A. Feudal Socialism
Every facet of religiosity must be subjected to the light of reason, as there can be no hiding place for any form of 'inverted' thinking or wrong way around interpretation of reality. All must be crystal clear so that the light of reason and the pure light of consciousness are identical in nature and no longer represent two divergent (and antagonistic paths) pertaining to reality. Certainly, this process of 'clearing-out' the mind and body should not - and cannot - result in a one-sided 'this side of reality' concreteness that firmly rejects in its unfolding process every facet that exists 'other there' in that 'other side of reality' - as if the two-sides to this dualistic-process possess no eternal foundation of unity and reconciliation. In this regard, whenever the reader happens to come across a picture featuring Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels hard at intellectual work together in their study, it should not be wondered at (when it is realised) that what is being witness (and 'observed') is nothing less than a form of 'monasticism' in both momentum and process! Of course, this may not be identical with the more formal type of Christian monasticism that they brutally 'crucify' in their collaborative masterpiece 'The Manifesto of the Communist Party' (1948) - and yet what is seen is all the conscious processes of the mind gathered together in a directed and focused intellectual entity of light that serves (quite literally) to carve-out a hitherto (and unknown) statement of 'fact' and 'reality' which serves to educate the working-class into abandoning all hitherto prevalent 'inverted thinking' and inner and outer historical 'attachments' to conventional religion. This being the undoubted case, it is remarkable to observe that within the creative process that defines the sublime work of Marx and Engels, there lies at the heart a tremendous 'physical discipline' which demands that their human-bodies be kept in one (suitable) location, and that no matter what bodily call or potentially 'over-powering' urge is experienced (other than the necessity of toilet and light refreshment), the body will 'stay put', remain more or less 'passive', and allow the mind to perform its dialectically continuous task of 'outpouring' its multitudinous (non-inverted) interpretations of reality, and all the knowledge and wisdom that process entails. 'Nothing is easier than to give Christian asceticism a Socialist tinge. Has not Christianity declaimed against private property, against marriage, against the State? Has it not preached in the place of these, charity and poverty, celibacy and mortification of the flesh, monastic life and Mother Church? Christian Socialism is but the holy water with which the priest consecrates the heart-burnings of the aristocrat.' Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels - The Manifesto of the Communist Party - Chapter III. Socialist and Communist Literature - 1. Reactionary Socialism
A. Feudal Socialism
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People’s Daily Reporter Liu Tao: (刘韬)
(Translated by Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD) One of the main contents of "The Pearl of Snow-China Tibetan Culture Week", has been the Buddhist monk exchange symposium held in Hong Kong this afternoon (16.7.2005). The theme of the symposium was "Buddhism and the Construction of a Harmonious Society". Living Buddhas (Tulkus) and Senior Monks from Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Hong Kong - together with Buddhist researchers - discussed the relationship between Buddhism and the construction of a harmonious (Socialist) society, as well as the interconnection and very good relations that typifies Sino-Tibetan Buddhism. Recognised experts expressed their opinions on various topics regarding the broad subject of how a harmonious society might be constructed. More than 100 people from all walks of life including Han and Tibetan Buddhists, Buddhist believers and students attended the symposium. The chairman of the Hong Kong Buddhist Federation, Venerable Kwok Kwong (觉光长), said in his speech that the Buddhist philosophy of compassion, equality for all beings, selflessness, altruism, and conscious awareness of others, is ideal for social harmony and world peace, as well as ensuring peace and harmony between people within society. Qinghai Provincial Committee of the CPPCC Vice Chairman Sina (西纳) Living Buddha (Tulku) believes that Tibetan Buddhism is a religion of peace which advocates harmony, seeking common ground while recognising differences, practicing inclusiveness, advocating harmony and praising peace. Tibetan Buddhism has always been committed to advocating equality, respecting compassion, purifying people's hearts, and opposing war. These core concepts and spiritual values of Tibetan Buddhism also reflect the requirements for building a harmonious society. In the process of building a harmonious socialist society, the harmonious concept in the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism should be brought into play, and the Tibetan Buddhist community should be organized and guided to build a harmonious society. Tibetan society makes its own contribution toward the building of (Socialist) society. Saichang Lubsang Huadan (赛仓·罗桑华丹) Living Buddha (Tulku), a member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC in Gansu Province, said that Buddhism advocates compassion and self-improvement. To obtain psychological balance, and then to enhance the spiritual realm of people; to provide a "detoxification mechanism" for society, to maintain social stability and spiritual ecological balance. The Duoji Tashi (多吉扎西) Living Buddha (Tulku) from Ganzi Prefecture of Sichuan said that Buddhism is a people-oriented religion. To learn Buddhism, you must first learn to be a human being. To build a harmonious society is based primarily upon the establishment of a noble personality. You need to work hard to improve your personality and reduce selfishness. Buddhist psychology purifies words and deeds, and emphasises respect and care for others, whilst observance of social ethics of fairness and justice are consistent with its genuine practice. Everyone will abandon evil and all will do perform good actions – this will surely lead to social harmony and national tranquillity. Hong Kong’s Dharma Master Juezhen (觉真) believes that Buddhism is the belief of the entire people of Tibetans, Mongolians, Dais, and Tus. Strengthening the unity of various ethnic groups, enhancing social cohesion and building a harmonious society are not only the advantages of Buddhism, but also the common aspiration of Buddhists. Individual Buddhists and Buddhist organizations should serve society with the Buddha's compassionate spirit, devote themselves to charity and public welfare, care for disadvantaged groups, rescue the poor, help the poor, and play an important role in safeguarding the unity of the Socialist Motherland, strengthening national unity, and expanding friendly exchanges with foreign countries. Chinese Source Article: http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2005-07-16/21506452528s.shtml 佛教高僧座谈“佛教与构建和谐社会”(图) 人民网香港7月16日电记者刘韬摄影报道:“雪域明珠——中国西藏文化周”的主要内容之一,佛教高僧交流座谈会今天下午在香港举行。