OSHO: Through the years.
Osho was born in in a small village in Narsinghpur District of Madhya Pradesh state in India, known as Chandra Mohan Jain in Kuchwada. He was the eldest of eleven children and the son of a cloth merchant. He was sent by his parents to live with his grandparents until he reached the age of seven years old. This period became a major influence on his development by his account because he was given the utmost freedom by his grandmother, leaving him carefree without any imposed rules in terms of education and even restrictions.
When his grandfather whom he looked up to with so much adoration died when he was seven years old, he went back to live with his parents. He was greatly affected by the death of his grandfather, and again by the death of his cousin and childhood sweetheart Shashi due to typhoid fever at his age of 15, that he had a very extraordinary preoccupation with the concept of death that lasted throughout his childhood years and youth. He became rebellious during his school years, but still, since he was a gifted and intelligent student, he acquired a reputation as a formidable debater. He grew as an atheist, a nonbeliever of any spiritual being that was praised by the people around; he became interested in hypnosis and later on found himself associated with socialism and two Indian movements that promoted independence namely: the Indian National Army and the Rashtriya Swayamseyak Sangh.
He was nineteen years old during the year 1951, the same time he pursue his studies at Hitkarini College in Jabalpur. He transferred to D.N. Jain College which was also located in Jabalpur after he was asked t leave his previous college because of an acute conflict which he had with his instructor. His public speaking skills was initially launched at the annuan Sarva Dharma Sammelan which was also held in Jabalpur, organized by the community into which he was born, the Taranpanthi Jain community, from the period of 1951 to 1968. He was in no hurry to get married thereby he resisted his parents’ constant plea and pressure. According to Osho, he was spiritually enlightened when he was 21 years old, on March 21, 1953. After an intense seven-day process, Osho dropped all effort and hope. One night, he went out to the Bhanvartal garden located in Jabalpur and sat under a tree. The benediction and blessedness was all over the place as soon as he entered. Everything was light and luminous. He, for once could see the life from the sleeping trees which radiated life through its color. Although the whole garden was asleep, he said that he could feel the life in them. One tree stood out from all the luminosity, the tree was called maulshree. He said that his attraction towards the tree was not his own choice but God’s. As soon as he sat under the tree, he felt things began to settle. He viewed the universe as a benediction.
In 1955, he completed his B.A. in Philosophy at the D.N. Jain College after which he joined the University of Sagar and earned his M.A. in Philosophy in 1957. He was able to immediately secure a teaching post at Raipur Sanskrit College, but the Vice Chancellor found him very controversial therefore Osho was asked to seek transfer because he became a danger to his students’ morality, character and faith in their religion. He continued to teach Philosophy as a lecturer at Jabalpur University from 1958 and got a promotion as a professor in 1960.
In hindi, a popular lecturer was called a “golden tongue” and since his peers had acknowledged him as someone who was exceptionally intelligent, a man who was able to overcome hardships and deficiencies during his early small-town education.
He travelled throughout India, lecturing on things that are critical of socialism and Gandhi. He taught under the name Acharya Rajneesh, Acharya meaning a teacher or professor and Rajneesh which was a nickname that he had acquired since his childhood years.
“Socialism is a dead loss that would only socialize poverty. Gandhi was a masochist and reactionary who worshipped poverty. To escape its backwardness, India needed capitalism, science, modern technology and birth control”. – Osho
Religions such as the Orthodox Indian Religion was greatly criticized by him referring to it as dead, filled with empty ritual, oppressing their followers into thinking of eternal damnation and the promise of blessings. The statements: “they shocked and repelled many, but attracted others” made him so controversial. Wealthy businessmen and merchants became his followers. They sought individual consultations from him regarding their spiritual, developmental and daily lives, in return, they gave him donations which is very common in India much like seeking a psychologist is in the Western world. His practice was somewhat out of the ordinary which may also be the reason why it grew so rapidly. He was referred to as a spiritual therapist who had an uncommon talent. He began to lead 3 to 10-day meditation camps in 1962, this was also the basis for the first meditation centers that started to emerge out of his teachings which was then known as the Life Awakening Movement. He later on resigned from his teaching post in 1966 after his speaking tour.
He published his 1968 Lecture Series under the title From Sex to Super consciousness which scandalized Hindu leaders because of his freer calling for the acceptance of sex.