The Awakening of the West: The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture 覺風季刊

覺風季刊

覺風季刊第56期. 覺風季刊第55期. 開印法師書藝展特刊. 覺風季刊 ...

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Episode 100 :: Stephen Batchelor :: The Awakening of the West
Ted Meissner | January 21, 2012 | 4 Comments

Stephen Batchelor

Today we speak with Stephen Batchelor about his book The Awakening of the West: The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture.
Hi, everyone. Welcome to this milestone in The Secular Buddhist podcast, as we expand into our third digit of Episode 100. We would not have reached this point without you, our growing listener community. And it is growing, as of this recording each episode is getting over 1200 downloads with over 142,000 total. The Secular Buddhist is usually if not always listed in the top 36 on iTunes for Buddhist podcasts, the FaceBook page has over 2000 Likes, and even our Twitter feed is seeing a constant stream of new Followers. We have a new website for the Secular Buddhist Association, designed for the development of community, with new sites springing up in other countries (more on that next week!). And our sincerest thanks to the many wonderful guests it has been a great joy to speak with. If not for you, this podcast would not have gained the attention it has.
Part of the reason for this steady increase in the interest of a secular way of engaging with a traditional practice is our culture, both in terms of our becoming a more secular society, and the technological tools I mentioned that foster that growth. Far from being a “watering down” of the teaching and practice of Buddhism, this is a watering of those seeds planted in new and rich soil, that of our contemporary culture. Conveniently, tracing the evolution of Buddhism in the West is the subject of the book we’re discussing today.
Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer, best known for his secular or agnostic approach to Buddhism. Stephen considers Buddhism to be a constantly evolving culture of awakening rather than a religious system based on immutable dogmas and beliefs. In particular, he regards the doctrines of karma and rebirth to be features of ancient Indian civilisation and not intrinsic to what the Buddha taught. Buddhism has survived for the past 2,500 years because of its capacity to reinvent itself in accord with the needs of the different Asian societies with which it has creatively interacted throughout its history. As Buddhism encounters modernity, it enters a vital new phase of its development. Through his writings, translations and teaching, Stephen engages in a critical exploration of Buddhism’s role in the modern world, which has earned him both condemnation as a heretic and praise as a reformer.
So, sit back, relax, and have a nice French Lemon Ginger tea.

The Awakening of the West:

The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture

Stephen Batchelor

1 Review

Pgw, 1994 - 416

From Library Journal

Unlike Rick Fields, whose How the Swans Came to the Lake (Shambhala, 1992. 3d ed.) focuses on American Buddhism, ex-Buddhist monk Batchelor (The Faith To Doubt, LJ 2/1/90) examines a broader canvas, surveying 2000 years of Western history. He finds but a handful of Europeans who were directly impressed by Buddhism; only during the last 150 years did any tangible "awakening" occur. While erudite, Batchelor's coverage is diffuse and uneven. Thus, while his chapter on Russian Buddhism is a captivating study of Kalmucks, reincarnated lamas, Stalinist purges, and perestroikan revival, his dismissal of theosophist Elena Blavatsky and painter Nicholas Roerich as "romantic fantasizers" is questionable. Urging Western modifications of Buddhist practice, Batchelor downplays the guru factor that produced an unbroken lineage from Gautama Buddha. Recommended for large collections only.
Dara Eklund, Los Angeles P.L.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Echo Point Books & Media (September 12, 2011)

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From Greek kings to nineteenth-century adventurers, from missionaries to monks, the encounter of Buddhism and the West is filled with intriguing personalities in "Awaking of the West.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 http://www.chuefeng.org.tw/periodical_online.aspx