Woke Buddhism Must GO!
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- Опубліковано 7 тра 2024
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Thank you for being one of the only voices in "western buddhism" who believes Buddhism should be the focus and western is simply the culture in which its understood. Many friends have been interested in the path until they read some of the more popular publication topics which focus on the wrong thing. Grateful you post frequently to remind me some people do protect the dharma, and do so with a great sense of humor and musical taste.
Can you define what you mean by "make a difference in 'real life' "?
...that's such a general statement it's totally meaningless.
@@jttj742 Classically, at least, it is most distinctly NOT to make a difference in the world of samsara. It is to become Unbound from samsara. Classically, one of the necessary practices to become Unbound from samsara is the practice of generosity and harmlessness.
The essence of what the Buddha taught was not "making a difference in real life", it was the Four Noble Truths. Duhkha (suffering or stressful flawedness) is a part of life; craving and clinging attachment to one outcome or another causes duhkha, there is a path to cessation of duhkha, the path to the cessation of duhkha is the Noble Eightfold Path, or whatever your school of Buddhism calls for
You are failing to see that the maker of the video himself chooses a political side. Even if he says he is “not this” or “not that” he is clearly kicking the “left” as it appears to him. It is not a very honest approach either.
When I went to sesshin in San Diego (90s) the first few times, I was surprised to find people of different political beliefs. The politics came up when the sesshins were over, and I'd be talking to some others who were waiting to leave or staying overnight. I was actually shocked that there were so many extreme political views. However, we had sat and meditated together for a week. These political moments taught me that Zen Buddhism was about self-discovery/personal growth and more importantly raising ourselves beyond the petty human differences that hurt one another.
I pretty much had to leave a temple because another member there would harass me consistently about climate change, which he wanted to be the focus on every Dharma talk.
If we’re vowing to save all sentient beings, we’re vowing to save ALL sentient beings … period.
Except Trump supporters. 😉
*Fun facts: Ram Dass had a picture of GWB on his shrine. It was part of his sadhana.
..yeah. And you forgot to say that the best way to save as many sentient beings as possible is to fight the nihilistic death cult of wokeness.
@@Skelfi Incorrect. The best way to do it is to sit your ass on the cushion for 10 years, and then for 10 more years, and then for another 10 years. (Uchiyama Roshi).
Here's a famous koan about that:
“A Tendai priest was asked to recite sutras for a farmer’s wife who had died. The farmer asked, “Do you really think my wife will benefit from all of this?” The priest replied, “not only your wife, but all sentient beings will benefit.” The farmer protested, “You say all sentient beings but my wife may be weak and others will take advantage and receive more benefit. Please recite the sutra just for her.
The priest explained that it was Buddha’s wish to offer blessings to all living beings. The farmer agreed that that was a fine teaching. “But, “ he said, “I have a neighbor who is rough and has been mean to me. Couldn’t you just exclude him from all those sentient beings?”
So, is Trump the neighbor who is rough and mean? What about Biden--I'm sure certain Middle Easterners may feel that way about him!
Are Trump supporters the neighbor? What about judgy or exclusive progressives? Am I MYSELF the neighbor who is rough and mean? What about the person who says "We must exclude this person because they have wrong view, and include this person because they have right view?"
@@dr.jeffreyzacko-smith324 ..yeah. Hopefully this will help one to identify ones (self)destructive tendencies so they don't give rise to woke-ideas.
100% agree. The deeper I get into Zen, the less I appreciate politics being infused into practice.
Zen is apolitical. Originally.
Bravo. If Buddhism just becomes an outlet for us to argue politics we'll never get any sitting done.
That's why you practice in retreat in avoid such cancers of the mind.
omg This ✓
This guy gets it.
Do any of you know how change happens in the world in accordance with the needs of the populace. What is the bodhisatva’s vow? To transfer merit? To serve other beings?
You all are doing this for yourselves and have lost the cord, and your fire does not burn for anyone. That is not of emptiness, that is of an empty heart.
@@AlchemicalAudio Your fine sentiment is misapplied in this case. Selfishness and politics are not two opposed elements. They are manifestations of the same delusion.
As a leftist, I agree we need to keep politics away from Buddhism. Even if I agree with the general points from the intro, it sounds tasteless and inappropriate for a book on Buddhism. The Middle Path I see here, then, is indicating that Buddhism accepts people of all races, sexes, genders, and sexualities. That is positive and does not veer off into the territory of negative criticism, which is what really turns people away. Harsh critique is not very Buddhist at all.
I went to a zendo in NYC several years back.
The mailing list asked "do you identify as a POC? and "do you identify as LGBTQ?"
Isn't "identifying" the opposite of what we're doing in practice?
Yes! And why would those things even be relevant to a Buddhist practice?
Yes, however, my own practice also led me to a sense of equanimity. I believe we should strive to treat people equally and respect their wishes as far as their persons. For seem people an identity is important to them and I would always respect that. I feel privileged to not care much about my own.
No. "Identify" in this context means something different, obviously. It is just a way to say "are you X" while acknowledging that this identity comes from the inside and outsiders should not decide for you if you are or not POC or if you are or not trans etc.
And for what do they want that information?
@@marcusgronwall1340 possibly because when you organise any social event you need to know as much as possible about the needs of people attending?
It's ironic how political your argument against the politicization of Buddhism comes across. I can understand your annoyance: listening to someone rant about a woke, leftist agenda or a right-wing, fascist agenda, or indeed any kind of sinister seeming agenda, is certainly off-putting.
Right? It’s just gross. Brad made it very obvious it’s not politics he dislikes being mixed with Buddhism, he just doesn’t like it when it’s his own politics NOT getting mixed with Buddhism.
@@93rustyshackleford You use the word gross, which I find interesting, as it shows the deep roots of the self righteous Leftist mind. They sublimate their indoctrinated guilt into judgments of others to try to get some relief.
Ummm. Did anyone ever hear of the Middle Way?
Hi Brad! I largely agree. I find it deeply concerning how many convert Buddhist communities package together the teachings interchangeably with social issues, or issues of psychological health and well being. Not to say those aren't important topics in their own right. But teaching the Buddhadharma, and creating communities for people to practice should always be the primary concern. Buddhadharma is important and interesting enough that it can stand on its own merit!
