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Osho's perspective on Mastery
When Osho Spoke About Mastery
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Osho, does the Master ever play hide-and-seek with the disciples? Please tell us.
Hide-and-seek is the entire relationship between Master and disciple. Not that he plays it “sometimes”—that is the relationship. And not only between Master and disciple; it is the very relationship between the Divine and creation. The Master and the disciple play, on a small scale, the vast game the Divine is playing with existence on a grand scale. Here the Divine is hidden everywhere, calling from all directions: “Come, touch me, search for me!” The day you hear that call and begin to seek, you will discover such joy in the seeking that you may even say, “Don’t be in a hurry to reveal yourself.” When you were small you played children’s games—hide-and-seek. In a single room the children hide: one presses under the bed, another slips behind a chair—and everyone knows more or less where everyone is, because all are half-peeking. Still the game goes on. Even the one…
Question: Second question: Osho, does the true master ever test the disciple? The master said, “I did. But he had not practiced it. It was spontaneous. He did not know from where it came—call it from the unknown, from the divine, from nature. A wondrous flower bloomed in his being. It was not his; it was of the beyond, born of his own suchness. You have come with practice. This is a paper flower. And remember: if you open one eye of a corpse, the other does not open. If you practice again, remember this too: if you open one eye of a dead man, the other does not open. What kind of deadness is this that when I opened one eye, both of yours opened! With such a death you will not die—and if you do not die, you cannot be new.
Osho, even with a living master present, in our country the dead are worshipped. Is this our misfortune, our foolishness, or our downfall?
Satya Prem! Neither misfortune, nor foolishness, nor downfall. It has always been so. This has been man’s way. It is built into the very mode of human being. It is an inevitable part of man’s unconsciousness. You can worship the dead; with the living you have to be transformed. Worship won’t do. Worship is a trick to avoid, a device, a politics. The most cultured way to avoid someone is to worship him. Offer a couple of flowers at his feet and be free—and remain exactly as you were. And you even take the inner pleasure of feeling you did something. In fact you did nothing. The flowers belonged to the trees; they were already dedicated to the divine. You plucked them and placed them on a stone idol or on a scripture. All flowers are already at the feet of the divine. All the birds’ songs are prayers unto…
Osho, the master sees the disciple directly, yet he still deliberately puts him through various tests. Does this make the disciple’s self-realization more intense and purer? Please explain.
You will often find that where such pure Vedanta talk is going on, you will see great sinners sitting there—and cheerful! Only there do they find a little joy; nowhere else can they. Anywhere else they go, someone says, ‘There goes a black-marketeer’; someone says, ‘He is a thief’; someone, ‘He is dishonest, a great sinner.’ Only where pure spirituality is flowing do they get a little peace. There they feel, ‘This is exactly right—sin and all that is false!’ You will see sinners gathered around saints. Their words gratify their ego immensely: ‘At least there is some place where we can sit elated—there is no sin and the like; it is all maya. Nothing was done, nothing can be done. We are not doers, nor enjoyers—we are merely witnesses!’ So the master has to watch that this notion of ‘witness’ does not become suicidal for you. Declarations come too…
Are there occasions when it is necessary for disciples to protect their master from himself?
definition"Every day is an occasion for disciples to protect their master with love, for it is their devotion that sustains him in his suffering, allowing them to blossom in his presence."
Can a woman become a master?
definition"Mastery knows no gender; it is the silence behind the noise that reveals true realization."
"At the ultimate depth, the seeker dissolves into the inner music of existence, for there is no beyond the infinite dimensions of nada and sur."
"A true master is recognized not by their words, but by the profound inner transformation they inspire through practice. Without doing, we remain blind to the deception of pretenders."
"I am not the culmination of an old lineage; I am the beginning of a new stream, guided by my own realization rather than the instructions of any master."
Does Manzan achieve mastery?
definition"A true master speaks from being, not from scriptures; when your heart dances in deep rapport, you’ve found the real thing."
"A Master’s love is not a duty but a response; liberation cannot be outsourced, and your freedom is always respected."
"In the presence of a true Master, you are awakened like the earth at sunrise; his silence ignites the energy within you, but the challenge lies in learning to sustain that light on your own."
"The relationship between Master and disciple is a divine play, where the veiling of the Master's presence ignites a blissful longing and transforms the search into a joyous game of existence."
"Finding the true Master does not end your search; it ignites the real quest, inviting you to step aside from the self and merge with the Divine."
Does the true master ever test the disciple?
definition"A true master tests the disciple not through announced exams, but in the silent moments of life, where awareness and innocence reveal the depth of one's being. Only when inner maturity blossoms do you realize the tests you have passed."
"You cannot recognize a master by searching; when your mind is silent and desireless, the master will appear in your presence."
"Loving one Master is to love all, for each is a doorway to the same boundless emptiness. Embrace the essence of discipleship without jealousy, and you will find unity in the diversity of wisdom."
"You know a master has chosen you when the urge to surrender arises within you, a quiet 'click' that invites you to open the door of your heart with courage. Freedom lies in your choice, and responsibility is to face your fear in silence."
"A true master transforms the world not by action, but by the profound silence of their being, where the sword of nothingness cuts through ignorance and ego."
"A true master is recognized not through thought or comparison, but through a heart-shimmer that transcends logic, for it is the master who first chooses the disciple in a dance of divine madness."
"To approach a master is to embrace compromise; without surrendering your ego and accepting the path of discipleship, you may as well walk alone in your solitary struggle."
"A true master never sends anyone away in anger; even a 'no' is a compassionate blessing for the discerning disciple."
How can we search for a true Master?
practice"To find a true Master, you must let go of your preconceived notions and cultural conditioning, for the real cannot be recognized through the lens of the ordinary."
"Master non-doing, and all doing aligns by itself; in true non-action, life flows effortlessly through you."
"A Master is essential for spiritual growth; without their challenge, you will cling to safety and postpone the leap into the unknown."
"A Master is a perfect actor, using laughter and smiles as skillful performances; do not cling to these gestures, but seek the silence behind them, where the true essence of being resides."
"A true master prioritizes your freedom over loyalty, blessing your exploration rather than binding you with commitments. In this light, betrayal becomes a catalyst for liberation, not a transgression."
"The true search for a master begins only when the dead words of scriptures fail to awaken your spirit; it is the living presence that confronts the ego and ignites transformation."
Is it possible to deceive a master?
definition"A master cannot be deceived, for he sees beyond your words and masks, recognizing the hidden desires of your being; if he appears to allow your deception, it is only to facilitate your growth."
Profound Quotes on Mastery
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