Why is it difficult to bow before truth and easy to bow before lies?

Osho, in every dimension of life it is difficult to bow before truth and easy to bow before lies. Why this topsy‑turvy?

Mukesh, that’s why friendship with untruth is easy: untruth never asks to transform you. Untruth says you already are what you should be—indeed, you are even better. It builds bridges of praise for you. It gives you great consolation. And how many lies we have fabricated! So many that if you start searching, you will be shaken. Truth is one; lies are endless. Just as health is one and diseases are many, so truth is one. And truth will not flatter you; it will not cajole you. Truth will seem bitter, because you have become addicted to the sweetness of lies. Lies come sugar‑coated. Truth is as it is—naked. Those addicted to lies will avert their eyes from truth; truth will not go down on their tongues. Truth will taste very astringent, very bitter. Remember, we live by habit. I have heard: on a road at high noon a man…

Man lives in lies because to seek truth is troublesome; it is risky, it is dangerous. It is adventuring into the unknown, into the unchartered sea. And man is a coward, he clings to the familiar, to the known. He is not really interested in knowing the truth, he only wants consolations; comfortable lies will do. In fact truth is never comfortable in the beginning, it is very uncomfortable. Buddha is reported to have said that lies are sweet in the beginning, bitter in the end, and truth is bitter in the beginning and sweet in the end. And he is right, absolutely right. Truth is bitter, not because truth is bitter, truth is bitter because we have lived in lies for so long that when truth comes our lies are shattered, and that hurts. And truth never compromises.

One man denies truth. Another denies his own actions. Both go into the dark and in the next world suffer for they offend truth.

WEAR THE YELLOW ROBE. BUT IF YOU ARE RECKLESS YOU WILL FALL INTO DARKNESS. IF YOU ARE RECKLESS, BETTER TO SWALLOW MOLTEN IRON THAN TO EAT AT THE TABLE OF GOOD FOLK. IF YOU COURT ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE YOU COURT TROUBLE. YOUR SLEEP IS BROKEN. YOU LOSE YOUR HONOR. YOU FALL INTO DARKNESS. YOU GO AGAINST THE LAW, YOU GO INTO THE DARK. YOUR PLEASURES END IN FEAR AND THE KING'S PUNISHMENT IS HARSH. BUT AS A BLADE OF GRASS HELD AWKWARDLY MAY CUT YOUR HAND, SO RENUNCIATION MAY LEAD YOU INTO THE DARK. Bring your consciousness to the present. Don't go on wandering into the past, in the jungles of the past, in the memories. Howsoever beautiful they are, they are dead -- they are no more. And don't go on great journeys into the future, because whatsoever you desire in the future is never going to happen. Existence…

Osho, you ask us to open our eyes, but why does it feel so frightening to open them?

Vedant! Of course there will be fear. With eyes closed, sweet dreams are going on. Open your eyes and those dreams will be scattered, shattered. With eyes closed, the lamp of hope is lit. Open your eyes and that lamp will go out. I have heard: Mulla Nasruddin one night dreamt that an angel appeared and said, “Take this—ninety-nine rupees, take them!” Mulla said, “Ninety-nine!” As the human mind is—anyone, even you would say—“What’s this? Ninety-nine? If you are giving, then at least make it a hundred. Something always feels off with ninety-nine.” You’ve heard the story of “the circle of ninety-nine,” haven’t you? There’s something troublesome about ninety-nine—so the mind says, “Just one more. Let it be complete!” Even in dreams, our arithmetic doesn’t break. Mulla said, “If you’re giving, brother, then at least make it a hundred! Give me a full bundle—what is this, ninety-nine!” The angel insisted,…

Question: Second question: Osho, why is untruth so influential? Understand this. To attain truth brings bliss—but truth will not come to your door saying, “I will give you bliss.” Truth says, “I am truth. Come, drown in me.” Bliss comes, but that is secondary; it happens of its own accord when you enter truth. The lie does not say, “I am truth.” It says, “Immerse in me; you will get happiness.” See the difference. Truth says only, “I am truth,” nothing more—no temptation. The lie won’t say what it is; it says, “Dive into me; you’ll get happiness—immense happiness. I’ll take you to a great heaven.” Your longing is not for truth; your longing is for happiness. People come to me and say, “We’ll meditate—what will be the benefit?” Even in meditation—benefit? Then your very question is wrong. You will enter meditation only when you leave profit and greed behind.