In fact, a Buddha is bound to be misunderstood, not Adolf Hitler; a Jesus is bound to be misunderstood, but not Joseph Stalin. Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, they speak the language that you understand. They are just people like you; they live in the same kind of sleep. Hence there is a communication between you and them which is missing between you and a Buddha, between you and a Lao Tzu.

Buddha stands on the Everest and you live in the dark valleys far below. You don’t look up, you have forgotten how to look up. You crawl in the mud. Those who are crawling by your side can be understood more easily by you. They speak your language, they speak your idiom; they are perfectly in tune with you. They are not different people. But a Buddha, a Krishna, a Mohammed, these are different people. They speak a different language, from a different height, from a different vision – although they use the same words. But they give different meanings to your words, and you are going to miss those meanings.

Meditate over this:

“Why won’t you, honey?”

“I’m too tired.”

“Ah, come on….”

“Leave me alone!”

“I won’t be able to sleep!”

“Well, I can’t sleep now.”

“Please.”

“Why – in the middle of the night?”

“Because I’m hot.”

“You get hot at the damnedest times!”

“You don’t love me!”

“Yes, I do….”

“If you loved me you would do it.”

“Well, damn it – alright.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I can’t find it.”

“That feels better.”

“It should be – it’s all the way up.”

“That’s enough; thanks, dear.”

“Next time, open the damned window yourself!”

And all the time, what were you thinking?

Buddha says:

A master gives up mischief.