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Osho's perspective on Religion
When Osho Spoke About Religion
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Osho, why do all religions exaggerate in praising their respective spiritual masters?
O embodiment of color, O embodiment of light, O embodied tenderness and warmth— What need was there to come from the moonlit assembly? Where you were, in that very paradise your beauty would have blossomed— What need was there to people this hell? These dimples and moles, this body carved from dreams— And a heart for which even the softness of dimples would be sacrificed. Here it is only thorns, only sparks everywhere— Step carefully, O springtime of spring, tread with care. When thirst is upon you, even poison is drunk like nectar— Who knows on which goblet that innocent gaze might come to rest? I have seen even the tavern drown in those eyes— Whether the thirst of those eyes will be quenched or not, who knows! All are lovers of beauty, people of vision, people of heart— Someone at home, someone in an assembly will adorn you. You…Read the full discourse →
Why did gurdjieff use to say that if you want to get rid of religion live close to a priest?
It is simple. The priest remains significant only if you don't know his heart, if you don't know his reality. If you start knowing his reality you will be surprised: the priest is the last person to believe in religion. He never believes, he only pretends. It is his profession to believe. The priest is the only person who knows that God does not exist, but he cannot say it because his whole business depends on it. It is his trade secret. Gurdjieff is right. You listen to a few stories. That will do! A member of the Catholic Church approached her priest and said, 'Father, my dog died, and I want to know if you think it is all right to have a funeral for him.' The priest said, 'Yes, I think it's all right, if you desire one.' 'And who do you think would be a good minister…Read the full discourse →
Osho, what is the greatest harm that the so-called religions have done to humanity?
Just a single hit, and what you are -- you may be acting a Buddha, a Christ, a Krishna -- it will disappear, just by a simple hit on your head. Imitation cannot go to your being, it is going to remain just on the surface. You can practice it for thirty years, forty years.... There are monks who have been practicing for fifty years. There are monasteries, Catholic monasteries, where once a monk enters, he never comes out; and thousands of people are living in such monasteries. What are they doing? Continually trying, making an effort somehow to become a little bit like Christ; if not the whole Christ, even a partial Christ will do. But that imitation is not going to help. It may give you a pseudo, phony mask, but scratch it just a little bit and you will find your real person is still there. You…Read the full discourse →
Osho, is it not true that in the absence of the enlightened—and those rare ones are not always around—it is the scholars and priests who keep the torch of religion burning?
Priests have great interpretations—how will you decide what Krishna said? There is only one way: go within. Krishna still speaks there. Become an Arjuna—Krishna still speaks. Become an Ananda and Buddha will speak again. He will speak the very same thing that was spoken then. It is not about Buddha or Krishna—dharma speaks. Buddha is one mode for dharma to speak; Krishna is another. The same is said as Buddha said—the same! The language will differ, the feeling is the same. The hues of expression will differ, but that which is expressed is the same. Only one thing has ever been said, again and again. Times change, languages change, symbols change, stories change, parables change. But that toward which the finger points does not change. The fingers that point change, but the moon they point to is the same. No one preserves that. Yet priests do preserve something, certainly: the…Read the full discourse →
"Rejecting religions means embracing the universal science of consciousness; true mastery reveals the inner flame present in all, beyond the idols and hierarchies."
Are all priests the worst enemies of God?
definition"The true enemy of God is not the ordinary priest, but the powerful hierarchs who cling to their institutions, obstructing the path to awakening and truth. Seek direct experience of the divine beyond the confines of dogma and ritual."
"Truth is singular, and if religions were true, there would be only one; what truly matters is the direct experience of the divine that transcends all labels and divisions."
Are religion and humanity separate?
definition"Religion is not about temples or scriptures; it is the art of transcending our incomplete nature and transforming into a fully blossomed consciousness."
"True conversion is not about changing labels but about a radical shift in consciousness that allows you to experience truth firsthand."
"True religion is not a belief system but a personal discovery; empty your mind of inherited notions to find the truth within your own experience."
Can a businessman be religious?
outcome"You can be in business and still be religious, but to be a businessman is to be trapped in greed; true religion invites you to share, to love, and to live in the present moment."
"True religion is not a synthesis of beliefs, but a personal discovery of your living connection with the universal, realized in silence and aloneness."
Can religion be termed as neo-education?
definition"Religion is not neo-education; it is the inner alchemy of transforming chaos into cosmos, demanding your freedom, responsibility, and the courage to discover your own truth."
"To find God, drop the borrowed beliefs of scriptures and look anew at the reality around you; true inquiry begins where conclusions end."
"True religion transcends labels; it is the awakening of the individual spirit that connects us all, not the creation of a single creed."
Do priests know nothing at all about God?
definition"Priests may know much about human weaknesses, but true knowledge of the divine transcends exploitation and fear; it awakens personal responsibility and liberates the spirit."
Do scholars and priests keep the torch of religion burning in the absence of enlightened beings?
definition"Religion is not a torch to be kept burning by scholars or priests; it is the pure, fuel-less light of existence that can only be realized by awakening within."
"True transformation is not your doing; it is the grace of God that flows through you when you surrender your ego and embrace the Whole."
"A true pagan lives in celebration, free from the burdens of doctrine and guilt; his joy and simplicity are the only religion he needs."
"When we present the essence of every religion without labels, a living religiousness emerges; it is only when we define and organize that it hardens into a sect."
Have religions done any good to humanity?
definition"Organized religions are dead corpses that have harmed humanity; true transformation arises only from the individual’s inward journey to the living source of joy and creativity."
"Forget the future; celebrate the living presence now, and allow transformation to make you a lighted being."
"True religion is the fearless rebellion against societal conditioning, coupled with the unconditional acceptance of your innermost self."
"Religion is not a rigid structure but a living essence that must evolve with the times, preserving awareness and freedom while adapting to the needs of each generation."
How does religion become rational?
definition"When religion is systematized into creeds and dogmas, it transforms the wild, personal awakening of a Buddha or Jesus into a mere imitation, suppressing the immeasurable essence of true spirituality."
How many religions exist in India?
definition"In India, there are as many religions as there are individuals, for true spirituality is a personal journey, not a collective doctrine."
"Repression of natural energy breeds perversion; true spirituality honors sexuality, transforming it into a path of awareness and liberation."
Is India a religious country?
definition"When a nation becomes too focused on the other-worldly, it inevitably neglects the richness of this world, leading to its own decline."
"My message is for those who are willing to drop their inherited identities and approach life with a fresh, open intelligence, free from the burdens of tradition."
Profound Quotes on Religion
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