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What is the most usual type/branch of Buddhism in the West ?

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  • 21-11-2014 1:12pm
    #1
    Marion Morrison
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 33 ✭


    Sorry if this question has been asked before . . .

    What is the most usual/popular type/branch of Buddhism practiced in the West ?

    Does it bear much resemblance to eastern Buddhism or is it like the western version of 'Chinese food' ?


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    #2
    bou
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭bou


    I wouldn't know really which are the more popular forms.

    Thaking Ireland as an example, there are Theravadan groups (originating from Shri Lanka and Thailand mainly (I think)), Zen (Japan, maybe Korea?), Pureland (China), Chan (China), Vajrayana (Tibet & neighboring countries), Vietnamise, various other traditions from various places....

    Lots are available here. Couldn't guess which is most popular.

    There are many that follow as closely as possible to the traditions in their oroiginal countries. But naturally, with cultural differences and Buddhism being new here, they don't follow exactly.
    Others have decided to set up their own versions based on some aspects of one or several traditions. These are probably more "westernised".

    That's only my view which is based on little evidence. Do some internet searching to see what you come up with.


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    #3
    bou
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭bou


    You could always do some research and come back here to tell us anything you find?


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    #4
    munkee
    Registered Users Posts: 215 ✭✭munkee


    In the west in general, I'd say flavours of Zen, Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada are the most widely practised.

    There are also some western groups, like the FWBO/Triratna, who try to cultivate a purely western tradition.

    Amongst all the traditions above, there are varying degrees of adherence to the eastern forms/roots, which in part depends on the teacher and lineage in question.

    Some groups favour a lighter touch when it comes to adhering to eastern forms. Others prefer to be more fully immersed in those forms.

    Western Chinese food implies to me a pale imitation of the real thing- that may not be what you mean- but that's not my experience of Buddhist groups here. All the genuine traditions that maintain eastern forms try to integrate them and bring understanding to them, rather than just aping them, if that makes sense.

    And yet there's a gradual evolving of a distinctly western flavour of eastern traditions. For example, many dharma centres will have talks that relate to western themes, such as psychology or science, which is not the norm in the east. As westerners, we bring our unique cultural perspectives to Buddhism, and that is gradually shaping its evolution in the west.


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    #5
    Asiaprod
    Registered Users Posts: 6,737 ✭✭✭Asiaprod


    munkee wrote: »
    As westerners, we bring our unique cultural perspectives to Buddhism, and that is gradually shaping its evolution in the west.

    Agree with this, Buddhism grows to meet the needs of the times and the people.


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    #6
    bou
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭bou


    I did a little research in December to get an idea of what groups there were in Ireland. This is all google based so will perhaps have missed a few. I stuck to those groups I thought were coming from a Buddhist background rather than say being a meditation centre that draws on buddhist ideas. Also, for some groups, they have multiple locations but I have just put in one entry.

    If you know of any more groups you could post up. If there are any corrections to this list, let me know.

    I was thinking that it'd be good to survey the various groups to get a little more detail on background, traditions or other useful details.

