The Heart of Yoga. Osho

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СКАЧАТЬ even be aware when they flower and when they fade. But when this grass flowers, the phenomenon of flowering is the same, the celebration is the same, and there is not a bit of difference. Remember this: that in existence there is no comparison. The mind brings in comparison. It says, “You are more beautiful.” Can’t you simply say, “You are beautiful”? Why bring in “more”?

      Mulla Nasruddin was in love with a woman, and as women are prone, when Mulla Nasruddin kissed her she asked, “Are you kissing me as the first woman? Am I the first woman you have kissed? Is this the first kiss you have given to a woman?”

      Nasruddin said, “Yes, the first and the sweetest.”

      Comparison is in your blood. You cannot stay with a thing as it is. The woman is also asking for a comparison; otherwise why worry whether this is a first or a second kiss? Each kiss is fresh and virgin. It has no relationship with any kiss from the past or in the future. Each kiss is an existence in itself. It exists alone in its solitariness. It is a peak in itself; it is a unit – not in any way connected with the past or with the future. Why ask whether it is the first? What beauty does the first have? Why not the second or the third?

      But the mind wants to compare. Why does the mind want to compare? – because the ego is fed through comparison. It can feel, “I am the first woman; this is the first kiss.” You are not interested in the kiss – in the quality of the kiss. This moment the kiss opened a door of your heart; you are not interested in that – that is nothing. You are more interested in whether it is the first or not. The ego is always interested in comparison, and existence knows no comparison. People like Heraclitus and Patanjali live in existence, not in the mind. Don’t compare them.

      Many people come to me and ask, “Who is greater, Buddha or Christ?” What foolishness to ask! I say to them, “Buddha is greater than Christ, Christ is greater than Buddha.” Why do you go on comparing? There is a subtle thing working: if you are a follower of Christ, you would like Christ to be the greatest because you can only be great if Christ is the greatest. It is a fulfillment of your own ego. How can your master not be the greatest? He has to be because you are such a great disciple. If Christ is not the greatest, where will Christians be? If Buddha is not the greatest, what will happen to the ego of the Buddhists?

      Every race, religion, country, thinks itself to be the greatest – not because any country is great, not because any race is great. In this existence everything is the greatest. Existence creates only the greatest; every being is unique. But that doesn’t appeal to the mind because then greatness is so common. Everybody is great? So what is the use of it? Somebody has to be lower. A hierarchy has to be created.

      Just the other night I was reading a book by George Mikes and he said that where he was born in Budapest, Hungary, an English woman fell in love with him. He wasn’t very much in love with her, but he didn’t want to be rude either, so when she asked, “Can we get married?”

      He replied, “It will be difficult because my mother will not allow it and she will not be happy if I marry a foreigner.”

      The English lady was very offended and said, “What? I, a foreigner? I am not a foreigner! I am English! You are a foreigner and your mother too!”

      Mikes said, “In Budapest, Hungary, I am a foreigner?”

      The woman replied, “Yes! Truth does not depend on geography.”

      Everyone thinks that way. The mind tries to fulfill its desires, to be the most supreme. One has to be watchful with religion, race, country, everything – very watchful. Only then you can get beyond this subtle phenomenon of the ego.

      You say: “Heraclitus, Christ, and Zen make the final step seem close; Patanjali makes even the first step seem almost impossible.” That’s because it is both. The Upanishad says: “He is closer than the closest and he is farther than the farthest.” He is both near and far. He has to be, otherwise who will be far? He has to be near also, otherwise who will be near you? He touches your skin and he is spread beyond the boundaries. He is both!

      Heraclitus emphasizes the nearness because he is a simple man. He says that he is so near, nothing is needed to be done to bring him nearer. He is almost there; he is just watching at the gate, knocking at your door, waiting near your heart. Nothing is to be done. Simply be silent and have a look, just sit silently and look. You have never lost him. The truth is near.

      In fact, to say that truth is near is wrong because you are also truth. Even nearness seems to be very, very far; even nearness shows that there is a distinction, a distance, a gap. Even that gap is not there – you are it! The Upanishad says, “Thou art that: tattvamasi Svetketu.” You are already that; there is not even that much distance to say that he is close. And Heraclitus and Zen both want you to take the jump immediately – not wait.

      Patanjali says that he is very far. He is also right, he is also very far. He will appeal to you more, because if he is so close and you have not attained, you will feel very, very depressed. If he is so close, just standing by the side of you; if he is the only neighbor surrounding you from every side and you have not achieved, your ego will feel very, very frustrated. Such a great man like you, and he is so near and you are missing? That seems very frustrating. But if he is very far, everything is okay because time is needed, effort is needed – nothing is wrong with you; he is so far away.

      Distance is such a vast thing. You will take some time, and then one day you will get up, move, and you will achieve. If he is near, you will feel guilty and wonder why you are not achieving anything with him? One feels uncomfortable reading Heraclitus, Basho, Buddha. That never happens with Patanjali. One feels at ease.

      Look at the paradox of the mind: with the easiest of people one feels uncomfortable. The discomfort comes from you. To move with Heraclitus or Jesus is very uncomfortable because they go on insisting that the kingdom of God is within you – and you know that nothing exists within you except hell. They insist that the kingdom of God is within you; it becomes uncomfortable.

      If the kingdom of God is within you, then something must be wrong with you. Why can’t you see it? If it is so present, why can’t it happen right this moment? That is the message of Zen – that it is immediate. There is no need to wait, no need to waste time. It can happen right now, this very moment! There is no excuse. This makes you uncomfortable; you feel uncomfortable, you cannot find any excuse. With Patanjali, you can find millions of excuses. He is very far, and millions of lives’ effort is needed. Yes, it can be attained, but always in the future. You are at ease. There is no urgency about it, and you can be as you are right now. Tomorrow morning you will start moving on the path – and tomorrow never comes.

      Patanjali gives you space, gives you future. He says, “Do this and that, and by and by you will attain – some day, nobody knows, in some future life…” You are at ease, there is no urgency. You can be as you are; there is no hurry.

      These Zen people, they drive you crazy! And I drive you even crazier because I talk from both sides. This is just a way. This is a koan. This is just a way to drive you crazy. I use Heraclitus, I use Patanjali, but these are tricks to drive you crazy. You simply cannot be allowed to relax. Whenever there is a future, you are okay. The mind can desire God, and nothing is wrong with you. The very phenomenon is such that it will take time. This becomes an excuse.

      With Patanjali you can postpone, with Zen you cannot. If you do postpone, it is you who are postponing, not God. With Patanjali you can postpone because the very nature of God is such that it can be attained only in gradual ways. It is very, very difficult. That is why you feel comfortable with difficulty. This is the paradox: with people who say that it is easy, you feel uncomfortable; with people who say it is difficult, you feel comfortable. It should be just the opposite.

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