Social Justice, part two

One of the issues that came up in our last conversation was the idea of “original enlightenment,” or the idea that from an enlightened point of view, everything’s equal. Today we take up some of the consequences of this view; do we use this idea as a way to minimize, dismiss, or disregard the experiences of others? Just because, from the Buddha’s point of view, everything’s already enlightened, do we ignore the lived reality of social injustice and the suffering it creates? And does this attitude preclude the possibility of effecting change? These are just a few of the deeper questions we ask this time around and suggest that Shin Buddhism in particular has some tools and advice for the culture at large on how to engage with the world both personally and socially. Don’t forget to check out our last episode if you missed it and the resources listed on that page.