The Great Path - Oshorajneesh.com

CHAPTER 2. THE STARS MIRRORED
out what you are. There are all kinds of voices. And amidst all that din your own voice is completely
lost.
The fourth state means recognizing the soul. Only when you break away from the first three states
can you recognize the soul. Start with very small experiments. When anger arises, stop! What is
the hurry? When you feel hatred, wait! There should be some interval. Reply only when you are
fully conscious – not until that. You will find that all that is sinful in life has fallen away from you; all
that is wrong is banished forever. You will suddenly discover, there is no need to respond to anger.
Perhaps you might feel like thanking the man who insults you. Because he has obliged you. He
gave you an opportunity to awaken.
Kabir has said stay near the one who is critical of you. Look after him and serve him who is abusing
you because it is he who gives you the opportunity to awaken.
All the occasions that drown you in unconsciousness can be turned into stepping stones to
awareness if you wish so. Life is like a huge boulder lying in the middle of the road. Those who
are foolish, see the stone as a barrier and turn back. For them the road is closed. Those who are
clever, climb the stone and use it as a step. And the moment they make it a stepping stone greater
heights are available to them.
A seeker should keep in mind only one factor, and that is: to utilize each moment to awaken
awareness. Then be it hunger or anger or lust or greed, every state can be utilized towards
awareness. If you go on accumulating awareness bit by bit, eventually you will have a good store of
fuel within you. In the flame this fuel creates, you will find that you are neither awake nor dreaming
nor in deep slumber; you are beyond and apart from all three.
CONSTANCY OF KNOWLEDGE IS THE WAKING STATE. TO BE AWARE OF EVERYTHING
AROUND YOU IS THE WAKING STATE.
CHOOSING IS THE DREAMING STATE. The web of thoughts in the mind, the expanse of
imagination and phantasy is the dreaming state.
UNCONSCIOUSNESS AND LACK OF SELF-AWARENESS
CREATE THE ILLUSION OF DEEP SLEEP.
These are the three states. When we pass through the first state, we are one with it. When we reach
into the second, we are one with that. When we reach in the third state, we become one with that.
Therefore we cannot see these three separately. To see, we need a little distance, a perspective.
There must be some space between you and the object. If you stand right against a mirror, you will
not be able to see your reflection. A little distance is necessary. But you are so close to the waking,
dreaming and sleeping states, that you become in fact one with them. You are colored by them.
This habit of becoming one with others is so ingrained that we are not even conscious of it – and
this habit is being exploited.
If you are a Hindu and you are told to set fire to a mosque, you will think a thousand times about
whether it is right to do so, because the mosque is dedicated to the same God to whom your temple
The Great Path 34 Osho