[Buddha-l] Jinapanjaram

[Joy Vriens]

Eric,
> I'm trying to figure out the philosophy of Michel Henry these days (he
> has been discovered recently in the Pays Bas) and I'm reading the new
> naturalizing phenomenologers from the US. The discours is changing,
> there's a lot of interest in embodiment these days, and that's the stuff
> Tantra works with.

I didn't know Michel Henry. I will look into him.
It's important meditation is grounded in the body. Forest monks keep
stressing that point. In a certain type of meditation "physical"
tricks and antidotes are applied to correct or stimulate. I personally
prefer a more passive attitude, because if you push the logic of
correction and/or stimulation to its extreme, there is no end. Yoga,
hatha yoga, rasayana, ingestion of mercury and other substances. Soon
electronic appliances etc.

> You and I come from a generation that believed in
> science and logic, now there's more interest in brain and body. I for
> myself found the Tibetan variety quite confusing and therefore quite
> interesting.

Yes exactly. François Julien is a popular French philosopher, who
studied China and Chinese in order to approach Western philosophy from
a totally different perspective. Whether that's true is another point
(François Billeter attacked him on that point). But the otherness of
Buddhism and of Tibetan Buddhism in particular is a stimulation.

> I never took the time to immerse myself in the Theravada
> tradition, but I'm not surprised to read that they do more than just sit
> with their eyes closed. Besides there will always be a crowd looking for
> another Disneyland, canned mysticism etc, ready to spend a few bucks.
> And I'm afraid the temptation for many Buddhist leaders is too strong
> not to serve them what they ask for, the more because there are many
> wealthy burned out managers in the crowd.

Sadly true. There seems to be the beginning of a slightly more
critical attitude towards (Tibetan) Buddhism within Tibetan Buddhism
itself, because after some 30/40 years it's time for a first
efficiency evaluation. The book of Donald Lopez etc. Shamar Rinpoche
has expressed concern about the excessive role given to the lama in
Europe and the States (see Youtube).

Have a look at the following links for more information.

An interview with Alan Wallace published in Tricycle, summer 2001
http://www.alanwallace.org/Tricycle%20Interview.pdf

Another view on whether Tibetan Buddhism is Working in the West by Tara Carreon
http://www.american-buddha.com/tib.bud.working.htm?signup (Users need
to sign up)

Tibetan Buddhism in the West by Dzongar Khyentse Rinpoche (October 2002)
http://www.siddharthasintent.org/Pubs/West.htm

Joy