Origins & Early Life

Osho (pronounced [ˈoːʃoː] ; born Chandra Mohan Jain; 11 December 1931 – 19 January 1990), also known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Acharya Rajneesh, and simply Rajneesh, was an Indian godman, and founder of the new religious movement, the Rajneesh movement. He rejected institutional religions, insisting that spiritual experience could not be organized into any one system of religious dogma. As a guru, he advocated meditation and taught a unique form called dynamic meditation. Rejecting traditional ascetic practices, he encouraged his followers to embrace life fully while remaining unattached to worldly desires.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Osho said he experienced a spiritual awakening in 1953 at the age of 21. Following several years in academia, in 1966 Osho resigned his post at the University of Jabalpur as a lecturer in philosophy, and began traveling throughout India, becoming known for his criticism of the orthodoxy of mainstream religions, as well as of mainstream political ideologies and of Mahatma Gandhi. In 1970, Osho spent time in Mumbai initiating followers referred to as "neo-sannyasins". During this period, he expanded his spiritual teachings and commented extensively in discourses on the writings of...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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