ABSTRACT
Buddhism was transported from the Asian continent to Europe, North America and Australia from the nineteenth century onwards when representatives of colonial powers analysed Buddhist scriptures, art and architecture. At the same time, Asian emigres were forming Buddhist enclaves in the West (Chappell 2004a). In the twentieth century, Western converts who had been immersed in a Buddhist culture or ordained by a Buddhist preceptor instituted Buddhist orders and meditation centres for Westerners (Chappell 2004b). For example, Roshi Glassman founded the Zen Peacemaker Order in North America (now the Zen Peacemakers) and Sangharakshita established the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in Britain (now Triratna or The Three Jewels). This coincided with the persecution of Buddhism in swathes of Asia, and Buddhist leaders-in-exile such as the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh started to convey Buddhism to a worldwide audience. By the turn of the millennium, information and communication technologies enabled spiritual seekers in the West to access Buddhist writings and participate in online Buddhist conferences (Chappell 2004b). Such an exponential growth of a religion transplanted outside of its cultural milieux entrains the twin dangers of a superficial familiarity alongside profound misunderstandings (Sangharakshita 1996; Wilber 2006). When aspects of this ancient Eastern religion are conjoined with modern Western social work, further confusion could be on the horizon.
