Buddhist Justice Collective

April 8, 2021

Much of what is being taught is the acceptance of a “kinder, gentler suffering” that does not question the unwholesome roots of systemic suffering and the structures that hold it in place. What is required is a new Dharma, a radical Dharma that deconstructs rather than amplifies the systems of suffering, that starves rather than fertilizes the soil of the conditions that the deep roots of social suffering grow in.

—Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Zen priest,Author of Radical Dharma and other books

Purpose

The Buddhist Justice Collective (BJC) is open to all who can find a home here. The group emerged out of the uprising of 2020 and was created by individuals from different Buddhist groups in Louisville. We understand individual spiritual practice and the practice of justice to be one. We strive to integrate these practices in our bodies, hearts, minds, and lives.

We center anti-racism and understand that our lives and work intersect with issues of poverty, immigration, sexuality, gender, health, environmental integrity, and other realities of disparity and oppression. Through individual practice and collective action, we engage to transform suffering into liberation for all beings.

In all things we seek to embody and act with mindful awareness, loving kindness, compassion, joy, determination, and courage.

Grounding Principles

The grounding principles for BJC are inspired by Buddhist teaching and practice and by the history and witness of Black, indigenous, and people of color, whose suffering and marginalization in our society from its beginnings have been devastating. These are our starting points:

  1. The suffering of Black, indigenous, and people of color has not been by happenstance but has been engineered by systemic forces, not the least of which have been the ever-present realities of White supremacy and exploitation of the poor.
  2. We honor the infinite worth and beauty of each and all life regardless of and because of our different histories, bodies, skin color, age, gender, orientation, health, and whatever conditions we have inherited and live with. Our differences are gifts.
  3. We see each life as an expression of a deep reality that holds our deepest nature. No life is or can be fully knowable.
  4. We witness to the understanding that all beings are inherently interconnected. No life can exist alone. Our intentions, choices, actions, and lives all have consequences.
  5. It is the nature of dominant-culture conditioning to blindfold and encourage us to disregard this web of inter-connection and the infinite worth of all lives. We inquire into this condition ing and act for justice as our practice.

Guiding Vision

The vision that motivates BJC is to practice freedom, to address structural injustice with the awareness that both our personal and collective liberations are intertwined. We seek to recognize, resist, and challenge the systems and conditioning that bind and dehumanize us, knowing that they are fashioned and maintained out of greed, fear, and ignorance. And we seek to create new patterns of connection, equality, justice, and community.

“Justice” [is] a word that I define as "love in action for the alleviation of suffering." Justice begins with our awareness of the present moment, extends through caring for ourselves, and shows up in the love we bring to our interactions with others and our responses to the social challenges of our time.

— Rhonda V. Magee, Professor of Law, student and scholar of Buddhism,Author of The Inner Work of Racial Justice



Buddhist Justice Collective

an invitation to a newly-forming Buddhist justice group in Louisville

Dear Friends,

We invite you to join us for a Zoom meeting Saturday afternoon May 8 from 2:00-3:00 pm to learn more about a vision and initial plans for a newly-formed Buddhist-inspired justice group. Here is the link — https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3806511986

Throughout Fall of 2020, individuals from different Buddhist groups in Louisville organized twelve weekly in-person vigils outside at the Big Four Bridge as part of a larger interfaith campaign, “A Sacred Calling: Community Safety for All.” Many people participated, spoke, and sat together in silence —Buddhist practitioners, and others. Some weeks had over 35 people, sitting in silence for 3 consecutive periods of 8 minutes and 46 seconds: the time it took to kill George Floyd.

Energized by this coming together for racial and immigrant justice, several of the vigil organizers and other practitioners from different sanghas continued to meet this past winter and spring, to discern the formation of a justice group inspired by Buddhist principles.

We believe there is great value in this opportunity. To this end, we invite you to a first meeting of the Buddhist Justice Collective (BJC). Our intent is that BJC will support sanghas, already existing justice organizations, and our own members in doing justice work. This group is open to all, and attached to this email is a “Purpose, Principles, Vision” statement.

The agenda for the May 8 meeting is to share what we have worked out so far and to explore together what actions, activities, study, and structure BJC might take on.

If you’re interested in hearing more, please attend our zoom meeting and please send your name and email address to one of these people and we’ll add your name to our mailing list:

  • Dan Davis — Louisville Vipassana Community (LVC) — daniel.simsdavis@gmail.com
  • Angie Reed Garner — Louisville Zen Center — angiereed@gmail.com
  • Cindy Geisen — Louisville Vipassana Community — cynthiageisen@icloud.com
  • John Hamlet — Louisville Community of Mindful Living — johnehamlet@yahoo.com
  • Phil Lloyd-Sidle — Louisville Vipassana Community — phil.lloydsidle@gmail.com
  • Carol Miracle — Louisville Vipassana Community/Louisville Recovery Sangha — cagmiracle@gmail.com
  • Brian Monsma — Louisville Community of Mindful Living — brmonsma@gmail.com
  • Julie Schmuckie — Louisville Community of Mindful Living — julie.schmuckie@gmail.com
  • Jackie Thomas — Louisville Community of Mindful Living — jacquelineplume@yahoo.com
  • Lee Zimmerman — Soka Gakkai — lee@thekidzclub.com

May each of you and all beings be well.