The foundation for Buddhism without borders

Gregory Reflecting on the contemporary presentations of Buddhism within the Western context, particularly from the Tibetan traditions, this paper presents Buddhism from a ‘living tradition ’ perspective arguing that the principle which links Buddhism across space and time is the concern with ‘lived experience. ’ This perspective highlights the origins of Buddhism in the Buddha’s experience, and serves to unify ordinary and Enlightened experiences as kinds of ‘lived experiences. ’ As a result, the ‘living quality ’ of the teachings is understood in terms of the interrelationship of doctrine and practice; and expressed in relation to the subjectivity of practitioners in space and time. It is argued that this perspective challenges a number of current Western perspectives in the study of Buddhism which can be described as over-determining Buddhism as a heterogeneous and non-Western product; while concomitantly emphasising ‘borders ’ between the ancient and contemporary, text and praxis, and tradition and innovation. Particularly in the West, ‘tradition ’ is seen in diametric opposition to innovation; I argue that this view of tradition is foreign to the living tradition context. Rather, Buddhism engages with and through human experience, which by its nature is always contemporary. ‘Living tradition ’ is thus that which maintains the transformative power of Buddhism; concluding that this living tradition perspective is itself the foundation for Buddhism without borders