According to Osho, people do learn by imitating—but that only yields information and outer efficiency, not intelligence or wisdom. Imitation is useful for language and science, yet in the inner realm it’s a barrier that makes you a carbon copy. Spiritual growth demands dropping imitation, trusting awareness, and discovering your unique, original face; nobody becomes a Buddha or Jesus by copying them.
Copy others to learn skills, but to be truly wise you must stop copying and find your own way inside.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Cannot people learn by imitating others?
A man purchased a Picasso painting. It was very costly, one million dollars, but he knew perfectly well that it is authentic -- he knew it because he was an eye witness when Picasso was doing it. When he had purchased he was so happy -- he was a friend to Picasso -- he went to show him the painting and to tell him that, "I have purchased your painting. Of course it has cost me a fortune, but I am immensely happy that I have got one of your original paintings with me." Picasso looked at the painting and said, "This is not original -- this is a copy." The man was shocked. Then he has been robbed of one million dollars! He said, "But what are you saying? -- because I have seen with my own eyes! I was staying with you in those days when you were…
What is wrong, in imitating the great ideals taught down the centuries?
It is not a question of great ideals or petty ideals, it is a question of imitating. What you imitate is immaterial; the important thing is that you imitate. If you imitate you become a carbon copy. If you imitate you have betrayed your authentic being. If you imitate you are no more your being, you are no more your soul, you are no more yourself. You have committed suicide -- and this suicide is far more suicidal than when you destroy your physical body. This is destroying your very psychology. Imitation means you will not live according to your own spontaneity, you will live according to somebody else as your image; you will follow somebody else's character, behavior, way of life. You will have to impose. What will you do if you want to follow Christ; if you want to imitate Christ, what will you do? You will act…
The prince of wu took a boat to monkey mountain. As soon as the monkeys saw him they all fled in panic and hid in the treetops.
ONE MONKEY, HOWEVER, REMAINED, COMPLETELY UNCONCERNED, SWINGING FROM BRANCH TO BRANCH -- AN EXTRAORDINARY DISPLAY. THE PRINCE SHOT AN ARROW AT THE MONKEY, BUT THE MONKEY DEXTEROUSLY CAUGHT THE ARROW IN MID-FLIGHT. AT THIS THE PRINCE ORDERED HIS ATTENDANTS TO MAKE A CONCERTED ATTACK. IN AN INSTANT THE MONKEY WAS SHOT FULL OF ARROWS AND FELL DEAD. THEN THE PRINCE TURNED,TO HIS COMPANION YEN PU'I: 'YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED? THIS ANIMAL ADVERTISED HIS CLEVERNESS. HE TRUSTED IN HIS OWN SKILL. HE THOUGHT NO ONE COULD TOUCH HIM. REMEMBER THAT! DO NOT RELY ON DISTINCTION AND TALENT WHEN YOU DEAL WITH MEN!' WHEN THEY RETURNED HOME, YEN PU'I BECAME A DISCIPLE OF A SAGE TO GET RID OF EVERYTHING THAT MADE HIM OUTSTANDING. HE RENOUNCED EVERY PLEASURE. HE LEARNED TO HIDE EVERY DISTINCTION. SOON NO ONE IN THE KINGDOM KNEW WHAT TO MAKE OF HIM. THUS THEY HELD HIM IN AWE.…
Osho, you have said that stealing faces, trying to become like another, becoming a disciple and a follower is subtle theft. Then is taking inspiration from others, learning practices, going to the experienced and awakened—are all these also thefts? If these are thefts, then what would right education look like? Please explain.
Go to those who know, but do not take what they know on faith! Investigate it. Do not turn what they know into belief; turn it into inquiry. Do not clench your fists around it blindly; open your eyes to it, probe it. Inspiration does not mean accepting the other. Inspiration means accepting the other’s challenge. If you go to Mahavira, inspiration does not mean you set about becoming like Mahavira. Going to Mahavira, the meaning of inspiration is: if this light could blossom within Mahavira, why can it not blossom within me? That is the challenge! In English there is the word “inspiration.” It is a very precious word. One must pay attention to the “in” in inspiration. But we always take inspiration from the other; then the word is quite wrong. Inspiration means inner-spiration. The other can serve as a catalyst, but not as a foundation. The other…
Osho, you say, "do not imitate christ, buddha or you," but cannot one learn by imitation? Cannot one learn by following? Cannot one become one's true self by the light of christ, buddha or you?
TO IMITATE IS TO GO AGAINST YOURSELF. To imitate simply means you are denying yourself and you are imposing somebody else upon you. Love Christ if you can find him, but don't imitate him. Understand the Buddha if by chance you meet him, but don't follow him. You are here with me: BE with me in deep love, in deep trust; allow me to have a communion with your heart -- let our hearts meet, merge, mingle with each other. But please don't imitate me, don't follow me. You have to go on your own. You have to be a light unto yourself. You have to BE YOURSELF! If you imitate Christ you will be a Christian but never a Christ -- and to be a Christian is ugly, and to be a Christ is one of the most beautiful happenings. The most precious happening in the world is to…