• • MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN Other Publications by Madhukar Thompson: Books Enlightenment: An Outbreak Enlightenment? Who Cares! Teachings en Route to Freedom Enlightenment: Never Found — Never Lost* The Gentle Hanuner and the Friendly Sword Post Card Books (Sets of cards taking a light-hearted look at different aspects of spirituality and the search for Truth) Enlightenment by Airmail Enlightenment a la Carte Zorba 'n Buddha Your Way to Freedom Of Jewels, Pigs and Freedom The Seeker and His Search * Meditation* Enlightenment* Master!* *Publication scheduled for July 1999 ENLIGHTENMENT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN on ^nCigfitenment ^mesH S. with ^aCse^r Edited by Madhukar Thompson All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mecharucal, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without prior written permission from the publisher or his agents, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. Copyright © 1999 by Madhukar Thompson Published in India by NETI NETI PRESS 8 Sheetal Apts. Kawedev^adi - Koregaon Park P. O. Box -194 Pune - 411001, India Tel./Fax: (91-212) 603338 E-mail:
[email protected] WW w .neti-neti. org Printed by: MUDRA 383 Narayan Peth, Pune - 411030, India. ISBN 0-9665245-1-9 Dedicated to Ramesh S. Balsekar, and to every seeker of Truth The Neti Neti Press Logo The logo of Neti Neti Press symbolizes the non-duality of subject and object. All objective phenomena — including all forms and concepts — arise from, and dissolve back into, pure Subjectivity. The words "Neti Neti" (literally "not this, not this") remind us that this Subjectivity is indescribable. The scarecrow — a silent and ever-vigilant guardian — wards off all attempts to define It by "landing" concepts in Its immaculate, ineffable purity. Drawing its life from mud and water, the lotus blooms untouched by both. It represents the flowering of objective, phenomenal appearance that is ultimately identical with the pure Subjectivity from which it comes. The fu