Issue6_art5

4HE 7ORLD AS !RENA OF 4RANSFORMATION !PPLICATIONS FOR A -ODERN :EN 3OCIAL %THIC 4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON !BSTRACT 4HE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT THE :EN "UDDHIST TRADITION HAS YET TO DE VELOP A STRONG SOCIAL ETHIC BUT THAT ITS ROOTS IN THE -AHAYANA TRADITION CAN PROVIDE A BASIS FOR DEVELOPING SUCH AN ETHIC 4HE AUTHOR CITES THE (UAYAN COSMOLOGY OF INTERPENETRATION OF PHENOMENA THE EXAMPLE OF THE "ODHISATTVA 3AMANTABHADRA THE TEACHING OF COMPASSION AND THE "ODHISATTVA 0RECEPTS AS AMPLE GROUNDS FOR "UDDHIST ACTION IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL JUSTICE 4HIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED TO THE FOURTH ANNUAL .ORTHERN #ALIFORNIA #HAN :EN #ATHOLIC $IALOGUE *ANUARY

4

HE ISSUE THAT ) WISH TO ADDRESS OR AT LEAST VERY BRIEm Y INTRODUCE IN THIS PAPER IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF "ODHISATTVA PRACTITIONERS AND THEIR APPROACH TO ETHICAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE DYNAMIC -AHAYANA WORLDVIEW 4HIS WORLDVIEW MAY BE INFORMED AND COMPLEMENTED BY THE #HRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE )N ADDRESSING ISSUES RELATED TO :EN SOCIAL ETHICS ) WILL BEGIN BY DESCRIBING ASPECTS OF TRADITIONAL COSMOLOGY IN THE #HINESE #HAN AND THE *APANESE :EN TRADITIONS THAT CAN BE SHOWN TO SUPPORT ETHI CAL ENGAGEMENT 4HE COSMOLOGY UNDERLYING :EN "UDDHISM DESCRIBES A WORLD THAT IS A DYNAMIC LIVING FORCE SUPPORTING THE SOTERIOLOGICAL UNFOLDING OF THE "UDDHA NATURE 4HIS WORLDVIEW IS ROOTED IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE "ODHISATTVA PATH

THE SUTRAS AND COMMENTARIES OF -AHAYANA "UDDHISM )T DEVELOPED HISTORI CALLY IN %AST !SIA IN THE (UAYAN SCHOOL BASED ON THE !VATAMSAKA 3UTRA

AND FURTHER IN THE WRITINGS OF 4IANTAI l GURES SUCH AS #HANRAN n

WHO ARTICULATED THE TEACHING POTENTIAL OF GRASSES AND TREES SEEN IN EARLIER "UDDHISM AS INANIMATE AND THUS INACTIVE OBJECTS

>HHJ: D8ID7:G

4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON

4HE #HINESE (UAYAN SCHOOL OF "UDDHISM IS BASED ON THE VISIONARY A &LOWER /RNAMENT T 3UTRA A MASSIVE WORK OF OVER PAGES IN !VATAMSAKA

ITS %NGLISH TRANSLATION )T IS A HIGHLY PSYCHEDELIC SAMADHI TEXT THAT DESCRIBES THE ACTIVITY OF "ODHISATTVAS IN TERMS OF EVOCATIVE AND LUSH IMAGERY CONDU CIVE TO INSPIRING LUMINOUS VISIONS OF THE EXALTED QUALITIES OF MIND AND REAL ITY )N PARTICULAR IT DESCRIBES THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL PHENOMENA AND THE REALMS OF "ODHISATTVAS LIBERATIVE ACTIVITY !S DEPICTED IN THIS SCRIPTURE

THE WORLD IS A SITE OF RADICAL INTERSUBJECTIVITY BEYOND SUBJECT OBJECT DICHOTO MIES IN WHICH EACH EVENT IS THE PRODUCT OF THE INTERDEPENDENT CO ARISING OF ALL THINGS (UAYAN MASTERS SUCH AS &AZANG n DEVELOPED THIS VISION TO DESCRIBE THE PHILOSOPHICAL FOURFOLD DIALECTIC OF MUTUAL NONOBSTRUCTION OF THE UNIVERSAL AND THE PARTICULAR AND BEYOND THAT THE MUTUAL NONOB STRUCTION OF PARTICULARS WITH hOTHERv PARTICULARS 4HIS DIALECTIC WAS FURTHER ELABORATED IN #HAN :EN WITH THE l VE DEGREE OR l VE RANKS PHILOSOPHY OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF THE UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR A PHILOSOPHY THAT WAS l RST ENUNCIATED BY $ONGSHAN ,IANGJIE n CONSIDERED THE FOUNDER OF THE #HINESE #AODONG *APANESE 3OTO LINEAGE OF :EN !NOTHER PRIMARY VERSION OF THE WORLDVIEW THAT DEVELOPED OUT OF THESE -AHAYANA SOURCES IS ARTICULATED IN *APANESE :EN BY %IHEI $OGEN n

