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Osho Life Essentials
Creencia, duda y fanatismo: es esencial tener algo en que creer? / Belief, Doubt and Fanaticism: Is It Essential to Have Something to Believe In?
A man of true faith has no beliefs, but is confident because he has come to understand how beautiful life is. And he has come to understand that life is timeless, eternal. He has come to understand that inside is the kingdom of God. He becomes king, and not in the ordinary sense of the word, for the kingdom that comes from outside is nothing but a realm of dreams.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2012
26 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Osho
4,354 books6,784 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 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 10, 2012
The Guru Bhagwan speaks again. (He's hilariously chided by some dry, rational, sexless Brits as The Bhagwash). This time the professor of philosophy/cult leader/Indian guru/international rebel goes on about atheism, theism, religions, philosophies, ideologies and finding a fulfilled existence without any of the preceding garbage by learning how to shut your mouth once in a while. An excellent and surprisingly pertinent read, full of the usual poetical paradoxes and contradictions that make Osho a living Zen point and one of my favorite Eastern mystics. Surprising, refreshing, funny, simple. Less ad hominems and more reading of his damned books, please.
May 11, 2019
Did you ever read a book and wonder why you bothered to finish it? This author's superficial and cynical attitude, and negative commentary was hard to swallow. The book is full of name-calling and downright insults aimed at anyone who doesn't think as he does. (see p. 173) He wants you to deny your belief in God, abandon your faith, and sign on to his strange simplistic adherence to science, which happens to be his "god." ("Anything based on belief is bogus." ..p.82) (Religions are criminal." ..p. 85)
I gave him one star because there were a few gems of wisdom, but only a few.
I gave him one star because there were a few gems of wisdom, but only a few.
November 18, 2021
Pe scurt, o carte de NElipsit din biblioteca unui om care e in cautarea sensului vietii, in cautarea artei de a fi si de a cunoaste, in cautarea sinelui. Pentru mine a fost si este o opera de arta, iar autorul este un artist al vietii desavarsit. Am citit cartea acum 7 ani insa este si acum una dintre cartile mele de capatai. Nu exista cuvinte pentru a spune cat de mult m-a ajutat acest om in dezvoltare. Si aici nu ma refer la ideile sale despre credinta sau despre religie, ci la intreaga sa filozofie de viata, care in unison cu alte opere de ale sale literare, iti pot bulversa sinele. Exprimarea, cuntinutul, ironia, candoarea, generozitatea si dragostea dintre randuri m-a facut sa ma atasez din toate punctele de vedere de aceasta carte. Nu e o lucrare despre religie, si nici despre ateism. E despre noi toti.
October 20, 2017
A book that everyone should read. I felt like I was only scratching the surface of life. The words in this book describe how I was living and brought into my awareness how I can enjoy my life to the fullest. It truly let me see the type of person I am and should become. If you're looking for a religion or way to live your life this isn't the book for you. However, if you're looking to gain a new and exciting perspective, this is definitely the book for you.
April 12, 2019
The whole point author wants to convey is that you have be careful attaching yourself to a belief system. You believe when you want to hide your doubts, when you want to prevent yourself from exploring the search for truth. When you have the truth you don't need to believe because then you know it is. A lucid read and not much of in-depth philosophy is proposed which is expected from such books. The book feels repetitive at various points.
June 11, 2023
Title of the book worked as a trigger for me to buy this book and I got answers to my doubts to some extent which arise whenever I read news articles about terrorism and other religious crimes in newspapers. Fanaticism is described in a very easy way. This book is a challenge to existence of God or I would say the general understanding of God . Atheist are going to definitely find this book interesting and gripping.
January 10, 2018
Some great insights but I’m not a fan of later Osho writings. Quite aggressive tone and a fully developed ego here. I don’t think you can make people think clearly and change their ways by calling what they’ve believed in idiotic, which is why I see this book as preaching to the choir.
October 27, 2021
A gave 3 stars because, the author didn't write the book, as all Osho's books, the content of the books are a reality in the world, I think everyone should read this book to understand that our beliefs do not belong to us, and everyone has doubts.
May 24, 2018
True statements mixed with things that I do not consider truth, everything in a form of fuzzy mysticism-like style... As much as I liked Krishnamurti, I have very mixed feelings about Osho.
July 26, 2020
A belief has no roots; it is just an imposed phenomenon. Howsoever staunchly you believe in it, it makes no difference. In fact, the more you are afraid of losing it, the more staunchly you believe in it. Whenever somebody says, “This is my strong belief,” know well that he is afraid. Otherwise what does it mean? Why should he brag about his staunchness? If he knows, he knows.
You know that the sun has risen, that it is day. You don’t say, “I strongly believe that this is sunrise,” you simply say, “I know this is sunrise.” You don’t say, “I strongly believe, nobody can shake my belief.” If you say it people will think you are crazy. If you say it people will think you must be blind; you are not seeing the sun, you have only heard about it. Others must have told you and you are saying, “I believe strongly.” Just to protect yourself you create a great Armour around yourself. But a real experience needs no protection. The real experience needs no bragging about being staunch. One simply knows or one knows not; things are very simple.
You know that the sun has risen, that it is day. You don’t say, “I strongly believe that this is sunrise,” you simply say, “I know this is sunrise.” You don’t say, “I strongly believe, nobody can shake my belief.” If you say it people will think you are crazy. If you say it people will think you must be blind; you are not seeing the sun, you have only heard about it. Others must have told you and you are saying, “I believe strongly.” Just to protect yourself you create a great Armour around yourself. But a real experience needs no protection. The real experience needs no bragging about being staunch. One simply knows or one knows not; things are very simple.
April 19, 2017
It's vital to read this book with an open mind because it can seem like it's truly shitting on religion, however I think it's approaching it from a new perspective. Would recommend this book to anyone, especially those who identify with a religion, because it makes you question the following:
1) What is it that you are believing and are you able to distinguish it between a truth or belief?
2) Are your beliefs derived from your own experiences or were they imposed on you?
Additionally, like the title suggests, the book completely destructs, and arguably reconstructs, what exactly qualifies a "belief" and basis behind it.
1) What is it that you are believing and are you able to distinguish it between a truth or belief?
2) Are your beliefs derived from your own experiences or were they imposed on you?
Additionally, like the title suggests, the book completely destructs, and arguably reconstructs, what exactly qualifies a "belief" and basis behind it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews