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Bodhidharma : The Greatest Zen Master
Best book of Osho
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 21, 2018
3 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 16, 2023
Insightful!!
December 29, 2022
My fav quotes (not a review):
-Page 140
"Hence the moment he becomes enlightened, the arhata does not accept disciples, he never preaches, he never helps in any way. He simply lives in his ecstasy. If somebody on his own can drink out of his well he will not prevent him, but he will not send an invitation to you. If you come to him on your own accord and sit by his side and drink his presence, and get on the path, that is your business. If you go astray, he will not stop you."
-Page 146
"The bodhisattva cannot understand that enlightenment is possible without compassion and the arhata cannot understand that a man of enlightenment still has a desire to help;"
-Page 147
"Now, Buddhist countries are divided into sections. For example, Japan belongs to Mahayana, the land of the bodhisattvas, and Sri Lanka belongs to Hinayana, the land of the arhatas."
-Page 149
"For example, if you ask Mahavira, "What do you think about God?" ...in the first place, he never started his statements without the word "perhaps." Every statement begins with "perhaps," because to be certain is to be a fanatic."
-Page 155
"For example, in the Soviet Union it may be impossible even for the enlightened person not to drink vodka. Ramakrishna continued to eat fish. Now, Jainas cannot accept Ramakrishna as enlightened. Can an enlightened man eat fish? But if you understand- When Jainas fast they don't eat for days, and even water they drink only during the daytime, not in the night. Naturally, they think that Mohammedans are doing something wrong. But they don't know the situation in which Mohammed lived, in which Mohammedanism was born. It is a desert religion, where the day is so hot that it is easier to fast during the day. It is easier to feast during the night when things become cooler and when the sky becomes full of stars and the desert becomes a beautiful, silent place. In the day, it is just burning hot."
-Page 297
"This is the whole reason why we call the essential religion "mysticism." If everything can be answered, then there is no question of any mystery. Existence is a mystery because you can go on answering, but finally you cannot answer the ultimate question. And it is not far away; it soon comes up. You can answer all superficial things, but as you go deeper the ultimate question is coming closer. And the moment the ultimate question comes, I have not yet come across a single man in the whole history of mankind who has had the courage to say, "I don't know.""
-Page 382
"It was absolutely violent but in a very subtle way. I threaten to kill you -- this is violence. And I threaten to kill myself if you don't accept me -- is this logical? The standpoint that Gandhi was taking was absolutely illogical, but he supported it by threatening. It is blackmail to say, "I will kill myself." This man in Raipur went to the girl's house with a bed, and declared that if the girl was not married to him, he was going to fast to death. The girl suggested to her father to consult me as to what could be done. I had not known him before. He came to me and he told the whole story. I said, "It is very simple. You just find some old, rotten prostitute." He said, "What?" I said, "Just listen to the whole point: find a very rotten, old bitch, and put another bed in front of the house. The bitch should declare, Ì'm going to fast to death unless this man marries me.'"
-Page 140
"Hence the moment he becomes enlightened, the arhata does not accept disciples, he never preaches, he never helps in any way. He simply lives in his ecstasy. If somebody on his own can drink out of his well he will not prevent him, but he will not send an invitation to you. If you come to him on your own accord and sit by his side and drink his presence, and get on the path, that is your business. If you go astray, he will not stop you."
-Page 146
"The bodhisattva cannot understand that enlightenment is possible without compassion and the arhata cannot understand that a man of enlightenment still has a desire to help;"
-Page 147
"Now, Buddhist countries are divided into sections. For example, Japan belongs to Mahayana, the land of the bodhisattvas, and Sri Lanka belongs to Hinayana, the land of the arhatas."
-Page 149
"For example, if you ask Mahavira, "What do you think about God?" ...in the first place, he never started his statements without the word "perhaps." Every statement begins with "perhaps," because to be certain is to be a fanatic."
