Comments on: Thich Nhat Hanh on Christian/Buddhist relations

By: questionings… « simon j mawer

questionings… « simon j mawer — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:37:11 +0000

[...] about, inviting theologians, philosophers, non-Christians, atheists, Buddhists (cf this article), Muslims, the Chief of Rotary, and others, to [...]

By: Dharmashaiva

Dharmashaiva — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:13:21 +0000

A Buddhist would not necessarily say that she can liberate herself, by herself. A Buddhist is one who has taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Samgha. That’s not a lone cowboy path. That’s a path with the Teacher, the Reality, and the Community. No one makes it to Nibbana by herself.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:13:44 +0000

Brian,

You bring up valid concerns. A UCC minister sits with one of the Zen groups I’m associated with. Kevin Hunt OSCO a zen teacher and Trappist (over fifty years?) is someone I’ve asked about the two paths and if they are aiming at the same thing. His reply was, “I don’t know.” Perhaps, we can meet in this don’t know.

By: Brian Doyle

Brian Doyle — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:10:03 +0000

This is a question that I have thought about a lot over the past year. For the first time in my life, I have been going to church (a UCC congregation) and working to understand what it means to confess faith in Christ. Having strong inclinations towards Buddhism and Taoism, my desire has been to see Christianity and Buddhism as simply different manifestations of the same teaching. But, as I continue to listen to our pastor and see Christian faith as it is (not as I want it to be), I’m increasingly feeling that they’re different teachings.

For example, if you read the first pages of Walpola Rahula’s “What the Buddha Taught” (http://www.amazon.com/What-Buddha-Taught-Expanded-Dhammapada/dp/0802130313/), it’s hard to reconcile what is essentially a non-theist path with Christian teaching. Does man have the capacity to liberate himself? Buddhists say “yes”–but I don’t think it’s in quite the same sense that Mary meant!

Practicing lovingkindness is universal and I think that there is much for Christians and Buddhists to celebrate together. As for our personal paths, the question is: Can we mount two horses at once?

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:12:52 +0000

Yea, I have bookshelves full of all the titles you (BG) mention and more (seems like you might enjoy Olivier Clement’s The Roots of Christian Mysticism). I have an advanced degree in theology spent much of my young adult life in and around Trappist monasteries. So I do see that Christian mysticism can offer me, conceptually, what Zen can. The practicalities, as a married lay person with children, are another story.

As far as respecting traditions, I’ve sat with several of the teacher I mentioned and found them to treat everything and everybody with reverence–including the two traditions they embody.

be well,
Chris

By: BG

BG — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:48:25 +0000

Yes! And engaging in dialogue and creative learning/teaching differ from teaching another’s tradition while not acknowleding/teaching the depth of one’s own tradition. I don’t find that approach respectful to either tradition.

I am looking forward to your book!

By: Carl McColman

Carl McColman — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:39:57 +0000

BG, I agree wholeheartedly, which is why I’m writing a book about Christian mysticism! I also think that Christians do well to maintain a sense of respect and deep good will when relating to other wisdom traditions. I don’t think there needs to be a conflict between entering deeply into the orthodox truth of our own faith, while also engaging in dialogue and creative learning/teaching across traditions.

By: BG

BG — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:33:03 +0000

Having studied zen, read books by Kennedy and the others mentioned above and attended Kennedy’s retreats, I now find that much of what I learned in these experiences was in the Christian mystics all along. The desert mothers and fathers, hesychasm, John of the Cross, John Cassian, … and on …

It seems to me a great challenge and opportunity for Christians to go deeper and deeper in our own tradition.

That’s just my experience.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:02:57 +0000

I practice Zen but am also a devout Catholic. If Noel is interested in some teachers who bridge the two traditions, there are several good ones. Fr. Robert Kennedy SJ is a zen teacher who has authored serveral worthwhile books. Fr. Willigis Jager, a Benedictine, seems in with the Ken Wilbur crowd and in one of his books (Search for the Meaning of Life?), speaks directly to the issues Carl raises in this post. Ruben Habito (Living Zen, Loving God), Fr. Pat Hawk, and Fr. Kevin Hunt OSCO are also zen teachers worth looking into.

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:25:49 +0000

To noel a light bearer,
My Zen is quite simple. It is a “Yes” to every moment of my life.
This “Yes” is a welcome to Divine Providence. All experiences (pleasant and not so pleasant) are my teachers in this life on earth. Everything learned and “unlearned” is a gift on ‘how to love’.