Recently I happened to be reading
Einstein's Ideas and Opinions and
OSHO's God's Got A Thing About You simultaneously!
On the outset, they look two unique and completely different individuals. One, who totally went inwards and other, who totally went outwards.
I was pleasantly surprised to read Einstein's thought on GOD and Religion. It was a refreshing change to know all this about Einstein. He was not a follower of set traditions of a religion (neither was OSHO!). Actually, in that sense, he did not believe in GOD, as a being who rewards the just and punishes the unjust. He did not believe in Religion of fear (from GOD). He believed morality is totally human affair, and there is nothing divine about it.
Einstein - At the highest level of religious experience, is a cosmic religious feeling. An Individual existence impresses an individual as sort of a prison and he wants to feel the experience of the universe as a whole. Most religious geniuses of all ages have been distinguished by this kind of religious feeling; which knows no dogma and no GOD conceived in man's image. In my view, it is most important function of art and science to awaken this feeling and keep it alive in those who are receptive to it.
Per OSHO, GOD is the inner core of you. The moment the ego dies, God is born in you. GOD is Love. The whole art of knowing God or of knowing oneself is the art of standing outside one's mind, of watching the thoughts passing by, the fantasies, the desires, imagination, memories, and projections. God is not known, has never been known, will never be known. God cannot be reduced to knowledge -- God remains love.
In this the two think similarly, both talk about spiritual development.
Einstein - The satisfaction of physical needs is indeed the indispensible precondition of a satisfactory existence, but it itself is not enough. In order to be content, men must also have the possibility of developing their intellectual and artistic powers to whatever extent accords with their personal characteristics and abilities. This is what he also calls spiritual development of the individuals.
OSHO too talks about self-development through meditation, through spiritualism, though he has come up with various meditation techniques to find your inner self, to find your creativity and be lovable and love the mankind and universe in general. OSHO also does not deny the physical aspect of being too. Per him, that has to be enjoyed too to make your existence whole.
In a nutshell, there are obvious differences between the two, but it was interesting to know these subtle resemblances between the two.
