Wednesday, February 20, 2008

How to Relate?

HOW SHOULD TWO LOVERS RELATE SO THAT THEIR LOVE CAN GO IN THE DIRECTION OF DIVINE LOVE? ARE WE GOING TO STOP LOVING IN THIS WORLD WHEN DIVINE LOVE HAPPENS?


No, when the higher love happens it will include the lower. But the opposite is not true. The same way as the peak of the mountain includes the whole mountain area including the valleys. But the valley does not include the mountain peak. Always remember in all things the higher includes the lower. On the basis of lesser things finer things are made. But lesser things do not necessarily include the finer things.
When a temple is built, you have to dig its foundation to have the building on the top. This foundation is a part of the building above. The building includes the foundation. But at the stage of the foundation the building is not included. It may or may not be constructed into a temple.
Similarly when Divine love dawns it includes the love we normally have with others. Our love for others will act like a base for the Divine love. But if you are only living in the love of others, it does not include Divine love.

Higher includes the Lower

Let’s understand it with the help of another example. The lotus grows in the swamp. The swamp has contributed to its growth. It would not have grown without the swamp. But the swamp could have been there without the lotus, dirty smelly swamp. There can be a pond without the lotus. Lotus is not essentially there. That’s why lotus is not included in swamp. But swamp is included in lotus. This swamp has been transformed into lotus. Thesame substance, water and mud, which make the swamp, transformed and became a lotus. The same smell, which was giving bad odour from the swamp, became fragrance from the lotus. The bad odour is a part of the fragrance. The fragrance has come from the bad odour. But the bad odour could have remained as it is, without turning into any fragrance. The swamp could have been there without the lotus. The foundation could have been there without the temple built on it. So, worldly love is included in Divine love. But Divine love is not included in worldly love.

Love like the pillars of Temple

Then, you have further asked what kind of love between two people can be supportive in rising towards higher love. I want to remind you of a famous line that Khalil Gibran said in the book, “The Prophet”. Osho liked this book immensely. There were several thousand books in Osho’s library, but he took only one with him when he went to Rajneeshpuram. The rest of the books were taken there later on. But he took one book with him, and that book was Khalil Gibran’s “ The Prophet”. You can see from this to what extent he must have liked this book. Osho also gave a series of discourses on this, a very long series, lasting a month, titled “The Messiah”. Khalil Giibran said in this that two lovers should be like two pillars of the temple, Distant and yet supporting the same roof of love. He has given a beautiful simile.

Osho has spoken beautifully on this. It’s worth reading for every sanyasin. The pillars of a temple, what will happen if they come very close to each other! The temple will collapse…. the roof will fall down. And what if the pillars move far away from each other! Even then the temple will collapse. The temple of love cannot remain there. Khalil Gibran’s simile is beautiful. Like the pillars of the temple, rooted in themselves, near and yet distant from each other. Do not be aggressive towards the other. Be healthy and rooted in yourself. Two or four or whatever be the number of pillars there is to support the roof, are all rooted in themselves. And yet all of them together are supporting the same roof. So that’s how the temple can be taken care of.

But normally when we fall in love we want to go as near as possible to the other. And that excessive closeness poisons the relationship and the temple of love collapses.

The mind then argues for the opposite. No nearness at all, lets move away. Then we move so far away that the temple of love collapse again. So there are two ways in which the temple of love collapses. One,when we come very close and the other when we move completely away from the other.
Our mind keeps swinging between these two extremes. Either we want to get married and remain with the other all twenty-four hours of the day or fight with the other and get divorced. Is there no way in between these two extremes? Is there no possibility for a middle path? You are asking how should two people relate. They should follow this middle path I am talking about. You should remain loving towards yourself and be rooted in yourself. The other should not suck your energy. Neither should you let him fall from his inner state of being. Let him remain rooted in himself. You be yourself and let the other be himself. You should be near each other and yet maintain a distance.
One who would know this absolute balance will start moving from worldly to Divine love.
Osho has often quoted Sartre saying that the other is hell. Osho has improved upon it and said that the other is not hell the otherness is hell.
And how does otherness take place?

Osho has answered this in his series of discourses entitled “Jyon ki tyon dhar deeni chadariya” Osho has given such an amazing answer to it that we could not even have thought of. Why this otherness arises? Osho says ‘its because you do not know yourself.” We could not even imagine such a thing. Osho says, “ You have not experienced yourself that’s why the other appears to be the other. If only you could experience your own true Self, the otherness will cease to be. The same “BRAHMA” — The absolute is there in all. Like tides of the sea. The same sea is rising up and down with each tide. Since that tide has not gone within itself and not known the sea like all pervading “Paramatma” — The absolute within itself, the other tides appear as other.”
This analysis of Osho is amazing that the other appears as other because you are not familiar with your own self. Go within yourself and love yourself. Only then you will come to know yourself. Love is knowing. Love yourself and become rooted in yourself and then you will know who you are. And then you will know that there is no such thing as ‘the other’. And what takes place in you then is non-violence, compassion. That is Divine love

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

True Liberation

These are not at all contradictory. The statements of enlightened people are like device; to awaken. He said that he would (not) come again to those people who were new. This declaration by Osho was prior to 1970 that do not worry and continue your Sadhana. Even if I depart in between, I would return and (help) maintain the continuity of your Sadhana. This was said to encourage people so that they would start the journey.
The second statement was made to those people who would have fallen prey to lethargy and thought, “What is the hurry, we will take the journey in next life, Master would also be with us.”
Osho did not say, “No, this is my last birth. It is impossible to return! Nobody can come back after enlightenment.”
The first statement is a device; to accelerate the quest, to bring intensity and momentum in Sadhana. The second statement is also a device to maintain the momentum of Sadhana. I will tell you the third point that it is the freedom of an enlightened person to return if he wants to and not to return if he does not want to. What else is the meaning of a liberated person? There are no bondages. He is neither bound to come nor bound to return. It is his will, his choice.
Hence, there is no contradiction in the two statements. Both statements are a form of device. The enlightened persons are free. If they wish, they will come. Yet again do Leela. Once again, tour the planet Earth. If they do not wish then they would not come. They are free to do either thing. This is the very meaning of liberation. This is the meaning of Enlightenment.

Monday, February 18, 2008

The Kingdom is Yours

This is a story of ancient time. The king was passing the last days of his life and was also very much tensed; not because of death, but because of his son, to whom he would handover his kingdom. He was unable to decide to whom he should hand over the power of kingdom, because it should be given in those hands whose mind is peaceful? It was too difficult to decide who is peaceful amongst three? Which examination should be taken? How to know that who is suitable for the kingdom and who is not? Which examination should be taken? How to know that who is suitable for the kingdom and who is not?
Some things can be measured externally. But whatever is important in life can not be measured by any weighing scale. Some things can be identified from outside. But whatever is important in life, there is no way out to identify them from outside. How can it be identified, how can it be known, what should be the way - the king asked the saint. That saint showed a way. Next morning he called his three sons and gave all of them 100 rupees and said that the three palaces which are in your name, fill them with such a thing worth rupees that not even a little place should be left vacant. One who will be most successful amongst the three will become the king.
The palaces of the three princes were very big. The first prince thought that how could the palace be filled with the amount of 100 rupees. He went to casino and gambled 100 rupees. He may win by gambling and get large amount of money to fill the palace because the palace was too big. It couldn’t be filled with 100 rupees. But as it happens usually, those who gamble to earn more, they lose even what they had. Similarly that young prince also lost and came back home and his palace remained vacant.
The second prince thought that 100 rupees is a small amount and such big palace can’t be filled with diamonds and gems. There is only one way that the garbage, which is thrown out of the village, should be purchased and the palace should be filled. All the garbage, which was sent out of the village, was purchased and the palace was filled. But the palace started stinking. It became difficult even to pass from there.
The third prince also filled the palace. Filled with what? It will be clear within sometime. The decisive moment arrived. The king came to examine. First prince’s palace was vacant. The prince said “Please forgive me, 100 rupees were too less. I thought I would win in gambling and then I would fill the palace. But I lost and the palace is empty.
Going near to the second palace was terrifying. It was so stinky. Whole palace was filled with garbage and sewage. The prince said that there was no other way. Only wastage could be purchased. What else could be bought for 100 rupees?
Then the king went to the third prince’s palace. The examiners were surprised. The judges were stunned when they smelled the fragrance near the palace. Then they entered into the palace. It was a new moon night. But whole palace was illuminated with oil lamps. The king asked “with what have you filled the palace?” The prince replied “with light and luminosity”. Oil lamps were lit in each and every corner. Whole palace was illuminated, the fragrance was sprinkled and every door and window of the palace was decorated with flowers. That palace was full of light and fragrance. The third prince became the king. He became the monarch of the kingdom.
It is very difficult that one of us can become the king of life. First of all we have staked our lives and every stake is in the hope that we will get something and then we could live. And as it happens at every stake, we go on losing and the palace of our life remains vacant. Some of us have decided to fill the palace with garbage. Whatever is waste in life; we buy it and bring it in the palace. We collect all those which is lastly worthless; which is lastly valueless at our home. We have a justification that we have such a small life, such little energy, with that the palace can not be filled with diamonds and gems. With such less energy the palace can be filled with wastage, so we are filling it with wastage.
But we don’t know that the palace which we are trying to fill, the stink of that palace don’t allow us to live within it. It will be difficult for us to live and it has become difficult for us to live. We are so restless, so sad, so tensed. Why? This tension and restless neither comes from the sky nor from the stars and the moon. This tension and pain does not come from anywhere else other than that palace which we have filled with stink and garbage. All restlessness, tensions and pain arise from there itself. This is the outcome of our hard work, effort, attempt and endeavor. These two types of princes are within us. But the third type of prince is not within us, who can fill the palace of the life with light and fragrance.
I invite you to attend the first level program of Oshodhara so that we can tell you something that how could the oil lamps be lighted in the palace and how could the flowers appear into the palace. The fragrance can be filled and you may become the monarch of the kingdom of God. Who knows that in the exam of life who will pass and how? But one thing is for sure that one who lights the lamp till the end of life, which fills the palace of life with fragrance, one who becomes music himself, wins the race. If there is God anywhere, if there is any bliss anywhere, if there is any treasure, then definitely he becomes the right owner. I hope this story will act as an inspiration for all of you so that the palace of your home does not remain empty, does not fill with garbage. It can be full of light and music. This can happen. Then the Kingdom is yours.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Love is Death

It is because one dies in this love of the divine. It is not the kind of normal death in which only your body dies and you are born again with a new body. If you die in Omkar, the divine music, it leads to the ultimate death, your ego dies forever. The saints of India Gorakhnaath and Kabir are referring to this kind of death. Osho’s several books are named on this death. It’s the ultimate death. It’s only after experiencing this that one can be called twice born. It is death of the ego (aham) but for the first time birth of the divinity (Brahma) in you. So it is both the Ultimate Divine Death and the Ultimate New Life as well. But the reason is none. Remember God is non-utilitarian. People try to reduce God also for utilitarian purpose. They go to pray in the Temples and mosques to ask for something. But you all are experiencing Samadhi and by going deep in it you can understand that God is absolutely non-utilitarian. Only this kind of love will be unconditional. There one ceases to be, one dies. There is no purpose there, no selfishness, immersing of oneself. And that is why love is known as death. The death of self and birth of divinity (Brahma) is the ultimate happening in love. And this is absolutely of no use. It has no utilitarian value at all.