FOUNDER OF THE 3OTO :EN LINEAGE IN *APAN $OGEN SEES THE WORLD AS A LIVING AGENT FOR AWAKENED AWARENESS 4HIS PERSPECTIVE IS EVIDENT EVEN IN $OGEN S EARLIEST WRITINGS (IS "ENDOWA 4ALK ON 7HOLEHEARTED %NGAGEMENT OF THE 7AY WRITTEN IN IS HIS FUNDAMENTAL TEXT ON THE MEANING OF THE SITTING MEDITATION ZAZEN WHICH HE ADVOCATED AS A PRIMARY PRACTICE THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER )N THIS WRITING $OGEN AVOWS THAT WHEN EVEN ONE PERSON SITS UP RIGHT IN MEDITATION hDISPLAYING THE "UDDHA MUDRA WITH ONE S WHOLE BODY AND MIND v THEN hEVERYTHING IN THE ENTIRE DHARMA WORLD BECOMES "UDDHA MUDRA AND ALL SPACE IN THE UNIVERSE COMPLETELY BECOMES ENLIGHTENMENT v 4HIS NOTION THAT SPACE THE WORLD SURROUNDING THE PRACTITIONER CAN ITSELF BECOME ENLIGHTENMENT OR AWAKENING IS OF COURSE PROFOUNDLY SUBVERSIVE TO CONVENTIONAL MODERN VIEWPOINTS THAT CURRENTLY DOMINATE OUR SOCIETY )N THE SAME PASSAGE $OGEN CONTINUES TO ELABORATE ON THE AWAKENING OF ALL THINGS (E ADDS h%ARTH GRASSES AND TREES FENCES AND WALLS TILES AND PEBBLES ALL THINGS IN THE $HARMA REALM IN TEN DIRECTIONS CARRY OUT "UD DHA WORK v .OT ONLY ARE THE THINGS OF THE WORLD DYNAMICALLY ACTIVE BUT THEY ALSO ARE AGENTS OF ENLIGHTENING ACTIVITY -OREOVER THE MEDITATOR AND THE PHENOMENA OF THE WORLD hINTIMATELY AND IMPERCEPTIBLY ASSIST EACH OTHER v !CCORDING TO $OGEN THERE IS A CLEAR AND BENEl CIAL MUTUALITY IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRACTITIONER AND THE ENVIRONMENT 'RASSES AND TREES FENCES AND WALLS DEMONSTRATE AND EXALT IT FOR THE SAKE OF LIVING BEINGS AND IN TURN LIVING BEINGS BOTH ORDINARY

G:A><>DC :6HI L:HI

4HE 7ORLD AS !RENA OF 4RANSFORMATION

AND SAGE EXPRESS AND UNFOLD IT FOR THE SAKE OF GRASSES AND TREES FENCES AND WALLS 4HIS WORLD IS VERY FAR FROM BEING AN OBJECTIVE .EWTONIAN REALM OF DEAD OBJECTS THAT HUMANS HOLD DOMINION OVER IN ORDER TO MANIPULATE IT AND UTILIZE IT FOR THEIR HUMAN AGENDAS OR TO LIQUIDATE IT TO MAXIMIZE QUARTERLY PROl T MARGINS 2ATHER THE MYRIAD ASPECTS OF PHENOMENA ARE ALL ENERGETIC PARTNERS IN SPIRITUAL ENGAGEMENT AND DEVOTION 4HIS DYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD IS EXPRESSED IN A GREAT MANY OF $OGEN S VOLUMINOUS WRITINGS !NOTHER REVEALING EXAMPLE FROM $OGEN APPEARS IN HIS ESSAY h4EMBORINv 4URNING THE $HARMA 7HEEL IN HIS MASTERWORK 3HOBOGENZO $OGEN REPEATS THE STORY IN HIS OTHER MAJOR WORK

%IHEI +OROKU IN h$HARMA (ALL $ISCOURSE v GIVEN IN )N BOTH TEXTS | $OGEN BEGINS WITH A SAYING ABOUT SPACE ATTRIBUTED TO 3AKYAMUNI "UDDHA

| FROM THE 3URANGAMA 3UTRA ALONG WITH REVISED VERSIONS OF THAT STATEMENT IN COMMENTARY BY FOUR GREAT #HINESE #HAN MASTERS INCLUDING $OGEN S OWN TEACHER #HAN 4IAN 4ONG 2UJING $OGEN THEN GIVES HIS OWN COMMENTARY VERSION DISCLOSING HIS RADICAL VIEW OF THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF SPACE WHICH HERE IS THE REALITY OF THE WHOLE PHENOMENAL WORLD | "UDDHA IS h7HEN ONE PER 4HE STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO 3AKYAMUNI SON OPENS UP REALITY AND RETURNS TO THE SOURCE ALL SPACE IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS DISAPPEARS v /NE INTERPRETATION OF THIS IS THAT WHEN ONE PERSON COMPLETELY AWAKENS THE SPACE BETWEEN THINGS AND 4HIS WORLD IS VERY FAR ALL SEPARATION DISSOLVE IN THE UNITY AND HARMONY OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL BEING $OGEN PRESENTS THE FOUR FROM BEING A REALM OF #HINESE MASTERS VARIATIONS ON THIS STATEMENT WITH DIFFER ENT ACCOUNTS OF WHAT HAPPENS hWHEN ONE PERSON OPENS DEAD OBJECTS THAT HUMANS UP REALITY AND RETURNS TO THE SOURCE v 4HEREUPON IN THESE OTHER VERSIONS hALL SPACE IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS CRASHES TO HOLD DOMINION OVER GETHER RESOUNDING EVERYWHEREv OR IN ALL SPACE hm OWERS ARE ADDED ON BROCADEv OR ALL SPACE hIS SIMPLY ALL SPACE v 4HESE RESPONSES INDICATE RESPECT FOR AND CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD AS THE PLACE IN WHICH AWAKENING OCCURS AN AWAKENING THAT MAY FURTHER ADORN THE WORLD &OR $OGEN S TEACHER WHEN SOMEONE RETURNS TO THE SOURCE hA MENDICANT BREAKS HIS RICE BOWL v WHICH MIGHT INDICATE A SEEKER S COMPLETION OF HIS WORK "UT $OGEN S OWN VERSION OF THIS UTTERANCE EXPRESSES A DEEPER AP PRECIATION FOR THE VITALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOR THE ACTUAL SPIRITUAL CAPACITY OF THE PHENOMENAL WORLD TO MANIFEST AWAKENING (E STATES h7HEN ONE PERSON OPENS UP REALITY AND RETURNS TO THE SOURCE ALL SPACE IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS OPENS UP REALITY AND RETURNS TO THE SOURCE v )T IS IN SUCH A WORLD

