loving kindness v. food for the starving

[Yeshe]

Sounds like she may be easily interpreted as meaning that their karma is ripening so we can't change it, only have compassion for their suffering, and carry on with our own path to liberating all beings:

I've heard lots of very dippy things, the most dimwitted and insensitive of which was that we should focus on our own path to enlightenment, so that we may become Bodhisattvas and then help others, rather than engage in helping others now. In other words, abandon friendships, loved ones etc and any thoughts of practical help for the suffering and just work on developing universal compassion as a feeling. It's a notion which supports a cult mentality - your path lies with us, we are your salvation, etc. I've heard such stuff from NKT, FPMT, FWBO and a range of members from other western Buddhist sects, but never seen it written as their official guidance.

Such words always sound like selfishness to me, as if saying: - ''I'm safe in my cocoon with my friends and my rituals, talking of 'bliss' all day long, and feeling compassion for all beings. And the last thing I want is to waste time on a few other humans when I should be working to liberate them all.''

The extreme of this nonsense is that she may also believe that it would be better for the starving to feed a monk or nun than feed themselves with their last morsel.

I'm extrapolating a lot from what you've quoted, but it chimes with the 'blisssbabble' I've encountered may times, particularly by ordained young westerners, who are really seeking a 'saviour' for 'me', if they are truthful.

That sound very grumpy old man, but I've reached the stage when robes don't deter me from questioning bullcrap. LOL

What's FPMT? Female Pre-Menstrual Tension? I think I'll join that one...

Pretty accurate! :

http://www.fpmt.org/

Foundation for the Preservation of My Trustfund

You will note they have a Geshe called Yeshe. LOL

[Catmoon]

FPMT is the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition. They offer some pretty good teaching, but the Maitreya Project worries me. I just can't see the rationale for spending something like 250 million bucks on a 500-foot statue when people are starving.

[Caz namyaw]

FPMT is the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition. They offer some pretty good teaching, but the Maitreya Project worries me. I just can't see the rationale for spending something like 250 million bucks on a 500-foot statue when people are starving.

Its odd isnt it...but hey ho it will certainly be be a wonder of the world to see once its finished my kind root guru buddha maitreya
So long as the taliban are kept at bay it will be very pleasent.

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