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The Agnostic Buddhist

ByStephenBatchelor
Editedversionofatalkgivenatthesymposium"AmericanBuddhismToday"tocelebratethe30th
anniversaryoftheRochesterZenCenter,Rochester,NewYork,June22,1996.
SomethingI'venoticedovertheyearsishow,althoughwemaystartoutatayoungagerebelling
againstChristianityorourJewishnessandthenfindinginBuddhismavindicationforour
rebelliousness,aswegrowolder,webegininastrangewaytorecoverourpast.Iwasnot
broughtupaChristian.Infact,mygrandparentsonmymother'ssideformerlybrokewiththe
ChristianChurch,eventhoughmygreatgrandfatherwasaWesleyanminister.Undermy
mother'sinfluenceIgrewupinanantiChurchenvironment,onewhichmightlooselybetermed
humanistic.NowIfindthatIamcomingbackmoreandmoretothatcultureinwhichIgrewup.
AlthoughIadmiremanyofChristianity'sethicalvalues,Ihavenonaturalsympathywiththe
Christiantradition.ButIdofindmyselfincreasinglysympathetictomyownchildhoodexperience
asahumanist,asecularist,anagnostic.I'mevenbeginningtoreconsiderpositivelywhatit
meanstobeamaterialistatermthathasaratherbadpressinBuddhism.
Theterm"agnostic"istheoneIidentifywiththeclosest.Yetfewpeoplerealisethatitwasonly
coinedinthelate1880'sbythebiologistThomasHuxley.Anditwascoinedasajoke.Huxley
belongedtoasmallphilosophicalcircleinLondoninwhichheincreasinglyfeltoutofplace.While
everybodyelseinthegroupcouldreadilyidentifythemselvesasaChristianoraRationalistora
Schopenhaurian,orwhatever,hefeltperplexedthatnosuchtermseemedapplicabletohim.So
hedecidedtocallhimselfan"agnostic"inorderthathetoocould"haveataillikealltheother
foxes."
Huxleybegantodeveloptheidea.Hesawagnosticismasdemandingasanymoral,
philosophical,orreligiouscreed.Butherefusedtoseeitasacreedinthetraditionalsenseofthe
word,andsawitfarmoreasamethod.Themethodhehadinmindisbroadlythatwhich
underpinsscientificinquiry.Itmeans,ontheonehand,takingone'sreasonasfarasitwillgoand,
ontheother,notacceptinganythingastrueunlessitissomehowdemonstrable.Herethereare
veryclearparallelswiththeBuddhisttradition.AlthoughwemaynotfinditsomuchinZen,inthe
IndoTibetantraditionthereisastrongemphasisonrationalinquiry.Ispentmanyyearsasa
youngmonknotworkingonkoansbutstudyingformallogicandepistemologywithTibetanlamas.
Itisaverystrong,rationaltraditionandI'mimmenselygratefultohavehadthattraining.All
traditionsofBuddhismagreethatoneshouldnotbelievesomethingsimplyforthesakeof
believingit,butonlyifitcansomehowbedemonstratedastrue,ifitcanberealisedinsome
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practicalway.
Huxleyevendescribedhisviewas"theagnosticfaith,"thusgivingitthekindofseriousnessthat
onemightotherwiseexpectonlyamongstreligiouspeople.AndwithinfifteenyearsofHuxley
coiningtheterm,"agnosticism"wasalreadybeinglinkedwithBuddhism.Itwasfirstappliedbya
mancalledAllanBennettwhobecameabhikkhuinBurmain1901withthenameAnanda
Metteyya.BennettwasthefirstEnglishmantobeordainedasaBuddhistandthefirstEuropean
whotriedtoarticulatehisunderstandingoftheDharmaasapractisingBuddhistratherthan
merelyascholarofBuddhism.InamagazineheissuedinRangoonin1905,hespokeof
Buddhismas"exactlycoincidentalinitsfundamentalideaswiththemodernagnosticphilosophy
oftheWest."
