Waiting for next Dogen
American Maitreya Buddha
---o0o---
Buddha usually appear as “this very moment”, however
perceived or defined. Being always “just that…..” Buddhas may or may not
be perceived as Buddhas by others, nevertheless, they always continue
being Buddhas just as they are. However, since the “as they are” is
inherently empty and not any fixed entity, Buddhas appear as simply “this”
[…….] or “that” [……..], as me and you, as “this very moment” and as the
entire Universe.
They “appear” only when Mind appears (…) divided into its
object / subject modes of Being.
Whenever a Buddha realizes that he or she is Buddha as a
human being, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha rejoice, leap forward,
and “Buddhism” takes yet another turn.
The last 2,600 years of Buddhism have been
marked by such occasional appearance of realized Buddhas, of spiritual
guides, whose insights, understanding or manifestation of the Dharma not
only subsumed and included all prior teaching traditions but also
reformulated them into a new philosophical turn, new school or spiritual
paradigm.
Today, two centuries after Buddhism was
introduced to the West, many practitioners in this country wonder how long
will it take for another Buddha, another uniquely enlightened mind,
another Nagarjuna, Asanga, Milarepa, Hui-Neng, Hakuin or Dogen to appear
in American Buddhism?
Alas for all of us, as the timeline in the
box below suggests, it may to take quite a long time again.
In the past, it was
always at least 600 years after Buddhism was first transplanted to a new
culture or country before a truly original teacher / reformer would
appear – suggesting, if one can extrapolate from history – that it may
take another 450 years for one to emerge here, in the West.
·
In its
birthplace, India, almost an entire millennium passed, before early
Buddhism, proselytized by Siddharta Gautama around 600 B.C., spread
throughout Southeast Asia and Tibet and matured into its philosophical
pinnacle manifested by Madhyamika (Nagarjuna 200 – 300 AD), and Yogacara
(Asanga and Vasubandhu 300 – 400 AD).
·
In China,
over 500 years passed since the time Buddhism was first introduced (ca.
100 B.C. – 100 A.D.) to the arrival of Boddhidarma ( 500 A.D), the
legendary Indian monk who became the First Patriarch of Chan (Zen).
·
It took
another 150 years and five more generations of teachers after Boddhidarma,
before Hui Neng (638 – 674), the revered Sixth Patriarch appeared, and
additional 200 years for Lin-chi (Rinzai) (d. 867) and Ts’ao-tung (Soto) (
830) schools of Chan (Zen) to emerge.
·
Over 1,000
years passed in China, since Buddhism was first introduced, to the time
when the first two major Zen koan collections – “Blue Cliff Record” (1125
A.D.) and “The Gateless Gate” (ca 1228 A.D.) were compiled.
·
Similarly,
even if Buddhism arrived to Japan as early as 550 A.D., it took more than
250 years for it to fully settle in Kyoto during the Heian Period ( 800)
and another 400 years to culminate in the Kamakura Period (1185 - 1333
A.D.).
·
Again,
Buddhism was widely present in Japan for at least 650 years before the
spiritual and poetic genius of Dogen and his mystical masterpiece
Shobogenzo (1200 – 1253) appeared and established Soto Zen’s Ehei-ji
temple as a major presence in the Japanese Mahayana Buddhism.
·
After
Dogen, it was another 400 years more till the time when Hakuin (1686 –
1769) reformed Rinzai Zen and its use of koans at the Ryutaku-ji temple in
Japan where it still continues today.
·
Buddhism
was originally introduced to the West, about 1800, and it still seems to
be in its infancy today.
·
Several
generations of Asian pioneer teachers struggled with cultural and language
barriers for several decades, as they attempted to bring authentic
practice to the US and Europe.
·
First
legitimate non-Asian Buddhist teachers began to emerge in the second half
of the last century (ca 1950 –2000) and a transition to the second and
third generations of teachers is currently under way in all major Buddhist
traditions, nationwide.
More time is needed for Buddhism to take
root on the American soil, more time to assimilate with the culture at
large and to mature enough for its new, truly Western, form to eventually
emerge.
