[Buddha-l] Sense and sensibility was: American Mahayana/British Theravada?

[Baopiguy at comcast.net]

>Richard P. Hayes wrote:
>
>It has long seemed to me that Western Buddhist practitioners need
>incentives to achieve higher stages of the path. I am thinking of
>something like merit badges that Boy Scouts wear.

This takes me back to when I was one of the first Americans to 
practice all the martial arts (of course Teddy Roosevelt beat me by a 
few years, but he only studied a little while (Jujutsu) in the White 
House, before it had a gym.

Most of the Japanese arts had three levels...white belt (beginner), 
brown belt (three stages), and black belt (you've learned the basics 
and could rise to ten degrees (the last few being honorary red/white 
or red). In Karate (which was only created in 1932) the black belt 
levels only rose to sixth dan. And in the Chinese arts there were 
only two levels - student or teacher.

But when phonies like Ed Parker came along in the 60's they realized 
Americans a) couldn't be bothered with taking a year or two to learn 
the basics before they began sparring; and  b) needed immediate 
gratification....thus developed the orange, blue, purple and all the 
other belt colors, to which some schools added up to ten white 
adhesive tape strips.....and everyone in a tournament these days 
receives a trophy. That's why there are no more "authentic" martial 
arts being taught today in the US except by the few masters from Asia 
who are still alive or their first generation students.

I've watched the same thing happen in Buddhism here. (Of course, to 
be fair and balanced, when I taught Theravada Buddhist monks and 
would ask them a question concerning morals, etc. they would quote 
Pali. I forbid them to do so and to think for themselves.....what 
changes were brought about in many....some even realized the Buddha 
probably could not fly or be in two places at once.)