War and Peace Among the (Zen) Buddhists

As many who read this blog know, I belong to a listserv for Zen teachers. It’s pretty low traffic, but when something sparks, it is almost always compelling.

Right now the questions turned on the establishment of a Buddhist chapel at the Air Force Academy.

There were various opinions about the good and ill of this. Mostly, to my mind, well considered. And I shared some of my own thoughts on the matter, which well considered or not I include here.

No doubt, its hard living responsibly and openly in a world that is at once boundless and where everywhere there are boundaries. I think it must start for me knowing that I am intertwined with all others and that my responsibility does not end at the outer boundaries of my skin.

But the details of that, oh my…

And when we get to the question of war and within it of nation states and and cultures and all the divisions of our lives, my head swims…

The niggling but persistent call to self-defense biological as well as spiritual prevents me from being a pacifist, declining that right to self-defense on behalf some higher good. Although I deeply, deeply admire those who embrace this practice as a discipline. And, as near as I can tell even the most honorable and wisely drafted call to a just war theory has been ravaged in fact by every state that claims to be guided by one. The unintended consequences of war are horrific and many and always happen…

So, a constant struggle for me.

In recent specifics I opposed the invasion of Iraq, but not some form of embargo and very much not the protected zones that let the Kurds begin to evolve a free state. But I thought America had every right to go after Al Quaeda in Afghanistan and that bringing down the Taliban and their misogynist tyranny would be frosting on the cake. And, and, such a sorry mess we’re now in.

And…

When I was minister in residence at the Unitarian Universalist seminary in Chicago I had two students in my survey of Zen Buddhism class who were preparing to be military chaplains. One had been a sergeant in the Army special forces and the other a Naval fighter pilot. At least one, maybe both, I’ve gotten a little fuzzy on this as I recall it, said they had become pacifists along the way. And one, the former special forces guy has become a Zen practitioner if drawing short of taking the precepts.

I found their ongoing struggle mine. And I always think of them when I think of those who give themselves to the military.

And it hasn’t stopped.

I struggle. And I heard so much how so many of us on that list struggled.

Each looking into our personal wounds.

As well as our communal wounds.

Wounds.

And once again it appears that it is exactly in the wounds I find my sense of connections.