Budding Lotus in the West: Buddhism from an Immigrant's Feminist Perspective (Nhi Yến Đỗ Trần) - A Review

BUDDING LOTUS IN THE WEST: Buddhism from an Immigrant’sFeminist Perspective. By Nhi Yến Đỗ Trần. Minneapolis, MN: Broadleaf Books, 2024. 266 pages.

I would guess that when Western Christians think about Buddhism people like the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh come to mind. At least that is true for me. As a religion/philosophy, it is part of a larger dharmic perspective that includes Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. As such it is different from Abrahamic religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, which share similar foundations. Because Buddhism and other dharmic religions have become rooted in the Western world, we must try to better understand these religious movements. After all, they may be our neighbors. While Buddhism is rooted in Asia and traces its lineage back to the life and teachings of a fifth-century BCE Indian spiritual leader named Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, it has attracted numerous converts. Others, who might not be converts, have found in Buddhism a philosophical foundation for their Christian life.

Like many religious traditions, Buddhism has taken various forms, which often emerge as they take root in different geographical regions. Thus, varieties of Buddhism that have found a home in the West, including the United States, may take on new forms as a result. While many adherents are immigrants from Asia or descendants of Asian immigrants, as I noted above, it has also garnered many Western converts and devotees that combine Christianity or Judaism with Buddhist dimensions. As with most religious traditions, its adherents can take narrow and broad views of itself and its message. As a Christian who has been actively involved in interfaith work, I am always interested in gaining a better understanding of other faith traditions, especially ones that I still struggle to fully understand. For that reason, I accepted the offer of a review copy of Budding Lotus in the West by Nhi Yến Đỗ Trần.

Budding Lotus in the West: Buddhism from an Immigrant’s Feminist Perspective is written by a Vietnamese immigrant Buddhist and feminist. Nhi came to the United States at the age of ten and as an adult co-founded the Cherry Blossom Sangha. The Cherry Blossom Sangha is a mindfulness community located in Seattle, Washington. What Nhi brings to this conversation is her ancestry, her deep commitment to Buddhism, and a feminist perspective. The book reflects her own spiritual journey as a Buddhist, sharing her experiences in various Buddhist traditions and communities. As a Vietnamese Buddhist, she was raised in the Mahayana tradition, which focuses more on gaining wisdom than seeking Nirvana. However, she has explored other traditions and helps readers better understand this variety, especially as it relates to Buddhist existence and expression in the West. Part of the reason for writing this book comes from Nhi’s desire to help people who are exploring Buddhism or living as Buddhists better understand what it means to be Buddhist in the West, especially in the United States.

As a feminist, she seeks to address the presence of sexism in the Buddhist tradition. In doing so, she seeks here to go back to the early teachings of the Buddha, which she believes is more egalitarian than what emerged over time. One of her concerns is that women are not treated equally, such that nuns may not always be ordained as is true for monks. Monks generally have more freedom and fewer rules. She describes these realities and then calls for change. She does so as a committed Buddhist. Nhi believes that Buddhism should embrace the full equality of women, so they can fully participate in the life of the Buddhist community. It's clear that she has contemplated becoming a nun or monk but has chosen to remain as a lay observant of Buddhism.

Nhi divides the fifteen chapters of her book into three sections. The first section focuses on Buddhism and Feminism. The chapters in this section raise the question of the role of women in Buddhism, including her own experiences growing up in a Buddhist family living in the United States. In her first chapter, "The Feminine Light in Buddhism's Shadow," she lays out her sense of what is at stake for Buddhist women. She concludes that "The Buddha, in his radiant enlightenment and benevolence, not only welcomed everyone on the path but also proclaimed that each of us—irrespective of gender, class, or background—holds the innate potential for enlightenment. (p. 10). She believes that this truth has been obscured but can be reclaimed. Thus, in Chapter 2, she focuses on "The Buddha on Spiritual Equality and Women's Enlightenment." drawing out more fully that sensibility. In Chapter 3, which she titles “Murky Waters of Love in the Sangha," she shares her own experiences with romantic relationships and explorations of calling to the monastic life. One of the big issues of our time in the West, at least in the United States has to do with abortion, thus in Chapter 4, she asks the question of what the Buddha says about abortion. As one might expect, the answers are complex, but respect for individual agency is key. The final chapter in this section focuses on "The Quest toward Gender Equality in Buddhism." Here again, we learn about the way women's place in Buddhism developed, and the quest to overcome these traditions so that women can fully experience Buddhism as understood by the Buddha.

The first section provides the lens through which Nhi speaks of Buddhism. She helps us understand how a feminist Buddhist looks at the tradition, especially as it relates to the role of women. She is forthright in letting the reader know that Buddhism has sexist components that need to be overcome, something that seems to be true in all religious traditions including my own. Section Two focuses on American Buddhism. Though her roots are Vietnamese, she is an American, practicing Buddhism in America. She writes to help American Buddhists experience their faith, in all its complexity. She confesses that growing up Buddhism was on the periphery of her focus, but spiritual curiosity was rekindled in college during a visit to Vietnam. There she encountered monasteries and temples and practicing Buddhists. She brought back that rekindled curiosity to the United States. However, she began to practice Buddhism on her own, attending retreats offered by various traditions. This led her to the Plum Village Zen Tradition that was founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist spiritual leader that many Western Christians have encountered through his books. Thus, she became what her family called a Buddhist enthusiast.

