Stop being a Fool

One glance at the visitor, and Paglot Baba realised that, despite being successful, mental peace eluded him. Baba had come across such men. The man displayed telltale signs—restless mannerism, accentuated by fidgety fingers and a demeanour that displayed a genuine lack of gravitas required for a spiritual quest. Baba knew he might, in all probability, come up with a question reeking of frivolousness and superficiality—wanting to impress others instead of a true seeker’s query. Baba wasn’t off the mark as the man asked, ‘Since you’ve achieved a state many people aspire to reach, may I know what it felt like when you reached there?’ Baba knew it wasn’t intense curiosity, just an itch on the surface of the brain. However, he knew his answer might be of help to a serious seeker among the listeners, as he replied, ‘As if I were a fool.’ The answer shocked everyone. Some of them wondered if Baba was joking. The incredulous stares all around him made Baba realise the need for an explanation.

‘Imagine standing outside your house and you’ve lost the key,’ Baba explained. ‘You try all possible tricks—kick the door, attempt to break open the window, hunt for a ladder to climb onto the roof to enter through the terrace door. How would you feel when, finally, after hours of trying, you turned the knob to realise that the door was open all along?’
‘Like a fool,’ one of the disciples mumbled.

‘Exactly how I felt. The fact is that the door to our inner being is forever open. Still we try obnoxious methods to open it, much like letting your hand go around your head to put food in your mouth. Even such a thought is ludicrous. However, that’s how we act. One can, instead, eat without much ado. That’s how life is—extremely simple. Don’t entangle it in knots,’ Baba explained, though he realised that the visitor still seemed lost. He left it at that, sure of experience teaching the man in due course.

For a moment, let’s forget that higher state we haven’t seen and try applying this philosophy to our mundane lives. If one keenly observes life, one can see that everything in it is quite straightforward. By displaying a disdain for simplicity, our mind ends up complicating everything. Let’s understand this philosophy and stop falling into such mind-created traps. In other words, let’s stop being a fool.