tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post8455178241158280299..comments2024-02-14T08:44:41.513+00:00Comments on Progressive Buddhism: Was the Buddha Black?Myeong Jin Eunsahn http://www.blogger.com/profile/10324409234993116264noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-48939279765536713172014-06-08T17:14:10.460+01:002014-06-08T17:14:10.460+01:00Given that the author of this blog article is not ...Given that the author of this blog article is not African American, surely your observations belong in the comment sections of one of the "African Americans somewhere claiming everything from Vikings and Celts to the founders of China and Japan all being '[B]lack.'" Since you argue that "[t]he more you look these days you can find" such claims in abundance, you should have no trouble at all finding and posting to African American websites that make such claims, yes? Going straight to the source, as it were, would surely be a much better use of your time. (It's been two years since your post; perhaps you've already addressed this issue in the intervening years.)<br /><br />For my own part, I'm not only an African American, but am also a 43 year-old who was raised by Black nationalist parents in the 1970s -- and even within that environment, I never heard Black folks trying to claim the Vikings or even the Celts. If you're referring to the widespread, scientific and social-scientific hypothesis that all folks in Europe and indeed throughout the globe originally hail from a common, early-human, African ancestor -- i.e. per the 'Lucy' hypothesis -- then, yeah, I've heard (and believe) such arguments. <br /><br />Other than that, though, please trust me when I tell you that, aside from one or two cranky Black bloggers who represent neither the African American mainstream nor African American academics, there is no African American movement afoot to lay direct claim to the Vikings, the Celts, the Goths, the Visigoths, the Mongols, or any of your other historical favorites. I offer you this reassurance with the compassionate hope that it comforts you. Snuggle up to your Erik the Red and Clovis plush toys and sleep soundly, my friend: your cultural heritage -- both real and imagined -- is secure.Anonymous Mettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16328903602170404528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-26399218867550421932014-01-17T09:03:32.105+00:002014-01-17T09:03:32.105+00:00For more information on the Black Buddhas of Asia,...For more information on the Black Buddhas of Asia, please see the following documentary: "Let The Stone Tell The Tale - Africans Of Asia" by Dr. Eugene Adams - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqU2nG3keP0. You will see many authentic original images of the so called current Asiatic Buddhas. Also listen to Dr Runoko Rashidi's lectures on "Blacks in India - The African Presence In Asia" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVX1QPI9BxA. He has visited over 64 countries researching and documenting the African presence. I would suggest you hurry as many of his videos are being taken down.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-33973402745982817342013-04-03T23:25:18.982+01:002013-04-03T23:25:18.982+01:00Buddha was from the Shakya clan who were Indo-Arya...Buddha was from the Shakya clan who were Indo-Aryans and his caste was Kshatriya (a warrior caste). Thus, he was clearly South Asian. Second, your assertion is not supported by genetics. The only African genes present in India today are those of the 20,000 Siddis who were brought by Arab traders in the 12th or 13th century.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-40024593293138385242012-08-09T21:07:31.292+01:002012-08-09T21:07:31.292+01:00The more you look these days you can find African ...The more you look these days you can find African Americans somewhere claiming everything from Vikings and Celts to the founders of China and Japan all being "black". It's gone far beyond the old myths of Egyptians and Jesus. For example: Did you know the REAL first president of the united states was black? Or, did you know the original kings of Russia and Genghis Kahn were "black"? So, obviously Buddha must be too!<br />As the conspiracy unfolds we will hear about black Eskimos, black yetis, black mermaids, black Mozart...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-7757745999760957292012-06-12T18:12:52.306+01:002012-06-12T18:12:52.306+01:00I believe the Buddha, or Buddhas were of African d...I believe the Buddha, or Buddhas were of African descent. To mention this in modern day America leads to exclusion, derision and wild, virulent disclaimers. Most sangha are either clannishly Asian...or dominated by upper income whites who don't even want to discuss the issue, based on historical documented information. <br /><br />Still, I proceed with my practice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-76970747530581825512011-09-21T11:41:56.111+01:002011-09-21T11:41:56.111+01:00The Buddha's clan, the Sakyas, were said to ha...The Buddha's clan, the Sakyas, were said to have been 'haughty', and to have practised endogamy (marriage within the clan) to preserve their racial/social 'purity'. The king of Kosala, to whom they owed fealty, asked them for a Sakyan maiden for his wife. They secretly sent him a slave-girl instead, and when the resultant child, Vidudhaba, was slighted by the Sakyas, he burnt Kapilavastu to the ground and slaughtered most of its inhabitants. All this surely tends to indicate that the Sakyas were fair-skinned (still highly prized in India)?