25

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‌CHAPTER 25

25 August 1977 pm in Chuang Tzu Auditorium

[Deva Nasti – divine nothing. The past is something, Osho says – solid, concrete, there. And the future is absolutely uncertain but you can create a kind of certainty that is projection, desires, dreams. Between these two the present remains out of our reach. The past is, the future is – the present is not. That is the meaning of nasti.

The present is so empty of content, Osho continues, that we cannot say it is. The mind cannot function in the present; that is why it is afraid of the present. Hence all the great teachings of the world insist on the need of being in the present, because if you are in the present, the mind cannot be. the present moment is really nothing but emptiness – what buddha calls ‘shunya’ or hindus call ‘nasti’.]

Only one modern thinker, Jean-Paul Satre, comes close to it. He says, ‘Man is the being who brings nothingness into the world, because it is only man who can be aware of nothingness.’ Trees cannot conceive of it; animals cannot think about it. Nothingness is an absolutely human phenomenon. It is the dignity of human consciousness that it can conceive of nothingness. and really a man becomes a man only when he can conceive of nothingness, emptiness, a state of non-being.

Being is surrounded by nothingness, and deep inside the being at the very centre there is nothingness. Outside being there is nothingness; that is what we call death. We are surrounded by death, and deep inside is the state that we call samadhi – another death, far deeper than the first.

At the centre there is nothingness, at the very core there is nothingness. It is just as if you peel an onion: you go on peeling, peeling and suddenly nothingness is left. If you peel a human being, at the very heart there is just nothingness left. That’s why people are afraid to go in – because to go in means to go into nothingness, to go into ‘nasti’, and people are afraid to think of death. These two things people avoid – death and meditation, because both are alike.

If you accept death, death will give you one glimpse of meditation. If you go into meditation you will attain to ultimate death... and through that ultimate death one comes to know the eternal. Only through nothingness do we approach the totality; only through nothingness do we disappear and god appears. So, I am giving you a very very meaningful name, ‘nasti’.

It is only man who can say no. No other animal can say no; they don’t know no. And because human beings can say no, their yes is total. Animals never rebel, they never protest. They remain part of the unconscious existence. It is only man who rebels, who can say no – and by saying no his yes becomes important; it has significance.

Before one can say yes to god, one will have to say many nos to the world. That too is the meaning of your name: divine no. One has to say no to the scripture, one has to say no to the orthodox, dull and dead structure. One has to say no to the armour that surrounds one; one has to say no to the politician, to the priest. One has to say no to the parents, to the society, to the education. One has to say many nos; only then does a moment come when one can say yes to god. Through many nos comes the yes. And if you don’t say these nos, you will never come to that beautiful yes, that total acceptance, that welcome, that utter welcome.

So the real religion consists of two things: saying no to all that has been taught – saying no to all that you have learned, saying no to all conditionings – and then becoming capable of saying yes to that which cannot be taught, which one can never learn, which cannot be conditioned. So it is a double-edged sword.…

To become a sannyasin means to say many nos so that one can become capable of saying the absolute yes.

[The new sannyasin says she has never done groups, and only a little meditation.]

That’s good, mm? It is good to be a clean slate then things happen more easily with me; much work is saved. Otherwise first I have to destroy too much!...

It will be good if you can go through a few groups. They will be of great value. And it will be too early to leave. If you can stay a little longer you will become more strong as a sannyasin arid you will be able to cope with the west. Otherwise it will be difficult, you will be too fragile. So my suggestion is that you be here a little longer so that you can do a few more groups. Mm? and I will tell you: first do these two groups, then I will tell you. Good.

Prem means love, babula means madness – love madness. And that is the only sanity in the world, the only sanity; there is no other sanity. A man who is not capable of becoming mad in love is insane, is pathological, is neurotic.He cannot be playful, he cannot put his so-called serious games aside. In his life there is no value, no significance, higher than money, power, prestige. It will be impossible for him to have any contact with god.