CAPABLE OF ITS OWN AWAKENING THAT "UDDHIST DEVOTEES ACT TO BENEl T BEINGS AND FOSTER THEIR AWAKENING >HHJ: D8ID7:G

4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON

!T THE VERY BEGINNING OF "ENDOWA HIS EARLY WRITING CITED ABOVE $OGEN EMPHASIZES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRACTITIONER TO ACTUALLY RECREATE AND MANIFEST IN THE WORLD THE "UDDHA NATURE WITH WHICH ALL BEINGS ARE ALREADY DEEPLY ENDOWED $OGEN SAYS

!LTHOUGH THIS $HARMA IS ABUNDANTLY INHERENT IN EACH PERSON IT IS NOT MANIFESTED WITHOUT PRACTICE IT IS NOT ATTAINED WITHOUT REALIZATION 4HIS IS $OGEN S ANSWER TO THE QUESTION THAT IS SOMETIMES CITED WITH UNCER TAIN HISTORICITY AS A FUNDAMENTAL SPIRITUAL PROBLEM THAT CONCERNED HIM WHY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IS NECESSARY AT ALL IN A WORLD IN WHICH ALL BEINGS ALREADY ARE COMPLETE EXPRESSIONS OF "UDDHA NATURE 4HIS COSMOLOGICAL VIEW OF THE WORLD AS VIBRANTLY AWAKENING IS NOT ONLY DESCRIPTIVE BUT ALSO PRESCRIPTIVE 3UCH A DYNAMIC WORLD IS NOT SIM PLY ANOTHER EXTERNAL OBJECT FOR US TO PASSIVELY OBSERVE FROM SOME SETTLED VANTAGE POINT OUTSIDE THE WORLD 4HIS MAY SEEM OBVIOUS (OWEVER FROM OUR DEEP CONDITIONING AND IGNORANCE WE SEE THE WORLD OTHER PEOPLE AND ULTIMATELY EVEN OURSELVES AS DEAD OBJECTS MERE COMMODITIES TO MANIPULATE AND EXPLOIT !S "OB $YLAN POINTED OUT IN MANY PEOPLE OF THIS TIME DO WHAT THEY DO JUST hTO BE NOTHING MORE THAN SOMETHING THEY INVEST IN v "UT THE WORLD THAT $OGEN AND :EN ARE SPEAKING FROM IS ALIVE AND UNFOLD ING WITH AWAKENING AND SO ARE WE !S WE ARE NOT AT ALL APART FROM SUCH A DYNAMIC WORLD IT REQUIRES OUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND ALSO OUR PROTECTION OF ITS AWAKENING POTENTIALITIES 4HE -AHAYANA DYNAMIC REALITY OF THE MUTUAL INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL THINGS IS MOST COLORFULLY EXPRESSED IN THE &LOWER /RNAMENT 3UTRA !ND THE PRIMARY "ODHISATTVA OF THE &LOWER /RNAMENT 3UTRA THE "ODHISATTVA 3AMANTABHADRA 5NIVERSAL 6IRTUE SUBTLY EXPRESSES THE TENSION OF HOW TO PRACTICE IN THIS WORLD 3AMANTABHADRA S ARCHETYPAL STRATEGY TOWARD "ODHISATTVA PRACTICE EMPHASIZES NOT ONLY DEVOTION TO AWAKENING BUT ALSO THE APPLICATION OF WISDOM IN THE WORLD THROUGH BENEl CIAL ACTIVITY 3AMANTABHADRA S PRACTICE OF TEN VOWS IS THE CULMINATION OF THE ENTIRE MAS SIVE &LOWER /RNAMENT 3UTRAÂ&#x2C6;OR AT LEAST OF ONE OF THE EARLIER VERSIONS OF A THAT TEXT TRANSLATED INTO #HINESE 4HESE VOWS ARE STRONGLY DEVOTIONAL IN CHARACTER INCLUDING VENERATING PRAISING AND MAKING OFFERINGS TO "UDDHAS AND REQUESTING THAT THEY TEACH "UT 3AMANTABHADRA VOWS TO TEACH BEINGS HIMSELF TO ACT IN THE WORLD SO AS TO BENEl T BEINGS AND TO TRANSFER HIS OWN MERIT TO THEIR WELL BEING 3O THESE VOWS EXPRESS DEEP DEVOTIONAL GRATITUDE FOR THE RICHNESS AND WONDER OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE WORLD BUT ALSO THE "ODHISATTVA S COMMITMENT TO ACT POSITIVELY IN ITS SUPPORT )N MY BOOK &ACES OF #OMPASSION ) TAKE THE LIBERTY OF SEEING THE ARCHE TYPAL APPROACH OF 3AMANTABHADRA AS THEREBY INCLUDING SPIRITUAL ACTIVISTS

