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The Nitrous Books #1
Notes of a Madman
Osho creates a loosely woven tapestry of vivid, humorous and touching impressions and glimpses giving the feeling we are having a personal meeting with the master. In this deep exploration of the Tibetan mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, he comments on drugs, his love of beauty and danger, relaxation, laughter, the relationship between men and women, and even madness and death. He is just an ordinary human being, like us, he says, but with one exception. His search has ended - he has awakened: "Just to be oneself is true. That is my teaching, just to be yourself; just to be your own purity, without fear, because it will mean different things for different people." A selection of beautiful nature photographs in full color supplements this unforgettable book.
About the origin of the title, the notetaker Sw Devageet, in Osho: The First Buddha in the Dental Chair p.142, says:
We pondered and brainstormed, making and discarding titles by the score. Our tiny room was littered with paper. Vivek, who had never liked the idea of the notes from the outset, walked out of our room one day muttering, "Nobody's going to read this book. It's just the bloody notes of a madman."
Looking at each other, Raj and I quickly wrote her words at the top of our list: Notes of a Madman, as a suggested title for the first volume. Of course Osho chose it.
About the origin of the title, the notetaker Sw Devageet, in Osho: The First Buddha in the Dental Chair p.142, says:
We pondered and brainstormed, making and discarding titles by the score. Our tiny room was littered with paper. Vivek, who had never liked the idea of the notes from the outset, walked out of our room one day muttering, "Nobody's going to read this book. It's just the bloody notes of a madman."
Looking at each other, Raj and I quickly wrote her words at the top of our list: Notes of a Madman, as a suggested title for the first volume. Of course Osho chose it.
- GenresNonfictionPhilosophy
104 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1985
4 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Osho
4,353 books6,776 followersRajneesh (born Chandra Mohan Jain, 11 December 1931 – 19 January 1990) and latter rebranded as Osho was leader of the Rajneesh movement. During his lifetime he was viewed as a controversial new religious movement leader and mystic.
In the 1960s he traveled throughout India as a public speaker and was a vocal critic of socialism, Mahatma Gandhi, and Hindu religious orthodoxy.
Rajneesh emphasized the importance of meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity and humor—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious tradition and socialization.
In advocating a more open attitude to human sexuality he caused controversy in India during the late 1960s and became known as "the sex guru".
In 1970, Rajneesh spent time in Mumbai initiating followers known as "neo-sannyasins". During this period he expanded his spiritual teachings and commented extensively in discourses on the writings of religious traditions, mystics, and philosophers from around the world. In 1974 Rajneesh relocated to Pune, where an ashram was established and a variety of therapies, incorporating methods first developed by the Human Potential Movement, were offered to a growing Western following. By the late 1970s, the tension between the ruling Janata Party government of Morarji Desai and the movement led to a curbing of the ashram's development and a back taxes claim estimated at $5 million.
In 1981, the Rajneesh movement's efforts refocused on activities in the United States and Rajneesh relocated to a facility known as Rajneeshpuram in Wasco County, Oregon. Almost immediately the movement ran into conflict with county residents and the state government, and a succession of legal battles concerning the ashram's construction and continued development curtailed its success.
In 1985, in the wake of a series of serious crimes by his followers, including a mass food poisoning attack with Salmonella bacteria and an aborted assassination plot to murder U.S. Attorney Charles H. Turner, Rajneesh alleged that his personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela and her close supporters had been responsible. He was later deported from the United States in accordance with an Alford plea bargain.[
After his deportation, 21 countries denied him entry. He ultimately returned to India and a revived Pune ashram, where he died in 1990. Rajneesh's ashram, now known as OSHO International Meditation Resort and all associated intellectual property, is managed by the Zurich registered Osho International Foundation (formerly Rajneesh International Foundation). Rajneesh's teachings have had a notable impact on Western New Age thought, and their popularity has increased markedly since his death.
In the 1960s he traveled throughout India as a public speaker and was a vocal critic of socialism, Mahatma Gandhi, and Hindu religious orthodoxy.
Rajneesh emphasized the importance of meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity and humor—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious tradition and socialization.
In advocating a more open attitude to human sexuality he caused controversy in India during the late 1960s and became known as "the sex guru".
In 1970, Rajneesh spent time in Mumbai initiating followers known as "neo-sannyasins". During this period he expanded his spiritual teachings and commented extensively in discourses on the writings of religious traditions, mystics, and philosophers from around the world. In 1974 Rajneesh relocated to Pune, where an ashram was established and a variety of therapies, incorporating methods first developed by the Human Potential Movement, were offered to a growing Western following. By the late 1970s, the tension between the ruling Janata Party government of Morarji Desai and the movement led to a curbing of the ashram's development and a back taxes claim estimated at $5 million.
In 1981, the Rajneesh movement's efforts refocused on activities in the United States and Rajneesh relocated to a facility known as Rajneeshpuram in Wasco County, Oregon. Almost immediately the movement ran into conflict with county residents and the state government, and a succession of legal battles concerning the ashram's construction and continued development curtailed its success.
In 1985, in the wake of a series of serious crimes by his followers, including a mass food poisoning attack with Salmonella bacteria and an aborted assassination plot to murder U.S. Attorney Charles H. Turner, Rajneesh alleged that his personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela and her close supporters had been responsible. He was later deported from the United States in accordance with an Alford plea bargain.[
After his deportation, 21 countries denied him entry. He ultimately returned to India and a revived Pune ashram, where he died in 1990. Rajneesh's ashram, now known as OSHO International Meditation Resort and all associated intellectual property, is managed by the Zurich registered Osho International Foundation (formerly Rajneesh International Foundation). Rajneesh's teachings have had a notable impact on Western New Age thought, and their popularity has increased markedly since his death.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 25, 2025
Feel I should validate a one star review, this was utter gibberish but definitely not in a quirky insightful way. He is self professed “mad man” who likes to see himself as enlightened but nothing from his ramblings would lead me to believe that he is.
August 18, 2012
Really love the great photography to go with Osho words.
January 23, 2018
real meeting with the master - like a song, nothing to learn but moments to enjoy
March 30, 2021
Osho's gibberish is also valuable - in its own weird way... for a detailed book review see my book reviews blog post
March 21, 2021
Amusing
June 15, 2021
When Osho does sessions in "laughing gas" you should listen.
This book is dangerous that's why it's so good.
This book is dangerous that's why it's so good.
November 28, 2022
One of its kind, this book is a sheer beauty to behold.
May 19, 2023
so amazing, finished it in one go because i couldn’t put it down.
literally life changing
literally life changing
December 27, 2023
A special little book that only makes sense if you already know a bit about Bhagwan otherwise it can be a little hard to understand what he means. I suggest reading a few of his other books first
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews