According to Osho, Mahavira called the soul 'time' because what distinguishes consciousness from matter is the inner dimension of temporality—samaya—the still, balanced awareness through which being knows itself. Matter merely occupies space; consciousness lives as time. At the crossing of space and time we exist, but the soul is time’s silent core: equanimous, nondual presence beyond passing change (kaal), akin to Einstein’s spacetime insight in spiritual terms.
Your true self isn’t a thing in space but the quiet, aware “time” inside you that stays balanced while everything changes.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, why did Mahavira call the soul “time”? Please tell us what relationship there is between time and the soul.
Albert Einstein considered two constituent elements of existence: time and space. And as his inquiry deepened, it seemed to him that calling them two was not quite right. So he chose a single term for both: spacetime. Space is outside; time is inside. If we understand life rightly, two things are needed for being. You need a place in which to be—you will occupy some room. You are sitting here; you have taken up a little space. That is kshetra, the sky, space. But that alone is not enough. If that were all, you would become an object. Then there would be no difference between you and a table or a chair. The table and the chair also occupy space, just as you do. The floor you are sitting on occupies space, just as you do. Then what is the difference between you and a stone? You have also occupied…
Modern physics—especially Einstein—joined space and time into a new conception. He proposed something new. For India it is very old; in the West it proved precious. Modern science has been built around it: time and space are not two, but one. He said time is also a dimension of space. This is a somewhat difficult mathematical idea. Einstein spoke of three dimensions of space: length, breadth, depth. For anything to be, these three are necessary. Then he said the fourth dimension is time, the direction of change. Length, breadth, depth, and if a thing is, then a process of transformation—time. Thus Einstein said: time is the fourth dimension of space. He coined one word: spacetime. A single existence of time-space, because for anything to be, transformation is necessary. Existence is nothing but a flow of change. Krishna says: I am imperishable time. I am the time that never runs out.
In one sense the word Prana is scientific. It often happens that the direction from which one searches becomes the final word. Science searched and searched—its final power found was electrical; because the whole search was of electricity. Gradually that word became fundamental and what was found at the end was named ‘electrical energy.’ In the same way yoga began the search for the electricity hidden in the body; its name is Prana. And as the search went deeper, yoga experienced that everything is a transformation of Prana. A tree is one form of Prana, a stone another form, a man another. Whatever is happening in this world—its basic unit is Prana. This is one category; therefore the rishi gives place to Prana. Two words remain: ‘Kala-Agni’ and ‘Chandra.’ Kala-Agni—Time-Fire. You will be astonished: only Mahavira gave the Atman a name that startles—Mahavira called the soul Time.
At the very center of Mahavira’s path of practice stands: Samayik. The word is born of samay—time—and to understand this word a little, beforehand, is immensely helpful. Matter exists in three dimensions: length, breadth, height. Every object spreads in these three directions. If we were to measure the “material” in a human being, we would find length, breadth, height; and if we were to cut and probe in a laboratory, all that shows itself would happen within these three. But the man’s Atman would slip from our hands. The Atman does not fall within the grip of length, breadth, and height. Matter has three dimensions; consciousness has a fourth—time. Length, breadth, height: in these three, all objects are included. But the Atman has one more direction, absent in things—consciousness’ own direction: time. Time is the fourth dimension of existence.
Osho, in that timeless interval you have described what happens to the soul. But what is the soul’s disembodied form? Is it still or does it wander? How does it recognize other familiar souls? And is there any possibility of dialogue in that state?
Ask: in a dream are you still or moving? It is hard to say. Waking, you find you lay still in bed; yet within the dream there was great movement. Strictly speaking, even movement in dreams is not real. If you understand precisely, in dreams you are not a participant but only a witness. You can see yourself dying in a dream; you can see your own corpse. Even when you see yourself walking, what you see walking is only the dream; you remain the seer. Properly understood, in dream you are only the witness. Hence religion devised a maxim: one who comes to see the world as dream-like attains the supreme realization. Philosophies calling the world maya or dream arose for this reason: if we can see the world as a dream, we become the witness. In dreams there is never a participant; there is always a witness. You…