Changes to Buddhism in Modern Times Essay

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Buddhism originated in the middle of the first millennium BC in northern India as an opposition to the religion of Brahmanism that dominated in those days. In the middle of the VI century, Indian society was in the midst of a socioeconomic and cultural crisis (Hawkins 18). The clan organization and traditional ties disintegrated, and the formation of class relations took place. At this time, in India, there was a large number of roving ascetics, who offered their vision of the world. Their opposition to the existing order evoked the sympathy of people. Among the teachings of this kind was Buddhism, which gained the most significant influence in society. Within the framework of this paper, key factors that contributed to Buddhism taking on institutional and corporate characteristics will be discussed. This paper will outline the factors that have contributed to institutional and corporate changes in Buddhism and discuss its implications in the contemporary world.

In the modern era of globalization, Buddhism has begun to actively go beyond its former local historical and national geographical borders, encompassing all new cultural areas. Today, Buddhism is no longer a purely eastern religion. Hundreds of organizations and centers of Buddhism operate in forty-five countries in Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand (Cooper and James 33). The most Buddhist country in the West is now Germany, where since the 1920s, more than 200 Buddhist organizations have appeared; in Germany and France, Buddhism has already become the third largest denomination (Cooper and James 34). There is a European Buddhist Union, which regularly holds its congresses in European capitals.

In this regard, attention is drawn to the analysis of the following fundamental values ​​of Buddhism, which attract people who are not native Buddhists born in India. Indeed, in present days, Buddhism is tightly connected with specific institutional and corporate characteristics that are intrinsic to the modern world, and some critical factors have contributed to this change. The first factor is the presence in Buddhism of a developed system of psychology. From the very beginning of the emergence of scientific Buddhism, this religion has been evaluated not so much as a religion, but as a type of spiritual therapy. Interest in Buddhist psychology as a method of changing human’s psychological qualities and solving personal psychological problems remains one of the main reasons for the spread of Buddhism in Western Europe and the United States (Lopez 55). Many people there are looking for balance in life, temporary peace, avoiding severe problems and troubles. Recently, one can observe a significant increase in interest in Buddhism as a system that gives practical results already in contemporary life.

Buddhism attracts its followers by the pure practicality of its psychology, which allows solving real everyday problems associated with the high psychological tension of modern life. The fidelity of this statement is illustrated by the fact that in the West, there is a spread of Buddhist practices of the Annuttara Yoga Tantra, that is, the psychology that gives quick practical results in the management of one’s psyche (Lopez 56). People are also interested in Buddhism as part of psychological training in various types of oriental martial arts. Although this is not entirely true in terms of prioritization, most of the people who came to Buddhism based on this motivation engage in Buddhist practices quite profoundly and seriously.

The second factor is the rationality of Buddhism and its proximity to modern science. This means that Buddhism does not offer its followers to perceive anything simply based on faith. The criterion of truth is practical experience in its broad sense. Such a category as faith is absent among spiritual perfections and the eight steps of the Buddhist Path. In addition, many concepts of modern science find parallels in Buddhist thought. For example, Siderits, in search of worldview guidelines, found that modern physics does not fit into the traditional Western worldview and suggests looking for worldview foundations on the way of rapprochement with the East, in particular with the Buddhist, worldview (77). He claims that the worldview of modern physics reveals so many similarities with eastern philosophy that these two areas cease to contradict each other, both in general philosophical terms and in particular issues of the matter.

In addition, several new areas of modern science not only do not contradict Buddhist provisions regarding the nature of being and human psychology but even have their foundations in them. Buddhism falls into the circle of integral research in the field of philosophy, medicine, ecology, physics, transpersonal psychology, and others. Thus, in particular, the famous scientist and thinker Ken Wilber, who develops a general theory and methodology of cognition on new integral principles, with all the obviousness draws inspiration from Buddhist traditions (Siderits 78). For example, his definition of integrality as the radiant clarity of enduring awareness is very similar to the description of the nature of the mind of modern Buddhist masters.

The third factor includes tolerance and principles of dialogue with other faiths. Like any other education in life, religion is woven from many contradictions that serve as the causes of clashes of its various forms, often leading to acute or even military conflicts. The peculiarity of almost all monotheistic religions is that they were affirmed in a fierce struggle with previous religions. This historical fact left a deep mark on the religious consciousness of all people (Albahari 42). Buddhism, even when it originated, was distinguished by tolerance, rare for the ascendant religions; therefore, the history of Buddhism is not connected with wars against other religions.

Buddhism allows Christians or Jews, without breaking the law of their religions, to practice the teachings of the Buddha. Therefore, for example, the famous Buddhist mentor from the USA, Sylvia Burstein, at the same time, considers herself an Orthodox Jew (Albahari 42). In China, depending on the nature of the religious mood or current need, the believer can turn to Confucius, and then to the practice of Taoism or Buddhism. Shintoism and Buddhism coexist peacefully in Japanese religious consciousness. Tolerance of Buddhism undoubtedly contributes to its attractiveness in the modern world. That is why Buddhism, contrary to official statistics, is sometimes considered the most widespread world religion.

Overall, the factors that have contributed to the changes in Buddhism are tightly connected with its implications in the contemporary world. The spirit of self-realization and the value of individual freedoms are harmoniously in tune with the current cultivated values ​​of global liberalization in the form of human rights, ideas of the market economy, and modernism. Thus, Buddhist ideas are primarily consistent with the ideals of modern democracy. Humanism, tolerance, and high ethical standards of Buddhist culture suggest the possibility of putting into practice fundamental civil rights. At the same time, the Buddhist position is characterized by the perception of citizenship and civic consciousness through the prism of altruistic love, compassion, and universal responsibility, rather than personal initiative stimulated by the opening up opportunities for social self-realization.

Works Cited

Albahari, Miri. Analytical Buddhism: The Two-Tiered Illusion of Self. Springer, 2016.

Cooper, David E., and Simon P. James. Buddhism, Virtue and Environment. 1st ed., Routledge, 2017.

Hawkins, Bradley K. Introduction to Asian Religions. Pearson & Longman, 2003.

Lopez Jr, Donald S. Prisoners of Shangri-la: Tibetan Buddhism and the West. 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press, 2018.

Siderits, Mark. Buddhism as Philosophy: An Introduction. Routledge, 2017.

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