According to Osho, an 'ideological revolution' is unnecessary for the awakened; directions are for the inert mind. When consciousness dawns, it reveals its own path, needing no external pointing. The real revolution is breaking dullness; once thoughtfulness arises, regression is highly unlikely. Awareness self-orients, while ideology only tries to steer the asleep.
When you truly wake up inside, you naturally know where to go; rules and ideologies are only for people who are still sleepy.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, perhaps through an ideological revolution you will succeed, because every new person creates revolution through a new ideology and succeeds. Perhaps you will awaken the inert mind, but how will you give it direction?
I do not want to show a direction. My point is that the inert mind needs to be shown a direction; the conscious mind sees the direction. That I do not want to point out. After becoming conscious, is there any possibility of falling back? Consciousness never falls back. Once thoughtfulness arises, you cannot become inert again. It is highly unlikely. A thoughtful person does not turn back. Only if dullness is not allowed to be broken does one remain dull.
Question: Second question: Osho, are you against social revolution? And this inner change does not happen through changing ideas. It happens by leaping from thought to meditation. There is only one revolution in the world: to go from thought to no-thought; from a mind full of choices to a choiceless consciousness. The day the thinking mind dissolves into the emptiness of no-mind, that day doors open within you— the doors of the seven heavens open. That day indeed your chains become anklets. That day no prison can contain you, because for the first time you taste freedom—you experience moksha within. You know, “Even if handcuffs are put on the body, I am free—because I am not the body.” If such an event happens to innumerable people on this earth, perhaps there will be a radiance spread from horizon to horizon. It has not happened yet.
A friend has asked: Osho, is the samadhi attained when consciousness is lost a state of swoon? Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa would lie for days as if near death!
In the West they have invented new ways: even blows are not enough; so they set up many lights, rapidly changing, deafening sound, assorted dances and songs; a completely deranged atmosphere is created. After an hour in that derangement one feels: ah, there is some life, some experience of living! We have died so much that unless the blow is enormous, there is no experience of life. Soft tones we cannot hear at all. Yet the natural tones of life are all soft. We cannot hear the night’s silence, nor the heart’s own beat. Have you ever heard the sound of your blood’s flow? It is very soft; you cannot hear it; but there is a sound. Buckminster Fuller wrote that for the first time he went into a building—a scientific laboratory—completely soundproof, where no sound from outside could enter. Inside he began hearing two kinds of sounds. He asked…
Osho, “Even now, awaken, O ignorant one”—this address by Paltu Dasji is for everyone; but what is the single basic ignorance we all share? Please tell us.
There is only one ignorance: we do not know who we are. All other ignorances are born out of this one. There is a single seed; then the tree grows large—many branches and sub-branches, many leaves and flowers, fruits. And in one seed, countless seeds appear. Botanists say a tiny seed is capable of covering the whole earth with greenery. And a tiny seed of ignorance has filled the human being with utter darkness. The seed is small: the lack of the awareness “Who am I?” One who lacks this very awareness—whatever he does will go wrong. When the inner lamp has not been lit, there is no possibility that your actions will be right. Yet we all try to set our actions right. It is like not lighting a lamp in the dark and instead practicing how to walk correctly—so that in the dark I can walk without falling,…
And you have asked: what is the meaning of total revolution? In my vision, total revolution means that a person is left with no fixed notions and no prejudices. The person’s consciousness becomes like a pure mirror. Total revolution means samadhi.
Whatever a person established in samadhi does is a benediction, it is auspicious. Whatever a meditative person does will bring the auspicious, not the inauspicious. Because the energy of meditation makes you full of awareness. Your awareness saturates your actions. A person without meditation, whatever he does, will do it wrongly. So I know only one revolution: how meditation can be joined to your life. If you receive the wealth of meditation, you have attained the supreme wealth. And if meditation happens to you, the possibility arises that you can also kindle the light in your neighbors. Let one flame kindle another. And if from one to one the flame keeps spreading, I can fill the whole world with fire. That is why these ochre robes have been chosen. This is the color of fire; they are symbols of the flame. In them you are to be consumed. In them…