Why are the Chinese Buddhists and rest of Asians ignored by Western Buddhists ... or are they??

In response to Flower Ornament Depository blog post:  Why is Tibetan Buddhism more poplular?

5 weeks ago the blog showed up in my feed today when I looked through my subscribed blogs.

http://huayanzang.blogspot.com/2012/10/why-is-tibetan-buddhism-more-popular.html

In the comments I wrote this edited less 2,900 words that originally written: 

I'm a mid-western woman and a Chinese Buddhist bhikshuni.  I do believe your article not based on realistic numbers or any numbers as you stated in the first paragraph.

I do not see what you are claiming.  Just because something is marketed in Shambala Sun, Tricylce, and Buddhadharma does not make it as well-known as you claim.  TB Westerners are really good business people.  It is remarkable how ad orentated these rags are, little content in them.

I do not agree with you.  Chinese Buddhism is about 160 years old in the USA and came with the Chinese immigrants working on the USA railroads.  TB is relatively new since the rush of English print books in the mid-90s only featured Japanese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism by said rags. 

Why we are not seen, maybe we are not desirable maybe not as marketable. US Media and religious organizations claiming diversity does not include us in all its so-called coverage of religion. It is because somehow Western people lump Chinese Buddhism as part of the hated-CC; we are to be hated for a government we are not a part of overseas and never were.  Chinese does not equal Commies.  But somehow that get played up in the politics of those engaging in persecution of one ethnic group that followed Buddhism for centuries. Our order survives because we understand Buddhist culture, endure to save it, uphold our precepts, struggle for time to cultivate and study on our own.  We have always mixed different Buddhist traditions in our temples, all forms. Most western people don’t realize that, if they did take the time to really understand Buddhist culture from a Sangha member’s view then they would really treasure their time in temples everywhere.

Real advanced TB practice requires fluent Tibetan, high level of reading skills in Tibetan Sanskrit, and great deal of time and patience waiting so you can gain access to a highly achieved master who can actually teach you well.  These masters are in demand and do not have time to dummy down for those too lazy to do this.  Most of the TB monks and very few of the TB nuns have any degree of traditional TB monastic education; mostly they are rim sitters which is sad for they cannot attain much levels at all.  Lots of this has to do with lack of language ability, for you can’t train if you can’t understand.  Interpreters cannot give you the details, they are too pressed for time. I’m fluent in Chinese so I know this first hand, at dharma talks you must be able to understand the high level masters very detailed instructions or you gain nothing.

Tolerance of other cultures should be given to understand how to excel in your Buddhist practice. It is not fair to say our Chinese Buddhist communities demand conformity from Western people, they do not.  They say over and over again, we do not want you to think we want you to be Chinese when you come into our temple we want you to be who you are, American.  Every temple says this even FGS, DDM, CTTB.  They have all races and all countries people in their communities, fully accepted and fully ordained. 

Realize there are Korean, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Burmese, and many more including Japanese (non Vinaya); there are new movements too here in the USA that are all colors of people.  The white elite it seems that is who you talk about most, I think maybe so; is such a small number as not to matter in the data about Buddhism here in the USA.  In all these temples from all these countries there are Americans who take refuge, a few ordain and you got way more than that 12 that you say you eyeballed when you visited 2 places.  Please let me know if you want to visit more diverse places now, I’ll send a recommendation for you ahead of your visit. I say start with CTTB and then visit Thich Nhat Hahn’s group in Deer Park.

Fall Harvest Refining Buddhist cultivation

This year fall is seeming to arrive early.   Here in Iowa the whole state has been dealt a devastating blow with an early spring drought that has not seen much rain.  We are facing rising corn prices and other crops as well due to the extensive damage done with the heat wave we had all summer long.

How are we to progress with so much economic stress? The cost of living is horrifically rising again; gas is going up, that means heat and electric will rise too. Facing hardships which has been non-ending since the worsening economic crisis of the Bush era presidency policies of greed and corruption.

The answer in mind training is to remain consistent in your daily practice and even if your schedule is interrupted you still embrace study of Buddha dharma while you are in a pause or even in a few minutes of an erratic frenzied life.

