Pravachan - 25 - Acharya Rajneesh (Osho)

 

This Pravachan was delivered on 5 Oct 1976

Pravachan Audio link – Soundcloud –

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/NGSbE

Pravachan Transcript link –

https://oshostsang.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/अष्%e2%80%8dटावक्र-महागीता-प्रव-25/

(Pravachan No 24 is a Question and Answer session. All even numbered pravachans are Q&A sessions. Therefore, these have been left out for the time being – these will be taken up after completion of all expositions of Ashtavakra Gita)

ashTAvakra uvAca |

tadA bandhO yadA cittaM kincidvAnchati SOcati |

kincinmuncati gRhNAti kincit-hRshyati kupyati || 8 : 1 || 79 ||

 

tadA muktiryadA cittaM na vAnchati na SOcati |

na muncati na gRhNAti na hRshyati na kupyati || 8 : 2 || 80 ||

 

tadA bandhO yadA cittaM saktaM kAsvapi dRshTishu |

tadA mOkshO yadA cittamasaktaM sarvadRshTishu || 8 : 3 || 81 ||

 

yadA nAhaM tadA mOkshO yadAhaM bandhanaM tadA |

matvEti hElayA kincit mA gRhANa vimunca mA || 8 : 4 || 82 ||

 

अष्टावक्र उवाच ।

तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं किञ्चिद्वाञ्छति शोचति ।

किञ्चिन्मुञ्चति गृह्णाति किञ्चित्-हृष्यति कुप्यति ।। 8 : 1 ।। 79 ||

 

तदा मुक्तिर्यदा चित्तं न वाञ्छति न शोचति ।

न मुञ्चति न गृह्णाति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति ।। 8 : 2 ।। 80 ||

 

तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं सक्तं कास्वपि दृष्टिषु ।

तदा मोक्षो यदा चित्तमसक्तं सर्वदृष्टिषु ।। 8 : 3 ।। 81 ||

 

यदा नाहं तदा मोक्षो यदाहं बन्धनं तदा ।

मत्वेति हेलया किञ्चित् मा गृहाण विमुञ्च मा ।। 8 : 4 ।। 82 ||

 

(In the book ‘Ashtavakra Samhita’ by Swami Nityaswarupananda, these 4 Slokas are given as Chapter 8; but, according to the transcript of the Pravachan, all these are given sequentially (71 - 74) (revised as 79 – 82) – without any chapters. Accordingly, both the systems of numbering have been adopted here.)

(It may be noted that the previous Pravachan (23) ended with Sloka 78. Therefore, the revised order has been adopted – as 79 – 82 – to maintain continuity.)

Pravachan

Poem of Osho –

सजा का हाल सुनाएं, जजा की बात करें,

खुदा मिला हो जिन्हें, वो खुदा की बात करें।

Man talks about his grief (dukh), his worries (cintA), his disquiet (bEcainI), his anguish (santAp). Man talks about only those which he has got. When the rays of bliss (Anand) burst forth (phUT), then a new talk starts. When one meets the Lord, then one forgets everything - the web (jAl) of entire past lives (janma) - as if they (past lives) had never happened, as if, what was seen in the night, was not at all true. The morning Sun falsifies (jhUT) the whole night; after the Sun has risen, who will talk of darkness (of night)?

Similarly, the Sun rose in the life of Janaka also; whatever happened in his life, was so sudden (Akasmik) that Janaka could not contain (samhAl) (himself); he was flowing forth (bah), as if some stream has suddenly burst forth, and there is no way for it (to flow); the way is yet to be made.  Ashtavakra was helping in making the way – first he tested him (Janaka) and then he suggested (tempted) (pralObhan) to him. In today’s Sutras, there is encouragement (prOtsAhan). The test went off well, and Janaka passed (uttIrNa) the test. The suggestion was also useless – Janaka did not get entangled (ulajh). Whatever happened, had actually happened; (Janaka) met (kharA) the criterion (kasauTI) also. Now he (Ashtavakra) is encouraging him – He is patting (thapthapAnA) him in the back (pITh); he is telling Janaka that, what happened, was correct. Now, Ashtavakra is becoming a witness for what Janaka said, by repeating what he said. These Sutras are unique.

 सजा का हाल सुनाएं, जजा की बात करें,

खुदा मिला हो जिन्हें, वो खुदा की बात करें।

 Here, the happening (ghaTanA) is that of meeting with (attaining) (milnA) Lord (khudA) – the Lord happened between Ashtavakra and Janaka. Therefore, now, there can be no other talk. Sometimes, it might appear to you that – ‘so much of repetition (punarukti) is being made. Why the same is being told again and again?’ But, those who attained (milA) Lord, cannot do anything else; they will say the same, again and again.

Have you seen, when a small child starts speaking, for the first time, they are broken words, they are not even meaningful (sArthak); it speaks words like – papa, mama; it keeps on repeating these words throughout the day, whether it has any use (prayOjan) or not, whether there is anyone (to listen) or not. It derives so much pleasure in repeating, because, it has now got a wonderful capacity (kshamatA) – it has learnt to speak ‘papa’ or ‘mama’. A new experience has happened in its world; it has become a part of the society. Till then, it was outside the society – it was in jungle; now, by speaking ‘papa’, it has entered inside through the door. Now, it is part of language, society, community. Now, it can speak.

Exactly, similar thing happened. Janaka has taken a new birth. He got the first glimpse (jhalak) of the Lord; the glimpse has flashed right into his life breath (prANa); his every pore was trembling (kampA). Now, whatever he would speak, whatever he would see, whatever he would hear, it would be paramAtmA through and through. Even though it cannot be described in the same way, as it happened, but, when it happens, thousands of methods are adopted to tell (describe) it.

In today’s Sutra, Ashtavakra is patting the back of Janaka. He says – ‘you have won; you have come home; whatever you are telling, it is right; your test is complete, you have passed the test’. First Sutra –

 ashTAvakra uvAca |

tadA bandhO yadA cittaM kincidvAnchati SOcati |

kincinmuncati gRhNAti kincit-hRshyati kupyati || 8 : 1 || 79 ||

Ashtavakra says – ‘when the mind wants (cAhatA) something, thinks (sOctA) something, renounces (tyAgatA) something, accepts (grahaNa) something, when it is unhappy (dukhI) or happy (sukhI) – then it is bound (bandha)’.

If we get the correct definition (paribhAshA) of ‘bondage’, then we also get the definition of liberation (freedom) (mOksha); he who is not bound, is liberated. We should, at first, get the definition of ‘bondage’, because, we are all familiar with bondage. To define ‘bliss’ (happiness) (Anand), Buddha says – ‘annihilation (nirOdha) of unhappiness (grief) (dukh)’; we are familiar with grief; where there is no grief, there is happiness. We are familiar with dark (andhEri) night; if we have to define ‘dawn’ (subah), we have to say – ‘where it is no more darkness’.

But, by this definition, a big mistake (bhUl) happens. Some people think that, probably, (SAyad) we have to get rid (miT) of darkness; only then it will (be) dawn. The definition is correct that – where there is no darkness, there is dawn. But, do not make it your ritual (anushThAn); do not think that only when we get rid of darkness, it will be dawn. Then it becomes reversed (ulTA). When dawn comes, the darkness vanishes. There is no possibility for getting rid of darkness. You call (pukAr) dawn, you seek dawn, you light a lamp. The statement - ‘when there is no darkness, it is dawn’ – is correct as a definition, but as a means (tool) (sAdhan), it is dangerous (khatarnAk).

 Where there remains no grief, there it is bliss (Anand); therefore, do not try to get rid of grief; by that, you will never be able to reach happiness. It is beautiful for a definition. You call happiness, you awaken happiness.

People come to me asking – ‘how to get rid of grief?’ I say – ‘you take off your attention (dhyAn) from grief. Till the time you want to get rid of grief, you will not be able to do so, because, for (in the name of) getting rid of grief, you keep your attention (nazar) on grief itself; your sight is set on grief itself; you keep thinking of grief’. Whatever you are contemplating (cintan), it keeps increasing. In order to get rid of grief, you are not forgetting it, even for a moment. Whatever you are not able to forget, it becomes well settled inside you. Whatever, you keep remembering (smaraNa), you verily become that. You may have to often remember that, which you want to get rid of.

Have you seen – if you have to forget (vismaraNa) something, it (forgetting) becomes difficult. Thousands of people casually come in our lives, and we forget them. But, if you have to forget, it becomes very hard, because, in the process of forgetting, you have to remember it; and, thus, a reverse process begins. In order to forget something, do not ever try to forget it. If you try, you will never be able to forget, because, trying (to forget) would mean remembering it. For forgetting, just ignore (upEkshA) it. In order to forget, shift your attention somewhere else. If you make effort to forget, you attention will remain stuck in that.

