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Chapter 13
Distinction between The Self And The Not-Self
71. An End To The Power Of The Tyrants
17. As long as we do not realise that we are distinct from the body, tyrants will continue to torment and enslave and torture us. It is fear that makes tyranny possible. There is a story of a demon who had captured a man. He would make him work round the clock. If he paused a little, the demon would threaten him, ‘I shall kill and devour you.’ The frightened man would thensubmit meekly. But when the man could stand it no longer, he said, “All right,if you want to kill and eat me up, do so by all means.” But was the demongoing to eat him up? What he wanted was a submissive servant. Who would dothe work if the man were killed? The demon used to threaten the man withdeath; but the moment the man said, “Well, you may eat me up”, tyrannystopped. Tyrants know that people have intense attachment to their bodies; soif you inflict pain on their bodies, they submit and become your slave. Give upthat attachment and you will be sovereign. You will be free. You will be allpowerful. Nobody can then exercise authority over you. The very basis oftyranny breaks down. The power of the tyrants hinges on your identificationwith the body. They threaten and intimidate you because they think that ifthey inflict pain on your bodies, you would submit. 18. When I feel that ‘I am the body’, others are induced to persecute and torment me. But look at Cranmer, the British martyr. When he was going to beburnt at the stakes, he said, “If you would burn me, by all means, do. Here,burn this right hand first, for this hand hath offended.” In the same vein,Latimer said, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shallthis day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as (I trust) shall never beput out.” Their task was to burn the candle of the body to spread the light oftruth. The body is, after all, going to perish one day. |
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