What is the nature of scriptural debate?

Beloved Osho, you have said many times that a dialogue is not possible through debate. But shankara announced his universal victory and defeated innumerable intellectuals in a debate on the meaning of the scriptures. After the defeat they had to become shankara's disciples. Please explain what kind of debate on the scriptures this was.

Shankara agreed to debate with Bharati. But he found he could not reply to the questions asked by her, because she did not ask any question regarding Brahma or knowledge of Brahma. As he had already defeated Mandan on that topic. She had understood from the debate with Mandan that it was useless to talk to this young man about Brahma. She thought "This young-looking person is actually a very ancient being." And Mandan certainly knew more than Bharati. That is why Bharati had fallen in love with him, married him, and was looking after him. She had seen him defeated by Shankara on the subject of Brahma, so she asked Shankara questions regarding sex. Shankara was young. He was thirty years old and was unmarried. He found himself in a difficult situation. He said, "I want six months' time to reply to these questions because I am unmarried and…

Osho, why do you liken devotion to love? Is there no other apt analogy?

I know why this question has arisen in you. For centuries your so‑called religious people have condemned love—called it base, impure, a sin. Hence you feel, “Wouldn’t some other analogy be better?” Somewhere within you there is condemnation of love—rejection, fear. I understand you—and I understand your so‑called saints as well. But the one who fears love has not understood love; the fear has arisen out of ignorance. The one who is afraid of the courtyard has not understood it. The courtyard had walls—and it had the sky; he focused on the walls and forgot the sky. I want you to focus on the sky and forget the walls. The walls are there and will remain. Man is encased in the wall of body; as long as you have a body, there will be walls. How will they disappear? You cannot get rid of even your own wall—how will you…

Osho, is there really no benefit at all from the scriptures?

And then a unique thing happens—not only the Gita will bear witness, the Quran too will bear witness to you, and the Bible as well. For one who has understood the truth of life through meditation, all scriptures become witnesses together; then there is no contradiction among them. Then there is no difference of Hindu and Muslim, Christian and the rest. But if you have not heard the inner truth, have not seen it, have not read your inner book—the real book, whose pages lie yet unturned—and you read the Gita, you will become a Hindu, not religious; read the Quran, and you will become a Muslim, not religious. And to be religious is a far greater thing than to be a Muslim. We need freedom from Muslims, from Hindus, from Jains and Buddhists. If there were no Christians and Parsis in the world, the world would be better. The…

Osho, “Contemplation of the essence (tattva) is supreme; contemplation of scripture is middling; preoccupation with tantra is inferior; and wandering among holy places is worse than the worst. Without direct experience, the dull-witted person vainly delights in Brahman—like one pleased by tasting the fruit only as it appears reflected at the tip of a branch in the shade.” Please be gracious and explain the purport of these two aphorisms from the Maitreyi Upanishad.

Someone explain what this color of the tavern is: the cup’s fame rises because of the cupbearer’s glance. O tellers of the candle’s heat, you have not yet seen the moth’s dance. Seek the company of the intoxicated. If you want to see the dance, watch the moth, not the lecture. Where a Buddha is present, the tavern is alive. There wine-springs burst forth; there the drinkers gather. Once they gathered at the Kaaba—not for the stone of the Kaaba but for Muhammad’s presence. In Muhammad’s presence, even the stone of Kaaba intoxicated. The cupbearer’s eye—and the cup got the name! Thus tirthas are born; and for centuries people wander among them. The sutra speaks truly: Adhamā tantra-cintā ca tīrtha-bhrānty adhamā-dhamā. Anubhūtiṁ vinā mūḍho vṛthā brahmaṇi modate, pratibimbit-śākhāgra-phalāsvādana-modavat. A lovely image: “As one might, under a tree, savor the fruit that appears only in its shadow, reflected…” Sit beneath a…

Osho, I have been entangled in the scriptures all along; and you say scriptures are futile. What should I do now?

In the hands of one who knows, not only scriptures but the smallest happenings of life take on deep and grave meaning. Tattooed words, but trenches of meaning being dug— Sir is busy tattooing, tattooing and tattooing! “Malpua” scrawled across the belly, “house” written on the brow; “dhoti–kurta” written on the body— the devils laugh! On the back, “mountain ranges” inscribed, on the chest, “cremation ground”; tears labeled “pearls,” and read out as “charity”! On the ears, “sweet jaggery-balls” written, on the hands, “favor”; on the cheeks, “Ganga–Yamuna” written— and they keep taking a bath. Write “favor” on the hand—will it become favor? Write “meditation” on the forehead—will it become meditation? On the cheeks, “Ganga–Yamuna” written— and they keep taking a bath. Tattooed words, but trenches of meaning being dug— Sir is busy tattooing, tattooing and tattooing! The pundit goes on tattooing and re-tattooing. The pundit’s world is profoundly false.…