tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post5990086371491111528..comments2024-02-14T08:44:41.513+00:00Comments on Progressive Buddhism: Race, Diversity and Buddhism: Thoughts and a ProposalMyeong Jin Eunsahn http://www.blogger.com/profile/10324409234993116264noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-25092416501475884352010-03-14T20:18:02.413+00:002010-03-14T20:18:02.413+00:00Firehorse,
I really appreciate your thoughts here...Firehorse,<br /><br />I really appreciate your thoughts here and the invitation to engage in more dialogue on this issue. While I have mixed feelings about doing so online, I support this conversation in spirit. Thanks for getting the ball rolling, or keeping it rolling!<br /><br />I just posted my contribution to the conversation here: http://jizochronicles.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/harmony-of-difference-and-sameness/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-68421774129170573252010-03-13T04:16:16.799+00:002010-03-13T04:16:16.799+00:00Isamaria,
If you or anyone else are interested in...Isamaria,<br /><br />If you or anyone else are interested in helping organize this, please "friend" me at: http://urbanrefuge.ning.com/<br /><br />thanks!Firehorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01403730869216631953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-7618138660837175842010-03-13T04:00:52.035+00:002010-03-13T04:00:52.035+00:00Happy to be a part of the conversation in any way...Happy to be a part of the conversation in any way. I want to bring this up with a few colleagues locally and at a small conference next weekend. I think I have been hovering around this topic for a while with both work and practice, but it's a good opportunity for confluence. More to come, surely. Metta....Isamarianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-9401996194513303592010-03-05T07:44:45.776+00:002010-03-05T07:44:45.776+00:00@Kyle - thanks for the offer! Let me try to get a ...@Kyle - thanks for the offer! Let me try to get a few pieces in place and get back to you, hopefully soon.<br /><br />@Richard - we may try for something a little more centralized like one panel discussion that would lead into something like you are talking about. Would you also be willing to help organize?Firehorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01403730869216631953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-77758474298644831172010-03-03T02:23:33.707+00:002010-03-03T02:23:33.707+00:00I've been thinking about this for a while afte...I've been thinking about this for a while after reading your post, Nathan's, and then I see the one by Brad Warner. I'm just not sure how to approach the subject. I have lots of ideas, but maybe this is really where a skilled moderator can direct the discussion.<br /><br />Maybe someone can be directed to write a short post to get the conversation started, and then the moderator posts a comment that directs someone specific to respond, and then on and on. And each new post would contain links to all the previous posts.Richard Harroldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02943119066949899198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-31649304343957274152010-03-02T21:30:05.954+00:002010-03-02T21:30:05.954+00:00@Firehorse - I'd be glad to help anyway I coul...@Firehorse - I'd be glad to help anyway I could, but to warn ya I doubt I'd be well received. :-)Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14925360776637168540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-71175337007155762532010-03-01T06:47:48.222+00:002010-03-01T06:47:48.222+00:00Folks - thanks for your comments, receptivity and ...Folks - thanks for your comments, receptivity and encouragement! <br /><br />Steve not sure if this fits but I am also reminded of Suzuki Roshi saying, "not always so".<br /><br />Nathan thanks for pointing out the impact in the social world of these "empty" classifications. You had a recent posting about this that I liked.<br /><br />Isamaria - sounds like that's already a good start towards putting together some guidelines for mindful internet discussions. I would like to hear more. <br /><br />Kyle - thanks and that is one great squirrel picture!<br /><br />Buddhist Philosopher and all - for the sake of efficiency and getting things rolling it seems like what is evolving is putting together an organizing committee to discuss/decide on venue, format, initial participants, moderator, how to link etc. for this roundtable discussion. Would any of you be interested in helping out?<br /><br />To cross fertilize here are some comments from over at Tricycle: http://community.tricycle.com/profiles/blogs/race-diversity-and-buddhismFirehorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01403730869216631953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-60493478337690337922010-02-28T17:45:39.625+00:002010-02-28T17:45:39.625+00:00Excellent post and idea Firehorse, thank you for y...Excellent post and idea Firehorse, thank you for your candid and honest prespective of the situation. It is true, understanding is lacking all around.Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14925360776637168540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-52910470508331784122010-02-28T02:44:29.900+00:002010-02-28T02:44:29.900+00:00I just caught your link on Twitter.... glad I did!...I just caught your link on Twitter.... glad I did! I'm glad to be a part of this discussion. <br /><br />Through my work (my job), I am often a part of and sometimes an initiator of conversations about race within schools. I've been lucky to learn from great colleagues about how to start these conversations. <br /><br />For the benefit of all involved, and to create an environment that is supportive and open, sometimes it is a good idea to start with some basic principles or ground rules. Ground rules might include: --It's okay if we don't resolve this today; <br />--It's okay if we are a bit uncomfortable; <br />--It's okay if emotions come up. <br /><br />As a practitioner of vipassana for many years, I was pleasantly surprised-- sounds like some good ground rules for practice also. Given that, as an occasional facilitator it's also important to be see when emotions are given room to be expressed, and also when that's useful/not useful. I think the same questions we ask ourselves while observing the mind can be good for directing a conversation as well ("is this useful?"). <br /><br />I'm still working on and learning about how to incorporate concepts and practices from mindfulness training in conversations about race (and class, in our situation)...Looking forward to the Mindfulness in Education conference in Boston in March... <br /><br />Thanks for opening up this dicussion- <br />-isamariaisamarianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-2820207005148426872010-02-27T23:58:53.446+00:002010-02-27T23:58:53.446+00:00Yes, Steve, these classifications are empty of an ...Yes, Steve, these classifications are empty of an inherent nature, but their impacts on the social world we live in are very, very real.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-90279765669889930862010-02-27T23:40:15.202+00:002010-02-27T23:40:15.202+00:00Nice post. I'm not steeped in Buddhist discuss...Nice post. I'm not steeped in Buddhist discussions on race, but the first thought that comes to mind is that race and other classifications are as false and misleading as notions of a permanent self.<br /><br />No self. Non self. No race. Non race. Human race. Too cute?Stevehttp://twitter.com/StevenMcGrathnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-73221860635780408862010-02-27T20:42:14.756+00:002010-02-27T20:42:14.756+00:00Great idea, Firehorse! I also like the idea of ...Great idea, Firehorse! I also like the idea of 'in-face' conversations and I think people who can do that *should* - and record and post it for the rest of us. For those of us in 'the boonies' though, the internet is a good enough venue to raise this important issue.<br /><br />How do we start? Perhaps each of us could post on our blog what our 'issue(s)' is/are with race and where we stand; trying to be succinct, mindful, and compassionate. Then you or another volunteer could aggregate, post a summary, ask questions, etc, and we could all post again a few days later. It would be like Nate's 'blog swap' - only with a set topic and follow-ups. <br /><br />What do you think? You've already taken the lead (thanks!); so what's the next step?Buddhist_philosopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14246929532585980356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-63390362341269294242010-02-27T04:04:01.080+00:002010-02-27T04:04:01.080+00:00Hi John,
Thanks for the quick response and also t...Hi John,<br /><br />Thanks for the quick response and also the good points you make. I also agree that discussions about race and diversity are general. I guess what I'd like to see is how we as Buddhists can do it differently, in a way that furthers our practice as individuals but also contributes to a shared understanding or at least a shared process of inquiry.<br /><br />Face to face forum would be great. I live abroad but would be really happy to see this happen. I suspect that for many of us its not just distance but also time/money which makes this internet interaction while limited still important. It would be great to see both a face to face and a virtual roundtable. <br /><br />What kind of sub topics would you like to see discussed?<br /><br />Your idea of a moderator is a good one!<br /><br />be well,<br />firehorseFirehorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01403730869216631953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-16358899738041260022010-02-26T23:55:06.373+00:002010-02-26T23:55:06.373+00:00Interesting post. Race and diversity are issues t...Interesting post. Race and diversity are issues that get raised in almost any venue and not just in Buddhism. Common thread though that runs through is that it is a rough and tumble conversation in person, let alone in the disembodied world of online discussions.<br /><br />Am I game? Always. But the venue is of prime importance. I would love to have a real-life, flesh and blood round table discussion over Race and Buddhism. Actually, even more important would be a capable moderator (maybe mediator).<br /><br />Bantering back and forth on blogs, forums and emails is a start but very limited. Face-to-face communication is paramount.<br /><br />Cheers,<br />John<br />www.zendirtzendust.comJohnhttp://www.zendirtzendust.comnoreply@blogger.com