Westernized, Globalized Buddhism as Experimental Buddhism
Tricycle is running an article by John Nelson on “Experimental Buddhism“. I was very intrigued by the title, but a bit disappointed with the execution. It’s written in overly-fussy academic language that never relaxes for a second. But it’s a theme that mirrors Jay Garfield’s article on “Buddhism in the West” The two articles could be read together as a more complete understanding of contemporary Buddhism as simultaneously globalized and westernized, and shaped by individuals as much as groups.
John Nelson, “Experimental Buddhism”
There is an impressive range of options from which to choose a spiritual or religious path, and an individual’s first encounter with the variety of Buddhist traditions can be daunting. Before an individual “becomes” Zen, Vajrayana, Pure Land, or any of the other schools now accessible globally through actual and virtual sites, most newcomers to Buddhism as well as many born into a Buddhist tradition…
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