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Zarathustra, the Laughing Prophet: Talks on Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, #2
Book by Rajneesh, Bhagwan Shree
548 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
10 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Osho
4,290 books6,727 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
April 26, 2024
“I was arrested in America for no reason at all - without any arrest warrant, because they could not issue an arrest warrant without any reason. They could not show me, even verbally, what the reason was, why they arrested me. All that they could show me were twelve loaded guns. That was their argument -- very primitive, and very inhuman. I asked them, "I would like to contact my attorney, because this is strange. It is against the constitution, your constitution. You cannot arrest me without any arrest warrant. And I want my attorney to come and enquire about it."
They would not allow me to inform my attorney. On the contrary, they said, "Your attorney will find out himself."
I said, "How will he find out? Have you informed him? Do you know who my attorney is?"
But they said, "We don't know anything. From the top, from Washington these are the orders."
And they forced me to accept that I have committed two crimes. I have never thought that governments blackmail innocent individuals.
But they blackmail in such a way... they could not say it directly to me, but to my attorneys. The government attorneys said, "If you want Osho's life to be saved you simply accept any two crimes. This is the whole list." They had thirty-five crimes that I have committed.
I don't leave my room; for three and a half years I was in silence, but they managed to write a list of thirty-five crimes that I have committed.
And they said to my attorneys, "We know and you know that he has not committed any
crime. But the case is such that it is the United States of America versus Osho. We will not allow an individual to win a case against the whole great nation of America. We know he has not committed any crime.
"So what we are going to suggest to you is: you accept them and persuade Osho. He has simply to say yes to two crimes -- any two crimes, it doesn't matter. We don't want to go to trial, because in trial you are going to win. We don't have any evidence; we have no proof.
Your victory is certain, but before your victory Osho's life will be in danger. America would not like to be defeated by a single individual -- that you have to understand clearly."
My attorneys were some of the best attorneys in America. They had tears in their eyes when they came to me in jail, and they told me, "We were here to protect you -- that no unlawful act is being done -- but it seems we are helpless. They are willing to leave you immediately, without any trial, because they know perfectly well that in the trial they have nothing to prove against you.
On the other hand they don't want to be defeated; so the only solution for them is that they will not allow you bail, and they will kill you in the jail. And once you are dead the case will be closed -- without any decision about who is the winner."
I was still insistent that I would like to fight the case, even at the risk of my life, but they said, "It is absolutely futile; it is hitting your head against the wall. And just think of your people around the world. There are people who have not eaten for twelve days, since you have been in jail. With tears we pray to you: you simply accept. And we have kept your jet aeroplane's engine running. The moment you are released we want you to be out of America immediately, because we suspect that your life is in danger."
Seeing the whole situation I accepted. I don't even know what crimes I have accepted. I said to my attorneys, "You accept any crimes. I have not committed any, so it doesn't matter.
Whichever ones you choose, they are fictitious." The moment I was released I went to the jail to pick up my clothes; and they had planted a bomb under the seat. That was in case I insisted on the trial -- then they would finish me then and there. Now, in the jail nobody from outside can plant a bomb except the government itself, except by orders from the White House.
As I came out of the jail, again they served summons to me for another case, so that I cannot leave America immediately. But I threw away their summons in front of them, and within fifteen minutes I had left America. They had debarred me: I cannot enter America for five years, and in reality for fifteen years, in a tricky way. For five years I cannot enter America, absolutely, but after five years I can enter. But if the government finds any crime committed by me, I can be jailed for ten years without any trial.
If they had found right now two crimes, if I enter America after five years, they can find again any crime. And this time there will be no trial; that has been made clear to me. The judge asked me, "Is it clear to you that after five years, if you enter America and the government finds you committing any crime, then there will be no trial? You will be simply sent to jail for ten years."
So in fact, it means for fifteen years they have prevented me from entering America. But they were not satisfied only with that. They asked all the governments which are under American influence to pass resolutions that I cannot enter their countries. And they are pressurizing the Indian government that my voice should be silenced, that no foreign news media should be allowed to approach me, and that my foreign sannyasins should not be allowed to enter the country. And many sannyasins have been sent back from Bombay airport to their own country.
This is absolutely illegal, unconstitutional. But poor countries are indebted to America for money, and America goes on blackmailing them, saying, "If you don't listen then you will not get our future help of billions of dollars. Or we will insist that the financial help that we have given to you in the past, which comes to billions of dollars, should be returned immediately." This is the world in which we are living. Our so-called religious leaders, our so-called political leaders are really criminals and should be behind bars. But they have all the power.
But truth also has a power of its own.
You can crucify the man, but you cannot crucify his truth.
