[Buddha-l] Jhanas in Mahayana & Tibetan

[Jackhat1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/29/2010 8:42:53 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
jkirk at spro.net writes:

Jack,
You might also want to consult Max Weber. As religious  movements,
if socially successful, end up forming organisations,  they
develop practices -- consciously or or by the by (the conscious
bit  is my idea not Weber's)-- that operate to keep
communicants/devotees  centered on the organisation. This process
would be part of what Weber  called the "routinisation of
charisma". His view of the religious  organisation process IMHO is
still valid today, about both religious and  non-religious (e.g.
political) organisations that began with charismatic  leaders.
(However, the power of today's commercial broadcast media  might
effect dilutions of this process today.)
Joanna
==
Thanks, Joanna. I only know Weber through his economic writings. I will  
find and read what he has to say about religion.
 
I have found Daniel Dennett's book  _Breaking the Spell: Religion as a 
Natural  Phenomenon_ 
(/wiki/Breaking_the_Spell:_Religion_as_a_Natural_Phenomenon)  interesting on this topic. He traces the growth  and success of religions 
through memes, ideas that have developed  and lasted through natural 
selection. For instance, the fact that religions  unite and motivate people helps 
that society succeed (sometimes) in wartime  as opposed to societies that do 
not unite in this way.
 
jack