It's finished. My new dharma name is forever now "Chuck" 🤣
All American dharma names from this point on should be Chuck. 1000 years from now: *There was a famous Zen master from Ohio named Chuck. One day a troubled monk named Chuck approached him, intending to ask the Master for guidance. A dog walked by. Chuck asked Master Chuck, "Has that dog a Buddha-nature or not?" Chuck had barely completed his question when Master Chuck shouted: "MU!"*
Having practiced in the Bay Area for many years, I have had to put up with this constantly, and it drives me crazy too! Even a mildly worded suggestion that we not hold fixed views and try to understand the worldview of others is met with strong objections and suspicion as to what my secret motives might be :-/
Way too political, and this hurts people advancing on the path. Buddhists are not anything politically. They shouldn't be that engaged with politics, unless it's something "big" like torture, gross inequality, etc. Everything is empty, including politics. Peace.
This drives me crazy too -- not clinging to narratives, identities and labels was part of the point of introspection and training
@@AnthonyL0401 Absolutely! The core of Buddhism is flat-out ignored.
@@AnthonyL0401 No one is applying these basic concepts. Identities are conventionally true, but not ultimately. We can pick a political side (more moral, etc), but ultimately, all these ideas are empty of inherent existence (don't want to get too caught up in a trends, ideas, etc); even emptiness is empty. All things shall pass (political trends, fashion, material things....all are impermanent). Take good care. Peace.
@@didierlason6453 What I will say about Thai Forest Theravada monks in the west, is that they don't seem to think they have the option to ignore the "don't hold fixed views" thing like Zen monks do
The straightforward buddhist practicality"put your oxygen mask on first before helping others" has slowly been metastasizing into "make sure you are putting the right brand of oxygen mask on"
Pretty unhinged reaction to a book intro
Here's the thing though dude. Real talk. Longtime Buddhist here, been on years of retreat, transmissions, etc., etc.,
Yes, calling a Dharma name and such "cultural appropriation" is nonsense...
BUT (and here's the Buddhist part), real talk: BUDDHISM says that the cause of suffering is clinging, and AVERSION. This is some hardcore aversion of yours. If you're massively triggered by an intro, that's just klesha like any other. I'm not saying there aren't idiots on both the left and the right. There sure as hell are. But being AVERSE to some silly introduction by some random dude, is just as much aversion as any other kind.
Now, I AGREE: Buddhism needs to appeal to the cowboys and truck drivers, and blue collar people as well. But you know, this is what happens when you read "Barns and Noble" Buddhism books. Okay like go read any book by some Rinpoche and you're not going to get that. And honestly? I gotta tell ya, this has a lot less to do with "Buddhism" in America, and a lot more to do with the weirdness of American Zen. You don't see a lot of this in Vajrayana. Yes, people have conversations about stuff when it comes up, people might want to talk about what's going on in Gaza or when George Floyd happens, I mean that was a huge world-changing event. It was everywhere, the whole world was talking about it, and Buddhism doesn't shy away from current events. Climate Change is a huge thing, and so part of compassion means lots of people care very deeply about the planet, and our impact on it and other people, and animals. That's just part of being a Bodhisattva.
BUT, not every Buddhist Sangha is so focused on politics. Really, I have seen most of that in Zen communities. Go to a Nyingma , or Sakya, temple, or Bön temple or most Vajrayana temples (not Shambhala) and people are going to be primarily focusing Tantric practice, and not the trauma-dramas of the world. I really do think that Zen Buddhism in a lot of America has some serious issues, no offense intended, but a lot of it practically isn't even "Buddhism" anymore from my perspective, and has little to do with the Four Noble Truths anymore, and is mostly just secular meditation. Almost a kind of "new Dharmic religion". But I digress.
No offence, but do you consider Bön to be ”Buddhism” then?
@@PeteWaan yes, as does the Tibetan government, and many modern scholars. Modern Bön is very much another school of Tibetan Buddhism. Whatever it was or may have been before Buddhism, it has been completely transformed by Buddhism and fully incorporated it. Bön practices are done from a standpoint of Buddhism now. And if I'm not mistaken, there are some scholars who believe that Bön in it's present day form is essentially an earlier school of Buddhism that predates and arrived to Tibet before the Nyingma school. (Although I'm sure there might be Nyingma people who would be sore at me for saying so). There were many, many religious traditions in Tibet before Buddhism, and they all sometimes get mistakenly referred to as "Bön". But the modern Bön we know today is very much a school of Buddhism. I mean Bönpo's take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, so they're definitely Buddhist.
Woke and postmodernism is developmentally mostly a western syndrome erupting as cultural polarisation, it hasn't even emerged on the horizon in most of Asia..
@sarakajira, you seem to have missed the core fundamental point, that the ideology/religion of wokeness is built upon aversion against life, truth, reality.
It's not "aversion" to want to remove aversion. It's just about keeping things as clean as possible.
I can understand your interpretation of the OP's thoughts to an extent but to simply say that his being triggered by an intro is aversion is a bit of an oversimplification. Yes he had quite a bit of passion about it but was it JUST an intro? Or was it more? This "intro" covered all the woke talking points. White people, appropriation, oppression, climate change and so on. This is not Buddhism. Sure we can spin these things into morality and compassion and typical Buddhist views but that is what wokeness does. It perverts morality, hijacks and uses it as a weapon and takes over whatever institution it infects. Christian churches have changed dramatically once they give into wokeness. Schools are full of activist teachers. Do you want Monasteries of activist monks? Do you really not find anything in this extremist activism, with all your years of Buddhist practice that is a stumbling block in the same way you pointed out Aversion in regards to the intro? Could it be that the creator of this video is simply aware of the inherent danger of this Social Marxist ideology infecting and subverting his spiritual path and potentially doing harm to others who come to Buddhism and are radicalized instead by wokeness? Is that at all possible? Just because climate change is a thing does not mean Woke ideology is not dangerous. Their activism and talking points are their tenets and it will overshadow the Buddhas teaching and Buddhism will be coopted and used to further advance the ideology if it is allowed to take root. Is If his reaction to the intro is AVERSION, is not the fears and view points withing the intro, also just another AVERSION? If the excuse is that Buddhism doesn't shy away from current events does that not also apply to the video creator? The onset of wokeness is in fact a current event and is often discussed in politics. Is he not doing the same thing but you are seeing it purely in a semi defensive position of wokeness itself. Is he not pointing out the dangers of Wokeness just as the woke point out the dangers of climate change. I digress.
