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Experts Predict Renewed Interest in Hinduism and Buddhism Across America

Arthur J Pais

The Southern Baptists will have to face the bad news.

Despite the recent fervent appeal by the organization to 16 million Southern Baptists to pray for the salvation of Hindus, and in spite of their intended campaign to pray for Buddhists, many Indologists and professors of Eastern religions believe America's interest with the East will continue to grow in the 21st century.

If the current trend holds, the early years of the new millennium will see a slew of self-help and self-improvement books. And there will be many books dealing with spirituality. But by no means will the latter section be confined to Christianity or Judaism, says Robert Thurman, America's best-known Buddhist scholar, and one of the most respected academics in the country.

Deepak Chopra, author of a dozen books on holistic health and ethical living, echoes Thurman's views. He feels the interest in the East is genuine, and that it is confined not just to young Americans. Many second and third generation Indians across America are discovering Indian spirituality through books, retreats and meditations, he adds. Stephen Huyler, author of the scintillating Meeting with God, a book about Hindu religious and social practices, is also convinced that the number of Americans interested in serious Hinduism is continuing.

Despite the millions of dollars Christian churches spend in America to recruit new members, there are many who are not satisfied by Christianity and look for meaning elsewhere, says Raymond William, former professor of religion at a Midwest college.

Naturally people are drawn to Buddhism or Hinduism. Their stress on meditative life, for one thing, appeals to many people in America.

Thurman, who spent several years in monasteries in Bihar, predicts the current fascination with Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism will continue.

Two books, The Art of Happiness and Ethics for New Millennium, by the Dalai Lama are on bestseller lists across America. The wide publicity the exiled Buddhist leader received during his American visit in August has increased the interest in Buddhism and all things in the East.

And there are over a dozen books that mine Zen Buddhism and Hinduism and offer life lessons not only at home but also at business. Thurman has published half a dozen books in recent years on Buddhism, best known among them being Circling the Sacred Mountain and Inner Revolution.

Thurman, professor of Buddhist studies at Columbia University, also believes that multiculturalism which received a backseat during the Reagan era is coming back in a significant way.

During the last decade many liberal academics like historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr and conservative ideologues such as Dinesh D'Souza attacked multiculturalism. Conservatives at many universities ensured that history and social sciences was taught from an Eurocentric point of view.

Thurman feels that that narrow vision is going to change in the new millennium, despite the fight against multiculturalism at such prestigious schools like Duke University.

If nothing else the growing number of Asian American students across America -- about 62 percent of students at the University of California at Berkeley are Asian Americans -- will give further impetus to the revival of Asian studies.

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