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

CHAPTER 22. SANNYAS IS OF THE HIGHEST
a doer does so. One who thinks that he is a doer can vow that he will remain a sannyasin for his
whole life, but a real witness will say, ”I don’t know what tomorrow is going to be. I will accept it as it
comes and be a witness to it too. I cannot decide for tomorrow.”
In the past, sannyas was much handicapped by the concept of lifelong sannyas: once a sannyasin,
always a sannyasin. We closed the gate of society forever once one entered sannyas. Maybe a
person takes sannyas in a particular state of mind, and after some time, when he finds himself in
a different state of mind, wants to return to the world – but he cannot do so because the house of
sannyas has only an entrance, it has no exit at all. You can enter sannyas, but once in it you cannot
leave. And this single rule has turned sannyas into a prison. Even heaven will turn into hell if there
is no exit.
You can say that sannyas has no hard and fast rule like this. That is true, but the fact that society
looks down upon one who leaves sannyas is a stronger prohibition than any rule. We have an
ingenious device to prevent a sannyasin from going back to the world again. When someone takes
sannyas we make a big event of it, give him a farewell with great fanfare, with a band and flowers
and eulogies. The poor sannyasin does not know that this is a clever way to say goodbye to him
forever. He is not aware that if ever he returns to society he will be received by the same people with
sticks instead of flowers.
This is a very dangerous convention. Because of it, any number of people are prevented from
participating in the great bliss that sannyas can bring them. It becomes too difficult for them to make
a decision for lifelong sannyas, which is indeed a very hard decision. Besides, we don’t have the
right to commit ourselves to anything for our whole lives.
In my vision, short-term sannyas is the right way. You can leave it any time you like, because
it is you who take it. It is your decision, no one else can decide for you. Sannyas is entirely a
personal, individual choice, others don’t matter in any way. I am free to take sannyas today and
leave it tomorrow, provided I don’t expect any reward for it from others in the form of their praise and
acclamation.
We have made sannyas a very serious affair, and that is why only serious people – who are really
sick people – take to it. It is now necessary to turn sannyas into a non-serious thing, a play. It should
be entirely for your joy that you enter sannyas for a while and then leave it or remain in it forever.
Others should have no say in the matter. If the vision of short-term sannyas becomes prevalent, if
people are allowed to enter sannyas even for a few months from time to time, millions of people can
enjoy this blessing. It will really be a great thing.
There was a Sufi fakir known for his wisdom. The king of his country came to visit him. The king
said, ”I am thirsty for God; I want to see God. Please help me.”
The fakir asked him to visit him the next day, and the king came again. The fakir told him, ”Now
you have to live with me for a week. Take this begging bowl in your hand and go every day into the
adjoining villages to beg alms from house to house. After begging, return to this place, where you
will get your meals and a place to rest. And then on the eighth day we will discuss God.”
The king was in a fix. He had to go begging in his own kingdom, from his own subjects, which
seemed such an arduous and embarrassing task. So he asked for the FAKIR’S permission to go
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 422 Osho