Main Change in the XX cen.: modernization & diffusion in the West

In the modern and contemporary age Buddhism is characterized by its diversity. In some countries it is a cultural institution, an integral part of the cultural landscape. In these countries there are thousands of temples, large and small. In others it is deeply engaged in political conflicts.  Some governments that are in conflict with Buddhism have tried to destroy it. In others countries Buddhism is just becoming established or evolving in new forms. In Communist China, the practice of Buddhism was discouraged for much of the 20th century. Temples and works of art were destroyed and monks and nuns were forced to return to secular life. Buddhism in China is just beginning to recover. The Chinese government also assimilated Tibet, forcing its political and religious leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, to flee the country. In Burma (Myanmar), Buddhist monks have recently (2007) protested against the current military dictatorship at their peril. Buddhists have also been involved in political conflicts in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand.
There have been occasions in which Buddhist monks have taken up arms and participated in military conflicts. For example Some Japanese Buddhist monks and scholars renewed this tradition to support their nationalism during World War II (see Zen Master's pro-war thoughts).
In some areas of the world Buddhism is growing. There has been a resurgence of Buddhism in India for a number of reasons. The ease of travel in the 20th century has made it possible for Buddhists from other countries to visit sacred sites there, and Buddhists from overseas have contributed substantially to the renewal of these sites. When the Dalai Lama was forced to leave Tibet, he was given refuge in India. The Indian government also provided land for refugee settlements and education for Tibetan children, thus there is a large Tibetan Buddhist exile population in India.
Today some Chinese and Tibetan temples are being rebuilt, some by the government as tourist attractions, others with contributions from overseas Chinese and other Buddhists. In Taiwan, where Buddhism has flourished, new Buddhist charitable organizations have emerged supporting hospitals, disaster relief, and education. In Japan, new religions have emerged with strong Buddhist foundations, and a few of these, such as Soka Gokkai, have become international in scope (see Soka Gakkai International official presentation).
Interest in Buddhism in the west began in the 16th century largely due to reports by Jesuit missionaries to China and Japan and this interest was strengthened in the 19th and 20th centuries as Buddhist texts were translated into western languages and Buddhist monks came to America and Europe to teach.
In pre-World War II Europe Western spiritual seekers were attracted to what they saw as the exotic and mystical tone of the Asian traditions, and created esoteric societies such as the Theosophical Society  in 1924. During the 20th century the German writer Herman Hesse showed great interest in Eastern religions, writing a book entitled Siddhartha. In 1950 USA Beat Generation writers like Jack Kerouac incorporated Buddhist ideas into their literature.
A marked increase in Asian immigration in the latter half of the 20th century has also contributed to the growth of western Buddhism. Meditation centers, temples, and universities have been built in the United States and Europe, and thousands of books about Buddhism have been published in western languages. . The 14th Dalai Lama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh (who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1967) are Buddhist leaders who have become enormously popular public figures internationally, publishing many books and attracting crowds to their public appearances (see The 14th Dalai Lama and USA President Barack Obama).
Westerners, both converts and immigrants from Asia, have also contributed to the revitalization of Buddhism in some areas of Asia. Some scholars of Buddhism argue that this western influence has contributed to what they call the "Protestantization" of modern Buddhism. They suggest that the western foundation in monotheistic religion and in modern rational thought have led western Buddhists and scholars of Buddhism to minimize elements such as ritual, mysticism, and the devotional worship of Buddhist deities, in favor of an emphasis on meditation and philosophy. There is also an emphasis the notion of "experience" and a shift in focus from the domination of clerical authority to lay participation.
It is often heard that "Buddhism is not a religion; it's a philosophy." This assumption is based on  interpretations and on Western adaptations of the tradition. For most in Asian Buddhist countries, Buddhism is very much a religion. Typically a lay Buddhist will visit a temple for the following reasons: to pray to a deity and leave a small gift, usually incense  or flowers; for a festival, such as New Year, Buddha's Birthday, or festivals involving the dead; or to arrange or participate in funerary rites on behalf of the dead.
Several traditions that have become popular in the West have focused on the practice of meditation. The most popular forms of meditation came from Zen (see sec. 4) Buddhism, Mahayana   Buddhism and South-Asian Theravada Buddhism. In each case, the participants are often people who are not monks, whereas it was rare in Asia for lay Buddhists to meditate.  Expectations for peak meditative experience have been created, in part, by the influence of Western scholars like the theologian Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (1768-1834), psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung (1875 – 1961) or philosopher William James (1842 –  1910)
These Western development, in turn, influenced also Asian Buddhists and Buddhists Institution. Nowadays, in both Western and Asian situations, meditation for lay Buddhists is encouraged for quite worldly reasons: to ease stress, promote psychological well-being, improve one's personal life, and so on. Values that fit well with a modern individualized lifestyle.
It is valuable that such change Buddhism undergone in these last centuries are critically exposed and analyzed by scholars, in order not to equate present day Buddhism with what it has been in the past, thus creating a romanticized, mythical conception of Buddhism.  it is also important, however, to recognize that Buddhism has always changed and adapted to different historical times and different cultural contexts many times in the past and this is now happening throughout all world.

