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Buddhism's spread to the West: kamma?
Craig86
Explorer
Hello friends,
I'm curious as to how we theoretically resolve the fact that until the last 100 years, Buddhism was not known in the West. With the profundity and importance of The Buddah's teachings, how can it be in terms of kamma that a huge portion of the world were excluded from these teachings for so long, and thus denied the opportunity to walk such a path and end the cycle of suffering?
I hope my question makes sense and I realise the speculative nature such a question implies. Any sutta references that may help in answering my question would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Craig
0
Comments
Conditionality. There are a multitude of factors, natural and human-made, that restricted the spread of such ideas. In addition, many of those ideas did penetrate the Western world through the influences they had on Western thought and civilization even if not explicitly. Things don't happen in a vacuum.
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Why do we need to 'resolve' it?
It happened as it happened, and as it happened things have turned out the way they have.
to look at what might have been, what could have been, what did or did not come about, is to be honest, a fruitless exercise.
Accept that things happened the way they did.
As the saying goes "How wonderful! How wonderful, things exactly as they are!"
Ours is not to reason why.
You now have eggs.
Make your omelette.
You can't make an omelette years ago, with eggs you've only just bought.....
I'm still getting my head around conditionality and dependent origination but having gone and read some more around this I can see where you're coming from. Thank you.
Personally, as someone still new to exploring the Buddah's teachings I'm trying to walk the line between having faith, but not blind faith and asking questions, but not being completely skeptical. With that in mind, it just seems like a reasonable question to pose in case there was something I'm missing, especially when we're dealing with a teaching that wasn't available to so many for over two thousand years. I think it just took me back to my days in Catholic school when no satisfying answer was ever given as to why if the teachings of Jesus and subsequent salvation (ahem) were so important, they weren't equally available to everyone in the world.
Hi @Craig86. I think your brand of curiosity is appropriate, and I think your line of questioning is well-placed. (I'm about 3-4 months into my own blossoming of interest in all things Buddha.
@Craig86, Thank you for the clarification.
Sounds reasonable.
As an ex-Catholic myself, I can equate.
The thing about Buddhism is, it doesn't really need to explain everything: its primary concern is our intentional actions of body, speech, and mind and their results, with the focus being on working towards actions that are conducive to our long-term welfare and happiness. This can be difficult for people who want to know everything and penetrate the secrets of the universe, to have everything neatly explained; but some things are beyond our knowledge, and in purifying our minds and living more skillful lives, I think we naturally open up to some of these deeper mysteries, or at the very least find satisfaction in just being who we are, wherever and whenever we find ourselves.
Another thing to consider is why you have found the Buddha's teaching.
How did you find a precious human birth?
Maybe conditions simply didn't favour Buddhism in the west till lately.
"Being born a human at a time when a Buddha has arisen, has taught the Dharma, and has left a Saṅgha that carries on the teachings; at such times there is a chance to learn the Dharma.
Being born a human in countries where the Dharma is known. Buddhist commentaries contrast the "central lands" where Buddhism is known and can be practiced (originally just northern India, but now including a much larger portion of the globe) with "border countries" where Buddhism is unknown or cannot be practiced due to legal or practical impediments, for instance, a lack of qualified teachers. Technically a "central land" is one which possesses any one of the Buddhist saṅghas of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas or upāsikās.
Being born a human who has the physical and intellectual capacity to grasp the basic message of the Dharma.
Accepting the relationship between good or evil actions and their consequences, believing that good actions will lead to a happier life, a better rebirth or to enlightenment.
Confidence in the moral teachings conveyed in the Vinaya.
Avoiding crimes against people and against the Dharma.
Having sincere compassion for other people.[6]
Just as it is difficult to obtain birth as a human, it is also difficult to be born at the time when a Buddha's teaching is still available. Out of the infinite kalpas (incredibly long periods) in time, most have no Buddhas appearing in them at all. The present kalpa is called "Fortunate" because it is said that 1,000 Buddhas will appear in it, something that is very unusual.[7]
For this reason, Buddhist teachers say that one's present condition as a human should be valued very highly, and not allowed to slide by, as the combination of existence as a human and the presence of a Buddha's teaching may not come again for a very long time. Any human, in this view, who finds himself or herself in a position to learn the Dharma, would be remiss if he or she did not take advantage of it. This view also stands in contrast to those who would claim that, if one is to be reborn multiple times, there is no need to worry about one's actions in this life as they can always be amended in the future; rather, there is no assurance that in a long series of lives one will ever obtain the right circumstances for enlightenment, so it is important to seize the day."
From Wiki. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_beings_in_Buddhism
What makes you think anyone was excluded?
By that line of reasoning, Gautama too was excluded. And if he were truly excluded, how could we see something called "Buddhism" today?
As far as I can see, there is something called "Buddhism" -- the format, rites, rituals, temples, etc. which may exclude, include and explain -- and then there is Buddhism ... you know ... the real deal from which no one could be excluded.
When anyone might get around to noticing what is in front of his/her eyes is up for grabs.
Buddhism is a recent term.
Buddha = awake.
People who sleep and teach in their sleep are found in dharma.
As well as the mainstream snooze, people who awake are found in Christianity (mostly in the depths of the contemplative tradition). In Judaic teachings such as Kabbalah and the rich rabbinical wisdom, Sufism in Islam there are awake methodologies.
Freemasonry and mystery based tradititions, aspects of modern psychology all contain awake progress potential.
Dharma in the West is streamlining the awakening gems.
Did you hope that a loose affiliation with Buddhism will awaken some depth understanding?
Eventually it might. Time to dive in?
Buddha said it is extremely rare and good karma to be born a human being and able to learn the dhamma. So, the people living in the west did not have the good karma until the last 100 years or so, assuming your estimate is correct.
But it is useful to point out that the old monastic traditions of the west eg Benedictine monks , Carmelite nuns are quite similar to the lifestyles of buddhist monks. They practised austerity and meditation. However, they probably never heard of BUddha or anatta, anicca and dukkha.
What is that your business?
Too harsh?
Well, it took about 900 years forr Buddhism to reach Tibet.
Culture change takes time.
Buddhism reached the west much earlier than you suspect.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_the_Roman_world
It just didn't take hold like Christianity did.
Buddhism's spread to the West: kamma?
I'm curious as to how we theoretically resolve the fact that until the last 100 years, Buddhism was not known in the West. With the profundity and importance of The Buddah's teachings, how can it be in terms of kamma that a huge portion of the world were excluded from these teachings for so long, and thus denied the opportunity to walk such a path and end the cycle of suffering?
@Craig86
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear !
Actually, it was a bit over 100 years. Over 150 years.
The Rhys-Davids couple, Max Müller, V. Fausböll, Henry Clarke Warren, Ananda Coomaraswamy, I.B. Horner, F.L. Woodward, Nyanatiloka Thera, Paul Carus, Alexandra David-Néel, Edward Conze, Christmas Humphreys...
They're the trendsetters.
These people were the first writers to bring Buddhism to Europe.
Some of their translations are a bit dated but who cares.
They paved the way for all of us to ever hear about Buddhism and stood up to the bigotry and censorship of the Victorian age.
You mentioned it. You must care.
And a damned good thing they did, too.