A true story from Aruna’s memories from the golden era of the Shree Rajneesh Ashram, aka Pune 1.
That evening I was on duty at Lao Tzu Gate to make sure nobody entered Lao Tzu auditorium with any perfume in their hair or on their body, as Osho was allergic to all smells.
It was now Vimalkirti’s turn to get sniffed before he went to sit at the Master’s feet for evening darshan.
There was some shampoo smell lingering in his freshly-washed hair, so I moved him to the side. But when Vimalkirti suddenly started sweating and trembling, I asked, “What is happening? Why are you so nervous?” He could not speak a word but I could feel his strong longing to be with the Master. He appeared like a thirsty traveller in the desert dying for water. So I changed my mind and said to him, “You can go in, but please don’t sit too close to Osho.”
I wonder now if deep down he already knew that this would be his last darshan in Lao Tzu with his beloved Master?
A day later I heard he had collapsed with a haemorrhage during a karate class and was quickly admitted to Jehangir Hospital. This was such heartbreaking news for me. I had to go to my room. I lit a candle and sat in meditation.
That night I could not sleep… memories of the previous evening kept hovering over me. I sat in meditation the whole night. My soul was one with Vimalkirti. This process continued… For days I could hardly sleep.
On the fifth night – just after midnight – while meditating I suddenly saw my little room fill with light. In that light I could feel Osho on one side and Vimalkirti on the other. The light became huge and everything merged into everything else.
I had to leave the room and run outside. I sat under the open sky until dawn took over the night. I got ready to go to Buddha Hall where Osho was giving his talks every morning. When he told us that Vimalkirti had left the body that morning – and had become enlightened the previous night – he looked straight into my eyes with his own crystal-clear ones as if he was confirming what I had seen during the night.
After that I became very ill with a high fever. I had to write to Osho and share my story. This was the only letter I had ever written to Osho. He spoke about this letter during one of the evening darshans. It was printed in the February 1981 issue of Sannyas Magazine, under the title, Each Moment the Last.
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