Enlightenment is finding the light already inside you after letting go of what society taught you, pausing in simple silence, and then looking completely within.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, Buddha attained enlightenment under a tree. You say that on the day the event of enlightenment happened to Socrates, he was standing leaning against a tree. In Krishnamurti’s life too there is a similar mention, and you yourself, on the day of your enlightenment, left home and climbed a tree. So is there any esoteric relation between trees and enlightenment? And also explain: if enlightenment happens suddenly, how did you have prior intimation of it that day, so that you left home and climbed a tree?
If you go to England or America, you will meditate with the same ease—because what’s the point? That society isn’t yours. Those people are as good as non-existent. Whatever their eyes judge, what harm can it do you? But the eyes that know you, with whom you have dealings, business—those you fear. Your self-interest might suffer by offending them. And the image you have in their eyes—if that changes, you become restless. Because you have no understanding of yourself; what others think you are, that is what you think you are. If others say you are beautiful, you believe you are beautiful. If others say you are good and decent, you believe you are good and decent. And if others begin to think you are mad, it won’t be long before you start doubting yourself—and soon you will accept that you are mad. Psychologists say we stunt the intelligence of…Read the full discourse →
Osho, what is the most significant thing about enlightenment?
People want definite answers to believe in: this way or that. Either be a Catholic or be a communist, but be clear. People want clarity because they are so confused, and this man brings all these seven categories; now their confusion is worse, they are even more confounded. First you were at least aware that you were confused. Now you will not be aware to which category you belong: yes, no, yes -- no both, neither yes nor no, or indescribable. Mahavira could not create a world religion for the simple reason that perhaps he had the deepest penetration into reality. If you ask about his enlightenment, he will answer in seven sentences. You will not be able to come to any conclusion -- and I feel this is something tremendously valuable. Why this urge to come to a conclusion? If existence is a continuum, an ongoing process -- never…Read the full discourse →
Beloved Osho, gautam buddha became enlightened sitting under a tree. You said about socrates that he was standing under a tree at the moment of his enlightenment, and a similar story is told of krishnamurti. You yourself left your house and went under a tree on the night of your enlightenment. Are trees connected in some esoteric way with the happening of the happening of enlightenment? Could you also explain that if enlightenment is a sudden happening, how did you come to receive the intimation of enlightenment that prompted you to leave your house and go and sit under a tree?
Repeat any idea often enough, psychologists tell us, and eventually it will take root in the mind and affect your behavior accordingly. You have created your self-image out of all that society says about you. This identity of yours is borrowed, you are dependent on the views of others for this image. Only those who have discovered their own true identity, who have realized their own self, can be free of this pseudo-identity. Only one who knows himself can liberate himself from this borrowed self-image, and only in breaking the borrowed image can you know yourself. This is why Mahavira and Buddha go to the forest -- it is not that the forests attract them, but that they are repelled by you. It is not that the mountains are calling, it is you that are driving them there! The mountains are lovely because they do not judge you. No mountain…Read the full discourse →
What is enlightenment?
He had read all the Buddhist scriptures -- there are thousands of them. It is said about this Chikanzenji that he had all these scriptures in his room and he was constantly reading day and night. And his memory was so perfect he could recite whole scriptures -- but still nothing happened. Then one day he burned his whole library. Seeing those scriptures in the fire he laughed. He left the monastery, he left his guru, and he went to live in a ruined temple. He forgot all about meditation, he forgot all about yoga, he forgot all about practising this and that, he forgot all about virtue, SHEELA, he forgot all about discipline and he never went inside the temple to worship the Buddha. But he was living in that ruined temple when it happened. He was mowing down the weeds around the temple -- not a very religious…Read the full discourse →
Beloved Osho, what is enlightenment? Have the experience and the idea of enlightenment evolved with time?
So nirvana is just like darkness. The light is put off and your reality is all there, with all its beauty, benediction, blessing. But there is no word in English to translate nirvana. Jainas use the word moksha. Moksha means absolute freedom, ultimate freedom, freedom from all fetters. And the biggest fetter is the ego. Other fetters are just parts of the ego: greed, lust, ambition, anger. All that is thought to be sin in other religions, in Jainism is thought only to be a fetter. But the root, the main root of the whole tree of your slavery, is the ego. So cut the main root and all other roots will die of their own accord. Don't bother to cut small roots, branches, leaves, because they will come again. Cut the main root and the whole tree will die. And when all your fetters fall, what remains? The unfettered…Read the full discourse →