Listening to the Buddha's Own Words: Direct Participation as a Principle of the Teachings of the Buddha.

Buddhism has been described as a religion and everyday philosophy that has had a tremendous impact on Asian societies by underpinning and framing the construction of uniquely Asian communication. Attempts have been made to conceptualize communication influenced by Buddhism and have created insightful models for exploring Asiacentricity in communication studies. Taking into account Buddhism's origins in India and how the Teachings of the Buddha have been disseminated around the world, the embracement of these teachings and Buddhist practices by people outside of Asian countries has become a subject of recent research interest. This article introduces an ethnographic study at a Japanese Buddhist Association in Denver, CO, USA. In pursuit of divergence in rituals manifested in Buddhist practices, the research involved participation in Buddhist Sunday Services, interviews with reverends, and involvement in other social activities. Throughout the duration of the study, an intriguing notion emerged concerning direct participation, which can be deemed the most fundamental principle of the Teachings of the Buddha. In passing down the Teachings of the Buddha to the next generation, indigenous languages such as NEMBUTSU and AMIDA Buddha are frequently cited in Buddhist reverends' speeches to promote direct participation through listening to the Buddha's own words. The article concludes by calling for more studies into the religious and spiritual sides of communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]