BUILDING AND NEGOTIATING RELIGIOUS IDENTITIES IN A ZEN BUDDHIST TEMPLE: A PERSPECTIVE OF BUDDHIST RHETORIC Fan Zhang A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2017 Committee: Alberto González, Advisor Marilyn Shrude Graduate Faculty Representative Radhika Gajjala Ellen Gorsevski © 2017 Fan Zhang All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Alberto González, Advisor This dissertation is an exploratory attempt at understanding the practices of a Zen Buddhist temple locates in Northwest Ohio against the backdrop of globalization. Drawing on the previous scholarship on Buddhist modernization and westernization, my primary goal in this study is to better understand the westernization of Buddhism and its adapted practices and rituals in the host culture. Utilizing rhetorical criticism as my methodology, I approach this temple as an embodiment of Buddhist rhetoric with both discursive and non-discursive expressions within the discourses of modernity. By analyzing rhetorical practices of the temple through abbot’s teaching videos, the temple website, members’ dharma names, and the materiality of the temple space and artifacts, I examine how Buddhist rhetoric functioned to constitute and negotiate religious identities of the community members through its various rituals and activities. At the same time, I explore how the generative space and settings of the temple facilitated the collective Buddhist identity formation and preservation. Through a nuanced discussion of Buddhist rhetoric, this study illuminates a new rhetorical methodology to understand religious identity construction. Furthermore, this study offers further insight into the future development of modern Buddhism, which is also applicable to other major world religions. iv To my best friend and my husband Lu, who has always been my good karma v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Every fortunate graduate student has many acknowledgements to make. And I have been extremely fortunate to have enjoyed tremendous support and friendship in the past four years from my teachers, friends and family. In no particular order, I would like to express my gratitude for those who walked me through this wonderful journey. I am truly appreciative of my family back in China: my parents and my parents-in-law, who have been supporting me to pursue my goals and dreams in the past six years. This academic journey would not have been possible without their unconditional love and faith in me. I am also thankful to my dearest friends in Bowling Green: Erika, Jeanette, Yiju, and Dai. You are also part of my family that made me who I am today. You taught me the meaning of being a generous, kind, and faithful friend and I sincerely cherish my friendship with each one of you. Thank you for being there whenever I needed, for all our conversations, for our weekend adventures, and for being yourselves—independent and strong in this tough journey with me. Bowling Green became special to me because of my days with all of you. I am grateful to my academic family: Emi, Sasha, Nina, and Andy. Your warmth makes me feel you are just like my siblings. I have benefited so much from our discussions and our gatherings. Thank you for sharing your precious time with me and being patient with me throughout our time together. I would especially like to thank my dissertation committee members. Dr. Gajjala, thank you for your insights and expertise in helping me maintain my focus throughout the project. You are the one who always told me to dream bigger and think further. I am grateful to have your vision in my team and my life. Dr. Gorsevski, thank you for your confidence in me and my dissertation topic. You are the one who inspired me to explore the concept of “Buddhist rhetoric” and supported me intellectually and emotionally from my first step. Your pep talks always make vi me feel warm and supported. Dr. Shrude, thank you for bringing your unique perspectives to broaden my horizon. I really appreciate your encouragements and suggestions along this process. My deepest appreciation goes to my committee chair and my advisor: Dr. González. In Chinese Buddhism, we address our teachers as “Shifu,” which means the teacher and father figure with great wisdom and skills. You played such a significant role in my life: a teacher with great wisdom to inspire me, and a father with strength and skills to lead our academic family. I am so proud to be your student in the past few years. I am also extremely lucky to have worked and published under your guidance. Thank you for bringing me into the field and taught me to be a qualified scholar. And thank you for being the role model that we always look up to. For me, this mentorship is more than just four years but will last for a lifetime. Finally, I would like to thank the one person who accompanied me through every step of this process. It’s a great luxury to be married to someone so smart, considerate, and someone who knows me so well—my husband and my best friend Lu. You have been the good karma of my life. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION, BUDDHISM, RHETORIC, AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION ........................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 Research Questions ........................................................................................ 3 Rationale ........................................................................................................ 4 Review of Selected Literature ................................................................................... 5 Buddhism in the West ................................................................................... 5 Buddhism and Technology ............................................................................ 7 Rhetorical Criticism and Intercultural Rhetoric ............................................. 10 Buddhist Rhetoric ......................................................................................... 12 Procedures .................................................................................................................. 17 Organization of Study with Chapters ........................................................................ 19 CHAPTER II. HISTORY OF MODERN ZEN BUDDHISM IN THE UNITED STATES ........................................................................................................ 23 Brief History of Modern Zen Buddhism in the West ................................................ 24 Modernization of Buddhism on A Global Scale ........................................................ 29 The Introduction of Buddhism to Ohio and Toledo ................................................... 33 Temple Setting and Activities ........................................................................ 35 Temple Operation and Communication ........................................................ 38 Rhetorical Field Methods in Critiquing Buddhist Rhetoric ....................................... 40 Viewing the GHBTT as Both Intercultural and Rhetorical .......................... 43 viii Conceptualizing Critical Rhetoric in Intercultural Communication .............. 44 Ideological Rhetorical Criticism .................................................................... 48 Incorporating Participation and Observation in Criticism of Buddhist Rhetoric ...................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER III. THE TEMPLE’S PARADOX: MAINTAINING CULTURAL TRADITIONS IN THE DISCOURSE OF MODERNIZATION AND DEMOCRATIZATION ......................................................................................................... 55 The Uniqueness of the Family Temple ...................................................................... 59 <Family> as An Ideograph ........................................................................... 62 The Married Abbot and Spousal Transmission: Pragmatism of American Buddhism .............................................................................................. 65 The Role of Do’on: More than Just a Temple Wife .................................................. 70 <Marriage> and <Wife> as Ideographs ......................................................... 73 Sunday Morning Dharma School: A Buddhist Moral Education .............................. 75 From Dharma Teaching to Moral Education ................................................. 78 Sangha: This is Where We Belong ............................................................................ 80 Community Building through Membership ................................................... 84 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 87 CHAPTER IV. CONSTRUCTING BUDDHIST IDENTITY AT THE GHBTT ............... 90 Technology at the GHBTT and Identity Construction .............................................. 92 Challenges from the Cyberspace ................................................................... 97 A Buddhist Identity via Technology .............................................................. 103 Dealing with the Secret Buddhist Identity: Being Rational ix and Trusting Yourself ................................................................................................ 107 The Secret Buddhist Identity