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Part VII : Discourses: Bodhidharma
Although local authorities continue to create problems, in October
1979 the first sannyasins move to Saswad to set up a new commune.
On Osho's birthday celebration 7,000 sannyasins visit for the
day. Later, in March 1981, several ashram departments move there.
Osho does not talk about this directly.
In November 1979, Osho introduces one of his favourite masters,
Bodhidharma
I am ecstatic because just the name of Bodhidharma is psychedelic
to me. In the long evolution of human consciousness there has
never been such an outlandish Buddha as Bodhidharma—very
rare, very unique, exotic. Only in some small ways George Gurdjieff
comes close to him, but not very close, and only in some ways,
not in all ways.
There have been many buddhas in the world, but Bodhidharma stands
out like Everest. His way of being, living, and expressing the
truth is simply his; it is incomparable. Even his own master,
Gautama the Buddha, cannot be compared with Bodhidharma. Even
Buddha would have found it difficult to digest this man.
This man Bodhidharma traveled from India to China to spread
the message of his master. Although they are separated by one
thousand years, for Bodhidharma and for such men there is no time,
no space—for Bodhidharma Buddha was as contemporary as Buddha
is contemporary to me.
On the surface you are my contemporaries, but between me and
you there is a long long distance. We live on different planets.
In reality, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Pythagoras, Bahauddin, Bodhidharma—these
are my contemporaries. Between them and me there is no gap either
of time or of space. Superficially there is a one thousand years'
gap between Buddha and Bodhidharma, but there is not even a single
moment's gap in reality, in truth. On the circumference Buddha
was already dead for one thousand years when Bodhidharma arrived
on the scene, but at the center he is together with Buddha. He
speaks the essence of Buddha—of course he has his own way,
his own style, but even Buddha would find it strange.
Buddha was a very cultured man, very sophisticated, very graceful.
Bodhidharma is just the opposite in his expression. He is not
a man but a lion. He does not speak, he roars. He has not that
grace which belonged to Gautama the Buddha; he is rough, raw.
He is not polished like a diamond; he is just from the mine, absolutely
raw, no polishing. That is his beauty. Buddha has a beauty of
his own, very feminine, very polished, very fragile. Bodhidharma
has his own beauty, like that of a rock—strong, masculine,
indestructible, a great power.
Buddha also radiates power, but his power is very silent, like
a whisper, a cool breeze. Bodhidharma is a storm, thundering and
lightning. Buddha comes to your door without making any noise;
he will not even knock on your door, you will not even hear his
footsteps. But when Bodhidharma comes to you he will shake the
whole house from its very foundations. Buddha will not shake you
even if you are asleep. And Bodhidharma? He will wake you up from
your grave! He hits hard, he is a hammer.
He is just the opposite of Buddha in his expression, but his
message is the same. He bows down to Buddha as his master. He
never says, "This is my message." He simply says, "This
belongs to the buddhas, the ancient buddhas. I am just a messenger.
Nothing is mine, because I am not. I am only a hollow bamboo who
has been chosen by the buddhas to be a flute for them. They sing;
I simply let them sing through me." wlotus01
While Bodhidharma was talking, his disciple must have been taking
notes….
For nearabout fourteen hundred years the notes were lying deep
down in the earth. Just at the beginning of the century they were
excavated. But if they had disappeared in the earth then too nothing
would have been lost. Without them Bodhidharma's teaching has
flowed, has blossomed in many people's lives. Through direct transmission
from one master to another disciple, Bodhidharma's chain is still
alive. The flame that he lit is still alive. There are still people
who are gaining much from Bodhidharma's message. But still these
words can be useful to you, not as words but as triggers for meditation.
Speaking on Bodhidharma is just like speaking on myself. I don't
see any difference, not at all. It is the same message. Bodhidharma
is very close to my heart. This unique man, unique not only amongst
men but unique amongst buddhas, is very close to my heart because
of his uniqueness. He is a rare flower—wild, but very rare.
Meditate over these words. Each word is pregnant. Each word
is a seed. Each single word, if allowed to fall into the heart,
can transform you totally. wlotus07
In November 1979 a program of positive publicity begins with
a theatre group, which later goes on tour. This is followed by
music recitals by an orchestra, as well as fashion, art and craft
shows. Osho does not talk about these directly; they are an expression
of his teachings on creativity.
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