Be The Refuge Raising The Voices Of Asian American Buddhists Chenxing Han by Chenxing Han instant download after payment.

Despite the fact that two thirds of U.S. Buddhists identify as Asian American, mainstream perceptions about what it means to be Buddhist in America often whitewash & invisibilize the diverse, inclusive, & intersectional communities that lie at the heart of American Buddhism.

Be the Refuge is both critique & celebration, calling out the erasure of Asian American Buddhists while uplifting the complexity & nuance of their authentic stories & vital, thriving communities. Drawn from in-depth interviews with a pan-ethnic, pan-Buddhist group, Refuge is the first book to center young Asian American Buddhists' own voices. With insights from multi-generational, 2nd-generation, convert, & socially engaged Asian American Buddhists, Refuge includes the stories of trailblazers, bridge-builders, integrators, & refuge-makers who hail from a wide range of cultural & religious backgrounds.

Championing nuanced representation over stale stereotypes, Han & the 89 interviewees in Be the Refuge push back against false narratives like the Oriental monk, the superstitious immigrant, & the banana Buddhist–typecasting that collapses the multivocality of Asian American Buddhists into tired, essentialized tropes. Encouraging frank conversations about race, representation, & inclusivity among Buddhists of all backgrounds, Be the Refuge embodies the spirit of interconnection that glows at the heart of American Buddhism.

Chenxing Han is the author of one long listening: a memoir of grief, friendship, & spiritual care (2023). She contributes to Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma, & a frequent speaker & workshop leader at schools, universities, & Buddhist communities across the nation. She obtained fellowships from Hedgebrook, Hemera Foundation, the Lenz Foundation, & the Institute of Buddhist Stu