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Following Osho, Zen Buddhism and Being Rational
Recently I have been reading a book called The Life of Osho by a disciple by the name of Sam (self published, freely downloadable here), and it has actually stirred up a whole bunch of thoughts. It made me examine my process in listening to Osho. In the book, Sam tries to examine Osho’s life from a rational standpoint. Osho was well-known for using devices, something he picked up from George Gurdjieff, and Sam extends this to things like Osho’s change in image on going to America, the Rolls Royces, his period of silence, his asking his sannyasins to drop the red clothes, and so on.
I struggled for a bit with this looking for reasons behind Osho doing these things. In the end to me it felt like approaching a relationship which was “of the heart” with reason, and that somehow got in the way. It got the mind involved in the connection with Osho. For me, the relationship with Osho was one of love. It is like looking at a foto of Ramana Maharshi and instantly liking him because of his smile and his eyes, Osho in person was like that. It is a relationship one cherishes, despite the devices.
Buddhism is in many ways simpler. In many streams of Buddhism you can rationally approach the teachings and the path, in most cases they will even be explained to you. Except if you’re following a Zen teacher — a lot of Zen is quite irrational. Which is perhaps why it is no longer as popular as say the Pure Land schools. A short story about Zen…
When Rinzai lay dying, his disciples approached him with a last request. “Master,” they said, “your teachings are so many, so deep, that we feel we can’t summarise them. Would you give us a one sentence summary, so that we may treasure it?”
After a moment, Rinzai then let out a great shout, a lion’s roar. The disciples were shocked that the old man could produce such a noise. Silence descended.
Then Rinzai said, “This is it!” And he closed his eyes and died.
So whether you’re following a Zen teacher or Osho, it’s much the same affair. There is an edge of irrationality, of shock, of devices being deployed. In this age of reason it’s a rare path. Which may explain why Osho spoke almost exclusively on Zen in the last years of his life.
For a disciple it’s about love and trust. A love for the master and trust that he means well, whichever direction he chooses to guide you in.
Jeroen
Re: What documentary are you watching?
India's an interesting place..
After travelling around for two and half months, Bangladesh, Nepal and India, (spending most of the time in India) we were happy to be leaving , but then after a while we started to miss the unique Indian experience. India seems to have that effect on you...
Shoshin1
Re: Waking up the world
@Jeroen said:
About time to practice… I’ve found that it helps to have a lot of solitude and quiet. If you have a lot of things to do, especially so-called “important things”, then the mind gets cluttered and stressed, and practice becomes harder. So it’s not solely about just finding a half hour to meditate, but it’s about what you do with your day.
In my experience I find this to be true. I've had periods during the winter slow season where I haven't had work for a month or more. And how I'd shape my days made an important difference to my mental state. Did I watch TV and play video games or do yoga and listen to some Dharma?
I'm not sure how it is for everyone, but it seems to take several days to a week to really settle down and let the flow of everyday life behind. So its like in finding solitude and quiet the mind is busy and distracted the whole time and then by the time it does start to calm down its time to get it busy again.
I do now think in the spirit of differing practices for different people. The style and types of practices appropriate to someone living a renunciate life and someone living a worldly life will differ.
person
Re: Waking up the world
When it comes to paying for a quick fix slice of enlightenment....You don't always get what you pay for...
Dharma practice is free, there for the taking, for those who are prepared to practice...
Shoshin1
Re: Family dinner time
here is the history of recent food trends, might be why family home cooked meals are usually healthier...
https://www.nesta.org.uk/data-visualisation-and-interactive/consuming-history-three-decades-of-change-in-how-and-what-we-eat/
lobster
Re: No Buddhist Quotes
“Society represses the individual by making the individual repress themselves.”
— anonymous (1970’s counterculture)
Jeroen
Re: What music are you listening to?
Things Can Only Get Better
You can walk my path, you can wear my shoes
Learn to talk like me and be an angel too
But maybe you ain't never gonna feel this way
You ain't never gonna know me, but I know you
I'm singing it now, things can only get better
Only get better
If we see it through
That means me and I mean you too
So teach me now that things can only get better
Only get, they only get, take it on from here
You know, I know that things can only get better
I sometimes lose myself in me
I lose track of time
And I can't see the woods for the trees
You set 'em alight
Burn the bridges as you've gone, I'm too weak to fight ya
I've got my personal hell to deal with
And then you say
"Walk my path, wear my shoes
Talk like that, I'll be an angel"
And things can only get better
Can only get better now I found you
(Things can only get, can only get)
Things can only get better
Can only get better now I found you and you and you
You have shown me prejudice and greed
And you've shown me how
I must learn to deal with this disease
I look at things now
In a different light than I did before
And I've found the cause and I think that you can be my cure
So teach me to walk your path, wear your shoes
Talk like that, I'll be an angel
And things can only get better
Can only get better now I found you
(Things can only get, can only get)
Things can only get better
Can only get better now I found you
Things can only get
Things can only get better
Can only get better now I found you
(Things can only get, can only get)
And you and you and you baby
Things can only get better
They can only get better now I found you
Shoshin1
Re: A little death meditation
“You might know that certain things lead to dispassion, not passion; to unyoking, not to yoking; to dispersal, not accumulation; to fewer desires, not more; to contentment, not lack of contentment; to seclusion, not crowding; to energy, not laziness; to being unburdensome, not being burdensome. Categorically, you should remember these things as the teaching, the training, and the Teacher’s instructions.” (AN8.53)
Jeroen
Re: A little death meditation
Appearances come and go. Even the blue or white light!
What is left when appearances cease or stop?
Nibbana is the unmanifest, unborn, deathless, unconditioned, the island that you cannot go beyond.
There is, monks, an unborn[1] — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there would not be the case that escape from the born — become — made — fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, escape from the born — become — made — fabricated is discerned.[2]
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.8.03.than.html
The Blessed One said, "Mindfulness of death, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit & great benefit. It gains a footing in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its final end. Therefore you should develop mindfulness of death."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.019.than.html
Re: All Change ...
Just a reminder that, new services, sites (to you) should be researched carefully prior to engaging them. There are too, too many who, it urns out can't or won't provide services as advertised. Be curious, be adventurous, but also be cautious. When you find the gem in the rubble, then you can celebrate a successful hunt.
Peace to all
Lionduck