Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Buddhism and Conversion'
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Eddy, Glenys. "Western Buddhist experience the journey from encounter to committment in two forms of western Buddhism /." Connect to full text, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/2227.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2007.Title from title screen (viewed 26 March 2008). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Dept. of Studies in Religion, Faculty of Arts. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.
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Vasi, Shiva. "Conversion to Zen Buddhism." Monash University, School of Political and Social Inquiry, 2004. http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/9601.
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Eddy, Glenys. "Western Buddhist Experience: The Journey From Encounter to Commitment in Two Forms of Western Buddhism." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/2227.
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This thesis explores the nature of the socialization and commitment process in the Western Buddhist context, by investigating the experiences of practitioners affiliated with two Buddhist Centres: the Theravadin Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre and the Gelugpa Tibetan Vajrayana Institute. Commitment by participants is based on the recognition that, through the application of the beliefs and practices of the new religion, self-transformation has occurred. It follows a process of religious experimentation in which the claims of a religious reality are experientially validated against inner understandings and convictions, which themselves become clearer as a result of experimental participation in religious activity. Functionally, the adopted worldview is seen to frame personal experience in a manner that renders it more meaningful. Meditative experience and its interpretation according to doctrine must be applicable to the improvement of the quality of lived experience. It must be relevant to current living, and ethically sustainable. Substantively, commitment is conditional upon accepting and succesfully employing: the three marks of samsaric existence, duhkha, anitya and anatman (Skt) as an interpretive framework for lived reality. In this the three groups of the Eight-fold Path, sila/ethics, samadhi/concentration, and prajna/wisdom provide a strategy for negotiating lived experience in the light of meditation techniques, specific to each Buddhist orientation, by which to apply doctrinal principles in one’s own transformation. Two theoretical approaches are found to have explanatory power for understanding the stages of intensifying interaction that lead to commitment in both Western Buddhist contexts. Lofland and Skonovd’s Experimental Motif models the method of entry into and exploration of a Buddhist Centre’s shared reality. Data from participant observation and interview demonstrates this approach to be facilitated by the organizational and teaching activities of the two Western Buddhist Centres, and to be taken by the participants who eventually become adherents. Individuals take an actively experimental attitude toward the new group’s activities, withholding judgment while testing the group’s doctrinal position, practices, and expected experiential outcomes against their own values and life experience. In an environment of minimal social pressure, transformation of belief is gradual over a period of from months to years. Deeper understanding of the nature of the commitment process is provided by viewing it in terms of religious resocialization, involving the reframing of one’s understanding of reality and sense-of-self within a new worldview. The transition from seekerhood to commitment occurs through a process of socialization, the stages of which are found to be engagement and apprehension, comprehension, and commitment. Apprehension is the understanding of core Buddhist notions. Comprehension occurs through learning how various aspects of the worldview form a coherent meaning-system, and through application of the Buddhist principles to the improvement of one’s own life circumstances. It necessitates understanding of the fundamental relationships between doctrine, practice, and experience. Commitment to the group’s outlook and objectives occurs when these are adopted as one’s orientation to reality, and as one’s strategy for negotiating a lived experience that is both efficacious and ethically sustainable. It is also maintained that sustained commitment is conditional upon continuing validation of that experience.
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Lienau, Amanda Marie. "The role of community and culture in spiritual growth for individuals who are converts to Buddhism." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1171895805.
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Eddy, Glenys. "Western Buddhist Experience: The Journey From Encounter to Commitment in Two Forms of Western Buddhism." Arts, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/2227.
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Doctor of PhilosophyThis thesis explores the nature of the socialization and commitment process in the Western Buddhist context, by investigating the experiences of practitioners affiliated with two Buddhist Centres: the Theravadin Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre and the Gelugpa Tibetan Vajrayana Institute. Commitment by participants is based on the recognition that, through the application of the beliefs and practices of the new religion, self-transformation has occurred. It follows a process of religious experimentation in which the claims of a religious reality are experientially validated against inner understandings and convictions, which themselves become clearer as a result of experimental participation in religious activity. Functionally, the adopted worldview is seen to frame personal experience in a manner that renders it more meaningful. Meditative experience and its interpretation according to doctrine must be applicable to the improvement of the quality of lived experience. It must be relevant to current living, and ethically sustainable. Substantively, commitment is conditional upon accepting and succesfully employing: the three marks of samsaric existence, duhkha, anitya and anatman (Skt) as an interpretive framework for lived reality. In this the three groups of the Eight-fold Path, sila/ethics, samadhi/concentration, and prajna/wisdom provide a strategy for negotiating lived experience in the light of meditation techniques, specific to each Buddhist orientation, by which to apply doctrinal principles in one’s own transformation. Two theoretical approaches are found to have explanatory power for understanding the stages of intensifying interaction that lead to commitment in both Western Buddhist contexts. Lofland and Skonovd’s Experimental Motif models the method of entry into and exploration of a Buddhist Centre’s shared reality. Data from participant observation and interview demonstrates this approach to be facilitated by the organizational and teaching activities of the two Western Buddhist Centres, and to be taken by the participants who eventually become adherents. Individuals take an actively experimental attitude toward the new group’s activities, withholding judgment while testing the group’s doctrinal position, practices, and expected experiential outcomes against their own values and life experience. In an environment of minimal social pressure, transformation of belief is gradual over a period of from months to years. Deeper understanding of the nature of the commitment process is provided by viewing it in terms of religious resocialization, involving the reframing of one’s understanding of reality and sense-of-self within a new worldview. The transition from seekerhood to commitment occurs through a process of socialization, the stages of which are found to be engagement and apprehension, comprehension, and commitment. Apprehension is the understanding of core Buddhist notions. Comprehension occurs through learning how various aspects of the worldview form a coherent meaning-system, and through application of the Buddhist principles to the improvement of one’s own life circumstances. It necessitates understanding of the fundamental relationships between doctrine, practice, and experience. Commitment to the group’s outlook and objectives occurs when these are adopted as one’s orientation to reality, and as one’s strategy for negotiating a lived experience that is both efficacious and ethically sustainable. It is also maintained that sustained commitment is conditional upon continuing validation of that experience.
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Murayama, Mitiyo Santiago. "O mito da conversão: o discurso proselitista dos líderes da Soka Gakkai no Brasil." Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, 2014. https://tede2.pucsp.br/handle/handle/1915.
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The scope of this research is to make an attentive reading of the official proselytize speech from the lay Buddhist organization Brasil Soka Gakkai Internacional (BSGI), which is published in several journals, contextualizing it according the two sociological conversion paradigms: classic and contemporary. These paradigms are built upon three main axis concerning time, intensity and social networking of the convert. According the classic paradigm, the conversion occurs suddenly and unexpectedly; it is very intense, since the individual is supposed to go through a deep and totalizing transformation in this decision-making moment. Also, it is a completely solitary and autonomic way, without any influence of others. The new paradigm, the contemporary one, shows conversion as a long-term process, where the convert interacts with their social context, presenting itself as an alternative for the classic paradigm of the religious conversion
Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo fazer uma leitura do discurso proselitista oficial da organização leiga budista Associação Brasil Soka Gakkai Internacional publicado em seus diversos periódicos e contextualizá-lo segundo os dois paradigmas sociológicos da conversão religiosa, o clássico e o novo. Esses paradigmas estão relacionados em torno de três eixos principais relativos ao tempo, à intensidade e à rede social do convertido. Segundo o paradigma clássico, a conversão acontece de forma súbita, num momento repentino; caracteriza-se por ser muito intensa, já que o indivíduo passa por uma profunda e totalizante transformação nesse momento decisório; e ocorre de maneira solitária, sem a influência nem a participação de outros. O paradigma novo mostra a conversão como um processo que pode durar anos e é permeado por um diálogo do convertido com seu contexto social, apresentando-se dessa forma como uma alternativa para o paradigma clássico da conversão religiosa
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Bianchi, Maria Alessandra. "Contextes, institution, intersubjectivité dans le processus de conversion à un groupe religieux minoritaire : l'exemple du bouddhisme dzogchen." Thesis, Aix-Marseille, 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016AIXM1017.
