Dear friends, these are more questions than needed! Please do not feel any pressure to consider them all equally. Also, other questions not listed here may have arisen as a result of the materials. Depth over breath may be helpful here! We advise to follow your intuition and focus on what is most important or useful to you at this time.

1) Two Buddhisms? Who gets to decide?

What was your response to the video interview of Chenxing Han? to the article by Funie Hsu?

What is your relationship to Buddhist communities where you live that have arisen out of generations of Asian immigration? Have you ever practiced in such communities? visited? Do you know their history? When you visit, how do you feel? What thoughts and views do you notice?

In your context, what are some of the stereotypes / ideas about Asians in general, and Asian Buddhists in particular?

In your experience of predominantly white convert Buddhism(s), what are some of the patterns of thought and practice that might be connected to the legacy of colonialism?

Are there stereotypes in Triratna about Indian Triratna Buddhists? About Ambedkarite Buddhists more generally? Reminder: stereotypes can be negative or positive — and still problematic.

What is your relationship to Sangharakshita’s Asian teachers? How well do you feel you know about them? Does it matter? How do you relate to this legacy?

2) “True” Buddhism? Who gets to decide?

What jumped out for you from Ven. Analayo’s talk?

How do you make sense of the diversity of Buddhism?

Do you think Dharma and Buddhism can be experienced separately? What is the relationship between Dharma and culture?

How do you answer the question: “what kind of Buddhist are you?” or “what is your lineage?” Do you use the language of “Western” - why or why not? Of you do, what does it mean to you?

What was the impact, if any, of A Survey of Buddhism (if you have read it) in your understanding / appreciation of the diversity of Buddhism? Notice that the title is “A” Survey and not “The” Survey. Why might this matter?

How can we communicate our love for our community and Triratna’s distinctive expressions of the Dharma without conceit or religious arrogance? What does this have to do with race?

3) Optional: a garland of terms…

What do you make of the various types of ‘cultural appropriation’ in Buddhism as theorized by Han and Walker? Is that an issue in Triratna?

What do you make of Cheah’s distinction between “cultural re-articulation” and “racial re-articulation”? Does this help? Can you think of examples?

Are we “Orientalizing Westernism” or “Westernizing Buddhism”*? *Based on a quote by Victor Hori (see additional resources)

What is your relationship to Sangharakshita’s Asian teachers? How well do you feel you know about them? Does it matter? How do you relate to this legacy? (yes, this question was also further up!)

How do you answer questions such as: “Who authorized Sangharakshita to teach? To found a Buddhist Order? To create a Refuge Tree? Who were his teachers? Did he break with lineage?”…. How do these questions make you feel?

How do you personally relate to the idea of “ethnic Going for Refuge”? What does this mean? When you hear that expression, what images arise in your mind? What is the race of the people that first come to mind?

What might white ethnic ways of Going for Refuge be? What is white Buddhist cultural baggage? Is this language helpful? Why or why not?

How can we stand in the confidence of our uncommon lineage, with discernment and humility?

How can Triratna communities, especially white people in Triratna, be in right relationship to its Asian legacy?

How do we heal/purify the karma of Western Buddhism? What might Triratna’s contribution be to that endeavor?