"Now Buddhism is in the early stages of perhaps its most difficult transition ever — to find a true home in the West.
"Western culture offers unique challenges for any genuine spiritual tradition. Modern capitalism is finely tuned to create and increase materialist appetites; the explosion of entertainments and communications distances us from the present and the natural. Stress, speed, and anxiety weigh on all, and a multitude of spiritual and philosophical systems offer competing promises of relief. The ethics of individualism and egalitarianism pose a challenge to the teacher-student relationship at the heart of the Buddhist transmission.
"Yet the basic challenge is the same as it's been in every culture Buddhism has entered: to change what is culturally dependent in order to adapt to the new culture without weakening the timeless and radical truths of the Dharma; to speak in new ways to communicate effectively with the local mindset without giving in to its neuroses; to create opportunities for serious meditation practice and Dharma study in a culture where none previously existed.
"It will take many more decades at least — some say centuries — before the development of Buddhism outside of Asia is complete. I believe there are five markers that will define the successful development of Buddhism in North America, Europe, Australia, and beyond. As committed practitioners, we need to be working toward a Western Buddhism that is:
"• Genuine — serving only nonego and enlightenment and not corrupted by physical, psychological, or spiritual materialism.
• Complete — encompassing the full range and depth of Buddhist practice, philosophy, and ritual.
• Sustainable — supported by the institutions, infrastructure, and financial resources needed to establish a religious tradition that will last for generations to come.
• Integrated — becoming an accepted and natural part of Western society, not a foreign implant or fringe phenomenon.
• Successful — reaching all who would benefit from it.
"As daunting as this may seem, the good news is that millions in North America and Europe have already been touched by Buddhist teachings and practice. Hundreds of thousands more are serious practitioners of the Dharma. Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly is where committed Buddhists come together to deepen their practice and to study and ponder the challenges Buddhism faces in the West."