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Comment se fait le processus de conversion de certains acteurs sociaux occidentaux au bouddhisme dzogchen ? Afin de répondre à ce questionnement, cette étude, qui repose sur une méthodologie qualitative, a été menée auprès des groupes français et italiens de deux réseaux associatifs : la communauté dzogchen Internationale et Rigpa. Elle s’inscrit dans le courant de la sociologie compréhensive et cherche à rompre avec l’idée selon laquelle la conversion est une affaire exclusivement individuelle ou une expérience soudaine. En effet, cette recherche met en lumière les dynamiques relationnelles et processuelles qui permettent d’appréhender ce fait de conversion. Dans un contexte marqué par l’occidentalisation du bouddhisme et par les transformations du paysage religieux contemporain, la conversion au dzogchen s’opère, tout d’abord, par l’action « missionnaire » de certains agents, représentants d’une institution née de la routinisation du charisme du « maître ». Mais la conversion de l’acteur résulte également d’une adéquation aux propositions institutionnelles, qui entraîne l’acquisition d’un nouveau récit, d’une nouvelle manière de gérer ses émotions et prévoit la mobilisation de certains dispositifs rituels. Ce processus d’apprentissage a notamment lieu lors d’interactions intersubjectives entre les pratiquants dzogchen eux-mêmes et, entre les pratiquants dzogchen et les représentants de l’institution tibétaine. Ainsi, l’exemple des groupements dzogchen nous permet de mettre en valeur la dimension relationnelle de cette forme de religiosité, qui offre à l’individu qui se convertit des espaces de socialisation propres à une communitasHow does the conversion processes of certain western social actors to Dzogchen Buddhism work ? In order to answer such question, this study, carried out using qualitative research method, was conducted among French and Italian groups of two association networks: the International Dzogchen Community and Rigpa. This research is in line with the field of comprehensive sociology and tries to break away from the idea according to which conversion is solely an individual matter or a sudden experience. In fact, this research highlights the relational and procedural dynamics that allow the understanding of this type of conversion. In a context characterized by the westernization of Buddhism and by the transformations of the contemporary religious landscape, Dzogchen conversion results from two factors. First of all, conversion is an outcome of the “missionary” action of certain agents, representatives of an institution born from the routinization of the “master’s” charisma. The second less observed factor is how the conversion of a social actor results also from the adoption of institutional proposals, which leads to the acquisition of a new narrative, a new way of managing emotions and takes into account the involvement of certain rituals. This process of learning happens especially during intersubjective interactions between Dzogchen practitioners amongst themselves as well as between Dzogchen practitioners and representatives of the Tibetan institution. Therefore, through the example of such Dzogchen group we are able to highlight the relational dimension of this kind of religion, which provides the individual who converts with some socialization spaces proper to a communitas
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Andrade, Emerson da Costa. "Identidade e metamorfose: o budista convertido - um estudo psicossocial com convertidos ao budismo da BSGI de São Paulo." Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, 2010. https://tede2.pucsp.br/handle/handle/16895.
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This paper aims to analyze the process of identity like metamorphosis, given the life history narratives of practitioners converted. Based on the theoretical concepts of Antonio da Costa Ciampa, we will study the identity, considering the psychosocial elements contained in the life and conversion to a new religion, in this case Buddhism. Through semi-directed interviews, we try record the living memory of individuals, to understand the metamorphosis that marked the different sectors of their lives, new meanings that have to be allocated to these facts, how they perceive themselves and what has changed in the social sphere. Also, this paper shows a brief survey about the Buddhism in Brazil and worldwide, addressing the psychosocial aspects of religion, and the analysis of identity in relation to understanding the metamorphosis in life stories. In this perspective we seek to develop grounds for the application of theoretical proposal about the issue of identity as a metamorphosis in search of emancipation
O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o processo de identidade como metamorfose, diante das narrativas da história de vida dos praticantes convertidos. Com base nas concepções teóricas de Antonio da Costa Ciampa, estudaremos a identidade, considerando os elementos psicossociais contidos na vida e na conversão para uma nova religião, neste caso o budismo. Através de entrevistas semidirigidas, buscamos registrar a memória viva dos indivíduos, compreendendo as metamorfoses que marcaram os diferentes setores de suas vidas, os novos significados que passaram a atribuir a estes fatos, como se percebem e o que mudou na esfera social. Também, o presente trabalho mostra uma breve pesquisa sobre o budismo no Brasil e no mundo, abordando os aspectos psicossociais da religião, e a análise da Identidade no que se refere a compreender as metamorfoses nas histórias de vida. Nesta perspectiva buscaremos desenvolver fundamentos para a aplicação da proposta teórica sobre a questão da identidade como metamorfose em busca de emancipação
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Bártová, Zuzana. "Le bouddhisme comme style de vie organisé pour les classes moyennes dans la culture de consommation : analyse de la religiosité des pratiquants bouddhistes en France et en République tchèque." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019STRAK005.
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S’inscrivant dans une perspective de sociologie des religions, notre étude porte sur les formes organisationnelles relevant du bouddhisme de convertis et la religiosité des personnes engagées dans leurs lieux de pratique en France et en République tchèque dans le contexte de la culture de consommation. C’est l’aspect culturel de cette forme de société qui nous intéresse, à savoir le style de vie comme modèle culturel qu’elle propose et l’importance accordée à la construction identitaire. Une enquête de terrain nous a permis d’analyser le style de vie bouddhiste distinctif des classes moyennes urbaines qui s’appuie sur un cadre organisationnel et tout un ensemble de pratiques, de représentations et de valeurs. Il s’agit de montrer comment les pratiquants se conforment aux expressions de la culture de consommation, bien qu’ils envisagent leur style de vie comme alternatif. Par ailleurs, il est proposé de comprendre le style de vie bouddhiste organisé comme un exemple de la recomposition et de l’individualisation du religieux contemporainAdopting the methods and approaches of sociology of religion, this study examines organisational forms of convert Buddhism and the religiosity of persons in their places of religious practice in France and in the Czech Republic in the context of consumer culture. Our focus is on the cultural aspects of this form of society, with lifestyle as its cultural model and its emphasis on identity construction.Fieldwork data are used to analyse the distinctive Buddhist lifestyle of middle-class city-dwellers. This lifestyle relies on organisational structures and is composed of several dimensions (practices, representations, values). This study seeks to show how these dimensions conform to expressions of consumer culture, despite practitioners’ preference for an alternative conception of their lifestyle. Moreover, we suggest viewing this organised lifestyle as an example of reshaping and of individualisation of contemporary religion
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Niculescu, Mira. "Les juifs bouddhistes. Individualisme, bricolage et frontières dans la globalisation religieuse." Thesis, Paris Sciences et Lettres (ComUE), 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018PSLEH184.
