According to Osho, calling you 'friends' is not a charitable gesture but a literal truth: generosity would imply hierarchy and be insulting. He means friendship, love, and equality—closer to the Urdu 'Mehre mehbub,' my love, my beloved. His path rests on intimate, respectful communion, not patronage; he meets seekers as beloved equals.
He truly sees us as his friends and beloveds—real love and equality, not a polite favor.