Dying Practices for Buddhists

Dying practices for Buddhists.  This is a rather unusual concept for Westerners and maybe some new Buddhists from Asian countries.  Dying practices have been a part of Buddhists life since the beginning.  What I am teaching you now is the standard practice of Chinese Buddhist temples.  It is a part of Pure Land schools around the world.

What is dying?  Dying is the end.  The absolute ending of you as you know yourself in this body shell.  There is no more after this.  No more you.  If you feel scared then it's useful for you to start this practice while you live an active life now.  Dying is the ending of your breath without assistance, leading to the end of your heart beating.  It in actuality is a rather longer than you thought process, made complicated by your own willpower and the body attempt to protect itself by living until it can't.

To the family is very distressing to see you weaken, and struggle for breath (body takes over making you die in stages so your passing is smoother and from your own perspective you don't seem to notice-brain protects you), comfort medications and attentive hospice nurses help 100% make this passage smooth.  However, the end happens, the final breath... a minute later or so the heart actually stops beating.  The shell body is dead, a final removal of body waste is quick and efficient (modern hospices have the dying wear disposable diaper pants).  Your family mourns, your mind is free of the shell body and you begin to peruse your new found freedom safely for 49 days if you care to stick around and visit family and friends.  Still afraid? Hope you keep it in perspective death comes to us all, some in tragic ways, others by illness or natural aging.

Practice:

Purpose:  Mind Calming to enter Pure Land, training in mind calming with directed willpower to enter the Pure Land also improves removal of attachments to body and moderation of emotions but this is all side effects of a practice of Mindfulness.  Remember all Buddhists seek Enlightenment as a result of Buddhist practice and study.

Do not use this or any Buddhist practice for mental health issues, nor any "cure" for for lifestyle, stress, medical replacement or supplement.  It is never the purpose, the only reason is for seeking Enlightenment.  Everything else is Karma, genetics, your habits, addictions, etc.

Method 1

Reciting the Buddha name practice of 1 time, 3 times, 7, 14, 21, 49, 54, 108 times.  This is simplest method.

Namo Amitabha Buddha (Sanskrit version:  naa-moe  ah mee ta baa  booda)

南無 阿彌陀佛  namo amituofo (Chinese version:  nah moe  ah me toe foh)

I bow to Immortality Buddha      This is the literally the correct version.

Versions in print elsewhere use "Infinite Life or Infinite Light"  Buddha.  This means literally Immortality.
I bow to Infinite Life Buddha              
I bow to Infinite Light Buddha

Some liturgical texts in some places use these.
Homage to Infinite Life Buddha                              

I strongly will never support this as it's a rift from Church of England Christian or protestant versions of liturgies.  It's not accurate.  We are not honoring a King in the Roman Empire.  I will never approve of it.  It's outdated sources that often we see in our emerging Buddhist liturgies.  Cast it out!!

I return and rely to Infinite Life Buddha

This is  a Thomas Cleary version.  I think it is pretty as practice but not good mind training.  We didn't forget the Amitabha Buddha, we are seeking Amitabha Buddha.  Amitabha Buddha did not ask you to rely on him.  All the practices in Pure Land are meant to be self-regulating and self-willed.  Amitabha Buddha can be invited to come to meet you, even you wishing him to come to you but it's first time meeting for us all. This phrase is in the Catholic English Mass "I return and rely"  directly.  Not Buddhist in origin.

NOTICE:  No standards exist in English liturgies, and really the facts are in this great world is that nobody cares except those worldly scholars who are trying to make their mark in this Saha world.  So pick a version you like and have an affinity for.

Method 2

Read the Amitabha Sutra (short or longer version)  as a practice, learn the meaning and the Pure Land teachings.

Then you recite the sutra with out analysis for 1 time, 3 times, 7, 49, 54, 108 times a day.

The mindfulness you can gain is from the corrective thinking and good habit of sending out merit to all sentient beings.  In case you don't know it you benefit yourself greatly, your immediate family, and all your friends.  Even the fact you are exposing your pets to the sutras will make it very likely that in their next life they can become humans who will encounter Buddhism in their lives.

Some of my books will help you get started.
These are large print in English and in Chinese with hanyu pinyin

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ven+hong+yang

  morning service  (Surangama mantra in English)

  Evening Service (Amitahba Sutra shorter) * use this for beginning practice

 7 Day Retreat Service, Clean Altar Service

Sangha Activists non Western approach

Sangha activists have always existed.  In fact, my own tradition has several and mostly they are unknown in the West.  Why is that?

