Proletariat Blogging in the Heart of (UK) Predatory Capitalism! Exploring the Interface between Matter and Perception, Chinese Buddhism, Daoism, Hakka Ethnography, and All Aspects of Radical Politics, History, Psychology and Philosophy – 全世界无产者联合起来!
Phra Sombath Somepanno, Abbot of Wat Longkhoun Srikhounnaram, expressed that Wat Longkhoun holds a significant place in the Buddhist heritage of Luang Prabang, and it fills the people of Laos from various regions with pride.
The temple has a deep historical connection with Laos, and the monastic community, along with the lay followers, is dedicated to developing Wat Longkhoun into a beautiful and culturally rich Buddhist heritage site.
Although Buddhism is apolitical – in the rel world even an apolitical entity has a political function – even if that function involves the permanent position of ‘opposing’ any and all manifestations of human ignorance known as “political” structures! What are these structures? These unwanted structures are any manifestations premised upon greed, hatred, and delusion, and which function within the inverted world of dualistic being. Such constructs are inherently suffering producing and are not conducive to human happiness. This is why Buddhists strive to uproot greed, hatred, and delusion from their minds and bodies – and in so doing generate the conditions for a better outward world. Click on the above link to read more…
Indeed, there is a complete (and refreshing) lack of commercial consideration in the Dhamma teaching. Therefore, Early Buddhism is entirely ‘anti-capitalist’ in both essence and manifestation. The problem is the tide of capitalist distortion which hits our minds and bodies in this modern age. It is as if the Buddha was the CEO of a very successful business – and that we are all shareholders! Nothing could be further from the truth! At the above link – there is an article discussing this issue that should be studied carefully.
The early Buddhist groups in China mirrored that of the extant Confucian scholiastic system – often forming around married laymen – with disciples taking the surname of the teacher as their ‘Dharma-Name’ and essentially becoming an extension of his family. Grottoes such as that featured below were places where Buddhists could meet, share and practice their understanding of Indian Buddhist philosophy. An understanding of Buddhist monasticism started to arrive and distinguish itself in China from the existing lay-practice around the 5th century CE – the date I believe this ‘smiling’ monk appears to date from. Whereas Buddhist lay-practitioners did not shave their heads (like Daoists and Confucians) – monastic Buddhists (male and female) were required to shave their heads – indicative of their ‘rejecting’ of the desire-laden conventions that define, guide and justify the external world.
Scattered throughout the woods are characters from the famous children’s fantasy book entitled ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ – written by CS Lewis! Oddly, although we did not intend to find these objects – we discovered them very quickly just by accident! It seems that just by instinct – we took all the right turnings through the woods – and each of these characters suddenly materialised! Banstead is a predominantly ‘White’, middle-class area – so my T-Shirt (AK47 – Killing Capitalists Since 1947) raised a few eyebrows!
Buddhism – like Socialism – belongs to humanity! Violence in the outer world can only be ended when one dominant class stops oppressing another! Peace can only be achieved if the capitalist world (in its exploitative aspect) is vanquished and the Bourgeoisie stops resisting and oppressing Socialism! If we – as the working class – stop fighting then we abandon the field to our oppressors and encourage them to inflict an even greater injustice upon us! Genuine peace will only come when the working class siezes the mean of production! As Marx once said – peace is the state achieved when there is an absence to the process of developing Socialism! These photographs were taken at the (Japanese) Buddhist London Peace Pagoda which is situated to the North of Battersea Park!
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 