Osho: The meaning of satsang
The Master is a presence; the Master is not a
doer. The real Master never does a thing but his presence functions
as a catalytic agent.
Much happens through his non-doing. That is the paradox of the
existence of a Master: without doing, much happens. So the whole
thing depends really on the disciple: if he is receptive things
start happening; if he is not receptive nothing happens. When
nothing happens he throws the responsibility on the Master.
The Master cannot do anything against you. In fact he cannot
do anything because it is not a question of doing at all; it
is simply a question of receiving, of taking it in.
That is the meaning of satsang: to be in the presence of a Master,
in a loving communion. It is a very special word-it cannot be
translated into any western language, because nothing like this
has ever happened there; it is uniquely eastern. in fact, the
relationship between a disciple and a Master is an eastern phenemenon,
a contribution of the East to the world of consciousness.
In the West, at the most, the teacher and the student exist.
The teacher teaches, the student leams. The Master is not a teacher;
the Master simply imparts, shares, and the disciple imbibes,
drinks. It is on a totally different plane. The student and the
teacher communicate; the communication is verbal. It is a dialogue,
it is transmitting some information. The teacher knows and the
student does not know; he collects information, he becomes more
knowledgeable. It is a transfer of knowledge.
Between master and disciple
Between a Master and a disciple the question is not of knowledge
but of being. Not that the Master knows more than the disciple-sometimes
it happens that the disciple may know more, but knowledge it
not the question at all. The Master is more than the disciple,
not that he knows more.
He has more being, he has more soul. It is not a question of
his memory, that he has more information fed in his memory cells,
no. It is a question of his existence; he has a totally different
kind of existence-integrated, centered, rooted. The teacher has
knowledge, the Master knows. Knowledge means about and about.
The Master has perception, his own experience. He does not know
about God-he knows God, he is God! When you know about, you remain
different from the knowledge, separate from the knowledge. When
you know God then the knower and the known become one. The Master
is divine. He has not known God as a separate entity; he has
recognized God as his own innermost core ... not as the known,
but as the knower, as a witness of all. He has being. Being cannot
be learned. Knowledge can be learned; being has only to be drunk.
That is satsang; the disciple drinks. The Master is like alcohol;
the disciple becomes more and more drunk, more and more drunk.
The disciple slowly slowly abandons himself completely; he forgets
all about himself. In that forgetfulness he remembers for the
first time who he is, because that which was forgotten was only
the personality, and now arises the essence, the soul, the being.
Silence
In the East for thousands of years this special phenomenon has
been in existence: the disciple sits by the side of the Master,
just imbibing. just being with him is enough-just to pulsate
with him, vibrate with him, sway with him, just to have a dance
with his being. This is not communication; this is communion.
Sometimes silences may be used; they are also devices. But that
which is important is something so mysterious that no word can
contain it. The very look of the Master's eyes in your eyes,
the very touch of his being, the very touch of his presence,
is enough to stir something that is fast asleep in you. The Master
awakes you. His only message -conveyed through words, through
silences, through love- is simple and single: Wake Up!
'Meditation means participation
in the celebration of existence.
Do not just be a spectator, participate in the mystery of life.
Dance it, sing it, feel it, be it.' -Osho-
Osho
on tv in the Netherlands
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