ores now offer a countless numbers of literature on how to meditate or be at one with nature. Even celebrities such as Phil Jackson, Courtney Love, Adam Yauch, and Tina Turner admit they practice Buddhism regularly. In an extreme case Steven Segal claims he is recognized by the head of the venerable Nyingma Tibetan lineage as the reincarnation of a 15th century lama.# But will all this become a mainstream part of America? A Japanese monk once commented about Buddhism in America saying introducing Buddhism to America would be like holding a lotus to a rock and waiting for it to take root.# Many people would concur that America does not have the type of society necessary to sustain a religion like Buddhism. The fact is though that Buddhism is becoming more and more popular. Some speculate that people are now seeking a sanctuary from the every day madness that is the American lifestyle, others see Buddhism as merely a fad made popular by an abundance of well-known celebrities. Esteemed actor, and notable Buddhist Richard Gere hypothesizes that there has been not enough time to ferment and intoxicate the culture in America, but our approach, because were so new at it, has a certain eagerness and excitement that you sometimes dont see in Tibetans. Westerners ask questions. They take notes.# Whether Buddhism will catch on in America, only time will tell, but until it does a good number of people will continue to explore the realms of Zen and seek inner peace. Buddhism has changed dramatically throughout its lifetime. From its humble beginning as the teachings of one man to its development as a multinational religion, Buddhism can be seen evolving into a religious solute that has mixed with the cultures of many countries. As Siddhartha Guatama began to preach his new found enlightenment in the early Axial Age, his exposure was very limited. The word of Buddhism really did not spread until nearly a century after his death when monks of the...
