Buddhism and the West : Subsequent to a Friendly Encounter

It is estimated that today there are over 190,000 Buddhists in the United States. Most of these, however, are Americans of Chinese and Japanese, who belongs to the Pure Land sect and organized under the name of the Buddhist Church of América.1 Most of these churches, over fifty, are mostly in Hawaii and the west coast. The second section of Japanese Zen, the various groups that include the first Zen Institute of America in New York, World Zen Center in Virginia and the Missionary Society of Zen in California. Among other Japanese groups are San Francisco Nichiren Buddhist Church, Jodo Mission of Chicago, the Shingon Buddhist Church in Chicago and the Nichiren Shoshu of America (Soka Gakkai) in Los Angeles. Although Buddhism is largely in the Theravada and Mahayana missions are smaller in number, the study of Theravada Buddhism has become increasingly popular among Americans of European origin. Theravada Buddhists are also united in societies, centers, groups and Viharas. There are "Friends of Buddhism" groups in cities like Washington, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. American Buddhist Academy in New York and other Buddhist groups under different names in different places are also active in Buddhist studies, propagation, and by some organizations, training activities. According to statistics available in 2512/1969, a total of about 254 Buddhist groups, schools, missions and companies, both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, the United States. Of these, about 84 were in Hawaii, while another 170 were on the American continent. Mahayana as groups, a number of Theravada centers in the United States are not Americans, but also the activities of Buddhists in Asia. The Washington Theravada Buddhist Vihara hosted a mission of Ceylon and has a plan to establish centers in major U.S. cities and train staff of the monks themselves. The Buddhists of Thailand hosted the center of Theravada Buddhism in North Hollywood in Los Angeles, which later became known as Wat Thai. From this temple Thai first in America, there are now more than a dozen Thai temples in America. In Europe, while the Buddhist Society of Great Britain remains the largest Buddhist organization, a number of local associations were established in cities and universities in various parts of many European countries. Buddhists in Sri Lanka contribute to this development with the support-ing his mission at the London Buddhist Vihara Society in England and Dhammaduta (Buddhistisches Haus), in western Germany. Over Buddhapadipa Temple in London, which was officially opened by His Majesty the King of Thailand, on August 1, 2509/1966, Buddhists in Thailand have developed their missions in other parts of Europe as the masucharitanucharee-Dham Temple Waalwijk Netherlands , which later was changed to Wat Buddharam and Vipassana Center in Surrey, England. In Australia, the Buddhist Society in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are constituted under the Buddhist Federation of Australia. Of these businesses, the society of New South Wales in Sydney is famous for its most active. A Thai Buddhist mission was invited to Melbourne in 2517 / 1974 and a flame Buddharangsee Wat Thai Buddhist Vihara was opened in Sydney in the second half of 2518/1975. Besides books, booklets and leaflets, magazines and newspapers Buddhists have made a great contribution to the spread of Buddhism worldwide. Some of these publications of Buddhist groups and organizations in the United States, Europe and Asia with a worldwide circulation. "World Buddhism" printed in Sri Lanka, and WFB WFB News Bulletin distributed by the headquarters in Bangkok, are probably the best known and most widely read monthly Buddhist. Other publications include Siris Vesak, the Buddhists of Sri annual Saddharmadana Samitiya in Sri Lanka, Visakha Puja, the annual publication of the Buddhist Association of Thailand, the Middle Way and amicably, the company's quarterly and Buddhapadipa Buddhist temple in London, respectively, the Maha Bodhi Journal Maha Bodhi Society, the voice of Buddhism to the Buddhist Missionary Society in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; "Metta", the magazine of the Buddhist Federation of Australia, and the golden lotus, the magazine published a mimeographed Philadelphia. It would be impossible to cite here all the magazines and periodicals issued in several Buddhist countries. In the United States, twenty Buddhist bulletins, newsletters, monthly magazines and annual reports were on the list in 2512/1969.