Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Mr Man
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by Mr Man »

khemindas wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:14 am From my experience surely Asians have less cockroaches in mind, they perceive everything in more simple way, for example approach of sanuk and sabai in Thailand.
Hi Bhante

So greed hatred and delusion are less in Thailand?
khemindas wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:14 am As for some western ideas, they might sometimes create more stress for people as example this video
The video is a comedy sketch it is not real (and not connected with Theravada).

Do "western ideas" create stress for you Bhante?
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retrofuturist
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

The prevailing ideas in your country do have the potential to shape how some practice, view or approach Buddhism.

For example, if you pick up a copy of Tricycle now in 2018, it will be full of the kinds of things that have been described here in this topic as "Western".

Interestingly, I don't think Tricycle was necessarily that way a decade ago... or maybe I just didn't notice? This too shall pass.

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Bundokji
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by Bundokji »

On the political level, maybe Bhante is correct, but not on the social level. For example, in my culture, when you have guests in your house, you should get out of your way trying to satisfy them. When they want to leave, you have to insist that they stay longer (regardless if you mean it or not). If you are eating something and don't ask them to eat with you, this would be extremely rude. If they accept your offer immediately, that would be a sign of greediness, and a simple no answer does not work as well, you have to keep on insisting until you make sure that they did not refuse your offer out of shyness/politeness.

When i lived in the west, visiting a friend or a colleague felt awkward. When they ask if you want something (if they did it at all), they expect a simple yes or no answer. I lived in the west for almost seven years, and i could not get used to their ways! But when i reflect on their behavior objectively, i feel that they are right. Yes should mean simply yes and no means no, without much nonsense.

So maybe each collective mind/culture has its own load of insects/cockroaches :toast:
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by Spiny Norman »

retrofuturist wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:53 am For example, if you pick up a copy of Tricycle now in 2018, it will be full of the kinds of things that have been described here in this topic as "Western".
Well, American really. It isn't the sort of thing read by English gentlemen. :tongue:
Buddha save me from new-agers!
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DooDoot
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by DooDoot »

khemindas wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:14 am
:)
khemindas wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:57 pmWestern Mentality
Cultural Marxist mentality?
khemindas wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:57 pmin Slavic countries we don't have this white guilt
Maybe because Slavs rarely conquered & genocided any native peoples (such as in the British Empire did in the Americas and Australia) and weren't accused of Holocaust.
khemindas wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:57 pmwe don't have all this hypertolerance, multiculturalism, feminism and equality ideas
Don't have Cultural Marxism?
khemindas wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:57 pmfor us these things are alien and most of us thinking they are not need.
Maybe Cultural Marxists did not flood into the Slavic nations in the late 1800s and after WW2 and took over the media, entertainment & educational institutions. Maybe it was the opposite; that the Cultural Marxists flooded out of the Slavic countries of Eastern Europe and the Russian Empire
khemindas wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:57 pmSo our approach seems will be something middle between Asian and Western Buddhism.
Western nations are subject to heavy immigration thus the traditional sense of community has diminished.
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User1249x
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by User1249x »

modern educayshun conditions dispassion for this world
chownah
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by chownah »

The video is stereotypical hyperbole.....it does not show things the way they really are....it does show things the way they are not....the intention behind the making of the video is political....it is devisive all around....
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by User1249x »

chownah wrote: Sun Jul 22, 2018 2:18 am The video is stereotypical hyperbole.....it does not show things the way they really are....it does show things the way they are not....the intention behind the making of the video is political....it is devisive all around....
chownah
While it definitely is an exaggeration, the last time i was attending a math class we had to watch a segment of some show making fun of Donald Trump and while i don't remember the specifics i can recall that transgender tolerance was also mentioned (for no apparent reason).
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by DNS »

Bundokji wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:05 am When they want to leave, you have to insist that they stay longer (regardless if you mean it or not). If you are eating something and don't ask them to eat with you, this would be extremely rude. If they accept your offer immediately, that would be a sign of greediness, and a simple no answer does not work as well, you have to keep on insisting until you make sure that they did not refuse your offer out of shyness/politeness.

When i lived in the west, visiting a friend or a colleague felt awkward. When they ask if you want something (if they did it at all), they expect a simple yes or no answer. I lived in the west for almost seven years, and i could not get used to their ways! But when i reflect on their behavior objectively, i feel that they are right. Yes should mean simply yes and no means no, without much nonsense.
In Bhante Gunaratana's autobiography he describes an incident where he was staying with a young American couple in the U.S. They offered him some lunch and he followed the traditional culture you describe above by first refusing. The American couple said, "ok" and Bhante G ate nothing that day.

He said from that time on, he knew he had to follow the U.S. culture and just say "yes" when offered. :D
rolling_boulder
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by rolling_boulder »

khemindas wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:57 pm It seems to me that Slavic Buddhism and Western Buddhism is quite different things, because Slavic mentality is quite different from Western Mentality, in Slavic countries we don't have this white guilt, and we don't have all this hypertolerance, multiculturalism, feminism and equality ideas, for us these things are alien and most of us thinking they are not need. So our approach seems will be something middle between Asian and Western Buddhism.
It sounds like you are trying to fit the Dhamma to your own preconceptions.

With respect
The world is swept away. It does not endure...
The world is without shelter, without protector...
The world is without ownership. One has to pass on, leaving everything behind...
The world is insufficient, insatiable, a slave to craving.
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by binocular »

rolling_boulder wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 4:54 pmIt sounds like you are trying to fit the Dhamma to your own preconceptions.
May the one who doesn't try to fit the Dhamma to their own preconceptions cast the first stone!
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
rolling_boulder
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by rolling_boulder »

binocular wrote: Sun Jul 29, 2018 10:12 am
rolling_boulder wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 4:54 pmIt sounds like you are trying to fit the Dhamma to your own preconceptions.
May the one who doesn't try to fit the Dhamma to their own preconceptions cast the first stone!
:jumping:
The world is swept away. It does not endure...
The world is without shelter, without protector...
The world is without ownership. One has to pass on, leaving everything behind...
The world is insufficient, insatiable, a slave to craving.
lostitude
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by lostitude »

khemindas wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:14 am From my experience surely Asians have less cockroaches in mind, they perceive everything in more simple way, for example approach of sanuk and sabai in Thailand. As for some western ideas, they might sometimes create more stress for people as example this video
Given the prevalence of violent racism and homophobia in countries such as Russia, maybe those cockroaches are not so bad after all.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
lostitude wrote: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:16 pm Given the prevalence of violent racism and homophobia in countries such as Russia, maybe those cockroaches are not so bad after all.
Please, no making this about politics, in and of itself. If you wish to do so, please do so at Dhamma Wheel Engaged, or elsewhere on the Internet.

This topic is about how one's understanding and application of Theravada Buddhism can be influenced and shaped by local culture and conditions.

It is on that basis alone that it is permitted and in scope for this forum.

Subsequent posts which fail to address the topic in that context may be removed without notice.

Thank you.

:focus:

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
LuisR
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Re: Slavic Buddhism vs Western Buddhism

Post by LuisR »

A friend of mine just back from the Ukraine and said most people were quite nice but he it was quite common to see young men with white supremacist tattoos or paraphernalia. If racism is something Eastern European don't think about it is probably because they have no one to call them out as much as people do here in North America.

The city I live in has a large E.E community and they have a rep for being racist and rather uncouth.
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