Chapter 33

I am staying with Osho in Sohan's home. Osho enjoys to eat lunch with us at the dining table. Sohan is really a great cook. After His morning discourse we reach home around 10: 15am. Within one hour, Sohan prepares the lunch, cooking a variety of delicious dishes. By 11: 30, we are all setting on chairs around a big rectangular dining table which is decorated with flowers in the middle. Every meal is a great feast. Osho likes to tell jokes while eating and creates much laughter around Him.

Today there are so many dishes, one is puzzled from where to start. Sohan is standing near Osho and starts serving Him food from different bowls. Osho is never miserly in appreciating the food He likes. Today, He enjoys eating Dahi-wada. It is an Indian dish made of little balls of crushed dal, fried and soaked in curd. He says to Sohan, " Sohan, Dahi-wadas are really delicious." Sohan responds, " That means the other dishes are not delicious." Osho looks at Sohan in surprise and says, " No, no! I don't mean that. I will tell you a story so you understand what I mean."

Then He tells this story:

Mulla Nasruddin was in love with two beautiful women. He was telling both of them separately that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. One day both the women meet and realize that he is saying the same thing to both of them. They go together to Mulla and asked him, " Now tell us the truth, who is more beautiful? " Mulla thought for a moment and said " You are both more beautiful than each other."

We all cracked up in laughter and Osho says, " Sohan, all your dishes are more delicious than one another." Sohan, now getting the point, also starts laughing.

Chapter 34

Osho is resting after dinner in an air conditioned room at Sohan's home in Poona. I am sitting near His feet and feel a strong urge to massage His feet. I ask Him about this and He okays it. As I start massaging the bottom of His right foot, He remarks, " Every disciple starts with the feet and finally comes to the throat." Listening to this, I immediately stop touching His feet. He laughs and says, " I did not say it to you." I react unconsciously and tell Him, " No one else is here." He says, " The truth is, I don't like being massaged on my feet. When I am resting, it disturbs me." I understand Him and ask for forgiveness. He laughs and tells me, " When will you learn not to be serious? " Saying this, He closes His eyes and I walk out of the room, brooding seriously over what He has said.