SUMERU » Publishing

Studying Buddhism in Practice

Yönten — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:10:51 +0000

Studying Buddhism in Practice
John S. Harding, editor

Paperback, 200 pages, $29.95
Published by Routledge, January 2012
ISBN: 978-0415464864
Hardcover and e-book also available

About the author:

JOHN S. HARDING is Associate Professor and Chair of the Religious Studies Department at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. His books include Introduction to the Study of Religion with Hillary P. Rodrigues (2008) and Wild Geese: Buddhism in Canada with Victor Sōgen Hori and Alexander Soucy (2010).

From the publisher:

This book introduces the rich realities of the Buddhist tradition and the academic approaches through which they are studied. Based on personal experiences of Buddhism on the ground, it provides a reflective context within which religious practices can be understood and appreciated. The engaging narratives cover a broad range of Buddhist countries and traditions, drawing on fieldwork to explore topics such as ordination, pilgrimage, funerals, gender roles, and film-making. All the entries provide valuable contextual discussion and are accompanied by photographs and suggestions for further reading.

The narratives include:

Coronation at Kōyasan: how one woman became king and learned about homeland security and national health care in ancient Japan (Pamela D. Winfield)
Buddhism through the lens: a study of the study of Buddhism through film (Lina Verchery)*
Voice and gender in Vietnamese Buddhist practice (Alexander Soucy)*
Feasting for the dead: Theravāda Buddhist funerals (Rita Langer)
Buddha for our time: images of a Sri Lankan culture hero (John Clifford Holt)
Shifting signposts in Shikoku pilgrimage (John S. Harding)*
From texts to people: developing new skills (Mavis L. Fenn)*
Merit, gender, and Theravāda Buddhist practices in times of crisis (Monica Lindberg Falk)
Encounters with Jizo-san in an aging Japan (Jason A. Danely)
Amitabha’s birthday and the liberation of life (Paul Crowe)*
Preaching as performance: notes on a secretive Shin Buddhist sermon (Clark Chilson)
The insides and outsides of a Tibetan Buddhist ritual on the outskirts of Sujata village (James B. Apple)*
Practicing the study of Buddhism: cross-cultural journeys and renewed humanism in the history of religions (William R. Lafleur)

* Articles by Canadian scholars

The Sumeru review:

Studying Buddhism in Practice was conceived as a complement to standard undergraduate textbooks on the study of Buddhism. Its approach is closest in style to ethnographic anthropology, insofar as it comprises observation of Buddhist ritual and personal reflection by the observers, who are self-proclaimed “outsiders.” In the introduction, the editor takes pains to explain that this hybrid approach is somewhat unorthodox, chosen to elucidate both the lived experience of practitioners and also that of the scholarly observer. In other words, the book is as much about how we study Buddhism as how Buddhists practice Buddhism, within their specific cultural contexts.

The largest issue this book raises for me is its reticence about the increasingly blurry boundaries between scholars, practitioners and scholar-practitioners. Indeed, the notion of scholar-practitioner does not even appear in the front-matter of the book. That is a serious problem.

As Buddhist practice has matured in the west, we have seen a concomitant growth in the number of Buddhist teachers who can speak and write deeply about the practice of Buddhism, its history and its philosophical perspective across many cultural expressions. Nobody looks at Robert Thurman and says, “Oh gee, he can’t be an objective scholar because he used to be a monk and is obviously a practicing Buddhist!” That is just one exaggerated example to make the point. Scholars who cling to the notion that they can somehow be objective, independent, impartial and above the fray are merely demonstrating their service to a different ideology – that of secular humanism. This book has an aura of spiritual tourism about it. The essays veer frequently into the territory of “Oh gee, I studied Buddhism and it changed me.”

