Nanak

I am reminded of a beautiful, historical incident:

Nanak, the master of the Sikhs – the word sikh simply means disciple. It is unfortunate that it became a religion. Nanak had no idea to make a religion, he was only creating disciples to become masters.

He was not creating an organized religion, a church, but that’s what happened.

Such is the unconsciousness of man.

Nanak was passing through Lahore, which is now in Pakistan. And there was a pseudo-mystic, a false Sufi, a pretender, and he had a great
following.

When he saw Nanak, he became afraid... and there was nothing to be afraid of. Nanak was alone with his one disciple Mardana, with a musical
instrument. Mardana would play and Nanak would sing. They were innocent people.

They were staying outside Lahore when the pseudo-teacher was informed that ”A great master has
come. They are staying outside the city and many people have already started going towards them.”

The pseudo-Sufi was certainly
worried. He sent a cup full of milk – so full that you could not put even a single drop more of milk in it.

The disciple who took it said, ”What is the meaning?”
The Sufi said, ”You don’t be worried about the meaning.

Take it to Nanak and let us see what
happens.”
Nanak was offered the cup – a beautiful cup – full of milk and he was told, ”The Sufi master sends
his salutations.”

Nanak asked Mardana, ”Just there, nearby, are wildflowers. Take up one flower” – Mardana could not understand what was happening – and Nanak put that wildflower in the cup and gave it back to the man who had brought it.

He told him, ”Take it to your master.”
He said, ”But I don’t understand – what is the meaning?”
Nanak said, ”Your master will understand.”

The Sufi had sent the cup full of milk to show that ”Here there is no need of any other master; the place is full of Sufis.

You are not welcome – go somewhere else!”

But Nanak floated a flower in the cup, meaning that, ”You need not be worried about me.

I will not disturb anything – even in a full cup I will be simply floating like a flower.

I am above – you need not be worried. You can continue your shop, I will not take your customers.”

The Sufi was exposed completely to his disciples, because they could compare the presence of those two persons.

They sat with Nanak and they immediately saw, as if an arrow had penetrated their being, that some strange joy has arisen in them which has never happened with that Sufi.

Soon the Sufi master himself had to come to Nanak to ask forgiveness.

Nanak said, ”Who am I to forgive you?
Ask forgiveness from existence itself. You have been deceiving thousands of people, delaying their
enlightenment.

Your crime is great, although nobody
will call it a crime because it is so invisible.”

OshO 
CHAPTER 25. A GREAT SURGERY IN THE RIGHT HANDS
YAA-HOO! The Mystic Rose