Permanent Mission of Ceylon to the United Nations
May 14, 1963
Dear Mr. Lewis,
Thank you for your letter of March 4, 1963. I was away in Ceylon all March and April and then again in Texas and in Canada and I have just got back.
I am very happy to learn from your letter that the opening of the new Universal Buddha Church passed off successfully. Dr. Paul Fung had asked me for a message to be read on the occasion. I sent him one but whether it was used I do not know. I should be grateful if you could send me copies of the reports which you are writing for “The Eastern Buddhist” and “The Golden Lotus.”
I am also happy to read what you say about the “unusual growth of interest in the Dharma.” It must be a source of great satisfaction to you as one closely associated with Paul Carus and Dwight Goddard to know that your work has been fruitful.
As you are probably aware, I have been entrusted with the task of editing the Encyclopedia of Buddhism, which is being published under the auspices of the Government of Ceylon. When completed it will contain as much information as we can possibly get on all aspects of Buddhism throughout the world and throughout the centuries. It will necessarily take a long time to finish the work but I am glad to say that I am getting co-operation from many quarters. If you could agree to send me such information as you have regarding the history of Buddhism in this country, particularly on the West Coast, it will be of great help to me in getting together an article on the history of Buddhism in America. I shall, of course, make due acknowledgement of your assistance. If you could, in addition, send me biographical articles on Paul Carus and on Dwight Goddard, I could publish them under your name in the Encyclopedia. Please give thought to this request and let me know whether you could accept it. I should also like to have materials for a biography of the late Robert Clifton who, as far as I am aware, was a tireless worker in the good cause. I met him a couple of times and was impressed by his earnestness.
With greeting,
G. P. Malalasekera
772 Clementina St.
San Francisco 3, Calif.
October 19, 1964
Princess Poon Diskul
President, Buddhist World Federation,
Bangkok, Thailand
Dear Princess Poon:
It is a long time since we have been in direct contact, but I remain a sort of historian for Buddhism in this country. Also the representative in this area of Rev. Harold Priebe, who has been selected by the World Federation as representative for the United States. He is about the best man (among the Caucasians) I know for this purpose. No doubt there has been some ruffling of personalities, but I hope the Federation will give a little attention to some fundamentals:
a. The Triratna
b. The Namotassa
c. The Pancha Sila or the Bodhisattvic Oaths.
Little attention is paid to these things here and even less to sacred literature. A few months ago Dr. Richard Robinson, friend of Phra Sumangalo, gave the most illuminating talk at the University of California but refused absolutely, to speak about what be calls “fiction writers” whom we need not name but of whom you are well aware.
Yesterday I spoke to a few people in the home or Rev. J. Eugene Wager, another disciple of Phra Sumangalo on “A Scientific Interpretation of Maha-Nidana-Suttanta” calling attention to masses of profound, noble and beautiful literature ignored today.
From what I understand, on short notice it may be impossible to send any delegates from the United States at the forthcoming conference. But I also wish to call to your attention that there will be a meeting of the United Nations in this city next year and the continuance of Dr. Paul Fung in his position as Vice-President of the WBF will then be most effective. He has now a thriving organization which probably draws more non-Orientals then all other groups combined. And, at least in his Church you can see pictures of Lord Buddha, that wonderful character who has been almost exiled from so much of what passes for “Buddhism” in America, as you well know. The rise and fall of one charlatan has been followed, by the rise and fall of others, and people who talk about karma do not observe karma.
Strictly speaking I could be acting as representative of the Rinzai Zen people and indirectly for Rev. Harold Priebe as above.
I have recently joined “The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1424 Sixteenth St., Washington, D.C. 20036. A book review in their spring 1964 issue states: “Theravada Buddhism, the religious faith of almost ninety percent of Burma today, was introduced into Burma in the eleventh century...” I am writing in protest. Unfortunately such protests are seldom heeded, which is most unfortunately.
Hoping you are well and assuring you of my appreciation for your good will many times in the past,
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
772 Clementina St.
San Francisco 3, Calif.
November 9, 1964
Arthur Osborne
Sri Ramanasram
Tiruvannamalai
India
Dear Ram:
This letter is written because in the last few weeks a tremendous power has been place in this person’s hands, coming rather simultaneously from two different external sources. Yet undoubtedly the source of power is internal and real, but hardly personal except as a mode of manifestation.
Your reviews make you aware, of the existence of that strange type of person who may be called Homo pseudosupergenius californicus, that here in California, more than anywhere else in the world there is a search for some sort of superman rising in part out of hazy folklore and in part from the appearance here of what the theosophists some time back called the new root race. That this race is appearing, following all the predictions of all kinds of writers strikes the theosophists and metaphysical dreamers least of all. So side by side you find here the ethereal people and the devout people alike, drawn to those who come from the Orient.
The last heroic venture on the part of this person came when a man calling himself a Maharshi arrived here, to be welcomed by all the European authorities and experts (?) on Asia, by the metaphysical and ethereal people. When a series of robberies and blackmail incidents occurred, and by Divine Grace the passport of this pretender came into the writer’s hands, those who were not yet victimized became very dignified and turned on him, though he had the full cooperation of governmental authorities. And since then he has sat by and let the continued though diminishing parade of charlatans come from Asia to beguile the public and the seekers and always, without exception, to enter into rivalry and competition with that mass who can be known as dualistic-pseudo advaitins. These dualistic-pseudo advaitins have, until this week, dominated both in high places and low presentations of Oriental teachings—many of them being neither Orientals nor Americans, and of those Asians, hardly one of them has any standing in his own country.
The combination of circumstances which is now changing the whole trend can be summarized into three divisions:
For the first time calling upon real Buddhist leaders to present Buddhist at conclaves on comparative religions.
The rise of two important societies composed of two types of scientists to study the religions of the world with the same integrity, honesty and impersonality as the sciences, or rather “nature,” is studied.
The extreme complexity of events in that part of the world where some form of Buddhism is, or has been predominant.
These three tendencies will introduce morality where morality has been notable absent but the crow’s cry: “Moral and spiritual ideals” has been echoed and re-echoed from top to bottom.
Las week there came to this city the head of the Indian Farm Delegation. We were to meet the Cultural Attaché from India. We went to a wrong place, and there he was! And like the Zen Satori this led to a realization that we were one—it came suddenly and there followed a series of delightful comic opera incidents, here in a few minutes your colleague met all those people for whom he was seeking and the writer has another home in India both for agricultural and spiritual purposes.
Self Realization Fellowship. This is exactly the sort of incident which is not understood by these people. Nor would they understand your remarks about the “Autobiography of a Yogi” who never seems to have understood the identity consciousness nor identity experience. Knowing little Sanskrit the writer’s interpretation of Samadhi, is Samadhi, with the universe, with the oneness.
The dualistic pseudo-advaitins, seizing on name and glamour, no doubt gain by any sort of practice. But the complete absence of disciplinary endeavor where guru and chela are one sees these people only as ice breakers. And the ability of one of the original disciples of Yoga Yogananda to experience a little more penetration of the cosmos than his fellows has resulted in competition and all those manifestations of dualism which today appear far more among the “seekers” of Oriental culture, or wisdom, than the Christians who accept sometimes each other’s communion and are trying to unite in many ways.
J. Krishnamurti. Universal for no doubt levels all ranks; shows the presence of light but does not manifest complete light. The traditional American “Great Stone Face,” the European substitute of Galahad for Percival the real finder of the Grail, and for Jesus Christ, is the common religion of the day. With Galahad dominating Christian art, you may understand that the appearance of Galahad brought great welcome. But there is no individual possession of the Grail or of Light. The test for a Buddha or a Maharshi is not his wisdom but the manifestation of the Light through disciples. Sri Sankara used his cook. The last person who would be welcomed here in California as an exponent of enlightenment would be a cook.
Prynce Hopkins is not strictly speaking among the Californians but has come here. He is an intellectual and has played many roles among man classes of intellectuals during a long time, rising and falling as he has changed his points of view. Though we have discussed many subjects, that of his own spiritual awakening, or absence of it has not come up. Sending up copy of remarks on his book, he reacted dualistically. The present series of circumstances makes it advisable to try to bring about understanding and conciliation. To put it short:
This person has been selected as representative of the World Buddhist Federation in this country.
The combined confusion in S.E. Asia, the ranks of Buddhist and the complete breakdown, division and separation of students and disciples of Dharma here invoke the most serious consideration of subject involved. This person was recognized in all parts of Asia as having experience Enlightenment in some form, but has never been given any serious consideration here, a point which must be understood by the remarks made in the book review about the Homo dualicticus pseudo-advaita.
Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch, is studied by more groups of Buddhists than anybody else. Of all the Buddhist groups in Northern California, not one is studying Pali or Sanskrit literature. Over half presumably accept “The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch.”
This person has been a wood cutter at two times in life. On the second occasion he was living in the woods in another part of the country, chanting OM!, every afternoon but performing Sufi practices in the morning and evening. Whatever took place is of no interest whatsoever to the dualistic pseudo-advaitins here who cannot face realities or the experiences of enlightenment and never, never associate with each other.
The first occasion brought forth a Gatha which was accepted by a Soto Zen Master who was living here and who immediately him an initiation. But among the students of Zen and Buddhism the formal ritualistic ordination is given every preference over initiation and not a single student of any school here would understand the term pratimoksha (pratimoksha=pattimokka) which was explained to this person more than forty years ago. The complete absence of curiosity and humility is even more marked that the absence of the spiritual experience.
World Buddhist Federation. The Chinese government, taking advantage of the support of Protestant missionaries by the leaders of one political party; and of Catholic missionaries by the deceased leader of the other, began a huge Buddhist revival campaign. It did not fail entirely either, winning supporters in both parts of Vietnam, in Cambodia, and to some extent in each country where there are elements of Buddhism, even Indonesia.
There has been no counter effort. The one American who was selected as “expert” on Buddhism has long since been dismissed. The one American in foreign service who was Buddhist and had the experience was dismissed many years ago. The confusion entered Burma, and Thailand, being surrounded, started a counter revolution and counter infiltration, something which no “law and order” American would think of doing.
At the moment the World Buddhist Federation is in the hands of anti-communists. Not only that but being Buddhists and not pseudo advaitins, they are far more concerned with agreements and similarities than differentiations. This person does not wish to relate his own experiences, inner or outer here, long since accepted in Asia but given no consideration here, but why should this writer be an exception? The forces in the United States being more anxious to Christianize the Orient than to stop communism are now faced with dilemmas.
Program: Without going into details this person will appeal to the WBF and through it for some sort of study of Lord Buddha, any way, any how. This was already asked by Dr. Malalasekera but failed because almost every pseudo Buddhist has his own Sangha and will not associate with other Buddhists. And Sangha members are no different from others in their solid walls against the initiation experience or the moksha or satori which is real.
Zen Literature is not, or course, Buddha experience and when the “enlightenment” (satori) was reported in certain writings he found it a comparatively low grad or outer samadhi; it was real, it was samadhi, but outer and did not evince the Identity Consciousness which is presented alike by all true schools of Dharma.
