Robin Beck

Plagiarism is copying the words of other writers; research is recycling their ideas. —Robert Half

If you steal from one author it's plagiarism; if you steal from many it's research. —Wilson Mizner (American sportsman and wit)

About the most originality that any writer can hope to achieve honestly is to steal with good judgment. —Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818-1885)

What is originality? Undetected plagiarism. —Dean William R. Inge

Plagiarists, at least, have the merit of preservation.—Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)

The difference between a bad artist and a good one is: The bad artist seems to copy a great deal; the good one really does.—William Blake (1757-1827)

Goethe said there would be little left of him if he were to discard what he owed to others. — Charlotte Cushman

Remember that God made your eyes—so don't shade your eyes—plagiarize. —Tom Lehrer

Taking something from one man and making it worse is plagiarism. —George Moore (On the other hand, making it better is originality.)-Laurence J. Peter

http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/2939/?letter=Q&spage=5

"On another topic: what sort of data filing system do you use? You seem to be able to collate enormous amounts of miscellaneously sourced data in a very detailed fashion (as per your defence against Jussi). I'd be very interested in knowing what kind of system you use"

See the links at nichirenpix. A lot of it is by memory. Also, I place links in folders to match the sequence of events in Nichiren's life. I would really like to have the dates and other data on the mandalas.

"On a final point, does anyone pay you for doing all this? They should!"

Call it a hobby.

"However, it would be nice to know a bit more about the context of these legends: who were the originators? Are they folk legends or are they associated with particular schools? or in the case of the Fitzwilliam museum one, a particular artist?"

I think they are folk legends of local temples. There are scads of them.

The artists were painting legends they heard. And some are told out of order I think, like the Demon Storm had to have been on the way back.

There are also even older sketches of the same events that are portrayed in the wood block print collections.

Robin

There's a fascinating synchronicity occurring that their should be this controversy about copyright infringement at the moment you cite the legend of the Cormorant Fisher - whose crime was poaching! Just as Nichiren prays to help him feel contrition, so Jussi does the same for you! However I think there is enough of a public service defence in your case: you are liberating material rather than appropiating it.

However, it would be nice to know a bit more about the context of these legends: who were the originators? Are they folk legends or are they associated with particular schools? or in the case of the Fitzwilliam museum one, a particular artist?

I notice that schools beyond NSS/Gakkai pay much more attention to the iconic elements of Nichiren's life (the "bandage on the head" of the Nichiren statue in N Shu services). I've recently wondered why Taisekeji and the Gakkai are so prudish about visual representations of Nichiren (especially when so many SGI altars have a small framed picture of Ikeda on them)?

On another topic: what sort of data filing system do you use? You seem to be able to collate enormous amounts of miscellaneously sourced data in a very detailed fashion (as per your defence against Jussi). I'd be very interested in knowing what kind of system you use.

On a final point, does anyone pay you for doing all this? They should! The Toshiba company has a foundation for supporting the widening of knowledge about Japan. (See http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/tifo/english/index.htm) Maybe they could fund you!

Steve

That anon poster {you?] accused me of plagiarizing this:

August 21, 2005
Memoranda & Dedications

During the last four to five years of his life, Nichiren inscribed quite a few Great Mandala Gohonzons, as many as 50 to 70 or more. All of these are fairly similar. There are two main 'dedication' inscriptions on them. These are in the lower right and left corners.

The entry in the lower right is a very general dedication. I have translations from three.

The Nissho Daimandara of 1280: Lower Right: The Mandala that has never been in Jambudvipa for the more than 2230 years after the Buddha's Extinction.

The "Shutei" Daimandara if 1280: Lower right: 36. "This Great Mandara was for the first time revealed in the Jambudvipa 2,220 and some years after the extinction of the Buddha."

The SGI Nichikan Gohonzon: "Butsumetsugo ni-sen ni-hyaku san-ju yo nen no aida ichienbudai no uchi mizou no daimandara nari-Never in 2,230-some years since the passing of the Buddha has this great mandala appeared in the world."

The Yashiro Kunishige Daimandara of 1279, also presently known as the Taisekiji Dai-Go-Honzon. The general Dedication, lower right is something like: "In the twenty-two hundred and thirty years since the Buddha's passing, this all-embracing Great Mandala of Ichien Budai {Jambudhvipa} has never before been revealed." {I have seen this translated several different ways.}

Both SGI and Nichiren Shoshu claimed that this was only found on the so-called Daigohonzon of 1279. They stated that Ichien Budai meant"for all humanity." I trusted that was true for quite a few years.

From: KathyRuby Date: Thu Jan 31, 2002 Soka Gakkai International: "... the inscription "ichien budai soyo" for the sake of all living beings. This is an extraordinary and wonderful thing to be inscribed on a Gohonzon. It shows clearly the intent of this Buddhism: for the sake of all living beings."

