Habitus transformation through western Buddhism? A longitudinal study informed by practice theory

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Werner Vogd
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research ; Sociological Theory
• Term: from 2012 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 227923531

• Final Report Year: 2022

Final Report Abstract

In contrast to traditional Buddhist countries, Western Buddhism does not reproduce itself in monastic contexts, but primarily as a lay movement. Moreover, it encounters a highly individualized and differentiated society whose value horizons can no longer be easily integrated into overarching moral and cosmological horizons. While there are a large number of studies on the phenomenon of so-called Western Buddhism, there are very few studies on the question of what people from Western societies actually do when they make a long-term commitment to a Buddhist path of practice. With our studies “Buddhism in the West” and “Habitustransformation through Western Buddhism”, 6 training paths from German-speaking countries were investigated with a focus on the specific forms of practice of their adepts on the basis of a longitudinal study. In the sense of a multiple comparative analysis, the developmental dimensions (novices, moderately as well as existentially committed students, and long-term practitioners, including meditation teachers) were the main focus. In particular, the results were presented in five monographs. In the first major monograph, entitled “Die Praxis der Leere: Zur Verkörperung buddhistischer Lehren in Erleben, Reflexion und Lehrer-Schüler- Beziehung“ (The Practice of Emptiness: On the Embodiment of Buddhist Teachings in Experience, Reflection, and Teacher-Student Relationship) (Vogd 2015), we comparatively reviewed the different schools and forms of practice in terms of the state of research. In this book, connections were sought to sociological, philosophical, cultural studies and psychological discourses on questions of religiosity and spirituality. With the publication “Der ermächtigte Meister: Eine systemische Rekonstruktion am Beispiel des Skandals um Sogyal Rinpoche“ (The Empowered Master: A Systemic Reconstruction Using the Example of the Sogyal Rinpoche Scandal) (Vogd 2019), we addressed the problem of the abuse of spiritual power that became apparent in the context of Rigpa's longitudinal study. In doing so, we have sought to explore in greater depth the relationships between religious dogma, organization, and community that condition the abuse issue. We conclude with three books in which we again give separate space to the respective specifics of different schools prevalent in the West.

Publications

• (2015). Die Praxis der Leere. Zur Verkörperung buddhistischer Lehren in Erleben, Reflexion und Lehrer-Schüler-Beziehung. Weilerswist: Velbrück Wissenschaft. (472 Seiten)
  Vogd, Werner/Harth, Jonathan
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.5771/9783845277356)
• (2017). Doing Religion in Phowa Courses: Studies on Praxeology and the Logic of Reflection in Courses on "Conscious Dying" in Diamond Way Buddhism. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 16(3)
  Vogd, Werner/Harth, Jonathan/Ofner, Ulrike Selma
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-16.3.2320)
• (2019). Kontexturanalyse: Eine Methodologie zur Rekonstruktion polykontexturaler Zusammenhänge. Vorgeführt am Beispiel der Transgression in der Lehrer-Schüler-Beziehung im tibetischen Buddhismus. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research
  Vogd, Werner/Harth, Jonathan
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-20.1.3107)
• (2019b). Relational Phenomenology: Individual Experience and Social Meaning in Buddhist Meditation. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 26(7-8), 238-267
  Vogd, Werner/Harth, Jonathan
  
• (2020). Der ermächtigte Meister. Eine systemische Rekonstruktion am Beispiel des Skandals um Sogyal Rinpoche. Heidelberg: Carl-Auer. (137 Seiten)
  Vogd, Werner
  
• (2020): Habituelle Wandlung und habituelle Passung. Eine Längsschnittstudie zur Integration Zen-buddhistischer Lehren in handlungspraktische Gewohnheiten. In S. Thiersch (Hrsg.), Qualitative Längsschnittforschung (S. 345-366). Opladen (Barbara Budrich)
  Harth, Jonathan
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvx1hvg3.18)
• (2021). A Demonstration of Contextural Analysis, a Methodology for Reconstructing Polycontextural Configurations, Taking Interviews on Boundary Violations in Teacher-Student Relationships in Tibetan Buddhism as an Example [89 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 20(1)
  Vogd, Werner/Harth, Jonathan
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-20.1.3107)
• (2022). Adaptionen des tibetischen Buddhismus: Rekonstruktion der Erfahrungen von Diamantweg- und Rigpa-Praktizierenden. Wiesbaden, Berlin: Springer VS. (261 Seiten)
  Ofner, Ulrike Selma
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-35397-1)
• (2022). Mitten ins Leben – Frieden finden mit Vipassana-Meditation. Heidelberg: Car-Auer
  Vogd, Werner/Batarilo, Dunja