Mahavir Vani Lecture 19 Dharm Ek Matra Sharan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of Osho Rajnish's lecture "Mahavir Vani Lecture 19: Dharm Ek Matra Sharan" (Tathagata's Teachings, Lecture 19: Dharma: The Only Refuge), based on the provided text:

This lecture, drawing from Jain scripture, explores the concept of Dharma (often translated as righteousness, duty, or one's true nature) as the ultimate refuge in life, particularly in the face of the relentless flow of aging and death. Osho emphasizes that this understanding of Dharma is deeply intertwined with the human awareness of mortality.

The Uniquely Human Confrontation with Death:

The Awareness of Death: Osho begins by citing Aristotle's observation that without death, there would be no religion. He argues that while plants and animals also die, only humans possess a conscious awareness of their own mortality. This awareness is what gives rise to the search for meaning and the subsequent birth of Dharma.
The Two Aspects of Death:
- Certainty: Death is a certainty, meaning the event itself will occur. However, the exact date and time are uncertain.
- Uncertainty: The timing of death is unknown. This uncertainty, coupled with the certainty of the event, creates anxiety and is the root of human worry.

The "Buffers" that Shield Us from Death:

Osho introduces the concept of "buffers" – mental mechanisms we employ to avoid the direct impact of death. These buffers prevent us from fully experiencing the existential shock of mortality.

"It's always the other who dies": We tend to think of death as something that happens to everyone else, not ourselves. We see ourselves as observers of death, not participants.
"Death is far away": We push the thought of death into the distant future, making it less immediate and therefore less concerning. This creates a sense of security, but it's an illusion.
The Buffering Effect of Concepts and Scriptures: Even philosophical or religious concepts like the immortality of the soul, while potentially offering comfort, can act as buffers. Osho argues that true understanding of the soul's immortality arises only from directly confronting and experiencing death, not from intellectualizing it. Scriptures, theories, and doctrines can all become buffers if they prevent us from facing death directly.

The Illusion of Solidity in a Flowing Existence:

The Process, Not the Endpoints: Osho highlights that we tend to focus on the beginning and end of processes (birth and death, happiness and sadness, health and illness) rather than the continuous, ever-flowing process itself. This compartmentalization is a mental convenience that allows us to pursue desires, but it distorts reality.
Interconnectedness of Opposites: Happiness and sadness, birth and death, health and illness are not separate entities but are parts of a single, ongoing flow. Pursuing one while rejecting the other is a fundamental error.
"Jara" (Aging/Decay) and "Maran" (Death) as a Continuous Flow: Osho stresses that jara (aging and decay) is a constant, rapid process. Everything is continuously aging and becoming worn out, even at a microscopic level. The flame of a lamp, for instance, is continuously dying and being reborn. This rapid, subtle change is often imperceptible to us.
The Nature of Desire: Our desires are based on the illusion of permanence. We desire eternal love, lasting happiness, and unchanging relationships. These desires are for a static, "dead" world, not the dynamic, flowing reality.

The Impossibility of Refuge in the Flow:

The Nature of Refuge: Refuge implies a stable, unchanging entity to which one can turn for safety. However, in the world of change and flow (jara and maran), nothing is truly stable. Wealth, fame, relationships, even our own bodies and minds are constantly changing.
The Futility of Grasping: Trying to hold onto anything in this flowing existence is like trying to stop the river or grasp a falling leaf. This grasping leads to suffering.
The "Borrowed Life" Syndrome: Osho observes how people live for their children, who then live for their children, perpetuating a cycle of "borrowed life" where no one truly lives for themselves. This is a consequence of seeking permanence in a flowing life.

The Wise Recognition of the Impossible:

Differentiating Possible from Impossible: True wisdom lies not in denying the impossible, but in discerning what is truly impossible according to the laws of nature. Flying to the moon or overcoming certain physical limitations might be achieved through effort, but seeking refuge in the ever-changing flow is fundamentally impossible.
The Wisdom of Dharma: Dharma, in Mahavir's context, is not a religion but the inherent, unchanging nature of existence, the inner core. It is the only thing that is not subject to jara and maran.

The Path to True Refuge:

The Inner Core is Unchanging: The core of our being, our true nature, is beyond the flow of change. This unchanging core is what Mahavir calls Dharma.
The Practice of Dis-identification: To find refuge, one must dis-identify from all that changes – the body, the mind, thoughts, emotions. The constant realization, "that which changes is not me," is the path.
The Center Beyond the Periphery: Life is like a wheel with a periphery (the changing world) and a center (the unchanging Self). Most people remain on the periphery, caught in the cycle of change and suffering. True refuge is found by moving towards the center.
Dharma as Inner Nature: Dharma is your intrinsic, innermost nature, your "essence." It is what remains when all that changes is shed. This essence is the only true refuge, the only unchanging island in the stream of life.
Love and Joy Beyond Contrast: True joy is not merely the opposite of sorrow, but a state that has never known sorrow. Similarly, true immortality is found in that which has never been born.
The Self as the Divine: Mahavir's profound teaching is that the Self is the Divine. There is no external God to seek refuge in; refuge is found within one's own true nature.

Conclusion:

Osho concludes by stating that Mahavir's teachings are not pessimistic or life-negating. While acknowledging the pervasive nature of suffering and change, Mahavir offers a path to transcend it by realizing the unchanging, inner Self – Dharma. This realization leads not to despair, but to a profound joy and freedom, an " Anandvadi" (one who celebrates joy) perspective, even in the face of life's inherent flux. The lecture is an invitation to turn inward, to shed the illusions of permanence, and to find sanctuary in the timeless, unchanging core of one's being.