Question :

Osho,

Jesus said that his sacrifice on the cross was for the salvation of the world from the sins of man.

Please would you comment on this.

 

 

Anand Geetam, THE FIRST THING TO BE UNDERSTOOD about a man like Jesus is that whatsoever the church that is bound to grow around such a man says about him, it is bound to be wrong. What the Christian church says about Christ cannot be true. In fact the Christian priest does not represent Christ at all. He is the same old rabbi in new garments, the same old rabbi who was responsible for Jesus murder. The Pope is not a different kind of person.

 

It makes no difference whether it is a Jewish establishment or a Christian establishment or a Hindu establishment; all establishments function in the same way.

 

Jesus is a rebel, just as Buddha is or Lao Tzu is. When the church starts establishing itself it starts destroying the rebelliousness of Jesus, Buddha, because rebellion cannot go with an establishment. It starts imposing its own ideas — once Jesus is gone it is very easy to impose your own ideas. It starts selecting what to keep in the Bible and what not to keep. Many things have been dropped, many things have not been included in it. For example, the Gospel of Thomas has not been included in the New Testament. It was just discovered a few years ago — and it is the MOST important gospel. The four gospels that have been included are nothing compared to it, but it is very rebellious.

 

It seems Thomas has simply reported Jesus without polluting, contaminating, his message. That must have been the reason why the gospel has not been included in the authorized version of the New Testament. And those gospels which have been included, they have also been edited. For centuries conferences went on editing them, destroying them, distorting them.

 

I know Jesus because I know meditation. My knowing of Jesus is not through the Bible, it is not through Christian theology. I know Jesus directly. I know Jesus because I know myself; that s my way of knowing all the Buddhas.

 

The moment you know your own Buddhahood you have come to know all the Buddhas; the experience is the same. All differences are in the mind; the moment you transcend mind there are no differences left. How can there be differences in absolute void? Two voids can only be exactly the same. Minds are bound to be different because they consist of thoughts. When there are clouds in the sky then each cloud is different, but when there are no clouds at all then the sky is one and the same.

 

I don’t know Jesus through Christian theology; I know him directly. And my knowing is that he cannot talk in terms of sacrifice — first thing, the very first. A man like Jesus does not talk in terms of sacrifice; it is celebration, not sacrifice. He is going to meet his God dancing, singing. It is not sacrifice; he is not a martyr. The Christian church tries to make him the greatest martyr, the greatest man who has sacrificed himself for the salvation of the world from the sins of man. In the first place it is not sacrifice — sacrifice looks business-like — it is celebration! Jesus is celebrating his life and his death.

 

Secondly: nobody can solve the problems of others, nobody can be the salvation of the world. And you can see it: the world is still the same. Twenty centuries have passed and Christian priests go on talking nonsense, that he sacrificed himself for the salvation of the world. But where is the salvation of the world? Either he failed, he could not manage… that they cannot accept, that he failed. Then what happened? The world seems to be exactly the same — nothing has changed! Humanity remains in the same misery. But Jesus cannot have said, I have come for the salvation of the world.

 

But it happens always when a church starts establishing itself that it has to create such ideas, otherwise who is going to listen to the priests? Jesus is salvation — not only that but the ONLY salvation! Just the other night I was looking at a book: JESUS, THE ONLY WAY. Why the only way? Is Buddha not a way? Is Lao Tzu not a way? Is Zarathustra not a way? Is Moses not a way? Is Mohammed not a way? There are infinite ways to reach God. Why make God so poor? — only one way?

 

But the Christian priest is not interested in God: he is interested in creating a business. He has to claim that Jesus is the ONLY way, that all other ways are wrong. He is in search of customers. That’s why every religion creates fascists and fanatics. EVERY religion claims, My way is the only right way — only through me can you arrive at God. If you go on some other way you are destined for hell, you are doomed.” This is a fascist way of thinking and this creates fanatics. And all religious people are fanatics, and the world has suffered very much from this fanatical approach. It is TIME, ripe time now, to drop all kinds of fascist and fanatical attitudes.

 

Jesus is a way, but the way has to be walked. The way can go on lying there; it is not going to help you. Just by being there, just by being crucified, Jesus cannot be the salvation of the world — otherwise it would have happened! Then what are we doing now? Then what are the priests doing now? What is the Pope doing now?

 

Just the other day somebody asked: ‘Osho, have you heard? The new Pope has done a miracle? Yes, I have heard: he has made a blind man lame. What else can these popes do? What are these popes doing now? The world’s salvation has happened! Now no religion is needed and no church is needed. Even Christ is not needed any more! The work is finished. I have heard:

 

One young man came from medical college with a gold medal; he had topped the university. His father was also a physician. The father said, “Now that you have come I would like to go to the mountains for a rest. For years I have not taken even a single holiday. Now you look after my practice and for one month I would like to go to the mountains.”

