Copyright Issue - Readers Voices [2]

Response to article

Can Things Like Copyright Be Applied To The Work Of Great Saints Like Acharya Mahaprajna?

29th June 2005

Dear Shri Aparigrahaji and Karunaji,

Jaijinendra.

At the outset, I must re-iterate that you people are doing a wonderful and commendable job of propagating Jain Tenets and publishing the news which is of particular interest to jains.

Publishing excerpts from the books written by Acharya Shri Mahaprajnaji is one of the main features of the website herenow4u.de

You always acknowledge the source of the news and credit is always given to the writer/publisher of the book/s from which you publish the excerpts.

I do not know exact legal position on the issue of copyrights. Shri V C Shripalanji has stated in his mail in this group that the teachings are original revelations of Teerthanaks Bhagwaan. So who will have the copyrights, if any?? Acharyashri Mahaprajnaji - the author of the subject books has renounced everything and does not own/possess anything except few yards of white robes. What will he do with the copyrights?? And all of us know- plenty of material - including several books - is available on a number of websites. Perhaps we can take a leaf out of JAINA publications - which say something to the effect "This material has no copy rights. Please use with respect."

Having said above, I am sure there are many better ways of dealing with this issue. I could not think of any real need for JVBI to threat a legal action and force you to take the material off the website. This has left a bitter taste in many of the reader’s minds. You have said that you had asked for the permission and you thought that you had the permission, then I suppose that settled all issues. Inspite of this, if a written permission was really deemed necessary for any technical reasons whatsoever, Jain Vishwa Bharati should have found a graceful way of granting the necessary written permission to herenow4u.de .

I do not know what were the real reasons which called for such action but I am sure money was not the factor at all.

In a way, we can say that herenow4u.de is complementing the work of JVBI. You have said that a cooperation was explicitly suggested by Acharyashri Mahaprajnaji. That is the most important of many reasons for all of us followers to request a spirit of cooperation between JBVI and herenow4u.de and that should be most important reason for JVBI to extend cooperation to herenow4u.de

One would certainly like to see herenow4u.de reach greater heights and that would be possible only if you continue what you are doing - with even more devotion and greater dedication. So Dear Aparigrahaji and Karunaji, please do not get discouraged by these small distractions. Take them in your strides graciously as part of life. May be only some of the readers are voicing their opinions but believe me - there is a good number out there who are silently supporting you. They are doing it by way of visiting your website day after day and reading your news letters.

I was in Kolkata when I learned about this and I immediately called you in Germany to express by concern and support. I was in Delhi for few hours on 26th and I had a chance of brief darshan of Acharyapravar. At that time Acharyashri was observing silence so I could not mention this subject to him. However, as asked by you to do so, I have conveyed your obeisance to Acharyashri.

Perhaps one way out would be for you to contact Shri Dharmanandji in Delhi and ask him to do the needful. Shri Sudhanshuji Jain, Shri Sushilji Bafana among others are already doing their part. I am sure, the misunderstandings / communications gaps, if any would be cleared soon.

What, we the readers would like to see that the material is placed back on website as soon as possible.

Jaijinendra, thanks & regards

R K Bengani

Dubai, U.A.E.

Source: Jain Groups: