Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy - Osho - Oshorajneesh.com

CHAPTER 1. THE FUTURE BELONGS TO KRISHNA
It is true, however, that our earth is now too small for a modern war. A war, in fact, needs space
too. Our instruments of war are now so gigantic that, obviously, war on this planet is simply not
possible. But it is so, not because what the pacifists say is right and has to be accepted out of fear,
but because the earth is now too small for the huge means of war science and technology have put
into our hands. So war on this planet has become meaningless. Now the shape of war is going to
change and its scope, escalate. New wars will be fought on the moon and Mars, on other planets
and satellites.
Scientists say there are at least fifty thousand planets in the universe where life exists. And if we
accept the counsel of despair, if we listen to those who are frightened of nuclear weaponry, we will
prevent the great adventure which man is now going to make into the vast infinity of space. But it
is true we have reached a point where war on this earth has become meaningless. But why it is so
has to be clearly understood.
War has become meaningless not because what the pacifists say has struck home with us, war has
lost its meaning because the science of war has attained perfection, because now a total war can
be a reality. And to fight a total war on this earth will be a self-defeating exercise. War is meaningful
so long as one side wins and another loses, but in a nuclear war, if and when it takes place, there
will be no victor and no vanquished – both will simply disappear from the earth. So war on this earth
has become irrelevant.
And for this reason I can see the whole world coming together as one world. Now the world will be
no more than a global village.
The earth has become as small as a village – even smaller than a village. It now takes less time
to go around the world than it took to go from one village to another in the past. So this world has
become too small for a total kind of war; it would be sheer stupidity to wage a war here. This does
not mean there should be no wars, nor does it mean there will be no wars in the future. War will
continue to take place, but now it will take place on newer grounds, on other planets. Now man will
go on newer adventures, newer incursions and greater campaigns. In spite of what the pacifists said
and did war could not be abolished. It cannot be abolished because it is a part of life.
It makes an interesting story if we assess the gains we have had from war. A careful observation will
reveal that all our cooperative efforts and institutions are the products of war. It is called cooperation
for conflict: we cooperate to fight. And with the disappearance of war, cooperation will disappear.
So it is extremely important to understand Krishna. Krishna is neither a pacifist nor a hawk. He has
nothing to do with any ”ism”. In fact, an ”ism” means choice, that we choose one of the opposites.
Krishna is ”non-ism”. He says that if good comes through peace, we should welcome peace, and
that if good flows from war then war is equally welcome. Do you understand what I mean? Krishna
says, and I say the same, that whatever brings bliss and benediction and helps the growth of religion
is welcome. We should welcome it.
We would not have been that impotent if our country had understood Krishna rightly. But we have
covered all our ugliness with beautiful words. Our cowardice is hiding behind our talk of non violence;
our fear of death is disguised by our opposition to war. But war is not going to end because we refuse
to go to war. Our refusal will simply become an invitation to others to wage war on us. War will not
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 12 Osho