"But the bird has lived long in the cage, although it is taking away its freedom, its whole sky, its flights across the sun, its joy; it has almost destroyed the bird's capacity to be on the wing. Perhaps the bird has already forgotten that it has wings. But the cage has security, safety from the unknown. The bird need not to be worried for the coming days – it need not worry about its food.

"Even if you open the door of the cage, the bird will hesitate to get out of it. So much is involved – the security, the safety. And who knows about this vast sky, and where he will land? And he has forgotten completely that he has wings. You know something only if you use it. If a bird has never used its wings, how can it remember them?

"The English word sin is very beautiful. Christians have destroyed its beauty, they have made it ugly; otherwise its original root means 'forgetfulness.' There is only one sin, and that is forgetfulness.

"The doors are open, the sky is inviting, the other birds are flying, it is only a question of a little courage. That's why I say that only the first step is difficult. If the bird can gather courage and take a jump into the air, the wings that he has no awareness of suddenly open.

"He's on the wing.

"The whole sky is his.

"Now the faraway stars can be his pilgrimage.

"Sannyas is initiation into freedom, making you aware about your wings, making you also aware that the whole sky, with all its stars is yours. You need not worry about security and safety; existence is taking care of so many birds, so many trees, so many stars – it can take care of you too.

"Sannyas is trust in existence. And the moment you trust, there is no fear, there is no worry, and there is no difficulty. Life becomes the most enjoyable, relaxed phenomenon.

"You are asking, 'Why is it so difficult for me to take sannyas?' My suggestion is that you cannot deliberately take sannyas; it is something like love that happens, it is something like sleep that comes."