paper

1. Annotated bibliography

Bhikkhu, T. (2012). Getting Out of the Romantic Gate. Retrieved from https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/article/getting-out-of-the-romantic-gate/

This is not a scholarly article but rather an interview. Scholarly articles are those that undergo blind peer reviews and are published in academic journals.

The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies website offers insights into the different teachings found in Buddhism. Thanissaro is a very popular teacher in Buddhism that translates, transcribes and commentates dhamma talks. Based on his interview on the website, he has been studying about how romantic and transcendentalist thoughts have affected the understanding of buddha dhamma in the western world (Bhikkhu, 2012). He understands relevant western philosophical traditions and combines it with a first-hand understanding of Dhamma texts and practices.

This source is the most useful source amongst all the listed sources. Its usefulness is brought by the existence of credible and specific information about the inner workings of the Buddhist religion. It focuses on the concepts and general information about religion. As other sources are being used to provide background and overview information, this source should be used to provide more specific and relevant information concerning the Dharma Gate that studies Buddhism

Bois, H. (2016). A SOCIOLOGICAL VIEW OF RELIGION. International Review of Mission, 5(3), 449-460. doi:10.1111/j.1758-6631.1916.tb00884.x

While Durkheim plays a central role in the sociological understanding of religion, this essay: 1.) was published over 100 years ago and not in 2016, and 2.) is a discussion on proselytization (e.g., missionary work) which is not a part of Buddhism.

The sociological view of religion is a recent English translation publication of Professor Durkheim’s study of Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. This publication has the opportunity to offer a brief consideration of the modern concept of explaining religion in terms of sociology. The professor aims to study the origin of religion since religion has actual existence. Sociology has established the fact that religion has an existence and has outlived all its critics and objections against it. This article claims that religion must be founded like things and is founded like things that it is sociology law and no institution based on falsehood can survive as long as religion has. Some of the reasons that explain this fact can be very different from the reasons put forward by the believers.

Human need is one of the biggest drivers of religion. This article discusses extensively some of the needs for religion. However, it only discusses religion in general. It does not discuss a specific religion such as Dharma Gate Zen. The professor tackles only the question of the origin of religion by not attempt to study many different religions. Instead, he focuses his attention on the simplest religion only found among people with a simple social organization. This paper does not focus on concepts and general information about religions (Bois, 2016). Only concepts like totemism is discussed in the professor’s article. He explains how different scholars believe that they can explain totemism through deriving it from animism and naturism and how their explanation is inadequate.

DeWitt, L. E. (2019). Mountain Buddhism in East Asia. Buddhism. doi:10.1093/obo/9780195393521-0258

This is not an article but an entry from Oxford Bibliographies: Buddhism. And while a bibliography) is not an article nor a book chapter, this particular volume may be a good starting point for exploring other entries that suggest relevant resources. However, this particular one is not relevant to your project since: 1.) you are not studying cosmology, and 2.) Mountain Buddhism represents a relatively tiny segment of practitioners whose beliefs do not extend much beyond a very limited region of East Asia.

Based on the sources gathered so far, it is evident that more research is required in the Dharma Gate studies of Buddhism. Very few researchers have specialized in studying Buddhism based on how the Dharma Gate views it. Lindsey’s article is not different. Although it offers useful insights into how the mountain plays a central role in the Buddhist cosmology and its practice, it does not show how the dharma gate study Buddhism. The research following this literature review should not leave out the specific subject of how the dharma gate study Buddhism.

According to the article, mount Sumeru plays a vital role in Buddhist cosmology and practice. This mountain is not the sole bearer of Buddhist activities. There are a variety of Buddhist activities that developed in East Asia reflecting on a new valorization of mountains not found in India. Since religion has been in existence for several generations, different people have different deities and beliefs based on where they come from. Buddhism members have a strong belief in the mentioned mountains (DeWitt, 2019). They do not regard them as supernatural object but they highly respect their grounds and conduct most of their highly spiritual activities on those mountains. One of the most outstanding traits in Buddhism is the belief in life after death. Many other religions have this belief and it helps steer their members into practicing good deeds to secure a better place after death.