Being Non-Utilitarian
You must have heard this story by Lao Tsu…
Lao Tsu was going through a jungle with his disciples. The trees were being cut at onetrees were being cut at one Being Non-Utilitarian
You must have heard this story by Lao Tsu…
Lao Tsu was going through a jungle with his disciples. The trees were being cut at one
God is absolutely non-utilitarian. You just forget about the utility. And the saints are also non-utilitarian. They are of no use. Are they of any use? They do not do politics, run a shop, contribute towards the country, nor do they do any scientific research. Neither did Buddha open a hospital nor did Mahavira open any school. They did not serve the lepers either. They did nothing at all. They are absolutely useless just like God. Only those who have begun to understand non-utilitarian value can be interested in the Divine (Parmatma). Until you have any desire or expectation, your love and prayer will have a purpose, a reason. Love without purpose or condition is possible only with the divinity. That’s why Osho has discussed unconditional love in the context of the sound of one hand clapping. This mention is not coincidental. The love that you will have for the sound of one hand clapping can only be without any reason. What will you get out of the one hand clapping? And the one, who is desirous of receiving something, will not be able to fall in love. trees were being cut at one Being Non-Utilitarian
You must have heard this story by Lao Tsu…
Lao Tsu was going through a jungle with his disciples. The trees were being cut at one
God is absolutely non-utilitarian. You just forget about the utility. And the saints are also non-utilitarian. They are of no use. Are they of any use? They do not do politics, run a shop, contribute towards the country, nor do they do any scientific research. Neither did Buddha open a hospital nor did Mahavira open any school. They did not serve the lepers either. They did nothing at all. They are absolutely useless just like God. Only those who have begun to understand non-utilitarian value can be interested in the Divine (Parmatma). Until you have any desire or expectation, your love and prayer will have a purpose, a reason. Love without purpose or condition is possible only with the divinity. That’s why Osho has discussed unconditional love in the context of the sound of one hand clapping. This mention is not coincidental. The love that you will have for the sound of one hand clapping can only be without any reason. What will you get out of the one hand clapping? And the one, who is desirous of receiving something, will not be able to fall in love. trees were being cut at one Being Non-Utilitarian
You must have heard this story by Lao Tsu…
Lao Tsu was going through a jungle with his disciples. The trees were being cut at one
God is absolutely non-utilitarian. You just forget about the utility. And the saints are also non-utilitarian. They are of no use. Are they of any use? They do not do politics, run a shop, contribute towards the country, nor do they do any scientific research. Neither did Buddha open a hospital nor did Mahavira open any school. They did not serve the lepers either. They did nothing at all. They are absolutely useless just like God. Only those who have begun to understand non-utilitarian value can be interested in the Divine (Parmatma). Until you have any desire or expectation, your love and prayer will have a purpose, a reason. Love without purpose or condition is possible only with the divinity. That’s why Osho has discussed unconditional love in the context of the sound of one hand clapping. This mention is not coincidental. The love that you will have for the sound of one hand clapping can only be without any reason. What will you get out of the one hand clapping? And the one, who is desirous of receiving something, will not be able to fall in love.

Many people say they cannot experience Samadhi. They cannot drown in the sound of Omkar, the divine melody. What is the reason? The only reason is that your love is with a purpose. If you were getting anything from anywhere or even if there was a hope of getting something then you could have loved. You are used to loving for a purpose. Where you are sure of getting nothing in return, on the contrary you will lose yourself there and cease to be. You will not be able to love at such a place. That is why Samadhi is not dawning upon you. You are not being able to unite with the Divinity. Learn the language of unconditional love. Be a little non-utilitarian. Do not live only in the marketplace. Sometimes go to the real temple too. And this temple is within you. And the bell in this temple is making a sound. This is the sound of one hand clapping. Love this sound; drown in it.

It has no use at all but is full of bliss. Remember wherever there is utility there can be no bliss. There is a lot of utility in the business, in your shop but no bliss. Wherever something is done for a purpose, there will be its use but no bliss. And bliss can only be where there is no purpose. That’s why whenever you love without any reason you get a glimpse of bliss. Sometimes you get it in small things. You saw a handkerchief falling from someone walking ahead of you on the street. You picked it up for him and then went your own way. You don’t know this person, you don’t expect anything back from him, and there is no hope of meeting him and getting something from him in the future. You had not calculated any such thing while giving him his handkerchief, it had just happened naturally. You did an act of love without any purpose; it made you blissful. Whenever you do things with a purpose, it becomes work. When you do things without purpose, it becomes a play, ‘leela’, a prayer. Work becomes worship, if from conditional it becomes unconditional. The same thing applies to love. When a young man and a woman fall in love, the proportion of unconditional love is very high. When they get married there is more of love with purpose than without. Now wife is being loved because she is wife. She will cook, take care of the children and look after the household. There is a purpose now. And if you make her angry, she breaks dishes, burns the food or makes it very spicy. Wife is loving the husband because he works and gets money home. If she troubles him much, he might run away and that can cause a lot of trouble. What if he becomes a sanyasi, goes to the jungle or divorces her and gets married again. So she troubles him to a limit. People keep a point up to which they can trouble the other depending on his limit to tolerate it. As the capacity to tolerate increases in a person, he can be troubled a little more. So, love and hate, which go on together, include the idea of troubling the other also.

Conditional Love brings Misery
One day I heard Nassiruddin shouting at his wife saying ‘it’s better to die than to live with you. Oh, why does not someone get me some poison. Wife replied, ‘you don’t seem to be able to do even this much yourself. At least this much you can do yourself ‘. Well, normally love is like this only, including hate with it, purpose with it. Only at times there are glimpses of unconditional love in it and then it makes us happy. But our utilitarian mind-set brings purpose again and again thus we reduce love also into business. We include it in our world of calculations and then it gives us sadness. That’s how we get both the things from love, a glimpse of bliss and then a lot of sadness. A small silver lining in the sky and then thick clouds again. These clouds of sadness envelop us. But try to understand that the other is not responsible for that. What is your own state of mind?

Conditional love brings you unhappiness. Whenever unconditional love happens to you, it fills you with happiness and bliss. Once you have understood this point deep in your heart, you will start loving unconditionally. The point is not whether the other will give you something in return or not, the fact is that loving itself is blissful for you. So be full of love. Only such a person can be in love with the sound of one hand clapping. Only he can go deep in Samadhi

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Needs for a Living Master

One thing is sure that whenever something new happens – be it awakening the dormant energy ‘Kundalini’ it is bound to be dangerous. The possibility of profit also contains the possibility of loss in it. It’s just like the two sides of a coin. There are so many thoughts – all the time in the mind. People are already so tense and so agitated just with the amount of energy they have in the upper portion might lead to more complications in the mind. The person might get totally disturbed and more tense instead of getting peaceful. That is why purification of thoughts and feelings, purity in the inner core is absolutely essential. Just the awakening of the energy might prove to be harmful. The electricity is also the energy – it is very useful, we can operate any machinery but it is also possible to get electric current or electric shock leading to death. Therefore the most important thing is how we are going to utilize the energy. Weather it is beneficial or dangerous would depend on its use. You must have heard the name of a saint ‘Mast Ram’ Sufis says, he was overjoyed, intoxicated and behaved like

lunatic. He practiced a lot of meditation and the Kundalini got awakened and he could not pacify it. (May be, he did not have any spiritual guide – a Satguru.) Now, this energy took the form of madness and loss of inner balance. Instead of making him peaceful, balanced and meditative, the same energy took him in to insanity. Just remember that there was a long gap of ten years between the series of discourses entitled ‘Jin khoja…….’ and ‘Jharat dashun…….’

Osho was doing new experiments.
Let your energy be a dance
While talking on Kundalini; Osho was doing experiments on how to awaken it. But what he said ten years late is more useful as it was said after a deep analysis of the results of the awakening of the Kundalini. It also contains ten years experience.

Just remember – wherever an enlightened person says something in the beginning, he takes himself as the base and also thinks that all are just like him only. Many a times, they would say things, which are of no use at all for common people, but all this, they realize gradually. They come to know that there is a difference between their state and the state of common people.

Osho has also given us a beautiful meditation technique named Kundalini Dhyan. But I remember Osho has also said in that same series of discourses entitled “Jharat Das hun Tis Moti” thus it has got no connection at all with the awakening of the Kundalini. Just the name of the technique is Kundalini Dhyan. It is just by chance that he has chosen this word. Some word has to be taken and I took this word but I have not used the wordKundalini with its traditional meaning. I want that your energy should become a dance, your energy must dance, you should feel blissful, get deep inside, and get peaceful. If the energy gets awakened it might become outrageous, I was reading a joke – A child asked his friend – just tell me when Ravana awakened Kumbh Karan after six months of sleep and when Kumbh Karan went to the battlefield to fight against the army of Rama, why suddenly everybody started running here and there. His friend answered – Kumbh Karan had not taken bath for six months.

Purification of the Container
Similarly if the energy also gets awakened, without taking bath, without any purification, it is naturally going to create disturbances. That is why; a lot of emphasis is laid on purification along with the awakening of Kundalini. It is absolutely essential that before going deep into meditation, the container, not only the body but also the mind and the heart as well, are properly cleaned so that the optimum benefit is obtained and the energy is not misused.

In the series of discourses, named “Dhyan Sutra” Osho has also talked about the purification at three levels – body, mind and heart. So be careful if you want to awaken the Kundalini Shakti – the powerful energy lying dormant in you. Before doing so, it is recommended to purify yourself at all levels. Then, this energy will take you towards bliss. Otherwise, instead of Enlightenment, one might go towards madness.

