[Buddha-l] Buddhism and Politics

[Sally McAra]

Richard P. Hayes wrote:

>On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 10:45 +1200, Sally McAra wrote:
>
>  
>
>>I'd be interested to know what evidence you have for the idea that
>>Buddhists or Buddhist organisations tend to be politically
>>conservative in countries where they are well established.
>>    
>>
>
>What I have seen in my own experience
>of living in Japan, and reading about contemporary Japanese Buddhism,
>seems to confirm my a priori conviction. The situation in Myanmar also
>tends to confirm it. Most of what I have read about Chinese Buddhism
>also confirms it. Anecdotal evidence from friends of mine who who lived
>as monks in Thailand, Sri Lanka and in Tibetan monasteries in India also
>confirms it. So far, I have found nothing that tempts me to modify my a
>priori rule, 
>
I think you will agree that this thread says more about the processes of 
routinisation and institutionalisation of religion than it does about 
Buddhism in "Asia vs the west".

 I also share your reservations about what happens to religious ideals 
in an institutional setting.  But I am just curious to know if studies 
have been done. I tend to look out for particularities and exceptions in 
this sort of situation, probably out of a misguided desire to see the 
positive things about humanity, since so much I hear every day on the 
news etc is so distressing.

>
>Where are there any engaged Buddhists outside the West? 
>

There are, I'm sure - I've seen stuff about it in a couple of edited 
volumes on Engaged Buddhism, but I don't have them to hand.
Thich Nhat Hanh may be teaching in the west now, but he started his 
active application of Buddhist principles while still in Vietnam, which 
is why he had to go into exile.  I've read about other valuable 
charitable work being undertaken by Buddhist organisations (e.g. aid 
work by a couple of major Taiwanese Buddhist groups), altho admittedly 
this doesnt mean they are politically progressive - just that they want 
to help others (even if with the ulterior motive of boosting their media 
image!?).
 I wonder where the TBMSG fits into this picture? Do their members think 
like liberal westerners on such matters as sexual orientation?

I agree a lot of organised religion does end up going against the spirit 
of its founders. I wonder if that is why many asians turn to 
Christianity (in terms of personal acquaintance I am thinking of a 
Singaporean & a Korean friend)? Asians in NZ express surprise when I 
tell them that there are many westerners keen on Buddhism (this 
inevitably comes up if I discuss my research with someone from a country 
where Buddhism is long established). My Asian friends who are Christian 
seem to regard Buddhism as an outdated & irrelevant tradition. They see 
the institutionalised, conservative kind of buddhism, while what they 
see in chrisitianity is perhaps like what we see in Buddhism - the 
spirit of the teachings , the baby without the dirty bathwater.  Perhaps 
they also are surprised because (as you say) there is a strong 
conservative element in many of the Buddhist institutions with which 
they are familiar back home.

>I think engaged
>Buddhism corroborates rather than proves the rule I stated. (I still
>cling to the quaint belief that "proving the rule" still means, as it
>used to mean, testing the rule and finding an exception to it.)
>
>  
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>>I expect that western concepts of politically conservative vs
>>progressive don't necessarily equate with political orientations in
>>Thailand, Sri Lanka, Taiwan or wherever, anyway, so it would be very
>>difficult to make such a comparison.
>>    
>>
>
>I don't think it's difficult at all. When I say that Asian Buddhists are
>conservative, I mean conservative by Western standards. It really makes
>no difference at all to me what their own standards are. Let them
>evaluate themselves in their own way for their own reasons. I am a
>Western person, and I will evaluate everything by the only standards
>with which I am familiar.
>  
>
Fair enough - so long as you are aware it is a culturally-constituted 
view... (do you hate statements like that?)
But if a Buddhist is against certian particulars like abortion or 
homosexuality (for example) but supports a progressive political party 
concerned with say, environmental protection, social welfare and 
eradication of poverty, is he or she "conservative" or not?

>
>  
>
>> I don't know enough about it to hazard a guess.
>>    
>>
>
>That's fine. I'll do your guessing for you. All you have to do is
>believe me.
>
>  
>
Thank you, o great guru.That makes my life much easier.( i would put one 
of those irritating smile emoticons in here but i gather you forbid them)
Sally