“WHEN MAN IS BORN HE IS TENDER AND WEAK;

And Lao Tzu insists on the second point also; that life does not believe in strength. Weakness has a beauty in it, because it is tender and soft. A storm comes, big trees will fall — strong; and small plants — they will simply bend; and then the storm goes by and they are again smiling and flowering. In fact the storm has made them just fresh, it has taken their dust, that’s all. They are more alive, younger, fresher, and, the storm has given them a good bath. And the old trees — very strong, they have fallen, because they resisted, they would not-bend, they were very egoistic.

Lao Tzu says: Life loves the weak. And that is the meaning of Jesus’ sayings: Blessed are the meek, because they shall inherit the earth; Blessed are the poor, the poor-in spirit; Blessed are those who weep, because they shall be comforted.

Christianity goes on missing the meaning of Jesus’ sayings, because those sayings are Lao Tzuan. Unless they are related to Lao Tzu they cannot be interpreted rightly. The whole teaching of Jesus is: Be alive and be weak. That’s why he says if somebody hits you on the face give him the other side also. If somebody takes your coat, give him your shirt also. And if somebody forces you to walk with him for one mile, go for two miles. He is saying be weak — Blessed are the meek.

What is there in weakness which is blessed? Because ordinarily the so-called leaders of the world, teachers of the world, they go on saying: Be strong. And this Lao Tzu and Jesus, they say: Be weak.

Weakness has something in it — because it is not hard. To be strong one needs to be hard. To be hard one needs to flow against life. If you want to be strong, you will have to fight the flow, only then will you become strong, there is no other way to become strong. If you want to become strong move upcurrent. The more the river forces you against it the more you become stronger.

To be weak, flow with the river; wherever it is going, go with it. To flow with the river… if the river says go with me for one mile, go for two miles, if the river takes your coat give your shirt also, and if the river slaps you on one cheek, give the other.

Weakness has a certain beauty in it. That beauty is that of grace, the beauty is that of non-violence, AHIMSA, that beauty is that of love, forgiveness, the beauty is that of no conflict. And unless Lao Tzu is understood well, and humanity starts feeling for Lao Tzu, humanity cannot live in peace.”

And if the river offers you one portion of dairy, eat two!

I am touched by your words and I am grateful for your being. Thank you for your “grace and grit”. Humility, acceptance, and the perseverance to witness.

Much love,
Sonam

Perhaps the greatest treasure given by Osho is that meditation can be completely liquid in all situations of life. It’s a freedom in every circumstance to go in, and no one can stop anyone from that.

I love your acceptance of the fact ” I don’t recommend it as a meditation, I’m sure there are easier ways”.

This I found very humbling and warm, it striked a chord in the fact that, everyone is bound to have their own circumstance to grow. And I know so many people who push their own circumstances on others so there is commonground. Nonetheless, I found commonground with your descripition of Vipassana and witnessing: very profound.

Thank You,

Amrito