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-10663274177918407282011-07-13T16:23:39.451+01:002011-07-13T16:23:39.451+01:00We can visualize the Buddha by the 32 two main fea...We can visualize the Buddha by the 32 two main features and 80 sub-features that distinguish a Buddha. According to the sutta, feature 11 and 12 mentioned that he has bright golden-coloured complexion and the skin is so fine that no dust can attach to it. Thus the Buddha is not black, white, yellow or brown but "Gold".<br /><br />source:http://www.onmarkproductions.com/Signs-of-Buddha-32-80.htmfrontallobenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-17725510010217025712011-06-09T21:21:59.065+01:002011-06-09T21:21:59.065+01:00how long have you been training?how long have you been training?jrman27http://blipblerp.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-83724977949835832782011-05-30T21:26:30.913+01:002011-05-30T21:26:30.913+01:00Great story! Ultimately, visualizing the Buddha ha...Great story! Ultimately, visualizing the Buddha has many purposes, and certainly mindfulness is one of them. There is strength is visualizing with traditional symbolism, linking us to long lines of heritage, and also strength in creative visualization. Both can help us find our "Buddha." Focus and mindfulness anchor the practice either way.<br /><br />For the "black" Buddha, a great attention-getting headline (wish I'd thought of it), colors in Buddhist symbolism are normally related to both families—as Tantra Wave pointed out—or with elemental symbolism (i.e. black for water, green for air, etc). I personally don't think there's more to it than that, really, unless we are thinking of creative personal visualization. I also don't hold the personal view that black is in any way a negative—quite the reverse. It carries very powerful symbolism and meaning, in my opinion, but absolutely nothing negative. In Tibetan Buddhism there are many "black" Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.<br />This great story drew me to your wonderful blog. Namaste.Lee Kanehttp://buddhaweekly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-36889609347511983652011-05-27T20:42:23.887+01:002011-05-27T20:42:23.887+01:00Lotus 25 (Avalokitesvara chapter) mentions the upa...Lotus 25 (Avalokitesvara chapter) mentions the upaya of the bodhisattva as according with all beings, and this is a theme that's prevalent in the soteriological scheme of various traditions. <br /><br />In Vajrayana, manifestations of transformation-bodies and nisyanda-kayas all accord with capabilities of beings; in my opinion, if we were to understand the adi-, the dharmakaya as all-pervasive then the question regarding the appearance, ethnicity, sex, etc. of (a) buddha per se is moot. <br /><br />As an aside, (and again in Vajrayana) the Karma Class Buddha (e.g., Amoghasiddhi) is sometimes depicted in black as black is the color of the cardinal north, the Karma Class, and other such ontological categories. <br /><br />TantraWave<br />planetbuddha.blogspot.comTantraWavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05860062026874836193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-13959239503819418332011-05-27T20:23:27.334+01:002011-05-27T20:23:27.334+01:00Good and unique information of Buddhist meditation...Good and unique information of <a href="http://healthchants.com/" rel="nofollow">Buddhist meditation</a> , thank youHealthChantshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03424011155842869464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-39403046009700743972011-05-25T04:50:15.431+01:002011-05-25T04:50:15.431+01:00I'm like it and very good idea / tipsI'm like it and very good idea / tipswomen and buddhismhttp://www.womenandbuddhism.is2n.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-89083538280798398262011-05-16T05:17:51.175+01:002011-05-16T05:17:51.175+01:00Let us pray for harmony & peace
