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ewkrzen · 5 months ago

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There are several different ways to evaluate the claims of any group (like Mormons/Scientologists) about other groups (Christians/Scientists) when claims of affiliation have been made.

It turns out that *whatever method we use*, there never has been any "Japanese Zen", as Japanese Mormon-Christian-Buddhists claim.

How 20th Century Scholars failed to discuss *any of this* is a combination of many factors, not the least of which is love of Japanese culture, which, like the most amazing dodo you've never seen, was in real danger of extinction in the 20th Century. We'll get back to that.

The big deal in this debate though is understanding that people who rely on claims of authority (church says, Jesus says, pope says) are not interested in history, fact, or critical thinking. They are engaged either in proselytization or explaining how an authority looks wrong, but isn't (Religious Apologetics).

Just like Catholics try to explain weird church stuff by "pope says", just like Evangelicals try to explain weird bible stuff by "church says", the ***says*** claim is always going to be BS.

All you have to do to neuter those beleifs is "why are they right without reasons?"

# Defining Terms

The 20th Century's biggest failure was an inability to define terms. I'll give some examples of how we are able to define these terms in the 21st Century, the modern internet age of searchable databases, electronic records, and instantaneous AI translators, but keep in mind NOBODY DID THIS AT ALL in the 20th Century. It became such a problem in Western religious studies programs that other disciplines just abandoned Buddhist Studies as "less than scientific". Check out this infamous quote as an example of that: https://www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/buddhism#wiki_academia.3A_.22buddhism.22_not_meaningful.3A

When *other disciplines* tell you that your *entire department* lacks the rigor to even define terms, that's a cultural fail. Buddhist studies is in the middle of an epic failure in the West, as Hakamaya pointed out by simply defining Buddhism.

* **Buddhism: 8FP religions, where 8FP is backed by faith in Causation, Defilement, and Conversion.**

* **Meditation: A religious practice based on faith in Defilement, Authoritative Practice, and promised Attainment.**

* **Zen: Four Statements teachings as interpreted by engagement with the historical record.**

It might seem like these are childishly simple, and that's the point. When we look at the failures of 20th Century scholars *to even attempt definitions*, it's clear that Buddhism in the 1960's, 70's, and 80's was like the 1800's of paleontology: [A total @#$#ing shartshow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_Wars#Legacy).

# Proving the assertion: Meeting Criteria

X = Y is an assertion, and with these definitions in mind (OR ANY DEFINITIONS) we can turn toward proving assertions. Was any particular "school" of Japanese Buddhism 8FP or 4 Statements of Zen in it's fundamentals?

Easy question to answer. Japanese Buddhism is 8FP all the way.

1. Defilement is a primary element of all Japanese Buddhist groups.

2. Authority is a defining element of Japanese Buddhist traditions.

3. 8FP teachings are present throughout.

# Disproving the assertion: Debunking

But what about the other side? What evidence is there that **Zen is not found in Japan**?

1. History of fraud in Japanese Buddhism:

* Dogen's short life - a history of plaraism and pro-Tientai propaganda marketed as "Zen".

* Hakuin's Secret Manual of Koan "answers" used for political promotions

* The historical and ongoing fealty to Dogen and Hakuin as "defining authorities" of Japanese Buddhism

2. Failure to produce anything like the Zen records of China

* Japanese Buddhist parables are performed rather than arising from constant Zen Public Interview practice

* Communities based on classism rather than socialism; even Alan Watts, the poster boy for 20th Century failures, remarked on how Japanese monastic communities were fundamentally different than Chinese Zen communities.

3. Historical Aborrations in Japanese Buddhist history

* Banning of books, particular *Wumenguan*.

* Dogen's church becoming a funerary business *before* the 20th century

* Public reaction to the leaking of Hakuin's secret manual

# Failure of Representation

We can drill into the incredibly difficult to dispute evidence supporting all of these definitions, assertions, and denials, and indeed any competent academic would... but why *nobody wants to discuss these questions* let alone the evidence in the 20th Century also has to be examined, and it comes down to at least these three:

1. Love of Japan, desperation to see Japan survive WW2.

* Send food or bullets - few people realize Japan almost didn't survive WW2.

* Just as Chinese culture was complete lost after WW2, Japan could have faced a similar fate.

* Anyone who has been to Japan will understand; or just read Lafcadio Hearn

2. Buddhist religious bigotry

* Majority of Western 20th Century Buddhist scholars were affiliated with Japanese religious schools: www.reddit.com/r/zen/wiki/fraudulent_texts

* Buddhism's traditional feud with Zen was ignored/suppressed, like Buddhists never lynched the 2nd Zen Patriarch

* Evangelical Buddhism pushed by Western Academics, which is why we see no basic definitions in the 20th Century Western Academia

3. Anti-Chinese devaluation of Chinese history

* Communist party actively destroyed records and dismantled academia

* Japanese history is full of misappropriation of Chinese history

* Without the Chinese to advocate for Zen records, there was nobody to do it. Until D.T. Suzuki.

The two champions of 20th Century Zen scholarship, D.T. Suzuki and R.H. Blyth, struggled with all three of these problems, along with the lack of Western education in philosophy, history, or comparative religion necessary to be truely scientific.

# No Discussion? No Disagreement

The fact that we don't find ANY evidence of these questions being discussed ANYWHERE in the 20th Century is enough to certify the 20th Century as **a failure to meet any academic standard**. It's important to acknowledge that when religious people refuse to engage in debate at all that their positions are no longer academic. The 20th century Western Buddhist scholarship is less credible than 1800's Paleontology... there weren't any Bone Wars, no competition, and thus no need for critical thinking and argument.

#20 Century fails #Academic vs Religious #Zen #Zen vs Buddhism #Basics #History of Zen in the West #Zen isn't Japanese

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samma-sambodhi · 5 years ago

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— [[BACKGROUND]] of THE DAIMOKU OF THE LOTUS SUTRA — (pt.3 of 3) . At the beginning of this letter, the Daishonin calls himself a “follower of the Great Teacher Kompon.” Kompon, meaning fundamental, is another name for the Great Teacher Dengyo. He was the founder of the Japanese Tendai school, which he based on the teachings of T’ien-t’ai of China. He traveled to China to master T’ien-t’ai’s doctrines and, AFTER RETURNING TO JAPAN, REPUDIATED ALL THE SCHOOLS BASED ON THE BUDDHA’S PROVISIONAL TEACHINGS and devoted himself to propagating the Lotus Sutra. THE PHRASE “FOLLOWER OF THE GREAT TEACHER KOMPON” IMPLIES THAT THE DAISHONIN IS THE LEGITIMATE SUCCESSOR TO THE BUDDHA’S TEACHING CONTAINED IN THE LOTUS SUTRA. . Photo: Lake Yamanaka, Yamanashi, Japan 🇯🇵 . #Buddha #Buddhism #Buddhist #Dhamma #wisdom #Knowledge #awakening #Spiritual #Consciousness #namaste #yogalife #positvevibes #goodvibrations #loveandlight #swan #Love #mountfuji #lakeyamanaka #japan #peace #calm #meditation #meditator #lifeforce #lotussutra #nammyohorengekyo #tientai #blogger #positvevibes #landscapephotography #wow https://www.instagram.com/p/B9CpsyAhB94/?igshid=13r2rnffk74ug

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