From: derekjuhl2001 Date: Thu Jan 31, 2002 Soka Gakkai International:
"What is meant by "the Gohonzon bestowed upon the entire world (ichien budai soyo)?" "The Gohonzon bestowed upon the entire world" means "this Gohonzon is the object of worship for all mankind, "signifying the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teachings."

Previously, I could find this same apparent error at many official sites of SGI & Nichiren Shoshu. However, for some strange reason, I can no longer find them with a google search.

Actually, Ichienbudai is a transliteration of Jambhudvipa. Buddhist Cosmology divides the Universe into Three Realms: Kamadhatu - the Realm of Desire, Rupadhatu - the Realm of Form, and Arupadhatu -the Formless Realm. In Kamadhatu, or Realm of Desire, there is Mount Semeru, which is surrounded by four islands. The southernmost of these islands is called Jambudvipa, or Rose Apple Island. This is where humans live.

At any rate, the general dedication on all Nichiren's later year Great Mandalas appears to be the same. They are all for 'all humanity', and were entrusted to various disciples. We are fortunate that many still exist, many are even on the original paper or silk.

"You had written something which appeared to have been almost ad verbatim lift from another website passing it on after a change of a few words as your own work I believe"

Yes. And I refuted that, because it was utter nonsense. I found numerous articles on that topic, all rather similar.

That anon poster {you?] accused me of plagiarizing this:

"Actually, Ichienbudai is a transliteration of
Jambhudvipa. Buddhist Cosmology divides the
Universe into Three Realms: Kamadhatu - the
Realm of Desire, Rupadhatu - the Realm of Form,
and Arupadhatu -the Formless Realm. In Kamadhatu, or Realm of Desire, there is Mount Semeru, which is surrounded by four islands. The southernmost of these islands is called Jambudvipa, or Rose Apple Island. This is where humans live."

That is from: The Ita-Dai-Go-Honzon Issue
**************************************************************************************************
Newsgroups: alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren
From: kokum...@yahoo.com
Date: 20 Sep 2005 13:38:45 -0700
Local: Tues, Sep 20 2005 3:38 pm
Subject: Re: Nichiren Shu Priest gets training from Rob ! ha ha

kokum...@yahoo.com wrote: The fact that you have not even bother to check the contex of what you are quoting from tells something about your kind of research. You are adding your own egotistical views and judgements to a topic you
have very little understanding of. I don't claim to know much either but I would never be as arrogant as claim any such knowledge based on
internet searches etc.

As you might know the word 'Jambhudvipa' which comes from the ancient Indian cosmology is often implied to contain this world too. This is not only Nichiren Shoshu interpretation of the term.
It is interesting to note also you have borrowed word by word from Wikipedia webpage without giving it any credit...tut tut. That is not honest scholarship.

You wrote:
"Actually, Ichienbudai is a transliteration of Jambhudvipa. Buddhist Cosmology divides the Universe into Three Realms: Kamadhatu - the
Realm of Desire, Rupadhatu - the Realm of Form, and Arupyadhatu - the Formless Realm. In Kamadhatu, or Realm of Desire, there is Mount
Semeru, which is surrounded by four islands. The southernmost of these islands is called Jambudvipa, or Rose Apple Island. This is
where humans live. "

We find at the Wikipedia site:
"Actually, Ichienbudai is a transliteration of Jambhudvipa. Buddhist Cosmology divides the Universe into Three Realms: Kamadhatu - the
> Realm of Desire, Rupadhatu - the Realm of Form, and Arupyadhatu - the Formless Realm. In Kamadhatu, or Realm of Desire, there is Mount
> Semeru, which is surrounded by four islands. The southernmost of these islands is called Jambudvipa, or Rose Apple Island. This is
> where humans live."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambudvipa
**************************************************************************************************
MY Reply: Here is a google of my paragraph:
http://www.google.com/search?q=+%22Actually,+Ichienbudai+is+a+transli...

If you are going to try to smear someone, you ought to better at it. Actually, they {wikipedia} have:

"The Buddhist cosmology divides the bhumandala (earth) into three intermingled separate levels viz. Kamadhatu (world of desire), Ruphadatu (world of forms), and Arupadhatu (world of formlessness). In Kamadhatu is located Mount Meru which is said to be surrounded by four
islands. The southernmost island is called Jambudvipa (or Rose Apple Island). This is the level or region where the humans live and is the
only place where a being may become enlightened. The birth brings a soul into human body and thus also into Jambudvipa. It is in Jambudvipa
that the soul may receive the gift of Dhamma (Dharma) and come to understand the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and ultimately
realize the liberation from the cycle of life and death. The other three continents of Buddhist accounts around Mount Meru are not
accessible to humans."

