[Buddha-l] U.S. Buddhism

[Franz Metcalf]

Jack et al.,

Thanks, Curt, for the data and links. The number of "Buddhists" in the  
US (or anywhere, for that matter) is notoriously difficult to  
calculate, since the standard of what defines a person as a Buddhist  
is under debate. Thurman's 1990s estimate was almost certainly too  
high at the time he gave it, but might be close now. As you can see  
from Curt's post, others put the number at one half or even one  
quarter of Thurman's estimate. In my latest conversation on this with  
Charles Prebish--who's spent the better part of his scholarly career  
in the study of American Buddhism--he told me six million Buddhists  
was as good a guess as any.

Let me add that Gary Gach raises good points, as well. There are  
plenty of people applying Buddhist wisdom to their lives or practicing  
Buddhist meditation techniques, whether they think of them that way or  
not. Should these people be counted? Conversely, there are plenty of  
people (Tom Tweed calls them "nightstand Buddhists") who do think of  
themselves as Buddhist but who never join a sangha or do much if any  
practice. Should they be counted? And, to be more strict, should  
anyone be counted who's not taken the refuges? And really, the only  
people in the original definition of the sangha were the noble ones,  
the arhats. Makes me wonder if there are any Buddhists left at all.

Franz