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L’intégration aussi soudaine que réussie du bouddhisme en Occident au XXe siècle a entraîné dans son sillage l’apparition d’une nouvelle figure du croire à trait d’union : les « juifs bouddhistes ». Dans le contexte actuel de l’individualisation du croire et de la globalisation du religieux, cette constellation de postures individuelles se revendiquant à la fois du judaïsme et du bouddhisme témoigne des produits créatifs de l’émergence d’un bouddhisme occidental.Connu principalement aux États-Unis sous le label de « jubu », où selon les estimations, de 6 à 30% des pratiquants bouddhistes occidentaux seraient d’origine juive, le phénomène des juifs dans le bouddhisme est pourtant un phénomène global. Comment s’exprime-t-il en France et en Angleterre, deux autres pôles essentiels de la diaspora juive et du bouddhisme en Occident ? Comment comprendre le succès du bouddhisme en Israël aujourd’hui ? Pourquoi les juifs deviennent-ils bouddhistes, et comment articulent-ils ce choix croyant avec leur identité juive ?Le phénomène des juifs bouddhiste, souvent décrit comme un phénomène post-Shoah, est d’abord un produit de la modernité juive ashkénaze post-Lumières. Dans cette recherche, à partir d’une sociologie croisée de la réception du bouddhisme et de celle des trajectoires croyantes individuelles basée sur une enquête ethnographique longitudinale multisituée conduite entre 2008 et 2018 et composée d’entretiens et d’analyse de récits de vie de pratiquants et enseignants bouddhistes d’origine juive aux États-Unis, en Angleterre, en France et en Israël, je tenterai de dresser un panorama comparatif et diachronique du phénomène des juifs bouddhistes visant à mettre en lumière ses tendances globales, ses particularités locales, et son évolution depuis la contre-culture des années soixante. Parce qu’elle refuse le terme de conversion et s’exprime sous la forme de bricolages identitaires ou croyants, la posture de juif bouddhiste témoigne des liens entre l’individualisme religieux et le groupe, et demande de repenser le concept de syncrétisme dans le contexte de la globalisation religieuse contemporaineIn the wake of the introduction of Buddhism in the West in the XXth century, as sudden as successful, a new hyphenated religious posture has emerged: the “Jewish Buddhists”. In the current context of religious individualism and globalization, this constellation of individual stances claiming to be both Jewish and Buddhist is one of the creative outcomes of the emergence of a Western Buddhism. Mostly known in the states under the label “jubu”, where an estimate of 6 to 30% of the Western Buddhist practitioners would be of Jewish descent, the phenomenon of Jews in Buddhism is however a global phenomenon. How does it play in France and in England, two other essential loci of the Jewish diaspora and of Western Buddhism? How to account for the success of Buddhism in Israel today? Why do Jews become Buddhists, and how do they articulate this choice with their Jewish identity?The phenomenon of the Jewish Buddhists, mostly known as a post-Shoah phenomenon, is first and foremost a product of the post-Enlightenment Jewish Ashkenazi modernity. In this research, combining a sociology of the reception of Buddhism and of individual religious trajectories based on interviews and life-narrative analysis collected via a multisite longitudinal ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2008 and 2018 between the United States, England, France and Israel, I will attempt to offer a comparative, diachronic panorama of the phenomenon of the Jewish Buddhists, aiming at shedding light on its global tendencies, its local specificities, and its evolution, from the Counter-Culture of the sixties till today.Because it rejects the term « conversion » and expresses itself under the shape of bricolages of identity and belief, the posture of Jewish Buddhist highlights the connections between religious individualism and the group, and calls for rethinking the concept of syncretism in the context of the contemporary religious globalization
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Biswas, Tanushree. "Paradoxes of Conversion : Everyday Lives of Tibetan Buddhist Child Monks in Ladakh." Thesis, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Norsk senter for barneforskning, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:no:ntnu:diva-23735.
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Converting to modernity does not only imply changing what one does and how, rather it involves changes in one's relationship with existence as a whole. Every culture is founded upon metaphysical presuppositions which determine the way its people relate to each other including children and childhood, and the environment that they are part of. Consequently, I view cultures as an ecosystem. Restructuring and inserting new elements (schooling, tourism, consumer economy and so on) which are founded upon different metaphysical presuppositions cause a considerable strain on the roots of the ecosystem. This is especially true if the compatibility threshold between the two systems is low. Modernity is based on a linear understanding of causality, while the culture in question is founded on a cyclical understanding of causality. Some of the practical implications of this strain emerge in this study. The belief in rebirth and practices around it stem from a cyclical understanding of causality. No child is born a tabula rasa, and is in fact a continuation of previous cycles. For debates in childhood studies around the 'being and becoming' nature of children and childhood – this understanding opens the door to a fresh consideration – that both adults as well as children are processionary becomings. This does not imply a necessary acceptance of the hypothesis of rebirth, but discards the possibility of being born as a tabula rasa. As a young project, the thesis is unable to present a definition of childhood as distinct from adulthood. However, it takes the position that no one is born a tabula rasa. Monasteries are an indispensable part of Ladakh. Ladakh is a peaceful, high altitude culture on the Indo Tibetan border and is experiencing accelerated growth towards globalisation, predominant representatives of which are schooling, tourism and television. This qualitative project tries to understand the everyday lives of child monks in a monastery, who play a pivotal role in social reproduction in the region. The monastic community, known as the sangha becomes an extension of the family for these children. The relation between the sangha and the lay community is based on values of reciprocal generosity. Schooling occupies the biggest space as child monks follow government syllabus and guidelines. However, it is debatable whether this model of education is working for child monks and aiding them in performing their roles in a modern scenario. The monk, the school child and an exotic part of the touristscape are some identities that these children have to ebb and flow through. Seen within the context of globalisation and the crises that come along with it, the will of children to adopt lives of simplicity is perceived as valuable. At the same time the text acknowledges that becoming a standardised global child and being a monk at the same time is a highly challenging paradox.
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Enriquez, Karen Bautista. "Interrupting the conversation on kenosis and sunyata: Buddhist and Christian women in search of the relational self." Thesis, Boston College, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:104404.
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Thesis advisor: John MakranskyThe purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to Christian theological anthropology by bringing in the "interruption" of another religious tradition, Buddhism, in order to see how key Buddhist doctrines such as emptiness and practices of meditation may inform aspects of the Christian feminist discussions of kenosis in the spiritual life, and the search for a relational self. It also seeks to enhance Buddhist-Christian dialogue by bringing the "interruption" of feminist voices from both the Buddhist and Christian traditions into conversation with each other in order to see what they might offer, not only towards the search for "right relationship," but also towards bringing about the re-integration of doctrine and spiritual practices for more effective action in the world today. In the first part of the dissertation, I lay out the background of these two concepts of kenosis and emptiness within their respective religious traditions including the Buddhist-Christian dialogues around these two concepts. I then look at how Christian feminists (Sarah Coakley and Mary Grey) as well as Buddhist feminists (Anne Klein and Rita Gross) critique the traditional interpretations of these concepts and how they reconstruct such concepts in their articulation of a relational self and in their argument for the importance of practice and its relationship with doctrine. In the second part of this dissertation, I focus on the comparison between these Buddhist and Christian feminists and how they can mutually learn from each other. I argue that Buddhist feminist discussions on emptiness and meditation enhances and deepens the Christian feminist articulations of kenosis and how an empowered self can be found through a kenotic spirituality. I also demonstrate how such a dialogue can bring us back to the rich resources within the Christian tradition, such as the image of Mary and Marian devotions. Furthermore, I show how this feminist comparison contributes back to Buddhist-Christian dialogue by including the voices of women and their concern for suffering and the importance of praxis in our interreligious encounters today
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011
Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Theology
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Parker, Glynis. "The conversion of South Africans to Buddhism." Thesis, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/1630.
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This thesis is an examination of why South Africans have converted to Buddhism, how this conversion has come about and what the meaning of the conversion has been in their lives.