G:A><>DC :6HI L:HI

4HE 7ORLD AS !RENA OF 4RANSFORMATION

WORKING WITH DELIBERATION TO REFORM SOCIETAL CONDITIONS THAT OBSTRUCT WELL BEING )N !SIAN LORE THIS DEVOTIONAL "ODHISATTVA REPRESENTS THE INCONCEIV ABLE VISIONARY AND AESTHETIC ASPECTS OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS AND GENERAL BENEl CIAL ACTIVITY BUT HE HAS NOT PARTICULARLY BEEN ASSOCIATED HISTORICALLY WITH SOCIAL ACTIVISM 9ET HIS IMPERATIVE TO PROTECT AS WELL AS CELEBRATE THE WONDER OF REALITY IS CLEAR )N OUR MODERN CONTEXT IT IS THUS APPROPRIATE TO SEE THE $HARMA PROTECTOR FUNCTION AS INCLUDING SOCIAL ACTION !S FOR MODERN EXEMPLARS SUCH SPIRITUAL ACTIVISTS AS 'ANDHI -ARTIN ,UTHER +ING *R .ELSON -ANDELA $OROTHY $AY AND !UNG 3AN 3UU +YI CLEARLY REPRESENT THE ARCHETYPAL QUALITIES OF 3AMANTABHADRA ! VERY CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THIS PROTECTOR FUNCTION IS THAT OF 2ACHEL #ARSON !S A MARINE BIOLOGIST WHILE CONVEYING THE MYSTERIES AND WONDERS OF THE OCEAN SHE ALSO ELOQUENTLY DESCRIBED THE OCEAN SCIENTIl CALLY AS AN INTERCONNECTED SYSTEM "UT SHE ALSO THEN FELT THE NECESSITY TO PROTECT THE OCEANIC WORLD AND IN EFFECTIVELY ALERT ING MANY TO THE DANGERS OF POLLUTION SHE BECAME THE MOTHER OF MODERN ENVIRONMENTALISM 4HE h'ANDAVYUHA v THE LAST SECTION OF THE &LOWER /RNAMENT 3UTRA ENDS WITH 3AMANTABHADRA S VOWS 4HE h'ANDAVYUHAv ITSELF RECOUNTS THE JOURNEY OF A PILGRIM WHO VISITS l FTY TWO "ODHISATTVA TEACHERS %ACH TEACHER SENDS THE PILGRIM TO ANOTHER TEACHER EVENTUALLY LEADING TO 3AMANTABHADRA 4HESE l FTY TWO TEACHERS PROVIDE FURTHER EXAMPLES OF HOW THE "ODHISATTVA IDEAL IS ENACTED BY DIVERSE BEINGS IMMERSED IN THE WORLD AND ITS CONCERNS AS THEY INCLUDE MONKS AND LAYPEOPLE MEN AND WOMEN FULl LLING A VARIETY OF ROLES

INCLUDING THOSE OF PERFUMER GRAMMARIAN KING QUEEN PRINCE COURTESAN

MATHEMATICIAN HERMIT AND SAILOR )N THE ,OTUS 3UTRAA ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE IN %AST !SIA

IT IS SAID THAT THE SINGLE GREAT REASON FOR "UDDHAS TO APPEAR IN THE WORLD IS TO HELP SUFFERING BEINGS ENTER INTO THE PATH OF "UDDHAHOOD #LEARLY THE POINT OF "ODHISATTVA PRACTICE IS TO HELP BEINGS AND SUPPORT AWAKENING IN THE WORLD AND THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION INCLUDES ADDRESSING THE SUFFERING OF BEINGS IN THE TEMPORAL WORLD WE NOW INHABIT

)N THE l RST HALF OF THIS PAPER ) DISCUSSED BRIEm Y THE "ODHISATTVA S VIEW OF THE WORLD AS A DYNAMIC SPIRITUAL AGENT WITH THE IMPLIED RESPONSIBILITY FOR HU MAN MUTUAL INTERACTION AND RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THIS WORLD !LTHOUGH IT HAS GREAT DEVELOPMENTAL POTENTIAL THIS WORLDVIEW IS NOT AT ALL APPARENT OR EASILY COMPREHENSIBLE TO MOST MODERNS INCLUDING CONTEMPORARY 7ESTERN "UDDHISTS 4HIS IS THE CASE EVEN THOUGH THIS ANCIENT "UDDHIST COSMOLOGY IS IN STRIKING ACCORD WITH MANY ASPECTS OF CURRENT CUTTING EDGE PHYSICS SUCH >HHJ: D8ID7:G