Atthebeginningofthecentury,whenWesternerswereonlyjuststartingtoembracethe
teachingsoftheBuddha,whywouldthisyoungEnglishmonkhaveregardedBuddhismas
agnostic?Isuspectthatoneofthekeysourcesmayhavebeenthisfamouspassagefromthe
CulaMalunkyaSutta,thesixtythirddiscourseintheMajjhimaNikayaofthePalicanon.The
Buddhasays:"SupposeMalunkyaputta,amanwerewoundedbyanarrowthicklysmearedwith
poison,andhisfriendsandcompanionsbroughtasurgeontotreathim.Themanwouldsay,'Iwill
notletthesurgeonpulloutthearrowuntilIknowthenameandclanofthemanwhowounded
mewhetherthebowthatwoundedmewasalongboworacrossbowwhetherthearrowthat
woundedmewashooftippedorcurvedorbarbed.'Allthiswouldstillnotbeknowntothatman,
andmeanwhilehewoulddie.Sotoo,Malunkyaputta,ifanyoneshouldsay,'Iwillnotleadthe
noblelifeundertheBuddhauntiltheBuddhadeclarestomewhethertheworldiseternalornot
eternalfiniteorinfinitewhetherthesoulisthesameasordifferentfromthebodywhetherornot
anawakenedonecontinuesorceasestoexistafterdeath,'thatwouldstillremainundeclaredby
theBuddha,andmeanwhilethatpersonwoulddie."Thispassageshowsquiteclearlyboththe
pragmaticnatureoftheBuddha'steaching,aswellasitsagnosticbent.
Itisimportanttodistinguishbetweenthosequestionsthatareaddressedbythecoreteachingsof
theBuddha,andthosewhicharenotreallyofcentralconcern.Iwaslisteningontheradionot
longagoinEnglandtoadiscussionaboutreligiousbelief.Alloftheparticipantswereengagedin
aheateddiscussionaboutthepossibilityofmiracles.Itisgenerallyassumedthatbeingareligious
personentailsbelievingcertainthingsaboutthenatureofoneselfandrealityingeneralthatare
beyondthereachofreasonandempiricalverification.Whathappenedbeforebirth,whatwill
happenafterdeath,thenatureofthesoulanditsrelationtothebody:thesearefirstandforemost
religiousquestions.AndtheBuddhawasnotinterestedinthem.ButifwelookatBuddhism
historically,we'llseethatithascontinuouslytendedtolosethisagnosticdimensionthrough
becominginstitutionalisedasareligion,withalloftheusualdogmaticbeliefsystemsthatreligions
tendtohave.So,ironically,ifyouweretogotomanyAsiancountriestoday,youwouldfindthat
themonksandpriestswhocontroltheinstitutionalbodiesofBuddhismwouldhavequiteclear
viewsonwhethertheworldiseternalornot,whathappenstotheBuddhaafterdeath,thestatus
ofthemindinrelationtothebody,andsoon.
ThishasledtoBuddhismasitcomesintotheWestbeingautomaticallyregardedasareligion.
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Theveryterm"Buddhism,"awordforwhichthereisnoexactequivalentinanAsianlanguage,is
largelyaninventionofWesternscholars.Itsuggestsacreedtobelinedupalongsideother
creedsanothersetofbeliefsaboutthenatureofrealitythatwecannotknowbyothermeansthan
throughfaith.Thisassumption,though,tendstodistortorobscuretheencounteroftheDharma
withsecularagnosticculture.Andanotherproblemisthattodaytheveryforceoftheterm
"agnosticism"hasbeenlost.Ifsomebodysaysthey'reanagnostic,althoughtheyknowitmeans
thatoneclaimsnottoknowcertainthings,itusuallygoeshandinglovewithanattitudethat
seemsnottocareaboutsuchthings."Idon'tknowwhathappensafterdeath"becomes
equivalentto:"Idon'tcareIdon'treallywanttoknowIdon'tevenwanttothinkaboutit."Modern
agnosticismhaslosttheconfidencethatitmayhavehadatthetimeofHuxley,andlapsedinto
scepticism.BuddhismtoohaslostthatcriticaledgethatwefindintheearlyPalidiscourses,and,
ofcourse,intheZenkoans.VeryoftenBuddhismasaninstitutionhastendedtolapseinto
religiosity.
