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Question 5

OSHO, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WHEN I FIRST CAME TO LISTEN TO YOU, I FELT A ONENESS WITH YOU. I HAVE ATTENDED MANY OF YOUR MORNING DISCOURSES.

I WAS A BIT SAD WHEN ONE DAY I HEARD YOU SAYING THAT YOUR ENERGIES, GRACES AND BLESSINGS ARE AVAILABLE ONLY FOR YOUR SANNYASINS. STILL ON THE 27TH APRIL, I ATTENDED ONE OF YOUR ENERGY DARSHANS, STEALING ENERGY FROM YOU. WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR A CATHOLIC PRIEST TO TAKE YOUR SANNYAS? OR CAN ONE BE BOTH A PRIEST AND YOUR SANNYASIN? OR ARE YOU THINKING OF FORMING A GROUP OF ANONYMOUS SANNYASINS?

Joy Cheriyan,

FROM my side there is no problem at all -- you can be a sannyasin. It does not matter whether you are a Catholic priest or a Catholic thief! I don't prevent even Catholic thieves, so what to say about the Catholic priest? To me, it is all the same!

I give sannyas unconditionally. There is no condition attached to it, no strings attached. I don't even ask who you are, what your profession is, what religion, what nationality. Those are irrevelant things. Somebody has to be a businessman, somebody has to be a policeman; just like that, you are a Catholic priest. It is a profession.

From my side there is no problem: Cheriyan, you can become a sannyasin. And deep down your heart is ready for it. How can I say no to you? I never say no to anybody. If your heart is ready, then become a sannyasin and go on doing whatsoever you are doing.

 

But the problem may come from the Catholics; for that I cannot guarantee anything. They may not allow you, they will be afraid. I am not afraid! I give sannyas to you because I know that if you become a sannyasin, if this light enters into your being, then the darkness, whatsoever its name -- Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Mohammedan -- will go. But the darkness will be afraid, the darkness will not allow you to take the light in.

But if you are not courageous you can go on stealing. Don't be worried, that too is perfectly good. Sooner or later, when you have stolen enough light, the darkness will be gone.

There are different kinds of people: sometimes a few things are sweeter when they are stolen -- like kisses, et cetera. The stolen kiss has more sweetness. Maybe, if that is your way, perfectly good! The whole point is that the light should reach to your heart.

In fact, by becoming a sannyasin you will become a real Catholic for the first time. Catholicism is a quality: to be Catholic means to be liberal, to be understanding, to be humble. To be a Catholic in reality has nothing to do with the Vatican. It has something to do with a new quality in your heart: the openness, the vulnerability, the capacity to accept even those who are opposed to you, the capacity to love the enemy. That is what the real spirit of being a Catholic is. By becoming my sannyasin you will be entering into the real Catholic spirit. Certainly you will be in difficulty with your church, but that risk has always been there.

When Jesus started his work he was getting into trouble with HIS church, the Jewish church. He was getting into trouble with the rabbis. It was those rabbis who killed Jesus, but it was good that Jesus tried.

And it will be good, Cheriyan, if you also try. What can be taken away? Yes, I know a Catholic priest enjoys many privileges which are not available to other priests -- material privileges. But if you are satisfied with them, then it is okay. You are not satisfied with them, that's why you are here; your being here is enough proof.

But I am not saying to leave your priesthood If your church can allow, you can be a sannyasin and a priest both. In fact I would like you to remain a priest and a sannyasin both, so that you can seduce a few more Catholics!

You also ask, "OR ARE YOU THINKING OF FORMING A GROUP OF ANONYMOUS SANNYASINS?"

I am not thinking to form a group of anonymous sannyasins, but that group is also forming itself. There are many who would like to be sannyasins but are not courageous enough. I am not thinking to form it, because the anonymous sannyasin simply shows that he is not courageous enough to declare to the world that he belongs to me, that he is hiding a fact, that he is afraid of facing the world. That is a kind of cunningness; that is a dual personality. In the heart you will be with me and on the outside you will not be with me. That duality will create a split in you. On the outside you will have to speak against me; it will hurt you, and you will become two persons. And to be divided is to be in misery. And if you are cunning, even if you are here you will not be able to get as much nourishment as would have been easily possible for you to get if you had been a little less cunning, a little more sincere and honest.

Yes, Cheriyan, you can steal a little bit of light, but there is no need to steal because I am ready to offer it to you. I can give to you in abundance. All that is needed is courage on your part to receive it.

And remember, these are rare opportunities. There were many who missed Jesus, there were many who missed Buddha, and there will be many who will miss me. I hope that you will not be one of them.

Maggie was bemoaning her hard luck to her friend Tilly. The story she told was a real heartbreaker.

It seems Maggie was coming home late from work and when she was only a few blocks from her home a shiny new Cadillac convertible drew up alongside her. In it was one of the handsomest young men Maggie had ever seen. He whistled at Maggie. "Baby, would you mind my company tonight?" he asked.

Maggie drew herself up. "On your way, mister," she snapped.

The young man stopped the car and got out. He seemed contrite.

"Don't take offence," he said to Maggie. "You see, I just broke up with my girl. I'm lonesome. I want to go out to dinner, to a nightclub, to dance. And you looked so pretty, so sweet, I just couldn't resist asking you."

Maggie didn't trust herself. The guy was too goodlooking, the situation too attractive. Maggie didn't think it was okay.

"Tell you what," she said to the young man, "would you still want to date me tomorrow?"

"Sure," replied the young man.

"Take my phone number. Call me tomorrow. I'll tell you then."

"You've got a date," said the guy. Maggie gave him the phone number. The guy hopped back into his car. "Look real nice for me," he said and pressed something into her hand. Then he drove away.

"You see," Maggie told her friend Tilly, "when I opened my hand, I saw he'd put a hundred dollar bill into it."

"So what's there to cry about?" asked the puzzled Tilly.

"Because," sobbed Maggie, "I gave him the wrong phone number!"

Cheriyan, if you are with me anonymously, one day or other you will repent -- because you will be giving me your wrong phone number.

Be true! If your heart is beating faster with me, if a flame is arising in your being, of love, of surrender, of trust, then go with it. Then risk all! Then whatsoever happens will be good, you will never repent.

Many times it happens that we unnecessarily go on missing some opportunity. And this is so today! Tomorrow your heart may not beat, tomorrow you may become hardened. Your mood may change, the situation may not be the same. The connection may be broken, the bridge may be lost. I may not be here, you may not be here. Who knows what happens tomorrow? Never postpone!

As far as I am concerned you are perfectly accepted, respectfully, lovingly. You can remain a Catholic priest -- nothing is wrong in it -- and yet be a sannyasin... because to be a sannyasin is something so deep that nothing can destroy it. Your being a Catholic priest is something imposed by others on you. Your being a sannyasin will be your own longing, it will be your own desire.