7 Why be a beggar?

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‌CHAPTER 7

Why be a beggar?

2 June 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium

BELOVED OSHO,

THERE WAS A MONK IN TRAINING UNDER DOGO CALLED SOSHIN. HE WAS A SINCERE YOUNG MONK WORTHY OF HIS NAME, WHICH MEANT “TO REVERE AND BELIEVE.” HE HAD BECOME DISTRESSED, AND FELT IT TO BE BEYOND ENDURANCE: SINCE THE TIME HE HAD COME TO THE MONASTERY FOR TRAINING, HIS TEACHER, DOGO, HAD NOT GIVEN HIM, EVEN ONCE, ANY INSTRUCTIVE SERMON OR APPROPRIATE GUIDANCE.

ONE DAY SOSHIN, WHO COULD NOT STAND IT ANY LONGER, WENT TO HIS TEACHER DOGO AND ASKED: “EVER SINCE I CAME TO THIS MONASTERY, YOU HAVE NOT GIVEN ME YOUR GRACIOUS TEACHING EVEN ONCE. WHAT COULD BE THE REASON FOR THIS?”

THE MASTER GAVE THE LEAST EXPECTED REPLY, FOR HE SAID, “WHY, EVER SINCE YOU CAME TO MY MONASTERY, I HAVE NOT, EVEN FOR ONE MOMENT, NEGLECTED TO TEACH YOU.”

“WHAT KIND OF TEACHING HAVE YOU GIVEN ME, MASTER?” SOSHIN ASKED.

“WELL, WELL! IF YOU BRING ME A CUP OF TEA, DON’T I RECEIVE THE CUP? IF YOU SERVE ME MEALS, DON’T I EAT THEM? IF YOU GREET ME WITH YOUR HANDS PRESSED, DON’T I RETURN YOUR BOW?

“HOW HAVE I EVER NEGLECTED TO GIVE YOU GUIDANCE?”

SOSHIN, LISTENING TO THIS, HUNG HIS HEAD DEEP, AND FOR A WHILE COULD NOT UTTER A WORD. SUDDENLY THE MASTER’S ROARING CRY, AS IF ABUSING HIM, FELL ON SOSHIN’S WHOLE BEING. DOGO SAID, “WHEN YOU SEE, SEE IT DIRECT! IF A THOUGHT MOVES, IT IS GONE!”

AT THIS, SOSHIN UTTERED AN UNINTENTIONAL CRY “OH!” AND PROSTRATED HIMSELF BEFORE THE TEACHER, IN TEARS, WHETHER OF JOY OR SORROW HE HIMSELF DID NOT KNOW.

Maneesha, Zen is life, not a philosophy about it. It is truth, not a theology, a system of beliefs. It is direct and immediate experience. If you move just a little in your thinking – and all thinking is movement, only no-thought is still... Be silent and you will understand not only about Zen, you will understand the very essence of existence itself.

Philosophers go on about and about, they have many things to think, discuss, dispute. Zen has only one thing: a direct insight, a straight encounter with yourself. All else is simply commentary.

This beautiful anecdote will explain it to you. Don’t move, it is not something you have to think about; just listen directly. There is no question of believing or not believing, accepting or not accepting. Just listen as if you are listening to the sound of running water.

THERE WAS A MONK IN TRAINING UNDER DOGO CALLED SOSHIN. HE WAS A SINCERE YOUNG MONK WORTHY OF HIS NAME, WHICH MEANT “TO REVERE AND BELIEVE.” HE HAD BECOME DISTRESSED, AND FELT IT TO BE BEYOND ENDURANCE: SINCE THE TIME HE HAD COME TO THE MONASTERY FOR TRAINING, HIS TEACHER, DOGO, HAD NOT GIVEN HIM, EVEN ONCE, ANY INSTRUCTIVE SERMON OR APPROPRIATE GUIDANCE.

Soshin’s name is beautiful, but it is not the right name for a disciple. It means reverence and belief. Neither reverence is needed nor belief is needed. Soshin has to disappear into an utter absence. Then he would not ask the master: “I have been here, and now it is becoming unendurable. You have not given me any guidance, any teaching, any sermon.”

That is the poor state of every human being. He is expecting someone else to give him the truth. That is the believer’s mind. Truth is available only to the receptive, and the believer is never receptive. The believer has his own belief which is a barrier, a prejudice – however beautiful, a prison is a prison.

And the question of reverence does not arise. You cannot touch your own feet. The authentic disciple is neither a believer nor is he searching to worship or revere someone. His whole effort is to inquire into his own isness. He will never be dissatisfied.

There is no question of endurance, there is no need of any expectation. The truth is showering on you in each breath, in each beat of your heart.

Except truth, there is nothing else. You are drowned in it.

