Esoteric Osho about the afterlife. Osho on death
Death is the most misunderstood phenomenon. People think of death as the end of life. This is the first major misunderstanding.
Death is not the end, but the beginning of a new life. Yes, this is the end of something that has already died. It is also the culmination of what you call life, even though only a few know what life is. They live, but they live in such ignorance that they will never meet their own life. And, it is impossible for these people to know their own death, because death is an amazing experience of their life, and the beginning of another experience. Death is the door between two lives; one ended - behind, the other is waiting - the future.
There is nothing terrible about death; but man, because of his fear, made even the word death terrible and unpronounceable. People don't like talking about it. They don't even want to hear the word death.
Fear has a reason. Fear arises because someone else is always dying. You always see death from the outside, and death is an experience deep within the being. It's like watching love from the outside. You can watch for years and still not know what love is. You can recognize the manifestation of love, but not love itself. You will learn something about death.
But only a manifestation on the surface - the breath stops, the heart stops, the person who talked and walked is no longer here: The corpse lies instead of a living body.
These are only external signs. Death moves the soul from one body to another, or in the case of a fully realized person, from one body to the body of the entire universe. It is a great journey, but you cannot know it from the outside. Outside, the only signs that are available; and these signs create fear in people.
Those who know death from the inside have got rid of the fear of death.
osho, Zarathustra: A God That Can Dance, Talk No. 16
Death is not the end of life
My sannyasins celebrate death too, because for me death is not the end of life, but the culmination of life, its highest peak. This is the ultimate result of life. If you have lived rightly, if you have lived from moment to moment totally, if you have squeezed out all the juices of life, then your death will be a tremendous orgasm.
The sexual orgasm cannot be compared to the orgasm that brings death, but it only comes to the person who knows the art of totality. The sexual orgasm is very weak compared to the orgasm that brings death.
osho, Come, Come, Yet Again Come, Talk #2
Everyone is afraid of death
Everyone is afraid of death for one reason - we have not tasted life yet. A man who knows what life is never afraid of death, he welcomes death. Whenever death comes, he embraces death, he accepts death, he welcomes death, he accepts death as a guest. To a man who does not know what life is, death is the enemy; and to the man who knows what life is, death is the greatest culmination of life.
But everyone is afraid of death, it is contagious. Your parents are afraid of death, your neighbors are afraid of death. Young children begin to become infected with this fear around. Everyone is afraid of death. People don't want to talk about death either.
There are only two taboos in the world: sex and death. It's very strange why sex and death were the two taboos not talked about, avoided. They are deeply connected. Sex represents life because life comes from sex and death represents the end. And both are taboo - don't talk about sex and don't talk about death.
osho, Walking in Zen, Sitting in Zen, Talk #12
If death disappears, there will be no mystery in life
A religious man, a mystic, tries to investigate the mystery of death. Exploring the mystery of death, he inevitably comes to understand what life is, what love is. This is not his goal. His goal is to achieve death. Because it seems that there is nothing more mysterious than death. Love is a mystery because of death, and life is also a mystery because of death.
If death disappears, there will be no mystery in life. That is why there is no mystery in a dead thing, there is no mystery in a corpse, because once again it cannot die. Do you think there is no mystery because life has disappeared? No, there is no mystery in him, because now he cannot die anymore. Death has disappeared, and with death automatically life disappears. Life is only one way of expressing death.
osho, The Dhammapada: The Way of the Buddha, Vol. 4, Talk #7
Inside you there is no one to die
People are not afraid of death, they are afraid of losing their separateness, they are afraid of losing their ego. As soon as you start feeling separate from existence, the fear of death arises, because then death seems to be dangerous. You will no longer be separate; what will happen to your ego, to your personality? You have cultivated your personality with such care, with such great effort, you have polished it all your life, and death will come and destroy it.
If you understand, if you see, if you can feel and experience that you are not separate from existence, that you are one with it, all fear of death will disappear, because there is no one to die in you. First, there is nobody at all, existence lives in you.
osho, The Guest, Talk #1
Your death will show how you lived
A person who has lived his life totally, intensely, passionately, without fear - without the fear that has been created in you by the priests for many centuries - if a person lives his life without fear, authentically, spontaneously, death will not create fear in him at all. In fact, death will come as a great rest. Death will be like the end of the flowering of life. He will also be able to rejoice in death; he can celebrate death.
And remember, this is the criterion. If a person can rejoice and celebrate his death, this shows that he lived rightly; there is no other criterion. Your death will show how you lived your life.
osho, Philosophy Perennis, Vol. 1, Talk No. 9
Death is the culmination of life
The greatest mystery in life is not life itself, but death. Death is the culmination of life, the completion of the flowering of life. In death all life is summed up, in death you arrive at your destination. Life is a journey towards death. From the very beginning, death has been approaching. From the moment you are born, death starts approaching, you start moving towards death.