This is, as if, someone is scratching his wound, thinking that it would get healed. By this, the wound will never heal, it will remain fresh. You will keep on increasing the wound daily. The more you scratch the wound, the possibility of it healing will keep diminishing. Have you seen – if someone is very ill, the physicians tell that sleep is the first requirement. If one gets sleep, half the illness would become alright. Why so much value for sleep? Because, if the patient does not get sleep, he will not forget illness. It is, as if, scratching the wound. He will keep on thinking, all the time, about headache. The more he thinks of pain, the severe it becomes.

A lustful person wants to get rid of lust; therefore, he keeps on worrying, all the time, as to how he could get rid of it, because it is a sin, it is bad, it is a crime. An angry person wants to get rid of anger; therefore, he gets entangled in it. Whatever you want to get rid, you will get stuck with it. Divert your attention. If the attention is diverted from night, it will be on the dawn; if diverted from darkness, it will be on the lamp; do not ever broach the subject of grief. If there is grief, ignore it; awaken happiness. When happiness begins to awake, the grief will start disappearing (tirOdhAna).

Do not consider definitions to be means (tools) (sAdhanA). Many believe that definitions to be tools. Definitions are just a pointer (ingit), an indication (iSArA), a method of telling something. And, it is to be told in the opposite (negative) (ulTA) way, because, you are familiar with opposites. We cannot say about bliss (Anand) from the point of view of wise (buddha), because, there is no language for that. There is no language for wise; there, silence is the only language. If ‘bliss’ is to be told, it is to be told from the point of view of those who are not wise (abuddha). But, those who are not wise, have no idea of bliss – that is the problem (aDcan). The wise do not have any language – they have experience of bliss. Those who are not wise, have language, but no experience of bliss. How can there be a dialogue between these two? We translate the experience of wise in the language of non-wise. When we say - ‘bliss is the end (nirOdha) of grief’, it is the translation. When we say – ‘dawn is end of night’ – it is the translation. It is a translation in your language, because, you have no experience (of it); it is their translation of those, who have experience, but do not have the language.

tadA bandhO yadA cittaM kincidvAnchati SOcati |

kincinmuncati gRhNAti kincit-hRshyati kupyati ||

‘when the mind thinks (sOctA) something, wants (cAhatA) something, renounces (tyAgatA) something, accepts (grahaNa) something, when it is unhappy (dukhI) or happy (sukhI) – then it is bound (bandha).’

When the mind is active (sakriya), it is bound. The actions of mind are bondage. People told you – ‘anger is bondage’, ‘desire is bondage’. ‘Greed is bondage’; but, the statement is not complete, because, if you donate (dAn), after thinking (about it), then also it is bondage; if you show mercy, after thinking (about it), then also, it is bondage. Ashtavakra is giving a fundamental (maulik) definition; he says – ‘even just an action of mind is bondage. Where the mind becomes active, when waves (of mind) arise, then you get bound. When the mind becomes totally inactive (nishkriya), then you become liberated. Search for those moments, when there is no action of mind.

‘tadA bandhaH – then it is bound - yadA cittaM vAncati – when you desired something, then the journey (yAtrA) begins’.

Have you heard the story of Sheikh Chilli? He was going for selling milk; he had kept the (milk) pot on his head. On the way, he started thinking – ‘if I sell it (milk), I will be able to earn some money; every day I shall save the money; soon, I shall be able purchase another buffalo (bhains)’. Then, he became very jubilant (praphullit); when the buffalo came to his mind - when it resonated in his mind - he started thinking – ‘then, I will have so much of milk, so much of ghee, I shall sell these; soon, I will have more buffaloes; I will keep on purchasing buffaloes, and keep selling (milk); soon, a time will come, when I will have so much of wealth, that the most beautiful woman of the village, would yearn to marry me’. Then, he started flying in the air - though he was (actually) walking on the road, for selling milk, which has not been sold yet, and no money has come to his pocket – he had already married; he brought her (bride) home; then he had a son; he had seated his son on his lap; it was winter season, and he was playing with the child in his lap; his son started pulling his beard; then he shouted – ‘you idiot’. This utterance came out a little loudly. Initially, everything was playing in his mind, but later, it all became so real that the words (‘you idiot’) came out of his mouth forcefully. With both hands, he tried to shake off child from his beard; but, he shook off his hands from the pot, and the pot fell on the ground and broke. You notice the falling of pot, but his whole world had collapsed; you are not aware of his world. His (imaginary) son died, wife died, hundreds of buffaloes purchased by him were lost; his property was lost; everything was lost. He, actually, had nothing, not even money that would have accrued on that day for selling milk. He was standing alone. You cannot understand how much got shattered, with the breakage of one pot.

Ashtavakra says – ‘this is called your mind’s world – it is called imagination. There is actually nothing – everything is a drama. But the mind gets soaked in that taste, it gets immersed.

Where there is mind’s action (kriyA), there is bondage (bandhan). yadA cittam vAncati – where the mind wanted anything – Here, there is no distinction (bhEda) of the subject (vishaya) (of want); it is not said – ‘those who desire wealth, are Worldly people, and they are in bondage’. Even if you wanted paramAtmA, you are in bondage. If you wanted truth, even then you are in bondage. See the Sutra.

yadA cittam vAncati – in whose mind, a wish arose; wish for what? There is no need to specify it, because, whatever wish arises, waves (ripples) arise as a consequence, and the lake (jhIl) (of mind) becomes turbulent (DAvADOl). There is a calm lake; you are sitting on the bank; you throw a stone into it (lake); there was the sound of splash, and the lake is full of ripples – similar is the stone of wish, stone of desire; as soon as it hits the mind, it (mind) becomes turbulent. You try to do it – in fact, there is no need to try – you are doing it every day. You do not have to see this Sheikh Chilli in any other person (in others’ minds). Often, if you try, you will catch him in yourself. How many times, this Sheikh Chilli has taken so many forms, inside you? The mind is Sheikh Chilli. When you catch the Sheikh Chilli, then laugh at yourself a little, laugh at your idiocy (mUDhtA); the one who can laugh at his idiocy, starts to become wise. It is so, because one who laughs at his idiocy, has become the witness.

yadA cittaM vAncati kincit SOcati – if you think, you get entangled; there is a trap (web) (jAl) in the thought process. Whenever, a thought arises, you get immersed in it. As soon as the thought arises, you become secondary (gauNa), and the thought becomes primary (pramukh). Inside, all the values get changed (parivartan); you become so involved (saMlagna) in the thought, that you lose the memory (smaraNa) that you are seer (drashTA), and you become thinker (vicArak).

You have three states (sthiti). One is the witness (sAkshI) – then (in that state), there is no mind at all, because, there are no waves; the mind is combination (collection) (jOD) of waves – it is the name for flow (pravAha) of thoughts. In the state of witness, the lake (mind) is totally silent (maun); no wind shakes it.

The second state is that of thinker (vicArak). The lake is disturbed (kamp), the seed of thought has fallen, the thought-stone has hit, a wish arose, and everything becomes disturbed. The mirror-like silent lake, which was, so far, reflecting the moon, is not reflecting now – the mirror has been lost; even the (reflected) moon has become shattered; the moon-shine (cAndI) is spread all over the lake, but there is no true reflection of moon anywhere; everything has become deformed (vikRt). This is the second state.

Then, the third state – of doer (kartA). Whatever you got hold in the thought, will soon become an action (karma). Witness – thought – action. If one comes into action, then he has come into the thick (ghanA) jungle of World. When you were in the thought (state), you were coming towards the World – you had lapsed from witness (state), but had not come into action (state) – you were stuck (aTkA) in the middle; you were a Tri-Sanku. That person, who attains the witness (state), is righteous (dhArmik); one who is entangled in thoughts, is a philosopher (dArSanik); one who has gotten into action, is a politician (rAjanItijna).

(Translator’s note – Tri-Sanku – As per Hindu scriptures, he remains in a suspended state between heaven and earth. The word ‘dhArmik’ is difficult to translate – as per Osho, ‘dharma’ is not to be translated as ‘religion’; it refers to Universal laws. However, in the present context, it has been translated as ‘righteous’, which is not very appropriate.)

Righteousness (dharma), philosophy (darSan SAstra), politics (rAjanIti) – these are three states of your mind. Righteousness is related neither to action, nor to thought. Righteousness is related to the state (bhAva) of pure (Suddha) witness (sAkshI). Next is ‘philosophy’ – it is related only to thought (vicAr); it keeps count of waves – it forgets the lake in the counting of waves; in the counting of thoughts, it totally forgets as to whose waves these are. And, then, the most deviated (bhaTak) state is, the mind of politician; he is totally lost beyond the waves; he keeps count of the consequences of waves – if there are ripples (waves) in a lake, noise (sound) emanates from the (rolling of) waves, which is echoed in the surrounding atmosphere (vAdi) – he keeps count of this (noise). Until something becomes an action, it does not become politics.

