RESPONSES set - 11

WORKSHOP ON CULTURAL BUDDHISM.

www.bouddhayaanam.blogspot.com

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Responses update:

89. S. Raju:

The theme-note of the workshop has a claim that people are looking for the liberative aspects within Buddhist culture so as to encounter liberalization and globalization of the capitalist world. If this is so , then one is tempted to say that there is a functional reductionism. Being identified with Buddhist culture, one need not be looking for the liberative elements in it. Being part or identified with Buddhist culture, one may be seeking plethora of other aspects/world-views, etc., within Buddhism. Therefore, the functional reductionism may be one of the ways to relate to people's identification with Buddhist culture. Liberalization and globalization of the capitalist world cannot be countered solely by finding out liberative aspects of Buddhism. When liberative aspects of Buddhism is plugged into the ways of capitalist world,  it is quite likely that the liberative aspects will get galvanized (it may get appropriated). Moreover, it seems when we counte-pose liberalization and globalization with liberative aspects of  Buddhist culture, it appears that there is a rivalry between them, or at least a dichotomy. This dichotomy in effect sounds bit decadent Marxist Programme. 

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90. P. Madhu:

It may not be historically right to say the precepts of historical Buddha was counter to a commercial world, which has taken its later shape  'liberalization' (the counter intuitive terminology actually suggests unfreedom). The ethological conditioning of Buddhism is not merely the essentialist-Brahmanism - but then burgeoning commercialization & contempt against 'in-disciplines' of nomadic life-world. If we are caught up into claims of identity & isms- we may not understand it. Let's not be over joyous over Buddhist emphasis on values & morality. Today's market is not essentialist as it was with Adam Smith's world view. It is constructivist. Markets are made, created- not merely discovered! Anti-essentialism has no power against libertarian premises. My be drawing to essences- beyond essentialisms- would expose callousness of the oxymoronic libertarianism- because with that we may at least expose the oxymoron!
Liberation, I presume may not come from any 'ism'. If one has such hope that is misplaced hope.

Can we artificially culture a culture- be whatsoever the culture could be. Such things open the back-door for fascism- beautified with reinvented idealisms. Planning for a ‘cultural’ transformation using a label pasted upon a teacher lived 2500 years before?

Of all the absurdity, I think, I should not be silent about is - looking for the authentic Buddhist culture- monumentality is haunting! Where to search for an ideal Buddhist culture? Falling into idealism? I think historical Buddha warned not to fall into such ideal.

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91. C. P. Vijayan:

Let us not delve in to aspects which have no bearing on the general topic at hand of unearthing "Buddhist traditions" from whatever is left in the culture, traditions, art , craft, agriculture, medication, rituals linguistics , psyche and the physical remains (if at all we could lay hands on some). As per knowledge, almost all of the written texts have somehow been lost (which seems true).

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92. Kirathan. V:

Vipassana meditation is the true teaching of Buddha. If we donot learn vipassana, wecannot understand Buddha. THEORY IS ESSENTIAL, BUT ALONG WITH IF WE DONOT PRACTICE MEDITATION, THEN WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND BUDDHA. It is just like two cart of a vehicle. Just one example, one professor who taught pali in BHU for 26 years, and he taught about Buddha. Every day he came across the word impermanence, but he didn't understand the true meaning until he attended a 10 day vipassana meditation retreat.

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93. Mini. T:

Transition of Buddhist Concept of Nibh¡na [Nirv¡¸a] through Ages.

            Buddhist Philosophy considers Nibh¡na [Nirv¡¸a] as the highest goal of life. A person who attains this state is considered as freed from the cycle of birth and death. From the time of Buddha himself this concept had importance. Buddha had attained it and several monks and nuns are said to have attained it by knowing the four Noble truths and following the AÀ¶¡ngam¡rga. At the early period of Buddhism this concept was considered as the cessation from all worldly sorrows and   liberation from the cycle of Birth and death. End of the life of such liberated one was known by the term Parinibh¡na [Parinirv¡¸a]. Later, after the Parinirv¡¸a of Buddha, Buddhist way of life had undergone many transitions. Concept of Dharma, lifestyle of monks, and the Philosophical outlooks had changed very much. Tathagata and Bodhisatva concepts developed in Mah¡y¡na Buddhism changed the nature of Nirv¡¸a concept. Nirv¡¸a undergoes transitions which later make it as the transformation of the achiever in to Buddha himself. Another matter occurs in the transition of this concept is that attainment of Nirv¡¸a of nuns or ladies are considered to be impossible by some texts and some Buddhist teachers. Gender discrimination plays a high role inside the Sangha by this development. The change of concept also results in different modes of worship of Buddha as a God. The teacher who was against the ritualistic worships and image worship is subjected to all such ways of worships. This shifts of concepts and the result it created in Buddhist Philosophy and Buddhist Sangha deserves serious study.