Perhaps those in the West who claim to be activists are actually not.  They are not effective.  They show too much emotions, too much law breaking, too much noise, spouting slogans and stink of commercialism.

Upset?

Sorry for you.  But really when you apply the 8 fold Noble path in daily life you get a much better short term result.  If you further take refuge and 5 precepts you can have longer term results, if you are fully ordained and well trained you can effect immediate results.

Those householders and not necessarily Buddhists often haunt the Buddhist temples.

They haunt will on the hunt.

They hunt for unwitting Sangha to support their cause.

Sadly some are coerced into a cause, donations  held in front of their noses perhaps, but alas that would be just sheer guesswork. Some have interests in stopping suffering to children, animals, women, gays, forests, migrant workers, slaves, elderly, environment, the hungry, politics, and the war shocked.  What ever the noble intention the Sangha member has; it turns ugly rather fast if they are in the public eye, often pushed into waving signs, shouting, screaming at the law, screaming at the public conducting themselves in manners that are extremely deplorable and shameful for Sangha. Even worse the extreme is suicide in a public way, in horrific ways like burning themselves, forced by others out of misguided desperation for change.

But we live in America or the West you protest!

I say those in robes who have faith, practice diligently, uphold their full Vinaya precepts, uphold Bodhisattva ideal by practicing it daily (not in substitution for Vinaya precepts which are not less than Bodhisattva precepts/ordination) are the ones with Right View. Right Effort in this case is to stand up to support those who ask for their help directly by conducting Buddhist services for the persons who ask, addressing issues in their dharma talks skillfully, and helping householders create solutions that work by pulling together skilled concerned persons of any faith or no faith at all who can effect changes.  That means it's ok to make media statements, ok to offer comparisons and support in counseling, services, social media, join in public debates skillfully, join in committees, join in communities that are not violent, not proponents of bad behavior or break the laws of their country.

Not all is fair in life, but that does not mean lack of public address to a situation is not the same as not caring about an issue.  What matters is how long a change can be considered stable, and long-lasting.  But then that is the issue, everything changes, we are always in flux.  Situations of dire nature today are later resolved and then disappear, only to reappear later in time.

Moderation and decorum are still in effect of public Sangha behavior.  Screaming, shouting, shaking fists, waving signs, burning or supporting someone to burn, blocking law, blocking workers, blocking businesses, blocking public access.... All are not appropriate to Sangha behavior.

Sangha need to be leaders and as such in robes obey and conform to Vinaya guidelines regarding behavior.

Two Buddhist Brides Wed in Taiwan  This is an English article.
Recently Ven. Zhao Hui from Taiwan received flaming on Facebook and elsewhere for her public action of Blessing Wedding for a gay couple (two women) who had been partnered.  It was reported around the world as groundbreaking, one for she is a woman presiding in such a leadership role and two the gay couple was groundbreaking and advocating for Taiwan to address the issue of gay marriage in the first place.

I am aware of various Elders,  all of them happen to be bhikshu, who have come down in the recent past against gays and surmise why they are gay and they do not support the lifestyle, discuss loosely the impact and rejection by those gays who want to become ordained fully and the potential harm those who do not give up the lifestyle after attaining robes.  They are not in touch with the reality of householders who are gay, they spend too much time analyzing and nothing about doing.  It contrasts greatly with the actions of Bhikshuni who are providing counseling, programs, and services to LGBT groups in their countries.

I'm not gay, bi, nor transgendered, never was; not even in my past lives memories.

Being a Sangha member does not make you gay nor does having disciples or becoming a friend to those people who are gay or bi or transgender, nor does supporting their rights, nor does being in community doing normal Buddhist activities with proper focus on the Vinaya, that has the privileged of being that mature and diverse to welcome them as laity.

Being in favor or human rights and in this case the rights of gays to marriage is not a declaration of gayness or indication of gayness.  It's stupid and very childish to assume so, I had to delete a Chinese poster who asked in an APP on Facebook if I was gay would they sleep with me!  So stupid! What arrogance they had to post that!

However, everyone regardless of gender, gender choice, or gender attractions deserves protection under their country's laws, inheritance rights, marriage services, full family services, counseling that is unbiased and non-coercive, full social security inheritance of spouses/partners, rights to employment with out bias, rights to retirement without bias, rights to defend their country in military service without bias or hate crimes, full access to legal services... and anything else the straight or majority in their countries have to offer.

