[ Why are you crying? ]

3rd Feb 2002

Sariputta was a famous philosopher at the time og Gautam Buddha. He became a disciple of Gautam Buddha just by seeing Him. Sariputta himself had thousands of followers, but the moment he saw Buddha, he told his disciples that now they were free: "If you want to remain with me, you can, but now I am in a strange love with Gautam Buddha."

And Sariputta became enlightened within two years. The day Sariputta became enlightened, his eyes were full of tears, and he was holding Buddha's feet.

Buddha said, "Why are you crying?"

Sariputta said, "I cannot accept that I am equal to you. It is just impossible for me to think that now there is no difference between my consciousness and yours."

Buddha said, "Sariputta, it is my whole effort to bring you to the same consciousness, to the same height, as I am. Don't be worried about the fact that you have become an equal. You have always been an equal; it is just that you never realized it. Your gratitude is enough, but don't feel reluctant to accept your buddhahood."

[Bruce's remark:

For Buddha, Sariputta (and also all of us) is already the same as Him, Sariputta just doesn't recognize it. Buddha's whole effort is to bring the recgnition to him (us).

There are teachers in the world who would not like you to rise to their heights - if they have any. An authentic master is insistent that you should become the same, you should dwell on the same heights.

This is the definition of an authentic master.]

 

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