In the new issue of Journal of Global Buddhism, vol. 16 (2015)
Pure Land or Pure Mind?: Locus of Awakening and American Popular Religious Culture
http://www.globalbuddhism.org/jgb/index.php/jgb/article/view/144
Abstract
This essay has two sections, each with its own distinct goal, forming an interrelated whole. The first introduces “locus of awakening,” and applies it to the relative success in America of Zen and Tibetan Buddhisms, compared to Pure Land Buddhism. The explanatory power of the concept is demonstrated by also considering Soka Gakkai. The difference between popular culture treatments of Zen and Tibetan Buddhisms, and Pure Land Buddhism was the problematic leading to identifying locus of awakening as an aspect of Buddhist thought. The second section locates it in the history of Buddhist thought, demonstrating that it is not a modern conceptualization of the path, not one created in response to Euro–American religio-therapeutic culture. Locus of awakening is, instead, part of the continuity of the Buddhist tradition, and does not fall on one side or the other of the sometimes overdrawn dichotomy between Asian and American Buddhisms.
Keywords
Pure Land; Zen; Tibetan Buddhism; Shin Buddhism; Soka Gakkai; popular religion; Buddhism in the West
downloadable pdf:
Richard I’m an ordained in the Triratna Buddhist Order and am a follower of Shinran. I have been following your posts for a year or so and have posted several comments in the past. I can’t see how I can register to read your article Any chance you could send me a copy? Gesso Ratnachuda Namu-amida-Butsu
>
Dear Robert, Thank you for your interest. It appears to me that even without being registered/logged in, if you go to the article via the link in my post, you should be able to download the essay in pdf. I hope this works for you as well. yours, rkp
Oh, how clever of me! I figured out how to add a link to this very post. Please let me know if it doesn’t work. thanks