Mahavir Vani Lecture 28 Samay Aur Mrutyu Ka Antarbodh

Here's a comprehensive summary of Osho Rajneesh's "Mahavir Vani Lecture 28: Samay aur Mrutyu ka Antarbodh" (Insight into Time and Death), based on the provided text:

This lecture, delivered by Osho Rajneesh, explores profound insights from Jain teachings, particularly focusing on the nature of time, death, human consciousness, and the path to liberation as expounded by Mahavir.

The Elusive Nature of Presence and the Pain of Absence:

Osho begins by addressing a question about why humans don't appreciate the rarity of human life. He explains that we only truly grasp the value of something when it's absent. We take our health, our senses, and even our very existence for granted until we experience pain, loss, or deficiency. Just as we only notice a broken tooth or a malfunctioning heart when something goes wrong, we often realize the preciousness of life only when faced with death. The pain of death, Osho clarifies, is not the pain of dying itself, but the pain of having lost the opportunity of life. He uses the analogy of a fish out of water, realizing the vastness of the ocean only when it's lost.

The Opportunity of Life and the Call for Awareness:

The core message is that our current human existence is a golden opportunity. Mahavir, Buddha, and Krishna all strived to awaken people to this opportunity while it's still available, so they can utilize it to achieve a higher state of being. The mind, by nature, desires what it lacks and becomes accustomed to what it has, thus losing awareness of its presence. True spiritual practice is about cultivating awareness of what is, rather than constantly craving what is not.

The Art of Listening (Shravan):

Osho then delves into the "art of listening" (Shravan), considered one of the four essential pathways to liberation by Mahavir. He emphasizes that mere hearing is not enough; true listening requires a mind free from thoughts and preconceptions. When listening, one must be fully present, allowing the words to enter without immediate judgment or comparison. This means separating the act of listening from the act of thinking. If one mixes listening with thinking, they become "deaf" to the truth, only hearing their own thoughts reflected back. True listening is about creating a clear mirror of the mind to reflect the speaker's message accurately.

Beyond Mind States: Buddha-hood and Jin-hood:

Osho differentiates between "mind states" (manosthiti) and states of true liberation. Kalayuga and Satayuga are not eras, but states of mind. Similarly, heaven and hell are also mind states. Buddha-hood or Jin-hood, however, transcends mind states. It is "a-man ki sthiti" – a state of no-mind, or a state beyond the mind.

The Vastness of the Mind and the Unconscious:

The mind, Osho explains, is not just our conscious thoughts but a vast repository of past experiences, actions, and impressions from all our past lives, including lives as animals, plants, and even stones. Our current personality is shaped by these accumulated experiences. When we lose control, these deeper layers of the mind, particularly our animalistic instincts, can surface, leading to actions we later regret, as in moments of anger. The "self" we identify with is often a collection of these ingrained habits and past impressions.

Transcending the Mind to Become "Buddha" or "Jin":

The state of Buddha-hood or Jin-hood is achieved when one transcends all these layers of the mind and its past conditioning. It is about realizing oneself as pure consciousness, the "knower" beyond being the known or even the knower-of-the-known. This is not a mere intellectual understanding, but a direct experience. Osho uses the analogy of a photograph (representing learned knowledge) versus a mirror (representing direct experience). Mahavir and Buddha are like mirrors, reflecting whatever is presented to them in the present moment, while pundits (learned scholars) are like photographs, holding fixed information.

The Importance of Vigilance and Non-Belief:

Osho emphasizes the crucial need for continuous awareness and vigilance ("apramatta-bhav"). He interprets Mahavir's advice to "not believe anyone" not as fostering distrust, but as a caution against becoming complacent and falling into a "sleep" of belief. When we trust someone, we tend to stop being vigilant. Even those closest to us can unknowingly influence us with their own unconsciousness. Therefore, one must remain aware, as if living among strangers, recognizing that true connection is elusive and that others' sleep can be contagious.

The Contagious Nature of Sleep and the Power of the Crowd:

Osho highlights how easily we are influenced by others' states of mind. Sleepiness, anger, greed, lust, and even joy are contagious. We are part of a collective consciousness until we achieve full awakening. He uses the example of yawning or coughing spreading through a crowd. He also discusses how crowds can amplify actions, leading to collective sins where individual responsibility is diffused. Nations, religions, and political movements are often large "crowds" that can lead individuals astray. True religion, Osho insists, is an individual pursuit, aiming to liberate the person from the influence of crowds.

Living in the World with Unwavering Awareness:

The lecture strongly advocates for living in the world with constant awareness. This means recognizing that everyone around us, consciously or unconsciously, is asleep. To remain awake, one must be perpetually vigilant, like a soldier on a battlefield. This vigilance is the key to preventing the "diseases" of the mind (anger, greed, delusion) from entering.

The Impermanence of Time and the Frailty of the Body:

Osho reiterates Mahavir's points about the mercilessness of time and the weakness of the body. Time is indifferent to our plans and desires; it flows relentlessly. Our physical bodies are inherently fragile, susceptible to the slightest environmental changes or microscopic organisms. He contrasts the briefness of a human lifespan with the vastness of time, likening our existence to a fleeting moment. He argues that most of our time is spent in mundane activities, leaving little for self-discovery.

The Futility of Postponement:

The lecture concludes with a strong admonition against postponing spiritual or meaningful actions. "Tomorrow" is an illusion; every "tomorrow" becomes "today." Procrastination is a form of self-deception, masking an unwillingness to engage with what is truly important. Osho uses the example of Gurdjieff, whose father advised him to act on anger only after 24 hours, which ultimately led him to not act on anger at all. This highlights how delaying action allows the impulse to pass and redirects energy towards more constructive pursuits like meditation.

In essence, the lecture is a powerful call to awaken from the slumber of unconsciousness, to appreciate the preciousness of the present moment, and to live a life of unwavering awareness, recognizing the profound truths of impermanence and the relentless march of time.