 

So the old man went to the mountains. After one month when he came back the young doctor received the father at the airport and said, ‘Dad, do you know? — the old woman whom you have been treating for thirty years and could not manage to cure — I have cured her within one month! ‘

 

The father simply hit his head with his hand and said, You have destroyed the whole business! It is because of her that you could go to medical college. And I was hoping that your younger brother would also become a doctor. You fool! What have you done? That woman was our business! You have finished my whole life s career!

 

If Jesus has REALLY done the work of salvation, then there is no point in Mohammed coming — Mohammed came after Jesus. Then there is no point in Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, coming, no point in Kabir coming. He has closed the shop! But it has not happened.

 

Buddha says: Buddhas can only point the way.”

 

But the fanatic disciples always want to claim…. What to say about Jesus? — even Jainas claim that Mahavira came to the world for the salvation of humanity. Now it may be a little bit relevant with Jesus because he speaks in such a way that he can be very easily misinterpreted, but Mahavira is VERY clear. He says in absolutely definite terms that nobody can save another: “I have not come to save anybody. If I can save myself, that is enough.” Even a man like Mahavira who has stated this absolutely, his disciples — the Jaina MUNIS and the Jaina monks and the Jaina pundits — go on claiming that he came for the salvation of humanity.

 

Why are people after humanity? And how can you manage it? You have not created the misery for the world so how can you destroy it? If Jesus is the cause of the misery of the world, then certainly he can withdraw it. If HE is the person who has imprisoned you, he can open the gates, unlock the doors and tell you to leave, and you are free. But he is not the person to do it. You have done it; your hell is created by you. What can Jesus do about it?

 

But this stupid logic has gone very deep in the mind of humanity — for a certain reason. We always want somebody else to be responsible — for our misery, for our happiness, we always want somebody else to be responsible. We don’t want to be responsible! To avoid responsibility we become trapped in these kinds of ideas.

 

Now, Christians say Adam and Eve committed the original sin and the whole of humanity is suffering. It is so patently foolish! Scientists say that humanity has existed for millions of years. Millions of years ago, a couple, Adam and Eve, committed a sin and we are suffering for it. Can you think of a more ridiculous thing? — that you are imprisoned because millions of years ago somebody committed a crime. You did not commit it, how can you suffer for it? And what original sin are they talking about? It is neither original nor sin! What Adam did was a simple phenomenon: he disobeyed the father.

 

Every child has to disobey the father. Unless a child disobeys the father he never becomes mature. It is nothing, original, it is very simple and natural. It is very psychological. There comes an age when every child has to say NO to the parents. If he does not say no to the parents he will not have a spine; he will be spineless. If he cannot say no to the parents, he will be a slave his whole life. He will never attain to individuality.

 

Adam and Eve did not commit any sin; they simply became mature. They said no, they disobeyed. When your child goes behind the house and starts smoking don’t be worried too much; he is simply disobeying you That is part of growth. If he never disobeys you, be worried. Take him to the psychoanalyst — something is wrong with him. If he ALWAYS obeys you then he has no soul; he is abnormal, he is not normal.

 

Be happy when your child disobeys you. Thank God that now he has started moving towards becoming an individual. It is only by disobeying, rebelling, that a child attains authentic individuality. If parents are wise they will be happy.

 

And I think God cannot be so foolish as Christian priests are. God must have been happy the day Adam and Eve disobeyed; he must have rejoiced. He must have sung a song saying, “Now my children are be-coming mature.” I CAN’T see him being annoyed. I can’t conceive a God who cannot understand such a simple psychological phenomenon.

 

You have to give your God a little more intelligence than Sigmund Freud! It is such a simple fact of life that each child has to disobey. It is not sin — disobedience is not sin. And what is original about it? It is nothing unique and it did not only happen millions of years ago: it happens each time a child starts growing. You will see it happening in your child somewhere near the age of three or four the child starts asserting his freedom.

 

That’s why if you want to remember your life you can remember only back to the age of four or at the most three; beyond that all is dark. Why? You had no individuality, hence no memory. You attained your first individuality when you were three or four. Girls attain at nearabout three, boys attain at nearabout four; they are always lagging behind, and this is going to be their whole life pattern. Apparently the husband is walking ahead, but deep down he is always behind the wife.

 

I have heard a story: The great King Akbar once asked his ministers, “My wife was saying to me that all my ministers are hen-pecked. Is it true? I want to know the truth and please don’t try to deceive me. If I find that you have deceived me, then death will be the penalty. So stand in a row on the right all those who are hen-pecked husbands, and on the left those who are not.”

 

All except one moved to the line of hen-pecked husbands — embarrassed, hesitating, but they did not want to be false to the King. They knew perfectly well, “He will go into deep research, and sooner or later, if he calls our wives, we will be caught. So it is better to say it once and finish it.”

 

But one man, whom the King had never thought very heroic, who was the most cowardly, was standing alone. The King said, “I am happy. At least there is one person who is not hen-pecked.”

 

The man said, “Wait! Don’t misunderstand me. When I was coming from my home my wife said, ‘Avoid crowds. That’s why I am standing here — just to avoid the crowd. If she comes to know that I was standing in the crowd there will be difficulty, sir, and I don’t want any difficulties.”