Therefore, much more importance is to be given to the statement delivered by Osho after ten years of experience and experiments. Another important point, which weshould not forget, is that both the statements are the answers given to two different people. Each person is different. Osho must have said that it is dangerous to awaken the energy force or to play with it, to a person who may not have purified himself at all levels. And to a very simple and divine person, Osho must have said – awaken your dormant energy even if it is dangerous, face it, take it as a challenge, accept it as an invitation,

In the books, it is not written what is said to which type of person and in what circumstances. What are left are just the statements. Therefore it is very important not to analyze any statement out of context. Each statement is given to a particular person in a particular context. And now also remember that this is the reason why we need a living master. Each seeker needs a spiritual guide – a Satguru, who can take him in to the inner realms. There are no doubt many sacred books, in which there are all discourses given by Satgurus and Saints. But still we do need a living master who can make us understand the particular person in particular circumstances and in a particular context. Merely by reading books on surgery and medical science, on can’t operate oneself .We need living doctor for that. Similarly, in the spiritual world also, a living Master – a Satguru – a spiritual guide is absolutely essential.

Testing of blogs

This is the first blog for testing purposes. This blog is on spiritual awakening.

Friday, February 15, 2008

True Love - Love with the Divine

As long as there is purpose/reason in love, it is more of business and less of love. As long as there is reason, there will also be exploitation. The motive behind it would be something else. Expecting something from the other person. Frankly speaking, what we call love is our wish to derive happiness through the other. Since the other is the medium, so he has to be pampered. Normally what we know as love is very much ego-centered. The feeling behind this kind of love is that I’ll get peace and happiness if others love me. And the others will love you only as long as you love them. It’s a condition. So you have no other way out, except to show that you love them. Otherwise you will get nothing in return from the others. You will get something in return from the others, only, if you give something or at least pretend that you are giving. It is just as if two beggars are begging from each other. Neither has anything to give. Both need something from the other, and pretend as if they are about to give something to the other. If not now, then don’t worry, maybe in future. There is a whole treasure with us and we are going to shower it over you. The actual intention is to take something from the other. The other is also doing the same kind of cheating. And the interesting thing is that you cannot see the begging bowl of the other. He is hiding it and showing that he has immense wealth that he is ready to give to you. A lot of cheating is going on. Two beggars are trying to cheat each other.

Conditional love means there’s some motive behind it. Love with a reason means we have something to gain from the other. Definitely some selfish motive is there in it. This kind of love cannot be of a high level.Remember, I am not denying that this is love.

It is love indeed, but of a low level. Here the target is to get something from the other, to achieve certain selfish gains. Actually you love only yourself. But you will gather around yourself those who feed your ego, give you complements. And you think this is love. This love is only a matter of convenience. It’s merely amusing and distracting the other from the truth. There is no love in it, only selfishness. Even if you are loving for the sake of it, giving you pleasure and thus it’s your own pleasure that is at the center. Ultimately this type of love is also ego centered. This is again conditional love.
Unconditional Love

And now, with this background try to understand what Osho says about the sound of one hand clapping. It can be heard within ourselves. It’s the sound of the Divine, the Naad of the Omkar. The love born out of this sound has got no utilitarian purpose, nothing to do with giving or receiving anything. With what objective can you fall in love with God. There can be no purpose in this. The sound of one hand clapping is resonating in your Being; you are listening to it and drowning in it. What purpose does it serve? You cannot get anything out of it. There is no question of giving or receiving anything here. This is the love that has no purpose. That’s why Osho mentioned this love while discussing the sound of one hand clapping. There can be no objective here. There is nothing to be taken here. Frankly speaking, the ‘other’ does not exist here.

The sound of the existence, divinity (Paramatma) is resonating in the core of your being (atma). The sound of one hand clapping is in the form of ‘Prana’ (life energy) there within you. Falling in love with this sound is Parabhakti (or love with the whole existence). Shandilya calls it Parabhakti and calls the rest Gauni bhakti (or reverence to the deity). Osho has beautifully explained Parabhakti in the book “ Athato Bhakti Jigyaasa” as love with the Omkar, the divine music. When you drown in the sound of one hand clapping, that is Parabhakti. By and by you merge with the sound and remain no more. One day you will be no more only the sound of one hand clapping will remain. “Ek Omkar Satnaam.” There will be no two. You will get dissolved in this love. This is the ultimate love, you are not going to get anything, rather you are going to vanish completely. It is your death ultimately.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Tears of Gratitude

Swami Prem Anugraha, you are lucky. This is not madness. In which the bliss flowers, in which joy comes, in which peace arises, in which the song resonates within, even if such madness comes, if the world calls it as madness, then too accept it. Such madness is praise worthy. You become crazy like Meera. It happens many a times that we want to become peaceful, silent, and thoughtless and suddenly are filled with the music within. Suddenly a poetic ness arises from within. That may be surprising for you but miracles do take place on coming to the feet of Osho.
Main kavi ho gaya hu tabse, kuch bheetar aisa lagta hai. (Since this wonderful happening, the words come out in the form of poetry).
You have not become an ordinary poet, you have become Rishi. In Sanskrit there are two words for poet. It is not so in the other languages of the world. One is poet and the other is Rishi. The poet is one who writes with imagination; he gets little glimpse of truth and beauty. And Rishi is the one who is not in the imagination; he starts living in that truth. His life itself becomes a poem. It is not surprising that Dadu, Kabir, Meera and Nanak have sung so many songs. All the ancient holy books of India are full of music, full of melody and are in the form of the song. We call the words of Krishna as Bhagwat Geeta. This is not a coincidence that all the Rishis kept on writing poems and those who did not write like Buddha, Mahavira and Osho, remember that their whole life was ultimate poem; their whole life was a song. It was in itself a sonnet. Even if there were no falls of songs through their speech but their pulsation had the rhythm of songs. Swami Prem Anugraha, you sing and dance. If it is madness also, it is acceptable.
Being Crazy in Divine Love
Prevent yourself from intellect whose result is sadness. It is a very strange world; nobody calls a sad person crazy, because there are crazy sad people all around, with long sad faces, crying faces. They are filled with the desire of freedom from the circle of birth and death. It is strange that we call them religious.
I have heard one joke that the word ‘gadha’- the donkey is the short form. It has ‘ga’ of ‘gambhir’- serious and ‘dha’ of ‘dharmik’- religious. ‘Gadha’- donkey. It means a serious spiritualist. No one calls them crazy. We see a happy person and we feel that he is crazy. Just think that a person walking on the street goes on smiling. Every one will doubt that he has no brains therefore he is smiling. There are so many sorrows, pain, difficulties in life and still this person is smiling, take him to the doctor for the electric shock treatment. We call that person as insane who smiles, sings and dances. That is why Kabir repeatedly entitles himself as “Kaha Kabir Deewana”. Meera calls her again and again as “Hey ri main to prem deewani” she herself says that I am crazy in love. She says I have become crazy. This craziness is more precious than your intellect.
I have heard about a philosopher who had negative vision. He used to search the reason for sorrow and sadness from everything. He had searching tendency. Remember that you will get what you search. Kabir has said “Jin khoja tin paiya”- one who searches is the one who gets. If you search bliss you will get bliss, if you will search sorrows you will get sorrows. There is everything in life. If you will go in search of flowers you will get flowers. If you will go to count the thorns you will get thorns. But remember that the responsibility is yours.
I have heard about the philosopher who also gave many justifications. One morning while having tea and breakfast, his wife said that you are unnecessarily so sad and disheartened. In life some positive aspects are also there, you should look at them also. That pessimist philosopher said– “I haven’t seen any positive aspect yet. For example I am applying butter to the toast. If coincidently this toast falls down then it is for sure that the side on which the butter is applied will fall down so that the toast is spoiled. This existence is the rival. If the toast side falls down we can have the toast by clearing it but always the butter side falls down. All the dirt will stick to it so that you can’t eat it. How can we be happy in this life?” His wife said, “let us experiment this today.” he was applying butter on the toast and holding it. Then he dropped it. Coincidently it fell in such a way that the butter side remained upwards. His wife said “Look I was telling the same thing. Be optimistic”. That philosopher said, “You have not yet understood. I applied butter on the wrong side. This is not the grace of God. This is because of my mistake.” A pessimist will find out despair from everything.
The True Miracle
You fill with love and gratitude. Let the poem arise and let the song emerge which is resonating within and celebrate. Don’t worry about this world that the world will call you crazy. You consider it as an award. Always the blissful people have been given this award. Drown more and more in your experience. This miracle takes place in the feet of Osho and definitely there is no bigger miracle other than this.
People say that showering ashes from the hands is a miracle. Some say that curing the illness is miracle; to hell with such miracles. Seriousness is the biggest disease. With Osho’s grace this gets cured this is the biggest miracle. What will happen with ashes? What will happen if one disease gets cured? Even a doctor can cure this. Where is the saint required for that? Saint is not to cure your disease. Many a times people ask my blessings so that their son should get married. I say first think that married life is a blessing or a curse. You tell me your story whether you are happy with your wife; say it or not life has become hell. You have come for the blessings for your son, don’t trap me in this trouble. I am not going to give the blessings. In future your son may abuse me that I got married because of your blessings. It’s not my responsibility. There can be only one blessing that is you become blissful. That is occurring in your life. You are getting surprised that you moved to become silent and how come the songs resonated? It happen such at times. We were walking on the path of meditation and suddenly the light illuminates within.
It happens sometimes that we drown in bhajan kirtan, we move with devotion and suddenly peace occurs. Sometimes we went to drown in silence and a song resonates from within. Meera went to Saint Raidas to ask regarding the idol worship and devotion of Krishna, but she reached to Saint Raidas, a miracle took place. Meera also drowned in the formless. Then she forgot Krishna. Even History has not paid attention to this. Before that Meera used to sing the songs of Krishna, the songs of longing ness, a waiting. After meeting Saint Raidas a miracle occurred; then she sang “Payo ji maine Ram ratan dhan payo”. Then she said – “Manva Ram Naam ras pejay”, the whole concept changed. The songs of longing ness were related to Krishna and all the songs of meeting were related to Ram within, God within and omkar within. “Pada gungharu bandh Meera nachi re”. Prem Anugraha, you also dance and celebrate. You are the proper sannyasi of Osho. Osho has said that this is the definition of my sannyasin.
‘Utsav amaar jaati , anand amaar gotra’
Celebration is our caste and bliss is our source/destination.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Self-Centred Love

It is self-Centred love. I am centred in myself. I am not worried about anyone else. I am not worried or affected whether someone loves me or not, respects me or not. I remain myself.
How does seriousness arise? Seriousness comes when we become worried about what others think about us. We become anxious when we want to build an image of ourselves for others. Shall we be able to create that image or not. What will others think of me? Will they start making fun of me? Anxiety starts from there. Seriousness begins to take a grip on us.

