I am at a loss as to how someone could critisize you or any dharma teacher calling for an end to genocide especially if they the critics in some fashion identify as Buddhists!!
Christopher I find your posts refreshing in that they call out what needs to be called out. They ask us to engage with the real world as it happens rather than a spiritual abstraction. Unfortunately we live in times where often we are asked to get on side without rational debate. The principles of Dharma seem to me to be relevant to today and are asking us to engage. Yes Hamas committed unspeakable acts on October 7th and they must be held responsible. Gaza is an unimaginable tragedy and it seems unconscionable to refuse to acknowledge the crimes now committed on a massively disproportionate scale. Enough is enough. We must work for peace and acknowledge our complicity of silence - which is akin to turning away. Thanks you and keep speaking out with reference to the principles of Dharma.
My guess is that somebody no doubt tried to tell Thich Nhat Hahn to mind his own business and stick with being a Religious Buddhist, as opposed to an Engaged Buddhist.
Important post. As someone who shares the understanding that Dhamma covers all aspects of life, as did Tan Ajahn Buddhadasa and Thich Naht Hanh, i find it rather sad when people only critique your different voices without explaining alternatives. Everything is Dhamma; compartmentalizing is often divisive and shallow. (And I must confess that I've erred on the side of more criticism than constructive offerings, though I've managed at times to express Dhammic Socialism a la Tan Ajahn.)
Compartmentalized Dhamma is dualistic and can be superficial, though rather widespread, e.g., strict separation between worldly and spiritual. Dig deep into Buddha-Dhamma and that turns out to be illusory amidst radical interdependence.
It seems that some folks, often early in their Dhamma journey, are looking for a peace that they can feel comfortable in -- I did and still do, too -- but struggle to find it in the big messy outsides, which means that deep down inside it's still messy, too. The Dhamma journey is anything but cozy and comfy if we embrace radical compassion. Compassion can hurt. At times should hurt while cultivating depth and joy.
And then there are the committed capitalists who take umbrage to that particular faith being questioned, no matter its rapaciousness and genocides. After 20 years back in the USA and two bouts with lymphoma, I've come to appreciate some of the benefits of capitalism and accept that it's the dominant system these days, yet feel Dhamma can help steer it away from the most greedy, militaristic, and ecologically destructive aspects. Beats me how a sincere meditator would have problems with that.
People who haven't gone deep enough into buddhism think its all about mindfulness. It isn't emphasized enough in the West that there's more to being a Buddhist than being a meditator. The Three Teachings are Morality (Sīla), Concentration (Samādhi), and Wisdom (Paññā), and from what I understand, Morality was considered the 1st teaching, AND the last.
I'm reading Ethan Nichtern's book about the Eight Worldly Winds right now, called Confidence. He defines them as
- Pleasure / Pain
- Influence / Insignificance
- Success / Failure
and
- Praise / Criticism
I'm not at all questioning whether this blog post is called for. To be clear. I absolutely know that I am often too quick to complain about a situation—to locate blame in others even when it is obvious that I have no one else to point my finger at. (I could stub my toe alone at home and immediately think "Who left the damn door here!?") So I know there must be others who do some of the same things when they stub their toe on a blog post that espouses views they disagree with.
My question is, where would we be without the impulse toward comparing mind? Would the worldly wind of Praise / Criticism just whisper and wink out of existence? If we didn't have anyone to challenge us to "keep our seat" as Nichtern writes, how would we find opportunities to flex our mindfulness muscles and return to equanimity in the face of challenge.
It seems it works the same way an evocative memory or painful emotion can knock us off the breath and provide us the opportunity to heal by returning.
Or the way that karma bubbles up and creates pain in the present that keeps us off the cushion for a span of days: another opportunity to heal by resolutely, deliberately, diligently returning to practice.
Again THIS isn't criticism. Just some musings inspired by the post. Thanks for making me think:)
So much wisdom in this post. Thank you!
I am at a loss as to how someone could critisize you or any dharma teacher calling for an end to genocide especially if they the critics in some fashion identify as Buddhists!!