ONE DAY SOSHIN, WHO COULD NOT STAND IT ANY LONGER, WENT TO HIS TEACHER DOGO AND ASKED, “EVER SINCE I CAME TO THIS MONASTERY, YOU HAVE NOT GIVEN ME YOUR GRACIOUS TEACHING EVEN ONCE. WHAT COULD BE THE REASON FOR THIS?”

A very logical, rational question. But Zen is neither logical nor rational. It is existential. Logic, reason... all belong to your gibberish. Silence is beyond any logic and any reason. It simply is.

THE MASTER GAVE THE LEAST EXPECTED REPLY, FOR HE SAID, “WHY, EVER SINCE YOU CAME TO MY MONASTERY, I HAVE NOT, EVEN FOR ONE MOMENT, NEGLECTED TO TEACH YOU.”

“WHAT KIND OF TEACHING HAVE YOU GIVEN ME, MASTER?” SOSHIN ASKED.

“WELL, WELL! IF YOU BRING ME A CUP OF TEA, DON’T I RECEIVE THE CUP? IF YOU SERVE ME MEALS, DON’T I EAT THEM? IF YOU GREET ME WITH YOUR HANDS PRESSED, DON’T I RETURN YOUR BOW? HOW HAVE I EVER NEGLECTED TO GIVE YOU GUIDANCE?”

Do you see the difference? There are millions of teachers in the world but very few will be able even to understand what Dogo is saying.

He is saying, “If you had been present to the present, you would have seen with what grace, with what gratitude I receive the cup of tea that you bring. Even just a single moment of awareness would have made you enlightened.”

SUDDENLY, SOSHIN, LISTENING TO THIS, HUNG HIS HEAD DEEP, AND FOR A WHILE COULD NOT UTTER A WORD.

He was ashamed of himself – not being able to understand such a compassionate master who has been teaching every moment, day in, day out. Of course, without any words, just by his presence... That signifies the greatest masters.

SUDDENLY THE MASTER’S ROARING CRY, AS IF ABUSING HIM, FELL ON SOSHIN’S WHOLE BEING. DOGO SAID, “WHEN YOU SEE, SEE IT DIRECT! IF A THOUGHT MOVES, IT IS GONE!”

AT THIS, SOSHIN UTTERED AN UNINTENTIONAL CRY “OH!” AND PROSTRATED HIMSELF BEFORE THE MASTER, IN TEARS, WHETHER OF JOY OR SORROW HE HIMSELF DID NOT KNOW.

This is enlightenment. The sudden opening of all the mysteries and one is no more, so how can one know whether these tears are of joy or of sorrow?

It is a tremendously beautiful story for every one of you to understand.

This very morning, Devageet was working on my teeth. For the first time in years, when I left his dentist’s chair, I asked him, “Are you satisfied?” Because I could see his dissatisfaction – that he has not been able to do the work that he wanted to on my teeth.

In the evening, I told him to finish it, because who knows about tomorrow? I may not be here, then fixing my teeth will be absolutely absurd. He did try his best but I am a master who is teaching everybody to be present at every moment. And even people who are close to me go on asking me, “Do you love me, Osho?”

I cannot do otherwise. It is not a question of your qualities, my love is unconditional. But I can see the poverty of the human heart. It goes on asking, “Am I needed?” And unless you are free from the desire to be needed, you will never know freedom, you will never know love and you will never know truth.

Because of this anecdote, I have to report to you: Shunyo works hard continuously, taking every care for my well-being, but she still goes on asking, “Do you love me?” I am in the dentist’s chair under maximum gas and she is asking, “Do you love me?” And because I had promised my dentist that, “I will not talk”... but it is impossible.

Because I did not say, “I love you,” she must have become so disturbed that she forgot to put the towel in my bathroom. I had to take a bath without a towel. Later on, when I asked her, she said, “I am sorry.”

But it is not only her situation. It is almost everybody’s situation. And my whole teaching is that you have to be respectful to yourself. It is falling from dignity to ask this – and particularly from a master whose love is already being given to you. Why be a beggar? My effort here is to make emperors of you.

The day, the moment you understand the tremendous glory of being present, nothing else is needed. You are enough. Out of that arises the great joy, “Aha! My God! I have been here and was looking everywhere else.”

DOGO WAS ASKED BY A MONK, “WHAT IS THE DEEPEST?”

DOGO CAME DOWN FROM HIS SEAT, MADE OBEISANCE IN THE MANNER OF A WOMAN AND SAID, “YOU HAVE COME FROM SO FAR AND I HAVE NO ANSWER FOR YOU.”

He has answered but he has no answer to give in words. Do you see the tremendous beauty? In Japan, men and women bow down to each other differently. Obviously, the woman’s is more loving, humble, of the heart; not just in a social manner but from her own being.

DOGO CAME DOWN FROM HIS SEAT, MADE OBEISANCE IN THE MANNER OF A WOMAN...

