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Joshu Sasaki Roshi: 1907 - 2014
Invincible_summer
Heavy Metal DhammaWe(s)t coast, Canada Veteran
May he be peaceful.
I know he is a controversial character within the Buddhist world due to the abuses he conducted, but to many he was a great teacher.
Interesting blog post about his passing here. I didn't know he didn't have any dharma heirs. Indeed, it will be interesting to see what happens to the Rinzai-ji school.
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Comments
"...but to many, he was a great teacher".
I struggle with these contradictions...within all religions. I know good teachers can do bad things...but I expect the bad things to be little. When they are big bad things...it feels like saying this is discounting the victims. It may be right and true to some extent...but as a woman, If I ever heard someone say that the man who raped me was "still a good guy/teacher"...it would feel like a knife to my heart....and my mind.
Giving him his props does what? Does it cancel the ugly out?
I would never celebrate the death of anyone...but could I bring myself to say in front of the boys that the Catholic priests violated..." Well, he was a good priest to some".
I just can't go along with it. I couldn't say it. I can't say it now.
No matter what the religion.
May the many people he hurt find healing. May the many women he violated learn their true Buddha Nature has nothing to do with what their vagina means to a man.
Interesting NY Times article about his victims and the years and years this went on...
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/world/asia/zen-buddhists-roiled-by-accusations-against-teacher.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
I am of the opinion that women should always carefully guard their mind as well as their private parts when dealing with spiritual teachers.
I am of the opinion that women should always carefully guard their mind as well as their private parts when dealing with spiritual teachers.
I hope that there are now enough competent teachers out there today to show Buddhist students what behaviors within the master/ disciple relationship are ethically acceptable and what behaviors say it's time to walk away from.
I also hope that the plethora of new upcoming Buddhist teachers in North America will force those teachers who still take ethical license of the vulnerable in their charge to face the consequences of being abandoned by their Sangha's.
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finally I hope that one day, disciples will no longer defend teachers who violate the trust of their charges with the same old sad assertion of how special they are in other ways.
Just to be clear, I'm not trying to defend Sasaki Roshi in any way. I just thought that the passing of a teacher of his prominence was post-worthy, but I wasn't really sure how to make a balanced post that didn't sound like I was either defending him nor essentializing him as a sexual predator.
I think when a teacher reveals himself to be a predator, the question should arise among followers: "What kind of sangha do we want?"
Do we want one where everyone is treated with equal respect and has an equal opportunity to learn? Or are we ok with one where some members have to either attend in fear or drop out? Do we want one where the suffering of some of the members is ignored because the teacher gives good teachings? Or do we want one where all members are compassionate, and stand up for the right of the weaker members to participate unmolested and enjoy the teachings with the same calm, receptive mind as the rest of us? Are we OK with a sangha that's harmful to some of our members, or is that not ok? And how far are we willing to go to ensure that everyone is able to participate on an equal footing, safely and securely?
Is the Dharma about causing suffering, or eliminating it?
Disregard the Buddha's warning at your own peril.