The culture war is a bore
cringe video. his idea of hard left Ieft is vaccines, against Nixon, against Vietnam war. Far left is Maoism and Marxist-Leninism. He doesn't know the difference between a liberal and radical leftists?
And yet here we all are trapped in it..
Brad Warner is a bore.
Sitting with Brad Warner's talk for a few days- letting the mud settle - a few questions remain. They are related to the underlying motivation for voicing his concerns that Brad Warner expresses, namely that American Buddhism might perish if it gets hijacked by left wing political posturing. If I take these concerns at face value, I have to ask with all sincerity: What does the decline and death of Buddhism in America, or indeed in the West, or even in the world at large, have to do with zen practice? Is it part of Zen practice to work for the growth and success of Buddhism?
Does the book yell or was that added for effect?
I'm glad I go to a center where pretty much nobody talks about Anything political. Everything focuses on the practice.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm sure you know, but you are not alone. There are a lot of us out there.
Thanks once again for being the voice of reason. More, please!!!
Thank you for this one. This is Zen in Portland as well… go figure. It’s so repulsive how these zen centers have been operating.
Brad, you make some good points here, especially about silly accusations of cultural appropriation. Still, as a leftist, I found it grating. If I was a conservative, or right wing, or a MAGA type, I would love it. One thing: a while back I was listening to a lecture of yours, and I'm pretty sure it was from the Angel City Zen podcast. In the talk you mentioned how there are many people in American Buddhist circles who claim that US Zen culture is too homogeneously white and upper class, and how we should work to make it more diverse. You then said that you thought that this sentiment was ridiculous. Then you described mentioning this to either your wife or girlfriend, who I think you said was Mexican, saying to her, "Can you imagine your relatives ever being into Zen?" and you both had a good laugh. That's my recollection.
So then--if my memory is correct--you think, for whatever reason, it's silly for American Zen culture to try to be more inclusive of non-white people. At the same time, you ridicule American Zen culture for being so left-wing that it alienates more centrist or conservative leaning people. I think that if you were first and foremost concerned about Zen culture surviving in America, as you claim you are, you would celebrate and encourage all efforts to include people of color, as well as to have the ultra-left politics reigned in a bit.
Then again, "punching left" makes for better social-media theater.
To take it a step further, I would say that if he were really concerned he would be discussing more the role that greed, hatred and delusion plays in what's happening in the world, as opposed to "punching left" as you say... but I hear you.
Brad's been overcompensating since 2016, and I won't expound upon what I think the reasons for that are because they're none of my business. These days I see his content as little more than a train wreck- I'm often afraid to look, but sometimes I'm just too fascinated with the horror to look away (or maybe I'm just bored 🤷🏻♂).
David, you nailed it. Reactionary talking points always make for good clickbait because it draws on people's more base feelings like anger, disgust, and hatred. It's always sad to see people fall down this cliche path, all the while thinking they are bright.
@@dg1178 You're out of your mind if you don't think anger, disgust and hatred do not exist on the farther Left right now. If for nothing else, they have a hatred for whiteness/cisness/maleness, as a retribution for actions of previous people. Tell me how I am wrong. Yes, the Right has a ton of selfishness, but where they go selfish, the Left goes too righteous, and the worst part is because it's based from guilt instead of rightful perspective
Yeah this whole video was pretty disappointing - especially given the buddha would've been considered pretty left wing if these terms existed back then. All that sharing? sounds ilke communism to me tbh
Brad thinks he's an iconoclast, but the story of a white guy getting more conservative as he ages is a very common one
White guys! It's a nightmare isn't it. I dream of a world comprising only black women.
It happens to all people as they gain more life experience...not just 'white guys'.
@@Teller3448 , exactly.
I'd venture most people regardless of race or culture do that.
Oh you mean wisdom?
@@Teller3448 because as you get older your brain calcifies
I’m from Tennessee. Never seen a temple here that requires a mask. The ones in my city are majority Lao and Viet. Might just be a california/New York thing. The monastery in Atlanta that I’ve attended doesn’t have much in the way of politics either.
Yep, I also belong to a sangha in the Midwest and it's not politicized at all. I think Brad is extrapolating a couple of over the top places to all American sanghas, which is just not true
Dharma name: Obi-wan-kenobiteswara
@@quieofa In New York City, the politization is real and problematic, but I never experienced it in Boston or other part of New England, at least not to this degree. But maybe things have changed because I haven't been there post-Trump.
Sometimes you get more clarity than you bargained for
I went on a vipassana retreat. Felt super turned off by the organization offering up times for people of certain identity groups to go sit together.
I didn’t attend the special sessions that I “qualified” for, and have not gone back or donated since because of that part of the experience.
Insight… or indoctrination?
Other than that… great practice!!! The meditation technique has been a very helpful tool.
Extremes suck. Having said that, most Buddhist centers aren’t Brooklyn/la/or Austin and very few have as much of the gatekeeping you refer to here. As usual, the non-attention seeking majority exists quietly while the tiny but loud minority gets a lot of press and on a lot of nerves. I try to mind my business and do my best. If a group I wanted to sit with made some weird restrictions (of any kind) I’d just nope out and go do my thing elsewhere.
Well said. When the Buddha left the palace and saw the ways of human suffering his impulse was not to start a political party or lobby regional governments for policy change. This fact must piss certain people off A LOT.
You are one of a kind Brad! Love the music video and talk.
This is why I, an Orthodox Christian, love your stuff, Brad. You just give straight Zen, without the baggage of disafffected holdovers from the Beatnik generation. If I ever get a psych client who's interested in Zen, I'm sending them to your stuff.
