Looking and seeing

[Guest guest]

Question 3<br>WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

LOOKING AND SEEING?<br>Osho:<br>THERE IS a great

difference. Looking means you are looking for something; you

have already some idea to look for. You come here and

you say, "I am looking for Teertha" -- then you have

an idea. Then you look all around for where Teertha

is. The idea is there already.<br>Looking is already

prejudiced. If you are looking for God, you will never find

Him -- because looking means you have a certain idea

already of who God is. And your idea is bound to be

either Christian or Judaic or Hindu or Mohammedan. Your

idea is going to be your concept -- and your concept

can never be higher than you. And your concept is

bound to be your concept. Your concept is bound to be

rooted in ignorance, borrowed. At the most, it is just

belief; you have been conditioned for it. Then you go on

looking.<br>A person who is looking for truth will never find

it, because his eyes are already corrupted, he

already has a fixed concept. He is not open. If you have

come to me to look for something, then you already

have an idea -- you will miss me. Then whatsoever I

say you will interpret according to your idea and it

will not be my meaning, it will be your meaning. You

may find yourself agreeing with me, you may find

yourself not agreeing with me -- but agreeing or not

agreeing is not the question at all, it is not the point

at all. You have missed me. You can agree, but you

are agreeing with your own idea.<br>You say: "Yes,

this man is right," because this man fits with your

idea. Your idea is right so that's why this man is

right. Or, you don't agree because it doesn't fit with

your idea. But in both the cases your idea is more

important. You will miss me.<br>A man who is looking for

something will always be missing it.<br>Seeing is just

clarity -- open eyes, open mind, open heart. Not looking

for something in particular; just ready and

receptive. Whatsoever happens, you will remain alert,

receptive, understanding. Conclusion is not there!

Conclusion has to come: by your own eyes you will see -- and

there will be a conclusion. The conclusion is in the

future. When you are seeing, the conclusion is not

already there. When you are looking, the conclusion is

already there. And we go on interpreting according to our

ideas.<br>Just the other night I was reading a joke:<br><br>A

small child is reading a pictorial book on wild life,

and he becomes very intrigued with the pictures of

ferocious lions. He reads whatsoever is there, but one

question is not answered there so he asks his

mother.<br>He asks his mother: "Mom, what type of love-life do

lions have?"<br>The mother said, "Son, I don't know

much about Lions because all your father's friends are

Rotarians."<br><br>If you have some idea in the mind, you corrupt. Then

you are not listening to what is being said -- then

you are listening according to yourself. Then your

mind is playing an active role. When you are looking,

mind is active. When you are seeing, mind is passive.

That is the difference. When you are looking, mind is

trying to manipulate. When you are seeing, mind is

silent -- just watching, available, open, with no idea

in particular to enforce on reality.<br>Seeing is

nude. And you can come to truth only when you are

absolutely nude; when you have discarded all clothes, all

philosophies, all theologies, all religions; when you have

dropped all that has been given to you; when you come

empty-handed, not knowing in any way. When you come with

knowledge you come already corrupted. When you come in

innocence, knowing that you don't know, then the doors are

open -- then you will be able to know. Only that

person who has no knowledge is capable of knowing.