There is an ancient story in India:

A henpecked husband asked somebody, "What to do? My wife is so dominating."
The friend suggested, "You should not have allowed it from the very beginning, but
now it is difficult. Still it is not too late. Today you get drunk so that you can have
courage. Then go and shout and knock on the door and enter into the house and throw
things and let her feel that you are a man. And beat her, give her a good beating! Settle
it once and for all."

So the man got drunk, although he was afraid that, "These things seem to be impossible
-- I cannot do it. But maybe the drink will help."

He drank and he felt really great, puffed up, but as he approached the house, slowly
slowly he became sober; the effect of the alcohol was disappearing. The fear was
arising, but he kept himself courageous by repeating, "The man is a wise man, and at
least if I can do it once it will be finished forever. And it is worth doing it."
So he knocked on the door, shouted, entered inside, started throwing things.
His wife was very angry. She was so angry she cut off the nose of the man with a knife.
Now without a nose it was very difficult to live in the town, so the man escaped from
the town in the night -- that same night he escaped. But wherever he would go, people
would ask, "What happened to your nose?"

Osho Dhammapada Vol 6So he became a SADHU, he became a monk, he renounced the world. He said he had
renounced the world, the wife and all. And he had to find a rationalization for his nose,
so he said, "This is the latest technique of attaining, of realizing God. The moment you
cut off your nose... it is the nose that is the barrier!" And he philosophized about the
nose and he said, "The nose represents the ego." And it is right -- the nose represents the
ego. You can see the ego on the nose; nowhere else it is so apparent!
So he convinced a few people. And the method seemed so simple -- just cutting off the
nose and you get the ultimate truth and the bliss -- and he used to look so blissful. He
pretended, but what else to do? -- without a nose he had to save face somehow! And
without a nose it is difficult, but he laughed, danced, and he was always ecstatic.
A few foolish people became ready to cut off their noses, so he would take one person
into the forest, cut off his nose, and would ask him, "Can you see God?"

The man would say, "I can't see anything, and my nose is gone."

And the man would say, "Neither can I see, but now it is better that you don't tell
anyone, because your nose is gone just the same way as mine is gone. Be part of the
conspiracy now. "Tell others... become ecstatic and tell others that you have attained to
God."

What else was there to do now? The nose couldn't be put back; in those days there was
no plastic surgery possible. This seemed to be the only rational way. So the man would
go dancing in the town and would tell others, "That man is the greatest master -- I have
seen God. What an experience! I am so blissful and the bliss goes on showering on me!
Twenty-four hours I am ecstatic and God is with me." And he would talk of great
things. And Indians are very much capable of talking of great things; for centuries they
have talked and talked and talked.

A few more people became interested, and slowly slowly he had a gathering. The more
people were with him without noses, the more his theory was gaining ground. Even the
king became interested: "If there is such a simple method" -- almost like Transcendental
Meditation! -- "Why not try?" But the prime minister was a little doubtful, skeptical. He
said, "You wait, don't be in a hurry. Let me first inquire."

So he got hold of this man, gave him a good beating, and told him, "Tell the truth,
otherwise we will kill you!"

So he had to tell the truth: "It is because my wife had cut off my nose, and what else
could I do? I had to find some way to save my face, and this seemed to be the most
simple, attractive way. And I am perfectly happy now: I have a following, my needs are
taken care of, and you will be surprised -- even my wife who knows perfectly well that
she had cut off my nose, she has come to see me the other day and asked me, 'What is
the matter?' And I said, 'Although you had cut off my nose... but the moment my nose
dropped I saw God!' And she is contemplating becoming a follower and I am just
waiting for her. I want to cut off her nose! Let me cut off her nose, then you can kill me
or whatsoever you want to do to me. Let me take revenge first!"

And what a spiritual way to take revenge!

Osho Dhammapada Vol 6You go on following others, although you see them living in misery. You go on
following the powerful, the rich, the wealthy, although you see their faces are sad, their
eyes are dull. They don't seem to be intelligent either; they don't have any grace, any
joy, any beauty.