Osho's perspective on Nature
When Osho Spoke About Nature
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Osho, you said that in English there is no word for prakriti (nature). Isn’t “constitution” a word like nature? As when one says “he is constitutionally like that,” doesn’t it mean “he is born with…”?
No, not that meaning. “Constitutionally” means his constitution is like that. “Constitution” means a statute, a framework. Yes, as with a person: “constitutionally” means that person’s structure is such, that person’s constitution is such. The word prakriti is something very different. We use it in the sense of “so-and-so’s nature is like this.” That is not a correct usage. Prakriti means before the making (kriti). Pralaya means after the making. Prakriti means that which was there even when nothing had been made; that which does not need to be made at all, that which is beginningless, that which simply is. Srishti means that which is made. In the European languages there is no word for prakriti, because they are influenced by Christianity. So in Europe there is creation and creator. In the languages of this land there is the word prakriti—and even then, not in all. In Sankhya, Vaisheshika, Jain—their…
You mentioned that there is no comparable word for prakriti in the english language. Isn't the word constitution similar in meaning to prakriti?
No, it's not the same meaning. Constitution in that sense means an individual's makeup, his psycho-physical structure. Constitution in this sense means one's system, one's physical and psychological makeup as such. Prakriti is something very different. Normally we use prakriti in the sense that "That man's constitution is such...." But this kind of usage is not correct. Prakriti means that which was before creation -- precreated. And pralaya means: post-creation -- that which follows the creation, the end of creation. So prakriti means that which was even before the creation came to be, that which didn't need to be created -- which has always been, beginningless. That which already is. Srishti means the created -- that which came to be. There is no word in European languages which stands for prakriti, because these languages are influenced by Christianity. In Europe there are words such as the 'creation', and the 'creator'.…
A friend has asked: Osho, Lao Tzu says we should be in harmony with nature; won’t we then become like animals?
Humanity can be renounced in two ways: by falling back, and by going ahead. Falling back is animality. Lao Tzu is not telling you to fall back. Lao Tzu is telling you to go forward. He is saying: come into harmony with nature consciously. Consciously become quiet, become silent. Consciously drop all distortion, all uproar, all conflict. Consciously bid farewell to the ego. Consciously do not sow the seeds of strife. Do not clutch dualities; become free of duality—in awareness, in wakefulness. So certainly, Lao Tzu will look just like an animal. Seat Lao Tzu beside a cow and it will be hard to tell the difference in their eyes—just as tranquil. But the cow does not know what Lao Tzu knows. Lao Tzu is aware now; he is drinking the very nectar of dissolving into nature. The friend who has asked whether becoming one with nature might make a…
Osho, you yourself have said there is no way to go against nature in any direction. Then whether, in the ocean of nature, we float or swim—whether we live in friendship with it or in enmity—where does any violation of nature occur? Yet you also explain: move in harmony with nature; in its river don’t swim, float. Osho, in this context, what is the alchemy of “nahin Ram bin thav”—there is no resting place without Ram? Please help us understand.
There is no way to be against nature, because there is nothing that is not nature. Whatever is, is nature. There is no path to fight with nature—who would fight? There is none other than nature. But the feeling, the idea, the vision that “I am fighting nature” can be adopted, it can be cultivated. When you swim in the river, you still are not going against nature, because swimming too is natural. Even when you “fight” the river, the river is not fighting you. So there is no way to be an enemy of nature. But in your mind the notion can arise that you are fighting, that you must win, must not lose—and you can fall into the madness of winning and losing. You will suffer from that. Nature suffers nothing. Nor will nature obstruct you or demand you change. Nature will go on as it is, endlessly.…
"The bamboos are the luckiest because they speak the language of silence, a language that, when understood, reveals the true wealth of being present and celebrating existence."
Do devotion, knowledge, and action arise from one's own nature or from outside influence?
definition"True spirituality is born from your own inner light, not from borrowed beliefs; only by trusting yourself can you discover authentic devotion and wisdom."
Do stones convey spiritual messages?
definition"Existence is always speaking; the question is not whether stones convey messages, but whether we have the silence to listen."
"Birds do not revel in our words; they cherish the silence and space that we often overlook. In their world, it is not the chatter but the stillness that invites them closer."
"Your inner feeling is the true barometer of alignment with nature; when joy flows through you, you are in harmony, but when tension arises, you are moving against the current of existence."
"Constitution is the design of a house, while prakriti is the clay, air, and fire that exist before any making; one is a framework, the other is the essence of existence itself."
"To defy the laws of nature is to invite anxiety; true liberation arises from embracing reality with sincerity and letting go of the ego's dramas."
"True training is not about acquiring knowledge but about courageously unlearning all that covers your innate being, allowing your natural essence to shine through."
"To truly embrace nature, dissolve into its flow rather than struggle against it; in surrender, you find the deepest union."
"In the silence where the cuckoo's song fades, you become a nobody, merging with the pure being that all buddhas share; this egoless state is the essence of true religion."
"All beings act according to their nature; the wise witness and surrender to the cosmic flow, while the ignorant resist and suffer."
"Your restlessness does not disturb nature; it only closes you off from its beauty, while silence opens you to both the outer world and your own inner blossoming."
"Living in tune with nature may not transform society as a whole, but it will uproot you from the superficial and lead you to seek the eternal treasure within."
"Seek the oxygen-rich spaces of nature to awaken your spirit, for in the fresh air of gardens and mountains, clarity and vitality flourish."
"To fight against nature is to create suffering; to flow with it is to discover bliss."
"To relate is to separate; true connection comes only when the ego dissolves, allowing you to become one with the white clouds and experience the flow of life as a natural art."
"The barking of dogs at the full moon reflects our own restless minds; to transcend this noise, we must turn our inquiry inward and awaken to our true humanity."
"Awakening can blossom at any moment; do not wait for the seasons of nature, for truth knows no timing."
What makes the fish jump out of the water?
definition"The fish leaps from the water not just to escape, but to embrace the unknown; in its jump lies the soul's insatiable hunger for transcendence and discovery."
"Your peace in nature is borrowed from its silence; true serenity arises only when you cultivate inner awareness amidst the reflections of others."
"Humans repress and manipulate nature because our dangerous freedom and intelligence, when misdirected, lead us to conquer life instead of embracing it with awareness, love, and harmony."
"The sun is always shining; it is our ignorance that creates the darkness, obscuring the truth that is ever-present."
"Conscious harmony with nature does not make you animal-like; it awakens the divine within, transforming you into a state of innocent awareness."
Profound Quotes on Nature
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