Book Review : Behind A Thousand Names by Osho

Naked pursuit for Truth:

When you are writing a lot, the reading takes a back seat. As I was writing, editing and packing my second work, “The Bookwallah MBA” giving Exciting Reviews of Wisdom from 75 Bestsellers of recent decades, so-to-say the cream of human knowledge, the current book in my hand by Osho obviously was slowing down. After all, you know what happens when riding two horses at the same time!

Now that the Bookwallah has hit the Kindle and Amazon stands, my hands are free. Also, my mind and Osho got his total attention. The publisher of the book ‘Behind A Thousand Names’ and a lot others by OSHO, is Full Circle. Coincidentally, I also seem to have come a full circle in reading spirituality. I read Rajneesh two decades back and went through a lot of spiritual masters’ speeches, writings after that from Jiddu Krishnamurthi to Jaggi Vasudeo, from Ramakrishna to Ramana Maharishi and from Vivekananda to Eckhart Tolle.

This particular one came with the strong recommendation from my friend, Mr. N.N. Rao, CEO of Skill Development Institute, Bhubaneswar, and I took to trying Osho again, dropping the initial skepticism based on previous experience.

For one thing, Rajneesh is a much-maligned Guru, though his discourses do not at all represent anything that the world thinks about him. In fact, this particular one is a serious effort to explain the Nirvan Upanishad, which is quite a simple set of verses. And Osho makes it interesting by explaining thoughts from Eastern to Western Philosophers, Thinkers, Leaders and Psychologists, such as Zen, Buddha, Jesus, Alexander, Rumi, Sufi, Socrates and Sigmund Freud.

Osho’s language is simple and direct. No wishy-washy mumbo jumbo. Though he extensively uses the terms of Upanishad directly as they are, he explains every word of the verse sincerely expanding listeners’ understanding with relevant stories. He also clarifies the mis-understanding of Western translation of Indian terminologies. Particularly surprising one was the word, ‘Brahmacharya’ which goes beyond the English translation of celibacy. And if the reader is curious of Osho brand expecting a lot on sex, Rajneesh is forthright. Even on the chapter/discourse endings of the day during meditation sessions, if the peeping tom has come looking forward to nudity, he asks them to go away to the backyard and not disturb the sincere ones who are immersed and lost.

Similar to all the Indian sages and Western Philosophers, Osho traces the mechanics of the mischievous mind. He humorously points out, ” You are even capable of becoming company to your own self. Have you ever thought about it, that when you do not find anyone to talk to, you begin to talk to yourself? You also are playing both sides, twenty-four hours a day. Within you a continuous dialogue goes on. Ordinarily, when the other is not present there can be no talk, but you continue the dialogue with yourself. You become both the thief and the magistrate. A big drama is played within you: you act out all the roles, you what you have to say and then you also answer.”

To add to the fun, our good old friend Mulla Nasiruddin comes quite often in the narrative with all his stories of wit and wisdom that the serious spirituality becomes an enjoyable affair.

During each of the meditation practice, as is expected from a controversial guru, Rajneesh advises the followers to drop their clothes if they feel so. I would rather say, “Drop your thoughts”. The ‘Nirvan’ word in the Upanishad has to be understood for what it means. It is NOT what you think it is!