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buddhist POWERHOUSES

PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
edited May 2010 in Buddhism Today
i know there are people like the dalai lama and thich nhat hanh and ajahn brahm, who are very well-known buddhists and have a lot of influence, but who else is there living today?

Comments

  • patbbpatbb Veteran
    edited April 2010
    - S.N. Goenka
    - Eckhart Tolle

    I know Tolle is not technically teaching Buddhism, but you cannot deny the mass appeal of Tolle, and his incredible achievements to build a bridge for the western culture. To get millions of people to get a taste of mindfulness and Buddhism that they would never have got without Tolle.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited April 2010
    It's not clear what your criteria are. There are approximately 6e9 people living today. Can you be more specific?
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    fivebells wrote: »
    It's not clear what your criteria are. There are approximately 6e9 people living today. Can you be more specific?
    أحمد
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited April 2010
    "Ahmad?" I have no idea what that means.
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    you speak pretty good arabic for a barbarian
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited April 2010
    I just know how to operate google translate. It gives me the romanization, but not the translation, unfortunately.
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    who do you think are the most prominent figures in buddhism today? doing a lot for the movement?
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited April 2010
    What movement might that be?

    Palzang
  • FoibleFullFoibleFull Canada Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Pietro Pumokin wrote: »
    i know there are people like the dalai lama and thich nhat hanh and ajahn brahm, who are very well-known buddhists and have a lot of influence, but who else is there living today?

    I think Pema Chodron, with her ability to speak Western to Westerners, is a powerhouse teacher. I'm not the only one on this forum who seems to value her teachings.
  • MidpackMidpack
    edited April 2010
    FoibleFull wrote: »
    I think Pema Chodron, with her ability to speak Western to Westerners, is a powerhouse teacher. I'm not the only one on this forum who seems to value her teachings.
    I second Pema Chodron, very helpful to me. And Eckhart Tolle is not a Buddhist per se, but his spiritual teaching has been described as "Buddhism repackaged" and I find it very helpful also - in fact, A New Earth is what led me to Buddhism.

    Right now I'm reading everything I can get my hands on from HHDL.

    I have not read Robert Thurman yet, but I've listened to him on TV and youtube and I'll most likely read his books soon. I believe he was one of the forerunners of modern Western Buddhism.
  • GlowGlow Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Jack Kornfield I would probably credit with starting the Western vipassana movement in the U.S. Stephen Batchelor seems also to be a rather high profile writer on Buddhism in the West. Also Lama Surya Das, Sharon Salzberg, Tara Brach and Gil Fronsdal have large followings.
  • InmostLightInmostLight
    edited April 2010
    Good call on Gil Fronsdal Glow! I listen to his dharma talks often.

    Allan Watts is pretty popular too
  • DazzleDazzle
    edited April 2010
    For Dharma rather than New Agey 'self help', I think Ajahn Sumedho and other teachers with the Theravada Thai Forest tradition.:)







    .
  • Fran45Fran45
    edited April 2010
    Pema Chodron is a major influence today. Thubten Chodron is also good. I like the books of Aya Khema too, although she is no longer living.
  • NamelessRiverNamelessRiver Veteran
    edited April 2010
    I am gonna go random on this, Pietro. :P

    Scholarly-wise I would say Paul Williams, Rupert Gethin, Edward Conze, Jose Ignacio Cabezon, Richard Gombrich (and Laumakis has a very good book too). These authors sometimes mention LS Cousins with awe, mentioning he is the greatest expert in Abhidhamma in the West, but I don't know any books by him.

    On another approach I would say Pema Chodron, Bikkhu Bodhi, Thanissaro Bikkhu (he has a lot of translations on access to insight that are quoted all the time, it would be unfair not to mention), Thubten Chodron, hmmmm who else is alive...The guy that is responsible for access to insight whoever he is because that website rocks. Hmmm...Robina Courtin and Ven. Tenzin Palmo. I guess I can also say Alexander Berzin (his website is very good).

    Charlotte Joko Beck is also very good. She's the only Zen teacher I can understand (kind of). I am under the impression that she is one of the greatest Zen masters around, although I don't think her name will ring many bells.
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Charlotte Joko Beck teaches pure Zen. She is loved by many practitioners but is not popular in the Buddha-lite book scene because she is not charming or cuddly.


    Ajahn Sumedho is impeccable and may be the most remarkable Buddhist alive today.
  • zendozendo
    edited April 2010
    fivebells wrote: »
    There are approximately 6e9 people living today.
    I don't think this is accurate, I think the number is closer to 5g7.
  • KundoKundo Sydney, Australia Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Richard Herman wrote: »
    She is loved by many practitioners but is not popular in the Buddha-lite book scene because she is not charming or cuddly.

    LOL I was thinking the same about Robina Courtin. She calls a spade bleeping shovel when necessary :D I listen to her podcasts and find them amazing. Along with Tara Brach and I have nearly all of Lama Surya Das' books.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited April 2010
    I'll second that on Robina Courtin. I love somebody who cuts through the bs and says it like it is! I also like Thubten Chodron and Pema Chodron a lot as well, although the first time I heard Thubten Chodron speak I have to admit I nearly burst out laughing as she has a real Valley Girl accent, but what she has to say is most excellent.

    Palzang
  • Fran45Fran45
    edited April 2010
    I have just picked up a book by Charlotte Joko Beck called Nothing Special: Living Zen. The first chapter is very good and I am looking forward the rest.
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited April 2010
    Pietro Pumokin wrote: »
    i know there are people like the dalai lama and thich nhat hanh and ajahn brahm, who are very well-known buddhists and have a lot of influence, but who else is there living today?

    My list would include Ajahn Amaro, Ajahn Brahmavamso, Ayya Tathaaloka, Bhikkhu Bodhi, S. Dhammika, Rupert Gethin, Richard Gombrich, K.R. Norman, Ajahn Sujato, Ajahn Sumedho and Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
  • DazzleDazzle
    edited April 2010
    .
    Jason wrote: »
    Richard Gombrich


    Hi there Jason,

    I don't think Professor Richard Gombrich is actually a practising Buddhist himself.



    Kind regards,


    Dazzle



    .
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited April 2010
    Dazzle wrote: »
    I don't think Professor Richard Gombrich is actually a practising Buddhist himself.

    Well, it's true that when he was asked in a interview if he was a practising Buddhist, he answered:
    I am not a Buddhist, but I very much admire Buddhism and especially Buddhist ethics. I am not a Buddhist in a technical sense. In one way, you could say I am more of a Buddhist than most Buddhists, because I believe that the Buddha was an intellectual genius and had some extraordinarily interesting things to say. This is something that most Buddhists simply don't take any interest in.

    Nevertheless, the fact that he's not only a scholar of Pali and Sanskrit, but also the founder of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies and a past president of the Pali Text Society, is enough for me to consider him a "Buddhist" powerhouse.
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    Palzang wrote: »
    What movement might that be?

    Palzang
    the one that we're moving in!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • DazzleDazzle
    edited April 2010
    Jason wrote: »
    Nevertheless, the fact that he's not only a scholar of Pali and Sanskrit, but also the founder of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies and a past president of the Pali Text Society, is enough for me to consider him a "Buddhist" powerhouse.


    Yes, I know all that, I live in the UK and know someone who's a friend of his. I just thought I'd mention that he's not a practising Buddhist. No harm intended ! :)








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  • InmostLightInmostLight
    edited May 2010
    And I third Robina Courtin. She's an excellent speaker, and very well-humored, makes me laugh out loud all the time.
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