Osho's perspective on Philosophy
When Osho Spoke About Philosophy
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Whom do you think is the greatest western philosopher?
Friedrich Nietzsche. It will surprise you, but Friedrich Nietzsche is the most misunderstood philosopher... and he was more misunderstood because Adolf Hitler accepted him as his master. He was not a fascist. No other philosopher in the West had such a deep insight into things. And his approach was so multidimensional that he could not write in the ordinary way philosophical treatises are written. He wrote in maxims, because he had so much to write that he could write only in condensed forms. That became one of the reasons for misunderstanding him. Now there is a revival of interest in Nietzsche. And I was hoping that there would be a revival, because the greater a philosopher is, the more is the possibility that his contemporaries will not understand him. It will take at least a hundred years for people to understand him; a genius is always a hundred years ahead…
What is the difference between waiting for godot and waiting for god?
It is as if the sun has risen in the morning and you are sitting in your room with closed doors and windows, in darkness. Open the doors, you become available to the sun. The sun was already available -- just the meeting happens. You cannot wait for God. All waiting is for Godot. Godot means the one who never comes, who CANNOT come, whose arrival is impossible. And the only impossible thing is that which has already happened -- how can it happen again? You are alive, and you are waiting for life, Now, this is ridiculous. The real man of religion does not think in terms of God. He thinks in terms of life or, even better, of living -- because life can again become an abstract idea. Living, moment-to-moment living. In that very living, one knows what God is, because one knows who one is. Your idea…
Osho, your philosophy of life is so simple, natural and true—yet why does the crowd still hurl abuses at you?
Dhirendra! Because a crowd is a crowd. Crowds are of sheep, not of lions. Crowds are of the blind, not of those who can see. Those with eyes have the strength to walk alone. The crowd walks by clutching at one another. The crowd belongs to cowards, not to the brave. Lions don’t flock; there is no herd of lions. Why do sheep move in a flock? Because in a crowd there is a sense of safety: “We are so many; danger will be less. There is company; nothing will go wrong.” The crowd is blind. I call its gait the gait of sheep. The crowd’s opinions have no value. If a crowd could understand, it wouldn’t be a crowd—individuality would be born. In anyone within whom even a little wisdom arises, he becomes a person; he ceases to be a fragment of the crowd. Even while in a crowd…
Osho, why are you so much against philosophy?
And I can understand your question: this is how every child is being brought up, for centuries. Your question is relevant. You say, "I LOVE YOU. BUT IF YOU ARE NOT A PERSON, THEN HOW CAN I LOVE YOU?" We have been told that we can love only persons. The truth is just the opposite: you cannot love the person. Persons can only fight, persons can only be in conflict, because wherever two egos are, there is conflict, a CONSTANT war -- sometimes hot, sometimes cold, but the war continues. Sometimes the warriors are tired so they maintain a certain peace. Whenever they are back again and their energy is there again, they start fighting. You can see it happening with all kinds of lovers -- a continuous fight, a kind of intimate enmity, together and yet not together. Why is this fight there? -- because of two egos. Two…
Am I a philosopher?
definition"To be a philosopher is to confuse thinking with knowing; true understanding arises not from concepts, but from the silent, direct experience of life itself."
Can a stolen match light?
definition"Only the flame you ignite within can truly illuminate your path; borrowed truths will leave you in the shadows of illusion."
Did Lieh Tzu ever exist?
definition"The essence of Lieh Tzu is not in his existence but in the living Tao-consciousness that flows through the stories; whoever touches that vision becomes Lieh Tzu."
"Hardships cannot alter my essence, for I am the watcher beyond body and mind, meeting even ugliness with compassion and facing death with love."
"A true mathematician transcends the boundaries of logic, merging the precision of science with the depth of poetry and the insight of mysticism to seek truth in its entirety."
"Charvaka and Shankara are not two sides of the same coin; they are opposing poles in the vast spectrum of human thought, each illuminating the path of existence from a radically different perspective."
"True classlessness is born from abundance and inner understanding, not from the coercion of imposed revolutions."
Is philosophy sufficient to reach God?
definition"Philosophy is mere hair-splitting; true religion is the direct seeing that arises from silence, awareness, and lived experience. Seek not to theorize about God, but to cultivate the clarity of inner vision through meditation."
"Truth must be directly known, not second-hand; each realization is a unique discovery, unfolding in its own time and place."
"True health and wisdom arise not from the mind, but from transcending it through witnessing and meditation, where thought quiets and the mind becomes a servant."
Is there love or wisdom in philosophy?
definition"Philosophy is a dissection of life, but love is the essence that reveals our unity; wisdom is born from that love, not from borrowed knowledge."
"You are already the divine; stop seeking, and realization will dawn in an instant. True understanding transcends methods, for the no-path reveals the summit of your being."
What is a positive philosophy of life?
definition"Real positivity is the freedom that arises when you let go of all beliefs and identities, allowing awareness to exist as unbound, lived experience."
What is basic Indian philosophy?
definition"Indian philosophy is not a distinct entity; it is a universal vision that transcends the subject-object divide, inviting us to know reality through direct experience and deep meditation."
What is philosophy?
definition"Philosophy is the art of talking about reality while remaining outside of it; true understanding comes not from definitions, but from the direct experience of life’s mysteries."
"Seek the living experience, for truth flows through unique individuals, transcending labels and doctrines."
"True understanding arises not from belief or doubt, but from the silence of awareness turning back upon itself."
"Philosophy contemplates the outer world, psychology delves into the inner self, but true religion transcends both, dissolving the boundaries of subject and object into the unity of existence."
"Human consciousness knows no boundaries; it is a singular essence that transcends the artificial divisions of East and West."
What is the essence of your philosophy?
definition"True philosophy is not a doctrine to be followed, but a disruption that ignites the inner flame of your own understanding."
"To truly honor Socrates, we must embrace his spirit of inquiry: believe nothing, test everything, and hold truths lightly, for in this lies the essence of freedom and intelligence."
What is the meaning of the question 'What is surprising?' in the context of the Mahabharata?
definition"The most surprising thing is that nobody is surprised; to live fully, we must revive our capacity for wonder, for every moment is a miracle."
"Western philosophy is a dance of concepts that never touches the essence of truth; it knows much about reality but has yet to experience the silence of being."
What is the philosophy of Osho?
definition"Live without ideology or dogma; true freedom lies in cultivating awareness and embracing the silence beyond thought."
"Ordinary life feels dead because we live in a stupor, moving like sleepwalkers; only through awakening can we infuse our existence with presence, meaning, and vitality."
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