Personalism has been strongly attacked in Soviet Russia. It was attacked from the beginning by Lord Buddha, but nowhere, in any religion on earth is personality so predominant today as within the ranks of Buddhism that pseudo-faith erected on the Dharma of the Enlightened One. Japanese largely substitute Dogen Daishi or Shinran Shonen for Lord Buddha. Americans substitute Daisetz Suzuki, or else some fleeting personality like the late Nicholas Roerich not to mention names commonly known. Nowhere is the samadhi or moksha in evidence.
Fortunately here there is an Arhat from Korea and it is possible that he will rise above this dualistic nonsense which permeates the world. When this person received the Dharma transmission from Sokei-An Sasaki he was able to explain most of the Upanishads and those which he could not explain then have come to him either in further diksha or in the receiving the actual literature and not the commentaries by some dialectical Occidental.
Scientific Study of Religion is simply the integrity, the clarity of definition, and the study both of words—at their own levels—and contents of Veda Upanishads, Suttees, Sutras or any other divine literature. It means the removal of logic and pseudo logic, or emotional and exhortational appeal, and of demonstration through living experience.
This is not only done in the sciences but the recent experiences of the writer show that new devices reveal the shadows of the Supreme Light, the measurable out of the Immeasurable, as no ego consciousness or ego activity can.
By the end of next year it is hoped that the scientific scholars who wish integrity and probity will have at least a solid basis for understanding World Religions offered by those who have had the wisdom of direct experience by transformance of consciousness.
Report to WBF will be based first on the experience of that Peace which is beyond manas.
The Christian Peace beyond understanding means simply Peace beyond manas (nous in Greek, not dianoia which is close of Vijnana).Here dualists have led the world astray. The experience of Peace, Great Peace or otherwise, is the Fount of Wisdom. From the Fount of Wisdom we can control our minds and those of others.
The Siddhantic experiences control only the phenomena of immediacy. From Sokei An this person saw the whole history of the world for many years including the destruction of Germany and Japan. He does not wish to look, but if he looks now it will be to the Great Peace of Lord Buddha and he hopes to influence a few Buddhists toward or to the reality of the Buddha experience.
Some people have said the late Maharshi is the Buddha of the age. That is why this letter is written. Some of our brethren have had that Enlightening Peace which is necessary now for the leaders of Buddhism and for the whole world.
Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
Samuel L. Lewis
772 Clementina St.
San Francisco 3, Calif.
December 20, 1964
Aiem Sangkhavasi
Hon. General Secretary
World Fellowship of Buddhists
41, Phra Athit Street.,
Bangkok, Thailand
My dear Aiem:
I do not think it was the intention of either of us to carry on lengthy correspondence but a number of events of the last few weeks warrant some communication.
There are in this city about eight so-called Buddhist “Sanghas” with which I am acquainted, but there are others too. And if one includes the whole of the State of California, there are over a dozen “Sanghas” most of which do not communicate with other “Sanghas.” And excepting the Pure Land groups (of all things), you practically never hear the Triratna, much less the Pancha Sila.
A number of years ago I presented twenty five years of research to Alan Watts, which only made of him an enemy and socially a most successful one until recently. The revolts against him have only established more “Sanghas” which alike are based on personalisms, and have nothing to do with traditional Dharma or Dhamma—sometimes these words are used, but almost never the content. The splinter leaders are without exception personally antagonistic to Watts, but often without any intellectual contact, sharing only the desire to lead and teach.
Ordained in Japan as “Fudo” to fight the enemies of “Buddhism,” it has only made me socially unacceptable. Which allies and aligns me with some other Americans, all withdrawn from society, who among them know, I think every school of Buddhism in Asia, and have been regarded in different parts of Asia as men of high integrity and honor.
Recently at the home of Rev. Iru price, in the absence of the regular invited speaker, I took the floor, “I beg you listen to me and then you may judge. It does not matter whether you accept the person or not. This may be my last appearance to you. I am going to start a revolution and I mean revolution and nothing but a revolution. I am going to read from some of the most sublimed, most profound and most beautiful of all human literature.” I then added that they had the right to reject the literature and the explanation, but it was my farewell appearance unless—so I read some Pali Scriptures and excepting Rev. Price himself, I don’t think there was a person there who had ever read or heard the words! Some had been “studying Buddhism” for years. Some had presumable academic degrees, etc.
The reaction was profound. Many severe critics apologized and all drew around me afterwards. Yet it has taken years even to get one small group, and, as said before, there are several Americans in this region, all today socially ostracized who have been honored in Buddhist lands by Buddhist prelates!
The British philosopher, C.P. Snow, holds we have two cultures and for my part, I should called them “truth-centered” and “ego-centered” and there does not seem to be any compromised. For years now I have watched one so- called “Buddhist” leader after another go down into disgrace rather than to accept in his personal life, karmic principles. One does not have to change human nature and one does not have any joy in watching the constant observation of cosmic laws.
In rapid succession I have met Hon. Roger Hilsman, Dr. Carroll Parrish and Admiral Felt. There has been most satisfactory communion and communication and the Admiral has validated my effort to write a paper on “The Buddhist of Vietnam.” It has been perpetually rejected by everybody heretofore. It is a subject many times discussed with the late Phra Sumangalo. But it is the American propensity to honor individuals and adhere to slogans rather than realities.
Dr. Strong, University of California, Berkeley. In the middle of the struggle over Free Speech this man is now in danger of losing his office. In 1963, in full charge of a conference on “Asia” he positively refused to recognize the World Buddhist Federation or to permit Dr. Paul Fung to appear. What is more, in this conference on “Asia” he did not have a singles Chinese, and exactly one Asian, in panels which totaled about fifty spokesmen, quite a few from Europe.
I have since had other rebuffs from him on Asian matters. And to show you how ridiculous it is, a story is related:
I rushed back from Southern California to attend a reception for the Hon. Sri Surendra Ghose, deputy leader of the Congress Party in the Indian Parliament. The meeting was called by Dr. Haridas Chaudhuri and the “professors” who give out degrees (?) in the so-called Academy of Asian Studies with which Princess Poon Diskul had been connected while in San Francisco. Imagine the dismay of the audience when the speaker pointed his finger at the writer: “Why you are the man I came to San Francisco to meet. I traveled five thousand miles just to meet you!” Which was true, and which has further thrown me out of the society of “experts.” But now those who have been so treated are increasing in number. I have just met a man who lived in Vietnam among the Buddhists and his conclusions corroborate my own experiences.
The totality of these events has been that at least one “Sangha” has agreed to participate in a Wesak Day celebration in Golden Gate Park of this city where there is a gigantic statue of Lord Buddha—long disregarded by the many non-communicating “Sanghas.” Pressure is now being exerted to restore a festival which was held when I was young.
Any reports or suggestions will be graciously received. And one hopes that the turmoil of the day will lead to better understanding.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
772 Clementina St.,
San Francisco 3, Calif.
October 2, 1965
World Buddhist Federation,
41 Phra Athit St.,
Bangkok, Thailand
Dear Aiem and Friends:
The arrival of Volume 2, No. 4 of the News Bulletin, coming so soon after the visit of Her Serene Highness and her entourage may justify some remarks.
Despite the statements of His Excellency Hon. U Thant that we need a moral and spiritual revolution to keep up with the progress of Science, my own remark that the scientific revolution is the moral and spiritual revolution and it is the people outside of sciences who have to fall back on maxims and aphorisms because their own egos are still too active. In the scientific world every discovery of every person is regarded as a triumph of the Ego. And it is easy to see here which is in accord with the Dharma/ Dhamma.
Besides this it is in the universities that one finds the pure teachings (Dr. Richard Robinson, etc.) and also the active Bodhisattvas whose names are not mentioned but all of whom know both Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul and your good selves. So it is not surprising that when one turned from one’s past efforts where one meets only egotism and sanskaras, to the universities, that one finds those who are either very sincere about the Dharma/Dhamma or are anxious to learn more.
The articles on Sraddha/Saddha and on Prajna/Panna are not to be taken lightly. You can now readily appreciate that when one does not find the Triratna or the scriptural studies in the temples, churches and so-called “Sanghas,” that does not mean there is neglect. It is only that one must go in an entirely different direction and despite the Hon. U. Thant, it is among the scientists and those influenced by the scientists that one finds sincerity, humility and curiosity. And by following the teachings which appear in the first two articles by Charles Knight and Miss Soni, one finds oneself suddenly in a new atmosphere of cordiality, harmony and mutual appreciation and exchange.
This is all the more important because the first errand was for Peace-not the dualistic, ephemeral “Peace” that metaphysicians, politicians and diplomats talk about but never experience, but that “Peace” which evinces a state or states of consciousness above dualisms, ego-separations and all those forces which make for distinctions and differences. And in outlining a peace-approach there was immediate response. What will come of it, one does not know, but the seeds have been sewn.
The peace-proposal was a forward step beyond that sent to your good selves based on the successful practice of Dhyana (Jhana) or other Upaya inherent in the Eight-fold path of enlightenment. Needless to say this was rejected by all but one group here, and there is no sense of any dualistic reactions to groups of any kind who simply are incapable of experiencing the higher stages of consciousness.
Previously a letter was sent to our good friend, Dr. Radhakrishnan, whose every pain and anguish have been felt in this heart. Anatta has long since been discarded as a basic element in dharma-study in this country because it is the metaphysical people who carry the banners. But the scientific people are not concerned with egocentricity and when one goes to the universities there are so many people, both professors and scholars, who welcome the anatta approach, one can hardly realize how much incipient or open wisdom there is in the United States-a point inferred in mentioning by a professor who knew your good selves, but who stays far away from all religious groups.
This month there will be a lecture on Milarepa. That is fine, but the idea that people can and do go through the experiences of Marpa and Milarepa is the very thing that will be rejected by most of such audiences who delight in the lectures, but do not dare to leave off their egocentricities. On the other hand one finds now in the universities, among the Anthropologists and Psychologists a sincere interest in experiencing ether, and especially “higher” or expanded states of consciousness. And there is no question but that there are two separate “revolutions” going on in the United States against the egocentric dualism which determines our life.
This new step means that this person will not follow in the pathways of the late Dwight Goddard and Phra Sumangalo to die of a broken heart trying to bring people who call themselves “Buddhists” closer together. The scientific age demands experience and as the evidences of karmic-retribution are only too clear in the recent events within this country (pardon one for not describing them but in some respects they are worse than the Viet Nam imbroglio), both from the scientific and heart-standpoints it is very easy to both explain events and to interpret stages of consciousness and what they mean in the larger life.
Maxims are a necessary part of equipment of those who have not attained wisdom. The “Sangha” consciousness explained in the latter part of the publication only parallels organic life. Jesus has said, “I am the Vine and ye are the branches thereof.” This is quite evident to those, who like the writer are Botanists, Horticulturists, etc. Not only that, but there is communion and brotherhood among those studying plants and their care which one does not often find elsewhere. Despite all the symbolism and actuality of the Tree in both mythology and biblical traditions, it has remained outside our conscious experience because certainly we in the West, are cemented into egocentric outlooks, and though we may develop degrees of sympathy, we shun identities.
Even in India this person had to struggle against those who could not conceive or would not experience identities; and had nothing but wonder with many who lived first, and then preached identities as is verbalized in Tam Tvat Asi.
