Two thousand five hundred years ago the Buddha transmitted the sutras on which this book is based. Scholars used to think that the original text of the Sutra of 42 Chapters must have existed in Sanskrit or Pali, but that, having been lost, only its Chinese translation survived. However, the sutra never existed in India. Each aphorism is from the Buddha, but the work is a new anthology, created especially for China, commissioned by Emperor Ming, to serve as an introduction to the thought of Gautama Buddha. In the manner of the Analects of Confucius, each paragraph begins with the words: "The Buddha said...".

Using modern idiom, Osho extracts the essence of the Buddha's insight and understanding and presents his enduring message to the contemporary reader in a lucid, direct and humorous way. In these speeches the Buddha, commented by Osho, exposes the need for doubt and discussion in the spiritual search; he delves into the nature of desire and the discipline of detachment; he also answers questions about individuality and universality; about love, sex and marriage; false teachers, or reincarnation. An essential book.