[Buddha-l] Western Buddhism

[Franz Metcalf]

Dear Denizens,

I apologize for replying so late to an old thread, but I have been  
offline. I have two comments.

1) A response to Joy's line: "Yet, at the same time, I would say that  
whoever is not enamoured with the object of their study doesn't see  
it. And 'it' is not necessarily the object of the study." I just want  
to express my admiration for not only the importance of this insight,  
but the beauty of its expression. The economy of expression here  
reminds me of Dogen, and the thought itself is much like a passage  
about Master Tiantong in the Record of Yunmen. Ah, if only I could  
write sentences so perfect, even in English, let alone in a second or  
third language!

2) This issue of practitioners, scholars, and scholar-practitioners  
continues to be important for Buddhism all over the world. And the  
synergy/conflict of personal involvement in what one studies is a  
central debate in contemporary social science and the humanities. The  
issue is on the table in Buddhist studies; see, for example, Roger  
Jackson and John Makransky's collection, _Buddhist Theology: Critical  
Reflections by Contemporary Buddhist Scholars_. In fact, the Journal  
of Global Buddhism is looking into doing a themed issue on this topic  
and I'm enjoying helping in that preparation.

Good wishes,

Franz