The Holy Man...

There was once a holy man who died and went to heaven. He approached the Pearly Gates and knocked. God came out and asked, "What do you want?" The holy man replied, "I am your servant. I have come." God said, "I'm sorry there is no room for you here. You can't come in. Goodbye."

The holy man sat down and started to gaze in silence to ponder this. "Why won't God let me in? I've been good. I've practiced the scriptures." He pondered this for six months. Finally, he said to himself, "I've got the answer." He knocked again and God came to the gate. He said, "Let me in. I'm your humble servant. The one who has chanted Your name for centuries, who has bowed to You, who has prayed to You."

God said, "I'm sorry there is no room for you here." Again, he closed the door. This time the holy man became completely upset. He didn't' know what the problem was. He'd been a good person, a holy person. Why won't that guy let me in? He said to himself, "I'm going to sit here forever if I have to, until I come up with the right answer."

Centuries passed and he pondered. Remember, he was dead anyway, so it didn't matter. After this long period of pondering why he hadn't been let in, paused and asked himself? "Wait a minute, who is this I who wants to get into heaven? Who is the I that chanted God's name? Who practiced the scriptures? Who am I?"

All of a sudden, he started laughing. The answer came. He got up and knocked on the door or heave. God came to the door and said, "Who is this?" The holy man said, "It is Thou." God opened the gate and said, "Come in, my son. There never was enough room in here for both Me and you."

So it is with us. We claim we want to be Self-realized. We don't realize we are already Self-realized. We just have to let go of the belief that I am the doer.

~ Robert Adams