[Buddha-l] Re: How to help the Dharma grow in the USA

[Vera, Pedro L.]

Benito Carral wrote:

>    As  far  as  I'm  concerned,  Buddhism doesn't offer
> anything   valuable   that   can't   be  found  in  the
> Judeo-Christian  tradition

Richard Hayes responded:  
 
>>I disagree. Buddhism offers a disciplined program of practice for people who
>>do not believe in God. One need not be an atheist to be a Buddhist, of
>>course, but the point is that Buddhism provides something of value for people
>>who are atheists, humanists and secularists. It is a true alternative to
>>everything else that is available.

Richard, in principle, I agree with this assessment. However, my own experience (particularly in Chan circles; less so in Zen) is that in practice with particular Buddhist groups, one might need a great deal more faith than I can usually muster. In fact, were I to believe in karma, rebirth, Mount Meru, hungry ghosts, etc, etc,, I might was well go back and believe in the Trinity, Jesus' virginal conception and birth and Mary's ascension into heaven. Was that Benito's point? I'm not sure. I do not share his fascination with orthodoxy or return to "traditional" values.
 
But this leads me to a question I have been thinking about for a while. How can we judge "orthodoxy" or "authenticity" in Buddhist teachers. Yes, I know about transmission of the bowl, etc, etc, but is there a body in any branch of Buddhism that grants an "imprimatur" on a certain teacher/lineage? I know that a preface by the Dalai Lama on any Wisdom book operationally acts as an "imprimatur", but is there a more formal way?
 
How do the different sects deal with runaway teachers? Is there an "excommunication" process?
 
But more importantly, when we walk into the Zen center (or whatever other branch you might fancy) and meet Joe Blow the enlightened teacher, who might be spouting any kind of Buddhist or pseudo-Buddhist babble, how can we check for accuracy and authenticity? I understand that since this is an unregulated industry, I have as much as chance as buying the Brooklyn bridge or prime real estate in Florida. But I wonder if this is a Western phenomenon, and perhaps in Asian countries with a long history of Buddhism and Buddhist teachers, there might be some sort of council that keeps things in check.
 
Regards,
 
Pedro


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