4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON

AS STRING THEORY )N THE REMAINDER OF THIS ESSAY ) WILL BRIEm Y POINT TO SOME ASPECTS OF THE RELATED CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMATIC OF #HAN :EN ETHICS )T CAN BE ARGUED READILY THAT :EN "UDDHISM WITH ITS -AHAYANA CONTEXT HAS NEVER CLEARLY ARTICULATED A SOCIAL ETHIC THAT MIGHT BE APPLIED TO MODERN SOCIETY )N HIS PAPER h7HAT S #OMPASSION 'OT TO $O WITH )T v #HRISTOPHER )VES CITES THE WORK OF )CHIKAWA (AKUGEN n 2INZAI :EN PRIEST AND (ANAZONO 5NIVERSITY PROFESSOR TO DEMONSTRATE HOW *APANESE :EN HAS FAILED TO DEVELOP A CRITICAL SOCIAL ETHIC 3INCE )VES SPECIl CALLY ADDRESSES THE HIS TORY OF *APANESE :EN "UDDHISM ) WILL NOT HEREAFTER REFER TO #HAN ALTHOUGH THERE MAY LIKELY BE PARALLEL PROBLEMS IN THE #HINESE #HAN TRADITION )VES FOCUSES ON THE -AHAYANA IDEAL OF COMPASSION AND ON A RANGE OF ITS LIMITA TIONS IN PRACTICE HISTORICALLY (IS PAPER DESCRIBES HOW EXPECTATIONS THAT COMPASSION WOULD ADDRESS SOCIAL ETHICS THROUGH THE :EN "UDDHIST SYSTEMS OF ETHICAL PRECEPTS HAVE NOT BEEN REALIZED /NE OTHER FOCUS OF HIS ARTICLE IS THAT THE TEACHING OF KARMA OR A MISUNDERSTANDING OF IT AS ) WILL CLAIM HAS CONTRIBUTED TO A FAILURE TO PRODUCE A SOCIETAL ETHIC IN :EN ) PRESENT THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT :EN SOCIETAL ETHICS IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR .ORTHERN #ALIFORNIA #HAN :EN #ATHOLIC DIALOGUE BECAUSE ONE OF MY MAJOR INTERESTS IN "UDDHIST #HRISTIAN DIALOGUE AND ONE OF ITS PRIMARY VALUES TO "UDDHISTS IS THE INSPIRING EXAMPLE OF #HRISTIANITY S SOCIAL JUSTICE AND MERCY MISSION $OROTHY $AY THE "ERRIGAN BROTHERS "ISHOP /SCAR 2OMERO $IET RICH "ONHOEFFER &ATHER 2OY "OURGEOIS -OTHER 4ERESA #ESAR #HAVEZ AND -ARTIN ,UTHER +ING *R TO NAME JUST A FEW HAVE ALL ACTED FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE BASED ON DIRECT INSPIRATION FROM THEIR #HRISTIAN VIEW AND CALLING 3IMPLE COMMUNICATION AND FRIENDSHIP ARE REASONS APLENTY FOR INTER FAITH DIALOGUE "UT #HRISTIANS HAVE REASONABLY TURNED TO OUR DIALOGUE TO BE INFORMED BY :EN MEDITATIVE PRAXIS TEACHINGS AND IT APPEARS THAT THE DIALOGUE HAS ALREADY HELPED REVITALIZE WORTHY #ATHOLIC CONTEMPLATIVE TRA DITIONS THAT PERHAPS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN FULLY APPRECIATED !ND AS A :EN "UDDHIST ) TURN TO THIS DIALOGUE IN APPRECIATION FOR THE HELP GIVEN BY MY #ATHOLIC FRIENDS IN l NDING DIRECTION TOWARDS ARTICULATING A :EN "ODHISATTVA SOCIAL ETHIC ) BELIEVE THAT OUR DIALOGUE CAN BENEl T FROM EACH SIDE S FRANK ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ITS WEAKNESSES AS WELL AS FROM A SHARING OF EACH SIDE S STRENGTHS )N WHAT REMAINS OF THIS SKETCHY ESSAY ) WILL DESCRIBE BRIEm Y SOME OF THE PROBLEMS FOR :EN SOCIETAL ETHICS HIGHLIGHTED BY #HRISTOPHER )VES ) WILL ALSO OFFER SOME BRIEF RESPONSES AND THEN CONCLUDE BY RETURNING TO THE CONTEXT OF :EN WORLDVIEW AS A RESOURCE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION )VES ARGUES COGENTLY FOR THE NEED FOR A :EN "UDDHIST SOCIAL ETHIC THAT WILL GO BEYOND THE GENERAL MORE PERSONAL FOCUS MOST COMMONLY ADDRESSED BY "UDDHIST ETHICS (E WRITES

G:A><>DC :6HI L:HI

4HE 7ORLD AS !RENA OF 4RANSFORMATION

4O DATE VIRTUALLY NO :EN THINKER HAS ENGAGED IN RIGOROUS ANALYSIS OF ;SOCIAL= CONDITIONS ;OR HAS= FORMULATED A SYSTEMATIC :EN SOCIAL ETHIC THAT ARTICULATES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN COMPASSION AS A RESPONSE TO THE hRELIGIOUSv SUFFERING OF STRUGGLING WITH hFUNDAMENTAL EXISTENTIAL CONTRADICTIONSv AND COMPASSION AS A RESPONSE TO THE hSOCIO POLITICALv SUFFERING CAUSED BY SOCIAL PROBLEMSÂ&#x2C6;WHETHER POVERTY DISCRIMINA TION VIOLENCE OR ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATIONÂ&#x2C6;THAT MAY DETRACT FROM WAKING UP )N RECENT YEARS THIS FAILING HAS PARTICULARLY BEEN NOTED IN TERMS OF *APANESE :EN S ACCOMMODATION WITH AND EVEN SUPPORT OF MILITARISM AND THE JINGOISM THAT LED TO 7ORLD 7AR )) )NDEED MUCH CONTEMPORARY "UD DHIST ACADEMIC STUDY PARTICULARLY OF :EN HAS FOCUSED ON A DECONSTRUCTIONIST CRITIQUE OF THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH :EN HISTORY HAS BEEN INm UENCED BY THE REQUIREMENTS OF INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIETAL POWER RELATIONS "UT EVEN FROM A PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH TO A USEFUL "UDDHIST ETHICAL THEORY )VES POINTS OUT THE NEED FOR A MODERN REEXAMINATION OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF COMPASSION TO MEET SOCIETAL NEEDS 4HE CONSTRUCT OF COMPASSION GIVES LITTLE SPECIl C GUIDANCE ESPECIALLY WHEN ONE DIVES INTO THE CHAOTIC COMPLEX AND MURKY WATERS OF POLITICS

NATIONALISM AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AS 2EINHOLD .IEBUHR AND OTHERS HAVE REMINDED US 7ITHOUT CRITICAL REm ECTION ON FOR EXAMPLE

