Mahavir Vani Lecture 33 Akele Hi Hai Bhogna

This lecture by Osho, titled "Mahavir Vani Lecture 33: Akele Hi Hai Bhogna" (One Alone Must Suffer), delves into the Jain philosophy of karma and personal responsibility, drawing parallels with the teachings of Mahavir. The core message revolves around the understanding that each individual is solely responsible for their suffering and happiness, and this responsibility is a crucial step towards spiritual liberation.

Here's a comprehensive summary of the key points discussed:

The Law of Karma and Individual Responsibility:

• Unavoidable Consequences: The lecture begins by quoting an Asharan Sutra which states that all beings in the world suffer due to their own actions (karma). Good or bad, the consequences of one's deeds must be faced and cannot be escaped.
• No External Support in Suffering: Neither family, friends, nor wealth can alleviate individual suffering. When pain arrives, one must bear it alone because karma follows its doer, and no one else.
• Suffering is Self-Created: A fundamental tenet is that beings suffer due to their own actions. We tend to blame others or external circumstances for our unhappiness, but the true root lies within our own karma. Politics often operates on the premise that others are the cause of suffering, leading to attempts to change or eliminate others. Religion, however, points to the self as the source of suffering.

Understanding Time, Desire, and Life:

• The Illusion of Past and Future: Time is not truly divided into past, present, and future. The past is merely memory, and the future is the expansion of desire. Existence, however, is always in the present moment.
• Jiveshana (Desire for Life/Future) vs. Life (Present Existence): The lecture distinguishes between "Jiveshana," the longing for tomorrow and future living, and "life" itself, which is the "now and here." Living in Jiveshana means postponing actual living, believing that true happiness lies in the future.
• The Futility of Postponement: We often defer living, thinking "I will live tomorrow." But tomorrow never truly arrives; it always becomes "today," and we continue this cycle of postponement. This habit leads to a life of unlived moments.
• Death as the End of Future: Death is not the end of life but the end of the future. When death approaches, the future dissolves, leaving only the present moment. Those who have not learned to live in the present are left with the regret of a life unlived.
• The Illusion of Rebirth and Heaven: The desire for rebirth or heaven is often another attempt to extend the future, a manifestation of Jiveshana. It's a trick of the mind to avoid confronting the present and the reality of mortality.

Living in the Present Moment:

• Embracing the "Now": The only way to truly live is to abandon the hope of the future and embrace the present moment. To "enter" this moment and "descend" into it is the path to experiencing life fully.
• The Wisdom of the Lily and the Child: Jesus's analogy of the lily, which blooms without worrying about tomorrow, and the child, who lives fully in the present moment of play, highlights the beauty and completeness of living in the "now." When a child begins to think about tomorrow, their childlike innocence starts to fade.
• Heaven is Now, Hell is Postponement: Heaven is not a place but a state of being fully present and alive in this moment. Hell is the postponed life, lived in the future.

Critique of Western Philosophy and Freud's Theories:

• Albert Schweitzer's Criticism: Schweitzer critiqued Indian philosophy, including Mahavir and Buddha, as life-negating. Osho argues that this criticism stems from a misunderstanding; these teachings are against "Jiveshana" (desire for the future), not life itself.
• Freud's Libido and Thanatos: Freud's concept of "Libido" (life drive) aligns with Jiveshana. However, Osho introduces Freud's concept of "Thanatos" (death drive) and suggests that true wisdom lies not in the pursuit of life or death, but in transcending both. Thanatos, as described, is not necessarily suicide but a weariness of life's repetition, a quiet sinking rather than an active end.

Understanding Mahavir's "Sanatara" (Voluntary Death):

• Not Suicide: Mahavir's concept of Sanatara (or Sallekhana) is not an endorsement of suicide. It is a rigorously defined practice for those who have reached a state of complete detachment and have no lingering desires.
• Conditions for Sanatara: Sanatara is permitted only for those who have no remaining worldly desires. The ninety-day fasting period is a crucial element, providing ample time for reflection and ensuring the decision is not driven by momentary emotion.
• Death as a Background for Life: Mahavir's teachings on death are not life-negating but rather life-enhancing. By confronting death consciously and without resistance, one can experience the true vibrancy and immortality of the self. Death, in this context, becomes a background against which the light of life shines more brightly.

The Nature of Karma and Its Consequences:

• Karma and Fruit are Inseparable: Karma and its fruit are like two sides of the same coin, inseparable. One cannot perform an action and avoid its consequence.
• Good Deeds Don't Cancel Bad: Good actions do not erase bad ones, nor do bad actions negate good ones. They exist independently, leading to their respective fruits.
• The Interplay of Good and Bad: Individuals are a mixture of good and bad karma. Success often arises from the "good" qualities within a seemingly "bad" person, while failure can befall an "honest" person due to their "bad" karmic baggage.
• Liberation from Duality: True liberation (Moksha) comes not from accumulating good karma or abandoning bad karma, but from transcending both. It is freedom from the duality of good and bad, pleasure and pain.

The Illusion of Sharing Responsibility:

• Individuality and Non-Transferability of Karma: We are all fundamentally alone in our experiences, even in crowds. The "stream of consciousness" is individual, and its actions and their consequences must be borne by the individual.
• The Impossibility of Transferring Suffering: Despite declarations of love, one cannot truly transfer their suffering to another. Such statements are often made because there is no actual mechanism for such a transfer.
• Taking Full Responsibility: Understanding that we are solely responsible for our happiness and suffering is the mark of maturity. This realization leads to taking complete responsibility for one's life, actions, and their consequences, leading to the possibility of spiritual liberation.

In essence, Osho's lecture emphasizes a radical self-responsibility. By understanding that "one alone must suffer" the consequences of their karma, and by learning to live fully in the present moment, free from the clutches of future desires (Jiveshana), one can transcend suffering and realize their true, eternal nature. Mahavir's teachings, far from being life-negating, are presented as a profound pathway to experiencing life in its most vibrant and authentic form.