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

CHAPTER 22. SANNYAS IS OF THE HIGHEST
condemned as something immoral. But what is immoral in taking some smoke in and out? It is of
course senseless, but it is never immoral. He is not harming anyone except himself. It is an innocent
stupidity and nothing more. Maybe it is his need; maybe he lacks something which he is fulfilling
through smoking. He would be better to discover and know his problem.
Our knowledge of the human body is very poor. It is poor in spite of so much development in medical
science. We have yet to understand the body fully, its needs. its problems. And because of this the
body has to tackle its problems on its own. If it lacks nicotine it makes you smoke. And once you
take to smoking you are in the clutches of habit and you become helpless. It is not that everyone
smokes for lack of nicotine, nine out of ten smokers simply take to smoking out of imitation, And then
it becomes a mechanical habit, they become prisoners of a habit.
However, no routine, no discipline can be imposed from the outside. It is not possible, nor is it
desirable to prescribe a general code for the daily life of sannyasins, as to when they should leave
their beds and what they should eat. Of course, some broad guidelines can be given. What is
essential is that whatever a sannyasin does, he does it with awareness; whatever he does, he does
it keeping his own good and the good of others in view. And whatever he does is right if it promotes
his health, his peace and his happiness. And if, on the other hand, it harms his health and happiness,
he should shun it.
In the matter of food, he should take care that his food is fresh, light and health giving. He should
avoid unnecessary violence in eating; he should not eat anything that is obtained by killing and
maiming living beings. In brief, health should be your prime consideration in the selection of food.
Another important thing in respect to food is to learn and develop a sense of taste in eating. And it
depends more on the art of eating than on the food itself. On the basis of such broad hints about
food one should draw up his menu in accord with his own individuality.
Others can’t give you a discipline; it is just absurd. In fact, everybody is the architect of his own
destiny. Being initiated into sannyas means that a man chooses to be his own master, that he will
make his own decisions, that it is his right to conduct himself in his own way. You can say that a
sannyasin is liable to err if he makes his own decisions. Let him err; he will suffer for his mistakes.
Why should you worry about it? If he does things rightly he will be happy, and if he does them
wrongly he will suffer. It is wrong to take undue interest in what others do and how they do it. It is
really immoral to interfere in another’s life. Who are you to come in his way? One should come in
another’s way only if his mistakes begin to harm others; otherwise, he should not be interfered with.
He can make mistakes and learn from his mistakes.
A sannyasin is one who lives with discrimination, with wisdom, who is always investigating what it is
that brings happiness and what it is that causes pain, and who, through his own experiences, learns
what is good for him. He is on a journey to his bliss; you need not worry about him.
Sometimes I am amazed to see that others become more worried than a sannyasin himself that he
does not err. It is just silly. These self-appointed judges are always prying into the lives of sannyasins
– whether they wake up in brahmamuhurta or not, whether they sleep in the daytime or not. But who
are they? Why should they be after others?
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 430 Osho