According to Osho, the patriarchs remain unique so long as awakening is transmitted silently, person-to-person, beyond scriptures and institutions. They “become Buddhists” the moment the living rebellion hardens into doctrine—when disciples choose words, rituals and imitation over direct seeing. After the early silent masters (Mahakashyap through Bodhidharma), as the work spread and codified, many followers turned into Buddhists rather than Buddhas.
They stop being unique when they copy teachings instead of waking up themselves.