Following my post about American Buddhism, I began to think a great deal about what could be done to close the gaps between the various Buddhist communities. But before that, I want to look I why I think this should be done.

Currently, I am studying Hindi. In the Hindi language, there are a few words whose meaning is difficult to translate into English or even explain. Luckily, I have a wonderful teacher and sitting next to me is a woman from India. When my teacher fails to help me comprehend something, my fellow student is able to take the time and explain it further, giving me a cultural context for why these words behave the way they do and why I can’t wrap my English speaking mind around them. Which of course is because of cultural context. Bridging the gab between the communities (immigrant Buddhists and convert Buddhists) gives those of us raised in a Western culture a chance to explore some the cultural underpinnings of Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy. When I first began studying Tibetan Buddhism, some of the odd symbols and terminology threw me off or were downright intimidating. After reading several books on the history of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan culture, Buddhisms relationship with the Bön tradition explained a great deal. Understanding Chinese culture could give us Western converts a greater understanding of why Pure Land traditions arose and how the culture itself imprinted itself upon their tradition. In return, by interacting with convert Buddhists, we can become an encouraging experience for immigrants in the United States to feel more welcome.

The second reason I think it should be done is because it puts us in a place to interact with others who may hold different interpretations of Dharma and differing world views and therefore creating a dialogue. It gives us something to walk away with, something to spend some time on the cushion contemplating. How can we study Dharma, learning about ourselves and how to find compassion for others when we can’t even find the initiative to interact with others who follow the same principles, just follow them a bit differently?

It also becomes a way to paint a picture of American Buddhism. We are not a unified tradition like in the Indo-Asian countries. Rather we are a byproduct of the modern age, a time when a wandering elder is not needed to teach us Dharma and we then develop our own traditions due to isolation. American Buddhism is the patchwork that is our nation. With so many resources available, I feel it would be impossible at this juncture to see a true American Buddhism develop. Rather, America will be the place where the various traditions come together in one place. This is such a unique idea that we should embrace as our defining aspect of American Buddhism.

Opening communication just within a locale provides an opportunity for various sanghas to come together and experience new ideas. And perhaps this is where the closing of the gap begins, on a local level. In Houston, where I reside, we have so many traditions all in one place. We have Cambodian, Vietnamese, Zen, Tibetan, etc. I think it would be amazing if, even once a year, the members of the various communities came together for an afternoon. In would be great if the elders at the various temples encouraged their lay communities to attend and interact with each other. Even one afternoon is the first step in doing away with a major obstacle in the community.

As I have learned from the blog Angry Asian Buddhist, there is a definite disconnect between the convert and immigrant community. Often immigrant Buddhists are left out of many councils and gatherings. Is this by choice or due to a lack of understanding on both sides? It makes me wonder, have we Americans not done our part to make those immigrating here feel welcome?On the other side, are the immigrant communities banding together to keep themselves isolated from the great American culture? Do convert Buddhists get intimidated by those who have Buddhism ingrained in their culture? Do cultural Buddhists feel that American Buddhists are like small children, bumbling around and creating a fantasy world around them?

Regardless of the answers to these questions, I know a bit of effort from both sides would aid in destroying misconceptions and open new doors for the sake of community.