Secular Buddhism has come under fire by traditional religious Buddhists as an aberration of their religion, as Western colonialism, as cultural appropriation of Asian faiths, as a denial and subversion of “true Buddhism”. Secular Buddhism has been denounced as “McMindfulness”, serving as a salve for emotional injuries suffered under the capitalist system of exploitation.
Has anyone taken into account how many people are getting sober and overcoming addictions through Buddhist practices? There is an ongoing research project, by Vanessa Wang, a graduate student in the School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, to understand the experience of people involved in Buddhist recovery groups, of which there are many: Recovery Dharma, Refuge Recovery, Eight Step Recovery, Noble Steps, Buddhist Recovery Network, Sit and Share, the Fifth Precept, and Sun Lotus Buddhist Recovery, to name a few.
All of these systems of Buddhist recovery from addiction have something in common: they are all forms of Secular Buddhism. Nearly all the Buddhist recovery groups or systems tend to avoid talking about the more metaphysical and religious aspects of Buddhism, namely, rebirth, emptiness (shunyata) and non-self (anatta). Buddhists in recovery are very much working on a ‘self’, a ‘self’ that is in need of healing, understanding and compassion; a ‘self’ that is capable of change. All systems of Buddhist recovery purport that the addict has the capacity to recover from addictions when basic Buddhist practices are undertaken regularly, including meditation and reflection on the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, and share their experience and support with others in the group.
None of the Buddhist recovery systems require traditional Buddhist devotional practices. None of those who lead the groups are required to be ordained Buddhists in order to lead; they must be recovering addicts, not ordained clergy, priests, gurus or lamas.
So while the traditional religious Buddhists might wish to eradicate Secular Buddhism as an aberration of their faith, thousands of people across the globe are daily practicing a form of Secular Buddhism to recover from the suffering of addiction. I’m glad that Secular Buddhist recovery groups exist so that they can reach people who need healing and support, people who might find traditional religious Buddhism difficult to understand or an obstacle to their recovery. I am personally proud and glad to be one such participant.
Dharmaecology 