Despite the OP starting with an overview of a study (including a link) on the historical and cultural processes conditioning the story of ‘Western Buddhism’ and what is sometimes excluded by its frame of focus….chownah wrote:Ok, we'll........seems like you are saying that your life is one of the stories.......seems like you are self making big time......are there other stories about other Buddhists alive today or are all the other stories about dead Buddhists?chownah wrote:Ok, then. Consider me to be encouraged to be curious about the stories of other Buddhists as you describe.......so where are these stories? Are you talking about stories from Buddhists alive today or are you just talking about stories about dead Buddhists?zavk wrote: ..........not to disparage 'Western Buddhism' as such, since I am participating in it too, but merely in hope of encouraging curiosity about the stories of other Buddhists that may be effaced/subjugated/denigrated, even if unwittingly, by the story 'Western Buddhism' narrates about itself.
chownah
chownah
Despite my sharing in a follow-up post six or seven links to books that shed light on the other sides of the story of ‘Western Buddhism’…
Despite my use of bold fonts to highlight certain phrases like historical and cultural process, so as to map my experience against a wider backdrop of conditioning forces that are external to the self but which shape our experience of ‘self’….
Perhaps I had wrongly presumed that I had put in sufficient effort in my long posts….
Perhaps I had wrongly presumed that it would be better to just offer general suggestions in a forum like this where one often encounters the celebration of such sentiments: ‘The Dhamma is all about “come and see for your self”…’ ‘You cannot tell people what to think, you can only offer suggestions and let them find out for themselves’, blah, blah, blah…. surely you know the rest….
Perhaps I ought to have been even more presumptuous and offered a link like this http://lmgtfy.com/ and specified search terms…
I am tempted to evoke the experience of others like Ben and Mike (I name this two simply because I have had contact with them) who may have encountered similar stories in their interactions with Buddhist communities that straddle cultural and traditional boundaries… but it would perhaps be too presumptuous of me to speak for others… I mean, after all, I am trying to be mindful of the problem of presumptuousness, aren’t I? And is there anything more presumptuous than to make claims about others?
Well, what can I say? Thank YOU for showing me that I have been overly presumptuous or not presumptuous enough. I am not quite sure which….
In any event, thank YOU for showing me how I am ‘making my self big time.’ Gee… now I really feel like I ought to reflect on the forces that have shaped my self.
It is sometimes customary to show appreciation for others’ contributions by saying ‘Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!’ But in this instance, it would not only be dishonourable to the Dhamma to do so - it would be more dishonest than having said ‘thank you’.