Chapter one is a literature review which revealed very little literature available on conversion to Buddhism and less on the conversion of South Africans to Buddhism.
L.R. Rambo's Theory of Conversion is used in this thesis to see if these conversions to Buddhism can be understood within this theory. In Chapter two Rambo's theory, which is a holistic model for conversion, is analyzed in detail. He proposes seven stages within his model: crisis, quest, encounter, interaction, commitment and consequences.
Context is Rambo's first stage and in Chapter three the socio-historic and religious background of these converts is examined. In order to understand how and why these conversions have come about there needs to be an understanding of the background from which these converts come.
Taking Refuge (or the Gohonzon Ceremony) was used for the purpose of this thesis to be the turning point from non-Buddhist to Buddhists. In Chapter four the meaning and importance of Taking Refuge is discussed.
The empirical aspect of this thesis was to interview twenty South Africans who had converted to Buddhism. Chapter five is a detailed analysis of these interviews and Appendix two gives the questionnaire used.
The aim of this analysis was firstly, to investigate whether these conversions to Buddhism can be understood in the context of Rambo's theory, secondly, to see whether Taking Refuge is the correct choice of the turning point from non-Buddhist to Buddhist.
In the conclusion it was found that Rambo's theory did not fully account for the conversion of the interviewees to Buddhism, and that Taking Refuge was not necessarily a good focal point in the conversion process.
In the light of this a Developmental theory of becoming a Buddhist was proposed which has the following steps: Context, exposure, interest invoked, practical application, commitment and consequences.
From the analysis of the people interviewed their conversion to Buddhism was a developmental process rather than a conversion as such. Hence their conversion fitted more closely with a Developmental theory than with Rambo's theory of conversion. This ties in with the discovery amongst the interviewees that none of them experienced one focal point at which they became Buddhist. For most of the interviewees becoming a Buddhist was a developmental process, with many of them having some sort of proto-Buddhist tendency within them before ever hearing about Buddhism.RELIGIOUS STUDIES & ARABIC
DLITT ET PHIL (REL STUD)
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ŠTARKOVÁ, Iva. "Konverze od křesťanství k buddhismu." Master's thesis, 2010. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-51434.
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My work is about expanding of Buddhism to the Western world and its current situation there. One chapter is about Buddhism in Czech Republic, in its history and current form. Last chapter of the Theoretical part outlines reasons, why some people from countries with Christian tradition converts to Buddhism. In practical part of my work, there are several interviews with people, which are or were practising Buddhism. Interviews follow their motivations in interest with Buddhism and also their opinions on Christianity. Sceond part of practical part are my comments on interviews and summary of respondets statements.
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CHANG, LU CHIA, and 盧家昌. "A Study on the Conversion Process of the followers of Kagyu Sect in Tibetan Buddhism." Thesis, 2014. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/79544810882555598001.
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碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士班
102
This study explores the process of the conversion of Tibetan Buddhist followers in Taiwan, taking the Kagyu sect as an example. This study takes the qualitative approach, through conducting interviews with the followers, to explore how Taiwan people learn to know religions, under what reasons or in what social networks, choose to join a religious organization, and further explore and transformation process of the followers' psychology and social behaviors after taking refuge and entering the faith. This study also analyzes the followers' congnition, mental feelings and gains, as well as the aiding factors, obstructing factors during the process, and motivation to contribute in the religion. Further, this study tries to comprehend the followers' feelings toward oneself as a religious follower and their self identification. From the actual interviews, similar structural attributes can be concluded as follows: 1. Factors contributing to taking refuge and entering the faith: the following are the main factors in which Taiwan people come to know Tibetan Buddhism and taking refuge and entering the path with the religion: social networks and dissemination of information; one encounters special events or difficulties; one wishes to explore the meaning of life; one identifies with a particular religious doctrine or guru image; Realization of religious experiences; Participation in the religious rituals or events. What's most worth noting, the religious leader's personal charisma is a common factors for Taiwan people to take refuge and entering the faith. 2. Significance of taking refuge and entering the faith: After taking refuge and entering the faith, most people will go through a process of transformation on the psychological and behavioral level, thus further deepens one's association with the religious organization, from which one will have stronger motivation to spend one's time, money and effort in the religion, and further develop specific ethics and behaviors corresponding to the doctrines. 3. Relations between the guru and the follower: A guru (religious teacher) is the main influence for the Tibetan Buddism followers in Taiwan. A guru not only promotes one's faith in the religion as an aiding factor, he/she also serves as the obstructing factor to one's faith and thereby leading to exit of the religion. Even more, in very rare cases, a guru becomes a holy sexual partner. Finally, the researcher takes the result of study and related theories for matching and analysis, and produces conclusions.
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Turton, Brian C., and 吳宇光(Brian C. Turton). "A Study on Ambedkar’s Mass Conversion Movement to Buddhism to Elevate the Social Status of Dalits." Thesis, 2014. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/63169019488374612885.
Full textAbstract:
博士華梵大學
東方人文思想研究所
103
A Study on Ambedkar’s Mass Conversion Movement to Buddhism to Elevate the Social Status of Dalits. There was a revival of Buddhism in India at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. Anagarika Damarpala, a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) established the Boda Gaya Society to promote Buddhism. However, it would be in southern India under Pandit Iyothee Thass and E.V. Pamasmy that early Dalit Buddhism would have its greatest impact. B.R. Ambedkar, who himself was born a Dalit untouchable, would lead the largest Buddhist movement in modern India. Over a period of several decades, he considered a mass conversion of Dalits to various religions, including Islam, Christianity, Jainism and Sikhism. He decided upon a largely supernatural-free version of Buddhism. In his book, Buddha and His Dharma, Ambedkar portrays Buddha as a social reformer who was dedicated to abolishing the inequality that he thought was inherent in Hinduism. Dalit Buddhism has had its greatest impact in Ambedkar’s home province of Maharashtra. Emulating the American Black Panthers, the Dalit Panthers, who were Ambedkar Buddhists, attracted considerable attention in Mumbai. In their manifesto, the Dalit Panthers proposed that they lead “a tidal wave of revolution” against the Hindu feudal establishment. They were supported by the blossoming of a Dalit literary movement in Maharashtra province as well. In the twenty-first century, the Dalit Buddhist movement in Maharashtra is still active. On May 27, 2007, tens of thousands of Dalits from Maharashtra gathered at the Mahalakshmi race course in Mumbai to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the conversion of Ambedkar to Buddhism. The event was criticized by Hindu groups as provocative. During thus author’s excursion to India in 2011, surveys on the devotional practices and religious beliefs of Dalit Buddhists, as well as a survey on discrimination, were conducted. The respondents ranged in age from their 20s to 70s, and they were a social cross section from the barely educate to PhDs who universally rejected Hindu worship. Many of the respondents reported that they had spent considerable amounts of time attempting to propagate and spread the Dhamma. There was division in their belief systems. Some respondents suggested that they considered Ambedkar equal to Buddha, while others viewed the relationship as that between teacher and pupil. Not all of the respondents accepted Ambedkar’s rejection of reincarnation. A surprisingly large number of survey respondents living in the city of Mumbai reported a lack of discrimination. Other Mumbai residents noted discrimination in employment and eating accommodations. Far worse discrimination was reported in the countryside. Some of the Dalit Buddhist organizations are doing important work in attempting to improve the status of Dalits in rural India.
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Yang, Yen-Fen, and 楊彥芬. "Reciting Buddha to heal mind：Exploring the relationship between Buddhism and psychotherapy from the narrative of a Buddhist's conversion." Thesis, 2008. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/13127290452079246792.
