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Nirvana: The Last Nightmare: Learning to Trust in Life
Nirvana has become an idealized word associated with the juxtaposition of a cult rock celebrity who died before his time and a vague new age version of Eastern religion. An altered state to be hoped for, but likely unattainable, reinforcing that all too familiar uneasiness associated with never being able to have what we truly desire in life.
Osho masterfully brings this internal state of tension to the surface and through the use of five beautiful Zen stories examines, unravels and reveals the meaning of nirvana. By absorbing without interpreting, making a decision without worrying if it is the right one, or surrendering to each moment, it is possible to come to a point where we simply drop through the manifestations of the ego. In that moment, living an ordinary life becomes an extraordinary delight.
Osho masterfully brings this internal state of tension to the surface and through the use of five beautiful Zen stories examines, unravels and reveals the meaning of nirvana. By absorbing without interpreting, making a decision without worrying if it is the right one, or surrendering to each moment, it is possible to come to a point where we simply drop through the manifestations of the ego. In that moment, living an ordinary life becomes an extraordinary delight.
212 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
18 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Osho
4,354 books6,780 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 5, 2023
My second time listening to these discourses. I enjoyed it more this time than my first time. When it comes to Osho, I prefer listening to reading. There's nothing new to learn, nothing to add to your spiritual knowledge, just relax and listen, be there with him.
I have accumulated enough spiritual knowledge. I know too much already! Listening to Bhagwan's voice is enough for me. I miss him, ah-ha! as if I was with him when he was alive.
Nirvana: the last nightmare. If you're on the spiritual path, Nirvana is your last nightmare. It's a paradox: As long as you're striving to achieve Nirvana, you'll never get there. It's your last nightmare. Wake up!
Every his talk series has a title but he talks what he wants. He always wanders around, sometimes he strays from spiritual to political and social stuff, sometimes he talks jokes, sometimes he talks mumbo-jumbo. I don't care. I'm not listening to him to learn new spiritual knowledge. I already know too much. I listen to him because I love him. Just hearing his voice, I feel his presence in me.
I have accumulated enough spiritual knowledge. I know too much already! Listening to Bhagwan's voice is enough for me. I miss him, ah-ha! as if I was with him when he was alive.
Nirvana: the last nightmare. If you're on the spiritual path, Nirvana is your last nightmare. It's a paradox: As long as you're striving to achieve Nirvana, you'll never get there. It's your last nightmare. Wake up!
Every his talk series has a title but he talks what he wants. He always wanders around, sometimes he strays from spiritual to political and social stuff, sometimes he talks jokes, sometimes he talks mumbo-jumbo. I don't care. I'm not listening to him to learn new spiritual knowledge. I already know too much. I listen to him because I love him. Just hearing his voice, I feel his presence in me.
May 5, 2017
Another great and horrible truth
December 23, 2020
The Master at Work
Firstly, it must be remembered that Osho never wrote anything down. All his 300+ books are transcribed from talks given before live audiences.
Osho is not only a gifted speaker, he is a master psychologist, an intellectual genius, poet, and buddha, among many other things. In fact, what may describe him best is no-thing or his no-thingness.
Osho's talks are all play; he is having fun. But at the same time he is performing a spiritual alchemy on his listeners. Osho uses many devices, or techniques, to engage the mind, while simultaneously deconstructing it.
Osho takes his listeners on a journey wherever they are into the HereNow. Through masterful explanations of 5 Zen parables, diametric dissection and annihilation of questions from his audience with amusing anecdotes and jokes woven throughout, Osho's style is a thing of beauty - or better yet no-thing - for at the core of all his talks lies a palpable silence. This is the silence of the buddhas, shared in words.
Between and behind all his words is a deep emptiness, which is his real message. Yet this emptiness is also a fullness - a fullness of consciousness or awareness. It is indeed a paradox. But life is full of paradoxes, especially when it comes to spiritual truth.
Semantics aside, these 10 talks are given in Pune in Osho's prime and are some of his finest.
I highly recommend listening to them on Audible or whatever audio format you prefer. There is much lost in the reading of these talks alone. However, there is something gained as well. Reading is more intimate, but it loses something of Osho's presence and silence. Nevertheless, different formats of communication work differently. I prefer the audio and video (if available) of Osho's talks. The books are great too. This is one of my favorites!
