Becoming a Buddhist Scholar

[mani]

I have enough money for food, rent and books. But not to pay a university in USA. As someone else said, if one doesn't attend one of the best programs, is best not waisting time.

Is being a Buddhist scholar a luxury only for American rich people? Are we allowed to dream?

Being "a Buddhist scholar" in the West is basically being an academic in the Western sense: lots of work, relatively low income but relatively high status and security. If a Westerner attempts it, it's a difficult path - and the expense is part of the difficulty. (The same is true of any academic career path. Someone who wants to be a research physicist or biologist, for instance, faces the same challenges.)
Being "a Buddhist scholar" in a traditionally Buddhist country can be a matter of following the monastic path instead. That's not easy, either, although the challenges are different.
The third choice, wherever you are, is to be "a Buddhist scholar" in your own time while working in another occupation for enough money to live on. Many musicians and artists do exactly that, and it can work out pretty well, especially if your paid job overlaps with your true interest, e.g. teaching art in college while establishing your career as an artist.
Don't give up too easily!


Kim

Thanks for your sincere reply. In the case of artists and musicians in their own time they can show their work and maybe sell it sometimes. Can one be a scholar without a PhD or Geshe or khenpo degree ? How could that work in the case of a Buddhist scholar in their own time? By writing scholarly books and finding a publisher? And would anyone else take them seriously?

[Grigoris]

Are there specific actions you recommend?

Generosity.

Once I get the funding where to go?

Get the funding first and then worry about where you will go.

[Grigoris]

How does one becomes a Buddhist scholar? How to get started? Where to study? How to do it if one doesn't have any money?

If you are actually serious about this, then I would recommend you contact these guys here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fo_Guang_University

They do some serious scholarship programs.

Which country are you living in?

[pemachophel]

OK, now I understand why you say you have no money. So now I have another question:

Why do you want to be a Buddhist scholar?

Becoming a Buddhist yogi (or yogini) is free and leads to Liberation.

[Grigoris]

Becoming a Buddhist yogi (or yogini) is free and leads to Liberation.

Ummmm...

[Queequeg]

Do you think a person from an underdeveloped country could be accepted to one of those fully funded major programs?

I would not say it is impossible, but it is close to impossible.

As Wayfarer touched on, a Western academic has likely been on that track in a Western country since at least the time they graduated from secondary school, if not further back. This goes into questions of privilege that are hotly discussed and debated in the West at this time. These programs have an expectation that you have a certain basic background in a liberal arts college education. A liberal arts college education assumes you have a certain kind of college preparatory education, and on back to early childhood. It is difficult to enter the stream somewhere along the path, and increasingly difficult the further along. On top of that are the invisible class, race, culture structures that create further obstacles.

Realistically, if you want to pursue a career as a Buddhist scholar in the Western academy, you would at least need to have college/university level education during which you show promise and genuine interest in the subject matter. Language capabilities are especially favored. If you can complete that four year degree with distinction, combined with a background from a developing country, I actually think your chances of being accepted to a program would be pretty good because of affirmative action policies. But that is a very rare accomplishment in itself.

If you have the will, though, do it.

But, why do you want to be a scholar in the Western academic sense? Scholars (in the liberal arts) are public intellectuals who basically mine through information to cast light on various subjects of study from a particular viewpoint that does not coincide with the viewpoint of the Buddhist practitioner. To be honest, while I appreciate the work that many Buddhist scholars in the West do, there are very few I would actually go to and rely upon for Dharma instruction. Very few are actually Buddhist. They are not really teaching Buddhism so much as studying it as a biologist would study an amoeba, or a doctor would study a human organ. They take the view of the "objective" observer, a view that is formed by certain materialistic assumptions about reality and propose a hard separation between observer and observed, and propose to study whatever their chosen object from that perspective. Dharma, on the other hand, starts with a different view - that of alleviating suffering and awakening. A Buddhist scholar working from within the tradition has an aim of edifying themselves and their fellows in the Buddhist community for their benefit at the level of... for lack of a better way to put it... their buddha nature.

There are Buddhist teachers who offer pretty comprehensive dharma educations online. And nothing stops you from reading sources through the internet. If in the process you become awakened, then I think its fair to suggest, many would seek you out for your teachings. But that ought not be the goal.

Buddha did not advise "become a scholar". His last instructions supposedly were, "Work out your awakening as quickly as possible."

[Astus]

How does one becomes a Buddhist scholar? How to get started? Where to study? How to do it if one doesn't have any money?