Among those who have written commentary (TIkA) on the Gita of Krishna, there are three types of people. One is politician – like (Bal Gangadhar) Tilak, Aurobindo, (Mahatma) Gandhi – they have written commentary on Gita; their effort has been to establish (siddha) ‘path of action’ (karma yOga) in Gita – that action is everything. Then, there are thinkers (vicArak) who have written commentary; their intent (Agraha) is to establish (siddha) a particular tradition (paramparA) – if one belongs to the tradition believing in devotion (bhakti), then, to establish ‘devotion’; if one belongs to the tradition believing in knowledge (jnAna), then, to establish ‘knowledge’; if one belongs to the tradition of ‘non-duality’(advaita), then, to establish ‘non-duality’; if one belongs to the tradition of ‘duality’ (dvaita), then to establish ‘duality’; or to establish ‘dual-non-duality’ (dvaita-advaita). There are thousands of traditions of thought; these are the interpretations (vyAkhyA) of the (respective) thinker.

The third interpretation has never been done, because, it is not possible (to do). The third interpretation is that of the state of witness, which is a matter of experience. If anyone gets into interpretation of that (experience), he cannot do; there is no method of doing it, because if the third interpretation is done, it will become (same as) the second one. If anyone makes effort to establish that ‘witness-state’ is the fundamental teaching of Gita, that meditation (dhyAn) and absorption (samAdhi) (are the fundamental teachings of Gita), even then, it will become part of (second) - thought (thinkers) (vicAr). The third interpretation cannot be done; only those, who understood the third interpretation, through experience, are the ones who really understood. All else, because of their (own) understanding, have made the understanding of Krishna, chaotic (asta-vyasta).

‘when the mind wants (cAhatA) something, thinks (sOctA) something, renounces (tyAgatA) something, accepts (grahaNa) something, when it is happy (sukhI) or unhappy (dukhI) – then it is bound (bandha).’

Then, it is bound – It is funny (mazA) that some people hold on, and some people give up. Some people are holding on to the World. Some others (try to) explain (samajhA) to them (who are holding on), to give up (chOD) and run away (bhAg), as the World is full of grief (dukh). But those who run away, do not seem to be happy; it does not seem that there is any happiness (prasAd) in their lives. There seems to be no glimmer (kiraNa), no glow (vibhA) in the lives of those who have run away, and settled (baiTh) in jungles, in mountains, and in monasteries (maTh). What happened? Neither anything is attained by holding on, nor by giving up, because, what you hold on, and what you give up, is the same thing. Sometimes, those who hold on, may appear to be somewhat happy, but those who have run away, do not seem to be happy at all. It is so, because, those who hold on, get at least life’s ordinary, momentary (kshaNa-bhangur) pleasures (sukh) – even if it is fleeting. Sometimes, one falls in love with a woman, and he dreams of happiness, even if it is momentary; it is true that the dream will be shattered (TUT), but, it is also true that there was one (such dream of happiness). But, the one who ran away, has lost even that momentary happiness; he might not get the Eternity (SASvat), but even the momentary happiness is lost.

I was reading a story. This story was told by a guru to his disciples; he told them – ‘pay attention and come, with the meaning of the story, the aim of the story, tomorrow morning’. The story is straight-forward (sIdhI-sAdI). The story. There was an emperor and he had a harem; there were five hundred beautiful women in the harem (ranivAs). But he got his harem located in the jungle, five miles away from the palace. Daily, in the evening, his most trusted servant used to go to the harem, to bring one queen for the enjoyment of the king. It is said that the king lived ninety years, while the servant, who brings women in the evening, and leaves her in the morning, lived only for forty years. After that, the king employed another person for the job. He also died before the king.

Guru asked his disciples to ponder over the story and come with the meaning and aim thereof. The disciples pondered much, but they could not get the meaning. They came back and told him (guru) so. The guru laughed and said – ‘the meaning is straight-forward. A man does not (necessarily) die because of indulging in enjoyment (bhOga) of women, but the one who runs after women, dies early. The one (servant) made two trips daily - once for fetching and another for leaving her; that is why he died early. But the one who was enjoying, lived for ninety years.

Man comes to grief (TUT), not that much, because of enjoyment of wealth, but because of running after wealth. Man does not grieve that much, because of (remaining in) the World, but because of running away from the World. You can, sometimes, see brightness (raunak) in the face of Worldly people; but you cannot find any brightness in the face of those, whom you call ascetic (tapasvI) – they are corpses (murdA). Maybe you consider their corpse-like-form (murdApan) as ‘ascetic’, because you see something different (kuch). If a person becomes pale (pIlA) due to fasting (upavAs), his devotees exclaim – ‘what a pure golden (kundan) form!’ Ask those who are not his devotees; they will say – ‘we will not call it even brass (pItal), leave aside gold; it seems gold to you; it is not sure whether he indeed looks to you so, or whether you want to see him so, that is why he appears so’.

Have you ever seen the renunciates (tyAgI) blissful (Anandit)? Have you ever seen any Jain Muni blissful? Have you ever thought? There are so many Jain Munis; among them no one seems to be blissful, no one seems to be dancing, humming (gungunA) songs. At least some of them should be blissful. They all have given up the World. They have shut all the doors for grief (dukh) – they have broken all bridges (sEtu). They should be having Ektara (iktArA) (single stringed musical instrument) in their hands. The lute should be playing in their hearts. They should be wearing ankle bell (ghunghar). They should sing – ‘pad ghungharU bAndh mIrA nAcI rE (song of Meera Bai). But, no; there is no dance, no ankle bell (in the feet), no ankle bell in their life breath (prANa). They all are gloomy (udAs), they are blank (empty) (rikta), they are all corpses (murdA); they are all like (people in) crematorium (marghat). These saints (mahAtmA) are ‘living crematoriums’; what happened? Is it that, though enjoyment (bhOga) is wrong, renunciation (tyAga) is more wrong? Those given to enjoyments (bhOgI) are foolish (nAsamajh), but even renunciate is foolish – in fact more foolish than the Enjoyers.

Listen to this Sutra of Ashtavakra – ‘whoever renounces (tyAga) or accepts (grahaN) –

kincit muncati kincit gRhNAti – if one holds on or if one rejects – both are bondage – tadA bandhaH.

One who is happy (sukhI) or unhappy (dukhI) –There is no bliss (Anand) in both happiness and unhappiness. Bliss is other-Worldly (pAra-laukika). A happy man is not blissful person – a happy man is suppressing (dabA) his grief; happy man is one who has, momentarily (kshaNa), forgotten (bhulA) grief (dukh).

When do you say that you are happy? You went to see film; you were immersed in it for two hours; you say – ‘I enjoyed it’. As soon as you get out (of cinema hall), your grief is very much there. Sometimes, you go for a drink; you say – ‘I enjoyed it’. In the morning, when you get up, your grief is again very much there – it is there, wherever it was (the night before); probably, your grief has increased (grown) during the night. When you were drunk (not in senses), then the grief was increasing (growing), because, there is nothing static (ThahrI) in the World; everything is increasing (growing); when you were sleeping at night, the trees were growing, your child was growing. When you sleep in the night, your grief also will increase (grow). When you were lying drunk, there was (temporary) memory loss (vismaraNa); but nothing is lost because of that (memory loss). This is an ostrich (Saturmurg) view (dRshTi).

Have you heard of ostrich? On seeing its enemy, it buries its head in the sand. The enemy is not seen; the ostrich believes that, how can that exist, which is not seen (visible)? Its argument is correct. Atheist also says the same – as paramAtmA is not seen, he cannot exist. The ostrich believes in the jurisprudence (nyAya SAstra) of Aristotle (arastu). It has buried its head in the sand; it says – ‘I am not able to see any enemy, then, how can one exist? What is not seen by me, cannot exist, because where is the direct (pratyaksha) proof (pramANa)?’ But, no matter, how much the ostrich bury its head, the enemy is in front of it. The truth is that, if it (ostrich) keeps its eyes open, and is able to see the enemy, at least, there is a scope for it to escape from the enemy. Now, there is no scope left; it is totally in the hold of enemy. It has handed itself over to the enemy – this indeed is suicide. Now, if the enemy kills it, more than the skill (kalA) of the enemy, the suicidal instinct (vRtti) of ostrich, would have been more effective (kArgar) (for its death). Its instinct is leading to its suicide. You do not become ostrich – do not close your eyes.

But, what you call ‘happiness’, is the ostrich-view. You involve (uljhA) yourself sometimes in this or in that. Someone is sitting playing card (tAS) game; someone is playing chess (Sataranj) – with false horses, ministers and emperor. People are immersed in the game. Think of it – one who plays chess is so immersed in the game, that he forgets the whole world – what a concentration (EkAgratA)! But, you are concentrating on what – nothing but self-made elephants and horses? I would like to tell you – it is not that, only the chess elephants and horses are false; even the elephants and horses of your kings and politicians – president and prime minister – are also as much false.

