The Propagation of Buddhism in the Western World: could it possibly be the new Turning of the Dharma Wheel?

By Trịnh Nguyên Phước

Viên Minh Translated to English

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Approaching the 21^st century, it might be just a little too candid and rather provocative to express these few hypothetical thoughts; but nevertheless, we feel that they need to be conveyed across the platform for all who are interested in this matter to ponder, debate and voice their opinions.

We can summarize and categorize them into four main issues:

1) The meeting between Buddhism and the west is rather beneficial not just for the western world but for the whole universe. Moreover, its inception and introduction to the west is such an opportunity for Buddhism to once again rejuvenate and revitalize its necessary subsistence. It could be said that Buddhism is turning the Dharma Wheel all over again.

2) Buddhism will eventually shred its so-called ‘religious image’, and will remain strong and long-lasting in its truest form of secular and universal spirituality; it will be available across the board to everyone, regardless of diverse traditions or dissimilar societies.

3) The future of Buddhism no longer just depends on activities in the eastern countries, but will broaden and westernize, and become the essential locomotive engine for this necessary revitalization, through the on-going changes and adaptation to a totally different society with its diverse economy, modern scientific and technological advances that are so inevitable of the western world.

4) Consequently, our Vietnamese Buddhism should also shape itself accordingly to the norms of the westernized Buddhism, in order to survive, to modernize and to become more effective with the going age and time. Like it or not, Vietnamese Buddhism is already being thrown into this globalization (Fr: mondialisation); it will have to get accustomed to and adapt itself with this new worldwide trend – that is to be westernized as well.

After stating those hypotheses, we now attempt to discuss and explain each of them in details.

The famed civilization historian Arnold Toynbee once proclaimed: “The most significant event of the 20^th century is the encounter between Buddhism and the West”.

. That statement was rated highly and was proven accurate as seen in the extensive spread of Buddhism within the last few decades throughout European, American and Australian countries.

This expansion does not just present superficially through the media, movies, documentaries, newspapers and magazines – humorously this phenomenon is so appropriately termed “Buddhamania” (the Buddha craze) – but it truly takes a deep penetration into many western societies; with numerous temples and monasteries being built; with a wide range of sutras and dharma texts being translated and available to the public; and with a forever-increasing number of meditation classes, seminars, retreats that at time draw large assemblage. In many countries in the western world, Buddhism ranks third among all world religions, only trailing Catholics and Hinduism.

Historically we know that Buddhism spread from the Ganges river deltas southward during the third century BC to take the form of the Original Theravada Vehicle or tradition. It also propagated eastward during the first century AD to become the Mahayana Vehicle and to the north later on in the 7^th century to assume the Diamond Vehicle (skt: Vajrayana, also referred to as Tibetan Buddhism). So then, could it be that now Buddhism finally headed westward, in this very modern time of the 20^th century, and become what we may temporarily call the Western Vehicle?

And could it possible be another turn of the Dharma Wheel to finally introduce Buddhism westward to these new horizons?

The first few questions stated above further produce three more issues for us to contemplate:

1. What would be the difference between this new Western Buddhism compared to the traditional Buddhism of the east?

2. What does the Western Buddhism contribute so far, and what does it have to do to bring about the needed rejuvenation for Buddhism of the world?

3. Can Vietnamese Buddhism, in particulars, use this same approach to freshen and modernize itself, and to make itself more appropriate and adaptable to the western society at large?

By looking at the period of initial acquaintance between Buddhism and the western world, we can sum up few observations below:

a) The famous poet Rudyard Kipling once wrote: “the East is the east, the West is the west, and there is no mingling of the two.” His statement is rather obliterated and no longer suitable in this last part of the 20^th century. Now the social inter-connection between the East and the West opens up at a very fast pace, because of the advance of media and communication, worldwide internet access, and fast transportation…

But unfortunately, not just the valuable assets are shared across the continents, but the negative adverse effects are also transmitted world wide, (for example: environmental destruction, HIV infectious disease, illegal drug trafficking and usage, stress, war and terrorism, and the decadent decline of morality, etc…) This is the globalization phenomenon mentioned earlier – and this phenomenon is agreeable with the Buddhist substantial theory of Interdependent Origination (also called Dependent Causation).

b) When Buddhism arrives in the West, it finally has the opportunity to compare and match up to science and technology, which are the quintessential epitomes of the western civilization derived from ancient Greek culture. And this includes the science of mental and psychological human mind.