So,whatwouldanagnosticBuddhistbeliketoday?Howwouldweevenstarttothinkaboutsuch
astance?Firstly,IwouldsuggestthatanagnosticBuddhistwouldnotregardtheDharmaorthe
teachingsoftheBuddhaasasourcewhichwouldprovideanswerstoquestionsofwhereweare
going,wherewearecomingfrom,whatisthenatureoftheuniverse,andsoon.Inthissense,an
agnosticBuddhistwouldnotbeabelieverwithclaimstorevealedinformationaboutsupernatural
orparanormalphenomenaandinthissensewouldnotbereligious.I'verecentlystartedsayingto
myself:"I'mnotareligiousperson,"andfindingthattobestrangelyliberating.Youdon'thaveto
beareligiouspersoninordertopracticetheDharma.
Secondly,anagnosticBuddhistwouldnotlooktotheDharmaformetaphorsofconsolation.This
isanothergreattraitofreligions:theyprovideconsolationinthefaceofbirthanddeaththeyoffer
imagesofabetterafterlifetheyofferthekindofsecuritythatcanbeachievedthroughanactof
faith.I'mnotinterestedinthat.TheBuddha'steachingsareconfrontativethey'reabouttruth
telling,notaboutpaintingsomeprettypictureoflifeelsewhere.They'resaying:"Look,existenceis
painful."ThisiswhatisdistinctiveabouttheBuddhistattitude:itstartsnotfromthepromiseof
salvation,butfromvaluingthatsenseofexistentialanguishwetendeithertoignore,denyor
avoidthroughdistractions.
Buddhismisoftenmisrepresentedassomethingnihilisticorlifedenying.Thisfailstorecognise
thattheprojectoftheFourNobleTruthsisaboutresolvingthedilemmaofanguish,notabout
indulginghumansuffering.Againit'sapraxisit'ssomethingwecando.Itstartswith
understandingtherealityofanguishanduncertainty,andthenapplyingasetofpracticesthat
worktowardsaresolution.Butthiskindofagnosticismisnotbasedondisinterestit'snotsaying,
"Ijustdon'tcareaboutthesegreatmattersofbirthanddeath."ItisapassionaterecognitionthatI
donotknow.IreallydonotknowwhereIcamefromIdonotknowwhereI'mgoing.Andthat
"don'tknow"isaverydifferentorderof"don'tknow"fromthescepticismandfearofasuperficial
agnosticism.
Thisprocessofstrippingawayconsolatoryillusionsbyholdingtruetothisagnosticnotknowing,
leadstowhatwemightcall"deepagnosticism."IliketothinkofBuddhismasthepracticeofdeep
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agnosticism.ThisbothleadsawayfromthesuperficialityofcontemporaryWesternagnosticism,
andbeginstotapadimensionthatseemsessentialtotheheartofDharmapractice.Toillustrate
this,hereisakoancasefortyonefromTheGatelessGate:
Bodhidharmasatfacingthewall.TheSecondPatriarch,standinginthesnow,cutoffhisarm
andsaid,"Yourdisciple'smindisnotyetatpeace.Ibegyou,master,giveitrest."
Bodhidharmasaid,"BringmeyourmindandIwillputittorestforyou."TheSecondPatriarch
replied,"Ihavesearchedforthemindbuthaveneverbeenabletofindit."Bodhidharmasaid,
"I'vefinishedputtingittorestforyou."
Thisdeep"notknowing,"inthiscasetheSecondPatriarch'sinabilitytofindhisanguishedmind,
takesthenotionofagnosticismdowntoanotherdepth.Onemightcallitacontemplativedepth.
Suchdeepagnosticmetaphorsarelikewisefoundinsuchtermsaswuhsin(nomind),andwu
nien(nothought),aswellasinthemorepopular"Don'tKnowMind"oftheKoreanZenMaster,
SeungSahn.
Anotherstrikingfeatureofthiskoanisitssimilaritywiththeprocessofunderstandingemptiness
asfoundintheMadhyamakaphilosophyofIndiaandTibet."Emptiness"isasingularly
unappetisingterm.Idon'tthinkitwasevermeanttobeattractive.HerbertGuentheronce
translateditas"theopendimensionofbeing,"whichsoundsalotmoreappealingthan
"emptiness.""Transparency"wasatermIplayedwithforawhile,whichalsomakesemptiness
soundmorepalatable.YetwehavetorememberthateventwothousandyearsagoNagarjuna
washavingtodefendhimselfagainstthenihilisticimplicationsofemptiness.Manyofthechapters
inhisphilosophicalworksstartwithsomeoneobjecting:"Thisemptinessisaterribleidea.It
underminesallgroundsformorality.ItundermineseverythingtheBuddhawasspeakingabout."
