To: cosimo who wrote (296728 ) 11/14/2016 12:40:02 PM From: cosimo Read Replies (2) | Respond to Just saw this quote and it reminded me to continue to be conscious and actively work for a better world:“Institutional Buddhism has been conspicuously ready to accept or ignore the inequalities and tyrannies of whatever political system it found itself under. This can be death to Buddhism, because it is death to any meaningful function of compassion. Wisdom without compassion feels no pain. No one today can afford to be innocent, or indulge himself in ignorance of the nature of contemporary governments, politics and social orders. The national polities of the modern world maintain their existence by deliberately fostered craving and fear: monstrous protection rackets.” ~Gary Snyder, 1961 Although I would not totally agree with the statement, (Buddhism is alive and well in China even today), it is a validation of what many of us concerned with the current state of affairs in the world believe is important: to observe the wrongs and feel compassion for those who have been harmed by them and to strive to create a better world in whatever ways we are able to. What I do agree with in the quote is that wisdom and compassion must be interdependent. Perhaps the writer observed in 1961 a lack of compassion in the Buddhist leaders of the day and how he believed they contributed to the takeover of Tibet by the Chinese? That did not seem to deter the existence of Buddhism. It seems pretty strong to me. The Dalai Lama certainly embodies wisdom and compassion and I am sure this is the major reason for Buddhism's "survival" and its continued growth and popularity. In my humble opinion, the ouster from Tibet was a gift which enabled him to truly become a global citizen before that term was recognized or popular. He has personally touched the lives of people in every corner of this world. To some extent, I see the same with the Catholic Pope, although staying entrenched in a quasi country which owns so much of the world's wealth does not sit well with me... Having said all of this, I will share this on a personal note: I am not religious, but am respectful of how important it is in many people's lives. cos
