In nearly every city in the English Speaking North America we will see a barrage of bumper stickers reading;"Free Tibet," or the occasional mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" a very famous Buddhist Mantra. More common are 'Malas' or Buddhist prayer beads that often accompany various pictures and statues adorning cars that are unmistakably Buddhist. More common than not these same vehicles also have bumper stickers that might indicate very left wing ideas. Finding these two kinds of bumper stickers on the same car make sense to many of us because we attribute Buddhism and Eastern Thought to the 'Sixties' or hippies in general.
Buddhism really made it's first large footprint in the years following World War II, before the hippies. Most Buddhism that was coming from Japan, following W.W.II were Mahayana Zen Buddhism which has a strict code of conduct and moral code. At that time few in the U.S. saw this traditional and highly disciplined religion as at all 'progressive.' It was the Vietnam War that brought the 'Left' in concert with Buddhism. It was the anti-war Buddhists who found a friend in the anti-war movement of the hippies. This mix of the left and Buddhism began the re-branding of the religion. Those on the political left helped bring in a new re-branded Buddhist religion that only distantly resembles the traditional Buddhism that existed a decade before. Then this new religion flourished in the U.S. and later to Europe. The left now uses the new religion to accomplish any goal that it sees fit. Remember Al Gore using a Buddhist temple illegally to promote his Presidential Campaign. Only glimmers of the traditional religion remain. .
So how did the re-branding of Buddhism happen? We all remember seeing picture of the monk Quang Duc who set himself on fire, burning to death, in protest of the war. Thich Quang Duc's extreme and dramatic suicide was an example of the lengths that some would go to, to discredit the war in Vietnam. The 'left' in the U.S. were often sympathetic to extreme displays to oppose the war. The left saw that the Buddhist Teachings of peace, love of all living things and love of nature were easy to manipulate to a more socialistic world view. Traditional Buddhism was abandoned to become the 'Buddhist Left.' The Buddhist Establishment and the American 'Left' found that by working together they could help bring in the more 'peaceful movement' - the Communists. The' Buddhist Left' felt that the war could be ended by working with the Communists.
Communism and Buddhism are not at all in harmony but the left saw ending the war as a chief priority, even if a continued re-branding of Buddhism continued. The Communists had a leader that new 'Buddhist Left' could rally around. Ho Chi Minh, who's name means bringer of enlightenment in Chinese, was given his name by Moa Zedong the Chinese Communist Dictator. Ho Chi Minh's name fit perfectly with the 'Buddhist Left' while the ultimate goal of Buddhism is enlightenment, even if the two definitions of enlightenment were diametrically opposed. However, with the new re-branding, the Buddhist clash with Communism was simply overlooked. While the anti-war protests had young people singing "The Internationale," the anthem for International Socialism many of these same individuals were learning to find inner-peace. The Vietcong, or the Vietnamese Communist party were often honored with American Youths waving the Vietcong flag at rallies while the ralliers were bowing to each other in Buddhist or, at time Hindu fashion. The Buddhist-Left didn't realize, or purposely ignored, an integral part of Communist Dogma; "Religion is poison, the opiate of the masses." As the 'peace loving' and 'open minded' protesters were embracing the 'equality' of Communism and Socialism, they were unwittingly doing untold damage to Buddhism. After the Vietnam war ended millions of Buddhists were slaughtered by Communist Regimes. So the Buddhist left, who embraced peace, often from a Buddhist perspective, helped to herald in catastrophe for their fellow practitioners. Admitting to the truths of Communism's opposition and slaughter of Buddhists, mentioned above would call into question the lefts re-branding so these truths are simply omitted.
The American Left also ignore the fact that many for Vietnamese, who are Traditional Buddhists, see the famous monk Thich Nhat Hanh as having sold their country out to the Communists. Thich Naht Hanh has written that during the sixties he came to the U.S. to meet with important leaders, to help stop the war. He mentions that he told people that the U.S. was the root of the war, ignoring the Russian and Chinese involvement. Alas, Thich Naht Hanh would never be allowed to return to Vietnam after the war because the regime saw him as a threat. Even after he criticized the Americans and ignored Communist atrocities during wartime, he was given no respect by the regime he helped to install in his country. To bring this truth about Thich Naht Hahn's more dubious positions during the sixties would not fit into the peaceful world that the Buddhist Left have convinced themselves they created. So for the sake of re-branding yet another piece of history is overlooked.
There are several aspects of Buddhism that are more attune to conservative values. The first of the Great Noble Truths, is that "life is suffering." The second noble truth is that "most suffering comes from our own thoughts and actions." Each person must make the decision to make the appropriate steps to looking inward and coming to terms with what causes their personal suffering. One would never attempt to rob someone of their experiences that lead them to introspection and eventually attain enlightenment. So from a conservative standpoint, large government actions to provide basic services for people, robs individuals of potentially overcoming their personal challenges. Pema Chodron is an American born Tibetan Buddhist teacher. She speaks and writes at length about an individuals need to "grow up" and be self honest. Writer and Professor Mark Steyn asserts that more times than not what keeps us from "growing up" is large government entitlements taking away our adult responsibilities. Adolescent actions, either by an individual or by any sort of enabling force, keep people stuck. Pema Chodron has an audio series named "Getting Unstuck." In this series of lectures she addresses people taking the difficult actions necessary to "get unstuck" and grow up. At no time is the discussion about Johnson Era-like 'wars on poverty' or Universal Health Care. Chodron's teaching are about personal responsibility and honesty. She and Professor Steyn agree on those things, if they come at "growing up and getting unstuck" from different angles.
