Dharam Sadhana Ke Sutra #3
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Read in Original Hindi (मूल हिन्दी)
Questions in this Discourse
Osho, a friend has asked: the meditation you speak of—will it make any difference to one’s character and life, or not?
Certainly it will! And, in fact, character and life do not change by any other route. Meditation changes the inner consciousness. And when the inner consciousness changes, the outer conduct changes of its own accord. It cannot remain unchanged. When you change, how can your behavior remain old? It will change. Your old behavior was linked to your consciousness. And when consciousness itself has changed within, behavior cannot remain the same.
Now, a man is smoking a cigarette. The whole world may advise him, “Don’t smoke.” I say, he won’t stop. And if he does stop, he will start some other, equally useless habit in its place. If he doesn’t exhale smoke, he’ll chew betel; if not betel, he’ll chew mud; if not mud, he’ll sit with people and gossip. But that idle habit of moving the lips will continue. He cannot stop it. Because the smoker is really saying he cannot sit empty. Emptiness makes him restless. The cigarette is a prop against emptiness—an occupation for the unoccupied. When you are utterly without work, with nothing to do, you seek work through the cigarette. And one cannot even say that a smoker is necessarily doing something bad, because if all cigarettes were snatched from all smokers, those unoccupied people might find even more dangerous occupations.
Hitler did not smoke. And psychologists say that if he had smoked, perhaps the Second World War would not have happened. Hitler neither smoked nor ate meat, nor even eggs—Hitler was a great “saintly” man. He rose at five in the morning. He ate nothing “bad.” He didn’t drink tea or coffee. Alcohol was out of the question. Psychologists say he made himself so “good” on the outside, while inside everything was bad; then the bad had to find new channels to flow.
No, to snatch the cigarette from the outside is dangerous. The cigarette should disappear from within. And if the mind becomes quiet within, you will come to enjoy being unoccupied, being empty, so much that you will not spoil it with cigarette smoke.
Therefore, for me the question is always from within. A man eats meat. I don’t say, “Don’t eat it.” Because the one who eats meat is dangerous: if he does not eat meat, he will throttle someone’s neck. If not directly, he will throttle by charging interest. If the trick of interest is not available, he will find some other net in which to squeeze someone. Better he eats meat. Those who are non-meat-eaters from birth tend to become dangerous people, not good ones. The reason is that they have to suppress from the other side.
No, I say: let the mind become still within, blissful within; then the urge to hurt anyone dissolves, and you cannot eat meat. It won’t have to be dropped; it will drop.
The fundamental sutra of meditation is that behavior does not have to be changed; it changes. Behavior is a very superficial thing. The real thing is the inner being. And when the inner man changes, the outer conduct changes. It will change.
Now, a man is smoking a cigarette. The whole world may advise him, “Don’t smoke.” I say, he won’t stop. And if he does stop, he will start some other, equally useless habit in its place. If he doesn’t exhale smoke, he’ll chew betel; if not betel, he’ll chew mud; if not mud, he’ll sit with people and gossip. But that idle habit of moving the lips will continue. He cannot stop it. Because the smoker is really saying he cannot sit empty. Emptiness makes him restless. The cigarette is a prop against emptiness—an occupation for the unoccupied. When you are utterly without work, with nothing to do, you seek work through the cigarette. And one cannot even say that a smoker is necessarily doing something bad, because if all cigarettes were snatched from all smokers, those unoccupied people might find even more dangerous occupations.
Hitler did not smoke. And psychologists say that if he had smoked, perhaps the Second World War would not have happened. Hitler neither smoked nor ate meat, nor even eggs—Hitler was a great “saintly” man. He rose at five in the morning. He ate nothing “bad.” He didn’t drink tea or coffee. Alcohol was out of the question. Psychologists say he made himself so “good” on the outside, while inside everything was bad; then the bad had to find new channels to flow.
No, to snatch the cigarette from the outside is dangerous. The cigarette should disappear from within. And if the mind becomes quiet within, you will come to enjoy being unoccupied, being empty, so much that you will not spoil it with cigarette smoke.
Therefore, for me the question is always from within. A man eats meat. I don’t say, “Don’t eat it.” Because the one who eats meat is dangerous: if he does not eat meat, he will throttle someone’s neck. If not directly, he will throttle by charging interest. If the trick of interest is not available, he will find some other net in which to squeeze someone. Better he eats meat. Those who are non-meat-eaters from birth tend to become dangerous people, not good ones. The reason is that they have to suppress from the other side.
No, I say: let the mind become still within, blissful within; then the urge to hurt anyone dissolves, and you cannot eat meat. It won’t have to be dropped; it will drop.
The fundamental sutra of meditation is that behavior does not have to be changed; it changes. Behavior is a very superficial thing. The real thing is the inner being. And when the inner man changes, the outer conduct changes. It will change.
Osho, that friend has asked: might this become just a short rest, a brief entertainment?
No. Let it be for a little while—soon it will take hold of your whole life. This meditation is such a guest that once it slips inside, you will not be able to send it out. Once it is in, you simply cannot expel it. Because it brings such bliss—who can throw bliss away? It brings such peace—who would drive peace out? Try it once—let it come in—and then it will never be able to leave. And even if someone says, “We’ll take it out and give you ten million rupees,” you will not agree to part with it even for ten million.
I have heard that in those days an emperor, Shrenik, came to Mahavira. Shrenik said to Mahavira, “I have attained everything. Now I hear so much talk about meditation—what is this thing? How much will it cost? I am ready to buy.”
He was an emperor—accustomed to buying things. Mahavira said, “You cannot get it by buying, because even the poorest man will not agree to sell it.”
The emperor said, “Then I will conquer it. I will send my armies. What kind of thing is this meditation?”
Mahavira said, “Your armies can cut men down; they cannot cut meditation.”
Still he said, “Show me some way! I have obtained everything; only this meditation remains. It pricks me that I don’t have it. What is this meditation?”
Mahavira said, “You are used to acquiring wealth and land, and now you want to acquire meditation in the same way? In that manner you cannot. In your town there is a poor man—go to him.” Mahavira gave his name, “He has received meditation; buy it from him.”
So Shrenik went to his door, stepped down from the chariot, and saw a poor man’s hut. He thought, “I will buy him outright; what is meditation in comparison?” He piled great diamonds and jewels at the door and said, “Keep them! If you need more, I’ll give more—ask whatever you want. Give me your meditation.”
The man said, “You put me in great difficulty. Even if you were to give me your entire empire, I would still not be able to give meditation. First, because there is no greater wealth than this. And also because it is the soul of my soul—how can I take it out and hand it over? Even if someone wanted to take it, it cannot be given.”
With meditation, everything changes—your whole personality. But courage is needed.
Now we will sit for meditation.
