Aptly titled “Reflections on the Nature and Study of Buddhism”, chapter fourteen of Buddhism—The Ebook, by Charles S. Prebish and Damien Keown does exactly that. This part of the text explains Buddhism’s spread to western civilization and how Americans altered it, its evolution into an academic discipline in America, and the role of technology in the discipline of Buddhist Studies. On page 288 of the text, writer Stephen Batchelor describes the western hemisphere’s first encounter with Buddhism as an “Awakening of the West.” This so called “awakening” was not an instantaneous or widespread hit, but factors like Buddhist influences in the arts and a “steadily increasing number of converts and Buddhist institutions” prove that Buddhism was …show more content…
There is no written documentation of the development of Buddhist Studies in America as an academic discipline; from the little that is known, it seems appropriate to attribute the beginning of Buddhist Studies to the aforementioned Paul Carus, along with Henry Clarke Warren and Charles Rockwell Lanman. The first two founding fathers, Henry Clarke Warren and Charles Rockwell Lanman, both studied Sanskrit and taught scholars how to interpret the language. These three individuals worked tirelessly to establish the Buddhist literary tradition in America until Warred died in 1899, at which point Lanman shifted his focus to other studies in the Indic tradition. The development of Buddhist Studies was then left to people like Eugene Watson Burlingame who studied the Pali language. In 1921 he published an extensive translation of these texts in The Harvard Oriental Series (pp.362), a book series founded in 1891 by Charles Rockwell Lanman and Henry Clarke Warren. Despite these efforts, it took another forty years for Buddhist Studies begin its emergence as a significant discipline in the American university system.
It is obvious from the chapter that the 1960s were an important decade for Buddhism in America. As stated on page 292, the 1960s were the dawn of the “Global Period of world history,” where improved modes of transportation enabled superior communication for the exchange of
Groups of people supported the rise and spread of Buddhism by bringing light to the positive aspects of the religion. In document
In classical India, the religion of Buddhism was formed in reaction to the strict ways of Hinduism. Many people, mainly lower class, converted to seek a better life and be enlightened more efficiently. This new religion made its way to China where much of its population converted through trade and missionaries. The conversion of Buddhism in China caused many effects of the spread of Buddhism because of its influential impacts from 300 to 900 CE which are influencing the government, caused some people to reject it, and mainly was a unifying force for China. An effect the spread of Buddhism is the influence of its morals on China’s government in 300-900 CE (Doc’s 1, 7). On some occasions Chinese people vehemently rejected Buddhism and rather practice more Chinese driven religion (Doc’s 5, 7). The most impactful effect of the spread of Buddhism is its ability to unite the Chinese in the way of
from Sanskrit (LaFleur 24). Many early writers of Buddhist texts in China also worked hard to
Compare and Contrast: The Spread of Christianity and Buddhism in the End of the Classical Period.
Some evident transitions include, “the weakening of state control and the institutionalization of Buddhism as a distinct “corporate entity” in administration, taxation, and economic activities; the influence of enlightenment thinking and modernist scientific rational- ism, which is evident in Buddhist monastic reforms and in Buddhist publications for public consumption; a decline followed by a modest recovery of both monastic and lay Buddhism, in parallel with a growth in the enhanced status of women as nuns or lay practitioners in East and Southeast Asia; engagement with social and political causes in the form of Buddhist reform movements, hospitals, NGO’s, and social services; the commercialization of ritual services, especially in the form of “funerary Buddhism”; increasing lay interest in Buddhism as a “self-help” movement, accompanied by broader participation in activities once limited exclusively for monastics: meditation classes, retreats, study groups, and the like; and the expansion of Tibetan Buddhism throughout Asia and the world since 1959, as a consequence of the Tibetan exile. The modernization of Buddhism influenced some of the well regarded authors in American Literature. The Heart Sūtra (a foundational scripture of Mahāyāna Buddhism) was translated by Henry David Thoreau. However, Buddhist modernism is mostly “lay-based” and individualistic. It is focused on meditation and psychological introspection. Furthermore, in 1960’s America, a highly romanticized view of Buddhism began to form. This view of Buddhism in the modern age was inspired by the countercultural movements and by a few “cosmopolitan Asian intellectuals who have lectured and published in the West.” More importantly, One of the most significant social and institutional developments in
In this paper it will discuss the influence of the Buddha and how Buddhism came to America and the impact it had upon its arrival. How the American culture westernized Buddhism in their own way and how it looks today. It will also cover the difference of ethnic Buddhism and convert Buddhism in America. More specifically the objective of this paper is to explain descriptively and analytically and go over the historical time line of
Buddhism was a powerful force in politics and in everyday life. It was a tool of the ruling class to appease the people in times of hardship - such as the political disunity in between dynasties. However, when the times changed, Buddhism was also blamed for much of the trouble, and for edging out the much more strict doctrine of Confucianism. Most of the documents presented indicated a spread nonetheless of Buddhism among the people. Additional documents needed to further evaluate the response to Buddhism should be from a source of a slightly lower class, such as a merchant, or a view from a convert to Buddhism - since most views seem to be from Confucian
Buddhism as a universalizing religion in the first millennium was influenced by many different factors during the time it spread across Asia. Buddhism both adapted and resisted some of these factors. As a result of these factors Buddhism transformed, created new forms of art and literature, and also universalized Asia. Buddhism was also able to surpass several features such as distance and differing cultures but was resisted by other influences
While the Western World is largely familiar with elements surrounding the spread of Christianity, these people are inclined to ignore that Buddhism came to experience a similar progression in the East. Beginning approximately five centuries before Christianity, Buddhism emerged as an ideology contrasting harsher Hindu laws and made it possible for people to understand that it was actually necessary for them to follow a Middle Path in order to achieve Enlightenment. In spite of the fact that the religion spread rapidly through its land of birth, it generally came to receive lesser appreciation in India while more and more countries to the East began to express interest in the concepts that it put across.