For all the h...Let us pray for harmony & peace<br /><br />For all the humankind<br /><br />On this auspicious day<br /><br />Happy Buddha Jayanti!<br /><a href="http://www.dailytextsms.com/category/buddha-purnima-sms" rel="nofollow">Buddha Purnima Text Messages</a>Mehreen Kashifhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097678250269069106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-255638031868314392011-05-12T07:10:53.851+01:002011-05-12T07:10:53.851+01:00Jayarava - many thanks for all of your informative...Jayarava - many thanks for all of your informative comments! I too have heard a story about snails accounting for the curls on the Buddha's head, but I haven't come across any citations that lead anywhere except that the Buddha's hair 'is curled like the snail shell (Kaparda)' (from the link below, but no real citation there either) so perhaps a story grew out of a misunderstanding of that representation.<br /><br />I heard the Ireland/Aryan connection from a lecture by Malcolm David Eckel, but it's a bit dated, so thanks for the clarification and link. <br /><br />I also appreciated your section suggesting that our Buddha images should look like us (at our best).<br /><br />http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/cha2.htm<br /><br />Cheers - jwBuddhist_philosopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14246929532585980356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5043003269935490917.post-73427526683159893982011-05-11T00:38:12.691+01:002011-05-11T00:38:12.691+01:00I started reading Johannes Bronkhorst's latest...I started reading Johannes Bronkhorst's latest book today. He begins by recapitulating his thinking on the two cultures of the late Vedic period - when the Buddha was born. A thesis supported by archaeological evidence as shown by Geoffrey Samuel (Origins of Yoga and Tantra). The eastern culture - what Bronkhorst calls Great Magadha) was not Brahmanical, but does seem to have spoken an Indo-Aryan language. <br /><br />There is still some doubt about what travelled across India - was it the language, or the people, or the culture, or some combination of all? There do seem to have been at least two waves of language migration (according to Deshpande).<br /><br />Some people have suggested that the Buddha may not have been Aryan but the evidence is quite sketchy and I've never been able to pin it down.<br /><br />Ireland's name, Éire, is unlikely to come from the same root as ārya - though the name Iran (i.e. Īrān) does. No doubt that was the one you were thinking of. There's a good discussion of the etymology of Éire on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89ire#Etymology" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a>. <br /><br />Eisel is right to point out that the Buddha, like other śramaṇas would have been bald. I've also blogged on this passage - <a href="http://jayarava.blogspot.com/2010/08/pali-pun.html" rel="nofollow">A Pali Pun</a>. Some Brahmins refer to the Buddhists as <i>muṇḍaka</i> 'baldy'. A diminutive from muṇḍa 'bald'. In fact the Jains used to pull their hair out, rather than shave it! Some of my Indian friends tell me that there is a story in India about those curls on the Buddha's head being snails instead of hair!<br /><br />The term 'black' kaṇha seems to be a Brahmanical insult with a figurative meaning 'impure'. It dates from the Ṛgvedic times when the Āryans did seem to meet darker skinned people that they called dasa 'slaves'. But this was 1000 years pre-Buddha. By the time we're interested in it applied to anyone who did not conform to Brahmanical social norms - which would have been nearly everyone east of the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna in 500 BC. No doubt there were a range of races living in that area, as there are now. At least three major language families would have been present: Indo-Āryan, Dravidian and Munda. From the Brahmanical point of view the way the śramaṇa's lived made them equivalent to śudras - the lowest of the four varṇas and associated in the Vedic cosmology with the colour black. But actually we don't know what they looked like. They did live in the open, exposed to the sun...<br /><br />But in the end what does it matter? We don't now, and never will, know much about this person. As you rightly point out we don't actually know his given name, we only have the made up one. And since Gautama is a high status Brahmin name we must have doubts about that as well. (<a href="http://jayarava.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-was-buddhas-name.html" rel="nofollow">What was the Buddha's name?</a>). The Buddha really only exists these days in our imaginations. As Buddhists we maintain an imaginative connection with the buddha. This is not a trivial matter. Buddhaghosa wrote in the Visuddhimagga that a person practising Buddhānusati is as worthy of worship as a cetiya or stupa. And since we cannot ever know what he did look like, it makes sense to just imagine him as best we can - naturally enough he tends to look like us. To the Tibetans he looks Tibetan, to the East Asians he looks Asian. You can see central Asian art where he looks like distinctly central Asian as well. Many of my artistic colleagues portray him as Caucasian. I have not yet seen an African Buddha, but it would make perfect sense to portray the Buddha as an African. In fact representations of the Buddha are not meant as portraits, but as symbols of our own potential - so for this reason too they should look like us!<br /><br />Thanks to the pointer to Eisel's article. I've commented as well. Can't wait to read his article on paṭiccasamuppāda!Jayaravahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06815277098386812048noreply@blogger.com