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Is there any difference between the approaches of Shiva and Saraha towards Tantra?

Shiva and Saraha offer different paths to the same truth; one through the heart's devotion and the other through the mind's awareness, yet both dissolve the ego in the embrace of enlightenment.

— Osho
According to Osho, Shiva and Saraha differ only in form, not in essence. Shiva’s Tantra moves through devotion, prayer, and the heart; Saraha’s through meditation, awareness, and the mind. Both dissolve the ego: Shiva as lover and beloved merging, Saraha as two zeros—shoonya—disappearing. The destination—enlightenment—is identical; choose the path matching your temperament: feeling (love) or thinking (intelligence).

One path loves totally, the other watches thoughts totally; either way the little ‘me’ disappears into the same peace, so pick what suits your heart or your head.

In His Own Words

From the Discourses

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

The Tantra Vision Vol 1 · Discourse 2Question 1 1977-04-22 Buddha Hall English

Is there any difference between the approaches of shiva and saraha towards tantra?

NOT REALLY, NOT ESSENTIALLY. But as far as the form is concerned, yes. Religions differ only in the form. Religions differ only in their methodology. Religions differ as far as the door into the Divine is concerned, but not existentially. And there are only two basic formal differences: that of the path of devotion, prayer, love, and the path of meditation, awareness. These two basic differences persist. Shiva's approach is that of devotion; it is that of prayer, of love. Saraha's approach is that of meditation, awareness. The distinction is still formal, because when the lover and the meditator reach they arrive at the same goal. Their arrows are released from different angles, but they reach the same target. Their arrows are released from different bows, but they reach the same target. The bow does not matter finally. What type of bow you have chosen does not matter if the…
The Tantra Vision Vol 1 · Discourse 1Question 1 1977-04-21 Buddha Hall English
Question: THE ROYAL SONG OF SARAHA I BOW DOWN TO NOBLE MANJUSRI I BOW DOWN TO HIM WHO HAS CONQUERED THE FINITE AS CALM WATER LASHED BY WIND TURNS INTO WAVES AND ROLLERS, SO THE KING THINKS OF SARAHA IN MANY WAYS, ALTHOUGH ONE MAN. TO A FOOL WHO SQUINTS ONE LAMP IS AS TWO, WHERE SEEN AND SEER ARE NOT TWO, AH! THE MIND WORKS ON THE THINGNESS OF THEM BOTH. THOUGH THE HOUSE-LAMPS HAVE BEEN LIT, THE BLIND LIVE ON IN THE DARK. THOUGH SPONTANEITY IS ALL-ENCOMPASSING AND CLOSE, TO THE DELUDED IT REMAINS ALWAYS FAR AWAY. THOUGH THERE MAY BE MANY RIVERS, THEY ARE ONE IN THE SEA, THOUGH THERE MAY BE MANY LIES, ONE TRUTH WILL CONQUER ALL. WHEN ONE SUN APPEARS, THE DARK, HOWEVER DEEP, WILL VANISH. GAUTAM THE BUDDHA IS THE GREATEST MASTER who has ever walked on the earth.
Vigyan Bhairav Tantra Vol 1 · Discourse 2 1972-10-02 Woodlands, Bombay English

What is the difference between waiting for godot and waiting for god?

It is as if the sun has risen in the morning and you are sitting in your room with closed doors and windows, in darkness. Open the doors, you become available to the sun. The sun was already available -- just the meeting happens. You cannot wait for God. All waiting is for Godot. Godot means the one who never comes, who CANNOT come, whose arrival is impossible. And the only impossible thing is that which has already happened -- how can it happen again? You are alive, and you are waiting for life, Now, this is ridiculous. The real man of religion does not think in terms of God. He thinks in terms of life or, even better, of living -- because life can again become an abstract idea. Living, moment-to-moment living. In that very living, one knows what God is, because one knows who one is. Your idea…

Image spirit simultaneously within and around you until the entire universe spiritualizes.

WITH YOUR ENTIRE CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE VERY START OF DESIRE, OF KNOWING, KNOW. O SHAKTI, EACH PARTICULAR PERCEPTION IS LIMITED, DISAPPEARING IN OMNIPOTENCE. IN TRUTH FORMS ARE INSEPARATE. INSEPARATE ARE OMNIPRESENT BEING AND YOUR OWN FORM. REALIZE EACH AS MADE OF THIS CONSCIOUSNESS. You are here listening to me. This very listening can become a transformation. If you are entirely here, this very moment here and now, if listening is your entirety, that listening will become a meditation: you will enter a different realm of ecstasy, a separate reality. But you are not entire. That is the problem with the human mind, it is always partial. A part is listening. Other parts may be somewhere else, or may be asleep, or may be thinking about what is being said, or arguing inside. That creates a division and division is a dissipation of energy. So when doing anything bring your entire…
Vigyan Bhairav Tantra Vol 1 · Discourse 1Question 1 1972-10-01 Woodlands, Bombay English

Sutra: devi asks: oh shiva, what is your reality? What is this wonder-filled universe?

WHAT CONSTITUTES SEED? WHO CENTERS THE UNIVERSAL WHEEL? WHAT IS THIS LIFE BEYOND FORM PERVADING FORMS? HOW MAY WE ENTER IT FULLY, ABOVE SPACE AND TIME, NAMES AND DESCRIPTIONS? LET MY DOUBTS BE CLEARED! LET MY DOUBTS BE CLEARED. The emphasis is not on questions but on doubts: LET MY DOUBTS BE CLEARED! This is very significant. If you are asking an intellectual question, you are asking for a definite answer so that your problem is solved. But Devi says, LET MY DOUBTS BE CLEARED. She is not really asking about answers. She is asking for a transformation of her mind, because a doubting mind will remain a doubting mind whatsoever answers are given. Note it: a doubting mind will remain a doubting mind. Answers are irrelevant. If I give you one answer and you have a doubting mind, you will doubt it. If I give you another answer, you…
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