Buddhism in the West

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What was Buddhism like in the West over 100 years ago?
Almost non-existent, there was very little knowledge of Buddhism in the West.
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What are the three main ways that Buddhism came to the West?
Western scholars studying Buddhism, work of philosophers, writers and artists and the arrival of Asian immigrants.
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Which attitude attracts many Westerners to Buddhism?
The ''come and see for yourself'' attitude. People are not asked to believe in anything but to try out the Buddha's ideas for themselves in trial and error.
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When did many people go East and bring back Buddhist ideas?
Around a century ago.
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Why do lots of Easterners migrate West?
Because of war/conflict.
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When did many Tibetans move West?
1959 - the Chinese takeover.
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When were the wars in Indochina?
The 50's and 60's - led to many Vietnamese people moving West and settling in Europe.
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What did many Thai people do in the 50's and 60's?
Move West and set up businesses - brought their Buddhist beliefs to new homes and helped set up Buddhist centres.
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What was Sangarakshita originally called?
Dennis Lingwood
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How long did he spend in India?
20 yrs.
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What was he originally ordained as?
A Theravada monk, but he later began adopting Mahayana practices,
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What did he NOT do?
Confine all his loyalties into one belief.
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What did he decide to do when he returned to England?
Set up his own Buddhist community.
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When was the Triratna Buddhist Order set up?
1968.
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What are other names for the Triratna Buddhist Order?
Western Buddhist Order/Friends of the Western Buddhist Order.
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Why is the TBO so popular?
It is not a monastic order. Serves to bind together the Buddhist community to make it more accessible for Westerners. Meditation is the main focus as is the spiritual value of friendship. Has many members with a range of lifestyles.
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What can the TBO be interpreted as?
Protestant Buddhism.
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Which Buddhist order contrasts with the Triratna?
The Thai Forest Tradition.
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What was set up in order to acknowledge the Thai Forest Tradition?
The English Sangha Trust.
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Who is best associated with the Thai Forest Tradition?
Ajahn Sumedho.
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Why does it differ with the Triratna?
It's been moved lock, stock and barrel to the West. There has been no attempt to Westernise the Thai Forest Tradition.
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What is a good film that portrays Buddhism in the West quite well?
''When the Buddha came to Sussex''
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Which is another Buddhist tradition that is popular in the West?
Sakka Gakkai
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What is Sakka Gakkai a form of?
An offshoot of Pure Land - Nichiren Buddhism.
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What does it focus on?
Repetitive chanting.
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What is this chanting meant to do?
Make one a better person and provide liberation in the next life.
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Why is it so popular?
Because theres no lifestyle that one has to follow. It's easy and accessible to Westerners.
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Who is most associated with Sakka Gakkai?
Celebrities - actors and show-biz people e.g Kate Hudson, Jennifer Anniston.
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Give some examples of Buddhism in Western culture:
Vegetarianism, meditation, films e.g Seven Years in Tibet, Nirvana (band), dual-belonging, spread of Buddhist festivals e.g Wesak.
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Give some examples why Buddhism has achieved popularity in the West:
Don't actually have to believe in anything, no authority figures, hasn't received a bad press, people have become disassociated with Christianity, now a ''lifestyle'' - meditation/mindfulness = buzz words. Accessible.
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Give some examples of incorrect stereotypes in Buddhism:
Yoga, atheist, portrayed as being calm/passive, celebrities and their portrayals of Buddhism. Whole ''zen'' attitude, idea that Buddhism has no rules.
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What role does Buddhism have in the media?
Many examples of portrayal of Buddhism in the media, e.g films, documentaries, articles, websites etc. E.g website for Buddhist Society has a page called ''Press/Media''.
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What has the spread of Buddhism in the media allowed us to do?
Learn more about Buddhist teachings.
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Why do Buddhist communities sometimes encourage social media?
Because they value spiritual friendship and a sense of community. Being a Buddhist can become very lonely.
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What do some monasteries allow their monks to do?
Read the news.
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Why isn't reading the news overly encouraged?
Because it can provoke a sense of attachment to things going on outside the monastery and a monk may lose focus on his meditation.
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Which important Buddhist figure has a Twitter account?
The Dalai Lama.
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Give three examples of role models in Buddhism:
Ani Choying, Thich Quang Duc, The Dalai Lama.
