Reciting Meal Gatha in front of others

[Washin]

I do the same way here that many mentioned above.

I try to open my heart for a moment and share the meal with all beings in silence.
When the place is too public it goes even without Gassho.

Gassho
Washin
st/lah

[Matt Johnson]

Are we embarrassed about our religion? (ew it feels dirty to even say the word...) I'm not pointing any fingers as many of them are pointing right back at me. I'm just noticing what a difference there is between the way the Christians around me represent their beliefs versus the way I do.

Maybe we can have a Buddhist pride day?

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Ankai]

I don't know if it's a matter of being embarrassed by our religion or intimidated by the practices of others or anything like that.
Speaking strictly for myself, I know that all I want to do is eat my lunch.
I don't want to over a religious or philosophical debate. And, of course, when I take the practice of saying the Gatha, I'm saying it for myself as part of my practice, not as some sort of "in-your-face" demonstration or attention seeking difference.
Everyone at work knows who I am, and what I'm about. My nickname among the patients, for heaven's sake, is "Big Buddha!"
If people notice that I happen to be doing it a little differently, cool ..
they'll either ask questions or they won't.
But in all honesty, all I'm trying to do is maintain a mindful attitude and eat my lunch.

ST
LAH

[Kaitan]

Are we embarrassed about our religion? (ew it feels dirty to even say the word...) I'm not pointing any fingers as many of them are pointing right back at me. I'm just noticing what a difference there is between the way the Christians around me represent their beliefs versus the way I do.

Maybe we can have a Buddhist pride day?

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

Instead of embarrassment in my case is to avoid any kind of proselytizing and to respect other people's habits, not trying to change them. Also it saves explanations, it's not easy to discuss Buddhist practice outside these circles.

Gasshō

stlah, Kaitan

[Jundo]

Instead of embarrassment in my case is to avoid any kind of proselytizing and to respect other people's habits, not trying to change them. Also it saves explanations, it's not easy to discuss Buddhist practice outside these circles.

Gasshō

stlah, Kaitan

Same for here. Not embarrassed, just a great believer in keeping religion out of most civil and shared areas of society unless asked.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[Matt Johnson]

Instead of embarrassment in my case is to avoid any kind of proselytizing and to respect other people's habits, not trying to change them. Also is saves explanations, it's not easy to discuss Buddhist practice outside these circles.

Well I call it embarrassment or being self conscious. (Like wanting to dance at the party but not being able to). But apparently we are allowed to recommend Zazen to our hearts content.

Sometimes it feels a bit like being a Freemason (not that I have been one but I know some). Apparently in order to become a Freemason you have to ask a Freemason about how one becomes a Freemason... but before you can do that, you have to be able to identify the symbols of Freemasonry, which in the past usually meant you knew someone who was a Freemason.

I would feel this embarrassment and self-consciousness not only while secretly doing Zazen or meal gathas or wearing any visible symbols (malas, rakusus, robes). But here's the thing if we think that Zen is something that has been good for us and we think that it may be good for others and we would like one day to be in a position to recommend it, then clearly we would need to come out of the "closet" at some point. What is proselytization and what is not? What do we need to hide and why do we need to hide it? Is the fact that it is not easy to talk about it a good excuse? Are we actually withholding our generosity?

Granted, part of this is also a cultural issue which I won't get into.

These are issues that I wrestle with constantly.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Jundo]

Well I call it embarrassment or being self conscious. (Like wanting to dance at the party but not being able to). But apparently we are allowed to recommend Zazen to our hearts content.

I do not do that either, and I do not proselytize. If someone asks me about Zazen, or it comes up at an appropriate place in a conversation, I briefly talk about it. If someone then asks more about Zazen or Soto Zen, I talk about it more. If on a Buddhist social media group, I feel freer to talk about it lots.

Otherwise, I do not talk about it, not any more than I want those other folks to be telling me about Jesus all day.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Matt Johnson]

I do not do that either, and I do not proselytize. If someone asks me about Zazen, or it comes up at an appropriate place in a conversation, I briefly talk about it. If someone then asks more about Zazen or Soto Zen, I talk about it more. If on a Buddhist social media group, I feel freer to talk about it lots.