Those who have come only to watch, please step away from the middle and stand at the sides. There is no objection to watching. Even by watching something may happen to you. Only take care that those who stand at the sides do not disturb anyone. If you show this much courtesy, it will be a great kindness. Stand silently and watch. But let there be no one standing in the middle who is not meditating; otherwise the waves created here by the meditators are disturbed. Whoever does not want to meditate, please stand quietly at the sides. And those friends who will meditate, take your places and make space for yourselves—and do not talk at all.
Do not talk. Stand silently at your own place. Those who are going to meditate should stand a little apart, so no one touches anyone. Leave a little space all around you, because when you begin to move and dance, you shouldn’t bump into anyone. Those who want to watch silently, please stand a little farther back so there is space here. Step back a bit.
And again I request the friends who are spectators: please do not cause even the slightest disturbance—keep this in mind. Do not talk; stand silently and watch. Spectators, step back a little so it is clear who is meditating. Stand a little farther back if you want to watch quietly—don’t stand so close. And those friends who are standing to meditate, leave a little space around you too, because today is the second day—you will have to exert a bit more strength. Those who did not dare yesterday should dare today.
First, close your eyes—those who are going into meditation, close your eyes. These eyes will remain closed for forty minutes. Do not open them in these forty minutes. Yes, if you need to stand in between, do not stand with your eyes open. Those who are standing within the circle for meditation must keep their eyes closed—no one should be standing with eyes open. Close your eyes, otherwise step aside. And keep the eyes closed for forty minutes. Whatever happens in between, do not open your eyes; otherwise there will be disturbance.
Now that the eyes are closed, make a resolve three times within your mind: Taking the Lord as witness, I resolve to put my total energy into meditation; taking the Lord as witness, I resolve to put my total energy into meditation; taking the Lord as witness, I resolve to put my total energy into meditation. Remember this resolve for at least forty minutes. Only if you put in your total energy will the result begin to happen. And forget the people. If you want to remember the Lord, you must forget people. Don’t worry who is standing and watching. Complete your work.
For the first ten minutes, do fast breathing—take and throw the breath rapidly. If it suits you, you may inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth; if it suits you, inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose. Keep only one thing in mind: breathe so strongly that gradually your whole body and mind are only breathing.
Begin. For ten minutes, put your total energy into the breath. Throw the breath out deeply; take it in swiftly; throw it out swiftly. As soon as the lungs are full, throw it out. Do not hold. When it goes out, fill the lungs again. Friends, those who are standing to meditate, use your full strength. Feel as if you are nothing but a bellows breathing in and out. Ten minutes of deep breathing and the result will begin immediately. Deep breathing—out and in, in and out… Not slow—if someone is doing it slowly, it’s better not to do it at all. Breathe strong and throw strong. The stronger the blows of the breath, the faster the kundalini begins to awaken. And when the kundalini awakens within you, the whole body will feel electrified, as if electricity is surging. When this electricity begins to move, do not be afraid…
Yes—breathe deep, take and throw, take and throw… as fast as possible… Exhaust yourself completely… as fast as you can… If the body begins to shake, don’t worry—when breathing is fast, the body will start to move…
Fast in, fast out… faster, faster, faster… put in your total energy—so that you are drenched in sweat… Only when you reach the Lord’s door utterly tired will you be able to fall there. Give your total energy; exhaust yourself…
Very good—many friends are doing it very well. Some are going slow—breathe faster. Otherwise there is no result; then it becomes useless to do. Fast in, fast out… Let the whole body tremble—don’t worry… In and out, in and out, in and out… The whole body will be filled with electricity; it will begin to move and whirl—don’t worry…
Faster, faster… I am speaking to you—no one else… faster, faster, faster, faster, faster… let there be only breath… nothing but breathing—nothing else… Only breath is going in and out. Forget others; feel you are alone here—breathe deep…
Deep breath… inner energy will begin to rise… Breathe deep, and when energy rises, don’t be afraid… The body will sway with the energy—don’t be afraid… Deep breath, deep breath, deeper and deeper… Whatever strength you have, pour it all in—don’t hold anything back…
Five minutes remain—give your all for five minutes; then we will enter the second stage… Only when you are fully tired in the first will you be able to move into the second.
Deeper breathing… If the body starts to leap, to move, if arms and legs go up and down—don’t worry… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Keep the eyes closed. Do not even bother to look at your body—eyes remain closed… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Use your full strength—don’t spare yourself at all. I want to tire you out so that in the last stage you fall helpless at the Lord’s door… Deeper, deeper, deeper, deeper…
Three minutes remain—put in your total energy; then we will enter the second stage… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Worry about nothing. If the body moves, if arms and legs go up and down, whatever happens, let it happen—concentrate entirely on the breath, pour in your total energy… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath…
Two minutes remain—give everything… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Let there be only breath, only breath. Become a mere mechanism for breathing—nothing else: breath going in, breath going out. If you do this with your total strength, you will begin to see clearly: breath is separate, I am separate; breath separate, I separate; breath separate, I separate… But only if you put in total effort will this clear distance be felt… Breath separate, I separate… Pour in your energy… Breath separate, I separate… Deep breath… One minute remains—give your all. When I say one, two, three, then give your total strength—whatever your capacity…
One! Put in your total energy. Two! Put in your total energy. Three! Put in your total energy—let there be only breath, only breath…
And now we enter the second stage. The breathing will continue—fast. Now leave the body loose. Let the body do whatever it wants to do. As soon as the body begins to do something, you will begin to see: body separate, you separate. Let the body be… If it wants to cry, let it cry; if it wants to shake, let it shake; if it wants to dance, let it dance… Whatever is happening—any limb wants to do anything—leave it loose, cooperate with it, allow it… The body will begin to move, to sway—let go… Keep the deep breathing going and leave the body as if it were a corpse… Whatever wants to happen in the body, let it happen… When the body begins, by itself, to vibrate like a machine, to dance, to cry, to laugh—inside it becomes clear: I am separate, body is separate. You have heard much that the body is separate—now is the chance to see it. See it.
Let go. For ten minutes now, leave the body completely—and whatever it does, support it, let it do it… If someone starts crying—let them cry; if someone begins to laugh—let them laugh; if someone starts dancing—let them dance; if someone falls—let them fall… Whatever the body wants to do, do not hinder it in the least… Breathing will continue, deep breathing will continue—and leave the body…
Yes—if the body dances, let it dance; if it sways, let it sway; if it falls, let it fall… Put in your full energy—let go…
And see that not even a single person opens their eyes in between. I told you before—if you want to open your eyes, step out; do not spoil the atmosphere.