The publication of David Kapleau on real Zen experience is working havoc with those who have accepted semi-fictional literature for the true Dharma. Sooner or later the scientific world, which is coming into ascendancy, will insist on experience even against those subjectivities known as “Right Views” a miserable misinterpretation of Samma Drishthi.
Today after over forty years study one can see how important the early pioneer work of Paul Carus was. When we recognize the part played by Mind in our affairs-actually and not as a philosophy, there will be more care and consideration of thinking.
Peace, understanding and wisdom can only come from experience, or awakening and not from discussions about them. You may not be able to introduce such words as Srotapanna and Sakrodagamin inside many of our Buddhist organizations, but you can today in our universities where there is both curiosity and humility.
Grand Master Seo of Korea put this person through several kinds of examination and validated his position in the Dharma/Dhamma. It is now important to operate from the proper level and one finds excellent reception in our universities where previously this was not expected. Indeed there may soon be a chapter of the American Oriental Studies established here, which means we shall no longer be limited to or by European and British professors who do not recognize spiritual experiences.
When the Dharma/Dhamma is presented from the dignified view of our intellectuals, it means that we can hope to present the scriptures, both from the Pali and Sanskrit sources, instead of public lectures which are not based on the Grand Awakening. In any event we shall soon be finding serious study of that grand cosmology of the Orient, with its many grades of evolution, its states of consciousness, the movements of the Wheel-of-the-Law and those basic teachings which are so necessary for our mental as well as spiritual understanding.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
772 Clementina St.
San Francisco 3, Calif. 94103
7th December, 1965
V. Ganesan, Editor,
“The Mountain Path,”
Sri Ramanasraman, P.O.
Tiruvannamalai, South India
Dear Ram:
Once Stanley Lane-Poole wrote that he was leaving his book unended with Emperor Aurungzeb facing Sivaji, each with his private antipathies and the Dream of Akbar was over. Today the United States faces the Vietnamese and India faces Pakistan; the Dream of Akbar is repressed and suppressed. And proud India, announcing the doctrine of Karma, equally evades the principles of Karma and counter-Karma. Full of real or self-styled “avatars,” Sadgurus, and Maharishis (to be a rishi is not enough anymore), the country is starving, the rains have not come and no one dares to act the part of Sri Ramakrishna (who was recently severely taken to task).
Instead of studying the Dharma, we seek each his own Messiah or Deliverer, and will have no traffic without those who take another Deliverer. And so the Sutra of Forty Two Sections which explains exactly the behavior of his relation to holy beings, is set aside. Each criticizes whom he will and by addition of the word “humility,” those who would never, never play the part of the “dust of the earth” go out to preach what they call “universal religion.’
In the days of the rishis were those who could control the weather, the crops, the affairs of man. If a few people could practice the type of Tapas known to the ancients there would be crops, there would be favorable conditions, but that is no more. It is not only in India but in so many parts of the world that people are looking for a magical Messiah-but as you do not know the earth as a whole, one will not explain it.
My “Deity” is the Lord of all men, of all races, of all classes and as the bible teaches, there are no high nor low nor Jew nor Barbarian nor Greek in Christ Jesus. This is better explained in the Upanishads, but the total confusion between the acceptance of those of deva consciousness and the rejection, let us say, of those of “Prajapati” consciousness makes a clear picture impossible-in certain quarters. And just as possible in other quarters where there are inquiring minds. This person has just been given a letter of thanks by the World Congress of Faiths of London for his proposed “solution” of a discussion of the relative merits of Christianity and Hinduism at higher levels. This has been possible because in this life this person has experienced the deep stages of awakening consciousness at those levels.
There are today in this country several organizations studying religion from a scientific point of view. The one in which the writer is involved at the moment is that of Ritual and Vision. Everywhere there is Ritual, in so few places Vision. But when this person was permitted-and this is the first time it was permitted- to present his Vision, there was not a single challenge.
In talking to one of the top scientists involved in such investigations he asked, “Why is it that if a person claims mystical experience or spiritual awakening he is regarded as a pompous egotist, but when a person claims to have a scientific discovery he is regarded as genius? Why is it that in the sciences you have to have laboratory and life experience but elsewhere this is ruled out?”
In further discussion this one said, ”The Ritual was the Michelson-Morley experiment, the Vision was Einstein’s teaching; the Ritual was the Vedic ceremonies, the Vision was Lord Buddha’s Enlightenment.” The scientist not only agreed but has asked the writer to continue to work in that vein. This is the West which does not pride itself; this is the West where scientists are curious. This is the West where “God” somehow or other seems to have inspired people who have not the “magics” of ceremonies and philosophies. This is the West where one finds more and more scientists (very few non-scientists) looking into the reality (if possible) of universal consciousness.
First the heart, then the head, then the funds. This has been my experience with Mrs. Dickermann Hollister who conceived the “Temple of Understanding” and is attracting more and more people-and funds. In her work I find the Dream of Akbar coming true, coming true despite, not because of all the new leaders who follow more or less either “Sivaji” or Aurungzeb” and preach endlessly non-dualism.
Hindus claim, claim, claim to be following Lord Buddha. My own Guru, Papa Ram Das, said that the capacity for pain and suffering was no greater than the capacity for Bliss, and that Ananda consists in willingness to accept equally and exactly Pain-Suffering and Bliss. This writer suffered for weeks when the hostilities broke out and so wrote Dr. Radhakrishnan with whom there is empathy, sympathy and understanding. It is true but there is need to make followers of each particular Deliverer believe that some sort of Wisdom manifests in the followers of some other Deliverer.
Papa Ramdas was met first in the realm of Heart, or beyond it. And then gradually in the outer manifestation. This person had a debate with one of the persons whose writing you accept: “What are you here for?” “I had a pain.” “Is it gone?” “Yes.” “What was the pain?” “It was the pain of 50,000 starving Hindus.” “You are crazy, how could you have the pain of 50,000 starving Hindus.” Then Papa Ramdas entered: “No, you are crazy because this man knows what he is talking about and you do not.” But although Papa Ramdas said that this man knew what he was talking about, my friend, you accept the former view, and we must let it go at that. So how can I subscribe to a magazine that does not include the whole universe while claiming that. Claims plus exclusions are the order of the day.
The Mahamudra Meditation which is perhaps the denouement of the teachings of Lord Buddha is either foreign or unpracticed although in all likelihood both for the most part. One must exclude Dr. Radhakrishnan and Bhikshu Rahala, especially the latter who explained it in detail to the writer. But he did not permit the writer to reply from his own history. It was beautiful, it was enlightening and it was one-sided.
One of your writers complain about the lack of Sufi teachers. When the Government of the United States appointed Dr. Lyman Wilbur as its chief authority on the history of Southeast Asia he wrote the same thin and this person sent him the names of twenty Sufi teachers! The difference between the East and West is manifest-he accepted the names and went to call on them, but this is almost impossible with your countrymen. If there was an ounce of humility and curiosity you would be glad to know about them.
I must mention one of them. He wrote a book, “Whither Sadhu.” I read it: “Why this is the Upanishads! You have had the whole experience of the Upanishads!” Yet he is known as a Sufi and is rejected by your people.
One time I said: “Sahib, I think this is where the rishis used to meet. Will you please look and tell me?” “Yes, this is where the rishis had many temples.” It is at the base of the Himalayas and there are many springs and fountains there and this person could feel and “smell” and my friend could “see.”
At another time I said: “You know, my brother, that Saraswati and the great gods and goddesses are realities to me but I dare not explain this especially to those people who hold themselves high in the dharma.” “There is no question but that Saraswati is real and I accept Krishna and Rama and all Indian deities.” Yet he is a Sufi-and his existence contradicts some of the remarks made by your book-reviewers.
It is here that the scientist and metaphysician part company. The scientists want the “truth of religion” from experience and not from personalisms or doctrines. When I met Dr. S.C. Chatterji of Calcutta University he challenged me. “Which do you want? To hear the Flute-of-Krishna or to have a discourse immediately without preparation on the Chandogya Upanishad?” Our host said, “He is not fooling, he means exactly what he says.” The professor apologized. But no metaphysician, no cult leaders will have any of that. Thank God, so to speak, for our open-minded scientists. They meet in a few days. They want to investigate religion with that same fervor found in church and temple and ashram. This is the new America which is rising rapidly to the front. Not the America of politics, economics and press-reviews, but the America of the people who like Lord Buddha, wish to examine Causation and find answers, for the answers are there.
Like Lord Buddha the writer believes that the ego is the source of all ignorance, and that the solution comes in removing the ego, and the solution does not come with any doctrines of removing the ego. We love the doctrines and have the doctrines and the ego together.
About ten days ago I meet a Seeress who is an old friend. She was lecturing and explained that in one sense she had no faculty but as soon as the ego was removed, when there was no more manas and shankara, she could see anything. She has been accepted by the scientists and rejected by the metaphysical people. The metaphysical people do not wish to remove the ego. Buddha may have said, “Foregoing self the Universe grow I.” But we like doctrines about it, we like persons to acclaim it and accept those persons and no others. This is the age that is dying. It is not Science that is triumphant, it is anatta that is triumphant.
I retain my funds to and for those who practice Brotherhood and mutual exchange. India is starving, India lacks rain, India is wedded to Samsara and one feels the pain of all of it. Someday I hope your hearts will be as inclusive as your emotions.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
772 Clementina St.
San Francisco 3, Calif.
September 1, 1966
Dr. G. Malalasekera
High Commissioner of Ceylon
London, England
Is World Peace Possible?
My dear Friends:
I have before me Science and Peace by the famous Linus Pauling from which one quotes: (italics his)
I believe that there is a greater power in the world than the evil power of military force, of nuclear bombs—there is the power of Gods, of Morality, of humanitarianism.
Last week I called at the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions in Santa Barbara, California, as part of my theoretical “How California Can Help Asia” and was amazed to find the personal outlook often better expressed by either famous or scholastic-research people. But when I asked how they would translate some of their fine verbiage into action, the answer was not forthcoming. And the double invalidism of Prof. Pauling and my good friend, Prince Hopkins, made it advisable to make another trip to that city.
One remembers years ago an interview with the late Villabhai Patel (I was the only American admitted to his presence) when one offered an answer to a similar question. This brought friendship but as the years have gone on with the noble Dr. S. Radhakrishnan as President of India and the noble Vice- President, Russian, we see something in practice which was common to the words of both the Indian and American savants.
It is almost fifty years since my first meeting with our common teacher, Rev. N.T. Kirby. Almost everything he said is clear before me all the time and there has been a similar phenomenon in the case of the late real Zen teacher, Sokei-An Sasaki. And one is very pleased to read your remarks on Mahayana and Theravada which the Western analytical mind has twisted out of distortion, and having had the same man (Kirby) introduce me to each and both, working with and toward Unity and Unification one has never accepted those differences.
Besides I have lived near Taxila and Takht Bhai is on the estates of friends of mine. When I visit these places one is reminded that the divisions of schools was no greater than the divisions in departments at a single university and it is only the insistence of the manasic-Aristotelian mind that keeps us ignorant of the true Dharma (I am much more used to Sanskrit terms and will not apologize.)
