Apara is what you can see like a tree’s branches, para is the hidden root-power that gives it life—and they’re actually one thing.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, just a small question. If truth is non-dual, then what is the point of calling apara and para different? And are apara and para interchangeable?
In the Vigyan Bhairava, Shiva tells Parvati: “Ask no more. The more will hinder. Let me tell you in little. In this Om—A-U-M—forget A, forget M; what remains in the middle—U—dive into that. Then I will be attained.” This is technique. If you can dive into U… If you utter U with force, you will feel the navel contract within. The more forcefully you intone U, the more pressure on the navel. And the navel is the root source of life-energy. One who can tap it rightly—Om is the hammer, the device to strike there. If one strikes rightly, the life-energy begins to rise; kundalini awakens; the journey upward begins. I have heard: In a small town a huge factory installed a new machine. For a month it ran well; then suddenly it stopped. No fault was found. The factory engineers tried and failed. A specialist was called from the…
Osho, why has this silent experience of the Nameless been given dualistic names like Heaven and Earth, or consciousness and matter? Why has nonduality not been expressed?
Expression can only be of duality; nonduality remains inexpressible. So, at the most, in speaking, what can be done is two—in speech. The nearest to truth that speech can come is two—in speech. Outside speaking, only one remains. But language cannot say anything without breaking it into two. If Lao Tzu is speaking, writing, he is committing the minimum mistake possible. Nothing more accurate can be done with words. And even if we want to deny this, we will still have to use words. Then we say “nondual”—not two. Yet to say “not two” we still use the two. Even to say “not,” one has to say it. The two will follow us. As long as we make the effort to speak, the two will follow us. Leave speaking, and the one remains. You may say, “Why don’t we just say ‘one’?” But we don’t notice what happens. The moment…
Chapter 1: sutra 4 under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the mystery. Where the mystery is the deepest, is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.
They are not apart actually. It is our manner of looking that is wrong. The way we see things is like this. If I were to make a hole in the wall and look into this room then when I look at say A, I will see A only, then when I turn towards B, I shall see B only. A will be lost. From B when I turn to C, B will be lost. Then supposing there is no way of turning my back, what would I understand by this? I will naturally think that A and B are finished and only C remains. I cannot see D further ahead. Now if the wall were to break, I would see all A,B,C,D simultaneously. Then this would be a miracle. If I can see the birth of creation and its death, its annihilation simultaneously, it is a miracle. Lao Tzu…
Chapter 1: sutra 4 under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the mystery. Where the mystery is the deepest, is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.
They are not apart actually. It is our manner of looking that is wrong. The way we see things is like this. If I were to make a hole in the wall and look into this room then when I look at say A, I will see A only, then when I turn towards B, I shall see B only. A will be lost. From B when I turn to C, B will be lost. Then supposing there is no way of turning my back, what would I understand by this? I will naturally think that A and B are finished and only C remains. I cannot see D further ahead. Now if the wall were to break, I would see all A,B,C,D simultaneously. Then this would be a miracle. If I can see the birth of creation and its death, its annihilation simultaneously, it is a miracle. Lao Tzu…
Question: bhagwan sri, why has this silent manifestation of the unknown been given different basic names like, heaven, earth, matter and consciousness? Why has the manifestation of the absolute not been given?
The man died. so did Farid. Neither the man went to Farid wit!l his question. nor did anyone hear Farid s answer. When he was on his death-bed others reminded Farid about the answer he said he already had for the man."We are anxious to hear your answer. Please tell us," They pleaded. Farid was silent. "Please tell us," they urged. "You are about to die. Let not the answer die with you." Farid said. "I am answering you. I am silent and that is my answer. If I say even this. that I am answering you with my silence a duality is created. For that would mean that it can be shown with silence and not without it. Duality is created, distinction is formed. Therefore do not make me say that I am answering with my silence. I am silent and you should understand. Raise no words." But how…