And the worst thing is that the human mind is against death. To be against death is to miss the greatest secret. And being against death also means that you miss life itself - because they are connected to each other, they are not two separate parts. Life is growth, death is its flowering. The journey and the destination are not separated, the journey ends when you have reached the destination.
osho, The Revolution, Talk No. 9
Laughter is a Zen approach to death
What is the Zen approach to death?
Laughter. Yes, laughter is a Zen approach to death, and life too, because life and death are not separate. How you treat life is how you will treat death, because death comes as the highest flowering of life. Life exists for death. Life exists through death. Without death, there would be no life at all. Death is not the end, but the climax, the crescendo. Death is not an enemy, it is a friend. She makes life possible.
osho, This Very Body the Buddha, Talk No. 8
Death is the great revealer
Everything returns to its true source, must return to its true source. If you understand life, you understand death too. Life is forgetting the true source, and death is remembering again. Life comes from the true source, death returns home. Death is not terrible, death is beautiful. But death is beautiful only for those who live their lives freely, naturally, unrepressed. Death is beautiful only for those who live their lives beautifully, who are not afraid of life, who were brave to live - who loved, who danced, who celebrated.
Death becomes the ultimate celebration if your life has been a celebration. Let me tell you this: whatever your life is, death will only show it. If you have had an unhappy life, death will show unhappiness. Death is a great revelation. If you have been happy in your life, death will show happiness. If you have lived your life only in physical comfort and physical pleasure, then of course death will be very uncomfortable and unpleasant, because the body has to be abandoned. The body is only a temporary dwelling, a shed in which you stay overnight and must leave in the morning. This is not your permanent refuge, this is not your permanent home.
osho, The Art of Dying, Talk No. 1
It could happen at any moment
A person who thinks that death is against life can never be non-violent. This is impossible. A person who thinks that death is the enemy can never be at peace, at home. This is impossible. How can you be calm when the enemy is waiting for you at every moment? He can jump on you and destroy you. How can you not tense up when death is waiting around the corner and the shadow of death is always waiting for you? This can happen at any moment. How can you rest in the presence of death? How can you relax when death is here? How can you relax? The enemy will not let you relax.
Hence the tension, anxiety, suffering of mankind. The more you struggle with death, the more you are in the grip of anxiety, you are doomed to it. These are the natural consequences of this.
osho, Living Tao, Talk No. 1
Your inner existential state is death
Yes, your inner existential state is death. You can try to hide it and you can try to ignore it, but your inner existential state is death. Every moment death shakes you, every moment death resonates within you. Your body is rapidly moving towards its death. Every moment death is getting a little closer, and everywhere death is watching you. You see an old man and it reminds you of death; you see a ruined house and the memory of death stirs you; a withered flower is enough to bring the fragrance of death, the fountain has dried up - again it is death that has looked at you. Look around. Death prevails and it shakes you.
osho, Nowhere To Go But In, Talk No. 1
Why are we afraid of death?
Why do you cling to life and why are you afraid of death? You may not have thought about it. The reason why you cling to life and why you are afraid of death is completely incomprehensible. We cling to life so much because we are not truly alive. And time passes, and death comes closer and closer. And we are afraid of approaching death, and we have not yet lived.
Because of this, fear: death will come, and we have not yet lived. We are just getting ready for life. Nothing is ready; life didn't happen. We have not known the ecstasy of life; we have not known her bliss; we didn't know anything. We just breathe in and out. We just exist. Life was only hope, and death is coming closer. And if life has not yet happened and death will happen before it, of course, of course, we will be afraid, because we would not want to die.
Only a person who has lived, really lived, is ready to welcome, accept, give thanks to death. Then death is not the enemy. Then death becomes the end.
osho, The Supreme Doctrine, Talk No. 9
Life is surrounded on both sides by death
Birth leads to death, death precedes birth. So, if you want to see life as real as it is, it is surrounded on both sides by death. Death is the beginning and death is again the end, and life is only an illusion in between. You feel alive between two deaths; the transition that connects one death with another is what we call life. Buddha said - this is not life. This life is dukkha - suffering.
That is why it manifests in us as a deep hypnotic trance of life, obsessed with becoming alive, in whatever way, as a denial of life. For us, the feeling that we are alive comes at the end. We are so afraid of death, so that Buddha seemed to be in love with death does not seem normal. He gave the impression of being suicidal. This is why so many have criticized the Buddha.
osho, The Book of Secrets, Talk #24
Begin to be aware of death
For me, being human means being aware of death. I am not saying start fearing death; it is not awareness. Just be aware of the fact that death is coming closer and closer and you have to be ready for it...
So first: become aware of death. Think of it, look at it, meditate on it. Don't be afraid, don't avoid this fact. It exists and you cannot run away from it. She came into existence with you.
