Religiousness means the circumference, and spirituality means the
center. Religiousness has something of spirituality, but only something
– a vague radiation, something like a reflection in the lake of the
starry night, of the full moon. Spirituality is the real thing;
religiousness is just a by-product.
One of the greatest misfortunes that has happened to humanity is that
people are being told to be religious, not spiritual. Hence they start
decorating their circumference, they cultivate character. Character is
your circumference. By painting your circumference, the center is not
changed. But if you change the center, the circumference automatically
goes through a transformation.
Change the center that is spirituality. Spirituality is an inner
revolution. It certainly affects your behavior, but only as a
by-product. Because you are more alert, more aware, naturally your
action is different; your behavior has a different quality, a different
flavor, a different beauty. But vice versa does not. If your body is
healthy then your lips are red, but you can paint them with lipstick and
they will look red and ugly.
People are living with painted faces, wearing masks. Those people are
called religious. Christians, Hindus, Mohammedans, Jainas are religious
People.
Buddha, Jesus, Zarathustra, Krishna, Lao Tzu are spiritual people.
Spirituality belongs to your essential being, and religiousness only to
the outermost actions, behavior, morality. Religiousness is formal;
going to the church every Sunday is a social affair. The church is
nothing but a kind of club, a Rotary Club, a Lions Club and there are
many clubs. The church is also a club, but with religious pretensions.
The spiritual person belongs to no creed, to no dogma. He cannot belong
to any church, Hindu, Christian, Mohammedan It is impossible for him to
belong to any. Spirituality is one; religions are many.
My insistence here is on inner transformation. I dont teach you
religion, I teach you spirituality.
Religiousness means the circumference, and spirituality means the
center. Religiousness has something of spirituality, but only something
– a vague radiation, something like a reflection in the lake of the
starry night, of the full moon. Spirituality is the real thing;
religiousness is just a by-product.
One of the greatest misfortunes that has happened to humanity is that
people are being told to be religious, not spiritual. Hence they start
decorating their circumference, they cultivate character. Character is
your circumference. By painting your circumference, the center is not
changed. But if you change the center, the circumference automatically
goes through a transformation.
Change the center that is spirituality. Spirituality is an inner
revolution. It certainly affects your behavior, but only as a
by-product. Because you are more alert, more aware, naturally your
action is different; your behavior has a different quality, a different
flavor, a different beauty. But vice versa does not. If your body is
healthy then your lips are red, but you can paint them with lipstick and
they will look red and ugly.
People are living with painted faces, wearing masks. Those people are
called religious. Christians, Hindus, Mohammedans, Jainas are religious
People.
Buddha, Jesus, Zarathustra, Krishna, Lao Tzu are spiritual people.
Spirituality belongs to your essential being, and religiousness only to
the outermost actions, behavior, morality. Religiousness is formal;
going to the church every Sunday is a social affair. The church is
nothing but a kind of club, a Rotary Club, a Lions Club and there are
many clubs. The church is also a club, but with religious pretensions.
The spiritual person belongs to no creed, to no dogma. He cannot belong
to any church, Hindu, Christian, Mohammedan It is impossible for him to
belong to any. Spirituality is one; religions are many.
My insistence here is on inner transformation. I dont teach you
religion, I teach you spirituality.
