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Adam & Eve Cleared of
Wrongdoing in Eden Case
Serpent Also Exonerated
Osho:
Just look at the story of the beginning of the
world. God said to Adam and Eve, "Don't eat from the tree of knowledge, and
don't eat from the tree of life."
He had prohibited two trees. Both are the most significant things in life:
wisdom and life — and God denies both. Then you can go on eating all kinds of
grass and whatsoever you want. He does not say, "Don't eat marijuana, don't
drink alcohol." No, He is not interested in that. Adam and Eve can smoke grass,
that is allowed; can make wine from grapes, that is allowed.
Only two things are not allowed: they should not become knowers, they should
remain ignorant; and they should not live, they should go on postponing life.
And because they disobeyed and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge...they
could not manage to eat the second tree's fruit, they were caught. After eating
the fruit of knowledge they were speeding fast towards the tree of life but
they were prevented immediately.
It is natural: anyone who has awareness, consciousness — which are the
qualities of wisdom — his first thing will be to go deeper into life, to taste
it as much as possible, to connect himself with its center, to be drowned in
the mystery of life.
The story does not say it, but the story is not complete. I say to you, they
were rushing immediately, because it is absolutely logical: after eating the
fruit of knowledge they were rushing towards the tree of life. And that's why
it was so easy for God to catch hold of them; otherwise, in the Garden of Eden
there were so many millions of trees, where would He have found them? It would
have taken eternity to search: rather than man searching for God, God would
have been still searching for man, for where he is.
But I know how things would have happened — they are not told in the story.
God, coming to know that they have eaten the fruit of knowledge, must have
rushed immediately to the tree of life and waited there knowing that they must
be coming. It is such simple logic, no Aristotle is needed.
And certainly they were caught there. Both were rushing, naked, rejoicing,
because for the first time their eyes were open. For the first time they were
human beings; before this they were only animals amongst other animals...and
God threw them out of the Garden of Eden. Since then, man has been longing for
life, more life.
But the priests who represent the God that has driven you out of the Garden of
Eden — the popes, the imams, the shankaracharyas, the rabbis, they all
represent the same guy.
Strangely enough, nobody says that that guy was your first enemy. On the
contrary, they say it was the poor serpent who convinced Eve, "You are being
foolish by not eating from the tree of knowledge. God is jealous; He is afraid
that if you eat from the tree of knowledge you will become wise. And He is
afraid that if you eat from the tree of life you will be just like God. Then
who is going to worship Him? He is jealous, afraid — that's why He has
prevented you."
This serpent was humanity's first friend — but he is condemned. The friend is
called the devil, and the enemy is called God. Strange are the ways of the
human mind! You should thank the serpent! It is just because of the serpent
that you have become what you have become. It is because of disobedience to God
that you have attained a certain dignity, a pride of being human, a certain
integrity, a certain individuality.
So instead of thanking God, change the phrase. Rather than saying, "Thank God!"
say, "Thank the serpent!" It is just due to his compassion; otherwise why
should he have bothered about you? He must have been a very compassionate
fellow.
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