Adolf Hitler

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Pondera
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Adolf Hitler

Post by Pondera »

My understanding of this subject is very rudimentary. So I may be referring to “my understanding” repeatedly. I trust that there are members here with sophisticated knowledge of the subject.

Adolf Hitler took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts. In fact, Mr. Nietzsche had a few opinions on Buddhism as well. He once stated, to my recollection, that the shadow cast on the cave by the Buddha must be surpassed.

Hitler acquired the “Aryan” race concept. The reality of the invasion of Northern people into the India sub-continent is documented history. But Hitler turned it into a full blown “white, blue eyed” conquest. How much of this is true? And how much is propaganda?

Hitler acquired the swastika- a symbol of change - and turned it into a symbol of continental conquest. He also subsumed the word “Ariyan” - which he wanted to mean the noble races of the north of Europe.

In fact, this term, “Ariyan” means simply “noble” in Arabic languages. So, I ask (those who are further advanced on the topic) ... what did Hitler acquire which was untrue? How did he use Buddhist culture to bolster the propaganda of his war machine?

Looking forward to your responses.

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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

I'm pre-emptively moving this topic to the "Hot Topics" section, where each post requires moderator approval before it is visible to members.

Please keep your responses closely aligned to the topic, as specified in the post above.

If you wish to discuss an off-topic tangent, either please don't, or take it to Dharma Wheel Engaged.

:thanks:

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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by dharmacorps »

Pondera wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:05 am
Adolf Hitler took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts. In fact, Mr. Nietzsche had a few opinions on Buddhism as well.
I disagree with your assumption that he "took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts". It is simply not true. Nazism was a pastiche of ultranationalism, racism, communism/socialism, fake or misinterpreted Germanic mythology, conspiracy theories, and pretend archeology and science. Just because there were a few references to things found in early Indo-european history (swastikas, the word Aryan, and maybe a few other things) does not make a connection with Buddhism. While I am at it, Nietzsche is also unfairly associated with Nazism. Nietzsche not only rejected much of Buddhism, and also rejected much of proto-fascist and ultranationalist ideas present in Germany in the lead up to Nazism.

I suggest you do some research privately on your own about this matter, as people particularly in the West tend to get pretty upset about this, even if approached with care. Posting a subject like this is bound to set off some people, even if approached earnestly and out of ignorance. It may be ill-advised I'm afraid, especially when the underlying assumption is a connection which clearly is tenuous to begin with.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by DooDoot »

Pondera wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:05 amAdolf Hitler took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts.
The Western political doctrine closest to political Buddhism appears to be "fascism", i.e., recognition of "interconnectedness" (of the six-directions of society, per DN 31). Pretty hard for most to accept.
The Italian term fascismo is derived from fascio meaning "a bundle of sticks", ultimately from the Latin word fasces.... The Fascists came to associate the term with the ancient Roman fasces or fascio littorio—a bundle of rods tied around an axe, an ancient Roman symbol of the authority of the civic magistrate carried by his lictors, which could be used for corporal and capital punishment at his command... The symbolism of the fasces suggested strength through unity: a single rod is easily broken, while the bundle is difficult to break.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism#Etymology
To the contrary, most Westerners believe Buddhism is the same as Judaism, i.e., communism or equality.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by Pondera »

dharmacorps wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:26 am
Pondera wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:05 am
Adolf Hitler took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts. In fact, Mr. Nietzsche had a few opinions on Buddhism as well.
I disagree with your assumption that he "took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts". It is simply not true. Nazism was a pastiche of ultranationalism, racism, communism/socialism, fake or misinterpreted Germanic mythology, conspiracy theories, and pretend archeology and science. Just because there were a few references to things found in early Indo-european history (swastikas, the word Aryan, and maybe a few other things) does not make a connection with Buddhism. While I am at it, Nietzsche is also unfairly associated with Nazism. Nietzsche not only rejected much of Buddhism, and also rejected much of proto-fascist and ultranationalist ideas present in Germany in the lead up to Nazism.

I suggest you do some research privately on your own about this matter, as people particularly in the West tend to get pretty upset about this, even if approached with care. Posting a subject like this is bound to set off some people, even if approached earnestly and out of ignorance. It may be ill-advised I'm afraid, especially when the underlying assumption is a connection which clearly is tenuous to begin with.
Quite honestly I appreciate your post and am looking for posts like it. If Nietczhe’s relationship with a further historical Nazi Germany needs to be dispelled then let it be dispelled. And so forth. Thank you for your post. However I am looking for answers HERE. And I know we have a wealth of knowledge here.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by DNS »

DooDoot wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 1:09 am To the contrary, most Westerners believe Buddhism is the same as Judaism, i.e., communism or equality.
How is Judaism similar or compatible with communism and equality?

