"... each one of us has an ego, a desire to assert ourselves and our existence as something separate and cut off from the rest of life around us. We hang on to that ego, thinking that independent self is the only thing that lets us survive, thinking without it we'd perish. But the truth is that we all are one, all part of the same organic whole, no separate me or you ... True freedom means giving up ourselves, letting that old ego die so we can be free ..."

from a dharma talk of a Buddhist master? No, actually how Charles "Tex" Watson (the main killer of the Manson family) describes how the Manson family girls described Manson's philosophy to him. See his autobiography, "Will You Die For Me?" at p.54.

What's the point? Not sure, but the same lesson can obviously lead to either good or evil, depending on the motivation of the teacher. Or, maybe how a superficial understanding and application of a truth can lead to bad things when preached by a bad person.

Comments? email me at: lightsource@gmail.com

I think buddhism in the U.S. would benefit from a bit of an image change.   Buddhists are usually seen as passive, peaceful beings, content to meditate quietly in their inner quest.  Actually, I think the truly committed buddhist would more appropriately be seen as a figure of strength, endurance, following a much more difficult path than most everyone else.  The self-discipline and spartan rigor of a buddhist practice is much tougher to achieve than the lives of comfort and material pleasure and distraction that most of us pursue.
 
This is a country that loves the action hero.  Might buddhism create the "inaction" hero?