At the same time, Buddhism also finds itself facing the traditional orthodox religions, especially Christianity, right on their own territory, where these religions have been rulers for almost twenty centuries.

In the west, where the physical abundance and economical excess is the norm, and with capitalism, consumeralism, and demand for enjoyment being the standards of living, Buddhism arrives carrying a great challenge.

But truthfully, the greatest challenge here for Buddhism is not the confrontation with science, because in its true essence, Buddhism and science go hand in hand; they carry a synergistic collaboration; they benefit each other through their mutual interaction and sharing.

Nor Buddhism presents great conflict with Christianity and its derivatives, because even without the arrival of Buddhism in the west, these mainstream orthodox religions are already on the social decline and desacrelization (Fr: désacralisation), with no possible reversal. The best approach at this point is to open up dialogues between major religious leaders to find possible peaceful co-existence. Even though there are still a lot of ‘in the name of religion’ conflicts and wars going on in the world between provocative and obsessive parties; mostly they are just residual controversies from way back, and they eventually will have to fade away into obscurity.

The one and only remaining confrontation Buddhism has to encounter is that which faces the widespread materialistic culture, parallel with an expanding world economy, which brings prosperity and extravagance to society in term of physical matters and not spiritual necessity. The controversy is that while the prosperous and materialistic westerners are taking the effort to find the path and an escape for their spiritual dead-end by seeking out the traditional eastern practice; it is the eastern people who steadfastly launch themselves after the western pattern of worldly materialism and lavish and luxurious competition.

But in reality, it is not as simple as we like, because the greedy mankind usually wants everything at once – having both the scientific knowledge and materialistic convenience, as well as aspiring an ideal and meaningful spiritual mentality in their lives. How one can balance these two aspects, in term of individual life and societal approach, is the most crucial question for the continuation of human race in general, and for the subsistence of Buddhism in particular.

So going back to our first questions as to whether the Western Buddhism has any different characteristics compared to the Eastern traditional and ancient Buddhism? And whether this newly-arrived western religion has contributed anything to Buddhism as a whole? Or whether it could bring about a necessary rejuvenation? Here we will introduce some speculative observations:

1) The west has been in constant scientific and technological transformation; an ever-developing science demands research and exploration. So with this mentality, people of the western world are very inquisitive, they like to explore and investigate, examine and research, and readily question everything. And religion is of no exception to this rule.

The Buddhist study becomes an official course agenda in many large universities and colleges; well-funded and organized, serious and valuable research projects originate from these same institutions, as well as numerous newly-formed Buddhist centres and schools cropped up everywhere in the Western world.

With readily available media, rich resources, easily accessible materials, and the indispensable internet and World Wide Web, the west has put forth one of the greatest effort in bringing the Buddhist acquisition to the western world. Even the Vietnamese Buddhists who invariably have lots of authority in the subject of Buddhism, would also agree that they learned tremendously and much more accurately about Buddhism from the enormous works, excellent writings, and effective researches of the many famed authors such as T.W. Rhys Davids, P. Carus, E. Conze, A. Watts, C. Humphreys, P. Demiéville, E. Lamotte, A. Bareau, Nyanatiloka, H. Dumoulin, A. Govinda, W. Rahula, H.W. Schumann, T. Cleary, R. Gombrich, H. Bechert, J. Blofeld. Much more so, then they could gather from the Vietnamese availability of reading materials.

We will then heartedly and undoubtedly agree that the contribution of the west to Buddhism in general during the last century is one of a colossal magnitude.

An interesting point we want to elaborate: In the traditional Buddhist countries, Buddhism is viewed by long time Buddhists with the old fashioned, unchanged idea like a cup of tea full to the rim, no more can be poured onto it, lest it spills. Meanwhile the westerners acquire Buddhism in a blank piece of paper, eager to fill it with knowledge, with the teachings, with the newly found dogma unlike any orthodox religions they encounter before. This is the greatest asset to Buddhism from these westerners.

2) With the trending of social desacrelization, westerners come to Buddhism not seeking a religion, or a faith, but they want to approach it with their own intelligence, and with a search for an enlightened liberation (“free at last” salvation) spiritually. Even the Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana Buddhism), which has the most rites and rituals in their ceremonies, along with sacred invocations (skt: mantra), hand symbolic gestures (skt: mudra), and mystical iconograms (skt: mandala), also recognizes these as skillful means and expedients (skt: upaya-kausala) that acts upon one’s mental ability, rather than religious formality. In general, the western Buddhists base their judgment on wisdom (skt: prajna) and understanding, and not just doctrinal beliefs. They do believe, but it is the faith (skt: saddha) on the Right Paths, and the confidence on the master guru (including the Buddha) of generations before theirs. Their faith reasons and roots in understanding and inner certainty, and not just depends on the authority of spiritual powers or god-saviors for their own salvation.

