Description
Book SynopsisIn our multicultural society, faiths formerly seen as exotic have become attractive alternatives for many people seeking more satisfying spiritual lives. This is especially true of Buddhism, which is the focus of constant media attention--thanks at least in part to celebrity converts, major motion pictures, and the popularity of the Dalai Lama. Following this recent trend in the West, author James Coleman argues that a new and radically different form of this ancient faith is emerging. The New Buddhism sheds new light on this recent evolution of Buddhist practice in the West. After briefly recounting the beginnings and spread of Buddhism in the East, Coleman chronicles its reinterpretation by key Western teachers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, ranging from the British poet Sir Edwin Arnold to the Beat writer Alan Watts. Turning to the contemporary scene, he finds that Western teachers have borrowed liberally from different Buddhist traditions that never intersect in their o
Trade ReviewA fascinating, unflinching look at how the transmission and study of the Dharma has evolved since it arrived in the West * Yoga Journal *
An important contribution to the growing literature on American Buddhism. * Peter N. Gregory, Tricycle *
Table of Contents1. What is This? ; 2. Asian Roots: The Origins of the Buddhist Tradition ; 3. Western Flower: The Growth of the New Buddhism ; 4. At the Marrow: Practice and Belief ; 5. Sex, Power, and Conflict ; 6. Why Buddhism? ; 7. The New Buddhism Takes Shape