    Name|Affiliation|Tradition|Website
    Asian Classics Institute||Vajrayana, Tibetan, Gelugpa|www.diamondbay.org (broken)
    Black Mountain Zen Centre|San Francisco Zen Centre |Soto Zen, Japan|http://blackmountainzencentre.org
    Bodhicharya Ireland|Bodhicharya|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Kagyu|www.bodhicharyaireland.blogspot.ie
    Dhamma Ireland|Vipassana Meditation|Theravada|
    Diamond Way Buddhism||Vajrayana, Tibetan, Kagyu|www.diamondway.ie
    DIT Zen||Zen|www.facebook.com/ditzendo
    Dogen Zen Ireland (defunct?)||Zen|www.dogensangha.org (broken)
    Dublin Buddhist Centre|Triratna Buddhist Community|not specific|www.dublinbuddhistcentre.org
    Dublin DharmaMind Buddhist Group|DharmaMind|Theravada, Mahayana, Shri Lanka|http://dharmamind.net/group/local-groups/dublin
    Dzogchen Beara|Rigpa|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Nyingma, Dzogchen|www.dzogchenbeara.org
    Dzogchen Community Ireland|International Dzogchen Community|Dzogchen, Tibetan, Yantra Yoga|www.dzogchen.ie
    Grey Heron Zendo|White Plum Asanga|Soto Zen|http://www.meetup.com/Grey-Heron-zen...g-in-Tallaght
    ibetan Dharma and Meditation Group |Shang Longrik Gyatso Rinpoche|Vajrayana, Tibetan, various|
    Insight Meditation Dublin|Satipanya Buddhist Trust|Mahasi, Theravadan, various|www.insightmeditationdublin.com
    Irish Sangha Trust||Theravada|www.irishsanghatrust.ie
    Irish Zen Group|International Zen Association|Soto Zen|www.zenireland.com
    Jampa Ling||Vajrayana, Tibetan |www.jampaling.org
    Kagyu Samye Dzong|Karma Kagyu|Vajrayana, Tibetan|www.buddhism.ie
    Kalyana Centre for Mindfulness||Theravada, various?|www.kalyanacentre.com
    Life of Mindfulness||Zen, Vietnam|http://lifeofmindfulness.com
    Lotus Village||Theravada, Burma, Thailand|www.lotusvillageireland.com
    Mindfulness Ireland|Plum Village|Zen, Vietnam|www.mindfulnessireland.org
    Passaddhi Retreat Centre||Theravada, Thailand, Burma|www.vipassana.ie
    Rigpa Ireland|Rigpa|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Nyingma, Dzogchen|www.rigpa.ie
    SGI Ireland|Soka Gakkai International|Nichiren, Japan|www.sgi-ireland.org
    Shamatha Trust|Shamatha Trust|Theravada, Mahayana,Thailand|www.samatha.org/monaghan
    Shambhala|Shambhala|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Kagyu, Nyingma|http://shambhala.ie
    Shaolin Buddhist Temple||Shaolin, China|http://www.shaolinbuddhisttemple.com
    Sunyata Buddhist Centre||Theravada?|www.sunyatacentre.org
    Tara Kadampa Buddhist Centre|New Kadampa Tradition|Mahayana, Tibetan|meditateinireland.com
    The Stupid Way||Zen, Japam|www.zen.ie
    Wake Up Ireland|Plum Village|Zen, Vietnam|www.wkupireland.org
    Wat BuddhaMahaDhatu Ireland||Theravada, Thailand|http://watbuddhamahadhatu.wordpress.com


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    #7
    munkee
    Registered Users Posts: 215 ✭✭munkee


    Great to have a list like this up in one place.

    I have direct experience of some of these groups, and indirect experience of some others. I've added comments on them below.

    I don't mean to be controversial, but some of these groups certainly have a questionable history, so I've highlighted those first.

    Controversial

    Tara Kadampa Buddhist Centre

    This group belong to an organisation called the New Kadampa Tradition or NKT. This organisation has been accused of being cult like, and is not endorsed by any of the mainstream Tibetan lineages or the Dalai Lama.
    More on this org here:
    http://www.nktworld.org/
    http://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/tag/nkt-ikbu/
    https://buddhismnewkadampa.wordpress.com/

    Asian Classics Institute
    Another organisation that has been accused of being a cult. Its teacher, Michael Roach, also broke away from mainstream Tibetan Buddhism.
    More here:
    http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/sex-and-death-on-the-road-to-nirvana-20130606

    Shang Longrik
    Never heard of this crowd, <snip-dead link removed>

    Diamond Way Buddhism
    This organisation has also come under fire for some behaviour on the part of its teacher, Lama Ole Nydahl.
    http://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/tag/diamond-way/

    Dublin Buddhist Centre
    Part of the organisation formerly known as FWBO, now called Triratna. For basic instruction on meditation, etc, they seem to be fairly solid, but there is a bit of a murky history there, so worth investigating further before becoming more fully involved.
    http://www.ex-cult.org/fwbo/fwbofiles.htm

    Misc

    Some comments on others on the list, mainly ones that don't have a website listed or are possibly defunct

    Dogen Sangha.
    Pretty sure this is defunct. But they have a connection to 'The Stupid Way', in that the person behind that, Peter Rocca, is in the same lineage. AFAIK he comes to Ireland once a year to lead a retreat.

