God isn’t someone far away to find; God is all of life right here, so begin by knowing yourself and paying attention to this moment.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Regarding the morning discussion, many friends have asked questions. One friend has asked that— Osho, is there a God we should seek? A few other friends have asked similar questions about God: Do you believe in God? Have you had a vision of God? Some friends doubt there is any God at all—so why seek him?
It will be useful to understand a few things. First, when I use the words Paramatma, the Lord, or God, I mean “that which is”—what is. Life is. Existence is. When we were not, existence was. When we will not be, existence will be. Within us too there is existence, there is life. This wholeness, this totality of life, is what I call God. We know nothing of what this life is—not even the life within ourselves. There was a fakir, Bayazid. Someone knocked at his door, saying, “Open the door.” From inside Bayazid asked, “Whom are you calling? Whom are you seeking? Who should open the door?” If someone knocked at your house, you would ask, “Who is there? Who is calling?” But Bayazid said, “For whom are you calling? Whom are you calling? Who should open the door? Whom are you invoking?” The man said, “Whom would I…Read the full discourse →
Osho, where is God? If we are to seek, where should we seek?
Is it a boat or the moon’s shadow upon the ocean’s waters? When will that boat of light touch the shore of night? Is that untouched lunar shade a frolicsome ripple, A fleeting kiss of light on parched, impatient lips? Dream, or ideal, or resolve—call it what you will— A jewel of a ray, a blossom on the body of dusk! Beyond the reach of clay—are all things false there? Are eyes, fixed on limits, chained to the horizon’s bar? How can literate eyes read what the heart hums within— What fragrance once inscribed as verse upon the gentle breeze! Let the unreachable become reachable—this is the abyss’s longing; Made vocal, written upon the deep heart of the ocean! What is that song of the Unseen the moon keeps writing— Boundless love on the boundless grief of the bounded! The quarters beat the drum, the sky is sound, Time sings,…Read the full discourse →
Osho, what is god?
GOD is not a person. That is one of the greatest misunderstandings, and it has prevailed so long that it has become almost a fact. Even if a lie is repeated continuously for centuries it is bound to appear as if it is a truth. God is a presence, not a person. Hence all worshipping is sheer stupidity. Prayerfulness is needed, not prayer. There is nobody to pray to; there is no possibility of any dialogue between you and God. Dialogue is possible only between two persons, and God is not a person but a presence -- like beauty, like joy. God simply means godliness. It is because of this fact that Buddha denied the existence of God. He wanted to emphasize that God is a quality, an experience -- like love. You cannot talk to love, you can live it. You need not create temples of love, you need…Read the full discourse →
Question: The first question: Osho, I want to find God. Where should I look? Vidyadhar! The very idea of searching for God is wrong. Seek yourself, and you will find God. Seek yourself, and God will seek you. If you do not seek yourself, you can bang your head a thousand times in the hunt for God—you may find many things, but God you will not find. One who does not know himself is not qualified to know God; he has no worthiness. First become worthy. Self-ignorance is the greatest unworthiness. It is the only sin. All other sins are shadows of that supreme sin. And people fight all those other sins—fight anger, fight lust, fight greed, fight hatred, fight pride and jealousy—and they forget one thing: inside there is darkness. Snakes and scorpions breed in that darkness. What is needed within is light, illumination, self-knowing.Read the full discourse →
Why is life so lovely? Every object, person, creation, manifested and unmanifested too! Color, sound, movement, taste -- strife too. Osho, in this remembrance the heart becomes full, tears flow, breath expands, talk stops, crying happens. I cannot say anything Osho. The eyes close and I sit down.
Become acquainted with god in all his infinite gestures. He has given such a vast temple whose canopy is the sky! He has given such a vast temple where every night there is Divali, a festival of lights. He has lit so many lamps! Scientists have not yet been able to count them. You can count the stars with the naked eyes but it will not be more than three thousand. Counting and counting the scientists have gotten tired of counting. Four billion stars have already been counted. But this is only the beginning. There are more stars, many more. The more scientists count it seems there are more ahead, more ahead... There doesn't seem to be any end. Every night there is Divali and such blind people, no one sees Divali! Every morning his spring Holi festival happens, so much red powder is flying, so many flowers are blooming,…Read the full discourse →