I thought Buddhism was about waking up. Btw, "woke" is just a vague reactionary buzzword. What does it mean? Whatever you want it to mean, apparently.
@hardcorezen has gone off the alt right deep end… or maybe he was always there
Why are you whining about people wanting to better understand how historical processes and social systems have been selected by power structures to numb us to our capacities to be compassionate (to struggle with) over the course of centuries? Was the Buddha not explicitly critiquing the social structures of his time such as caste? Was the text screaming or are you not able to maintain composure when confronting perspectives you don't identify with? What kind of "enlightened" centrism is this?
Why did your mind have such a strong reaction to him? Why did my mind cause me to type that?
The buddha didn't criticise anything, he advocated wholesome living, that's the opposite of woke
@@DrunkenBoatCaptain damn, you don’t know much about the Buddha, huh?
@@SgtJackRose cool comment, Jack! So Zen! …gimme a ducking break lol
"Why are you whining about people wanting to better understand how historical processes..."
-Because woke is worthless garbage it doesn't teach anything. IT MISINFORMS.
that rant is why i subscribe
American Buddhists be like:
"you can practice this universal religion, as long as you have the correct political beliefs."
You are required compassion to live the Buddhist life. Those position are just the result of applying compassion to politics. You are just not the right person for Buddhism if you disagree.
@@flip526 Compassion for whom?
@marcusgronwall1340 compassion towards the least fortunate: poor people, people with a poor immune system, black people, queer people, people living in countries and regions most effected by climate change, etc.
not all american Buddhists are like that, that's a gross generalization.
@@marcusgronwall1340…for those who have historically been-and still are-systematically treated as invalid, unworthy, etc. This means people and species.
Those who think their politics can be separated from their spiritual practice (yucky term sorry) clearly aren’t deeply invested in either.
Brad relax man
Thank you for this video!
If you think that politics should largely be left out of Buddhism then I hope (with respect) that this is the last time you raise it because its not the reason that I watch your videos. I live in England and I've attended a few different Buddhist centres and Monastery's. I have never encountered a problem with politics at any of them. They were all quite definitely apolitical. Am I lucky? I think its sad if a person chooses to invest their time studying Buddhism but instead has to discuss politics which can be so inflammatory...
I'm a socialist (european, real socialist) and a buddhist and I both agree and disagree with you on this. I dont like the word "woke" and I cant see how wearing masks has anything at all to do with left wing politics and I do believe you can argue for a just economy, the end to rascism and taking care of our planet from a buddhist perspective. But, and this is a big but (no pun intended) buddhism is not political and doing zazen and teaching and/or learning the dharma should not be confused with political ideologies. I could absolutely argue that capitalism as an economic system and social structure can never be based in compassion since it is completely centered around the need for profit which leads to greed and egocentric behaviour. But, I would never claim buddhism is anti capitalist or that socialism is "more buddhist", because at the end of the day, "this", "suchness" has nothing to do with who owns the factories or how the economy is organized.
We still need to navigate in this world though, and even if we are buddhists we can have strong opinions on how society should be managed. But as buddhists we need to keep our ears and hearts open for others and make an effort to truly speak and act from a compassionate heart.
Thank you for your teachings, you're still not banned in my book.
Thank you Brad, you always have a way of saying what needs to be said! Love the wild flowers in the background!
Wokeness is the discriminating-mind’s pretense at being ‘compassionate.’
Judging others as doing wrong is their primary means of doing the right thing.
& Does anyone actually think the Japanese never appropriated another culture’s culture?
How dare Dogen appropriate Caodong Chan!
My own ancestors appropriated the culture of their Roman conquerors...and I'm kinda grateful they did.
I guess I should drop Buddhism and become a druid. Any other religion would be cultural appropriation. /s
Brad, I agree with you. You are 100% correct... perhaps just sit and chill for a bit.
Sit and write a new book about it. Cant wait to read it.
Those three paragraphs hit every political key word imaginable... wow. this is what happens when engaged Buddhism morphs into just 'enraged Buddhism'...
"enraged buddhism" 😂
What i got from this all is that these comments help me see why not speaking ill of Sangha is one of the percepts. Thank you all for the continued lessons.
a tradition that is 2600 years old can not be butchered by novices trying to adhere to political ideology developed ten years ago.
@scottccyoutube i agree with you, but i don't think im concerned with growth. this kalpa's dharma is still subject to impermanence so it eventually it will die out everywhere. what i am concerned about is so called honest practitioners perverting something to fit what they think is right in this moment. i think we have seen this time and time again lead to more suffering
It’s a shame you had to make this video. Most woke stuff is just virtue signaling not compassion.
A lot of it is about saying "good", rather then doing good.
It's almost all ego.
Absolutely. And this all continually creeps into everything. I see it in film, television, video games, music, near every form of media. Now Buddhist books!? Gross.
Here's another wokey spotted
Here's a question for you all: what is "woke"?
Outstanding!
I really love your Books😊 thanks for the Videos
Brad- thank you ! So glad that you are doing your best to point out how easily people and especially ‘organizations’ of any stripe get led away from the primary purpose of human introspection. Just exactly WHO is it that makes all these claims?
