Missionaries in Reverse

Hello Arch,

I'm a NZ maori and had been asked to join a local buddhist centre. After a bit (two months), I left feeling much the same as Mrs. Carreon, I had a general sense of unease. After reading Mrs. Carreon's article, however, I realised that buddhism reminded me of our tribal organisation and the missionaries in the 1800s, and I'm sure if I had been well read, I would find even more similarities with other cultures. I have unresolved issues, so this was the key.

Tara and Charles Carreon opinion's : "Another View on Whether Tibetan Buddhism is Working in the West." are a case of history repeating itself. They state precisely how people feel as the result of culture shock and the backlash that results. The Carreon's ask for logical, scientific or fact-based answers to the points they raise. Here are my attempts to answer some of these questions from the cultural perspective outlined above:

Q: Why do the Tibetan Lamas want to claim intellectual property rights on the dharma, when it was so freely available before? (Charles Carreon)

Why did Disney put a copyright on the Pinnochio film and merchandise? Pinnochio was based on an Italian folk story. Disney copyrighted the film images and merchandise that the studio specifically created, so that people wanting to use that material required permission from the studio for something it had created. Likewise, Tibetan buddhism is based on Indian buddhism. Tibetan clerics, over generations covering 2000 years, have built on and extended the teachings having studied, practiced and experimented with the original teachings. It is polite for people who wish to publish the dharma to ask permission from the correct tradition, so that the quality, accuracy and integrity of the teachings is guaranteed. Your readers also have the right to expect you to have trained (studied, practiced and experienced) within the religious branch you say you represent, otherwise you are offering misleading, or mis-information.

Q: Should I pay for dharma, when it belongs to everyone? (Charles Carreon)

As with most of the worlds religions, some may need help from someone who is capable of pointing them in the right direction, provide them with help, or assurance.

Some Lamas have studied, trained, practiced and experimented with the teachings for a lifetime before travelling to the West. So, how much does a student pay per hour for a university professor teaching a Master's Degree course in Tibetan buddhism? And why would the Lama not expect his students to practice the teachings, rather than publish them?

Q: How come Thinley Norbu criticised American's for having "freedom habit"?

If Thinley Norbu criticised the individuality in which morals are based on self-interest and Freedom in which one's rights are based on self-interest, many would agree.

As a U.S.A. european, you expect to have certain freedoms, rights and justice at your disposal. Others are not so lucky. Some feel they have the Freedom & Right to demand other races, cultures, creeds, or religions to justify, defend, and rationalise themselves (or others of their race, culture, creed, or religion) for every day of their lives. Racism is about how you treat people, your attitude, what you think, say and do and how that affects others.

Q: What is so wrong about keeping my Freedom and Individuality?

This is a material world. There is nothing new or wrong about 'Individuality' or 'Freedom'. It has been here all along and will always continue to be - no matter how far you go, almost everywhere you go and despite appearances. Some are able to retain their individuality within a religion, tribe or clan structure, others are not. Great examples of those who couldn't are the various Masters - Gautama, Jesus, Krishna, Moses, Mohammed, Abraham, ... There are examples of those Masters who could work within predetermined parameters - Leonardo Da Vinci, William Shakespeare, ...

Q: Is it not possible for an individual to realise Truth without a prescription?

Most of the Masters studied and practiced their 'native' religion, then went on to study and practice others. Religion is used as a pointer to the Truth. Think of Puss In Boots standing at the crossroads trying to find Londonderry. He looked at the roadsigns pointing here, there, and everywhere. Religion is that roadsign. It tells you which way to go, how many miles, and you determine for yourself which road to take and how long before you get there. The priest is the guy you meet on the road, who tells you where the roadsign is heading. Sometime's the priest is right, other time's not.

Q: Why can't we adapt Tibetan buddhism and create a hybrid buddhism, more familiar to us?

It's not as simplistic as you think. To set up a very good hybrid religion, you basically need to be a Master. The quality of the teachings must be accurate according to the tradition and the grade of the student. The teachings must lend integrity to the concepts being perscribed. The person presenting the teachings must be fully trained and qualified, and have the experience to help students if anything should go wrong. This person must be willing to repeat themselves so that extra-thick people, like me, get the point. They must be able to keep up with their own practice of the teachings, ... but they do not need to be from a specific race, country, background, religion, creed, ...

