Many times we speak here on FFL from our conceptual assumptions, much of which we carry around based upon reading books about spiritual theory and practice. The obvious fact is that we are not scholars. No reason we should have to apologize for that fact but on the other hand our assumptions can betray our ignorance about a topic. This become readily apparent when we just spout off our ideas without considering what we really should know so we might come to a reasoned conclusion.
As an example, most Western Buddhists don't know much about Buddhist history - "'cause it ain't relevant". The irony is they actually tend to know more about Christian religious history because they hate that history and want to refute it's ideological assumptions. Apparently this same irony holds true here on FFL for those who have morphed Buddhist beliefs into their inherited TM-Hindu mode of spiritual interpretation. The problem with all this is that Buddhism is historically different from the way it has been portrayed by its Eastern and Western followers. Is history is also different than the way it is being described so far on FFL. The point here is that the historical record shows that in spite Buddhism's somewhat non-theistic ideology, it was spread and proselytized throughout Asia mainly by kingly or imperial decree. That means emperors and kings told people what their allegiance would be and whom they could worship. Get it? These proselytizers of Buddhism are the same ones who caused many religious conversions through sheer decree and thus "spread the dharma" under threat of disobedience. This is also the story of the conversion of Tibet (the Northern Lands) and the demonizing of the Bon religion by Buddhist kings and teachers. So do you get it? Think "King" and you'll get it. Think "His Majesty King George III, of Great Britain" whom my ancestor fought against in the American Revolution. Think disobedience and "From my dead hand" you tyrant! This is the actual history of Buddhism and Buddhists don't like to talk much about it. But it is not just ancient history here is some that is quite recent. "If ordered to march: tramp, tramp or shoot: bang, bang. This is the manifestation of the highest wisdom of enlightenment. The unity of Zen and war ... extends to the farthest reaches of the holy war now under way." Zen Master Harada Daiun Sogaku, 1939 "Warriors who sacrifice their lives for the emperor will not die. They will live forever. Truly they should be called gods and Buddhas for whom there is no life or death. Where there is absolute loyalty there is no life or death." Lt. Colonel Sugimoto Goro "Since the Meiji period, our (Soto Zen) sect has cooperated in waging war." Soto Zen Statement of Repentance - 1992 All quotes from the book: The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II Iris Chang, Basic Books, 1997 Hinduism? No inherent pacifism as portrayed by some Gandhi worshipers. Sunga persecutions (2nd-1st c.BCE) The Sunga dynasty (185-73 BCE) was established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka's death. After murdering King Brhadrata (last of the Mauryan rulers), military commander-in-chief Pusyamitra Sunga took the throne. An orthodox Brahmin, Sunga is known for his hostility and persecution towards the Buddhist faith. He is recorded as having "destroyed monasteries and killed Monks" (Divyavadana, pp. 429 - 434): 84,000 Buddhist stupas which had been built by Ashoka were destroyed (R. Thaper), and 100 gold coins were offered for the head of each Buddhist monk (Indian Historical Quarterly Vol. XXII, p. 81 ff cited in Hars.407). A large number of Buddhist monasteries (viharas) were converted to Hindu temples, in such places as Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, or Mathura. So do your "Get it"? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Samadhi Is Much Closer Than You Think -- Really! -- It's A No-Brainer. Who'd've Thunk It?" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I agree, Turquoise, though what about efforts to vanquish Buddhism, and what > about any lack of wars in the geography covered by Buddhism? Surely we have > more to learn. > > > On 10/4/07, TurquoiseB [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "do.rflex" do.rflex@ wrote: > > > > > > Animated Map - 5,000 years of religion in 90 seconds: > > > > > > http://mapsofwar.com/ind/history-of-religion.html > > > > Neat. I guess my only nitpick with it is the > > category they placed it in, "Maps of War." > > > > To my knowledge (and someone can correct me > > if they think I'm wrong), the "which animal > > doesn't fit with the others" entry on this > > map is Buddhism. I don't think they've *ever* > > fought a war to spread Buddhism. > > >