Carry your practice into your chores.  Vacuum the floor, sweeping or mopping are repetitive actions that allow you to clean thoroughly and meditate with awareness. Dusting regularly is another good action. However, as much as you like to try to say it, shopping is not meditation it is actually an addiction; a short term anti-anxiety solution with the only result in less cash, more debt if you use credit and lots more stuff in your home.

Built in pauses in your daily schedule in  or out of monastery life.  Find them, use them. Treasure them.

As Fall approaches gather in the harvest. Count your benefits, see the result of your efforts. Store what is valuable and that can carry you through the long cold Winter and nurture you welcoming the Spring in new growth.

I bow to Immortality Buddha (Namo Amituofo!)

Defending Dharma in Social Media a Sangha warning

Bhikshuni page on Facebook original posting 7/30/12
Defending dharma while in social media. 
A recent posting by a Buddhist who left the path left many shocked at a nude picture of two women and further insult the FB member decided to label it "Buddha field 2012".  This defamation of the Triple Jewel did cause Ven. Hong Yang to take notice and request it to be privated or removed as the Facebook member had only posted dharma material and appropriate content before that time. The request was not well received and what issued is what I now understand is flaming. What abhorrent behavior for someone claiming to be Buddhist to afflict upon a Sangha member! Since it wasn't privated Ven. Hong Yang decided to report it to Facebook as it was nude photo showing everything and she has friended many youth relatives and young Buddhists around the world. Thank you Facebook for your speedy response!

Sangha members are defenders of the Buddha dharma, it is our duty to correct Buddhists and non Buddhists who post inappropriate content here on Facebook and elsewhere in internet and social media. 

• Befriending Sangha members and being friended by Sangha members entails a certain amount of responsibility for content in excess of FB guidelines meaning that you are not exempt from the temple that guides you concerning social media content, nor from the precepts you have taken and you must observe the 8 fold path guidelines while on social media, nor from abandoning your practices while on FB and elsewhere, in fact dubious content is a reason for admonishment by Sangha that you friend. 
• You should take it with appropriate appreciation and grace being respectful and learn something from your mistake. Nobody is asking you for unreasonable actions beyond Facebook policy like privating posts that are offensive and show nudity and graphic violence to those who know you and like that sort of crap.

It is sad that not one other Sangha member became involved beyond the FB members own previously affiliation with a non-Vinaya order of Buddhists well known for their efforts in dharma talks and upholding their precepts.

A warning to all Sangha who are active in public places and in social media:

Sangha with my deepest respects to you all and to all elders on my friends list and in community, you need to get on the ball! Start speaking out! Just because you're on Facebook for any reason and I don't care what for does not exempt you from teaching, upholding and admonishing while on this public platform!

It is just pitiful that you stayed silent on matters that you know are wrong view regarding Buddha dharma and by your lack of involvement allow a situation specifically regarding Triple Jewels or any part of it like something so new to me as flaming a Sangha member to go on even for a day!

I know you all saw those posts and conversations... soo from now on get more involved, please, otherwise by your silence you do approve and that results in mis-leading information and a deterioration of public images of Sangha in media such as this one and affects so many Sangha and laity here even many more non Buddhists viewing our news feed and profiles.

From now on instead of being silent speak out, that is your right as Sangha members and it's a duty you should not ignore anymore.

捍衛佛法而在社交媒體。

離開該路徑的佛教最近張貼留下許多震驚于兩個女人的裸體圖片，並進一步侮辱 FB 成員決定它貼上標籤"佛場 2012"。此誹謗的三重珠寶並造成的通風條件香港楊，特此通知，要求它必須民營化，或刪除隨著 Facebook 會員只發了佛法材料和適當的內容在該時間之前。不好收到請求，併發出什麼我現在明白燃燒。有人自稱佛教僧隊員折磨什麼令人憎惡的行為 ！因為它不是民營化的通風條件香港楊決定向 Facebook 報告，這是裸體照片顯示一切都和她有好友許多青年親屬和世界各地的青年佛教徒。感謝您您迅速反應 Facebook ！

