According to Osho, there is no single “most foolish act” of Mulla Nasruddin. Nasruddin isn’t a person but a Sufi device embodying humanity’s collective stupidity—and its hidden wisdom. His every deed outdoes the last, mirroring our own absurdities. By pondering his stories as meditation, we see ourselves, learn to laugh at our folly, and transform ridicule into self-awareness.
There isn’t one dumbest thing—Nasruddin shows how we’re all sometimes silly, and his stories help us notice it kindly and become wiser.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
What is the most stupid thing mulla nasrudin ever did?
It is difficult to say, because he is still alive. And one thing is certain -- he will not die before me. So don't ask, because nobody can predict; he is unpredictable. And he will do more and more stupid things; one grows through experience. He is not going to die before me; I cannot afford that. So, I cannot say. When I am gone, he will also be gone. Then you can think about it. Much research will be needed. Mulla Nasruddin is not a person; he is the whole humanity. He is you; he is you, all together. Whatsoever you can do, Mulla can do more stupidly. He is perfect! Whatsoever any human being can do, he can do more perfectly. He is your stupidity. And if you can understand it you will laugh and you will weep also. You will laugh at the ridiculousness of it and…
I went in search of mulla nasrudin and could not find him. So, upon your suggestion, I looked up swami yoga chinmaya and asked him why you threw your towel. He gave a half-hour-long discourse on the deeply symbolic and highly esoteric reasons. I came away laughing. Osho, you tricked us again! Swami yoga chinmaya is mulla nasrudin.
HE IS TRYING HARD BUT HE IS NOT YET. It is a very difficult thing to be Mulla Nasrudin. To be Mulla Nasrudin means two things: Be foolish in your wisdom and be wise in your foolishness. It is a very great contradiction. Be wise in your foolishness and be foolish in your wisdom. Yoga Chinmaya is trying -- hard; but he has only been able to do the second part up to now. The first part is more difficult. If he goes on working hard at it, he may succeed. You should be aware of the fact that Mulla Nasrudin is a Sufi device. It is to make you clear that life is wise in its foolishness. And when you try to be wise you become a fool. The greatest wise people are like fools. And the greatest foolish people are those who pretend that they are wise. Socrates…
Question: BELOVED OSHO, DID MULLA NASRUDDIN BECOME ENLIGHTENED? He must have -- because if he is not enlightened then nobody can be. Mulla Nasruddin is a Sufi figure, one of the oldest figures of Sufi anecdotes, and he shows whatsoever I have been saying here: that the world is a cosmic joke -- he represents that. He is a very serious joker, and if you can penetrate him and understand him, then many mysteries will be revealed to you. Mulla Nasruddin illustrates that the world is not a tragedy but a comedy. And the world is a place where if you can learn how to laugh you have learned everything. If your prayer cannot become a deep laughter which comes from all over your being, if your prayer is sad and if you cannot joke with your god, then you are not really religious.
If mulla nasrudin came to the ashram, would you put him in one of the groups? Or would you tell him to run a group of his own? If so, what kind of group would;t be?
I have done it before. It didn't work. Mulla Nasrudin is a leader of leaders. He cannot be put in a group as a participant; his ego won't allow it. I had asked him. He said, "Okay, you can make me a leader." I gave him an opportunity, a three-day group; and all the fools and all the wise guys gathered to participate. Because Mulla Nasrudin has appeal for both. Those who are fools, they think him a fool. Those who are wise, they think him a wise man. He is tricky, or his is just a border case -- he stands on both the sides. He can be interpreted as a foolish man; he can be interpreted as one of the most wise ever. He stood before the group and he said, "Do you know what I am going to teach you?" Of course everybody said, "How can we…
Mulla Nasrudin, looking at the corpse laid out in his best suit, said: "What a waste! All dressed up and nowhere to go!" 74. The prosecuting counsel was having a little trouble with a rather difficult witness, Mulla Nasrudin. Exasperated by the Mulla's evasive answers, he asked him if he was acquainted with any of the jury. ]"Yes, sir, more than half of them," replied the Mulla. "Are you willing to swear that you know more than half of them?" asked the counsel. "If it comes to that, I am willing to swear that I know more than all of them put together," said Mulla Nasrudin. 75. Mulla Nasrudin, in a tailor shop, was viewing his new suit in a three way mirror. The tailor asked: "Well, what do you think, Mulla?" "Great," said Nasrudin. "I will take all three of them." 76.