I am not proposing that there is no place for objective, independent observation and the attempt to see events within larger systems of context. However, since Charles Prebish proposed the designation of scholar-practitioner, we have yet to see academia embrace it en masse as a valid perspective. I couldn’t hep feeling, while reading Studying Buddhism in Practice, as if I were a CIA operative trying to figure out why “those people over there” do what they do so I could categorize and respond to them better, while firmly entrenched within my own ideological bunker. It was not a good feeling.

As a practitioner of Buddhism, I seek to see the spiritual in everyday life. The narratives in this book seek to explain the spiritual in terms of everyday life. That’s kind of like looking through a telescope from the wrong end!

Be that as it may, for the right audience (young adults with no experience of Buddhist practice in their own culture), in the right context (an undergraduate university course where the material can be discussed), this is a good book. The sincerity and backgrounds of the authors are solid.

Each essay is arranged in three parts: a narrative, discussion and readings. The readings refer to writings by other Canadian scholars of Buddhism as well.

Canadian Buddhism Survey update

Yönten — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:21:09 +0000

We’ve received 60 surveys so far and much encouragement. Thank you to all participants!

If your centre is one of the 440+ who have not yet submitted your completed survey, please visit our page with complete information about the initiative and downloadable survey packages: http://www.sumeru-books.com/2011/11/canadian-buddhism-survey/

Canadian Buddhism Survey launched

Yönten — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:19:00 +0000

The Sumeru Press is currently updating our directory of Canadian Buddhist organizations for www.canadianbuddhism.info and we are asking for participation from Buddhist organizations across Canada. More than 15,000 people a year turn to this website and its sister news site, www.sumeru-books.com, for information about where to practice and learn about Buddhism in Canada. We want to make sure that the information they find is as accurate and current as possible.

To this end, we have embarked on a new project in association with the Department for the Study of Religion, at the University of Toronto – to create Canada’s first printed guide to Canadian Buddhist organizations, including not just their contact information such as address, phone number and website, but also information about teachers, programs and related activities. Our goal is to publish in the summer of 2012.

There are more than 500 Canadian Buddhist organizations to be included! If we were unable to reach your organization directly, please make use of the link below to download a survey and send it back to us.

The survey has two parts. The first part contains questions about Canadian Buddhist organization that are important for potential members of, and visitors to, each group. In the second part, we are gathering sociological information about the state of Buddhist organizational development in Canada. No study like this has ever been done before. The data we hope to collect will be extremely valuable to benchmark each group’s activities and place them within the larger context of Sangha in Canada.

The survey is entirely voluntary, and all of the data we collect in the second part will be presented in a way that does not identify any individual organization specifically. In other words, responses to part two of the survey will remain entirely anonymous.

The survey is presented in an interactive digital document – answers can be typed right into the form. It can be saved as a new file and submitted electronically. Printed versions of the survey are also available. Click here for a copy of the survey package: NEW Canadian Buddhism Interactive Survey Package. A low-tech version of the survey is also available in Word .doc format. For that, click here: Canadian Buddhism Survey.

This research has been formally approved by the Department for the Study of Religion and the Office of Research Ethics at the University of Toronto. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact me (buddhismsurvey@sumeru-books.com), or Dr. Frances Garrett, Associate Chair, Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto (frances.garrett@utoronto.ca or 416-978-1020).

Charles Prebish podcast on “New Books in Buddhist Studies”

Yönten — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:21:49 +0000

Charles Prebish is among the most prominent scholars of American Buddhism. He has been a pioneer in studying the forms that Buddhist tradition has taken in the United States. Now retired, he has written this unusual new book, An American Buddhist Life: Memoirs of a Modern Dharma Pioneer (Sumeru Press, 2011). The book tells the story of Prebish’s role in bringing the field of American Buddhism to prominence. The difficulties he faced in establishing American Buddhism as a legitimate field of study, and in trying to be recognized as a “scholar-practitioner,” will resonate with up-and-coming scholars trying to carve out a new niche for their scholarship. The book is filled with anecdotes about recognized authorities in Buddhist studies, providing a uniquely personal window into the development of the field in the late 20th century and beyond.

