Nansen: The Point of Departure

CHAPTER 1

The Earth and the Sky are not Seperate
5 October 1988 pm in Gautam the Buddha Auditorium

BELOVED OSHO,

ON A CERTAIN DAY, ALL THE MONKS IN NANSEN’S MONASTERY WERE INVOLVED IN
PREPARATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY – WHICH WAS THE ANNIVERSARY OF MA TZU’S
DEATH.
NANSEN SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, ”TOMORROW WE WILL OFFER VEGETARIAN FOOD TO
MASTER MA TZU. DO YOU THINK HE WILL COME?”
NO ONE ANSWERED. BUT AMONG THE GROUP WAS A YOUNG, TRAVELING MONK CALLED
TOZAN. HE STEPPED FORWARD AND SAID, ”HE WILL WAIT FOR A COMPANION TO COME.”
NANSEN COMMENTED, ”ALTHOUGH THIS MAN IS YOUNG, HE IS QUALIFIED FOR THE
TRAINING.”
TOZAN RESPONDED, ”THE VENERABLE SIR SHOULD NOT OPPRESS A GOOD MAN BY
REGARDING HIM AS A WORTHLESS FELLOW.”

Maneesha, in the long history of Zen there are milestones. Mahakashyapa is the first, but not much
is known about him – in Buddhist scriptures he is mentioned only once. Just one mention and yet
he is regarded as the greatest disciple of Gautam Buddha.

For twenty years he has not spoken a single word, no question, just sat by the side of Gautam
Buddha. Even Gautam Buddha is concerned: ”This is a strange fellow – he has not even said hello;there are thousands of monks, they all come with questions, problems, but this man seems to have

no questions.” But in that utter silence, everything happened.

Mahakashyapa was immensely courageous to be utterly silent for twenty years, not even to ask the
master, but just to wait: ”Whenever the time is ripe, the master will deliver the truth.” And it happened,

and it happened in a strange way.

The emperor Prasenjita has come to offer Gautam Buddha some flowers out of season. And at the
same time a great philosopher, whom Prasenjita has up to now believed to be his teacher, has come
with Prasenjita.

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