According to Osho, the fifth K is kachha—the loincloth/undergarment—completing the Sikh five Ks: kanga, kesh, kirpan, kara, and kachha. He uses humor to show that outer symbols alone don’t confer wisdom; without inner alertness, we remain foolish. True religiosity is awareness, not attire; let symbols serve as reminders while transformation comes from waking up within.
It’s the special underwear (kachha), but clothes don’t make you wise—being awake inside does.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
All scriptures become sticks. You worship them, memorize them. And it is not that no one ever woke through them — they did, but a living hand was behind them. Nanak was behind the stick. The vibration in the stick was not the stick’s — it came from the living hand. Now you go on — keep the five Ks, tie the hair, wear the kara, carry the kirpan, the kachh — do what you will, but these are sticks; nothing will happen now. A jugat is alive only when a living hand is behind it. While I am, use my stick. After I am gone, you will practice Dynamic Meditation — nothing will happen. And you will surely do it after I am gone — I am certain — because you have the old habit. Why so? Because methods do not frighten you; they do not threaten your sleep.
Garden, dance, sing. Set seriousness aside for a while; be non-serious, light. For a time, do not be old, do not be adult—be a child. One who can be a child for an hour even in old age—his life begins to change; his energy gathers as in childhood. And the third and final point: One, live moment to moment; be free of future and desire. Two, be creative; utility is not enough—meaningful works alone are not enough—work that is 'meaningless' is also needed. Do not only build character; allow lila too. Third: whenever you find the chance, consciously close all the senses and look within. Twenty-four hours we look outside. When the chance comes to look within, we are asleep—so inner seeing never happens. Either we look out, or we do not look—these are our two modes. By day, we look out; by night, we do not look.
Oh yogi, assume the posture of contentment and modesty.
PICK UP THE CARRYING BAG OF DIGNITY AND HONOR, AND APPLY THE SACRED ASH OF MEDITATION. ESTABLISH DEATH AS YOUR BEDROLL; MAKE A MAIDEN OF YOUR BODY. LET EXPERIENCE BE YOUR STAFF OF LIBERATION, AND CONSIDER THE UNITY OF ALL AS YOUR FIRST PRINCIPLE. TO CONQUER THE MIND IS TO CONQUER THE WORLD. IF YOU MUST BOW, BOW TO HIM. HE IS THE PRIMAL BEING, PURE, WITHOUT BEGINNING OR END. HE IS THE UNSTRUCK SOUND. HE IS IMMUTABLE THROUGH ALL TIME. MAKE KNOWLEDGE YOUR PLEASURE AND COMPASSION YOUR STOREHOUSE. MAKE A CONCH SHELL OF THE ETERNAL MUSIC PLAYING IN EVERY BEING. HE ALONE IS A MASTER IN WHOM ALL BEINGS ARE INTERTWINED, WHILE THE SEARCH FOR SUPERNATURAL POWERS IS A FALSE PATH. THE LAW OF UNION AND SEPARATION GOVERNS ALL THINGS, AND DESTINY DETERMINES OUR JUST INHERITANCE. IF YOU MUST BOW, BOW TO HIM. HE IS THE PRIMAL BEING, PURE,…
Verse (Sanskrit): पउड़ी: 28 मुंदा संतोखु सरमु पतु झोली धिआन की करहि बिभूती। खिंथा कालु कुआरी काइआ जुगति डंडा परतीति।। आई पंथी सगल जमाती मनि जीतै जगु जीत।। आदेसु तिसै आदेसु।। आदि अनीलु अनादि अनाहति। जुगु जुगु एको वेसु।। पउड़ी: 29 भुगति गिआनु दइआ भंडारणि घटि घटि बाजहि नाद। आपि नाथु नाथी सभ जा की रिधि सिधि अवरा साद।। संजोगु विजोगु दुइ कार चलावहि लेखे आवहि भाग।। आदेसु तिसै आदेसु।। आदि अनीलु अनादि अनाहति। जुगु जुगु एको वेसु।। Transliteration: paur̤ī: 28 muṃdā saṃtokhu saramu patu jholī dhiāna kī karahi bibhūtī| khiṃthā kālu kuārī kāiā jugati ḍaṃḍā paratīti|| āī paṃthī sagala jamātī mani jītai jagu jīta|| ādesu tisai ādesu|| ādi anīlu anādi anāhati| jugu jugu eko vesu|| paur̤ī: 29 bhugati giānu daiā bhaṃḍāraṇi ghaṭi ghaṭi bājahi nāda| āpi nāthu nāthī sabha jā kī ridhi sidhi avarā sāda|| saṃjogu vijogu dui kāra calāvahi lekhe āvahi bhāga|| ādesu tisai ādesu|| ādi anīlu anādi…
And it is because of words that so many sects are born. Buddha lived two thousand years before Nanak—he used the language of his day. Krishna, another two thousand earlier, used another language. Muhammad, in a different land and air, used yet another. Mahavira different, Jesus different. Languages differ, because of you. Among the enlightened there is no difference. Nanak spoke in a tongue people of his time could understand. So Nanak says, Karta Purakh—the Creative Person. Instantly we think: if He is the Creator and we are the created, duality begins. Yet Nanak has just denied duality by declaring the One. If He is the Maker and the made stands separate, then there are two. The trouble begins with language. As Nanak goes further, the challenge grows. The first word after his samadhi is, Ik Onkar Satnam. In truth, the entire Sikh dharma is contained in these three words.