| Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh | |
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Bhagwan
Shree Rajneesh(1931-1990)
was born Rajneesh Chandra Mohan in Kuchwara, a town in central India.
Various sources state that "Bhagwan" means either
"The Blessed One" or "God" and that
"Shree" means "Master". At the end of
his life, he changed his name to Osho.
His parents' religion was Jainism. However, Osho never subscribed to any religious faith during his lifetime. He received "samadhi" (enlightenment in which his soul became one with the universe) on 1953-MAR-21 at the age of 21. Rajneesh obtained a masters degree in philosophy from the University of Saugar. He taught philosophy at the University of Jabalpur for nine years and concurrently worked as a religious leader. In 1966, he left his teaching |
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and gave his full attention to teaching his sannyasins (disciples)
while pursuing a speaking career. He had an apartment in Bombay where he
often met individuals and small groups, where acting as spiritual
teacher, guide and friend. Most of his Sannyasins came from Europe and
India in the early years.
In 1974, Osho moved from Bombay southward to Pune, India. Some anti-cult groups have claimed that this decision was made because of local opposition from the public in Bombay. In reality, it was to establish an ashram (place of teaching) which would provide larger and more comfortable facilities for his disciples. The ashram consisted of two adjoining properties covering six acres in an affluent suburb of Pune called Koregaon Park. Some estimate as many as 50,000 Westerners spent time seeking enlightenment there with the guru. In 1979, he saw his movement as the route to the preservation of the human race. He said: "If we cannot create the 'new man' in the coming 20 years, then humanity has no future. The holocaust of a global suicide can only be avoided if a new kind of man can be created." He taught a syncretistic spiritual path that combined elements from Hinduism, Jainism, Zen Buddhism, Taoism,Christianity, ancient Greek philosophy, many other religious and philosophic traditions, humanistic psychology, new forms of therapy and meditation, etc.
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