clothes for three lifetimes,
Enough shoes for six lifetimes.
Yes,
Isn't it so?
So you decided you're going to come back six times over,
At least wear the shoes out.
At least the shoes shouldn't go waste,
Isn't it?
Most people think,
Generally in the world,
They believe that if they die in their sleep,
It's wonderful.
What a horrible desire.
You want to die unaware?
Because you're so scared,
You think dying in sleep is better than dying awake?
I want you to die fully awake.
This whole process of how to die,
There is a whole art and a science behind it as to how to die.
What are the conditions you must set up so that you die properly?
See,
In India this was maintained,
This may be unthinkable for people.
When a man has to die,
He doesn't want to be among the relatives.
He doesn't want to be among his children or wife or husband or anything.
They will go to a strange place which is considered auspicious or holy and they die there.
People went all the way to Kashi just to die,
You know this?
People went all the way to Varanasi just to die,
Even today.
Because it's very important that you die in awareness,
Not in emotion.
The last moment of transition decides many things.
It's very easy to untie the knots of everything that you've accumulated at that final moment.
Meditation is like death,
Please see.
If you really become meditative,
It's almost death-like.
Everything that you call as myself will die in meditation.
Your personality,
Your accumulation,
Everything just falls apart.
So in that moment,
Untying the bondages is easy,
That's why meditation.
So if you did not meditate,
At least death,
At least the natural process that is offered to you must be made use of,
Isn't it?
A person who meditates is consciously willing to die every moment of his life.
That's why he goes into meditation,
So that he's constantly aware of the mortal nature of his existence,
So that he doesn't become egoistic and stupid.
If you know you will die tomorrow,
Suddenly you will see you will have no anger,
You will have no remorse,
You will have no hatred,
You will have no jealousy against anybody,
You will become very loving and nice.
You will.
And who told you,
You will not die tomorrow?
Who gave you a guarantee that you'll not die tomorrow?
Yes?
Did anybody give you a guarantee card that you will not die tomorrow?
There is no guarantee,
Isn't it?
An intelligent being will live with this awareness,
It could be just today.
Why tomorrow?
It could be today.
And when we live with this awareness,
You will live life fully,
Totally.
What you call as life is just a brief happening.
Once you're constantly aware of this,
You will come alive.
When you live here thinking you're immortal and eternal,
Then you live a stupid life because you can always do it tomorrow,
You know?
When to do Shambhavi?
Tomorrow.
When people are constantly aware of death,
Those who become meditative become less and less reactive because consciousness means that you are aware of all the… the nature of life itself.
When you're aware of the nature of life,
You're constantly aware of death.
So,
Moment of death is a tremendous possibility.
But it's better you live well,
Not just aim towards dying well.
You learn to live well because if this is your last life,
You better live well,
Isn't it?
If you're coming back a hundred times over,
You can live a stupid life.
Now when you have decided this is your last life,
You better live well,
Isn't it?
Final run,
Last lap must be the best lap,
Isn't it?
