Buddhism in the modern world

Theravāda Buddhism remains strong in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Burma, although in Burma Buddhist monks were involved in the attempted uprising of 2007, and reports suggest that many were killed in its suppression.

Buddhism was decimated by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia during the 1970s, when all monks were forced to disrobe and tens of thousands were killed. It has since been re-established, but remains but in a much weakened form, as it is in Laos. The Theravāda order of nuns died out in the 12th or 13th century. Theravāda Buddhism was re-established in India in the 1950s by the social reformer B.R. Ambedkar.

Mahāyāna Buddhism is strong in Japan and retains a considerable presence in South Korea (although Buddhist activity is strictly limited in communist North Korea). There has been hardly any Buddhist activity in China since the religious prohibitions of the cultural revolution.

Both Mahāyāna (Zen and Pure Land) and Theravāda are today found in Vietnam, despite the declined under the Vietnam war and communist rule. There is also a small Theravāda presence.

Tibetan Buddhism was almost totally destroyed by the Chinese during the cultural revolution: most monasteries were sacked and tens of thousands of monks and nuns were either killed or imprisoned. Tibetan communities have reformed in exile, particularly in India and along the Himalayas in Nepal. Bhutan has managed to retain its Tibetan Buddhist traditions without much change in modern times.

Many schools of Theravāda and Mahāyāna Buddhism can now be found in the West. Tibetan Buddhism is particularly prominent, because of the forced departure of many of its teachers from Tibet.

AUSTRALIA: Buddhism

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In the early 1950’s, inspired by the visit of the American born Buddhist nun, Sister Dhammadinna, the Buddhist Society of New South Wales was formed. This society is the oldest Buddhist organization extant in Australia. Its membership was and still is comprised mainly of people of Anglo-European ethnic background. However, for a long period since, the Dhamma was brought to Australia by Asian immigrants.The Sri Lankans
In May 1971, Ven. R. Somaloka, a Sri Lankan bhikkhu, arrived in Sydney to become the first permanent resident member of the sangha in Australia. He ministered mainly to Buddhists of European ethnic origin. In May, 1973, the Australian Buddhist Vihara was opened at Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. Sadly, the optimism which greeted the founding of Australia’s first Buddhist Vihara was short-lived. Many of the original supporters were unhappy with developments, withdrew from its activities and chose to attend the Thai temple or the Australian Buddhist Mission.  However, recently the Vihara is beginning to regain supporters.

The Thais
In 1975, a magnificent Victorian house, now known as Wat Buddharangsee, was purchased in the inner city suburb of Stanmore. Its establishment was in part, due to the pioneering work of an English monk, the Ven.Khantipalo. Wat Buddharangsee has proved to be one of the most popular Buddhist meeting places among Buddhists of all ethnic origins, in the true spirit of multiculturalism, in the Sydney area. Such has been its success that it has rapidly become too small to adequately serve its large congregation so, a large tract of land was purchased at Leumeah, south of Sydney, where a traditional Thai-style forest monastery, Wat PaBuddharangsee, was opened in May 1988. During this period several Thai styled temples were also established in the eastern states.

The Burmese
In 1987, Sydney’s small Burmese community rented a cottage at North Parramatta to serve as a temporary vihara as the first step towards establishing a permanent Burmese temple in the Sydney area. The Abbot, the Ven. Zagara Bhivamsa, took up residence there in January 1988. He is a highly respected teacher and scholar, being formerly a professor at Nalanda Buddhist Institute in India. In 1989, larger premises were purchased by the Burmese Buddhist Society at Merrylands, also in the Parramatta district from where it currently conducts its activities.

The Lao
In the mid eighties, the Lao refugees welcomed the arrival of their first monks to serve the spiritual needs of their community. Because of inherited political differences inherited from their homeland, they have built two separate temples; Wat Dhammananaram and Wat Buddhalavarn. Despite support from the resident monks for a merger, this has not succeeded.

The Cambodians
Also in the mid 1980’s, the Ven. Long Sakkhone, a Cambodian Buddhist monk arrived to take up residence in Sydney. The community initially rented a run down cottage in Fairfield, a suburb of Sydney, to serve as a temporary monk’s residence and temple. In 1990 their temple comprising a community hall, office and amenities block as well as a monk’s residence was officially opened.

Multi-Ethnic
June 1985 saw the arrival of Ven. Mahinda, a disciple of Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda in Kuala Lumpur, on a one month missionary lecture tour of the eastern States of Australia. Whilst here, he realized the fertile ground ready for cultivating the Dhamma. An application was lodged, prior to his return to Malaysia, for his permanent residence visa. This was granted and he returned in July 1986. He was appointed bhikkhu in charge of the Hock Cheng See Buddhist Vihara at Ambarvale, south of Sydney. This Vihara had previously been purchased by some monks from Malacca, Malaysia and the trustees had invited Ven.Mahinda to use it as his residence. The Ven Mahinda, assisted by the Singaporean nun Sister Sumitra, initiated the Australian Buddhist Mission which organizes meditation retreats and youth camps with participants from several ethnic groups including Australian born, Burmese, Cambodian, Malaysians, Sri Lankans and Vietnamese.

