Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) died on January 19, 1990, at the age of 58 in his Pune ashram in India. The official cause of death was reported as congestive heart failure.
However, his death remains a subject of controversy and mystery, with many of his followers and an investigative journalist alleging foul play and a possible poisoning plot.
Key Details and Controversies
Official Account: The Osho International Foundation (OIF) stated that Osho died of natural causes related to heart failure.
Poisoning Allegations: Osho and many of his followers claimed that he was poisoned with thallium (a heavy metal poison) by the U.S. government while in custody in American jails in 1985. They allege this slow poisoning caused his health to deteriorate rapidly in the years leading up to his death.
Suspicious Circumstances: An investigative journalist, Abhay Vaidya, and one of the doctors who signed the death certificate, Dr. Gokul Gokani, raised several questions about the events surrounding his death.
Hasty Cremation: Osho’s body was cremated immediately, within an hour of his death, which prevented an independent post-mortem examination.
Questionable Death Certificate: Dr. Gokani stated in an affidavit that he was asked to sign the death certificate listing “myocardial infarction” as the cause, despite not having examined Osho for signs of a heart attack and noting he had not seen Osho breathing his last.
“Fake” Will and Power Struggle: Following his death, factional fights erupted among his closest followers for control of his vast global empire, which included funds and intellectual property. A will surfaced years later which many, including Osho’s brother, claim was forged to give control to a small inner circle of foreign followers.
The official stance of the Osho International Meditation Resort remains that he died of natural causes, but a case regarding the authenticity of his will is still pending investigation in Indian courts.
OSHO says….
“The secret of life is to let go, to be present in the moment.”
“Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes.”
“The simple secret of happiness is to do whatever you are doing, don’t let the past move your mind; don’t let the future disturb you.”
On inner experience and awareness
“Happiness is not something you can find outside. You have to have it inside.”
“Wherever you are afraid, try to explore, and you will find death hiding somewhere behind. All fear is of death. Death is the only fear source.”
“The mind is the illusion that which is not but appears, and appears so much that you think that you are the mind.”
On love and connection
“Love is the goal, life is the journey.”
“If you love a flower, don’t pick it up. Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love. So if you love a flower, let it be.”
“Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.”
Happiness is not something you can find outside. You have to have it inside
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