Analysis of Sources

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Map of Buddhism diffusion in the World
See above Main Change in the XX cen.: modernization & diffusion in the West

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The 14th Dalai Lama and USA President Barack Obama
Dalai Lama is not, as commonly known, the leader of Buddhists all over the word. Nor he represents the leader of all Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama is the head monk of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism.  The 14th and current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, recognized since 1950 (see also sec. 5).
At the outset of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese Communist Government , fearing for his life, the Dalai Lama and his retinue fled Tibet with the help of the CIA crossing into India on 30 March 1959. Some time later he set up the Government of Tibet in Exile in Dharamshala, India.
The Dalai Lama's appeal is variously ascribed to his charismatic personality and his engagement, as Buddhist master, in modern issues, like environmental problems, democracy, non-violence and religious dialogue, thus creating a favorable global reception of Buddhism, Tibetan or not. 

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A Zen Master's pro-war thoughts
The First excerpt starts with explaining the goal of Buddhism: liberation from birth and death (that is, Samsara ) through the discarding of desire. This understanding, is in fact Enlightenment In Zen Buddhism this is often indicated with true selflessness, because in Buddhism the idea of self is thought to be the origin of all desire.
But then this process is equated to military activity: Renouncing to one's own very life under the military flag is tantamount understood as the discarding of most in dept rooted desires of fame, wealth and - of course - surviving.
The second excerpts cites a famous Zen Text (see sec. 4). Sawaki Kōdō interprets the Buddhist practice of "discarding body and mind" as the uncritical following of orders by the soldier. For Sawaki Kōdō, the soldier, equated to a zen monk, is unfettered by the circumstances and follow his orders, whatever they may be. By doing this, he is really free.

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Soka Gakkai International official presentation
Soka Gakkai  is  one of the larger Japanese new religions.  The Soka Gakkai reveres the Lotus Sutra and places the chanting of the name of the Sutra at the center of devotional practice. According to its own account it has 12 million members in 192 countries and territories around the world. The movement is publicly involved in peace activism, education and politics. It has also been at the center of numerous controversies.
As the name itself recite (Soka Gakkai means "Society for creating values") this new religious movement sought to renew in a modern perspective the teachings of a 13th cen. Buddhist Sect founded by the Monk Nichiren (1222- 1282 see also sec. 4). As can be read in the Movement presentation, for Soka Gakkai the Budda nature (that is, the inner potentiality for became a Buddha) is understood as a inner vital force to be tap by chanting the Lotus Sutra Title in Japanese: Namu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo. This practice is no more understood as way to discard passion, desire and cravings in order to attain Enlightenment and overcome the suffering of Samsara. Instead this is aimed to a personal transformation, called "human revolution", in order carry on a life of happiness and personal fulfillment. This modern attitude of individualized practice devoted to improve one owns everyday life is one of the main factor of the diffusion of Soka Gakkai throughout the World

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Trailer of Zen Buddhism in America

Below the interesting features of Buddhism in America shown in this video that underline how Buddhism is undergoing a change in order to meet the  needs of a contemporary western nation:

0.23 Buddhist chantings are translated in English (in this instance, is a chant celebrating the value of being a monks, that is, wearing a robe. Which will bring liberation and karmic merit).

0.50 A American master tell how  Buddhist practices is useful to improve everyday life, such as wife-husband relationship.

1.35 For some Americans Zen Buddhism is thought, in a bit romanticized way, as away to restore a more intimate connection with nature (zazen is the zen form of meditation).

2.30 Even if a recent establishment, neither Zen institutions in America are immune to scandals, like sexual abuse.

3.30 A Japanese zen monks explicitly states that Buddhism has always changed in order to adapt to different cultural environment, and the same will applies to America.

4.00 In America there is also consciousness of this change, and some aspect of the modern world are conceived as "gifts" West gave to the Dharma .

Links to other modules
Christianity Module I (History) sec. 8 & 9
Judaism I. History sec. 4
Islam I. History sec. 8, 9 &10
Daoism sec. 8
Hinduism sec.  12