🍁Osho, The Long, the Short and the All Chapter #1. Knowledge and understanding

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WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED CONSCIOUSNESS?

The mind is not consciousness. When the movement of the mind has totally ceased there is another stirring - and this I call consciousness.

Only when the mind becomes empty does consciousness manifest itself.

The mind is the instrument, the medium. When it becomes involved with the activities of the ego it ceases to be a medium of consciousness because it is otherwise engaged.

To become acquainted with consciousness is to bid farewell to the machinations of the mind.

The mind is like a servant who has usurped his master's place in the master's absence.

Will such a servant ever desire the master's return? He will never be able to welcome the returning master with sincerity. He will put up every possible obstacle he can to delay the master's return.

And the most basic obstruction will be his contention that he himself is the master and no one else. He will simply deny that any other master exists.

Generally the mind does exactly the same thing. This is how it becomes a barrier; this is how it hinders the advent of consciousness.

If you wish to move towards consciousness learn to let your mind relax. Allow it to remain free of activity; allow it to be empty; allow it to disengage itself from its involvements.

The cessation of the activity of the mind marks the first stirring of consciousness.

And the death of the mind heralds the birth of consciousness.