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

CHAPTER 14. ACTION, INACTION AND NON-ACTION
the untruth is. Then you will know the true and the false are two aspects of the same thing, two
notes of the same song. Then you will know existence and non-existence are two differ
ent notes of the same flute. We can well imagine the problem of a person who sees life in its totality,
because his statements are bound to be hesitant and hazy, paradoxical and confusing.
It is for this reason that Krishna’s statements confuse you. It shows Krishna’s perception is most
profound.
Question 4
QUESTIONER: IS IT A KIND OF COMPROMISE ON THE PART OF SHANKARA WHEN HE SAYS
THAT MAYA IS INEXPRESSIBLE?
Shankara has no choice but to compromise. Whoever insists on an incomplete truth meets with
this fate; he has to compromise at one level or another. The other side of reality which he goes
on denying will assert itself, because it is very much there. He will have to accept it in one form
or another. He will call it maya that is indescribable, he will call it utilitarian truth or the truth that is
transient. It does not matter what he calls it, he will have to accept it because it is there. Shankara
cannot say that he will not speak about maya. Why should he speak about a thing that does not
exist? But he speaks. And then he has to compromise in one way or another.
Only a man like Krishna can be uncompromising, he need not compromise. He is uncompromising
because he accepts both sides of truth together; he does not deny either of them. One who denies
something is forced to compromise at some deeper level with what he denies, because it is. He
who accepts life in its totality need not compromise at all. Or you can say he has already made his
peace, his compromise.
Question 5
QUESTIONER: NOW YOU SAY THAT HESITATION IS GOOD. EARLIER YOU SAID THAT
INDECISIVENESS IS DESTRUCTIVE AND THAT ONE MUST KNOW CLEARLY WHERE HE
STANDS. PLEASE EXPLAIN.
I only said that hesitation is good; I did not say to be always in a state of hesitation is good. Those
who feel hesitant strive to go beyond it; those who don’t are stuck there.
Hesitancy is the transitional stage the beginning of the journey. It is only after one hesitates that he
goes beyond it. And there are two ways to transcend it. If you accept one side of the truth, your
hesitation will disappear. You can agree with Shankara or Nagarjuna, and you will cease to hesitate.
You will be out of trouble, you will be certain. But this way of getting rid of hesitation is costly, you
have to part with your intelligence. Stupid people never hesitate; so if you lose your intelligence then
you will overcome hesitation. But this is certainly not the right way.
You have to go beyond your hesitancy intelligently. That is, you don’t escape it, rather you face it
and transcend it. Hesitation has to be transcended at the point where both sides of truth are seen
as one and inseparable. This is a rational way of dealing with hesitancy. The other way is irrational,
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 273 Osho