Here the podcast of his interview with NBIBS here: http://newbooksinbuddhiststudies.com/2011/10/05/charles-prebish-an-american-buddhist-life-memoirs-of-a-modern-dharma-pioneer-sumeru-press-2011/

What is Canadian about Canadian Buddhism?

Yönten — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 23:24:57 +0000

Jeff Wilson, University of Waterloo

Jeff Wilson (Assistant Professor, Religious Studies and East Asian Studies, University of Waterloo, Ontario) has a great article in the new September issue of the journal Religion Compass.

The article is called: What is Canadian about Canadian Buddhism?

ABSTRACT: Buddhism in Canada is part of a larger global network of Buddhist people, institutions, and practices in the modern world. It shares much with Buddhism in other countries, such as the United States. What, then, is distinctive about Canadian Buddhism? This article suggests five areas in which researchers may fruitfully probe for what is particular about Buddhism in Canada. These five areas are (1) the history of Buddhist individuals and institutions in Canada; (2) the impact of national and provincial laws and policies; (3) the impact of Canadian social and cultural characteristics, and efforts to create a self-consciously Canadian Buddhism; (4) the landscape of Canada itself; and (5) Canadian Buddhism’s relationship with Buddhism in other countries.

Like the excellent work of Harding, Hori and Soucy in their 2010 book, “Wild Geese,” Wilson’s article uncovers many interesting, under-reported and under-studied aspects of Buddhism as it is practiced here in Canada. Well-worth a read, if you have a subscription to Religion Compass, or can access the latest issue at your local library.

Lama Chöpa, by Panchen Lozang Chökyi Gyaltsen, the 4th Panchen Lama

Yönten — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:50:13 +0000

Lama Chöpa (The Guru Puja) is a central practice in the Gelugpa Vajrayana tradition, often incorporating a Tsog Offering (ritual tantric feast). One of the most beloved versions of this prayer service is one that was written about 360 years ago by the fourth Panchen Lama (or sometimes referred to as the first Panchen Lama), Panchen Lozang Chökyi Gyaltsen.

Until recently, the only English version of this important liturgy has been a 1979 edition from the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in a bi-lingual format. However, that scholarly translation does not follow the beautiful, traditional melodies of the service or include any information about the ritual gestures associated with particular passages.

Fortunately, Robert Preece, a western practitioner, undertook the task of creating a new translation that would capture the essence of the text, while parsing exactly to the traditional melodies of the different sections of the service. Rob is an excellent translator and writer, as can be seen from his other books about Tibetan Buddhism (The Courage to Feel: Buddhist Practices for Opening to Others; The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra; and The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation in Buddhist Life), in addition to his being a professional psychotherapist.

The Sumeru Press Inc. is excited and proud to announce that we will be publishing Rob Preece’s Lama Chöpa translation in a new edition, including musical and mudra notations. It is our hope that this new edition will open a wonderful new dimension for practitioners of this profound puja sadhana.

More details as they become available…

Charles Prebish on The Buddhist Channel

Yönten — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:00:18 +0000

Charles Prebish, whose latest book An American Buddhist Life: Memoirs of a Modern Dharma Pioneer was published by Sumeru earlier this year, was recently profiled in the Salt Lake City Tribune. The story was picked up by The Buddhist Channel and is their lead . . . Read More.

Master Tam’s book launch @ Vajrayana Buddhism Association

Yönten — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:32:39 +0000

On Saturday, August 13, the Vajrayana Buddhism Association in Scarborough, ON, hosted a book launch for Master Tam’s newest book, published by the Sumeru Press, entitled “Natural Appearances, Natural Liberation: A Nyingma Meditative Guide on the Six Bardos of Living and Dying.” Master Tam is the author of more than 60 books in Chinese. About 60 people were there.

Here are some pictures of the event, taken by Edgar Lam.

