Mantras

Osho, you told the story about the parrot-like rote chanting of the Gayatri Mantra and the Namokar Mantra. You want to stop this parrot-chanting. Is that what the Gayatri Mantra is? Is that what the Namokar Mantra is?

Achyut! Exactly so. Where all mantras fall silent, there the real mantra is born. The mantra you repeat has no value. If it is repeated by your tongue, it cannot be worth more than the tongue that repeats it. The Om you hum will be smaller than you. There is another Om that does not arise from your humming—the humming from which you arose. There is another Om whose resonance envelops the whole universe, from which the world is fashioned. To hear that Om, you don’t need to hum. To hear that Om, all humming must cease; speech must fall utterly silent; thoughts dissolve; no ripple remains in the mind—then suddenly, in amazement, you will hear: a music is playing within! It has been playing forever. But you were filled with your own noise and could not hear it. And sometimes, when you slip out of worldly noise, you fill…

Beloved Osho, different religions have different mantras, such as: om namo shivaya namo, arihanta nam, allahu akbar, om mani padme hum. In what state of being were such great mantras born? How and in what way are they related to our various inner centers? How should a seeker select a mahamantra most appropriate to him?

The search for power brings religion into the confines of the world. And it makes no difference whether it is Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism or Mohammedanism. As long as your interest is in the miracles, understand well that the quest for religion has not arisen in you yet. You are in awe when some sadhu, some baba, some holy man, creates ashes in the palm of his hand. What are you going to do with the ashes? There are plenty of ashes lying on the roads, or you can make ashes at home for little cost by burning coal. But if someone creates ashes in his palms, and this so impresses and delights you that you are moved to become his follower, then you are mad! It is worth understanding the nature of this fascination. That nothing is going to change from this creation of ashes is something that you also…

Osho, different religions have discovered different great mantras—like Om Namah Shivaya, Namo Arihantanam, Allahu Akbar, Om Mani Padme Hum. In what state did such great mantras descend, and how are they related to the inner centers? And how should a seeker choose the mantra suitable for himself?

It happened that when Vivekananda came to Ramakrishna, his household was in dire straits. His father had died—and, being a worldly, whimsical man, had left many debts. There was not even food enough. If somehow there was food, it was not enough for both mother and son. Vivekananda would tell his mother, “A friend has invited me today,” so that she would eat; otherwise she would feed him and remain hungry. Saying so, he would wander the lanes, then return home cheerful, belching, as if well-fed—no friend had invited him—but to make his mother feel at peace that he had eaten well so she could eat without worry. Ramakrishna came to know and said, “You are a great fool. You come daily to Mother Kali’s court—why don’t you ask? Such a small matter—why suffer needlessly?” At Ramakrishna’s insistence, Vivekananda said, “If you say so, I will ask.” Ramakrishna sat outside…

13. Devi, imagine the sanskrit letters in these honey-filled foci of awareness, first as letters, then more subtly as sounds, then as most subtle feeling. Then, leaving them aside, be free.

14. BATHE IN THE CENTER OF SOUND, AS IN THE CONTINUOUS SOUND OF A WATERFALL. OR, BY PUTTING THE FINGERS IN THE EARS, HEAR THE SOUND OF SOUNDS. For example, in any language the word `mother' is somehow related with `ma'. It may be `mater', it may be `Mutter', it may be `mata', it may be `ma', -- anything -- but somewhere it is related with the sound "ma" in all the languages, more or less. The child can utter "ma" most easily. The first sound which the child can utter is "ma." Then the whole structure is based on this "ma." A child utters "ma" because it is the first sound which is easy for the child to utter. This is the case anywhere, in any part of the world, in any time. Just because of the structure of the throat and the body, "ma" is the easiest sound…