THANK YOU! Thank you for saying this. I have read and studied Buddhist texts, particularly of the Chinese Buddhist traditions (Chan/Pure Land texts) and have been associated with Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhist organizations, people, etc. and never does politics run into Buddhism. Especially in Chan (Zen) , the whole idea is to realize non-self, and often times in the West I see them studying Buddhism for self-reinforcement. Politics, in several Mahayana and Theravada texts is specifically looked up in a bad view and something to stay away from as it reinforces self, separation, and thus suffering. Division in the guise of equanimity, self reinforcing and particular choosing of whom to love in the guise of all pervading compassion, non self in the guise of self, what a pity. Politics should stay out of Buddhism, and religion in general in that regard. As you say indeed, eastern Buddhist, if they have any political ideals at all would be considered right-wing if at all, in American terms. Master Sheng Yen, Master Chin Kung, etc. carry conservative values in TERMS OF American political ideals. But again, why even bother with that? Religion should be kept out of politics especially if you are trying to let go of division, which politics does so well at. It is all still partial compassion, as they will hate the right-winged people. And vice versa. It’s still centered around self, the very thing that keeps one from realizing the deathless. Think id end it off with some direct textual citing on politics:
Brahmajala Sutta 1.17. "Or he might say: 'Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in frivolous chatter, such as: talk about kings, thieves, and ministers of state; talk about armies, dangers and wars; talk about food, drink, garments, and lodgings; talk about garlands and scents; talk about relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries; talk about women and talk about heroes; street talk and talk by the well; talk about those departed in days gone by; rambling chit-chat; speculations about the world and about the sea; talk about gain and loss - the recluse Gotama abstains from such frivolous chatter.'[2]
1.18. "Or he might say: 'Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in wrangling argumentation, (saying to one another): "You don't understand this doctrine and discipline. I am the one who understands this doctrine and discipline." - "How can you understand this doctrine and discipline?" - "You're practising the wrong way. I'm practising the right way." - "I'm being consistent. You're inconsistent." - "What should have been said first you said last, what should have been said last you said first." - "What you took so long to think out has been confuted." - "Your doctrine has been refuted. You're defeated. Go, try to save your doctrine, or disentangle yourself now if you can" - the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrangling argumentation.'
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Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva said: "It is the great merciful and compassionate heart, the impartial heart, the motionless heart, the unpolluted and unattached heart, the emptiness [non-self] observing heart, the respectful heart, the humble heart, the uncluttered heart, the non-view and non-grasping heart, and the uppermost Bodhi-Heart. You should know that such hearts are the feature and characteristics of this Dharani, you should practice according to them." (Great Compassionate Dharani Sutra). [The same sutra speaks of protection from political views]
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“Those who cling to perceptions and views wander the world offending people.” (Magandiya Sutta)
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"Furthermore, Subhuti, in the practice of compassion and charity a disciple should be detached. That is to say, he should practice compassion and charity without regard to appearances, without regard to form, without regard to sound, smell, taste, touch, or any quality of any kind. Subhuti, this is how the disciple should practice compassion and charity. Why? Because practicing compassion and charity without attachment is the way to reaching the Highest Perfect Wisdom, it is the way to becoming a living Buddha. (Diamond Sutra Chapter 4.1)
"Furthermore, Subhuti, all dharmas are equal, none is superior or inferior. This is called unsurpassed complete enlightenment.
When one cultivates all good without the notions of a self, a person, a sentient being, or a lifespan, one attains unsurpassed complete enlightenment. Subhuti, the Tathagata teaches that good is not good, therefore it is good." (Diamond Sutra Chpt 23)
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Radiate boundless love towards the ENTIRE world -
above, below, and across - unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.
- Gautama Buddha,
Metta Sutta
Also, again, if you truly want things to change so that Zen in American expands and flourishes, I'm not sure "ranting to the choir" is the way to go.
Thank you for this! I've thought many times of asking you about how to deal with/work with all the mayhem here and the world at large. I don't want to live in a Buddhist serenity bubble. I want to live in the real world, but the suffering and fighting going on is at times too much to bear. Avalokiteśvara is crying. This moment seems so ripe with potential... but I still can't see the way.
It extraordinary how exclusive woke is, for an ideology that professes inclusion.
So many buzzwords they got checked off there.
Great truth rant Brad!!!
Brad, I consider myself an anarchist, and I'm right there with you. Wokeism has about as much to do with Anarchism as it does with Buddhism. The whole thing is a wolf in sheep's clothing. I wish Anarchism would break away from the left and establish itself as post-political, unfortunately people who claim anarchist while pushing statist capitalist ideas have taken over. Yuck.
Cultural appropriation: it's funny-sad how we're supposed to fix cultural relations by removing all references to other cultures from our own culture. White people are only allowed to do white people things, etc. Wut? I guess Japanese Buddhists using Chinese dharma names is cultural appropriation because of the atrocities the Japanese government committed against China in WW2?
I could write a whole opinion piece on this subject, but I won't. I'm just glad you're out here trying to be a voice of reason.
At my local temple they have a segment where people call out names or groups they want everyone to send metta to. I've thought about calling out Trump's name (cause that guy needs metta real bad) but I've been afraid of being excommunicated for it. Mostly people call out for Palestine or prisoners.
Amen.
"However much love and pity we may feel in our present lives, it is hard to save others as we wish; hence, such compassion remains unfulfilled. " -- Shinran, founder of Jodo Shinshu (Shin Pure Land Buddhism)
Im as progressive as they get. Cant stand Trump politicaly but hate the culture war. Hi everyone from both sides of modern politics. Lets end this dumb culture war. Our As long as we all can vote every 4 years freely and respect that, there is no reason to panic
It's kind of our duty to participate much more than that.
@@bryandraughn9830 What is "duty"?
Now Breathe, you are forgetting impermanence, the left will change into the right, the right will into the left. The Middle may help you break free from the samsara of left and right, Please practice this. Namaste.
And here I was, thinking "Buddha" literally meant woke....
NO, It's an amazing album..
AMAZING
Brad... I appreciate this video. It rings true in my experience. I am a longtime Zen practitioner. Started formal practice in Eido Roshi’s lineage in 1986. Several years later moved over the Suzuki Roshi/SFZC lineage. My experience in these two linages was wonderful and nourishing. However, I left the American Zen mainstream in the early 2000’s for two main reasons, one of which was the growing politicalization of the major American Buddhist Sanghas. It made me so sad to see this happening.
I am now part of a small, out-of-the-mainstream, Sangha in central Virginia that includes an urban practice group and also a small rural retreat center. We are mostly Zen but with some Advaita Vedanta and J. Krishnamurti thrown in, as well as body-based support practices such as yoga, tai chi, and Continuum Movement. We have stayed solidly non-political.
One of the most important things you said was about how for Buddhism to flourish in America it needs to move into the working class, to the average folk of America…. carpenters, truck drivers, HVAC technicians, mechanics, schoolteachers, etc.
We feel kind of isolated out here and would be interested in forming some sort of loose confederation of non-political American Buddhist Sanghas if there is any interest out there.
