The Flowering of the Academic Study of Humanistic in the West: The Institute for the Study of at

Dr. Jane Naomi Iwamura Inaugural Director of the Institute for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism and Associate Professor of Religious Studies University of the West

ane Naomi Iwamura is an associate professor of Religious Studies J and the inaugural director of the Institute for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism at University of the West. Dr. Iwamura's research focuses on Asian American religions, race and popular culture in the United States (with an emphasis on visual culture). Her publications include Virtual Orientalism: Religion and Popular Culture in the U.S. (Oxford 2011) and the co-edited volume Revealing the Sacred in Asian and Pacific America (Routledge 2003). She currently serves as a member of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) Committee on Theological Education and is a respondent on the AAR College-Wide Literacy Project. Dr. Iwamura co-founded the Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI)—a national scholarly network advancing the interdisciplinary study of Asian Pacific Americans and their religions and currently serves on the steering committee. 2018 6th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 315 Symposium of Humanistic Humanistic Symposium of th , 2018. The Institute for the Study of Humanistic the Study of Humanistic The Institute for , 2018. th

Mission (ISHB) Buddhist of Humanistic Study the for Institute The faceted to the multi- devoted is West of the University at application within study of Buddhism and its ongoing Master Hsing Venerable the human realm. Inspired by vision of Humanistic Buddhism and its emphasis Yun’s the Institute will on education, ethics, art, and culture, serve as the home for a wide-range of research projects of understanding our enhance that work scholarly and Buddhism historically and in the contemporary moment. The Institute aims to (1) encourage new directions in the and networks facilitate (2) Buddhism, of study academic The particular mission of our new Institute (or ISHB) is as Institute (or ISHB) is as The particular mission of our new Esteemed venerables, scholars, and students. I am honored I am honored and students. venerables, scholars, Esteemed follows: Buddhism (ISHB) joins its sister organizations—the Fo Guang Guang Fo joins its sister organizations—the Buddhism (ISHB) in , the Humanistic Buddhism here Shan Institute of of HumanisticCentre for the Study Buddhism at City University Centre at and the Humanistic Buddhist of Hong Kong (CUHK), network collaborative a form Australia—to in Institute Tien Nan to the study of Buddhism and the of research institutions dedicated public. wider the and scholars both for resources of development This morning I will firstformally present the mission of our new and then speak emerged, Institute (ISHB) and how the Institute we challenges and context particular the about informally more faced on the other side of the pond. Buddhism. Today, I speak briefly to introduce the Institute for for Institute to introduce the briefly speak I Today, Buddhism. West— the of University at Buddhism of Humanistic the Study ago—on weeks two just opening formal its enjoyed which October 18 and humbled to be here at the 6 and humbled to Anniversary a couple of years of couple a Anniversary th conversations between scholars, religious organizations, organizations, religious scholars, between conversations that and (3) develop Buddhist resources and practitioners, everyday life. are applicable to Venerable need. a and optimism an of out began ISHB The 25 its celebrated UWest After We began optimistically began envisioning the Institute for the Study We Master Hsing Yun established University of the West (UWest) in in (UWest) West University of the established Yun Master Hsing should identify openness; he was clear that we the spirit of great a as not and university,” “Buddhist-founded a as institution our an This spirit of openness places or seminary. Buddhist college on human and education of learning benefits on the emphasis of one particular religion, sect, flourishing over on the views to decision Yun’s Hsing Master Venerable way, this In order. or university” acknowledgesidentify us a “Buddhist-founded the Humanistic Buddhist roots and its deep-rootedness institution’s Yet, outlook. and values its of terms in tradition Buddhist the in symbolize a commitment to open at the same time, was meant to as an invitation to students from intellectual enquiry and serve study at UWest. diverse backgrounds to come and back and as we engaged in strategic planning for our university, back and as we engaged in strategic planning for our university, above the of one-half with well done had we that clear became it to recognize the root and equation (“openness”), but we struggled was strong The root powerful. what indeed made us unique and university— the throughout felt be could force life-giving its and the root However, administration, and staff. our students, faculty, a clear articulation in a murky pond that obscured was submerged of who we truly are. of that root and an overall picture of Humanistic Buddhism as a way to both self-reflect on who we are as an institution and better define for ourselves, our students, Yun’s Hsing Master Venerable public wider the and scholars, transformative sense of Buddhism—that is both expansive and Aspecific. need was also related to the needs of our students; our