Active Love
The moment our love becomes active, we start expecting that the other should also love us back. The other will love us back on certain conditions. It will be conditional love. He will say that he will respect us only if we behave in a certain way. And if we want his love and respect, we have to do all those things that he expects of us. Since we start behaving according to the other person, we do not remain true to our own nature.
I have never cared whether someone respects me or not. I am living in my own freedom and relaxed self. That’s why I am able to live my childlike self even though I am growing old.
All you have to do is not to behave according to others. The child in you is still present there and wants to express itself desperately. But you are not expressing yourself. You are wearing armour. You seek the approval of others for your behaviour, so you act according to them.
Remember that the others are too many. You will never be able to satisfy all of them. Each one will have different kind of expectation from you. How will you satisfy them, whom all will you satisfy? You will become fragmented inside if you do so.

One will want something out of you and the other something else and third person yet another thing. How will you satisfy all of them at one time? It’s impossible. You will become fragmented inside. You will become pretentious. How will you manage showing one face to one and another to someone else?

One day Nassruddin was going to the market with his wife. A beautiful girl going past them smiled. Nassruddin’s wife shouted -‘who is this woman? And why did she smile at you?’ Nassruddin said ‘you try to understand my position. She will ask me who you were. She does not know anything about you.’

Be Integrated
You will become divided if you expect love from too many people. You will be in trouble. You will have as many divisions as you will have the people you are in love with. You will not be able to become integrated. You will have to become pretentious. Integrated and pretentious are opposite to each other. A pretentious person can never become integrated. He is not the same in front of people as he is inside himself. He shows his different face to different people. He becomes like a dog waging his tail in front of his boss and roars like a lion before his subordinates. He is like a mouse in front of his wife but starts roaring in front of the servant.

You will have as many faces as the people you are connected with. Everyone is connected to at least twenty or twenty five people in life. You will have to wear many masks. Your natural self, simplicity, innocence and integrity will be destroyed. You will not remain authentic. If you try to please others you cannot remain honest. And even if you become pretentious, you will not be able to please them. This is interesting. You are living under an illusion that people are happy with you. They are not. Nassruddin is in trouble. Neither the wife who was with him nor the other woman who smiled at him is happy with him. He must be thinking that he will make both of them happy by saying something to one and another thing to the other.

Lies lead to a number of complications. The moment you get into active love you become the slave of the other. Then the other will control you. If you don’t act according to the other, he will withdraw his love.

Only that person can live, as he is, who is not dependent on the other; who is happy with his natural self, whether someone loves him or not.

I was at Yamunanagar recently. Some newspaper reporters came to me there and asked: ‘Did you read the news report that we printed in yesterday’s paper about you?’ I said: ‘Sorry, but I have not read the paper for the past thirty years.’ They were surprised that I did not even read the news about myself. I said: ‘It does not matter to me what you print about me’. And then they asked: ‘Then why do you give press conferences?’ I said: ‘ I enjoy talking. I spoke whatever I liked. Now it’s your freedom what you report on it. Neither do I watch television nor do I read newspaper.’ They asked me if I knew the name of the President of India. And I said: No, neither do I need to. Why should I know his name? And does he know my name?’

If you desire love from the other, you will have to act according to him. And the others are too many. It was all right if there was only one. If there was only one husband or wife it was still all right. We would have been slave to only that one.


I have heard that Nassruddin went for stealing in a house at 2 AM. He could not steal anything but he was caught at 7 AM by the owner of the house and beaten up. The case of theft was filed in the court. The magistrate asked Nasruddin:

“You went to steal in that house at 2 and were there until 7 and you could not steal a thing as the owner of the house says. So what were you doing for so long?” Nassruddun replied: “My lord, there was such an interesting scene in that house. The owner had two wives, each on either floor of the house. Each one was pulling him towards her. And he was getting beaten up in the process. His clothes were getting torn. All this was so interesting that I forgot I had come to steal there. Before I could realise this, it was already morning and I was caught by the owner.” The magistrate said: “ Although you did not steal anything, yet you did go with the intention to steal. So you will be given some punishment.” Nassruddin said, “Yes, I agree I went with the intention to steal but I would like to make a humble request to you. You give me any punishment except asking me to marry two women. If you give me death punishment I will accept it. That will be better than what I saw in that house last night. I would rather accept life imprisonment to that.”

We want to please too many people. And in that process lose our natural self, our integrity, and our authenticity. If you want to save your child like self you must take care that you should be the centre of your love. You love yourself and be AAPTAKAAM. Don’t depend on others for your happiness. Be happy inyour own self. You be at the receiving end of love and then take a step further. Remember the three things I told you –love focussed outside, love with you at the centre, and unfocussed love. It should be pure love, neither focused on any one, nor coming from anywhere. The one who knows this kind of love, only he can become non-serious. This is because he can be himself and live his childlike self

I was conducting an orchestra until some years back. I used to notice something over there that those who were very good singers, who used to be very good during rehearsals, used to start trembling in front of the microphone. Their voice used to choke and they could not sing a word. They were called back then and some other singers used to be sent in their place. Audience were told that that was a joke. It had to be laughed off as a joke.

I used to wonder what happened to these people who were otherwise good singers but the moment they came on stage and had to face 5000 people, would start trembling. From where did this nervousness come? It came from the thought what people might think of them, whether they would be able to sing well or not whether people would clap or hoot at their singing. And this leads to nervousness, rising of the heartbeat and blood pressure and sweating in a person.

There will be a lot of trouble if you expect others to love you. Their love will cost you dearly. Then you will tremble and definitely your blood pressure will go high. Then people will make you sweat. You remain centred in yourself. What difference it makes if there are one thousand, five thousand or ten thousand people in front of you. You sing the way you sing. If someone likes it he will clap, if he does not he will hoot. If someone feels like throwing stones, he will do so. How are you affected? Why do you expect you should have a good image?

The moment you get involved in image making, the complications of active love will start arising. Then there will be sadness and seriousness. So save your childlike self, move from the love flowing outwards to the love flowing inwards- self centred and ultimately to move towards ONLY LOVE- Love flowing neither outwards nor inwards-ONLY LOVE

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Energy is a form of Consciousness

IS OUR CONSCIOUSNESS ALSO A FORM OF ENERGY? AND WHAT HAPPENS TO CONSCIOUSNESS AFTER THE DEATH? ACCORDING TO THE MEDICAL SCIENCES - AFTER DEATH BRAIN IS THE LAST POINT WHERE ALL FUNCTIONS FINALLY CEASE. KINDLY ELABORATE THIS MORE CLEARLY FOR US.
If we analyze things at physical level according to the medical science, we can try to understand scientifically the Life Energy by dividing it in to 3 parts. One is in the brain where the Life Energy is functioning as Electric Waves. It travels in two forms - One is through the nervous system and then through the neuro transmitters, the chemicals - to reach the muscles. This is how it reaches the circumference of the body. In the 2nd form, it travels through the Hypothalamus glands and Pituitary glands to operate. All endocrine glands too get converted into chemicals. In the nervous system also, there are many neuro transmitters and chemicals. Electric waves get transformed in to chemical energy either through the nervous system or through the endocrine system. So as far as science is concerned, it does agree with these 3 levels - physical level, chemical level and Energy level. At the time of the death first of all the physical energy retreats back and when the subtle death happens, the chemical changes take place. All electric functions cease to operate and that is the final death. Up to this point, the science has been able to trace things. If we look at things 150 years back, death at physical level was considered as final death. The heart beat stops, the breathing process stops and it was taken as death. Today the definition of death has changed. Now we consider death as death when the brain stops functioning and all electric activities cease in the brain. If the brain is still active and the electric waves are present in the brain, only the heart beat has stopped or the breathing process has stopped or any other part of the body has stopped functioning; it is very much possible to re-operate any of these body organs. If within six minutes, the heart which has ceased to function, even if it is through artificial means, the life in that person will come back. This is how the definition of death has changed. In future, may be, it will change again. May be one day it will be possible, when we will start getting the feel of more subtle waves than the Electric waves, and one day, when we will have more sophisticated equipments which will be able to trace and measure subtle energy - more subtle than the electric waves; then on that day we would know that even when the brain stops functioning, the life does still exist at another subtle level. May be, in future, we would be able to find some means to bring back life by connecting the subtle body with the mind even when the electric activities in the brain cease to function. This, I am talking about a possibility in future.
What you are asking is - whether the consciousness is also a form of energy.
Well! I would say, exactly the opposite of this. I would say energy is a form of the consciousness. Today what we know as energy, it would be better to say that it is condensed form of consciousness. Similarly, as the science says, the condensed form of energy is matter. If we put the subtle most would be the consciousness when it gets condensed, it takes the form of energy. Then this energy gets transformed in to electric waves and chemical energy. And this chemical energy gets more condensed; it gets converted in to the physical energy. Today, the medical science talks of only 3 steps - Electric waves, Chemical energy and Physical energy.
May be in future, we would be able to do some research in these dimensions that are more subtle. It is quite possible more sophisticated scientific equipments would be able to trace subtler dimensions of consciousness. Then, we would reach another more subtle level; we would know the consciousness. Frankly speaking, physics has come very close to consciousness. Religion has always said that the whole world is made of consciousness - the God - The life. And now science has also gradually started realizing this fact. But their terminology is a bit different.
Law of Uncertainty
Now, for e.g. - physics has discovered the law of uncertainty - the principle of uncertainty. This is really very strange as all laws are based on certainty. With the law of uncertainty, science is contradicting its own principles. Earlier,science was always very much sure of its laws but as the science discovered smaller particles of atom, it was also realized that they sometimes behave like particles and sometimes like waves. In some experiments they were traced as particles and in some others as waves. The matter disappeared and the entrance was made in to the world of energy, only waves. Today, the science has discovered the principle of uncertainty as the way those waves behave at an extremely subtle level is very uncertain.
Does it not mean that they also have their own moods, their own state of being? The way they would behave is not definite at all. And this is precisely what consciousness means. It just means that things are not dead. Every thing contains life; they have their own state of being, their own moods, and their own thoughts. How they wish to behave is decided by them only. This important law has been got discovered at a very subtle level. Every thing seems to be definite and certain at material level but actually at subtle level the law of uncertainty plays great role. Now, the science has gradually started agreeing to another terminology and it says that the subtle most particles of matter, which also sometimes behave like waves have their own consciousness. They take their own decisions.
Let us try to understand this with the help of a joke. Mullah Nassaruddin went to an un known village. There he bought some sweets from a sweet shop. He paid for it but as the shopkeeper did not have change to return the balance amount, he told Nassaruddin to collect the remaining money the next day, while passing from there. Mullah agreed to that as he had to stay for few more days in that village. Mullah was new to that place so he thought that he should look around the place and remember some particular mark near the sweet shop, so that he comes to the right place the next day. Mullah saw a buffalo sitting in front of that sweet shop. He said to himself that this buffalo would be the right mark to remember. The next day Mullah reached that place and started looking for that buffalo. And a buffalo was sitting in front of a barber's shop. Mullah went in side that shop, caught hold of the barber's neck and said, - "Now this is really too much. Just for a few coins, you have changed your profession. You've become barber. Barber or what ever - you'll have to return the balance amount.
This small story might make us laugh because Mullah himself made decision dependent on something which was itself uncertain. Where will the buffalo sit the next day, cannot be fixed in advance. She has her own mood. Today she is sitting in front of a sweet shop, tomorrow may sit in front of a barber's shop and the after, it might not sit any where at all. This is her own mood. Till the point the science is involved in the research of physical matter, there is great amount of certainty in it. But the moment it starts the analysis at subtle level, it face uncertainty. Therefore, it means that the subtle form of even the matter has its own dynamism, its own consciousness. So the subatomic particles, those extremely subtle waves, how are they going to behave - is not certain at all. In other words, it can be said that the science, also, from a different angles discovered what the religion has always known as the truth.
So, as for me, I would like to say that the condensed energy appears as matter. And at the time of the death what happens is the process in the physical level first and gradually moves towards the subtle levels. In the process of birth, it is from subtle to physical - first of all the consciousness, then it enters in the womb, a small cell starts developing, gradually the brain develops in mother's womb, then the other parts of the body and then the body starts growing. So, the process of birth means from subtle to physical and the process of death means from physical to subtle - the life energy starts moving in the reverse direction.

