Contemporary Issues in Buddhism
Team D
REL/133
May 21, 2013
Prof. Joseph Pirelli

Buddhism is considered one of the oldest forms of religion dating back over 2,500 years; which originated in Thailand and has spread throughout Asia and begun to spread in Northern America, with over 125 million practicing Buddhists today. Siddhartha Gautama the founder of Buddhism became Buddha, his teachings and philosophy of selflessness and love towards others, modest and meek lifestyle, karma and reincarnation, education, and total submission and control of the mind and body are the basics of this religion. Buddhism has similar characteristics with other major religions that include practices, rituals, scriptures, and believes such as the belief in a deity or higher greater power. It has a doctrine accepting teachings of salvation and a code of conduct. The Buddhism religion maintains an essential qualities or religious practices that are passed down from generation by sources such as authorities and or their followers are accept as sacred. The Buddhist teachings consist of the Noble Eight Fold Path: 1.) Right View- full understanding of life. 2) Right of Intention- selflessness and good will towards all. 3.) Right Speech- always watching words 4.) Right Actions- always in control of ones actions and the results or impact of them. 5.) Right Livelihood-live upstanding example nothing illegal or unethical. 6.) Right Effort- always displays effort in all one does 7.) Right Mindfulness- keep mind clear of material and worldly things, 8.) Right Concentration- keeps the mind from impure thoughts ("The Noble Eightfold Paths ", 2011). Most religions may have important religious writings that are known as scriptures, these scriptures include the Bible for Christians and Jews or the Koran for Muslims and the Vedas for Hindus. Writings may also come from Christian Saints, Holy Person, decisions made by a religious counsels, or Holy religious leaders. Buddhism is one of the most popular religions in the world, the teachings and doctrines of Buddhism is accepted by a large population but also a large number of the population practice other religions like Hinduism, Christianity, and Jainism, most other religions do not endorse the view points and do not match with Buddhism. Hinduism like Buddhism believe in reincarnation, they believe that the soul after death is reincarnated into another body and the soul is rebirth several times until it is finally granted eternal life after deeds he has done for mankind. Salvation, enlightenment, God figures, Yoga and suffering are other believes. Jainism has similarities, Jainism acknowledges Jinas or Kavalins that are a higher human being that can change and revolutionize. Jainism believes in Nirvana and liberation, non-violence and Karma. Christianity and Buddhism both believe in the Golden Rule, which is the welfare of human kind, Asceticism and religious forms of worship, love, compassion, salvation and eternal life. Christians believe that there is only one God Jesus, Buddhism do not believe in a Godly figure but would later introduce Godly figures. Both believe in the concept of the world yet Buddhism does not believe in the beginning or end, while Christians believe that God created the world and rules it according to his own plan. Buddhism canons are believes or insights that Buddha did based on his own will and strength comprehending nature truth. Christianity has the Bible that is believe to be the word of God and contains realities unknown to man.
Islam like Buddhism believes in eternal life and the concept of the universe, Buddhism believes that the universe is separate from God even though it was created by God. Islam also believes the same way about the universe. Both Islam and Buddhism believe in humanity and in not worshiping idols, Islam imposes a taboo on this practice. Buddhism believes in the essence of Dharma and as Islam condemns idol worship. Both believe in equality and appose evil, creed and stresses equality, Buddhism does not have the concept of a Godly figures yet Islam believe in a God name Allah. Both believe in salvation and the concept of the world, Islam has the Holy Quran and follows its teaching and avoids the hells mentioned in the Holy Quran.

