Nationality

Osho, Indians are rejected and disdained all over the world. Even the mere mention of Indian nationality changes people’s behavior—as if they were talking to a beggar or an antisocial person. Moreover, even in this ashram Indians are treated quite differently, and sometimes very harshly. Is being born in this country some misfortune or undesirable event? At times it feels even stranger, because in casual conversation your sannyasins are divided into Indians and non-Indians. Kindly say something about this situation.

Kamal Bharati!... Kamal has just returned from traveling around the whole world. Naturally this question must have arisen for him again and again: why are Indians rejected and disrespected?... We must look for the reasons. Are there reasons? First: the Indian ego—the claim that we are a holy land, a land of merit; that we are religious people, that we are virtuous—creates disrespect in the world. These proclamations of yours have become hollow. Ages have passed; long ago they turned hollow. Yes, once there were a few people in this country who, realizing the divine, became radiant; who had known the nectar. But because of a few people, no land called India becomes holy. Are lands anywhere holy or unholy? The earth is one. Even the land is not really separate. It’s not as if India and China are cut apart. It’s not as if India and Pakistan are truly…

Osho, in a recent article in the international herald tribune, william borders, a longtime observer of this country for the new york times' office in new delhi, wrote of how we are an embarrassment to "image-shy india". What is it about india that makes indians so concerned about their international image? And why cannot india be proud of you? Never has there been a religious leader in history that has received so much publicity abroad.

And if India really feels it has some claim to being spiritual, then let India disappear first. That will be proof. Let India disappear as a nation; let it become an international land. That will be proof, concrete proof. But people go on talking about non-violence in India, and go on preparing for war. They go on talking about brotherhood and the unity of all religions, and just go on doing the opposite of it. Because I am exposing things as they are, because I am functioning like an x-ray, they are angry. Nobody likes the x-ray, because it reveals your bones, your skeleton, your skull; and you have been thinking yourself so beautiful and all that comes out is just a skeleton? So this is you? You become angry, you become annoyed. Their annoyance with me is understandable. I perfectly understand it. India has lived for a thousand years…

Osho, for centuries Indians have been enslaved and poor, and as a result suffer from a terrible sense of inferiority, blindly imitating the West. Isn’t this imitation unhealthy? And shouldn’t they find their own path and destination themselves? In this context, what guidance will you give us?

Mahatma Gandhi gave the poor a new name—Daridra Narayan, “God in the form of the poor.” If the poor are Narayan, how can poverty be eradicated? Will you eliminate Narayan? Narayan is to be worshiped. Install the poor in temples, worship them! Blessed is he who is poor! He called untouchables “Harijan,” people of God. We are clever with words. Once, “Harijan” meant those who had realized God; Gandhi applied it to bhangis and chamars. God is unknown—but we have His “people”! The word untouchable at least contained a sting, a pain. Harijan is syrup over poison—easy to swallow. Now being Harijan even feels good! Should poverty be eradicated, or worshiped? If they are Daridra Narayan—then build temples! Tagore said: My God is where the laborer breaks stone; my God is where the farmer, under the blazing sun, sows his field. Fine—then the more who break stones by the roadside,…

Question: OSHO, WHY DO INDIANS THINK THEY ARE MORE SPIRITUAL THAN OTHERS? In a cannibal village in the heart of Africa, the wife of the chief head-hunter went to the local butcher's shop in search of a choice rib for her husband's dinner. Inspecting the goods, she asked the butcher, "What is that one?" The butcher replied, "That is an American -- seventy cents a pound." "Well, then what about that one?" asked the woman. The butcher replied, "That is an Italian -- ninety-five cents a pound. He is a little spicy." "And," asked the woman, "what about that one there in the corner?" "He is an Indian,'' replied the butcher. "two dollars a pound." The woman gasped, "Two dollars a pound? What makes him so expensive?" "Well, lady," the butcher replied, "have you ever tried cleaning an Indian?" But that has become spirituality. Do you know?