Globalization of Buddhism - Research Paper Example

GLOBALIZATION OF BUDHISM by Student’s Name Code + Course Name Professor University City/State Date Question 6: Globalization of Buddhism Introduction Globalization refers to the process by which the world community integrates into a close-knit community. Smyer (2012 pp.15) observes that this integration results from the interchanging of ideologies, culture, worldviews in addition to products from various regions of the world. Due to the process of globalization, communities that were otherwise conservative and perverse to alternative beliefs or even ways of living become more open to such ideas. Hence, in the process of accepting contrary views from other regions of the world, ideologies and even religion get to be shared hence they are spread to various areas of the world. Among these religions that have gained from the emergence of the globalization phenomenon is Buddhism. According to McMahan (2012 pp.11) the various waves of globalization have played a crucial role in the spread of Buddhism. The first wave saw the development of the shipping industry hence free movement of people and goods. The second wave brought with it the aeroplanes and better communication both of which are very vital in the facilitation of human interaction. With the third wave, the use of internet becomes more prevalent hence knowledge about Buddhism spread across the world. Although for several centuries Buddhism remained a preserve of its origins in South East Asia, it has managed to break this curse by spreading across various regions of the world in the modern times. This spread has coincided with the advent of globalization that has facilitated a close and frequent interaction with the international community. This paper seeks to account for the rapid spread of Buddhism across the world. Besides, it will also examine the connection between the globalization of Buddhism and the changes pertaining to the global economy and politics especially in the twentieth century. Eventually, the paper will also look at other factors that have contributed to the spread of Buddhism across the world. Buddhism and Changes in Global Politics and Economy Tambiah (1976 pp. 21) writes that Buddhism just like Christianity and Islam is a representation of autonomous beliefs in the knowledge field. Such ideas are based on the existence of a supernatural form of being whose very existence is to guide humankind in its relations with each other and its environment. As such, this religion seeks to entrench a particular form of conduct besides ensuring that humanity remains answerable to a supernatural form of life that cannot be cheated or even circumvented. It seeks to provide answers to life’s questions especially those based on the existence of man and particularly the rationale of living. In the process of spreading these ideologies to various parts of the world, Buddhism is bound to contradict the beliefs of other religions that are to be found in different areas hence the emergence of conflicts as to which is the right religion to follow. Such conflicts can be traced through history, for instance the crusades that were carried out by early Christians as they sought to establish a world order that is governed by Christianity. In the twentieth century, these conflicts are exemplified by the spread of radical Islam and its beliefs that not all other religions have a place in the ideal Islamic world. However, global politics especially in the twentieth century has matured to the extent of creating a liberal society whose people are free to follow their chosen ideologies and beliefs as long as they do not infringe on the rights and freedoms of others. For instance, global political institutions such as the United Nations gained prominence in the twentieth century. Among the mandates of these institutions, was to recognise the diversity of the world community including the opposing cultures. As such, the recognition of religious diversity gave way to the universally accepted freedoms such as the freedom of belief. This recognition paved the way for the spread of world religions among all societies including communities that were otherwise conservative and therefore not open to alternative views or even beliefs. As such, Swearer (1995 pp. 17) notes that as the global political scene became more cooperative in the twentieth century, a golden chance for the spread of Buddhism was created. Since politics is very influential in creating the acceptability of ideologies especially in the contemporary society, the worldwide spread of Buddhism became easier due to its recognition by the political class. As such, political changes in the twentieth century were influential in the globalization of Buddhism especially because these changes opened the international community to alternative beliefs. Political conflicts have also played a significant role in the spread of Buddhism across the world. For instance, the Chinese takeover of the Tibet region resulted in the exile of many Tibetans especially to the western world. Many of these Tibetans fleeing Chinese persecution were Buddhists and in the process of integrating into the Western societies, they continued practising their religion hence contributing to the globalization of Buddhism. In addition to changes in the global political environment, Schober (2000 pp. 45) observes that the twentieth century was marked by fundamental changes in the world economy. This period saw the formation of global economic institutions that were and still are instrumental in facilitating global interactions among the international community. For instance, the post world war two periods saw the emergence of the Bretton Woods institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. These institutions heralded various changes in the global economy and these changes in turn were instrumental in facilitating the spread of Buddhism across the world. Smith (2000 pp. 56) writes that among the resulting changes in the world economy, was the development of international trade (Smith 2000). This trade meant that the movement of human capital across the global economies became more prevalent than before. Due to