Firstly, it must be remembered that Osho never wrote anything down. All his 300+ books are transcribed from talks given before live audiences.
Osho is not only a gifted speaker, he is a master psychologist, an intellectual genius, poet, and buddha, among many other things. In fact, what may describe him best is no-thing or his no-thingness.
Osho's talks are all play; he is having fun. But at the same time he is performing a spiritual alchemy on his listeners. Osho uses many devices, or techniques, to engage the mind, while simultaneously deconstructing it.
Osho takes his listeners on a journey wherever they are into the HereNow. Through masterful explanations of 5 Zen parables, diametric dissection and annihilation of questions from his audience with amusing anecdotes and jokes woven throughout, Osho's style is a thing of beauty - or better yet no-thing - for at the core of all his talks lies a palpable silence. This is the silence of the buddhas, shared in words.
Between and behind all his words is a deep emptiness, which is his real message. Yet this emptiness is also a fullness - a fullness of consciousness or awareness. It is indeed a paradox. But life is full of paradoxes, especially when it comes to spiritual truth.
Semantics aside, these 10 talks are given in Pune in Osho's prime and are some of his finest.
I highly recommend listening to them on Audible or whatever audio format you prefer. There is much lost in the reading of these talks alone. However, there is something gained as well. Reading is more intimate, but it loses something of Osho's presence and silence. Nevertheless, different formats of communication work differently. I prefer the audio and video (if available) of Osho's talks. The books are great too. This is one of my favorites!
April 27, 2019
Whenever one listens to Osho you become more relaxed, thoughtful and less concerned with small stuff
July 18, 2019
Another amazing work from OSHO, the Sadguru.
May 12, 2020
Timeless classic and an eternal source of inspiration.
June 13, 2020
“In the beginners mind there are many opportunities, In the expert’s mind there are few”- Suzuki Roshi. “Between every stimulus and response there is a space. In that space we find our freedom and our power”-Viktor Frankl . “Great is the human who has not lost his childlike heart." - Mencius. “10 And his disciples approached and they were saying to him, "Why are you speaking with them in parables?" 11But he answered and said to them: "It has been given to you to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For to one who has it, it will be given, and it will be increased. 13And from him who has it not, will be taken even that which he has, therefore I am speaking to them in parables because they who see do not see, and those who hear neither hear nor understand”.
Those words from different perspectives and sources all speak to the heart and essence of this collection of insightful and useful interpretations of classic Zen koans, stories and teachings. Enough said.
https://www.dailyzen.com/journal/zen-...
https://www.viktorfrankl.org
https://www.iep.utm.edu/mencius/
https://biblehub.com/aramaic-plain-en...
Those words from different perspectives and sources all speak to the heart and essence of this collection of insightful and useful interpretations of classic Zen koans, stories and teachings. Enough said.
https://www.dailyzen.com/journal/zen-...
https://www.viktorfrankl.org
https://www.iep.utm.edu/mencius/
https://biblehub.com/aramaic-plain-en...
February 9, 2024
"Death is the greatest orgasm."
I used to read Oshos books during the pandemic and enjoyed them immensely. Recently I found this one and three other Osho books in a local consignment shop.
It's a calming and inspiring read. Osho talks from spiral dynamics stage turquoise perspective and makes things seem so simple and pure. Yet the embodyment is indeed the hard part. I could have and wanted to continue reading. Luckily I have some more in my TBR pile!
I used to read Oshos books during the pandemic and enjoyed them immensely. Recently I found this one and three other Osho books in a local consignment shop.
It's a calming and inspiring read. Osho talks from spiral dynamics stage turquoise perspective and makes things seem so simple and pure. Yet the embodyment is indeed the hard part. I could have and wanted to continue reading. Luckily I have some more in my TBR pile!
November 2, 2024
I greatly enjoyed reading this book. It's very refreshing to read something that has been spoken, not written, because of its spontaneous nature. It's full of humour, little anecdotes, and wisdom. Always paradoxical, always changing, like Osho wanted. He is not someone to be followed, but to be intrigued by, listened to with deep concentration and awarenesses. Understanding Osho is getting a glimpse of Zen. A constant flicker, if you're lucky
November 13, 2019
Nothing new specific to this book in Osho
February 23, 2021
Good reminder to stop trying to hard.
