Saturday, January 23, 2021

January 22, 2021

 

As Zen Buddhist clergy, we condemn the attack on the United States congress on January 6th. We acknowledge the anguish and rage it has brought. At the center of our tradition is the understanding that violence leads to violence, compassion to compassion, ignorance to ignorance, and insight to insight. Although countless conditions led to the attack at the capitol, we see that the violence at the capitol was deeply tied to the white supremacy that has characterized this nation since its inception. 

White Supremacy was a founding principle of the United States, and remains one of the hierarchical conditions on which this nation operates. Until this country fully acknowledges and repairs the damage of the horrific violence and day to day inequities of its racist systems, we will continue to reap its fruit. We must recognize the poison of racism not as an evil committed by terrible people, but as a part of the fabric of our collective karma which we must unravel together if we want to be truly free.

We witnessed the confederate flags carried at the capitol attack. We witnessed, too, the Nazi imagery there. A host of other structural oppressions are deeply tied to this attack, including a rejection of truth itself. Part of this rejection of truth is denial of the racism that permeates this country. As we watched the attack on the capitol, we witnessed the stark differences in the way law enforcement treated these protestors and protestors at Black Lives Matter protests last summer. We recognize that future violence is a very real possibility.

Buddhism teaches us that there is always the possibility for healing and liberation. To be free of the violence of white supremacy and other modes of systemic oppression, we must acknowledge them fully, collectively, and individually as an ongoing practice, and from this acknowledgment, find the way to fundamentally transform our society. 

We, the undersigned, ask that as religious leaders, Zen clergy commit to justice, accountability and ethical action based in the teaching of Buddhism. We call on the clergy to address structural oppression within themselves, their sanghas and their nations. With compassion alive in our hearts, and the courage to face the truth, let us move into liberative action.

Signed,
Sosan Theresa Flynn, President, Soto Zen Buddhist Association

Marc Lesser, Vice-president, Soto Zen Buddhist Association

Inryu Bobbi Ponce-Barger, Secretary, Soto Zen Buddhist Association

Dokai Georgesen, Treasurer, Soto Zen Buddhist Association

Koshin Paley Ellison, New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care/Board Member, Soto Zen Buddhist Association 

Gyozon Royce Johnson, Soto Zen Buddhist Association 

Annalisa Rakugo Castaldo, chair, SZBA DEIA committee

Rev. Ben Connelly, Minnesota Zen Meditation Center

Hoka Chris Fortin, Everyday Zen, Dharma Heart Zen

Rev. Jisan Tova Green, San Francisco Zen Center

Charlie Korin Pokorny, Stone Creek Zen Center

Teresa Bouza, Kannon Do Zen Center

Rev. Genjō Sam Conway, Clouds in Water Zen Center 

          Rev. Misha Shungen Merrill, Zen Heart Sangha 

Please share this statement widely and consider the following action items:

  1. Sign our change.org petition and share it with your sangha members
  2. Sign the open Google Doc below (for SZBA full and associate members only). We will add an updated version of this letter with the additional signatures to our website in the next week.
  3. Share this letter and our change.org petition on social media.
Sign Our Change.org Petition 
Sign this letter for our website 

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Special bows for today: 

  • Please offer bows for:
    • President Joseph Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, and all our congressional representatives for safety, health, and well-being
  • Please continue to offer bows in honor of:
    • Roshi Mel Weitsman who died on 1/7/21
    • Ian Hass, Kathleen Dickey's uncle, who died on 12/28/20
    • Tim Doherty, Chris Doherty's brother, who died on 1/8/21
    • Nora Hayes-Roth, a dear friend of Misha's, who died on 11/25/20
    • Dan Pomeroy, a friend of dharma brother, Dainuri Rott, who died on 11/20/20
  • Please continue to offer bows of well-being for: 
    • Shannon's husband, Gil, who is slowly recovering in hospital, but out of ICU!
    • Misha's brother, Duane, who is receiving radiation for cancer 
    • Flip Dibner, who is undergoing chemotherapy while at home 
    • David Shaw, who is continuing the process of PT after a stroke
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Wonderful links shared by sangha members and friends:






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