Otherwise, I do not talk about it, not any more than I want those other folks to be telling me about Jesus all day.

Oh I get it. believe me... Anybody who has been practising for a while living with people who don't, has a profound understanding of the situation.

I'd say this is where the rubber meets the road in terms of Zen "spreading" in lay communities. But it's funny how on the one side it has been suggested that we should continue to have babies in order to spread Buddhism. And on the other it has been suggested that we should make no special effort to spread Buddhism.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Tairin]

Are we embarrassed about our religion? (ew it feels dirty to even say the word...) I'm not pointing any fingers as many of them are pointing right back at me. I'm just noticing what a difference there is between the way the Christians around me represent their beliefs versus the way I do.

Maybe we can have a Buddhist pride day?

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

You are going to get a lot of responses to this I bet. For me it comes down to this. I believe religion and spirituality are a personal decision and a private practice. I don’t want to foist my religion on others and I don’t want them foisting theirs on me. You do you and I’ll do me. For the record, my family and inlaws are all varying types of Christian. It is much better for family harmony if religion is not a topic of conversation.

the judgement implied in your post is frankly a little insulting.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Bion]

Well I call it embarrassment or being self conscious. (Like wanting to dance at the party but not being able to). But apparently we are allowed to recommend Zazen to our hearts content.

Sometimes it feels a bit like being a Freemason (not that I have been one but I know some). Apparently in order to become a Freemason you have to ask a Freemason about how one becomes a Freemason... but before you can do that, you have to be able to identify the symbols of Freemasonry, which in the past usually meant you knew someone who was a Freemason.

I would feel this embarrassment and self-consciousness not only while secretly doing Zazen or meal gathas or wearing any visible symbols (malas, rakusus, robes). But here's the thing if we think that Zen is something that has been good for us and we think that it may be good for others and we would like one day to be in a position to recommend it, then clearly we would need to come out of the "closet" at some point. What is proselytization and what is not? What do we need to hide and why do we need to hide it? Is the fact that it is not easy to talk about it a good excuse? Are we actually withholding our generosity?

Granted, part of this is also a cultural issue which I won't get into.

These are issues that I wrestle with constantly.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

I tackle that by operating based on being sincere in my actions. I am a buddhist, a zen monk (priest, whatever you choose to call it), and that fundamentally affects every aspect of my life, including human interactions and my presence anywhere. I gassho, wear my robes when appropriate, and try to behave always in a way that honors the Way, and my vows and is a testament to the wisdom of the Middle Way. I'd judge it a failure on my part, if at some point I told someone "actually, I am a buddhist" and they would be taken aback by that cause there was nothing about my demeanour till that point that seemed remotely buddhist to them (even in a simplistic stereotypical kind of way). For me this also aligns with the precept of not being stingy with the dharma and all precious things. If my mouth doesn't share the dharma, my acts should.. That's just my approach to living life.

Sorry for running a bit long.

Gassho
sat and lah

[Matt Johnson]

You are going to get a lot of responses to this I bet. For me it comes down to this. I believe religion and spirituality are a personal decision and a private practice. I don’t want to foist my religion on others and I don’t want them foisting theirs on me. You do you and I’ll do me. For the record, my family and inlaws are all varying types of Christian. It is much better for family harmony if religion is not a topic of conversation.

the judgement implied in your post is frankly a little insulting.

Well all I can say is is if you wish to transmit the Dharma someday you're going to have to come out of the closet.

And I also agree with Bion There are ways of transmitting the Dharma without calling it the Dharma. Or really without anybody knowing anything about it.

No insult intended. As I said I have been wrestling with this one for a long time myself.

_/\_
sat/ah
matt

[Jundo]

... on the one side it has been suggested that we should continue to have babies in order to spread Buddhism.

I don't do that in public either.

I mean, I did ... but somebody complained to the landlord.

Gassho, J
stlah

[mdonnoe]

This discussion's path reminds me of how the Dalai Lama famously described Buddhism, and his own (public) practice: "My religion is simple: my religion is kindness."

Gassho,

Michael
SatLah

[Ramine]

I appreciated reading this discussion thread (both topics) as these are things I have been pondering as well.
Thank you for all the thoughtful comments and sharing how you approach this question.
Ramine
Gassho
Sat and lah