The story about Gautam Buddha is that when he reached the gates of nirvana he stood there, his back towards the gates. The gates were opened, and the guards wanted him to enter. They were ready to welcome him — because centuries pass and then once in a while those gates open. And they were immensely happy that someone has again become a buddha.
But Buddha refused. The story is symbolic. He says, “Unless every living being passes by me into nirvana, I am going to stay here. I will be the last. I cannot go alone, I have to take everybody with me. “They are struggling in pain and misery, and do you think I should enjoy nirvana and its tremendous blissfulness? It is not possible. I will wait. You can wait; but waiting here I will try to help those struggling souls, stumbling in darkness, groping in darkness. Unless I am satisfied that everybody has passed in, I will not come in and close the doors. Buddha is certainly one of the most insightful men. He does not stop at himself. Anybody would have stopped there — it is a natural tendency to put oneself at the highest point and then stop.