Put in total energy. Let the body do what happens… Do not bother if someone thinks you’ve gone mad; do not bother what anyone says—let the body do what it is doing… Let go—do not be shy. Many friends, out of embarrassment, hold back; then the experiment cannot be complete. Let go… Some friends have let go—good. The rest, let go too…
No talking. Friends who are watching, at least stand silently—do this kindness—watch quietly.
Let go, let go, let go, let go… I am speaking to you—no one else… Let go completely—allow whatever happens to the body to happen… If crying comes, don’t stop it; if laughter comes, don’t stop it; if the body dances, let it dance—don’t stop it… Let go—leave the body completely… Let go, let go—leave the body completely…
Five minutes remain—let go of the body totally… Let the body do whatever it wants to do… Let go of the body, let go of the body, let go of the body… If it cries—let it cry; if it laughs—let it laugh; if it dances—let it dance… Let go—leave the body completely, let go… absolutely let go—leave the body completely…
Spectators, please do not come into the middle; do not enter inside—be so kind. Remain outside. Do not indulge in such madness—remain outside. Watch from the outside; do not create disturbance by coming in.
Let go… Four minutes remain—let go completely; then we will enter the third stage… Let the body go utterly—whatever happens, let it happen… If it laughs—let it laugh; if it cries—let it cry; if it screams—let it scream; if it dances—let it dance. Do not interfere with any activity of the body—let it happen… Let go, let go, let go… When the body starts to work on its own, then inside it will be seen clearly—“I am separate, body is separate; I am different, body is different.” Let go, let go…
And spectators, please, do not enter—remain outside and watch from there.
Let go, let go, let go, let go… Let go utterly, otherwise you will miss. Some friends have dropped completely; some are holding themselves back. Don’t hold—let go; let whatever happens happen… Good, good—let go. Let go completely, let go completely, let go completely…
Three minutes remain—let go totally… If the body sways, dances, cries, laughs—whatever the body does, let it do it, let it do it—leave the body completely…
Please do not talk—stand silently and watch.
Let go—let the body do whatever it does—let it do it. Do not hold back, and do not take on anyone else’s embarrassment. Those who are watching are not your companions—let them watch; do not take their shame upon yourself…
And please, no one should come into the middle!
Let go, let go—two minutes remain—let go; then we will enter the third stage… Let go completely—leave the body; let what is happening happen—let what is happening happen. Let go, let go, let go—let go completely—let the body do what it is doing; inside it will be seen clearly—body separate, I separate…
Do not talk—do this kindness—stand silently. At least stand silently—do not talk. And spectators, do not come into the middle; do not be so unintelligent. If you are watching, that is unintelligent enough; doing it would be intelligent. So keep watching—stand outside.
Let go—one minute remains—let go completely; let the body do whatever it does; then we will enter the third stage… Let go, let go—leave the body completely—if it laughs, if it cries, if it dances—let it do whatever it does… Let go, let go—let go completely—do not hold back at all… I will say one, two, three—then let go…
One! Let go totally. Two! Let go. Three! Let go—let whatever is happening happen… Let go, let go—let whatever is happening happen… Let go—leave the body completely loose… Let go—leave the body completely loose… Let go…
Now we enter the third stage. The breath will continue, the body’s movement will continue. For ten minutes within, ask: “Who am I?” Put in your total strength so that the mind becomes tired. Ask within the mind: “Who am I? Who am I?” Only inside—ask, “Who am I?” Pour in your total energy.
Spectators, do not enter inside. You are all educated people—you should not need to be told. Stay outside, remain at a distance and watch.
“Who am I?” For ten minutes, apply the total force of the mind within. We have become separate from the breath, separate from the body. “Who am I?” Ask fast for ten minutes—you will become separate from the mind as well. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” The breath will continue, the body will tremble—inside, ask: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Put your total strength within: “Who am I? Who am I?” No worries—put in your total energy for ten minutes; then we will rest. Tire yourself out for ten minutes—as much as you tire…
How foolish you are—I’m telling you to stay outside!
“Who am I?” Put in your total strength—as much as you tire, that much you’ll be able to enter peace after ten minutes. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Pour in your full energy: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Ask within: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Let the body whirl, let the breath stay fast—inside, ask: “Who am I?”
It’s only a matter of five minutes—give it your all: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Worry about no one—worry about yourself: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Exhaust yourself completely in these five minutes so we can go into deep silence… “Who am I?” Exhaust yourself, exhaust yourself—“Who am I? Who am I?”
How unintelligent you boys are—get out!
“Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Give it your all—pour in your whole strength for five minutes—“Who am I?” If the body dances, let it dance; if it cries, let it cry; if it laughs, let it laugh… “Who am I? Who am I?” Become utterly mad; ask: “Who am I?” Raise a storm within: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?”
Go utterly mad—forget everything—let only one question remain: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Put in your total strength: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Raise a total storm—the bigger the storm, the deeper the peace into which you will go. Don’t miss this chance—put in your total energy…
“Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Three minutes remain—increase the force… “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Go utterly mad—ask within completely: “Who am I? Who am I?” Put in your full strength—two minutes remain—then we will rest. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Two minutes—give your all—go utterly mad—“Who am I? Who am I?”
See that no one enters inside!
“Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Exhaust yourself—exhaust yourself completely—put in all your strength. One minute remains—give it your all—go utterly mad—don’t spare yourself—pour in your total energy: “Who am I? Who am I?”
One! Put in your total energy. Two! Put in your total energy. Three! Put in your total energy. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?”
Now let go, now go into rest. For ten minutes, drop everything—drop the body, drop the breath, drop the questioning. For ten minutes, be as if you are dead.
And spectators—at least for these ten minutes, do not speak. Ten minutes—spectators, be silent for at least ten minutes now.
For a full ten minutes, as if you have vanished, ended—as if you have died, as if you are not. If you can keep standing, stand; if you feel like falling, lie down, sit down. For ten minutes, everything is finished, everything is finished—everything has become a void.
Keep watching within, keep watching within; much will happen inside—keep watching… Body and soul will appear completely separate—keep watching within… Within, only light upon light will remain…
Spectators, please be quiet for a while. Astonishing! Could you not be silent for ten minutes? Or if you must talk, please go away.
