Sannyas News Osho Deepta Rises to the TradeMark Challenge

Osho Deepta is a Californian non-profit corporation, and Yogananda, Sangeet, Krishna Priya, and Sudhasadan are the directors. Osho Deepta is in the process of taking Osho International Foundation (OIF) to task over their registration of trademarks that include the title Osho. We take the position that, "It is everyone's right to use the word Osho with absolute freedom. We feel that to limit the use of the word Osho or in any way to control the way sannyasins and lovers of Osho refer to Him, is deeply contradictory to the most basic understanding of the vision He imparted.

We at Osho Deepta believe that there is no useful purpose for these trademarks, and that OIF has no legal basis for creating them. Sannyasins around the world should not have to fend off legal interference when they invest their energy in sharing Osho's vision with others." You can read more about why we chose to do this by looking on our small but growing website, www.oshodeepta.org . We will update that site over the summer as events take place.

OIF has registered several trademarks with the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) for "Osho" and marks that include "Osho," such as Osho Rebalancing. OIF has attempted to register names of some of Osho's meditations, such as Dynamic and Kundalini, but registration has been denied. The PTO approved registration of the mark "Osho Active Meditations" last year, subject to opposition by members of the public.

Osho Deepta has filed an administrative action with the PTO to object to the registration of "Osho Active Meditations" and to cancel the registration of all other marks consisting of or including "Osho." Osho Friends International, an Indian-based trust with Indian and international membership, has also filed actions, and everyone is working co-operatively. Those cases are now in the process of discovery, where the parties gather evidence. In the coming months, the parties will submit legal briefs to the PTO's Appeal Board. Finally, the PTO will rule on whether OIF has a right to these trademarks.

A great deal of documentation concerning the controversy over OIF's trademark registration and related issues can be found on the website www.meditate-celebrate.com . We particularly wish to draw your attention to the item " OSHO SHOWS TRADEMARKS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AT THEIR BEST" currently in the "Home" section, and to the item "VAIRAGYA'S OPEN LETTER TO FELLOW TRAVELLERS" in the "Letters" section.

Osho Deepta has budgeted $25,000 to finance the effort of conducting our legal action with the PTO between June 1st and October 31st 2001. This is to pay for the work of legal research, conducting discovery, filing motions and briefs, and responding to the PTO. Of this we have so far received $3000 in donations and we need now to raise the balance.

We would ask you to consider contributing to our effort. You may respond to us by e-mail to contribute@oshodeepta.org. Please try not to bug people who have no reason to be interested in the issue by passing the message on in mass e-mailings. If you know anyone who may enjoy knowing about the project please refer them to the website (www.oshodeepta.org).

We would like to express our appreciation of those of you who have already helped us financially and the many who have been supportive to the project. Once this legal issue is resolved we can all release our energy from conflict and put it to creative sharing about Osho.

If you would like to be on our permanent mailing list let us know at maillist@oshodeepta.org.

"But nobody is my follower. Nobody is going to be my
successor. Each sannyasin is my representative. When I am
dead, you all -- individually -- will have to represent me
to the world. There is not going to be any pope. There is
not going to be any shankaracharya. Each sannyasin, in his
own capacity, has to represent me. This has never happened
-- but it is going to happen! You are all my successors.
When I am dead, that simply means I have left this body and
entered all the bodies of my people. I will be within you. I
will be part of you."

Osho - From Death to Deathlessness - Chapter #25 - Cut the
Roots of Guilt - 30 August 1985