Ask Osho!

What does the Zen saying 'If you meet the master on the way, kill him' mean?

Synthesized from Source definition

"To truly awaken, you must sever the final attachment to the master, for even the image of the guru can become a barrier to your own reality. Drop all projections and embrace the emptiness of shunyata to discover your true self."

Core Insight:
According to Osho, the Zen koan means: in deep meditation the mind’s final attachment is the beloved master’s image; you must cut it off—symbolically—with an imagined sword, dropping even the guru, to pass beyond all projections into shunyata, nothingness, nirvana. Both master and sword are mind-made; discard them to stop the mind’s last trick and meet your own reality.
When your mind gets very quiet, even thoughts of your teacher must be let go—pretend to cut them away—so you can be completely empty and free.
Why this matters practically
- Prevents clinging to teachers or teachings, keeping your path alive and independent.
- Breaks the mind’s final distraction, deepening meditation into pure awareness.
- Encourages direct experience over images, beliefs, or authority.
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