Tao Sutra – Who receives unto himself the calumny of the world is the preserver of the state.
Osho – Who moves lowest is the sage, and who takes on himself the whole responsibility of the whole darkness of the world, who becomes like a Jesus — he preserves the world. The world is not preserved by politicians, they are pretenders; the world is preserved by very few people who may not even be known to you, because even to know them is difficult, they live so ordinarily; they are lost deep in the woods of the world, you may not be knowing them.
There is a story in the Bible, a beautiful parable. There was a town called Sodom. From that town comes the word sodomy. The people had become very corrupt. All sorts of sexual perversion were prevalent. People were homosexual, people were making love to animals — the whole town was perverted. God decided to destroy the town. But there was one difficulty: there was one good man in the town. Unless the good man could be persuaded to leave the town, the town could not be destroyed.
Angels were sent to persuade the good man: Please, leave the town. Because of you the town cannot be destroyed. But the good man was difficult to persuade. He said: I am needed here! Where should I go? These people are ill, these people are perverted, their lives are miserable, they live in hell — I am needed HERE. And I am responsible for these people! Because they don’t know and I know — that’s why I am responsible.
Look! he said. Because they don’t know, how can you tell them they are responsible? They are doing all sorts of things unknowingly. They are completely oblivious, ignorant, not remembering what they are doing. They are as if drunkards. I am the only one who knows what is happening, and if I go, then who will save them? I am responsible for them.
So it is said the good man was persuaded in a very cunning way. He was told: There is another town, Gomorrah, where people are even more corrupt. You please go there. So when the man was going to Gomorrah, Gomorrah and Sodom were both destroyed. Because he was just in the middle. The world is preserved by very few people, a few people of crystal purity, of childlike innocence — but they feel responsible. Because they are aware.
It is said that when Buddha reached nirvana, the last ultimate home, the doors were opened, there was great celebration, because centuries and centuries pass then only one person comes and enters in those gates. But Buddha would not enter. He stood at the gate, his back towards the gate. They were worried, they asked: Why are you standing there? The door is open and we have been waiting for you and there is much celebration and much jubilation — Come in! Be a guest!
The Buddha is reported to have said: How can I come in? The whole world is suffering. I will stand here until the last man passes by, enters into the ultimate. I will have to wait — I will be the last, I feel responsible. I am aware, and they are not aware so they cannot be responsible, but I am responsible.
The more aware you become the more responsible you become, the more you feel, the more you become a help — not that you start serving people, but your whole life becomes a service. Not that you are doing something for them out of any obligation. No, you are simply fulfilling your own awareness.
Source – Tao, The Three Treasures Vol 4