OSHO INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
Sincerely engaged in protecting the originality and purity of Osho's works

When Osho was in the body, every sannyasins and His friends all over the world were very much concerned about His health and security. And those who were near to Him and taking care of Him were always walking on razor's edge remaining aware of His health and body needs. Fortunately this all was accomplished in the best possible way. We have great reverence and thankfulness for all those who were involved in this work during such long period of time.

Now as Osho's existence in the body is no longer there, there is no question of His security and health. But what about his words and many other works which has been created or come into existence during this long period of time of about forty years. Do these not need protection as to their originality and purity? Are these not to be protected from being diluted, miss-represented? Should these be left prone to interpolation and extrapolation by any religious fanatic? Should these be left open for miss-use by any businessman for deriving monetary benefits to satisfy his greed? These are the questions which I ask from all friends and lovers of Osho to reply for themselves.

Osho is more concerned about his work for the creation of a new man than his own physical existence. Many times He has said that His existence in the body was for his lovers' spiritual development, otherwise He no longer wanted to remain in the body. He wants his work for the creation of new man to be continued. It should be an alive movement always ready to change according to the changing circumstances and needs so that it always remain an ever burning fire igniting the souls of masses. He did not want his religion to become a dead tradition.

Osho's audio and video discourses and the books compiled from them; his meditation techniques and music created under His guidance and His other works are now as important as sometimes was his physical existence. These now represent Osho and His vision. If these are not protected as to their originality and purity; the purpose of the great movement which has been started by Osho will be defeated and that will be the greatest loss to the humanity.

Many Osho sannyasins believe that Osho was against ant Trademarks and Copyrights of his works. This is wrong. The following quotations from Osho's discourses makes it clear that Osho wanted His works to be protected by copyrights and Trademarks and that publishers have to pay royalties on them:-

"And they are not organizations, they are simply institutes. And their function has become more important now, because for all the languages that books are being translated into, it has to be seen to it that they are not mistranslated – that the translation is right, that it does not harm the spirit of the message.

It is not only a question of copyright; it is a question that I should not be presented in a wrong way – which is possible. Because if they are just earning money, who cares whether the translation is right or wrong."

(Light On The Path # 28)

"I have not purchased anything from the money produced by the commune because the commune never produced any money. The commune was absorbing money. In fact all my royalties, all my books, all their profits were going to the commune. The situation is just the opposite -- that I had given everything to the commune. Now, four hundred books in different languages were bringing millions of dollars in royalties, and those royalties were going to the commune. If I had wanted to purchase Roll Royces, I could have purchased my own Rolls Royces, as many as I wanted, just out of my royalties."

(Beyond Psychology # 24)

It is very pain full that most of the Osho sannyasins and lovers don't think about this. They immediately believe in the false propaganda being done contrary to the above stipulations. Any work of art, science and technology and literature whether the same is in the form of software or hardware needs some identity marks which is called Trademark and Patents. The creators of such works have some rights which are called Copyrights. These Trademarks and Copyrights protect the originality and purity of such works and also protect such works from copying and imitation by greedy businessmen. The Trademarks and Copyrights are enforced by relevant laws enacted almost by all the countries of the world. To ensure the originality and purity of Osho's works and to ensure that these may not be copied and imitated by any one; their Trademarks and Copyrights should exist.

The name OSHO has got immense goodwill which is entirely because of Osho and his works. Any greedy person, in the absence of its registration as Trademark can use it in any manner as he likes. Many Osho Sannyasins in U.S.A. and India as well were very enthusiastic on hearing that a U.S.A. Court has cancelled the registration of OSHO as Trademark. Now in America if they purchase a C.D. of Osho Dynamic Meditation and after use found that the music therein is not the same as used to be earlier, then also they should rejoice; they should rejoice purchasing a book purported to have been inscribed from the discourses of Osho but on reading found that the same has been distorted by some Christian priest; they should say victory… victory….victory on seeing in some bathroom the name OSHO written on toilet seat. This is their achievement by winning the Osho Trademark case in American court. Can any one sense that the Pope will certainly delight on seeing such judgment? This was actually the American Christian politicians and priests ever cherished. This judgment is in their favor.

It is for the information of Osho Sannyasins and Osho lovers spread all over the world that the judgment delivered by an American court is limited to the Trademark OSHO on few Osho Meditations. This judgment is not on the Copyrights of Osho's works including music of various meditations. These subsist all over the world and are being honored there. However, Osho World Foundation and their associates only are violating these in India. We, however, could not understand why Osho International Foundation is silent about this violation in India.

In the light of above it can be said that the work being done by Osho International Foundation for protecting the originality and purity of Osho's works is immensely valuable. It is as important and valuable as was protecting Osho and His health when he was in the body. Protecting Osho's works by Trademarks and Copyrights is protecting Osho from priests and politicians and religious fanatics.

Osho International Foundation by registering Osho Trademarks and Copyrights is not creating hindrance for spreading Osho's message. It however, puts checks on message being presented in a wrong way. Osho's message is for those who are in search of Truth notwithstanding the fact that the number of such seekers is very small. It should not be spread just to increase the number of its followers which is nothing but politics and becoming missionaries.

For some sannyasins, Osho's work is nothing but to increase the number of sannyasins whether they have thirst for truth or not. They convince people and convert them and keep the record of how many sannyasins they have initiated and how many Osho Meditation Centers they have started. For instance Swami Arun of Osho Tapovan, Nepal in his interview given to Sadhana Path magazine brags that he had initiated into sannyas more than seventy thousand in Nepal and about thirty thousand in India and abroad. Perhaps he has not read the story of king Wu of China meeting Bodhidharama. This is called politics of number which only nourishes the ego. As in Sannyas initiation they are using the formalities which since long had been stopped by Osho himself: like abolishing the role of any middle man in Sannyas initiation and wearing Mala and red clothes. Osho International Foundation keeps checks on such developments. Because of such developments now, people are becoming saints only by doing Osho's work.

On use of Osho Trademarks and Osho Logos etc. we reproduce hereunder what Osho International Foundation says about it:-

"No permission is required to use any of the marks as an accurate factual reference to the practice or teaching of Osho Meditation techniques, provided you as user accurately identify yourself by your own name (not including Osho as part of the name unless you are our licensee). The only restriction is that if you are teaching or presenting Osho Meditations publicly, you need to ensure that what you are offering is as described and presented in detail on the meditation area of osho.com, with its correct title, for example, OSHO Dynamic Meditation, and is accompanied by the music specifically created for that meditation."

We all Osho sannyasins and lovers give our heartfelt thanks to Osho International Foundation for carrying on Osho's work silently without bragging and making any type of publicity of itself and of the peoples who are involved in this work. This is something simply extraordinary.

(Note: All quotations above are under copyrights of Osho International Foundation.)
(Osho Friends Trust)