[hardcorezen.info]
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Koudelka
September 23, 2008 at 1:09 pm | Permalink
>>mumon
I used to work at a software company who's founder disappeared after being involved in Rama's shit.
That whole page of LOOK AT OUR SUPPORTERS AND FOUNDERS is a fucking joke. It's the belief in authority out the wazoo.
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Mumon
September 23, 2008 at 12:45 pm | Permalink
“The Big Mind program is made possible by Kanzeon Inc. and grants from the Segal Foundation, the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism, and private donations.”
Emphasis mine.
Anybody need a refresher in Frederick “Zen Master Rama” Lenz?
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Anonymous
September 23, 2008 at 1:12 pm | Permalink
Mumon,
The Lenz money has gone to many Buddhist centers:
[www.fredericklenzfoundation.org]
What do you think of this list?
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Mumon
September 23, 2008 at 5:18 pm | Permalink
anonymous wrote:
The Lenz money has gone to many Buddhist centers…
What do you think of this list?
I think it is unethical, frankly, for the groups to have taken money from that foundation with the advertised acknowledgment of such grants, because quite frankly, “Dr.” Lenz’s “Buddhism” has as much in common with the 8-fold path as Henry Paulson’s Mortgage Bailout Plan.
The heavy sambokyodan flavor of the grantmaking doesn’t impress me all that much either, frankly, and that especially saddens me as I have learned good things from a couple of their teachers.
I could go on about the specific grants themselves; $56K to study how “to reconcile modern American Buddhist and meditation practice with ancient Tantric Vajrayana Buddhism?”
I s’pose it’s better spent that way than on a Lexus, but I’m really wondering if I can apply for a grant to go Harvard’s library and to translate Suzuki Shosan’s Ha Kirishitan, as the tiny smidgen I’ve seen on line leads me to think it’s more timely and relevant, especially with Sarah Palin and what-not.
But, you know, multiple wrongs don’t make a right.
Mumon
September 23, 2008 at 5:23 pm | Permalink
P.S.:
In Portland OR, at the behest of the wonderful folks at the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, we changed “Change Your Mind Day” because of its association with Lenz’s foundation, and the recent one was amazing in the breadth and diversity of temples represented.
It was Buddhist, and not so much “American” Buddhist.