Scott Mitchell is the Rev. Yoshitaka Tamai Professor of Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley and the author of Buddhism in America: Global Religion, Local Context.
Scott Mitchell
Recent Articles
Read an Excerpt from “The Making of American Buddhism”
An excerpt from Chapter 4 of The Making of American Buddhism by Scott A. Mitchell.
Shin Buddhism Is American Buddhism
It’s a late summer afternoon, and strings of lanterns run from the Buddhist Church of Oakland’s substantial facade to the trees in Madison Park. Inside, the minister is giving tours of the hondo, where services are held. He explains the meaning and symbolism of the altarpieces—the statue of Amida Buddha, or Buddha of Infinite Light…
Yes, Buddhism is a Religion
Buddhism shouldn’t be stereotyped as a New Age fad or reduced to a technique, says Scott Mitchell. We miss so much by not acknowledging what it is.
Every Crime and Every Act of Kindness: Cloud Atlas, reviewed
Cloud Atlas presents a surprisingly traditional view of karma and rebirth— “and so any attempt to figure out its logic is probably doomed."