Also, you correctly noted that the Buddhism broadly practiced across the globe tends towards being somewhat conservative (in the original meaning of the word). My experience exactly. I know many Asian-American Buddhists who brought their Buddhism here from their home country and practice in predominately Asian-American Sanghas (which also function as Asian cultural and family centers) and they are politically centrist to moderate conservative - nothing liberal, progressive, or “woke” about them.
I would like to try to disagree that Buddhism is conservative, it became conservative, but the Buddha was a revolutionary, taking an opposition stance on the politics of India, but here is the punch line - supporting popular political message is something most people can do and the introduction which is opposed in this video is an extract of what is said on one of the political sides - it's a meaningless message in terms of impact, it is a meaningful message for this book in terms of retrospective, we can see what happens to the mind. This obviously doesn't ring zen bells for us.
I would like to highlight my main point - if popular message could help what it is intended for on the surface - it would, but it doesn't because that message is only the surface. I experienced this myself in my local zen center. I couldn't understand at first, but then I realized that the majority of people in a Zen center are ones who seek help and not the ones who can provide it, so I relaxed.
Popular message may cause sparks, but it takes a more focused and intense work, such as the one the Buddha did, to burn anything. Let us collectively actualize another firestarter.
Right On brotha!!
Thankfully I have the original version of the book. This new introduction for me is nausea inducing. And I’m a progressive. But I don’t believe in shoving my political or cultural biases down anyone’s throat. That’s the opposite of Zen.
Thich Nhat Hahn has this in his Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism: "Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts." Although, can we agree on the difference between transforming into a political party, and taking a clear stand against oppression and injustice? It doesn't look like we can.
I was looking at Plum Village sitting groups recently and they're all split into various identities, there were so many separated groups
@scottccyoutube no need to apologise, I don't participate in any TNH groups. I was just exploring what was available as I live in a small town in England and was seeing what options were available.
I am going to check out Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Not sure if my reply is going to be posted in the right place but regarding checking out Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche or thinking of getting involved in Tibetan Buddhism. It would be helpful to be aware of the abuse of students and subsequent cover ups and closing of ranks worthy of the Catholic Church. I would recommend 'Fallout, recovering from abuse in Tibetan Buddhism' by Tahlia Newland.
I’m becoming introduced to Buddhist practice in a Buddhist recovery group. The first 10 minutes was spent introducing ourselves and giving our preferred pronouns and on which indigenous tribal land we’re occupying. This whole parade of ideological virtue signaling isn’t necessary. Bear in mind I’m a gay man who has always been a pretty moderate liberal. And my views haven’t changed. The society has. Thank you so much for this video.
Regardless of whether one is a Buddhist, to the right, the left or the extreme center, as citizens we should speak out when there is violence and injustice because we care, out of affection for people and those who suffer, you don't have to be a Buddhist or to the left or anything else to be caring to have the capacity to sympathize with those who suffer.
Buddhism teaches that most suffering is self-generated.
@@Teller3448oh but of coooourse and therefore the slaves brought on their own enslavement and therefore the whites who enslaved them have no responsibility, how conveeeeenient . . . btw, Buddhism also teaches to not engage in hollow discussion . . . which is what most of this is
thanks, Brad. Well said, and necessarily so.
All the leftist stuff is in direct opposition to buddhism because its all about ego. Look at how concerned i am about social justice!!!.
But what are we doing here? Is this not also an echo chamber of the same making? In the most honest of ways?
Fundamentally, what is the difference of position but alignment and definitions?
And in basic ways, how does that relate to anything of substance in regards to Buddhism?
There is still a one sided, very dualistic modality of mind driving this conversation, that lacks nuance and depth and is based in reactive thinking.
The projection of value onto others is thick in this room and is making people drunk and no one has the power to see past their own bias and cultural underpinnings.
You too are programmed into a polarity with with those you contest are performing a social drama, acting like they care.
Perhaps they are, perhaps they are not.
Your notions of time and alignments are sticking you to an associative web that is sticky. Was your entrance into center clean? Or was it full of folly? Is it not constant acceptance of folly?
We have to remember and respect that labeling entire groups of people as egoistic, in it self is egoistic. And in this way, so is what I am doing.
But this is an opportunity to learn and deepen our understanding of suffering. Not shut down to those who we don’t find cultural alignment with.
It needs to be seen that this is actually the opportunity that is being lamented in the video. The loss of access by association of woke gatekeeping.
If these people are actually performing acts of service and community engagement in hollow ways… that is an opportunity!!! For the framework of Buddhism to find itself into the programming of those who have always seen it as woo woo… be the model you crave, that is how the ego is used.
Show the world the Bodhisattva within. Be the real where you see illusion and projection. Be the bridge.
The chains can be gold or they can be razor wire, but chains are chains, and Samsara takes engagement. And sadly in our modern world everything is engagement…
And the rules of the world are rapidly changing at paces that haven’t been reflected in previous lifetimes. We have models but we also do not have models, and that change takes a different modality to maintain presence within in order to not align yourself with someone else’s ideas but to align yourself with alignment, not with social narrative. And this conversation is all about alignment and social narrative.
Essentially this video is creating suffering and division around a place that needs healing, in the world and in the hearts of the people of the world.
All the actions are hollow, all the actions are suffering, all the actions are ego.
But ego is more than you are allowing it to be.
Ego isn’t to be burnt, it is to be extinguished. Yet, there must be room for an ego in life. But it must be seen how is with others, which is what your concern is.
Even in enlightenment there is ego. There is curation. Fundamentally the concept of enlightenment is ego. And on the most basic level concepts of any need are ego.
Every heart beat is only ego and is also not. Every heart beat is a well spring.
"Leftist" is a term an ego would use.
Left and right are dualistic.
In any case, in our subjective reality, "leftists" are generally aligned closer to the true heart of Buddhism AND Christianity.
