Why does sex play such an important part... ...in each one's life in the world? Why does sex play such an important part... ...in each one's life of every day? Why do you ask me? (Laughter) Don't laugh it off. Why does it play such an important part in your life? You know there is a particular philosophy... ...specially in India, called Tantra, part of Tantra... ...which encourages sex. They say through sex you reach Nirvana. It is encouraged. I won't go into all the horrible details of it... ...so that you go beyond it, and you never do. And sex used to be taboo... ...keep it quiet, for God's sake don't talk about it. But now... I remember hearing on the television saying... 'Sex at any time, at any place... ...but be careful what you eat'! (Laughter) Why has sex become so important in our life? All the ads, of naked ladies... ...half-dressed ladies and so on, so on. Why has society... ...not only at the present period, but also always... ...why has sex been so deeply embedded in man? ...apart from producing children, I am not talking of that. Why? Probably it is the greatest pleasure a human being has. And in demanding that pleasure... ...there are all kinds of complications. A volumes have been written about the complications... ...the explanations and the psychological etc, etc, etc. But they have never gone into this question... ...I have not been told, they may have... ...they have never asked this question why... ...human beings have made this thing... ...so colossally important in their life. Why? You could answer it probably better than I can. Let's go into it, shall we? I am not telling you about it, you know it better... ...we are investigating, looking, observing, asking. As we say, it may be one of the greatest pleasures... ...and freedom in that pleasure. Right? Our life is in a turmoil. Our life is constant struggle... ...nothing original... ...nothing creative - I am using that word very carefully. The painter, the architect... ...the wood carver, he may say it is creative. The woman who bakes bread in the kitchen, kneading it... ...they say this is creative also. And sex is also creative, they say. So what is creation, what is it to be creative? You understand? The painters, the musicians, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach... ...and the Indian singers with their devotion... ...they say that is the act of creation. Is it? We have accepted it - we have accepted Picasso... ...as a great painter, great creator... ...putting one nose on three faces, or whatever it is. (Laughter) ...or being derogatory, anything like that... ...I am just pointing out. This is what is called creation. But if you enquire, doubt, question, is that creativeness? Or creativeness is something totally different. That is, you are seeing the expression of creativeness - right? In the painting, in a poem... ...in a prose, in a statue, in music, that is expressed. Expressed according to his talent, to his capacity... It may be great capacity or a very small capacity. It may be modern rock or Bach... Sorry to compare the two! They are really quite incomparable, but doesn't matter. So we human beings accept that as creative... ...because it brings you name, money, position - ah! you are in the same room as the great artist! Right? So I am asking, is that creativity? Can there be creation... ...in the most profound sense of that word... ...as long as there is egotism... ...as long as there is the demand for success and money... ...and the recognition of that? You understand? Then it is supplying the market. Don't agree with me, please. I am just pointing it out. I am not saying I know creativity and you don't... I am not saying that. I say we never question these things. There is a state of creativity... ...you can doubt it but it doesn't mean a thing if you doubt it... ...it doesn't matter to me. I say there is a state where there is creation... ...where there is no shadow of selfishness. That is real creation, which does not need expression... It doesn't need fulfilment, which is myself fulfilling... ...or that fulfilling, it is creation. You know I don't want to go into all this. The origin of the world for the Christians is: God - you know, all the Christian - Genesis: ...suddenly came into being. The other is evolution. And perhaps sex is felt to be creative, apart from children. And also has it become important... ...because everything around us is circumscribed. You are following all this? Everything around us: ...the job, the office, going there every day for 50 years... ...going to the church for fifty years... ...following some philosopher, some guru, you follow? All that has deprived us of freedom. And we are not free from our own knowledge. It is always with us, the past. You are following all this? And so sex, perhaps there is freedom there. But also there too it is circumscribed. You are following all this? No? So we are deprived of freedom outwardly and inwardly... ...for generations upon generations we have been told what to do. And the reaction to that: I'll do what I want. Which is also limited, based on your pleasure... ...on your desire, on your capacity and so on, so on. So where there is no freedom all round... ...both outwardly and inwardly, and specially inwardly... ...then we have only one source which is called sex. Is that right? Why do we give it importance? Do you give importance - equal importance... ...to being free from fear? No. Equal energy, vitality, thought to ending sorrow? No. Why don't you? Why only this? Because that is the easiest thing to have. The other demands all your energy... ...which can only come when you are free. So naturally human beings throughout the world... ...have given this thing such tremendous importance in life. And when you give something, which is a part of life... ...tremendous importance then you are destroying yourself. Life is whole, not just one part - right? If you give importance to everything... ...then this becomes rather - more or less unimportant. And the monks and all those people have denied all this... ...and turned their energy... ...at least they think they have turned their energy, to God. But the thing is boiling in them, you can't suppress nature. But when you give that thing only, all importance... ...then you are corrupt! You understand?