On the subject of death and how to use it—whether as a source of fear or as an advisor for a life fully lived—Osho speaks in a profoundly beautiful way. During one of his talks, a man asked him: “Sometimes, suddenly and strongly, there comes the fear of leaving all this beauty, these friendships, and love… How is it possible for one to relax with the idea that death is certain?”
This was Osho’s response:
“First, you can feel relaxed only when death is certain. If you know that you are going to die today, all fear of death will disappear. What is the point of wasting time? You have only one day until you die: therefore, live as intensely as possible, live as totally as possible.
Death may not even come. Death cannot come to people who live very intensely and very totally. And even if it does come, those who have lived totally will welcome it, for it is a great relief. They are tired of living; they have lived so intensely that death comes as a friend. There is nothing ugly about death; you cannot find anything purer than it.
If the fear of death comes, it means there are a few niches that are not filled with living. So these fears of death are very indicative and helpful. They show that your dance has to be a little faster, that your life should burn at both ends.
Dance so fast that the dancer disappears and only the dance remains. Then it is not possible for death to visit you.
“And the fear of leaving all this beauty, these friendships, and love.”
If you are totally in the here-and-now, who cares about tomorrow? Tomorrow will take care of itself. Jesus is right when he prays to God, “Lord, give me my daily bread.” He does not even pray for tomorrow; just today is enough unto itself. And you must learn that every moment has its own completion.
The fear that you have to leave all this comes only because you have not lived totally in the present; otherwise, there is no time, no mind, and no space.
Once a merchant was asked: “How old are you?” He replied: “Three hundred and sixty.” The man could not believe it and said: “Please repeat that. Perhaps I didn’t hear correctly.” The merchant shouted louder and said: “I am three hundred and sixty years old.” The man said: “I’m sorry, but I cannot believe it. You don’t look a day over sixty!” The merchant said: “You are also right. As far as the calendar is concerned, I am sixty years old. But as far as my life is concerned, I have lived six times more than anyone else. In sixty years, I managed to live three hundred and sixty years.”
Everything depends on intensity. There are two ways of living. One is that of the bull—he lives horizontally, in a single line. The other way is that of the Buddha—he lives vertically, in height and in depth. Then every moment can become eternity.
Do not waste your time on trivial things, but live, dance, and love as totally and comprehensively as you are capable. Then there will be no fears to hinder you, and you will not worry about what will happen tomorrow. Today is enough unto itself. Lived, it is so full that it leaves no room to think of anything else. It is with an unlived life that anxieties and fears arrive.
Just live, love, and turn every moment into a deep ecstasy. Then all fears will disappear.”
— Osho, “The Golden Future”
