Germans

 

 

All minds are German. That’s why everybody is in such trouble, that’s why everybody finds his own fascism, his own Nazism, his own Adolf Hitler. Everybody does. Mind is fascist and mind looks continuously for leaders, for somebody to lead.

 

It was a surprise to the whole world when Germany fell into the trap of Adolf Hitler. Nobody could believe it, it was almost illogical. Such a beautiful race with such a great tradition of learning, of learned men, of great philosophy, of Kant, Hegel, Feuerbach, Marx Such a great culture with such refined intellect; a culture of great scientists, of great musicians, of great novelists and poets; the country of the philosophers and professors....‘Professor’ has never been such a respectable word in any other country as in Germany. What happened to such an intelligent race that it fell into the hands of a stupid, almost idiot person, Adolf Hitler?

 

But this has to be understood: that all learning, if it is superficial, if it is of the mind, is not going to help. The learning only remains at the surface – deep down you remain childish. Those professors, even a man like Martin Heidegger – a great philosopher, you could say the greatest that this century has produced – he also became a follower of Adolf Hitler. What happened to these giants following this man who was almost mad?

 

It has to be understood; it can happen, it has always happened. These great minds are just great on the surface, deep down their existence is very childish; only their intellect has grown, they have not grown.

 

Martin Heidegger’s mind is very grown-up, but his being is very childish. His being is childish; it is waiting for somebody to lead it. A really mature person does not throw his responsibility on to anybody else; he becomes responsible for his own being.

 

Now this whole country of scientists, philosophers, professors, poets, giant intellectuals, fell victim to a very ordinary, mediocre man. And that man ruled over it.

 

This must help everybody to understand the foolishness of intellect. Intellect is superficial. One should grow in being; otherwise one is always prone, one always tends to become a victim of such people. They always happen.

 

Mind is conditioned from the outside; it can be ruled from the outside. You have to grow into no-mind, only then can you not be ruled from the outside. Only a man of no-mind is a free man, independent. He is neither German, nor Indian, nor English, nor American -- he is simply free. American, Indian, German...these are the names of your prisons, these are not your freedom skies. These are not skies to fly in, these are the prisons to live in.

 

A free man belongs to himself and nobody else. A free man is simply an energy with no name, no form, no race, no nation. The days of nations and races are past, the days of the individual are coming. In a better world there will be no Germans, no Indians, no Hindus, no Christians -- there will be pure individuals, perfectly free, living their life in their own way, not disturbing anybody's life and not allowing anybody to disturb their lives.

 

Otherwise, mind is childish and yet cunning. It can fall victim to any Adolf Hitler, to any chauvinist, to any mad person who is bold enough...and people are bold, they never hesitate. That was the appeal of Adolf Hitler. He was so bold that he was absolutely bold. He would never hesitate, he was absolutely certain. And people who are uncertain in their being immediately find a deep appeal in such a person. This is a man who is so certain about truth that he must have attained to truth. They start falling in line with him. Because of your uncertainty you become a victim to somebody who is mad. But mad people are always certain, only very, very alert and aware people hesitate. Their hesitation shows their awareness and the complexity of life.

 

And mind is very cunning. It can rationalise everything.

 

-Osho, "Dang Dang Doko Dang, #10, Q4“