Q: What is behind their preference for their own culture, rituals and methods?

If a person is subjected to fear, hatred, torture and murder, they may seek comfort in what is familiar to them. If within the comfort of their own homes and temples, they prefer to use their own culture, language and traditions, then they are no different from the scots, english, palestinian, jew, irish, hari krishna, amish, ...

Q: I have had difficulty separating the culture from the religion, how do I deal with this?

In other words, some may become lost in the spectacle and can't see the wood for the trees. Note the words and the meanings of the words used. Some, not all, ceremonies are used to focus the attention on what is happening at that moment, i.e., prayer. I noticed among the european members of the sangha that most of them sang and tripped through the words as if they were in the Indie 500. Very few actually spoke and thought about the words they were speaking at the same time. It's the thought that counts.

Q: If they use Tibetan culture as a money paying enterprise, how come performer's get paid a pittance?

Its an honour to perform in a concert party. Many indigenous peoples love to see their songs, dances, folk stories and legends, e.g., scots, irish, german, swedes, pacific islanders, ... Sometimes concert parties are fundraising for schools, resources, new buildings, university fees, tours and cover venue and food costs. At culture competitions the concert parties represent different areas and compete for trophies and prizes. And finally there are the exhibitions where a number of cultures from different countries are represented. But this has little to do with religion.

Q: Why are 'young Tibetan's' so dazzled and overwhelmed by our modern world, while the older lamas are bemused by our culture?

In a nutshell - culture shock. There are two route's out for the ordinary layman - education and culture. Total immersion in one's own culture doesn't work, unless provision is made for reading, writing, and speaking the foreign culture's language and their national curriculae. Culture can be used as a point of reference, familiarity and a grounding in lessons a race has already learnt.

Q: How come 'young Tibetans' want jobs and secular education, not trinkets and blessings?

In a nutshell - peer pressure, and they have learnt from the experience of other races. They go and live in the U.S.A., England or France, ... see their peers buying houses, etc., and so do the same. The up side is they are obviously educated, or able to get jobs, can get along with their peers and in another culture. Many may return to their culture later on, or maintain the status quo, or are left behind. It's for this latter group that there is a concern. There are many instances where this has happened in America, Australia, New Zealand, ...

Q: Why have they reduced religion to a livelihood?

The short answer is that most religious clergy, worldwide, earn money for services rendered. Some priests have definately had a "calling" and many live in places where they can study and practice their chosen spiritual discipline.

In the West churchgoer's volunteer, fundraise and pay a tithe (labour, goods & money) to the priest for services rendered. In the East, a system of labour, goods or money may be paid to the priest for services rendered. This applies to all religions.

Q: Why do they expect westerners to lower themselves by doing housework and chores?

This has nothing to do with "unloading the white man's burden". In the christian church some parishioner's used to provide the church with flowers, bake food, clean the priests house, cook his meals and do administration tasks. In the East you could pay by preparing food, mending clothes, fetching wood or water, running errands, etc. It's the same thing, but in a different form. Also, if you go over to Aunt Nel's place and she needs a little help setting up the table, or vacuuming, do you sit on the settee and lift up your legs as she vacuum's underneath the settee? I hope not!

Q: Did they expect westerners to learn their language, join the clergy en masse, and erect large temples everywhere?

If you attend beginner classes, no. If you show promise or potential and wish to take more advanced courses, then, yes, your teacher would expect you to learn Tibetan that you may be able to read the scriptures you require, without constant attention. If you joined the clergy, of course. Once again, this is true of many religion's.

Most religion's worldwide have parishoner's who help fundraise for creche (kindergarden), Sunday school's, colleges, churches and offer scholarships for priests or students that show promise.

Q: If the priests want to put down 'a consumer society, a business-oriented society', why do they buy land, houses, cars, etc?

If they buy houses, cars, whiteware; use roads, airplanes, trains, banks; take on jobs; pay rates, electricity, phone bills; build stupa and temples of reinforced concrete, shop at local supermarkets and attend local schools, then they can't be denouncing "a consumer society, a business-oriented society." They are probably criticising some of the values that some in a "consumer society, a business-oriented society" have - in which case many in the west would agree, e.g., the Amish, Quakers, Salvation Army, ...

