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Osho on Is love the parent of devotion, or is devotion the parent of love?

Is love the parent of devotion, or is devotion the parent of love?

“

Love is the seed, and devotion is its fragrance; when love transcends possessiveness, it blossoms into the divine perfume of devotion.

— Osho
Synthesized from Source definition
Core Insight:
According to Osho, love is the seed and devotion its fragrance: devotion is born from love, but only when love is allowed to blossom and be transcended. Without love, devotion cannot arise; if love stops at possessiveness or fear, it withers and devotion never appears. Care for love as a ladder—neither clinging nor fleeing—so it opens into the invisible perfume of devotion.
Devotion comes after love grows pure and open; love is the flower, devotion is its scent.
Why this matters practically
- Practice non-possessive, open-hearted love to let devotion emerge.
- Use relationships as a path of growth rather than clinging or renouncing.
- Trust love’s maturation beyond desire instead of idolizing or rejecting it.
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