Since I first took Jukai back in 1965 I have watched Buddhism in the West gradually deteriorate, first becoming psychologized (get rid of Buddhism’s mysticism) then become turned into a religion for materialists who are either skeptical of rebirth or absolutely do not believe in rebirth; who, in addition view nirvana as absence (Stephen Batchelor).
Unlike Asian Buddhism, in general, which has always believed that life doesn't end with death and nirvana is a positive state, Western Buddhism is fast becoming a black hole which tacitly teaches the eventual destruction of being (this is your last life buddy, enjoy it while you can!). As this suggests, Western Buddhism is having less and less to do with what the Buddha actually taught and appears to be more preoccupied with undermining the core principles of Buddhism, even going so far as to teach nirvana is just absence. For example, nirvana is merely the absence of the three poisons, viz., delusion, anger, concupiscence. If you’re sitting one day outside having a cold beer and you don't think you're deluded, you're not angry, and you’re not wanting anything in particular—that's nirvana!
The bulk of the evidence of the Western Buddhist underminers used to support their materialist positions amounts to their own personal opinions as to why, for example, they don’t find the notion of rebirth credible even though the discourses of the Buddha are rife with such terms as “renewed existence” (punabbhava), “rebirth” (upapâta), and “samsara.” Ignoring the Buddha, they are absolutely convinced that rebirth is not real even when the Buddha cautions: “Although something might be thoroughly believed in, it may be empty, void, false; on the other hand, something not thoroughly believed in may be fact, truth, not otherwise” (M. ii. 170).
Personally, I see these underminers as wanting to control, so to speak, the gates where those new to Buddhism will likely enter so they can fill their heads with pseudo-Buddhist ideas, for example, learning to be in the here and now although the Buddha never said such a thing. If anyone wants to see where the bulk of their lies are being spread go to any Western Dharma center.
Ahhh, life was so much better in the old days...
Posted by: gordon | August 16, 2013 at 03:12 AM