Kamalashila Quote

"I was fascinated to read how modern Buddhist movement in India is so influenced by extreme rationalism, if you like Bertrand Russell, and feels repelled by the polytheistic imagery it associates with Hinduism.  That’s such a contrast to us.  How western post-modern society is moving in such a very different direction.  It seems that the west, that was cut off from it’s pagan past, is captivated by the profusion of imagery coming out of it’s encounter with the many cultures of third world.  The differences between the two cultures seem so profound.  It seems essential that the new Western Buddhism, as it comes together, and the revived Buddhism in India, as they come together, they need to have a lot more dialogue."

This is from his talk, "The Nature and Value of Sadhana" on FBA, given Feb. 2011 at Padmaloka, on a men's order weekend.  The talk refers to Subhuti's paper Re-imagining The Buddha.