The whole concept of nirvana is mystical. Bhagavan Buddha was even more mystical than the UPANISHADS.+

When Bhagavān Buddha died, then different sects in the different parts of Asia in the name of Bhagavān Buddha arose.

All the different sects identified as Buddhism together as a religion of Buddha. All this happened in Asia after the death of Bhagavān Buddha.

Bhagavān Buddha who for his whole life was against religion and scriptures and regionalizing became the source of the greatest religious endeavor ever.

Different schools of Buddhism were born when Bhagavān Buddha died. And the people that he had always condemned all gathered together to religiousize about him.

Bhagavān Buddha said: ~

Do not believe spiritual teaching just because: ~

1. It is repeatedly recited,

2. It is written in scripture,

3. It was handed from Guru to a disciple,

4. Everyone around you believes it,

5. It has supernatural qualities,

6. It fits my beliefs anyway,

7. It sounds rational to me,

8. It is taught by a respectable person,

9. It was said to be the truth by the teacher,

10. One must defend it or fight for it.

Bhagavān Buddha existed in India in a period when the whole country was going through a crisis of everything irrational: the VEDAS, the UPANISHADS, the whole mysticism. The movement against all this was very great, particularly in Bihar, where Bhagavān Buddha was.

Bhagavān Buddha was charismatic, hypnotic. People were impressed by him. But the interpretation of Buddha was bound to be rational. If Bhagavān Buddha had lived at another time in history, in a part of the world that was not against mysticism, he would have been seen as a great mystic, not as an intellectual. The face that is known belongs to the history of a particular time. As I see Bhagavān Buddha, he was not primarily rational.

The whole concept of nirvana is mystical. He was even more mystical than the UPANISHADS, because the UPANISHADS, however, mystical they look, have their own rationality.

They talk about the transmigration of the Soul. Buddha talked about transmigration without a Soul. It is more mystical. Bhagavān Buddha said:~ The Upanishads talk about liberation, but you will be there. Otherwise, the whole thing becomes nonsense. If I cannot be in that ultimate state of existence, then the whole effort is useless, illogical.

Bhagavān Buddha said the effort is to be done – and you will not be there. It will just be nothingness. The concept is more mystical.

Bhagavān Buddha said, “Perfectly tame your own mind. This is the Bhagavān Buddha’s teachings." Bhagavān Buddha did not say, “Perfectly tame others' minds.” We must purify our own minds. When you purify your mind you must begin with those who surround your every day, your family, friends, etc.

Bhagavān Buddha says: Go alone, just remember two things. Don’t carry your mistakes — that means, don’t carry your past. There is no need even to repent about the past. Your religious people go on teaching you, “Repent!” because it is through repentance that they make you feel guilty, and when you are guilty you can be exploited.

A real master always makes you feel good about yourself, not guilty; respectful towards yourself, not guilty. But the priests live on creating guilt in you. They would not like you to forget your mistakes; they want to remind you again and again. They have not even forgotten the sin that was committed by Adam and Eve; they go on reminding you about the original sin. You have not committed it, but you are born into the chain in which the first man and woman committed it, and you are carrying the load of it. You have to feel guilty even for that, what to say about your own mistakes? The priests have lived in great power for the simple reason that they have reduced you into guilty sinners. - Osho