The Empty Boat - Osho.pdf - Oshorajneesh.com

CHAPTER 3. THE OWL AND THE PHOENIX
THE PHOENIX THAT NEVER GROWS OLD?
”THIS UNDYING PHOENIX RISES OUT OF THE SOUTH SEA
AND FLIES TO THE SEA OF THE NORTH,
NEVER ALIGHTING EXCEPT ON CERTAIN SACRED TREES.
HE WILL TOUCH NO FOOD
BUT THE MOST EXQUISITE RARE FRUIT,
AND HE DRINKS ONLY FROM THE CLEAREST SPRINGS.
”ONCE AN OWL
CHEWING AN ALREADY HALF-DECAYED DEAD RAT
SAW THE PHOENIX FLY OVER. ”LOOKING UP HE SCREECHED WITH ALARM
AND CLUTCHED THE DEAD RAT TO HIMSELF
IN FEAR AND DISMAY.
”PRIME MINISTER,
WHY ARE YOU SO FRANTIC,
CLINGING TO YOUR MINISTRY
AND SCREECHING AT ME IN DISMAY?”
The religious mind is basically nonambitious. If there is any sort of ambition, then to be religious
is impossible, because only a superior man can become religious. Ambition implies inferiority. Try
to understand this because it is one of the basic laws. Without under-standing it you can go to
temples, you can go to the Himalayas, you can pray and you can meditate, but everything will be in
vain. You will be simply wasting your life if you have not understood whether the nature of your mind
is ambitious or nonambitious. Your whole search will be futile, because ambition can never lead to
the divine. Only non-ambition can become the door.
Modern psychology also agrees with Chuang Tzu, with Lao Tzu, with Buddha, with all those
who have known, that inferiority creates ambition. Hence politicians come from the worst stuff in
humanity. All politicians are SUDRAS, untouchables. It cannot be otherwise, because whenever the
mind feels the inferiority complex it tries to become superior – the opposite is born. When you feel
ugly, you try to be beautiful. If you are beautiful, then it is no effort.
So look at ugly women and you will come to know the nature of the politician. An ugly woman always
tries to hide the ugliness, always tries to be beautiful. At least the face, the painted face, the clothes,
The Empty Boat 48 Osho