August 9, 2000, satyarthi@hotmail.com
Let’s not mix the real issue with the copyright issue. Of course, the mystic Osho is beyond copyright. I agree with the slogan: “Osho: everybody’s birthright, nobody’s copyright”. But what about His literature? As far as I see, the real issue is the shift of head office from Pune to NY. So the fight is for bringing head office back to India. Copyright is important on all Osho literature otherwise any non-sannyasin, any unauthorized person or company will start publishing Osho works. Also if we let go of copyright from Osho’s work, there is a fear that Osho-literature may lose integrity and originality. We should not forget that even when Osho was in the body, His books were published under copyright.
So the real issue is: Head office should be in India. Arrangements should be underway to publishing more books in India so that they become affordable to grassroots Indians and all South Asians as well. The second issue is democratization in the Pune-management. Unethical hiring and firing should be avoided. All disciples and sympathizers should have easy access to Pune ashram and Osho samadhi regardless of their personal biases or opinions. Master’s Samadhi and meditation facilities must be open and welcoming to all sannyasins and Osho-lovers. Any kind of fanaticism in the name of Osho is harmful to Osho’s vision and it must be tracked and treated right on its onset.
One more thing I want to add. This is in regards to the publication of Osho’s literature in the USA. It is good to see more of Osho’s books in the North American market. But I have noticed that proper care and ethics were not applied while publishing them. For example, in “Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic”, a new Osho book published by St. Martin Press (USA), many interesting features of Osho’s early life have been discarded. It does not include any accounts of Magga Baba, Pagal Baba and Masto Baba – the three enlightened mystics who took care of Osho, one by one, respectively, until Osho attained enlightenment. These three mystics have played significant roles in helping Osho preserve his independence and rebelliousness. Osho has poured his love and gratitude to these three mystics in his book “Glimpses of a Golden Childhood” and in some other book. Also Osho’s meeting with Nehru has completely been ignored. This is just one example and it raises question about how accurately Osho’s work has been maintained so far and will be maintained in the future.
Few other books have been published by St. Martin Press, such as “Maturity”, “Creativity” and “Courage”. These books are wonderful, bear good American quality and they are available in most bookshops. But nowhere in the books one can find when and where these discourses were delivered. If these books were a reprint under new titles, this should have been mentioned in the books. References are very important in literature. This is completely misleading to publish books without giving proper references, dates, original titles or series etc. If this is the case right now, in our lifetime, what will happen tomorrow, 50 or 100 years from now. Osho’s literature might lose proper context, proper citations, original dates and places.
This is prime time to address real issues. Copyright is a must because even in the hands of our own, we can see some of Osho’s works losing integrity, what will happen when it will be handled by those who are not our own!!??
Swami Krishnadev Satyarthi
Toronto, Canada
(519) 763-8740
