Beatitude

Beloved Osho, what is innocence, what is beauty?

In the moment of innocence, not knowing, the difference between the observer and the observed evaporates. You are no more separate from that which you are seeing, you are no more separate from that which you are hearing. Listening to me, right now, you can function in two ways. One is the way of knowledge: chattering inside yourself, judging, evaluating, constantly thinking whether what I am saying is right or wrong, whether it fits with your theories or not, whether it is logical or illogical, scientific or unscientific, Christian or Hindu, whether you can go with it or not, whether you can swallow it or not, a thousand and one thoughts clamoring inside your mind, the inner talk, the inner traffic -- this is one way of listening. But then you are listening from so far away that I will not be able to reach you. I go on trying…

Osho, the people in my home and village have been calling me crazy ever since I began to meditate. And sometimes I fall into conflict, into great confusion; because following what people say disturbs my peace. Osho, please guide my path and make my life successful. Asked by Swami Arvind Yogi.

And there is no greater courage in the world than sannyas. The crowd is worldly; to become a sannyasin is suddenly to step out of the crowd. The crowd does not like anyone to be different. The crowd wants you to behave as they do: wear the same clothes, sit and stand the same way, walk the same way, follow the same rites and customs. The crowd cannot tolerate your being otherwise, because your being otherwise implies: are you saying the crowd is wrong? Does it mean we are all wrong and you are right? When people saw Jesus, the question arose: if Jesus is right, what about us? Are we all wrong? So they crucified Jesus—out of compulsion, to save themselves. There was no relish in crucifying him; the “relish” was in removing the discomfort. If Jesus is right, then we are wrong—and that is too costly, too undemocratic.…

Osho, from the very beginning of life everyone is taught: speak the truth, do good deeds, do not be violent, do not sin. But we sannyasins are trying to walk exactly on this path; then why are we opposed? Please kindly explain this contradiction.

So Mahavira would not turn at night lest a bug be crushed. And naked Mahavira must have been tormented by bugs and mosquitoes—no doubt. Mahavira told his disciples: mosquitoes will disturb meditation—don’t worry; it’s a test. Mosquitoes have always been enemies of meditators! I once heard a mosquito telling his kids, “If you behave today, in the morning I will take you to Buddha Hall for discourse! But only if you behave!” Mosquitoes are old enemies. Mahavira said: mosquitoes will torture you; they will create obstacles in meditation. The ascetic pays them no attention; he remains in his meditation—let them bite; he won’t move a muscle. And Mahavira must have been all the more tormented—Jains say that when a snake bit him, milk flowed instead of blood! Will mosquitoes leave milk? So cheap—without going to a dairy—just suck Mahavira and drink milk! They must have swelled with joy! So Mahavira…

Osho, you often say that this world is an echo point, from where we receive back exactly what we give it: love meets love and hatred meets hatred. If that is so, why were Buddha and Mahavira tortured; why were Jesus and Mansoor killed? And why are you receiving false allegations, slander, and abuse here? And can this world ever find people who offer more guileless love and blessing than you?

These feeling-moments come within you. To block them you must heap every possible abuse on Jesus. You will have to prove to yourself—convince yourself with all kinds of arguments—that this man is wrong; do not go near him, not even by mistake. So remember: man maligns to protect himself. Before giving Socrates the hemlock, the very court that ordered it also felt within… Do you think those who stood to crucify Jesus had no doubt in their hearts? No question arose—What are we doing? Is this right? How is it justified? The same happened with Socrates. The judge felt a great stirring, because this man is certainly unusual, different, unparalleled. But no error appears in him. Nothing could be proved against him in court except one thing: all of Athens is against him. Nothing else was established. But if everyone is against him—the jury against him, the magistrate against him,…