Osho on Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda

Question : Could we say that Ramakrishna exploited Vivekananda?

Osho : It could be said but it should not be said, because the word conveys an idea of condemnation behind it. He did not exploit him to gain something selfish for himself; his idea was that through Vivekananda others will be benefited. He exploited him only in the sense that he made use of him. There is a great difference between exploitation and utilization. When I am dealing with something or using something for the sake of my ego, then it becomes exploitation.

But when I am doing something for the world, for the universe, for everybody, there is no question of exploitation. Besides, where is the certainty that if Ramakrishna had not shown him the glimpse, Vivekananda would have got it in this life by himself? This point can be decided only by those who are enlightened. I feel that would have been the case, but we cannot show any proof in such matters.

When Ramakrishna told Vivekananda that three days before his death he would get the key, it could only mean that according to Ramakrishna, Vivekananda would have reached samadhi three days before his death as a result of his own efforts. Now, as far as returning the key is concerned, Ramakrishna was already dead, but the key was returned exactly as it had been said.

This is possible because you do not know your own personality as much as the person who has gone deep within the self. From his own depths he can know your potential. He can even tell when you will reach if you can walk at your own pace. Let us say, you have started on a journey and there is a mountain in your path. Now, I know the path and the steps of the mountain, how long it takes to cross it and what difficulties you will encounter.

I see you climbing the mountain, and I can say that you will take, for example, three months to cross it. I can tell from the speed of your walking and the manner in which you are traveling that you will take that much time. If I were to pick you up on the way and give you a glimpse of the top, then leave you again where you were, promising you that within three months you will find the goal, this cannot basically be looked upon as my making use of you.

Everything within is so subtle and complex that you cannot know it outwardly. For instance, Nirmala went home yesterday and somebody told her that she will die at the age of fifty-three. Now, I have given her a guarantee that she will not die at fifty-three.

It is not I who will carry out the guarantee: it will fulfill itself on its own. So now if she does not die at the age fifty-three she will attribute it to me. Vivekananda would say that the key had been returned three days before his death – but who was there to return the key?