091100 Buddhism's appeal on the rise
Boom in new temples, including locally, shows growth in Westerners' acceptance,
practice of ancient teachings from Asia
By JEERAWAT NA THALANG
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Lon McCloskey only meant to stay a few minutes when he dropped by a Thai
Buddhist monastery in Woodinville a few months ago. He ended up staying for
hours. He's gone back to the Atammayatarama Monastery every week since then,
studying meditation and learning more about Buddhism.
"Otinnamha-jatiya jaramaranena. We are bound by birth, aging, death and
sorrow," McCloskey, 56, chanted, repeating Buddha's teaching in the ancient
Asian languages Pali and Sanskrit and in English.
McCloskey, a practicing Protestant, is one of a growing number of Westerners
developing an interest in Buddhism. He considers it a "spiritual technology"
that helps him become more focused and peaceful.
Hard numbers reflecting the growth are difficult to come by, but local
Buddhists point to a number of new temples. Although many temples don't register
members, they do track contributors. At the Sakya Monastery in Greenwood, the
number of regular contributors has risen to 80 from its founding group of five
in 1974.
There are no official records of the number of Buddhists in America. Bryce
Montgomery, a staffer of Northwest Dharma News journal, nonetheless estimated
that the number of the meditation centers -- temples and other gathering places
-- in the Northwest has quadrupled in the past seven years. The journal lists
about 150 Buddhist meditation centers in the region that includes Seattle,
Portland, Idaho and British Columbia.
In addition to Western converts, an increasing number of Asian immigrants
also have fueled the growth.
Today, there are four Tibetan, two Lao, two Thai and four Vietnamese temples
in the Seattle area. Twenty-five years ago, no Vietnamese, Thai or Lao temples
existed. The first Tibetan Buddhist temple opened here in 1974. The first
Japanese temple has been around for almost 100 years, founded by early Japanese
immigrants.
Although the services in ethnic Buddhist temples are conducted mostly in the
members' native languages, some temples translate their services into English or
hold special sessions for English-speaking people.
At Atammayatarama Monastery, Adhisila Bhikkhu, a 36-year-old monk from
Oregon, translates the day's sermon into English for the three or four non-Thai
speakers who attend the service.
Adhisila grew up as Owen Evans in Oregon, but changed his name when he was
ordained two years ago. The American monk, wearing brown robes, said the
Buddha's teaching of the cycle of life is universally applicable.
"Buddhism teaches the way that makes life understandable," he said.
Increasing numbers of people are turning to religion as they grow
dissatisfied with their lives, said Charles Keyes, professor of anthropology and
international studies at University of Washington.
Keyes said people find it easier to access Buddhism. People can join Buddhist
services or visit the temples, in some cases without feeling that they have to
give up their religion. Some have become practicing Buddhists while others lose
interest after a couple of visits.
Buddha taught that 'all things are transitory," and many people find that
comforting, Keyes said. The teaching helps them realise that loss is nothing to
fear because it is a part of the process, he said.
Younger generations of immigrants who gave up their religion are
rediscovering Buddhism, coming back to spend their weekends attending services.
At Seattle Buddhist Church, a Japanese Buddhist temple, the number attending
weekend services has grown from about 250 to more than 300 in the past two
years.
"Some felt that the direction (in their lives) had been lost," said the
Venerable John Iwohara of Seattle Buddhist Church. "There is a growing sense of
affluence, but you can't see that you are happier than before. People start to
search again."
The church, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, is
beginning to regain members after losing many after World War II. The temple had
a membership of about 600 during the 1930s. Most members are Japanese Americans
whose parents or grandparents were immigrants.
"There were certainly some conversions to other religions. But (after the
war), a lot of people have given up on religion," Iwohara said.
In contrast, 90 percent of the visitors to Sakya Monastery in Greenwood are
Westerners. There, lay practitioners, not monks, conduct the teachings.
Sakya Monastery was the site for the filming of the movie "Little Buddha,"
made in 1993. The movie is about the life of Seattle resident Carolyn Massey's
son, Sonam Wangdu, now known as Trulku-la, who was taken to Nepal to study
Buddhism at the age of 4. Some believe the child is the reincarnation of a holy
Tibetan lama.
Massey said she turned to Buddhism 12 years ago because at that time "I was
looking for a spiritual leader." She said Buddhism "has a better way of
describing what's important in life."
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