The Great Path - Oshorajneesh.com

CHAPTER 10. THE ETERNAL SPRING
’raw sugar to the dumb’ – what can never be spoken of. When you have tasted of it, wherever you
are you are alright, whatever you do is alright. Then the world becomes like a dream for you, and all
of life is no more than a drama; you become a witness and that itself is Shivahood.
Now let us take up the sutras:
HAPPINESS AND SORROW ARE BUT EXTERNAL MOODS – THIS HE REMEMBERS
CONSTANTLY.
He who attained Shivahood is constantly aware of the fact that happiness occurs outside, and so
also sorrow; neither of the two penetrates you interior. But you are disturbed by both. You cling to
happiness and identify yourself with it and think that your are happy. In this way you have created
the sorrow. From this point on the journey to suffering begins. In fact, it has already started.
As soon as you say, ”I am happy,” you have sown the seed of unhappiness; now it will not be long
before it comes. Suffering means to identify with your moods. Then, when the suffering comes,
you identify with that. Your trouble is that you identify with whatsoever comes before you. You do
not remain the observer, but become the reactor to whatever appears before you. If sorrow comes
you beat your breast and tear your hear; if happiness come you dance with glee. Both happiness
and sorrow come from without and have no way of going within. It is you who identifies with them
and suffers from them. As soon as a person goes beyond the mind, he begins to see that all this
happens outside the temple, and that nothing enters within.
HAPPINESS AND SORROW ARE EXTERNAL MOODS – THIS HE REMEMBERS CONSTANTLY.
Here the word ’constantly’ is important. You also remember this sometimes, especially when you
are advising or counselling others; then you know it for certain. If only you were as wise for your
own self as you are for others. You are so wise when you counsel others. It would be very good if
you could apply the same understanding to your life’s journey.
What is the reason for this deep understanding and wisdom for others? If someone is in great trouble
you say, ”Why are you so upset? That is life! That is the way the world is! Don’t get so involved with
it!” When you find yourself in the same trouble it is quite possible that this very person will return
your good advice and say, ”Do not worry, brother. Happiness and sorrow are only external states.”
Now what is the reason behind this? It is simply that, when suffering comes to others you become
the witness, so understanding arises within you. The sorrow has come to others, not to you; you are
merely the observer. To the extent that you become an observer, when sorrow comes to you, this
understanding will remain with you. Right now you have given your understanding away.
Mulla Nasruddin went to a psychologist and said, ”My wife’s condition is very bad. You will have to
do something.”
The psychologist worked with her for a few weeks, then he told the Mulla, ”She has completely lost
her head. I am very sorry, Mulla.”
I knew she would,” exclaimed the Mulla. ”Every day she used to give me a piece of her mind and
eventually everything has come to an end.”
The Great Path 183 Osho