Your death is born with you; now you cannot run away from it. You have hidden it in yourself - become aware of it. The moment you become aware that you are going towards death, that death is inevitable, your mind will start looking totally in the other direction. Food is the basic need of the body, not of the being, because even if you get food, death will happen. Food will not protect you from death, food can only delay. Food can help delay. If you get a good dwelling, a good house, it will not protect you from death; it will only help you to die comfortably, comfortably. And death, comfortable or not comfortable, is still death.
In life you can be poor or rich, but before death everyone is equal. The greatest communism is death. How you live doesn't matter; everyone dies. In life, equality is impossible; in death there is no inequality. Start realizing it, contemplating it.
osho, The Book of Secrets, Talk No. 23
Everyone must pass through the door of death
Death is more important than life. Life is something trivial, superficial, death is deeper. Through death you go to real life, and through life you only reach death and nothing else.
Whatever we say or mean by life, it is just a journey towards death. If you can understand that your whole life is just a journey and nothing more, then you would be less interested in life and more interested in death. And when someone becomes more interested in death, he will be able to go very far into the depths of life, otherwise he will continue to remain on the surface.
But we are not interested in death at all; on the contrary, we avoid the facts, we go on avoiding the facts. Death is here, at any moment we can die. Death is not something far away, it is here and now: we are dying. But at the same time, dying, we continue to be interested in life. This interest in life, this increased interest in it, there is avoidance, there is fear. Death is there, deep inside - sprouts.
Change the accent, turn your attention. If you become interested in death, for the first time life will really manifest itself, because the moment you take death calmly, you will understand life, that it is impossible to die. The moment you acknowledge death, you will know that life is eternal.
Death is a door from the surface of life, the so-called life, ordinary. This is the door. If you pass through the door, you will reach another life - deeper, eternal, without death, immortal. So from the so-called life, which is really nothing but dying, one has to go through the door of death; only then will man reach a life that is truly existential and alive and non-death-bearing.
osho, Meditation: The Art of Ecstasy, Talk No. 11
There is no greater lie than death
The first thing I would like to say about death is that there is no greater lie than death. And yet death seems true. And this not only seems to be true, but it also seems to be the basic truth of life - and it seems as if all life is surrounded by death. Whether we forget about death or do not pay attention to it, death accompanies us at every step. Death is even closer to us than our own shadow.
Our lives have been built around our fear of death. Fear of death is created by society, family and friends. The fear of death made us strive for money and, out of ambition, occupy high positions. And the most amazing thing about all this is that our gods and our temples also came into being from our fear of death. Fear of death makes people pray on their knees. The fear of death makes people pray to God with folded hands raised to the sky. And there is nothing more false than death. That is why all the ideas about life that we have created on the basis of faith in the veracity of death have become false.
“Until we know this, our fear of death will not go anywhere. Until we learn about the falsity of death, our lives will remain false. As long as there is fear of death, there can be no true life. While we are shaking with the fear of death, we do not have the ability to live our lives. Man can live only if the shadow of death disappears forever. How can a frightened and shaking mind live? And when death approaches every second, how is it possible to live? How can we live?
osho, And now and here, Talk No. 1
Osho and the Meaning of Death
A death may become public when it is reported in a newspaper obituary column, but it is still a purely personal event. There are two concepts that have an extremely private, intimate character: death and dreams. No one will die for me, and no one will dream for me.
Osho believes that a person's understanding of the phenomenon of death plays an important role in his spiritual development.
Life and death are considered in the West as antagonists, as two mutually exclusive concepts. Death is a source of fear, it is a taboo, they prefer not to talk about death.
One professor of theology once said: "Today, questions of sex are discussed openly, and death ... is vulgar."
Many Western philosophers have thought about death, especially existentialists. Jean-Paul Sartre's point of view is a typical Western view of death: "Death will never give meaning to life; on the contrary, death is that which deprives life of all meaning."
Osho has a completely opposite point of view. He says: “Death does not contradict life, it does not mean the end of life, it only brings life to a beautiful peak. Life continues after death. It was before birth, it will continue after death. Life is not limited to a short interval between birth and death; on the contrary, birth and death are small episodes in the eternity of life."
The West tends to view death as evil, it endows it with extremely negative features. Life and death are conflicting sides. This point of view is based on the Aristotelian postulate "either-or, but not together": A is equal to A, and what is not A becomes anti-A.
According to this dualistic concept, one who does not oppose abortion automatically becomes their advocate. Similarly, death is seen as the negation of life.
The result of this approach was all kinds of exaltation of youth; people began to be ashamed of their age, to apologize for their age.
The Eastern approach to death is dynamic, based on the premise of wholeness, that A equals A plus something else. The East is of the opinion that nothing is absolute, everything is relative, everything is in motion.
Modern science, new discoveries in medicine, the cross-disciplinary approach of the social sciences... everywhere we find confirmation today that it is correct to view reality as "together" and not as "either-or".
Osho explains that in the East, life is not considered separate from death. He emphasizes: in order to understand life, in order to truly live, and not exist, a person needs to know death. There is no need to be afraid of her, but there is no need to strive to defeat her either. You just need to know it, and this "knowledge" itself will reveal the true meaning of death.
