Sex and Gender in the Words and Communes of Osho (née Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)

Abstract

Osho, formerly known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (abbreviated here as BSR in citations for works written when he still used that name), stands out as perhaps the most controversial of all Eastern gurus who have managed to attract a significant Western following. Often referred to as a “sex guru” or “the guru of the rich,” Osho appears to epitomize the stereotypical guru often encountered in popular culture and decried by the anticult movement. Osho’s positive understanding of sexuality, his unashamed display of material wealth—when living in the United States, he shocked his critics by claiming to own 93 Rolls Royces (Palmer 1988, 128)—coupled with repeated allegations of illegal activities, all came together to establish Osho as the archetypal “cult leader” to his detractors. However, as will be discussed in this chapter, Osho’s teachings on sexuality are in fact not as controversial or irrational as they might have appeared to the eyes of his critics. On the contrary, Osho’s teachings are not only consistent and coherent, but they are also reflective of the period in which they were formulated. Although some scholars have previously discussed Osho’s teachings on sex, sexuality, gender, and women—most notably Hugh Urban, Elizabeth Puttick, and Marion Goldman—Osho’s teachings on these subjects remain difficult to access since they are scattered throughout his published work.² This chapter aims to provide a deeper understanding of Osho’s teachings on sexuality by discussing a wide range of direct references to sex, sexuality, gender, and women culled from over 200 publications.

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Henrik Bogdan wrote the first two sections of the chapter, whereas the remainder was written by Roshani Cari Shay. All the original research and interviews were conducted by Shay.