Osho's perspective on Bliss
When Osho Spoke About Bliss
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Bliss is a state of awareness, watchfulness, meditativeness, of profound silence, peace. Nothing stirs in you, all is quiet, and you are absolutely relaxed. Out of that relaxation something bursts forth at you very center, some energy that has always remained there starts flowing, becomes dynamic. It has been dormant because you were never looking at it. You never paid any attention, you were concerned with the body and the mind. Now, you have turned in. Your whole concern, your whole attention, has settled at the center. You have left the circumference far behind. When the energy is absolutely centered, at the center, bliss happens. Happiness has to move from pleasure to bliss. Bliss is always perfect. You can't have imperfect bliss, it is impossible. It is like you cannot have an imperfect circle: if it is imperfect it is not a circle.Read the full discourse →
Why do people choose misery to be their foundation? It is really amazing. But there is a reason; misery is helpful for one thing, it helps your ego. And bliss is dangerous for the ego, it kills the ego. And we are all brought up in such a way that we become ego-oriented. Our whole education is to enhance the ego, to make us ambitious -- and ambition is insanity. Ego is nothing but sheer madness, and the egoist is bound to live in misery because he will be afraid of bliss. People talk about bliss; they say "We want bliss," but they are really afraid of bliss. Whenever bliss comes they close their doors, they shrink back, they withdraw into themselves. They close themselves like turtles, they go into their shells -- they hide in their shells -- because the moment bliss happens your ego simply evaporates.Read the full discourse →
Osho, when we sit in meditation we feel bliss. But later, when we return to work and daily dealings, we forget. The mind gets caught again in activity. By what way can the experience of bliss remain constant?
The essential point is this—the essential point is this: that which comes for a little while in meditation and then is lost is not joy, first of all. It is only the absence of misery. One must understand the difference. It is not bliss. In fact, for an hour you simply forget the web of your life’s suffering—your occupations, anxieties, shop, market, relationships—because your energy is moving in a different direction. From this forgetting the illusion arises that bliss is being attained. Bliss is not being attained; only the usual suffering is, for the time being, not being felt. Hence the misunderstanding. That is not the bliss of meditation. It is only that, because the mind moves in another direction, it forgets the directions in which it is ordinarily entangled. The day the bliss of meditation happens, you will not say that it has gone. It does not go; the…Read the full discourse →
I start with bliss. The old religious approach was to start with contentment, and they used to say -- and it has been said in many scriptures of the world -- that the contented person is blissful. I say just the opposite is true, the blissful person is contented. And one who is not blissful, his contentment is bogus. So start by being blissful. And it will not be very difficult for you. It will be very simple and very easy. You are almost ready to take the jump! How long will you be here? -- One month. -- Be here. Good. (As Paritosh rises to leave Osho says:) Haridas, help him so he does not take the jump too soon! (much laughter) In India we make small earthen lamps. The poor people use those earthen lamps, they are the cheapest.Read the full discourse →
"Real bliss is not a fleeting high but an existential state that remains undisturbed by doubt; embrace your unease, for it is the beginning of true intelligence and the path to lasting sweetness."
"To find bliss, you must first understand the hell of your ego; only by witnessing it without resistance can you dissolve its structures and awaken to the freedom of no-self."
"Bliss is not found in the simplicity of village life or the complexity of city life; it arises only from a transformed consciousness."
Do the songs of saints and the words of enlightened masters come from the experience of bliss?
definition"The songs of saints and the words of enlightened masters do not come from an experience of bliss; they arise from the very essence of bliss itself, which is our true nature."
"Bliss and knowledge are not separate; they are two sides of the same coin, and the journey to one inevitably reveals the other. Seek the essential transformative experience rather than getting lost in speculative debate."
How can bliss remain for longer?
outcome"Bliss remains longer when you stop grasping and demanding it; be open, patient, and non-possessive, allowing life to flow through you like sunlight in an open room."
"Real bliss is an unconditional state that flows from within, untouched by the external world; deepen your meditation until it becomes your constant companion."
"Bliss is born from living with total intensity and courage, embracing each moment as if it were your last; in that fearless commitment, the divine reveals itself."
How can we attain bliss?
practice"Bliss is not found in rituals, but in the totality of living—where passionate aliveness meets deep relaxation, flowing into the ocean of consciousness."
"When thoughts fall silent, bliss emerges as the recognition of your true, unbreakable nature; what can break was never truly you."
"Once you taste the non-sensory bliss, its depth unfolds effortlessly, like a river finding its course, deepening and widening with each moment of awareness."
"Transform the seer, and the seen changes; in true bliss, only flowers bloom in the garden of your perception."
Is bliss related to the body?
definition"Bliss is not a product of the body; it is the fragrance of awareness that blossoms when you transcend identification with the body and mind."
Is it right for individuals to pursue their own bliss while leaving their parents in anguish?
outcome"Your first responsibility is to yourself; only a fulfilled person can share true joy, for in pursuing your own bliss, you offer the greatest gift to those you love."
Is the whole of tradition wrong in its outlook on sorrow compared to the attitude of bliss?
definition"Clinging to tradition deadens the living truth; only your direct experience of love and bliss can transform suffering into joy."
"Self-consciousness is the veil that separates you from the bliss of life; transcend the self, and happiness will flow back into your being."
"After a glimpse of supreme bliss, doing ends and being begins; celebrate this moment, for in joyful presence, your capacity for deeper bliss expands."
"After supreme bliss, there is no “after”; to ask “what next?” is to pull yourself away from the present moment and the fullness of your being. Embrace the now, for from this bliss, the next moment will naturally unfold."
"When you blossom in bliss while others languish in unhappiness, your joy can become a thorn in their side; remain centered and let your inner light shine, for it is not your duty to dim your radiance for their comfort."
"Tears during meditation are the first fine drizzle of awakening, a sacred expression that cleanses both the outer and inner eye, allowing the beyond to flow into your being."
"When a strange vibration stirs within, the heart and mind dissolve, allowing a glimpse of the divine and igniting an unquenchable thirst for truth and love."
"True bliss arises when the sense of doership dissolves, and in that egoless void, you become a pure, empty space where separation vanishes and grace flows effortlessly."
"When you attain bliss, the illusion of separateness dissolves, and your inner light becomes a guiding lamp, radiating peace and awakening in others. True altruism emerges not as duty, but as the spontaneous sharing of your realized joy."
"When bliss fades, it is the mind's cleverness that intrudes; drop your questions and embrace whatever arises with simple, natural awe."
"Bliss arises in the absence of the person; when the ego dissolves, the nectar of existence flows freely."
Profound Quotes on Bliss
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