May 1, 2021
Otro buen libro de Osho para crecer un poco.
February 2, 2025
A belief is like a glove; it surrounds you. You are never available to life directly, immediately. A religious person is naked in this sense – he has no clothes of beliefs. He is simply direct, in touch with life.
you remain centered and rooted in your being, sooner or later the other is going to relax. Because silence is such a power, silence is such a transforming force, silence is so alchemical... it is the only magic in the world... the other is bound to be transformed.
A controlled mind, whenever it hears about freedom immediately understands it as licence. Licence is the opposite pole of control.
Energy fidgets, energy is alive. A really alive child cannot sit silently for long. He is alive; he is not dead. He would like to jump and run and do millions of things. He is overflowing. And we force him to sit. What happens? He is almost paralysed by the time he comes out of the university. For twenty years continuously forced to concentrate.... And to that concentration the whole society gives so much significance. Then there are examinations. If he fails, he is condemned. If he succeeds, he is appreciated. Now we are playing the ego game. We are teaching him how to be egoistic. We are teaching him an ugly competition – to be inimical with everybody else. And we are teaching him that the only value in this society is to be more efficient, not to be aware. happiness is not a motivation. You can either be happy this moment or you will never be happy. You cannot say, ’I would like to be happy tomorrow.’
My fav quotes (not a review):
A belief is like a glove; it surrounds you. You are never available to life directly, immediately. A religious person is naked in this sense – he has no clothes of beliefs. He is simply direct, in touch with life.
you remain centered and rooted in your being, sooner or later the other is going to relax. Because silence is such a power, silence is such a transforming force, silence is so alchemical... it is the only magic in the world... the other is bound to be transformed.
A controlled mind, whenever it hears about freedom immediately understands it as licence. Licence is the opposite pole of control.
happiness is not a motivation. You can either be happy this moment or you will never be happy. You cannot say, ’I would like to be happy tomorrow.’
you remain centered and rooted in your being, sooner or later the other is going to relax. Because silence is such a power, silence is such a transforming force, silence is so alchemical... it is the only magic in the world... the other is bound to be transformed.
A controlled mind, whenever it hears about freedom immediately understands it as licence. Licence is the opposite pole of control.
Energy fidgets, energy is alive. A really alive child cannot sit silently for long. He is alive; he is not dead. He would like to jump and run and do millions of things. He is overflowing. And we force him to sit. What happens? He is almost paralysed by the time he comes out of the university. For twenty years continuously forced to concentrate.... And to that concentration the whole society gives so much significance. Then there are examinations. If he fails, he is condemned. If he succeeds, he is appreciated. Now we are playing the ego game. We are teaching him how to be egoistic. We are teaching him an ugly competition – to be inimical with everybody else. And we are teaching him that the only value in this society is to be more efficient, not to be aware. happiness is not a motivation. You can either be happy this moment or you will never be happy. You cannot say, ’I would like to be happy tomorrow.’
My fav quotes (not a review):
A belief is like a glove; it surrounds you. You are never available to life directly, immediately. A religious person is naked in this sense – he has no clothes of beliefs. He is simply direct, in touch with life.
you remain centered and rooted in your being, sooner or later the other is going to relax. Because silence is such a power, silence is such a transforming force, silence is so alchemical... it is the only magic in the world... the other is bound to be transformed.
A controlled mind, whenever it hears about freedom immediately understands it as licence. Licence is the opposite pole of control.
happiness is not a motivation. You can either be happy this moment or you will never be happy. You cannot say, ’I would like to be happy tomorrow.’
August 10, 2016
Yesterday i was looking at the book(Nirvana), and i compared it's no. of pages with the book that i am currently reading, to figure out what's taking me so long to finish my current book. And i got the answer... 'Osho is delightful to read' You won't realise, how time passes, while reading his deepest insights, witty and comic anecdotes, and the silence shared through words...
As far as "Nirvana" is concerned, it's on Zen. Hence a little exposure to zen buddhism is required, to understand what's going on...
But it's not an absolute must. Osho's discourse style is simple and easily understandable...
As far as "Nirvana" is concerned, it's on Zen. Hence a little exposure to zen buddhism is required, to understand what's going on...
But it's not an absolute must. Osho's discourse style is simple and easily understandable...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews