Osho,
A friend told us that she once heard you say that you want us to become enlightened in the most aesthetic way possible. Will you speak on the aesthetics of consciousness? Have you ever spoken of anything else?

You have raised a very significant question. All the religions that have existed on the earth have been very unaesthetic, because they denied life, they denied all the beauties, all the flowers, all creativity, sensitivity.

They killed millions of people’s possibility of attaining to enlightenment through aesthetic creativity. They simply closed the door, and for centuries nobody has even asked the question, “Is it possible that just to be a musician is enough to become enlightened?” I say yes.

Nobody will agree with me – neither Mahavira nor Gautam Buddha nor Mohammed nor Jesus. Knowing it well, that the whole history will stand against me, I am absolutely certain that music can become meditation, that sculpture can become meditation, that dancing can become meditation, that painting can become meditation. These doors have simply been closed. It is one of the greatest crimes committed against man.

And people who are uncreative are praised as saints. All that they have done may be fasting. But being hungry is not a great quality, and it does not enhance humanity in any way. They may have lived naked, but that does not mean they are making life more beautiful. Most of these naked saints are so ugly that it would have been better…they should be praised if they stop being naked. But their nakedness has been praised; it is thought to be a great discipline.

Sometimes stupid ideas carried for a long time almost start looking like ultimate truths. All the animals are naked. I don’t see any saintliness in being naked. I am not saying that to be naked is criminal, I am simply saying that if the time is right and the climate is beautiful and you have a body worth seeing…. First stand naked before the mirror before you disturb other people. But on a sea beach, of course, you can be naked; in a good climate, in the home you can be naked. But there is nothing saintly in it, it is simply natural. Every animal, every bird is naked – except a few dogs.

In the Victorian age in England, where morality became hilarious, even dogs were covered with clothes. This was thought to be very Christian. You will not believe it, even the legs of the chairs and tables were covered – because they are called legs and legs should not be left naked. Except for those few idiots, the whole world of the animals has remained natural.