The New Buddhism: The Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition

Summary

Title: The New Buddhism: The Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition
Author: James William Coleman
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0195152417

Pro:
• Good resource on learning more about Buddhism
• Helpful for understanding differences between Western and Eastern Buddhism
• Shows how Buddhism challenges traditional Western beliefs

Con:
• None

Description:
• Describes history of Buddhist traditions and beliefs
• Discusses manner in which Buddhism has been adapted to Western traditions
• Explores ways in which Buddhism may change in the future, and may change the West

Book Review

Coleman, a practicing Buddhist for 15 years, has created an interesting and informative review of the nature of Buddhism in the West (meaning England and the United States). He bases his work on a wide study of research on modern Buddhism, structured interviews with Buddhist teachers and students, and surveys sent to seven Buddhist centers in North America (which together represent the three major traditions — Zen, Vipassana, and Tibetan).

Why should this be of any interest to nonbelievers and skeptics? Buddhism is growing into an important challenger to the traditional cultural authority of Christianity in the West. It is perhaps the only organized challenge to traditional monotheistic religions of the West: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It offers a very different perspective on life and society which may, over time, have a profound impact upon the West.

It is important to remember that in general, Buddhists just don’t care very much about gods. If they exist, they aren’t very important, and so most Buddhists don’t even bother worrying about the question. Many can be described as atheists in the simplest sense, i.e., lacking belief in any gods.

This is a significant difference from the religious perspective common in the West, where a single god is worshiped and is the focus of all attention. In Buddhism, however, an individual’s quest to attain enlightenment and an ethical life becomes more important. This difference is so great that some scholars have tried to argue either that Buddhism is not really a religion or that Buddha is really a sort of god — but neither argument is effective.

The most important difference between Asian Buddhism and Western Buddhism is the development of equality, on several levels. Traditionally, Buddhism has placed teachers above students and men above women. But fortunately — or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it — Buddhism started to become popular during the 1960s, when the social order was being radically questioned and restructured:

The New Buddhism: The Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition

”No other transformation is more critical to the creation of Western Buddhism than the way it is redefining gender. In traditional Asian cultures, the world of the monastic elite is a male world. Although a few female orders have existed over the centuries, they have always been separate and subordinate to male authority. ...As more women are becoming full and equal participants in Western Buddhism, their presence is transforming the tradition itself. Numerous changes in attitudes and approaches reflect the experience of women’s culture as it mingles with that of their male counterparts”

As a result, traditional Buddhist notions of social inequality did not get deeply rooted and, over time, have begun to disappear more quickly than in Western religions. Women are taking larger roles in Buddhist communities, and the abbotts of Buddhist religious centers are sometimes even elected by the members.

Equality is not perfect, and there is still quite a long ways to go, but the differences are nevertheless dramatic and welcome. Because Buddhism tends to be most attractive to members of the liberal, intellectual middle-class, Buddhists also tend to be highly tolerant of minorities, feminists, and gays.

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