Buddhist Problems

Ok- So, it's hard to be white and follow Buddhism. And it's not like that, that's reverse racism or something-- it has to do with a very large economic power structure at play. So I know there are a lot of people like me, you are white and you find a lot of good advice in Buddhism. Yet I try to be careful and not just pick and chose parts of the education- but rather have a holistic understanding of it. 

I also like to say 'Western Buddhist' because here in the US, our culture is very vast in terms of race, especially in the few areas Ajahn Chah brought Buddhism back in the day-- but essentially you can be an Asian-American, follow Buddhism, and still be more American than they ever give them-self credit for.  The non-white Buddhists I have met (and mind you I have studied under monks) they don't give 2 shits if you are white. However, if you have had to face the oppression, then it seems very off to them, and rightfully so.

What essentially is going on- and I say this to white people hoping the international community appreciates it--- is that you are in a state of power and privilege on a global level, it wont be easy to try and join the 'tribe' of a culture when your phenotype has oppressed them. One must be INSANELY respectful to appreciate culture, absorb culture, learn culture- but to be careful with how they identify with it.

So now you look at things like Christianity- and you go "well it's a world religion, cuz Jesus is so loving" --- well no. Look at the Aztecs, a whole prospering civilian destroyed and then built back up with Christian ideals. Christianity is the religion of oppressors which is why it's so popular. So when you walk into Buddhism as a person who has historically repressed people, and their religion really hasn't done shit in comparison- you have to be ready to walk a tight rope.

I like to believe that all people think- hey if you do it in your own home on your own time, through people in our religion we have deemed 'worthy' of teaching through a system of intense discipline-- and you aren't being public about it- or you're fighting for equal rights to the culture who was oppressed-- and if the perspective brought you a perspective where you'd like to fight for equality- then OK. 

The worst thing you can do is invite yourself into a tribe in which you know nothing about (or something you pick and chose from and ignore the fundamentals of), and then do so without any benefit to the 'tribe' other than delighting in feeling unique by trying on their culture--- it's offensive.

to go to Bhutan to study under a Buddhist nun!

"Which brings us to cultural appropriation.

Cultural appropriation is a method of cultural syncretism that is specific to our primary-Other-identity, post-colonial, identity-politics era. It arises when a dominant culture, as I said above, raids a subordinate culture for cultural items that it then pulls out of context. The dominant culture -- in our case, white Americans -- doesn't properly acknowledge the borrowing -- or else the dominant culture makes a complete hash of the borrowing and then tries to pass it off as authentic. This happens for three reasons:

Whites want/need ethnicity, so they find or make up a nonwhite ancestor and go acquire aspects of that ancestor's culture (see "1/16th Cherokee" or "we're southern so we must have a black ancestor") which they weren't brought up in and haven't acquired in ways that people generally consider to be "authentic."

Whites want/need ethnicity, so they decide to strongly identify with a nonwhite culture and then acquire aspects of that culture (see "I taught English in China for two years," or "I'm blacker than you are!")

Whites of a particular class or position need to appear worldly and eclectic -- not to mention liberal -- so they spend a great deal of cultural time "broadening their horizons" in ethnic shops and exercise/dance classes. This last one is itself an item of a liberal white American subculture: the need to have a culturally eclectic affect.

The reason I made this distinction between cultural syncretism in general and cultural appropriation specifically is that -- you guessed it -- cultural appropriation is about an exploitive power dynamic,whereas not all forms of cultural sycretism are. We see cultural syncretism everywhere in our mainstream culture because the US is an immigrant country and we really do meld a lot more than we give ourselves credit for. The power dynamic lies in the fact that the genuinely syncretic and layered culture of the mainstream is dominated by whites. That broad river of culture is considered -- consciously by POC and unconsciously by whites -- to be the home ground and domain of whites, even though everyone has contributed to it."

I feel this is very important, and I see people do it.

A friend complains of too much happiness or sorrow;

someone is like "Oh don't you know the middle path??"

I think "Oh let me take off to the 4th Jhana!!!!"

Memorize chants that are a bit harsher translated but the meaning is still there

When you have exhausted enough Buddhist resources to be more pulled towards mediation than you are pulled to delight in the teachings.