Full textAbstract:
碩士中原大學
心理學研究所
96
Abstract The purpose of this study is to describe and explore how Buddhist doctrine influences a Buddhist’s view of life and help him achieve a peaceful mind. Through this Buddhist’s life story, researcher wants to analyze and understand the relationship between the process of learning Buddhist doctrine and psychotherapy. Basing on the link between Buddhist doctrine and psychotherapy, maybe we can apply Buddhist doctrine in psychotherapy someday. Narrative research methodology is used in this study. The participant is the elder Whom the researcher knows in a Buddha name group. The elder’s name is Ah-Jy-Bor. He is a very religious Buddhist . This study’s research domain includes difficult situations and critical events that Ah-Jy-Bor experienced. Focusing on how Ah-Jy-Bor uses Buddhist doctrine to help him cope with difficult situations, let painful thoughts go, being delivered from painful mind that disturbed him for a long time, and achieves a free and peaceful mind finally. The researcher uses the method of semi-structured in-depth interview to collect data. According to tape records, the researcher writes Ah-Jy-Bor’s life story and presents this story to readers finally. In Ah-Jy-Bor’s life story, we can discover three developmental lines of his life, including work, family, and Buddhist doctrine. In most of Ah-Jy-Bor’s life, work and family influence each other. In order to protect his wife and children, he worked very hard. He wanted them to have a good life. The decision to protect his wife and children makes Ah-Jy-Bor work hard constantly and gives him emormous power to face difficult life. Since Ah-Jy-Bor was disturbed by his original family for a long time, it was the primary environment context that makes him feel suffering. When Ah-Jy-Bor was about 40 years old, he started to know Buddhism, then conversed to a Buddhist, and decided to adopt Buddhist doctrine to his direction of life. So he began the journey to heal his suffering mind. He was delivered from suffering and broke through difficult situations gradually by the power of Buddhist doctrine. Finally he searched for a peaceful mind and returned to his true heart. So Buddhist doctrine was a very important developmental line in Ah-Jy-Bor's life. This study not only makes the researcher understand Ah-Jy-Bor’s conversion process, but also makes the researcher realize that Buddhist doctrine can help a Buddhist go away from suffering. In this process of self-awareness, the researcher adopts a new view to see the attitude of a helper that the researcher wants to be. In addition, the researcher discover how Ah-Jy-Bor's life story influence the researcher's self and find out meaning.
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chung, Fang kuan, and 方冠中. "The Route to the New Conversion of Chinese Traditional Dissertation: From the Reciprocal Effects between Buddhism and Taoism to the New Imagination and Hope of Literature." Thesis, 2014. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/4t62ut.
Full textAbstract:
碩士國立新竹教育大學
中國語文學系碩士班
102
The Route to the New Conversion of Chinese Traditional Dissertation: From the Reciprocal Effects between Buddhism and Taoism to the New Imagination and Hope of Literature Abstract This study deals with the problem of the current application strategies for Chinese traditional dissertation. With the main sequence of ideas on the route to the new conversion from the reciprocal effects between Buddhism and Taoism to the new imagination and hope of literature, it not merely attempts to provide the present usage of literature research theories with the introspection of strategies, but pays close attention afresh to the position of the value of Chinese traditional dissertation. As for the threads of thinking, there are four main facets in this study. Firstly, it discusses the corresponding read with the literature category and philosophy category in the culture of the ‘gas-transformed’ viewpoint, and then proposes the ‘original’ literature viewpoint in Chinese tradition. Secondly, it discusses the reciprocal effects between Buddhism and Taoism, which represent the viewpoint of the ‘cause-effect culture’ and the ‘gas-transformed culture’ respectively, to illustrate the conditions of occurrence and fusion of the two viewpoints. It further expatiates on the comparative relationship between the categories of dissertation vocabulary and philosophy after the viewpoint of the ‘cause-effect culture’ entered in China. Thirdly, it discusses the thought of the literature theory in recent globalized viewpoints, and inspects the thought with the concept of the ‘creation culture’. Fourthly, it attempts to read correspondingly with the Western literature theories and Chinese traditional literature theories based on the premise of the frequent cultural reciprocation in recent epoch, which farther provides the referential notion of the manners on thinking. Based on the above threads of thinking, the emphasis of this study is on the provision for thinking policies; nevertheless, the so-called ‘policy for dealing with a contingency’ can be considered in many other cases of actual criticism except for the samples offered in this study to ‘execute’ or ‘criticize’ the thinking of discussion in this study. Additionally, there are still lots of vocabulary about atmosphered-language and mysterious experiences in traditional Chinese not being interpreted in the system of epistemology in modern language, which is not less than being deliberated upon. Keywords: Chinese traditional dissertation, reciprocal effects between Buddhism and Taoism, new imagination and hope of literature, Western literature theories
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Kirby, Julian. "Ambedkar and the Indian Communists: the absence of conciliation." 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/3135.
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Ambedkar’s role as an Indian political leader during the late colonial period has attracted increased attention politically and historically. However, there is a startling disconnect between the modern, often mythological, construction of Ambedkar and the near forgotten historical figure. His broader programme for social uplift of the underprivileged is often lost in the record of his conflict with M. K. Gandhi and the Indian National Congress and their role as the dominant nationalist group in India at the time. The deification that has resulted from his use of Buddhism as an emancipatory identity has obscured his interpretation of it as a secular political tool in a political debate shaped and dominated by religious identity. This thesis will argue that the Buddhist conversion was a continuation of his political and social programme, not, as some have suggested, a retreat to religion after failing to secure reforms to Indian law and society.February 2009
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Scott, Gregory Adam. "Conversion by the Book: Buddhist Print Culture in Early Republican China." Thesis, 2013. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8X06F93.
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In this dissertation I argue that print culture acted as a catalyst for change among Buddhists in modern China. Through examining major publication institutions, publishing projects, and their managers and contributors from the late nineteenth century to the 1920s, I show that the expansion of the scope and variety of printed works, as well as new the social structures surrounding publishing, substantially impacted the activity of Chinese Buddhists. In doing so I hope to contribute to ongoing discussions of the 'revival' of Chinese Buddhism in the modern period, and demonstrate that publishing, propelled by new print technologies and new forms of social organization, was a key field of interaction and communication for religious actors during this era, one that helped make possible the introduction and adoption of new forms of religious thought and practice.
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Pin, Hsieh Fu, and 謝富彬. "The Applicability of Lewis Rambo’s Stage Model of Conversion in Eastern Religion：the case of Buddhist conversion in Taiwan." Thesis, 2010. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/77786979615476013988.
Full textAbstract:
碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
98
Abstract This essay will examine the applicability of Lewis Rambo’s stage model of conversion.The method of this essay is through the in-depth interviews with Taiwanese Buddhists. Lewis Rambo’s stage model of conversion is well-known in the academia. According to it, the process of conversion includes seven stages (i.e. context, crisis, quest, encounter, interaction, commitment and consequence). Each stages correlates with the others. There is always a special sequence of stage in one’s conversion process, but there is not sometime. Through interviews, I find that Lewis Rambo’s stage model of conversion is fundamentally applicable to my interviewees’ conversion behaviors. These conclusions whether from the "time" vision, "space" vision or "force or relationship" vision to explain the process characteristics are applicable to Taiwanese Buddhists’ behavior. The Lewis Rambo’s Stage Modell of Conversion, though not necessarily, as the original author Rambo said“applies to all religions”,but it can applies to the East religion such as Taiwan's Buddhism. Keywords: conversion, Lewis Rambo, stage model of conversion
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CHEN, JIAN-ANN, and 陳建安. "Studies of Contents and Significances of B.R. Ambedkar’s Conversion to Buddhist Movements." Thesis, 2008. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/56421492265098438879.
