If we substitute the word "history" with the word "Swiss cheese," instead, which is a kind of cheese mainly characterized by holes that form during ripening, we may get a better idea of how, in particular, Buddhist history works. Critical with our Swiss cheese, some holes in Swiss cheese can be quite large or small. Also, we need to underscore the fact that the holes have no nutritious value. Add to this, we need to keep in mind that it is from the cheese that the nutritious value comes.
When academic Buddhist scholars, monastic and non-monastic authors, for example, write a book on Buddhist Swiss cheese, it is a fact to say not all Swiss cheese is the same. When we read such books we could be reading a book with rather huge holes which are non-nutritious. But then we think to ourself, "It's Swiss cheese. Swiss cheese is Swiss cheese." But this is not so. Some Buddhist Swiss cheese can have big holes. Still others, might have smaller holes. If we are going to enjoy a Buddhist sandwich (i.e., learn about Buddhism), we want Swiss cheese with small holes, not big ones, in which there are more holes than cheese.
If I compare Stephen Batchelor's book, Buddhism Without Beliefs, with Pande's book, Studies in the Origin of Buddhism, both of which are, let's say, Swiss cheese, Batchelor's Swiss cheese in his sandwich is almost one big hole. There is some Swiss cheese, but only on the edge. But that's about all. As for Pande's Swiss Cheese, it has a lot of small holes which means there is plenty of nutritious Swiss cheese for the sandwich.
Most people who enjoy Buddhist Swiss cheese are used to very large holes. Yes, they like that barely detectable, mild nutlike flavor of Swiss cheese—but, please, not too much. It is much easier to digest Swiss cheese with one big hole or maybe two than digest Swiss cheese with lots of little holes. When I look at my small library with several Swiss cheese books in the example of E. Lamotte's book, History of Indian Buddhism, which makes a very tasty sandwich, I have to keep telling myself that modern Buddhists are not gastronomes—not by any stretch of the imagination.
It's easy to detect where my own attachments lie...now I'm thinking about a Swiss cheese sandwich...
The culture/languages gap has been my biggest barrier in evaluating what I read, but I read widely. Decoding Zen poetry has been most useful in the midst of continuous Sutra study. Great enlightenment has a resonance that can't be duplicated but can be recognized, even by those still suffering in delusion.
Posted by: Susan | July 21, 2015 at 02:32 PM
What are some other delicious swiss-cheese books you'd recommend?
Posted by: Mackal | July 21, 2015 at 12:20 AM