Evolution and Consciousness — From Existence to Essence

Osho,
Can you talk about the evolution of consciousness, and how it impacts our world today?

“Evolution is unconscious. No volition is needed, no conscious effort. It is just natural. But once consciousness evolves, then it is a totally different matter. Once consciousness is there, evolution stops.

“Evolution is only up to consciousness; the work of evolution is to create consciousness. Once consciousness is there, evolution stops. Then the whole responsibility falls upon consciousness itself. So this has to be understood in many ways.

“Man is not evolving now. Man has not been evolving for a long time. Evolution has stopped as far as man is concerned. The body has come to its peak; the human body has not evolved since then. The most ancient bones and the most ancient human bodies that have been found are not basically different from our bodies. There is no basic difference; a human body that is one hundred thousand years old, if it can be revived and trained, will be just like you. There will be no difference at all.

“The human body has stopped evolving.

“When did it stop? — when consciousness comes in, evolution’s work is over. Now it is up to you to evolve. So man is static, not evolving unless man himself endeavors. Now beyond man everything will be conscious, below man everything is unconscious. With man a new factor has entered — the factor of awareness, the factor of consciousness. With this factor, evolution’s work is over. Evolution is to create a situation in which consciousness evolves. Once consciousness enters, the whole responsibility is on consciousness. So man will not evolve now; there will be no natural evolution.

“Consciousness is the peak of evolution, the last step, but it is not the last step of life.

“Consciousness is the last step of evolution, of all animal heritage. It is the last step, the climax, the peak. But for further growth, it is to be the first step. And when I say evolution has stopped, I mean that now an inner effort is needed, unless you do something, you will not evolve. Nature has brought you to a point that is the last for unconscious growth. Now you are aware, now you know. When you know, you are responsible.