The spread of Buddhism in China was a process which lasted over one thousand years. It was the inevitable result of social and economic development in ancient China. The doctrines of Buddhism met the need of the Chinese rulers as well as the spiritual demand of ordinary Chinese people. As a religion from abroad, Buddhism went through many hardship and difficulties but was finally accepted and worshiped by so many of its believers. The essence of Buddhism is love and forgiveness. It encourages people to be kind-hearted and helpful . It believes in punitive justice. All those have great influence on national characters of the Chinese people and ancient Chinese civilization. The Great Awakening took place when America was ruled by the British Empire. The new inhabitants were those European Christians suppressed by the Church of England. They were subjects
“What does Eastern Religions mean to Americans?” Starting in the 19th century, Buddhism began to make its way to America through the immigration of the Chinese whom brought their religious traditions with them. Buddhism continued to gain popularity in America when Buddhist texts, as well as Buddhist teachers, were brought here to share and spread their religion. It wasn’t until the late 1950’s/early 1960’s that we see the interest in Buddhism, particularly Zen Buddhism, blossom throughout the country. Through the memoir “Sacred Hoops” by Phil Jackson, an NBA player and coach, we are able to see how Zen Buddhism not only altered his life, as well as his players, but how the religion also adapts to American culture. From reading both “Sacred Hoops” and learning about Buddhism throughout this semester, I would argue that Eastern religions, specifically Zen Buddhism, is not only a way for Americans to escape the reality of American culture but also provides a complete alternative to Christianity and other similar religions that are predominate in America.
The Little Buddha is an amazing, and uplifting movie, and full of positive meaning, yet it also is full of religious meaning. Aspects of life and death are shown throughout the movie, but the film mainly explains three key aspects of Buddhism. Buddhist teachings of reincarnation, impermanence, and enlightenment, are connected deeply to each other and is illustrated throughout the film. The first Buddhist teaching of reincarnation is evident from the beginning of the movie. The audience starts to see these teachings when a Buddhist teacher is making it evident to his student (Lama Norbu) that he is ready to reincarnate, after he passes away. Lama finds out that there are three potential reincarnations of his teacher’s soul. These reincarnates
By 100 C.E., Buddhism founded in India in the 6th century B.C.E was brought to China, gradually winning converts following the collapse of the Han dynasty in 220 C.E., but responses to the spread of Buddhism in China differed. Some faction of people didn’t see the spread of Buddhism as a threat they saw it as what it was, a religion brought to China even though it not an aspect of China,it still should be respected differed from faction of people who saw the spread of Buddhism as barbaric invasion and just overusing China, but to add some factions of people saw Buddhism as a good religion that differed from Confucianism in China but are both valued religions that have similar concepts.
This facilitated the increasing practice of Buddhism in Southeast Asia attributable to influences from foreign Buddhist merchants to the nations thus integrating itself into civilization and daily life (Adler and Pouwels 2008, 64).
Buddhism stands as a philosophy and a religion founding itself on the theory of a possible eternal soul. Until awakening is achieved, this eternal soul is locked in the vicious cycle of rebirth (Samsara). According to the Four Noble Truths preached by the Buddha, life is a perpetual suffering caused by desire and attachment, and freedom from suffering is only possible by practicing the Eightfold Path. The World is suffering in a succession of temptations and negative experiences from birth to death. Therefore Buddhism advises on searching to go beyond suffering, and only aspire to rest, nothingness, and liberation, into a final state called Nirvana. Happiness or Nirvana can eventually be achieved in a hereafter, another life, if man abandons any desire or perspective of action within his present life, in order to go past suffering.