oh god kinkos….. honestly i am so computer impaired, i could not have even pulled off hte font stuff you did. way to go adam!

Elliot’s point:

I understand the application of Buddhism and how this might play into this whole graduation thing. I could argue that Buddhism is also centered on the path of Enlightenment. It is enlightening for students to be acknowledged for their intellectual and academic accomplishments. This sense of self-awareness is paramount in Buddhist thinking and teaching. Rituals are performed to recognize the cycle of learning—from childhood to adulthood. (In our American culture, that’s clearly by attending graduation or in the Jewish culture, bar mitzvah). So, mebbe the muddy of Rohana graduation may be contributed by Buddhist teachings but I wonder if it’s from the disabled perspective—that it’s more suppressed? Just a thought. Also, this is a British-run school where recognition of excellence and accomplishment is expected somewhere. (There goes the constant influence of colonalism).

Why all the fuss, but also why not push for that sense of overall well-being by performing a formal ritual to signify the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one? That was clearly Adam’s motive.

Elliot’s point:

I understand the application of Buddhism and how this might play into this whole graduation thing. I could argue that Buddhism is also centered on the path of Enlightenment. It is enlightening for students to be acknowledged for their intellectual and academic accomplishments. This sense of self-awareness is paramount in Buddhist thinking and teaching. Rituals are performed to recognize the cycle of learning—from childhood to adulthood. (In our American culture, that’s clearly by attending graduation or in the Jewish culture, bar mitzvah). So, mebbe the muddy of Rohana graduation may be contributed by Buddhist teachings but I wonder if it’s from the disabled perspective—that it’s more suppressed? Just a thought. Also, this is a British-run school where recognition of excellence and accomplishment is expected somewhere. (There goes the constant influence of colonalism).

Why all the fuss, but also why not push for that sense of overall well-being by performing a formal ritual to signify the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one? That was clearly Adam’s motive.

Elliot said:

It seems that Kinko’s in Silver Spring is modeled after printing shops in Sri Lanka…more good training and experience during your stay with us.
On a more serious note… I wonder if the need to mark events or demarcate life changes is culturally based? You comment that graduation is sort of fuzzy generally and that at Rohana a ceremony doesn’t seem to be part of the regular schedule. Perhaps the difference lies in a Buddhist understanding of what is important. In Buddhism “Worldy knowledge can never lead to a pure religious life that leads to peace and emancipation.” (see http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf). With that as an underlying belief, perhaps it is not surprising that celebrating graduation seems a little muddled. In a strictly Buddhist sense, why all the fuss?

On a more serious note… I wonder if the need to mark events or demarcate life changes is culturally based? You comment that graduation is sort of fuzzy generally and that at Rohana a ceremony doesn’t seem to be part of the regular schedule. Perhaps the difference lies in a Buddhist understanding of what is important. In Buddhism “Worldy knowledge can never lead to a pure religious life that leads to peace and emancipation.” (see http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf). With that as an underlying belief, perhaps it is not surprising that celebrating graduation seems a little muddled. In a strictly Buddhist sense, why all the fuss?