Historically, Buddhism on the Korean peninsula was deeply intertwined with the greater East Asian Buddhist tradition, so much so that identifying a “Korean” Buddhism is a problematic task. Since the late 19th century, however, nation-centered histories have distinguished “Korean” Buddhism from other forms of Buddhism, for better or worse. In reality, Korean Buddhism is not monolithic or insular, and, in recent years, the footprint of Korean Buddhist organizations has grown around the world. Buddhist teachings have been adapted to the dynamic, transnational religious landscape of the 20th and 21st centuries. What does Korean Buddhism’s place in the world Buddhist community reveal about the religion? How has the “Koreanness” of Korean Buddhism been retained, reformulated, or challenged when the religion leaves the Korean peninsula? Our panel is composed of scholars studying minority and innovative Buddhist denominations in Korea, a much under-researched area in the broader field of Korean Buddhist Studies.
Many members of the Taego Order scoff at the idea that one needs to be celibate and cloistered to be authentically Buddhist, or specifically Korean Buddhist. Members of the Taego Order emphasize their practical similarities with the dominant Jogye Order and their strong affiliation with the Korean Seon tradition, but many also emphasize their own regional uniqueness vis-à-vis dominant mainland South Korean Buddhisms. This paper considers the self-perception of the Taego Order’s place within the larger category of “Korean” Buddhism but also explores the locality of place. I shall reexamine how the questions of place and “Korean” Buddhism played out in distinct ways during the coffee break pauses—the spaces in which self-perceptions tend to be the least fitted into conventional frameworks—in my 2012-2018 field research in Jeju Island, South Korea and Osaka, Japan as well as interviews in Anaheim Hills, California between 2014 and 2024.
Amidst Korea’s tumultuous modernization and colonial era in the early 20th century, Sot’aesan revitalized Chosŏn Buddhism, aligning it with the evolving times. Recognizing the limitations of traditional Chosŏn Buddhism, Sot’aesan endeavored to reshape it into a uniquely Korean Buddhism for Korean people. Wŏn Buddhism, which started from its early days with concerns about “Koreanness,” and “popularization,” has moved beyond Korea and moving towards globalization. Wŏn Buddhism began spreading in the United States in 1972, with the Central Headquarters in Iksan dispatching Rev. Yi Chesŏng to Los Angeles. As of 2024, approximately 60 ordained kyomus of Wŏn Buddhism in the United States engage in both Korean-centered and English-speaking Dharma services across 40 temples and institutions spanning the Americas. This paper delves into the fifty-year history of Wŏn Buddhism’s immigration to America, examining how the essence of Korean Buddhism has been preserved, confronted, and transformed as it ventured beyond the Korean Peninsula.
The Korean Ch’ŏnt’ae order is one of the most successful contemporary Buddhist movements in Korea. After the 1970s, the Ch’ŏnt’ae order continuously interacted with Japanese Tendai and Chinese Buddhism. In 2007, Ch’ŏnt’ae donated 5,000 copies of the Chinese version of their catechism, which were distributed to Chinese temples and university libraries. While seeking religious identity in China, Korean Ch’ŏnt’ae emphasized a unique Korean Buddhist form worthy of being re-exported to China. Ch’ŏnt’ae presented itself as a lay-centered community, a characterization that was also reflected in the observations of Japanese monks and Chinese scholars. They noted practitioners, numbering up to 10,000, gathering in large halls at local temples, joint monastic-lay administration, a well-organized nationwide Lay Association, and 24-hour practice spaces. These elements, such as modern mega-temples, large collective dharma halls, lay-centered communities, and accessible practices, were recognized as distinctly Korean characteristics within the Ch’ŏnt’ae order itself.
The introduction of Wŏn Buddhism to the United States has reached its fifty-year mark. Innovation has always played an important role in the formation and growth of Wŏn Buddhism. The founder, Sot’aesan declared the necessity to reform traditional Buddhism to make it accessible to the laity and espoused values such as inclusiveness, equality, public work, and practicality. These innovations have helped Wŏn Buddhism in America to shift from a strictly ethnic-related context to an emphasis on its universal nature. What are the detriments to decontextualizing and de-emphasizing elements thought to be “too Korean” or “too traditional,” or thought to be irrelevant in the West? I argue in this paper that if Wŏn Buddhism is to thrive in the United States conscious consideration will have to be given to the indispensable aspects of its Korean roots and tradition while connecting with the multicultural and ethnic makeup of the US.
| Jonathan Feuer | Jonathan.feuer@yale.edu | View |