World Peace?!

[Rich]

Re: World Peace?!

I've been thinking about this a whole lot recently. I have spent the last eleven years of my life involved in radical politics, c

My zazen practice has helped me come aware of what I can control (myself, my desires, my reactions) and what I can't (the larger objective world.) I've learned a bitter lesson that the world cannot change until we change as individuals, and in some sense being selfish enough to take care of our own selves is the very best thing we can do for our larger world.

Thanks for sharing your story. I agree with what you say above. Choosing to practice is about as much control as you need.

[Kaishin]

Re: World Peace?!

Thank you for sharing. Hyon Gak Sunim is usually a very interesting speaker. I have posted some of his other lectures before.

This reminds me of a quote I saw long ago. Attribution unknown:

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

[Jundo]

Re: World Peace?!

Hi,

Nishijima Roshi was at a Sesshin in 1940 when his first teacher, 'Homeless' Kodo Sawaki Roshi proclaimed, "The Right Wing is wrong, and the Left Wing is wrong!" That was a time when the world was filled with various idealists and extremists, often violent ... Fascists, Bolsheviks, Anarchists ... willing to toss a bomb or start a world war in order to bring about their vision of "how the world should be". Violence is not the answer.

Utopians and Idealists, with time, will typically be brought down to earth with a heavy dose of bitter reality because this world (let alone any aspect of life) will rarely be just as we wish. On the other hand ... with a bit of hard work, we can make this world better. Folks like the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh have not abandoned political efforts ... even as the effects they have come in very small steps.

Yes, we should not cling to one sided opinions. Yes, we should not see the world in "us" versus "them" terms. Yes, the true "revolution" must start within each of us (it's that same old John Lennon song). Yes, one should not be addicted to anything ... including politics ... and all things in moderation (even radical politics! 8) ). Yes, visions of how to make the world better may vary (and that is why I know many fine conservative and righty Buddhists among the many fine liberal and lefty Buddhists).

But the fact of the matter is that, for all its imperfections, politics does make a difference. Ideas are the first step in building something constructive. Small steps can cover great distances.

Dogen had a big idea. The observation is sometimes made that Dogen was actually a social and political Utopian, and his building of Eiheiji monastery ... with its high morals and communal lifestyle ... was actually his vision of how the world should be ... a kibbutz, a collective, a utopia. He too, like most idealists, found the realities perhaps more complicated than he planned ... but he never gave up the effort. (The same observation might be made of Gautama Buddha's vision of a communal, peaceful "Sangha").

And while Dogen tried to build something in the outside world ... his Eiheiji, the "Temple of Eternal Peace" ... he also never forgot that the True Utopia, ever realized, is found in a moment of Zazen.

Gassho, Jundo

[Kaishin]

Re: World Peace?!

Thank you for the follow-up, Jundo.

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[pdxrain]

Re: World Peace?!

Hmm. This is probably still my over critical mind in me that would question the logic that only political radicals have "ideals." Moderates have ideals too, and often fight bloody wars to defend those ideals. Moderate liberals start and fight wars as much as moderate conservatives do, and in fact this whole concept ignores systemic racism, structural oppression and deeper issues of human division which breeds radicalism in the first place. For instance, Osama Bin Laden's number one request from America prior to 2001 was to remove all U.S. military forces from Saudi Arabia. My point is in agreement with Judo, but expanding that there is in fact no "safe" position here. Political moderation in an empire is still involvement in an empire, no?

ok, ending my political posts for now ops:

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868–1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?” (From http://www.dharma-rain.org/?p=stillpoint12_01Jan-Kyogen)