Re: ALL PROBLEMS are UNREAL: Question 6

Question 9

HOW CAN ONE LEARN TO RECOGNIZE UNREAL PROBLEMS AS UNREAL?

There is no need to learn recognition, because all problems are unreal. Problems as such are unreal. When you are real, all problems disappear. When you are unreal, a thousand and one problems arise.

It used to always be the case that whenever a man would come to Buddha he would say, "Please, for one year don't ask any questions. One year remain silent with me, flow with me. Allow me to work within you. Just open your doors and let the sun rays go in. For one year no problems, no questions; remain silent, meditate. After one year, you can ask."

A certain man, a great seeker, had come one day. His name was Malingputta, a great brahmin scholar; with five hundred disciples he had come to Buddha. He had many questions, of course. A great scholar has to have many questions, problems and problems. Buddha looked at his face and said, "Malingputta, this is the condition -- if you can fulfill it, only then can I answer. I can see layers and layers of questions all around your head. Wait for one year. Meditate, be silent.  When your inner talk stops, when you are no longer chattering in the head, then you ask anything and I will answer. This is a promise."

Malingputta was a little worried -- one year, just to be silent, and then this man is going to answer; and who knows if those answers are right or not? So one year may be wasted completely. His answers may be just absurd. What to do? He was puzzled. He was hesitant to make the contract; it was risky.

And then, another disciple of Buddha, Sariputta, he started laughing (he was just sitting by the side) -- a loud, mad laugh. Malingputta became more puzzled; he said, "What is the matter? Why is he laughing?"

Sariputta said, "Don't listen to this man. He is a deceiver. He deceived me also. When I had come -- you have only five hundred disciples -- I had five thousand." He was a great brahmin, well known all over the country, a great teacher in his own name. "You may have a few thousand questions -- I had millions. This man tripped me; this man said,'Wait for one year. Be silent, meditate, and then ask and I will answer.' And after one year there was no question left, so I never asked, and he never answered. If you want to ask, ask right now! I have been in the same game. He befooled me."

Buddha said, "I will stick to my promise. If you ask I will answer. If you don't ask, what can I do?"

After one year, Malingputta meditated, meditated... became silent and silent and silent... inner talk disappeared, the inner chattering no more. He forgot completely about the year, that the year was finished. Who bothers? When the questions are not there, who bothers about the answers? One day, suddenly, Buddha asked, "Malingputta, this is the last day of the year. This is the day you had come here one year ago. And I had promised you that after one year whatsoever you ask I will be ready to answer. Now I am ready! Are you ready?"

Malingputta started laughing, and he said, "You befooled me also. That Sariputta was right. Now there are no questions; I cannot find any. The more I go in, the more I find there are no questions. So what can I ask? I have nothing to ask."

In fact, if you are unreal there are questions and problems. They come out of your unreality -- your dream, your sleep, creates them. When you become real, authentic, silent, total, they disappear.

This is my conclusion: that there is a state of mind, only questions exist, and there is a state of mind, only answers exist -- and they never exist together. If you are still asking, you cannot receive the answer. I may go on giving it, but you cannot receive it. If the question has dropped within you, no need for me to give it: you have already received it. No question can be answered. A state of mind has to be achieved which is without questions. A nonquestioning state of mind is the only answer.

That's what meditation is all about: to drop the questions, to drop the inner chattering. When the inner talk stops, infinite silence.... In that infinite silence, everything is answered, solved -- not verbalized, simply solved. No problem exists. Problem was the attitude of a neurotic mind. Now the mind is no longer there, the neurosis gone... there are no questions. Everything is simple. There is mystery, but there is no problem. Nothing is solved, but nothing remains to be solved also. Everything is a mystery, a great wonder surrounds you; wherever you look, depth upon depth open in mystery. Not that you have the answer! No, you don't have the question, that's all. When you don't have the question, the whole of life is available in its total mystery -- and that is the answer.

Don't ask how one can learn to recognize unreal problems as unreal. How can you recognize unreal problems? You are unreal. As it is, you are not yet. In your absence, all sorts of problems arise. When you become present they disappear.

Awareness is without problems and without questions. Unawareness is with questions and problems -- and infinite questions, infinite problems. Nobody can solve them. Even if I answer you, you will create more questions out of the answer. It won't be an answer, it will be simply an excuse to ask more questions.

Drop the inner chattering, and then see. In Zen they have a saying that nothing is hidden from the very beginning, everything is clear, but your eyes are closed.

Yoga: The Alpha and the Omega, Vol 6
Chapter #9
Chapter title: All Problems are Unreal
10 September 1975 am in Buddha Hall