Husgafvel, V. (2018). The ‘universal dharma foundation’ of mindfulness-based stress reduction: non-duality and mahāyāna buddhist influences in the work of jon kabat- zinn. Contemporary Buddhism, 19(2), 275-326. doi:10.1080/14639947.2018.1572329

This could be a valuable resource, but I’d like you to make clear how you would apply it to your own research project.

This is another useful source amongst the sources I have chosen. It has more specific discussions regarding Buddhism and the universal Dharma Foundation of mindfulness-based stress reduction. The article provides a discussion on the Buddhist roots of contemporary mindfulness practice. Based on the article, scholarly discussions on Buddhist roots of mindfulness-based stress reduction and related mindfulness-based programs have not yet been completely researched to the level of continuity amongst Buddhist teachings (Husgafvel, 2018).

The article looks into the specific Buddhist elements in Jon Kabat – Zinn’s informing the methods and ethical foundations of the MBSR program. This program does not have any philosophical or ethical basis resembling Buddhist teachings. The authors of this article have a very reputable background in the field of Buddhism. They have also authored several other credible articles and books explaining the dharma gate studies on Buddhism.

Little, W. (2012). Religion. In Introduction to sociology (1st ed.). canada: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Though a textbook that is used in an intro class in sociology lacks the kind of depth that is required for an original research project, this will be acceptable if you can explain the relevance to your specific work (rather than to religion as a whole).

Little’s book, introduction to sociology offers insights into religion from a sociological point of view. In the book’s chapter introduction to religion, the author enquires into why sociologists study religion. Getting an understanding of religion from a sociological point of view allows readers to also understand a specific religion such as Dharma Gate Zen from a sociological point of view (Little, 2012). Most philosophers believe that the human being’s desire to understand their place in the universe is what differentiates humankind from any other species. Religion has been found amongst human societies since their existence. An early sociologist, Emile Durkheim, described religion as a constitution of things that are beyond the limits of our knowledge. Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things that unite into a single moral community.

Even though religion can be individual because of its highly personal beliefs, it is also a social institution. Social scientists acknowledge that religion can only be found in an organized and integrated set of beliefs, norms, and behaviors centered on basic social needs and values. For example, there are varying funeral rites and customs practiced among different cultures.

2. Concepts

Religious conversion

This is the process by which a person commits to the beliefs of a new religious tradition. When studying religion, sociologists distinguish between what they refer to as rituals, experiences, and rituals of a religion. Experience in religion is the conviction and sensation of being connected to a divine deity (Little, 2012). This is mostly felt when praying or meditating. On the other hand, beliefs are particular ideas amongst members of a particular faith that are said to be true. An example of a belief is where Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that he resurrected three days after being publicly crucified. In Buddhism, they believe in reincarnation. Additionally, different religious groups also believe in different stories of creation.

Charisma

Charisma is often associated with the sociology of Max Webber in regards to typology of authority and legitimacy. This leads it to look into the specific Buddhist elements in Jon Kabat – Zinn’s informing the methods and ethical foundations of the MBSR program. This concept does not have any philosophical or ethical basis resembling Buddhist teachings. The authors of this article have a very reputable background in the field of Buddhism. They have also authored several other credible articles and books explaining the dharma gate studies on Buddhism.

Sacred

This refers to the collective representations that are set apart from the society. Despite an in- depth discussion of religion from a sociological point of view, this concept fails to isolate and talk about a specific religion. Such a religion would be the Dharma Gate Zen that studies Buddhism. Even though the general study of religion would also offer insights into a specific

religion such as Buddhism, obtaining information specific to the religion would offer better insights into the religion.

Civil religion

This is the implicit religious values of a nation. Civic religion acknowledges that the generation of thinkers inspired believed that their ideas on the psychology of religion were universal. It prevents beliefs that misguided and only as a result of the more dominant Christian movements. To be more specific the priests who value religious feeling over doctrinal orthodoxy misguide their religious followers into the wrong idea of religion.

Religious identity

This is a special type of identity formation. It is the sense of group membership in regard to one’s self-concept. Arguments that support both definitions are from specific premises that are known as continuities or similarities between Buddhist practices. The major influence of Kabat- Zinn has only received little attention.

2. Research question

How to the concepts of religion complement each other into maintaining a continuous propagation of religion