Sometime in the Poona summer of 1979 Osho started what seemed an enormous project. In the end it was to fill 12 volumes of books – his commentary on the Dhammapada, a central text of Buddhist literature containing 432 sutras (sayings) of Gautam Siddharta. But the whole thing started in a way which many now forget, but which is worthy of remembrance.
The morning Osho was to begin this project – he fell ill. But for me and many others something really quite beautiful and unexpected happened. The commune met as usual, went through the rituals of “going to discourse including the sniffing!” as I recall and sat in meditation and silence, but also with some wonderful satsang music for ten days. Just sitting in front of Osho’s empty chair.
I found it very significant and moving. There was always anxiety when Osho was ill, but even that seemed tranquil in those still early mornings.
Subhuti always a guy for the main chance to dress his ego put in a sutra to Osho of his own as the ten days ended:
“Beloved Bhagwan
an empty chair
A silent hall
An introduction to Buddha,
How eloquent!
How rare! ”
Ohso commented on it later. He mentioned a Buddhist Temple in Japan where there is absolutely no way one could tell it was a Buddhist temple. Just totally empty. The ushers got used to telling visitors who asked where Buddha’s statue was - that is it, that empty magnificently silent zen space, that was the Buddha. (And just like Buddha I also feel that the statues that seem to now appear of Osho in some organisations are grotesque, they miss entirely the enormous significance of the empty chair).
As Osho sort of admonished Subhuti, when he reminded him that indeed the chair was empty, and the day you are able to see this chair empty (even when i am in it!) you will have seen me, but not before, I felt a maturity and natural self discipline in the commune which, rather than growing, seemed to diminish later.. Yes another mystery…
Parmartha
Parmartha,
Can you imagine, from 20th Januray 1990 till next five six years, Buddha hall evening meeting was graced by Osho´s empty chair?
As you have not been there even for a single day, therefore no idea about the life unfolded.
was that chair got lost or damaged in some earthquake, was there some thief who stole it with the idea to sell as antique at ebay?
No brother, it was some in-house Taliban(means student) chieftain, who made it disappear.
Here is one such photo of that era, when empty chair was there!
Shantam I wanted in this piece to try and recreate the feeling of June, 1979 when actually, not by design but virtually by accident, the sangha was just sitting there with the empty chair which at the time I found moving.
What people did with this after Osho died is not really very interesting to me. I would say that taking the chair away might have been a good thing. There always has to be change to keep people awake.
You say I wasn’t in Pune from 1990 to 1996. But I was certainly not unconnected. For a lot of that time I ran meditations, both dynamic and kundalini in London, and kept the flame of Osho alive there in my own way.
Parmartha, as you no doubt realise, trying to get your point through to Shri Shantypants is a waste of time. He is permanently running on an agenda that usually does not include responding to comments, even when answering a question that he asked. His main driving force would seem to be stubborn stupdity.
Having actually met Osho one-on-one you must know that the old boy would have set a numpty like Shantam straight in no time at all about his current state. Unfortnaely Shantam was never presented with an opportunity to gaze directly into the clear and sometimes dazzling reflection that Osho was a manifestation of. Instead he stood or sat at a distance, far enough away to indulge himself in all manner of imaginations and fantasies, whereby today he has now positioned himself in some kind of warped reality that he has managed to become comfortable with. It is from there he launchs his imaginary crusade to promote Osho’s legacy and fight for a regime change in Pune 3.
If nothing else Shantam provides us with a clearly defined picture of an individual who is a microcosm of what is meant by the sleeping humanity. What is shocking about it is that there are people just like Shantam who have under their command entire arsenals of nuclear weapons on this planet today.
It is inteesting to observe that the more asleep a person is the more adamant they are about being aware of what is going on, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.
“Parmartha, as you no doubt realise, trying to get your point through to Shri Shantypants is a waste of time. He is permanently running on an agenda that usually does not include responding to comments, even when answering a question that he asked.”