Within, only light will remain, and from the heart a stream of bliss will begin to rise… Look within, experience within: only light, only bliss, only peace. All is silent—the storm has passed and deep peace remains. In this very peace, the experience of the Divine begins; in this bliss, the door of the Lord opens; in this light, His path becomes visible… Look within, look within—only light, only bliss, only peace remain… Look within, look within—whatever is happening within, watch it… Only light, only peace, only bliss… Look within, look within—do not miss this moment. Recognize clearly within—what is happening…
All has dissolved, all has grown silent… Look within, look within—only bliss, only peace, only light… Look within, look within… Within, within… You have heard so much about the within—now the chance has come to see it: only light, only bliss, only peace… In this light, His door will be seen; in this peace, His path will be found; in this bliss, dancing, one enters within Him… Look within, look within—dancing in this bliss, one enters His temple… Look within, look within…
You have dissolved, ended—only That remains. You are gone, you are lost—only That remains… Within, and deeper within… Only peace, only bliss, only light remains… Dissolved, finished—the drop has disappeared into the ocean. Infinite peace remains, boundless light remains, endless bliss remains… This is His door—this is His door—recognize it well within… Outside there is no door of His, no temple of His outside… This is His temple, this is His door—recognize it well… Only peace remains, only bliss remains, only light remains…
Now slowly open your eyes. If the eyes do not open, place both hands over them and open them gently. Those who are standing, take two or four deep breaths and slowly sit down. Those who are lying or have fallen, take two or four deep breaths and gently sit up. Do not hurry—do everything very gently, slowly. If the eyes don’t open, first place the hands over the eyes. If you can’t sit up, first take two or four deep breaths; if you can’t get up, first take two or four deep breaths. Sit down slowly—I have two or four things to tell you, then our sitting will be complete.
Those who are lying down, take two or four deep breaths, then slowly rise. Those who have fallen, take two or four deep breaths, then slowly rise. Those who are standing, also take two or four deep breaths, then slowly sit down. Take two or four deep breaths, then slowly sit. Those who are lying down, take two or four deep breaths, then slowly get up. Take two or four deep breaths, open your eyes with the breath, then sit. Take two or four deep breaths, then gently sit.
I have two or four things to say to you.
First: tomorrow morning we will not be able to do the meditation experiment, because if spectators crowd and enter inside, it is not possible. Next time when the experiment is held here, those who are eager for meditation should give their names in advance to the Life Awakening Center, so they can get passes and only they may enter. Tomorrow morning the experiment will not be held—there will only be a talk; I will speak about whatever you ask regarding meditation.
Second: whoever has experienced anything—and many friends have experienced much; today you worked harder than yesterday—it is your misfortune that your town is very unintelligent; otherwise tomorrow the process could have gone further, but it will not be possible. Those friends who have experienced anything should come and meet me today between three and four. If you want guidance to move further, understand it then. But whatever has happened to you, do not talk about it to others—they will not be able to understand what has happened to you. Speak with me, and continue the experiment.
If you do this experiment for three weeks, something new will begin in your life. For those who did it well yesterday, it began yesterday. For those who did it well today, it begins today. And if you do it for three weeks, then you will not be able to leave it. I will explain how to do it at home. Close a room—choose a small room—shut all doors and windows. If possible, remove all clothes; clothing hinders the body from taking total movement. Spread a mattress on the floor and stand upon it. Do not do the experiment sitting or lying down. When the experiment begins to be complete in three weeks, then you can do it sitting or lying—however you like—but for now, do it standing. Stand, close your eyes, set an alarm on a clock or tell someone at home to knock when the hour is over. Tell the family that if sounds of laughing, crying, or shouting come, no one should worry and no one should try to open the door. Do it only after a bath, and before doing it, keep the stomach empty—otherwise you may vomit. If the body moves very strongly, what you have eaten or drunk can be thrown out. So morning is best—do it on an empty stomach. If you must do it at night, do it at least three hours after eating—or eat afterward. Keep this in mind and do the experiment for three weeks.
If anyone has a question arising from this experiment, you can write to me and ask. This experiment is wondrous, and it will send off who knows how many illnesses from your body—many diseases will suddenly disappear, as if burned in fire. It will remove countless ailments of your mind as if they had never been. It will begin to change your character within seven days—I don’t say seven years. Within seven days you will begin to see the difference: where anger used to arise, anger will become difficult; where there was a tendency to quarrel, there will be friendliness; and the tasks of life that felt like a burden will not feel like a burden anymore. And this world will not appear as the world—it will be seen with a totally new eye. The world and the Divine are not two—there are only two kinds of eyes. The diseased eye sees the world; the healthy eye begins to see God. There are only two ways of seeing. Do it as I say for seven days—then you will not be able to leave it. Do it with effort for twenty-one days; after that you will not have to make an effort—you will simply sit, close the door, and it will happen.
May the Divine grant that you can succeed. May the Divine grant that you can have courage. May the Divine grant that you can make the resolve.
Our morning sitting is complete.
I have heard that in those days an emperor, Shrenik, came to Mahavira. Shrenik said to Mahavira, “I have attained everything. Now I hear so much talk about meditation—what is this thing? How much will it cost? I am ready to buy.”
He was an emperor—accustomed to buying things. Mahavira said, “You cannot get it by buying, because even the poorest man will not agree to sell it.”
The emperor said, “Then I will conquer it. I will send my armies. What kind of thing is this meditation?”
Mahavira said, “Your armies can cut men down; they cannot cut meditation.”
Still he said, “Show me some way! I have obtained everything; only this meditation remains. It pricks me that I don’t have it. What is this meditation?”
Mahavira said, “You are used to acquiring wealth and land, and now you want to acquire meditation in the same way? In that manner you cannot. In your town there is a poor man—go to him.” Mahavira gave his name, “He has received meditation; buy it from him.”
So Shrenik went to his door, stepped down from the chariot, and saw a poor man’s hut. He thought, “I will buy him outright; what is meditation in comparison?” He piled great diamonds and jewels at the door and said, “Keep them! If you need more, I’ll give more—ask whatever you want. Give me your meditation.”
The man said, “You put me in great difficulty. Even if you were to give me your entire empire, I would still not be able to give meditation. First, because there is no greater wealth than this. And also because it is the soul of my soul—how can I take it out and hand it over? Even if someone wanted to take it, it cannot be given.”
With meditation, everything changes—your whole personality. But courage is needed.
Now we will sit for meditation.
Those who have come only to watch, please step away from the middle and stand at the sides. There is no objection to watching. Even by watching something may happen to you. Only take care that those who stand at the sides do not disturb anyone. If you show this much courtesy, it will be a great kindness. Stand silently and watch. But let there be no one standing in the middle who is not meditating; otherwise the waves created here by the meditators are disturbed. Whoever does not want to meditate, please stand quietly at the sides. And those friends who will meditate, take your places and make space for yourselves—and do not talk at all.
Do not talk. Stand silently at your own place. Those who are going to meditate should stand a little apart, so no one touches anyone. Leave a little space all around you, because when you begin to move and dance, you shouldn’t bump into anyone. Those who want to watch silently, please stand a little farther back so there is space here. Step back a bit.
And again I request the friends who are spectators: please do not cause even the slightest disturbance—keep this in mind. Do not talk; stand silently and watch. Spectators, step back a little so it is clear who is meditating. Stand a little farther back if you want to watch quietly—don’t stand so close. And those friends who are standing to meditate, leave a little space around you too, because today is the second day—you will have to exert a bit more strength. Those who did not dare yesterday should dare today.
