Buddhism-USA

= AMERICAN BUDDHISM by (Parker Staniar)  =

Three things everyone should know about Buddhism in America are:
1. Buddhism first came to America in 1820 from Chinese immigrants. The first United States continental temple was built in 1899 in San Fransisco California. 2. According to ARIS in 2004 there are about 1.5 million Buddhists in the United States. 3. Zen Buddhism is the most popular sect of Buddhism in America. It came to America in 1893 at the Parliaments of World Religions thanks to D.T Suzuki.

Critical Vocabulary/ Major concepts:
Zen Buddhism is the most popular sect of Buddhism in the United States. Zen Buddhism is a school of Mahayana Buddhism. In 1893 at the Parliaments of World Religions held in Chicago Zen monk Soyen Shaku and D.T. Suzuki spoke during the program and receives most of the credit for bringing Buddhism into the United States. However in the mid 20th century D.T Suzuki came to America and held lectures and promoted his book at Universities across the country. D.T Suzuki was in America from 1897 to 1908 spreading the teaching of Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism is known scholastically as "The doctrine of The Buddha-Heart". Attempting to define Zen Buddhism is a contradicting task for it is a doctrine with no text, or ceremonies. Enlightenment is the ultimate goal of Zen Buddhism. //**Satori**// is the proper term for enlightenment in Zen Buddhism. **//Satori//** is the immediate and clear understanding of the nature of reality. Zen praticipants do not focus on self. This can be a difficult task for an American because Americans perceptions about reality are ego centric. According to Zen practice self is an illusion created by society to mask the t Truth. 'Ego' and 'Self' are two separate entities. Ego is a fake mask that is put on because of the desires that society presents us with. 'Self' is being released from falsehood of the 'ego'. Once one understands the separation and realization of the true 'self'' the Zen process begins. This is the most difficult part of Zen Buddhism and is the hardest for Americans to grasp. **//Koan//** is a very brief story demonstrating the paradoxical nature of dualistic thinking in zen meditation and uses nonsensical statements about rational thinking. This helps guide the person who is practicing. **//Shikantaza//** is the mindfulness meditation that is practiced in Zen Buddhism.

There are also a significant amount of famous celebrities who openly practice Buddhism. A few of them are: Tiger Woods, Steven Segal, Kate Bosworth, Richard Gere, Herbie Hancock, Kurt Russel, Phil Jackson (LA Lakers Head Coach), Rob Cohen.

Historical time-line (major developments):
1820 Buddhist Chinese immigrants came to America for the first time 1893 At the Parliaments of World Religions in Chicago. This was the first time Japanese, Thai and Chinese Buddhists were given the public forum to speak about their different practices of Buddhism 1987 The ABC (American Buddhist Congress) was formed 1930 Sokei-an Sasaki was the first American based Zen master and founded the first Zen institute in America 1949 D. T Suzuki published and wrote an Introduction to Zen Buddhism which was very informative and gave many Americans

[[image:buddhism_distribution.gif]]
This is a map of all the Buddhist temples and monastery's in Boston and greater Boston Area. There are over 20 Buddhist temples that are east of route 128.

Monastic Practice

 * **Daily Schedule[[image:mitwlogo.jpg]]** ||
 * 6:30 AM || Morning Chanting and Meditation ||
 * 8:00 AM || Sweeping ||
 * 9:30 AM || Pindapata (alms-round) ||
 * 10:00 AM || Morning Service and Meal ||
 * 3:00 PM || Tea ||
 * 5:00 PM || Sweeping and Evening Chores ||
 * 7:00 PM || Evening Chanting and Meditation ||

This is the schedule at the Buddhist Temple of America, Wat Bhuridattavanaram sect of Buddhism for the devoted members. This temple is located in southern California and located on 4.5 acres of property. The temples primary purpose is to teach the monks (bhikkus ) who are attempting to becoming monks.

Lay Practice
This is lay practice in a Buddhist Temple in New York, New York. This is a zen Buddhist meditation area. This picture is significant to American Buddhism because it shows the diversity of the different Americans who turn to Buddhism for religious enlightenment. This is a picture of Buddhists in Braintree Massachusetts. These are Bostonian's who are practicing Buddhism meditation. These are the lay people who are not as devoted monastic participants.

This is a Zen Buddhist center in Brighton Mass. at the Shim Gum Do Zen center they offer regular classes and monthly Dharma discussions. There is also a residential side to the Zen Center for those who want to make the commitment to Buddhism. This center also has Karate and Karate classes. Although the Karate is not directly linked to the Buddhism it is part of the center. However the sword play is directly related to Buddhism.

