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Comment by Amaya on May 17, 2009 at 14:58

http://www.ecobuddhism.org/buddhist-declaration.php

Comment by Amaya on May 17, 2009 at 14:58

Comment by Clark Strand on April 14, 2009 at 12:15

Yes. I agree with Dharmavidya. Thanks, Joaquim. I'm looking forward to learning more about this movement, which I suspect dovetails to some degree with research I've done recently in Japan on Kamakura Buddhism.

Comment by Dharmavidya on April 14, 2009 at 9:01

Thank you Joaquim for these observations. Yes, there seem to be many strands to the debate and this is to be expected as the basic questions run deep. I hope we can explore some of them here and I look forward to your future contributions. Warm wishes. Namo Amida Bu.

Comment by Joaquim Monteiro on April 14, 2009 at 2:07

Dear Dharmavidya:


I was very glad to know that you opened a discussion group centered in critical Buddhism and I am even more glad for being invited to participate in it. As it is late now in Brazil I will not extend myself on this matter, but I would like to make two brief comments.

- The only book on critical Buddhism available in western languages covers only
the inicial fases of the movement. ( that is, the almost mythological age in which Noriaki Hakamaia was still a Priest of Soto-shu and the discussions were centered in Doguens thought ) Critical Buddhism changed much by the years. In an intermediary phase which concerns me very much Pure Land Buddhism as expressed by the thought of Shan Tao and Honen become the central concern. Several changes have happened from that time and the thematics of critical Buddhism have assumed different nuances in recent years.
As far as concerns myself I am still very much involved in the second phase of critical Buddhism.

- There have been several reactions on critical Buddhism in mainland China, Taiwan, Korea and the west. I am relatively well informed about discussions in Taiwan, but I had the feeling that interest for critical Buddhism in the west had just faded. I am very grateful for you for having brought the matter again to the foruns of debate in the West.

- It is interesting to note that there are antecedents to critical Buddhism in Asia.
In Taiwan, the work of Rev-Yin-shun developed a fierce criticism of Tathagathagarbha thought a a new understanding of the Pure Land that is much influential in taiwanese Buddhist social movements. It is interesting to note that the social influence of Pure Land thought in Taiwan comes from Yin-shuns version and not from the classical Pure Land Buddhism associated with the "White Lotus society".


Gashô.
Joaquim Monteiro. ( Shaku Shoshin )