That is what has to be understood: IN THE MANNER OF A WOMAN. Humble, loving, simple... there is nothing deeper than this grace. He has answered, but seeing that the monk has not understood, he says, “You have come from so far and I have no answer for you.”

Again, the great compassion of a master – rather than telling the questioner “Don’t ask stupid questions,” he accepts his own ignorance. He says, “I don’t have any answer,” although he has given the answer. But he has given it in existential terms. That was the greatness of Dogo.

Question 1

Maneesha has asked:

BELOVED OSHO,

DID YOU CALL THE BAMBOOS, “POOR BAMBOOS” LAST NIGHT? AREN’T THEY THE LUCKIEST BAMBOOS ALIVE? – LISTENING TO ONE WHO SPEAKS THEIR LANGUAGE AND KNOWING THAT OUR SILENCE DEEPENS WITH THEIR EVERY MOVEMENT?

Maneesha, amongst these bamboos, there are a few poor intellectuals, Ph.D.’s, D.Litt.’s – I was referring to these poor people. Otherwise... now see: even the intellectuals are silent. Certainly these bamboos are the luckiest in the world at this moment. Just the way you are the luckiest people in the world.

But a few intellectuals cannot resist. Even though they see so many silent people, they go on making statements. A few are journalists, a few are politicians. But the remaining ones are absolutely silent with you. Now do you see? Even the D.Litt.’s are keeping their mouths shut. But that does not mean that they are silent. Once you are silent, they will start chattering.

An intellectual is incurable. He may be a bamboo ... it does not matter in what form the consciousness in life has appeared.

I had to call those bamboos poor, Maneesha, because according to me the poorest people in the world are the intellectuals, politicians, journalists, people who have nothing but power and money. These are the poorest ones because they are missing a tremendous opportunity of rejoicing in their own being and having a dance because they have found their authentic space.

Before we go into our meditation a few laughs will help you. Laughter is a tremendously helpful method to shake off all dust that everybody gathers without his knowing.

After many years of service, Father O’Reilly realizes that his assistant Patrick MacDilly is stealing from the donation box. So the next Sunday, after hearing MacDilly’s confession, Father O’Reilly says, “Patrick, besides the sins you have already confessed, don’t you have anything else to add?”

There is no reply.

“Okay, Patrick,” continues Father O’Reilly, “I will ask you straight: who is stealing from the donation box?”

There is silence.

Father O’Reilly tries again and still he is met with silence.

So then he comes out of the confession box and says to MacDilly, “Hey, I asked you a question.” “Funny,” says MacDilly, “I did not hear anything.”

“Okay,” says the priest impatiently. “We will change places. I will kneel there and you sit in my place and we will check this thing out.”

So MacDilly sits down and asks, “Who is screwing the young priest who just arrived?” “Funny,” says O’Reilly jumping up. “You are right, I cannot hear either.”

Paddy and Sean are driving home to Dublin from an Irish wine-tasting festival and have tasted a little too much.

“Paddy, are we near the city yet?” asks Sean.

“Yes,” says Paddy, “we must be. We are knocking down more people.” “Drive slower then,” cries Sean.

“What do you mean, drive slower?” says Paddy. “You are driving!”

Archibald, the budding young artist, gets up from the couch where he has been making love to his model and starts dressing.

“I will bet you do that to all your models,” says the girl breathlessly. “No,” replies Archie, “you are the first.”

“Really?” asks the girl. “And how many models have you had?” “Just four,” replies Archie, “a lemon, a potato, a banana and you.”

The ship is sinking fast and the captain calls the last three members of his crew to the bridge.

“Men,” says the captain, “this thing about the captain going down with his ship is all rubbish. There is a three-man life raft here and I am going to be on it. So that means one of you will have to stay behind. To see who will come with me, I will ask you each a question. Whoever cannot answer will remain behind, okay?

“Here is the first question: What unsinkable ship hit an iceberg and sank?” “The Titanic, Sir,” answers the first man.

“Right,” says the captain. “How many people drowned?”

“One thousand five hundred and two, Sir,” replies the second sailor. “Right,” says the captain calmly.

He turns to the third man. “And now the third question,” he says, “what were their names?”

Now, Nivedano, give the first drumbeat and everybody goes into gibberish.

(Drumbeat) (Gibberish) Nivedano... (Drumbeat)

Everybody goes into absolute silence. No movement, either of mind or body.

Just gather your whole energy in the deepest innermost being. This.

This.

A thousand times This. The very essence of Zen... This!

Nivedano... (Drumbeat)

And everybody relax as if you are dead. Nivedano...

(Drumbeat) Come back to life.

Really come back to life. A few may be still dead. Nivedano...

(Drumbeat)

Fresh, in this very moment, you are the most precious. Okay, Maneesha?

Yes, Osho.

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