Of late, there are a lot of dialogues between Buddhist leaders and the psycho-scientists which open up new and promising horizon. This might turn out to be the foundation of a “secular spirituality” for mankind in the next few centuries, and according to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Buddhism will play an important role in the next millennia.

3) It is because of the need to make spirituality more secular, more down-to-earth and on the level afforded by all lay people (everybody actually) and not just monastic members, that Buddhism seems like a perfect approach for the westerners who value their spiritual motivation, at the same time prefer their secular life style. This methodology is termed Engaged or Applied Buddhism to go against the old school of Supramundane Buddhism. Engaged Buddhism stresses more active involvement and motivational strive to make better the life and environmental conditions of the whole world around us. Of course there are quite a few of westerners who choose monastic life and become ordained Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis under the strict eastern philosophical regulations and live among other monastics in organized Sanghas. But these are a lot fewer in numbers than the lay Buddhists who choose to remain in their own family life and ordinary society.

4) When applying the specific Buddhist teachings in their normal every day’s life, western people have to be flexible, adaptable, and accommodating in solving the issues that are suitable with the contemporary life, but always with the Buddhist spirit in mind. To them, these issues are just natural and inevitable, because in importing very old concepts and ancient teachings to a newer social way of living, one cannot avoid changes and modifications, selections and adaptations. So the best for it is to make-do with flexibility.

So the vitality force that Western Buddhism brings about is the new look on Buddhism itself, as well as many experiences learned while applying Buddhism to their new life.

On the contrary, the teachings and enlightened experiences of numerous Zen masters from the east in the past two and a half centuries, with their ancient traditions and forms of practice, are indeed invaluable treasures for the western philosophers, theologians, scientists and general Buddhist practitioners of the western world. This enormous and precious treasure, if appropriately applied and wisely used, will be a great help to their own practice and learning experiences.

Now we come to the last question regarding the Vietnamese Buddhism, and how it could model after the Western Buddhism to renew itself, and to modernize accordingly with the flowing trend.

Due to the limiting nature of this article, we will not touch on the process, the organization and the establishment of the Vietnamese Buddhism, we only want to suggest the five areas of improvement needed, especially based on the experiences found with the western Buddhism:

1) We definitely have to eliminate all superstitions and fallacies from Buddhism.

This is the utmost necessity that the Vietnamese Buddhism has to try before anything else; first, to put the original and unadulterated Buddhism back in its pure form, and secondly, to show respect for science and technology. The Buddhist Congregation (v: giáo hội) has to be firm and steadfast in eradicating and prohibiting all fortune-telling, horoscope, numerology, spirit mediumship practice (v: lên đồng), burning of fake money and other things for dead and deceased people, and curing illnesses by use of deity, spirit or medium from all temples, pagodas, and shrines. These are long-standing folklore superstitious beliefs that show backward thinking, have no relation to Buddhism or actually rather go against the teachings of the Buddha.

In theory, even the unscientific concepts and deluding notions which often are mentioned and used in the Sutras, for lack of understanding, ought to be gradually eliminated as well. Words such as “the heavens above”, “hells below”, “our soul”, “ghosts”, or many other terms that indicate supernatural force or phenomenon, that cannot be explained, often do not bring about any useful benefit, but rather generate questionable puzzles to the newly-learned followers, and can even trigger unfortunate misunderstanding for Buddhism.

Buddhism ought to positively contribute to the expansion of people’s understanding, in order to mingle itself as one with the world civilization and progress.

According to the American scholar, Dr. E. O. Wilson, who stated: “The greatest difference between humankind nowadays does not come from religion or race standpoint, nor from illiteracy (the ability to read or not), but its deepest dividing line stands on scientific vs. non-scientific culture.”

2) We have to research and propagate the traditional teaching of the Buddha in a more serious and stern approach.

Vietnam has already begun this most basic but most important undertake in the last few decades, with the effort in researching, translating, printing, and making available to the public the Original Tripitakas from Buddha’s Pali language to Vietnamese, with relevant notations and comments from the numerous Chinese’s available translated manuscripts and references. This is a tedious translation work, referencing from the root writings and always citing, quoting, as well as confirming and verifying from many sources. Scientific methods need to be enforced in all translation work as well.