Having said the above it bears repeating, Sangha are not to engage in debates about sexuality, sexual orientation, or support those that do.  That matter of sexuality is a private matter of householders.  We can offer only counseling to help people who want advice on how to apply Buddha dharma to their daily practice so they reduce their own suffering.

As Sangha we lead, we need not spout,shout, or force on others views on a vast array of worldly concerns.

We are supposed to live as left-home persons not as householders.

Here is some advice for those who insist on worldly names for themselves by using coercion.

If you as Sangha are so concerned about the rain forest then you better move there and help conserve it. Do not engage in politics, protests, nor coercion.

If you as Sangha are so concerned about human trafficking then go to those kids and rescue them yourself, join the local law enforcement and provide lifetime counseling to those kids stuck in those hell-holes, and the families that support them or are created by their own bodies.

If you as Sangha are so concerned about the suffering of LGBT community get involved with counseling them, provide lifetime Buddhist services for them without fear of catching something, stand up professionally and join the law, psychiatric, medical, social services, family counseling, community activities of non-sexual nature, join in politics as last resort by addressing the lawmakers, forming petitions without coercion by just announcing the existence of services and petitions or a what can you do to support this LGBT community page.  Ven Chao Hui is a leader with compassion, she offered only one Buddhist service to a happy couple.  She spoke in support of gay rights.  There is a list of of many good things to do. What can you do?

If you are Sangha so concerned with hunger, then cook for the hungry; go to the famine places with lots of money, resources for farming, resources for counseling, medicine, and doctors and nurses. Most of all be prepared to offer grieve counseling to the remaining survivors.

If you are Sangha so concerned with freedom of Tibet or engages in political protests, genocide of non-Buddhists, or any type of violence against another, then you are on the wrong path.  If you can't understand the Vinaya guidelines then you should not shame your robes and elders with political protests, screaming about how unfair the law/govt is, engage law breaking and worst of all supporting suicides by self-immolation in the name of politics or killing another human being.  The last act mentioned is immediate parjika and you should disrobe.

We have many Sangha who are rescuing abandoned babies, children and elderly.  We have many Sangha who are teaching the poor, educating the youth in their community, conserving the environment in their daily life, engaging in public works projects that help whole districts, collecting donations for the hungry, cooking for the homeless, providing free medical care to anyone who is in need.  The reason so many are unknown to you is that we are very, very busy and too busy to step in front of a camera or arrange a press conference or a protest.

Home Economic tips & printouts

Metric Conversions for cooking

Cooking times

Fridge freezer storage cheat sheet

Homemade Pop Tarts

Walking as Sangha actually doing it!

Walking in public. How we deport ourselves as Sangha matters to us.  There are times I just plain wonder about myself though.  Due to my injuries in hip and back my walking is just not up to par with regular folks.

I feel ashamed when people make embarrassing or rude comments about my walking. I want to walk perfectly, but the recovery process of my hip and legs is awfully slow.

Even when I was visiting a monastery, the laywomen quickly named me the "Dancing Master" due to my sway being exaggerated because of the hip injury.  I was in lots of pain and needed my walker.  But I was trying to tough it out and used one cane until it was too extreme, then I pulled out the second cane and to my relief the edge was taken off within a few days.  But their sneering kept up.  I felt so sorry about that.

Deportment in temples is important and I know it.  When you can't deport yourself well due to an injury like mine you have got to face it's reality.  Hiding away is not an option, no matter who sees you. Elders see you and the laity are quick to make rude remarks about you in front or behind you. That's life.  You are judged on this image rather quickly and it stays in their brains long after you leave.

I've had the unfortunate injury for years after leaving the temple where I suffered pressure to lift well beyond my capacity and denied access to medical and proper amount of exercise.  That's the way it was both good and bad, it was my lot. Being American I always thought that it would not be that way in America.  But in actual experience it was and is not always up to you exactly how you want to live your daily life in community.

I am not saying community is bad. It's great! I am a big fan of living in community.  But it is important to be very familiar with your hosting community or your residing community. You need to investigate each one so most of your criteria are being met, it won't be possible to meet all of your expectations but as I found out, you need to be focused on healthy living and access to fresh air and the design of the place be very beneficial  to your need of exercise and good fresh food.

If you find yourself in a situation like I have where your body is injuried and you are in a temple or monastery.  You have a right to ask for accomodation, and being caring monastics they can offer advice and try to work around your injuries.  You should have access to health care providers to deal with your condition.  If you can get some health insurance, if you cannot then try to see if they have visiting doctors... most if they don't have health insurance will have a pretty good program where visiting nurses, doctors and specialist will come monthly or every 2 weeks. Find out where and how to arrange visits.

