[Buddha-l] Re: Lankavatara and Shingon Sutras

[Jeff Wilson]

Howdy,

Thanks for your clarifying posts, Stephen, good stuff. I know almost nothing
about Shotoku-shu, I didn't know they're a mikkyo sect. Is there any
literature on them? My comments about Shingon's multiplicity were more
intended to avoid the common attitude which I encounter in my students of
reifying labels and drastically simplifying multivalent traditions. "What is
Zen?" "What is Presbyterianism?" etc, with little appreciation that these
and other labels apply to multiple groups who have particular and differing
histories, views, practices, and have in some cases verbally or physically
warred with one another. I'm continually amazed by the lack of proper
preparation in historical thinking which my undergrads display. I tend to
wonder how they go through high school and managed to reach me in such a
state. But then I teach at a large public university in the South, I don't
want to assume my observations are necessarily representative of the state
of American high school education as a whole. I hope not. . .

Sincerely,
Jeff Wilson
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