座谈会的主题为“佛教与构建和谐社会”,来自西藏、青海、甘肃、四川等地的活佛高僧与香港的佛教高僧、佛学研究者等,就佛教与构建和谐社会的关系,以及汉藏佛教如何为构建和谐社会做出贡献等话题发表了自己的意见。汉藏佛教界人士、佛教信众和学生等各界人士100多人出席了座谈会。 香港佛教联合会会长觉光长老在致词时说,佛教的慈悲思想,众生平等,主张自利利他、自觉觉他,就是为了社会和谐与世界和平,以及人与人之间的和合和睦。青海省政协副主席西纳活佛认为,藏传佛教是和平的宗教,主张以和为贵、求同存异、兼容并蓄、崇尚和谐、褒扬和平,始终致力于提倡平等、推崇慈悲、净化人心和反对战争。藏传佛教的这些核心理念和精神价值也体现了构建和谐社会的要求,在构建社会主义和谐社会的过程中,应发挥藏传佛教教义中的和谐理念,组织和引导藏传佛教界为构建和谐社会做出自己的贡献。 甘肃省政协常委赛仓·罗桑华丹活佛说,佛教主张慈悲为怀、自贵其心,这个基本主张在构建社会主义和谐社会的过程中,有着独特的作用:对个人可提供安身立命之处,以求得心理平衡,并进而提升人的精神境界;对社会则可提供一种“解毒机制”,维护社会安定和精神生态平衡。来自四川甘孜州的多吉扎西活佛说,佛教是以人为本的宗教,学佛首先要学习做人,而构建和谐社会,正是以高尚人格的建立为基础,需要努力提高自己的人格修养,减少自私自利的心理和言行,尊重、关心他人,遵守公平正义的社会公德,这与学佛修行是一致的。人人都诸恶莫作、众善奉行,必定会社会和谐、国家安宁。香港的觉真法师认为,佛教是藏族、蒙古族、傣族、土族等民族的全民信仰,加强各民族的团结、增强社会凝聚力和建设和谐社会,既是佛教的优势所在,也是佛教徒的共同心愿。佛教徒和佛教团体应以佛陀的慈悲精神服务社会,投身慈善公益事业,关怀弱势群体,救灾济困,助学扶贫,并在维护祖国统一,加强民族团结,扩大对外友好交往等方面发挥重要作用。 Nikunja Vihari Banerjee (1897-1982) was much respected as an 'original thinker' as a professional academic employed by Delhi University. I first came across his work through his book entitled 'The Dhammapada' (which appears to have been posthumously published in 1989). My academic background in the UK is in 'Spiritual Metaphysics' - which means I specialise in the study of the history, culture, philosophy and political thought associated with religious movements and their impact upon the material environment. As a 'non-theist' I do not subscribe to any theistic path even though it is my duty to understand 'what' and 'how' each particular school of thought operates in an objective and non-judgemental manner. This is why I was interested in the work of NV Banerjee, as he too also seemed to share an interest in Marxist ideology and its relation to Buddhist thought. As part of my broader political activities, my function is to persuade and reassure religious groupings about the importance of their siding with the rigours of a Socialist Revolution (Marxist-Leninist) and their contributing to the building of a 'Communist' society!
I have found the work of VN Banerjee to be naïve, deficient and sometimes reminiscent of ‘Trotskyesque’ distortions of the truth! His work on the Dhammapada is arbitrary and shockingly moribund – as he even gets the Pali title incorrect! The term ‘Dhammapada’ literally translates as ‘Truthful Path’ - with ‘pada’ said to imply a ‘foot taking a step’, etc. VN Banerjee opts for translating ‘pada’ as ‘sayings’ - whilst completely negating the intended symbolism contained within this typically ‘Buddhist’ notion. This error is compounded when just a few pages on VN Banerjee admits that the Pali word ‘apadam’ actually means ‘trackless’ (as in ‘no footsteps’ are present)! He then continuously asserts that everything stated within Buddhism is evident within Christianity – whilst further suggesting that the Dhammapada has been ‘polluted’ by the very ‘theistic’ elements found in other religions! This observation is incorrect. The Dhammapada represents the diversity of the Buddha’s teaching even at the point of his death – when his community of monks certainly did not all agree on what ‘was’ and ‘was not’ said by the Buddha. Whilst pointlessly re-arranging the order of the 423 aphorisms which comprise the Dhammapada – VN Banerjee makes the only factual comments in the entire book when he observes that the Pali term ‘citta’ (mind) as used by the Buddha does not imply a ‘consciousness’ acting in opposition to ‘matter’ - but is rather a mind-concept which is itself a form of rarefied matter (an awareness ‘this side’ of matter). He also asserts that the Dhammapada – with its emphasis upon ‘right action’ as juxtaposed to ‘wrong action’ - probably aligns the Dhammapada Sutta with the Vinaya Discipline. Even so, and despite describing the thinking of Early Buddhism as ‘naive realism’, VN Banerjee fails to mention that the peculiarly ‘modern’ thought of the Buddha may well have preceded the Greeks and perhaps even influenced that development (particularly if the Buddha lived around 500-years earlier than many Western scholars assume). Another area of contention, is VN Banerjee’s equating of Buddhist ‘emptiness’ (sunyata) with ‘nihilism’ - an allegation clearly refuted by the historical Buddha at numerous times through his lifetime. Buddhist philosophy, regardless of school, rejects the extreme notions of ‘eternalism’ and ‘nihilism’ as flawed view of reality. In this regard, VN Banerjee’s viewpoint that the ‘Vijnanavada’ trend of thought within Mahayana Buddhism represents ‘subjective idealism’ denotes a Western-derived disregard for the correct interpretation of Buddhist ideology. Even the founders of the Yogacara (‘Yoga-practice’) School confirm that they agree with the Buddha that the ‘mind’ (citta) is ‘impermanent’ and is comprised of the forever fluctuating ‘five aggregates’. This being the case, nothing ‘permanent’ or ‘long-lasting’ can arise from ‘consciousness’ or ‘conscious-awareness’ of the external, material world. Human perception DOES NOT generate the material objects it senses in the external environment (as if ‘sensing’ is an act of ‘creation’) – but merely ‘registers’ that these objects are a) present and b) the qualities and characteristics of said objects. The ‘Vijnanavada’ therefore, emphasises that the pathway toward ‘Enlightenment’ is primarily through the mind (and secondarily through a disciplined body) - with an onus upon the rarefied arrangement of matter from which consciousness arises, manifests and eventually returns. None of this VN Banerjee ‘sees’, ‘understands’ or ‘acknowledges.’ VN Banerjee’s assessment of the Dhammapada is pointless as it is obvious that he possesses no genuine knowledge regarding the Buddhist teachings. This is why his book on the subject represents an exercise in futility. This brings me to VN Banerjee’s other book under consideration – namely his ‘Buddhism and Marxism – A Study in Humanism’ (1978). Again, this is a thorough (and probably ‘deliberate’) misreading of the work of Classical Marx, as contrary to the claims of VN Banerjee, Marx mentions throughout his work that human existence is a continuous interconnection between the ‘material world’ and the ‘conscious’ mind. This is obvious from a study of the ‘Theses of Feuerbach’ by Karl Marx – and numerous other works such as the ‘German Ideology’, etc. Throughout the Paris Manuscripts, for example, this idea is explored over and over again. Despite this very real acknowledgement of ‘consciousness’ - VN Banerjee writes that Marx possesses no teaching on consciousness and as a consequence, has evolved a thoroughly ‘materialist’ ideology. This is VN Banerjee falling into the trap of ‘Metaphysical Materialism’ that has been soundly rejected by all Marxist thinkers. Like the Buddha, Marx acknowledged that material reality is permanently entwined and integrated with humanity’s conscious striving to apprehend the environment for survival purposes. This being the case, it is interesting that VN Banerjee claims that both Buddhism and Marxism have ‘failed’ to save humanity from its self-imposed suffering. How would he know? What is his objective framework of reference? The reality is that Marxism and Buddhism are alike in many ways and I suspect that VN Banerjee is busy representing the