[Buddha-l] Western Buddhism

[Dan Lusthaus]

Alex makes a good point. We should maybe change the subject line to
"American Buddhism." I don't know what the actual demographics in the US are
(I do see some younger zealots, but in tiny numbers), but I do know plenty
of American Buddhists who, like Bob Thurman, have managed to convey some
sense of Buddhism to their children, but whose children are not gung-ho
Buddhists. Uma has said in interviews that keeps all that "stuff" at arm's
length, though she "respects" it.

There is something -- to address Joy's observation -- about many religions
by which they implant themselves generationally. That a century of Communism
in the USSR didn't extirpate Christianity, or half a century of Communism
and Maoism in China did little -- except to a now aging generation -- to
eliminate Confucian, Buddhist, etc. (and, yes, Chinese Christian) adherence,
says something "religion," including Buddhism. That sense of religion has
not been part of the the Western or at least American package -- and, as
Joy's comments suggest, probably deliberately excluded from what people
found themselves drawn to Buddhism for.

It is an entirely different question whether Buddhism de-religionized is a
preferable commodity. De-religionized Buddhism, however, is precisely the
one that does not seem to be tranmittable. It's an interesting conundrum.

Let me rephrase the question: Anyone have any reports of having successfully
raised "Buddhist" children?

Dan