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

CHAPTER 18. NON-ATTACHMENT IS NOT AVERSION
Therefore non-attachment is our self-nature – not attachment or aversion. That is why sometimes
we get attached to a thing and then are repelled by it.
And we can return to non-attachment because it is our essential nature: that is to say, the seed can
grow into a flower.
It is not that non attachment is the nature of a few; it is everybody’s nature. Wherever conscious
ness is, it is always beyond attachment and rejection. Our highest intelligence transcends both
clinging and aversion. It is a different matter that in its behavior, consciousness attaches itself to
something or rejects something else. But that is its behavioral side; it is like the eyelids open and
close whenever they have to.
If I am left exclusively with my consciousness, will I be attached or detached in that moment? I will
be neither. Attachment and aversion invariably happen in relationship with others. If I say Mr. X is
attached, you will immediately ask, ”To whom?” or ”To what?” How can one be attached without the
other? In the same way, if I say that Mr. Y is averse, you will soon ask, ”To what?” or ”From what?”
Because aversion too, is possible only in relation to someone or something. Both clinging and
rejection reflect our relationships; they belong to our behavioral side. In ourselves we are neither.
It is very important to understand the behavioral side of self-nature. And since it is a question of
behavior, I can be attached to a person today and can reject him tomorrow. Because it is behavioral,
if I am averse to someone today I can be attached to him tomorrow. And the irony is that I can
be both attached and averse to someone or something at the same time. It is quite possible I can
be simultaneously attached to one aspect of his personality and averse to another. We are often
in conflicting relationships with the same persons or things – attached and averse together. But
one thing is certain: attachment and aversion belong to our behavior, not our self-nature. Behavior
means that one enters into some relationship – with another person or thing or thought – but the
other is essential. Behavior is not possible without the other. It is impossible when you are alone.
Self-nature means that which is all alone. Aloneness is the intrinsic quality of self-nature. Self-nature
is aloneness. If I am left utterly alone, away from men and things, from ideas and images; if I am
in total aloneness, will I be attached or averse in that state? No, both attachment and aversion are
utterly irrelevant to aloneness, because they are reflections of relationship. Once I am out of all
relationships I am all alone – unattached and untouched.
I am explaining it at length so that you rightly understand the meaning and significance of nonattachment,
its context and associated words. And once you understand them rightly you will not
have much difficulty in coming to non-attachment.
Both attachment and aversion are relation ships in which the other is needed, the other is essential.
Without the other these words are meaningless. And because of this ”other”, both attachment and
aversion turn into bondages, slavery. In both cases we are dependent on others. So a person of
attachment is a slave, and a person of aversion is a slave of the opposite kind. Take away the vault
of one who clings to wealth and he will die. Put a vault in the room of one who is averse to wealth
and he will not be able to sleep.
Someone who is addicted to sex cannot live without a woman or a man. But put one who is an
avowed celibate with a beautiful woman or a man, and he will be in a mess. Both types of people
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 339 Osho