Does a natural death also transcend nature?

Question: BELOVED OSHO, DOES A NATURAL DEATH ALSO TRANSCEND NATURE? Narda said, "I will be here. Don't be worried, you can just tie me to the tree so I cannot escape." He was tied to the tree and Balmik rushed to his home and asked his wife. His wife said, "I have nothing to do with your responsibilities. It is your responsibility to feed your wife; how you do it I have no concern for." And the same was the response of everybody. Even the mother said, "It is your responsibility to take care of your old father and mother. Now how you are doing it -- that you have to work out. We have not told you to kill people and rob people; you are doing it on your own. We are simply not responsible for any of your acts.

Question: BELOVED OSHO, WHAT IS A NATURAL DEATH? But the ego... neither did those royal people make it clear: "This is nonsense, we are as human as you are." The ego prevented them. If the people are putting them on a higher pedestal, then why bother? -- just remain royal. That was one of the reasons why royal families would not allow anybody, a commoner, to be married into the royal family, because he may expose the whole thing: "These people are just as human as everybody else; there is nothing royal about them." But for centuries they maintained the idea. I would also like you to be different from the animals, but not in the sense that you can go above nature -- no. You can go deeper into nature, you can be more natural than animals.

Osho, do you feel that life and death are just two moments of the same thing—the same aspect?

Such a person will be miserable, in pain, because what he wants is impossible. All dualities are linked; you cannot save the half. One who sees this attains bliss—because now there is no sorrow left, no pleasure left. Whatever comes is accepted; whatever does not come is also accepted. If a friend arrives—there is joy. If a friend departs—there is joy. Joy here means: in both situations he does not choose. He has become choiceless. There is no preference, no alternative; all is okay, all is okay. Even yes and no have become equal. As one slowly comes to this total acceptance, trust arises. A theist accepts even atheism—that things are such that someone may say, “God is not.” A supreme theist will not even quarrel with an atheist, because he will say, “Fine—this too can be, that a person may say God is not. Where there are those who…

Question: BELOVED OSHO, IS IT POSSIBLE TO DIE CONSCIOUSLY WITHOUT BEING ENLIGHTENED? Nirah, existence follows certain laws -- and there are no exceptions. If one wants to die consciously, the only way is to be enlightened. Death is such a great surgery: your soul is being taken apart from the body and mind, with which it has been involved for seventy or eighty years. Even for a small operation you need anesthesia; and this is the greatest operation in existence. Unconsciousness is nothing but nature's way of giving you anesthesia. Unless you are completely unidentified with body and mind, you cannot die consciously -- and a death which is not conscious is a great opportunity missed. Enlightenment is an absolute necessity. Enlightenment only means that your whole being is conscious: there are no dark corners left inside you.

Osho, what is the essence of Gorakhnath’s teaching?

Very small, concise— Laugh, play, live in color. Do not keep company with lust and anger. Laugh, play, sing songs. Keep your heart-mind steady and firm. This is my teaching too: Laugh, play, live in color. Live in color! In delight, in merriment, in joy. So much has the Divine given—dance, hum, sing! A song of gratitude should rise from your heart; that is prayer. Laugh, play, live in color. Laugh. If you cannot laugh, understand that you can never be religious. Your so‑called sadhus and saints have forgotten how to laugh. They simply cannot; to laugh is a sin, a transgression. That’s why you can’t stay long with them. You go, quickly touch their feet, bow, and leave. If you stay a full day, you’ll see the difficulty—your own laughter will be snatched away. People become grave around sadhus and saints. They stiffen up—dry, solemn, ultra‑serious! Laughter will feel…