From Ignorance to Innocence - Osho - Oshorajneesh.com

CHAPTER 7. SHAME IS THE NAME OF THEIR GAME
they have to depend on brahmins for certain things. Although Jainism is a religion in revolt against
Hinduism and is basically against brahminism, finally they had to make the compromise, because
there were a thousand and one things they could not figure out without the brahmins.
Now, who is going to make the birth chart? Jainas had no idea of astronomy, astrology, palmistry,
so they had finally to negotiate. In marriage, who is going to do the rituals? – so the brahmin does
it. And the mantras have to be recited – the brahmin has to do it. In death, who is going to recite the
mantras when the fire is given to the body? – the brahmin has to do it.
So finally the whole rebellion disappeared, and Jainism became just a sub-caste, a sub-religion,
a branch of Hinduism – but philosophically they are enemies. Deep down, Jainas think they are
higher and that they are simply hiring these brahmins for certain works as they hire other servants.
Brahmins think that they are higher – ”Because without us you cannot even be born, you cannot
die.”
These pseudo-religions have created a chaos in you – that is very necessary for them.
I have heard: One politician, one advocate, and one priest – three old friends – all had passed their
seventieth year, but they used to go every morning for a walk and sit on a bench in the park and
gossip about things which only they knew... the good old days. And many times arguments and
discussions would start. One morning they started discussing whose profession was the first.
The advocate said, ”There is no problem about it: my profession was the first profession in the world,
because people were fighting and somebody was needed to mediate, to negotiate, to do justice, to
be fair to both parties. So of course my profession came first.”
The priest said, ”But do you know who started the fight? Without the priest, why should they be
fighting? It is the priest who gives the basic ideas and creates antagonism in people’s minds. And
once they get attached, infatuated with an idea, then they are ready to fight; otherwise why should
they fight?”
The politician laughed, he said, ”You both are right in a way, but you are not aware of the real
situation. Why in the first place did people accept your ideas, your philosophies, theologies? –
because of us. We created the will-to-power. Of course, the right idea is going to succeed, but we
created the whole idea of success, power, of reaching somewhere, of attaining something, of being
victorious.”
Only when there is a will-to-power do you start getting interested in the ”right” kind of philosophy,
the ”right” kind of theology, the ”right” kind of religion, so that you can reach the goal. And there
are always many others who are saying, ”We are right – where are you going?” All the religions are
saying, ”Except us, everybody is wrong.
The pseudo-religions disturbed man, his inner integrity. They disturbed the society by creating so
many fictitious ideologies.
You will be surprised if you look into their ideologies and their theologies. You will laugh: How was
it possible that great thinkers were concerned about these things? In the Middle Ages people like
From Ignorance to Innocence 90 Osho