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a little experiment will make this clear。
we always find things which are hot and things which are cold。
we also see that something which is hot is hot； and something which is cold is cold …… we cannot believe the same thing can be hot and cold at the same time。
now； when you go back home do a little experiment。
take a pot containing hot water； a pot containing cold water； and a pot containing water at room temperature。
put one hand in the hot water and another hand in cold water。
now take both hands out and place them in the water at room temperature。
one hand will feel the water is cold and the other will feel the same water is hot。
is that water hot or cold？ one hand will say it is hot； the other will say it is cold。
then what is the nature of the water really？ if； simultaneously； one hand feels it is hot and the other feels the same water is cold； then we will have to realize the water is neither hot nor cold …… its feeling hot or cold is relative to our hands。
hot and cold are degrees of the same thing …… they are not two different things。
the distinction between them is of quantity； not of quality。
have you ever thought about the distinction between childhood and old age？ ordinarily we think they are opposite to each other …… childhood on the one hand； old age on the other。
but what is the distinction between childhood and old age really？ the difference is only of years； the difference is only of days； the difference is not qualitative； it is only quantitative。
for example； there is a child aged five。
we can call him 〃an old man of five〃 …… whats wrong with that？ it is simply linguistic usage that we say 〃a child five years of age。
〃 if we want to we can call him …… as is done in english …… 〃five years old；〃 which can also mean 〃an old man of five。
〃 one is just an old man of seventy； while there is someone who is five years old。
what is the difference？ if we want； we can call a seventy …… year…old man a seventy…year…old child …… after all； a child grows into an old man。
but when we look at them separately they seem like two contradictory things。
it seems like childhood and old age are contrary to each other； but if they are； then no child can ever bee old。
how can he？ how can two contrary things be the same？ have you ever been able to note the day a child turned into an old man？ or which night？ can you note on a calendar that on such…and…such a day this man was a child and then on such…and …… such a day he became old？
in fact； the problem is
for example； there are steps leading to the terrace。
you can see the lower steps and you can see the steps on the top as well； but you may not be able to see the steps in the middle section。
it may look as if the lower steps and the steps on top are separate； far away from each other。
but one who can see the whole staircase will deny such a distinction。
he will say； 〃the difference between the steps below and the steps above only appears because of the steps in between。
the very step at the bottom is connected with the step on the top。
〃
the difference between hell and heaven is not of quality； the difference is only of quantity。
dont think hell and heaven are contrary； diametrically opposite to each other。
the difference between hell and heaven is the same as between cold and hot； between the lower rung and the higher rung； between a child and an old man。
the same sort of difference exists between birth and death； otherwise one who is born will never be able to die。
if birth and death were contrary to each other； how could birth end in death？ we can only reach to a point of our natural growth。
birth grows into death …… this means birth and death are two ends of the same thing。
we sow a seed； it grows into a plant； and then it bees a flower。
have you ever believed there was any opposition between the seed and the flower？ the flower grows out of the seed itself and bees a flower。
growth is in the seed。
birth turns into death。
god knows from what kind of foolishness and during what unfortunate times the idea became fixed in the human mind that birth and death are dichotomous； that life and death are two separate things。
we want to live； we dont want to die …… but we dont know that death is already part of life。
once we decide we dont want to die； it bees a certainty； that very moment； that our lives will be filled with problems and difficulties。
the whole of mankind has bee schizophrenic。
mans mind is split into parts； into fragments； and there is a reason for this。
we have taken the totality of life as if it were made up of parts； and we have pitted each part against the other。
man is the same； but we have created divisions inside him and have also determined that these divisions are contrary to each other。
we have done this in all spheres。
we tell a person； 〃dont be angry； be forgiving；〃 without realizing that the difference between anger and forgiveness is again only of degrees …… as it is between cold and hot； between childhood and old age。
we can say that anger； reduced to the lowest； is forgiveness …… there is no dichotomy between them。
but all the age…old precepts of mankind teach us； 〃get rid of anger and adopt forgiveness〃 …… as if anger and forgiveness are such opposite things that you can drop anger and retain forgiveness。
such a thing can only result in splitting man into fragments and in bringing him trouble。
all of our past belief systems say that sex and brahmacharya； celibacy； are contrary to each other。
nothing can be more erroneous than this。
the lowest point of sex is brahmacharya。
sex； dropping downward； decreasing； is brahmacharya。
the distance between the two is not one of enmity and contradiction。
remember； in this world there is nothing at all like contradiction。
in fact； there can never be anything like contradiction in the world； because if there were； there would be no way to unite the opposites。
if birth and death were separate entities； birth would move along its own course and death on its own …… nowhere would they meet。
just as two parallel lines dont meet anywhere； no meet