American culture - Crazy Horse, Daniel Boone, Quanah Parker, Davy Crockett, ... wood cutting and carving, patchwork, handcrafts, wars, calathumpian parade, picnic's. Consumer society - "Keeping Up with The Jones", "Buy Now, Pay Later", credit card industry, money lenders, hire purchase, layby, leases, mortgages, ... Business - oriented society - "Win At All Costs", "Me First", cut-throat competition, profit, bottom line, systems analysis, corporate gossip, good will, business contacts, ...

Q: What blinds the Tibetan's to the virtues of western culture?

Actually, if they do any of the above they are not blind to the 'virtues' such as they are of western culture, and in fact have probably adapted very well given the circumstances.

Q: How is it that lamas reveal only after the fact (in empowerments) that students take on weighty commitments that obligate them to eternal fealty to their initiators?

Now there's a good question. However, if you look at any number of religions, tribes or clans, there are similar obligations and commitments. You basically swear fealty to the chief, priest or the religion involved, and the chief, priest or religion's word is 'law'. But, common sense is necessary, and taking responsibility for your own actions.

Q: What is behind this 'put up and shut up' attitude of theirs anyway?

The short answer is - choose the time and place carefully. My beginner's class was packed with people. Most had already worked an 8-hour day, cooked dinner for the family, cleaned house and made it to teachings after. We were there to listen to the teachings and note down points that we could use later in the week. All of the teachings were read in Tibetan from the scriptures and translated into english by an interpreter. Now, rather than interrupt the train of thought of the other students in the lesson, people who wished to ask questions waited until the end of the lesson, otherwise the lesson would have dragged on for 3 or more hours. This was so that we - the one's who had children, spouses, or parents - could leave at the end of the lesson rather than wait around for questions and answers. So, timing is everything.

Within my tribe, it is unwise to speak to an elder while he is addressing a crowd of visitors or tribal members. We can speak to them when they are not fulfilling their tribal duties, but usually this is on the sidelines, rather than in front of a crowd. If the issue is contentious, we raise the issue on the sidelines to the elder concerned, then wait for the opportune moment to ask the relevant question, only if the elder does not draw attention to the question himself.

Q: When have the Lamas been open to criticism about their own ways?

Since when have the world's religions allowed laypeople to tell them what to do and how to restructure their organisation? Never, or not without all out war in some cases! And have you ever tried to question a Christian priest on a touchy subject in private or public?

Sensitivity to criticism may depend on how, where and why a criticism is presented, and whether the criticism is an honest appraisal based on known facts at the time.

Sometimes when I'm at a debate or conference there may be a hidden agenda, where any sore spots are avoided, and the event becomes nothing more than a meeting of 'yes' men. So if I'm forewarned, I can either choose to be there, or not to be there.

Q: Why are Tibetan priests secretive about their knowledge?

A number of races, religions and professions use this practice so that 'sacred' knowledge does not fall into unreceptive, irresponsible or inexperienced hands. Would an engineer give the schematics for a nucleur power plant into the hands of a receptionist and expect her to implement it? Would a database administrator give a schema into the hands of a primary school student? Not without the correct interest, skills, knowledge and training by an experienced professional in a controlled environment, i.e., a school. The tutor expects his students to use the skills, and has trained them where and when not to use their skills.

Q: How does the threat of "samaya injury" have a chilling effect on speech?

Once again if you pledge your allegiance to any organisation, without an in-depth look into its background and make-up, you come up against these type of vows. This is where, like the Mason's, you are sworn to secrecy, and various threats and scare tactics apply. The european have an appropriate saying: "Let The Buyer Beware".

But there are exmples of these types of vows all over the world.

Q: By controlling entry and status into the lofty world of Lamas and their entourages, Tibetans induce Westerners to tacitly adopt their own prejudice.

Actually this happens all over the world, in all professions, and is not limited to race, creed, religion or form. This is the reason why these folks take vows, and remain silent, if something untoward should happen within their circles.

Q: What are the reasons behind the 'best' Lamas preference for teaching Tibetans in Asia?

