Parliament of the World’s Religions, Chicago, United States, 1893. The first major interreligious conference in the modern Western world, where Buddhist representatives participated and introduced Buddhism to Western audiences. The modern encounters between the West and Buddhism began at the end of the 19th century, with the rediscovery of Buddhism through colonial scholarship and archaeological excavations. While colonialism often suppressed indigenous agency, it also sparked a revival of interest in Buddhism, leading to the emergence of reform movements across Asia. The legacy of colonialism is thus one of deep entanglement: Buddhism was rediscovered, reformed, and globalized under the shadow of empire. Source: Wikimedia Commonsꜛ (license: public domain) (modified)
#Colonial encounters in the 19th–20th centuries profoundly reshaped #Buddhism, leading to both suppression and revival. Reformers blended tradition with modernity, making #Buddhism a global, adaptable tradition. The 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions […]
[Original post on mastodon.social]