SELF INTEREST CONm ICTS OF INTEREST POWER IDEOLOGY AND SOCIO POLITICAL SUFFERING IN LIGHT OF CORE "UDDHIST MORAL VALUESÂ&#x2C6;THAT IS TO SAY UN LESS :EN "UDDHISTS WERE TO FORMULATE A SYSTEMIC AND RIGOROUS SOCIAL ETHICÂ&#x2C6;SELF INTEREST OR MORAL SYSTEMS NOT NECESSARILY CONGRUENT WITH "UDDHIST VALUES WILL l LL THE VOID AND GRANT COMPASSION THE SPECIl C ITY IT LACKS /NE SERIOUS OBSTRUCTION TO A CONSTRUCTIVE SOCIAL ETHIC THROUGHOUT !SIAN "UDDHIST HISTORY HAS BEEN A PARTICULAR VIEW OF THE TEACHING OF KARMA !S )VES CLAIMS FOLLOWING )CHIKAWA :EN HAS FORMULATED ITS DE FACTO SOCIAL ETHIC AROUND A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK THAT DEPLOYS THE LAW OF KARMA TO EXPLAIN INEQUALITY DEFERS ANY CHANGE IN SOCIAL STATUS TO THE NEXT LIFE ASSUMING THE INDIVIDUAL ACTS IN THE WAY THAT "UDDHISM PRESCRIBES AND AFl RMS EQUALITY ONLY IN THE SENSE THAT ALL PEOPLE EQUALLY POSSESS "UDDHA NATURE AND SHOULD ALL EQUALLY ACT APPROPRIATELY TO THEIR PLACE IN SOCIETY )NSOFAR AS INEQUAL ITY AND DISCRIMINATION ARE RATIONALIZED BY THE THEORY OF KARMA AND DOWNPLAYED BY ARGUMENTS THAT DESPITE SOCIO ECONOMIC DIFFERENCES ALL PEOPLE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY EQUAL BY EQUALLY POSSESSING "UDDHA NATURE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON

OR AS $OGEN WOULD HAVE IT EQUALLY BEING "UDDHA NATURE :EN HAS JOINED OTHER FORMS OF *APANESE "UDDHISM IN FORMULATING A THEODICY THAT EXPLAINSÂ&#x2C6;IF NOT JUSTIl ESÂ&#x2C6; INEQUALITY AND TAKES THE STING OUT OF THE SOCIO POLITICAL SUFFERING ASSOCIATED WITH IT 4HESE ARE CERTAINLY REASONABLE CONCERNS AS !SIAN "UDDHIST CULTURE HAS OFTEN SEEN THOSE WHO WERE SUFFERING AS TO BLAME FOR THEIR OWN MISFORTUNE BASED ON MISDEEDS IN THEIR PAST LIVES !S )VES SAYS h4RADITIONAL :EN THINKERS HAVE ACCEPTED EXPLAINED AND EVEN JUSTIl ED SOCIETAL DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF KARMA v (ISTORICALLY THIS VIEW HAS BEEN AN EXCUSE FOR IGNORING SOCIETAL OPPRESSION "UT ) WOULD ARGUE THAT THIS ATTITUDE IS BASED ON AN UNFORTUNATELY WIDE SPREAD MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE TEACHING OF KARMA )N THIS INTERCONNECTED WORLD THERE IS COLLECTIVE CULTURAL KARMA AT WORK AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL KARMA 4HE COMPLEXITY OF CAUSES AND CONDITIONS IS NOT EASILY REDUCIBLE TO THE FAULT OR BLAME OF ANY ONE KARMIC STREAM 7HAT HAPPENS TO ANY INDIVIDUAL IN OUR SOCIETY IS CERTAINLY IN PART A PRODUCT OF THAT INDIVIDUAL S OWN KARMIC ACTIVITY IN THIS AND FROM A "UDDHIST PERSPECTIVE OTHER LIFETIMES "UT EACH EVENT FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL IN OUR OWN SOCIETY FOR EXAMPLE MAY ALSO BE A LONG TERM CONSEQUENCE OF THE COMPLEX HISTORY OF OUR CULTURE INCLUDING CENTURIES OF RACIST SLAVERY ENDING OFl CIALLY LESS THAN A CENTURY AND A HALF AGO AS WELL AS THE DECIMATION OF MOST OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS LAND AND THEIR NATIVE CULTURES 4HESE WIDER CULTURAL FACTORS SURELY HAVE NUMEROUS DIRECT AND INDIRECT CURRENT IMPACTS THAT CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE KARMA OF ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO CANNOT BE FAIRLY BLAMED PERSONALLY OR IN TERMS OF KARMA FOR SUCH CONSEQUENCES ! DETAILED SCHOLARLY DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF "UDDHIST KARMIC THEORY IS FAR BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS PAPER BUT )VES IS CERTAINLY CORRECT IN POINTING OUT THE WAYS IN WHICH HISTORICAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF KARMA HAVE HAMPERED THE POSSIBILITY OF A CLEAR "UDDHIST SOCIAL ETHIC )VES ALSO DISCUSSES HOW THE EMPHASIS ON MEDITATIVE STABILITY HAS BEEN UPHELD AS A WAY OF AVOIDING ETHICAL JUDGMENTS CONCERNING WORLDLY SITUATIONS 4HIS FAMILIAR CRITICISM OF A :EN TENDENCY TO QUIETISM OR ANTINOMIANISM HAS ALL TOO OFTEN BEEN VALID HISTORICALLY IN *APAN EVEN THOUGH FREQUENTLY CON DEMNED BY LEADING :EN TEACHERS )VES FURTHER CRITIQUES THE LIMITS PLACED ON EXPRESSIONS OF COMPASSION BY :EN PRECEPTS AND BY MONASTIC REGULATIONS (E NOTES THAT MODERN hENGAGEDv "UDDHISTS HAVE FREQUENTLY POINTED TO "UDDHIST PRECEPTS AS A SOURCE FOR A SOCIAL ETHIC AS ) HAVE MYSELF IN VARIOUS ARTICLES "UT THESE PRECEPTS DID NOT LEAD TO A COHERENT OR PRACTICAL SOCIAL ETHIC IN *APANESE :EN !S )VES DESCRIBES PRECEPTS HAVE MOSTLY BEEN USED IN *APAN AS INITIATORY CEREMONIES AND AS GUIDELINES ONLY TO PERSONAL ETHICAL BEHAVIOR 3IMILARLY MONASTIC REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TOWARD ENCOURAGING A HARMONIOUS BUT OFTEN INSULATED COMMUNAL LIFE AND HARMONIOUS HIERAR

