[Buddha-l] Brahma & Abraham

[Franz Metcalf]

Dee, Joy, et al.,

Thanks, Joy, for the description. That reflects my experience of the  
list over the last ten or more years. With the rise of budschol and  
then H-Buddhism, most scholars migrated away from buddha-l. But,  
whether due to too much free time, the germination of karmic seeds, an  
addiction to prapanca, or (I'd like to think) a bit of a fun streak,  
some of us remained. It thus became fundamentally Richard Hayes's list  
(though I'm sure he'd be less than comfortable with this assertion.)  
It reflected his irascible, playful, and engaged temperament. It  
continues to do so, despite long periods of Richard's absence.

Seriously, if I want to ask a question that reveals my almost total  
ignorance of, say, the development of Buddhist epistemology, or the  
relative dating of texts within the Pali canon, I am *not* going to  
ask it on H-Buddhism. First, of all, because of the rules there I  
*couldn't* ask it without doing a bunch of research beforehand, but  
second because I would look like an idiot. Here, on the other hand, no  
one seems afraid to look like an idiot. Indeed, some seem to revel in  
it. That is really refreshing, after dealing with the posturing and  
self-protection of academia. It is exactly because of this that it is  
*here*, on buddha-l, that at least *this* academic can engage in  
discussion that does not fall into my comfort zone.

In fact, I'm sorry to say I think that both Joy and Dee give too much  
credit to academics (both the field and the practitioners). We're not  
always working on arduous scholarship, as Joy gives us credit for. And  
we're not always given to "open-minded inquiry," as Dee asserts. I  
appreciate your confidence in us, but we're just deluded beings with  
tedious jobs, like everyone else. Well, actually there are a few with  
only a little dust in their eyes, but they don't come 'round these  
parts much.

So, Dee, don't worry too much about "rules of engagement." If you  
aspire to live the principles you expressed in your post, you will be  
among the leading lights of buddha-l and much appreciated here.

Cheers,

Franz
(an erstwhile "academic" who should be readying a conference  
presentation)