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

CHAPTER 21. CHOOSE THE FLUTE OR PERISH
man, life is a cross that he has to carry on his shoulders from the cradle to the grave. For him, life
is really a curse, a sin, not a blessing. And the cross became increasingly important to him, and he
clung to it. In fact, Christianity is a worldwide conglomeration of all such pessimistic and miserable
people.
It is relevant to note that the last two world wars were mostly fought by Christian countries. A few
non-Christian countries that were involved in these wars were dragged into them by their imperialist
masters, who were all Christians.
Japan was the only non-Christian country that willingly joined the war as an aggressor. But Japan
has ceased to be an eastern country except geographically; it is now virtually a part of the western
world. And Japan has a long tradition of suicide which in Japanese is called hara-kiri. A Japanese
kills himself on very small excuses; his wife has died, or he has committed an act of misdemeanor
and he thinks he is finished with life. Then there is no way for him but to end his life – as if there is
no hope of his redemption.
According to this thinking, a tree should commit hara-kiri when its flowers wither – who knows if new
flowers will open the next morning? The Japanese don’t have even this much hope and patience
in their hearts. So the last two world wars were fought by peoples who have been traditionally
associated with the cross and the custom of hara-kiri.
If the Third World War happens, it will spell the destruction of mankind; it will be a case of collective
crucifixion of the human race. So what began with the crucifixion of a single individual is going to
end in the collective crucifixion – the crucifixion of the entire race of homo sapiens. I don’t say that
Jesus is responsible for it; the responsibility belongs to those who hanged him on the cross.
I also don’t say that people rallied round the cross because they were influenced by Jesus; the
contrary is the truth. They came to Jesus because they were influenced by the cross. But it is
undeniably true that a civilization based on crossianism, on sado-masochism, was destined to lead
mankind to self-destruction. Actually there is no sense in accepting the cross and worshipping it.
Even if life bears a cross, it is in our hands to replace the cross with a flower.
In my view, Krishna’s flute is exactly the opposite of the cross. And it is important to know that while
it is others who hang Jesus on the cross, they really impose it on him; Krishna chooses the flute
for himself. It is necessary to bear in mind that while the flute is intrinsic to Krishna and his life – it
symbolizes him – the cross is extrinsic to Christ; it does not represent him. It is others, the Jewish
priests and the Roman governor, who force the cross on Christ.
Krishna plays the flute for the love of it. Nobody has forced it on him; he has chosen it for himself.
I see Krishna’s flute symbolizing life’s benediction and man’s gratefulness to life for this blessing.
Krishna has made his choice for happiness, for bliss. In fact, when life is so good and great, Krishna
cannot but choose to be happy, and he says it with the flute.
And just as an unhappy person does not suffer alone, he makes many others unhappy, similarly a
happy person becomes the source of happiness for countless numbers of people. So when Krishna
plays his flute, its melody, its bliss, does not remain con fined to him, it gladdens all those whose
hearts come to hear it. And it is as it should be.
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 405 Osho