Osho says that laughter is "the very essence of Zen." And though the theme of this series is meditation—watching, remaining alert and aware—as the only way to truth, Osho encourages us to, "be happy and meditation will follow." There is a wonderful chapter on laughter, Hotei the Laughing Buddha and enlightenment: "This is the whole effort of all the masters: to create a sudden clash of thunder so those who are fast asleep can be awakened." "Osho could keep his audience in thrall, knitting prescient anecdotes culled from various sources."

Through delightfully zany anecdotes, Osho captures and conveys the spirit of Zen's enigmatic understanding of life. "Try to understand Zen through laughter, not through prayer," he suggests. "Zen is not a doctrine, not a dogma. It is growing into an insight. It is a vision -- very lighthearted, not serious at all." OSHO uses some of the best known Zen stories to illustrate the nature of enlightenment, meditation, love, knowledge and knowing, man's misplaced identification with his ego, and other issues very relevant today.