Western (capitalist) view of reality which attacks and denigrates any opposition to its dominance. This is why he has targeted ‘Buddhism’ and ‘Marxism’ in his work, because he knows that in this instance East and West are in full accord and that this alliance must be broken and discredited at its source. The problem haunting VN Banerjee is that he does not appear to possess enough knowledge of either subject to ‘pull-off’ his mission’s objective! He has no idea that Marx and Engels learned about Buddhism from their friend Karl Koppen, that both Marx and Engels praised Buddhist philosophy (equating it to the thinking associated with the Classical Greek World) - or that Marx once practiced the ‘emptying the mind’ meditation practice of Early Buddhism when recuperating his health whilst resting by the sea. My own research suggests that the Buddha’s theory of ‘Dependent Origination’ (as the ‘Chain of ‘Becoming’) equates philosophically with Marx’s theory of ‘Historical Materialism’ - suggesting that Marx may well have been influenced by the underlying thinking of Buddhist ideology – albeit modified for the contemporary, Western world. To finish with, I would like to reject VN Banerjee’s assertion that Marxism sanctifies violence. Both Marx and Buddha defined a ‘false consciousness’ as comprising of an ‘inverted’ (habitual) mind-set which interprets the chain of events involving material processes as being the ‘wrong way around’, or ‘back to front’, etc. To remedy this, the Buddha changes the way the interior of the mind interprets the outer world – whilst Marx advocates the changing of the outer world as a means to change the functionality of the inner world. The bourgeois, capitalist system – which VN Banerjee undoubtedly represents – inflicts a continuous policy of psychological and physical violence against the working-class as a means to keep the masses firmly in their place and performing their task of generating profit from their labour. When the workers attempt to ‘resist’ this continuous level of inner and outer violence inflicted upon them – the controlling bourgeoisie ‘intensifies’ its violent actions and issues the accompanying propaganda statements that it is the oppressed workers who are being ‘violent’ and the bourgeoisie they are attacking are the ‘victims’. This is a classic example of an ‘inverted’ reality. This is the preferred interpretation of reality for the bourgeoisie (as it hides their true objectives) - but its logic is entirely ‘back to front’! Therefore, contrary to the ridiculous assertion of VN Banerjee that ‘Marxism is violent’ - it is the bourgeois status quo that routinely uses violence against the masses. All that Marx added to this interpretation is that the ‘working-class has a right to defend itself from these attacks!’ The ability for the working-class to defend itself is a legal right as it pre-supposes an already existing physical threat to safety that must be ‘resisted’ if survival is to be assured! Again, with VN Banerjee ‘blaming the victim’ as he expertly does throughout his work – this Is yet another clear example of his ‘inverted’ thinking and instinctive support for the bourgeoisie and their system of predatory capitalism! Although VN Banerjee’s assessment of the work of Karl Marx is deficient in my opinion, as it lacks many of the basic insights that most bourgeois academics take as granted even if they are instinctively opposed to Socialism. In this regard, VN Banerjee privileges Western (bourgeois) thinking as if he were a ‘White’ European who has settled in India and established a curious and inquisitive colony! He is, in this instance, an Asian mouth expressing a distinctly ‘Eurocentric’ attitude! In this regard, VN Banerjee appears to reflect that other victim of European colonisation – Hu Shih – who as a youth was taken from China as a punitive measure against Chinese resistance to Western invasion, and quite literally ‘brain-washed’ into rejecting ALL Sinocentric-thinking and into adopting as his own opinion the implicit attitude that ALL Asian thinking is ‘deficient’, ‘inferior’ and ‘sub-standard’ when compared to ALL forms of bourgeois ‘Western’ thinking (that is not ‘Marxist’ or sympathetic to ‘Marxism’). Hu Shih was the product of (Western) bourgeois social engineering as he grew-up to instinctively support ALL Eurocentric attitudes, assessments and interpretations, and give the false impression that Eurocentric imperialism was both morally ‘right’ and spiritually and physically ‘good’ for the minds and bodies of the Asian people – an attitude that directly opposes the views of Karl Marx! For the Western (bourgeois) world to succeed in its project of ‘wiping-out’ an ‘independent’ Asia that can stand alone in its opposition to any and all Western hegemony! Through people like VN Banerjee quite naturally allowing himself to be influenced by the Western system – he is assisting the passive colonisation process that ‘inverts’ the Marxist project of ‘exposing’ it at every turn! This ‘inverts’ Marxist ideology and gives the false impression that Marxism is the ‘illness’ rather than the ‘medicine’! The irony is that VN Banerjee’s translation of the Dhammapada Sutta does have merit when compared with the others available (generated by scholars sympathetic to the Buddhist world-view). He provides the Pali text in both the Devanagari and Roman script. This follows the Western tradition of presenting the original Pali text in (Western) phonetic transliteration – whilst presenting an Indian alphabet, so that certain scholars can check the accuracy with the original ‘source’ material. The Dhammapada Sutta is organised to inform the average reader in ancient India of the Buddha’s path from ignorance to ‘Enlightenment’ - and from the ‘mind’ being the central-point of where the training is carried-out once the physical body is suitably ‘disciplined.’ Once the experiences of everyday life are explained and dealt with – then the chapters traverse toward the ‘Enlightened’ state as a ‘monk’, an ‘Arahant’ and a ‘Brahmin’, etc. This is by no means an unusual organisation for a Buddhist text in the Pali tradition – and yet VN Banerjee states that he ‘sees no reason’ for this structure! This is similar in dereliction of opinion to VN Banerjee stating that Marxism is a ‘religion’ when in fact Marx firmly ‘rejected’ the ‘inverted’ thinking that underlies ALL theistic religiosity. This aligns with the usual bourgeois disinformation that says Marxism ‘rejects’ religion and is atheist – whilst simultaneously asserting that Marxism is a ‘secular’ ideology that ‘mimics’ all aspects of established religion whilst denying the validity of the theistic construct. Again, this assertion makes no logical sense. The religionists – according to Marx – construct images and patterns that exist ‘nowhere’ than within the psychic fabric from which they emerge, and then ‘mistake’ these images and patterns as independently ‘existing’ in the external universe (free of any connection to the mind that creates them). Established religions then construct powerful political and physical structures designed to control society and privilege the Church! None of it is ‘true’ as its entire edifice is premised upon a false theory of reality. This thinking is ‘inverted’ because a fallacious ‘thought in the head’ is mistaken for a real ‘structure in the external world.’ As Marx advocates ‘material’ science over religious ‘superstition’, the only ‘truth’ worth knowing is that of the correct, scientific understanding of the material universe, and the results of this reflected in the mind as cultivated patterns of thought manifestation. Therefore, a ‘non-inverted’ mind-set according to Marx is the consequence of the scientific analysis of the environment and the ‘correct’ corresponding thought patterns that are ‘conditioned’ into the thinking mind as a consequence. Marxism, by logical definition, therefore, cannot be truthfully referred to as a ‘religion’ in any sense of the word. Marx rejects the inverted thinking that defines a) religious thinking, and b) the maniacal search for profit that defines the bourgeois system of predatory capitalism. The point missed by VN Banerjee is that modern manifestations of established religiosity fully support the predatory capitalist status quo and its liberal political structure – as such an arrangement privileges and maintains the Church in its dominant and anti-working-class position. Marx supports the working-class seizing the means of production and depriving the bourgeois system and its religious structures of ALL political power and influence – this is why Marx ‘rejects’ the inverted thinking that defines the bourgeois system and its religious structures. The Buddha, oddly enough, also defines ‘delusion’ as an ‘inverted’ mind-set which is polluted by a false duality that misinterprets the external world and generates suffering-inducing (internal) mind-states that are riddled with the three-taints of greed, hatred and delusion, etc. For Marx and Buddha – it is the ‘removal’ of this inverted mind-set through education which sets humanity on the path of true peace, tranquillity and freedom from suffering. Communist ideology firmly rejects ‘terrorism’ or unwarranted violence as the vast majority of the victims of such violence are invariably the working-class! Whenever terrorists attack the bourgeois system – it is the bodies of the working-class that are torn asunder by bourgeois weaponry! Furthermore, overtime the bourgeois punish the working-class through systems of education that ‘brain-wash’ working-class children into unquestionably accepting their own exploitation at the hands of the bourgeois as being ‘normal’ and being ‘beyond’ any reforming or alteration. Again, VN Banerjee applies his ‘inverted’ thinking by falsely stating that it is Marxism which is inherently ‘violent’ - when in fact the truth is the other way around! Whereas Marxism rejects the inherent violence of the bourgeoisie – it is VN Banerjee who is using his expertise to ‘blame the victim.’ Although the Buddha expresses a logic and reason very similar to that exhibited by the Greeks, he is emerging from a very different socio-economic base. Marx saw this and referred to Buddhist philosophy as being a ‘rational Brahmanism’. As with everything Marxian, this description is comprised of a far greater depth of meaning than the surface words appear to denote and the length of sentence suggests! ‘Rational’ in that like the Greeks, the Buddha is attempting to distinguish his method from the historical religiosity of India, and create a method that appears thoroughly ‘modern’ in its assessment of matter and psychological and physical processes. The term ‘Brahmanism’ denotes the vast and ancient religiosity within which the Buddha was born, out of which his mind and body eventually ‘grew’. The Greeks, of course, possessed a pantheon of gods just as the Brahmans were polytheistic. In this respect, the two systems were similar. The Greeks expected to find numerous gods being worshipped by the various (non-Greek) peoples of the world and made allowances for encountering these unknown entities. (This is why the Greeks possessed a ‘god with no-name' as a matter of accommodation). The Brahmins – like the Jews, however – viewed their system as already complete and essentially intolerant of any other religious system of religious organisation. The Jews would eventually develop the notion of monotheism whereas the Greeks would not. The Buddha would emerge out of Brahmanism and declare it ‘incorrect’ - just as the Jew known as Jesus Christ would emerge out of Judaism and declare his religion incomplete and ready for transformation! The Greeks would make a clean break with religiosity by developing ‘philosophy’ - which like the Buddha’s ideology is always moving away from religious thought. It would be the later Christian who would seize Greek philosophy and distort its underpinnings and interpretation so that it could be superimposed upon a new form of Judaism and referred to as ‘Christian theology’! This is why Greek terms are found all the way through Christian theology but used in a thoroughly incorrect manner. Even amongst modern philosophers there is the habit of using the pagan Germanic term ‘soul’ in place of the Greek ‘psyche’ - which was co-opted by the Christians as they tried to convert these tribal people. Soul originally referred to the spirituality of water (an idea common in pre-Christian Europe), but the Christians took this term and transposed it with the term ‘psyche’ (‘breathe of life’) which the Greeks used to describe the ‘spark’ of existence that explodes into physical and conscious life at the point of conception in the womb! For the Christian missionary, the German ‘soul’ became that spiritual entity which existed separate and distinct to the physical body and mind, and which entered the mind and body at conception and left the mind and body at death! As the Christian first borrowed the Greek ‘psyche’ to describe this entity, they soon became dissatisfied with its close approximation to Greek thought and decided to obscure reality further by co-opting yet another alien concept in a drive designed to demonstrate both ‘uniqueness’ and ‘difference’ from Judaism! The Buddha, of course, understood that all religious thinking depended upon an imagined spiritual entity existing somewhere out-there – which was intimately linked to each individual human through an ‘atma’ (atman) or ‘soul’. Through this ‘connection’, the Brahmins stated that the supreme God Brahma controlled a) each individual life, and b) ensured the functioning of Indian society through the caste system. Any obvious or deliberate attempt to contradict this ‘will of god’ would be met with a terrible re-birth and a hellish karma. Conform to the injustices of Brahma’s will – or face a terrible re-birth! The Buddha decided to see if any of this was true and embarked upon a number of well-known spiritual paths all linked to the religion of Brahma. He followed at least six distinct meditative and ascetic paths to their full completion and realised they did not go where their teachers claimed they went, and did not bestow the knowledge the teachers claimed they did. Through submitting his mind and body to the severe discipline required of these paths – an undertaking many others could not do – the Buddha empirically ‘proved’ that the Brahmanical religion was incorrect!
