Buddhist Ethics and the American Superhero
Presentation is included in Panel 22: Buddhism in Modern Asia
Abstract
This paper will discuss the idea of the “superhero” in terms of Buddhist ethics. While much has been made of the relationship between the superhero genre and the Judeo-Christian religious tradition (specifically Superman) the complex interplay between Buddhist ethics and the American superhero remains largely unexplored. At heart, of course, is the core Buddhist concept of ahimsa, or non-violence. Would a Buddhist hero refrain from physical force, even if was for the greater good? And can a superhero who refrains from physical force be called a “superhero” at all? As a backdrop to this discussion I will draw on a sampling of “Buddhist” superheroes throughout history, with a primary focus on the Green Lama of the 1940s, and the actual figure of the Dalai Lama in the present day.
Buddhist Ethics and the American Superhero
RCC 202
This paper will discuss the idea of the “superhero” in terms of Buddhist ethics. While much has been made of the relationship between the superhero genre and the Judeo-Christian religious tradition (specifically Superman) the complex interplay between Buddhist ethics and the American superhero remains largely unexplored. At heart, of course, is the core Buddhist concept of ahimsa, or non-violence. Would a Buddhist hero refrain from physical force, even if was for the greater good? And can a superhero who refrains from physical force be called a “superhero” at all? As a backdrop to this discussion I will draw on a sampling of “Buddhist” superheroes throughout history, with a primary focus on the Green Lama of the 1940s, and the actual figure of the Dalai Lama in the present day.