Stories on our Conditioning

Osho - Priest and Jesus in Heaven

Osho : Bertrand Russell has written a story: A priest slept one night and dreamed he had died. He went to the gates of heaven, which were closed. He was rather surprised. He had expected the doors to be wide open and God Himself waiting on the steps to welcome him. Hadn’t he served the poor and tended the ill? Hadn’t he opened schools for poor children? Hadn’t he served in the true Christian spirit? But the door was closed, and it was so enormous that he couldn’t see where it started or where it ended.

He shouted aloud, but his voice couldn’t penetrate the thick door. He banged with his hands. He banged his head against the door, but to no avail. It was just like an ant banging on your door! His ego turned to ashes. He had dreamed of a grand welcome. How much service, how much worship, how much charity he had performed; how many he had converted to Christianity, and here no one seemed to bother about him. Infinite years passed. He sat crouched near the door of heaven, which still had not opened. He had forgotten everything.

Then one day the door opened slightly and a man with a thousand eyes, each eye like the orb of the sun, looked around and spotted him – just as you would spot a tiny object with a magnifying glass. The priest cringed even more, for he thought it was God. He addressed him: ”Oh God, how your eyes frighten me, for each is like a sun. I cannot bear to look into them.” The man laughed and said, ”I am not God. I am merely a guard. What are you doing here?” He lost all courage. This was only a guard! If the guard is like this, what would it be to face God?

At last he said, ”I have come from earth, where my church is well known. I am a believer in Jesus. I am his devotee...” His courage sank further and further. The guard said, ”Jesus? Earth? Which earth are you talking about? Give the file number. there are infinite worlds. Which earth do you come from and which Jesus are you talking about? Each earth has its own Jesus.” Imagine the state of the poor priest. He said, ”I speak of that Jesus who is the only son of God.” The guard said, ”You seem to be mad!

On each earth such Jesuses are born and their devotees declare them the only son of God. Anyway, we shall find out. First tell me the number.” The poor man said, ”We know of no number. We don’t think in terms of numbers. We always thought our earth was the only one of its kind.” ”All right,” said the guard, ”then give me the number of your sun. Which solar system do you come from?” ”We know only one sun and no other,” the poor man wailed." Then it will be very difficult,” said the guard. ”But wait here while we make enquiries.”

And again infinite years passed. The guard did not return for it was not an ordinary enquiry. It would take ages more, if he ever did manage to identify him. By this time the poor man’s ego was turned to ashes; his hopes of a grand reception remained a dream. He had planned everything: there would be bands playing, flowers everywhere and God would make him sit at His right hand. In this state of fear and agitation he awakened. He was covered with perspiration. It was only a dream – thank God! But from that day onward he lost all courage.

Source: "The True Name, Vol 2 " - Osho