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Chapter 18 - Inside you god is hidden
The intelligent man first searches his own being before he starts a journey in the outer world. That seems to be simple and logical -- at least first look inside your own house before you go searching all over the world. And those who have looked within themselves have found it, without any exception.
Gautam Buddha is not a Buddhist. The word buddha simply means the awakened one, who has come out of sleep. Mahavira, the Jaina, is not a Jaina. The word jaina simply means one who has conquered -- conquered himself.
The world needs a great revolution where each individual finds his religion within himself.
The moment religions become organized, they become dangerous; they become really politics with a false face of religion. That's why all the religions of the world go on trying to convert more and more people to their religion. It is the politics of numbers; whoever has more numbers will be more powerful.
But nobody seems to be interested in bringing millions of individuals to their own selves.
My work here consists of taking you out of any kind of organized effort -- because truth can never be organized. You have to go alone on the pilgrimage, because the pilgrimage is going to be inside. You cannot take anybody with you. And you have to drop everything that you have learned from others, because all those prejudices will distort your vision -- you will not be able to see the naked reality of your being. The naked reality of your being is the only hope of finding God.
God is your naked reality -- undecorated, without any adjective.
It is not confined by your body, not confined by your birth, not confined by your color, not confined by your sex, not confined by your country. It is simply not confined by anything. And it is available, so close:
Just one step inside and you have arrived.
You have been told for thousands of years that the journey to God is very long. The journey is not long, God is not far away. God is in your breath, God is in your heartbeat, God is in your blood, in your bones, in your marrow -- just a single step of closing your eyes and entering within yourself.
It may take a little time because old habits die hard: even if you close your eyes, thoughts will go on crowding you. Those thoughts are from the outside, and the simple method which has been followed by all the great seers of the world is just to watch your thoughts, just to be a witness. Don't condemn them, don't justify them, don't rationalize them. Remain aloof, remain indifferent, let them pass -- they will be gone.
And the day your mind is absolutely silent, with no disturbance, you have taken the first step that takes you to the temple of God.
The temple of God is made of your consciousness.
You cannot go there with your friends, with your children, with your wife, with your parents.
Everybody has to go there alone.
Amiyo, don't forget the experience that has happened to you -- the feeling of deep aloneness and a voice inside saying to you, "Remember: each single moment, remember that you are alone." The day of your glory will not be far away.
Osho - The Hidden Splendor 185
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