[Daniel Entin]

Dear Friend,

<<Не часто приходится общаться, поэтому, сразу к сути.>>

I too am pleased.

<<Что касается копирайта, уверен на 100 процентов, что юридически, те организации, которые ставят свой копирайт на книгах Учения, правы. Это и подтверждается приведенными Вами необходимыми ссылками на нормы права.
Но все же в этом случае, возникает уже не юридический, а человеческий вопрос о том, как можно ставить копирайт, на то, что принадлежит всему миру и дано для всего мира?>>

We cannot ignore the legalities. As I wrote, simply by creating something you are a copyright holder. The problem is: How will the copyright holder behave, will he try to prevent others from using the material, or will he encourage others to use it? The human, or moral, or ethical responsibility lies on the shoulders of those who use the material, that they use it properly and not use it for profit.

As everyone knows by now, we have put all our books on the Internet for everyone to download, print and reprint. But we have the right to object if people change the text to suit themeselves, and then publish it for their own profit.

It is a little naive to say that the books were given to the whole world. The Teaching was given to the whole world, but Helena Roerich encouraged those who worked so hard to produce the physical books to copyright them. To her, it was a matter of protection of the text, for others not to pollute it with their own interpretations.

<<Лично для меня этот вопрос только теоретический, ибо я лично не сталкивался с ситуацией юридического преследования за использование текстов Учения. Но, у нас форум, и подобный вопрос я слышу уже не первый раз. Хотелось бы его прояснить.>>

This is the kind of problem that can be argued about forever. There are theoretical considerations and there are practical considerations. Sometimes they do not lead to the same conclusions or decisions. Your next comment demonstrates that.

<<Теперь, что касается добавлений и вставок в Учение. Лично мое мнение таково, что, даже прочтя ВСЕ доступные письма Е.И., мы так и не сможем восстановить картину того, какими были именно окончательные мысли Е.И. относительно содержания Учения. Нет никакой гарантии, что, то, что должно было быть исправлено, не подверглось бы правке вторично. Иными словами, тот факт, что Е.И не видела сделанную правку, при всем уважении к квалификации редакторов не внушает доверия.>>

Here, there are the practical questions. If Helena Roerich wrote to us (not to be personally, of course, but to my predecessor, Sina Fosdick) and instructed that we make one change or another, or add something to the text, or take it out, should we not do it because she may change her mind in the future? No, we do it, and if new instructions come, we follow those. And when death claims her, as it claims everyone, that is the moment when we stop adding or removing or changing. So here, your theorizing about what is final is not relevant. We do the best we can to bring the Teaching to people in the form that is closest to what we were told to do. And I can say that this is the principle that Uguns followed, though they are the only ones who can state this with authority. And I believe they did, in their expalnations that were published on our website.

<<Есть и другая сторона всего этого. То, что появляется все больше разнящихся друг от друга изданий Агни Йоги не может не вызывать опасение. У рядового читателя вообще возникает впечатление о манипулировании им, что порождает негативные следствия. Вплоть до разочарования. Читатель не знает, что происходит с текстом, который для себя считает сокровенным.>>

You need to have more faith in human intelligence. When I go to the local bookshop, and look in the Bible section, I see in front of my eyes about fifty different versions, all claiming to be the closest to the original Bible. Do I get fearful, or untrusting, or leave feeling manipulated? No, I compare several of the versions, choose one that speaks to my heart, and read it. This must be what most people do. The Bible is the most widely distributed and read book in the history of humanity.

Of course, the scholar in me is different from the seeker in me. So my approach may differ at different times. I remember, when I first went to buy a book of Patanjali, I found that there were six good editions. I did not want to read only Vivekenanda's version, simply because EI liked it. I wanted a fuller understanding. So I bought all six, and also bought a large blank notebook, into which I wrote all six of each aphorism together, so that I could read them together. That was a good education for me!

In reading some of the messages, I can see that some people think that M. dictated the Teaching to EI, who wrote it down. But the process was not like that at all. That is why there is no one, pure and sacred version. I will describe that process later, for those who do not know it.

Best wishes,
Daniel