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

CHAPTER 12. DISCIPLINE, DEVOTION AND KRISHNA
Martin Buber speaks of a deep relationship between ”I” and ”thou”, and it is very humanistic. And
in a world which is becoming increasingly materialistic in every way, this concept of Martin Buber’s
seems very religious. But I don’t take it as such; I say it is not at all religious. I think Buber is just
attempting a compromise; if ”I” and ”thou” cannot unite they can at least maintain some relationship.
Religion stands for the non-dual, indivisible and integrated oneness of existence.
This is the difference between love and devotion, upasana. Love is relationship, it is dualistic,
devotion is non-dual, non-relationship. Non-relation ship does not mean that two persons have
separated; it simply means that they have ceased to be two, they have become one. To be one is
upasana, devotion. Devotion is a higher state of love – really the highest state. Unless two lovers
become divine, godly, they cannot achieve a real unity. Really, two humans cannot unite, because
their being human is the obstruction. A man and woman can at best be related with each other; they
cannot be united and one. Only divine elements can meet and merge into each other, because now
nothing can divide them. The truth is since they have dissolved themselves as separate entities, the
question of unity or separation does not now arise. There is really nothing to unite or divide them;
nothing is separate from them.
Martin Buber’s concept can lead you to love; Krishna can take you to devotion. And devotion is
something utterly different, it is rare. In devotion both ”I” and ”thou” disappear, and what remains
after this disappearance is inexpressible; it cannot be put into words. When ”I” and ”thou” disappear
there is infinity, which is nameless. Whatever names you use for it – spirit, matter, ”I” and ”thou” –
they are all going to be wrong. That is why all the great devotees chose to remain silent, they refused
to name it, they simply said, ”It is nameless.” They said, ”It is without beginning and without end,
it has neither form nor name.” They said, ”It cannot be expressed in words.” And so they remained
silent.
Great devotees became silent; they did not make a statement about the highest truth, because all
statements land you in the mire of duality. Man has no such word that is not likely to lead to dualism.
All words are loaded with dualistic meanings; the moment you use a word you divide existence into
two opposites. As soon as you say a word you divide existence into two.
It is as if you pass a ray of the sun through a prism and it divides into seven colors. The prism of
language divides every truth into two parts, and a truth divided turns into a lie. It is for this reason
that great devotees kept silent. They danced, they sang, they played the flute, they made gestures,
but they did not say a word. They said through their gestures, dance, laughter, what that truth is.
They have raised their hands toward the heavens to say what it is like. They have said it with their
silence; they have said it with their whole being. But they did not use words.
I am reminded of a story:
During the days of the mutiny, a British soldier stuck a bayonet in the chest of a sannyasin. The
sannyasin happened to pass through a military cantonment, and he was in silence. He had been in
silence for long; for thirty years he had not uttered a word. The day he went into silence someone
had asked him why. The sannyasin said, ”That which can be said is not worth saying, and that which
is worth saying cannot be said. So there is no way except to become silent.” And he had been silent
for thirty years.
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 226 Osho