Absolutely right, Lokesh. If anyone writes something that’s clearly right on the spot, probably difficult to refute, Shantam invariably just chooses to ignore it, he won’t respond.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
Shantinism. You have to have it, to see it.
And yes Lokesh, it is scary when some of them have their fingers on nuclear buttons. But I also see you obsessed with Shant’s mentality as Shants is obsessed with the Pune3 behaviour…
Interesting Link Arps. Thanks.
no need that you hit anybody in this thread shantam prem
the chair was ever empty
and there have ever been these moments when we all have been part of this silent mystery
i took it for granted that he never wanted to install a dead religion with devotionalia and all that stuff and a market place to sell that
and that may be the reason that it disappeared
i don’t know the latter
and i don’t care the latter
no need to hit anybody
for a pain so understandable on the way of understanding
for you that may be “poetry” or other words of stink you as others found
for me it’s prose
and very challenging
and what did not disappear yet on the way
is the echo of a silence where we altogether meet
if we know it
or not
madhu
” The morning Osho was to begin this project – he fell ill. But for me and many others something really quite beautiful and unexpected happened. The commune met as usual, went through the rituals of “going to discourse including the sniffing!” as I recall and sat in meditation and silence, but also with some wonderful satsang music for ten days. Just sitting in front of Osho’s empty chair.”
could this be an existential brilliance ?
nonetheless , now after reading this , makes me want to listen to the Dhammapada afresh .
Parmartha says, I found it very significant and moving. There was always anxiety when Osho was ill, but even that seemed tranquil in those still early mornings.
Having been there during those days I can relate to that 100%. Life goes on and times change. Today I find it absurd to worship an empty chair. It is just one more abstraction in the never-ending competition to come up with the greatest abstraction and thus declare one’s religion to be the highest, because it has achieved the greatest level of abstraction. I’d rather sit with my grandson and worship the miracle of life. Each to his own and whatever floats your boat. I’m all for freedom of religious expression, as long as that expression harms no other. Some people dig sitting by an empty chair and that is cool by me, but try and sit in that chair yourself and all hell will break loose.
I got goosepimples reading the passage… the first time the commune saw the empty chair…
Lokesh says, “Today I find it absurd to worship an empty chair.”
I never saw it as worship. Is it just me that can also see events from a “third person” perspective? I thought it looked magical, deep, and insightful. Later on, I could also see the insight of removing the chair completely. Plus as Osho said, seeing the empty chair with him still in it.
Can you imagine Osho sitting in the chair, discoursing, with no audience?
Lokesh writes with his usual line.
Anyway, we all follow our usual line.
People with limited line gather big following.
Who will not be happy to know, home is here and now!
It is another fact, hardly zero point something heal themselves only through ginger tea!
Shantam, behave! Your metaphors have gone stratospheric. You are forbidden to use metaphors for 3 months. Speak straight and from your experience.
It’s interesting an empty chair is to be valued, yet an empty Ashram is considered a sign of failure.
A truly empty ashram (essentially a ghost town) would be terrific.
But unfortunately unless you somehow had it guarded, it would soon be invaded by the locals.
People love symbols. They live by symbols. An empty char was a great symbol for the empty mind. A few weeks ago I made a joke to Madhu about an empty Rolls Royce trundling along…
“I made a joke to Madhu…”
I bet you will never try that again.
Parmartha, If you did not understand subuthi then, I do not understand subuthi today. I think his diary is some bizarre attempt (poor advertising) to get ”old sanyasins” to pune now that nobody else is coming. For me it (the article) brings really unclear (or fake) and undermining feeling.
Varti, I do not need your sympathy, I am not exactly ”a poor woman”. I was tired of female, side ways attacking. That was also the reason I wrote to madhu, ”you are ok”, so that she could relax being more direct, drop all these false roles and to be frank and share anything authentic from herself. …We still have not seen it.