You can assassinate the man, but you cannot assassinate his truth. And by moving around the world for a whole year I have become absolutely certain that even a single man, if he is sincere and truthful, can fight against the whole world. They may have great power, but they are cowards. They may have nuclear weapons, but they don't have souls. They are just hollow inside -- no integrity, no individuality, no realization.
But these people are dominating the world because you go on allowing them to dominate you. You go on allowing the past to influence you. You go on allowing the dead to control you.
At least I would like my people to revolt against all that is rotten and old. Live for the new and move with life -- not reluctantly but dancingly and joyously. It is our earth. It belongs to no politician and it belongs to no religious leader; it belongs to no church and it belongs to no nation.
It belongs to those who love life, who sing songs of life, and who are ready to dance and celebrate life. Life belongs to those who can make it a celebration.
Or was it a sermon of death that called holy that which contradicted and opposed all life?
- O my brothers, shatter, shatter the old law-tables! - because all the sermons in your so-called holy books are not in favor of life; they are sermons of death. And they are called holy! Then what can we call unholy? They all contradict and oppose life.
This should be remembered as a simple criterion: that which opposes life is unholy; that which praises life, that which makes life lovelier, more beautiful, more enjoyable, that which affirms life and its dignity -- that is holy.
To live life in its wholeness is holy.
... Thus Spake Zarathustra.”
-Osho (16 April 1987 Chuang Tzu Auditorium)
They would not allow me to inform my attorney. On the contrary, they said, "Your attorney will find out himself."
I said, "How will he find out? Have you informed him? Do you know who my attorney is?"
But they said, "We don't know anything. From the top, from Washington these are the orders."
And they forced me to accept that I have committed two crimes. I have never thought that governments blackmail innocent individuals.
But they blackmail in such a way... they could not say it directly to me, but to my attorneys. The government attorneys said, "If you want Osho's life to be saved you simply accept any two crimes. This is the whole list." They had thirty-five crimes that I have committed.
I don't leave my room; for three and a half years I was in silence, but they managed to write a list of thirty-five crimes that I have committed.
And they said to my attorneys, "We know and you know that he has not committed any
crime. But the case is such that it is the United States of America versus Osho. We will not allow an individual to win a case against the whole great nation of America. We know he has not committed any crime.
"So what we are going to suggest to you is: you accept them and persuade Osho. He has simply to say yes to two crimes -- any two crimes, it doesn't matter. We don't want to go to trial, because in trial you are going to win. We don't have any evidence; we have no proof.
Your victory is certain, but before your victory Osho's life will be in danger. America would not like to be defeated by a single individual -- that you have to understand clearly."
My attorneys were some of the best attorneys in America. They had tears in their eyes when they came to me in jail, and they told me, "We were here to protect you -- that no unlawful act is being done -- but it seems we are helpless. They are willing to leave you immediately, without any trial, because they know perfectly well that in the trial they have nothing to prove against you.
On the other hand they don't want to be defeated; so the only solution for them is that they will not allow you bail, and they will kill you in the jail. And once you are dead the case will be closed -- without any decision about who is the winner."
I was still insistent that I would like to fight the case, even at the risk of my life, but they said, "It is absolutely futile; it is hitting your head against the wall. And just think of your people around the world. There are people who have not eaten for twelve days, since you have been in jail. With tears we pray to you: you simply accept. And we have kept your jet aeroplane's engine running. The moment you are released we want you to be out of America immediately, because we suspect that your life is in danger."
Seeing the whole situation I accepted. I don't even know what crimes I have accepted. I said to my attorneys, "You accept any crimes. I have not committed any, so it doesn't matter.
Whichever ones you choose, they are fictitious." The moment I was released I went to the jail to pick up my clothes; and they had planted a bomb under the seat. That was in case I insisted on the trial -- then they would finish me then and there. Now, in the jail nobody from outside can plant a bomb except the government itself, except by orders from the White House.
As I came out of the jail, again they served summons to me for another case, so that I cannot leave America immediately. But I threw away their summons in front of them, and within fifteen minutes I had left America. They had debarred me: I cannot enter America for five years, and in reality for fifteen years, in a tricky way. For five years I cannot enter America, absolutely, but after five years I can enter. But if the government finds any crime committed by me, I can be jailed for ten years without any trial.
If they had found right now two crimes, if I enter America after five years, they can find again any crime. And this time there will be no trial; that has been made clear to me. The judge asked me, "Is it clear to you that after five years, if you enter America and the government finds you committing any crime, then there will be no trial? You will be simply sent to jail for ten years."