The first contact with god is through love. It is only in love spaces one becomes aware that life has much more in it than appears on the surface. Only in a love space does one enter into the temple and only in a love space does one start groping for god; there is no other way.

Philosophers talk about god – lovers know. For thinkers god is just a concept. He may be useful to explain a few things which cannot be explained without him. If they can be explained without him, thinkers will be very happy to drop that concept.

When Copernicus wrote his thesis about the universe he didn’t mention god in it. When somebody asked, he said, ‘That is an unnecessary hypothesis. I can explain the universe without it, so what is the point? The lesser hypotheses used, the better. Why use unnecessary hypotheses?’

But for a lover god is not a hypothesis. It is his existence, it is his being. It is only through god that love is possible. So through love god becomes possible. Or, we can say that love is a glimpse of god in this mire of the world, a ray of light in the darkest night. The ray comes from a far, faraway star... but it enters into the darkest night. Through that one ray of light one becomes aware that light exists, that there is a hope, that one can hope.

And I call it madness because it is illogical. Love has no logic, it is utterly absurd. It cannot prove anything. It knows, but it cannot prove – and people who can prove do not know. This is a dilemma. People who can prove know not and people who know cannot prove.

Somebody asked Ramakrishna, ‘Have you got any proof of god?’ Ramakrishna said, ‘Look into my eyes, that’s all. There is no other proof. If I am the proof, then okay; otherwise there is no other proof.’ A saint cannot give any other proof, he cannot argue. it is a superb madness but immensely fulfilling.

So I am giving you a very dangerous name... and giving it with a great trust that it is possible you can become a madness of love. And that will be your flowering.

[Osho suggests she do some groups. She can only stay a short time but says she will try to postpone her leaving for another week.]

Stay as long as you can, that will be good, so you can have a little more nourishment... you can drink me a little more. And after sannyas it becomes very easy. Without sannyas, even if you are here in some way you are not here. You remain a stranger, you remain protective and you remain defensive and a little afraid.

Once sannyas has happened you enter inside me; now there is no fear. Now you can feel my love without any protection, so after sannyas a new kind of rapport becomes possible.

My suggestion is that you stay as long as you can. And next time you come stay a little longer.

[The new sannyasin asks about her father, who told her he did not wish to see her any more because she has changed, he doesn’t like some of the things she has now chosen to do.]

Don’t be in a hurry. You are in the right direction, and if he suffers because of it it is his problem. You are not here just to fulfill people’s expectations and styles. And finally it will be helpful for him too, because if he demands a certain kind of role from you, the role of a daughter, that simply means that he also hangs and depends on you; he is a dependent. It is not only that he wants you to depend on him; only dependents want others to depend on them, remember that. And that’s why he is feeling hurt: because you are not fulfilling your role of the daughter he cannot feel the ego of the father.

It is good... it will give him a new understanding about his own self. Don’t be in a hurry. Just write to him that now you have become a sannyasin and not only are you not playing any roles, you have taken a totally new turn. Write about sannyas, write about meditations, send him a few books, and just don’t bother, mm?

Within six to eight months he will become interested again – and that will be a kind of meeting. You will have to wait, because when he is rid of his father role only then can you meet on an equal plane and then only is love possible. Between roles, love is impossible. You play the role of the daughter, he plays the role of the father, so two roles go on playing with each other and the real persons remain far away, uninvolved.

You will be enriched, he will be enriched... but it will be a little painful; you will have to wait. Don’t be in a hurry, otherwise he will force you to fall into the role because he will see that you are also dependent, you cannot live without him. That means that you will be back in the role and he will remain in his role... and that is not going to help either.

Sometimes one has to be a little hard too. And once these roles disappear he will find you for the first time and you will find him for the first time, and then a new kind of love will be possible, so wait.

[She then asks: I love two different men and both of them want me to choose between them. I don’t know what to do. The first man she has been with for six years and he is more like family or friend. The second she met a year ago, he is more like a lover and new type of friend.]

I understand. Sometimes it happens and it will be happening in the future more and more to more and more people. It was never a problem in the past because the past was very obsessed with monogamy. The problem never arose or even if it arose it never came to light. Monogamy was the rule, so either people followed the rule whether they loved each other or not, whether there was thrill, adventure or not, whether there was any romance or not.… They were settled: it was secure, comfortable, a good family atmosphere.

And sometimes if it did happen that somebody fell in love with somebody else, then that was to be kept secret. It was rare, and that was also part of the whole monogamy game. But really monogamy is destructive. It does not allow all dimensions of your being to flower. One should love as many people as possible because each different person is a unique gift of god. In a future world when love is completely free of jealousy that will be possible. Once more understanding grows people will be loving many, many people for different reasons, and there will be no conflict.

In fact there is no conflict in this. You love both in different ways – one is a friend and the other is a lover, you cherish the friendship and you cherish the love. But it will be difficult for them to understand. It will be very difficult, because throughout the past man has been conditioned in such a way that he cannot conceive that love can be shared or that there can be two kinds of love; that is impossible to conceive of. And it is too much against the male ego.

The male ego starts feeling as if he is not sufficient or he is not male enough or he is not a good lover. That’s why the need has arisen that you have chosen the other – so they will say.

And both say that you should choose?

If you ask my opinion, choose the third!

If you ask my opinion – because both are male chauvinists, so both are the same type. Choose the third! Otherwise the same trouble will be there, and if you have to choose between the two and you cannot choose the third, then choose the second. Be always in favour of the new – because the old you have known for six years; now what else is going to happen? Mm? the possibility is exhausted. Six years is more than enough to know a person; why not know a new person?

So if you want to change between the two, choose the second. If you really want to choose a man, then both are not... Because the second will sooner or later create the same trouble: if you start falling in love with somebody else, the same thing will happen.

Always choose love, and any possibility that gives more facility for love to grow has to be chosen. That’s why I say that the third will be the best, the second, the next best.

And don’t hang, choose, because hanging is bad; being indecisive is bad. That creates a division in the mind. And if you are indecisive for too long, that becomes your nature – and love is such an important thing that one should not remain indecisive too long; otherwise it cuts the heart into two parts.

But my feeling about you is – that’s why I have given you the name Prem Babula – that you cannot be happy in any monogamy. You would like a more free kind of love and you would like to love many more people. So it is better not to be confined to any relationship.

In fact, people who are satisfied with one relationship are dull people, very dull people, insensitive people. It is as if a person goes to see the same movie again and again; every day he is again going to see the same movie. Or he sings the same song or plays the same record every day. How can he be very rich? His life will be a repetitive life, a very dull life.

If one is sensitive, one would like variety, in everything one would like variety. One would like to see the whole world and one would like to see many more people, because each person is such a unique gift of god that he has something nobody else has. That something you can see only through him; that aspect of god is revealed only through him, through nobody else.

This is my understanding about your heart, so keep it in mind – that whenever you feel confined, there is no need to be. All security can be dropped, all comfort and convenience can be dropped, but love should never be dropped and one should never lose one’s freedom.

Now, both are trying to make you a prisoner. From my standpoint neither loves you; both love their egos. If either of them loved you, he would allow you to love as many people as you want, because he would like to see you happy. Why not? – if you can be happy with somebody else tonight, go and be happy; there is no problem in it. If somebody really loves you then you have an intrinsic value and he has immense respect for you. How can he cripple you or how can he force anything on you? – do this or he is finished with you; either choose him or choose the other, otherwise he is finished with you.

They don’t know what love is, but that’s the situation. So remember, when it happens again, that you love more than one man... or if you love a man who loves two women, don’t repeat the same thing. If you really love the man, allow him. Real love always gives freedom... real love is freedom.

So, never lose your freedom and never try to destroy anybody’s freedom, and your life will be of joy. Good!

[A sannyasin is leaving for the West. Osho asks after her companion, who is at present in jail for two years.]

