"The Broken Buddha" by Ven.Dhammika and other scandals

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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zavk
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by zavk »

Hi Poto

Let me clarify that I do not think that you are suggesting that modern Buddhists should impose their views on traditional Buddhists. I understand that you are merely hoping to see the Dhamma presented from different angles.

But I agree with Mike that this is already happening. In fact, this has been happening since around the mid-nineteenth century. The encounter between Buddhism and modernity has brought about a rapid reconfiguration of the way the Dhamma is understood--a process greatly facilitated by Western attempts to harmonise the Dhamma with modern modes of understanding.

This process of 'Buddhist modernism' has in turn triggered a reconfiguration of the Dhamma in traditional Buddhist Asian countries. We have seen figures like Anagarika Dharmapala of Ceylon, Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma, and Bhikkhu Buddhadasa of Thailand (just to name a few) repositioning the Dhamma within a modern framework.

These figures from traditional Asian Buddhist countries, along with Western Buddhists scholars like Thomas Rhys-Davids, have been very influential in de-emphasising the religious, ritualistic aspects of (Theravada) Buddhism and reconfiguring it as a pragmatic and rationalist system. Their influence persists today in various lay oriented approaches to the Dhamma. In fact, without their efforts many of us probably wouldn't even have discovered Buddhism and we probably wouldn't even have a forum like DW, discussing the Dhamma in the way we do .

The aim of my previous post was simply to raise some rhetorical questions for further reflection.

Modern Buddhism has allowed us to engage with the Dhamma from 'different angles'. But this is possible only because of various historical, cultural, and social conditions coming together. This modern approach to the Dhamma has proven very effective for many modern folks in non-traditional Buddhist Asian countries. I am immensely grateful for that. I do find this modern approach more relevant to my experience and more 'effective' than certain traditional approaches. Like you, I find some traditional activities irrelevant to my experience. However, I also recognise that this modern approach is (as I've been trying to show) a thoroughly contingent one. It is not inherently more effective but is only so within certain contexts.

As I see it, this means that the modern approach does not--cannot--set the normative standard against which traditional forms of Buddhism are judged. This is something that I try to be mindful of as much as possible. The modern approach like the traditional one is context dependent. I understand that those traditional approaches evolved in response to the needs of different people under different circumstances. In the same manner, the modern approach is evolving in response to the needs of contemporary people under contemporary circumstances.

So as much as I prefer the modern approach, whenever I encounter more traditional expressions of Buddhism I try to use it as an opportunity to reflect on the conditionality of my understanding of the Dhamma. When I encounter aspects of the Dhamma that seem irrelevant to me, I take it as an opportunity to reflect on the boundaries of my Buddhist practice, to understand how it has come to be so, and also to question what I might have taken for granted or left out.

Once again, I have gone on spiel... I apologise. But I agree with what you have said, that we should by no means abandon rituals and tradition. I think they can tell us much about our own modern approach to the Dhamma, about how we ought to or ought not proceed. This is where ethnic Buddhists communities play a vital role in the ever-evolving ecology of the Dhamma. But to learn from these traditional expressions of the Dhamma, I believe we need to also see the conditionality of our own approach.


:anjali:
Last edited by zavk on Sat Nov 14, 2009 1:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
With metta,
zavk
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tiltbillings
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by tiltbillings »

zavk wrote:
Once again, I have gone on spiel... I apologise.
Absolutely no need to. Thanks for the above; it was well worth reading.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by Paññāsikhara »

:goodpost:

Good post, Zavk.
To me, I see most of the problems are not with a given approach per se, eg. traditional, modern, rational, religious, etc., but with the unexamined assumption that the given approach transcends context, and is universally applicable. Or, in more traditional Buddhist lingo, is paramattha (vs sammutti, not paramattha vs pannatti).
My recently moved Blog, containing some of my writings on the Buddha Dhamma, as well as a number of translations from classical Buddhist texts and modern authors, liturgy, etc.: Huifeng's Prajnacara Blog.
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by catmoon »

Reading this thread really makes me wonder what an early Dalai Lama would make of the Western Buddhism of today. Would he find it horrifying? I wonder just how much things have changed.
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by Sanghamitta »

Paññāsikhara wrote::goodpost:

Good post, Zavk.
To me, I see most of the problems are not with a given approach per se, eg. traditional, modern, rational, religious, etc., but with the unexamined assumption that the given approach transcends context, and is universally applicable. Or, in more traditional Buddhist lingo, is paramattha (vs sammutti, not paramattha vs pannatti).

:anjali:
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by Sanghamitta »

catmoon wrote:Reading this thread really makes me wonder what an early Dalai Lama would make of the Western Buddhism of today. Would he find it horrifying? I wonder just how much things have changed.
Which is of course only relevant to those who see a Dalai Lama as one who has authority for them. Otherwise it is no different to wondering what St Augustine of Hippo would make of modern Buddhism.
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by JeffR »

poto wrote: I will say though, that it's not just that one Thai temple, there's also a local Sri Lankan temple that is pretty much all Sri Lankan with almost no Westerners. This is the problem I'm talking about. Temples that serve one ethnic group and only cater to that culture. I'm not saying that it's impossible to learn Dhamma at the ethnic temples, just that the way it's presented can push people away. It doesn't seem suited to the West and I would hope that one day it will be reformed.
The temple is typically the cultural and social center in these cultures, as well as a place to perform merit and be reminded of sila and mindfulness. Much the same as churches were for the new immigrants of 100-150 years ago. If you want to consider this a "problem", rest assured it is a problem with the view being taken or just plain ignorance.