Although the Buddha’s assessment of physical reality seems very ‘modern’ in its use of logic and reason, is his notion of enlightenment relevant to a modern world that is dominated by science? What relevance does a Buddhist viewpoint have in a world that no longer accepts religious dogma in a blind and one-sided manner? Even if the Buddhist philosophy is placed to one-side and Buddhist enlightenment is reduced to perceiving the empty essence of the thinking mind, so what? How does this ability assist humanity in a world of measuring matter, observing processes and continuously striving to understand more about material existence? How does the Buddha’s idea of leaving the world help a person living in the modern world understand that world better? Of course, the honest answer is that it does not. Seeing into the empty fabric of the mind does not build houses, feed people or cure diseases. As an ability, it does not generate an income and cannot pay the bills. Leaving the world does not offer any contribution to making the world a better place. For the Buddha, an individual removes themselves from the most obvious causes of physical and psychological suffering. This suffering he associates with the conventional life of a lay-person participating in marriage, child-rearing and working for a living. This includes the activities of commerce, politics and warfare, etc. Interestingly, the Buddha advocates a moving further into abject poverty as all work is abandoned as a manifestation of desire. Once a regular income is denied, then it becomes a matter of sustaining the life of the individual through the indifferent eating of waste-food acquired by the monastic through the act of begging. Even so, as begging does not guarantee a daily meal, a semi-state of starvation becomes the norm. What is the point of this lifestyle? The Buddha states that all of humanity’s suffering stems from the traits of greed, hatred and delusion continuously operating in the mind, which manifest without end through a corresponding set of physical behaviours in the outside world. Cutting-off and uproot these three traits in the mind and the corresponding behavioural patterns will cease to function in the outside world. When the root of humanity’s suffering is permanently uprooted in the mind and purged from the body, then there exist no more suffering-inducing conditions to plague the individual. However, as life in a capitalist society relies entirely upon ‘greed’ and ‘selfishness’, the Buddhist path is obviously ‘anti-capitalist’ and renders the individual impotent and unable to effectively participate in a greed-orientated society. Of course, things are different within a Socialist society, as a ‘selfless’ individual who profoundly cares for the ‘welfare’ of others is exactly this type of ‘altruistic’ society requires for each of its citizens. An enlightenment achieved within a capitalist society proves to the experiencer that all greed is thoroughly incorrect and counter-productive toward the achieving of human happiness. In other words, a genuine Buddhistic experience grants the insight that the world of predatory capitalism is immoral, backward and the source of all human suffering! Capitalism is clearly perceived as existing entirely due to an unquestioning of human ignorance! Once the mind is cleared of its capitalist corruption, then the individual acquires the ability to comprehend not only the higher teachings of the Buddha but also the dialectical meaning contained within the work of Marx, Engels and Lenin! This would suggest that the Buddhist ideology, if pursued within its proper Asian context, leads the practitioner to an innate understanding and comprehension of the ideology of Scientific Socialism as formulated by Marx and Engels, and developed by thousands of other Revolutionary leaders ever since! Of course, bourgeois Buddhism – or that teaching which is mixed with the Judeo-Christian tradition to exclusively serve the socio-economic system of predatory capitalism – is nothing but a ‘bogus’ Buddhism used by privileged ‘White’ people as a leisure activity and simple play-thing. As this is the most common Buddhism functioning in the West, Buddhism in this guise has no relevance for freeing humanity or in the appreciation of Communist ideology. This is the fake Buddhism of ‘feeling good’ and of temporarily ‘escaping’ from the woes of everyday life for short periods of time. No one practicing this ogre of misrepresentation can ever clear their minds of greed, hatred and delusion, as all this ‘playing’ does is strengthen the functioning of greed, hatred and delusion! This shadow of Buddhism ‘strengthens’ capitalism and gives it’s a greater stability in the minds of the practitioners. This is why bourgeois Buddhism is nothing other than a collaboration with capitalism and the exploitation of the working-class! Anyone can read the Pali and Sanskrit Buddhist teachings, and apply the teachings themselves as part of their study of Marxist-Leninist ideology. Indeed, meditating and calming the mind allows for a preparation of the intellect so that it can more readily ‘absorb’ the profound lessons inherent within the teachings of Scientific Socialism and the work of Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Che Guevara and Thomas Sankara, etc. Ethnic Buddhist communities in China, Laos and Vietnam use this method to integrate their communities into the Socialist System! It is exactly the same method used by the three or four Buddhist Republics that were part of the Soviet Union! Although Buddhism is certainly not required for the successful learning of Marxist-Leninism, nevertheless, if it already exists it can be useful as a method of working-class empowerment!
Within Early Buddhist thinking – premised upon the content of the Pali Suttas – the Buddha explains that material reality is the basis of all existence, and that the physical body is the basis of ALL aspects of what is collectively referred to as the ‘mind’. Although the Buddha never knew of the physical organ of the ‘brain’ encased as it is in the skull-bone – he nevertheless described the ‘mind’ as emerging from conditions that involve the physical body. Not only this, but the Buddha on occasion referred to certain thoughts as being entirely ‘physical’ in nature! Within his teachings of the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha explained human existence as comprising of a physical body from which emerges sensation, conception, thought formation and consciousness. Within the Pali Suttas he describes why he thinks this with a crystal-clear clarity! For the Buddha, the capacity to ‘think’ is not a matter of a ‘spirit’ being divinely placed the body in opposition to ‘physical’ reality. Although like Marx the Buddha acknowledges the existences and usefulness of the ‘mind’, he is of the opinion that regardless of how apparently ‘ethereal’ the thought-processes might be – they are not in origin a product of a ‘divine-being’ placing his or her spiritual ‘essence’ inside the heart of human-beings! This observation of the Buddha broke the assumed connection of each individual to an assumed but unseen spirit-world that supposedly controlled human affairs from afar and justified the ‘racist’ caste system! This is why the Buddha’s alarmingly ‘modern’ method of defining and assessing physical existence immediately placed him at odds with the Brahmanical religion of ancient India which still holds so much sway over the imagination of modern India! Neuroscientists have recently released research that demonstrates that the brain’s capacity to ‘think’ is a physical act. This confirms the Soviet assertion that ‘consciousness’ is a ‘special arrangement of matter’ and has nothing to do with the existence of an assumed ‘hidden’ realm involving all-seeing spiritual entities with the power to affect each life entirely through a whim! The human brain has evolved the ability to generate the ‘mind’ - which is an ‘internalisation’ of the experienced external conditions that exist ‘outside’ of the body. Originally, human life has three-bodies. First there is the conceived foetus, secondly there is the womb of the mother’s body, which (thirdly) exists within a physical world. These are the multiple worlds available to the ‘new’ human. The ‘external’ world of other human, animals and varying conditions is mediated through the body of the mother for