A Comprehensive Survey of Buddhism & Healing in Philly

The first comprehensive survey of Buddhist institutions in a major American city, Jivaka Project Philadelphia, is now publicly available. Focusing on the Greater Philadelphia area, the project records demographic, geographic, cultural, and sectarian information about 45 predominantly Asian-American Buddhist temples, meditation centers, and community centers. The data, along with a set of short documentary films, are included on the open-access project website. The project makes the argument that Buddhism plays an important though often unappreciated role in the city’s healthcare landscape. While these facets of health and healing are rarely mentioned in mainstream media, they are regular parts of daily life for Philadelphia’s Buddhists — particularly for communities of Asian immigrants and refugees. Visit the project website.