Title

Dharma Diversity And Deep Inclusivity At The East Bay Meditation Center: From Buddhist Modernism To Buddhist Postmodernism?

Abstract

Through an ethnographic study of the East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC) in Oakland, California, this paper examines recent attempts to diversify meditation-based convert American Buddhism. Celebrated as the 'one of the most diverse Buddhist sanghas in the world', EBMC opened its doors in January 2007 with the goal of offering a more diverse alternative to the predominantly white, middle-class populated American Buddhist groups in the Bay Area. The EBMC is rooted in a 'gift economy' and offers weekly meditation groups for People of Color, LGBTQI populations, and people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. While the EBMC houses separate identity-based groups, it is its attention to the multiple axes of difference-race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and disability-what I identify as 'dharma diversity'-that mark it as unique. In conclusion, I suggest that EBMC's diversity culture might indicate the emergence of a new postmodern stage in the assimilation of Buddhism in America.

Publication Date

7-3-2014

Publication Title

Contemporary Buddhism

Volume

15

Issue

2

Number of Pages

312-331

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1080/14639947.2014.932487

Socpus ID

84919843657 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84919843657

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