As much and as little as possible
The minister had a young daughter who was very smart, just like her father. One day his little daughter went with him to the palace, and the King, just to have some fun, asked her, “Do you know how to talk?”She was only a little child, but she said, “Yes, I know how to talk much, and I know how to talk little.”
The King said, “What is this? How to talk much, and how to talk little? How do you do that?”
The little girl answered, “When I speak to my superiors I speak little, and when I speak to my inferiors I speak much.”
“Why do you do that?” asked the King.
The minister’s daughter replied, “From my superiors I learn. So when I speak to them, I speak as little as possible and listen as much as I can. But when I speak to my little brother, for example, I speak as much as possible, because he does not know anything. He has to learn from me.”
This was the child’s wisdom.
Spiritual comments
It is the same when I speak to my disciples. If a disciple asks me a question in one or two sentences, I take a long time to answer it and give him much wisdom. But I have some disciples who, when they have a question, go on speaking for five minutes, and my answer is much shorter than their question. When some of my disciples come to me for an interview, they only want me to hear their voice. They go on talking, talking, talking for half an hour, forty-five minutes, telling me all about their experiences and their realisations. Then, when they have said everything, I have no time or inclination to give them any advice.
These disciples are making a serious mistake. When you come to a spiritual Master like me, who is far superior to you in inner and outer wisdom, you don’t even have to say anything. I know everything immediately. But you get satisfaction in your physical mind when you actually ask me something, so I do not mind at all. You believe that I can then throw more light on it, real light on it, and that is why you ask me. But put the question in a few words; then listen, listen, listen to me. I have realised God. I am one with the Source of all knowledge. Since I am your superior in this matter, tell me only very little, and I will give you the flood of knowledge.
When you are with someone superior to you, do not act like a fool. Just say, “I am thirsty!” and the Master will immediately bring you milk, honey and nectar. But if you go on talking and talking at random, when you feel that the time has come for you to receive something, the Master will say, “You have wasted all your time. Now it is time for somebody else to come and be divinely fed.”
You do not know whether you need milk or something else. The Master knows what you need far better than you do, and he will give it all to you if you will only be quiet and receive. The best thing is to say only that you are thirsty. Then, if it is milk that you need, milk will come. If it is something else, you will get that thing. When you are with a superior, say the minimum and receive the maximum. You will be the real winner, and fulfilment will be yours.
