Against the Stream is more than just another blog about Buddhism. It is a manifesto and field guide for the front lines of the revolution. It is the culmination of almost two decades of meditative dissonance from the next generation of Buddhists in the West. It is a call to awakening for the sleeping masses.
Wake up: the revolution has already begun; it started 2,500 years ago, when Sid (Siddhartha Gautama, Sid for short) emerged victorious over suffering in the battle with his own mind. But, as most things tend to be with time, the spiritual revolution that Sid started, which we now call Buddhism, has been co-opted by the very aspects of humanity that Sid was trying to dismantle. The causes of suffering and confusion in the form of greed, hatred, and delusion have continued to corrupt the masses and have even crept into the teachings of this revolutionary path.
This blog is my attempt to present an introduction to the radical path of awakening as I believe it was originally intended and instructed. I have done my best to leave behind the dogmatic and culturally biased perspectives that have come to be part and parcel of many of the current presentations of Buddhism.
That having been said, I must also admit that my own biases and conditioned experiences will surely color these blogs with the unenlightened views and opinions that limit my ability to always see clearly. I have not attempted to be precise or historically correct in my interpretations; rather, I have taken the liberty to share the path to awakening as I have been practicing it and experiencing it from the inside out. I am convinced that what I will present in these writings is, for the most part, in line with the oldest recorded teachings of the Buddha, the Theravadan tradition, as preserved and practiced in Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), and Thailand. Many of these teachings I received directly from the unbroken monastic lineage that leads all the way back to the Buddha. But more important is the fact that I have directly experienced these teachings and the transformative effects of this path over approximately two decades of meditative engagement. I have will not attempt to present all of the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha in these writings; rather, I will do my best to share teachings and techniques that I believe will lead to the direct experiences of the Buddha's compassionate wisdom.
Against the Stream is my attempt to illuminate the path to freedom as I believe the Buddha intended it to be, as a radical and subversive personal rebellion against the causes of suffering and confusion. We have the ability to effect a great positive change in the world, starting with the training of our own minds and the overcoming of our deluded conditioning. Waking up is not a selfish pursuit of happiness; it is a revolutionary stance, from the inside out, for the benefit of all beings in existence.
May the teachings and techniques in this blog inspire you to serve the truth of generosity, kindness, and appreciation and to defy the lies of selfishness, ill will, and jealousy. May all beings meditate and destroy the causes of suffering in the forms of internal and external oppression and ignorance. And may the inner revolution bear the fruit of freedom you took birth to experience!
Wisdom and compassion, just what the world needs.
From another vipassana practitioner, very happy to be swimming against the stream.
In the future, there will be less practicing Buddhists in the world in future, not more. In countries where Buddhism took root in the early years Buddhism will decline. Whereas countries like the US, Africa, South Africa and some European countries will see a flourish. Although the highest practice of Buddhism is to attain to a fully Enlightened Buddha it is rare, there will only be four in our World. Sakyamuni Buddha being the third. Those who practice successfully will end suffering and rebirth.
The teachings of the Buddhas is found in every person's heart irregardless of what faith you are. Compassion, loving kindness, generorsity, etc. That is why every person has the Buddha nature. The teachings of a Buddha is not a sole propreitor type of religion instead it's qualities are Universal. The Buddha teaches with an oppen palm; for all to see and examine, nothing hidden. The doors of a Buddhist temple is open.
The Buddha taught his diciples to respect other people's religion and not to transverse other people's
beliefs. There is no evangelism in Buddhism, in the many volumes of His teachings called the Sutras there is no 'believe ' in the Buddha nor is there call for conversion to Buddhism.
People like Noah and Ed Shapiro is here to share with you some of the Universal qualities of the Budhha, for the better understanding of our good qualities and to extend these qualties to help others free from sufferings especially in trying times.
Yet no Buddhas?
In the future there will be as many Buddhists as there are leaves on trees...
As many Buddhists as there are ideas about Buddhism...
Yet still no Buddha... Where is he hiding? Where has he gone?
You can fill the whole world up with them, but still no Buddha will come...
You can meditate from now until the end of time, and still no Buddha will come...
It is as if no Buddha has ever been...
You are most welcome here Noah!
In Theravda is found the solid foundations of Buddhism. Mahayana and Vajarana is actually the same with compassion as the driving force towards Buddhahood it is the practice of the Ten Perfections.
May all beings be well and happy. Make hay while the sun shines.
The tenants of true Buddhism, sacrifice, contemplation, asceticism; these won’t fly. They never have. That’s why Western Buddhism has transformed from “the world is suffering” to “let’s all join hands and be happy”.
You can see it in the comments section. “MEDITATION CAN CHANGE OUR WORLD” he says, not realizing that Buddhism is not about changing the world, but changing ourselves. That’s Buddhism in America. A long way from Thailand.
I wish you luck. And I look forward to a serious and scholarly treatment of this venerable way of thinking.
Meditation is not a religion. --and our book, MEDITATION CAN CHANGE THE WORLD is not about Buddhism. I hope that helps clarify. We are fortunate that HH the Karmapa Robert Thurman, Noah Levine and Ponlop Rinpoche are also contributors. So are Father Thomas Keating, Eckhart Tolle, Rabbi Zalman Schacter, Byron Katie, and others who have no particular religious connection.
I'll just sit for now, and look forward to your series.
Ed and Deb
P.S. Your wisdom is profound in our upcoming book, MEDITATION CAN CHANGE OUR WORLD