Race Disparities in Buddhist Communities in America

Abstract

Buddhism has become popular in the West through its modernized versions, which offer flexibility and adaptability, but these communities have a “whiteness” problem. There is an unconscious superiority among white Buddhists that comes with their identity, which makes them fail to recognize racial diversity in the Buddhist community. Inappropriate representation of the American Buddhist community is making diverse racial Buddhists invisible from the Buddhist community, which can also be regarded as an unconscious “othering” process of Asian American and Black American Buddhists as if they do not exist. While individuals can seek refuge from the trauma that comes with their racial identity through Buddhist teachings, they also do not feel welcomed in American Buddhist communities because of the absence of familiar faces. Though predominated white sangha do not declare that they are not for “non-white” people, they are also not designed for diverse participation. 

The lack of accurate portrayal of the American Buddhist community in media, which predominantly features white individuals, also instills a sense of anxiety among people from other racial backgrounds, as they may feel unwelcome, which suggests proper representation is necessary to ensure diverse participation. Also, one can attain freedom from their trauma by engaging in mindfulness, meditation, lovingkindness, and other Buddhist practices.