Just read a blog post by the Urban Monk on how he disagrees with the 'trend' of post-boomer Buddhists making Buddhism more palatable for the 'raised on' MTV/McDonald's/New Coke vs Old Coke brand of Buddhists.
I'm predicting a porno Buddhist vs Urban Monk showdown any minute now? Maybe I'm projecting...
Me? My thoughts? Well I'm more of a middle-way kind of gal. In the Maritimes, when I first got interested in Buddhism, I was always surrounded by white, middle class boomers who seems so much more so intimidating and advanced along the path to a young pup such as myself. Fast forward to Montreal and the same experience holds true except perhaps a few more 'kids' sprinkled around on the zafus.
In terms of experiences, at first there seemed to be many differences. I didn't have a mortgage, a car or any kids in my life. They didn't hang out at punk shows, didn't find Jackass very funny and couldn't see the appeal in body modification or dyed tomato red hair.
Fast forward again to this past year and the time I spend in the 'One Year to Live' course I recently completed. Age range was from 30something (me) all the way up to +80.
The diversity and separateness amongst the others in the group was cut from the instant we sat together in shared silence and then as we opened our hearts to one another's stories or joy, pain, loss, sadness, fears, love, anger...
There was no separation - only that which existed in our minds. Our hearts were no different. We all experienced love and kindness for one another that transcended age and experiences.
To read more on the Urban Monks thoughts about keeping the dharma real, check out The Urban Monk - No cafeteria Buddhism
Feb 24, 2008
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4 comments:
From my understanding, there is no Buddhism that is not applied to the place, people, and time.
Buddhist is not stuck in 2500BC. It moves and is translated in every country/place it goes and becomes it's own version there.
Chinese/Ch'an Buddhism, brought from India from Bodhidharma is different to that from India.
Japanese/Zen Buddhism, brought from China by Dogen is different to that from China.
Tibetan again, totally different to all other 3, but the same core, adapted to the local culture.
Buddhism has always moved relevant to place, people, and time. Dharma is unchanging through, the importance of mindfulness unchanged, but the forms and ways it surfaces is constantly changing.
If Buddhism were stuck in 2500BC, practices that were relevant for India back, would seem out of place here. Female couldn't be monks.
The koan of how does Kannon use her 10,000 hands and eyes. Back in 2500BC, she would carry books and word of mouth.
The Koan today, I believe, shows Kannon podcasting, with an iPod, on the internet, using radios, media, TV. She drives cars, she live her now, she is present of and in the world.
Spending time as a student in both Zen Mountain Monastery and San Francisco Zen Center, the point of being here, living in the current world in all it's conditions, and then coming from here place in the way we act/respond with the world. Whilst always having our core/foundation in that which is 'beyond time and Buddhism'.
If Buddhism were to stop moving, and became rights and rituals, it would probably fall into nothing but forms and dogma, a point mentioned by John Stuart Mill in his book On Liberty.
(Unable to respond on The Urban Monk, will be reposting my reply on http://themiddleway.net over the next few days)
Thanks for the discussion.
Gassho,
Wade
When I first read that I thought you wrote "pomo monk". Now that could be interesting.
Ha ha.. Pomo Monk changes things up a bit! I'm sure there is one out there - somewhere.
Nice blogs BTW! Glad to discover them
Hi There,
I finally got around to writing a post taking the middle way with you, showing progression, quoting Dogen, Daido Roshi, and John Stuart Mill.
http://themiddleway.net/2008/03/06/the-real-buddhism-and-dharma/
Gassho,
Wade
http://themiddleway.net
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