The Flowering of the Academic Study of Humanistic : The Institute for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism at University of the West 316 2018 6th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 317 , 人間佛教 The formal mission and vision we have for the ISHB was we have for the ISHB was The formal mission and vision the human to attention Buddhism’s Humanistic As you know, to forward look we which with institutions, Our sister especially among scholars. It is a way to recognize, honor, and pay honor, scholars. It is a way to recognize, especially among and our roots. Yun Master Hsing Venerable tribute to Challenges and Context sense, it was quite “empty”— in a large clear enough. However, and faculty our get we How would content. of actual devoid students involve? How best to define ourselves in relation to our would How do? we would research of type What institutions? sister wider public? In other words, whatbe engage both scholars and the see the academic Pure Land, but how do We would we actually do? we realize it here on earth? dharmic approach that Yun’s Master Hsing Venerable world and beings needs” places a radical one must “consider each human to take a hard look and consider emphasis on context. So we had wisely our own context. Fo Guang the work, e.g. wonderful doing were collaborating, the Arts, Buddhist of Encyclopedia Dictionary of Buddhism, the oeuvre, Yun’s Master Hsing Venerable collection and digitization of development the journals, and of sutras translations multi-lingual and management of degree programs, and programming relevant our Institute exists in a very for the general public. However, cultural a assume not could we where context—one different foundation or underlying milieu of Buddhism; Buddhism is not PhD, DBMin, MDiv, and MA students come from an impressive impressive an from come students MA and MDiv, DBMin, PhD, in well-trained are And they backgrounds. of religious diversity history and early Buddhism, Chinese religious canonical languages, interfaith outlooks. Buddhist applications, and ethics, contemporary The Humanistic Buddhism! they knew very little about However, And more of self. is meant to focus our sense work of the ISHB fojiao appreciation of renjian a new it will forge broadly, Wars and conflict often drive knowledge production. The The conflict often drive knowledge production. and Wars Studies Slavic alongside culture, Asian East in Departments The Buddhism of scholars and the academic study of study of of scholars and the academic The Buddhism Buddhism constitute a special relationship with the Buddhism the Buddhism a special relationship with Buddhism constitute it is important to lay out the Here, West. in the of everyday life development of which paved the way for the broader context, AmericanBuddhist universitiesStudies and as an academic field in West. in the gave rise to the flowering of Buddhism an as own flowering its Studies of Buddhist institutionalization academic field of inquiry began with the end of theWorld Second Through their in the U.S. War the advent of the Cold and War service War Americanin II, soldiers, the WorldPacific Rim during with contact in came personnel military other and translators, Asian peoples—most specifically with the Japanese. Many of these steeped in Buddhist culture and men lived in Japan—a country for a very if not appreciation belief—and returned with a curiosity, would turn out to be individuals Some of these foreign way of life. Others Aitken. e.g., Roshi Robert respected Buddhist interpreters, newly the through universities American at study go on to would and Buddhism the in interest time, same At the GI Bill. constituted and relations new of opening the by prompted was culture Asian an exporter of Japan became in the East, as occupied new markets cheap goods to the U.S. War as the United States entered the Cold programs, emerged period in the 1950s and 60s. Fighting communism in Korea and culture. host battleground of the study the prompted Vietnam Asia Foundation Foundations and scholarship funds, such as the a dominant religion in the U.S. Also, we saw ourselves engaging engaging ourselves saw we Also, U.S. the in religion dominant a most directly with the field ofBuddhist Studies as it has developed and specifically in the U.S.— West, in the and has been defined expectations, and particular set of conventions, its structure and I lay out a bit of me, while indulge will please demands. So if you the history (below):

The Flowering of the Academic Study of Humanistic Buddhism in the West: The Institute for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism at University of the West 318 2018 6th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 319 All this would be for naught, if not for another major upheavalAll this would be for naught, if not through spread was and hold took first Buddhism Hence, (with links to the American Government’s Central Intelligence Intelligence Central Government’s American to the (with links and period his during founded were today active still Agency), Asia. (In a recent supported research on Buddhism and East I found out that he was Lewis Lancaster, Dr. conversation with funded by such a scholarship during his first year in PhD studies This is not to saythat the work Wisconsin.) at the University of work in their engaged this period during emerged that of scholars the quite rather, intent; patronizing or instrumental such with scholarly that the fact the ignore cannot we However, opposite. by such interests. in the U.S. was underwritten study of Buddhism counterculture American the Again, front. domestic U.S. the on younger the of worldview the in shift major a mark would counterculture—anti- The in the 1960s. of age coming generation distinct life of new ways of search and in anti-authoritarian, war, God” Christian] [the of “death the parents—witnessed their from This shift was authority. and a calling into question of religious campuses, where students could pronounced on college especially they Asian religions as and East now take courses in Buddhism explored new religions and cultures and alternatives to their own and Suzuki D.T. read would students These upbringing. religious While professors. college by their to them introduced Watts, Alan American in root much earlier the Buddhism had begun to take Buddhism would begin to emerge American the first bud of history, at this time. and university the way, this In U.S. the in class educated the become potent avenues for the programs in Buddhism Studies of the of Buddhism and the propagation understanding Americans’ Buddhists American mass of of a critical The emergence Dharma. was further supported by another change taking place during the This Immigration Act. 1965 Hart-Cellars the 1960s—most notably Act allowed an unprecedented number of immigrants from while they may have an intuitive sense of Buddhism,while they may have an intuitive

