Why can't there be a universal religion that encompasses the good aspects of all religions?

Beloved Osho, there are so many religions in the world which cause so many divisions amongst people, although all religions have good things in them. Why can't there be a religion which has the good things of all religions, which is accepted universally and which breaks down all divisions, thus causing a world fraternity? Kindly show the way.

Yes, Ashoka Agrawal, the religions have good things in them, that is true, but those good things also have bad sides. And a truly religious person will not bother about choosing; he will start living according to his consciousness. He will not follow Jesus, Buddha or Mahavira or Mohammed. To follow is to be political. Only the blind follow, the superstitious people follow, gullible people follow. The people who are intelligent try to understand Buddha, Mahavira, Krishna, but it is just an effort to understand the message, what these people were doing, what they were living. Finally, you have to discover your own inner light. That's what I call meditation: the moment you have discovered your own inner insight, you follow it. Then you are religious -- neither Hindu nor Mohammedan nor Christian. A religious quality, a fragrance will surround you. You will be more loving, more compassionate. And these…

Osho, are you partial to different creeds and doctrines? Can we not abolish sects—the Buddhists of Buddha, the Jains of Mahavira, the Christians of Jesus, and so on—and establish a single religion of humanity?

I have not the slightest partiality toward creeds and sects. There are no Jains, no Buddhists, no Hindus, no Christians, no Muslims. In the world there are only two kinds of people: the religious and the irreligious. And one who is religious can be a Buddha, a Mahavira, a Krishna, a Christ; but he cannot be a Hindu, a Jain, a Muslim, a Christian. The religious person reaches the source; once one has reached the source, there remains no reason to be sectarian. Two kinds of people, I said: religious and irreligious. The religious person becomes what Buddha or Mahavira became. The irreligious person cannot become a Buddha or a Mahavira, so he becomes a Jain or a Buddhist! Sects belong to irreligious people; the religious person has no sect. You can even put it this way: religion has no sects; all sects belong to irreligion. The irreligious person cannot…

Why can't there be only one religion in the world?

Because people are mad. Because people are fast asleep. There can be one religion one day, maybe, we can hope for it -- but that one religion will not be like Christianity where all have become Christians, no; that one religion will not be like Hinduism, where all have become converted Hindus; that one religion will not be like Judaism, no. When I say one religion I mean there will be no religion like Christianity, Hinduism, Mohammedanism, Jainism, Buddhism. There will be a kind of diffused religiousness. That can be and that should be. But remember it, mind it -- by one religion I don't mean one religion, one organization, I mean a diffused religiousness... a religiousness without any label to it, without any particular church and particular dogma and particular Bible to it, just a kind of religiousness, a kind of meditativeness, a kind of prayerfulness. Only that is…

Osho, what is religion, and why are there so many religions in the world? Is it not possible to have just one religion for the whole humanity?

No, even to support that idea is dangerous because that simply means, destroy others. But who are we? If somebody wants to remain a Hindu or a Mohammedan or a Christian, then it is his choice. It is nobody else's business. Religion is a private concern, a personal concern. You like a certain flower, and I don't like it, but that does not men that we are enemies. No, there is no need of one religion. But there can be one religiousness. People can belong to different kinds of religions but still they can carry the same quality of religiousness. Then there is no problem about whether they go to the church or to the synagogue or to the temple, or nowhere. They may not go anywhere their own house is a temple. It is possible -- not only possible, it should be made actual -- that there could be…

Osho, wouldn’t it be good if there were only one religion on the earth? Wouldn’t that increase brotherhood and bring an end to violence, hostility and disputes?

Everyone their own paths, and from all paths together is formed that highway on which the feet of the age are advancing! Do not stop the advancing steps— life’s ocean is boundless. Life’s truth is not confined to one person. Do not stop the advancing steps— life’s ocean is unfathomable, life’s truth is not confined to one vision! Let multicolored flowers bloom here, with multicolored flowers is adorned that platter which worships life, which is great! Life’s truth is not confined to one color! Let everyone sing their own song of creation, freely! From all songs together is formed that great raga which bows to life, which is vast! Life’s truth is not confined to one song! Never confine life’s truth—to one song or to one Gita! Not to one color, one way, one style. It is the violent tendency in man that wants others to walk exactly as he…