After innumerable rejections recently some one lent me a hall to speak on “Vietnamese Buddhism.” With all the fighting going on and all the verbal proclamations, not the slightest attention has been paid to the poor peasants of the region in conflict. The purpose of that speech and of a repeat to be given under the auspices of our good friend, Rev. Iru Price, the idea is to collect funds for the Kwan Yin orphanages, terrible victims of senseless strife.
There is no apology for any emotional tones here for I am sitting in a chair once occupied by the Phra Sumangalo wherein he poured out his heart. We were like that for thirty-five years and this chair will some day be a museum piece to real Peace. It may have been prophetic that then he acceded to the writer as to the knowledge of Oriental teachings and this was confirmed last year by the Grand Master of Korea (Seo) and indirectly by several Zen Masters.
But what is important is our failure to recognize the reality of what may be called “The Grand Universe” in which Prof. Pauling has faith and which may be—and to me is—The Reality. For my climax, “Peace is Power” is explicable alike in the realms of Physics and Metaphysics.
The abbot at the Kegon Temple at Nara gave forth almost precisely what you are proclaiming now.
The day after the lecture the latest copy of the World Buddhist Federation magazine came and it was the vindication of one’s life. Since you left this region I have been engaged in a fierce some and generally losing battle against Farangi “pseudo-Buddhism.” We are fortunate in having in this country Prof. Richard Robinson and now some of the universities in the Midwest which will haves nothing to do with “Four-Englishmen pseudo- Buddhism.” And these four combined or separate seem to have no knowledge either of our teacher, Rev, Kirby, or of the Rhys Davids whose works I had to study both with him and my teacher in Comparative Religion.
Actually one night I addressed a small group here: “I am not going to lecture. I am merely going to read the words of the Lord Buddha and if anybody has ever heard them before, there will be an apology forthcoming.” One read from the Pali texts without comment. One man present cried—and later on he was blessed with the Grand Experience. But we have “Buddhism” here without any texts, Pali or Sanskrit, and at least half the “temples” do not even repeat Triratna.
In 1929 one met the late Dr Henry Atkinson of the World Church Peace Union and the then functioning, “Society for World Peace Through Religion.” At his request also one studied all the faiths not on our agenda and in 1957 one was able to reach him on his death-bed “mission accomplished.” To me his work is being continued by Mrs. Judith Hollister with her “Temple of Understanding” in Washington D.C.
In a joint letter once to Dr. Radhakrishnan and the WBF one wrote on “Four ways to Peace in Vietnam”—The Jhanas, the Mahamudra, the Ko-an and the Mantram.” They accepted these approaches. They are all experiences and all grew out of ay association with Dr. Kirby. And it to from this level of “Peace” that “Peace is Power” and this can and should be translated into action.
This is what I hope to do, to communicate more semantically to Dr. Linus Pauling and his colleagues in Santa Barbara.
[next page(s) missing]
772 Clementina St.
San Francisco 3. Calif.
March 12, 1967
Pauline Offner
c/o American Embassy, Consular Division
Bangkok, Thailand
Bodhisattva:
This is not a nice letter. It is written by an unnice man if, had he been nice would probably have died of a broken heart. I have watched Robert Clifton die, I have watched Eugene Burdick die. I am afraid now of Julie Medlock. She lived all over Southeast Asia and her on-the-spot were reports were rejected so she writes only now for the Asian press. Americans simply do not and will not trust other Americans. And we want Peace!
Last week I went to the first real Peace Conference of my whole life. I mean real ones. Everybody had to listen to everybody else and did and respected everybody else. There was no pick-and-chose. There was universal respect. I asked the man sitting next to me what his religion was. “I am a Buddhist. At least I am what used to be called a Buddhist.” I asked him what group he was associated with. “With no groups. I believe in Lord Buddha. I don’t believe in the local groups all of whom reject Lord Buddha. I practice the Jhanasa, I study the scriptures.” This rare bird was a real man, really sincere and working for real peace, not for some imaginary negative to be labeled peace , the first item of which is to reject what is told you by some old acquaintance.
I know there are others like him. But the real Buddhists who study the Scriptures and Practice the Way are far overwhelmed by noisy and popular groups who practice everything from rump-culture to drugs, but agree in not studying the scriptures and generally in not even repeating the Triratna.
The most curious thing is the total rejection of Karma by all these people. They are not observers of any moral principles; they do not respect their fellow-man, and often don’t respect society at all. Some of them are downright anarchists.
Our friend, Doug Burns returned and said there are no living Arhats. This is wonderful “Buddhism.” He has not met any so there are none. If I were an Arhat I certainly would not see him. All these people who read the Zen stories about over flowing tea-cups and then fill their minds so much they can not receive. And I have, without mentioning his name, challenged this to the WBF, challenging them to deny that Dr. Radhakrishnan is not Arhat or Bodhisattva. One does not carry any more. The person who affirms is an “egotist” and the one who denies is followed. This is the “only in America” way to? Enlightenment????
This has been the busiest part of a very, very busy life, no time at all. Endless legal litigation held up by a brother’s protracted illness. Then Vocha comes and gets sick and she sends me on an errand to my two lifelong friends, Rudolph Schaeffer and William Gaskin and they both are ill.
Then Lottie Fernandez gets ill and thinks she may not live long (Lottie and Vocha are friends but I dare not mention either to the other on account of illness.) Lottie decided that the old Mentor-garden Library started by Senzaki should go to someone who believe in the Buddhist Scriptures so I have it. I never wanted it, I am not a collector and old Sensei was not. But the local “Buddhists” have never accepted any prowess on my part, the institutions, excepting Asia Foundation will not have it. So the library. And just in time.
For there was a man sent out by Colgate University to study the effect of Buddhism on American culture. He asked me if I could explain Zen without a lot of enigmas and metaphysics and metaphors and I began, “However innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them all.” He stuck out his hands. He can’t be a leader in “Buddhism” in America, impossible (French pronunciation). He is an American who studied with Japanese and lived a long time in Japan and that means out, but the universities have discovered him.
Then a magazine agent came and gave me a long, long interview, the first in my life. Why that man actually believes that an American who goes to Asia and associates with Asians might know more of Asian philosophies than socially polite Englishmen or socially impolite Americans or complex Germans. It hasn’t been done, it is now being done.
It is regrettable that surrounded by illness I have not been able to keep up with Vocha. But I have written the WBF, I am not a “good Buddhist.” I teach the Jhanas and the breathing exercises of Lord Buddha and Shaku Soyen. But I emphasize Prajna. I don’t think there is a group here that does that. The silly Sixth Patriarch, writing at length on Prajna and saying that one did not come to Enlightenment by Meditation alone. Why all the Rumpists know better. If you can get calluses on your rump you have Enlightenment! And the people die in Vietnam and the war goes on and we think we can bring peace in the world by first distrusting each other.
As soon as I got the library I did a silly thing—demonstrated Sangha outlook. I consider myself tenant only, trustee, and have willed it to Rev. Iru Price whom Her Serene Highness selected because of his “House of Dharma.” Although Grand Master Seo selected me I am, despite all criticisms of egotism, not egocentric, I am dharma-centric and Sangha—centric and own nothing, just hold. I have no intention to trying to impress “Buddhists.”
I am impressing the young. They come and learn Buddha’s meditation and Shaku Soyen’s meditation and hear lectures on Prajna. I work with the disciples of our late Sensei, Nyogen Senzaki and the friends of the late Robert Clifton. We are all one. This I practice. Shaku Soyen said, “Practice Oneness.” I do this and therefore am not a “Buddhist.” I traveled all over Japan with a friend of old Sensei—two bodies, one mind. I am teaching this to the young. They accept and learn. They like it.
May all beings be blissful, may all being’s be peaceful, may all beings be happy.
Samuel L. Lewis (S.A.M.)
Rev. He Kwang (Zen-shi)
Pauline Offner
American Embassy Consular
Bangkok, Thailand
Summer 1967
Venerable Zen-shi—He Kwang
Thank you very much for your long, fascinating summer letter. I beg your forgiveness for my long absence. Living among huge buffaloes & tiny lizards, one enters a timeless mode of life. And asking butterflies & mosquitoes about “time” is useless. They know of no such man-made foolishness.
Your various expositions were of great interest. Have you restored the Mentorgarten yet? And thank you also for the superb picture of your “Fairy Godmother”—yes, she belongs to all.
Now, two years have passed since I came to Thailand, & it has been an enriching experience. Theravada has a great deal to offer—to those who have little dust in their eyes! They put great emphasize on understanding & wisdom; going into our own mind laboratory & getting the facts. And when one is busy with such wholesome work, there is little time for quibbling & foolish talk about labels & sects.
Today I am fasting in memory of my beloved teach, Nyogen Senzaki, who opened the door to the Dhamma for me—by showing me his living example of “Buddhism.” He passed away on May 7th & I usually fast the 7th of every month. His portrayal of Metta & Karuna has penetrated my whole being. My great hope I can continue a simple, secluded life for a longer time, so that the teachings—through study & meditation practice—will permeate me profoundly. And your letter arrived on the 7th!
Presently I am living at a small countryside monastery with 5 monks & 7 nuns (I moved here a few months ago). I go to Bangkok once a week to visit my teacher. It’s a 3 hour bus trip & rather expensive for my beggarly status, but I must sacrifice because the monastery offers a fairly good environment for study & practice. I keep a rather strict daily schedule to avoid the danger of sloth & torpor and eat one meal a day of fruit and vegetables.
I understand our dear Vocha is going to Japan. I hope very much we will meet during her travels. You mentioned a Mrs. Fernandez—I remember her well but haven’t heard from her for a long time. If you meet her again, pleas relay my very best regards.
Poor Dr. Doug Burns has been drafted & has left Thailand. He tried many ways to avoid it, but all failed.
There are now about 14-15 foreign monks here—from England, Germany, America, Switzerland, Canada & Australia & Philippines. Most of them are very sincere, but some are eager to “teach” or write—before they have climbed even 1/10th of the mountain. I prefer to follow monk Nyogen’s advice & practice 10 – 20 years first. But I am so dull-headed, I fear I may need about 50 years. Well, in any event, the climbing itself is of tremendous importance, isn’t it?
Your letters will always be heartily welcomed—your activities, Dhamma news & notes.
Hoping you are in best health and serene mind.
Metta,
Seiko
August 21, 1967
World Fellowship of Buddhists
41 Phra Athit St.
Bangkok, Thailand
Dear Aiem and Friends,
This place is called the Mentorgarten. The writer first became a member of the Mentorgarten under the influence of the late Re. M.T. Kirby, who later introduced one to Nyogen Senzaki, and when the Mentorgarten became active, around 1922, one was one of the first members. After Nyogen Senzaki moved to Los Angeles, and especially after most of his direct disciples left his world, both the remaining ones and the late Phra Sumangalo urged one to restore the Mentorgarten.
This year the Wheel turned bringing either the reward for punya, or for other reasons or non-reasons. Now one has the library of the old Zendo, the manuscripts of Nyogen Senzaki and also those of the Roshi Shaku Soyen and Tai Hsu. A favorable letter from Charles Tuttle has expressed willingness to examine these manuscripts.
At this time there is a check enclosed for Nine Dollars ($9.00) for three subscriptions, as follows (please note my new address):
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave
San Francisco, Calif.
94110 USA
Rev. J. Eugene Wagner
135 Ninth Ave.
Sa Francisco, Calif.