G:A><>DC :6HI L:HI

4HE 7ORLD AS !RENA OF 4RANSFORMATION

CHICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MASTERS AND DISCIPLES 4HIS IS THE CASE EVEN THOUGH AS ) WOULD CLAIM ELEMENTS OF SOME MONASTIC REGULATIONS MIGHT BE USEFUL POTENTIAL SOURCES FOR GUIDELINES FOR BENEl CIAL HARMONIOUS EVERYDAY ACTIVITY IN CURRENT NONMONASTIC SOCIETAL CONTEXTS %VEN A VERY BRIEF SURVEY OF THE HISTORY AND VARIETIES OF "UDDHIST PRECEPTS IS FAR BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS PAPER ) WILL ONLY NOTE FOR OUR #ATHOLIC COL LEAGUES THAT THE #HINESE #HAN TRADITION HONORS THE PRECEPTS FOR MONKS AND FOR NUNS INCLUDING CELIBACY AND NOT EATING AFTER NOON AS WELL AS THE TEN MAJOR AND FORTY EIGHT MINOR "ODHISATTVA PRECEPTS /N THE OTHER HAND IN THE *APANESE 3OTO :EN TRADITION IN WHICH ) AM A PRECEPTOR BOTH LAY AND PRIEST ORDAINEES RECEIVE THE SAME SIXTEEN "ODHISATTVA PRECEPTS THE TEN MAJOR PRECEPTS AND SIX GENERAL PRECEPTS INCLUDING THE THREE REFUGES IN "UDDHA $HARMA AND 3ANGHA ) BELIEVE THAT THE "ODHISATTVA PRECEPTS REMAIN A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR UNPACKING OR CONSTRUCTING A MODERN :EN "UDDHIST SOCIAL ETHIC 4HREE OF THE CENTRAL "ODHISATTVA PRECEPTS MAY BE MOST USEFUL IN THIS CONTEXT &IRST IS THE PRIMARY PRECEPT OF NOT KILLING BUT )N THIS INTERCONNECTED INSTEAD SUPPORTING LIFE 4HIS CAN AND SHOULD BE APPLIED WORLD COLLECTIVE CULTURAL TO A "UDDHIST RESPONSE TO THE POLICIES OF OUR POLITICAL AND CORPORATE RULERS !NOTHER RELEVANT PRECEPT IS NOT LYING BUT SPEAKING TRUTH 4HIS COULD INCLUDE SPEAK KARMA IS AT WORK AS WELL ING TRUTH TO POWER FOLLOWING THE EMPHASIS ON TRUTH POWER 3ATYAGRAHA DEVELOPED BY 'ANDHI &INALLY THE AS INDIVIDUAL KARMA FUNDAMENTAL -AHAYANA PRECEPT OF INCLUSIVITY THE VOW A T AND LIBERATE SUPPORTED BY THE ,OTUS 3UTRA AND BY 3AMANTABHADRA TO BENEl ALL BEINGS IS MOST NECESSARY IN A PLURALIST WORLD THREATENED BY EXTREMIST

INTOLERANT FUNDAMENTALISTS FROM MANY TRADITIONS (OWEVER IN OUR AGE OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE WIDESPREAD DEFORESTA TION AND MASSIVE EXTINCTION OF SPECIES TO NAME JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEVASTATION NOW BEING PROMOTED THROUGH THE POWER OF PROl T AND GREED DRIVEN CORPORATE GOVERNMENTS THE -AHAYANA AND :EN VIEW OF THE WORLD ITSELF AS A LIVING SPIRITUAL AGENT CAN ALSO BE USED AS A SIGNIl CANT RESOURCE FOR A :EN SOCIETAL ETHIC 4HIS WORLDVIEW AS DESCRIBED IN THE l RST SECTION OF THIS PAPER REQUIRES OUR ACTIVE RESPONSE TO PROTECT THAT WORLD "UT IF THE #HAN :EN COSMOLOGY OF $OGEN AND THE -AHAYANA SUTRAS IS CORRECT THE WORLD ITSELF WILL RENDER APPROPRIATE SUPPORT AND EN COURAGEMENT IN OUR PROJECT OF DEVELOPING SKILLFUL APPROACHES TO FOSTERING AWAKENING AND KINDNESS 0ERHAPS THE TRAGIC TSUNAMI CATACLYSM IN 3OUTH !SIA INITIATED BY EARTHQUAKE AND TIDAL WAVES AND EXACERBATED BY HUMAN FAILURES IN PREPARATION AND MANAGEMENT MIGHT SERVE TO REMIND US OF THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR HUMAN POWERS >HHJ: D8ID7:G

4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON

/UR OWN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN SUPPORTING SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PEACE MAY NOT ONLY BENEl T THE BEINGS AND THE BEING OF THE WORLD BUT MAY IN TURN HELP US EACH TO DEVELOP AND DEEPEN OUR OWN PERSONAL AWAKENING !ND PERHAPS THIS WORLDVIEW VALUING AND EVEN SACRALIZING THE WORLDLY ENVIRONMENT WHAT IS SOMETIMES CALLED hCREATIONv IN 7ESTERN RELIGIONS CAN BECOME THE GREAT EST CONTRIBUTION OF #HAN :EN "UDDHISM TO A MODERN PLURALIST RELIGIOUS SOCIAL ETHIC s