Due to the availability of easy sharing of information from other Buddhist countries, and the readily accessing data through media, internet, printing materials, etc… Vietnam is no longer in the self-secluded state like “a frog at the bottom of the well”, viewing things just through its own surrounding tall towers such as during the prohibiting time of war, and restructuring postwar period.

It is necessary to bring this effort in unifying and standardizing the basic and traditional Buddhist teachings, and somehow turning them into easy materials to understand - uncomplicated, simplistic, but relevant and beneficial for the public. The Buddhist Congregation is responsible for making available Buddhist schools and universities, for offering Buddhist study courses in higher education to the interested individuals, for selecting well-learned scholars and highly regarded monastics to staff as professors and teachers at these institutions. And the work has to be serious, strict and effective from the beginning in order to avoid unnecessary divergent, incorrect or misrepresented facts and information.

3) Develop and expand the methods of practice and enhancement of the spiritual life.

While westerners often come to know Buddhism as a philosophy of life and their practice aims to better enhance their spiritual life, Vietnamese people on the other hand regard Buddhism as a religion, a faith, and an ancestral tradition that comes down from generation to generation. Because of the Chinese influence, and because of historical and cultural background, Vietnamese Buddhism started out with the Original Vehicle and somewhat influenced by Ch’an meditation; but then it took a sharp turn toward Pure Land sect and progressed robustly and effortlessly ever since in this tradition. We can safely say that the majority of temples in Vietnam now are of the Pure Land tradition; they apply and use the Mahayana chanting texts, regard Amitabha Buddha and other Bodhisattvas as their guidance saviors, and take the Bodhisattva’s vows for their goals.

Of course Buddha has taught that the eighty four thousand available methods of practice are just that - a vehicle for one to get where he/she needs to go, accordingly to one’s own appropriate suitability and livelihood. But if one follows the originality of Buddhism which is in fact self-enlightenment (skt: nijjhana), based on one’s own strength and efforts (self-power, skt: jiriki), then, all methods lead to the one and only point – that is mindfulness (pali: sati, skt: smrti) – the one and only path (skt: ekayano maggo) such as taught by the Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutra. With this Right Mindfulness, human being can be the boss of his own mind, maintain peacefulness for himself, avoid and eliminate many sufferings and defilement in his life. And this is the way of Meditation (skt: samadhi); it is the easiest and most direct approach to enlightenment.

Another point that necessitates the spreading of Zen Meditation in Vietnam is based on patriotism. The most prosperous and splendid time for Buddhism and for Vietnam in history was during the Ly and Tran dynasties. It was also the highest and most influential time of Vietnamese Thien Tong (Zen tradition), with the unique development of our own Zen Buddhism called the Tradition of “Truc Lam Yen tu”. So if Vietnamese Buddhism can encourage and enhance this beautiful tradition, it not only re-establishes Thien Tong as a more appropriate and popular tradition, but also ensures and renews the magnificent pride of the Vietnam nation.

Of course, one needs to promote “Thien”, but one should not forget “Kinh” (the chanting of Pureland). The Zen master Reverend Thich Thanh Tu once pronounced: “Thien (meditation) is the mind of Buddha, while Kinh (chanting) is the mouth of Buddha. For Buddha, speech and mind are indifferent from one another, so Meditation (Thien) and Instructional religion (Giao) ought to go hand in hand as well. So our policies here are to apply both “Thien” and “Giao” as guidelines to advocate”. In Vietnam the trend of “Thien, Tinh practiced together” (meditation and sutra chanting together) is the norm found among lots of younger people – both lay and monastic members.

Buddhism as a religion is like an old shady tree. When one looks at each individual branch or leaf, one sees difference and individuality, but as a whole – the whole tree – it is just a Bodhi tree, the way of enlightenment.

4) Apply and encourage the equality approach in Buddhism.

Buddhism is regarded as the most equal opportunity religion of the world. More than 20 centuries before the issuance of the “Declaration of Human Rights of the World” in 1789 – Buddha already demolished the spiritual difference known in the caste system of India. He explained that all mankind has Buddha nature (skt: tathagata-garbha) which often is hidden within himself, and that each human being has the ability to be enlightened. From a lay practitioner such as Vimalakirty, to an illiterate woodcutter boy who later became the Sixth Zen Patriarch Hui-Neng, from monastic monks to mundane people, old and young, male and female, aristocratic or lowly peons… all disciples of the Buddha have equal opportunity in seeking spiritual salvation, all have the equal right to enlightenment.