the first ten months of gestation prior to birth. The developing individual ‘learns’ about the external world through the body of his or her mother and as the brain slowly grows and becomes more capable of ‘sensing’. When the baby is born, he or she loses the body of the mother as a mediating device and it must experience the outside world entirely upon its own. Yes, adults may well provide auxiliary care, but reality from now on is strictly a matter of ‘direct’ sensation which is processed in a brain which is forever developing and learning to build an ever more efficient ‘internal’ (holographic) representation of the external world in its interior, or so it seems. There are now only two bodies that a human individual inhabits – the individual (organic) body and the physical (material) body that is the external environment! The biological body – although comprised of a certain biological blue-print – is nevertheless considered ‘unique’ to its owner, whilst the physical environment will be generally the same, albeit comprised of differing conditions, circumstances and survival characteristics. A life of opulence Is generally easier to live than a life of grinding poverty, etc. science, etc. The human mind can predict the past, contemplate the present and speculate about the future. However, other than being ‘aware’ of existential reality that is happening ‘now’ through the senses, the ability to ‘remember’ the past and to ‘speculate’ about the future are skills of pure ‘imagination’ regardless of the accuracy of such capabilities. In other words, these are ‘illusionary’ abilities developed during the course of human evolution, designed to assist humanity with its ability to ‘survive’! These abilities are ‘illusionary’ because they do not pre-exist the birth of the individual, and do not post-exist the death of the individual, as each ability is the product of a fully developed and functioning brain within a living body! Thoughts are hollow constructs within which humanity can ‘imagine’ or ‘import’ any content he or she wishes! This is a remarkable human ability as each thought construct can be ‘imagined’ as containing the entirety of material existence, or ‘speculate’ as to the nature of the infinitesimally small quantum universe! A thought construct in the mind is essentially ‘empty’ in nature so that its interior can be filled-up with whatever content the individual requires – although, of course, the Buddha suggested ‘emptying’ the thought constructs so that their empty nature can be fully comprehended and understood ‘here and now’. Furthermore, the reality of the interior of the thought construct is mostly empty space. This mirrors the construction of material reality in the external world – which is mostly ‘empty space’ with the occasional passing piece of matter. Before the advent of modern science, the Buddha found a way of explaining the nature of the physical universe by having each aspirant ‘look’ directly into their owns minds! Again, the Buddha’s ancient wisdom often dove-tails with the findings of modern science to a remarkable degree! This is why I believe that Karl Marx may well have been influenced by the philosophy of Early Buddhism when formulating his theory of historical materialism! Reference:
Neuroscientists Track Thought’s Trip through Brain http://www.sci-news.com/othersciences/neuroscience/thoughts-trip-brain-05648.html If a fall into the abyss of mysticism is to be avoid, then logic and reason must be applied to any and all Buddhist explanations of mind development. This process not only replicates the manner in which the ancient Greeks assessed reality, but also the method appears to make use of as recorded in the Pali Suttas. As an interesting aside, this would mean that any apparent talk of ‘rebirth’ or ‘polytheistic’ gods must be later additions to the texts, or inheritances from the past that contemporary readers (including Buddhists) do not know how to correctly ‘interpret’. Why should this be the case? If ‘rebirth’ in numerous other realms, together with the belief in ‘gods’ and a semi-spiritualised version of ‘karma’ are upheld as being a genuine part of Early Buddhism, then logic demands an answer to the question of ‘What is the point of Buddhism if it is just another version of Brahmanical teaching?’ In this regard, there is a ‘pull’ between the Buddha’s use of a pristine ‘logic’ and ‘reason’ - and the parts of the text that subtly try to undermine this reason and replace it with mythology and theology! In this regard, ‘gods’, ‘dimensions and ‘karma’ all fall under the categories of greed, hatred and delusion – or those psycho-physical traits which are thought to bind humanity to ‘Samsara’ - the ‘cycle of suffering’, etc. A living human body is created through two adult humans engaging in sexual intercourse. Nine to ten months later the woman gives birth to a child. As the child develops in the womb, he or she is receiving stimulus from the outside world through the mother’s body. This process continues at an increased pace after the baby is born and leaves the inside of the mother’s body. At this time, the mother’s body no longer gives direct protection from the physical environment. The human brain is a physical organ that sits inside the head of a physical body. From the brain emerges what is called the human mind. The mind can sense the thoughts it creates, is aware of the past, present and future, and is able to sort-through and make sense of the sense data received through the other five senses – the nose (smell), the ear (hearing), the tongue (taste), the eye (vision) and the body (touch). Each human mind is conditioned to think in patterns that reflect the outer conditions of the individual concerned. This process is believed to adjust the individual to ‘survive’ in whatever environment is present, (pleasant, unpleasant or neutral). An individual builds an inner image of the outer world through all kinds of experiences. Cultural considerations define what particular circumstances are ‘preferred’ as to what conditions should be ‘ignored’, etc. The ‘self-awareness’ that is an implicit part of the mind is taken in the modern world as comprising the foundation of the individual. This ‘individuality’ sits ‘juxtaposed’ to the five other sense-organs of the body and generates a ‘dualism’ of perception. A foundational and all-enveloping mind-awareness sits atop the five bodily-senses that continuously ‘receive’ information about the outside world. Human culture dictates how this ‘duality’ is to be perceived, managed and expressed. An individual traverses through life building-up a reservoir of knowledge and experience, ad seeking the best ways in which life can be lived, and other people interacted with. Yes, life is not always ‘good’ or ‘pleasant’ - but the good times are often understood as emerging from the bad times – and a compromise of experience is usually a key to a balanced life. However, throughout human history, some individuals have ‘rejected’ this cycle of human existence, and actively sort-out a different way of living – the historical Buddha was one such being. The point is that much of human life is defined by terrible poverty, illness and calamity. The daily psychological, emotional and physical pain is often unbearable, and reduces an individual into a shivering mass of suffering and stupidity! Much of this suffering pre-exists in areas of poor economic, social and cultural development. In the Greek model, for instance, ancient Greece was an affluent State within which most of the work was carried-out by male and female slaves. The philosophers had plenty to eat, did not have to work, and inhabited a warm climate! This is similar to the Buddha’s upbringing of luxury and opulence in a world of utter poverty and death! What the Buddha sought was a profound ‘indifference’ to physical circumstance premised upon a permanent inner calm. In other words, such a person would remain exactly the same both inwardly and outwardly regardless of whether their circumstances were considered ‘good’ or ‘bad’! To test this idea, the Buddha shifted his everyday experience to that of abject poverty – away from the opulence he had once routinely enjoyed. Continuous sexual indulgence was replaced with an absolute celibacy, etc. Enlightenment is the experience of an all-embracing and all-expansive conscious awareness that is permanent and ever-lasting. The five bodily-senses – ‘receive' data from the environment in an indifferent manner, and this data is processed by a mind that does not waiver and which is free of greed, hatred and delusion. Painful experiences are no longer viewed as something to be ‘avoided’ just as ‘pleasant’ experiences are not something to be sort-after. Bare attention free of greed, hatred and delusion generates wisdom, compassion and loving kindness. All this is verifiable and correct. However, what interests me here is the perception of ‘three-dimensional emptiness’ by the mind, which appears to permeate the inside of the human-body, and which expands outward into the environment (in an infinite ‘roundel’ shape or ‘circle’, etc). This perception of ‘all-embracing emptiness’ unites the inner body and the outer world in a totality of integrative interaction. An interesting question from a scientific perspective is ‘is this experience ‘real’ or an illusion created by the mind?’ Why could this perception of ‘all-embracing’ emptiness be an ‘illusion’? The mind possesses the ability to ‘generate’ and ‘sense’ thought. Thought is a concept or ripple in the psychic life of the individual. Although the mind can inwardly replicate any external image found in the environment – it can also amalgamate its many experienced impressions and generate entirely ‘new’ inner images (imaginations) that have no bearing on the existing outside world. Through a difficult and disciplined path of self-cultivation, an experience that is ‘real’ in the physical sense, it could well be that the objective of all this effort is that the human mind is ‘forced’ or ‘conditioned’ into generating a single but permanent ‘thought’ that it is experiencing as ‘three-dimensional’ empty space! This type of thought is different to everyday thoughts which traverse the surface mind – as it is singular, consolidating and apparently ‘underlying’ all other sensory activity generated in the mind. This ‘thought’ of ‘unified space’ is all-encompassing and seems to include the inner body and outer environment, and is ‘limitless’ in scope. It is as large as the universe is infinite – but suppose it exists nowhere else than in the individual human-mind that experiences it? If this is the case, then it is not the underlying reality of the universe and does not truly exist either within or outside of the body. It is, in reality, just another form of hard-earned delusion very different from the norm. As a state of mind this sense of ‘unified oneness’ brings inner and outer peace, and changes the human character and behaviour for good. Such a state rejects the more brutal aspects of human instinct and instead emphasises peace, love and tranquillity. The inner and outer life is ‘transformed’ because of this realisation (which is not easy to achieve). Although probably a by-product of the evolutionary process, the Buddha suggests that true enlightenment is beyond both ‘perception’ and ‘non-perception’, in other words, reality is beyond both ‘thought’ and ‘non-thought’. Perception and non-perception is stage four in the Caodong School of Ch’an’s Five Ranks of Prince and Minister – with stage five representing ‘that’ which is beyond ‘perception’ and ‘non-perception’. Although all-embracing emptiness is a difficult stage of reality to perceive – even so it must be ‘seen through’ and understood to be ‘empty’ even of ‘emptiness’! When the human-body ‘dies’ - then all perception and non-perception will quite naturally fall away. Given that this is the case, it seems that all-embracing unity is a difficult to acquire state of being which is rarefied and ultimately ‘empty’ of any permanent reality. It is a door-way through which a spiritual aspirant must pass, but which is an illusion just like any other. It heals and it cures but is not unexplainable or truly ‘mystical’ in the divine sense. Through achieving ‘enlightenment’ - a ‘new’ perceptual base is laid - through which the individual experiences the world. This achievement raises the individual from primordial instinct to a higher level of reasoning and interacting. All perception, regardless of its shallowness and depth is ultimately a delusion because it all falls away at the point of physical death. In reality, the organ of the brain exists in a dark and lonely place, but its capacity to generate ‘mind’ and then fill that mind with all kinds of interesting data serves to transform human existence. In-short, the ‘religious’ and ‘spiritual’ experience has nothing to do with the assumed presence of divine beings – and everything to do with a brain that has met the challenges of evolution in a most spectacular and meaningful way! Building an inner reflection of the outer world is an illusionary event – but which has been crucial for the evolution of humanity!
The ‘national flag’ of Laos was originally the flag of the Laos Patriotic Front (LPF) which was a ‘united front’ opposing Western imperialism in Laos pre-1975 – and which resisted the many (illegal) military incursions into Laos by the US Military! The ‘red’ rectangles represent the victory of the ‘Socialist’ Revolution paid for with the blood of the Laotian people! The ‘blue’ rectangles represent the beautiful land of Laos – and the peaceful and laid-back attitude of the people! The ‘white’ circle symbolises the ‘unity’ of the Laotian people under the leadership of the Laotian Communist Party – and the ‘bright’ future the country has under ‘Socialism’! The ‘white circle’ also symbolises the ‘bright moon’ shining over the Mekong River. Due to the devastation caused to the country by the (illegal) US blanket-bombing campaigns and other military operations into the area during the 1960s and 1970s – the actual number of Laotian casualties remains unknown. Speculations suggests the low thousands to the high hundreds of thousands (and even millions)! These US War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity have never been ‘acknowledged’ or properly ‘investigated’ by the United Nations (UN). Although the Laotian Communist Party successfully militarily defeated the colonial French, the imperialist US (and their allies) - bringing a permanent ‘end’ to these mass-killings of Laotian people – it is now the US that falsely accuses the Laotian Government of committing ‘atrocities’ against its own people (whilst providing no evidence) as a means to ‘camouflage’ its own historical criminality in the area! In August 1991, the Supreme People's Assembly enacted the First Constitution of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Constitution clearly stipulates that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is a (Socialist) People’s Democratic Country. As the Soviet Union was being dismantled and reverted to the predatory capitalist system (causing all kinds of suffering to the Russian people) the Laotian Marxist-Leninists were determined that their young Socialist State (founded on December 2nd, 1975) would stay vibrant through ‘reform’. This is why it was confirmed that ‘All Power Belongs to the People’ - and that this will not change! People of all ethnic groups were guaranteed to continue exerciing their rights as equal citizens under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP). Furthermore, although the ‘national emblem’ of Laos was altered in 1991 – removing the red star, axe and sickle and replacing these icons with examples of Luang-type architecture – this symbol (and many others) remains distinctly ‘Marxist-Leninist’ meaning. The two ears of rice denote an affluence of the national crop under Socialism: the large tower represents historical Laotian architectural and a future achievement of construction under Socialism, there are also symbols Laotian engineering in the modern sense; there is a gear, a dam, forests, fields and other industrial icons as well as clean water and abundant forestry; The ear of rice symbolizes success in agriculture. The ribbons on both sides read "Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity, Prosperity", and the ribbon at the bottom reads "Lao People's Democratic Republic". The Laotian people favour Theravada Buddhism which has retained much of the flavour of ‘Early Buddhism’. As Buddhist teaching is known to be friendly toward ‘Socialist’ ideology – the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) has recognised the importance of Buddhism acting as a cohesive cultural force