In the final (antiM) analysis (viSlEshaNa), whatever is happening in this World, is game (only). It is delusion to take that game seriously; but we take it (seriously). We take it seriously for some reason (kAraNa), that it is the only means to forget worries (unhappiness) (dukh). Whether it is cricket match or hockey match or volley ball match, lakhs of people go to watch them. If you ask them as to what is that they are looking for (in the match), they will have no answer; they go there to forget (worries).

When you are passing by a road, if you find two people fighting with one another, on the road side, even if you have a thousand urgent commitments, you stop (ruk) there – you park the cycle and stand there to watch (the fight). What do you see there? It is not nice (aSObhana) - it is indecent (abhadra); it is as if participating in the fight. By your watching, they will get impetus (gati) for fight; you are becoming a partner (bhAgIdAr) in the sin; you are encouraging (prOtsAhan) them. If no one stands there to watch the fight, they may, probably, cease fighting, and go their way realising that it is not worth (fighting). But, when a crowd is standing there, it becomes difficult for them (the fighters) to cease fight – it hurts their ego; there is a stake, as a crowd is watching. If they cease fight, it will seem cowardly (kAyar). The very presence of so many people, make them fight more. If you stand there, you also have become a reason (kAraNa) for their fight.  

Have you ever noticed – if there is no fight, and both of them compromise and go their way cordially, you experience certain discomfort, as if you have been harmed, as if you missed enjoyment. You feel inside, that if they had fought, if they had assaulted one another, you would have been excited, you would have experienced some thrill and that would have brought some happiness in your miserable life; you feel as if you have been cheated; you carry a grouse, which you cannot tell anyone, leaving a bitter taste in the mouth. You were expecting something, but nothing happened; they just made a lot of noise, but no action. (Translator’s note – this scene has been described by Osho in such a typical language, that I am at loss to translate it truthfully to bring out the same in full measure. Sorry for that.)

In the morning, when you sit down to read newspaper, you quickly glance through for some sensational news – dacoity, murder, murder of prime minter, ouster of someone high, what happened to whom. If there is no such news, you become upset and throw the newspaper, that there is no (special) news today. What kind of news you are expecting? What is that you want? Just look at your wants. You just want that something should happen for your excitement (uttEjanA).

In Spain, they conduct bull-fight; people go there to watch. To make a man fight with a bull, is a cruelty (jyAdatI) towards the bull and also towards the man. But millions of people are ready to watch it. They (spectators) seem to be more attentive in this (bull fight), than anything else. In ancient times, in the days of Rome, man was made to face forest animals like lion, tiger, and fight them; millions of people used to watch the fight. People conduct cock-fight, pigeon fight. In your neighbourhood, if husband and wife fight, you listen by putting your ears to the wall. You have taste for such matters, through which, somehow, you can divert your attention elsewhere, than on oneself.

All the religions (dharma) say – ‘only if you reflect (dhyAna) upon oneself, it will result (phalita) in bliss (Ananda)’. When you are successful in shifting (diverting) your attention (reflection) from yourself - even for some time, you say – ‘I felt little joy’ – just a little joy. If you are immersed in music, or immersed in intercourse (sambhOga), or immersed in drinks, you feel a little joy. You had forgotten yourself momentarily (kshaNa); it was oblivion (loss of memory) (vismaraNa) – were you joyous? Is oblivion, joy? If so, all the Buddhas are of fools (nAsamajh), because they say – ‘Self (Atma) reflection (smaraNa) is bliss’.

Understand the definitions of bliss (Ananda) and joy (sukh). Self-reflection (Atma-smaraNa) is bliss. Voluntarily (svEcchA) moving towards Self-reflection, is (called) attainment (accomplishment) (practice) (sAdhanA).  Forgetting Self (oblivion) is joy (sukha). Anything that makes you forcibly (jabardastI) recollect (yAd) yourself (svayam), is grief (misery) (dukh). Bliss is nearer to what you call ‘grief’, rather than (what you call) ‘joy’.

Shall I explain again? Self-reflection is bliss; forgetting self (oblivion) is joy; grief (misery) (dukh) is in between. In grief (dukh), man has to, compulsorily (majbUri), remember (reflect) oneself a little – compulsorily, forcibly; he does not want to (remember). When there is headache, you remember (reflect) yourself; a thorn pricked your heart, and because of pain, you remember (yourself) – you have to remember. One hurries to find some means (upAya) – open the bottle of alcohol - to forget oneself. Wherever you go to forget yourself – whether it is temple or mosque, whether it is prayer or namAz – all these are drinks (SarAb). All those places where you find means to forget (yourself), are drinks. Just forgetting (oneself), takes a man away from Himself.

If you have understood my statement, you will also understand the meaning of austerity (tapaScaryA). Austerity means – when there is grief, one should not run away from it; when there is grief in life, one should not make any attempt at all, to run away from it, but in the very midst of grief, one should sit down, becoming meditative (dhyAnastha); see the grief, and awaken oneself towards (prati) grief, and create witness-state (sAkshI bhAva). That is why I said that bliss is nearer to grief, rather than joy. I am not saying that you should generate (create) grief – that is sadism (dukhvAd); that is a kind of masochism. I am not saying that you torture (satA) yourself, like many fools do (torture themselves). As it is, there is enough of grief in life; there is no need for you to do anything; life is painful enough, it is full of pain; birth is pain, old age is pain, death is pain – there is only grief here. Buddha said – ‘is there any dearth of grief here? All around, it is grief only’.

There is no need to create grief – it is already there; you just do no run away from it; awaken towards it; do not make effort to forget it in (through) enjoyments. Make it (grief) meditation (dhyAna), and from that (meditation), you will find that you are sliding (sarak) towards Self-reflection (Atma-smaraNa); slowly, while watching grief, you will begin to perceive the One who is watching grief. In joy (enjoyment), the One who sees (dEkhnEvAlA) is asleep; that is why, in joy, paramAtmA is never remembered. That is why, a person given to enjoyments is under a sort of curse; and (to be) a person in grief, is a kind of boon (varadAn). A joyous person forgets himself - who is there to remember (sudh) paramAtmA? paramAtmA is our core - extreme (Atyantik) centre (kEndra). If we forget ourselves, how to remember the core? paramAtmA is hidden inside us; if we forget ourselves, we have forgotten even paramAtmA. Therefore, sometimes, in grief, one might, perhaps, remember paramAtmA, but never in joy. In joy, man has totally forgets (himself and paramAtmA).

 If joy happens, do not consider it to be good luck (saubhAgya); become witness of it (joy) also. If grief comes, do not consider it to be bad luck (durbhAgya); become witness of it (grief) also. Having become witness of both, you will find that you have gone beyond them. One who neither enjoys nor grieves – where there is neither joy nor grief – then he goes beyond bondage (bandhan). It is bondage, till the time one enjoys or grieves, gives up (chOD) or holds on (pakaD). Till then, it is bondage (tadA bandhaH).

 

tadA muktiryadA cittaM na vAnchati na SOcati |

na muncati na gRhNAti na hRshyati na kupyati || 8 : 2 || 80 ||

‘When the mind does not desire (cAha), does not worry (think) (sOc), does not renounce (tyAga), does not accept (grahaNa), does not enjoy (sukhI), does not grieve (dukhI) – then it is liberation (mukti)’.

Where is freedom (mukti)? Where is liberation (mOksha)? People think that, maybe, liberation is part of some other-worldly (pAralaukika) geography (bhUgOl). Liberation is not geography – it is the state (daSA) of your own mind (citta) which has attained extreme (Atyantik) form (rUp) of tranquility (SAnta).

People think that the World is outside (bAhar); it is not outside – it is your own disturbed (vikshubdha) awareness (cEtanA). Liberation is not somewhere up in the space – not at all. It (liberation) is also your own Self (AtmA) which has become calm (tranquil). Understand this way – World is fever (jvara) afflicted (grasta) awareness (cEtanA), and liberation is, fever-free awareness; World is, agitated (udvigna) waves of your awareness, and liberation is, waves which have subsided, which have become calm. When the lake is tranquil, and there is total reflection of moon, then it is liberation; when the lake is agitated - full of ripples (waves) - the moon’s reflection is shattered, then it is the World.

tadA muktiH yadA na vAncati – when there is no want (desire) (cAha), na SOcati - there is no thought (sOc) or deliberation (vicAr), na muncati – neither gives up (tyAga), na gRhNAti, nor holds (pakaD) on to, tadA muktiH – then it is liberation (mOksha).

