Because the original Buddha's path is not completely pinned down, and because Garfinkel doesn't have an unlimited budget from National Geographic, he has to make some concessions, and his travels aren't quite chronological - some don't trace the Buddha's path at all. Indeed, Garfinkel starts at, of all places, the Nazi death camp Auschwitz. You can find out why for yourself if you read the book, but it does make for a powerful beginning.
Much of Garfinkel's trip is in the steps of the Buddha, however, and he is in turns inspired by and disappointed in what he finds. Many of the famous Buddha sites are, predictably, tourist traps. On the other hand, Garfinkel finds in many places "engaged" Buddhism, meaning the local Buddhist leaders aren't just meditating; they're out trying to make positive changes in their countries and/or local communities. Ironically, many of the international Buddhist leaders he meets confide that they've learned much from Buddhists in the United States, a perhaps surprising cross-pollination in that Westerners are often stereotyped as practicing the "lite" version of Eastern religions.
Maybe the most captivating aspect of the book, from my view, was stories of the leaders and other individuals Garfinkel meets as he travels around the world. From prisoners who've embraced Buddhism behind bars to the Dalai Lama, most have trod an interesting path to where they are today. Perhaps that's appropriate, as Buddhism seems to be more about the journey than the destination.
If you have no interest in Buddhism, Buddha or Bust isn't going to provide hours of entertainment or convert you. But if you do have an interest in what it's all about, Garfinkel's trip is a neat introduction to what Buddhism is, even if what it is might be different in different parts of the world.
Article comments
1 - duane
Well done, Justin.
Ironically, many of the international Buddhist leaders he meets confide that they've learned much from Buddhists in the United States ....
Could you provide a couple of examples?
2 - Justin McHenry
Garfinkel uses a number of examples:
In Bangkok, academicians from the local Buddhist universities had visited Naropa University in Colorado (the only accredited Buddhist college in the U.S.) to observe how meditation is integrated into the curriculum, which is unlike how it is done in their university.
In Hong Kong, Garfinkel meets a Chinese clinical psychologist who has based her practice around a Buddhist stress reduction training she received in Worcester, Massachusetts.
A Japanese Buddhist priest discusses "engaged Buddhism" as something that originated in the West or at least is more embraced in the West, and he is frustrated in trying to build a more engaged community locally.
Not current but also relevant, Garfinkel talks about how in the 1800s a handful of enthusiastic Westerners had gone east to visit Buddhist sites only to find that they were more motivated to keep the tradition going than the locals.
Garfinkel takes great pains to say that he's not suggesting Westerners are teaching Buddhism to those whose tradition it is. Instead, he's saying that in many places where Buddhism is part of the culture, it's not so much practiced as assumed, and the many Westerners who practice with such enthusiasm can give a new appreciation that perhaps has waned in Buddhism's original birthplaces.
3 - duane
OK, Justin, I see. Your last paragraph in #2 makes it clear. Very interesting. Thanks for the reply.
4 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!