“What should we do if someone attacks our country ?”
This was the question asked to one of the many homegrown Gurus who has become very popular in recent times. The Gurus response was - To defend yourself.
Wonder what would Osho answer ? I have tried to compile an answer that I think Osho would have given.
Osho’s Answer
Your Country ? First drop the idea of country being yours.
What is a country - I have drawn a boundry and whatever is inside that boundry is my country. And I must defend it. And I must be proud of it. That’s partriotism.
Tomorrow the politicians draw another line cutting your country into two, then you change sides and immediately become loyal to the side you are living on. And more surprisingly you become enemies with the other side. Because they are on the other side of the line. They could have been your countrymen at a time, but now they are enemies.
What kind of a crazy world is this you have created.
And you ask me…. what should I do when someone attacks my country.
It’s easy for me to say defend yourself. And you will agree, probably that’s the answer you are expecting too. It will nicely fit into the moral code the society has imposed on you - Patriotism is good, be proud of your country and all that you have been fed.
Change the way you look at things. Don’t restrict your patriotism to your country alone, extend it. What if there is no country. What if there is no division, what if there are no boundaries.
We have created too many boundries and we have been living for too long in these boundaries. The more boundries you make, the more security you need to defend those and obviously there will be more blood shed. because people on the other side are as patriot as you are. They want to take over your side…. and you want to take over theirs….
And this is not the only boundary you have created -There are Proud Indians, and there are Proud Aussies. And both of them say we live in the greatest country… how can this be. It creates a conflict.
Or why do you go as far as Australia. There are proud Delhiite who don’t think very big of Biharis. And then Biharis have their divisions too…….divisions everywhere.
These divisions have created a sense of artificial security and superiority. And you can only be superior if there is someone inferior, this causes all the conflicts.
Your patriotism is just a fancy name for hatred. If you want anything dirty to get done, you give it a noble name and people don’t feel guilty. That’s what your society has done to you.
This is high time we drop all the boundaries. That’s the only solution.