"The moment mind recognizes, it is already no longer the case. Mind goes on accumulating dead footprints. Life once existed there, but it is there no longer.

"And we are trained as minds; that is the misery. You go on missing life, and you will go on missing it – unless you drop the mind, unless you start living out of a state of no-mindness. Then you are one with life. Then the inconsistency between you and your mind disappears. Then you no longer live according to some ideas, because ideas are of the mind. You don't live according to any ideology, religion, scripture, tradition – you simply live out of the emptiness of your being.

"It is difficult in the beginning even to conceive how one can live out of the emptiness. But out of emptiness all the trees are growing, and out of the emptiness stars are moving, and out of the emptiness the whole existence exists – and there is no trouble. Only man has the absurd idea that without mind it will be difficult to exist. In fact, with the mind it is difficult to exist, because existence and mind are two separate – not only separate but contrary – dimensions. If you want to be consistent with the mind you will be inconsistent with life.

"It happened: There was a case against Mulla Nasruddin in the court, and the judge asked him, 'How old are you, Nasruddin?'

"And he said, 'Of course, you know and everybody knows I am forty years old.'

"The judge was surprised and he said, 'But five years ago also you were in the court and I asked you, and then too you said that you were forty years old. How is it possible? After five years you are still forty years old?'

"Nasruddin said, 'I am a consistent man, sir. Once I say I am forty, I will remain forty forever – you can rely on me.'

"If you are consistent with the mind, you will become such a reliable man. You will be consistent – and absolutely inconsistent – because life goes on, it is never static. Not even for a single moment does life stay anywhere."