The interactions between the modern world Buddhism are different they have ways about them that’s very similar. Buddhism is becoming a worldwide religion you can find Buddhist temples and meditation can be found in all part of the world. They really focus on the essential teaching their emphasis awareness and insight. Buddhist wants their people to be aware of what goes on in the world and have an eye for everything. Have self-reliance and taking things up on yourself because the members to take responsibly for constantly practicing his or hers faith in the religion. Have insight for Buddhist are being well around people having views that fit modern science and its nonviolence way and civilized behavior in a world with different people. People like to point out that the modern world has adopted things from Buddhism like not quick to embrace the celibacy of the Buddha. The modern world recycling itself but Buddha believed in reincarnation. Also the modern world looks down on Buddha believers and practice. The Buddhist people practice gain health and wealth and having good look because they believers in karma when you do well to somebody you’ll get good in return. Meditation the modern world has used this many times for people with anger problems of other.
The Zen design NBA coach Phil Jackson used Zen design to ease his players when they feel tens before and after game. To make feel them self’s spritely the new ages now have yuppie supermarket of meditation cushions gong and Dalai Lama posters to make the interactions similar. Buddhism is forever changing in their teaching from one of the cultural studying the interrelation of Buddhism it make modern world more fascinating. In the late eighteenth century the translation of Theravada material was carried to Europe from Sri Lanka Myanmal by English colonials. A lot of the colonials were missionaries they like how the Buddhist teaching their people and their ethical system when the religion open up for japan and to other foreigners in the 19th century that when Buddhism was expose to more people to learn about the culture. Like Japanese art haiku poems and other forms of poetry.
Picture from the 18th hundred monk’s life styles strong images of the poet’s styles included Ezra pound, i.e. Cumming William Carlos Williams. The Buddhist influence came in years after World War 2 the United States soldiers returned from the American occupation of Japan. They studied the Zen by reading poetry novels from jack Kerouac and how the life style counterculture. A lot Zen is still used till this day. In the beginning women was not allow in Buddhism because Buddha did not allow women to join the Sangha. To prevent temptation even scandal because Buddha did want his people getting distracted. The Tibetan Buddhism has established communities a lot of places in the United States and in Europe and others. Tibetan Buddhist art is in a lot of museums and exhibited you can buy them too. 19th and 20th century there are good amounts of non-Asian that have join the group. Now days the Buddhism movement has lot of people from different background.
In a constant growing and changing world brings on new contemporary issues which faces and influences Buddhism. The information world of technology is at a high time high with the access to the internet. The internet opens up access to worldwide issues; communism, the spread of Christianity, worldwide military, material wealth, living accommodations and just sub-standard to poor living conditions, and those living not just a simple life, without the influence of governments limitations and access. One example is China, a very communism and practicing Buddhism country which for centuries has been able to monitor what the people are able to hear and see outside of the country. China and other Asian countries entire social, economic, government and military system are the basic structure of Buddhism. Now with access to intranet the people are able to see social and economic issues for themselves. One example of this is the global change of communism around the world, like the uprising of the people of Egypt in the removal of the President Hosni Mubarak, Syria’s revolution, removal of Iraq’s president Saddam Hussein, and many others. Future wars will also affect the current structure of Buddhism creating refugees and a disarray military and government, the lack of supplies for food and social structure for its people. According to "Patheos Hosting The Conversation On Faith " (2008-2013), “Wars China/Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, and Burma will weaken their Buddhist infrastructure and create refugee populations, and, depending on local circumstances, may result in governmental persecution of Buddhism or the transformation of Buddhism in nationalistic and ethnocentric directions” (Challenges and Opportunities: Speculations on a Buddhist Future).
Another issue that influences Buddhism is the massive Christianity move through Evangelic teachings and missionary. This move has allowed Christianity into Asia where Buddhism predominantly existed for thousands of years. Christianity has evolved into small and large third world countries and many of Islam and Buddhism faiths. According to "Pathos Hosting The Conversation On Faith” (2008-2013), “Evangelical churches across the West and in Asia have well-funded efforts to Christianize Asian cultures will continue to erode Buddhism's traditional heartlands, especially economically and socially vulnerable areas such as Mongolia and Cambodia. Beyond the appeal of Christianity's religious message, its status in the eyes of many Asians as modern, Western, and progressive will present a serious challenge in places where Buddhism is associated with traditional elites, superstition, or cultural stagnation” (Challenges and Opportunities: Speculations on a Buddhist Future).
Buddhism is rapidly spreading around the world. It appeals to the modern world because the teachings of the religion are reasonable and promotes peace. The teachings seem to answer many modern days’ challenges on morality, materialistic issues. Buddhism popularity is also due to the decline on the western religions more judgmental. In general Buddhism emphasizes rational a rational explanation on humans purpose in life. Many of the Buddha teachings have been adopted in the western religions and more people seem to gravitate towards those original basic teachings (Berzin, 2013). In Switzerland and the United States for example gravitate towards the psychology aspect of Buddhism. Southern Europe and Latin America favor the devotional aspect and enjoy chanting unlike Northern European countries. Buddhism can adapts itself to the culture and mentality of the people and still preserve the major teachings of Buddha.
Buddhism has been from the beginning a missionary religion. This fact explains how the religion spread quickly throughout India, then Asia, and now the western world. During its transmission, Buddhism transformed the cultures that have adopted it. The Chinese philosophy including Daoism and Confucianism became deeply affected by Buddhist idea. Not only Buddhism has become one of the three major religions in the most populated country in the world, but the growth of Buddhist monastery shows that it is the most dominant ( Dharma Data: Missionaries, 2013). The same concept applies in Tibet and throughout Asia. Buddhism transforms the culture that adopts it; at the same time that the culture transforms Buddhism. This explains the various lines of developments: Theranevada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. The multiplicity of branches of Buddhism is a sign of vitality of the tradition and how successful it has adapted itself to various societies around the world.
Although was transmitted from India to other cultures there was no back-influence from those cultures on Indian Buddhism. In other words, Buddhism is unique to each society; however the transmission to the western, more modernized world is different. Because of globalization, the western modern world is influenced by the different branches of Buddhism all at once. As mentioned previously, certain geographical areas prefer certain aspects of the teachings. Consequently only certain aspects of the religions are adopted. It is not unusual to see many western people practice yoga and ignore some of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism. Another influence on the modern world on Buddhism worth mentioning is feminism. The restoration of the lineage of nuns in the Theravada and Tibetan traditions was possible by the influence of western nuns who brought feminism into Buddhism. An interesting story is of Buddhist modernist Henry Steel Olcott often referred to as the “white Buddhist” who decided that Buddhism needed a flag. The flag is now proudly displayed around monasteries throughout Asia, a symbol of modern influence.
The philosophy behind the teachings of Buddha has stood the test of time by providing some answers to the human condition. Buddhism was able to adapt itself to the culture that adopts its values and influence it. The number of followers has in the recent years increased in numbers and in diversity showing the vitality of the religion. Buddhism shares many characteristics with many western religions and has even influenced them. The interest for the modern world in Buddhism is a sign that this religion will continue to prosper for times to come.

References

BBC Religions . (2013). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/theravada_1.shtml
Berzin, A. (2003-2013). The Appeal of Buddhism in the Modern World. Retrieved from http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/introduction/appeal_buddhism_modern_world.htm
Dharma Data: Missionaries. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd31.htm Fawcett, Robert, Author, The Major Religions of the World, 2010
Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the world’s religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Patheos Hosting the Conversation on Faith. (2008-2013). Retrieved from

http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Challenges-and-Opportunities-

Speculations-on-a-Buddhist-Future.html

Scott, Andrew(Sri Lanka) The Maha Bodhi, Apr-Jun, 1981, p.129