What should I do to understand the philosophy of Zen?

Osho, I cannot understand the philosophy of zen. What should I do to understand it?

When all words are gone, your mirror has no more dust on it, no more mist on it. When you look at things you collect impressions; that is the dust -- that's what you call thinking. When you see a rose flower, the rose flower is outside you but it makes a reflection inside you. The rose flower will fade away by the evening, the petals will fall and disappear, but the inner rose flower, the rose that has become imprinted in your memory will continue. It will remain forever with you, you can always remember it. And if you are a sensitive, aesthetic, artistic person you can visualize it again and again; you can imagine it as if it is true. In fact, if you try you will be surprised: you can even experience the fragrance of the rose again. If you create the whole situation in your imagination:…

Osho, what is zen?

Sagar, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER because Zen is not a philosophy, it is not a doctrine. It is an experience, an experience of your own interiority, of your own subjectivity -- not an objective experience. If it were some object outside you, there would be a possibility of describing it, of analyzing it, of defining it. It is indefinable by its very nature; it is not within the grasp of intellect. It is an experience of dropping out of your mind, disappearing from your mind into your being, slipping out of the mind and entering into your being. The mind is a false entity; your being is your real face, your original face. The mind is created by the society, hence there are different kinds of minds -- Hindu mind, Christian mind, Jewish mind -- but the being is one; it is neither Christian nor Hindu nor Mohammedan.…

Like the empty sky it has no boundaries, yet it is right in this place, ever profound and clear. When you seek to know it, you cannot see it, you cannot take hold of it, but you cannot lose it. In not being able to get it you get it. When you are silent it speaks; when you speak, it is silent. The great gate is wide open to bestow alms, and no crowd is blocking the way.

And remember, when Zen says 'just sitting' it means just sitting -- nothing else, not even a mantra. If you are repeating a mantra you are not just sitting, you are again getting into some tommyrot, again into some mind thing. If you are not doing anything whatsoever.... Thoughts are coming, coming; they are going, going -- if they come, good; if they don't come, good. You are not concerned with what is happening, you are simply sitting there. If you feel tired you lie down. If you feel your legs getting tense you spread them. You remain natural. Not even watching. Not making any effort of any kind. That's what they mean by just sitting. Just sitting it happens. Zen is the feminine approach and religion is basically feminine. Science is male, philosophy is male -- religion is female. All that is beautiful in the world -- poetry, painting,…

Question: BELOVED OSHO, THERE WAS A MONK IN TRAINING UNDER DOGO CALLED SOSHIN. HE WAS A SINCERE YOUNG MONK WORTHY OF HIS NAME, WHICH MEANT "TO REVERE AND BELIEVE." HE HAD BECOME DISTRESSED, AND FELT IT TO BE BEYOND ENDURANCE: SINCE THE TIME HE HAD COME TO THE MONASTERY FOR TRAINING, HIS TEACHER, DOGO, HAD NOT GIVEN HIM, EVEN ONCE, ANY INSTRUCTIVE SERMON OR APPROPRIATE GUIDANCE. ONE DAY SOSHIN, WHO COULD NOT STAND IT ANY LONGER, WENT TO HIS TEACHER DOGO AND ASKED: "EVER SINCE I CAME TO THIS MONASTERY, YOU HAVE NOT GIVEN ME YOUR GRACIOUS TEACHING EVEN ONCE. WHAT COULD BE THE REASON FOR THIS?" THE MASTER GAVE THE LEAST EXPECTED REPLY, FOR HE SAID, "WHY, EVER SINCE YOU CAME TO MY MONASTERY, I HAVE NOT, EVEN FOR ONE MOMENT, NEGLECTED TO TEACH YOU." "WHAT KIND OF TEACHING HAVE YOU GIVEN ME, MASTER?" SOSHIN ASKED. "WELL, WELL!

Question: BELOVED OSHO, ON ONE OCCASION, JOSHU SAID TO HIS MONKS: I HAVE SINGLE-HEARTEDLY PRACTICED ZAZEN IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCE FOR THIRTY YEARS. IF YOU WANT TO REALIZE ENLIGHTENMENT, YOU SHOULD REALIZE THE ESSENCE OF BUDDHISM, DOING ZAZEN. IN THE COURSE OF THREE, FIVE, TWENTY OR THIRTY YEARS, IF YOU FAIL TO GRASP THE WAY, YOU MAY CUT OFF MY HEAD AND MAKE IT INTO A LADLE TO DRAW URINE WITH. JOSHU IS ALSO REPORTED TO HAVE SAID: THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE ONLY SEEKERS AFTER BUDDHA, BUT NOT A SINGLE ONE IS A TRUE MAN OF TAO. BEFORE THE EXISTENCE OF THE WORLD THE SELF-NATURE REMAINS INTACT. NOW THAT YOU HAVE SEEN THIS OLD MONK, YOU ARE NO LONGER SOMEONE ELSE, BUT A MASTER OF YOURSELF. WHAT'S THE USE OF SEEKING ANOTHER IN THE EXTERIOR? ONCE A MONK ASKED JOSHU: "WHAT IS YOUR FAMILY'S TRADITION?