The Empty Boat - Osho.pdf - Oshorajneesh.com

CHAPTER 8. THE USELESS
Now scientists say that sooner or later we will supply each child with a computer which he can carry
in his pocket. He need not carry much mathematics in his mind, he can just push the button and the
computer will do it. Your mind is a natural computer. Why be burdened constantly by it? When it is
not needed, put it aside. But you think it is needed because you have to do something useful. Who
will tell you what is useful and what is useless? The mind is constantly sorting out: This is useful,
do this; and that is useless, don’t do it. Mind is your manager. The mind represents use. Meditation
represents the useless.
Move from the useful to the useless, and make this movement so spontaneous and natural that
there is no struggle, no conflict. Make it as natural as moving in and out of your house. When the
mind is needed, use it as a mechanical device; when it is not in use, put it aside and forget it. Then
be useless and do something useless and your life will be enriched, your life will become a balance
between use and no use. And that balance transcends both. That is transcendental – neither use
nor non-use.
”HOW LONG WILL HE BE ABLE TO USE THAT WHICH HE IS USING?”
HUI TZU SAID:
”IT WOULD CEASE TO SERVE ANY PURPOSE.”
CHUANG TZU CONCLUDED:
”THIS SHOWS THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
OF WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE NO USE.”
Even the useful cannot exist without the useless. The useless is the base. I say to you, your mind
cannot exist without meditation, and if you try to do the impossible you will go mad. That is what is
happening to many people. They go mad. What is madness? Madness is an effort to do without
meditation, to live only with the mind, without any meditation. Meditation is the base, even the mind
cannot exist without it. And if you try, then the mind goes mad, goes crazy. It is too much. It is
unbearable. A madman is a man who is a perfect utilitarian. He has tried the impossible, he has
tried to live without meditation, and that is why he goes mad.
Psychologists say that if you are not allowed to sleep for three weeks you will go mad. Why? Sleep
is useless. Why will you go mad if you are not allowed to sleep for three weeks? A man can live
without food for three months but a man cannot live without sleep for three weeks. And three weeks
is the ultimate limit. It is not for you – you will go mad within three days if you are not allowed to
sleep. If the useless is thrown out, you will go mad.
Madness is growing every day because meditation is not thought to be valuable. Do you think that
whatsoever can be priced, only that is valuable? whatsoever can be purchased and sold, only that
is valuable? whatsoever is a market commodity, only that is valuable? Then you are wrong. That
which has no price is also valuable. That which cannot be sold and purchased is far more valuable
than all that can be purchased and sold.
The Empty Boat 149 Osho