What role should charity play in the life of a sannyasin?

What role should charity play in the life of a sannyasin?

THE QUESTION IS NOT FROM A SANNYASIN -- it is from Philip Martin. The first thing, Philip Martin, become a sannyasin. You should not ask questions about others; that is not gentlemanly. You should ask questions about yourself. Be a sannyasin and then ask. But the question is meaningful so I am going to answer it anyway. And I have the feeling that sooner or later Philip Martin will be a sannyasin. Even the question shows some leaning. First thing: all the religions of the world have emphasized charity -- DHAN -- too much. And the reason is that man has always felt guilty with money. Charity has been preached so much to help man feel a little less guilty. You will be surprised: in old English there is a word'gilt' -- g-i-l-t -- which means money. In German there is a word'Geld' -- g-e-l-d -- which means money. And…

Beloved Osho, in your vision, is charity a part of religiousness? If so, what would constitute charity? Following the catholic concept, the indian legislature specifies: 1) relief for the poor, 2) education, and 3) medical relief, as being charity. What is the concept of charity in the eyes of a buddha?

If you have a little understanding, you can see the point: if you don't want orphans, then birth control should be the most charitable thing. Spread the idea of birth control, distribute the pill to as many people as possible, so there are no orphans. It is a strange thing that first you prevent people from birth control, and then they create children which they cannot raise, and you come in to become a great saint because you are doing a great, charitable act. If birth control methods are used, there will be no orphans. If medical science is not working under religious conditions and is allowed freedom from religions, many diseases will disappear. There are thirty million people in America who are in the hospitals because they eat too much; they have gathered so much weight, they cannot even move. And it is charity to take care of them,…

Question: GIVE AND SHARE. RENOUNCE NON-ESSENTIAL AND BE ESSENTIAL. TO WHOM TO GIVE -- THE POOR AND NEEDY? -- IN GENERAL OR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS? BEGGARS -- ORGANIZED OR INDIVIDUALS? INSTITUTIONS -- POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS? PURCHASE INSTITUTIONAL PRESENTS -- BOOKS AND OTHER THINGS? SAINTS AND MAHATMAS? ETC? Humanity is very cunning. Human beings are very cunning. This is the end-result of Mahavir's teaching -- who taught about love and sharing. This Terapanth is a sect of Jains. Mahavir says: "Share!" But how things can turn! even to the very opposites. And it is appealing -- it is rational, it looks right. Then these Terapanthis say: "If somebody is poor, he is poor because of his past karmas -- who are you to help him? He is suffering from his past karmas and you are becoming a distracting force.

Beloved Osho, passing through the gate of this mandir for the first time in eight years, I felt a kind of fragrance which has stayed with me ever since. Is it possible to take this fragrance with me when I leave? Oh, beloved master, it is so beautiful, and I am so grateful to spend this time with you, even if I cannot take this fragrance with me.

Prem Maharaj, the fragrance that you have felt in this temple of seekers is not something that you can leave behind. This fragrance contains love, meditativeness, silence, trust, life-affirmative values, a song of gratitude, a dance with the trees and with the stars... This fragrance is an experience of a totally new atmosphere that does not exist in the outside world. If you meditate, you will become the same temple. Then, wherever you go the fragrance will go with you like a shadow; even others will feel it. It is not the first time that such a question has come to me. The moment they enter the gate many people have felt suddenly, as if they are entering into another world -- the air is different, the vibe is different -- as if they have come home. And there is bound to be a certain fragrance, because so many people…

Osho, since becoming sannyasins, the longing arises again and again in our hearts that what we have found be available to all. Is this possible?

Have you ever looked closely at a statue of Buddha or Mahavira? Whoever has truly looked—if he does not fall into meditation even for a moment, he does not know how to look at a statue. He has no eyes; he is blind. The moment you behold the image of Buddha or Mahavira, something in you also comes to rest. Those images embody that art. Over thousands of years, artists who have known have stored the felt essence of meditation into every vein of those statues—have given meditation a shape, a form, embodiment. They are not simply statues of Buddha and Mahavira. That’s why, perhaps, you’ve also felt perplexed: when you go to a Jain temple where the images of the twenty-four Tirthankaras are placed, they all appear the same. Are twenty-four men ever alike? Not even two are alike; how would twenty-four be? And separated by thousands of years…