Fragrance

Beloved Osho, passing through the gate of this mandir for the first time in eight years, I felt a kind of fragrance which has stayed with me ever since. Is it possible to take this fragrance with me when I leave? Oh, beloved master, it is so beautiful, and I am so grateful to spend this time with you, even if I cannot take this fragrance with me.

Prem Maharaj, the fragrance that you have felt in this temple of seekers is not something that you can leave behind. This fragrance contains love, meditativeness, silence, trust, life-affirmative values, a song of gratitude, a dance with the trees and with the stars... This fragrance is an experience of a totally new atmosphere that does not exist in the outside world. If you meditate, you will become the same temple. Then, wherever you go the fragrance will go with you like a shadow; even others will feel it. It is not the first time that such a question has come to me. The moment they enter the gate many people have felt suddenly, as if they are entering into another world -- the air is different, the vibe is different -- as if they have come home. And there is bound to be a certain fragrance, because so many people…

Beloved master, I have experienced the fragrance and the nectar of the buddhafield while I have been here. How do we keep this with us whilst we are away, especially in the midst of anti-buddhafield forces?

My sannyasins have to learn it -- whether they are in Poona or Chicago they have to learn to connect with me, to contact me with closed eyes. Then I am forever; then whenever they close their eyes they will be surrounded by me. It will not be a form, it will not be a face, it will be simply fragrance; it will not be a flower but only fragrance. You can catch hold of a flower but you cannot catch hold of fragrance. You can experience it but there is no way to keep it in your fist. You cannot touch it, but you can be moved, tremendously moved by it, transformed by it, transmuted by it. And there are a few meditations which are done with half-closed and half-open eyes; Buddha particularly insisted on doing your meditation with eyes half-closed and half-open. Why? His path is the middle…

Osho, there is a metaphor by Bihari: “Phulyo anphulyo rahyo ganvai gaon gulab.” Is the same happening with you in India? Your fragrance is spreading to far horizons, and yet India remains untouched?

Buddha’s wife too was furious. He returned after twelve years; twelve years of accumulated ire burst forth. She was proud, a princess; she had never complained to anyone, never shed a tear. She was a kshatrani; such tears are not becoming. She swallowed everything, drank the poison—but the poison had filled her throat! When Buddha came, everything broke loose. Like a maddened lioness she raged at him—accusations, complaints, denouncements, sarcasm. Buddha had left behind a newborn son; the child was one day old. Now he was twelve. In anger the mother said to her son, “Here—this is your father. You kept asking, ‘Who is my father? Where is he?’ Here he is! The gentleman who ran away, leaving me and you helpless! Ask him for your inheritance! He fathered you—demand your right from him!” She was mocking, taunting. What did Buddha have to give? The boy did not understand; hearing…

Sarvatra bhavana gandhah the feeling of that everywhere is gandha -- the only fragrance.

THE INDIAN metaphysics divides Existence into two realms. One is "this" -- that which can be pointed out; and another is "That" -- that which is beyond this, which cannot be pointed out. The Sanskrit word for Truth is SATYA. This Sanskrit word is very meaningful and very beautiful. It is a combination of two words: sat and tat. Sat means "this" and tat means "That", satya means "this plus That is Truth". So first we should understand what "this" is and what "That" is. That which can be perceived, that which can be understood, that which can be comprehended, that which can be pointed out, fingered out, that which can be shown, that which can be seen -- all belong to "this". That which cannot be seen but yet is, that which cannot be comprehended but yet is, that which cannot be contemplated but yet is, belongs to "That".…