Is there charity in Buddhism? Yes, much like the Abrahamic Religions charity is seen as the duty of a Buddhist. Charity is done to benefit the adherents as well as the recipient. Where the Buddhist-left get this point wrong is that charity is done on a state level, which neither truly helps the recipient, nor the giver. One could hardly expect a bureaucracy to look inward and receive transcendent benefit from perpetuating an entitlement program. When someone is taxed, or has their property ceased, to give the property to someone else, then the person who receives the property and the bureaucracy violates a precept. The second precept of Buddhism clearly states that "For the purpose of my training (which is another term for life practice) I vow to refrain from taking what is not given." This is much like the "Commandment thou shalt not steal," For a Buddhist, not stealing is a profound way of showing love to all beings. So socialism and Communism are in strict opposition to the second Buddhist precept.
Are there some American Buddhists who turned away from the Pro Communist Buddhist left? Surya Das is a practitioner of the Tibetan style of Buddhism which has been generally anti-communist, due to the treatment of Tibetans at the hands of Communist China. Lama Surya Das, in his book "Awakening The Buddha Within," mentions that he was present in many of the anti-war riots. After a war protester was killed with his same birth name Jeffery Miller (Surya Das), he saw the contradiction of rioting for peace. The American born teacher now takes few political stances; but, on social issues, he has taken to question traditional Buddhist stances like prohibitions on homosexuality. Lama Surya Das has often made public statements about his support for homosexual marriage. This flies in the face of Buddhist tradition. The third percept of Buddhism states; "For the purpose of my training (life) I vow to refrain from sexual misconduct." Many teachers, including Surya Das, have explained this precept as promiscuity, or addictive behavior. The traditional teachings are something quite different however. The Dalai Lama's first book after leaving Tibet, "Opening The Eye Of New Awareness," is clear on a vast explanation of sexual misconduct. The book addresses sexual relation that is not vaginal is discouraged. Homosexuality was (and is) not acceptable for any practitioner. Incidentally, the Dalai Lama wrote his first book so that the writing and traditions could be maintained. "Opening The Mind Of New Awareness" was written for Lay practitioners, not monks who take a vow of celibacy, in Tibetan Buddhism.
Robert Thurman is the first American born practitioner to be ordained a monk in Tibetan Buddhism. Mr. Thurman never seems to let an opportunity pass where he can write or say something offensive about Christianity or the Bible. In an interview explaining the Dalai Lama, he proclaimed the importance of who the Dalai Lama is in incarnation. He then said the 'closest equivalent that most westerners could understand would be if Jesus Christ were president or king.' In his book "Essential Tibetan Buddhism" Thurman explains that the Historical Buddha taught many gods after his attaining enlightenment. Then Thurman writes that while the God of the bible is not specifically brought up, it's safe to assume that the Buddha taught that God as well. Thurman clearly has some ax to grind when it comes to Judeaism and (or) Christianity.
The Tibetan branch of Buddhism is fascinating and has helped to bring more free societies. The Bhutan example is evidence of this. Bhutan had a Monarch, that was closely related to the Tibetan Buddhist branch, The Bhutanese Monarch helped in the drafting of a Constitution which eventually led to his abdication of the thrown. The Dalai Lama promoted a Constitution where in he could be impeached. The Tibetan Government In Exile, in Dharmsala India, has been a voice for freedom and individual liberty. The countries that are traditionally Tibetan Buddhist, support free speech and freedom of religion. The traditional leaders of this branch of Buddhism have been friendly to other religions and have had no interest in defaming Biblical belief systems and what Biblical believers hold sacred.
Re-branding of Buddhism helps to mask the adolescent rebellion. For many on the Buddhist-Left, their practice of Buddhism is based in rebellion. Many were from Christian and Jewish households. Buddhism was foreign and exotic and for a young person to claim to adhere to it's principles would confuse or anger parents. For the real practitioner of Buddhism they don't need bumper stickers, symposiums, retreats, cleverly phrased booklets, self important political stances or attention grabbing necklaces. The true practitioner attempts in every way possible to project peace. For them, they raise their family, work their jobs and attempt in every action to perceive each moment as it is. It is entirely likely that if you were to meet one of these people there would be no obvious indication of their religion other than the way that they presented themselves.
As a Christian, an admirer of Buddhism and a student of religion in general, I see westernized Buddhism, or the Buddhist-Left, as having dramatically changed the face of one of the world's oldest religions. For those of us in the west, we would have some difficulty seeing the traditional face of Buddhism. If we look hard enough we find that there is a great world religion that is, at it's core, not bogged down in poltical movements. This great religion is much more interested in individuals attaining their greater potential. I would hope that in the years to come, Buddhism will shake off the re-branding of the last forty years and will be seen as the religion of the gentle practitioner who loves his country and his fellow man.
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