[Buddha-l] Batchelor

[Joy Vriens]

Hi Jack,

> His goal is to teach how to alleviate suffering. He feels this is done
> best by going back to the original teachings of the Buddha and cutting out all
> the cultural, mythical, metaphysical and teleological notions that have
> accrued over the years.

We don't know the original teachings of the Buddha. I personally
believe that there was enough madness in Buddhism right from the start
and that it hasn't accrued over the years. Buddhism has appeared in a
given context. The Buddha apparently had followed some of it,
reinterpreted it and reacted to it. Some may think that when one
removes all those "its", one will be left with the Buddha's teaching,
but I doubt that. If Buddha's teachings are "ad hoc", you can't
separate the "ad" from the "hoc".

> What "mythical, metaphysical...teleological notions" do you think
> necessary to the Buddha's teachings?

It is not so much that I think they are necessary. Some may see them
as ugly warts in a beautiful face, but it's a fact the warts are
there. I love truth as much as I love Buddhism. I would mistrust the
gesture of removing them and the reasons behind that gesture. Why not
make it into a creative exercise and reinterpret them? The Buddha
himself was very fond of reinterpreting and recycling.

> By the way, _http://www.upaya.org/dharma/page/6/_
> (http://www.upaya.org/dharma/page/6/)  has  downloadable talks by Steven and Martine in a 14 part
> series called Godless  Religion or Devout Atheism. I think it parallels much of
> his new book.

I will have a look. I am naturally inclined myself towards
Godlessness, atheism, nihilism, anarchism, darwinism and other forms
of reductionism, but don't like using any of those in more militant
ways even with the good intention of fighting obscurantism or
somesuch. I want to love all flowers in God's garden equally :-)

Joy