Panch Mahavrat or The Perennial Path The Art of Living

SR No.: 007697
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Osho Rajnish
Publisher: Osho Rajnish
Total Pages: 96
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 1 MB

Page 31

CHAPTER 4
Nonstealing
12 November 1970 am in
Life is a network of interconnected relationships. An individual is required to be interrelated. Even an interrelationship is a relationship between two individuals. But two individuals are necessary for a relationship to establish. So life when seen from outside is interrelated; but along with it life is also interrelated from within. If that individual is not there, all the interrelationships become false. Love is a relationship but the individuality of the lover is most necessary, and if that individuality is a borrowed one, it is not an individuality. Individuality is always one's own, it cannot be borrowed. Otherwise it is a deception. That borrowed one is a put on face to show others. Under that face, there is nobody. It has no individuality, neither of life-zest, or originality. What we ordinarily call an individual is, in &ct, not an individual but a personality. That what we ordinarily call an individual is not original, but it is a collection of clothes which are put on. It is like an onion. If someone goes on removing the layers of an onion, it appears he will get the onion after each layer. But he gets only layers and never the onion. Similarly we are like a bundle in which all borrowed things have been collected. No matter how deep we go in this borrowed individuality we shall get nothing at the end. If there is no soul, no originality, the whole life becomes a false thing.
The biggest stealing in life is copying or, following. If an individual is only interested in becoming like someone else, he becomes a thief in the real sense of the term. When a person takes upon himself the personality of someone else, it is an imitation, and he ceases to be original. His authentic originality is lost. This does not mean that we should not accept ideas coming from others or stop relating with others. We should certainly be connected with others, but we should preserve our individuality - the 'self'. Currents of thoughts come from others to be accepted.
Accept them by all means, and not only as currents, but you should be yourself - above and beyond them always. There should stand 'someone' who is aloof and untouched, behind those currents.
31