David Brazier

White or Western Buddhism is a contradiction in terms. If Buddhism means the life of enlightenment, then there cannot be a specifically English or American Buddhism and we should not be looking to create one any more than our spiritual ancestors should have wanted to create a Chinese or Thai Buddhism, specifically. Buddhism does not belong to countries and should not become caught up in national pride.

We need to understand that when you look through Buddha eyes, England and America do not exist. They are just conventional designations that have been blown up into a justification for some of the worst barbarities in history and currently stand as ramparts in defence of the world racist system. Do not be proud to be British, or American, or French, or any other nationality.

As soon as you begin to feel any such sentiment coming over you, you should smell the blood of all those who have died for such folly — and hear the cries of the excluded. Buddhism, therefore, should be profoundly non-nationalist.

People are conditioned to think that nationhood is inevitable and even noble - something to die for even - and certainly something from which to exclude non-nationals. That, however, is definitely not Buddhism. There have, in consequence, been repeated crises in history over whether or not the Buddhist sangha would recognise or acknowledge the supremacy of the state. — Beliefnet.com