Monday, February 11, 2008

The Path of Light

OSHO, IN HIS DARSHAN DIARIES, HAS GIVEN NAMES RELATED TO INNER LIGHT, TO SOME OF HIS SANYASINS. DOES THAT INDICATE THAT THE SPIRITUAL PATH FOR THOSE SANYASINS IS THROUGH THE ‘LIGHT’?

Definitely the names Osho has given to his sannyasins are indicative of their spiritual paths. They are informers of our path. The names given such as ‘Alok’ or ‘Abha’ are indication that they should travel through that path. They should go inside through that path. The light is the path as well as the destination. Osho has given a number of meditation techniques connected with ‘light’ in his books, entitled ‘Meditation, First and Last Freedom’ and ‘Tantra Sutra’.

Here in Nirati Samadhi program we use all those techniques. Osho has not told them clearly. They are supposed to be secret. He has referred to them during his discourses, but not very openly. They are secrets and can be told to only deep meditators. Here in Nirati Samadhi program also those diamonds and pearls that Osho spread in his discourses have been made use of. Definitely the names, Osho has given connected to light, are indicative of the spiritual path, and the destination.

SAINTS HAVE SAID THAT THERE IS LIGHT OF THOUSANDS OF SUNS INSIDE. IF ACTUALLY SO MUCH LIGHT IS HIDDEN INSIDE US THEN I AM SCARED IF I GO DEEP IN MEDITATION I MIGHT GETBURNT. PLEASE THROW LIGHT ON MY PROBLEM.

Pandit Gyan Prakash Chaturvedi, you are asking me to throw light on your problem! There might be a problem if I throw more light! You might burn! No it’s not true that the Inner Light gets so intense. There is no extreme light or the light of thousand Suns inside. Definitely the light is there but this kind of description is wrong. Some people, spiritual masters use the kind of techniques in which the palms of the hands are pressed hard on the eyes for seeing the golden light inside. That is not divine light. That is a physical phenomenon happening due to pressing of the eyes. Because of pressing of the eyes, light can be seen on the retina. That is not the true inner light. That kind of light which is seen through the pressing of the eyes; the light which is said to be brighter that thousands of Suns, has got nothing to do with spirituality. Definitely there is something else inside. It may be called Golden Flower as Chinese saint Lin chi also called it or flower of several petals or any other name that any other saint has given it but the description of thousands of Suns is totally wrong. The inner light is redness, darkness, evening, pleasant, cool and light. If the simile of sun is given then we will have to add – cool and peaceful. It’s better if the simile of moon is given.

Pandit Gyan Prakash Chaturvedi, do not be scared, go within. Find that ultimate light. That is the all- pervading, Paramatma. Go deep in it, so deep that you also become all-pervading. You also become light-like.

IN SPIRITUALITY ARE THE WORDS, “ALOK” (LIGHT) OR ‘INNER LIGHT USED ONLY METAPHORICALLY OR IS THERE ACTUAL PHYSICAL TRUTH IN IT? IS THAT INNER LIGHT ACTUALLY PRESENT OR THAT IS MERELY A METAPHORICAL DESCRIPTION?

Bodhi Shashi, this is an actual experience and not a metaphor. The inner light is actually there. This is not poetry.
Drown yourself in Samadhi, meditation and you can start seeing. In India spirituality is known as ‘knowing by seeing’ (Darshan). Not contemplation or philosophy but seeing. Saints have seen their inside, known their inside. There is a lamp burning inside, the lamp of ‘Name’, without any oil or wick. Neither there is any oil, nor any lamp nor wick and yet it’s burning and there is light. That lamp of Name, reach to that. It’s not just a symbol it is actually there. Some people think it’s a symbol. Non-understanding is problem and understanding islight. No, it’s not like that. There is actually light inside. Yaari says:
Oh loner! Light the lamp in the temple.
(BIRHAN MANDIR DIYANA BAAR).
With just a little bit of effort and being on the spiritual path, the light starts burning.

And the easiest way to light the lamp, as Saint Sunder Das said, is from lamp to lamp. If an unlit lamp sits in a ‘Satsang’ with a lighted lamp, through the master’s blessing and nearness of the saint, gradually his lamp also gets lighted. Osho has named a discourse series ‘Lamp lights a lamp’. In the last discourse of this series, Osho says, “the meaning of ‘lights a lamp’ is sitting with a master and listening to the soundless sound. If you sit with a person within whom the light of ‘Name’ is there, your heart’s musical chord will also get struck. In synchronicity with the master, his heart’s chord will make your heart’s chord also play. There is light in him. Your inside will also get lighted with the light of the ‘Name’. This is the meaning of ‘lamp lights a lamp’— JYOTI SE JYOTI JALE.

So, Bodhi Shashi this is not a symbolic description, but a true reality. But there is a difference between the inner and the outer light. The outer light has got speed. It travels at the speed of 300,000 km/second. But you come to know of the inner light when all the activities have come to an end. Mind has lost its wandering. Then, one comes to know of the inner light. We will miss the inner light if there is any activity going on inside. The outer light is full of heat, but the inner is cool like the moonlight, peaceful, cool and pleasant. There are seven colours in the outer light. In the inner light also there are amazing colours but it’s mainly colourless. When it travels through different ‘chakra’ (in the body) different colours are reflected in it. Just like a rainbow of seven colours made from the light of the sun outside, in the inner self also there is a beautiful rainbow. For the light outside be it of a small lamp, a megastar or the sun, fuel is needed. The inner light is without any oil or wick. The light is there without any fuel. And it will never burn out. Outside, however big the source of fuel might be, the light will burn out one day. Our sun also will burn out one day after some years, thousands or hundred thousands. Its fuel is decreasing every day. The inner lamp of consciousness will never burn out. There, nothing will come to an end, because nothing ever began there. That which has a beginning has an end too. So the outer light has a beginning and an end. The inner light is without beginning or end. These are some of the differences between the outer and the inner light. But the inner light is as much of a reality as the outer. It’s not a symbol or a metaphor. Here in Murthal, Madhopur, Karma and in Chitwan, in the Samadhi programme of third level known as Nirati Samadhi, meditation for seeing inner light is carried out. Through this meditation every seeker comes to know of the inner light.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Needs of Cactus in Osho's Garden

Ma Antar Veena, enlightenment is only for ordinary people; natural and ordinary people. Who told you that well-known and famous people would get enlightenment? They will never get it. They can never get it. However, even they are needed.
Osho has described in one lecture that the commune I am forming, the garden that I am cultivating; just think, in this garden even cactus has to be put. Within it, there will be plants, there will be flowers, there will be fruits, and all the same, outside on the fence cactus will have to be planted. Otherwise, who will safeguard the boundary?
These administrators, politicians, who are exploiters, hoarders of wealth and consumed with the greed for power, are necessary. God has not created anyone who is not needed. The Master does only this much; utilizes everybody who comes to him. Osho has also done the same thing.
Those whom you are referring to as ordinary sannyasin, only they present some hope that their flower of enlightenment will blossom. Those who are extraordinary and uncommon, they are full of ego. They are plants of cactus, full of thorns; they will only prick and that is their purpose.
I am not belittling them; I am just stating the fact. They are very useful. How will institutions operate without them? How will money be generated without them? Without them, how will ashrams and centers rise?
These people are very necessary. Thank them! Fill with gratitude! Be grateful to them! And go deep into your ordinary and natural being. The flower of enlightenment blossoms only within ordinary people.
The flower of enlightenment cannot reach up to its full bloom in those egoistic people who think themselves to be extraordinary in any way. Their being is like a thorn. Be compassionate toward them! While they are useful to others; they remain deprived of their own worth..

