Engaged Buddhism

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Comment by Andrew Weare ( Yao Xiang -ZBOHY ) on June 17, 2009 at 7:03pm

South East Asia 1969 three servicemen were surrounded by a hatefilled mob. One was killed in a ghastly way, the other beaten badly, the third punched his way through the thinnest 'wall of the mob and ran like a hare, mob pursuing in the 75 degree evening. That third man was yours truly, and I emerged unscathed. However, an entire barracks of avenging Servicemen sallied into the village where this happened, and wreckage and mayhem followed, as did a weak curfew later.

Comment by Richard Modiano on June 17, 2009 at 3:27pm

"It would be a good practice to roleplay being confronted by someone lost in anger, with actual violence imminent..."

It has a history in the US starting with the civil rights movement during the early 1960s. The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee set up workshops before sit-ins and other actions where they role played confrontations. The War Resisters League still holds workshops in non-violence along the same lines.

Comment by Robert McCarthy on June 17, 2009 at 1:39pm

It would be a good practice to roleplay being confronted by someone lost in anger, with actual violence imminent. maiku earlier described playing the lost tourist to save a man being beaten in the chinese section of Toronto.That sort of situation occurs often enough, and more so when active in engaged buddhism. Even without any self defence training, we need to act to end suffering. Our practice will be tested, but some familiarity with standing against intense anger must help, as would some prior consideration of tactics.

Comment by Andrew Weare ( Yao Xiang -ZBOHY ) on June 4, 2009 at 3:03am

Those self-defence arts so trendy in the 1970's saw a whole new brand of human delusionals and problems with some such, sporting outfits ignorantly crossed with Japanese and Chinese 'suits' and given home-made 'labels' of equal absurdity, as they wandered off into their own little worlds of self-proclamation and fantasy. Aggrandizement ran amok by 1980 and "Masters" seemed to crawl out from all floorboards and boasted holding quantities of so-called "black-belts" which impressed children in their classes, who knew no better and had no yardstick with which to measure an authentic art such as say, Ryu Te, the original & genuine Okinawan art headed by Taika Seiyu Oyata. Oyata says "there is no connection between 'Buddhism' and these self-defence arts". This however, does not stop the delusion of the "Shaolin" monk, post the "Grasshopper" series on tv. also from the 1970's. If I hear the words "Shaolin monk" again I shall scream ! And, I shall scream even louder at horror stories involving violence coated with a cheap rationale to impress the gullible and uninitiated. My screams will echo and onwardly resound when I hear so called "monks' embroidering in 'martial-art' tales to impress the ignorant or those who likewise feed off fantasy rather than seek authentic fact about things.

Comment by juditta Ben David on May 26, 2009 at 6:44pm

Thanks for the lively conversation. There is a lovely silent walk happening in Israel every now and then between jewish, christian and arab villages, as a homage to Ghandi and Buddha... The walk has been organised by a few "old" Buddhist fellows in Israel. It's called Middleway.org :-)

Comment by Andrew Weare ( Yao Xiang -ZBOHY ) on May 26, 2009 at 7:27am

"Buddhism"...In the West we can get to grips with 'no frills' Buddhism. Early cultures that have long hosted Buddhism still have those cultural traits in their "Buddhism" hence we see "Folk Buddhism". Others dissect, detract and embellish Buddhism to fit their own delusions, thus we see "Popular Buddhism" or 'Buddhism made easy'. We see the trappings and paraphernalia of Buddhism within some governments, hence we see 'State Buddhism'. For tourists, entertainment laid on each year by gymnasts & acrobats showing off embarassing "skills" in China, fake it as "Buddhist monks" to the backdrop of old monasteries. Tis but propaganda as well as a cash-cow. "Buddhist Theatre ?

Comment by Andrew Weare ( Yao Xiang -ZBOHY ) on May 26, 2009 at 6:59am

Well said Zhenlian, thankyou for your comments and inspiration. Dana, the Buddhist term for 'generosity' and more. Let us say 'giving' or 'giving of ourselves' to others. Such giving or 'Dana' can be something as simple as a kind word, or a wise phrase, or advice on how to not worry or not worry so intensely. 'Giving' an ear, listening, or pointing to services that can better help and assist others. These things are engaging, indeed engaging dana. Right livelyhood can be Dana. Work, as I do in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, I endeavour to convey "constant kindness". yes, I admit I'd love to win the huge jackpot and empower myself to do much more by way of the relief of suffering for all sentient beings and the rest of the planet. Oh ! how I would open a big monastic type training set-up and etc. Very nice fantasy. Yet some of our great spiritual teachers have achieved this very dream. We must be content and positive ( happiness ) with what we can do, and actually do, with the view to relief of beings from 'I' wrought sufferings. Dana, one of the Six Perfections in Buddhism, is found in the 'Gita' termed 'karma-yoga'. Thankyou, for all your efforts in regards to the work of the Dharma. May All Beings Be Happy.

Comment by Maiku on May 25, 2009 at 9:09pm

Hi, Richard.... Knowing myself, as I was back then, when I was in my early to mid 20s, I suspect, if it had been a beat cop and he was taking out his frustrations on the old hippie, I still would have jumped in and likely got my self arrested. Now in my 50s, I am not sure what I would do... who knows. I would have to be in the situation and see. However, if the police officer was part of a large group, say in a protest that went a little rough, I would likely fall back so as not to spark a more violent response.

With regards to demonstrations, I always believe in peaceful ones. I have been part of large scale demonstrations in the past... and know what a fine line it is that separates a peaceful one from a violent one. If they break out into violence, then the demonstration has lost its goal for the public will only see the activists as nut-cases...

As I said in a previous post, somewhere, I believe there are different tactics for different situations. I prefer peaceful ones. Personally, I believe in making change from the inside and by legal and socially recognized ways.

Comment by Richard Modiano on May 25, 2009 at 8:53pm

I appreciate your personal examples Maiku and I can't say I disagree with how you handled the situation, but let me ask, what would you have done if the old hippie's attacker had been a cop?

I think there is a difference between personal one-on-one occasions where it's a judgment call on the part of the combatants and confronting institutional injustice backed up by the violence of the state; a violent response will produce a massacre.

As anyone who's been to a large scale demonstration can tell you, even though the police are outnumbered they're also armed to teeth and trained to respond violently; they have a command structure, air cover and a sophisticated communication system. The demonstrators are no match for them. I really don't think violence will work in an advanced capitalist society.

The only recent instance of relatively successful armed struggle I can think of was the Zapatista insurrection of 1994. And I would add that the Zapatistas have been able to hold on to the territories they liberated only because of international non-violent support.

Comment by Maiku on May 25, 2009 at 8:16pm

Sorry for taking up so much time... I just wanted to give a couple examples of my own attempts at skillful means during intense situations.

1. Many years ago, when I was practicing mantis kung fu in Toronto's China town, I came across the following event. A large intoxicated man was attempting to engage in a fight with a smaller Chinese postal worker. The big man, larger than myself, was yelling at the Chinese postal worker, saying and laughing out numerous remarks similar to: 'Come on, let's see some kung fu... you Chinese mailman...' The big man thew off his coat and rolled up his sleeves and made fists and started inching closer to the Chinese postal worker. A large crowd of Chinese people had gathered around, yet, none were trying to help one of their own. The Chinese postal worker was visible scared and was shaking... you could see tears welling up in his eyes. Wanting to help but also avoid any unnecessary violence, I stepped in-between the two of them and pretended to be a tourist. Being the only other White guy there besides the big guy, I just stood there in-between, with my hand shielding my eyes form the Sun and gazing across the street, pretending to be looking for something. The big guy got frustrated and picked up his coat and walked away... the crowd dispursed and the Chinese postal worker left in his truck.

2. As second time, I was un-able to use non-violent means. There was an old hippie who use to sit against the wall on a street I passed by every day as I walked to work. He was really fried, as they say. He thought he had a dog with him. He would ask everyone who passed by if they wanted to pet his dog. Most people just walked around him. I would, on occasion, stop to pet his dog and talk for a moment.

One day, as I was approaching him, he asked the fellow ahead of me if he wanted to pet his dog. The fellow took great offence and dragged the old hippie to his feet and then started to punch him over and over in the face. The old hippie stood there, crying and bleeding and saying, 'Please stop, you're hurting me...!' He said it over and over and everyone just walked by as this man took a terrible beating.

I said to the attacker... "Hey, stop! You're hurting the guy!" Then the attacker, still punching, asked me if I wanted some too. I repeated my request that he stop hurting the old hippie... He just ignored me and kept punching his face. By this time the hippie was soked in blood... I was hoping he would just fall down and maybe the attacker would go... but that was not going to happen. So, I pushed the attacker away from the hippie and told him to stop. Then he mumbled something and went to hit the hippie again and I pushed again and said, "If you want to fight, then fight someone who can fight back, fight me!" At that the attacker came at me and we started to fight. I can not remember how it happened, but I got him in a lock that is called a chicken-wing. It is very painful if put on right. He told me he was going to kill me when he got out of it.. Fearing that he might be serious, I broke his wrist. When I let him go, he was un-able to use that had to hurt me or the old hippie...

I have no regrets in using that force. My only hope is that the attacker might have learned something from the event. I do not know, but I do know that I could not watch the old hippie take that beating any longer than I did.. In fact, if I regret anything, it is not acting sooner.

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