According to Osho, the mind cannot commit suicide; anything the mind does only strengthens it. Cessation happens when the watcher—the awareness beyond thought—silently observes without indulging or fighting. In detached witnessing, gaps appear, bringing peace and egolessness; eventually the traffic of thought disappears into nirvana. Don’t cling even to the gaps; remain indifferent, and the mind ceases by itself.
Your thinking can’t turn itself off; just watch thoughts calmly without chasing or fighting them, and the noise fades on its own.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
The Discipline Of Transcendence Vol 3 · Discourse 2
1976-10-22 · Buddha Hall · English
Can the mind commit suicide?
THE MIND CANNOT COMMIT SUICIDE, because whatsoever the mind can do will strengthen the mind. Any doing on the part of the mind makes the mind more strong. So suicide is impossible. Mind doing something means mind continuing itself -- so that is not in the nature of things. But suicide happens. Mind cannot commit it -- mm? -- let me make it absolutely clear: mind cannot commit it, but suicide happens. It happens through watching the mind, not by doing anything. The watcher is separate from the mind, it is deeper than the mind, higher than the mind. The watcher is always hidden behind the mind. A thought passes, a feeling arises -- who is watching this thought? Not the mind itself -- because mind is nothing but the process of thought and feeling. The mind is just the traffic of thinking. Who is watching it? When you say,…Read the full discourse →
Tao The Three Treasures Vol 1 · Discourse 8
1975-06-18 · Buddha Hall · English
Can the ego commit suicide?
NO, BECAUSE IT IS NOT. To commit suicide it is needed to be there. Let me put it in another way: can a shadow commit suicide? A shadow cannot commit suicide because a shadow doesn't exist. If you commit suicide, if you cut off your head, then the shadow will be without a head. It simply follows you. The ego is just a shadow, it cannot commit suicide. If you cut off your head, the ego commits suicide -- not that it commits, it happens. Try to understand that the ego is not substantial; the ego is just like a shadow. The body moves -- a shadow is created, a physical shadow; the mind moves -- a mental shadow is created. That mental shadow is the ego. When the mind stops there is no ego, when the mind is not functioning there is no ego. When the mind is functioning…Read the full discourse →
A Sudden Clash Of Thunder · Discourse 2
1976-08-12 · Buddha Hall · English
I have been thinking all day of a way to ask the question: how to stop thinking?
Mind is making almost no noise; goes on working silently. And such a servant! -- for seventy, eighty years. And then, too, when you are dying your body may be old but your mind remains young. Its capacity remains yet the same. Sometimes, if you have used it rightly, it even increases with your age! -- because the more you know, the more you understand, the more you have experienced and lived, the more capable your mind becomes. When you die, everything in your body is ready to die -- except the mind. That's why in the East we say mind leaves the body and enters another womb, because it is not yet ready to die. The rebirth is of the mind. Once you have attained the state of samadhi, no-mind, then there will be no rebirth. Then you will simply die. And with your dying, everything will be dissolved…Read the full discourse →
Come Come Yet Again Come · Discourse 1
1980-10-27 · Buddha Hall · English
Beloved Osho, I have come to a dead end. I see the impotence of the mind and feel all action useless. Does the mind totally die only in samadhi? Please say something about mind and action in witnessing.
Vinod Bharti, you say, "I have come to a dead end" -- but I don't feel it so. Not yet, because when you really come to a dead end, a transformation immediately happens. You are coming closer to it, of that much I am certain. The dead end is not far away, but you have not come to it yet. Your whole question proves it. You are coming closer, you are feeling intuitively that it is not far away -- but it has not been reached yet. Still, there is hope. Still, deep down, you are dreaming that this is not going to be the dead end; hence the question arises. You say, "I see the impotence of the mind...." You have not seen it yet, you only think you have. Seeing and thinking are totally different, but one can get mixed up very easily. Thinking can pretend to be…Read the full discourse →
And Now And Here · Discourse 6
1969-10-31 · Meditation Camp at Dwarka, Gujarat, India · English
A friend has asked: some people commit suicide. What do you have to say about them? Are these people not afraid of death?
Mind has become completely empty... mind has become empty... mind has become empty. Only a flame has remained burning... a flame of knowing... of seeing. For all the rest, as if death has happened... the body will be seen lying at a distance... your own body will be seen so far away... your own breathing will seem to be so far away. Inside... more inside... drown... let go completely... do not keep any grip... let go... let go... let go completely. Let go totally. If the body wants to drop, let it drop... let go completely... become a void... become a void completely. Mind has become a void... mind has become a void... only a flame of knowing has remained inside... everthing elso has become a void... eveything has disappeared. Let go... let go completely... show the courage to die... die completely from outside. The body has become lifeless... we…Read the full discourse →