Master Tam introducing the book

Master Tam autographic books

Professor Henry Shiu (c), introduces Master Tam (l) and Karma Yonten Gyatso (r), Sumeru publisher

Master Tam, browsing other books from Sumeru

VBA presents a gift of some of Master Tam's books to Sumeru

Karma Yonten Gyatso, publisher at Sumeru, thanks the attendees

Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies request for articles

Yönten — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 23:12:29 +0000

PRESS RELEASE / Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies
Invitation to the BUDDHIST ACADEMY (Canadian and Global)
This year marks the 2600th WESAK Anniversary of the Buddha’s Sambodhi ‘Enlightenment’ (an event recognized by the UN)

Rejuvenate your personal saddha* to the Buddha and his Dhamma, by sharing your thoughts, in 600 words or less, on the following:
“What does the Buddha mean to me personally, and how will Buddhism carry me into the 27th (Buddhist) century?”
It is expected that your submissions will be published ONLINE as a Special Supplement or Monograph of the Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies.

Please send your submissions to:
Prof. Suwanda H J Sugunasiri, Founding Editor, Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies

DEADLINE: June 30, 2011

* A Buddhist practitioner with saddhā can be an objective Professor of Buddhist Studies:
The received wisdom, and fashionable stance, in Religious Studies is that a practitioner of religion cannot be an objective scholar. On the contrary, when it comes to Buddhism, the better the practitioner one is, the more authentically knowledgeable a Professor one can be!

The ultimate goal for the Buddhist practitioner is liberation from the life-cycle of samsāra, and this is to be gained through, literally, ‘seeing and understanding reality as it is’ (yathābhūta ñāõa dassana). The key term is ‘understanding’, not belief. And while the study of texts, critical studies, research and teaching may be helpful in arriving at this knowledge, the Buddha is unequivocal that there is no better way to gaining knowledge than through personal practice – meditation (samādhi), grounded in self-discipline (sīla), guided, as laity, by the Five Training Principles (a.k.a. Precepts): to abstain from taking life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, harmful language and negligence with respect to alcohol. To the extent that a Buddhist is by definition a practitioner, albeit strung on a continuum, a Buddhist Academic is no exception. Meditation is the very empirical basis for objectivity that helps make for a better Buddhist scholar, in a sense deeper than understood in the Academy (see Sugunasiri, 2010).

In general, working within a materialist milieu, the practicing Buddhist scholar, both in the West and elsewhere in imitation, has for the most part kept her/his personal commitment private. The envisioned collection is intended to encourage Buddhist scholars, Canadian and Global, to come open about their practice (as more and more scholars are beginning to do), in particular making themselves a model to a growing generation of future Buddhist leaders, and to the society at large. Additionally, by providing a living counter example to the received wisdom, your contribution could also serve as a basis for theoretical advancement.
Suwanda H J Sugunasiri, May 2011

Reference
Sugunasiri, Suwanda H J, 2010, “‘Against Belief’: Mindfulness Meditation (satipaññhāna bhāvanā) as Empirical Method”, Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies, Number Five, pp. 59-96 (http://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjbs/article/view/12186).

Please send your comments, if any, to suwanda.sugunasiri@utoronto.ca. Thank you. And may you be well!

Rimey Lama Chopa (Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, trans. Glenn Mullin) now available

Yönten — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:42:18 +0000

RIMEY LAMA CHOPA: A Tibetan Rimey Tantric Feast, A Rite to Invoke the Supreme Nectar of Wisdom

Sumeru turns two years old today.

We are pleased to announce publication of
RIMEY LAMA CHOPA: A Tibetan Rimey Tantric Feast,
A Rite to Invoke the Supreme Nectar of Wisdom
by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, translated by Glenn Mullin and with a foreword by Ven. Matthieu Ricard.

For more information about the book, here is a link to our PRESS RELEASE.

Available online worldwide at AMAZON.COM, BARNES & NOBLE.COM and other fine online retailers.

Also available at SNOWLION BOOKS.