There are many communities in the rural midwest that will have two or more churches 100-150 years old of the same denomination, built to serve their different and respective cultures (French/German, etc.) of the new immigrants of THAT time period.

I haven't read the book that is the topic of this thread; however, there is no benefit in criticizing people coming to live in a strange land for bringing their culture with them. I have been to local Lao, Thai, and Cambodian temples and have always been welcome. Great places for cultural learning and learning the basics of Buddhism as practiced in the culture of the country represented. For practicing the Dhamma, I've found it more beneficial to stick with non-cultural based centers. Even these have rules, such as removing shoes and being quiet during meditation sessions.

-Jeff :namaste:
Therein what are 'six (types of) disrespect'? One dwells without respect, without deference for the Teacher; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Teaching; one dwells without respect, without deference for the Order; one dwells without respect, without deference for the precepts; one dwells without respect, without deference for heedfulness; one dwells without respect, without deference for hospitality. These are six (types of) disrespect.
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by alexx_2010 »

Thanks for this post.
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by bodhabill »

Postby JeffR » Sun Nov 22, 2009 4:03 am

poto wrote:I will say though, that it's not just that one Thai temple, there's also a local Sri Lankan temple that is pretty much all Sri Lankan with almost no Westerners. This is the problem I'm talking about. Temples that serve one ethnic group and only cater to that culture. I'm not saying that it's impossible to learn Dhamma at the ethnic temples, just that the way it's presented can push people away. It doesn't seem suited to the West and I would hope that one day it will be reformed.

The temple is typically the cultural and social center in these cultures, as well as a place to perform merit and be reminded of sila and mindfulness. Much the same as churches were for the new immigrants of 100-150 years ago. If you want to consider this a "problem", rest assured it is a problem with the view being taken or just plain ignorance.

There are many communities in the rural midwest that will have two or more churches 100-150 years old of the same denomination, built to serve their different and respective cultures (French/German, etc.) of the new immigrants of THAT time period.

I haven't read the book that is the topic of this thread; however, there is no benefit in criticizing people coming to live in a strange land for bringing their culture with them. I have been to local Lao, Thai, and Cambodian temples and have always been welcome. Great places for cultural learning and learning the basics of Buddhism as practiced in the culture of the country represented. For practicing the Dhamma, I've found it more beneficial to stick with non-cultural based centers. Even these have rules, such as removing shoes and being quiet during meditation sessions.
Agree JeffR

I attended Thai and Laotian monasteries and found it to be a wonderful cultural experience and a good introduction to Buddhism

But due to the cultural / ritual veneer I had to finally seek out a non cultural monastery to further my Dhamma studies, I was extremely lucky to have a monk from the local Laotian temple who understood my needs and introduced me to a monastery in the Thai tradition run by western monks

With Metta
Bill

PS Agree, excellent topic, and I'm off to read the book now
"Complaining is finding faults, wisdom is finding solutions" Ajahn Brahm
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S.Dhammika's "The Broken Buddha"

Post by retrofuturist »

[EDIT: Merged into existing topic]

Greetings,

I was wondering if anyone here had read...

THE BROKEN BUDDHA: Critical Reflections on Theravada and a Plea for a New Buddhism
By S. Dhammika.
http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-b ... dhanew.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

... and what they thought of it.

I think the link above points to the latest version of this document, but there seem to have been a few iterations so I'm not entirely sure. (It could still do with a good proof read).

It certainly raised a few interesting points, and while it is unashamedly focusing on the negative (stating that there are already plenty of materials focusing exclusively on the positive) I think it provides a bit of a welcome wake-up call (though I'm not too thrilled about his suggestions for what this 'new Buddhism' might look like).

Metta,
Retro. :)
"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."
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Re: S.Dhammika's "The Broken Buddha"

Post by jcsuperstar »

i swear we've had this thread already... or was that the old forum?
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Re: S.Dhammika's "The Broken Buddha"

Post by tiltbillings »

jcsuperstar wrote:i swear we've had this thread already... or was that the old forum?
There certainly was one on the Gray Forum.

And one here:

http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... ken+Buddha" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by christopher::: »

Many excellent posts in this thread! Very helpful to read.

:anjali:
"As Buddhists, we should aim to develop relationships that are not predominated by grasping and clinging. Our relationships should be characterised by the brahmaviharas of metta (loving kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity)."
~post by Ben, Jul 02, 2009
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Kim OHara
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Re: S.Dhammika's "The Broken Buddha"

Post by Kim OHara »

tiltbillings wrote:
jcsuperstar wrote:i swear we've had this thread already... or was that the old forum?
There certainly was one on the Gray Forum.
And one here:
http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... ken+Buddha" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Perhaps this thread should be tagged on to the older one?
There's another one that is relevant but can be allowed to sleep in peace - Two Naked Buddhas http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3058.
The relevance is that Harrison's Naked Buddha is very similar in origin and intent to The Broken Buddha, from what I've read of the latter. (I missed the older thread - now making up for it but have only read the first 10 pages or so.)

:namaste:
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Re: "The Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Aha... I thought there was an existing topic on this... but I wasn't sure if I was getting confused with the old topic(s) at E-Sangha.

What I found most disconcerting about this was that rather than the relationship between laity and monks being symbiotic, much of it seems to have become self-destructive through the institutionalization of merit-making. Another concern I saw was the inability for there to be a Buddhism that's not inextricably linked to local customs, behaviours and sensibilities... with the Dhamma often taking a back-seat to these regional beliefs. It's certainly given me a thing or two to think about.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"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."
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