[Buddha-l] "Western Self, Asian Other"

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Op 1-1-2010 20:21, Ralf Steckel schreef:
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> What puzzles me is that there are western scholars of Buddhism who seem to subtly disdain the entire field of study and practice, western as well as Asian.
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> Dear forum,
>
> practicing Buddhism would give every scholar of Buddhism the chance to have a direct and experimental access his or her field of study. So i'm a bit astonished that so few do. I can imagine that some scholars and scientists of different academic disciplines would be grateful if there still would exist a living tradition of their topic of interest.
>    
The French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu advises us here to look at the 
different rules of the different games and what is at stake. Buddhist 
traditions strive for stability of institutions and tradition certainly 
in these fast changing times. They accept different kind of pupils as 
pupils, but they are not happy with new expertise. So the master knows 
best and (s)he has the best knowledge no matter what scientists or 
philosophers say. If the master insists that the Buddha lived 3000 years 
ago that will be the truth. He has the social capital, the scientist 
wants the cultural capital. Buddhologists play the game of science, 
correcting and criticizing each other, now if one of them accepts a 
nonscientist as authority in the field all beit in his free time, it 
looks like treason. Another problem is that buddhology is the science of 
Buddhist texts and meditation has been claimed by psychologists as their 
field of study being something that happens in the brain. But perhaps 
thanks to discussions as this one the field of buddhology will change.

Erik

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