What need does God have for this game?

But another friend has asked: after all, what need does God have for this game?

It is not that some God is making you play. You are the one playing. We have this notion fixed in our minds that some God is sitting up there, making you play. If there were such a God, making you play this game, he would be worse than the devil—needlessly tormenting you! It would be like little children tormenting a frog, throwing stones. They are playing their game and the frog’s life is at stake. You are suffering for no reason, imagining some God above is playing a game with you! He would have been bored by now—so much play has happened and nothing essential seems to come out of it. No: the very notion is wrong that a God is sitting above making you play. You—the divine—are playing the play. This is your own fun, your own delight. Understand this rightly and let it sink deep. It is…

Osho, alan watts once described the universe by saying, "it is as if god is playing a game." if there is no god, who is playing and what is the game?

The Master said, "That is the first requirement, that time is not binding. I cannot say how much time it will take -- one year, two years, ten years, fifty years -- nothing can be said about it. It all depends on you, on how quick you learn. I will try my best because I am old, I am also in a hurry. I was not going to accept another disciple, but if the king sends you -- he is my old friend, we both were under the same Master learning meditation -- I cannot refuse you. Your training starts from now." The prince asked, "What do I have to do?" The old Master said, "You have not to do anything except just ordinary things: cleaning, cooking, drawing the water from the well, cutting wood. But remember one thing, I can hit you any time from behind, so remain alert.…

Osho, at this time and in this place, what does God make happen between you and us? What is the difference between you and us, and what is the connection?

I had long heard the sound of footsteps, but never met you face-to-face. In bewilderment the golden morning turned to dusky evening. The restlessness of each of my moments bowed down of its own accord. I had long heard the echo, but not the source of the sound. I had long heard the footfall, but never met you face-to-face. You too have heard the footfall; otherwise you would not have come here. You too have heard the echo; otherwise what would have brought you here? That very echo has brought you. But a direct meeting is not happening. I am standing facing him; you are standing with your back to him—this alone is the distance. It is not a great distance. About-turn—that is the distance. In the military they manage it. Turn around! “What is the difference between you and us?” Turn around! “And what is the connection?” From my…

Osho, The Ultimate Reality has been called supreme consciousness and supreme wisdom. But when we see within it this circle of creation, then destruction, then creation again, and then destruction again, it feels very strange. Can you explain whether there is any cause, any meaning, any significance, any purpose behind this cycle?

But even as he says it, he does not see that he is contradicting himself. On the one hand he says, “Remove this terrible form and be pleased.” Pleasantness is also a mode of activity. And on the other hand he says he wants nothing to do with activity, he wants to know the essence. Pleasantness is not essence. Pleasantness too is a doing. Just as fierceness is a doing, pleasantness is a doing. Just as death is a doing, so too is life. Yet we keep choosing. He says, “Be cheerful, be joyful.” He probably believes joy is essence. It is not. Essence is emptiness—shunya. And to see shunya is very difficult. We only perceive activity. Where do we see emptiness? Only when emptiness takes on the form of activity does it come within our grasp. Otherwise, how can it be grasped? If I simply sit here in silence,…

Osho, who are you and what type of play are you playing with us? And how long will you play? Please explain.

Between the Master and the disciple -- if the rule of the game is followed rightly -- devotion arises. That is the fragrance, the river that flows between the two banks of the Master and the disciple. That's why it is so difficult for the outsider to understand. But I am not interested at all in the outsider understanding it, it is a very esoteric game. It is only for the insiders, it is only for mad people. That is why I not interested even in answering people who are not insiders, because they will not understand. They do not have that attitude of being in which understanding becomes possible. Just see. If two chess-players are playing and you don't know what chess is, and you start asking questions, they will simply say, 'Shut up! First you go and learn the game. It is a complicated game.' And chess is…