This is the clearest (purest) (Suddhatam) definition (paribhAshA) of liberation. It means - you attain liberation not in some (future) day – if you so desire, you can attain it, just now – any time; even in the midst of entire (bharE) World, you can have taste of liberation momentarily (kshaNa); if thoughts (worries) stop even for a moment, if there are no wants even for a moment, if mental activity stops even for a moment – there is no motion (gati), wandering (AvAgaman) (of mind), if there is no desire to hold on or give up anything, then, in that very moment, you are liberated (you are in the state of liberation). That very taste will take you again, more and more, towards liberation. Meditation (dhyAna) means – a little glimpse (jhalak) (of that). Absorption (samAdhi) means stay (Thahar) of that glimpse - their (glimpses) becoming stable (sthira). When the mind does not desire (cAha)......

But, you see, those whom you call renouncers (tyAgI), they also have desires (cAha) – they have desire for liberation. In the definition of Ashtavakra, these renouncers are not renouncers at all. You ask them (renouncers) – ‘why did you give up the World?’ He says – ‘in search of liberation’. You ask – ‘why did you give up wealth, house, family etc?’ He says – ‘in search of liberation, in search of bliss of Self, in search of Truth (satya)’. But, this is not renunciation.

I have heard – there were two very small villages situated in the mountains. One was the village of royals (kshatriya) and the other was that of weavers (julAhA). The weavers were always suffering (pIDit) in the hands of the royals, they were always afraid of them. But royals are royals, and weavers are weavers. They (weavers) could not walk erect (akaD) in front of them (royals). Royals had made a rule that no weaver could pass through their village, with upright moustaches – they should keep the moustache down. The weavers were suffering much. Finally, they decided to find some remedy, because, there was a limit for their tolerance. They decided to attack the royals, in the night, when they are asleep – as it is not possible to attack them when they are awake. They thought that royals would not even imagine that weavers would attack them, and they would give them good beating and also indulge in looting. Gathering courage, they went to attack the royals. But, after all, they were weavers, and even the sleeping royals were equal to the attacking weavers. As it is, they (weavers) were frightened, and, with great difficulty reached the village. By hearing the noise, the royals woke up, and before weavers could attack them, they (royals) took their swords and started attacking them. The weavers took to run; one of the weavers said – ‘let us shout ‘attack, attack’’; therefore, they (weavers) were running and shouting ‘attack, attack’. It was beyond their capacity to attack the royals; they were simply shouting, so that they could gather confidence that they did something.

Have you seen the renouncers? They are exactly like you – full of desires (vAnchA), ambitions (kAmnA), passions (vAsanA) – though the object of their passion is different from that of yours. But, passion is passion – what difference does it make if the objects are different? The meaning of passion (vAsanA) is that you wanted something; if you wanted anything, you defaulted (cUk) – defaulting oneself. Mere ‘want’ is, deceiving (vancit) one self. But they keep running after their desires and also shouting – ‘brothers! Renounce, renounce; there is no substance in passion’. They – the saints (mahAtmA) are verily the weavers; they say – ‘brothers, renounce; there is no substance in passion; it is only grief’. You ask them – ‘Maharaj, what for, you gave up house, you are sitting in the temple and meditating?’ If they (mahAtmA) reply ‘for so and so reason (isliyE)’, then they defaulted. Whatever response they may give, passion is present therein.

If he (mahAtmA) smiles and says – ‘(I gave up) not for any reason; I perceived the futility of life; I did not give up life – the life dropped off; I am not in need of anything; I am not in search of anything; I have come to know that, what I am searching, is inside me – there is no need to search it. I am not going anywhere – I am sitting in my house itself; all my journeys (yAtrA) are over; I am not even searching for liberation; I am not even searching paramAtmA; my prayer is not for demanding anything; fasting is my bliss (Anand) – there is no want (wish) in it; meditation is my bliss – there is no want (wish) in it; this is not my means (tool) (practice) (sAdhana) – this is my end (aim) (accomplishment) (sAdhya)’.

(Translator’s note – sAdhaka – sAdhana – sAdhya : practitioner – practice – goal. The triad is referred here.)

If any of the saints say thus to you, and also, if you find that the life of that saint is indeed like that (as stated by him) – because nothing happens by making statements (uttering) – maybe he is just shouting ‘attack, attack’ – if you find that glimpse (jhalak) in his eyes, if, in his presence, you feel that he is not holding on (pakaD) (to anything), that he is not giving up (tyAga) (anything) – no renunciation (tyAga) and no enjoyment (bhOga) – (if you find that) he is just quietly watching whatever is happening, if you can come across such a tranquil (viSrAm) awareness (cEtanA), then you bow (jhuk) your head there – that is a place for bowing; one has reached the door (caukhaT) of the temple (mandir) – such a person is the ‘temple’.

But, if any ambition (AkAnkshA) to get anything is still creeping (sarak) in any corner of his mind - whatever may be object of ambition - he is a Wordly person only. Even if he stands on his head, even if he is fasting to death, even if he is standing naked, it makes no difference. World and liberation are, in the definition of Ashtavakra, the states of your mind for desire and desirelessness (acAha).

‘When the mind does not seek (want), does not think (sOc), does not renounce, does not accept (anything), does not enjoy (sukhI), does not grieve – then it is liberation – tadA muktiH’.

When the mind is homogenous (Ekaras), when it just ‘is’, when there is no action, no movement (halan calan), no shaking (kampan), when there is a constant (Thahar), still (stabdha), unflickering flame (jyOti), neither to go anywhere, nor any desire (vAnchA) to be anything – total acceptance (svIkAr) as is where is, such a ‘thusness’ (tathAtA) (a Buddhist terminology) like a blank mirror, like a blank paper in which nothing is written – when the mind is blank like that, then it is called ‘meditation’ (dhyAna).

There are some blank papers in which there is writing (likhAvaT) that cannot be seen – it might look like a blank paper, but there are some chemical (rAsAyanik) processes (prakriyA) – by using some chemical substances (dravya) – it is possible to write, which is not visible (to the eyes), but, when heated (Anc), it becomes visible. In that blank (kOrA) mind, in which there remains not any (kind of) such possibility (sambhAvanA), know then, that you have reached your home, you have arrived at the destination (manzil) – then it is liberation (tadA muktiH).

   

tadA bandhO yadA cittaM saktaM kAsvapi dRshTishu |

tadA mOkshO yadA cittamasaktaM sarvadRshTishu || 8 : 3 || 81 ||

‘When the mind is drawn (lagA) to any view (dRshTi) that is (or) (athavA) objects of senses (vishaya), then, it is bondage; when the mind is unattached (anAsakta) to any object of senses, then it is liberation.’

These are very straight-forward (sIdhI-sIdhI) statements, clear Sutras, and are extremely (atyanta) close (nikaTa) to the Truth (satya).

When the mind is drawn to any view, that is, objects of senses......When it (mind) is drawn to any view – whether they are things seen, things heard (sunAyI), things touched by hand – then it is drawn to view (dRshTi).

Understand this. You are passing by some road; you see a beautiful woman going; your mind is drawn to her; even if you (physically) do not go after her – you may turn your face away, you may close your eyes, you may not see in that direction – but the mind is drawn. Mind being drawn (to the object), has no connection with your (physically) going after it. Whether you, bodily, go after her or not, mind is drawn. You became eager (Atur) to enjoy (bhOga) the beauty (saundarya) of the woman – there arise imaginations in the mind. On the other hand, if a renunciate is also passing by the same route; he also sees the beautiful woman. On seeing her, he starts repeating, in his mind, the words of scriptures (SAstra) – ‘what is there in a woman? Just bones (haDDI), flesh (mAms), marrow (majjA), stools (mal) and urine (mUtra); there is nothing else’. He (renunciate) exhorts his mind. This is a renunciate, but, somewhere, behind the renunciation, a deep attachment (rAga) lies hidden (chipA); otherwise, why should he raise the topic at all? If only stools and urine are hidden in a woman, then, what is hidden in you – gold and silver?

Have you ever thought? Those saints who wrote the scriptures, have written in them (scriptures) – ‘in a woman, stools, urine, flesh, marrow, sputum (thUk), cough (khakhAr) are hidden’. What is there inside these saints – they have not given any indication about that; they are totally silent about it, because, the scriptures have been written by men; therefore, there are only bones and marrow in a woman; and in men, gold and silver! If women had written scriptures, probably, they would have written the same regarding men. But, what is the necessity (zarUrat) of writing so? Is it not proved by this that, somewhere, there is still a taste (ras) for a woman? In order to falsify (negate) (jhuThlAnA) that very taste, it is being told like that – ‘what is there is in a woman’; they are explaining to their own minds; but the mind says otherwise. He is telling to his mind – ‘you mad! There is nothing (in her)’; but desire (vAsanA) is arising; they are trying to rein in (lagAm) the desire. No matter how much you try like that, you will not succeed. All these are indeed thoughts (sOc vicAr) only.

Poem of Osho?

मुझे अपनी पस्ती की शरम है

तेरी रिफअतों का खयाल है

मगर अपने दिल को मैं क्या करूं?

