America knows only one argument, and that is destruction.

We have to spread the idea that the only real power comes out of creation, not out of destruction. Destruction just shows your madness. Only creation shows your power.

A few more mundane affairs….

The Mahabodhi Society of Buddhists goes on making statements. I have not said a single word against the Mahabodhi Society. Now it is time.

I object to the very name “Mahabodhi.” Mahabodhi means “the great enlightenment” – neither in the past nor in the present is a single member of the Mahabodhi Society enlightened. They don’t have any right to call their society Mahabodhi; all they can do is to change their name to Maha-abodhi Society of India – abodhi means unenlightened. Otherwise, they have to show at least a single member, in the past or in the present, who has become enlightened in their Society.

They are just a bunch of rotten scholars, and they have the nerve to threaten me! In fact, I should take them to court; they have to give evidence for why they are calling their society “Mahabodhi.”

It is a great word, it has nothing to do with scholarship. I have known many members of the Mahabodhi Society: none of them is even aware what enlightenment is. And they call their society “The Great Enlightenment Society” – how many people have they made enlightened?

People never look at themselves. They don’t understand the implications of simple words. Although they are great scholars, they go on reciting the old sutras of Buddha. Most of them are out of date.

I have spoken more on Buddha than anybody in the whole world. I have loved the man; hence I have been choosing only the sutras that can be supported with logic, rationality, and understanding. There are many sutras I have been simply keeping out of my way. If the Mahabodhi Society and the Buddhists of India go on making statements against me, I am going to bring all those sutras that I have kept by the side! I don’t care a bit about anybody – Gautam Buddha included.

Just because of my love of the man, because he was not part of any organized religion and he was not inclined to create an organized religion…I have loved his individuality, his grace. But that does not mean that I agree with him one hundred percent. Not more than ten percent is my agreement with his ideas; ninety percent are absolute rubbish. Now these people are provoking me to bring out all that rubbish and condemn it. Unless I do it they will not be silent.