Why then, Buddhism is still ridiculed with being “macho” just like others religions, that Buddhism demeans women, especially with the female monastic members in comparison to their equivalents in the male side? The newly acquired Western Buddhism would never accept this dissimilarity, somewhat on the point of outright discrimination in many Buddhist countries. Thusly, Vietnamese Buddhism also should be on the way to re-evaluate its policies regarding this equality between men and women in the Sangha, in order to intermingle with the contemporary world in term of Buddhism.

The ancient tradition of respecting the monastic members just like one’s own parents and teachers was influenced by our long-standing foundation based on Confucianism and Taoism. It is a beautiful tradition, but it also interferes with the great contribution from lay people toward the modernization of Buddhism, because often times due to this high respect they would keep silence and not voice their opinions. Vietnamese people often call the monk “thay” and refer to themselves as “con” – a traditional ‘teacher-student’ or ‘master-disciple’ relation – despite the difference in age. The relation should be regarded in its originality as more of an equal matter. The only difference is the choice and location of practice: one leaves his home and mundane life to opt for a celibate life in the monastery, the other a lay person practicing on his own, at home among his loved ones. If we lay the foundation for accessing their success, on individual sincerity, effort, practice, and ability to enlighten… some secular individuals might even be truly more respectful, while there are some monastic monks, with shaved head and a life long in secluded temples, may not even remotely qualified for due respect.

On the other hand, we tend to revere quite too much the senior monks of the large temples, or those who are “famous” for their preaching and dharma teaching, or for any other achievements and accomplishments; we tend to cause self-importance for such individuals by overly respect them and particularly by overly contribute to their wealth and their arrogance, indirectly causing separation and discontentment in the Sangha. The Buddhist Congregation has to have flexible measures regarding handling of monetary funds for monastics – (future account handling of a temple should eventually be conducted by lay individuals, group of people or a professional company). At the same time promoting and encouraging equality practice among all four disciple-groups: bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas and upasikas.

This is the suggested equality between the lay practitioners with monastic members, as well as among monks and nuns themselves. In the Original Theravadan traditions, there are no titles, nor ranks among the monastics. All are Bikkhus or Bhikkhunis. It was only much later where there are different ranks, grades, hierarchy, and more status attached on individuals and often granted by the Congregation, (or at times, by self-promoting and self-ranking for purpose of self-importance). This segregating in rank and status no doubt causes lots of friction, separation, jealousy and envy among the members, leading to impurity in the Sangha. Besides these ranks and status tend to disqualify the younger generation from being active with changes and renovations needed for a rejuvenated Buddhism - again because of the old formality and due respect for the elders. According to the experience from the western world, each temple just needs an Abbot – and that’s it, no need for any other titles, such as numerous unnecessary long lists as accounted for in all temples nowadays.

5) Live the Buddhist life “here and now”.

And lastly, the Vietnamese Buddhism should apply the practicality that is so prevalent in the Western Buddhism, without any fancy rites or rituals. It focuses on the most pragmatic use that is so helpful for every day’s life, and in within the contemporary social framework.

Buddhism that everybody needs and wants to learn from the knowledgeable monks and nuns, and other lay practitioners with experience is the type of Buddhism “here and now”, closed-at-hand in their daily life; a Buddhism that exists right here “in the home and in the supermarket”; and not one that just belongs at the temple.

The westerners approach Buddhism on a path that may seem to be different and new at first, but it is truly very familiar to them all along. Meanwhile, we – Vietnamese Buddhists, have traveled this road for millennia, since the days we were toddlers, but in reality it is a rather strange path and the true Buddhism is not within our reach yet.

On one hand we need the courage to approach Buddhism in its true sense, on the other hand, we also need the courage to re-evaluate the way we practice. Together the courage to do both would enhance and benefit one another, especially once we can abolish the entire cultural fence that mars our way for future generations.

In conclusion, if the propagating of Buddhism to the Western world can be seen as the new turning of the Dharma wheel, why shouldn’t the Vietnamese Buddhism hang on to the corner of this turning wheel and roll along for the ride? Besides, there’s no avoidance, the wheel is already being turned.

Trịnh Nguyên Phước
Tháng 7 / 2000

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