Waking the Buddha

how the most dynamic and empowering buddhist movement in history is changing our concept of religion

by Clark Strand

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Pub Date May 01 2014 | Archive Date Sep 14 2014

Middleway Press | PR by the Book

Religion & Spirituality

Description

Is there more to Buddhism than sitting in silent meditation? Is modern Buddhism relevant to the problems of daily life? Does it empower individuals to transform their lives? Or has Buddhism become too detached, so still and quiet that the Buddha has fallen asleep?

Waking the Buddha tells the story of the Soka Gakkai International, the largest, most dynamic Buddhist movement in the world today—and one that is waking up and shaking up Buddhism so it can truly work in ordinary people’s lives.

Drawing on his long personal experience as a Buddhist teacher, journalist and editor, Clark Strand offers broad insight into how and why the Soka Gakkai, with its commitment to social justice and its egalitarian approach, has become a role model, not only for other schools of Buddhism, but for other religions as well.

Readers will be inspired by the struggles and triumphs of the Soka Gakkai’s three founding presidents—individuals who staked their lives on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra…and on the extraordinary power of those teachings to help people become happy. These three men dared to revolutionize Buddhism by restoring it to its true purpose: to help people transform their lives and the world they live in. The result is a uniquely relevant form of Buddhism—one that “just makes sense” to the modern mind and is ready to meet the challenges of a global age.

Waking the Buddha will appeal to anyone who wants something more out of Buddhism—or any religion—as it explores the foundations of the Soka Gakkai’s practical spiritual path in which people take the principles of Buddhism and put them to work in everyday life. What makes the Soka Gakkai International unique in modern Buddhism? How could it have grown from a small organization of Buddhist educators into a global movement of over 12 million members in less than a century? What aspects of Soka Gakkai culture would other religious groups have to adopt or develop on their own if they wanted to move forward as this movement has done?

Through the author’s encounters with early Japanese Soka Gakkai pioneers, individuals who rebuilt their lives from nothing after World War II, and his interviews with the movement’s top leaders today, readers will find answers to these and many other questions in a book that places the Soka Gakkai International at the very leading edge of religion in the 21st century.

Is there more to Buddhism than sitting in silent meditation? Is modern Buddhism relevant to the problems of daily life? Does it empower individuals to transform their lives? Or has Buddhism become...

Advance Praise

Clark Strand’s Waking the Buddha offers an absorbing, perceptive look at the often-misunderstood Soka Gakkai International movement and at how the largest Buddhist group in the world is redefining not just the practice of Buddhism but religion itself. An eye-opening book, both fascinating and important. --Dinty W. Moore, author of The Mindful Writer: Noble Truths of the Writing Life

One of the great challenges that religions face is translating timeless wisdom into timely action for this day and age. No Buddhist tradition has done this as successfully as SGI, and this book examines the history and future of the movement. A must-read for anyone interested in Buddhism and its transmission. --Varun Soni, Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California

Waking the Buddha is a definitive, engaging addition to the vast body of contemporary Buddhist literature. In a clear, accessible and enthusiastic way Clark walks us through the growth of the Soka Gakki International from the vision of its early founders to the creation and development of a global movement of over 12 million members. Soka Gakki shows us that there is more to Buddhism than sitting on the cushion, it is a practical guide for anyone searching for the answer to the question: “How can I incorporate Buddhist principles in all aspects of my life?” If your practice is waking up, this book is for you. --Koshin Paley Ellison, Co-Founder, New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care

Clark Strand brings his poet's eye, editor's care, and practitioner's insight to the one-of-a-kind work of 'Buddhist journalism' that is Waking the Buddha. Throughout his career, Strand has excelled at throwing light on unique Buddhist ideas and communities, as well as introducing us to remarkable and fascinating figures -- in many ways, this book is the pinnacle of his many outstanding achievements and abilities as a writer. We should be very grateful indeed for this work, which is likely to become the go-to volume for those seeking to understand Soka Gakkai International and its significance. --Rev. Danny Fisher, Chair of the Buddhist Chaplaincy Department, University of the West, Rosemead, California, and the author of popular Buddhist blog on Patheos "Off the Cushion."

Written with masterful simplicity and in a convincing, articulate manner, the story of Soka Gakkai is engaging and compelling as it squarely addresses the spiritual challenges of humanity. Soka Gakkai comes across as a viable religion for the twenty-first century contributing effectively to real peace and happiness that is sustainable both individually and globally. -- Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (2002-2007)

Waking the Buddha is an eye-opener. In a world where the old religious orders struggle to keep pace with the signs of the times, Strand re-introduces SGI as a relevant and inspiring solution to the challenges of 20th (and 21st) century life. More than just a Buddhist Reformation, this may be the 4th turning of the wheel of Dharma, and all traditions (East and West) have much to learn from what is offered here. It's not an overstatement to say that this book has changed the way I think of organized religion and faith-based movement building forever. --Rev. Michael Ellick, Founder of Occupy Faith