The first chapter in Section 2, which focuses on American Buddhism, is titled "Why Buddhism Is Mostly True—Sorry, Robert Wright" (Chapter 6). In this chapter, she gives some background on the development of Buddhism and its place in America. She points out that in the twenty-first-century American context, Buddhism is not exotic. Instead, it is well regarded and experienced in many forms, such that some may not even identify as Buddhists but adopt Buddhist ideas and practices. Then in Chapter 7, Nhi focuses on "The Future of American Buddhism." Here she speaks to what Buddhism will look like going forward, especially as it takes on more secular forms. She writes that when it comes to Buddhism in America, the goal isn't to "create a 'new' Buddhism—the essence of the dharma already echoes our values of equality, liberty, and opportunity. What we're talking about here is an evolution—a refinement in our approach to practicing Buddhism that liberates us from the confines of patriarchy, misogyny, and other harmful practices" (p. 109). Even as she speaks to a contemporary concern in the first section (abortion), she does the same here, asking what the Buddha would say about "Gun Rights" (Chapter 8). In response to that question, she points out that "the cornerstone of Buddhism is an unwavering commitment to harmlessness" (p. 111). To answer the question of gun rights, she focuses on the Buddha's commitment to love being "the universal principle." She also addresses "Gay Marriage" (Chapter 9). The answer to that question is rooted in the definition of sexual misconduct, which is forbidden by the Buddha. However, the Buddha did not address homosexuality, in large part because he focused on the sexual activity of monks. However, historically the tradition has considered same-sex relationships to be sexual misconduct. For Nhi, the guiding principle she takes from the Buddha is a commitment to inclusivity, such that "one's gender orientation and biological makeup have no bearing on one's capacity for ethical and spiritual growth" (p. 124). The final chapter in this section is titled "Walking the Middle Path between Privilege and Prejudice" (Chapter 10). Here she focuses on the question of representation and voices, especially since many American Buddhist leaders tend to be White. The goal here is, again, one of inclusion and equality.

The final section is titled "Going Deeper." Having provided a feminist lens to view Buddhism, Nhi took up the way Buddhism is experienced in the United States and the West. Here Nhi wants to take the reader deeper into the essence of Buddhism. She writes in the opening chapter of this section— "titled A Critical Examination of Buddhist Schools" (Chapter 11)—that she seeks to use this section to "explore the diverse beliefs and practices of major Buddhist traditions and schools that exist in America today" (p. 145). In doing so, she asks hard questions, revealing the areas of contradiction even as she seeks to take us deeper into the ancient teachings of the Buddha himself. Thus, in Chapter 11, she introduces us briefly to the Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Indo-Tibetan forms, along with Independent, Mindfulness, and Secular Movements. From there she writes of "Decoding the Divine in the Buddha, Avalokitesvara, and Amitabha" (Chapter 12). Here she discusses how Buddhism understands both the Buddha's humanity and divinity. In this chapter she reminds us that the focus of Buddhism isn't the promise of celestial comfort, but the transformation of our lives in the present. Then in Chapter 13, she writes of "Pratimoksha and Monastic Constraints." Pratimoksha is the monastic code that guides the lives of monks and nuns. She writes of this code and the way monks and nuns live, critically and hopefully. Chapter 14 is titled "Questioning the Gatekeepers of Buddhism." Here again, she addresses the way women are understood in contemporary Buddhism, questioning those who would limit their full participation in Buddhist life. The point here is to call for Buddhists to address the need for change where necessary. Finally, in Chapter 15, she focuses on "A Glimpse of Buddha's Personality." Throughout the book, Nhi makes it clear that she references the Buddha, his teachings, and his example as a religious teacher. Thus, in this chapter, she leaves us with her impression of the personality of this ancient religious leader who not only founded a religious movement but has influenced her life and that of many others.

I read Nhi’s book Budding Lotus in the West, not as a practitioner of Buddhism but as a committed Christian engaged in interfaith conversations, who seeks to better understand my religious neighbors. While I do not expect to convert to Buddhism, I respect the Buddhist tradition and seek to learn from it, as many Christians have done. Nhi helps us better understand Buddhism as a whole, but more importantly, she reveals what it means to be a Buddhist who is a woman living in the United States. She helps us better understand the struggles of being part of a minority religious and ethnic community. For that reason, we can be grateful for this offering. We can also better understand why Buddhism might appeal not only to Buddhist immigrants but to Western converts as well.  Not only does Nhi help us better understand the teachings and practices of Buddhism, but she offers us her own story, the story of a committed follower of the Buddha who is willing to give us a critical but loving take on Buddhism.