Wednesday 22 August 2007

About this blog

Purpose:
The purpose of this blog is that it will be a group-blog on the topic of progressive, modern Buddhism with the following aims :
  • looking at Buddhism in the light of modern knowledge, free from over-attachment to ancient dogmas,
  • looking at the best ways to integrate Buddhism into Modern/Western societies
  • discussing and encouraging an empirical or scientific approach
  • Seeing insight and awakening as a living tradition

We could review articles, research, books and publish our own thoughts (and non-thoughts). If we get a bit of momentum I'd like to perhaps invite guest contributions from authors, academics or Buddhist teachers.

The style I would hope for would be middle-brow - with informal blog entries and perhaps more academically rigorous for anyone who has time to write a proper article.

Attitudes:
I don't think it's at essential that all contributors have the same attitudes, but it helps if they at least harmonious. Here's an outline of mine:

  • Gautama Buddha is a greatly respected teacher of dharma teachers
  • He was an awakened human, not omniscient, nor an absolute authority
  • He also represents an ideal or principle of awakening
  • Although faith in the sense of confidence is important in the practice, blind faith is not
  • The principles of empiricism apply to Buddhist practice as they do to all pragmatic ways of knowing
  • This means humility to reality, established through experience and evidence, rather than domination of personal belief
  • Whatever our opinion of the received teachings, we should strive to represent them truthfully, and not misrepresent them
  • We should conduct ourselves in a way which is respectful to each other and to the Buddha-dharma
  • There is only one Buddha-dharma, and a number of expressions or understandings of it. We should be able to express our understanding freely, but in a way that is respectful of different sectarian understandings and customs.

Contributing:
Anyone who is interested in being a regular, occasional or guest contributor leave a comment below. I would want regular contributors to regard themselves as equal partners and decision-making would be done on group consensus.

Blog Style and location:
We may opt to make changes to both the style of the blog (I might have a go at this later) and to the web address if we want something more unique and repectable looking than a blogger address. (To be discussed)

3 comments:

  1. Justin,
    I was one of the earlier contributors to Flapping Mouths, and kinda lost track of that blog. I just checked it out and found your post. I'd be interested in contributing to your effort. I'd be inclined to contribute poetry and original music (I am a singer), if that works with what you want for the site. I am not ruling out writing articles, but am thinking of what I'd naturally do...

    Misha

    ReplyDelete
  2. Justin,

    I'd be interested.

    Aaron

    www.gangstazen.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cool,

    Okay anyone whos intersted please give me your email address. I'll delete it from here within 24 hours.

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete