Buddhism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives

The volume begins with a critical historical overview of Buddhism, questioning simplified narratives that present Buddhist history as a single linear progression from India to the rest of Asia and then to the West. It then moves into regional studies, examining how Buddhism has developed in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, China and Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Tibet and Nepal, and Western societies. Across these chapters, the book shows that contemporary Buddhism is shaped by distinctive local histories while also responding to shared global forces such as colonialism, nationalism, modernization, secularism, migration, political violence, and cultural exchange. The overall structure presents Buddhism as a dynamic world tradition whose doctrines, institutions, rituals, and social roles are continuously negotiated within specific cultural environments.