Are We Really Doing This?
A couple of recent comments on this site refer to Jewish Buddhists as JooBoos or JuBus. What is this? A convenient acronym like IMHO or LOL? If so, why does it feel somewhat mean-spirited?
Are there other such acronyms for African American Buddhists, Hispanic Buddhists, Gay/Lesbian/Transgender Buddhists, or Asian Buddhists?
What's up with this?
The Dalai Lama conducts ecumenical interfaith Dialogues with many groups. One such were conversations with a group of Jews - orthodox, Hasidic, non observant, etc who visited him in Dharmasala in the early 1990's.Some of them were practicing buddhists. The proceedings were published by Rodger Kamenetz under the Title 'The Jew in the Lotus' 1994. Kamenetz used the term JUBU, catalogues names and affiliations of the high percentage of Jews who have become buddhist practitioners, distinguished translators, teachers, publishers, collectors of buddhist art, been responsible for the preservation and reproduction of buddhist texts, are distinguished as generous patrons of the dharma. I do not think the use of the term is intended to be pejorative, or anti semetic. No more offensive than Black Buddhist = American penchant for conventional linguistic signifiers.
Incidentally the book makes interesting reading. They explored comparative methods of transmission and spiritual practices. The Dalai Lama was a careful listener, asked penetrating questions, used humor = quipped 'We are both, it seems, chosen people."
Enjoy.
Posted by: friendly dragon | Sunday, 05 June 2005 at 06:02 PM
Ah... Okay. Thanks for clarifying. It does sound like an interesting read.
Posted by: chalip | Sunday, 05 June 2005 at 06:18 PM