Osho trying to get character certificate from University Professors after his graduation

After he graduated from the Saugar University, Osho looked for a teaching job. But his defiance of social norms once again threatened his prospects. He narrates an interesting episode: ‘When I passed out of the university, I applied for a government job. The education minister called me for an interview and asked me for some character certificates (references). I said, “I am here; you look

at me. I can sit here, you can watch me. I can live with you for a few days if you like. But don’t ask about certificates. Who can give me a character certificate?” ‘He couldn’t understand and said, “You can bring one from your vice-chancellor, or at least from the head of your department.” ‘I said, “If my vice-chancellor asks for a character certificate for himself, I cannot give it to him. So how can I ask for a character certificate from him? So that is impossible. I can ask for a character certificate only from a man whom I can see is a man of character. But that will be absurd. That means that first I give him a character certificate—only then his character certificate becomes meaningful.”

‘He totally failed to follow me. He said, “Then it will be difficult, because at least two character certificates are needed.” ‘So I wrote a character reference in the name of my vice-chancellor. Later I went to the vice-chancellor and said, “This is the certificate I have given to myself. You have to sign it.” ‘He said, “But this is absurd. How can you give a character certificate (to) yourself ?” ‘I told him, “If I cannot give my own self, then who can give one to me? I know myself more than anybody else knows me. You don’t know me at all. If you can give a character certificate to me, then why can’t I? This is the certificate. You have to sign it.”

‘He looked at the certificate and laughed, because I had written in the certificate that man is freedom, and character is always of the past, and the future remains open. I may have been a good man up to now, but next moment? Nobody knows! I may have been a saint up to now, but the next moment I can become a sinner. In fact, each moment I have to give a new lease to my character, again and again I have to hold it.’