On Mount Sinai, Moses encountered a strange phenomenon that he thought was God. Certainly, it was very mysterious: a bush was afire but it was not burning; it was as green as any bush. Its flowers were as juicy and young as any flowers, and yet there was fire in the bush. Naturally attracted, curious, he wanted to look from close quarters at what was happening. He had never thought that fire could be there; flames were rising above the bush – and the bush was green!

He came close, and just as he was coming very close a voice shouted, “Leave your shoes behind, Moses! You are entering into holy land, into a sacred place.” Trembling, he left his shoes. He could not see anybody, but it was certainly a miraculous experience. He thought it was God’s voice.

My own explanation of the story is that everybody who goes through a transformation comes to the same bush, which is afire, but the fire is cool. It is nourishing the bush, not destroying it. It only looks like fire; it is cool flames of life. For life, Moses’ word is God – that’s the only difference. That is a difference of language, nothing much.

You have come here; you have seen the flames. And the first idea will be “Escape as quickly as possible; otherwise you will be burned.”

Don’t be worried. If I am not burned, if all these people here are not burned, you also are not going to be burned.

The fire is cool; it transforms.

It takes away your mask and helps you to discover your original face. But still, freedom is available to you up to Dadar Station.

Osho,
I heard you talking about the Sri Lankan mystic asking his followers to stand up if they wanted to go the shortcut towards enlightenment.
I want you to know that I’m waiting for the chance to stand up as soon as I hear you asking – knowing that my legs will most likely be trembling, my body perspiring, and my heart beating like mad.

It is necessary that I should repeat the story first:

A mystic in Sri Lanka is dying. He has thousands of followers; they have all gathered. Just before closing his eyes he says, “If anybody wants to come with me, I can take him with me – and this is the most shortcut way. You will not have to do anything. I don’t have much time. Anybody wanting to go the most shortcut way… Otherwise, it takes so many lives to achieve enlightenment. I can take you with me from the back door. Just stand up!”

There was absolute silence, pin-drop silence. People looked at each other thinking, “This man has been listening to him for forty years, perhaps he may be ready.” But he was looking at somebody else, because he had so many problems still to solve: “Business is not good.”