But fighting with yourself you are alone, there is no competition. So those who are very cunning escape from the world and start fighting with themselves. Those who are not so cunning, are more simple, are in the world and go on fighting with others. But the basic essential thing remains the same – fight.

Bankei is saying, “I am not a fighter; I don’t fight at all. When I feel hungry I eat, when I feel sleepy I go to sleep. When I am alive I am alive, and when I die I will die. I don’t come in the way.” And he says, “This is the only miracle we know.”

But why call it a miracle? Animals are doing it already, trees are doing it already, birds are doing it already; the whole existence is doing it already. Why call it a miracle? Man cannot do it. The whole existence is a miracle except man.

The Christian story that man has been turned out of the garden of Eden seems to be very meaningful, it seems to be very relevant, most significant. The whole existence is a continuous miracle, it is a continuum; miracles are happening every moment. Existence is miraculous but man has been turned out.

Why has man been turned out? The story says because he ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge and God had prohibited it. God said, “Don’t eat the fruit of this tree, the tree of knowledge. All the trees are open to you except this one.”

But the Devil persuaded. Of course he persuaded Eve first; the Devil always enters through the woman. Why? – because woman is the weakest point of man, the weakest link from where the Devil can enter. To enter man directly is difficult because he will give a good fight, it will be difficult. But through woman the Devil can persuade man. So the Devil said to woman, to Eve, “This is the only fruit worth eating, and that’s why God has prohibited it. If you eat this fruit you will be like gods.” And he is jealous, he is afraid of you. “If you eat this fruit you will be like gods – you will be a god yourself.”

Eve couldn’t resist, the temptation was too much. She persuaded Adam. Adam tried to say “It is not good because God has prohibited it.” But when it is a problem of choosing between your wife and God, you will choose your wife. Really, there is no real alternative because she will create such trouble, in twenty-four hours such trouble…God cannot create so much trouble.

So finally Adam had to eat. And the moment he ate the fruit he became conscious of the ego, he became aware that “I am.” Immediately he was turned out of the garden of Eden.

It is a beautiful story; the story is really a key to all the secrets.

This knowledge has turned you out of the miraculous world that you are in. Before this Adam was like a child – naked but not aware that he is naked; naked but not aware that there is some guilt in it. He loved Eve but the love was natural; he was never aware that something wrong was going on or that there was some sin.