94110 USA
Rev. Dr. Neville Warwick
1551 Octavia St
98109 USA
One is now taking the opportunity to write on a most serious subject. A single individual does not represent a group, nor a Sangha unless he is officially recognized as such. Science is vast and there are in this country the American Association for the Advancement of Science and it has a sub-body Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. This person belongs to both associations but believing in the anatta doctrine just a little he does not propose that he stands for either of these large important bodies. He has spoken in gatherings of each, that is all. He is not a spokesman for them.
At a recent gathering here in San Francisco, both the officials of the International Society for General Semantics, and Dr. Abraham Kaplan, a noted philosopher, presented scientific aspects of the ego far more in line with what I have understood to be Buddhist teachings than our good friend, Dr. Burns. Whatever his views, they are not the views of any large group either of Buddhists or of scientists.
Lord Buddha appeared in the midst of a great culture and he did not combat that culture. In modern terms it would be said, he semanticised it. he demanded human experience as the basis for any system of philosophy or metaphysics. Not only did he see no reason to reject the existence of beings of various grades and gradations of evolution, seen and unseen, he acted and spoke as if certain types of beings were real, though our Western culture, at least certain phases of it, have never accepted such beings and such existences. But other people have.
It is only egocentric people that deny the experiences of others. Rev. Kirby, aforementioned, told me in detail his own satori and explained at length Prati-moksha (Pattimokha) based on real experience. If other people do not accept it, it is most unfortunate. Ignorant and untrained people do not accept Truth; that does not affect Truth, or Dharma.
The same applies to “The occurrence of Arahants.” If one has a private definition that is one thing. But if one calls those people “Arahants” who have had the experience of Moksha (Mokha) either once or many times, and have reached a state of cosmic ideation and cosmic function, their evolution is quite apart from public or any recognition.
It is certain in this lifetime this person has met several people who have attained. The WBF has recognized Dr. Radhakrishnan, and Dr. Radhakrishnan has called a number of persons “liberated souls” who are, in a sense, historical characters of this age. Whether Dr. Burns recognizes them or not is a matter of total indifference.
Nor do I accept, “At this point one may ask whether or not Buddhism is a satisfactory religion, for it offers salvation to so few.” This is neither my instruction nor my experience.
You will find on the walls of this house credentials in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. If Dr. Burns is right, these Orientals are wrong and if they are right he has the privilege of becoming humble. I am not going to name persons, for the very attitude of the denial of ego-substance itself carries one a long way toward liberation from Samsara.
If Buddha failed to establish lines of liberated souls (meaning name-and-form) then Buddhism had better recognize the parent Dharma from which it sprang. If he did—and to me there is evidence that he did—it is for Western scholars and devotes to study and practice. I refuse to accepts any advantage in Dharma (Dhamma) not based on attainment in the Bhumis and Paramis—this is my position; nor do I assent to the superiority of those who verbally and psychologically bypass the Bhumis and Paramis. But I bow in the dust to those who have had such experiences, at any level; and in any form.
Buddhist logic teaches that when syllogisms and logical forms are contradicted by human experiences the syllogisms and forms are wrong. In this it differs from the formal Logics of the Greeks and Hindus. And it is this Logic I believe will have to be adopted in the modern world as it accords with both scientific and spiritual progress.
It is not very sober when a writer claims to know what will happen to persons other than himself when a new phenomena occurs. And if it were to happen, he is not responsible for the resulting karma. I am glad Dr. Burns has said, “then perhaps the percentage of being reaching Nirvana is much greater than realized.” Realized by whom?
The Tevijja Sutra has been my own “Ocean's razor.” The individual is not constituted to speak for others because he has so self-considered himself to be spokesman. This is entirely against all Buddhist teachings and schools.
Dewdrops melt into shiny seas whether they are watched or not. The light can be recognized when we ourselves are equipped to recognize the light.
It is because I have known many who have experienced Moksha that I remain optimistic. Naming names is unimportant (though this can be done). “Seek out your own salvation with diligence” is much more important.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
October 14, 1967
Rev. Soen Nakagawa
Ryutakuji
Mishima City
Shizuoka, Japan
O Roshi San:
You will please forgive this miserable, stupid person (Japanese have the words, Americans do not) for having had the audacity to met the late Nyogen Senzaki in 1920 and to have been a member of his first Mentorgarten and later his first Zendo and also the first Zendo in Los Angeles on Turner St. He also had the audacity to have been one of the first Americans to have sat before the late Sokei-An Sasaki in 1930 when he knew hardly anybody and received Dhrama-transmission from him which Mrs. Ruth has accepted, to the annoyance of a lot of people. And again and again he had been asked to restore Mentorgarten which is now being done to the annoyance of people who do not accept the anatta of Sakya Muni, nor even the Triratna.
Now this person is not in erected in money or fame and never attached his ego-signature in collaborations with Nyogen Senzaki thus attaining money or fame. Ignored in this land he had the satori experience by Samma Drishthi immediately upon coming into the presence of Roshi Asahina Sogen, but the members of Zendos and much less of other “Sanghas” are not scientists and not moved by facts, or events.
The fact that there was some sort of Dharma-transmission was proven on the day you arrived at the San Francisco airport and the Dharma transmission was passed on immediately to a lady named Helen who averred she was the last secretary of the late Nyogen Senzaki. We met for a few minutes then and on some other occasions but it is very strange that too many people are concerned neither with facts nor anything but dualism.
This year brought an increase in income and one regrets to have to put on paper that 1/3 of one’s income is used for the Dharma now. One has one the walls credentials in Japanese, Chinese and Korean, and soon some from India, which is the type of nonsense dualistic people like.
Now without consulting others the Mentorgarten is restored exactly as wished by the late Roshi Soyen Shaku and his disciples Shaku Shaku and then Nyogen Senzaki. A whole trunk was picked up by this person and to his amazement his found his name written all over the possessions of our elder brother Monk, sometimes with instructions. One is holding this for Sangha. One ignores ego- self, and one is making a Sangha-will which none of his critics do as they have not studied the teachings of Buddha Sakya Muni, nor does one care.
It is many, many years, and this was started in the life time of our Elder brother, that we considered going over his lectures, and editing them to have a single Master Copy. This work will still take a long-time. The fact that this person say in the audience of some of the very first lectures and was given copies, does not touch the consciousness of ego-personalities. For from the beginning, both in the lectures and apart from the lectures the emphasis was on establishing the Dharma in the United States. That was not only the Supreme Wish of Nyogen Senzaki but also of the great Shaku Soyen. This is the Wish of this person and he holds this mission of Shaku Soyen above all else, to establish the Dharma in America.
Now therefore there are three things:
Permission is asked from you to edit Nyogen Senzaki’s papers. We would also like to publish them some day in some way. We do not care about any financial returns and indeed legal steps are being taken by myself to legalize the Mentorgarten which will act as custodian of papers and any moneys collected but would be turned over to you if requested.
We are having published manuscripts of Master Tai Hsu left the Nyogen Senzaki (this person was present at the lectures of Tai Hsu when he as the guest of Mentorgarten) . Also the lectures of Roshi Shaku Soyen. We are also seeking to republished “Sermons of a Buddhist Abbot.” The libraries are filled today with books by those who have had no Satori, no Dharma-transmission, no Patriarchal Zen and no Prajna-Paramita. All those things are removed and the single word “Zen” remains.
This person has submitted to examinations from the Grand Master of Korean, Ven. Seo Kyung Bo and passed #l in each test, and is accepted by Master Seo’s disciples. A report was made to Roshi Sogen Asahina, no answer.
A big meditation center may be established here soon with this person in charge. This person prefers to act as Sangha representative not as ego-individual leader. But also invited will be a Vietnamese Master. Both Dr. Thich Thien An and venerable Roshi Yasutani accepted this person on sight. You have been very kind to send recognition. At the moment all spare funds are used to work on these manuscripts, typing, buying supplies, paying secretary and all other things. If the manuscripts are published, any returns will go to Mentorgarten. If there is extra expense this person will pay. If the late Nyogen gave you any rights, you certainly could have any moneys from the sale of these books, excepting the Korean ones.
In the name of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha and in appreciation of what you are doing in this world.
Samuel L. Lewis
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[To The World Fellowship of Buddhists, first page missing]
November 17, 1967
I am compelled almost by force of circumstances to devote the rest of my life to the editing and perhaps publication of Buddhist manuscripts. It is a long story going back to the time when the late Rev. M. T. Kirby, later teacher of Dr. Malalasekera, was here. The Kamma of activity and perhaps the punya has brought not only a voluminous amount of material but the constant adage to study the Buddhist scriptures.
Good “Buddhists” are exempted from studying Buddhist scriptures. One does not know who gave them the exemption but they are. Go to all the many Buddhist centers in this immediate vicinity and you will find very, very few using any scriptures at all and the majority not reciting the Triratna. And they being “good Buddhists” have the say and one no longer cares. One must watch the detrimental Kamma and it is going to come for the Law is not changed by anybody exempting anybody. I personally saw the rise and fall of the Roerich Museum in New York. If anybody should have learned from this bizarre affair it ought to have been “Buddhists” but the same old mistakes, the pushing forward of personalities, the rejection not only of scriptures but of Bhumis and Paramis which are verbally posited and that is all. They do not present the Bhumis and Paramis much in this country as a whole and don’t have to—who exempted “them?"
Some of us are uniting together both in this land and in England to give the American people some inkling of teachings of Lord Buddha in both the Theravadin and Mahayana forms and also in human experience, in the real “expansion of consciousness” which is quite possible. But the one who has such experiences is supposed to shut up and the one who has not is permitted to comment at will, especially if he has the right robe and right ordination.
We did introduce Philip Kapleau into our class work here because he had experience and we accept experience in religion as we do in the sciences. And we do not permit speculation but we do permit devotion. The number of disciples of this person is growing rapidly. And we are also going to work with some of the ordained people of this vicinity.
The war continues and the principles of Lord Buddha are ignored. One represents Dr. Radhakrishnan shortly at a conference here. Is he a “Buddhist” or not? He has posited Prajna (Panna). So does the writer. The writer recently read Tevigga Sutta which is not of particular importance to “Buddhists.” There it shows clearly that moksha depends on human experience and not on conventions. We need more Buddha and less “Buddhism.” Next semester the University of California is going to accept the work one is doing on real Buddhist manuscripts and real teachings of both Pali and Sanskrit origin, mostly without commentary and entirely without speculation.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco
November 18, 1967
World Fellowship of Buddhists
41 Phra Athit St.
Bangkok, Thailand
Dear Aiem and Friends,
It is with great sadness this letter is written and although largely in comment or responds to Brahmachari Dharmarakshita's remarks on Kamma there is little evidence in practice that Kamma is or has to be accepted by those who call themselves “Buddhists.” Indeed, “Buddhists” like other religionists, consider themselves above and this mere consideration is itself a contradiction of the teachings of Lord Buddha, the one thing that the majority of “Buddhists” seem to have in common. And there is nothing one fears more than the Kamma of the pretense and personalisms having invaded the Sanghas, what is the aim or goal rather than large memberships.
