According to Osho, the communes remain valid proof of his teachings precisely because they evolve. Only the real changes; the plastic stays fixed. Current shifts expand the commune—wider, more open, welcoming not only sannyasins but anyone in rapport. His aim isn’t a separate society but a world commune, so ongoing changes are signs of authenticity and inclusive growth.
Yes—the commune is alive, so it changes to include everyone, not just official members.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
In an interview you gave last year you said that your communes are the proof of your teachings. Is this still valid or have you got anything new to say, in spite of the fact that the commune in oregon closed down and many changes are happening in the european communes?
It is still valid -- but that does not mean that no changes will be happening. In fact, changes happen only when something is valid. Unreal things don't change; only real things change. A plastic flower remains always the same, but a real rose changes. Whatever I have said about the commune is true, still true. And the changes that are happening are making the commune wider, bigger, more open. My effort now is that the commune should not be open only to the sannyasins. It should be open to anybody who has a rapport with me -- he may not be a sannyasin; who has a feeling for me -- he may not be a sannyasin. My effort is not to create an alternate society; my effort is to change the whole of society into a vast world commune. So many more changes will be happening, many more doors…
Osho, our commune is not like any of the traditional ashrams or monasteries. Would you talk to us more about the function of your commune?
IT is necessary first to understand the traditional structure of an ashrama, and also of a monastery. It will give you the background to understand the meaning of my commune. The ashrama is an Eastern concept based on renouncing society, its comforts, conveniences. An ashrama is a group of people living together in austerity, self-imposed poverty, starvation in the name of fasting; torturing the body in order to have control over the physical by the spiritual; doing all kinds of exercises so that they become able to concentrate on the idea of God if they are Hindus, or on the idea of the ultimate growth of human consciousness if they are Buddhists and Jainas. But the goal is far away for all the three -- you can call it God, you can call it the Buddha, you can call it the Jina. They are different words signifying nothing, but pointing…
Beloved Osho, rajneeshpuram was a rare experiment in the history of human consciousness where for the first time seekers of truth from the whole world gathered around a master. It was an international commune for the most intense and the fastest growth of human consciousness. The rajneeshpuram commune could not survive because of orthodox religions and international politics. Is there any hope of such a rare experiment happening again around you? Or is there any alternative experiment possible on an individual scale in the present situation? Or is it destined that such a rare opportunity for h
The commune in America was only a beginning; a beginning of many communes around the world. They will go on spreading -- because it is not only a question of orthodox religions and dirty politics, it is also a question of the future of humanity. And the future is always more important than the past. The past is heavy and long. The future is light, unknown. But the past is dead, and life belongs to the future -- and death cannot win over life. One commune can be destroyed. Thousands of other communes will arise. Of course my way of functioning will be different because the experiment in Rajneeshpuram needed me to be there, it was the first commune.... Every step had to be taken carefully. And within five years, so much was done that is not possible to do even in fifty years. But now the basic rules are…
[NOTE: This is a typed tape transcript and has not been edited or published, as of August 1992. It is for reference use only.] INTERVIEW BY THE RAJNEESH TIMES, GERMANY Q: IN THE GACHCHHAMIS WE ARE STILL SAYING, `SANGHAM SHARANAM GACHCHHAMI.' DOES THE SANGHA STILL EXIST? WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU USE THE WORD COMMUNE? A: Yes, it still exists; and exists on a more subtle level. Wherever there are sannyasins meditating, loving (inaudible) with me, celebrating moment to moment whatever life brings, they are creating the energy which makes the commune. Now the commune is all over the world. It is not destroyed by the American politicians in(*) Rajneeshpuram. They are befooling themselves if they think it is destroyed. It is simply diffused, more in the atmosphere, the biosphere that surrounds the earth. Now there is only one commune.
Question: BELOVED OSHO, THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR VISION OF A MODERN COMMUNE, AND YOUR OFFER TO GORBACHEV TO ESTABLISH A MODEL COMMUNE IN RUSSIA, I WAS DEEPLY TOUCHED. AFTER YOUR COMMUNE DISSOLVED ONE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I WENT BACK INTO THE WORLD AND GOT QUITE A BITTER TASTE OF LIFE IN WESTERN SOCIETY: POWER, MONEY, FRUSTRATION, COMPENSATION. YOUR VISION OF A COMMUNE SEEMS TO BE THE ANSWER FOR MANKIND -- TO FIND A FULFILLING WAY TO LIVE; YOUR VIEW IS SO VAST, SO CLEAR. BUT LOOKING AT MY OWN REALITY, I STILL DISCOVER POSSESSIVENESS, NARROW-MINDEDNESS, UNLOVINGNESS, GREED, LACK OF HUMBLENESS, DESIRES, JEALOUSY. I FELT ASHAMED LISTENING TO YOUR WORDS BECAUSE THE GAP BETWEEN YOUR VISION AND MY REALITY IS SO HUGE. BELOVED MASTER, SOMETIMES I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TOO POSITIVE A PICTURE OF US. OR ARE YOU SIMPLY SUPPORTING THE GOOD SEED?