According to Osho, true masters are never opposed to one another; they echo the same essence through different voices. His criticism targets only the pseudo—pretenders exploiting seekers’ desperation—not authentic gurus like Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tzu, etc., whom he reveres. Every real master challenges falsity, as Jesus opposed rabbis and Buddha opposed brahmins—not to fight peers, but to protect the integrity of awakening.
Real teachers are on the same team; they only call out fakes so people don’t get misled.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Beloved Osho, I don't understand why enlightened masters are critical of each other. Are they not all working towards the higher good? Are they not different flavors of the same truth?
"My wife, Bridget," Sean confided to Paddy, "is an angel." "You are lucky," said Paddy, "my wife Maureen is still alive." Hymie Goldberg was having his first session with the psychoanalyst. "Do you cheat on your wife?" asked the shrink. "My God," said Hymie, "who else could I cheat on?" A Californian psychiatrist was driving along in his car, when he saw a man lying on the sidewalk. He stopped his car and got out. It turned out the man had been mugged and left for dead. "Quick," said the shrink, "tell me who did this to you; he needs help immediately!" An Indian businessman who had made millions after a childhood of poverty was on his deathbed giving advice to his son. "Listen, son," he said, "I owe my success to two principles -- honesty and wisdom. Honesty is if you promise to deliver some goods, no matter what…
Osho, why does there seem to be so much conflict between the world and God?
It is as if someone were sleeping deeply in this garden. The cuckoo comes and sings, birds are chattering, the sun rises, breezes dance through the trees; but someone is fast asleep. The breezes touch him, the birds’ songs echo at his ears, the sun’s rays play on his face, but he knows nothing. Then someone comes and shakes him awake. His eyes open—the glory of the sun is revealed, the song of the passing breeze is heard, suddenly the cuckoo’s call, the fragrance of flowers. Do you think something new has happened? Everything was already there, just as it is. Only this man has become new—nothing else has changed. The same garden, the same sun, the same flowers, the same birds—everything the same; only a small difference: he was asleep; he is awake. The meaning of “world” is: you are asleep in God. The meaning of “God” is: you…
Osho, you can read in the bible that jesus warned about other masters coming in the future. Do you think his warnings were also including you? Your message is very different from important parts of the teachings of jesus. How is it possible that enlightened masters can say so many contrary things?
ONE THING of great import has to be understood first. Jesus became enlightened only at the last moment on the cross. Hence his statements that he has made before that experience are not of an enlightened person -- close, very close, approximate, but as far as truth is concerned there is nothing like approximate truth. This thing has not been told to Christians at all, that Jesus became enlightened at the very last moment. On the cross he became enlightened, on the cross he became a Christ. To me the cross is important not for the same reasons as it is for Christians. To them the cross is important because Jesus was crucified, and the cross has become the symbol of crucifixion. To me that is absolutely wrong -- that is a kind of life-negation, that is worshipping death, that is making too much fuss about crucifixion. I call Christianity…
Osho, true masters are different, and a follower of one master cannot accept another. But we find ourselves bowing to Buddha, Mahavira, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Krishna—everyone. Perhaps it is because you yourself have oriented us toward them. Even on seeing the living master Krishnamurti, our hearts overflowed with joy, our feet began to dance. Why? And we cannot understand why Krishnamurti’s lovers cannot accept you?
True masters are certainly different. Broadly, three kinds can be seen. First is the kind of master like Krishnamurti; Mahavira and Buddha belong to the same line. Such a master has one central message: become utterly free, do not depend on anyone. Your liberation lies in your freedom. Liberation is not a final event waiting at the end; you must learn freedom from the very first step—only then will it flower at the last. Krishnamurti’s famous book is The First and the Last Freedom: the first freedom is the last freedom; the very first step of freedom is already the last step. So: do not go into anyone’s refuge, do not surrender anywhere, do not bind yourself to any ideology; avoid belief. Mahavira called this the state of ashraya-shunyata—no refuge. Take no shelter. Buddha’s last message at the time of his death—Ananda asked for a final word to treasure forever—was:…
Osho, why are there so many confusions in philosophy?
There is no confusion in darshan; in shastra there will be confusion. Shastra itself means confusion. Shastra means: doctrines, arguments, words. Darshan is simple and direct. Darshan means vision—the capacity to see—the eye. When the eye is empty, void of ego, free of thought, when the mind does not interfere, what happens then is darshan. To see what is, just as it is—that is darshan. Remember the difference between darshan and darshan-shastra. Darshan-shastra is not darshan; darshan-shastra is speculation, intellectual tussle. Darshan is vision, experience. In philosophy there will be entanglement. In philosophy a single question will carry a thousand questions, and from each answer a thousand more will arise. And in philosophy no question ever gets resolved. In five thousand years of history, philosophers have not solved a single question. For five thousand years they have asked many questions, but not given a single answer. They cannot. A philosopher…