So, did you lie, or are you just confused?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambudvipa

***snipped***

Now, let us goodle what they wrote:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Ruphadatu+(world+of+forms)&hl=en&lr=&f...

we get 12 pages. Are you saying all these people plagiarized them? Oh, mine {at FWP} does not come up. You are mistaken. Nice try.

actually I now remember it had been about your writing and not pictures that I had read someone complaining about but for the same reason in effect that I compain about your use of photographs from un-named sources. You had written something which appeared to have been almost ad verbatim lift from another website passing it on after a change of a few words as your own work I believe. I can't remember whether this was on the usenet site or somewhere else. As you post everywhere it is hard to keep track.
There is a form of arrogance which rife within the indie community where anything goes to show no respect to source. This I believe was begun with Don's Gohonzon book scanning. Maybe it originates form SGI's idea of taking a gOhonzon which was not theirs to manipulate and making copies which had been altered setting an example to tohers with the implication that you can do anything you like to anything never mind the source.
Don. like it seems you too, had no respect at all towards the source and merely sited the fact that the copyright on the said book had just expired.
This is similar to, in secular fields, those cheapo cd companies churning out old records on cd now that the copyright on the originals has expired as on music recordings it seems it is only 50 years. Thus unscrupulous companies are making money from recordings by the greats of classical music hiding behind this law which shows no respect to the artists in question. Maria Callas and many big names have fallen victim to this blatant grave robbing activity.
In your case it is not enough to say you give them credit on some other site. Everyone does not spend time on the net searching for your several sites to shich you contribute. It is not difficult to quote sources as you appear to have don on one of your posts since this one.
In the end the question is of respect and playing fair which I do feel this kind of behaviour is in abuse of.

Jussi.

"I'm sure somewhere I read someone else complaining about this habit of yours too."

That was you Jussi. You have tried to censor myself and others at several groups for posting material you deemed biased against or offensive to Nichiren Shoshu. One time you were upset that we applied terms like Itai Doshin and Hosshaku Kempon to ourselves.

r

Jussi: "It is the same as if I went to one of those yahoo groups where you had your daughter's photo and used it to illustrate something about a marriage etc without mentioning anything about where the photo came from. I am sure you would find it odd."

I find your comment odd, but carry on.

r

Links to sources are splashed all over my blogs and in the links section of nichirepix. Some of the sources are no longer on line, so the links are "dead."

r

Robin:

In regard to the Jussi scolding, he is technically correct. I believe he mentioned someone complaining about using copyrighted material on FWP - and that was me. In the case of writing, the limit is 300 words. There's much more to it, but you get the idea.

It should pose no difficulty for you to credit the copyright holders. Regarding the pictures you're using, it's not as if your plagerzing them or taking credit for them. Geeze.

The bottom-line with copyright infringment is really about profit. If you were making money on this stuff without credting the copyright holder or acquiring written permission, then you "might" have a problem. But you're not. Copyright infringement is internationally rampant - so says my publisher - and because of the expense and difficulty of enforcing copyright laws, there's not much one can do about it.

What frosts my balls is when writers ripp-off other writers - not whole sections - but small well crafted riffs and pass them along as their own. This happended to me in the World Tribune when Craig DeRousse a.ka. Taro Gold, lifted a beautifully crafted sentence of mine and used it in an article he wrote. I would have done the same to him, but after reading his books, I couldn't find anything worth taking!

So, even though it's a jungle out there on the WWW, give those picture sources their due so as to appease any flaming butthole who might try and make such a non-issue a problem for you or FWP.

Charles

Robin; I think your insistence of using photographs and paintings without fully sourcing them is a form of copyright theft.
I'm sure somewhere I read someone else complaining about this habit of yours too.
I am not against you making your suppositions and expressing your opinions which you seemingly do everywhere in any case.
But if you are spending all this extraordinary time on the net and writing your stuff it does not take much longer to give credit where credit is due.
In this latest installment of yours you have for instance used a Nichiren Shoshu source print.
You got it naturally from a Nichiren Shoshu website but do not seem to wish to put the links in place for the originals. Why is that?
I find it is very bad netiquette and also simple bad manners.
Someone like Nichiren Shoshu would never bother to chase you up on such a matter but if it was my work etc I certainly would.
When people do as you do it leads to more and more sites using means to stop you from being able to save photos etc for your private use so in not crediting your picture sources you are doing a dis-service to all those net users who simply look at such things and save them on their pc's for their personal; use which is usually permissable by copyright I believe.
It is the same as if I went to one of those yahoo groups where you had your daughter's photo and used it to illustrate something about a marriage etc without mentioning anything about where the photo came from. I am sure you would find it odd.

Jussi.