Buddhism: Over 520M Followers, 7% of Global Population - Essay Sample

Introduction

Buddhism is considered the fourth world largest religion in the world with approximately 520 million followers, which is approximately 7% of the entire global population (Tanaka & Kenneth, 70). The Buddhism religion is usually encompassed of beliefs, spiritual teachings, and traditions that are usually based on the original teaching of Buddha. It is believed to have originated from ancient India as the sramana tradition between the sixth and the fourth century bce. Buddhism first arrived in the United States in the 1840 with the Chinese immigrants who settled in the western part of country (Lizardi et al., 34). The European and the northern Americans who visited Asia also brought the Buddhist texts, which played a key role in spreading Buddhism in the United States. In the middle of the 1800s, the influence of the Buddhism thought started to show up in various literary works of Henry Thoreau, Ralph Waldo, and Whitman. Currently the religion has now spread to the United States whereby it has gained a wide number of followers (Tanaka & Kenneth, 86). A survey conducted in the year 2002 estimated that the number of Buddhist followers was approximately 1.2 million individuals, of whom 40% was living in the southern part of California (Ama & Michihiro, 34). Hawaii was believed to have the largest number of Buddhist with approximately 8% due to the huge Asian community living in the area (Ama & Michihiro, 16). There are usually there broad types of Buddhism in the United States, which include, first, the ethnic or immigrant Buddhism that is considered to be the largest and the oldest Buddhism. It is believed to have arrived in the country with the immigrants who were already practicing it. Secondly, the import Buddhism which is considered to be the second oldest type of Buddhism in the country. The import Buddhist are believed to have come to the United States mainly in response of the Americans converts who sought them out. Thirdly, the evangelical or the export Buddhist that is a group that is based in another country and mainly recruits Buddhism members in the United States. The aim of this study is to discuss the issue of Buddhism in the United States

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Why is Buddhism Taught More like a Philosophy than a Religion in America?

Buddhism in the United States is usually taught as a philosophy rather than a religion due to various factors that include, first, due to the early influencers. In the 19th century when Buddhism entered into the American cultural consciousness, the American romantic notion or belief the exotic oriental mysticism was high in the mind of the American poets, philosophers and the scholars of the world's religion (Tanaka & Kenneth, 45). the transcendental poets such as ralph waldo read the Buddhist and Hindu philosophy deeply while others such as steel olcott converted and started the popular mystical philosophy known as theosophy. The traditional Buddhism is believed to have many doctrines, deities, sacred texts rituals, and other elements that would make one to associate Buddhism with any organized religion. However, in the year 1893 during the world's parliament on religions Zen the Buddhist master presented this meditative Buddhism tradition to the Americans just as a practical philosophy but not as a religion (Tanaka & Kenneth, 13). This perception of Buddhism being a philosophy has therefore persisted in the American minds until this day. The Buddhist from Asia did not deliberately misrepresent the Buddha tradition or just tell the United States population what they needed to hear instead they were genuine in their effort to make the Buddha tradition relevant in the 19th century (Ama & Michihiro, 12).

Secondly, the exotic appeal. The beat poets, and hipers are perceived to have paradoxically mistaken Buddhism with some kin or type of self-indulgent narcissism despite its strong teachings of compassion, and selflessness. other individuals have commercially exploited the exotic appeal of selling everything from, the lucky Buddha bear to Zen tea which was mainly ironic considering the Buddhism traditional precipitation against various intoxicant such as alcohol. Due to this effect, the popular construction the non-religious Buddhism resulted to the contemporary spiritual but non-religious phenomenon together with the secularized commoditized mindfulness movement based in the American society. the Buddhist my therefore have transplanted a section of the Buddhism religion in the united states but the adopted section has taken deep root in the scientific , highly commercialized and the secular age. Therefore, for better and for the worst, Buddhism will remain to be an American style.

Thirdly, the foundation of Buddhism in the United States. When the Buddhism religion was introduced in the country, the population particularly became fascinated by the mystical appeal or effect of Buddhist meditation. The Japanese Zen master translator and student at the world region parliament influenced may American intellectuals and artist during the world war through his popular writing of Buddhism as philosophy rather than a religion. His writings and the subsequent Asian and American teachers also enabled the Buddhism religion to impact every aspect or field of the American culture as a philosophy. The American educational system was also enriched by the first Buddhism affiliated university in naropa. This paved way for the creation of other Buddhism higher learning institutions for instance Soka University. The medical institutions also adopted the mindfulness based stress reduction into various mainstream therapies and other prison anger management programs that were based on Buddhist contemplative approaches or techniques for instance the vipassana insight meditation. The same happened to the entertainment industry that incorporated the Buddhism themes in the Hollywood blockbusters, for instance the matrix. the professional athletes also used re Zen coaching strategies which furthered the Americans populations understanding and knowledge of Buddhism not as a strong religion but as a strong secular philosophy that has broad application in various fields.

