The famous poet Kabir says that when love possesses you, don’t even think twice. Just dive into it. If you start thinking, it is like arranging your pillows when deep sleep of rest has come to your eyes. He says, ‘Even though the head itself must be given, why should you weep over it!’

The master waits many lives for you. But you have to say ‘yes’. Remember: the master is a gentleman. He gives you the freedom to remain in bondage. He waits. Once you say ‘yes,’ he takes you in his arms. The master is the only one who can show you the power of love.

A small story:

Sadashiva Brahmendra was a great saint from South India. He lived just like a child. He never wore clothes. He was always in ecstasy.

One day he was walking in deep ecstasy when the Nawab, the Muslim ruler of that territory, went riding past him. He was in such deep ecstasy that he did not notice or pay respect to the Nawab. The angry Nawab cut off his hand with his sword. Sadashiva Brahmendra continued to walk, not reacting in any way to what had happened.

One of his devotees saw the scene and was struck very deeply. She started weeping, ‘O master! You have lost your hand for not showing courtesy to the Nawab!’

He was surprised and asked the devotee to bring the severed hand. He then put it back on, and it became whole again. The devotee was dumbstruck when she saw this.

Sadashiva Brahmendra explained, ‘The Nawab’s hatred destroyed my hand, your love healed it!’

An enlightened being’s love and compassion is boundless. Sannyas is living like an enlightened being. It is living enlightenment.

A sannyasi is one who is established in love and compassion in the inner world, while being established in concentration and precision in the outer world. A real sannyasi has the precision of a sword. When he closes his eyes, the outer world is no more. When he opens his eyes, his work is perfection, perfection not only in work, but in relationships also! He is a father, a mother, a brother and a friend, all at the same time.

He moves guided by inner intelligence. That is why he is in the present moment all the time. He responds to the moment. That is the ultimate sense of responsibility, responding to the moment spontaneously. True love and compassion are spontaneous responses to the moment. That is why they surface irrespective of people or situations.

A small story:

One man went to a Zen monastery and told the master, ‘Master, I wish to practice Zen for the rest of my life but I have never stuck with anything for very long. I always look for shortcuts to everything. Is there a shortcut to enlightenment?’

The master told him, ‘You are accepted into this monastery for two days. In these two days, you will be taught the shortcut to enlightenment. Is there anything that you like to do in particular?’

The man said, ‘Since I don’t stick to anything for a long time, I am unable to tell what I like to do most. But I like to play chess.’

The master called for a young disciple who was supposed to be a good chess player. He asked the two of them
to sit down and placed a chess board between them. He then took out his sword and placed it in front of the two of them and said, ‘Both of you have to play. The moment one of you loses, the loser will have his head cut off.’

They were shocked at the master’s words! They started the game and played.

They concentrated on the game like they had never done before.

Initially, the young monk made good moves, and it looked like he was going to win. Then suddenly he made a mistake. The man took the opportunity and took over the game. Soon, he was clearly on the way to winning.

Suddenly, he looked at the young monk and thought with what dedication and devotion the monk lived his life with the master at that young age. Then he thought about his own life and how he had wasted it. Suddenly he decided, if at all anyone should die, it should be himself. He deliberately made a wrong move. The young monk saw that and took over the game again.

The master was watching the whole thing. At that point, he took the board away, and the coins fell in the air. He said, ‘Nobody wins. Nobody loses. The game is over. There are only two things needed for enlightenment: concentration and compassion. Today, you learned both. Stay with me and study the way you have played chess today. Enlightenment will be yours!’

source: Living Enlightenment