What happens when we are on the defensive with the media?

Osho, seeing the wide publicity of your views along with your photographs in newspapers and magazines, people have formed the impression that you are eager for advertising and fame—something not in harmony with India’s saintly tradition. Our sages and saints lived simple lives in solitude, far from crowds and display. Osho, we request you to speak on this.

But in this country we suffer from the idiocy of forcing everything into a mold and then insisting everyone fit that mold. How am I to fit? Mahavira was nude. A Jain could say: until you are naked, how can we accept you as a tirthankara? So should I go naked just because Mahavira did? That was Mahavira’s whim, his way—he lived in his own manner. Buddha, a contemporary of Mahavira, was not naked; he wore robes. The Jains always objected: if only Buddha would drop his clothes, he could be a tirthankara; clothed, he’s not—at best a little lower, a mahatma; not yet arrived. Thus Jains call Mahavira “Bhagwan,” Buddha merely “Mahatma.” And Buddhists don’t call Mahavira “Bhagwan”—for them he is “Mahatma,” while Buddha is “Bhagwan.” Each has its own notions. They say one should not go naked and advertise oneself—that, too, is a form of propaganda. And that’s…

Osho! You state the truth as it is—straight and blunt. That’s why enemies arise. Like what you said yesterday about Dayanand. The point is true, but it stings. Wouldn’t it be better to remain silent in such matters?

When in the Chikmagalur election Indira won, and the news reached him that Indira had won, he clapped and laughed. The newspapers reported that he was pleased, delighted with her victory. Then he must have thought it over: a costly bargain. Morarji was in power then; to be happy at Indira’s victory was a slip. Soon a statement came that his clapping and laughing had nothing to do with Indira’s victory; he sometimes claps and sometimes laughs just out of playful mood. He changed the story. Just four or six days ago, before these election results, he told a certain minister that Indira’s Congress would win in only nine states. The minister issued a statement; it was printed. Two days later he must have felt that if victory did not occur in all those states, my word would be proved false; and as soon as it was seen that in…

Osho, Most newspapers print all sorts of absurdities about you. This spreads very wrong notions among people, and many come to the ashram carrying false expectations. Isn’t it necessary to take some steps, in time, to stop this?

But Purna was determined. He said, “Precisely because no one has ever gone there, I want to go. And if the people are bad, then they are the first who need to hear your message! Who else will bring them your news? If they are sick, they are the ones who most need treatment. If their feelings have died, then those very feelings must be awakened. If they have dried up, then while you are alive, if greenness does not return to their lives, when will it? When will their good fortune dawn? Please give me your blessing.” Buddha said, “I will give my blessing. If you ask, I will give it. But I want to ask you three questions. If you answer rightly, I will grant you permission. First—if they insult you, what will happen in your mind?” Purna said, “Please don’t ask—you know very well what will happen…

Beloved Osho, what is healthy journalism? Can journalism survive on positive news? Please explain your vision on the responsibility of the media.

Nandita, by healthy journalism, I mean journalism which nourishes the whole personality of man -- his body, his mind, his soul -- journalism whose whole concern is to create a better humanity, not just to report what is happening. Journalism should not be just a news medium, it should also be great literature -- then it is healthy. Even yesterday's newspaper should remain of some worth, so that even today it can be read. It should not be so momentary. But if you are only a news medium then naturally, once the day has passed, the news is old. You should make something that never becomes old, and always remains new. That's what great literature is. Dostoevsky's novels, or those of Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, or Turgenev, Rabindranath Tagore ... they will remain significant as long as humanity remains, and as fresh as ever. Something in your journalism should have…

Beloved Osho, listening to you talking to the journalists the other evening, I felt you are so assertive and I am such a chicken. In this country, feeling like a stranger, I am even scared of going into a shop to buy something. The more I feel good with myself and with you, the stronger is this fear of people. Is there something else to do other than watch it?

Seeing this simple fact I dropped the idea of other people's opinion, and it has given such freedom to me that it is absolutely indescribable. Such a relief that you can be just yourself -- you need not worry about it. And this world is so big, there are so many people. If I am to think about everybody and what he thinks about me, then in my life I will be simply collecting opinions of others about me, carrying files all around... When I applied for the government service as a teacher in the university -- this is my way and has always been my way -- I simply went to the education minister and I told him, "This is my application; these are my qualifications. If you want to ask anything, any interview, I am ready." He looked at me -- a strange type of behavior! An application…