Some of the Main Influencers of Buddhism in America

Some of the main participants and influencers of the religion include, the Japanese Zen master who returned to the United States after moving across the globe-giving lecture on the Buddhism religion. Three students of the Japanese Zen master went ahead to assist their master to spread the religion within the country. Another key participant of the world's parliament of religion meeting in the year 1893 was Anagarika Dharmapala, who was the sir Lankan Buddhism teacher (Weaver et al., 23). The teacher is considered to have played a key role in the spread of the religion within the United States through his extensive tours across the country in the 20th centuries where he gave lectures on Buddhism (Weaver et al., 39). Most of the individual that attended the lectures claim that the teacher used the lectures to enlighten the American population on the religion origin and beliefs and the need to embrace the religion. The Buddhism mission in the United States that was inoculated by the members of pure land school of Japanese Buddhism in the year 1893 was also among the main influencers of the religion in the United States (Ama & Michihiro, 12). On the other hand, the imprisonment of approximaly 100000 Japanese Americans during the world war was a serious reason for the development of the institution, which eventually became the Buddhist church of America (Ama & Michihiro, 102). The church has continued to spread the religion and has continued to be among the largest and stable Buddhist communities in the United States.

Other key influencer of the religion is the group that introduced the spirit of experimentation in the country between the 1960s and 1970s (Ama & Michihiro, 2)... Some of the members of the group include Jack Kerouac, Ram Dass, Gary Snyder, and Allen Ginsberg. This group travelled across Asia searching for gurus and teachers and to learn meditation. The teachers and gurus were brought into the United States whereby they helped in the spread of the religion and even went ahead to initiate meditation lesion in various parts of the country.

Finally, the war and military conflicts across the globe has also played a key role in the spread of the religion within the nation. The war and military conflicts have particularly brought several streams of Buddhism in to the country. During the wake of the Korean War and the World War II, the American service men that were sent to Asia came back with extreme interest in Buddhism and the Asian culture. Other individual such as Robert Aitken a who is the founder of diamond sangha was a war prisoner when he learnt of the Buddhism teaching. He also developed interest in the religion and even went ahead to recruit more people to join of follow the Buddhism beliefs.

How Buddhism in America Differs From Buddhism in Other Countries?

Just like any other religion across the globe, Buddhism comes in various varieties thus making the Buddhism religion in the United States to differ from the Buddhism being practiced in other nations such as Asia. In the United States, it is very common for the socially liberal, well-educated American population to explore other religion but Buddhism has actually struck a huge chord within the American population due to various reasons that include, first, Buddhism is most susceptible to the literalism and dogmatism that is very common in the ancient western religions. Secondly, the religion acts as a counter mainly to the widespread materialism in the American culture. Thirdly, the religion usually provides a very spiritual path, which is compatible with the secular philosophies. Despite the Buddhism religion, having stuck the chord of most Americans it is believed to be different from the Buddhism religions practised in other nations across the globe. Some of the reason why the religion is different include, first, the American Buddhism mainly focuses on self-improvement and also being a very responsible community member. It usually downplays the teachings, which are usually considered to be superstitious and esoteric, and mainly focuses on the tangible aspects of the practice. the religion attempts to make the American population better by trying to educate them about the strong moral and ethical values that are crucial in everyday life and those that make one a responsible community member. Some of the main teachings of the American Buddhism include respect for each life, respect for the pure nature, and respect for other people's property and respect for honesty. This is however tends to be different for the Buddhism that are taught in other nations since they mainly focus on the religious teachings rather than the self-improvement values.

Secondly, it is perceived to be loosely organised than in other regions across the globe. In the United States, the Buddhism religion is usually practiced by the individuals in isolation or people in the small informal groups. For instance the Asian Americans and the Japanese Americans who adopted the religion from their parents. The formal organization of the religion in the United States is still small compared to the eastern Buddhism followers. Since the religion is not well organized in the country, only a few religious followers can be considered to nuns or monks the individuals who brought or introduced the religion in the country had to bring the monks from the Asian region to assist in the spread of the religion. During the introduction of the Buddhism religion in the 1800s, most Americans did not take serious concerns on...