Sadhus

Osho, many became sadhus and sadhvis; but in meditation they must be lagging behind. Then why did they first leave their homes and go along with them? You don’t give such advice!

First, Mahavira’s order makes a fourfold classification of human beings: shravak, shravika, sadhu, sadhvi. Mahavira’s path of practice begins with the shravak or shravika. No one can become a sadhu all at once; the very question does not arise. Mahavira’s discipline is a complete, graded path. First one has to be a shravak. And the shravak’s practices—meditation, samayik—belong to the shravak stage. When one has passed through that, when one has attained to that measure, then one can enter the life of a sadhu. Mahavira is not eager to bring anyone straight into initiation as a sadhu—only when the sadhu is born within. The shravak stage is the groundwork where the sadhu is born; then he may go. And even then there is no insistence that he must go; he can attain moksha while remaining a shravak. This is a delightful and unique point: only Mahavira dared to say that…

Then how can one tell if a sadhu is authentic or not?

There is no need. If someone becomes a sadhu, it is his own private affair. There is no need to pay any attention to him. Whether he is fake or authentic, it is his affair. His belief is a private affair, his being a sadhu is a private thing. Once it becomes public, there will always be fakes, there will always be false people who will exploit. If one is a poet it is his own affair, if one is a dancer it is his own affair, if one is a sadhu it is his own affair. He should not be worshipped -- not even if he is authentic. If the authentic is worshipped, then the false will follow automatically and there will be those who exploit the phenomenon. The need to recognize who is an authentic sadhu arises only when you want to worship someone. If you want to…

It is worth collecting the psycho-stories of sadhus and sadhvis — why did someone become a sadhu? If someone became a sadhu out of sorrow, he cannot be connected with Mahavira. For Mahavira... only if you know the language of bliss can you be connected with him. Man does not become a sadhu by leaving something — he becomes by qualities. Qualities must be born. And note too: Mahavira first says: by virtues man becomes a sadhu, by vices unsaintly. Note also: vices cannot be directly dropped — because the process of dropping is negative. Virtues can be created — that is creative. When virtues are created, vices begin to drop. If you keep attention on vices and strive to drop them, you will waste yourself — because vices exist only because virtues are absent. Do not worry about vices; endeavor to create virtues.

Osho, in human life crimes range from lies to rape and murder. Since ancient times sages and saints have inspired righteous action. In this context, please explain how today’s enlightened class should resolve the disorder-born problems of human life?

Now there are two kinds of people. One: those who harm others—you call them sinners, wrongdoers. Two: those who harm themselves for the good of others—you call them saints. There is not much difference between the two. One harms others; one harms himself—both harm. I call him a saint who harms no one—neither another, nor himself. Only when such a rare event happens does a ray of religion descend. This event does not happen to the crowd—it cannot. It is asked again: “In this context, please explain how today’s ‘enlightened’ class should solve the disorder-born problems of human life?” Whom do you call enlightened? Because you got a university degree? Because you managed to publish a few articles in two-bit newspapers? Whom do you call enlightened? Because you can spout a little nonsense in a logically dressed-up way? Whom do you call enlightened? “Enlightened” is a very big word. Do…