By Prabhaker,
The phenomenon is not natural; one should say, it is beyond nature. When a phenomenon occurs which is contrary to nature, or which is beyond nature, the entire harmony and adjustment of nature becomes disorderly. A great deal of preparation is needed if one wants to save oneself from such a disorderly state. Various yogasanas and mudras, yoga postures, are very helpful in this respect. In fact all the techniques of Yoga are useful in this direction. So you need an extraordinary body -- an ordinary body won't work. You need your body to be made of steel so that it can withstand an unnatural phenomenon of such great magnitude.
Ramakrishna died with a cancer of the throat, Raman Maharshi died with a cancer. J Krishnamurti suffered almost forty years with the most intense migraine possible. Buddha was often sick, so much so that one of his disciples -- an emperor, Prasenjita -- offered him his own personal physician. For his whole life, King Prasenjita's physician followed Gautam Buddha with a large wagon full of all kinds of medicines, books on medicine, particularly those which might be needed for Buddha. Mahavira continuously suffered from stomach troubles and finally died from the same troubles. Very few people survive enlightenment, and the reason why these people survive is strange: people who have been adventurous, people who have enjoyed taking risks, who have lived like a tightrope walker, whose lives have been on a razor's edge, may survive. The shock will be there, but they are accustomed to smaller shocks. They have never had such a big shock, but smaller shocks have prepared them to accept even this enormous phenomenon. They still continue to breathe; their heart still continues to beat. But still the body suffers in many ways because something has happened that the body cannot understand. No scripture of the world discusses it. The question of discussion does not even arise -- no scripture even mentions it, and it has been happening for centuries. Perhaps they were afraid that if they say it... People are already not interested in enlightenment, and if you tell them that this is going to be the reward -- that you become enlightened and your fuse goes off -- this may prevent even those few who might try. They will say, "What nonsense it is. You work hard to attain enlightenment and what do you get as a reward? -- that you are finished! You are not even going to see yourself enlightened. So what is the point? It is a strange game.
Ramakrishna died with a cancer of the throat, Raman Maharshi died with a cancer. J Krishnamurti suffered almost forty years with the most intense migraine possible. Buddha was often sick, so much so that one of his disciples -- an emperor, Prasenjita -- offered him his own personal physician. For his whole life, King Prasenjita's physician followed Gautam Buddha with a large wagon full of all kinds of medicines, books on medicine, particularly those which might be needed for Buddha. Mahavira continuously suffered from stomach troubles and finally died from the same troubles. Very few people survive enlightenment, and the reason why these people survive is strange: people who have been adventurous, people who have enjoyed taking risks, who have lived like a tightrope walker, whose lives have been on a razor's edge, may survive. The shock will be there, but they are accustomed to smaller shocks. They have never had such a big shock, but smaller shocks have prepared them to accept even this enormous phenomenon. They still continue to breathe; their heart still continues to beat. But still the body suffers in many ways because something has happened that the body cannot understand. No scripture of the world discusses it. The question of discussion does not even arise -- no scripture even mentions it, and it has been happening for centuries. Perhaps they were afraid that if they say it... People are already not interested in enlightenment, and if you tell them that this is going to be the reward -- that you become enlightened and your fuse goes off -- this may prevent even those few who might try. They will say, "What nonsense it is. You work hard to attain enlightenment and what do you get as a reward? -- that you are finished! You are not even going to see yourself enlightened. So what is the point? It is a strange game.