Even more time is probably needed for an
American teacher, another Nagarjuna, Asanga, Milarepa, Hui-Neng, Hakuin or
Dogen to appear in the U.S., a teacher who will not only conclude the
transmission of Dharma to this new land but who will also legitimize
American Buddhism as a new and fully autonomous tradition.
And when it finally arrives, what is the
American Buddhism likely to be, 400 - 500 years from now?
How is that future American Maitreya
Buddha, likely to lead, galvanize and propel American Buddhism into its
next Millennium?
Historically, Buddhism, born out of
Hinduism and Yoga traditions in ancient India, has always tended to absorb
native spiritual tradition and culture of the country to which it arrived.
As it moved East throughout Asia, it merged with Confucianism and Taoism
in China, assimilated shamanism in Tibet and adapted to the Shinto Samurai
culture in Japan.
Similarly, the future of American Buddhism
is likely to be shaped by the entire Western / American culture and its
future evolution in the time to come.
One can anticipate that, by the year
2,500, American Buddhism in will have assimilated and merged with the
following “Western” influences:
·
Democracy
– contrary to more autocratic, male dominated Asian model, American
Buddhists will embrace more democratic, egalitarian / libertarian
approach, with man and women practicing together in centers governed by
elective process where the role of a teacher is separate from the center’s
administrator. A full spectrum of training models will develop, from more
traditional monastic institutions to lay centers which are likely to grow
in popularity. The Western appreciation of individuality, democracy and
transparency will result in more horizontal, egalitarian approach to the
interpretation of the Dharma, with multiple, loosely related “lineages”
and a marketplace of individual preachers. Paradoxically, this model is
likely to resemble the origins of Buddhism in 600 B.C. India where
wondering “seekers” / “monks” gathered only during rain seasons to study
and practice in one place and only to resume their individual/ solitary
search afterwards. An individual “hermit” / Boddhisatva / preacher model
is likely to emerge, in addition to more organized Buddhism-as-religion.
·
Science–
science in general, and quantum physics and Unified Theory (when
available) will replace Mahayana Buddhism as the new paradigm for the
understanding of the Universe, Mind and Emptiness. American Buddhism will
not only embrace science as the preferred language of the Dharma but a
new, Scientific Buddhism will emerge as the dominant “school” of Buddhism
not only in the West but worldwide.
·
Psychology
– both Buddhism and psychology endeavor to
alleviate suffering and to grasp the nature of Mind. Psychology without
the Mysterium of spirituality and mysticism is incomplete, Buddhism
without postmodern psychology is naïve. Buddhism will eventually adopt the
language of cognitive neuroscience and psychology to redefine itself
within the Western culture. Insights of psychology, psychiatry, brain
science and psychotherapy will not only inform any serious spiritual
training and practice in the future but will also permeate the “Western”
interpretation of the Madhyamika / Yogacara Dharma. Buddhist teachers of
the future are likely to undergo formal training in at least one of the
above disciplines to match ever evolving psychological-mindedness of their
Western practitioners. Seated meditation and mindfulness will continue as
the key elements distinguishing Buddhists practice from other traditions.
·
Language – translating Buddhism
into the Western context will impose the English language and its
vocabulary on the Dharma. A complete translation of most of Sanscrit,
Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese texts should be completed within the next
100 years and most of the Buddhist canon will be available to Western
readers in English. Terminology and understanding of particular terms is
likely to evolve to adjust to the usage within the Western culture. New,
original, modern “sutras”, or Dharma texts, will appear and gradually
replace the old ones. Future, American, Nagarjuna, Asanga, Milarepa,
Hui-Neng, Hakuin and Dogen will “re-write” the old texts and create a
uniquely English-language “school” of Buddhism.
·
Postmodern /
postindustrial culture –
Buddhism preceded some ideas typically associated with deconstruction and
postmodernism for over 2,600 years. The lack (emptiness) of the subject
and form, decentralization / multiplicity (Absolute / Relative) of
signification and truth, quantum physics and interdependent origination –
all point to inescapable parallels between Buddhism and the postmodern.
