how the most dynamic and empowering Buddhist movement in history is changing our concept of religion
184 pages
English language
Published Aug. 27, 2014
"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 the one that has done more than any other to wake up and shake up Buddhism so it can once again 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 …
"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 the one that has done more than any other to wake up and shake up Buddhism so it can once again 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 on the extraordinary power of those teachings to help people become happy. These three men dared to revolutionize Buddhism by restoring it to its true purpose: to help people transform their lives and the world they live in. The result is a uniquely relevant form of Buddhism--one that "just makes sense" to the modern mind and is ready to meet the challenges of a global age. Waking the Buddha will appeal to anyone who wants something more out of Buddhism--or any religion-- as it explores the foundations of the Soka Gakkai's practical spiritual path in which people take the principles of Buddhism and put them to work in everyday life"--
This reads like sectarian propaganda pretending to be objective. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it hadn't been so obviously uncritical and adulatory.
I wish the focus had expanded more on the philosophy and practice. The history is a good contrast, but I think more could have been presented around the SGI practice compared to other practices to better highlight what was different or how this difference is driving our concept of religion. This was left towards the latter part of the book and not given as much time. I would have like to see more comparison and understanding the contract with Quakerism, in which the practice seems more closely aligned to SGI then other religious practice.