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Matter is Condensed Consciousness

Yes, both are very intimately related. Saints have always talked about what the theory of Big Bang is telling us today. There was a Big Bang – a powerful sound and the whole world got created from a grand void. Christians call it Logos – the word, Indian saints call it Shabad, Pranav, Omkar, Satnam. The whole world got created out of it. First of all ‘Omkar’, then the energy in different forms, and then all matter and finally the expansion of the whole world came into existence. At the level of the matter, science discovered matter energy. Similarly, in spiritual terminology, we may call body and soul, matter and consciousness – they are the same things and are interchangeable. The consciousness gets condensed and becomes mind and when mind gets condensed, it takes the form of the body. That is the reason why our body is also influenced by the desires and the expectation of our mind. Let’s understand this point with this fact. Thousands of years back, the sense of smell was not quite developed in man. Just go through the Rig Veda – one of the sacred texts of Hindus, you would realize that it does talk about flowers but there is no mention of fragrance at all. It seems that during that period the sense of smell was not developed. First the desire to smell was born in mind and then the body started developing the sense of smell. In older times some people could see only three colors. The scriptures of those times mention mainly three colors. Today we are able to differentiate seven colors of a rainbow. May be in future, we will be able to see more colors. Even today, the artists, painters, poets are able to see more different shades than we do. Five percent people are normally color-blind. Their eyes are not capable of differentiating seven colors. Human being is progressing day by day and its senses are also becoming sharper.

First the desires awaken in the mind and then accordingly, the body develops its senses. So from consciousness to mind and from mind to body – this is how it works. Therefore, the discovery of science that matter and energy are inter-transferable is more or less similar to what I would like to tell you all. The theory of Big Bang also finds similarity in what our saints have always said that the world came into existence with the grand sound of ‘Omkar’, from the Omkar, and will also disappear into the grand sound of Omkar, will merge in the Omkar.

Science says there was just a grand void – nothingness – in the beginning which got divided in to two – positive and negative. And certainly, at the time of the final day, the negative and the positive energies would re-unite to finally disappear in to the void. The whole game, the joyful play would cease to be. It’s just like water, ice and vapor – three different states of matter. In liquid form it is called water. It becomes ice when solid and vapor when in gaseous state. Similarly our body is the solid form; mind is like liquid – very unstable and consciousness like vapor – almost invisible. All these three states are interchangeable. That’s why they are not opposite of each other, they do not oppose each other. The ice on the Himalayas and the clouds floating in the air are not opposite of each other. One same element is present in both but in different forms. Although their shape is very different, their way of being is very different but basically they are one and the same thing. Life is just like that. Life is a spectrum, just like a rainbow.

Spectrum of Consciousness
Let us understand the spectrum of our energy or consciousness. The outer most layer is our physical body. The second one, according to the saints is subtle body, which is called etheric body or emotional body. The third one is a bit more subtle and is called the Astral body. The forth one is still more subtle and is called Mental or psychic body. Then the next one, fifth body is called the spiritual body, the sixth one cosmic body and the seventh one – Nirvan body or the bodiless state. So in the beginning there was nothingness. The whole game started out of nothingness and gradually reached the state of physical body. From the subtle to the physical level, the whole spectrum is like a rainbow. There is no opposite in it. Therefore, when science says that matter and energy are inter-changeable, it is just like the colors of a rainbow gradually changing shades – violet becoming indigo and indigo becoming blue, blue becoming green and green becoming yellow. On one side green becomes blue and on the other it becomes yellow. Or we can even say where blue and yellow unite, the green color appears. In a rainbow, there’s no clear-cut demarcation as to where a particular shade ends and where another one begins.One shade gets converted into another

So, from the Nirvana body – the bodiless state, the cosmic body was born and from this cosmic body appeared, in an individual, it developed in to a mental body and from the mental body, the astral body was born. From this subtle body, the emotional body and from this emotional body the physical body was born. This is the whole spectrum. Things are getting inter-changed. For the sake of division, it has been divided in to 7 parts but actually there’s no clear-cut partition anywhere. There’s a sort of overlapping, everything getting converted into one another.
So, in a way, the ancient belief of the religion that the body and the supreme soul are opposite to each other is not really correct. There’s no enmity between the two. This is how it should be understood

All three things are essential – effort, waiting and grace. We will have to make efforts; we’ll have to wait. And when the waiting will also drop, the grace is showered. His grace showers. That for which we have been waiting – happens. In the beginning we have to be associated very actively. We have to work very hard, practice the meditation technique regularly. Gradually the active phase slows down. Even in waiting, a sort of subtle activeness is still present; we are waiting for something to happen. True, that we are not doing anything from our side but still we are waiting for something, a subtle activity is still going on. This will also disappear gradually.

I’ve heard an incident about Chandulal’s wife who woke up her husband at midnight that she was worried about her son whom she had sent to the market at 8.0’clock. It was already midnight and he had not yet returned home. She said, she was quite worried and was also getting tired of waiting and had started feelingsleepy also. Now what to do? Chandulal asked – what did you want him to buy? The wife replied – I had sent him to the chemist shop to buy some tranquilizers as I was not feeling sleepy. Now just imagine what she’s saying – she’s saying that she has got tired of waiting and has started feeling sleepy now, what to do?

So, first of all – make some efforts, send your son to buy tranquilizers and then wait for him to come back. But he will not come back. Your waiting will not make him come back. But meanwhile you would start feeling sleep that is sure. So keep on waiting and then go to sleep. The supreme happening that has to happen will happen itself. Your efforts are also essential and the waiting is also important. Although, your efforts and your waiting, as such, are of no use. But after reading this statement of mine, if you would not do anything, then also, nothing would happen.

So, dear friends, your efforts are important because they will tire you. So do it with totality so that you get tired fast. When I say to put in all your energy, it is just to exhaust you so that you get tired fast; that’s all. If you will do slowly, half-heartedly, it might take years and years and you will never get tired. And then the ultimate moment of grace will never arrive. When we are totally effortless – the grace is showered. And that is the moment when we realize that the grace was always showering. We were missing it because of our efforts, because of our waiting. We were not able to realize IT because of our own misconceptions

Friday, February 8, 2008

From Meditation To Enlightenment


WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEDITATION, SAMADHI, SATORI AND ENLIGHTENMENT?


All the four are different stages of the same event. In other words there are four steps for climbing to the temple of Spiritualism.


First Step: Witnessing

Meditation is the first step. Meditation may be termed as witnessing consciousness, a thoughtless awareness, choice less awareness; this is the beginning point. Generally we are caught up in the objects of the world. In innumerable objects fluctuating mind keeps on jumping from one to another. Leaving these numerous objects aside, hereby we form a triangle of - scene, seer and the witness of both.
Just forget about the various ends of this world. Just three important points to remember - first in the scene, second is the one seeing the scene and third point of triangle on the top is of the witness who is aware of both the scene and seer. Beyond the scene and the seer the one who is aware of the watcher is known as Sakshi. In short, meditation is witnessing. And this is the first step of ladder of spiritualism.


Second Step: Samadhi

Second is Samadhi. Here the trinity also disappears. Only one remains. Initially this will happen momentary, for a short span of time. For just few minutes or seconds the trinity of scene, seer and the witness will dissolve and only one will remain and it is named as Samadhi. But then you will return back. Patanjali calls this as Savikalp Samadhi - a samadhi with options. We will enter into Samadhi and then we will return back from it. Just for a short while only there will be the union with the ultimate. But this state will not remain for long. After short union you will return back to the normal state of living. Then there will be come back from one to three and from three to thousands of points of the world.
Here I would like to remind you - Just try to remember the symbol that Osho had made for Rajneesh foundation in 1974 in Pune. The symbol was a point at the center of the triangle. The triangle was surrounded by a structure of nine ends and a
circle surrounding those nine points. That circle indicated the outer circumference of life, the symbol of the vast existence. The innermost point stands for the empty space within. The journey starts with nothingness, then the nothingness into trinity. As if main stem gets divided into three branches and from those three branches develop nine sub-branches. Three multiply to form up nine. And those branches grow up from 9 to 27, 27 to 81 and so on. And this leads to birth of thousands of leaves, which stand for the world. For a worldly person the journey starts from nothingness within to the multiples of the world.
Returning to the Source

The journey of spiritualism is of contraction, returning to the source, Pratyahar, that is returning to the originating point. Folding up all the extensions that one had created in the world. From the vast spread of innumerable come back to nine, then from nine to three and ultimately jump to one. To call it one is also actually not correct and those who have known call it as non-dual, Adwait. In that state, two do not exist, you may call it one or zero. These are different ways of saying the same thing. It means, in samadhi we have to dive in that feeling of oneness where the dualities do not exist. It is a state on non-duality. Nor you, neither I, the entire world is lost and when there is no you then how could there be I? The 'I' exists only in the context of the other. For example: outside your home you have a boundary wall of the exteriors and that boundary is the same of your neighbor. Any boundary is with the existence of other only. If there is no other, then what is the need of the boundary. For an instance- if suppose World War III happens and on this Earth only you survive. So will there be any boundary of your home. There shall be no boundary of your home as there is nobody else; only you remain. Now there shall be no
use of any boundary. Now, you will not apply any fence. There is no need of it. Fence is due to the other. Thus, till there are you, the existence of 'I' is. When the other disappears, the world is forgotten; at that time your existence as the ego is no more. Such dissolution is known as Samadhi.


Step three: Satori

Then the third state is of Satori. When Samadhi goes deeper, there starts an upward flow of energy with a huge force as if a whirlpool of energy is formed; the union of Samadhi and energy at its peak is termed as Satori. It is almost like a glimpse of enlightenment.
You can understand it in this way - like we are going towards the peak of a mountain through ghats. Due to the roundness of the road we have started seeing the peak from a distance. Moving on the road, a certain point will come where from the topmost point of the peak is visible. Then again moving further may be that point is not visible ... Hence, Satori is the glimpse of that peak of Enlightenment.


Step four: Enlightenment

When the event of Satori takes place it means you are close to the destination of Enlightenment. But that too disappears, and then too the journey still remains. The route is route, you need to move on in some more circular rounds, but at the end one will reach the goal of enlightenment. Reaching to that peak is Sambodhi, enlightenment or in the language of Patanjali it is Nirvikalp Samadhi. Now that state of disappearance of duality is not momentary but permanent. Now there is no returning back; that peak has become the abode - this is called Enlightenment.
Just for sake of understanding - Witnessing, Samadhi, Satori and Enlightenment are all different but in actuality they are four stages of the same journey. The first stage is that of witnessing, second - the beginning of Samadhi or Savikalp Samadhi, third is Satori and the fourth is Enlightenment or Nirvikalp Samadhi. They are all different steps of the same ladder; just the need is of going on the same road. If you want to divide and see, you may call it with four different words and if you see it with a wide view then it is one and the same thing. It is beginning, middle and end of the same event.
I would like to emphasize - each and every person can dive in oneself; starting from witnessing, traveling through Samadhi and Satori and reaching the peak of Enlightenment. And at the peak one knows the - Satchitanand - Truth, Consciousness and Bliss form of oneself.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Experience Godliness

I AM A RATIONALIZED AND ATHEIST. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT WHAT THE PROOF OF GOD’S EXISTENCE IS. AND WHAT IS THE NEED OF MEDITATION, YOGA, SAMADHI AND OTHER TECHNIQUES?