the interconnectivity of the global economies, immigration became a characteristic feature. Primarily the movement of workers depict this immigration from the Asian countries to the western world. Asia being the birthplace of Buddhism became a gateway to the rest of the world. Because of these interactions, Asian immigrants spread their Buddhist beliefs to the areas that they immigrated hence facilitating the globalization of this religion. Harris (1999 pp. 111) notes that the twentieth century was also marked by the emergence of the Asian region as an important player in the world economy. As such, the global community became more aware of the culture and beliefs of the Asian people since, for any successful international trade, social acceptability is of the essence. In the process of studying the beliefs and practices of the Asian people, the knowledge of Buddhism spread across the globe hence its adoption in various parts of the world. Other factors that have contributed to the globalization of Buddhism .Information Technology Tambiah (1976 pp. 87) states that information technology has seen rapid development in the twentieth century. As such, due to the increasing use of computers in this period, access to the internet was also prevalent in many parts of the world. This access means that people have a great deal of information at their disposal. Part of this information relates to the various religions of the world of which Buddhism is to be found. Increasing awareness and the existence of the freedom of worship in most countries led to the adoption of Buddhism by people who are not necessarily of the Asian origin. Hence, the values of this religion became integrated into the world community. In addition, as opposed to previous periods, the advent of the internet meant that the numerous Buddhist texts have to be translated into the major languages of the world. Because of these developments, globalization of Buddhism was realised in this period. Buddhist Organizations The formation of Buddhist groups played an important role in the spread of this religion around the world. Smith (1978 pp. 33) notes that for instance, the formation of the Buddhist Society of London in 1924 heralded an unprecedented adoption of Buddhism in England. During this period, Britain was a major world power and its capital being the seat of this authority was a vital economic and cultural centre of the world. The formation of this centre meant that more people had access to the Buddhist religion besides the fact that this centre facilitated the emergence of the Buddhist ideology in Britain and the rest of Europe. The Buddhist Society of London organized various events such as lectures about Buddhism, meditation sessions and circulated Buddhist literature. All these actions were instrumental in raising awareness about Buddhism hence its spread across Europe and the rest of the world. The Buddhist organizations were also crucial in portraying the beliefs and values of this religion such as kindness, charity and value for life. As a result, these values resonated with those of the contemporary society hence the acceptance of Buddhism beyond Asia. Popularity of Asia as a Travel Destination Mcmahan (2012 pp. 16) observes that the twentieth century saw the emergence of the Asian region as a crucial travel destination especially for westerners and the Americans. During these journeys, these tourists got exposed to Buddhist beliefs and practices especially in the South East Asia where this religion is prevalent. The insistence of this religion on the care for other creatures, kindness and peaceful attitude drew the attention of the westerners into this religion due to the growing need for these values in the contemporary world. Besides, the fact that Buddhism is very informal made it acceptable to the westerners hence it gained worldwide prominence. Unlike other religions that require initial belief, Buddhism needs people to test Buddha’s ideas first, and this was acceptable to many people in the twentieth century hence the globalization of Buddhism. Scholarly Interactions Frank (1994 pp. 43) notes that over time, academic interactions between Asia, Europe and the America were increasing. Hence, many Europeans and Americans travelled to South East Asia to study Buddhism and on their return, the facilitated the spread of this religion to other parts of the world. In addition, monks from Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka joined these scholars. This coalition of Asian and Western monks was instrumental in spreading Buddhism across Europe into America and eventually across other regions of the world. Conclusion As such, from the previous discussion, it is evident that the current global spread of Buddhism can be traced to various events especially in the twentieth century. Such events include the changes in the political and economic environments across the world such as the formation of the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. In addition, the spread of Buddhism was also facilitated by other factors among them information technology, scholarly interactions and the growth of destination Asia. Such are the factors that contributed to the globalization of Buddhism. References McMahan, L.D 2012, Buddhism in the Modern World, Routledge, New York. Frank, E.R1994, The Holy Emerald Jewel, Oxford University Press, New York. Harris, I 1999, Buddhism and Politics in Twentieth-Century Asia, London, Pinter. Schober, J 2000, A Tooth Relic and the Legitimation of Power,’ In The Life of Buddhism, (ed) University of California Press, Berkeley. Smith, B. L 1978, ‘The Ideal Social Order as Portrayed in the Chronicles of Ceylon', in Smith, ed, Religion and the Legitimation of Power in Sri Lanka, ANIMA, Chambersburg Smyer, Yu, D 2012, The spread of Tibetan Buddhism in China: charisma, money, enlightenment, London, Routledge Swearer, D. K 1995, The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia, SUNY. Ch 2. 'Buddhism as a Civil Religion', New York Tambiah, S. J 1976, World Conqueror and World Renouncer: A Study of Buddhism and Polity in Thailand against a Historical Background, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Read More