Honesty

Osho, every time after speaking I feel I have been dishonest; only when I remain silent do I feel honest—completely honest with myself. Why is this?

At Harvard University, psychologists ran an experiment. They split a class into two groups. To one half, in a separate room, they said: “The problem on the board is very difficult. There is hardly any hope that any of you can solve it. Even students in higher classes struggle with it. Only great mathematicians can solve it. We’re giving it just to see—by chance, perhaps—there is no assurance at all—maybe one of you might head a little in the right direction. Solving it completely is impossible, still try.” They tried. Out of fifteen students, only three solved it. To the other fifteen, in another room, they said—about the same problem—“It’s very simple. So simple that if any of you fail to solve it, it would be surprising. Students in lower classes have solved it.” Amazingly, twelve solved it; only three failed. What happened? Your confidence is borrowed—others hand it to…

Question: BELOVED OSHO, AN OLD TIBETAN IS QUOTED AS SAYING: "LIKE A LION, I HAVE NO FEAR. LIKE AN ELEPHANT, I HAVE NO ANXIETY. LIKE A MADMAN, I HAVE NO HOPE. I TELL YOU THE HONEST TRUTH." OSHO, WHAT IS SO WONDROUS AND PRECIOUS ABOUT THE HONEST TRUTH? In fact, to use these two words together shows a deep misunderstanding. "Honest truth" implies that there can be dishonest truth. Truth is enough. Honesty is a very ordinary quality that comes as a shadow of truth, with many other qualities. There is something immensely important about truth. But remember, never use the words honest truth. That means you have a suspicion: deep down you yourself are not convinced of the truthfulness of truth. To substitute, to compensate, you add honesty to it. Nothing can be added to truth. Truth is always pure, nude, alone.

Consider: had you remained disciplined, silent, how many disturbances would have been avoided in your life! By speaking you fall into countless entanglements; then to save yourself you must speak more. The chain goes on lengthening. It is a vicious circle, a devil’s wheel without end. Hence the sage becomes quiet. He speaks only as much as is essential—and only that by which someone may be benefited. Otherwise he remains silent. Even if you stop speech outwardly it is not necessary that it will stop within—for if you do not speak to others you continue speaking to yourself. You sit, and inside a conversation goes on. This inner talk also creates impressions, because when you speak to yourself, the mind is listening. Whatever you speak, you are carving a deep groove within. Stop speaking to yourself as well. Speech is a great mischief.

Beloved master, for my whole life, friendliness has been a shield for me to protect myself from others. Sitting with you in discourse and feeling your overwhelming love, layers of this shield are dropping away, more and more, and I feel a space in which I am enough unto myself. Out of this space, a more open and less fearful connection happens. And yet, I often watch myself not being totally authentic and real. Why is this so difficult?

So it is not only you, Indradhanu, but everybody in the world in which we have been living has been untrue and unauthentic. My vision of a sannyasin is of a rebel, of a man who is in search of his original self, of his original face. A man who is ready to drop all masks, all pretensions, all hypocrisies, and show to the world what he, in reality, is. Whether he is loved or condemned, respected, honored or dishonored, crowned or crucified, does not matter; because to be yourself is the greatest blessing in existence. Even if you are crucified, you will be crucified fulfilled and immensely contented. Just remember Jesus' last words on the the cross. He prayed to God, "Father, forgive these people who are crucifying me, because they know not what they are doing." He is not angry, he is not complaining. On the contrary, he…