@@AlchemicalAudio thanks for reply. Listen maybe I'm a bit thick yeah? But I'm a bit lost in your reply tbh. I'll give you a sense of my perspective on all this tho. I'm an older guy. What I've seen over time is a lot of posturing. I've seen ppl without anything to lose amidst arguments with rather strong opinions. See it doesn't hurt, you aren't really feeling pain or shall I say feeling pain from a safe distance if you get my drift. I have a friend who's become a Krishna who sends me messages about being as humble as a blade of grass. I've been a laborer my whole life. I have little patience for " being as humble as a blade of grass". I know my friend is trying to deal with various issues and pain in life but I also know when one is just bullshitting oneself. I view these things as practically as I can. I know, I have my own ego to deal with but I'm aware of bullshit. You don't need to change your name to some Indian name and dress in bed sheets. This is the same as getting a decoder ring from the toy company. I've just heard a ton of B's over the years. I know I've been full of shit over the years and I try to guard against it. It's why it bothers me in others as well. Cheers
Equanimity ❤😂
Maybe you can confirm. Tim McCarthy even though he was kind of on the left on many issues, was conservative in terms of sex. That you should be responsible with it (I don't think he was against gays although gay stuff did make him uncomfortable) including the possibility of getting married.
I never talked to him a lot about that. He may be uncomfortable about sex in general -- not just gay sex. I got that impression from him. Which I can relate to!
@@HardcoreZen When I was his student, he showed me some of his Asian women porn. He never showed you that?
Thanks for taking this strong stance and sharing your reaction, Brad. I was quite a bit stirred by the video and some comments below it. I try to share here with the purpose of helping me and others who read this (including Brad), to let go somewhat of attaching to our thoughts around this. Again if you wish to continue attaching to any thoughts though, I wish to for me to support that as well. So when hearing Brad, I had the thought that he wants to really support people with more centrist or conservative ways of thinking to connect to buddhism in the US and I also had the thought he wants to make sure Buddhism continues to florish in the US. I also have the idea that he was thinking both of these things are really important and that he really believed this thought. Now I don't know if it is like this, but I have this idea (and I would welcome your feedback on this, Brad). I on the other hand really felt a bit frightened at points and had the thought that a video like this could split the buddhist community. I also had moments of really believing that. Seeing this written down I now rather feel that there already is a split in the community and that this video might help us all be more compassionate with this idea of a split. Also I want to mention that many of the ideas that Brad brought up in the talk I know from my own consciousness, e.g. I had the thought that the writer of the cited introduction is attaching to the idea that it is important to clearly identify and challenge white privilege. I also have the idea that this attachment makes it hard for some people to engage with these ideas in a constructive way (as I see demonstrated by Brads reaction). But again, I might be wrong here and I want to remain open to things being different. Anyway, I really pray for all of us who have vowed to practice Zen (and actually anyone) to view these kinds of issues as dharma doors and not so much as obstacles. Please share if you find this reflection useful.
Woke has usurped American Buddhism for some time now. It's nauseating
@user-cn3du8zi3zWeeeeeell, the words Westerb Zen gets thrown around a lot these days. Give it a few more generations for American Buddhadharma teachers to produce such things.
If you are nauseated by compassion than maybe try Catholisism.
@flip526 no one you are responding to beleives these "woke" people have any actual compassion in them. It is believed they are using the appearance of compassion and preaching the politically "compassionate" path for social clout and to other those they disagree with. One sentence quips like these at best reinforce the sentiment.
@@flip526woke is synonymous with compassion is it?
@michaelmcclure3383 It is a rightwing dispregiative term used to refer to those who stand beside the oppressed minorities. So yes. By the way, Buddah was a woke weirdo who allowed low class people and women in his movement. He definitely was left-wing for his time.
Like a lot of media organizations and universities, religious movements are going to have to decide whether they want to become partisan or whether they genuinely want to be open to all-comers
Wokness and politics in buddhism in America is the reason i never really got very far with it. Cant find any teachers that are not trying to shove some political junk down your throat.
Where I live it is quite dangerous not to be a trump suporter. Ive lost many friends because I dont support trump. I dont aupport biden either and I cant imagine other buddists rejecting me because im not a republican or democrat.
Yeah, political polarization is really sad. Otherwise decent people just lose their shit over political affiliation. I am glad to live in a politically moderate/mixed suburb that also happens to have a large number of immigrants, but our local government still is constantly doing boneheaded things so eh... It is still a very free place to live where people can be themselves, and no one really talks politics or puts up political signs.
i feel your pain Brad.
Good call!
Top rant.👍
WWBC - Who Would Buddha Cancel?
This reminds me of Edward Espe Brown being canceled by Green Gulch because of an actually very funny joke he told. No sense of humor at all. No respect for his ears years of teaching and delicious cooking and his great sense of humor. I was so disgusted.
I also used to lean to the left. It's the left that left me
Same here.
Yeah, right? I was happily leftist in the 2000s. In the mid-late teens things started getting really nutto. Much of what pushed me away from leftism was living with several leftist female roommates in an urban setting who were almost constantly saying terrible things about men, as if I wasn't present. Ah well. Being a moderate is a good place to be. Freedom is good.
@@michigandersea3485 Reminds me of a Tao Te ching verse that says the best leader is one that people aren't even aware that they exist. Next best is one who is loved. Next one that is feared and the worst one that is despised. For me all current leaders are the latter two. Time for enlightened leaders like king Trison Deutsen of ancient Tibet again. But then again, I've been on the spiritual path of healing for a few decades and still as unaware as ever, it's not easy
Amen.
The middleway reduces suffering.
Zazen teaches you to see beyond the petty divisiveness of our minds. That introduction (or wokism, which is a self-righteous posturing) has nothing to do with Buddhism. I agree with your outrage.
What Buddhist teachers/organisations would people recommend to get away from Woke buddhism?
But if you think about it, isn't getting a dharma name in a language different to your own a bit silly or at least odd, tradition or not? Doesn't Buddhism need to evolve to fit the culture it finds itself in? I am not Japanese, Chinese or Indian. I'm interested in wisdom, not the cultural trappings that an ancient tradition comes with. Shouldn't we be actively trying to update or adjust these forms to fit our own culture? Shouldn't Buddhism inspire us to create something new from its basic template?
