Chapter 24 Walking Without Crutches

Once upon a time, there was a man who injured his foot and had to use crutches to walk. He discovered that crutches had many uses besides walking. So, he taught all his family members how to use crutches, and they became an important part of their daily lives. Later, everyone wanted to own a good crutches. Some were made of ivory, and some were plated with gold. Eventually, schools began teaching how to use crutches, and universities even established foundations to research the future development of crutches.

The fact that a very small minority of people began walking without crutches seemed absurd to most. These people were punished for not using crutches, for attempting to demonstrate that crutches were only useful for the lame and that other ways of using crutches could be replaced by other methods. Few people listened to what they had to say. To overcome the prejudice of the majority, these people who didn't use crutches began to engage in other antisocial behaviors. But they still belonged to a tiny minority.

Most people have relied on crutches for generations, and although a few have shown they can walk without them, most can still "prove" that crutches are absolutely necessary. "Look, someone actually wants to walk without crutches! He can't do it!" "But we can definitely walk without crutches!" says the two-legged people. "That's not true, it's just your fantasy," says the lame. Because they've been blind for a long time—they're blind because they don't want to see.

Now, let's look at this parable. It's a very meaningful parable. Religions are often born this way. I had a childhood friend who was a good doctor. Once, he accidentally fell off a train, injured his head, and remained unconscious for several days. When he awoke, he was a completely different person. He was no longer irritable; he became calm, non-greedy, and peace-loving. People always asked him how he changed, and he said, "Because I fell off a high-speed train and injured my head—you'd better try the same thing." When I heard this, I went to tell him, "How can you tell people that?" He said, "That's exactly why I naturally stopped being irritable; that accident was the key." I said, "You shouldn't ask everyone to repeat the same accident; you should keep your key to yourself!"

This is how tradition arises. The Buddha attained enlightenment in a specific posture, but that was merely a coincidence. Enlightenment happens whether you're walking, lying down, or resting. There's no specific way to attain enlightenment because it doesn't depend on any particular posture. For two thousand years, people have imitated the Buddha's seated posture, waiting for enlightenment, but few have achieved it. This is also why yoga postures exist: when something happens in a specific posture, that posture becomes important, so people just force their bodies into a certain posture, waiting for the same thing to happen, but it doesn't really matter. Enlightenment can happen even while sitting in a chair. Many people make pilgrimages to the Himalayas because some people attain enlightenment there—in fact, it's the same everywhere! God is everywhere; you don't need to go to the Himalayas.

You must seek what tradition cannot give you; find your own path, your own method. You try many methods to find the one that best suits you, a unique method like your thumbprint—no two thumbprints are alike. You are a sacred and unique mark; the methods of others cannot help you. You can only try the methods that everyone else uses at the beginning, but you must develop your own method. You must add, subtract, and create your own system and path. Masters usually give people a way to begin to feel their existence, regardless of whether it truly aligns perfectly with you . I have created many methods and am still creating more. You can feel from many methods and create your own way.

He discovered that the cane had many uses besides walking. When you're tired, you can use it to support your strength; you can use it to shoo away dogs; you can use it as a weapon… it has many uses. After the man recovered from his injury, he still found the cane very useful, so he began to teach people how to use it and treasured it.

So he taught all his family members how to use crutches, and they became an important part of their daily lives. Later, everyone wanted a good crutches; some were made of ivory, others were plated with gold. Eventually, schools began teaching how to use crutches, and universities established foundations to research the future development of crutches.

There's never a shortage of fools; they're always ready to be taught. No matter how stupid a master is, he can always find disciples. Poor people are always looking for methods, tools, and ways to escape their predicaments. This is what makes so many people needlessly victims. Because being antisocial is difficult, society has created many obstacles. If you violate it, it will punish you; if you follow it, it will appreciate you; if you don't, it will destroy your ego. Many people intellectually know that many rules are foolish, but to avoid trouble, they have no choice but to follow them because they've compromised. This story sounds exaggerated and absurd, but the same thing has happened before. You might think, "How can people who were walking perfectly well be deceived to the point of needing crutches?"