Firstly, they may only speak Tibetan, in which case they can only teach people who are fluent in the Tibetan language (common sense). Secondly (reason why they dont need to learn english), they may live in a community where they can help a high concentration of Tibetan refugee's, some of whom may be the poorest of the poor. Thirdly, they may be needed to teach the maximum number of students specifically interested in their area of expertise. They may be dedicating their time to providing quality tuition for gifted students. Or they may live in a place where they can study, keep up with, or experiment with, their own practice while helping the Tibetan community.

I'm sure that quite a few of the Christian missionaries refused to come to the Pacific as they didn't want to die after they encountered my people! In fact, some of them rued the day they met us! Some of the "finest" missionaries, were not as nice as the one's we got anyhow. And the one's who came, hearing tales of cannibalism, murder, and retribution, soon got over it.

Q: Do Christian missionaries pack up and leave when their prospective converts don't learn all the hymns?

Yes, in the Pacific, when there was a war party looking for retribution, the Christian missionaries packed up and left, as that's all they could do. No, later on they simply trained 'native' priests to teach the prospective converts. Some of whom helped re-write the scriptures in their own language - the 'natives' couldn't understand the western concepts behind the english language, they were too far outside their experience, i.e., mortgage, lease, rates, etc.

Q: How is it that the Lama I knew treated the community like children, abused western culture and seemed so out of touch?

Unless you intend to join the clergy, maintain the usual outside interests, work and friends and lead a normal, balanced and healthy lifestyle. Then you can keep your relationship with the Lama and the Sangha in perspective. Every religion has laypeople who hold jobs, pay their debts, meet a lot of people outside the religion, and so are able to keep their faith in perspective, i.e., they dont take themselves so seriously.

However, your question raises another point: Jesus told Martha that if she chose to do housework and fix food, rather than sit beside her sister while he was teaching, then that was Martha's problem. There was no need for her to be angry with her sister for not helping. Jesus was there to teach, and it was Martha's choice to do the housework while he was teaching.

Q: Why should I take Refuge in the 3 Jewels, when I don't like the Buddha or the Sangha?

I was honest with the Lama I chose to teach me. I told him I had not taken "Refuge" and didn't feel I had the faith to go to a Chenrezig Initiation - whatever that was! He was very honest with me and said, that the Three Refuges are a fundamental practice of Buddhism, and in order to practice Buddhism correctly, I needed to take Refuge. The implication being I had to fully submit to the buddha, dharma and sangha before I continued.

The Buddha was explained to me as being, The Buddha and not the Lama (or Abbot in this case). The Dharma was the whole body of teachings. And the Sangha was the nuns, monks, laypeople and their supporters.

Q: Why did the Tibetan Lama I knew not treat Westerners with dignity and respect?

In short - you sometimes have to take the bad with the good. Think about all of the missionary groups from the various religions throughout the world. Would you say that they treated the 'natives' with any "dignity and respect"? Some missionaries killed people to save their soul's - which says a lot more about the souls who were doing the saving than the natives who were being saved.

In time, the attitudes changed towards the christian missionaries, as it was seen that they brought not only a method of trading that involved the sea, and their attitude was to talk loudly and a lot, rather than our usual - kill first and ask questions later! So we abandoned certain parts of our culture and training, and gained new methods of negotiation, travel and trade. It is the same with some of the other religions.

Q: Why is it that the lamas believe that "devoting time to people with such fickleness and so little faith is time not very well spent."?

Does the christian church accept faithless and fickle people? Not from what I've heard! In fact, many people denounce these attitudes within western society, including the business and commercial sector's themselves. With regard to impatience, superficiality and fickleness, non-commercial organisations complain about this attitude as it can lead to a lot of unpleasantness all round.

Q: Why are American students willing to abandon the advantages of our society in favour of Tibetan concepts?

It's fairly easy, some may feel that a number of elements within western society are not working for them at this time.

Q: Some students don't want to be called heretics and shunned from their communities forever.

Actually in the vast number of instances where this has happened, the ex-students moved on with their lives. It takes time to readjust, but they got over it! Now that's not so bad is it?

Q: How has it become so that gossip is a staple in Tibetan buddhist circles?

Actually, gossip is a stable in many religious organisations, except the one's where there are Vows of Silence. I've worked in about four different Christian religious organisations, and there were many instances of playing favourite's.