People were probably encouraged by their Asian teachers to take up Dharma names. But I agree, this practice should probably be dropped. Not because it's cultural appropriation or anything, but it just doesn't fit so well in our culture
The Dharma names people get in Japan are Chinese. I think the ones they gave people in China in the past were Indian words transliterated into Chinese. It's a way of honoring the past. I used to give people their own name spelled out in Chinese characters. But that's hard to do and still get a Buddhist meaning for the name. From now on, I'll just give everyone the Dharma name "Chuck" if they ask for one.
Personally, I feel that constantly railing against wokism is as bad as wokism itself.
It's just another thing to get worked up about.
Obviously, Buddhist teachers will do whatever they want to do.
Like you identifying as a musician and putting an example in every video..
With your skill level it seems like a bit of a larp..
But we just suffer through it and look past your belief.
Speaking as a musician, Brad is a good musician. It's a pity you don't like his music. Seems like a matter of taste to me.
@@michigandersea3485 Thanks!
@@michigandersea3485 Maybe you're right.
Maybe it's just a matter of personal taste.
IMO Brad has a problem of putting tones into any kind of pleasing order.
Maybe that is because his singing is so bad.
Either way the result is not very good.. for me
@@whoisthegaucho I don't think that's right speech, dude. You could keep that to yourself.
@@michigandersea3485 I suppose I could.
Why would you object to my opinion?
I don't feel I was being abusive.
I was not criticizing the dharma.
Perhaps.. I was being politically incorrect.
You know.. like not woke enough.
That Stones record 'Satanic Majesty' is the only one I can listen to all the way through and enjoy every track. You cant really dance to it...and that's probably why Mick never allowed that kind of experiment again. He's the only one in the band that can dance.
Isnt that Phil's bass???
It's the Chris Hillman signature model Byrds' bass.
@@HardcoreZen
That comes with flat-wounds...gotta use a pick to get a punchy tone.
I have a Epiphone Viola bass. I use flats just to prevent fret wear.
That's why I believe in only two out of three jewels. Believe in the Saṅgha?! Uhmm... not completely sold on that.
Love this cause I worked at a center for 4 years & didn’t agree with their ‘wokeness’ as it wasn’t Buddhism to me, it’s such an egoic stance to be a political extremist, to be fixated on your views is self clinging & to not love/embrace all including those that don’t agree with you. And you are so right, they are the most left ppl that run buddhism in America.
I agree with your take on the whole video. Those paragraphs in the intro were really jarring and seemed like an obvious injection of political bias where there need not be any.
On the other hand what if someone’s honest Buddhist practice leads them to political action? Do you only have issue with it if it’s an organization making the commitment or would it be ok for an individual to make that decision? You talked with an African American Pure Land priest if I recall and you seemed to reconsider your positions that Buddhist compassion can extend beyond the cushion and into direct political action. Do you just not want to hear about it?
“Bhikkhus, just as a blue, red, or white lotus is born in the water and grows up in the water, but having risen up above the water, it stands unsullied by the water, so too the Tathagata was born in the world and grew up in the world, but having overcome the world, he dwells unsullied by the world.”
- from the Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.94 Pupphasutta: Flowers
I had to share this in the Asian Spiritual Shitposting group, haha This is some quality shitposting lol! 😆
Yay Their Satanic Majesties Request love finally 😍Awesome intro!!
Your comments around the 18:40 mark are dead nuts on. It's a matter of keeping everybody except the anointed believers out so they don't have to hear the why questions. It's a sorting mechanism. Thank you for speaking out.
@scottccyoutube that's an astute observation and makes a lot of sense. Cheers.
So refreshing to hear this! I have returned so many new books on spirituality since 2020 because as I read thru I notice they are peppered with these virtue signaling topics…🤦🏻♀️
Have to disagree with this take. It is most definitely not propaganda it is just history. You don’t like how it changes the indoctrination that was fed to us in our childhood but it was the reality that is white people were shielded from. The center in America is politically right wing. Your reaction indicates how much it shakes your core and is why you should really dig into why you feel this way. It’s probably American individualism ideology which personally seems not the most compassionate.
Obviously, racism and sexism had a big role in our history. That is not what Brad is mad about. He is mad about mixing in social justice with Buddhism. Social justice is actually a political movement with a bias toward analyzing history and current events from the standpoint of certain past political philosophers - whether they be Hegel, Marx, Rousseau, Rawls, etc. None of those philosophers were Buddhist. In fact, they stood for things that totally go against Buddhism. If a Buddhist wishes to support a political moment rooted in such anti-Buddhist thought, then they can. But they shouldn't try to force such thing on other Buddhists and potential Buddhists since a) Those thinkers are anti-Buddhist and b) Forcing things is not how Buddhists operate. I hope that what I wrote here helps you.
Celebrating the 4th of July as an inspiring tale of freedom and the triumph of civilization is also history. Many different viewpoints can be supported with historical statements. The question is which facts are emphasized and which conclusions implied, as well as what the right time and place is for that discussion.
@@Clive-us3cl it’s about which viewpoints you leave out. That is the telling part. Historians don’t look at one side and when you see both sides you can tell the real story.
@@pwnedd11 I don’t think you understand Buddhism well enough. Hegel, Marx, Lacan mesh well with certain Buddhist thought. Specifically because it’s not a monolith. You’re Budddhist/ Anti Buddhist dichotomy is telling of your understanding. Thanks for the response but it hasn’t helped me understand the anger Brad feels at all. It still seems to come from attachment and ego
@@jiminoobtron4572 Those thinkers are a) strict dualists b) hyper-interventionists c) in favor of controlling others d) do not seek detachment and are hyper-attached e) They are all incredibly pro-violence compared to Zen Buddhism. And I could go on. Also, modern social justice is pro-violence, since they desire to have the goverement correct wrongs -- and if you understand that the only way the government enforces laws is through police violence, then you will understand that in spite of the anti-police rhetoric of the modern social justice movement, it will lead to more police control in the end -- how else can you force people to pay taxes and behave properly?
And yes, obviously Brad's reaction comes from attachment. So does yours and so does mine. That is irrelevant. Brad's frustration is also due to the extreme arrogance and hyper-identity-focus of the early pages. The arrogance there is akin to the arrogance of extremists on the religious right.