Osho views life and death as parts of one higher cosmic Life. With every inhalation we live, with every exhalation we die, but both inhalation and exhalation, Osho says, interact harmoniously.
He argues that we begin to die from the very birth, from the very beginning of life we are approaching death. The seed gives rise to the flower. We call it growth. Similarly, birth brings a person to death.
Osho draws our attention to the fact that death can come at any moment; death is here and now.
Life and death are inseparable; they are two sides of the same coin.
Osho believes that death is not in the future, it comes every moment. Anyone who claims that death is connected with the future is simply hiding from reality and continues to live in illusions. We put off death for the future because our ego is not able to accept its death. But Osho explains that one can understand death by refusing to recognize the ego as the center of our life; consciousness is the center of our life. Death is not able to destroy our consciousness, it is eternal. Moreover, death destroys selfishness, which becomes the driving force in a person's life.
And here we are faced with the paradox of death: on the one hand, there is no reality higher than the reality of death, everything in the world is mortal. On the other hand, there is nothing like death in the sense that even after the death of the ego and the physical body, our consciousness does not die and continues to live.
Is it possible to know death without dying?
Osho answers in the affirmative. For this he recommends meditation.
Only in a state of meditation can one understand what death is. He says this:
"Meditation and death are two very similar states. In death, the ego disappears; only pure consciousness remains. In meditation, the same thing happens: the ego disappears, and only pure consciousness, your essence, remains. The similarity is so great that people are equally afraid of death, and meditation.On the other hand, one who is not afraid of meditation will not be afraid of death either.
Meditation prepares you for death... it helps you know death without dying. By knowing death without dying, you will forever be rid of the fear of death.
Even when death comes, you will silently watch it, knowing full well that it is not able to leave even a scratch on you. Death will deprive you of your body, your mind, but you yourself will remain unharmed. You belong to immortal life."
Swami Satya Vedanta
(Dr. Vasant Joshi)
M.A
PhD, University of Baroda, India
PhD, University of Michigan, USA
Chancellor of Osho University, Pune
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Question: Beloved Osho, what exactly is your approach to death?Question: Beloved Osho, what exactly is your approach to death?
Kamalesh, the mystic who was being led to the gallows, saw a large crowd running after him. “There is no need to be in such a hurry,” he said, “I can assure you, nothing will happen without me.”
This is my approach to death: it is the greatest joke of all.
Death has never happened, cannot happen by the very nature of things, because life is eternal. Life cannot end; it's not a thing, it's a process. It is not something that begins and ends; it has no beginning and no end. You have always been here in various forms, and you will be here in various forms, or at most formless. This is how a buddha lives in existence: he becomes formless. It completely disappears from gross forms.
Death is not here, it is a lie - but it looks very real. It just looks very real, but it's not. It looks like this because you believe too much in your separate existence. By this belief that you are separate from existence, you make death real.
Drop this idea of being separated from existence and death disappears. If I am one with existence, how can I die? Existence was here before me and will be here after me. I am only a wave in the ocean, and the wave comes and goes, but the ocean remains, forever. Yes, you will not be here - as you are, you will no longer be. This form will disappear, but one who is eternal in this form will remain eternal, or in another form, or at most formless.
Start feeling one with existence, because that is what it is. That is why I insist again and again on letting the separation between the observer and the observed disappear, as many times a day as possible. Find a few moments - whenever you can find, wherever you can find - and just let this separation between the observer and the observed disappear. Become the tree you see, become the cloud you look at, and by and by you will laugh at death.
This mystic who was being led to the gallows must have seen the endless lies of death, he could joke about his own death. He was led to the gallows, he saw a large crowd running after him - they went to see the crucifixion ... People are very much interested in such things. If they hear that someone is being killed in public, thousands of people will gather to watch it. Where does this attraction come from? Deep down you are all killers and this is a substitute way to enjoy it. That is why films about murder and violence, detective novels are so fashionable and popular. As long as there is no murder, suicide, and lewd sex in a movie, it will never be a box office hit. He will not succeed, he will fail. Why? – because no one is interested in the other. It is a deep desire in your being. Looking at them on the screen, there is a substitutive pleasure, as if you are doing it; you identify with characters in movies or novels.
Now this mystic was being led to the gallows. He saw a large crowd running after him. “There is no need to be in such a hurry,” he told them, “I can assure you that nothing will happen without me, you can go calmly, slowly, there is nowhere to hurry. I am the person who is going to be killed, and nothing will happen without me.”
That is why in nature no other animal, bird, tree is afraid of death. Just a man, and he makes so much noise out of it... his whole life is trembling. Death is coming and because of death he cannot afford to live totally.
How can you live if you're so afraid? Life is possible only without fear. Life is possible only with love, not with fear. And death creates fear. And who is to blame? God did not create death, it is man's own invention. Create an ego and you create the other side of it, death.