Universities and colleges still remain a significant avenue avenue colleges still remain a significant Universities and One has to understand that any Buddhist growing up in One has to understand Buddhist growing up in that any the as serves classroom college the case, the Whatever for Americans’ entrée into Buddhism. A half a century after these these after a century half A into Buddhism. entrée Americans’ for classroom and shifts, students still enter the developments and in some cases, re- introduction to Buddhism. Or experience their students— American Asian many encountered have I introduction. whom of immigrants—some Asian of grandchildren or children not, take have who others and Buddhist temple a up in grown have classes because Asia—many Buddhists—to settle in the U.S. and establish their their U.S. and establish settle in the Buddhists—to Asia—many Act of this The long-range effect own and temples. communities the U.S.: many of the religious landscape of profoundly changed built were America across today see you that temples Buddhist the temples. including a century, during the last half they feel they know very little about the philosophy and history of the philosophy and history of they feel they know very little about decide if they are Buddhist at all. the religion. Some are trying to loss and nostalgia. Others feel a deep sense of cultural the and walls temple the beyond support little very has America The U.S., for all intents and community. boundaries of their ethnic invokes one that still least or at nation a Christian purposes, is still everyday social and political life. the language of Christianity in a Buddhist sensibility because As countries can assume particular this is not the case in the U.S. Buddhism is the dominant religion, generations of Buddhist venue in which second- and subsequent understanding, if not their devotion and faith, is Americans’ meets this need. The scholar or professor of Buddhism rekindled. study of Buddhism the with the changing environment, Along programs, numerous with field full-fledged a into developed has Asian for Association the in strong representation and centers, academic other and of Religion Academy American the and Studies on focus to tended have Buddhism in Programs associations. the historical of variants, because some Tibetan Japanese and

The Flowering of the Academic Study of Humanistic Buddhism in the West: The Institute for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism at University of the West 320 2018 6th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 321 disciplines, e.g., ethnography. disciplines, e.g., ethnography.

In sum, the study of Buddhism in the U.S.—especially at at U.S.—especially the in Buddhism of study the sum, In because it is It is important to recount the above history, The field of Buddhist Studies as it has developed inWest the The exploration and rendering of religious practice is seen as the the as seen is practice religious of rendering and exploration The seeking and seminaries (“faith schools purview of theological universities (reason alone). reason”), and not of secularized double- a in itself West—finds of the University as such place a and students of part the on need subjective is the There bind. practitioners to cultivate Buddhist values and understanding (“wisdom”) On the other hand, are the on the one hand. the by demanded objectivity of expectations and conventions Studies as it has developed in academic discipline of Buddhist is to not understand stance the objective take simply To West. the summarily dismiss the relevance the full picture and bracket and the subjective only pursue To people. living real for of Buddhism serious of lack risk and picture full the see not also to is dimension a play ironically who scholars, Western the among recognition West. major role in the sustainability of Buddhism in the Institute new the craft to attempt we that backdrop this against West. the of University at Buddhism Humanistic of Study the for developments I have just outlined. Early Buddhism and Chinese and Early outlined. just I have developments scholars— Western received less attention by Buddhism have although that is changing. At its inception, and unfolding formation. represents a unique and philosophy overarching the with grappled Studies Buddhist developed, textual As the field grew and history of the religion. doctrines were and key commentaries and analysis of sutras and more constrained became also studies Historical undertaken. into evolved large) Buddhism (and religion write contextualized, as This objective stance also prompted the study an object of study. social and cultural phenomenon, of contemporary Buddhism as a anthropology and sociology of lens the through approached best and the methods of these larger Rigorous training in scholarly methodologies an an methodologies scholarly in training Rigorous A focus on Western scholarship and English-language and English-language scholarship Western focus on A The development of innovative approaches that employ the approaches of innovative The development 3) that quotient” of IQ or an “intelligence we speak West, In the These our new Institute. These are the hallmarks of soft its enjoyed ISHB The work. at hard been already have We 2) 2) 1) approaches for our graduate students. Such training offers an early offers graduate students. Such training approaches for our However, Buddhism for our students. introduction to Humanistic as a way to to learn it, but rather compelled they are “forced” engage in scholarly production and find intellectual community, their own course of study. develop skills that are relevant to latest digital platforms. changing a in However, of understanding. level high a reflects of new applications that world—one marked by the emergence produce new ways of looking at are able to handle “big data” and to develop compelled we are visualization, world through data the This attention to DQ, in as well. our DQ, or “digital quotient,” and employ new methodologies to IQ, leads us to explore attention resources that push the study cutting-edge applications to provide of Buddhism in innovative directions. what we see as the double-bind features attempt to negotiate dictated(subjective<>objective, theology/philosophy<>-sociology) Master Venerable staying true to by our particular context, while thought and practice. Furthermore, the Institute is Yun’s Hsing above, but I have outlined not simply responsive to the challenges proactive in its approach as we attempt to pursue an innovation direction in our research. launch this summer as we formed our first project team of graduate This we see as a particular niche; much scholarship on niche; much scholarship on This we see as a particular research. been conducted and Chinese Buddhism has Buddhism Humanistic Western in the but the field is very limited by Chinese scholars; setting. There are three features that characterize our work: that characterize three features There are

