Robert Thurman

[GrandTrinity]

Whats up with this Buddhist teacher? I have been waching his DVDs the past 2 days and look forward to listening to his 10 cd set for 8 or so hours of dharma talks and meditations.

 

I understand that flameout website talks a lot of smack about Thurman, but is this justified? That site seems pretty...??

[DentyDao]

One of David's students studied with Robert Thurman. His name is Ian Baker and he also a well known auther and friend of the Dali Lama. From what I understand, Thuman is pretty 'in the know' when it comes to Tibetan culture and practice. Some of his books are interesting.

[spyrelx]

One of David's students studied with Robert Thurman. His name is Ian Baker and he also a well known auther and friend of the Dali Lama. From what I understand, Thuman is pretty 'in the know' when it comes to Tibetan culture and practice. Some of his books are interesting.

 

 

"Ian Baker"? Isn't he Uma's dad? Why would he change his name from Ian Baker?

[forestofsouls]

"Ian Baker"? Isn't he Uma's dad? Why would he change his name from Ian Baker?

 

He didn't. I think "Ian Baker" is Thurman's student.

 

Robert Thurman from what I understand was the first Westerner to become a Tibetan buddhist monk. He reports that the Dalai Lama officiated the vows except the vow of celibacy. After a time studying with the Tibetans in exile in India, he stopped being a monk and returned to school. He married, had children, including Uma. He's now a professor, I think at Columbia.

[GrandTrinity]

True I got to meet him once. HIs teacher at Harvard was Tim Leary, who was also his wifes former husband.

 

Anyways, who has opinions on his teachings? I know with the "flame out" website people were talking smack in the 32 signs of a buddha thread.

[cloud recluse]

 

 

Anyways, who has opinions on his teachings? I know with the "flame out" website people were talking smack in the 32 signs of a buddha thread.

 

If anyone wants to check that out,tryThe Buddhocratic Conquest of the West

 

As with anything like this,check the sources & draw your own conclusions.

 

I copped some flak for drawing peoples attention to this one on that thread,it seemed like a taboo topic,but it all came from people not willing to even look at it.Ironically,the only person at the time who actually had something to do with the Dalai Lama (Wayfarer),& who had quite a positive experience apparently,was one of the few people willing to say that it was a legitimate area of inquiry!

[GrandTrinity]

[cloud recluse]

Gotta say nothing in it strikes me as particularly radical.The child in us always longs for some inflated parent-figure we can surrender thought & responsibility to.And turning the clock back to pre-democratic forms is popular amongst the insecure when its cast in a romantic light.

 

In the theological sphere,there are certainly distinctions to be drawn between deist systems,like medieval catholoicism,& nondeist,like medieval buddhism.Very relevant to individual practitioners & communities of believers who wish to voluntarily practice some particular spiritual path in the course of their private lives.

 

But politically,the difference is f^#k-all!

 

Someone feels entitled to be a dictator coz hes the vicar of Christ,someone else because he is an incarnate tibetan deity.Both would be f^$#*&g useless if granted political power in a democratic world.Yogic skill in exotic states has nothing to do with administrative skill or social insight.

 

Recreating the medieval backwater of the Tibetan state run by pseudo-"celibate" men whose private religious beleifs have appropriated the place of public political discourse does not appeal.Its not radical or post-modern,just retarded.Though I can see its appeal to blissed out newagers,for whom thinking is such a cruel burden.

 

If the claim is true,& Thurman IS promoting a buddhist dictatorship,he can go f#$k himself!

 

I might go to him for Yogic advice,but in the socio-political sphere,he would be a dimwit.

 

Yes it would probably be good if our politicians got yogafied.But who says a yogi would make a good politician.

 

Though others may have thought so,Fascist Occultism and its Close Relationship to Buddhist Tantrism

[GrandTrinity]

Hey if Buddhists ruled the world????????????????

 

Would that be so bad??????????????

 

A Buddhaverse? They respect the Tao and all religions and peoples and everything - I don think it would be forced.

 

Maybe Buddha already DOES rule the world????

[cloud recluse]

This all seems to be getting away from your original question of whether or not the Trimondis are misrepresenting Thurman ,whether or not hes trying to repackage a medieval theocracy ( theological details aside.thats all a 'buddocracy' would really amount to) & sell it as a 'post-modern' alternative.

 

Your obviously getting something of value out of his material,but then Hatha Yoga is valuable while the politics of the Bhagavad Gita is pretty much Fascism !

 

So what are you really trying to get out of this guy,yoga or politics? And if its politics,what do you think he is actually proposing ? Is 'orthodox' Tibetan Buddhism really bound up with medieval feudalistic crap ( pretty much like every other Asian wisdom tradition ),& if so,how do we sift through it effectively?

 

A person can have a deep spiritual impulse.a truly sincere & genuine one,and still come up with some atrocious ideas,including ideas in the political sphere. Is this the case with Thurman or not ?