Don't insult a fool
One day the minister asked the King, “Why is it that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day? Can it not sometimes rise in the west and set in the east?”The King said, “Only a fool like you can ask this kind of question, and only another fool can answer it.”
“Yes, I know that,” replied the minister. “That is why I have come to you.”
Spiritual comments
When one of you asks me something, no matter what kind of question it is, I never tell you that you are stupid to ask such a question. Go and ask somebody else this kind of silly question — even ask one of my more advanced disciples — and he will simply laugh at you and tell you to use your brain. No! No matter what kind of question you ask, even if it is a kindergarten question, absolutely childish, I try to answer it wholeheartedly. If your standard is of the kindergarten level, I try to enter into that class and take you, with my inner assurance, to the highest class.
When a person has a question or a problem, he will not have joy or peace of mind until it is taken care of. He will be dissatisfied as long as that particular question disturbs his mind. But a genuine Master will always sympathise with the seeker’s question, no matter how absurd it seems. For it is only by removing the seeker’s ignorance that the Master can be of any service to God and to the seeker. To remove the ignorance of the seeker is the most important thing in the Master’s life. How does he do it? First he identifies himself with the ignorance of the seeker, and then he offers the seeker his own inner light.
We always have to feel that the other person is asking something because he really does not know the answer. There are some mischievous fellows who ask a question just for the sake of asking, even though they know the answer. When I talk at the universities, there are some smart-alecks who have read some books. They know the answers to the questions they ask me, but only from the mental level. Yet they ask me questions just for the sake of argument, to show off or to challenge me. But again, there are some sincere people who have the same questions, but not on the mental level. Although they are undeveloped, still they are aspiring. When I answer the questions of the smart-alecks, they themselves don’t get any benefit, but the sincere ones who are still undeveloped do benefit.
When we need something that someone else has, we have to feel that he is an extension of our own consciousness. If I want to get something done on the physical plane, like painting the walls and ceiling of our church, I won’t be able to do it myself. When it is a matter of physical labour, my disciples have more capacity than I have. So I extend my consciousness to you and ask you to do it. When I enter into you, I enter into my larger consciousness, where I have the capacity to do physical labour. In this way, the Master enters into the physical aspect, the dynamic aspect, which everyone needs in order to live on earth. At that time, the Master does not think that he is foolishly lowering his consciousness. No! He is expanding it by entering into his disciples.
Now when it is a matter of inner awakening and spirituality, I know more than you. That is why when you need something on the inner plane — Light, Peace and Bliss — you come to me. At that time you are entering into your larger consciousness, which has illumination, realisation and perfection. You disciples can renovate the outer building. But when you want to create a temple in your heart, where you can keep your inner shrine safe and grow into the Highest, then your wisdom brings you to me. You are wise to come to me to get what you need inwardly, for I am the right person. And to get the things I need outwardly, I also go to the right people, to you. In this way we fulfil one another.