Full textAbstract:
碩士真理大學
宗教學系碩士班
96
Abstract Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar（1891-1956） is of the most outstanding politician, social reformist, Buddhism revivalist, the chief architect of Indian Constitution, and leader of the Untouchable in modern India. He was born at the schedule caste family of the lowest stratification of Hindu society, and had been ruthlessly persecuted and discriminated by the Caste system and Untouchability . Through his life-time, he has been working to fight for the human rights of the untouchables, striving to emancipate the untouchables from the Hindu society. On 14th October, 1956, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar led a number of 400,000 untouchables to reject the Hinduism, and helped them to embrace Buddhism. This is of the unprecedented large-scale collective conversion movement ever in the history of India, but why would Dr. Ambedkar chose to give up Hinduism? Why would he choose to convert to Buddhism? What is the content and significance of his conversion to Buddhism? This is what the study would explore. Conclusions of this study: (1) The content of conversion to Buddhist movement by Dr. Ambedkar is: to achieve an ideal society of liberty, equality, and fraternity, which is justice and casteless. (2) The significance of conversion to Buddhist movement by Dr. Ambedkar is: as a way to fight against Hinduism, Caste system, and Untouchability. As a whole, the conversion of Buddhist movement by Dr. Ambedkar is one of the primary channels to release and rescue the untouchables
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Chen, Yueh-ling, and 陳岳玲. "A Narrative Inquiry of Taking Refuge (Conversion)—Taking Buddhist Bhiksuni and Upasika as Example." Thesis, 2005. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/25854749272309299226.
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碩士南華大學
生死學研究所
94
The motivation of this paper was mainly based on the personal experiences of the researcher. The reasons of choosing bhiksun and upasika as the studying objects are: first, I am a woman as well; second, until now, the number of nuns takes up 75% of the total population of Buddhist monastics, far outnumbered monks; and third, it may be less difficult for me to examine and comprehend the psychological conditions of the same gender. Because the researching literature related to the subject of "taking refuge" or "conversion" up to date, though supplemented by interviews, chiefly focus on quantitative and document-based studies, it is necessary for researchers to go deeper into the personal experiences of the studied objects. Thus, this paper mainly uses the narrative analytical strategy. The main goals are as following: 1. Through deep interviewing to present the experiences of taking refuge of my interviewees in the form of story - telling. 2. To apply the "processes" part of the Lewis Rambo''s of conversion theory as the analysing structure, in order to understand that on which stage my interviewees'' motivations for taking refuge are influenced most and how these factors, through interaction, bring forth the present result. 3. To know the evolving process of my interviewees'' understanding of the Buddhist doctrines. 4. To know how my interviewees cope with their apprehension since their taking refuge and whether their ways of resolving problems change or not. 5. To know whether my interviewees'' belief system is affected and remolded by their conversion experiences. I find out in Buddhist scriptures that the final teaching of the Buddha to his disciples is that "all phenomena are impermanent," and he keeps emphasizing that "One ought to take self refuge, take refuge to the Dharma, not to anything else." which is what I conclude as the true meaning of taking refuge. I also discover that after my interviewees'' taking refuge, their personal beliefs change with time, which might fall into the crisis of "taking refuge in form;" that is, the deeper their beliefs are rooted, the easier they are to be trapped in external forms of belief, such as ritual performances and theoretical wordings, which might hinder their awareness of the truth.
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HSU, CHIUNG-MEI, and 徐瓊梅. "The Conversion Process of Buddhist Householders - A Case Study at Huayen-World Zhunan Branch." Thesis, 2014. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/44266727256623594617.
Full textAbstract:
碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
102
This paper uses the qualitative research method and studies the cases of the Huayen-World Zhunan Branch believers. It collects the information about the religion conversion process of the objects of research by semi-structured interviews and then further analyzes it with the grounded theory supported with seven conversion stages from The Lofland-Stark Conversion Model. It also makes comparison with relevant references and attempts to analyze what objects’ initial contact with Buddhism and the factors of conversion are, how their conversion processes were influenced by personal subjectivity or objective environmental factors, how the obstacles were resolved, what changes have happened to the individuals after the conversion, and how the objects think of the process. At the same time, it explores the importance of the religious (Buddhist) leader – “master” in the conversion process. It is hoped that through this research, we can gain a more elaborate understanding of the Taiwanese Buddhist believers’ conversion process. According to the research, most of the studied individuals have first accessed Buddhism because of unfortunate events in life such as suffering of illness, interpersonal pressure or grief over loss of family member. The major avenues are often interpersonal social networks, and secondly through media, magazines and books. Most of the individuals had been in touch with other religious groups before Huayen-World, but it appears to be that they were unable to find the worldview that they believed in within those groups. After they converted to Huayen and received Master Hai Yun’s teachings, their inner cognitions were reconstructed and a new set of life values was generated. They found that their language and behavior became softer and gentler and they viewed the world with a more positive attitude, followed by becoming physically healthier. The studied individuals have all more or less experienced obstructions during the conversion process. The most common obstructions were “conflicts with family relations” and personal subjectivity factors. However, there were also benefits such as relations with family members inspired by their relationship with Master and long-term stress or depression resolved during the process. Furthermore, there are cases where the believers felt miraculous forces and influences of Buddhism during the experience. These beneficial factors gave the believers the strength to continue the conversion and further the development of connection to the community. Therefore, there were a few phased, progressive transformation processes in the conversion journey of each studied individual, and these processes all had unique experiences, thereby rendering the diversity and richness in the conversion process of religion.
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Lee, Kuan Hui, and 李冠慧. "A Buddhist Theory and Method of End of Life Care: Equality, Compassion, Enlightenment and Conversion." Thesis, 2016. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/91256865511162317970.
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博士國立中央大學
哲學研究所
104
The main goal of this study is the construction of a Buddhist end of life care model, as well as the solutions of those ethical issues with their families, work teams and all sorts of end of life care according to the fundamental teachings of Buddhism. From the fundamental truth, method of Buddhism, we try to derive a variety of methods to tackle all sort of problems of end of life care. The thesis will be divided into two paths. First, from the Buddhist conceptions of the origin of life and the concept of equality we lay out the basic attitude of the patient and the caregivers, as well as the motivation of enhancing the quality of life of the patient. Second, I try to present the Buddhist perspective on ethical issues common to end of life care, such as the problem of doctor-patient relationship, the choice of treatment, futile medical care, as well as allocation of medical resources. Buddhist regards life in an endless cycle, sentient creatures are regarded as re-incarnated and re-born according to karma. To be released from this endless cycle of suffering, one has to practice and follow the Way of enlightenment, the Way of Bodhisattva and reborn in the Buddhist Pure Land of Buddha. According to the Buddhist conception of equality for all, to be born-ill-old-death is equal for all. and they are equal among themselves that means we need not fear one or the other, or that death over life for they are but part of a life cycle. The ideal Buddhist end of life care includes the following. First, patients’ suffering and causes of suffering are treated with equality and compassion and a perspective of life as a process so as to ameliorate patient’s suffering. Second, every stage of patient’s disease should be treated equally and calmly. Third, treatment needs be provided in accordance with patient’s individual and different needs at different stages of disease development. Fourthly, methods of release of pain and promotion of enlightenment have to fit the different degree of patient’s perception and levels of understanding. The Buddhist way of quality of life improvement is a cultivation of enlightenment and conversion from the fear of death and suffering with an expectation of a better life cycle coming. Lastly, this paper also treats in line with Buddhist philosophy a number of end of life issues such as terminal sedation, living will, futile treatment and others.
