THIS VERY BODY THE BUDDHA Talks on Hakuin’s Song of Meditation

Just possess yourself and you have possessed all.

Hakuin is one of the greatest Zen masters and his Song of Meditation is commented on by Osho in this book. Hakuin’s song is so small and yet so much truth, so much love and so much insight is condensed into a few words. According to Osho it contains all the Bibles, all the Korans and all the Vedas. Hakuin is sharing his buddhahood in this song which says: “ All beings are from the very beginning buddhas.” Zen people call this single sentence “The Lion’s Roar.” Hakuin says, it happens through meditation that one discover or rediscover one’s buddhahood. He also says that there need not be any worry about sins and past karma as all that can be burnt in a single sitting of meditation.

Hakuin’s song is a very condensed statement of buddhahood. It says one need not go any where to seek and search because all is here in this shore. This is the only shore and the other shore is hidden in this shore.

“This very place the lotus paradise,

This very body the Buddha.”

The Zen attitude towards life is that of laughter, of living, of enjoying and of celebrating. Osho says: “Laugh so totally that when death comes you can have your last laugh.”

This book consists of 10 chapters of which only 2 chapters are devoted for Osho’s commentary on Hakuin’s ‘Song of Meditation’. The remaining chapters are set apart for Osho’s responses to questions from disciples and seekers. Osho tells a number of jokes, parables and anecdotes during the course of his talks. Here is one such joke:

A great film director and his wife were on safari in the African jungle when, just as they were walking along a narrow path in the thickest part of the bush, a huge lion leapt out at them, grabbed his wife in its massive jaws, and began to drag her off. “Shoot, John!” she yelled to her husband. “Shoot!” “I can’t,” he yelled back. “I’ve run out of film!”

Given below are some of Osho’s o0bservations:

There are people who are greedy for money and there are people who are greedy for God. It makes no difference at all, they are the same people.

A man who tries to remain always secure, safe, will not learn anything, will not learn ever.

A blind man believes in light. But a man who has eyes does not believe in light, there is no need. He knows light.

God resides in you as you. God is a tree in a tree and a dog in a dog and a man in a man. God is all these things.