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The commentary below was first published on-line in 1998. It was one of the first open commentaries on American Buddhism's disparity with people of color in history, and became widely appreciated for its clarity of thought and insight. Although many Buddhist institutions initially challenged its relevance, the work went on to become seminal in the minds of those who initiated the first people of color meditation groups and sanghas in America. Lama Choyin Rangdrol, 2006; Whidbey Island, Washington State, USA
American Buddhism:
What Does It Mean For People of Color
(Click on a question to read the commentary below)
Part
1
Why is a dialogue on American Buddhism Necessary?
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Experience
for yourself whether your local Dharma center or organization
represents the diversity of America. If a particular racial group
is dominant at the center or organization ask yourself, "What
would be the experience of someone not represented by this group,
if they were to come here?", "What would someone not
from the majority group have to do to fit in?"
.Perhaps
you will find, as I have, that some Buddhist centers in America
are racially and culturally segregated. They appear to be segregated
for the same reason churches, synagogues, masques, and temples
have been segregated throughout the history of America. Segregation
by race, culture, or economic affluence is not the mutuality taught
by the Buddha. Segregation is not beneficial to any religion or
society entering a global community of increasing diversity and
multinational interaction. Segregation is attachment to separateness,
which is also the root cause of one group believing they are better
than another. A belief that, even in the mind of one individual,
can be extremely dangerous and threaten peace throughout the world,
like Hitler for example.
Separatism
and mutuality are equally free to emerge in the splendor of freedom
in America. For some Buddhists, this causes confusion. Some American
Buddhists who believe in the mutuality of all beings conversely
find themselves practicing racial, cultural, and economic segregation
in their Dharma activities. Mere mention of this contradiction
makes them very upset and can cause them to condemn, cold shoulder,
reject, and even eject someone from their Dharma center.I have witnessed this personally.
In
my opinion, the enigmatic contradiction is based in the history
of how early European Americans acquired wealth and power in America.
Many of their descendants are embarrassed and shamed by their
heritage, to this day. They seek to disengage themselves from
the catastrophe of conquest leveled on people of color by their
forefathers in the name of peace and justice for all. Their ultimate
frustration is similar to a person trying to run from his/her
shadow. Diversity, multiculturalism, multiracial, and interracial
dialogue cast the light from which their shadow continually emerges
to haunt them. I have great compassion for this kind of suffering.
Its insidious nature does not liberate those afflicted even though
they have majority power in a democratic society, nor is it pervious
to economic affluence, gated communities, or media propaganda
to its contrary. I know in my heart that some people from the
dominant culture, especially our Buddhist brothers and sisters,
are deeply upset with their heritage. They are equally disheartened
by the travesty of continuing extremist hate towards people of
color as well as the murder of same culture women and children
in America. Their attempt to position themselves as a distinct
pacifist group is understandable. But, for people of color, a
segregated pacifist movement is no more inclusive than an extremist
enclave.
Herein
lies the dilemma; our dominant culture peace loving brothers and
sisters want to create a distinct compassionate group. In order
to do so they must include that which their hateful counterpart
does not. Inclusion means engagement with people of color whose
presence is a reminder of Euro-American's discomforting heritage.
The heritage issue inevitably arises creating the notion in minds
of some peace loving Euro-Americans that their cultural past is
irrevocably connected to their hate group counterparts. The inseparable
connection creates an understandably maddening frustration.
In
an attempt to reduce the frustration a subtle selection process
for Euro-American Buddhist approval has been put in place. The
selection process has several criteria: 1) people of color are
allowed in as long as they do not bring up the heritage issue
2) people of color who have no connection to the heritage issue,
such as Tibetans, are welcome because their preoccupation is with
Chinese heritage rather than American heritage 3) anyone, regardless
of race or culture who speaks of these issues must subject him/herself
to a verbal caution from a dominant culture senior student 4)
if, after being verbally cautioned, an individual persists in
discussing these matters they must leave the center or organization
because they are engaging in 'non-Buddhist' activity, and finally
5) Any public discussion of these topics is expressly forbidden
and will result in Dharma center blacklisting as well as going
to Buddhist hell.
The
above criteria is agreed upon by a loosely formed majority consensus
among Euro- American Buddhists who happen to finance most Buddhist
centers and is comprised of dominant culture Buddhists. Although
the intent is to maintain a comfort zone for those struggling
with their heritage issues, the result is the creation of segregated
worship centers and organizations.
In
response to discussions about segregation and racism in Dharma
centers some Euro-American Buddhists in America create multifarious
rationales. They cite business savvy, history, racial politics,
economics, peaceful living, and a hodgepodge of ideas from other
religious traditions to make their rationale appear 'contemporary'
and uniquely suited for "American culture".
They
say that in order for Buddhism to come to America, as it has spread
throughout Asia, Buddhism must naturally reflect 'American' societal
beliefs. I believe there is truth in Buddhism's ability to inflect
society and culture. But a trend of harming fellow Buddhists; rejecting teachers
because they are Asian; establishing hierarchies that inherently
keep people of color on the periphery of the Sangha, and so on,
can only result in confusion, not Buddhism.
In
my mind, and I think most Buddhists of color will agree there
is no reason why Buddhism cannot become fully integrated in America.
I love America, I love all my Buddhist brothers and sisters as
well as humanity as a whole. But, I also believe the way that
Buddhism will merge into America's fabric and what aspects of
society it will inflect are matters deserving continuing dialogue
among all Buddhists including those who happen to be of color.
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Part
2
Are Buddhist people of color separate from
American Buddhism?
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Historically,
the term "American" has been used as an inference
to a particular group. For example, when we speak of "American
Presidents" no person of color comes to mind. When we say
"American Constitution" it is commonly understood
neither was a person of color free to participate in its drafting
nor was it intended to benefit anyone outside a certain group at
the time. When we consider the "American Revolution"
many people commonly imagine Union and Confederate soldiers
as depicted in many history books. That is, soldiers on non-African,
non-Asian, or non-indigenous American descent. When we imagine the
"American West" as depicted on television, a certain
group never seems to choose diversity over annihilating the 'savages'.
From this point of view a term such as "American Buddhism"
raises concern about its diversity and the inclusion of people of
color within its scope.
Some
Asian teachers, new to America, find the concerns of people of color
difficult to comprehend. "American History" is
foreign to their sensibilities. Why people of color are still demanding
equality from their 'conquerors' remains difficult for them to fathom.
One must understand that many newly arrived Asian teachers are experiencing
people of color for the first time. Their knowledge of non-mainstream
culture is usually based on encounters and explanations given them
by affluent Europeans and Euro-Americans traveling through Asia
coupled with entertainment industry depictions that have been piped
internationally through various television, radio, and print mediums. I
had one newly arrived Asian teacher tell me he was afraid of me
when we first met. He said he had heard that, "black people
were violent", and challenged me to a battle of his Asian magic
against my black magic. I thought to myself, "Black magic?
What the hell is he talking about? Where'd he get that from?"
He also said he remembered seeing some black NFL players doing a
demonstration of football in India and figured it must be true they
are violent based on the way they played football with each other.
At
some point I got used to the distorted American views of newly arrived
teachers. Generally, they mean no harm and are merely repeating
what they've heard and responding to images they've seen. I made
it a special point to get to know the teacher who was initially
afraid of me. I now consider him a very close friend and profound
teacher of unerring Dharma knowledge. But still, as he and others
become popular icons of the current "American Buddhism",
I ask myself why he and many Dharma brothers and sisters from
the dominant culture are not talking about the fact that Buddhism
has been in America since the mid 19th century. Buddhism,
that came among the thousands of Asian Americans who labored to
build the transcontinental railroad. Buddhism, among Asian Americans
who also labored to develop mining and agricultural industries that
continue as part of America's Pacific Coast economy to this day.
I know they were here because I've personally seen a 19th century statue of Buddha along with altarpieces in the historical
society building of a small desert town in California. It is accompanied
by photographs and writing from the period's Chinatown giving it
verifiable provenance.
With
the history of early Buddhist presence in America one is led to
ask a reasonable question," Why now?" Why is it important
to proclaim, at this time, that there is some new kind of Buddhism
in America? Have they now 'discovered' Buddhism, like they discovered
America? Who serves to benefit from such a 'discovery' bestowed
upon their activity? What purpose could be served by the exclusion
of a rich century and a half presence? Yes, the Chinatown I mentioned
was burned to the ground by a mob not comprised of people of color.
The inhabitants as well as all Asian of the period were also stripped
of their right to become American citizens by the Asian Exclusion
Act (c.1882). We can't even tell if they were in fact all people
from China as in those days anyone who looked Asian was presumed
Chinese. What we do know is these Buddhists existed and practiced
their religion on American soil. To me, they are as much a part
of American Buddhism as the Dalai Lama recently speaking in New
York City's Central Park.
Considering
the above and other historical precedents I think it wise that people
of color participate in deciding whether certain terms, and the
implications of those terms, fully express inclusion. Even newly
emerging terms such as multiracial, interracial, and phrases such
as non-European based diversity can only begin to embellish the
increasingly panoramic view of a fully integrated 'American Buddhist' experience.
Finally,
we know history, phraseology, and racial politic are not the quintessence
of Buddhist philosophy. Such concepts are merely points of reference
through which Buddhists, including those of color, can perceive
a favorable outcome of inclusion. An outcome that includes every
human being's innate ability to realize the all encompassing equanimity
of Dharma. An outcome that does not endorse segregated worship as
a common practice. An outcome whose essence is so unsullied the
word 'separate' does not exist as part of its expression.
I
am certain that critics stand ready to argue each and every point
I have made. But for any of us to overly dwell on terms and phrases
makes no more sense than arguing about a bus schedule as the bus
drives off, without us. We cannot reach the destination through
disagreement and confusion arising from habitual tendencies of exclusion.
Suffice
it to say that Buddhist people of color want all of us to be included
and fundamentally know that disagreements have no inherent value.
At the same time, if labels must be used to express the "American
Buddhist" experience then the labels should at least include
all human beings that have practiced Buddhism in America in the
past, now, and those who are yet to come. Regardless of our superficial
differences we, as Buddhists, have agreed to universally believe
all beings suffer in the same way and, as such, we are all inseparably
woven in the fabric of our common mutuality.
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"In you haven't already done so, now's the time to walk with a teacher of color on the journey to enlightenment"
Lama Choyin Rangdrol's
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