According to Osho, a 'synthesis' between science and religion is unnecessary and misguided; it presumes opposition where none exists. They are two sides of the same coin: science looks outward (observation, experiment), religion inward (awareness, experience). Their dimensions differ—object and subject—but are interdependent. Recognize their shared spirit of inquiry instead of forcing artificial bridges between dogmas.
You don’t need to glue science and religion together; they’re one search—science looks outside, religion looks inside.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Question: BELOVED OSHO, ISN'T A SYNTHESIS BETWEEN SCIENCE AND RELIGION NEEDED? Only what I call religiousness can be an intrinsic part of science. But that is not a synthesis because there is not antithesis. To me religion is really one aspect of science. Science has two hands. Now nobody tries to synthesize my right and left hand. They are synthesized, they are continuously synthesized without anybody synthesizing them; they are always in tune. While you are walking do you synthesize your left and right leg, keeping alert so that you do not commit some mistake? I have heard that in an army regiment a captain was training the new recruits and he was saying, "Left turn, right turn, march." And then he said, "All of you raise your left leg." Everybody raised his left leg.
You have said that science experiments with the objective, and religion with the subjective. But now there is a new growing science, psychology, or more accurately, depth psychology, which is both subjective and objective. So science and religion meet in depth psychology.
They cannot meet. Depth psychology, or the study of psychic phenomena, is again objective. And the method of depth psychology is the method of objective science. Try to see the distinction. For example, you can study meditation in a scientific way. You can observe someone who is meditating, but then this has become objective for you. You meditate and I observe. I can bring all the scientific instruments to observe what is happening to you, what is happening there in you, but the study remains objective. I am outside. I am not meditating. You are meditating; you are an object to me. Then I can try to understand what is happening to you. Even through instruments much can be known about you, but that will remain objective and scientific. So really, whatsoever I am studying is not the real thing that is happening to you, but the effects that your…
Beloved Osho, what is the difference between the emptiness of the child before the formation of the ego and the awakened childlikeness of a buddha?
Whether you are for it or against it doesn't matter -- your concern shows where your ego is hanging. And I will include the capitalist in it also: his whole concern is how to gather money, hoard money -- because money has power over matter. You can purchase any material thing through money. You cannot purchase anything spiritual, you cannot purchase anything that has any intrinsic value; you can purchase only things. If you want to purchase love, you cannot purchase; but you can purchase sex. Sex is the material part of love. Through money, matter can be purchased, possessed. Now you will be surprised: I include the communist and the capitalist both in the same category, and they are enemies, just as I include Charvaka and Mahatma Gandhi in the same category, and they are enemies. They are enemies, but their concern is the same. The capitalist is trying…
Is there a conflict between religion and science?
No. The knowledge of science is incomplete. It is as if there were light all over the world while in your own house there was darkness. With such imperfect knowledge, without the knowledge of one's self, life simply turns into misery. For life to be crowned with peace, contentment and fulfillment, it is not enough to know material things alone. That way one may find prosperity but not fulfillment. That way one may have possessions but one will not have light. And without light, without knowledge, possessions become a bondage, a noose of one's own making with which to hang oneself. One who knows only the world is imperfect and imperfection leads to misery. By knowing the world one gains power. And science is a search for knowledge and power. Hasn't science put the secret keys to limitless power into mankind's hands already? But nothing worthwhile has come out of…
Osho, what place does religion have in the scientific age? And what is the use of religion in national and social life?
By science I mean the method of knowing that discovers the inner power hidden in matter. By religion I mean the method of knowing that discovers the inner power hidden within consciousness. There is no opposition between religion and science; rather, they are complementary. An age that is purely scientific will increase conveniences, but not happiness. An age that is purely religious will bring happiness to a few, but most people will be burdened by inconvenience. Science gives convenience; religion gives peace. Without convenience, very few can attain peace. Without peace, many may attain convenience, but they will not be able to use it. All the civilizations humanity has created so far have been incomplete and fragmented. The culture the East gave birth to stood purely on religion; its scientific side was extremely weak. As a result, the East was defeated, impoverished, subjugated. The culture the West created lies at…