@ekklesiagora.bsky.social
Freelance writer. Non-sectarian Nichiren/Zen Buddhist. Advocate of universal basic income, universal healthcare, and land value tax. Interested in libertarianism, anarchism, and democratic socialism.
"After my death, some of you will seclude yourselves in the forests and mountains to meditate, while others may drink saké and enjoy the company of women. Both kinds of Zen are fine..."—Zen master Ikkyu Sojun
My reflections on Gnosticism, Eastern Orthodox mysticism, and Buddhism.
ekklesiagora.medium.com/esoteric-chr...
"Oh young folk –
if you fear death,
die now!
Having died once
you won't die again."
—Hakuin Ekaku
If I resent my heterosexual parents, can we ban heterosexual marriage? Lots of people resent their religious parents, so can we ban religious people from adopting? Just asking for a friend.
"I came to see Anarchism and Buddhism as close companions, and as a possible advancement from Democratic Socialism."—Taixu Dashi
In this post, I compare the Buddhist and Gnostic critiques of creator theology.
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In this blog post, I explore the role of non-monastic religious teachers in Buddhism.
medium.com/p/1b4233bd9c...
There was a lot of debate in the last century about how to interpret Yogacara. I wonder if anyone ever thought to ask the remaining Yogacarins what their opinion was on the matter?
I'm never going to be able to finish reading all the stuff I want to read. Every time I read one book or article, it leads to me adding like five more books or articles to my reading list. This is the only thing in the world that actually gives me anxiety and keeps me up at night.
What?! I was under the impression that Yogacara, as an independent school of Buddhist thought, no longer existed. But apparently, it's Japanese lineage, Hosso Shu, is one of the oldest schools of Japanese Buddhism that is still around. So, yeah, pure Yogacara still exists.
Bambiraptor riding a pterodactyl.
What the heck is a DVD?
Just realized that the song "Mary On A Cross" was by Patrick Swayze.
This post has been expanded. It now makes a case for the potential authenticity of the bulk of the Mahayana corpus, not just the Lotus Sutra. Furthermore, it contains links to relevant material discussing the basis of Mahayana in early Buddhism.
ekklesiagora.medium.com/the-case-for...
Tax cuts are good. I think we should cut taxes on the poor and make their tax rate negative. Offset this by throwing all the billionaires in prison and seizing 100% of their assets to be used for public purposes.
Sometimes when I think the AI may be taking my ideas too seriously and refraining from giving critical feedback, I just throw out some batshit crazy stuff to see how it responds.
Theravada resistance to reviving the Bhikkhuni order seems motivated by sexism. Why can't you go outside Theravada in order to ordain nuns? The lineages of Mahayana are all Dharmaguptaka or Mulasarvastivada, sub-divisions of the Sthivara Nikaya. It's the same monastic lineage as Theravada.
My latest blog post, where I explore the philosophies of Huayan, Pure Land, and Tendai and attempt to synthesize their ideas into one coherent picture. I also attempt to demonstrate that their ideas are present in early Buddhism, even if only in an embryonic form.
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In some ways, it is true that Theravada preserves early Buddhism. Yet, in other ways, Mahayana looks more like early Buddhism overall, whereas Theravada is a snapshot of one particular sect of early Buddhism. But looking at Mahayana exclusively also distorts your picture of early Buddhism. (7/7)
Speculation within Theravada is more limited and expected to stay within the confines of Theravada Abhidhamma, so a lot of ideas that were common in early Buddhism are ruled out or ignored because they conflict with peculiar Theravadin ideas. (6/7)
What distinguishes Mahayana is that it is more eclectic and open to various interpretations of the dharma. A Mahayanist can ascribe to the Pudgalavadin's idea of personalism and the Sarvastivada block-universe hypothesis—essentially mixing different Abhidharma traditions. (5/7)
Mahayana monastic lineages are a direct continuation of Dharmaguptaka and Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya traditions. It traces back to early Buddhism through the Sthivara Nikaya, the same way Theravada does. (4/7)
The bodhisattva path, whereby one delays nirvana in order to save others, was understood in a way very similar to Mahayana by the Caitika and other parts of the Mahāsāṃghika. (3/7)
The distinction between different levels of nirvana or awakening (between arhats and buddhas) was made by Mahāsāṃghika and Sarvāstivāda. (2/7)
Mahayana as early Buddhism:
The core ideas associated with the Mahayana have parallels in early Buddhism. The alaya-vijnana and tathagata-garbha concepts parallel the pudgala concept of the Pudgalavadins. (1/7)
