Today I listened to Osho’s discourse No.2 Vol 3 from the series titled “Discipline of Transcendence”. While answering Question no. 5 about “being crazy” Osho touches upon Freedom and Responsibility. The following excerpts are very significant, given the state of the world right now.
To read the full transcript of the discourse click – Let there be prayer.
Excerpts on Freedom and Responsibility
“…..
My whole effort in this ashram is to give you absolute space to be yourself. It is very difficult, because this ashram also has to exist in the society. But let it be difficult – it has to be done. Even if a few pockets, a few oases on the earth exist, where a person is not CONDEMNED as crazy, we will be creating a new sort of world and a new sort of society.
And this is going to be the society of the future. This is going to be the shape of things to come. This small ashram is just a miniature world of the future, and you are pioneers – feel blessed that you are creating a new sort of human being, who lives in freedom and yet with tremendous responsibility.
One thing more I would like to say about this question: when you feel crazy you are completely allowed to be crazy – but your craziness should not be forced upon anybody else, that’s all. Otherwise you start repressing the other person.
You want to sing a song loudly in the middle of the night – nothing is wrong – but then go far away from the town, because you are not allowed to disturb others’ sleep. Your idea is perfectly beautiful: the middle of the night is so beautiful – who would not like to sing a song? It’s perfectly okay. Nothing is wrong in it, but others are sleeping. You need not disturb anybody. This is what I call responsibility.
Freedom for you; responsibility for others. If you can keep yourself between these two, a balance will arise. And if you are responsible, society will not force you too much because you will not be coming in its way. If you are irresponsible, then the society will immediately catch hold of you and will not allow you to be crazy. So to be responsible is a good policy also.
If you really want to be free, then responsibility has to be taken care of otherwise you will not be allowed freedom. And what are you against this big society?
They can crush you. If they can kill Jesus, they can poison Socrates, they can kill anybody, they can poison anybody It is very simple. A man is so fragile, a man is like a flower – can be crushed very easily.
So if you really want to be free, then never be irresponsible. The more a person wants to be free, the more he has to learn the ways of responsibility. And if you can remain alert about responsibility, you will have more and more freedom available to you. Even in this society you can remain absolutely free – I have remained, that’s why I say it to you. I have never done anything that I never wanted to do. I have done only that which I always wanted to do. But then you have to be very, very intelligent, and you have to be very, very alert. “
It looks like Freedom and Responsibility are two sides of the same coin !! We can’t have one without the other.
Do read an earlier blogpost of mine, where Osho narrates a beautiful anecdote. It talks of destiny and free will. What leg did you lift today ?
Thank You Master 🙏🏿
How true! How true! I, too, believe freedom and responsibility are inseparable, essential facets of maturity and wisdom.
Interestingly, this is reinforced in astrology, with the co-rulership of Uranus (chaos) and Saturn (limitation) of the sign Aquarius. Not to belabor the point, but as we enter the “Age of Aquarius” now– a span of about 2000 years– we are faced with the same dynamic tension emphasized by mythology and astrology, as well as by Osho.