4.2: Western Buddhism
Western Buddhism:
Triratna:
· Largest UK Buddhist movement.
o Cult?
· Dennis Lingwood and Subhuti founded it.
o Claims to have learned from masters of Tibetan and Theravada Buddhism- but doesn't speak Tibetan.
o Formed after Lingwood was rejected by English Sangha trust for his unorthodox teachings rejection of Vipassana meditation.
o Lingwood:
§ "The spiritual life is more difficult for women."
· Mission statement:
o "Network dedicated to communicating Buddhist truths in ways appropriate to the modern world."
· Little focus on the Buddha.
· Independent of Asian Lineage.
· Anti-family, supports homosexual relationships between teacher and student.
· Follow 10 precepts.
· On Buddha:
o Subhuti:
§ "Prioritise the Nikayas."
§ Bodhisattvas as "supra-natural, visionary figures."
o Little focus on historical Buddha.
o Emphasize his human nature.
· Organisation:
o Advanced monks:
§ Dharma-charis.
o Novice monks:
§ Dharma-mitras.
o Renunciants:
§ Live in single-sex communes:
· Dispense with the Sangha which they don't think is original Buddhism.
· Sangharakshita:
o "What is skillful may not necessarily be either socially acceptable, or what one instinctively desires to do."
o Family is the "enemy of the spiritual community.
§ Theravada is in conflict:
· Family Iife is the "highest blessing."
· Jones:
o "A culture of angry young men."
Modern vs traditional Buddhism:
· Modern Western Buddhism:
o Female status is far more equal.
o Religious authority:
§ Dominant in Buddhist societies, minimal in modern secular societies.
o Sangha is not in west.
o Original contact through colonial relationships.
o "Protestant Buddhism."
o Many modern school centres across the UK.
o Resembles early Buddhism?
§ Focussed on spiritual action > scripture..
§ Does not have the pressure of being the dominant religion.
§ Small size = closer monastic-lay relationships.
o Is the developed Modern West Buddhism still valid?
§ Yes:
· Buddhism has always developed.
o Pure Land and Zen
· Change = necessary in different culture.
§ No:
· Lineage has always been important in Buddhism.
· Western Buddhism came about from scholarly interest.
o Not enlightenment.
· All traditional sects reject radical western ones.
· Modern Eastern Buddhism:
o Sri Lanka:
§ Very devout as the centre of Theravada, but Buddhism has evolved into a political force.
o Assault from consumerism and capitalism.
Other:
· Christmas Humphreys:
o Theosophist:
§ Cult-like western organisation.
§ Used Buddhist concepts such as 5 precepts.
o Founder of the Buddhist society.
· Mcmahan:
o "Merged out of an engagement with the dominant cultural and intellectual forces of modernity."
· Engaged Buddhism:
o Focussed on Social activism.
o Thich Nhat Hanh.
Thai forest tradition:
· Theravada UK.
· Small changes, such as chanting in English.
· Follows fourfold sangha structure.
o Popular with Asian Buddhists in the UK
· Lineage back to Buddha via Ajahn Sumedho
o American Buddhist who trained in Thailand.
Sokka Gakka:
· No lineage as founded in 1991.
· Appeals to extroverts. Orlando Bloom is a member.
· Has its own political party in Japan.
o Seeks world peace.
· Like scientology.
o Pay to advance.
· Monks can marry.
· Clark:
o "Human revolution."
Vajragupta:
· On aim of triratna:
o Present a "wildly different" version of Buddhism.
· Development of Triratna:
o "Intense idealism lay alongside extreme naivety."
· Aim of triratna meditation:
o "A sense of freedom."
· Main fear of triratna leadership:
o Become "bogged down in institutional matters and lose touch with the spiritual life."
· Justifies single sex communes:
o "Ensures that both men and women are in positions of autonomy."
Coleman:
· On western Buddhism:
o "Buddhism has continually adapted to the changing circumstances of time and place."
· Goal of triratna:
o "Radical transformation of society."
· Difference between Triratna and traditional Buddhism:
o Lack of "Spiritual lineage."
Triratna and Western Buddhism- Vajragupta and J Coleman
· Coleman on Western Buddhism = ‘fundamentally different from anything that has gone before’ and ‘continually adapted to the changing circumstances’
· Coalman on goal of Triratna= ‘a radical transformation of society’
· Coleman on the difference between Triratna and traditional Buddhism = lack of ‘spiritual lineage’
· Coleman on ordination in Triratna = ‘an informal process’
· Vajragupta on Sangharakshita = ‘revolutionary against old guard lineage’
· Vajragupta on aim of Triratna = ‘wildly different’ from traditional Buddhism
· Vajragupta on development of Triratna = ‘intense idealism lay alongside extreme naivety’
· Vajragupta on aim of Triratna meditation = ‘a sense of freedom’
· Vajragupta on fears of Triratna leadership = ‘bogged down in institutional matters and lose touch with the spiritual life’
· Vajragupta on single-sex communities in Triratna = ‘the single sex idea ensure that both men and women are in positions of autonomy’
· Vajragupta on difficulties of women = ‘for women there was… more conditioning to overcome’