2022–23 Buddhism and Posthumanism Series
Green Buddhism: The Birth and Development of Environmental Buddhism
Mariangela Carpinteri, UC Santa Barbara
Abstract
“Green Buddhism” is the unofficial denomination of a form of contemporary Buddhism that developed in the United States starting in the 1950s. The word “green” refers to the association of this development with environmental ideas. The story of Green Buddhism runs parallel to the emergence of ecology and environmentalism, pacifist movements, the artistic revolution of the Beats, the hippie movement, and the analysis of the human psyche in relation to nature.
This talk will examine the history of this movement in Western contexts before looking at the emergence of a Japanese version of Green Buddhism through the creation of green burials and various forms of activism in the Pure Land schools and Shugendō. The purpose of this presentation is to show the adaptability of Buddhism to the social, geographical, and ecological context of a specific territory. Far from being a superficial adaptation of Buddhism to Western ideals, Green Buddhism is a concrete example of the evolution of Buddhism in history and, more generally, of the role of religions in the contemporary world.
Mariangela Carpinteri is a PhD student in Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She specializes in Japanese Religions and their relationship with the natural environment. Her current research is about a Shintō purification ritual called Ōharae in which various natural elements (air, mountains, trees, and water) play the role of ritual tools through which spiritual purification is accomplished. Her recent research also involves Confucian philosophers (especially Kumazawa Banzan, Ninomiya Sontoku, and Miura Baien) of the Edo period (1603–1868), their perception of nature, and how nature is related to the concrete solutions they provide for the most urgent social problems of their era.
To prepare for this event, we suggest that you read this article, “‘Greening Dharma’: Contemporary Japanese Buddhism and Ecology” by Ugo Dessi published in JSRNC NC 7.3 (2013) 334–355; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1558/jsrnc.v7i3.334 or download free PDF of the article here.
This series is co-sponsored by the Religion in the Public Sphere initiative of the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. The events are organized by Rory Lindsay, Assistant Professor, and Frances Garrett, Associate Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto.
Registration
Each event in the Buddhism and Posthumanism series will be held as an online Zoom meeting and registration is required. You may register at any time to join a lecture. Your registration is valid for the whole series, and you may attend as many lectures as you like. You will automatically receive reminders for the lectures. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Register in advance for the meetings in this series:
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