Pre Modern and Post Modern Buddhism by Mike Murray
Published on Sep 1, 2014
Before the 1950s Tibet had kept its
particular form of Buddhism virtually untouched by the rapid changes in
the rest of the world. The entry of the Tibetans into the modern world
was unwilling and forced on them and their responses in relation to
keeping their traditions of Buddhism (and Bon) were mixed.
In exile in India the monasteries were re-founded following the old ways and traditional learning taught, but lay people started to learn science -- if not to appreciate 'scientific method' and 'critical thinking'- and to be brought up in broadly democratic culture something old Tibet was most definitely not.
In most of the Tibetan cultural sphere under Chinese Communism control the old ways were attacked, traditional learning -- apart from Medicine -- disparaged and the lay people started to learn science -- if not to practice 'scientific method' and 'critical thinking' -- and to be brought up in the Han dominated communist dictatorship modernising culture of the People's Republic.
Tibetan Buddhism's movement into Europe has generally been into democratic pluralist mature Christian cultures that value 'scientific method' and 'critical thinking'.
In the transition from the Pre-modern to the Post-modern how are traditional Tibetan Buddhist practices, such as faith and devotion, and doctrines, like karma and rebirth, faring?
Biography
Mike Murray is currently the Spiritual Programme Coordinator, ie Buddhist events manager, at Jamyang Buddhist Centre in Kennington London. He is a member of the teaching team there authorised to teach at the Basic Programme level. Jamyang is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, a worldwide organisation following His Holiness the Dalai Lama founded by two Geluk lamas Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.
Mike received his MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies of London University and is a member of the Royal Asiatic Society. Not being a natural 'believer' himself he tends towards a critical (thinking) engagement with the traditional Asian Buddhisms -- for better or worse.
In exile in India the monasteries were re-founded following the old ways and traditional learning taught, but lay people started to learn science -- if not to appreciate 'scientific method' and 'critical thinking'- and to be brought up in broadly democratic culture something old Tibet was most definitely not.
In most of the Tibetan cultural sphere under Chinese Communism control the old ways were attacked, traditional learning -- apart from Medicine -- disparaged and the lay people started to learn science -- if not to practice 'scientific method' and 'critical thinking' -- and to be brought up in the Han dominated communist dictatorship modernising culture of the People's Republic.
Tibetan Buddhism's movement into Europe has generally been into democratic pluralist mature Christian cultures that value 'scientific method' and 'critical thinking'.
In the transition from the Pre-modern to the Post-modern how are traditional Tibetan Buddhist practices, such as faith and devotion, and doctrines, like karma and rebirth, faring?
Biography
Mike Murray is currently the Spiritual Programme Coordinator, ie Buddhist events manager, at Jamyang Buddhist Centre in Kennington London. He is a member of the teaching team there authorised to teach at the Basic Programme level. Jamyang is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, a worldwide organisation following His Holiness the Dalai Lama founded by two Geluk lamas Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.
Mike received his MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies of London University and is a member of the Royal Asiatic Society. Not being a natural 'believer' himself he tends towards a critical (thinking) engagement with the traditional Asian Buddhisms -- for better or worse.
No comments:
Post a Comment