 These similes are here for personal use. Delight in them, but they might not be totally clear

 According to this simile, six animals having different habits and diverse fields of action are tied together in one knot by a strong rope. The six animals are a crocodile who tries to run to the water, a bird who tries to fly in the air, a dog who tries to run to a village, a fox who tries to flee to a cemetery, a monkey who tries to go to the forest, and a snake who tries to creep into an anthill. These six animals are constantly struggling to reach their respective habitats. Similarly, the six senses are constantly seeking gratification in their own spheres, and the man who has no control over his sense faculties becomes terribly confused.

when the rope of desire is strong, the rope itself becomes short, restricting man's freedom of activity proportionally. The man with a very strong sense of ego is like the animal who is smothered by the tightness and the shortness of the rope. The nature of this desire-rope is such that when negative emotions of likes and dislikes are weak, the rope itself is not only weakened but also lengthened, giving the human animal greater freedom of activity. When negative emotions become weak, positive emotions such as love and compassion emerge, expanding man's scope of freedom. The entire message of the Dhamma can be summarized as a method of rescuing human beings from the trammels of egocentricity, negative emotions, and ignorance, and granting them complete and unlimited freedom. In the language of our simile, it is like cutting the rope and uprooting the post to which the animal is tied.

When you delight in Universal Love.

When the person who brought you there was a friend who's spirit brought you this after he died. Who had that love.

One night, (tonight) It all becomes just very hard.

And its ironic because of all the death, decay, and attachment that I'm working on with myself.

Love you, Dbot.

If your life thus far as been full of abuse; then wrestling with what is on this page may easily be detrimental to your recovery. 

You need friends, you need journals, you need conversation.

My youth was full of abuse in every direction I turned. Apart of what I will reflect in this page will incorporate not only years and years of self-work I have done to swallow what has happened to me, but also coming at Buddhism from my inherited situation. Due to these similarities, and my first-hand empathy for your soul-- I understand why what I PARTICULARLY post about Buddhism might reflect off of your experiences in a very irate way.

Maybe in time you will see why your inherited situation of abuse isn't gonna be initially cured with Buddhism. Once you understand yourself and Buddhism more, I think you will see what I mean.

You want to feel valid- or at-least know you're not suppose to be valid if that's what Buddhism has to say. Buddhism can only be fully understood if you are not in a mental place hindered in remorse, self-blame, self-pity, malevolence and antipathy. 

The best advice Buddhism has to offer you at this time: Forgive the people who have wronged you. Extend your love to them. Build a place in your head of love and sympathy (which, we BOTH know you NEED friends to help you! The abuse-driven mental states needs to change to allow friends inside those patterns. Open your heart and mind, let someone in- it's very hard. True,  they might hurt you- so chose wisely-  but it's better to have opened up and gotten hurt than to not have opened up-honest.) and from there Buddhism should make a lot more sense. 

Worry about your heart. Where your head fits into the cosmic order of the universe is a later story. Right now we need to make sure you aren't gonna fill yourself with suicidal/self-abusive/abusive thoughts, and instead make an effort to wish yourself well (just as you would the person who abused you)

Cultivating this forgiveness is that initial step.

A woman approaches Buddha with her son dying in her arms and she goes : "Oh Buddha, this is my son! Please! Save him!"

And the Buddha replies: Well if you can find one house where no one has suffered a great loss; then I will save your son.

So off the woman goes- 

First Door: "Hello have you faced a great loss?" - They nod

Second Door: ""Hello have you faced a great loss?" - They nod

Woman goes door to door; same thing: "Hello have you faced a great loss?" - They nod

There is not a house that does not know great loss.

Accomplish great things you didn't know you desired out of pure curiousity to the nature of reality.

Try to intentionally accomplish great things... FAIL EPIC. Just wait for that frustration~! Kay let it pass too :3

Stay curious, don't feel assured.

Me feeling clueless yet imaginative: Amazing karmic-ending realizations for my loved ones

Me feeling like I know something and therefore gives me driven agenda to create good karma for myself: I fuck it up. 

I've read it before: I forget where: but it's right. The way westerners approach knowledge is all wrong. We try to figure out how we can apply it to other things to further bring us our desires. Whether wholesome or unwholesome of a desire is still apart of karma; and will create fruits that have to manifest in some way. That we still must eat. Now as a westerner you wanna play with the devil you're like:

"oh well this is my over-romanced, very well intentioned desire. I will be very skillful and wholesome and I will make good fruits for myself and my future life"

PROBLEM: FUTURE LIFE NOW INVOLVED. Still fruits. XXXX NOT THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT

Problem 2: We live in a state of chaos and unfortunately in terms of relieving suffering there isn't a lot you can do that isn't: Feeding the hungry; conversing with the emotionally hurt or confused; sending love; and being a positive force for loved ones. Chaos means the world is complicated. No matter how skilled you are at a topic you are still very, very, very subject to ROYALLY being IGNORANT and screwing yourself. I have a degree in economics. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDERSTOOD ALREADY XD People with the purest intentions have screwed the world. Society told them they were skilled.

Not to mention there isn't a single instance of immense change or relief of suffering that didn't happen by accident; or the person who created it originally made it for something else. 

In a way: nothing good can come from a situation that doesn't immanently stem from the heart in *every aspect*