What is the crux of Osho's teachings?

Answer 1

OSHOOsho is/was an awakened being. He is described as a guru, philosopher, teacher, thinker, etc. He is/was all, but yet he was none of these. He is/was a knower beyond knowledge, a thinker beyond thought, yet cannot truly be described as a paradox, because a paradox can still be fathomed by the mind. The reason why the term "is/was" is used, is to show that time is irrelevant and that his essence is still very much alive. In meditation, time does not exist. He explained that meditation is something that is not done, yet he taught people to do things that got them into a state of meditation.

To those that professed to be his students, he was a teacher, to those who were seekers, he was a spiritual guide, to those who were disciples, he was a master, to those who were wayfarers, he was a friend.

Although he did not really teach, because a teaching would be something that a person can pass and integrate into the intellect, he left behind a legacy and wealth of spiritual knowledge for spiritual seekers to integrate into their spiritual egos. His teaching however, is constructed in such a manner as to make the spiritual ego fall apart.

To objectify the essence of Osho's so-called teachings as being this or that, does injustice to him. Even to say, "He is" (this or that), or "He was" (this or that) distorts reality. It cannot truly be described in words, because his teaching goes far beyond the state of mental chatter associating and trying to organize, understand and label things, which we experience and that we are constantly in. His teachings go far beyond any enlightenment we may have. Trying to describe its essence is like trying to drive a nail into the water of a river to keep it there. It is simply an exercise in absurdity, because no matter how hard you try to describe it, it is not that, because words cannot describe.

He said that the moment you put truth into words it becomes a lie. Truth is an experience that can only be felt, it is not a fact that can be stated. The only fact is that he underwent this experience, but the experience remains an experience and only an experience. Such experiences are beyond the 5 senses, but encompass them.

Osho underwent this experience of awakening to his truth and he talked about it.

He made it clear that such experiences are always beyond words and to describe in words, that which words are not capable of describing is nothing less then making a false statement. He explained that it is an experience that cannot be explained to someone listening, using the mind, because it would be like trying to show the beauty of sunlight or of color to a blind man. It is also like trying to teach someone how to taste, smell, hear or see... if such possibilities do not exist, because they are inhibited or non-existent.

Essentially, it was not his goal to teach a persons mind anything, he shared and the only aim of this sharing was to make us see that we are missing this experience, which begins and ends with witnessing, which is far greater and of more major importance than any experience we have ever encountered in this life. It is a journey of self-discovery and complete understanding of the paradox of "I am" yet at the same time, "I am not" - being the "watcher on the hill" and at the same time recognizing that there is only watching, yet no watcher.

The crux of his sharing was focused on the generation of the desire to have such an experience, to give humans their true curious, adventurous and discovering nature back, which we have lost due to having learnt knowledge instead of the art of knowing without knowledge. He gave us the possibility to find out the truth for ourselves, which is something that can not be conveyed, can only be felt or experienced.

Anand Crystalhenge