Osho "The Book of Wisdom" Chap. 22
Who is Osho? Bhagavan Shri Rajneesh is perhaps the brightest spiritual figure in India, he managed to create a whole army of followers, achieve worldwide success and the same worldwide censure, as well as publish more than 600 books in 30 languages in 25 years of spiritual practice.
The success and recognition of this Indian mystic can be compared with another Indian religious figure - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who was the spiritual mentor of the musicians of the Beatles.
No matter what they say about Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh and no matter what epithets he is awarded, he really is a man who wrote his name in bold italics in the modern history of mankind.
Throughout his life, Osho was a rebel, he saw politics in religion, an obvious utopia in the structure of modern society, and a trap for the individual in family life.
When writing this article, I took most of the information about Osho's life from Wikipedia, many thanks to this open library for free information.
Osho, biography and life path
In this part of the post, I will briefly talk about the biography and life path of Osho, from his birth to death. Below you can find out about each period of his life in more detail.
| date | Event |
| December 11, 1931 | (Rajneesh Chandra Mohan is his real name). |
| March 21, 1953 | On this day, he was 21 years old. |
| 1957 - 1966 | |
| 1968 | |
| April 1970 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1981 | and organizes a commune there |
| November 14, 1985 | |
| 1986 | |
| January 19, 1990 |
Childhood and first experiences in meditation
Osho was born on December 11, 1931 to a Jain family in the remote village of Kuchwada in the province of Madhya Pradesh, in Central India. The real name given to him by his parents is Rajneesh Chandra Mohan. Rajneesh spent all his childhood with his grandparents, his parents took him in only after their death.
From early childhood, Rajneesh experimented on his body and mind, not knowing that this would lead him to invent a new path in meditation and a whole army of admirers, but all this is yet to come.
The first moments of unconscious meditation Rajneesh experienced in childhood, when he jumped from a high bridge into the river. He had many chances to smash his skull to pieces, but with amazing consistency, all the experiments went smoothly. Such experiences, experienced repeatedly, aroused interest in meditation and prompted the young man to look for more accessible and less safe ways to go to nirvana.
Osho himself recalled his childhood experiences as follows:
There were several moments when the mind stopped, at the same time there was an unusually clear perception of everything around, one's presence in it and complete clarity and separateness of consciousness.
Enlightenment Osho
On March 21, 1953, Osho realized that he woke up as a completely different person, the person who was on March 20, 1953 is no longer there.
Osho himself recalls the following:
That night I died and I was reborn. But the person who is reborn has nothing to do with the one who died. It is not a continuous thing... A person who has died has died totally, nothing is left of him... not even a shadow. The ego died totally, completely... On that day, March 21st, a person who had lived many, many lives, millennia, simply died. Another being, absolutely new, completely unconnected with the old, began to exist ... I became free from the past, I was torn out of my history, I lost my autobiography.
Osho's university years, study and teaching
The amazing enlightenment that happened to Osho on March 21, 1953 did not affect his everyday life in any way. Rajneesh, as before, continued his studies at the philosophical department. Enlightenment did not affect his diploma with honors, which he received in 1957 after graduating from Saugar University.
A few years later, he himself teaches philosophy at Jabalpur University, they say that the students loved him for his sincerity and humor. During his short teaching career, Osho constantly travels around India, trying to better understand the spiritual needs of its people.
Nine years later (in 1966), Rajneesh leaves the university department and devotes himself to spreading the art of meditation and promoting his own religion. His religion consists in a certain vision of a new man - the man of Zorba-Buddha.
Zorba the Buddha is a man who combines the best features of the East and the West, he is able to enjoy physical life and is able to sit silently in meditation.
First dynamic meditations in Bombay
Since 1968, Bhagavan Shri Rajneesh has been living in Bombay, Western seekers of Eastern truths began to come to him slowly, many were strongly impressed by meetings with the new guru. Most of the guests in the first wave were therapeutics and other movements wishing to take the next step in their energetic and spiritual growth.
In Bombay, Osho began to practice the so-called "dynamic meditations", which are based on the use of music and body movements with different activities. The Guru combined elements of yoga, Sufism and Tibetan traditions, such a practice made it possible to use the principle of energy transformation by awakening activity and subsequent calm observation.
In April 1970, at a meditation camp near Bombay, the guru officially presented the practice of dynamic meditation to journalists. After the demonstration, the journalists were horrified and Bhagawan Shri Rajneesh hurried to explain everything they saw, but many were not convinced by his words.
Some journalists described what was happening in Osho Ashrams like this:
Meditation at the Rajneesh ashrams includes specific dances where participants are blindfolded, undressed, and put themselves into an ecstatic trance. Hundreds of thousands of residents of Madras, Bombay and Calcutta gathered for his lectures, ending in mass shaking and tearing off their clothes. Many times, such "dances" in Rajneesh groups, for example in the USA, ended in group sex.