Social services will come to you if you need them.  Call them. Ask for a home visit.  They have people who do this in all 50 states.

Physical therapy.  Seek a professional.  If you can't try to use common sense and a plan set up by your doctor.  Do yoga, gentle exercises of 30 seconds a movement or learn something like Taijichuan or swim
BTW modest swimwear is available, just search for it.  Amazon has lots. If you can just buy a swimsuit and wear your monastic shirt over it with cut off pants or baggy shorts. That's good enough.

More later... Here is me doing physical therapy retraining my hip and back to do our bowing practice in Chinese Buddhism.  My PT people were great, they fixed up a homemade bowing platform from a step and some soft cushions.  It works well.  Let your PT ppl be a part of your Buddhist practice, they will get benefits and become more excited and the good seeds get planted in that way!

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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Sanitizing Buddhism and the erasing Sangha in America by Elitists

This is a re-post of my blog "buddhafolk" on wordpress.com  I feel it is important enough to re-peat elsewhere.   I'm gonna comment on what I wrote in it.

original link:  http://buddhafolk.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/sanitizing-of-buddhism-buddhists-and-erasing-sangha-in-america-by-elitists/

2,555 years ago Buddha passed away leaving the disciples and the rest of the Sangha to remember his teachings and pass them along to the next generations.  Very little has changed in the Sangha who carefully follows the Vinaya which are his guidelines of monastic conduct and instructed in his last bequest.  They carried Buddha's teachings (the Dharma) to various countries teaching and forming practice places for generations with a great deal of sacrifice and effort. 

Comment:  To ignore this well documented and academically sound declared bit of history is ridiculous and childish.  It is a horrible reflection of what passes for elitism and worse yet those who try to claim they are still Buddhist at all when all the while their books, films, websites and centers promote themselves as the experts of what is and is not Buddhist or proper practice.  Is this not a sign of a CULT?

Recently in media by Buddhist orientated sites online and in print through Tricycle, Buddhadharma, and Shambala Sun much has been made about the national form that Buddhist followers should or as they assume will eventually take in the USA.

Comment:  see for  yourself on their websites: http://www.tricycle.com it also has a blog where much is discussed concerning this and it's self-declared only source for Buddhist practitioners the  http://www.buddhdharma.com.  This is the link for another one http://www.shambalasun.com.  All have blogs or blog links.

Their Protestantism of Buddhism or rather a sanitizing or erasing/rewriting of Buddha's history and rejection of what they identify as irrelevant to modern Americans today.  This means all the ethnic Buddhists from Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Korea, India, Tibet, Nepal, Indonesia, Phillipines, Malaysia or other American countries or Europe are to be cleansed and shunned from Americans or American Buddhists as it starts with white men who are protestants who already rejected the catholics because they have monks and nuns... or maybe they are jewish who didn't like christians at all and or even those who prefer to embrace every oddball newly created religion and market it.

They are trying to dummy-down traditional Buddhism because they couldn't figure out  how to make it work for themselves.  Now they are trying to keep it elite and promoting a new version or a rather a odd form of Japanese Buddhism; Wow, even to do that is to disparage the efforts of the Japanese Buddhists in our American history.  But a recent picture in a news article features Japanese robed zen married clergy,  a couple (women are nuns only in Japanese Buddhist tradition and not to hold priest roles like the men can opt for marriage or monk's life)  in a zendo.  The writer asks "What's an American Buddhist?  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/whats-an-american-buddhist/2012/06/17/gJQAJCQrjV_blog.html

Well, it's a circular article first stripping away the Triple Jewel.  No Sangha, no ethnic trappings as they are not considered true or authentic enough to be Buddhist or relevant.  Then at the very end it says careful least 900 years later the adherents reject the efforts of the fabled American Buddhists who magically created a new world order of Buddhists here.

One way to look at this question is through the example of practice. When done correctly, what Buddhist meditators refer to as “sitting”–whether following the vipassana or zazen (or other) approaches to sitting meditation–does not rely on ceremonial chanting and recitations and actions that typically surround collective meditation sessions. This is not to say such ceremonial activities normally performed in an ancient or modern Eastern language are not useful or helpful. This is only to say they are not a necessity for the gradual expansion of consciousness that is the result of regular meditation. If one accepts this basic premise, which can be supported by the sutras attributed to the Buddha, then the conclusion that North Americans could conceivably develop their own Buddhist tradition some day is perfectly rational, if not probable.