The Flowering of the Academic Study of Humanistic Buddhism in the West: The Institute for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism at University of the West 322 2018 6th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 323 the Humanistic Buddhism Knowledge the Humanistic Buddhism Knowledge

Humanistic Buddhism Knowledge Map will be a visual visual a be will Map Knowledge Buddhism Humanistic The The team is currently working on two projects—the Fo GuangThe team is currently working on Map. For the mapping project, we will construct a multi-use we will construct a multi-use Map. For the mapping project, temples, schools, and other ArcGIS map of Fo Guang Shan development. institution’s the visualizes also that organizations track instance, for that, developed be also will layers Sample of growth economic the alongside development institution’s the The base map will be or the political history of . their develop to encouraged are who scholars, to available made own work. own layers that are relevant in their genealogy that charts the evolution of key figures and concepts The aim of the project is not to related to Humanistic Buddhism. arrive at a definitive definition of “Humanistic Buddhism,” but rather to digitally represent the history of significant figures and their articulation of relevant concepts that will shed new light the student researchers or fellows. Near completion, the Institute’s Institute’s the fellows. Near completion, researchers or student bibliographies— soon be ready to publish two research team will the first of their kind—a primaryVenerable source bibliography of source And a secondary in English. works Yun’s Master Hsing in references scholarly 300 English-language of over bibliography Buddhism. Chinese and modern Buddhism area of Humanistic the combing through entailed of these bibliographies The compilation (Ling-Ling librarians own our with working databases, library Fo Guang and the Publishing Light Buddha’s Kuo and Judy Hsu), Zotero— with ourselves familiarizing and Center, Translation Through the endeavor, system.a bibliographic management And skills. valuable learned researchers student our graduate the are resources bibliographic labor—these their of fruits the and represent an enormous most comprehensive of their kind as PDFs and be available will The bibliographies contribution. into Zotero and other in RDF format, which can be incorporated bibliographic management platforms. Shan Mapping Project and FGS . Fo Guang Shan has a a has Shan . Fo Guang A future project that I am particular excited about is the about excited particular I am that project future A In the Spring of 2019, the Institute will also co-sponsor co-sponsor also will Institute the 2019, of Spring the In broaden out to host a wide- As the Institute grows, we will the “human” pond and its murky waters in which live in We organic development of modern Chinese Buddhism. of modern Chinese development organic Monastic Women’s Oral History Project History Oral Women’s Monastic of whom hold many monastics, of women number significant Venerable Indeed, within the organization. leadership positions the potential of women, provided recognized Yun Master Hsing the understood and cultivation, religious for their opportunities historyThis project aims to track the contribution. potential of their of female views and background the document and vision of this and interview the collection of oral histories monastics through scholars for research for resource a as serve will database The data. development the organizational interested in Buddhism and gender, of Buddhism during the modern of FGS, and the development period. & Art Buddhist Dharma: of the “Expressions conference, the hope you will join us for this 3-day We Culture in Everyday Life.” April 4-6. conference that will take place on projects—so working together range of interdisciplinary research English, Business, Psychology, with our faculty in Chaplaincy, for discussion and will create forums We Arts. and the Liberal scholarly work, and create a vital the dissemination of the latest everyday publics. connection between scholars and lotus takes root. Each lotus bespeaks of the human potential of source—the ongoing The roots that sustain are the food Buddhism. And its bloom represents the and life-giving power. sustainability As our mission is great, realization of this potential in all its beauty. fully this wonderful opportunity to more appreciate we pause to vision of human excellence, Yun’s Master Hsing Venerable realize West. reflection, and compassion, fitting into University of the

The Flowering of the Academic Study of Humanistic Buddhism in the West: The Institute for the Study of Humanistic Buddhism at University of the West 324 2018 6th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 325 —Source: The Everlasting Light: —Source: Dharma Thoughts of Master Hsing Yun Dharma Thoughts of Master Hsing Consciousness can manifest allConsciousness things, good and bad; when your mind is healthy you are at peace. manage you how karma; by driven are Lives your life will or a simpleton. make you a sage