Why is there still darkness in the world despite the presence of enlightened beings?

Osho, there have been Buddhas and Mahaviras and Gorakh, there have been Nanak and Kabir—so many lights have been lit; then why is there still darkness in the world?

The lamps have kept burning, but dawn is far. The sun has not yet risen. Buddhas burned, Mahaviras burned, Krishna, Christ… these are lamps. Dawn has not yet come. When will dawn come? When a religious radiance spreads over all humanity. When the aura of meditation shines on every face. That is still far away. And those who could have brought it near—you blow them out; you turn against them; you become their enemies. The lamps are lit, but there are mischievous children— They may not overturn these burning lamps. Beware of the pranksters! The lamps are lit, but there are mischievous children— There are many mischief-makers in the world; they do not like lamps to burn. At once they are ready to overturn them. A mad elephant was set upon Buddha. Even the mad elephant was not as mad as men are. For the story says the elephant, reaching…

Question: Osho, In "Lamps on the Path" you have said: Osho, that darkness gathers beneath a clay lamp we can still understand; but we are completely unfamiliar with the dense darkness that lies beneath the inner lamp. What is it, why is it there, and how can it be removed? Kindly explain in detail. But the wealth of the soul you did not steal, nor did you grab it from anyone. It has always been yours. And there, no fear pervades; so why would you stay awake? Where there is no fear, why would you be alert? That’s why darkness gathers under the lamp. Third point: For that which is eternal, which always is and will always be—what is the hurry? For the fleeting, which is here now and gone the next moment—there is hurry, haste, scramble. Look at the difference between East and West.

Osho, why is there such a delay in building the new commune? We sit waiting for the moment when we, too, can enter the super­natural field of Buddha-energy. And it is not just us—thousands are waiting with hope. There is much darkness; we need light. And there are many enemies of light. This also brings fear that this life, too, might pass by empty, like other lives.

I know. Every day countless letters come: “When can we join?” Arrangements are made so their letters do not even reach. A letter leaves Delhi; it takes a month and a half to reach Poona! Some arrive in six months; and those that never come, how would we know! If some take six months, some will take six years. Every letter is opened; none arrives unopened. Every letter is delayed as long as it can be. Every letter is investigated. After the great “revolution” led by Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, a most amazing democracy has been created! This is democracy, where people’s private letters are not private! Phones are tapped. In a country like America, for tapping phones and such mischief Nixon had to leave the presidency. Here it happens every day. Here it is according to the rules. Here no one’s ears so much as itch. They will delay as…

Osho, can a stolen match light?

What does “able to burn” even mean? In fact, the delight of darkness is such. The delight of darkness is such that one who has never seen light cannot even decide what it is that is being called “burning.” You understand? One who has never seen light—it is very hard for him to be sure what exactly you are saying is burning. Only after light will he know what you were lighting and what you were not lighting—whether it was burning at all, or whether, with eyes closed, you were convincing him, “It’s lit.” All that will be known when light is seen; only then will you know. The day light is seen, that day ninety-nine out of a hundred gurus turn out to be companions of darkness and enemies of light. It becomes clear they were great enemies; they were all agents of the devil.

Osho, we have fled from suffering and are standing in darkness. And you are the representative of that supreme light which burns without wick or oil. Is a union between the two possible?

Union is not possible. That is the dilemma. Darkness and light never meet. They cannot, because light is, and darkness is not. So how can that which is meet that which is not? Darkness is only lack, absence, the non-presence of light. Darkness is nothing in itself. Therefore, if you want to do something directly with darkness, you will not be able to. A room is filled with darkness and you want to remove it—what will you do? Give it a push? Tie it up in bundles? Scoop it out and throw it away? What will you do? No, you can do nothing directly. If anything is to be done, you will have to light a lamp. Whatever is to be done must be done with light. With darkness you can do nothing. And if there is light and you want to bring darkness, what will you do? Can you…