Why does enlightenment seem easier in the old Poona stories compared to the present teachings?

Beloved Osho, I got the point now that being totally in the heart is only the beginning, and that the journey is never-ending. Now sometimes I feel that in the old poona stories enlightenment was much easier than when you are talking about it now. Is it because we took the first step, and now you are showing us the next one?

It is certain that in my earlier teachings to you, enlightenment appeared to be much easier. It had to, because I did not want you to freak out. Now I can trust that even if I say the truth you are not going to escape. Enlightenment is not easy. But how to persuade people? They are so much engaged in futile things, and if you give them a very difficult idea, which becomes prohibitive, they simply say, "We will see. Perhaps in some life some time -- and what is the hurry? Eternity is available. The small things that we are engaged in doing right now will not be available for eternity, so let us finish them first." And they will go on putting enlightenment as the last item on their list. There is an old, ancient story in India about Kind Yayati. His death came; he was one hundred…

Beloved Osho, is it possible to become enlightened in a really easy and relaxed way, with not too much effort and lots of naps?

Gayano, you are asking me, a man who has never done anything. Just through relaxation ... without any effort and lots of naps! Mostly I am asleep. I just get up to talk to you in the morning, then I go back to sleep; then I get up again in the evening to talk to you and go back to sleep. My total hours of sleep must be eighteen. Six hours I am awake, two hours with you, one hour for my bath, for my food and the remainder I am in absolute samadhi. And I don't even dream -- so lazy! And you are asking me the question. This is my whole philosophy, that you should not make any effort, that you should relax and enlightenment comes. It comes when it finds you are really relaxed, no tension, no effort and immediately it showers on you like thousands of…

Osho, when Swami Chaitanya Bharati goes to conduct camps, he says, “I too have attained enlightenment.” From what attitude does he say this?

You have erected a needless Gaurishankar. Enlightenment is no Gaurishankar; it is walking on level ground. Even “walking” is not right—it is sitting on the plain ground. Enlightenment is rest; it is repose. But we waste time in pointless questions and problems. If Chaitanya Bharati says it, then clap heartily and welcome him, garland him with flowers. What’s the harm? Say: “Good—one more person has become enlightened!” Strike up the band, play the shehnai. Be exuberant. What is wrong in it? No catastrophe has occurred. But I want to say to my sannyasins: I will make your announcement. Do not be in haste. Haste is the hallmark of the ignorant. If I can speak for you, you remain silent. By speaking you will raise unnecessary obstacles for yourself. And the fear is that in your speaking there may be the very juice of ego—the greater likelihood is exactly that. Your…

Beloved Osho, what is enlightenment? Have the experience and the idea of enlightenment evolved with time?

So nirvana is just like darkness. The light is put off and your reality is all there, with all its beauty, benediction, blessing. But there is no word in English to translate nirvana. Jainas use the word moksha. Moksha means absolute freedom, ultimate freedom, freedom from all fetters. And the biggest fetter is the ego. Other fetters are just parts of the ego: greed, lust, ambition, anger. All that is thought to be sin in other religions, in Jainism is thought only to be a fetter. But the root, the main root of the whole tree of your slavery, is the ego. So cut the main root and all other roots will die of their own accord. Don't bother to cut small roots, branches, leaves, because they will come again. Cut the main root and the whole tree will die. And when all your fetters fall, what remains? The unfettered…

Osho, seekers have always observed that God-realization is an extremely arduous event. But enlightened ones like you have always emphasized that the divine can happen here and now. Is saying this again and again a challenge and a way to make people try—a method, a device?

He began to beg. Twenty years passed. He forgot. If someone begs for twenty years, to keep remembering “I am a prince” would be impossible, painful; it would make begging difficult. So it is only fitting that he forgot. He had to forget, otherwise how could he beg? A prince—and he begs? Door to door, standing with a begging bowl at thresholds! Begging outside hotels and restaurants, asking for leftovers! A prince! He had to forget the prince entirely, had to consign it to oblivion. That chapter was closed. As if it had been some dream, some story read, a film seen—what did it have to do with him? After twenty years, when the emperor—his father—grew old, he became anxious: there was only one son! He alone was the heir. He told his ministers: Go find him, and wherever he is, bring him back. Tell him his father has forgiven…