The Essence of Zen

[Guest guest]

Something like it really did happen -- that is Hassidism. This story must have

come from Jewish sources, although it is about Jesus. But Christians have no

sense of humor. And Jesus was never a Christian, remember. He was born a Jew, he

lived as a Jew, he died as a Jew.

 

Jesus is hanging on the cross singing, "Da-di-li-da-dum-dein...."

Suddenly Peter hisses from underneath, "Hey, Jesus!"

Jesus goes on, "Da-di-dum-da-dum-da-dei...."

Peter, now more urgently, "Hey, Jesus, stop it!"

Jesus continues happily with "Di-duah-duah...."

Finally Peter yells, "For God's sake, Jesus, cut it out! Tourists are coming!"

 

Try to understand Zen through laughter, not through prayer. Try to understand

Zen through flowers, butterflies, sun, moon, children, people in all their

absurdities. Watch this whole panorama of life, all these colors, the whole

spectrum.

 

Zen is not a doctrine, it is not a dogma. It is growing into an insight. It is a

vision -- very light-hearted, not serious at all.

 

Be light-hearted, light-footed. Be of light step. Don't carry religion like a

burden. And don't expect religion to be a teaching; it is not. It is certainly a

discipline, but not a teaching at all. Teaching has to be imposed upon you from

the outside and teaching can only reach to your mind, never to your heart, and

never, never to the very center of your being. Teaching remains intellectual. It

is an answer to human curiosity, and curiosity is not a true search.

 

The student remains outside the temple of Zen because he remains curious. He

wants to know answers and there are none. He has some stupid questions to be

answered: "Who made the world? Why did he make the world?" And so on and so

forth. "How many heavens are there and how many hells? And how many angels can

dance on the point of a needle? And is the world infinite or finite? Are there

many lives or only one?" These are all curiosities -- good for a student of

philosophy but not good for a disciple.

 

A disciple has to drop curiosity. Curiosity is something very superficial. Even

if those questions are answered, nothing will have happened to your being; you

will remain the same. Yes, you will have more information, and out of that

information you will create new questions. Each question answered brings ten

more new questions; the answer creates ten more new questions.

 

Osho: Ah, This!,

 

 

 

 

 

The New Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.