MISERY
Nature intends everybody to be an emperor. Nature creates only kings and queens, but we never accept that; it looks too good to be true.
Bliss is the only criterion of whether you are arriving closer to truth or not. The closer you come to truth, the more blissful you become; the farther away from truth, the more miserable. Misery is nothing but distance from truth; bliss is closeness, intimacy. And when one has become one with truth, there is ultimate bliss, which cannot be taken away, because all distance has disappeared, all space between you and truth has disappeared.
The truth exists at the central core of our being, but we exist on the periphery. We live on the porch of a palace and have forgotten the palace completely. We have decorated our small porch and we think that is all there is. We are self-condemned beggars. Nature intends everybody to be an emperor, Nature creates only kings and queens, but we never accept that; it looks too good to be true. We are happy in our misery. Misery gives something, and that is the ego. Misery gives ego, and bliss takes it away.
We would like to be even if we are miserable; we don't want to disappear. And that is the gamble. One has to disappear; only then are bliss and truth possible.
~ Osho