Agreed. Tho delusion may refuse to see it as genocide, whether in Myanmar, Sudan, Gaza, or North America.
Christopher I find your posts refreshing in that they call out what needs to be called out. They ask us to engage with the real world as it happens rather than a spiritual abstraction. Unfortunately we live in times where often we are asked to get on side without rational debate. The principles of Dharma seem to me to be relevant to today and are asking us to engage. Yes Hamas committed unspeakable acts on October 7th and they must be held responsible. Gaza is an unimaginable tragedy and it seems unconscionable to refuse to acknowledge the crimes now committed on a massively disproportionate scale. Enough is enough. We must work for peace and acknowledge our complicity of silence - which is akin to turning away. Thanks you and keep speaking out with reference to the principles of Dharma.
Well said! Thank you!
Do no harm includes what we think and what we say/write...
We are all in this together.
Hang in there.
Thank You for sharing that, Christopher.
My guess is that somebody no doubt tried to tell Thich Nhat Hahn to mind his own business and stick with being a Religious Buddhist, as opposed to an Engaged Buddhist.
Important post. As someone who shares the understanding that Dhamma covers all aspects of life, as did Tan Ajahn Buddhadasa and Thich Naht Hanh, i find it rather sad when people only critique your different voices without explaining alternatives. Everything is Dhamma; compartmentalizing is often divisive and shallow. (And I must confess that I've erred on the side of more criticism than constructive offerings, though I've managed at times to express Dhammic Socialism a la Tan Ajahn.)
Compartmentalized Dhamma is dualistic and can be superficial, though rather widespread, e.g., strict separation between worldly and spiritual. Dig deep into Buddha-Dhamma and that turns out to be illusory amidst radical interdependence.
It seems that some folks, often early in their Dhamma journey, are looking for a peace that they can feel comfortable in -- I did and still do, too -- but struggle to find it in the big messy outsides, which means that deep down inside it's still messy, too. The Dhamma journey is anything but cozy and comfy if we embrace radical compassion. Compassion can hurt. At times should hurt while cultivating depth and joy.
And then there are the committed capitalists who take umbrage to that particular faith being questioned, no matter its rapaciousness and genocides. After 20 years back in the USA and two bouts with lymphoma, I've come to appreciate some of the benefits of capitalism and accept that it's the dominant system these days, yet feel Dhamma can help steer it away from the most greedy, militaristic, and ecologically destructive aspects. Beats me how a sincere meditator would have problems with that.
Thank you for your sincere explorations.
People who haven't gone deep enough into buddhism think its all about mindfulness. It isn't emphasized enough in the West that there's more to being a Buddhist than being a meditator. The Three Teachings are Morality (Sīla), Concentration (Samādhi), and Wisdom (Paññā), and from what I understand, Morality was considered the 1st teaching, AND the last.
I'm reading Ethan Nichtern's book about the Eight Worldly Winds right now, called Confidence. He defines them as
- Pleasure / Pain
- Influence / Insignificance
- Success / Failure
and
- Praise / Criticism
I'm not at all questioning whether this blog post is called for. To be clear. I absolutely know that I am often too quick to complain about a situation—to locate blame in others even when it is obvious that I have no one else to point my finger at. (I could stub my toe alone at home and immediately think "Who left the damn door here!?") So I know there must be others who do some of the same things when they stub their toe on a blog post that espouses views they disagree with.
My question is, where would we be without the impulse toward comparing mind? Would the worldly wind of Praise / Criticism just whisper and wink out of existence? If we didn't have anyone to challenge us to "keep our seat" as Nichtern writes, how would we find opportunities to flex our mindfulness muscles and return to equanimity in the face of challenge.
It seems it works the same way an evocative memory or painful emotion can knock us off the breath and provide us the opportunity to heal by returning.
Or the way that karma bubbles up and creates pain in the present that keeps us off the cushion for a span of days: another opportunity to heal by resolutely, deliberately, diligently returning to practice.
Again THIS isn't criticism. Just some musings inspired by the post. Thanks for making me think:)
Good on you