This person is one of the few that teaches Breath-Mindfulness as a basis of meditation, as noted on page 13 in reference to Upasaka Ratnasuvanno. Indeed, as soon as one is properly ordained, he can get rid of Breath-Mindfulness or anything else. And to ignore the kamma of the breaches of Dhamma is itself a contributing factor to the degradation of the world.
Buddha may have taught anatta, but there is little in contemporary Buddhism to support it. The words are used, that is all. And one does not agree that “Science alone will never be able to eradicate disease and mental and bodily suffering from human life” is an unsubstantiated opinion contradicting the very teachings of Lord Buddha not to put the mind on probabilities and improbabilities. But one writes fairly certain that this point will be ignored and the Kamma will operate detrimentally to those who ignorantly or otherwise contradict the actual teachings of Dhamma.
For one thing is certain: Scientists accept each contribution of their fellows (1) which Buddhists do not; (2) the contemporary scientists have accepted the anatta position in actuality, and many, many “Buddhists” are either verbally noncommittal or posit the words but not the depths behind those words.
The article reads: “In Buddhism there is moral law and moral order, and these principles are supreme.” What moral law? What moral order? What examples? Yes, in Buddha's teaching. But you are advertising works by Dr. Douglas Burns who has severely contradicted nearly all the teachings of Lord Buddha and many of the teachings of both Theravada and Mahayana which he is privileged to do but one wonders who bestowed that privilege?
In the sciences experience is needed and in the teachings of Lord Buddha experience is need but now “fame” is needed and if one has the proper “fame” he does not need substantiating experience at all!
Sunday I spoke on The Five Ashrams. I do not believe anybody in the world has ever spoken on this subject. Indian society had four ashrams—student, householder, forest dweller and wandering ascetic. There was a school here called The American Academy of Asian Studies and the staff stood unanimous against my presenting my own experiences in these Ashrams—excepting one man who has since returned to India. This show how ignorant we are of Indian Dharma. We like it that way; we like the short cut of lectures by people. We are afraid not only of transcendental experiences but even of slight adventure which takes any comfort from us.
I do not choose to repeat this lecture or write until it is presented to Rev. Warwick here who will probably laugh all over. For it, like the real Great Truths is something very, very obvious, and almost, as Christ taught, clear to little children. metaphysicians simply can't get it and egocentrists will have no idea about it although it is right in front of them.
This lecture had the strange result of attracting two young men and two young women, in addition to my regulars and irregulars. And on the next night, while lecturing on Compassion, I found one of them had a stiff neck. I said, “I am like everybody else—filled with words, filled with sermons, telling about the wonders of “Compassion” and somebody in the audience has a stiff neck.” Well, I not only have a stiff neck but I am stiff-necked like the Bible says. We are going to get rid of that stiff neck and then talk about “Compassion.”
I know this is contrary to any ethics of any church of any kind. But being a Master of Esotericism—or beguiled to believe I am and all the young think I am—I was able to give them many esoteric exercises and we got rid of that stiff neck—We, not I.
The result is that these young people are now all attracted at a time when I must move and am not particularly interested in gaining disciples of followers. But one is constantly discussing the Bodhisattvas and verbally demonstrating them. It is more than words.
Rev. Warwick has pointed out that if ten people would do the Mahamudra they would change the affairs either of their surroundings or of the world. But I am still skeptical of any people in Ojai, pretending to believe in Tibetan teachings and I am also skeptical of my own skepticism, that if any are, I should like to meet them. True Tibetans defy Prajna but that is much better than the tomfoolery all over the country which neglects it. The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch is based on Prajna and the “Zennists” of this land know as much about it as I know of Japanese and Chinese. So the world suffers because of ego-dishonesty.
Therefor, when I have moved I shall present again Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch with its great teachings of Prajna and Repentance and I believe the young will accept what you can squeeze into their elders unless these elders have some transcendental experience, which most of them fear, and fear terribly.
The Bodhisattva realizes that world-healing and self-healing are the same. In each pain he knows the reflection of suffering on the surface of the world, without and each affliction is nothing but a reflection of the world scourge. So long as there are enemies there will be war.
Buddhism cannot and will not achieve peace because Buddhists will not—although they can—recognize each other. They simply won’t. Each has its ritual and each suspects anybody that does not achieve by their particular ritual. So whether it is Dr. Douglas Burns in Burma, or anybody here one can go around and fail to find those who have the Enlightenment Experience, or rather some weird subjective transformation which they call “Enlightenment” which is beyond their experience.
Despite the Sixth Patriarch modern “Zen” Buddhists are of two sorts. One group rejects Prajna entirely and is very insistent upon ritual. The rituals have no effect. Years of sitting and no satori and everybody blames oneself and the blame is in the abolition of Prajna. Therefor one is going to buy more and more copies of Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch and distribute them around the world, or else one will simply contribute to Kwan Yin Hospitals. And one fears with a terrible fear all the separate collection gatherings of all different groups calling themselves “Sanghas,” looking for palace retreats instead of finding the Three Refuges within themselves.
The more dominant Buddhists throw out the Pancha Sila and everything else that is noble and promote fantasies and fancies.
The Diamond Sutra, among others, tells of the grades of Bodhisattva. but we superior people prefer the statement that “those who know do not speak” and then we listen to the chatter-monkeys who add, “those who speak do not know” and we accept the chatter -monkeys and follow the world into damnation instead of helping together toward enlightenment.
Wesak Celebration here in San Francisco will have the virtue of being a get-together, an achievement and the chief speaker is a man who is versed in the Dharma.
The visit of Dr. Thich Thien An was an achievement. Mutual understanding was easy. he found, despite the number of “Sanghas” and leaders that there are some Americans who have experienced various phases of enlightenment, which means, have developed the capacity of infinite empathy for the suffering of others, and who take the Bodhisattvic Vow seriously.
No ritual is going to save us. But ritual; will continue and war will continue and confusion will continue and we will not “love the neighbor as the self,” the worse because the Lord Buddha tried to efface the ego-demarcations and that is the last thing “Buddhists” wish to do today, will do. The only answer is Do It Yourself.
The world cannot go Buddhist because Buddhists either reject their own scriptures or slavishly follow the words. There need be no effects. And if one does achieve, his fellows arrogate to themselves the right to reject such achievement. So we need a scientific religion (or Dharma) in which those who have not achieved will listen, if only rarely, to those who have. As one said to a fellow Bodhisattva in this general region: “Buddhism is the greatest of all religions". “Yes, I know but why do you say that to me?” “Because it is the only one where those who know have to sit and listen to those who do not.” “Exactly, and that is why you never ever see me at any temple or gathering."
Instead of the ignorant listening to the wise, it is the other way. But one reserves the right to recite the scriptures even as a ritual and to hope someday the Triratna can be restored and from that some effort is made even if only by a few to reach levels of understanding and awakening that will benefit themselves and the world.
What the world needs is an institution where the wise may speak and the unwise will listen. Or where the unwise, unwilling to listen to others, will listen to the Wisdom within themselves. One is not optimistic. Most “Buddhists” in America will do nothing of the sort. Samsara marches on—but unseen the Dharmakaya.
Faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
He Kwang
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
June 11, 1969
W.B.F. News Bulletin.
41 Phra Athit St.,
Bangkok, Thailand
Dear Aiem and Friends:
There is a vast abyss between the word “compassion” and the extension of this magnificent quality to others. The common misusage which is quite approve is to “extend it to all mankind” and in the name of this verbal extension refuse it to the one next to you. This means, of course, the decay of Dharma, and I shall continue to use the Sanskrit terms because they were taught to me by the late Dr. M. T. Kirby the hero of our good friend, Dr. Malalasekera. Besides, in general, Sanskrit is in use now in this country.
I have no intention of imposing my own elevation as Fudo Bosatsu in Japan because any such report is regarded as “egotism.” But the training and discipline and the hard adherence to honesty and experience more than doctrine, till now gaining no friends, is just as rapidly gaining friends and “followers.”
No sooner had this letter been written than a letter was received from the Department of East Asian studies at Harvard accepting my report on the late Trebitsch-Lincoln and I shall certainly send facts to these people although my own papers were destroyed in 1949. But religionists in general and sectarians in particular do not like facts, no matter how substantiated, which interferes with their theologies, claims and speculations.
I spent a whole year once studying nothing but Tipitaka to give a single lecture on “Buddhism” During the years I have found all kinds of “experts,” “authorities,” and of course, “sectarians,” who do not have to do any such thing to be accepted and the acceptance of the deniers of Tripitaka as “Buddhists” is going to work out its own cosmic karma. And as a Fudo I cannot help “seeing” the karma of pretense, ignorance and egotism.
I do not see where the speculative so-called “Mahayana Philosophy” by Bhikku Yen-Kiat has anything to do with anything but book-pseudo-knowledge. There is a vast difference between such speculations and either the Bodhisattvic oath or the application of this oath to the dally life. Like the American Walt Whitman, one practices, “In all men I see myself.” But I do not are anything in the speculative Philosophies of anybody about anything.
The article by Bhikkhu Khantipalo is, of course, true both theoretically and practically. Some day we are going to have impersonal, quasi-scientific disciplines which will remove any statements of whosoever because “he” said it. On this point Lord Buddha and “Buddhism” (which he did not teach) are far, far apart.
I believe that here in America we shall soon have, and indeed we have already Arya Dharma. I know of several professors in universalities who are offering what none of the temples, churches and I-me-Sangha groups are offering. I see no sign that any Parami is running around telling somebody, anybody, much less everybody that they are right, etc.
We are rapidly moving to a day when many of us will get together and listen and accept those who have had Enlightenment experiences and stop once and for all the egoists (who, of course deny ego) from stopping those who have had such Enlightenment experience. The influence of Kapleau is spreading, but I believe there may be many other Upayas which work, including the four Jhanas and others, actual Upayas and not speculations or discussions about unsuccessful Upayas. Tathagata spoke endlessly against useless means. And so long as means are important and more important than experience, we shall no doubt have “Buddhism” but we shall not have Arya Dharma, we shall not have Enlightenment.
No, I do not expect any answer, no, I do not expect any of this to be published. No, I do not expect anything but karma operating and not just to please authorities and important people. When those who write about “selflessness” become a little more curious about the Enlightenment experiences of others, we shall have a better world.
Mehta,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.,
San Francisco, Calif. 94110
September 22, 1969
World Fellowship of Buddhists
41 Phra Athit St.
Bangkok, Thailand
Dear Aiem and Friends:
This will introduce to you Staff Sergeant James H. Bank who is now stationed in your country and I understand, also in Bangkok. Any courtesies extended will be more than appreciated. And all my friends have heard, of course, of Her Serene Highness, Princess Poon Diskul Pismai.
It was only a few days ago the decision was reached to attend the next international gathering of The Temple of Understanding. Some of you no doubt accompanied Her Serene Highness to the Calcutta gathering this year. Since that time financially, socially and intellectually my own affairs have improved making travel possible where and when there is a need. So I am going to ask Sergeant also to act as my intermediary in your land.
Also this morning I gave a check to our mutual friend, Rev. James Eugene Wagner. He is also going very well today. This check was to cover copies of The Encyclopedia of Buddhism. I have given two copies to the University of California at Berkeley as my golden anniversary offering and am now prepared to give copies to the University at Los Angeles through our mutual friend, Dean
Carroll Parish.