Clearlytheworddidnothaveapositiveringbacktheneither.Isuspectthatitmighthavebeen
usedquiteconsciouslyasanunappealingterm,whichcutsthroughthewholefantasyof
consolationthatonemightexpectareligiontoprovide.Perhapsweneedtorecoverthiscutting
edgeofemptiness,itsunappealingaspect.
Let'sgobacktoBodhidharmaandhisdisciple,theSecondPatriarch.Itseemsasthoughthepain
ofthedisciple'sdilemmawassoextremethathewaspreparedtocutoffhisarmtoresolveit.
Thispainwascentredaroundsomekindofnuggetofanguishwithinhisownmind,hismost
intimatesenseofwhohewas.Yetbyinquiringdeeplyintothispainful,isolatedselfidentity,he
couldfindnothinghecouldultimatelygraspholdofandsay:"That'smymind.Thereitis.I'vegot
it.I'vedefinedit.I'verealisedit."Instead,hediscoveredtheultimateunfindabilityofthemind,and
byimplicationtheultimateunfindabilityofselfandthings.Andthisgivesusanimportantclueto
understandingthenotionsofemptinessand"nomind."Theydonotmeanthatthereisliterallyno
mindthey'resayingthatifyoutrytounderstandthenatureofanythinginthedeepestsense,you
willnotbeabletoarriveatanyfixedviewthatdefinesitasthisorthat.TheDalaiLamausesa
quaintexpressionincolloquialTibetan:dzugudzugsamindoo,whichmeansliterally:"thereisno
fingerpointingplace."Oraswewouldsay:"there'snothingyoucanputyourfingeron."Againthis
doesnotimplythatthethinginquestiondoesnotexistatall.Itsimplyexposesthefallacyofthe
deeplyfelt,almostinstinctiveassumptionthatourself,themindoranythingelsemustbesecured
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inapermanent,transcendentalbasis.Yettheuniquenessofaperson'smindoridentity,the
uniquenessofaflowerthat'sgrowinginthegardenoutside,doesnotrequireanykindof
transcendentbasisthat'speculiartothatthing.Emptinessindicateshoweverythingthatcomes
aboutdoessothroughanunrepeatablematrixofcontingencies,conditions,causes,aswellas
conceptual,linguisticandculturalframeworks.Everythingarisesoutofanextraordinarilycomplex
combinationoftransienteventsthatculminate,inthisparticularinstance,inmysayingthese
wordstoyou.
Now,whetherwefollowtheIndoTibetananalyticalapproachortheZenapproachofaskinga
koanlike"Whatisthis?,"suchmeditativeinquiryleadstoamindthatbecomesmorestilland
clear.Butparadoxicallythisdoesnotmeanthatthingsthenbecomemoreclearcut,thatyou
reachsomefinalunderstandingofwhoyouareorofwhatmakestheuniversetick.Because,at
thesametimeassuchthingsbecomemorevividandclear,theyalsobecomemorebaffling.One
encounters,asitwere,thesheermysteryofthings.Adeepagnosticismwouldbeonefoundedon
thiskindofunknowing:theacknowledgementthat,intermsofwhatlifereallyis,Ireallydonot
know.Andinthatunknowingthereisalreadyaqualityofquestioning,ofperplexity.Andasthat
perplexitybecomesstabilisedthroughmeditation,oneentersincreasinglyintoaworldthatis
mysterious,magicalinasense,andnotcontainablebynarrowideasandconcepts.
Butthisisnotwherethepracticeends.Thisisonlyhalftheproject.Whatwealsodiscoverinthis
openspace,inthismysteriousexperienceofnonself,arethewellspringsofcreativityand
imagination.InMahayanaBuddhismparticularlytheBuddhaisnotjustsomeonewhohada
wonderfulmysticalexperience,whosemindisfreed,butalsothisbeingwhospontaneouslyand
compassionatelymanifestsandisembodiedintheworldthroughthenirmanakaya
("transformationbody").
