[Buddha-l] The Dhammakaya Solution

[L.S. Cousins]

The website recommended here is an example of extraordinary bigotry:


See for example the statements:


    Throughout its history of more than 2500 years, not one drop of
    blood has been spilt in propagating Buddhism.

and


    Buddhism does not have terrorists but it does have Theravadins.


> Dhammakaya, despite its claims to the contrary, can hardly be described
> as a Buddhist organisation. Rory Mackenzie, from the International
> Christian College, Glasgow, had published in the Mahachulalongkorn
> Journal of Buddhist Studies - Volume 1, 2008, an interesting article,
> Millenarianism And a New Thai Buddhist Movement - Black Vs White
> Dhammakaya. Go to a link in the Directory on my home page,
> http://www.buddhismaustralia.org, where the article is reprinted.

The article cited in no way suggests that Dhammakaya is not a Buddhist 
organization and such a claim is ridiculous. The article does seem to be 
rather one-sided in its account of Dhammakaya, drawing on some very 
hostile sources which seem to paint a very exaggerated picture.

The nun (Khun Yai) who was the teacher of those who founded Dhammakaya 
died in 1999, but she was a very impressive and rather delightful 
charismatic figure. I met her briefly on the occasion of a conference at 
Dhammakaya and heard much about her when I stayed for three weeks 
practice of the Dhammakaya method at Wat Dhammakaya.

They are very fond of display/pageantry and the use of modern 
technology, but this probably  gives a rather misleading impression of 
what actually goes on there. That is not really quite to my taste, but 
most of what they do is a rather simple and straightforward practice of 
Buddhism of a quite traditional kind. The chanting at the temple is 
sometimes very beautiful.

Lance Cousins