Another copy will be given to the University of New Mexico, through the Philosophy Department and especially through Prof. Archie Bahm with whom most excellent relations have been established. I intend to place copies of The Encyclopedia of Buddhism into as many institutions as I can afford.
Mehta,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave,
San Francisco, Ca. 94110
September 27, 1969
Dr. Malalasekera
National Council for Higher Education
P. O. Box 1406
Columbus 7, Ceylon
My Dear Dr. Malalasekera:
The years roll on and this quondam disciple of the late Dr. Kirby is more active than ever. Some day I hope to convert a few of the actual so-called “experts” on Oriental Philosophy to the principles of “the wheel of the law” for the most part I am too busy, too active, to be concerned with human foibles.
Using some of the moral principles found in the teachings of Lord Buddha, the most complicated problems of life become settled. In addition the most important former enemy is now a close friend. We have both benefited financially and otherwise. And persisting meditative meditation on was directed, so to speak, to use some of the added income to purchase copies of the Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Here, this had been done in cooperation with Revs. Prices and Wagner, both of whom are well-known to you. Copies of the encyclopedia have been placed in two libraries of the University of California, Departments of south Asian Studies and Far East Studies. To follow, copies will be placed in the libraries of the University of California in Los Angeles and the University of New Mexico. One reason for this is that Dean Carroll Parrish of the University of California in Los Angeles has been a good friend of our mutual friend Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul.
As to the University of New Mexico. There is an instructor there called Archie Bahm, who is both Interested in Buddhism and the Broad Universal Outlook. He is one of a growing number of American professors who are gradually displacing the European “experts” who so dominated the picture when you were here. This is very satisfying.
One of the next copies will be sent to The Temple of Understanding in Washington, D.C. I do not know how much interest you have in this undertaking but her Serene Highness Princess Poon attended the convocation in Calcutta early this year. I now have a personal representative in Bangkok who may act as an emissary between San Francisco and the WBF, but the copy for The Temple of Understanding may be purchased locally, wrapped, etc., here.
However, I wish to send the fascicules as available also to my personal Roshi Master Kyung-Bo Seo, Dean of Buddhist College, Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea. Can you or your associates see to this? Dr. Sec has been also Grandmaster of all the Buddhists in this country. If you will let me know, I shall be glad to send you the money as soon as advised. Or if you so feel, you may ship the parcel and bill me. I may continue to work thru Revs. Price and Wagner but my fields of operation are geographically much larger.
I shall also want another copy sometime next year for the Lama Foundation which is located in the state of New Mexico. This is a growing enterprise of young Americans interested in spiritual development—in Upayas and not in speculative metaphysics. It is a growing institution, and there are a number of such institutions now manifesting in this country.
In 1965 I spoke at the Psychedelic conference here. This was held under the auspices of the University of California and therefore not dominated by arrogant, self-centered “experts,” On that occasion I spoke three times on “Joy Without Drugs.” And now I present the first two jhanas to all my audiences. I think exactly one other person in this vicinity presents the jhanas. I am not concerned. Americans are by nature pragmatic; they soon find out that the jhanas are real and operative. In general this applied to a number of New Age movements in this vicinity which have generally been written up negatively. It is my intention to cooperate further in this direction after the next convention of The Temple of Understanding aforementioned.
With kindest personal regards,
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
December 7, 1969
Embassy of Ceylon Washington, D.C.
Attention: cultural attaché
Sirs:
In re “Encyclopedia of Buddhism”
We are very much interested in getting copies of this most important effort on the part of your countrymen. You may be aware of the growing interest in actual Oriental studies in this land, and we hope you will agree that it is important to get valid materials at least in the hands of scholars and devotees. But we have been unable to get any answer from our inquiries, though we have the funds, etc., available therefore.
We have already placed copies of this encyclopedia, in so far as available, in several of our universities, and wish also to have at least one for The Temple of Understanding, about which we hope you have some inkling. It also has been offered because we have promised to pray for another set for the chief Sangha in Korea.
The writer first studied Buddhism many years ago under the now probably forgotten Dr. M.T. Kirby, who passed away while living at the Island Hermitage. We have never forgotten his instructions, nor lost interest in his endeavors.
Any information that you can place in our hands that would further better international understanding along these lines, would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
Feb. 7, 1970
Pauline Offner
Wat Kow Chalark
Bangphra Siracha Cholbari, Thailand
My dear Pauline:
Thank you for your post card on your return to Thailand. So much has been happening, is
happening.
I am now a sort of “Guru” with a large and growing following, nearly all young. I eschew orthodoxies. Last week I said there were more Buddhist organizations in San Francisco than there are people who have read the words of the Buddha. We do use the jhanas, and I again spoke on the Tevijja Sutta. I am going to carry a copy of this sutra with me for my projected trip to Geneva.
There is scheduled a meeting for the leaders of all faiths, to meet under the auspices of The Temple of Understanding. Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul is one of the chief speakers and leaders in this movement. It may even become historical when we meet again, she representing in a sense “the East” and I representing in a certain sense “the West’.
Although we are verbally followers of quite different faiths, we are in entire accord with the manifestation of thingness from ultimate Universal Silence and Peace, and the differentiations between what the Hindus call maya and samsara on the one hand and Moksha (Mokkha) on the other. We both agree that salvation and liberation belong to human experience and are the objectives of our ephemeral existences.
I long felt as you do that the Bodhisattvic Oath compels me to work in the midst of turmoil. There is a New Age in this land; new generations arising with totally different outlooks, and many of these in the general direction of peace, understanding, and spirituality. The universities now have professors presenting the religions and cultures of Asia chiefly where they themselves have been students of Asians. This is a very far cry from the past. Everything is a far cry from the past.
We hope also to arrange some talks on Vietnamese Buddhism here, to find out what it is all about.
I suppose I am spoiled by the wonderful weather we have here, especially in the San Francisco Bay region, never too hot or cold all the year round. This makes it possible to work in the gardens and to go for walks, and thus to keep in excellent health year in and year out. There is now a new Zendo here whose Roshi an Englishwoman was a disciple of the late Phra Sumangalo. Everything is moving and moving right in what one may regard as “the right directions’.
Mehta,
Samuel L. Lewis
London
April 8, 1970
World Fellowship of Buddhists
41 Phra Athit Street
Bangkok, Thailand
Dear Aiem and Friends:
May all beings be blissful, may all beings be peaceful, may all beings be happy. If you ever attended any of my meetings in California, you would be greeted by many happy shining faces. The number of these is increasing in quantity. The brightness of many of them is also increasing in quantity. Why should one challenge the merit of another?
The conference at Geneva was a wonderful external achievement. The bringing of many persons together on any basis of friendship is more than any theory and doctrine of any faith. One had the supreme advantage of being able to converse with each and all, and on their basis not one’s one.
This person came from a fairly well-to-do family. He passed with highest educational honors possible. And what was his reward? He was taught neither trade or profession, he was not permitted anything, no matter what it was, and he saw many, many thousands of dollars squandered on a brother who had no consideration for any moral law. Now this person is a scientist, rather than a religionist. Most religionists do not practice their own moral code; they expect others to practice it. But this person met Dr. M.T. Kirby early in life, and had read the Dhammapada even earlier. He tried it scientifically rather than hypocritically. His father called him on his death bed and relented and began to restore everything, so that after his father’s death, he was able to retire free heavy material duties, not entirely but largely.
His brother was even worse. There is no need to recount. Karma is karma, and there is a endless stream of it. Samsaras are Sanskaras and it is doubtful whether they can be self-eliminating. Here again, one practiced the Dhammapada. His brother hovered for many months between life and death and suddenly assented to one’s traveling abroad. Now one’s brother has just passed away, leaving sufficient funds for one to live at ease and travel or do anything necessary in this life.
One told Ven. Gunaratana that one was a firm believer in dukha, anicca, and anatta, but this did not make one a “Buddhist,” one becomes a “Buddhist by joining an organization, not by enlightenment experience. One can have endless enlightenment experience, but if one joins the right organization, one can become a Buddhist. One can have complete control over lust, greed, and anger. Another can put on robes, without or without shaving the head—he is a superior person. The layman who does not run around disguised is inferior. The robed dignitary does not have to spread bliss or happiness or peace; he just has to utter words; he just has to perform some ceremony.
Lama Anagarika came to San Francisco, talked on compassion, and would not let anybody sit near him in a crowded hall. He also wrote that he never met an enlightened man in all southern Asia, but he is a dignitary, he is a monk, he has been permitted to marry, and he is definitely a superior person who should not be crossed. This person is accepted and his articles are acceptable. It has been the personality than counts, not the truth of experience. As Alan Watts used to say, “The right means in the hands of the wrong person are of no value.” I don’t know where he got it, but it is not enlightenment, it is personality that counts.
You have recognized with honor and, I think, rightfully, the great Dr. Radhakrishnan. Was he? is he? a Buddhist? You have so accepted him. I don’t think there is a point on which we differ. We have sat together united in deep, meditation.
You can come to California. There are a lot of so-called Buddhist groups. Many of them do not even recite the Triratna. The largest and richest groups do not recite the Triratna, but they are recognized as “Buddhists’, although I have been as being so-called “Mahayana’, the first thing I teach to all young people who come to me in the first jhana. The other Buddhists do not practice the jhanas; my young people do. The practice of the first jhana or deep meditation results in increased capacity for bliss, increased capacity for love, increased capacity for peace. This is very effective in their lives actually. They practice jhanas, they have the resulting experience toward enlightenment from the jhanas, but we have no ceremonials, no ritual, no temple, and no church. But I think we shall have a Temple of Understanding, and not only a Temple of Understanding but a temple with understanding.
The young people do not want church, they do not want sect, they do not want distinctive differences; they want Sangha in all its meanings, including perhaps the hole human race and not some distinctive group. They will practice meditation, they will practice love (and I distinctly do not mean lust), but they will no longer accept priest craft or monkery.
I think we are the only group in San Francisco that regularly studies the Tevigga Sutta. We do this in scientific spirit, but we also accept “union with Brahm” which this Sutta teaches. We try to actualize all the teachings, all the methods and all the enlightenment experiences of this “Sutta” and in a scientific spirit I say it works and I see it work.
You have accepted personalities from California as “Buddhists” who teach exactly the opposite of what many Buddhists believe—we mean concerning the existence of nats, gandhabbas, devas etc. You have published such articles. The persons writing such things have no following except a few personal friends. They play no part in either the spiritual or intellectual life in California and there is nothing we can do about it except watch the deleterious karma. What these detrimental articles based on ego ignorance have to do with, enlightenment, I do not know.
The young want enlightenment and you give them words, words, words written by self-superior men. What can that do in the world?
This person worked with the late Dwight Goddard trying to bring Buddhists together in friendship. Goddard died of a broken heart because of extreme ill- will between one Buddhist group and another. This person tried it a few years ago; it was impossible. The very persons you have accepted showed such displays of temper, ignorance and ego-centricity that we were not able to complete properly even a single meeting. One has extreme admiration for Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul Pismai. One has just been highly honored by her by trying to correct one of faults which may or may not exist and totally ignoring faults in personalities which the WBF recognizes.
I do not believe this is the way toward enlightenment. I do not believe this is the teaching of Lord Buddha. I do not believe it is the dharma in any form.
