Osho - From Bondage To Freedom

From Bondage to Freedom Answers to the Seekers on the Path
Talks given from 15/09/85 am to 27/10/85 am
English Discourse series
43 Chapters with increased sound.

Original title "The Rajneesh Bible Volume 8". The last 17 discourses were originally titled "The Rajneesh Bible Volume 9".

BELOVED MASTER,
PLEASE SPEAK ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEDIOCRITY AND ORDINARINESS.

Mediocrity is the general state of humanity as it is. It is a retardedness of intelligence. Nobody wants you to be intelligent, because the more intelligent you are, the more it is difficult to exploit you, to enslave you. Every vested interest wants you to be mediocre. A mediocre person is just like a tree whose roots have been continuously cut so it cannot grow. The mediocre person never comes to know fruition, flowering, fragrance. He lives just like a vegetable. But this is the common state. And to keep the mediocre, mediocre, a strange thing has to be put in his mind: that he is extraordinary. George Gurdjieff used to tell a story.... There was a shepherd who was a magician, and he had many sheep. To take care of them, not to let them wander into the forest and be eaten by wild animals, he managed a strategy. He hypnotized all the sheep and told them, "You are not sheep, you are lions." Since that day, the sheep started behaving like lions. The mediocre person will rebel against mediocrity because it is ugly to be mediocre. But the society in many ways gives him the feeling of being extraordinary. Hence, it is very difficult to find a man who does not, deep down, believe that he is special -- the only begotten son of God. He may not say so, because he knows what happens if you say that you are the only begotten son of God. Then crucifixion is certain, and resurrection... nobody knows whether it happened or not. So he keeps it inside. This helps him to remain mediocre. If he understands he is mediocre, that very understanding will destroy his mediocrity. To understand you are mediocre is a great jump into intelligence. A deeply moving account of a rare and provocative experiment in human growth, these are Osho's last discourses given in the US. While most of his disciples are experiencing the fruition of their efforts to manifest a living community based on Osho's vision, the attempt of a small, power-motivated group's secret attempts to take control of the commune, and to poison Osho and his doctor is
revealed as they flee the country. Through it all, Osho answers the questions of disciples and friends devastated and confused by the wanton disregard of his teachings by these few corrupted people. His answers expose the truth with uncompromising compassion as he talks on fascism, power games and individual responsibility. As always Osho indicates how absolutely everything can be used by the seeker to wake up and be more aware.