[Buddha-l] Nirvana Sutra Chapter 19

[Jo]

“The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple enough to believe him was the true founder of civil society. What crimes, wars, murders, what miseries and horrors would the human race have been spared, had some one pulled up the stakes or filled in the ditch and cried out to his fellow
men: "Do not listen to this imposter. You are lost if you forget that the fruits of the earth belong to all and the earth to no one!”― Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract and The Discourses

For modern day versions of Rousseau's story we have the failed attempt (of Microsoft I believe) to buy the electronic rights of the artworks of every museum, and the Google project to scan all the works in libraries. 
*http://tinyurl.com/aqwmh6q*
I believe there also was a discussion on this list where it was pointed out (by Chris Fynn?) that some yoga asanas had been copyrighted.

Joy
< http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57565923-93/documentary-throws-the-book-at-google-scanning-project/  
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Hi Joy--thanks for reminding us these recent issues of monumental greed and attempted domination.  
I'll add the fairly recent attempts by some companies to patent human DNA;  also by 'Monsatan' and other similar companies to patent and control plant seed DNA forever after.

I also enjoyed reading the Rousseau quotation, especially since I admit to never having read through The Social Contract. 

Joanna

Joanna