[Buddha-l] Denigrating Buddhism

[Katherine Masis]

At what point does holding the tradition accountable, warning doe-eyed enthusiasts about the excesses of the tradition, etc., cross the line into contempt—such as Donald Lopez’ writings, for example?  Take a look at our discussion thread “Western Self, Asian Other” in January, 2010.  
 
Katherine Masis
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 Richard Hayes wrote:
 
“ One of my duties as an academic is to inoculate naive enthusiasts
 of the Buddha-dharma against the disease of fulsomeness.”
 
 Franz Metcalf wrote: 

“ I have often surmised that exactly this is at work in the ‘Buddhist warfare’
 literature that I have been dabbling in this summer. Take Buddhism down a 
 notch, show that it has bloody hands as well, but only in order to save it?  I 
 am not really sure that this noble motive is all that widespread.

And yet I would say that your own writings on the subject of "Buddhist warfare" put you on the other side of this (false) dichotomy. That is, your published works suggest you view Buddhism as relatively pure in regards to the possibility of something like a "Buddhist just war." But here you are showing your sensitivity to the dangers of 1) an idealized peaceful Buddhism, and 2) a pretended intention to save Buddhism from itself (when in reality the true motive might be to impugn the tradition).”