Free Will

 

 

Question 4 :

How to see what is My will and God’s will?

 

 

There is a Chinese saying: Man is a puppet when he acts, a poet when he describes. All that you think is your freedom is nothing but your poetry. An unconscious man cannot be free, cannot have any freedom. Freedom comes as a consequence of consciousness, freedom is the function of consciousness. An unconscious man exists like a machine, like a robot. You may not know, but you are continuously functioning as a robot.

 

Somebody abuses you and anger arises. It is almost like when you push the button and the fan starts moving. Somebody pushes the button and you become angry. What kind of freedom is this? You don’t have any choice, to be angry or not to be angry. If the choice is not there there is no freedom. Freedom means freedom to choose — you can decide whether to be angry or not, then you are free. But can you decide? At the most you can decide to show your anger or not — that is another thing. But to be angry or not to be angry, have you got any decision about it, any choice about it?

 

The moment somebody pushes your button you are angry INSTANTLY, not a single moment is lost. You may not show it, that is another thing. You may control, repress, that is another thing. But anger has flashed in your being. And about that you have no choice. You function like a machine.

 

A parable: Once upon a time there was a magnet, and in its close neighbourhood lived some steel filings. One day two or three little filings felt a sudden desire to go and visit the magnet, and they began to talk of what a pleasant thing it would be to do. Other filings nearby heard their conversation, and they too became infected with the same desire. Still others joined them, till at last all the filings began to discuss the matter, and more and more their vague desire grew into an impulse.

 

‘Why not go today?’ said one of them; but others were of the opinion that it would be better to wait till tomorrow. Meanwhile, without their having noticed it, they had been involuntarily moving nearer to the magnet, which lay there quite still, apparently taking no heed of them. And so they went on discussing, all the time insensibly drawing nearer to their neighbour. And the more they talked, the more they felt the impulse growing stronger, till the more impatient ones declared that they would go that day, whatever the rest did. Some were heard to say it was their duty to visit the magnet, and that they ought to have gone long ago.

 

And while they talked they moved always nearer and nearer, without realizing that they had moved. Then at last the impatient ones prevailed, and with one irresistible impulse the whole body cried out ‘There is no use waiting. We will go today. We will go now. We will go at once. ‘ And then in one unanimous mass they swept along, and in another moment were clinging fast to the magnet on every side. Then the magnet smiled — for the steel filings had no doubt at all but that they were paying that visit of their own free will.

 

Unconscious, you don’t have any will. Unconscious, you don’t have any freedom. So don’t think about it. You ask, HOW TO SEE WHAT IS MY WILL AND GOD’S WILL? YOU have none. God is the magnet and you are the filings.

 

But you go on believing that you have your will, you go on believing that this is your choice. That you have chosen this woman to be your wife. Think about it again, remember this parable. Have you chosen this woman? Or was it just an accident? Have you chosen? Was there really any choice in it? Or had you been a victim of a certain impulse called love? Was it possible for you not to choose? Was it your decision? Then you will see that it has not been so. Whatsoever has happened in your life has happened more or less accidentally. And don’t laugh at those iron filings — that is the situation of humanity.

 

But you can rise out of your unconsciousness. Then you will have will. But you will not be there, you will disappear. Because in consciousness you cannot remain, you can remain only in unconsciousness. Now let me make it clear: When you are, you have no will. In unconsciousness the ego exists but there is no will. In consciousness the will exists but the ego disappears. Then there is no point of asking ‘…my WILL AND GOD’S WILL?’ Then there is no distinction between you and God. You are God and God is you.

 

The whole problem can be reduced to a simple thing To be conscious or not to be conscious. The unconscious man exists without any will. He only dreams that he has will. With consciousness ego starts disappearing on one hand, on another hand will arises. But it will not be your will, it will be always God’s will. Then what is the difference between the unconscious man and the conscious man? The difference is, it is always God’s will — the unconscious man thinks ‘It is my will’ and the conscious man knows ‘I am not, only God is.’

 

-Osho, “This Very Body the Buddha, #10”