[Buddha-l] Marx and Buddhism

[Joy Vriens]

  Dan Lusthaus wrote:

>>Capitalism
>>is completely incompatible with Buddhism, by the way,

> Buddhism literally crawled out of the swamps in India when it allied with
> the Merchants, who not only helped them establish a major base in Gandhara,
> but led them through the Silk Road from Parthia to China. Mahayana Buddhism
> (e.g., Sambhoga-kaya) is capitalist through and through and through.

One more anecdote about Buddhadasa. In the middle of the sixties he had 
regular visits from Westerners and Americans who feared Communism and 
wanted him to oppose Communism. They told him they would help him 
financially and materially and that if he needed anything he only had to 
ask them. BB answered that Buddhists fear the passions more than 
Communism. On which they left.(Gabaude p. 439)

BTW I believe it's more correct nowadays to compare religion to 
amphetamines, cocaine etc. than to an opiate. If only it were an opiate...

Joy