We live in the world of images. We have a certain image of everybody
who may come in contact with us. The image as the word is more to do
with imagination than the real person. While a person changes, our
image of that individual remains fixed. This is true about us.
Unconsciously, we begin to form our own image with the comments,
criticism and appreciation that we receive from our relatives, friends
and strangers. We tend to become fixated on this image. We become
imprisoned in this image that has been created with the help of
others. This becomes our identity and we consider it as our reality.
We get into all kinds of conflicts and troubles to protect this
particular “reality” based on fabricated images. Any criticism of this
image is disturbing. But there’s a limit to criticism. Osho points out
that everybody likes to criticise others but cannot take criticism in
one’s stride.
When somebody praises your beauty, intelligence, or your uniqueness,
you feel happy and accept it. But when someone criticises you, you are
unable to accept the criticism.
It goes against the image that you have been creating of yourself. You
will retaliate, you will fight tooth and nail. However, your mind has
taken the impression of this opinion too. There are millions of people
in the world and they all have their own opinions, likes and dislikes.
Meditation means becoming aware of all these things on the periphery
of our being and looking deeply within our consciousness — which is
essentially a witness to this play of likes and dislikes, opinions and
judgements. We need to dis-identify with this stuff and free
ourselves. Discarding and renouncing all that is imaginary is the real
sanyas. There is no need to escape from the world — one needs to
escape into one’s true being beyond imagination and the ego
based on this. The ego is so cunning that it can give us a false
feeing of “holier than thou”, imagining ourselves superior to others.
In The Dhammapada: The Way of the Buddha, Osho says: Every morning,
early in the morning when you read the newspapers, it always gives you
a good feeling — so much happening all over the world, so many ugly
things, so much violence, murder, suicide, rape, robbery, that
compared to all this you are a saint. Hence people don’t like to read
the Bible in the morning, or the Gita, but the newspaper! Reading the
Gita you feel like a sinner, reading the Bible you start feeling a
trembling, that hell is bound to happen to you, that you are on the
way… Ego does not want to be criticised and wants to criticise
everybody. Become aware of the strategy of the ego, how it nourishes
itself, how it protects itself. Unless you become absolutely aware of
all the cunning devices of the ego, you will never be able to get rid
of it. And to get rid of it is the beginning of a religious life, is
the beginning of sanyas. Then you are no longer worried what others
say about you.”
Learn the art of acting of your own accord. Don’t be worried about
criticisms and don’t be interested in compliments and praise. If you
are interested in being praised by others, then you cannot be
unconcerned about criticism. Remain aloof. Then praise or criticism,
success or failure will be the same for you