Mahavir Vani Lecture 07 Sanyam Ki Vidhayak Drushti

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of Osho's "Mahavir Vani Lecture 07: Sanyam ki Vidhayak Drushti" (Mahavir's Message Lecture 07: The Creative Vision of Restraint), based on the provided text:

This lecture, delivered by Osho Rajnish, delves into the profound nature of "Sanyam" (restraint, discipline, self-control) as understood through the teachings of Lord Mahavir. Osho emphasizes that the traditional understanding of Sanyam is often negative and prohibitive, focusing on what not to do, which he argues is ultimately detrimental. Instead, he champions a positive and creative vision of Sanyam that leads to inner growth and liberation.

The Essence of True Sanyam:

• Not a Shrinking, but an Opening: Osho contrasts the common perception of Sanyam as a shrinking or closing of the self in fear or avoidance, likening it to a flower closing at sunset. True Sanyam, he explains, is like a flower opening to the sunrise – a blooming, an expansion, a state of joy and aliveness. It's not a response to fear or a mere habit formed by temptation, but an expansion of consciousness in the face of fearlessness and an achievement of joy.
• Positive, Not Negative: The core of Osho's message is that Sanyam is not about prohibition (nishedh) but about affirmation and creation (vidhey). Traditional approaches often focus on what to avoid, making restraint a burden. Mahavir, however, lived from an inner core, and for him, this inner experience naturally led to certain actions and the shedding of others.
• Gaining, Not Just Losing: A fundamental misconception, Osho points out, is that Sanyam is about giving things up. He argues that Mahavir and other enlightened beings gain something so profound that what they previously held becomes valueless in comparison. This "gain" is the discovery of inner treasures and a deeper bliss. Letting go of lesser things is not a forced act but a natural consequence of acquiring something far greater.
• The Fallacy of External Observation: Followers often perceive Mahavir's restraint through external observances and prohibitions. Because they grasp the negatives (what he didn't eat, where he didn't go), they mistakenly believe that Sanyam is about deprivation. However, Mahavir's actions stemmed from an internal fulfillment, making the external observations merely byproducts.
• The Danger of Negation: Restraint that is purely negative, Osho warns, doesn't lead to flourishing; it only prevents thorns from appearing externally. However, these suppressed thorns then fester within, turning the individual into someone who appears burdened, suffering, and imprisoned, rather than joyful and free. True Sanyam should make one like a dancing child, not a prisoner.

The Path to Creative Sanyam:

• Inner Conflict vs. Inner Harmony: Negative restraint creates an internal conflict, a war within oneself. This constant struggle expends energy and leads to fragmentation (schizophrenia in psychological terms). Mahavir's path, conversely, is about integration and becoming whole.
• Truth and Wholeness: Osho states that falsehood and actions that lead to fragmentation are sins, while those that lead to wholeness are virtues. To be truly integrated is to be in complete alignment with oneself.
• Discovering Inner Treasures: The way to victory, according to Mahavir, is not to fight one's senses but to seek one's own inner, transcendental nature and hidden treasures. As these inner treasures are revealed, external desires lose their grip naturally.
• The Transformation of the Senses: The senses, often seen as pathways to external pleasures, are also bridges to the inner world. For example, the sense of taste can lead to inner "flavors" beyond food. Osho explains this through symbolic actions like a yogi turning their tongue inward – it signifies redirecting the sensory focus from the external to the internal.
• The Inner Sound and Light: By consciously listening to external sounds, one can eventually tune into an inner silence or "sound" that is always present. Similarly, by observing external sights, one can begin to perceive inner visions, colors, and lights that far surpass the external. This is the essence of "atindriya" (transcendence of the senses) power, which yoga and other traditions have explored.
• Embracing Weaknesses: Osho emphasizes that the most potent sensory organ for each individual can become their gateway to the inner world. Instead of fighting what seems to be a weakness, one should explore it. If someone is drawn to beauty, that attraction can become their path.
• The Inner Journey Mirrors the Outer: The path taken to go outward is the same path that leads inward, only the direction changes. Resisting the path that led you outward will prevent you from returning. It is by using the very channels that attracted you externally that you can redirect them inward.
• Sanyam as Training, Not Just Renunciation: Sanyam is a process of awakening this inner, transcendental potential. Osho cites the example of a blind girl who could read with her hands, and how this capacity was trained in others. This demonstrates that our senses have capacities beyond their obvious external functions.
• The Power of the Inner: As inner experiences become more vibrant, the external senses naturally lose their appeal. This isn't a forced renunciation but a choosing of a higher, more fulfilling experience. Just as a book seems dull when compared to a television show of the same story, external pleasures fade when compared to inner bliss.
• Mahavir's Path of "Being": Mahavir's fasting for years was not about deprivation but about discovering an inner sustenance. His ability to lie on stone was due to an awakened inner comfort. His acceptance of any food indicated he had cultivated an inner taste that overshadowed external preferences. This led to his outward expansion, not contraction.
• Contrast with Buddha: Osho contrasts Mahavir's approach with that of Buddha. While both sought enlightenment, Buddha found his ascetic practices left him weak and suffering, concluding that such discipline was futile. He later achieved enlightenment through a different path of inner discovery. Mahavir, however, through similar practices, found immense inner strength and joy, demonstrating that the type of practice and the underlying vision (negative vs. positive) are crucial.
• The Importance of Personal Discovery: It is vital to discover one's own unique path and innate tendencies. Blindly following a tradition without understanding its relevance to one's own being can lead to frustration. Just as different individuals are drawn to different spiritual traditions (Mahavir, Krishna, Muhammad), each person has a unique way to approach Sanyam.
• The Power of One Positive Shift: Osho concludes by emphasizing that trying to achieve complete Sanyam all at once is often overwhelming. However, transforming even one habit or tendency in a positive direction can initiate a cascade of change. The greatest power lies in the positive, creative application of will, even in a small way. This single positive step can illuminate the path for all other aspects of life.

In essence, Osho redefines Sanyam from a restrictive, burdensome concept to a joyful, empowering path of inner discovery and self-realization, urging listeners to explore their inner potential through the affirmative lens of Mahavir's teachings.