According to Osho, a master isn’t theoretically required, but is practically indispensable: he shortens an otherwise lifetimes-long, confusing search by helping you eliminate false doors and methods. A true master doesn’t own you; he loves, nourishes courage and intelligence through small successes, and preserves your freedom—serving as a trusted friend who helps you reach truth swiftly and independently.
Like a wise guide in a giant maze, a master doesn’t walk for you but prevents wrong turns, keeping you free and encouraged.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, is it wrong to try to save somebody? Is it not part of compassion?
That reminds me again of Natthu Kaka. I was a regular visitor to his salon. I had no beard at that time -- I was a child -- and no mustache, so there was no fear, but I had to use a scarf because I had long hair, and if Natthu Kaka was in the mood he might start cutting. And once he had cut your hair you could not do anything. And he was such a nice man, he would say, "Why be worried? -- you need not pay." It was, every day, a problem that he had shaved somebody without asking him, and now the man was angry. Particularly in India, people shave if they become sannyasins; that means they are dying in a ritualistic way. When a person dies, he is shaved; it is just symbolic. Just as when a person dies he is shaved, in the…
Beloved Osho, is not spiritual guidance an absolute necessity for human growth?
Making faces before the mirror is very childish. There is nothing wrong about it; it is not a sin. It is your mirror, it is your face, you are not doing any harm to anybody. But certainly the observer instantly changes you. You start doing other things just to look busy, as if you are doing meaningful things. Just a moment before you were doing meaningless things, now you are doing meaningful things. The same was discovered in the innermost core of the atom: the electrons behave differently when there is no observer. And the moment the scientist and his instruments make them aware that somebody is observing, they change their rules; a sudden transformation takes place. This was very shocking to the scientists because electrons are supposed to be particles of electricity: that's the meaning of electron. They are supposed to be material, but they are behaving with such…
In the beginning it will be difficult, you will go on forgetting again and again. But don't be discouraged. Even if in twenty four hours you can manage for twenty four seconds, that is more than enough. Because the secret is the same. If you can manage it for one second, you know the key. You know the knack. Then it is only a question of time. Slowly, slowly, you will be having bigger gaps when you are aware. The action continues; not only it continues, it becomes better than ever before; because now you are doing with such consciousness. Its quality changes, because you are conscious, you are totally there. Your intensity changes, your insight, your understanding; and the action that you are doing starts having a grace of its own. Meditation should be slowly spread all over your life.
Buddha did not have a master, jesus did not have a master, you did not have a master. Why do we need a master?
But only through this pain does growth happen. This is a growth pain, and a growth pain is far more valuable than the health which does not allow growth. To be abnormal and mad is far better if growth comes through it than to be normal and sane if no growth comes through it. The whole point is growth: you should not remain what you are. You should not remain the seed, you should burst forth into thousands of flowers. But before that the seed has to die in the soil. The master is just a climate, a soil, in which the disciple dies. Trusting, he falls into the soil and dies. There is no way of guaranteeing your future, what will happen. How can you guarantee a seed that "It is absolutely certain that a sprout will come when you are gone. There will be great foliage and greenery…
Is it possible to grow without having a master?
He said, "We had them in our basement for years and I was waiting for some opportunity to sell them. I told the man about the beauties of the water. I told him that for now he can use boats, and when the water is gone he can make his house just six feet higher and it will be on a lake; it will be called Lake Palace. And the man said, `Really! That's a great idea.'" And the salesman told him, "There are two boats. So while the water is there, use the boats, enjoy, and when you have raised your house... then too the boats will be needed in the rainy season. Or if you can manage to keep the water all the year round this will be the most beautiful house in the whole city, surrounded by water. And there is still ground -- you can make…