“We Are Descendants of the Buddha”

Abstract

Although the spread of Buddhism and the transmission of dhamma beyond its place of origins have been taking place for many centuries, these instantiations abroad are once again taking root in the homeland through a form of return globalization. Focusing on the Youth Buddhist Society of India, we examine the creative and pragmatic ways in which Indian youth are reclaiming the Shakya identity and ancestry associated with the historical Buddha for their low caste-community at the Buddhist sacred site of Sankissa. Central to these emergent forms of social and ethical self-engagement is the importance of Buddhist education and access to global and transnational religious networks as a source of cultural empowerment.