The Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Programme

2015

Buddhist Chaplaincy is a relatively recent phenomenon, having first appeared in the USA and the UK in the 1980s. However, it is quickly growing in popularity and has increasing representation especially in the fields of the military, healthcare, and criminal justice. Particularly in the USA, training programs in Buddhist chaplaincy have begun to proliferate in response to demand. Buddhist chaplaincy is rooted in the fundamental compassionate motivation to alleviate suffering. This entry will briefly describe the origin of chaplaincy in Christianity and its emergence in Buddhist contexts. It will describe accreditation and training and the roles of contemporary Buddhist chaplains. Despite the recent increase of Buddhist chaplains and training programs, little has been written analytically about chaplaincy and the study of this field is in its nascent phases.

2012

Chapter 2 of Arts of Contemplative Care: Pioneering Voices in Buddhist Chaplaincy and Pastoral Work, eds. L. Willa Miller and Cheryl Giles (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012).volume edited by Cheryl Giles and Willa Miller, (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012). Argues for professional, historical, and theological training for would-be Buddhist chaplains, based on my clinical and academic experience and on historical and ethnographic research.

De Gruyter eBooks, 2022

This article introduces Buddhist chaplaincya nd care practices and brieflya nalyses the field'sc urrent state.T aking mindfulness as an example, I discuss what it means to be aBuddhist chaplain or caregiverand arguethat Buddhists of different denominations have much in common, while their views and practices mayd iffer. Igiveinsight into the practices and rituals thatare helpful in existential crises, conflict,d isease, and death when religious belongingb ecomes essential, and discuss Buddhist chaplaincyi nc ontemporarys ocieties. Practicesr ooted in Buddhist teachingssuch as mindfulness and meditation stronglyi nfluencet he development of secular-but Buddhism is far more than that.I tn ot onlym eans transforming our minds, attitudes,a nd behaviour,b ut also developing insight into reality and other essential virtues Buddhist chaplains need to cultivate.

Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion, 2015

Buddhist Chaplaincy is a relatively recent phenomenon, having first appeared in the USA and the UK in the 1980s. However, it is quickly growing in popularity and has increasing representation especially in the fields of the military, healthcare, and criminal justice. Particularly in the USA, training programs in Buddhist chaplaincy have begun to proliferate in response to demand. Buddhist chaplaincy is rooted in the fundamental compassionate motivation to alleviate suffering. This entry will briefly describe the origin of chaplaincy in Christianity and its emergence in Buddhist contexts. It will describe accreditation and training and the roles of contemporary Buddhist chaplains. Despite the recent increase of Buddhist chaplains and training programs, little has been written analytically about chaplaincy and the study of this field is in its nascent phases.

European Buddhist Chaplains Network Conference, 2023

Presentation to the European Buddhist Chaplains Network Conference held in Rome, Italy, on June 24, 2023. Provides an overview of the Kalyanamitra model of Buddhist spiritual care, including the Four-Part developmental framework for Buddhist chaplains and the role of the Three Prajnas. Expands on new themes in ongoing research including the connections chaplains make between their personal practice and spiritual care work. Describes how chaplains see their work as practice and practice as the foundation of their work.

2019

The limited literature on Buddhist chaplaincy provides short chapters and articles with important but individualized views on the work singular chaplains. Various models and practices, such as the bodhisattva or bearing witness or mindfulness, appeal to some Buddhist chaplains but not others. This is the first attempt at a paradigm accessible to most, if not all, Buddhist chaplains entering the field today: kalyāṇamitra or spiritual friendship. This paradigm includes a framework for spiritual formation and reflection useful for Buddhist chaplain education and spiritual care practice. It reflects the integration of the collective wisdom of thirteen practicing Buddhist chaplains, rather than an individual viewpoint. Drawing on interviews, written reflections, existing scholarly literature, and Buddhist scripture, the kalyāṇamitra paradigm and its framework consists of the tasks of the Three Prajñās of listening, contemplating, and practicing (śruta-cintā-bhāvanāmayīprajñā) iterated over four progressive levels of self, student, chaplain, and spiritual friend.

2020

Directly after the Great East Japan disaster of 2011, myriad efforts in the disaster area drew volunteers seeking to help from all over the country. Buddhist priests were only one segment of the volunteer base, but a critical one for the role they play socially in conducting funerals and memorial services. Buddhist priest volunteers were suddenly confronted with horrible stories of suffering, and often did not know how to respond. Several with experience in psychology or spiritual care organized brief training sessions so volunteers would be armed with, at the very least, fundamental concepts of listening skills and ethical care provision. As the months passed, however, many of those leading these temporary endeavors began to realize a deeper need for long-term, recurring programs that provided a more in-depth and comprehensive training. This dissertation aims to explore how Japanese Buddhists have adapted chaplaincy to the needs of contemporary Japan and how the field has developed within Japan’s particular socio-cultural circumstances. It does so primarily through the lens of training programs around Japan, the institutions that establish the parameters of such training, and the people who lead the programs. This research explores eleven programs identified as training Buddhist chaplains and three certifications that developed to professionally acknowledge their training. Although there is not sufficient space here to explore the full range of sectarian differences in approaches to care, a final part of the dissertation explores the Shingon tradition in more depth as an example of what Buddhist chaplains are actually doing after and outside of training, as well as what sectarian particularities exist. This dissertation contends that in the case of Japan, Buddhists have developed training and practices for chaplains that maintain much of the image and understanding of the term “chaplaincy” while still attempting to appropriately adapt such roles to their specific cultural milieus. The research thus contributes to an expanded understanding of not only contemporary Japanese Buddhism, but also intercultural chaplaincy and spiritual care. Table of Contents Part I Chapter 1 Introduction - p. 2 Chapter 2 Japanese Buddhist Chaplaincy Awakens - p. 49 Part II Chapter 3 Tohoku University Training Programs - p. 98 Chapter 4 Buddhist University Rinshōshukyōshi Programs - p. 138 Chapter 5 Further Chaplaincy Programs and Certifications - p. 196 Part III Chapter 6 Three Mysteries of Care: Shingon Care Background - p. 229 Chapter 7 Contemporary Shingon Care - p. 256 Chapter 8 Conclusions - p. 305 Bibliography - p. 330 A sample of a few pages are included in the PDF

Extended Paper presented at the seminar on "Global Spread of Buddhism," Maha Mahinda International Dharmadutha Society and the University of Peradeniya. Sponsored by Houng Sen Buddhist Temple, California, USA. At Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, 2023

Despite being a career option that is not particularly popular in Sri Lanka, Buddhist chaplaincy, like other chaplaincy programs, continues to gain acceptability throughout the world. Whether a person is lay or ordained, they can both fill this position and help the community by promoting social harmony, mental health, and other associated social activities. Buddhist chaplaincy is an established role at several colleges across the globe and satisfies the aforementioned regions. In order to address issues relating to youth among university students, the study looks into the potential benefits and challenges of implementing a role identical to that of a lay Buddhist chaplain in Sri Lankan universities. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the value and necessity of providing young graduates in Sri Lanka with this kind of professional responsibility. As a first step in creating a career path in chaplaincy in Sri Lanka, this study also aims to highlight the importance of having this kind of role in Sri Lankan universities with regard to student well-being and resilience, even though this is not a position that is only limited to universities. Another objective is to persuade graduates in Buddhist Studies to consider an alternative career path rather than trying to work as lecturers and teachers in their area of expertise. A lot of emphasis has been made on promoting lay involvement in these professional tracks in order to optimize their impact and encourage laypeople to choose them. Additionally, this position can make a significant contribution to students who are experiencing major mental health issues to seek help by collaborating with other university counseling services. Since an ordained person is unable to address all the hurdles that a lay person could, playing a role like this especially by a lay Buddhist chaplain can make a significantly greater contribution and intervention to problems that university students are facing than it is being done by a monastic. Study concludes that, chaplaincy in Buddhism is not only a task for monks but also a chance for laypeople who want to serve their community to do so in a formal setting. By establishing positions like these in universities, this study demonstrates how this career can support university students who are dealing with a variety of issues. This study employs a qualitative research methodology and refers to several publications authored by academics who served in Buddhist chaplaincy positions. Research studies written by Rev. Dr. Monica Sanford, Chris Berling, and Cheryl A. Giles have received particular attention. Keywords: Lay Buddhist Chaplains, Universities, mental health, social harmony, students

Buddhist-Christian Studies, 2014

2020