The Music of the Sea – Osho

I have heard a story:

Thousands of years ago, a town which had many temples dedicated to the gods was drowned beneath the sea.

The bells of those drowned temples are still ringing. It may be that the tidal waters make them ring, or maybe they keep ringing because the fish strike them as they swim here and there. But whatever the reason is, the bells are still ringing even today, and even today, their sweet music can be heard from the seashore.

I also wanted to hear that music, so I went in search of that shore. After several years of wandering, I finally found it. But all I could hear was the loud tumult of the sea. The sound of the waves crashing on the rocks resounded again in that lonely place, but there was no music nor were the temple bells ringing. I kept listening intently but on the shore nothing could be heard except the sound of breaking waves.

Even so I waited there. In fact, I had forgotten the way back and now that unknown, lonely seashore seemed destined to witness the end of my life. And by and by, even the thought of listening to the bells disappeared. I settled down on the beach.

Then one night, I suddenly heard the bells of those submerged temples ringing, and their sweet music began to fill my life with joy.

On hearing the music I awoke from my sleep, and since then I have not been able to sleep again. Now someone is constantly awake within me, sleep has vanished forever, and my life has been filled with light—because where there is no sleep, there is no darkness.

And I am happy. In fact, I have become happiness incarnate, because how can sadness exist when music from God’s temple can be heard?

Do you also want to go to that that seashore? Do you also want to hear the music of those underwater temples? Then let us then go, let us move within ourselves. The heart is the sea, and in its depth is found the city with the underwater temples.

But only those who are, in every way, calm and alert will be able to hear the music of those temples. How can this music be heard when there are the loud conflicts of thought and desire? Even the desire to hear this music becomes an obstacle to discovering it.

-Osho

From Earthern Lamps, Chapter One

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