As for you know Lokesh as so well. Also, you cannot really write about awareness or consciousness directly, it’s all hypocritical, only way to tell is what it is not, or to see what is obstructing it.
I was never interested in that ”empty chair” project; some Jesus–looking Germans carrying the chair, it did not touch me anywhere, but looked a bit ridiculous. Even as a metaphor a bit pathetic. But because people seem to have been so attached to osho’s physical presence to get their ”energetic phenomena”, it might have been kind of a stepping stone to ”osho not in the body – me still meditating” way.
Never ending chattering mind is a computer. However, open source work on it has made miracles so far to find ways to shut it down, even for few seconds. And SN is clearly on that job. And amazing thing that it is not about physical body – not always.
If they (OIF or anybody else) demanded money and/or osho’s name in the end of those movies, would they ever happen? No. When people see these movies (or something similar) – and since we really are all connected in mysterious ways – they eventually jump on osho or some sannyasin on the street or somewhere, or just make their lives more meditative..and humanity is evolving. So, why be miserly? But that is only one small detail.
I find it so pitiful that people showing themselves as some kind of warriors for freedom of Snowden or Pussy Riot (these Russian publicity-seeking women) against Putin or big companies, are in sannyas circles giving all this hypocritical graph of dynamic meditation or staying out of politics. That makes me really laugh a lot. And what is the English word for combined feeling of shame and compassion?
I am sorry Fresch i cannot really understand your post. Maybe the moderator can help.
With Subhuti yes I freely admit I am sceptical of him and his “eye for the main chance” which has always been there, and not really very good advert for someone who seems to claim that he is working on himself.
I am not sure whether you were there in June, 1979? The empty chair did not seem contrived to me at that time. I had the feeling it was almost an accident, and Laxmi just let it carry on for the length of Osho’s illness. I dont think it was supposed to be set in stone for future generations!
At the time I considered the act to be spontaneous. And I still do.
Fresch, the idea that humanity is evolving is a myth. A few individuals may achieve some form of evolotion through hard work and determination but as for the mass of humanity they are mostly monkeys wearing clothes, driving cars, going to the movies etc. This planet is a people farm and ruled by cosmological laws that create biological life for ulterior motives that are beyond the comprehension of the average human, which means just about everyone. We simply are not born equipped for such understanding, which is exactly how it is meant to be.
Fresch says:
>> Varti, I do not need your sympathy, I am not exactly ”a poor woman”. I was tired of female, side ways attacking.
I apologise for my unconsciousness.
Parmartha, it was a different thing then and you have your memores. What I write is how I understand Subhuti now (or read the article, not more than that).
Times are changing. And people view history and this moment differently. I, of course, take responsibility for my own – this moment interpretations.
Osho, more complex, cannot so far more than before.
MOD: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, PLEASE, FRESCH?
Lokesh, that is just such cynical view, I will never accept. Why, because of own experience. The first contact I had with osho was reading “the God that failed” a year before ending up in Pune, in Thailand partying at 22 years..I read the book, did not find him, but accidentally met sanyasins in goa nest year..that’s how it goes.
Open source…
Parmartha, I cannot say anything about Osho’s projects to you when he was there.
thank you arpana
for posting about the the dunning-krueger effect
and who are you ?
madhu
Awakened Parmartha has finally given his decision. If nothing else, Shantam provides us with a clearly defined picture of an individual who is a microcosm of what is meant by the sleeping humanity.
Thanks God, thanks heaven, there are not so many awakened ones among the sleeping humanity.
Parmartha, you will be institutionalised, if you go out with your fucking judgement about the sleeping humanity.
What psychological or esoteric proof you have to claim others as sleepy.
Man, breathe the air around you. It will help you to come out from the stolen vocabulary.
When Osho says about sleeping humanity, there is some charm. As disciples, we make parody of such expressions!
I am sincerely asking, who has given the right to judge others as part of sleeping humanity?
Don´t you see, this egocentric behaviour has proven a cancer like curse to Sannyas movement?