Your question itself indicates clearly that you don’t have the eye of love, with which you can see God. What can be the proof of God’s existence? If you don’t have the eyes, what can prove Sun’s Existence?

An atheist came to Ramkrishna Paramhans. He must be just like you, atheist, philosophical and controversial. He gave many justifications against God. Ramkrishna did not reply any of his justifications. On the contrary he hugged him in between, loved him a lot, and touched his head with a loving hand. He gave more and more justifications that God does not exist. And Ramkrishna got more and more contented with each of his justification and again hugged him with love and tender care, touched his cheek lovingly and told him, “You have given such a beautiful justification for God’s existence”.

Seeing such reaction of Ramkrishna, atheist was surprised. Amazingly Ramakrishna didn’t stop loving him despite of his each harsh argument against God. And after all this, the atheist got up and said that you are strange person, I came hear to fight. Before coming over here I thought that when you will say something I will interrupt. I am giving justifications but you are not telling anything. Ramkrishna replied that what can be the greater evidence? Your presence on Earth is enough to prove God’s existence. From where did such sharp intelligence of yours, brilliance of yours, such justifications and such brain power of yours come from? This is the evidence of God’s existence. That atheist fell into his feet. He had never thought that his being is the evidence of God’s existence, what other evidence is required?

Once, some people of the village took a blind person to Gautam Buddha and they told him please explain to this man. We all are really tired of explaining to him. He says that Sun, Moon, Stars etc don’t exist. You all want to prove me to be blind; therefore you are saying all this. There is no light anywhere. He is blind from his birth. We are unable to explain to him what is light. On the contrary he tries to prove that there is no light. We are in some illusion.

Buddha replied “It is your fault. The blind person can not be explained about the light. His eyes have to be cured. Actually that poor soul is right. Your statements cannot prove the reality of light.” Gautam Buddha had the famous doctor of His times. Buddha called that doctor and said, Can his eyes be cured?’ The doctor checked him and said, ‘Yes, it is possible. There is a fine net on his eyes. That net can be removed with the help of minor surgery and with the help of some medicines it will get dissolved. And then he will be able to see.’ His treatment went on for 6 months and finally he was able to see. Then he bowed down very happily in the feet of Buddha and said it is strange that for 50 years I was adamant that there is no light and the people tried to explain to me, but I am an intelligentand justified person. I don’t agree what I haven’t experienced. I am really thankful to you that you got my eyes cured. Now I know that there is light. I know without anybody’s explanation.

With which eye can we know God? That is eye of love. If that is not there, then there is no God anywhere.

Meditation – Key to open the eye of Love
Listen what Osho says – “Sun has risen and you are asking that what is the evidence of Sun’s existence? So I will just say that open your eyes and see, there is no other evidence. Sun has risen and you are asking that what is the evidence of sun? This proves only one thing that either you are blind, or you have kept your eyes closed. And only second thing can be true, because nobody is born blind in spiritual terms. Nobody is blind since birth. In the realm of spirituality we have kept our eyes closed and are considering ourselves as blind. When some love will rise within you, only then will your eye can recognize God. If you get filled with love then God is there and only then He is there. Don’t ask for any other evidence. There is no other evidence. If you are filled with love, then God is there. Then there are evidences everywhere. But first you get filled with love. I consider love to be the only evidence of God. Therefore enlightened people made groups, communes, so that you are not left alone. So that some companions are there, no matter even if there are few of them, at least you will have some company, at least you will get some courage, you will get some power. There will be a chance to encourage each another. You would not be left completely alone. It is even difficult to develop love in this world which is surrounded by hatred. Therefore all the enlightened people form groups. A commune, a group of the people who live around them lovingly and meditatively, at least you will be able to live lovingly over there. You will be able to become silent and then that eye will start opening slowly.

Meditation and Samadhi are the solution to open your spiritual eye. There is no need of outer treatment or surgery. It will be done by inner awareness. You awake more and more. Become more conscious and sensitive. Only these two solutions are there: awareness and love. And then you will find that you can do His darshan, who is present everywhere.

That is why a group of loving people, group of seekers, formed around enlightened people, so that people can come there and get relaxed and be transformed. There nobody is sitting to fight with you; nobody is going to have debate with you. There is atmosphere of harmony where you can open your eye of love slowly and gradually. Meditation will help you to clean your eyes. You will be able to cut that net of unawareness which has been formed. Doing this all alone is difficult, though not impossible. But definitely it will be difficult. But in the group ‘Sangham Sharanam Gachami’, this will be easier. Be loving and meditative.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Importance of Right Speech

Buddha is very scientific in the religious field. He adopted the middle mean. Try to understand three things. One is the periphery of our life. Another is the center of our life. Between them is the matter of mind. Actions are the periphery of our life. Soul is the center of our life. And speech is between both of them. Thoughts within us today will convert into speech tomorrow. Day after tomorrow it will get converted into actions. Person who has to observe his thoughts and actions should hold the middle; both the ends will come into his hands. Practice the mid-way. Buddha has said in every aspect of life – Practice the golden mean, the balance, remaining two will get practiced by themselves. Why? Try to understand that thoughts going on within you are unexpressed speech. They will convert into speech in future; and whatever you are speaking today, are your expressed thoughts.

So there is a relationship between thoughts and speech. Thought is like a seed, pressed in ground, cannot be seen now and speech can be expressed, the thought has sprouted. Action is such that tree has grown; fruits and flowers have grown in it. There is a series in this whole process from seed to flowers and fruits. You catch the mid, that is the sprout. Because when things are getting sprouted and if you wish they can easily be damaged. It is very difficult to uproot the Pipal tree; hundreds of wood-cutters will be required for that. Big crane will be required to lift it. Machinery will be required. But, if you want to destroy the small seed, damage the sprout, even a small kid will be able to do that. Even a small bird can do that. One who gets aware of his speech will consequently become aware deeply and finally he can be aware of his thoughts. He can become watcher of his thoughts. Then he will be able to know his consciousness; he will be able to know his soul. So Buddha walks gradually step by step.

From Gross to Subtle
First he says Samyak Action, then Samyak Vani, and later says Samyak Samadhi, samyak smriti. Gradually move inside from outside. Speech is in between and therefore one who becomes aware of his speech will gradually become aware of thoughts. If you say someone to become aware of your thoughts it may seem to be very difficult. Thoughts are very subtle. They cannot be observed easily, when they convert into speech then atimes we come to know that this was going within us. When we become aware of expressed speech, then we can become aware of even unexpressed speech, which are the thoughts of our mind.

For instance if anger rises within me, first of all my consciousness is shaken, then the thoughts of anger came and then I spoke some nuisance and after it I did action; fight and quarrel took place. Now the reaction of actions will take place. Reaction will be there from the other person; even he will say something. Now I have been trapped in a vicious circle from which I can’t come out easily. Now things are out of my control. I don’t know what other person is going to do. But till the things were within me, I was the owner. I wish I would have been aware when the feeling of anger, the thoughts of anger were surrounding my mind, then I would have been free from this bad action. Thoughts and feelings are very subtle. It would have been easy to return even from the moment when it got converted to speech. Once an incident is converted into action, then there is no way of coming back. Then we are caught in the vicious circle. Therefore there is so much emphasis on speech. Let your speech express love. Let your speech express Satyam, Shivam, Sunderam. Let them be the deciding factors for your speech. Is your speech true, authentic? Secondly, is it constructive? And third- is it beautiful, sweet, and appealing? If your speech succeeds in all these three deciding factors, then it is Samyak Vani - right speech. If sometimes you feel it cannot succeed in all the three, then at least take care of two. If you can complete even two conditions out of three, even then it is more than enough. At times it is possible that it may not be true but may be favorable. And when it is beautiful and pleasing, then don’t worry about truth. The speech which completes two conditions can be spoken. If it completes only one condition then stop for a while. There is no need to speak now. This speech can create problem for you. 90% of your life problems are due to some wrongly spoken words. You spoke one wrong word and you are caught in a trap. The great war of Mahabharata took place because of one small thing.

Pandavas had built a palace, which had shining floor. Then they called Duryodhan, to show their palace. Duryodhan was not aware that there is a shining floor just like a glass. He saw his reflection and thought that there is some water on the floor. He pulled his dhoti a bit, by watching this, Dropadi started laughing and gave taunting comment. She commented that the son of blind is also blind. If the prank would have been between brother in law and sister in law it would have been ok, but now the matter had reached to father in law. Then the same Duryodan takes revenge one day. When he unveils Dropadi in front of all, he says now this son of blind wants to see you naked. The matter goes on extending. It had started from one harsh word and due to useof wrong words the matter reached up to Mahabharata. Lord Krishna, who is called reincarnation by Hindus, even he was present, even he tried but couldn’t stop this war. Then this matter was out of even God’s control. You yourself watch your life. All your quarrels and fights have taken place, maximum arguments have taken place due to some words. I wish if you would have remained silent, at times remaining silent is more useful. I promise you that you won’t regret your silence. You would have regretted thousand times for your speech that I wish I should not have spoken such words. Try to control your speech, only speak what is required. and I have given you three deciding factors.

Three Criteria: Truth, Beneficiary and Beautiful
Therefore your speech should succeed in three deciding factors. Some people say that we are truth speakers, we always speak truth but usually they too use Asamyak vani, wrong speech. They try to hurt others in the name of truth. Now if you ask some blind person, hey blind person, what are you doing? You will say that am I wrong? Am I lying? I always speak truth. If I won’t call blind person as blind then what will I call him? You are speaking truth but it’s not constrctive and pleasing. It would have been better if you would not have spoken. You could have said this in a better way; you could have said “Surdasji, how are you”? Matter is the same but words have changed. If you say to some lady that you are lavanyamayi - it will seem to be poetic, it will seem to be pleasing, and it will seem as appreciation of her beauty. And if you say her that you are very salty, then you may get beatings from her. In linguistic way both words, lavanyamayi and salty have the same meaning. Lavan means salt. But the way of telling makes a great difference.

