Is Western Buddhism Neutered? Or Compassion w/o the Dogma.

I have always thought of Buddhism as being an inclusive rather than exclusive religion. The Buddha, when teaching in India, did not cast aspersions on the local religion but instead incorporated many of the beliefs into his presentation of the Dharma and his Path. At the same time allowing for a progressive movement away from some of the less desirable aspects of the religions of the time (caste system, sacrifices and asceticism).

As Buddhism moved out of India and into Asia, it adapted to and evolved with local traditions and indigenous beliefs. Thus we are introduced to the Mahayana sutras as well as the melding of Buddhism with Taoism and Confucism in China and with Shinto in Japan. It then melded with the Mystic/Spiritual Movement of Europe during the 1800s and early 1900s (most of us agree that this was unfortunate and has led to many ingrained misconceptions about Buddhism that still exist today). It melded with the beatniks and hippie/communal living movements of the 50’s and 60’s. It (ugh) melded with the New Age movements as well. We are still doing damage control on that one.

But I ramble. Someone commented that Buddhism is still working through its growth spurt in the West. I think they give it too much credit. We are still in our infancy. As a religion/non-religion and as a philosophy we are still shitting our diapers. We can barely make out a coherent sentence. We can’t even walk.

I’m not being pessimistic here, just realistic. We (the West) have not even begun to meld with Buddhism as a culture. And when it does begin to happen, it will be much more complex then it ever was in the past. What is being created is a division between the “western” converted Buddhists with those born into Buddhism (or reborn, as the case may be).

Problem is that, sometimes, neither of those two camps realizes that they are both equally powerful forces in the shaping of Buddhism in the West. The idea that the traditional Buddhists are holding back the evolution of Buddhism is ridiculous. Equally ridiculous is the idea that the non-traditional forms of Buddhism out there (and, holy shit, do they span the gamut) are destroying or irrevocably changing the face of Buddhism.

But while they may not be destroying Buddhism they are growing out of our culture’s need for a quick and easy fix and well as our need to consume. Big Mind by Genpo Roshi comes to *ahem* mind when one thinks of Western Zen (not Western Buddhism, mind you, and that is the problem). There seems to be a disconnect growing between what westerners want and what Buddhism actually is. From Genpo Roshi’s website…

Big Mind Big Heart is the name given, by American Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel, Roshi, to a special new way to discover, experience and appreciate your life. It’s also a good way of working out the kinks, the stuck places, and the unhealthy patterns that keep us down. Life is complex, and the inner self is an exquisite network of the psychological and the spiritual. Understanding it well naturally leads one to a better life.

The Big Mind Big Heart approach to life is a method of self-investigation and analysis that is straightforward and effective, and working with it will open your heart and mind to a new appreciation of the fullness and richness of life. It’s a new combination of tools, a blend of Western psychology and science, and the Eastern traditions passed on to us, and it’s been developed for the express purpose of helping us to better understand the mind and the nature of human life.

So sounds great and it only costs $150 for the 10 disc set and cool metal carrying case. Nice, I hope it delivers what it promises…but it isn’t Buddhism. Everything about Big Mind is end-results and eye-candy but very little about the process and the foundation. I am all about Western Zen finding itself and growing into something new but I hope it doesn’t forget its roots. It would be a shame if we were just creating another version of Blavatsky or Olcott except lose the mysticism and add a heaping dose of consumerism instead.

Some comments by Brad Warner also rang some bells for me...

Dennis Merzel, who calls himself Genpo Roshi, has developed a system he calls Big Mind™. And yes, the little ™ is part of the name. According to the Roshi, by usingthis technique, "you will have in one day — before lunch actually — the clarity and experience that a Zen master has. But Zen is seen as the school of sudden enlightenment. And we're just making sure it remains sudden." Ken Wilber, in his foreword to Genpo Roshi’s forthcoming book on Big Mind™ says, “In Zen, this realization of one’s True Nature, or Ultimate Reality, is called kensho or satori (“seeing into one’s True Nature,” or discovering Big Mind™ and Big Heart). It often takes five years or more of extremely difficult practice (I know, I’ve done it) in order for a profound satori to occur. With the Big Mind™ Process, a genuine kensho can occur in about an hour—seriously. Once you get it, you can do it virtually any time you wish, and almost instantaneously.”

Our culture still likes our stuff quick and easy. "Big Mind"seems to be marketed right to this ingrained American need of instant gratification. Why wait long years when you can get it now? Why suffer and work and sweat when it is as easy as a credit card charge and a seminar? Isn't easier to just buy satori. Not that I particularly trust Brad Warner either. From what I see both are trying to sell books and cash in on a reputation. Either way, I know this is coming off harsh but the whole thing smells like a scam to me. Endorsement by Ken Wilber hardly helps either. The amount of flash on his website makes me want to vomit and reeks of snake-oil.

Buddhism is hard. Even "sudden enlightenment" take time and training and more than a wee bit of strain. Promising quick results is fine but it isn't Buddhism and it sure as hell isn't Zen.

But at the same time, if these approaches help people or attract them to some of the basic tenets of Buddhism without actually being "Buddhist", who are we to judge it or them? It seems horribly hypocritical for people who are supposedly on a path of enlightenment and compassion to denigrate others because they prefer a different "brand" of Buddhism or an approach that removes the Buddha from the Buddhism.

Postscript: Any comments about Genpo Roshi’s program are more than welcome (positive or negative). I’m still working on making up my mind about the whole thing. So if you are familiar with Genpo roshi's work and Big Mind please fill me in. Also give me a break, I'm typing thing while holding a baby in one hand and a beer in the other. dad of the Year.