amongst ALL the Laotian people – and a unifying factor that spreads evenly through the rich and poor areas created by historical exploitation associated with outmoded feudalism and Western imperialism. The economic damage inflicted on Laos by the Europeans and Americans will probably take decades to eradicate – but the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) has been instigating widespread educational, welfare, medical, housing and employment reform (in-part) through the already existing infrastructure of widespread Buddhist temples, monasteries and shrines. Traditional Buddhist education, of course, emphasises the similarities and compatibilities between Early Buddhist philosophy and the ideology of Classical Marxism and Marxist-Leninism! This is how Buddhist monks living in the most remote areas of the Laotian countryside directly assist the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) by bringing much need Socialist education and reform to these areas! In this regard, Buddhism is a major component of Laotian Marxist-Leninism and Communist ideology! Many people from China travel to Laos for relaxing holidays to another ‘Socialist’ country where they will be ‘safe’ and very ‘welcomed’. The travel blogs penned by these tourists offer a rare insight into the everyday life of Laotian people which the Americans and Europeans (aided and abetted by the English-language Wikipedia) would like you not to know about – simply because it tends to demonstrate the success of a ‘Socialist’ country and contradicts all the usual ‘racist’ lies propagated by the anti-Asian and anti-Socialist Western media. In this case, a husband-and-wife couple set-off from Shenzhen in China and flew to Vientiane – the capital city of Laos – spending six days exploring the country during April, 2018! The Chinese blogger stated that although the Laotian ‘Socialist State’ has only existed since 1975 (a mere 43-years of reconstruction) - much had already been achieved! The country of Laos is peaceful, clean and populated by a happy and content people! Wealth and infrastructural development have been developing within city areas and spreading outward into the countryside. This socio-economic development is slow but continuous for a country with just a seven-million population. However, the remote Buddhist temples (and other centres) have served as ‘re-distribution’ points for resources and services into villages areas that do not yet have a developed infrastructure. This has allowed for some villages and towns to develop ‘oases’ of Socialist reform even amongst areas (and peoples) who have suffered abject poverty in the past. The Buddhist monks then assist such developed village and town to ‘link together’ to combine the benefits of their ‘Socialist’ development! Of course, this dramatic success of integrating Buddhism and Socialism is ignored in the West – and flatly ‘denied’ by the forces of bourgeois Buddhism which is in the service of the capitalist exploiters! Chinese Language Sources:
https://you.ctrip.com/travels/laos100105/3659273.html https://baike.baidu.com/item/老挝 Marx and Engels correctly observed that external conditions influence the type of inner psychological and emotional terrain an individual experiences, whilst the functioning mind-set – through thought and action – can influence (and change) how the external environment manifests and operates! These observations can be read in the ‘Theses on Feuerbach’. The type of society a child is born into – conditions the ‘type’ of mind-set the child develops – whilst how an individual ‘thinks’ (following education and other experiences of life) can influence the type of behaviour (and interaction) the individual exerts upon the physical environment. Obviously, the logical suggestion is that a fully functioning physical environment pre-exists the ‘birth’ of each individual – and serves as a ‘rich’ depository of influences that channel the human-mind into a particular frequency of functionality. However, as the human-mind can be further influenced by all kinds of stimulus which direct its thinking-process into multitudinous directions, it is possible that given the right kind of influence, the ‘true’ reality of the external world can be clearly grasped, and a Revolutionary direction of behaviour embarked upon! The thinking is that once a Socialist Revolution is successfully achieved in the outer world – then an entirely ‘new’ inner terrain for humanity is experienced! Where meditation is useful is that it can ‘clear’ the inner mind of the ‘delusion’ and ‘confusion’ caused by the external environment of a capitalist society! Meditation can achieve this as an ‘act of will’ which allows an individual to ‘detach’ themselves from the strictures of predatory capitalism, and whilst still living in a capitalist society, and mould their behaviour in such a way so as to live in a progressive manner that helps assist the development of physical conditions that bring a successful Socialist Revolution ever-closer! This can happen because Buddhist meditation ‘uproots’ the essence of the capitalist system from deep within the habits of the mind. What is this ‘essence’ of the capitalist system? Is is greed, hatred and delusion. Being outwardly ‘non-attached’ to physical stimulus and inwardly ‘calm’ and ‘still’ can only result in the reality of Socialism! This means that by realising ‘empty’ space in the mind is directly linked to perceiving the ‘empty’ space of the physical environment – with the two experiences ‘integrating’ into one reality. This is how Buddhist meditation can bring a further layer of developmental structure to Marxist and Marxist-Leninist ideology. Buddhist meditation allows for the idea that individuals can ‘free’ their minds and bodies from being ‘directly’ influenced by capitalist ideology whilst still physically existing within a capitalist society! Of course, the external reality is still ‘capitalist’, but individuals can ‘detach’ their psychological processes and sensory reactions from the habitual ‘predatory’ nature of the capitalist system. Such an achievement propels the individual into a permanent state of ‘transition’ which has the tendency of moving all thought and behaviour into the direction of Socialism. This is a ‘new’ state of achieving ‘Socialism’ that acts in accordance with the thinking of Marx and Engels – but which was not developed in their writings during their lifetimes. This is despite the fact that Marx and Engels knew about Buddhism (via their friend ‘Karl Koppen’), but never had to time (or experience) to develop a ‘theory’ in this direction. Buddhist meditation, as a method of ‘uncoupling’ the inner-being from the outer capitalist system could well be developed into an objective science free of all religiosity no different to studying the written works of Marx and Engels!
The above document is my research suggesting a philosophical link between the Buddha's theory of matter and transformation (as recorded in the 'Chain of Dependent Origination') and the theory of 'Historical Materialism' as developed by Karl Marx! The bourgeois publishing industry in the UK and the USA is not interested in this type of 'Socialist' research and so will not consider disseminating any of it through conventional publishing deals. Furthermore, although Buddhism, Daoism and Confucanism are thriving philosophies and religions within Mainland China - the same bourgeois publishing companies continue to perpetuate the Japanese and US (racist) 'myth' that Chinese religion no longer exists, etc. This ignorance about a country whose population numbers over one billion, and which possesses the oldest 'unbroken' culture in the world - is truly staggering! As I am an expert in Chinese philosophy, culture and political development - and the foremost scholar in the world concerning the correlation between Classical Marxism and Early Buddhism - I made a decision a long time ago to by-pass the corrupt bourgeois publishing industry and as well as sharing my research with fellow academics around the world, to also make it 'directly' available to the general public. Those who need it will surely discovver it and make a good use of it.
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AuthorAdrian Chan-Wyles PhD - Political Commissar and BMA (UK) Historian & Researcher. Archives
May 2024
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