tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post7247610326195712375..comments2023-09-21T09:49:28.326-07:00Comments on Fierce Dandelions: Is Convert Buddhism too Clubby and Exclusive?Nathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-29871702688779976952010-05-26T07:53:17.400-07:002010-05-26T07:53:17.400-07:00Hi Peter,
I didn't really get the sense that ...Hi Peter,<br /><br />I didn't really get the sense that you were part of the "strip it down" club. I wrote about that issue because it seems to be a common approach these days, and one I have some concerns about. <br /><br />The issue of how to attract newcomers is one most of are wrestling with, so it's good to keep talking about it, and also sitting with the question.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-13346377431938281262010-05-25T14:55:08.233-07:002010-05-25T14:55:08.233-07:00I bow to you Nathan and all who've written wit...I bow to you Nathan and all who've written with such thoughfulness. My reason for writing was NOT to advocate doing away with bells and smeels (as I enjoy them and rely on them as aids to navigation), nor to strip Buddhism of its historical riches, nor to claim that it's only about meditating. <br /><br />Perhaps I used to many words to state my challenge as the co-founder of a new Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-75465450385770324582010-05-23T05:50:53.995-07:002010-05-23T05:50:53.995-07:00You named this and I have noted it as well: we som...You named this and I have noted it as well: we sometimes neglect the sangha jewel. Sometimes there are unseen (read: ignored) barriers involving race or class. A social feature can help address that if there is consciousness around the issue. Someone once raised the question in a sangha meeting as to why our sangha had 99.9% white faces, and a teacher shrugged and suggested other people just Algernonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01698040927871199780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-44527094876240865482010-05-22T22:00:07.012-07:002010-05-22T22:00:07.012-07:00The "smells and bells" of the zendo form...The "smells and bells" of the zendo forms are a barrier for some. The mind will always come up with resistance to something. Why toss out the forms because of activity of the mind. For the most part, it can't be trusted!<br /><br />It is important to be vigilant about our own conditioning which can consciously or unconsciously create obstacles which are even more problematic.<br /><Heart of Wisdom Zen Templehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06502577851343513265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-18938366238727427782010-05-22T13:26:25.261-07:002010-05-22T13:26:25.261-07:00New Yorker Cartoon:
Picture a guy leaving house da...New Yorker Cartoon:<br />Picture a guy leaving house day after day for the garage with his class notebooks and no umbrella. There are sheets of raindrops outside, each rain drop is one word: maybe.<br /><br />What's a guy to do now: 'fraid of living, scared of dying; all dressed up and no where to go, half-hearted about being half-hearted just about to rename his blog: " POS" [stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17431349202266385861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-6816612236540860152010-05-22T10:22:25.810-07:002010-05-22T10:22:25.810-07:00All true religion is composed of volunteers.
When ...All true religion is composed of volunteers.<br />When the Buddha was asked to give teachings to prospective "followers" or "converts". <br />He said, "Come."<br />In other words follow and see, and if you like it, stay on; if you don't, nice meeting you and best wishes on your search.<br />It's like a guy I heard once where I was working, for the first week helmuthttp://contemplativespaces.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-52840984548582604302010-05-22T09:55:08.049-07:002010-05-22T09:55:08.049-07:00Thanks for the great set of comments everyone!
I ...Thanks for the great set of comments everyone!<br /><br />I think Nella Lou's point about "scripts" is an important one, one that I've tried to make as well. <br /><br />Robyn, you've been fortunate to practice in a diverse sangha. It's not a terribly common experience I think. As for people seeing the "bells and whistles" as a practice - well, you and I and Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-66639252753898893252010-05-21T23:22:51.388-07:002010-05-21T23:22:51.388-07:00Much of what you’re talking about is exactly what ...Much of what you’re talking about is exactly what the Soka Gakkai does. For them it is more than just chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, it’s also about socializing, creating bonds, making newcomers feel welcome, and they are very successful in making newcomers feel at ease, which as you pointed out, is important. <br /><br />For myself, ultimately I found relationships in the Soka Gakkai to be ratherDavidhttp://theendlessfurther.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-39984538647957438642010-05-21T22:14:23.581-07:002010-05-21T22:14:23.581-07:00This post got me thinking about the way Christiani...This post got me thinking about the way Christianity is viewed by many here in India. A couple of years ago my partner attended a Christian wedding as a guest. <br />He had no idea what to do there. At Hindu weddings everybody knows what is going on. <br /><br />He was surprised by the inside of the church. It was a large on in a big city. He marveled at the vestments of the priest, the stained NellaLouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07247769132258539996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-20133750381836569782010-05-21T18:03:25.554-07:002010-05-21T18:03:25.554-07:00Meditation is not "the practice." Living...Meditation is not "the practice." Living a moral life that causes no harm is "the practice." Meditation is the tool by which we see for ourselves what is skillful and unskillful.<br /><br />The Buddha said that rites and rituals in and of themselves are empty. However, they can be tools for developing mindfulness. You can bow to a Buddha statue as a simple rote behavior; or Richard Harroldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02943119066949899198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-29121256777900798892010-05-21T13:16:50.944-07:002010-05-21T13:16:50.944-07:00It isn't the practice that is the obstacle, it...It isn't the practice that is the obstacle, it is the person's ideas about the practice. Something like sesshin could easily appear to be completely bizarre, uptight, or any other adjective but, in fact, it is about creating the easiest place to practice - setting up everything to be just right to make practice easy. If, at first, it all just seems overly obsessively detailed or using Robynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06391086267728343589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-19534763287573442382010-05-21T13:16:50.945-07:002010-05-21T13:16:50.945-07:00Nathan, I don't have a direct comment on your ...Nathan, I don't have a direct comment on your post, or the post that provoked it.<br /><br />But I have been thinking lately about the differences between techniques such as MBSR (and I'll include Goenka-style Vipassana in this) and more traditional practices such as Zen or Vajrayana Buddhism.<br /><br />Jon Kabat-Zinn has been very careful not to overposition MBSR as anything other than Barryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09412033978642026623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-47432057455634631242010-05-21T11:10:38.454-07:002010-05-21T11:10:38.454-07:00Yes, it is clubby and exclusive. There! I said it!...Yes, it is clubby and exclusive. There! I said it!<br /><br />It's difficult to navigate and step into this religion here in the US and the reasons are many. Geography, access, previous religious dogma, culture, language, 84,000 sects, all compounded by prevelant misconceptions about Buddhism in general DO make it difficult for someone that is curious about Buddhism to get started (and stick Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09688546442746669587noreply@blogger.com