Osho – There are no stages. Enlightenment — or Christhood or Buddhahood — happens in a single split second, there are not gradual stages. When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, the journey started — not Christhood. The seed started moving towards being a tree, the seed was broken in the soil. Now the tree and its coming is only a question of time.
You cannot say that when the seed has broken in the soil the tree is there — you cannot say it because the tree is NOT there. You cannot say that the tree is. You cannot say it because where can you see the tree? You cannot rest under the tree, you cannot pluck the fruits, you cannot have the fragrance of the flowers. The tree is non-existential.
Yes, in one way you cannot say the tree is. But in another way the tree is, because the seed is broken. The tree is on the way; it is coming. Now it is only a question of time. It has come, in a way, because it has started. The day John the Baptist initiated Jesus, the seed was broken. The heavens opened and the spirit of God, like a dove, descended. This was the beginning — not of Christhood, the beginning TOWARDS Christhood; the seed moving towards the tree.
Jesus became Christ on the cross, when he said, “Thy will be done. not mine.” That day he became a tree, he became a big, vast tree. Thousands could take shelter under him now. The tree bloomed, it filled the whole earth with fragrance. So in a way you can say that when he was initiated in the River Jordan, the first glimpse was achieved. On the cross, the last. It depends how you want to express it.
But I think I have conveyed the meaning to you: he started on the journey towards being a Christ on that day. You can also call him Christ on that day; it is just a question of how to express it, But my emphasis is that he moved towards Christhood. He became Christ on the cross. Christhood or Buddhahood or nirvana, MOKSHA, enlightenment — they happen in a split second, they have no gradualness about them. They are sudden transformations.