The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Activities and Schedule

This group meets weekly and holds two one-hour meditation sessions. When membership and time permit, the group may hold more gatherings and perform a Sutra study once a week. Also, because the group consists mostly of students, the membership changes regularly. Members stay in contact and continue to learn together over the Internet. Please see the website.

History

Approximately ten years ago, several students at the University of Kansas came together to form a group called the KU Amitabha Buddhist Association, which is affiliated with the Amitabha Buddhist Association in Dallas, Texas. In 2002, Cheng-Shan (Frank) Liu joined the group and soon became the president. Currently, the group meets at the Burge Union of the University of Kansas; however, they may change locations as often as every semester, according to the University’s need and available space. Since members may “practice anytime, anywhere,” location is not crucial. According to one member, the Dali Lama said there was no need for temples, only a need for heart and mind. The members see themselves as a group of students practicing a way of life, not a religion. When asked about the challenges of being Buddhist on the University of Kansas campus, members replied that there were no challenges in being Buddhist because for a Buddhist, there are no conflicts between religions.

Demographics

The Association is composed mainly of students, although the group is open to all who practice Pure Land Buddhism. The Association welcomes all who wish to study and practice Pure Land Buddhism regardless of ethnic heritage. A meditation session might have two Caucasians and two Chinese, three men and one woman, with an age range from twenty to forty. The members speak English and Mandarin Chinese.

Description

Meetings take place in the Burge Union, a University of Kansas facility that is used for classes and other functions. The specific location is the Gridiron Room, a classroom and meeting room with a carpeted floor. A flag hangs at the front with a depiction of Amitabha Buddha. It is normal for meditation rituals to have an image of the subject being venerated during the ceremony. The Association’s meeting location changes. It is not a "center"; it is simply Buddhists wishing to do a practice. The current location for the group is a room in the Burge Union on the University of Kansas campus. The room is a rectangular, carpeted general meeting place available to any campus group. The Amitabha Buddhists use the room for meditation every Friday night for two hours. For meditation, members place mats on the floor parallel to each other. On top of the mats are two pillows and a towel for each member present. In the front there is a scroll with an image of the Buddha and a rectangular table with a small statue of the Buddha and a radio.

Meditation Practice

In a typical meditation, a CD player plays instrumental music and chants, and members chant along. The men meditate on one side of the room, and the women meditate on the other side; men cover their legs with blue towels, and women cover their legs with pink towels. The ritual begins with members removing their shoes and walking quietly in single file around the room. In this walking meditation, men take certain paths and women others. There is no talking during the ritual, aside from chanting. A participant rings a bell, and members bow and sit on the pillows in cross-legged positions. Members may play musical instruments. They chant the Japanese word for Amitabha, Amito-Fo, during the ritual. While chanting, members hold their hands in a cupped position that they refer to as the mind seal. A prayer and walking meditation like the one at the beginning of the ritual bring the ceremony to a close.

Additional Information

The members use their website to post information about meetings. At times, the group has a morning class and a Sutra study. Furthermore, the group on campus stays in contact via the Internet with members who have graduated. Members who have practiced and studied longer help those who are still in the beginning stages. The participants believe that when they chant Amitabha Buddha’s name with a sincere mind and heart, they earn merits. Sending merits into the world is one of the reasons why the Buddhists meditate.

Researchers

The original student researchers were Virginia Brown, Carrie Glenn, Megan Gormley, and Beth Jakle. In 2005, students Megan Brokaw, Stephanie Didier, Kim Kilmartin, and Bryce Spradling conducted additional research. In 2008, students Jennyt Baxa, Jenna Neuenswander, and Shannon Pulkrabek conducted additional research.