Osho's perspective on Discipleship
When Osho Spoke About Discipleship
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Does a disciple steal something from his master?
Everything! Because the truth cannot be taught, it has to be learned. The Master can only tempt you, make you more and more thirsty for it; but he cannot deliver it to you -- it is not a thing. He cannot simply transfer it in your name -- it is not a heritage. You will have to steal it. You will have to work hard in the dark night of the soul. You will have to find ways how to steal it. The Master only tempts you; he simply provokes you. He shows that something is there, a treasure, and now you have to work hard. In fact, he will create all sorts of obstacles so that you cannot reach to the treasure very easily. Because if you reach to the treasure very easily, you will not have grown; you will lose that treasure again. It will be a treasure…
Beloved Osho, what is a disciple?
A disciple comes to a state where he feels that either he has to commit suicide or he has to change his whole life so that there is some significance, some fragrance, some beauty, some individuality, some decisiveness, something that you have done. Your birth you are not responsible for, your death you will not be responsible for -- two of the most important things in life are not in your hands -- but you can commit suicide; that is a decisive point. To commit suicide is to accept failure, is to accept that you are defeated. But it is only in such a situation of the mind that a man starts looking -- perhaps there are ways of living other than how he has lived up to now, perhaps there are alternative styles of life. This search for an alternative style of life.... Because he can see all around…
Question: BELOVED MASTER, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A DISCIPLE? Prem Samadhi, it is one of the most delicate mysteries. No definition is possible of a disciple, but a few hints can be given, just fingers pointing to the moon. Don't cling to the fingers -- look at the moon and forget the fingers. A disciple is a rare phenomenon. It is very easy to be a student because the student is searching knowledge. The student can only meet the teacher, he can never meet the master. The reality of the master will remain hidden to the student. The student functions from the head. He functions logically, rationally. He gathers knowledge, he becomes more and more knowledgeable. Finally in his own turn he will become a teacher, but all that he knows is borrowed, nothing is really his own. His existence is pseudo; it is a carbon-copy existence.
Osho, what is the first experience of samadhi like?
You will know only when it happens. It cannot be said; at most a few hints can be given. It is as if, in the dark, a lamp is suddenly lit. Or as if a dying patient, right at the edge of death, suddenly finds a medicine that works; life’s wave, life’s thrill spreads again—so it is. As if a corpse becomes alive—such is the first experience of samadhi. It is the taste of nectar. The experience of the ultimate music. But it will be only when it happens; and only then will you understand. You will not understand by my saying it. It is as with love. How can anyone explain it? To someone who has never loved, never known love, no matter how many explanations you offer—he will hear it all and still ask, “I haven’t understood; please explain a little more.” It is like explaining light to…
Are you only for your disciples?
definition"I am not for a select few; I am for anyone who is ready to learn, for only the receptive can truly be taught."
"Caste is irrelevant to discipleship; it is trust and inner faith that awaken the true disciple within."
"A true disciple steals from the Master not by taking, but by awakening to the treasure that lies within, learned through the trials of their own journey."
"True worthiness arises not from the desire to transcend discipleship, but from the deep realization of one's own being, where all relationships naturally dissolve in the light of isness."
How can I become a disciple?
practice"Become a disciple only if you feel the inner emptiness and long for light; surrender your misery at the feet of one who points beyond darkness."
"Let your transformation speak silently, like the fragrance of a flower; true discipleship is lived, not proclaimed."
"To become a disciple, drop all judgments and impressions; in silent receptivity, you return to your own center, discovering that the Master is not an ideal to imitate, but a catalyst for your own awakening."
"Discipleship begins in the humble space of 'not-knowing'; it is only through dropping fixed beliefs and embracing a receptive emptiness that the true essence of yoga can unfold."
"True discipleship is born from understanding, rooted in self-trust and courage, where love blossoms naturally from the courage to seek truth."
"A true disciple flows like water, embodying the warrior when needed and the meditator when called, free from rigid identities and patterns. Use your fighting energy wisely, then let it dissolve into the moment."
"A true master knows no limits; his embrace is vast enough to welcome every seeker, transcending labels and ideologies."
"A disciple can always retreat, but a devotee, having surrendered to the master’s fire, knows the rebirth of true being requires unwavering trust and courage."
Is there any golden rule for the disciple?
definition"The only golden rule for a disciple is that there are no golden rules; true understanding arises from freedom, not obedience."
"A disciple is not defined by rituals or worship, but by an open heart and a deep trust in oneself; the truth lies within, waiting to be awakened."
What are the qualities of a true disciple?
definition"A true disciple surrenders the hesitant mind, risks everything, and commits fully to the master, for in that leap of faith, the seed of ego drops and the soul begins to flower."
"Cultivate sensitivity to the subtlest signals of existence, for true awakening comes not from force, but from the whisper of the divine."
"In the journey of seeking, we are not fixed types; at different moments, we can embody the qualities of helping ourselves, assisting the master, or uplifting the group."
"A disciple is not one who merely agrees with the master's words, but who resonates with his being, embracing the silent truth that transcends all philosophy."
What does it mean to be a disciple?
definition"A disciple is not a collector of ideas, but one who surrenders the ego and risks everything to become truth and love."
"It is not the indifference of the French people that limits discipleship, but the barriers that prevent my presence; when I am allowed to be, the hearts will open."
"The one who is truly last in a spiritual circle, waiting silently and accepting without ego, becomes the first in the eyes of truth and grace. In the realm of the spirit, it is not the position but the surrender that matters."
What is a real disciple?
definition"A real disciple is one who dissolves the ego and beliefs, merging into the silent presence of the master, where love transcends separation and only the essence of freedom remains."
"A follower clings to safety and belief, while a disciple dares to gamble with their whole being, embodying the truth without hesitation."
"A master’s harshness is a skillful shock that wounds the ego to awaken the deeper intelligence and love within; only the ripe disciple will grow from it, while the unripe will retreat into jealousy and betrayal."
What is the meaning of having disciples?
definition"A disciple is not one who follows, but one who surrenders to the Master’s presence, allowing transformation to blossom like flowers awakening to the sun."
Profound Quotes on Discipleship
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