IliketothinkoftheBuddha'sawakeningundertheBodhitreenotassomekindoftranscendental
absorption,butasamomentoftotalshock.NeilsBohroncesaidaboutquantummechanics:"If
you'renotshockedbyquantumtheory,thenyoudon'tunderstandit."Ithinkwecouldsaythe
sameaboutemptiness:Ifyou'renotshockedbyemptiness,thenyouhaven'tunderstoodit.
TheBuddha'sawakeningisfollowedbythisstrangeperiodwhere,accordingtotradition,he
hesitatesforaboutsixweeksbeforebeingprompted,byagodinthiscase,togooutintothe
worldanddosomething.Thisprocessissimilarinmanyrespectstotheprocessofartistic
creation.Whenfacedwiththetaskofarticulatingadeepintuitivevisioninwords,clayorpaint,
onemightexperiencethatsameintensetrepidationthatonefindsinmeditationwhenthemindis
verystillbutatthesametimetremendouslyresistantaboutpursuingtheinquiryanyfurther.At
thispointthemeditatorusuallylapsesintofantasyanddaydreamsanddrowsiness,whichyou're
probablyfamiliarwith.Thewriter(oneofmyotherpersonae)usuallyhasanurgentcompulsionto
tidyuphisdesk.Butit'sthesamekindofevasionit'sthesamekindofhesitationinfaceofwhat
isratherawesome.
Forherewestandonthethresholdoftheimagination.Wearechallengedtoimaginesomething
thathasneverquitebeenthoughtofinthatwaybefore.TheBuddha'sgeniusliespreciselyinhis
imagination.Idon'tbelievethatwhenheexperiencedawakening,suddenlytheFourNobleTruths
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appeared1,2,3,4inwordsoffireinthesky,oranythinglikethat.Rather,hisawakeningdid
notbecomerealuntilhehadtostammeritouttohisfirstdisciples,thefiveascetics,inthedeer
parkinSarnath.ThemodelofawakeninginMahayanaBuddhismisthatofaprocesswhichis
perhapsnevercompleted.TheprocessofarticulatingtheDharmagoesonandonaccordingto
theneedsofthedifferenthistoricalsituationsthatitencounters.Wecouldreadthewholehistory
ofBuddhism,fromthemomentoftheBuddha'sawakeninguntilnow,asaprocessofseekingto
imagineawaytorespondbothwiselyandcompassionatelytothesituationathand.
Allofushaveexperiencesofwhatitmeanstoimagineandcreatesomething.InKorea,after
sittingforthreemonthsinthezendo,strugglingwithakoan,wewouldthenhavethreemonths
whenwewouldsitmuchless,withoutaformalschedule,andIwouldwrite.Itstruckmevery
forciblyoneday,asIwassittingatmydeskinfrontofablanksheetofpaper,thatpreparing
myselftoputintowordswhathadnotyetbeenputintowordswastoenteraverysimilarframeof
mindtothatofsittingonacushioninazendo,asking:"Whatisthis?"Thecreativeprocess
seemedverycomparabletothemeditativeprocess.Awakeningisonlycompleteinthesame
waythataworkofartisonlycompletewhenitfindsanexpression,aform,thattranslatesthat
experienceinawaythatmakesitaccessibletoothers.Thatagainisthebalancebetween
wisdomandcompassion.ThecreativeprocessofexpressingtheDharmaisnotjustaquestionof
duplicatinginwordssomethingetchedsomewhereintheprivacyofmysoul.Thelivingprocessof
understandingisformedthroughtheencounterwithanotherperson,withtheworld.You've
probablyallhadtheexperienceofsomeonecomingtoyouinastateofdistressandblurtingout
theirproblems,andyousuddenlyfindyourselfsayingthingsthatyouwerequiteunawareyou
knew.Theprocessofawakeningisoneofvaluingandconnectingwiththatcapacitytorespondin
authenticwaystothesufferingofothers.Theimaginationisthebridgebetweencontemplative
experienceandtheanguishoftheworld.Byvaluingimagination,wevaluethecapacityofeach
person,eachcommunity,toimagineandcreatethemselvesanew.