If by scholar you mean an academic person, some answers have been provided, but there is no need to focus on US universities, there are several options in Europe and Asia as well.
But if you mean scholar in a more general or traditional sense, you should get started by reading, and keep doing that, until you've become well read in Buddhism. Then it's up to you how deep you want to go in what subject.

[mani]

Are there specific actions you recommend?

Generosity.

Once I get the funding where to go?

Get the funding first and then worry about where you will go.

First I need to know exactly how much funding I need to get. That's why I'm asking about scholarships and opportunities.

[mani]

Do you think a person from an underdeveloped country could be accepted to one of those fully funded major programs?

I would not say it is impossible, but it is close to impossible.

As Wayfarer touched on, a Western academic has likely been on that track in a Western country since at least the time they graduated from secondary school, if not further back. This goes into questions of privilege that are hotly discussed and debated in the West at this time. These programs have an expectation that you have a certain basic background in a liberal arts college education. A liberal arts college education assumes you have a certain kind of college preparatory education, and on back to early childhood. It is difficult to enter the stream somewhere along the path, and increasingly difficult the further along. On top of that are the invisible class, race, culture structures that create further obstacles.

Realistically, if you want to pursue a career as a Buddhist scholar in the Western academy, you would at least need to have college/university level education during which you show promise and genuine interest in the subject matter. Language capabilities are especially favored. If you can complete that four year degree with distinction, combined with a background from a developing country, I actually think your chances of being accepted to a program would be pretty good because of affirmative action policies. But that is a very rare accomplishment in itself.

I have already accomplished that. What I need now is to find a fully sponsored PhD program. Do you know of any good options?

If you have the will, though, do it.

But, why do you want to be a scholar in the Western academic sense? Scholars (in the liberal arts) are public intellectuals who basically mine through information to cast light on various subjects of study from a particular viewpoint that does not coincide with the viewpoint of the Buddhist practitioner. To be honest, while I appreciate the work that many Buddhist scholars in the West do, there are very few I would actually go to and rely upon for Dharma instruction. Very few are actually Buddhist. They are not really teaching Buddhism so much as studying it as a biologist would study an amoeba, or a doctor would study a human organ. They take the view of the "objective" observer, a view that is formed by certain materialistic assumptions about reality and propose a hard separation between observer and observed, and propose to study whatever their chosen object from that perspective. Dharma, on the other hand, starts with a different view - that of alleviating suffering and awakening. A Buddhist scholar working from within the tradition has an aim of edifying themselves and their fellows in the Buddhist community for their benefit at the level of... for lack of a better way to put it... their buddha nature.

I want to be a Buddhist scholar working within the tradition.

There are Buddhist teachers who offer pretty comprehensive dharma educations online. And nothing stops you from reading sources through the internet. If in the process you become awakened, then I think its fair to suggest, many would seek you out for your teachings. But that ought not be the goal.

I think Robert Thurman, Alex Berzin, etc, etc. Must of had the goal to become scholars otherwise they wouldn't have
accomplished it.

I need practical suggestions on how to do it, not advice on what my goals should or shouldn't be.

Thanks for your reply, it has been helpful.

[crazy-man]

Fo Guang Shan Monastery has 2 month monastic Program for free
https://foguangpedia.org/event/2019-fo- ... c-program/

Fo Guang University Tudy Program
https://www.studyintaiwan.org/university/info/100

[Queequeg]

I think Robert Thurman, Alex Berzin, etc, etc. Must of had the goal to become scholars otherwise they wouldn't have
accomplished it.

I need practical suggestions on how to do it, not advice on what my goals should or shouldn't be..

Bob Thurman was my MA advisor. He was a monk in the Gelug tradition and gave it up. He pursued his PhD as a close alternative. You should understand though, Thurman is from a different era when the university was a gentlemanly institution. He's also from old money so finances have never been a concern for him. He's retired from what I understand and it sounds like he couldn't wait to get out of Columbia. Can't blame him. It's not a place conducive to Dharma practice. No university really is right now.

Here's the practical advice:

Talk to your undergrad professors. They are your first resource. They should be able to advise you on the application process and you will need their enthusiastic recommendation. They should have colleagues who can connect you. Recommendations are one of the most important parts of your application. A lukewarm or aimless recommendation will sink the application.

Contact the scholars you admire or want to work with. They will often be able to give you feedback and suggestions.

Google the religion departments and see about funding. You will need to contact department heads to find out about openings in the programs.

That's the start.

You'll have to take the GRE and score well.