Panch Mahavrat or The Perennial Path The Art of Living

Author(s): Osho Rajnish
Publisher: Osho Rajnish

Page 51

CHAPTER 5. PROCESS OF PROGRESS
Almost everybody in the world has got 'Moses' flute' with him, but no tune is corning out of it. Buddha used to tell the people, 'Don't worship me.' Mahavira says 'You yourself are God'. The man who is telling others, 'You yourself are God,' is emphasising the fact 'Don't worship me.' That man says 'you yourself are that whom you worship. It is not necessary for you to worship someone else.' Mahavira says, 'Be independent, leave aside all dependence, because whom are you depending upon? You are that yourself what you search.
This is the cause for all the fundamental mistakes of man. Uptil now man has succeeded and Buddha and Mahavira are defeated. One does not know whether this sort of position will change in future or not, but efforts to change it should continue. Now the individual who brings the message of God should fight against those past errors of man. It cannot be said (definitely) that man will believe in that message, because nothing could be asserted definitely and yet efforts should continue.
Now the final point about this question is that no matter how much gold or jewels cover Moses' flute today or no matter how many errors man has committed till now, we shall be able to find out Moses' flute hidden within.
If we remove all that has been attributed to Mahavira by his followers, remove all the smearings, if we cast away all the clothes that have been put on Buddha by his followers, we will see that real truth there even today. These outer coverings of 2,500 years have no value today. You need to search Buddha and Mahavira within yourself. And bear in mind, as long as I do not reach my inner Mahavira, I cannot know any Mahavira outside. As long as I do not reach Krishna within me, no Krishna will have any meaning for me. As long as Buddha is not awakened in me, not a word of Buddha can be word of my language. If we find out our 'self', we find all selves.
IS LEARNING STEALING?
One may go to them who have knowledge, but should not accept what they say or know. Scrutinise properly what they know. You should not be a blind believer. Don't get fixed in what they know, keep your eyes open and investigate. Inspiration from others does not mean to accept from others. If you approach Mahavira, and get inspired by him, it does not mean that you should begin crying like Mahavira. Having approached Mahavira, inspiration would mean this: if this light-knowledge - wisdom could take birth in Mahavira, why could it not take its birth in me also? This is the challenge. In English, the word is inspiration. It is very important. It is necessary to pay attention to the 'In' in it. But we always take inspiration from others. Thus the word is misunderstood. 'Inspiration' means inner impulse. The other can be an instrument in this. The other cannot become a support. The other can be a challenge, he cannot become a rule. A lighted-lamp can become a source of information for an extinguished lamp which can also burn, because it has a wick and it has oil. And if this burning lamp does not become a source of inspiration for the extinguished-lamp and simply becomes an object of worship and following, then even if the extinguished lamp sits with its head bowed down at the feet of the burning lamp for infinite time, nothing will come out of it.
Inspiration means a challenge. Wherever 'that' is seen it should be a - challenge an inspiration - for him who should say 'Why is "that" not happening within me? Why should not that happen within me which has happened for one individual in this world?' all the means are present there. This heart is there which should become Mira's songs. This intellect is there, it should become wisdom. This body is there wherein many people have attained God. These eyes are there, with which not
The Perennial Path: The Art of Living
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Osho