This person was put upon the Bodhisattvic oath in 1923. He is unconcerned whether it is accepted or not, whether it is acceptable or not to or by others. He tries to keep away from ill-will. He has illustrated above the most important incidents. Now if you can keep away from ill-will, greed and anger, those persons whom you have recognized in my country, one would be very happy indeed. But one has long since ceased to demand or expect from others. Anyone can utter noise word like “compassion”; it is the living, loving heart that illustrates it. With all good will.
Samuel L. Lewis
410 Precita
San Francisco 94110 California USA
May 7, 1970
H.S.H. Princess Poon Pismai Diskul
41 Phra Athit
Bangkok 2, Thailand
Your Serene Highness:
It was with great joy that we could meet again now in a third part of the world, although under somewhat different conditions. We had brought with us some documents which would support the establishment of The Temple of Understanding and also copy of Tao Te Ching.
The experiences of a person who has not only studied all the religious but been a devotee in each may be unusual. Several of the orthodox present tried to convert me; none of them asked me what I believe. It is juvenile to speak on “love and compassion” and then try to convert or correct others without seeking first to ascertain what they believe; or more than what they believe, what they practice.
It was no vain threat when I spoke, “If seniors could not establish a Temple of Understanding, the young people would.” There is nothing, absolutely nothing, standing in the way of this at this writing. We are not going to try to shock others into action, but we are going to try to show by example and by this example and all this verbal nonsense about love and compassion and brotherhood. These are going to be demonstrated by the young. These belong to the universal dharma.
I am very sorry to have to offer any type of correction to anybody, but when Dr. Radhakrishnan offered certain wards, you accented them without a demeure. Now you have full right to right to make a distinction between Dr. Radhakrishnan and the writer, but when this is done: what happens to the anatta doctrine which Buddhists proclaim?
I was given a grand departure by a crowd of young people with smiling faces when I left for Geneva. I was given an equally worm departure by the young in London and a still warmer farewell from Boston, Massachusetts. When I returned the brightness of the smiles and the radiance of the personalities of my young friends was too much. I took my secretary, Mansur, with me so I could have a living witness to the type of experiences, inner and outer, which form the patterns of my life.
Assuming for the moment that there is such a thing as personality, it was an earlier version of your good self that predicted and predicated the potential good karma. When I reached London, the news came that my brother had died. My income today up to that time had been three times as much as it was when I was in Bangkok with you and four times as much as when you were in San Francisco. Now it is increasing again with signs of further and further increase. That is one aspect of it.
I think I am the only one in this region who presents the practice of the four jhanas. There are a lot of Buddhists here. There are a lot of Buddhists here which then WBF recognizes. Many of them do not even repeat the Triratna, but they are “good Buddhists,” they are recognized. I have long since left this type but find that one of them, highly honored, which refused to repeat the Triratna when I proposed it, now repeats it. This shows the superficiality of the acceptance of the teachings of Lord Buddha by so-called Buddhists. So long as superficiality and membership rolls and financial prowess are important, the dharma is sure to decline.
I find that the practice of the jhanas transforms the personality. This has not been officially recognized, and I accept this non-recognition. Neither acceptance nor non-acceptance have anything to do with wisdom. A number of years ago, all the so-called Buddhists in this region submitted to an examination given by Master Seo Kyung Bo of Korea. This person passed number 1. Although among the various applicants were a number of personalities highly esteemed by the WBF, so be it.
The other day a devotee of one of these schools came to my house without invitation. He claimed to be an advanced student of a highly recognized teacher, and when I asked him what enlightenment was he gaped and gawked and sat paralyzed. This is in contrast to my disciples who practice the jhanas and are living lamps of the real teachings though we be recognized, though we be not recognized.
I give at least one talk a year on the tevijja-sutta. I think I am the only one in this region who does that. Some day I may write a commentary on it. It seems that Lord Buddha was not entirely in accord with “Buddhists,” He showed the way to union with “Brahm,” It is in the scriptures. I am not interested in the rejection of these scriptures by anybody. A person slightly in accord with the Anatta and Anicca teachings could cognize and recognize the transformatory flow Of life. Therefore I disdain all the analytical and differential teachings of all orthodoxies. I Might as well proclaim right here that I have had both the satori and samadhi experiences and am not the least bit interested in the egocentric rejections of them by any faith or no faith. Tathagata
Tathagata taught: “May all beings be blissful, may all beings be peaceful, etc.” That is exactly what I expect from myself. I hold myself responsible when my students or even my audiences do not attain greater accommodations for bliss, peace, joy and love. I hold myself responsible and not others. The result is that an ever-growing number of young people come to me, come to me, are coming to me, for many reasons or for no reason.
It is notable that the two masters a Japanese and a Korean, in whose presence satori-samadhi was evinced; both declared that Christ and Buddha are one. I see no difference between the beatitudes of Jesus and the declarations of Tathagata. But beyond that, I make it my business to enforce them by trying to show others how to lift their veils and become lamps to themselves and to the world.
We visited the Vihara at London where there was light and morality. We visited the largest Buddhist Center in London where there was social acceptance and intellectuality, membership money and prestige. We visited certain other personalities who would be called Mahayanists whose very atmospheres emanated peace, power, love, and joy. We saw something of this in the personality of the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Geneva.
Personally, I do not accept sectarian divisions any more than I can cut a flowing river with a knife. Orthodoxies mean nothing to me. I can pray and worship with all peoples. I am not interested in correcting them. I am interested in joining in their devotions and working or common ideals.
The dharma is no respecter of persons. One by one I have seen the downfall of all the various personalities with whom you had to associate when you were in San Francisco. Yes, I did, object strenuously when one of them was named to become more active for the Temple of Understanding. A representative of lust, greed, and anger on any board would sooner or later destroy the undertaking.
I tell you Your Serene Highness that the youth of the day will have no more traffic with pretense, with personality acclamations, and with empty oratory. Jesus has said, “Let your light shine before men.” I don’t think there is any difference with Lord Buddha here. Sometimes I perform darshan. It is real, it is effective and it is only now even being accepted superficially, but that is something.
I am hoping to be present at the next conference of the Temple of Understanding and evince more love, more joy, more peacefulness; and even bring evidence of this by having more disciples with me than just my secretary, Mansur. I do not like to write this way, but at a time when all factions within my country, the United States of America, seem to be united on the quest for excitement, it is possible that a firm personality can and does win hearts towards something more than excitement, toward real living peace, love, joy and bliss.
Most faithfully,
Samuel L. Lewis
May 11, 1970
Department of Cultural Affairs
135 Dharmapala Mawata
Colombo 7, Ceylon
Honored Sirs:
The writer has long been a student in oriental philosophies. His very first teacher was the late Dr. M. T. Kirby, who later became the Thera of the famous Dr. G. Malalasekera. His closest friend for a number of years was the late Dr. Robert S. Clifton, sometimes known as Fra Sumangalo.
Circumstances, and/or punya, have resulted in a considerably higher income than one had earlier in life, and one has wished to obtain copies of The cyclopedia of Buddhism for oneself and immediate disciples; for two departments at the University of California in Berkeley; for the University of California in Los Angeles, and for the University of New Mexico. The available fascicles have been purchased and donated.
One would like to have copies of all later editions, etc., until the entire Encyclopedia might ultimately be in the hands of students and scholars. There is a great interest in various forms of ritualistic Buddhism but not much attention has been paid to scholarship. I think both are necessary, but it is the scholastic aspect wherein my interests lay. Besides this, I was for a long time colleague of the late Dwight Goddard, whose work was never completed.
You may be interested to know I have been recently to the conference of the world’s religions held at Geneva, Switzerland. There I met my old friend Her Serene Highness Princess Poon Diskul. Also the Ven. Gunaratana Maha Thera. Later I visited the Vihara in London.
Hoping you can supply me with the desired information and also publications, and assuring you on my part a proper financial cooperation,
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Lewis
Winston L. King % Dr. Hachiro Yuasa
64 Nakakawara-cho,
Shimogamo, Kyoto 606, Japan
November 27, 1970
Mr. Melvin F. Meyer
311 White Drive,
Starkville, Miss. 39759 USA
Dear Melvin Meyer:
I am sure that by now you may be having unkind thoughts about me. But two misadventures occurred to your letter: (1) It was held in Vanderbilt for a time before forwarding; (2) I did not note that your return address was only on the envelope and not on the letter itself until I had thrown the former away. What to do? I finally wrote back to VU and all they had was what is supposed to be your home address. Later I wrote to someone else in California who likewise knows the Rev. Seo, but have not yet heard from him. So I will write and ask to have it forwarded. I hope you get it—and I am sorry about the delay.
I don’t know what the NY Times says (said) about the conference. (If you happen to have the clipping I would be interested to see it.) Actually we just happened to be in Korea at that time, and were invited at somewhat late date. We were the only U.S. “representatives” there. My impressions of the conference are somewhat as follows:
(1) It was very much of a Korean effort of Korean-Buddhist motivation (it seemed me) hoping to put Korean Buddhism on the map. And it has been neglected, in scholarly and practical ways.
(2) Dominating all of the sessions (and this was not confined to Koreans) was a sense of the urgent need for Buddhists to involve themselves in socially relevant activities, particularly with respect to world peace. This went along with a somewhat “doomful” sense of the hitherto ineffectual role that Buddhism (and perhaps all religions) have been playing in the face of crisis situations in the world in general. By contrast one or two of the few Europeans who were there felt that the most important aspect, or one that must not be neglected, was the inward purity-peace theme. East going West, and West going East!
(3) There was a sense of the need for Buddhist ecumenicity. And while the Koreans as hosts and sponsors organized the proceedings, there was on the part of all a genuine attempt to reach out across sectarian lines.
(4) It was largely a-political in the narrow sense. There were no pronouncements on the Korean or Vietnamese situation, though the Koreans that I talked to were strongly vs. N. Korean politics and the Vietnamese (to whom I talked more) were strongly pro-American.
There were also some questions left with me: (1) Though it was a Buddhist Leaders” Conference (which put us in a rather ambiguous position) I kept asking myself, What actual force of numbers, or power, or money do they represent? Several were functionaries from various groups here and there. How many will “follow” the leadership of the secretary of the Mahabodhi Society, for example? In particular is this the case with Buddhists, who are very little organized. (2) How far will it get beyond the fine phrasing of resolutions and the constitution—particularly when the offices are so widely distributed. (I was put on the nomination list for an office, but withdrew my name. That was perhaps mostly because I worked on the constitutional committee at some length.)
I am very genuinely glad that we were there. Before the Conference we visited two of the famous old temples. I was much impressed with the quality of some of the persons we met. And on tour I had a long talk or two with a youngish monk there who also impressed me as very able and dedicated. I wish that I could see him again.
It was a fine experience to meet the Rev. Seo at one of our banquets. His gentle wisdom and serenity come through without his even trying. I am getting a copy of his book on Korean Buddhism from a Rev. Robert King somewhere in California—Walnut (Ridge, Grove, Road???) who says that he knows the Rev. Seo very well. (I wrote to him for your address too.)
I hope that this letter gets to you without further delay. If you have any further questions that I could answer please let me know.
Sincerely yours,
Winston L. King