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Part VII : Discourses: Tao
In August 1978, Osho talks on the Chinese Taoist treatise, The
Secret of the Golden Flower
This treatise, The Secret of the Golden Flower, is very ancient—possibly
one of the most ancient treatises in the world certainly twenty-five
centuries old, and the possibility is that it is older than that.
But twenty-five centuries can be traced back very easily. And
this treatise is also a great synthesis of all the great religions.
That is rare, unique. The Bible belongs to the Christians, the
Talmud belongs to the Jews, the Vedas belong to the Hindus, the
Dhammapada to the Buddhists, the Tao Te Ching to the Taoists.
But this small book, The Secret of the Golden Flower, belongs
to no one in particular, or, it belong to all.
It is deeply based in Taoist teachings. It is a flowering of
the Taoist approach to life and existence. But it is not only
that—Zarathustra has played a role. Zarathustra's teachings
have been incorporated in it Buddhist teachings have also been
incorporated in it. And a certain esoteric school of Christians,
the Nestorians, they have also played their part. So Christianity
and Judaism also have become part of it.
It is one of the most synthetical approaches. It combines all
that is beautiful in all the traditions of the world. For centuries
it was only transmitted orally, and the book remained esoteric.
It was not available to the public because it has something very
secret to teach; it was available only to the disciples. The Master
would tell to the disciple only when the time was ripe, because
it gives you such a potential secret that if you don't understand
rightly, if you do something wrong with it, there are found to
be harmful effects from it. It has to be understood rightly, and
it has to be worked at only in the presence of a Master. It is
a powerful method it is as powerful as atomic energy.
Now, the secrets of atomic energy are kept hidden from the public.
Once they start leaking out to the public there is going to be
great danger. If people can manufacture atom bombs privately,
there is bound to be great chaos. Great secrecy is maintained
about atomic research. Exactly in the same way this book teaches
you one of the most potential methods of inner explosion. For
centuries the secrets were guarded—only given to the disciples
in privacy, in intimacy. And the people who followed this particular
esoteric school resisted all temptations to write the book. In
fact, all the religions of the world have long resisted writing
their spiritual teachings.
There is some beauty when something is transferred orally. It
is alive—one thing—the Master is behind it. it is
not a dead word, the word has soul, wings. The experience of the
Master supports it; the master is a witness to it. It is not just
speculation, not only a philosophy, but something existential,
experienced, lived. And the Master has travelled the path; he
knows the dangers of the path, he knows the pitfalls, he knows
the points at which people go astray, and he will take every care
so that the disciple cannot go astray….
…Why have I chosen to speak on it?—so that it can
still grow. It is such a beautiful message to the world, it should
not die. I would like to revive it. And now I can talk to people
who are disciples, who have come to me and who are ready to die
in order to be reborn, who are ready to die for flowering. The
seed has to die, only then can it grow. The seed has to disappear,
only then can the tree happen.
I will be speaking to you on this small but immensely valuable
book so that the book can become alive again. It can become alive
between me and you. It can again start flowing. And it has something
of immense importance. If you understand it and if you practise
it, you will be enriched. sos101
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