The future Buddhism will continue to evolve within the postmodern Western
culture and will become increasingly permeated by its ideas and values.
Environmentalism and “engaged” Buddhism will play a significant role in
defining how Buddhists will function in the future global / local
marketplace.
·
Technology
–Buddhism will evolve in the Millennium dominated by science and its
applications - technology. In a few decades we will be able to effectively
manipulate our genetic codes, and hence the life itself, will learn how to
control and change, at will, our states of mind through new advances in
molecular neuropsychopharmacology, and will be able to immerse ourselves
in computerized virtual realities of our choice, leaving more mundane
chores to increasingly more efficacious and omnipresent artificial
intelligence tools and robotic appliances. Instantaneous visual-audio
global access to any information, person or place anywhere on Earth, via
the next generations of the Internet, will be taken for granted.
Biological computers and ultramicrochip-enhanced biological implants will
merge technology with brain functions, altering cognition, consciousness
and the sense of individual identity. The new American “Scientific
Buddhism” will emerge to embrace technology as its new “Great Vehicle” to
ferry all sentient beings to the other shore of Existence.
·
Judeo-Christian tradition
– Buddhism will assimilate many of the contemporary Judeo-Christian forms
of monastic and lay practice, ranging from the Catholic monastery / church
/ priest model to the Episcopalian / Protestant / Baptist minister /
preacher / congregation formats of practice. Buddhism will continue to
struggle with the concept of Judeo-Christian monotheistic God. Interfaith
dialogue(s) will emerge to clarify basic ideas and to enhance mutual
understanding. The concepts of God and Buddha-Mind, along with
neuroscience, will take the center stage in the multidisciplinary debate
on the nature of the mind and spiritual and religious life.
·
Global marketplace
– American Buddhism will embrace wholesome, not-for-profit entrepreneurial
self-sufficiency, simplicity and non-attachment rather than poverty and
asceticism. Although Buddhism originally developed within tribal / feudal
cultures of ancient India, China and Japan, we are now witnessing an
increasing emphasis on economic self-reliance rather than on
alms-gathering or feudal / government donations and support. Sophisticated
fund raising, students / members fees and small business ventures are
likely to become dominant sources of income for Buddhist centers in the
future. Separation of the spiritual teaching from the economics, similar
to that of church / state in the society at large, will have to be
strictly observed to prevent perception of exploitation. The issues of
property ownership or de facto property control by teachers,
non-attachment vs poverty vs asceticism will have to be addressed and
resolved as a Dharma question and within the American Sangha to assure
integrity, purity and depth of future practice.
The future is always different from our
speculations about it. However, we know that Buddhism will have to change
in its encounter with the West. The old Theravada / Mahayana tradition
will be, eventually, replaced by a new "school" or paradigm.
Since science and technology, along with
democracy and global marketplace, are the most dominant forces shaping the
world today, the postmodern science will become the next discourse of
Buddhism, not only in the West but worldwide.
That fully autonomous American / Western
Scientific Buddhism will need a teacher, who like others did before, will
propel it into the next Millennia. That person, whoever he/she will be,
will find a way to translate the Dharma into a new language of science,
psychology, cognitive neuroscience and postmodern / postindustrial
culture.
To save all sentient beings, we all need
to do our best to make it happen as soon as possible.
Buddha usually appear as “this very moment”, however
perceived or defined. Being always “just that…..” Buddhas may or may not
be perceived as Buddhas by others, nevertheless, they always continue
being Buddhas just as they are. However, since the “as they are” is
inherently empty and not any fixed entity, Buddhas appear as simply “this”
[…….] or “that” [……..], as me and you, as “this very moment” and as the
entire Universe.
They “appear” only when Mind appears (…) divided into its
object / subject modes of Being.
Whenever a Buddha realizes that he or she is Buddha as a
human being, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha rejoice, leap forward,
and “Buddhism” takes yet another turn.
Source: http://mindis.com/MINDis.shtml
---o0o---
Update : 01-12-2002