    Grey Heron Zendo
    http://www.meetup.com/Grey-Heron-zendo-Zen-weekly-meeting-in-Tallaght/
    They are led by Robert Kennedy, a Jesuit priest and transmitted Zen teacher in the White Plum Asanga: http://www.whiteplum.org/

    Ranelagh Zen
    They are connected to Irish Zen Group.

    More here:
    http://www.meetup.com/Ranelagh-Zen-Meditation-Group/
    https://www.facebook.com/RanelaghZen

    Full disclosure:
    I've practised Buddhism in Ireland since about 1998, and have visited many of the centres/groups listed.

    Some general advice: there are lots of great Buddhist resources and centres in Ireland today. But there are a few rogues, as in any area of life. Always keep your eyes open, listen to your heart, head and gut. Ask lots of questions. Don't be afraid to dig.

    Be slightly wary of groups that seem to have sprung out of nowhere or have no broader affiliation to a mainstream lineage. Be very wary of groups where there is/has been controversy, and do your own due diligence on them.


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    #8
    bou
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭bou


    Thanks for your cautions munkee and for the further info on some groups.

    When putting the list together, I decided not to consider anything on controversy but simply to list every group I could find expressing that they were Buddhist.

    I agree that everyone should do their own due diligence in investigating groups and teachers. After a long period of examining, you can decide if they are keeping to traditions in a good way. I am wary of the term cult. In many Buddhist tradiitons, the master is key and central in the students spirtitual path. The master student relationship could easily be described as cultish as the role of the master is to dismantle the ordinary mind and concepts of the student and bring out the mind of realisation in the student.

    Yes, lineage and authorisation are important to make sure that the teacher is well qualified.

    The Shaolin Temple (Co. Meath, not the one in China) I included, as I though it was from a Buddhist tradition. I've no idea of details. They seem to combine dharma and martial arts.


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    #9
    munkee
    Registered Users Posts: 215 ✭✭munkee


    bou wrote: »
    I am wary of the term cult. In many Buddhist tradiitons, the master is key and central in the students spirtitual path. The master student relationship could easily be described as cultish as the role of the master is to dismantle the ordinary mind and concepts of the student and bring out the mind of realisation in the student.

    Perhaps cult is an unfortunate term, although in my experience of respected or mainstream Buddhist teachers/masters from mainstream lineages, none of them have ever tried to make me do anything or encouraged me to cut ties with friends, family, or the wider world. These all are tendencies that one associates with a cult mentality and some of the groups I've highlighted have been accused of this kind of behaviour.

    If anything, the teachers I've encountered have kept pushing the responsibility back onto me, maddeningly so at times, as at some level I've wanted them to 'give' me something. A true teacher knows they can't do the work for you, but they can show you the path they have trodden. An excellent book I'd recommend to anyone embarking on the Buddhist path is 'A Path With Heart' by Jack Kornfield. It has lots of practical advice on choosing a tradition, style of practice, teacher, and the things to watch out for. I think it's worth highlighting controversy where it has occurred so everyone goes in with their eyes open.

    I missed the part about the Shaolin Temple in Meath, I've edited my original post.


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    #10
    bou
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭bou


    Thanks Munkee. Again, good advice and nicely put.


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    #11
    munkee
    Registered Users Posts: 215 ✭✭munkee


    By the way, there's a new Zen sitting group that's not listed. It's run by the same person that runs DIT Zen above, and they meet on Mondays in the Lantern Centre on Synge St:
    Details: http://goo.gl/Wkv6cJ


    Another Zen group is run by Ingen Breen, a teacher in the San Francisco Zen Center lineage. It's based at his home temple in Dublin 5.