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HSIEH, HUI-CHIH, and 謝惠織. "Religious Conversion of Young Buddhist Laity:The Case Study of Dharma Drum for Young People Organization." Thesis, 2012. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/94576421635288537024.
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碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
101
This research investigates the conversion progress of young Buddhist laity, and takes the Dharma Drum for Young People Organization as a case study for in-depth interview and analysis based on qualitative research method. The investigator based on the interviews with 14 young Buddhist laity and provides five points of view from below analysis. First, the prime reason of being in touch with Buddhism: Families, teachers, friends, and the media are the major resource of Buddhism. In addition, when people encounter frustration or crisis, they might also need the religious consolation, or participating religious activities such as understanding of dhyana, camping or studying club. Second, the force to keep joining the Dharma Drum for Young People Organization: The influence of families, the encouragement and lead by Buddhist members and Dharma Masters, the Master’s compassion and wisdom, the participation in volunteer programs and activities, the trust and support for groups, etc. Third, the perception and feeling of young generation’s conversion progress: From trust to understanding personal responsibilities, and learn the proper knowledge and view. Fourth, the changes of young generation’s conversion progress: Conversion is a continued progress; people should have a clear understanding of the process of their own psychological and behavioral changes. Fifth, the overview of conversion progress and revelation: The conversion progress brings deep inspirations and influences to those young generation and investigators. Those are the process of learning, transforming, self-awareness and retrieving spiritual soul. In the meantime, brilliant tutors as well as good knowledge can have a significant influence on believers. Finally, there is a conclusion made by comparing the research result with related theories. Keywords: Conversion; Dharma Drum for Young People; in-depth interview; Dharma Master Sheng Yen; Dharma Masters.
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Su, Hsiu-hui, and 蘇秀惠. "The narrative research of the religion convert--A case study of two Buddhists'' conversion." Thesis, 2008. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/06162315642978380966.
Full textAbstract:
碩士南華大學
生死學研究所
97
What the topics of this research concerns is ：First，what’s the process of the convert go through？ Secondly，what’s the major factor that urged the convert to conversion？Does there have any transformation in the converts’ life after the conversion？ This essay adopts a qualitative self-narration，Collecting material by participated in the observation. Take the story of two Buddhists’ conversion from Buddhism to Christianity for example to present the process which the participators being through in this research conversion. There are five conclusions can be obtained according to this research. Above all，there are different meanings of the conversion. The next，the perspective of the individual to the community would affect the decision of the conversion. Thirdly，the converted decision will be affected by the emotional advocacy. Fourthly，there are metamorphisms in the converts’ life after the conversion. Lastly，the converts’ internal life have transformed after the conversion. Eventually，（we wish）to bring up suggestions in accordance with the analysis result of this research. To provide the reference to the practicers、converts and everyone who care about this theme.
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LIN, SHU-LI, and 林淑理. "A Comparative Study of the Conversion Career of Catholic Religious Sisters and Buddhist Nuns in Modern Taiwan." Thesis, 2018. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/mkph78.
Full textAbstract:
博士輔仁大學
宗教學系
106
The aims of this study are to compare the conversion career of Catholic Religious Sisters and Buddhist Nuns, for further understanding complex conversion phenomena and promoting interreligious understanding and dialogue. To get these aims, the concept of conversion is clarified first. Then the theories and issues, Catholic and Buddhist ideas of conversion, and the history of female religious lives are understood. All are the base of this study. In-depth interviews are conducted to get ten conversion stories (from five Catholic religious sisters and five Buddhist nuns). Conversion phenomena are understood and analyzed according to Phenomenology of Religion and Constant Comparative Method in Ground Theory. From the history and theories of conversion research, Lewis Rambo’s holistic theory is used to organize and analyze the data collected. Henri Gooren’s conversion career theory is employed as analytic skeleton. Dale Cannon’s Six Ways of Being Religious is used to compare the ways co-researchers use to go to Ultimate Reality. The main results of this study are: The Interdisciplinary approach of conversion theory is often used by modern scholars. This study supports most people convert gradually (80% in this study) in their adolescent or early adult. After their baptism or taking refuge, they continue their conversion. The Macrocontext of this study is around 1949. Many religious people flee away Mainland China and preach actively in Taiwan afterwards. Most of the co-researchers’ family believe in Popular Religion or Lay Buddhism. They live happily and have enough income to support their family. They contact new religions through social network. Sisters Group study Catechism before baptism, while Buddhist nuns Group take refuge when ritual of taking refuge is conduct in temples. After initial conversion, Sisters Group feel called by Jesus and decide to live religious lives, while most Buddhist nuns Group don’t feel called and go to convent many years later. 80％ of their parents oppose their decision, because they don’t want them to suffer and to be lonely when old. After communication, their parents agree. But 20% of their parents don’t agree until they stay in convent or receive upasaṃpqnna. Sisters Group are trained according Catholic Cannon Law, while Buddhist nuns Group vary. After upasaṃpqnna, they become Masters of Buddhist. Being a perpetual member, co-researchers live in a community to improve their spiritual lives and work for their community and society. From the ways of being religious, they contact new religions by way of Reasoned Inquiry and Devotion in Growth Period. Sisters Group are more intellectual in Quest Period for studying Catechism. After baptism, Sister Group is more in Right Action ways, while Buddhist nuns Group vary. In Training Period, they receive the methods of spiritual training according to the traditions. In Devotion Period, they practice in community with other members and do the jobs assigned by Supers or Masters. Conversion is a kind of witness, helps them confirm their life meaning and is used as a corner stone to serve. Much similar conversion experience found between the two female ascetics can be used as foundation for interreligious understanding and dialogue. People can learn from listening to others’ conversion experience, confirm their preaching mission and proclaim their belief in proper ways which are suitable for their traditions and respectful of others. Some suggestions are made based on the results for further study, religious seekers, religious constitutes and female religious community.
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Fei, Chen Nai, and 陳乃妃. "Religious Conversion of the Buddhist Laity:The Case study of Tongluo Jiouhuashan Da Sing Shan Monastery in Miaoli County." Thesis, 2012. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/51970306954759262012.
Full textAbstract:
碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
100
This study has investigated Religious conversion of the Buddhist laity─ The case study of Tongluo Jiouhuashan Da Sing Shan Monastery in Miaoli County is chosen as example. Meanwhile, qualitative research method is used to perform in-depth interview to collect data, then the grounded theory is used for the analysis so as to complete the investigation of Religious conversion of the Buddhist laity. According to the research, it was found that Religious conversion of the Buddhist laity can be divided roughly into five parts: 1. The first encountering karma: Family member, friend, colleague, neighbor and teacher in the social network is the main contact network, in addition, it also includes the danger of personal life and the participation of religious activity, etc. 2. From the contact to the conversion stage: It mainly starts from the realization of personal pray in a group, or the experiencing of special religious sensing. Moreover, in order to pay back the religious group, the person selects to give more donations to the group. 3. The development in the conversion process: In the conversion process, each believer will have to face personal, family or the social promoting and hindering factor, at this stage, the believer usually will be accompanied with the emergence of special religious experience. 4. Change before and after the conversion: At this stage, the believer will have to experience internal psychological and external behavior conversion. 5. The entire view on the believing process of the Chiu-Hua Shan: We have found that the religious belief of the believer was influential in the charisma of the religious leader. Finally, the researcher has compared the research result and related theory and made the research conclusion and self-examination for this article.
