Comments on: The end of the Affair. Eastern Gurus and Western Intelligensia

By: Lokesh

Lokesh — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 22:40:14 +0000

That is a coincidence. I just skyped with a friend in Kodai this morning. I will recommend the fake master to him. Nice olace Kodai. Lived there for a few months in the eighties.

By: Vijay

Vijay — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 03:22:14 +0000

Here is a fake zen master. His name is Ama Samy, he’s a christian priest and he runs the Bodhizendo Centre in Kodaikanal, India. I spent 40 days there and he is the typical priest running his shows: big mouth, big words and nothing else. In Japan i have met a real zen master; he was just pure light. A beautiful human being.

By: honeysucklerose

honeysucklerose — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 20:45:25 +0000

newman- almost every time i go out into the real world i get new insights.. no need to listen to osho every morning, maybe once is enough if you’re awake.

By: frank

frank — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 18:39:46 +0000

yes,and try to tie one leg behind the other one in front of the first one and stare at the sun, you get dizzy.

By: Lokesh

Lokesh — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 13:47:30 +0000

I’ve never met a fake Zen master. Could you please recommend one.

By: Lokesh

Lokesh — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 13:45:34 +0000

A few years back a local band, Deep Dive Corporation, put out an album called Beware of False Gurus. I find that to be an awful title for an album, basically because its based on a misconception. You find the guru you deserve and you can learn something from a guru even if he is ‘false’. Many view Osho as a charlatan. Taking a stand has nothing to do with a guru’s authenticity. Taking a stand for what exactly? What dd Osho stake a stand for?
AN, if Osho is your guru please explain what unreal things he has removed from your life and what exactly he has left you with that is real. Could you honestly say that you are real, when in fact you are probably no more substantial than a passing cloud. ||What do you equate real with? Permanence?

By: Preetam

Preetam — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 13:24:48 +0000

Say the half truth with beautyful words, people will love it. Tell them, one leg before and the other one behind the sun, you get poisened.

By: satyadeva

satyadeva — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 13:15:17 +0000

Next question, Anand Newman:

What exactly do you mean by the prime values life affirmation, freedom, sexuality?

For a young (?) Indian, perhaps, these are seen as pre-requisites, entry points into a glorious new life, free from the stifling cant and restrictions of the repressive past. Whereas here in the West we seem to have a lot of such freedoms, more or less as cultural norms, yet there’s not a great deal of evidence of ‘spiritual progress’ (sorry for such a phrase!).

Perhaps there are various layers of “unreal” and “real”, according to where the individual is at in his/her ‘journey’ (apologies again!). And finding what’s ultimately “real” entails far more than (for example) dancing and having sex whenever one wishes?!

As always, I guess it all depends on the individual, where we’re at, what we can realistically aspire to. Some – maybe many? – may have quite enough to get on with sorting out (‘getting rid of the darkness’) the basic levels of “life affirmation, freedom, sexuality”, while others – maybe relatively few? – can move on…into finding the light to dissolve other levels of ‘darkness’…

I take it by “once you realize” you mean ‘spiritual realisation’, after which one can safely leave the guru behind? But you make it sound as if it’s all fairly straightforward, inevitable, whereas the evidence appears to indicate that’s far from the case. And apparently, there are many ‘realisations’ along the way…And once ‘realised’ one has to then live that ‘realisation’ – and be tested…Which brings us back to Parmartha’s recognition of inevitable crisis in each human life.

So perhaps, while ultimately apparently the case, it’s all not quite as easy as you seem to suggest by your talk of finding the light and relinquishing the guru?

By: Anand Newman

Anand Newman — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 12:41:23 +0000

Lokesh, In brief – Growing up in India, I have seen many of them. they are great orators and impress you with all kinds of Vedanta. But when it comes to existential things like life affirmation, freedom, sexuality ( basic human qualities), they don’t take any stand like Osho.

Now there are bunch of new age gurus, impressively talk about life affirmation, freedom, psychology and also Vedanta but its mostly rhetoric and not experiential.

Actually, you asked me an easy question. Had you asked me What is your definition of false disciple, it could have been bit difficult to answer I guess. I would say false gurus and false disciples go hand in hand.

Osho also wanted to be a false guru in a different sense. Once you realize what is the point in he being a guru? I heard guru literally means one who steals away the darkness from you. One who takes away the unreal and leaves you with the real.

By: Lokesh

Lokesh — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 09:46:07 +0000

AN, and what is your definition of a false guru?