Osho – Be watchful so that inside remains always alone, far away, a watcher on the hills.

Osho – A Zen master was passing across a river, a small river, and his disciple was asking a few questions. When they were crossing the river the disciple asked a question, saying ’Master, what is the way to cross the river?’

And the master said ’Cross it in such a way that the water does not touch your feet’.
The disciple was very surprised because he looked down and even the master’s feet were wet! So he said ’Sir, excuse me, but I see that even your feet are wet.’

And the master said ’I am not: it is only on the surface. Deep inside I am as dry as ever; the water has not touched me.’

Now, there are two ways to remain untouched by the water: one is, never to enter into any river – but that will be suicidal because the whole life is the river; then you are hung-up on the bank. That’s what happens to your so-called saints in the monasteries and to monks and people – catholics and hindus and jainas.

They are just dead, just hanging on the bank, always afraid that if they get into the river they will get wet. That is not the way… that is what is called ’throwing the baby out with the bathwater’. You have thrown your life also just because of the fear that you will get wet.

Get into the river, go in as deep as possible, and become a lotus. Cross all kinds of rivers and enjoy all kinds of experiences. East and west, here and there and everywhere, meet all kinds of people, fall in all kinds of love, enter all kinds of madnesses, have. a taste of everything that is available in life… and yet remain a lotus. Be watchful so that inside remains always alone, far away, a watcher on the hills. It will happen; it will start happening by and by….

Source: from Osho Book “The Further Shore”