First, close your eyes—those who are going into meditation, close your eyes. These eyes will remain closed for forty minutes. Do not open them in these forty minutes. Yes, if you need to stand in between, do not stand with your eyes open. Those who are standing within the circle for meditation must keep their eyes closed—no one should be standing with eyes open. Close your eyes, otherwise step aside. And keep the eyes closed for forty minutes. Whatever happens in between, do not open your eyes; otherwise there will be disturbance.
Now that the eyes are closed, make a resolve three times within your mind: Taking the Lord as witness, I resolve to put my total energy into meditation; taking the Lord as witness, I resolve to put my total energy into meditation; taking the Lord as witness, I resolve to put my total energy into meditation. Remember this resolve for at least forty minutes. Only if you put in your total energy will the result begin to happen. And forget the people. If you want to remember the Lord, you must forget people. Don’t worry who is standing and watching. Complete your work.
For the first ten minutes, do fast breathing—take and throw the breath rapidly. If it suits you, you may inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth; if it suits you, inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose. Keep only one thing in mind: breathe so strongly that gradually your whole body and mind are only breathing.
Begin. For ten minutes, put your total energy into the breath. Throw the breath out deeply; take it in swiftly; throw it out swiftly. As soon as the lungs are full, throw it out. Do not hold. When it goes out, fill the lungs again. Friends, those who are standing to meditate, use your full strength. Feel as if you are nothing but a bellows breathing in and out. Ten minutes of deep breathing and the result will begin immediately. Deep breathing—out and in, in and out… Not slow—if someone is doing it slowly, it’s better not to do it at all. Breathe strong and throw strong. The stronger the blows of the breath, the faster the kundalini begins to awaken. And when the kundalini awakens within you, the whole body will feel electrified, as if electricity is surging. When this electricity begins to move, do not be afraid…
Yes—breathe deep, take and throw, take and throw… as fast as possible… Exhaust yourself completely… as fast as you can… If the body begins to shake, don’t worry—when breathing is fast, the body will start to move…
Fast in, fast out… faster, faster, faster… put in your total energy—so that you are drenched in sweat… Only when you reach the Lord’s door utterly tired will you be able to fall there. Give your total energy; exhaust yourself…
Very good—many friends are doing it very well. Some are going slow—breathe faster. Otherwise there is no result; then it becomes useless to do. Fast in, fast out… Let the whole body tremble—don’t worry… In and out, in and out, in and out… The whole body will be filled with electricity; it will begin to move and whirl—don’t worry…
Faster, faster… I am speaking to you—no one else… faster, faster, faster, faster, faster… let there be only breath… nothing but breathing—nothing else… Only breath is going in and out. Forget others; feel you are alone here—breathe deep…
Deep breath… inner energy will begin to rise… Breathe deep, and when energy rises, don’t be afraid… The body will sway with the energy—don’t be afraid… Deep breath, deep breath, deeper and deeper… Whatever strength you have, pour it all in—don’t hold anything back…
Five minutes remain—give your all for five minutes; then we will enter the second stage… Only when you are fully tired in the first will you be able to move into the second.
Deeper breathing… If the body starts to leap, to move, if arms and legs go up and down—don’t worry… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Keep the eyes closed. Do not even bother to look at your body—eyes remain closed… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Use your full strength—don’t spare yourself at all. I want to tire you out so that in the last stage you fall helpless at the Lord’s door… Deeper, deeper, deeper, deeper…
Three minutes remain—put in your total energy; then we will enter the second stage… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Worry about nothing. If the body moves, if arms and legs go up and down, whatever happens, let it happen—concentrate entirely on the breath, pour in your total energy… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath, deep breath…
Two minutes remain—give everything… Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath… Let there be only breath, only breath. Become a mere mechanism for breathing—nothing else: breath going in, breath going out. If you do this with your total strength, you will begin to see clearly: breath is separate, I am separate; breath separate, I separate; breath separate, I separate… But only if you put in total effort will this clear distance be felt… Breath separate, I separate… Pour in your energy… Breath separate, I separate… Deep breath… One minute remains—give your all. When I say one, two, three, then give your total strength—whatever your capacity…
One! Put in your total energy. Two! Put in your total energy. Three! Put in your total energy—let there be only breath, only breath…
And now we enter the second stage. The breathing will continue—fast. Now leave the body loose. Let the body do whatever it wants to do. As soon as the body begins to do something, you will begin to see: body separate, you separate. Let the body be… If it wants to cry, let it cry; if it wants to shake, let it shake; if it wants to dance, let it dance… Whatever is happening—any limb wants to do anything—leave it loose, cooperate with it, allow it… The body will begin to move, to sway—let go… Keep the deep breathing going and leave the body as if it were a corpse… Whatever wants to happen in the body, let it happen… When the body begins, by itself, to vibrate like a machine, to dance, to cry, to laugh—inside it becomes clear: I am separate, body is separate. You have heard much that the body is separate—now is the chance to see it. See it.
Let go. For ten minutes now, leave the body completely—and whatever it does, support it, let it do it… If someone starts crying—let them cry; if someone begins to laugh—let them laugh; if someone starts dancing—let them dance; if someone falls—let them fall… Whatever the body wants to do, do not hinder it in the least… Breathing will continue, deep breathing will continue—and leave the body…
Yes—if the body dances, let it dance; if it sways, let it sway; if it falls, let it fall… Put in your full energy—let go…
And see that not even a single person opens their eyes in between. I told you before—if you want to open your eyes, step out; do not spoil the atmosphere.
Put in total energy. Let the body do what happens… Do not bother if someone thinks you’ve gone mad; do not bother what anyone says—let the body do what it is doing… Let go—do not be shy. Many friends, out of embarrassment, hold back; then the experiment cannot be complete. Let go… Some friends have let go—good. The rest, let go too…
No talking. Friends who are watching, at least stand silently—do this kindness—watch quietly.
Let go, let go, let go, let go… I am speaking to you—no one else… Let go completely—allow whatever happens to the body to happen… If crying comes, don’t stop it; if laughter comes, don’t stop it; if the body dances, let it dance—don’t stop it… Let go—leave the body completely… Let go, let go—leave the body completely…
Five minutes remain—let go of the body totally… Let the body do whatever it wants to do… Let go of the body, let go of the body, let go of the body… If it cries—let it cry; if it laughs—let it laugh; if it dances—let it dance… Let go—leave the body completely, let go… absolutely let go—leave the body completely…
Spectators, please do not come into the middle; do not enter inside—be so kind. Remain outside. Do not indulge in such madness—remain outside. Watch from the outside; do not create disturbance by coming in.