I repeat, ‘It is interesting to observe that the more asleep a person is the more adamant they are about being aware of what is going on, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.’
It looks like Beloved Subhooti, (a veritable ‘empty chair’ himself ie of no substance), is the flavor of the month. ‘Chickens coming home to roost!’
Parmartha , thank you for this thread and in particular for sharing the gem of the stereotypical sycophant giving a full adulatory, bona-fide, ass-lick in public view. I can’t say I am surprised….it’s in his nature! As it is in Devageet’s, too, and what was her name?….oh yes Maneesha, wasn’t it? And lest we forget, didn’t Satyadeva a few months ago when admonishing Doctor Babbel Puncher, proudly announce he had sent several letters to Osho, for which he had received replies. Teacher’s pet? I would love to see at least one of the letters published here along with the relevant reply. Open yourself up to scrutiny and examination SD. Prove me wrong!
A very street-wise, ex-second hand car salesman, I know, (he is a sannyasin!), always greets flattery and adulation with the response “What are you after, mate?”
Ashok, back then we were encouraged to write to ‘Bhagwan’ if we felt to, and many people I know did that and received replies. The replies were written by office staff, sometimes including Laxmi, although there was usually (but not always) a hint that they were relaying the ‘Boss’s comments.
In an extremely difficult period of crisis where I hit practically rock bottom in all key areas of my life I wrote several times around 75-77, asking for guidance on various matters, including work/career training, long-term therapy group ‘intensives’ and acutely troubling personal concerns.
The responses were brief, encouraging and practical, nothing ‘special’, but receiving them in itself helped to lighten the burden a bit.
There’s really nothing else to add, except that you’re way off-beam in your attempt to ‘score points’ at my expense, it’s simply laughable from my perspective.
Hi SD,
Many thanks for your prompt reply and clarification. On the grounds of the extenuating circumstances you have outlined, my conscience feels compelled to remove you from the provisional OSPP (Osho Sannyasin Posterior Parasite), list I have been avidly com-piling for several months now.
In addition, many thanks for the info re. the way in which the letters addressed to Osho, were handled. ‘Tis always very interesting to somebody like me who was not around at the time, to receive a first-hand account of the way in which some things were done in those days. I am slightly disappointed however, that the full extent of your previous claim re. having received personal replies from the Master, has not proven to be completely accurate. I will on this occasion nevertheless forgive you your exaggeration, believing that you may have fallen prey to a spell of youthful exuberance in your dealings with B. Eckhampton! Not a major sin in my book. And moreover, and to your credit,at least you have had the courage to be more honest when queried directly.
Please believe me when I say that I was not looking to score points over you, but was in fact genuinely interested as to what the content of the letters to Osho, might be about. I hope that you on this occasion will feel able to forgive me the provocative (tongue-in-cheek), writing style I sometimes employ?
Rgds,
Ashok
Thanks, Lokesh, for describing in a small paragraph your mental state.
It is worth quoting: ‘It is interesting to observe that the more asleep a person is the more adamant they are about being aware of what is going on, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.’
MOD: ONE LINE HAS BEEN DELETED.
Shri Shantam, your guru, Osho, talked much about awakening people. Now then, he would not need to do that if people were awake. For such a torch carrier for Osho’s legacy one would expect that you would know that, but it seems that you do not. If you are awake why are you in need of a guru? Or did Osho invite you round the back door for a cuppa in order to share the presence of another awakened one? Somehow I simply cannot imagine that. Strange. I wonder why.
>> I felt a maturity and natural self discipline in the commune which, rather than growing, seemed to diminish later.. Yes another mystery…
There are stages and each stage has its own parameters and rules. What appears chaotic is only because in the chaos we cannot see the hidden harmony which will unfold from it. Sometimes, like in the event of the empty chair, we see a manifestation of that hidden harmony (in the commune at the time), and it is magical.
As for myself, I expect more from the Osho ummah before I die.