Understanding

Is there any relationship between understanding and energy?

Yes, there is. It is energy that becomes understanding. So when you are depleted of energy, you start losing your understanding. When you are tired, your intelligence is less. You have observed it. In the mowing your intelligence is more fresh than in the evening. In the morning you are more understanding, more compassionate, more loving, than in the evening. Have you observed? -- beggars come in the morning to beg. They understand the psychology. In the evening, who is going to give to them? People are so angry by that time, so frustrated with life. In the mowing, they have rested the whole night, a deep sleep, the energy is fresh -- eight hours accumulation of energy. They have more understanding, more compassion, more love, more sympathy. It is possible to persuade them to give something to you. They have, so they can give. By the evening, they don't…

Question: OSHO, WHAT IS UNDERSTANDING AND WHAT IS MISUNDERSTANDING? Dharmaraj, Mind is misunderstanding -- any kind of mind, good or bad, educated or uneducated, cultured or uncultured, Christian or Hindu; it does not matter what kind of mind it is. Mind as such is misunderstanding. Mind means you are carrying a priori conclusions; you are not seeing that which is, you are seeing that which you want to see. You are not seeing but projecting. Your mind is a projector; it uses everything as a kind of screen, it projects itself on the screen. In the dim light you can see a rope as a snake. the snake does not exist; it is your fear projected, the rope becomes a screen. But for you the snake becomes as real as if it was really there. It can affect you -- it will affect you.

Osho, Lao Tzu says, nothing needs to be done; understanding is enough. Explain when and how understanding becomes being?

Your inner attachments to anger are intact. You have not yet seen anger’s poison. For if poison is seen, you won’t say, “Granted, it is poison, but to reform the child a little dose may be given.” Who gives poison to reform anyone? Has anyone ever been improved by poison? Has any child ever been improved by anger? You know the truth: he can be spoiled, yes; he is never improved by anger. Has any order ever been truly established by anger? It may be disturbed—that is likely; how will it be created? And even if some order is produced by anger, it will be deception, false. If your wife becomes quiet out of fear of your anger, that quiet is not peace; inside her fire will go on burning. From such quietness no love can be born. She may become your slave, but not your beloved. And a slave…

Question: Fifth question: Osho, will people ever be able to understand you or not? You understand—that’s enough. Don’t worry about “people.” And who are “people” anyway? Some will understand, some won’t. Those who understand will benefit; those who don’t, that is their choice. Don’t bother about them—lest in worrying about them you miss understanding yourself. Every person is free. I have laid the matter open; whoever wishes to take it, take it; whoever doesn’t, they are free as well. Truth is not to be forced upon anyone. Do not insist, “I must make them understand.” That very insistence breeds fanaticism, disturbance, crusades to convert—one wants to make a Hindu into a Christian, another an Arya Samaji, and so on. And often the joke is like this... An Arya Samaji pundit once stayed at my house.