इसे फिर भी शौक—ए—विसाल है।

No matter how much you explain (samajh) (to yourself), how much you feel sense of shame (SarmindA), feel guilty (aparAdhI), feel sinful (pApa), yet, it makes no difference (Fark).

मगर अपने दिल को मैं क्या करूं?

इसे फिर भी शौक—ए—विसाल है।

 But the mind is bent on desiring enjoyments. It is not going to make any difference whether you control your mind, bind it or put it under fetters (janjIr). When going on the road, if you are given to enjoyments, then, desire for enjoyment arises; if a renunciate, even then the desire for enjoyments arise, but he suppresses (dabA) them in the talks of renunciation; but both of them get entangled in the view – in whatever is seen.  

Imagine such a person, who, while going on the road, is not bothered by anything seen, who does not get involved (ulajh) in anything. If a woman goes – so what? A woman is a woman; there is no need to raise a hue and cry (SOrgul) that some heaven (svarga) has passed by, nor there is any need to raise hue and cry that some corporation sewage (mailA) vehicle has passed by. It is a woman – she passed by, that is all. You go, as if, nothing passed by. This condition (avasthA) is called – going beyond (pAr) the view (dRshTi).   

You happened to hear something, and you liked the taste of it – you heard a song; you developed desire to hear the (same) song again and again – then, you get involved (ulajh) in the view. You touched something which was pleasant (to touch); again and again, you desire to touch it – then, you get involved in the view. Remember – you went to hear the speech (vANI) of a holy person (sAdhu), hear the speech (vacan) of a saint (sant); if you liked it, even then, you get involved in the view. If the speech is appealing because of your understanding (samajh), it is different; but, liking it because you heard it, is different. If you get involved, just because it was nice to the ears, it sounded sweet to the ears, then, you get involved in the view – it should appeal to your understanding.

‘When the mind is drawn (lagA) to any view (dRshTi) that is (or) (athavA) objects of senses (vishaya), then, it is bondage; when the mind is unattached (anAsakta) to any object of senses, then it is liberation.’

You do not see (perceive) (dEkh) even when you see; you do not go (caltE) even when you go; you do not touch (chUtE) even when you touch; you do not hear (suntE) even when you hear; all things are happening, yet, you are stable (sthir) in you state as seer (drashTA) – you do not get distracted (vicalit) from it; your inner flame (antar-jyOti) does not flicker (kamp) - it does not shake even in a gust of wind; you are steady in your homogenous (Ekaras) state of mind, as it is, even when things are happening -  this indeed is liberation (mOksha). (Translator’s note – this is a very complicated sentence – I hope I have been able to bring out what Osho meant to convey.) Liberation is not anywhere beyond seven heavens; it is not in the market, or in the shop, or in the business. World (samsAr) is a state (daSA) of mind (citta), and liberation also is a state of mind. Liberation is like being in one’s natural (inherent) (svabhAva) state; World is a state like that of diseased condition. ‘World’ means, afflicted (rOg-grast) state of Self (AtmA); ‘liberation’ means, healthy (svastha) state of Self.

The word ‘svastha’ is very nice. It means ‘to be established (sthita) in one’s Self’; ‘svAsthya’ means ‘one who has become established in one’s Self’; one who is established in one’s Self (Atmastha) is ‘svastha’ – everyone else is diseased (bImAr). The disease of the body is not any disease; the real disease is, Self being ill (asvastha) – to forget one’s Self, to go away from one’s Self, to be shaken from one’s core, to be ill. To be seated in one’s centre, unswervingly (aDig) is health. Ashtavakra refers to this health (svAsthya) as liberation (mOksha).

 

yadA nAhaM tadA mOkshO yadAhaM bandhanaM tadA |

matvEti hElayA kincit mA gRhANa vimunca mA || 8 : 4 || 82 ||

‘When ‘I am’ (main), then it is bondage; when ‘I am’ not, then it is liberation (mOksha)’ – what a lovely statement! Where can you find a better (SrEshTha) statement than this?

‘When ‘I am’, then it is bondage; when ‘I am’ not, then it is liberation - ponder (vicAr) thus; do not desire (anything), do not get hold (of anything), do not renounce’.

Simple (saral) and unique (anUThA), but, very difficult (kaThin). It is as simple, and as much difficult. It has become difficult for us to do what is simple. We do what is difficult, but we get stuck (aTak) in what is simple.

Understand this. Ego derives pleasure in doing what is difficult, that is why we do it. There is a challenge for ego in what is difficult; there is a satisfaction in doing what is difficult; there is a facility of being the doer of what is difficult; therefore, people are very keen in doing what is difficult. Bear in mind – whatever you do in the life, is it because it is difficult? It is difficult to make a big house; it is difficult to purchase a big car; it is difficult to accumulate huge wealth. Is it that you are after these, because they are difficult? What will you do with that huge wealth – will you eat it, drink it, or wear it? But man keeps on accumulating wealth. Why? Ask him. Probably because it was very difficult, that is why it was a challenge. One derives pleasure (majA) in showing to the World that ‘I am somebody’. But, we do not get any pleasure in (doing) what is simple.

Alexander wanted to conquer the whole world. Diogenes (Greek philosopher) asked him – ‘what will you do after conquering the whole world?’ Alexander told him – ‘what will I do? I will relax (viSrAm)’. Diogenes laughed loudly. He said – ‘if you just want to relax, you also relax the same way I am relaxing. I do not understand this statement that you will relax after conquering the whole world. What is the logic in this? There is no connection between conquering the whole world and relaxing. I am also relaxing without doing anything at all. Just look at me.’

He (Diogenes) was indeed relaxing, lying naked on the bank of a river. The morning Sun’s rays were bathing him. He was sitting joyously (mast); he was lying joyously. There was nothing to do, he was relaxed. Therefore, he laughed loudly. He said – ‘Alexander, you are mad. If relaxation is possible only after conquering the whole world, then how is it, that Diogenes is relaxing? I have not conquered anything. I used to have a begging bowl in my hand – that also I have left behind. I left it because of my friendship with this dog’.

A dog was sitting by his side. In Greece, he was called ‘Diogenes, the dog man’. That dog was always with him. He has left friendship with people. He said – ‘they are worse than a dog’. He befriended a dog, and he said – ‘I got a lesson from this dog; that is why I have left behind the begging bowl, which I used to keep with me. One day, I saw the dog drinking water in the river. I said – ‘this dog is drinking water without a bowl, and I need a bowl’. I left it (bowl) there itself. This dog has defeated me. I said – ‘has it gone ahead of us? I need a bowl – why should I need it, when the dog can drink water, and it can eat food?’ Therefore, I have nothing; even then, I am relaxing. Can you doubt my relaxation?’

No, Alexander could not doubt it. That person (Diogenes) was telling the truth. He was surely relaxing. His eyes, his whole stance, the shine of his face was such that, as if there was nothing left to desire in this world; he had everything. He had nothing to lose; he had no fear, there was no temptation (pralObhan). Alexander said – ‘I am envious (IrshyA) of you. I also want similar relaxation, but I will not be able to do so now. I have to conquer the whole world. I cannot agree to this that Alexander would die without conquering the world.’

Diogenes told him – ‘now that you are going, let me say something to you – I should not say it, it is not manners (SishTAcAr), yet, I will say it – You will die without (ever) relaxing’.

And, Alexander died without relaxing. When he was returning from Bharat, he died on the way; he could not even reach home. When he was dying on the way, and when the physicians told him that there was no hope of his survival, he said – ‘just give me twenty four hours, because I want to meet my mother. I am ready to give my whole kingdom. I earned this kingdom by pledging my whole life; I am ready to throw it away (luTA), but give me just twenty four hours. I promised my mother that I will come at her feet, before my death’. But the physicians told – ‘whether you give away the whole kingdom, or do anything else, not even one breath can increase’. Alexander said – ‘if anyone had told me so earlier, I would not have squandered my whole life. I squandered my whole life to earn this kingdom, which could not give me even one more breath! Diogenes was right that I would never be able to relax’.

Bear in mind – there is an attraction for ego in (doing) difficult things. There is no attraction for the ego in simple things. That is why we skip (omit) (cUk) simple things. Simple – paramAtma is totally simple; Truth is totally simple – it is direct (straight-forward), there is not even a little complication (jaTil).

yadA ahaM tadA bandhaH - When ‘I am’, then it is bondage. ‘I am’ is the bondage; this, my notion, has distanced me from paramAtmA – to think that ‘I am’ and there is a gap (distance) between me and the paramAtmA. This limitation (sImA) is an obstruction. The moment I know that ‘only He is’, then ‘I am’ not there. yadA ahaM na tadA mOkshaH – Where ‘I am’ not, then, there is freedom (mukti), there is liberation (mOksha). We have to drop only one thing – the notion of ‘I am’ (ego) – ‘me-ness’ (asmitA), the ego (ahaMkAr). Till there are waves in the mind, the ego will not drop off, because ‘ego’ is the name for the collection (jOD) of all waves. Ego is the compound (sanghaT) of all your disquiets (aSAnti). Ego is not a thing (vastu) that you can throw away. Ego is the collective (sangRhIt) name for your total madness (insanity) (pAgalpan). As you keep becoming tranquil (quiet) (SAnta), the ego will keep dissolving (visarjit).

