[Buddha-l] Western Buddhism

curt curt at cola.iges.org
Thu Nov 15 19:47:01 MST 2007


Dan Lusthaus wrote:
> One interesting factor that seems to be emerging is that it makes a huge
> difference -- in terms of transmittability to children -- if one of the
> spouses is a "native" Buddhist, i.e., someone born Buddhist into a "Buddhist
> lifestyle." Obviously such a parent would have their own childhood
> experiences to draw on, to remember, to reenact.
>
> Any success stories with non-"native" Buddhist parents? Or is this a missing
> ingredient for Western (aka American) Buddhists?
>
>   

Many western Buddhist converts have gone out of their way to avoid (and 
as often as not actively and arrogantly disparage) the more 
emotional/devotional side of Buddhism - precisely the side that is more 
likely to capture the imagination, and the heart, of a child.

Curt Steinmetz



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