Dear All,
The following is a discussion in which all Sangha members are invited to join and speak honestly. It comes after I had to delete a post by one of our members (after 3 or 4 prior cautions) which, I know, was well-meaning on their part. I wanted to explain my reasoning in doing such things from time to time.
There are many problems in the world now, and today in America has been a day when passions are running high. I certainly have feelings about events (many of which I express elsewhere on the internet where the discussion turns to such things. I have opinions and I express them.) I am certain that you have feelings and opinions about things.
A funny thing is that people assume that all Buddhists are rather left in their opinions. That may be true in much of Western "convert" Buddhism, but it is not universally true (For what it is worth, my own opinions are surprising diverse in fact, some left or very left, some libertarian or conservative on different issues.) There are many very conservative, moderate and non-political Buddhists, including folks quite extreme in their views too, such as "anarchist" Buddhists. In fact, maybe most Buddhists in Asia, or of Asian origins, are quite conservative in their political views (taking very conservative stances, with Buddhism "The Church" in such countries.) Yes, I have even seen a handful of NAZI/White Supremacist Buddhists, as hateful as that is, and fortunately only a very few. (LINK) Furthermore, I know ordinary Zen Buddhist friends who voted a certain way in the recent election, others who voted the other way, and they are all good people ... not terrorists, not NAZIs, not Trotskyites.
In this Sangha, my rule is that we welcome all NON-VIOLENT, non-hateful people who are truly concerned for helping suffering sentient beings in this world, even if folks may honestly disagree on how to do that and what it means. You would be surprised, for example, but both folks who support abortion (a "right to choose") and oppose abortion ("a right to life") can be good, sincere people who honestly believe that they are doing the right thing. The Precepts allow both views (I feel) and, in fact, in Asia, tend usually and traditionally to be interpreted to oppose abortion (LINK). I have my own opinion on the matter but here, in our Sangha, when the issue comes up as part of our discussions of the "Precept to Preserve Life," we honor and respect that opinions and interpretations may disagree among good Buddhists on the matter.
Another reason we keep politics outside the doors here is that there is SO MUCH arguing, fighting, anger, frustration on the rest of the internet, and in the world, that this Treeleaf place is a respite from that, a peaceful haven and little safe space. Leave your politics at the door, pick it up again on the way out.
Another very important reason is that Zen is the practice of DROPPING opinions, our personal likes and dislikes, and encountering the world with radical equanimity. As one of our cherished texts, the Xinxin Ming, declares:
至道無難 The Great Way is not difficult
唯嫌揀擇 for those who hold no preferences.
但莫憎愛 When longing and aversion are both absent,
洞然明白 everything becomes clear and undisguised.
毫釐有差 Make the smallest distinction, however,
天地懸隔 and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
欲得現前 If you wish to see the truth
莫存順逆 then hold no opinion for or against.
違順相爭 The struggle of likes and dislikes
是爲心病 is the disease of the mind.
We practice that as much as we can here then, when Zazen is over, we can pick up our signs, our petitions and our pens, and get back to marching, protesting or just trying to raise our families and get by. However, while here at Treeleaf, we take a little break from opinions in order to know radical acceptance of "what is."
I know people are hurting about various situations in the world. We have members in war zones. I lost friends this past year because I expressed opinions about a certain war in a place associated with my ethnic group, and other members of the ethnic group who were old friends did not care for my opinions. Things in the news break my heart each day. I cry reading the news some days. But I preach the same as I do to folks with cancer and bad marriages, money worries and trouble with their kids ...
.... namely, sit here for a time, and put down the cancer and family worries, the money and kids, and just sit. After you do so, the situation may still be there, but it may appear much different (somehow smaller) than before. You can still leave here and take your chemo, see a counselor, try to find a better job ... but while you are here, sit in radical allowing of all of it for a time. That is the greatest gift I can give you. Likewise for your worries about the world. There is something in this practice beyond death and sickness, free of worries, transcending left right and center, timeless even beyond the end of the world.
We do touch on certain issues: Non-violence, preserving the environment, homelessness and poverty, protecting children, as they touch the PRECEPTS, but not as political issues. It is a fine line to walk, but I do not discuss detailed policy issues, what some politician said, who is right or wrong on this side of the war or the other. We just stand for peace, avoiding violence, protecting our planet like we clean a temple, making sure that folks have a safe place to sleep, food to eat, medicine and education. It is a fine line to walk between "precepts" and "politics," but it is a line we try to walk.
There are other Sangha that may be more "political," but I sometimes feel that they actually do a DISSERVICE to bringing peace and compassion, understanding and healing into this world. (I was a member of a certain Buddhist organization that actually started "cancel culture" on any members who expressed views that the leaders did not like. I have seen Sangha where good Buddhists were sent running away because they were told that they "had to believe X" to be a "good Buddhist.") Treeleaf will not be such a place. So, 17 years ago, we decided on this "leave your politics at the door" policy, and it has worked. That is why this is one of the few places on the internet where people speak kindly and civilly to each other, and avoid being hotheads (generally, we have had some over the years.) There are plenty of other places, including Buddhist websites, where you can go to argue it out.
I write very often on bringing a better future: One of peace, less poverty, a cleaner planet, more humane living conditions, access to housing and food, education and good medicine for all, recognizing our diversity in identities and abilities that is respected by all. I hope we are kinder to animals (although we have folks here who eat meat, those who do not), I hope for an end to all war (for the sake of both sides, even enemies.)
In this day and age where the whole world is filled with "me vs. you, right and wrong, my opinion your opinion" ... we should be a peaceful haven from all that.
If you have other views on this, please do express them.