Dharmapracticeislikecreatingaworkofart.Ourfiveskandhasbody,feeling,perceptions,
impulses,consciousness:they'retheclaythatwemouldandformthroughourpracticeintoa
bodhisattva,orwhateverweaspireto.Ourverylivesbecometherawmaterialofourimagination.
InthecontemporaryworldBuddhismencountersaculturethatplacesapositivevalueonthe
powerofeachindividual'screativityandimagination.It'sinterestingthatinmostBuddhist
traditionsthesethingsarenotstronglyencouraged,or,iftheyare,it'susuallyonlywithinhighly
formalisedsettings.IliketothinkofDharmapracticetodayasventuringintoaworldof
imagination,oneinwhicheachindividual,eachcommunity,seekstoexpressandtoarticulate
theirvisionintermsoftheparticularneedsoftheirownsituation.Buddhismwouldthenbecome
lessandlessthepreserveofaninstitution,andmoreandmoreanexperiencethatisownedby
ordinarypeopleinordinarycommunities.
Ofcourse,therearedangershere.Butthesearehardlynew.Historically,Buddhismhasalways
hadtofindwaysofrespondingeffectivelytothedangerofbecomingtooacculturated,of
becomingtooabsorbedintotheassumptionsofthehostculture.Certainlysuchadangerexists
hereintheWest:Buddhismmight,forexample,tendtobecomeakindofsoupedup
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psychotherapy.Butthere'stheequaldangerofBuddhismholdingontoofiercelytoitsAsian
identityandremainingamarginalinterestamongstafeweccentrics.Somehowwehavetofinda
middlewaybetweenthesetwopoles,andthisisachallengewhichisnotgoingtobeworkedout
byacademicsorBuddhistscholarsit'sachallengethateachofusisaskedtomeetinourown
practicefromdaytoday.
BuddhismisnotsomeetherealthingthatismagicallytransferredfromAsiaandthenoneday
appearsintheWest.TitlesofbookslikeTheAwakeningoftheWestmightsuggestthat
Buddhismisathingthathasthisalmostmysticalcapacity.Butwhatisitthatistransmitted?The
onlythingthatistransmittedistheunderstandingandthewayoflifeofthosepeoplewhopractice
it,peoplelikeyouandme.Nooneelseisgoingtodoitforus.Theresponsibilityisultimatelyour
own.
Weneedtobeparticularlywarytodayofthemodernconceitwhichassumesthatbecauseofour
broadeducation,oureasyaccesstoinformation,andthesuddenemergenceofareadily
availableliteratureonBuddhism,thatthisissomehowgoingtospeedtheprocessupthatwe'll
arriveatanAmericanBuddhismoraWesternBuddhismorawhateverBuddhismmuchmore
quicklythaninthepast.Ithinkthisisaseriousmisreadingofculturaltransitionandchange.A
culturelikeBuddhismissomethingorganic.
Forexample,wemayhaveagreatdealofscientificunderstandingaboutoaktrees,butthat
knowledgeinitself,andouraccesstothatinformation,isnotgoingtospeedupthegrowthofoak
trees.Historically,wecanseethatBuddhismhasnevermanagedtorootitselfinanycultureuntil
severalgenerationshavepassed.ThisisasoberingreminderforindividualisticWesternerswho
areproudoftheircapacitytosolveproblemsquickly.Weprefertothinkthatsomebrightsparkwill
soonerorlaterfigureoutwhatneedstobedonetocreateaWesternBuddhism,ratherthan
emphasisingourowndoingofit,ourowncultivationofthewisdomandcompassionthatareat
thecoreofBuddhism.Perhapswehavereallytotrustinthepracticeandfindthehumilityto
acceptthatwewillprobablynotlivetoseeaWesternBuddhism.Maybeourchildrenwill,orour
children'schildren.Weneedtoacknowledgethatweliveinatimeoftransition,atimeinwhich
theDharmaisincrisisinAsia,andyethasnotreallyfounditsfeethere.It'sanexcitingtimetobe
in:oneinwhichsomethingisbeingcreated,andwearetheparticipantsinthatcreation.

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