You see there is a storm in the river (dariyA); then the storm becomes quiet (SAnta); then, you do not ask – ‘where the storm has gone?’ When the river becomes quiet, where has the storm gone? Will you say that the storm is in a state (avasthA) of quietude? Storm is not at all there. What was it, which was there? Even then, there was only river – but it was a disturbed (astavyasta) river; a lot of waves were arising – a madness to touch the sky; it was a most ambitious (mahatvAkAnkshI) river – with great desires, great thoughts; it was in a mood to show to the World that it has achieved something. (Then) it (river) became tired, it was defeated, it understood that there is no substance (sAr), it went to sleep, it returned to the state of relaxation – the storm has gone. Storm is not a thing; storm is a state of excitation (udvigna). Ego is also like a storm.

Ego is the name for the excited state of your mind. As you start becoming quiet, the ego starts taking leave. In supreme quietude (tranquility), all limitations (sImA) are gone – suddenly, you become one with the infinite (limitless) (asIM).

‘When ‘I am’, then it is bondage – yadA nAhaM tadA mOkshO yadAhaM bandhanaM tadA – ‘and when ‘I am’ not, then it is liberation. Ponder thus, do not desire, do not get hold (of anything), do not renounce’.

This is straight-forward (direct) Sutra, but you will say that it is very complicated (jaTil). This has complicated the matter. If you say – ‘get hold (accept) (grahaN), enjoy (bhOgO)’ – then it is understandable. It is also understandable if it is said – ‘do not indulge in enjoyments, leave off things, renounce’; but, what is this statement? This is a complication.

Ashtavakra says – ‘ponder thus; do not desire, do not get hold (accept), do not renounce (reject)’. It looks complicated to us; when looked at it superficially (Upar sE), it appears complicated. People come to me, and they say – ‘what shall we do with sexual desire (kAma vAsanA)? Shall we suppress it? What to do? You have placed us in confusion’.

There are those who say – ‘enjoy (bhOgO)’; Charvaka says – ‘enjoy’. Brihaspati said – ‘do not worry – drink ghee (ghRtaM) even it is by borrowing (money) (RNa). (RNam kRtvA ghRtam pibEt). It states – drink ghee joyfully, even if it is by borrowing; who comes here back? Whose debt you have pay back? Who should pay back? If you are dead, you are dead once and for all. Enjoy, even if it by looting; do not worry whether it one’s woman or other’s woman; who is whose? Once dead, everything is ashes only. No one comes back after death. There is nothing like Self (AtmA) etc; therefore it is futile to talk about crime (aparAdh) etc – do not come under its sway. Neither there is sin nor merit’.

(Translator’s note – Charvaka is a branch of Indian philosophy advocating materialism or hedonism. Brihaspati is traditionally referred as the founder of the philosophy. These are referred as Brihaspati Sutras – refer to Wiki.)

This also is understandable – ninety-nine out of a hundred believe in this – whatever they might say. Do not go by what they say – see what they are doing. Do not search in their books – search in their faces.

Poem of Osho –

हरेक चेहरा खुद एक खुली किताब है यहां,

दिलों का हाल किताबों में ढूंढता क्यों है? 

If you want to see Muslims, do not look in Quran, otherwise, you will err. What Muslims have to do with Quran? Muslims have to do with Quran, only as much as a Hindu has to do with it – nothing more. If you want to look at Hindus, do not look at Vedas and Upanishads. What they (Hindus) have to do with them? If you want to see a Hindu, look at his eyes, look at his face. Do not peek (jhAnk) into the philosophies (siddhAnta) – philosophies are filled with deceit (dhOkhA). If we have held on to philosophies, it is only for hiding our reality (asaliyat). Drummers (DhankE) are sitting with Quran. Someone is sitting wearing (ODhE) Vedas, someone is hiding himself behind upper garment (cadariyA) with the name of Ram (written on it); do not come under the delusion of the wearers of garment with name Ram – look straight at the man’s eyes.

Ninety-nine out of a hundred are adherers of Charvaka philosophy. Earlier name of Charvaka was ‘Lokayat’ – a very nice name. The meaning of Lokayat is – ‘whatever is dear to people – what is dear to all’. Whatever people might say, whatever they might hum externally – whether they chant ‘Ram Ram’, whether they talk of liberation, paramAtmA, and dharma – but, if you look inside, everyone is a Charvaka in his heart. The word ‘Charvaka’ is also nice. It comes (etymology) from ‘cAru’ and ‘vAk’ – whose words (vAk) sound sweet (cAru). It sounds sweet to everyone – but no one will say so; only courageous people (himmatvar) will say. Brihaspati must have been a courageous person; that is why he has been given the status of a teacher (AcArya) – they say ‘Acharya Brihaspati’. As they called Sankara and Ramanuja as Acharya, similarly, they also called the originator of Charvaka, as Acharya. At least there is courage in this nation; at least it says that Brihaspati said so – very valuable words. Most of the people are the followers (anuyAyI) of Brihaspati, even though there is no temple dedicated to Brihaspati; you will not find the book of Charvaka in any home, the book did not survive; no one saved it. Who will save it? Among the books, you will find only Gita, Quran, Bible, Veda, Dhammapada; but, people have nothing to do with these books. The cover of the book is ‘Dhammapada’, but inside the words of Brihaspati are written. If you search the hearts of people, ninety-nine out of a hundred, you will find them to be atheists (nAstik) and ninety-nine out of a hundred are given to enjoyments (bhOgavAdI). That also is understandable, it looks natural. Then, there are some who are renouncers. They are also understandable. There is no difference between their point of view and that of enjoyment. They say that there is nothing (no value) in life; that is why we are leaving it off. That also is understandable. ‘Run away (bhAgO) from that, where there is nothing! Search for something else, where there is something!’

But, how will you understand Ashtavakra? How will you understand me? – ‘Do not desire, do not accept, do not reject’.

Therefore, when someone asks me – ‘how to deal with sexual desire? You tell us not to suppress it; you also tell us not to enjoy; what to do then?’ Both these statements are understandable; duality (dvaita) is understandable, but non-duality (advaita) is not understood.

I tell them – ‘you wake up; do not enjoy and do not run away – but wake up. Neither suppress it nor quell (daman) it; do not waste away (nashTa) yourself in enjoyments – become witness; just see (watch); watch, that which is happening. If the desire gets hold of you, let it; what should you do? Watch it, sitting afar – that desire has got hold of you. You did not raise the desire; only he who raised it knows; why do you become restless (bEcain)? If anger arises, watch it also; if greed arises, watch it also. You concentrate (dhyAn) on watching - that I shall watch – whatever arises, I shall watch it.

What do you do when it dawns? You watch the dawn; what do you do when night comes? You watch it. If you are a youth, you watch the youth-hood; if you are old, you watch old age. The weather (mausam) changes, seasons change – similarly, your mind also keeps on wavering (fluctuating) (DAmvADOl) – you keep watching. If you get hold the formula (sUtra) of watching, then, slowly, you will find that the seasons (changes) (Rtu) have gone away; neither there remains sexual desire (kAma), nor celibacy; neither enjoyments remain, nor renunciation; both are gone. Ultimately (antataH), one day, man finds himself sitting alone in his house (ghar); no one is left. Solitude (EkAnta), completely alone (akElA), pure (Suddha) consciousness (caitanya), just consciousness (cinmAtra). Oh! Just consciousness! It is surprising that I am just consciousness – everything else was a blabber (bakvAs) – hold on, leave off, do this, do that; even the doer (kartA) was an error (bhUl), enjoyer (bhOktA) was also an error.