Let go… Four minutes remain—let go completely; then we will enter the third stage… Let the body go utterly—whatever happens, let it happen… If it laughs—let it laugh; if it cries—let it cry; if it screams—let it scream; if it dances—let it dance. Do not interfere with any activity of the body—let it happen… Let go, let go, let go… When the body starts to work on its own, then inside it will be seen clearly—“I am separate, body is separate; I am different, body is different.” Let go, let go…
And spectators, please, do not enter—remain outside and watch from there.
Let go, let go, let go, let go… Let go utterly, otherwise you will miss. Some friends have dropped completely; some are holding themselves back. Don’t hold—let go; let whatever happens happen… Good, good—let go. Let go completely, let go completely, let go completely…
Three minutes remain—let go totally… If the body sways, dances, cries, laughs—whatever the body does, let it do it, let it do it—leave the body completely…
Please do not talk—stand silently and watch.
Let go—let the body do whatever it does—let it do it. Do not hold back, and do not take on anyone else’s embarrassment. Those who are watching are not your companions—let them watch; do not take their shame upon yourself…
And please, no one should come into the middle!
Let go, let go—two minutes remain—let go; then we will enter the third stage… Let go completely—leave the body; let what is happening happen—let what is happening happen. Let go, let go, let go—let go completely—let the body do what it is doing; inside it will be seen clearly—body separate, I separate…
Do not talk—do this kindness—stand silently. At least stand silently—do not talk. And spectators, do not come into the middle; do not be so unintelligent. If you are watching, that is unintelligent enough; doing it would be intelligent. So keep watching—stand outside.
Let go—one minute remains—let go completely; let the body do whatever it does; then we will enter the third stage… Let go, let go—leave the body completely—if it laughs, if it cries, if it dances—let it do whatever it does… Let go, let go—let go completely—do not hold back at all… I will say one, two, three—then let go…
One! Let go totally. Two! Let go. Three! Let go—let whatever is happening happen… Let go, let go—let whatever is happening happen… Let go—leave the body completely loose… Let go—leave the body completely loose… Let go…
Now we enter the third stage. The breath will continue, the body’s movement will continue. For ten minutes within, ask: “Who am I?” Put in your total strength so that the mind becomes tired. Ask within the mind: “Who am I? Who am I?” Only inside—ask, “Who am I?” Pour in your total energy.
Spectators, do not enter inside. You are all educated people—you should not need to be told. Stay outside, remain at a distance and watch.
“Who am I?” For ten minutes, apply the total force of the mind within. We have become separate from the breath, separate from the body. “Who am I?” Ask fast for ten minutes—you will become separate from the mind as well. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” The breath will continue, the body will tremble—inside, ask: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Put your total strength within: “Who am I? Who am I?” No worries—put in your total energy for ten minutes; then we will rest. Tire yourself out for ten minutes—as much as you tire…
How foolish you are—I’m telling you to stay outside!
“Who am I?” Put in your total strength—as much as you tire, that much you’ll be able to enter peace after ten minutes. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Pour in your full energy: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Ask within: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Let the body whirl, let the breath stay fast—inside, ask: “Who am I?”
It’s only a matter of five minutes—give it your all: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Worry about no one—worry about yourself: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Exhaust yourself completely in these five minutes so we can go into deep silence… “Who am I?” Exhaust yourself, exhaust yourself—“Who am I? Who am I?”
How unintelligent you boys are—get out!
“Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Give it your all—pour in your whole strength for five minutes—“Who am I?” If the body dances, let it dance; if it cries, let it cry; if it laughs, let it laugh… “Who am I? Who am I?” Become utterly mad; ask: “Who am I?” Raise a storm within: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?”
Go utterly mad—forget everything—let only one question remain: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Put in your total strength: “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Raise a total storm—the bigger the storm, the deeper the peace into which you will go. Don’t miss this chance—put in your total energy…
“Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Three minutes remain—increase the force… “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Go utterly mad—ask within completely: “Who am I? Who am I?” Put in your full strength—two minutes remain—then we will rest. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Two minutes—give your all—go utterly mad—“Who am I? Who am I?”
See that no one enters inside!
“Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?” Exhaust yourself—exhaust yourself completely—put in all your strength. One minute remains—give it your all—go utterly mad—don’t spare yourself—pour in your total energy: “Who am I? Who am I?”
One! Put in your total energy. Two! Put in your total energy. Three! Put in your total energy. “Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?”
Now let go, now go into rest. For ten minutes, drop everything—drop the body, drop the breath, drop the questioning. For ten minutes, be as if you are dead.
And spectators—at least for these ten minutes, do not speak. Ten minutes—spectators, be silent for at least ten minutes now.
For a full ten minutes, as if you have vanished, ended—as if you have died, as if you are not. If you can keep standing, stand; if you feel like falling, lie down, sit down. For ten minutes, everything is finished, everything is finished—everything has become a void.
Keep watching within, keep watching within; much will happen inside—keep watching… Body and soul will appear completely separate—keep watching within… Within, only light upon light will remain…
Spectators, please be quiet for a while. Astonishing! Could you not be silent for ten minutes? Or if you must talk, please go away.
Within, only light will remain, and from the heart a stream of bliss will begin to rise… Look within, experience within: only light, only bliss, only peace. All is silent—the storm has passed and deep peace remains. In this very peace, the experience of the Divine begins; in this bliss, the door of the Lord opens; in this light, His path becomes visible… Look within, look within—only light, only bliss, only peace remain… Look within, look within—whatever is happening within, watch it… Only light, only peace, only bliss… Look within, look within—do not miss this moment. Recognize clearly within—what is happening…
All has dissolved, all has grown silent… Look within, look within—only bliss, only peace, only light… Look within, look within… Within, within… You have heard so much about the within—now the chance has come to see it: only light, only bliss, only peace… In this light, His door will be seen; in this peace, His path will be found; in this bliss, dancing, one enters within Him… Look within, look within—dancing in this bliss, one enters His temple… Look within, look within…
You have dissolved, ended—only That remains. You are gone, you are lost—only That remains… Within, and deeper within… Only peace, only bliss, only light remains… Dissolved, finished—the drop has disappeared into the ocean. Infinite peace remains, boundless light remains, endless bliss remains… This is His door—this is His door—recognize it well within… Outside there is no door of His, no temple of His outside… This is His temple, this is His door—recognize it well… Only peace remains, only bliss remains, only light remains…
Now slowly open your eyes. If the eyes do not open, place both hands over them and open them gently. Those who are standing, take two or four deep breaths and slowly sit down. Those who are lying or have fallen, take two or four deep breaths and gently sit up. Do not hurry—do everything very gently, slowly. If the eyes don’t open, first place the hands over the eyes. If you can’t sit up, first take two or four deep breaths; if you can’t get up, first take two or four deep breaths. Sit down slowly—I have two or four things to tell you, then our sitting will be complete.
