Waking the Buddha: How the Most Dynamic and Empowering Buddhist Movement in History Is Changing Our Concept of Religion

by Clark Strand

Overview

Is there more to Buddhism than sitting in silent meditation? Is modern Buddhism relevant to the problems of daily life? Does it empower individuals to transform their lives? Or has Buddhism become too detached, so still and quiet that the Buddha has fallen asleep? Waking the Buddha tells the story of the Soka Gakkai International, the largest, most dynamic Buddhist movement in the world today—and one that is waking up and shaking up Buddhism so it can truly work in ordinary people’s lives. Drawing on his long personal experience as a Buddhist teacher, journalist, and editor, Clark Strand offers broad insight into how and why the Soka Gakkai, with its commitment to social justice and its egalitarian approach, has become a role model, not only for other schools of Buddhism, but for other religions as well. Readers will be inspired by the struggles and triumphs of the Soka Gakkai’s three founding presidents—individuals who staked their lives on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and the extraordinary power of those teachings to help people become happy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780977924561
Publisher:	Middleway Press
Publication date:	05/01/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Clark Strand is a spiritual writer and former Zen Buddhist monk who was previously senior editor of Tricycle magazine. He is the author of How to Believe in God: Whether You Believe in Religion or Not and Meditation Without Gurus as well as countless groundbreaking articles, including the first comprehensive feature article ever written in English on internet spirituality. He has founded and led spiritual study groups, taught workshops and retreats, lectured at colleges and universities, and has spoken at some of the largest Buddhist gatherings ever held in America. He lives in Woodstock, New York.

Table of Contents

the spark: an idea ahead of its time

a change in the life of one individual 3

the flame of reform 9

a thing of lasting beauty 17

the foundation: the creation of the soka gakkai

just one verse of the lotus sutra 29

understanding our common humanity 37

the power of ideas 43

opening a way toward the future 55

personal transformation through group discussion 63

the development: the discovery of modem buddhism

religion serving life, not life religion 69

glimmers of a global movement 81

a global spiritual shift 87

passing the flame of reform 95

the completion: the spread of religious humanism

waking the buddha 105

the culture of mentorship 115

the oneness of mentor and disciple 125

spiritual independence 131

even to the fiftieth person 139

the ultimate declaration 147

the future: a religion for the twenty-first century

the foundation for a happy life 157

boomers, buddhism, and beyond 165

facing the challenge ahead 171

entering the age of life 179

Editorial Reviews

"Waking the Buddha offers an absorbing, perceptive look at the often-misunderstood Soka Gakkai International movement and at how it is redefining not just the practice of Buddhism but religion itself. An eye-opening book, both fascinating and important." —Dinty W. Moore, author, The Mindful Writer: Noble Truths of the Writing Life


"A must-read for anyone interested in Buddhism and its transmission." —Varun Soni, Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California


"More than just a Buddhist Reformation, this may be the 4th turning of the wheel of Dharma, and all traditions (East and West) have much to learn from what is offered here." —Rev. Michael Ellick, founder of Occupy Faith


"Clark Strand brings his poet's eye, editor's care, and practitioner's insight to the one-of-a-kind work of 'Buddhist journalism' that is Waking the Buddha." —Rev. Danny Fisher, chair of the Buddhist Chaplaincy Dept., University of the West


"It is a practical guide for anyone searching for the answer to the question: 'How can I incorporate Buddhist principles in all aspects of my life?' If your practice is waking up, this book is for you." —Koshin Paley Ellison, co-founder of New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care


"Waking the Buddha is about waking Buddhism from its own slumbers, as well as waking the Buddha who slumbers in us all. Clark Strand has painted a compelling portrait of the evolution, and revolution, of human religion in the new millennium." —Lou Marinoff Ph. D., author, Plato Not Prozac, Therapy for the Sane, The Middle Way, co-author with Daisaku Ikeda, The Inner Philosopher

From the Publisher

2014-07-23
An exploration of what makes Soka Gakkai unique.Strand (How to Believe in God: Whether You Believe in Religion or Not, 2008), a religion writer and former Zen monk, delves into the history and mission behind Soka Gakkai, a Buddhist sect perhaps best known for its peace activism and belief in fair wealth distribution among people. While this may be the denomination's primary identity in America, Clark is quick to point out its racial and economic diversity, its international scope, and the political activity that sets it apart from other Buddhist traditions and from many other religions as well. He explores the lives of Soka Gakkai's founders and major players—Makiguchi, Toda and Ikeda—and shows how each furthered a particular mission that gave the faith a global reach and broad appeal. Most notably, perhaps, he shows how Soka Gakkai's seeming emphasis on material things, the aspect for which it receives perhaps the most criticism, in fact makes it "a dynamic and practical philosophy of life that, for the first time in human history, privileges life over religion, rather than religion over life." Strand's perspective is broad, with an academic distance that is nevertheless fair toward Soka Gakkai, and cogent in his analysis of American Buddhism as a "baby boomer" faith that suffers many of the flaws of the modern era. The ultimate goal and intended readership of the book, however, are somewhat unclear. It covers ground sure to be interesting to Buddhists, religious scholars and practitioners of Soka Gakkai in different measure but perhaps without fully serving the curiosity of any particular group. While the prose is clear and readable, there is a lack of organization that makes the narrative hard to follow, especially with regard to Soka Gakkai's history and to Strand's own place within the movement and within American Buddhism more broadly. Overall, the work perhaps best serves as a jumping-off point for people interested in learning more about this unique denomination.Thoughtful, clear and informative, if somewhat scattered.

Kirkus Reviews