Statement
from Buddhist Teachers and Leaders in the United States 5-14-15
“If you have come to help me you
are wasting your time. But if you recognize that your liberation and mine are
bound up together, we can walk together.” – Lila Watson
As Buddhist
teachers and leaders we are distressed and deeply saddened by the killings of
unarmed African-Americans by police—most recently brought to light with Michael
Brown in Ferguson, MO, Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY, Walter Scott in North
Charleston, SC, Freddie Gray of Baltimore MD and too many others--and the
frequent failure of the courts to bring justice to these cases. Most grievous
is that these tragic events are not isolated incidents. They are part of a
systemic injustice in the United States that is rooted in centuries of slavery
and segregation, and manifested in continued economic and social exclusion,
inferior education, mass incarceration and ongoing violence against
African-Americans.
The Buddhist
teachings are grounded in a clear recognition of suffering, an ethical
commitment to non-harming and an understanding of interdependence: We can’t
separate our personal healing and transformation from that of our larger
society. The historic and
continued suffering of people of color in this country—of African Americans,
Native Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and others—is our collective
suffering. The harm caused daily is our collective responsibility. Once we see this suffering, our
freedom unfolds as we respond with a wise and compassionate heart.
Right now, we
believe there is an immediacy and urgency in focusing our attentions and
efforts on the pervasive and ongoing violence done to people of color in our
country. We are inspired by the courage and leadership of the people of
Ferguson and many other communities in recent months in drawing a line in the
sand and saying, “Enough”, “Black Lives Matter”, and calling for deep-rooted
changes in our economic and justice systems.
As Buddhists we see the timeliness of adding our voices to theirs, knowing
it will take a dedicated focus to recognize how the hidden biases and
assumptions of our society deprive people of color of their basic rights to
justice, opportunity and human dignity.
Our collective aspiration within the Buddhist
traditions is to become truly inclusive and beloved communities. In this process we are committed to honestly
and bravely uncovering the ways we create separation and unintentionally
replicate patterns of inequity and harm.
In the same spirit, we are committed to engaging with other faith and social justice
groups in support of undoing racism throughout our society.
In the midst
of tragedy, grief, and anger, we see the seeds of profound possibilities for
healing the wounds of separation and building communities based on respect and
love. Since their inception, Buddhist teachings and practices have been
explicitly devoted to liberation. In his time the Buddha was a revolutionary
voice against racism and the caste system: “Not by caste, race, or creed, or
birth is one noble, but by heart alone is one a noble being.” The Buddhist trainings
in mindfulness, wisdom and compassion, create the grounds for wise speech and
wise action. These teachings and
practices free our hearts from greed, prejudice and hate and serve an essential role in societal healing,
and in the awakening of all.
With prayers for healing and peace,
Thanks Taigen Dan Leighton for sending this. - dc
See yesterday's Buddhists Go to the White House - by Alan Senauke