Those who are lying down, take two or four deep breaths, then slowly rise. Those who have fallen, take two or four deep breaths, then slowly rise. Those who are standing, also take two or four deep breaths, then slowly sit down. Take two or four deep breaths, then slowly sit. Those who are lying down, take two or four deep breaths, then slowly get up. Take two or four deep breaths, open your eyes with the breath, then sit. Take two or four deep breaths, then gently sit.
I have two or four things to say to you.
First: tomorrow morning we will not be able to do the meditation experiment, because if spectators crowd and enter inside, it is not possible. Next time when the experiment is held here, those who are eager for meditation should give their names in advance to the Life Awakening Center, so they can get passes and only they may enter. Tomorrow morning the experiment will not be held—there will only be a talk; I will speak about whatever you ask regarding meditation.
Second: whoever has experienced anything—and many friends have experienced much; today you worked harder than yesterday—it is your misfortune that your town is very unintelligent; otherwise tomorrow the process could have gone further, but it will not be possible. Those friends who have experienced anything should come and meet me today between three and four. If you want guidance to move further, understand it then. But whatever has happened to you, do not talk about it to others—they will not be able to understand what has happened to you. Speak with me, and continue the experiment.
If you do this experiment for three weeks, something new will begin in your life. For those who did it well yesterday, it began yesterday. For those who did it well today, it begins today. And if you do it for three weeks, then you will not be able to leave it. I will explain how to do it at home. Close a room—choose a small room—shut all doors and windows. If possible, remove all clothes; clothing hinders the body from taking total movement. Spread a mattress on the floor and stand upon it. Do not do the experiment sitting or lying down. When the experiment begins to be complete in three weeks, then you can do it sitting or lying—however you like—but for now, do it standing. Stand, close your eyes, set an alarm on a clock or tell someone at home to knock when the hour is over. Tell the family that if sounds of laughing, crying, or shouting come, no one should worry and no one should try to open the door. Do it only after a bath, and before doing it, keep the stomach empty—otherwise you may vomit. If the body moves very strongly, what you have eaten or drunk can be thrown out. So morning is best—do it on an empty stomach. If you must do it at night, do it at least three hours after eating—or eat afterward. Keep this in mind and do the experiment for three weeks.
If anyone has a question arising from this experiment, you can write to me and ask. This experiment is wondrous, and it will send off who knows how many illnesses from your body—many diseases will suddenly disappear, as if burned in fire. It will remove countless ailments of your mind as if they had never been. It will begin to change your character within seven days—I don’t say seven years. Within seven days you will begin to see the difference: where anger used to arise, anger will become difficult; where there was a tendency to quarrel, there will be friendliness; and the tasks of life that felt like a burden will not feel like a burden anymore. And this world will not appear as the world—it will be seen with a totally new eye. The world and the Divine are not two—there are only two kinds of eyes. The diseased eye sees the world; the healthy eye begins to see God. There are only two ways of seeing. Do it as I say for seven days—then you will not be able to leave it. Do it with effort for twenty-one days; after that you will not have to make an effort—you will simply sit, close the door, and it will happen.
May the Divine grant that you can succeed. May the Divine grant that you can have courage. May the Divine grant that you can make the resolve.
Our morning sitting is complete.
Osho's Commentary
The moment you enter meditation, the very moment you stand at his door, the same question will rise before you: the time has come for me to disappear. Do not turn back in fear then; otherwise, search for lifetimes if you like, you will not meet him. The fears are very small, but small fears can block the greatest treasures. What will happen when you come near him? It is hard to say.
A friend came yesterday. About a hundred friends experimented very deeply. Many of them came to see me. One friend said, I felt as if I might go mad!
It is the same fear—the fear that I might disappear. That fear stopped him. He pulled himself together, opened his eyes, stepped down from the threshold, let out his breath, picked up his shoes lest any sound be made—what if I go mad! If the fear of madness enters, love dies. And at the Divine’s door, if this fear arises—what if I go mad… If you cannot go mad for the Divine, then for what will you go mad? And the irony is, those who sit posing as wise by leaving the Divine out are nothing compared to those ‘mad’ ones who dance their way through his gate.
If you must be mad, then instead of going mad after wealth, after fame, after position—after all those things that will indeed drive you mad and yet give you nothing, leaving your hands empty—it is better to be mad for the Divine. Because the moment you go mad for him, you receive that which can never be taken away.
I have heard: Alexander died. In the capital where he died and his bier was carried out, all the townsfolk were astonished, because both hands were hanging outside the bier. Everyone began to ask: there seems to be some mistake. Why are the hands hanging out? Only then did the people learn that before dying Alexander himself had said: let both my hands hang outside. It is my will.
People asked, what is the meaning of such a mad will? We have never seen hands hanging out of a bier. Even beggars die with their hands within. Should an emperor’s hands hang outside? What madness occurred to Alexander?
His generals said, we too said the same to him. He said no—let my hands hang outside, so that people can clearly see that I too am going empty-handed. All my life I was mad, and yet my hands are empty. I gained nothing—ran much, fought much, suffered much—and my hands are going empty. Let my two hands hang outside the bier, so that each person can see that even Alexander goes empty-handed.
There are two kinds of madness on this earth. One goes toward the Divine, where by losing ourselves we gain all. And one goes toward the ego, where whatever we may obtain, in truth nothing is obtained; in the end we are left empty-handed. If it is for the ego that we are to be mad, then indeed we all are mad. We are all mad for the ego. For the sake of a tiny I, we spend our whole lives trying to make it strong, to make it big, to make it show, to make it prick.
But that madness we do not see, because we are all in agreement and in league with it. It is normal madness—the ordinary insanity in which we are all partners. And if in one village all the people go mad, then in that village it will not be known that anyone has gone mad. Rather, there is a danger that if someone’s mind becomes sane, the whole village will begin to wonder whether perhaps this man has gone mad!
I have heard this: a magician came to a village and, after chanting a spell, threw it into the village well and said, whoever drinks this water will go mad.
By evening the whole village had gone mad. The village had only one well. There was another, but it was in the king’s palace. The king was saved, his ministers were saved, his queens were saved, but the entire village went mad. The king was very pleased. That evening he said to his ministers, we are fortunate that we have a separate well; otherwise, we too would have gone mad—the entire village has gone mad.
But the ministers said, Majesty, you do not know—a greater danger has arisen. A rumor is spreading in the village that it seems the king’s mind has gone wrong.
The king said, what are you saying? We did not drink from that well!
The ministers said, that is the trouble. Because the whole village has drunk from that well, now the whole village considers itself sane and considers you mad. And there is one symptom of madness: the madman always considers himself right and others mad.
