Childhood

Question: OSHO, WHY WERE YOU SO MISCHIEVOUS IN YOUR CHILDHOOD? So in Varanasi there are thousands of bulls, and to feed those bulls is a religious thing. A man may be dying, starving, but you will not bother about him: the bull has to be fed. If a bull comes to a vegetable shop and starts eating your vegetables, you cannot prevent him. No, he has the license from Shiva, he has simply to be allowed. When he goes, he goes. You cannot disturb him. He can eat sweets in a sweet shop, he can eat vegetables, fruits, whatsoever he wants; and he is completely free. The only free being in India is the bull, particularly in Varanasi. And nobody can beat the bull, nobody can do any harm to him. In Varanasi it was such a trouble.

Listening to you today I became a child. I wanted to call out, 'but I am only three,' as I had done once, years ago at a dancing class. What to do?

In fact, while they are denying, they are simply protecting themselves. They are afraid. If this is true, then it will create a restlessness in them, a discontent -- a divine discontent. And they are afraid of that discontent, because that will change their whole life, their whole style. It will destroy their past. For that they don't have courage enough. For that they are not brave enough. For that they will have to lose many conveniences, much comfort, a settled life, security -- no, they don't want to go that far. It is better to say 'god is dead'. It is better to say 'god never existed'. It is better to say that people who talk about god are just poets, dreamers, day-dreamers; people who talk about samadhi, ecstasy, meditation, are just navel-gazers, escapists. It is better to condemn these people. That is very protective. Then you can avoid…

Question: OSHO, WERE YOU NOT PUNISHED FOR YOUR MISCHIEVOUS ACTS IN CHILDHOOD? I told him, "But I did not bother about the prostitutes or the monks or the drugs. You know me: if I am interested in drugs, then in this very city...." Just by the side of my house there was a shop where all drugs were available: "and the man is so friendly to me that he will not take any money if I want any drug. So there is no problem. Prostitutes are available in the town; if I am interested in seeing their dances I can go there. Who can prevent me? Monks come continually in the city. But I was interested in the magicians." And my interest in magic is related to my interest in miracles.

Osho, it seems you must have been very troublesome in your childhood. So much troublemaking—good grief!

When I graduated and stood first in my M.A., my teachers, professors, the head of my department, the vice-chancellor—they were all very proud. Then came convocation. Naturally, I was placed first. I didn’t miss the occasion. I stood and said, “Before you give me your blessings, I want to ask a few things—because I’m taking leave; this is my last day in this university. Why have you draped me in this black gown? And all you deans and the chancellor and the vice-chancellor and the honored guests who have been invited and are to receive D.Litt.—why are all of you wearing black gowns? Black is the color of mourning. Are you declaring that we are dead?” They were startled. For a moment, a hush fell across the hall—a disturbance, they thought: he has done something again. But I wasn’t creating a disturbance; I was only asking: black is always worn…