14. Gibson, Jung (2006) Historical Census Statistics on the Foreign Born Population of the United States. No. 81: US Census Bureau
15. In
fl
uence of Asian Immigation
• Establishment of Buddhist Temples
• Production of Buddhist literature and publications
• Buddhist schools and teaching
• Teachers from China established schools
16. Reasons for Attraction
• Alternative to materialism of the 1950s
• Alternative to institutional religion during time suspicion of institutions
• Presented itself as philosophy rather than alternative religion
• Answered the question about “suffering”
• Presented itself as a philosophy of peace
17. Reasons for Attraction
• Offered personal practices helping people be calm in a disruptive decade
• Spirituality instead of religion and traditions.
• Offered answers to burning questions in that decade such as war, suffering
• It tried to af
fi
rm other religious truth claims rather than contradict them
21. Carl Jung
1875 - 1961
Founder of Analytic Psychology
Writer on Buddhism
22. “The goal in psychotherapy is exactly the
same as in Buddhism”
“The difference between Buddhism and
Western psychology is concept of the
self”
“Christ overcame the world by burning
himself with its suffering, but Buddha
overcame both the pleasure and
suffering of the world by disposing of
both” (p. 367).
“To the Western man, the
meaninglessness of a static universe is
unbearable. The oriental does not make
that assumption…rather he embodies it”
(p. 317)
26. Nichiren Shoshu of America
• Founded in 13th Century in Northern Japan
• Nikko Shonin, the next Buddha
• US Headquarters in Los Angeles California
• 12 Million adherents in 188 countries
• Organized missionary work worldwide
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/nichiren_1.shtml
27. NSA Beliefs
• Rejects all other forms of Buddhism as heretical
• Claims to be the only true Buddhism
• Believes we are in the 3rd Age
• Nichiren Shobeb is the New Buddha
• Believes anyone can easily achieve enlightenment
• Text is the Lotus Sutra
• Chants mantra “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo”
• Worships the Dai. Gohonzon, a Japanese goddess
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/nichiren_1.shtml
28. NSA Ten Principles
1. Hell - personal despair in this life
2. Hunger - desiring something rather
than contentment
3. Animality - being governed by animal
instincts
4. Anger - any kind of sel
fi
shness, or
competitiveness
5. Tranquility - Calm state
6. Rapture - pleasure when desire is
ful
fi
lled (??!!)
7. Learning - new skills
8. Aborption - condition following gaining
new wisdom
9. Bodhisattva - disciple of the new
Buddha
10.Buddhahood - achieving the state of
compassion, wisdom, and humaneness
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/nichiren_1.shtml
31. Demographics of American Buddhists
• White, Non-Hispanic (53%)
• Gen X & Baby Boomers (55%)
• College Education or Higher (61%)
• Make over $70,000/year (45%)
• Democrat or Politically Liberal (70%)
Pew Research (2017)
35. Beliefs of American Buddhists
• Believe in a Divine Being (60%)
• Pray or Meditate Daily or Weekly (66%)
• Never read the Bible (70%)
• Believe in an absolute right or wrong (4%)
• There is no Hell (63%)
Pew Research (2017)
