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Buddhist, a lack of fluency in question. The younger generation ways that respect others who hold
various Asian languages can be an of American Buddhists moves us very different beliefs than I do.
obstacle to comprehending their beyond a “two Buddhisms” binary As someone trained in interfaith
parents’ and grandparents’ faith. of Asian immigrant / white convert. chaplaincy (spiritual care), I find
Those of us who weren’t raised Gen Z and millennials includes that deep listening and healthy
Buddhist may wish we had family Asian convert Buddhists, white boundaries serve me well in these
members to guide us in setting up Buddhists whose parents and/ encounters.
a home altar or maintaining a daily or grandparents raised them in
chanting practice. Young adults who the faith, as well as Black, Latinx, What is the biggest takeaway
are becoming parents themselves Native American, and mixed- from your book Be the Refuge
wonder how to incorporate race practitioners. To lift just one following your interviews with so
Buddhism into their children’s lives. example: Bhante Sanathavihari is many Asian Buddhists?
a 35-year-old Mexican American
While monasticism has always Theravada monk who lives at a I’ve had the honor of talking about
played a key role in Buddhism, Sri Lanka Buddhist temple in Los Be the Refuge at over fifty virtual
how do you see its future in Angeles, California. He delivered book events at temples, meditation
the West today, especially its a Dharma message in Spanish for centers, universities, high schools,
relevance among the younger the May 4, 2021, “May We Gather” bookstores, and other communities.
generation of Americans, both national Buddhist memorial for Many people have shared their
Asian Buddhists and white Asian American ancestors (www. experiences of reading the book;
convert Buddhists? maywegather.org). since each person comes from
different circumstances, each grasps
This is a complex, multistranded Christian evangelists frequently different takeaways. What I learned
question. Monasticism was not a targeted Buddhists at campuses in the writing of the book may not
primary focus of Be the Refuge, so in many Asian cities, and you be what most sparks your interest. I
I’m not well qualified to speculate mentioned in Be the Refuge that it do hope Be the Refuge can inspire us
on the future of monasticism in the is no different in the US. How do to continue grappling with issues of
West. I would love to read a book Buddhist groups respond to this race, culture, power, representation,
that centers the voices of Asian overt evangelization? and privilege in our Buddhist
American Buddhist monastics. communities. I hope it helps us
As writer An Tran remind us in a Be the Refuge focuses on individuals appreciate the vast diversity of
recent talk (https://www.making- rather than Buddhist groups, so Asian American Buddhists, which
visible.org/events/api-3), monastics I can’t speak for how different like any identity group is not a
are a powerful field of merit in sanghas respond to evangelization. monolithic entity. There are many
the Buddhist tradition. Much has I would say that relationships ways to be Buddhist. I hope Be the
been said about the laicization between Asian (American) Refuge will connect those of us who
of Buddhism as the religion puts Buddhists and Asian (American) want to see culturally engaged,
down roots in the West, but I hope Christians are multifaceted—Brian, intersectional forms of Buddhism
we don’t neglect the importance Dolma, and a number of other manifest in the world. I hope the
of monasticism. Just because it’s people in Be the Refuge highlight book helps create communities
not a trending topic doesn’t mean some of these complexities. where sincerely asking questions
it isn’t playing a vital role in the Personally, I find the Buddhist together—perhaps even more than
transmission of the Dharma in tradition offers guidance and finding all the answers—lessens our
Western countries. grounding for meeting moments isolation and deepens our bond of
of evangelization—moments that spiritual friendship. EH
A quick note on the last part of this can be quite charged—in skillful