In ancient Israel the Kohainim were hereditary priests from the Levi tribe. They still hold a higher place in rituals in modern synagogues. Next came the members of the remaining tribes. The gentiles (goyim) are like the out-castes. Throughout history Jews were traders, merchants, bankers who charged interest while the Christians refused to charge interest. Where's the communism and equality in that?
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by Pondera »

dharmacorps wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:26 am
Pondera wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:05 am
Adolf Hitler took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts. In fact, Mr. Nietzsche had a few opinions on Buddhism as well.
I disagree with your assumption that he "took acquisition of many Buddhist concepts". It is simply not true. Nazism was a pastiche of ultranationalism, racism, communism/socialism, fake or misinterpreted Germanic mythology, conspiracy theories, and pretend archeology and science. Just because there were a few references to things found in early Indo-european history (swastikas, the word Aryan, and maybe a few other things) does not make a connection with Buddhism. While I am at it, Nietzsche is also unfairly associated with Nazism. Nietzsche not only rejected much of Buddhism, and also rejected much of proto-fascist and ultranationalist ideas present in Germany in the lead up to Nazism.

I suggest you do some research privately on your own about this matter, as people particularly in the West tend to get pretty upset about this, even if approached with care. Posting a subject like this is bound to set off some people, even if approached earnestly and out of ignorance. It may be ill-advised I'm afraid, especially when the underlying assumption is a connection which clearly is tenuous to begin with.
I would like to add that the swastika (a symbol of change) and the term “Aryan” will never be the same after Adolf Hitler’s use of the terms.

Indeed. This fact deserves attention and explanation.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by DooDoot »

DNS wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:16 amHow is Judaism similar or compatible with communism and equality?
Law of Moses appears to be equality communism plus Kibbutzim.
DNS wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:16 amThroughout history Jews were traders, merchants, bankers who charged interest while the Christians refused to charge interest. Where's the communism and equality in that?
I speculate the above occurred after us Phoenicians trained & corrupted Solomon in the evil of money lending & money making and then Jews filled the Mediterranean business vacuum after the Greeks flogged us Phoenicians at Tyre and the Romans flogged us Phoenicians at Carthage. :tongue:
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by Caodemarte »

DooDoot wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 1:09 am ....The Western political doctrine closest to political Buddhism appears to be "fascism", i.e., recognition of "interconnectedness" (of the six-directions of society, per DN 31). Pretty hard for most to accept.....To the contrary, most Westerners believe Buddhism is the same as Judaism, i.e., communism or equality.
Hard to accept because both statements are obvious nonsense.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by form »

He is very into occults. Maybe the occult side of Buddhism interest him.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by sunnat »

When Hitler was malnourished and homeless on the streets he liked to go to the opera. His favourite was Wagner. Buddhism was relatively new to Europe. Wagner was interested. "Wagner became increasingly preoccupied with Buddhist and Brahmin philosophy and literature during the 1850s, one of the most difficult periods in his life. It might be that he sought an authentic, true religion. In the relatively late texts of Buddhist literature that were available to him, Wagner thought that he could discern an ancient and authentic teaching. It seems that during this period he had turned away from Christianity, which for Wagner had been corrupted by Jewish influences."
His opera 'Parsifal' appears based on the life of Siddharta. Hitler imagined himself as Parsifal. Some elements of Buddhism as understood at this time were the role of will and asceticism.

There is much more, but to sum up: for a starving street person with psychopathic tendencies, full of anger and imagination and with buddhism as understood at that time it's not hard to see the direct connections.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by Sam Vara »

sunnat wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:28 am
His opera 'Parsifal' appears based on the life of Siddharta.
This stretches credulity a bit. Wagner wrote a sketch for an opera (Die Sieger) based on a romantic story which was influenced by his very limited understanding of the Buddha's life and teachings. Some of the same themes (primarily self-overcoming via renunciation) appeared later in Parsifal. But the biggest influence on that opera is von Eschenbach's Parzifal, an Arthurian legend owing more to Christianity.
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by Sam Vara »

I've never really been interested in what seems a rather murky topic, but those who want to explore a little deeper might profit from a look at David Reynolds' (Paññobhāsa) blog:
Recently I received the rare and unusual compliment of being offered the position of Spiritual Advisor (evidently with the role of High Priest on the table) of the Thule Society, also known as the Thule Contemplative Society of Hitler. Remarkably, it is a more or less Theravada Buddhist society which nevertheless also supports a kind of deified hero cult of Adolf Hitler. It also endorses, perhaps even more strongly than Hitler did, opposition to Jews who purportedly are striving to degrade and enslave the goyim of the world.

The President of the Society is Brian Ruhe, who has become notorious as “the Nazi Buddhist.” I have never had much interest in the goings on of western Buddhism, so I knew relatively little about Mr. Ruhe…until very recently, and one sees that, yes indeed, he manages to be both a Theravada Buddhist and a fervent admirer of Hitler and of National Socialism.
There's quite a lot of stuff there about Hitler. You can follow your nose, or hold it, according to taste...

https://politicallyincorrectdharma.blog ... ty_15.html
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by confusedlayman »

Hitler embraced hinduism but not buddhism as if he at least read buddhas basic teaching, he won't have did war on jews. anyway that guy has good leadership skills and organisation skills and can be incorporated in outlives if needed. its amazing how a man has both deep bad and deep good characters!!!
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Re: Adolf Hitler

Post by Volo »

From what I've read about Hitler, I think he wasn't very much into mysticism or religion. I've heard he hadn't even gone to see the Holy Lance - so little interest he had in the occult matters. Himmler was the one who was deeply into such things.
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