The guru himself very simply explained the whole bacchanalia that is going on during his meditations:
For many years I have continuously worked with the methods of Lao Tzu, for many years I have continuously studied direct relaxation. It was very easy for me and I figured it would be just as easy for anyone. But practice has shown that this is not the case. At first I said "relax". My students understood the meaning of the word, but true relaxation did not occur. That's when it's time to come up with new methods of meditation that first create tension - maximum tension. The tension should be so strong that you become just crazy. And then I say "relax."
Founding of Osho Ashram in Pune
In 1974, the Osho movement is gaining momentum and new areas are required for meditation and outreach to the population. By that time, hundreds of thousands of seekers of truth from all over the world come to the already famous guru. And in the same year, Osho's headquarters appeared in the city of Pune, at OSHO Commune International, 17 Koregaoh Park, Poona 411011 MS India.
It is in Pune that famous seekers of truth and movie stars (Diana Ross, Ruth Carter Stapleton, sister of Jimmy Carter and others) come to preach. In his conversations, the mystic touches on many aspects of human existence and consciousness, many speeches related to existing religions become truly rebellious. Osho mixes everything together, Buddha and Buddhist teachings, Sufi masters, Jewish mystics, Indian classical philosophy, Christianity, yoga, tantra, Zen and immediately denies the need for any of these religions and beliefs, offering his own new religion instead.
The turning point for the first ashram in Pune was 1981, at the beginning of the year, an enhanced screening regime for visitors was introduced in the ashram, due to constant threats towards the guru. In 1981, a store was set on fire, and explosions sounded near the ashram. In relation to the ashram and its visitors, local residents show dissatisfaction, and the government of Indira Gandhi deprives Osho ashram of the right to be considered a religious organization.
Incomprehensible cases are going on around the ashram and the Pune police are investigating multiple violations, finding more and more evidence of the involvement of the ashram administration in them (unpaid taxes, misappropriation of donations for charitable purposes, numerous thefts and criminal cases committed by members of the ashram).
Without waiting for the completion of the trial, Osho receives a US visa (June 1, 1981 at the US Consulate in Bombay) and, as part of 17 most devoted students, flies to New York. On the US visa application form, the guru indicated that he needed to receive medical treatment in the US. In the future, this fact will be one of the grounds for his expulsion from the States.
Moving to the USA, foundation of the Osho commune in America
Already on July 10, 1981, the American subsidiary of Osho, the Chidvilas Rajneesh Meditation Center, registered in Montclair (New Jersey), acquires Big Magdi Ranch from an investment company from Amarillo (Texas) for $ 6,000,000, part of the amount (1.5 million) The deal was paid for in cash.
About the activities of the guru in the United States, there is an excellent feature series Wild Wild Country, look for it on netflix.
The territory of the new city, which Osho is building, occupies more than 100 square miles of property, and part of the land (14,889 acres) was leased from the American Bureau of Land Management. Despite the severity of American law, the city-settlement of Rajneeshpuram appears - the city of dreams. The status of the city is quite legal and admirers of gurus from all over the world are sent to the new home.
Most of the buildings in the city of Rajneeshpuram were built by the hands and money of the adherents of the teacher, of whom more than 5,000 people lived in the commune. Very quickly, the most necessary things appeared in the city, an airfield, a comfortable hotel with a casino, shopping streets, restaurants, etc.
For several years of existence of the Rajneeshpuram commune, it has become the most revolutionary experiment in creating a transnational spiritual commune and partial detachment from the outside world. More than 15,000 people from all over the world came to regular festivals in Rajneeshpuram, Osho's own country became prosperous with a population of more than five thousand people.
Over time, the discontent of the local population (which no one cared about) and the government only grew. Many questions accumulated for the spiritual figure, to which he was in no hurry to answer. The main claims that the authorities made against the gurus were simple and were within the laws of the United States. For example, the paragraph of the Constitution on the separation of the state and the church was violated, and many buildings in the city were not properly coordinated. Of the additional factors that aggravated the fate of the city of Rajneeshpuram and Osho himself were strange deaths in the vicinity of the city, but there were no obvious traces that would indicate the involvement of the guru in these deaths.
The guru did not come up with anything smarter than to take a vow of silence and kept it for four whole years. During his silence, he entrusted all the affairs of managing the community to his faithful follower, Shila Silverman. Shila turned out to be a very economic woman and, after leading the settlement a little, she disappeared in an unknown direction, taking with her more than 55,000,000 dollars.
Before her disappearance, Shila managed to be very rude to local farmers with promises of physical reprisals against objectionable and other delights, the farmers probably got scared and soon a whole landing of FBI troops appeared in the dream city. The FBI discovered several weapons caches and drug production, which served as a good reason for the arrest of a religious leader.
A little earlier, there was an even more incomprehensible case, in the American press it is called nothing more than 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack. The bottom line was that Osho's followers carried out the most massive bioterrorist attack in the history of the United States.