僧成員是佛佛法的捍衛者，這是我們正確的佛教徒與非佛教徒張貼在這裡不合適的內容，在 Facebook 上和其他地區互聯網和社交媒體的責任。

認識僧成員和被好友僧成員需要一定數量的超過 FB 指引意義你不豁免從殿，將指導您關於社交媒體內容，也沒有從你採取的訓詞，雖然對社交媒體，也沒有放棄您的做法，雖然 FB 和其他地方，你必須遵守的 8 折路徑指引的內容負責、 可疑內容其實是有原因的訓誡的僧你的朋友。

你應該隨身攜帶的適當升值恩典被尊重和從你的錯誤中學習的東西。沒有人要求你的 Facebook 政策之外的不合理行動像是進攻性的 privating 個職位和顯示裸體和圖形暴力到那些知道你和喜歡那樣的廢話。

這是可悲的沒有一個其他僧成員成為涉及超越 FB 成員自己以前的佛教徒非毗尼順序與隸屬關係眾所周知在佛法會談和維護其戒律的努力。

對那些處於活動狀態，在公眾地方和社交媒體的所有僧的警告：

用我最深的敬意，向你都和我的朋友清單和在社區中的所有長者的僧，您需要得到球 ！開始說出來吧 ！只是因為你在 Facebook 上因任何理由，我不在乎什麼並不免除您從教學、 堅持與諫雖然對此公共的平臺 ！

這是你呆沉默你知道是佛佛法的錯了意見，並由你缺乏參與允許三珠寶或其任何部分它喜歡一樣東西對我作為燃燒僧成員繼續下去，甚至為一天的新的具體情況的事宜，只是少得可憐 ！

我知道你們都看到了所以從今以後更多參與，請這些職位和交談 ... ...，否則為您做批准由你的沉默，在 mis-leading 的資訊和公眾中的形象僧的媒體，如這一惡化的結果和影響這麼多僧及平信徒在這裡查看我們的新聞和設定檔的更多更多非佛教徒。

從今以後不再是沉默說出來，這是你的權利為僧成員和你再也不應忽視的天職就是。

Ven. Hong Yang Bhikshuni 釋宏揚，比丘尼

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Practice and our best efforts

There is sometimes less to be said and more to be done.  Buddhists are really action oriented. We don't talk a lot we do.  All these are truisms.  Some of us aspire to Buddhahood not sainthood.  If you are not seeking enlightenment then you need to check your intent in practicing Buddhism.  Compassion begins with you, if you are cussing up someone then that is a signal you failed big time, reboot and start over.

We have to make our best efforts every moment.  No time to think about it, wish for it or plan for it.  Life is fleeting and we do not have much of it left.  I like real stuff not triteness or quotes from Buddha's teachings to battle with another over who is right and who is wrong.  There is neither, individual's karma and their efforts in this life matter only to them in treading the Path.

I do not mind reading about other's journey's for it can serve as dharma teaching and another's life lessons can inspire and support Buddha's teachings. I do mind when writers put down any of the Triple Jewels which are the Buddha, the Dharma (his teachings) and the Sangha (past and present living Sangha).  Most of the failed monks and nuns have become famous writers based upon their slamming of the Sangha.

And that's just not the way to be, refuting your former life as a monk is understandably your own situation for it didn't work for you but it really is too much to read that we don't need Sangha or that they have outlived their usefulness or are a part of an ancient unfair out of touch system of living.  All these failed monks should be shivering in their bones out of fear of karmic retribution over their slander.  For they are committing the worst kind of offense.  Being failed monks they chose to become experts and speak for Buddhism in the West.  After 20-30 years of doing just that all the while slandering the Triple Jewel to an unsuspecting readership they have set forth wrong dharma in print and in word and now on YouTube!

Practice as best you can and keep your faith in the Triple Jewel for it will support your practice.  I do see people progress in a less rigid, less self-imposed puritanical standards and embrace their own efforts to learn a sutra or master some dharma method that they enjoy while others see their practice deepen and mature.  Enjoy your practice don't dread it, if it's not enjoyable just try something else that would interest you.  Buddhism is not boring there are 84,000 dharma doors to enter through!

Keep to those practices that uphold the Triple Jewel and walk away and throw away anything that does not! Do be aware of the standard teachings to avoid fakes and money grubbers.    Buddhanet  has all the traditions and some really good comparison charts in their study section.  That's a good place to start to be familiar with what is universally accepted in Buddhism today.