Be an agnostic – that is the beginning of real religion

The first thing – the most fundamental – to be understood is that you are already in God. It is not a question of being in God: you are already there. Just as the fish is in the ocean, you are in God. God simply means the existence, that which exists.

In the ancient Hebrew, the word ‘God’ stands for that which is. ‘G’ stands for that, ‘O’ for which, and ‘D’ for is – that which is. The word ‘God’ is tremendously significant. It does not indicate a person; it simply indicates a presence. And the presence is everywhere!

Life is synonymous with God, universe is synonymous with God. To be is to be in God – there is no other way. To breathe is to breathe in God – there is no other way. To sleep is to sleep in God and to wake up is to wake up in God – there is no other way. You can choose to sleep, still you are in God. You can choose to forget God, still you are in God.

You can choose to deny God, still you are in God. Not to be in God is the only impossible thing — the only impossible thing I say. […]

You will have to drop all the concepts that have been given to you from the outside, because God is not a person. No picture of God exists, no statue is possible. God is an experience! If you have the idea of a God which your parents and your society have given to you, you will go inside with that idea and that idea will be the hindrance – it will not allow you to see that which is. And God IS that which is. It needs no concepts to see; concepts blind you. Drop all concepts.

If you really want to go in, go as an agnostic. This word is beautiful. You must have heard the word ‘gnostic’; ‘gnostic’ means one who knows – gnosis means knowledge.

‘Agnostic’ means one who knows not; ‘agnostic’ means one who knows only one thing, that he knows not. Be an agnostic – that is the beginning of real religion.

Don’t believe, don’t disbelieve. Don’t be a Hindu, and don’t be a Jaina and don’t be a Christian, otherwise you will go on groping in darkness for ever and for ever. Unless you drop all ideologies, all philosophies, all religions, all systems of thought, and go inside empty, with nothing in your hand, with no idea…. How can you have an idea of God?

You have not known him. Just go… with a great desire to know, but with no idea of knowledge with intensity to know, with a passionate love to know what is there, but don’t carry any ideas given to you by others. Drop them outside. That is the greatest barrier for the seeker on the path of truth.

God is there but you cannot see because your eyes are blinded by the concepts given to you. God is not a Jew, so if you have a Jewish idea of God you will not find him.

I have heard a beautiful story about a Sufi mystic, Farid:

One night he dreams that by the grace of Allah, he has reached Paradise. And the whole of Paradise is decorated, millions of lights.and flowers everywhere – some celebration is going on – and great music. He enquires, “What is going on?”

And they say, “This is God’s birthday – we are celebrating it. You have come at the right time.”

So he stands underneath a tree to see what is happening, because a great procession starts moving on the road. A man is sitting on a horse; he enquires, “Who is this man?” and they say, “Don’t you know him? He is Hajrat Mohammed.”

And then millions and millions of people behind him, and he asks, “Who are these people?” and he is replied to. “They are Mohammedans, followers of Mohammed.”

And then comes Jesus, and millions are following him. And then comes Krishna on his golden chariot, and millions again are following him. And so on and so forth… the procession continues, continues, continues.

And then finally, in the end, on an old donkey an old man is coming. And nobody is behind him; he is just alone. Farid starts laughing looking at this man – it is hilarious: nobody following him. And why should he be going on his donkey? He asks, “Who are you, sir? I have seen Mohammed, Christ, Krishna, Mahavira, Buddha – who are you? You look like a kind of joke! And nobody following you.”

And the old man is very sad and he says, “Yes, I am God. This is my birthday. But some people have become Mohammedans, some have become Christians, some have become Jews, some have become Hindus – nobody is left to be with me.”

Just out of shock, Farid woke up. He told his disciples the next day, “Now I am no more a Mohammedan. The dream has been a great revelation. Now I am no more part of any organized religion – I am simply myself. I would like to be with God, at least one person following him.”

If you have a certain idea of God, you will not be able to see him. Your very idea will become a barrier. Drop all ideas that you have gathered from without; only then can you go within.

Osho, The Fish in the Sea Is not Thirsty, Ch 8

Quote published in The Book: An Introduction to the Teachings of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
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Featured image credit to M. Sedki via unsplash.com