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CHUNG, HSIANG-YU, and 鐘祥瑜. "Conversion Process of the in Home Buddhists—A Case Study on Tzu Chi Association of Police and Fire cum dependents." Thesis, 2010. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/74503032419828501849.
Full textAbstract:
碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
98
This study examined the reasons why the people contact religion, and further conversion to one kind of religious group. It was designed to investigate the members’ conversion in Tzu Chi Association of Police and Fire cum dependents (Tsu Chi). The qualitative in-depth interview will be adapted to collect data from conversion processes of Tsu Chi members, and the data will be analyzed by the procedure of grounded theory. First, to discuss the people of conversion under what kinds of reasons contact the religion. They were influenced by the social network of families or the neighbor, or wanted to know life topic and meaning of human being. Whether the religion had the very strong attraction to those who had personal religious experiences and lived difficulty, and much pressure in their life? Second, in order to understand that the Tsz Chi’s member motive to join the religious group generally induced three main parts: social network, volunteer impetus and leader's influence. The study observed Tsz Chi’s senior members who had a strong affect and paid their concern to lead police thought to access the religious group. Finally, the study discussed the other important attribute to affect the member conversion derive from the association leader “charisma” special characteristic. In additional, the paper argued that one of main conversion reasons resulted from the leader affiliated with the member. This study also discovered that unit chief’s perspective in work office, as a probably result of police occupation special attribute, was a facilitation and also obstruction strength to the member conversion. Moreover after the member conversion, their psychology promotion or the external behavior alter, was also one kind of strengthening conversion faith.
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LEE-GWO-TSANN and 李國燦. "Religious conversion of Buddhists Laity A Case Study of the Cultural Development Association of Life Education in Miao-Li County." Thesis, 2010. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/91234782178476835992.
Full textAbstract:
碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
98
This study probes into the converting process of Buddhistic believers not renouncing the world. With the case of the Cultural Development Association of Life Education in Miao-Li County, I have done the study with qualitative research method to further understand the various reasons, the complex course, and the mixed phenomena of the converting process. I collected my data through in-depth interview, and then analyzed the phenomena of religious conversion. My main findings from the study are as the following. 1. About the chances, the interior causes are mind calmness, happiness, personal inner problems, the desire to learn Buddhism, and the acceptance of other religions. The exterior ones are the networks of relatives, friends, and the senior respectively, the media, joining activities, suffering some unforeseen happenings, and the family factor. 2. About conversions, the consciousness contains renouncing the world, following masters, the basic terms of becoming Buddhists, the blessing of Buddha, the ceremony to join the group, the reliance, and the identification. Meanwhile, the reasons include searching for solutions by religion, learning the spells, asking for Gods’ blessing, possessing confession and amendment, becoming a Buddhist, reaching Nirvana, the disciplines of a Buddhist, the target of living spirit, and the belief in the master. 3. About the development, the experience includes chanting Buddha’s name to cure diseases, dreaming of ghosts, remembering Great Compassion Mantra, seeing Buddha, crying when chanting Scripture, the realization of wishes, and regarding safety as luck. The obstacles are being unable to find the master, the difficult activities, others’ judgments, the disciplines’ binding, and the stagnation of personal religious practice. 4. After conversion, the inner changes are the stable emotion, the broad mind, the instant reflection, the equal attitude, wisdom, the positive mind, other plans for life, religious experience, and the strength of life. As to the exterior changes, the improvement of living habit is one of them. 5. The images of masters are teachers, parents, leaders, and the lighthouse in the dark night. The major adorable characteristics of masters are virtues, kindness, abundant wisdom, solemnity, and amiability. 6. Constructing self-position contains the ceremony of conversion, enhancing the inner mind and reflection, approving Buddhism and their groups, learning Buddhism, being happy Buddhists, doing Buddhistic business, holding positive ideas, following the disciplines, and living the Buddhistic life. Finally, I tested and verified the result along with related theories, and, with further analysis, obtained the conclusion.
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LIU, FU-CHEN, and 劉富珍. "The study of the Religious Conversion of the Buddhist Laity－based on the example of the volunteers at Gongguan Dakeng Xing Xiu temple in Miaoli County." Thesis, 2014. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/97h22w.
Full textAbstract:
碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
102
This research is trying to find out the progress of convert to Buddhist and using the Xing Xiu temple in Miaoli County for Example. To study for in-depth interview and participant observation to collect data based on qualitative research method. And the grounded theory is used for analyzing to understand of religious conversion. According to the research, it was found that religious conversion of the Buddhist laity can be divided roughly into three parts: The reason of religious conversion: the first reason of being in touch with religion is social network or personal factors, and the major contact network is family or relatives based on affection and trust. The reason from first contact to conversion includes the attitude that let nature take its course and the trouble or the crisis in the life, then proceed to the next step of conversion. The development of conversion process: the obstacle or the assistance that the Buddhist encounter let him give up or go forward, meanwhile, the major reason that let the Buddhist want to go forward is the specially deep experience of religion. The standpoint of conversion process: After contacting the religion, the spirit and behavior of the Buddhist will convert from self-reflection. The volunteers generally identify with the religion, they believe that they will be blessed and learn the spirit of compassion. Finally, the researchers examine the research result and the related theories, and integrate them to make a conclusion and self-examination for this article, and then expect to construct another direction of references and research in religious conversion process.
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CHANG, LI-LY, and 張麗俐. "The Research of the Conversion Process of the in Home Buddhists --Take a Case of the Middle Area Learners from Blisswisdom.organ’s Guanglun Classes." Thesis, 2010. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/36102363462453743939.
Full textAbstract:
碩士玄奘大學
宗教學系碩士在職專班
98
Abstract Mainly through the interview, the study is aimed to understand how learners from Blisswisdom.organ’s Guanglun classes, who were converted to Buddhism, contact channels, get motivated, and further understand how the learners recognize, feel, get from their conversion, take part in Blisswisdom.organ, and encounter the difficulties in the process of their conversion. Through the integration, we sum up the following results. First of all, the contact channels of Buddhism conversion are chiefly centered in family and relatives, and the contact channels of Blisswisdom.organ’s Guanglun classes adds the influence of the original Guanglun learners, and the cultural and educational activities of Blisswisdom.organ. Besides, for the motivation, the motivations of Buddhism conversion chiefly include the influence of the human relationship, pursuing life meanings, identifying religious dogmas and the group’s image, encountering the life crisis, the mysterious experience, and the involvement of the ceremony and growth activities. The dogmas greatly influencing learners of Blisswisdom.organ’s Guanglun classes mainly include the concept of the infinite life, that is, the transmigration of the soul, the concept of karma and outcome, virtues of Buddha , gratitude to others, the concept of becoming Buddha, understanding that life is ever-changing, and minds of bodhi, altruism, and modesty. There are some reasons why the learners keep joining the classes. First, they identify themselves with the dogmas and ideas. Another reason is that the group interacts and support. Third, they are moved in the process of the growth. Fourth, they find the answer to the life. Fifth, they feel good. Sixth, they have responsibilities and missions. In the stages of learning Buddhism, interestingly, in the beginning, the learners hold the attitude of the fast and extreme learning. However, they will retreat in encountering all the difficulties. Finally, they become more confident. The learners make some changes after reflecting themselves and converted to Buddhism. For their outward behavior, they kill nothing, become less greedy, get better along with others, and even actively act as the volunteers and share the dogmas. For their inner, they become indifferent to the wealth, the fame, and all the values. Under the influence of the dogmas, their philosophy of life and viewpoints of associating with people are different from those in the past. Finally, we will examine the research result and the related theories and integrate them to make a conclusion.