According to Osho, if you have endured all tests in full awareness and humility, no tests remain: you stand at the shore of witnessing and awakening can happen any moment. But if you bore them in unconsciousness, one test still remains—wakefulness. Drop the egoic 'I'; light the lamp of awareness, and freedom opens like a tavern's door.
If you went through hardships awake and humble, you’re almost home; if you did it half-asleep, just wake up now and drop the ‘I’.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, can the ultimate state not be attained through continuous witnessing and without meditation? And when only witnessing remains, how does one become free of that too?
Begin with action—and go to non-action. Begin with meditation—and go to samadhi. Start in shallow waters, then slowly go deeper… then into the bottomless depths. Do not hurry. Gently, step by step… But you seem to be in a hurry. The question is quite extraordinary: “Can the ultimate state be attained through continuous witnessing and without meditation?” And then: “And when only witnessing remains, how to be free of that too?” You are in a great rush! Witnessing has not happened yet. Meditation has not happened yet. Meditation hasn’t even begun; theoretically you have adopted the notion: it would be good if witnessing were accomplished—without meditation. If it had happened, you would not be asking. It has not happened. Yet you go further: “If witnessing is accomplished—without meditation—then how to be free of that?” Not such haste. If you leap like this, you will break your hands and feet. The…
Osho, you will remember, at the Dwarka camp you said: “Life is not given again and again. I will give you moksha. Do as I say.” Lord! Far from liberation, till now I am still circling between Bombay and Poona. And today you spoke of heaven and hell—those too are unknown to me. But this ceaseless remembrance that goes on day and night is not in my control. The two of us are better off in Poona anyway. Where is life more than a joke and laughter!
There is an ancient dictum: Do as the guru says; do not do as the guru does. It sounds odd, because we are usually told to imitate the guru’s conduct. But the ancient dictum says: Do as he says, not as he does—because the guru’s action issues from his state of consciousness, while whatever he says, he says keeping your state in view. Do not imitate the doctor’s habits; follow his prescription. The doctor may be happily eating sweets while telling you to stop, because you have diabetes. If you say, “We shall do as you do,” there will be trouble. The guru lives out of his awareness, and he speaks with the disciple’s condition in mind. That is why there is always apparent contradiction in a guru’s words: he will tell one disciple one thing, another disciple something different. It must be so—the illnesses differ; the diagnosis differs; therefore…
Osho, the one who sees all and dwells within everyone—why does he still not come to be known? How does that Seer and Witness of all come to be known? Please explain.
Only such a light, subtle sensing will be there—a faint intimation. But you will not be able to see it. You cannot hold it in your hand. It is inexorably the Seer and cannot become the seen. So what to do? Then what to do? Only one thing can be done: bid farewell to the seen. Whatever is seen, let it be dismissed. Let no scene remain upon the screen. Have you ever noticed? You go to the cinema to watch a film. It begins—the play of light and shadow starts upon a blank white screen—and you become absorbed. When you are completely absorbed in watching, when the story grips your very life, you lose awareness of yourself—you forget that you are the watcher. The seen becomes everything; the Seer becomes null. The Seer is forgotten; the scenes become all in all. If the scene is tragic, tears stream from…
Right-awareness is the method of meditation. You have to see, only to see what is without and what is within. There are objects without, thoughts within. You have to look at them without any purpose whatsoever. There is no purpose, just seeing. You are a witness, a detached witness, and you are simply seeing. This observing, this watchfulness, gradually leads you into peace, into emptiness, into the void, into thoughtlessness. Try it and you will know. As thoughts dissolve, consciousness awakens and comes to life. Just casually stop a while -- anywhere, anytime. Just look and listen and be a witness to the world and to yourself. Don't think. Just be a witness and see what happens. Then let this witnessing spread. let is pervade all your physical and mental activities. Allow it to be with you always.
Osho, ever since I came here, only the remembrance of you abides in my heart. Everything else seems meaningless. What should I do now?
Don’t ask, “What should I do now?” Now stop doing! Now just watch. Whatever is happening, watch it. See that all has become without essence. See that a new event is occurring in your life, that a new remembrance is imbuing you. I cannot give you wealth, nor position, nor prestige. Walk with me, and whatever of these is with you may even be snatched away. Because of me you will not receive honor, applause in society. Walk with me—stones may be thrown, there may be insult, you may be taken for mad. Walking with me is a costly bargain. But it seems costly only so long as you see what is being lost. The day you begin to see what is being gained, it no longer appears costly. Then you have bought pearls for the price of shells, diamonds for a trifle. Then you have given up mud and…