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Exposing the Oppression of a Western Interpretation of the Dhamma by the Zen Orthodoxy

Correspondence with Mark Vetanen 27 Apr 2004,

From: "Mark Vetanen" <mark@vetanen.com> 

To: "'Jeffrey Brooks'" <jhanananda@yahoo.com>

Subject: RE: Don't let them talk you down! Dharma_Teacher

Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 21:32:10 -0700

Dear Jeff,

Let me caution you to not become bitter or hold anger in your heart  towards those that did such evil to you.  From my own experience of having  anger towards the Zen system I ever trained in, it may have pushed me to see  a need for a Western Buddhism but it has colored my vision now when  dealing with Asian Zen Centers and its members.  In other words I still treat  them with a condescending view and it shows.

Zenmar often says that the Buddhas put us through things that bring out  who we are to be.  If we fight it we sort of miss the point, but we still  need to go through it.  We need to let the thorns and hooks rip out our  grasping and cherishing...only then can we really emerge from the situation with  real wisdom.

The part that will hurt the most in the years to come is when you see  people that you trained with become leaders and elders in the community that  you once loved and cherished.  It really hurts when the fools that you know  take charge.  Being banished is not for their sake but to really make the  one banished hurt and suffer.  It is an evil punishment, one that is not  fitting a Buddhist or any community that dares call itself Buddhist.

I think in these times it is easy to fall into evil ways.  People fall  into them when they have some idealistic notions such as to protect a  society or a teaching.  To fall in evil ways does stink of clinging to self and cherishing materialism, arisings and apparitions.  I guess you can say  that behind their so called Buddhist eyes Mara smiles back at you.

ID,

Mark Vetanen

Response from Jhanananda:

Hello Mark, yes I agree with you, if we become bitter and angry over our marginalization by the orthodoxy of our respective religions we will of course suffer, because that bitter and angry is only a manifestation of our own grasping and aversion.  So, you are right we must simply forge on the best we can, and if that means leading a life in obscurity, like Boddhidharma, then so be it.  After all, the orthodoxy is only exhibiting their own grasping and aversion by marginalizing the authentic teachers, enlightened ones anyway.

So, let us move forward and seek out alliances with the authentic ones, like you and I.  Let us create our own retreats, our own centers, our own ordination programs, and our own vehicle.

Kindest regards

Jeff Brooks

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