People in the West tend to be most familiar with Western religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam in particular. Because of that most of their assumptions about religion are based upon those religious traditions - that, however, ignores all of the religions of the East - for example Shintoism, Taosim, and Buddhism. These religious traditions are just as important as those in the West.
When one thinks of 'holy wars' waged with the approval of religion, religions like Christianity and Islam come to mind, not Eastern religions which appear more peaceful. Buddhism is thought of as focused on the personal development of peace and harmony. Most don't realize the extent of Zen Buddhism's complicity with the Japanese war machine and the horrors it unleashed on Southeast Asia.
Eastern religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto) encompass a significant percentage of the world’s population and are part of some of the oldest cultures on the planet. For most Americans, though, they are nearly invisible. Most people may have heard of them, but probably don’t know anything about them.
Hinduism is one of the world’s great religions. It’s one of the oldest continuing religious and cultural traditions still in existence (though of course it has evolved over time) and provides context for the lives of a significant proportion of the world’s population. Nevertheless, it remains something of a mystery to many in the West.
America has traditionally been "Christian" in character, in the sense that most citizens have been members of one or another Christian denomination. Since 1965, however, the fastest growing religious communities have been Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh. In what ways have they been changed by American culture, and how are they in turn influencing America?
Aspects of Daoism (Taoism) have become increasingly popular in America over the past few decades. Who hasn't heard about the growth of things like tai chi and acupuncture - not to mention the money that some are making off of them? These bits and pieces are, however, divorced from the religious tradition in which they first developed, a religious tradition foreign and unfamiliar to most Americans.
Taoism has existed in China for centuries, but its importance is overshadowed by Buddhism and Confucianism. This is unfortunate because Taoism can be found in a variety of forms: philosophical, religious, esoteric, and mystical. It exists in harmony alongside Buddhism and Confucianism, drawing from both and adding back as well.
In 629, Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang left the Tang dynasty capital Chang-an (current-day Xian) and traveled to India to see the shrines of his religion. His record of the 15-year-long voyage not only served generations of travelers, but also generations of scholars and school children until, eventually, it ended up largely forgotten.
Because the Shinto religion has been integral to Japanese culture for millennia, understanding Japan requires some understanding of Shinto. In addition, most people may not realize that the development of Buddhism has been heavily influenced by Shinto: they are the two major religions in Japan, and many Japanese see no conflict in claiming adherence to both.
In Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Northern India, rumors about a woman having an affair, marrying a man of her choice, or even just spending time with the “wrong� man can cause irredeemable disgrace to her entire family. The only recourse for male relatives is violence: beatings, disfigurement, and sometimes murder. Female relatives of the offending male may even be raped for the sake of honor.
It's been said that America and Britain are two nations separated by a common language. It's possible to also say that Britain and India are two nations separated not merely by thousands of miles, but also by several hundred years of common history. From the foundation of the East India Company down through the 20th century, India played a significant role in Britain's politics.
Buddhism has become very popular in the West over the past couple of decades, but to what degree has Buddhism been changing the West, and to what degree has Buddhism itself undergone change? According to William Coleman, Buddhism has changed a lot, yet nevertheless, it is fundamentally the same as it has always been. But how can this be?