By dusk the villagers had surrounded the palace and said, we will not accept such a king. Vacate the throne! We will seat another whose mind is sound!
Now the king was in trouble. His guards had gone mad, his soldiers had gone mad, his generals had gone mad—who would save him? The king asked his ministers, what is the way out now?
The ministers said, we will try to hold these madmen off for a little while. You slip out the back gate and go drink the water from the well they have drunk. There is no other way to be saved now.
The king ran out the back way, drank from that well, and returned. He had gone by the back way; he came back by the front—shouting, muttering, dancing and yelling. The villagers said, amazing! It seems the king’s mind has become right! That night the village celebrated, and everyone thanked God: your great grace—you have set our king’s mind right.
If the whole village is mad, it becomes very difficult.
That is exactly what has happened on this earth. We are all mad for the ego. Therefore, when someone goes mad in the direction of the Divine, it seems to us that he has gone mad. The truth is the reverse: we are all mad; only those who move toward the Divine are not mad. But they begin to appear mad to us. Whoever goes to a realm unknown to us, who steps onto paths different from ours, unknown to us, begins to seem mad. That is why Buddha seems mad, Mahavira too, Nanak, Kabir, Christ—they all seem mad. The people of their time feel, this man has gone mad. It is natural; it has always been so. It is unfortunate, but it is so: those who truly become healthy begin to look unhealthy among the sick. Courage is needed in this—do not be afraid of going mad upon that path.
A certain sister came and told me she felt she might die, be extinguished. It began to feel like sinking, the brain going under, the breath might be lost.
How long will we protect the breath? It will be lost anyway. And how long will we escape drowning? Every day we see people drowning all around, yet the thought does not arise that we will drown. One of the most astonishing things about man is that, though someone dies around us every day, the thought does not arise that I will die. We stand in the same queue in which the one at number one just died, number two is preparing to die, and number three is where we stand. Yet we say, poor fellow died! as if we were outside death. We do not realize that with his death the queue has moved forward a little, one space has opened, and we have moved a little closer to death. Whenever you carry someone to the cremation ground, your number in the queue moves up; you shift a little forward. But that thought does not come. We must die; we must dissolve. There are two kinds of dissolving. One is the one we do under compulsion—writhing and screaming; in that dissolving even the joy is lost. And there is another dissolving—where, of our own will, in our own happiness, we sink.
Jesus has a precious saying: whoever seeks to save himself will perish. And blessed are those who let themselves be lost, for then their perishing becomes impossible—they are saved. The ways of this world and the ways of the Divine are utterly opposite. There, only the one endures who is willing to lose; here, only the one endures who keeps himself from losing. But what we save here is lost, and what is lost there is saved.
Do not fear losing, do not fear dissolving; otherwise you end up turning back from his steps.
And many friends came and said much had begun to happen within, but fear took hold—if someone sees, what will they say? If we begin to dance, to weep, to laugh, if tears begin to flow, people will ask, what has happened to this supposedly respectable man?
It is necessary to understand this as well: are we always going to live by looking into others’ eyes, or will we ever live by looking within? How long will we live by others’ opinion—what does the other say? Who is this ‘other’? And what is our business with this other? Are you a slave to this other? If you are dancing and the whole village says you are mad, that is their amusement—let them say it. But are you a slave to others’ thoughts? Can you not see for yourself what is happening within you?
No, you get frightened. You say, what will people say? Wait.
This “what will people say”—it is the greatest obstacle on the path to the Divine. Meera went mad in love upon that path—what did people say? They said, she has gone astray. Meera had to hear people say, Meera has gone bad. But let people speak. Had Meera obeyed them and turned back, they would have been delighted. But Meera drowned, Meera went.
What people say, what their opinion is—never let it come in the way on the path to the Divine. Otherwise even a single step is difficult. Even a single step is difficult. Because people will always say something.
The day Mahavira stood naked, the people of that town stoned him and drove him out. They said, you have become naked! You have gone mad! And Mahavira had become so innocent that he did not even remember that clothes are necessary; it did not even occur to him what people were saying.
Naturally, sometimes the mind can become so simple and guileless that even clothes slip from memory.
But people will remember, because they do not forget their own nakedness—how will they forget another’s clothes! We are all naked within our garments. And our own nakedness makes us so anxious that if another appears naked, how can we forget it? Even if he forgets, we cannot. We will say something has gone wrong with him. For if nothing has gone wrong with him, another question will arise: then has something gone wrong with us? To avoid that question, we thrust the fault upon him.
Those friends who came and said, what will people say, have blocked their own way. How long will they sit thinking for people? People will always say something. And the one who keeps stopping for people falls into great difficulty.
I have heard: on a full-moon night Shankar and Parvati went out for a walk—the full moon was out. Along with them was their Nandi. They walked with him, and Nandi walked along. Some people met them and said, look at these fools! Nandi is with them, and both are walking on foot! Shankar said, people are saying something odd; let us both sit up. They both sat on Nandi. On the way others met them and said, look! Poor Nandi—and two riders on him! Shankar said, this does not seem right; people are saying two riders on one Nandi. He said to Parvati, you get down. Parvati got down; Shankar rode alone. People met them and said, look at this fool! He makes the woman walk below while he rides! Shankar said to Parvati, people are talking—let me get down; you sit on Nandi. Parvati sat on top; Shankar walked below. People met them and said, look at this woman! Her husband walks below and she sits on Nandi! Shankar said, this is great trouble—now you too get down. But what shall we do now? They said, only one way is left: we should carry Nandi. Because there is no other way left; people have said something about everything. So now they both lifted Nandi and walked on. People said, look at these madmen! They should have been riding Nandi, and instead they are carrying him! Shankar said, people—will you let us live or not? Whatever we do, you appear.
People have no faces. “People” are everywhere. They will say something about everything. There is no thing about which they will not say something. If they said nothing, they would be very wise. But where are such wise people? They will certainly say something. And if you pause for every word of theirs, you will be stopped for good.
But remember, you will stop; death will not stop to listen to them. Death will not say, what will people say—shall we take you or not? It will take you, utterly unconcerned with people. You will go on worrying about people, and death will not worry at all. Your bargain will be costly. If death does not care for people, why should life? Life too should not care. If even death does not care, then life certainly should not.
But we are afraid; the faces of people fill our minds. We dress looking at them, we laugh looking at them, we walk the roads looking at them. We have made a mask. We are acting—a performance that satisfies people’s demands twenty-four hours a day. It is not only the actors on a stage who fulfill the audience’s demands—we too are doing it. People are all around saying, wear such clothes, get up like this, sit like this, live like this. Only one thing they leave out—they do not tell you how to die, because there they have no power. In life they hem you in from every side.
So I say to friends who meditate: do not worry about people.
One more and final question, and then we will sit for meditation.