The investigation identified a group of suspects who mixed food with poison, all this took place in the open buffets of a large city. There were more than 750 Americans in the Bolshitsa, and only two people were in the dock.
The arrest and further trial, which took place in Portland (Oregon), ended on November 14, 1985, not in favor of Osho. The religious leader was found guilty on two counts of the federal indictment. It was decided to deport Bhagawan Shri Rajneesh from the country, which is probably why the religious figure received a purely symbolic punishment: ten years of suspended imprisonment and a $300,000 fine. The government ordered Osho to leave the United States within five days. Under the careful supervision of FBI agents, the guru leaves the United States.
Osho's return to Pune
Returning back to India, the guru wished to travel around the world and possibly find a new home. Most countries did not want to see a religious figure on their land and spoke directly about it, others deported him very quickly. After completing this amazing quest, Osho returns to India, where he is still loved and expected.
In mid-1986, the guru resurrected the withered community in Pune and breathed new life into it. This is how the “Multiversity” was born in Pune, which is the name the religious leader chose as a common name for his teachings and practices.
Osho Multiversity offers hundreds of seminars, groups and courses presented in its nine departments:
- Centering School;
- School of Creative Arts;
- International Academy of Health;
- Meditation Academy;
- School of Mysticism;
- Institute of Tibetan Pulsations;
- Transformation Center;
- School of Martial Arts Zen;
- Zen Games and Training Academy.
At the time of the return of the teacher to Pune, there were already about 300 such centers in the world, they were located in 22 countries of the world, including the USA, India, England, France, Canada, Japan, Russia, etc. However, such high competition did not become an obstacle and the new ashram in Pune began to live with fresh followers.
Death of Osho at the Ashram in Pune
Shortly before his death (at the end of December 1988), Osho announced that he no longer wanted to be called "Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh", and in February 1989 he took the name "Osho Rajneesh", which was shortened to "Osho". He also requested that all brands previously branded as "RAJNEESH" be rebranded internationally as "OSHO".
At the end of the 80s, the health of the religious leader deteriorated significantly and he could no longer do without a personal doctor, but despite the progressing illness, he tries to go out to his students for "meditation of music and silence." Rare conversations of the guru are held less and less often, at which he tells his followers about his mental transformation and that Gautama Buddha settled in his body, that the Americans are to blame for the causes of his illness, that one or several people at evening meetings subjected him to some form of evil magic.
Osho died on January 19, 1990 at the age of 58, the true cause of death of the guru was never established, immediately after death, the body was put up for farewell, and then cremated.
Osho's teachings, the main commandments of how to be outside of all teachings
Osho's teachings are as incomprehensible as the person himself; a little bit of everything is mixed in his teachings. Osho's teachings are a chaotic mix composed of elements of Buddhism, Yoga, Taoism, Sikhism, Greek philosophy, Sufism, European psychology, Tibetan traditions, Christianity, Hasidism, Zen, Tantrism and God knows what else.
Osho formed four development paths for the followers of his teachings:
- Independent analysis of events, opposition to the influence of any ideology and independent resolution of their own psychological problems;
- Acquisition of one's own experience of "living a full life", rejection of life "according to books", search for "reasons for suffering, joy, dissatisfaction";
- The need to bring out one's inner and psyche-destroying "hidden desires" in the process of self-realization;
- "Enjoy the simple things... - a cup of tea, silence, conversation with each other, the beauty of the starry sky."
The Teaching does not impose any postulates on anyone, it only helps to be outside of all teachings.
Here is what Osho himself said about this:
I am the founder of a single religion, other religions are a sham. Jesus, Mohammed and Buddha simply corrupted people... My teaching is based on knowledge, on experience. People don't have to believe me. I explain my experience to them. If they find it right, they accept it. If not, then they have no reason to believe in it.
The Ten Commandments by Osho
The Guru was against any commandments, but in a joking conversation with journalists he singled out several points:
- Never fulfill anyone's commandment unless it also comes from you;
- There is no other god but life itself;
- The truth is in you, don't look for it elsewhere;
- Love is prayer;
- To become nothing is the door to truth. Nothing in itself is a way, a goal and an achievement;
- Life is here and now;
- Live awake;
- Don't swim - swim;
- Die every moment so that you can be new every moment;
- Don't look. What is - is. Stop and see.
Sex guru Osho, or how journalists themselves came up with everything
The stigma of "Sex Guru Osho" appeared to a greater extent thanks to journalists, because it was they who could look at meditation lessons and tell the whole world what was happening there. The teacher himself did not betray such a significant role in the spiritual life of a person, as well as did not hush up this fact. The Guru did not divide the manifestations of life into positive and negative, like many Hindu cults, in his teaching the very concept of good and evil is blurred.
Most of the sexual liberties in his teachings came from tantra, from which he took much for his tantric teaching about "the integration of sexuality and spirituality." Tantra existed in India long before Osho appeared and no one paid such close attention to it.