-Page 155
"For example, in the Soviet Union it may be impossible even for the enlightened person not to drink vodka. Ramakrishna continued to eat fish. Now, Jainas cannot accept Ramakrishna as enlightened. Can an enlightened man eat fish? But if you understand- When Jainas fast they don't eat for days, and even water they drink only during the daytime, not in the night. Naturally, they think that Mohammedans are doing something wrong. But they don't know the situation in which Mohammed lived, in which Mohammedanism was born. It is a desert religion, where the day is so hot that it is easier to fast during the day. It is easier to feast during the night when things become cooler and when the sky becomes full of stars and the desert becomes a beautiful, silent place. In the day, it is just burning hot."
-Page 297
"This is the whole reason why we call the essential religion "mysticism." If everything can be answered, then there is no question of any mystery. Existence is a mystery because you can go on answering, but finally you cannot answer the ultimate question. And it is not far away; it soon comes up. You can answer all superficial things, but as you go deeper the ultimate question is coming closer. And the moment the ultimate question comes, I have not yet come across a single man in the whole history of mankind who has had the courage to say, "I don't know.""
-Page 382
"It was absolutely violent but in a very subtle way. I threaten to kill you -- this is violence. And I threaten to kill myself if you don't accept me -- is this logical? The standpoint that Gandhi was taking was absolutely illogical, but he supported it by threatening. It is blackmail to say, "I will kill myself." This man in Raipur went to the girl's house with a bed, and declared that if the girl was not married to him, he was going to fast to death. The girl suggested to her father to consult me as to what could be done. I had not known him before. He came to me and he told the whole story. I said, "It is very simple. You just find some old, rotten prostitute." He said, "What?" I said, "Just listen to the whole point: find a very rotten, old bitch, and put another bed in front of the house. The bitch should declare, Ì'm going to fast to death unless this man marries me.'"
July 19, 2023
Another great book from Osho.
All the talks start from a quote from Bodhidharma's teachings, then Osho comments on them.
The book takes some interesting and innovative angles that I don't think other Buddhists would, since Osho does not subscribe to any one religion or dogma. First, he explains that some of the writings attributed to Bodhidharma were incorrectly recorded, so he corrects them himself (e.g. often replacing 'mind' with 'no-mind'). He then shows how Bodhidharma, despite being enlightened, is attached to the Mahayana school and is therefore unnecessarily critical (or ignorant) of the arhats. Osho explains that bodhisattvas and arhats are both motivated by compassion, but the former wants to help others, while the latter thinks that compassionate action is letting people do what he wants. In the later talks, he thinks that Bodhidharma spoils his own sutra, by responding to the 'ultimate question' (i.e. where does ignorance come from, etc), with Buddhist doctrine.
Overall a fun and interesting read. Osho does not belong to any religion, and it shows. He uses examples from East and West, and all religions. Sometimes he makes some theological errors (e.g. he falsely says the five skandhas are the same as the five elements) but overall this doesn't matter. What is important is the spirit of the teachings.
All the talks start from a quote from Bodhidharma's teachings, then Osho comments on them.
The book takes some interesting and innovative angles that I don't think other Buddhists would, since Osho does not subscribe to any one religion or dogma. First, he explains that some of the writings attributed to Bodhidharma were incorrectly recorded, so he corrects them himself (e.g. often replacing 'mind' with 'no-mind'). He then shows how Bodhidharma, despite being enlightened, is attached to the Mahayana school and is therefore unnecessarily critical (or ignorant) of the arhats. Osho explains that bodhisattvas and arhats are both motivated by compassion, but the former wants to help others, while the latter thinks that compassionate action is letting people do what he wants. In the later talks, he thinks that Bodhidharma spoils his own sutra, by responding to the 'ultimate question' (i.e. where does ignorance come from, etc), with Buddhist doctrine.
Overall a fun and interesting read. Osho does not belong to any religion, and it shows. He uses examples from East and West, and all religions. Sometimes he makes some theological errors (e.g. he falsely says the five skandhas are the same as the five elements) but overall this doesn't matter. What is important is the spirit of the teachings.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews