Jain Spirit 2002 03 No 10

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 51

INTERFAITH
DEATH IS A LIE
Osho explains how the fear of death overwhelms human existence and
shows how it can be overcome
THAT WHICH MAN HAS KNOWN, HE BECOMES LIBERATED Whenever we see death happening, we become aware of from it. And that which man has come to know, he is our own death. When we cry over somebody's death, it is
able to triumph over it. Our failure and defeat are only not just for that person's death alone but also for the hint we because of our ignorance. Defeat is because of darkness; get of our own. Our suffering from pain and sorrow is not when there is light, defeat is impossible - the light becomes only over someone's death but also over the apparent the victory.
possibility of our own. The occurrence of every death is, at The first thing I would like to tell you about death is that the same time, our own death. So long as we remain there is no bigger lie than death. And yet, death appears to be surrounded by death, how can we live? Like that, living is true. It not only appears to be true but even seems like the impossible. Like that, we cannot know what life is - neither cardinal truth of life - it appears as if the whole of life is its joy, nor its beauty, nor its benediction. Like that, we surrounded by death. Whether we forget about it or become cannot reach the temple of God, the supreme truth of life. oblivious to it, death remains close to us everywhere. Death The temples which have been created out of the fear of is even closer to us than our shadow.
death are not the temples of God. The prayers which have We have structured our lives out of our fear of death. The been composed out of the fear of death are not the prayers to fear of death has created society, nation, family and friends. God either. Only one who is filled with the joy of life The fear of death has caused us to chase money and has made reaches the temple of God. God's kingdom is filled with joy us ambitious of higher positions. The biggest surprise is that and beauty. The bells of God's temple ring only for those our gods and temples have also been raised out of the fear of who are free from all kinds of fears, for those who have death. Afraid of death, there are people who pray on their become fearless. knees. Afraid of death, there are people who pray to God We like to live in fear, so this seems difficult. But this is with folded hands raised towards the sky.
not possible - only one of the two things Nothing is more false than death. That is
can be right. Remember, if life is true why whatever system of life we have
then death cannot be true - and if death is created, believing death to be true, has
"We have structured true then life will be nothing but a dream, become false.
a lie; then life cannot be true. These two How do we know the falsity of death? our lives out of our
things cannot exist simultaneously. But How can we know there is no death?
we hold on to both together. There is the Until we know it, our fear of death will fear of death.”
feeling that we are alive and there is also not go. Until we know the falsity of
the feeling that we are dead. death, our lives will also remain false. As
I have heard about a fakir who lived long as there is fear of death, there cannot be authentic life. in a faraway valley. Many people would go to him with As long as we tremble with the fear of death, we cannot questions. Once a man came and asked him to explain summon the capacity to live our lives. Only those can live something about life and death. The fakir said, "You are for whom the shadow of death has disappeared forever. How welcome to know about life; my doors are open. But if you can a frightened and trembling mind live? When death seems want to know about death then go somewhere else, because to be approaching every second, how is it possible to live? I have never died nor will I ever die. I have no experience How can we live?
of death. If you want to know about death then ask those No matter to what extent we may remain oblivious to who have died, ask those who are already dead." The fakir death, it is never really forgotten. It makes no difference if laughed and continued, "But how will you ask those who are we put the cemetery outside the town - death still shows its already dead? And if you ask me to give you the address of face. Every day someone dies; every day death occurs a dead person I cannot do it. Because ever since I have come somewhere and it shakes the very foundation of our lives. to know that I cannot die, I have also come to know that no
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Jain Spirit . March - May 2002