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Osho on Is it impossible to talk seriously without ideology?

Is it impossible to talk seriously without ideology?

True communication transcends ideology; it is in the silence between words that the essence of truth blooms.

— Osho
According to Osho, talking without ideology is impossible because language itself is an ideological pattern; the moment we speak, we enter its logic. Yet speech is a necessary bridge: he talks only to usher you into silence and presence. Attend to the gaps between words—communion, not concepts—where truth flowers beyond ideology or anti-ideology.

Words turn truth into ideas, so use them as hints and feel the quiet, living presence behind them.

In His Own Words

From the Discourses

Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.

The True Sage · Discourse 2Question 1 1975-10-12 Buddha Hall English

Even the words of someone as totally against ideology as yourself, contain a continuous if subtle ideology. Is it impossible to talk seriously without it?

In Zen they say it is like selling water by the river. The river is flowing, but you are blind and I have to sell water. And, of course, you pay for it -- and the river is absolutely free. It is like watering the garden when the rain is falling. Or, as in old Indian scriptures it is said: 'It is putting legs on a snake to help him walk!' Foolish, stupid -- because the snake walks perfectly well without any legs. In fact, legs will hinder. But what to do? The snake goes on saying: 'Help me.' Or as it is said in old Taoist scriptures: 'To talk about truth is as if to put a hat on a man who is already wearing one.' To put another hat on top of the hat -- useless. So what am I doing here? I am just giving you patience,…

Osho, but the mantra-experts would say there is some other reason for its use?

Ask the mantra-scholars about that. What I am saying here is that the new arts are making uses that are absurd. Sculptures are being made of a kind you cannot call anyone’s statue. If you want to make a statue of “man,” it has to be made so that no one’s face appears in it—because if any face appears, it becomes someone’s; it is no longer of “man.” So if you want to make a statue of man, it must not have my face, not your face, not anyone’s face. The moment there is any particular face, it becomes some person’s and ceases to be “manhood.” So we make a statue in which there is no one’s face—such a statue can be made; we imagined it would be a statue of humanity, but it won’t remain even of a single human. What I am saying is: it will not become…
Unio Mystica Vol 1 · Discourse 7Question 1 1978-11-07 Buddha Hall English

A ruby, there, is just a piece of stone: and spiritual excellence the height of folly. Silence is praise -- have done with speech; your chatter will only bring you harm and sorrow -- have done! Belief and unbelief both have their origin in your hypocrite's heart; the way is only long because you delay to start on it: one single step would bring you to him: become a slave, and you will be a king.

THE DUMB FIND TONGUES, WHEN THE SCENT OF LIFE REACHES THEM FROM HIS SOUL. LISTEN TRULY -- AND DON'T BE FOOLED -- THIS IS NOT FOR FOOLS: ALL THESE DIFFERENT SHADES BECOME ONE COLOR IN THE JAR OF UNITY; THE ROPE BECOMES SLENDER WHEN REDUCED TO A SINGLE STRAND. YOUR INTELLECT IS JUST A HOTCH-POTCH OF GUESSWORK AND THOUGHT, LIMPING OVER THE FACE OF THE EARTH; WHEREVER THEY ARE, HE IS NOT; THEY ARE CONTAINED WITHIN HIS CREATION. MAN AND HIS REASON ARE JUST THE LATEST RIPENING PLANTS IN HIS GARDEN. WHATEVER YOU ASSERT ABOUT HIS NATURE YOU ARE BOUND TO BE OUT OF YOUR DEPTH, LIKE A BLIND MAN TRYING TO DESCRIBE THE APPEARANCE OF HIS OWN MOTHER. WHILE REASON IS STILL TRACKING DOWN THE SECRET, YOU END YOUR QUEST ON THE OPEN FIELD OF LOVE. THE PATH CONSISTS IN NEITHER WORDS NOR DEEDS: ONLY DESOLATION CAN COME FROM…

Osho, in the Tractatus he said that whatever is to be said will be said only in language.

Yes, he said that in his first book. In the first book, the Tractatus, he said that whatever is to be said will be said in language. That is true only up to a point. Because if we understand a gesture as “saying,” that too is a language. A mute person raises a hand and says, “I want water.” That too is language—the language of the mute. Hence we have always said that the divine is the mute man’s jaggery. What it means is: it has to be expressed in the mute man’s language. But whatever we say—by any means, whether by dance or by silence—we are still saying; therefore what is will slip beyond all our saying. That is why Lao Tzu spoke more deeply than Wittgenstein. Lao Tzu said: truth, when said, becomes untrue—that much only can be said. Therefore those who know remain silent. You often say…

Emptiness here, emptiness there, but the infinite universe stands always before your eyes. Infinitely large and infinitely small; no difference, for definitions have vanished and no boundaries are seen. So too with being and non-being. Don't waste time in doubts and arguments that have nothing to do with this.

ONE THING, ALL THINGS: MOVE AMONG AND INTERMINGLE, WITHOUT DISTINCTION. TO LIVE IN THIS REALIZATION IS TO BE WITHOUT ANXIETY ABOUT NON-PERFECTION. TO LIVE IN THIS FAITH IS THE ROAD TO NON-DUALITY, BECAUSE THE NON-DUAL IS ONE WITH THE TRUSTING MIND. WORDS! THE WAY IS BEYOND LANGUAGE, FOR IN IT THERE IS That's why in the world of religion you see the most egoistic people possible, because they are trying to be perfect about everything. They insist on perfection. They cannot be relaxed, they will always be tense. And always something will be wrong and they have to put it right -- and they will always remain in anxiety. Go to the madhouses, and you will find there ninety percent perfectionists. A man of understanding remains relaxed. That doesn't mean that he doesn't care. No, he cares but he knows the limitations. He cares, but he knows that he is…
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