Building Buddhism in England: The Flourishing of a Minority Faith Heritage

Abstract

From the earliest days of Buddhism in Britain, individuals and communities have sought out buildings to provide locations where they might practise and teach Buddhism. In this paper, we focus on this neglected area of the study of minority faith traditions in Britain. Our research, which was commissioned by Historic England, examines how Buddhist communities have used buildings and what this tells us about how a minority tradition is initially established and how it subsequently changes and develops. In this context, we suggest that buildings are more than bricks and mortar and provide a richly rewarding analytical lens to tell stories about migration, socio-economic status, religious diversity and integration and the complexity of processes around secularisation and religious change, as well shifting policy agendas in the UK that have begun to take faith seriously. This contributes to deepening the picture of the migration and adaptation of Buddhism and Buddhist practice across the globe.

Notes

1. In this paper, we focus specifically on Buddhism in England, as opposed to Britain. This is because our research was funded by English Heritage (now called Historic England [HE] and henceforth referred to as such) whose remit is to fund research on heritage in England.

2. http://buildingbuddhism.wordpress.com (accessed 15 September 2016).

3. Interviewee, Birmingham Buddhist Vihara, 17 June 2014.

4. Ibid.

5. Interviewee, OBC, Throssel Hole, 28–29 June 2014.

6. By suburban, we mean locations that are largely residential and are not situated within major shopping and business areas.

7. http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/changeofuse (accessed 28 November 15).

8. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/361328/How_to_Certify_a_Building_for_Religious_Worship_and_Register_for_the_Solemnization_of_Marriages_F78L.pdf (accessed 15 September 2016).

9. Kagyu Samye Dzong, former Manor Place Swimming Baths, Elephant and Castle, South London, Grade II listed.

10. Kagyu Samye Dzong, former Bermondsey Library, Grade II listed.

11. Interviewee, Jamyang London, 14 October 2013.

12. Interviewee, Diamond Way London, Beaufoy Institute, 4 November 2013.

13. Ibid.

14. Interviewee, Manchester Buddhist Centre, 17 February 2014.

15. Interviewee, West London Buddhist Centre, 10 June 2014.

16. Interviewee, Triratna, Manchester Buddhist Centre, 17 February 2014.

17. Interviewee, Soka Gakkai, Taplow Court, 24 February 2014.

18. Ibid.

19. Ibid.

20. Interviewee, Buddhist Society, 15 October 2013.

21. Interviewee, OBC, Throssel Hole, 28–29 June 2014.

22. Interviewee, Jamyang London, 14 October 2013.

23. Interviewee, Diamond Way London, Beaufoy Institute, 4 November 2013.

24. Interviewee, Triratna, Manchester Buddhist Centre, 17 February 2014.

25. Ibid.

26. Ibid.

27. Interviewee, OBC, Throssel Hole, 28–29 June 2014.

28. Ibid.

29. Interviewee, Thai Forest Sangha, Amaravati, 22 September 2014.