[Buddha-l] what wld buddha buy

[Katherine Masis]

Richard wrote: "I think the Western Buddhist ethic makes the Protestant ethic pale in
comparison."
 
True enough, although I would qualify the term "Western."  As I have commented before, I once belonged to an American Zen center with headquarters in one of the New England states.  I practiced for over 9 years at the Costa Rican affiliate center, where I did not feel or perceive any "Protestant ethic." It was only when I lived at the HQ in New England for nearly 5 years that the Western Buddhist Ethic you're talking about hit me full force.  Everything there was regimented down to the core and guilt-ridden approaches to something called "earnestness" and "commitment" (actually top-down pressure) to one's practice and life in general were rampant.  Ah, thank goodness those days are gone and I can now actually  enjoy the dharma.
 
Happy Holidays,
Katherine