I have heard that an astrologer came into the kingdom of the emperor. He did the palm reading of that king and said that you are very unlucky, you will have to face death of all your four queens and not only queens, you will have to face the death of all your princes. All will die in front of your eyes. Your mother, father, brothers, sisters all will die in front of your eyes. All the members of the family present in the kingdom will die in front of your eyes. Emperor got upset and locked him behind the bars, and thus decided to give judgment for punishment on the next day. Then after some time another astrologer came, emperor asked him to watch, read his palm and describe his future. He even told that first astrologer has said some rubbish things about my future and I will punish him tomorrow. When the second astrologer read his palm he said, you are the luckiest person, you have a long life, and you are going to live for 125 years. Emperor rewarded this astrologer. Even this astrologer said the same thing if emperor will live for 125 years then definitely he will have to face the death of all his family members. But there are two ways of telling the same thing.

Use of right speech can be very helpful, especially for a person practicing meditation. It will save you from unwanted confusions and if energy will be saved only then can it be used for practicing meditation. The energy of a common man is simply spent. Nothing is left for the inner journey. Meditation is the biggest journey. For that energy has to be conserved. Don’t waste your energy unnecessarily. Don’t get involved in the useless quarrel, fights, and meaningless discussions. Speak what is worth speaking and hear what is worth hearing. Then the inner journey will take place easily in your life.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Life and Times of Osho

Osho was born on 11th December 1931 in the small village of Kuchwada situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh. From the very childhood He was a highly talented and a revolutionary child. His talents reflected in varied forms in all his activities. He was never ready to believe or accept anything without knowing them. He did not follow any belief system or a tradition. He was always on a search for his own self. He had a scientific approach towards everything in life. There was a major revolution in his life at the age of seven. Osho loved His maternal grandfather -Nanaji immensely,who died when Osho was just seven years old. Till the age of seven, Osho did not stayed with his parents but with his maternal grandparents.

Osho had a big setback by this incident in His life and at that time He felt that this life is not worth living anymore. At that night He thought that I must also die today, and with this feeling he slept: "When Nanaji whom I loved so much is no more, then what the use of my living life is; I should also not live in this world. There is no more interest of mine in living; the one whom I loved so much is gone so I should also go." With this feeling in His mind, He went to sleep. It was as if he was inviting the death. For Him death did not come at that time, but something unique happened. He realized himself different from the body. He had his first conscious acquaintance with his formless being. It was merely a glimpse, but the next morning He got up and said to everyone - "Do not cry. Nanaji is not dead, because in reality nobody dies. Last night when my body was lying almost like a dead body; I was actually witnessing all this from within. I have also known that I am different from the body. Also, each of us is not the body but the soul that's lying within." This was the experience of just a seven-year old child

He got enlightened at the age of twenty-one. Osho's flower bloomed on 21st March, 1953 at midnight 2 O'clock sitting under a "Maulshree" tree in the garden of "Bhanwar Taal" situated in the city of Jabalpur. At that time, he unified with the Existence. The experience of oneness with the Existence is the experience of Enlightenment. Thus, 21st March is celebrated as Enlightenment day of Osho. After this, He completed his student life by completing his post graduation in Arts. After completion of His studies, He did a job of being a professor in University for 8 years. He taught the subject of Philosophy. Along with this, He used to give discourses by going to different corners of the country. And His discourses proved to be a challenge to the then contemporary traditional ideologies.

After 1970's He started a new movement of Neo-Sannyas and created several meditation techniques. The Neo-Sannyas movement started spreading like a wildfire and a huge number of people were initiated into it and this started giving rise to a new stream. You may call Osho as the first "Tirthankar" or incarnation of Divine for this new stream. His teachings were not

In 1974, Shree Rajneesh Ashram was established in Pune. This led to spreading of Osho's work to the masses on a large scale. Numerous people from all over the world from different countries started coming to Ashram. The associated with any old traditional ideology or any belief system or any rituals, but were containing the true essence of life and were revolutionary. He used to accept life in all its shades; His religion was not of escapism but of acceptance. He accepted Life totally and taught to enrich each aspect in a positive manner to make it more beautiful. His Sannyas did not mean escaping or runAshram took a big shape. It became the biggest center for human growth and enrichment. Around 5000 people used to be there always, in morning as well as evening.

Osho used to give discourses to the seekers. He ning away to jungles or Himalayan caves, or leaving your home and children; neither denying one's own responsibilities and duties. On the contrary, it had emphasis on living in one's own home-life with the family and practicing Meditation and Samadhi and knowing the Divine self. This changed the meaning of Sannyas in the world and brought a new meaning to it.

showed his insight on the teachings of almost all the saints. The dirt and dust that was accumulated on the old religions was cleaned and renewed. The jewel within it was re-discovered, polished and He added His experience to it.He spoke on Buddha, Mahavir, Patanjali, Nanak, Krishna, Ram, Gorakhnath, Kabir, Paltu, various Sufi saints, Fakirs, Taoists, various saints of the west and gave His invaluable insight on them, thus, giving a new dimension to religion.

In 1981, He left for U.S.A where a city named Rajneeshpuram was formed which was three times bigger than the city of New York. Seeing the rising sun of Osho there, the traditional Christians and U.S government became suspicious and tried to put obstacles in further growth. They made a plan to destroy this commune of Osho. Thus, in 1985, Osho returned back to India and again left for a world tour. He traveled around 21 countries having democratic government and proved it to all that in reality there was no democracy to speak anywhere. He was sent back from 21countries. We are just free in the sense of words only but we are not open enough to listen to the thoughts of an unarmed person.

Oshodhara - The living stream of Osho was born around 10 years ago in 1997. 5th March is celebrated as "Oshodhara Day." Osho's disciple and Sannyasin Swami Anand Siddhartha now known as Osho Siddhartha was blessed with enlightenment on 5th March 1997. In Osho's life, every 7th year had a vital importance. As Osho was never forcing anyone to listen, nor was He trapping people to listen to Him. He was just speaking in midst of His disciples. What harm was He posing to all by this? It was a sheer surprise that those so-called democratic Governments were shaken to their roots by the talks of Osho; this was the magic of his speech.

More than 5000 audio and video discourses of Osho are available. His talks are brought together in almost 650 books. His teachings are translated in more than 50 languages. After refusal from 21 countries, Osho returned back to Mumbai. For around 6 months, He stayed in the "Sumilam" bunglow of Swami Suraj Prakash. After that He went back to Pune. In this span of time, He had an emphasis on the various meditation techniques devised by many saints. On 19th Jan. 90 Osho left His body. Even after His leaving the body, Osho's work is continuously progressing.

said earlier, at the age of seven, Osho's Nanaji left his body, at the age of fourteen Osho had a friend named as Shashi who passed away and again after the circle of next seven year at the age of 21 Osho became enlightened. Osho has mentioned it that in every seven years something of significance used to take place in Hislife. Similarly, exactly after the gap of 7 years of Osho's leaving His body, Swami Anand Siddhartha was enlightened. This again brought a new ray of light as in the gap of those 7 years after Osho had left His body was a sheer darkness. And with the ray of Osho Siddhartha ji again the illumination started spreading and led to emergence of Oshodhara.

There is a story about River Neel. It is said that river Neel flows for miles on Earth and then flowing it goes underground for several kilometers and suddenly it rises again on the surface of Earth. Exactly like this happened with Osho's live stream. Till the time when Osho was in his body the river flowed, but after that from 1990 to 1997 it had gone underground. It continued to flow underneath. Preparations were taking place for it to arise again. Like we sow the seeds and after some days a sapling or a plant comes into existence. In the meanwhile, the seed remains in complete darkness waiting for maturity. Then gradually it grows and after years it becomes a big tree providing shade and fruit. Similarly, again in 1997 this live stream of Osho came to the surface with the Enlightenment of Osho Siddhartha ji on 5th March 1997. Hence, we celebrate 5th March as Oshodhara Day. After this day, many secrets of Samadhi are explored in a scientific way. Many experiments have been carried out. Around 10,000 people have taken part in Samadhi programs. Knowing Samadhi and Knowing the Divine self is in short the introduction of Osho and Oshodhara.

I have heard a prank about Mulla Nassirudin that he went to police station. He told the police station in charge to note down the complaint. Since last year his warrior, tough and muscular wife is missing. It seems someone has taken her away. She is missing. The police station in charge said “It’s out of limit; you are coming for the complaint after one year, why didn’t you come earlier”. Nassirudin said that I could not trust my fate that my warrior; tough and muscular wife can be missing. It took me one year to believe it. Similarly when the crowd of thoughts, noise of emotions, desires, anger, greed, possessiveness these all disappear from disciple’s within, it takes time to trust that I am that lucky. I am the blessed. One can’t believe that the sound of one hand clapping is resonating within me. The hypothetical trust towards the master develops into the real trust. The master tells you that the knack or the key to Samadhi is this divine sound. It helps you to drown within.

Eighth: In harmony with OM
The eighth point is affection towards God. To hear the sound within, to hear the Omkar, this alone will not work. The rise of love, affection, fondness towards the Omkar, we call that affection as bhakti- devotion. The affection towards God is devotion, is ultimate devotion. So knowing Omkarand hearing it alone will not be sufficient. Till you immerse in its love, till you immerse in its devotion, nothing will happen.

Ninth: Oneness with the Ultimate
The ninth point is the experience of Adwait - non duality. One day you will know that the Omkar form of God in which you are immersing and you are one. We are not two, we are one. There will be the declaration of Aham Brahamasmi - I am the Divine. Enlightenment will take place. The ultimate knowledge will be attained.

You have asked that in my life what happened on 5th January, 2001 .This incident took place in my life. There was feeling of non duality, that I and this whole existence are not apart. We are one.

Tenth: Compassion
The tenth point is fabrication of compassion. The person who knows himself one with God, incredible love rises within him. That love is such that some other name will have to be given. The word love runs short, that’s why we called it as compassion. A great compassion arises. Because he notices that the way in which I suffered sorrows, similarly all the people in this world are suffering. Lot of compassion arises, and then he becomes Acharya. He becomes teacher. He becomes a guide. Then he starts sharing what he has known. He starts telling others.

These are the ten points. Nandkumar Ghanshani, who has asked this question, is my friend; he knows me for last 30 years. I would like to tell him one more thing that in my life as I was Osho’s younger brother, second, third and fourth step took place by itself. I began directly from the fifth step. Therefore my journey was very simple.

The vision of Master Osho has evolved my heart and beautified my life. It brought joy and bliss to my life. The fiction of the self has broken like a dream. The dust on the mirror of consciousness has been cleaned by His cooling breeze.

My dark life has been illuminated by light. A fire of life has ignited a candle in the temple of my heart. Just leaving the rope of my Life in His hands, I didn’t swim nor ran in the river of the world but with His grace the boat of my life reached the other shore.