 

Nearabout the age of three or four That’s why I say this parable of Adam and- Eve has so many aspects; I am never tired of talking about it from different angles. It was Eve who was the first to disobey — that means one year ahead. Adam came to his senses a little later; in fact he was persuaded by Eve.

 

If the world is really left free then women will seduce men, not men women; that will be the natural course. And in fact that’s exactly what happens right now, but in a very subtle way. The woman seduces the male, but seduces in such a subtle way that the gross male mind cannot understand it. The gross male mind thinks, I am taking all the initiative,” and the woman goes on laughing deep down; she knows who is pulling the strings. She never takes a single step on her own visibly; you cannot see it. She always allows the man to approach her; she can wait. She trusts her own capacity to pull the man. She does not want to wag her tail; she always manages, persuades the man to wag his tail.

 

That’s what happened: Eve ate the fruit first, disobeyed God, and then Adam followed. This is not something that happened once; it happens always. It happens to every child and it is good that it happens. It is nearabout four that the child starts feeling a kind of individuality of his own; he starts defining himself.

 

Lanahan, an Irish political prisoner, escaped from jail by digging a tunnel that opened into a school playground. As he emerged in the open air Lanahan could not help shouting at a small girl, I am free, I am free!”

“That’s nothing,” said the girl, “I am four.”

 

There is a time when the child wants to declare to the world that “I am here!” that I am!” He wants to define himself, and the only way to define himself is by disobedience. So there is nothing original about it and nothing like sin; it is a simple process of growth. And because Christianity has been denying it as a simple process of growth, it has not helped humanity to become mature.

 

All the religions have been trying to keep humanity immature, juvenile, childish. They are all afraid that once humanity becomes mature then they will not be of any value; they will lose all luster. They will not be able to exploit a mature humanity; they can exploit only children. So what sin has humanity committed so that Jesus is needed to come for the salvation of the world?

 

I would like to make it absolutely clear to you that there is no need for ANY salvation. Secondly: if there is any need you feel, it can’t be done by anybody else except you yourself. Thirdly: you are not living in sin; you are living in nature — but if nature is condemned you start feeling guilty. And that is the trade-secret of the priests: to make you feel guilty.

 

I don’t think Jesus said that his sacrifice on the cross was for the salvation of the world from the sins of man. Priests must have imposed their ideas on Jesus. The New Testament was written centuries afterwards, and then for centuries it was edited, changed, and the words that Jesus spoke were in a language which is no more alive — Aramaic. It was not even Hebrew — a dialect of Hebrew, but different in many ways.

 

When Jesus’ words were translated — first into Latin — a great change happened: they lost their original quality, the flavor. They lost something very essential: their soul. And when from Latin they were translated into English, something was again lost. For example, a few words you can meditate over: ‘Repentance’ is one of the key words because Jesus uses it again and again, says to his disciples: Repent! Repent ye, because the Day of Judgment is very close. He repeats it so many times that it must have been of tremendous value to him. But what does it mean — ‘repent’? Ask the Christian priest; he will say, “This is a simple word; everybody knows what it means: repent for your sins, repent for your guilt, repent for all that you have done.” And the priest can be helpful; he can help you in the ways of repentance. But the word ‘repent’ has nothing to do with repentance.

 

Jesus’ word for repent simply means ‘return’; it does not mean repentance at all. ‘Turn in’ it means, ‘return to the source’, it means, ‘return to your own being’. That’s what meditation is all about: returning to the source, returning to the center of the cyclone, returning to your very being.

 

Now you can see the difference. When you use the English word ‘repent’ it has something very ugly about it: sin, guilt, the priest, confession; this is the climate of the English word ‘repent’. But the Aramaic word simply means return to the source, return! Return, don’t waste time. And that’s how it is with almost all key words.

 

It is almost impossible to understand Jesus through the priests. The only pure way, the only possible way, is to go in, return inside. There you will meet Christ-consciousness. The only way to understand Christ is to become a Christ. Never be a Christian — be a Christ! Never be a Buddhist — be a Buddha! Never be a Hindu — be a Krishna! And if you want to be a Krishna, Christ or Buddha, then you need not go into the scriptures and you need not ask the scholars: you will have to ask the mystics how to go in.

 

That’s exactly what I am doing here: helping you to become aware of yourself. And the moment you know yourself you will be surprised: you have never committed a sin. Sin is the invention of the priest to create guilt in you.

 

You don’t need any salvation. All that you need is a little shaking up so you can wake up. You don t need priests. You certainly need awakened people, because only the awakened ones can shake those who are fast asleep and dreaming. And humanity needs to be free of guilt, free of the idea of sin, free of the idea of repentance. Humanity needs innocence, and the priests don’t allow you to be innocent; they corrupt your minds.

 

Beware of the priests. They are the people who crucified Jesus — how can they interpret Jesus? They are the people who have always been against the Buddhas — and the irony is that finally they become the interpreters.

 

- Osho, “Be Still and Know, #2, Q3”