"If you meet Marx on the road, kill Marx."

[HiPointDem]

8. Disagree with you on several points, but I'll just go into one, otherwise things would get too

pedantic.

"Shao Lin was the original Zen and it wasn't a ruling class religion or philosophy. The monks were very egalitarian."

Shaolin lasted in some form or another for over 1000 years. So when you say "the monks were very egalitarian" I hear "sweeping generalization".

Shaolin had imperial patronage early on -- within 30 years of its founder's arrival in china. The first Temple was built with funds from an emperor on land granted by an emperor (of northern china in a period of warring states). 50 miles midway between 2 great capitals (18 dynasties between them & one the beginning of the silk road), 30 miles from the yellow river, in a longstanding spiritual/cultural center -- other monasteries & government academy nearby etc.

They were involved in imperial politics ever after, and always tried to be on the side of the rulers or the warlord they wanted to become ruler. When you see large temple complexes, those = surplus production diverted from other uses, typically through the patronage of the ruling/wealthy classes.






You can say the monks were egalitarian like you can say the military & the catholic church are egalitarian. Those take most comers too. There's a sense in which it's true & another in which it's not.