Radiance

Beloved Osho, the other morning in discourse I was overwhelmed by your clarity and your beauty and grace, and felt so grateful and vulnerable. Thank you, Osho. I also realize that I am still not seeing your total radiance and splendor. This brings sadness and frustration. Osho, is it true that without being enlightened we cannot see you as you really are -- sachchidanand? Can we only catch a glimpse?

The king was puzzled: this man seemed at least one hundred and twenty years old. "Is he mad, or what? He cannot expect to see the flowers of these trees, to say nothing about the fruits. And he is working so hard in his old age, the whole day in the hot sun" -- it was a desert land. He stopped and went close to the old man and said, "I watch you every day, and I see how hard you work, but a question ... Every day I go on repressing it, not wanting to interfere. But you will have to forgive me -- I want to ask one thing: Do you think you will be able to see the flowers of these plants?" The old man laughed. He said, "No, I will not be able to see the flowers of these plants. But do you see just behind…

I start with bliss. The old religious approach was to start with contentment, and they used to say -- and it has been said in many scriptures of the world -- that the contented person is blissful. I say just the opposite is true, the blissful person is contented. And one who is not blissful, his contentment is bogus. So start by being blissful. And it will not be very difficult for you. It will be very simple and very easy. You are almost ready to take the jump! How long will you be here? -- One month. -- Be here. Good. (As Paritosh rises to leave Osho says:) Haridas, help him so he does not take the jump too soon! (much laughter) In India we make small earthen lamps. The poor people use those earthen lamps, they are the cheapest.

Osho, years ago when I first saw you, my eyes were dazzled; and from that very day a light has remained kindled at the center of my vision every moment. What is this mysterious light? Is it not some defect in my eyesight?

There is only one purpose for your being with me: that you become acquainted with yourself. There is only one purpose for my being: that I throw you back upon yourself. Do not get entangled in me; you have to return to yourself. There is no substance in your eye going on looking at me. Only if, seeing me, your eye returns to you—there is a reversion, a withdrawal of the gaze (pratikraman, pratyahara)—does it have any meaning. Consider this experience auspicious; nourish it. Do not become uneasy because of it, nor get worried about treating the eye. I am singing; you learn to hum. Learn to shimmer in the storms. Let a humming arise within you on hearing my song; by being near me, come to be near yourself. What has come to me lies within you too. There is not the slightest difference between me and you. I…

The lily simply represents innocence; and certainly wherever there is bliss and beauty and innocence, grace follows as a shadow; it comes of its own accord. OSHO (to Frank) : Once it becomes a constant undercurrent inside you so that even while you are asleep it goes on there -- not verbally, but just so that the feel is there that bliss is God, that God is not in the churches, in the temples, in the mosques, that God is in your heart, but only when your heart is dancing and singing.... When you are in misery you are as far away from God as you can be. Don't choose misery -- it is our choice. And never make others responsible for your misery -- that is a trick to continue in the old pattern. Be responsible. Remember that "I have chosen to be miserable.