About sex and sexual orgies, Osho said the following:
Develop your sexuality, don't repress yourself! Love is the beginning of everything. If you miss the beginning, there will be no end for you ... I do not inspire orgies, but I do not forbid them either. Everyone decides for himself.
Osho's financial condition
About money and his success, Osho said the following:
I am the guru of the rich. There are enough religions that deal with the poor, but leave me to deal with the rich.
By the mid-1980s, Osho was worth about $200,000,000 tax-free. In addition to the usual things characteristic of all wealthy people, the spiritual leader had four aircraft, one helicopter and 91 luxury cars.
To the cars of the world-famous Rolls-Royce brand, the guru had a special look and said the following:
In India, one Mercedes caused a stir, but in America it took almost a hundred Rolls-Royces to achieve the same effect.
Admirers of their guru fully supported Osho's aspirations for luxury cars and spoke flatteringly about Osho's love for Rolls-Royces:
We wish he had 365 Rolls-Royces. A new car - for every new day of the year.
$ 200,000,000, several planes and a whole Rolls-Royce car dealership were not of particular interest to Osho and did not evoke emotions, like everything material in this world, but for the daily detour of the flock, he chose Rolls-Royce.
Living in the USA, Osho got behind the wheel at exactly 2:30 pm and slowly, solemnly drove along the living wall of his fans, lined up along the edges of the “nirvana road” he called. The worshipers of the guru felt lucky to see their spiritual leader and humbly threw rose petals under the wheels of his car.
What did Osho leave after his death?
During the life of his teachings, his practice and his persona were very revolutionary for their time, and Osho was shunned by society. This was done to the guru in many progressive countries of the world, he looked at it as usual. But after his death, the attitude of society towards him changed, in some countries the changes were dramatic.
Doctrine
After the death of the guru, the attitude towards his person and teachings in his homeland changed significantly. The teaching of the spiritual figure has become part of popular culture in India and Nepal. In 1991, one of the Indian newspapers chose the person of Osho as a person who changed the fate of the country, putting him on a par with Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi.
Measures were taken to preserve records of all his discourses. A complete collection of his works is placed in the library of the Parliament of India in New Delhi.
There are more than 300 meditation and information centers around the world founded by his followers. Dynamic meditation and kundalini meditation have gone beyond meditation centers and are used in many non-sannyasin-led groups and are sometimes practiced in schools and universities.
The Osho International Foundation regularly conducts stress management seminars for large corporate clients (IBM, BMW, etc.). Osho Therapy has gained recognition and is being used as a new approach to psychotherapy.
Books
Guru wrote more than 300 books in his life, but only after the death of Osho's books they became in demand and gained great popularity. More than 49 international publishing houses began to print the works of the spiritual leader in incredible circulation. More than 3,000,000 copies are produced and sold annually.
In his works, Osho touched on a variety of topics, the most popular of which are: spiritual practices, creativity, love and relationships between people. Each Osho book is full of parting words, secrets and meanings, they should only be carefully read and heard by the author.
Here are the most popular books:
- Meditation. First and last freedom;
- Creation;
- Tantra - Book of secrets;
- Book of Wisdom;
- Love. Freedom. Loneliness;
- Bravery;
- awareness;
- Intuition. Knowledge beyond logic;
- Medicine for the soul. Collection of practices;
- Master: about the transformation of an intellectual into an enlightened one.
Pune International Meditation Resort
One of the attractions of India can be called the Osho Ashram in Pune, the ashram is a frequented International meditation resort. A variety of spiritual methods and practices are taught at the meditation center, which is why the ashram bills itself as a spiritual oasis and "sacred space".
The ashram in Pune is frequented by famous politicians, media workers and modern IT gurus, the Dalai Lama and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have visited the meditation center.
famous quotes
The proof that Osho has had a significant impact on modern society is the quotes you often see on social media. People actively publish on their pages quotes from the books of a religious figure, from his speeches, often initially without knowing who their author is.
In this part of the post I will give the brightest quotes about life and love. If you have your favorite sayings of this philosopher and mystic, share them in the comments to the post.
Osho quotes about life
What difference does it make who is stronger, who is smarter, who is more beautiful, who is richer? After all, in the end, it only matters whether you are a happy person or not?
The reasons are within ourselves, outside there are only excuses ...
How mercantile you are, my friend. Remember: everything that money can buy is already cheap!
The only person on earth we can change is ourselves.
To rise you must fall, to gain you must lose.
Osho quotes about love
Love knows nothing of duty.
Love has nothing to do with relationships, love is a state.
To love is to share, to be greedy is to accumulate.
Greed only wants and never gives, while love can only give and does not ask for anything in return, it shares without conditions.
Love is the only real thing worth experiencing.
While writing this post, information about the life path of Osho (Bhagawan Shri Rajneesh) was obtained from Wikipedia.