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Who is Ani Choying?
Buddhist nun - Tibetan refugee and Buddhist/women's role model in Nepal/Asia. Attends international conferences worldwide. Raises money for poor uneducated women in Nepal - male dominated society. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Nepal.
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Who is Thich Quang Duc?
A Vietnamese Monk who self-immolated during the Vietnam War.
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When did he burn himself to death?
1963
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What did he do this to show?
That we must fight all forms of repression on equal terms.
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Who did he attract attention from?
John. F. Kennedy
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Who achieved a Pulitzer Prize for the photo of Thich Quang Duc?
Malcolm Browne.
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Which part of his body did not burn in the fire?
His heart.
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What has the Dalai Lama spoken out about?
Tibetan Crisis, women's rights, environmental issues, non-violence and interfaith dialogue.
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Why is he so popular and well respected?
Charismatic personality, international fascination with Buddhism, respects the rights of Tibetans, universal values, western sinophobia.
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What does he have that our post-industrial material society doesn't?
A ''mystic otherness'' - he floats whereas the rest of us live.
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What does he say about religion?
He tells people to stick to their own religions. Buddhism doesn't come with a stigma.
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Why do the left like him?
He emphasises universal rights and self-autonomy.
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Why do the right like him?
Because he opposes China.
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What do the Chinese say about him?
''He is a wolf in monks robes, a demon with a human face and the heart of a beast''.
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When did he win the Nobel Peace Prize?
1989.
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What are Paul Knitter and Stephen Bachelor associated with?
Dual-belonging/secular Buddhism
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Who is Paul Knitter?
Professor of Theology in NYC. Used to be a Roman Catholic Priest.
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What does he believe in?
Religious pluralism - he's a Buddhist and a Christian.
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What is his book called?
''Without Buddha - I could not be a Christian''
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What does he call for?
A Christian Sacrament of Silence - focuses on silence and breathing (Theravada).
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Which book did he publish in 1985?
''No Other Name'' - made him well known for his religious pluralism.
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What is he heavily influenced by?
Meditation. He argues that Christians should take it up.
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Which Buddhist teachings does he believe are important?
Meditation, interdependency and shunyata.
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Which might some Christians find his view unsettling?
Because he is ''picking and choosing'.
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Who accused Knitter of ''picking and choosing''?
Pope Benedict.
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What has he been accused of doing?
A kind of promiscuity - he has been accused of ''spiritually sleeping around''.
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Who is associated most with secular Buddhism?
Stephen Bachelor
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How long was Bachelor a monk for?
20 years.
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What is he surprised at?
The way that Buddhism has entered the mainstream - you can now get meditation on the NHS and even a US Congressman has written a book about mindfulness.
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Why is he surprised that people like Buddhism?
Because it comes from highly conservative, agrarian communities in Asia.
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What will Westerners believe?
They'll believe what a monk from Thailand tells them, but not a priest from Cambridge.
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What does his secular Buddhism seek to do?
Rethink Buddhism from the ground up.
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What does he say about Buddhist scripture?
It could easily have been written by a Jain or Brahmin monk.
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What is the Pali Canon really?
Just a reflection of the views at the time it was written - not representative of true Buddhism.
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What did he say we should do to the mystical teachings of Buddhism?
''Slice them off'' and you're left with a relative religious practice.
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What did he reform the Four Noble Truths into?
The Four Noble Tasks.
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Buddhism is...
Something to do not something to believe in.
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Why have Knitter and Bachelor been criticised?
For abandoning the Dharma.
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Where is the evidence of this?
In parables such as the ''Poison Arrow''.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What are the three main ways that Buddhism came to the West?

Back

Western scholars studying Buddhism, work of philosophers, writers and artists and the arrival of Asian immigrants.

Card 3

Front

Which attitude attracts many Westerners to Buddhism?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

When did many people go East and bring back Buddhist ideas?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Why do lots of Easterners migrate West?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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