Osho Copyright Paradoxes: Dhanyam comments
Posted on January 25th, 2009 by sannyasnews
The Publication Paradoxes of Osho International Foundation
(This contribution to the current debate is from Swami Dhanyam. Dhanyam has sold Osho books for some 25 years, and also laudably supported the community sannyas magazine based in California, “Viha Connection”, through all that time. )
Many people feel that it is important for OIF (Osho International Foundation) to own Osho trademarks and copyrights to protect the purity of Osho’s words and works from any distortion, dilution, and/or editing. However, this is happening all the time, and the biggest offender, in my opinion, is OIF.
Who is able to challenge OIF on their editing, dilution, and distortion of Osho’s work?
For example, OIF has produced 25 Osho compilation books (most of them were published by St. Martin’s Press, NY). These compilation books contain Osho’s words in some form, but they are not pure Osho books.
I remember that in the 1980s (when Osho was still alive) the “Rebel Press”, (the official publisher of Osho’s work) produced many popular compilation Osho books. When I later tried to order these titles, I was informed that Osho did not want His books produced as compilation books, and Rebel Press (at that time) stopped producing any compilations.
But there is another side to this story. The Osho compilation books produced (in the years since Osho’s death) by St. Martin’s Press and a few other publishers have sold worldwide in the millions, have made lots of royalty money for OIF, and have also brought lots of people to Osho. Due to good advertising and promotion, the compilations are very popular and outsell all original Osho titles.
I have been selling Osho books for 23 years and know that new people especially like the compilation books. When I went to Brazil a few years ago and visited the Brasilia airport bookstore I found eight Osho compilation books (in Portuguese) prominently displayed in the window. When I (currently) visit the local Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores ( here in California) I see 10 to 20 Osho compilation books for sale.
OIF has done a great job in making Osho books available worldwide, but they are not pure Osho books.
In the past few years I have noticed an interesting trend: Some of my buyers insist on buying “Rajneesh” books as they know that these are pure, unedited books.
Love to you all,
Dhanyam
Tags: Discussion, Osho //
3 Responses to “Osho Copyright Paradoxes: Dhanyam comments”
Heraclitus // Jan 25, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Not sure Dhanyam.The post Osho’s death compilation books may have sold very well, but the “many” people that they are supposed to have brought to Osho seems a more debatable point. Have not noticed great numbers arriving through them myself.The point of a Master is that he does not want to reach “everybody” he only wants to reach those who are already partly in tune with him, so the success or otherwise of the publications financially is neither here or there.It’s important the books and videos reach the right hands, and in the way the Master thought they would reaach the disciple best, which is in the unadorned non-compiled form, with each discourse being as Osho himself dictated and said as “Complete unto itself”.As you point out Osho did make a big point of this, and as I remember some “Rebel” publications were withdrawn in the late eighties because of his concerns.As you also point out it seems that the more discerning readers know how OIF have played around with the books, and ask for the original Rajneesh titles!Anyway whatever side of the coin one looks, I dont find any of the protaganists in this debate very “surrendered” to the Master’s will! Bet they would have been when he was alive!
shantam i singh // Jan 25, 2009 at 10:55 pm
It seems this guy or girl Heraclitus is adament to prove every single point wrong, which does not fit with the minority view of the ruling class called OFI. it is like there will always be people who will defend Mugabe in Zimbabve.This way or that, Osho´s books have become like 365 versions of Bible, yet His readers and listeners are intelligent enough to find their way towards truth.
Kartar // Jan 25, 2009 at 11:11 pm
You write something on a ballon you don’t like about OIF, then pop the balloon, and it all goes away. Give it a go. Here’s a pin, pop!
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment
http://www.sannyasnews.org/latest/archives/241
Posted on January 25th, 2009 by sannyasnews
The Publication Paradoxes of Osho International Foundation
(This contribution to the current debate is from Swami Dhanyam. Dhanyam has sold Osho books for some 25 years, and also laudably supported the community sannyas magazine based in California, “Viha Connection”, through all that time. )
Many people feel that it is important for OIF (Osho International Foundation) to own Osho trademarks and copyrights to protect the purity of Osho’s words and works from any distortion, dilution, and/or editing. However, this is happening all the time, and the biggest offender, in my opinion, is OIF.
Who is able to challenge OIF on their editing, dilution, and distortion of Osho’s work?
For example, OIF has produced 25 Osho compilation books (most of them were published by St. Martin’s Press, NY). These compilation books contain Osho’s words in some form, but they are not pure Osho books.
I remember that in the 1980s (when Osho was still alive) the “Rebel Press”, (the official publisher of Osho’s work) produced many popular compilation Osho books. When I later tried to order these titles, I was informed that Osho did not want His books produced as compilation books, and Rebel Press (at that time) stopped producing any compilations.
But there is another side to this story. The Osho compilation books produced (in the years since Osho’s death) by St. Martin’s Press and a few other publishers have sold worldwide in the millions, have made lots of royalty money for OIF, and have also brought lots of people to Osho. Due to good advertising and promotion, the compilations are very popular and outsell all original Osho titles.
I have been selling Osho books for 23 years and know that new people especially like the compilation books. When I went to Brazil a few years ago and visited the Brasilia airport bookstore I found eight Osho compilation books (in Portuguese) prominently displayed in the window. When I (currently) visit the local Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores ( here in California) I see 10 to 20 Osho compilation books for sale.
OIF has done a great job in making Osho books available worldwide, but they are not pure Osho books.
In the past few years I have noticed an interesting trend: Some of my buyers insist on buying “Rajneesh” books as they know that these are pure, unedited books.
Love to you all,
Dhanyam
Tags: Discussion, Osho //
3 Responses to “Osho Copyright Paradoxes: Dhanyam comments”
Heraclitus // Jan 25, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Not sure Dhanyam.The post Osho’s death compilation books may have sold very well, but the “many” people that they are supposed to have brought to Osho seems a more debatable point. Have not noticed great numbers arriving through them myself.The point of a Master is that he does not want to reach “everybody” he only wants to reach those who are already partly in tune with him, so the success or otherwise of the publications financially is neither here or there.It’s important the books and videos reach the right hands, and in the way the Master thought they would reaach the disciple best, which is in the unadorned non-compiled form, with each discourse being as Osho himself dictated and said as “Complete unto itself”.As you point out Osho did make a big point of this, and as I remember some “Rebel” publications were withdrawn in the late eighties because of his concerns.As you also point out it seems that the more discerning readers know how OIF have played around with the books, and ask for the original Rajneesh titles!Anyway whatever side of the coin one looks, I dont find any of the protaganists in this debate very “surrendered” to the Master’s will! Bet they would have been when he was alive!
shantam i singh // Jan 25, 2009 at 10:55 pm
It seems this guy or girl Heraclitus is adament to prove every single point wrong, which does not fit with the minority view of the ruling class called OFI. it is like there will always be people who will defend Mugabe in Zimbabve.This way or that, Osho´s books have become like 365 versions of Bible, yet His readers and listeners are intelligent enough to find their way towards truth.
Kartar // Jan 25, 2009 at 11:11 pm
You write something on a ballon you don’t like about OIF, then pop the balloon, and it all goes away. Give it a go. Here’s a pin, pop!
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