The people who go on running after ambitions are no more intelligent than football players. Their games may have different names, but their reality is the same. And they suffer continuously. Even in their success they suffer, because then they become afraid of whether they are also going to keep this successful position tomorrow. First they were suffering because they were not successful; now they are suffering because people are dragging on their legs, and everybody wants to be in their place.

To be on a powerful throne is to be in a most hilarious position. Everybody is pulling you down and you have to remain glued to the throne, whatever happens. Somebody is pulling your hands, somebody is taking your head, somebody is taking your legs away…whatever happens, dead or alive, you are determined to remain on the throne.

The life of a successful man is not a life of peace. And if this is the situation of success, you can conceive the situation of failure. If this is the situation of times you call good, you can understand the situation of times which are bad.

But for a man of awareness, it is all the same. Success comes and goes, failure comes and goes. You remain untouched and aloof.

This aloofness, this untouchedness, is your transcendental self-nature. Nothing makes even a scratch on you.

One of the mystics of India, Kabir, sings a song, jyon ki tyon dhar dinhi chadariya. “I have returned to God” or to existence, “the clothing that he had given to me to live in the world – without any change. I have not made it dirty; not even a particle of dust has gathered on it. I have put it back into his hands exactly as fresh as it was when he gave it to me.” This is the experience of an awakened man. He lives in the darkest nights in the same silence, in the same peace, as he lives in the brightest day. He never makes the division. He remains always transcendental, he remains always above any divisions. Divisions are left far behind.

Such is his power, actions can’t hold him. No matter what kind of action, a buddha transforms it.

This statement has to be taken deep into your heart….

You have heard the story in Greek mythology of king Midas, who had been praying his whole life to God: “Just grant me one wish, that whatever I touch must turn into gold.” And it seems God became tired of his continuous nagging…because what are your prayers other than nagging?

And a poor God, and so many nagging people, and he has been nagged for millions of years – it is no wonder if he has disappeared or committed suicide or whatever has happened. Nobody can tolerate that much nagging.

Finally, God granted him the wish – “Whatever you touch will turn into gold. And now leave me at peace!”