This is based on opinion and not on reality, meditation has always been taught as a method but not the exclusive one, the first thing Buddhists do worldwide is to take the Triple Refuge and 5 Precepts.  The next thing they do is join in services that always recite sutras and repeat the Triple Jewel in refuge and action, join in volunteer work in the community and when it's time and there is an opportunity they choose or not to sit on a cushion with the goal of being enlightened eventually.  This provides the stable framework necessary before one sits on the cushions.

2,555 years the core of Buddhist practice has always been formed from the Triple Jewel, being carried and protected by the Sangha who observes the Vinaya.  Also because people who come to Buddhism from new countries took the time to study Buddhism in it's traditional form and upheld it, so the Buddhist culture developed as the Buddha instructed us Sangha who traveled to adapt to the countries conditions and culture with lots of variations in languages, practices and kept the core that is the Triple Jewel.  

The problem in the USA and in many parts of the world is that there is no one identified unified culture.  We are a global society in the USA in reality, much of the myth the elitist create is not real and not reflecting the reality of the people in the USA. There is no one culture.  There can be no one form of Buddhism defining the United States and that is really ok.  The myth is there must be one form of Buddhism for each country, that's the fakery being created by these elitists.

North American Buddhists are likely to create their own traditions and schools of thought, but they should do so with the awareness that they are forging a new Buddhist culture, not the ‘true’ Buddhist culture.

This is so strange that it is very insulting to North American Buddhists anywhere.  There is no need to forge a new Buddhist culture at all.  It does not work.  People in history have tried and when they diverge from the Triple Jewel they are not Buddhist at all, their movements become perverted and vanish.

The worst kind of approach a Westerner would take is to accept wholeheartedly without question any practice offered from any teacher without investigating and studying the history and knowing the standard teachings of Buddha and his disciples.  So 'wholesale acceptance' of Buddhism from the East is not likely the problem here.  It is lack of acceptance and adaptability. Just the last two. 

Comment:  and we can throw in lack of effort to read or study.

Also they seem to have a need to make their own piss in the snow, a male pre-occupation.  That last bit is sadly the reason there is an effort by rags that call themselves the voice of American Buddhists or rather trying right now to lead the Buddhist movement with their money and media forming a horrific laughable council of teachers that fell on it's face and nobody paid attention to it other than to point them out.  Led by the protestant versions of Japanese Buddhism and fringe trend setting teachers and all their writers who make them money... virtually ignoring the Sangha ""(they had one show Bhikkhu Bodhi who got rightfully upset with them and whom they posted as somehow he misunderstood..or he mis-heard them and gee wasn't that embarrassing for him to explode on them during the conference type post on their blog) on whose back they cruelly stepped on to reach their goal as King of the Mountain, they virtually stood and pissed on the the living Jewels, all the while laughing in the faces of those who donate and sacrifice to make Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Americas.  This is soooo christian and not worthy of what is American today.

Comment:  Here is some blogs and with very snerky comments regarding that... starts first with the host of the fabled council of teachers....

http://www.garrisoninstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=923&Itemid=1434

http://theendlessfurther.com/?tag=2011-buddhist-teachers-council

http://notwoo.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/the-new-improved-buddhist-council-now-with-more-enzymes-lather-and-added-vitamins/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/14/america-buddhism_n_876577.html

http://meaningness.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/brad-warner-vs-the-maha-teachers/

OH MY! OUR GOVT RESEARCHERS ARE GETTING INTO THE FRAY:

http://www.neh.gov/humanities/2010/marchapril/feature/american-zenophilia

an onward:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/owen-flanagan-phd/do-american-buddhists-miss-the-point-of-buddhism_b_964188.html

This sanitizing of Buddhism is wrong.  It is a symptom of lack of effort and study of Buddha dharma.  It's rote repetition of wrong teachings based on fear of loss of their own leadership due to aging and somehow they must keep their flame alive and make a historical memory so their efforts don't seem wasted to others.  The fact of the matter is the hippies are old and their start into Buddhism was filled with false intentions, most are failed monks and they are damn mad that people did not support them when they were innocents in robes, so they formed their careers by damning the robes and those that wear them.  All of them... look up the writers for yourself in the rags, tricycle, shambala sun, buddha dharma, the big 3 have featured all white... and all secular people claiming to be experts and leaders of Americans 'cuz they failed to be monks.

