you don't have to discipline yourself...

"Discipline" is a beautiful word, but it has been misused as all other beautiful words have been misused in the past. The word "discipline" comes from the same root as the word "disciple"; the root meaning of the word is "a process of learning." One who is ready to learn is a disciple, and the process of being ready to learn is discipline.

The knowledgeable person is never ready to learn, because he already thinks he knows; he is very centered in his so-called knowledge. His knowledge is nothing but a nourishment for his ego. He cannot be a disciple, he cannot be in true discipline.

Discipline has been misinterpreted. People have been telling others to discipline their life, to do this, not to do that. Thousands of shoulds and should-nots have been imposed on man, and when a man lives with thousands of shoulds and should-nots he cannot be creative. He is a prisoner; everywhere he will come across a wall.

The creative person has to dissolve all shoulds and should-nots. He needs freedom and space, vast space, he needs the whole sky and all the stars, only then can his innermost spontaneity start growing.

Your discipline has to come from your very heart, it has to be YOURS, not from some book -- and there is a great difference. When somebody else gives you the discipline it can never fit you; it will be like wearing somebody else's clothes. Either they will be too loose or too tight, and you will always feel a little bit silly in them.

There is no need to learn the scriptures, because truth is never found in any scripture. Truth is not a philosophy or a theology. There is no need.


Sekito was sent to Seigen by his master, Eno. He was already ripe, but because Eno felt death was coming too fast -- he was very old -- and perhaps he would not be able to see the enlightenment of Sekito, he felt it was better to send him to a master who can help him in the last stages of his evolution. So he sent him to Seigen, who has been his lifelong competitor. But both recognized each other in their hearts as enlightened.

Sekito is not a beginner, so when Seigen asked, "Would you like to learn the scriptures?" He said, "There is no need to learn the scriptures."

SEIGEN ASKED, "THEN, YOU WANT TO READ THE BOOK OF SHEELA -- the book of character? If you don't want to learn scriptures about humbleness, would you like to know about scriptures which deal with character, morality?"

Sheela means character. This is what the Buddhist scholar has raised in his question against me: without sheela how can you become enlightened?

SEKITO REPLIED -- and this is the reply of a man who was coming very close to enlightenment -- "THERE IS NO NEED TO READ THE BOOK OF SHEELA, because all these things will follow enlightenment. They don't precede, they succeed."

Enlightenment contains immense treasures. You just become enlightened and everything follows. You don't have to learn, you don't have to discipline yourself, you don't have to make any effort; everything spontaneously follows you. Just first become a buddha.

So he said, "There is no need to read the book of character and morality."