“It is not that you have to become a Buddha, you are a Buddha, fallen asleep. Somebody needs to kick you. Somebody needs to shout at you. Somebody needs to hit you. And that is the purpose of a master.”

“Where are all the dead leaves?”

“When someone becomes enlightened it is a death deeper than ordinary death; when someone becomes enlightened he comes to know that he is not the body. The attachment, the identification, disappears.”

Osho comments on anecdotes about Zen Masters Ekido, Mu-Nan and Nansen, in the discourse series Roots and Wings – by Phoebe

Take-away lessons from anecdotes about Zen Masters Joshu, Hyakujo and Bankei, as told by Osho in the series Roots and Wings – by Phoebe

A Zen anecdote told by Osho

Phoebe’s Nuggets continue with her finds from the stories of Zen Masters Nan-in, Hakuin and Doko, as told by Osho in the series Roots and Wings (A Bird on the Wing)

I have always been called to the wind, writes Rico Provasoli.

“The life of a real seeker is not an ordinary life. The life of a real seeker is the life of freedom.”

“A cup of tea declares that the night is over, wake up! Be aware and see the whole beauty of existence. The universe has allowed you one day more – you cannot demand, it is a gift.”

Osho speaks on the topic of ‘Bamboo’; “Unless you become a bamboo, nothing is going to happen.”

The improbable story of the twin monk scrolls – by Rico Provasoli

“When the disciple touches the feet of the master, it is not only what you see, something else is happening.”

“Don’t start seeking, just start looking at what is the case. Looking into the reality as it is, is enough.”

A review by Madhuri of Alan Lew’s book, subtitled The Spiritual Path of a Zen Rabbi; “I enjoyed the book a lot, and I feel it’s valuable for opening our minds and letting in a bit of wonder and a lot of grounded feeling.”

“Compassion knows no rules, compassion is beyond rules. It is wild. It follows no formalities.”

A review by Madhuri of Tim Ward’s book. “The book is so much fun… his arguments are sometimes rebellious in a valuably-refreshing way.”

A review of a book by Janwillem van de Wetering; “Enjoyable and full of surprises,” writes Madhuri

Osho speaks on Dogen. This is the sutra that troubled him to the very core of his being: ‘All human beings are endowed with the buddha-nature’.

Why do I love Dogen? A little difficult to say, as it comes down to feelings, replies Videha.

“The moment you don’t know, intimacy arises between you and reality, a great friendship arises. It becomes a love affair.” (Ah This! Ch 1, part 4)

Q: What would you do if you went to the Soviet Union?

“Whenever knowledge is not needed, put it aside and drown yourself into a state of not knowing – which is also a state of knowing, real knowing.” (Ah This! Ch 1, part 3)

“By clinging to the fingers you will not see the moon, remember. There are even greater fools who start biting the fingers… Forget the finger and look at where it is pointing.” (Ah This! Ch 1, part 2)

“The future of humanity will go closer and closer to the approach of Zen, because the meeting of the East and West is possible only through something like Zen, which is earthly and yet unearthly.” (Ah This! Ch 1, part 1)

Osho comments on a Zen story: “This is the way of Zen. It is the most unique phenomenon in the whole world of religions.”

“Hearing Zen, reading Zen is not going to give you Zen. Zen is a quality that you have to attain to.”

“To be alive is the way, to be conscious is the way.”

“If we see changes in the situation we change immediately, as if we have no integrated soul, no crystallized soul.”

“The only miracle, the impossible miracle, is to be just ordinary.”

Madhuri’s review of Laurence Shainberg’s book: “Highly recommended!”

“Your mind is hell. Going beyond your mind is heaven,” states Osho.

In part 2 of her photo essay, Veena shares her discoveries about Huike, Sosan, Daoxin, Hongren, and Huineng.

A poem by master painter Kanzan Shimomura.

In this new two-part photo essay, Veena reveals intriguing facts and legends about the eminent Six Zen Patriarchs.

Osho states, “Life has to be lived without questions and without answers…”

Veena describes an unusual rare stele she saw at the Shaolin Temple on Song Mountain in China.

Beloved Osho, Is there actually something to be heard? Or is it that as we refine our sense of listening, we are refined, and by the time we are able to listen totally, we are totally transformed?

Taking out the garbage… reflections by Srajan.

An animation… “In today’s crazy world, it adds another useful tool to our mental toolbox.” Published in Off-Guardian on 11 April 2021.

Osho says, “You have to remember that wherever you are it is a holy land and whatever you are doing it is divine.”

In part 2 of her article, Veena explains the connections between kungfu and XinYiBa, and XinYiBa and the Gulun Kungfu Heritage.

“Enlightenment is not a goal but the quality of being herenow,” states Osho.

Veena explores reasons why it is difficult to understand the mysterious philosophy of XinYiBa and attempts to explain it.

Deva Dosa contemplates miraculous healings and insights from an abundance of zoom offerings facilitated by the Osho Atlanta team and others.

“As near as I can tell, the only door we have left open to ourselves as a species is a mass-scale awakening,” writes Caitlin Johnstone. Published in SOTT on October 26, 2020.

Osho states, “The moment you say something about the first principle, you go wrong.”

“Carrying fuel, drawing water from the well and he says, ‘How mysterious.'”

“How can you become a Buddha? Either you are, or you are not. How can you become?” asks Osho.

An anecdote told by Osho where a monk became enlightened when he overheard a butcher say, ‘I never sell anything that is not the best.’

One of the excerpts from the 3-volume compilation, The Book: An Introduction to the Teachings of Bhagawan Shree Rajneesh, A-Z.

One Zen monk is reported to have said – every morning of his life after his enlightenment, the first thing in the morning he would say was, “Osho!”

Osho says, “Maneesha has asked… Choosing the sutras for these discourses she is getting a little taste of Zen.”

Since the last century, Zen has become very famous all over the world, writes Keerti in The Asian Age. Published on April 1, 2019.

“The intelligent person stops creating, stops projecting and watches the mind so clearly that the mind cannot project anything. As the projections disappear, the world disappears,” says Osho.

Osho talks on the topic of ‘Zen Masters’: “Only in the absence of all activity, when you are relaxed to your very being, the door opens to all the mysteries of the world, all the miracles of existence.”

In his third essay on Zen, by means of an exquisite tour de force and employing many poems, Surendra unveils Ikkyū’s intriguing life in simple detail and unusual format.

Osho speaks about Japanese Zen master Ikkyu, who was also a great poet.

In this essay, Surendra shows with the exquisite poems written by Ryōkan and Teishin a most delicate etheric and intimate love affair between Master and disciple.

Surendra’s portrait of the inspiring rebel monk who totally abandoned the rigid Zen organisation of his day, interspersed with delightful poems Ryōkan wrote along on his path.