    More here:
    https://sites.google.com/site/ingenji1/


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    #12
    bou
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭bou


    Adding changes suggested by munkee.
    Also, removed Asian Classics Institue and Dogen Zen Ireland as they don't seem to be active now.
    (It seems I can't edit earlier post so have to re-post it)

    Name|Affiliation|Tradition|Website
    Black Mountain Zen Centre|San Francisco Zen Centre |Soto Zen, Japan|http://blackmountainzencentre.org
    Bodhicharya Ireland|Bodhicharya|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Kagyu|www.bodhicharyaireland.blogspot.ie
    Dhamma Ireland|Vipassana Meditation|Theravada|
    Diamond Way Buddhism||Vajrayana, Tibetan, Kagyu|www.diamondway.ie
    DIT Zen||Zen|www.facebook.com/ditzendo
    Dublin Buddhist Centre|Triratna Buddhist Community|not specific|www.dublinbuddhistcentre.org
    Dublin DharmaMind Buddhist Group|DharmaMind|Theravada, Mahayana, Shri Lanka|http://dharmamind.net/group/local-groups/dublin
    Dzogchen Beara|Rigpa|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Nyingma, Dzogchen|www.dzogchenbeara.org
    Dzogchen Community Ireland|International Dzogchen Community|Dzogchen, Tibetan, Yantra Yoga|www.dzogchen.ie
    Grey Heron Zendo|White Plum Asanga|Soto Zen|http://www.meetup.com/Grey-Heron-zen...g-in-Tallaght
    ibetan Dharma and Meditation Group |Shang Longrik Gyatso Rinpoche|Vajrayana, Tibetan, various|
    ingenji|San Francisco Zen Centre|Soto Zen|https://sites.google.com/site/ingenji1
    Insight Meditation Dublin|Satipanya Buddhist Trust|Mahasi, Theravadan, various|www.insightmeditationdublin.com
    Irish Sangha Trust||Theravada|www.irishsanghatrust.ie
    Irish Zen Group|International Zen Association|Soto Zen|www.zenireland.com
    Jampa Ling||Vajrayana, Tibetan |www.jampaling.org
    Kagyu Samye Dzong|Karma Kagyu|Vajrayana, Tibetan|www.buddhism.ie
    Kalyana Centre for Mindfulness||Theravada, various?|www.kalyanacentre.com
    Life of Mindfulness||Zen, Vietnam|http://lifeofmindfulness.com
    Lotus Village||Theravada, Burma, Thailand|www.lotusvillageireland.com
    Mindfulness Ireland|Plum Village|Zen, Vietnam|www.mindfulnessireland.org
    Passaddhi Retreat Centre||Theravada, Thailand, Burma|www.vipassana.ie
    Rigpa Ireland|Rigpa|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Nyingma, Dzogchen|www.rigpa.ie
    SGI Ireland|Soka Gakkai International|Nichiren, Japan|www.sgi-ireland.org
    Shamatha Trust|Shamatha Trust|Theravada, Mahayana,Thailand|www.samatha.org/monaghan
    Shambhala|Shambhala|Vajrayana, Tibetan, Kagyu, Nyingma|http://shambhala.ie
    Shaolin Buddhist Temple||Shaolin, China|http://www.shaolinbuddhisttemple.com
    Sunyata Buddhist Centre||Theravada?|www.sunyatacentre.org
    Tara Kadampa Buddhist Centre|New Kadampa Tradition|Mahayana, Tibetan|meditateinireland.com
    The Stupid Way||Zen, Japam|www.zen.ie
    Three Rock Zen|Zen Buddhism Ireland|Soto Zen|http://zenbuddhism.ie/
    Wake Up Ireland|Plum Village|Zen, Vietnam|www.wkupireland.org
    Wat BuddhaMahaDhatu Ireland||Theravada, Thailand|http://watbuddhamahadhatu.wordpress.com


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