Jubus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since October 2005. |
A Jubu is a Jewish Buddhist, a person with a Jewish ethnic and/or religious background who practices forms of Buddhist meditation and spirituality. The term was first brought into wide circulation with the publication of The Jew in the Lotus by Rodger Kamenetz. In some cases, individuals practice both traditions, in other cases "Jewish" is no more than an ethnic designation, and the main practice is Buddhism. In yet other cases, a Jubu is no more than a Jew with interest in Buddhism. A large demographic of Jubus, constituting its majority, still maintain religious practices and beliefs in Judaism coupled with Buddhist practices and perhaps beliefs.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The first recorded instance of an American being converted to Buddhism on American soil occured at the 1893 exposition on world religions and the convert had been a Jew.[citation needed] After World War II, there was increasing interest in Buddhism, associated with the Beat generation. Zen was the most important influence at that time. A new wave of Jews involved with Buddhism came in the late 1960's. Prominent teachers included Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, and Sharon Salzberg who founded the Insight Meditation Society and learned vipassana meditation primarily through Thai teachers.
Some JuBus claim that the two religions are compatible, while other Jews believe this represents a serious adulteration of both traditions [1]. Buddhist-influenced rabbis also exist, such as Alan Lew, a Conservative rabbi in San Francisco.
[edit] List of well-known Jubus
- Pema Chödrön, born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown, fully ordained Vajrayana Buddhist nun and writer[citation needed]
- Leonard Cohen, poet, singer-songwriter, and novelist[citation needed]
- Ram Dass, born Richard Alpert, writer (also a Hindu)[citation needed]
- Norman Fischer, writer[citation needed]
- Allen Ginsberg, poet[citation needed]
- Phillip Glass, composer[citation needed]
- Daniel Goleman, psychiatrist and author[citation needed]
- Joseph Goldstein, writer[citation needed]
- Ty Greenstein, member of the band Girlyman[citation needed]
- Jake Gyllenhaal, actor[citation needed]
- Goldie Hawn, actress[citation needed]
- Rodger Kamenetz, poet and writer[citation needed]
- Jack Kornfield, writer[citation needed]
- Lama Surya Das [2]
- Sharon Salzberg, writer[citation needed]
- Adam Yauch aka MCA, member of the Beastie Boys[citation needed]
- Felix Aksentsev, poet, former member of the belorussian rock group ULIS,[3][citation needed]
[edit] Literature
Many books have been published in the US about the Judeo-Buddhist phenomenon. Titles include:
- The Jew in the Lotus by Rodger Kamenetz,
- One God Clapping by Alan Lew and Sherril Jaffe,
- That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist! by Sylvia Boorstein,
- Zen Judaism: For You a Little Enlightenment by David M. Bader,
[edit] References
- Abernethy, Bob "Jews and American Buddhism ", "Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly", February 27, 1998, retrieved October 31, 2006
- "Lama Surya Das Biographical Details", Dzogchen Foundation. Retrieved on 2006-12-29.
