With an estimated 200 to 300 million adherents to Buddhism worldwide, the global Buddhist community, or sangha, is comprised of a diverse range of different traditions, practices, and beliefs. This lesson will introduce a few of the most common Buddhist communities throughout the world.
Objectives:
- identify different Buddhist communities worldwide
- recognize modern Buddhism as a global collection of different Buddhist communities
- situate a contemporary Buddhist community within its unique social and historical context using terms and concepts from the Globalization & Diaspora lesson.
Today, many forms of Buddhism exist around the world. The three main types that represent specific geographical areas include:
- Theravada Buddhism: Theravada Buddhist stress moral discipline and belief that enlightenment can only be attained by closely following of the Buddha’s path. Consequently, enlightenment is only possible to a devoted few—usually members of the monastic community. The Theraveda tradition took root in the Southeast Asian countries of Sri Lanka (2nd century), Thailand (3rd century) and Burma (Myanmar; 5th century). Prevalent in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos and Burma
- Mahayana Buddhism: Mahayana Buddhism regards Shakyamuni as only one emanation of Buddhahood and holds that other cosmic Buddhas inhabit other worlds into which the faithful could be reborn. Elements of worship and devotion developed so that salvation could be open to all through the intervention of bodhisattvas. A bodhisattva was a being who elected to postpone entrance into nirvana in order to help others achieve enlightenment. Mahayana Buddhism flourished in India after the time of Christ and spread to China (1st century AD), Korea (early 6th century), Japan (mid-6th century) and Tibet (7th century). Prevalent in China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and Vietnam
- Tibetan Buddhism: Prevalent in Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, Bhutan, and parts of Russia and northern India
Each of these types reveres certain texts and has slightly different interpretations of Buddha’s teachings. There are also several subsects of Buddhism, including Zen Buddhism and Nirvana Buddhism. Some forms of Buddhism incorporate ideas of other religions and philosophies, such as Taoism and Bon.
Esoteric Buddhism
Developed by the 6th century in India, Esoteric Buddhism incorporated many different practices, including some sexual rites, to induce the state of enlightenment. A large number of folk gods as well as Hindu deities entered the Buddhist pantheon. This form of Buddhism is known as esoteric because stress was placed on transmission of secret formulas (mantra), gestures (mudra), and diagrams (mandala) from master to pupil. Tibetan Buddhism, known as Vajrayana, is the most prevalent form of Esoteric Buddhism, but other sects also incorporate esoteric practices, notably the Shingon (True Word) sect of Japan.
Pure Land Buddhism
Belief in Amitabha, the Buddha of Western Paradise, developed in India as early as the 2nd century and was transmitted to China in the 3rd century. Through faith in the mercy and saving grace of Amitabha, followers believed they would be reborn in a kind of heaven (Pure Land or Western Paradise) where they could continue to strive toward enlightenment free from the difficulties of life on earth. Pure Land teaching became popular in China in the 7th century and in Japan in the 12th century.
Zen / Ch’an Buddhism
While embracing the vast Mahayanist pantheon, Zen Buddhism (Ch’an in Chinese) stresses an individual’s efforts to achieve enlightenment through meditation. Zen Buddhists trace this tradition all the way back to the historic Buddha who first achieved enlightenment while seated in meditation. The Indian sage Bodhidharma (J: Daruma) transmitted the creed to China by in the 6th century. Zen Buddhism became popular in Japan during the Kamakura period (1185-1382).
Buddhism and Nationalism
Recent mergers of Buddhism with nationalistic movements in Southeast Asia are examples of how Buddhism, like all religions, is internally diverse and interpretations of the tradition can vary between groups and individuals.
Buddhist 969 Movement in Myanmar has targeted the ethnic Muslim Rohingya who are not recognized by the government and who comprise nearly one sixth of the Muslim population there. The leader of the 969 Movement is a monk named Wirathu. He justifies the ethnic cleansing campaign as a necessary protection of Buddhism, which is culturally aligned with ethnic Burmese nationalism in a nation that has long struggled with power imbalances between the dominant Burmese and other, smaller ethnic groups seeking integration or independence.
Bodu Bala Sena in Sri Lanka is a new form of Buddhist nationalism known as the BBS (‘Buddhist Power Force’ in Sinhalese) that has recently emerged following the end of the nearly 30-year civil war with the separatist Tamil Tigers. Its leader Galagodaththe Gnanasara likened the defeat of the separatists to an ancient Sinhalese victory and justifies ongoing violence in defense of (Buddhist) Sri Lankan culture. In this same vein, he also promoted anti-Muslim rioting in 2014 in the southern villages. In both Myanmar and Sri Lanka there are Buddhist monks and lay leaders who are challenging the violent expression of Buddhism, but they are currently marginalized by other factions that are in positions of power. The following video is an excerpt from a Boda Bala Sena rally in Sri Lanka.
European and American Buddhist Communities
The term American Buddhism is often used to describe Buddhist groups and traditions within the U.S. that are largely comprised of non-immigrant converts practicing a new and/or syncretic blend of Buddhism with other religious practices. This contrasts with many Buddhist groups in Asia or immigrant groups in the US which are primarily comprised of people who were born into an ancient tradition such as Vajrayana, Mahayana or Theravada Buddhism. American Buddhists are a very diverse population comprised of many different ethnicities, nationalities and religious traditions.
The Association of American Buddhists was a group which promotes Buddhism through publications, ordination of monks, and classes. Organized in 1960 by American practitioners of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism, it does not espouse any particular school or schools of Buddhism. It respects all Buddhist traditions as equal, and encourages unity of Buddhism in thought and practice. It states that a different, American, form of Buddhism is possible, and that the cultural forms attached to the older schools of Buddhism need not necessarily be followed by westerners.
Global Buddhist Communities
Kadampa: With 1100 Kadampa Buddhist centers and groups around the world, there are thousands of people now practicing Kadampa Buddhism under the guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
References & Resources
- Demographics of Buddhism, Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs.
- The Sangha, The Buddhist Community, Religious Literacy Project Harvard Divinity School
Writing Assignment: To analyze and understand diversity within contemporary Buddhism select a contemporary Buddhist community and use terms and concepts from the Globalization & Diaspora lesson to situate it within its unique social and historical circumstances in order to contextualize how the community is different from others. The community can be a local temple or religious group, a political association, a cultural group, online community, etc.
- Select a unique Buddhist community.
- Locate scholarly sources about the community.
- Identify how the community is different from other Buddhist communities
- Review the history of the community to determine how the unique characteristics emerged (ie diaspora, ideological movements, interactions with other religions and cultures, etc. )
- Develop a thesis statement
- Organize data and write body paragraphs to support the statement (cite in-text)
- Write Introduction and Conclusion
- Format sources.
(700 words and at least two scholarly sources properly formatted and cited in text; post in discussion, and respond to at least two other student posts)