So in fact, it means for fifteen years they have prevented me from entering America. But they were not satisfied only with that. They asked all the governments which are under American influence to pass resolutions that I cannot enter their countries. And they are pressurizing the Indian government that my voice should be silenced, that no foreign news media should be allowed to approach me, and that my foreign sannyasins should not be allowed to enter the country. And many sannyasins have been sent back from Bombay airport to their own country.
This is absolutely illegal, unconstitutional. But poor countries are indebted to America for money, and America goes on blackmailing them, saying, "If you don't listen then you will not get our future help of billions of dollars. Or we will insist that the financial help that we have given to you in the past, which comes to billions of dollars, should be returned immediately." This is the world in which we are living. Our so-called religious leaders, our so-called political leaders are really criminals and should be behind bars. But they have all the power.
But truth also has a power of its own.
You can crucify the man, but you cannot crucify his truth.
You can assassinate the man, but you cannot assassinate his truth. And by moving around the world for a whole year I have become absolutely certain that even a single man, if he is sincere and truthful, can fight against the whole world. They may have great power, but they are cowards. They may have nuclear weapons, but they don't have souls. They are just hollow inside -- no integrity, no individuality, no realization.
But these people are dominating the world because you go on allowing them to dominate you. You go on allowing the past to influence you. You go on allowing the dead to control you.
At least I would like my people to revolt against all that is rotten and old. Live for the new and move with life -- not reluctantly but dancingly and joyously. It is our earth. It belongs to no politician and it belongs to no religious leader; it belongs to no church and it belongs to no nation.
It belongs to those who love life, who sing songs of life, and who are ready to dance and celebrate life. Life belongs to those who can make it a celebration.
Or was it a sermon of death that called holy that which contradicted and opposed all life?
- O my brothers, shatter, shatter the old law-tables! - because all the sermons in your so-called holy books are not in favor of life; they are sermons of death. And they are called holy! Then what can we call unholy? They all contradict and oppose life.
This should be remembered as a simple criterion: that which opposes life is unholy; that which praises life, that which makes life lovelier, more beautiful, more enjoyable, that which affirms life and its dignity -- that is holy.
To live life in its wholeness is holy.
... Thus Spake Zarathustra.”
-Osho (16 April 1987 Chuang Tzu Auditorium)
June 16, 2011
Amazing book!!!
September 1, 2012
masterpiece!
December 22, 2017
Having read dozens of his books, I can't really differentiate now which is which. So, coming back to it after many months to scribble a review makes me doubt- have I read this actually?
Osho books, actually his discourses, can be immensely soothing and dangerously addictive. One has to get out of it seductive charm or there is a whole gaping pit of black hole waiting to suck you in, and six hundred books will pull you down to its core.
If you haven't read Osho yet, don't hesitate to start. But, if you had already read tens of them and still flies to it like a moth towards the fire, then don't hesitate to stop, or at the least reduce the habit to one book per year.
Because, Osho is the best except that it's not practical, unless of course if you are a millionaire and have the resources to live a carefree life, which might actually make you poor in time and nullify the effect. Okay, try become a billionaire first. As he said once, Spirituality is a leisure for the wealthiest. When you have achieved it all, you can try your luck in this too. Otherwise, don't be fooled. Enlightenment is, probably, a sham.
Osho books, actually his discourses, can be immensely soothing and dangerously addictive. One has to get out of it seductive charm or there is a whole gaping pit of black hole waiting to suck you in, and six hundred books will pull you down to its core.
If you haven't read Osho yet, don't hesitate to start. But, if you had already read tens of them and still flies to it like a moth towards the fire, then don't hesitate to stop, or at the least reduce the habit to one book per year.
Because, Osho is the best except that it's not practical, unless of course if you are a millionaire and have the resources to live a carefree life, which might actually make you poor in time and nullify the effect. Okay, try become a billionaire first. As he said once, Spirituality is a leisure for the wealthiest. When you have achieved it all, you can try your luck in this too. Otherwise, don't be fooled. Enlightenment is, probably, a sham.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 5, 2016great :3
October 12, 2016
A must-read!
July 18, 2023
Disertación de Osho sobre las enseñanzas de Zarathustra y su aplicación en la vida diaria.
September 26, 2021
زرتشت، پیامبر خندان، شرحیست از اوشو بر چنین گفت زرتشت نیچه. این کتاب وجه تمایزی اساسی بر دیگر قرائاتیست که از کتاب نیچه شده: چنین گفت زرتشت بیانی شاعرانه دارد و همه در پی واکاوی منطقی و استدلالیاش هستند، اما اوشو با استفاده از همان بیان شاعرانه، راهی که از دل خود اثر بیرون میآید، سعی در بسط مفهوم زرتشت نیچه دارد.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews