The Mountain of Youth: Converting American Buddhism and the Authority of the Monk-Convert Paradigm

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/decohori.5.1.0131
• Pages: 131-164
• Published date: 01 January 2019
• Date: 01 January 2019
• Author: Drew Baker

Horizontes Decoloniales Volumen V.1 (2019): pp. 131–164

horizontes

decoloniales

ISSN 2545-8728

eISSN 2422-6343

Volumen V.1

2019

131

The Mountain of Youth

Converting American Buddhism and

the Authority of the Monk-Convert

Paradigm

Drew Baker

Abstract English

This article examines generational shifts in popular narratives pertaining to

dominant formations of Buddhism in the United States from 1950 to the

1990s through a postcolonial lens particularly sensitive to age, children,

and family dynamics. A close read of Jack Kerouac’s novels and the film

Little Buddha identifies important features of this genealogy. This analysis

shows that white Buddhist American converts’ power and visibility have

been reinforced by the Orientalist notion of a monk-convert lineage which

presents the convert—represented as a free white young adult—as the sole

heroic incarnation of the present and future of Buddhism in the modern

world.

Key words: Buddhism, Conversion, Religion and Age, Orientalism

Abstract Spanish

Este artículo examina los cambios generacionales en narrativas de la

cultural popular que concierne a la formaciones del Budismo en los

EEUU desde la década de 1950 hasta la década de 1990 a través de lentes

postcoloniales con particular atención a edad, niños/as y dinámica familiar.

A través de una lectura profunda de las novelas de Jack Kerouac y películas

como Pequeño Buda este análisis identifica importantes características de

esta genealogía. Este estudio demuestra que Blancos Americanos que se

convirtieron al Budismo culminan reforzando la noción Orientalista del

linaje monje-converso/a que presenta al/a converso/a -representado como

el/la hombre/mujer blanca adulta libre- como la única heroica encarnación

del presente y futuro del Budismo en el mundo moderno.

Key words: Budismo, Conversión, Religión y Edad, Orientalismo.

Drew Baker The Mountain of Youth

horizontes

decoloniales

ISSN 2545-8728

eISSN 2422-6343

Volumen V.1

2019

132

Abstract Portuguese

Este artigo examina as mudanças geracionais nas narrativas da cultura

popular que dizem respeito à formação do budismo nos Estados Unidos

de 1950 a 1990 através de lentes pós-coloniais com atenção especial à

idade, às crianças e à dinâmica familiar. Através de uma leitura profunda

dos romances de Jack Kerouac e do filme Little Buddha (dos romances

e filmes de Jack Kerouac, como Little Buddha), esta análise identifica

características importantes dessa genealogia. Este estudo mostra que o

poder e a visibilidade dos convertidos americanos budistas brancos foram

reforçados pela noção orientalista de uma linhagem monástica convertida

que apresenta o convertido - representado como um jovem adulto branco

livre - como a única encarnação heroica do presente e do futuro do budismo

no mundo moderno.

Palavras-chave: Budismo, Conversão, Religião e Idade, Orientalismo

Drew Baker is Assistant Library Director, Head of Technical Services, and

Adjunct Professor of Religion at Claremont School of Theology. He holds

a PhD in Religious Studies from Claremont School of Theology (2014) and

an MLIS from San Jose State University (2016). He specializes in Buddhism,

U.S. religious history, postcolonialism, and religion and family life.

Drew Baker The Mountain of Youth

horizontes

decoloniales

ISSN 2545-8728

eISSN 2422-6343

Volumen V.1

2019

133

“Isn’t it true that you start your life a sweet child believ-

ing in everything under you father’s roof?” (Kerouac,

2007:106)

“To learn is to change.” (Bertolucci, 1993: 68:20)

“Yeah man, you know to me a mountain is a Buddha.”

(Kerouac, 2006: 50)

Introduction

The 1922 late German Romantic novel Siddhartha (Hesse,

1999) contains two important conflicts between fathers and

sons. In the beginning, Siddhartha’s father wants his son to

follow in his footsteps and become a Brahmin. Dissatisfied,

Siddhartha wants to leave his family behind and become a for-

est ascetic in search of enlightenment. After lengthy argument,

Siddhartha’s father reluctantly allows his son to leave.

Later in the novel, Siddhartha discovers that he has a

son. After agreeing to care for the child, Siddhartha becomes

frustrated because his son has little interest in conforming

to Siddhartha’s ascetic life. The child runs away to the city.

Siddhartha follows with concern, but leaves him on his own

when he discovers his son happily playing.

In both cases of generational conflict, the protagonist

Siddhartha must reconcile family responsibilities with his

individual desire for unconstrained freedom. In both cases,

others free Siddhartha from his responsibilities so that he can

remain guilt-free in his pursuit of absolute freedom. Neither

the novel nor the later popular Conrad Rooks film adapta-

tion of the novel (Rooks, 1972) dwell on the potential fate of

Siddhartha’s son. Homeless, poor, and socially invisible as a

young child, there can be no question that the son’s life would

have been far different from Siddhartha’s privileged upbring-

ing. And yet, the son is simply a plot device in the end. Only

Siddhartha matters.