Buddha Goth

Why goth?

Who knows why we love the things we do.

Why Buddha?

Same answer.

What's the point of contact between the two?

Buddha was progressive: He never spoke of "Buddhism." He only spoke about "the Dharma," which could be translated as "the way it is," or "the way things really are." There was no dogma to believe. Buddha said to investigate everything for yourself. There was no heaven that true believers went to after death. Living one's dharma was about this very life. There was no concept of "sin" as we know it, but rather skillful vs. unskillful action. Unskillful action is that which results in suffering for oneself and others. Skillful action leads to release from suffering. Buddha did not not believe in a patriarchal Father God. He did not believe in a hell of eternal damnation. He had a very progressive attitude toward women, for his time. He had scorn for the priests of his time and their empty rituals. And he did not follow the caste system in India, which required that different social classes remain separate.

Acknowledgment of the dark side of existence: Buddha and his followers did not try to pretty things up and ignore the existence of death, disease, and decay. In fact, some of them did some pretty radical things, like hang out in cemeteries and observe the stages of decay of corpses. They didn't do this to be morbid, but to see how it really is, that our life is inextricably wound up with death and decay. They learned to see this, and let this inform their view of life, without getting all depressed about it.
In fact, facing how things are made them calmer.

Gothic Imagery: In the Tibetan style of Buddhism there is a lot of imagery that has a goth quality to it, including dancing skeletons, and blood drinking dakinis who live in the cremation grounds. This imagery may have more to do with the culture of Tibet and of late India than with Buddha himself, but it is pretty cool imagery. Despite its outward fearsome or grotesque appearance, these images really have to do with great wisdom and great compassion. However, in this case compassion isn't some sentimental thing, like in a sappy greeting card, but something really radical, daring, and sometimes fierce.

Are there any other sites about Buddhism and goth culture?

http://www.vajraenterprises.com/!Tibet/vajrayana_goth.htm

http://integral-options.blogspot.com/2006/10/portrait-of-buddhist-as-young-goth.html

http://www.darkindependent.net/Vajrayana-Gothic-Buddhism-1330_0.html

http://www.darkplanet.eu/Vajrayana-Gothic-Buddhism-1330_0.html#49560

   excerpts: "Like much in the gothic subculture, Vajrayana Buddhism tries to be as
   cognizant and open as possible about the dark side of life. They do not try to mask
   or ignore the things that make life dangerous and full of suffering."
                   "Both Goths and Buddhists find that courage to face reality as it is - even
   if it is painful."

DIRECTORY OF BUDDHIST MEDITATION GROUPS IN MASSACHUSETTS

   http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Massachusetts