Is the self-image one prefers influenced by external factors or does it change independently?

Question: BELOVED OSHO, ONCE A MONK MADE A PORTRAIT OF JOSHU AND GAVE IT TO HIM. JOSHU SAID TO THE MONK, "TELL ME, DOES THIS LOOK LIKE ME OR NOT? IF IT LOOKS LIKE ME, I WILL BEAT ME TO DEATH; IF IT DOESN'T, I WILL BURN YOU TO DEATH!" THE MONK HAD NOTHING TO SAY. ONE OF KINZAN'S MONKS PAINTED A PORTRAIT OF HIM AND PRESENTED IT TO HIM. KINZAN SAID TO THE MONK, "IS IT LIKE ME OR NOT?" THE MONK MADE NO ANSWER. KINZAN, ANSWERING HIMSELF, SAID, "LET THE ASSEMBLY DECIDE!" FUKE WAS THE CHIEF DISCIPLE OF BANZAN, AND WAS THE MOST ECCENTRIC OF ALL THE ZEN MONKS. WHEN BANZAN WAS ABOUT TO DIE, HE ASKED HIS MONKS TO BRING HIM HIS PORTRAIT, BUT HE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH ANY OF THEM.

Osho, using the example of the onion you said that each person has many faces, masks—stolen masks. And these masks will be there, under all circumstances they will be there. One only needs to distinguish between good masks and bad masks. I hate someone, but when he comes to me I welcome him with a smile. This is an artificial face I present before him. Yet at the same time my mind is filled with immense pain, with sorrow, and still I smile. So this face, this mask, would be my good mask. A mask there will certainly be.

By “mask” I mean: the false faces we impose upon ourselves—do not impose them. That does not mean faces will not change in life. Your face will change every day, but it should be your own face. When darkness spreads, tears will come to the eyes; tomorrow a friend may die—tears will come. And tomorrow a long-lost companion may return—then the heart will throb with joy and songs will arise. Your face will change moment to moment; it should. One should be responsive. But the face must be your face. I am not saying keep one face fixed. That would be a stone face; life cannot move like that. Then you would need a single face of stone. I have heard that an American multimillionaire was approached by a man asking for a small donation. The millionaire said, “I have a rule: one of my eyes is artificial—made of stone—and…

Whether you have meditated or not—no one can see. Whether you have bathed or not—everybody can see. Whether you have refined the inner beauty or not—where will you find eyes to see this! But that you have bathed, you step out fragrant, you wear fresh clothes—even the blind can understand. Slowly you forget that there is also a form of yours that you alone will know. And there is a form of yours that appears from the outside. If you remain occupied only in adorning the outer form—then even if you gratify the eyes of others, you will be deprived of the search for your own life. You will go on persuading others that you are beautiful—and you will not become beautiful. For this is not a matter of persuading anyone. If you are beautiful, you are beautiful—there is nothing to convince anyone about.

Beloved Osho, each time I see you, I am shocked by your beauty. You've got to be the most gorgeous being that has ever happened! Osho, in what way do you experience your own beauty?

So he made the portrait. It took many sittings and the woman became more and more puzzled as she saw the portrait coming up. When the portrait was complete she said, "Only one question, I want to know where my nose is. Everything is okay, but at least I should know where my nose is. From there I can figure out the eyes, the mouth, my ears -- that can be the center for finding myself." Picasso said, "I told you in the very beginning...! Now it is a trouble to find the nose -- who knows where your nose is! I have painted it, that is true, but in so many sittings I can't remember exactly where I have put it. You take it home and contemplate; perhaps you may find it. It is there, that much is certain. It is there, this much I can guarantee because I…

Beloved Osho, I am deeply grateful to existence that I can be here beside you and that you are available for me. I believe you are my only authentic mirror. All the other mirrors around me seem to reflect my masks and the roles I'm playing. How can I become more sensitive towards myself? How can I say "yes" to what I am, and "no" to what I am not?

How do you know which is the mask and which is the original face? Are you certain? How can you be certain -- because a belief can never be certain -- that what you feel near me is your original face? Perhaps my presence and my people's presence and the silence that surrounds this strange temple -- godless, but so full of godliness; prayerless, but so full of prayerfulness ... You start feeling these things, they infiltrate into your being and you feel happy, thinking, "Perhaps this is my reality, this is my original face. Everybody else reflects only my mask." But if you are really experiencing it, why do you go on keeping your masks? Throw them away! Then no mirror will be able to reflect that which is not! If you see that this is a mask, immediately destroy it! Not the mirror, mind you! Destroy the mask!…