Opium Eaters: Buddhism as Revolutionary Politics

James Shields

Opium Eaters: Buddhism as Revolutionary Politics

James Shields

Bucknell University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

There is no one, single answer to the question: What is or are ‘Buddhist politics’? Rather than seek general historical trends or broad tendencies, in this chapter I explore the meaning and implications of the modern, Western conception of ‘politics’ as understood in relation to key features of Buddhist doctrine. In particular, I pose the question of whether we might fruitfully conceive at least certain interpretations of Buddhism—or perhaps, of Dharma— as politics, rather than ‘religion’ or ‘philosophy.’ I argue that twentieth century progressive Buddhists Seno’o Gir&omacr; (1889–1961) and B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956) were not so much in conflict with the political as they were engaged with the political, albeit in a way that undercuts the assumption—shared by most Westerners as well as modern Asian Buddhists—of a clear distinction between the political and religious realms.

Original language	American English
Title of host publication	Buddhism and the Political Process
State	Published - Apr 20 2016

Keywords

Buddhism and politics; religion and revolution; Buddhism and Marxism

Disciplines

Asian History
Buddhist Studies
Ethics and Political Philosophy
History of Religion
History of Religions of Eastern Origins
Intellectual History
Japanese Studies
Political History
Political Theory
Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Social History

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Opium Eaters Buddhism as Revolutionary PoliticsFinal published version, 233 KBLicense: CC BY

Cite this

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AB - There is no one, single answer to the question: What is or are ‘Buddhist politics’? Rather than seek general historical trends or broad tendencies, in this chapter I explore the meaning and implications of the modern, Western conception of ‘politics’ as understood in relation to key features of Buddhist doctrine. In particular, I pose the question of whether we might fruitfully conceive at least certain interpretations of Buddhism—or perhaps, of Dharma— as politics, rather than ‘religion’ or ‘philosophy.’ I argue that twentieth century progressive Buddhists Seno’o Gir&omacr; (1889–1961) and B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956) were not so much in conflict with the political as they were engaged with the political, albeit in a way that undercuts the assumption—shared by most Westerners as well as modern Asian Buddhists—of a clear distinction between the political and religious realms.

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Opium Eaters: Buddhism as Revolutionary Politics

Abstract

Keywords

Disciplines

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