Biography of Osho

Osho (1931–1990), born Chandra Mohan Jain and known earlier as Acharya Rajneesh and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosophy professor. He spoke on meditation, love, freedom and awareness, and drew followers from India and the West. His life was also full of controversies. This Osho biography covers his birth, education, teaching, ashrams, ideas, controversies, death, books, timeline and facts, with practice questions and FAQs.

Osho Biography at a Glance (Quick Facts)

Who Was Osho?

Osho was an Indian mystic, speaker and teacher of meditation. He questioned traditional religion, rituals and social customs, and urged people to live with awareness and joy. His ideas attracted lakhs of followers called sannyasins, as well as strong criticism.

Osho Early Life and Family

Birth and Childhood

Osho was born on 11 December 1931 in Kuchwada, a village in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. He was the eldest of eleven children of a Jain cloth merchant family. As a child he was sent to live with his maternal grandparents in the village, where he grew up with much freedom. He was a questioning and rebellious child, who loved to swim in the river and to argue.

Osho Education and Teaching Career

Osho studied philosophy at D. N. Jain College in Jabalpur and took his B.A. in 1955. He then completed his M.A. in Philosophy at the University of Saugar in 1957 with distinction. He taught at the Sanskrit College in Raipur and then as a professor of philosophy at the University of Jabalpur from 1958 to 1966. He is said to have attained enlightenment on 21 March 1953, at the age of 21, under a maulshree tree in Jabalpur.

Public Teacher: Acharya Rajneesh

In the 1960s he left teaching and travelled around India, giving talks to large audiences and holding meditation camps. He was a strong speaker who criticised religious orthodoxy and spoke about sex, love, marriage and freedom, which made him both popular and controversial. In 1970 he settled in Mumbai and began to give “neo-sannyas” initiation to followers, who wore orange or maroon clothes.

Pune Ashram (1974)

In 1974 Osho moved to Pune, where a large ashram was set up at Koregaon Park. It attracted thousands of Western seekers, and was known for its meditation, therapy groups and daily discourses. He called himself Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during this period.

Dynamic Meditation and Teachings

• Dynamic Meditation: a one-hour active meditation with fast breathing, catharsis, jumping with a shout, silence and dance.
• Witnessing: to watch thoughts, feelings and actions without judging.
• Zorba the Buddha: the ideal human being enjoys the world like Zorba the Greek and is calm as Buddha.
• Love and awareness are more important than rituals and religion.
• He spoke on the teachings of Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Krishna, Jesus, Lao Tzu and many others.

Oregon and Rajneeshpuram (1981–1985)

In 1981 Osho moved to the United States and followers built a commune named Rajneeshpuram in Oregon. It grew fast, but conflicts with local residents and authorities followed. In 1984, some members of his group carried out a salad-bar food poisoning attack in The Dalles, Oregon, that made hundreds of people sick, and other criminal acts. Osho was arrested in October 1985 while trying to leave the USA, entered a plea related to immigration fraud, and was deported in November 1985.

Return to Pune and the Name Osho

After being refused entry by many countries, Osho returned to Pune in 1987. In 1989 he took the name Osho, saying it comes from the word oceanic. After his death the Pune centre became the Osho International Meditation Resort.

Osho’s Books

Most of Osho’s books were compiled from his recorded talks, and he is said to have delivered thousands of talks in Hindi and English. Famous titles include:

• Sambhog Se Samadhi Ki Or (From Sex to Superconsciousness).
• The Book of Secrets.
• Courage, Intimacy and Creativity.
• Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic.

Controversies

Osho was controversial for his views on sex and religion, his large collection of luxury cars and the actions of his followers in Oregon. Supporters see him as a bold thinker who encouraged freedom, while critics see him as a cult leader. His life is also a subject of documentaries such as Wild Wild Country (2018).

How Did Osho Die? (Death Reason)

Osho died on 19 January 1990 at the Pune ashram at the age of 58. The official reason given was a heart attack (heart failure). Some followers and others have questioned the details, but there has been no proof of any other reason. His ashes were placed in the Chuang Tzu Auditorium of the ashram, and the inscription says that he “never born, never died” and only visited this planet.

Interesting Facts About Osho

• He owned about 90 Rolls-Royce cars at the Oregon commune.
• He gave up teaching to become a spiritual teacher in the mid-1960s.
• The Pune centre is among the most visited meditation centres of India.
• His discourses were recorded and published in more than 600 titles.

Osho Timeline (Year-Wise History)

Osho Biography: Important Points for SSC and Other Exams

• Osho was born as Chandra Mohan Jain on 11 December 1931 in Kuchwada, Madhya Pradesh.
• He studied philosophy and taught at Jabalpur University.
• He was known as Acharya Rajneesh and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh before taking the name Osho in 1989.
• He started the Pune ashram in 1974.
• He created the Dynamic Meditation technique.
• He lived in Oregon, USA, from 1981 to 1985 and was deported.
• He died on 19 January 1990 in Pune.

Practice Questions (with Answers)

Key Takeaways

• Osho was born as Chandra Mohan Jain on 11 December 1931 in Kuchwada, Madhya Pradesh.
• He studied philosophy and taught at Jabalpur University.
• He was known as Acharya Rajneesh and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh before taking the name Osho in 1989.
• He started the Pune ashram in 1974.
• He created the Dynamic Meditation technique.

Osho Biography: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Who was Osho?

Osho was an Indian spiritual teacher and former philosophy professor, who spoke on meditation and awareness.

Q2. When and where was Osho born?

He was born on 11 December 1931 in Kuchwada village, in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh.

Q3. What was Osho’s real name?

His birth name was Chandra Mohan Jain.

Q4. What did Osho study?

He studied philosophy and took an M.A. from the University of Saugar.

Q5. What is Dynamic Meditation?

It is an active meditation developed by Osho in which one breathes fast, releases emotions, jumps, remains silent and dances.

Q6. Where is the Osho ashram?

The Osho International Meditation Resort is in Koregaon Park, Pune.

Q7. Why did Osho go to the USA?

In 1981 he moved to the USA, where his followers built the Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon.

Q8. Why was Osho deported from the USA?

He was arrested in 1985, entered a plea for immigration violations, and was deported from the USA.

Q9. What does the name Osho mean?

He said that it comes from the word oceanic, a feeling of merging with the ocean.

Q10. When did Osho die?

He died on 19 January 1990 in Pune.

Q11. Which books are by Osho?

Most of his books are collections of his talks, such as Sambhog Se Samadhi Ki Or and The Book of Secrets.

Q12. Why is Osho controversial?

He was controversial for his views on religion and sex and for the events at the Oregon commune.