GOD IS LOVE. We can open our hearts to God. We can stand in utter nudity before him with absolute certainty that we will be forgiven. He is love and compassion: these two things are implied in the idea. Both are of tremendous beauty. The first will prevent you from judging others, and the second will encourage you to open your heart. No need to hide, no need to cover oneself. No need to be afraid: God is love and God is the judge.
There is a famous Sufi story:
A man had just got married and was returning home with his wife. They were crossing a gulf in a boat and suddenly a storm arose. The man was a warrior, but his wife became very afraid. It seemed that life was over: the boat was small and the storm was really bad, and at any moment they might drown. But the man sat silently; calm and quiet, as if nothing was happening.
The woman was trembling, and said, “Are you not afraid? This may be our last moment of life! It doesn’t seem that we will be able to reach the other shore. Only some miracle can save us, otherwise death is certain. Are you not afraid? Are you mad or something? Are you a stone or something?”
The man laughed and took his sword out of its sheath. His wife was even more puzzled: what is he doing? He brings the naked sword close to the woman’s neck — so close that just a small gap is there, it is almost touching her neck. He asked, “Are you afraid?” She starts giggling and laughing and she says, “Why should I be afraid? If the sword is in your hands, why should I be afraid? I know you love me.”
He put the sword back and he said, “This is my answer. I know I love God and God loves me, and the sword is in his hands, the storm is in his hands, so whatsoever is going to happen is going to be good. If we survive, good; if we don’t survive, good, because everything is in his hands and he cannot do anything wrong.”
This is the trust that we need to imbibe. Such tremendous trust is capable of transforming our whole life. Only such tremendous trust is capable of transforming our life; less than that won’t do.
Osho, The Rainbow Bridge, Ch 7 (excerpt)
मोहब्बत में नहीं है फ़र्क़ जीने और मरने का
उसी को देख कर जीते हैं जिस काफ़िर पे दम निकले — मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
mohabbat meñ nahīñ hai farq jiine aur marne kā
usī ko dekh kar jiite haiñ jis kāfir pe dam nikle — MIRZA GHALIB
The difference of life & death ceases in love
The source of life is the same as the cause for death.