Comment:  Kornfield among many others comes to mind with his large spirit rock center, was told by his staff that only a specific Theravada monk,  just one is their chosen one, so I was only welcome if I could be a temporary short-term volunteer... geese don't think it was exactly what I had in mind... I declined.

They said they failed to be monks because they failed to get enough dana to do as they want to do (and become hits in their homelands).  Instead they were ignored perhaps bored in their robes, fearing poverty and they lacked the balls to stick it out they left their robes because there is no money in them.  Then these ex-monks damned repeatedly the very people who had virtuous roots that helped them succeed and go forth and being accepted.

Playing king of the mountain pushing off their competitors.  They promoted themselves as experts saying they have really represented Americans cuz they can have sex and create families... and they want their kids to be able to participate fully in their activities in the zendo cuz they don't feel welcome anyplace but where they want to go and meditate while they ignore how bored their kids are waiting for them and let their kids run around doing things unsupervised while they zone out in hippie bliss or their mental version of it.

I'm sorry this is not how Americans do things, they do things by hard work, patience and sticking things out enduring because they know what really works. This fad by elitists is misleading and harmful and it does NOT meet the needs of common folk and it's common folk that need proper Triple Jewels not fads.  They aren't looking for trends while they work on the line or pack boxes into a truck, they are looking for a community that is stable, intelligent, active in the town, around the corner or even in the grocery.... but not at the expense of their own minds.  

That's where traditional Vinaya Buddhism excels, it's stable it has lots of variety and enough well trained Sangha of monks and nuns to be able to endure and offer Buddha dharma as requested without all the bangs and whistles of slick rags or media blitz... and we will be long enduring whether the elites want to come to us while we are busy meeting the needs of the community where we live and reside in the Americas in and out of temples. 

At my estimate we are well over 10,000 Sangha living in the USA alone and not all of us are ethnic imports from overseas but created, born and raised right here from every ethnic group that can be thought of here.  

Here are some Iowas some Califnornians, some Nova Scotians, some Germans, some Chinese, a few Texans, some Burmese, and a majority of whom are Midwestern people as common as you can get and their shenanigans while enjoying and some indeed being those participating in traditional Buddhist offerings.

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.

Stop Tibetan Sangha suicides ACT Now

http://www.change.org/petitions/sangha-in-tibet-stop-suicides

10 away from completing this petition please sign or share it!

Appeal to the Tibetan Sangha the Maha Sangha within Tibet to take very public steps to end this crime! Stop the needless deaths! Stop the abuse by Tibetans who are clearly not interested in the Triple Jewel by recruiting, harming, killing and encouraging the disintegration and degradation of the Tibetan Sangha! It is very unusual for a country known for their history of Buddhist adepts and advanced practitioners to be silent on this matter! In any other country this would generate a very quick and public response by the Maha Sangha. It's hypocritical for Tibetan Buddhists to support this when they are all about compassion and promoting the well-being of all living beings even worms in a construction site! So how come the silence, in our Sangha meetings silence is approval, does this mean the Tibetan Sangha in Tibet approves by it silence? Amituofo! I can't believe that it would! So let me print out this petition soon. See more awful stories by a pro-suicide site.

More at dossiertibet.it

History of Buddhism and mental health in USA and overseas

This is not a complete list but it is a start on mental health and Buddhism today.

China religious reforms from their leaders perspective

Religious, Spiritual, Pastoral & Cultural Care south devon healthcare

1992 NIIH report on Vietnamese mental health experiences

NAMI national minority mental health awareness 2010
History of Buddhism in America

Health and Health Care of Korean American Elderly

Buddhist Ethics from buddhanet.net

CCHP: Laos and mental health seattle, wa

Cambodian pdf a segment states monks came to offer mental health services

A Buddhist approach to mental illness interview by Lama Yeshe FPMT

Buddhism, Medicine, and Mental Health blia article

dharma studio wishmaking

Recently observing some disatisfaction over my undone projects, meaning the space taking ones.  I have longed for more space, specifically a studio and living space separately.  I have lots of Buddhist art projects to prepare and it just doesn't work much in my one room anymore.  Wishing for a solution like an invitation to larger sangha community that would allow me studio space.  I'd still be translating and adding my artistic bent and education background in a unified effort to make more dharma accessible in english.

Packrat

Packrat on Amazon

I've forgotton about my amazon seller account. I posted 20 books I need to get rid of and raise funds for education.