According to Osho, no separate 'human' truly gives or receives; the Divine alone acts, using human beings as instruments. But this insight must deepen gratitude, not cancel it: honor and thank people as God’s channels, and bow to the One in every form. Recognizing the giver as the Divine dissolves ego, expands love, and opens you to grace from any guise—even the unexpected.
It’s really God sharing through people, so be thankful to people and see the same One in everyone and everything.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Last question, Osho, What can a human really give to another? Man is only a pretext; only God gives. Even if He gives hell, I would still give thanks—He punishes only one He holds as His own.
Next day the brahmin set the plate and sat waiting—for the dog to arrive. But there was no sign of a dog. He even went around the neighborhood lest the dog had strayed. He found one or two stray dogs, tried to bring them in, but they wouldn’t come! He threatened, even showed the stick—and they ran farther away! He was baffled. Again dusk approached; he went to Baba and said, “Master, the whole day I have been troubled, chasing the strays of the village. I never imagined the village’s stray dogs would refuse delicious food! I try to call them, they won’t come; I show them bread, they run. I feel as if I got caught in some trap.” Sai Baba said, “I did come—but you turned me away. I came like a beggar.” “Oh,” he said, “then why didn’t you say so yesterday! Today I waited for a…
Beloved Osho, what is the source of your infinite spring of giving?
Beware! While the time is there, give, give as much as you can, give whatsoever you can. Sing a song, share a joke, dance! Give whatsoever you can give. It costs you nothing, but it will bring you more and more joys. Existence goes on repaying you tremendously. Whatsoever you give to existence, it returns a thousandfold; it comes back to you. You give one flower, and a thousand flowers shower on you. Don't be clingers. If you really want to be rich, if you want to have an enriched inner world, then learn the art of giving. THOSE WHO DARE GIVE NOTHING ARE LEFT WITH LESS THAN NOTHING; DEAR HEART, YOU GIVE ME EVERYTHING, WHICH LEAVES YOU MORE THAN EVERYTHING -- THOUGH THOSE WHO DARE GIVE NOTHING MIGHT JUDGE IT LEFT YOU NOTHING. GIVING YOU EVERYTHING, I TOO, WHO ONCE HAD NOTHING, AM LEFT WITH MORE THAN EVERYTHING AS…
Question: BELOVED OSHO, YOU OFTEN SAY, "I WOULD GIVE, BUT ONLY TO THE DESERVING." THE TREES IN YOUR ORCHARD SAY NOT SO, NOR THE FLOCKS IN YOUR PASTURE. THEY GIVE THAT THEY MAY LIVE, FOR TO WITHHOLD IS TO PERISH. SURELY HE WHO IS WORTHY TO RECEIVE HIS DAYS AND HIS NIGHTS IS WORTHY OF ALL ELSE FROM YOU. AND HE WHO HAS DESERVED TO DRINK FROM THE OCEAN OF LIFE DESERVES TO FILL HIS CUP FROM YOUR LITTLE STREAM. AND WHAT DESERT GREATER SHALL THERE BE, THAN THAT WHICH LIES IN THE COURAGE AND THE CONFIDENCE, NAY THE CHARITY, OF RECEIVING? AND WHO ARE YOU THAT MEN SHOULD REND THEIR BOSOM AND UNVEIL THEIR PRIDE, THAT YOU MAY SEE THEIR WORTH NAKED AND THEIR PRIDE UNABASHED? SEE FIRST THAT YOU YOURSELF DESERVE TO BE A GIVER, AND AN INSTRUMENT OF GIVING.
Question: BELOVED OSHO, THEN SAID A RICH MAN, SPEAK TO US OF GIVING. AND HE ANSWERED: YOU GIVE BUT LITTLE WHEN YOU GIVE OF YOUR POSSESSIONS. IT IS WHEN YOU GIVE OF YOURSELF THAT YOU TRULY GIVE. FOR WHAT ARE YOUR POSSESSIONS BUT THINGS YOU KEEP AND GUARD FOR FEAR YOU MAY NEED THEM TOMORROW? AND, TOMORROW, WHAT SHALL TOMORROW BRING TO THE OVER-PRUDENT DOG BURYING BONES IN THE TRACKLESS SAND AS HE FOLLOWS THE PILGRIMS TO THE HOLY CITY? AND WHAT IS FEAR OF NEED BUT NEED ITSELF? IS NOT DREAD OF THIRST WHEN YOUR WELL IS FULL, THE THIRST THAT IS UNQUENCHABLE? THERE ARE THOSE WHO GIVE LITTLE OF THE MUCH WHICH THEY HAVE -- AND THEY GIVE IT FOR RECOGNITION AND THEIR HIDDEN DESIRE MAKES THEIR GIFTS UNWHOLESOME. AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE LITTLE AND GIVE IT ALL.
The fakir wanted to purchase something. The Jewish shopkeeper said, “Since you are one of us: the price is a hundred, but from you I will not take a hundred, only ninety; and then, you are a fakir—I won’t even take ninety, only eighty.” The fakir said, “Had you not been a Jew, I would have given fifty for this. Since you are a Jew, I will not give fifty, only forty. And you are being so affectionate toward me—so even forty I will not give; I will give thirty. I do not bargain.” This is our common language. Knowingly or unknowingly we keep trying to take, to snatch, from one another. And we call that one clever who snatches more, who grabs more; and we call that one foolish who loses in the bargain. This whole world is a scramble to snatch.