Historical Development of Buddhism: Buddhism in Britain

Question 1

AO3: What does Buddhism provide another home for?

Answer 1

A spiritual quest as another path than Christianity.

Question 2

AO3: What makes Buddhism’s spiritual quest unique?

Answer 2

Meditation is applicable to all and allows them to have a deep personal encounter with themselves.

Question 3

AO3: How does Buddhism approach new members?

Answer 3

There is no missionary work and is non threatening - a ‘veggie’ dinner may be offered after a meditation session.

Question 4

AO3: What about Buddhism’s history makes it appealing?

Answer 4

Its oriental origin and air of mystique after being practiced for over two and a half thousand years.

Question 5

AO3: What about Buddhism’s freedom is appealing?

Answer 5

It allows followers to decide the level of commitment.

Question 6

AO3: What does the Parable of the Blind People say?

Answer 6

He showed blind people different parts of an elephant and then tells them to describe it. They quarrel over which one of them is right.

Question 7

AO3: How does the Parable of the Blind People link to Buddhism in Britain?

Answer 7

Being all things to all people is positive as long as they do not become ‘attached’.

Question 8

AO3: What are NRM’s?

Answer 8

New Religious Movements have become visible since the Second World War.

Question 9

AO3: What is the OBC?

Answer 9

The OBC has temples in the USA, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany and Latvia.
Has 25 groups and 11 temples in the UK.

Question 10

AO3: What adds to the unique nature of British Buddhism?

Answer 10

Kennet, brought up in the Church of England may have become disenchanted with practices and converted.

Question 11

AO3: How did British Buddhism adapt to its culture?

Answer 11

‘Feeding of the Hungry Ghosts’ which happens in July in Japan was moved to coincide with Halloween.

Question 12

AO3: What did Kennet do about the scriptures?

Answer 12

Translated them into English and due to her musical background put on-top of the Gregorian Chant used in Christian monasteries.

Question 13

AO3: What is one of the songs Kennet made?

Answer 13

‘Welcome Joyous Wesak Day’

Question 14

AO3: What do other English groups chant?

Answer 14

At the Amaravati Monastery they chant in Pali with an English translation.

Question 15

AO3: What does Buddhism in Britain sometimes reject?

Answer 15

The ‘orientalism’ of it, simplifying it.

Question 16

AO3: How influential were Kennet’s changes?

Answer 16

Some have been replaced but remain an essential part of Western Buddhism.

Question 17

AO3: What article outlines the metaphor of a tomato plant?

Answer 17

‘Is Buddhism like a Tomato?’ by Neumair-Dargay discusses Buddhism being transplanted into Germany but can be useful for Britain.

Question 18

AO3: How does she use the metaphor of a Tomato Plant?

Answer 18

Symbolic systems of culture can be moved like plants.

Question 19

AO3: What is a determining factor in transplanting Buddhism?

Answer 19

The leader.

Question 20

How was Buddhism first introduced in Britain?

Answer 20

Sir Edward Arnold’s epic poem, ‘The Light of Asia’ in 1879 was a key event in the origins of Buddhism in Britain as it introduced an educated middle-class Victorian public to the life of the Buddha and some key teaching was found in the Dhammapada.

Question 21

How was further development of Buddhism in Britain done?

Answer 21

A number of academic societies for furthering the study of Buddhism were founded at the beginning of the 20th century e.g. the Pali Society Thomas Rhys Davids.

Question 22

Who was the first British bhikku?

Answer 22

Charles Bennett was one of the first people from Britain to be ordained as a bhikku

Question 23

Who was the first British missionary?

Answer 23

The Sri Lankan bhikku Anagarika Dharmapala became the first Buddhist missionary in Britain and he established a vihara in London in 1926.

Question 24

What was the first Buddhist Society in Britain?

Answer 24

The Buddhist Society, based in London was founded in 1924 by Christmas Humphreys

Question 25

How did it further Buddhism in Britain?

Answer 25

Meditation centre, sponsoring speakers and publishing literature aimed at making Buddhism more accessible to the general public.

Question 26

How did Buddhism increase in popularity?

Answer 26

decreasing popularity of Christianity, the apparently secular nature of Theravada, Buddhism seen as an ancient Eastern source of wisdom, tourism and travel exposed people to Buddhism, Buddhism seen as being New Age Spirituality, increasing interest in meditation and the amount of Buddhist material available on the internet.

Question 27

Heritage Buddhists

Answer 27

Those whose relatives were born in Buddhist countries and migrated to Britain.

Question 28

Convert Buddhists

Answer 28

Convert Buddhists refers to ethnically European people in Britain who convert to Buddhism. Statistics are hard to establish but perhaps there are 80,000 convert Buddhists in Britain.

Question 29

What is the largest Heritage Buddhist group?

Answer 29

The largest Heritage Buddhist group is in Rushmoor, Hampshire – largely due to settlement which is part of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

Question 30

What are convert buddhists attracted to?

Answer 30

It is a complex picture because some Convert Buddhists are attracted to Western forms of Buddhism whilst others might be attracted to Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan groups in Britain.