Eating, drinking, dying - three primary manifestations of the universal and impersonal life. Animals live that impersonal and universal life without knowing its nature. Ordinary people know its nature but don't live it and, if they think seriously about it, refuse to accept it. An enlightened person knows it, lives it, and accepts it completely. He eats, he drinks, and in due course he dies - but he eats with a difference, drinks with a difference, dies with a difference.

Summary

This quote highlights the different perspectives on life and existence. Animals live according to the natural flow of life without questioning it. Ordinary people understand the essence of life but often resist accepting it fully. On the other hand, an enlightened person not only comprehends life's nature but lives it wholeheartedly. They approach everyday activities such as eating and drinking with a profound awareness, adding a different dimension to their existence. Ultimately, even though an enlightened person experiences the same fate as everyone else in death, their acceptance of life's universal and impersonal nature sets them apart.

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