Gassho, Jundo
stlah
The following is a discussion in which all Sangha members are invited to join and speak honestly. It comes after I had to delete a post by one of our members (after 3 or 4 prior cautions) which, I know, was well-meaning on their part. I wanted to explain my reasoning in doing such things from time to time.
There are many problems in the world now, and today in America has been a day when passions are running high. I certainly have feelings about events (many of which I express elsewhere on the internet where the discussion turns to such things. I have opinions and I express them.) I am certain that you have feelings and opinions about things.
A funny thing is that people assume that all Buddhists are rather left in their opinions. That may be true in much of Western "convert" Buddhism, but it is not universally true (For what it is worth, my own opinions are surprising diverse in fact, some left or very left, some libertarian or conservative on different issues.) There are many very conservative, moderate and non-political Buddhists, including folks quite extreme in their views too, such as "anarchist" Buddhists. In fact, maybe most Buddhists in Asia, or of Asian origins, are quite conservative in their political views (taking very conservative stances, with Buddhism "The Church" in such countries.) Yes, I have even seen a handful of NAZI/White Supremacist Buddhists, as hateful as that is, and fortunately only a very few. (LINK) Furthermore, I know ordinary Zen Buddhist friends who voted a certain way in the recent election, others who voted the other way, and they are all good people ... not terrorists, not NAZIs, not Trotskyites.
In this Sangha, my rule is that we welcome all NON-VIOLENT, non-hateful people who are truly concerned for helping suffering sentient beings in this world, even if folks may honestly disagree on how to do that and what it means. You would be surprised, for example, but both folks who support abortion (a "right to choose") and oppose abortion ("a right to life") can be good, sincere people who honestly believe that they are doing the right thing. The Precepts allow both views (I feel) and, in fact, in Asia, tend usually and traditionally to be interpreted to oppose abortion (LINK). I have my own opinion on the matter but here, in our Sangha, when the issue comes up as part of our discussions of the "Precept to Preserve Life," we honor and respect that opinions and interpretations may disagree among good Buddhists on the matter.
Another reason we keep politics outside the doors here is that there is SO MUCH arguing, fighting, anger, frustration on the rest of the internet, and in the world, that this Treeleaf place is a respite from that, a peaceful haven and little safe space. Leave your politics at the door, pick it up again on the way out.
Another very important reason is that Zen is the practice of DROPPING opinions, our personal likes and dislikes, and encountering the world with radical equanimity. As one of our cherished texts, the Xinxin Ming, declares:
至道無難 The Great Way is not difficult
唯嫌揀擇 for those who hold no preferences.
但莫憎愛 When longing and aversion are both absent,
洞然明白 everything becomes clear and undisguised.
毫釐有差 Make the smallest distinction, however,
天地懸隔 and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
欲得現前 If you wish to see the truth
莫存順逆 then hold no opinion for or against.
違順相爭 The struggle of likes and dislikes
是爲心病 is the disease of the mind.
We practice that as much as we can here then, when Zazen is over, we can pick up our signs, our petitions and our pens, and get back to marching, protesting or just trying to raise our families and get by. However, while here at Treeleaf, we take a little break from opinions in order to know radical acceptance of "what is."
I know people are hurting about various situations in the world. We have members in war zones. I lost friends this past year because I expressed opinions about a certain war in a place associated with my ethnic group, and other members of the ethnic group who were old friends did not care for my opinions. Things in the news break my heart each day. I cry reading the news some days. But I preach the same as I do to folks with cancer and bad marriages, money worries and trouble with their kids ...
.... namely, sit here for a time, and put down the cancer and family worries, the money and kids, and just sit. After you do so, the situation may still be there, but it may appear much different (somehow smaller) than before. You can still leave here and take your chemo, see a counselor, try to find a better job ... but while you are here, sit in radical allowing of all of it for a time. That is the greatest gift I can give you. Likewise for your worries about the world. There is something in this practice beyond death and sickness, free of worries, transcending left right and center, timeless even beyond the end of the world.
We do touch on certain issues: Non-violence, preserving the environment, homelessness and poverty, protecting children, as they touch the PRECEPTS, but not as political issues. It is a fine line to walk, but I do not discuss detailed policy issues, what some politician said, who is right or wrong on this side of the war or the other. We just stand for peace, avoiding violence, protecting our planet like we clean a temple, making sure that folks have a safe place to sleep, food to eat, medicine and education. It is a fine line to walk between "precepts" and "politics," but it is a line we try to walk.
There are other Sangha that may be more "political," but I sometimes feel that they actually do a DISSERVICE to bringing peace and compassion, understanding and healing into this world. (I was a member of a certain Buddhist organization that actually started "cancel culture" on any members who expressed views that the leaders did not like. I have seen Sangha where good Buddhists were sent running away because they were told that they "had to believe X" to be a "good Buddhist.") Treeleaf will not be such a place. So, 17 years ago, we decided on this "leave your politics at the door" policy, and it has worked. That is why this is one of the few places on the internet where people speak kindly and civilly to each other, and avoid being hotheads (generally, we have had some over the years.) There are plenty of other places, including Buddhist websites, where you can go to argue it out.
I write very often on bringing a better future: One of peace, less poverty, a cleaner planet, more humane living conditions, access to housing and food, education and good medicine for all, recognizing our diversity in identities and abilities that is respected by all. I hope we are kinder to animals (although we have folks here who eat meat, those who do not), I hope for an end to all war (for the sake of both sides, even enemies.)
In this day and age where the whole world is filled with "me vs. you, right and wrong, my opinion your opinion" ... we should be a peaceful haven from all that.
If you have other views on this, please do express them.
Gassho, Jundo
stlah
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