But he is fine? (she nods) That’s good. He can use the time: there is no more beautiful a place than a prison. Write that to him, mm? A prison can be used immensely – because you are protected from the world; even a rich person is not so protected. The whole world is outside, everything is settled and life is a perfect discipline. All that can be used for meditation – and there is nothing else to do! So tell him to use the time... and he can come out very much benefited.…

This whole world is a gaol! We are all in gaol! It is just our idea that gaol is a bad place to be, but there are far worse places to be.

And all are prisoners hereSomebody is a prisoner in his money and somebody is a prisoner in

his power and somebody is a prisoner in something else – in his family; somebody is a prisoner as a husband and somebody as a wife. All are prisoners here... so nothing to be worried about. He is in a small prison, that’s all. These people are in a bigger prison.

And all these nations are big prisons. Whenever you cross the boundary you know that it is a prison. [A couple talk about their tempestuous love affair.]

(To the woman) He is not the domestic kind – no!.A wild animal! That’s very good! But you are not

domestic either So let it continue – it is perfectly good. On and off it is good, but don’t do physical violence to each other; that you have to drop. At least after six months that has to be dropped now, mm? Or is it also necessary?...

Physical violence has to be dropped. Whenever you don’t feel good, say goodbye. There is no need to be physically violent; after six months there is no need. In the beginning it is okay. But now whenever you feel good, be together; whenever you don’t feel good, just say goodbye. This much understanding should happen – that there is no need to beat each other, and.it’s not good.

(To the man) Who starts it? Who takes the initiative – you or her? [The man says: I doI feel she talks too much and I don’t feel good.]

So she defeats you in talking?.Because that happens only if the woman is a great talker; then the

man cannot do anything else! He has to beat her otherwise she will go on and on! Yes, that’s right!...

Whenever she starts talking too much, you talk gibberish. You know gibberish? Talk gibberish – and in that you can defeat her easily. But make it a point that you are not to start the violence. If she wants to hit, let her, but you are not to start it.and she will not hit you.

But I can understand your troubleWomen can sometimes drive you nuts! Whenever you feel that

she is going to talk to you to that point where you will hit her, start gibberish, mm? Try it, and it will be a good meditation, but don’t hit her, because that is ugly, that is juvenile.

And enough! – it has been good up to now but now you have to stop that. So go on wrestling, but non-violently, mm? Very good!

[A sannyasin says that during a workshop she went through a rebirth process and then just started screaming. Since then the top of her head is really tender.

Osho checks her energy.]

It is something good. Nothing to be worried about. It is just that energy has reached that centre for the first time, so it is tender.

It is better that you avoid having people touch it. If somebody who is on a higher plane than you touches it, it will be beautiful. If somebody who is on a lower plane than you touches it it will be very destructive. And it is very difficult to find people who are on a higher plane; it is better to avoid having it touched at all.

You can use a skullcap, mm? – it will be good.

In many traditions the cap was used particularly for this reason. Hindus down the ages used to cut all their hair but they would leave a bunch of hairs just exactly on the seventh centre to protect it. Jews have been using the skullcap. It is just to protect the seventh centre, because if you pray too long it starts functioning. Then it becomes very receptive too and can be disturbed. In the east when you go to the master, he will touch your head when he blessed you... but it is good from a higher source of energy.

It is better not to be touched by everybody and anybody. Soon that will start functioning more solidly; then this trouble will disappear. Right now that centre is very tender.

And one thing will be helpful – you can stand on your head; that will be very helpful, sirshasana. That was also invented for certain purposes; one of the purposes is this. When the energy is flowing towards the head it is against the gravitation, so it is difficult. If you stand on your head then you take the help of the gravitation and energy can flow very forcibly. So the work that will be happening within a year can happen within a month. Much energy can go there and become such a solid crystallisation that there will be no trouble: anybody can touch you and you will not feel anything. It just needs to be strong.

So if you can stand on your head, that will be very helpful; you can learn it and start using a skullcap. I will find one for you!

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