.OTES &OR #HANRAN SEE ,INDA 0ENKOWER h4 IEN T AI DURING THE 4 ANG $YNASTY #HAN JAN AND THE 3INIl CATION OF "UDDHISMv 0H $ $ISSERTATION #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY

4HOMAS #LEARY TRANS &LOWER /RNAMENT 3UTRAA "OSTON 3HAMBHALA

3EE 4HOMAS #LEARY %NTRY INTO THE )NCONCEIVABLE !N )NTRODUCTION TO (UA YEN "UDDHISM M (ONOLULU 5NIVERSITY OF (AWAII 0RESS

n n AND 'ARMA # # #HANG 4HE "UDDHIST 4EACHING OF 4OTALITY 4HE 0HILOSOPHY OF (WA 9EN "UDDHISM 5NIVERSITY 0ARK 0ENNSYLVANIA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

n n 3EE 4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON WITH 9I 7U #ULTIVATING THE %MPTY &IELD 4HE 3ILENT )LLUMINATION OF :EN -ASTER (ONGZHI "OSTON 4UTTLE 0UBLISHING

n n

I n AND 7ILLIAM 0OWELL 4HE 2ECORD OF 4UNG SHAN (ONOLULU 5NIVERSITY OF (AWAII N 0RESS

n 3HOHAKU /KUMURA AND 4AIGEN $ANIEL ,EIGHTON TRANS 4HE 7HOLEHEARTED 7AY !

4RANSLATION OF %IHEI $OGEN S h"ENDOWAv WITH #OMMENTARY BY +OSHO 5CHIYAMA 2OSHI "OSTON #HARLES 4UTTLE AND #O

3EE h4URNING THE $HARMA 7HEEL v TRANS 4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON AND +AZUAKI 4ANAHASHI IN %NLIGHTENMENT 5NFOLDS 4HE %SSENTIAL 4EACHINGS OF :EN -ASTER $OGEN

ED +AZUAKI 4ANAHASHI "OSTON 3HAMBHALA

n AND 4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON AND 3HOHAKU /KUMURA TRANS $OGEN S %XTENSIVE 2ECORD ! 4RANSLATION OF THE %IHEI +OROKU U "OSTON 7ISDOM 0UBLICATIONS

n /KUMURA AND ,EIGHTON 4HE 7HOLEHEARTED 7AY

Y h)T S !LRIGHT -A ) M /NLY "LEEDING v IN "OB $YLAN ,YRICS .EW 9ORK 3IMON 3CHUSTER

3EE 4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON &ACES OF #OMPASSION #LASSIC "ODHISATTVA !RCHETYPES AND 4HEIR -ODERN %XPRESSION "OSTON 7ISDOM 0UBLICATIONS

n AND 2EV N (ENG 3URE h4RANSFORMING 3ACRED ,ITERATURE INTO 2ITUAL *INGYUAN n AND $EVELOPMENT OF THE !VATAMSAKA ,ITURGY IN 3ONG #HINAv 0H $ $ISSERTATION

'RADUATE 4HEOLOGICAL 5NION

,EIGHTON &ACES OF #OMPASSION n AND #HANG 4HE "UDDHIST 4EACHING OF 4OTALITY

Y n 4HESE VOWS ARE NOT AS EXPLICITLY ENUMERATED IN THE LATER #HINESE TRANSLATION OF THE SUTRA THAT IS TRANSLATED INTO %NGLISH BY #LEARY ,EIGHTON &ACES OF #OMPASSION

#LEARY 4HE &LOWER /RNAMENT 3CRIPTURE n 3EE "UNNO +ATO 9OSHIRO 4AMURA AND +OJIRO -IYASAKA TRANS 4HE 4HREEFOLD ,OTUS 3UTRA .EW 9ORK 7EATHERHILL +OSEI

n AND "URTON 7ATSON

A 4HE ,OTUS 3UTRA .EW 9ORK #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

A

G:A><>DC :6HI L:HI

4HE 7ORLD AS !RENA OF 4RANSFORMATION #HRISTOPHER )VES h7HAT S #OMPASSION 'OT TO $O WITH )T v A REVISED VERSION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE !MERICAN !CADEMY OF 2ELIGION MEETING

SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLISHED AS #HRISTOPHER )VES h7HAT S #OMPASSION 'OT TO $O WITH )T v IN *OURNAL OF "UDDHIST %THICSS )VES

3EE "RIAN 6ICTORIA :EN AT 7AR .EW 9ORK 7EATHERHILL

R )VES P )VES n )VES

"UDDHIST 4EXT 4RANSLATION 3OCIETY "UDDHA 3PEAKS THE "RAHMA .ET 3UTRA 4HE 4EN -AJOR AND &ORTY EIGHT -INOR "ODHISATTVA 0RECEPTS TRANS "HIKSHUNIS (ENG 4AO AND (ENG #HIH 4ALMAGE #! $HARMA 2EALM "UDDHIST 5NIVERSITY

&OR FURTHER DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION OF -AHAYANA PRECEPTS SEE 4AIGEN $AN ,EIGHTON h"UDDHISM 3PREADS TO THE 7EST ,IBERATION 2EQUIRES %TERNAL 6IGILANCE v IN $HARMA 7ORLD VOL 4OKYO 3EPT /CT ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HTTP WWW MTSOURCE ORG ARTICLES %TERNAL?6IGILANCE HTM

>HHJ: D8ID7:G