Scriptures and Poetry
//A monk asked Tozan, "How can we escape the cold and heat?" Tozan replied, "Why not go where there is no cold and heat?" "Is there such a place?" the monk asked. Tozan commented, "When cold, be thoroughly cold; when hot, be hot through and through.//

These are both examples of Koans. These stories cannot be comprehended by rational thinking. The purpose of the Koans are to help get the Zen participants to understand these stories with intuition. In the second one 'Every Day is a good day' is a more simple intuition
 * //Unmon said: "I do not ask you about fifteen days ago. But what about fifteen days hence? Come, say a word about this!" Since none of the monks answered, he answered for them: "Every day is a good day."// ||

Buddha Images (of the Zen Tradition):
This is a Zen Buddha in a garden of a Monastery. The Buddha was created in clay and is holding up the Vitarka mudra. The Vitarka mudra is the Buddha is the discussion and transmission of Buddha's teachings. His ears are elongate from the expensive ear rings that he wore before his enlightenment. This Buddha is presented in this picture is post enlightenment Buddha.

This is an advertisement used by American Buddhist communities, temples, monastery, etc. 'One nation under the Dharma with liberty and justice'.

Pilgrimage Sites
This is Oxnard Buddhist Temple in Oxnard California. This is one of the largest Buddhist temples in America. The administrative part of the temple is located in San Fransisco California. The Oxnard Buddhist Temple is affiliated with Shin Buddhism and under the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha denomination.

This is in Nepal India taken by an American Buddhist who was on a pilgrimage. Jon Underwood who is a practicing Zen Buddhist went to Nepal in 2006 and took this picture of the Buddha where he rested for his final nirvana. There are not many Buddhist pilgrimage sites because the religion origin is in the eastern hemisphere.

Current Events
http://amarillo.com/lifestyle/faith/2010-09-25/dueling-beliefs Dueling beliefs? Group sees vastly differing religions as complementary

This story is about a gay couple in America that has a house that is divided in religious views. One is a practicing Christian and the other is a practicing Buddhist. This is significant to Buddhism in America because it shows that Americans do not have completely change their way of life to embrace an eastern religion. This also shows that Americans can be willing to have Buddhism impact their lives without it being detrimental to the Christian beliefs.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/19/sportsline/main6223844.shtml Tiger Woods and Buddhism Golfer Acknowledges He Had Strayed From Teachings, and Promised to Return to Tenets as Part of Path to Recovery

This article is about Tiger Woods getting back to his teachings that his mother and father raised him as. Tiger strayed away from his Buddhist teachings that his parents taught him to live by. This is significant to Buddhism in America because Tiger Woods is considered the world's greatest athlete and him vowing to go back to his Buddhist prinicples he grew up with does nothing but bring positive support to the religion in America.

Personal Reactions
I learned a lot of new things in a subject I had a very small understanding of before I did this project. I learned about the diversity that makes up American Buddhism. American Buddhism was one of the harder topics in my opinion because in the spirit of the the United States, America is a melting pot. Buddhism in America is the same way. There is so much diversity because there are immigrants from all over the world who end up in America. However the most popular form of Buddhism in America is the Zen practice. I learned about the the great numbers of Americans who practice Buddhism.

GRADING: F: Follows directions. Steals material. (No attempt to cite anything.) C: Follows directions. Pastes the correct items into the correct places but takes no care in explaining the choices made. Uses less than six sources. Text is SLOPPY - no proofing! B: Follows directions. Describes the choices made using complete sentences and clear language. Labels items correctly. Cites sources. Organizes the visuals. A: Does B - but, shows some extra care, thought and research. An A has a "Wow" factor. This does not mean more color or flying moneys. It means that the content selected does a great job TEACHING about Buddhism in that region.

Sources: http://www.patheos.com/ Library/Buddhism-in-America. html

http://www.essortment.com/all/ introductionzen_riej.htm

http://www.equip.org/articles/ buddhism-in-america

http://www.time.com/time/ magazine/article/0,9171, 136680,00.html

@http://www.chinapage.com/zen/koan1.html

@http://www.buddhanet.net/l_zen.htm

http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/top-10-celebrity-buddhists

http://pluralism.org/wrgb/traditions/buddhism

http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2008/07/buddhist-pilgrimage.html

http://www.shimgumdo.org/