At Treeleaf, we turn toward, not from, all good ways to realize Buddhist Wisdom and Compassion, to aid suffering beings, including ancient and traditional ways, modern ways, as well as future ways (many coming very soon), if healthy, helpful, ethical and beneficial.
There is nothing to reject in the old ways, nothing but this present moment, nothing to fear about something new and innovative if used skillfully, ethically and wisely.
I have had some folks say that I should not mention science, technology and medicine, or do so much less, and should hide my interest in such topics. Some folks have threatened to leave our Sangha (or have actually walked out the door already) upset that we are not primarily focused on the traditional and ancient alone, or "being in the moment" today, asking me to speak little about some could-be-soon-to-be world. Some say we should not talk about tomorrow because we cannot know tomorrow for sure, or are not fully expert in all topics.
But, in my heart (and Bob Dylan's
) "you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." We should not fear just to talk about such things, nor cancel their mention, even if some threaten to go. Not everyone has to be interested in such topics, and at Treeleaf, it is fine for someone to focus on other things. We have something for all walkers of the path, and not everyone needs to be the same. Stay and be you. But I say that some of us can (even must) consider all times: honoring and turning toward the rich Teachings and Practices of the past, bringing all into life in the present, while starting to talk about and prepare for futures which appear more and more to be just around the corner. Zen is not just what happened 10 centuries ago, or right now, but also what is coming in 10 or 100 years from now. Buddha appears in all times and places, not only long ago.
Our Sangha will continue to do all of that, looking for --ALL-- the good ways, honoring each and all good ways if helpful in rescuing the suffering children and all struggling people, reducing violence, war, poverty and other ugliness in this world.
Please allow me to talk about it a little more here:
Gassho, Jundo
stlah
), either in how they specifically work or how they will affect society. If we don't understand them properly then what gives us the right to try direct how they are used? I suppose even those who invent or discover these developments could never know how they will really affect society either, due to the numerous factors that will affect them from a political, economic, cultural etc perspective. There have been many instances throughout history where people think they are bringing something new into society to genuinely help people but not all have agreed that it was so good or it started of well but then was used in a different way to what was intended and has been extremely harmful.
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