The words in Sanskrit are very precious (bahumUlya) - matvEti hElayA kincit mA gRhANa vimunca mA | - this has been translated into Hindi as – ‘ponder (vicAr kar) thus, do not desire (icchA), do not hold on (accept) (grahaNa), and do not renounce (reject) (tyAga)’. But it is not ‘ponder’ – because, Ashtavakra has, in the very beginning, prohibited pondering (thinking). Therefore, whatever translation of (Sutras of) Ashtavakra has been made, seems to be wrong. Because, three Sutras earlier, he says – ‘when mind desires anything, thinks anything, rejects anything, accepts anything, when it is happy or unhappy, then it is bound’ – kincit SOcati tadA bandhaH. Therefore ‘matvEti’ cannot be (translated as) ‘ponder’. ‘matvEti’ would be ‘understanding thus’. ‘mati’ is a much interpreted (paribhAshik) notion (idea) (dhAraNA). Have you heard the story that when paramAtmA wishes to destroy someone, he corrupts (bhrashTa) his mind? What is ‘mati? ‘mati’ does not depend on your thought. Whatever you do even after much pondering (thought) (sOc), will still be a play of mind (man) only. ‘mati’ is ‘understanding’ (samajh) beyond mind (man) – its name is understanding (mati). Understanding (samajh) which is beyond mind (man), beyond thoughts (sOc-vicAr) – the pure (Suddha) understanding (samajh) - it is called ‘understanding’ in English – not ‘thinking’, not ‘muse’ (vicAraNA); it is consciousness (prajnA) which Buddha called as ‘mati’.

matvEti hElayA kincit mA gRhANa vimunca mA  | - If I am to interpret, I will do thus - One who has become established (thir) in such an understanding, one who has attained (got) such an understanding – matvEti; then, there arise neither desire, nor acceptance (holding), nor rejection (tyAga) - one who has got such an understanding, where even mind does not arise. Jain Saints (Fakir) call it ‘no mind’ – that is ‘mati’ (understanding). It is not a question of your thinking (musings); when all your thoughts cease, when you are in the present (that) (us) moment (ghaDI), that is called understanding (mati).

Understanding (mati) is neither mine nor yours – understanding is one only. There are my opinion (vicAr) and your opinion. When your opinions (thoughts) cease, when my thoughts cease, when I become ‘thought-less’ (nirvicAr), when you become thought-less – then there is no difference between you and me. And, whatever happens in that moment (ghaDI), that is ‘understanding’ (mati). That understanding is neither mine nor yours. Opinions (thoughts) are always mine and yours. And Ashtavakra says ‘when ‘I am’, then it is bondage. ‘I am’ always associated with thoughts (opinions) (vicAr). That is why people fight a lot. They say ‘my opinion’ – without even worrying as to what the truth is – my opinion must be true, because it is mine. Whatever disputes (vivAd) happen in this World, are they for investigating (anusandhAn) of truth? For investigating the truth, there is no need for disputes. Disputes happen only because – ‘what I tell is the true, and what you tell is false’. It is false, because you tell it; it is true because I tell - there is no other basis (AdhAr). How can it be wrong, if I tell? Therefore, there is mine and yours in thoughts (vicAr); in understanding (mati), there is no mine or yours. Alternatively, it may be more appropriate to say that thoughts are ours and yours – thoughts belong to man – but, understanding is that of paramAtmA. Understanding is there, where we become lost.

iti  mati matvA hElayA mA gRhANa mA vimunca | - We should have such an understanding that, neither we accept (anything) by desiring (it); nor reject (renounce) (anything) by not desiring it. (Translator’s note – ‘Reject anything by desiring’ seems to be a contradiction; probably, Acharya wants to convey that, one should not reject anything by disliking it. That is why, it has been translated as ‘not desiring’.) Understand this also. There should not be even a shred of desire – whatever happens, let it happen. If, at any time, it is grief (unhappiness) (dukh), let it be so – do not get rid (haTA) of grief by desiring so. If, at any time, it is happiness (comfort), then also, let it be so – do not get rid of happiness by desiring so. Let us stop the job of getting rid (anything) by desiring. Let us say – ‘whatever happens, it is Your wish (marzI); we shall remain, according to Your wish; whatever is the wish of ‘Infinite’ (ananta), that indeed is my wish – I shall not keep myself aloof; now, there is no personal aim (lakshya) for me; whatever is the aim of ‘Absolute’ (All Pervading) (sarva), that is my aim. (Translator’s note – The word ‘sarva’ has been translated as ‘Absolute’ or ‘All Pervading’, in keeping with ‘Infinite’ used earlier in the sentence.)

At that moment (ghaDI), with such an understanding (mati), in such consciousness (prajnA), with the dawn (uday) of such wisdom (bOdha), where is grief (dukh), where is happiness (sukh), where is bondage (bandhan), where is liberation (mukti)? All opposites (dvandva) vanish; all dualities (dvaita) become dormant (sO jAnA). Every moment (aharniSa) only the One (Eka) remains; only That reverberates (gUnj); only That sings (gAtA); only That is victorious (jItA); only That dances (nActA). In that moment, you become one with that All Pervading (sarva), you blossom (praphullit) with that All Pervading, you bloom (khilA) with that All Pervading. All your struggles are over; you become attuned (laya baddha) with that All Pervading, you become rhythmic (chandO-baddha) with that All Pervading.

I call him a monk (sanyAsi) who has become rhythmic with that All Pervading. ‘Whatever happens – good or bad – there is no worry (cintA) now. However it is, so be it; I have no expectation (apEkshA) now; whatever happens now, that is acceptable (svIkAr); if it is hell (nark), so be it; if it is heaven (svarga), so be it’ - such a supreme acceptance (svIkRti) is called renunciation (sanyAs).

This is a great (mahat) Sutra of renunciation (sanyAs). Understand these – not by pondering (thinking) (sOc-vicAr) – (but) by meditating (dhyAna) on it repeatedly, so that understanding (mati) is born (janma).

 yadA nAhaM tadA mOkshO yadAhaM bandhanaM tadA |

matvEti hElayA kincit mA gRhANa vimunca mA ||

For this life (jIvan), for the supreme revolution (krAnti) in this life, you yourself are the experimental ground, you are the examination; you have to take your own examination. You have to become Janaka, and also Ashtavakra. This dialogue (saMvAd) should happen inside you.

I have heard that Mulla Nasruddin, was reading newspaper reclining (half-lying) (adhalETA) in his easy chair. An alsatian dog was sitting by his side and shaking its tail. A neighbour-friend came to meet him; but, for the fear of the dog, stood at the door itself. In order to draw the attention of Mulla, he shouted loudly – ‘brother, does this dog bite also?’ Mulla said – ‘please come in; do not worry’. Even then, the friend was afraid, because the dog stood up and looked at him growling. The friend said – ‘does this dog bite also, because, I earlier had a bad experience with dogs’. Mulla said – ‘That is what I want to find out whether it bites or not; I had just bought it’.

In the life, do not conduct test on others; even if you obtain something (some result) from such tests, that (result) can never become yours. Experience of others can never be your own. The secretive nature (rahasyamayatA) of life is revealed (pragaT) only to that person, who makes himself, his own examination ground, who makes himself, his own experimental ground. That is why I say, understanding (mati) is attained (upalabdha), not by pondering (thinking) (sOc-vicAr), but by application (prayOga), by meditation (dhyAna). You have always heard that heaven is somewhere up there, and hell is somewhere down. Leave away these delusional (bhrAnt) notions (dhAraNA). Heaven is inside you, so is the hell (inside you). Heaven is a mode (Dhang) of your being, and hell is another mode of being. If you are replete (bharA) with ego (main), then it is hell; if you are free from ego, then it is heaven.

Leave away the delusions (bhrAnti) that – World (sansAr) is a bondage and liberation is situated far away in some Perfect-stone (siddha-SilA) where Perfected (siddha) beings are seated. If there is desire in the mind, if there are wishes, then it is World. If there are no desires in the mind – even the desire of leaving off, desire of renunciation – when there are no desires at all, then such non-desiring (acAha) state (avasthA) is liberation (mOksha). (Translator’s note – siddha-SilA is a Jain concept.)

Do not search outside for heaven – hell, and for World - Liberation. These are modes of your being. To abide in oneself (svastha) is liberation; not abiding in one’s self (asvastha) is the World. Therefore, there is nothing outside for leaving off, there is nowhere to run away (bhAg). Even if you are seated in (on) Himalayas, you will still be you only; and even if you are seated in the market, you will be you only. That is why I have not told you – I have not told my monks (sanyAsi) – that you go away anywhere by leaving away anything; I have just told them to keep watching (seeing) by being awake (jAg); whatever is happening, let it happen. Even if one is a house-holder, so be it. If someday, you find yourself seated in Himalayas, even that is alright; even if you find yourself passing away (jAtE), that also is alright.

Whatever is happening, let it happen – do not desire anything willfully (icchA-pUrvak); otherwise, because of the desires, ego gets consolidated (sangaThit). Do not have any desire (wish); go by the wish (cAha) of the All Pervading (sarva). Wherever this Ganga goes, go along with it – do not take up rudder (patvAr); unfurl the sail (pAl), let the wind blow, let it (boat) go along the flow of the river. I called this surrender (samarpaNa) as renunciation (sanyAs). In this surrender, you do not remain (bacnA) – only paramAtmA remains. Some or other day, such a moment will come, such an understanding (mati) will come, when clouds will go away, open sky will be revealed; then, you will laugh, then you will know (understand) what Ashtavakra is saying – neither leave off anything, nor hold on to anything; whatever is seen, that is like a dream; whoever is seeing (witnessing), only He is the Truth (satya).

Hari Om Tatsat.