The native Aussies
Theravada Buddhism in the eastern states was greatly popularized by the Ven Khantipalo ( Lawrence Mills )mentioned earlier. Ordained as a samanera by Ven. Saddhatissa in the UK, he then went to India to teach Ambedkar’s Buddhist converts and then to Thailand where he received bhikkhu ordination. After 11 years there, he came to Australia. Later, he also established Wat Buddha-Dhamma on land in the Dharug National park purchased and donated by his closest student the German lady, Ilse Ledermann ( later ordained by Ven. Narada Thera as Ayya Khema).Ven. Khantipalo wrote several books but later disrobed to practice Dzogchen, a technique of meditation of Tibetan Buddhism. Like the Ven. Khantipalo, Ayya Khema also popularized Theravada by teaching extensively and holding retreats. Later she went to Sri Lanka and established Parappuduwa Nun’s Island, a retreat for the training of nuns, especially those of western origin. The Ven Pannavaro who trained in Myanmar for several years also returned in the early 90s and established the Buddha Dhamma Meditation Association with an associated meditation center in the Blue Mountains.

Among the several Buddhist organizations initiated by native born Australians, perhaps the most successful is the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. In 1982, at the society’s invitation, two Australian bhikkhus, Ven. Jagaro (John Cianciosi) and Ven. Puriso (Bruce Evans) arrived in Perth to start a monastery there.  Both the bhikkhus were disciples of the Thai master Ajahn Chah of N.E.Thailand. In 1983, Ajahn Brahmavamso, (Peter Betts) an English bhikkhu also arrived from Thailand to assist in setting up the new forest monastery. Since then, Bodhinyana Monastery, set in 97 acres of bushland in Serpentine, 60 km south of Perth has become a model for a western forest monastery. To complement its dhammaduta activities, a splendid complex has also been purchased in a suburb of Perth to cater to the city folk. When Ajahn Jagaro disrobed in 1995, Ajahn Brahmavamso assumed the position of abbot. Since then, the monastic community has grown to reach its maximum capacity of twenty and plans to establish a branch, perhaps in the eastern states, are being considered. In 1998, the Society bought a 583 acre piece of natural bush-land with deep-forested valleys, granite outcrops, fresh water creeks, 45 km from Perth and progress is under way to establish a nun’s monastery, named Dhammasara Monastery. The nun’s monastery is the responsibility of the Australian ten-precept nun Ajahn Vayama who ordained in 1985 with Ayya Khema at Parappuduwa Nun’s Island. In the mid 90’s she lived in Amaravati in the UK and later at Wat Buddha Dhamma in New South Wales.

Sources:

~ Ethnic Buddhism in New South Wales, an article by Graeme Lyall

~ Newsletters of Buddhist Society of Western Australia.

~ Forest Sangha Newsletter, United Kingdom.

Photos

Photo 1:~ Almsround at Bodhinyana, Perth,Western Australia.

Photo 2:~ Wat Buddha Dhamma, New South Wales.

Buddhism Around the World

The estimate of the number of Buddhists in the world varies between 350 million and 1.5 billion. The disparity in figures is because of factors like the lack of exact figures for congregational memberships and the practice of Buddhist beliefs in combination with traditional religions like Shinto, Confucianism and Taoism to name a few. Let’s take a look at some of the countries where Buddhism has left its imprint.

China
China is home to 100 million Buddhists – the largest number in any country. Buddhism was almost destroyed in China during the 20th century. Monasteries and temples have been rebuilt in the recent past. Tibetan Buddhism or Lamaism is the major Buddhist influence in China. Important Buddhist sects in China are the widespread Pure Land sect that came in from India, the Ch’an Men (Zen in Japan), created by the Indian Bodhidharma in 520 A.D, and the T’ien T’ai.

Tibet
The most distinguishing feature of Tibetan Buddhism is the belief in reincarnation. According to this belief a person consciously chooses to be reborn so that he/she may complete the work he/she has left undone in a previous birth. Tibetan Buddhism has features that have been taken from both Hinduism and from Bon, a religion of purely Tibetan origin.

India
After Buddhism was almost wiped out of India, the land of its origin, it began to revive in 1891 with the establishment of the Mohabodhi Society. In 1956, Buddhism got another boost when Dr.B.R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of India’s constitution, converted to Buddhism along with 5 lakhs of his followers. Today there are about ?? million Buddhists in India. The spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama, lives in India (Dharmshala) now.

Indonesia
Only 1% of Indonesians practice Buddhism today and most of the practitioners are ethnic Chinese. They have their own unique version of Buddhism, which pays homage to a supreme deity, Sang Hyand Adi Buddha. However, all the Buddhists in Indonesia acknowledge the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Japan
Buddhism has always flourished in Japan. About 84% of the population practices a blend of Buddhism and Shinto.
There are many Buddhist sects in Japan – 157 to be exact. Rituals and other practices differ from sect to sect. Zen is a major religion in this country, with about 3.32 million registered followers.

Thailand
A majority (94.6%) of the Thai people practice Theravada Buddhism and the country has a wealth of Buddhist temples and stupas. Even the national flag is said to symbolize Buddhism. Monks are accorded the highest respect in Thailand and people are encouraged by their families to join the monasteries.

USA
Robert A.F.Thurman, a popular American Buddhist writer, is of the opinion that the number of Buddhists in the USA is around 5 to 6 million. People of Asian origin with an inherited family tradition of Buddhism, make up 75 to 80 percent of the US Buddhist population; the rest are non-Asians. The western form of Buddhism is a modern reinterpretation of the original, with the emphasis on meditation rather than on doctrines, rituals and monastic living.

United Kingdom
According to the 2001 census, there are around 150,000 practicing Buddhists in the UK, and the number continues to increase.

Albert Einstein said, “If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism.” Proving the truth of his statement is the rise in the popularity of Buddhism in several parts of the world.

About the Author: Chip Tolaney operates Buddha Groove and is a regular contributor of Buddha articles and teachings.